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	primitive_a	2,508	5	9.0550	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02239	A generall historie of the Netherlands VVith the genealogie and memorable acts of the Earls of Holland, Zeeland, and west-Friseland, from Thierry of Aquitaine the first Earle, successiuely vnto Philip the third King of Spaine: continued vnto this present yeare of our Lord 1608, out of the best authors that haue written of that subiect: by Ed. Grimeston.; Grande chronique. English	Le Petit, Jean François, 1546-ca. 1615.; Grimeston, Edward.; Meteren, Emmanuel van, 1535-1612. Historia Belgica nostri potissimum temporis.; Sichem, Christoffel van, ca. 1546-1624, engraver.	1608 (1608)	STC 12374; ESTC S120800	2,253,462	1,456

to confute heresies as euer But to condemne them by the very name and authoritie of some counsell without alledging the Scriptures and reasons of the said counsell were out of reason for they submit themselues to proue that the counsels by the which their doctrine hath beene condemned were but petie counsels assembled and allowed by the tyrannie of some who alone haue decreed what they pleased against the authoritie of the Scriptures without hearing or admitting their aduerse parties And doubtlesse in the auncient primitiue Church there were many bishops which haue reiected some counsels as suspect and not lawfull nor grounded vpon the authoritie of the word of God but rather vpon the authoritie of men as we read of Maximus bishop of Ierusalem and of S. Hillarie bishop of Poitiers yea and of S. Athanasius Chrysostome and Photinus So as it is not without reason if many ages after them there haue beene counsels suspected to these men But as for the most auncient and receiued on eyther side they are content to allow of them so farre forth as they proue their sayings by the word of God There resteth then nothing but that their reasons may be heard that the truth may be knowne and their errors and heresies auoided seeing there is no other meanes to procure a publicke peace and to draw all the subiects to one Religion That if their aduersaries as if there were no controuersie in this point challenge the name of the Church and without hearing their reasons examined by the Scripture will that all which they shall ordaine or decree shall bee infallibly kept as an Ordinance of the Church and so of God as they haue done in the last Counsell of Trent where the Pope was head and the aduerse partie not called but to bee condemned and iudged according to the Ordinances of the Church that is to say of the Pope and Prelates or els to recant and then to bee receiued into fauour without doubt there will neuer be any meanes to draw them from their beleefe seeing that this Maxime will alwayes remaine grauen in their hearts That they must in all things follow the word of God the which alone hath authoritie to iudge all controuersies and to define which is the true and the false Church Which Maxime can neuer be wrested away by the authoritie of any man much lesse that the Pope and Prelates haue any such credit not by fire nor sword so as if their aduersaries would not giue them free audience as it is said but vse violence they should but impaire their owne cause and make theirs better and more fauourable whom they seeke to root out Seeing then it is a point resolued among all men of iudgement that touching the faith and inward beleefe no corporall violence can commaund and that men must be confuted of errour in their consciences wee must examine the second point which wee haue propounded which is whether it were not possible to hinder the outward exercise of their Religion forbidding them to assemble preach teach nor to make any outward profession of that which they beleeue in heart And first in case it were feasible whether it were fit and conuenient to doe it No Religion whatsoeuer can subsist if it hath not some exercises and exteriour ceremonies by the which it may be entertained whereupon the Emperour Gracian was wont to say That it was necessarie the people should be maintained in some outward discipline of some Religion whatsoeuer it were good or bad For as man by nature is enclined to reiect the yoke of God it is necessarie he should be kept in awe and discipline else he will be like vnto an vntamed horse reiecting the feare of God and man Being then impossible to root out the faith which they haue in their hearts it were not conuenient although it were possible to hinder their exteriour discipline and exercises by the which the people are maintained in their Religion and in the feare of God and of the magistrate vnlesse whereas in their assemblies they are taught to be good men and to feare God and honour the king and his officers they will make them wicked Atheists libertines and seditious perturbers of all good order policie as we see plainly by daily experience for we see a number which haue cast off the yoke of the Romish church mocking at the masse priests yet fearing to loose their goods or honours refusing to apply themselues to discipline and exercise of any other Religion haue become very Atheists without faith or law yet there are no small numbers of villanous libertines which make Sects of themselues teaching that we must not serue God outwardly with any exteriour forme or discipline but onely in Spirit and vnder this pretext they giue themselues to all villanie and abhomination to murthers rapes incests and adulteries holding that the outward things serue to no end so as the heart bee cleane as they persuade themselues yea some haue beene so audacious as to haue vaunted themselues to be Christ himselfe others the Spirit of God others Charitie To conclude they are prophane people and contemners of God and the magistrate maintaining That there ought not to bee any sword or superioritie vsed among men but that the Spirit should gouerne and guide the heart of man as it pleaseth The which groweth through no other occasion but that seeing the great abuses which haue raigned and doe still raigne in the Church and not being suffered on the other side to ioyne themselues to any discipline and exercise of Religion they are growne to that passe as to thinke that dissimulation is not bad so as the heart be good and so mocking at Religion whereof they make a shew they must needs fall into wicked Atheisme And there are none in the world more seditious and greater disturbers of all good order than these people as hath beene seene in the Anabaptists of Munster and their like for the rooting out of which there were no better meanes who so would duly consider all things without passion than to suffer them yea to commaund them expressely That all they which made profession of the Religion which they call Reformed should assemble in view of all the world and keepe good discipline fit for the obedience which they owe vnto God and the magistrate correcting vices and excesse For although there were no other good yet by this meanes they should get thus much which is of great importance for the preseruation of the publicke quiet That whereas wee dayly see spring vp new and abhominable sects full of sedition and mutinies yea and of horrible blasphemies against the Maiestie of God when as there should be but two publicke kinds of profession in the view of all the world either of them performing the obedience which they owe vnto God and the king when as any new one should spring vp it should be easie to suppresse it by the word of God But for