Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	believe_v	church_n	faith_n	17,021	5	6.3601	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34574	Stafford's memoires, or, A brief and impartial account of the birth and quality, imprisonment, tryal, principles, declaration, comportment, devotion, last speech, and final end of William, late Lord Viscount Stafford, beheaded on Tower-hill Wednesday the 29. of Decemb. 1680 whereunto is annexed a short appendix concerning some passages in Stephen Colledges tryal / the whole now again set forth for a more ample illustration of that so wonderfully zealous pamphlet entituled The papists bloody aftergame, writ in answer to the said Memoirs, and published by Langley Curtis, 1682.	Corker, James Maurus, 1636-1715.; Curtis, Langley, fl. 1668-1725.	1682 (1682)	Wing C6306A; ESTC R40876	92,519	237

Damnation and this at a time when they might have saved both Bodies and Souls by meerly discharging a good Conscience in acknowledging the Truth and becoming honest men This I say is Inhumane and contradictory to all sense and reason to believe Now therefore I come to what you so often and so earnestly press me to viz. To satisfie the world and clear myself my Fellow Sufferers and my Religion from the imputation laid upon us on pretence of such Principles by a true and candid Explanation of my Belief and Judgment in the main points of Faith and Loyalty controverted between Catholicks and Protestants as they severally relate to God and the King PARAGRAPH I. Of the Catholick Faith and Church in General 1. THe Fruition of God and Remission of Sin is not attainable by man otherwise then in and by the Merits of Jesus Christ who gratis purchased it for us 2. These Merits of Christ are not applied to us otherwise that by a Right Faith in Christ 3. This Faith is but One entire and conformable to its Obiect being Divine Revelations to all which Faith gives an undoubted assent 4. These Revelations contain many Mysteries transcending the natural reach of Humane Wit and Industry Wherefore 5. It became the Divine Wisdom and Goodness to provide Man of some way or means whereby he might arrive to the knowledge of these Mysteries Means visible and apparent to all Means proportionable to the Capacities of all Means sure and certain to all 6. This way or means is not the reading of Scripture interpreted according to the private Reason or Spirit of every disjunctive Person or Nation in particular But 7 It is an Attention and Submission to the Doctrine of the Catholick or Vniversal Church established by Christ for the Instruction of all Spread for that end throughout all Nations and visibly continued in a Succession of Pastors and People throughout all Ages From which Ghurch Guided in Truth and secured from Error in Matters of Faith by the promised Assistance of the Holy Ghost every one may and ought to Learn both the Right Sense of Scripture and all other Christian Mysteries and Duties respectively necessary to Salvation 8. This Church thus Spread thus Guided thus visibly Continued in One Vniform Faith and Subordination of Government is that self same which is termed the Roman Catholick Church The Qualifications abovementioned viz. Vnity Indeficiency Visibility Succession and Vniversality being applicable to no other Church or Assembly whatsoever 9. From the Testimony and Authority of This Church it is that We Receive and Believe the Scriptures to be God's Word And as She can assuredly tell Us This or That Book is God's Word so can she with the like Assurance tell us also the True Sense and Meaning of it in Controverted Points of Faith The same Spirit that Writ the Scripture Enlightning Her to Understand both It and all Matters Necessary to Salvation From These Grounds it Follows 10. All and only Divine Revelations deliver'd by God unto the Church and proposed by Her to be Believed as such are and ought to be esteem'd Articles of Faith and the contrary Opinions Heresie And 11. As an Obstinate Seperation from the Vnity of the Church in known declared Matters of Faith is formal Heresie So a wilful Separation from the Visible Vnity of the same Church in Matters of Subordination and Government is formal Schism 12. The Church proposeth unto Us matters of Faith First and chiefly By the Holy Scripture in Points plain and Intelligible in it Secondly By Definitions of General Councils in Points not sufficiently Explained in Scripture Thirdly By Apostolical Traditions deriv'd from Christ and his Apostles to all Succeeding ages Fourthly By her Practice Worship and Ceremonies Confirming her Doctrine PARAGRAPH II. Of Spiritual and Temporal Authority 1. GEneral Councils which are the Church of God Representative have no Commission from Christ to Frame new matters of Faith these being sole Divine Revelations but only to explain and ascertain unto us what antiently was and is received and retained as of Faith in the Church upon arising Debates and Controversies about them The Definitions of which General Councils in matters of Faith only and proposed as such oblige under pain of Heresie all the Faithful to a Submission of Judgment But 2. It is no Article of Faith to believe That General Councils cannot Err. either in matters of Fact or Discipline alterably by circumstances of time and place or in matters of Speculation or Civil Policy depending on meer humane Judgment or Testimony Neither of those being Divine Revelations deposited in the Catholick Church in regard to which alone she hath the promised Assistance of the Holy Ghost Hence it is deduced 3 If a General Council much less a Papal Consistory should undertake to depose a King and absolve his Subjects from their Allegiance no Catholick as Catholick is bound to submit to such a Decree Hence also it followeth 4. The Subjects of the King of England lawfully may without the least breach of any Catholick Principle Renounce even upon Oath the Teaching Mantaining or Practising the Doctrine of Deposing Kings Excommunicated for Heresie by any Authority whatsoever as Repugnant to the Fundamental Laws of the Nation Injurious to Soveraign Power Destructive to the Peace and Government and by consequence in His Majesties Subjects Impious and Damnable Yet not properly Heretical taking the Word Heretical in that connatural genuine sense it is usually understood in the Catholick Church on account of which and other Expressions no wise appertaining to Loyalty it is that Catholicks of tender Consciences refuse the Oath commonly called the Oath of Allegiance 5. Catholicks believe That the Bishop of Rome is the Successor of St. Peter Vicar of Jesus Christ upon Earth and Head of the whole Catholick Church which Church is therefore fitly stiled Roman Catholick being an universal Body united under one visible Head Nevertheless 6. It is no matter of Faith to be believe That the Pope is in himself Infallible seperate from a General Council even in Expounding the Faith By consequence Papal Definitions or Decrees though ex Cathedra as they term them taken exclusively from a General Council or Universal Acceptance of the Church oblige none under Pain of Heresie to an interior Assent 7. Nor do Catholicks as Catholicks believe that the Pope hath any direct or indirect Authority over the Temporal Power and Jurisdiction of Princes Hence If the Pope should pretend to Absolve or Dispence with His Majesties Subjects from their Allegiance upon account of Heresie or Schism such Dispensation would be Vain and Null and all Catholick Subjects notwithstanding such Dispensation or Absolution would be still bound

of Sorbon in the Vniversity of Paris against a Book of Anthony Sanctarelus treating of Heresie Schism c. Particularly against the 30 th and 31 st Chapters of the said Book The Censure of the Faculty my Lord produced in Court and is as followeth Upon the first of April in the year of our Lord 1626. after Mass of the Holy Ghost the usual Assembly of Doctors being met in Solemn manner in the Hall of the Sorbon Colledge was heard the relation of the Masters of the same Faculty deputed for that end who declared That in those two above-mentioned Chapters these propositions were contained That the Pope can punish Kings and Princes with Temporal Penalties and Depose and Deprive them of their Kingdoms for the crime of Heresie and free their Subjects from their obedience And that it had been always the custom in the Church And for other causes also as for faults if it le expedient If the Princes be negligent For the insufficiency and unprofitableness of their Persons Likewise that the Pope has right and power over Spirituals and all Temporals also and that both the Powers Spiritual and Temporal are in him by Divine right That it was to be believed that Power was granted to the Church and its Chief Pastors to punish with Temporal Penalties Princes the transgressors of Divine and Humane Laws especially if the Crime be Heresie They said likewise that the same Sanctarelus did affirm That the Apostles were subject to secular Princes de facto non de jure by Fact not by Right Moreover That as soon as the Pope is installed all Princes begin to be subject unto him Lastly they related that he Sanctarelus expounded the words of Christ Whatsoever ye shall bind upon Earth c. To be understood not only of the Spiritual but of the Temporal Power That he imposes upon St. Paul changing his words by withdrawing the Negation and upon many Authors cited by him They related many other things out of the said Sanctarelus which seemed to them very well to deserve the grave Animadversions and Censure of the Faculty The matter therefore being brought in to debate by the Dean the mature deliberations of all and every Master being heard the Faculty hath dissapproved and condemned the Doctrine contained in these propositions and other like expressions in the same Chapters as new false Erroneous contrary to the word of God drawing hatred upon the Pontificial Dignity giving occasion to Schism Derogatory from the Supreme authority of Kings dependent on God alone hindering the conversion of Heathen and Heretical Princes disturbing the publick Peace Destructive to Kingdoms States and Common-wealths withdrawing Subjects from Obedience and Subjection and exciting to Factions Rebellions Seditions and Murder of Princes Given in the Sorban the 4 th of April 1626. Taken out of the Archives of the aforesaid Faculty by me Secretary thereof the 26th of September 1679. MASSIN MY Lords fifth Testimony was taken from a little Treatise writ as my Lord said by a Priest of the Church of Rome and entituled Roman-Catholick Principles in Reference to God and the King The chief Contents of which Treatise Because it in short explains the above-named Principles and clears the Objections usually made on this Subject I shall here insert in the Authors own Words for the Readers more ample satisfaction IS it not strange and severe saith this Author That Principles of Treason Rebellion Murder c. and those pretended of Faith too should be imposed upon Men which they themselves renounce and detest If the Tu●k's Alcoran should in like manner be urg'd upon us and we hang'd up for Mahometans all we could do or say in such a Case would be patiently to die with Protestation of our own Innocence And this is the posture of our present Condition We abhor we renounce we abominate such Principles We protest against them and Seal our Protestations with our Dying Breaths What shall we say What can we do more To accuse Men as guilty in matters of Faith which they never own'd is the same thing as to condemn them for matters of Fact which they never did You press the Question and say some of our General Councils several Papal Decrees and many of our Doctors and Divines assert the forementioned Principles Sir I have been instructed in the Articles of my Faith and I acknowledge the lawful Authority of General Councils Yet I profess I never learnt or found asserted in any of them any such Principles And I propose unto you this plain and short Dilemma Either the above-named Principles are esteem'd by us as matters of Faith or not If they be what further can be required of us then to deny and forsake such a Faith And this we constantly do But if they be not matters of Catholick Faith nor owned by us as such why are Catholicks as Catholicks punished for them why is our Religion persecuted on that account Let those in God's Name if any there be of what Religion soever who hold such Tenents suffer for them Why should the Innocent be involv'd with the Guilty there is neither Reason nor Justice in it Hereunto some Persons I hope out of zeal and mis-information rather than malice stick not to say that Dispensations and I know not what Indulgences and Pardons whereby to legitimate the Crimes of Lying and Forswearing when the Interest of our Church requires it is a main part of our Religion and by consequence the denial of our Principles is no sufficient Justification of our Innocence I answer First It is in the highest measure censorious in any one to impose upon all our Ancestors and the greatest part of mankind who are or have been so long together Members of our Religion such an excess of Folly and Wickedness as must needs have perverted all Humane Society Secondly If we could lawfully deny the Principles of our Faith when Interest requires why have we lost our Estates our Liberties our Lives for the profession of it To what purpose are Oaths and Tests devised to entangle us How impertinently is the frequenting the Protestant Church and Receiving the Communion proposed unto us and refused by us Thirdly Though many men may be induced to Lie and Forswear when they have some hopes or prospect thereby of Temporal Advantage yet that Persons dying for their Conscience and Religion as divers have done and those no Fools even by the Confession of our Adversaries should be so stupendiously sottish and mad either to imagine that Lies and Perjuries for concealment of Treason Murder Massacre and Destruction of others by Fire and Sword should be Acts of Virtue pleasing to God dispensable by the Pope and Meritorious of Heaven or that on the contrary knowing and believing as needs they must such Monsters and Horrours to be odious and detestable in the sight both of God and Man they should nevertheless upon the very brink of Eternity wittingly and willingly cast themselves headlong into an assured