Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n
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A55565
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Quadriga salutis, or, The four general heads of Christian religion surveyed and explained ... with some few annotations annexed at the latter end.
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Powell, Thomas, 1608-1660.
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1657
(1657)
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Wing P3073; ESTC R13515
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58,465
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158
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antientest of them living in the year 160. saith that the whole Church of God dispersed through the World received it from the Apostles and carefully preserved it entire who by their agreement in this faith did seem to dwell in one house and to be animated with one Spirit More testimonies to this effect are amaâ—sed together by the worthy pains of Mr. Ashwell in his Fides Apostolica In this Creed saith reverend Perkins is the pith and substance of Christian Religion taught by the Apostles embraced by the antient Fathers and sealed by the blood of Martyrs It was composed saith he either by the Apostles or Apostolical men who were their Hearers and immediate Heirs of their belief and is of more authority than any writings of Church or Church-men whatsoever was approved by the universal consent of the Catholic Church in all ages is next in authority to the Scriptures and the order of the words ought not to be altered Thus he The Creed is called the Apostles quia ab ore Apostolorum receptum because it was taken from the mouths of the Apostles saith Nowell or as Vâ—sin doth express it because they delivered that Summary of Doctrine to their Disciples from whom the succeeding Churches did afterwards receive the same and transmit it to posterity The substance or matter of it is ipsissima Scriptura saith learned Iunius pure Scripture Et nihil in eo est quod solidis Scripturae testimoniis non consignetur saith Calvin there is no article joynt or limb in it that hath not a scriptum est written upon it that is not found for the sense and substance though not terminis terminantibus in the authentic Canon of Scripture The whole Sysâ—â—m or body of it is mentioned or hinted at least by these circumlocutions in Scripture the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 1 Tim. 6.20 that precious â—agâ— jewel or depositum that was betrusted â—o Timothy the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 Tim. 1.13 that form draught or pattern of wholsome words and is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rom. 6.17 that form of doctrine that is that frame or system of doctrinal Truths which the Apostles did in the first place deliver as the ground-work of all other super-structures and such expressions APHOR. 3. The fullness and sufficiency of the Apostolical Creed IN this Creed there is neither want nor waste nothing defective or redundant it is breve simplex plenum saith St. Augustin short and plain but full and comprehensive doctis indoctisque commune the meanest Christian must know so much and the greatest Clerk need know no more for the substance of his belief We may say of this as Athanasius speaks of the Nicen Creed wch is for substance the same with it that it is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a full and sufficient system of fundamental verities for the averting of impiety and the establishment of piety in Christ It is Regula una immobilis et irreformabilis in the language of Tertullian the sole Rule of Faith and such a one as is immovable and unreformable that admits neither supplement nor correction As in other Sciences so in this there must be some principles that are {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} worthy of belief of themselves and that are fixt and immovable and indemonstrable otherwise there would be no end of disputes and controversies or any satisfaction to the busie mind of man for when a proposition is resolved into these principles there we must take up our rest there is the ultimate resolution and non-ultrà in that point As in the Mathematics omne mobile movetur super immobili every movable moâ—â—â— upon somthing that is immovable so in all discourses every demonstrable proposition is reducible to some indemonstrable principle which is the dernier ressort the last appeal and by consent of parties the final decision of all controversie The Church of Rome whose Sea hath on shoar being not contented with this number of Articles and catalogue of Fundamentals which the Apostles left us hath doubled the Cube and enlarged the Philacteries of our Creed as wide again by an addition of a dozen articles more qui pari passu ambulant that are of equal dignity 4th perfixed before them and Spalato in confide and necessity with the others so material every one of them that there is no salvation to be expected without them a curse is denounced against every man that shall rejâ—ct or deny them So that the Pope is not onely Dictator and Lord of our faith but is himself a prime article in it and the very corner-stone of our Religion as a Cardinal Champion of his Holiness hath given us to understand in these words Romani Pontificis potestatem infallibilitatem esse rei Christianae summam ejusque sententiam pro normâ Regulâ fidei habendam asserimus Erasmus a sober and learned man doth wish that the Christian World had been contented with that one Creed of the Apostles in lieu of all the several Confessions that are in the World for saith he there was never less faith in the World than since the time that confessions of faith were multiplied Vbi caepit minùs esse fidei inter Christianos mox increvit symbolorum modus numerus De Ratione verae Theologiae APHOR. 4. Of the Patriarchs Creed IT were not difficult to demonstrate the truth of this Aphorism by giving proof of each article in order But inâ—â—nding onely some strictures and short animadversions in this place I may not take so much liberty to expatiate I shall at present onely show that the main substance of the Christian Faith was known to Gods chosen from the beginning even long before Christ came in the flesh 1. The article of the blessed Trinity to wit the triple personality of the Godhead was revealed unto them as is proved by Zanchius in his eight books de tribus Elohim by Petrus Galatinus de arcanis veritatis Catholicae and by that learned Noble man of France Sieur du Plessis de veritate Relig Christ cap. 6. 2. Christ the second person of the Trinity was abundantly revealed unto the Fathers of the old Testament that they might be saved saith Augustine by faith in Christ that was to come as we are saved by faith in Christ who is come Their faith and ours had the same object there is but one faith Ephes. 4.5 the difference was onely in the tense or time but the effect was the same All the periods and several acts of mans Redemption by Christ as his Incarnation Passion Resurrection c. were not unknown to the servants of God in old time and the glorious fruits and effects of theâ— were not hidden from them but were assured unto them through faith A Redeemer was promised even to the first sinner after his
PRAYER BLessed Lord thou hast been gracious unto thy people and wonderfull in all thy doings towards the children of men Thou hast been pleased since thou hast created us for thy self to guide our steps unto thee and to set us in the paths that lead unto everlasting life By teaching us to believe (a) rightly in thee to walk (b) uprightly before thee and in all our Addresses (c) to speak advisedly and discreetly unto thee And thou hast been farther pleased to afford thy servants suitable and convenient helps for the performance of those Duties thou hast enjoyned them even thy holy Sacraments which thou hast ordained to nourish and strengthen our saith in thee to enflame our love towards thee and to embolden our addresses unto thee by assuring and sealing (d) unto us all the gracious promises that thou hast made unto thy Church in thy beloved Son Lord teach us to use these helps and means discreetly reverently and thankfully as thine own holy institutions Continue them still unto us and let thy holy Spirit be ever present with them that they may be instrumental and effectual to those ends and purposes for which thou hast ordained them Lord hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place and have mercy and pardon the sins of this most sinfull Nation Heal all our rents and breaches Thou whose name is the Repairer (e) of the breaches and tâ—e Restorer of the paths to dwell in let this ruin (f) be under thy hand and be thou a Healer Say unto this Nation as thou didst once to thy antient people (g) I will bring it health and cure and I will cure them and reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth Grant this for thy mercies sake and make haste to help O Lord God of our Salvaâ—ion How long O Lord at length repent And of our miseries relent Thine earely mercy shew That we may unknown comforts tast And for long daies of sorrow past As long of joy bestow The preceding Aphorisms resolved into Questions and Answers for the better fixing of them in the memory and a farther illustration of them to weaker understandings THis short Abstract is fram'd and contrived first Axiomatically by way of Theses Aphorisms or Axioms as Hippocrates summ'd up the Rules of his art in Aphorisms Piscator Junius and Grynaeus have delineated the Body of Theology in the like form In the second place These Theorems are handled Dramatically by inter-locutions or by Questions and Answers which was the antient way not onely of teaching Philosophy used by Socrates and Plato but also of planting the Christian Faith and propagating it over the world This Method and Oeconomy will much conduce not onely to illustrate the matter in hand and insinuate it to the understanding but will serve also to rivet it the faster in the minds of the learners that they may be as goâ—ds and nails fastned by the Masters of the Assemblies It is a command of Moses concerning the Law Thou shalt teach them diligently to thy Children Deut. 6.7 In the Hebrew it is Exacues thou shâ—lt sharpen these precepts and set a point on them that they may penetrate as men sharpen a stake to drive it into the ground or set an edge on a knife by often drawing it over the whetstone So it is needfull that such Rules should be often inculcated and repeated that they may pierce deeper and hold faster And lest I might seem to obtrude any thing Magisterially or like a Dictator on any mans belief I have pointed to the rock from whence they were hewn by subjoyning Scripture-citations to each of them I have also confirm'd them by the authority of some ancient and modern writers such as were the Heads of their Tribes and renowned men in their Generations The Protestants of France took just offence at the Sorbon Doctors when they published the Capital points of Christian Religion in 25. Propositions without any proofs of Scripture for any of them but obtruded naked Conclusions and Axioms tanquam pro imperio nullis rationibuâ— aut firmamentis adjectis But I hope I have prevented such objections by what is added to these Theorems OF THE CREED HOw many parts be there of Christian Religion There are four general parts thereof which are universally embraced of the whole Church of God through the World and do virtually contain the whole Body of Divinity namely the Creed the Commandments the Lords Prayer and the Sacraments What is the preeminence and excellency of man above other creatures As man was made after a different manner from all other creatures here below so he was made to a different end namely eternal happiness after this life For the attainment whereof God hath shewed him what to do prescribed the means thereunto conducing if he make a right use of them What are those means that God hath appointed unto man for obtaining eternal happiness They are chiefly these two first to believe rightly in God secondly to live uprightly before him that is according to his will revealed in his word Living and believing making up the whole duty of man What word do you mean The word wherein God declared his will is the Scripture which is the authentic Rule of faith and manners life and belief containing all points of necessary and saving Truthâ— to make the man of God perfect and to carry him on to his designed end of happiness and glory What are the chiefest points of faith and right belief The chief and fundamental points of faith and true belief and which are necessary to be received of all to whom they are propounded are summed up in these 12. points or articles which are contained in the Apostles Creed which Creed is the key to all other doctrinal points of Religion How did the Patriarchs and Servants of God of old time believe before this Creed was framed They believed as we do and were saved by the saith contained in this Creed every article thereof being revealed unto them and to be found dispersedly in the writings of Moses and the Prophets for as theâ—e was but one Church from the beginning of the world so there was but one Faith which is common to us and them and to all that shall come after us What do these 12. articles contain or concern Some do concern God the Father as the first article some God the Son as the six articles immediately following and some do concern God the Holy Ghost as the eighth article The four last do set forth the state of Gods Church both in this world and in the next What is meant by Christ's descending into Hell which is mentioned in the Creed That article or period may safely be understood either of these two waies 1. First that the soul of Christ descended locally among the infernal Spirits not to suffer but to manifest the power of his Godhead which is the interpretation of the Fathers and divers eminent Writers