Selected quad for the lemma: work_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	evil_a	good_a	tree_n	33,809	5	11.7409	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A06502	A commentarie or exposition vppon the twoo Epistles generall of Sainct Peter, and that of Sainct Jude. First faithfullie gathered out of the lectures and preachinges of that worthie instrumente in Goddes Churche, Doctour Martine Luther. And now out of Latine, for the singuler benefite and comfort of the godlie, familiarlie translated into Englishe by Thomas Newton; Enarrationes in epistolas Divi Petri duas et Iudae unam. English	Luther, Martin, 1483-1546.; Newton, Thomas, 1542?-1607.	1581 (1581)	STC 16978; ESTC S108928	231,904	387

with stoare of muche godlie and wholesome doctrine and therefore to bee accoumpted as golden and among the beste and moste absolute Epistles that are Not rendryng euill for euill neither rebuke for rebuke ●ut contrariwise blesse knowyng that ye are the●eunto called that ye should bee heires of blessyng YEt he continueth his exposition of Loue more at large instructyng vs further how we should behaue our selues toward them that hurte and persecute vs. The meanyng of the Apostle is this when thei persecute trouble moleste and hurte you dooe not you the like againe vnto them but for the euill that thei doe vnto you require ye good vnto them againe When thei ceuile and slaunder you take heede that ye doe not the like vnto thē but contrariwise blesse them praie for them and wishe well vnto them And this is a moste excellent point and office of Loue But O Lorde how fewe is the number of suche Christians But why must wee not render euill for euil but contrariwise good for euill Doubtlesse saieth he because ye are herevnto called that ye should bee heires of blessyng Whiche ought bothe to admonishe and to inuite and allure you herevnto In the Scripture we Christians are called a blessed people blessed euen by God hymself For God saied vnto Abraham Gene. xij In thy Seede shall all Nations of the Earth be blessed Seeyng therefore that God hath so bountifully powred this blessyng vpon vs that he might take a waie from vs all the curse and malediction whiche we had drawen from our first Parents which Moses denounced vnto all those that did not beleeue it is verie meete and requisite that wee beeyng thus graciouslie blessed should so vse and behaue our selues in eche respecte as that this maie be saied and verified on vs behold this is a blessed people And therefore sainct Peters meanyng herein is as though he should haue saied Consider with your selues and behold GOD hath infused and bestowed this his gracious fauour vpon you to take awaie all curse and malediction from you and hath not imputed nor laied to your charge the blasphemie where with ye haue dishonoured hym neither hath he for the same punished you as ye haue well deserued but contrariwise hath moste liberally and franckly bestowed the richesse of his grace and benediction vppon you who in respecte of your continuall blasphemie were worthie of al maner of malediction and curse for where stedfast Faithe wanteth there can the harte none otherwise doe but still curse and blaspheme God Now therefore endeuour your selues so to deale with others as it hath been dealt with you Curse not reuile not but doe good and speake well yea although others raile on you and speake all maner of euill against you and paciently suffer when iniurie and wrong is offred vnto you And now he bryngeth a place out of the xxxiiij Psalme where the Prophet Dauid saieth thus For if any man long after life and to see good dayes let hym refraine his tongue from euill and his lippes that thei speake no guile HE that would enioye a pleasaunt and delightsome life and not dye the Death but see good daies that all thynges maie prospere and goe well with hym lette hym refraine his tongue from speakyng euill and that not onely against his freendes whiche is a moste vi●e qualitie and resemblyng the Nature of verie Serpentes and Vipers but his meaning is thus muche more let hym carie aboute with hym an honest and good meanyng mynde let hym refraine his tongue from speakyng any harme euen against his Enemies yea when hee is thereto prouoked and hath greate cause ministred vnto hym to reuile and speake amisse Yea lette hym restraine his lippes also saieth he that thei vtter no guile For there be not a fewe whiche outwardly in mouthe speake well and bidde their neighbour freendly Good morowe whiche inwardly in harte thinke cancardly and spightfully euen wishyng them at the Deuill These men are thei that haue no right nor interest in the inheritaunce of blessyng Thei be euill fruites of an euill Tree And thus dooeth Saincte Peter fitly referre the place whiche he alledged concernyng Woorkes vnto the roote inwardly namely vnto the Harte And this is the verie true and proper interpretation hereof There followeth al●o afterward in the afore alledged place of the Psalmist these woordes Let hym eschue euill and doe good let hym seeke peace and followe after it THE worlde thinketh the beste waie to purchase this peace is to require wrong with wrong and one displeasure with an other But this is not the right waie to attaine vnto it For there was neuer yet any Kyng that by this meanes could winne peace at his Enemies handes The Romaine Empire grewe to suche might and Maiestie th●● it subdued and ouerthrew all that againstoode it and yet could it neuer retaine the people that were Subiecte vnto theim in their due obeisaunce And therefore this course and order of repressyng our Enemies with force is not the beste waie to purchasse and confirme stedfast peace emong vs. For if we ouercome and suppresse one Enemie there will arise vp tenne yea twentie till we our selues bee brought to confusion But hee taketh the right and orderly waie to seeke after peace and shall surely finde it whiche refraineth his tongue escheweth euill and rendreth good for il This is another maner of waie then the Worlde taketh or hath skill of Now to decline from euill and to doe good signifieth to refraine either from hearyng or speakyng any wordes of spight and malice and not to seeke requitall of iniuries Seeke after peace this waie and thou shalt bee sure to finde it For when thyne enemie hath serued his owne mynde and fullie satisfied his angrie humour in doyng what he can against thee if thou againe replie not againste hym with bitter and bityng wordes neither storme and fret at his iniuries thou shalt ouerthrowe hym in his owne turne and get the vpperhande of hym in the swaie of his owne maliciousnesse For in this sort did Christ ouercome his Enemies vppon the Crosse and not with any sworde or materiall weapon Requitall of one iniurie with an other and one shrewde turne with an other encreaseth furie and setteth parties at further iarre then thei were afore wheras pacience and suffraunce procureth quietnesse and ease But some will saie how can this so bee it standeth not with manhood neither can flesh and bloud abide so to deale I confesse it is more then is simplie in man thus to dooe but beeyng assisted with supernall grace and thus paciently tolerating iniuries without desier of actuall reuenge thou shalt be sure to speede as this next sentence purporteth to wit For the eyes of the Lorde are ouer the righteous and his eares are open vnto their praiers and the face of the Lorde is vpon them that doe euill IF thou thy self seeke not priuate reuenge neither recompence euill for euil there sitteth one in the Heauens euen the Lorde

the conflict endureth are moste diligently busied in gettyng the cōquest ouer the Enemie Euen so like wise and after the same maner after thou art Baptized thou must carefully and warily looke to thy self and promise not to thy self somuche as one houres truce or respite from the Deuill and Synne or that thou shoulde it liue in any securitie naie rather thinke that now from hence forthe thou shalt neuer bee at any reste And therefore the life of a Christian is nothyng els but a Battaile or a warfare as the Scripture saieth and therefore the Lorde our God is called the Lorde God of Sabaoth that is of Hostes and in other places he is named the Lorde mightie in Battell And by this he declareth what a mightie Lorde he is whiche maketh his people wage battaile and to stande euer prest in warlike araye and readinesse whensoeuer the Trumpet shall sounde to the ende thei should still thus consider and thinke with themselues stande here stoppe there strike heere vndermine there c. So that heere is nothyng but a certaine perpetuall combat wherein all thinges must bee assaied and nothyng that thou art able to dooe bee left vnattempted but that thou maiest with the Worde of God ouerthrowe and discomforte the Deuill So long therefore as thou liuest heere thou must manfully resist and incessantly praie vnto God and vtterly despaire of all humaine power or worldly strength And haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that thei whiche speake euill of you as of euill doers maie by your good workes which thei shall see glorifie God in the day of visitation HEre wee maie see what a precise and exquisite order S. Peter obserueth Hitherto he taught vs what we should doe to quenche and subdue the fleshe with al the lustes and concupiscences thereof Now hee yeeldeth a cause why wee ought so to doe Wherefore then must I bridle my fleshe Is it because I should thereby obtaine Saluation No but it is to the ende I maye haue an honeste conuersation before the Worlde Neither are wee made iust through our honest conuersation but wee must first bee iust and beleeue before wee beginne any honest and good conuersation And I am bounde to shewe forthe an honest conuersation not for mine own sake and commoditie but that the Gentiles maie thereby bee drawen and prouoked to amendement and as it were bee euen thereby wonne and allured to come vnto Christ Whiche is a worke of true loue in deede for wee knowe how that thei both slaunder raile and backbite vs and accoumpt of vs no better then of very leude and naughtie persons and therefore it standeth vs vpon to behaue our selues so orderly honestlie and decentlie in our conuersation that thei beyng enforced and ouercome by the truth maie reporte and saie Surely these fellowes can not be worthily charged with any notorious wickednesse We read that when the Emperours persecuted the Christians thei could burden them with no odious crime nor laie any other thing to their charge but onely this that thei worshipped Christ and honoured hym as a God as maie appeare by certain letters thereof written by Plinie vnto Traiane then Emperor wherein hee specifieth that hee could perceiue no harme nor ill behauiour in the Christians sauyng onely that euery mornyng before daylight thei assembled together and song Psalmes vnto their God Christe and that thei did eate together to wit the holie Communion or Euchariste But from any other misdemeanours he cōfesseth them to be cleare and vnaccusable And therfore saieth sainct Peter here in this place you must paciently beare though thei raile and backbite you as euill doers but you therefore so much the rather ought narowlie to looke to your conuersation and so vnblameablie to liue that ye giue cause of offence to none And by this meanes shall you at length bring them thus seeyng your honest behauiour to abandon their former naughtie life and frame themselues to a better In the daie of visitation YOu ought so long to suffer thē to slaunder and speake euill of you vntill the truth of all thinges burst for the and come to light when thei shall openly beholde the sinceritie of all your dealinges and shall plainly see that they haue slaundered you and shall therby beginne to glorifie God in you Submitt you selues vnto all maner ordinaunce of man for the Lordes sake whether it bee vnto the King as vnto the superiour Or vnto gouernours as vnto them that are sent of him for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that doe well For so is the will of God that by well doyng ye maie put to silence the ignorance of the foolishe men As free and not as hauyng the libertie for a cloake of maliciousnesse but as the seruantes of God Honor al men loue brotherly fellowshippe feare God honour the Kyng AFter this sort proceedeth sainct Peter in his orderly methode of teachyng vs how and what maner of persones wee ought to shewe our selues in eche respect Hitherto he hath reasoned in a generalitie how in euery seuerall condition of life wee should frame our selues and direct our conuersations now he instructeth and teacheth vs how wee should behaue our selues towarde the ciuile Magistrate For seyng he hath alreadie afore declared first what we are to dooe to God Secondly how wee are to deale with our selues that is to saie our Fleshe now lastly he also teacheth vs what we are to doe and performe to all other Men in generall This therefore is his meanyng First of all when you haue performed these vniuersall and generall dueties whiche I haue afore layed downe vnto you to wit of walkyng in true Faithe towarde God and of bridelyng and chastising your Bodie for waxyng too wanton and lasciuious the next and chiefest poinct whiche I will and require you vnfeinedly and hartily to performe is this that you be obedient vnto the Magistrate vnto the Lawes set doune by him For as the Laws and Statutes by GOD enacted are of vs in all humblenesse and reuerence by faith to be obeied so also there be certaine humaine and worldlie Ordinaunces and decrees consistyng in Lawes and Proclamations for the quiet politique gouernance of the Common wealthe vnto whiche Statutes wee also ought to bee obedient Submitt your selues vnto all maner ordinaunce of man for the Lordes sake whether it bee vnto the Kyng as vnto the Superiour Or vnto Gouernours as vnto them that are sent of hym for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that doe well THE obedience whiche wee in duetie owe vnto the ciuile Magistrate is not saieth sainct Peter for their owne sakes but for Gods sake whose childrē we bee Whiche obedience vnto Magistrates we are dutifully to exhibite and that without hope of any merite or rewarde For whatsoeuer I doe for Gods sake that ought I to doe freely for his sake insomuche that there should be nothyng whiche I knowe to bee

Worde of God that he maie feele what a good taste and sauour it hath because hee knoweth full well what great power and mightie efficacie is in it to subdue and beate downe all naughtie desires and euill thoughtes Therefore that whiche sainct Peter here speaketh is as though he should thus saie If you bee desirous to remaine and continue chast it standeth you in hande to embrace and shewe your obedience to the truthe through the Spirite that is to saie It necessarily behooueth you not onely to reade and heare the Worde of God but to embrace the same in your hartes And therefore it is not enough that the Gospell bee once preached or once heard but thou must continuallie cleaue vnto it and followe it For this grace hath the Worde that the oftner a man tasteth it the sweeter it still wareth and the pleasaunter it relisheth For albeit it alwaies teacheth one and the same doctrine concernyng Faithe yet can it neuer bee to the godlie and well disposed mindes sufficiently and enough heard Now addeth the Apostle further To loue brotherly without fainyng TO what ende now must wee leade a chast life to the ende thereby to attaine Saluation No forsooth But to the ende and purpose that wee maie serue and doe good to our neighbors What shall I doe that I maie restraine and keepe vnder my Sinnes I must dutifullie obeye the truthe in the Spirite that is to saie the Faithe of the Woorde of God And why doe I bridle and keepe vnder subiection my Sinnes Forsoothe that I maie dooe good to others For I must first bridle and ouermaister my bodie and fleshe through the Spirite and then shall I bee able to profite and doe good to others Loue one an other with a pure harte feruently THe holie Apostles Peter and Paule doe separate and make a difference betwene brotherly Loue and commō Loue a brotherhood is y t bond wherein all Christians ought to be among themselues euen as brothers without any respect or difference for why we haue all in common one Christe one Baptisme one Faithe and one Treasure I can not bee more worthie then thou that whiche thou haste I also haue finallie I am euen as riche as thou Wee haue one and the same treasure sauyng that I peraduenture receiue it more worthily then thou doest as if I should laie it vpp in Gold thou shouldest kepe it in some filthy rag or vise cloute Therefore as wee haue the grace of Christe and all spirituall blessynges common together so also ought we to haue our bodies liues wealth and dignities common one to an other that one maie serue an others turne and necessitie in all thinges Now hee verie significantlie saieth To loue brotherly without fainyng that is without any glosing hypocrisie or dissimulation whiche terme and phraze the Apostles gladlie vse for that vndoubtedlie thei foresawe that wee would not sticke to call one an other Christian or Brother and yet would falsly feinedly dissemblyngly and altogether hypocritically vndermine one an other We haue erected in the world many Fraternities and Brotherhoodes whiche in very deede are nothing els then starke vanities and mere deceiptes altogether deuised inuented brought into the world by the Deuill himself All whiche are wholy and altogether repugnaunt and contrarie to the Faithe and sincere loue of Brethren Christe is aswell myne as hee is sainct Barnardes thine no lesse then he is S. Francis When thou hearest any therefore saie I shall come to heauen if I be one of the Brotherhood of this or that order answere thou thus It is mere paltrie and counterfaited hypocrisie that thou speakest Christe can not abide any suche trumperie he can brooke none other then a common Brotherhood whiche we haue altogether and wilt thou plaie the notorious foole by breakyng of that to erecte and make to thy self any newe vpstart and peculier Brotherhood This truely could I well abide that thou shouldest erecte one but how not whereby to make any peculier helpe to thy Soule but for a certaine number to come together to contribute and gather some treasure for the reliefe of them that bee in necessitie Therefore all we Christiās haue one Brotherhood which we tooke vpon vs in our Baptisme of the whiche brotherhood there is no Saincte that hath any more then thou or I. For looke with how greate a price he was redeemed with so great am I also bought and redeemed GOD bestowed no lesse for my sake then for the greatest Saincte that is sauyng that he peraduenture embraced this treasure better then I doe That is to saie hath a stedfaster and stronger Faithe then I. Furthermore this woorde Loue hath a larger signification then Brotherlinesse because it reacheth also vnto our enemies and those especiallie whiche are not worthie of Loue. For as Faithe sheweth forthe her woorkyng where she seeth nothyng so also ought Loue to see nothing and there especially to exercise her operation where there is in apparaunce nothyng worthy to bee loued but rather all thynges odious and suche as maie breede and procure loathsomnesse Where there is nothyng that can well be liked of euen there ought the effectes of Loue to shewe forthe yea this ought also to be doen feruently saieth Peter and with the whole harte euen as God loued vs at suche time when wee were in euery respect moste vnworthie of his loue Beeyng borne anewe THirdlie al these thinges are therefore of you to be performed and doen because ye are not now as you were before but you are saieth he borne anewe and therefore newe Men. This was not brought to passe through any your owne workes but you needed a newe Birthe For a new man can not be brought forthe by any power of his owne into the worlde but he must first be begotten and borne What Carpenter is able by his owne Arte to make a Tree but the same must needes of it self first grow out of the groūd Therfore euer as we are not made but borne the Sonnes and children of Adam and haue naturally sucked synne from our Parentes so neither shall wee by our owne industrie and labour euer become the children of God but it behoueth vs by a kinde of newe Birth and regeneration so to be This therefore is the meanyng of the Apostle in this place Seeyng therefore that you are a newe Creature it is verie meete and conueniente withall that you demeane your selues after an other order and practise a newe kinde of life As heretofore ye liued in hatred so now vse your conuersation in Loue and let all thinges be transposed and tourned after an other sorte But how came this new Birthe to passe Not of mortall and corruptible seede but of immortall and incorruptible by the woorde of God whiche liueth and endureth for euer OF a kinde of Seede wee are regenerated and newe borne no otherwise then as we see all other thynges to bee borne and generated of Seede in their kinde If therefore

expectation reserued sorthe last daie and commyng of the Lorde whether the same come and approche with speede or staie yet somewhat longer And of all their cruell speakynges whiche wicked synners haue spoken against hym IN these wordes he both reprooueth their life and reprehendeth their saiynges and it is as much as if he should saie Thei speake presumptuously and malapertly against the Lord and against his commyng they bee impudent and tooto arrogant thei deryde and blaspheme hym as S. Peter also in his Epistle writeth of them He speaketh not here of their life as it is defiled and deformed with sinnes and iniquities but as it is giuen ouer and entierly addicted to woorke all impietie I call that Impietie when the life is led without Faith although the outwarde conuersation bee not altogether flagitious and damnable Euill works be in deede the fruictes of Impietie but Impietie it self is properly called that life whiche glittereth outwardly with a gaie shew of hypocriticall workes whereas the harte is vtterly voyde of Faithe Suche impious persons saieth he the Lord will reproue because the presumptuous doctrine whiche thei boldly teache thei stiflie defende and obstinately maintaine leanyng alwaies to their owne brainsicke glosses and constructions and not sufferyng themselues to bee conuerted and turned to the truthe but are harder then the Flint and will neuer desist from condemnyng and blasphemyng the doctrine of true godlinesse Here we see how liuely these wordes of Enoch paint out and describe these kinde of persons that are and should foyst themselues into the Churche towarde the latter ende of the Worlde whiche vndoubtly are y e Papistes as to euery man euidently appeareth These are murmurers complainers walkyng after their owne lustes whose mouthes speake proude thynges IF a man finde fault with their dealynges and reproue them as vnlawful and dissonaunt to the Worde of God he shalbee sure to bryng himself thereby into a pecke of troubles they will murmure repine and gnashe their teeth at him As for example if a man should but leaue out or omit any peece or parte of the Bishoppes ordinarie style and wonted tytle they straightwaies with open throates crye out Contempt and Disobedience There is no waie left to withstand their lawlesse lustes and selfwilled dealinges for thei bragge that they haue power bothe ouer our bodies ouer our soules thei haue gotten into their handes bothe the Swordes so that they can not bee compelled by Lawe to dooe that is iust and right and that any man should preache against them that can thei not at any hand abide They haue exempted thēselues and all theirs from all maner of taxe tribute and imposition so that no man dare once touche any thing that belongeth vnto them finallie thei are growen to that degree of tyrannie that no man dare presume to preache a worde contrarie to the order of their peeuish Proceedings To alledge any Scriptures against them it is altogether bootelesse for they saie that none maie expoūd or enterprete the same sauing thei themselues By which meanes it is come to passe that in all places and in all thinges they liue as licentiously as thei list For these saiynges can not bee wrested or applied against vs professours of the true Gospell for that wee reuerently and dutifully submitt our selues and yeeld our obedience aswell to the Scriptures as to the ciuile Power from bothe whiche thei wilbe free and not compellable by any Last of al their Decrees and Cannons be pestered and thwacked full of proude arrogant and swellyng wordes vtterly voyde of all good and godlinesse Hauing mens persones in admiration because of a vantage THis hitteth their natures and dispositions very iumpe for thei iudge all thinges accordyng to the person In all the whole Popes Canons ye shall not once finde it commaunded that the Bisshoppe should humble himself beneath the poore Parishe Priest nor any of the fruictes of a Christian life whatsoeuer But al thinges rather sounde thus Let the Curate bee vnder the Priest the Priest vnder the Bisshoppe the Bisshoppe vnder the Archbishoppe the Archbishoppe vnder the Patriarch and the Patriarch vnder the Pope Finallie how euery one should weare his Habite his Amyse his Weede and Cowle after what fashion he should clippe his hayre shaue his crowne and beard and make his apparaile how many Benifices and how many Prebendes he might keepe c. Thus thei brought all thinges to certaine externall Ceremonies and traditions of their own makyng and wholly occupied themselues in mere childishe foolish and friuolous trifles which thei had in greate accoūpt and estimation yea thei iudged it no lesse then deadly sinne if any man should refuse to adore reuerence these their boyishe toyes And therefore very well saieth Iude in this place Thei haue mens persons in admiratiō for thei lappe vp their lewd and loude lyes in vizardes of hypocrisie and only admire those gaie shewes that are visiblie obiect to the eye All this while thei neuer speake woorde neither knowe any thyng as they should knowe of Faith of Charitie or of the Crosse And yet the poore vulgare people suffer themselues still to be beesotted with these Popishe Bugges and thinke themselues to doe very acceptable seruice to God in giuing all their Goods Substaunce and Patrimonie to feede these filthie Swine in the Stye of this their lewd sensualitie But ye beloued remember the woordes whiche were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lorde Iesus Christ How that thei told you that there should be mockers in the laste tyme whiche should walke after their owne vngodlie lustes THis place also giueth some occasion to thinke that this Epistle was not written by Saincte Iude the Apostle because the Aucthour hereof reckeneth not hymself among the other Apostles but speaketh so of theim as though thei had preached long before his tyme whereby it maie well bee thought that this was rather written by some other godlie man that had read Sainct Peters Epistle and out of it culled and gathered these woordes and Sentences Who these mockers bee wee haue afore declared and who thei also bee that walke after their owne lustes not onely carnall and fleshely lustes but those rather that sauour of horrible impietie wherin thei liue in eche respect accordyng to their owne inordinate desires neither reuerencyng the Ciuile Magistrate nor obeiyng the Worde of God but liue so loosely and contemptuously that thei neither obediently acknowledge any externall nor yet internal Gouernement Al Lawes aswell Diuine as Humaine thei flatly despise and sette at naught and so flye in the Aire in the middle betweene Heauen and Earth euen as thei are hoised vp and caried aloft by their Maister the Deuill These are makers of sectes Fleshely hauyng not the Spirite HEre he alludeth to that whiche sainct Peter in his Epistle saied That there should come false Teachers whiche priuilie should bryng in damnable heresies These are thei that disobediently breake asunder the vnitie of Faithe and beyng not