Selected quad for the lemma: body_n
Text snippets containing the quad
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
A31352
|
A Catholicks resolution, or, A serious enquiry whether it be better to turn Independent, Presbyterian, Romane? or continue what I am, Catholick? in matter of religion.
|
|
1668
(1668)
|
Wing C1500; ESTC R24131
|
8,365
|
18
|
as far from Rome as I am from Geneva yet finding the Romane possest with more of the water the Presbyterian with more of the fire I hope some moderation may in time cement England and Rome into the Catholick so strongly as never hereafter to be dissolved or melted by the fury of zeal You and you only I confesse have the face of a Church and I hope you will not deny us the Form and Being of a Church since I believe there is so much ingenuity and wisdom in you as to distinguish betwixt a Church extinguished and eclipsed or persecuted The Church of England I acknowledge is under a cloud and eclipsed but the Candle is not quite out and extinguished Wheresoever two or three of the Catholick Church are gathered together there is Châist in the midst of them so was his promise Matt. 18.20 And wheresoever a lawful Priest or Pastour of the English Church is with two or three of his Congregation I will not I dare not doubt of the performance If you have lesse charity either in the taking or mistaking of it I shall propose some few Queries in my own name as one of you though I thank God I am none of you not ever intend to be in opinion howsoever in affection because you are my next neighbour I therefore love you âs my self 1. VVhether I do believe Romane and Catholick are Termini coâvertiblies 2. Whether I do believe I may be saved if I pray as the Catholick Church doth and was taught by Christ Our fatheâ which art in heaven though I do not pray as the Roâân Church doth and teacheth O thou mother of God St. ââer St. Paul pray for me 3. Whether if I do believe as the Primitive and Catholick Church did and doth and hath taught the Apostles Creed though I do not believe as the Roman Church doth the Creed of the Councel of Trent I may be sav'd 4. VVhether if I endeavour to live after Gods Commandments and obey him though I do not endeavour to live after my superiors command I may be saved 5. Whether if I receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist as Christ Instituted and Commanded me to receive it in both kinds Bread and Wine Flesh and Blood though I do not receive it as the Church of Rome hath abrogated it and Commanded to receive in one kind only I may be saved 6. Whether my conscience can be satisfied by the device of concomitants that the Blood is given in the Body since in the Eucharist the Blood is to be given as shed not kept as poured out not contained in the Body 7. Whether if I be born again and made a Christian by true Baptism and afterward confirmed by a true Bishop though I am not annointed with oyl I may be saved 8. Whether if I believe the Scripture and frame my life according though I do not equally believe Tradition I may be saved 9. VVhether if I serve and worship God in Spirit and in Truth though I worship no images nor God by images I may be saved 10. VVhether I may not be saved if I believe in Gods mercies through Christs merits though I put no confidence in merits of my own works These Queries with a very few more by moderate and unbyassed men might be brought to a reconciliation and that they may be I pray you let us joyn in one Prayer till we joyn in all points O Most merciful God who hast made all Mankind of one O most merciful God who hast contracted all the Elect of Mankind into one Body thy Church and hast given the whole Church but one Soul thy Spirit and that Soul but one Life thy Faith and that Faith but one prop one Gospel one Baptism one Lords Supper and this one Body and one Soul but one Head thy self who art but one Lord and hast again dispersed this Body into several Assemblies and Societies and hast made each Society and Assembly but one thereby intimating to us that we should all have but one Heart and one Mind In mercy we beseech thee look upon thy Church and make her as thy Son did leave her One one in Opinion and one in affection that she may be no longer crucified betwixt Hereticks and Schismaticks Thieves of thy Truth betwixt profligates and hypocrites thieves of thy Grace betwixt Zelots and Superstitious thieves of thy Honor but by virtue of thy Sons Golgotha dry up Akeldama and for the merit of Calvary Deliver O deliver her from all her present misery Relieve her from Force without and Fury within both against her Rescue her from civil Enemies and crafty Children both which fall upon her Suffer not Reeds any longer to be thy Scepters nor Chairs thy Throne nor Tricks thy Order nor Rudeness in one part nor Superstition in another part thy Service nor Miscreants thy Wââshippers nor Confusion thy Religion nor Wild ãâã ãâ¦ã Zeal nor Lunacies thy Resolutions nor Deâ⦠ãâ¦ã Spirit but appear by her once more in ãâ¦ã ââârit of Peace and Purity of Sanctity ãâ¦ã Wisdome and Sobriety that all ãâ¦ã Church by thy Livery which tho ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã Love Peace and Patience and ãâ¦ã may be guided by thy One Church in the right way of Truth into Heaven through Jesus Christ Amen In whose blessed Name and words we further call upon thee as he hath taught us in his Holy Gospel saying Our Father which art in heaven Hallowed be thy name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done in Earth as c. Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses as c. And lead us not into Tentation but c. For thine is the Kingdom Power and Glory c. Or IV. continue what I am Catholick I Desire so to continue though I starve for it For I have not took up this Religion upon Tradition or Education but upon Judgment and Deliberation And instead of Queries and Cases of Conscience I offer to my self these Irrefragable Propositions 1. If I pray aright according to the Patterâ of Devotion sum'd up in the Lords Prayer I shall be heard 2. If I repent aright according to the Prophets and Apostles Direction with the Contrition of my Heart with the Confession of my Lips and the Endeavour of my Life I shall be forgiven Joel 2. 2 Cor. 7. 3. If I do right according to Gods will in his Word sum'd up in his Decalogue or Ten Commandments though not absolutely and enactly yet uprightly and Evangelically I shall be accepted 4. If I believe aright according to Gods Gospel sum'd up in the Apostles Creed without doubting without disââusââng without desparing I shall be saved 5. If I receive Christs holy Sacraments as he did institute and appoint them not onely as Signs but means of Grace not onely as Assurances of Salvation but Conveyances of Sanctification I shall be glorified And my Religion being so good I desire not to change but to continue as I am and for that I praise Gods mercy and pray for Gods blessing My Religion is good for it is Gods my Calling is Lawful for it is of God my Service is honorable for it is for God and my Savior my message in which I am employed is honourable for it is of Peace and to be an Instrument of Reconciliation betwixt God and his People and my proceeding in it if it be as it ought to be in Love shall be acceptable Joyfully I may do it for God will reward it Freely I may do it for God will make it good Boldly I may do it for God will defend it and incessantly I should do it for first or last God will give a blessing to it But who who is worthy to do this weighty business not the best of men how much more unworthy am I the worst of men and chief of Sinners Truly of my self I am as unworthy as unable and unworthy to be enabled if thou enter in Judgment with me That thou mayest not I thus address my self to thy Throne of Grace Look upon me O my God in the face of Jesus Christ I beseech thee and for his sake assist me with thy Spirit That I may speak thy word lest I be guilty of carelesnes That I may not speak before I Learn lest I be guilty of Rashness That I may Learn and Speak lest I be guilty of idleness That I may not speak to the Ear lest I be guilty of Flattery That I may speak to the Heart and so be a means of other mens salvation and when I have preached to others That I may not be a Castaway my self Sanctifie me with thy Spirit I beseech Thee That I may aswell live as speak Divinity Let thy Glory be my chief Thy peoples and my own safety my next Aim That I may not bring a wo to thy Flock Give me Learning that I may not bring wo to my self Give me Diligence that I may not bring Dishonor to thee Give me Discretion Deliver me from the misery of Starving thy Flock for want of skill Deliver me from the Cruelty of starving thy Flock for want of will Deliver me from a fruitless industry in feeding thy Flock for want of Prudence make me painful in my Study powerful in my Pulpit Fervent in my Piety Holy in my Conversation Succesful in all That I may be discharged of the Bloud of all those Souls Committed to my Charge it is a precious People for thou hast purchased them at a dear Rate even with Bloud with thy Bloud with thy precious Bloud Let them be precious too in my Esteem That I may preach to them in Season and out of Season not onely by Speaking well but Living better help their understandings in my knowledg of Divinity better their Wills in my Practâse of Divinity Supply them and my self for thâs Life and the next out of thine own Fulness and Crown my Labours with the Conversion of such Souls as thou hast Ordained to Life Eternal Through Jesus Christ In whose most Blessed Name and Words I further call upon Thee as He hath Taught FINIS