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	temple_n	7,031	5	7.9574	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12703	The high vvay to Heaven by the cleare light of the Gospell cleansed of a number of most dangerous stumbling stones thereinto throwen by Bellarmine and others In a treatise made vpon the 37. 38. and 39. verses of the 7. of Iohn: wherein is so handled the most sweete and comfortable doctrine of the true vnion and communication of Christ and his Church, and the contrarie is so confuted, as that not onely thereby also summarilie and briefly, and yet plainly all men may learne rightly to receiue the sacrament of Christs blessed bodie and blood, but also how to beleeue and to liue to saluation. And therefore entitled The highway to Heauen. By Thomas Sparke Doctor of Diuinitie.	Sparke, Thomas, 1548-1616.	1597 (1597)	STC 23021; ESTC S102434	161,682	384

that we vnderstand not that as spoken of the essence or being of the holy Ghost least we fall into the herisie of the Nacedonians who denied the Godheade of the holy Ghost for so he hath beene from euerlasting according to our catholike faith God coetarnall and coequall with the Father and the Sonne And therefore the Psalmist speakeing so therof saith by the word of God were the heanens made and by the spirit of his mouth all the powers thereof Psal 33. Vers 6. And therefore our Creede Baptisme binde vs aswell to beleeue in the holy Ghost as in GOD the Father or in GOD the Sonne And when Christ was baptized as Math. testifieth that there was a voice hearde from Heauen from the Father This is my welbeloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased so hee saith that Iohn Baptist saw the Spirite of GOD descending like a Doue and lighting vpon him Math. 3. Vers 16. 17. Iohn therefore must be vnderstood to speake thus not of the essence or being of the holic Ghost but of the giftes and graces thereof in some further measure than as yet when Christ made this promise they had beene ordinarily giuen vnto them that beleeued in him And I saide aduisedly and of purpose thus for it is most cleare and euident that before this all the Saintes and seruantes of GOD that beleeued in GOD feared him and beleeued in him had the Spirit of God and the giftes and graces thereof in good measure without which they could not haue done so as they did so to do being as it is the speciall worke of the holy Ghost as it is knowne well inough to be And of Simeon doe we not reade in plaine tearmes before this that the holy Ghost was vpon him and that a reuelation was giuen him of the holy Ghost that hee should not see death before he had seene the Lord Christ and that he came by the motion of the spirit into the Temple c. Luke 2.25 c And in deede by yeelding his reason of his speach as he doth saying for Iesus was not yet glorified he giueth vs to vnderstand that his speach is to be but vnderstood by way of comparison and not simply And thus both August in his 32. Tract vpon Iohn and Chrysostome in his 50. Homile vpon this place before me expound it For Augustine there after that he had shewed that Christes wordes can neither be vnderstood of the essence of the holy Ghost which hath beene with the Father from euerlasting nor yet simply of the giftes thereof for that many both in the old Testament and new as there he declareth had good measure thereof his determination is that modus futurus erat dationis huius qui emnino antea non apparuerat that is that yet there should be a manner of giuing thereof which was ueuer seene before whereof this is spoken saith hee And the other in the foresaide place of his most plainly expoundeth the Riuers of water of life largiorem spiritus gratiam more large grace of the Spirit than was giuen before And therefore also both of them there shewe that by the Belly we are to vnderstand the heart and conscience of the inward man answerable to the inwarde drinke and thirst spoken of here by Christ And so often in the olde Testament the Prophets hauing an eye to the wonderfull measure of Gods grace and plentifulnes of Gods spirit that should be powredour vpon the Church the Messias being come though in very deede they speake but by comparison and so of necessitie must be vnderstoode for elsewhere very plainly they shewe that the spirit of God was in good measure vpon them selues and vpon others then yet they vtter the promises of God touching his powring out of his Spirit then as though it were a new thing that hee had neuer done before as you may see and beholde in the 44. of Esay and in the 2. of Ioell in the places before alleaged And thus also must Christes owne saying Iohn 16.7 of necessitie be vnderstoode it is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away the Comforter will not come vnto you but if I depart I will send him vnto you for before that it appeareth they beleeued in him to whome he so spake Iohn 6.69 For there Peter in all their names saith we beleeue and know that thou art the Sonne of the liuing God which is a fruite of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 And before his ascention and glorification it was that he breathed vpon them and saide receiue yee the holie Ghost Iohn 20.22 wherefore before in some measure the Comforter was giuen them Indeede after his ascention as we may see he shewed himselfe mindfull of his promise to the full Act. 2. in furnishing them so vpon the sudden with all giftes meete for their calling as that they were filled with the holy Ghost and Spake with other tongues as the Spirit gaue them vtterance If any be now desirous to know why this plentifull and most powrefull furnishing of his with such giftes graces from aboue was reserued to follow as a fruite effect and consequent of his ascention and glorification let him vnderstand that in the infinite wisdome and prouidence of GOD it was that so it might be made manifest vnto his Church to begette in the same a stronge and liuely hope that as by his humiliation and abasemente he had obtained and purchased for it eternall redemption so now by his exaltation and aduancemente he was so setled at the right hande of his Father that he was able to poure downe vpon the same all giftes and graces necessarie to the effectuall applying and sealing the same thereunto So that thenceforth none neede doubte but that he hath gone through with the worke of our redemption and saluation and that as heade and husband ouer his Church he can and will guide decke and surnish the same with all the rich treasures of the graces of GOD which dwell and rest in him as in the fountaine beyonde all measure that of his ouerflowing and infinite fullnes euery member thereof might receiue inough to bring it to perfection in him as most notably Paule teacheth Ephes 4. Vers 9. c. But yet neither Christ nor Iohn heere are so to bee vnderstoode as though this promise of Christ heere were limited and to bee extended noe further than to those vpon whom after his assention in that extraordinary manner he bestowed his spirite the giftes thereof though I cannot but thinke they had an especiall and first eye vnto them as vnto the first fruites of all the rest that shoulde follow For doubtles as Christ requireth all that he spake of before that thirst to come vnto him to drinke and to beleeue in him as saith the Scripture and therefore lookes for all this at the handes of euery true member of his mysticall bodie the church so the thing promised appertaineth and is common to them all

possest there also the possessour may be assured that with him he possesseth all those things also And yet these men no not their Bellarmine can abide any of these but it shall be inough with them him also to beleeue there is remission of sins accompanying baptisme to be had by him in him in the Church that there is such a mercy of God that is able to saue and that the righteousnesse of Christ may be as he is our head ours in such a sort that it may be the efficient cause of an inherent righteousnes in our selves able to earne heauen by but particularlie especially for vs to beleeue that we shall without all doubt haue all our sinnes forgiuen vs that we are sure of this mercie and haue this righteousnesse of his imputed vnto vs as our owne whereby we shall and may be righteous before God at no hand they can abide As though he that sticketh not to giue vs his sonne God and man to be our verie owne so that we are his and he ours would not or could not together with him giue vs these things also Yea how can he withold them giuing vs his sonne seeing these and he goe alway togither But to proceede This vniō is not carnall but spirituall this vnion of ours and cōmunion with Christ though it must be certain reall true in refpect of the things to be vnited yet in regard of the manner of vniting them we must not imagine it to be any grosse or earthly commixtion or cōiunction with him such as is with vs the mingling or ioyning togither of any creatures that in themselues are diuerse but that it is altogither in respect of the manner spirituall and supernaturall and yet neuerthelesse true and certaine though it be both vnsearchable and vnutterable For let a man fearch all the scriptures thorow and an other communion and fellowship with Christ whereupon saluation commeth then that which is spirituall he shall nether finde eyther promised expected or performed In deede it was both promised and thereupon expected and performed that Godhead and manhood shoulde be vnited togither in one person that so man who by sinne had lost his vnion communion and fellowship with God might recouer the same againe in and by that person and by that which he should accomplish in those two natures for him But as the personall vnion of these two natures in one Christ as by our Catholicke faith we are perswaded is reall certaine and sure so we finde it yet by humaine sense and reason incomprehensible and yet by the power of the eternall spirite by the same faith we are taught vndoubtedly to beleeue it was so verily effected for our euerlasting good A communicating of the merits of this Christ God and man vnto those that belezue in him by imputation there is we knowe For the righteousnes of God is on all and vpon all that beleene in him Rom. 3.22 which is a righteousnes that such attaine vnto by faith in him not made manifest by the lawe as the inherent righteousnesse of our owne merits if there were any such as men knowe is as both in that verse and that which goeth before is shewed But without the inhabitation of the spirit of God proceeding both from the Father and the Sonne the worke whereof faith is Iohn 6.29 Gal. 5.22 we cannot attaine heereunto Howbeit heere we talke not eyther of the vnion of the two natures in the person of one Christ nor yet of his communicating of his merits vnto vs by imputation nor of his dwelling in vs by his spirit but of his owne vniting and communicating of himselfe both God and man vnto vs. For consisting of those two natures heere in my text he biddeth vs to come vnto him and as I haue shewed to drinke of him which if once we duelie performe then we withal euen thereby are sure of all the benefits necessary to our saluation that by any of these we may looke for Now Paule when he spoke most plainely of this saying We are members of his body of his flesh of his bones Ephes 5.30 to assure vs that it is reall and essentiall yea and most certaine in respect of the thinges to be vnited Christ his members yet within two verses after he confesseth and saith that it is a great mystery that he speaketh of thereby also shewing that in respect of the manner of vniting of them it is supernaturall and vnsearchable by humaine sen̄se and reason howbeit this is our comfort that though we cannot conceiue it whiles we are heere and our knowledge is vnperfect that yet Christ our sauiour to our vnspeakeable consolation hath tolde vs that the day shall come when his shall knowe By the spirit it is obtained That he is to the father they in him and he in them Io. 14.20 In the meane time thus much it hath pleased him to reueale vnto vs by the worde that it is the holie Ghost the vertie spirit of God without which this cannot be and by the means whereof this vnion and communion is made betwixt Christ and vs. For it is written as vttered by Christ himselfe Io. 3.5 Except a man be borne againe of water and the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God And Paule most plainelie saieth Rom. 8.9 If any man haue not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his And likewise Saint Iohn 1. Epist cap. 4. vers 13. writeth that by this we knowe that Christ is in vs by his spirit that he hath giuen vs. Paule also to this purpose verie notablie saith by one spirite we are all baptized into one bodie and haue beene all made to drinke into one spirite 1. Cor. 12.13 And therefore vpon verie good ground hath the ancient father Irenaeus who liued in the next age to the Apostles in his third booke and 19. chapter against the heresies of the Valentinians and others written most sweetely and profoundlie Sicut de arido tritico massa vna fierinon potest neque vnus panis ita nec nos multi vnum fieri in Christo Iesu poteramus sine aqua qnae de coelo est sicut arida terra si non percipiat humorem non fruclificat sic nos lignum aridum existentes primùm nunquam fructificaremus vitam sine superna voluntaria pluuia that is As of drie wheate neyther one lumpe of dowe nor one loafe can be made so neyther we beeing many could euer haue beene made one in Christ Iesu without water from heauen and as the drie earth fructifieth not without moysture so we being first but dry wood could neuer haue had our fruit to be eternall life without voluntarie raine from aboue Which in the same place he interpreteth to be the spirit of God which God bestoweth vpon his Which Chrisosiom in his Homilie at Pentecost of the holy spirit calleth the coupling or band of the vnion betwixt Christ and his Further to

And we finde by lamentable experience in Iudas that he bringing vnto this table though neuer so much shew of pietie knowledge honestie and goodnes yet for that he came as an hollow hearted hypocrite in a purpose to goe on with the treason that for wages he had vndertaken the Deuill immediately vpon his beeing there entred into him and so he neuer ceased vntill he had accomplished his wicked purpose and after by desperate murdering of himselfe had shewed himselfe to be the childe of perdition as we may read most plainely in the storie of the Gospell Iohn 13.27 c. Howe therefore with anie reason may we thinke that we can come vnto the Lordes table there by receiuing of this Sacrament to growe in vnion and communion with Christ and yet be in such palpable ignorance and darkenesse and in such loue with errour and iniquitie as very many that come thither both by their liues before after shew themselues to be If the sonne and heire of our Prince at any time though but in his swathing cloathes should be offered vnto vs to holde in our armes whatsoeuer we had in our handes we woulde readilie let fall to doe that seruice and so to be honoured how much more to put on the Lord Iesus the onely begotten Sonne of God the King of all kinges yea to receiue him into our verie selues to be one with vs should we hastily cast away and lay aside the world the flesh and the deuill and all the wicked lustes and fruites of these If Dauid therefore Psal 24.9 in spirite foreseeing that the Arke which was but a signe and figure of Gods presence amongst the Iewes shoulde one day be brought in by the doores of the Temple to be placed therein before the Temple beganne to be built did crie as he did Lift vp your heades ye gates and lift vp your selues ye euerlasting doers and the king of glorie shall come in let me vpon iuster and greater occasion cry and call vpon euerie one that woulde that Christ shoulde enter into them receiuing this Sacrament lift vp your heartes and be lift vp your selues from all the fruites of the fleshe that this King of glorie may enter in indeede Paule for the sectes and factions and namely for their eating and drinking in the Idoll Temples of meate sacrificed vnto them howsoeuer otherwise they seemed to detest idolatrie and for their lacke of loue that they shewed towardes the poore in their loue-feastes in not tarrying for them gaue the Corinthians to vnderstand that they did so vnworthily eate of this bread and drinke of this cup that they made themselues guiltie of the bodie and blood of Christ are and dranke their owne damnation and that many slept and were weake amongst them as by conference of the tenth and eleuenth chapters together of the first Epistle written vnto them it appeareth How can we then but tremble at the consideration of Gods iudgementes due vnto vs for our vnworthie partaking hereof there beeing such contentions and varieties of opinions amongst some of vs as there bee and besides such a number of other farre grosser sinnes amongst vs then these of the Corinthians were Let vs therefore take Paules remedie that is iudge our selues for this and doe no more so that so we may escape the iudgement of the Lorde 1. Cor. 11.31.32 Yet I would not haue you take me so It is oft to be receiued as though my drift or meaning herein were eyther quite to discourage you from comming or at least to driue you not to come but verie seldome for feare of vnworthy comming For I am not ignorant that Paules saying As often as ye shall eate this breade and drinke this cup ye shewe the Lordes death vntill he come 1. Cor. 11.26 sheweth that it standes very well with the will and pleasure of God that men should often be partakers thereof And therefore it is well knowne it was the fashion of the Primitiue Church vsually euerie Sabbaoth day to communicate And there are great reasons which he that would be accounted a Christian indeede and so to haue faith and knowledge fit for this businesse should not dare to refuse to receiue when he may For to be inuited vnto this table ●o be bid to the mariage of the Kings Sonne the refusall to come whereunto vpon what minde or pretence soeuer we finde so dangerous Math. 22. that both destruction heere and perpetuall exclusion on shutting from the mariage feast is threatned them Vers 7. c. And euerie one may see it is to refuse a most notable meanes to strengthen our faith wherof the strongest in faith stand neede or at least it is plainely to bewray our selues to be such as for want of charitie or for some other grieuous sinne that we know by our selues we think not our selues fit to come So to see our sinnes and to iudge our selues for the same is not altogether to be condemned But yet dearely beloued you must vnderstand that if withall we be heartilie sorie for these our sinnes and purpose vnfainedly amendment and are willing according to the nature and qualitie of our sinnes to giue vnfained testimonie thereof eyther particularly and priuately if that be enough or more publikly if the case so require that is no sufficient reason to keepe vs from this table For the more we see our wants and imperfections yea our faultes and sinnes if withall we rightly repent therof hauing knowledge faith in Christ Iesus right sound though weake and imperfect yet it is verie fit and necessarie that we come to this table so to grow on in all these For it is prepared for hungrie and thirstie soules after Christ and not for proud Pharisies that are puft vp with a conceit of their owne righteousnesse and worthinesse The impenitent and vnbeleeners eate not nor drinke the bodie and blood of Christ at al Indeede they that are destitute of all sound knowledge and faith and shew it by their continuing and going on in errour and impietie and hypocrites that haue none of the things they should haue but in shew are simplie vnworthie to be admitted and they whensoeuer they come make themselues guiltie of the bodie and blood of Christ for refusing it or not hauing wherewith or whereby totake it and so eate the bread drinke of the cup to their damnation And my speach tendes therefore eyther to prouoke such to be repentant and to become new creatures in Christ Iesus or else vntill indeed and trueth by examining of themselues they finde themselues to be in the faith so therby in Christ Iesus lamenting their miserable state and condition there whiles to abstaine For as the couenant belongs not to such whiles they are such so no more doth the feale of the couenant For them therefore by comming to snatch at the seale hauing nothing to doe with the couenant they as much as in them lies prophane the couenant and the author