Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	heart_n	spirit_n	word_n	8,255	5	4.2520	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

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

with the same itch of themselues For we sée some so greedely snatch at and hunte for those thinges that make to the takynge away of the féelinge of godlinesse that hauinge in maner scarce perceiued the sounde of a fewe woordes by and by they raunge frō the eternall and vnchaungeable truth of God And surely whosoeuer hath but meanly traueled in the woorde of God when he shall haue tried that our faith is farre otherwise grounded than vpon opinion he shal not so easly wauer And they that beare the seale of the spirite printed in their hartes it is farre vnlike that they should be ouerthrowen with the assaultes of these engines But this is it that Paule meaneth where he sayeth That mē make shipwrecke in the faith after the time that they haue fallen from a good conscience whereby he meaneth bothe that this is the keper of right vnderstandynge and that it is no wonder though they haue nothinge stedfaste emong them whiche are tossed amonge the sundry waues of their lustes There is no cause therefore why we should be troubled with this Godlesnesse whiche now partly rageth euerywhere through the whole worlde but specially reigneth in the Courtes of Kinges and Princes in iudgement places and in other glorious trades of liuyng for if I shoulde demaunde of one that had skill in thinges yea and it were euen of those who cannot ridde themselues from this temptacion whiche of them all there did harborow a good conscience their answeare would be in a readinesse that it is bannished a great way of wherefore then doo we wonder at that shipwrecke of Faith whiche Paule teacheth must néedes followe Moreouer if they so warely kéepe money bestowed in coffers as many as are any thyng smittē with the loue therof what excuse shall he lay for him selfe whiche beynge fenced with no garde of God doth set him selfe foorth wilfully to the spoyle if he be robbed of the heauenly treasure specially considering we know that nothinge is so hurtfull as these copwebbes of the wicked For it is not my minde to extenuate the perill that maye come by them but rather I admonish and testifie that no Serpēt hath so venemous a blast as they and therfore it behoueth vs to be so much the more waker carefull to beware of them By the waye I say that al such shalbe frée from this contagion be it neuer so pestiferous as haue not forslowed to roote themselues déepe in Christe Neither is this my sayinge but the sayinge of Paule that we ought to growe in Christe vntill we come to be perfect men least we be any more subiect to the subteltie of men which goe about to deceiue vs. Notwithstāding we must harken also to another exhortation of Paule namely that forasmuch as we are ensured to the Sonne of God vpon this condition that we should kéepe our promisse of mariage vnto him vnuiolate we ought in especially to beware that the Deuil corrupt vs not with his flattering enticementes For if the woman whiche hath giuen eare to allurementes of baudrie séemeth to haue giuen alreadie some signe of vnchastnesse it appeareth that those soules are scarce chaste whiche delight to be moued to false forsaking their obedience to God The reason of all errours is not much vnlike herunto The faith of many quayleth and some doo vtterly fall from the Gospell bicause they coniecture it to be the séede of errour As though any man should giue ouer tillage and sowinge of the grounde bicause the pure séede doth oftentimes degenerate into cockle To the entent the straungenesse of the matter shoulde not abashe any man Christe warned vs that it shuld come so to passe For albeit that in that place he cōpareth Hypocrites to darnell and the true and naturall Sonnes of God to wheate yet he sheweth howe this is the accustomed fraude of Sathan to corrupte and defile the heauenly séede of God by al y e meanes he can to the entent it shoulde not come to fruitfulnesse we know that the world lay a longe time barreyne like a waste and vntilled grounde Nowe hath God sowed the doctrine of his Gospell by his Ministers doo we maruell if Sathan doo intermedle as many corrupt errours as he can For what whole wayne loades of false opiniōs hath he not brought in immediatly with the first springynge vp of the Gospell I doo omit the innumerable multitude But what cā be deuised more prodigious than the dotinges of Valentine of Montane and of the Manichees Now it is to much folly that they which counte it for a miracle that the light of the Gospell was not quēched in so thicke darknesse or whiche hartely reioyce to heare that the strength therof hath continued vnappalled againste so many assaults should be offended at the doctrine of the Gospell bicause now also Sathan sullieth it with the darknesse of his lies Howbeit forasmuche as men doo sundry waies stumble at this rocke I will briefly shewe y t there is no kinde of Offence the which they incurre not of their owne accorde either through their slouthfulnesse or els some other singular vice of theyr owne They whiche simplie make this one obiection that sectes doo bud out of the doctrine of the Gospell partly are glad to séeke startingholes and partly through ouermuch lightnesse doo lay the cause of euill vpon the Gospell whiche resteth otherwhere Who so euer will vouchsaufe to open his eyes he shall plainely sée that the Gospell is not onely the pure and cléere truthe of God but also the best bonde of holy vnitie Nowe if Sathan rise vp against it to the entent he may darkē this light with the cloudes of errours and rende the vnitie asunder wherein the sonnes of God doo knit thēselues together he dothe but his office For he is bothe the father of lies and also the authour and craftesmaister of all debate It were our duetie therefore so muche the more earnestly to labour in searchinge out the truth and to embrace it the more constantly when we haue founde it These men doo not onely absteine from all such endeuour and flie frō it but also doo set this as a shielde of defence against God that they be not compelled to obeye his commaundement Othersome al be it that they séeke not meanes for the nonce howe they may reiect the wholesome doctrine yet bicause they take occasion at euery light blast to starte backe they haue nothinge whiche they may iustly alledge for their excuse But you will say thei feare not without cause least if beyng vncertaine whiche way to goe they should yelde themselues pliable they might through this pliablenesse be snarled in the snares of errours This is in déede somwhat but there was a better prouiso than this for that daunger namely to submitte themselues to God by godly humilitie modestie sobernesse and reuerence For Christe hath not for nothinge promised that the doore shalbe opened to them that knocke neyther is he endewed with the spirite of iudgement

To the right 〈◊〉 ble and ●is 〈…〉 staye● Lord Fraun 〈…〉 Lord gouernour of Barwicke and one of the Quéenes Maiesties most Honorable priuie Counsell c. Arthur Goldyng wisheth encrease of Honour and haboundaunce of the knowledge grace of Christe ●ith perfect continuaūce therein 〈…〉 ende IT is agreed on confessed by all men righte Honorable that reason vnderstandynge maketh differrēce betwen● mankinde and other liuynge Creatures but how a true Christian maye be knowē and discerned from an infidell and counterfet none perceiueth saue onely suche as geue diligent héede to the written woo 〈…〉 wherin we may finde that 〈…〉 ●uerlastyng to know one God and 〈…〉 he hath sent that they are blessed whiche heare the woorde of God and kéepe it that not euery one that saith Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kingdome of Heauē but he that doth the will of the heauenly Father Whereby it is euident that wicked Infidelles are either altogether voide of the 〈◊〉 ledge of God or els farre from 〈◊〉 walke accordingly if they haue 〈…〉 to any vnderstandyng thereo● 〈…〉 the true Christian not onely laboreth 〈◊〉 beholde the grace of God which bringeth saluation to all men but also learneth to renounce impietie and worldly lustes ▪ and to liue soberly iustly and godly in this present worlde and lookinge for that blessed hope and appearinge of the glory of the great God and our Sauiour Iesus Christe walketh all the dayes of his life in holines and rightuousnes not after mens deuise phantasie but accordinge to the rules and ordinaunces which God hath prescribed And yet beside y e sleights of Sathan the fraylenes of the flesh and the wickednesse of the worlde we maye easily sée how the mallice of men stayeth and hindereth the children of God from procéedinge in that they haue professed while some are driuen to stagger at the prosperitie of wicked when they sée them neyther troubled nor plagued as other men are eyther to feare their powre whē they sée the Kinges of the Earth bande themselues and the Princes confederate ●●●ther against the Lorde and his annointed and euery good man with griefe of harte enforced to complaine with Dauid how longe wil ye imagine mischiefe ye shalbe all slaine ye shalbe as a bowed wall or as a wall shaken They consuite to cast him downe from his dignitie their delighte is in lies they blesse with theyr mouthes and curse with their hartes It is not vnknowen what hath bene concluded in the Councell of Trent what confederacie and conspiracie the Romayne Antichrist hath made with other great Princes against the doctrine of God and such as professe it What force tirannie hath bene vsed to suppresse the children of God what pollicies and practises bothe at home and abroade haue bene and are dayly put in executiō to hinder the course of the Gospell what lies and slaunders are dayly raysed what quarels are inuēted what falsehoode and dissimulation is in euery place practised to kéepe the most parte of men frō the knowledge of truth whereby as we sée the woordes of Dauid verified in the wicked dealyng of this miserable age so haue we iust cause to complaine with him and not onely to proclayme with confidence the like ende to mischieuous men but also to arme our selues against al assaultes that are made to driue or drawe vs from the truth professed Yea it behoueth vs herein to care for other not for our selues onely least by vs any be discouraged where they ought to be comforted or hindred where they ought to be furdered For the vengeaunce is fearefull whiche our Sauiour pronounceth where he saith woo to him by whome Offence cōmeth the charge is not smal which he giueth to his where he willeth that their light so shine before mē that their good woorkes may be séene to the glory of their Father whiche is in Heauen whereof it followeth that God would not haue vs by any meanes to discourage but rather to encourage neither to disswade but rather by all meanes to perswade and allure all sortes of men as much as in vs lieth to the loue and likyng of Gods eternall truth This point of duetie God requireth by his Prophete Esay aswell of Princes as of Pastors when in the kingdome of Christe he biddeth them goe through goe through the gates prepare you the way for the people cast vp cast vp the waye gather out the stones set vp a standarte for the people So God woulde haue all impedimentes remoued so he would that men should be prouoked to the kingedome of Christe Whereunto this treatise written by that excellent instrumēt of God maister Iohn Caluine very much auayleth for in it he purposely entreateth of such Offences stumblinge blockes as at this daye make many men either to feare or to abhorre the doctrine of the Gospell it serueth wel for this our countrie in this light of truth offered to conuince the obstinate to confirme the wéeke to stay the waueryng to instruct the ignoraunt and to occasion all men with reuerence to receiue the glad tidinges of the Gospell and that without delay least for our vnthankefulnesse the publique profession thereof beynge taken awaye it be to late for vs to séeke oyle when we should be readie to enter with the Bridegrome Wherefore I could not deuise how my endeuour might better be employed then in the translation of suche a treatice as remouyng al lettes maketh streight vnto vs the waye of Saluation And because your Lordshippes good gouernment conuersation in these North partes of Englande hath furdered not a fewe to the light of true Religion I thought it most conuenient to be dedicated and presented vnto your Honour as vnto one whom to this day neither prosperitie nor aduersitie coulde make ashamed of Christe crufisied not for that I thinke the matter cōteyned in this Booke néedeth the defence of any man for it rather defendeth then craueth defence but because I truste that other shall be more willinge to receiue it and vse it to their comforte cōmoditie when they sée it after a sorte conueyed and commended vnto them as it were from your Lordeships handes And although my trauaile herein may séeme very smal yet my hope is that your Honour of your accustomed goodnesse will accept it as the testimonie of a duetifull minde as God hath geuen you a singuler desire to aduaunce his glorie and benefite his Churche so I truste ye shall haue no small occasion hereby to continewe procéede therein Notwithstandynge the manifolde impedimentes of these perilous times when Sathan by all meanes séeketh in stayinge the sincere preachinge of Gods most holy woorde to scatter the people into sectes Scismes ▪ and by raysinge of dissention in opinions to slaunder and defame the doctrine of truth against whose subtiltie it behoueth all such as God hath aduaunced to authoritie to labour especially y t the publique preachynge of Gods eternall truthe be furdered mainteyned

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 cōfesse that a thousande yéeres 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 offēded at If cōparison 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 hūdred or these thousand yéeres 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 cōtinuance 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 cōmaunded 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 yéeres 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 Heathē 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 hādes 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 yéeres this surmised stumblingblocke shall hinder no man at leastwise from the desire to searche And whē it shalbe fully agreed vpon that we haue from Christe that which we bryng foorth who wilbe so ouerthwart as wilfully to fléete vnto men frō the eternall wisdome of God and the voyce of the heauenly Maister It offendeth many bicause they sée almost the whole worlde to be against vs. Neither are the defenders of the euil cace negligent or to séeke 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 féete 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 yéelde 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 conuersiō 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 congregatiō 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 whē 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 séeke 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 reuerēce 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 kéeper 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 cōtrarie parte vphold that bicause the Churche submitteth it selfe reuerētly vnto the woorde of God the truth is by it reteyned and deliuered vnto others frō 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 interpretatiō 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 cléere whiche beyng bowed or to speake more properly writhed to this Lesbian rule taketh not a straunge shape And yet the chiefe cōtention