Selected quad for the lemma: head_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
head_n	beast_n	dragon_n	horn_n	3,264	5	10.5839	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A05090	A plaine refutation of M. G. Giffardes reprochful booke, intituled a short treatise against the Donatists of England Wherein is discouered the forgery of the whole ministrie, the confusion, false worship, and antichristian disorder of these parish assemblies, called the Church of England. Here also is prefixed a summe of the causes of our seperation ... by Henrie Barrovve. Here is furder annexed a briefe refutation of M. Giff. supposed consimilituda betwixt the Donatists and vs ... by I. Gren. Here are also inserted a fewe obseruations of M. Giff. his cauills about read prayer & deuised leitourgies.	Barrow, Henry, 1550?-1593.; Greenwood, John, d. 1593.	1591 (1591)	STC 1523; ESTC S104500	292,873	278

giuing testimonie and blessing to his ovvne word The truth wherof shall shine forth in our simplicitie the povver therof be made manifest in our weakenes to the discouerie reformation of these publique enormities in the false worship open sacrilege antichristian ministerie heinous disorder exercised and soffred in this land and to the discipation of all the delusions vaine promises and persvvasions of these false Prophetts whervvith they haue a long time for their ovvne fleshlie pompe and filthie lucre seduced the whole land dravven them into and held them in the wrath heauie iudgments of God That so the mightie hand of God working in the heart of our Souereigne Prince Nobles especiallie through your Honors faithfull counsell and furtherance and also in the heartes of all the Commons when the truth of these things shall be shevved vnto them a general and sincere conuersion to the Lord may be made euen from all things that novv are or hereafter shall be found contrarie to his holie will whither in the publique estate of all or in the priuate estate of anie For sure as euerie perticular person goeth forvvard from faith to faith as knovvledge is increaced euerie day teaching other vnto eternal life So in the publique estate of the Church no change that is made according vnto the truth as the publique error is espied ought to be held strange or dangerous But most heauenlie is that harmonie where all the members kint together in the same faith both in general and perticular with one accord goe forward in their callings and duties still amending what is found amisse and daylie indeuouring to doo better Then should there not be found anie such vnchristian contention abought the truth pleading and spurning against the truth or persecution for the truth Then should the Lords dreadful iudgments which novv hang ouer the whole land for these sinnes be auoided and his blessings in stead therof be multiplied But sure in the meane time vntil these sinnes be remoued out of Gods sight and redressed there is no peace to be looked for or asked of the Lord there is no pleading with or against him hovvsoeuer the false Prophet may goe abought to heale the hurte of this people as a light euill saijng peace peace when there is no peace and to repaire the breaches that are as the sea with vntempered stuffe and vaine visions tending vnto abdication Wherfore to the torning avvay of so great euills and the procuring of so great and inestimable benefites to our Souereign Queene and Contrie as we haue not with-holden our vtmost indeuours to the discouerie of the publique enormities sinnes of these times in all truth and freedome being readie yet furder to witnesse and approue the same if such neade be to the face of our greatest aduersaries and gainsayers by the euidence of Gods word So novv it remaineth that we instantly beseach your Honor euen in the name of God before whome we shall all of vs shortly appeare to our accompt iudgment by whome this chardge is layed vpon you the cause being novv brought and by both sides asvvell our aduersaries as vs layed open before your Honor that you would novv be a meanes to her right excellent Maiestie that these weightie and dangerous matters may be no longer wrapped vp or put off in securitie and silence lest these our soffrings and testimonies rise in iudgment with this generation but may rather be furder inquired and discussed and order and redresse taken according to the will of God Which shall no doubt torne to the high glorie most acceptable seruice of God and of your Prince to the vnspeakable benefite of this whole land and to the happie discharge of your dutie and conscience to your eternall praise in this life and in the life to come Your Lordships most humble addict in the Lord. HENRIE BARROVVE IOHN GRENVVOOD for the testimonie of the gospel in close prison Wisdome to the Reader from the Father of lightes to disce●ne of these times and to iudge of themselues what is right SEing the scripture speaketh euidently of the generall defection apostasie vnder Antichrist and of the abhominable desolation hauock y t he should make in these dangerous latter times where y e sunne should be made blacke as a sack-cloth of haire the Moone be made as blood the Starres cast to the earth the Heauen departe away as a booke wrapped vp euery moūtaine Isle be moued out of their place And all these things are most perticularly most liuely described in the booke of the Reuelation Of Antichristes beginning increace exaltation abolishing How a great part of the trees all greene grasse should be blasted a great parte of the sea become blood and of the creatures that lyued therin dye and a greate parte of the shippes therof be destroied the third parte of the riuers of the fountaines of waters be torned into worm wood and manie men die of the bitternes therof How that fallē apostatat Starre should open the bottomles pitte the sunne air● be darkened with the smoke therof the earth pestered with the swarme of poisoned stinging Scorpions crowned armed Locustes that came out of the smoke of the pitte and of those innumerable warriours vpō those strange horses that destroied such multitudes of men How the Beast should get vnto him manie heades mo hornes and vpō his hornes Crownes how he should be inthronised receiue the Dragō his large power high Cōmission how he should warre with the Sainctes and open his mouth into blasphemie against God how he should erect his Image and gyue his marke how he should kill as manie as will not worship his image and suffer none to buye or sell but such as receiue his marcke How that greate harlot that sate vpō manie waters so gorgiously araied adorned the mother of all the whoredomes abhominatiōs of the earth with that goulden cuppe full of abhominations filthines of her fornication in her hand wherwith she made dronckē all the inhabitantes of the earth should sit vpon the Beast and be made dronckē with the blood of the Sainctes and Martyres of IESVS And yet furder How the vials of Gods wrathfull iudgments should by his faithfull messengers witnesses be powred forth vpon the earth vpon the sea vpon the riuers and fountaines of waters vpon the Sunne vpon the throne of the Beast vpon the greate riuer Euphrates and into the aire with the peculiar fearfull plagues denounsed to be executed herevpon As also how the greate Babilon should be discouered forsaken pleaded against condempned consumed fire cast vpon her all her wares the greate milstone vpon her al her childrē inhabitantes to presse her downe to hell To conclude How Christ himself his holye armie mounted vpon the white horse of his word should warre against the Beast and against the Kinges

Ministrie and ministration they are all like to proue as wee haue affirmed them strange false forged antichristian such as belong not vnto and cannot be exercised in anie christian Church and then let Mr. Giffard see whether that grieuous conclusion will follow and fal vpon the men vpon whom the marcke of the Beast is ●ownde that ministrie which is ordayned by proceded from and standeth vnder the throne of these antichristian Bishops In the meane while let vs in a verie few wordes consider of the rest of the ministerie in the Church of England in their order WE would gladly learne of him what office in the Church of God Chancelors and Commissaries may be said to exercise for we confesse that in Christes Testament we neuer read of their names or offices they are strangers there and we in all the worlde knowe not from whence they came or who brought them into the Church if not their Father the Pope or durste there retaine them but these his children successors the Bishopps A lardge power they haue and exercise ouer all parrish Churches their Ministers and Members to keepe a iudiciall Courte to cite cōuent trie punish by mu● ct iudge imprison absolue purge not only for ecclesiastical causes as the neglect of their ceremonies and trinckets and for not duelie reading and obseruing their iniunctions seruice-booke but also for ciuile causes yea criminatory and iudicial causes such as by the lawe of God deserue death and only belong to the Princes royall aucthoritie to whom therfore God hath committed his sworde Whose iudgment seate aucthoritie for anie priuate person to vsurpe is iudged rebellion both by the lawe of God and of this land For all that take the sworde shall dye in the sworde Math. 26. 52. Againe these Chauncelors and Commissaries are Ciuilians laye men as they cal them not Priestes therfore we meruaile how they came to exercise such an high ministrie ouer and in the Church The same we say of their other delegate ciuile Doctors of their Courtes trayne of Aduocates Proctors Registers c. We finde in the Testamēt of Christ no mention in the Church of Christ no vse of such Offices Officers Courtes to decide their cōtrouersies to execute their censures iudgments These handle both ecclesiastical and ciuile causes mixtlie after a most corrupt and litigious maner amongst whom al things are venal in their Courtes c wherof in due place sufficeth it here to finde them in name office and vse counterfeit forged false without mention or warrant in Gods worde such as not Christ but Antichrist deuised brought in As to the persons in their high commission they are of two sortes chieflie ecclesiastical and partlie for countenance and fashion sake ciuile Of the ecclesiastical we haue aboue entreated Neither finde wee that anie ciuile person may exercise anie ecclesiastical office or function as to ouer-see so manie Churches to decide and determine ecclesiastical causes or to execute the censures of the Church as by way of office or by vertue of anie humane commission especially after that vngodlie maner which is in al things so contrarie to the order Christ hath instituted so contrary to the faith power and libertie of Christes Church as were not hard to shewe if we should examine their procedings by the rules of Gods worde And great ruth it is that so noble and honorable personages should be so highly abused by these wicked Bishops The Lorde in mercie shew them their deceipts the error and daunger of their wayes Yet of this gouerning ministrie remayneth the Arch head Deacon of the Church of England to be considered of who is no smale officer of this Church hauing and keeping his solemne iudiciall Court Synode and procedings in such ecclesiastical causes as fal within his consideration with absolute power in his owne name also to cite sommon iudge and punish all such parish Churches with their Parsons and Ministers as fal within his limites To impose taskes vpon Pastors what scriptures to reade priuately euerie daye what to conne by heart and to take accompt of them at his Synodes accordingly This Arch-Deacon also if such be his learning that he can may administer the worde and Sacramentes and haue a benefice or two for neede Howsoeuer he may pleade and boaste of his antiquitie aswell as the Arch-Bishop and of the great cause of his erection and necessarie vse of his office c. Yet seing we finde no mention of his name or vse of his office in all the Testament of CHRIST seing we finde there no such Heade Arch-Deacons with such stately Courtes and absolute iutisdiction and that not ouer many Deacons but manie of their Pastors yea manie whole Churches we must or rather the Lorde hath giuen the same sentence of them that is giuen of their fellowes aboue-said That they are not the ordinance or ministrie of CHRIST but of Antichrist euen the heades and limbes of that Beaste that wilbe held within no limites or boundes in no order or callings but breake corrupt and confounde all lawes boundes order and offices as they luste CHRIST himself is the only heade of all his Ministers whether Pastors Teachers Deacons c and they againe his members of their part The christian Deacon is to attend to the faithful collection and distribution of the ben●uolence of the Sainctes and not to such Court-keeping ouer the Church ministrie and Sainctes He is to attend in his function to that peculiar flocke wherof he is chosen a Deacon and not in this maner to intrude and incroach vpon manie Churches A christian Deacon is to kepe himself within the boundes of his owne office in sobrietie and not to intermeddle with the Pastors office also with the ministration of the worde and sacramentes yea to exalt himself and vsurpe power and iurisdiction ouer his superiors not only ouer many Pastors but ouer manie whole Churches Thus haue we taken a superficiall veiwe or rather as yt were a sodaine blush of the reigning Ministerie of the Church of England leauing the furder inuestigation and demonstration of the manifold deformities therof to their furder diligence to whom God hath giuen greater knowledge and opportunitie leauing place also vnto Mr. GIFFARD or anie of that false hierarchie to make defence and iustification of these poyntes wherin they are here chardged by the worde of God Which if they can doe then let them be held excused and vs iustly chardged with impudent and wicked sclander In the meane while I haste to the second sort of their Ministrie THe next sorte of the ministrie of the Church of England is the Collegiat or idle Ministrie which may be diuided or rather distinguished because sometimes they are mixed ioyned one man being a master of a College and a Deane a fellowe of a house a Prebend and each of them haue a Parsonage or two for a neede into these two kindes Academical and Cathedral The third sort