In the time of Rutinus it might seem more necessary to insist on such teaching in view of the rise of the heresy of Apollinaris, who denied that the Lord had a human soul. But Rufinus himself gives no hint of this. There is more reason to connect the occurrence of the clause in the so-called Athanasian Creed, now generally accepted as a Galilean writing of the 5th cent., with opposition to Apollinarianism, because the author obviously had that heresy in view. There is no proof, how- ever, that the clause had yet passed into any Galilean Creed. By the end of the century we find it in the Creed oi. Ccesarius of Aries, and in the century following in the Creeds of Venantius Fortunatus of Poitiers and of the Spanish Bishop Martin of Bracara. Thus it passed into the Re- ceived Text of the Western Creed.
During the Middle Ages the idea of the ' Harrow- ing of Heir was made popular by the Gospel of Nicodemus, and as the theme of Mystery Plays, and at a later time by Christian Art. Discussion seldom arose. But the opinion of Abelard that tlie soul of Christ entered the underworld only virtually and not substantially, was condemned by
the Council of Sens (1140) and Pope Innocent II. It found favour with Durandus and Pico della Mirandola, whose names may suffice to show that the debate was not extinct in the 15th century. During the Reformation period, controversy began to wax fierce, and was reflected in some of the more famoiis Articles of Religion. In the Confession of Auf/sbttrtj the bare fact of the Descent is stated, but the Geneva. Catcehism taught that the Descent meant only the terrible anguish with which the soul of Christ was tried. The Catechism of the Church of the Palatinate explained that Christ descended in order that the Christian in all his
;yn
lie opinion of i)rominent leaders of thought. Luther, in his Table Talk (ccvi.), spoke of the laying of the devil in chains as the purpose of the Descent. His view fluctuated, but in his Com. on Hos 6' he wrote that Peter clearly teaches that Christ preaclied to some who, in the time of Noah, had not believed, and who waited for the long-suffering of God — that is, who hoped that God would not enter into so strict a judgment with all flesh — to the intent that they might acknowledge that their sins were forgiven through tlie sacrifice of Christ.
It was Calvin (Institut. ii. 16) who taught the revolting doctrine that the Descent means that in His suffering on earth, in Gethsemane and on the Cross, Christ suffered all the horrors of hell. To which Pearson's words are a sufficient reply : ' There is a worm that never dietli which could not lodge within His breast ; that is, a remorse of conscience, seated in the soul, for what that soul hath done ; but such a remorse of conscience could not be in Christ.' Zwingli [Fidei chr. cxjk, art. ' de Christo,',7) taught that when Christ died thi' wciglit of His Redemption pencil. it imI In fin- rii.l.nvnrld.
The Westminster St.'in.l.-ir.K iir.in ir:illy i-tim-e the question of the Dcmiii(. i'lir '.. ,//..,/.;/( «/" Faith is wholly silent, and m, is th.' .sA-,/.,- r„fc. chisni. The only allusion to the subject is in tlie Larger Catechism, where the answer to Question 50 runs : ' Christ's humiliation after His death consisted in His being buried, and continuing in the state of the dead, and undi-v the jiuwerof death till the third day ; whirli li.ilh Iwii nlherwisc ex- pressed in these words, lb- ih xmnlil mtn hell.'
Bishop Alley of Exeter, in a p.ipi-r drawn up for the Convocation of 1553 wrote : ' There have been in my diocese great inveetions between the preachers.' He asked tint some certainty might be set concerning this doctrine. Perhaps this ex- plains the form which was given to the third of the Forty-two Articles of 1553.
'As Clirisfc died .ami was buried for us: so also it is to be believed 1 1 1 1 1 TTiwm ,]<.\mi into hell. For the body lay in the sepulrhfi Ml I ' 1 i , I ' I til III ; but His ghost departing from
Him \\;(> I, I I were in prison or in hell, and did
preach lit,, i |, lace of St. Peter doth testify.'
Bishop Allr\ - • ii.i| f ri'itainty ' was not ful- filled, uii.l ill 'i:.t;:; ihr lll.jl.cthan revisers, with rare wisildin. ^iimk .mi iIp' 1,'tst clause.
The Koiiian Ciu rrlii.Mu .-|.i-aksof the release of hidy and just men as the imrpose of the Descent, of the imiiarting of the fruit of the Passion, and of the Beatific Vision.
4. Summary of the controversy in modern times. — We may lic^;iii Ihis sr,ii,,ii with thi> names of Pearson anil 'llaiiiiii.iihl. v\u, .iLP.'i in (inching that the only iiir.niiiiL; .ii ,"^1, I', i . i ^ words was that Christ by His Holy Spirit iji.-piiv.! (he preach- ing of Noah.
Hammond (ad loc.) writes: 'The spirits in the
prison are those souls of men that lay so sheathed,
so useless and unprofitable in their bodies, im-
♦ Cat. Rom. 95.
•16 HELL (DESCENT INTO)
HELL (DESCENT INTO)
merged so deep in calamity as not to perform any service to God, who inspired and placed them there.' He quotes Is 42' 49' 61' to prove that else- where it is ' a figurative speech to express wicked men.' ' By His Spirit is evidently meant that Divine power by which He was raised from the dead after His crucifixion. ' We have already noted the objections to this interpretation, and also the fact that Pearson on this point confuses Hades and Gehenna. He writes, indeed, ' less lucidly than is his Avont,' but in regard of the Descent regarded as a fact Ins final summary strikes no uncertain note.