Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	holy_a	scripture_n	speak_v	14,888	5	5.2608	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33462	Capel's remains being an useful appendix to his excellent Treatise of tentations, concerning the translations of the Holy Scriptures : left written with his own hand / by that incomparably learned and jucicious divine, Mr. Richard Capel, sometimes fellow of Magdalen-Colledge in Oxford ; with a preface prefixed, wherein is contained an abridgement of the authors life, by his friend Valentine Marshall.	Capel, Richard, 1586-1656.; Marshall, Valentine.; Capel, Richard, 1586-1656. Tentations.	1658 (1658)	Wing C471; ESTC R5922	60,793	168

say their Church cannot erre in matters of Faith And why forsooth Because it is infallibly guided by the strait line of the spirit We say The true Church cannot so erre in matters of faith or life as to fall away from Christ and so to fall into damnation And why Because besides other helps the true Church is guided by the certain and infallible direction of the spirit the vicar general to our Lord Jesus Why then may not we twit them rather then they do us with the private spirit Aquinas the first through-Papist that ever was It is Dr. John Rainolds censure of him shall speak last for this point All holy learning is proved out of the Scriptures onely necessarily out of all other authors only probably For our faith doth rest on the revelation made to the Apostles and Prophets who wrote the Canonical Books and not on any other revelation if any be made to other Doctors So he and he was preferred by Innocent the Pope before all Writers next to the Scriptures well might the Pope so do saith the same Dr. Rainolds for that he deserved better of the Papacy then all the Fathers These things are so plaine that to argue more were to weaken them As I have read it to be the observation of Tully That things perspicuous and clear are much obscured by much arguing I hope the Papists for shame will give over fooling against us that we run after private Spirits and revelations since Aquinas the flower of the Papists speaks out as much as we do as touching the sealing of the Spirit The Application of all I have made a long and tedious discourse about the Originals and Translations because I find by my self that things let fall in Print by learned men and great reformers as touching the Originals that none can say this is the Hebrew that the Greek but because Linguists and learned men say so and they may erre Nor that this is the English of the Hebrew or of the Greek which we say is but men subject to trip do so say That the Originals transcribed into many Copies might erre and mistake and for the translations that there be flaws in them too since the transcribers and translators were no Prophets but men though not willing perhaps yet subject to speak and write besides the matter that translations are not the Word of God nor our rule These and such things as these I doubt not do stagger the thoughts of weak of strong Christians too and drive a many towards Atheisme And now saith a sick soule What shall a poore feeble-hearted Christian do My counsel is that when he is come to be certain without actual doubting by reasons arguments consent of times of the Church that our Bible is the Word of God that he would in all humility and sincerity apply himselfe to read it to hear it read to heare it preached and he may promise to himself that by the use of the word the Spirit of God will infuse inspire divine saving faith into his soul and free him not only from all actual but possible doubting that the Bible translated is the word of God And if the translation then the Originals For what ever is the instrument to convert the soul must needs be the pure word of God Some are firme that God never works a miracle but to confirme truth This is past question that the Spirit of God doth never work this miracle to convert the soule but by Gods word So say Now I know that it is the pure word of God for that it is a means to convert my soul so Psal. 19. 7 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul By this then I know that it is without dispute the perfect Law of the Lord because it doth not only evince and convince me but convert my soul St Austine saith that he was converted by reading the last verse of the thirteenth to the Romans and that did prove to Austine that it was the perfect Law and word of God It is storied that Cyprian was converted by reading the Prophet Jonas And Iunius in his life written by himself saith that he was converted by reading the first Chapter of the Gospel of Iohn For Austine Cyprian I think neither of them had much skill in the Originals no nor Iunius neither at that time wherefore it is plain enough that they were converted by reading translations When then a man doth finde that by reading or hearing translations read or preached upon it hath pleased God to warme thy heart to turn and change thy poor soul to convert thee into a new creature go thy ways doubt nothing its an argument past answer that the Bible even as translated is the Word of God Go on look on it as Gods word read on still be diligent to hear it with the best ears thou hast and thou shalt finde it more and more to convert and sanctifie thee and so by consequence to assure thee by an undoubtful and divine faith inspired and infused into thy poor soul by the Spirit of God that this book no other is the very Word of God By this you see where and how the poor crazy soul may find rest and it is to rest on the translated Word of God waiting therein on the line of the sweet providence who by the use of the word will breath into his soul divine faith infused by the sure influence of the Spirit of God which spirit brings a light with it by which we know that what we know this is done by a divine faith not by humane conjecture being wrought in us by a special providence of God perswading and drawing us to acknowledge the contents therein to be of Divine authority Nor is this as I said to make our private spirit the rule of our faith but we lay all at the foote of the divine providence to put light into our minds and then to work in us a firm assent to the Word of God that it is indeed and truth the very Word of God And none of this is done otherwise then by the Word of God itself and the spirit joyning with the Word In a word nothing can work saving grace in any man to the conversion of his soule but the very Word of God But this the word translated hath wrought in me therefore I know by this that the Scripture translated is the word of God sith nothing but Gods word can turne and convert the soul Make the most of that which some call universal tradition it can bring us no farther then an humane belief little better is it then that which the Papists call the authority of the Church The Ministry of the Church we grant needful and useful but for the authority of the Church we acknowledge none Thus the Jewes are for their Rabbines and their universal tradition So did the Saracens like as the Gentiles

Thomas Overbury that learned Knight his very friend indeed and then he bade adieu to that course of life As for his inward stormes they were very many and exceeding bitter together with a number of bodily infirmities attending him in his younger yeares but it was well for him that he bore the yoke in his youth And none that I know can now set out these to any purpose if ever an occasion be offered but that eminent and learned Divine Dr. Harris that knew so much of his * temptations and desettions by reason of that intimate acquaintance he had with him in those dayes being his Kinsman besides occasioned the more by the often recourse he had then into those parts for the fetching of some spiritual refreshing from that Divine of Divines Mr. John Dod that was both able and willing to speak a word in season to a broken and a contrite heart Mine intent is only as * Junius did with Ursine to pitch upon some few things of many and to confine my selfe to what I know of mine own certain knowledge having had the favour to stand in the repute of more then a common friend of his for above these thirty yeares together And this I must needs say 1. For the eminencie of his parts I never came near any that came near him in all particulars The most even of our most highflowen Eagles have commonly some peculiar Sparta which they adorne well and do very good service in it to Christ and his Church but this man had grasp't all good learning and made every thing his own so evenly to see to that he was as expert in his way as Hector in b Homer and would with Cato the elder be up in the c height in all that ever he was to act in Melancthon would say of Pomeranus he was the Grammarian of himself he was the Logician of Jus●us Jonas he was the Oratour but of Luther he was d all in all Here was one would fetch out Luthers mark if he list to turn to the School or to Case-Divinity to Austin or Chrysostome Galen or Hippocrates Aristotle or Tully to History or Philosophy to the Arts or Tongues who could tell but himself which he was least versed in He was a very living Library a full store-house of all kinde of good Literature no lesse then a little University the Mirrour of our parts above the envie of all that I knew The least draught of his pencil would have told any a Protogenes he had been the Apelles He excell'd in all that ever I saw he would set his hand to unlesse it were in his utterance in the publick Congregation and therein I must needs confesse he had a great defectivenesse God gave him great understanding of the times to know what Israel b ought to do He stood upon the Watch-tower and saw what was hid from most of our eyes and being quick of c Sent in the feare of the Lord he gave timely notice to some that stood in place which had it been heeded we had never been so fearfully pestered with those Hydraes heads that are now starting up afresh daily to the great disturbance of our people Simler said of Melancthon at his going from Tubing that none of the learned men there how many soever they were had so much learning as to know the great learning that was in that man Too too many of us were sick of the same disëase we knew not the depth in this mans breast We had many a man in this one man even all Scholarship epito nized in this profound Clerk And yet for all this that great blessing he had which he himself observed as a singular favour vouchsafed to Dr. John Rainolds that great Oracle of Oxford that he never set on foot any manner of new opinion The like is observed of learned Dr. a Whitakers stiled the Oracle of Cambridge and the Miracle of the world A mercy that most men of b superlative parts use not to be too rich in There 's scarce any strong braine without some strange fancie If the great wits of our times had kept themselves close to the steps of these rare Divines we had never seen the sorrows that we now sigh and groan under and would be glad to be shift on if we knew how 2. For the excellency of his preaching Wherein if I mistake not as I think I do not he excell'd all men I am sure all that ever I came near without the disparaging of any There be a great many that I know and a many-many more there be that I know not the Lord encrease their number that be singularly well-fitted for this great emploiment Worthies they be and must be as well as those were that attained not to the first * three This mans lot fell in the foremost rank He was an Interpreter one of a thousand His understanding was strangely opened for the understanding and the opening of the Scriptures He would bolt out that out of the holy book of God that would not come into any other mans consideration yet it should be genuine and evidently appearing to be the drift and meaning of the holy Ghost An intelligent man could never sit at his feet but he should meet with that there that would never fall from any other mans mouth nor ever drop from any other mans pen His words were as goads as miles fastned by the masters of the Assemblies They were edged with so much reason re-enfo●ced from the lively Oracles that they could not fall to the ground 'T is no wonder then that the creame of the whole Countrey as they could have their opportunities would a hang upon his Ministry Yet how plaine would he be in all his expressions he would not deliver what he had from God in an unknown tongue nor yet in termes that were too spruce and trim He had learnt his lesson well of that great Apostle that came not with b inricing words nor with any other then such as the very c Catechumeni the youngest beginners might understand He kept close to the footin●s of our own choicest Worthies famous Mr. Dod that would say so much Latine was so much flesh in a Sermon Master Cleaver Master Hildersam and such d holy men of God led by the self-same spirit He would deliver the holy and wholsome truth of God in such an holy and wholsome way that it bred very good blood in the hearts of the hearers He would stoop so low as to speak to our poor countrey-people in their own proper dialect so as they could not but even see and feel and finde out God and be occasioned to speak of him all the week after If he came to a deep mystery he would make it plaine to the shallowest capacity What ever he fell upon he would follow it so divine-like that the hearts of his Auditors would be rapt up into heaven

this mans patterne together with brave a Cranmers be pasted up before our faces T is not for us to fill the Houses Congregations places where we come with combustion nor to cast them into broiles by bitternesse When we have the repute of Lambs abroad we must not be lions at home God hath called us to peace The servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle to all men The words of the wise will be heard in quiet more then the cry of him that rules among fooles 'T is better to be of an humble spirit with the lowly then to divide the spoile with the proud All our things are to be done in charity and none thorough strife nor vain-glory This prudent man b mindes us more then once or twice in the ensuing Tract that there 's no such power in the Church as some look after seeing all the power the Church hath as Church is rather Ministerial then authoritative 'T was once lookt upon as an hateful crime to be Lording it over Gods heritage We may not come nigh that that hath such an ill resent By soaring too high we have lost our selves too much already We are brought to the dust and laid full low and must all of us now learn to beare the shame of it Holy Bradfords old medicine is the best hope that 's left us c Repent repent It will strike the stroke if we repent in deed and repent in truth and repent of that that hath let in the storme upon us But there 's little of that in sight yet Hezekiah humbled himself and found it a fit salve for such a disease as ours is If we can hit it right to humble our selves under the mighty hand of God we shall be exalted in the true and due time 1 Pet. 5. 6. Here 's a taste and but a little taste in this that is thus set forth of the precious liquor that was poured into this earthen vessel If I should mention the quicknesse of his apprehension the strength of his memory His sense of the publick evils his passing by offences his special regard to such as loved their wives and Ministers and the like where should I end that have exceeded already These and his other eminencies would be laid in oyle and lime by him that hath a better pencil I have collected some scattered fragments onely for mine owne and some others use and have assayed to shew those that be more remote that we had more in his life then they had in his writings Towards his latter end he met with some pinching griefs which he bare with invincible fortitude he would submit because it was Gods will to have him so exercised All of us must look to drink of the self-same cup our last dayes commonly be our worst dayes a as Mollerus observes the clouds will be returning then after the rain We must be taught to speak it out that we be but pilgrims We must be more truely taken off from the World more ripen'd and mellowed and season'd for God and be made more serious in all our undertakings Melanchthon would say a if he had no cares he would have no prayers The comfort is the time is but short the most and best of our treasure is gone before our hope is laid up in Heaven Get we more communion with God more faith more patience and put on the whole Armour of God and we shall be able to stand and withstand in the evill day This knowing man lookt upon storms impending r●joycing he should be in his grave before their fall whether he came according to the b ascending of a shock of corne in his season The Sabbath day was the last day of his life The strict observation whereof I have heard him presse He would say we should go to sleepe that night with meat in our mouths as it were That same c Lords day he preached twice taking his leave of the world with pressing faith in God He repeated both his Sermons that night in his Familie somewhat more largely then usually He read his Chapter also went to prayer and to bedd and died immediately by that time the words were well out of his mouth None of us must choose his own death but who can desire to die better then calling upon God as Stephen did He would often say if God saw it fit one had better die of a quick then of a lingring death suiting to Caesars speech The suddennesse of the stroke was great trouble to some of us at the first but since we have collected our thoughts We must needs say Gods way is the best If he had had time he would have been apt to dispute and so to have been too hard for us all Justus Jonas Luthers great friend had much adoe at his death to fasten upon any manner of comfort It hath beene the case of many a choice man God prevented it here This present Tract is his last and best I am sure of most use 'T is but a piece of what was intended as appears by the paper that was last tackt up for it whereof the fourth part is not written But he had the justest excuse as Vrsine for his inchoate Comment upon Isaiah being taken off by death If he had lived to review it it would have beene more polite But blessed be the Lord we have it as it is Who can sufficiently admire the wisdome of God in setting of this able penne to work upon such an useful subject for the laying a firm foundation for a trembling heart to ground it selfe upon when it may see it clearly made good that it may safely pitch upon that Translation of the holy Scripture that 's set before it in its native tongue God stirred up the Spirit of this great Disputer to put in a seasonable and a substantial barre in a needful time when some curious and quaint heads opened the door so dangerously against all Translations Other opinions overthrow the faith of some few but this strikes at the root and endeavours to destroy the faith of all that are not skill'd in the Original Tongues * Dr. Sibbs that worthy Divine mine ancient acquaintance and loving friend hath a pretty observation God hath raised up men saith he and gifted them proportionably to the times to fence his truth when it hath been opposed by men of stronger wits as the ancient Fathers to deal with the Pagans and proud Hereticks and Austin to vindicate Gods Predestination and free Grace out of the hands of the enemies of Grace and Flatterers of Nature So here he moved the heart of this man of sublime parts that could ●rapple with the strongest and argue with the subtillest to clear this point about Translations so fully that there 's no colour of scruple left now for the poor soul that 's willing to close with the eternal Truth of God set before it in its own Mothers Tongue So that I

in Church and Common-wealth It began to work betimes we see in Pauls dayes all sought their own things Phil. 2. 21. 'T is now grown to a greater head in this age when we neither eat nor drink nor fast nor pray nor do any thing to speak of but too too apparently still b for our selves How much then was this brave man to be admired seeing all that knew him can beare him witnesse how far he surpassed in this rare grace He could deny himself in his own understanding and go after God in a way that he knew c not in his own Will when He that is above would lead him in a way that he would d not and in his own affections too when he came to be crost in what he could have most desired ruling them by reason and religion as e a wise man should subjecting himself to bear with quietnesse what could not be helpt without raising of too much dust 'T is strange to see how far he could deny himself in apparel diet tendance and in what not All that would be Christs Disciples are to fetch out this mark 'T is to be our first and last work that we may a take up our crosse and go after him 'T is self that spoils all It lies as a Jezabel in all our bosomes and opens the door for the foulest enormities It wants no varnish for that that 's of foule aspect out comes its plausible arguments and it hath its seconds to sooth thee when thou b doest well to thy self It hath too great an hand upon the very best men in the very worst times We must seeto self and see that self be subdued Cut off that hand and foot that offends Let sinful self die and we our own selves that have neither lived nor died to our selves shall be sure to have our selves our soules and bodies saved in the day of Christ Jesus 8. For his contempt of the world He had gotten the start of most men in that particular He would be beating upon this point mainly both in his publick preaching and in his private conference and shewed the reality of what he pressed when he came to act himself He could not say as Luther did he never had temptation that way but he kept himself far from any noted taint nay from the least suspition of that foule crime with famous d Whitakers I have heard him often say when he had things under his hand he still charged his servants to do what few men practice never to set in corn nor to bring home cattel but to take as the Market would afford All in these parts know he was farre enough off from the using of indirect means to get and I never knew any more willing to part with money upon a just and fit occasion then he was 'T is well known he gave over a living of good value one of the best in all our parts above twenty years before his death and betook himself to a poor little corner from which he would never be with-drawn no more then a Musculus from his Berne And even there he might have pickt mens purses if he had been this way given I have seen him many and many a time put back money and take but a small matter from those that were able and would have willingly given him more They would force him to take it but he would utterly refuse it The greatest part of men are willing he should go on in this way by himself few or none care to foot it after him All sorts be seeking great things Though the world was never more ticklish 'T is or should be well known The love of the world and of the Father be not compatible It deadens our spirits bites us sore yet will our hearts be hankering that way Our Religion is made a scorne by it to those that be but for the pot and pipe when they see some of us looking up towards God yet bending our course so directly towards b gain as if it were the only godlinesse 'T is sad to see some that erst-while would straine at the least gnat swallowing downe Camels without any regret Paul speaks of such with weeping as of a the enemies with a witnesse of the Crosse of Christ and their end will be doleful if they go on still to minde earthly things See to the world though we must be in it and may have to do with it that we love it not Sue out our divorce and do it more fully be more perfectly linkt to our head by whom the world is crucified unto us and we unto the world tugge hard for a further supply of spirit and of grace keeping our eyes more fully fixt upon the City that hath foundations and the world will fall under our feet 9. For his great humility This was the grace that graced all the good that was in him He would be often speaking of what he heard concerning Doctor John Rainolds b one would say it that knew it He was as learned a man as any was in the world as godly as learned and as humble as godly This man loved and reverenced the Doctor and trod in his steps He left us a rare extract in humility He could speak with tongues more then we all yet would he never make use of them in the publick Congregation He would honour all men acknowledge the gifts and parts of those that were farre below him and rejoyce in them as c Hooper in the blinde boy He would not meddle in things that were too high nor intrench upon that that was beyond his sphere He would not stand in the place of great men He could refuse honours a as Musculus did and content himself with plaine and mean things Caj●tan the b flower of the Cardinals would never be in his silks nor braveries but keep his c old fashion to his lives end d Melanchthon would not disdain to do that that the meanest servant would scarcely have put his hand to So here and he would beare things that went awry with very much temper Moderation he would presse and moderation he would practice e Staupicius said to Luther concerning his own government in the first three years He did all according to the utmost rigour that would not do in the next three years he did all according to the Lawes and Councels of the Ancestours and that would not hit in the third Triennial He did all according to the Will of God and yet that would not succeed And then he was faine to be content with what he could have I touch not on this for the heartning on of any in any base or vile way but to help my self and some others of pious dispositions to a fitter medicine for things amisse then some-whiles we hit on An Artist will be loath to pitch upon that to mend things which will make them worse Let

did build on the universal tradition But after this tedious discourse the thing which we Christians are to rest our faith on which is common to all even to the meanest is that internal light infused into us all by the Spirit of God whereby we most firmely and most certainly are moved to believe that the bible and all the Bible and nothing but the Bible is our most certaine rule which cannot erre but that the Vniversal Tradition of Jewes Saracens Papists hath beene is and will be subject to errours more or lesse The end and use of all is to call upon all Christians chiefly when they are in some doubting veine to turne away from all authority of Churches of men of universal Tradition and to looke up to the providence who hath provided sincere food and physick for our poore soules which Christians have found do and shall finde to be the Bible translated into severall Languages for the use of those who cannot skill in the Originals And I think no man dares deny but a Minister who hath himselfe little skill in the Originals may by expounding and propounding the Translations convert the soules of such Christians as are the hearers of such Preachers C. 2. How it is said he that is borne of God cannot sinne 1 John 3. 9. HOnest Melancthon speakes against some in his Countrey in his dayes called Swenkfeldians who held themselves after new birth to be just and perfect I have not long since seene a little English printed book cast into sundry propositions one whereof and as I remember the first is that after they are renued once they are as perfect as Jesus Christ was and as Adam was in Paradise which was the tenet of the Familists of old that being once indued with the Divine nature in their conversion that then they are Goddified The report is that those sprung up amongst us commonly called Quakers are of the same fancy and that they presse this place of John that being once borne of God they do not commit sinne for Gods seed remaineth in them and that they cannot commit sin because they are borne of God Their senslesse sense cannot be the meaning of that place For the same Apostle in the same Epistle saith that if we say that we have no sinne we make him a liar And is not this a sinne and a very great one too to make God a liar John saith not if you but if we comprehending himselfe too and I hope it cannot be thought but John a chiefe Apostle was born of God Besides it is not onely said That he who is borne of God doth not sinne but cannot sinne And all over the Bible in the stories of the best of men who were borne of God we see that they could sinne and did sinne and those sinnes which were very great too This then is not the sense of the place that there was is or ever shall be any meere man borne so of God as not to sin or to be in and under such a condition as to say truly of him that he cannot sin Now for that which these write that when once made partakers of the Divine nature they are as perfect as Adam in Paradise This is but their owne fancy it is no such matter But say it were so and not onely so but as perfect as the Angels in heaven yet from that it followes not that it could or can be said of them simply that they cannot sinne For Adam did and therefore could sinne he had indeed a Tempter without but no concupiscence to tempt him within Nay more then that the lapsed Angels before their fall had nothing from within nothing from without to tempt them Within nothing but purity and holinesse no sin no shadow of sinne Nothing from without to tempt them nothing within but holinesse nothing without but holinesse without spot or wrinkle yet then those very Angels were sin-able for they did fall and therefore could sin The truth is None but God ia absolutely free from all possibility of sinning God onely in this sense is holy he not only doth not lie but he cannot lie Adam in Paradise was made upright the Angels in Heaven were made more pure then Adam both Adam and the Angels had the advantage of the places to be kept from sinne but being creatures created with free will those Angels in heaven and Adam in Paradise that heaven upon earth might and did sinne and so might all the rest of the Angels too had they not been supported by grace for those were a elected and b Election is of grace And should the elect Angels sinne but once the least sin that is they could not be saved as it fell out with those Angels which did sin For c Christ took not the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham therefore they cannot sin because they cannot be restored by a Mediatour The Angels are holy Daniel 4. 13. and so must be saved which could not be if they could and should sinne Matthew 21. 30 31. Againe those ministering spirits do alwayes see the face of God which were not true if they should sin For no sooner did those non-Elect Angels sin but they presently left their habitation Jude 6. and were cast downe into Tartar that is Hell 2 Pet. 2 4. Indeed when men are once in Heaven they are safe from sin there is no place for tears therefore not for sinne Revel. 21. 4. Now Luke 20. There is no more promised to the blessed men after the resurrection then to the Angels that then they shall be equal not superior to the Angels therefore nor men nor Angels Elect can or shall sin in Heaven which the other Angels did once in Heaven for that they were not Elect nor confirmed in and by grace Thus then you see that it could not be said of the unelect Angels once in heaven nor of any sort of men till they come to heaven that they nor do nor can sin For my part I think that those who say they do not they cannot sin though they say so yet I think they themselves do not think so I remember a golden saying of Austine He saith he who thinks he can live without sinne doth not avoid sinne but rather excludes all pardon So that this is not the sense of the words That ever any man was is or shall be in the world who either cannot or doth not sin Doctor Hammond following many Learned men saith this cannot sin is meant that upon that head and score he cannot sin to signifie that their being borne of God can be no patent or security for their sinning The same saith Austine to wit That the borne of God sinne not as or upon this that they are borne of God For this is alledged that of the same Saint John 1 Epist. 3. 6. Whosoevor sinneth hath not seene him neither known him meaning that the seeing and knowing him doth not