Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	belief_n	church_n	faith_n	2,625	5	5.6777	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07405	A godly and learned assertion in defence of the true church of God, and of His Woorde written in Latine by that Reuerend Father D. Philip Melancthon, after the conuention at Ratisbona, anno 1541 ; translated into English by R.R.	Melanchthon, Philipp, 1497-1560.; Robinson, Richard, fl. 1576-1600.	1580 (1580)	STC 17790; ESTC S1632	66,768	154

if once the opinions of the Churche be reiected many will deuise straunge and vngodly interpretations of the 〈◊〉 This daunger when it is not too be contemned and that it is profitable too restrayne that libertie we must then agayne 〈…〉 foorth the autority of the Church is to be required For Seruetus when he reneweth the wicked error of Samosatenus and denieth the word● too bee vnderstood the person in this saying 1. Iohn In the beginning was 〈◊〉 worde doeth mightilly extoll the autoritie of the Scripture he bidde●● that this autority be preferred before the decrees of the church After that he disputeth subtilly saying The woorde is simply too bee so vnderstood But whereas the Woorde in the common speech of men doth not signifie the person hee denieth that in Iohn 1. it is too bee vnderstood the person As if Demosthenes shoulde reade this saying In the beginning was the woorde surely he woulde not thinke that any person were to bee vnderstood I aske the question therefore whether it proffit not against such to oppose the autority of the churche Heere I answere That the Churche is to be heard so farre forth as the gospel commaundeth So I say alwaies the congregation is too bee hearde with whome the woorde of God hath bene and which is called the churche euen as we commaunde our Pastors to bee hearde Let vs therfore heare the church teaching and admonishing vs. But we must not ground our beliefe vpon the autority of the church for the churche doth not institute The articles of the fayth shee doth only teach and admonish vs. But for the woorde of God must we beleeue when namely we being admonished of the church do vnderstād that this sentence is truely without subtil allegation deliuered in the worde of God Peraduenture Demosthenes woulde not thinke of a person if hee shoulde reade that sentence In the beginning was the woorde c. But the hearer beeing admonished of the church that the word signifieth the person to say the sonne of God is nowe helped of the church teaching and admonishing him the same hearer doth beleeue the article not for the autority of the Churche but by cause hee seeth this sentence to haue assured testimonies in the same scripture hee seeth there is mention made of a certaine person who taking vppon him nature of man in the worlde was conuersant with men Hee seeth that this person is called the woorde her gathereth apt and firme testimonies of both natures in Christe For hee knoweth that touching the nature of God we must beleeue the heauenly voyce vttered and that it is great wickednes too inuent opinions as touching The nature of God without his testimony 2. Peter 1. and 17. Math. Heare yee him Also The firste Churche is of force as The witnesse of the Apostles But I speake as touching doctrines and not mans traditions for they woulde haue doctrines too bee firme and perpetuall but mans ordinaunces they woulde not haue to bee perpetual and immutable Neither did the Apostles erre in doctrine Therefore it is profitable to reteine those testimonies whereas the moste auncient wryters doo alleadge the autority of the Apostles As Origen Tertullian Irenaeus Gregory Neocaesariens Alexander Bishoppe of Alexandria and many others doe cyte their testimonies touching the Trinitie Who when they doe witnesse that the doctrine of the Trinitie was receaued of the Apostles do greatly stablish and confirme the Godly Therefore suche testimonies are not at all too be despised nor contemned And I sayde also that the writers are to be hearde as now in like manner we say that our Preachers are to be heard because there do some remayne still in the Churche which doe retaine and embrace the trueth in some place more pure in some other places lesse pure and corrupt But heere we must adde this That they which are hearde are too bee iudged by the woorde of God which thing the rule of doctrine instituted alwayes admonisheth Examples Augustine touching originall sin more sharply contendeth then the rest Therefore hee doeth bothe teach and admonishe and when we see him truely and without subtilety to recite any sentence of the scripture we thē beleue the article not for Augastyne but for the worde of God and wee see that the wryters named haue helde the same opinion although they haue not handled this article so copiously or so plainly An other Peter Bishop of Alexandria contending against Meletius affirmeth that such as slyde away from the fayth are to bee reentertained and hee alledgeth an ancient autority For these wordes Epiphanius reciteth as the doctryne which hath come to vs in our age doth declare Therfore the same Bishop of Alexandria doth both teach and admonish that such as slyde away are to bee reentertained Thi● doo wee beleeue not for this Bishop but bicause wee see this sentence is expressed in the woorde of God and heerevnto testimonies of the auncient Church do condiscend also Synodes or Councels The same doo I say touching Synodes or Councels That they are also too bee hearde which when they doo dispute touching the worde of God doo teache and admonishe vs but thereunto let iudgement bee adioyned when they deliuer vntoo the worlde thinges which are true let vs giue credit vntoo them for the woorde of God As the Nicene Councel taught both godly and profitably and admonished al posterity of the sonne of God But we beleue the article not for the Synode or Coūcell but bicause wee see it so expressed in the woorde of God The other thinges which are without the Scriptures are not so wel to be embraced As the Councel of Nicene instituted Canons of repentance which are mās traditions besides the scriptures and haue beene the seedes of many superstitous opinions Sampsons guestes coulde not expounde the ridle which was proponed at the feast but that his wyfe was firste asked the question Wherefore Sampson sayde vnto them except you had first plowed with my heckfer you shoulde not finde out my question So lykewyse muste wee diligently looke about and make inquiry where the Church is which hath the woorde of GOD and wee must see which multitude of the fathers or of Councelles is the purer vncorrupt that is which of them haue the lesse opinions besides the word of god These things doth the church teache admonish and testifie But we must see whether those things which shee proponeth or decreeth haue the firme testimonies of Gods woorde yea or no. And truly it becommeth the godly too acknowledge and confesse that the fathers haue deserued well of their posterity which with sharpe and earnest contentions haue defended and retained godly doctrine that benefit is not smally to be accompted vpon Heerevnto pertaineth that saying of S. Augustyne I woulde not beleeue the Gospel were it not but that the autority of the Churche mooued mee therevntoo Augustyne dooth not heere thinke that the

autority of the Church is greater thā of the woorde of God or that the churche can abolish articles expressed in the word of God but he thinketh that the church is the teacher and Testimony of those articles Wee woulde not beleue the Gospel but that the church doth so reach vs and that it did testify that this doctrine was deliuered vs from the Apostles And this saying is of force to confounde straunge opinions which were neuer seene in the Churche lyke as the Manichees haue inuented newe doting opinions For the doctrine necessary too edify in godlinesse must needs bee seene in the beginning by the preaching of the Apostles Therefore straunge and altogither vnknowne opinions not vsed in time of the apostolic at Church are to bee reiected But concerning the saying of Augustyne in other places more amply it i● disputed vppon Surely hee dooth not grau●● that the Churche hath or may haue any autoritie of ordayning any thing contrary too the expresse word of god or of abolishing articles deliuered in the woorde of GOD eyther else of making new or straunge articles of the faith A Resytal of Testimonies by the Autor I wil collect a fewe examples of the councels and Fathers as it appeareth that in them there is matters of testimony in some of them differing from others some least without difference made all the sayinges of all men or al the ordinaunces of auncient fathers shoulde bee reputed and taken as necessary Lyke as truely the foolishe and ignoraunt people are so in loue with antiquity that they wil haue al ancient traditions of men to be restored in the churche euen as if nowe they of Sparta would haue al ancient ordinaunces restored vnto the state of their common wealth at this day seeing that ordinaunces deuised by men are partly faulty and partly allowable yet notwithstanding they are not agreeable vnto al times and ages The Councel called Neocaesariense forbad that Priestes shoulde not come too banquettes at the seconde marriages least they shoulde bee supposed of others to allow them Such like folish constitutiōs very many haue beene entermingled with good ordinaunces wherfore choise is to bee made in such cases and wee must not rashely reioyce or take encouragement a●euery saying of the auncient fathers or Councels Anno Domini 324. The Councel of Nicene was called togither by Constantyne the Emperour wherein Eustathius bishop of Antioche was chiefe In this Councel therewere very greate and grieuous controuersies of opinions discussed and deryded and the errours of Samosatenus and of Arrius were of good right condemned Also the errours of those called Cathari which denied that suche as had swarued from the Churche were to be receaued again and denied that such could haue forgiuenes of their sinnes Afterwards there were certaine policyes ordained touching gouernement of churches That the bishoppe of Alexandria shoulde gouerne the Churches of the east and the bishop of Rome those Churches of the nations adiacent Also that bishoppes should bee consecrated of the other bishoppes which dwelt nea●e vnto them These policies although they are profitable yet they which constituted these would not haue them too bee taken for the articles of the fayth Thirdly they also ordained certaine ceremonial institutions namely Canons of penance as they termed them which at the first were not so difficulte and peraduenture were lesse superstitious But afterwardes it grewe to an intollerable yoake and superstition therby increased and the free remission of sinnes was by meanes heereof obscured and darkened Wherfore in this matter the fathers of this Councel were not circumspect ynough And seing that the euent so manifested afterwards that superstitions did hereby encrease let vs not in his behalfe so maruel at the dooing of that Councel that wee wil eyther allowe or restore these Canons as profitable for the Churche Neither doo wee therefore differ in opinion from the ancient Churche we retaine in our Churche the articles of the Councel touching doctrine which properly belong vntoo the churche As for the other ceremonies which eyther are beside or against the worde of God they doo nothing at al pertaine vntoo the church Anno Domini 383. The councel of Constantinople was called togither of Theodosius the Emperour wherein was chief the bishop of Constantinople there was a greate controuersy discussed vppon and dreyded as concerning The holy Ghoste That he is a person proceeding from the father and the sonne and that hee is God And for their contrary opinion therein was Eunomius and other Heretikes of right condemned And there were also certain pollicies here decreed as this one namely that no bishops shoulde haue any thing to deale in other diocesses than in their owne Anno 433. The Councell at Ephesus was called of Theodosii●s the younger Emperour wherein was cheef Cyrillus bishop of Alexandria This Synode by good right condemned the heretike Nestorius who denied in Christe the worde vnited vnto humane nature by a substantial vnion but that the word is onely present and as it were a guest in 〈◊〉 doth dwel in humane nature that it might there bee effectuall This controuersy was of greate efficacy For in Christe there are twoo natures vnited truely substantially Neither is it onely true that the humane nature alone is Christ and the dwelling place of the worde assistent or vnited Therevpon haue the godly vrged these kindes of speach touching the vnity of the person That God was borne that hee suffered c. And although Nestorius denied that hee helde like opinion as Samosatenus helde yet notwithstanding I suppose that in deede hee helde all one opinion but that hee hath after aforte propounded an olde doting opinion darkly shadowed or cloked Anno 452. The Councell of Calcedon was called together of the Emperor Martian wherein Eutiches was rightly condemned which also denied the two natures in Christe and contended that the same nature of the woorde was sente from GOD that it was brought foorth by the Virgin neyther that there were two natures vnited and here hee seemeth to haue renued the doting madnesse of Samosatenus but propounded by some other sleyght or cullour This iudgement of the Councell is to be commended But now there had increased in the church mans traditions therefore this Synode brought foorth corrupt constitutions not touching opinions bnt touching ceremonies woorshipping of God otherwise then the scriptures allowe and notwithstanding these ordinaunces were more within the limites of modesty then other which sprang vpp afterwardes In this Synode was first an order decreed which forbad the marriage of Monkes and of Virgins which had made vowes and excommunicateth suche as contrace matrimony out of that society although it addeth some mitigation and that this may be graunted by the iudgement of the Bishoppe But many pollitike ordinaunces were at this time profitably decreed Namely That the Bishoppes shoulde not themselues holde the

these later dayes differed nothing at all from the manifest Idolatry of the Ethnickes in tymes past For they nowe called vppon S. Anne S. George and others none otherwyse then the Ethnicks did vpon Iuno Mars or Hercules They ranne to theyr Images and the Bishops with greate autority confirmed that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idolomaniam mad woorshipping of Idols yea and theyr doctors and learned men commended them for so dooing And in such kinde of worshippinges consisted the whole sūme of religion But al this while touching inuocation vpon Christe touching fayth in him there was greate silence amongst them The beginnings therefore of such and so greate impiety were too bee taken heede of which indeede Gregory himselfe greatly confirmed who first than instituted the publique ordinaunce of calling vppon sainctes who commaunded that Temples shoulde bee dededicated too the bones and dust of those Sainctes And also at that tyme crept in an opinion touching the oblation of the body and blood of Christe too bee made for the dead This opinion brought foorth horrible prophanation or abuse of the Sacrament Therefore although after Gregories tyme greater darkenesse ensewed yet notwithstanding these errours at that tyme remained in the Churche A false perswasion brought in by Monkery Of woorkes deuysed without the commaundement of God praying vntoo Sainctes and the oblation of the body of Christ for the dead These errors afterwards haled with them greate ruyne of GODS Churche Therefore the state of Gregories tyme may not bee a sufficient rule too reforme the Churche which thing the more euident that it may appeare I wil firste recite more manifest faultes in Gregory and afterwardes I wil dispute vpon a fewe things pertayning to the Lordes supper Gregory in Libro 3. Epistol in that his Epistle vntoo the Bishoppe of Catanea in Cilicia giueth charge that Subdeacons or Deacons shoulde not vse the company of theyr wyues which they had maried before they were ordered When as in deede the people Siculi before theyr tyme had obserued the maner of the Grecians and did not forbid the husbands to vse the company of theyr wyues This faulte is heere nowe sufficiently manifest For no godly person can allowe the separation or diuorse of lawefull matrimony Hee telleth that there was one called Speciosus which had rather leaue and forgo his function of beeing Subdeacon then too wante the company of his wyfe This whosoeuer hee was no doubt was indewed with sounder iudgement in this poynt then they which sought the separation or diuorses of such marriages This increased the offence of Gregory that hee woulde haue this tradition to be receaued in the Churches of those people called Siculi Which at that tyme according to the decrees of auncient Synodes or Councelles retayned still marriages in all theyr Ecclesiasticall degrees neyther did they burden theyr Deacons with vowes or any other persons Why dooth Gregory heere take vppon him the rule and gouernement of other Churches When as indeede hee declameth so tragically that hee abhorreth from the name of the vniuersall Bishop Further more why dooth he there disanul marriages where the Deacons are not burdened with vowes Why doth he not heere stande in awe of the autority of former Councels This faulte where it containeth manifest vngodlynes and tyranny it is very euident that this age wherein Gregory liued was not without greate errors And howe vniust is hee againe towardes those which at theyr fathers requeste were frō theyr infancy brought vp in monasteries and afterwardes beeing young men desired an other kinde of lyfe Touching these hee aunswereth againe that it is wickedly done of such too forsake that monastical life This straitnesse is not so much therfore to be found fault with bycause it was made an iniury too that young age but also bycause it greatly stablished superstitious opinions touching Monkish tradi●ions The thirde offence in him I wil also adde heerevntoo which is manifest Hee was seduced with night visions too allowe or bring in the oblation of the sacrament for the dead Hee maketh mention of twoo which after theyr death had serued in bathes Whereof the one requyred that oblation of the Sacrament might bee made for him that hee might bee deliuered out of those paynes and punishementes From these visions he groundeth doctrine in the Churche contrary too the expresse woorde of GOD as it is written Deut. 18. Thou shalte not aske counsel at the dead and as it is also written Esay 8. Should not a people in quyre at theyr GOD from the liuing too the dead Ergo what kinde of state ●oever the soules of those departed are in after this life Yet notwithstanding from visions orsights wee ought not to take any dotrine of confirmation or otherwyse And againe who seeth not that it is a fained fable wherehee saieth that after death men became bath keepers This fable is lyke the fayned tale of the daughters of Danaus which drawe vp water with a siue We haue not here determined to recite this Catalogue bycause we would adde herevntoo the confutations of his errors which else where are 〈…〉 I onely meant here to rehearse his faults to the end it might appeare that they are 〈◊〉 which were so greatly in loue with the fathers as though they had bin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alia● Innoxii Men blamelesse or without fault and neuer doo disagree from the expresse woorde of God Allthough therefore the better learned Fathers now and then do somewhat to the purpose admonish vs yet we must euen iudge of them by the worde of God Therefore omitting other confutations I will nowe further adde certaine thinges briefly touching oblation for the dead Wee neede not inquyre whether there be any Purgatory yea or not this question pertaineth nothing too the oblation Although there were a Purgatory yet it is wickedly doone too offer the Sacrament for the dead There are many most stronge argumentes to prooue the same The first is vngodlynesse too ordayne a tradition in the Churche without the commaundement of God Againe the application of the Lordes supper for others is made without any commaundement of God or testimony of Gods will Ergo without all doubting this application is wicked Many sentences confirme the Maior as namely this Thou shalt haue none other Gods but mee Exo. 20. Lo heere the worshipping of strange Gods is by expresse commanndemēt forbidden And hithertoo pertaineth that saying Esay They worship mee in vaine teaching traditions of men Againe S. Paul sayth Rom. 14. Whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne Furthermore woorshippinges or seruice without the commaundement of God can not be done by fayth But the worlde perceaueth not howe greate a sinne it is too ordaine woorshipping without the commaundement of God too departe from the word of God Of this mischief the Prophetes doo greatly cry out bewayle the blindenesse of men which with horrible boldnes do appoynt