Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	bishop_n	church_n	primitive_a	2,286	5	9.3719	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78329	A brief and perspicuous manuduction to practical divinity, by way of question and answer wherein the chief principles of religion are so explained as to infer a good life from them.	B. C.	1670 (1670)	Wing C13A; ESTC R229568	14,880	42

the supply of all my wants the cure o● all my griefs the satisfaction of all my desires especially the forgiveness o● my sins reconciliation to God's favour sanctification of my corrupted nature and everlasting salvation and blessedness Q. What learn you hence A. In no case to entertain any despairing thoughts Q. Upon what terms and conditions But since these great things are not the lot and portion of all men how must you address your self to God for obtaining the mercies and benefits you hope for by Jesus Christ A. I must address my self to God first with a deep sense of my own unworthiness unfeignedly repenting that ever I sinned against him Secondly with a firm belief notwithstanding of his abundant though undeserved goodness humbly by faith in Christ depending on and expecting from his free grace And Thirdly with a full purpose of heart resolving and endeavouring for the future to walk before him in newness of life all my days That is in the posture of a truly penitent and reforming believer Q. By your answer I perceive you grant an absolute necessity of repentance faith and newness of life in all ●hat expect saving benefit from Christ Repentance first therefore what is repentance A. Such a godly sorrow for sin as worketh hatred confession and forsaking of it that is what in us lieth the undoing of the evil we have done Q. What is faith in Christ Faith in Christ A. Such an hearty perswasion that he is the Saviour the Messiah foretold and promised in the old Testament That what he hath said and what is said of him in the Gospel is true and worthy of all acceptation as thereupon to embrace his commands fear his threatnings and trust him for the performance of all his promises Q. Have you no summary of those Articles you are to profess the belief of A. Yes the Creed commonly called the Apostles Q. What is Newness of Life A. It consists in denying ungodliness and worldly lusts and living soberly righteously and godlily Q. When may you be said to love so berly A. Soberly When in all things I live temperately and chastly moderating all unruly passions and appetites bridling my tongue and guarding my outward senses Q. When may you be said to live righteously A. Righteously When in all my dealings I do to others as I would be done by my self and offer not that to another which if I were in his place and state I should certainly refuse to suffer Q. When may you be said to live godlily A. Godlily When in my whole conversation I behave my self towards God as my Creator preserver and redeemer in a sedulous discharge of the several and respective acts of gratitude obedience and devotion Q. Have you no summary or abstract of those laws and commands which require and direct you to this sober righteous and godly life A. Yes the Decalogue or Ten Commandments with the Abridgement of them in those two great Commandments Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and soul and strength and mind and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self and the sermon of Christ in the mount contained in the fifth sixth and seventh chapters of St. Matthews Gospel Q. You told me I remember that you must resolve and endeavour to walk before God in newness of life all your dayes what mean you by those last words A. I mean Perseverance that I must persevere and hold on in well doing unto the end because if I draw back and apostatize God's soul will have no pleasure in me Q. I hope now What help must enable us to discharge those conditions you intend to practise according to all this but are you able of your self A. No I am not of my self sufficient to think a good thought Q. Who or what then must enable you A. God's blessed and H. Spirit which he hath promised to that purpose Q. You say the H. Spirit must enable you are you then idly to sit still and do nothing A. No I am therefore to work out my salvation with fear and trembling because God worketh in me to will and 〈◊〉 do of his good pleasure Q. what means hath God appointe you to make use of in order to the communication of his Grace and influence What means we must use A. These following First reading hearing and meditating on the word o● God which is the power of God unto salvation Secondly serious and frequent consideration of my own actions and of all God's providences to my self and others Thirdly watchfulness Fourthly Prayer Fifthly Religious fasting and Lastly the use of the Holy Sacraments Q. Reading of the holy Scriputures VVhat good Rules do you observe in your reading of the Word of God that you may understand it aright and not wrest and abuse it as many do unto their destruction A. I have learned such as these First not to come prepossess'd and prejudic'd but with an honest desire to be informed thence and so take the sense ingenuously from the holy Scripture rather than bring and fasten any other to it by my own fancy and imagination To read with an intent to enrich my soul with wholsome and divine knowledge rather than to stuff my memory with Scripture-phrases 2. Diligently to consider of the scope and circumstances of the sacred text the occasion of the discourse the coherence before and after the persons the times c. 3. Heedfully to compare one place of holy Scripture with another prophecies with their accomplishments obscurer texts with the more clear and plain and full That which toucheth a matter incidentally and on the by with that which handles it intentionally and with design but never to strain any single text against the manifest analogy of the rest 4. So far as I am able to consult the original languages or take with me the opinion of the best learned and judicious 5. To charge my self with a conscientious practice according to the matters that are plain and certain as the most necessary points of faith and life but where I have not sufficient evidence to continue a while in suspence and doubt rather than take up an opinion rashly Lastly modestly to distrust my own understanding and next to the holy Scripture it self to value the consentient testimony and authority of the Bishops and Pastors of the holy Primitive Church and that Church in particular whereof 〈◊〉 am a member as a guide and directio● far to be preferr'd before the sentenc● of any private man whatsoever Thu● am I to enquire the law of the Priest● mouth whose lips are to preserve knowledge and to have recourse to God's Minister as the Eunuch to Philip for the resolution of doubts and scruples Q. Hearing the Word What instructions are you principled with about hearing the Word preached A. Such as these 1. To suspect their Doctrine who preach without being sent and enter upon that weighty office without