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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	life_n	live_v	love_n	9,426	5	5.6923	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17725	Two godly and learned sermons, made by that famous and woorthy instrument in Gods church, M. Iohn Caluin. Which sermons were long since translated out of Latine into English, by M. Robert Horne late Byshop of Winchester, at what time he suffered exile from his country, for the testimony of a good conscience, as his apology in the beginning of the booke will witnes. And because these sermons haue long lyen hidden in silence, and many godly and religious persons, haue beene very desirous of them: at theyr earnest request they are nowe published by A.M.; Quatre sermons. English. Selections	Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564.; Horne, Robertc1519?-1580.; Munday, Anthony, 1553-1633.	1584 (1584)	STC 4461; ESTC S110726	58,766	149

founde Wherein our misery is so much the greater that in so great filthinesse and vnthankfulnesse we are not ouerwhelmed with blushing shame For we must shortlie come before that Iudge before whome our vice and euyll which wee by all meanes goe about to hide shall be brought foorth with that rebuke and checke whereby the iust cause of our destruction shall appeare For if we be so endebted and bound to GOD that for the knowledge hee hath giuen vs wee ought to giue to him honourable and thankefull testimony why is our stomacke so abashed and fearefull to enter into the battell Especiallie séeing GOD in this our age hath so opened himselfe that it may be rightly sayde and trulie that he hath opened and plainlie set foorth the greatest treasures of his secretes May not this be sayd that we so thinke of God as though we seemed to stande in no néede of him at all For if we had any consideration of his Maiestie we durst neuer be so bolde to turne the doctrine which procéedeth out of his mouth into Philosophie and vaine speculation In fine we can haue no excuse but this must be vnto vs the greatest shame yea an horrible condemnation that in so great knowledge obtained by the singuler goodnesse of GOD we haue so lyttle l●ue and minde to defend and kéepe the same For first if we will call to our remembraunce the Martyrs of olde tyme and compare theyr wonderfull constauncie with this our tender slouthfulnesse we shall finde passing great cause to detest our owne filthinesse For they were not for the most part so trauailed and exercised in the Scriptures that they could learnedly dispute of all matters But first of all they knewe and helde fast this that there is one God whome they ought to serue and honour then that they were redéemed with the blood of Iesus Christe that in him onelie and in his grace they should put their affiaunce and trust of saluation Moreouer they dyd iudge all other inuentions and ordinaunces of men to worshippe God so vnwoorthy filthinesse that they could easilie condemne all Idolatries and superstitions to conclude in few wordes this was theyr Diuinitie there is one onelie God the maker of the whole world which hath declared vnto vs his will by Moses and the Prophetes and then by Iesus Christe and his Apostles We haue one redéemer with whose blood we were bought and by whose grace we hope to be saued All the Idols of the world are to be detested and accurssed They came stoutlie and boldlie to the fyre or other kinde of death and punishment instructed with no other doctrine and more hidden knowledge And the number of them was not small as of two or thrée but so great that the multytude of them which were cruellie vexed and tormented of the tyraunts séemed innumerable and infinite But we are so taught and instructed that we passe all our auncetors in knowledge and vnderstanding of holy Scripture We thinke in our selues and it is true as touching the vnderstanding of the Scripture God hath endued vs with so much knowledge as he hath giuen to any age at any tyme. And yet there is in vs scantlie the least droppe of feruent loue towardes God There is no reason why we should nourish this nice ●owardnesse of mind vnlesse we would willingly and wittingly prouoke the wrath and vengeaunce of God against our selues What must we then doo Truely we must take to vs a stoute bolde and constant minde We must chéefely consider how precious and honorable the confession and testification of our faith is before God For we doo lyttle knowe how God dooth estéeme this confession when our lyfe which is of no value is more set by and deare vnto vs. Wherein our wonderfull and beastlie foolishnesse is shewed for we can not in this sort spare our life but we must néeds confesse that we set more thereby then by Gods honour and our owne saluation A certayne Heathen man could vse this saying that it is a myserable thing to forsake and betraye the causes why we lyue for the conseruation of lyfe Yet hee and his lyke dyd neuer knowe truelie to what ende menne were set in the world and wherefore they lyued therein They might well say that vertue is to be estéemed and followed and that we ought to liue an honest lyfe without blame But all theyr vertues were nothing else but colours and shadowes But we haue better vnderstanding wherevnto our life must be referred which is that we honour GOD with all prayse and glorie that hee himselfe may bee our glorie Without him our lyfe is miserable the which we cannot continue the least moment but wee shall heape vppon our selues a perpetuall malediction And yet wee are nothing ashamed for the winning of a fewe dayes for this féeble lyfe to refuse the eternall kingdome and to seperate our selues from him by whose power we are and haue our being in this lyfe If a man should examine the most vnlearned yea those whose wit is so dased and whose life so voluptuous that they be most lyke to brute beastes what manner of lyfe is appointed them they durst not saye plainelie and openlie that it should consist onelie in eating drinking and sleeping For they knowe that they are created to a better woorthier and more higher thing which is nothing else but to serue and honour God with all kinde of honour and to suffer our selues as good chyldren to be ordered and reuealed by our most benigne Father that after the ende of this frayle and vnsure lyfe wee maye be receyued into his eternall heritage In the appointing and winning of this ende consisteth the chéefest and greatest point of our felicitie yea all the whole weight of euerlasting lyfe But when we carrie our mindes and thoughts another waye and doo snatch fast holde of this present lyfe wurse then a thousande deathes what excuse can we haue For to liue and be ignoraunt of the causes wherefore we liue is vnnaturall But to forsake the causes wherefore we liue héere for the desyre and loue to prolong our lyfe as it were for thrée dayes in this deceytful world and to be seperated from God the aucthour of lyfe is such a bewitching and furious madnesse that I know not with what wordes we ought to expresse and shewe it But whatsoeuer knowledge we haue and how soeuer our lyfe is appointed for so much as notwithstanding the persecutions are no lesse and bytter let vs consider how and by what meanes the Christian men maye confirme them selues in patiencie and so strengthen theyr mindes that they maye constantly venter to daunger theyr lyfe for Gods trueth This same Text which we haue recyted being well vnderstanded may bring vs to that indifferencie of minde yea to that willingnesse that we shall not refuse to suffer death for Gods name Let vs goe foorth of the Cittie sayth the Apostle after the Lord Christe bearing his opprobrie Fyrst

spoken is sufficient inough to conuince so fowle and shamefull impudencie But if these men be so foolishe and dull witted that they perceyue not this filthinesse the word of God must suffice vs as when the Lorde sayth by the Prophete Ieremie Israell if thou doost turne turne vnto mee In which wordes is most plainelie expressed with what simplicitie and integritie of minde wee ought to deale and walke before GOD without any thought and will to returne to those thinges which wee knowe are not thankefull nor allowed of him Which is a cause why S. Paule dooth testifie that he was sent to turne the vnfaithfull from their vanities vnto the lyuing God as though he would say it is to no purpose to chaunge some one olde and accustomed euyll with other hypocrisies and feininges but vtterly to abolishe all superstitions that the true Religion may be set in her owne puritie and holinesse For without this Faith and integritie men neuer come the right way vnto God but doo alwayes wauer are vncertaine to what part they may turne themselues There be others that are come thus farre that they disalowe and refuse the Masse but they would haue some patches kepte styll which they call Gods seruice least as some men saye they should séeme to be destitute of all Religion And it may be that some of these be mooued with a godly minde and zeale at the least I wyll so thinke but whatsoeuer theyr zeale and purpose be yet maye we not saye that they kéepe the true rule or any good measure Many saye we may come to theyr baptismes because there is no manifest Idolatrie in them As who would saye that this Sacrament were not also corrupted and vtterlie deformed with all kinde of corruption in so much as Iesus Christe may séeme to be yet styll in Pilates house to suffer all opprobries and shames To conclude where as they saye that this is the cause why they would retayne some Ceremonies least they should appeare to be voide of all Religion if one should examine theyr consciences the same truelie will aunswere that they doo it to satisfie the Papists and they chaunge their countenaunce to flie persecution Other some doo watche a tyme least they come in the Masse whyle and yet they come to the Temple that men should suppose they heare Masse Othersome doo come but at Euensong tyme of whome I woulde knowe whether they thinke this to be nothing that at that same tyme the Idols be honoured that the Pictures and Images be sensed with Fumigations that a solemne prayer is made in the intercession of some Saint and grounded on his merites that Salue Regina be soong with a loude voice and that on euerie side a matter is heard so filled and replenished with deuillishe and curssed blasphemy that the minde shall not onelie abhorre the offence of the eares and eyes there present but moste vehementlie the thought and recordation thereof I doo passe ouer that the singing it selfe in an vnknowne tongue is manifest prophanation of Gods prayses and of holie Scripture as Saint Paule dooth admonish in the fouretéenth to the Corinthians But let this fault be forgiuen them If they come to Euensong to giue some signe and testimony of theyr Christianitie they will doo this chéefelie on the solemne Feastes But then there shal be solemne ensensing the chéefest Idolles and great plentie of swéet fumigations powred out the which is a kinde of Sacrifice as the Scripture teacheth It was also a manner vsed among the Gentiles and wherby they compelled the weake men to denie God And for this cause the greatest parte of Martyrs dyd suffer death constauntlie for that they would not make perfumes and burn● incense to Idolles When these men be come thus farre that they receiue in theyr noses the sauour of the Sensours they also pollute themselues with that pollution which is moste greatest and execrable there And yet they thinke we ought to hide and couer this so great wickednesse and mischéefe But I beséeche them in the honourable and holie name of God that they wyll dilligentlie marke this saying of the Psalm That Idolles are so to be detested of the faithfull and godly man that they should not be in his mouth or tongue least the talke had of them should seeme to contaminate and defile him This one word ought to fray and withdrawe vs from all Congregation and fellowshippe of Idolatours because that we lyuing in that Congregation may easilie be wrapped in and defiled But to speake plainlie and fréely what I thinke of all these which séeke a meane way betwixt GOD and the deuill they haue double and variable mindes and I cannot finde out a more apt and fitte comparison to set them out and paint them in theyr liuelie colours then that same which may be brought of Esau that same filthie and double man For when hee sawe his brother Iacob sent by his father Isaack into Mesopotamia to seeke a wife because the women of the lande of Canaan did so much mislike the father and his wife Rebecca that they thought theyr lyfe bytter and irkesome to liue among them rather wisheth death he marieth a new wife somewhat to satisfie his Parents but he doth not put away the olde So that hee dooth keepe styll the euyll whereof Isaack did so greeuouslie complaine but somewhat to amend the matter he marieth a new wife Euen so they that are wrapped vp in the world that they can in no wise follow God doo mingle and tosse together many and diuerse kindes of Religions and Superstitions that they may applie and conforme themselues by some waye to the will of God and they alwayes kéepe styll some corruption so that whatsoeuer they doo cannot appeare to be pure and sincere I knowe also right well that there be in those places many miserable soules which liue there in great difficulties and cares which truelie coueteth to walke rightlie without hypocrisie and yet cannot loose themselues out of many doubtes and scruples which is no meruaile in so great and horrible confusion as we sée at this time in the Papisme Yea I doo greatlie pittie theyr myserable state which séeke meanes whereby they maye serue God deuoutlie and liue among the enimies of Faith if it may be possible by any wayes But what wyll we I can doo nothing else to the one or to the other but declare theyr errour and sinne that they themselues may adde the remedie If they come héereafter to aske of me this or that more dilligentlie and particularlie I will send such curious inquisitours to the common rule which I haue of God I speake this for that there be some of this sort of men so importune that if a man should aunswere all theyr difficulties and doubtes he should séeme neuer to make an ende of any thing And me thinke such men maye well be compared to them who after they be taught in a Sermon to vse sober apparell

him In him only resteth the whole riches of Gods treasure he is the only way to euerlasting life wherevnto who so will attaine must séeke it in the Scripture in the Gospell of Christ and not in the filthy damnable traditions and deuillish doctrine of the Papists Wherfore déere brethren séeing you haue tasted of y e swéete bread of life Gods most holy word take heede of the Papists sower leuen that worketh death And because I would you should not be ignorāt howe you ought to behaue your selues where so much Idolatrie is openlie commaūded and how to learne your Christes crosse a new I meane to beare Christes crosse layd on your backes to followe him strongly and not to faint I haue translated for you two Sermons of that great learned and godly man I. Caluin made for that purpose and these haue I doone trauailing hauing no place certaine where I wil remaine but I trust shortly to be where I wil sticke downe the stake till God call me home againe But for so much as the Bishop of Duresme did opēly to my face cal the doctrine which I had taught in his Dicoces as touching the popish Masse heresie I shall by Gods grace good Christian brethren declare and prooue by the Testimonie of the Scriptures and also of the auncient fathers of Christes Church that the popish Masse is the greatest heresie blasphemie and Idolatrie that euer was in the Church which shal be the next thing that you shall looke for from me by God grace In the meane season remember good brethren that our vnthankefulnes was the cause of this our plague Let vs cry therfore vnto the Lord powringe foorth before him faithfull teares and hee will deliuer vs that we may truely honour him in the gates of the daughter of Syon that is openly in the middest of the faithfull congregation Amen ¶ A Godly and learned Sermon made by Maister Ihon Caluin wherein all Christians are admonished to flie outward Idolatrie Taken out of the thirde verse of the sixteene Psalme I will not communicate with theyr bloody sacrifices neither will I take their names in my mouth THe doctrine which we shal entreat in this place is plaine inoughe and easy sauing that the greatest part of those that professe themselues to bee Christians doo séeke out and bringe I can not tell what subtilties to cloake theyr euill withall But the sum of this whole doctrine is that after we knowe the liuing God to be our father Iesus Christ our redéemer we ought to consecrate bothe bodie and soule vnto him who of his infinite goodnes hath taken vs into the number of his sonnes and to acknowledge with all kind of beneuolence honour and obedience the same benefite which our most déere Sauiour did vouchsafe to bestowe on vs after he had bought it with so great a price And because we are bounde not onely to renounce all infidelitie but also to seperate our selues from all superstitions which do as well disagree with the true seruice of God as the honour of his Sonne which can by no meanes agrée with the pure doctrine of the Gospel and true confession of the faith I sayd this doctrine of it selfe to be so easie that onelie the practise and exercise therof ought to remaine vnto vs sauing that many men doo séeke certayne deceytfull shiftes thorow which they will not be ouercome in that thing the which is most chéefely condemned by Gods own mouth This cause constraineth vs at this time to tarie longer in the declaration of this matter that euerie man may knowe his owne duetie and deceyue not himselfe thinking that he is escaped when he is couered as the common saying is vnder a wet sacke But for that there be many of this opinion whose Churches are thorowlie purged from the filthinesse and Idolatries of the Papisme that this argument or Treatise is but superfluous before we passe any further it is not vnprofitable to declare such men most fowlie to be deceiued First when it is declared how great an offence it is for vs to be polluted and defiled with the Idolaters feyning our selues to cleaue and consent to theyr impieties we are admonished to mourne for our former sinnes and to aske of God forgiuenesse of them with all humblenesse and in this thing to acknowledge the singular benefite which hee gaue vnto vs drawing vs foorth of that same filth wherin we were holden downe and drowned For we truelie are not able to set foorth this so great a benefite woorthely inough And for that we knowe not what shall happen vnto vs and to what ende GOD dooth reserue vs it is verie expedient to be prepared and armed in tyme that into what state soeuer we shall come or with whatsoeuer temptations we maye be oppugned we neuer swerue from the pure word of God Fyrst it may be that many of this our Church and Congregation shall trauaile into some Papisticall countrey who ought greatly now to bee in a readines and armed to battell Then albeit God dooth giue vs at this time liberty to serue him purely and godlily yet we know not how long this benefit shall continue Let vs therefore take this time of our quietnes and tranquilitye not as though it shal alwaies last but as it were a time of truce wherein God dooth giue vs leasure to strengthen our selues least when we shall be called to vtter the confession of our faith we be found new vnprepared because we contēned the meditation of that matter in due time Neither truely ought we to forget in the meane while our brethren which are kept vnder the tiranny of Antichrist oppressed with most miserable bondage but to take care remembraunce pittie ouer them and so pray God to strengthen them with that constancye which hee requireth in his worde We must also admonishe and solicite them by all wayes not to rest in places where men are faste on sléepe in their voluptuousnes but to apply dilligentlie thought this and will that they confesse the glorie due vnto God For we are not taught of God onelye for our selues but that euery man after the measure of his faith should brotherly communicate with his neighbours and distribut vnto them that thing he hath learned and knowen in Gods schole Now sée we then that it is profitable yea truely necessarie so well to our selues as to our brethren that the remembraunce of this doctrine should bée renued very oft especially séeing the text it selfe which wée shall expound dooth leade vs to the same purpose Dauid dooth openly protest and as it were dooth make a sollem vowe That hee will neuer be partaker in the Sacrifices of Idolaters and also that he will so detest and greeuously hate the Idoles that hee will not at any time once name them as though he should defile his mouth in naming them This is not the facte of some one meane man but the example of Dauid the most excellēt King and

we haue promised all our endeuours both to lyue and die yea whose we are although we had promised nothing at all I meane not héereby to driue euery man of necessitie at all tymes to giue a full and perfect confession of theyr Faith no not sometymes when they be asked For I knowe what measure and moderation Saint Paule vsed who was ready with heart and minde to defend the Gospell as any other Neyther was this spoken by the Lord Iesus and promised without a cause that God would giue vs in that tyme matter a mouth and prudence As though he would haue sayde the office of the holie Ghost is not onlie to confirme vs that we maye be willing bolde and strong but also it consisteth in giuing vs iudgement prudence and counsayle how we may as it becommeth gouerne and rule our selues in so great and so harde a matter Trulie this whole Treatise is to this ende that they that be in such distresses should desire and receyue from heauen that moderation and prudence not following the counsayle of the fleshe to séeke some shiftes to escape But there be that doo obiect in this place that the Lord Iesus yea when he was asked would make to them no aunswer But I say that this suffiseth not to take away that rule which he hath giuen to vs to witnesse our faith then when the confession thereof is necessarilie required Furthermore that he did neuer dissemble or kéepe silence for this purpose to saue his lyfe Last of all that he dyd neuer make so doubtfull an aunswere but that it contayned an apte testimony of that which he had spoken before or else did first satisfie them that laye in waite to marke bothe his wordes and déedes Wherefore let all Christians be well perswaded and sure of this thing that no man ought more to estéeme his life then the testimony of the truth wherin God will haue the prayse and glorie of his name to appeare Is it without cause that he calleth all those his witnesses for this dooth the word Martyr signifie who are brought to make aunswer before the enimies of Faith and Religion Or is not this rather the cause for that he would vse all theyr speaking and whole course of lyfe to the confession of his name Wherein euerie man must not so looke to his neighbour and fellowe that he will seeme to doo nothing at all without his example and testimony And this curiositie is so much the more to be eschued because we are prone to this vice of our owne nature Peter when he heard of Christe That he should be ledde in his olde age whether he would not he enquired what should become of Iohn his fellowe and companion There is none of vs which to auoide peryl and daunger would not gladly make aunswere in that wise because when we should suffer any thing by and by this commeth into our minde what is the cause wherefore I should suffer more then others But Iesus Christe dooth counsayle and admonish otherwise vs all in common and euerie man priuatlie to be prepared and ready that as he calleth one or other so euerie man come foorth in his order And I haue shewed this before that we shall be vnarmed and vnprepared to take and suffer Martyrdome vnlesse we be fensed and armed with the promises of God Now remaineth to declare plentifully such promises not that we wyll set foorth euerie one exactlie but to shewe the cheefe and most excellent thing which GOD would haue vs to hope for to comfort vs in our callamities And there be thrée such thinges the first that séeing all the tymes both of our lyfe and death doo consist in his hand he will so defend vs by his power That not one heaire of our head shall fall but after his will Wherefore all faithfull men ought thus to be perswaded in whose hands so euer they be tossed that God in no wise wil lay aside that gouernaunce and custody which he hath taken vppon him for them with so great care If this perswasion of Gods fatherlie care and prouidence did rest and cleaue déepe in our hearts we should be deliuered out of hande of the greatest parte of these doubtes and difficulties which doo now trouble and hinder our duetie We behold now the bitternesse of the tyrants and vnbridled crueltie brawling péeuishlie in all sharpnesse of punishments And heereby we iudge that God hath no more care nor regard to defend and kéepe vs in safetie And therefore we be so styrred and prouoked by our owne reasons to look and prouide for our selues as though the whole hope of Gods helpe and succour were cleane taken away But on the other part the so great prouidence of God as he hath shewed vnto vs ought to be vnto vs like a strong fensed Castle which can be ouercommen with no power Let vs therefore learne holde fast this short sentence that our bodies are in his hand and power who also did create them And this is the cause wherfore God hath deliuered his after a meruailous sort and contrarie to the opinion and hope of all men as Sydrach Misach and Abednego foorth of the burning Ouen Daniell out the Lyons denne Peter out of Herodes prison wherein he was shutte and watched and dillygentlye faste bounde in chaines By these examples he would declare vnto vs that he could staye our enimies as it were with a certayne bridle and that hee had that power that when hee would hee could preserue and as it were plucke vs out of the mouth of Death it selfe Not that hée dooth alwayes thus delyuer his from such perylles but of right hauing the aucthoritie to appoint our life and death he wyll haue vs perswaded that we are so continued and kept vnder his custodie and tuition that whatsoeuer the tyrauntes doo inuent or with what furie soeuer they set vppon vs yet it is onelie in his hande to appoint lyfe or death and therefore this matter ought onelie to be referred to his wyll But if hée suffer the tyrauntes to kyll vs yet our lyfe is vnto him deare and much more set by of him then it is woorthy The which he dyd plainly declare to be so when he pronounced by the mouth of Dauid That the death of his Saints was honorable and precious in his sight And also when he sayde by Esaie That the earth it selfe should shewe foorth the blood that was shedde which seemeth altogether hidden Nowe then let the enimies of the Gospell be as bountifull and prodigall in shedding the Martyrs blood as they will yet this must be that they shall make a reckoning and horrible account of the effusion of that déere and precious blood yea euen to the vttermost droppe But now in this tyme they doo scornfully and proudly laugh when they burne the faithfull men and after they haue dypte and washed themselues in theyr blood they become so dronken that they care nothing at all