Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	christian_a	church_n	pastor_n	1,389	5	9.1051	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11503	Vindiciæ sacræ. A treatise of the honor and maintenance due to ecclesiasticall persons. Done out of the Latin, of that famous diuine of Holland, H. Saravia, sometime prebend of Canterbury.; De diversis ministrorum evangelii gradibus. Part 3. English	Saravia, Adrien, 1530-1612.; Martin, James, fl. 1615-1630.	1629 (1629)	STC 21752; ESTC S112329	24,696	101

the Ministers of his Church to be Kings Luke 22.25 where he thus corrects the Error of his Apostles Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship ouer them and they that are in authoritie ouer them are called Benefactors But ye shall not be so That is You shall not be Kings whom those that are vnder their cruell gouernment are fayne to flatter with the magnificall Titles of Clemencie and Beneficence Iustly therefore may Kings resume whatsoeuer the Romane Prelate hath fraudulently or violently appropriated to himselfe But in this point there is both Prudence and Moderation to be vsed lest Caesar take not with his own due those things which belong to God The Romane Clergie seiz'd on both And it were a great dishonour for the Christian Magistrate to imitate them and to punish Rapine with Sacriledge I grant thar the Magistrate may by his Authoritie dispose at his pleasure those things which were giuen to meerly superstitious and Idolatrous vses and that the Church hath no Right to them Notwithstanding if the Law before recited or the Aduice of most learned Augustine may take place the Legacies bequeathed to the saying of Masses or the sustayning of Fryers and Nunnes may be conuerted to better vses whereby the Testators memorie may be lawfully perpetuated In the 16 chap. of Numbers the Censers wherewith 250 Rebelles impiously vsurping vpon the Priesthood would needs offer Incense to God were hallowed And therefore God would not haue them afterwards employed to common vses but commanded that they should be made into broad Plates for a couering of the Altar that so the Brasse which they had wickedly abused might be put to a sacred vse Which Command though it be not generall yet it teacheth vs what to doe in the like case Augustine in his 154 Epistle to Publicola concerning the Euersion of Idols and their Groues and Temples iudgeth that they were to be conuerted not to priuate vses lest it should seeme to haue beene done rather by Couetousnesse then Deuotion but to publike and namely to the Seruice of the true God That so they might be in the same state with Men that from prophane Impietie were conuerted to Christianitie Since the Law of God prescribes nothing herein to the Magistrate in expresse tearmes and whatsoeuer Moses hath written hereof concernes the Israelites in particular for my part I am of opinion that he may vse his own Discretion in the managing of these things Nor doe I contradict the Decree of the Emperours Honorius and Theodosius Yet I would desire that Princes and other Soueraigne Magistrates which haue reformed the Church would consider that Abbyes and Monasteries did robbe her of her Right when they impropriated to themselues the Tithes and Offerings which Christian Princes and People did in times past consecrate to their Pastor and the Poore For contrarie to the custome of the ancient Church they tooke vpon them the gouernment of Churches and vnder colour of profest Pouertie they snatcht away those things which ought to haue beene distributed to the Poore indeed CHAP. VI. The possessions of Monkes are not all of like nature AS I haue shewed the great difference of the Estate of the Pastors Rectorsof the Church so also are the Possessions of Monkes not all alike It were tedious to recount how they came to so great Wealth This chiefely would I haue obserued that whatsoeuer was possest by Monks that was indeed due to the Poore and Church-Pastors doth appertaine to the first sort of Ecclesiasticall goods which after the Ouerthrow of Monkerie are not to be held as escheated while the Church hath Pastors and Poore to prouide for Wherefore after the Eiection of Poperie those things onely were to be confiscate which did onely serue to support the Popes Superstition or Tyrannie The remainder which had no impious Ground or End should haue beene restored to the Church Wheresoeuer therefore all that belonged to Monkes and Monasteries was confiscate by the consent or counsell of those whom it more neerly concerned to looke to it they were the more too blame that did not intercede therein and better informe the Magistrate for surely the prophanation and abuse of the Churches Patrimonic could not be so great as to change the nature of it and vtterly destroy the first Donation The Arke of God among the Philistims was still the same and the Vessels of the Temple lost not their sanctitie in Babylon What though the Pope and his Clergie fouly and impiously abused the true and lawfull Goods of the Church Ought theresore the true Ministers of the Church to be cheated and defrauded of them Their Possessors are not Lords or Owners of them but Stewards onely hauing the vse fruit and administration of the Churches Estate but no proprietie therein Neither makes it any thing against me that Bishops in times past thought that the Reuenewes dedicated to Pagan Gods did not belong of right to the Church for I say not that the Church hath any Title to those Things which were immediately dedicated to Impietie such I haue already confessed to be in the power and at the donation of the Magistrate and that the Edict of Honorius and Theodosius and other pious Emperors and Christian Kings displeaseth not mee Whose Examples if they whose Errors mooued me to write this Treatise would haue vouchsafed to haue followed there had been no need of this Disputation CHAP. VII It is one thing for People to be conuerted from Paganisme to Christianitie another thing from Poperie or any other Heresie WEE may not forget that it is a farre other matter for any People to passe from the Pagan Religion to the Christian then from the Papisticall Heresie to the same The Difference betwixt Paganisme and Christianisme is not the same as betweene Papisme and Christianisme For Paganisme hath in it nothing at all of Christianitie but Poperie is Christianitie contaminated with Superstition and Idolatry and as I may say a Mungrell and impure Christianisme For the holy Scripture of the old and new Testament the Couenant of God the Baptisme of Christ the Remission of Sinnes the Name of Christian and many other things there are in it that are proper to the Church and Markes of Christianitie which out of the Church are not to be found either in Paganisme Iudaisme or Mahometisme Were Heresies and Superstitions weeded out of the Church of Rome the Remainder would bee Christianisme For Poperie is the disease of the Church not the Church it selfe and as the Leprosie or other deadly Contagion is to the Body of a Man such is Poperie to the Body of the Catholicke Church so that to forsake Poperie is not to forsake the Church but the Plague of the Church When an Ethnike is made a Christian an Alien and Forreyner is endenized and ingraffed into a new People begins to be a Member of the Church In the Reformation an adulterous Church becomes a chast Spouse and is reconciled to Christ her Husband and spurious and bastard

of Christianitie will instantly sell all they haue and lay downe the price at the Churches feet Act. 4.34 Surely MADAM were these People in truth the Children of God as they strongly fancie themselues Narcissus-like being in loue with their owne supposed Beauty they would be better affected to the Church the Mistresse of heauenly Truth and not goe about like pernicious Furies to cloathe Her in Raggs that so feruently and frequently endeuors by the dispensation of Gods holy Word and Sacraments to adorne their Soules with the precious Pearles and inestimable Jewels of all Christian Vertues and to inuest them Luke primâ stolâ with the Richembrodered Robes and Royall Ornaments of a true iustifying and sauing Faith But they well shew of what Spirit they are euen of such a one as would fright the whole Packe of them if he should appeare and bristle among them at their Conuenticles or Night-Assemblies The GOD of Heauen assist and comfort your GRACE with his Holy Spirit make you a happy Jnstrument of much Good to his Church and crowne you in the end with a Diadem of eternall GLORIE Your GRACES most humbly deuoted IAMES MARTIN TO ALL NOBLE AND RELIGIOVS Patrons and Patronesses of the CHVRCH Most Noble and Religious LET it not seeme strange to ioyne you all in one Inscription whom God hath linked as those ancient Worthies and Act. 4.32 primitiue Saints by the Golden Chaine of a blessed Societie and Communion for the comfort and support of his despised and distressed Embassadors whom though the Deuil his Aethiopian Angels Reu. 2.10 striue continually by their Agents and Vnder-minisbers to bring into Aegyptian seruitude and contempt by oppressing deprauing and impouerishing them yet hath the Spirit of GRACE stirred vp your excellent Spirits to relieue encourage and sustaine them In which Noble Actions among other famous Precedents you haue that thrice-Glorious Emperor THEODOSIVS your Predecessor who euen on his Death-bed and in extremitie of Sicknesse exprest his Royall Charitie ardent Zeale feruent Deuotion to the State Ecclesiasticall as to his eternall honor S. Ambrose hath recorded And surely if some Tim. 3.5 selfe-deceauing Christians of our Time which make Religion a verie Mummerie and Disguise for their sinister ends and giue small or no 2 Tim. 4.3 Regard to the Diuine Ordinance in the Ministerie of their owne Pastors would vn-maske a while and enter into a strict consideration of their Mortalitie and the infinitenesse of Eternitie with the succeeding interminable Ioyes or Torments they must shortly endure how highly would they esteeme and reuerence their ' Rectors and Spirituall Guides Heb. 13.17 whom God hath so singularly honord with that Euangelicall yea Angelicall Office of conducting Soules to Heauen Would they not in a sacred Rapture cry out with the Propheticall Esay 52. ● Euangelist How beautifull vpon the Mountaines are the feet of him that declareth and publisheth Peace that declareth good tidings and publisheth Saluation saying vnto Zion Thy God raigneth Vndoubtedly they would notwithstanding their humane frailties and ● Cor. 4.7 infirmities receiue them as the Gal. 4.13 14 15. Galatians did S. Paul and thinke nothing too good or too precious for them But alas we haue too iust cause to subioine that of the same Apostle Rom. 10.16 All haue not obeyed the Gospel For many saith S. Bernard will goe with the Wise-men from the East Act. 2.11 to seeke Christ yea they will fall down and worship him but they are growne too wise to open their Treasures Blessed therefore are YOV thrice-Noble Christians that spare neither your Gold Frankincense nor Myrrhe but make your Riches as Abraham did his Seruants to helpe to entertaine the Angels of God And thrice-blessed shall you be at that GREAT DAY when you shall ioyntly receaue your GREAT REWARD in Heauen March on therefore like the Starres in their Orbes Judg. 5.20 in your Seraphicall Zeale to the House of God and the Officers thereof that by such Heauenly Acts of Pietie laying vp in store for your selues a good 1 Tim. 6.19 Foundation against the time to come you may lay hold on Eternall Life The God of Heauen multiply the Glorious Graces of his Holy Spirit vpon you that being faithfull vnto Death Reu. 2.10 He may giue you a Crowne of Life Vester humilis deuotus IACOBVS MARTINIVS Facultatis Artium Mr Oxon. DE Authore Jnterprete CARMEN QVae priùs in Latio latuerunt abdita vulgo Dogmata Semonis sancta celebranda Bataui Haec sacer Interpres pulcrè transfundit ornat At qui sacrata gemmata monilia Libro Explicat aureolo Gemmam proponit in illo E. Gemmam Ne sis Aesopi Lector 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 RICHARDVS CRVXONIVS Theologus To the AVTHOR AS some rare Flower whose silken Leaues haue beene Concealed long from their desired View Displayes at last his bright-sweet-smiling hew Fit to adorne the Bosome of a Queene Or as a Diamond of rich esteeme In doubtfull shadow of the darkesome Night Darts forth his beames and giues a cheerfull light Whose Lustre may a Royall Crowne beseeme So shine thy Glories so this Worke shall be An Arch-Triumphall to thy Memorie R. B. LONDINAS A Treatise of the honor and maintenance due to the CLERGIE CHAP. I. Donaries giuen to Churches are firme by the same Lawes by which others of the Laity possesse their estates THE zeale and bounty of our fore Fathers in enriching the Church are knowne to all and it were strange to imagine that an vniuersall error or as some would haue it a madnesse should so long transport them in that point and that their Posteritie going a quite contrary way without Warrant from God and Example of former Ages should bee wiser then they As to follow the bad examples of our Ancestors is a fond Absurdity so to contemne their examples rashly and without iust cause is meere Impiety It is true both fathers and children are all prone to euill but whether are men more apt to take from others or to giue of their owne Our fathers gaue as none can deny with no ill intent their children take away what they gaue with what minde is apparant enough They gaue according to the Lawes these take contrary to Law Those things which haue beene giuen to the Church haue their strength and validity from the selfe-same Lawes whereby other men possesse what they haue and there is none but would thinke it a Tyrannicall act in a Magistrate to thurst him out of his Possessions without hearing him first speake for himselfe It had beene fit therefore that Ecclesiasticall persons should haue beene permitted to haue had audience and that sufficient reasons should haue been alleaged to them why they ought not any longer to be suffered in a Christian Common wealth nor to enioy the possessions of the Church They also which succeeded them in their Pastorall Charge should haue beene heard for it concerned them to know how the goods

Christians are legitimated wherefore whatsoeuer Goods of her Husbands the Adulteresse vsurped the lawfull Church as the true Wife may iustly clayme In the Code of Theodosius Lib. 16. tit 44. Contra Donatistas it is thus Let those Possessions where direfull Superstition hath hither to raigned be annext to the Venerable Catholike Church and let the Bishops Priests and all the Prelates and Ministers of the Donatists be stript of all their Reuenewes and banisht to seuerall Ilands and Prouinces In the same place in the 4 Booke wee find a Decree of the Emperours Honorius and Theodosius against the Montanists in these words If there be now any of their Edifices standing which are rather to be tearmed the Dennes of wild Beasts then Churches let them with their Reuenewes be appropriated to the sacred Churches of the Orthodox Faith Before our time there fell out many Alterations in the Church but when godly Emperors expelled the heretical partie they spoyled not their Churches of their Possessions but restored them to the true Professors as Augustine witnesses in his 50 Epistle to Bonefacius a Souldier Quicquid ergó nomine Ecclesiarum partis Donati possidebatur Christiani Imperatores legibus religiosis cum ipsis Ecclesiis ad Catholicam transire iusserunt That is Whatsoeuer the Donatists possest in Right of their Churches the Christian Emperors by religious Lawes commanded to passe together with the Churches to the Catholike Church Thus Austin I need not produce any more witnesses to proue so euident a Thing and well knowne To capitulate therefore what hath beene sayd Ecclesiasticall Possessions gotten by fraud or force and vsurped against all Right or giuen at first to a meere superstitious end are in the power of the chiefe Magistrate But what hath lawfully beene giuen to the Church and receaned is consecrated to God nor may without Sacriledge be otherwise trans-ferred St Augustine in his 50 Tract vpon Iohn the 12 Chapter and 9 Tome saith thus Ecce inter Sanctos est Iudas c. Behold Iudas among the Saints and sleight it not not an ordinarie but a sacrilegious Theefe a picker of purses but they were the Lords of purses but such as were sacred As Crimes are adiudged in the Ciuill Court simple Theft from priuate persons is not so penall as to robbe the Common-wealth How much more then is that sacrilegious Theefe to bee condemned which dare steale from the Church Such a one may well be compared to Iudas the sonne of Perdition CHAP. VIII What a haynous and incurable Sinne is Sacriledge PLATO being about to make a Law against Sacriledge De Leg. Dial. 9. begins with a great Preface iudging it to be an incurable Cryme and the Actor thereof not to be ordinarily euil but a creature composed of inexpiable Villanies wherefore hee exhorts such as are led with that hellish furie to expiate themselues to frequent the Temples to propitiate the Gods to vse the Companie of good Men to giue eare to them and to endeuour to speake and practise honest and iust things And if none of these can rid them of their disease he holds that Death were better for such then Life The Tenour of his Law followeth Quicunque in Sacrilegio c. Whosoeuer shall be found guiltie of Sacriledge if he be a Seruant or Stranger let his Crime be branded in his face hands and being well scourged according as the Iudges shall thinke meet let him be stript naked and so banisht the Countrey For peraduenture he may become some-what the better by this punishment For no punishment that is inflicted is hurtfull to the partie but either makes him better or lesse euill then he was But if he be a Natiue or Citizen that shall be conuict of such a Crime against the Gods or shall doe some haynous iniurie to his Parents or Citie let the Iudge resolue that such a one is incurable since hauing had from a Child all Institution and Education he hath not contained himselfe from the execution of such execrable Acts. Let him therefore suffer Death which is the least of Euils The other being disgraced and banished may haply doe good to others by his Exemplarie penaltie The Romane Lawes of the twelue Tables thus Decree concerning Sacriledge Sacrum sacroue commendatum qui clepserit rapseritque parricido esto That is Hee that steales or takes away that which is sacred or dedicated to a sacred vse let him be guiltie of Parricide What should I stand to repeat the seueritie of Lawes in this case It is well knowne to all As for those Sacrilegious persons which escape the Iudgement of Men either because they are Great or Powerfull or so concealed as the Lawes cannot bee executed vpon them they shall not be able to euade the Iudgement of God For it is one of the most Capitall Crimes that is pursued with Diuine Reuenge and both sacred and prophane Stories yeeld vs innumerable Examples thereof of which I will propound a few CHAP. IX Examples of Gods Vengeance vpon sacrilegious Persons THE first Example shall be that of Achan Iosua 7 who from the consecrated Stuffe of Iericho tooke 200 shekels of Siluer and a Wedge of Gold * Ios 6.19 beside the accursed Babylonish Garment for whose onely sinne all Israel suffered the Wrath of God till the sacrilegious Delinquent and all his Family his Sonnes and Daughters Oxen Asses and Sheepe were stoned to death by all the People and afterwards together with his Tent and all that he had burned with fire The next shall be another sacrilegious Fact committed by Priests and punisht by God as seuerely as that of Achan In 1 Sam. 2. we read That a Man of God came to Eli the High-Priest and sayd vnto him Thus saith the Lord Did I plainly appeare vnto the House of thy Father when they were in Agypt in Pharaohs House And did I chuse him out of all the Tribes of Israel to be my Priest to offer vpon my Altar to burne Incense to weare an Ephod before mee And did I giue vnto the House of thy Father all the Offerings made by fire of the Children of Israel Wherefore kicke ye at my Sacrifice and at my offerings which I haue commanded in my Habitation and honourest thy Sonnes aboue me to make your selues fat with the obiefest of all the Offerings of Israel my People Wherefore the Lord God of Israeh saith I said indeed that thy House and the House of thy Father should walke before me for euer But now the Lord saith Be it farre from me For them that honor Me I will honor and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed Behold the daies come that I will cut off thine arme and the arme of thy Fathers House that there shall not bee an old Man in thine House And thou shalt see an Enemie in my Habitation in all the Wealth which God shall giue Israel and there shall not be an old Man in thine House for euer And the Man of thine whom I