Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	church_n	holy_a	truth_n	6,992	5	5.6746	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B00802	A most godly and very necessarie lesson to be learned of all christen men and womẽ, before they come to y[e] Communion of the the bodie & bloud of our sauiour Christe Jesus. Compiled by Richard Tracie. Anno .M.D.xlviii..	Tracy, Richard, d. 1569.	1548 (1548)	STC 24163; ESTC S101662	10,401	46

A most godly enstruction and very necessarie lesson to be learned of all christen men and womē before they come to the Communion of the bodie bloud of our sauiour Christe Iesus ☞ Compiled by Richard Tracie Anno. M.D.xlviii SAint Peter sayeth that oure aduersary the deuyl i. Peter .v. lyke a roringe lion goeth aboute sekynge whom he may deuowre So that his erneste studie and purpose is euer fixed other wyth fierce cruelty or with pleasaunte suggestiō or wyth importune hote temptacion to allure and entise man to disobeye goddes lawe whereby he myght bringe man into lyke misery and eternall peyne wherein he nowe iustly suffereth But if he can not atteyne his purpose by these meanes before declared then he transfigureth and chaungeth hymselfe into an Angell of lighte and pretendeth to setforth and maynteyne religion takyng some text and parte of holy scripture to bee hys whole authoritie principle groūd So that bringinge and allegynge for him the holye scripture no man shall mistruste any disceyte or euyl in hys procedinges and then moste craftelye he intendeth to disceyue euen as he entended to disceyue Christe coluring hys malyciouse entent with authorities of holye scripture Mat .iiii. Euen so he wyth lyke disceyte and policy and wyth no lesse malice towardes man hearinge thys promise of Christe He that eateth my fleshe drinketh my bloude dwelleth in me and I in him hath inuented the doctrin of transubstanciation of breade into Christes naturall body and of wyne into Christes naturall blude by force of certaine wordes spoken by the priest And so by the clerenes of the wordes spoken by a priste wyll perswade the Ignorant people wyth lyke fonde opinion wherewith the Caparnites wer led to beleue that they mygthe eate Christes fleshe wyth theyr teeth and dryncke and swallowe Christes bloude wyth their throtte frome the whiche grosse opinion Christ perswaded the saide Caparnites to leaue sayinge Dooe these my saynges offend you What and you shal se the son of man ascend wher he was before It is the spirite that quickeneth the fleshe profiteth not any thing The deuell not wythstanding thys doctrine of Christ wherby he taught the spirituall eatynge of his flesh and drinkinge of his bloud hath sowed this false doctrine of transsubstanciation in the hertes of greate clerkes byshopes and of other spiritual pastours and wit tye babes of the worlde that by suche teachers and highe powrs the people myght be led taught to truste that they had sufficiently eaten Christes fleshe whē they haue eaten the sacramente wyth their teth trusting to the gros eating with their teth thei shuld not enquire nor serch for anye godly and spirituall eatynge of Christes fleshe by fayeth whereby it myght be profitable to their soules for the which entent and purpose all sacramentes were instituted ordeyned that is to feede the mynde and not the mouth to comforte the soule and not the body and all thys false doctryne of transsubstanciation the deuyl hath enduced thorow the clernes of these wordes spokē by the prist saiyng this is mi bodi although that thorowe all the holye scriptures where they entreate of sacramentes they euer call sacramentes by the same name of the thinges wherof they be sacramētes as it appereth the .xvii. of Genesis where circumsicion is called goddes couenaunte whiche was but the sacramente thereof and in the .xii. of Exodi where the Easter lambe was called the passouer of the Lord which was but a sacrament therof And the Chalice is called the newe testamente which is but the sacrament therof yea Christ is called syn which was onely the sacrifice for synne And therfore Christen reader be not disceyued by the clearnes of the wordes but conferre and trie the scriptures by other places of holy scriptur diligently readyng this litel treatise folowing wherin thou shalt find I trust a spiritual eating of christs flesh drinking of his bloude taughte by the primatiue churche and the auncient holy fathers whiche dyd write of the same before the deuyll hadde corrupted the holy scripture with false gloses and wicked interpretacions And thys I commytte the gentle reader to almyghtye GOD who geue the hys spirite whereby thou mayste haue the true vnderstandynge and swete taste of his holy worde and spirituall eatinge of hys fleshe to thy spiritual comoditie and eternall healthe of thy soule Amen FIrst it is to be noted that all Sacramentes aswell of the olde lawe as also of the newe lawe were instituted and ordeyned of God to put vs in remembraunce of his most louing benefites and most mercifull kyndnes shewed and done vnto vs. Which benefites these sacramentes thorough gods worde doe offer vnto our mindes and not to our senses and we receyue the said benefites by faythe into oure soules and not wyth our senses into our bodyes Sacramētes be of such cōditions and nature that they haue in them two thinges to be considered the one is an outward visible thinge which perteyneth vnto the bodyly senses and is also receiued therby The other thing is not perceyued nor receyued with any bodily senses but as a pure and mere spiritual thing a benefite done by God vnto mā perteinyng only vnto the soule whyche spiritual benefite is geuen done by god vnto man because it shold be had reteyned in cōtinual memorye of the christiā man These outward sensible thynges were instituted and ordeined to sygnifie represent the same hauing in nature a propertie and condicion somewhat cōfirmable lyke to expres and represent the thing which thei declare and singnifie As bread hath a natural properti to fede cōfort and sustain the natural bodi so Christes bodi betraied and his bloud shed for the remission of our sinnes feadeth cōforteth and susteyneth the soule of the christian man borught into greate feare and sorowe with the ●yght of the multitude and greuosnes of his sinnes Which hungreth and ernestlie thristeth for the iustice of God and remission of hys sayed synnes And if these thynges be well noted and pondered it wyll cause to cease contencion moued about the maner of receyuyng of the sacramēt for all christean mē muste condescend and agre that euery faythfull Christian thorough Gods word in the sacramēt dulie to him exhibited and ministred doth eat and receyue bi faith in Gods promyse Christes fleshe and dryncketh his bloude So that the thing is not in contencion Whether we eate Christes flesh or dryncke hys bloude or no in the Sacramēt but the forme maner of eatyng Christes fleshe and drynkyng his bloude is in cōtēciō For some of the clergie striue stowtly and teache vngodlie that we should eate and receyue Christes naturalle-bodye wyth our teth drynke and swallowe hys bloude wyth oure mouth and throte affirming veri grossely Christes natural bodie so to be naturally reallye and bodeli present in the sacrament therof and that euerie man whych receyueth the sacrament receyueth also the natural bodie of Christ be he neuer

¶ Also Eusebius saythe because he would take away his bodi out of our syghte and cary it aboue the starres it was necessary that in this time he should consecrate for vs the sacrament of hys bodie and bloude that it might be worshipped in a misteri which was offered for our price The xi Hom●… vpon the .v. of Mathew ¶ Also Chrissostome saythe yf it be so perelous to occupie the halowed vessels vnto a priuate vse in whome christes verie true bodi is not ▪ but the mystery of his bodie is conteynede howe muche more ought we not to geue the vessels of our bodies to the Deuyll that he maye do in thē what he wyll Psalm lxxxxviii ¶ Also Seynt augustine saithe you shall not eate this bodie whiche you see nor drynke the bloud that they shal shede whiche wil crucifi me I haue comended vnto you a sacramente spirituallye vnder standed which shall quicken you and althoughe it be necessarie to be celebrated and done visiblye yet it muste be spirituallie vnderstanded wherfore doubtles there is no suche fonde transubstanciacion as our clergie whyche can not vnderstād perceiue the godly spiritual eateing of christs flesh haue grosli imagined But the godly profitable eating is by faithe as I haue declared wherin there is not required any transubstanciacion But in thys transubstanciacion Sathan hathe broughte hys wycked wyll and purposse to passe whyche is that ther was neuer so godli a thing bi god ordeined for mā whiche the Deuyl hath not other obscured or made darck the same by chaunging the ryght vse thereof into an abuse or takyng awey the vertue comoditie and profet of the thing leauing the name inestemation or els peruertyng the thynge whyche was ordeyned of God to be most godly and profytable to manne that through the abuse therof it is be come most wicked and damnable to man As for a lamentable example in this beggery and Antichristian transubstantiation it is to manifest wherein some of our Cleargie haue most wickedli blindly taught the people of this realme that they shoulde beleue that in that they receiued the sacrament that they wythout any doubte dyd eate Christes fleshe dryncke hys bloude because by vertue of the worde spoken bi the priest the bread is chaunged into Christes naturall flesh and bloud wherefore receiuinge and eatyng the breade they shoulde eate Christes fleshe and bloud whiche they dyd nothynge lesse And so were ledde with a false and fayned fayth to truste to haue by eatynge the sacramente eternall lyfe euen for the worcks sake or because they eat it with theyr teeth whiche onely dyd not profit them but also was their vtter dānation because they receyued it wythout fayth NOw Christen reader I trust thou perceiuest that in euery sacrament Ther be two thinges to be considered the one is the visyble substance whych is offered to the senses by and wyth the senses we maye receyue and vse the cōmoditie of it The other is the Inuisible grace and liberall gifte of God whych by the visible substance the promyse of god vnto the same Ioyntely pronounced is represēted and geuen to al them that faithfully and constantely beleue the same promesse This spirituall gifte of god is Christes body broken and his bloude shede for the remyssion of our synnes whyche spirituall gifte bycause it is g●uen to vs by godes liberal promes It can not be otherwise receyued but of a spirituall herte and that thorow and by faythe onely in the same promesse Suche faythefull beleuers doubtles do eate Christes fleshe and dryncke his bloude in spirite and truthe That is to saye receyue all the cōmoditie and profet of all Christes passion death resurrection and ascention whych is remission of synnes and eternall lyfe In the receyuyng of this sacrament we professe not onely to be faythfull warriars agaynst the deuel the worlde and the fleshe but also to be lyuely membres of Christes mysticall body wherof Christe is heade wherfore aboue all thinge we must be circumspecte welware that we defile not oure selues wyth any fylthy lustes synnes wherby we shoulde be become a-fylthy croked and roten member wherof out head Iesu Christ shoulde not reioyce but rather be a shamed and so worthi to be cut of from the body And then euen as the braūch of the tree whē it is cut of from the tre receyueth nor taketh any more sappe iuyse or naturall moyestnes of the tree and therfore widdereth dryeth and becometh deade apte only for the fyer In like maner if we thorow oure obstynate perseueraunce in synne be deuided from god as the prophets Esai Hieremy saith be no mysticall mēbre of Christes church his mysticall body Hieremy .v. then can we receiue no more fauoure grace nor lyfe from Christe but shal widder die and be apte only for the Hell fier vntyll it pleaseth god of mere mercy and grace Euen as it were by his grace and infinyte power no lesse by hys myracles contrary to our nature to graffe vs newly into Christes mysticall body endeue vs with his new and heauenly spirite Of the other parte if we be faythfull warriars of Christ and striue cōstantly against the deuel the world and the fleshe and beleue faythefully that by and thorow Christe we shall ouercome the same we shall doubteles be accepted and reputed and taken before god as his naturall mēbres euen fleshe of his fleshe bones of his bones Such as he cā not but loue cherishe and fauoure for who dyde euer hate his owne fleshe but did norishe cherishe it Ephes .vi. saith Paule Seing than that we be his naturall membres euen fleshe of hys fleshe and bones of his bones as Sinne hell and death could not preuaile agaynst Christ So cā they not preuaile agaynst vs nor wythholde vs from Christe for we be one wyth Christ we must nedes be where he is accordynge to the prayer of Christ in the xvii of Iohn saying Iohn .xvii Holy father kepe thē in thy name whome thou hast geuen me that they maye be one as we be father whom thou hast geuen to me I will where I am that they be with me that is to be in heauen to haue eternall lyfe as Christ there saythe father the houre cometh claryfy thy sonne that thy sonne may claryfithe as thou hast geuen to hym power ouer all fleshe that all that thou hast geue to him he may gyue to them eternall lyfe If we be one wyth our head Christ and in heauen wyth hym to whome also he hath geuen eternall lyfe Howe can synne hell or deathe preuayle agaynst vs his liuely membres Doubtles it is Impossible wherfore let oure earnest study prayer laboure be aboue all thynges to kepe vs in his mysticall body that we may be lyuely members of the same according as we professe vs to be by this holy cōmunyon in this blessed sacrament of his bodye and bloude Yea moste diligently and circumspectly beware what thou doest loke that thou dissemble not nor lye to the holy gost ther can be no greatter shame nor offence for the than to professe before thy friendes the hole cōgregatiō wyth thy mouth countenāce and behauiour to be a faithfull Christian And vtterly to deny the same in thy herte wordes deades And although thou causte thus colourably dissemble and falselye disceyue the Christen congregation yet canst thou neuer deceyue Christe whyche knoeth the inward secret thoughtes fayned imagynaciōs of thy hert Therfore I coūsel the Christē●…ader that thou Iustely truely and diligently examen thy lyfe and consider well wyth thy selfe whether thou be a constant warry ir agaynst synne Proue whether thou purpose ernestli and cōstantlie so to continew vnto the death als● whether thou haue vnite peace and herty vnfayned loue towardes al the congregaciō whych is most manyfestly expressed signyfied by this sacramēt of Christes body and bloud And thē last try thy selfe whether thou beleue fayethfully to haue remission of thy synnes and eternall lyfe thorow Christes passion and death onely and not by any other merits of sayntes prayers or holy workes of thy owne or of any other creature lyueyng or deade If thou be fullye perswaded and determyned in all these thinges before wrytten then mayest thou boldely come to this holy table to confirm thy fayth receiue this holy sacrament of Christes body bloud for a erneste pledge of eternall lyfe Whych graunte the that derely bought the to reigne wyth hym in eternall glory FINIS ❧ Imprinted at London by Iohn Day and Wyllyam Seres dwellynge in Sepulchres Parish at the signe of the Resurrection a litle aboue Holbourne Conduite ☞ M.D.xlviii the .v. of August ❧ Cum gratia priuilegio ad imprimendum solum