Selected quad for the lemma: grace_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
grace_n	john_n	thomas_n	william_n	13,938	5	9.8148	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15145	A brieff discours off the troubles begonne at Franckford in Germany Anno Domini 1554 Abowte the booke off off [sic] common prayer and ceremonies, and continued by the Englishe men theyre/ to thende off Q. Maries raigne, in the which discours, the gentle reader shall see the very originall and beginninge off all the contention that hathe byn, and what was the cause off the same.	Whittingham, William, d. 1579.	1574 (1574)	STC 25442; ESTC S103071	143,706	216

that the congregation would answere to certeine interogatories whiche were thies First that they might knowe wha● partes off the booke they woulde admit The seconde was for a seuerall churche and the thirde what assurāce they might haue for their quiete hab●tation To ●he firste answere was made that what they coulde proue off that Booke to stande wi●he gods worde and the countrie permit that shuld be graunted them To the 2. whiche was for a church it was tolde them that they vnderstoode by the Magistrats the tyme serued not to moue anie suche matter till the counsaile brake vp at Ausburge To the third it was saied that a generall graunt was made at their first comminge thither to the whole nation and the fredome off the citie offred to all suche as were desyrous off it in as large and ample manner as they coulde require whiche was to them assurance sufficient Theis 3. questions thus answered maister Chambers and Maister Grindall departe back againe with a letter from the congregation whiche was as followethe Grace mercy and peace c. AS it was euer moste true so at this present we feele most sensiblie that where so euer god layeth the foundation to builde his glory there he continueth till he bringe the same to a present worke All thanks and praise be vnto him therfore that hathe moued your hartes so as in no pointye seeme to forslowe your diligence to the furtheraunce off the same And as the worke is off moste excellencie So the aduersaries cease not most craftely to vndermine it or at the leaste through false reportes and defacing off the worke begon to sta●e the laborers whiche shulde traueil in the finishinge theroff But truthe euer cleareth itselff and as the Sonne consumethe the clowds so misreportes by triall are confounded Oure brethern sent from yow can certifie yow at lenght touchinge the particulers off your letter to whom we haue in all th●ngs agreed whiche semed expedient for the state off this congation As for certeine Ceremonies whiche the order off the countrie will not beare we necessarily omit with as litle alteration as is possible which in your letters ye require so that no aduersary is so impudent that dare either blame oure doctrine of imperfection or vs of mutabilitie excepte he be altogether willfull ignorante rather seekinge howe to finde faultes then to amend them Nether doo we discente from them whiche lie at the raunsome off their blouds for the doctrine wheroff they haue made a moste worthye confession And yet we thinke not that anye godlie man will stande to the deathe in the defence of ceremonies whiche as the booke specifie the vpō iuste causes maie be altered and chaunged And yff the not full vsinge off the booke cause the godly to dowte in that truthe wherin before they were perswaded and to staye theyr comminge hither accordinge as they purposed either it signifieth that they were verye slenderly taught whiche for breach off a Ceremonie will refuse suche a singuler benefit or ells that yow haue harde them misreported by some false brethern who to hinder this worthie enterprise spare not to sowe in euerie place store off suche poore reasons Laste off all it remainethe that ye write that the firste off February nexte yow will come to helpe to set in order and establishe this churche accordingly whiche thinge as we moste wishe for your companies sake and for that ye might se oure godly orders alreadie here obserued So we put yow owte of dowte that for to appointe a iourney for the establishing off Ceremonies shulde be more to your charges then anie generall profit excepte ye were determined to remaine with vs longer then 2 monethes as ye write to our countriemen at Densbrorow and Emden whiche letters notwithstandinge are nowe staid and as apearethe we neuer the neere We referre the reste to oure brethern maister Chambers and maister Grindall who by their diligent inquisition haue learned so farre off our state as we wrote vnto yow in our former letters that is that we haue a churche freely graunted to preach gods word purely to minister the Sacraments sincerely and to execute discipline truly And as touchinge our booke we will practise it so farre as gods worde dothe assure it and the state off this countrie permit Fare ye well At Franckf this 3. off December Your louinge frinds Gorge VVhetnall Thomas VVhetnall Iohn Knox. Iohn Bale VVilliam VVhitingham Edward Sutton Thomas VVood VVilliam VVilliams Iohn Stanton Iohn Samford Iohn fox VVilliam Kethe Iohn Mak●braie VVilliam VValton Mighell Gill. Laurence Kert Iohn Hollingham The answere to this letter from S●rausbrough was as foloweth Grace mercy and peace c. WE haue receaued your letters and also your answere in wrytinge concerninge certeine Articles and do perceyue aswell by the same as by maister Chambers and Maister Grindall your state But for so muche as your opinion is that the tyme do●he not presently serue to moue the magistrats in those requests the obteininge wheroff was the principall cause of our sending vnto yow we cannot at this present condescend vppon anie generall meetinge at anie certeine tyme ether to remaine with yow or otherwise And therfore iff yow shall certeinly perceaue a time conuenient that the Magistrats may be traueled withe all aswell for the good and quiete habitation off the commers and especially Students as also a seuerall churche and to knowe whither the exercise off the booke shall be vsed suche we meane as no reasonable mā shall iustly reproue and that the certeintie off theis matters maie be knowen at the magistrats hands then yff yow can let vs haue intelligence we will farther consu●te what is to be done on oure par●ye trustinge god shall directe vs to do so as maye be moste to his glorie in the ende howe so euer the presente tyme shall iudge off it From Strausbrough this 13. off December Your louing frinds c. as in the letteers before WHen this letter was redd to the congregation they requested that for so muche as the lerned men coulde not cōdescend vppon any generall and certeine tyme off meetinge as nowe appeared by their letters they might conclude vppon some certeine order by common consent still to continewe and that wihowte farther delaye and also to haue the holie communion ministred whiche the moste part ernestlie desired At lenght it was agreed that the order of Geneua whiche then was alreadie printed in Englishe and some copies there amonge them shulde take place as an order moste godly and fardeste off from superstition But Maister knox beinge spoken vnto aswell to put that order in practise as to minister the communion refused to do ether the one or the other affirminge that for manie considerations he coulde not consente that the same order shulde be practised till the lerned men off Strausbrough Zurik Emden c. were made priuy Neither yet woulde he minister the communion by the booke off Englande for that there were thinges in it placed as

came to passe not many daies after that the lorde began to shewe mercy vnto Englande in remouinge Queene Mary be deathe and placinge the queens maiestie that nowe is whom god longe preserue in the seate the newes wherof as it was ioyfull to all suche as were in exile So it appeared that the churche off Geneua was not behinde the reste who after that they had geuen to god hartie thankes for his great goodnes consulted amonge themselues and concluded that for so muche as there had byn iarres betwene them and other churches abowt the Booke off common praier and ceremonies it was now expedient and necessary not onely that vnfained reconciliation shulde be betwene them but also that they might so ioine together in matters off religion and Ceremonies that no Papist or other enemie shuld take holde or aduantage by a farther dissention in their owne countrie whiche might arise in time to come yff it were not in time foreseen and preuented To this ende was William kethe one off the congregation chosen to do this message to them off Arrowe Basill Strasbrough Wormes Franckford c. And to them off Arrowe and Francford this letter was wrytten which folowith and subscribed by the ministerie in the name off the whole congregation The Copie off the letter written the 15. off December The Father of mercies and god of all cōsolation confirme and increase yow in the loue off his sonne Iesus Christ that beinge in the conduite off the lion off the tribe off Iuda ye maie be victorious against Sathan and Antechriste to the ouerthrowinge off Papistrie and errour and establishinge of Christes glorious kingdome AFter that we hearde dearely beloued of the ioiful tiding● off Gods fauoure and grace restored vnto vs by the preferment off the moste verteous and gratious Queene Elizabethe We lyfted vp our hartes and voices to oure heauenly father who hathe not onely by his dewe prouidence norished vs in oure banishement preserued vs and as it were caried vs in his winges but also harde oure praiers graunted our requestes pitied oure countrie and restored his worde So that the greatnes off this maruelous benefit ouercomethe oure Iudgements and thoughts howe to be able worthely to receaue it and to geue thankes for the same And when we had withe great comforte wayed the matter to the intēt that we might at the leaste shewe our selues mindefull off this most wonderfull and vndeserued grace we thought amonge other thinges howe we might beste serue to godes glory in this worke and Vocation off fartheringe the gospell off our sauiour Iesus Christe And bicause all impedimentes and cauillacions off aduersaries might be remoued it seemed good to haue your godly counsell and brotherly conference herein whiche we desier to lerne by this bearer our louinge brother kethe that we might all ioyne hartes and handes together in this great worke wherin no dowte we shall finde many aduersaries and staies Yet iff we whose suffraunce and persecutions are certeine signes off oure sounde doctrine holde faste together it is most certeine that the enemies shall haue lesse power offences shall sooner be taken awaie and religion best proceade and florishe For what can the papiste wishe more then that we shulde dissent one from an other and in steed off preachinge Iesus Christe and profitable doctrine to contende one againste an other either for superfluous Ceremonies or other like trifles frō the whiche god off his mercy hathe deliuered vs Therfore beare brethern we beseche yow as we dowt● not but your godly iudgements will think it so beste that what so euer offence hathe byn heretofore either taken or geuen it maie so cease and be forgotten that hereafter god laie it not to oure charges yff thereby his blessed worde shulde be any thinge hindred And as we for oure partes freely remitt all offences and most intirely imbrace yow oure deare brethern So we beseche yow in the lorde that vnfainedly yow will do the like on your behalff wheroff albeit we assure oure selues as bothe by ▪ good experience we haue proued and also haue receaued by your letters yet ● to cut off all occasions from Papistes and other cauillors we thought it beste to renewe the same amitie and to confirme it by theis oure letters Moste earnestly desiringe yow that we maie altogether teache and practise that true knowledge off Goddes worde whiche we haue lerned in this oure banishment and by goddes mercifull prouidence seene in the beste reformed churches That consideringe oure negligence in times paste and goddes punishemente for the same we maie with zeele and diligence endeauour to recōpence it that god in all oure doinges maie be glorified oure consciences discharged and the members off Iesus Christ releued and comforted The whiche thinge the lorde god who hathe mercifully visited and restored vs graunt and performe To whom be all honour praise and glory for euer and euer Your lovinge frinds and in the name of vvhole churche Christopher Goodman Miles Couerdale Iohn Knox Iohn Bodliegh VVilliam VVilliams Anthony Gilby Frances VVithers VVilliam Fuller Iohn Pullain VVilliam Bevoyes VVilliam VVhi●tingham The Answere returned from Franck. by W. Kethe The grace off god and the assistaunce off the holy goste lighten and strengthen yow to the vnderstanding and constant reteining of his truthe to the fartheraunce off his honor and glorie and to the edifinge and maintenance off his churche in Christe Iesu oure lorde DEarely beloued as your letters were moste welcome vnto vs bothe for that ye reioice at the prefermēt off our godly queene and al●o tha● y● studie howe to promote the glorie off god So are w● right sory that they came not afore the departure off suche as ye seeke a charitable reconciliatiō with all For where as ye require that all suche offences as haue byn gyuen and taken betwene yow and vs maie be forgotten hereafter there be not here paste foure left which were then present when ye dwelt here and not one off the lerned ● sorte sauinge M. Beesley Yet we dowte not but as they promised in their former letters to forget all displeasures afore conceaued so they will performe the same and esteeme yow as their brethern And for oure partes as we haue had no cōtention with yow at all afore time so we purpos not as we trust there shall be no cause to entre into contention with yow hereafter For ceremonies to cōtende where it shall lye neither in your hands or oures to appoint what they shall be but in suche mennes wisedomes as shall be appointed to the d●uising off the same and whiche shall be receyued by cōmon consent off the parliament it shal be to small purpos But we truste that bothe true religion shall be restored and that we shall not be burthened with vnprofitable ceremonies And therfore as we purpos to submit oure selues to such orders as shall be established by authoritie beinge not of themselues wicked so we would wishe yow willingly to do the same