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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	church_n	know_v	scripture_n	6,716	5	6.3200	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08197	The oration and sermon made at Rome by commaundement of the foure cardinalles, and the Dominican inquisitour, vpon paine of death. By Iohn Nichols, latelie the Popes scholler. Which sermon and oration was presented before the Pope and his cardinalles in his Consistorie, the xxvij. day of Maie. 1578. and remaineth there registred. Now by him brought into the English tongue, for the great comfort and commoditie of all faithfull Christians. Heerin also is aunswered an infamous libell, maliciouslie written and cast abroad, against the saide Iohn Nichols, with a sufficient discharge of himselfe from all the Papists lying reports, and his owne life both largelie and amplie discouered.	Nicholls, John, 1555-1584?	1581 (1581)	STC 18535; ESTC S105660	86,257	238

to beléefe for they haue left scarse any sence or memorie of the true members of Christes Church If we beléeue the Romaine Church to be The holie Catholique Church The Scriptures are against vs theyr owne Doctours are against vs and the definition of the word Church is against vs. Shall we beléeue the building of Saint Peters Church to be our holie Mother the Church Beléeue it who that will and I assure him that he hath not the true Church on his side nor the Gospell to excuse him Séeke for this Church whereof Christe is head and not the Pope in this Church haue we lybertie not to doo euyll but to doo good The Churth of Roome bringeth to our lyfe myserable bondage Whyles we are in the Church of Christe wée hope for the promises of lyfe euerlasting but whyles wée stande in the Churche of Roome wée stande in feare and terrour of eternall condempnation to come vppon vs for our sinnes in the day of death Through Christe who is the head of this true Churche wée sée our sinnes purged the Deuill vanquished death and condempnation abolished and our selues in the lybertie of the chyldren of God to crie Abba Father Thus much touching the Church ¶ Of the infallible perfect ground and sufficiencie of the Scriptures to the eternall comfort and consolation of all true Christians and vtter confusion of the Pope and all his adherentes BEcause the Papistes affirme and boldly say that the Scriptures are not sufficient for a man therby to knowe the trueth by the which he may be saued it is erpedient and néedefull at this present tyme to heare what the Scriptures and Doctors doo say therevnto First I will beginne with the Scriptures as with the veritie it selfe and then with the Doctors who ground theyr argumentes and reasons vpon the worde of God which is the holy Scripture Although it behooueth man earnestly to bende his eyes to consider the workes of God For as much as he is set as it were in this gorgeous stage to be a beholder of them yet principallie ought be to bend his eares to the Scriptures that he may better profite thereby and sooner learne the trueth by the which he may be saued And therefore it is no meruayle that they which are borne in darknesse doo more and more waxe harde in theyr amazed dulnesse because verie fewe of them doo giue them selues pliable to learne of the worde of God whereby to kéepe them within the boundes but they rather reioyce in theyr owne vanitie Thus then ought we to holde that to the ende true Religion may shine amongst vs we must take our begynning at the heauenlie doctrine and that no man can haue any taste be it neuer so little of true and sounde doctrine vnlesse he haue béene Scholler to the Scriptures And from hence groweth the originall of true vnderstanding that we reuerentlie embrace whatsoeuer it pleaseth GOD therein to testifie of him selfe for not ●nely the perfect and in all poynts absolute faith but also all right knowledge of God springeth from obedience and truely in this behalfe God of his singuler prouidence hath prouided for men in all ages For if we consider howe slippery an inclination mans minde hath to slide into by forgetfulnes of God how great a readinesse to fall into all kinde of errours howe great a lust to forge oftentimes new and counterfeyt Religions The onely fall of man into so many and sundrie euyls is the forgetfulnesse of God We may thereby perceyue how necessarie it was to haue the heauenly doctrine so put in writing that it should not eyther perishe by forgetfulnesse or growe vaine by errour or be corrupted by boldnesse of men Sith therfore it is manifest that God hath alway vsed the helpe of his worde towardes all those whome it pleased him at any tyme fruitfully to instruct because he foresawe that his Image imprinted in that most beautifull forme of the world was not sufficiently effectuall therfore it behooueth vs to trauaile this straight waye if we earnestlie couette to attayne to the true beholding of God we must I saye come to his worde wherin God is well and liuelie set out by his workes when his workes be weyed not after the peruersenesse of our owne iudgement but according to the rule of the eternall trueth If we swerue from that worde as I sayd euen nowe although we runne neuer so faste yet we shall neuer attayne to the marke because the course of our running is out of the way For thus we must thinke that the brightnesse of the face of God which the Apostle calleth Rom. 16. such as can not be attained vnto is vnto vs lyke a Maze out of which we can not vnwrappe our selues vnlesse we be by the line of the worde guided into it And therfore Dauid Psalm 9. et 96.97.99 c. oftentimes when he teacheth that superstitions are to be taken away out of the world that pure Religion may florishe bringeth in God reigning meaning by this worde reigning not the power that he hath but the doctrine wherby he challengeth to him selfe a lawfull gouernment because errors can neuer be rooted out of the hearts of men tyll the true knowledge of God be planted Therefore the same Prophete after that he hath recited Psalm 19.21 That the heauens declare the glorie of God that the fyrmament sheweth foorth the workes of his handes That the orderlie succéeding course of dayes and nightes preacheth his Maiestie then he descendeth to make mention of his worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The lawe of the Lorde is vndefiled conuerting soules sayth Dauid the witnesse of the Lorde is faithfull giuing wisdome to lyttle ones The rightfulnesse of the Lord is vpright making hearts cheerefull the commaundement of the Lord is bright giuing light to the eyes For although he comprehendeth the other vses of the Lawe yet in generallitie he meaneth that for as much as God dooth in vaine call vnto him all Nations by the beholding of the heauen and earth therefore this is the peculiar schoole of the children of God The same meaning hath the .xix. Psalme where the Prophet hauing preached Of the voice of God which in thunder winds showers whirle-winds and stormes shaketh the earth maketh the mountaines to tremble and breaketh the Ceder trees In the ende at last he goeth farther and sayth That his prayses are sung in the Sanctuarie because the vnbeleeuers are deafe and heare not all the voices of God that resound in the ayre And in lyke manner in an other Psalme 93.5 after that he had described the terrible waues of the sea He thus concludeth Thy testimonies are verified the beautie of thy Temple is holinesse for euer And out of this meaning also proceeded that which Christe sayde to the woman of Samaria Iohn 4.22 That her Nation and the rest did honour that which they knewe not and that onely the Iewes did worshippe the true God For whereas

many vexations of minde and with how many sorrowes hath God punished the heretiques in Flaunders for their hautie stomackes and disloyaltie to their natural King for their stubbornes in not receiuing clemencie offered vnto them and for their wilfulnes in reiecting the same for their contemning of the Catholique faith and for their following I cannot tell nor they them selues vvhat Religion so vnstable and vnconstant their opinion is in matters of faith God hath stirred vp the Catholiques against them their strength is feebled their fayre buildinges made euen with the ground their coffers are opened and their gold and siluer fyll the purses of their aduersaries their costlie household stuffe their hangings their trim attyre their cloath of Tissue and whatsoeuer thing else they haue is taken away Their cattell is driuen from them their corne is burnt and in summe they them selues are eyther iustlie made bonde-men and slaues or else wretchedlie and rufullie slaine So that now after Gods iust reuengement they are become the outcast and the verie scum of the earth they are banished out of their owne countrey and can finde no abiding place to rest they are a fable vnto all the world for their newe inuented heresies their state and condition is not far better then the Iewes and their punishmēt doth not much differ the one from the other the heretiques and the Iewes are hated a lyke are persecuted a lyke and are punished heere in this worlde a lyke But heerein the Iewes and the Heretiques doo differre in sinne the Iewe sinneth ignorauntlie and obstinatelie but Heretiques sinne not ignorauntlie but obstinatelie and wilfullie The Iewes neuer knewe Christe neuer beleeued in him nor neuer tooke him to be the sauiour of the worlde The Heretiques acknowledged Christe to be the onelie begotten sonne of GOD beleeued in him and tooke him to be theyr Messias or Iesuah But in sweruing from the Catholique fayth they haue lost the knowledge of Christe their faith is frustrate and in vaine Their taking of Christe to be their sauiour can nothing auayle them can stande them in no steede And why they haue denied the Pope to be Supreame head they haue renounced the Traditions of the Apostles the Councelles they despise the aucthorities of the graue and learned Fathers they disallowe and to be breefe the Lawes of our holie Mother the churche they haue contempned and contrary sayd them VVherefore their sinne is not excusable and more greeuouslie to be punished in hell then the obstinate ignoraunce of the Iewes for not receyuing Christe to be theyr redeemer If this fayth whereby we hope to be saued which is the Catholique faith were not the true and substantiall faith whereof mention is made in our Creede where as it is sayde I beleeue in the holie Catholique Churche And what church is this is it not that for the which so many Martirs ended their vitall breath before the due course of nature So many in wyldernesse lead a most austeare life lyued in penurie and scarsitie glad they were to sustaine their lyues with rootes and water they forsooke the world with all the pompe and glistering shewes therof they bridled their carnall affections and sensuall lustes the deuill with all his subtill temptations they ouercame with fasting and praier What doo they beleeue that these holie Hermites are all condempned for that they haue beleeued the church of Roome to be the holie catholique Church and the Pope to be the head and cheefe Sheepheard thereof Haue so many Monkes so many Friers erred who wrought so many charitable deedes so often fasted so often prayed so often called vnto God for grace and helpe so brotherlie exhorted the wicked to amendement of lyfe so freendlie harboured the harborlesse cloathed the naked fed the hungrie visited the sicke helped the poore prisoners and redeemed the captiues forsooke their lyuinges and gaue them selues onelie to contemplation VVere all these reprobate doo they all suffer tormentes in hell for euer neuer to enioy the glorious contemplation of Gods heauenlie countenaunce is this the rewarde which they haue for all their holinesse for their vpright dealinges for their timerous conscience to offend their neighbour and beeing by some mischaunce offended to aske him forgiuenesse and to render a satisfaction Shall good workes reape no better reward then among the dampned should this their reward be euerlastinglie to rue in hell If as the heretiques say their faith was Antichristian-like and contrarie to Gods word Beleeue this who that will and let him be an heretique therefore I beleeue they were holie men and for their holinesse and catholique Religion were crowned with an incorruptible crowne of perpetuall blisse in heauenlie ioye If the Religion of our holie Mother the Church were nought then in vaine haue so many Saintes serued the Lord honoured him and kept his commaundementes in vaine haue so many Virgins intruded them-selues to Monasteries sequestring and estraunging them-selues from the societie of seculer women in vaine haue they reserued their virginitie forsaking wealthy and ritch mariages in vaine haue they chastised their bodies subduing and bringing them to subiection in vaine haue they liued and in vaine haue they beleeued if for the confession of the Catholique Church of Roome damnation bothe of body and soule should be then their reward So many Preests so many Leuits so many Kinges so many Princes so many Potentates so many Magistrates haue liued in vaine and in vaine was their faith who were no happier then the Gentiles in Cicero his time to be condemned with the heathen Gentiles since the beginning of the faith of Christe Onely perishing in soule and bodie for that their faith depended of the Catholique faith of our holie Mother the Churche Empires Kingdomes Prouinces Islands Citties and Townes beleeued in the Church of Roome which is the holy Catholique Church and are they all condemned therefore and haue they all liued in blindnesse and errour and hath Christe beene so vniust of his promise neuer to fayle his Church and haue his woordes beene so vntrue that the holie Ghost should direct the Catholique Church in all her dooinges howe was the Church directed if all the people erred How should Christ beeing the way the trueth and life neuer fayle his Spowse if he suffered her to decline from him who is the trueth Christ his wordes are true Coelum et terra peribunt sed verba eius remanebunt vera in aeternum Heauen and earth shall perishe but his wordes shall remaine true for euer Though the heretiques prate or speake neuer so much against the trueth Christe hath euermore instructed the churche of Roome Though Martin Luther and Iohn Caluin write to the contrarie who make them-selues more familliar with Christe and more priuie to his secretes then euer the Apostles were who were conuersant with Christe liuing on earth But Luther and Caluin not so they make men beleeue that their Forefathers liued in blindnesse and errour euen from the time of the Apostles

vntyll their dayes O happie mothers to be conceyued and to be deliuered of such fortunate children and to bring them vp in such good lytterature that they should become the lampes of the world the Teachers of the ignorant I haue written I can not tell what naie I say O vnhappie mothers to haue such vnluckie children good it had beene for them and for their children if they plaide vppon one string that they neuer had beene borne Their chyldren were the instrumentes of Sathan to seduce the foolish and worldlie people they were the cause why that many lost their liues vntimelie heere in this world As in Fraunce thousands were slaine in Germanie foure score thousand at once in Flaunders I knowe not howe many besides other Countreyes infinite was the number of them that were slaine drowned and burnt I knowe not for what Religion nor I thinke they them-selues knewe but why they were thus cut of their pride abated their mallice asswaged and their deuises confounded I partlie knowe it was for that they denied the supremacie of our holie Father the Pope God woulde needes giue the ouerthrowe to his enimies and graunt victorie to his generall Vicar heere on earth If his title had not beene good he had not preuailed thus against his enimies he had not so often gotten the feelde and brought his enimies to shame and confusion VVhat shall I saye of Englande my natiue Soyle it contemneth despiseth and little embraceth the trueth lyttle regardeth the Catholique faith blinde ignoraunce and a Chaos or a heape of all kinde of heresies greatlie there preuayleth Howe many be there that wot not whome to beleeue whome to call vpon or what trade of lyfe they ought to leade VVickednesse iniquitie cogging and couzening and the corruption of this monstrous Realme are horrible great the blessed doctrine of God the onely true foode nourture direction and rule of mans lyfe is little knowne little set by and little followed God is long before he punisheth but when he commeth he punisheth with an iron rodde and sharplie scourgeth them for their sinnes vnlesse they repent whyle it is tyme. They may looke for the lyke punishment troubles and myseries as were laide vpon the Iewes and which they suffered deseruedlie for the hardenesse of theyr heartes and for theyr vnbeleefe Least that I wearie your chaste cares most woorthy Cardinalles with tediousnesse I make an ende crauing pardon for my greeuous trespasse and heynous offence against our holy father the Pope and against our holy mother the Church God preserue your Graces to the holding vp of his Church to the vanquishing of your enimies who at the first as bubbles of the water ryse vp and florish for a whyle then by and by fall downe and appeare no more Who at the first rule the roast in many places as Arrian the heretique did but I am affraide their ende shall be as Arrians was if not in this life yet in the life to come for Arrian auoided his guttes as he went to auoide the excrementes of his bodie If our heretiques die not thus yet they may die after a wursse sort If God in this life plagueth them not let them tremble and quake for feare least bothe bodies and soules abide the greater tormentes in hell They haue but a tyme to raygne and rule and beleeue what they lyst The Pellagians had a time and prospered for a whyle against the Church of Roome but by little and little their heresie decaied The Marcionistes fought for a while against the Church of Roome but in continuance of tyme it got the vpper hand and the heresie of the Marcionistes was quite forgotten abolisht and blotted out Thus tyme will deface the heresies of Iohn Caluin and Martin Luther with all the whole rabble and route of Arch-heretiques God graunt your Graces what heart can wishe heere in this worlde and in the life to come perpetuallie to raigne in blisse ioye and quietnesse Thus I haue ended ¶ By me Iohn Nichols submitting him-self vnder the Popes correction meaning hencefoorth to be a true Catholique member of the Church of Roome Amen quoth the Cardinalles with all the company And so the Oratiō ended at Roome in the yeere of our Lord. 1578. In the moneth of Maye the .xxv. daie and presented the .xxvii. daie of the same moneth before the Pope and all his Cardinalles in his Consistorie ❧ A Sermon made at Roome against the Pope in the yeere of our Lord. 1578. the .xxvi. daie of May and presented before the Pope in his Consistorie the .xxvii. day of that Moneth MAny there be well belooued who more rashly then wisely confesse the Pope of Roome to be Christe his generall Vicar heere on earth to be supreame head ouer all Churches the world throughout and to be the chéefest Shéepheard of Christe his flocke They take the Church of Roome to be our holie Mother the Church that her we must serue vpon her we must waite in her we must beléeue in her resteth our saluation and the slyding away from her is our condempnation Shee is the Church say they that cannot erre for shée is the spowse of Christe I wyll prooue bothe by the testimonies of the Scriptures and by the aucthorites of the graue and auncient Doctours that the Pope is not supreame head and that the Church of Christ is neyther in Roome nor in the Capitoll of Roome no more then it is in Egipt or the high pinacled Churches in Egipt But in euerie Nation and in euerie Countrey the men that feare God and worke righteousnes they are the house of God they are the Church Euerie chaste body is his holy Tabernacle and spirite and trueth is his heauenly worship They are the Church of God if they doo holde and shall holde the reioysing of theyr hope constantly and faithfully vnto the ende That such are the house of God Saint Paule sheweth in 1. Cor. 3.16 Nescitis quia templum Dei estis et spiritus Dei habitat in vobis Doo you not knowe that you are the temple of God and that the spirite of God dwelleth in you And againe 1. Cor. 6.19 An nescitis quoniam membra vestra templum sunt spiritus sancti qui in vobis est quem habetis à Deo Doo you not knowe that your body is the temple of the holie Ghost which is in you and which you haue of God And againe 2. Cor. 6.16 Vos estis templū Dei vini sicut dicit Deus Quoniam inhabitabo in illis et inambulabo inter eos et ero illorum Deus et ipsi erunt mihi populus You are the temple of the liuing God as God hath saide I wyll dwell in them and I wyll walke in them and they shall be my people and I wyll be their God And againe Ephe. 2.19 Iam non estis hospites et aduenae sed estis Ciues sanctorum et domestici Dei We be no more straungers and forreiners but fellowe Cittizens with the Saintes and of

prooue lyttle yea nothing that is to the trueth they alledge They are not afrayde so impudent and shamelesse they are to say that Purgatorie standeth with the Scriptures The great impudencie of the Papistes in alleadging their Purgatorie and also was allowed by the olde wryters of the anncient and Catholique Church This they can not verifie by all the Canonicall Scriptures neyther that it was allowed in the primatiue Church that we ought to beléeue that there is a Purgatorie Therefore bothe King Henrie the eight and also King Edward the sixt with all the learned and godly Clergie of England in taking away the vaine and erronious doctrine of popishe Purgatorie and in abolishing or putting downe the Massing Sacrifices for the dead forbydding dirges and other lyke trumperie to be vsed any more dyd most Catholiquely and Christianlike If theyr sayinges in this matter touching Purgatorie and praying for the dead doo agrée with the Scriptures and be grounded vpon Gods worde we wyll take them for an vndoubted and infallible trueth If not we wyll followe the counsell of the blessed Apostle Saint Paule who writeth on this manner If an Angell from heauen should preach vnto you any other Gospel besides that that ye haue receyued let him be accursed Yea we wyll followe the counsell of the olde auncient writers themselues of whome Ireneus writing against Valentinus and other lyke heretiques sayth plainely thus Scripturis diuinis niti quaecerta et indubitata veritas est in firma et valida petra est domum suam edificare hac verò derelicta alys niti quibusi dam doctrinis effusae arenae vnde facilis euersio est do mum suam inaedificare That is to say To leane vpon the holy Scriptures which are the sure and vndoubted trueth is to builde his house vpon a sure and strong rocke but if leauing it I meane the trueth of the Scriptures any man dooth sticke to some other Doctors the same is to builde his house vpon the vnstedfast sande where it shall easily fall Séeing then that the canonicall scriptures make no mention at all of Purgatorie or of praying for the dead if we should followe the doctrine of men in this poynt leauing the infallible worde of God wherein all thinges that pertayne to the saluation of all soules and bodies be most sufficently set foorth and comprehended were it not I pray you according to Ireneus saying To builde vpon the vnstedfast sande Saint Ambrose cryeth out saying Nos noua omnia quae Christus non docuit iure damnamus quia fidelibus via Christus est si igitur Christus non docuit quod docemus etiam nos id detestabile iudicamus We doo by right condemne all newe thinges that Christe hath not taught for Christe vnto the faithfull is the way if therefore Christe hath not taught this that we teach we doo also iudge it detestable Except then they can prooue that Christe who is the way vnto the faithfull dyd teach vs in his Gospell word to beléeue that there is Purgatorie and that it is requisite to pray for them that be departed out of this lamētable maze of myserie We wyll be so bolde with Saint Ambrose to iudge coumpt and recken that doctrine which teacheth vs to beléeue that there is Purgatorie and exhorteth vs to pray for the dead to be most detestable and deuillishe who soeuer be Author of it though it were an Angell from heauen Let vs doo what we can héere in this world to gaine eternall lyfe for doubtlesse after this life departed Prayer or Masse may say Requiescat in pace Not all the Papisticall incātations or exorsisms can help vs after we be dead but may nothing helpe vs in glory to beholde Gods face héere during life perpetuall ioy is wonne or euerlasting sorrowe is gotten Fasting nor almose déedes repentance nor righteousnesse good nor euyll can neyther profite or hurt after our death Lazarus cōmeth not vnto the ritch nor the ritch vnto Lazarus the ritch receyueth not the thing that he dooth aske though he dooth aske it with earnest praiers of the mercifull Abraham For the Garners Sellers he made faste the time is accōplished past the battaile foughten and the place thereof emptie and voide the Crownes are giuen they that haue foughten are at rest they that haue not preuented or come before are gone they that haue not foughtē he no more there they that haue beene ouercommed are driuen out For all thinges are plainlie consumated and ended by and by after the departing out of this world but whyles they be yet all in the conflict or battaile there is yet hope there is a medicine and confession And although these things be not in all men most perfect yet the saluation of other is not without hope And vnto this Saint Hierome dooth agrée writing on this manner in his 13 question 2. Chapter In praesenti seculo scimus siue orationibus siue consilijs inuicem nos inuari posse cum autem ante tribunal Christi venerimus nec Iob nec Daniel nec Noah rogare posse pro quoquam sed vnum quemque portare onus suum We knowe that in this worlde we can be helped one of an other either with prayers or with counsayle but after we be come once before the iudgement seate of Christe neyther Iob nor Daniel nor Noah be able to pray for any body but euerie man shall beare his owne burden And vppon the ninth Chapter of Ecclesiastes these be his wordes Peccator viuens iusto mortuo si voluerit in eius virtutes transire melior esse potest Quare quia viuentes metu mortis possunt bona opera perpetrare mortui verò nihil valent ad id adijcere quod secum tulere de vita A sinner yet lyuing may be better then a righteous man that is dead if he wil follow his vertues And wherfore for that they that be alyue may for feare of death doo yet good deedes but they that be dead are able to doo nothing vnto that which they haue once borne away out of this lyfe with them Therfore it is wisedome to make our selues ready afore and to prepare oyle for our Lampes that is to say to gette vnto vs a liuely faith working through charitie dooing good déedes whyle we haue tyme for when we be once gone there is no more tyme of well dooing of repentaunce or of amendment of lyfe the gate of mercie is shut we can adde nothing vnto that that we haue once caried away with vs out of this world Oh that this would sinke into mennes hearts I would to God this would be remembred of all men oh that they would remember this then we would not trust and haue affiaunce in the good workes of other men we would not be to séeke and buie oyle when it is more tyme to goe in with the Bridegroome least it should be sayde vnto vs Verelie I say vnto you I knowe you not Watch ye