Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	ghost_n	gift_n	holy_a	21,083	5	5.7385	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17696	Sermon of Maister Iohn Caluin, on the historie of Melchisedech Wherein is also handled, Abrahams courage in rescuing his nephew Lot: and his Godliness in paying tithes to Melchisedech. Also, Abrahams faith, in belieuing God: comprehending foure sermons. And, Abrahams obedience, in offering his sonne Isaack; in three sermons. Translated out of French, by Thomas Stocker, Gent.; Sermons	Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564.; Stocker, Thomas, fl. 1569-1592.	1592 (1592)	STC 4440; ESTC S112743	137,391	292

onely speech And wee see that the Pharisie was reiected because hee so foolishly presumed of his workes And the Publican who plainly and simply confessed himselfe to be a miserable sinner and so wretched and damned a soule departed iustified before God and yet notwithstanding the Pharisie commended not himselfe by reason of his merits for he sayd not I haue done this and I haue done that and therefore God is beholden vnto me for them but said onely thus God I thanke thee that I am not as other men are an extortioner vniust a theefe nor an Adulterer nor as this Publican A man would thinke this to bee a iolly entrance when as hee submitted himselfe wholly vnto God and protested that whatsoeuer goodnes and vertue was in him proceeded from the meere gift of the holie Ghost but what of all this yet was hee so proudly and arrogantly puffed vp as that he thought himselfe to be allowed and liked of for his works And therfore we see why God condemned him for it could not be chosen but that he was exceeding blockish to think that God was bound vnto him for his works Wherefore wee must all flie vnto the meere mercy of God and then I saie we shall be assured that he will loue vs when as wee shall looke for all our merits in Iesus Christ neuer ceasing to praie vnto him notwithstanding our great vnworthines because he hath not adopted vs either for our persons or yet for our workes but of his meere and free mercy thus wee see how wee shall be assured of our saluation True it is that we shall alwaies be full of scruples and doubtes by reason that our faith is not perfect in vs but yet our assurance shall alwaies surmount so long as we fight stoutly and embrace the promises of God and make them a buckler and defence against all the temptations and distrustes which the diuell shall set before vs. When then we speake of this certaintie of faith we meane not but that it may be shaken and we many times be greatly perplexed distressed but our meaning is that we may in the end conclude how euer it fall out that God wil haue mercy vpon vs and so vpon this assurednes pray vnto him And this is it which we are now to keepe in minde We easily see then by this that they which haue taken this word Iustifie to be said that God chaungeth vs and gouerneth vs by his holie spirit to serue God are too too much abused for there are many that will say that wee are not iustified by our merits neither yet that there is anie one iote in vs wherein to glorie and that whatsoeuer goodnes is in vs commeth from the free gift of God because that as of our selues we can doo nothing els but sin all this they will confesse and wil in summe say that we are iustified by meere grace and not by our workes and that there is no goodnes in vs but that God giueth all haue they confessed all this Yea verily and yet they still go about to ouerthrow both themselues and others And how so Forsooth because they thinke that they haue atteined vnto perfection when as in verie deed there is nothing els in them but imperfection For where shal we find a man that when he shall be thus cast down in himself as to be no bodie as it were and confesse himself to be altogither accursed whatsoeuer goodnes is in him to come of Gods owne meere liberalitie so as God is therfore to be exalted magnified himselfe to be nothing to the ende hee might acknowledge humble himselfe vnto God say that all which he hath he receiueth from his meere goodnes Yea but we haue already said that if we be doubting then are heauen gates shut vp against vs. Now we cānot chuse but doubt or els be starke staring mad when as we regard our own works Admit that god by his holie spirit hath regenerated a man doth onely thanke God as the Pharisie did and say surely all that I haue I haue frō God and yet notwithstanding when he praieth he must pray confidently and in full assurance And how shall he do that For whilest he is yet imperfect and weake the vertues which God hath bestowed vpon him shall be mingled with many vices yea these vertues also shal be corrupt because I say he shal not be fully clensed of the spots of the flesh Whē a man shal find himselfe thus as a man would say half seas ouer yet be far from the end and marke whether he would go how can he otherwise do but doubt Let vs therfore now conclude that it is nothing to confesse say that our saluation proceeded frō the meere grace fauor of God because he gouerneth vs with his holy spirit but that we must flie vnto the remission of our sins And so they that plaie the wrangling so phisters herein saying that we are not iustified by our works because the good workes are not ours but the gifts of the holy Ghost forget that point which wee erst touched that is to say that our faith must be certain that it cānot be certain except Iesus Christ be our aduocat his death a satisfactiō for our sins so as we cannot do it without we confesse the debt as by the exāple of the publicā which we haue alleged may be seen And we see also that this righteousnes must not be for a day only but must cōtinue al the daies of our liues For although we haue profited by seruing of God yet for all that it hath bin in imperfection And therefore it is plaine faith that must iustifie vs. And here must be put to the wall and ouerthrowne that foolish and peruerse opinion of the Papistes who thinke themselues to bee partly iustified by their woorkes and partly by the forgiuenes which they obtaine by the grace of God for God must fully and wholly be mercifull vnto vs as hath been shewed And why so For part of our workes merite nothing and besides there is corruption euen in the verie best worke we do if we shall speake of iudging of it according to the worthines therof And therefore we see that we are fully and wholly excluded Wherefore we must grow to this point that the most righteous althogh they seeme as righteous as tht Angels yet must they be accepted of God freely But here may arise an obiection in this sort why fir there is a great difference betweene those whom God hath alreadie called and those who are altogither estranged from him and also there is great diuersitie betweene the faithfull man when as God hath set him in the right way and when he leaueth him vnto the corruption of his owne nature For wee shall see some man to haue liued a long time like a straied sheep castaway and at last God enlighteneth him by his Ghospell and so toucheth and reformeth him as that

done whatsoeuer is commanded vs yet must we needes confesse that we are vnprofitable seruants And why so what are we at our owne choise and libertie to doo what wee lust Is there anie thing in vs that is our owne no verely and therefore cannot we plead any merit albeit we perfectly fulfilled the law Whereuppon then dependeth the confidence which wee take in our workes Forsooth euen vpon this promise That whosoever shall do these thinges shall liue by them For God bounde himselfe hereunto of his owne accord albeit hee was not in reason tied vnto it Wherefore when as S. Paul speaketh of the workes of the law he sheweth that although God hath promised to all those to whom he hath made promise that how many soeuer shall accomplish all which hee hath commanded by the righteousnes of the law shall be reputed taken to be righteous and haue thereby euerlasting life notwithstanding that the workes of the law cannot do it And why so because they still leaue vs vnder the curse of the law and condemnation for wee can do nothing else but sinne so long as we remain in this tabernacle of the flesh and hee whatsoeuer hee is that shall thinke himselfe to be most righteous shall neuer be able to acquite and discharge himselfe of the hundreth part of his duetie therein What shall we then doo but euen hold downe our heades and prostrate our selues at the feete of our Iudge and so craue pardon and forgiuenes as heereafter shall be more largely let downe Let vs now then returne vnto the place depending vpon that which I haue alreadie touched which is that Iesus Christ is set before vs to iustitie vs in all things whereof the law of Moses was neuer able to do For it shuld seem that they thought themselues to be holpē as wel by the ceremonies as also by all the rest of the law to make them of great account before God and to be able to please him for if they failed then had they the sacrifices as fit remedies as the sprinkeling of blood to cleanse them certaine washings also to make satisfaction vnto God and many other promises besides It should seeme then that all this was nothing to make them acceptable before God but contrariwise that Iesus Christ must come to iustifie vs of those thinges whereof the law was neuer able to do What is ment by this saying to iustifie vs of things That is to saie to pardon and forgiue vs them Wee see now by this place which I haue alreadie spoken of that the righteousnes which Moses here speaketh of is not a thing resident in our persons But Gods free forgiuing of vs when as hee is mercifull and louing vnto vs albeit we are no whit worthy thereof for this which Moses heere setteth downe shal neuer be able to be found in any man whatsoeuer but in Iesus Christ who must onely iustifie vs and how is that that is if the Diuell shall accuse vs and God readie to iudge and condemne vs then will Iesus Christ answere for vs as our suretie Thus we see how the obedience of Iesus Christ serueth vs as a cloake to couer al our rebellions and iniquities It is he that hath satisfied for vs and discharged vs of all our debtes by the merit of his death shed his precious bloud to wash vs withall To be short we finde in the person of the Sonne of God whatsoeuer is requisite to make vs acceptable before him because our sinnes are not imputed vnto vs. Here then we see in summe what we are to remember from this place We are now to proceed somewhat further that is to say that when God hath once for all receiued vs thus to mercy how hee continueth holdeth and voweth vs for righteous all the daies of our liues and euen in death also for this is the principal point wherat we must aime come vnto howbeit we cannot at this time stād to handle it Let it suffice thē to the end things might be well kept in minde that wee know vnderstand what the open way is that wee must haue to be partakers of the euerlasting saluation which commeth vnto vs by Iesus Christ the sonne of God that is wee must know vnderstand how miserable wretched our state and condition is not by confessing the same with our mouthes onely or hauing a vain imagination swimming in our brains therof But to be so sorrowfully wounded and greeued as that wee be confounded before the maiestie of God euen to the very hating detesting of our owne selues And whē we shall thus rightly iudge of our selues then shall wee be sure that God will forgiue vs. And when wee shall bee thus mortified in our selues then shall wee finde life in Iesus Christ For it is not inough that we knowe our selues to bee verie wretched sicke creatures and poore and needie soule●● but we must be dead altogither to the end we might by the onely grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be reuiued And that hereupon we may bee so humbled as the scripture willeth vs which is to giue vnto god that honor that is due vnto him And it is not without cause that Dauid speaketh Psal 51.17 when as he saith That it is an humble and contrite heart which God requireth For wee shall neuer come vnto him except wee bee altogither cast downe in our selues And then wee must carry this minde and affection with vs that we are wonderfully grieued perplexed in our distresses and then will we in deed confesse that we are not righteous And then also shall our desire and affection be so enflamed as that we shall not looke for our righteousnes in our merits but cleane contrary and hauing cast away all arrogancy looke for all our benefit and saluation in his onely Sonne and so when wee haue once knowne that hee hath pluckt vs out of the shadow of death our mouthes shall then be open and disposed to preach his vnspeakable praises according to that saying of Saint Peter treating of the end of our saluation in the first Chapiter of his first Canonicall Epistle Let vs now prostrate our selues before the maiestie of our good God in acknowledging our sinnes beseeching him to cause vs more and more to feele them and so to gouerne vs by his holie spirit as that we seek after nothing els but the glorifying and blessing of his holie name and to acknowledge how many maner of waies we are bound vnto him euen holding of him all the hope of life we haue and al that while not to be weary in seruing of him but do the best wee can to conforme vs vnto his holie will vntil such time as hee hath so spoiled vs of all the corruptions of our flesh as that we may be wholy cloathed with his righteousnes So shall wee all say O Almightie God and heauenly Father c. THE THIRD SERMON of Iustification Gen. Cap. 15. 6 Abram beleeued the

a man shall see him as the scripture speaketh to become a new creature And without doubt we can neuer be said to be right Christians without we be after that maner renued and be made the workemanship of God created in our Lord Iesus Christ to doo the workes which God hath prepared all this I say must be in it But herein may seeme to be some absurditie God iustified the theefe that was hanged because he acknowledged his saluation to be in Iesus Christ and when hee was iustified had hee none other qualitie in him then he had before Yes verely Why then say we that free righteousnes hath hir course all our life long In deed a faithfull man will at the least be well affected to hold himselfe within the compasse of Gods obedience he will be displeased with his sinnes yea groane and greeue for them and his chiefe de●●re wil be to frame his life according to the lawe Now when a faithful man is come to this we must not say that hee is iustified as hee was at the first bicause he was then a dissolute man and altogither estranged from God To this we answere when God at the first iustifieth vs that is to saie when hee hath mercy vpon vs and plucketh vs out from that condemnation wherein we were he vseth then a generall pardon and then when hee iustifieth vs afterward he then acknowkledgeth the benefits which hee hath bestowed vpon vs and auoweth alloweth them for he cannot deny himself when he gouerneth vs by his holy spirit although sinne dwelleth in vs yet reigneth it not in vs as it is written Although wee doo not the good which wee would yet wee striue to do it And therefore God alloweth and liketh of that because it commeth from him but here we are to note that he iustifieth vs both in our persons and also in our workes by faith only For when he receiueth vs at the first he cannot iustifie anie workes that are in vs. And why so because they are all wicked For as wee haue alreadie saide what fruit can a rotten tree bring forth And therefore when God draweth vnto him miserable sinners that are banished and cast out of his kingdome and Church he doth not iustifie their works but beholding their miseries and hauing compassion of their perdition lo for that cause he iustifieth them Now after that hee hath receiued them he iustifieth them in their persons that is to say he accepteth them as his children and after that he iustifieth their workes and how doth he that Forsooth not by calling them to an account nor iudging them rigorously for there will be alwaies as I haue said some corruptiō amongst or els some slips and by slidings and such like things which wil marre all For if a man put the best wine in the worlde into an vnsauery hogshead or into a fustie bottle the wine wil be all mard Euen so fareth it with all our works for so long as God guideth and gonerneth vs by his holy spirit they ar good holy commendable but marke what vessels we are surely very filthy corrupt Euen so are our works therfore God must purge cleanse them And how is that verily euen by his grace in pardoning the faults imperfectiōs which are in them Wherfore euen as there is diuersitie between a faithfull man whō God calleth at the beginning vnto the Gospel so also is there some diuersity in iustificatiō But it altereth not in this behalf that is that God alwaies iustifieth his freely that is to say that he accepteth them not for anie vertues that are in thēselues for there is none at all in them neither yet for those which he hath bestowed vpon them for they are to be condemned by reason of the infirmitie that is in them But because as Saint Paule saith That those whome hee hath chosen he hath iustified Here then we see in summe what we are to retaine as touching the motion of this question Now we are to note that ouer and besides the thing which the Papists imagine that we may partly obtaine to be righteous and so consequently bee pardoned at Gods hand they are too too grosSecondly deceiued bicaly deceiued in their satisfactions and blind also I say in this they are to thinke themselues to haue certaine vertues which God ought to allow and like of But in very deed they are ashamed to say that their workes doo merite but that they carry some likelihood with them for say they although they do not perfectly merit yet is it meet that God who is iust should accept of that good which they do Yea but they are so farre blinded in their righteousnes as that they vnderstand not their sinnes as we haue alreadie said Againe they are secondly deceiued bicause they think themselues able to acquite themselues by their satisfactions I will heere forbeare to speake what their satisfactions are because they are most foolish whereby they do nothing else but prouoke the heauy wrath of God against them thinking to pay him with filthie toyes and trifles to wit with superstitions deuised of their owne braine for what satisfactions can we make to deliuer vs from the iudgement of God And what is the committing of one sinne worthie of Truely we thinke that when wee haue violated the righteousnes of God and haue payd some small portion for it that we haue done inough Must we not thinke that Sathan wholly possesseth vs when as we become thus arrogant Now this is the greatest part of Popish doctrine to be pardoned when as we haue deserued rather to be punished And this proceedeth herehence because they think they should be iustified by their workes and therefore they saie that this is but coniecturall for they cannot choose but see that if wee examine our selues we shal come short in the end neither can wee haue that which is requisite for the making vp of our accountes before God to say that we are discharged But ouer and besides this coniecture they haue another foolish toye in their heads which is this why say they if it were true that God fououred vs to day it may be that hee would not doo so to morrow Now they neuer thinke that faith is alwaies accompanied with hope and that hope extendeth it selfe both in life death And we see also besides that there is a farre greater fault that is they neuer looke vnto the last article of death whereof we will speake God willing hereafter And therefore we will at this time go on with that wee haue begun which is they thinke to satisfie and appaise God when as they bring with them some recompence for the sinnes iniquities which they haue committed Wherin they robbe God of his honor for if it were so then hee alone were not sufficient to reconcile vs vnto God his father Now it is not without cause that he is called our ransome for hee made himselfe our suretie vpon