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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	church_n	scripture_n	word_n	7,766	5	4.4516	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03284	The confession of faith contending how the troubled man should seeke refuge at his God, thereto led by faith: with the declaratio[n] of the article of iustification at length. ... Compiled by M. Henry Balnaues of Halhill, & one of the Lords of session, and Counsell of Scotland, being as prisoner within the old pallaice of Roane: in the yeare of our Lord. 1548. Direct to his faithfull brethren, being in like trouble or more ...	Balnaves, Henry, Sir, d. 1579.; Knox, John, ca. 1514-1572.	1584 (1584)	STC 1340; ESTC S100771	112,936	310

god with their free will and naturall reason From Noe vnto Abraham our saide aduersarie Sathan so couered this article that no outward testimony is foūd therof in Scripture And trust well the fathers all this time had many pleasant workes inuented of their own conceat good intention naturall reason Hauing some footsteppes of the examples of the holie fathers By which they beleeued to please God but it was not so indeed because they followed the examples of the fathers in the outward workes and Ceremonies but not in faith so all became Idolaters And the same Ceremonies most shining workes appeare to be most excellent in the ofspring and posteritie of Cham. Because his nephew Nimrode began first to be myghtie in the earth and vsurped to him the kingdome of Babilon It is not to presume that the preaching of Noe the word of God taught to him and his sonnes by the mouth of god his maner of sacrifice was past frō their memory but man is lyghtly drawn from faith the word to his owne conceat vain intentiō to the exercising of the outward deed in the which man wil neuer be sene to do euil so there appeare any maner of outward holines in his works the which he defends to be holy and good because the holy fathers did so haue no respect to faith which maketh the work acceptable and pleasant in the sight of God without the which al is but Idolatrie how holy that euer the worke appeare and so enters Sathan and rules mightiely as he did amongst the fathers to the time of Abraham THE IX CHAP. 1 God reneued to Abraham the promis made to Adam of the blessed seed wherto Abraham beleuing is pronounced iust 2 Though the iust be euer persecuted at last they preuaile 3 Wherfore are we brethrē to Iesus Christ. 4 The wrong iudgement of the fleshly man touching the chosen of God GOD of his infinit mercy and goodnes moued of loue which he bears to mankind seeing our aduersary ruling so mightely would steir vp this article of iustification in Abraham that his church should not perish Commanding him in these words Passe furth of thy fathers house and from thy freends and furth of thy own countrie and cum into the land which I shall showe the That is asmuch to say as thy father his household and the whole countrie in the which now thou mackis dwelling Thy whole nation and kinred ar all Idolaters therefore of my mercie and grace without thy merites or deseruings I will call the to the faith and raise vp in the the groundstone of my church and make the the father of all faithfull This exposition ye shall finde in the booke of Iosua the 24. chap. for the scripture is the best interpreter of it selfe And so stired vp this article in the person of Abraham in these words saying I shall make the in a great nation and I shall blesse the and shall magnifie thy name and thou shalbe blessed I shall blis them that blis the and curse them that curse the and in the shall all natiōs of the earth be blessed This is the renewing of the promes maid to Adam in the paradise That the seed of the woman should tread down the serpents head Heir shall ye finde the beginning of the faith of Abraham who past forward as God commanded him to whome he gaue credence surelie beleued in his promisse And left all wordlie affections committing him wholy into the hands of God depending only vpon his word beleeuing the same trew hoping to obtein all things which were promesed him by the word of god of the which he had deserued no thing for the scriptures testifies him to be no other but an Idolater as his father was Efter this God dreue and inculcat this article of iustification in the eares of Abraham saying Dreid not Abraham I am thy defender and rewarde aboue measure c. Thou shalt haue him to be thy heire that shall passe forth of thy bosom Thy seede shalbe as the starres of the heauen Abraham beleeued God and it was reputed to him for Ryghteousnesse c. Here ye see the proceeding of this article from faith to faith euer cōtinuing in more perfection day by day Then begā sathan our aduersary newly to impūg this article euer to annul the promis of god as he perswaded Cain to pursue Abel euen so perswaded he Ismael to pursue Isaac Esau Iacob the rest of the brethrē yoūg Ioseph whom they sold as testifies the historie Thus still continued the old hatred enimitie betwen the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman That is the wicked pursue euer the chosen and godlie which ar the womans seed that treadeth down the serpētes head For euen as Christ the blessed seed hath obteined victory of our aduersary So shall we by faith in him of whose flesh bones we are he of ours that is we ar mēbers of his body brethrē to him by two reasons the one is that he is man of our flesh the naturall begottē sonne of the glorious virgin Marie And so of Adam is ●●id our brother The other reason is that by him through him by faith in the mercy of god we are the sons adoptiue of God and so his brethren fellow heires of the heritage with him The fleshlie man and worldly iudgement is deceaued in the knowledge of this seed as our mother Eue was For she said after she had conceaued and borne Cain I haue gotten or possessed a man by God that is according to the promis made by god I haue gotten the seed that shal tread down the serpēts hed Here she looked not into faith but tooke the fleshlie reason of the first begotten sonne But when she saw hee slew his brother then she vnderstoode him to be the seede of the Serpent Therfore whē she bare Seth she held her peace because she knewe her selfe deceaued before in the opinion of Cain And then cleued to faith as Adam did saying God hath giuen to mee an other seede for Abell whome Cain hath slaine Abraham beleued of his fleshly iudgment that Ismaell wes the promesed seed as appeareth by the answear he made to god when he said to him Sarai shall bare vnto thee a sonne whome I am to blis c. Abraham smiled in his harte and said wold to god Ismael might liue befor thee But hereafter admonished by the mouth of god to obey Sarai and expell Agar hir sonne for he should haue no parte of heritage with Isaac he vnderstood spirituallie obeyed the voice of his wyfe The seed of the serpent contended with the seede promesed in the bosum of that noble and godlie woman Rebecca being both of one conception This contention moued the mother to say better I had remained still barren then to haue this displeasure To

of him being gouerned by his word Beginne at him and set forth the true and perfite worshipping of god in thy Kingdome Restore the true pure and syncere Christian religion abolish destroye and put downe all false worshippinges and superstitions contrarie to the worde of god and not commanded therein according to the example of the noble Kinges of Iuda Ezechias and Iosias as thou mayest reade the fourth booke of the kinges the 18. and 23. Chapter This is thy vocation in the which thou shouldest walke and orderly proceed in guiding of thy people as thou art taught by the worde of god and decline not therefrom neither to the right hand nor to the left but the kingly way teached thee in the holie scriptures To you which are princes Iudges and superiour powers vpon earth perteine wisedome knowledge vnderstāding learning that ye may iustly truely exercise the office and charge cōmitted to your care by God Therefore Dauid exhorteth you saying vnderstand know o ye kings and be learned O yee which iudge the earth And serue the lord in feare and reuerēce and reioyce in him with trimbling This is your wisedome and vnderstanding taught you in the law of god For the godly man needeth not to seeke wisedome but in the scriptures of God where hee shall finde how he shall behaue him both to god man in prosperitie aduersitie in peace and warre Therefore to seeke wisdome any other waye it is nothing but foolishnes before god Sithens yee are the ministers of God vnto good created and ordeined by him as the Apost saith Rom. the 13. Chap. It becommeth you of your office to guide and rule your subiectes in all goodnesse and sweetnes not seeking from them their landes or goodes but seeke righteous iudgement help the oppressed iudge righteously the people and widowes cause Iustifie the needfull hūble poore as teacheth you the scriptures of god Defend them from the iniuries and oppressions of the wicked And being vniustly pursued in iudgement absolue them Take from them your duety and no more haue no respect of persons nor take no bribes or rewardes the which blinde the eyes of the wise and peruerte the wordes of the iust These two thinges that is to say respect of persons rewards peruerte all righteous iudgements The first comprehendeth in it the feare reuerence of great mighty rich mē loue of frends fauour of kinne or affinitie contempt of the poore humble sober persons mercy of the wicked gilty perill of thy own life tinsell or losse of fame and losse of goodes or worldly honours The second that is rewards comprehendeth in it lucre profite hope and all that infinite and insatiable goulfe of auarice Therefore Iethro coūselled Moyses to prouide for administration of Iustice and good order in the Ciuill policie wise men which feared god were true hated detested auarice the which is the roote and beginning of all euill And so learne yea aboue all thinges to detest auarice vaine glorie and particular affection of persons if yee will walke right in the Christiā religion according to your vocation Your estate and office is great not to bee contemned but of all men to bee praised and commended of your subiectes feared reuerenced and also loued because yee are as it were gods and so called in the scripture by reasō of participation of the power of god committed vnto you whose iudgements ye exercise and called the sonnes of God as Dauid saith I haue saide yee are gods and sonnes of the most highest that is for the excellent dignity of your office I haue called you my sonns Neuertheles know your selues to be but men and for to suffer death as other men doth and in like maner as princes of earthly kingdomes or tyrants which haue the ruling of commō weales as ye haue Therefore be iust righteous exercising your selfe in all godlynes according to your vocation being sure yee shall shortly die and giue accompt and reakoning of your administration For ye are but flesh and all flesh is but grasse and all the glory of the same as it were the floure of the field the grasse is withered and the floure falleth but the word of god remaineth for euer Therefore know Christ to be your king ruler guider gouernour who shall rule you with an Iron rod and breake you asunder as it were a clay pot or vessell of fragill earth If ye wil not vnderstand the will and cōmandement of god his Ire wrath shall rule aboue your heade at all times These sharpe threatninges are showen you in the scriptures Esaye the first Ieremie the fifth Chap Dauid in the 2. and 81. Psal. And Zacharie the 7. chap. where yee are taught the chiefe pointes of your office and workes which yee are bound to do for neglecting of the which vndoone yee shalbee accused before god But neuer for neglecting of pilgrimages offering to Images praying to Saintes founding of masses and abbayes of monkes and friers making of Images belles Copes and other such vaine superstitions because the same are not cōmanded you to do but rather the contrarie This dare I affirme becaus gods word affirmeth the same Yee should be pure and cleane of life without crime because ye are depute by god and ordeined to the punishment of crimes Howe can yee iudge iustly being corrupted A theef shall neuer punish theft An oppressour māslayer adulterer a false Lyer a dishonourer of father and mother a disobeyer of his superiour a couetous or auaritious man a blasphemer of the name of God shall neuer punish these crimes in others Therfore the scriptures of God teache you to absteine from all such vices and crimes For in you which ar great mē haue the care of others your crimes and sinnes are not so much to be lamented in you as the euill example your subiects take thereof And therethrough follow you in the same and other crimes heaping sin vpō sinne euer till god of his righteous iudgement take vengeance yea and cause another as wicked as yee are punish you as yee may reade of the punishment of the people of Israell by the opē ennemies of god and manifest Idolaters because they neglected the lawe of God as testifie the whole histories of the kings Iudges of Israell and Iuda And the greatest punishmēt is sent by god for doing of the most excellēt work after the iudgement of mā becaus it was not commanded by god for no thing frō the beginning of the worlde hath euer bene so displeasant in the sight of god as to inuent any maner of worshipping of him which he hath not commanded For this cause king Saull was eiected and all his posteritie lost and fell from the kingdome In the which example yee shall consider that the workes wrought by King Saull were right excellent in the