Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	church_n	king_n	zion_n	35	3	8.7117	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A06502	A commentarie or exposition vppon the twoo Epistles generall of Sainct Peter, and that of Sainct Jude. First faithfullie gathered out of the lectures and preachinges of that worthie instrumente in Goddes Churche, Doctour Martine Luther. And now out of Latine, for the singuler benefite and comfort of the godlie, familiarlie translated into Englishe by Thomas Newton; Enarrationes in epistolas Divi Petri duas et Iudae unam. English	Luther, Martin, 1483-1546.; Newton, Thomas, 1542?-1607.	1581 (1581)	STC 16978; ESTC S108928	231,904	387

the worlde among them to the intent thei should reiect and renounce their owne workes which thei not abiding reiected and refused hym Euen to them whiche stumble at the Woorde beyng disobedient vnto the whiche thyng thei were euen ordeined WHen it is saied that their workes are not good nor any thyng accoumpted of with God thei neither can neither will abide the hearing therof Now God hath put Christ for a foundatiō vpon whom thei ought to bee laied and placed and by hym attaine al their Saluation For to thende that thei should bee founded and laied vpon hym he hath caused hym by preachyng of the Gospell to bee notified and declared vnto the whole Worlde Hym will not thei receiue but reiect so persiste in their owne fleshlie sense and woorkes For if thei could abide themselues to be placed and couched vpon Christ their high pompe dignitie wealthe and power would soone quaile and be abated But ye are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood a holie Nation a people set at libertie HEre hath he dignified them that bee Christians with their true titles and this place hath he takē out of the vij of Deuter. Where it is thus saied to the Iewes Thou art an holie people vnto the Lorde thy God the Lord thy GOD hath chosen thee to bee a precious people vnto hymself aboue all people that are vpon the Earth And in the xix of Exod. he saieth Ye shalbee my cheef treasure aboue all people ye shalbee vnto me also a kyngdome of Priestes and an holie Nation Here thou seest of whom Peter speaketh As I saied afore so saie I still that wee must acquaint our selues so to speake of Priestes as the Scripture speaketh of theim Let it not trouble thee who thei bee that the vulgar and common sorte tearmeth Priestes Let euery man in Gods name tearme them as he liste but cleaue thou faste vnto the woorde of God and whomsoeuer thou seest by hym to be tearmed and called Priest lette the same also bee likewise tearmed and called by thee We giue good leaue to the greasie Rable of those whom the Bisshoppes and Pope do consecrate and annoint to tearme theim selues Priestes or by what other name thei will so that thei call not themselues the Priestes of God For thei are not able by one woorde out of the Scriptures to approoue theim selues so But when thei will stiffely mainteine that this place also is to be vnderstoode as spoken of them answere thou vnto theim as afore I haue taught thee and aske them to whom Saincte Peter here speaketh and thou shalte quicklie see theim laye theim selues open vnto shame and impudencie For it is moste manifest and plaine that he speaketh to all the people of Christe and the whole Congregation of Christians when as he saieth You are a chosen generation and an holie people Againe hitherto he hath spoken of none other persones their of them that are builte vppon that Corner stone and doe beleeue And therefore it euidently and certainly followeth that he whiche doeth beleeue is no Priest Again when as thei shall saie that these woordes are so to bee taken as the auncient Fathers haue interpreted and expounded thē Therevnto make thou this aunswere Lette the Fathers or any other whatsoeuer interprete what thei will but sainct Peter dooeth thus speake vnto me who hath a farre better testimonie and warrant from God then thei haue and also is elder then thei and therefore I will subscribe and yeelde vnto hym Finallie this place needeth no interpretation at all s●●●e it in suche plaine tearmes and woordes speaketh of theim that beleeue Now who is he that seeth not how monstruously these Polleshorne greasie Popelynges erre and faile in the Article of Faithe And therefore wee entrie not the name that thei call themselues by whether it be Priestes or otherwise For wee make not any care what and how thei call theim selues but herein standeth the question whether in the Scriptures thei be called Priestes and whether God doe so name and call thē There maie some bee chosen and appoincted by the Churche to execute the charge and office of Ministers of the Worde to feede the Congregation by preachyng and to administer the Sacramentes and yet neuerthelesse wee are all Priestes as many of vs as are Christians For seeyng that we be founded and couched vppon that Stone whiche is the highest Prieste before GOD wee also must needes be Priestes also for that whatsoeuer he hath we haue and thesame is ours Wherefore I would wishe that this worde Priest as well as this name Christian should bee common to all For these names Prieste Christian and Baptized are all one Now as I can not abide that these Popishe Shauelynges should thus presume and take vpon them onely to be good Christians or onely Baptized So neither ought I to suffer this that thei would onely haue them selues to bee Priestes Although notwithstandyng thei haue violently haled and pulled this worde as pertinently and properlie spoken vnto theim euen with the like presumption and brainlesse boldnesse as thei haue called that onely the Churche whiche the Pope with his Mured Crewe hath hitherto concluded and decreed But the Scripture teacheth vs an other maner of lesson And therefore diligentlie note and marke these thynges to the ende thou maiest throughly discerne betweene theim whom God calleth Priestes and theim that so call theim selues For by this meanes after a long mistakyng of it wee must at length recouer and reduce this woorde Prieste to his right sense and proper meanyng that it maie bee as common a name as the name of Christian For to bee a Priest is not the name of any outward or externall office but it is suche as is exercised onely towarde God and that in Spirite And euen after the self same maner it is that wee are all indifferently called Kinges For euen as Priests so also Kinges are in this place Spirituall vocables or woordes like as also these names are Christian Holie and Churche And euen as thou doest not cal any man a Christian because he hath muche money and wealthe but because he beeyng builte vpon the aforesaied Stone beleeueth in Christe So likewise art thou not therefore called Prieste because thou haste a shauen Croune and iettest the streates in a long Goune but because thou darest appeare and shewe thy self in the sight of God offryng vp thy self vnto hym and praiyng for the whole Churche vnto whom thou bothe canst and vsest to preache Christe And after the verie same maner altogether thou arte not therefore a Kyng because thou wearest a Croune of golde and hast large Dominions and many people vnder thee in subiection but because thou art Lorde of all thinges yea ouer Death Sinne and Hell For thou art aswell a Kyng as Christ hymself is a Kyng if so bee that thou beleeue on hym Now he is not a Kyng in suche sorte as the Kynges of the worlde are For he neither weareth any Croune of

hunger is as the Prouerbe saieth the beste sauce those pinches maketh this meate meruailous sauorie For the harte and conscience when thei once beginne to haue feelyng of their miserie and wretched state can heare nothyng that is so pleasaunte as the Gospell thei whollie rely vnto it thei smell afarre of the delicacie and toothsomnesse thereof and can not bee fullie satisfied therewith So was the song of the blessed virgine Marie He hath filled the hongrie with good thinges In the meane season those stiffe mynded persones that trust to their owne holinesse and leaue to their owne woorkes and righteousnesse haue neither any feelyng of their Synnes and wickednesse neither enioye any tast of these thynges here spoken of As for example when any that is hungrie sitteth at a table eche kinde of meate sauoureth well and hath a good relishe in his mouth whereas to hym that is full stomacked nothing sauoreth well but all meates yea the beste and daintiest dishes seeme loathsome Therefore vseth the Apostle these woordes If so be that you haue tasted how bountifull the Lorde is as though he should saie If you haue not as yet tasted this my preachyng to you is but in vaine To whom comyng as vnto a liuyng stone HEre againe taketh he holde of Scriptures afore tyme written and bryngeth in the xxviii of Esaie saiyng thus Heare the woorde of the Lorde ye mockers because ye haue saied wee haue made a couenant with Death and with Hell are wee at an agreement and haue made falshood your refuge Therefore thus saieth the Lorde Beholde I will laie in Zion a Stone a tried Stone a precious corner Stone a sure foundation c. This place doeth saincte Paule also alledge and it is one of the principallest places of the Scripture For Christe is that precious Stone whom God hath laied for the foundation and vppon whom wee are to bee builded And here beholde how S. Peter taketh these wordes and interpreteth them of Christ Again that which Esaie calleth Trustyng in hym that saieth S. Peter to be the same that to bee builded vpon hym is And this is truely and aptly to expounde the Scriptures Thei that builde laie their foundation in suche a place where it maie continue faste and remaine firme so that it may beare vp the whole house and frame that is builded vpō it And euen so doth this liuyng Stone which is Christ vphold and beare all this spirituall buildyng And to be builded vpon hym is nothyng els but that we all together repose our trust confidence and hope whiche wee haue in our selues whollie vpon hym Disalowed of men but chosen of God precious HEre againe he alledgeth a place out of the Cxviij Psalme of the Prophete Dauid The same Stone whiche the builders refused is become the hedde Stone of the corner and it is merueilous in our eyes Whiche place Christ hymself also citeth in the xxj of Matthewes Gospell and is repeted in the fourth of the Actes The Stone whiche you builders reiected and set nought by You saieth he are the builders For thei taught the people preached many thynges enacted sondrie ordinaunces and Lawes but thei made men nothyng thereby but Meritemangers Hypocrites Wherevpon Christe pronouncyng sentence vppon them calleth them plaine Hypocrites and the generation of Vipers and pronounceth many terrible sentences vpon theim reckonyng theim among Synners and not for suche greate holie men as thei would faine haue semed This can thei not abide but reiect hym and saie Hereticke forbiddest thou to doe good woorkes Thou shalte dye the death for thy so saiyng And therefore saieth saincte Peter here This same corner Stone vpon whiche you must be builded is euen likewise refused and set at naught This as the Prophet saieth appeareth merueilous in our eyes and seemeth verie straunge and so wonderfull that vnlesse the Spirite did teache it vs no man by reason could conceiue in Therefore saith he before God this Stone is chosen and precious and of so high price and value that it taketh awaie Death recompenseth for Synnes deliuereth from Hell and laste of all giueth also vnto vs the Kyngdome of Heauen Ye also as liuelie Stones be made a spirituall house HOw and by what meanes are wee builded Euen by the Gospell and preaching of the Woorde The Builders are thei that preache Thei that are builded are suche Christians which heare the Gospell thei are the Stones whiche must be laied and couched vpon this corner Stone so that wee repose our whole truste vppon hym and that out harte leane onely vpon hym and so bee at reste Now it followeth that wee must so directe and frame our selues that wee maie expresse shewe forthe and imitate that course of life that he ledd For it is verie meete that I who am builded and laied vpon hym by faithe should freme my self to the same workes that he did and shewe forth the same conuersation Which order all menne generally and ioyntly ought and are bounde to resemble And this issueth forth and proceedeth frō Faithe and is the woorke of Loue that we should mutuallie bee morteised and ioyned out into an other that we all together maie make one buildyng The same reason hath sainct Paule also j. Cor. iij. Howbeeit not altogether after the same maner that this is You are saieth he the Temple of God It is not the materiall house made of woodd and stone which is his House a Spirituall house is that whiche he requireth whiche is the Churche of Christe in whiche wee are all through one Faithe equall That whiche one is an other is all builded together within our selues mutuallie and emong our selues cemented couched framed and knitte together by Loue without al maliciousnesse guile hypocrisie enuie and euill speakyng as afore hath been declared An holie Priesthood HEere taketh he awaie that outwarde and corporall Priesthood whiche was in the old Testament as also that outward Temple all whiche he quite remooueth and saieth thus That outwarde and externall pampe of Priesthoode is now cleane ceassed now therefore beginne yea newe Priesthood and offer other Sacrifices but so that all thynges be Spirituall Here haue we had somewhat adoe for that wee haue mainteined and affirmed that these persones whiche commonlie of late yeres haue been called and tearmed by y e name of Priestes are not Priestes before God at all and that assertion prooued we cheeflie out of this place And therefore vnderstande it aright and beare it well in mynde That if any should bee so wilfull in suche sorte to wreste and teare in peeces for I will not call it expounde this place as that the same were to be meant of a double Priesthoode whiche some blusteryngly and boldly haue auouched that is to witte bothe of a Spirituall and also of a Corporall Priesthoode will hym to cleare his eyesight and a little better to awake his senses For sainct Peter saieth thus Be ye builded into a Spirituall or holie Priesthood Now demaunde of

was Baptized or that his sinnes were forgiuen hym and so becommeth he vnthankfull Idle and vnfruictfull without any consideration of his profession liuyng loosely without any remorse of Conscience Hauyng neither feelyng neither yet so muche as any taste of so greate Graces giftes and benefites And this is an exhortation wherin Sainct Peter exhorteth and stirreth vs vp whiche beleeue to the practise of Good woorkes thereby to declare and shewe foorthe that wee haue a true sincere and sounde and not an Hypocriticall or feigned Faithe Neuerthelesse he stil earnestly vrgeth and prooueth this that Faithe onely doeth iustifie and that where soeuer this Faithe is true Good woorkes doe also necessarilie ensue That whiche now followeth maketh for our confirmation herein Wherfore brethren giue rather diligence to make your callyng and election sure THe Electiō and eternall predestination of God is so sure in it self that there is no nede to make it surer And so also is our calling firme and stable For he that heareth the Gospell beleeueth and is baptized is doubtlesse called is sure of his Saluation yea hee alreadie hath it Seeyng therefore that wee are called to these thynges wee ought to giue all diligence saieth S. Peter to approoue and assure our Callyng and Election to our selues in our Consciences as the same is alreadie assuredlie knowen with God And this is a phraze or maner of Speeche vsuall in the Scriptures as Ephes lj Ye were strangers from the couenauntes of promise and had no hope and were without God in the world For although there bee no man whether he bee good or hadde but God hath the rule ouer hym sith hee is the Lorde of all Creatures yet neuerthelesse S. Paule saieth that hee is without GOD whiche dooeth not acknowledge hym loue hym and truste in hym Euen so here although in it self the Callyng and Election of God wherewith he hath called and elected vs bee sure and vndoubted yet is it not sure and stable to thee so long as thou dooest not certainly beleeue and vndoubtedly assure thy self that the same belongeth vnto thee And for this cause doeth S. Peter exhorte vs that wee should make our Callyng and Election sure through good Workes And here againe thou seest how muche the Apostle ascribeth and attributeth vnto the Fruites of Faith For albeit thei appertaine and seene to doe good with thy neighbour withall yet also are thei profitable vnto thée because thereby thy Faith is strēgthened and confirmed 〈◊〉 stirred vp more and more to the practise of Good woorkes Wherein also thou seest a farre other vertue and qualitie then is in the faculties of the bodie For the powers of the bodie the more thei bee exercised and vsed the weaker and freebler thei be and in th'ende vtterly decaie whereas contrariwise this Spirituall vertue if it bee not exercised decaieth and fainteth But with muche vse and practise it is strengthened and greately encreased And this was the cause why God at the beginnyng did leade the Christian Churche through hard and rough waies vexed it tourmoiled it and throughlie exercised it in diuers conflictes of Faithe through Ignominie Persecution and Death For he knewe that hereby it should receiue strength and encrease and become the mightier because the more that it was oppressed the more it flourished And this is that whiche Sainct Peter here meaneth when he faieth that wee should not suffer our Faithe to be Idle or vnfruictfull seeyng that the nature thereof is suche that it groweth and encreaseth by vexation and persecution so long till bee fullie assured and certaine of the Callyng and Election of God so that it can not bee deceiued This is the marke that wee must shoote at touchyng Predestination There are many light Spirites who beeyng endued with verie small pi●●aunce of Faithe will yet rashelie presume to despute vpon this poincte and curiouslie scare he in what place thei bee reckened and accepted with God But doe not thou entermeddle with such scrupulous curiositie for thou shalt neuer by this waie attaine to that whiche thou seekest If thou desire to bee sure of thy Saluation treade that 〈◊〉 and followe that course whiche Saincte Peter hath 〈◊〉 shewed thee for if thou take any other waie thou ●●●iuest thy self and shale bee sure to misse thyne entente Thyne owne experience must teache it thee and that shalte thou certainly knowe and bee assured of when thy faithe is throughly cried and en●●ed For if ye doe these thynges ye shall neuer fall YE shall stande firme and stedfaste ye shall neither stumble fall nor synne but walke without offence all thynges shall goe well with you and frame to the beste whereas if ye leane and trust to your owne foolishe cogitations and rotten deuises the Deuill will quickely and easily hurle you headlong into desperation and hatred of God For by this meanes an entryng shall bee ministred vnto you abundantlie into the euerlastyng kyngdome of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe THis is the highwaie to Heauen and none other And therefore let no manne thinke by dreames and deuises of his owne making touching Faithe to come thither there needeth nothyng therevnto but a liuely Faithe that is throughlie tried and exercised But alas what repugnant doctrines to this hath there but foisted into the Church of GOD by our seducyng teachers while thei affirmed and taught that if a man hauyng runne headlong in wickednesse all his life and at the laste pinche of his death haue but a seelie pittaunce bee it neuer so small and as it were but a verie sparke of Faithe in hym that he should bee sure thereby of saluation But if thou putte of and deferte thy repentaunce and Faithe till then thinkyng and presentyng that thou shalt then euen presentlie and vpon the sodaine haue the gifte of suche a iustifyng Faithe thou trustest to a broken Reede and shalte seeke after Faithe and Saluation when it shall bee too late Dooest thou not heare that euen thei whiche bee strong shall scarcely be saued Howbeit wee ought not to despaire of them that bee weake because there is hope that thei maie bee called although it hardly and not vsuallie so commeth to passe But he whiche in this life throughlie and effectuallie exerciseth and strengtheneth his Faithe in dooyng good shall haue abroade and easie passage or waie with chearfulnesse and assured confidence to enter into the life to come Suche a one maie dye with courage and gladnesse suche a one maie not esteemyng this present life depart hence in the peace of Conscience And as it were with mirthe and ioye take possession of the kyngdome of Christe Whereas on the other side thei that haue a languishyng fainte weake and vnexercised Faithe and haue not enured and acquainted themselues to good and godly exercises shall not with like confidence and ioye as the others enter into eternall life And if thei doe enter yet shal thei not find the doore so open nor the entraunce so easie into the kyngdom