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ARTICLE III.

Of the going down of Christ into Hell. AS Christ died for us, and was buried, so also it is to be believed, that he went down into hell.

a 1 Thess. v. 10. Who died for us.

b 1 Cor. xv. 4. He was buried.

Acts ii. 31. His soul was not left in hell.

That Christ descended into hell is not expressly asserted by any of the Evangelists: but they all relate that he expired upon the cross, and that after three days he again appeared alive and therefore it may be inferred, that in the intermediate time his soul went into the common receptacle for departed souls. But a more direct proof of this proposition may be found in St. Peter's Sermon on the day of Pentecost, in which he applies to the resurrection of our Saviour that passage in the Psalms, Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, &c. Psal. xvi. 10. Christ therefore must have been in hell. It is to be observed, that the word rendered hell in the above passage, both in the Septuagint translation, and in the Acts, is "Adns, Hades; and Homer, Hesiod, Plato, and other ancient Greek writers, distinguish "Ads, the place of departed souls, from TágTagos, the place of punishment for the wicked.

St. Peter is supposed to allude to Christ's descent into hell, when he says, that he went and preached unto the spirits in prison, 1 Pet. iii. 19.

This Article was added because it was a part of the Creed: and it seems probable that this doctrine of Christ's descent into hell was first introduced into the Creeds for the purpose of declaring the actual separation of Christ's soul and body, in opposition to those Heretics, who asserted that the crucifixion was only a trance or deliquium, and that Christ did not really suffer death.

ARTICLE IV.

Of the Resurrection of Christ. 'CHRIST did truly rise again from death, and took again his body, with flesh, bones, and all things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature, where

a Acts x. 40. Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly, not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.-Ps. xvi. 9, 10. Acts ii. 30, 31, 32.

b Luke xxiv. 39. Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have.-John xx. 27.

Luke xxiv. 51. And it came to pass, while he blessed

d

with he ascended into heaven, and there sitteth, until he return to judge all men at the last day.

them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.-Acts i. 9, 10, 11.

d Col. iii. 1. Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. -Eph. i. 20. Ps. cx. 1.

e Acts x. 42. He commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is He which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead: xvii. 31. God hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that Man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.-Acts iii. 21.

There are four branches in this Article: 1. Concerning the truth of Christ's resurrection. 2. Concerning the completeness of it. 3. Concerning his ascension and continuance in heaven. 4. Concerning his returning to judge all men at the last day.

We have the authority of St. Peter for affirming, that the resurrection of Christ was foretold by the royal Psalmist; see Acts ii. 29. Our Saviour himself repeatedly foretold the same; see Matt. xvii. 23. and xx. 18, &c.; and he speaks of it to the Jews as a clear demonstration which would be afforded of his divine mission, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up, speaking of the temple of his body, John ii. 18, 19, 21. and he mentions Jonas as a type of it.

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The doctrine of the resurrection in general is proved from Matt. xxviii. 6. He is not here, for he is risen, as he said: come, see the place where the Lord lay. And the reasoning of our Saviour with his disciples, (Behold, &c. see text given, Luke xxiv. 39,) proves, that when our Lord rose from the dead, he took again his body with flesh and bones; which is also evident from his interview with St. Thomas, who felt the print of the nails whereby he was nailed to the cross, and thrust his hand into his side where he was pierced. His rising with all things appertaining to human nature, appears from Acts x. 41, where St. Peter says, that he and his fellow disciples did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. Christ's ascension, see texts given. His future judgment, see texts. The time when this is to be is called the last day; for the years and days which this world is to endure are fixed by God, though no one can tell when they shall receive their end.

ARTICLE V.

Of the Holy Ghost.

THE Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, 'is of one substance,

a John xv. 26. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the

majesty, and glory, with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God.

Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of me.-Acts ii. 32, 33. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore, being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear.

b See the proofs of Article I. ref. k.

c Acts v. 3, 4. Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.-Heb. ix. 14. Through the eternal Spirit.

In this Article there are two propositions 1. That the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son. 2. That he is of one substance, majesty, and glory, with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God. The first of these appears from the texts given at reference a, as also from 1 Pet. i. 11. The second proposition is proved from texts given at reference c. The Holy Ghost then is a distinct Person from the Father and the Son, inasmuch as such operations are ascribed to him which cannot be ascribed but to a Person distinct from the Father and the Son: as when, Rom. viii. 27, he is said to make intercession for the saints; and, John xix. 16, to come as another Comforter sent by the Father in the name of Christ. Both which texts sufficiently prove his personality, or his being a

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