Selected quad for the lemma: england_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A43741
|
Fair-play on both sides: or, the surest way to heaven Discovered in a dispute between a Roman-Catholick, and a Protestant.
|
Hieron, Samuel, 1576?-1617.
|
1666
(1666)
|
Wing H1943; ESTC R224206
|
36,352
|
39
|
When thou canst prove by holy writ Christs Faith to Rome by charter knit Then shall thy tale some credit find Where now it turneth all to wind But yet continuance is a Note Of Gods true Church and Paul hath wroâ—… Ephes 4.11 c. That there should still some teachers be In some we this fulfilled see I say continuance is no sign To prove a Church to be divine We may not think each Doctrine sure Which doth for many years endure (x) It is true that the truth shall continue but yet it holds not backward that whatsoever continueth is Truth The Devil is a lyar from the beginning Must not the tares be let to grow Till it be time the corn to mow (y) Mat. 13.10 And Antichrist shall long time stay Even till the very Judgment day (z) 2 Thes 2.8 The Arrian heresie years did stand Two hundred more than one thousand (a) Yea and it was so generally received that it was said the whole world was become an Arrian Hierom. dialog contra Luciferianos And so since Mahomet first was seen A thousand years have numbred been Romes name endures but Rome is chang'd And hath from Christ it self estrang'd Quit thou Rome from Apostacy Or name not Perpetuity Pauls words do prove (b) Ephes 4.11 c. that certainly The Church shall have a Ministry And that there shall be some to feed The Flock of Christ at ev'ry need But that these Pastors here or there Shall alwayes fit in beauty clear This fond conceit not one more word The holy Scripture doth afford Indeed in Rome there divers be That bear the name of Prelacie Better we Pilates may them call Seeking the Churches Funeral You call your Pope a Shepheard great But where is his Spiritual meat I do not hear that he doth preach That would his greatness much impeach Such are his carnal Cardinals Or rather bloody Canibals (c) The People that live upon mans flesh They eat the fat and skin the Flock And live upon the Churches stock An idle sign a Shepheards Crook In hand they bear (d) The Pastoral staff made in fashion of a Shepheards crook but cannot brook To preach the Word a Pastors grace That duty fits not their high place The key of knowledge they withdraw (e) Luke 11.52 And from Gods people steal (f) Jerem. 23.30 Gods Law And mens devices (g) They teach Traditions to be equally reverenced as the Scriptures Conc. Trid. ses 4. dec and Lidanus calleth them the foundation of Faith Panopl lib. 5. cap. 2. on them thrust Making them unto fancies trust These are Romes Pastors woful sheep Which left are to the Wolves to keep Thou Shepheard great and Bishop chief (h) 1 Pet. 2.25 4.5 Come quickly (i) Rev. 22.20 quell this Romish thief Papists Rime Visible ANother mark there is most clear The Church of God must stil appear As a City on a hill (k) Some wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 Take heed Seen and continue still As a light on a Candlestick So is the Church Catholick Our Saviour saith if one offend And will not be rul'd by his friend Tell all the Church without delay (l) Would you have us go to Rome with every complaint It seemeth so for you tie the Church to that Sea And if he will not then obey Do thou esteem such a man An Heathen or a Publican Is not that the Church wherein we see Two hundred Bishops thirty three To have succeeded each other Since the time of Saint Peter (m) You must first prove that Saint Peter was Bishop of Rome Shew me this mark in you (n) Thou thy self sayst there have been successively 63. Bishops in England since Peter then either ours is the true Church or else succession of Bishops is no sure mark And I will say your faith is true If this be not in the faith of Rome Then will I be converted soon Protestants Answer Visible THou tell'st a tale incredible How that God's Church is visible And by the Bishops Catalogue Wouldst prove the Romish Synagogue The errors here together lapt By which the simple are entrapt All which your feigned Church doth hold I mean in order to unfold The Catholick Church defin'd aright Cannot be subject to our sight It is th' Elected company (o) 1 Pet. 2.9 And Christ his chosen Family (p) Ephes 3.15 Of this one part in Heaven lives (q) Called the Church Triumphant The other here with Satan strives (r) Tearmed the Church Militant The part above you 'l not deny With mortal eyes none can descry The same is true of that below It is unseen by us also How with mine eyes I might discern And see th Elect fain would I learn Upon their persons we may look Whose names are written in Gods Book (Å¿) The Book of Life Phil. 4.3 But as for their Spiritual being It is a thing doth pass our seeing Parts of Christs Church you Papists make Even those whom God will quite forsake (p) So doth Bellarmine lib. 3. de Eccles cap. 7. and the Rhemists in their Annotations upon John 15.1 Which if the matter be well scand Cannot with any Scripture stand Of the true Church Christ is the head (q) Ephes 1.22 In him can be no member dead (r) They are called living stones 1 Pet. 2.3 His Church a Garden (Å¿) Cant. 4.12 closed well In which no Reprobates can dwell (t) So August applieth the place Contra Cres Gram. lib. 2. cap. 26. and Gregory the great who was a Bishop of Rome in his Commentary upon that place Charitatis vallo circumquaque munitur ne intra numerum electorum reprobus aliquis ingreciatur So that if fitly we will speak The ground you lay is very weak In calling it a mark most clear That Gods true Church must still appear Of Churches nam'd in several In Cities or else National We yeeld sometime they may be seen Though sometime they are darkned clean Sometime the Moon with chearful light Shines in the height of Heaven bright (u) Aug. useth that similitude Epist 48 and Epist 80. and Ambrose Hex 4. C. 8. Ecclesia sicut luna defectus habet ortus frequentes Sometimes with clouds 't is overspred And in the Wane clean vanished So is the Church in safety still Although not alway visible Sometimes it sits in glory great Sometime it hath no certain seat The Woman which to Desart fled From Satans rage to hide her head * Apoc. 12.6 So much also the Rhemists upon that place do acknowledge By all the learnedst full consent The Church on earth doth represent The famous Church of Israel Where God did promise still to dwell (x) Psal 132.14 Was drown'd so in Idolatry And superstitious slavery That all true worship being gone Elias thought himself alone (y) 1 Kings 19.10 And