Selected quad for the lemma: doctrine_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
doctrine_n	catholic_n	church_n	tradition_n	2,180	5	9.3701	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A06347	An excellent and plaine discourse of the church, whereby the godlie may knowe and discerne the true Church, from the Romish Church, and all other false and counterfet churches, as well for matters of doctrine, as discipline, &c. Written in Frenche by M. Bartrand de Loque, a godlie minister of Dolphenine. And faithfully translated into English, by M.T.W. Seene and allowed; Traité de l'eglise. English	Loque, Bertrand de.; T. W. (Thomas Wilcox), 1549?-1608.	1582 (1582)	STC 16813; ESTC S103377	172,896	422

Church he ceaseth not for all that to be an heretike Secondly S. Paule declareth that hee Rom. 12.6 who hath the gift of prophecy ought to prophecy that is to say expound the scriptures according to the proportion of faith Now if in this behalfe we would take heed to and marke the expositions whiche the Romishe Catholikes make and bring foorth vpon the scripture we shall finde at the least for the greatest part that they alledg or bring nothing lesse than the right true sense therof not following the analogie proportion which is required namely when the question is to expound these wordes of Iesus Christe Matt. 26 2● This is my body For seeing that they tye Iesus Christ here belowe on the earth meaning also that he should bee bodily in the sacrament and that neuerthelesse the articles of our faith which are taken and drawen out of the holy scripture doe teach vs that Iesus Christ is aboue in heauen Act. 3.21 that he must of necessitie in respect of his body be therein contained remaine there vntil the last day that he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead it followeth well that in such an exposition they go farre astray and wander very much from the analogy proportion of faith As much also may we iustly say in that behalfe of manye other articles which they haue corrupted Matt. 15.9 besides that very oftē they propound teach for doctrine mens traditions which are not onely not drawne or taken from the word of God but which is more are altogether contrary therto as cōcerning abstinence from meats forbidding of marriage inuocation of Saints praier for the dead adoration or worshipping of reliques and images many other such like matters And as concerning the sacramēts it is certaine that they are not lawfully administred by those men neither yet according to the forme and ordinance of Iesus Christ but they adde and ioyne to them in the ministration thereof infinite abuses and superstitions do corrupt them through a certaine kinde of idolatrie which is detestable and full of vngodlines for that I may speak nothing of the fiue sacraments which they haue added of their owne let vs consider in what puritie baptisme and the holie supper is administred amongest them First is this a small abuse to applie or minister baptisme to things without sense as to bells which was not ordayned but for reasonable creatures Is this a sleight prophaning therof to ioyne to this sacrament oyle spittle salt and other such thinges as though it did not behoue vs to be content with that simplicitie wherein and wherewith Iesus Christ hath commaunded his Apostles to administer the same And touching the holy supper when they cause men to woorshippe a morsell of breade for Iesus Christ when they denye to the people the signe of wine when the Priest eateth all by himselfe so that there is not any communion or partaking at all what is a corruption of the sacrament and an ouerthrowing of the ordinance of Iesus Christ if this be not Now seeing that these matters fall out thus we are to make this conclusion to wit that seeing it must needs be that the word of God should be purely preached and expounded and the sacramentes lawfully administred to the ende that men may holde take them for right and certaine markes of the true Church that we are certaine and it manifestly appeareth that the contrarie be found amongest the Romishe Catholikes it followeth very well that these are not to be attributed to them although they would make men beleeue that these markes doe agree vnto them and their Church as well as vnto vs. But we will dispute more largely in an other chapter of this matter to witte whether the Romishe Church be the true church or no CHAP. V. Of the succession and calling of Pastors BVT it may be that some will demaund Is not the succession and ordinarie calling of Pastours a marke also of the true Church yea one of the principall markes I aunswere that the Romish Catholikes do affirme so indeed for this is that which they cōmonly obiect vnto vs to weaken our calling by being not able in the rest to find any thing to say or set against the doctrin whiche we preach vnlesse they intangle themselues in infinite contradictions and manifest absurdities But in the first place concerning succession I demaund what this is whiche they meane there I suppose that it is not such a succession as is from the father to the sonne as it hath beene heeretofore in the line and race of Aaron as to say that he should be a priest that is the sonne of a priest for so they might ouermuch discouer and vnfolde the vilanie of their high priestes but that they meane a continuall succession of Bishops and Pastors succeeding one an other euen from the time of Iesus Christ and his Apostles But where is this to bee shewed that they haue founde that suche a succession should simplie bee necessarie and make a vocation or calling lawfull Doeth S. Paule Timoth. 4. 1. c. Titus 1.7 c. describing what qualities and conditions ought to bee alwayes in those whiche shoulde bee chosen for Pastours of the Church make any mention at all of this succession No indeede And yet notwithstanding it had beene verie fit yea necessarie if the succession whereof wee speake had beene wholie required in a Bishoppe or Pastor to make his vocation sure certayne and lawfull But that we may not speake confusedly of this point we must distinguish betweene the succession of persons and that which is of the chaire and place and betweene the succession of doctrine and office As concerning the succession of doctrin we say that it is altogether on our side and no whit at all on the Romishe Catholikes side for we make profession to teache the pure word of God alone following therein the Prophetes and Apostles whereas they of the Romish Churche staying them selues vpon their inuentions teache for doctrine the traditions and commandements of men Matt 15.9 which thing Iesus Christe expresly forbiddeth And as touching that succession which concerneth the execution of the office or of all the chardge and dutie of Pastours which consisteth in preaching the Gospell purely in administring the sacramentes lawfully in caring for the poore in visiting the sicke in redressing offences in exhorting comforting teaching reproouing and such like exercises trueth it selfe and experience doe sufficiently shewe who doe indeede and verily succeede the Apostles therein whether the priestes of the Romish Church or wee Saint Augustine hath sometimes sayd That the name of a Bishoppe Lib. 19. cap. 19. de ciuitat Dei is a name of charge or burthen and not of ●●nour that he indeed is a Bishop which desireth to profit his flocke in teaching them and not simplie to beare rule ouer the same Also in an other place We are not

when Iesus Christ ordained his twelue Apostles he ordained them for a time only and after them he hath not substituted or ordained others in their place to haue so ample and large a charge as theirs was Likewise we read not that the Apostles established other apostles in their steed but onely Elders auncients that is to say Pastors and Ministers who had their callings charges offices limitted Wherefore albeit S. Peter might well be an vniuersall Bishop yet so it is that those that came after him cānot rightly attribute vnto themselues such an office But to conclude by what markes can the pope bragge that he is the successor of peter whose office he doth not any maner of way execute and whom he followeth not in any thing whatsoeuer CHAP. VIII Whether the Church of Rome be the true and Catholike Church And whether wee doe well to separate and withdrawe our selues from it WHen wee call the assemblie of papists the Romish Churche wee meane not that wee hold or take the same for the true Church For we take the worde Church in his generall signification for a companie or fellowship or congregation And in deede wee holde and affirme that among the papists the true church is not but only some little tract or path of a Churche to the ende that that which S. Paul saith may be accomplished to wit 2. Thes 2.4 that Antechrist doth sit as god in the temple of God This being true much lesse can we say that the assembly which is amongest the papistes is the Catholike Church which point we proue by these resons following The first reason The true Church is foūded or builded vpon the doctrine of the prophetes and apostles as S. Paul saith Ephes 2.20 but the papacie or popedome hath not any suche foundatiō because that it hath ouerthrown the doctrine of the prophetes and apostles as may plainly appeare by the examination of their traditions The popedome therfore is not the true Church The second reason In the true Catholike Church the truth shold reigne beare sway for S. Paule saith 1. Tim. 3.7.15 the church is the piller and ground of truth but in the papacie truth reigneth not but on the contrarie side falshood lying as appeareth by the doctrine of the masse of Purgatorie of inuocation or prayer to Saints of idols of merites and other such matters Wherfore it followeth that the papacie or popedome is not the true Church 2. Cor. 11.2 Ephe. 5.22 The third reason The true Church is the spouse or wife of Christ But the Church of Rome is not the spouse of Christ For the spouse of Christe contenteth her selfe with Christ her only husband euen as an honest woman doth content herself with her only husband without admitting or suffering any other with or besides him which the Romish church doth not because she receiueth the Pope of Rome for her husband ioyneth him together with Iesus Christ Wherfore it followeth that the Romish church is not the true church The fourth reason The true Churche is the sheepfold of Iesus Christes sheepe Ioh. 10.16 But the popedome is not the sheepfold of Christes sheepe for it heareth not the voyce of Christ the true pastor or sheepheard but the voice of a strāger that is of the pope whose lawes it followeth and keepeth more then the lawes of Christ The papacie then or Popedome is not the ttue Church The fift reason The true Church is the body of Christ Ephe. 1.23 but the Romish Churche is not the body of Christ For the body of Christ contenteth it self with Christ the only head thereof otherwise it should be a mōster with two heads as we haue declared before in the seuenth chapter which thing the romish church doth not bicause it receiueth holdeth the pope for her head Wherfore it foloweth very wel that the Romish church is not the true church The sixt reason Though it were that the church of Rome were the true Church yet it could not be but a particular church euē as the Church of Corinthus Ephesus others whereupon it foloweth that it is not neither can be the Catholike and vniuersall church The 7. reason In the true Church these 3. markes are found without fayling that is to say the lawful calling of pastors the pure preaching of the word and the right administration of the sacraments But in the Romish church these 3. markes are not to bee found as it is easie to shew by the examination that a man might take thereof Wherof it followeth that the Romish church is not the true and right church Nowe seeing that wee haue sufficiently shewed that the churche of Rome is not the Catholike Churche neither yet the true Churche men must not deeme it straunge that wee cannot agree with it but that wee depart and separate our selues from it and that in so doing we ought not at any hand or any maner of way to be held and accoūted for Schismatiks because we do not forsake the ancient and Catholike Church no not the auncient Romane Church but do altogether agree with the same For would wee knowe what manner of Church the Church of Rome was in ancient time Tertullian teacheth it vs when he speketh therof after this maner A blessed Churche for which the Apostles haue spread abrode all the doctrine with their blood Tertul. de praescr haeretic where Saint Peter suffered such a death as the Lorde him selfe did where Paule was crowned with martyrdome where Iohn the Apostle was put into burning or flaming oyle and yet was taken out of the same without any hurt or blister and afterwardes sent into exile Let vs looke vpon that which shee learned and that which shee taught and what concorde and agreemente shee hath had with the Churches of Affrica Shee hath acknowledged confessed and allowed one onely God the Creator of all things and Iesus Christ the sonne of God borne of the Virgine Mary shee hath beleeued also the resurrection of the flesh shee hath receiued the law and the Prophetes with the writinges as well of the Euangelists as of the Apostles and from thence shee draweth or fetcheth faith she marketh hers with the Sacramente of Baptisme and shee clotheth them with the holy Ghoste she nourisheth them with the Sacrament of the Supper shee exhorteth by martyrdome and shee receiueth not any person against such instruction Behold Tertullian his woordes Wherefore we haue not forsaken this auncient churche of Rome but the newe and particular Romishe churche which since hath lifted vp her selfe whiche aduoucheth the pope for her head and alloweth him for the Vicar of Iesus Christe on earth which worshippeth him and obeyeth his lawes againste the lawes of GOD. For shee hath degenerated and gone out of kinde and hath loste all her authoritie euen as the cleargie of the saide Church hath sometimes foretolde writting to Saint Cyprian saying That the prayse that Saint Paule gaue to that

Those which concerne the discipline are to bee referred to the order and honestie which ought to be kept in the church and cōsist in a maner fashion of doing altogether outward and these may a man call indifferent which a man may vse either well or euill of this sort are ordinaunces touching the places the times the seasons the houres set for preachings ministration of the Sacraments the celebration of marriages fasts publik praiers such like things yet notwithstanding this must be knowne that no man may appoint in the practise and perfourmance of these matters the seruice of God or our saluation neither must any man thinke that of themselues they concerne the conscience Nowe the difference and disputation that some moue and make in the Church touching this matter is not as concerning this laste kinde of Lawes apperteining only to the discipline or pollicie So euery one knoweth and cōfesseth that the church cannot want her pollicie order and that to the end shee may abide vnited and tyed together shee hath neede of certain outward bonds wherfore the church may without any difficulti or doubt make lawes apperteining only to the outwarde discipline and take them away or change them according as she shal iudge them to be expedient profitable hauing alwaies speciall respect to the times places and persons As for example the church may ordeine appoint some day of the week for publike praiers whether the prayers be ordinary or extraordinary the Churche also may chose a certaine day or a certaine houre to giue thankes vnto God when it shall haue pleased him to haue deliuered out of some greate daunger either the whole Churche or the Countrie or the Magistrate or some other members placed in authoritie the Churche also may publish a fast so often as necessitie and occasion shall require It may take order also that Baptisme be ministred at a certaine time after the preachings that the holy Supper be celebrated and ministred so often in a yeere and at those seasons which they shall iudge expedient and meete that the as kings or publishing of the banes of marriage shoulde bee as it were proclaimed or declared three seuerall Sundaies And lastly that the saide marriages should bee celebrated at the Sermons or preachings either in the morning or euening that the consistories for the maners of the people and the assemblie or company which haue care for the poore assemble and meete together so often in a moneth as shall bee found expedient and profitable Wherefore the Churche may establish these lawes and other such like which the faithful ought to obey to the ende that there may not be any disorder or any confusion among the people of God But the question is of lawes concerning doctrine and the Sacraments or els other lawes touching the discipline by which they woulde binde consciences inclose and comprehende therein simplie the seruice of God that is to say whether it belong to the Churche to make Lawes thereof or no The Romish Catholikes say they may and wee affirme the contrarie and these are their reasons following The first reasō is this The Church hath authoritie to teach wherefore she hath also authoritie to make lawes belonging to the doctrine or teaching But this argument may be ouerthrown in two wordes if we denie the cōsequence For these be matters very much differing to wit to haue authoritie to teache and to haue authoritie to make Lawes belonging to the doctrine Iesus Christe hath in deede giuen the first of these to his church but so hee hath not the seconde And as God hath expressely forbidden to add any thing vnto his law Deut. 4.2 12.32 so Iesus Christ hath cōmāded his disciples to teach only the doctrine which they had heard and receiued of him The second reason The church hath the vse of the keies can bind and loose absolue and excōmunicate Wherfore it followeth that shee hath also authorie to establishe lawes apperteining to the doctrine I answere in one worde that the consequēce is false as it was in the argument last before going for a Lorde or Ruler will in deed giue power and authoritie to his officers to absolue to condemne according to the lawes ordinances but yet it will not folow for al that that he giueth them power of thēselues to make new lawes ouer his people to iudge by them according to their own fantasie So Iesus Christ hath in deed giuen vnto his apostles disciples this power to binde to loose according to his lawes but this is ill concluded to say that therefore he hath giuē thē this power this authoritie of thēselues to make lawes to establishe them in his Church and thereby to binde mens consciences The third reason Iesus Christ hath said Mat. 23.2.3 The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue do Heb. 13.17 And the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrwes Obey thē that haue the ouersight of you and submit your selues to thē Wherfore it followeth that we ought to obey the Pastors of the Church in keeping and obseruing their lawes I answere that when wee are commanded to obey our Pastors this ought to be vnderstood so farre foorth as their commandements proceede and come out of Moses chaire that is to say out of the word of God For otherwise the Lord protesteth and openly witnesseth that hee is worshipped in vain when men set out and preach for doctrine the commandemēts of men Matth. 15.9 And he himself doth straightly cōmand vs earnestly to take heed beware of the leauen of the Pharises Saduces Touching which matter Mat. 16.6 August in Iohn Tracta 46. Cap. 10. let vs heare Sainte Augustine The Scribes saith hee and the Pharisees sitte in Moses seate doe that therefore which they shall shew vnto you For being set in the chaire or seate of Moses they teach the law of God and so God teacheth by them But if they would teach any thing of their owne heare them not and doe not that which they will say for they seek their owne profite and gaine and not Christes profite In summe then if the Churche make ordeine for vs commaundements drawen and taken from the word of god it is our duetie to receiue them and to yeelde our selues obedient thereto otherwise not For it is not the Churches dutie to goe beyond the boundes of Gods worde in making lawes of her owne head and authoritie inuenting new fashions and maners to serue God by And the rule of our obedience ought alwaies to be the very selfe same worde of God as Cornelius saide vnto Saint Peter Acts. 10.33 Now are we al heere present before God to heare all thinges which are commaunded thee of God The fourth reason wee must obey the voice of the Churche Mat. 18.17 Luke 10.16 as wee haue a commandement giuen vs

alone which can make and establish such lawes The third reason Lawes concerning doctrine and such as binde mens consciences ought to bee vnto vs a testimony pledge of the wil of God But God alone by his word can giue vnto vs this testimony and at no hand or by no meanes men as of them selues Isaiah 40.13 c. Rom. 11.34 For who hath instructed the spirite of the Lord or was his Counsellor or taught him as the scripture saith It followeth thē that God alone may make establish lawes concerning doctrine and which shal serue to binde mens cōsciēces The fourth reason If it belong to the Church to make lawes concerning doctrine the seruice of god this must needs be that she hath receiued the prerogatiue and authoritie from God him self for mē haue not here in their life any power so to doe But so it is that the Church hath not receiued from God this prerogatiue authoritie For cōtrariwise God hath expresly plainly forbidden them to ioyne or adde any thing to his lawe Deut. 4.2.12.32 Wherefore it followeth that it doeth not apperteine to her to make lawes touching doctrine and the seruice of God The fift reason It is necessary that they which make lawes shoulde haue Lordship rule authoritie ouer thē to whom they giue those lawes But the church hath no Lordship or rule ouer the consciences of the faithful 1. Pet. 5.3 for S. Peter speketh with a loud voice plainly That the Pastors Bishops haue not any Lordshippe ouer the Lordes inheritance that is to say ouer the faithful of whō the church is composed made 2. Cor. 1.4 And S. Paul plainly protesteth touching himself that hee hath not any dominion ouer the faith of the Corinthians Wherefore it followeth that the Church may not make or establish lawes to binde the consciences of faithfull people Mat. 15.9 The sixt reason The Lorde saieth In vaine they worship mee teaching for doctrine mens precepts and commaundements 1. Tim. 4.1 c. And S. Paul calleth lawes traditiōs touching forbidding of marriage and vse of meats the doctrine of Deuils Collos 2.16.18 Also he saieth Let no man condemne you in meate and drinke or in respect of an holy day c. Let no mā at his pleasure beare rule ouer you by humblenes of minde and worshipping of Angels By these sentences it is most plaine and euident that the Church ought not nor may not establish any such lawes to binde tye or restraine mens consciences The seuenth reason The lawes which take away from vs that Christian libertie which Christ hath gotten and purchased for vs ought not in any case to be established or tollerated For S. Paule exhorteth vs Galat. 5.1 to stande fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free and that we should not be intangled againe with the yoke of bondage But the lawes giuen by men not from God him selfe touching matters which are commended vnto vs with an opinion of necessitie and which are required of vs as workes meritorious or as the seruice of God take away from vs the christian libertie and freedome which Christe hath purchased for vs of this sort are the lawes made touching the obseruation and keeping of Lent celebration or keeping holy of certaine feasts not to eate fleshe vpon Friday Saturday and certaine other dayes and such like things Wherfore it foloweth that such lawes ought not in any case to be established set vp tollerated or borne withall But wee wil make or put an ende to this Chapter with two sentences which make altogether for vs are altogether againste the Romishe Catholikes Tho. Aqu●● in summae part 3. in addititio 46. Artic 6 The one is Thomas of Aquine his owne saying thus Because that the Church is founded alreadie and grounded in the faith and in the sacraments it doth not belong to the Ministers of the Churche to make newe Articles of faith or newe Sacraments or to take away those which are alreadie made and established For this is the excellencie and power which belongeth onely vnto Iesus Christe who is the foūdation of the church The other sentēce is of Alphōsus de Castro his own conteining these wordes Alphons de Cast aduers omnes haere lib. 1. cap. 8. It may not at any hand bee either done or suffered that the Church should establishe a newe article of faith but that which was in former time the true faith and which notwithstanding was hidden from vs the Church bringeth to passe by her testimonie and witnes that the same is made knowne vnto vs. And the Abbot is very much deceiued in the decretals expounding the chapter which beginneth Cum Christus that is when Christ c. in the title of Heretikes when he saith that the Pope may make newe articles of faith Hee knew not nor vnderstood not what it was which hee spake and therefore erred was deceiued as a Shoomaker should be if hee woulde take vpon him some matter ouer and besides his occupation THE XVI CHAP. Of the afflictions and persecutions of the Church THere are diuers whiche woulde fayne haue a Church of Sugar or of veluet as you would say that is to say that in seruing God they might bee exempted from all afflictions Suche were Zebedeus his sonnes Iames and Iohn who beeing couetous and greedie of worldlie honours and desiring to liue at their ease and rest demaunded of Iesus Christe Mark 10. 35. c. That hee woulde graunt vnto them to sit in his glory the one at his right hande and the other at his left But the scripture teacheth vs altogether the contrarie that is to say that so long as wee haue to walke heere belowe it standeth vs in hand to battell or fight yea to passe thorowe the thornes and to bee tormented by the malice of the Diuell and wicked men his instruments yea so much the more by howe much we shall indeuour and labour sincerely to serue God Which thing also Iesus Christe hath well and sufficiently declared to the abouesaide sonnes of Zebedeus when he answered them Mark 10. 38 Yee knowe not what yee aske Can yee drinke of the Cup that I shall drinke of bee baptized with the baptisme wherewith I shal be baptized Meaning thereby that the common state and condition of Christians is this that they shoulde bee exercised in this world by the crosse tribulations before that they can be crowned And this is the cause wherefore the church is called militant or warfaring so long as it is heere belowe on the earth euen as wee haue seene and hearde in the first Chapter And for this very selfe same cause also Mark 4.36 c. it is compared to a little ship altogether tossed vp and downe in the midst of the billowes or surges and of the tempests of the Sea also Ps 129.3 to grounde continually ploughed ouer and thorowe whiche