Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A19747
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A protestation against popery by way of a confession of Christian religion collected for the benefit of private friends
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I. D., fl. 1607.; Dunster, John, attributed name.
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1607
(1607)
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STC 6172; ESTC S117486
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16,972
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41
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in their owne esteeme and valeue if examined according to the precise rule of the decalogue lex spiritualis est ego autem homo carnalis and in the district iudgment of God and therfore away with meritt and let vs say with St. Augustine Vae laudabili etiam vitae hominum sire motâ misericordiâ discutias eam Domine and assuredlie every one of vs may confesse with Anselmus Terret me vita mea naÌ„ diligenter discussa apparet mihi aut peccatum aut sterilitas tota vita mea God maketh his will knowne two manner of waies 1. By his workes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which I haue spoken in the creation 2. In his word Of the word of God Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the substantiall word of God of whom before But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the enunciatiue and created word of god called somtimes simpy the scriptures somtimes with an Emphasis the holy Rom. 12. and sacred 2. Tim. 3. ch scriptures That they are 1. The word of God 2. Sufficient to saluation 3. Plaine and therfore to be translated 4. By whom they are to haue their sence I acknowledg all these books which make vp the body of holy writt which we call the holy scriptures to be inspired by the holie Ghost and to be vndoubtedly the true word of God of which I am perswaded not so much by the iudgment of the Church as for these reasons following 1. From the Maiestie of God speaking in the scriptures for in them nothing is set downe in so easie and simple forme of words but I doe perceaue characters engrauen by the finger of God et genium humano maiorem 2. From the efficacie of the scripture for me thinkes while I read my hart doth burne within me as the harts of the 2 disciples that went with Christ to Emaus so that J confesse with the Prophet Surely as the raigne coÌ„meth downe and the snow from heauen and returneth not thither againe but watereth the earth and causeth it to bring forth and bud so is my word that goeth out of my mouth it shall not returne vnto me void but it shall accomplish that I will and prosper in the thing whereto I sent it This I confesse against all those Vatican Rabsakes who hauing adamant harts the which the spirit of the Lord cannot pierce doe impeach the power of this word Hosius that doth call it or approues it to be called egenum quoddam elementum Stephen Palâ—…tus rem inanimatam Melchior Canus mortuum iudicem Eckius more blasphemously atramentariam scripturam and I condemne Angelus Politianus as blasphemous that preferred Pindarus his Odes before the Psalmes of Dauid Quid palea ad triticum Nonne verbum meum est instar ignis dicit Iehouah tanquam malleus conterens petram 3 FroÌ„ the event of prophesies every one compleat in his proper time although foretolde long before to wit The people of Israels bondage in Aegypt and delivery from thence The kingdome to continue in the line of Iudah vntil Christ came in the flesh The prophesie of Iosias given by name three hundred years before his cradle The captivity into Babylon freedome by Cyrus The time place and manner of Christs birth The reiection of the Jews calling of the Gentiles So that God might wel proclaime of himselfe as it is in Isay I am God there is none other there is nothing like me which declare the last things from the beginning from of old the things c. saying my councell shall stand and I will doe what soever I will eveÌ„ so good Lord thy word is the word of Truth yea as one of thy Apostles hath it more Emphatically 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is truth it selfe and one iod therof shall not fall vnto the ground vnfulfilled for though the Scheme of the world were a way and the Prophets doe not liue for euer yet thou ó lord with thy Angels wilt come to performe their prophesies in their moments 4 And especially from the testimony of the spirit of God which persuadeth vnto our soules and consciences the vndoubted truth of that word which some doe contemne and deride as foollishnesse and hence I iudge it to be that martyrs being resolued by the powerfull perswasion of this spirit of the truth hereof doe boldly offer to seale the same with their blood protesting that nothing shall remoue them from profession of this truth * non minae non blandi menta non vita non mors non palatium non satellites vin non imperator non imperium non homines non daemones 2 I beleue that almighty god hath made knowne vnto vs in his written word so much of his will as is sufficient for the instruction of the faithfull without the patching too of Traditions So that I account that Canon of the Councel of Trent to be blasphemous by which it is prouided that Traditions are to be receiued paripietatis affectu with the written word of God and concerning Traditions J am wont to say with St. Ambrose Quod non legi vsurpare non debeo That which J finde not in the scripture ether expressed or deducable by easy consequence I ought not to vse and againe Caeli mysterium me doceat Deus qui me condidit non homo qui se ipsum ignorauit and with Origene Non sum aliorum sermonuÌ„ discipulus nisi caelestum 3 This scripture so sufficient I acknowledge to be easy and facile fitted to the capacitie of the simplest whose vnderstanding God hath not shut vp in that iudgment vobis non datum est nosse misteria regni â—… 12. so that the weaklin in faith thence may draw milke for his weake stomack and the more able Christian may haue stronger meat to better his groath in the mystery of faith wherfore J could wish that the scriptures were permitted to every nation â—…ee say of â—…oâ—…e as S. â—…m of â—…ehem unqueâ—…teris a â—…situam alieluâ—…cantas â—…ans 〈◊〉 psalâ—… a voâ—…curua â—…aens 〈◊〉 falce â—…n aliâ—… Daui â—…n canâ—…it inep and language vnder heauen in their owne familiar tongue that so euery maÌ„ may haue and read them to his comfort for why should I not wish that the spirit of God did not only rest vpon Moses and the seauenty ancient men in the book of Numbers but that Eldaed and Medaed yea and all the Lords people were prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit vpon them But since Scripturae non sunt in legendo sed in intelligendo as St. Hilary well obserueth and seeing in them somthings are so difficult as that we may truely saie with the Eunuch to Philip Quomodo possum intelligere si non aliquis viam praemonstret mihi J would haue you for the sence of scripture not to advise with humane reasoÌ„ which is blind in matters of piety nor 2 with any Swenfeldian Enthusiast that vaunts of immediate reuelations
I haue redeemed thee Reioice yee heavens for the Lorde hath done it showt ye lower parts of the earth burst forth into praises ô ye mountaines ô forrest and every tree therin for the Lord hath redeemed Iacob and will be glorified in Israell I beleiue that God J doe not say approued or suggested or furthered but permitted and directed and J may truly say willed and ordeined the fall of Adam that therby he might take occasion to manifest his glory that in two respects 1 In erecting a consistorie and tribunall for his iustice 2 Jn exposing to the view of all men the inexhaustible treasure of his rich mercy or that J may speake in the words of a prophet In opening of a fountaine of mercy to the house of Dauid and to the Inhabitants of Ierusalem and to all the Israel of god for sinne and for vncleannes Concerning the first J confesse that there can no other reasoÌ„ be assigned of the reiection of the wicked but that of Christ in the Gospell Etiam pater quia sic placuit tibi or to speak to the capacity of the ignoraÌ„t but the alone absolute wil of God ordeining and as J may so speak adiudging to distruction the wicked before they were preseÌ„ted vpon the stage of the world or had done either good or evill For hath the potter power of a lump of clay to make a vessel to dishonour and shall not the almighty Iehouah by his vnlimited transcendent power ordeine vessells of wrath for the euill day and for destruction Seing he is the lord in the parable of Matthew who said AnnoÌ„ licet mihi quod volo facere in meis yet againe J confesse that God condemneth not into hell any man but for sinnes and trespaces for I hold this to be a true position in diuinity that sinne is not the cause of reiection yet may be and indeed is the meritorious and impulsiue cause of damnation wherefore whosoever thou art that settest thy face against heaueÌ„ openest thy mouth in blasphemies against God lay thy hand vpon thy mouth and look back vnto the fall of Adam and consider what thou broughtest with thee froÌ„ thy natiuitie and from thy fathers house Doe not censure God in thy blasphemous thoughts as if vpon lust only and not of deserued iustice he did award sentence of condemnatioÌ„ against thee and J could also wish that many men would be more sparing to scann this doctrine chose rather to admire and magnifie then strictly to examine by the Canon of our reason the secret and hiddeÌ„ will of God saying with St. Paul ô the deepnes both of the wisdome and knowledg of God how vnsearchable are his iudgments and his waies past finding out And with St. Augustine Disputare vis mecum mirare mecum et exclaema ô altitudo Ambo consentiamus in pauore ne in errore pereamus Concerning the second I beleue that all men being infected from Adams sinne not only with imputatiue guilt as Pighius would haue it but by naturall corruption also as S. Paule avoucheth haue iust cause inhering and residing in them at their birth for which they should be reiected of God and left weltering in their filthy blood to the contempt of their person yea to be sent into hell to haue their originall impietie expiated with brimstone but that God for the glorie and riches of his mercy being loath to wreak his fury in the generall perdition of all mankind not of foreseene either woorkes or faith but of his good pleasure and only meere mercy hath called some out of the cursed estate of al mankind on whom to bestow fauout and the kingdome of his loue ordaineing them in his secret câ—…unsell to be Citizens with the Angels of the heauenly Ierusalem and heires of heauen coheires with Christ And doth call them at due time some at the third hower and some at the eleventh if not outwardly all by his word yet inwardly all by the hidden vertue and efficatious power of his holy spirit out of the power of darcknes to be of the houshold of God and in the bosome of the Church there to be consecrated by Baptisme nourished at the Lords table instructed by the word gouerned by his spirit and euen then he bestoweth vpon them his Beloued with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he giueth remission both of sinnes and punishment and all the benefits and meritts not of his passion only but of his incarnation also and hath giuen vs the hand of faith to reach and apply them vnto our selues yea to owne and possesse them as truly as if ours not by imputation onlie but originally by inhaesion so that before God all the company of the faithfull are accounted as onlie one Numericall body with Christ for the spirit of God by his sanctifying power by little and little doth worke away the old man of our corruption and doth put on vs a new creature making vs reallie partakers of the substaunce of the flesh yea of the whole person of Christ and his proper ornaments and graces as righteousnes and sanctification The which great blessing of our every way vndeserued redemption when I seriously revolue with my selfe I cannot but break forth into praise in the words of Zachary Blessed be the Lord God of Israel because he hath visited and redeemed his people etc. and vse those words of admiration otherwise applied I confesse in the book of Numbers According vnto this time it shall be said of Iacob and Israel what hath God wrought Man hauing receiued these rich fauours of God in his creation and redemption hath nothing charged vpon him for his tribute but only to shew a good faithfulnes to adorne his christian profession and to be carefull to shew forth good workes Wherfore I confesse vnto the glorie of God that every one of Gods children which hath his sinnes washed away in the bloud of the Lamb hath it not left vnto him as Arbitary but hath a necessitie laid vpoÌ„ him to doe good works and that in these respects following 1. In respect of God it being his will and commandement that they should be done by such our obedience to testifie our thanckfulnes for his great mercies of Creation and Redemption 2 In respect of our selues that we by these fruits of Sanctification may be led backward to a certainty of our Iustification effectual Vocation ElectioÌ„ so finding our names written in the book of life may be perswaded Certitudine fidei cui noÌ„ potest subesse falsuÌ„ of our future glorificatioÌ„ 3. In respect of others 1. Ne quis de nobis conqueri possit Philip. caâ—… 2 2. That other men seeing our good workes may be allured to glorifie our father which is in heauen to saie as the Gentiles to the Iewes in the prophesie of Zachary Ambulabimus vobiscum for we haue hard that God is with you This truth beeing alwaies resolued on that our best workes are not perfit