Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	believe_v	church_n	err_v	1,967	5	9.6697	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A06347	An excellent and plaine discourse of the church, whereby the godlie may knowe and discerne the true Church, from the Romish Church, and all other false and counterfet churches, as well for matters of doctrine, as discipline, &c. Written in Frenche by M. Bartrand de Loque, a godlie minister of Dolphenine. And faithfully translated into English, by M.T.W. Seene and allowed; Traité de l'eglise. English	Loque, Bertrand de.; T. W. (Thomas Wilcox), 1549?-1608.	1582 (1582)	STC 16813; ESTC S103377	172,896	422

similitudes Iesus Christe very plainely expresseth what shall bee the visible state and condition of the Churche so long as it shall bee on earth that is to say that the wicked shall continually be mingled therein with the good and that in suche sorte as the tares are amongest the good wheate in the fieldes and as euill fishes are mingled with the good in the Sea Wherof followeth that which we haue saide before in the third Chapter to wit that all they which are in the Church are not for all that of the Church And indeede experience hath in all ages shewed the same vnto vs and maketh vs to behold the same as yet euē euery day Gen. 4. 3. c Cain was the first that defiled the Churche of God although he offered sacrifices in outwarde shewe as his iust brother Abell did Noah preached vnto those of his time And continuing his exercise a long season some thinke sixe score yeeres hardly woulde his owne housholde beleeue his worde Gen. 7.1 c so that GOD destroying all the worlde by the flood onely eight persons of the foresaide Noahs housholde were reserued by the meane of the Arke And euen yet of those eight persons with whome God had made a newe couenant touching the establishing againe of his Churche Ham Gen. 9.22 in his time very manifestly declared his hypocrisie Amongst the twelue Apostles Mat. 27. 3. c. Act. 1.16 17. c. Reue. 2.6 Clemens strom lib. 3. Euseb hist eccles lib. 3 cap. 29. 1. Iohn 2. 19 Iudas is found a traitour and vnfaithfull Amongest the seuen Deacons one Nicholas was an heretike at the least if that be true that this Nicholas was one of the seuen Deacons as Clemens Alexandrinus and Eusebius certainely affirme it Saint Iohn speaking of Antichristes wherewith the Churche was in his time troubled and tormented saith They went out frō vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they woulde haue continued with vs. And what at this day Howe many hypocrites and greate mungrell Mastiffes are found at this day in the outwarde Church and are suffered therin Certainely there are very many whiche are acknowledged and allowed for members of the Churche of whome GOD who beholdeth all mens heartes doth in the meane season iudge otherwise Wherefore the Church euen in this respect is not at any time in the worlde without wrinckle The fourth point which wee must note heere is that our sanctification is not performed or wrought al at one time but there are three degrees or steppes thereof to the end that it may be perfect The first degree is during this life when that our Lord Iesus Christ giueth vs his holy spirite thereby to resist and withstande the worlde the diuell sinne and our owne fleshe to the ende that wee may loue good things Rom. 7.22 23. c and hate euil Hereunto may be applied that which Saint Paule speaketh of himselfe writing vnto the Romanes in the seuenth Chapter verse 22.23 The seconde is after this life when the soule enioyeth the presence of Iesus Christ giuing it selfe vnto all holinesse but our other part that is the bodie resting it selfe in the dust without being able to applie it self vnto any thing to sanctifie the name of God by The third shal be after the last iudgemēt when beeing perfectly ioyned with Iesus Christ our head we shall behold God euen as he is who shal be all in all and that after such maner and sort as S. Paule saith that Christe is made of GOD vnto vs wisedome 1 Cor. 1. 30 righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Therfore when that our Lord Iesus Christe shal so work in vs that there shal be no spot Philip. 3. 21. 1. Ioh. 3.2 but that our very bodies shall be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie and we shal be like vnto him then truly shal our sanctification be accomplished and made perfect which nowe is but as it were begunne in vs. CHAP XII Whether the Church may erre or no. THis question to wit whether the Church can erre hath beene diuers times tossed and handled for the opening and vnfolding whereof wee must first striue to knowe after what maner or in what sēse the word church is heere to be taken I meane whether wee must vnderstand this of the Catholike and vniuersall churche or els of the particular Churches But the controuersie is not in my iudgement of the Catholike church for wee all agree heerein that shee cannot erre as touching faith And indeede howe shoulde shee erre seeing that following Iesus Christe her head and her husband shee walketh not in darkenesse but in the light of life On the other side it is impossible that all faithfull people vniuersally euen from the first vnto the last shoulde fall into errour for there haue beene alwayes some preserued through the goodnesse and grace of GOD by whome trueth it selfe through other mens naughtines brought as it were to nothing or at the least destituted and forsaken hath yet notwithstanding been restored to her former force and is yet still mainteined and preserued Wherefore this question is touching a particular churche Touching which it seemeth good vnto vs in the first place to heare the iudgement and reasons of the Romishe Catholikes vppon this that they affirme that the churche so taken cannot erre following herein the Nouatians Donatistes and other heretikes And afterwardes we will shew foorth put downe our aduise and reasons to proue the contrarie The Romishe Catholikes thinke that the churche cannot erre although shee doe and appoint any thing without the worde of God for beeing guided by the holie Ghost she may goe and walke without the order and direction of the worde and although shee goe and walke yet shee cannot erre or goe astray But they separate that whiche ought alwayes to remaine abide ioyned together for if the churche followe not the worde of God it is impossible to keepe her from error as on the other side if shee followe it therein she doth well and cānot erre The reasons wherby they would persuade men that the church cannot erre are these following The first is this Iesus Christe doeth not at any time forsake his churche whiche is his spouse or wife Wherefore it followeth that it cannot erre I aunswere by a distinction So farre foorth as the church foloweth Iesus Christ it cannot bee forsaken of him and cannot erre but in as muche as it liuing in the worlde doeth stray from Christ and goeth aside from gods commandements it is forsaken of him and doth erre The second reason The Church is called The piller and ground of truth 1. Tim. 3.15 Wherfore it cannot erre I answere that there is in this argument a double error the one touching the word Church For Saint Paule meaneth the Catholike Church not any particular one The other is concerning the meaning of the Apostle For he calleth the Church the piller

and ground of truth not that it is so simplie and indeede of it selfe but in respect of vs because that the truth of God hath not place in the worlde saue onely in the Church For as much therefore as God maintaineth his truth amongest men Chrysost in 3 cap. 1. ad Timoth. and maketh it alwayes to goe his right course by the ministerie of the Churche therefore is the Church called the piller and grounde of the truth To be short because that God himselfe commeth not downe from heauen and doth not euery day sende his Angels to maintaine his truth among men to publish it to the world but vseth the ministerie of the Church for this effect that is to say the preaching of the word for this cause it is called the columne or pillar of truth because that by the preaching of the worde it is reteined amongest men and countergarded to the ende that it decaye not or perish from the memorie or remembrance of men The thirde reason The Church is gouerned and guided by the holy Ghoste howe then can it erre I aunswere that so farre foorth as the Church is gouerned by the holy ghoste suffering it himselfe to be guided by him obeyeth him shee cannot erre but if shee doe the contrary shee may erre and doeth erre The fourth reason In the kingdome of heauen no error can haue any place Mat. 13.24.16.19 For trueth reigneth therein but the Churche is the kingdome of heauen It followeth then that in the Church no error can haue place All this is true of the Catholike Church yea and of particular Churches also so farre foorth as they shewe themselues to bee the kingdome of heauen and not the kingdome of this worlde and of the fleshe that is to say so farre foorth as they are assemblies subiect in al things to Iesus Christ the king of heauen But where is that particular church so obediēt to Iesus Christ the king of heauen that it erreth not and fayleth not in many points and particular duties The fifth reason councels cannot erre but the church consisteth of councels therfore the church cannot erre This Syllogisme pretendeth and laboureth to proue an vncertaine thing by another thing yet more vncertaine For many examples do plainely testifie that the councels may erre as indeede they haue oftentimes erred And touching the first the councell that Ahab assembled of foure hūdred prophetes did not it erre It is written that they beeing come to this wicked king to flatter him 1. King 22.6 c. Satan was sent out by and from God to bee a lying spirite in their mouthes so all of them with one consent condemned the truth Michaiah alone withstanding them who was reprooued as an heretike beaten and put into prison Iohn 11.47 The councell which the high Priests and pharisees assembled in Ierusalem against Iesus Christ did not it erre wee see how they condemned Iesus Christ litle regarded yea much despised his doctrine And what shall wee say of the councels and Synods which were helde and kept after the death of the apostles euen vnto our age whereof some haue reproued and vndone that which was established and done by others for of necessitie either the one or the other haue erred they being repugnant and contrary one to another Examples hereof The councell of Carthage in whiche Saint Cyprian was president did decree Con. Cartha that those whiche were baptised by heretikes shoulde bee baptised againe Which decree was broken and ouerthrowen by an other Councell of Carthage holden after Con. Cartha The second Synode of Ephesus Synod Ephe. consented to Eutiches his error and imbraced the same receiued it in this that he confessed in Iesus Christe but one only nature that is to say the diuine nature which error was afterwardes confuted and caste downe to the ground Con. Chalce by the general councell of Chalcedonia The councell of Constantinople Con. Constant called by the Emperour Leo about nine hundred yeeres agoe ordeined that men shoulde throwe downe and breake in peeces all the images that were in Churches which ordinaunce the Councell assembled at Nice Con. Nicen. by the commaundement of Irene the Emperours mother was immediatly after broken and cracked and commaundement giuen that Images should be set vp againe Con. Neoces Con. Maien Con. Cartha 2. Con. Nicen. The Councell of Neocesaria and of Maience and the second councel of Carthage did forbidde marriage to the ministers and Elders of the Church The councel of Nice decreed the contrarie permitting ministers to marrie Con. Braca Con. Tole 3. Con. Roma The councell of Bracara did pronounce curse against those that absteined from eating flesh and this decree was confirmed by the thirde councell of Toletum but the councell of Rome ordeined the contrarie forbidding the vse of fleshe vppon certaine dayes of the yeere August lib. 2. de Baptis contra Donatist cap. 3. To bee short Saint Augustine plainly declareth that which I speake to wit that coūcels may erre For he expresly saith that the letters and Epistles of particular Bishops are corrected by prouinciall councels and the prouinciall councels by vniuersall and the former vniuersal councels annihilated and disanulled by the latter when by some certaine experience of thinges that which before was secrete is opened that which was hiddē is made euident and plaine neither shall it stand them in any steede at all to say that this place of Augustine ought to be vnderstood of outward and indifferente things for Saint Augustine disputeth there of a point of doctrine that is to say of the opinion of Saint Cyprian and of the councell of Affrica touching rebaptisation or baptising againe Now then in so great diuersitie and gainesaying one of another what shall wee say To whiche councell shall wee giue greater faith and credit For this we perceiue cleerly and plainely that they thus crossing and contrarying one an other did not all consent and speake according to the truth that therefore wee must of necessitie conclude that some of them haue erred and that by their false and erronious determinations they haue degenerated and gone astray from the right way of the worde of God Certainely it is very meete and requisite An admonition touching Councels and Synods that wee shoulde bee wise and very well aduised when the question is either to set out or to receiue that which shal bee determined by councels and Synods For it is altogether manifest and plaine that councels and Synodes may be deceiued And therefore as touching their decrees and determinations this is that wee haue to say that we must bring the weight of them make it subiect to the balance that is to say wee must trie and examine them by the worde of God Gala. 1.8 which is indeed the balance whervnto not only men are subiect but also the Angels as S. Paule teacheth in his Epistle to the Galathians

Wherefore whatsoeuer we shall finde in them conformable and agreeable to the proportion of faith and agreeing with the authoritie of the holy scriptures wee ought to receiue the same without any scruple or doubt But if they propound vnto vs and set out thinges contrarie to that we ought and we may without any difficultie or danger reiect and refuse them as suspected and dangerous doctrines For as Saint Ierome hath sometimes saide Hierō in 9. cap. Ierem. Wee ought not to followe the errors of our fathers and predecessors but the authoritie of the scriptures and the commandement of God Who teacheth vs. Gerson par 1. de exam doctrin Abbas Panormita Epist de electia one elect potest cap. 5. Whereupon also Gerson and Panormitan haue concluded that in matters which concerne faith the Pope and his Bishops may not determine and decree anye thing against the worde of God and that if a generall councell shoulde come so far as to decline and goe aside either through malice or through ignorance of the Gospell a simple man alleadging in that councell the worde of God ought rather to bee heard and yeelded vnto then all they Let vs enter or come nowe to our aduise and let vs bring foorth and alledge our reasons to prooue that the Churche may erre The first reason is this That great companie of the people of Israel which was in the wildernesse with whome GOD had made a couenant and had made them bounde vnto him by an infinite number of benefites and good turnes had giuen vnto them Sacraments and Ceremonies which were as it were visible signes of his grace that great companie I say was a very goodly and a very excellent Churche But they were vilely deceaued and erred fowly when forsaking the commaundement they made vnto themselues a golden calfe offering and giuing vnto it that honor which was due to God alone yea and Aaron himselfe the high priest did not so constantly and boldly withstande them as he ought but rather consented thereto indeede wherefore it followeth that the church may erre and be deceiued The second reason The Church in olde time did offer and giue the holy Supper to little infants staying and grounding themselues vpon the place of Saint Iohn Except yee eate the fleshe of the sonne of Man Iohn 9.15 drinke his blood yee haue no life in you And this custome was in vse in the time of pope Innocent Saint Cyprian and Saint Augustine as it appeareth by their writinges But nowe this is not any more vsed for children whiche can not prooue and examine them selues are not at this day receiued to the partaking of the Sacrament Wherefore the Churche in olde time hath erred or els it erreth now But if we would answere that the Churche hath power and authoritie to chaunge suche customes and manners I replie to the contrarie for now the question is not heere of a thing indifferent in the vse but of the worde of God which is alwayes constant and not subiect to any change as to say that to day it hath one sense and vnderstanding to morrow another wherefore if the place of S. Iohn commaunde to giue the supper to little infants of necessitie as the forenamed ancient fathers haue vnderstood and expounded the same the Church hath ●one well in time heretofore to follow that commandement and at this time it erreth in not following it any longer Or els if the said place be not to be referred properly vnto the holy Supper neither commaundeth to distribute and giue the sacrament to infants but it is of necessitie required that he to whom wee must administer the saide sacrament haue knowledge to trie and examine himselfe according to Saint Paules doctrine 1. Cor. 1.2 as indeede this is the pure and only truth it followeth then that the Churche hath in former time erred to admit little infants to the holy supper and that at this day it doth well to practise the contrary The third reason If the Churche coulde not erre Saint Paule had without cause feared 1. Cor. 11.28 least the Corinthians whome he calleth a Church shoulde through the subtiltie of the serpent bee corrupted 2. Cor. 11.3 and turned away from the simplicitie that is in Christ And indeede in vaine shoulde hee haue called the assemblies of the Corinthians and Galathians Gala. 1.2 Churches which yet notwithstanding erred in doctrine in faith in manners and in life But Saint Paule did nothing of all this without cause or in vaine otherwise Saint Paule himselfe should haue beene deceiued wherefore it followeth that the Churche may erre The fourth reason Those that cannot erre haue no neede of the forgiuenesse of sinnes but the Churche hath neede of the forgiuenes of sinnes for Iesus Christ giuing it a forme of praier hath commanded it to demaund and aske of God Mat. 6.12 forgiuenesse of their sinnes Wherefore it followeth that the Church may erre The fift reason The Church which was in olde time in Ierusalem was oftentimes reproued of error by the Prophetes which thing declareth that the Church is not in this worlde without will and deed to erre But to the end I may not be ouerlong in recyting by peecemeale and as it were one by one all the sentences which make mention of the falles of the Churche let men reade that whiche is written thereof in these places Touching the corruption of the church see Isaiah 1. verse 21. to the 24. verse Isaiah Isaiah 3. ver 8.9 Isaiah 5.13 Isaiah 30. verse 9. to the 13. ver Isaiah 59. ver 2. vnto the 17. ver Isai 64. ver 6.7 Iere. 2 ver 5. Ieremiah to the end of the Chap. Iere. 3. ver 2.3.20 Iere. 4. ver 22. Ieremiah 5. ver 1. vnto the 15. ver and afterwards from the 19. ver to the end of the Chapter Iere. 6. ver 7. vnto the 11. ver Ieremiah 8. ver 4. vnto the 11. ver Ieremiah 9. ver 3. vnto the 17. ver Ieremiah 13. verse 10. vnto the 15. verse Ieremiah 22. euen vnto the end Ieremiah 16. ver 11.12 Ieremiah 18. ver 13. vnto the 18. ver Ezechiel 5. ver 6. vnto the 12. Ezechiel ver Ezechiel 22. ver 3. vnto the end of the Chapter Ezechiel 33. ver 24. vnto the 30. Deutro ver Deuteronomie 32. ver 5.6.32.33 Touching the ingratitude and vnthankfulnesse of the Church see Isaiah 1. ver 2.5 Isaiah Isaiah 5.47 Isaiah 43. ver 21. vnto the end of the chapter Isaiah 17. ver 10.11 Ieremiah Ezechiel Zachariah Deuteron Hosea Isaiah 63. ver 9.10 Ierem. 2. ver 6.9.21.22 Ieremiah 12. ver ● Ezechiel 16. ver 15. vnto the 24. ver Zachariah 11. ver 8. vnto the ende of the Chapter Deuteronomie 32. ver 15.18.23 Hosea 12. ver 1.9 Hosea 13. ver 6. Malachie 1. ver 2.8 Touching the obstinacie and rebellion of the Church Isaiah see Isaiah 1. ver 5. vnto the 7. ver Isaiah ● ver

9.10 Isaiah 8. ver 10.11.13.16 Isaiah 26. ver 10.11 Isaiah 28. ver 9.12.13 Isaiah 30. ver 9.15 Isaiah 42. ver 19.20 Isaiah 48. ver 4. Isaiah 65. ver 11. Ieremiah 2. Ieremi ver 24.29 vnto the 33. ver Ieremiah 5. ver 3. vnto the 8. ver and ver 20. of the same chap. vnto ver 25. Ieremiah 6. ver 10. in euerie verse almost vnto the ende of the Chapter Ieremiah 7. ver 24. vnto the 28. ver Ieremiah 8. ver 4. vnto ver 8. Ieremiah 17. ver 1.23 Ieremiah 10. ver 11.15 Ieremiah 25. ver 4.8 Ieremiah 29. ver 17.20 Ieremiah 35. ver 13.16 Ieremiah 43. ver 2. Ieremiah 44. ver 7.10.11.16.20 Ezechiel 2. Ezechi ver 3. vnto the end of the chapter Ezechiel 3. ver 5.10.26.27 Ezechiel 4. ver 3. Hosea Ezechiel 12. ver 2. Hosea 4. througout the whole Chapter Hosea 5. ver 4. Amos 4. Amos. Zephaniah Zachariah Prouerbs Matthew ver 6. vnto the end of the Chapter Zephaniah 3. ver 5. Zechariah 7. ver 11. vnto the end Prouerbs 1. ve 24. vnto the end Matth 11. ver 16.17.21 and so vnto the 25. ver Matth. 12. ver 41.42 Mat. 23. ver 37. Touching the Pastors specially and particularly see Isaiah 56. ver 10.11 Ieremiah 6. ver 13. Ieremiah 14. ver 14. Ieremiah 23. ver 1.2 c. Ezechiel 22. ver 25.26.28 Ezechiel 34. ver 23.4 c. Hosea 9. ver 8. 1. Kings 22. ver 6. Iohn 7. ver 47. CHAP. XIII Whether the Church bee aboue the holy scripture that is to say whether the holy scripture depend of the iudgement and authority of the Church THE Church indeede hath a very great authoritie among men in so much as it behoueth vs to heare the same if we will not be accounted rebels against God Yet notwithstanding seeing she is the wife and scholler of Iesus Christe she ought alwaies to be subiect vnto him as vnto her husbād head and teacher And therefore this is an article which wee must hold inuiolable and without breach to wit that the church ought to depend and hang on Christe and his worde and to haue her authoritie from the same worde and not on the other side that the worde of Christe shoulde depende and haue the credite and authoritie thereof from the Church Notwithstanding many are founde whiche holde altogether the contrarie setting as we say the cart before the horses and plowe or waine before the oxen and vtterly ouerthrowing all order For they suppose that the holy scripture hath no more certaintie authoritie than it pleaseth the Church that by her allowāce and consent it shall haue And these bee the Romishe Catholikes who speake of the Church after this manner giuing it authoritie ouer and aboue the worde of God to make men to beleeue that whatsoeur it decreeth determineth and concludeth wee must hold her iudgement sentence and resolution as a certaine oracle comming frō heauen and to be short as an article of our beliefe And behold their reasons for this The first reason The Churche by her iudgement hath brought to passe that the holy Scripture hath beene acknowledged for the true worde of God and hath distinguished separated and sundered it from all other writinges what so euer whiche men haue published brought into the world For who is it that in the beginning hath assured vs that the holy scripture is the word of God but the Church alone And who is it that euen to this day can certifie and assure vs that the same word of God is come safe sound and whole euen vnto our age but onely the same Church Wherefore it followeth that the authoritie and certaintie of the holie scripture dependeth vpon the authoritie and iudgemente of the Church I aunswere two things or two manner of wayes First that this is a most wicked opinion to say that without the Churche the worde of God could not haue a sufficient witnesse to commend and set forth the authoritie and credite thereof vnto vs. Let vs heare what Saint Augustine saith hereof The authoritie of the truth saith hee is fruitefull and plentifull Augu. de assumpt Virg. Mart. cap. 1. and if she be diligently examined men shall finde that of her selfe shee maketh her selfe to bee sufficiently knowne Wherefore Alfonsus de Castro hath sometimes saide Alfonsus de Cast li. 1. ca. 8. cont haereses seeing that the holie scripture is come foorth from GOD it hath of it selfe alreadie deserued that wee shoulde giue trust vnto it and beleeue it And when the Church publisheth this that it is giuen by God shee doth wholie euen as a witnesse which beareth witnesse to some thing So that the truth of the scriptures is certaine not because of the witnes but by reason of it selfe and the credite it hath and not because the Church receiueth it and publisheth it but because that God hath giuen it and made the same manifest vnto vs. Besides is this a small matter that wee haue the testimonie of the holye spirite dwelling in our heartes It is said that it is his peculiar office to guide and lead vs into all truth Iohn 16.13 1. Ioh. 2.27 and to teach vs all things Wherevpon it followeth that he teacheth vs this truth that the holy scripture is of God and from him It is saide moreouer that we haue receiued the spirite of God 1. Cor. 2.12 that we might knowe the thinges that are giuen to vs of God Also 1. Cor. 2.14 that the thinges of the spirite of God are spirituallie discerned that is to say by the efficacie mouing and woorking of the holy spirite Wherefore it followeth that the holy spirite teacheth vs and maketh vs to discerne betweene these bookes which wee ought to receiue without gainesaying and the other which we ought to reiect and refuse Some perhaps will say that this article or point is daungerous because that heretikes oftentimes bragge that they haue the spirit of God which they haue not indeed and wee knowe howe they haue alwayes indeuoured to make their doctrines of authoritie and credite through their inwarde reuelations whiche they haue imagined to proceede from the holy Ghost But we can easily aunswere this to wit that in this matter wee can easily auoide all danger if wee vse and followe the remedies whiche S. Iohn doth furnish vs withall when he saith that we ought not to beleeue euery spirite 1 Ioh. 4. 1. but to trie and proue the spirites whether they are of God or no. And what shall be the meane and way of this triall and examination euen the worde of God as wee see that therby the men of Berea Act. 17.11 did proue S. Paule his spirit and doctrine And to this meane doth Chrysostome send vs when hee saith thus Many boast of the spirite Chrysost de sanct adorand spirit but they which bring any thing of their owne doe falsly pretende the same As Christ witnessed that he spake not of him selfe because that his doctrine

but a small number despised and cast out as the fylth and ofscouring of the worlde for because they are not of the worlde Iohn 5.19 but that God hath chosen and drawen them out of the worlde therefore beholde doth the world hate them They shoulde not doubte that the Church is not with them though that it bee assaulted and persecuted of the greatest number of men and those the mightiest of greatest reputation and highest exalted and namely of the Popes Cardinals Bishoppes 1. Cor. 1.27.28.29 parish Priestes Abbots and other of the Cleargie of Rome who indeede ought to maintaine and vpholde it For so it is that GOD hath chosen the foolish thinges of this worlde to confound the wise thinges the weake or feeble things to confounde the strong and the vile and despised thinges and those thinges which are not to bring to naught things that are to the ende that no fleshe shoulde reioyce in his presence And on the other side the prophecies must of necessitie be wholy accomplished Psal 118.22 Matt. 21.42 1. Pet. 2.7 touching the stone whiche the builders beganne long agoe to reiect and which euen at this day they doe also refuse although it be the master stone or chiefe stone of the corner in Sion elect and pretious in them whiche staye them selues thereon and be builded vpon it But some will say wherefore then is it that God hath heretofore suffered so many people in so many ages and times to bee seduced and deceiued Yea wherefore doeth he at this day suffer the greater parte of the worlde to walke in the darkenesses of errour and ignorance Verily it is not our parte to take vppon vs eyther to discouer or curiously to searche the secrete causes of Gods eternall iudgement neither yet to laye or cast vppon him the faulte of our naughtinesse and vngodlinesse for certaine it is that hee doeth moste iustly gouerne and guide all thinges and therefore cannot doe iniurie or wronge to any man what so euer he doe Psal 51 5. Eph. 2.3 seeing that wee are all conceiued and borne in iniquitie and are by nature the children of wrath guiltie of death and eternall damnation And therefore Saint Paule in fewe wordes dissoluing this difficultie contenteth himselfe to alledge the onely will and good pleasure of god without ascending or going vp higher so much as one steppe Act. 14.16 Act. 17. ●0 GOD saith he in times passed hath suffered all the Gentiles to walke in their owne wayes Neuerthelesse hee lefte not him selfe without witnesse in that hee did good c. And agayne The time of this ignorance God regarded not but now he admonisheth all men euery where to repent Notwithstanding also wee may tightly saye that God suffereth Sathan to haue so much power and might in the worlde as that he shoulde beare sway raigne ouer the greater part to the ende that he might thereby through his iust iudgement punishe men for their vnthankefulnesse and vnfaithfulnesse For it is not good reason that those which would not hearken vnto God neither receiue the trueth which was offered them and who also euen willingly and of their owne accorde haue despised and refused their owne saluation is it not meete I say that such should be seduced and deceiued through the subtilties and sleightes of the diuell and at the last cast from God and throughe his iust iudgement punished according as their vngodlinesse and vnthankefulnesse deserueth Sainte Paule writing vnto the Thessalonians sheweth and putteth downe this reason 2. Thess 2.10 when hee saith That because that they whiche perishe receiued not the loue of the trueth that they might be saued God shall sende them stronge delusion that they shoulde beleeue lyes that all they might be damned which beleeued not the trueth of the worde but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse This also fell sometimes and was laide vpon the Gentiles For from the beginning of the worlde GOD made manifest vnto them his Godhead and his power Rom. 1.20 c. and although this was not done by the preaching of men yet it was by the ministerie of the creatures in which his glorie was in suche sorte manifested and shewed that a man may well say they had in some sense a tongue as it were to shewe set foorth and rehearse the great power of the wonderfull workes of God But what thereof These straglers strayers hauing knowne GOD did not glorifie him as God neyther yeelded him thankes but became vayne in their imaginations and discourses and so foorth as Saint Paule sheweth of them in the first Chapter to the Romanes Who will then at this day say that GOD hath done them wrong when he giueth them ouer to the lustes of their owne heartes to filthinesse and their owne villanous affections through a spirite destitute and vnfurnished of all iudgement to commit thinges at no hande conuenient or seemely hee punishing them after his manner according to their desertes and his owne most iust righteousnesse The same fell also in time heretofore vpon the poore and miserable Iewes For beholde our Lorde Iesus Christe who of his owne free will presented and offered him selfe vnto them being willing and readie to instructe and teache them in the doctrine of saluation confirming his Gospell by excellent myracles and authenticall signes worthie of credite by whiche hee did euidently shewe vnto them that hee was the verye Messias promised in the lawe and the true and onely redeemer of the worlde but howe did these miserable people gouerne and behaue them selues in that behalfe Their obstinacie and rebellion was so greate that they were not onely content desperately to reiecte and throwe from them the doctrine of the holie Gospell slaundering it and accusing it of falsehoode but which is worse they killed and cruelly murdered the onely sonne of GOD and outragiously persecuted the Apostles as before that they had put to death also euen their owne Prophetes and other Christians Who is he then whiche will affirme that these wicked people did not through their rebellion and pride iustly deserue to bee deliuered and giuen ouer for a praye vnto Sathan and to be deceiued through the subtilties craftes of his false doctrine The same is fallen out in our time and continueth yet euen euery day For there are diuers which are in such sorte blinded and beefore hande possessed with the darkenesses of the prince of this worlde that they doe not onely despise all true religion and doctrine but also they inforce and straine them selues to bring into credite and estimation all the dreames dotages raylings and false opinions of Antichrist and his instrumentes in so much that for to attaine thereto they cease not to make warre vppon the poore faythfull people desiring with a burning affection the sheading of their bloude Who is hee then whiche dare say that such people are not verie woorthie and meete to bee deliuered vnto Sathan that they may be so made drunken with