Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	death_n	jesus_n	sin_n	7,149	5	4.5195	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A68595	A briefe and piththie summe of the Christian faith made in forme of a confession, vvith a confutation of all such superstitious errours, as are contrary therevnto. Made by Theodore de Beza. Translated out of Frenche by R.F.; Confessio Christianae fidei. English	Bèze, Théodore de, 1519-1605.; Fills, Robert, fl. 1562.	1565 (1565)	STC 2007; ESTC S101755	149,544	418

subdeweth by lytle and lytle this cursed corruption of oure nature so that it becommeth vnhable to bryng foorth her effectes in vs which bée moouynges prouocations consentynges and other actions contrary to the wyll of God The burying of the ● olde man is lykewyse the woorke of Iesus Christe by whose force thys olde man whiche receyued the stroke of death doeth continually by lytle and lytle diminishe and weare awaye And briefelye as the burying or sepulture of our bodyes is a proceedyng after death so is the sepulture of the olde man a proceedyng after the death thereof wherevnto the afflictions wherewith GOD doth dayly visite i vs are a great helpe with spyrituall and godlye exercises whiche we ought continuallie to labour in for to subdue and kyll continuallye this rebellion k which is called fleshe in the Scripture that stryueth continually against the spirite Finally ● the fyrst death to the faythfull is but the fynishing of this mortification and burying of synne making an ende of the whole battayle m. The resurrection of the newe man is a worke of the same Iesus Christe lyuing and raygning in vs whiche in kyllinge our corrupte nature geueth vs incontynent newe force and strengthe makyng it newe concernyng the quallitie thereof so that our vnderstanding and iudgement is lyghtened by the pure grace of the holye ghost and gouerned by the power which we haue of Iesus Christe begynneth to approue and esteeme those thinges which before were counted holye and abhomination And also for the seconde parte the wyll is cleansed and purified to hate fynne and desyreth righteousnesse Finallye all the powers in man begynne to flye and eschewe those thinges whiche God forbyddeth ▪ and to followe that whiche hée commaundeth Beholde nowe both these effectes which if we feele working in vs the conclusion is infallible that we haue faith and consequently Iesus Christ in vs vnto eternal life as is aforesayde Wherevpon it appeareth that all faythfull ought most chiefely to haue a respect to this and to hold fast this precious iewell which is y ● testimony of the spirite of God which he geueth to his elect by continuall inuocation and prayer to him and to make their profite by continuall exercising of good workes according to their vocation and the gift of regeneration which they haue receyued In which sence it is sayd he that is borne of God synneth not that is to say geueth not ouer him selfe to sinne but resisteth it more more the better to assure them selues of their election and vocation for asmuch as to knowe certainely this generation wée must come to the fruites therof For as I sayde before man being made frée from sinne that is to saye from his naturall corruption by the vertue of Iesus Christe dwelling in him beginneth to doo those thynges whiche we call good workes Wherfore we say as the trueth is that this fayth which we speake of can bee no more without good workes then shining Sunne without lyght nor the fyre without heate 14 Those do slaunder vs falsely which saye that we disalowe good works THey that do saye that we disalowe good workes because we saye that we be iustified by Iesus Christ only apprehended by onely faith do plainly and falsely slander vs. But we confesse that to geue God all the glorie and confirme our selues to his holye worde ▪ we differ from them in the matter of good works in three principall poyntes For in the rest● it is so farre from vs to saye that Christians ought not to do good works ▪ and abstaine from euyll that contrarywise we say that he lyeth falsely which calleth him selfe a Christian and doeth not studie to esche we the euyll and doo good But this is it wherein lyeth our difference of this matter 15 The first difference in the matter of good workes is which be good and which be euyll FIrst in the distinction of good workes and euil works before God we do content our selues with the onely wyll of God and take that for a most certayne rule of those thynges whiche pleaseth or displeaseth him and so consequently that which is good or euil neither desyre we concerning this poyncte any better wytnesse of the wyll of God then his holy lawe a to the whiche it is not lawfull to adde or diminishe b any thing Wherefore we hold not those for good woorkes whiche be not stayed but vpon the fantasies of men what soeuer they bee and we saye c moreouer that it suffiseth not onely to haue the worde of God expresly to commaund to do or not to do things but we must also in doyng the workes haue a respect to gods wyll and being assured therby to go forward in good workes for otherwise nothing can be acceptable to God d For as saint Paul saith y ● which is don without faith that is to saye all y ● is done ● in doubt of conscience whether it please God or not and so consequently whether God commaunded it or not is but sinne 16 vvhich be the most excellent works the qualities of true praier according to the vvord of God and the authoritie of the auncient doctours of the Church PRoceding as we haue said before y ● as the lawe whiche wée call the ten commaundementes is deuided in two tables y ● one comprehending those thinges whiche we owe to God and the other that we owe to our neighbours so lykewyse there are two sortes of good workes the one concerning the seruice and loue of God the other to our neighbours The first doth excell the seconde euen asmuch as God doth excel any creature But amongst all the fruites that fayth bringeth foorth vniuersallye in all Christians we thinke that y ● inuocation of y ● name of God by Iesus Christ is the chiefe which we cal praier and is to god most acceptable Whether it be that we desire any thing of him or that wée render thanks to him But we desire in our prayer these which followeth First y ● our prayers procéede from such a spirite y ● trusteth assuredly to be heard as far foorth as shalbe expedient for vs. For s Iames sayth a we must aske with assurance without doubting for he that doubteth is lyke to the foo●e of the sea tossed and throwen of euerie winde Let not suche a man thinke to receyue anye thing of y ● Lord. Thus farre S. Iames. Then foloweth the seconde poynte ▪ that is to say y ● all prayer which is not ruled according to the word of god is nothing woorth considering y ● those praiers that be made without fayth are but sinne wher there is no word of God there can be no fayth but onely a foolysh vaine opinion as we haue saide here before in the. vi article That praier thē which is made in an vnknown language to him that praieth is a very mocking of

the roote or fyrste springe of that lytle goodnesse which is in vs vtterlye there is no beginning at all of any naturall disposition in vs to receyue the grace to the ende that suche disposition shoulde bee assysted by the seconde grace But cleane contrarie there is naturallye in vs nothinge but darknes and enemitie against God wherfore it was néedefull y ● god should of his onelye mercie fyrste of all drawe vs that is to saye to make vs altogether newe creatures concernyng the quallyties lyghtning those which be not onely partlye blynded but vtterlye darknesse it selfe geuinge vs hartes to vnderstande chaunginge our steny heartes into fleshie heartes creatyng in vs pure hartes that is to saye makinge newe altogeather that is within vs of a wycked wyll a good and godlye wyll briefelye workinge in vs to wyll and also to doo So that the Apostles woordes be verified that we cannot only thinke of our selues any thing that is good and that the children of God haue nothing but that which they receyued by grace So then for asmuch as grace must make vs good trées before wee can beare good fruite it foloweth that there is no méeting together of grace and free wyll for the spirite of God by his pure grace hath made vs free from sinne in vnyting vs by fayth to Iesus Christ from whome we get a new life to bring foorth fruite to God and lykewyse when our wyll being made free worketh thorowe grace there is no merites but onely frée rewarde geuen not being due For on y e contrary the best workes that we can doo deserue eternall payne were it not for the grace of God for the best workes of them selues doo but pollute the grace which God hath put in them 18 The thirde difference of the matter of good worke is to knowe wherto they be good THe thirde difference is yet greater that is to saye touchinge the worthinesse of good workes for our parte to speake in fewe wordes that for to vnderstande by what ryght or tytle we bee assured of eternall lyfe onelye Iesus Christ contenteth vs being geuen to vs and applyed to vs by fayth onely by the onelie grace mercie of God as we haue sayde before more at large And therefore wee detest and abhorre this woorde merites or to merite and confesse with harte and mouth that concernynge the beste woorkes whiche we can doo we count our selues vnprofytable seruauntes and that eternall lyfe is altogether of the pure and frée mercye and gyft of God Wherefore I make this argument more then hath béene sayde before in the tenthe article Good woorkes commeth from Iesus Christe dwellinge in vs by whose power and vertue we do them by grace as the corrupt nature of Adam in the whiche we were borne bryngeth forth in vs sinne For we must possesse Iesus christ which is y ● good trée before we can bring foorth good fruite in him For the cause ought to go before the effect And as S. Paul declareth that whatsoeuer is done without faith is sinne it foloweth then consequentlie that faith goeth before good works For by it onely we embrace Iesus Christe Nowe he which hath true faith is immediatly iustified being fullie quieted and pacified in his cōscience Howe then can good workes Iustifie vs and consequentlie saue vs. For we must of necessity be iustified and so consequentlie haue iust tytle to Saluation before wée can doo any one good worke In this lyeth all our consolatiō that we haue our onelie refuge to the speciall grace and mercie which is presented to vs in Iesus Christ onelie which is not our Sauiour and redéemer in part but all altogether 19 To vvhat ende good vvorkes doo serue vs before God and before men BY this it appeareth plainelie howe wrōgfully they charge vs as though we did disalow good workes where as on the contrarie we doo with all our powers endeuour our selues as muche as is possible for vs to declare which be the verie true good workes and from what spring or fountaine they procéede that the symple people be not deceyued ignorauntlie Notwithstanding we do not groūd our selues in any respect vpon our workes neither in part nor in al whē we come to declare by what tytle eternal life is giuen vs but content our selues with Iesus Christ only And also we acknowledge our regeneratiō with the fruites proceedinge to our synguler comfort as foloweth Fyrste good workes serue to profite our neighbours and also to prouoke the verie Infidels to geue glorie to God Secondlie they assure vs more and more of our Saluation not as causes thereof but as testimonies and effectes of the cause to wéete of our fayth as wee haue declared in the thirtéenth article Beholde also whye it is sayde that God rendereth to euery manne accordyng to his workes and also that Abraham was Iustified by his workes not that our workes bée causes of our saluation in no wyse for that our a feeble foundation and vncertaine neyther dooe oure workes make vs righteous before God but because our good workes bee Testimonies and effectes of oure faythe the whiche apprehendeth Iesus Christe oure true and onelye ryghteousnesse as hath béene sayde heretofore Thirdelye wée knowe that water is of the nature of his firste Spryng So lykewise for that oure regeneration is neuer accomplyshed nor fullye perfecte here on earthe but there is continuall battayle betwéene the fleshe and the Spirite and there remayneth I saye greate and grosse darckenesse in oure vnderstandynge and lykewyse greate rebellyones in oure fleshe It followeth then that the beste workes whiche maye proceede from the perfectest man in the worlde if they were strayghtlie examined they shoulde bee founde none otherwise but de●●lynge the graces of GOD lyke as wee see a cleare running water whiche is of it selfe pure is defyled and polluted by runninge throughe some vyle or filthie place Wherefore Dauid sayde that no lyuinge creature is founde iuste before GOD by his workes Also Sainte Paule cryed ▪ out and saide I doo not the good whiche I woulde doo and the euyll that I woulde not doo that doo I. O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer mée from this boddie of death Beholde howe the Saintes of God teache vs to speake of our beste workes in steade to vse this woorde meriting and of merites Notwithstandinge wee confesse the goodnesse of our GOD to be so great that in consideringe his Chyldren not in themselues but in Iesus Christe his welbeloued Sonne with whome they be vnited and ioygned by Faith and also regardinge the fruites of his Graces not as they be polluted by our infirmities and weaknesse but because they be as it were procéeded or issued from him he doth accepte them and allowe them yea euen so farre as to recompence them as well in this lyfe by many blessynges bothe

and not with corporall eyes in this world The effect of the Sacrament concerning the coniunction of the signe wyth the thing signified dependeth vppon the onely ordinaunce of God lawfully obserued and ministred And these contrarywise tyeth and byndeth their consecration to the intention of him whiche dothe consecrate so that no man can be assured whether he be an Idolater or no in worshypping of that whiche they would haue to be worshypped For if the intent for to consecrate be not in the Priest they say themselues there is but bread Nowe to woorship breade is very Idolatrie But who canne be assured of the intent of the Priest considering that men know for the most part what people they be The vertue and effecte of the Sacrament concerning the receyuing of the thing signified that is to say of the body and bloud of the Lorde consisteth in the fayth of him which receiueth the Sacrament bycause it is the onely meanes to receyue Iesus Chryst but these contrariwise will haue Iesus Chryst to be alwayes receiued as wel of the faithful as of the vnfaithfull which is as muche as to lodge God and the Deuill life and death togither Finally howe agréeth the garmentes and the apparell of these game players with the supper of the Lorde which is so much more excellent and celestial as the signe is homely and simple For we be no more comaunded to worshippe God by figures and shadowes but in spirite and veritie and if it were néedeful as yet to haue such apparel or figures can they finde any better than those whiche God himselfe appointed to his people by Moses But if God hath abolyshed those things yea namely forbidden them as thyngs shadowing and darkenyng the bright Sunne now that the cleare daye appeareth what other spirite but the spirit of the Prince of darknesse hath moued those whiche haue forged to vs and doe dayly inuent and forge new figures of their owne pleasure and after their owne desire and appetite As aulters Napkins Idolles Towels Corporas Chalices Couers Crewe●s Amises Albes Gyrdels Cappes Stoles Manipuls Crosses Missals Tape●s Torches Copes Tunicles Paxes Sensors Shippes Banners Apyshe thyngs on féete and handes demaundes and answeres neyther knowing what they demaund nor what they aunswere And in breefe suche a working and iugling that themselues be constrayned to laugh at them and turne to iesting and pastime euen at their owne folke Notwythstandyng they say we be Sacramentaries whiche holde vs to the verie simple ordinances of Iesus Christ in al feare and reuerence And these here which mocke god and the world which lyue to diminishe and bring to nothyng the sacrifice of Iesus Christ and which sell Iesus Christe dayly as muche as in them lyeth for as much or more money than Iudas dyd these I saye be the prelates of Christendome 12 In the papistry there is no ecclesiastical gouernement IT appeareth by this aboue sayde that there is neyther worde of God purely declared nor prayers duely made neyther Sacramentes ryghtly admynistred in the papistrie But all is notoriously reuersed and chaunged which be neuerthelesse the verie substantiall and true markes of the Christian church as hath ben said It foloweth that the Papistes or otherwise the Romishe Churche be in no wise the holy Catholike Churche that is to saye vniuersall the whyche wée doe beléeue for as muche as God hath euer preserued and kept his church as was aunswered to Elias in the time of the reuolting of the ten Trybes of Israell But bycause they alleadge to vs the succession of the Apostles as if that were a sure argument it muste be séene of what force thys reason is at the least in the gouernemente whyche they call the ecclesiasticall Hierarchie Fyrste I saye they presuppose a foundation vtterly false that is to wit the Churche to be ioyned or tyed to a certaine nation sée or place consydering that all the Scripture and the experience of that we sée wyth oure eyes be all together contrary Secondlye these whyche enter not by the doore of the house be not called pastoures neyther successours of true pastours although they occupy the same places but rather robbers theues And it is not ordayned that false pastoures or Prophets should be obayed as successoures of Prophets But we muste take heede and separate oure selues from euerie one that teacheth any other doctrine than this of God Also S. Paule sayd that he is accursed and to be cut off from the Churche whych shoulde bring any other Gospell that is to say any other doctrine of Saluation than his He excepteth not the Angels but he passeth further and propheūeth that those which shoulde do thus shoulde sit in the Temple of God that is to say should hold the place of Pastours and Elders And S. Iohn declareth sufficiently in hys Apocalips that it shoulde be namely within Rome as the auncient writers haue vnderstand it And for to shewe in fewe wordes there is not one among them from the gretest to the lest which after this reckning is not a robber and a theefe if the word of Iesus Christe maye take place I say not one excepted as their Prouisions Presentations Collations Signatures Bulles Mandates Preuentions Dates Consentes Permutations Concordates Resignations Pencions Annates Vacantes Proces Fulmines takynges of possessions Dispensations which be the windowes where thorow they enter in bee dyrectlye against nature against al right and reason against the holy scripture against all the auncient counsels and decrées agaynst all the wrytinges of the auncient Gréekes and Latines briefly they be things of them selues most vyle infamous execrable in the Churche of God That neuer since the worlde was a worlde ▪ was there any such abomination nor so open marchandise of that which of it selfe is more precious then Heauen and earth that is to wéete the poore soules of the Christians bought with the precious bloud of Iesus Christe the Sonne of God And let all kings and Princes of Christendome vnderstand that they shal render a ●o●●ts to the great Kyng of Heauen and earth for that they suffer thée●ery and robbery to haue place in their lands countries which hath no title or cullor of ryght eyther diuine or humaine Thyrdly if they be the successours of the Apostles then must the Apostles be theyr Predecessours But that case is cleane contrary for in their ecciesiastical regiment there be two sortes of estates of the which one of them was vtterlye vnknowen not only to the Apostles but also to al the Christian church the which maye not neyther ought to be maintayned or supported in any case The other concerning their names be not nowe in the Church but notwithstanding they be so disguised in effect as the light is no more contrary to the darknes then these be contrary to those ▪ whose names they beare Then I conclude that there is nought in all their case but an horryble confusion declaring sufficiently of what father they be chyldren In