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	heart_n	work_n	7,151	5	5.4540	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13949	Three small and plaine treatises 1. Of prayer or actiue 2. Of principles, or positiue 3. Resolutions, or oppositiue Diuinitie. Translated and collected out of the auncient writers for the priuate vse of a most noble ladie. By an old praebendary of the Church of Lincolne.	Williams, John, 1582-1650.	1620 (1620)	STC 24259; ESTC S102025	30,759	166

pag. 342. Papist b Russic conun c. 23. p. 103. Russeist c Sle. Hist l. 5. Anabaptist d Allens confes Familist and e Protest p. 16. Puritan hold no Church a Church of God but his owne conuenticle and all to bee damn'd that are not of his societie and combination Now what beliefe you shall affoord these Bouteseux of the Catholike Church that dispose of Heauen and Hell as if it were their own Fee-simple I leaue to your wisdome and common vnderstanding Pap. Me thinks you now put me in minde of another obiection which vsually we make against the Protestants of England that they bring in too much good fellowship in religion and make Saluation a flowre which growes in euery mans garden Seeing that according to their Tenets Papist Protestant Anabaptist and Familist may euery one of them by meanes offered in his own Church as a portion or fragment of the Catholike Church attaine vnto Saluation Prot. If you were learned I could answere you in a word that none of these three Sectories considered in his owne Formality Qua talie as he is a Papist Anabaptist or Familist can euer attaine vnto Saluation but only as he is a Christian man admitted by Baptisme vnto the visible Church there made partaker of Gods word and Sacraments For then although these blessed means are very much weakened and obscured in their Synagogues by the malice of Sathan and inuentions of men yet may that holy Spirit that * Iohn 3.8 bloweth where he listeth worke in such a mans heart by these weake instruments and the rather the more the Word is faithfully preached and the Sacraments be in those places sincerely administred a true faith in Christ Iesus to bring him to saluation So then we doe not hold that Papists Anabaptists and Familists but onely that some Christians liuing in their congregations may though with great difficultie in comparison of this flourishing Church of ours and these admirable meanes of Saluation tendered in the same by the speciall mercy of God be saued and preserued If we be in an errour it is safer to erre in Charity then in Malice and praecipitancie considering the euent hereof is vnknowen to either of vs. Pap. I but where was your Church before this reformation began Prot. 1. When our Sauiour Christ with-drew the people from the a Matt. 16.12 leauen of the Scribes and Pharisees to the bread b Iohn 6.35 which came down from heauen and to saluation by faith in his Name was it fitting to demaund of him where his Church was before that Reformation 2. When these Churches of c 1. Corin. 5.1 Corinth d Galat. 3.1 Galatia e Reuel 2.12 Pergamus and f Reuel 2.18 Thiatyra were full of abuses if some part onely vpon the preaching of the Apostles had reformed themselues and so a diuision had growen would you straight wayes haue tax't them of Nouelty or ask't them where their Church had beene before this reformation 3 When the Apostles cast off ●he Lawe of Moses excepting only those g Acts 15.29 three or foure Ceremonies and when the Primitiue church some hundred yeeres after cast off those Ceremonies also for I finde them breathing of their last as it were about the times of h Anno 〈◊〉 140. Dialog qu● ins●●●●tur Tryphon Iustin Martyr had it not beene a poore challenge of the Iewes or Traskists of those times to demaund where this vnceremoniall Church lay hid before the reformation I answer then that our Church before this reformation began liued together in one communion with yours with toleration of all those abuses which you haue still retained and wee most iustly reiected Pap. I but I hope you dare not compare in the gifts of the Spirit with Christ his Apostles or those worthies of the primitiue Church And therefore how presumed you to reforme your selues Reformation being a worke fitter for a generall Councell to haue gone about then for a small handfull of Northerne people Prot. Luther in epist ad Galat. in praefat distinctio admissa in Comitijs Augustanis ab ipsis Germanis Principibus Scultet annal decad 1. pa. 43. The Court of Rome had so gained vpon the Church of Rome that is the Pope and his conclaue of Cardinals had wriggled in themselues to that transcendencie of power ouer the rest of the Clergie and well minded laity that it appeared both at a In the yeere 1415. Constance b In the yeere 1546. Trent there was small hope of Reformation from such a Councell where the Pope the partie to bee reformed became the party reforming and supreame Iudge and president of the Reformation it selfe Although poore seduced ignorant women are much caried away with the name of the Councell of Trent yet you will quickly find out this ridiculous absurdity In a generall Councell as now it is held sithence the decay of the Empire the Pope is the party to be accused yet puts vp his owne endictment passeth a iury of his own vassals and finde they what they will being to giue finall iudgement he will be sure to do as his supposed predecessor taught our Sauiour to doe to wit fauour himselfe Matth. 16.22 So as there was no hope of doing good by a Generall Councell See the history of the Councell of Trent vnles it were a generous and free Councell and such a one the Pope you may bee sure would neuer abide Gerson de concil vnius obed And therefore one of your own writers concludes that in such a case seuerall kingdomes are to reforme themselues by National Councels which England and Denmark did put in practise Pap. Yea but it is too wel knowne It was no zeale of Reformation but carnall respects that mooued King Henry to touch vpon religion Prot. To you it seemes it is giuen to know these secrets but I see no reason we should thinke so The King could not bee induced to this reformation as a meanes to possesse himselfe of the Abbeies for they were already swallowed vp 31. Henr. 8. Nor as a preparatiue for his woing as Saunders thinks because Fisher the Bishop of Rochester who opposed his marriage made vp the one and twentieth prelate in banishing the Pope out of this Kingdome Instruction of a Christian in the Preface But without doubt the finger of God was the cause whatsoeuer was the hint or occasion Act. 23.1 Festus his popularitie and humour of pleasing gaue S. Paul occasion to appeale to Cesar and to visite Rome where and when hee layd the first stone of the Romane church Would you like it well a Protestant should say that your Church was founded vpon courtship and popularity If any carnall respect whetted on the king that was but the opportunity God onely was the first mouer and prime Agent in this reformation Pap. Nay surely God is the God of vnity but your Church being once seuered from the Romane

yea and three National Councels from Pope Stephen in the yeere 250 i Bellar. de Ro. Pont. l. 2. c. 25. 46. Lindan panopl. l. 7. c. 89. Possevinus in Apparat. titul Carthag the Bishops of Carthage Schismatized from all Popes of Rome for an hundred yeres together about the yeere 409. lastly k Bellar. de Ro. Pont. l. 2. c. 31. Idem de Matri c. 15. art 2. the Greeke Church cut off from the Roman for 300. yeeres are sufficient testimonies there may be a true Church of God though seuered and diuided from the Pope of Rome And here in this kingdome it was no Protestant but Popish Bishops that concluded in a Nationall Synode l Institut of a Christian set foorth anno 1537. by Authority our King might if he pleased create a Pope of his owne in his own kingdoms and dominions and yet remaine a member of the Catholike Church Pap. Well the best is you haue beene so tedious in your answeres that I haue I thank God forgotten all that you haue said for your reformed Church Prot. But I will helpe that quickly by summing vp of all into these 12. Positions 1 We haue a Church as hauing Doctrine Saluation Discipline 2 It is a portion of the Catholique Church 3. It hath a Spirituall vnion of doctrine with the vntainted members of the Church of Rome 4 And yet hath seuered her selfe from the Church of Rome by crying against and dissenting from her Superstions 5 Which some of vs hold no true Church of Gods in regard of the preuailing Faction 6 Although we iudge charitably of the Saluation of some in that Church 7 Who notwithstanding are saued not as Papists but as Christians 8 And in one lumpe or communion with this Church liued ours before the Reformation 9 Which then for want of a Generall did seuer her selfe by a Nationall Councell from the same 10 Nor was it any by-respect of the Kings but God and the cry of that age that caused this reformation 11 Nor doe our reformed Churches dissent amongst themselues in doctrine but in outward politie and discipline onely 12 Our Bishops and Priests come by a lineall Succession from Henry the eights time nor can a supposall of Heresie cut off this descent CHAP. 2. Of the Scriptures Pap. DOe you then hold this Church of yours to bee the ground of your Faith and reason of your beleeuing So as you doe therefore beleeue all the points of your saluation to be true because the Church doeth teach and instruct you in the same Or haue you any other rule and ground of your faith Prot. The Authority and good conceipt we haue of Gods Church a August contra Epistol fundam c. 5. prepareth vs to beleeue the points of our Saluation and serueth as an introduction to bring vs to the discerning and perfect apprehension of these mysteries of our faith but the Scripture onely is the ground and reason of our beleeuing For as the b Iohn 4.29 Samaritans were induced and drawne on to beleeue in Christ by that talk of the woman but hauing heard Christ himselfe professe plainely they beleeue no longer for her saying but c Iohn 4.42 because they heard him speake himselfe So doe we beginne to beleeue moued thus to doe by the good conceipt we haue of the Church but rest not in it as the ground of our beleeuing but onely in the infallible assurance of Gods truth in the booke of Scriptures Pap. Then God helpe you if that be your last resolution For our Church cannot erre but your Scriptures without the helpe of the Church to tell you so much can neuer bee ascertained vnto you to be the word of God And therefore what assurednesse of beleefe can you propose your selues vpon so vnsetled a foundation Prot. The Catholike Church indeed Wald. doctr fid l. 2. art 2. c. 27. spread ouer the world cannot erre damnably though the Church of Rome and all other particula Churches may as your owne Writers confesse But the Scriptures wee know to be the word of God not because the Church or Churchmen doe tell vs so much but by the Authority of God himselfe a Caluin instit l. 1. c. 7. d. 4. whom we doe most certainely discerne to speake in his word when it is preached vnto vs. For if we bring pure eyes and perfect senses the maiestie of God forthwith presenteth it selfe vnto vs in the holy Scriptures and beating downe all thoughts of contradicting or doubting things so heauenly forceth our hearts to yeeld assent and obedience vnto the same And therefore if you doubt whether that which you reade in your Bible be the word of God or finde any reluctancy in your vnderstanding to the doctrine of the same it is in vaine to flie vnto either Church or Churchmen to be perswaded in this point but down vpon your knees and pray feruently vnto God for Faith and the illumination of the Holy Ghost which can only assure you of the trueth of the Scriptures Caluin instit l. 1. c. 7. dist 5. For after wee are enlightned by the Spirit we do no longer trust either our owne iudgement or the iudgement of other men or of the Church that the Scriptures are of God but aboue all certainety of humane iudgement wee most certainely resolue as if in them wee saw the maiestie and glory of God that by the ministerie of men they came vnto vs from Gods owne most sacred mouth Pap. But what certaine ground of faith can you place on the Scriptures seeing by the seuerall interpretations of men and women they are turned and wrested like a nose of wax to euerie priuate designe and purpose Doe not you obserue how the Catholikes Protestants and especiallie the Brownists and Anabaptists doe fit all their turnes out of the holie Scriptures on which of these senses and imaginations is your faith rooted or peraduenture haue you some odde capritchious kinde of interpretation of your owne apprehension to direct you in these businesses Prot. Wee lay-folkes are licensed in the Church of England to reade Doe all interprete 1. Cor. 12.30 but not to interprete Scriptures excepting onely those passages which containe the necessarie points of our Saluation the which passages are so plaine easie euery where that any man or woman of the meanest capacitie especiallie if he or she be instructed in their Catechisme or grounds of religion may perfectly conceiue Staplet cont 6. q. 7. exp si art and vnderstand them But for the harder and more difficult places we leaue them to be interpreted by our Church-men in their Sermons and dailie ministerie For the ordering of which interpretations there are as I haue beene told 10. seuerall helps Obserued out of D. Field M. Hooker Chemnitius and Trelcatius the which if they be followed wil be sure and vnfallible guides to bolt out the true meaning of each place of Scripture 1 An illumination of the vnderstanding by