Melito, Bishop of Sardis 2nd century AD wrote:
“The Lord, when He had put on the human being and suffered for the sake of him who suffered and was bound for the sake of him who was imprisoned and was judged for the sake of the condemned and was buried for the sake of the bound, rose from the dead and cried aloud, “Who will enter into judgment against me? Let him stand up and face me. I have set the condemned free. I have given the dead life. I have raised up the one who was entombed. Who will speak against me?
I,” He says, “the Christ,
I have dissolved death. I have triumphed over the enemy and have trodden down Hades and bound the strong man and carried off humanity into the height of heavens –
I” He says “the Christ.”