Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	canonical_a	holy_a	scripture_n	5,721	5	6.0092	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67621	The natural fanatick, or, Reason consider'd in its extravagancy in religion and (in some late treatises) usurping the authority of the Church and councils by John Warly ...	Warly, John, d. 1679.	1676 (1676)	Wing W876; ESTC R15139	52,674	234

Miracles being works which exceed mere natural power or ordinary course of nature it is furnished with faculties which can discern what is natural and what not but is at a loss in higher mysteries This assertion perhaps may be checkt by an instance in conciliary proceedings in discerning Canonical Books of Holy Scripture from Apocryphal or any falsly so called in which judgment is past by mere rational evidence whilst it distinguisheth the one from the other by their Contents This must not be granted for though the contents of Holy Scriptures are a good argument of their truth yet they are not the only Characteristicks to distinguish them from others which are not Canonical When there is any debate in a Council concerning any part of Scripture to be admitted into Canon appeals are not made to mere Reason to judg of its contents any further than by comparison of them with those of other Books which are received without any controversie It is the Councils business to argue as the Apostolical Canon says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Church of England concludes the definitions of Councils deductions of Reason Artic. 21 which admits of this limitation or rather interpretation that though Reason draws the conclussions yet their truth is not measur'd by a bare congruity to it but the reception of it in the primitive Church or the most free and unbiassed Councils and so much of its as belongs to the Old Testament by the Jewish Catalogue and by several other Rules which are as a Touchstone to discover Gold and distinguish it from baser Mettals To speak all Conciliary Discussions in this case do not inquire how Revelation is agreeable to Reason but what is to be admitted as Revelation and what to be rejected and when that is done compare one Text with another till they agree which consent is the most infallible evidence of truth However it is scarce probable that the Reasoner will be perswaded or argued out of his pretended private infallibility whilst he concludes every individual man may proceed on the same ground which Councils do because each rational man being in some degree more or less able to draw conclusions by Analogy or comparing the several contents of Holy Scriptures Wherefore let it be suppos'd that each reasonable man is naturally qualified to find truth yet seeing the promise of Divine assistance which is the most sure foundation on which infallibility can rest is not to a single person those natural qualifications cannot assure them of finding it I am sensible that the Reasoner may take occasion from what is said of urging a question whether the former assertion doth take the priviledge from every private person so that in any case he cannot interpret Scripture The affirmative of this question may be safely maintain'd as it hath respect to private persons who are known Members of the Church and have opportunity of being acquainted with and to be inform'd what is the interpretation and sense of the Church in general which must be a direction to those who pass judgment in particular cases for they may not appeal from Synods to their own private reason and because truth is certainly to be found in Councils and there are Rules of finding it If it is further demanded whether a private person who hath neither learning or opportunity to understand the sense of the Church may not be a safe interpreter of Scripture in order to his own Satisfaction and Salvation As this proposes an extraordinary case so the answer may be dubiously return'd However it may be said to the first part of the question that it cannot be well supposed that any illiterate person should of necessity be ignorant of the sense of the Church seeing he is a known Member of the same and the pastors are as Mouths to declare it To the other part of the question which supposes a Christian so unfortunately amongst the Infidels plac't that he cannot have access to Pastors of the Church it is enough to propose another question viz. Whether the Thief on the Cross who may be supposed to want time though nothingmore could be wanting whilst Christ was with him did give assent to all fundamentals of Religion by faith as explicit as is required of other Chistians who have the advantage of more time and other circumstances The answer given to this will help the solution of the other doubt The manner of Conciliary proceedings being considered and the unfitness of the mere reasoner for such debates in he next place the necessity of Councils shall be prov'd by which the other part of the Disquisition will be better understood Such Sacred Assemblies are necessary though not at all times for some ages pass't without them for the exigency of the Church requires such supplies To imagin it could always be without them is to conclude it exempt from all possibility of erring and independent as to the Divine conduct which is promis'd to lead it and continue it in the way of truth The former cannot be granted for Heresies must be and then there is as great necessity of their condemnation The latter cannot be allow'd for as it intrenches on the Divine Dominion so it doth equalize the Church Militant with the Triumphant whose greatest Trimuph is ovr Error This necessity of Councils is confirm'd from the consideration of different opinions concerning matters of faith which equally commend themselves to the Christian and render his Will so indifferent that he knows not to which part to incline till determined by Authority It is no strange thing to meet with two opinions in other cases which plead for themselves with such equal probability that the most accurate judgment will rather suspend its belief than give assent to either neither let it appear a prodigy if Religion afford such cases as would render its proselytes or professors sceptically puzled without a more infallible guide than their own Reason But it may be said that in other cases the wise men do not give themselves up to a Sect or Council of Philosophers to be Vmpires in dubious matters This is granted for it is unreasonable that they should deliver up their Reason to the most fam'd Sophies but the reason is not the same in Religious debates For a single person may be qualifi'd for finding truth in Philosophy with such certainty as may vie with the numerous Sects but no private member of the Church may pretend to that cretainty which must be allow'd in Councils It is possible that one man may be master of more reason and Philosophy than is to be found in all the World at that time and one walking Library more valuable than a Vatican but Religious knowledg is not design'd to be so Monastical as to live in solitude or a single person Besides if it could be prov'd that the Philosophers had the same assurance of a true conduct in their doubts by reason which the Councils have by Divine supplies he would be unreasonable