Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	church_n	doctrine_n	reform_a	3,582	5	9.8202	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A68136	A letter vvritten by a true Christian Catholike, to a Romaine pretended Catholike Wherein vppon occasion of controuersie touching the Catholike Church the 12. 13. and 14. Chap. of the Reuelations are breifly and trulie expounded. Which conteine the true estate thereof, from the birth of Christ, to the end of the world.	Herbert, William, Sir, 1553?-1593.	1586 (1586)	STC 12752.5; ESTC S112797	52,029	90

that you came of curtesie to see me I must thanke you and am right sorye my leisure did not serue me to haue further speches with you You deliuered vnto me two Propositions as the grounde-worke of your opinion the one that the principles of your doctrine are grounded firmelie vpon the catholike Church which antiquitie vniuersalitie and consent doe plainelie make manifest vnto you The other that the signes giuen of a true Church by thē of the reformed religion which are the sincere preaching of the worde the right administration of the sacraments religious prayers holesome discipline are no true signes of a true Church but so to affirme them is an error in Logique for that the Church is a signe of them and not they of the Church For your first proposition that the errors thereof may better appeare I will brieflie handle these 3. points First that neither the Catholike Church nor the doctrine antiquity vniuersality or consent thereof can otherwise be knowne then by the scriptures Secondly that sundry principles of your religion are not at all grounded vpon the catholike Church Thirdly that the Romaine Church vpon the which your principles are grounded is neither the Catholike Church nor a sounde member of the catholike church For your 2. proposition that the errors thereof may likewise be seene I will in few words deale with ●●●se three points First that of a particuler Church no better iudgement can be giuen whether it be sounde or vnsound or of two particuler Churches which is the sounder then by the worde and doctrine that they preach by the sacraments that they minister by the praiers that they vse and by the discipline that they exercise for where these are moste pureliest and perfectliest done that Church is to be thought the purest and perfectest member of the Catholike Church Where these are impurest and corruptest that Church is to be iudged the impurest and corruptest member where these are not at all there is to bee accompted no visible Church to be at all Thus to affirme is an error in Logike but a truth in diuinitie Secondly that of the truth of the doctrine of the right administration of the sacraments of the sinceritie and puritie of the praiers of the godly exercise of the discipline in any Church the onelye perfecte absolute and true touchstone is the holy scripture which ought diligently to be read of all men Thirdlie that for the true vnderstanding of the Scripture in those things that are necessarie the circumstance of the place the conference of other places the proportion of the doctrine the summary of our faith and the holy Ghost working in our harts doe sufficiently enable and enlighten vs. The holy Catholike Church wee define to bee the congregation companie and societie of all those that haue beleeued in Christ from the beginning of the world to this present time all that nowe beleeue in him and all that from henceforth shall beleue in him to the end of the world It is called Sancta holy because it is sanctified hallowed by the holy ghost it is called Catholica catholike or vniuersall because it conteyneth all ages all places al persons that beleeue it is called Ecclesia because it is a calling out or euocation of people out of ignorance and error vnto the faith and knowledge of God This Church is the misticall body of Christ who is the true and onely heade of it which gouerneth it in omnipotēcie and is ioyned vnto it in charitie Saint Augustine vpon the 56. psalme confirmeth this our definition of the Church Corpus Christi est Ecclesia non autem ista aut illa sed toto orbe diffusa nec ea quae nunc est in hominibus qui praesentem vitam agunt sed ad eam pertinentibus etiam ijs qui fuerunt ante nos ijs qui futuri sunt post nos vsque in finem soeculi tota enim Ecclesia constans ex omnibus fidelibus quia fideles omnes sunt membra Christi habet illud caput positum in coelestibus quod gubernat corpus suum si seperatum est a visione annectitur Charitate The body of Christ is the church yet not this church or that but that whiche is dispersed throughout the whole world neither yet that alone which is in men that liue at this present but that vnto which they likewise appertayned that haue bene before vs and that are to come after vs vnto the worlds end For the whole church consisteth of all the faithfull for all the faithfull are members of Christ hauing that head placed in the heauenly places which gouerneth his bodye though it be separate from the sight it is adioyned in charitie It is deuided into two parts the militant and triumphant the triumphant already in blisse and glory ineffable the militant hoping for the like happinesse and in the meane time vnder the banner of Christ Iesus warfaring heere on earth against the world the flesh and the Diuell This church for antiquitie so auncient for number so great for estate so diuers for situation so vniuersall no mans age coulde serue to knowe no mans knowledge were able to conceiue no mans conceit were of sufficiēcy to comprehend if the holy Scriptures wherein the spirit of God hath deliuered these thinges for our instruction were not extant amongst vs. In them we are taught that the churche began in Adam that the first Martyr was Abel the first persecutor Cain that by the Breach of Gods commaundement mankinde fell into that miserable and corrupt estate that it was not able to performe that Law of perfect obedience and righteousnesse that GOD had giuen and grauen in the hartes and mindes of men by the accomplishment whereof they were to haue life and by the impeachment whereof they were to haue death eternall and that then GOD in his infinite goodnesse and mercie graunted a remedie for vs in the promised seed which should restore mankinde and treade down the serpents head which was the first preaching of the Gospell published by God himselfe apprehended by faithe beleeued by Adam Afterward of God reiterated to the holye Patriarches by them imbraced and taught to their children and families preached and foretolde by the Prophetes shadowed out in the Lawe written in the Leuitical ceremonies performed in Christ testified and published by the Apostles confirmed with signes and miracles beleeued of al nations maligned by the Deuill persecuted by the wicked in all ages and yet continued to the end of the worlde by Gods especiall grace prouidence These things wee plainely see conteyned from the first of Genesis to the last of the Reuelation which otherwise coulde neuer haue come to our knowledge In them wee may see the beginning increasing continuance and perpetuation of the church the estate and condition of it in tyme past at this present in time to come the doctrine deliuered by the holy Ghost to the Patriarches to the Prophets to

thousand two hundred and three score daies That is to say two and forty moneths the which if we reckon after the accompt of Daniel euerie moneth for a sabboth of yeres it amounteth iust to two hundred foure score and fourteene yeres the which number of yeares containeth the whole persecution of the Primitiue church from the first of Herode to the last of Licinius who being ouercome by that most renowmed Emperour Cōstantine the great the church enioyed therupon after a long grieuous storme a sweete blessed happy calme In the meane time she was by Gods especiall prouidence preserued nourished not in pompous glorious ostentation but in hydlock and as it were in the desert not persecuting but persecuted not giuing but receiuing the crowne of martyrdom not glittering with tēporall riches but shining with spirituall vertues not practising the law of armes but preaching the law of God not superiour to all gouernments but subiect to all gouernours not releasing subiectes of their allegeance but instructing them to the doctrine of obedience not making merchādize of gods mercies freely bestowed vpon vs but diuiding frankly and faithfully to the children of God the bread of life O how wel beseemed this the church of Christ how contrarie vnto this is the church of Antichrist 7 And there was fought a great battaile in heauen Michael and his angels fought with the dragon and the dragon and his angels fought Here is described a fight and great battayle whereof the place and parties are specially to bee considered for the place it was in heauen that is to say in the church for the congregation of beleeuers is termed heauen euen as the companye of the vnfaithfull and vnbeleeuers is called the earth so wee finde in the beginning of this chapter that the Dragons tayle that is to saye false teachers tyrants persecutors and such like drewe the thyrde parte of the starres of heauen that is to saye a great number that were accompted beleeuers and members of the church militant and caste them to the earth that is made them reprobates vnbeleeuers The parties are Michael and his angels on the one side that is to say Christe and his ministers that is godly magistrates instructers according to the saying of the prophet Daniel in that time shall Michael the great prince arise which standeth for the sins of thy people On the other side is the Dragon and his angelles that is Sathan and his ministers which are tyrants persecutors seducers false prophetes hypocrytes and such like with death sinne hell and damnation 8 But they preuailed not neyther was their place found any more in heauen Here he declareth vnto vs the successe of the battaile the victorie was Michaels the dragon was conquered driuen out of the church and had no place in the hearts of the faithfull Thus Christ vanquished the Diuell death hell sinne in so much that none of these haue any power or authority vpon his elect and chosen people 9 And that great dragon was cast out euen that old serpent which is called the Diuell and Sathan which deceaueth all the worlde hee was euen cast into the earth and his Angels were cast out with him The dragon that is to say the Deuill beeing driuen out of heauen out of the Church out of the heartes of the godlie was cast into the earth that is into the reprobate the vnbeleeuers the wicked whose heartes are the temples of Sathan whose sences are grose and earthlie whose adorations and religions are terrestriall whose affections are altogeather fixed vpon earthlie and worldlie thinges And his Angels were cast out with him death sin hell such other the Dragons associates ministers as they haue no place with the faithful so amongst the vnbeleeuers reprobates they haue their proper seate and throne being together with Sathan their leader cast into the earth that is to say among the wicked and earthly people 10 Then I heard a loude voyce saying now is saluation in heauen strength the kingdome of our God the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast downe which accused thē before our God day night Here is laide before vs the reioysing of the heauenly Citizens for the felicitie and happines of the church that by Christs death and passion had ouercome and obtained the victory ouer the Diuell and his aungels For Michaell ouercame the Dragon Christ vanquished the Diuell ouerthrew his dominion power and authoritie and now raigneth only himselfe in most heauenly and triumphant sorte in the hearts and mindes of the faithfull So the accuser is cast downe that we may well say with S. Paule VVho shall accuse the elect of God It is God that iustifieth VVho is he that condemneth It is Christ which died yea which rose againe which is also on the right hand of GOD which maketh intercession for vs. So the accuser of our brethren is cast downe which accused them before our God day and night 11 But they ouercame him by the bloud of the Lambe and by the word of their testimony and they loued not their liues vnto the death The faithfull the chosen and elect people of God ouercame the Diuell but how Not by their desartes workes or merits but by the bloode of the Lambe and worde of their testimonie that is to saye by the death and passion of Christ and by beleuing in him that raised our Lord Iesus from the dead who was deliuered to deathe for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification the apprehension by faithe of this incomprehensible benefite which was the word of their testimony by the blood of the Lambe doth ouercome the Diuell conquer the world vanquish the flesh ouerthrowe sinne death hell and all infernall powers according to the saying of Saint Iohn This is the victory that ouercōmeth the world euē our faith And they loued not their liues vnto the death That is to say they most willingly suffered death for the truthes sake and for their testimony in respecte whereof they loued not their liues but after the counsell of our sauiour in the fourteenth of Luke denied themselues tooke vp their crosse and followed Christ and hated their life in this worlde to the end to keepe it to life euerlasting 12 Therefore reioice ye heauens and ye that dwell in thē VVoe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea for the Deuil is come down vnto you which hath great wrath knowing that he hath but a short time Therefore reioyce o ye congregation of the faithful and ye that dwell in them Wo to the inhabitāts of the earth wo vnto you earthly and wicked people woe vnto you inhabitants of the Sea woe vnto you wauering inconstant and vnstedfast in beleefe for the Deuill is come downe vnto you who shall vexe you with sundry calamities both inwardly and outwardly shal replenish you with al vices torment you with anguish and greife of minde

Boniface the eight both before recited it may make some demonstration of the power and authoritye of the Popedome in those dayes And he caused the earth and those that dwell there to worshippe that first beast whose deadly wounde was healed In the thirde verse of this Chapter it was declared that one of the heads of the Romaine Empire was as it were wounded to death But his deadlye wound was healed We there expound that head to be Rome and Italie it selfe so that the sense of this place is that the Popes shall cause the inhabitantes of the earth to haue in great account honor and reputation Italie and Rome which are that beast and head whose deadlye wound was healed and such estimation brought they it vnto that the simpler sorte worshipped it as the chaire of Peter as the rocke and bulwarke of christian religion and as the inuincible fortresse of the faith the wiser and discreeter feared it as a place of no lesse perrill then power and as the lyons denne which moued Rodolfe a very notable Emperour liuing about the yeare of our Lord 1282. vnto such as asked him the cause why he would not into Italie to yeeld this answere that the lyon vpon a time had inuited all kindes of beastes to come vnto him which when they came at the hower appointed to the mountain where the lion dwelled The fox wiser then the rest finding no tracke of anyes returne drewe backe alleaging a reason thus recited by Horace Quia me vestigia terrent Omnia te aduersum spectantia nulla retrorsum 13 And he did great wonders so that he made fire to come downe from heauen on the earth in the sight of men In the sight of men that is in the opinion Iudgment and conceit of men hee made fire to come downe from heauen that is to come out from the church vpon the earth that is vpon the wicked vpon the obstinate vpon the accursed and reprobate this fire was the flame and thunderboultes of their excommunications which in the opinion of men was wonderful and terrible and blasted them and made them accursed vpō whom it lighted But it was not so in deede it onely appeared so in the sight of men that is in the corrupt iudgement of the ignorant for the excommunications papall were no lawfull censures of the church but were the vnlawfull and tyrannous proceedings of an vsurped power and here it is good to note in that there is mention made of heauen and of earth that in the course of these prophesies as the earth is opposite vnto heauen it is taken in the worse parte as the earth is opposite vnto the sea it is taken in the better parte as the earth and the sea are opposite to the heauens both are taken in ill part But to returne to the Papall excommunications so wonderfull were they in operation that by them Leo the Emperour by Gregorie the second was cut off both from the tribute and from the obedience due vnto him in Italie His subiectes there were made to rebel against him two of his exarchats were slaine and the thirde had his eyes pulled out The king of Lumbards seased vpon much of the Emperours territories and Rome and the Romaine Dukedome were seased vpon by the Pope By this fyre also Henry the third a most honorable personage and Emperour of very great wisedome corage and industry was vtterly consumed ouerthrown by Gregory the seuenth by force of the same flame Alexander the third made Fredericke the Emperour to come to the city of Venice to aske him forgiuenes to kisse his feete to hold his stirope and to do him seruice obeisance the sparkes of this fyre were interdiction suspention inhibition relaxation of subiects from their othes of alleageance dispensation with othes and such like the coales that were hereby kindled were vprores tumultes disloialties conspiracies rebellions seditions and turbulent commotions For in sighte of men these appeared to be fyres from heauen that is to be the censures of the church which euery man thought himselfe bound vpon paine of damnation to yeelde vnto and obey whereas in truth they proceeded from the fyre brands of hell Who by these practises weakened wasted and consumed the states of Christendome and aduaunced themselues to the type of all earthly honor 14 And deceaued them that dwelt vpon the earth by the signes which were permitted him to doo in the syght of the beast saying to them that dwell on the earth that they shoulde make the Image of the beast which had the wounde of a sworde and did liue These signes of their power and authoritye which God permitted them to shewe euen in the face feeling of the Emperours deceiued no doubt them that dwelt on the earth and wrought in them this perswasion that the power that coulde bringe such wonderfull thinges to passe was sacred heauenly and altogether diuine and hauing gained this authoritie and reputation with the inhabitants of the earth they willed an Image of the beast to be made which had the wound of a sworde and did liue The beast as is before declared is the Empire of Rome The Image that is made to represent it is the church of Rome where in wee are to consider the dignitye authoritye religion lawes and proceedings howe proportionably they are framed and fashioned to the portrature and Image of the olde Romaine Empire for the firste and second the principall instrument and pencill wherby the Popes painted this Image was the false and forged donation of Constantine wherein they faigne imagine and beare the worlde in hande that the Emperour hath decreed that as his earthly power imperiall so the holy sacred Romaine Church shall reuerently be honored and that the most sacred seate of Peter shall bee gloriously exalted more then the Empire and earthly throne yelding vnto it power and dignity of glory and also vigour and honorificence imperiall and againe that to blessed Syluester chiefe Bishoppe and vniuersall Pope of the City of Rome and to all Bishoppes his successours which shall sit to the ende of the world in the seate of blessed Peter he presently together giueth his palace of Lateran appertayninge to his Empire and also his diademe that is to saye the crowne that belongeth to his head and his white miter called Prigium with the coller that commeth ouer his shoulders and compasseth his imperiall necke and withall his purple cloake and scarlet roabe and all other his imperiall indumentes yea and the dignitye of hauing imperiall presidentes and maisters of horse bestowing also vpon him the imperiall Scepter together with all the ensignes bands and sundrye ornaments imperiall and all kinde of proceeding of the imperiall celsitude and glorie of his power and that the moste reuerent men they of the cleargye seruing the same holye sacred Romaine church in sundrye degrees shall enioye the same celsitude and heyght of honour in singularitye power and excellencye with the glorie wherof the moste honourable

Senate seemeth to bee adorned that is they shall bee made counsellers and consulles and shall farther be decored with all other dignities imperiall and that as the imperiall warfare is decked so also the cleargie of the holy Romaine church shall be adorned and that as the imperiall poysance is garnished with diuers offices of chamberlaines of porters of watchmen and garders so the holye Romaine church shall likewise bee beautified and that the pontificall brightnesse maye shinne most amplye and largelye hee doth ordaine that the houses of the cleargye of the holye Romayne church shall bee garnished with skarfes and with lawnes that is of bright white and that they shall so ryde And that as the Senate doth vse showes with drawynges out that is to say decked with fyne whyte lynnen so the cleargy in lyke sort may vse And farther decreeth that Syluester and his successors shall vse the diademe that is to saye the Crowne of moste pure golde and precious stones which from his head he had graunted vnto him And for that the sayde moste blessed Pope was vnwyllyng vppon the Crowne of his Priesthoode which he weare to the glorye of Sainct Peter to vse that crowne of golde hee had put a miter shynynge with whyte bryghtnesse with his owne handes vppon his head ordayning that euerye one of the Popes successours in particular shall vse the same miter In their proceedinges to the imitation of the Empire which is all one as if hee had sayde as an Image of the Empire this I finde in effecte worde for worde in the Popes decrees collected certayne hundred yeares synce by Gratian and now lately with prefaces and priuileges recommended to the world by Pope Gregorie the thirtenth and printed in Paris the yeare of our Lord 1582. although this donation bee a very falsehood and forgerie in the opinions iudgements of sundry wise and learned men as Cardinall Cusanus Hieronimus Paulus Otho Frisingensis Krantzius Platina Laurentius Valla Carolus Molinaeus Andreas Alceatus and others Yet is it apparant to the eye that sith from the stampe of the Romayne cleargye this counterfecte did proceede they had hereby a good desire to make their Romayne Church an Image and representation of the olde Romayne Empire which is the beast that had the wounde of a sworde and did liue neither did they onelye endeuour to resemble it in dignitie authoritye and ceremonies of honor and maiestie but also in forme and manner of religion which is not vnknowne in the olde Romaine Empire to haue consisted in the multiplicitye of goddes they hauing a god for euerye countrie for euerye prouince for euery Citye for euery place and for euery thing and for these they had alters and Idols and sacrifices and oblations and ceremonies in theyr honour This the Romayne church represented in the multiplicitye of sainctes they hauing a sainct for euery countrie for euerye prouince for euery parishe for euerye place and for euerye thing and for these they had churches and Images and offeringes and prayers and kneelinges and what soeuer establisheth a diuine adoration Hence it was that they turned the temple of Pantheon to the church of all Sainctes Diana to our Ladie Mars into sainct George Aesculapius to S. Roche Romulus and Remus to Peter Paule and euery other god of the Romayne Empire to some other Sainct of the Romayne church Lastlye touching the lawes and manner of gouernment there is a verye great representation betweene the one the other the forme of the pollicy of the romaine empire seemed at the first sight to be an Arastocracie by reason of the autoritie of the Senate but in trueth was a most absolute monarchie by reason of the supreme power of the Emperours The forme of the policy of the Romaine church seemeth likewise to be an aristocracie by reason of the authoritie both of the Cardinals and councels but in verie deed it is a most absolute monarchie by reason of the most high and circumspect power of the Popes The lawes Imperiall by the which the Romaine Empire endeuoured to appease the controuersie that happened amongst men may appeare by the pandectes collected by Tri-bonian by the code of Iustinian and by the bookes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The lawes Papall by the which the Romaine church proceeded likewise to ende variaunces may be seene in the decretall Epistles writen to the verie likenesse and similitude of the Emperiall rescriptes being an Imitation repetition rehearsall and representation of the selfe same lawes that bare swaye in the Romaine Empire and so confessed by the Canonistes themselues If any will wade farther in the consideration hereof let them reade the collections of Iohannes Berthaclinus firmanus called his repertorie which treateth in seuerall great volumes of an infinite number of things wherein the lawes Ciuill and Canon doe accorde And although in his second to me there be inserted the collection of one Gwalnanus vnder the worde differentia touching the differences in diuers pointes betweene the Ciuill law and the Canon Yet are they so fewe in number in respect of the rest that they are nothing in comparison and such also as differ rather in matter of circumstance then of substaunce and some of them such sort of differences as may very well be betweene a body and his Image As for example the last difference sauing one by him is noted thus Secundum ius Ciuile in libello accusatorio ponuntur nomina Imperatoris consulum secundum ius Canonicum loco illorum ponuntur nomina Papae Episcopi 2.9.4 lib. ibi no. gl 1. per Archi. According to the Ciuill lawe in a libell of accusation the names are put of the Emperor and of the Consuls according to the Canon law in stead of thē the names are put of the Pope of the byshop 15 And it was permitted him to giue a spirite vnto the Image of the beast so that the Image of the beast should speake and should cause that as many as would not worship the Image of the beast should be killed Euery bodie Politique and euerie state that is established to continue amongest men liue by their lawes and constitutions Insomuch that lawes are rightly tearmed the life of the common wealth And in al well ordered common wealthes these lawes are made and ordained by the assent of the most parte of the inhabitants and members of the same For as in the naturall bodie of lyuing creatures out of an harmonie and consent of euerie part and member there resulteth a certaine vitall spirite and vigor that giueth life and motion to the whole bodie and so long continueth the same in good health and estate as it enioyeth free and vninterrupted passage into euerie part and member thereof So in the bodie politicke of common wealthes and estates out of a consent and agreement of the partes and members therof there are produced lawes and ordinances which giue life and strength vnto the common wealth and so long continue