Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	authority_n	church_n	controversy_n	4,446	5	9.1213	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20505	A discourse vppon a question of the estate of this time. Faithfully translated out of French by E.A.	Aggas, Edward.	1591 (1591)	STC 6910; ESTC S118984	10,741	18

well assured that as in a certaine place it is saide it is because ye aske amisse God knoweth your hearts and can answere you as Christ answered the sonnes of Zebede Ye wot not what ye aske Let vs first therefore aske and séeke after the kingdome of God and his righteousnes so shall all things be added thereto For I do certainely beléeue that the first point requisit hereto were to change and reforme our maners our pride vanitie couetousnes ambition and pleasures with other our sins and bad demeanors and to embrace charitie with the loue of God and our neighbor which at this day are not onely cooled but euen almost quite quenched in vs. But sith I am no diuine without grounding my selfe any déeper vpon diuinity I will ende this discourse in the same simple stile wherein I began A hundred and a hundred times considering the spoiles and desolations procéeding of the tragedies stirred vp throughout Christendome but especially in this realme vnder the pretence of diuersity of opinions in matter of religion I haue studied how they might be appeased yet still my minde hath giuen me and I haue thought it good vnder Gods good pleasure who only is able to frée vs from these miseries for some mighty christian prince touched with the spirite of God a louer of his owne saluation together with the peace and vnion of the vniuersall Church whose worde and faith had neuer bene called in question to labour to the pope emperour and other christian kings and princes to summon an assembly in maner of a councell or generall conference whereto it might be lawfull for al christian nations to send their embassadors deputies doctours and diuines men of milde and tractable humours such as especially respected the glory of God the saluation of themselues and their neighbours and the peace of all christendome to the ende by the testimony and authority of the holy scriptures the auncient councels the doctours and fathers of the church such as haue alwayes béene receiued and allowed to agrée and conclude vpon a publike and general confession of faith that may touch whatsoeuer is in controuersie or diuersly interpreted concerning the catholike apostolike and Romish doctrine and religion as also that euery the saide embassadours and deputies should be authorized with epseciall power and proxie sufficient to grant promise and sweare in the behalfe of those that might haue chosen and sent them to obserue and kéepe and religiously and inuiolably to cause to be obserued and kept whatsoeuer shall be decided concluded and decréed in the saide assembly And withal reuoluing in my mind who were the fittest prince in christendome whom god might vse as an instrument in so great a worke my heart gaue me aboue 8. yeares since that the king now raigning temporally ouer vs was most méete yea and euer since haue I bin persuaded that god stil preserued him to that end In which persuasion I am greatly confirmed when priuatly I call to mind Gods wonderfull works in the calling and bringing him to this crown For it hath bin maruellous yea I would gladly say euen miraculous had not euery one séene it or had not many particularities béene noted in sundry former writings either if I wist that among the kings seruants for to them specially do I direct my spéech there were any yet so dull as not to haue considered and diuers times meditated vpon the course of things passed I could gladly stay vppon a briefe rehearsall of the same in this place but studying for brenitie least I should be tedious I will onely say thus much that sith so extraordinarily contrary to the opinion and expectation of a great parte and against the willes of many French men and some mighty forren ennemies GOD hath raised vp and placed in the seate royall him whome they reiected and proclaymed vnwearthy I am fully and stedfastly resolued that he hath called and chosen him not only to raigne ouer this realme but also to be the meane of peace and vnion throughout the catho apostolike and Romish church and to roote out all schismes diuisions abuses that may haue bin crept in or norished through the corruption of the time Which foundation once laid I will with Saint Paule adde thus much that such as do resist the kings dominion ouer this realme do resist the ordinance of God and so purchase to themselues eternall damnation and therefore to the end to appease Gods wrath all the subiects of this crowne ought to vnite themselues in one will to acknowledge and obey the king that so we may attaine to a peace whereby things decayed may be redressed small ones increased iustice flourish and order which by wars is subuerted and corrupted be restored in all estates and sunctions and finally the king at the humble suite of his good and faithfull subiectes may deale with the saide Pope Emperour and other Kings and Princes christian for the assembling and gathering of a generall frée councell wherein to abolish and end all controuersies and to reforme whatsoeuer is any where corrupted or amisse in matter of religion Me thinkes that already I heare a common consent of al nations christian to hearken to this so necessary a motion yea that I euen heare them say that sith the king is the dealer and that the generall councel shall be assembled vnder his faith and word they will not hencefoorth feare to send their embassadors and deputies as being assured that euery one may come safely that with all liberty they shall be receiued vnto a frée debating of their reasons and declarations and to lay open whatsoeuer the imaginations of their mindes in matter of religion without any feare of molestation in their liues and persons For what Prince was there euer more carefull of his faith then the King Sith his euemies haue and daily do relie thereupon shal not his friends do the like But withall it is méete that the said nations togither with their embassadors and deputies consieering that it is the honor and glory of God the quiet and saluation of their soules and the peace and vnion of the vniuersall Church that is to be dealt in should be admonished laying aside all affections and particular passions all couetousnes ambition bitternes and obstinacy to come and bring to the said assembly milde and tractable mindes easie to be illuminated and guided by the light of Gods word together with the authoritie of the doctrine of the ancient councels and fathers of the Church and to the same effect before they enter into matter and conference they are to méete and agrée vpon such authors and bookes as they wil accept to be the arbitrators and iudges of their controuersies Who doubteth any longer of taking this course What spirit of strife will not lende his consent hereto Who is so great an enemy to himselfe and to the whole name of Christianitie as to chuse warre and temporall weapons rather then spirituall The controuersie is spirituall let it be decided with spiritual weapons I am content to beléeue that we al do agrée herein reason so requireth necessitie forceth And I hope that God who with his holy grace and prouidence guides al things wil fauour the vows and hearty supplications which daily for the same we do and still will poure forth vnto him I haue already shewed that the peace of this realme must procéed of the holding of this said generall councell as also it will be vnpossible to attain to the one without the other it shall not be amisse therefore in few words to say that through peace matter of religion must be staied by prouiso vntil the resolution of what soeuer shall be agréed decided and concluded in the saide generall councell It is an vsuall course to knitte againe a thréede in the same place where it was broken and when an Instrument of Musicke is out of tune men vse not for to breake the rest of the strings but by wresting and slacking of them to reduce them to a consent and harmony as wel as they may Euen so may peace be knit againe and the harmony of this estate be restored in the place where it was broken And this may be compassed by re-establishing things into the same state wherein they were when the Leaguers through their manifest conspiracies commotions and practises forced the late king to reuoke the Edict that had preserued and maintained vs seauen yeares on a rowe in happie peace concord and tranquilitie throughout the realme To conclude therefore in so much as the Leaguers intent in séeming to wish the king would become a catholike is wicked and captious as we haue already shewed also that the intents of others that terme themselues the kings seruants and make the like wish are not so wel grounded but that they may be reuersed by other as strong resons as may appéere by such as alredy haue beene debated let vs hereafter cease this importunate and common proposition and principle and henceforth inspect all such as shall vse it accompting them for such as vnder a faire and large apparance and pretence doe weare I wote not what ambitious and pernitious web to the disaduantage of the wealth and seruice of the king and the peace of his estate And contrariwise taking the king at his word that he will be instructed and conforme himselfe to whatsoeuer shall be decided and determined in a generall councell let vs stand vpon this latter aduise whereby procuring the kings instruction and conuersion by the saide generall councell we may reunite the church of God into one selfe religion and confession of faith which is the greatest benefit that we can at this present craue of our Lord who wil grant our request in case our owne commodities and particular interestes forgotten and omitted we séeke onely his honour and glary together with the peace and vnion of all christendome FINIS