Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	end_n	gracious_a	great_a	150	3	2.1020	3	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01724	Foure sermons vpon the seuen chiefe vertues or principall effectes of faith and the doctrine of election: wherein euerie man may learne, whother he be Gods childe or no. Preached at Malden in Essex by Master George Gifford, penned from his mouth, and corrected and giuen to the Countesse of Sussex, for a Newyeeres gift.	Gifford, George, d. 1620.; Josua, Richard.	1582 (1582)	STC 11858; ESTC S118830	40,121	112

a confirmation of the other where he saith Make your calling and election sure as the reason foloweth there Ye shall come to bee sure howe because he which proceedeth so far that he knoweth he shal neuer fal away from God to destruction hee is as it must needes bee sure also that hee is chosen for hee speaketh not here of euery particuler fal into sinne which is the moste godly but saith Saint Peter I tell you if you doe these things yee shal neuer fall not because there is any such stablenes in our selues or in our own workes but wee know they bee the fruites of Gods spirite in vs which is his seale set vppon none but those whom he doth mark vp to life eternal he is vnchangeable so it foloweth here ye shal not fal for they that haue a rich entrance into the kingdome of Christe which is euerlasting so that Christe doth reigne in them as hee doth in all the faithful by his spirite can not fal vntil the power of Christe faile and his kingdome come to an end For we must note that the force of the reason resteth in the difference which is betweene the kingdome of Christ and the kingdomes of this worlde in which though they bee neuer so mightie ful of policie and wisedome yet they should come to and ende and therefore a man cannot rightly say vnto the subiects you haue a mightie Prince who is bountifull and gracious your peace therefore and happie estate shall endure for euer naye the mightie may bee ouercome if not by men at leastwise by death and so they may be to day in peace and good estate to morowe al in an vprore to day vnder a louing and gracious Prince to morowe vnder a fierce tyrant so vncertaine is the state of the kingdom of this worlde but in the kingdome of Christe whose power is aboue al and can neuer come to an ende but is as he saith here eternal it is farre otherwise because his state is vnchangeable so is theirs that be once entred thereinto and therefore are sure they can neuer fal Whosoeuer doth but eueÌ„ streightly looke ouer these words of the apostle if he haue any sight at al he must needes confesse al this the matter is so cleere that we can but maruel how it should come to passe that this doctrine of the Lord set foorth by his apostle should finde so few friendes and so many extreeme enemies but indeed men which are lyers doe in this thing confes the truth that they feele not any such matter therfore cannot abide to heare that al true godly men faithfull ChristiaÌ„s haue this knowledge in themselues but let vs giue eare to the Apostle who telleth vs how we shal com to haue Christe to be our king to reigne ouer vs namely if we yeld vp our selues to the gouernance of his spirit which worketh al goodnes in our hearts subduing and vaÌ„quishing al the rebels which we beare about in vs. CoÌ„trariwise it must needs be graunted the such as are beastly Epicures folowing their own fleshly mind letting lose the raines giuing the swing vnto the raging lustes of the fleshe despising the knowledge of Gods wil therefore regard not his worde though with full mouth they cal Christ their king their lord yet when god saith here by his apostle that the entrance into his kingdom is by this means that meÌ„ folow after vertue knowledge and godlines they shew that they be none of his subiects being altogether void of his spirit but the boÌ„d slaues of sin and Satan whose kingdome they vphold with tooth naile that maketh them euen as those which are of another CorporatioÌ„ to fight against the truth those which professe it deuising al the colours shifts they can to maintaine sin inuenting al the slanders that may be to discredite the godly conuersation of such as folow the way here prescribed condemning them as ouer precise curious if they do but looke this way which God willeth al his seruantes to walk if God doe open their eyes to see but eueÌ„ in a glimmering that whiche he doth teach in this place they woulde be ashamed of their master and blush at that which now they boaste brag of they would also confesse that like blinde buzzards and madde beasts they haue fought against God not men finally it would make them change their waies and seeke diligently to haue the witnes within themselues that they bee the seruants of God We must marke wel one other thing which is here spoken to wit that he saith an entraÌ„ce shal be ministred vnto you abundantly or richly as if hee should say when ye haue labored trauelled to bee as it were wel soked seasoned in godlines plentifully decked with al graces gifts of the spirit ye shal by degrees proceede so far and gaine so much that your entrance into the kingdom of Christ shal be very great wherevpon it doth folow that they shal be past danger may wel warrant themselues of sure staÌ„ding in asmuch as Christ hath not onely begun to reigne in them and to bee their king but also in great measure and mightily But doth he not adde this one worde more then needeth Is it not enough to haue an entrance vnlesse wee haue a riche entrance into his kingdome doth Christ once begin to reigne in a man and to driue out the power of Satan and afterward cast him of againe to destruction I answere that this word is not added in vaine for wee be taught thereby to take heede that wee content not our selues with some litle taste and smal entrance for his purpose is to make a difference betweene suche on the one part as make some beginning and haue some good desires motions in them and do taste of the good word of God and are in some sort lightned but ouercome with sinful lustes vaine delights of the flesh they slide back againe sodenly they were but for a brunt it bringeth foorth no ripe fruite in them neither to speake properly did Christe euer reigne in them and such on the other part as proceede vnto the deepe rooting out of sinne sure and fast planting the truth in their heartes going forwarde dayly from grace to grace and from strength to strength vntil Christe haue set vp his throne in them and beare sway to the ouerthrow of the power of darknes and bereuing the Diuel of the interest hee had and thrusting him from the possession which hee helde a doctrine which must needes doe vs much good if wee bleeue it and very needefull to be vrged instantly considering the nature disposition of men at this day they are afraide of going too farre in vertue and knowledge they count it a needlesse thing to bee admonished or taught diligentlie they take great scorne to bee counted such as may bee amended yea and that which is more when as they haue

better then that of the poore beast yea muche worse when we respect the misery in the world to come Let not this therfore cause theÌ„ to set vp their bristles that they can see so wel and pearcingly at hande that is in earthly thinges when as they are as blinde as beetles in things a far of that is to say in heauenly things Heere wee must seeke to haue eyes giuen vs of god with which wee may bee able to see beyonde this worlde for before such time as the Lorde hath giuen vs some glimmering of heauenly things wee shal neuer couet to obteine them And this is the cause that these poreblinde men neuer passe greatly to know the Gospel of Christe Thirdly he saith they haue forgotteÌ„ that they were purged from their olde sinnes as hee said they were blind so nowe he saith they are forgetful and this forgetfulnesse is so much the more shameful as it is in a chiefe principal point of true religion But where shall wee find the man which if he be examined will confesse that he hath forgotten this point It seemeth none doe forget it because the very wicked will seeme to set al vpon this score that their sins are purged and that maketh them sinne so franckly But if we vnderstande the Apostle wel we shall finde very many whiche haue forgotten this point Now here we must first note that our sinnes are said to bee purged when there is satisfaction made for them by redemption in the blood of Christe Secondly that they are said to be purged by grace of sanctification when by the power of Gods spirite sinne or all sinfull affections are suppressed and killed in vs so then there is a purging in redemption and there is also a purging by sanctification Nowe if they haue not forgotten so much but that they can prattle of the purging of their sins by redemption yet they haue forgotten this that they were redeemed to the ende they shoulde no longer serue sinne but purge away the olde leauen But beeing without those former graces he sayeth they haue forgotten this not meaning thereby that they had euer learned it for if they had yet at the least they had not wel learned it wee may see by this howe many there bee which are starke blinde and haue forgotten that Christians are called to liue in righteousnesse and holinesse of life If we looke vpon the small number of those which haue a care to seeke after the Lord and howe small a parte of them doe come I will not saye to abounde but to haue a competent measure of those forenamed vertues Let vs come alwayes to this true measure and not bee deceiued neither in our selues nor in other Let vs bee ashamed if we be carnal to take vppon vs the name of the true professours let vs denie vnto them the honorable name of ChristiaÌ„s which are but filthie swine and prophane dogges as our Sauiour Christe calleth them to conclude this matter none are allowed to bee true receiuers of the Gospel but such as ioyne vertue with their faith with vertue knowledge and so temperance patience godlinesse brotherly kindenes and loue and such as also doe seeke to abound in them the rest which care not for these or conteÌ„t themselues with the bare shewe of them although they would seeme to be worshippers of God and deuout persons yet they are by this doctrine of the Lord wholy shut foorth vntill they haue learned a newe lesson Remember that this is the doctrine of God and not of man Remember that we must stand and dwell vppon it not for a day or two while wee haue hearde it but all our life long to bring it to the practise it is plaine and cleere none can be excused if they know it not and so through simplicitie stand vppon the common faith thinking to shroude themselues wel vnder the shadow of the multitude but when God hath warned them who wil pitie them when they wil not be warned if this were not told vs and that by God him selfe wee might thinke as men doe commonly that a very little doth content the Lord that no great things are required at the handes of Christians and other such foolish and vaine opinions as to say they must hope wel when God telleth them there is no hope vnlesse they walke this way also that it is not good to bee ouer precise when as in goodnes a man cannot proceede too far nor offer too muche obedience to the Lorde To make an ende let none of al these thinges blinde vs because they blinde some which stande in reputation of their owne wisdome The fourth Sermon 10 Wherefore brethren giue rather diligence to make your calling election sure for if ye do these things yee shall neuer fall 11 For by this meanes an entring shall be ministred vnto you abundantly in to the euerlasting kingdom of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ JT hath beene tolde vnto you already vppon the verses which goe next before howe that Saint Peter regarding how dull wee are and backward in godlinesse contented not himselfe with his exhortation which he maketh but setteth downe what we shall gaine if we follow his aduise and also what hurt we shall sustaine by the contrary and this hath partly been handeled in the two other verses partly in these two which wee haue now in hand where indeed he doth propounde so great a commodity which we shal gaine if wee giue all diligence to pursue the former things as is almost incomparable euen this that we shal come to the assurance that wee are called chosen of God a thing so necessary for vs to knowe that without it there is no right faith no frank and willing obedience no sounde ioy For although without this men seeme to beleeue yet is it but a wauering fantasie to do many good things yet they proceed but from a seruile minde to laugh reioyce yet is it but in a desperate madnes which in very deed is greatly to be wondered at howe men shoulde bee able to sport themselues yet to speak in their coÌ„sciences after this maner there is hel and eternal flames of vengeance prepared for sinners and I am not sure whether I shal escape or not this desperate and brutish securitie shal be apparant to bee the more mad if wee compare it and set it foorth by an outward comparison Let it bee thus a man is taken in a robberie or murther imprisoned brought before the Iudge and comdemned by sute of friendes repriued vntil suche time as they maye sue for to get him a pardon in the meane time some of his acquaintance come to this murtherer and will him to be of good cheere merie he wil answere vnlesse he be some mad and desperate ruffian I am condemned to the Gallowes the Iudge hath pronounced the sentence of death vpon mee I know not how harde a thing it wil bee to obteine a pardon I

stand in great doubt and for this cause I cannot bee merie vnlesse I myghte know for certaintie that I should escape if I did once know that I coulde bee as mery as any man that liueth before that tyme I may seeme to laughe but my hearte is full of feare and sorrowe And is it not thus with vs all are wee not all of vs giltie and alreadie condemned by the sentence of the highest Iudge not to some torment of one day or shorte continuance but to the fire that shal neuer be quenched When men can be merie therefore and laugh euen in those things which cause this destruction and yet doe feele that they are not sure to escape this dreadfull vengeance is it not a mad mirth and a desperate laughter in which if they were not become verye sensles blockes they shoulde feele many gripings at the hart which would marre al their myrth yea a worme that gnaweth in suche wise that they can haue no quiet rest nor as I said before no sound ioy If we were not therfore more then desperate and mad fooles the thought of hel would dampe al our mirth vntyl such time as we be sure that we haue escaped it This then which the Apostle saith heere is a princely commoditie that walking the way which he hath prescribed we shall come to the assurance that wee are the called and chosen of the Lord. But it may be demanded how this can agree with other sayings in the holy scriptures which doe plainly teach that God choseth whom he will of his owne free grace for which S. Paule alleadgeth out of Moses that God will haue mercy on whomsoeuer he wil haue mercy and whom he wil he hardeneth adding ther upoÌ„ that it is neither of him that willeth nor yet of him that runneth but of god which sheweth mercy againe the doctrine of Popery is that God doth make choise coÌ„ditionally respecting the good deeds which he did foresee in theÌ„ so the election shold depend vpon the worthines of the meÌ„ we are to answere that this place hath nothing in it whiche is contrary to that free choise which God maketh without respect of any thinge that is in vs for he could finde nothing in vs that might any way moue him neither doth it serue at al for to proue that election is conditional because S. Peter doth not handle in this place wherevpon election is founded or what moued god to make choise nor to shew wherin the certaintie stablenesse of election doth stand but his meaning is to teach vs how we shal attaine to this incomparable treasure to bee out of doubt and surely resolued in our selues not by fantasied opinions but by sure substaÌ„tial proofe that we be chosen of God and therfore cannot perish If we respect the vnchangeable counsel of God therein doth rest alone the sure foundation of election because God which cannot bee deceiued nor cannot repent or change hath made the choise therefore those whom he hath chosen can neuer perisht but if we regard the way and meanes by which we may come to know this fauor of God to be toward vs the Lord by his apostle telleth vs that this is the way euen to giue al diligence study to be richly decked with his graces or those forenamed vertues for by these wee shall vndoubtedly know because if we haue theÌ„ if they abound in vs if we walk in them we shal as he saith neuer fal Let vs learn therefore first this that election in it self resteth vpon the vnchangeable purpose counsel of God Then secoÌ„dly that we are not to fetch the certentie of it in our selues from som reuelation neither are we to clime vp into heauen to search in the counsels of god whether our names be in the book of life But we are to fetch our warrant from within our selues and that from the fruits of the spirite which indeed although it be out of our selues yet because it is not of our selues is certain infallible If ye wil vnderstaÌ„d this more plainely first I say it is out of our selues or from within our selues because wee must take the triall whether those thinges bee in vs which are giuen to al those whome God doeth choose then I say it is not of our selues for if it were it should be altogether vncertaine But of the seale of God wherwith he hath sealed vs which is the spirite of sanctification now mark wel I pray you If you do saith S. Peter these thinges you shal neuer fal and why is it because our doings are so perfect and sure or that we are so constant of our selues no not so but by these vertues we know that we are sealed with Gods spirite whose woorke wee feele in vs wee know also that as many as are led by the spirite of God are the sonnes of God Rom. 8. From hence it commeth that looke howe muche more a man feeleth in him selfe the increase of knowledge the increase of vertues and heauenly desires so muche more sure hee is that hee is the childe of God and as the one increaseth so increaseth also the other Contrariwise when a man feeleth within him selfe an euil conscience feeleth that he is darkened in his vnderstanding ledde by the lustes of sinne hee shall in spite of his teeth within himselfe sing this dolefull song I knowe not whether I shal bee saued or not and looke howe the other may say I knowe I shal be saued because God hath sealed me with his spirite so may this say I am sure to bee damned continuing in this case because I haue not faith but onely a wauering and doubtfull opinion We may see by this how beneficial they are and merciful to their owne soules which with al their power day night giue vp themselues to seek after the knowledge and obedience of the Lords wil for not giuing ouer nor waxing wearie they shal in continuance of time if they ply it hard find such a blessing from the Lord in the increase of faith and vertue that wil cause them to say we haue not lost our labor On the other side wee may see howe vnkinde and cruel they are to themselues which through idlenes slouth in seeking after God with their daily and continual sinnes doe euen as it were cut the throte of their faith seeing they cannot haue truste in him whome they doe so much disobey This place is as a mightie engine to ouerthrow the vanitie of sundrie opinions which doe reigne in men As first of al in those whiche crie out against this doctrine as a thing which wil make men carelesse and idle in the seruice of God and stoppe the course of good woorkes I beseech you marke how wel these great wise men haue profited in Gods schoole see howe they agree with the holy Apostle he saith wee are to giue al our studie and diligence in good woorkes to come to the sure and vndoubted knowledge that we

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