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A40731 Fundamental positions and queries thereupon, concerning the faith, law, and church of Christ to be consider'd as highly conducing to publick peace, unity, and happiness. 1680 (1680) Wing F2529A; ESTC R11372 2,085 3

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FUNDAMENTAL POSITIONS AND QUERIES Thereupon Concerning the FAITH LAW AND CHURCH of CHRIST To be Consider'd as highly conducing to publick Peace Unity and Happiness 1. CHRIST our Lord reveal'd and restablish'd a Faith and Law as the Universal and necessary a Mark 16. 16 Heb. 11. v. 6. Means for the Application of his Blood and Passion to Mankind II. A Belief and Profession of this Faith and Law ought at least regarding the Body of Christianity in General to be Conform and Adequate to b Matt. 28. 20. all the Truths or Mysteries so Reveal'd III. Hence this Faith and Law is c Ephes 4. v 4. One and the same amongst all Christians of what different Nation and under what distinct Temporal Government soever they be The Universality of which Christians thus Combin'd and Incorporated in one Faith and Law is that which we term the d Tim. 3. v. 15. Matt. 16. 18. Catholick Church And as this Faith and Law is One so is the e Joh. 10. v 16. Catholick Church One. IV. This One Faith and Law thus necessary to the Salvation of all containing in it many Sublime and Supernatural Mysteries or Truths was deliver'd by Christ the Law-giver to the Apostles who as his Vice-gerents on Earth were f Matt. 28. 16. Luk. 10. v 16. Authoriz'd and Commission'd by Him to Teach others with a Promise of Divine Assistance g Joh. 14. v. 16. least they might mislead their Followers into Errour either by Substraction from or Addition to these necssary Mysteries or Truths V. Accordingly this Faith and Law was h 2 Tim. 2. v. ● 2 Thess 2. 15. Transmitted by the Apostles to their Successors and by Them in like manner to others the Successive Bishops and Pastors of the Catholick Church And as the necessity of Faith in its Unity and i Ephes 5. v. 5. Integrity is always the same so is the Authority to each and Divine Assistance not to misguide proportionably the same VI. Wherefore As the Apostles gather'd together in the Holy Ghost Exercis'd their Authority in determining k Acts 15. Controversies of Faith and requiring l Matt. 18. 17. a Submission of Judgement from others to their Decisions in their time So also the following Pastors and Governours of the Catholick Church assembled in a General Council and inspir'd by the same Holy Ghost exercis'd the like Authority in desiding the like Controversies distinguishing Gospel-Truths from Errour and requiring the like submission of Judgement from Believers as occasion was offer'd in all ensuing Ages QVERIES I. WHether a Separation at any time whatsoever and on what Pretence soever made by any Part or Member of the whole Church from the known Faith and Vnity of the same Church be not opposite and destructive to the Fundamental Grounds of Religion establish'd by Christ II. Whether the Church of England before the Reformation was not a Part or Member Subordinate to the whole And whether by its Separating in Faith and Communion from the Roman Church it did not also Separate from the whole then Extant and Visible Church If it did Whether such Separation be Justifiable If it did not Where was the ever Divinely Authoriz'd and Assisted Catholick Church from the Visible Communion of which the Roman Church had Seperated and to which the Church of England deserting the Roman did Adjoyn and Unite her self in Faith Sacraments and Subordination of Government III. Whether the Church of England at the time of the Reformation assuming the liberty of Judging and Determining Controverted Points of Faith by the Rule of Scripture Interpreted by her self independently on and with disjunction from the Judgement of all and every other at least then extant Church or Churches as her Book of Homilies seems to declare Did not by this assum'd Liberty Authorize and Warrant each particular Part or even Member of her own Communion to pass the like Judgement by the same Rule Independently on and with disjunction from her respective Tenets in Faith and Doctrine Furthermore Whether such a Liberty be not repugnant to the Unity of Faith establish'd by Christ Whether the Confusions and Disorders infesting the Nation for above these Forty years have not in great measure sprung from this Root or Principle And whether it doth not lay open a direct and unavoidable way or passage to all manner of Schisms and Heresies IV. Whether private Self-Interpretation of Scripture in contempt of the Churches Authority hath not already brought many and in all likelihood will daily bring more of the most weighty Articles of the Christian Religion into Question and Debate And this by an endless Labyrinth of Contest without hopes of Redress And whether the same Church-Authority once neglected the Canon of Scripture it self as to its being Gods Word may not be Controverted And finally the whole Systeme of Faith by degrees perish V. Whether the Church of England having upon Self-Abstract-Notions and Allegations of Gods Word made a Rupture in the Unity of Faith and Subordination of Government from the Church of which it was formerly a Member doth not unduly exact from her Fellow Members either an Intern or consequently an Extern Obedience and Conformity to her own proper Doctrine and Worship And whether Justice Prudence and common Interest do not require either that the Church of England return to the Unity and Obedience of the Church from whence by open Contradiction she hath departed or that she allow all other Sects or Assemblies yea even individual Persons in their own Judgements of sober Understanding Dissenting from her the free Exercise of their Religion according to their several though opposite Sentiments and Dictamen of Conscience as to Faith and Worship in Expounding God's Word Lastly Whether the Imposing of Oaths Tests Sacraments Rites Liturgies Ceremonies c. by the Church of England upon Persons to whom such Matters do not appear plain and clear in Scripture be not contrary to the Spirit and Genius of the Reformation And whether such Impositions and Entanglements under severe Temporal Penalties may not be properly term'd a Persecution God Save the KING