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	work_v	7,291	5	7.3947	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A71096	The verity of Christian faith written by Hierome Savanorola [sic] of Ferrara.; Triumphus crucis Liber 2. English	Savonarola, Girolamo, 1452-1498.	1651 (1651)	Wing S781; ESTC R6206	184,563	686

given by the spirit the word of wisdome and to another the word of knowledge according to the same spirit To an other faith in the same spirit to another the grace of doing cures in one spirit to an other working of miracles to an other kinds of tongues to an other prophesie to an other discerning of spirits to an other interpretation of tongues And all these worketh one and the same spirit dividing to every one according as he will Of all which spirituall Gifts reconed up by the Apostle he that hath the discerning of spirits he onely is the man who knoweth the things we speak of as they ought to be known CHAP. XVII ANd such most probably was that Holy Person John the Monk whom the good Emperour Theodosius the Elder was pleased to consult concerning the event of the civill war for this man had also the gift of Prophesie as I doubt not concerning those gifts but as every one might have any one in particular and alone so How S. Aug. reverenced monks as it pleased God some one had many as this John for example of whom it is recounted that a certain woman very devout and religious being as it were passionately desirous to see him and labouring by her husband to procure it some way or other with the Holy man it not being his manner to admit the conversation of women upon any terms he refused but yet Go saith he tell your wife she shall see me at night but it shall be in her sleep and so she did The good man appeared to her and instructed her in all the duties of a faithfull wife as she her self as soon as she did awake told her husband describing the man of God to him in such form and shape as he knew him to have This truly I have heard reported by one who had it from the parties themselves The manner how apparitions are made a grave and honourable personage and worthy I think of all credit But as to the matter if I my self had ever seen that Saintly Monk as report of him that he was a man of most sweet conversation and wont most patiently to hear what men propounded to him and most wisely to give answer I would have enquired of him something pertaining to this question that is Whither himself or which is all one his spirit in the figure of his body did indeed come unto that woman in her sleep in such manner as we men dream of our selves in the shape of our bodies or else that himself being otherwise busied or sleeping yea perhaps dreaming too this vision happened to the woman by an Angel or by some other means and that he by the spirit of prophecy knowing before-hand when such a vision should be vouchsafed unto her was pleased by a kind of promise thereof to gratifie the desires of that good woman For if himself in person were present at the time of that vision certainly it was by speciall nay by wonderfull grace and priviledge that he so was not by nature or any proper faculty of his own And whither the woman saw him personally and really present or no yet surely something of like nature it was to that we reade of in the Acts of the Apostles concerning Saul Act. 9.11 of whom our Lord Jesus speaking to Ananias tells him that Saul had seen Ananias coming to him c. when as Ananias himself as yet knew not Saul nor any thing of the businesse Yea and which way soever of these that man of God should have answered me I would yet have proceeded further with him concerning the Martyrs and asked him in what manner it is that they are present either in mens sleep or otherwise to such persons as have the favour to see them sometimes viz. when and how they please and chiefly how they are present when devils in mens bodies do cry out confessing that they are tormented by them and do beseech the Martyrs to spare them Why God Almighty dispenseth his favours at the memory and intercession of Martyrs or whether such things be done indeed and immediately by Angelicall powers onely yet in the honour and commendation of Martyrs as God is pleased to command for the good of us men the Martyrs themselves in the mean time remaining in perfect rest attending wholly unto an other and much better vision wherein though separated from us yet their charities cease not to pray for us For of a truth at the Martyrs S Devils tormented by the relicks of Martyrs Gervasius and Protasius in Millain the devils did expresly and by name confesse besides sundry persons that were deceased Saint Ambrose Bishop of the place who was then alive Saints living absent torment devils in possessed bodies and entreated that he would spare them yet was he at that time busied elsewhere about other matters and knew nothing of that which passed Now supposing these things to be done sometimes as I have said by the Martyrs themselves present and sometimes by the presence of Angels by what signs they may be discerned or distinguished the one from the other none I suppose can certainly know or determine but he onely who hath the proper gift thereof which gift is distributed unto every one who hath it by the Spirit of God according as himself pleaseth That holy man John A wonderfull humility in S. Aug. mixed with great Christian piety 't is very like would have satisfied me in all these points at least thus far that either by his teaching me I should have learnt and perceived the things I heard to be true or else not being able to perceive them my self I should yet believe them upon his credit who did both know them and affirm them to be so Nay if perchance he should answer me out of holy Scripture and say Enquire not of things too high for thee Ecclus. 3 search not after things that be too hard but what our Lord hath commanded thee think on that alwayes yet even this also I should take in good part For surely there being many things so obscure and intricate that we can hardly expect to attain them perfectly in this life it should be no small advantage but to know clearly and certainly that they are not to be enquired further after as when a man studies hard to learn a thing which he supposeth perhaps will be much for his profit yet I think it doth him no harm when an other man rightly informs him how to do as well without it CHAP. XVIII TO conclude therefore things standing thus as hath been said we are not to imagine that any thing we do for the dead doth profit them save that onely which we beg for them of Almighty God by the sacrifices which we make to him on their behalf Masse Almes and Prayer profitable for the dead accord to S. Austin that is to say by the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar by Almes or by our own prayers yea even these advantage not all for whom they are made but such onely Prayers and Masses for the dead profit onely such who died in Gods Grace whose former life hath deserved that such good offices should profit them after death But because we our selves discern not certainly among the dead who are such and who are not such it is thought more expedient to do these things in generall for all the faithfull departed A pious and prudent discourse to the intent that none be omitted to whom such favours may of right belong For it is much better if it so fall out that some thing superfluous be done in regard of those who receive neither good nor harm by them then that any thing necessary should be wanting to those who have need Howbeit every man performeth these things with more diligence and devotion for his particular friends then otherwise as expecting the same measure of Charity afterwards from his own But as to this matter of Funerall and all that solemnity which we use about interring the body whatsoever is spent or done that way it is no succour or salvation to the soul but an office of pure humanity agreeable unto and issuing from that affection whereby all men naturally love their own flesh The final resolution of the question that it is good carefully to bury the dead and also to bury them in places consecrate to Martyrs and when their reliques are the reason of it yea and think it reasonable that in some cases a man should have care of his neighbours body as well as of his own and in this case especially when the spirit is gone to whom it did belong when time was to uphold and govern it And truely if they who believe not the resurrection of the flesh do yet perform such things to their dead how much more ought we to do so who believe not onely that the dead body shall rise again and live for ever but that the performance of such good offices towards them is it self in some sort a testimony of that Faith But that we bury them at the Memories of the Martyrs as I have said before in this respect onely it seems to me to advantage the dead namely that thereby the affection of his friends praying for him and commending him to the Patronage of these martyrs may be increased Thus have you my answer framed as well as I could unto such points as you thought expedient to enquire of me if it seems overlong I desire you would pardon me and impute it to the delight and affection I have to hold discourse with you As for the book it self I intreat your venerable Charity would let me know by your letters ere long what you think of it I believe it will be much more welcome for the bearer's sake viz. our Brother and fellow-Priest Candidianus whom for the report your letters gave of him I received with all affection and dismissed again as much against my will For verily he much comforted us with his presence in Christs Charity and to speak but the truth I complied with your desires much upon his instance For indeed your letters found me so distracted with other cares that you may attribute not a little to his daily solliciting and minding me thereof if you receive any competent answer to your question Deo Gratias