Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	bishop_n	church_n	diocese_n	2,662	5	10.6930	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66124	The case of the exiled Vaudois and French Protestants stated, and their relief recommended to all good Christians, especially to those of the reformed religion in a sermon preach'd at St. James Westminster, April 5, 1699, being the day of the publick fast / by William Wake ...	Wake, William, 1657-1737.	1699 (1699)	Wing W232; ESTC R12313	15,700	34

lay The Point He began with was this of Images But his Piety and Learning soon carry'd him farther and led him on both to the Discovery and the Reformation of several Other Abuses that had privily crept into those Parts The Invocation of Saints The Superstitious Vse and Honour of Relics but above all the Groundless Pretence of the Popes Authority were the Chief Points against which he declared his Resentments And the Issue of his Endeavours was that tho' He met with much Opposition and rais'd to himself many Enemies yet he went on prosperously with his Undertaking and laid the Foundation of that Purity of Christianity in his Diocess which has ever since been preserved by these Churches of the Valleys to this very Day Thus early began the Reformation of Religion in those Parts But that which most contributed to the future Security of it was another Accident which fell out not long after and of which it will therefore be necessary for Me to give you a particular Account In the first Times of Christianity so far was the Bishop of Rome from being thought to have a General Authority over the Whole Church of Christ that his Jurisdiction did not extend to the neighbouring Diocess of Italy its self His Authority was limited to a Certain Tract of Land about the City called the Sub-urbicary Region Whilst the Churches of Italy were under another Government and Acknowledged the Bishop of Milan for their Head It cannot be doubted but that this must have been no small Grievance to the ambitious tempers and designs of the Bishops of Rome Who therefore omitted no Endeavours to gain the Bishop of Milan to their side and to persuade him to yield to their Authority Yet still that Church preserved its Liberty for near 1100 d. years after Christ and then by Artifice and Faction was either forced or perswaded to part with it It happen'd about that time that among other things a Controversy was raised between the Clergy and People of that Diocess concerning the Marriage of their Priests To compose this Pope Nicholas the IId became a Mediator between them and sent Peter Damian as his Legate to manage the difference for him And the Conclusion was that tho' with much difficulty and at the hazard of his Life the Cunning Legate carried his Point and perswaded the Bishop to submit to him Scarce was this Affair thus ended and the Legat well gone before the Bishop began to perceive the false Step he had made and resolved in the best manner he could to recover himself out of the Snare into which he had fallen In order whereunto He called a Synod of his Own Province disannull'd all that the Legat had done and asserted the Rights of the marry'd Clergy From hence began an Open Schism in the Church of Milan The One part adhered to the Interests of Rome The other with their Arch-Bishop stood up for their own Liberties and the Rights of the Clergy And being for this deserted by the Rest they communicated by themselves in a place called Pataria and from thence were afterwards known by the Name of Patarines To this Party as that which had the Greatest Right on its side the Churches of the Valleys joyn'd themselves And being thus broke off from the Communion of the Roman Church they kept themselves free from the Corruptions of it and maintained themselves in so much the greater Purity by their Constant and Earnest Oppositions to it It was not long after this that Peter Waldo of whom I before spake began a Reformation of Religion at Lyons Whose party being dispersed many of them chose to retire for safety into the Valleys and thereby gave Occasion to the Vulgar Error of his being the first Founder of the Evangelical Churches there Thus were these Churches both betimes Reform'd and Settled and Secured in their pure Profession of the Gospel It would be too long to relate what great Good was done by their means to all the other Churches of Europe What Colonies they sent out into France Germany England and even into Italy its self to propagate the Truth of the Gospel From these Churches it was that our Wicleff derived his Faith and Knowledge From these the Churches of Bohemia were establish'd Here in short was the Truth of Religion both Taught and Maintain'd till at last it pleased God to give it a free passage and a larger Dominion by the Great Reformation which was generally made in Europe about the beginning of the last Century Anno. 1517. These then are the Persons whom we now recommend to your Charity They are a part of the most antient of all the Reformed Churches of Europe Who by breaking off betimes from the Tyranny and Communion of the Bishop of Rome were never at all involved in the most part of those Errors which that Church abounds with And from the Ninth Century downwards have stood clear of those into which they were before fallen I go on 2 ly To shew That what they now Suffer is for the sake of the Gospel of Christ. I have before observed that it was about the middle of the xi th Century that the Church of Rome usurping upon the Authority of that of Milan occasion'd a Seperation of many of the Italic Churches from its Communion and of these of the Valleys among the rest And if we look back into the Ecclesiastical History of that Province we shall find that from thenceforth they never enjoy'd any Rest from those Violences and Oppressions which the Malice and Interest of that Proud Ambitious See found means to raise against them To pass by the Bulls the Sentences and Excommunications which were continually thunder'd out from the Vatican against Them and the Effect of which many of these Poor Men sufficiently felt in the time of Pope Alexander the III. Anno. 1180 How terible was the Decree of Pope Lucius the III. against them Who not content to Excommunicate them for their Heresie and to invite the Civil Government to engage on his side against them obliged all Princes to take a Corporal Oath to make search after them and to use their utmost Endeavours utterly to extirpate them out of their Dominions Thus their Tryals and Persecutions began but they did not stop here For what Lucius decreed Pope Innocent the III took care to put in vigorous Execution He renew'd this Order against them and Caused diligent Search to be every where made after them And to strengthen the Churches Authority Pope Honorius the III not only continued the same Method but obtain'd of the Emperour Frederic the II that memorable Edict which is still preserved in the Feudal Law against them But above all the rest most effectual was the Course which Gregory the IX pitch'd upon to destroy them He setled the Inquisition into an Establish'd Office against Them and so perfected that Design which his Predecssor Innocent the III had set on foot for their Ruin