Selected quad for the lemma: act_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
act_n	knowledge_n	zeal_n	zealous_a	25	3	8.9839	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14353	Most learned and fruitfull commentaries of D. Peter Martir Vermilius Florentine, professor of diuinitie in the schole of Tigure, vpon the Epistle of S. Paul to the Romanes wherin are diligently [and] most profitably entreated all such matters and chiefe common places of religion touched in the same Epistle. With a table of all the common places and expositions vpon diuers places of the scriptures, and also an index to finde all the principall matters conteyned in the same. Lately tra[n]slated out of Latine into Englishe, by H.B.; In epistolam S. Pauli Apostoli ad Romanos commentarii doctissimi. English	Vermigli, Pietro Martire, 1499-1562.; Billingsley, Henry, Sir, d. 1606.	1568 (1568)	STC 24672; ESTC S117871	1,666,362	944

would declare that this his assent to the truth resembled some We are also sorye by reason of the morall workes of the Ethnikes certaine shew of piety and of duty Wherefore in such workes which are morally called good the minde of the godly delighteth although therewithall also it sorroweth that those workes are not done as they ought to be done And as touching this present sentence of the Apostle we must not gather that he of sinne that is of zeale without true knowledge conceaued a loue and good will towardes the Iewes for he reasoneth not from the cause yea rather by the effect he declareth his loue towardes them namely in that he not onely prayeth for saluation for them but also agrauateth not the crime which they were guilty of but rather Paul loued not the Iews for their euill zeale as much as the thing suffreth excuseth it It should be a false kind of reasoning a non causa vt causa that is taking that for the cause which is not the cause if a man would hereby proue that Paul had a delight in the sinnes of the Iewes But if a man will nedes contend that this argument is taken from the cause we say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is englished harts desire is in this place an affect What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place signifieth The zele of the Iewes was sinne which pertaineth to mercy and so Paul had compassion vpon the Iewes for that he saw the Iewes so miserably erred And this sentence is of no small force to proue that that zeale of the Iewes though it were goodly to the shew was sinne for nothing stirreth vp mercy but only misery and calamity neither are we moued to pray for any that they might be conuerted from euil workes vnles the same workes were sinnes and that very hurtfull Wherefore I wonder at the Nicodemites of our tyme which obiect the history of Elizeus and of Naaman The Nicodemites of our time The fact of Naamā the Siriā very ill cited the Sirian to proue that it is lawful for them so that they thinke wel in in their hart to be present at vngodly supersticions For Naaman the Sirian although he were newly conuerted yet he vnderstoode that that was sinne and for that he had not as yet so farre gone forwarde to departe from his commodities he required of the Prophet to pray for him which declareth that he iudged that such a sinne neded pardon Wherefore we conclude that this zeale of the Iewes whereunto the Apostle now beareth record was in very deede sinne and although it haue some shew of vertue yet is it very farre of from it For as it is plaine by moral philosophy that vertues and vices are as touching Vices and vertues are occupied about one the same matter where about they are occupied one and the same but in forme much differ as fortitude and feare temperaunce and intemperance iustice and iniustice For one and the selfe same affectes when they are by right reason bridled to a mediocrity and when thorough vice they either want or exceede differ not in matter although the habites or qualities which are occupied about them are much differing And that which the Philosophers speake of vertues and of vpright reason we ought to transferre also vnto the holighost and vnto faith geuen vnto the scriptures And although in a good and euil zeale the affect be one and the same yet is the difference most great when it is gouerned by true knowledge and faith and when it is gouerned of it selfe and wanteth true knowledge As A similitude the water of the sea and rayne water although they agree together in matter of moisture yet are they sundred by very many proprieties differences These A good intent is not sufficient to make the worke good thinges haue I therefore alleadged to confute those which oftentimes defend wicked actes for that they are done of a good minde purpose or as they say entent as though euery zeale were sufficient to make the worke good Whose sentence if it were true mought easely excuse the Iewes in that they killed Christ and afflicted his Apostles for they beleued that by these meanes they defended the lawe of God and ceremonies of their fathers But the Apostle Errors in matters of faith is hurtfull Against workes of preparation saith otherwise when he attributeth vnto them zeale but yet a zeale ioyned with error but when error lighteth in matters of faith it is a deadly sinne Wherfore let them well aduise themselues what to say which so stoutly defend workes preparatory doubtles their meaning is nothing els but that men although before iustification they absolutely worke not good workes yet by reason of a certaine vpright purpose and zeale of congruity they deserue grace Such workes for as muche as they want true knowledge whiche is fayth it followeth that they are such a zeale as the Apostle nowe speaketh of We deny not but that God sometimes vseth suche our wycked workes by thē at length to bring vs vnto iustification but that we our selues do thorow them deserue iustification it is farre from the truth yea rather oftentimes Goodly workes are sometyme a let vnto saluation it commeth to passe that such workes are a great let vnto saluation For the Philosophers and Pharesies being dronken glutted with those goodly workes were ouermuch puffed vp and for that they delighted in thē selues they contented them selues with those workes neither endeuoured they to ascend vnto the true degree of righteousnes We are by this doctrine also of Paul We must not streight way geue place to zele admonished not straight way to geue place vnto zeale we must first trye and diligently examine it for oftentimes vnder the goodly shew thereof lyeth hidden most great impietie as it is manifest in the Iewes which slew Christ and persecuted the Apostles and as this place euidently declareth It is a greuous sinne to refuse to be subiet vnto God A rule to try zeale For they being ignorant of the righteousnes of God and going about to stablish their own righteousnes are not subiect vnto the rightousnes of God What more wickednes could haue bene deuised then to refuse to be subiect vnto God and to seeke to prefer their own righteousnes before the righteousnes of God The Apostle in these wordes geueth vs a rule whereby we may be able to trye and examine our zeale And that rule is this to see whether we will be subiect vnto God whether we can abide that all thinges shoulde bee attributed vnto God and claime nothing vnto our selues as the true knowledge of God requireth There are a great many in our daies which as it were by a certain zeale labour to defend worshipping of Images pilgrimages and other suche supersticious actes vnto whom if a man manifestly declare that those thinges are repugnant vnto the word of God they

that they coulde iudge of them But there is no man which can geue iudgemente of those thinges whereof he The Ethnikes excelled in sharpnes of iugemente is vtterly ignoraunt But how muche the wise menne of the Ethnikes exelled in sharpenes of iudgemente the goodly lawes and excellente bookes whiche they haue setfoorth do declare and also the determinations whiche were decreed at theyr places of iudgemente when matters were decided Chrisostome supposeth that these thynges are therefore written vnto the Romanes because at that time they were the chiefe Lordes ouer all and the iudgementes in a manner of all prouinces were drawen thither But vndoubtedlye those thynges whereof the Apostle here writeth pertayne vnto all menne For there is none whyche hath hys righte wyttes whiche eyther wyth himselfe or els with other menne discusseth not of those thinges whyche he eyther publikely or priuately seeth done and either prayseth or disprayseth the same as they eyther disagree from naturall iustice or agree therewith But forasmuche as they can geue iudgemente of other menne they oughte in especiall to geue iudgemente of themselues for y● vnto them it is most plaine not onely what they do but also with what mind they do it which they cannot so easely see in other menne But they spare themselues and do the selfe same thinges whiche they geue iudgement of Paule therfore to strike into them a terror sayth Eueryman may better iudge of himselfe thē of other men But we know that the iudgement of God is according to truth against them which commit such things And thinkest thou o man which iudgest them which do such thinges and doost the selfe same that thou shalt escape the iudgemente of God They dissembled theyr owne sinnes eyther because they thought that God little regarded the thinges which are done of men against whiche errour the Apostle sayth that it is moste certaine that God wil iudge these thinges Reasons why God will iudge men and that accordynge to truth Otherwyse as sayth Ambrose he shoulde be counted an euell woorkeman as one whyche shoulde neglecte hys woorke And forasmuche as those thinges whiche he hath made are most good and the same as the continuance and order of thinges declareth hath he not cast of frō his care how dare they thinke that man which is the most excellent of al creatures should continue without the prouidence and presence of God Others peraduenture were therefore perswaded to sinne against their owne iudgemēt and to thinke that they should not be punished for it because they saw and perceaued that God deferreth punishmentes Which erronious opinion he afterward confuteth when he sayth Doost thou despise the riches of his goodnes patience and long suffringe But because such seeme there to be reproued whiche iudge others that not a misse when as yet they thēselues liue in the self same wicked actes let vs see whether theyr opinion be vpright which thinke that suche Iudges cannot nor oughte not to geue sentence against others whiche are accused vnto thē they thēselues being guilty of the selfe same fault But this were to ouerthrow all publike wealths and vtterly to take away iudgements Neyther doth Paule here any thing serue for the maintenaunce of this opinion But onelye Whither a iudge being guilty of any crime may iudge an other accused of the selfe same crime A place of Iohn touching the adulteresse sheweth that they most grieuously sinne which with a greate securitie punish others and ouerpasse themselues They ought vndoubtedly first to correct and amend themselues But yet Paule biddeth them not to forsake the office cōmitted vnto them They vse also for this purpose to cite the sayinge of Christe vnto them which accused the adulterous woman He which amongst you is with out sinne let him cast the first stone at her But this sentence of Christ is not against iust punishmentes and lawfull iudgementes Neyther commaunded he them that they should not go forward in accusing the woman whome they had taken in adultery He himselfe was no magistrate but the most high preacher of God Therfore that which was his office to do he executed in perswading those hipocrites to repentaunce And he woulde haue them first hereunto to haue a regarde by a liuely fayth and repentaunce to deliuer themselues from the sinnes whereof they were guilty Neyther forbad he but that they shoulde execute that which the law of Moyses commaunded He saw that these wicked men in these punishments wer infected with two manner of faults For first the punishment and payne which theyr neighbour was put vnto was pleasaunt vnto them for by accusinge him before the Magistrates and iudges they priuely wreckt vpon him their hatred and enmities An other fault was their hipocrisy for that when as they themselues otherwise abstained not from the selfe same wicked actes yet by accusynge of offenders they made a show as though they had bene zelous of the law These thynges Christ wente aboute to correcte He condemned not the woman for that he was not a polleticall magistrate He accused her not to the Magistrates because he tooke her not in adultery Wherefore farasmuch as he was not a sufficiēt witnes he was not bound by the law to prosecute such an accusation But that which pertayned to hys function he left not vndone for he admonished her that she should afterward absteyn from sinne Likewise when we see any wicked acte done by our neyghbour God requireth What is to be done when we see the fauts of our neighbour not that we shoulde not iudge of it accordinge to the nature thereof For woe be vnto vs as sayth the Prophete if wee shall call euill good That whiche is euill oughte to be iudged accordinge as it is Neyther oughte we ether to suspende our iudgemente or to turne away our eyes frō those things How thys is to be vnderstand iudge not whiche are in very deede euill If that we shall feele our selues also to be infected with the selfe same fault let vs discend into our selues and with a due chastisement reproue our selues And therebye shall it come to passe that we our selues being by repentance corrected may both more vprightly and also wyth more fruyte admonishe our brother when he offendeth Neyther againste this is that sentence in the. 7. of Mathew Iudge not and ye shall not be iudged Because in that place is not entreated of the taking away of brotherly admonicion but onely the curiosity of the vngodly is there reproued whiche aboundinge themselues in all manner of synnes do most diligently search out the sinnes of other men not to the entent to amend them but to delighte themselues in the multitude of sinners and because they thinke that hauing company theyr case is the better The godly are not infected with this curiositie as they which haue continually their eyes fixed vpon theyr owne sinnes and dayly falles so that they haue no leysure vnles they offer themselues

a frowning coūtenance and with bitter opprobrious woordes This is a paradoxe of Christian philosophy a doctrine intolerable vnto the fleshe that we should with a valiant minde tollerate iniuries although they be vniustly inflicted vpō vs and Paradoxes of christian philosophy that we should not cease to doo good vnto them which haue our trauayle and diligence in suspicion and beare a deadly hatred against vs. But it is meruaile how Paul calleth them saintes who beare vnto him no great good fauour But he saw that with faith and iustification is ioyned very great infirmitie and that oftentimes With iustification is oftentimes ioyned gre● infirmity it happeneth that holy men haue no vpright iudgement touching thynges humane either for that they are not rightly enstructed or els for y● they are fraudulently seduced by others That I may come with ioy vnto you by the will of God and may together vvith you be refreshed This is the ende why he wished to be deliuered nam●ly that he might be with the Romanes and others whome he might by his diligence and labour helpe in the aduancing of the Gospell Herein Paul placed all his consolation Let the ministers now go and boast of their riches and reuenues and commodities omitting in the meane tyme the apostolicall office of doctrine of preaching of labours and of troubles For herein doth Paul put his solace rest This also is to be noted the lowlines and modesty which Paul vseth whē he speaketh these thinges For he saith not that I may teach admonishe instruct correct you but that I may comforte and refresh my selfe with you This is it which he sayd at the beginning of this epistle To confirme you that is that I might be comforted together with you thorough that fayth which is common both yours and mine The God of peace be with you all Amen He last of all wisheth vnto them peace and that no common peace but the peace of God which ought truely to be called the chiefe good thing For as Paul in an other place sayth it passeth all vnderstanding With peace he began his epistle and with peace he endeth the same And when as he himselfe could not as yet be with them he wisheth y● they might haue with them the God of peace that is God pacified and mercifull for so signifieth this particle the God of peace The sixtenth Chapiter I Commend vnto you Phebe our sister which is a seruaunt of the Church of Cenchrea That ye receaue her in the Lord as it becommeth saintes and that ye asist her in whatsoeuer busines she nedeth of your ayde for she hath geuen hospitality to many and to me also I commend vnto you Phebe our sister Men thinke that this holy wooman What maner of ministery Phebe had in the church caried this epistle of Paul to Rome She had bene a minister in the Church of cen●hrea not indede in teaching publikely but in looking to the poore which were susteyned at the charges of the Church And what maner of widowes either as touching age or as touching maners were required to that charge it is at large set forth in the epistle to Timothe By what maner of meanes she was an helpe vnto Paul we know not But it is inough for vs out of this testimony of Paul to vnderstand that she had oftentimes bene beneficiall both to many others and also to Paul himself She is here thrée ways commended for that she was a sister for that she was a minister and for that she had geuen hospitalitie to many others and to Paul also Wherunto also may be added that she was holy For Paul streight way Phebe thre waies cōmended addeth as it becommeth saints Hereby it is manifest y● Christians that are strangers ought not only therefore to be receaued for that they are brethern but also for that they pertayne to God as saynts and wholy dedicated vnto him Cenchrea is a towne nighe vnto Corinthe and a port or hauen longing to that towne Neither is it to be meruailed at that Paul here cōmendeth a woman for he also wrot● letters of commendation to Ph●lemon for Onesimus his bondman Salute Prisca and Aquila my fellow helpers in Christ Iesus which haue for my life laid downe their owne necke vnto whom not only I geue thankes but also all the churches of the Gentles Likewise greete the church that is in their house Salute my welbeloued Epenetus whiche is the first fruites of Achaia in Christ Salute Mary which bestowed much labour on vs. Salute Andronicus and Iunia my cosins and fellow prisoners which are notable Amongst the Apostles and were in Christ before me Salute Amplias my beloued in the Lorde Salute Vrbanus our fellow helper in Christ and Stachis my beloued Salute Appelles approued in Christ Salute them whiche are of Aristobulus house Salute Herodian my kinsman Salute them whiche are of the frendes of Narcissus which are in the Lord. Salute Triphena Triphosa which women labour in the Lord. Salute the beloued Persis which woman hath laboured much in the Lorde Salute R●fus chosen in the Lord and his mother and mine Greete Asyncritus Plegon Hermas Patrobas Mercurius and the brethren which are with them Salute Philologus and Iulias Nereas and his sister and Olimpas and al the saints which are with thē Salute one an other with an holy kisse All the Churches of Christ Salute you Salute Prisca ▪ and Aquila This woman Prisca the wife of Aquila is called of Luke in the 18. chapiter of the Actes Priscilla Her husband Aquila was borne in Pontus but as touching his stocke he was a Iew and he was of the same art or science that Paul was But why he setteth the woman before the man we know not but hereby it is manifest that the loue of ech of them was notable when as for Pauls sake they did put theyr life in danger Wherefore the Apostle cōfesseth that not only he himsefe is much in theyr debt but also all the churches of the Gentils For it was eu●●●t that they had doone a great benefit to them all in that they had preserued Paul theyr teacher and maister Neyther is this to be passed ouer with silence that he calleth the man and the wife his helpers and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which commonly they cal felow workers And ● not without a cause For they instructed in y● way of the lord Apollo a Iew one that had very great knowledge in the law as it is writen in the 18 chap. of y● Actes All these which are there named Paul hath adorned with most exc●llent titles Which if a man diligently consider conteyne nothing that is earthly or worldly but conteyne most excellent gifts and vertues What thinges ought to moue christians to loue one another which God had geuen vnto them that we might vnderstand what are the things that ought to moue vs to loue men If there be any which loue them that

will not be subiect vnto it but strayght way flee to the custome of their Elders and to the helps of humaine traditiōs There are some also which are moued with a zeale to defēd sole lyfe of the Ministers of the Church vnto whom if a man do shew that the bed of matrimony ought to be vndefiled in all men as it is sayde vnto the Hebrues and as it is writen vnto the Corinthians It is better to marry then to burne They which cānot lyue continent let them marry Let euery man haue hys own wyfe and euerye woman her owne husband to auoide fornication they wyll not be subiect vnto this knowledge Men will not be subiecte vnto God of the lawes of God but bring forth the Fathers Councels and humane inuentions Whereby it is plaine what is to be iudged of their zeale It is vndoubtedly a very euill zeale and onely leaneth vnto selfe loue and geueth it self ●o his own thinges and nothing regardeth the thinges that pertain vnto God Such are the Monkes which preferre their institutions rules and workes before all other thinges which are commonly done of Christians and much delight in contemning all others in respect of them selues With this blind zeale are the miserable people euery where infected whom the Pastors and prechers ought to succor and helpe in discouering their want of knowledge and setting before them the true knowledge of the scriptures and that of a singular affection We must euen of mercy be moued to fall to prayers and true Christian mercy wherewith they ought thorowlye to be touched in so great a dissipation of Churches which can of no man bee sufficientlye lamented We haue neede of Ieremy to bewayle the calamities of the Churche And from this mercy we must go forward vnto prayers as Paul sayth he dyd and in imploring the ayde of God we ought there to record before God that which is in this place written They haue the zeale of God but not according to knowledge which selfe thing our Sauiour did vpon the crosse when he prayed Father An example of Christ forgeue them for they know not what they do Further seing that we delight in the good moral workes of men not yet regenerate and are sory for that they are not done as they ought to be done we maye thus gather If these men displease God and are condemned which yet of a good entent as they speake doo these so honest things when yet notwithstanding they want true knowledge what shall at the length become of vs which being endued wyth knowledge liue filthily yea euen against our conscience They are able to pretend a zeale but we Misers what excuse shall we make when as wee professe the Gospell Howbeit this is not to bee passed ouer that the Iewes of whom the Apostle speaketh had not if we wyl speake properlye the zeale of God for there hath The Iews had not the zele of God not bene at any time nor euer shal be any true God which wyl haue the law of Moses to be defended against Christ and his Gospell Wherefore they abused the name of God when as they defended not him but rather their owne opinions As the Turkes also although they boast that they worship and cal vpon the true God yet they lye for there is no where such a God which hath not our The turks worship not God Lord Iesus Christ and the holy ghost of one and the same substance with him which forasmuch as they take away frō the God whō they worship they worship theyr owne inuencion for God fight and are zelous for it not for the true God And Paul speaketh according to the accustomed maner of the scriptures which oftentimes nameth thinges not as they are but as they seme to be Seing The scripture oftentymes nameth thinges not as they are but as they seme to be therefore that those men thought that they were moued with the zeale of the true God neyther did they for any other cause enter into these zeales but for that they thought them to be acceptable vnto God therefore Paul sayth that they had the zeale of God when yet they were deceaued For if they had bene kindled with the zeale of the true God they would neuer haue resisted Christe Wherefore in Iohn the lord sayd excellenlye well vnto those which boasted that they would beleue Moses and not him If ye beleued Moses ye would beleue me also for he wrote of me Wherfore Chrisostome in this place very well noteth that Paul Paul deceueth not as Rhetoricians do gratefied the Iewes but yet in wordes only Further let vs consider that the arte vsed of the Apostle farre differeth from that which the Rhetoricians vse They to couer and to extenuate vices adorne them with the name of the vertues nexte vnto those vices defending a couetous man by the name of frugallity a bold and rashe person as valiāt and so in other vices But Paul bycause he had named an effect which semed to approch nigh vnto vertue to the end he would not deceaue made open the vice thereof in taking awaye from it knowledge And this he proueth adding thys For they being ignoraunt of the righteousnes of God and going aboute to stablish theyr owne righteousnes are not subiect vnto the righteousnes of God Agayne when he maketh mencion of ignoraunce he semeth to gratefie the Iewes And indede he sheweth that they were not so culpable as if wittingly and willingly they had resisted the truth knowen allbeit notwithstanding he most greauously accuseth them It is certayne that ignoraunce signifieth defect What ignoraunce is Difference betwene natural priuations morall or wante of knowledge not indede fully but requireth a subiect or matter apte to know For betwene naturall priuations and morall there is greate differēce for in phisicall or naturall priuations the greater the nighnes aptnes is vnto any perfection so much of more valew is the thing counted For for y● the drinke or liquor of fruites is more apt to resemble wine therfore of so much the more worthines is it The gold of the Alchumistes is better then yron bicause with a greater aptnes or nighnes it draweth nere vnto true gold But in moral things if a man seme to be more apte to receaue vertues or to attayn vnto knowledge then other are and by his owne default or folly will not take any paynes in them he is more to be accused then others are which are farther of from that commodity Wherefore seing that the Iewes had aboue all other nations geuen vnto them the scriptures the Prophets the Apostles and Christ himselfe for theyr erudition and were taught by ceremonies preaching and miracles the ignoraunce of Christe coulde not but to theyr moste greate rebuke be obiected vnto them Paul in this place maketh a diuision of righteousnesse and the one he maketh proper and theyr owne and the other he maketh to be of God of