Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	church_n	controversy_n	decide_v	2,641	5	10.7494	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00718	An admonition to the Parliament	Fielde, John, d. 1588.; Gwalther, Rudolf, 1519-1586.; Bèze, Théodore de, 1519-1605.; T. W. (Thomas Wilcox), 1549?-1608.	1572 (1572)	STC 10848; ESTC S102020	41,634	60

our ignorance is equal wyth the ignorance of our leaders we are lost they cannot fynde vs we are sicke they can not heale vs we are hongry they cannot feede vs except they leade vs by other mennes lights and heale vs by saying a prescript forme of seruice or else fede vs with homilies that are too homely to be set in the place of Gods scriptures ☞ are not the people wel nodifyed thinke you when the homily of sweping the church is red vnto them ☞ But drunken they are and shewe theyr owne shame that striue so egarly to defend their doyngs that they wyll not only not acknowledge their imperfections but wyll enforce other men to allowe them 2 In thys booke also it is appointed that after the Creede if there be no sermon an homilie must folowe eyther already set out or hereafter to be set oute Thys is scarse plaine dealing that they wold haue vs cōsent vnto that which we neuer sawe and which is to be set out hereafter we hauing had such cause already to distrust them by that which is already set out being corrupt and straunge to maintain an vnlearned and reading minysterie and syth it is playne that mennes woorkes oughte to be kept in and nothing else but the voyce of God and holy Scriptures in which only are contained all fulnesse and suffyciencie to decide controuersies must soūd in his church for the very name Apocrypha testifieth that they were red in secrete and not openly 3 In thys booke dayes are ascribed vnto Saintes and kept holy with fastes on theyr euenes prescript seruice appointed for them which beside that they are of manye superstitiously kepte and obserued are also contrary to the commaundement of god Sixe dayes shalt thou laboure and therefore we for the superstition that is put in them dare not subscribe to allowe them 4 In thys booke we are enioyned to receaue the Communion kneeling which beside that it hath in it a shew of popish idolatry dothe not so well expresse a supper neyther agreeth it so well wyth the institution of Chryste as sitting dothe Not that we make sitting a thing of necessytie belonging vnto the Sacrament neyther affyrme we that it may not be receyued other wyse but that it is more neare the Institution and also a meane to auoide the daunger of Idolatry whiche was in tymes past too common and yet is in the hearts of many who haue not forgotten their bread god so slenderly haue they bene instructed Agaynst which we may set the cōmaundement Thou shalt not bow downe to it nor worshyp it 5 As for the halfe Communion whych is yet appoynted like to the commemoration of the Masse we say little of it sauing that we may note how neare the translator bounde himselfe to the Masse booke that wold not omit it We speake not of the name of priest wherwith he defaceth the minister of Christ bicause the priest y translated it would perhaps fayne haue the ministers of Christ to be ioyned with him seeing the offyce of Priesthode is ended Christ being the last priest that euer was To call vs therefore priestes as touching oure offyce is eyther to call backe agayne the old priesthode of the law which is to deny Chryst to be come or else to keepe a memory of the popish priesthode of abhomination stil amongst vs As for the fyrst it is by Christ abolished and for the second it is of Antichrist therfore we haue nothing to doe with it Such ought to haue no place in our church neither are they ministers of Christ sent to preach his gospel but priests of the Pope to sacrifyse for the quick the dead that is to creade vnder theyr feete the bloude of Christ Suche ought not to haue place amongst vs as the scriptures manifestly teache Besides that we neuer read in the newe Testament that this word priest as touching offyce is vsed in the good parte except it speake of the Leuiticall priesthode or of the priesthode of Chryste 6 Sixthly in this boke three or foure are allowed for a fyfte number to receiue the communion and the priest alone together wyth one more or wyth the sicke man alone may in tyme of necessytie that is when there is any common plague or in time of other visytation minister it to the sicke man and if he require it it may not be denyed This is not I am sure like in effect to a priuate masse that scripture drinke ye all of thys maketh not againste this and priuate communion is not agaynst the scriptures 7 And as for priuate baptisme that wil abide the touchstone Goe ye sayth Christe and teache baptising them c. Now teaching is deuorsed from communions and sacraments They may goe alone without doctrine Women that may not speake in a congregation may yet in tyme of necessytie minister the sacrament of baptisme and that in a priuate house And yet thys is not to tie necissitie of saluation to the Sacraments nor to nowsell men vp in that opinion This is agreable with the scriptures therfore when they bring the bapti●ed childe they are receiued with this special commendation I certefye you that you haue don wel and according vnto due order c. But now we speake in good earnest when they answer this Let them tell vs howe thys geare agreeth wyth the scriptures and whether it be not repugnant or agaynst the worde of God But some will say that the baptisme of women is not commaunded by law If it be not why doe you suffer it and wherfore are the children so baptised accordingly common experience teacheth that it is vsed almost in all places and fewe speake agaynst it And thys I am sure of that when it was put in the booke that was the meaning of the most part that were then present and so it was to be vnderstande as common practise without controlment doth plainly declare 8 The publique baptisme that also is full of childishe superstitious toyes First in theyr prayer they say y God by the baptisme of his sonne Iesus Christ did sanctify the floud Iordan and all other waters to the mysticall washing away of synne attributing that to the signe whych is propre to the● worke of God in the bloud of Christe as though vertue were in water to washe away sinnes Secondly they require a promisse of the godfathers and godmothers as they term them whych is not in theyr powers to perform Thirdly they prophane holy baptisme in toying foolishly for that they aske questions of an infante whych can not answere and speake vnto them as was wont to be spoken vnto men and vnto suche as being conuerted answered for themselues were baptized Which is but a mockery of God and therefore agaynst the holy scriptures Fourthly they do superstitiously and wickedly institute a new sacrament which is proper to Christ only marking the

To the godly Readers Grace and peace from god c. TWo treatises yee haue heere ensuing beloued in Christ which yee must read without parcialitie or blinde affection For otherwise you shal neither see their meaning nor refraine youre selues from rashlye condemning of them withoute infre cause For certaine men there are of great countenaunce whiche will not lightly like of them bicause they principally concerne theyr persons and vaiusre dealings whose credite is greate and whose freendes are manye we meane the Lordly Lords Archbishops Bishops Suffraganes Deanes Vniuersitie Doctors and Bachelers of Diuinitie Archdeacons Chaūcelors and the rest of that proud generation whose kingdome must down hold they neuer so hard bicause their tyrannous Lordship can not stande with Christes kingdome And it is the speciall mischefe of our Englishe churche and the cheefe cause of backewardnesse and of all breache and dissention For they whose authoritie is forbidden by Christ will haue theyr stroke without their fellow seruaūts yea though vngratiously cruelly and Pope-like they take vpon them to beat them and that for theyr owne childishe Articles being for the most part against the manifest truthe of God First by experience theyr rigoure hathe too plainely appeared euer since their wicked raign and specially for the space of these fiue or six yeares last past together Of the eno●mities which with suche rigoure they maintaine these treatises doe in parte make mention iustly crauing redresse therof But the matters do require a larger discourse Only the authors of those thought it their parts to admonish you at this time of those inconveniences which men seme not to thinke vpon and which without reformation cannot but increase further dissention the one parte being proude pontifycall and tyrannous and the woorde of God for the other parte expresse manifest as if it pleased the state to examine the matters it would be euident And would to God th●● free conferēce in these matters might be had For howe so euer learned and many they seeme to be they should and may in this realme finde inowe to matche them and shame them to if they hold on as they haue begon And out of this realme they haue all the best reformed churches thorowout Christendom againste them they were once of our minde but since their cōsecration they be so transubstanciated that they are be come such as you see But in a few words to say what we meane Ether must we haue a right ministerye of God a right gouernment of his churche according to the scriptures set vp bothe which we lacke or else there can be no right religion nor yet for contempt therof can Goddes plagues be from vs any while deferred And therfore though they lincke in togither and slaunderously charge pore men whom they haue made pore with greeuous faults calling them Puritanes worse than the Donati●tes exasperating setting on such as be in authoritie against them hauing hitherto miserably handled them with reuilings depriuations imprisonments banishments suche like extremities yet is these poore mennes cause neuer the worse nor these chalengers the better nor god his hande the further of to lincke in with his againste them nor you christian b●ethren must neuer the rather without examination condemne them But thankfully take this tast which God by these treatises offereth you weigh them by the worde of God and do your endeuor euery one in his calling to promote his cause And let vs all with more earnest prayer then we are wonte earnestly commend it to God his blessyng and namely y it wil please him by his spirit to lighten the heart of oure most gracious soueraigne and the rest in authoritie to the benefyte of his small flocke and the ouerthrowe of theyr proude e●●emies that godlinesse may by them procede in peace God his glory thorow Iesus Christ be throughly aduaunced Which we call God to witnesse is our only labor and sute And so presently we leaue you heartily beseching God to graunt it Amen ¶ An Admonition to the Parliament SEing that nothing in this mortal life is more diligently to be sought for carefully to be loked vnto than the restitution of true religion and reformation of Gods churche it shall be your partes dearly beloued in this present Parliamēt assembled as muche as in you lyeth to promote the same and to employ your whole labour and studie not onely in abandoning al popish remnāts both in ceremonies and regiment but also in bringing in and placing in Gods church those things only which the Lord himselfe in his word comm●undeth Because it is not enoughe to take paines in taking away euil but also to be ocupied in placing good in the stead thereof Now because many men see not al things and the world in this respect is maruelously blinded it hath ●ea thought good to proferre to youre godly consyderations a true platforme of a church reformed to the end that it being laide before your eyes to beholde the great vnlikenes betwixt it this our english churche you may learn● either with perfect hatred to detest the ●●e and with singular loue to embrace and carefull endeuor to plant the other or els to be without excuse before the maiestie of our God who for y discharge of our conscience and manifestation of his truth hath by vs reuealed vnto you at this present the sinceritie and simplicitie of his Gospell ▪ Not that you should either wilfully withstand or vngraciously tread the same vnder your fete for God doth not disclose his will to any such ende but that you should yet now a the length with all your mayne and might endeuor that Ch●iste whose easie yoke lyght burthen we haue of long time caste off from vs might rule and raigne in hys church by the scepter of hys word onely May it therfore please your wisedomes to vnderstand that we in England are so far off from hauing a church rightly reformed according to the prescripte of Gods woorde that as yet we are scarse come to the outward face of the same For to speak of that wherin the best consent whervpon al good wryters accord The outward markes wherby a true christian church is knowne are preaching of the woorde purely ministring of the sacraments sincerely and Ecclesiasticall discipline which consisteth in admonition and correction of faults seuerely Touching the fyrst namely the ministerie of the word although it must be confessed that the substance of doctrine by manye deliuered is sound and good yet here in it faileth that neyther the ministers therof are according to gods word proued elected called or ordained nor the functiō in such sort so narowly loked vnto as of right it oughte and is of necessyrie required For whereas in the olde churche a trial was had both of their abilitie to instruct and of their godly conuersation also nowe by the

childe in the forhead with a crosse in token that heereafter he shall not be ashamed to confesse the fayth of Christe We haue made mention before of that wycked deuorse of the worde and sacramentes We say nothing of those that are admitted to be witnesses what ill choyse there is made of them how conuenyent it were seing the children of the faythfull onely are to be baptized that the father should and might if conueniently offer present his child to be baptized making an open confession of that faith wherin he wold haue his childe baptized as is vsed in well reformed churches 9 As for Matrimonie that also hathe corruptions too many It was wonte to be compted a sacrament and therfore they vse yet a sacramental signe to which they attribute the vertue of wedlocke I meane the wedding ring which they fowly abuse and dally with all in taking it vp and laying it downe In putting it on they abuse the name of the Trinitie they make the newe marryed man according to the Popish forme to make an idol of his wife saying with this ring I thee wedde with my body I thee worshippe c. And bicause in Poperie no holy action mighte be done without a masse they enioyne the marryed persones to receiue the communion as they do theyr bishoppes and priestes when they are made c. other p●rtie things oute of the booke we speake not of as that women contrary to the rule of the Apostle come and are suffered to come bare headed with bagpipes and ●idlers before them to disturbe the congregation and that they must come in at the great dore of the church or else all is ●arred With diuers other heathnish toys in sondry countries as carying of whea●e she affes on theyr heads and ca●●ing of corne with a nūber of such like wherby they make rather a Maie game of marryage then a holy Institution of God. 10 As for confyrmation which the papists and our m● say was in times past Apostolical groūding their opinion perhaps vpon some dreame of Hierome yet as they vse it by the bishop alone to thē that lack both discretion and faithe it is superstitious not agreable to the word of God but popish peuishe As though baptim were not already perfect but neded confyrmation or as though the bishop coulde giue y holy ghost 〈◊〉 They appoynt a prescript find of seruice to bury the dead And that which is the duety of euery christian they tie alone to the minister wherby pr●ier for y dead is maintained and partly gathered out of some of the prarers where they pray y we with thys our brother all other departed in the true faith of thy holy name may haue our perfect cons●●●●ation and blisse bothe in body soule We say nothing of the threefold peale bicause that it is rather licensed by iniunction then commaunded in theyr boke nor of theyr straūge mourning by chaunging theyr garmentes which if it be not hipocritical yet it is superstitious heathnish bicause it is vsed only of custom nor of burial sermons which are put in place of trentalles wherout spring many abuses and therfore in the best reformed churches are remoued As for the superstitions vsed bothe in countrey and citie for the place of buryall which way they must lie how they must be fetched to churche the mynister meeting them at churche stile with surplesse with a companye of greedie clarkes that a crosse whyte or blacke must be set vpon the deade corpes that breade muste be gyuen to the poore and offrings in Buryall tyme vsed and cakes sent abrode to frendes by cause these are rather vsed of custome and superstition then by the authoritie of the boke Small commaundement will serue for the accomplishyng of suche things But great charge will hardly bryng the least good thyng to passe and therefore all is let alone and the people as blinde and as ignorante as euer they were God be mercyfull vnto vs and open our eyes that we may see what that good and acceptable will of God is and be more earnest to prouoke hys glory 12 Churching of women after childbirthe smelleth of Iewish purifycation theyr other rytes customes in theyr lying in comming to churche is foolishe and superstitious as it is vsed Shee muste lie in wyth a white sheete vppon her bed and come couered wyth a vaile as ashamed of some folly Shee must offer but these are matters of custome and not in the boke But thys Psalme as is noted before is childishly abused I haue lift vp mine eyes vnto the ly●ls ●rō whence commeth my helpe The sunne shall not burne th●e by day nor the moone by nyght 13 In all theyr order or seruice there is no edification according to the rule of the Apostle but confusion they ●osse the Psalmes in most places like ●ennice balles They pray that al men may be saued that they may be deliuered from thundering tempest whē no dāger is nigh That they sing Benedictus Nūc dimittis and Magnificat we knowe not to what purpose except some of them were ready to die or excepte they would celebrate the ine●ory of the virgine and Iohn Baptist c. Thus they prophane the holy scriptures The people some standing some walking some talking some reading some praying by themselues ●●tēd not to the minyster He againe posteth it ouer as fast as he can galloppe For eyther he hath two places to serue or else there are some games to be playde in the afternoone as lying for the whetstone heathnishe dauncing for the ring a beare or a bull to be baited or else Iacke an apes to ride on horssebacke or an enterlude to be plaide if no place else can be gotten this enterlude must be playde in the church ▪ c. Nowe the people sit and now they stand vp When the old Testament is read or the lessons they make no reuerēce but when the gospel commeth then they * al stand vp For why they thinke that to be of greatest authoritie and are ignorante that the scriptures came from one spirite When Iesus is named then of goeth the cap and downe goeth the knees wyth suche a scraping on the ground that they cannot heare a good while after so that the word is hindred but whē any other names of God are mentioned they make no curtesie at all as though the names of God were not equal or as though all reuerence oughte to be giuen to the syllables We speake not of ringing when Mattens is done and other abuses incident Bicause we shal be answered that by the boke they are not maintayned only we desire to haue a booke to reforme it As for organes and curious singing thoughe they be proper to Popyshe dennes I meane to Cathedrall churches yet some others also must haue them The Queenes chappell and these churches whych shoulde be spectacles of christia●… reformation are rather paternes