Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A42128
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A short vindication of the constitution of the Church of England endeavouring to prevent all future quarrels and discontents.
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Grice, Thomas, b. 1655 or 6.
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1689
(1689)
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Wing G1976; ESTC R12501
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8,976
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32
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of them is unquestionable and infallible we may easily be convinc'd from these Reasons First From the Doctrine of them The Mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of GOD his Resurrection and Ascension after his Death and Passion the Union of his Divine and Human Nature into one Emmanuel Three Persons and Subsistences in One GOD and GOD to become Man are things that the finite Capacity of Man cann't reach being far beyond the narrow Sphere of his Understanding Secondly From the Matter about which they Treat They promise Eternal Life to the Faithful and Obedient and Eternal Woe to the Disobedient They prescribe Laws for the Thoughts which none but God can pierce They require Sacrifice but prefer Obedience They enjoyn Fasting but 't is from Sin They forbid Lusting and Coveting which Exactions and Prohibitions are not to be found in Human Laws but only in his who searches the Heart GOD Almighty Thirdly From the continuation of the Wonderful Prophecies foretelling things to come so long Marked out before with their Circumstances not doubtful like the Oracles of the Heathen but such as had in all their Times certain Performances and therefore unto what may we attribute them but the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost Thus was the Messias promised to Adam Four Thousand years before he was born Thus was the Rejection of the Jews the Calling of the Gentils the Kingdom of Antichrist foretold all things coming to pass aright without any failing or mistake the fulfilling of which Promises cann't be ascribed to any but the Infinite GOD who grasps all Seasons and Times and with the same infinite Eye beholds all things present past and to come Fourthly From the quality and condition of the Pen-men and Writers of them some of whom were never train'd up in the Schools of Men and yet in their Writings shew that depth of Wisdom which the most Learned Philosophers could never attain unto And then the Matter of the Holy Scripture being altogether of the Heavenly Doctrine and savouring nothing of Worldly and Earthly Affections but every where condemning the same declaring the GOD of Heaven to be the Inspirer thereof Whence also farther to avoid all occasions of Questioning and Doubting or rather of Cavilling and Disputing we may learn by the way That since the Scriptures do receive indispensably their Authority not from the Church but from the only perfect and True GOD that thereupon being themselves holy perfect and true as he is are also sufficient for the knowledge of Christian Religion that they do most plentifully contain all Doctrines necessary to Salvation Whence it followeth we need no unwritten Verities no Traditions no Inventions of Men no Canons of Councils no Sentences of Fathers much less the Decrees of Popes to supply any supposed defects therein or to give us more perfect Directions in the Worship of GOD or in the Way of Life than are express'd in Canonical Scripture We may also learn from hence That the Authority of the Scripture being Infallible the Rule thereof is indispensably true and sufficient to make us wise unto Salvation and consequently that there is to be learned out of it a Rule both of Faith and Works for our Instruction by the ordinary Means of Reading and Praying to which GOD promises the assistance of his Grace Jam. 1. 5. If any of you lack Wisdom let him ask it of God who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him for the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of GOD is given unto us by the Holy Ghost both to defend our Faith and overcome all our Spiritual Adversaries viz. together with all false Prophets Hereticks Schismaticks and such like Eph. 6. 17. Therefore the Scriptures the immediate Inspiration of the Spirit of Truth the Holy Ghost are not to be canvas'd up and down or any way as we please alter'd their nature being as unchangeable as their Author therefore leave off reasoning and do all things without Disputing But Fifthly and Lastly Avoid all Strife out of the Example of our Saviour Christ Our Saviour had the Spirit of Godly Constancy in him His Carriage was always Civil and Urban Humble and Candid Quiet and Peaceable toward his Church he was so far from the Spirit of Non-conformity and Contention of Morosity and Disobedience that he rather condescended unto and comply'd with any National Terms than sought to work Disturbance and Faction Separation and Division among his Apostles Therefore let us stand to the Determination of the Church and of Wiser Men than our Selves Let us stand to the Constitutions and Actions of our Bishops the only Lawful Magistrates Let us still retain Communion with the Church and Members thereof that by Peaceable Living Uniformity of Conversation the Honour of GOD's Name the Cause of his Religion the Interest of his Service and Worship may be promoted and advanced In a word Let us joyn with the Apostle and do all things without Murmurings and Disputings that we may be blameless and pure the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a naughty and crooked Generation that at last we may enjoy the Fruits of Peace and Obedience viz. Eternal Life and Glory thrô the Merits and Mediation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen FINIS
A SHORT VINDICATION OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE Church of England Endeavouring to Prevent all Future QUARRELS AND DISCONTENTS PHIL. II. 14. Do all things without Murmurings and Disputings LONDON Printed for R. C. and are to be Sold by Randal Taylor 1689. TO THE Most Illustrious PRINCESS Her Royal Highness ANN Princess of DENMARK MADAM I Humbly Confess It is a great Presumption in Me to Offer any thing to a Person of so Great Majesty and Judgment but the Assurance I have of Your excellent Disposition to favour the Meanest Thing from a good Intention besides the Greatness of Your Charity towards many of my Relations gives me this Encouragement I am confident of Your Highnesses readiness to promote the Peace of All People which makes me conclude That whatever is tending thereunto will be graciously Accepted One of Your Deceased Servants hath often told me of Your Highnesses Zeal to God and to Your Country which nothing here below can sufficiently Requite therefore I doubt not but the Almighty will give You the Fruits of Peace which can only answer so much Piety and Goodness It is impossible but there must be Diversity of Opinions so long as the World endures Mens Dispositions being generally as various as their Tempers and Complexions but methinks this should not cause Difference in Affection which is the only thing that gives Occasion to our needless Quarrels and Superstitious Scruples To prevent which it must be the Work of Heaven only And so far as it may be lawful for me to Judge I think there can be Nothing more proper than to consider how agreeable the Constitution of Our Church is to the Commands of GOD which all must of Necessity comply with if they would but lay aside all Passion and Prejudice which hath all along given Birth and Growth to our Divisions And it is sad to think That our Gall-less Religion should by this means he Entituled to so much War and Bloodshed It is a Blessed Thing to be an Instrument of Peace and the least Hopes of promoting it is very pleasing to the Minds of all Good Men and I am sure Your Highness will to the uttermost Encourage it having always the Fruits of it in Your own Breast That Your HIGHNESS may always continue Stedfast and Unmoveable as You have hitherto done and in the End obtain Everlasting Life is the Hearty Prayer of MADAM Your Highnesses Most Humble and Most Obedient Servant THOMAS GRICE A SHORT VINDICATION OF THE Church of England ENDEAVOURING To Prevent all Future Quarrels and Discontents GOD Almighty thô Man by his Disobedience had pull'd off the Seal of the Indenture which he had made with him was pleased to renew his Covenant for the Salvation of lost Mankind He was pleased also to give forth a Commission to certain Elected Persons to proclaim unto him the grand Instance of his Divine Love and his Gracious Goodness namely What it is he hath done for them in and by his Son Jesus Christ and withal to assure Mankind that unhappy Seed of Adam that the Merits of Christ's Blood are sufficient thrô Grace to effect their Reconciliation with their offended God And that they believing the Power of his Resurrection and committing themselves to him by submitting to the Motions of his Holy Spirit and by Faith placing their Affiance upon his gracious Promises may obtain an Eternal Inheritance among the Blessed thrô the merciful Mediation and Merits of his Son Jesus Christ But since these Holy Men whom God had thus Commissioned are fallen asleep the vigilant and watchful Enemy of Mankind Satan hath prevailed by his sly and deceitful Subtilties not only to bring in a Counter-Doctrine and to commit High-Treason against the Royalty Love Goodness and Sovereignty of the Son of God by altering changing and contradicting his Gospel-Proclamation to the great obscuring and dishonoring of his Name and grand Prejudice of the Sons of Men but also hath employed many to pretend unto their Brethren that they have a more Seraphical Understanding and a greater insight into the Word of God than the Apostolical Doctrine holds forth making the World believe that Religion is nothing else but a Politick Engine and the Precepts of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be nothing else but Human Arts and Constitutions and the Apostles and Evangelists not Men inspir'd by the Holy Ghost but States-Men employ'd to make these Constitutions to take effect in the World. But not only this did the Satanical Subtilties of the Devil effect but also he induc'd many to neglect the Fundamental Principles of Religion to spend their whole time about Discipline Ceremonies and Circumstantial Points And in this their fierce and eager pursuit the Spirit of Error not suffering them to be content with those Rules and that clear Light which so brightly shines and is so eminently refulgent in the Word of God They are led by their own foolish Fancies daily creating in them diversity of new Opinions and so falling into Sects and Schisms and by their Divisions and Mental Reservations they preserve not the Unity of the Holy Spirit but like so many discontented Members separating themselves from their Body they become monstrous in the Profession of their Religion breaking the bond of Peaceable Love and falling off from the Communion of Saints as if it were no Article of their Creed and being in love with their Inventions and New Opinions they contend for them as Fundamental Tenets And not only so But malign and uncharitably Asperse those that dissent from them therein tho never so Conscientious and Religious as if they Professed not the same Faith yea served not the same GOD nor believed in the â—ame Jesus Christ Thus by their dissatisfy'd Curiosities by their groundless and pragmatical Disputations about Religion they pretend without Legal Authority or Approved Reasons to induce a Reformation into our Church And thus these Pretending Brethren breed great Factions and Seditions in the Commonwealth of Israel and raise such Storms and Tempests as endanger even the Shipwreck of the Church To prevent which Disturbances S. Paul gave this Advice Do all things without Murmurings and Disputings And that for these several Reasons First Because whilst we are Disputing about Controversies of Religion by the Suspicion of the Truth we omit the Honour of God and neglect the observing of his indispensable Commandments Secondly Because in Doubting there is no Progress nor Satisfaction Thirdly Because no Moral Evils are Secret or Vnknown Fourthly Because the Tradition of the Scriptures is Infallible therefore the Truth of them is so too Fifthly Avoid Disputing out of a respect to the Example of Christ our Saviour who was so far from a different Apprehension of things that he condescended unto and willingly complied with any reasonable Terms Of these in their Order First Forbear Disputing because whilst we are so we omit the Honour of God. Men refusing to stand to the Determinations of the Church and submit to the Constitutions and