Selected quad for the lemma: book_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A09320
|
The seaven golden candlestickes Englands honour. The great mysterie of Gods mercie yet to come. With peace to the pure in heart aduising to vnitie among our selues. By Richard Bernard, minister at Batcombe in Somersetshire.
|
Bernard, Richard, 1568-1641.
|
1621
(1621)
|
STC 1963; ESTC S113795
|
38,453
|
126
|
Northward of all these three Churches and so farthest from the Sun scituate in the coldest part And whereas Sathan in Ephesus had false Apostles in Smyrna a Synagogue heere bee hath a Throne 1. THis state was next after the other from after Gratian his time more darkened by little and little and more corrupt then the other till the Throne of Sathan was erected in Rome and so euery thing became worse and worse till betweene the 11. and 12. hundreth yeare Plat. in vit Bonifa 3. 2. This Pergamus was the most famous and head-citie of Asia Liuie Decad. 4. l. 7. Plin. nat hist l. 5. c. 30. where the 2. So this Pergamine state was vnder the power of Rome the most famous and head-citie of the World where the Heathen Emperours had ruled till Constantine the Great and which seate of the Romane iurisdiction was for those parts after that the King of Pergamus called Attalus Philometer had made the people of Rome his Heire Iornand de Reg. success In this Citie and vnder the power thereof was the Angell and the Church of Christ planted as yet was the chiefe Citie of all the Romane power 3. To this Angell Christ sheweth him selfe with a sharpe two-edged sword threatning to fight with it against the Enemy verse 16. 3. Because he would affoord his Angels and faithfull Pastors the same in his time to fight against the enemies thereof 4. Heere was the Throne of Sathan set vp ouertopping this Angell and Church 4. So Sathan in this state of the Church erected vp at Rome his Throne when hee made the Bishop of Rome Pope vniuersall Bishop and so That Antichrist which Supremacie the Bishoppe of that Sea euer sought after and obtayned at length by a Bed in lib. de temp Plat. in vita Bonifa 3. Blond Decad. 1. l. 9. Sleid. de 4. Imper. l. 2. Paulus Warnfridus l. 4. de gestis Lomb. Phocas And thus he crept into that Throne First by extolling Rome as the head-citie of the Empire keeping euer on foot the honour thereof Secondly by Constantines remoouing and building Constantinople and afterwards in Iustinus dayes when the b Blond l. 8. Dec. 1. Seid de 4. Imp. l. 2. Exarch was established which Magistrate left Rome and abode most at Rauenna by which elbow-roome at Rome the Pope crept vp more and  more Thirdly by neglecting to come c Socrat. l. 2. c. 5. Sleid. de 4. Imp. lib. 2. vid. Exemplar Leonis PP ad Theodos 2. Martianum Imp. tom 2. Conciliorum personally vnto generall Councels from his owne place not standing vpon his owne authoritie as not bound to come but making excuses somtimes one thing sometimes an other thing and so craftily kept away and sent only his Legates with Letters of excuse which pride of his either not perceiued or neglected hee made after-aduantage of Fourthly by his wealth which began to bee great from the time of the Bishop Marcellus as some d Polydor. l. 1. de inuent c. vlt. report Fiftly By such Bishops of the East Church as had recourse to Rome in their troubles as e Socrat. l. 2. c. 8. 11. 13. 14. 18. l. 4. c. 11 17. Euag. l. 3. c. 15. 21. Athanasius often Paulus of Cōstantinople Asclepas of Gaza Marcellus of Ancyra with others of the Orthodox Faith So Macedonians Sectaries all which the Pope entertayned as thereby seeing his place aduanced and by which he tooke no small aduantage to lift vp himselfe and to become great the Romane Emperour either ignorantly furthering or wisely hindering his proud aspiring spirit taking vpon him a claime of Superioritie ouer others alleaging a f Sleid. de 3. Imp. l. 2. Canon of the Nicene Councell for his authoritie but falsly by all which helpe and meanes he tooke vpon him First g Socrat l. 2. c. 11. 13. to reprehend other Bishops beyond his iurisdiction Secondly h Euag. l. 3. c. 8. to depriue some Thirdly i Sleid. de 4. Imp. l. 2. Niceph. l. 13. c. 34. to excommunicate euen Arcadius the Emperor of Constantinople of  which Act of Pope Innocent k Anno Christi 407. Baronius maketh mention in his Annals and so of diuers other Popes excommunicating Emperours yea and presuming farther he challenged l Socrat l. 7. c. 11. Secular power and as he got authority so to hold the same with some shew of Antiquity and as his right m Sleid. de 4. Imp. l. 2. testimonies of Greeke and Latine Fathers haue bin pretended Epistles forged Canons fayned and Councels falsified For many particulars let the Reader peruse Master Doctor Sutcliffe his Abridgment or Suruey of Popery c. 23. 24. Doctor Field his fift Booke of the Church c. 33. 34. 35. 36. And thus was Sathans Throne exalted in this Pergamine state 5. In this was one Antipas a Martyr 5. In this time were many Antipasses Martyrs such as were Antipapae against the proud Pope  of Rome who now to vphold his vsurped authoritiy shed the bloud of many holy Saints of which they that desire Examples let them reade Doctor Sutcliffe his fore-named Booke c. 44. Doctor Vsher Hist. Explicatio de Christianae Ecclesie continua Successione Fox his Acts and Monuments 6. In this were such as held fast Christs Name and did not deny the Faith 6. In all this time there were such as held out the Truth so as the faith of Christ was preserued by them euen vnto our times as Doctor Vsher in his Booke maintayneth Morney in his Mystery of Iniquity 7. In this were there such as vpheld Balaams Doctrine prouoking to Idolatry corporall vncleannesse and the sinne of the Nicolaitans 7. In this state the Balaams Doctrine of Rome was mightily defended Imagery and Idolatry maintayned and hither-to vpheld and for corporall filthines it is needlesse to cite testimonies fot after that the Popes forbad Marriage to the Clergie enioyned single life allowed Concubines and tolerated Stewes the  World was filled with such filthinesse as a Christian abhorreth to name See proofes in Doctor Sutcliffes fore-named Booke c. 29. 30. But how contrary Anastasius the Emperour was to the Popes receiuing Tribute from the Whores reade Euag. l. 3. c. 39 Pau. Diacon l. 21. 23. Baron Annal Carol. Magd. l. 4. c. 11. Hist. Madg. cent 8. c. 10. Epist. Adrian PP ad Imper. Imperat. Irenam Lu. Osian Epit. Cent. l. 4. Cent. l. 8. c. 5. Iuels defence of his Apol. 4. part p. 344. 8. This Angell Church is thret ned to haue the LORD to come quickly to them and against the Enemies with his two-edged Sword 8. So indeed the Lord came shortly after this Throne erected at Rome vnto this Pergamine like Church which suffered great affliction with the rest of the World But Rome Italy and other parts of the Romane Iurisdiction were plagued with the Sword of the d Gothes Vandals Hunnes and other Barbarians after with the e Saracens and then
hath an eare let him heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches And thus much for the state of the Church from yeares aboue 1100. vnto Luthers beginning to preach 1516. set out in the Church of Thyatira CONSIDERATIONS FOR INSTRVCTION AND VSE FIrst that now in this time the depth of Sathans policies began to bee vsed Secondly that maugre his malice and mischiefe the true Church getteth strength Thirdly that when God purposeth to better the estate of his Church hee will qualifie his Seruants with better gifts to further his purpose Fourthly that in a sound Reformation the Church is not the best at the first but groweth better and better so as the last workes thereof are more then the first Fiftly that the tolleration of a Iesabel false Doctrine and false worship is a foule fault in the true Church Sixtly that the end of Sathans Instruments is to seduce the godly and to bring them to commit wickednesse Seuenthly that though God giue the wicked space to repent yet will they be nothing the better for it Eighthly that not only the chiefe Authours of euill but such as consent to them are lyable to the same iudgement except they repent Ninthly that neither Iesabel with her Abettors nor yet the depths of Satan can hinder the Churches increase in wel-doing when God wil aide her with his Grace Tenthly that there may be many where the false Church is which may bee ignorant of the depth of that sinfull state Eleuenthly that the Truth which we receiue must be held fast vnto the end THE FIFT GOLDEN CANDLESTICK THE FIFT CHVRCH In the Type In the Antitype The Church of Sardis The Sardine state of Christs Church the first of the Reformed Churches 1. THis was next after Thyatyra still East ward farther from the North. 1. THis was the next after the Thyatirian state at the end whereof this beganne more cleerely to breake out by the light of Truth about the yeare 1516. when Luther began to preach and continued to the yeare 1558. 2. In this is no mention as in the former of Balaam Nicolaitans thron of Sathan or Iesabel 2. Because now the Church was come out of Romish Babylon for neither Balaam that false Prophet of Rome nor the filthy Nicolaitans of that Seate nor that Iesabel the Church of Rome had any thing to doe with this Church of Christ which the Lord by Luther and other famous  men brought out from that Spirituall bondage as before hee did the Children of Israel out of Egypt by Moses and Aaron with a strong hand and out-stretched arme Sleid. Comment Fox his Acts Mon. p. 767 768. c. 3. In this Christ setteth out himselfe by the seuen Stars and seuen Spirits of God 3. For that now hee would rayse vp many learned Ministers of the Gospell who as Starres should shine and giue light to such as should sit in darknesse and to whome hee would giue plentifully the Graces of his Spirit to set forth his Truth as he did to Luther Zuinglius Melancthon Oecolampadius Bucer and to many bright Starres of his Truth in Wittenberge in Heluetia and other places Sleid. Comment Lu. Osiand Cent. 16. Fox his Acts Monuments p. 773. 4. This had a name to bee aliue but was dead 4. This comming from vnder Antichrist had a name to be aliue and to bee a Reformed Smyrna had not so good a name as shee deserued but this a much better then she is worthy of Church in Luthers dayes but she became as dead being farre from that life of Grace which should haue beene in her and from that liuely reformation which the Lord required at her hands For howsoeuer the Lutheran Churches acquite themselues of the Pope and were no more the children of that Iesabel of Rome yet retayned they such corruptions and errors and at this day so vphold them as their state is rather dying then liuing except they returne See the Booke of Concord and the Augustane Confession 5. The workes of this were imperfect 5. So was and is this of the Lutherans reformation as may appeare by the difference betweene them and other Reformed Churches in that which is commonly called Lutheranisme the points whereof may bee gathered out of their Bookes of the body of Diuinity their Augustane Confession and Disputations  against vs by which may appeare their imperfect workes vnworthy a Church Reformed and that blessed Instrument Luther that Lucifer and bright Starre of Light who did shine well in the dawning of the day before the Sun-shine of Truth arose and spred out his beames to his after followers for them to see more cleerly if they would not haue winked and shut their eyes against the Light shining vpon them See Reneccius his Panoplia Brentius Iac. Andraeas Seluec Chemnisius Lu. Osiand Epit. Cent. l. 3. cent 16. c. 30. 6. This is threatned for the defects and the Lord saith that hee will come suddēly vpon them 6. And indeed so did the Lord come vpon these Hee sent a new and strange kind of sicknesse called the Sweating Sicknesse which in a short space with an incredible swiftnesse passed through almost all the parts of Germanie they were also greatly troubled with Warres as may bee seene in that which is called  the Smalcaldicke Warre made by the Emperour through the Popes instigation Saxonie receiued moreouer great losse by Fires and also by horrible Tempests of Thunder and Lightning and thus came the LORD vpon them Sleid. Comm. Funct Chron. Bucholc Chron. Lu. Osiand Epit. Cent. l. 2. l. 3. c. 2. 7. In this Church were some few which had not defiled their garmēts 7. In this imperfect state begun by the Lutherās there were some which acquit themselues more cleerely from the Errours and Superstitions of Antichrist who set forth a Confession more agreeing in all things to the truth then that Augustane Confession these were called by the Lutherans Sacramentaries and Zuinglians and afterwards Caluinists for opposing their Consubstantiation and other their Errours Sleid. Comment Lu. Osiand Epit. Cent. 16. 8. These in this Church were most 3 So these few then hath the Lord giuen honour vnto and approued of Christ accounting them worthy to walke with him in white approoued as worthy of his fauourable acceptance and grace for soundnesse of Truth and that by the consent of many Churches agreeing therein See the Harmonie of Confessions 9. In this is promised to them that ouercome the reward of Victory 9. Now this was very needfull for those times for that many were put vnto the tryall not a few suffered banishment and imprisonment for not consenting to the Booke of Interim set out by the Emperours Authority to whom many through feare yeelded as those of Wittemberge and Lipsia who for the meane which they sought to hold as appeareth by the forme of Religion which they published were called Adiaphorists and Intermistickes Persecution was raised here in England by Queene Mary by whom many