Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	body_n	life_n	soul_n	5,160	5	5.5664	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15418	Limbo-mastix: that is, A canuise of Limbus Patrum shewing by euident places of Scripture, inuincible reasons, and pregnant testimonies of some ancient writers, that Christ descended not in soule to Hell, to deliuer the Fathers from thence. Containing also a briefe replie to so much of a pamphlet lately published, intituled, An answere to certaine obiections against the descension &c. as lookes that way, and is personally directed against some writers of our Church.	Willet, Andrew, 1562-1621.	1604 (1604)	STC 25692; ESTC S120030	49,797	70

prooued before and confessed by the Answerer yet in regard of the manifold inconueniences that would ensue vpon the other sense a figuratiue speech should be admitted First one inconuenience is the contradiction of Scripture because elsewhere Christ saith This day shalt thou be with me in paradise Luk. 23. 43. which must be vnderstood of Christs soule as shall be shewed afterward Secondly seeing Christ commended his soule into the hands of his father it would follow that descending into hell and to be among the infernall and damned spirits should bee a commending of the spirit to God Thirdly this hell that Christ went to hee loosed the sorrowes of Act. 2. 24 which had seased vpon him but could not hold and detaine him but hell sorrowes hee neuer felt in that place of torment Vpon these and other inconuenient and absurd consequents we should be forced to finde out a figure in the vse of these words if their proper signification did not beare that sense 3. The inconuenience that he findeth out that taking Christs soule here for his whole person it would follow that his bodie and soule should be in hell together pag. 6 they neede not to feare that take the soule for the whole person for the one part onely namely the bodie is meant that lieth in the graue though the whole be named as our Sauiour saith Our friend Lazarus sleepeth Ioh. 11. 11 and yet his bodie onely was asleepe But whereas I rather take the other sense that the soule here signifies life this absurditie is further off then before for this phrase is vsuall with the Prophet to take his soule for the life as Psal. 7. 2. Lest he deuoure my soule like a lion Vers. 5. Let the enemie persecute my soule and take it let him tread my life downe vpon the earth and lay mine honour in the dust Likewise Psal. 88. 3. My soule is filled with euils and my life draweth neere to the graue Obiect 2. First the soule ioyned with the bodie may be taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the whole man liuing but being separate from the bodie as in this place it is it cannot rightly be so taken Secondly Dauid in other places speaketh personally of himself here he singeth prophetically of Christ onely Thirdly there of himselfe liuing here of Christ dead and buried there of his owne soule ioyned with the bodie here of the soule of Christ separated from the bodie Ans. pag. 7. Ans. 1. We rather affirme that the soule is taken here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the life the cause for the effect than by a Synecdoche the part for the whole And that the soule is taken for the life separated from the bodie is euident by these places before alledged Exod. 21. 23. He shall giue soule for soule that is life for life his life shall be taken from him So Numb 23. 10. Let my soule die the death of the righteous Here the soule separated from the body is taken for the life for the soule dieth not nor yet the life ceaseth not as long as the soule is in the bodie 2. Though Dauid doth prophesie of Christ yet so as he speaketh in his owne person as a type of Christ so that which historically was to bee performed in Christ was typically true of Dauid as shall be euen now shewed more at large 3. Dauid in this place though specially prophecying of the death and resurrection of Christ yet also sheweth his owne hope that hee had when his flesh should rest in the graue which he groundeth vpon the power and vertue of Christs resurrection neither doth Dauid where he vseth this phrase speake onely of the soule ioyned with the bodie but separated also from it as Psal. 89. 48. What man liueth and shal not see death shall he deliuer his soule from the hand of the graue Here this word nephesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soule euen separated from the bodie lying in the graue is taken for the life thereof Obiect 3. First the word sheol is ordinarily taken for the infernall place of soules for the graue seldome or neuer Bellarm. lib. 4. de anim Christ. c. 10. Secondly to the same purpose the Answerer alledgeth two places Psal. 9. 17. and Psal. 31. 17. where sheol is taken for hell Thirdly he telleth vs further howsoeuer some curious Linguists may wrangle with the word sheol in the Old Testament yet most certaine it is that the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the which S. Luke the Euangelist expresseth it can not in the New Testament properly and truly be otherwise taken than for the place of the damned pag. 12. Ans. 1. Bellarmine in saying that sheol is seldome or neuer taken for the graue doth not shew himselfe answerable to the opinion he would haue conceiued of his great learning for beside these places already cited Genes 37. 35. Genes 42. 38. 2. King 2. 6. Psal. 6. 4 5. Prou. 30. 16. Psal. 89. 48 where sheol cannot be otherwise taken than for the graue whosoeuer list to make search shall finde this word in the Old Testament oftner taken for the graue than for hell 2. The Answerer hath made but bad choise of his two places in both which the best Interpreters simply of this age Pagnin and Arias Montanus and Tremellius doe translate sheol for the graue for thus they reade Psalm 9. 17. The wicked shall be turned into the graue Psal. 31. 17. Let the wicked be put to silence in the graue for in hell where there is weeping and gnashing of tecth there is no great silence But to yeeld him these places what hath hee gained hee fighteth but with his owne shadow none that I know denieth but that sheol is sometime taken for hell Or if hee will bee thought to say somewhat what kind of reasoning is this sheol in two or three places is taken for hell Ergo in all other places it is so taken 3. And are they wranglers that finde sheol taken in the Old Testament for the graue See what a presumptuous censure hee giueth of all the learned Interpreters both old and new and hee maketh himselfe a wrangler also who findeth fault with his Antagonist for reading hell and not the graue in these two places Genes 37. 35 and Psal. 6. 5. But Hades is not taken in the new as Sheol in the old Testament This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this text being cited out of the old Testament must be vnderstood according to the phrase of the old Testament otherwise who knoweth not but that some words borrowed out of the old Testament are in the new vsed in another sense than in the old as the word gehenna is taken in the new to signifie hell Mat. 5. 22. which in the old is called the valley of the sonne of Hinnon Iere. 7. 31. where they tormented their sonnes when they offered them vp in sacrifice to their Idols whence they applied the name to

article of Christs descension being expounded according to the Scriptures and analogie of faith yet it is euident that the ancient Church did not hold any such descension of Christs soule to Limbus Patram as an article of the faith And therefore concerning this matter we may say with Leo What reason haue they to bring in new things that our elders neuer knew Argum. 4. That which Christ performed vpon the crosse he needed not afterward to goe downe to hell to performe but hee triumphed ouer death hell and the diuell vpon the crosse and there wrought our deliuerance Ergo he needed not for these causes descend to hell The assumption or second part is prooued by the Scripture Coloss. 2. 14. 15. Hee hath blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances which was against vs and fastened them to the crosse c. and hauing spoiled principalities and powers hath made a shew of them openly triumphing ouer them in the same So readeth and expoundeth Origen this place of Christs triumph vpon the crosse vpon these words Numb 24. 9. He couched as a young lion He lay downe like a lion when hanging vpon the crosse he put downe principalities and powers and triumphed ouer them in the tree of his crosse Augustine also sheweth that our deliuerance was fully wrought vpon the crosse and the diuell vanquished serm 174. Trophaeo suo diabolus victus est seducendo primum hominem occidit occidendo nouissimum primum de laqueis perdidit exultauit diabolus quando mortuus est Christus ipse morte Christi victus est tanquam in muscipula escam accepit muscipula diaboli crux Domini esca qua caperetur mors Domini The diuell was ouercome by his owne deuice he by seducing slew the first Adam by slaying the last Adam the first escaped out of the snare the diuell reioyced when Christ was dead but by his death he was ouercome he took his baite as in a trap the crosse was the trap the bait that caught the diuell was our Lords death Durand a Popish champion vrgeth this very argument against Christs descension because in the very instant of Christs death the soules of the faithfull were deliuered and made happie and therefore Christ needed not to descend for any such cause Bellarmine is driuen here to this shift to graunt that although the presence of Christs soule were not necessarie in hell yet it was of congruitie it should be there present If the presence of Christs soule in hell be not of necessitie how haue they al this while vrged it as an article of the faith for euery article of the faith is to be held as necessarie Argum. 5. As the Saints dying commend their spirits vnto God so did Christ commend his spirit Luk. 23. 46. vsing the Prophet Dauids words Psal. 31. 4. he keepeth also his sense but the soules of the faithfull commended into Gods hands doe presently goe to heauen as Stephen said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Act. 7. 59. Can this be called a commending of the spirit into the hands of God to goe downe to hell and to remaine among the infernall spirits Again if they that die in the Lord doe after death rest from their labours Reuel 13. 14. much more the Lord himselfe rested from his labours after his death but if hee had hell to conquer and the Patriarks to deliuer after his death a great part of his labour remained what then is become of that consummatum est all was finished vpon the crosse Ioh. 19. 30. that is whatsoeuer appertained to Christs suffrings trauaile and labour was now accomplished his glorie victorie and triumph onely remained Augustine hereunto giueth some light thus applying these words of Christ My soule is heauie vnto death Tristis vsque ad mortem propter affectum susceptae carnis non post mortem cum beatitudinem spondet societas Deitatis non initium maeroris mors ista sed finis Cont. Felician c. 15. Heauie vnto death because of the affection and infirmitie of the flesh not after death when blessednesse is promised by the societie of the Godhead this death is not the beginning of sorrow and trauaile but the end Argum. 6. Christs soule went immediatly vnto heauen after the departure from his bodie Ergo it did not descend to hell The first part is prooued by the words of our Sauiour Luk. 23. 43. vttered to the conuicted theefe This day shalt thou bee with mee in paradise which words must be vnderstood of the presence of Christ in heauen not in respect of his Godhead onely but of his whole person as hee was the Mediatour And that hee directly speaketh of the presence of his soule in paradize it may euidently appeare by these reasons 1. Christ answereth the theefe according to his request but he desireth to be remembred when hee as the Messiah should enter into his kingdome Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome but Christ as God was neuer out of his kingdome 2. The phrase of speech giueth this sense Christ is said to be with vs in respect of his Godhead Mat. 28. 20. I am with you to the end of the world but we are said to be with him as our Messiah as S. Paul saith I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ Philip. 1. 23. Bernard noteth this distinction well Christ us nobiscum est c. Christ is with vs at all times to the end of the world but when shall we be with him When we shall be taken vp and meete Christ in the ayre 3. That kingdome whereof Christ promiseth to make the theefe partaker is not that kingdome which belongeth to him as God for that is not cōmunicable to any creature but which is due to him as the Messiah The theefe raigned the same day with Christ in Paradise as Bernard saith That which was promised was done the same day he suffered together with Christ he also raigned together with him Therefore it is an erroneous speech of the answerer the performance of that promised presence with him in paradise was nothing els but the blisfull fruition of his Godhead pag. 19 contrarie to the Apostle whom neuer man saw neither can see 1. Tim. 6. 16. The Godhead is incomprehensible how then can there be a full fruition whereof there can be no comprehension 4. I vrge Augustines reason who propounding this obiection Deitatis hanc non animae Christi vocem credimus We thinke that Christ spake thus to the theefe of his Godhead not of his soule maketh this answere Anima est cui hoc promisit c. But Christ promised this to the soule of the theefe Then he thus inferreth If the soule of the theefe strait after the death of bodie was called into paradise shall wee thinke any to bee so impious that dare say that the soule of our Sauiour was three daies kept in hell by his bodily death He reasoneth from the lesse to the

were as much to say hee ascended in descending But this were absurd as Origen noteth If wee diligently consider we shall finde that neuer any is said to descend into an holie place or ascend to an vnnoble place Christ then did not begin to be exalted while he was descending But the death and passion of Christ and suffring vpon the crosse and so consequently his graue was the lowest point of his humiliation Philip. 2. 8. He humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse Ergo Christ descended no further then to the crosse and his graue Argum. 4. Christ ascended from that place whether he descended but he ascended not in soule from hell Ergo he thither descended not The proposition is grounded vpon the Apostles words now in that he ascended what is it but he descended first vers 9. The assumption is thus proued Of the natiuitie life death resurrection ascension and all other actions performed by our Sauiour the Apostles were witnesses Act. 4. 20. We cannot but speake the things which we haue seene and heard 1. Iohn 1. 1. That which we haue heard seene with our eyes and our hands haue handled of the word of life declare wee vnto you But the Apostles neither sawe nor heard of Christ ascending out of hell but onely from the earth Acts 1. 9. while they beheld he was taken vp Ergo c. Argum. 5. To descend into the deepe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to descend into the lower parts of the earth with S. Paul speaking of Christ are all one this is graunted Ans. p. 12. out of Luke 8. 31. But to descend into the deepe is nothing else but to be among the dead which are in the graue and not in hell Rom. 10. 7. Who shall descend into the deepe that is to fetch Christ againe from the dead Thus Origene expoundeth this place If any man in minde and thought descend into the deepe thinking Christ there onely to be conteined as though it were all one and a like to call him from the dead c He saith that it is a like phrase to descend into the deep and to fetch Christ frō the dead Ergo Christs locall descension was but to the graue Argum. 6. How 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lower parts of the earth and in what sense it is to bee taken that place sheweth Psalme 139. 13. Thou hast fashioned mee in the lowest parts of the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Septuagint reade in the superlatiue but here the Apostle in the comparatiue if the lowest parts of the earth doe not signifie hell the lower shall much lesse Obiect To vse the comparatiue for the superlatiue is a phrase and forme of speech very vsuall among the Grecians so that here it may very well be taken for the superlatiue to signifie the lowest parts Ans. p. 51. Ans. 1. We doe not much stand vpon this point for the Syrian and Latin translator doe reade here ad inferiora to the lower or inferiour parts Beza ad infimas partes to the lowest parts for whether wee reade lower or lowest the sense is the same for the earth compared with other parts of the world may be said to be the lower or lowest part 2. Yet who can be ignorant but that where the necessitie of the sense vrgeth not to expound the superlatiue by the comparatiue as it doth in all these places by the Answerer alledged Matth. 11. 11. and 23. 11. Mark 4. 31. 32. and in the rest yet where the sense so vrgeth not as in this place it doth not and especially where the common dialect is vsed as in Scripture most an end the comparatiue degree is to be translated properly by it self And whereas the Answerer findeth not fault with the Latin translator for expounding the superlatiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek Psal. 139. 13. by the Latin comparatiue inferiora lower how much fitter is it to translate the comparatiue by the comparatiue as the Latin text doth here Argum. 7. I will now lastly adioyne the exposition of some of the Fathers Origen saith Paulus quoniam descensionis Christi mysterium praedicat profundum nominauit quasi de superioribus ad inferiora venientis Homil 2. in Genes Paul because he preacheth the mysterie of Christs descension into hell he named the deepe as of one comming from the higher to the lower parts And againe the same Origen thus writeth Descendere Deus dicitur quando curam humanae fragilitatis habere dignatur quod specialiùs de Domino saeluatore nostro sentiendum est descendit ergo neque enim alius ascendit quàm qui descendit descendit ergo Dominus non solum curare sed portare quae nostra sunt Hom. 4. in Genes God is said to descend when he vouchsaseth to take care of humane frailtie which more specially is to be thought of our Lord and Sauiour he descended therefore for none other ascended but hee that descended the Lord therefore descended not only to care for but to carrie our nature Augustine also thus witnesseth Est quaedam coelestis habitatio Angelorum illae pars rerum superna est haec terrena vita vbi caro sanguis si illi comparatur inferna est cum enim his sunt mortui ne mireris si infernum dicitur In Psalm 85. There is a certaine heauenlie habitation of Angels that is the higher part of things this earthly life where flesh and bloud is if it bee compared to that is the lower part for seeing there are dead here marueile not if it bee called hell Although Augustine in the words following seeme to incline to the opinion of Christs descension to deliuer the Patriarkes thinking notwithstanding that Abraham was not in hell yet in this sentence he sheweth this to be no strange sense to expound the earth in respect of heauen to be the lower parts Theodoret vpon this text thus writeth His descending doth not signifie any passing from place to place but teacheth the greatnes of his dispensation that when hee was most high he abased himselfe so much and endured so great abasement He interpreteth as we doe of Christs humiliation and abasement here in earth Bernards opinion we haue seene before that he maketh three degrees of Christs descension ad carnem ad crucem ad mortem to the flesh to the crosse to death and the graus Now whereas diuers fathers are produced as Irenaeus Athanasius Ciprianus Epiphanius Hierom Augustine Ambrose Chrysostome with others as witnesses of Christs descension in soule to hell p. 56 First all these are alledged by Bellarmine with twētie more to proue that Christ descended into hell in soule to deliuer the Patriarks from thence wherefore vnlesse hee therein concurre with them they are no fit witnesses to speake in his cause Secondly neither did all the Fathers agree in iudgment that Christ descended into hell to redeeme the soules of the Fathers Origen