Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	word_n	work_v	wrought_v	1,560	4	8.3325	4	false

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

whilest they heard him winding and turning a point of Divinity like a workman that needed not to be ashamed Whereas now-a-dayes whilest some of our best Divines seeme to be too much taken up with quaint and historical flourishes there 's a sensible decay in the power of godlinesse amongst us An Exotick tongue in the publick Congregation whatever men think of it is set out as a e signe of displeasure It feeds such humours as would be purged it had no good effect in the Church of Corinth Mens wits will wax wanton when they be not over-awed by the plaine power of Gods Word When Preachers keep not close to the very f words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine that is according unto godlinesse but love to be tampering with another g doctrine though not with another in the maine but even in the manner of the delivery onely as when it savours too much of the pomp of humane Eloquence saith h Calvine when it differs from the stile of the holy Ghost saith i Danaeus the people be in danger of turning aside to vain jangling to perverse disputings desiring to be teachers and such like matters The gilt upon the pill may please the eye but it profits not the patient The paint upon the glasse may feed the fancy but the room is not well lighted by it The sword of Gods Spirit can never wound so deep till it be pluckt out of these gaudy scabbards k Nakednesse deforms too too many in these days but it is the best garnishing truth can have A sober dresse best becomes a grave Matron There be l words as well as things which the holy Ghost teacheth The Arrows fetcht out of Gods own quiver will pierce the deepest and make the people fall the soonest under Christ The weaknesse of God is stronger then men Pauls weapons were mighty The sincere milk of the Word will make Gods babes to grow best This curious age is too too much given to affectation of Words as a m good friend of mine hath well observed And Doctor Sibs was wont to say that great affectation and good affection seldome go together The swelling words of vanity may tickle the eare tip the tongue please in matters of discourse but when it comes to push of pike they afford but little comfort This grave Divine had another manner of wisdom then that of Words He was made an able Minister of the New Testament not of the letter but of the spirit that hath given n doth give and will give life Having this hope then he used great plainnesse of speech and by the manifestation of the truth He commended himself to every mans conscience in the sight of God and hath so well seasoned the country that I hope the fruit will remain and be seene many a yeare hence 3. For the livelinesse of his prayers He was a man that had a very large measure of that spirit of grace that is the spirit of supplication He was so well fitted for the opening of his minde to God as if with holy a Bradford he had been almost ever upon his knees he could tell his own errand or any other mans at the Throne of grace with as good freedome and to as good purpose as any man living He would not be rash with his mouth when he came before God nor set out what he had to say there with painted eloquence or court-like complement but his mouth should be filled with such savoury arguments as very well became an humble suppliant He would be farre from those battologies and miserable extravagancies that the greatest part of us be so sorely haunted with He would poure out his soul to God at all manner of times upon all manner of occasions with all manner of prayer and supplication and with that admirable variety of all sorts of quickning and feeling meditation that it would even ravish their hearts that could be so happy as to partake with him Yet for all this He was clear in his opinion for the lawfulnes●e of the use of set formes according to the tenet of all the best Divines that ever I met with that were in their cold blood and much heed is not to be given to what any man saith that 's in the height of his sick fit and according to the practice of all Churches even the best reformed saith c Master Rogers now and ever saith d Mr. Hildersam nay e Mr. Smith himself saith who was warping at that very time and afterwards wandered farre in the wayes of the separation it was the practice of the ancient Church and of all the reformed Churches in Christendome of the Church immediately after the Apostles nay saith he of the Church in the time of the Apostles as may probably be gathered out of 1 Cor. 14. 26. this hath been the practice also of the very best f lights that ever were set up in the Churches of Christ 'T is very well known that the flower of our own Divines went on in this way when they might have done otherwise if they had pleased in their prayer before their g Sermons Nay Mr. Dod his own self as I have been often told by this great Divine would seldome end his devotions in his own family but with the use of the Lords prayer Nay yet more h Mr. Cartwright thinks it very ptobable that Christ his own self made use of a set-form at meals 'T is not good to cast stones of offence before our weak brethren that be of meaner parts wanting in ability memory or audacity that they be not taken off from or disheartened in this necessary service Nor may we lay a trap for our own feet Who knowes what times may passe over him If God plunge us in the ditch and leave us labouring in the noose the loftiest of us all may be faine to take relief from these poor contemptible props and crutches as some do deeme them When the soul 's so troubled that it i cannot speak but chatter onely like a Crane or Swallow when 't is so full of grief that it can no more then sigh and groane and k make a confused noise 't will be glad to catch at any thing to give it self vent by Dr. l Harris tells us of a second Bradford that in time of his distresse was fain to adopt Mr. Bradfords words and to spread them before God as his own because he had said more for him as he thought then he could say for himself I knew a rare and eminent Divine indeed that would be as often upon his bended knees as any man that ever I conversed with that would sometimes be in such dumps that he had no more to set before God ●o give his heart ease by then the words of David in the one and fiftieth Psalm Well might then this knowing Divine of ours that had been so tossed with

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

a lamp Psal. 119. 105. See 2 Reg. 22. 16. and 23. 2 25. 6. If our hearts be so well be sprinkled with the blood of Christ See Heb. 9. 19. and Exod. 24. 7. 7. If we be so humbled under the sense of that body of death we have about us See how it was with Josiah 2 Chron. 34. 23 30. when his heart was touched with the wickednesse of the time He read and so shall we when we have a sense of the sinne that is in us This Man of God in this short but sweet and elaborate discourse that followes hath cleared the way daintily for poor plain Christians to build upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles in those Translations that God in his great mercy hath set before them Here 's the price put into * the hand where 's the heart to use it we can but call on men 'T is God must perswade Japhet to dwell in the Tents of Shem. He was touching a little and but a little upon mans imperfections and upon the working of grace whilest it is here in this life and God took him to the place where the soules of the just are made perfect where grace is compleated in glory This brief and pithy piece hath lien longer upon mine hand then I am well-pleased with This I can say 1. It was written in his fast hand and so it was the longer work ere it could be pickt out perfectly by my selfe and some others that best knew his writing He was like * Bucer in this he his own selfe could not reade his own hand sometimes in a moneth after he had writ it 2. I have been letted by sicknesse much upon my selfe and some also in those that be near me besides some other urgent occasions 3. Not being cut out for work of this nature I had the more ado to satissie my selfe in this that 's let abroad such as it is at the last I have been more large by farre then I intended but 't is for a friend to whose memory I owe as much as Philemon did to Paul more then I can pay 2. 'T is for a man of men the Phoenix of his Age as 't was said of * Beza 3. Besides 't is all that I intend in this kinde to trouble the world withal God grant his blessing may attend it I remain Thine in Christ Jesus VAL MARSHALL Elmore May the 20. 1658. A Resolution of certaine Cases to cleare some doubts concerning my former Writings 1. Of the Scriptures IN all buildings the maine is to settle the Foundation First of all next to Christ the foundation is laid upon the Prophets and Apostles So Paul are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets meaning the foundation which the Apostles and Prophets laid Laid where In their doctrine contained in their Writings So Doctor John Rainolds the famous Hence that of Christ search the Scriptures for in them ye think to have eternal life By which place it is put beyond all Queries and Question that the Scriptures are the foundation of Religion sith in them is said Ye think and ye think well in it to have eternal life So again ye erre saith Christ to the Sadd●ces not knowing the Scriptures And again Apollos shewed and convinced the Jewes publickly by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ and once more all Scripture is given by inspiration by the breath of God Now by Scripture is meant the Word of God written Written then Printed now by the way note and grant that written and printed come all to one written then printed now so then by Scriptures we meane the Word of God written Now here the first case is What ground there is that we should ground our selves on the Scriptures sith for a matter of two thousand years the Church was without Scripture and many went to heaven when there was before Moses no Scripture at all and the Christian Church was best and purest before the New Testament was written at all This was pleaded in the Councel of Trent to justle out the Scriptures and to place Traditions in the place of the Scriptures All this should not shake and totter the heart of a Christian Before Moses the Lord did teach by tradition without Scripture and the Church did by the providence of God walk by as certaine rules then as now For this they who will may see Dr. Abbot against Bishop Many Reasons are given why then the written word was not necessary as 't is now as that the Church was in families after it came to be all one Nation over now over all Nations As also that the Patriarchs then had a spirit we have not Anabaptists say they have an infallible spirit which Wotton calls a lewd opinion yet they say this as onely for themselves But sure the Patriarchs and the Church under the Patriarchs had a certain and infallible rule to walk by which was to them as the Scriptures are to us Their rule was the Word of God but not written ours is the same Word of God but written It is enough that the Law hath now tied us to the Word of God written And for the Apostles time the Apostles men immediately inspired being living and other infallible men not Apostles as Mark Luke there was no such necessity to have the Word of God written as there was after Wherefore they did provide for this ere they died and committed the Word of God to writing when there should be no such men to consult with Let us then sit down by the Scriptures the Word of God written as the onely sure card and rule to guide us in all matters of faith and life For if we leave this once there is nothing but Sea and Aire no place for this poor Dove this poore soul of ours to rest her foot without which when and where to stay none can tell That then we may not run from opinion to opinion from Christ to Christ from Church to church till we have run our selvs out of all our onely sure way is to flie to the Scriptures to the written VVord of God as to an Anchour that so we may have hope if hope then faith Before we go further we must take it as cleare that by Scriptures Christ and his Apostles do meane the VVord of God written Our enquiry is What written word Not the Original Copy for that was in the Ark and there onely and not to be seen of every body if of any body but the high Priest and I know nothing but those Tables perished with the Temple Nor can it be that when he did call upon them to search the Scriptures he did send them to the Ark which then was not I doubt not but he meant by the Scriptures the writings of Moses the Prophets Now who can think that Christ and his Apostles did turn over the Church and people of God to the Scriptures written by Moses and the

So I dare lay it on the same God that he in his providence is so with the Church of the Gentiles that they have and do preserve the Greek Text uncorrupt and clear As for some scapes by Transcribers that comes to no more then to censure a book to be corrupt because of some scapes in the printing and 't is certaine that what mistake is in one print is correctin another A second Proposition is That God never did suffer his Church to be without a sufficient Rule and there can be no rule but translations to the Vulgar Therefore I make no question but the sweet providence of God hath held the hearts and hands and pens of translators so in all true Churches in all times that the virnacular and popular translation into mother tongues have beene made pure without any considerable tincture of errour to endanger the soules of his Church For what if Interpreters and Translators were not Prophets yet God hath and doth use so to guide them that they have been are and shall be preserved from so erring in translating the Scriptures that the souls of his people may have that which will feed them to eternal life that they shall have sufficient for their instruction and consolation here and salvation hereafter This is the opinion of Bellarmine himselfe albeit he appropriates it to their vulgar Translation yet I think the eye of providence provides for all vulgar and vernacular translations in their mother tongue for all true Churches in the world Translations are sufficient with all their mistakes to save the Church I will deliver this in the words of Master Baine Faith cometh by hearing of the word from a particular Minister who by confession of all is subject to errour As God hath not immediately and infallibly assisted Ministers that they cannot erre at all so we know that he is in some measure with them that they cannot altogether erre A Translation that erreth cannot beget faith so farre forth as it erreth The word Translated though subject to errour is Gods Word and begetteth and increaseth faith not so farre forth as man through frailty erreth but as he is assisted through speaking and translating to write the truth So he This gives full satisfaction to me and I hope it will to others The maine Conclusion for a ground of all is the evidence and seale of the Spirit of God which perswadeth us of the saving truth in the Translation and by way of Ministry to come to saving faith by the preaching of the Word by our several Ministers Papists cry up the inerrable and infallible authority of the Church and yet they themselves deny not but their particular preachers whom they heare are as subject to erre as any of ours are I know no authority the Church hath whatever the Church doth is but Ministerial The Papists and we agree in this That Translations Originals Reading Preaching is of no saving effect without the Revelation and Testimony of the Spirit Canus I rather choose to mention him the oftener because Dr. John Rainolds saith that he was of better minde and sounder judgement then Popish Doctors are the most of them It is a great errour saith he in them who think they can either understand or interpret the Scripture without the peculiar gift of the holy Ghost And againe The last resolution of our faith must be in the inner efficiency of God moving to beleeve We believe not for that John or any man else saith it but because God hath revealed it Now that God hath revealed his minde we do immediately believe it by special instinct And again The formal reason of our assent is the light of God which God doth infuse into us and for this he cites Aquinas Lect. 2. ad Rom. 10. And as the understanding in us discernes of natural things and the taste in matters of sense so when the minde of a man is inlightened by the Spirit we are inabled to discerne doctrines necessary to salvation from errours which are not of God This his resolution is often up and down in his book Bellarmine is for the same conclusion A man cannot saith he without the special illustration of God believe the mysteries of faith And again Faith cannot arise in the heart but by divine revelation which is either immediately from God alone or by the instrument of the Word reade or preached I think it hath truth in it which Canus observes That Peter had heard the Testimony of John Baptist when with open voice he proclaimed Christ to be the Son of God John 1. 84. and had moreover with his own eyes seene many miracles of Christ yet after all these Christ doth ascribe Peters confession of his saith to none of of these but onely to divine revelation So then Protestants and Papists we and they concurre in this That at last we must sit down by the evidence and sealing testimony of the Spirit but with this difference They say The Spirit gives light and evidence to the authority of the Church we say To the Sovereignty of the Scriptures Nothing can be seene without some light or other Things of Reason cannot be conceived without the light of reason nor things of the Spirit without the light of Faith and of the Spirit Though Wotton hath cast an unhappy stone or two at translations yet when he comes to answer Fisher who said That the Spirit of God teacheth and perswadeth men to believe the Church Are you saith Wotton they who mock at private spirits and yet are glad to flie that help Is it not as likely the Spirit should teach men which is the Scripture as which is the Church and assure them of a translation as of this or that mans Ordination and Priesthood So he thus at last he is for the divine authority of translations But is not this to fall upon private revelations No such matter for we call not in for the Testimony of revealing of the Spirit to teach us any thing but what is revealed in the word that wer to bring in privat revelations But because none doth or can know the secrets of God but the Spirit of God therefore we say that we are made to see the evidence of truth first revealed in the Word and then by that light which the Spirit kindleth in our hearts both the Scripture to be the Word of God and the minde of the Sripture is not onely revealed but confirmed to us by the Testimony of the Spirit in us and to us So here is no use of the Spirit to reveal new lights but to shew us the evidence of these truthes which are in the Word A private spirit is to lead us from this is to lead us to the Word And all this is done by illightning our understandings and sanctifying our wills to discern and to approve the evidence of truth which is in the Scripture and no other They