Hereby I understand, that when our Lord dy'd, his Soul descended into
Hell, and stay'd there as long as his Body remain'd in the Sepulchre.
By the Descent into Hell, I understand, that our Lord actually descended
into those Places where the Souls are detain'd, that have not yet receiv'd
the eternal Beatitude; and thereby he has not only demonstrated, that
every thing which he had said of his Divinity was true, but that he was
also the Son of God, as he had before prov'd by Abundance of Prodigies and
Miracles. Indeed all Men who descended into those secret Places, descended
into them as Slaves, but Jesus Christ descended into them free and
victorious; he destroy'd the Power of the Devils, who exercis'd their
Tyranny, and retain'd the Souls of Men there, by reason of their Sins.
Jesus Christ being victorious, releas'd those Souls out of the Prison in
which they were languishing, as St. _Paul_ affirms, when he says to the
_Colossians_, Chap. ii. Ver. 15. _And having spoiled Principalities and
Powers, he made a Shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it._
* * * * *
XXI. I believe, _that on the Third Day Jesus Christ rose again from the
Dead_: When I say, that our Lord rose again, I don't only understand that
he came to Life again, but that he also rose again by his own inherent
Power; which is particularly correspondent with Jesus Christ, and also
proves his Divinity; the rather, because the Resurrection of the Dead is
contrary to the Order of Nature, there being no Person that has the Power
of passing from Death to Life. St. _Paul_ says upon this Head to the
_Corinthians_, 2 _Cor._ Chap. xiii. Ver. 4. _For though he was crucified
through Weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God._
As the Godhead of Jesus Christ was never separated from his Body, he was
able by his own Power to raise himself again, and to restore himself to
Life. _David_ had foretold this Truth, _Psalm_ xcviii. Ver. 1. _His Right
Hand and his Holy Arm hath gotten him the Victory._ Our Lord himself
confirm'd this Truth, when he said in St. _John_, Chap. x. Ver. 17, 18. _I
lay down my Life, that I might take it again_; and _I have Power to take
it again_. In another Place he says, speaking to the _Jews_, St. _John_
Chap. ii. Ver. 19. _Destroy this Temple, and in Three Days I will raise it
up._
When I say, that our Lord rose again the Third Day, I don't therefore
imagine, that he was Three intire Days in the Sepulchre; he was laid there
on the _Friday_ Night, and rose again the _Sunday_ Morning following,
which makes the Three Days. Jesus Christ plac'd this Interval between his
Death and Resurrection, to shew, that he was truly Man; and at the same
time that there might be no Doubt of his Death. I am firmly persuaded,
that 'tis absolutely necessary to believe the Mystery of the Resurrection,
which I take to be one of the most important Truths of our Religion, as
St. _Paul_ proves, who, speaking to the _Corinthians_, says in the
Fifteenth Chapter, Ver. 14, 17. _And if Christ be not risen, then is our
Preaching vain, and your Faith is also vain; for ye are yet in your Sins._
I believe also, that the Resurrection of Jesus Christ was absolutely
necessary in the first Place to shew the Justice of God, in rewarding him
who had been set at nought; and was so dutiful, as to give up his Life.
The Apostle says to the _Philippians_, Chap. ii. Ver. 8. _And being found
in Fashion as a Man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto Death,
even the Death of the Cross._ Secondly, To maintain and strengthen our
Hopes, which ought to be firm and constant. For since Jesus Christ rose
again, we ought likewise to hope, that we shall one Day rise again. Upon
this Subject St. _Peter_ says in his first Epistle, Chap. i. Ver. 3, 4.
_Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which, according
to his abundant Mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively Hope, by the
Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead, to an Inheritance
uncorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away._
* * * * *
XXII. I believe, _that Jesus Christ ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at
the Right Hand of God, the Father Almighty_.
By our Lord's Ascension I understand, that Jesus Christ, after having
completed the Mystery of our Redemption, ascended, as Man, with Body and
Soul into Heaven, where he had been all along as God, being present in all
Places by his Deity; that he ascended to it by his own Power, and not by
any foreign Efficacy, like _Elias_, who was translated to Heaven in a
fiery Chariot.
By these Words, _he sitteth at the Right Hand of God, the Father
Almighty_, I don't believe, that he actually sitteth, this being one of
the figurative Expressions us'd in the Scripture: God has _nothing_
corporeal, and by Consequence has no Right Hand, and is not seated:
Therefore when the Creed saith, that Jesus Christ sitteth on his Right
Hand, 'tis also a figurative Term, which the Scripture makes Use of to
denote the glorious State to which our Lord Jesus Christ, as Man, was
advanc'd above all other Creatures. This Expression _he sitteth_,
signifies the stable and permanent Possession of the Glory and Sovereign
Power which Jesus Christ receiv'd from his Father, who, according to the
Apostle to the _Ephesians_, Chap. i. Ver. 20, 21. _Raised him from the
Dead, and set him at his own Right Hand in the heavenly Places, far above
all Principality and Power, and Might and Dominion, and every Name that is
named, not only in this World, but also in that which is to come._
As to the Ascension of Jesus Christ into Heaven, I believe, that it was
absolutely necessary: 'Twas requisite that Jesus Christ should set up his
Throne in Heaven to prove, that his Kingdom was not of this World, that it
was not a transitory or an earthly Kingdom, as the _Jews_ fancied, but
that his Kingdom was spiritual.
He also chose to ascend into Heaven, to the end that his Ascension might
raise a Desire in us to follow him, and at the same time to fulfil the
Promise that he made to his Apostles, when he told them, _John_ xvi. Ver.
7. _It is expedient for you, that I go away; for if I go not away, the
Comforter will not come unto you: But if I depart, I will send him unto
you._ Finally, Jesus Christ ascended into Heaven, to be our Advocate with
his Father; as St. _John_ says in his first Epistle, Chap. ii. Ver. 1, 2.
_My little Children, these Things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And
if any Man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous: And he is the Propitiation for our Sins._
Jesus Christ ascended also into Heaven, to prepare a Place there for us,
as he had promis'd us, and in quality of our Head, to take Possession of
Glory For us, and to open for us the Gates of it, which had, ever since
the Fall of _Adam_ till that time, been shut up.
* * * * *
XXIII. I believe, _that Jesus Christ shall come to judge the Quick and the
Dead_, because the Holy Scripture assures me, that the Son of God is to
come twice upon Earth. The first time was, when for our Salvation he was
pleas'd to assume the human Nature; and the second will be, when he cometh
at the End of the World to judge all Mankind; when this will happen I know
not, but that it will happen, I am however very certain. Of this St.
_Matthew_ assures me, Chap. xxiv. Ver. 36. _But of that Day and Hour
knoweth no Man, no not the Angels of Heaven, but my Father only._
As to the Manner how we shall be judg'd; I believe, there are Two ways:
The first Judgment will be, when my Soul forsakes my Body. I shall appear
that Instant before God's Tribunal, to give him an exact Account of every
thing that I have done, said, and thought. The second will be, when I
shall appear with all Mankind that ever had a Being in the World, to
receive the Judgment that it shall then please God to pronounce: Every one
will there appear as he has been in this Life; and this Judgment will be
the universal Judgment: This universal Judgment is absolutely necessary;
and because Men have only committed Good and Evil by the Instrumentality
of their Bodies, 'tis but just that their Bodies, as well as their Souls,
should have a Share in the Reward or Punishment due to the Good and to the
Wicked; which can only be done, when all Men rise again, and at the time
of the universal Judgment. In fine, what persuades me that there must be
an universal Judgment is, that Jesus himself assures us of it in St.
_Matthew_, and tells us of all the Signs that are to be the Forerunners of
that great Day. In like manner the _Acts_ of the Apostles also prove it to
us, Chap. i. Ver. 11. _This same Jesus which is taken up from you into
Heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven._
* * * * *