Selected quad for the lemma: life_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
life_n	believe_v	faith_n	jesus_n	9,847	5	6.2568	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04503	An excellent treatise touching the restoring againe of him that is fallen written by the worthy, Saint Chrysostome to Theodorus a friend of his, who by leud liuing, was fallen from the Gospell; fit to read for reclaiming their hearts which are in like case. Englished (out of an auncient Latin translation, written in velume) by R.W. With an annexed epistle of comfort from one friend to another, wherin the Anabaptists error of desperation is briefly confuted, and the sinne against the holy Ghost plainly declared.	John Chrysostom, Saint, d. 407.; Cottesford, Thomas. Epistle of comfort.; Wolcomb, Robert, b. 1567 or 8.	1609 (1609)	STC 14631; ESTC S121653	61,720	216

regenerated and hath tasted of the grace of God and hath embraced Christ and his holy word if he fall to sin againe he is without remedy of saluation Vndoubtedly this is a very damnable error enough to bring all them that are infected therewith to desperation But albeit they ground this their error vpon this afore alledged text of Saint Paule certaine other texts yet they misse the cushion because they take this scripture too straightly not referring it to many other places of scripture which shew that whensoeuer how often soeuer a sinner repenteth him truly of his sinnes and committeth himselfe with a sure faith vnto the mercy of God through Christ God receiueth him again to grace and saluation Doubtlesse no prophecie in the scripture hath any priuate interpretation 2. Petri. 1. but must needes be expounded according to the generall articles of the Christian faith and agreeable to other texts of holy scripture and so must this text be also Now truth it is that there is almost innumerable texts in holy scripture that most plainely doe declare that whensoeuer a true repentant sinner by vnfayned faith returneth vnto God asketh mercy for Christs sake he shal vndoubtedly haue it And albeit the holy scripture is full of such places yet here by Gods grace I will shew and rehearse to you some of them to giue you occasion to marke them such like places as you shall find almost in euery leafe of the Bible A iust man falleth seauen times Pro 2-4 and riseth vpp againe Marke the scripture saith he riseth vp againe The wickednesse of the wicked shal not hurt him Ezech. 33. whēsoeuer he conuerteth Note that it saith whensoeuer he conuerteth Let the vngodly man forsake his owne way Esa 55. and the vnrighteous his own imaginations and turne againe vnto the Lord so shall hee be mercifull vnto him Thou disobedient Israell turne againe sayth the Lorde and I will not let my wrath fall vpon you Iere. 3. Thus saith the Lorde Jere. 8. doe men fall so that they rise not vp againe Or if Israell doe repent wil not God turn againe to them Zacha. 1. Turne you vnto mee saith the Lord God of hoastes and I will turne me vnto you Remember from whēce Apoc. 2. thou art fallen and do the first workee Marke in the Gospell of Luke the example of the vnthrifty sonne Luc. 15. Also Christ said vnto Peter Peter I haue prayed for thee Luc. 22. that thy faith fayle not and when thou art conuerted strength thy brethren Marke he saith when thou art conuerted Lo if you weigh these places of scripture afore alledged and almost innumerable mo of the same sort you shall perceiue euidently that though a christian haue sinned neuer so oft as who doth not daily offend God yet whensoeuer he returneth vnto God by true repentance which consisteth of inward cōtrition and a sure faith in Christ Iesus he is assured by the word of God to recouer and receaue againe the grace fauour and mercy of God which through his disobedience he had worthely lost and immediatly to enioyfull absolute and perfect remission and forgiuenes of all his sinns throgh Iesus Christ in whom he reposeth all his faith trust and confidence of saluation The Gospell assureth him no lesse saying Iohn 3. So God loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Moreouer if you marke well the examples of godly men which are registred in holy scripture you shall playnely perceiue that albeit they were highly in Gods fauour yet for all that many of them had great fals and committed very heynous offences but they did rise vp againe returning to Gods mercy by true repentance and faith and so recouered againe their former grace which they through their owne folly had lost Aaron was so much fauoured of God Aaron that by Gods calling he was made the high bishop and curate ouer his people And yet at the light request of the Israelites hee let them make and worship the golden Calfe contrary to his conscience by reason whereof both hee and they committed that most detestable sinne of Idolatrie and yet he by true repentaunce and faith returning to grace was saued Dauid Dauid Gods deare darling after he had that knowledge of God and had much tasted of his grace being endued aboundantly with the holy Ghost and gratious gifts from aboue fell both into the sin of adulterie and murther And yet by true and vnfeyned repentaunce returning to Gods mercy was accepted and receiued againe into Gods fauour Manasses Manasses also contrary vnto his conscience fell willingly to Idolatry but yet he rose againe by true repentance and faith and recouered again the grace of God So likewise that wicked man of the Citie of Corinthus whome Saint Paul straightly charged the Corinthians to excōmunicate The sinfull Corinthian 1 Cor. 5. and exclude out of the holy congregation of Christian men and that they should neyther eate nor drinke with him because of his open and abhominable crime of incest and outragious whoredome and yet when he declared himselfe to be truely repentaunt for his great and infamous sin 1. Cor. 2. Saint Paul admonished them with all gentlenesse and christian charity to receiue him againe into the congregation as a christian brother and so to esteeme him and take him VVhat shall I say of Peter Peter Christs Apostle had not he a sure knowledge of Christ confessing him openly before all the Apostles to be very Christ the sonn of the liuing God was not hee euen then endued with the holy ghost grace from aboue Mat. 16. vnto whome Iesus Christ said Blessed art thou Simon the sonn of Ionas for flesh and bloud hath not opened that vnto thee but my father which is in heauen And yet after all this hee had such a fall that contrary to his owne conscience willingly without any cōpulsion threates or imprisonment he did most cowardly and shamefully forsake and deny Christ not without blasphemy swearing that he neuer knew him cursing and committing himselfe to the deuill if euer he had to doe with him VVhat would the Nouatian and Anabaptist say vnto this was it not a fal could there be any greater sinne then this was it not done of knowledge was it not done willingly was it not against his owne conscience Yes doubtles it was no lesse but against his owne conscience But yet thankes be vnto Almighty God it was not the sinne of blasphemy against the holy ghost neyther the sinne vnto death the which Saint Iohn speaketh of for he continued not therein vnto his end 1 Iohn 5. but immediatly hee went forth of the bishop● house and wept bitterly very much lamenting his heynous offence and by faith he returned againe vnto Christ knowing his mercy to be infinite and without measure

backe again open sinners and blasphemers to earnest repentaunce for their owne sinfulnesse and to haue a sure trust in the mercy of God and in the merit of Christs passion and death though they be euen at the departure out of this presēt life for it is neuer too late so long as life lasteth Let vs therefore with all feruentnesse call vpon them and exhort them in any wise with a good courage and a sure and vndoubful faith aske call and cry for Gods mercy for his sweet sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ his sake and vndoubtedly they shall haue it For since the beginning of the world hitherto was there neuer one that in faith asked mercy heartely but he had it through the gratious goodnesse of our aforesaid most mercifull sauiour Iesus Christ vnto whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour laude and praise world without end Amen Yours at commaund to his power T. C. Giue all the honor laud and praise to God onely 1. Tim. 1. The prayer of Daniel turned into metre and applyed vnto our time Daniel IX O Lord thou high and fearefull God By whom all things do moue Thy mercies great are sure to such As thy precepts doe loue We sinfull men haue sore transgrest Against thy lawes deuine Full frowardly we haue fled backe From these precepts of thine Thy Prophets deare to speake were prest In setting forth thy name Both rich and poore as bold were bent For to gainesay the same To thee therefore thou Lord of hoastes All iustice doth belong To poure on vs such shame and griefe In this we haue no wrong Our shame is great and due to all Our flight is but in vaine To tread strange lands our sin hath sought Our shame doth still remaine But though such shame a reward iust To all in common be Yet mercy Lord and to forgiue Doth still belong to thee Indeede O Lord as for our selues No lesse confesse wee can But that thy lawes wee set at nought Much lesse haue kept them than Thy Prophets spake wee would not heare Ne of thee stand in awe Strange plagues from time to time we felt For breaking of thy lawe The force whereof so fiercely bent Was such as hath not bene For all the plagues in Moses lawe Fell on this Realme for sinne And yet to thee who made his sute His path way so to guide That flying vice might learne thy lawe And therein to abide Wwerefore thou sawest all would not helpe And couldst not hold thine hand But haste thy curse which now doth fall Vpon this sinfull land For as thou art a righteous God Thy workes doe soe appeare Consuming such as scorne doth take Thy louing voyce to heare But yet O Lord thou broughtest forth Thy flocke from Egipt land Whereby thy name was largely spread So now stretch forth thine hand But we haue sinned more then they Oh Lord yet stay thy rod. As for this land was sometime thine And thou also our God Our sinnes and eke our fathers faultes This day to passe hath brought That all which border vs about They set vs cleane at nought Now then O Lord hide not thy face Oh heare thy seruaunts cry Behold thine house sometime full rich How wast it doth nowe lie Thy truth is fled thy flock fast bound As sheepe led to be slaine Thy foes preuaile and prosper much Though mischiefe they maintaine And wilt not thou thy foes confound That thus thy workes reproue At least yet for thy great names sake Their vile intents remoue For why as for our owne deserts We can no such thing haue It is for thy great mercies sake That we such thinges doe craue Forgiue vs Lord intreated be To heare vs make no stay We beare thy name it is thy cause Oh Lord make no delay A Prayer against Despaire O Eternall God most louing and gratious father in Iesus Christ who art alwaies praysed and magnified by thy children in theyr great deliuerances and preseruation from their perils and daungers but especially when they perceiue themselues freede from the power of Satan death and hell from the which no creature can saue and deliuer them but thou onely O Lorde And because no chaine of the deuill or euill temptation is more strong to fetter the body and soule of man then despaire which is a wilfull forsaking of faith and confidence in thee O God it arising springing from fear and doubt as if thou wert not faithfull in thy promises or able in thy power to preserue vs Helpe Lord I beseech thee and free and deliuer me thy poore seruaunt from this temptation thraldome of Satan and soe strengthen I humbly pray thee my faith and confidence euer more in thee that in al my perils necessities wants sorrowes and griefe in this world I may haue a strong and stedfast hope in thee whereby I may ouercome repell and keepe backe the dangerous and subtill suggestions of Satan the world and the flesh to thy great glory and praise and my eternall and vnspeakable comfort through Iesus Christ my onely Lord and Sauiour Amen ¶ A Prayer for the Morning O Lord thou which couerest the night with darkenesse and causest man therein to take his rest and by euery day and night doest shew thy great glory in the heauens and also thy wisdome and power by gouerning and preseruing all thy creatures vpon the earth O Lord I thy poore seruaunt and creature doe most humbly thanke thee from the bottome of my heart for my sweete and comfortable rest this night past and for watching ouer mée by thine eye of prouidence and kéeping both my body and soule by thy grace from sinne and death beseeching thée O Lorde God my father Sauiour and comforter to blesse to sanctifie direct and preserue me in this thy new day and that I may become a newe creature vnto thée O God in holinesse and righteousnesse labouring faithfully and painfully in my calling that so my laboures this day may be sanctified and blessed vnto mée and mine and that I may shew forth thy praise in al my waies and declare my loue and charity vnto men in all my works that after the dayes of this my life and pilgrimage finished and ended here in this world I may liue with thee for euer in the world to come throgh Iesus Christ my Lorde and Sauiour who liueth and reigneth with thée and the holy Ghost euer one God world without end Amen ¶ A Prayer for the Euening O gratious and mercifull God I am most bound vnto thy heauenly Maiesty for my preseruatiō this day because I and al men are continually subiect vnto all dangers and perils griefes sorrowes sicknesse and death yea we lie open vnles thy grace and might doe defend vs vnto the temptations tyranny of the world the flesh the deuill which daily seek and desire our hurt and confusion both of body soule for euer Wherefore O gratious and euerliuing God as thy right hand and sauing health hath bene with mée this day and thou hast directed blessed and comforted mee thy poore seruaunt in all my wayes and labours for the which I most hūbly thank thée so I most earnestly entreat thy Maiesty in thy loue and mercy for Christ Iesus sake to keepe mée and al mine in safety this night and to couer vs vnder the shadow of thy winges from all perils and dangers whatsoeuer and that our soules as well as our bodies may take their swéet and comfortable rest and ioy in thée and likewise that thou wouldest grant that whensoeuer thou shalt knocke at the doore of our hearts to call vs vnto thee O God we may with the wise Virgins be watchfull haue oyle in our lamps that we may be receiued into eternall rest through Iesus Christ thy deare sonn and our onely Sauiour Amen FINIS

with the tippe of a finger dipped in water But we shall heare that which the rich man heard of Abraham Luke 16.26 that there is a great swallowing pitte set betweene vs and you so that they which would goe from hence to you cannot neither can they come from thence to vs. Therfore let vs repent my brother and as good and profitable seruants seeke our Lord Iesus Christ neither let vs be discouraged to obtaine pardon while we liue here by repentance for in hell as I said the medicines of repentance will not be auaileable but in this life though in the ende of your dayes and extreme old age you vse it it shall cure you Which to stoppe the diuell starreth and laboureth that hee may make vs despaire for hee knoweth that euen in a little time if any be penitent though it be a short turn●ng yet it wil not be vnfruitfull For as the man that giueth a cuppe of cold water looseth not his meed so he that hath remorse for his euill deedes though his repentance seeme not counter-poysable to his offences yet howe little soeuer it bee and in the twinkling of an eye the recompence shall not bee lacking No one good deed though very small shall bee contemned of the Lord a iust iudge for if he be so harde a computist of our misdeedes as that euery one must be punished for his wordes and thoughts Mat. 12. how much more shall nor good deeds both great and small be rewarded in the day of doome Wherefore if thou thinke it vnposs●ble to be restored to thy accustomed order of life yet prune off a little from that great extremitie of ryot and lust which thou shalt perceiue not a whit vnfructuous Make onely a beginning and smoth the way to goodnesse which tread albeit with the tips of thy toes and till thou begin the way of vertue seemeth difficile and hard For such is the nature of all things that all labour is thought grieuous while it is weighed only in our minds but when we come to the matter and haue ouercommed some of the worke then all feare and fainting is shaken off and the successe of the worke breedeth delight so also the renuing of vertue causeth gladnesse to the mind and then are wee stronger when we see the hope of saluation approch For this cause also the enemie tooke Iudas hence least in case knowing there was a returne to saluation he might reforme his fall by repentance And I say not although it be wonderfull that that sinne of Iudas might not be purged by repentance for which cause I intreat and begge of thee that thou abandon out of thy mind all diuelish cogitations and quickly return thee to the way of saluation If I should sodainely wholy call thee to that old height of vertue thou mightest not without cause tremble not without reason d●ement hard But considering this only I desire at thy hands that thou increase not in iniquities neither euery day goe neerer to perdition that thou leaue off and make an end of offending why doest thou doubt and linger drawing backe thy foote for feare onely to receiue the thought of goodnesse Hath not the superfluitie of lust bred loathsomnesse as yet in thee What hath it bettered them that abode in bodily sensualitie and in the pleasures of this present life vntill the end of their liues Pleasure of the body vadeth away Looke nowe on their sepulchers and see whither there be any shew of glorious iollitie Whether there be any token of dainties and sumptuous fare Demaund where nowe their gorgeous weedes and strange perfumes bee whither the pleasure of their games the troupes of their attendants the daintines of their feasts is gone Whither their laughtures sports immoderate and vnbrideled lust is become and vanished Where they themselues are with all these things What was the end of them both Behold more narrowly and come more neere to their graues looke on the dust onely and the filthie reliques of wormes remember that this is the end of bodies although in delights and ioy although in labour and chastitie men spend their life And would God all the matter were ended in dust wormes these losses would seeme but little and the state of nature mought easily be excused But now gl●●e thine eyes from these ashes and graues How ter●ible the ●udgemēt ●eate of God shall ●e to the wicked and thinke vpon that horrible seat of the iudgement of God which is inuironed with a burning riuer of fierie streams where is weeping and gnashing of teeth where is vtter darkenesse where is that worme of conscience that neuer di●th and the vnquenchable fire Forget not the parable of Lazarus the rich man ●uk 16. who being once an owner of great wealth and clad in purple and silke could not find afterward one drop of water and that when hee was in the heat of the fire Tell me I beseech thee what is there in this lif● but a dreame Our life but a dreame For as those that are condemned to liue among mettals or afflicted with any other punishment when they take some rest after the hard labours of their troublesome life beleeue themselues to enioy the manifold dainties they see before them but when they arise they seele ful wel there is nothing left of the delicatenes of the dreame so the rich man who in a dream had the voluptuousnes of this life when he deceased nought remained with him but griefe of the thinges past and paine of the thinges present Remember this my friend and oppose hell fire to this flame of lust and concupiscence that now tormenteth thee And it is a strang kind of medicine that fire shou●d bee quenched by fire but if this fire shall not bee stinted which now so troubleth thee it will cause to thee that euer-enduring fire more fierce and vnquenchable The plea●ures of this life are momentarie ●n respect of the punishment for them Also how long doest thou iudge the pleasures of thy present life may endure As I thinke thou canst not liue 50. yeeres moe admit thy old age be long But in the meane while see what things befall first in this behalfe that no body is certaine he may liue till night next for that the condition of humane affaires is still moueable for many times life continueth many yeeres but wealth and riches fa●le and often some make shippewracke of goods before they die But grant we that thou mayest both liue along time and suffer no al●eration of times yet what is this space to euerlasting paines what is this voluptie to those miserable and vntollerable plagues For in this life whether it bee good or euill it hath his limitation and that speedily but in the world to come both are euerlasting Ouer and besides the state of the very punishment is different for the fire in this life consumeth all things it taketh but that fire whom it once taketh

in the beginning either of Ieremie or of the other Prophets how when he was despised and set light by of the people yet hee returned againe to them and thirsting after their loue hee continually followed them And this is that which God himselfe declareth in the Gospell Mat. 23.37 Luk. 13.34 where he saith Hierusalem Hierusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest them which are sent to thee how often would I haue gathered thy children together as the Hen gathereth her chickens and ye would not And Paule saith to the Corinthians For God was in Christ 2. Cor. 2.19 and reconciled the world to himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them and hath committed to vs the word of reconciliation Now then are we Ambassadours for Christ as though god hid beseech you through vs wee pray you in Christs stead that ye be reconciled to God Let vs thinke these things spoken to vs for not onely infidelitie b●t the polution and vncleannes of life maketh this excerable enimitie betwixt God and men and so the Apostle saith that the wisedome of the flesh is enimity against God Rom. 8.7 Go too then let vs raze to the ground this wall of enimitie let vs smooth the way to an attonement with God that we may be loued desired of him again I am sure you wonder not a little at the beauty of Hermione Hermione daughter to Menelaus Helena very beautiful for whom Orestes the sonne of Agamemnon slew Pyrthus the sonne of Achilles because hee maried his betrothed minion and thinke the like may not be found on the whole earth But if you wold my friend you may be so much fairer and comelier then she by how much gold exceedeth dirt For if many haue in admiration the beauty of that body and fall in loue therwith what fairenes do you thinke to be in a soule if euery point therein were liuely portraited How much more amiable how much more wonderfull would it be For the substance of bodily beauty cōsisteth in naught else but in phlegme blood moisture and * Or melancholy gall which are maintained by the corruptible iuyces of meates Hereby the aples of the eyes glister hereby the cheekes are ruddy and hereby the whole face is adorned And vnlesse they be dayly moistened with such iuyce which ascendeth out of the liuer incontinent the skin is dryed vp the eyes waxe hollow al ruddines and beauty departeth from the visage Now if thou consider what is hidden within that skin which thou iudgest beautifull what is shut vp in the nostrils what within the iawes and belly thou wilt protest that this brauery of body is nothing but a blanched sepulchre which without appeareth faire to men but within is full of filthynes and vncleannes Moreouer if thou see on a ragged cloath the phlegme and spittle that proceedeth frō the body thou loathest it and wilt not touch it with the tip of the finger looking askew theron how then canst thou loue and desire the cel and seat of phlegme But thy beauty was not such For by how much heauen is more beautifull than the earth by so much ●id the trimnes of thy soule ●urmount the beauty of the ●airest body And notwistan●ing none at any time hath ●eene a soule departed from the body yet some other time I wil attempt to delare the comlines of it by the powers therof At this time let it suffice to rehearse the words of the Lord which say they are as the Angels of God in heauen Againe Mat 22.30 Mar 12.25 in that of bodies there is so great a difference betweene those that are thin and those that are thicke and heauy as for example heauen passeth the earth fire water the stars stones the rainebowe all terrestriall flowers wha● would wee say if it might so chance that with corporal eies we might behold the gainesse of the soule Wouldest thou not scoffe at all externall beauty and brauery in consideration of that internall substance I pray thee then let vs not contemn so great a felicity nor regard lightly so great a treasure that is in vs especially sith a returne is not hard and with no great labour may all the beauty of our soule be renued For as soone as thou shalt imagine the things to come and thou shalt be inamored with them straightway the soule retireth to her former brauenes So it is written 2. Co● 4.17 For our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent 18. an an eternall weight of glory While we looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene for the things which are seene are corporal but the things which are not seene are eternall Now if Paule call tribula●●ons light and easie for that we looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not saue how much more easie shall it be for thee to shake of the foule burden of vncleannes Neither now doe I exhort thee to those labours and dangers or to those daily deaths which the Apostles suffered or to those persecutions or stripes or bands or imprisonments or the contempt of all worldly riches or famine or nakednes or many watchings or perils of iourneying or shipwrackes on sea or dangers of robbers or dangers of thine own nation or dangers of false brethren for all those afflictions the Apostles indured nothing of all these I require of thee but this I desire alone that seruitude being forsaken thou returne to thy former liberty considering both the plague which followeth riot and the glory which is laid vp for vertues It is no maruell if those which beleeue there shall be no resurrection neglect their life feare nothing the iudgement to come and are nothing pricked in heart but wee which looke more certainely on future then present things ought we to liue so miserably and wretchedly that wee not onely should not feare at the remembrance of the iudgement to come but vtterly contemne it A part it is of extreame madnes and no mischiefe is comparable that beleeuing we be like the vnbeleeuing Yea amongst them not a few haue beene found who haue flourished in this life in the vertues of the mind and what shall be our excuse what our solace if in the day of doome those shall be brought forth for examples against vs Some that exercise marchandise we see haue suffered shipwracke and the losse of all their goods yet for this they haue not beene dismayed but againe haue applyed the same way and trafficke These did ●eese their substance not by ●oth but by violence of winds But we which know afore vndoubtedly that if we our selues wil we may incur neither shipwrack nor damage of soule shuld we not take in hand againe our former exercises renue our busines by neglygence ouerslipped Neuerthelesse we lie retchlesly and fold our idle hands on our breast after the manner of sluggards and