A69028:2209
The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…
The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as it affordeth both milk for babes, and strong meat for such as are at full age / by ... Nicholas Bifield ; ... now published ... by his son, Adoniram Bifield.The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as it affordeth both milke for babes, and strong meat for such as are at full age / by ... Nicholas Bifield ; ... now published ... by his sonne, Adoniram Bifield.
London: printed by G.M. for Philemon Stephens and Christopher Meredith, 1626
THE CREED. › Article 4 › He descended into Hell.THE CREEDE. › Article 4 › He descended into Hell.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. Christ may be said to descend into Hades, when by death he went among the dead, both in his body and soul. He descended when he went down among the dead: And thus he descended not only into the Infernum mortalitatis, but into the Infernum mortis also. Thus according to the Psalm he was free among the dead: and this was the greater abasement, because he was detained so long among the dead, kept down as a Prisoner in the grave, in respect of his body: He descended then, when he suffered the state of the dead both in body and soul. I say his abasement was very great in this condition, because both his friends thought all was lost in him, Luke 24. 21. Mark 16. 10. and his enemies insulted over him as conquered, and called him Deceiver, Matth. 27. 62, &c. Luke 23. 43. See what God saith, Dan. 9. 26. And death held him down as his prisoner, Rom. 6. 9. So as it was with him, as Job 17. 12, 13. But yet it is true he was glorious in this estate, both in that his soul was in Paradise, and his body enjoyed incorruption. But yet all this was secret, and not known to men; therefore some Divines call this a kind of middle state, between humiliation and exaltation, because it was partly glorious, and partly ignominious. And his detention in the grave answer• fitly to the order of the Articles. For as Resurrection answers to his death and crucifying, so A scension answers to his going into the grave; and Session 1at the right hand of God, answers to his continuance in the grave.
2. Christ may be said to descend into Hades, when by death he went among the dead, both in his body and soule. He descended when he went downe among the dead: And thus he descended not only into the Infernum mortalitatis, but into the Infernum mortis also. Thus according to the Psalme he was free among the dead: and this was the greater abasement, because hee was detained so long among the dead, kept downe as a Prisoner in the graue, in respect of his body: He descended then, when he suffered the state of the dead both in body and soule. I say his abasement was very great in this condition, because both his friends thought all was lost in him,