Selected quad for the lemma: work_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	abraham_n	faith_n	perfect_a	4,924	5	9.0614	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A68093	The practise of preaching, otherwise called the Pathway to the pulpet conteyning an excellent method how to frame diuine sermons, & to interpret the holy Scriptures according to the capacitie of the vulgar people. First written in Latin by the learned pastor of Christes Church, D. Andreas Hyperius: and now lately (to the profit of the same Church) Englished by Iohn Ludham, vicar of Wethersfeld. 1577.; De formandis concionibus sacris. English	Hyperius, Andreas, 1511-1564.; Ludham, John, d. 1613.; Orth, Wigand, 1537-1566.	1577 (1577)	STC 11758.5; ESTC S122044	265,657	396

thinge we then also made mention when as we heaped together some thinges as touchinge the places of the kinde didascalick in the seconde Chapter of this present booke But to come to examples where a full furnyshed explanatiō of one place or sentence is to be seene we haue none u●ore famous in the whole bodye of the holy Scriptures then in the Epistles and Thapostle Paule Which albeit they be rather writen in a scolasticall then in a popular kinde of speaking yet doe they import vnto vs no small helpe to the due framinge of Sermons to the people The first example very notable thou shalt finde in the fourth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans where this short sentence or place out of Genesis 15. Abraham beleeued god and it was imputed vnto him for rightuousnes is with wonderfull prudence and dexteritye expounded at large The wordes truely are very fewe if thou respectest the nomber but if thou lookest into the sense thou shalt perceyue in them to be most strongely proued that men are iustified by fayth and that great plentye of argumentes are ingendered therein The state of the whole disputation the Aposte had prefixed before in the 3. Chapter saying We suppose that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe To the confirmatiō therfore of this state he iudgeth the noble example of the iustification of Abraham to bée most fitte and conuenient to the intent he might gather by order of reasoninge that all other men also are in like maner iustified by fayth Which his pourpose he himselfe doth not obscurly declare when a litell after he sayth that it is not so written for him onely that it was imputed vnto him for rightuousnes but also for vs to whom it shal be imputed if we beleeue in him that raysed vp our Lorde Iesus from the deade c. Howbeit not contented to haue showed in this wise that the said sentence agreeth wondrously well to his enterprised busines he deuideth it into partes and out of euery parte draweth forth newe argumentes Wherefore forasmuch as in that sentence wherein it is sayde that Abraham beléeued and in beleeuinge was iustified by and by out of the worde beleeue is this argumente subtelly contriued If Abraham be iustified for that he beléeued it followeth of necessitie the he was not iustified by workes In asmuch as faith and workes are after a sorte repugaunte the one to the other Now the Apostle rendreth this argument thus If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath wherein to glory but not with god For what saith the scripture Abraham beleeued God and it was conuted vnto him for rightuousnes From hence the Apostle bendeth the ernest contemplation of his minde to the signification of the word Impute out of which he produceth the seconde proofe to this effect To him also that worketh not but beleeueth in God that iustifieth his faith is by grace counted for rightuousnes But it shoulde not bee sayde to bee counted by grace for rightuousnes if he had deserued it by workes for then it shoulde rather bee called wages or debte Iustification therfore cōmeth not by workes but freely by grace Like as in the former argument consideration is had of the antithetons to worke and beleeue so here wages or debte is set against imputation Thirdly the Apostle exactly noteth the forme of speaking To count or impute for rightuousnes For it commeth to his remembraunce howe in the Psal. 31. that man is called blessed holy and rightuous to whom the lorde impueth not sinne Wherefore he determineth that to impute vnto rightuousnes is euen all one with not to impute sins For to remit or not to impute sinnes is as much as frely to pardon thē or to iudge one eightuous without desert Iustification therefore commeth by grace and not by workes And this is it that the apostle so studiously saith That God imputeth vnto man rightuousnes without workes Wherefore out of euery worde we sée notable reasons to be drawen Howbeit the apostle procéedeth yet further and as we admonished in the 2. obseruation he diligently enquireth what time faith was imputed vnto Abraham for rightuousnes Nowe he findeth that thinge to be done about fourtene yeres before Circumcision Of this circumstance therefore of time he gathereth in the fourth place well néere after this maner If Abraham had bene iustified by workes then chiefely by circumcision But by this he was not iustified forasmuch as rightuousnes was imputed vnto him longe time before he was circumcised Therfore in no wise commeth rightuousnes by workes The wordes of the Apostle as they stande in the text are playne Furthermore Thapostle interlaceth foorth with the fifte argument taken of the vse and signification of circumcision Abraham receyued the signe of circumcision as a seale of the rightuousnes of the saith which he had when he was vnsircumcised Which we maye take euen as if he had sayde Circumcision is not therefore receyued to the intent any man shoulde be iustified thereby but that it might be a seale of the assuraunce of rightuousnes nowe before receyued by fayth For a man must alwayes first beleeue and confesse his faith or euer he can rightly vse any sacrament instituted of god and vnlesse a man alredye indued with faith doe receyue the sacramentes there is no cause whye he should hope that they will become holesome vnto him There is no man that knoweth not the sacramentes to be signs of the couenaunt made before with God and that they are added as seales of our reconciliatiō with God like as after the bargainers are agreed betwixt them selues writings and seales are accustomed to be made The sixt argument followeth of that the we shewed to be digested in the fourth place Seeing nowe it appereth that faith was imputed vnto Abraham for rightuousnes before he was circumcised whilest he was yet vncircūcised it is a plaine cace that the Gentiles also which are not as yet circumcised neyther dare chalendge to themselues any good worke may be iustified by fayth and generally that vnto all men whether they be circumcised or vncircumcised rightuousnes shal be imputed so that by the example of Abraham which is indifferently the common parent and prince of all beléeuers as well of the circumcised as hauing vncircumcision they repose their faith and confidence in God. Hee receiued saith he he scale of the rightuousnes of the fayth which he had when he was vncircumcised that hee shoulde bee the father of all them that beleeue not beinge circumcised that rightuousnes might bee imputed to them also And the father of circumcision not vnto them onely which are of the circumcision but vnto them also that walk in the steppes of the fayth of our father Abraham which he had when hee was vncircumcised Moreouer in the seauenth argumente he declareth that rightuousnes before god happeneth by faith forasmuch as it can not be that rightuousnes shoulde be

receyued by the Lawe Of which thing he rendreth also in the causes For where the lawe is there imediately followeth transgression for such is our imbecilitie and weakenes that wee can neuer exactely fulfyll the lawe And where transgression is what I beseech you is to bee loked for but the wrath of god By the lawe therfore or by workes wee can by no meanes atteyne vnto rightuousnes But to the intent he might the more easyly perswade the same thinge he inserteth two inconueniences which if rightuousnes were not to be loked for but by the lawe should of necessytie follow If rightuousnes or the inheritaunce of spirituall benefytes shoulde then onely be receiued when the law were of vs throughly fulfilled our faith no doubt should be void the promise of god of none effect But that it is a very absurde matter in cace any should auouch it thus to be euery man perceyueth For GOD vndoubtedly performeth that which he promiseth as he that neuer ceasseth to be true and iust of his worde And where as is the certaine fyrme infallible promise of God ther our faith ought in no wise to wauer or doubt Let these thinges therfore he taken in steade of the eight argument But nowe againe the Apostle stayeth somewhat at this that the holy scripture testyfieth that the promises belong not onely vnto Abraham but also vnto an his séede In which consideration beinge occupyed he remembreth that in the olde Testament the Gentiles also are conteined in the séede of Abraham For it was saide vnto Abraham Gen. 17. I haue appointed thee to be the father of many nations Wherfore herevpon also he produceth an other argument which is framed in this sort The promised spirituall benefyts shal redound also to the seede of Abraham But the Gentiles are knowen to be the seede of Abraham Ergo the promised benefits shal come in like maner to the Gentiles though destitute of the lawe and voide of good works Be this therfore the ninth argument taken of the proper signification of the worde Gentiles or Nations and it belongeth to the places of inuention of whiche mention was made in the fift obseruation X The tenth argument is added to deriued of the nature of the things themselues which kind of proofes we shewed to be méete and requysyte in the fourth obseruation Abraham saieth he aboue hope beleeued vnder hope that hee shoulde be the father of many nations according to that which was spokē to him So shal thy seede be And he not weake in the faith considered not his owne body c. The apostle in déede describeth the nature force of the faith which is imputed for rightuousnes and sheweth that it was very excellent in Abrahā and far greater then any man could beléeue He saith the true and perfect faith doth assuredly vndoubtedly lay hold vpon those things that excéede mans reason the by no menes are iudged to be hoped for besids that it neglecteth dispiseth vtterly remoueth al things that are thought to be a let or hindraunce vnto it For it alwaies leaneth vpon God to when nothinge is impossible to be done Such and so great a faith therefore seeinge it shined forth in Abrahā it pleased god with merciful eyes to behold it before al other works to impute it for rightuousnes XI Last of all the holy Apostle going about to bring his explanation to all end auoucheth that the same meane or way that Abraham was iustified by ought also to be applyed vnto vs for therefore were those thinges writen of Abraham to the ende we might know that we in like maner by the example of Abraham shoulde without workes be iustified by faith And thus much touching the interpretation of one short sentence The seconde example being no lesse notable then the first is extant Galat. 3. where euery word of the most knowen promise made vnto Abraham Gene. 22. In thee all nations shall bee blessed is so expounded and declared that it likewise teacheth that men are iustified before God not by the workes of the law but by faith sBut yet far away surmounteth the third example which occurreth Heb. 5. 7. where euery member of the fourth verse of the Psalm 110 The Lorde hath sworne and will not repent thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedec is with such great arte industrye grace opened and explaned that I néede not doubt to affirme that no mans wit without the speciall direction of the holy ghost is able to immitate the like For truely the apostle with many diuers proofes takē out of the one testimony of scripture plainly teacheth in the same chapter in the thrée following first that Christ is the true priest after the order of Melchisedec and the the said prophesie of the Psal. 110. doth most chifely agrée vnto him secondly that the priesthod of Christ is far more excelent thē the priesthod of the law which was after the order of Aaron or Leuiticall thirdly that by the priesthod of Christ appointed established through the patefaction of the Gospell the priesthode of Aaron is abolished fourthly that by the priesthod of Christe once constituted and confyrmed the olde ceremonies and sacrifices yea and the law it selfe take an ende What man would haue thought that out of one verse or clause might haue bene drawen matter of so many weighty poyntes of Christian doctrine and so diuers and s●ndry proofes for euery poynte But thus it is to whom the holy ghost becommeth a scholemaster vnto those all things are easye playne penetrable and ready The thing it selfe speaketh that all that are placed in the Ecclesiasticall ministerye are not so far for the enstructed of the holy ghost that they may be counted equal with the Apostles or other pillers of the Church wherfore it is very requisite that the study diligence of immitation should appéere and shine forth in them and when they perceyue themselues not able to atteine the vertue and maiesty of the Apostolike phrase of speaking then let them diligentlye next after the Apostles follow the steppes of the holy fathers whiche we know with great laude and fruite in the kinde didascalick to haue explaned sentences or single places of scripture in the Church Chrisostom in his first Tome learnedly expoundeth in a iust homilie those words of Gene. 3. I will put enmitie betwixt thee and the woman betweene thy seede and hyr seede c. There is also an homilie as touchinge these words of the Psalm 9. I will declare all thy wonderous works Another of the words out of the Psalm 25. Leade mee in thy trueth and teache mee Agayne of the wordes out of the Psalm 27. The Lorde is my light and my saluation whom then shall I feare Moreouer of these wordes out of the Psal. 85. Be not angry with vs O Lord for euer Item out of the Psalm 122. Peace be within thy walles and plentiousnesse

and by his prouidence gouerneth the same when also the doctrine is expounded concerning the thrée persons the properties of euery person of the church of the law of sin of the gospell of repentaunce of faith of charytie of hope of the sacraments of the resurrection of the dead of eternall lyfe c. These and such lyke places are frequentlye founde in the Scriptures explaned in a iust method and after the popular mener of teaching Redargution or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no other thinge then a destruction or confutation of false and eronious opinions which are obtruded of the enimies of truthe to deceue the ignoraunt and vnlearned For it is necessary that theyr mouthes be stopped by thautority of gods word for which cause the Apostle would haue him to be a Byshoppe or teacher of the church that coulde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say reproue and conuince the gayn●speakers Thou shalt sée not seeldome times in the Sermons of the Prophetes of Christ and thapostles the phantasticall surmises of the Gentiles of the false prophets Pharisies and such lyke grieuously assaulted and vtterly ouerthrowne Furthermore Institution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnderstand to be that whereby the lyfe and maners are informed vnto Godlines The holy Scriptures doe abounde with precepts and exhortations of this kinde into whiche sufficiently tedyous and prolixe euery man slippeth euen without occasion and intending some other matter Correction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is after a contrary order occupyed in reprouing of corrupt maners and of those crimes where vnto many men are perceiued to be giuen The Prophets Apostles in their Sermons are in nothyng more busye then inueyinge against their sinnes and wickednesse whom they couet to traine to repentaunce and to haue them become honest and vertuous Last of all vnder the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Consolation what oughte to be vnderstoode there is no man that can be ignoraunt seeing euery one of vs beynge daily conuicted of our owne iniquitie doe feele by experyence how greatly we stand in neede of consolations prepared for all euents And surely of comfortes and consolations which may assuredly stay erect vp afflicted mindes the sacred scripture is a most plentifull storehouse If therefore we will heare S. Paule what soeuer thinges may profitably be spoken out of the scriptures it is requisite that they be referred to these fiue ends or chapters Why then may we not say that accordinge to these same chapters all kindes of sermons ought to be distincted and deuided Herevnto is added that there is no treaty that hapeneth any where in the sacred scriptures which may not be placed vnder some one of these chapters as vnder a certayne captayne and guide It were no long work to demonstrate in the volumes of the Prophetes and Apostles iust Sermons the arguments and titles wherof might most aptly be prefixed after the sayde Chapters a proofe of which matter we wyll bringe in the sequell hereof and especially in the second Booke where shal be noted diuers and sundry examples And what if all thinges necessary to be knowne to a man carefull of his saluation are founde to be layde vp aboundantly in the same chapters for what things soeuer pertayne to sincere religion and christian piety are referred either vnto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say knowledge or science or els vnto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is action or doyng The author of this particion least any mā should finde fault therwith we haue the Apostle Paule which prayeth vnto God that all the godly may be filled as well with the knowledge of the misteries and will of God as also that after the measure of knowledge which fell vnto them they might fructifie in all good workes And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verely is then made perfect when as those things are perceiued and allowed which bene true and agreeable to the first truthe manifested by the holy ghost and agayne those thinges be reiected which are false and vntrue Here then are eftsoones perceiued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doctrine and r●dargution But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leaning vpon actitons or works is altogither in this continually that it may shew forth worthy examples of honesty and vnfeigned holynes and as for thinges filthy and reprochefull shonne them with all indeuour In the meane while in that one poynt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or institution bewrayeth it selfe In this other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or correction Where as if againe it chaunceth any man eyther in these thinges which are referred vnto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in those that perteyne vnto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to doubt wauer or feare in such sort that some great daunger of falling séemeth to hange ouer his head then must seasonable remedy bée applyed by ministringe apte consolations It is playne therefore that the order of comfortinge in the fift place ought in this wyse of necessitie to bée adioyned vnto the premisses Moreouer thrée thinges by the consent of all men are determined to be of themselues most worthy in which the spirituall lyfe of man doth wholely consist namely Fayth Charitie and Hope For when these things be in any man the diuine oracles testify that he shal neuer perishe And surely Fayth stickinge fast to the certeyne rules of the holy Ghost is susteyned and fortefied with doctrin and redargution Charitie busily applying to good workes is furthered and holpen forward with Institution and Correction Lastly Hope is nourished and cherished with swéet consolation and comfort Yea in thorder of these Chapters may al those thinges bée disposed also which the Rhetoricians doe comprehende in the thrée sayde common kyndes of Cases But on the other side not all the thinges agayne that are comprised in those Chapters can haue place vnder those kyndes of cases For those thinges that amonge the Oracles are ascribed to the kynde Iuditiall may conueniently bee handeled in redargution or correction Of which that one is applied to the state definit and this other to the state of qualytie But those thinges which are attributed to the kyndes delyberatiue and demonstratiue bée very aptelie placed vnder institution touching which matter we shall haue an other place agayne else where to entreate of But if thou shouldest requyre of the Rhetoritians a kynde of case to the which doctrin or consolation might be referred they coulde giue none at all as those that haue euermore set ouer the whole practise of Teachinge and comfortynge to the Philosophers of Vniuersities and thin-habitauntes of Scoles giuinge themselues to ouer muche ease and idlenesse in the meane tyme But hée that will followe the course and direction of those fiue Chapiters or fountaynes shall pretermit no order of Teaching which maye serue any thinge at all to the furtheraunce and information of the myndes of wretched men Which thinges séeinge they bée so it is very méete and