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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	act_n	law_n	sin_n	1,487	5	5.2539	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14354	A treatise of the cohabitacyon of the faithfull with the vnfaithfull Whereunto is added. A sermon made of the confessing of Christe and his gospell, and of the denyinge of the same.	Vermigli, Pietro Martire, 1499-1562.; Bullinger, Heinrich, 1504-1575. aut; Becon, Thomas, 1512-1567, attributed name.	1555 (1555)	STC 24673.5; ESTC S118516	95,107	174

answered and ouercommed do flye to this atlenghth Thoughe saye they it be a synne to go to Masse and such popishe pelfe yet it is but a light synne and not so seuerely to be reproued What say they we do many thinges which we shuld not do but God forgyuithe thē 2c To the last I aunswer The goodnes of Godd which doth forgyue synnes vnto them that be truly penitēt doth not diminishe at all the gretnes of the synne Wherfor I will aunswer only to that they saye that it is but a light synne Which thinge whilest they do saye they do not thincke this with themselues that all synnes haue their proper weight and burthen For doinges and the nature of thinges done ar not to be considered simplie of themselues but they ar to be weyed by godds worde and lawe by which they arforbiddē By it wicked actes and the do●…inge of them ar to be iudged And seing that the poure of the lawe and worde of God is all one in all cōmaundementes by it the weighte burthē and greatnes of synne cōmitted is to be weyed considered and iudged S. Iames therfor in this cause doth saye He that hathe obserued the whole lawe and dothe offend in one is made giltye of all Which sayinge truly is harde and sharpe but most true and teachith all mē that they shuld not extenuate synne But this place of Iames is not so to be vnderstōded as thoughe that all synnes wer equall and like That doth Augustine truly and playnly denye He saith that the Stoickes do go about to proue it when they saye that all vertues are cōioyned and knitt together so that he which hathe one of theim hath all and he that wātith one wātith all For wisdome saye they is not fearefull nott intemperate not vniuste therfor it hath ioyned with it the vertues which be contrarie vnto these vices And likewise iustice strēghthe tēperaunce and other vertues are not vnwise but are ioyned with wisdome wheruppon they do conclude that all vertues are conioyned and knitt together Theise thinges saith Augustine do not agre with the holy scriptures which do witnes That in many thinges we do all offend and If we saye that we haue no synne we do deceyue our selues and ther is no truithe in vs. Wherfor seing that we synne in many thinges and in synnynge we cā not haue that vertue which is cōtrarie to that synne which we do committ and yet it maye be that he which fallith in one synne may be cōstaunt in other vertues the opinion of theis philosophers is fals As for example Be it that one be of an hastye nature or do exceade measure in eatinge and yet he gyuith euery man his own and will gyue his life in Godds cause thoughe this man be fearce and intemperate yet is he called a iust mā and a stronge man S. Augustine doth also putt awaye the similitude of the stoicks whiche is That the man doth die in the waters if they be but half a handfull ouer his heade aswell as he ouer whos heade they are ten or twentie cubites This is no apte similitude saith he therfor let vs take an other more fitte for our purpose of light namely and darcknes Certaynly when one is in darcknes the more he dothe departe and go out of it and drawith nighe vnto light he begynnith the better to see sumwhat and so though that yet he be compassed with darcknes yet is he sumwhat partaker of the lighte But he that wyll knowe more of this matier let hym reade that Epistle of Augustyne Wher he prouith playnly that all synnes ar not like as the Stoicks did thincke Now to return to our place which we did rehearce Be that offendith in one is giltie of all Ther is no obseruacion of Godds Lawe to be receued with an exception as thoughe we might chose one parte of it to obserue and separate or sett asyde the other parte at our will and pleasure to neglecte it The commaundemētes of the lawe ar conioyned of the lorde and knitt together and so gyuen vnto vs We must not now disseuer and separate thē as we lust but without exception we must obserue the whole lawe We must consider and loke vppon the Auctoritie of the lawe gyuer which is Godd It is of force aswel in one cōmaundement as in the rest This doth Iames seame to meane when he saith He that hath sayde Thow shalt not committ adulterie the same hath sayde Thow shalt not kill As if he shuld saye he is no les contraried in any one of theise commaundemētes then in an other And therfor to adde this by the waye let them wel consider what they do which do profes to receyue the gospell and yet they do refuse ecclesiasticall disciplyne Wheras the lorde which hath reuealede and opened the gospell vnto vs by Christe doth appoint discipline to be a parte therof Theise men do synne against the whole lawe The papistes do also synne herin which do preache their parted righteousnes as meritorius of congruitie But to returne this is also manifest that he that synnith in one is therfore giltie in all for that as now by lust and tentacion he is caried into sum one transgression and so dothe synne euen in like manier shuld he offend in an other euill if he wer assaulted in the same sorte and whith that same violence of tentacion And Augustine in the place before alledged doth saye That therfore he is made giltie of all bicause he synneth against charitie vppon which the obseruacion of the whole lawe is grownded To be short therfor when we do thus fall into synne we must not ligtly tryfle it of and excuse it sayinge that it is but light and small for synne is not to be considered of the matier and manier of the action only but of the force poure and dignitie of Godds worde which doth forbidd it And yet les I shuld seeme to be to rigorus and strayte in this matier of massehauntinge let ther be hadd a consideracion or difference of the matier and doinge And truly I can not see how this finde of synne and doinge cā be iudged to be light or small seing that it is a transgressiō committed against the furst table of the lawe in which the worship due vntto Godd is cōmaūded which worshipp being sownde and safe in a mā other vices and synnes ar the more easily corrected And agayn this being corrupted all other actes are most vnacceptable vnto Godd Whordō by Godds lawe is to be punyshed by deathe yet is it a synne but against the. ij table And what shal we thincke then of spirituall whordome how seuerely doth Godd iudge it how sharply ought it to be punished If therfor thow dost consider the commandement which thou breakest it is of God If the matier it is aganist the furst table and therfore thys synne is the more heynus and weightie Besids this our men do counte this Masse

our waye do hynder vs from walking in gods lawe Chrisostom entreating this matier writithe If the membre which ys misioined vnto the bodie must be cut of ar not then euell frends mutch more to be cut of ▪ And agayn he saith If we do cut of that membre which ys rotten and incurable from the bodie for feare les yt shuld corrupt the other partes therof which we do not bicause we do neglect it for who yet did euer hate his own fleshe but to saue the rest how mutch more is this to be done to them which ar euell ioyned vnto us ▪ Which yet we must not do as thoughe we did despise thē but to prouide that our helthe and saluaciō be not brought in daūger by thē ▪ after that we do see that we can not profite them at all To this also belōgith the lawe which christe did giue That he which will not heere the brethern admonishing him And doth contemne the voice of the churche when it reprouith and correctith hym he is then to be estemed and taken as an ethnicke and a publicane Which thing Paule puttith in practise when he biddith that the Corinthians shuld ex communicat the fornicator les that a litill leauē shuld soure the whole lumpe of dowe To the same purpose he usith the vearse of the poete Menander Euell wordes do corrupt goode maniers Ther Paul teachith that the true doctrine of the Resurrection was greatly hindered amonge the ●…orinthians which wer but newly turned vnto christe bicause they dyd to lightly gyue eare to the vngod ly argumentes and reasons of philosophers or ra ther of heretiques which did contend and stryue agaynst that doctrine No man can sufficiently consider how the bewitching of wicked tales and ●…alkes do shake and hurt the tender conscience ād weake faithe of the foeble ād weake brother Wher ●…or it is most necessari and profitable to admonis he them which ar weake that they do abstayn and withdrawe them selues from the felowshipp and familiar companye of the vnbeleauers The phi sicions do cowncell 〈◊〉 when a contagius disease hath enfected any nigh place that thei which as yet ar sownd and not enfected shuld not cōme vnto them that be enfected alreadye and sicke bicause that in the bodies of men and the temperatures and disposicions of the same ther is such a commō passion and suffering that the infection doth easily go from thē that be infected vnto the other And though they which do not take heede and keape thē selues from that infection do not presently feale the poyson and force therof yeat inasmutch as by lytill and litill the infection and poyson receyued doth growe n●…t long after they ar sure to feale the force and strenghthe of it Seing this is so and cich man maye worthily and godly take heede to auoide the diseases of the bodie mutch more diligēt heede is to be taken of all men that they do not frō ony man or place gett vnto themselues infecting vices of the minde Our Nature and disposiciō through our naturall and birthe syn is now so cor rupt as both the holy scripture doth warn vs ād infinite examples of dayly experiēce do teache vs that we neade not to dowt at all but that we shall easily receyue the poison and infectiō of other mēs synnes if we do not fle farr from them And as with no great labour they will cleaue vnto vs so after they be ons crept and roted into vs thē hard ly and not without great payn ād labor will they be thrust out agayn Wherfor Chrisostom in the afore named place semith to say well If saithe he speaking of the vnbeleauers and wicked we coulde make them better and not hurt our selues all thinges wer to be doone But whē we can not pro fite them bicause they be incurable and such as will not be amended and yet we hurt our selues they ar vtterly to be cutt of And to the end that he might the more strongly confirme his saying he alledgith that sayinge of Paul Put awaye the euell from among yowe Which wordes of Paule ar not to be vnderstonded of the synne for the greke word is in the masculyne gendre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therfor he meanith by it the wicked man The same wordes I will now sumwhat bend vse and turn vnto the profite of you that be weake and thus saye vnto yowe Put awaye your own selues from the euell men that ar emongst you for seing ye ar but priuate men and vnlearned and therfor can not put awaye the euell from among you yet your selues ye may ridd and conuey awaye from being emongst the wicked and the euell men Morouer it happeneth that whilest the weake and vnlearned do thus familiarly accompanie the vnbealeuers They cā not chose but they must heare many subtill reasons and see many other thinges which do mutch make against the true religiō●…hat they do profes Which thinges when they se ●…nd be not able to disproue and confute They do it not And so they rōne into two mischeifs The furst is That they ar as it wer witnesses of the blasphemie and of the reproche that the vnbeleauers do to the truithe The secōde that they maie happ to haue summe stinge left sticking in their concience with which they shalbe longer more greuusly and daungerusly tormented thē either they thincke of or do feare Let us heere therfor the wise mā which doth saye Who so touchithe pitche shalbe fy led ther with all and he that is familiar with the proude shall become lyke vnto hym Take not a burthē vppon the aboue thy poure neither ioyne thow thi felf to hym that is more honorable and ritche then thiself These words of the wiseman do for two causes belong to our purpos Furst bicause that they do teache that other mens synnes ar lyke vnto pitche which doth stycke vnto the fingars and garments of them that do touche it Agayn that eich man shuld well trie and consider his own poure and strenghth Vppō which cowncell I do gather two thinges Furst that the infirme and weake must not ioyn themselues in familia ritie with the wicked for wickednes will then clea ue vnto them Secondly that eich man must so well consider and iustly trie his own poure and strenghth that he doth not ouermatch himself The churche of godd in all ages hath felt by expe rience that mutch euell hathe happened through this familiar companie and felowshipp keapt betwene the weake in faithe and knowledge and the vnbeleauers In the Primitiue churche forthwith after christes ascension bicause the Iues which wer conuerted vnto christe did lyue a great while with thos gentils which hadd receyued the gospell ther begon a very Iuishnes For the Iues did enforce the ceremonies of Moses lawe myng ling thē with the doctryne of the gospell through which they did infect many congregacions of the christiās so sore that scarsely and

which I saied euē nowe that thos humayn ceremonies are contrary to Goddes worde and do defile Godds ordinaunces corrupt them and hyde them can that be obscure or vnknown to ony mā which our lord Iesus Christe doth playnly with expressed wordes bringe out of Esaye They do serue me in vaine teachinge the doctrines and preceptes of men Again that which Paule doth affirme that they be commaundements of men that tourn awaye the truithe And that the holy Martir of Christe pronownced It is adulterus it is wicked it is sacrilegus whatsoeuer is jnstituted by mans furie to violate the ordinance of Godd And for this cause the godly will not call theis ordināces ony lōger ceremonies simply but rather mans institutions and supersticions which are reiected and forbidden of Godd Wherfor howsoeuer theis men do beautifully set furth and adorn theise thinges yet shall they neuer bringe this to passe that the goddly will beleaue that it is lawful for thē to cōmunicate with supersticiōs ād such institucions as are forbiddē of God Neither will the godly beleaue but that theis thinges are forbiddē except the papistes shall proue by playne testimonies of the scripture that they are so instituted of Godd as they do vse them Which thinge when it can not be proued of them nor yet at all of ony other of the papistes sum of our false gospellers do turn thē selues hither that they saye that Paule also did vse forbidden ceremonies and that the prophetes of Godd did reproue the sacrifices which they neuertheles did partake without synne And if we do graunte thē this altogether how can they I praye yow helpe or sett furth their cause We reade that Paule vsed ceremonies instituted of Godd circum cision and sacrifices but theis men do contend for ceremonies instituted by men Paul did ons circūcise his Timothie and did ons ore twis take on him a vowe and that for certayn and weightie causes But theise men couet to waxe old in their supersticions and haue no lawfull causes to do so except thow wilt call that lawfull which cōmith of the affe ctiōs of the fleshe Without doubt Paule wold not haue one ore two of his actes to be sett against his whole doctrine But wh●… do they not rather folow Paule in that when he refused to circūcise Titus seing like causes are ministred vnto them by thos which go about to spoile thē of their libertie ād brīg thē into bōdage We do saye that ther were two sortes of the Sacrifices amōg the old poeple of Israel Sum of them are redd to be instituted of Godd which the poeple sum tyme abused or els did not vse them with true faithe which thing the prophetes did reproue and not the Sacrifices thēselues of which they did partake religiusly and without synne Euen as we reade that Paule did worthely partake the supper of the lorde although he doth reproue the abuse of the supper in the Corinthians Other sacrifices ther were enuented by man such were the sacrifices of Baal and of Ieroboam and thos which were done in the hilles Theis truly the prophetes did reproue but it is not redde that they did communicate with the same This example therfor is offorce against them which will excuse themselues by the example of the prophetes in that they do partake such sacrifices as are instituted of man Forthewith thē they saye what is it to me though papistes do abuse the Masse In their abuse I do call to mynd the true vse and I cōme vnto it with an other mynde and vnderstondinge then they do saye it For when I see the breade and cupp I do not thincke vppon the transubstāciation which the pope hath fayned but on the sacrament of Christe And therfor when I am at masse I do not regarde what ceremonies be ther ore what the minister is but I do remember the very institution of Christe and I do spiritually receyue that wich he doth saye that he doth corporally offer and receyue for the lyuinge and the deade And seinge I know that the vertue of the sacramēt is not of les force for the varictie of ceremonies ore the vnworthines of the ministers I do suppose that I which do well vse an euell thinge am neither defiled nor yet that by this my spirituall cōmunicating I do denie the gospell By theise wordes a man wold iudge theis men to be madd except he do consider that it is not they which do thus speake but feare and desire which are affections playnly most trobled They do simply acknowledge that papistes do abuse the supper of the lorde but yet they saye that they themselues do wel vse their abuse forbicause they do come enstructed with an other meaninge then the papistes do it not to heare a popishe masse which the papistes saye but to receyue the supper of the lorde the self same which they in their masse do thīcke abhominable I do not know whether ther cā be ony greter ab surditie spokē Thow maiste saye that theis mē haue learned an arte which hetherto no man coulde attayne to ●…bb a naked man of clothes to wringe water out of a pumeise stone and to bidde a man to get fishe in the aire that is at a table wher no meate is sett furth at all to fare delicatly and to be filled But go to let them frely profes before them with whō they do thus cōmunicate that they be of that mynd which they speake of that is that in cūminge to Masse they will not cōme to Masse but that in it they will vnderstōd and consider breade yea and that they will sett before their myndes the supper of the lorde that they will not cōfes the popishe transubstātiatiō but that they do here in acknowledge Christes Sacrament and that they do well receyue that spiritually in the Masse which the prest doth offer and receyue bodily for the lyuing and the deade which thinge he beleauith not Will not all they forthewithe crye out that ther holy Masse is vnhalowed and that they which thinke so are heretikes and that they which do cōmunicate with them are excommunicated Truly they wold so behaue themselues that euery man might vnderstond that ther is a grete difference betwene the Masse and the supper of the lorde and that they do embrace the Masse but the supper of the lord they do all wayes hate and reiect With such a kinde of mē yet do theis men communicate which wold thincke it a hurtefull and damnable thinge if they shuld admitte vnto their diuine seruice the cōpanions of the religion of the gospell with their faithe For they do take the approuinge of their doctrine to be the condemnynge of the religion of the gospell And they do take the communion in the Masse to be a certayn confession and approbation of their religion Who is it then which doth not se that theis mē do receyue no part of the lordes supper at all