Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n
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A17037
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A true and short declaration both of the gathering and ioyning together of certaine persons, and also of the lamentable breach and division which fell amongst them.
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Browne, Robert, ca. 1550-1633.
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1583
(1583)
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STC 3910.5; ESTC S1834
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31,414
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25
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â—lders therein is abâ—ue the Apostle aboue the Prophet the Eâ—angâ—list the Pastor the Teaâ—hâ—r euerie particulâ—â—â—lder For the â—oining partaking of â—anie churches togâ—â—hâ—r of the authoritie Vvhich manie haue must needes be greater more Vvaightiâ— â—hâ—n the authoritie of anie siâ—gle person And this alâ—oe ment Paâ—l Vvhere he saith 1. Cor 2. 22. Wee are yours you are Christes Christ is Goâ—es Soe that the Apostle is inferior to the châ—rch the church is inferâ—or to Christ Christ coÌ„cerning his manhood offiâ—e in the church is inferior to God This he iudgâ—d not onelie toe be against the Vvickedâ—eâ— of the bâ—shâ—pes but alâ—o agâ—inst theiâ— Vvhole povver authoritie For if the authoritie of the châ—rch of the forvvaâ—dest breethren or elders therein be aboue the bishopes hovve should it not follovue but that the bishopes maie be commauÌ„ded accused charged bie the church yea also discharged separated as is their desert But novve because of their popish povver canon lavves thei haue lift vpp their authoritie more high theÌ„ the church can take accountes of them not onelie by force do thrust out trouble Vvhome thei list but also raigne as Lordes Dukes in their dioces their authoritie must nedes be vsurped For the Apostles did geue accouÌ„tes to the church of all their doinges as Vve read in the Act. 11. 4. Act 15. 2. 3. Rom. 15 31. But these being got aboue the Apostles Vvill sit in the throne of Christ as Christ is not inferior to the church no more Will thei be For Christ hath choseÌ„ vs saith the scripture not Vve him Ioh. 15 16. therfore he is greater theÌ„ vs all And seiÌ„g the church can not chose the bishopes nor those hirelinges Vvhome the bishopes thurst vppon them therefore theâ— also Vvill be greater then the church Vvith Vvhom then do thei compare them selues in degree but Vvith Christ so make them selues antichristes Nai thei presume further then Christ Vvhich vvouldâ— not thrust his Apostles vooÌ„ anie congregaâ—ioÌ„ nor suffer them to take charge of anie Vvhich did not Vvillinglie receaue theÌ„ Luâ— 10. 10. But these do force vpoÌ„ the people euerie Vvhere in sundrie places against their vvilles not onelie ministers vnknovuÌ„e but also such as are knovueÌ„ to be blind busserdes Vvicked fâ—lloâ—ves idol shâ—pherdes Likevvise Christ hath al rule in his hande as it is Vvritten that vve aâ—e compleat in him Vvhich is the head of all priÌ„cipalitie povver Col. 2. he can not sinne nor offend the lavve of God nor be accused by the same For â—o the â—cripture testifiâ—th that none could reproue him of sinne though he offâ—red him sâ—lfe to them to acâ—use him â—f â—hâ—i could Ioh 8. And he is that high priest as againe it is Vvâ—itten Heb. 7 vvhich is holie harmlesse Vndefiled separate from sinners and made highâ—r thâ—â— thâ— heauens Hovv hâ—gâ— then â—o theâ— lift â—hâ—m selves Vvhich Wâ—ll rule alone aâ— lordes ouer the stoâ—k though thâ— vvord hath saied iâ— shâ—ll not be so Luâ— 22. 26. â— Pet. 5. 3. Wâ—ich vvill be Râ—â—biâ—s Doctors reuerenâ—â—â—â—hers though Vve hâ—ue bâ—t one doctoâ— Father as 〈…〉 hâ—gh 〈…〉 â—at 23. vvhich â—lso tâ—ke vpoÌ„ theÌ„ not as seruauÌ„ts in the hâ—â—â—e as vvas Moâ—â—â— â—â—b 3. 〈…〉 â—ftâ—r him that is soone hâ—ire in his ovvne house saâ—ng thâ—â— vvâ—ll â—ot 〈…〉 raâ—gâ—â—o â—et theÌ„ Lâ—c. 19 14. For theâ— haue refused his gouernment châ—â—en their ovvne popâ—â—h â—â—sciplâ—â—e in steaâ— thereof This appeareth because thâ—y enter takâ— on them their offiâ—eâ— in popâ—sh vvise as â—haâ—â—â—vve praescribeth theÌ„ also do misgâ—id the people by thâ—â—â—opâ—sh tyraâ—nie For vvho knovveth not but that they vvâ—tch for the liuing or byshâ—p â—â—ke vvhen it shall fall then seâ—â—e pâ—ye vvell for the same if they obtaine it â—o are they rauenous vvicked persoÌ„s as saith the câ—pture Zâ—c 3. They are makâ— shâ—ftes troublers seing they rule rathâ—r because they seeke their ovvne aduantage or glorie or â—â—shâ—henous pâ—rpose then the vvelfare benefâ— of the church Yea they all looke to their ovvne vvaye as saiâ—th â—he Prophet Esa 56. 11. euerie one for his aâ—uaÌ„tage for his ovvne pâ—rpose Who knovveâ—h not also but that they vvhiâ—h are not duelie â—eceaued called to guide that by due consent agremeÌ„t they are ether Antichristes in the church or Tyrantes in the common vvelth because they vsâ—rp in the church or commoÌ„vvelth Such are they of vvhom Paul speaketh 2 Cor. 11. 20 that the coriÌ„thians did suffer them to much For they did suffer if a man brought them into bondage if a man deuoured if a maÌ„n tooke if a man exalted him selfe if a man smote them on the face For in deed the people do suffer the bâ—shops though they take from them their lâ—bertie â—f chosing good pastors refusing euill yea they suffer them selues to be robbed beaten by those spiritual courtes they suffer the great vnto vvardnes vvickednes of the byshops to be coloured hidden by their outvvard bragge countenance as by their pomp authoritie tytls povver some times by their fair flattering sermons pleasings For they rule by three sortes of lavves as by the ciuil the canoÌ„ the commoÌ„ lavve vvhich are three kingdomes vnto them or as the Popes triple crovvne by pretending the fourth lavve vvhich is the vvorde of God they ouerrule totoe much they spare not to come vppon the people vvith force povver they care not to bridle them vvith nevv yearly iniunctions alâ—o vvith the ould lavves penalties of the court of Rome While R. B. thought these thinges â—n him selfe he moued the matter diuers times vnto others Some did gainsay those of tâ—e â—orvvardest affirming that the byshops authoritie is tolerable he might take license â—â—â—horitie of them Others of them saide they vvoulde not couÌ„sel nor medle for an other maÌ„â— coÌ„science in that matter but they them selues iudged that the byshops preached the vvoâ—d of God therefore ought not lightlie to be reiected Also they said that seing they had the vvord the sacraments they must needes haue vvithall the church people of God seing this vvas vnder the gouernmeÌ„t of the byshops by means of theÌ„ they could not vvholy condem the byshops but rather â—udge them faultie in some parte Then did R. B. againe againe discusse these matters as he had often before as vvhether the byshopes coulde be saied to preach the vvord of God minister the sacraments or no. For if that vvere trevve then also might they call place ministers seing they them selues did minister so great â— thing as is the vvorde the sacraments they might also minister their help in other thingâ— not so great Therfore to knovve vvhether they preached the vvord of God he searched fouÌ„d by the scriptures vvhat it is to preach the vvord namely to do
the Lordes message as iâ— is vvritten in Ieremie 23. 22 in teaching the people those thinges vvhereby they might turn them from their euill vvaies from the vvickednes of their inuentions Therefore excepâ— they haue a due message they can not preach the vvord off message For I seÌ„t them not saieâ—â— the Lord in that place nor commaunded them therefore they bring no profit vnto this people Againe except they preach those things first ffor vvhiâ—h first cheifly they vvere senâ— namelie vvhat soâ—uer is to reclame â—he people first from some especiall vvickednes vvherin they sinne sâ— ffâ—â—m all other dâ—ffâ—â—lâ—es they can not be said to preach the vvorde Therefore seing the bâ—shâ—pes calling authoritie vuas shevved before for to be vnlavvefull seing also thâ—y call not the pâ—ople from the â—hâ—ifâ—st abominations Vvhich are the cause of the rest but ratheâ— vviâ—fâ—lly vvith crueltie do leade them in the same as vvill aftervvard appeare they can not preach the vvorde of God For to make a sermon is not to preach the vvord of God no nor yet to make a true sermon For the seruaunt that telleth a true tale hath not done his maisters messâ—ge nor the arraunt for the vvhich he vvas sent except he tell speake that for the vvhich his maister seÌ„t him Therefore though the byshopes teach the people and geue them lavves make manie iniunctâ—ons yea though they be lavves of Christ yet if they abuse the obedience of the people to houlâ—e and follovve vvith some lavves of Christ their ovvne lavves â—speciallie vvhat are they but antichrists And hovv can they then but onelie in name in shevve preach the lavves of Châ—â—st For example vvhile they peruert the lavve of God in this they can not be saied to preach his lavve namelie vvhereas God commaundeth to plant to build his church by gathering the vvorthie and refusing the vnvvorthie Mat. 10. 11. Act. 19 9. Ezr. 6. 21. they booke by their contrarie lavves both papists careles vvorldlings as crooked trees to bâ—ilâ— the lordes sanctuarie force the vvretched to their vvorshippings service as if dogges might be thurst vpon God for svveet sacrifice Proud forceing is meeke building vvith them deuotioÌ„ compelled is their right religioÌ„ Thus herein they pollute the Lordes sanctuarie vvrest his lavve hovv much more by a thousand moe abominatioÌ„s vvhereof aftervvard vve breiflie touch some For by theÌ„ do they feed them selues the people vvith the bread of vncleannes in stead of the puer vvord of God They make it readie vvith the dongue that cometh of man euen vvith their traditions tolerations falsifiinges And if the Pharises made the vvorde of God ofnone effect or authoritie by their traditioÌ„s as it is vvritteÌ„ Mark 7 13. much more these They by their corbans or offering of guiftes gaue occasion to children to dishonour their pareÌ„ts these by their spirituall courtes by their sâ—ond excommunications dispensations absolutioÌ„s c. yea by their taking of bribes fees do let so manie lose to all misrule filthines They taught the gould of the Temple to be greater then the temple vvhich sanctifieth the gould Mat. 23. 17. these teach that to sinne is damnable but to pollute the Lordes spiritual Temple by mingling the cleane vvretched together vvhich is the cause of all sinne is noe matter of damnatioÌ„ forsooth it is a thing tollerable because they can not remedie it They taught that the offering on the altar vvas greater then the altar though it sanctifie the offering and these teach that to vvant the sacraments that is lamentable but to vvant the kingdoÌ„ of God the visible shevve of his rule in his church vvhereby the sacrameÌ„t is saÌ„ctified that they make no matter If then for such doctrine they vvere called blind guides fooles by Christ him selfe Mat. 23. 16 17. yea though they sate in Moses seat that is at first vvere lavvefullie called to teach the people yet the people vvere charged by Christ toe lett alone such blind guides not to be guided by them Mat 15 14. hovve much more should vve leâ— these blind guides alone vvhich neuer vvere lavvfully called and also sit in the seat of Anticbrist â—or vvhat is the seat of Antichrist but that Popish Gouernment and lordship in the communioÌ„ of such Romish offices horrible abuses by them And vvhile they syt in the teÌ„ple of God â— Thess â— 4. exalt their traditions aboue Gods vvhat are theie but antichriâ—â— Doe thâ—ie then preach the Lordes vvord of message or is not hâ—s vvord a fier and like an haÌ„mer that breaketh the stone lere 23 29 But all their preaching can not breake bring men from anie smaller or greater disorders vvhich vnicked church lavves or church Prelates coÌ„maunâ— them Thus vvas he seâ—led not to seeke anie approueing or authorising off the bâ—shopes Bâ—t because he knevâ—e the trouble that vvould follovue 〈◊〉 he so proceeded he sought meanes off quietnes so much has vvas lavueffull for dealing vviâ—h the bâ—shopes he vvas of this iudgement that men maie novve deale vvith them as before â—heâ— might vvith the pharises that is so far as vve nether sinne against God noâ— gâ—ue offence vnto men Thereffore iff Christ did his Fathers vvill vvhen he sate in the midâ—es off the doctors hâ—aâ—eing them asking them quaestioâ—s Luc. 2. 46 â—ff Paul did his duetie vvhen he sate doune in the synagogue as it vvere offering him selfe seekeimg leaue to speake to the people Act 13. 14. â—â— he also did lavueffullie applie him selfe to their ceremonies Act. 21 26 then thus far alloâ— there medling vvith the bishopes to trie proue them or to be tried off them as vve see the like did fall out in Christ also to yeeld to their povver so that vvherein vve yeeld it be not against the trueth vve do not establish it as vve knovue Paul did to the povver off the priests off the pharises off the chiefe off the synagogue Thâ—â—efore he thought it lavueful first to be tried off the bishops then also to suffer their pouver though it vvere vnlauveffull iff in anie thing it did not hinder the trueth But to be authorised of them to be svvorne toe subscribe to be ordained receaue their licensing he vtterlie mislâ—ked kept hiÌ„selfe cleare in those matters Hovve be it the bishopes seales vvere gotten him by his brother Which he both refused beffore the officers being vvritten for him vvuold not paie for them also being aftervvard paied for by his brother he lost one burnt an other in the fier an other being sent him to Cambridge he kept it by him till in his trouble it vvas deliuered to a lustisse off peace so from him as is supposed to the bishop off Norvvich Yet least his dealiÌ„g on this manner should encourage others to deale in vvorse manner he openlie preached against the calling authorising of preachers by