Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	church_n	particular_a	universal_a	2,763	5	9.8525	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A06346	A treatie of the churche conteining a true discourse, to knowe the true church by, and to discerne it from the Romish church, and all other false assemblies, or counterfet congregations / vvritten by M. Bertrande de Loque ... ; and faithfully translated out of French into English, by T.VV.	Loque, Bertrand de.; T. W.	1581 (1581)	STC 16812; ESTC S123131	175,246	422

or assemblie 2 Sometimes it is put for the assemblie of citizens and burgesses of a towne in which meeting they intreate of the common and ordinarie affaires of the common wealth and so doth Saint Luke vse it Act. 19.32.39 Actes 19.32.39 3 It is also taken for the place whether the assemblie is called together as Iudeth 6. Iudeth 6.16 verse 16. And they called together all auncients of the citie and all their youth ranne together to the Church or assemblie that is to say to the place of the congregation or assemblie 4 Also for the Senate or consistorie of the Church that is to say for the Pastors and Elders of the Church who are indeed the conductours and guiders thereof Matt. 19.17 as when Iesus Christ saith Tell the Churche Chrysostom Hom. 62. vpon Matth. that is to say euen as Chrysostome also expoundeth it the Pastours leaders and gouernours of the Churche according wherevnto we see that Saint Iohn making mention of the consistorie of the Iewes in which it was sometimes determined to thrust out of the Synagogue euerie one that would confesse Iesus Christ Ioh. 9.22 he saith generally that the Iewes made this decree although it was indeede the Consistorie onely 5 But in the question or matter of Christian religion it is taken for the companie and assemblie of faithfull people which make profession of the true pure religion of God Of this Church speaketh S. Paul when he saith to the Pastors thereof Take heede to your selues Act. 20.28 and to all the flocke whereof the holie Ghost hath made you Bishops or ouerseers to feede the Church of GOD which he hath purchased with his owne bloud But here we must obserue certaine distinctions for euen in this signification the Church is commonly distinguished into three sortes First it is called triumphant or else militant The Church triumphant is the companie of blessed spirites who hauing gotten victorie through Iesus Christ against their enimies the diuell the world the flesh sinne death and hell triumph at this present on high in heauen praising God and celebrating the glorie of his name with all ioyfulnesse We haue a goodly description of the Church in the Reuelation Reu. 7.9.10 Cap. 7.9.10 The Church militant is the assemblie of all the faithful people who as yet on earth fight vnder the banner or standard of Iesus Christ their head against the foresaide enimies whose armours or weapons are set out by S. Paule in the Ephesians Ephes 6.13.14 c. chap. 6. For it is not the Lords will that so long as we are to walke here belowe we should be without afflictions but he will haue vs to be continually in the battell and alwayes troubled and tormented through the malice of men yea so much the more by how much we shall earnestly indeuour to serue him in all godlinesse and holinesse Act. 14.22 this matter also being alreadie concluded that by many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God Wherevnto do appertaine also Ioh. 15.20.16.2 2. Tim. 3.12 the sentences of Iesus Christ and S. Paul Ioh. 15.20 Ioh. 16.2 2. Tim. 3.12 But hereafter we will speake more largely of the afflictions of the Church The second distinction is that the Church is called either Catholike that is to say vniuersall or generall being dispersed thoroughout the world and comprehending vniuersally all the faithfull and elect people of God or else particular which is a part of the vniuersall for we vse to call them particular Churches or congregations which are limited within a certaine number and inclosed in certaine places being as it is said before partes and members of the vniuersall such in former time were the Churches of Corinthus Rome Ephesus such are at this day the Churches of Fraunce Germanie England Switzerland and other places of all which together consisteth the vniuersal which notwithstāding is but one as anon we shal see The third distinction is that the Church is sometimes said to be inuisible and sometimes visible The inuisible Church is streitly and narrowly considered and is the verie same which before we called Catholike or vniuersall comprehending only the faithfull and elect in which number they also are to be accounted that be already dead The visible Church is considered more largely and comprehendeth al them which are called by the preaching of the Gospel to be of Christes flocke August in Psal 64. S. Augustine vseth this distinction in his writings For writing vpon the 64. Psalm he saith that the Church which is signified by Ierusalem tooke beginning from Abell and Babylon from Caine and yet notwithstanding in his booke of Baptisme against the Donatistes chap. 16. August li. 1. cont Donatist cap. 1.6 taking the Church in a more generall signification he saith that the same which begate ingendered and brought foorth Abell Enoch Noah Abraham and the Prophetes did also begette ingender and bring foorth Caine Ismael Dathan and others such like But we must more narrowly and deepely search this matter declare what it is which doth properly belong to the Church as well Catholike and invisible as to other which I saide was visible But first of the Catholike and inuisible Church CHAP. II. Of the Catholike and inuisible Church which indeede is but one albeit it haue many particular partes and members BY that which hath bene said before it is an easie matter to gather and make a good and certaine definition of the Church Wherefore first we say that the Catholike and inuisible Churche is the companie of all faithfull people scattred throughout the whole world whom God hath chosen to euerlasting life With this definition agreeth that which may be gathered out of that which Saint Paule saith to the Corinthians to wit that the Churche is the companie of all those 1. Cor. 1.2 that being sanctified through Iesus Christe and called to be Saintes doe call vpon the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe in euerie place The Church then is not an house of wood or of stone builded by mans hande but the congregation commonaltie and fellowship of all those which followe the trueth of faith Which matter also we may confirme by these reasons following Gal. 1.13 Act. 9.14 First S. Paul confesseth That he persecuted the Church of God Ananias saith that he had authoritie from the high Priestes to bind all those that called vppon the name of the Lorde that is to say Christians Here we see that Saint Paul calleth those the Church whome Ananias nameth Christians or such as did call vpon the name of the Lord. Ephe. 1.23 1. Cor. 12.27 Secondarilie the Church is called the bodie of Christe and the companie of faithfull people is also called the bodie of Christ wherevpon it followeth that the Church is no other thing but the companie of the faithfull Ioh. 10.16 Thirdlie Iesus Christ him selfe calleth the Church a sheepefolde wherevnto sheepe appertein and

and occasion required it to the ende I might confirme and strengthē the faithful peoples cōsciences at this time in which it seemeth that the Diuell the enimie of Gods glorie and our saluation is vnchayned and vntyed and that all the worlde is kindled with rage and set on fire with furie and conspired with him furiously to rush vpon the poore Churche setting out and making a shewe against it of all that that crueltie can deuise Weerefore I shewe what is the state and condition of the Church on earth that shee hath alwaies had such a vertue of patience and so great cōstancie and courage in the middest of the crosse that tyrants haue rather left of to persecute her then that shee hath failed and fallen away by their torments insomuch that she hath abode inuincible and vnconquered against the vehemencie and violence of so many horrible cōbats as she was to sustain indure and out of all them hath brought a famous victorie and moste glorious crowne In summe that the sonne of God hath alwaies founde place and passage in the middest of the worlde notwithstanding the fires swordes tormentes furies outcries and horrible scatterings abrode which were made against him As touching the fruite and profite whiche may come of this little labor I dare not affirme any thing thereof except it bee in respect of you my Lorde For I doubt not but you take as muche pleasure to heare mee discourse in writing vpon this matter of the church as you commonly doe when you heare mee speake either particulerly to your selfe or publikelie in the execution of my charge and office And yet if you regarde that which is mine without doubt the fruite wil bee none but if you consider the argument and the large laying out of the matters conteined in this present treatie I assure my selfe that it will not bee altogether vnprofitable and that they which shall reade the same will not repent themselues thereof Furthermore I staying my selfe my Lord vpon your accustomed goodnesse through which you disdaine not or dislike any thing which commeth from your seruants offer and dedicate vnto you this little booke most humbly beseeching you to accept it and to take it well that it commeth out into light vnder the inscription of your name and to receiue it with such gentlenesse and curtesie as you haue been accustomed to loue vertue and fauour Christian religion and those that make profession thereof For I hope that if you receiue and take it well that your name shal procure it more grace and liking and shall get it more authoritie and purchase it more fauour amongest all because that thinges dedicated to great personages are better receiued of the lower sort although the thinges of them selues are oftentimes very base and of small account and value And also as touching my selfe I was gladly minded to declare and shewe by this slender meane a testimonie of the obedience which I owe you and for the singuler earnest desire which I haue to do you the most humble and acceptable seruice that I can in the Lorde whom I beseech with all my hearte to maintein you my Lord my Lady the Coūtesse your sister in his most holy most worthy keeping and to preserue you both in a blessed and long life augmenting and increasing in you dayly more and more the giftes and graces of his holy spirite wherewith hee hath so plentifully decked and liberally inriched you From Turenne this xxv of March 1577. Your most humble and most obedient seruant Bertrand de Loque ¶ An Admonition to the Reader I Was loth gentle Reader to publish this profitable and necessary treatise because it being meant wel may bee taken ill and being a rule and confirmatiō to forraine Churches reformed may perhaps fall into the hands of vndiscreete readers trouble the happy quiet state of the Church of England But to preuent this inconuenience and to helpe the weakenesse of many whiche carried with a preposterous rash zeale doe iudge before they conceaue and like rather to feede their humor then foster the peace of the Church I thought it necessary to put the reader in remembrance of those thinges which being greedily snatched at and read without iudgement by curious and contentious heads may tende to the disturbance of the peace and tranquilitie of the Church Whereas therefore in the nienth Chapter intreating of the degrees of the Ministerie the authour seemeth to detract frō Archbishops Metropolitanes Deanes Archdeacons and other Ministers in this Church of England and els where his meaning is not to condēne those titles allowed attributed to faithfull Pastors in other reformed Churches according to the auncient and laudable order of the primitiue Church but to eleuate and impugne the tyrannie pompe and ambition of the popishe prelacie who leauing their function of preaching and teaching haue vsurped I knowe not what authoritie and power of commanding and countercommanding what they list in the church of God Who in crueltie succeed not Peter but Romulus in pompe and magnificence not Peter but Cōtantine as Bernard faith They doe all for honor and nothing for holines saith the same authour Their courts are full of Symoniacks their thresholds more troddē by ambitiō then by deuotiō and their Cannons Ecclesiasticall procurers of gain lucre The Church is not gouerned by names but by offices which they faithfully performe this day to whom for reuerence wee willingly ascribe the names of honor and dignitie Moreouer no man will denie though the same authoritie be committed to all Gods faithfull Ministers in binding losing preaching or ministring the Sacraments yet that this equalitie in ministration doth nothing hinder a diuersitie distinction of degrees and superioritie in gouernment being very necessary for the auoiding of cōfusion and schisme That this preheminence is not lately deuised or newe begunne may soone appeare by these words of the Apostle The spirites of the Prophetes are subiect to the Prophetes Whereupon I gather that if the spirites of all the Prophetes being lightened by the vertue of the holy Ghoste were not free from the checke of other Prophetes vpon whom it had pleased God to bestowe his gifts of iudgement knowledge and learning much more ought wee to allowe and preferre the graue and learned iudgement of the best and graunt them a dignitie preheminence in matters of lesse importance The reason by the Apostle is not to be neglected Non est Deus author confusionis sed pacis as who shoulde say if some were not appointed to decide such doubtes as arise either of ignoraūce or of mallice all woulde goe to wracke in haste and Christian education to mortall hatred Thē would the frost of priuate quarrel either sterue the buddes of the Gospel or rage of spirituall ambition disturbe the policie of euery congregation Gregorie Nazianzen in his Oration intituled Apologeticus saith There must of necessitie be two sortes of mē 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some

some of them they pleasing thē selues and being desirous to continue in their former dissolution and leudnes Here to alledge that for the making of and extraordinarie vocation certaine and approued some miracles are necessarie or else some certaine plaine and manifest places of scripture is to no purpose at all or they say as much as if they saide nothing For as concerning places of scripture we are not destitute thereof Iesus Christ speaking in the Gospell to the Priestes who did not well and rightly execute their office in their charges demaundeth of them When the Lord of the vineyard shal come Matth. 21.40.41 what will he doe to these wicked husbandmen Vnto whome they aunswere condemning them selues He will cruelly destroy these wicked men and will let out his vineyard vnto other husbandmen which shall deliuer him the fruites in their seasons Now this was indeed iustly and faithfully accomplished For the Lorde tooke away his vineyard that is to say the gouernement of his Church from the Priestes Scribes and Elders of the people who did not yeld him the fruits which did belong vnto him and committed the same vnto other husbandmen that is to his Apostles and their successors which haue yelded him fruites in their seasons And euen in like manner hath the Lorde done in the Popedome beholding euill workmen in his vineyard that is to say wicked naughtie Pastors in his Church which did not at any hand their duetie and office he hath not destroyed his Church but hath chaunged the state and condition thereof taking away her blind guides and giuing vnto her others which see clearely It is also written in the Apocalipse The holy citie shall they tread vnder foote two and fortie monethes Reu. 11.2.3 but I will giue power vnto my two witnesses and they shall prophecie a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes In which place S. Iohn foretelleth the generall corruption of the Church which shall come to passe in the last times yet so that withall he giueth vs to vnderstand that God will not suffer his seruice to continue so corrupted and bastardly but that he wil reforme it and bring it to her former perfection and soundnesse and that for this purpose he will raise and stirre vp witnesses of his owne to prophecie and speake against so greeuous a corruption And howe shall this be done by vsing an extraordinarie manner Luk. 9.49 We may also verie well applie to this purpose the example of him who cast out diuels in the name of Iesus Christ For the Apostles would haue hindred him bicause he did not followe Iesus Christ as they did But Iesus Christe saith vnto them Take heede that ye forbid him not or hinder him for saith he he that is not against vs is with vs. It is verie true indeede that such an extraordinarie vocation ought not to be lightly approued but it is also as true that it ought not as lightly be condemned But we haue a certaine and manifest testimonie of this extraordinarie vocation in Phillip Act. 6.5 8.5 For he being onely ordained a Deacon at Ierusalem was afterwardes extraordinarily called by God to preach Iesus Christ Beside the first restorers of the Church of our age or time who were extraordinarily called are not to be reproued or blamed for rashnesse For as in a citie besieged by the enimie or assaulted with fire when they which were ordinarily called for the safegarde defence thereof and to giue order in the daunger of fire should be them selues the first enimies and putters to of fire if it fall out that certaine citizens hauing other charges or offices in the citie or else if they were but priuate and particular persons would come and set vp them selues and imploy them selues in running to the breach and fire to the end that they might preserue the citie so farre off is it that they deserue or ought to be reprehended as traitors and vnfaithful persons that on the other side for a fact so courteous gentle yea so profitable to the countrie they were greatly to be praised as verie good citizens and true friendes preseruers of the countrie so when the ordinarie saueguardes or keepers of Gods owne house haue declared them selues to be enimies thereof and putters too of fire to ouerthrowe and marre all they that are afterwardes aduaunced and set forwardes them selues to resist them and to maintain the right and estate of the saide house yea although they haue had no manner of ordinarie vocation but in their owne consciences haue onely felt them selues extraordinarily called for to execute such an office or charge so farre off is it that either they may or ought to be blamed that contrariwise they deserue honour great praise And yet this is here to be noted that albeit al are not enioyned or commanded to preach as wel as all are commanded to oppose or set them selues against false prophets yet by consequent it followeth verie wel that if any do aduaunce or set forward them selues to oppose or set them selues against false prophets they haue done nothing against their vocation or calling Add also that euen those which in the beginning were extraordinarily called hauing faithfully acquitted and behaued them selues in their charges in preaching the truth and being receiued and allowed of the people that vocatiō of theirs which before was extraordinarie hath ceased yea must cease and afterwards is become ordinarie And as concerning miracles we will shortly aunswere thereto Let the Romish Catholikes shewe what miracles Isaiah Amos Obadiah Nahum Zechariah and many other Prophets did whom God did extraordinarily stirre vp where they which had the order and gouernement in their owne handes abused the same Next let them consider Matt. 12.39 that it appertaineth to an euil adulterous generation to demaund seeke signes as Iesus Christ saith Thirdly that miracles may seduce and deceiue For we read that false prophets seducers Deut. 13.1 c. Matt. 24.24 and deceiuers haue sometimes done them thereby to deceiue men and to make approued their false doctrines 2. Thes 2.9 and to increase and strengthen their superstitions and idolatries And therefore we ought not by miracles to iudge of the vocation and doctrine but rather on the other side by the vocation and doctrine we ought to iudge of miracles and signes The other thing which we aunswere touching the vocation and calling of our first ministers is that we may verie well stop the mouthes of the Romishe Catholikes if we would alledge that those ministers them selues for the most part had in respect of them selues an ordinarie vocation being indeede called in their time by the Pope and by him established and set in their charges and therefore by consequent had authoritie and right to goe vp into the pulpit and to teach in the Church as Luther Zwinglius Oecolampadius Bucer and before them Wicklef and Iohn Hus. Also that in England Sweden and Denmarke the right