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	pope_n	rome_n	4,587	5	6.8117	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A73011	Looke beyond Luther: or An ansvvere to that question, so often and so insultingly proposed by our aduersaries, asking vs; where this our religion was before Luthers time? VVhereto are added sound props to beare vp honest-hearted Protestants, that they fall not from their sauing-faith. By Richard Bernard, of Batcombe in Sommersetshire.	Bernard, Richard, 1568-1641.	1623 (1623)	STC 1956.3; ESTC S123041	43,757	64

the people vpon the King as a Father to looke to his children to call them to the Faith and Law of Christ and to the holy Church hereby acknowledging the King to bee the supreme Head and Gouernour in all causes aswell Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill and to be Gods Vicar in his owne Realme which title that Bishop twice nameth in that Epistle Thus we see out of this short Epistle what we may thinke of the Religion then at Rome and how agreeing to ours now and differing from theirs at this present The third conuersion for which they magnifie so much this Austin but very falsely was in Gregorie the Great his dayes In which time though many corruptions were crept into the Church of Rome yet the maine points of our differences wherein we differ from this present Romish superstition were then taught in that Church as may appeare out of the writings of Gregorie as he did then teach concerning holy Scriptures the grace of God of Freewill of the Law of iustification of Faith of good Workes also concerning the not worshipping of Images likewise of the acknowledging of the two Sacraments also his iudgement of the Church of the head of the Church of Antichrist of an vniuersall Bishop of secular power ouer Bishops of Marriage of soules departed and whither they went Gregorie was no Patrone of the Romish Masse nor of the corporall and transubstantiated bread nor of merit nor of Papall supremacy nor of temporall iurisdiction ouer Kings and Emperours nor of the necessitie of Ceremonies alike in euery Church Gregorie held not the Machabees canonicall but taught the perfection of Canonicall Scripture he exhorted Lay men to the studie of them and in his time the Scriptures were allowed and prayers were said in a knowne and vulgar tongue he held the Catholike Church to be the elect and the reprobate out of it and was against marriages within degrees forbidden Leuit. 18. Thus we see that at the three conuersions our Religion now and that at Rome then was one and the same Neither can our aduersaries shew the contrary from Scripture from the vniforme consent of ancient Fathers either Greeke or Latine or from generall Councels within those times no nor from the Bishops of Rome themselues for that space if they will make conscience to deale squarely plainly and honestly in their proofes And that they may so doe I would entreate to lay aside first all counterfeite Decretall Epistles such as those be which are ascribed to the Bishops of Rome in the first 300 yeeres as our learned men haue prooued both by reasons and from the testimonie of the learned among them Secondly those partly corrupted and partly also counterfeit Decretall Epistles in the next 300. yeeres Thirdly all the counterfeite and corrupt Canons of Councels Fourthly all the bastard writings put vpon the ancient Fathers Fifthly the places corrupted in any of their writings If they will cast off this great and wicked deceite in alleaging these for themselues the truth of my assertion That this our Religion was then at Rome and not this their present Romish faith will manifestly appeare to all men not wilfully blinded for by and worldly respects Lastly the Christian Religion first planted in Ireland was before Austins comming in hither For as is afore spoken Scottish and Irish Christian Bishops withstood him at his comming But that which was then receiued and professed by the ancient Irish was for substance the very same which is now here in England by publike authoritie maintained as is substantially proued by a godly learned Father in all Antiquities of the Church the Lord Bishop of Meeth to which I referre euery Reader which desireth to bee satisfied in theirs and our agreement about Scripture translations predestination freewill the Law sinne free remission of sins iustification by faith onely imperfection of sanctification merit purgatory and soules departed about Gods worship Images the Masse communicating in both kinds and the mysticall receiuing of the Sacrament That Learned man doth shew how wee and they doe agree in all these things which are the most maine points of faith betwixt our aduersaties and vs. And therefore I conclude from this and all that formerly hath been produced in this fifth Argument that this our present Religion was heere in this Iland before Austines time VI. Argument From God the Author and continuall Preseruer of our Religion against all oppositions THat Religion which is of God was before Luthers time for that which is of God cannot bee ascribed to man nor so new as the late dayes of Luther For the true Religion is the most ancient and this is the good way to be found in the old wayes and not in new inuentions and new by-paths But our Religion is of God which I thus prooue It was taught by the Prophets and Apostles messengers of God the Prophets were sent by him 2. Chron. 36.16 2. King 17.13 Ier. 25.4 by whom God spake Heb. 1.1 and they taught and wrote as the holy Ghost directed them 2. Pet. 1.21 2. Tim. 3.25 The Apostles were sent of God Matth. 10.5 Mark 16.16 Gal. 1.1 12. and spake as God by his Spirit directed them Matth. 10.20 Ioh. 14.26 These were the publishers of our Religion both in the common truthes of our Christianitie as also in the differences from our aduersaries And for proofe wee appeale to the Apostles and Prophets extant writings Our Religion is written in those holy Scriptures the Booke of God as before is prooued It is propagated and preserued by such meanes as be ordained of God of which also before It is receiued beleeued conscience made of it onely by the operation of the Spirit of God It bringeth men to the true knowledge of God to beleeue onely in God to worship onely God onely to honour God and to be ruled onely after the will of God It s onely vpheld and preserued by Gods and not by mans power This will easily bee granted if men consider what weake meanes in mans iudgement hath spred it abroad and brought it into esteeme with such as professe it truly to wit onely preaching praying and constantly suffering in the defence thereof Also the small number and meanenesse of the persons for the most part which haue from the dayes of Iesus Christ made profession thereof and withall the little worldly policy vsed for helpe to support it But on the other side if the enemies thereof be well considered who haue continued from the beginning of the Gospell perpetually endeuouring to vndermine our Religion euery one will yeeld it to be the very hand of God that maintaineth it The multitude of them out of the Church are infinite as Iewes Gentiles Saracens Turkes and a world of other Infidels The Heretikes which haue risen vp and gone out from the true Church and haue laboured to shake the very foundation of our Christian Faith very many The Hypocrites and prophane are too many which professing the same

the people of Israel once the people of God in Dauids and Salomons dayes and many hundred yeeres before when Idolatrie vnder pretence to worship no false but the true God was set vp and they not suffered then to do their office vnto the Lord as their office required If they were not no more are we For why doe we forsake the Romish Church Is it not because she hath set vp a new manner of seruice vnto God new kinds of Priests new Holy-dayes new Sacraments new Orders and will not permit the Lords Seruants and Ministers to do their Offices vnto the Lord as he hath by his written Word prescribed Therefore seeing we are not guiltie of Schisme we are not as Schismatikes out of the Church into which by Baptisme wee are receiued III. Not as excommunicate persons For if we be neither Heretikes nor Schismatikes vpon what other ground will they iudge vs to be proceeded against There are other causes for which men are excommunicate but in this question our aduersaries cannot pleade any such Againe I aske if wee bee excommunicate who hath pronounced the sentence Is it the Romish Church By what authoritie Their Church is not the Catholike Church but only a particular as ours is and it is by vs questioned and therefore in reason it cannot bee both a Partie accused and also a Iudge against vs in her owne cause Thirdly we doe appeale from her vnrighteous iudgement to a lawfull generall Councell where vpon earth our cause is onely to bee heard and decided lawfully Till which time wee for any censure of this Church of Rome doe remaine in the true Church into which by Baptisme wee are admitted out of which as yet we are not lawfully iudged to bee by any lawfull and supreme authoritie as either Heretikes Schismatikes or as excommunicate persons Therefore Christian-harted Reader thou that art a member of the Church of England though thou beest no Romanist assure thy soule that thou art of that Church which is vndoubtedly a member of the True Ancient Catholike and Apostolike Church in which abiding thou maist through the merits of thy blessed Sauiour obtaine eternall life if thou so beleeuing doest demeane thy selfe as it becommeth a good Christian and a Protestant in earnest And for thine owne more certaine assurance and stable abiding let me aduise thee to a few things Haue a care to keepe thy Couenant in thy Baptisme that thou mayst be better perswaded that God keepes his with thee and so to be one of his in the true Church Labour to feare God for it is the beginning of wisdome and the secrets of the Lord are with such as feare him and he will shew them his couenant Psal 25.14 Haue euer a loue of the truth and God will not giue thee ouer to beleeue lyes for this is a iudgement befalling such as loue not the truth beleeue it not but take pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Be a doer of the Word and thou shalt know the doctrine whether it bee of God or no. Beware of affected ignorance and carelesse neglect of knowledge but vse the meanes appointed to attaine vnto it Exercise thy selfe much in prayer beg of God wisdome and hee will giue it thee his Spirit and he will vouchsafe it thee pray against sedition and God will keepe thee frequent the company of such as haue knowledge the feare of God before them the loue of the truth in them and make conscience of their wayes Aske aduice of faithfull Teachers listen not to false Teachers feare to be seduced And further that thou mayst both defend the truth and also be able according to thy measure receiued to resist the aduersaries I. Learne carefully the truthes of God necessarie to saluation set downe in holy Scriptures Such truths are very manifestly and plainely deliuered either in expresse termes or by an vndoubted consequent drawne from thence and all such necessarie points as concerne all are written in the Scriptures as their Bellarmine confesseth With these Scriptures acquaint thy selfe and being an ordinarie Christian doe not trouble thy selfe about obscure places for plaine and easie places will bee sufficient to confirme thy faith in any thing necessarie for thee to beleeue and practize in the way of saluation II. Be well grounded in the Catechisme the parts whereof are the Creed the Lords Prayer the Decalogue and the doctrine of the Sacraments for these are the compendium or short summe of all Christianitie These well vnderstood will furnish thee with reasons to withstand seducers There is not any thing of which they shall speake but the same may be brought to some head in Catechisme as either concerning Faith and so referred to the Creed or concerning Prayer and so referred to the Lords Prayer or concerning obedience and so referred to the Decalogue or ten Commandements or else touching the Sacraments the Seales of our Faith III. Adde to these certaine considerations by which thou mayest defend the truth and ouerthrow falshood as the common law of Nature common reason right vse of senses common experience common equitie common charitie common honestie the witnesse of knowne Martyrs whereto adde the corruption of our nature allowing or disliking of any thing By the plaine euidence of Scripture by the Catechisme and by these considerations mayst thou trie all things which be necessarie for thee to stand vpon If a seducer come to thee and that he will needs deale with thee obserue two things first not to regard what he saith if it be not about necessarie points Secondly see that his confirmation or confutation bee onely by either some or all these three aforenamed to wit plaine Scriptures the parts of the Catechisme and those considerations from whence if hee cannot proue his assertions beleeue him not If he begin to tell thee of Councels ancient Fathers and the Churches custome in all Ages answere him first that the three former are knowne to thee the Bible common at hand the Catechisme in thy remembrance and the consideration of such as are without difficultie but as for these three last great reading and learning and knowledge in Historie are required to vnderstand them well and to cite them truly They are for the best learned of the world and not for any of the common sort ordinarie men cannot iudge aright by them neither will any such presume to thinke such abilitie to be in them if they would take notice of diuers things concerning Councels Fathers and the Churches custome I. Touching Councels they must know that they are not only subiect to errour but also haue erred that they haue contradicted one another that some of them haue been carried by a strong faction that ancient Fathers would not rest euer vpon the sole authoritie of Councels that Papists themselues though they pretend them yet doe not wholly resigne their iudgement vnto them that there are some counterfeite and forged Councels and counterfeite Canons added

Romish Bishops Yea the Centurists and other Protestants haue obserued out of Galfridus that before Austines comming there was here amongst the Britaines the profession of more pure Christianity then that which Austine brought from Rome Its babbled out by our aduersaries that this Austin conuerted this Iland but this is most vntrue for Saint Aidan and Saint Finan were the Lords instruments to gaine many here to Christ Saint Aidan recouered from Paganisme the Kingdome of Northumberland whereunto belonged besides Northumberland it selfe the Lands beyond it vnto Edenborow Frith these Countries Cumberland Westmerland Lancashire Yorkeshire and the Bishopricke of Durham Saint Finan regained not onely Essex and Middlesex but also the large Kingdome of Mercia conuerted first vnto Christianitie which Kingdome did comprehend vnder it these Countries Glostershire Herefordshire Worcestershire Warwickshire Leicestershire Rutlandshire Northamptonshire Lincolneshire Huntingtonshire Bedfordshire Buckingamshire Oxfordshire Staffordshire Darbyshire Shropshire Nottingamshire Cheshire and halfe Hertfordshire These holy men are they which vnder God are to haue the prayse and not Austin who brought some but few in comparison of these to the profession of Christ but withall besmeared them with Romish superstitions And such others as were already Christians hee endeuoured to loade with humane inuentions and vnnecessary ceremonies and was if not the cause yet the occasion of the destruction of many and of the miserable and mercilesse slaughter of the godly Monkes at Bangor to the number of 1200. for that these poore Monkes would not submit to him whom they saw to be too proud and not so humble a man as a man of God ought to haue been V. That this our Religion was here before Austin it may appeare by that publike doctrine of the Church which was taught about the time of Gregory who sent in hither this Austin concerning the blessed Sacrament altogether agreeing with our present doctrine and plainely opposite to the doctrine of the now Church of Rome For in an Homily of the Saxon Tongue appointed to be preached on Easter day throughout euery Church the bread is acknowledged to be naturally corruptible bread and corruptible wine truly Christs body and blood yet not so bodily but spiritually and nothing therein to be vnderstood bodily but all spiritually If this was the publike doctrine so fully herein agreeing with vs so contrary now to the Romish beliefe in their transubstantiated bread for deniall whereof they haue murthered so many and now hold it still so maine an article of their Romane beliefe how can it be otherwise imagined all things also before considered withall but that the Religion then was our religion now and not this of the Church of Rome VI. It cannot be denied if our Religion bee the same which was planted by the Apostles in the Easterne Churches from which our Religion was brought hither as is afore deliuered but that then this our Religion was before Austines time But that ours is the same the Apostles writings written to the Churches shew Secondly an Apostle or some Apostolicall men here taught it Thirdly the writings of the Greeke Fathers for 600. yeres space after Christ which is all the space from Christ to this Austin giue testimonie to our Religion in the maine points thereof as is prooued before in the third argument Fourthly it is euident euen by those things which yet the Churches at this day in those parts doe hold with vs and wherein wee and they agree against the now Romish Religion For the Greekes denie the Popes Supremacie Purgatorie and Prayer for the deliuerance of soules out of it the necessitie of Auricular Confession Meritorious satisfaction of the iustice of God Transubstantiation carued Images and Statues They deny that Saints departed heare our Prayers They administer the Sacraments in both kinds and allow Ministers marriage They mixe not water with wine they vse not vnleauened bread They admit not priuate Masses nor the Circumgestation or Adoration of the Sacrament nor the publike seruice in an vnknowne tongue They teach the assurance of saluation in Christ and renounce the merit of workes All which are opposite to the now Romish Religion and are the truths of our Religion taught by the Apostles and holy ancient Fathers from the beginning in the Easterne Churches wherein they are not falne from that which at first they receiued as they be in some other things which they teach and practise VII The Religion which we professe is the same which was at Rome at the time of the three conuersions of England as they call them and therefore was this our Religion before Austines comming and here professed when hee came in The first conuersion was in the Apostles dayes but in their daies was our religion at Rome as Saint Pauls Epistle written to the Saints there and other of his Epistles declare as also the Epistles of Saint Peter whom they would faine haue to haue been at Rome to which our Religion agreeth wholy and fully wherein soeuer wee now differ from the present doctrine of the Church of Rome Let their writings be Iudge from which our aduersaries haue greatly erred as is euidently prooued in all the maine poynts of the Christian Faith And therefore was it our Religion then professed at Rome and not this new Romish Faith The second Conuersion they make to bee in Eleutherius dayes who wrote as they acknowledge vnto our King here called Lucius If here was any conuersion wrought it was to our Religion and not to the present Romish Trentisme as may be clearely gathered out of that Epistle of Eleutherius and which they doe approue of as written to the same Lucius First Eleutherius there telleth the King that he had receiued the Law and Faith of Christ Secondly as hereby shewing him where this Law and Faith was to bee found he telleth him againe immediatly vpon these former words that he had receiued both the parts of the scriptures Thirdly he so commendeth the Scriptures to the King and his Councell that thence by Gods grace they themselues might take a Law to rule the Kingdome This Bishop did not take vpon him to prescribe them Lawes hee alloweth them being Lay persons as they now speake to meddle with the holy Scriptures and from thence and not from him nor from his Lawes nor from the Lawes of the Romanes to take a Law to liue by This Bishop therefore held the Scripture sufficient for a direction and guide to a whole Kingdome hee held them not so obscure but that the King and his Councell by Gods grace though but young Christians might learne out of them the wil of God how hee would haue a Christian Kingdome gouerned Fourthly this godly Bishop calleth Lucius Gods Vicar in his owne Kingdome and alleageth Scripture to prooue it hee was not then swolne vp with the pride of Antichristian Supremacy nor conceited any temporall power ouer kings as now the Popes doe Lastly hee puts wholly the care of