Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	church_n	faith_n	good_a	1,446	5	3.4167	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00748	The epiphanie of the church gathered out of the Holy Scriptures, declaring and plainly shevving, both the church that cannot but erre, and also the church that cannot erre : vvith so evident notes and manifest signes of either of them, that no man reading it, needeth be in doubt which he should beleue / written by R.P. in the yeare of our Lord God 1550 ; and now published in this yeare 1590 for the benefite of all such as desire the trueth concerning the church.	Finch, Richard, minister of East Ham.	1590 (1590)	STC 10877.5; ESTC S4676	36,955	52

The Epiphanie of the Church GATHERED OVT OF THE HOLY Scriptures declaring and plainly shevving both the Church that cannot but erre and also the Church that cannot erre VVITH SO EVIDENT NOTES and manifest signes of either of them that no man reading it needeth be in doubt which he should beleue Written by R. P. in the yeare of our Lord God 1550. And now published in this yeare 1590. for the benefite of all such as desire the trueth concerning the church LONDON Printed by Roger Ward dvvelling at the signe of the P●●sse in the Little Old-baily 1590. VNTO THE REVEREND FATHER in God and honourable Lord Nicholas Ridley bishop of London his humble Richard Phinch the vnworthie minister to the small congregation of ●astham wisheth grace peace and health with increase of godlinesse in Iesu the onely health and peace-maker c. AFter I perceiued very reuerend father that your good trauell amongest vs had not so good successe as the vnfaithfull superfluous doinges of other sometimes doe obtaine I not onely mused with my selfe what should be the cause but also studied with my whole indeuour to do that lay in me though not able to helpe good affaires forward yet at the least not to hinder them For certaine ouerthwart persons pretēding to cleaue earnestly vnto the faith of the church when in very deed they do nothing els but sticke vnto their owne wils in folowing euill custome coueted diuers wayes to obscure the praise of your diligent labor Being moued thereto partly because you examined thē by the scriptures and partly for that you gaue in your visitation iniunctions to take away the principall monuments of superstitions euen the altars of the popish masse Ah God helpe to be tried by the Gospel vvas a strange matter vnto them that were occupied onely in their pye portuase and ordinalles but more strange vnto them that were woont to heare of nothing at visitations but of paying of mony and most strange vnto them that were neuer examined before not so much as whether they beleeued in God or no. This vnwont maner strangenesse made your godly indeuors of some not to be so thankfully receiued albeit of the honest most thankfully taken as they woorthely deserued of all insomuch that for my part I hearkened for nothing but for some congratulation of my brethren toward you and the people looked for reformation of enormities for the open punishment of great crime and for the plaine setting forth of Gods word preaching of the same after your visitation But as I haue heard nothing of the one honest persons excepted so do the people vvait stil for the other Wherfore to speake simply I thinke God recompenseth the omission of the one vvith the losse of the other for praise hath beene vvont to follovv vertue as the shadovv doth the body Furthermore that noble king of famous memory no lesse prudent then godly minded king Henry the 8. put forth vnto vs in the yere of our Lord 1536 a booke of articles vvherein the signification of certaine ceremonies vvhich before vvere done he pl●●●…ly declared sensing kneeling offering to images vvorshiping of the same vvere forbid and also the name of purgitory vvas cleane taken avvay But hovv thankefully those things vvere then of some receiued their setting forth teaching of the same plainly shevved I do vvell remember that many vvere as loth then to forgoe theyr purgatory as they be novv vnvvilling to take dovvne their altars the monuments of the same that it was as strange a thing to say on Ashvvednesday Memento homo c. in English notvvithstanding the said booke of articles vvilling the same as it is novv to be examined in the Nevv testament by a godly bishop In the same yere also came forth godly iniunctions commanding parents and gouernours to teach their youth the Lords prayer the Articles of the faith the cōmandements of almighty God in English vvhich themselues had not learned therfore the curats vvere charged to recite one clause or article one day another on another day of the same vntill the vvhole vvere learned This yere likevvise by the authority of the same iniunctions the Bible Gods booke vvas set vp in the quiere to be read both in Latine and English vvhich thither vvas so vvell vvelcome so much regarded and so diligently studied that he had good leaue to depart from thence into the body of the church For in the yeare of our Lord God 1538. the magistrates were faine to renew the same iniunctions and speake more plainely who commanded the said Gods booke to bee set vp in some conuenient place in the Church and no man to be discouraged from reading of the same in English They charged all curates againe to teach the Lordes praier the articles of the faith and the commandementes of God and that they shoulde examine euerie person comming to auriculer confession in the same and heare them say the Lordes praier the articles c. particularly And also make or cause to be made one sermon euerie quarter in euerie one of their cures O Lord God what an eye sore torment of minde was this vnto them that were obstinate and wayward but what a sweete comforte to the simple that were willing to disburden their conscience If god had then as he hath now sent vs some godly learned Bishops that vvoulde haue taken paines to visite their cures and to haue examined howe these matters had gone forward they should haue perceaued many a false cast to haue bin plaied vnder the couerlet in the shifting houses And some simple folke woulde haue saide that their ghostles fathers had giuen them counsell to stick vnto their old primer and to beware of the newe and specially of the testament Diuers proclamations about this time were also set forth concerning Gods matters but alas they were so vnwillingly handled and so vnthankfully receaued that God had almost taken his word from vs againe At the length about the yeare of our Lord God 1544. the suffrages were put forth in english which likewise were so wel welcome to some that the kings maiestie then was constrained to write vnto certaine prelates concerning the same whome he aduertised not to be so slacke in putting the said praiers in practise as they were inserting forth his former articles iniunctions Thus God hath wrought among vs by a little and a litle to bring vs to knowledge that at the lēgth vve might willingly embrace his holy word Againe forsomuch as of late Gods booke was in some places almost forgot in some places runne out of the church into the chancel to hide himselfe amongest the popish bookes and of some so safely laid vp that a man might wright vpon him with his finger Ecce nunc in puluere dormio Therefore almightie God moued the heart of our moste naturall liege Lord and dearely beloued mayden king to lift vp the same Gods booke once again out of the dust Who

in the yeare of our Lord God 1547. set foorth by hys royall visitation godly homilies the paraphrase of that learned father Erasmus to the great comfort of the simple that be willing to learne also godly iniunctions meaning thereby to root vp all superstition abuse and idolatry to set vp gods word in their place Wherein he commanded not onely to take awaie all superstition and idolatrie but to take away and vtterly to extinguish and destroy all monuments of superstition idolatrie cap. 28. But how diligently putoffes haue practised their pollicie to hinder this his godly purpose it is better to lament it with teares then to rehearse it in letters Last of all to put all out of doubt and to make a perfect concord we haue a booke of cōmon praier with an order in the same for reading of Gods booke set forth in English by the same aucthoritie and stablished by act of parliament And least anie person would be so foolish mad to looke for the romish ragges againe one statute at the last parliament abolisheth and condemneth for euer all other popish bookes of the old seruice Notwithstanding some people be yet dased in those Gods matters that they know not vvhat to doe Maruaile not therefore deare father though the vngodly sorte doe misconster and euill interpret your godly trauaile For they crie for a law they must haue a law to lead them from euerie superstition by name els they vvill not obey But if they loued obedience quietnesse and had but one sparke of reuerend feare either toward God or their prince or anie desire of godly knovvledge there hath inough and inough againe bin said cōcerning matters of religion and also set forth both by order and law There be articles inough iniunctions inough proclamations inough commandements inough exhortations inough lessons inough and lavves inough if they vvere vnderstoode vvillingly embraced reuerently obeyed Albeit for them that be self vvilled frovvard contentious obstinat dul harted nothing vvil serue Therfore to none may be better applied this prophecy of Esay then vnto these Who saith They that be such must haue after one lesson another lesson after one commandement another commandement after one rule another rule after one instruction another instruction there a litle there a litle For he that speaketh vnto this people is euen as one that vseth rudenesse of speeche a strange language If anie man say vnto them loe this is the rest wherwith ye may ease hym that is wearie this is the refreshing they will not harken Therfore the word of the Lord lesson vpon lesson commandement vppon commandement rule vpon rule instruction vpon instruction there a little and there a litle shalbe vnto them an occasion of stumbling that they may goe on and fal backward be brused tangled and snared Wherefore heare the worde of the Lord yee mockers ye that haue rule of this people O vvould God I might haue ouerleapt this sentēce that goeth before that iustly novv it might not besaid They are out of the way by reason of wyne yea farre out of the way are they by reason of strong drinke These things my moste reuerend father haue inforced me to presume to doe that vvhich is aboue the strength both of my vvit and learning but not aboue my good vvill that is to collect out of Gods scriptures a simple and plaine manifestation of the Church in English or a manifest opening or shevving of the Church naming it the Epiphanie because that vvord albeit borrovved of the Grecians is frequented already among vs english men in the same signification The obscuritie misunderstanding and ignorance onely of this argument article hath bene and also is the cause of much obstinacie contention and disobedience For vntill it pleased almightie God to open vnto me by his holy spirit and vvorde this article credo ecclesiam c. vvith the right meaning of the same according to the scriptures I vvas as stiffe in the popish traditions taking them for good customes and ceremonies of the fathers as I am now earnest in Gods booke and taught them vvith so good a zeale but not according to knovvledge as I doe novv the Gospell Wherefore taking of the same remedy vvherof I tooke hurt euen of Credo ecclesiam as they that be hurt of scorpions be vvoont to do I can do no lesse but vvrite and set forth the same vnto and for such as be stoong vvith the same sting and venomed vvith the same poison Whose nature is not to hurt but vvhere it findeth bloud No more Credo ecclesiam hurteth but suche as cleaue too much to humaine reason and naturall vvit I trust they vvill not mislike that thing that loue constraineth me to doe for their sakes If they doe they shall find me as readie to defend the same by the word of god against all popish bablinges as I haue bene to vvrite it So that your godly learning misliketh it not vnto vvhome vvith all other godly learned I humbly submit the same beseeching you to accept in good part my small industrie as the first fruites of my pen and iudge thereof as god shall put in your minde to vvhome be all thanke praise and glory Amen Your humble Richard Phinch ¶ THE EPIPHANIE OF THE CHVRCH BEcause I couet rather to profite with homely and playn speech then to please with sweete faire words I will speake liberally but yet simply of the Church for their sakes and vnto them that be deceaued with euill custome bewitched with popish iuglings charmed with mens inuentions and beguiled with their owne wittes which resist the trueth of Gods holy word kicke against the pricke and grope at noone and cannot see the light for the sunne In whose mouth is euer Churche Church whose feete are dayly wandring vnto the church and their eyes gasing continually vpon the Church yet can they neyther finde nor see the Church because themselues be none of the Church What is so much alleadged of the babling papistes what so oft frequented of the common people and so manifest in all mens eyes as the Church Notwithanding for want of teachers of the Scriptures few doe know the Church Such is the knowledge among the silly people in verie manie Churches now a dayes Church in the English Bible is commonly called congregation For ecclesia a worde borrowed of the Greeke toonge which may be translated into Englishe eyther Church or congregation Church with vs is a common worde signifiyng the place as well as congregation whereunto the same assembleth for some honest or godly purpose It is written that all the people were gathered togither which made their prayers all the night long in the Church Our common places appoynted for prayer preaching and administration of the sacraments be so well knowne by this name Church that there needeth no example hereof Other whiles Church signifieth the whole multitude of people both of good and bad

then golde or pretious stone and sweeter then honie and honie combe The embassage of great ioy Ioyfull tidinges of peace tidinges of good things The poure of God vnto saluation to euerie one that beleeueth and able to saue their soules that imbrace it Wherefore lay apart sayth the Apostle Iames all filthinesse and superfluitie of maliciousnesse and receaue with meekenesse the worde that is grafted in you which is able to saue your soules Thus it appeareth manifestly vnto all them that be willing to see the trueth that God the father appoynteth vs vnto the worde of his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. Christ referreth vs vnto his holy spirite and trueth The holy Ghost also taught nothing else but the same trueth and word Therefore the holy Apostle durst not to appoint vs to anie other but straightly commendeth vs to the same trueth that cannot erre and vnto the word of grace which is the selfe same and still one trueth according to the infallible word of God that saith Thy righteousnesse O Lord is an euerlasting righteousnesse and thy lawe is the trueth So that we haue now in this time iust cause ioyfully to say with the prophet O praise ye the Lord all ye heathen praise him all ye people For his mercie is stablished vpon vs and the trueth of the Lord endureth for euer Then the which trueth there can be no surer stay guide and rule for the beliefe life and doctrine of mortall men in this mortall life and world of tribulation The Church of Antichrist hath no such stay guide nor rule but they are like the chaffe which the winde scattereth awaie from the face of the earth as the prophet Dauid witnesseth who also calleth them the councell of the vngodly the way of sinners and the chaire of pestilence or the seate of the scornful workers of iniquitie wicked men bloud-thirstie men the euil man the wicked man the wilde boare the cruell beast the slaunderer blasphemer enemie and persecutor the enemie in the holy place and aduersary whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse their throat is an open sepulcher with their toonges they haue deceiued the poyson of aspes is vnder their lippes their feete are swift to shed bloud destruction and vnhappinesse is in their waies and the way of peace haue they not knowne there is no feare of God before their eies There were they brought in great feare euen where no feare was Vaine persons and deceiptfull lippes whom euer all good men abhorred and hated after the example of the holy prophet who saith I haue hated the Church of the vvicked and will not sit among the vngodly Loe you see the wicked and vngodly haue the name of Church yea they haue got the name of holy Catholicke Church How else haue they put on sheepes clothing How haue they fashioned themselues like the ministers of righteousnesse And howe hath the deuill transformed himselfe into the angel of light Truely in this that his church hath got the titles of holy and Catholicke and his ministers the names of true shepheardes Catholicke be the right clothing of the sheepe of Christes fold Antichrist therefore hath robbed Christes fold of their right title holy and catholicke and thereby bleared the eyes of the simple vnlearned multitude which doe seeke no further for saluation then they haue bene taught they say by the holy Catholicke Church Their common sayinges be these We be not wiser then our fathers before vs We will doe as our fathers haue done Such thinges they doe affirme because they know not Sathan from the angell of light the wolues from the sheepe the lyes from the word of God neyther Church of Antichrist falsly called holy and catholicke from the Church of Iesus Christ which indeede is both holy and catholicke But in stead of the holy Catholick church they doe beleeue the Church of the wicked in whose dregs of detestable traditions and ceremonies they haue bene ousted from their youth Verely if they would ponder their wordes with halfe indifferent iudgement and behold them but with one of their eyes I thinke they would keepe silence or else blushe for shame For to say they will doe as their elders and fathers haue done before them is nothing but to confesse thēselues to walke wilfully in errour and blindnesse when their fathers wandered vnawares And where they say they be no wiser then their fathers they shew themselues to be blinde followers of the blinde But if the blinde follow the blinde they both fall into the ditch Their fathers tooke Antichrist the bishop of Rome for head of the Church they made images and worshipped them they gadded on pilgrimage and trusted in workes pardons absolutions dirges trentalles masses c. wherein they erred increased in error and walked ignorantly into perdition The cause whereof was the lack of the word of God which word is euer a rule vnto the holy catholicke church Therefore their fathers learned not these thinges of the holy Catholicke Church but of the Church of Rome vsurping the name of the holy Catholicke Church which abhorred and trode vnder feete the word of God without the which their fathers doctrine was nothing els but olde errour against whome God giueth a speciall commandement saying Keepe my commandementes doe not those thinges that other haue done before you be not defiled in them I am your Lord your God Wherefore addeth God these words I am your Lord your God but to the end he would haue his words regarded for euer and not his aduersaries the man of sinne and childe of perdition as Paul nameth him who deceaued their fathers Whose coming is after the vvorking of Sathan vvith al lying povvers signes vvonders with al deceiuablenesse of vnrighteousnesse amongest them that perish because they receaued not the loue of the trueth that they might be saued And therefore God shal send them strong delusion that they might beleue lyes that all they might be damned which beleeued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse In these wordes hath the holy Ghost plainly shewed the fashion and comming of the man of sinne sonne of perdition Church of the wicked and kingdome of Antichrist The Church or kingdome of Antichrist is called the man of sinne because it is builded vpon a sinnefull man gouerned by a sinfull man instructed by euill sinfull workmen and their doctrine defended by the lawes and power of sinnefull men Which tooke authoritie neyther of God nor of his worde but of a monstrous beast with many heades euen of the people that departed from the faith whereof the same holy spirite of God speaketh and prophecieth more plainely by the mouth of Paul saying The spirite speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shall giue heede vnto the spirites of error and deuilish doctrines of them which speake