Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	exclude_v	faith_n	justification_n	1,460	5	9.5364	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07407	The iustification of man by faith only: made and vvritten by Phylyp Melanchton. and translated out of the Latyn in to this oure mother tonge by Nicholas Lesse of London An apologie or defence of the worde of God, declaringe what a necessary thynge it is, to be in all mennes handes, the want wher of is the only cause of al vngodlienes committed thorowe the whole earth, made by the sayde Nicholas Lesse	Melanchthon, Philipp, 1497-1560.; Lesse, Nicholas. Apologie or defence of the worde of God. aut	1548 (1548)	STC 17792; ESTC S104245	86,618	204

away the mooste dampnable doctryne of the Monkyshe and Popyshe sort concernynge dubytation and merites committynge them selfe all togither to the comfortable promise of Chryste oure moost mercyfull Lorde ¶ But for what cause I praye you is thꝭ word frely which is called in latyn gratis Frelye only added by Paul nat these wordes also by oure workes but for Chryste hys sake Aboute the whiche wordes nat onelye the consciences of men but also the Prophettes and Apostles haue spoken largely It doeth comprehende in it selfe .ii. thynges mooste hyghly to be noted It doeth exclude all merytynge of oure selfes and our owne deseruynges settynge as it were before oure eyes the deseruynges and merytes of Chryste In the which place specially aboue all other is to be obserued and marked the dradfull angre and wrath of God agaynste synne The greate wrathe of God in so muche that no kynde of oblatyon or sacrifice coulde pease and swage hys wrathe but the death onely of hys owne sonne The vnspeakable loue of God On that other syde the greatnesse of his loue towarde vs is declared in gyuynge his only begotten sonne for oure sake whiche was an excedynge loue farre passinge al other loues The whiche bothe as wel the wrathe of God as the loue of him togyther we must comprehende and hold fast what tyme our consciences beynge in the conflycte and battayle agaynste synne are moste sorowfully payned and greued To God must we lay for vs the merites of Christe what lawe muste we wage with God for whose sake we muste bothe aske and surely truste and loke for pardō nat for our merites sake In this poynt consysteth the whole end of thys conflyct and battaile The mind beynge in greate feare of the wrathe of God doethe nat seke to knowe whether God wyll be mercyfull to them whiche haue sufficiently meryted and can shew many godlye dedes and other gaye vertues For that thynge the mynde knoweth wel ynoughe without any question that is to say that God is good and mercyfull to them that are worthye and without sinne for the knowledge of the lawe whiche we do brynge into the worlde to vs as sone as we are borne doethe teache vs that God is good and mercyfull to them whiche are good it is nat that thinge whiche the mynd and conscience seketh after but an other maner of tryng that is whether God wyl be mercyfull to the vnworthye and to the sinner ye or nay wherin this word freely doeth declare what difference is betwene the Gospel and the lawe For the lawe doeth teache that God is good and mercyfull The lawe requy●●●●e our owne worthynesse but besyde that it doethe set forthe a condicion of our owne worthynesse and merytes sayenge that god is mercyful to them which are without sinne or whiche be leaste defyled therewith As for the Gospel it doth remoue and put away the condicion of our worthynesse and merytes bearynge witnes that God is recōciled againe to vs frely for the merytes of Chryste his owne sake and nat for our merytynge consyderynge that thys faythe that is to saye the sure confidence of the mercy of God doeth leane and depende only on Christ and hys merytes We vse otherwyse in the Scripture in the steade and place of thys exclusyue frely we are iustified by faythe to speake after thys maner Freelye by faythe only by faythe / and by faith we are iustified is all one sayinge Onely by faythe we are iustyfyed The whiche worde onely doeth nat exclude all other kynde of vertues and good dedes that we shulde nat do them But it doeth remoue frome our mindes that dampnable opinion of hope and truste in our merytes and the condicion also of oure owne worthynesse excludynge it cleane and shuttynge it forthe from the cause of oure iustification or acceptation to God as here after I wil speake more largely And verely it is al one thyng to say By fayth we are made iust and by faith we are made iust frely And by onely faythe we are made iuste For it coulde nat be called faythe if our confydence were set in oure owne worthynes and merytes as the Papystes do dreame Fayth is clene banyshed away yf I shoulde thynke that God wyll be then mercifull to me On what thynge dependeth our faythe when I haue done workes ynough and meryted sufficient lye it foloweth therfore that faythe can depende on no thynge but onely on the promyse of God whiche promyse doeth shewe to vs Chryste for whose sake the father hathe promysed that he wyl with oure any fayle be mercyfull vnto vs. ¶ ALSO when Paull in reasonyng thys matter doethe demaunde whether by faythe or by workes we shulde be iustified The mercy of God and our wo●thynesse are contrary he doethe meane by that worde faythe the perfect trust in the mercy promysed for Chryste sake the which truste of mercy he doeth laye agaynste and as cleane contrary vnto our worthynesse As thoughe he wolde saye to the these wordes folowynge Howe doeste thou thinke that thy sinnes are forgiuen the and that thou arte made the chylde of God for the dignitie and worthynesse of thyne owne workes vertues other good qualities or els by the moost tender mercy of God only for Christ sake Therefore trulye he doethe exclude the dignitie of our workes sayinge that by faythe we are iustified ❧ VVHERFORE without doubt thys sentence is exclusiue and barryng of all our worthynes when Paul saieth By fayth we are iustified that is to say nat for oure dignitie and deserte so that who that wyll truly iudge and deme on thys thynge maye easely perceyue that it is all one thynge to say By fayth we are iustified by faythe we are iustified frelye and by onely faythe we are iustified Thus muche haue I spoken that the phrase and maner of speakynge of these wordes myghte be perceyued and weyed diligently But howe so euer we do vse oure speakinge and wordes lette vs take hede and beware that the thing and matter it selfe be nat confounded and made darke but that thys sentence exclusyue of all worthynes may be kept in hys ryght sence farre from our free acceptation wherby we please God the father for Chryste hys sake For that makethe the difference betwene the lawe and the Gospell as I haue sayde Therfore I haue spoken of thys worde frely that the vertuous and Godly maye consyder Our merytes must be repelled frome oure free acceptacion all merites to be taken and cast awaye Nat to make vs to be the more ydle in well doynge absteynynge frome good woorkes But to make the promyse certayne whiche promyse shoulde be vncertayne if it shoulde depende on the condicion of our merites and to rendre to Chryst the honoure due onelye to hym besyde that it makethe vs se and vnderstande that all oure dedes be they neuer so glorious are neuer able to atteyne to the perfectnes of the lawe For faythe doeth spryng

and good workes from our lyfe Good workes as the Papystes and Hypocrytes do continuallye barke and blaspheme but excludynge them from the cause of our iustification The cause of our iustification whiche cause is only Christ and his merites These be those men which wolde fayne that Christ had hys ryghte and hys honour nat mynyshed these men wyll and teache him to be a whole sauioure nat scanteled mangeled peced and botched Of these sort of newe learned men was Iohn Baptyste Iohn Ba●tyst whiche for all that he taught the people repentance and knowleginge of theyr sinne yet for al that he declared that all that wolde nat serue them dyd they neuer so muche shewing to the people with his fynger him whiche shulde be theyr sauiour which came downe for none other cause but to take awaye the sinne of man If there hadde bene any other thinge beside him wherin our saluation shulde consist he wold nat haue sayde beholde the Lambe of God whiche take the away the sinne of the worlde he wold haue ben wel ware of it he wolde nat haue spoken these wordes so playne to be any maner of occasion of heresye or diuision he wolde haue sayde loke yender is he whiche may do muche in thys cause he shal be a greate part of youre saluation but yet take good hede and truste nat to muche to hym Iohn fyrs● preached ●●pentaunce● afterwar● the Gospe● trust to your workes also or els ye may be deceyued This or suche lyke oration wolde he haue made to his hearers But he was wel assured of the contrarye And therfore he shewed to them theyr synne that they myght se and abhorre theyr abhomination of lyfe theyr fylthynes of maners to the entent they myght be the more apte to receyue comforte of the Gospell whiche is the glad tidinges And so after he had rebuked them of theyr sinne with lyke counsell to repent and to forsake theyr vnhappy lewdnesse then he taught them the Gospell that ●hriste shulde take awaye the sinne nat of one or twayne or of a fewe in nombre but of all the whole world To this brasen walle he commaunded them to leane harde whiche is vnable to be broken If he hadde spoken these wordes within these fewe yeres in London Smithfeld ●ger san●uinis I thynke nat the contrarye but Smythfelde wolde haue bene to whote for hym he shulde haue learned what it is to roste a faggot he shulde haue bene taught to knowe howe Iudicare came to Crede for hys true preachynge ¶ Thus the people beynge taught .iii. maner of sundry wayes euerye teacher hauynge his patron hys heade hys bearer hauynge and makynge the Scriptures for theyr purpose howe is it possible moste noble and Godlye disposed Lorde that the poore and simple people shuld be in an vnitie Diuersitie ●f prea●hynge cau●ethe dys●orde concord and loue Howe is it possible the carte shulde go forwarde when the horse drawers do plucke and drawe sundry wayes What tyme shal a shyppe be brought to her viage ende yf euerye maryner styrrethe a contrary course what tyme wolde it be or these foure persons shuld mete if the one goeth East another West the third Northe the fourthe Southe we muste all go one waye we must kepe the kyng his highe waye nat turnynge into by pathes and lanes for lesyng and goyng forth of the ryght way which is Christ We must kepe all one course to the port of saluation ¶ I do offer therfore exhibite to your grace the mynd iugement and sentence of that noble clarke and Godlye deuyne Phylyp Melanchton Phylypp Melanchton a man for his intollerable payns and sweat in settynge forthe the woorde of God susteyned by hym worthy to be hadde in most hyghe estymatyon touchynge the artycle of oure iustyfycatyon by me translated forthe of the Latyne into Englysshe by hym so playnly so openly set forthe his argumentes reasons examples and auctorities beynge so manye and so manyfest that euerye plowman whiche can fynde in hys herte to learne to knowe to whome he shal cleaue for his saluation may with no great payns ye in passing of his tyme come to the knowledge whereto he shal stande and stycke to for his saluation Whose doctryn in al matters and specially in thys i● so conformable and correspondent to the Scriptures bothe olde and newe nat writhen nor wrasted as shall appeare to the readers that I thinke there be no man which can be so peruerse and malicious that can fynde any faulte therewith Excepte he wyll denye vtterlye Christe to be Christe and the Gospel to be trewe If there be any suche as there hath ben in dede and I feare me there be many whiche louynge the Deuyll as well as the Gospell wyll put awaye theyr seruauntes yf they maye knowe that they do but ons smatter therof such I wold wyssh to be banyshed foor from al mens company suche wolde I desyre to be in lowe auctoritie rule that they might do lytell harme or none I wolde wisshe I saye that God of hys infinite mercye wolde open theyr eyes that they myghte se the lyghte of theyr saluation that theyr eyes shoulde be nomore bleared with the phantasies and auctorities of men ¶ Thys worke bycause the learned as well as the vnlearned myghte be full instructed and ledde as it were by a lyne to the perfecte knowledge and vnderstandynge of thys proposition Onely faythe iustyfyethe Therefore it is deuyded into foure partes ¶ The fyrste conteynethe the declaratyon of this vocable and word Iustice howe it is taken in the Phylosophers and howe with the Gospell and what they be bothe in effecte shewynge what the lawe of God doth requyre of vs and what we can perfourme of oure owne selfes And at the laste what remedy by what meanes is to be hadde for oure infyrmytye ¶ The seconde parte doethe teache the ryghte vnderstandynge of these vocables and wordes The lawe the Gospell Synne Iustification Grace and faythe howe and in what maner after the sincere doctryn of the Gospel euery one of these vocables must be taken The blyndnes and ignoraunce wherof hath broughte so greate darkenesse into the worlde that the cleare bryghtnesse of the Gospel coulde nat be perceyued but made darke clowdye and so mysty that men hadde no lyst to haue the worde of God in theyr handes as a thynge most asperous and bytter and fore frome all comforte The whiche thinge did cause the vngracious and peruerse maner of interpretacion of the sayde vocables and wordes contrary to the ryght sence and meanynge of them The ryghte vnderstandynge and meaninge therof perceyued and knowen that whiche semyd before darke and cloudye shall appeare nowe bryghte shynynge lyke the sonne as cleare as any Christall that whiche was harde and rogged shall be founde softe and tender and fynally which semyd to be as bitter as Gall shal be more swete then any Honye So great an all teratyon shall the worde of

❧ THE IVSTIFICATION OF MAN BY FAITH ONLY MADE AND VVRITTEN by Phylyp Melanchton and Translated out of the Latyn in to this oure mother tonge by Nicholas Lesse of London AN APOLOGIE OR DEfence of the worde of God declaringe what a necess●ry thynge it is to be in all mennes handes the want wherof is the only cause of al vngodlines committed thorowe the whole earthe made by the sayde Nicholas Lesse Augustinus in Psal 31. Si vis esse alienus a gratia iacta merita tua ❧ TO THE MYGHTIE AND VICTORIOVS PRINCE Edwarde by the grace of God duke of Somerset Lorde gouernoure mooste fortunate of the Kynge hys hyghnesse owne proper persone and Lorde Protector of the Realmes of Englande and Irelande with the rest of the Kyng his dominions on bothe syde the Seas Nicholas Lesse of London desyrethe good helth both of body and minde with long continuance therein to the plesure of the Lorde COnsidering and pondering with my selfe mooste noble Lorde and verye frende of God the greate diuersitie of opinions nat onely in thys Realme but in al other realmes and dominions rysen and spronge for lacke of the true knowledge of the worde of God concernynge the iustificacion of man besyde the greate variaunce and mortall hatred nat onely betwene man and man but also betwene Realme and Realme that almoste no countrye no region or place is voyde of thys and suche lyke kynde of controuersies to no small dystructyon of Christians the matter beynge in the time of Lent last past which was in the yeare of our lorde 1547. by the Kynge hys grace hys owne subiectes before his highnes in his Chappell moste clarkely and connyngly declared and made open that nothynge coulde be desyred more it semed to me a thynge very necessarye and expediente amonge many whiche haue written on this article accordynge to good and syncere doctryne to select and chose on 〈◊〉 doynge whose labour and payns shulde seme to me so fruytfull whose reasons so pl●●ne so mete for the capacitie of al men to be perceyued and vnderstanded that for the comon profite and lerninge of all men whiche are wyllynge to knowe and learne the truthe it shulde seme to me no laboure no payne but great pleasure and comfort to trāslate it into this oure mother tonge That lyke wyse as they haue bene instructed and taught by the liuely voyce of godly and learned preachers so they maye beynge at home in theyr houses certifie and confyrme theyr owne conscience euery man as God wyl gyue him grace to receyue it ¶ OF the which article of Iustification for as muche as there be thre sundry opinions and myndes of men so diuers so contrary and different one from that other that almoste no blak●i●s more contrary to whyte beynge no lykenesse of similitude and agrement in them euery man for his perswasion with to the and nayle striuinnge and contendynge that almost the whole some of our belefe is nowe come to that case that it is nothynge els but a bare contention it is nedeful I say therefore that there be set abrode to al the kynge his moste louynge subiectes in wrytynge some perfect instruction all other phantasies and opinions sayde asyde wherein beynge lerned they may knowe certaynly wherto they may-stycke and confyrme theyr myndes ¶ There is one kynde of men whiche contende that by theyr owne workes and merites they ar iustified to whom theyr sauyoure and redemer is of none effecte and serueth for no purpose except it be to theyr condempnation bicause they do refuse so gentyll and louynge a sauyoure makynge and deuysynge to them selues euerye man after his owne phantasye a sundrye sauyoure and redemer some one thyngesome an other Papistes Iewes The whiche sorte of men are the foule and stynkynge Papystes and also the Iewes Of the whiche twayne the Iewes are least to be blamed for as muche as the Papystes professynge the name of Christ do vtterly denye Christe in byenge and sellynge the saluation of man none otherwise than Iudas dyd bye and sel his maister I feare me that lyke mischefe wyll happen to them as dyd to Iudas whiche for sorowe moost desperate wente a 〈◊〉 ●●●●ed him selfe The Lorde gyue them g●●●● to repente whyle they be in the waye And as for workes they do drowne mennes conscience in them so muche that withoute they do them as they be prescribed there shal remaine no hope of saluation more redy to dryue men headlynge into desperation than to any trust of the bloude of Christe The Iewes are no Iewes in comparation to these They haue the Scriptures to serue for theyr purpose at the leaste they do make them to do them seruyce as the Deuyll what tyme he tempted the Lorde If it wolde please God to open the eyes of the Iewes that they myght beholde and se the lyghte of the ryght Messias whiche is come all redy to vs whome they yet loke after they wolde deteste and abhorre these foule Cankres they wolde nat knowe them to be anye of the flocke of Christ but of Sathan to whom they do seruice of whom they shall be rewarded ¶ An other sorte there is to whome Christe is somewhat more beholdynge nat so openly malicious as they be but no lesse dangerous for as much as they do come more vnder coloure of vertue At whose handes Christe lesyth nat all hys laboure beynge allowed as yet for halfe a sauioure Our saluation beynge cutte of in the myddes that one halfe to Christe and that other to theyr owne workes ascrybed Hipocrites These be the holy Hipocrites which perceyuynge and seyng the lyght of the Gospell so shynynge abrode all the worlde that theyr abhominable traytery to God can no lenger be hydde do nowe at the last mitigate and swage some thynge that greate and foule errour wherein they made Christ to lese all his labour all his paynes all hys bloudshed as muche as lay in them They do sause it I saye with Sewgar they do myxe Hony with Poyson to begyle the poore soules the more craftely and subtyllye sayenge that with workes and faythe togyther they muste or iustified so that from our iustification in no case they wyl exclude workes for none other purpose but to maynteyne and holde vp the fylthye dignitie of those workes which they haue inuented by theyr owne brayns for lucre sake The worde of God The word of God is Triacle to the soule whiche is the most fyneste Triacle that maye be can nat chose but expell this deadelye Poyson from the herte of man ¶ T● thyrde sorte knowledgyng and confessynge Christe in his owne kinde that he is the only sauiour the only redemer Trewe prechers our only mediatour and aduocate whiche shewethe to his father in oure cause hys bloudy payns which he hath suffered and passed for vs these men do teache that onely by faythe euery Chrystyan man is iustified in the bloude of the Lambe whiche is Christ Nat there by excludynge repentaunce