Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sin_n	believe_v	jesus_n	remission_n	4,257	5	9.2662	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A05360	An excellent treatise of Christian righteousnes, written first in the French tongue by M.I. de l'Espine, and translated into English by I. Feilde for the comforte of afflicted consciences, verie necessarie and profitable to be reade of all Christians, as well for establishing them in the true doctrine of iustification, as also for enabling them to confute the false doctrine of all Papistes and heretickes; Excellent traité de la justice chrestienne. English.	L'Espine, Jean de, ca. 1506-1597.; Fielde, John, d. 1588.	1577 (1577)	STC 15512; ESTC S106720	64,303	130

Being then very God and very man of two diuerse natures the one diuine and the other humaine which are conioyned and vnited together inseparablie without any confusion or diuision in that he is God we must goe vnto him to be in saftie and to liue happely and on the other side in that he is mā he is the way by which we must march on to attaine to euerlasting life So thē we must go to Iesus Christ that is God by Iesus Christ that is man by the worde that is made flesh to the word which was in the beginning with God and by the breade which men eate vnto the breade which Angells eate And there is no neede that we seeke for any other but him whether it be to reste our selues in or to leade and directe vs thither For being God he is the soueraigne God and the ende whereunto all our appetites and desires ought to be directed And when we are come thither there is the place where we must rest and altogether repose our selues forasmuch as he is perfect and replenished with all vertue righteousnes which he communicateth vnto vs by means of that communion and fellowship that we haue with him To conclude then he is the waye that must leade vs to our felicitie and the only meane to make vs attaine thither When we are washed with his bloude this is it that preserueth vs from that destroyer this is the cloude that shrowdeth vs from being burned consumed with the extreme heat of the wrath of God and the libertie whereinto we must retire from the furie of the enemy that pursueth so harde after vs To be shorte this is the gate of saluation and the hauen where we must harborre and saue our selues in the time of tempeste This is the cloke vnder which we maye obtaine the blessing of God as Iacob obtayned that of his father Isaake being disguised with the apparell of his elder brother Esau And as the high Priest neuer appeared before the face of God without his holy embroidred garmēts his Ephod his robe and his other priestly apparell without which he coulde not fynde any fauour when he appeared in his presence Euen so to follow the truth of this figure we ought neuer to presente our selues before God if we will be accepted and receaued of him but we must be clothed and decked with the righteousnes and innocencie of his sonne wherwith if we be once couered we neede not feare that we shall be reiected and despised of him or that there is any enemy whosoeuer he be that hath any power to hurte vs For such armour can defende vs euen from the wrath of God it selfe against which no other thing can resiste It is written that Alexander hauing conceaued a great hatred against the cittie of Ierusalem was fully resolued vtterly to destroye it because that laying seidge to the cittie of Tyr the inhabitauntes of Ierusalem had refused to helpe him with victuals and other munition which he had demaunded of them Nowe after that he had taken Tyr he marched forth with all his armie against Ierusalem with full purpose vtterly to destroy it The which thing whē the highe Priest named Iaddus vnderstood he apparailed him selfe with the holy garmentes of the highe Priest and so presented him selfe before Alexāder who vpon the suddaine when he sawe him in this habite alighted from his horse and bowed his knees before Iaddus and reuerenced him and shewed him great honours and great loue to the countrey and gaue great giftes to the temple Nowe if an enemy so furious and terrible were so suddainly appeased at the onely sight of this highe Priest so apparailed who was but a figure of Iesus Christ what shall it be when Iesus Christ shal appeare in his glorie and all his members with him clad and couered with his righteousnes and shewing them selues to all the worlde in such and so magnificall and glorious apparaill Shall not the deuills and hell bowe their knees then for feare when they shall see him in his maiestie and in such excellent glorie Let vs conclude then that beinge garnished and couered with the righteousnes of Iesus Christ we can haue no lacke of strength and might to vanquish and ouercome our enemies nor of any other thing that may make vs perfectly happy what soeuer As S. Ambrose writeth verie elegantly in his seconde booke of Virginitie that Iesus Christ is vnto vs all in all things If we be sicke he is our phisition If we haue an Ague and that we are altered he is our fountaine If we be laden with iniquitie he is our righteousnes If we be weake and weryed he is our strength If we feare death he is our life If we desire to mounte vp to heauen he is our ladder If we haue byne darkenes he is our light If we haue houngred he is our breade and nourishment Wherupon we may perceaue and knowe the great riches and commodities that Iesus Christ bringeth vnto all them that possesse him Now hauing shewed that there is no other righteousnes but the righteousnes of Christ which can be sufficient to beare the rigour of the iudgement of God and that maye enable vs to appeare and aunswere there it remayneth now that we declare vpon what matter it worketh and where it resteth dwelleth how it maye be obtayned and in what sort a man maye assure him selfe of it finally hauinge obteyned it what fruits it bringeth forth in vs. First the righteousnes of Christ hath two principall partes to witte Iustification and Sanctification that is to saye when it is communicated vnto vs although that before we were the wickedest in the worlde and guiltie of death before God and moreouer that our nature was altogether corrupted and teynted in euery parte of it notwithstanding all this we are holden and reputed for righteous before God and are allowed and receaued of him for his children and heires when we are prouided of this righteousnes and when we are clothed with it he giueth vs his holy spirite to leade vs and conducte vs as a schoolmaister doth his children and for to sanctifie instructe and strengthen vs in all his wayes And that this is true S. Paule writeth not onely that it was sayde of Abraham that his faith was counted to him for righteousnes but also that we shal be accompted righteous before God as he was if we beleue in Iesus Christ Also God was in Christ and reconciled the worlde to himselfe not imputinge their sinnes vnto them And ioyning both these partes together in the first Epistle to the Corinthians he sayed to them speakinge of their life that they had bene altogether led in wickednes and were dissolute in all kinde of mischeefe but that they were now washed iustified and sanctified in the name of Iesus Christ and through the spirite of God. Now if we will know by what meane this is done

his strength against our weaknes and tētations his merite and intercession against all the accusations informations which the law our conscience and the deuil himselfe can bring forth and alleage against vs alwayes thinking that where sinne aboundeth there grace yet more aboundeth hath farre more strength to saue vs then sinne hath to condemne vs. We must do as they that go vp into an high tower who looking downewardes seeing the depth are afraide to fall and that they maye be the more sure they laye holde of the railes euen so must we alwayes leane vpon the righteousnesse and death of Iesus Christ and strengthen our selues in that to the ende we maye be preserued from falling downe Now hauing spoken of the meane whereby a man maye laye holde of the righteousnes of Christ and of the qualitie of Faith that apprehendeth the same it remayneth yet that we speake of three thinges The first whether that for the laying holde vpon that righteousnesse it be necessarie that Faith be perfecte Then afterwardes whether it must be that it must be cleane from all vices and lastely whether it hauing bene once receaued in our harts we can loose it afterwardes and be depriued of it As concerning the first point to witte of the perfection of the lawe it is impossible that euer we can attaine it in as much as we are compassed about with a mortall body which is so grosse and so slauish and which fighteth without ceasing against the spirite when it woulde lifte vp it selfe into any heauenly meditation moreouer hauing such an heape of darknesses and false opinions in our senses and vnderstāding it is impossible that euer we should haue any perfect knowledge of God what diligence paine or trauell so euer we tooke to get it hauing in like maner a harte entangled with so great passions and lustes which driues vs hether and thether to all vaine affections in such sort that by reason hereof we can not loue God perfectly and so consequently haue any perfect confidence in him because confidence followeth loue euen like as loue followeth knowledge The knowledge therefore and confidence that we haue of God being imperfect which are the two parts of Faith it followeth hereof that it can not be perfect that we haue neede continually to begge at Gods hande that he will augment it in vs and daye by daye stirre vs vp in the meditation of his promises which is the true meane to nourrish encrease and augmente Faith. And wherto serue exhortations prayers Sacraments and such other exercises if our Faith coulde be perfect here seeing that all these are not ordeined fostred in the Church to any other purpose then to fortifie and encrease the knowledge zeale and affection of the faithfull Now let vs come to the second point Seeing that our Faith is neuer perfect in this worlde but is alwayes mingled with an infinit nomber of infirmities which alwayes remayne in vs in such sort as there is none can saye his harte is cleane from all sinne and that we haue neede in respect of this to begge of God in our prayers that he will pardon vs our offences and making the confession of our Faith to say I beleue the remission of sinnes Notwithstanding all this that as yet our faith is very weake defiled with many imperfectiōs neuertheles it ceaseth not to laye holde vpon that that it shall please God to bestow vpon it No otherwise for examples sake thē as a litle child who with his litle handes or a poore man with his rugged and scabbie handes refuse not to take breade and other almes that a man will bestow vpon them aswell as if they were greater and whole Altogether like as diseases that are vniuersall through out the whole body as is a burning agewe though they weaken all the partes of the same and specially the stomacke more then all the reste yet neuerthelesse hinder not but that it maye take a medecin yea rather the disease is an occasiō vnto it to prouoke it to take it euen so also it ought to be so farre of that the weakenes of our Faith should keep vs from embracing righteousnes and the other benefites of Iesus Christ that it must prepare and dispose vs to the contrarie According to which Iesus Christ sayeth to the Pharisees who thought them selues to be righteous that he came not for their sakes but to call sinners adding the reason to witte that they that are sicke haue neede of the phisition And euen like as our diseases and infirmities let not but that our faith be it neuer so weake is yet capable of the graces of God of all the righteousnes of his sonne euen so the littlenes of faith maketh it not lesse capable to be able to apprehend and embrace that righteousnesse And like as altogether the Aple of the eye which is so litle and yet for all that can apprehend the light of the Sunne which is spred ouer all the horizon yea and the Sunne it selfe which is farre greater and more ample then all the earth euen so the eye of faith albeit that it be verie small yet it ceaseth not to lay holde of the Sunne of righteousnes together with his light iustice and other giftes which are as great and as many in number But now let vs handell the laste of the forsayde three pointes that is to saye whether Faith being once receaued into our hartes we can vtterly afterwardes loose and forgoe it For if hauing once receaued it we can not be assured to keepe it constauntly to the ende we shall alwayes be in doubt of our saluation But if we be once perswaded and resolued in this point that hauing bene inspired by the spirite of God in our hartes it will still there abide and dwell there for euer this perswasion will alwayes keep our spirites quiet and contented and they shall alwayes be ioyefull yea in the middest of all tentations that maye assaile vs Wherfore it is very necessary for vs to marke and diligently to imprinte in our mindes all the places of the holy scripture in which God hath assured vs of the continuaunce and perseueraunce of his grace and fauour towardes vs and of keping vs in the faith and giuing of all the other giftes that he wil communicate vpon vs As in the first place this testimonie of S. Paule woulde be marked which sayeth that Faith is ioyned with election and so by consequence founded vpon the counsaile and will of God which is euerlasting immutable Then afterwards that place of the Romaines where it is sayd That the giftes and calling of God are without repentaunce that is to saye irreuocable when he hath once giuē them vnto vs Also that which is sayd in S. Matthew That to him that hath it shall be giuen If then we haue by Gods grace Faith and the giftes of the spirite let

bable that of our selues we can dispose our selues to receaue our saluatiō when soeuer God offreth it vnto vs It is so farre of that it can be true that quite contrary we are thē wholly turned away and resist against it with all our power Which thing may plainely appeare by the example of S. Paule who was called and ledde by Iesus Christ as it were by strong hande to his sheep folde euen then when he was going to Damascus being carried with a deadely hatred and enflamed with furie to persecute and vtterly to roote out if he coulde the memorie of his name There is nothinge more certaine then that S. Augustine sayth that all they that labour and sweate vnder the heauie burden of this flesh and complaine of this miserable life they haue but one onely consolation and hope that is to saye that Iesus Christ is their Mediatour their righteousnes By reason wherof whē he made his entraunce into the middest of Ierusalem all that wente before and behind him cryed out with one voice Hosanna c. that is to saye ▪ Saue vs O sonne of Dauid our Sauiour To the end to shew that there was neuer good man neither before nor after his comming which did hope to be saued by any other meanes then onely through his righteousnes and obedience And therefore S. Augustine sayeth that all the Sainctes since Abell vnto Iohn Baptiste and after the Apostles vnto the ende of the worlde ought not to be praised but in him and not in them selues In so much that the first haue sayde My soule shall reioyce in the Lorde and those that came after haue sayed in like manner By grace I am that I am and all in generall saye That whosoeuer will glorie he must glorie in God. And in verie truth this is he that hath borne the wooll and the flece of which was sponne this cloth wherewith we must be clad that we may be shrowded against heats cold and other iniuries of heauen All you sayeth the Apostle which are baptised in Christ haue put on Christ This is that kinge who for the adorning of the Queene his spouse hath made for her ritch and sumptuous robes as the Psalmist sayeth Which thinge Ezechiell sheweth also more clearly I haue washed thee with water yea I haue washed away thy bloud from thee in which thou wast altogether polluted I haue anoynted thee with oyle and clothed thee also with broydred worke and haue sette a crowne of Golde vpon thy heade and I haue decked thee with golde and siluer that thou mightest be very bewtifull All that same long Alegorie which he vseth there in the 16. of his prophesie is to no other ende but to extoll the righteousnes of Iesus Christ with which the Church is apparailed and adorned with those other precious giftes graces and blessinges wherewith she is altogether couered and replenished And as there is nothing more vncleane then she when she is naked so is there nothing more bewtifull then she when she is decked in the liuerie and collour of her husband For then hath she a speciall grace that makes her verie amiable delightfull and in passing good liking to God him selfe Moreouer being so clothed in this robe of innocencie all that was foule in her and which disfigured her is in such sorte couered and defaced that there appeareth no more vncleanes in any part of her because Iesus Christ as S. Augustine sayeth is as a spounge which wipeth vs cleanseth vs from all our filthynes which he taketh in exchaunge for the bewtie righteousnesse and perfection which he communicateth vnto vs Wherin we ought to acknowledge and to adore this great and incomparable loue which he beareth vs and which he hath truely and in effect shewed vnto vs heaping vpon vs at the daye of our mariage so great and precious ioyes although he receaue nothing of vs in dowrie but olde baggage altogether couered with thicke and filthie dirte to witte euen our imperfections and iniquities We receaue then in doing this thinge two great commodities of his righteousnes which serue vs for two purposes to witte first to draw vs out from the mier and claye wherein we were buried to decke vs with goodly robes wherewith we are clad to make vs bewtifull that is to saye to deliuer vs from the malediction and curse wherinto we were fallen and then on the other side to blesse vs and to bring vs into fauour with God his father to drawe vs backe from pouertie and to enrich vs to raise vs vp from death and to giue vs life to drawe vs from hell and to make vs mounte vp into heauen Euen as Iesus Christ on the one part hath deliuered vs from feare terrour and torment of conscience sparring and shutting vp hell gates so on the other he hath set vs in a certaine and vndoubted hope of euerlasting life and of a blessed reste opening his paradise vnto vs. This is that which is sayde of him in the scripture that he keepeth the keyes of death and of life the one to make fast and shut vp the gate which was alwayes open to swallow vs vp and deuour vs and the other to open vnto vs the kingdome of heauen which was alwayes locked and shutte against vs By meane whereof at his death the vaile that let the entraunce into the Sanctuary was broken and clefte into two partes to the ende that that way might be made open for vs and that euery one might haue a meane and libertie to come vnto God and to presente them selues before him with confidence This is the cause that Paule writing to the Hebrewes sayed that by his flesh he hath prepared a waye for vs to heauen to attaine vnto life Forasmuch as he hath in that flesh rendred vnto God for vs perfect obediēce and by his death hath satisfied his righteousnes for our sinnes obtaynīg for vs by this meanes the forgiuenes of our sinnes and through this remission righteousnes and by righteousnes the grace and fauour of God and by Grace life in such sort as we maye nowe presente our selues to him in all assuraunce who before was as a consuming fire to consume vs and bring vs to nothing c but now by the meanes of Iesus Christ is a shadowe to releiue and refreshe vs againe This is the reason for which Iesus Christ was figured by the ladder which Iacob sawe when he sleept wherevpon the glorie of God rested it selfe Forasmuch as in the humanitie of Christ dwelled the fulnesse of the Diuinitie bodely because by it God descendeth downe vnto vs Euen as Iesus Christ hauing taken our humanitie was called Emmanuel which is asmuch to saye as God is with vs so also we through him mounte vp as it were by degrees to heauen where our conuersation is wherof at this day we are Citizens of the householde of God.