Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	bishop_n	council_n	rome_n	4,497	5	7.4489	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29039	A brief enquiry into the grounds and reasons, whereupon the infallibility of the Pope and the Church of Rome is said to be founded by Edward Bagshawe ...	Bagshaw, Edward, 1629-1671.	1662 (1662)	Wing B404; ESTC R9275	31,865	56

most insisted on though to as little or if possible lesse purpose than either of the former is Joh. 21.15 17. Where our Saviour repeats no lesse then three times Peter feed my Lambes and feed my sheepe Bellarmines Comment upon these words is very admirable 1. By Feed which in the Scripture dialect signifies only to Teach and compassionatly to care for he understands to Rule and Governe as Prince because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes so rendered 2. By Lambes and Sheepe he sayes are understood Christians of all sorts and sizes Lambes signifying the weak in Faith and Sheep the Apostles and Teachers which are to other Christians as Sheep are to their Lambes i. e. the bringers of them forth in the Faith of Christ over whom Peter is here constituted Universall Bishop and none who belong to Christ as one of his sheep but must by virtue of this Commission be obedient unto Peters Rule and Direction Had Bellarmine stopped here and streined this Scripture no farther he might have had some commendation for his Wit though very little for his Honesty but when he goes on and Infers 3. That whatever here is granted to Peter was entended likewise for his Successour and 4. That the Bishop af Rome did succeed him I cannot but observe how ill an Interpreter of Scripture Prejudice and Prepossession is for who that reads this place without looking upon it through the Spectacles of the Popes Infallibility can make any other sense of it than this that Peter having denyed our Saviour thrice is here thrice minded of his Duty to humble him under the sense of his former miscarriage and to direct him that he could not better demonstrate his Love to Christ then by showing a care over his little ones which our Saviour had before enjoyned him when he said Thou being converted confirme thy Brethren which is all one with what is here commanded him Feed my Lambs and Sheep i. e. Teach Instruct Reprove exhort them and therein performe all the Acts of a Faithfull Minister as Paul to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus bids them to Feed the Church of God Act. 20.28 and Peter to the Elders of the Believing Jewes in that very place where he forbids them all manner of Soveraignty and Coercive Jurisdiction commands them to Feed the Flock of God which was among them 1 Pet. 5..2 And what the word Feed signifies God himself hath already explained when he promises by his Prophet that he would give unto his People Pastours according to his own heart who should Feed his people Jer. 3.13 with knowledge and with understanding So that the word cannot be rendred to Rule and Governe with Force and Authority and making all men submit unto his Infallible Dictates for this is that which God condemnes in the Shepheards of Israel who ruled over them with severity Ezek. 33.4 and with Rigour and Cruelty but with all gentlenesse and condescension to accommodate themselves unto the weak and infirme state of their Flockes 〈◊〉 40.11 as God describes himself He shall Feed his Flocke like a Shepheard he shall gather the Lambes with his Arme and shall gently lead those that are with Young Ezek. 34.15.16 And again I will Feed my Flock and cause them to lye down I will seek that which was lost and bring again that which was driven away and will bind up that which was broken and will strengthen that which was sicke This is the part of a good Shepheard and this is the summe of what here is enjoyned Peter After this plain and clear vindication of these Scriptures had I a mind to make my self and my Reader sport I could not find a better Subject than by enlarging and descanting upon those excellent Arguments that Bellarmine alleadges to prove 1. That Peter was Bishop of Rome and 2. That the Pope did succeed him not only into that Bishoprick but likewise into all his other more than Apostolicall Priviledges The first he proves from the dignity of that See which sayes he could no otherwise arise but because Peter was Primate there but who doth not see that the dignity of it might easily arise from other causes as particularly from this because it was the chief seat of the Roman Empire which is the Reason assigned why the Bishop of Constantinaple was to have the second place Concil Constantinop Can. 5. because he was Bishop of new-New-Rome 2. He proves it because Peter died and was buried there as saith he is apparent from his Sepulchre yet to be seen As if it was not as easie for the Popes to make specious Tombs for men who never died in Rome as to Canonize and make prayers to Saints who it is to be feared have no place in Heaven His Reasons to defend the Pope's succession unto Peter are of the same nature as 1. Because Peter ought to have a Successour there being saith he as much reason for an Universall Bishop now as then Which I easily grant and return it thus But there was no Reason for an Universall Bishop then for then sure the holy men whose business it was to write all things absolutely necessary unto faith and godliness would not have omitted a matter so very important unto the peace and unity of Christians and therefore we may safely conclude there was no such Universall Bishop but admitting it were so how will it appear that the Bishop of Rome more than any other Bishop was to be his Successour Yes saith Bellarmine 2. None ever did yet pretend to be Peter 's Successour but only the Bishop of Rome and therefore undoubtedly he was the man Which is all one as if an Usurper who had gained a Crown by force and destroyed all the lawfull Heirs should say none doth now pretend to the Crown but my self and therefore undoubtedly I have a true Title I believe this is the first case wherein a confident and peremptory claim was ever thought to give a rightfull possession But I will no longer fight with a shadow or pursue an Enemy who hath a Bog for his retreat for so I account all Arguments taken from unwritten Tradition which is Bellarmine's last refuge for what can be more unreasonable than to alleadge old Stories which serve only to the advantage of the teller and therefore may justly be suspected to be forged by him and to use them as Motives to perswade us unto the belief of that which in Reason is ridiculous and in Scripture the most authentick and allowed Tradition is not so much as once mentioned The summe thereof of what I have to say is this 1. It doth not appear in any of the fore-mentioned places that Peter had any peculiar Priviledge of Infallibility or Authority granted to him above the rest of the Apostles 2. It doth much less appear that ever he was at Rome or sate as Bishop there 3. Upon supposition that the two first could be as clearly proved as