CHAP. V.

ON THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH.

We now come to a more important and more extensive branch of our enquiries; to the information which the writings of Tertullian supply respecting the doctrine of the Church in his day. In treating this part of our subject, we do not think that we can adopt a better course, than to consider the different doctrines in the order in which they occur in the Articles of the Church of England. For the present, however, we shall pass over the first and second articles, which relate to the Trinity and to the person and offices of Christ; because a more convenient opportunity for considering them will present itself, when we come to the last of Mosheim's divisions-the heresies which disturbed the peace of the Church during the latter part of the second, and the earlier part of the third centuries. With respect to that portion of the first article which asserts the unity of God and describes his nature and attributes, the reader will find a statement of

Tertullian's faith 'in a passage already quoted from the seventeenth chapter of the Apology.

Let us, therefore, proceed to the third article; the subject of which is Christ's descent into hell.

In order to put the reader in possession of our author's opinion on this article, it is necessary to premise that he speaks of four different places of future happiness or miserythe Inferi, Abraham's Bosom, Paradise, and Gehenna.

The Inferi he defines to be a deep and vast recess in the very heart and bowels of the earth. 3 He sometimes distinguishes between the Inferi and Abraham's Bosom; at others,

1 See Chap. III. note xi.

2 Nobis Inferi, non nuda cavositas nec subdivalis aliqua mundi sentina creduntur; sed in fossâ terræ, et in alto vastitas, et in ipsis visceribus ejus abstrusa profunditas. De Animâ, c. 55.

3 Aliud enim Inferi, ut puto, aliud quoque Abrahæ sinus. Adv. Marcionem, L. iv. c. 34.

+ Cæterum vester Christus pristinum statum Judæis pollicetur ex restitutione terræ ; et post decursum vitæ, apud Inferos, in sinu Abrahæ, refrigerium. Adv. Marcionem, L. iii. c. 24. This passage applies to the peculiar notions of Marcion. See note xi. of this Chapter. Igitur si quid tormenti sive solatii anima præcerpit in carcere seu diversorio Inferûm, in igne, vel in sinu Abrahæ. De Animâ, c. 7. Nam et nunc animas torqueri

includes under the common name of Inferi both the place in which the souls of the wicked are kept in a state of torment until the day of judgement-and Abraham's Bosom, the receptacle prepared for the souls of the faithful, where they enjoy a foretaste of the happiness which will afterwards be their portion in heaven. 5 For neither can the full reward of the good be conferred, nor the full punishment of the wicked inflicted, until the soul is re-united to the body at the day of judgement. There is, however, as we shall hereafter have occasion to observe, some inconsistency in Tertullian's language respecting the purposes for which the soul is kept in a separate state apud Inferos. "The Bosom of Abraham, though not in heaven, though indeed below the earth, was yet elevated far

6

torqueri foverique penes Inferos, licet nudas, licet adhuc exules carnis, probabit Lazari exemplum. De Res. Carnis, c. 17. See also de Idololatriâ, c. 13. De Animâ, c. 9. sub fine.

5 See de Res. Carnis, c. 17. quoted in the preceding note, where Tertullian says, that the soul suffers the punishment of evil thoughts and desires in the intermediate state.

6 See de Animâ, c. 58. and de Res. Carnis, c. 42. Ne Inferos experiatur, usque novissimum quadrantem exacturos.

7 Eam itaque regionem sinum dico Abrahæ, etsi non cœlestem, sublimiorem tamen Inferis, interim refrigerium præbiturum animabus justorum, donec consummatio rerum resurrectionem omnium plenitudine mercedis expungat. Adv.. Marcionem, L. iv. c. 34.

above the place in which the souls of the wicked were confined.

8

Tertullian defines Paradise to be a place of divine pleasantness, appointed for the reception of the spirits of the saints.

9 While

the souls of the rest of mankind were detained apud Inferos, in the intermediate state just described, it was the peculiar privilege of the martyrs that their souls were at once transferred to Paradise; for 10 St. John in the Apocalypse saw the souls of the martyrs, and of the martyrs only, under the altar. 11 According to Marcion, they who lived under the Law were consigned to the Inferi, there

8 Et si Paradisum nominemus, locum divinæ amœnitatis recipiendis Sanctorum spiritibus destinatum, maceriâ quâdam igneæ illius zonæ a notitiâ orbis communis segregatum. Apology, c. 47. Tertullian appears to identify it with the Paradise in which Adam and Eve were placed. De Res. Carnis, C. 26. sub fine.

9 De Animâ, c. 55. De Res. Carnis, c. 43. Nemo enim peregrinatus a corpore statim immoratur penes Dominum nisi ex martyrii prærogativâ, scilicet Paradiso, non Inferis deversurus.

10 c. 6. v. 9.

11 Sed Marcion aliorsum cogit; (Tertullian is speaking of the parable of Lazarus) scilicet utramque mercedem Creatoris, sive tormenti, sive refrigerii, apud Inferos determinat iis positam, qui Legi et Prophetis obedierint; Christi vero et Dei sui cœlestem definit sinum et portum. Adv. Marcionem, L. iv. c. 34.

to receive their reward or punishment; while heaven was reserved to the followers of Christ.

12 Gehenna is, as Tertullian expresses himself, a treasure of secret fire beneath the earth, destined for the punishment of the wicked.

These preliminary observations will enable us fully to comprehend Tertullian's notions respecting Christ's descent into hell. 13 We have seen that he defines death to separation of the soul from the body.

be the

14.

Christ

12 Gehennam si comminemur, quæ est ignis arcani subterraneus ad pœnam thesaurus. Apology, c. 47. See de Pœnitentiâ, cc. 5, 12. De Res. Carnis, cc. 34, 35.

14 Quid est autem illud quod ad inferna transfertur post divortium corporis, quod detinetur illic, quod in diem judicii reservatur, ad quod et Christus moriendo descendit, puto, ad animas Patriarcharum? De Animâ, c. 7. Siquidem Christo in corde terræ triduum mortis legimus expunctum, id est, in recessu intimo, et interno, et in ipsâ terrâ operto, et intra ipsam clauso, et inferioribus adhuc abyssis superstructo. Quod si Christus Deus, quia et homo, mortuus secundum Scripturas, et sepultus secundum easdem, huic quoque legi satisfecit, formá humanæ mortis apud Inferos functus, nec ante ascendit in sublimiora cœlorum, quam descendit in inferiora terrarum, ut illic Patriarchas et Prophetas compotes sui faceret, &c. c. 55. He died according to the fashion of the death of man, in that his soul was separated from his body. Tertullian, therefore, agrees with Pearson respecting the first end of Christ's descent into hell. "I con

ceive