Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	beget_v	father_n	son_n	11,645	5	6.8465	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19367	A supplication exhibited to the most mightie Prince Philip king of Spain &c. VVherin is contained the summe of our Christian religion, for theprofession whereof the Protestants in the lowe Countries of Flaunders, &c. doe suffer persecution, vvyth the meanes to acquiet and appease the troubles in those partes. There is annexed An epistle written to the ministers of Antwerpe, which are called of the confession of Auspurge, concerning the Supper of our sauiour Iesus Christ. VVritten in French and Latine, by Anthonie Corronus of Siuill, professor of Diuinitie.	Corro, Antonio del, 1527-1591.; Corro, Antonio del, 1527-1591. Epistle or godlie admonition, to the pastoures of the Flemish Church in Antwerp. aut	1577 (1577)	STC 5791; ESTC S116690	149,833	422

shine lyke the Sunne beames they be all but earth and duste and made of verye filthe and the vilest matter that can be neither is God therfore delighted wyth them bycause you estéeme them of greate price nor for the vilenesse and basenesse thereof woulde therefore refuse to dwell within them This is the temple of Mars saith some that of Iuno that of Ladye Venus héere dwelleth Apollo here Hercules there Summanus Is not this a great and principall dishonour to tye God to a house and dwelling place to make hym a roofe to shroude himselfe vnder to deuide it into parlors and chambers thinkyng them necessary things for hym that serue for mans vse and for the séely vermin of the earth as Cats Antes Wezels and the fearefull mouse but wée builde them no Temples ye will say for that purpose to kéepe them from rayne and stormes or from the heate of the Sunne but that wée may haue nigher accesse vnto them and behold them and make our petitions and praiers vnto them euen face to face For if we shoulde call vppon them in the open ayre and out of couert saue onely the cope of Heauen they are deafe they heare vs not and excepte a man come nigh vnto them whē he maketh his praiers they stande still as thoughe no man gaue them a worde but wée are of a far contrary opinion that if they were gods worthy that name they could and wold yea they oughte to heare vs from anye place of the whole worlde whatsoeuer a man shoulde speake vnto them were it neuer so secretly as well if he were present by them yea to anticipate by theyr foreknowledge whatsoeuer anye man shoulde secretly imagin in his mind And as the Stars the Sun and Moone when they mounte alofte or appeare vpon the face of the earth are immediatly present and shine to all alike euen so is it requisite that the eares of God should be open to all nighe to heare the petitions of all though they come frō diuers countries yea and those farre distant asunder For this is the nature and propertie of God to fill all places with his power and to be wholy euery where not péece meale in any place not to be absent and present at diuers times not to go suppe in Ethiopiae and after a wéeke or two to returne home again to his owne habitation The which if it were otherwise then farewel al hope of helpe and relief when we shal be left in a doubt and vncertaintie whether that God heareth our prayers yea or no when soeuer wée doe make sacrifice of Prayers or Thankesgiuing vnto hym As for example lette vs put the case that there is a Temple of some one god in the Isles of Canare another dedicated to the same God in the furthest parte of Thyle likewise another among the Ethiopians and an other in that parte of the worlde that is furthest distante from them If so bée that all these at one selfe same instaunte dooyng their sacrifices and Ceremonyes and makyng theyr petitions aske euery one of them some thyng at Gods handes accordyng to theyr owne necessitie what hope can they haue to the obtayning of theyr petitions If God doe not heare the prayer that is made vnto hym by eche of them alike or if distaunce of place coulde hinder the praiers of them that call vppon hym that the sounde thereof shoulde not perce hys eares for either muste he be present no where if it bée possible for hym to bée secluded from all places or else muste he be in one onely place bicause he cannot giue ear indifferently to all in generall and giue them the hearing alike and so muste it consequentlye followe that eyther God aideth none at all if by reason that he is occupied some other way he haue no leisure to heare them or heare the sutes of some and sende the rest empty away and heare not them Moreouer these goodly Temples that are garnished with golde and beautified with high stéeples and pinacles be sepulchers for deade carcasses and places to laye ashes and bones in is it not then very plaine and euident that either you doe worship them that be dead in stéede of the liuing God or doe moste horrible and shamefull villanye to the Maiesty of him whose Temples you file with the ashes and bones of the dead These are his wordes moste mightye Prince worthy no doubt to bée written in golden letters or rather to be imprinted in the tables of our heartes Of the comming of Christ of his gospel BVt to retourne to our purpose and to speake of the wonderfull misterye of our redemption After the fulnesse of ●ne was come in the whiche the proui●●nce of God hadde determined to helpe ●ankinde the whiche was bothe heauy ●aden and oppressed wyth the burthen 〈◊〉 sinne and pressed downe into the bot●●mlesse pit of hell assailed on euery side ●ith the tiranny of the Deuill and con●icted by the sharpe and seuere sentence ●f the lawe Oure heauenly father sente ●is onely begotten sonne the euerlasting ●orde the power and wisedome of the ●ather into the earthe the whych worde ●hroughe the vertue of his holye spirite ●y a wonderfull and miraculous means ●ée willed to become man in the wombe ●f the moste holy virgin Mary that the ●ame Christe whiche had bin tofore eftsoones promised to the Patriarches and prophets of the olde Testament the whiche also by the faith and hope they had in him attained euerlasting life shoulde at the length come into this worlde the very true and naturall son of God and of the virgin conceiued first in hir wombe and afterwards brought foorth by hir into this worlde to be the very son of G● and verye man that by this meanes 〈◊〉 might take away the sinnes of manki●● and that by the sacrifice of hys death 〈◊〉 by his obedience he might make atto●●ment betwixt God and man to the int● that he shoulde no longer bée accompt● gods enimie but be estéemed as his ch● and become inheritour of hys heauenl● kingdome and partaker of his diuine ●●ture euerlastingly And the whole summe and effecte 〈◊〉 this doctrine concerning the great ben●fite of our redemption consisteth speci●●ly in two points For fyrste wée doe a●knowlege the wōderful purpose of God heuenly prouidence in that he vouchedsa● to redéeme vs from the horrible domin● of the deuil that by the obedience by t●● death of the latter and the heauenly Adam the rebellion and disobedience 〈◊〉 the former earthly Adam might be qui● and discharged and that the most filthi● spots and staines not onely of his misbeliefe and incredulitie but also of all hyposteritie might be spūged with the mos● precious bloud of that immaculate lābe Secondarily we are taught by the prea●ing of the Gospell howe and by what ●anes we may bée partakers of this so ●eat mercy reconciliation offered vn● vs by Christ as also howe thankefull ●e ought to be towardes hym that hath ●uaunced vs

speake o● Christe Whether thys propositio● bée true Christe was from the béeginnyng whether it bée more aptely● sayde that hée is compounded o● bothe natures or consysteth or is commixte or knitte togyther and combined or as it were gellied or moul●ed or coupled and conioyned Howe muche better were it to omit these moti●ns and vaine questions and to content ●ur selues with that which the Apostles ●aue taught vs whiche affirme vnto vs 〈◊〉 plaine termes that Christe accordyng ●o the fleshe was made or begotten of the ●éed of Dauid and is the true son of God ●lmighty according to the spirite and so ●y thys meanes contenting our selues with this simplicitie of speach should en●euour our selues to expresse Christ him ●elfe that is to say practise moste perfect ●olynesse and innocency in our liues and ●onuersation Besides this in how darke ●nd doubtfull termes do these blind Sco●istes dispute and reason of the foure in●tants of nature as also where they goe ●boute to proue that this worde person ●oth not signifie relatione Origenis neyther ●he common relation c. Many more examples of like impious and wicked dis●utations procéeding from the idle curio●itie of this Scotist might here be alledged but bycause the matter it selfe is blasphemous and too vnreuerent in r●spect of the person of Christe but also 〈◊〉 vttered with suche termes as the common people can in no wise vnderstande for our mother tongue will not ministe● words to vtter so fond and nice conce●● withall I haue thought good to retourn● to matters more euident leauing the● and other such like toys as the religio● is full fraught For to what purpose is 〈◊〉 vainely to spende the tyme aboute disputing of Gods greatenesse and howe infinite he is of soch motions and mere imaginations as these be or of the relation and foundacions of the Trinitie and th● vnspeakeable beginning of the worde whether it tooke being at an instant o● by processe of tyme by waye of procéeding or generation These and such other like what vse I beséeche you can the● haue either to the building or beautifying of the Church of God notwithstanding sée the mischiefe how this their philosophie preuaileth and those ioyly diuines thinke vs altogither vnlearned bicause we hold our selues contented onl● with the pure and perfect word reiecting ●homas Aquinas with his curious questi●ns Scotus with his subtil and sophistical ●rgumentes Durandus with his follies ●nd diuers others of that sorte with their ●oste impudent vanities Of the lawe of God and the force therof AFterwards when god perceiued that mankinde was become almost sense●esse in so much that he neither was tou●hed with his own misery and calamity ●or of himselfe vnderstoode what should become of him except their mindes were cherished and comforted with the hope of his promisses besides to the ende that hée might chose vnto himselfe a people as it were specially and peculiarly apart from the rest After he had deliuered the Israelits out of the captiuitie and bondage of Pharao he made a lawe which he established and published in mount Sinay The force wherof was to awake such as slept securely in synne to accuse and reproue them to proue whole mankinde guiltye before the throne and Maiestye of God that thereby they mighte learne to séeke righteousnesse and innocencye whereof they were altogither destitute at the onely mercies of God when euery one should acknowlege in his own cōscience know by his own experiēce the naturall corruption deprauation of his minde by the iudgement and manifestation of the lawe Secondarily to the end that the faithfull and chosen of God shold be taught by the law as by a most excellent and learned schoolemaister what exercises and dueties God requireth at the handes of hys children bycause no man shoulde deuise of his owne fantasie and imagination any newe seruice of God other than was by the law of God prescribed and appointed The summe and effecte of whiche doctrine albeit the holy Apostle hath plainly and sufficientlye declared in hys Epistles yet haue these vnlerned doctours broughte in méere Iudaisme and Paganisme into Christian religion For they teache vs that the lawe was giuen vs onely to this intent that we shoulde ●alke in good workes by the which men night not only be acceptable in the sight ●f God but iustified also before him And herevpon they take occasion to ●aunder vs as though we should affirme ●ood workes to be néedelesse and shoulde withdrawe men from the studye and ex●rcise of vertue and lette them loose to all ●icenciousnesse Whereas we studye all we can and vse all our endeuour to shew ●he people that suche as bée regenerate oughte duely to beée conuersaunte in good workes and in godly exercises bothe to tame the lustes and concupiscences of their myndes and to engender a mutuall loue and charitie among men as also confirme and establish euery particular mans conscience in the perswasion of his election and to retaine Gods spirite the better in their mindes by whose good motion and direction their willes mighte the rather bée alwayes pliable and conformable to doe all good and godlye exercises of true godlynesse and vertue And yet wée flattely denye that these works be the cause of our iustification but rather the effectes the fignes and tokens of true faith settled in our heartes euen as by good fruites it appeareth tha● the trées bée good where they doe procéede Of the Ceremonies and Sacrifices of the olde Testament MOreouer whereas the corrupte and peruerse nature of man was suche that of hymselfe hée coulde not putte hys whole affiaunce and truste in God thinking it a matter of very great difficultie almoste of impossibilitie to bée delyuered from the bondage and slauerye of Sathan the tiranny of sinne and the yoke of the lawe whiche required a paye aboue his power to wit puritie sinceritie and holinesse bothe of mynde and bodye the Lorde did institute Ceremonies and sacrifices and burnt offerings by the whiche men shoulde be admonished and putte in mind that he standeth in néed of some mediatour and redemer by whose means he might bée loosed out of all the bondes and snares wherein he was entangled ●taine true and perfect libertie And to ●e intent that he might be led as it were ●y the hand to the knowlege of his Mes●as and Sauiour he set before his eyes ●sible ceremonies wherein as in a Ta●le wée mighte beholde the person the ●ffice and the moste singuler and super●●cellent effects of the said Sauiour and ●edemer Christ Iesus to wit the sacri●ice and order of sacrifying the Sanctu●ry the propiciation the vaile the table ●he shewe breade with other suche lyke Of the Popishe Ceremonies ANd now I beséech you compare the Popishe Ceremonies and these togi●her and no doubte ye shall well perceiue ●t to be true that Augustine complayned of in his time that they are growen to so great a multitude and swarme that they are not onely equall in

that hath ●éemed rather to loue vertue godlinesse ●han followed them effectuously and in ●abouring to couer hys nakednesse and hide his abhominations hathe vsed no other couerture than the leaues of fig trées that is to say hath shadowed his moste mōstrous horrible offences against god with no other thing but only with a pretēce of wisedome discretion diligence hone●● merites and mortifications And this is moste gratious Princ● the confession which we learne out of t●● worde of God namely that whiche G● hymselfe doth force out of mans my●● by the vertue and efficacie of the law● as it were with certaine pricks and st●ges when man is compelled by the m●tion of Gods holy spirit to acknowledg● and confesse hymselfe to bée inwarde● corrupted and defiled with sinne A●● out of this confession lyke as oute of 〈◊〉 spring or head do issue diuers other sort● of confession Firste when a man calleth to mynd with howe greate and howe manifold● sinnes he is defiled and howe sore an aduersary the decrée and sentence pronou●ced in the lawe is vnto him wherevppo● he bewaileth his sinnes vnto God daily and brusteth out into these wordes of the holye Prophet O Lorde I was conceiued in iniquitie and in sin hathe my mother cōceiued me Creat in me O Lord a newe hearte and a right spirite within me ●●tified in thy sight And wyth the publi●ane humbleth hymselfe saying on thys ●ise Lord be mercifull vnto me a sinner ●nd with the prodigall childe O Lorde 〈◊〉 am not worthy to bée called thy sonne ●c And these be the confessions whyche ●he elect of God ought to make daily vn●o God both with hart and tongue who ●auing tasted the singuler mercy of God ●owarde them call vppon hym wythout ●eassing that they might euerye daye bée more and more purged frō the filth and ●tayne of sinne The seconde kinde of confession is very Christianlike when a man is so sore touched and stong in his conscience wyth the sense of sinne that hée perceiueth hys fayth to fainte and waxe weake by the terroure of the lawe as it were wyth a continuall assaulte and batterie wherby he is compelled for wante of sufficiencie in himselfe to praye aide of another into whose bosome he might poure all the secrete griefes of his hearte as to his most faithfull and assured friende to the ende that he might receiue some present remedie for his woūded conscience The w●●che kinde of confessing God hathe commaunded to bée obserued and kepte in hi● Churche to beate downe the prou● and arrogant opinion of learning an● wisedome in man that euery man might thinke humbly of himselfe forasmuch as they stande very many times in néede of the aide comforte and aduice of other And this confession or conference in hy● whose conscience is wounded or troubled may be very well had and vsed with the pastours doctours and preachers 〈◊〉 the Churche hauing assuraunce of they● faithfulnesse in their vocation and likelihoode that they are called to that function and ministerie by the holy spirite tha● they might cōfort and cherish the weaklings by their discrete language as th● prophet saith The thirde sorte of confession is when the faithfull disciple of the holy ghoste doth plainely confesse his offences before men of a certaine earneste and vehemēt zeale of humbling himselfe considering therewithall that God the sercher of mans secrets dothe know an● sée the same already and in this imagi●ation perswadeth himselfe that all the ●reatures of the worlde woulde conspire ●gainste him if he himselfe shoulde not ●penly confesse declare to al the world ●n such sorte as the posteritie that commeth after him might know them likewise And that Dauid vsed this kinde of ●onfession is manifest by the .32 and .51 psalme which séeme to be committed to writing to the ende that it bothe mighte be a president of publike confession vnto ●ll men that men might likewise therby vnderstand into how greate and heinous sinnes that beloued of the Lorde and specially elect to gouerne his people did fall and yéeld himselfe In like maner is that notable confession of Daniell and that of Paule wherby he is not ashamed to confesse of himself that he was a blasphemer of god a persecutor of hys church Austine likewise in a certaine little treatise reckneth vp al his offēces euē frō his very first cōming to mans estate And this kinde of cōfessing opēly of thēselues doth greatly declare the great modesty and lowlinesse of minde in the confessor worthye greate praise and commendations and partly it is a great comforte vnto others that are greuously loden with the heauy burthen of sinne to driue them from dispaire by hope in the mercies of god whiche they sée other in like case haue atteyned before them There is also a fourth kinde when euery one in the face of the congregation folowing the minister doth secretly confesse himselfe before God to be compassed rounde aboute wyth manifold sinnes and offences and wrapped in moste palpable mists of ignorance and blindnesse beséeching God from the bottome of hys heart to lighten his mind and vnderstanding by the preaching of his Gospel For so he perswadeth himselfe and firmelye beleueth that remission of sinnes is published and wrought by the preaching of the Gospell and that onely throughe the sheading of the moste precious bloud of the immaculate lambe There is yet also one other manner of confessing whiche we may call reconciling our selues vnto our neighbour whē●e both confesse our selues to haue offen●ed him by word and déede and pray par●●n and forgiuenesse of our trespas com●itted according to the prescripte com●aundement and direction of our Lorde ●nd sauiour Iesus Christe Math. and ●ames 5. but it wée committe any open ●ime so that the shame and slaūder therof ●oth redounde to the Churche and is of●ence vnto others the godlye doe not re●use in suche a case to make open confes●on the whiche custome both the olde ●athers in time past didde obserue them●elues and deliuered ouer to their posteri●ie as appeareth by the Cannons that ●reate of penaunce The obseruation ●nd execution whereof the Churche of Rome omitting and neglecting brought ●n a corrupt custome in place therof that some one Prieste or Chaplayne shoulde secretely shrine suche as had offended openly and heare their confession in corners for sauing of their honesty and their good name whereby did growe two most notorious and shamefull abuses for by means that priuate and auriculer confe●sion came in place of the open declaration of faultes bothe all good order a●● discipline went to wracke and most m●serable tiranny beganne to vsurpe in th● poore afflicted consciences Secondari●● in that there were certaine penitent●●ries appoynted at Rome or rather p●●lers of pardōs that retailed their Indulgences for mony to euery man that lif●●● to buy them whereby oure aduersaries muste néedes be driuen to confesse th●● causelesse they call vs heretiks and mo●● falsely

they which be enimies and impugne this doctrine and for that wée mayntayne the same do persecute vs with fire and fagot haue either had small sense of Iustification or else are some newe founde people descended into the Earthe I wotte nere whence For if they haue not had some sensible perseueraunce and féeling of the principles of Christian religion in themselues by experience I councell them for a time to be quiet and refraine to speake and aduise them rather to praye vnto almightie God that hée woulde instruct● them by his holy spirite in suche thinges as they are ignorant of and yet will bée prating rashely and babling either after their owne conceite and imagination or as they haue heard other men talke will moste impudently affirme the same but if they will deriue their pedigrée from God lette them permitte vs to be as we are men contenting our selues with such knowledge as is conuenient for vs For we do willingly confesse that we are the children of Adam by nature disobedient vnto the will of God senselesse in oure owne corrupte nature so peruerse and obstinate that vnneth we wil be brought to repentaunce so hardned in harte that wée can not be broken with the sense of sinne finally of suche pride and arrogancie that wée can scarcely bée drawen to confesse our sinnes to be shorte enimies to our own saluation vnlesse God of hys fatherly fauour and grace vouchsafe to correcte and amende the malice of oure froward nature and to enable and make vs apte to doe suche workes Why doe they then enuie vs thys humilitie and lowlinesse of harte in that we thinke we ●oe greatly honoure our God when wée referre all thinges to hys gratious goodnesse and mercie But if they thinke thys ●ure humilitie be excéeding and more ●han néedefull is this so horrible an offence that we shoulde therefore be thoughte worthie of all punishments and tormentes that can be deuised be ac ompted infamous banished imprisoned hanged and burned Surely this their fierce and barbarous crueltie may be a sufficiēt declaration vnto your maiestie that this is no godly zeale in the Papists as they call it but rather an excéeding choler heate of stomak boiling in their enuious malicious breasts The other benefit of our iustificatiō is our cōiunctiō with Christ for it is not inough for a man to be onely absolued of his sinne but it is also requisite and necessarye that hée bée marueilously renuee shew a new obediēce the which nothing can worke in thē saue only the power of god through our L. sauiour Iesus Christe this is the secōd effect of faith which the holy ghost hath poured into our harts by the which a man being made frée from the feare of all enimies danger of damnation doth wholy possesse Iesus Christ the very sonne of God and man to the intent hée might liue in hym not in walking after the fleshe but in holinesse of spirit and that he should thenceforth work righteousnesse in the sight of God of his son Christe through whose bloude shedde and sacrifice offred hée is purged and clensed from all hys offences and filthinesse Last of all that to declare himselfe bothe mindefull and also thankfull for so greate mercifulnesse and louing kindnesse shewed towardes him he shoulde on the other side retourne loue backe againe towardes God and be zealous in seruing and honouring him The whiche doctrine the Apostle doth plainely sette forthe in hys epistle to the Romaines in these words Ther remaineth now no condemnation saith he vnto suche as be engrafted into Christe Iesu that is to say those that walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite for the liuely lawe of the spirite whyche is in Christe hath loosed me from the bondage of sinne and death For that whiche was impossible to the lawe through the infirmitie of the fleshe God by sending hys owne sonne into fleshe of likenesse and similitude vnto our sinful fleshe hath after a sort destroied sinne by sinne in the same fleshe that the iustice of the lawe might be accomplished in vs whiche walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite for those that be addicted vnto the flesh haue their mindes bent vppon fleshly desires but they that be renued in spirite doe followe the motion and direction of the spirite and the desire of the fleshe is death and destruction contrariwise the desyre of the spirite is peace ioye and life euerlasting For the desire or affection of the fleshe is againste God neyther is it nor can not bée obedient vnto the lawe of god Therefore suche as are giuen to the flesh can not please God howbeit you walke not in the fleshe but in the spirite if so be the spirite of God be within you And who so hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his but if Christe be within you then is the body dead as concerning sinne but the spirite aliue or rather life it self for righteousnesse sake Wherfore if the spirite of hym that raysed Christs from deathe abide in you the same also will restore you and your mortall bodies vnto life bicause of the spirite that dwelleth in you wherefore brethren wée are nowe no more subiecte vnto the fleshe to liue after the luste thereof For if ye liue after the desires and concupiscentes of the fleshe yée shall dye the deathe but if contrariwise by the power of the spirite you conquer and subdue the lusts therof you shall liue in most perfect felicitie for al whosoeuer is directed by the spirit of god are numbred among the sonnes of God. Here dothe Paule moste notably and largely declare the seconde parte of oure Iustification and the end also of our coniunction with Christ Iesus namely that we shoulde leade our life not after the motion of the fleshe and the voluptuousnesse thereof but according to the direction of the holy spirite the which moste profitable and comfortable coniunction felowship with him if we had and did enioye we would not fall to such vayn and néedelesse questions as we do For what profite is in the subtil questions and difputations whether the righteousnes of a Christian man be a substance or an accident a qualitie inherent or only in vs by imputation whether the iustification of the wicked and vngodly be only the forgiuenesse of the sin or no whether infusion of grace be requisit in the remission of the fault or whether the motion of fréewill be not also requisite thervnto whether the wicked be iustified in an instant or in processe of time whether iustification of grace do go before in order of nature such like quiddities and subtil niceties except wée haue the vertue efficacie of Christ Iesus imprinted in our harts which we trust is in the harts of the faithful beleuers as Paule prayed for the cōgregatiō of Ephesus who loueth his churche dearly as the same apostle saith in another place and

mid day to go on pilgremage●sing Masses such execrable workes of superstitiō Of which things this saying of Esai may wel and aptly be verified against them that vse thē Who hath required these things at your hands that not without a cause for this kind of seruice is so far from being acceptable vnto him that they are most odious hatefull vnto him as may appeare by the many fold plagues punishmēts which he layeth daily vpon vs that most worthily Therfore if our aduersaries finde fault ●ith vs bicause we teach not the people 〈◊〉 do such works we are very wel con●nt to sustein that accusation of theirs ●or let thē denounce against vs cōdem●tion neuer so great nor so oft our god ●ne doubt not will absolue vs let them ●rsecute vs neuer so extremely he will 〈◊〉 our defence and buckler let them put 〈◊〉 to most cruel deaths almightie God ●il restore vs vnto life again thorough ●hriste Iesus who is our only life Fi●ally though they burne vs to ashes he ●hat raysed Iesus Christe from death ●ill likewise rayse vp again oure bodies ●ute of duste and ashes for the spirites ●ake that dwelleth in vs Rom. 8. Of the good woorkes of a man that is iustifyed FIrste we protest and affirme that our aduersaries do most falsly slander vs where they say of vs that we cōtemne the doing of good works and that we persuade the people that they ar made holy and righteous in Christe and th● it skilleth not how they liue For we pr●teste the contrary that that doctrine 〈◊〉 neyther the doctrine of the Gospell 〈◊〉 our doctrine forasmuche as it appeareth manifestlye in scripture that a good t●● muste bring forth good fruite whereby 〈◊〉 may appere that the roote therof is god ▪ And the Apostle doth plainely teache 〈◊〉 the cause why Christe hathe deliuere● vs from the tiranny of sinne and by h●● righteousnesse made vs righteous whe● he saith on this wise For wee also som● time were madde stubberne wandering out of the waye seruing diuers lusts an● vanities liuing in malice enuie hatefull one at deadly hatred wyth another● but after that the goodnesse and abundan● loue of oure Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe was manifested towardes men he saued vs not for the good workes that we our selues had done but of hys ow● frée grace and mercie by the fountain of regeneration and by the renouation of the holy Spirite the whiche he poured vpon vs abundātly by his sonne Christ that being iustified through his grace we shoulde bée made heyres of euerlastyng life according to hope Also in an other place he saith that the grace of Almightie God our sauiour was declared that men laying aparte all worldly pleasures shuld wholy bende themselues to true and perfecte goodlinesse righteousnesse and sobernesse looking for the happy hope and the glorious comming of our lorde god If these things then be true as we beléeue them to be moste true what impudencie were it to affirme that a man shuld liue idelly in the houshold of God truely wée affirme that a man not indued wyth the spirit of regeneration or berefte of that grace is altogither vnable to do or speak any thing that can please God yea so muche as to acknowledge Iesus Christe in his hearte vnlesse hée haue in hym Gods holy spirite and therfore we déeme those things that haue béene declared by vs as touching merits of congruence and of condignitie and suche other lyke fonde and foolishe distinctions to be méere deuises of mans vaine heade to make sinners become hipocrites and counterfaiters of holinesse whiles they vnderstand not the darke mistes of their ignorance and bée senselesse as touching their owne misery and destructiō which they cannot escape neither by these works preparatorie nor by any diligence or worldly wisedome but by the onely goodnesse and mercye of God whiles hée moueth oure mindes with forcible motions and openeth oure eies that wée should sée the most miserable estate and condition we be in wade out of this moste filthy puddell and sinke of all sinne where we are almost drewned and be washed with the moste precious bloud of the immaculate lambe that we may our selues be new creatures the whiche thing we call properly regeneration and newe birth or sanctification rather if ye liste so to terme it And after wée bée iustified and thus renued wée are so vnited and knitte in Christ with the band of his holy spirit that our works that we do afterwards ought to be accōpted Christes works in that respect are most acceptable in the sight of God but least any should fondly vainely imagine and dreame hereof with himselfe when he heareth vs speake of thys coniunction felowship with Christe we do not hereby mean any kind of transformation or transsubstantiation of the bodye of Christe into oure bodies as if it were néedful that the true humilitie of Christ shoulde be laide aside and vanish awaye God forbid But for the true and right vnderstanding of thys misterye wée requyre a spirituall man suche one as hathe bene instructed by the holy spirite to discerne and iudge of things rightely and as they ought to be in due place and order so that he maye be able to conceiue and comprehend in the vnderstanding of his mind Iesus Christ our redemer the son of god very God and very man glorified and sitting at the right hand of his heauenly father hauyng all power committed vnto hym bothe in heauen and in earth the whiche throughe faith hath hys continuall abode and dwelling in the heartes of hys elect chosen people And who so is iustified on this sorte occupy not themselues in buildyng of Chappell 's in saying of Masses in wandering on pilgrimage nor spende their whole life in such like superstitious exercises but referre all their actions and enterprises and cogitations to that seruice whiche they knowe God requireth at our handes speciallye they endeuour themselues firmly to retaine in their myndes the perpetuall and continuall meditation of the wonderfull coniunction they haue with Christe whose spirite witnesseth vnto our spirit that we are the children of God brethren and heires annexed with Christe the whych testimony is a strong assurance and most certaine earneste and seale of oure election and of Gods gratious goodnes as Esaias doth teache vs of the couenaunte which God hath entred with vs Neither is there anye other meanes to retaine this affiance and adoption than the continuall calling vppon the name of God ioyned with the reading and meditation of holy scriptures and the mortifying of our olde Adam and extending charitable almes towardes our neighboure And to the intent we may orderly learne whiche be the good workes of him that is regenerate and borne againe in Christ they may be referred to these thrée principall pointes the encrease of faith the desire of mortification of the fleshe and the societie of man consisting

and sauior the same Gospell the very same spirit beliefe profession should liue and dwell togither in amitie and concord considering they differ not so muche in the groundes and chiefe articles of religiō as in the constitutions of man the worship of idolles false gods certain foolish and vayne superstitions and ceremonies What should I néed here to rehearse that the pope himselfe is not ashamed not only to entertayne in his owne Citie and country the Iewes who be the very professed enimies of Christ to fauour them to cherishe to take them into his profession but which is moste shamefull and abhominable aboue al other to appoint the certaine churches streats and dwelling places apart frō the Christians in which they may fréely without controlement or interruption of any renue the olde ceremonies and sacrifices of the Mosaicall law the which are wholy abrogated and dissanulled by the commyng of Messias sauiour Iesus Christ by which exercises who is there of so simple consideration but hée maye easilye perceiue howe foule a spotte of impietie and ignominie it is to the blemishing of the name of Christe For if those things be of any vertue and efficacie nowe in these daies then was it in vaine that Christe tooke thys fleshe vppon hym and came into thys worlde and that his most cōfortable and wholesome sacrifice which he did vpon the aultar of his crosse is to be estéemed but of little price O notable lying and blasphemy O moste horrible mischiefe and villanye vnneth to be satisfied wyth all the most terrible torments and punishments that mā can deuise or endure Wherefore if thys holye man maye for hys priuate lucres sake and onlye for hope of a little peltyng commoditye to bryng so hatefull and detestable a kinde of religion into his countries and seignories and into the societie and felowship of Christian people How muche more reason is it that youre Maiestie shoulde embrace and receiue twoo manner of religions within youre Maiesties Realmes and dominions whyche haue some likenesse and agréement togyther forasmuch as they do both acknowledge and confesse al one redéemer and sauiour of mankinde differing in effect only herin that the one sorte affirmeth that we be fréely and of méere grace and fauoure reconciled to God the father by the redemption of oure Sauioure Iesus Christ without any respecte of oure merites or paimentes of money the other addeth to the perfecte and absolute worke of Christ many other ceremonies and circumstances of their owne good déedes merites The which controuersie might very easily by compounded betwixt thē if it woulde please youre maiestie to entermedle in thys matter and to vse that aucthoritie which of right you ma● the whiche good worke and enterprise of reconciling these two Churches toguther that are at this iarre betwixte thēselues I am verily perswaded would be moste profitable to your countrey and subiects moste acceptable vnto God m●ste glorious to your highenesse and sounde most to the continuance of youre honour and renowne to all the posteritie that euer youre Maiestie coulde or maye take in hande The fame and memorie whereof will for euer be recorded in the writings remembrāces of al men and the sound of your praises therfore moūt alofte and ascende aboue the skyes By occasion wherof youre subiectes of the low countries in all things most dutifull toward youre Maiestie and mindefull of so great a benefite bestowed by youre highenesse vppon them your poore vassalles will be more and more inflamed in hearte and minde to pray vnto God continuallye for youre Maiesties most happy prosperous and flourishing estate in abundaunce of honoure and felicitie But forasmuche as the heartes of Kings and Princes bée not in their owne power and willes but in the hande of God to dispose and tur● them as it séemeth best to his holye wi● and pleasure as well sayeth Salomon Omitting many other reasons wyth th● which your Maiestie might be drawn t● haue compassion vpon your poore subiect● miserably oppressed complayning the● selues most lamentably I will conuert●● and direct my selfe and my whole spech● to Almightie God our moste mercyful● and gentle Father in moste humble wise beséechyng his fatherly goodnesse that he woulde vouchesafe to looke vppon vs moste myserable caytifes wyth hys mercifull eies of compassion and pitie not as vppon the offspring of our olde parent Adam but rather as vpon hys dearely beloued children engrafted and implanted into the bodye and stocke of hys béeloued sonne Iesus Christ through whose only mediation intercession and benefite oure heauenlye father putteth all oure offences oute of hys remembraunce by the whyche wée haue prouoked hys wrathe and indignation againste vs for the whych wée are dayly plagued while Kyngs and Princes who oughte moste carefullye and tenderlye to tender the weale of Christes Churche forgetting theyr duetye in that behalfe doe offer the same to the spoile and rauine of moste deadlye ennimies and desperate cutte-throates euen hym I saye the father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe I moste har●ily and humbly beséeche to stirre vppe youre Maiesties mind with some sharpe ●ricke and touche of hearte to vndertake the hearing and debating of thys quarrell that hée woulde inflame youre mynde wyth some feruent zeale and affection of hys holye Spirite that youre Maiestye by meanes thereof béeyng excited and prouoked to séeke the honoure and glorye and encrease of hys sonnes Kyngdome beséeching him in lyke manner that hys holye Spirit abidyng alwayes and remainyng wyth you hée woulde graunte vnto youre Maiestye a moste happye and long lyfe vppon Earthe And as hée hymselfe was raised vp from deathe moste gloriouslye so likewise hée woulde exchange this your mortall and corruptible ly● wyth the fruition of his heauenly an●●ternall lyfe and make you partaker that euerlasting ioye and blessednesse which he hath prepared for all those whych wyth a sure and an vndoubted fayth embrace hys Heauenlye promises FINIS AN EPIstle or Godlye Admoniton sente to the Pastors of the Flemish Church in Antwerp who name thēselues of the cōfession of Auspurgh exhorting them to concord with the other Ministers of the Gospell CONFIDI EGO VICI MVNDVM IO. XVI A prayer to Iesus Christe for peace and vnitie in the Churche O Soueraigne Lorde who being the eternall worde and true God with God thy father didst take our nature to visite in forme of man the poore children ●f Adam lost by their infidelitie distrust ●nd peruerse opinion against their Crea●●r and also by thy meane and remedy ●ast eftsoons restablished the confederati●n betwéene God and vs approuing the ●●ne most painfully in the mortall mar●irdom of thy most innocent body bleding ●n the crosse for the expiation of our sins ●e beséech thée O Sauior of the world ●hat euen as thou art come to cōsūmate ●nd confirme our recōciliation thou wol●est also recōcile our harts knit our wil●s and send thy spirite of truth amongst ●s to the end that we all concurring in