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 hell brought them no deliverance from
the debt of punishment in hell.

Reply Obj. 1: When Christ descended into hell, all who were in any
part of hell were visited in some respect: some to their consolation
and deliverance, others, namely, the lost, to their shame and
confusion. Accordingly the passage 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 refreshing of full deliverance,
because the holy Fathers could not be delivered from this prison of
hell 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 hell, 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.
_______________________

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 hell by Christ's descending thither. For, like
the holy Fathers, the children were kept in hell simply because of
original sin. But the holy Fathers were delivered from hell, as
stated above (A. 5). Therefore the children were similarly delivered
from hell by Christ.

Obj. 2: Further, the Apostle says (Rom. 5:15): "If by the offense of
one, many died; much more the grace of God 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 hell owing to
their first parent's sin. Therefore, much more were they delivered
from hell through the grace of Christ.

Obj. 3: Further, as Baptism works in virtue of Christ's Passion, so
also does Christ's descent into hell, as is clear f