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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
word_n	holy_a	spirit_n	trinity_n	2,812	5	9.9722	5	false

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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

death The soule as it may spiritually liue so it may spiritually die as the Prophet speaketh both of killing and sauing of soules in the same place He shall neuer bee able to shew out of scripture any such example or place that affirmeth anything to be quickened which is not apt to die in the same sense Christs soule then being not subiect to any spirituall death either by sin in this life or by damnatiō in hell cannot be said to be quickened Fourthly therfore Augustines exposition remaineth sure and sound He was quickned in the spirit because by the working of that spirit in the which hee preached to whom hee came his flesh being quickened did rise again in the which earst he came vnto men This exposition by the flesh to vnderstand Christs humane nature by the spirit his diuine by the which hee was raised agame is strengthened by other places of Scripture as Rom. 1. 3. made of the seede of Dauid after the flesh declared to be the sonne of God according to the spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead 1. Tim. 3. 16. Being iustified in the spirit And Saint Paul giueth the sense of this place in other words 2. Cor. 13. 4. He was crucified of weaknes or infirmitie and liueth of or by the power of God And so Bernard to the same purpose saith well All the workes of Christ doe necessarily belong to one of his natures to his humane his miserie to his diuine his power and Maiestie Wherefore as the mortification of Christs flesh being a work of infirmitie belonged to his humanitie so his viuification and being made aliue againe being a worke of power appertained to his Deitie Argum. 2. Whereas Peter here saith In the which spirit he went and preached this may be expounded by the like place 1. Pet. 1. 11 Of the which saluation the Prophets haue inquired c. searching when or what time the spirit of Christ which was in them should testifie c. The Prophets were endued with and spake by the spirit of Christ so that by them as instruments as here by Noah Christ went and preached in his spirit Obiect 1. Thus you erroneously confound the distinct persons of the Trinitie turning the humane soule of Christ first into his diuinitie and then againe into the Holy Ghost Ans. p. 33. 2. So vpon these or like absurdities our late generall surueyer of the controuersies c. thought it better to forge a new figure Christ went in the spirit c. that is saith he Noe went in the spirit of Christ and preached which what els is it then wilfully to correct or rather to corrupt the text of holy scripture to set the Apostle to schoole as not knowing to speake properly c. pag. 33. Ans. 1. This is an vnlearned cauill for while hee feareth the heresie of Sabellius that cōfounded the persons of the Trinitie and made them all one August haeres 52. hee commeth nearer a Tritheist in diuiding Christ and his spirit When Marke saith It is not yee that speake but the Holy Ghost Mark 13. 11. and Matthew thus rehearseth the same place It is not ye but the spirit of my father that speaketh in you Matth. 10. 20 doth the Euangelist confound the persons of the Trinitie Is not the Holy Ghost as well the spirit of Christ as of his Father doth hee not proceed equally from them both This obiection then either sauoureth of error or bewrayeth ignorance Augustine could haue giuen him a solution of this doubt if he had consulted with him For both the sonne is a spirit in the substance of his Deitie and what doth the sonne without the holy spirit or the father when the workes of the Trinitie are inseparable Either of these answers might haue satisfied him 2. You still misreport him that seemeth to bee a great mote in your eye one may well returne Hieromes words vpon you You are toward others as blinde as a mole toward him as sharpe sighted as a goate you with disdaine call him our late surueyor of the controuersies if his leasure would serue him he might soone suruey more slippes and grosse ouersights in this three penie booke then you shall bee ouer able to finde in that greate worke which you so much carpe at But Hieromes words are here most true They doe bite me with an enuious tooth deprauing publikely what they reade in corners the same men being both accusers and defenders approouing in others that they reprooue in me as though vertue and vice were not in the things themselues but were changed with the authors But hee neither correcteth or corrupteth Scripture but you corrupt his words which are these This phrase is neither strange nor vnusuall to say that Christ went in spirit or the spirit of Christ went seeing Noah went in the spirit of Christ Here is nothing added or altered in the text but onely the meaning explained When our Sauiour saith It is the holy Ghost that speaketh in you Mar. 13. 11 but S. Peter holy men spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost 2. Pet. 1. 21 doth S. Peter corrupt or correct Christs words As then for the Holy Ghost to speake in men and men to speake by y e Holy Ghost in scripture is all one so to say y t Christs spirit preached in Noe or Noe preached in or by Christs spirit I pray you sir what difference If any here corrupt the text it is your self that forge a sense to vse your owne terme that by Scripture cannot be iustified and so you are of those of whom Hierom speaketh Non voluntatem legi sed legem iungunt voluntati They doe not conforme their fansies to the Scripture but the Scripture to their fansies This exposition of ours is not new but approoued long since by Augustine Before Christ came in the flesh to die for vs which he did once often before he came in spirit to whom he would speaking to them in visions as it pleased him Argum. 3. In the which spirit he went and preached Augustine further reasoneth that this cannot be vnderstoode of Christs going to hell for if there were preaching there it will followe there should bee a Church and that some may beleeue that are in hell for Christs preaching was not without fruite And if it were thus that any might bee conuerted in hell men would neglect the hearing of the Gospell while they liue to this purpose Augustine epist. 99. Obiect 1. Bellarmine saith that Christs preaching in hell was not to conuert the infidels but to bring tidings of ioy to the godly soules Cont. S. Peter saith contrarie that the Gospell was preached to the dead that they might be condemned according to men in the flesh but might liue according to God in the spirit 1. Pet. 4. 6. what is this else but to preach vnto them for their conuersion Obiect 2. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉

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 PHILIP 3. 15. Let vs as many as be perfect be thus minded and if ye be otherwise minded God shall reueale euen the same vnto you Augustin de Trinitat lib. 1. c. 3. Siquid erraueris Deus tibi reuelabit siue per occultas inspirationes admonitiones siue per manifesta eloquia siue per fraternas sermocinationes If thou hast any where erred God shall reueale it vnto thee either by secret inspiration and admonition or by manifest Scripture or brotherly conference LONDON Printed for Thomas Man 1604. TO THE MOST HONORABLE SENATE OF THE LORDS SPIRITVALL AND Temporal Knights Burgesses assembled in the high Court of Parliament grace mercie and peace from the Lord Iesus RIght Honourable Lords and ye right Worshipfull Knights and Gentlemen I feared at the first to present this short treatise to your view remembring what sometime I had read in Hierom I am afraide least in doing my dutie I bee thought to be ambitious while I pretend to write should intend to seeke great mens fauour But the Apostles words did more imbolden mee than the others could draw mee back We cannot but speak the things that we haue seene and heard So neither could I containe my selfe hearing of that honourable resolution which is in you all to further the cause of the Church of Christ and true religion but to reioyce in this common ioy and among other welwillers of Sion to testifie our inward ioy and outward thankfulnes to God and you all for the same It is written that the Israelites gathering themselues together against the children of iniquitie the men of Gibeah assembled before the Lord as one man Such a Christian consent hath well appeared in this sacred assemblie to promote Gods glorie and his truth The saying was wont to be The greater part hath ouercome the better but the contrarie is now wel seene and that rule which Plinius Cecilius was wont to prescribe vnto his schoole that hee had worst spoken which had the greatest applause beginneth now to faile in this great Consistorie where the best motions we doubt not but shall haue the greatest applause I know not whereunto better to liken this Christian harmonie than vnto the Seraphims that cried one to another Holy holy holy Lord of hosts and to that heauenly song wherein both the vpper ranke of those foure glorious creatures and the nether order of the foure and twentie Elders consented to giue glorie and honour vnto God that I may say truly in his words That in this reuerent assemblie wee haue a patterne of the heauenlie companie Now we see performed that worthie saying of his excellent Maiestie A godly King findeth as his heart wisheth godly estates concurring with him For as God hath endued his princely hart with a liuely feeling and inward touch of true religion as hee saith It was fit that hee which was superiour in power should not be inferiour in deuotion So your Honours are wee trust those godly states which will be readie to concurre with his Maiestie in establishing of godly lawes Among the rest of the Parliaments in this land one was called the good Parliament another the Parliament that wrought wonders But wee doe all hope that this honourable Session shall rather deserue to be so called That Parliament was of all other the most glorious which in the beginning of worthie Queene Elizabeths raigne restored religion how can this be inferiour which endeuoureth to establish and make better both Church and religion One saith well It is one thing to seeke what thou hast lost another to keepe that thou hast This Church may count her self more happie in holding and encreasing that she hath than when shee was forced to recouer that which she had lost Well may we now say vnto this noble companie as the Prophet to and of Sion Glorious things are spoken of thee O Citie of God We cannot but reioyce to heare of your Honors Christian consultation for the propagating of the Gospell in planting euery where of good pastors that the people may be brought from the darknesse of their ignorance to the light of knowledge that they be no longer children in vnderstanding 1. Cor. 14. 20 and as babes and sucklings in religion Ambrose herein thus pleasantly alludeth vpon these words Woe to them that giue sucke Lot vs make haste to weane our little ones when Isaak was weaned Abraham made a feast the child not weaned was in the night by the drowsie mother ouerlaid Your Honors then do right well to prouide good nurses to weane the people from their ignorance that they be no longer ouerlaid with drowsie and negligent pastors and that such bee not excluded from nursing which haue store of milke in the breasts and seeke in peace and a good conscience to nourish the people of God But because the nurse cannot giue milke that is not first fed her selfe most prudent and christian is that other care to prouide for the maintenance of good pastors which as wee hope will be by our Reuerent Fathers in their graue Synode deuised so we trust it shall by your Honourable fauours be furthered for the Apostle saith The mouth of the oxe is not to be musled And Origene well agreeth Nisi dederit oleum populus extinguetur lucerna in templo If the people minister not oyle the lampe goeth out in the temple Now among other graue matters of deliberation if it were not too great boldnes giue me leaue I beseech you to interpose my petition Saint Paul saith in a case not much vnlike Set vp them which are least esteemed in the Church and I trust you will not despise my simple motion euen the least of the seruants of Christ. Valerius saith well to this point We know the noise of geese is contemned according to the saying a goose among Swannes yet by the chattring of geese the citie of Rome was saued from burning May it therefore please you to heare a foole speak vnto wise men That whereas men haue of late daies taken vnto themselues great libertie in Sermons Lectures writings to set abroach strange vncouth doctrines exorbitant from the current doctrine among Protestants it might please this honourable Court that one vniformitie of doctrine may be taught and held and seeing there are many vnsound doctrines which because they are omitted are not opposite to the articles of religion established that either it might seem pleasing to his Maiestie and you

together in presence that if we be ignorant of any thing where is neither witnesse nor iudge it may die in a faithfull eare Fourthly Christian policie would haue required that seeing we all hold the foundation The article of Christs descension we should not raise any contention or mooue questions about the manner nor breake the peace of the Church seeing there are most reuerend learned men of both opinions But the Apostles resolution should stay vs Let vs as many as be perfect be thus minded and if yee be otherwise minded God shall reueale it vnto you Philip. 2. 15. They which hold not the locall descent of Christs soule to hell should not condemne the other as Popish or superstitious men that are so perswaded They which affirme it ought not account them as enemies or aduersaries of the truth that dissent from them therein they both holding the foundation What intemperate dealing then is this for the Answerer in his Preface so vncharitablie to charge his brethren irreligiously and vnchristianly to call the maine grounds and principles of our faith into question saying further to plant by writing or water by speaking the cursed roots therof to prepare a way to heathenish Paganisme terming them further prophane Anaxagorists Masters of error aduersaries of the truth This is an hard course thus to censure men of the same profession because they concurre not with him in the interpretation of some places of Scripture With how much greater moderation did the Reuerend Fathers of this Church set down this article of Christs descension in their Synode held anno 1562. that whereas the article was thus framed before in the Synode held anno 1552 in King Edwards raigne As Christ died for vs and was buried so it is to be beleeued that he descended into hell for his bodie lay in the graue vntill the Resurrection his spirit being sent forth from him was with the spirits which were detained in prison or in hell and preached vnto them as testifieth that place of Peter The Reuerend Fathers qualified it thus As Christ died for vs and was buried so also it is to be beleeued that he wēt down to hel Thinking it sufficiēt that we agreed in the substance of the article of Christs descension though all consented not in the manner And I could wish that wee might there hold vs and that men content themselues with their priuate opinions and seeke not one to grieue another with their mutuall inuectiues either in speaking or writing Augustine saith well to Hierome I am not so vnwise to think my selfe hurt by your explanations because neither are you preiudiced if wee hold or expound otherwise As for my part I will not deale of purpose with this question as it is controuersed among our selues nor reuiue any domesticall strife but onely iustifie those places which are vrged by some of our writers against the Popish opinion of Christs descending to Limbus Patrum and are now by the Answerer either by name or by way of consequence excepted against Neither will I take vpon mee to defend others whom hee personally toucheth they are sufficient to speake for themselues And I wish that from hencefoorth these home-bred quarrels may cease and that one bond of faith in the diuersitie of some priuate opinions may containe and keepe vs in peace that same vnum fidei lintheum quod vidit Petrus quatuor Euangelijs alligatum That sheet of faith which Peter saw tied with the foure Gospels in the corners as Origen applieth it Hom. 2. in Genes Now I come to the particular examination of the places CHRIST DESCENDED NOT in soule to Hell to deliuer the soules of the Patriarkes The first place examined Act. 2. 27. Thou wilt not leaue my soule in Hell nor suffer thy holie one to see corruption The obiections answered 1. Ob. FIrst where as our answere is that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nephesh which the Septuagint translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifieth not the soule but rather the life which is an effect of the soule and the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sheol translated by the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betokeneth in this place the graue rather than hell first Bellarm. saith that these words properly do not signifie any thing but the soule and hell and further it is added by the Answerer that the words of holy writ are alwaies to be taken and vnderstood according to their natiue and proper signification but only when there followeth some manifest absurditie Ans. p. 6. Ans. First these words as they doe properly sometimes signifie the soule and hell so also properly they doe betoken the life and the graue First nephesh is so taken for the life Genes 37. 22. Let vs not smite his life shed not bloud the word is naphesh which the Septuagint translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bellarmine saith it signifieth here the flesh and yet a little before not well remembring himselfe hee findeth great fault with Beza for translating of it cadauer a dead bodie Againe Exod. 22. 23. If death followe hee shall giue soule for soule that is life for life where the same words both in the Hebrue and Greeke are vsed in their proper sense and must needes signifie life But the Answerer here doth ease vs of further labour and ingenuously confesseth that the soule is taken for life in diuers places of the Psalmes because it is the spring of life pag. 7. So like wise the other word sheol is sometime properly taken for the graue as Gen. 37. 35. I will descend mourning to my sonne into the graue or hell Bellarmine saith the graue cannot be here vnderstood and yet their owne marginall note saith it doth not here signifie the place of punishment And hee might haue compared another place Gen. 42. 38. Ye shall bring my gray head with sorrow to the graue or hell and 2. King 2. 6. Let not his hoare head go down to the graue or hell in peace I thinke the gray haires lie with the bodie in the graue they goe not to hell The Answerer foreseeing this confesseth that the word is here to be translated graue and not hell and in another place Psal. 6. 4 5. pag. 10. Then it appeareth by his owne confession that the word properly doth signifie the graue And indeede if wee consider the roote from whence sheol is deriued which signifieth to craue or desire this word will more properly agree to the graue than to hell for that is more crauing and vnsatiable because more goe to the graue both good and bad than to hell the place appointed for the wicked onely and therefore the Wise man nameth sheol the graue as Arias and Tremellius well translate to bee one of those foure things that cannot be satisfied Prou. 30. 16. 2. But if it were admitted that these words properly could not be so taken here for the life and the graue as yet is