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	king_n	pope_n	3,065	5	6.1057	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A18948	The recantation of Thomas Clarke (sometime a Seminarie Priest of the English Colledge in Rhemes; and nowe by the great mercy of God conuerted vnto the profession of the gospell of Iesus Christ) made at Paules Crosse, after the sermon made by Master Buckeridge preacher, the first of Iuly, 1593. Whereunto is annexed a former recantation made also by him in a publique assembly on Easter day, being the 15. of April, 1593	Clarke, Thomas, seminarie priest of the English college at Rheims.	1594 (1594)	STC 5366; ESTC S118981	19,358	48

sayde qui mala facit odit lucem non venit ad lucem vt non arguantur opera eius he that doeth euil hateth the light neither commeth to the light least his deedes should be reprooued Euen so my cause being faultie in it selfe could not abide the touch of due examination therefore put me in feare to depart by authoritie but by stealth which with great difficultie I performed Hauing studied sometime in the Vniuersitie aforesayd I was made Priest and after some space was by the President of the Colledge sent into this Realme of England to winne soules as they terme it and as I then tooke it to God but had not God whose mercies are aboue all his workes plucked me backe with his mercifull hand I had doubtlesse perished together with many soules of that profession on whome hee sheweth no mercie but such is his great goodnes and infinite mercy towardes his elect that euen in the depth of their sinne he can and wil raise them the which is most euidently manifested in me who neuer in my life gaue any regard to the true doctrine of Christ though in some part I knewe it but farre otherwise then I ought to haue done as it is in it selfe because that from my youth I was led astray and blinded with the choking myst of Papistry and was now come euen into the midst as it were perfection of all error and blindnesse insomuch that I did not now walke in the counsell of the vngodly nor stand in the way of sinners but in the highest degree of sinning I sate established in the seate of the pestilent whom it is farre more hard to raise and remooue then either him that walketh or him that standeth wherefore in me raised that sate the great mercie and wonderfull worke of Almightie God is more commended more euidently set foorth then if I had but walked then if I had but stoode the which because I wil be as short as I may I leaue to the deuoute consideration of euery good Christian present onely my selfe will say with the Prophet Dauid Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus quae retribuit mihi Calicem ●alutis accipiam nomen Domini inuocabo What shall I render to the Lorde for all his graces and benefites bestowed vpon me I will receiue the cup of saluation and I wil call vpon the Name of the Lord. Hauing with great danger by reason of a tempest that happened passed the seas and being arriued in England I fell bustly to worke in my profession and calling letting passe no opportunitie but vsing all meanes that I could to become a worthy workman in deede a wastfull destroyer in God his vineyarde I forbeare to speake of the zeale I had the paines I tooke my dayes labors my night watchings c. In all which I humbly confesse to Almightie God and acknowledge before this worthy assembly that I did nothing els but dayly more and more offend God impugne his trueth supplant his Church and peruert his people by labouring to seduce them from his true religion into idolatry and to bring them from their naturall dutifull obedience towards their Prince vnto the seruile yoke and bondage of the Pope I meane in perswading them to acknowledge his Papall dignitie and vsurping supreme authoritie ouer all Kings and Princes of the world Whereby beside the hatred of God I incurred y e high displeasure of my dread Soueraigne and most gracious Queene as also the penalties of her godly and most iust lawes made against such offenders Notwithstanding I protest before the dreadful seate of the most Highest that I neuer offended against her royall person neither was I euer guiltie in platting any thing against the good estate of my deare Countrey or consenting to any lewde practice in that behalfe neither did I any thing touching my function in matters of Religion of malice as knowing and would not knowe but wherein so euer I offended it was of blinde zeale masqued and caried away with ignorance and error And although I sayde before that I had some knowledge of the trueth yet I tolde you it was but afarre off it was but a superficiall and carnall knowledge Who more rare or better read in the Scriptures then the Pharises yet our Sauiour Christ tolde them that they erred and knewe not the Scriptures whereby wee are giuen to vnderstand that a man knowes nothing knowe he neuer so much except the Spirit of God doe further illuminate and quicken the vnderstanding with his grace for it is the spirit that quickeneth Thus haue I though confusedly confessed vnto you my guiltines and offence it followeth that I giue you to vnderstand the meanes which God vsed to restore me againe to life that was dead But herein I feare to exceede as they say my compasse in promising more then I am able to performe For how can I declare and manifest that vnto you which I neuer knewe my selfe surely I can assigne no meanes but must say with our Sauiour Christ Ita pa●e requoniam sic fuit placitum ante te It is so O father because thy good pleasure was such Wherefore let vs all be amased and fall into admiration of God his workes and with the Apostle Saint Paul crye out O altitudo diuitiarum sapientiae scientiae Dei quàm incomprehensibilia sunt iudicia eius inuestigabiles viae eius O the deepenes of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his iudgements his wayes past finding out and let vs confesse with the prophet Dauid A domino factum est istud est mirabile in oculis nostris This is the Lord his doing and it is marueilous in our sight Maruailous in deede it might and would be in our sight if I weare in any reasonable measure able to expresse the secret working of God in my soule by his often holy inspirations which I did oftentimes repel not of malice but of ignorance taking gods holy motions for deuilish temptations well did our mercifull Sauiour verifie and more then verifie in me his owne saying Ecce sto ad ostium pulso Behold I stand knocking at thy dore but he not onely stood knocking as one ready to goe his way if he were not let in but he perseuered knocking he sate knocking as one that meant not to be wearied as one that would not away as one that would by force enter O gracious God what was I what am I nay what can I bee that thy high Maiestie shouldest be so mindefull of me that I should bee in such reputation with thee Vermis sum ego non homo opprobrium hominum abiectio plebis I am a worme O Lord and no man the reproch of men and the outcast of the people I say not of thy people O Lord but of all people for in hearing thy voice I hardened my heart Long was it or

ye are saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes lest any man should boast himselfe whereby it is euident that mens merits auaile not to iustification and therfore this doctrine of the aduersaries together with the rest I renounce and abiure As for the authoritie of princes in matters Ecclesiasticall for in Temporall I knowe no doubt had not Iosua Dauid Salomon and other Kings and Rulers power to commaunde and intermeddle in causes Ecclesiasticall Did not Iosua cōmand and appoint the Priests and Leuites how and in what manner they should carry the Arke of God and by warrant from Gods owne mouth direct and gouerne them in the bearing thereof ouer the waters of Iordan Did not God often times manifest the disposing of holy things to the Kings rather then to the Priests which in no case he would haue done if his will had bene that they should haue had no dealings in such kind of causes As for the examples of Dauid Salomon because the wordes of text are too long to recite I referre the Christian audience to the perusing of these places of scripture viz. 1. Chron. 13. 15. 16. chap. the 7. 8. and 9. Chap. of the third booke of Kings according to some translations according to other some the first booke By these and diuers other testimonies both of the olde and new Testament I haue sufficient warrant to acknowledge not onely the right and authoritie of my dread soueraigne in causes Ecclesiasticall within all her Maiesties Dominions but also of all Christian kings and Princes in their proper landes and Realmes and the contrary doctrine as ful of lurking poyson I renounce and abiure And here I will ende with the Pope as the roote and body from whence whereon all branches of errors and superstitions do grow but because I haue already plainly declared vnto you his grossenesse or rather impudencie in doctrine I shall haue lesse occasion to stand vpon himselfe for by the fruite we are to iudge what the tree is It is impossible saith Christ that a man should gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles euen so it is impossible that a man should draw vertuous and wholesome doctrine forth of an infected fountaine such an one as the Pope is who seeketh his owne glory and mainteineth his glory by his owne doctrine neglecting or rather contemning both the glory doctrine of Christ Whose insolent pride and vsurping authoritie ouer all Christian kings and Princes as also his deuilish madnesse in opposing himselfe against God and his Church by sowing the seede of false doctrine in the hearts of people make me to confesse him to be that abomination of desolation sitting in the holy place which was prophecied by Daniel and mentioned of our Sauiour Christ himselfe in S. Matthewes Gospel Wherefore as an infectiue poyson and creeping canker I loath detest and abiure him renounce his authoritie from hencefoorth vtterly reclayme from the whole heape and masse of all his confused errors and deuilish opinions whatsoeuer aswell those hereafter to bee inuented and published as those already by him his taught and authorised Also I denie that he hath any power authoritie or iurisdiction ouer our soueraigne and gracious Queene Elizabeth or ouer any of her Highnesse subiects and liege people either in causes Ecclesiasticall or Temporall and in defence of this doctrine in particular as also of all the poyntes of true religion taught in this Realme and by her gracious Maiestie aucthorised I now my selfe and whatsoeuer from henceforth I shalbe able to performe And I am heartily sorie that euer I offended in professing the contrary my merciful God my dread Soueraigne my deare countrey First therefore with penitent heart prostrate soule before the tribunall of the Almightie I desire his diuine Maiestie for his mercies sake and for his onely some Iesus Christ his sake to regard mee at this present with his merciful eyes and from henceforth to guide and protect mee with his mightie hand that I may alwaies rest vnder the shadow of his wings and at the dreadfull day of his iudgement that he impute not vnto mee my grieuous sinnes and transgressions but that he wil burie them in the sacred and precious wounds of his deare Sonne and couer them with the vaile of his holy mercies Secondly I beseech my soueraigne and gracious Queene to pardon my ignorances presumptions and whatsoeuer besides I haue offended in eyther against her or her Maiesties godly lawes proceedings with bended knees beseeching her Highnesse to accept of my humble and voluntarie submission and to admit me again into the number of her Maiesties loyall subiects and from hencefoorth I vowe vnto her Maiestie my true seruice and duetifull obedience Furthermore I craue pardon of all men in generall whom I haue any wayes scandalized and offended but most especially those whome by erronious doctrine I haue mislead praying heartily to God that they al may be so sincerely cōuerted as my selfe am Lastly I humbly beseech this honourable Christian assembly to pardon my confessed crime and to accept mee as a member of your mystical body vnder our head Iesus Christ And for that I doubt not but that your deuout mindes are readily mooued thereunto I wil omit to vse any further instigation therein but will leaue the matter wholy to the motion and working of Gods holy spirit in all men To conclude for as much as I haue bene credibly enfourmed by some and haue further found it extant in writing that some in this our Realme and in other places haue promised sworne subscribed and for a time vsed the holy Sacraments in the Church deceitfully against their owne conscience minding hereby first vnder the externall cloake of religion to corrupt and subuert secretely Gods true religion within the Church and afterward when time hath serued became open enemies and persecutors of the same vnder vaine hope of the Popes dispensation deuised against the worde of God to his great confusion and their double condemnation at the day of iudgement being willing for mine owne part so farre foorth as in me lieth to take away all suspition of such hypocrisie dissimulation and double dealing with God and his Church I protest before the dreadfull Maiestie of Almightie God who is the searcher of all hearts that my heart and minde doe fully agree with my vttered speaches Moreouer that I haue not nor euer had any dispensation Bull or any maner of facultie for any such purpose Also that I haue not bene moued to this present act by any constraint or rigor vsed or for any worldly respect or hope of gaine or other sinister cause whatsoeuer but onely by the meere perswasion of conscience through the knowledge and loue of Gods true religion begun in my heart by the holy Ghost the profection and perfection whereof I leaue to the mercifull working of his diuine power to whome with