Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	church_n	doctrine_n	pillar_n	2,610	5	10.1225	5	true

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17684	A little booke of Iohn Caluines concernynge offences whereby at this daye diuers are feared, and many also quight withdrawen from the pure doctrine of the Gospell, a woorke very needefull and profitable. Translated out of Latine into Englishe by Arthur Goldinge.; De scandalis. English	Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564.; Golding, Arthur, 1536-1606.	1567 (1567)	STC 4434; ESTC S107218	91,712	246

God cannot by vs be auouched and restored but that that same consent of many ages whiche they vaunt of would aduaunce it selfe agaynst vs as I coÌ„fesse that a thousande yÃ©eres since all thinge haue so decayed that newe broodes of monstruous errours and superstitions haue crope out of the shell from time to time yet what finde they in suche dissentinge as this woorthie to be offeÌ„ded at If coÌ„parison be made certeinly those first vnder whome the Churche florished eyther deserue to be counted lawfull Fathers alone or at leastwise doo chalenge of right the chiefe degree of honour amonge the Fathers But the good Papistes such is theyr gentle nature doo celebrate the memoriall onely of that corrupted age whiche had nowe muche declined from the auncient sinceritie And at length all their complaintes come to this pointe that we disanull at this day the custome which hath bene receiued these eight huÌ„dred or these thousand yÃ©eres But if the old Prouerbe be to be beleued whiche also hath bene commonly vsed amonge them an euil custome is nothinge els but the auncientnesse of errour And we knowe that the longer of coÌ„tinuance an euill is the more hurtfull it is In times past this sentence of Cyprian was counted woorthie to be reioyced at that we ought not to looke what other men had done or sayde before vs but whatsoeuer Christ hath coÌ„maunded who is the first of al that is to be followed No man also will denie but this was well and aduisedly spoken of Augustine that Christe attributeth not to him selfe the name of custome but the name of truth Now no man dare stirre though neuer so lightly the stinkyng hearbe Camarina of corrupt custome whiche hath rested a longe continuance of yÃ©eres Yea rather forebroken rigorousnesse in mainteyninge chiefe absurdities is waxed so stronge that they not onely refuse the reprouynge of them as comminge out of season but also doo persecute it cruelly with fire and swoorde That same HeatheÌ„ man sayeth that like as the custome of right speaking is to be fetched at learned mens handes so the custome of well liuinge is to be fetched at the haÌ„des of good and honest men Shal the lewde and corrupt custome of men carrie vs away forcibly as some violent tempest without iudgement or choyce who haue Christe to direct vs To the entent I maye conclude this place briefly if that thinge may take place with vs which out of all controuersie ought to be a grounded principle amonge all godly men that the doctrine of Christe is not subiect to the prescription of yÃ©eres this surmised stumblingblocke shall hinder no man at leastwise from the desire to searche And wheÌ„ it shalbe fully agreed vpon that we haue from Christe that which we bryng foorth who wilbe so ouerthwart as wilfully to flÃ©ete vnto men froÌ„ the eternall wisdome of God and the voyce of the heauenly Maister It offendeth many bicause they sÃ©e almost the whole worlde to be against vs. Neither are the defenders of the euil cace negligent or to sÃ©eke what they shoulde doo but with the same engine doo stryke the rude and weake sayinge it is against all reason that a fewe men should be credited and all Christendome beside welnere neglected And to treade these vnder their fÃ©ete they chiefly arme themselues with the holy title of the Churche as with a mace But I wold faine know howe suche as are enstraunged from the Gospell by reason of our fewnesse maye mainteine theyr faith against y e Turkes As for our part if we beyng but one man condemned all the men of his age by his faithe there is no cause why the greate multitude of vnbeleuers should moue vs from our places In the meane while affirme that cause of Offence to be not onely scarce probable but also vniuste and shamefull where the respectes of men are weyed before y e woorde of God And why shall not Gods truth stande sure except it please menne to beleue it Rather as Paule sayeth let euery man remayne a lier and let them acknowledge God to be true vnto whome he vouchsaueth to manifest him selfe And we haue alreadie in another place shewed why the greater parte of men doth so hardly yÃ©elde themselues seruiceable to God So muche the lesse then is it conuenient that in so great stubburnnesse of the worlde we shoulde direct our faith after example of the multitude But Christe giueth a token that whither the Egles resorte there is the Carion I denie not verely but that if at any time all the Egles shalbe gathered togither into one place then the conuersioÌ„ of the whole worlde is to be hoped for But forasmuche as Christe meaneth not there all sortes of Egles but suche as follow the liuely sente of his death who seeth not that that sayinge is to be restreined to a fewe if any man wil perchaunce take exceptions that we are not excused by the example of Noe if we withdrawe our selues from that congregatioÌ„ whiche holdeth the name of the Churche when Esay commaunded to leauynge the conspiracie of men and follow God onely he meaned not straungers but euen such as at that time moste gloried in the name of Gods people And Peter wheÌ„ he maketh the Churche like the Arke bicause when the worlde perisheth a little handfull of men is saued as it were by a floud giueth sufficient warnyng that we ought not to hange vpon the multitude Why then haue miserable men pleasure to sÃ©eke occasion of wauerynge and staggeringe amonge the variable blastes of the world when God stayeth vs vppon the euerlastyng fundation of his woorde why had they rather waue amonge the stormes of opinions than harbrough at ease in the sure hauen of certeine veritie to whiche God calleth vs. But very great reuereÌ„ce is dewe to the Church I confesse so truely and I willingly also put this more to it that the vnderstanding of the Churche is so linked with the natiue doctrine of the lawe and the Gospell that it is woorthely called the faithful kÃ©eper and interpreter of the same But betwene vs and the Papistes is the oddes that they thinke the Churche not to be the pillar of truthe otherwise than in sittynge as a iudge ouer the woorde of God And we on the coÌ„trarie parte vphold that bicause the Churche submitteth it selfe reuereÌ„tly vnto the woorde of God the truth is by it reteyned and deliuered vnto others froÌ„ hande to hande And therfore the woorde of God hath no more authoritie amonge them than the Churche as it were by intreatance graunteth vnto it they turne the interpretatioÌ„ of the whole Scripture to the iudgement of the Churche euen after the same maner that the Lesbians in old time were want to make their mason woorke by theyr leaden rule as the olde Prouerbe reporteth There is therefore no place of the Scripture so clÃ©ere whiche beyng bowed or to speake more properly writhed to this Lesbian rule taketh not a straunge shape And yet the chiefe coÌ„tention

that were in their daunger of whome they knewe themselues abhorred as an adulterous ofspring At length remained but one man with a smal household who beyng coÌ„maunded by the Lorde to builde the Arke by the space of a hundred and tweÌ„tie yeres together prouoked against himselfe the ragynge madnesse of them that were altogether out of their wittes against God For in sÃ©ekyng a new kinde of Sanctuarie to saue his owne life he threatened destructioÌ„ openly to them all How often may we thinke that he beynge prouoked with their raylinge and lewde behauiour did earnestly stande in contention with them on the behalfe of Goddes rightuousnesse nowe in suche a number of cruell enemies muste he not haue stande to the hazarde of as many deathes onlesse he had bene deliuered by the hande of God Recken hereunto that if he had not bene sustained by the power of God he had of himselfe a thousande times euery yÃ©ere come to nothinge Afterwarde ensueth a greater and more heauenly miracle in the Arke that being depriued of skie and ayre he founde lyfe no where but as it were in the graue he had not where to draw the breath of life but where it was vnlike but he should be stifled to death and finally that he coulde not otherwise abide in the worlde aliue except he departed out of the worlde When God had after a sort renewed the worlde nowe putting vp the head out of the floud there followed within a while after a greater and more noysome floud of vngodlinesse which ouerwhelmed all Nations Neither was this of tenne monethes but raginge a longe continuance of yeres it gathered such strength that the very household of Sem the holy treasurehouse of God had like to haue bÃ©ene swallowed vp but that Melchisedecke with a fewe other retayninge the pure worshippynge of God stoode vprighte and not disceaued amonge innumerable waues whiche was the onely waye for him to swimme to lande God to the entent to saue Abraham was fayne to leade him out of the dÃ©epe whorlepoole of Idolatrie Moreouer beinge brought into the lande whiche was appointed for his inheritance he so wandred in it that one whyle he was driuen to make coÌ„tention for water and another while he was faine to remoue otherwhere for the famine In the Courtes of two Kinges he could finde none other shift to auoide the daunger of death than by settinge as it were to the spoile his owne wife more deare to him than his life The same and also more sharpe troubles did his Sonne and his Sonnes Sonne endure daylye amonge cruell and sauage people as it were among wilde beastes not without perill of their liues Certainely he muste be woorse than starke blinde that dothe not plainly beholde the hande of God in the defence of their welfare And it is not without cause that Dauid giueth a singular commeÌ„dation to this ayde of God whereby they were in faulfgarde when he saithe that Kinges were forbidden to hurte the Lordes anoynted or to trouble his Prophetes They were few in nuÌ„ber they were aliantes and vnknowen men they wandred like Pilgrimes from place to place they were enuironed rounde aboute with falseharted and outrageous people they had no moment of time frÃ©e from some newe kinde of daunger I confesse this was a disdeinfull sight for prowde men and almoste shamefull to How be it as I saide before In this disdainefulnesse as it had bene in a Glasse did better appeare Goddes extraordinarie defendinge his Churche Yea rather it is more euidently to be sÃ©ene that the Churche hath not bÃ©ene saued out of one floudde onely but that it hath also neuerthelesse continued many ages floting from time to time in continuall waues of euilles Anon after followed the bondage in Egipt whiche had smally differed from an vniuersall shipwrecke but that God put too his helpinge hande in time I will omitte the reproche ouer grieuous burdens that were layed vppon them in that they were kepte like slaues to moste vile and filthie woorkes and that they were oppressed with suche excessiue miseries that they had muche adoo to take breathe But when Pharao had coÌ„maunded all y t issue male to be vtterly destroyed who would not haue saide that y e matter lay a blÃ©eding The Midwiues lied to the enteÌ„t they would not become furtherers of the kinges crueltie Finally Moyses himself who afterwarde should be the deliuerer of y e people was put in a wicker basket and cast at the banke of the riuer The welfare of the whole Nation lay in despayre and the very name of them sÃ©emed to be vtterly blotted out Howe wonderfull then shall we iudge this miracle of God that they which might haue bene tenne times consumed doo not only remaine saulfe but also doo accomplishe those incredible procÃ©edings wherof Moises maketh report But here the lewdnes of man sheweth it selfe to malicious in regardinge the woorkes of God For if they heare of any thing greater than thei can conceiue done by God for the helpe of his Churche they reiect it as a Fable What so euer is common and otherwise customable they despise it affirminge it either to haue happened by chaunce or at leastwise to haue bene brought to passe by mans power and pollicie If the state of the Churche be lesse prosperous ioyfull than they looke for by by they take occasioÌ„ thereat to be offended And therfore bicause Moyses reporteth that the grÃ©euous and slauish worke of brickemakinge was laide vpoÌ„ the wretched Iewes as it had bene vppon brute beastes that their issue male was from the mothers wombe deliuered cruelly called for to be slaine to death that thei fledde priuely away by ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ out of order with Iewels that they had borrowed like a sorte of rascalles all this sÃ©emeth vnto many an vncomely thyng and against the honour of the Churche Yea wheras he reporteth Iacob and his householde to haue bene courteously entertained of Pharao and that he was gently vsed and placed in the best pasture countrie they impute it wholy to good fortune whereas the same one householde is saide to haue growen to a greate people ere it was any longe time after whereas the same Moyses declareth that so many Miracles were wrought by God for the deliuerance of the outcaste and forlorne Israelites bicause it was more than coulde be beleued they scoffe at it as a feigned thinge To the entent therefore we may bringe pure mindes to the consideringe of Goddes woorkes we muste firste purge them of this leudnesse borne and bredde in them of Nature Least I may sÃ©eme to frame an historie which is no parte of my present purpose it suffiseth me lightly as it were by the way to touch the exaÌ„ples of Gods prouidence in preseruinge his Churche whiche are woorthie to be decked and set out with glorious enditinge Albeit to saye the trueth the order of this woorke suffereth me not to touche the tenthe parte of them neyther is it a matter so greatly requisite so

betwene vs consisteth not vpoÌ„ this pointe alone But after the Papistes haue installed the Churche in Christes throne to determine ReligioÌ„ at her owne pleasure and to iudge of the Scripture without appealynge from her by and by thei take the lawe such as it is into their owne handes We on the otherside bicause it is as easie a matter as dauÌ„gerous to be deceiued in will haue it discussed whiche is the true Churche Surely it is no newe thinge that those are sometime cruell Wolues which occupie the roomes of sheapeherdes and that thei are wicked ranke traytours to God his Churche in whose haÌ„de the ordinarie Souereintie is What cause then is there why vaine hobgoblins shoulde make vs so afraide that we shoulde not as becommeth trie whether the same that beareth the name of the Church be the true Churche or no Paule affirmeth the Churche to be the piller of truthe but yet the same Paule foretelleth both the fallynge away of the worlde nowe conuerted and that Antichrist should reigne in y e middes of Gods Temple It is knowen well inough that he susteined the like encouÌ„ters as we are exercised with at this daye when the Iewes takinge pryde in the name of the Churche cried out vpon him that he was a forsaker of his order and an Author of Scismes and troubles They report theÌ„selues to be desceÌ„ded from the very Apostles by continuall succession verely after the same maner that Caligula Nero succeded Valerius Publicola and Lucius Brutus For they clinge vnto the Apostles as if there were not an vnmeasurable Chaos put by them whiche mighte breake all aliances betwixt them if there were any Bicause the dunghil of the popish Clergie is against vs they wil haue vs no lesse pressed with y e peruerse doome than if the Angels condemned vs out of Heauen Uerely with the same pryde did the Scribes in olde time reiect Christ bicause none of the Princes or Pharisies had belÃ©eued in him And forasmuche as they are determined to stande to theyr tacklynge with tooth and nayle euen to the vtterance for maintenance of theyr tyrannie yet are destitute of true reasons it is no maruell though they rappe out vaine soundes But I woulde desire all them vnto whome the false vsurped name of the Church is an occasion of Offence that they would ones finde in their hartes to opeÌ„ theyr eares and their eyes least the deceitfull image of a body pull them from their head a harlot disguised in the apparell of a bryde carie them froÌ„ theyr spouse Christe For what markes I besÃ©eche you haue they whereby thei may know the Churche of Christe in all the whole bande of the Romish Antichrist Onlesse peraduenture whyle they sÃ©e the Pope in his Awbe with y e crosse throwen at his fÃ©ete the Cardinalles in scarlet the Bishops glitteryng with myters croysiers and the reste of the inferiour rable euery one with their seuerall cognisaÌ„ces beinge contented with these tokens they desire none other Churche than suche a one as appeareth in disguisinges like maskers and players of enterludes For what els is there to be sayd to these trifelyng fellowes when hauinge so often so pitthely and plentuously bene by vs coÌ„futed they persist still neuerthelesse in takinge vpon theÌ„ the title of the Church I sayd at the beginnyng that none almost were here deceiued but suche as beyng lothe to come to Christe doo procure lettes to themselues from a farre of The time hath bene that this same scruple hath hindred many simple godly soules but at this day I say there are fewe that obiect the Offence risinge vpon the name of the Churche againste the wholesome doctrine except it be suche as maliciously and proudely vaunt themselues against Christe Like lewdnesse is it that thei demauÌ„de miracles at our hande wherwith they beyng amazed are at length compelled to yÃ©elde vnto God speakynge by vs. And I saye that seyng our doctrine beareth euident witnesse to it selfe that it hath bene confirmed by all the miracles whiche haue bene since the worlde was made these men whiche forgettynge the olde miracles gape after new for asmuch as they are so astonied at the manifest power of God and so blinde in the clÃ©ere light are no lesse monsters themselues than if we should sÃ©e a man turned into a beast Bicause diuers are enriched with holy goods and othersome haue mÃ©etely well appeased theyr hungar for a time the enemies of the Gospell reporte that we were ledde to alter thinges for desire of spoyle than for any good zeale to Godwarde and many which hawke for a pretence to put by the Gospell giue theyr assent to these malicious sayinges Surely for my parte if there be any that haue spoyled the goodes of the Churche to fill theyr owne pouches I excuse them not And my Bookes are manifest witnesses how much I abhorre froÌ„ such sacriledges But as I am not minded to make my self a patrone or aduocate of the defaultes of our parte if any be so the slaunder is not to be borne with that the malicious persones charge vs withall howe we made our pray of all whatsoeuer was taken froÌ„ those filthie Seagulles that is to say the chapleynes of Ball and the MoÌ„kes Certeinly whereas the popishe impietie is abolished there at leastwise parte of the reuenewes whiche whores and baudes deuoured with the Priestes is nowe bestowed vpon the poore Somewhat more is bestowed vpon schooles thaÌ„ was wonte to be true Pastours are founde that minister the doctrine of Saluation to the people expenses are allowed to maintained the state of the Churche and those not small Although this defence doo not acquite vs before God whiche thinge I confesse with a good will yet it declareth that Offence is maliciously gathered thereupoÌ„ against the doctrine of the Gospell But they shewe howe it is manifest for what purpose we haue bene moued to take this cause in hande in asmuch as almost all beyng occupied about lookyng to theyr priuate affayres are slouthfull in exactyng discipline in correctinge vices and in increasinge and mainteynyng the kingdome of Christe Wherfore then doo not they rather warme vs with theyr heate than they fryse vnto our coldnesse Let the coÌ„plaintes of Aggaeus touchynge the neglectinge of the Temple be read There a man maye beholde as it were painted in a table the slouthfulnesse of our age was not therfore the building of the temple againe a very holy woorke of God bicause at that time euery man beyng busied aboute his owne house cared not for the Temple of God Ought any man therefore to shrinke bicause he sawe some not onely cease from so nÃ©edefull a duetie but also wickedly defraude God of his first fruites and tenthes But this is surely the thing that I spake of before anone after the beginnynge that many beyng entaÌ„gled with the vnholy friendshippes of the worlde doo couet any Offences that may be against Christe rather than to offende the wicked enemies of

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