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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	believe_v	faith_n	overcome_v	3,934	5	9.3895	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B00888	The Christian manuell, or of the life and maners of true Christians. A treatise, wherein is plentifully declared, how needefull it is for the seruaunts of God to manifest and declare to the world: their faith by their deedes, their words by their works, and their profession by their conuersation. VVritten by Ihon VVoolton minister of the Gospel, in the Cathedral church of Excetor.	Woolton, John, 1535?-1594.	1576 (1576)	STC 25976; Interim Tract Supplement Guide G.1999[2]	81,916	210

that his workes maye be manyfest that they are done by God. The Prophete Esaye also inspyred wyth Chrystes spyrite sayeth Lorde thou shalt geue vs peace for thou hast wrought all our workes Nowe although we hould that good workes procede from God as the fountayne and origyn yet he dooth not these thinges without vs but rather worketh by vs and in vs so that the works of God done by vs are also our owne workes For GOD doeth regenerate his elect and choosen seruauntes with his spirit and gyueth them fayth Then they being so regenerate lyke Gods obedyent chyldren doo yeelde and apply them selues to please him with a holye lyfe and conuersation And the holy spirit which is in them is effectuall styrring vp theyr power and wyll to all good workes in all partes and course of their lyfe Fayth also wherby mens harts are purified is not idle and sluggyshe but doth her part and is a vigelent and diligent kéepers of integrity of mynde and vertuous conuersation throughout all their life And doth as it were put them in mynd that they being once purifyed in the bloud of Christ through the holy ghost shoulde kéepe them selues vnspotted in the fylthye world from all pollution of the fleshe neuer to abuse the gyfts of the body but to preserue the same as a vessel of honor ▪ The regenerate therfore watch work righteousnesse neyther do they make a small accoumpte of synne as wycked wordlyngs doo for they right well and déepely consider that God who sent hys sonne into this world to be a propiciation for synne and gaue him to death euen the death of the Crosse dooth both hate synne as a thing abhominable and also loue Iustyce and purity of lyfe And for that cause they also hate synne and loue righteousnesse detest impiety and imbrace pyty and so studie to practyse the same all the dayes of theyr lyfe But in this labour and endeuour of the chyldren of God there are manye lets and hinderances and holy men are afflicted as it were with a gréeuous and dayly battell which is neuer ended before the daye of death for that deadly and crafty enuy of ours Satan the Deuyll rusheth vppon vs with greate vehemency and vndermyneth vs with a thousand temptations And he is assysted with many mightye confederats For our owne flesh is slowe and dull to all goodnesse and prone to all viciousnesse The flattering and disceytfull worlde also vrgeth vs mightely with company pleasures honours which are most vayne There are also many wordlings who with their pernicious examples do cary the simple sort into distruction What should I saye of feare and hope which do excéeding exercyse and afflyct the mynds of the regenerate in such sort that onlesse Gods spirit dyd euery hower assyst them and confirme theyr fayth they coulde doo no good worke at all Against these and all other temptations that disciple so dearly beloued of Christ doo comfort vs saying This is the loue of God that we should keepe his precepts and his commaundements are not heauy For euery one that is borne of God ouercommeth the worlde And this is the victory that ouercommeth the worlde euen your faith VVho is he that ouercommeth the world but he that beleeueth that Iesus is the sonne of God And S. Paul If his spirit that raysed vp Iesus Chirste from the dead dwell in you He that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodyes by the power of his spirite dwelling in you By the whiche word all faythfull men maye easely gather the carke and care with Gods spirit dwellyng in the harts of the faythfull taketh that Iustice may ouercome and Iniustice be vanquyshed And Christ our sauiour promyseth that he wyll power his spirit most plentyfully vpon vs and dooth also commaund vs to aske the same of him with ardent and continuall prayers The faythfull therefore and suche as are regenerate by Gods spirit contynue in prayers without intermyssion They kéepe theyr bodyes in subiection with moderate fasting and abstinency that theyr prayer maye be more zealouse For prayer and fasting are as it weare preparatyues to good workes Nowe as these impedimentes aboue specefyed doo hinder men from doing of good workes euen so there are manye things which further and helpe vs toward the practyse of the same amongst the which is especially Gods spirit then a true and perfyt fayth and afterwarde continuall and earnest prayers Whervnto we may adde the sincéere doctryne of all fymes and ages aswell vnder the ould as new testament And moreouer the innumerable examples of the seruaunts of God and of Christ the Lord and sauiour of the whole worlde who amongst other things sayth I haue geuen an exāple vnto you that as I haue done so should you do Besydes these thinges the very filthinesse of vices terrefying vs from synne and the prayse fayre beautye of vertue inuiting vs to the studdy of pyty The wrath of God also and the seuerity of his Iudgments the fearefull threates of payne and torments aswell temporall as eternal wyl plucke vs from vices On the other side the fauour of God the mercyfull countenaunce of that eternall Iudge his bountifull promyses and hope of blessings aswell temporall as eternall wyl encorrage vs to pursue and practyse vertue For the faythfull wyll not bee ingrat for Gods innumerable benefits neither wyl they offend their brethren with their filthy liues for whom the lord Iesus suffred such gre●ous pains torments These and such other like consideratious doo both staye men from vice and further them to vertue But the godly vse a choyse and discretion in doing workes as I haue once or twyse alreadie spoken accoumpting of those onely that are appoynted by God Wherin that elect vessel S. Paul geueth vs a good lesson writing to the Ephesians VVee are created in Iesus Christ to doo those workes vvhich he hath prepared for vs to vvalke in Fyrst he affyrmeth notably with great weyght of words that we were created in Christe Iesus to doo good workes We answere not then our ende if we rotte and putryfie euyll and fylthie sinne and returne not to God by true fayth and hartie repentaunce And confesse wee drawe our lyuelye moysture from him w●e can neuer bring forth any good fruite for so Christ him selfe beareth wytnesse The Apostle therefore speaketh with great weyght and effycacie in that he sayth that we were created in Christ Iesus to doo good works Then lest we should be ignoraunt what good works the Apostle would haue he addeth VVhich he hath prepared vs to walke in What be those which he hath prepared for vs to walke in but those which he hath reuealed vnto vs in the holy lawe of his commaundementes And therefore our sauiour Christe demaunded in the gospell by a certaine man VVhat shall I do to possesse eternall life and what is the greatest commaundement in the Lawe He

¶ THE CHRISTIAN Manuell or of the life and maners of true Christians A Treatise wherein is plentifully declared how needefull it is for the seruaunts of God to manifest and declare to the world their faith by their deedes their words by their works and their profession by their conuersation VVritten by Ihon VVoolton Minister of the Gospel in the Cathedral church of EXCETOR Imprinted at London by I. C. for Thomas Sturruppe dwelling in Paules Church yarde at the singe of the George 1576. To the r●●●te worshipfull Sir VVilliam Cordell Knight Maister of the Rolles Iohn VVoolton wissheth prosperus suecesse in al worldly affaires and in the life to come ioy and immortall felicitie AMongest those seauen wise Men of Greece there was one that commēded to his hearers this Posie Follow God Which sentence he willed them to haue continually before their eyes to the end that they might be stirred vp with an earnest desire to know loue and serue God who is the last and perfect ende of true wisdome For whereas there be two principall partes of trew wisdome after the opinion of Philosophers the firste that a man shoulde know himselfe the second that he should know God wherein true felicitie is as it were a marke or goale proposed and offered vnto vs the wise man had good cause and great reason in that pithie clause to commende the last and perfect ende of true wisdome vnto his Schollers and disciples The precept therefore is most commendable profitable but when he came to the actiō and execution of this immitat●●● the wise man swarued very much from that scope mark which hīself had purposed He could not by his wisdome attaine to the knowledge of God neither finde out the right way neither yet had he any guide to lede him out of that deep darknes in the which he was more then drowned wherby it came to passe that he wandered miserably somtime on the left hand and somtime on the right hande from God whom he willed his disciples to follow For the wisdome of this world is so weake and infirme that it cannot bring man vnto the soūtaine of goodnes felicitie euen whose fruicion is his righte and perfect blessednes VVhich thing is found true both by experience in all worldly wise men also by the testemonie of Saint Paule who speketh out of Gods mouth I will destroye the wisdome of the wise will cast away the vnderstanding of the prudēt Although thē the wise man gaue a good precept yet no man came to blessednes therby which thing should haue commen to passe if hee had bene hable to point out the way vnto his followers This true wisdome the Churche of God onely hath and knoweth VVhereof the same apostle speaketh after this manner For after that in the wisdome of God the world through their wisdome knewe not God it pleased God through folishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue That is to saye because that men in the frame and woorkemanship of the world wherin the singuler wisdome of God is ingraued and open to the eies of men dyd not know God It pleased God of his free and infinit goodnesse to deliuer vnto the worlde his wisdome before time vnknowne euen the gospell of his sonne Jesus Christe whereby he purposed to saue al beleeuers that thei might ther by through Grace atteine to the perfect end of their condicion whiche by reason of their corrupt nature through original sinne they could of them selues neuer come vnto Of this light spake the prophet Dauid saying In thy light shal we see light and Christe himselfe more plainly I am the light of the world he that followeth me shal not in any wise vvalke in darknesse but shall haue the light of life In which sentence our sauior Christ calleth his seruants frō the immitation of all others and vvilleth them to set him before their eies as a perfect patterne and absolute example for them to follovv The ancient writers and best expositors haue vvell obserued that in the holy scripture Christ is proposed and set out as an example rule to follow two maner of waies First they teach vs that he is the author giuer of remission of sins iustice life and eternall saluation to all beleeuers VVhich thing is so proper and peculier vnto him that no part or porcion therof may be in any respect imparted vnto others vvithout manifest sacralege and blasphemie Secondly they discribe him as an exquisyte tipe and rule of a godly and christian life framed after Gods moste holy lavv vvhich as he taught vvith mouth and voice so did he fulfil the same in his owne life and proposed him selfe as an example to al those that would be accoumpted and be in deede Christians whereof we haue a plaine testimonie in the gospell of Saint Iohn I haue geuen you an example saith Christ that you shoulde doe as I haue done vnto you This our heauenly Maister was much vnlike those whom Saint Paule describeth to haue a fourme of godlinesse but denie the power therof and againe Thou knowest Gods will and allowest thinges that be excellent and hast the fourme of knowledge and of the trueth of the law thou therfore which teachest another teachest not thy selfe and makinge thy boast of the lawe through breaking of the law dishonorest God. But Christe saide and did taught and followed to th end that all his schollers might learne to performe in worke that vvhich they professe in vvord The Apostles of Chrste also the best expositors of their masters will as they alwaies teache men to beleeue and trust in him being the fountaine and welspringe of iustice and life so doe they euery vvhere vrge them with earnest exhortations to follow his life and conuersation Saint Paule sayeth That he hath not caled vs to vnclenenes filthynes of life but to holines Neither was he made to beleeuers wisdom and iustice only but also sāctification and redemtion For as by his wisdom and iustice he hath expelled darknes naturaly bred in mans brest and hath kindled the true light of the knowledge of himselfe and his father and forgeuing our sinnes doth adorne vs with his ovvne iustice wherwith we being couered and clothed please God his Father euen so doth hee giue vnto vs the holy gost vvho doth regenerat and renew our mindes whereby they doe conceiue holy desires and affections vvhich at the laste are plentifull and fruitfull in bringing foorth good woorks A godly life is alvvaies conioyned with a liuely faith in sutch sorte that these two cannot be seperate one from another no more then light can be deuided frō the sun or heat from the burning fire For Christ as the apostle saith gaue himself for vs to purg vs a peculier people to himselfe reasons of good woorks and to redeeme vs from all iniquititie And if Philosophers giue rules precepts of maners not

and ioyfullye looke for death which can neuer bée farre absent by the example of Saint Paule who desyred to bée loosed and to be with Christ Whiche thing can not come to passe in vs vnlesse wee leade our lyfe according to Gods wyl and repose all trust of saluation in the mercie of God through the merytes of Christ And if at any tyme wée slyppe and slyde into synne and iniquitie as by nature wée are prone to doo euyll yet let vs not suffer that to rule in our mortall bodye but endeuour to salue suche sores with good déedes and with repentaunce and newnes of lyfe But most part of mortall men nowe a dayes haue no regarde at all of temperance and sobrietie but geue themselues to ryotting and surfetting and runne headlong into all kinde of mischiefe hauing no feare of God before theyr eyes they followe theyr fylthie lustes they snatche they steale they sweare and forsweare they lye they deceaue and to bée short doo all thinges sauing that which is lawfull And yet in the meane tyme they wyll néedes be accoumpted Chrystians gospellers earnest fauourers of true relygion But Chrystians ought not to bée moued with these worldlye and wicked examples but bende all theyr power to lyue godly and holyly to followe the wyll of theyr heauenly Father and with a certaine lyberal and commendable feare of God to be deteined from doing of euyl least they eyther should geue an occasion to the aduersarie to sclaunder their profession or lest the name of God should for them that be euyll spoken of amongst the Gentyles And if at any tyme vnwares or through humane imbecyllitie they fall and goe astray they wyl immediatly acknowledge their error and pacify their mercyfull father through true repentaunce and with theyr hartie prayers procure his mercie towarde them For he is gentle and ready to forgeue if he sée vs sorye and penitent and as if we haue offended gréeuouslie so if we lament our faultes bytterly according as S. Cyprian wryteth Wherevnto wée maye adde this as a special consolation and comfort that wee haue a medyatour in heauen euen the Lorde Iesus Christe who is our aduocate and patrone to purchase peace for vs and to make an attonement betwéene his father and vs. In which consolation and comfort notwithstanding all faythfull Chrystians ought to haue this caution not so to trust in Gods mercie that they eyther fall into presumption or to lyue neglygently and carnally or not gospell lyke For there are many nowe a dayes that flatter and deceyue them selues whyles they gréedily embrace all such sentences in the Byble which set out Gods great mercy but in the meane season neglect and passe ouer lyghtly such places as exhort them to newnesse and holynesse of lyfe The Lorde is mercyfull in déede but to those that repent The Lorde woulde not the death of a sinner but he woulde also that he should conuert and lyue Hée that witnesseth Christ to be the Lambe that taketh away the sins of the world doth also wyll vs to repent our former lyues and to bring foorth fruites worthy Repentaunce He that affyrmeth vs to be saued through the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ exhorteth vs also to repent conuert that our synnes may bée done away He that sayth that Christ came into this worlde to saue sinners doeth also say that fornicators and adulterers and other haynous offenders cannot inheryt the kingdome of Chryst He that writeth that Christ did beare our sinnes in his body vpon the crosse doth adde also that we shoulde dye to synne and lyue to righteousnesse Hee that wytnesseth that Christ gaue him selfe for vs annexeth that he might redéeme vs from all iniquytye and purifye a people peculier to him selfe following good workes Hée that sayeth that Christe dyed for vs addeth also that those that lyue shoulde not lyue vnto them selues but to him that dyed and roose agayne for them Herevnto serueth that of Ezechiell the Prophet If the wicked man repent him of all his sinnes and keepe all my preceptes and do Iustice and iudgement he shall lyue and not dye By the which words we may easely gather that he cannot trust in Gods mercye that doeth not repent him of his wyckednesse neyther can hee bée rightlye called a penytente personne or a Chrystian that perseuereth in vngodlynesse neyther can sound and perfecte fayth bée in him who wyttinglye and wyllinglye worketh agaynst the testimonye of his owne Conscience Let vs not bee Christians therefore in name and tyttle onely neyther bragge and boaste of fayth with bare wordes But let vs repent truelye and from the bottome of our harte let vs turne to GOD in d●ede and correcte vyces wyth vertues and wyth holye lyfe and conuersation abolyshe the remembraunce of our synnes iniquitye Let those wordes of Christ be alwayes in our myndes Not euerie one that sayeth Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kingdom of heauen but he that doeth the wyll of my father who is in heauen And if we beleeue that which Saint Paule sayeth to be true That Iesus Christ came into this worlde to saue sinners Let vs also beléeue that other spéeche of his That witches adulterers fornicators murderers theeues extorcioners couetous persons proude men dronkardes backbiters contentious men shall not inherytte the kingdome of God and Christ And surely if we perswade our selfe that Saint Paule sayth true aswell in the one place as in the other wée shall easily perceyue that wicked lyuers cannot conceyue any hope of Gods mercye and of eternall lyfe For as fayth beléeueth that God is merciful to the penitent so doth it tell vs that he is a punysher of the impenitent There is no cause then for sinfull men to presume on Gods mercye they must repent and amende theyr lyues before they take comfort of that matter Ambrose hath included them both in one sentence whyles that hee sayeth Noman can rightlye repent vnlesse hee trust in Gods mercy so no man can trust in Gods mercye vnlesse he repent That saying of the Hebrewe is memorable and neuer to be forgotten Say not Tush the mercy of the Lord is great he shal forgiue me my synnes be they neuer so manye for lyke as he is mercyfull so goeth wrath from him also and his indignation commeth downe vppon synners Make no tarying to turne vnto the Lord and put not off from day to day for sodenly shall his wrath come and in the tyme of vengance he shall dystroye thee Let euery man therefore haue good regard for him selfe that his Christian professiō be confirmed with Chrystian conuersation that his work aunswere to his word his deede to his tytle Let euery man beware of presumption in Gods mercy Let them take héede that through carnall securitye and contempte of the gospell they fall not away from the spirit to the flesh ▪ from heauen to the world and from God to Bellyall Let them take heede that they