Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
life_n	blood_n	flesh_n	meat_n	9,640	5	9.2298	5	true

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

Sauiour Christe when it is manifest that wee ferche all thinges from his manhood and therefore hee saith in the 6. chap. of S. Iohn verse 46. I am the bread of life and againe in the 54. verse of that same chapter Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood I will raise him vp in the last day For my fleshe is meate indeede and my blood is drink indeed by this it is manifest that life is giuen vnto the worlde by the manhood of Christe The answere is easie that Christe in his manhoode is a creature and therefore hath nothing of his owne but whatsoeuer is in him as to bee the life of the worlde and the light of men and to haue in him al the treasures of wisdom This commeth from the diuine nature which dwelleth in him bodily as Saint Paule speaketh Nowe the cause why all these are put into the manhoode of Christe is that from thence wee maye bee partakers of them for solong as they haue residence onely in God wee are so farre remoued from him that by no meanes wee can approche or come neere vnto him to drawe out of him any drop of the same Therefore though all things bee giuen vs by this meanes that GOD hath put them into the fleshe of Christ and so is come downe neere vnto vs that wee may lay fast hold of him yet neuerthelesse because the proprietie of them remaineth still in the diuine nature the gifte of them is heere ascribed vnto the power thereof Fourthly we are to note in this verse that the Apostle doeth briefly set downe the ende and summe of religion and of all these giftes when he saith which pertaine to life and godlinesse for in these two wordes vnto which the other two do answere which are set downe in the latter ende of the verse glorie and vertue all those giftes are contained For that which hee expressed first by life heere by glorie that which before he called godlinesse here he calleth vertue they are as much as to say eternall felicitie and life with glorie and the way which we must passe through to the same which is godlines and vertue Here we are to take great heede that wee doe not seuer or sunder those thinges which the Lorde himselfe hath so neerely coupled and linked together And this admonition is so much the more necessarie because there are very many carnall professors and beastly abusers of christianity which doe seeme very willingly and gladly to imbrace the promises of the Gospell concerning redemption and eternall life purchased in Christe Iesus and they make great boast that they looke for their parte in the same as well as any other yet they looke nothing at al to this godlines and vertue through which we must passe vn to it for God hath not called vs but as hee saith heere to glorie and vertue so that whom soeuer the Lorde hath called to know him aright and so to be made heires of eternall glorie he hath also garnished them with vertues and graces of the spirite of sanctification Vntill such time therefore as there shall rise vp a new Peter which with contrary pen shal write a newe and contrary gospell these men shall neuer assure them selues nor yet perswade others that they shall euer come to the kingdome of God seeing they goe a quite contrarie way 4 Whereby most great and precious promises are giuen vnto vs c. Now hee sheweth by what meanes or by what instruments the diuine power doeth bestow those giftes vpon vs and the same are as hee calleth them most great and precious promises which are giueÌ„ vnto vs whereby we are called to glorie and vertue as hee speaketh in the former verse these are called most great precious because the things which are offered vnto vs in the gospel of Christ for greatnes dignity are incoÌ„parable For what caÌ„ we seeke out to match with this that here is offered vnto vs namely the remission of our sins in the blood of his sonne deliuerance freedom from the thraldom of Satan power of darknes that of damned creatutes children of his wrath he hath giueÌ„ vs this high dignity to be his sonnes daughters as S. Iohn saith Reue. I. Christ hath washed vs in his blood and made vs kinges and priests to god his father what a change is this from the lowest misery eueÌ„ in the gulf of hel to be lifted vp to the highest dignitie to be glorified with God in the kingdoÌ„ of heuen Because therfore these things are the greatest most honorable S. Peter calleth the promises of the gospel most great precious But wherfore doeth the apostle ascribe all to the doctrine of the gospel for wheÌ„ he saith that by these we are made partakers of the diuine nature hee includeth all because it is by the gospel that we are called home to the Lord for although hee vtter his will vnto vs in his law yet therin hee sheweth himselfe none otherwise vnto vs but as a seuere iudge we can see nothing there but the dreadful curse vengeance of eternall fire his brightnes appeareth therein but we be not able to beholde the same but are daseled with the sight therof amazed confounded so that we cannot but runne from him bicause there is nothing but that which is terrible CoÌ„trariwise in the Gospel he hath reuealed himselfe in the face of his sonne where hee sheweth an exceeding glory but with such fatherly loue pitie such abuÌ„dance of mercie and sweete allurements by which he calleth vs and draweth vs to himself that here wee are able to looke vpon him with open face and heere his countenance is so cheereful that the soule which hath once with the eye of faith seene but a glimse thereof is so inflamed and rauished with desire of a neerer and fuller sight that it can neuer bee satisfied For this cause Saint Paule making comparison betweene the ministerie of the Lawe and the ministerie of the Gospell 2. Corinthians 3. Termeth that the ministration of death and the letter which killeth and this the ministration of the spirit which giueth life Which by the way also is to bee obserued because there be among vs at this day many fraÌ„tike braines namely those of the Family of loue which call the true sound interpreting of the word the literal sense or the letter which killeth their owne grosse and foolish allegories the spirite not knowing that S. Peter speaketh of the difference betweene the Lawe and the Gospel Here also appeareth of what price and dignitie the gospel is for who can set foorth the worthinesse of this wheÌ„ he saith that by these promises we are made partakers of the diuine nature we were indeed at the first created after the Image of God and so partakers of his nature but we lost all this with our first parents in steede thereof we were made partakers of the diuelish nature bearing his Image

yet you are equal with me with the rest of the Apostles in the chiefe and principall dignitie in that wherein all happines doth coÌ„sist eueÌ„ our precious faith Here it may bee demaunded howe Saint Peter can ascribe vnto them a faith equall or like precious with his owne seeing he did so farre excell them in giftes and graces as in knowledge strength of faith The answer is easie inough namely that this comparison is not made in the measure quaÌ„tity of faith for therin some haue excelled others farre because God doth not giue his gifts to all alike but in the effect which is the apprehending of Christ with al his merits which the weak faith doth as wel as the strong and therefore in this respect is equally precious This I speake not to make any slouthfull when as the Scriptures do pricke vs forwarde so much to seeke increase of faith but for the comfort and hartening of the weake which feeling their infirmitie and weaknes of faith if it were not for this which the Apostle speaketh might doubt whether they were partakers of the same happinesse with them now hearing this they may be wel assured al though their faith should be but as a grain of mustard seed yet if it bee true faith it coupleth them to Christe and maketh them partakers of redemption to haue their sinnes washed away in his blood of righteousnes to be couered with his obedieÌ„ce of life to be heires of the kingdome of glorie as wel as the faith of Peter or any other Vnto this is also ioyned that wherin the stablenes of this their faith doth stande as vpon a sure foundation eueÌ„ the righteousnesse of God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christe And indeede the building of faith is so waightie and the frame so heauie that it can stande vpon no other foundation but this that is to say the righteousnesse faithfulnesse or truth of God which cannot lie For if we would perswade a man to beleeue by this reason that the thing which wee speake is that which hath been taught by diuers men of great learning singular godlines yet because we know that al men are lyers except wee bee sure that the things which they speak be those which God hath spoken wee shall still wauer and our faith shal be no faith which alone can rest in the authoritie of God and not of men 2 The seconde verse conteineth his salutation euen that which is common to him with Paul the other Apostles wishing grace and peace to those vnto whom they write And this they do because it is the chiefe scope and principal ende of their ministerie to bring men againe into Gods fauour to be reconciled vnto him Of this thing speaketh S. Paul 2. Cor. 5. chap. ver 18. saying All things are of God which hath recoÌ„ciled vs to himself by Iesus Christ And hath giuen vnto vs the ministerie of reconciliation for God was in Christe and reconciled the worlde to himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them and hath committed to vs the word of reconciliation Now thÃ© are we Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseeche you through vs wee pray you in Christe his steede that you bee reconciled to God This beeing the chiefe end of their trauell causeth them so earnestly to wish it for the people and to bee so serious not only in teaching them this generally but also pointing out as it were with the finger the way to the same and that not onelie in their doctrine but also in their liues Whosoeuer digresseth or casteth his eyes aside from this marke ende of his ministerie ceaseth to bee the Minister of Christe As for example If hee preach the Gospell to purchase renowme estimation wealth of case to himselfe and not to seeke this reconciliation betweene God and men and to haue grace and peace multiplied vppon them he may wel sometimes preach the truth but not truly Likewise those parentes whiche set foorth their children to learning with this minde My sonne shall liue an easie and merie life hee shal get some liuings promotions dignities in the Church do lay a corrupt and rotten foundation haue not learned this doctrine of the Apostle and therefore the building folowes agreeably for the most wheÌ„ they come to haue learning not forgetting this lesson which they learned of their fathers doe become greedie cathers of benefices and promotions rather then carefull feeders of the flocke of Christ But here it may be obiected how the Apostle can wish that grace which is the free fauour of God should be multiplied vpon them seeing that Gods loue fauor doth not increase nor diminishe but hee loueth and fauoureth alwayes alike being subiect to no alteration or change This may wel be answered that Sainte Peter doeth not speake heere of grace as it is in it selfe in God towardes meÌ„ but of their feeling the same which groweth by degrees from lesse to greater and because it is a thing so precious the Apostle wisheth that it may be multiplied vpon them Hee expresseth the meane to be the knowledge acknowledging of God and of Iesus Christ our Lord. 3 According as his diuine power hath giuen vnto vs al things that perteine vnto life godlines through the acknowledging of him that hath called vs vnto glory and vertue This is fitly ioyned to the former verse to shewe that the aboundance of grace and peace is not without cause required at our handes as if the Apostle shoulde say You are not to content nor to satisfie your selues with a scant measure of Gods giftes and graces seeing that there is offred vnto you set forth in Christ vnto whom you may resort as to a storehouse fully furnished with all treasures all things which partain to life and godlinesse Secondly we haue to obserue in this verse when hee saith that all thinges are giuen vnto vs by his diuine power that here is nothing left in the worke of our saluation vnto our selues so that it must needes follow that these which defend free will doe not speake with the same spirite which the Apostle doth here For setting forth a contrary doctrine to this it must needes proceed from a contrary spirite The Apostle doth not say heere that all those thinges which wee want through the weakenesse of our nature shal be supplied but to shewe that there is nothing in vs at all but that wee are quite stript of all things which pertaine to life and godlinesse Hee speaketh not of repairing or helping in some parte but of a whole and free gifte in euerie part when he saith whithout exception that all thinges are giuen vnto vs by the diuine power which pertaine vnto life and godlines and so this doctrine doth chalenge all the praise and glory of our saluation to God alone Thirdly it may be demanded why the Apostle shoulde say that all thinges are giuen vnto vs by the diuine power or Godhead of our

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