Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	church_n	faith_n	hold_v	3,740	5	6.0925	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12983	A sermon preached at Paules Crosse, the second of Nouember. 1606. By Richard Stocke, preacher of Al-hallowes, Bread-streete, London	Stock, Richard, 1569?-1626.	1609 (1609)	STC 23276; ESTC S117808	42,660	92

Iohn sound out that which Stephen did not that Formosus was a true Pope by what meanes did hee finde it sure by the spirit of God and could the spirit finde it out in the councell of Raucnna vnder Iohn the ninth and not finde it in the councell of Rome vnder Stephen the 6 Nay not only not find it out but iudge the contrary Are then the iudgements of the spirit of God contrary one to another But graunt Iohn did finde out things thus was this then the decree of the holy Ghost By what spirit then did Sergius the third succeeding Iohn condemne Formosus againe and abrogate all his acts and take him the second time out of the graue and cut off his head and cast his boly into Tyber which being found by fishermen was brought into the cathedral Churche at Rome where the Images did worship him beleeue it if you will What probabilitie and truth is like to be in these excuses you may easily coniecture To make vp the dozen See Iohn 22. called as some say the 21. who if he denied not the immortalitie of the soule as Caluine affirmes and Bellarmine denies yet held he that the soules departed neuer came into the presence of God till the resurrectio of the body Which errour the Vniuersitie of Paris opposing by the helpe of Philip King of France they made him recant with the sound of a Trumpet for feare of loosing his Popedome as Iohn Gerson affirmes in his Sermon of Easter Bellarmine excuseth him that though he held such an opinion yet he might do it without danger of heresie for the Church had not yet defined it to be an errour a very sriuolous excuse For it there had not bene before any definition of the Church which he falsely affirmeth yet had we the difinition of the Lord in the Scripture which he hath appointed to be the rule of faith to his Church and not the Church to be a rule to others She may declare something to be an heresie but her determination cannot make it an heresie and if she had neuer defined it to be an heresie yet had it beene an errour and hee had therein manifestly erred who either then or now shall holde it 13 To giue you the aduantage see Iohn the 23. who denied both Eternall life and the resurection of the body Concerning whom First the Iesuite saith it is vncertaine whether he were true Pope because there was at that time two Popes more Gregorie the 12 and Benedict the 13. each cursing other so that if he erred it is nothing to the erring of the Pope because it was not knowne who was Pope Obserue a monstrous body with three heads or a body with no head but his excuse is but a shift for Platina who maketh him Iohn the 24. affirmeth that he was created Pope at Bononia with the consent of all Platina in Iohn 24. but secondly he answereth that at the councell of Constance 53. Articles were put vp against him and prooued by substantiall witnesses and those were all for matter of manners but as for this and some other Articles of faith they were prooued by no witnesses therefore saith he it is probable that by reason of his vitious life the opinion of the people was that he thought there was neither life euerlasting nor the resurection of the body So by excusing of him from errour he hath stemed him and made him stinke in the nosthrils of all honest men And if the head was so bad all the body was worse But the councell obiecting it to him and hee not cleering himselfe of it nay his life gaue testimonie of it why should we beleeue Bellarmine before all the Fathers of that councel But leauing these things I hasten towards an end and come to apply this for our more particular benefite This then may teach euery man Vse 2 seeing things stand thus to labour for the knowledge of the word and the mysteries of Saluation that hauing the rule of truth he may be able to iudge of all falsehood and errour and may not be caried away with the errour of one or many be they neuer so great or learned Certaine it is that because they know but in part they may erre though they be neuer so learned and erre often times they do because they are not wholly sanctified It is certaine that the greatest part of a visible Church is euer vnsanctified and the best part that is sanctified is but sanctified in part and so subiect to partialitie and errour and may both erre and defend errour against their knowledge some violent temptation of pride pleasure or profit carrying them therto Seeing none are now gouerned by the infallible guidance of the spirit of God then had men need of knowledge that they may be able to trie the doctrines that are deliuered It is a certaine truth and not to be denyed because stories of all times do manifestly prooue it that errour and herefie haue oftentimes so much preuailed that they who haue holden and possessed the places of office and dignitie in the Church of God either for feare slatterie hope of gaine and honour or misled by their owne ignorance and simplicitie or fallen into some errour giuen ouer of God haue departed from the soundnes of Faith so that the sinceritie of religion was vpholden and the truth defended and maintained only by some fewe that were molested persecuted tra luced as turbulent and seditious persons and enimies to the common peace of the Christian world This were easie to be shewed in the times of Christ and of the immediate successors the Apostles This was manifest in the times of Athanasius when in the councel of S●leuci● and Arminium the Nicene Faith was condemned and all the B B. of the whole world sell from the soundnes of the Faith saue Athanasius and a sewe confessors that were banished with him So as Ierom writes against the Luciserians saying Ingemuit totus orbis miratus est se faclum esse drianum The whole world groned and is amazed to see how she was become an Arrian So Hillarius against Auxentius Bishop of Millan complaineth that the Arrian faction had confounded all and therefore admonished men to take heed how they were led by any outward appearance or glorious shewes Now as there is no new thing vnder the heauens but that that is now hath bene before so there is no old thing but it may be renewed and such times may befall the Church againe Therefore it is the wisedome of euery man that is not carelesse which end goeth forward 1. Ioh. 4.1 and retchlesse of his soules health to labour for knowledge that he may be able as S. Iohn saith to trie the Spirits for many false prophets are gone out into the world If any man will say how shall not we erre when so many great learued men haue erred and may erre The answere is as Salmon saith Pro. 28.11 The rich man is wise in his owne conceit but the poore that hath vnderstanding can trie him So oftentimes meaner men may found the depth and see more then great schollers especially seeing that he that was truth hath said it God reucaleth that to suckelings and babes Math. 11.25 that he hideth from wise and prudent Let vs then account of that doctrine of poperie as damnable which commendeth an Implicit faith and be suspicious of those who thinke it is not good for men to haue knowledge as if they meāt either to make a pray vpon them or to broach some grosse errours and therefore deale with them as Chrysostome saith Theeues do First put out the candle and then fall a spoyling and as deceitfull Marchants that would vtter their wares by obscure and deceitfull lights And let vs againe labour for knowledge that we may be able to trie the spirits not be deceiued by any seducers especially when it will not goe for currant before God that we haue beene so taught and misled by our guides for if the blind lead the blind they shall both fall into the ditch and bee deuoured together Which that we may escape let vs follow men though they be Apostles no further then they follow Christ And that we may be able to discerne others steppes whether they tread right or no Let vs imbrace the Apostles exhortation or commaund Cot. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell plentifully in vs. By which we may be preserued from error being the speciall antidote against this poyson yea and abyding in it we shall walke in the truth 1. Thess 5.23 and in the end be saued by the truth Now the God of peace and truth sanctifie you throughout and I pray God that your whole spirit and soule and bodie may be kept blamelesse vnto the Comming of our Lord Iesus Christ FINIS LONDON Printed by T. C. For Edmond Weauer and William Welby 1609.