Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
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A03260
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A consolatorie epistle to the afflicted catholikes, set foorth by Thomas Hide Priest
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Hide, Thomas, 1524-1597.
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1579
(1579)
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STC 13376; ESTC S118132
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36,634
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140
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strengtheneth you The holie Trinitie in one deitie gouerneth you and wil not leaue to giue you grace and fortitude to endure what affliction so euer for the glorie of his holie name Furthermore it should be to you no litle coÌforte to recognise the manifolde benefites and blessinges of God which you enioye whiles you kepe your selues within the shippe of Christe Christe hath but one shippe that is one churche one in vnitie of faithe one in vnitie of profession one in vnitie of sacramentes one in vnitie of head They that be not of this one churche of this one faithe vnder this one head enioye not the healpe of the father enioye not the prayer of the sonne nor the assistance of the holie ghoste To be of Christes churche in Christes vnitie is of such importaÌce that a constant christian shoulde rather chose to die theÌ to aparte from it It is no lesse glorie to suffer martyrdome for the conseruation of vnitie theÌ it is not to offer to idolles yea rather it is a greater martyrdome for in the one eache man suffereth for him selfe in the other eache man suffereth for the whole churche Now then you that be in vnitie suffer for this vnitie and chrise happie be you whoÌ god maketh worthie so to suffer They that forsake the general faithe of Christes churche and truste to some one article leape out of the shippe and seme to catche at a litle bourde ther of The beleuinge of any one article wil not saue vs the not beleuinge of any one wil coÌdemne vs They that forsake antiquitie vniuersalitie consente and vnitie enter into the streames of schisme driue at the rocke of heresie whiuer vp and downe at euerie blaste of doctrine and populer flaterie and shal neuer finde place of reste or quiet porte to arriue Beholde in how many greate perilles they be whom this trobelous storme hath shaken out of the shippe Do they not endomage and hasarde their soules wheÌ they enter into schisme and roÌne out of schisme into heresie As by schisme they bereue them selues of charitie so by heresie they bereue theÌ selues of faithe How can they separat from the bodie but they aparte also from the heade They can hardelie dismember them selues froÌ the churche and firmelie holde the righte faithe seinge faithe is the gifte of God that floweth from Christe as from the heade into his bodie and meÌbres An easie leape it is out of schisme into heresie and as easie to procede froÌ heresie to Apostasie for in heresie there is no stoppe nor staye Scantlie shal you finde an opinatiue heade that falleth into one heresie but slideth froÌ poynte to poynte into a multitude vntil he dislike euerie poynte of the catholike faithe which poynte perdie is plaine Apostasie And theÌ from Apostasie into Atheisme and Epicurisme the waye is made plaine As then it caÌ not but comforte you to conceaue that you kepe with in the shippe out of schisme in vnitie so it caÌnot but recomforte you that you be vnder vnitie of heade in vnitie of faithe that faithe which Christe preached that faithe which his Apostles receaued that faithe which the christiaÌ worlde beleueth that faithe which our forefathers liued in euen that Catholike Romaine faithe which now you liue in and for which you suffer Of this faithe you haue the righte sense and felinge when you holde Christe in the foundation when you confesse the substance of Christes doctrine vnderstanded by that holie spirite which firste penned it Greate is the obedieÌce of your faithe in al doctrines in al sacramentes in al articles and in al Apostolike and churchelie traditions In obedience of this faithe you beleue that Christes worde is Christes worke and that by the mightie power of his word he is made presente with you and geueth remission and grace In obedience of this faithe you praye vnto Christes sainctes in heauen you praye for Christian soules in purgatorie that they may praye for you in heauen In obedience of this faithe you grounde your hope that God wyl not leaue vnrewarded your prayers your penance your fastinges your almes nor any good worke els what soeuer When you suffer nowe for the general faithe of Christe you suffer for euerie poynte that christian iustice bindeth you to confesse And this is a ful confession of the faithe catholike wherin you haue to acknowledge the blessinges of God that maketh you worthie to suffer for faithe in obedience of faithe for vnitie in vnitie for charitie in veritie And here vpon haue you to muse and meditate when greefes recurre that you suffer for the churche of Christe and for the faithe of Christe with Christe that suffered paineful deathe to make his churche glorious They that be not of this churche and of this faithe be whithoute charitie nor can they be pertakers of Godes charitie which be enemies of his vnitie Thoughe they receaue the sacrament of faithe thoughe theire faithe be whole and sounde it doth not auaile them so longe as soundnes of charitie is killed with the dedlie wounde of schisme by whos onelie deathe what euer thinges be sounde of them selues be drawen to deathe And schismatikes may doo good workes but good workes doo not profite them Thoughe they praye thoughe they faste thoughe they geue almes thoughe they liue continent thoughe they kepe virginitie al doth not helpe al doth not profite because they breake vnitie Put to this so longe as they be deuided from Christes churche they receaue not the life of his holie spirite for oute of his churche his holie spirite geueth not life The churche is the mystical bodye of Christe they must be of his bodie that wil liue of his spirite Heretikes liue not of his spirite schismatikes liue not of his spirite excommunicat persons liue not of his spirite and why Because they be not of his bodie What lyfe theÌ haue they they haue the lyfe of theire bodies but lacke the life of theire soules they liue in their fleshe and die in their spirite they die aliue they liue without faithe without charitie without churche without aulter without prieste without sacrifice without God. Consider then the lamentable losse of them that bee leapte out of the shippe now in the time of this tempeste Consider the domage and dainger of them which dismember them selues froÌ Christe and his churche Schisme bereueth them of vnitie and charitie schisme seperareth them from Christe and his churche schisme ioyneth theÌ to the synagoge of the diuel schisme spoyleth them of sanctification and grace And where there is a communioÌ of prayers and of al good workes common to them that be vnited in Christe schisme bereueth theÌ of the frute of al prayers of al good workes and of al sacrifices finallie schisme excludeth them froÌ heauen and leadeth theÌ to hel Beholde you that be of one vnitie in the house of God beholde what they lese by schisme and see what you gaine by vnitie You I saye that be in