Part IV (Tertia Pars) Part 89 (2/2)

Now men were held fast by the debt of punishment in two ways: first of all for actual sin which each had committed personally: secondly, for the sin of the whole human race, which each one in his origin contracts from our first parent, as stated in Rom. 5 of which sin the penalty is the death of the body as well as exclusion from glory, as is evident from Gen. 2 and 3: because G.o.d cast out man from paradise after sin, having beforehand threatened him with death should he sin.

Consequently, when Christ descended into h.e.l.l, by the power of His Pa.s.sion He delivered the saints from the penalty whereby they were excluded from the life of glory, so as to be unable to see G.o.d in His Essence, wherein man's beat.i.tude lies, as stated in the Second Part (I-II, Q. 3, A. 8). But the holy Fathers were detained in h.e.l.l for the reason, that, owing to our first parent's sin, the approach to the life of glory was not opened. And so when Christ descended into h.e.l.l He delivered the holy Fathers from thence. And this is what is written Zech. 9:11: ”Thou also by the blood of Thy testament hast sent forth Thy prisoners out of the pit, wherein is no water.” And (Col. 2:15) it is written that ”despoiling the princ.i.p.alities and powers,” i.e. ”of h.e.l.l, by taking out Isaac and Jacob, and the other just souls,” ”He led them,” i.e. ”He brought them far from this kingdom of darkness into heaven,” as the gloss explains.

Reply Obj. 1: Augustine is speaking there against such as maintained that the righteous of old were subject to penal sufferings before Christ's descent into h.e.l.l. Hence shortly before the pa.s.sage quoted he says: ”Some add that this benefit was also bestowed upon the saints of old, that on the Lord's coming into h.e.l.l they were freed from their sufferings. But I fail to see how Abraham, into whose bosom the poor man was received, was ever in such sufferings.”

Consequently, when he afterwards adds that ”he had not yet discovered what Christ's descent into h.e.l.l had brought to the righteous of old,”

this must be understood as to their being freed from penal sufferings. Yet Christ bestowed something upon them as to their attaining glory: and in consequence He dispelled the suffering which they endured through their glory being delayed: still they had great joy from the very hope thereof, according to John 8:56: ”Abraham your father rejoiced that he might see my day.” And therefore he adds: ”I fail to see that He ever departed, according to the beatific presence of His G.o.dhead,” that is, inasmuch as even before Christ's coming they were happy in hope, although not yet fully happy in fact.

Reply Obj. 2: The holy Fathers while yet living were delivered from original as well as actual sin through faith in Christ; also from the penalty of actual sins, but not from the penalty of original sin, whereby they were excluded from glory, since the price of man's redemption was not yet paid: just as the faithful are now delivered by baptism from the penalty of actual sins, and from the penalty of original sin as to exclusion from glory, yet still remain bound by the penalty of original sin as to the necessity of dying in the body because they are renewed in the spirit, but not yet in the flesh, according to Rom. 8:10: ”The body indeed is dead, because of sin; but the spirit liveth, because of justification.”

Reply Obj. 3: Directly Christ died His soul went down into h.e.l.l, and bestowed the fruits of His Pa.s.sion on the saints detained there; although they did not go out as long as Christ remained in h.e.l.l, because His presence was part of the fulness of their glory.

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SIXTH ARTICLE [III, Q. 52, Art. 6]

Whether Christ Delivered Any of the Lost from h.e.l.l?

Objection 1: It would seem that Christ did deliver some of the lost from h.e.l.l, because it is written (Isa. 24:22): ”And they shall be gathered together as in the gathering of one bundle into the pit, end they shall be shut up there in prison: and after many days they shall be visited.” But there he is speaking of the lost, who ”had adored the host of heaven,” according to Jerome's commentary. Consequently it seems that even the lost were visited at Christ's descent into h.e.l.l; and this seems to imply their deliverance.

Obj. 2: Further, on Zech. 9:11: ”Thou also by the blood of Thy testament hast sent forth Thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water,” the gloss observes: ”Thou hast delivered them who were held bound in prisons, where no mercy refreshed them, which that rich man prayed for.” But only the lost are shut up in merciless prisons.

Therefore Christ did deliver some from the h.e.l.l of the lost.

Obj. 3: Further, Christ's power was not less in h.e.l.l than in this world, because He worked in every place by the power of His G.o.dhead.

But in this world He delivered some persons of every state.

Therefore, in h.e.l.l also, He delivered some from the state of the lost.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (Osee 13:14): ”O death, I will be thy death; O h.e.l.l, I will be thy bite”: upon which the gloss says: ”By leading forth the elect, and leaving there the reprobate.” But only the reprobate are in the h.e.l.l of the lost. Therefore, by Christ's descent into h.e.l.l none were delivered from the h.e.l.l of the lost.

_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 5), when Christ descended into h.e.l.l He worked by the power of His Pa.s.sion. Consequently, His descent into h.e.l.l brought the fruits of deliverance to them only who were united to His Pa.s.sion through faith quickened by charity, whereby sins are taken away. Now those detained in the h.e.l.l of the lost either had no faith in Christ's Pa.s.sion, as infidels; or if they had faith, they had no conformity with the charity of the suffering Christ: hence they could not be cleansed from their sins. And on this account Christ's descent into h.e.l.l brought them no deliverance from the debt of punishment in h.e.l.l.

Reply Obj. 1: When Christ descended into h.e.l.l, all who were in any part of h.e.l.l were visited in some respect: some to their consolation and deliverance, others, namely, the lost, to their shame and confusion. Accordingly the pa.s.sage continues: ”And the moon shall blush, and the sun be put to shame,” etc.

This can also be referred to the visitation which will come upon them in the Day of Judgment, not for their deliverance, but for their yet greater confusion, according to Sophon. i, 12: ”I will visit upon the men that are settled on their lees.”

Reply Obj. 2: When the gloss says ”where no mercy refreshed them,”

this is to be understood of the refres.h.i.+ng of full deliverance, because the holy Fathers could not be delivered from this prison of h.e.l.l before Christ's coming.

Reply Obj. 3: It was not due to any lack of power on Christ's part that some were not delivered from every state in h.e.l.l, as out of every state among men in this world; but it was owing to the very different condition of each state. For, so long as men live here below, they can be converted to faith and charity, because in this life men are not confirmed either in good or in evil, as they are after quitting this life.

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SEVENTH ARTICLE [III, Q. 52, Art. 7]

Whether the Children Who Died in Original Sin Were Delivered by Christ?

Objection 1: It would seem that the children who died in original sin were delivered from h.e.l.l by Christ's descending thither. For, like the holy Fathers, the children were kept in h.e.l.l simply because of original sin. But the holy Fathers were delivered from h.e.l.l, as stated above (A. 5). Therefore the children were similarly delivered from h.e.l.l by Christ.

Obj. 2: Further, the Apostle says (Rom. 5:15): ”If by the offense of one, many died; much more the grace of G.o.d and the gift, by the grace of one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.” But the children who die with none but original sin are detained in h.e.l.l owing to their first parent's sin. Therefore, much more were they delivered from h.e.l.l through the grace of Christ.

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