Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	believe_v	faith_n	work_v	5,330	5	7.4404	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53386	The opinions of certaine reverend and learned divines concerning the fundamentall points of the true Protestant religion, and the right government of reformed churches Wherein is declared the plaine path-way to a godly and religious life. Published by authoritie.; Good counsells for the peace of reformed churches.	T. I.; Davenant, John, ca. 1572-1641.; Hall, Joseph, 1574-1656.; Morton, Thomas, 1564-1659.; Ussher, James, 1581-1656.	1643 (1643)	Wing O356; ESTC R216583	49,936	153

be of necessity to be beleived Let us view a comparison betwixt things humane divine although what similitude can there bee'twixt Earth and Heaven Man consists of a soule and a body united one to the other and yet notwithstanding each part hath its severall properties and actions which are usually attributed and that very rightly too to the whole the whole man hath the use of sense doth understand eat walke sleep dye thus much even sense reason doth unanswerably evince will any man hereupon say that this also is of equall necessity to be knowne man according to his body hath the use of sense and reason and according to his soule he doth eat walke sleep and dye Truly the same that Reason is in respect of intelligible matters the same is Faith in things spirituall and divine I am not ignorant how much they differ in their Subjects yet neverthelesse the necessity of the things which are either to be known or beleived is alike different in both Such Trueths therefore as are certaine such as are necessarily to be beleived and apparently fundamentall let us all unanimously embrace and professe them as for the rest let Divines if they please busie their heads with them but let not the plaine common sort of Christians trouble themselves about them more than needs But if it may seeme to make any thing for the publike Peace that we come as neare as we can one to another in the formes and manner of expression let us but say as * Hier Zanchy sometimes alledged out of Innocent and the Schoole-men that even Christ's humane nature according to its personall essenc● is omni present c. and I see no reason why both sides may not nay will not readily consent and agree to it Here let us fixe let neither side proceed any further beyond this and wee are safe In the Point of the Sacrament this is certaine and fundamentall that the true and essentiall body and blood of Christ is truely present offered and received in that holy Supper● but whether or no it be corporally present in the Bread Wine whether or no by a supernaturall vertue of the conse●rated Elements it be orally received and eaten even by wicked and unworthy Communicants this is a matter of Theologicall Dispute and such as in the judgement of Luther Melanchthon Justus Jonas Ofiander Brentius Stephanus Agricola yea of Oecolampadius Zuinglius Bu●er Hedi● ought not to infri●ge Christian love and Charity And upon this promising signe was begun that famous Agreement at Marpurge in the yeare 1529. That likewise is well worthy to be kept in perpetuall memory which is related concerning the meeting at Witemberge in the yeare 1536 by Ludovicus Rabus Pastor at Vlme in his History of Martyrs with whom agree's Iohn Swiccius Pastor at Constance cited by Hospinian who was there present at that time and 't is to be seen likewise in the English writings of Bucer there were present at that Meeting of the one side Capito Bucer Musculus and the rest of the more eminent Divines out of the cheife Imperiall Cities in high Germany of the other side Luther Philip Ionas Pomeranus Cruciger with other Doctors Preachers of Witemberge and after some expostulations and divers Speeches to and fro wherein both sides freely fairely delivered their Opinions at length Luther stepping a litle aside with his Associates and conferring with them about it concluded with these words If yee beleive and teach that in the holy Supper the very body and the very blood of Christ is offered given and received and not the bare ●ignes bread and Wine and that such giving and receiving is true and reall not onely imaginary the strife betwixt us is at an end and we doe acknowledge receive you as our deare Brethren in the Lord All this Bucer Capito and the rest plainely and freely affirmed whereupon they joyned hands and so parted Indeed the waters were then calme and quiet not tossed with any stormy and tempestuous winds and therefore they did clearely shew and represent the face of Trueth Why doe not we in like manner now at last begin to be wise And having passed those tempestuous and troublesome times which afterwards followed why doe we not sit downe and rest our selves in this old and safe harbour of Peace and Unity Concerning the Point of Praedestination how doth the Church of Christ groane under the burden of a number of huge high-swolne Volumes Yet when wee have done all we can and wearied our selves and the Christian world with our wrangling pens this will still remaine to be knowne and beleived by all men 1 that God from all eternity out of his meere good pleasure did immutably elect some unto Salvation 2. that none were elected by God nor shall be saved who doe not beleive in Jesus Christ and persevere in this Faith 3. that none can beleive in Christ save onely they whom God is pleased to enable hereunto and to worke it in them by the effectuall grace of his Spirit 4. that God did not damne no nor reprobate any man but with an eye to sin so that all the cause the blame of men's Damnation lie's in themselves but the cause of Election and Salvation is in the meere grace and mercy of God Now all this is confeston both sides ● know right well there are infinite Questions Controversie a raised about this Point Let every man on God's name enjoy his owne Opinion I will not prescribe to any man For my selfe if any man be desirous to know what my Opinion herein is I freely professe my selfe to adhere to the Articles of the Church of England and to the judgement of our English Divines who voted in the Synod at Dort wherein my selfe was presen 〈…〉 But what is there in this profound Point about which vulgar and illiterate Christians need to trouble themselves save onely that plaine obvious Trueth confest by all For the rest let Divines dispute them in the Schooles but it were well if they would forbeare to medle with them in the Pulpit How are the very same Controversies and others of greater waight and moment still on foot in the Church of Rome and yet so warily and wisely doe they carry the matter that the publike Peace is notwithstanding preserved amongst them Let vs learne wisedome from them who professe nought but enmity towards us Would but Christian Princes by their Authority decree Divines fairely and moderately containe and keep themselves within these bounds of Disputation and Controversie bounds indeed larg and spatious enough wee should have a lasting firme Agreement the Church would flourish in Peace and Tranquillity and lastly Trueth would bebome victorious and triumph over the common Enimy That this may be brought to passe as we all wish and desire it should the honourable States and Delegates did very wisely propose and advise that a publike Meeting of peaceable

bitternesse and rigour wherewith at first they exercised the patience of Occolampadius and Zuinglius they are againe to be intreated that in their great wisedomes they would herein take notice of a vast difference Ananias in the ninth of the Acts when first he was warned in a Vision to put his hands upon Saul he was somewhat unwilling to doe it J have heard saith he by many of this man c. but afterwards having better understood the counsell and purpose of God he gladly embrace's him saying Brother Saul the Lord hath sent mee unto thee The very same might have been heretofore observed in the carriage of Luther himselfe towards Zuinglius and Oecolampadius whom at first hee fell upon roughly when he heard that they held there was nothing in the Eucharist save only bare signes and figures but afterwards having further examined their meaning he kindly courteously reacht out the right hand of fellowship unto them After the very same manner did Calvin likewise stand affected towards them as he himselfe confesseth when at my first entrance saith hee into the cleare sun-shine of the Gospell out of Popish darknes I read in Luther how that Oecolampadius and Zuinglius would admit of nothing in the Sacraments but bare and empty figures this I confesse so farre possest me with a prejudice against their writings that I refrained a long time from reading them Thus spoke Calvin at that time of those men whom notwithstanding he afterwards had in great love and familiarity with him Why may not then the Saxon Divines be pleased to show themselves Luthers towards us so long as they finde us not inferiour to Oecolampadius and Zuinglius in this Point The third THESIS That this friendly Vnion and Reconcilement we wish for is very necessary for all men whether of a milde or turbulent disposition IT is not my purpose to lash out into Common places wherein much paines might be spent and litle or no benefit got by it It behoves me rather to provide me of such arguments as may not coldly beg and intreat but command and as it were violently compell men to live at peace and unity amongst themselves Neither are there any as you well know fitter for the setling and confirming of such a Communion than are those which are drawne from the common joy or greife the common danger or the common good advantage of both sides There 's not a more evident and infallible signe of a true member of Christ than to compassionate or to have a fellow-feeling one of another which is seene especially in two things first in rejoycing at the hopes of a Reconciliation such as was the Psalmist's joy in that divine acclamation of his at the unity of Brethren ● how good and joyfull a thing it is Secondly a sorrow of heart at so long and wearisome a dissention such as the Jewes expressed by their great thoughts of heart for the divisions of Reuben Schisme growing and getting upon the Church at Corinth the Apostle exhort's them to bee {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement the word is derived frō {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which amongst Physitions signifies to set right againe such members as are out of joynt The same Apostle that he might compose and setle the mindes of the Philippians ô what a sacred charme doe's he make use of If saith he there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the spirit if any bowells of mercies fulfill my joy But how may they doe that He goes on that yee be like minded having the same love {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} being of one accord of one mind I verily beleive that Eloquence her selfe if she had a tongue to speake she could not have spoke more emphatically where each word is a sharp dart peircing and wounding our very hearts and soules I will adde onely that long chaine of Vnities in the same Apostle to the Ephesians one body one spirit one hope one calling one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all all which make for that one thing which he there aime's at to wit that the Ephesians should endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace As touching the danger we all of us know that the tyranny of the Romish Antichrist hang's over our heads who sweetly sing's to himselfe that blacke and fatall Maxime divide impera set them once at variance and then you may quickly master them or rather by setting them at variance you may confound and tumble them into the pit of hell for the kingdome being once divided Hell it selfe cannot stand Let us learn to be wise from the examples of others the Guelphi and Gibelli●i those two implacable and irreconcileable Factions did agree together and joyne their forces when the common Enimie came against them and shall not We rowse our selves up to save defend our selves As for the gaine and advantage I mentiond can there be any greater gaine than Salvation and yet even this too the more common the greater and better it is Let us then I beseech you for the love of God set before our eyes the Greek Church which now seeme's to sue and wooe to us for a brotherly union and agreement as appeare's from that Confession of Faith lately set forth in the name of all the Easterne Churches by the right Reverend Father Cyrill Patriarch of Constantinople which agrees exactly with our Protestant Confessions in every Article set forth and published by him Me thinks I see this most ample farre spreading part of the Christian world ready to fly into our armes embraces presently upon the first newes of our unity and agreement amongst our selves which hope of ours should Christ be pleased to crowne with successe this alone would farre outvie and surpasse in glory all the triumphs and trophies of all the Emperours in the world But I hasten to your other Question The other CONTROVERSY Concerning that unfathom'd mystery of Praedestination upon the foresight of Faith and Workes THis is that other Question as I gather from your Letter whereon as on a rock divers men otherwise desirous of Peace have dasht and split themselves That therefore men may knowe I have not of my owne accord sought after and catcht at this opportunity to dispute but rather am cast upon it against my will my proceeding herein shall be not by way of disputation but as the Times rather require by way of exhortation advice I hope therefore the learned Divines of Saxony will take this my advice in good part wherein I earnestly pray and beseech them first that they would be reconciled to their owne Luther in this Point who as it did well become a child of Grace did constantly hold and maintaine that the Grace of God is every way free and