Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	faith_n	grace_n	true_a	7,614	5	5.1102	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53999	Jerub-baal, or, The pleader impleaded being an answer to Mr. Croftons (lately published) plea for communion with the Church under her present corruptions, &c., entituled Reformation not separation by way of humble remonstrance thereunto : shewing, that non-communion with the Church of England in her liturgy and common-prayer, in those that (yet) joyn with her in the substantial ordinances and instituted worship of Christ, is no schism, and that such are unjustly called separatists : in a letter / written by T.P. for the private satisfaction of a friend, and by him published for common benefit.	T. P.	1662 (1662)	Wing P112; ESTC R7299	36,119	58

Jerub-baal OR THE Pleader impleaded BEING An Answer to Mr. Croftons lately published Plea for Communion with the Church under her present Corruptions c. Entituled Reformation not Separation By way of humble Remonstrance thereunto SHEWING That Non-Communion with the Church of England in her Liturgy and Common-Prayer in those that yet joyn with her in the substantial Ordinances and instituted Worship of Christ is no Schism and that Such are unjustly called Separatists In a Letter written by T. P. for the private satisfaction of a Friend and by him published for Common benefit In cujus perniciem aliquando convenimus hoc sumus congregati quod et dispersi hoc universi quod et singuli neminem laedentes neminem contristantes Tertul. Apolog. adversus Gent. LONDON Printed in the Yeare 1662. A Letter Written by T. P. for the satisfaction of a Friend in case of Non-Communion with the Church of England in her Liturgy and Common-Prayer Honoured Sir SChism being a dissolution and breach of Vnion 't will not be amisse if for the better understanding of the nature of the Schism in question we make some enquiry into that Church-Vnion whereof it is a breach Now from the distinct notions and acceptions of the Church the nature of Church-Vnion will best appear The Church of Christ even that which is Militant for the Triumphant comes not here to be considered is usually distinguished into 1. Catholick 2. Particular The Catholick Church again into 1. Visible 2. Invisible 1. The Catholick Visible Church is the Vniversality of Persons called by the Word into External Fellowship with Christ and Communion amongst themselves professing the true Religion the Faith Doctrine and Worship of Christ throughout the world called Visible in respect of Outward Administration and Profession 2. The Catholick-Invisible Church is the Collective Body of the truly Faithfull the compleat Quorum of the Elect Gods Chosen ones called out of the whole World of Mankind into an intimate Vnion with Christ and Communion one with another not only externally by the Word but effectually and internally by Gods holy Spirit called Invisible no● quá Men but quá Elect the Man is seen but not the Christian The Lord only knoweth them that are his 2 Tim. 2.19 The Church-Catholick is under both those considerations called the Mystical Body of Christ viz. 1. By League Outward Profession under the former 2. By true Faith and real Possession under the latter Christ is a Common Head both to the one and to the other 2. A Particular Church is a Society or Societies of Persons called to the participation of and subjected to the Ordinances and instituted worship of Christ under certain external Rules accommodated for Local Joynt-Communion therein in a particular place Such are the English French Dutch Churches and such like including Parochial Distributions and Congregations as the Church Catholick includes them viz. as a totum Integrale or Vniversale so as that nec totum recte de una praedicetur nec una totum sibi vindicare possit saith Junius lib. de Ecclesia though the Papists make a kind of Monopoly of their Romish Church obtruding it for a Catholick yea the only Catholick Church in the World and thus by a cursed Sacriledge impropriate as I may say the Church of Christ This Distinct Notion of the Church ariseth from the diversified Nature of her Members the Constitutive Matter thereof who may be considered either 1. as Professors of the Faith of Christ in obedience to an Externall Call by the Word those constitute the Church Catholick-Visible or 2. as Possessors of Christ by Faith true Believers in Obedience to an Internall Call by the Spirit those constitute the Church Catholick-Invisible or 3. as Partakers of the same Ordinances and instituted worship of Christ in a particular place in Obedience to a Providential Call and in answer to an Opportunity serving thereunto those constitute a Particular Church so that the same Persons may be Members of the Church under that threefold consideration at once Church-Vnion then must be threefold or considerable under a threefold Notion 1. The First is the Vnion of the Members of the Church Catholick-Invisible with Christ and their Communion amongst themselves wherein they are through the Inhabitation and Indwelling of the same Holy Spirit in all and by vertue of a true Faith joyntly incorporated into Christ and concorporated one with another as Fellow-Members of the same Select Fraternity the Son of God having assumed their Persons into a Mystical as well as their Nature into a Personal Vnion with himself Now Sir This Vnion admits of no breach Christ and his Elect Members the true Branches of that true Vine are inseperably conjoined their Persons as well as their Nature are eternally matched and married to Christ the Mystical Vnion of the one is indissoluble as well as the Personall Vnion of the other with him There is no fear of a divorce here neither can the Body be severed from the Head nor any one Member from the Body the Members may quarrel an Israelite with an Israelite thus we read that Paul and Barnabas did contest and contend so fiercely that their Paroxysme of strife ended in Separation Act. 15.39 Yea they may joyn to their breach of Society a breach of Charity in some degree but neither is the one nor the other a dissolution of that Internal Union whereby the truly Faithfull are coupled together one with another and all of them joyntly with their Common Head Christ The Vinculum Vnionis the Conjugal-Vnion-Knot viz true Faith or the spirit of grace in the Faithfull being altogether inviolable The Holy Ghost is the Fountain-Radical of Faith as of all other Graces and therefore of this Communion One Spirit quickening influencing both Head and Members in the Mystical as one Soul conveys life and sense to all the Members of the Natural Body and hence 't is I conceive that Christ and Beleevers are said to be not One Body onely but One Spirit viz in Esse Mystico 1 Cor. 6.17 Now this same Spirit may suspend his influences viz Comfortable and Augmentative not Vital as in the dark and solitary dayes of soule-desertion and Faith may in such a case be much weakened and impaired viz in its Graduals but True Faith being the Seed of God 1 John 3.9 is in Esse vitali as to its Truth and Nature intrinsecally permanent an irreradicable principle Perseverance and indeficiency being its Genuine property as well as Christs purchase Luke 22.32 there is a kind of Immortality in it So that as there is a weaknesse in the strongest Faith so there is truth in the weakest now this Vnion depends not upon the strength but upon the truth of Faith and not upon the Gradual Communications but upon the Radical Inhabitation of the Spirit Such a suspension then is unfitly termed a seperation David lost Comfort but not the Comforter Psal 51.11 12. or if we grant with some that it is a

ground though not of Positive yet of Negative though not of Total yet of Partial Separation and Non-Communion in such a case can be no sin therefore no Schism How can Non-Communion be sin there where one cannot communicate without sin unless men will impose or suffer to be imposed upon themselves a Necessity of sinning that which true Piety abhorrs I am not alone here or without the suffrage of the sober-Learned a sufficient protection against the brand of Novelty who say that if a Church be either no true Church See Dr. Cawdrey in his Treatise Entituled Independency a great Schism or so extreamly corrupted that a good Christian cannot hold Communion with it without sin Separation in that case is no Schism but they are the Schismaticks that give the Cause of that Separation Then let the VVorld Judge who in England may most deservedly be branded for Schismaticks On the Contrary Culpable Faulty and sinful Separation from the Church the Schism in question is as I think it is generally described a Causeless Separation from Communion with and participation of Christs instituted Worship in a true Church Sir This premised we shall easily discover what Church-breach Schism or Separation it is that Mr. Crofton chargeth upon those in the Church of England and amongst those my self who under the present Providence though they joyn with her in the Instituted VVorship and Substantial Ordinances of Jesus Christ therein administred by as Prayer Hearing of che Word Preached Singing of Psalms c. yet do not cannot communicate with her in her Liturgy or Common-Prayer as being guilty of a sinful Practice c. 1. 'T is not a breach of the first Vnion viz. That wherein the Elect Gods Chosen Ones are by a true Faith or the Spirit of Faith un-interruptedly indwelling in them conjoyned one with another and all of them with their Publick Head Christ for this as is declared is an utter Impossibility which none but an Arminian Spirit will deny 2. 'T is not a Breach of Communion with the Catholick-Visible Church and her Common Head Christ by vertue of Outward Profession which is called a Catholick and Vniversal Separation for this were not only Schism but Apostacy as hath been said not only a Breach of Church-Vnity but a Voluntary forfeiture of a Church-State an Imputation which my Creed will acquit me from while I professedly own the true Catholick Doctrine of Christ and 〈◊〉 Apostles the Orthodox Fathers Councels Confessors Martyrs in all Ages and the Reformed Churches 3. 'T is not a Breach in the Church either 1. in poynt of Judgment and Opinion nor 2. in poynt of Charity and Affection 1. Not in poynt of Judgment and Opinion for as for Erroneous Principles according to that light God hath given me I abhor them Church-rending Divisions I shall not willingly or wittingly be accessory to never forgeting what Luther said of Caspar Schwenckfield that Church-Incendiaries may kindle a fire here which may burn themselves to all eternity hereafter But if a Dissent in Judgment about matters of Worship or Discipline yea and perchance in Doctrinal poynts too at least Non-Fundamentals from our present Church-Pilots be a Schism I shall not busie my self about either Vindication or Excuse under the Censure but sure I am either Mr. Crofton himself is in this sense a Schismatick or else justly may he be branded for an Apostate 2. Nor in poynt of Charity and Christian Affection Mr. Crofton is no competent Arbitrator in that case God himself is best able to judge who at this day walks charitably who not for my own part I have Charity for all Church-Members understand their Persons not their Corruptions The Law of Piety and the Law of Charity God himself hath married together and whom God hath joyned let no man separate 4. The Breach or Schism then charged must be a Separation from the Church of England not 1 Total since I communicate with her in those Parts of Christs instituted Worship and Ordinances Prayer Hearing c. Nor 2. Positive whilst I turn not Conventicler and embody not into a Party or Convention set up against her Altar against Altar Threshold against Threshold c. But 1. Partial and 2. Negative viz meer Non-Communion with her in her Liturgy or stinted and Set-Forms of Common-Prayer This is the Schism and Separation charged This is the Crime and great Article of Endictment What and is Mr. Crofton turned Accuser of the Brethren Sir Two Things I equally dislike Separation on the one hand and Superstition on the other and what sober Christian will not they being destructive the one to the Vnity the other to the Purity of the Church and the latter not more than the former understand I pray you sinfull Separaiotn Schism in the Church is a Rent and Wound in Christs Body a Crucifying afresh of the Son of God The Schismatical Rendings of the Church by Anabaptists and such like Fanaticks in Germany cost Zealous Luther no little grief and lamentation God forgive those who are known to have been too too guilty of such Sectarian-Cruelty here at home 1 Cor. 1.13 Zech. 13.6 Is Christ divided was a sad Interrogatory What Christ wounded in the house of his friends that 's sad The Voluntary Rending of Christ-Mystical is a sin nothing inferiour in my mind to that of the Jews Crucifying of Christ Personal forasmuch as that it reacheth both Head and Members That then which inclineth me to this attempt is not Consciousnesse to my self of any Schism or sinfull Separation though I perceive you are ready to espouse mine Acculers quarrel in case of non-satisfaction to your enforced request but the prevalent sense as well of your importunity as of mine own innocency This Epistle possibly may seem to be with the City of Myndus lyable to upbraiding the Porch being too big but neither is the premised Introduction larger nor the subsequent discourse more brief than I judged expedient Mr. Croftons Grounds and Reasons urged for Communion with the Church of England in all Acts of worship and consequently in Common-Prayer therein administred by and against Separation or withdrawment from the same are all reduced to four Positions or Argumentative Propositions from which Premises he infers partly the Lawfulness partly the Expediency and partly the indispensable Necessity of the former as the sinfulnesse and unwarrantablenesse the Schism of the latter And those Positions he calls CONSIDERATIONS which come now to be considered CONSID. 1. Page 4. Communion with the Church-Visible in all the Acts I had rather say Parts of Solemn Publique Worship is an Essential part of the sanctification of the Sabbath or Lords day and positive indispensable duty of every particular soul called by the name of God to be onely superseded by a reall inevitable necessity with assurance to any that God will have mercy and not sacrifice This is the Major-Proposition of Mr. Croftons great Doom-Argument The Assumption must be this But Communion with the

being preached by him as Prophet John 4.21 Insomuch that Two or Three wheresoever met in his Name have the Solemn promise of his presence now Mat. 18.20 whereas if the Solemnity of his worship were tied to any one place his presence and the Concomitant blessing of his worship should be tied to that place also Who would have thought that * Vid. lib. 3. De Cultu Sanctorum Bellarmine that great Light of the Romish Firmament the chief Atlas of that Orbe should have been so much in the dark as to think that Prayer or any other part of worship performed in a Material Church c. is of more Efficacy then if it were celebrated elsewhere as if Stone and Timber did contribure vertue to our devotion or Prayers Efficacy depended on Locality I wish there be not many Bellarmines in this respect foolish Superstionaries that cry The Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord Jer. 7.4 c. like their silly blind Pharisaical Progenitors But Sir You and I are taught of God assured by Holy Record that Prayer or any other part of Divine Worship in what place soever performed will be accepted of God through Christ so he be but worshipped according to his own Canon viz. In Spirit and in Truth John 4.24 Let none then presently conclude from a necessary declension of Local Society in a Publique place a breach of Real Community in True Solemn Publique Worship which may indeed be maintained in any place indifferently Yet 3. The Church of England while she holds the Head Christ and professeth the True Religion being a True Church a Part of the Church Catholick-Visible as is acknowledged and a Publique Place being dictated by the light of nature and judged by men to whose Prudential Determination the Conveniency or Inconveniency of Place of worship as a Natural Circumstance is left though it be a meer matter of Indifferency under the Gospel and in it self to be fittest for Publique Joynt-Communion and therefore though not sanctified yet prudentially sequestred and devoted thereunto I must needs own my self called to communicate and in answer to that call I do communicate with her and that in the Place of Publique Assembly in all the Parts of Real-Solemn Divine Worship wherein I may without either let or sin And thus Sir 't is my known Practice which you are no stranger to to joyn with the present Assemblies in Prayer though not their Common-Prayer Praise or Singing of Psalms Hearing of the Word all which are Substantial parts of True Solemn Divine Worship what and yet a Separatist Judge how little I deserve that name while this is my practice and I exhort you and others to the like Onely give me leave to tell you that what was Reverend Beda's advice to him that should chance to read the Books of that Heretical Bishop Julian I desire and it may be so will you to improve in the hearing of ours Ita carpat botrum ut spinane caveat Take of the Cluster but beware of Prickles be sure they be of Canaans Grapes I would not willingly be starved but God keep me from being poysoned Take heed of Choaking chew before you swallow a Proselyting Romanist a Seminary Priest will tell you otherwise once swallow his Churches Infallibility and any thing will go down then there is no room left for dispute more no need of the true Ballance of the Sanctuary But I have not as yet laid finger upon the soar therefore consider 4. That the Church of Englands Liturgy or Common-Prayer the great apple of strife c. is a Part of this Real-Solemn worship of God and that Communion with her therein the thing urged is therefore a Positive Indispensable duty I must take leave at least till I see more cogent Arguments for it then have as yet been pleaded by the best that ever undertook the patronage of it utterly to deny This I know would seem strange to many what a Convocation-Master-piece the Summum quod sic of the Wit of men and Angels the Monopoly of Divine Service the Prayers of the Church c. and yet no Part of True Solemn Worship but that it is written for private satisfaction and by way of private Apology Sir 't is a fixed Principle with me which I should not fear to publish to the world had my tongue the liberty of mine Accusers in the case viz. That there is no True Divine Worship whereof God is not the Author as well as the Object the Alpha as well as the Omega What is not Instituted Worship is none of His Worship but meer Will-Worship for God will be worshipped Desuo his Soul loathing all that Service though possibly nick-named Divine wherein there is more of the Creature than of Himselfe more of Man than of God What Reason either from Scripture or Common Light can perswade me otherwise Now can Mr. Crofton say Bona fide 't is not a matter to be dallied withal that Liturgies or stinted Set-Forms of Prayer were ever Instituted by Christ Practised by the Apostles Intended in the Gospel or observed by the Primitive Christian Church in the best and purest ages after Christ whose Practice in the case was to be a Leading Case and an Imitable Example to all succeeding Churches In a word Can he prove Englands Common-Prayer part of Christs Instituted Worship Let him produce Authentick either Precept or President for it which will be a hard matter for him to do else surcease his censure for what other can it be then a meer Humane Ordinance Super-erogatory Worship Arbitrary Service even Scripture-bitten Will-Worship one of the justly condemned Commandements and Ordinances of men Col. 2.22 23. What is Will-Worship if this be not Yea but the Matter of it is good this is the ordinary plea but so is a great part of the Popish Missal with which it so much symbolizeth especially their Letany the first Edition of ours and so of the Turkish Alcoran But will that prove it a Divine Constitution Now the Question is not whether it be Divine Matter or not but whether a Divine Constitution or not and therefore I joyne Matter and Constitution together The Matter proves not its Legitimacy unless such a Frame Method Composure and Constitution of VVorship can be proved Jure Divino to be Christs Own Prayer is Christs own Institution I communicate with them in that but here is my Crime I joyne not with them in Prayer in such a Dresse or Form which though I neither question the Wisdome that composed it nor the Authority that imposed it yet I professedly declare is in my weak judgment meerly Humane and therefore I do not a little wonder that such a man as Mr. Crofton should become its Mecoenas and Advocate who cannot be ignorant of the unhappy occasion of the first introduction of such man-devised Forms and Frames into the Christian Church administred by the prevailing Arrian and Pelagian heresies above three hundred years after