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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	cause_n	faith_n	justification_n	11,997	5	9.4732	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13069	A fourth proceeding in the harmony of King Dauids harp That is to say; a godly and learned exposition of six psalmes moe of the princely prophet Dauid, beginning with the 62. and ending with the 67. Psalme. Done in Latin by the reuerend Doctour Victorinus Strigelius professor in Diuinitie in the vniuersitie of Lipsia in Germany Anno 1502. Translated into English by Richard Robinson citizen of London 1596. Seene, perused, and allowed. ...; Hypomnēmata in omnes Psalmos Davidis. Psalm 62-67. English	Strigel, Victorinus, 1524-1569.; Robinson, Richard, citizen of London.	1596 (1596)	STC 23362; ESTC S105184	33,513	60

this verse what rule serueth best to beginne our prayer by namely the confession of sinne which is voide of dissimulation and a feruent praier for remission of sinnes For before all petitions prayer touching forgiuenes of sinnes ought first to shine forth as else-where is often time said Hitherto is recited the beginning of the psalme now commeth he vnto the thankesgiuing Verse 4 Blessed is the man whome thou chusest and receiuest vnto thee He shall dwell in thy court and shal be satisfied with the pleasures of thy house euen of thy holy temple He giueth god thankes for the ministery of his worde whereby an eternall church is gathered vnto god for hee calleth the church of god the congregation wherein soundeth the preaching of the gospel and wherein God is truely called vpon To be a citizen of this congregation is the chiefest and greatest benefit vpon earth Because by his word god maketh himselfe knowne vnto vs comforteth vs and with his holy spirit gouerneth vs lest we shoulde being quailed with temptations and calamities vtterly despaire in our selues But as in Dauids time god dwelt in the tabernacle and afterwardes in the Temple of Salomon So now god dwelleth in the whole world wheresoeuer thankefull praise is spread of Christ O the immense goodnesse of God who hath not onely chosen the Iewes but also the Gentiles vnto euerlasting saluation and hath called them to the societie of the true church Hereupon we may reason by a contrary position as in the eight chapter to the Romanes and the fourteenth verse Whome hee hath chosen those hee hath called Therefore al which are not called are not chosen for it is sure that the chosen ones are no where to be sought for but in the societie of them that are called that is of them which retaine the foundation and do not stubbornely defend worshipping of idolles But what are the pleasures of the house and temple of God God hath giuen vnto his church excellent pleasures his sonne Christ faith which ouercommeth al dangers right good works the holyghost vnderstanding of the scripture peace of conscience and other benefites which are innumerable Verse 5 Thou shalt shew vs woonderfull things in thy righteousnesse O God of our saluation thou that arte the hope of all the endes of the earth and of them that remaine in the broad sea He ioyneth vnto thankesgiuing a prayer very necessary wherein he craueth that god would preserue the ministery and confirme that which hee hath begunne in vs. For the doctrine touching Iustification is wonderfull that is put or placed far beyond and aboue the capacitie of mans reason Therefore vnto the Iewes it is an offence and to the Gentiles foolishnesse 1. Corinth 1. For what I pray you seemeth more absurd then that man shoulde be iust before god not by his owne but by an others obedience nor by his owne but by anothers merite especially seeing the law requireth our workes Hereof grow those clamours of our aduersaries The doctrine of faith is the corruption of manners and libertie of discipline Againe Men when they heare this doctrine are made more slowe to liue well and blessedly But the godly ones doe know where faith alone raigneth and what must be esteemed of workes for in that place where it is handled touching remission of sinnes and reconciliation wyth god and touching attainement vnto euerlasting life our workes are no other thing but the filthinesse of dogges so farre as pertaineth vnto merite and the cause of Iustification In this circle if I may so say the alone Mediator beareth all the rule and hath the preeminence whom faith acknowledgeth and taketh hold vpon and beleeueth that for his sake onely wee are freely by God receiued into fauour and are indued with life euerlasting as these sayings following doe witnesse Romanes the third chapter and foure and fiue and twentie verses All are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whome God hath set foorth to be a reconciliation through saith in his blood Also 1. Corinth 1. Yee are of him in Christ Iesus who of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption That hee that reioyceth should reioyce in the Lord vers 30 31. Moreouer 1. Corinth 4.4 I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified but he that iudgeth me is the Lorde But after that we haue obtained forgiuenesse of sinnes also reconciliation ioy●ed with the gift of the holy ghost and life euerlasting and doe againe go out of the holie of holiest there good workes are not in vs as it were filthinesse of dogges but by faith first shining forth are made worshippings of God and sacrifices of thankes giuing which God wil haue rendered vnto him that with his obedience we may declare our thankfulnesse inuite others by our example to the honouring of God To this purpose saith Paul Gal 6. But let euery man proue his own worke and then shall hee haue reioycing in himselfe and not in another And 2. Cor. 1. For our reioycing is this the testimonie of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenesse and not in fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God we haue had our conuersation in the world and most of all to you wardes Let this thing therefore remain in this cause which cannot be changed Christ only is the saluation of God Againe as Symcon singeth A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glorie of the people of Israel But seeing the puritie and simplicitie of this doctrine cannot by mans alone diligence be retained in vse let vs most feruently craue of God That he would not only the guide and giuer but also the performer and effecter of this doctrin and seale the same thorowly in our heartes that we forgoe not the word it selfe or the naturall meaning of the word Verse 6 Which in his strength setteth fast the mountaines and is girded about with power He giueth thankes for the institution and preseruation of the estate politicke For the mountaines by an vsuall figure signifie kingdomes and dominions As in Ieremie the 51.25 Babylon is called a destroying mountaine These mountaines hath not mans wisedome and power ordeined but in the order of gouernmentes there shineth wisedome in punishmentes Iustice and in preseruing thē the goodnesse and power of God For most wisely most truely is it said by Plato Vbi non Deus sed mortalis aliquis dominatur ibi malorum aerumnarum nullum esse effugium Whereas not God but some mortall man beareth rule there can be no escape from mischief and miseries And Iohn Baptist saith A man can receiue nothing except it be giuen him frō heauen cap. 3. ver 27. That is no gouernment is happy and wholesome except it be ordered and helped by God For humane helpes are more weake then that they are able to conserue or keepe the policies or estates And that I be not here so long in a

heard Doubtles it is a great thing for a man to come in the sight of God and a greater matter to speake franckely and manifestly that which a man thinketh But the greatest matter of all is without doubting to beleeue that God denieth vs nothing Nowe thinke with your selfe what and how great thankes is due vnto the Sonne of God the Mediatour through whose grant and gift we possesse all these things Verse 9 As for the children of men they are but vaine the children of men are deceitfull vpon the weights they are altogether lighter then vanitie it selfe Verse 10 O trust not in wrong and robberie giue not your selues vnto vanitie if riches increase set not your hearts vpon them Euery law is a commandement of that which is right and a conuincer of that which is wrong And Iustice comprehendeth the eschewing of vices and the studie of well doing Like as therefore he hath hitherto deliuered vs a rule or precept touching confidence setling it selfe in God So now afterwardes he forbiddeth vngodly confidence in humane things For our body is weake our feature or beauty fraile our health vncertaine our life most short and fickle fading honour is vaine because it is either fained or not of continuance our wil is corrupt wisdome is small vertue languishing and finally affection troublesome Seeing therfore al humane things are weake britle and fraile may we doubt yea or no but that it is more safe and far better to trust in God onely then to nourish an vngodly confidence not onely in Princes and Peoples good will but also in their wealth and other things which while they glitteringly shine are brickely broken Verse 11 God spake once and twice I haue also heard the same that power belongeth vnto God Verse 12 And that thou Lorde arte mercifull for thou rewardest euery man according to his worke The last verses containe a Reason why it is better to haue our hope reposed in God then in creatures because there is in God a will and power to helpe and saue Creatures either lacke will or power or both For first as Plato saith elegantly Amicus est animal naetura mutabilis A friend is a creature soone changed in nature Next of all second causes can not any way worke without the first But the will of God towards the godly ones is vnchangeable according to that saying Isay 54. verse 10. But my mercy shall not depart from thee nor the couenant of my peace shall be moued saith thy merciful Lord. And how say ye to it that gods power hath nothing to withstand or let it but all things giue place to it and all things yeelde and obey the same Let therefore our hope indeuour it selfe with the will and power of God and not with humane indeuours and helpes But the phrase of Lawe Thou shalt reward euery man according to his worke let that be vnderstoode according to the interpretation of the gospel for the preaching of the gospel teacheth who be iust who be vniust in what maner workes do please or not please God The person is iust that is accepted vnto God not for workes but for the Mediatours sake whom mans faith reuerently embraceth with a kisse Againe obedience be it neuer so lame and vnperfect yet notwithstanding when faith in the Mediator shineth forth before the same it is acceptable vnto God But hee that beleeueth not in the sonne vpon him remaineth the wrath of God than which nothing may be thought more sorrowfull PSAL. 63. Deus Deus meus ad te de luce c. A Psalme of Dauid when he was in the wildernes of Ziph in the Country of Iuda 1. Sam. 23.24 THE ARGVMENT LIke as sound health is more acceptable vnto them which are recouered and broght out of sicknesse then vnto others which were neuer sicke in bodie euen so good things long before desired do more delight vs then those which we haue continually receiued For of Priuation or wanting if I may so say with the Logicians are the habites esteemed and men in wanting vnderstand how precious good things be The same thing hath beene vsually happening to the godly ones for although they loathe not their present benefites namely the voice of the ministery and lawful vse of the sacraments nor yet with fulnesse are estranged from them Yet notwithstanding more feruently doe men desire these benefites so often as from their mothers breast that is from the publike ministery and from the outward societie of the church they are taken and plucked away For then the milke of Gods word waxeth sweeter and sweeter and the crummes falling from the Lordes Table are had in more price and reuerence To this purpose saint Iohn Chrysostome expounding the first chapter of the epistle to the Romanes saieth Nunc verbum Dei inter nos habitat abunde cum omni sapientia sine periculo docetur discitur quia pij Principes suscipiunt patrocinium docentium discentium eu●ngelij doctrinam Hac autem copia verbi praesenti tranquillitate non ita afficiuntur homines vt par ●erat Veniet igitur tempus triste luctuosum qu● dissipatis publicis caetibus ecclesiae pauci exul●● in aliquo angulo trepide conuenient inter se communicabūt fragmenta caelestis doctrinae consolationes pro his reliquiis Deo ingentes gratias agent In English thus Now the worde of God dwelleth plenteously amongest vs. with all wisedome and is without daunger taught and learned because godly Princes take vpon them to defend the teachers and learners of the doctrine of the gospel But men are not so well giuen to fauour this plenty of the word nor to further this present peaceable estate as meet it was they should haue done Therfore a heauie and lamentable time shall come wherein the publike congregations of the Church being scattered here and there a few persons shall assemble themselues in some corner with feare and shall communicate amongst themselues the fragments of the heauenly doctrine and consolation and for these fragments shall render great thankes vnto God This same opinion of Chrysostome hath such familiaritie and likenesse with this our age that neither may one egge be more like another nor milke more like milke For all churches and all schooles do euen as it were thorowly rage with the daily preachings of the gospel and the sacraments are rightly administred But because the greatest part of men is vnthankefull vnto God for so great plenty and abundance of his worde We must feare a famine will come not indeede of bread and wine but of the word of God Let vs therefore walke in the light while we haue light lest darkenesse come vpon vs Iohn 12.35 And although godly exiles and certaine others oppressed in miserable manners are not able to come to the hearing of the gospel preached yet with this consolation do they sustaine themselues that not only they are the citizens and members of the