Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	church_n	gospel_n	word_n	3,583	5	4.7602	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00278	VVhether it be a mortall sinne to transgresse ciuil lawes which be the commaundementes of ciuill magistrates. The iudgement of Philip Melancton in his epitome of morall philosophie. The resolution of D. Hen. Bullinger, and D. Rod. Gualter, of D. Martin Bucer, and D. Peter Martyr, concernyng thapparrel of ministers, and other indifferent thinges.	Melanchthon, Philipp, 1497-1560. aut; Bullinger, Heinrich, 1504-1575. aut; Gwalther, Rudolf, 1519-1586. aut; Bucer, Martin, 1491-1551. aut; Parker, Matthew, 1504-1575. Briefe examination for the tyme, of a certaine declaration. aut	1570 (1570)	STC 10391.5; ESTC S119567	38,613	108

to send it being once re● by him vnto maister Bucer Which thin● dyd both diligently and without all dela● In that litle time that I had to peruse y● writing I cōprehended so al the matter t● euen at the firste I conceaued no small io● your singuler earnest study in that you● your endeuour that Christ his religion ● be brought agayne vnto a chaste and sin● puritie For what shoulde be more de● of all Godly heartes then that all thing by a litle litle should be cleane taken aw● and cut of whiche hath very litle or noth● in them that can be referred wholly to ed●catiō but rather be iudged of the godly to superfluous For to speake of my selfe I ● hardly drawne from that simple and purestome whiche ye knowe they of Argent● haue vsed euer frō the time that they refo●med their Church where diuersitie of app●rell in Churche ministration was abolis● For I haue alwayes alowed that pur●sage that originally had imitation of th●postles Churche And I beseeche GOD mortall that this maner may both ther● ●uer continue and also that wheresoeuer Christ his Church is refourmed it may at length be receaued You sée that in the sub●taunce and chiefe poynt of the matter I ●issent not from you nay I desire with all my hart that that thyng whiche you goe ●bout to bryng to passe may take place And the most especiall cause why I doe so ●esire is partly for that I would we should ●ome as nigh as might be to the holy Scriptures in rites and ceremonies and ●olow the example of the Church when it ●as in best case and state partly for that I ●erceaue that those that be geuen to papi●rie do goe about with these reliques to maynteyne at least a litle spyse of Masse ●o be geuen to them more then the nature ●f indifferent thinges do require Notwithstandyng yet the cōsideration of these matters do not so farre carry me nor the reasons alleaged by you so perswade me ●at I shoulde affirme the vse of such ve●ures to be pernitious or of theyr owne ●ature contrary to Gods worde For I do ●terly thynke it to be a thyng indifferent ●nd I am not ignoraunt that such is the ●ure of indifferent thynges that at one ●ure they may be vsed and at an other time refused To eate that is strangled of selfe is an indifferent thyng yet it is mee● somtimes to refraine from the vse therof somtimes to vse it most freely And in this respect though I haue saide this diuersit● of church apparel is not to be retained n●uerthelesse it to be wicked I neuer so iudged that I dare therefore condemne any such whom I see vse it For if I had ben ● perswaded I would neuer haue commun●cated here in Englande with the Church where such a choyse as yet is reserued Fo● although as I said I do very litle alow ● neuerthelesse I see somtimes in these ind●ferēt things that some of thē although th● be greeuous burdenous in that it is n● lawfull to do otherwise must be patiently suffered lest if men should striue for the● more bitterly then it nedeth that it wou● be a let to the aduauncement of the gospe● also that those things which of their own nature be indifferent through our heate ● contentiō should be taught to be meer w●ked Which two things except I am dece●ued bryng with them great and greeuo● discommodities For if we could be conte● to suffer the Gospel first to be spred dep●lye to take roote without all doubt m● would better easlier be perswaded to r●moue away these external rites A man so long as he is sick or is in his recouery oftentimes is muche greeued that certaine smal and tryflyng thynges parteynyng to his meate and drinke should be debarred from him which yet afterward when he is fully restored vnto his health by him self of his owne accord without any other mans counsel doth renoūce them as vnmete vnprofitable Wherfore let Englande be first diligently instructed confirmed in the chiefe ● most necessary poyntes of religion then afterwarde by my iudgement the Church shall not be muche offended to haue these thynges somewhat superfluous to be remoued But nowe where as alteration in the most necessary poyntes of religion is laboured for that with so much difficultie yf nowe we pronounce those thynges to be wicked that be of themselues indifferent so much would the most part of mens mindes be alienated frō vs that from that day they woulde not find in theyr heartes ●uer after to heare with a good wyl at our ●andes sound doctrine and instructions of ●ery necessary matter Surely Englande ● much bounde vnto you in that ye haue ●boured more then a greate sorte hath in preaching and teaching Likewise in England you alredie haue obteyned much fauour and great aucthoritie whereby ye shall be able to do much good to the aduauncement of Gods glory Ye must therfore take heede lest ye stand in your own● way contendyng to bitterly and all out of tyme Yet woulde I not haue you hereby gather that my mynde is that a Minister of Gods worde shoulde neuer contende for the maintenaunce of the truth and principles of Scriptures I make no such assertion who dayly aswell in publike as in pr●uate disputations in waightie controue●sies do take a part against the aduersaries for true religion But thys I say we must take heede lest these thynges which be of lesse importaunce through our strife may be the meanes that those thynges which should be esteemed of greater force and value eyther can not at all be brought into the Church eyther if they be once brough● in cā not be established with continuanc● Agayne yf we holde on in disswading t● these indifferent thynges as pernitious altogether wicked we condemne with● very many Churches which haue receau● the Gospell blame to bitterly innumer●ble which a great while ago were counted worthy of all prayse Neyther am I ignoraunt that the aucthoritie of Churches that be nowe or hath ben ought not to beare such a sway that thereby the aucthoritie of Gods worde should be trode vnder foote Which although the whole world should runne to wrecke ought to remayne wythout touch of breste sure and vnuiolable yet for all that I iudge we must take heede lest that for thinges indifferent eyther we condemne such Churches as be now at this day or thinke not wel of those that haue ben long before our dayes And for because I perceaue that ye suppose these thyngs not to be indifferent peraduenture it shall not be amisse nowe for to examine the reasons that so ledde you and that as you do I may do it in fewe wordes I reduce the chiefe matter to two chiefe pointes First of al ye say that the Priesthood after the order of Aaron is not to be restored wherunto these diuersities of vestures seme to parteine For seeyng we haue Ghrist to be our

thynke ye not that this iudgement which here I haue declared vnto you was but nowe first perswaded vnto me For euen from the begynnyng since that I applyed my selfe vnto the Gospel my minde was that this difference of vesture should be taken away but yet so that I dyd not iudge it of their owne nature either wicked or pernitious I beseeche God almyghtie to preserue you safe and sounde with al your householde through Christe Iesus our Lorde Farewell At Oxforde the fourth of Nouember 1550. Yours both in minde and spirite wholy Peter Martyr Amplissimo domino Colendissimo Symmistae Ioanni à Lasco ¶ The Lorde graunt vnto vs in these troublesome times of the Church to begin and finishe al thinges that offences and daungers be not encreased Amen THe more diligently I weygh consyder both what fruite we may gather by this controuersie of vestures and also what Sathan goeth about thereby to worke I woulde haue wished before the Lorde that it neuer once had ben spoken of but rather that all men of our function had agreeablye stoutly gone forwarde and continued in teaching true repentaunce the wholesome vse of all ●hynges yea in commendyng and puttyng ●n the apparrell of saluation I see not in ● fewe alas I saye I see marueylous diligence in abolyshyng Amelech concernyng stones stockes vestures and those thinges that be without vs when in their deedes whole lyfe they most stiflye retayne the whole Amelech styll I knowe also some that helpe foreward this strife so that in the meane tyme the chiefe and moste necessarie poyntes are lesse regarded and called vpon that is of remouyng sacrilegious persons from spoylyng of Churches of prouydyng fyt ministers for euery parishe of the restoring of discipline againe As for my part if I thought those ceremonies and vestures were impure of them selues I woulde not take vpon me in any wyse the office of a Bishop vntyll by ordinarie aucthoritie they were taken away c. But to the purpose I thinke it not impartinent vnto this matter that we all be admonished to take heede of Sathans accustomed sleyghtes wherby he leadeth vs away from the care of necessarie thinges to the carefulnesse of those thinges whiche may be well let passe and from the searchyng out of the true doctrine of Christ to induce to vs those thinges wherein fewe can consent a like and finally by the which he kindleth in diuers men a zeale to purge those thinges which are without vs therby to neglect our inwarde deformities And seyng whatsoeuer we do either in word or deede both priuately and publikely we ought to do it in the name of our Lorde Iesu Christ geuing thankes by him to god the father Surely it is our duety no lesse circumspectly to beware that we neither do nor leaue vndone any thyng wherof we haue not sure or certayne aucthoritie out of Gods worde touching our actions and matters domesticall and Ecclesiasticall It is alwaye and in all thinges sinne whatsoeuer is not of fayth of the certayne worde of God. But to consyder this question in it selfe I haue accordyng to my gyft weyghed your reasons and yet I can perceaue no other but that the vse of all externall thinges aswel in holy ceremonies as in priuate matters ought to be left free to the Churches of god I call that free vse wherein godly men vse thinges created of God without any superstition to a certayne edifiyng of their faith in Christe I veryly as I haue confessed vnto you haue declared in deede vnto our countreymen had rather that no kinde of vesture whiche the papistes vsed were retayned amongst vs and that both for the more ful detestation of the Antichristian priesthood and also for playner aduouchyng of Christian libertie yea and to be short for the auoydyng of daungerous contentions among the brethren though notwithstandyng I woulde haue the Ministers of Churches to vse sage vesture and such whereby they might be discerned from other men but chiefly I would al the discipline of Christ to be in force amōg vs Yet I can not be brought by any Scriptures as farre as I see hytherto to deny that the true Ministers of Christes Church may vse without superstition and to a certayn● edification of fayth in Christ any of those vestures which the Antichristians abused For what should let but that the Churches may vse that white vesture or more vestures to monishe vs precisely of that diuine benefit● which he by the holy ministerie of the church dealeth vnto vs the benefite I saye of the light and dignitie of that heauenly doctrine and by the whiche also the Ministers them selues may be the more myndfull of their office and had both for it and by the admonishment of that outwarde token in greater reuerence of the common people of the church Whether we wyll or nay we are compelled to confesse that the ensignes of them that beare publique offices helpe some thinges to retaine increase the aucthoritie of Magistrates publique power yf other thinges want not by the which the true reuerence is geuen vnto them For if these things be not ioyned with those ensignes they induce not a veneration but rather the singuler detestation of them who vnworthyly vse these notes of vertue Signes in deede are signes and not the thinges yet how muche they are able to admonishe and moue the mind God geuing the increase he that obserueth wyll wonder Wherfore wheras otherwayes the true dignitie of Ministers is euident and yf any particuler church by publique iudgement do consent vpon the retaynyng of certayne vestures only for the commending vnto vs of the giftes of god which he geueth by the ministerie of the Church for to put the yonger and ruder sort in mynde without all superstition Truely I can not see why such vse of vestures in such a Churche may not serue to some commendation of the holy ministerie so consequentlye to the edification of fayth For what let is there but at this day they whiche are indued with the same spirite of fayth may vse a few signes as godly as the anciēt holy men haue vsed many They had you wyl say expresse writing cōcerning the vse of their signes I graūt in dede it made much touchyng the true vse of their signes But in that God dyd commaunde the vse of those and many signes we certainly learne that the vse of those signes may serue he geuyng grace to promote true religion and that it hath none vncleannesse in it selfe or superstition neyther can be by the abuse of the wicked so polluted that it can not be healthfull to godly men vsing it godly Now when as god by his word hath sanctified al things by our prayers and hath made all thinges pure to the pure what cause can we alleage out of the worde of God to deny that God wyll not blesse such vse of signes wherof we speake that it shoulde not be effectuous to that Churche

desolation may arise And in the other part of offence how much euyll is it that the quietnes of th● Church common weale is troubled ▪ In this corporal lyfe we haue neede of ceremonies for order sake or for decency whic● for man is most semely For if this order b● disanull●d infinite cōfusion doth folowe Fo● where there is no aucthoritie of teachers no certayne tymes to teache no certayne teachers no certayne forme of doctrine in such confusion neyther can the Gospell be preserued neyther the Churche instructed Finally as order consent of publike ordinances doth ioyne mē in felowship together so cōfusion of order doth separate mēs minds breadeth horrible tumultes endles warre Let vs then thinke that in breache of traditions the example commonly and easyly spreadeth abroade amongst others Let vs consyder what euil is in an example Wherfore lest we burthen our consciences with daunger lest we hurt others let vs obserue with greater care the publique ordinaunces whatsoeuer It is tyrannical to regarde more what delighteth our selues then what may do good to others for we are not borne vnto our selues but our lyfe parteyneth vnto others especially vnto the Churche that is to the glorie of Christ to the conseruation of the ministerie and the retayning of discipline for the people These two things whiche are the greatest the Churche desyreth cheefly to defende Herein let vs shewe our obedience our diligence and endeuour for the common quietnesse and health of vs all Plato sayth we must loue our coūtrey mor● then our mother because our countrey is a certayne heauenly thyng But the Churche ought to be our true countrey and this truely is heauenly for it is the Temple of God and the congregation of the members of Christe Wherefore this we must loue and wyllyngly obey it and yeelde much vnto th● profit tranquilitie therof Paul calleth traditions beggerly elements which although they be beggerlye that is small thynges transitorie not eternal they are no worshippyng they are no ryghteousnes yet they are elementes that is ordinaunces whiche this corporal lyfe can not wante because of discipline and good orders sake Wherfore thos● ordinaunces are not to be disanulled but Paules counsaile must be consydered who although he cal them beggerly yet he calleth them elementes so taketh away the prayse of ryghteousnesse shewing styl that there be ordinaunces which haue their profite Great is the for●e of discipline there is no sweeter harmonye then good order in a common wealth Therfore these are called elementes ▪ that is ordinaunces whiche preserue tha● harmonie Philip Melancton vppon the .xiii. Chapter of Paules Epistle to the Romanes LET euerye soule be subiect vnto the hygher powers for there is no power but of god The powers that be are ordained of god VVhosoeuer therfore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God thei that resist shall receaue to them selues damnation For rulers are not fearefull to good workes but to the euyl VVylt thou not feare the power do well thou shalt haue prayse of the same for he is the minister of God for thy wealth But if thou do euil feare for he beareth not the sworde in vayne for he is the minister of God reuenger of wrath on him that doth euyll VVherefore ye must needes be subiecte not onely for feare of punishement but also because of conscience c. In the ende of this precept standeth th● cōclusion the proposition repeated againe That of necessitie we muste obey And that certaynely for conscience sake no● onely for the penaltie This addition or exaggeration muste b● diligently consydered He that is taken of a theefe yf he can auoyde hym escapeth without offence But contrary yf any man could cast from him such charges as the magistrat● commaundeth yet he cannot reiect them without sinne without the magistrate agreeth thereto for that we be necessarily● bounde to the magistrates and also for conscience Some teachers haue holden in disputation that the preceptes of the magistrate● do not bynde to mortall sinne because ● mere man cannot inflicte a payne eternall But the errour of these men is playnly confuted by the testimonie of saint Paul whic● sayth VVe must be subiect not onely for penaltie but also for conscience that is lest our conscience shoulde be defiled with mortall sinne Ergo it is mortall sinne to breake the statutes of the magistrate for that God hath made vs subiect to magistrates and he layeth his punishment vpon suche as contemne the magistrate because therein also the aucthoritie of God is contemned And here may it appeare that in the Gospell the aucthoritie of the magistrate is more confirmed and defended than in any other doctrine for no other doctrine so earnestly byndeth men to obedience For the Gospell doth commaunde obedience not onely for corporall or temporall paynes but also to escape the wrath of God an eternall payne and there is no bonde greater than this bonde of conscience Therefore Emperor Iulian and suche other dyd great wrong to the Gospell when they wrote that the doctrine of the Gospell dissolueth pollicie And for this cause pay you tribute for thei are Gods ministers seruing for the same purpose Gyue to euery man therefore his duetie Tribute to whom tribute is due Custome to whom custome Feare to whom feare Honor to whom honor belongeth Before he spake generally of obedience nowe he addeth the speciall kyndes thereof in commaundyng to yeelde three thinges to wit tribute feare and honor Tribute comprehendeth all externall burdens whiche b● due as impositions customes diligence marshall exercise such lyke seruices eyther of body or of goodes For why the common wealth can not be defended vnlesse the princes receaue ayde of the laboure and charge of the subiectes Therefore in this place Paul affirmeth tribute custome to be due in saying that therfore you do pay tribute for herein the ministers of God namely for their ministerie which is the preseruatiō of the common wealth be occupied but this preseruation asketh the helpe both of souldiers and other seruitours not onely in warre but also in peace Although considering indifferently we finde that euery magistrate continually do warre whylest he punisheth runne gates theeues and pickers And for so muc● as such people as these can not be suppressed without the helpe of souldiers and citizens By duetie we are bound to the maintenance of suche assistaunce to make contribution whē the greatnes of the daunger doth so require to minister our further helpe to the magistrate in that behalfe And as officers sent to apprehēd runagates are bound faithfully to do the same so souldiers in time of warre their cities being beseeged are bound faithfully to defend the holdes committed to their charge to the vttermost that they may In this kind of duetie deserueth great commendations my countrie Bruta situate aboue Spires in the territorie of the prince Palatine For it was defended by the citizens with loyall sayth great constancie