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	holy_a	scripture_n	6,955	5	5.9774	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07407	The iustification of man by faith only: made and vvritten by Phylyp Melanchton. and translated out of the Latyn in to this oure mother tonge by Nicholas Lesse of London An apologie or defence of the worde of God, declaringe what a necessary thynge it is, to be in all mennes handes, the want wher of is the only cause of al vngodlienes committed thorowe the whole earth, made by the sayde Nicholas Lesse	Melanchthon, Philipp, 1497-1560.; Lesse, Nicholas. Apologie or defence of the worde of God. aut	1548 (1548)	STC 17792; ESTC S104245	86,618	204

tyme the sonne of God was constituted and ordeyned to be a keper a gouernour and a sauyour of the churche Then beganne the sonne of God to giue battayle to the Deuyll That lykewyse as the Deuyll most cruelly doth rage ouer al mankind in the dispyte and hatred of God to deface and put out of al remembrance his most holy and blessed churche fastening his moste venemouse tethe in oure hels and flesshe So on that other syde the sonne of God is stronge and myghty in them which beleueth treadynge downe vnder hys fete the furye of the Deuyll restorynge and delyuerynge the faythful from the tyranny of hys enmy The worlde hathe nat the grace to consyder and se this battayle but the great falles of many with the most heuye and tragycall calamities and miseries and againe afterwarde the moste gloryous and tryumphant delyueraunce example of Dauyd and of many other do manyfestlye declare and shewe what maner a kynde of fyght and battayle this is ¶ THESE wordes also whiche are written in the Genesis The sede of a woman shall treade downe the heade of the Serpent hath none other meaninge than those wordes which Iohn did pronounce sayenge For thys purpose the sonne of God is exhibited vnto vs to distroye and breake the workes of the Deuyll Thus dyd Adam take and vnderstand the promyse So did al the fathers after him beleue that for thys sede sake which was promised they shuld obteyn remission of theyr sinnes with deliueraunce from sinne and deathe By thys faythe they were made iuste nat by fulfyllynge of the lawe This beynge that same faythe wherby in al theyr perilles and terrors they were comforted and holde vp For they knewe wel that thys Lorde was alway at theyr hand to helpe them as Iacob most lyuely dyd expresse the .xlviii. of Genesis sayeng The Angell whiche delyuered me from all euyl blesse these children In the which wordes he declared that same Lord by whō he was deliuered from al euils desiring and prayenge to blesse and kepe hys posteritie Al those wordes can be of none other than of the sonne of God meaned As wytnesseth Paull The son of God was in the tentes of the people of Israel where soeuer they went And Iohn also By thys sonne of God al thing was made by whom lyght dyd shyne in darknesse All tryumphe and victories gotte and won agaynste and ouer the deuyll was by none other than by thys sonne Noe was reserued Abraham was defended Ioseph was wakened vp The people was delyuered forth of Egypt and Daniel also dyd speake with hym After thys fasshion the preachynges of the Apostles do teach of Chryst wytnessing that he is the sacrifice the deliuerer and sauiour counsellynge and commanding vs to set our whole trust and confidence in this captayne The which thyng many places in the prophetes doth testyfy as the second psalme kysse you the sonne Blessed be al they that trust in him with out the whiche faythe otherwyse called the certayne confydence of the trust and mercy of God promysed for Chryst sake all the prayers in the worlde seme they neuer so holy neuer so longe al the worshypfull worshyppynge that ye can do are in effect as muche as nothinge For thys is the same Bysshop by whose meanes we muste come to the father as it is written in many places The blyndnes therfore of them which do imagin and dreame that the Gospel is a lawe conteinynge certayne preceptes of amitie or mutuall loue whiche requyre the faythe that is to saye a bare and naked knowledge of the lyfe of Chryste hystorycally and that men shoulde take God as a teacher of good preceptes as they dyd vse to take Socrates and Phocillides I say agayne the depe and profounde blyndenesse of them is to be detested execrated and of all creatures abhorred Suche lyke is theyr blyndnesse in phantasyeng that men are made iuste for theyr owne good deseruynges beynge for al that in doubte whether God doeth forgyue vs oure sinnes whether he doeth heare vs or whether he wyll haue any thynge to do with vs ye or nay as one whiche nothynge regardeth what doeth or shal become of vs. Thus the greate gorbelyd Monkes and nowe our great supercyliouse proud popishe Philosophers do transforme The doctrin of the Popishe clerkes translate and make the Gospell which is the most pure and sincere worde of God to be a Phylosophy Academical dysputynge and reasonynge of good workes commaundynge men to doubt in the promyses of God But of faythe whiche leanneth on Chryste and the promises made for his sake nat ones for a thousande pound they wyl neither thynke nor speake herein they be as domme as stones and as drie as a stocke fyshe Therfore I pray and desyre with all my hert al gentyl readers that they wolde weye and consyder the difference of the lawe and the Gospel of Moyses and of Chryst And to marke diligently what is the glorye of God what was the ryght honour seruyce and worship done to hym by our olde fathers Adam Iacob the Prophetes and the Apostles Of these men let vs learne that Chryste is alway the valyant Captayne the only gouernour delyuerer sauyour protector an dedfēder of hys church against the Deuyll with al his members Let ●s learne I say that by fayth we must perceiue and receiue the benefites of Christ Let vs haue in remembrance and nat for gette that the gospell is a swete voyce which promyseth and sheweth to vs as it were puttynge into our bosoms these great benefites Paul bearynge thereta wytnesse sayenge The gospell is the power of god to saluatyon to hym that doeth beleue That is as muche to saye as the gospell doethe offer vnto vs pardon of our sinnes and lyfe euerlastynge frely for Christ his sake and nat for the law By thys gospel god worketh in vs effectuously gyuyng to vs his holy spirite he beginneth in vs a newe life and gyueth vs lyfe euerlastynge ¶ Synne THYS VOCABLE AND word Syn doth nat signify noughty corrupt viciouse maners only Vnder thys worde synne is comprehended our Originall synne as the Phylosophers do take it but it cōprehendeth vnder the same vocable also the great feblenes and weaknes whiche is brought into this world with vs and in vs beyng called original sinne The which sinne though carkles men do nat muche passe for regardyng and settyng it lyght as though it were a very small tryfle or rather no sinne at all as the Philosophers do iudge it yet we maye nat so mystake it but must make an other maner of rekenynge therof For the darke blyndnes with ●ubitation and ignoraunce of God beynge vncertayne whether God doethe passe and regarde mortall men ye or nay whether he doth punishe offenders or nat whether he norisheth fedeth and helpeth or herkeneth to men and theyr inuocations and cryes ye or naye to be withoute the feare and drede and loue of God to set muche by oure selfes and our paynted shethes

to that doctrine of Paull in the exposition of thys Epystle to the Romaynes I wyl refute and take awai with so manifest argumentes and and profes that they theyr owne selfe shal se and also say that all togyther is a wrye and amysse We wyll byde by the wordes of Paull which sayeth that we be iustified by Faythe frely that is that we do obteine remission of our sinne beynge reputed iuste before God nat for any of our merites but by Fayth which is the trust of mercye promised to vs for Christ sake only We wil nat make Paul speakynge here in figures we do nat chaunge his wordes but we do lerne of him to take the true meanynge as the nature of the worde and the matter whiche the Apostle takethe in hande to dyspute doth requyre It is very profitable and necessary to al good men to haue certayne sure testimonies of the Scripture wi●h the confirmations of this proposition alway redy and at hande bothe to instructe other and also to styrre vp true Fayth and perfecte prayer The whiche vocables by vs declared and perceyued of you I trust in the Lorde that this proposition By Faith we are iustified is easy and lyght for euery man to vnderstande For the which cause at other tymes we haue gathered togyther forthe of Paull many places for this purpose Wherfore at this present it shal be sufficient to haue touched the principall In the ende of the thyrde chapiter to the Romaynes Paull mooste lyke a cunninge clerke propoundynge this proposition By Faythe we are iustified freely vseth weyghtye and clerkly confyrmations whiche moost of all are to be printed in mennes myndes to kyndle vp our Faith that in al our perylles and dangers they may be alway before our eyes ¶ THVS muche haue I spoken of Iustification and of Faythe workes Nowe wyll I declare some thyng concernyng the doctryne of good workes which are called the newe obedience Dure newe obedience whiche necessaryly foloweth Faith There be .iiii. thinges that we wyll speake of The fyrste what workes are to be done the second howe they maye be done Thyrdly howe they maye please God In the which thyrde part we wyl dyscusse whether we be iustified that is to say accepted of God to eternal felicitie for that newe obedience sake whiche be borne agayne in a newe kinde of life and whether we be without sinne and worthye euerlastinge lyfe for our owne purenesse Fourthlye we wyll treat of deadlye sinne whiche maketh vs voyd of Grace of Fayth and of the holy Ghost consequently declaryng what are called venyall sinnes and whiche they be ●hat wor●es are to ●e done TO THE FIRST QVEstion what workes are to be done wherin it is right that we do lede the mindes of mē to the worde of God that they may know that al theyr life as wel concerninge the conflicte of conscience as their outwarde dedes must be gouerned and ruled by the worde of God as witnesseth the Prophete saienge The candle or lanterne to my fete is the worde of God I do aunswere therfore to thys question worde of God that those workes whiche are commanded to vs of God are to be kept and done and that by the manifest word of God As the ten commaundementes in maner and fourme as they be declared and also expoūded in the newe testament yea and also if there be any other preceptes or commaundementes perteynynge to the outwarde lyfe in the teachynges and lessons of Christe and hys Apostles This I do say bicause I wold nat that men shulde make and faine no newe worshippinges and workes with out the worde and commaundement of God As dyd the Monkes Chanōs and Fryers Nonnes Monkes with other Popysshe prelates and nowe of late the Anabaptistes whiche nat takinge the worde of God to councell did inuente and pike out for them selfes workes after theyr owne iudgemente and phantasies makinge men beleue afterward that they were styrred therto by the holy spirite The which may in no case be resisted or cōtraryed but obeyed by allawes right reson This was the cause of the dissolute and vnlawfull liuinge of the Anabaptistes Anabaptystes Wherfore here after it shal be declared to you what is to be vnderstāde and ment by this wordes to be deliuered from the Lawe purposyng nowe in fewe wordes to shewe that they whiche be regenerated and new borne by Faith as I haue sayde do receyue the holye Ghost that there may be begon in them a newe obedience or better maner of liuinge a newe lighte and life eternall whiche is a beginning and an entrance into the lawe of God ¶ THERFORE the Prophete sayeth I wyll gyue and put my lawe into theyr hertes Faythe of necessitie muste nedes go before this newe life the whiche life must also folow as necessarily Many sentences in the Scriptures bearynge therto witnes Example If thou wylt entre into heuen kepe the commandemētes Also Excepte the iustice of you do abounde aboue c. Fornicators and adulterers shal nat possesse the kingdom of God And. The holye Ghoste doeth moue and styre the hertes of men by the worde of God to the which worde we muste gyue all our obedience As Paull witnesseth we are detters that we doo nat lyue after the fleshe For Fayth can nat stande in vs withoute repentaunce For by Faythe we muste receyue the remission of sinne And that man doth nat in dede aske and call for remission of sinne whiche agaynst his owne conscience deliteth in mischiefe It is nat the outwarde discipline only whiche is requyred of vs. But the beginninge of the inwarde obedience that is to saye the godly motions of our herte agreable to the lawe of God A man may se that the aduersaries of the truth when they doo crye and barke good workes they doo play as though they shulde teache chyldren how they shuld behaue them selfes in modest and honest wearinge of their garmentes in theyr eating drinking Nowe and then peraduenture they doo speke of almes dede But touchyng the workes commaunded in the fyrst table they do playe mum nat one worde for a good pounde beynge as dum as a fishe Wherfore is the but bicause they knowe nat the doctrine of Fayth therfore they can gyue no good instruction But God commaundethe and requyreth of vs the workes of both the tables ❧ HE wyllethe that we do feare and drede the angre and wrathe of God agaynst oure infyrmities innumerable offences He wylleth also that we being reconciled by the sonne of God do beleue that he hath receyued vs to hys fauour that he wyll saue vs that he wyll helpe vs. With this Faythe wyll he be called on He wyllethe that with thys Faythe we do bothe call and surelye to loke and trust after helpe as the psalme Call on me c. He wyllethe with this Fayth that we do depende and hang on him and nat to seke other aides helpes contrary to his worde and wyll

house to dwel in or a shyp to sayle with or that he shuld make an ende and finishe his worke All men truly myghte most iustly laughe hym to skorne Lykewise howe long tyme shulde that man lyue or that any kynde of vertues shulde take any rote in him whiche endeuoreth all that he may to make the Scriptures for his owne purpose of lyfe and nat rather framinge his lyfe to the Scriptures Howe great blasphemye is it to Goddes worde when we go about to flatter our owne selfes in our most detestable vices by the exāple of the falles of godly men which by fraylnes of this flesshe after they haue fallen didde nat long lye styl but with sorowfull repentaunce and perfect confidence in the only mercy of God by the helpe of the holy spirite did rise vp māfully agayn This is the lacke both of the feare and of the loue of god This lacke of fear and loue is thorowe out al the earth begynnyng at them which haue the keys delyuered to them of the opening of the Scripturs vnto the very lowest and most to seme to vyle and abiect person that lyueth Bysshoppes What a great nombre of soules are committed to the cure and charge of the Bisshoppes to be fedde and made fatte with the pregnant worde of God What great liuinges haue they gyuen to them for none other cause but that they shulde be diligent therin What rentes what fees haue they more lyke Earles and Dukes than pore spirituall pastors of Christ hꝭ shepe And nat vnworthy forsoth but ryght wel bestowed if they wolde declare them selfe no lesse desyrous of the helth of theyr flocke than they be gredy in gatheringe of theyr reuenewes and rentes God forbyd al shulde be of that mynd Some Byshops without doubt I knowe of the contrary mynde and study whom I pray the Lord preserue and cōtinue in theyr good purpose I thinke verely and you may say and affyrme also that theyr be but some nat many the lesse the nombre the more to be lamēted The thynge it selfe euery where declareth and openly testifieth howe slacke and loose they be in doyng of theyr duety As though to be a Byshop were nothing els but to be mytred to be promoted with great rentes and knyghtes fees and fynally to be called my lorde Bysshop These glorious tytles many naye the most part do gape on both sides for they wyl nat lese one ●ote of theyr dignitie they wyl nat part with one locke of wolle to the comforte and succoure of theyr shepe ye though any of them of whom they had the wolle of shulde perysh for colde They wyl lyue of the profites and commodities of the aulter but they wyl do no seruyce to the alter they wyl eate corne with the Oxe but they wyll nat tread it forth of the strawe with the Oxe They wyl finally haue al thynge but they wyl do nothinge ¶ Yet me thynketh to be a thyng reasonable that they shuld do some thyng for theyr great liuinges otherwise they appeare to be consumers and deuourers of those liuinges which by most godly and noble prynces were prouided and ordeyned for good mē which wold be glad to do theyr duties They do thīke but they are deceyued that they haue done theyr duty sufficiently if ones or twyse in the yere they do go about on visitatiō whē the pore creatures were better to haue them away than among them For the Euangel or Gospel of god is nat a whit the more preferred nor set forth the repentance for sinne the truste and confydence of mercy for Christ sake only nat so often as ones mencioned The commandementes are nothing taught how they shulde be kept They do no more but seke and serche if a fewe of mannes traditions be thorowly obserued and kepte that the infringers and breakers therof myght be with most rygor and al extremytie punished They do rebuke no vyces as whordom aduoutry fornication blasphemy agaynste the name of god extorcion neglect of the holy blessed word of god as thynges perteyning nothing to theyr offyce And at theyr departing they do leue ouer the pore flock beinge neuer the better for theyr comming suche pastors and shepeherd as to whom for theyr knowledge and lerning and muche lesse wytte and muche worse conuersation of lyfe a wise man wolde be lothe to commytte the kepinge of his Swine more mete to be scourers of foul masers than to haue the cure of soules These be no curates but gaylers and tormenters keping the consciences souls of men laden downe with yrons of their owne traditions keping them in greate famyn and hungre as leane as rakes perishing for lacke of the heuēly fode and cryeng out to your good lordship meate meate for pore prisoners nat of Newgate but of the Pope his foule stinking and darke dungel being by most gracyous pardō quite and our fees payed and yet for al that kept in most cruel durāce lieng and rotting in colde yrons that no man is able to abide the sauour O that your good lordshippe mighte with your merciful eyes se and beholde howe pitifully howe bare and leane they loke howe they be eaten with vermine for lacke of kepinge there is no doubte but your good lordship wolde take pitie and compassion on them wolde se them sette at large And the lorde whiche doethe se your compassion on them for his sake wyll a thousande folde rewarde you agayne that you shulde nat thynke youre labour yll bestowed What is the cause of al these miserable calamities whiche the pore soules do abyde and susteyne what is the cause the Bisshops Persōs and Curates do nat theyr dueties Forsoth the lacke and want both of the fear of the loue of the lord whosmost high maiestie if they had in feare eyther for his threateninges and curses considering al the woes conteyned in the olde and newe Testament for theyr negligēt administration or els if they had hym in loue for his great and vnspeakable goodnes declared vnto vs al they wolde be sore ashamed ones to be espied with so great a fault But they feare neyther God nor the Deuill They loue him nat for his great goodnes nor yet they do feare him for his threateninges I feare me that there be many I pray god that there be none which do thinke the speaking of God and of the Deuyll to be as it were but an olde wyues tale or fable inuented by the policie of man and natural reasō to kepe men in an ordre while they be in this lyfe as did thinke manye of the blynd Philosophers the Epicurs thinking none other lyfe after this present Epycures did de liue in al kinde of delites and plesures I trust in the lorde that he hath sent an angel among vs with a two handed swerde to cut away cleane these discordes and abuses to his glory eternal What nede I speake of men of power which by theyr power and strength by no equitie nor