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A02610 A sermon preached in the cittie of Glasco in Scotland, on the tenth day of Iune, 1610 At the holding of a generall assembly there. By Christopher Hampton, Doctor in Diuinitie, and chaplaine to the Kings most Excellent Maiestie. Hampton, Christopher, 1552-1625. 1611 (1611) STC 12739; ESTC S103775 17,702 37

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Caluin Concerning the forme of prayer saith he and Ecclesiasticall rites I doe very well like that they should be certaine in a prescript order and that the Pastors be not sufferd to swerue from it aswell for the help of the simple as also that a consent of all Churches may be held and lastly to preuent the rashnesse of those that affect nouelties The Ministerie was ordained for this end as the Apostle doth teach vs Ephes 4.14 that wee should no more wauer like Children and be carried too and fro with euery blast of doctrine whereby it appeareth that the spirit of God hath fastned vs to the publike ministerie the better to hold vs in a constant loue of the truth And therefore addressing our selues vnto it let vs also reioyce to goe into the house of the Lord. A matter as some will obiect easie to be said and done amongst the Israelites because first the Tabernacle afterward the Temple were visible known to be destinated to the worship of God Now the house of God is not so conspicuous nor commonly knowne doubts and questions are still moued which is the Church That these allay no part of your forwardnesse heare I beseech you how they may be cleared and heare it not from me but from S. Augustine Inter nos Donatist as quaestio est vbi sit Ecclesia quid ergo facturi sumus in verbis nostris eam quaesituri an in verbis capitis sui Domini nostri Iesu Christi Puto quod in illius potius verbis eam quaerere debemus qui veritas est optime nouit corpus suum Nouit enim Dominus qui sunt sui Nothing is sought for with more endeuor then the Church and nothing mistaken with greater error The cause is apparant for that wee seeke it in the markes that wee frame of it to our selues and not in the notes that Christ hath giuen vs to know it by Men would haue the Church to be conspicuous and visible but wee cannot make that a marke of the Church vnlesse wee infringe an article of our Faith I beleeue the Catholike Faith When I see a thing there needes no faith for it Faith in the Apostles doctrine is of things inuisible that cannot be seene Succession is as much vrged for knowledge of the Church and it is plaine enough that the ancient fathers did vsually alledge their continued succession of Bishops against Heretiques But the principall point of their allegation consisted in the succession not of place or person but of doctrine which the good Bishops had kept in a long descent from the Apostles times Percurre Ecclesias apud quas ipsae adhuc Cathedrae Apostolorum praesidentur sonantes vocem representantes faciem vniuscuiusque Amplitude and diffusion is made another marke of the Church and that had beene a very deceiueable cognisance when the Arrian heresie ouerswayed all But may it not now be returned in preiudice of those that alledge it who sees not the fall of great Babilon and the waine or abatement of the Bishop of Rome his Hierarchie Last of all Antiquitie is brought for a note of the Church and if that were a certaine or perpetuall euidence then was the Church ancient as soone a● it began Augustine found the vncertaintie and invaliditie of these markes that men deuise and saith nolo humanis documentis sed diuinis oraculis sanctam Ecclesiam demonstrari The markes that Christ hath giuen to the Church will be surer first because he is truth secondly because hee knoweth his owne body best this is a firme Maxime that the Lord knoweth who are his Mat. 28. when he sent his Apostles to subdue the world by gathering him a Church three things were giuen them in charge first that they should preach the Gospell vnto euery creature secondly that they should baptise them in the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost thirdly that they should teach those that beleeued and were baptised to obserue all that hee had commanded Behold the things that the Maister of the house commanded to be in his house are not they true markes of the house first the sincere doctrine of the Gospell secondly the right administration of the Sacraments thirdly that forme of discipline I meane not any certaine manner for that was neuer yet proued which may bring obedience to Christs commandements let them that vnchurch vs so easily at their pleasures ioine issue with vs vpon these markes and they shall see that we haue no cause through the grace of God to shun the triall The Church of Rome hath the Word of God indeed contained in their Bibles we deny it not but as Hierome saith of certaine Heretiques so we say of it Heretiques corrupt the truth of the Gospel with their false constructions and are like our worst kind of brewers that make wine water whereas cleane contrary our Sauiour turned water into wine so they haue the gospell but not truely expounded nor taught sincerely First because they refer not their constructions to the glory of God according to the rule of our Sauiour qui quaerit gloriam meam verax est but the church of Rome attributing saluation to their owne merits aduancing free-will extenuating originall sinne c. seeke not the glory of God but their owne gaine therefore they are not true There is another reason of their vntrue constructions because they interpret not the Scripture according to the proportion of faith as Paul willeth Rom. 12 Let him that prophesieth do it according to the proportion of faith As all gold was not holy but that only which belonged to the temple so euery sense that is without compasse of Scripture though it shine and glister with neuer so much sharpnes of wit yet is it not holy By the same spirit that the Scriptures were written by the same they must be interpreted and vnderstood this is the golden rule to know truth from error Scripture must be interpreted by Scripture not alwayes literally not alwayes allegorically not alwayes anagogically not alwayes tropologically but the darker places by those that be more plaine or easie And as Tertul writeth oportet secundum plura intelligi pauciora ne vnus sermo multa alia subuertat secundū omnia potius quam aduersus omnia intelligendus erit Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church if we looke to the proportion of faith Christ vndoubtedly is that pretious rocke not Peter as they would haue it for the Church cannot be built but by faith and that may not rest vpon Peter or any other creature Againe Vnto thee will I giue the Keyes of the kingdome of heauen hereupon they would perswade the world that the power of their Keyes which is Ecclesiasticall should locke vp and let loose the power of the sword and ciuill Magistrate If you will iudge hereof by the Analogie of faith you shall see the bounds and limits of both powers Paul
the power that he hath in both So Paul determineth of this point for the new Testament when hee willeth prayers to be made for Kings and men in authoritie that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty And what meanes can wee haue from Kings for godlinesse and honesty none verily but by their authoritie and power whereby as Guardians of both Tables of the Law of God they make Edicts for obseruation of the one and other Now to the Psalme which consisteth of three parts the first expresseth Dauids ioy the second containeth the causes thereof the third hath a praise of Ierusalem and a prayer for the same my purpose is to treat of the two former Dauids ioy teacheth vs that Gods children be not Stoiks a kinde of Philosophers that desired to be without affections And further it informeth vs that godlinesse standeth not in solempne or sowre lookes The most godly haue their affections God planted them in man when he stood in perfect integritie vnstained with sin And Christ himselfe was not without them Then it is no part of holinesse to shake off all affections but to subdew and temper the heate of them when they are blowne with the bellowes of concupiscence that no flame be kindled against God against our neighbours against our selues against our owne saluation this is a speciall kinde of godlinesse of pietie of holinesse of Christianitie Take away sorrow in afflictions and all chastisement of discipline shall proue vaine Where will that godly sorrow be that worketh repentance not to be repented of Take away ioy in prosperitie and no place will be left for thankes-giuing Take away both the Apostles rule must cease reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe Seeing then the affection of Ioy is naturall planted in our hearts by the Creator of great vse and necessitie for performance of many good offices the conclusion followeth that it cannot be but lawfull Yet the corruption of our nature doth peruert many things that be good and lawfull and by our abuse we make them euill and vnlawfull So we doe in this particular affection when we studie when we spend our thoughts and time in chearing vp our owne hearts without regard of our sinnes without regard of the afflictions of Ioseph without all feeling and feare of Gods iudgements In like sort a great number peruert and change the nature of this affection when they set their whole ioy and delight in circumuenting their brethren others when they wallow in the mire of their owne filthinesse and sensualitie others in heapes of their riches with the foole in the Gospell in their surfets drunkennesse and excessiue riot with the rich Glutton in the venime and poyson of their slanderous tongues with Dauids Tyrant Psal 52. All these and such like are glad when they haue done euill and reioyce in the worst things therefore wee will call their ioy carnall Christ pronounceth a woe to them Woe vnto you that laugh now for you shall weepe You passe your dayes in ioylities and in a moment you shall goe downe into hell Iob. 20. Momentaneum est quod delectat aeternum vero quod cruciat O remember that your pleasures are but transitorie and your torments euerlasting There is another kinde of ioy called Spirituall because it proceedeth from the holy Ghost and is reckoned amongst the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. It is promised to the faithfull Esay 35. They shall obtaine ioy and gladnesse and sorrow and mourning shall flie away The Apostles felt the fruit hereof when they departed from the Councill reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for his name The like comfort befell those Saints that the Apostle speaketh to yee suffred with ioy the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selues how that yee haue in heauen a better and an enduring substance Hebr. 10. Of this sort was Dauids ioy here as by the causes thereof shall appeare The first cause of his Ioy was the readinesse the alacritie and chearefulnesse that hee obserued in the people stirring vp one another with a sweete correspondencie or consent and encouraging themselues with mutuall exhortations to go into the house of the Lord. This good Prince knowing the manifold graces of God that be dispensed in the Church reioyceth in spirit and heart to see his people inflamed with a desire of that place where they might enioy them all By this example hee doth teach and admonish vs to conceiue double ioy when God by his holy spirit doth not onely frame euery one of vs to the obedience of his word but bringeth others also with vs into the same obedience that wee may all hold a kinde of harmonie and fellowship in faith Therefore if wee will be like Dauid wee must ioy wee must take a delight and pleasure in the pietie of our brethren and as euery one is first called so to labour and stirre vp others to the like vocation We ought to doe it first in respect of Gods glory which we are commanded to aduance And if God be to be glorified in all things of vs that are created for no other purpose How carefull should wee be to seeke his glory in the saluation of mankinde the most pretious thing in the world if you value it by the price Or if the friends of the woman did reioyce with her when shee found her groat how much more worthily may we triumph in an holy and spirituall kinde of ioy at the finding of that pretious groat which carryeth the stampe and Image of our heauenly King Againe this care is recommended vnto vs in that charitie which wee are commanded to yeeld vnto our brethren That charging vs with a speciall care of their temporall liues their name and goods doth impose a more holy care for their religion faith soules saluation and all things thereto belonging Therefore I make that anther note out of this place and example that we ought to call vpon our brethren and to exhort one another to the exercises of religion Despise not this example but imagine that these words be now no more the speach of the Israelites incouraging one another but of the holy Ghost rowsing vs all to the like endeauour We will goe into the house of the Lord. The benefits that God dispenseth in his house are of such consequence that they may well breed in euery man a loue and liking of the Church Whether you looke to the Tabernacle the Temple or the Church God promiseth his presence and propitiation to euery one of them particularly For the Tabernacle he saith Exod. 25. They shall make me a sanctuary and I will dwell in the middest of them Of the Temple 1 Kings 9. I haue heard thy prayer and supplication that thou hast made before mee I haue hallowed this house and my eyes and my eares and hart shall be there perpetually Of the Church where two or three he gathered together in
and water but of hearing the word of God And was it not then time to leaue them Let them refuse their Synagogues forsake their broken Cysternes that will hold no water returne to that true auncient faith that was renowned through the world and we will giue them the right hands of fellowship With ioy will wee ioyne together with them and goe into the house of the Lord. If they will not I call heauen and earth to record against them this day that they are fallen from the Gospell from truth from word from Sacraments from Religion from the house of God from God himselfe And all these our Churches studie with great endeuour to maintaine in their perfect integrity O pray pray forget not to pray for that most excellent instrument of GOD that hath established these things amongst vs by holy Lawes and good authoritie Peace be within his walls and plentiousnesse within his Pallaces Yea the God of peace and plenty blesse him for these blessings that hee hath brought vpon vs a thousand and ten thousand fold both here and in the world to come And beloued cease not to crie out vnto God to fill our hearts with praise and our mouthes with thankes-giuing for these inestimable mercies When Gods benefits are receiued with thankfulnes and due account then hee doth multiply them exceedingly Seeing then that all the enemies wee haue cannot shew one point of doctrine maintained contrarie to the wholesome forme set downe in the word and proportion of faith seeing they cannot iustly reproue our administration of the Sacraments Let not these graces of God towards our Churches be extenuated by scornefull reproofes or slaunderous Pamphlets least there follow questions whether they be the houses of God or no least they be forsaken by fanaticall and giddie spirits as if they were the Synagogues of Sathan These be the fruits that vnaduised whisperings wil bring forth and this vse the enemie of mankinde hath made of them They haue serued him as a pedagogie an A B C or introduction of Schisme of frenzie of Anabaptisticall confusion Two errors I haue obserued that are the grounds and occasions of these enormities The first is an immoderate desire of Christian libertie The second an importunate challenge of equalitie in gouernement of the Church As to the former many are deceiued therein and deceiue others whilest they set Christian libertie vpon Tenter-hookes and stretch it further then the nature thereof will beare seeking not onely a liberty of minde and conscience in things indifferent but a freedome also in their actions Christian libertie hath place in minde and conscience alone It contenteth it selfe if there be no burthen of merit of iustification of holinesse or pleasing God vrged vpon the conscience that is the seate of Iesus Christ and if that be left free vnto him Christian libertie is safe and sound It respecteth nothing but that which is betweene God and thee And is not this a goodly libertie when we know that such and such things doe neither iustifie nor condemne vs afore God If this content you not vnlesse you may haue freedome also in your actions to doe what you will you haue left Christian libertie which reacheth not to our actions and respecteth not that which is betweene thee and thy neighbour and thou act come to a licentious immunitie This difference being obserued may appease manie controuersies about indifferent things Wherein if brethren will hold but that moderation which true Diuinitie teacheth and retaine this freedome our Christian libertie in their consciences which is not infringed and conforme their actions that they doe not ouerthwart good order to the disturbance of the Church and offence of the Magistrate How ioyfully might we all goe vp into the house of the Lord and sing in the tune of Angels Ecce quam bonum quam iucundum habitare fratres in vnum For as much therefore as God hath warranted the Magistrates authoritie in these cases and required our obeience let vs no more thinke how to finde out pretences Studia abeunt in mores But if there be any consolation in Christ any comfort of loue any fellowship of the spirit any compassion and mercie fulfill this ioy that ye be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accord and iudgement that nothing be done through contention or vaine glory but that in meekenesse of minde euery one esteeme other better then himselfe That we may all with one way and one heart goe vp into the house of the Lord. As for equalitie which is the other errour when one aduised Lycurgus to establish it amongst the Lacedemonians that so the least and meanest might beare like sway with the greatest The wise man answered that he which called for it should begin it first at home in his owne house And if all men be carefull to exclude paritie out of their priuate families if men experienced in policie and gouernement will not admit it into the common-wealth because that cannot be preserued with equalitie but by authoritie and rule Why are not men as sensible of the house of God as of their owne houses or why should equalitie that is found intollerable in all other societies be obtruded onely to the Church Because distinctions and inequalitie of Pastors cannot be proued by Scripture That is not so There were diuers Pastors vnder the Law but they were not equall For there was one high Priest as it were a transcendent aboue them all But his eminencie was to expresse the soueraignetie of Iesus Christ Then there were Captaines of euery family of the Leuites and that proues an inequalitie Last of all there were two ioyned with the high Priest which are called rulers of the house of God 1 Chro. 24.5 In the new Testament there was distinction and inequalitie betweene the Apostles themselues or else Paul would neuer haue called Peter and Iames and Iohn chiefe and pillars of the Apostles There was distinction and inequalitie betweene the twelue Apostles and the seauentie Disciples We reade of manie Pastors at Ephesus Act. 20. And in the Reuelation Iohn writeth to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus which euicteth necessarily that there was one greater then the rest Par in parem non habet imperium But Paul gaue Timothie authoritie ouer Pastors Therefore hee ordayned and intended an inequalitie and no paritie amongst the Pastors of the Church The reasons of those that call for equalitie in the Ministers are not made to build vp and they are too weake to pull downe Abraham saith grauely vnto Lot Let there be no contention betweene mee and thee for wee are brethren that is one reason Againe the Cananite and the Pherizite are yet in the Land another motiue In which case who knowes not that the aduersaries of our doctrine will sooner be ouercome with vnited then distracted forces and so we that fight the Lords battailes cannot disioyne our selues without preuarication and bootie Away then with all singularitie and admiring of our owne opinions Know yee not that it is the seminarie of inward contention the Spirit of the Prophets must be subiect to the Prophets Let vs haue but one heart and one way that wee may fill the Lords house with garlands of victories that wee may beate our aduersaries from humane merits and bring them to the diuine mercies from free-will and the possibilities of Nature to the grace of God from traditions to the written Word from elauation adoration circumgestation transubstantiation of the Sacrament to the commemoration of Christs death and a sweet fruition thereof by faith From their Hierarchie and visible Monarchie to the headship of our Lord Iesus Christ From superstition to the true vvorship of GOD. O how glorious are these holy triumphs how instantly doe they call vpon vs to combine our selues together that the conuersion and offering vp of the Papists may be acceptable and sanctified I will not dismisse you of the Laitie without some short exhortation to peace The very name of peace is a sweet word but the work is sweeter I cannot alwayes speake of it But that which I cannot alwayes speake of that you may keepe alwayes As for example He that praiseth God with his tongue cannot doe it euer but he that praiseth God with his life and conuersation may euer doe it Euen so doe I commend the words and works of peace vnto you Or if you thinke me vnworthie to commend such a diuine blessing looke if it be not the word of our great and worthiest King He commandeth it vnto vs from the Author of peace Beati pacifici Not pacidici but pacifici Blessed are not the praisers but the practisers of peace Let the mountaines bring peace and the little hils righteousnesse vnto thy people O thou Prince of peace And so the God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus the great Shepheard of the sheepe through the bloud of the euerlasting Testament make you perfect in all good works workking in you that which is pleasant in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom be praise for euer and euer Amen FJNJS 1 Part. 2 Part. Be●●●rd in Can● ser 65 Epist ad protect Angl. 87. pag. 69. Tertul. de praescript De vnitat ecclesiae cap. 3 In 1. cap. Esa Contra Praxeam Chrisost in Epist ad Rom. hom 23.