Selected quad for the lemma: word_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
word_n	book_n	scripture_n	tradition_n	2,890	5	9.1890	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00748	The epiphanie of the church gathered out of the Holy Scriptures, declaring and plainly shevving, both the church that cannot but erre, and also the church that cannot erre : vvith so evident notes and manifest signes of either of them, that no man reading it, needeth be in doubt which he should beleue / written by R.P. in the yeare of our Lord God 1550 ; and now published in this yeare 1590 for the benefite of all such as desire the trueth concerning the church.	Finch, Richard, minister of East Ham.	1590 (1590)	STC 10877.5; ESTC S4676	36,955	52

in the yeare of our Lord God 1547. set foorth by hys royall visitation godly homilies the paraphrase of that learned father Erasmus to the great comfort of the simple that be willing to learne also godly iniunctions meaning thereby to root vp all superstition abuse and idolatry to set vp gods word in their place Wherein he commanded not onely to take awaie all superstition and idolatrie but to take away and vtterly to extinguish and destroy all monuments of superstition idolatrie cap. 28. But how diligently putoffes haue practised their pollicie to hinder this his godly purpose it is better to lament it with teares then to rehearse it in letters Last of all to put all out of doubt and to make a perfect concord we haue a booke of cōmon praier with an order in the same for reading of Gods booke set forth in English by the same aucthoritie and stablished by act of parliament And least anie person would be so foolish mad to looke for the romish ragges againe one statute at the last parliament abolisheth and condemneth for euer all other popish bookes of the old seruice Notwithstanding some people be yet dased in those Gods matters that they know not vvhat to doe Maruaile not therefore deare father though the vngodly sorte doe misconster and euill interpret your godly trauaile For they crie for a law they must haue a law to lead them from euerie superstition by name els they vvill not obey But if they loued obedience quietnesse and had but one sparke of reuerend feare either toward God or their prince or anie desire of godly knovvledge there hath inough and inough againe bin said cōcerning matters of religion and also set forth both by order and law There be articles inough iniunctions inough proclamations inough commandements inough exhortations inough lessons inough and lavves inough if they vvere vnderstoode vvillingly embraced reuerently obeyed Albeit for them that be self vvilled frovvard contentious obstinat dul harted nothing vvil serue Therfore to none may be better applied this prophecy of Esay then vnto these Who saith They that be such must haue after one lesson another lesson after one commandement another commandement after one rule another rule after one instruction another instruction there a litle there a litle For he that speaketh vnto this people is euen as one that vseth rudenesse of speeche a strange language If anie man say vnto them loe this is the rest wherwith ye may ease hym that is wearie this is the refreshing they will not harken Therfore the word of the Lord lesson vpon lesson commandement vppon commandement rule vpon rule instruction vpon instruction there a little and there a litle shalbe vnto them an occasion of stumbling that they may goe on and fal backward be brused tangled and snared Wherefore heare the worde of the Lord yee mockers ye that haue rule of this people O vvould God I might haue ouerleapt this sentēce that goeth before that iustly novv it might not besaid They are out of the way by reason of wyne yea farre out of the way are they by reason of strong drinke These things my moste reuerend father haue inforced me to presume to doe that vvhich is aboue the strength both of my vvit and learning but not aboue my good vvill that is to collect out of Gods scriptures a simple and plaine manifestation of the Church in English or a manifest opening or shevving of the Church naming it the Epiphanie because that vvord albeit borrovved of the Grecians is frequented already among vs english men in the same signification The obscuritie misunderstanding and ignorance onely of this argument article hath bene and also is the cause of much obstinacie contention and disobedience For vntill it pleased almightie God to open vnto me by his holy spirit and vvorde this article credo ecclesiam c. vvith the right meaning of the same according to the scriptures I vvas as stiffe in the popish traditions taking them for good customes and ceremonies of the fathers as I am now earnest in Gods booke and taught them vvith so good a zeale but not according to knovvledge as I doe novv the Gospell Wherefore taking of the same remedy vvherof I tooke hurt euen of Credo ecclesiam as they that be hurt of scorpions be vvoont to do I can do no lesse but vvrite and set forth the same vnto and for such as be stoong vvith the same sting and venomed vvith the same poison Whose nature is not to hurt but vvhere it findeth bloud No more Credo ecclesiam hurteth but suche as cleaue too much to humaine reason and naturall vvit I trust they vvill not mislike that thing that loue constraineth me to doe for their sakes If they doe they shall find me as readie to defend the same by the word of god against all popish bablinges as I haue bene to vvrite it So that your godly learning misliketh it not vnto vvhome vvith all other godly learned I humbly submit the same beseeching you to accept in good part my small industrie as the first fruites of my pen and iudge thereof as god shall put in your minde to vvhome be all thanke praise and glory Amen Your humble Richard Phinch ¶ THE EPIPHANIE OF THE CHVRCH BEcause I couet rather to profite with homely and playn speech then to please with sweete faire words I will speake liberally but yet simply of the Church for their sakes and vnto them that be deceaued with euill custome bewitched with popish iuglings charmed with mens inuentions and beguiled with their owne wittes which resist the trueth of Gods holy word kicke against the pricke and grope at noone and cannot see the light for the sunne In whose mouth is euer Churche Church whose feete are dayly wandring vnto the church and their eyes gasing continually vpon the Church yet can they neyther finde nor see the Church because themselues be none of the Church What is so much alleadged of the babling papistes what so oft frequented of the common people and so manifest in all mens eyes as the Church Notwithanding for want of teachers of the Scriptures few doe know the Church Such is the knowledge among the silly people in verie manie Churches now a dayes Church in the English Bible is commonly called congregation For ecclesia a worde borrowed of the Greeke toonge which may be translated into Englishe eyther Church or congregation Church with vs is a common worde signifiyng the place as well as congregation whereunto the same assembleth for some honest or godly purpose It is written that all the people were gathered togither which made their prayers all the night long in the Church Our common places appoynted for prayer preaching and administration of the sacraments be so well knowne by this name Church that there needeth no example hereof Other whiles Church signifieth the whole multitude of people both of good and bad

then golde or pretious stone and sweeter then honie and honie combe The embassage of great ioy Ioyfull tidinges of peace tidinges of good things The poure of God vnto saluation to euerie one that beleeueth and able to saue their soules that imbrace it Wherefore lay apart sayth the Apostle Iames all filthinesse and superfluitie of maliciousnesse and receaue with meekenesse the worde that is grafted in you which is able to saue your soules Thus it appeareth manifestly vnto all them that be willing to see the trueth that God the father appoynteth vs vnto the worde of his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. Christ referreth vs vnto his holy spirite and trueth The holy Ghost also taught nothing else but the same trueth and word Therefore the holy Apostle durst not to appoint vs to anie other but straightly commendeth vs to the same trueth that cannot erre and vnto the word of grace which is the selfe same and still one trueth according to the infallible word of God that saith Thy righteousnesse O Lord is an euerlasting righteousnesse and thy lawe is the trueth So that we haue now in this time iust cause ioyfully to say with the prophet O praise ye the Lord all ye heathen praise him all ye people For his mercie is stablished vpon vs and the trueth of the Lord endureth for euer Then the which trueth there can be no surer stay guide and rule for the beliefe life and doctrine of mortall men in this mortall life and world of tribulation The Church of Antichrist hath no such stay guide nor rule but they are like the chaffe which the winde scattereth awaie from the face of the earth as the prophet Dauid witnesseth who also calleth them the councell of the vngodly the way of sinners and the chaire of pestilence or the seate of the scornful workers of iniquitie wicked men bloud-thirstie men the euil man the wicked man the wilde boare the cruell beast the slaunderer blasphemer enemie and persecutor the enemie in the holy place and aduersary whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse their throat is an open sepulcher with their toonges they haue deceiued the poyson of aspes is vnder their lippes their feete are swift to shed bloud destruction and vnhappinesse is in their waies and the way of peace haue they not knowne there is no feare of God before their eies There were they brought in great feare euen where no feare was Vaine persons and deceiptfull lippes whom euer all good men abhorred and hated after the example of the holy prophet who saith I haue hated the Church of the vvicked and will not sit among the vngodly Loe you see the wicked and vngodly haue the name of Church yea they haue got the name of holy Catholicke Church How else haue they put on sheepes clothing How haue they fashioned themselues like the ministers of righteousnesse And howe hath the deuill transformed himselfe into the angel of light Truely in this that his church hath got the titles of holy and Catholicke and his ministers the names of true shepheardes Catholicke be the right clothing of the sheepe of Christes fold Antichrist therefore hath robbed Christes fold of their right title holy and catholicke and thereby bleared the eyes of the simple vnlearned multitude which doe seeke no further for saluation then they haue bene taught they say by the holy Catholicke Church Their common sayinges be these We be not wiser then our fathers before vs We will doe as our fathers haue done Such thinges they doe affirme because they know not Sathan from the angell of light the wolues from the sheepe the lyes from the word of God neyther Church of Antichrist falsly called holy and catholicke from the Church of Iesus Christ which indeede is both holy and catholicke But in stead of the holy Catholick church they doe beleeue the Church of the wicked in whose dregs of detestable traditions and ceremonies they haue bene ousted from their youth Verely if they would ponder their wordes with halfe indifferent iudgement and behold them but with one of their eyes I thinke they would keepe silence or else blushe for shame For to say they will doe as their elders and fathers haue done before them is nothing but to confesse thēselues to walke wilfully in errour and blindnesse when their fathers wandered vnawares And where they say they be no wiser then their fathers they shew themselues to be blinde followers of the blinde But if the blinde follow the blinde they both fall into the ditch Their fathers tooke Antichrist the bishop of Rome for head of the Church they made images and worshipped them they gadded on pilgrimage and trusted in workes pardons absolutions dirges trentalles masses c. wherein they erred increased in error and walked ignorantly into perdition The cause whereof was the lack of the word of God which word is euer a rule vnto the holy catholicke church Therefore their fathers learned not these thinges of the holy Catholicke Church but of the Church of Rome vsurping the name of the holy Catholicke Church which abhorred and trode vnder feete the word of God without the which their fathers doctrine was nothing els but olde errour against whome God giueth a speciall commandement saying Keepe my commandementes doe not those thinges that other haue done before you be not defiled in them I am your Lord your God Wherefore addeth God these words I am your Lord your God but to the end he would haue his words regarded for euer and not his aduersaries the man of sinne and childe of perdition as Paul nameth him who deceaued their fathers Whose coming is after the vvorking of Sathan vvith al lying povvers signes vvonders with al deceiuablenesse of vnrighteousnesse amongest them that perish because they receaued not the loue of the trueth that they might be saued And therefore God shal send them strong delusion that they might beleue lyes that all they might be damned which beleeued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse In these wordes hath the holy Ghost plainly shewed the fashion and comming of the man of sinne sonne of perdition Church of the wicked and kingdome of Antichrist The Church or kingdome of Antichrist is called the man of sinne because it is builded vpon a sinnefull man gouerned by a sinfull man instructed by euill sinfull workmen and their doctrine defended by the lawes and power of sinnefull men Which tooke authoritie neyther of God nor of his worde but of a monstrous beast with many heades euen of the people that departed from the faith whereof the same holy spirite of God speaketh and prophecieth more plainely by the mouth of Paul saying The spirite speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shall giue heede vnto the spirites of error and deuilish doctrines of them which speake

Heere you see manifestly faith entereth into the strait gate which is Christ This faith is not idle for it maketh vs to stand that is to say to perseuere and walke in the narrow way by loue which is the third thing that faith worketh in vs and therfore it followeth Not that onely but also we reioyce in tribulations knowing that tribulation bringeth patience patience bringeth experience experience bringeth hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shedde abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. No thanke then vnto our faith no thanke vnto our loue but all thanke and praise and glory be giuen vnto God whose holy spirit worketh fayth loue hope patience and altogether in vs. Fayth that worketh by loue is much worth before God which loue is the second note of the holy Catholike church fayth fetcheth this loue of the great loue of God which first so loued vs that hee gaue his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ to the end that all that beleeue in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Of this loue speaketh Paule saying Walke in loue euen as Christ loued vs and gaue himselfe for vs an offering and sacrifice of a sweete sauour to God This loue Paule learned of his master our sauiour Iesus Christ commanding and saying A newe commandement I do giue vnto you that ye loue together as I haue loued you Iesus Christ so loued vs that he gaue himselfe for vs for he was obedient vnto God the father for vs vnto death yea vnto death vpon the crosse This loue so warmeth the heart with hope and assurance of euerlasting life for we are saued by hope that it putteth away all seruile feare I say not all feare for there remaineth and abideth in the heart an holy reuerend feare or dread of displeasing God or lothnesse to loose God and his holy spirit which if a man taste is rather a reuerend ioy and a glad loue than feare therefore is it truely said Perfect loue casteth out feare that is to say Iesus Christ by his holy spirit possessing the heart of man through fayth pntteth cleane away the feare of shame losse of goodes or friends the feare of torments enemies and prisonment yea the feare of sinne death the deuill and hell So that the office of true faith setteth not onely before our eyes the vilenesse of sinne that caused Christ to die but it also bringeth vs Iesus Christ the attonement maker betweene God and vs for our sinne whereof commeth loue In the which loue is manifest the third note of the holy Catholike church for now we feare God no more as a terrible iudge but thorow his holy spirit we loue him as a most gentle louing father whereof speaketh Paule saying thus Ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare any more but you haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we crie Abba Father Abba is as much in English as Dad or Deare father it is the Syrian speech left vntranslated both by the Latine men also English men to the intent I suppose that it should also be English for this I know that the first word that an English Christian childe beginneth to speake is Abba commonly long before he can speake any thing else which Christian babe in his innocencie is a witnesse with Paule that God is a deare father vnto Christians through his holy spirit by his sonne Iesus Christ Thus you may easily perceiue by those scriptures that faith loue and the spirit of God doe go together and be together in euery true Christian as sure notes and seales of his saluation Faith entring the gate of saluation sticketh to the word of God and taketh it onely to be the rule of life and doctrine Loue cleaueth vnto Christ and maketh faith knowen as the fruits do the tree and putteth away feare The spirit of God quieteth the conscience and bringeth with a reuerend dread ioy and gladnesse ineffable If you know this you be a very true member of the holy Catholike church and in the strait gate and narrow way vnto eternall life If you know not this I say no more but God haue mercy vppon you For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in thereat Heere me thinketh I do heare an idle braine say that these signes and notes be of mine owne inuention which do rather confoūd dim the church than make it knowen Vnto whom I doe answere If it be dim and hid it is hid vnto them that perish but vnto the children of light it is manifest enough Also these notes be not mine but rather Gods books there I do finde them Of the first Christ saith Euery tree is knowen by his fruites Which words be made plaine by these sayings of Paule To beleeue with the heart iustifieth to knowledge vvith the mouth maketh a man safe Faith then is not dead in the heart if it be dead it is not faith faith is knowen by the mouth as the tree is knowen by the fruits for of the treasure of the heart the mouth speaketh A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that vvhich is good Of the second Iohn saith God is loue and hee that dvvelleth in loue dvvelleth in God and God in him He then cannot be hid in whome God dwelleth And Hee that loueth his brother abideth in the light and there is no occasion of euill in him The light therefore must needs be seene Heere is to be noted that as faith without godly works is a dead faith and therefore no faith so loue without the same good weeks also is not loue but naturall affection For vvho so hath these vvorlds goods seeth his brother hath need and shutteth vp his compassion from him hovve dvvelleth the loue of God in him Thus is loue manifestly knowen by the good worke Our fauiour Iesu Christ appointing this to be the notable signe of the church faith vnto them By this shall all men knovv that ye are my disciples if ye haue loue one to another Of the third note which is the spirit of God Paule writing to the Romanes hath these wordes If any man haue not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his And a little after he speaking of himselfe and other of the church of Christ saith The same spirit certifieth our spirit that we are the children of God If the spirit of God certifieth a mans conscience that he is the childe of God then hee may be sure that hee is of the church of Christ Heereby you perceiue that these notes are appoynted by Gods booke not of mine inuention to be vnfallible signes of the holy Catholike church and of euery member of the same which be all of one faith