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	holy_a	lord_n	23,094	5	4.0162	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19362	An epistle or godlie admonition, of a learned minister of the Gospel of our sauiour Christ sent to the pastoures of the Flemish Church in Antwerp, (who name themselues of the Confession of Auspurge,) exhorting them to concord with the other ministers of the Gospell. Translated out of French by Geffray Fenton. Here may the christian reader lerne to know what is the true participatio[n] of the body of Christ, & what is the lauful vse of the holy Supper.	Corro, Antonio del, 1527-1591.; Fenton, Geoffrey, Sir, 1539?-1608.	1569 (1569)	STC 5787; ESTC S108710	46,646	132

that we are of the Ambassadours of the holy Gospell of peace and yet our attemptes and councels are not but of warres murders and effusions of mans bloud Oh most wretched that we are we rayse and lifte vp our handes to praye and call vpon thée which notwithstanding are all sprinkled and goared with the bloud of those whiche thou haddest made liuely by thy wonderfull prouidence Seing that such is our wisdome sprong of oure bel●●fe that is to say earthly sensuall and diuellishe accompanied with enute wrath trouble with all workes of peruersitie giue vs Lorde by thy bountie thy wisedome from an highe whiche may be pure peaceable moderate tractable full of mercie and good frutes and far from debates dissentions and all hipocrisie bring to passe lord that the frutes of iustice may be sowen in peace for those whiche vse make peace and by those which be the true pronoūcers and shewers of the same peace bring to passe Lorde that we shewe our selues wise and well aduised not onely in vaine wordes and bable of Religion but let vs bring forth in our conuersation the frutes of the Gospell wherein we beléeue accompanying our faith with workes of humilitie and celestiall wisdome Take pitie on vs O Lorde by thy bountie and mercie for we confesse to haue offended thée greatly and withoute measure and we confesse that the rebukes whiche thou sendest vppon vs are but the iuste rewardes of our merites Thou Lord sufferest that we haue warre dissentions quarelles and debates and that we committe vnnaturall murder one vppon an other and that more for the cause of our particular opinions than in respect of zeale to thy glorie whereof notwithstanding we vaunte our selues thou sendest to vs the messangers and Heraldes of thy wrathe that is to saye infections of the aire contagious diseases pestilence famine shipwracks with other like arguments of thy heauy displeasure towardes vs and yet we harden our hartes thou sufferest that straunge Nations Barbarous and Idolaters do raise them selues against vs for the ouerthrowe of the Churches and Assemblies where thy name ought to be glorified and wée trusting in our owne forces industries and frayle wisdoms will not haue recourse to thée and therefore with good right oh Lorde thou leauest vs to the mercie of the infidelles and sufferest the superstitious to haue victorie ouer vs. Oh Father of mercie bestowe vpō vs thy pitifull eyes reforme our hartes and oure affections engraue in vs the only zeale of thy glorie graffe in our mindes the true trée of life whiche is Iesus Christe our Sauiour and Redéemer the fruts of whom do make vs liuely let vs be filled with true fayth liuely hope mutual and brotherly charitie that we exercising in works of true mortification iustice innocencie and holinesse may be in the ende possessors of the eternal life for the obteyning whereof we haue bin chosen predestinate to the prayse of thée oh father of mercy and of thy Christ our only sauiour to whome with thy holy Spirit be glorie prayse for euer Amen A prayer to Iesus Christ for peace and vnitie in the Church by Geffray Fenton O Soueraigne Lorde who beyng the eternall worde and true GOD with God thy father didst take our nature to visite in forme of man the poore children of Adam lost by their infidelitie distruste and peruerse opinion against their Creator And also by thy meane and remedie hast eftesones restablissed the confederation betwene GOD and vs approuing the same most painfully in the mortall martyrdome of thy most innocent body bléeding on the crosse for the expiacion of our sinnes we beseche thée oh Sauiour of the world that euen as thou arte come to consūmate and confirme our recōciliation thou wouldest also reconcile our hartes knitte oure wils and sende thy spirit of truth amongst vs to the ende that we all concurring in one iudgement and opinion may remember that we are called to bée members of one body whereof Lord we acknowledge thée to be the chiefe and supreame head and so detesting inciuill partialities we may be of one opinion agrée in one minde and vse one mutuall and charitable direction touching the matter of oure Religion Thou hast left vnto vs O Lorde the celebration of thy holly Supper as a memortal of oure communion and spirituall vnitie with thée and also to instructe vs in suche lawes of charitie as ought to be of familiar conuersation amongest vs all And yet we such is the nature of our fragilitie and condition of our vnworthinesse as we abuse the excellent benefite of that most high fauour séeing that in place to tye and conioyne our selues with thée we doe more estraunge vs from thée and that by reason of our quarelles and questions of contention In place to consider that we are one bodie one churche and one bread made of sundrie graines we shewe our selues proude and giue sundrie proues of our ambition in séeking to establishe a speciall estimation of our peculiar and priuat opinions in handling very often thy presence in thy holly Supper by subtill disputation we become farre from thy true and liuely presence in contending whether the sinners vnfaithfull may communicate thy body we make our selues sinners and incapable to receyue and enioye thy benefites lastly and in effect oh Lord our zeale is so indiscrete that in stryuing to enterteyne the puritie of the doctrine of fayth we breake the league and lawe of charitie yea in persecuting with rebuke such as we accompt to be heretikes in the doctrine of fayth our malice with want of discretion makes vs séeme transnatured into heretikes of charitie corrupting the meanes of cōmunication and brotherly vnitie I beseche thée therfore oh sonne of God let thy gracious pitie fall vppon vs and so open the eyes of our vnderstanding as we may discerne the true frute of thy holy institutiō and ordinance take from amongest vs all sectes and varieties of opinions and reduce vs at last to the obedience of thy holy and only worde reueale vnto vs thy holy spirite with this priuilege of grace that by hys vertue he may drawe vs all into one corporation and bodye whereof thou O Lord mayest be heade and lette him breath into vs strengthe and power to perseuer in workes of true Iustice innocencie and holynesse duryng oure course in this tragical and miserable pilgrimage and in the ende let we beséeche thee the same holy spirite translate vs into the eternall life purchased to our vses by the sacrifice and oblation of thy most precious death wherin thou raignest now gloriously with the Father and holy Ghoste and there shall remayne infinitely AMEN To my most dearely beloued in our Lorde Iesus Christ the only Redéemer and aduocate of men towards the heauenly Father my brother Ministers and Pastors in the church of Antwerp namyng them selues of the Churche of Auspurge Grace and peace from God and his Sonne IESV CHRIST to the ende that by the bond of

AN EPISTLE or godlie admonition of a learned Minister of the Gospel of our Sauiour CHRIST Sent to the Pastoures of the Flemish Church in Antwerp who name themselues of the Confession of Auspurge exhorting them to concord with the other Ministers of the Gospell Translated out of French by Geffray Fenton Here may the christian Reader lerne to know what is the true participatiō of the body of CHRIST what is the lauful vse of the holy Supper PRINTED AT LONdon by Henry Bynneman ANNO. 1569. CVM PRIVILEGIO To the right worshipfull Iohn Byron Esquier Geffray Fenton wisheth a happy new yeare with a gladsome continuance of many IN obseruing sir this last yere your order condition of doing I founde the custome and course of your vertues nothing inferiour to the cōmon opinion of the same Wherof as I proued peculiarly in my self by many means times but most by a ciuile cōuersation of your companie during the best part of the sommer so I accōpt my selfe no lesse vnworthy of such benefite passed than vnmete eftsoones to vse or participate with the like if such det be not discharged by some thankefull argument of good will compounded with matter of myne own indeuor according to the qualitie of my talēt And albeit I haue at tymes heretofore protested vnto you simply my seruiceable vnfained zeale wherof I hope you doubt not yet me thinkes with the nature of a barren soyle yelding no fruite the same might seeme no lesse vnprofitable vnto you than imperfecte in my selfe if it be not approued with some absolute and vnfayned shewe and that in the publyke eye of the worlde in whiche respect I haue presumed to lay afore you this little Translation a worke neyther improper for the purpose of good doctrine nor impertinent to the profession of a true Christian and for the mater it discouereth a a most perfect Methode or plot to discerne the principall pointes of our Religion with certein speciall places of Scripture toward the ende to induce the church to vnitie and the people to imbrace the league of charitie left vs by Christ as well in the example of himselfe enduryng sundry sortes of villanous reproches as in the president of his Apostles and Prophetes who suffered with greate pacience the barbarous disposition of the enimies to their religion This as I culled out amongst other as a worke resembling your owne vertues so in the often reading it I doute not you shall finde a happie confirmation of iudgement in good things the same as the Apostle sayeth being one chiefe and principall frute of knowledge and therfore moste necessarie that we acquaint our myndes with godly exercises and meditations of Religion praying you lastly to let it receyue youre protection to the ende our countrey and Christian neighboures by youre meane the rather may plentifully participate in the benefite of the same wherin also I accompt my trauaile sufficiently aunswered if this become thankfull to you in sort of an earnest peny or first offer of my good will reseruing notwithstanding to giue a better shewe hereafter as tyme with quiet leysure shall assist me And so God giue you a good new yeare and confirme vs all in his holy feare At my lodging the tenth of Decembre 1569. Your sure frende Geffray Fenton A prayer of the Author for the concorde of doctrine and vnitie in wils in diuine things apperteyning to the aduauncement of the Gospell of CHRIST O Eternall and mercifull Lord who as thou art God of peace loue and concord so dissētions quarels and debates are hatefull vnto thée We sée how with good right thou chastisest oure malice and rebellion ageinst thée by the diuersitie of opinions and strange iudgements raigning at this day amongst men specially in the cause of religion In the beginning Lord thou hast created man to thyne own image and likenesse to the ende that he and his posteritie mighte be one thing with thée hauing one only opinion led according to thy holy worde and manifestation and one wil affected to embrace that which thou deman dest whereupon might folow workes conformable to thy diuine and holy lawe But the serpent enemie of all peace and on the cōtrarie a louer of dissention and discord taught oure first Fathers the lesson of infidelitie distrust presumption and arrogant curiositie Alas our good God and creator that we feele and make dayly experience of miserable effects of that lesson printed by Sathan in our harts for euery one of vs striues to be a god vppon earth euery one pretends to be able by the touche of his owne iudgement to discerne whiche is good or euill what is agreable or inconuenient to thy diuine Maiestie yea euery one thinkes to be the maister that ought to instruct his neighbour Take pitie of vs O Lorde and deface in oure hartes this peruerse lesson full of ambition pride make vs vnderstand in good earnest that thou art hée only to whom belongeth to discerne betwene the good and euill and betwene the truthe and dreames and that it is thou lord who by thy eternall worde Iesus Christe giuest lighte manifestation knowledge of thy secretes to those that feare thée thou art he alone who by thy holy spirit doest direct teach thy disciples which make them of thy schole and worde Withoute thée Lorde wée are lost and confounded without thy truthe wée are liers without thy doctrine we bée falsefiers without thy instruction we bée presumptuous proud Alas wée euen wée miserable creatures to giue oure selues an estimation in the world forsake thy eternall worde whiche is the trée of euerlasting life and go deuouring the frute of knowledge gyuen by Sathan From thence Lorde it comes that our knowledge and wisdome is accompanied with pride and arrogant contention not giuing place one to an other whereby wée shewe that oure wisdome and knowledge is not from aboue for by the same wée faine to searche thy glorie and to blisse and prayse thée as our GOD and Father and in the meane while to mainteyne our opinions wée accurse men fashioned to thyne owne Image and likenesse in suche sorte that out of one only mouth procéedes bothe cursse and blissing a thing whiche might séeme both impossible and incredible if dayly experience did not discouer theyr manifest and absolute effectes For howe is it possible that a fountayne should caste out of one vent or spoute water that is pleasaunt and withall bitter and salte Who can beléeue that a Figge trée can bring forth Olyues or a Vine yeld Figs Truly Lorde such contrarieties are not so contrarie in naturall things as is manifested in things spiritual wherin we deale For how should men beléeue our wordes saying we loue God when by our workes we discouer a certeyne hate ▪ to our neyghbours We saye we search no other thing than the aduauncement of the kingdome of Christ and yet wée afflict and persecute the very members of Christ We crie with open throate

it therfore in vs any dutie of obseruation of suche Ceremonies hauing regard only to the authoritie of Peter God defend No let Peter remaine still as Peter and Martine as Martine that is to say as a man that may fayle and let the spirite of God be encreased by the organs instruments which he shall stirre vp to manifest the truth of his gospel whether he be Paul or Zwinglius or Oecolampadius or any other of lesse authoritie than they And for oure partes such organs instruments of God let vs receiue honour and haue in singular cōmendation without persuasion or beléef that they be innocēt or that they can not erre or that they bée not ignoraunt of some things Let vs beléeue that from day to day our Lorde wyll stirre vp such lyke organs and instruments to aduance hys glorie and to augment the lyghte of his holy Truth if our owne vnthankfulnesse bee not a barre to suche liberalitie begon by our GOD. 15 Besydes brethren I consider the lamentable tyme wherein those holy men dydde liue as béeing employed rather to purge and clense the fylthynesse of Papistrie than to studie or consyder of the introduction of the pure Truthe they were rather vsed in the resistaunce of the furie of Antechriste and his suppostes to flée from one coast to an other to make Apologies and defences to aunswer the falsehodes that were layde vpon them by dyuers and to dispute wyth the monstrous Moonkes of their Purgatorie and Rogations than that they had leysure and quiet libertie to searche by meditation the truth of the christian doctrine manyfested in the diuine word By which occasion it came to passe that their writings were stuffed with so many opprobrious and spiteful woords vnworthy of the true seruaunts of God and perfect pronouncers of the gospel of peace which notwithstanding as we support such infirmities as hauing regard to so wicked a time So now that God hath sent vs so many beames of his light let vs leaue to liue remaine so blind as in times past 16 My meaning deare brethren in al this discourse hath not bin to other purpose than to declare the smal occasion we haue aswel one as another to make gods or to say more truly idols of our doctors by their occasiōs to entertein vs in parcialities dissentiōs debates vpon the matter of our doctrine to the great slaunder of the poore weake cōsciences notable resistance of the propagation of the church wherin if the Corinthians haue bin rebuked bycause they made Partialities to maintein the renoume of S. Paule the chosen vessell of GOD Apostle of Iesus Chryste Doctoure of the Gentiles and to speake in one woorde a man indued with most singular and excellent giftes howe may God laye it ageynst vs who contende quarel make continual warre and as a man wold say deuoure one an other as Dogges and Cats breaking alwayes the bonde of charitie whiche Iesus Christ hath left of suche estimation 17 When the Lord would marke his disciples and childrē of his father he willed them not to followe the confession of Auspurge nor the Catechisme of Martin or of Iohn but he sayth In this men shal The marke of the christians Iohn 13. know you are my disciples if ye loue one other Alas moste blinde and myserable that wée are whilest wée dispute of the true or false interpretation of the words of the Sacrament of vnitie wée breake the very vnitie it selfe in contendyng whether the wicked infidell and vnworthy receyue as well the body of Chryste in the Supper as the children of GOD wée disfurnishe oure selues of the very Christ and make our selues of the number of them that receyue him not at all in serching whether Christ come in flesh in Spirite or in Sacramente we do depriue our selues of the true communion of Christ for he that hateth his brother Chryste dwelleth not in him in siftyng curiously whether the body of Christ bee giuen to vs in the bread vnder the bread or with the bread we cut oure selues off from the true body of Christe and make vs members of Sathan the father of dissentions quarelles contentions and debates 18 And for my opinion vpon the matter of the holie Supper I will saye in few woordes good brethren what I vnderstande leauing to euery one his libertie to folow that which God shall teache him Wée know right well that the meaning of our redeemer Iesus comming into this worlde was to manyfest to men the good will of his heauenly Father towardes them and how his Diuine maiestie had prouided to remedie the faulte transgression and disobedience of the first Doctrin of the holy Supper of Christ Adam by the innocencie moste pure iustice and obedience satisfactorie of the seconde and heauenly Adam And that men mighte be deliuered of the ire and iudgement of God putting themselues vnder the wyngs and couerture of thys Souerayne and eternall Sacrificatour And The summe of the doctrine of Chryst for as muche as the Diuine woorde doth shewe vnto vs the malediction of men and transgression ageynste the wyll of GOD by woordes taken of our corporall nouriture saying that as man hath eaten the frute of a tree defended hym by his Creatoure and that by meane of the same eatyng he hath made hymselfe enimie of the Lorde In lyke maner Iesus Christe oure Redéemer declareth to vs by similitude of eating and drinkyng the Reconciliation towardes GOD that his obedience hath brought vs as if he woulde cléerely say that Man hauing eaten of a forbidden Fruite hathe purchased malediction where as in eatyng nowe of a fruite giuen him by the hande of GOD bée hath woonne benediction The fruite and Trée of life whiche wee oughte to eate is euen very hée whiche Chryst is the Frute of the Tree of life bryngeth vs suche happie newes who wyth hys vertue and power iudicible is so tyed and ioyned wyth vs by the meane of Faithe and bonde of his holy Spirite that he entertaineth our soules in spirituall and heauenly lyfe euen as the bread and wyne nourisheth our bodies in corporall lyfe 20 Vsyng this similitude the Lorde sayeth in the sixth of Saint Iohn that he hym selfe is the breade of lyfe and gyuing lyfe which is descended from Heauen and that who eateth of this breade shall liue eternally That is to say hee shall escape the Cursse gotten by eatyng of the Fruite defended Hée sayeth also that hys flesh is the true meate and hys bloud the true drinke And hée that eateth his fleshe and drynketh his bloud dwelleth in Chryste and Chryste in hym who is oure seconde and Heauenly The trew vnderstanding of the words of Chryst Iohn 6. Adam within whose bodie it is necessarie wée bée incorporated or that hée incorporate hym selfe in vs to the ende that wée maye be able to appeare before GOD couered with the mantell of his moste innocente fleshe full of all Iustice 21 And bycause our

be of the Romish religion or reformed church praying always to the Lorde that he willighten vs in oure ignoraunces whiche wee ought to shew to euery one with all modestie and gentlenesse according too the example of oure maister and Redéemer Iesus who hath not disdained to receyue gently and teache myldely his very Iohn 3. enemies persecutyng him dayly and makyng coniurations to take from hym Luke 7. his life Let vs remember that being euē vpon the crosse pinched with the extreme pangs of death not mynding his owne paines he had remembraunce of his enimies with prayer to his heauenly Father to pardon their offences let vs imitate the Lorde our creator whose mercy and goodnesse are so plentiful that he maketh his sunne shine bothe vpon the good and the euill Let vs not vse regarde that this man hath suche an ignoraunce nor that man will receiue any article of our confession Let vs loue all helpe all embrace al and support the ignorances and infirmities of al. For better were it that we failed in this point if it be a fault at all than to make vs iudges of the conscience of an other and giue out sentence of condemnation ageinst those that agrée not with vs. 90 For ende deare brethren I besech you take in good parte this my epistle or letter mouing no otherwyse than of an affectioned hart towards you wherof the Lorde is my witnesse and I assure it in myne owne conscience and let it not I pray you be an occasion to you to write bookes nor Pamphlets séeing I haue no meaning too enter into armes or warre with the pen neither doth the time serue for it but rather of neede to vs all to apply oure selues to better things and let vs labour to encrease oure knowledge in that which we want to be doctors of the gospel for the acknowledging of our ignoraūce oughte rather to incense vs to a wil to learn than to make our selues inquisitours and censors of the Faythe of others with employing the time to fill bookes and papers with questions altogither impertinent to edification 91 I humbly beséech the soueraine maiestie of our good God heauenly father that it will please him too furnishe youre iudgements and vnderstādings with the knowledge of his holy woord to the ende that by the meane of youre preachings youre audience may learne a true faithe an assured hope in Iesus Chryste and a carefull mortification of the olde Adam and that the same Lorde so renue youre harts enflame your wills in the affection of charitie towards your neibors that from hence forth wée being ioyned with you and you with vs may liue in peace and tranquilitie of body and spirite in the assembly of oure Lorde Iesus soueraigne pastor of our soules who hauing bought vs by the inestimable price of his obedience and bloude moste precious it may also please hym too garde vs ageynst all dissentions make vs liue in the vnitie of himselfe vntill that béeing spoyled of this corruption wée may perfectely reioyce in the coniunction of him and the eternal glorie promised vs by his meane of the which in his own person the rather to make vs inheritors therof he hath alredy takē possession sitting on the right hād of God with all power in Heauen and earth To whome bée all glorie and empire for euer Amen In the towne of Antwerp ij of Ianua 1567. Your affectioned brother in Iesus Christ and humble companion in the work of GOD Anthonie de Corro called Belle Riue To the Churche of Antwerpe THis only deare brethren was intended by this Epistle or Sermon to imparte it by conference with the prechers of the church naming themselues of the confession of Auspurge without meaning to communicate it by publication albeit bycause diuers written copies are comen into the hāds of sundry and seuerall persons I thought it to better purpose to spread abroad and deliuer it in print than to suffer it to be argued in secrete leaste the same mighte moue cause of sinister iudgement ageinst the simple and sincere integritie of my meanyng wherein as the labour was peculiar in my selfe without the enteruiew or counsell of any so if it include any matter to edifie or confirme your cōsciences it may please you to be thankfull to the Lorde as author of al goodnesse And for the errors I beséech you let them be layde wholly vpon me as vpon a man who liuing yet in the peregrination to our heauenly countrey where wée shall haue perfect knowleage may erre and faile in many things For wée know that we are 2. Cor. 5. trauailers and iorneymen in this body we are absente from the Lorde and walke by Faith and not by view For ende I wipe my hands afore God and you all of any intent eyther to redarguate or confute the articles presented by those that call themselues of the Confession of Auspurge but rather to let them sée vpon what small causes they haue formed greate quarels maynteinyng dissention for a thing of small importaunce and forbeare too deale in matters more necessary SEing also good brethren that vppon the impression there remained certeine leaues voyde and vnfurnyshed of matter I thought it not oute of purpose to fyll them wyth certeine places of Holie Scripture persuading the Faythefull to actes of Charitie wyth brotherly vnitie one to an other yea not to forbeare to loue oure proper enemies and suche as pursue vs with persecution a vertue at this day moste importaunt and necessary the rather for that Sathan employeth a wonderfull diligence to sowe séedes of dissention and quarrell with speciall endeuour and strange meanes too corrupt the league of charitie lefte vnto vs by Chryste of suche commendation and all thys vnder a pretence of diuersitie in religion wherein as wée oughte to stand vppon our garde ageinst the subtilties and policies of the Diuel so assuredly God hath not lefte vs eyther lycence or lybertie once to thinke that it is lawfull for vs to hate any man in respect to maynteine our religion séeing wée are expresly enioyned by the wordes of the same to loue suche as despise vs and pray for those that persecute oure bodies and doings But alas wée are slipte into a time so miserable and infected with such corruption and blindnesse that in the maynteyning of the integritie of oure faith we become preiuditiall to the league of charitie with a negligent care of the vertue of the same For my part I allow iustly such diligence as is vsed in the purgation of abuses and errors to the end our holy faith and Religion may the rather be purifyed and remayne without spot albéeit I wishe a precyse obseruation of Christian charitie least in making warre ageynst the Heretikes of oure fayth wée become not heretikes ageynst charitie For which cause and to the ende that euery one be priuie to the bond and obligation which God in this purpose demaundes at our handes I haue heere