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the fulness of reward." And we have heard St. Hilary say before, that "all the faithful, when they are gone out of the body, shall be reserved by the Lord's custody for that entry into the heavenly kingdom; being in the mean time placed in the bosom of Abraham, whither the wicked are hindered from coming by the gulf interposed betwixt them, until the time of entering again into the kingdom of heaven do come;" and again: "The rich and the poor man in the Gospel do serve us for witnesses: one of whom the angels did place in the seats of the blessed and in Abraham's bosom; the other the region of punishment did presently receive." "Ford the day of judgment is the everlasting retribution either of bliss or pain: but the time of death hath every one under his laws, while either Abraham or punishment reserveth every one unto judgment."

The difference betwixt the doctors in their judgment concerning the bosom of Abraham, and the resting of the ancient fathers therein, we find noted in part in those expositions upon the Gospel, which go under the name of Theophilus bishop of Antioch, and Eucherius bishop of Lyons. "In that the rich man," say they, "did in hell behold Abraham, this by some is thought to be the reason: because all the saints before the coming of our Lord Jesus

b Exeuntes de corpore ad introitum illum regni cœlestis per custodiam Domini fideles omnes reservabuntur: in sinu scilicet interim Abrahæ collocati, quo adire impios interjectum chaos inhibet, quousque introeundi rursum in regnum cœlorum tempus adveniat. Hil. in Psal. 120. op. pag. 383.

c Testes nobis evangelicus dives et pauper : quorum unum angeli in sedibus beatorum et in Abrahæ sinu locaverunt, alium statim pœnæ regio suscepit. Id. in Psalm. 2. pag. 52.

d Judicii enim dies, vel beatudinis retributio est æterna vel pœnæ. Tempus vero mortis habet unumquemque suis legibus, dum ad judicium unumquemque aut Abraham reservat aut pœna. Id. ibid.

e In hoc quod apud infernum Abrahamum vidit, hæc subesse a quibusdam ratio putatur; quod omnes sancti ante adventum Domini nostri Jesu Christi etiam ad inferna, licet in refrigerii locum, descendisse dicuntur. Alii opinantur locum illum in quo Abraham erat, ab illis inferni locis seorsim in superioribus fuisse constitutum: propter quod dicat Dominus de illo divite, quod elevans oculos suos cum esset in tormentis, vidit Abraham de longe. Theophil. Antioch. allegor. in Johan. lib. 4. Eucher. Lugd. de quæstionib. novi Testam. in Luca.

Christ, are said to have descended into hell, although into a place of refreshment. Others think that the place wherein Abraham was, did lie apart from those places of hell, situated in places above, for which the Lord should say of that rich man, that lifting up his eyes when he was in torments, he saw Abraham afar off." The former of these opinions is delivered by some of the doctors doubtfully, by others more resolutely. Primasius setteth it down with St. [Augustine's qualifications: "It seemeth that without absurdity it may be believed." The author of the imperfect work upon St. Matthew saith, that " peradventures the just did ascend into heaven before the coming of Christ; yet that he doth think, that no soul before Christ did ascend into heaven, since Adam sinned, and the heavens were shut against him, but all were detained in hell;" and, "ash I do think," saith the Greek expositor of Zachary's hymn likewise, "even our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the whole choir of the holy prophets and just men, did enjoy the coming of Christ." Of which coming to visit the fathers in hell, St. Hierome', Ruffinus*, Venantius Fortunatus', Gregory", Julianus Toletanus", and Eusebius Emissenus" (as he is commonly called) interpret that question propounded by

f Si non absurde credi videtur.

Primasius, lib. 5. in Apocalyps. cap. 20. se

cutus Augustinum, lib. 20. de civit. Dei, cap. 15.

g Vis autem manifeste scire, quoniam ante Christum cœli si aperiebantur, iterum claudebantur. Nam justi quidem forsitan ascendebant in cœlum: peccatores autem nequaquam. Ideo autem dixi, forsitan, ne quibusdam placeat etiam ante Christi adventum justorum animas ascendere potuisse in cœlum. Alioqui nullam animam ante Christum arbitror ascendisse in cœlum, ex quo peccavit Adam, et clausi sunt ei cœli: sed omnes in inferno detentas. Op. imperf. in Matth. homil. 4. inter opera Chrysostomi.

h Ut enim arbitror, etiam patres nostri, Abraham, Isaac, et Jacob, et totus chorus sanctorum vatum et justorum, Christi adventu perfruiti sunt. Catena Græca in cantica utriusque Testamenti, ab Ant. Carafa convers. tom. 1. operum Theodoreti, pag. 729. edit. Colon. 1573.

i Hieron. epist. ad Algas. quæst. 1. et lib. 2. commentar. in Matth. cap. 11. Ven. Fortunat. in exposit. Symboli.

k Ruffin. in exposit. Symboli.

m Gregor. lib. 1. in Ezech. hom. 1. et in evang. hom. 6. op. tom. 1. pag. 1176. et 1453.

n Julian. Tolet. lib. 2. contra Judæos.

Euseb. homil. in evangel. Dominic. 3. adventus.

295

the baptist unto our Saviour: "Art thou he that should come, or look we for another :" which exposition is by St. Chrysostom justly rejected, as utterly impertinent and ridiculous. Anastasius Sinaita affirmeth very boldly, that "all the souls as well of the just as the unjust were under the hand of the devil, until Christ descending into hell said unto those that were in bonds, Come forth; and to those that were in durance, Be at liberty." For "he did not only," saith he in another place," dissolve the corruption of the bodies in the grave; but also delivered the captivity of the souls out of hell, wherein they were by tyranny detained, and peradventure not by tyranny neither, but for many debts; which being payed, he that descended for their delivery, brought back with him a great captivity;" and thus was "hellt spoiled, and Adam delivered from his griefs." Which is agreeable to that which we read in the works of Athanasius: that "the" soul of Adam was detained in the condemnation of death, and cried continually unto the Lord; such as had pleased God, and were justified in the law of nature, being detained together with Adam, and lamenting and crying out with him:" and that the devil, "

beholding himself

P Matt. chap. 11. ver. 3. Luke, chap. 7. ver. 19, 20.

4 Chrysost. in Matth. cap. 11. hom. 36. op. tom. 7. pag. 409.

* Ὑπὸ τὴν χείρα τοῦ διαβόλου ὑπῆρχον πᾶσαι αἱ ψυχαὶ τῶν ἁγίων καὶ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν, ἕως οὗ κατελθὼν ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ ὁ Χριστὸς εἶπε τοῖς ἐν δεσμοῖς, Εξέλθετε, καὶ τοῖς κατεχομένοις, ἐλευθερώθητε. Anastas. Sinait. (al. Nicæn.) quæst. 112.

* Οὐ γὰρ μόνον τὴν τῶν σωμάτων φθορὰν ἐν τῷ τάφῳ δίελυσεν· ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν τῶν ψυχῶν αἰχμαλωσίαν ἐκ τοῦ ᾅδου ἀπέλυσεν· ἔνθα κατείχοντο τυραννούμεναι, ἢ τάχα, οὐ τυραννούμεναι, ἀλλ ̓ ἀντικατεχόμεναι πολλῶν ὁφλημάτων· ἅπερ καταθείς, ὁ διὰ τὸ λυτρώσασθαι καταβὰς, ἀνήγαγε πολλὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν. Anastas. Sinait. de rect. dogmatib. orat. 5.

* Εν αὐτῷ ὁ ᾅδης ἐσκυλεύθη· ἐν αὐτῇ ὁ ̓Αδὰμ τῶν ὀδυνῶν ἀπηλλάγη. Id. in Hexaemer. lib. 7.

" Τῆς τοῦ ̓Αδὰμ ψυχῆς ἐν καταδίκη θανάτου κατεχομένης καὶ βοώσης πρὸς τὸν ἑαυτῆς δεσπότην διαπαντός, (sive διηνεκῶς) καὶ τῶν εὐαρεστησάντων τῷ θεῷ, καὶ δικαιωθέντων ἐν τῷ φυσικῷ νόμῳ, συγκατεχομένων τῷ ̓Αδὰμ συμπενθούντων τε καὶ συμβοώντων. Athan. de salutar. advent. Christi, advers. Appollinar. op. tom. 1. pag. 947.

* Καὶ γὰρ ὁρῶν ἑαυτὸν σκυλευόμενον κατέκοπτεν ἑαυτὸν ὁρῶν δὲ καὶ τοὺς ποτὲ κλαίοντας ὑπ' αὐτὸν, νῦν ψάλλοντας ἐν κυρίῳ, διέῤῥησσεν ἑαυτὸν. Author. serm. in passion. et crucem Domin. 1nter opera Athanas.

spoiled, did bemoan himself; and beholding those that sometime were weeping under him, now singing in the Lord, did rend himself."

Others are more favourable to the souls of the fathers, though they place them in hell; for they hold them to have been there in a state of bliss, and not of misery. Thus the author of the Latin homily concerning the rich man and Lazarus, which is commonly fathered upon Chrysostom, notwithstanding he affirmeth that Abraham was in hell, and that before the coming of Christ, none ever entered into paradise: yet doth he acknowledge in the mean time, that Lazarus did remain there in a kind of paradise. For "they bosom of Abraham," saith he, "was the poor man's paradise;" and again: "Some man may say unto me, Is there a paradise in hell? I say this, that the bosom of Abraham is the truth of paradise: yea, and I confess it to be a most holy paradise." So Tertullian, in the fourth book of his verses against Marcion, placeth Abraham's bosom under the earth, but in an open and lightsome seat, far removed from the fire and from the darkness of hell:

sub corpore terræ

In parte ignota quidam locus exstat apertus,
Luce sua fretus; Abrahæ sinus iste vocatur,
Altior a tenebris, longe semotus ab igne,
Sub terra tamen.

Yea, he maketh it to be one house with that which is eternal in the heaven, distinguished only from it, as the outer and the inner temple, or the sanctum and the

* Simulque considerandum, quod Abraham apud inferos erat: necdum enim Christus resurrexerat, qui illum in paradisum duceret. Antequam Christus moreretur, nemo in paradisum conscenderat, nisi latro. Rhomphæa illa flammea, et vertigo illa claudebat paradisum. Non poterat aliquis intrare in paradisum, quem Christus clauserat: latro primus cum Christo intravit. Homil. in Luc. cap. 16. de divite, tom. 2. oper. Chrysost. Latin.

y Paradisus pauperis, sinus erat Abrahæ. Ibid.

Dicat mihi aliquis: In inferno est Paradisus ? Ego hoc dico, quia sinus Abrahæ Paradisi veritas est: sed et sanctissimum Paradisum fateor. Ibid.

a Confer locum ex Augustino, de Genesi ad liter. lib. 12. cap. 24. supra citatum, pag. 285.

sanctum sanctorum, were in the time of the Law, by the veil that hung between: which veil being rent at the passion of Christ, he saith these two were made one everlasting house:

Tempore divisa et spatio, et ratione ligata
Una domus, quamvis velo partita videtur.
Atque adeo passo Domino velamine rupto,
Cœlestes patuere plagæ, cœlataque sancta :

Atque duplex quondam, facta est domus una perennis.

Yet elsewhere he maketh up the partition again: maintaining very stiffly, that the gates of heaven remain still shut against all men, until the end of the world come, and the day of the last judgment. Only paradise he leaveth open for martyrs (as that other author of the Latin homily seemeth also to do), but the souls of the rest of the faithful he sequestereth into hell, there to remain' in Abraham's bosom until the time of the general

b Nulli patet cælum terra adhuc salva, ne dixerim clausa. Cum transactione enim mundi reserabuntur regna cœlorum. Tertull. de anima, cap. 55.

e Quomodo perpetua fortissima martyr sub die passionis in revelatione paradisi, solos illic commartyres suos vidit; nisi quia nullis romphæa paradisi janitrix cedit, nisi qui in Christo decesserint? Tota paradisi clavis tuus sanguis est. Ibid. Vid. etiam lib. de resurrect. carnis, cap. 43.

d Si persecutio venerit, imitemur latronem: si pax fuerit, imitemur Lazarum. Si martyrium fecerimus, statim intrabimus paradisum: si paupertatis pœnam sustinuerimus, statim in sinum Abrahæ. Habet et sanguis, habet et pax loca sua habet et paupertas martyrium suum, et egestas bene tolerata facit martyrium; sed egestas propter Christum, non propter necessitatem. Homil. de divite, inter opera Chrysost.

e Habes etiam de paradiso a nobis libellum, quo constituimus omnem animam apud inferos sequestrari in diem Domini. Tertul. de anim. cap. 55. Omnes ergo animæ penes inferos? inquis. Velis ac nolis, et supplicia jam illic et refrigeria habes, pauperem et divitem, &c. Cur enim non putes animam et puniri et foveri in inferis, interim sub expectatione utriusque, judicii in quadam usurpatione et candida ejus? Ibid. cap. ult.

Quod si Christus Deus, quia et homo, mortuus secundum scripturas, et sepultus secundum easdem, hic quoque legi satisfecit, forma humanæ mortis apud inferos functus; nec ante ascendit in sublimiora cœlorum, quam descendit in inferiora terrarum, ut illic patriarchas et prophetas compotes sui faceret: habes, et regionem inferum subterraneam credere, et illos cubito pellere, qui satis superbe non putent animas fidelium inferis dignas; servi super Dominum, et discipuli super magistrum, aspernati forte in Abrahæ sinu, expectandæ resurrectionis solatium carpere. Ibid. cap. 55.

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