Selected quad for the lemma: soul_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
soul_n	body_n	faith_n	good_a	4,892	5	3.8591	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A72180	A sermon preached at Pauls Crosse the thirtie day of May. 1591 By M. George Giffard, preacher of the worde of God at Maldon in Essex.	Gifford, George, d. 1620.	1591 (1591)	STC 11862.3; ESTC S124958	18,032	49

A Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse the thirtie day of May. 1591. By M. George Giffard Preacher of the worde of God at Maldon in Essex AT LONDON Printed by I. Windet for Tobie Cooke at the Tigers head in Paules Churchyard 1591. To the worshipfull Maister William Rider Alderman and elect Sheriefe of London SIr this Sermon was preached at Paules Crosse the 30. of Maye laste at the which ther were some that gathered the same in writing so neere as they could their coppies being conferred and laid together were neuerthelesse found very imperfect so that the Preacher was requested to perfecte the same so neere as his memorie would suffer him the which hauing doone and the coppie comminge to my handes J haue by publicke authoritie printed it I hope to the good of manie And findinge my selfe greatlie indebted to your worshippe and yours for many curtesies J was bolde to present it vnto you as a testimonie of my thankeful minde hoping that you will accept the same in as good part as I meant it And so beseechinge God to blesse your worshippe to the fulfillinge of that hope which many conceiue of you in time to come I humblye take my leaue this 7. of August 1591. Your worships humbly affectionate to commaund T. C. Psalme 133. Beholde how good and how c. THe holy Prophet King Dauid was the composer and writer of this Psalme as the Title thereof dooth expresly mention It is called a songe of degrées as there bee 14. other besides this here set together of the same title but in what sence the learned interpreters are of diuers iudgementes I will followe that which is most probable by the holy Scriptures The word Magnaloth which the Prophet heere vseth dooth properlie signifie steps or staires by which we assend into higher places But by Metaphor as I take it to be here vsed it signifieth high estate high degrée excellencie or dignitie For proofe heereof wee reade 1. Chro. 17. vers 17. where Dauid speaking vnto God sayth thou hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degrée vsing the same worde that is here So then if wee consider the phrase of the Hebrewe tongue which to expresse the superlatiue degrée vseth the plurall number a song of degrées that is a song of excellencies or a song of dignities is as much as to say a most excellent or a most worthy song The holy ghost in giuing this title dooth as it were set a marke in the forehead of the Psalme to giue notice vnto vs that there is a treasure of most excellent doctrine most fitte for our instruction contained in it that we may with the greater diligence attentiō giue eare vnto it The Argument or the matter here handled is all but one For the holy ghost with a very high and singuler praise through the whole Psalme dooth seth foorth and commend the vnitie and concord of brethren The brethren which he speaketh of and which are to kéepe this holie agréement are all the faithfull children of the Church fellow members of Christes misticall body and true worshippers of God among whom is the spirituall brother-hoode The vertue it selfe which is here commended is that same which S. Paul dooth so earnestlye exhorte and perswade all Christian men vnto to kéepe the vnity of the spirite in the bonde of peace Ephes 4. ver 3. The Primitiue Church is commended for the practise thereof in which wee haue a liuely example set before vs for it is written that the multitude of them that beléeued were of one hart and of one soule Act. 4. ver 32. For as one body consisting of many members hath but one hart and one soule by which all the members are vnited and loue each other so the multitude were vnited in iudgement and affection as if there were but one hart and one soule in them all The commendation and praise by which the holy ghost setteth foorth the excellent worthines of this vertue is vnder two Epithites which are these good and comelie For he saith beholde howe good and howe comely a thing it is for brethren also to dwell in vnitie These two Epithites hee afterward openeth and amplifieth by two similitudes the one is taken from the annointing of Aaron with the precious ointment to declare chéefelye the swéete and pleasant comelines of this vnitie the other is taken from the dewe of Hermon which commeth downe vpon the mountaines of Sion to expresse the fruit and good that cōmeth thereof And finallie hee concludeth from the highest cause euen the Lord God who hath commaunded the blessing of life eternall to bee vpon this vnitie This is bréefelie the summe of the Psalme or of this praise which is giuen Now come to to the exposition By the first word behold the Prophete dooth stirre vp the minds of the Israelites euen of all the Tribes to take viewe how blessed a thing vnity and concorde is euen by their owne experience which they had partlie by the former times and partlie by the time then present For in former daies they had felt with much sorrow the great calamities harmes and annoyaunces of discorde at this time now present when this Psalme was giuen they saw the blessings and benefites of vnity and peace For their former experience in the dayes of King Saule when hee persecuted Dauid which had done none euill the worship of God was neglected good men were oppressed euill men florished with much gréefe of minde vnto many then was there discord so far as men durst speake When Saule was taken away and Dauid was annointed King in Hebron Abner the sonne of Ner Captaine of Saules armie tooke Ishbosheth Saules sonne and sette him vp for King the discorde then grewe much greater for then one part of the Tribes claue vnto Dauid the other vnto the house of Saule They were indéede all the sonnes of Iaacob and professed the God of Abraham whome they should with one mouth haue worshipped and glorified as S. Paul saith Rom. 15. ver 6. but they were deuided and rent a sunder for there was bloudy warre and long time continued among the Tribes 2. Sa. 2. 3. brethren with deadly hatred and enmitie pursuing their brethren séeking the bloud eache of other It could not bee but that great calamities in this time of discord did ouerspred the whole land they might by experience then and did beholde how euill and how mischéeuous a thing it is for brethren to be at variance The cutting down of so great an euill and taking away all occasion is a verye great good Therefore when Abner Ishebosheth were slaine all Israell came togeather and set vp Dauid Then there grewe a reconciliation of Tribe vnto Tribe and they which were before rente a sunder became againe one body brethren imbraced eache other with loue the bitter hatred before among them was cutte downe and extinguished The worship of God was now set vp the blessinges of God were

vnderstand how it is to be sought for let let it be that we both agree it is to bee sought and also doe séeke for it yet if we séeke not the right way we are neuer the better for seeking First then knowe this that there are two sortes of vnity and agreement the one is in God being in the truth in the spirite in true holines and sanctification The other is in error and sin and not in the Lord. Now indeede it is the holy vnitie in the Lord which is praised in this Psalme and which wee must seeke after vpon which the blessing of God shal come This may ye sée by that exhortation of S. Paul Ephesi 4. When hee saith studying to keepe the vnity of the spirite in the band of peace for he addeth as the reason there is one body and one spirit as ye are called in one hope of your calling one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of all c. For like as all the members of the naturall body are coupled together by one soule and make but one body so by one spirite of the Lord all the faithfull are vnited and become all one misticall body of Iesus Christ by one faith and by one baptisme they are all in one Lord and in one God The foūdation of this vnity is in the truth and by it men growe vp together in God and for this cause it is sayd in the first verse of the Psalme Brethren also to dwell in vnitie He sayth also because as there is a reconciliation wrought by Christ betweene God and man and so a mā is come into vnitie with God he must also growe into vnity with those which are together reconciled to the Lord with him seeke this vnity to be vnited with our brethrē vnto God otherwise all shall bee dissolued and scattered againe in confusion Touching that other concorde which is in errour and wickednes they which possesse it who are of diuers sortes doo commend it and much complaine of the disturbaunce and breach thereof As first of all the Papistes make a great exclamation against vs which professe the glorious Gospell and haue forsaken them that like wicked Scismatickes wee haue disturbed and broken this holy vnitye by rendinge our selues from the true Church and so from the faith and from Christs misticall body this is a gréeuous and a sore accusation if their vnity which they glory of were in the truth But séeing it is most euident that they haue forsaken the truth of God blaspheme and condemne it and set vp abhominable errours and cursed Idolatrye all their agreementes all their holy league as they terme it is no more but a most wicked and cursed conspiracie against God and his people What is their vnity more then that which is described by the Prophet Dauid Psalme 2. Why doe the Gentiles rage and the people meditate that which is vaine The Kings of the earth stand vp and the Princes take counsaile together against the Lord and against his Christ Here is a great vnity nay a conspiracy of wicked traitors against Christ This perplexitie is fulfilled by them And we haue the commaundement of God by the voyce of the Angel Come out frō among them my people and seperate your selues so that all their cry is nothing against vs we haue not dissolued this blessed vnity here commended but haue forsaken their cursed conspiracy which the néerer a man is ioyned vnto the further of he is from God Let no man therefore be troubled or disquieted by their great wordes but forsaking them imbrace the holy faith and be vnited thereby together with the Prophetes and Apostles and all holy men vnto Iesus Christ Yee shall here many other sortes of men complaine that there is not fellowship and vnitye kepte with them When indéede as they walk after their wicked and vncleane lustes in all abhominable sinnes as in contempte of Gods word in drunkennesse whoredome pride ambition couetousnes vsurie extortion bribery oppression enuy and many such like The holy ghost saith vnto vs haue no fellowship with the vnfruitefull workes of darknesse but rather reprooue them Ephes 5. ver 11. We can not ioyne Christ and Belial we can not be vnited to the Lord and haue fellowship in wicked sins If we say we haue fellowship with him saith S. Iohn walkein darkenesse we lie c. 1. Iohn ver 6. Ephes 5.11 He that crieth out for peace and dooth walk in vngodly wayes straying from the truth and from sanctificatiō whatsoeuer he will séeme to be he is naught else but a disturber and breaker of all holy vnitye For who can take parte with him in those thinges but he shall seperate him selfe as I haue shewed from trueth and Godlines without which there can be no blessed vnity S. Peter calleth our Lord Iesus Christ a liuing stone vnto whom all the faithfull comming as liuing stones are built vp and become a spirituall house 1. Pet. 2. If stones be not squared and made smoothe to sitte and ioyne togeather howe shall they growe into one buylding If men bee not framed in fayth and godlines how shall they be vnited in the Lord In déede there bee imperfections both in doctrine and maners all the best hewen stones haue some ruggednes remaining and men must beare one with an other in much for charity must couer the multitude of sinnes 1. Pet. 4. while the Temple of God is in the world the stones are not perfectly set together but the work is still in hand this temple is still in buylding we must beware of the down fall on that side also Then séeing this blessed vnity must bee in God in the truth in the spirit to be built vp in Christ Iesus in true sanctification for he that is in Christ is a new creature and seeing all concorde without this foundation shall fall downe as a rotten building let the holy booke of God be our ground let it be brought foorth to cut downe all controuersies and let men if they looke for any part of the blessing here promised yéelde all honor and glorie vnto this sacred worde Yea let no man stand vpon his owne honour or reputation If he haue maintained any thing awrie but so soone as euer he esspieth the trueth in any matter yeelde thereunto let the truth of God goe before and lead vs the way For this is the onlie way to growe into this holy vnitie And let such as walke awrie forsake their euill wayes imbrace the heauenly trueth and followe the rules thereof if they will be accounted studious of peace and concorde Ioyning thus vnto the trueth both in faith and godlines of life we shall be ioyned together in the Lord and it shal be said beholde howe good and how comely a thing it is for brethren also to dwell at vnity It shal be like that precious ointment vpon the head of Aaron c. The heauenly graces and giftes of the holy ghost shall