Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	apostle_n	church_n	holy_a	6,886	5	5.0568	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13774	The true copy of tvvo letters, with their seuerall answeres, contayning the late apostasie of the Earle of Lauall, after his returne from Italy VVherein the principall poynts in controuersie with the papists, are learnedly and fully confuted. By D. Tilenus. Faythfully translated by D.D.S.	Tilenus, Daniel, 1563-1633.; Coligny, Guy Paul de, 1555-1586, attributed name.; D. D. S.; Laval, Antoine de, 1550-1631, attributed name.	1605 (1605)	STC 24072; ESTC S118417	23,042	42

cut the knots then to loose them I say then that this purity is to be considered either in regard of the doctrine or good life and that both the one and the other is in the Church according to the condition and measure which is assigned to her during the space of her residence heere on the earth in the which estate as touching her head who is Iesus Christ she is euer pure but not altogether pure in herselfe for seeing euery member of the same is subiect to fayle as well in doctrine as in life and that wee knowe her heere but in part the body which is composed of these members cannot bee wholy pure and perfit and to consider the body of the Church without her members particular whereof shee is compound were as much as to transforme her into an Idea Platonica only the Prophets and Apostles by a vocation and speciall prerogatiue and by an assistance and helpe immediate extraordinary of the holy Spirit were exempt and free of all errour in the doctrine the which in this respect and by good reason is the true and onely rule of all purity and according as the Church drawes either neere or is far distant the measure of her purity increaseth or decreaseth and when she is called pure that is either in respect of her head or in regard of a part thereof which is receyued in the heauens which they call the Church Triumphant or rather in regard of the end shee aymes at in this world euen so as they call a house an edifice which is but yet in building and before it be complete and ended And like as the purity of the Church is subiect to alteration euen so is her forme or externall behauiour in respect whereof they call it visible for although she remayne euer visible in her selfe yet so is it that she is not alwayes visible to others especially to those that haue not the eyes which be requisite for the seeing of her as the Sunne it selfe is not to be seene by a blind man and the Almighty for the preseruing of her from her persecutors retyred her sometimes to the wildernesse to secret caues and dennes euen as he did withdraw his Sonne Christ Iesus into Egypt to preserue him from the rage of Herode And then shee became inuisible but not to God neyther to herselfe but only to the eyes and iudgement of the blind world I say then that the Church militant hath euer retained that measure of purity which the holy Ghost hath communicated to her not only since Caluins time but the Apostles dayes euen to vs present this day As also the sayd measure was much different diuers in sundry times places the which vndoubtedly did moue the ancient Fathers to compare the Church vnto the Moone which sheweth her selfe sometimes of more otherwhiles of lesse light as it were eclipsed and hides herselfe altogether as it were from the world without danger notwithstanding all this either to be lost or scattered as well appeared in the Church of Israel in the time of Ely the Prophet where there was a Church of seuen thousand that did not bow their knees to Baal which was not perceiued there externally If your pretended teachers shall not graunt vnto me that which heretofore is alledged I shall cause them by the authority of Bellarmine to deny the purity of their owne Romane Church and after this maner I will proue it The Church that may altogether bee compounded of vnfaithfull persons wicked and reprobates can haue neither puritie in her faith nor in her life But so it is that the church so described by Bellarmine may be wholy composed of such people therfore she can haue no kind of purity The Assumption is proued and made cleare in his booke of the Church in the last Paragraph where Bellarmine saith that is the definitiō of the Church according to the which some be of the body not of the soule thereof hauing no internall vertue and being as it were the haire the nayles and corrupt humours of the body of man and of such sort be the Infidels wicked and reprobates as Bellarmine himself expresseth them who may make external professiō of faith cōmunicate to the Sacraments subiect thēselues to the Pope which be the 3. essentiall conditiōs and only necessaries according to this Cardinall for to be in the Church By the same Authour I will argue againe after another maner That which may be destitute of fayth hope and charity cannot remaine in purity yea rather may lose all But the church according to Bellarmine may be voyd of al those qualities therfore she may lose al her purity But if any shall reply that Bellarmine adioynes that the sayd vertues are to bee found neuerthelesse in the Church I aske whether they be of the essence of the Church or not If the first wherfore sayes he in his definition that they be not necessary But if the second how can a Church without faith hope and charity bee thought pure Learne then sir by these two arguments as by two marks or rather ensignes the purity of the place where those people would lodge you neuertheles this is that Church which Cardinall Baronius maintaynes and defends to haue neither spot nor blemish Wheras ye write desire that the time may be shewed and marked in the which errours and vncleannes haue entred into the Church of Rome surely this discourse would prolong too much my letter which you desire me to make short would importune more by her prolixity then it should instruct you by her vtility more proper to a history then to doctrine Is it inough that a poore Hydropique should beleeue to be sicke to haue need of phisike when he is so swolne that he is almost in danger to burst although none can precisely mark shew him the houre when as his liuer began to be consumed Surely while as the fire is in the house the water within the ship the enemies within the town the Wolfe within the fold those that hope to preuent the danger or rather to preserue them be more aduised and circūspect then those that wil beleeue nothing vnlesse they shew them at what time how that is come to passe and who busies thēselues in searching the causes the beginnings we know that already in the daies of the Apostles the mystery of iniquity began to work it selfe which S. Paul foretold that after his departure there should enter rauenous wolues among the flocks in that night after the husbandman had sowne the good seed behold the enemy also did sow the Tares The Antichrist was not begotten in one day This Beare was not so soone licked and put in form as he of whom speaks Surius the Cardinall Baronius who of a wilde beast became a reasonable creature made himself also Frier in that same instant after he had prostrated himselfe before the relikes