Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	work_n	worship_v	wrought_v	55	3	7.3350	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02267	True religion explained and defended against ye archenemies thereof in these times In six bookes. Published by authority for the co[m]mon good.; De veritate religionis Christianae. English	Grotius, Hugo, 1583-1645.; Cecil, Thomas, fl. 1630, engraver.; Franciscus a Sancta Clara, 1598-1680.	1632 (1632)	STC 12400; ESTC S122528	94,326	374

needs follow as the Iewes have confessed that these workes proceeded from a more than naturall or humane power that is from some good or evill Spirit That they proceeded not from any evill Spirit may be proved because that the doctrine of Christ for the confirmation whereof these workes were wrought was quite opposite and contrary to bad Spirits For it prohibits the worshipping of evill Angels and disswades men from all unclearnesse of affections and manners wherein such Spirits are much delighted And this is also plain for that wheresoever the doctrine of the Gospell is received and established there followes the ruine and downfall of Idols the contempt and detestation of magicall arts together with a serious hatred of all diabolicall worship as being a thing contrary and repugnant to the worship of the onely true GOD. Neither is it to bee thought that any wicked Spirit is so ignorant and foolish as to effect and often bring to passe things that are causes of its owne hurt and disgrace and no way conducing to its honour or benefit Besides it stands no way with the wisdome or goodnesse of God himselfe to suffer so harmelesse and innocent men such as feared him to bee deceived by the delusion of devils and such were the first followers of Christ as is plaine by their innocent life and by the many calamities which they endured for conserence sake But on the other side if thou affirme that those workes of Christ proceeded from some good Spirits which are inferiour to God in so saying thou dost confesse that the same workes were well pleasing unto God and did tend to the honour of his name forasmuch as good Spirits doe nothing but what is acceptable and glorious unto God To say no more then some of Christs works there were so miraculous that they might seeme to have God himselfe for the author of them and could not have beene done but by the immediate finger of an omnipotent power as specially the restoring divers persons from death unto life againe Now God doth not produce any miracle nor suffer any such wonders to bee wrought without just cause For it becomes not a wise Law giver to forsake and depart from his owne lawes unlesse upon some good and weighty reason Now no other cause of these things can bee given than that which was alleaged by Christ himselfe namely that hereby his doctrine might be verified and confirmed And doubtlesse they that were spectators of his workes could conceive no other reason thereof For since amongst those spectators and beholders of his miracles there were as was said many godly men piou●ly and devoutly affected it is horrible impiety to imagine that God did worke these things onely to delude and deceive them And this was one or the onely cause why very many of the Iewes who lived about the time of Iesus even such as could not be perswaded to relinquish or omit one jot of Moses his Law did acknowledge that this Iesus was a Doctour or Master sent from heaven SECT VII Christs resurrection proved by credible reasons BEsides the miracles that Christ wrought to confirme his doctrine another argument may be taken from his wonderfull resurrection to life againe after that he was crucified dead and buried For the Christians of all ages and Countries alleage the same not onely for a truth but also as the most strong sortresse and chiefest foundation of their faith which could not be unlesse those that first taught Christianity did perswade their auditors that the thing was so for certain And yet they could not induce any wise man to the beleefe hereof unlesse they could verily affirme that themselves were eye-witnesses of this matter For without such an ocular testimony no man of wisdome and judgment would willingly give credit thereunto specially in such perillous and dangerous times as then were But that this was their constant assertion both their owne bookes and other writings doe testifie For out of their bookes it appeares that they appealed unto five hundred witnesses that had beheld Iesus after he was risen from the dead Now it is not the fashion of lyars and dissemblers to appeale to so great a number of witnesses Neither could it possibly so fall out that so many men should agree and conspire together to beare false witnesse Or suppose there had beene no other witnesses save those twelve knowne Apostles the first publishers of Christian doctrine yet this had beene sufficient No man is a leasing-munger for God-a-mercy Any honour for their lying they could not expect in regard that all kind of dignities and promotions did then belong unto the Pagans or Jewes from whom they received nothing but reproach and ignominy Neither could they hope for any wealth and commodity because this profession was oftentimes punished with the losse of goods and possessions or if it was not yet the Gospell could not bee taught by them sincerely unlesse they omitted or neglected all sollicitous and anxious care for temporall commodity Neither could the hope of any other worldly profit move them to fit or utter untruths seeing that the very preaching of the Gospell did expose them to labours hunger thirst stripes and imprisonments To get credit and reputation onely among their owne Country men was not so much worth that they poore innocent men being such as in their life and doctrine abhorred losty mindednesse should therefore run upon so great inconveniences Neither againe could they have any hope for the propagation of their doctrine w●● was opposed both by corupt covetous nature by the greatnesse of them that were in authority vnlesse they had beene some way animated and incouraged by the divine promise of God And further this fame or reputation whatsoever it was was not likely to continue for ever they could not promise to themselves that it would be perpetual seeing that God purposely concealing his counsell concerning the end and destruction of the world hath left the time thereof doubtfull as being alwayes imminent at hand which the writings of the Christians that lived in those times and of those that succeeded thē do most plain●●y witnesse It remaines therfore ●…f they lied that they had for the defence of their Religion how be●…t this cannot justly bee laid against them if the thing be rightly considered For either they ●did sincerely beleeve that this Religion which they professed was the true Religion or else they were of a contrary minde If they did not beleeve it to bee true nay if they thought not that it was absolutely the best they would never have made choice hereof and refused other Religions farre more safe and cōmodious Nay further though they conceived it to bee most true yet they would not have professed it unlesse they had beene fully perswaded that the profession there of was necessary specially for that they might have easily foreseene and partly they could tell by experience what troopes of men were exposed to death for this profession which without

of the Iewes have invented concerning the miracles done by Christ namely in that they ascribe the same unto a mysticall unknowne name which as they say being placed in the Temple by Salomon was to be preserved safe by two lions during the space of one thousand yeares and more afterward was stolne away by Iesus For there is no mention made of those lyons either in the books of Kings and Chronicles or by Iosephus nor was there any such thing found by the Romans who accompanying Pompey entred into that Temple before the times of Iesus SECT V. The miracles of Iesus were divine because hee taught the worship of one God the maker of the world IT being then granted as the Iewes cannot deny that wonders were wrought by Christ by the very law of Moses it will follow that he must be beleeved F●r God saith Deuteron 18. that 〈…〉 Prophets after the time of Moses ●hould bee raised up of God to whom the people should be obedient or otherwise become liable to grievous punishments Now miracles are the most infallible markes of the Prophets than the which more certaine notes cannot be imagined But in Deuteron 13. it is said that if any professing himselfe to be a Prophet and doth worke wonders yet the same must not be beleeved if hee goe about to entice the people to a new worship of the Gods For though such miracles bee done by him yet this is onely by Gods permission for triall whether the people would persist constantly in the worship of the true God From which places compared together the Hebrew interpreters do rightly collect that every one must be beleeved that worketh miracles unlesse thereby hee intice men from the worship of the true God and in that case only miracles are not to bee credited though in shew most glorious Now Iesus did not onely prohibit the worshipping of false Gods but also expresly condemned it as a most grievous crime and taught us to reverence the writings both of Moses and the Prophets that succeeded him Wherefore there is nothing that can bee objected against the miracles that were wrought by Christ SECT VI. Answer to the objection taken from the difference betweene the Law of Moses and of Christ where is showne that a more perfect law than that of Moses might be given AS touching that which some alleage concerning the difference betweene the law of Moses and the law of Christ it seemes but of small moment For the Hebrew Doctors themselves make this rule namely that by the authority of a Prophet who worketh miracles any precept whatsoever may bee violated and transgressed except that onely which concernes the worship of the true God And surely that power of making lawes which belonged unto God when hee gave the commandements by the hand of Moses went not from him Neither can any man that of his owne power makes lawes bee thereby hundred from making the contrary That which they object of Gods immutability is nothing for wee speake not here of Gods nature and essence but of his works Light is changed into darknesse youth into old age summer into winter and all by the worke of God This God at the beginning gave Adam leave in Paradise to eat of other apples but he forbad him to eat of the fruit of one tree Why even because it so pleased him Generally hee prohibited men to commit murder yet he commanded Abraham to kill his sonne One while hee forbad to offer sacrifices apart from the Tabernacle another while he admitted of them Neither will it follow because the Law which was given by Moses was good therefore no better could bee given Parents are wont to babble and prattle with infants to wink at the vices of their childhood and entice them to learne with an apple or a butter-lep But so soone as they come to riper age their speech is amended the precepts of vertue are taught them by degrees and they learne what is the goodnesse and benefit of honesty Now it is plaine that the precepts of that law of Moses were not exactly perfect because many holy men of those times lod a more holy life than thos commandements required Thus Moses who suffered the revenge of a wrong to bee exacted partly by blowes and partly by sentence himselfe being vexed with most bitter injuries became an intercessor for his enemies So David willing to have his rebellious Sonne to be spared did patiently endure reproachfull speeches cast upon himselfe We finde not that any good men left their wives which notwithstanding was permitted by the law The reason of all this chiefly is because those lawes were accommodated to the greater part of that people therefore in the state and condition they were in it was meet something should bee kept had and reserved which afterward might be perfected when God by a greater efficacy of the Spirit was to chuse unto himselfe a peculiar people out of all nations Yea all the rewards which are expresly promised by the law of Moses belong onely to this mortall life wherefore it must bee granted that there might some better law be given whereby the reward of eternall happinesse should be promised not under any shadowes but in plaine and expresse termes which we see is done by the law of Christ SECT VII The law of Moses was observed by Iesus who abolished ●o commandements that were essentially good ANd here by the way for the conviction of the Iewes it must be noted that those Iewes who lived in Christs time used him most basely and punished him most severely when as yet there could no just accusation bee laid against him for transgressing the law He was circumcised hee used the same food and apparell that the Iews used those that were healed of lepers hee sent unto the Priests The Passeover and other festivall dayes he religiously observed Though he did cure some upon the Sabbath day yet hee shewed both by the law and by the common received opinions that such works were not unlawfull to be done upon the Sabbath day And then chiefly began he to publish the abrogation of some lawes when after his triumphover death he ascēded into heaven adorning his Disciples upon earth with gracious gifts of the holy Spirit whereby he made it evident that hee had obtained a regall power which includes the authority of making a law And that according to Daniels prophecie ch 3. 7. compared with chap. 8. 11. where he foretold how that a little after the destruction of the Kingdomes of Syria and Aegypt the latter whereof happened in the raigne of Augustus God would give the kingdome to a man which should seem but simple and necessitous to a people chosen out of all nations and languages which Kingdome should never have an end Now that part of the law the necessity whereof was taken away by Christ contained nothing that was honest in ●●s owne nature but consisted of things that were indifferent in themselves and consequently not immutable

the contrary ●…ly the dominion given to ●nto man over his own actions ●he naturall desire that is in him ●o be immortall the comfort o●…●ood conscience for well done ●eeds though such were accom●anied with much difficulty ●nd on the contrary the sting of ●…gnawing conscience at the re●embrance of ungodly and ●…icked actions especially when ●he houre of death approacheth ●nto the wicked who doe then ●…eeme more sensible of an immi●…ent iudgement and this gnawing ●…orme of conscience the most ●…rophane wretches and wicked ●…yrants in the world could never ●tterly mortifi● and destroy in them no not then when they most of all desired as divers examples doe testifie SECT XXIIII Whence it followes that the e●● of all shall bee mans happine●… after this life SEeing then the soule is of 〈…〉 nature that in it selfe hath 〈…〉 ground or cause of its owne corruption and seeing also thi● God by many signes and token●… hath declared that it is his wi●… the same soule should survi●… the body what more noble 〈…〉 can be propounded to man tha● the state of eternall happinesse which in effect is the same that Plato and the Pythagorea●● spake of saying that it were goo● for man if hee could become mo●● like unto God SECT XXV ●…hich to obtaine men must get the true Religion NOw what this happinesse is and how 't is to be attaine●●…en may finde out by probable ●…iectures but if any thing co●cerning that matter bee revealed ●…y God in Scripture the same ●ust be held for a most certaine ●nd undoubted truth which ●nce that Religion●…emes ●…emes to pretend above others 〈◊〉 shall be examined in the next ●ooke whether or no men ought ●…o give credit thereunto and as●uredly build their faith theron The second Booke OF THE TRVNESSE OF Christian Religion SECT I. To prove the truth of Christian Religion IT is not our purpose in this second booke to handle all the points of Christianitie out after our hearty prayers made to Christ the King of Heaven that hee would grant us the assistance of his holy Spirit whereby we may be enabled for such a worke we shall endevour to make it appeare that Christian Religion is the most true and certaine Religion of all the rest namely as followeth SECT II. Here is showen that Iesus lived IT is a truth most sted fastly professed by all the Christian● that breath upon the face of the whole earth that Iesus of Nazreth then lived in Iudea whe● Tiberius was Emperour of the Romans which is acknowledged not onely by Christians but also by all the Iewes that ever lived heretofore or yet survive Nay the very Pagan writers th●… is such as are neither of the Iewish nor Christian Religion namely Suetonises Tacitus pliny the younger and many more after them doe testifie the same SECT III. And was put to an ig●…ious death MOreover all bee it such a kinde of death might bee thought inglorious and dishonorable to their Lord and Master yet all Christians doe confesse that this same Iesis was crucified by Pontius Pilate governour of Iudea The Iewes also doe the ●ike though they cannot bee ignorant how that they become most odious to those Christians●n ●n whose dominions they live because of this murder committed by Pilate whereof their ancestors were the chiefe authors as the heathenish writers have also recorded the same Yea these acts of Pilate were extant a long time after whereunto the Christians did sometimes make their appeale And further neither did Iulian himselfe nor any other adversaries of Christianity ever make doubt hereof So that hence it appeares that there was never any more true and certaine story than this which wee see may be confirmed not onely by the testimonies of some few men but also by the approbation of severall nations otherwise disagreeing and jarring among themselves SECT IV. Yet afterward was worshipped by by prudent and godly men ALL which though it was most true of Christs ignominious death yet wee see ho● that thorowout the remo●… parts of the world hee is worshipped as Lord and that not in our dayes onely but ever since the time that this was done to wit ever since the reigne of Nero the Emperour when many people that professed this worship of Christ and Christian Religion were for that cause tortured and put to death as Tacitus and others doe witnesse SECT V The cause whereof was for that in his life time there were miracles done by him NOw among such as professed Christianity there were many judicious learned men For to say nothing now of the Iewes there was Sergius governour of Cyprus Dionysius Areopagita Polycarpus Iustinus Irenaeus Athenagoras Origen Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus with divers others who almost all being broughtup in other religions neither could have any hopes of wealth or preferment in Christianity yet became worshippers of this man that died so ignominious a death and exhibited due honour to him as God no other reason whereof can bee given than this that moved them so to doe namely because they like prudent men in a matter of greatest moment by diligent inquiry found the truth and ground of that same which was bruted abroad concerning the miracles wrought by Christ as the healing of many that were sore diseased with his word onely the restoring of sight to him that was borne blinde the feeding of many thousands with some few Loaves of bread the restoring of some to life againe that were dead and many other such like wonderfull workes The truth whereof neither Celsus nor Iulian when they writ against Christians durst dare to deny but it was confessed both by them and also most plainly by the Hebrew doctors that were Authors of the Talmnd SECT VI. Which miracles were not wrought either by the helpe of nature or assistance of the devill but meerely by the divine power of God THat theft wondrous works were not wrought by any naturall power it is manifest because they were called wonders and miracles For it is not possible in nature that any grievous diseases and infirmities should bee cured meerely by a mans voice or by the vertue of a touch and that even upon a suddaine And it is likely if such works had beene done by the power of nature onely then the same would have beene made knowne and revealed either by those that were professed enemies of Christ while he lived upon earth or by those that have beene adversaries of his Gospell since his death By the same argument wee may prove that such workes came not to passe through the power and deceit of Sata● or by any diabolicall enchantments because they were done openly in the sight of all the people amongst whom divers of the learned sort did maligne and ●ear● ill will unto Christ not without envy observing all that hee did Adde further that the same workes were often iterated and the effects thereof were not transitory but permaneant and durable All which being duly pondered it must