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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	create_v	good_a	workmanship_n	4,350	5	11.8942	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01711	Certaine sermons, vpon diuers textes of Holie Scripture Whereof some haue been seuerally before published, and other some for the greater benefit of the godly reader are here now added. By M. George Giffard, preacher of the worde of God at Mauldon Essex.	Gifford, George, d. 1620.; Gifford, George, d. 1620. A sermon on the parable of the sower. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. Two sermons upon I. Peter 5. vers. 8 and 9. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. Foure sermons uppon the seven chiefe vertues of faith. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. A godlie, zealous, and profitable sermon upon the second chapter of saint James. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. A sermon preached at Pauls Crosse the thirtie day of May. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. A sermon on the third chapter of Saint Iames. aut	1597 (1597)	STC 11848.5; ESTC S120470	152,707	288

departed Doeth not this improoue the faith of those which for the religion of GOD are so farre off from hazarding their liues and goods that they dare not be seene when neuer so little danger doth arise wherein are those like vnto Rahab which will turne with euery winde and a man can not tell what religion they be of they will be sure to row with the tide and neuer to striue against the streame doe such now iustifie them selues like Rahab haue they such a faith as shee had No dearely beloued they are as yet verie infidels and loue them selues and the worlde more then they loue GOD and his truth this thing then is most euident that the true beleefe doth make all those that haue it ready and willing to lose their liues and their goods for the Gospell this must not seeme to be a strange doctrine when as our Sauiour telleth vs in sundry places that hee that doth not forsake all and take vp his crosse and follow him can not be his disciple Well wee must therefore be so hote and zealous in the profession of true religion that it cause vs to forget our owne state and commoditie we must haue so burning a loue to Gods trueth that nothing may be able to quench the same Wee must not stagger and varie because wee shall endure trouble Let vs conclude this point wherein it is proued that they erre and are deceiued which do not make account of keeping religion pure of louing it before all other things and so of giuing to God his due honour Remember that from hence ye are to fetch the first part of the true description of a godly man and the triall of the iustifying faith which is but one and therefore worketh alike in all which are partakers of it though not in the like measure and withall marke how farre the holy ghost doth differ in setting forth a righteous man from the common manner of worldlings whereas he taketh it to be the chiefe worke which respecteth God himselfe his truth they passe ouer that and count it no matter though a man be an idolater or superstitious or a swearer which doeth not reuerence the name of God so that hee be a friendly man to his friend and such like how great an enemie he be to the worde of God it skilleth not these are bruit beasts without vnderstanding verie Atheistes which will say plainly they can see no difference betweene the papists and the professours of the gospell both because they are not able to iudge of doctrine and also that they look but vnto men Now let vs come to the second thing wherein they erre and which this text doth confute sharply they suppose as I told ye that men are to haue no further regard but to this not to hurt passing by all those duties wherein they are to doe good vnto their brethren not duly considering how the lawe of God doth not only bind vs to abstaine from hurting our neighbour but also doth most straigtly tie vs to doe all good deeds vnto them so that he is guilty before God not only which committeth that which the lawe forbiddeth but also which leaueth the thing vndone which the law inioyneth Now then because the true faith bringeth vs to haue care to obey God wholly Saint lames requireth that a man should shewe his faith not onely by leauing that which is euill but also by the perfourmance of that which is good for thus he saith Shew me thy faith by thy deeds and that faith which is without workes is dead Here by the way obserue by comparison how farre off are those from grace which swarme full of vncleane vices and their whole race is nothing but a continuall sinning whereas this is euidently here prooued that such men as carrie a great shewe of vprightnes in refraining from sundrie vices are still without testimonie of true beleefe because their holy deeds doe not appeare for when as the holy scriptures doe testifie that the heart is purified by faith that those are borne againe in the new and spirituall birth that they are new creatures and haue a new heart and a right spirit created and renued in them it must needs be that they are prepared vnto euery good worke they haue not only put off the olde man with his corrupt lustes but haue also put on the new man which is created in righteousnes true holines as they haue walked in darkenes so now they walke in the light There is one step yet further in this matter I trust that as yee will confesse this That if those doe not beleeue well which haue no good workes to shewe although they bee in some things vpright and much more the foule filthy liuers which dishonour God and his truth so ye will also be brought to see that those miserable men are yet further off which barke against this holy doctrine and can not abide that a man should say to the wicked and vngodly thou art in the way to hell thou shalt die the death if thou returne not from these euils They may thunder and raile against men and say they vtter damnation but let them looke if they can quench the light which the holy ghost hath giuen in this text Let vs returne to the former matter againe Wee must not only abstaine frō euil but also do good there be many likewise deceiued in their doing good restraining it to the baser and lesser part they looke but vnto the bodies of their brethren and suppose they are to haue no further regard but of them to relieue and ease the miseries of the flesh let the soule be neuer so blind neuer so sick in neuer so great danger of eternall destruction they haue no pitie of that which doeth bewray that they see no further then this life they haue no true loue nor pitie in them for then would they loue the soules of men which are so precious they would pitie the wofull miserie that they be in For how absurd a thing is this that one should be carefull to case the calamitie which lasteth but for a day and not respect that which is eternall I must therfore here againe admonish ye that such as will haue proofe of their faith by good workes must exercise the same as well to the soules as to the bodies of men and because therin doth stand the greatest loue of all other they are therein to shew themselues most earnest There is no more excellent note of faith and of the true feare and loue of God then when a man is grieued and mourneth to see men out of the way to life running headlong in their sinnes vnto destruction and when as he doth in loue and pitie admonish them and seeke by instruction to draw them out of the snares of the deuill On the contrary side hee can neuer say he hath any droppe of grace which delighteth and sporteth himselfe at the lewde and wanton behauiour

sanctification by which hee is led euen the spirit of adoption that beareth witnesse with his spirit that he is the child of God seeing he may be tempted and sundrie times be led awrie into some sinnes but it is vnpossible that he shuld fall from God And what is the reason by which he prooueth that hee cannot so fall Because saith he he is borne of God Consider where the force of this reason lieth Men are mortall their seede is corruptible and that which is borne of man is corruptible and mortall God is incorruptible and immortall and so the seede of God is called incorruptible seed and immortal whereupon it doth follow that the birth which is of God is incorruptible and immortall Where the life of God is it cannot bee be extinguished Thinke it not strange then that Saint Iohn saith he cannot sinne because he is borne of God Except they will denie the manifest and cleare testimonies of the word of God except they will affirme that the seed of God is corruptible and so decayeth and doth not abide in those that are begotten of God except they will also make the testimonie of the spirit of adoption deceiueable false finally except they will make the seale of God and the pledge which he giueth of none effect denying that men are to make their calling and election sure and so to haue strong consolation Let them renounce this Popish errour that the true and liuely faith and the sanctifying spirit may be in the reprobate and that the same liuelie faith quickening grace may be wholie put out for a time in the elect It may bee demanded that seeing the word of God is so euidēt that men are to resist the diuel stedfast in the faith as being fully assured that he which hath once attained the liuely faith can neuer be ouercome nor perish what shuld be the cause that some do hold that true faith the spirit of adoption may be had lost again What should cast them vpon such rocks or driue them into such absurdities Surely they be driuen into these while they do as they suppose eschue more dāgerous rocks greater absurdities They would haue it to be somwhat in mans own wil power to receiue faith the whole work of regeneratiō They wold haue it be in the power wil of man to retain the same faith sanctifying spirit to lose thē Why are they of that mind Is it because they enuy that god shuld haue the whole praise glory of mans saluatiō as man being not able to doe any thing the grace is wholy of God We cannot say so But it is another thing that driueth them hereunto that is this they take it that vnles it be in mans wil power to receiue and to retain faith it wil follow from an higher cause that is this namely that such as God hath chosen vnto life to those he giueth faith worketh in thē by his spirit the new birth Then the other sort if there be no power in mā cānot attain to the faith regeneratiō they be before ordained vnto eternal destruction Thē wil it follow that there is predestinatiō euē an eternal decree of God by which he hath chosen and ordained some to life euerlasting and appointed others to eternall destruction This doctrine they say chargeth God with iniustice with crueltie For what is more cruell then of purpose to create and make any of his workes or creatures to be condemned vnto eternall torments Where is then say they the infinit mercie iustice and goodnesse of God To charge the Lorde God with any crueltie or iniustice is most wicked blasphemous and abominable And therefore they hold this the most safe course for the defence of the iustice and mercy of God where the word of God speaketh of election to take it thus that GOD hath chosen vnto life eternall all those whome he did foresee would receiue the faith walke in obedience and continue to the end and so their faith good works and perseuerance which God foresaw is the cause that mooued the Lord to choose them On the other side that he hath not reprobate any but hee hath foreseene that they either woulde not receiue the faith at al or els after they haue receiued it of their owne wickednes fall from it vtterly and finally and so he hath before ordained them in his foreknowledge vnto damnation This they say standeth with reason the other they hold to be repugnant to reason What shall we say to this shall wee heere enter for to discourse at large by the scriptures touching election and reprobation I haue no such purpose But only so farre as agreeeth with our present matter namely to make it appeare that the stedfastnesse of our faith and the full assurance of our saluation dependeth vpon the knowledge of our election As namely if wee finde in vs the true and liuely faith which goeth with the spirit of sanctification wee may then rise vp to that high cause and be assured that the Lord hath in that his eternall and vnchangeable decree chosen vs in Christ to be his children so that wee cannot perish To come then to an answere to those men Is not this a strange thing that they will comprehend by reason how God could decree the choise or election of some of his creatures vnto life and the reprobation of others vnto eternall destruction for their sinnes and yet not vniust If wee alleage the sentence of the Apostle But who art thou O man that pleadest with God They aunswer that they doe not pleade with God but they stand for the defence of the iustice and mercie of God least that shuld be imputed vnto him which is vniust and cruell No Is not this to plead with God or against God when hee shall bee iust hee shall be good hee shall bee mercifull no further than thy reason can comprehend He must yeeld a reason vnto thy vnderstanding and capacitie with what right or equitie he could doe so or so or els thou wilt reiect it Is not this I say to plead against God Saint Paule after hee hath disputed of the reiecting of the Iewes and the calling in of the Gentiles breaketh foorth into this exclamation O the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his iudgments and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11. To this agreeth the Prophet in the Psalm saying Thy iudgments are as the great deep Let it be demanded what iudgementes of God are those which be vnsearchable or which bee as the great deep Are they not those iudgmēts which he executeth vpon his creatures and especially vpon his chief creatures Angels and men If these his iudgments be as the great deep euen vnsearcheable incōprehensible both vnto men and Angels then is it so in the highest matter namely that hee hath ordained by his eternall decree to bestow eternall life and

mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing my brethren these things ought not so to be If he should stand to shewe the poyson in euery particular it were much this one may leade vs to the consideration of many To come then vnto it thus it is There is not almost any so wicked but will haue words of praising God in their mouth yea those words are often so godly and smooth that they seeme to be with deuotion euen as if they carried a reuerence and a great regarde to the name of the most high God But let any man displease them and by and by they curse him which sheweth that their blessing praising of God is but in a vaine shew For if they did indeede and aright loue and reuerence the maiestie of God then would they also regard his image in man for man is made after the image of God Can they blesse God and curse his image If wee blesse and praise the Lord in deede in all his workes then chiefly in the workmanship of man in whom hee hath set the print of his owne image And if wee cannot in that worke beholde his glorie and praise him how shall wee doe it in other things If any shall obiect that the image of GOD was broken downe in man through the fall of our first parents and that such as bee renewed in Christ and the image of GOD againe set vp in them in those we may behold the glorie of God such wee doe not curse but wee curse men that bee euill and wicked I answer that there is not alwaies such regard had but the tongue doth curse the good as well as the bad and spareth none And doubtles it is a greater and a more fowler thing to curse a right godlie man then to curse a wicked man because in the godlie man the image of GOD doth shine in beautie and where his image doth more appeare we are bound more to loue and to reuerence but yet it is a fowle thing to curse any man and doth in some sort reach vnto God For albeit the image of God touching righteousnes and holines is broken downe wholie in them yet there remayne some partes of his image there is vnderstanding or reason and such thinges as by which a man doth greatlie differ from a beast Sundrie excellent giftes there bee in man which hee that vtterlie despiseth offereth iniurie to the maiestie of God and that is the cause why Saint Iames bringeth it in as an absurde thing that the same tongue blesseth GOD and curseth men which are made after the image of GOD. But what shall wee saye of this cursing of men is it rare Surelie it is very common where wrath is kindled and displeasure ariseth The horrible curses and execrations which come out of mens mouthes would make a man that feareth GOD euen tremble to heare There is no sparing of any but this deadly poyson of the tongue is powred forth vpon all The brother curseth the brother the Father the children and the children againe their Father the Husband the Wife and the Wife her Husband If a man would as I may saye defile his mouth and the eares of those that shoulde heare it hee might vtter so many of their vsuall curses and execrations as woulde make and fill a pretie booke And let but two men fall out or two women which haue not learned the true seare of GOD doe but marke the bitter poyson of the wordes which will come from them What reuilings will each giue vnto the other what wordes of disdaine contempt and reproach How base will each of them set forth the other for to bee What is it almost that can bee deuised which is base vile and loathsome but the one will tearme the other by it And with what vehemencie is it vsed to bee done There is no more regard of the image and glorie of God in each of them then there is of a dogge What a poyson is this what a vile wickednesse proceedeth from the tongue Saint Iames sheweth that it doth as a monstrous thing peruert the order and course of nature when out of the same mouth there proceedeth blessing and cursing Doth a fountaine saith hee send foorth at one place sweete water and bitter Can the figge-tree my brethren bring foorth oliues either a vine figges so can no fountaine make both salt water and sweete If it be against the course of nature that such things should bee then doth it follow that some part of the words which come from the mouth are as sweete water and other some of them bee bitter nay they bee either all sweete or all bitter Now it is most euident that the one part that is to say the cursing of men the contemptuous railings reproches and reuilings is not sweete but euen as most bitter water Herevpon then it followeth that the other part which seemed to bee very sweete water that is their blessing and praising of God is also very bitter For as the holie Apostle hath shewed they cannot bee both sweete and bitter If one be bitter both are bitter But how can their blessing of GOD bee bitter how can that bee poyson Is not the blessing and praising of God a most precious and a most excellent thing Doth S. Iames set that with the deadly poyson of the tongue I answere that the blessing the praising and the honouring of God is of all other things the most excellent and precious when it is rightly done but if it be done but in fashion and shew or in bare words it is but a prophaning and an abusing of the most holie and glorious name of God Then is it hypocrisie then is it sinne yea euen an abomination There can no praise bee giuen to God so great but it is true But euery thing which in it selfe is true is not rightly done Wee reade in the Gospell that Iesus would not suffer the diuels to confesse him And the diuell in the maide that vttered this saying touching Paul and his companions These be the seruants of the most high God which shewe vnto vs the way of saluation displeased Paul Act. 16. So no doubt the praising or blessing of God with a wicked tongue is not acceptable vnto him Marke then briefly how Saint Iames hath reasoned to proue that God is not blessed nor honored by a tongue which curseth men First if they did sincerely and from the heart blesse God in deede how could they curse the image of God in men Secondly it is vnpossible in the course of nature that sweete water and bitter should come out of one fountaine and so is it that the true praising or blessing of God and the cursing of men should come out of the same mouth Let all then consider well how they honour and worshippe GOD. For this is it wherewith men doe beare themselues in hand that they bee religious that they call vpon God and that they ascribe glorie and praise vnto him They neuer consider