The defence of the article: Christ descended into Hell VVith arguments obiected against the truth of the same doctrine: of one Alexander Humes. All which reasons are confuted, and the same doctrine cleerely defended. By Adam Hyll, D. of Diuinity.

Hill.

Indéede I brought this place Ephe. 49▪ to proue that Christ descended into Hell. And whereas you charge me with immodesty for so alleadging of it, I must néeds charge you with two vntruthes in answering this allegation. The one is, that I called it the pit of Hell, which phrase I neuer vsed: The other is, you haue impudently auouched, that none of the modester sorte of deuines haue euer alleadged this place to proue the descending of Christ into hel. For ma∣ny, and those both learned and modest haue alleadged this▪ place to this purpose. Athanasius interpreting this Epistle and text thus writeth▪

Into what place did he descend? Into hell truely, which he calleth according to the common opini∣on of men, the lowest partes of the earth.

Ambrose on this place saith thus.

This Christ therfore comming down from heauen into the earth was borne a man, afterward he dyed & descended into hell, from whence rising the third day, he wēt vp to heauen before all mortall men, that he might shewe death to be vanquished to euery creature. Chrisostome on this place saith. He went to those partes of the earth, then the which nothing is lower, and from thence he ascended in∣to heauen, then the which nothing is higher. The like hath

Augustine li. de Trin. cap. 19. Ierome on this text thus noteth. That Hell is vnder the earth no man doubteth, for he that descended in soule into hell, ascended both bodye and soule into heauen.

Mollerus a learned Minister of Germa∣ny on the sixtéene Psalme saith: that the descending into hel is plainely proued out of the Ephesians the fourth chapter. Musculus on the 68. Psal. thus writeth.

This God which was in Christ reconciling the worlde vnto himselfe, first des∣cended into the lowest partes of the earth, then he led capti∣uitie captiue, and not only we are deliuered from the capti∣uity of Satan, sinne, death and damnation: but also Christ triumphing ouer them as tirants, hath ascended aboue all heauens, to fulfill all things:

Hemingius on the 2. Chapter to the Colossians thus also teacheth.

As by his deathe he conflicted with the enemye on the crosse, so by his glorious descending into hel, resurrection and ascention, he triumphed as it is Ephe 4. Leauing his crosse lift vp as a monument of his victory.

To conclude, Alesius a very learned preacher of Scotland, on the 19. chapter of Iohn, affirmeth that the 1. Pet. 3. and Eph. 4. do manifestly proue the descending of Christ into hell, if Athanasius, Chrysostome, Ambrose, Augustine and Ierome, of the olde fathers, and Mollerus, Musculus, Hemingius and Alesius of the new writers: be all immodest diuines, then haue you truelye saide: but if in the iudgement of the learned, all these were most reue∣rend men, then most shameles are you to accuse them of the want of modesty. Moreouer where you saye no deuine da∣reth to dispute where hell is: it is true in some sorte, for no deuine can circumscribe the place of hell which is infinite, nor yet of heauen: only the woord of God affirmeth that heauen is aboue, Gal. 4. 26. And hell is beneath, Prouerbs 15. 24. Therefore the lowest partes of the earth may well be taken for hell: Then you goe farther and say, that Erets tachthi∣oth doth not signifie hel, Psal. 63. and for this you bring two reasons: the one is, that it were a presumption in the Pro∣phet to iudge his enemies: 2, that it standeth not with the

affection of a godly minde, to assigne hell to his enemies, but to pray for them: to your first reason this I answere. In the Psalme 9. 18. Dauid vseth the like spéeche: The wicked shall be turned to hell, and all the people that forget God: which text Caluin thus expoundeth, the Hebrewe woord Sheolah which was doubtfull, I haue not doubted to translate hell, for though it doth not displease me that others turne it (Sepulcher) yet it is sure héere is something noted besides common death, otherwise he should speak nothing of the reprobate, but that which did generally happen to all be∣léeuers. In the hnndred and ninth Psalme also Dauid thus praieth: Let Satan stand at his right hand, let his prayer be turned iuto sinne, let the wickednes of his Father be had in remembrance in the sight of the Lord, and let not the sinne of his mother be done away. Do you think this to be spoken presumptuously? Many such texts could I alleadge to proue that Dauid inspired with the spirite of prophecye, did foretell not onely of the tragicall destruction of bodies of his enemies, but also of the extreme damnation of their soules. This then is my replye to your second reason: these enemies were not priuate enemies, but publique, and did hate Dauid for his religions sake: Dauid therefore by the gift of prophecye doth foretell, that their soules should go to hell to be tormented, and their bodies should be the porti∣on of Foxes, that is, should neuer come to the graue, for what néed Dauid tell vs they should dye, which we know is common to all? or how can that betrue which you say, that they should be in graue, when Dauid himselfe saith they were not in any graue, but were the portion of Foxes. And* 1.1 so M. Caluin (whom I hope you will beléeue) teacheth you, writing vpon this Psalme and verse. To be the portion of Foxes, is as much as to be deuoured and torne of wicked beastes: for God (saith Caluin) doth threaten this: punish∣ment to the reprobate, that they shall be a pray to Wolues and dogges, because he would depriue them of the honor of their graue. Héer you sée M. Caluin saith they came not into

their graue, you say they did. How M. Caluin and you may be reconciled I knowe not: for Caluin addeth this reason.

It hapneth sometime that we know the same temporall pu∣nishments to be common to the good & the bad: but this is the difference, the bones of the godly are gathered together and kept in safety, that not one of them shall perish, but the scattring of the bones of the reprobate is a signe of their e∣ternall destruction.

Therefore how can the lower partes of the earth signifie the graue as you say, since (as M. Calùin truly saith) they were in no graue: Aunswere me this (good M. Humes) plainely. Psal. 63, 9. The lower parts of y^e earth signifie (not the graue) but hell. Christ descended into the lower parts of the earth, Eph. 4. 9. Ergo Christ descended into hell.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Humes disa greeth with Dauid and Caluin.