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	son_n	41,079	5	6.0417	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28839	An exposition of the doctrine of the Catholique Church in the points of controversie with those of the pretended reformation by James Benignus Bossüet, counseller in the King's counsels, Bishop and Lord of Condom, tutor to His Royal Hyghness the Dolphin of France ; translated into English by W.M.; Exposition de la doctrine de l'Eglise catholique sur les matières de controverse. English	Bossuet, Jacques Bénigne, 1627-1704.; Montagu, Walter, 1603?-1677.	1672 (1672)	Wing B3782; ESTC R30305	47,803	218

which comprehend the expresse Doctrine of the Councel of Trent they would forbeare to obiect to vs that we injure the Mediation of CHRIST IESVS and that we inuoke Saints adore Images in a manner peculiar to God himself It is granted by reason that in some sense Inuocation Adoration and the name of Mediator are competent only to God and CHRIST JESVS that it is easy by a perverse vse of those termes to traduce our Doctrine and render it odious but if they are ingenuously receiued in that sense we haue exhibited these obiections loose all their force and if there remayne in the minds of the Pretended Reformers any lesse important difficultyes naturall equity and syncerity will oblige them to auowe themselues satisfy'd in the principall exceptions Besides this there is nothing more vniust then to charge the Church with the stating of all piety in this devotion to Saints since as we haue already euinced the Councel of Trent iudgeth it sufficient to informe and teach Catholiques that this practise is Good Vsefull without advancing it further so that the Churches intent is to condemn such as reiect this practise either by Contempt or Misconstruction and the Church is obliged to condemn them by reason that she ought not to indure the condemning of salutary and usefull practises nor that a Doctrine which all Antiquity hath authorised should be reiected by the Nouellists Doctors The matter of iustification will manifest yet a greater light how many difficulties may be avoyded by a syncere exposition of our opinions Those who are never so little acquainted with the history of the Pretended Reformation can not be ignorant that those who were the first Authors of it did propose this Article to all the world as the principall and as it were the most essentiall ground of their separation so that this seemes the most necessary point to be rightly understood First we beleeve that our sinns are forgiuen freely by the divine mercy for JESVS-CHRIST'S sake these are the expresse termes of the Councel of Trent which addeth further that we are said to be iustified freely because none of those things which precede our iustification either our faith or our works can merit this grace And by reason the holy scripture explains to us the remission of our sinns expressing it some times by saying that God couers them and others that he takes them quite away and effaceth them by the grace of the holy Ghost which renders vs new creatures we conceiue that we are to combine all these expressions to forme a compleate Idea or notion of the iustification of a sinner we doe therefore beleeue that our sinns are not only couered but intirely effaced by the blood of CHRIST IESVS and by the grace by which we are regenerated and this perswasion is so farr from detracting from that image we ought to frame of the merit of that blood as quite contrary it indeareth and eleuateth the value of it for by this meanes the righteousnes of Christ is not simply imputed but actually imparted to the faithfull by the operation of the holy Ghost in so much as they are not only imputed but euen rendered righteous by the grace of Christ. If our righteousnes were only in the sight of man it would not be the operation of the holy Ghost it must then be iustice euen before God since it is God himself who produceth it in vs by an effusion of his charity vpon our harts It is notwithstanding but too true that the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and we all offend in many things Wherefore albeit our righteousnes be a true one by the infusion of Charity yet is it no perfect one by reason of the combat between it our concupiscence so that the sighing and sorrowing of a soule repenting her sinns performes the most necessary duty of Christian righteousnes which obligeth vs to confesse with S. Augustin that our righteousnes in this life consists rather in the remission of our sinns then in the perfection of our virtues Wherefore as to the point of Merit imputed to our workes the Catholique Church teacheth that Eternall life ought to be proposed to the children of God both as a Grace mercifully promised by the meanes of our Sauior IESVS CHRIST and as a Reward which is faithfully rendred to their good workes and to their deserts in virtue of that promise these are the expresse termes of the Councel of Trent but least the pride of humane nature should be flattered by the opinion of a persuming Merit the same Councel determineth that all the worth and value of Christian good workes is deriued from that sanctifying grace which is freely conferr'd vpon vs in the name of CHRIST JESVS and that is an effect of the continuall influence of that diuine head vpon his depending members True it is indeed that the exhortations the promises the menaces and reproaches of the Gospel doe declare sufficiently that we are to worke our saluation by the motion actings of our own wills concurring with the Grace of God which assists vs but it is a fixt principle that free will can performe nothing in order to Eternall beatitude but by the same degrees it is moued and eleuated by the holy Ghost Whereupon the Church knowing that it is the holy spirit which worketh in vs by his Grace all the good we doe she ought to rest perswaded that the good workes of the faithfull are very acceptable to God of great estimation in his sight and she doth rightfully vse the terme of Merit concurrently with all Christian Antiquity cheefly to signify the value dignity of our workes which we performe by the motion of his Grace But by reason all their sanctity is deriued from God who workes them in vs the same Church hath receiued from the Councel of Trent as the Doctrine of the Catholique Faith this saying of S. August that God crowns his own Gifts when he crowns the Merits of his seruants We intreate all such as loue truth peace to be pleased to read the whole context of the Councel of Trent's words that they once be disabused and deliuered from those wrong impressions which are suggested to them of our Docctrine Notwithstanding we discerne cleerly say the fathers of that Councel that the holy scriptures esteeme so much Good woorks that IESVS-CHRIST himself promiseth that a cupp of cold water giuen a poor body shall not want its reward and that the Apostle declareth that a moment of light payne suffered in this world shall produce an Eternall weight of glory yet God forbid that a Christian should trust glory in himself and not in our Lord whose goodness towards Man is so aboundant that he allowes his own Guifts to them to be accounted their Merits This Doctrine is spread through the whole Councel which teacheth in an other session that we who are not sufficient to doe

perfection of the new man Their diuine institution is extant in the holy scripture either by the expresse words of CHRIST who established them or by that Grace which by testimony of the same scripture is annexed vnto them and inferreth necessarily God's ordayning them By reason that infants can not supply their own want of Baptisme by the acts of Faith Hope and Charity nor by their vows desire of receauing this Sacrament we beleeue that if they doe not actually receaue it they haue no part of communication of the Grace of our Redemption and consequently dying in Adam they haue no part in JESVS-CHRIST It is fitt to obserue here that the Lutherans concurr with the Catholique Church in holding the absolute necessity of Baptisme for Infants and withall wonder that any one hath presumed to deny a truth which no one before Caluin had euer dared to call in question so deeply was it imprinted in the minds of all the faithful Notwithstanding this the Pretended-Reformers make no scruple willfully to lett their children dye as the Infidels doe without bearing any marke of Christianity and depriued of all the grace that belongs to it if the death of the child happen before the day of their Congregation The imposition of hands practised by the Apostles in order to the confirming fortifying the faithfull against persecutions deriuing the principall efficacy from the internall descent of the holy Ghost the infusion of his guifts ought not to haue bin reiected by our Aduersaries vpon this pretext that the holy spirit doth no longer descend visibly vpon vs no more then it is by all the Christian Churches who haue religiously continued it euer since the Apostles and make vse also of the holy Chrisme to demonstrate the virtue of that Sacrament by a more expresse and sensible representation of the interiour Vnction of the holy spirit We beleeue CHRIST IESVS hath bin pleased to ordaine that those who haue subiected themselues to the Authority of the Chruch by their Baptisme and after this engagement haue transgressed the lawes of the Gospel should be bound to vndergoe the iudgment of the same Church at the tribunal of Pennance where she doth exercise the power conferr'd vpon her to remitt or to reteyn sinns The termes of the commission granted to the Churches Ministers to absolue sinns are so large and general that without great temerity the power can not be restreyned only vnto publick and notorious offences and when they pronounce Absolution in the name of CHRIST JESVS since they doe but follow the expresse termes of their commission the sentence is reputed as giuen by CHRIST himself in whose place they are appointed as Iudges It is this inuisible High-Priest who absolueth interiourly the Penitent whilst the Priest exerciseth the exteriour ministery This Penitentiall iudicature being so necessary a curbe for our licentiousnesse so aboundant a spring of pious and prudent aduises so sensible a consolation to soules afflicted for their sinns when Absolution is not only declared to them in generall termes as the Protestant Ministers doe practise but giuen them in particular and the Penitent effectualy absolued by the commission of CHRIST IESVS vpon a perfect examination and a right vnderstanding of the case we can not possibly beleeue that our Adversaries can contemplate so many good consequences without resenting their losse and feeling some shame of such an abusiue Reformation which hath abrogated so holy so beneficial a practise The holy Ghost hauing annexed vnto Extreame-Vnction by the testimony of S. Iames an expresse promise of remission of sinns and ease vnto the sick party there is nothing wanting vnto this most holy ceremony towards the cōstituting it a true Sacrament We must only obserue that according to the Doctrine of the Councel of Trent the sick are more releeued in respect of their soules then their bodyes and the spiritual benefit is alwayes the principal ayme obiect of the new law it is that also we ought absolutely to expect from this holy Vnction supposing we are rightly disposed for it whereas our corporal eases and releifs in our infirmitys are afforded vs only as relating to our eternal health according to the secret and hidden dispositions of Diuine Prouidence and the seueral degrees of preparation and faith which are already acting in the soules of the faithful When we shall seriously cōsider that IESVS-CHRIST hath induced a new forme into the state of Marriage reducing this holy society vnto two persons immutably indissolubly vnited when we shall reflect that this inseparable coniunction is made the signe of his Eternall vnion with his Church we shall find little difficulty to comprehend that the Marriage of the faithfull is accompanied with the Grace of the holy Spirit we will easily praise the Diuine goodnes which hath bin pleased to sanctify in this manner the spring and deriuation of our birth The imposition of hands which the Ministers of holy matters receaue being accompanied with so present and actual a virtue of the holy Ghost and so intire an infusion of Grace is duly reckoned in the number of the Sacraments and we must confesse that our Aduersaries doe not absolutely exclude the Consecration of Ministers but they reiect it only from the number of the Sacraments which are common to the whole Church We are now at last come to the question of the Eucharist or Blessed Sacrament wherein it will be requisite to explaine more amply our Doctrine and yet not passing farr beyond the bounds which we haue prescribed to our selues The reall presence of the Body and Blood of our Lord in this Sacramēt is solidy established by the words of the institution which we vnderstand litterally and there is no more reason to aske vs why we tye our selues to the proper litterall sence then to question a traueller why he followeth the great high-way It is their part that resort to figuratiue senses and choose such by-paths to shew a reason of this their deuiation As for vs who perceaue nothing in the words which CHRIST IESVS vsed for the institution of this Mystery that obligeth vs to take them in a figuratiue sense we conceaue this reason sufficient to settle and determine our receauing them in their proper and litterall signification But we find our selues yet more strictly tyed vnto it when we considerately examine the intention of the sonne of God in this mystery which I will explaine in the cleerest and easiest termes I can possibly and by such principles as I conceaue our Aduersaries can not disagree in I say then that these words of our Sauiour Take and eate this is my Body giuen for you shew vs that as the ancient Iews did not simply vnite themselues in spirit vnto the immolation or killing of the victimes which were offered for them but did effectually eate of the Sacrificed flesh which was a signe

this solemne Com̄emoration IESVS-CHRIST hath ordained vs to make doth exclude the Reall presence of his Flesh that the contrary is euident that this tender reflexion he would haue vs make at the holy table on him as offered vp for vs is grounded vpon his Flesh's being Really receaued since in effect it is not possible for vs to forget that he hath giuen his Body vp in sacrifice for vs when we finde that he continueth still to giue vs dayly that victime for our orall manducation Shall Christians vpon pretence of celebrating in the Supper the Memory of our Sauiour's Passion retrench from this pious Commemoration that part which is the most affectiue and most efficacious therein Ought they not consider that CHRIST IESVS doth not command that we should barely remember him but that we should remember him by feeding on his Flesh and Blood Lett vs reflect vpon the consequence and powerfulnes of the words Christ saith not simply as the Pretending Reformers seeme to vnderstand him that the Bread and the Wine of the Eucharist should be a Memorial of his Body and Blood but the telleth vs that in doing what he prescribed that is in taking his Body and his Blood we should be Mindful of him And can there be any thing in effect more powerful to produce in vs the remembrance of it If children reflect so tenderly vpon their father and his kindenes when they approach the tombe where his body is enclosed how powerfully ought our loue and memory to be excited and indeared when we possesse vnder those sacred couerings and vnder that mystical tombe the Flesh it self of our Sauiour immolated for vs that liuing and life-giuing Flesh and this Blood still warme by the feruor of his loue and full of spirit and grace If our Aduersaries persist to alledge that he who commandeth vs to remember him doth not giue us his proper Substance we may desire them to agree amongst themselues They professe not to deny the Reall communication of the proper Substance of the sonne of God in the Blessed Sacrament if their profession be serious if their Doctrine be not a meere delusion they must needs auowe with vs that Remembrance doth not exclude all manner of Presence but only that which moueth the senses and so their answer is the same with ours since when we affirme that IESVS-CHRIST is present we accord at the same time that he is not existing in a sensible manner And if we are ask'd the reason we beleeuing as we doe that there is nothing to satisfy our senses in this mystery why we doe not grant that it is sufficient CHRIST IESVS should be present in it by our Faith we may very easily answer cleare this equivocal demande It is one thing to say that the son̄e of God is present to vs by Faith and an other to say that we know by Faith that he is present The first manner of speaking imports only a Moral presence the second doth signify a very Reall one because our Faith is most certaine and this Reall presence known by our Faith sufficeth to worke in the iust who liueth by Faith all the effects which I haue specified But to defeate at once all the equiuocations vnder which the Caluinists couer their opinions in this point and to discouer at the same time how neere they approach to vs although I haue vndertaken only to deliuer and explicate the Doctrine of the Catholique Church it will not be amisse here to insert theirs Their Doctrine is deuided into two partys or sects the one speaks only of the Figure of the Body and Blood the other of nothing but the Reality of them both we shall examine in their due orders each one of these different parties In the first place they alledge that this great miracle of the Reall presence which we admit is no way needful that it sufficeth for our saluation that IESVS-CHRIST dyed for vs that this Sacrifice is sufficiently apply'd by our Faith and this application is fully certified by the word of God they and further that if this word ought to be cloath'd with sensible signes the giuing vs simple and bare Symboles such as water in Baptisme would haue bin sufficiēt without the necessity of drawing down from heauen the Body and Blood of CHRIST IESVS Nothing seemes more easy then after this manner to explicate the Sacrament of the Lord's-Supper and yet our Aduersaries themselues haue not iudged that they ought to rest and acquiesce in this exposition They know that the like imaginations haue drawn the Socinians to deny the miracle of the Incarnation Those Heretiques alledge that God could haue saued vs without going so farre about he had nothing to doe but forgiue our sinns he could haue instructed vs sufficiently both in point of Doctrine and Manners by the Words and by the Example of a man fill'd with the holy Ghost without being obliged for that effect to make a God of him But the Caluinists as well as we haue discern'd the weakenesse of this argument which is euident first by reason that it is not our part to deny or assure the mysteries of Religion according to our own iudgment of their being vsefull or vnnecessary for our saluation God alone is possess'd of the secret and our part is the rendring them profitable and beneficiall to vs by beleeuing them such as God promiseth them and in receauing his graces and fauours in the same manner as he bestoweth them Secondly without entring into this question whether it was possible for God to saue vs by any other meanes then the Incarnation and Death of his sonne and embroyling vs in that vselesse dispute which the Pretending Reformers debate so teadiously in their schooles it sufficeth to haue learnt by the holy scriptures that the sonne of God hath bin pleased to demonstrate his loue by effects which to vs are incomprehensible This loue was the motiue of that so Reall vnion by which he made himself Man This loue perswaded him to immolate and offer vp for vs his body as Really as he assumed it All these designes are consequent to one an other and this infinite loue holds the same height throughout all the strayns motions thereof So that when he shall be pleased to bring each single child of his by vniting himself to him particularly to tast and partake the goodnesse which he hath express'd to all in generall he will find meanes to accomplish his will by things as powerfull and efficacious as those which he hath already fulfill'd for our saluation We ought not therefore to wonder at his giuing vnto euery one of vs the Reall Substance of his Flesh and Blood He intends by it to imprint in our harts this verity that it was for our sakes that he assumed them and offered them vp in Sacrifice This preceding goodnes renders all the sequence easy to be beleeued the order of his mysteries disposeth vs to credit all this and his expresse