Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	jew_n	old_a	testament_n	3,348	5	8.0238	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33459	A treatise of humane reason	Clifford, M. (Martin), d. 1677.	1674 (1674)	Wing C4707; ESTC R21053	22,005	94

I have said something of it be fore in answering this Argument turn'd against this Opinion unhappily and because the manner of establishing this Liberty in a Commonwealth will require a Discourse entirely by it self The last defence of this Cause and which indeed needs not the assistance of any other shall be because though men deceive themselves herein and as it often happens know not their own Opinions it is impossible that ever any man should have been is or can hereafter be guided by any thing else but his own Reason as in other things so also in matters of Religion I say impossible for whatsoever way we take we shall find that the last Anchor to which our Faith holds the last Element into which it is resolv'd and therefore it is likewise compounded of the same is onely Reason For when I ask why you believe any Mystery of Faith you will answer perhaps Because the present Church commands you If I proceed and ask Why do you believe what the present Church commands you will say Because the former Church teaches the same Why do you believe the former Church Because God commands you so to do Why do you believe that God commands it Because you find it in the Scripture Why do you believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God Because they were confirmed by Miracles Why do Miracles confirm that Because they are works which can proceed from nothing but the absolute and immediate power of the Deity Why so Because nothing contrary to or above the Course of Nature can be done by natural Agents but Miracles are effects contrary to or above the Course of Nature therefore they proceed from the Divine Operation Thus you see Faith at last resolv'd into a Syllogisme which is the proper work of the Understanding On the other hand if I demand Why you do believe that any Miracles were done for the Confirmation of the Faith Because of the great and many Testimonies of the Truth thereof Why do you believe those Testimonies Because so many Persons in so several times and places with so several interests could never agree in being deceived or to deceive So that you rest not at all in any Authority but discourse first what may be said for or against the validity of it examine it punctually in all Circumstances and at last submit to it upon some Syllogisme which is the onely Law that binds our Reason Two things are to be considered in all Authority before we obey or believe it first The condition and quality of the Persons who Command or Instruct and secondly The true interpretation of their Commands or Instructions For the first The Persons in Commanding must have a lawful Power derived to them either from God Nature or Custome which latter depends upon the two former And in Instructing must have either an absolute infallibility or else at least a probability of not Erring So that no Authority is obeyable or believeable in it self without farther examination no not that of God himself for the strength of Gods Authority depends upon that Syllogisme which proves that the nature of God is such that he can neither deceive nor be deceived Now all this Examination is purely and entirely the work of our Reason by measuring a particular and an universal Whatsoever hath such Conditions is to be obeyed or believed but such Person or Persons hath such Conditions therefore such Person or Persons are to be obeyed or believed Neither do's our Reason onely prescribe obedience and belief to us but also searches and establishes the bounds of both setting up some solid and apparent Notions by which we know our Ne plus ultra True it is that some men Obey and some men Believe without considering that they make this discourse but that is only from inadvertency as men often move their Bodies without any particular exerted thought of doing so Thus far then Authority wholy depends upon Reason And much more in the second Condition which is the interpretation of it in which business the interposition of Reason is so necessary that I shall omit either to prove or illustrate the Point Now as they who enslave themselves to Authority make it the rule and guide of Faith because that even the belief that Scripture is the Law of God depends upon it as truly it do's in my Opinion upon the tradition of Miracles so I say that much rather Reason is to be accounted that Rule and that Guide we look for because even Authority upon which even Scripture it self depends depends as much upon that neither do we more believe the Scripture for Authority then that very Authority for the Reason we think we have to do so The Samaritan says I have an infallible Rule which is the Books of Moses and only them The Jew says I cannot erre for I follow the Old Testament which is infallible and only that The Christian assures himself of the Truth as long as he is guided by the Evangelists and Apostles whose Writings are the infallible dictates of the Holy Ghost The Turk assumes the same from the Alcoran and the Heathen from Oracles Sybill's Books and the like What shall I do None of all these Books can be believed by their own Light for there are things equally strange in them all Follow the Authority of the Church which cannot misguide you Most willingly but again the same difficulty returns in another habit for as every one Cries I follow these Books which are infallible so he goes on too and says I believe these Books to be so because our Church and our Traditions which are certainly the best Authority assures us that they were written by Divine inspiration Let the Christian take heed of saying here But my Tradition is more ancient and more Universal for in the first the Jew will overcome him and in both the Heathen I must in this diversity of waies either stand still that is suspend absolutely from the belief of any Religion which is almost impossible after the belief that there is a GOD or I must choose out of these Now Election is a work so proper to Reason that it cannot be done by any thing else and therefore to be brought to a necessity of an Election is to be necessarily brought to submit in matters of Religion to the determination of our Understanding So that in matters of Religion wherein there is difference I choose this side rather than the other because my Reason bids me and where there is no difference even there I am wholy guided by my Reason because the uncontradicted concurrence of the Parties makes up a Syllogisme to perswade I say to perswade onely my Belief Briefly I cannot Believe but by an act of the Will nor can I Will but according to the directions of the Understanding so that they who say they follow Authority or they follow Divine particular Revelation or any thing else imaginable do it because that agrees with their own Reason and will quit the Party as soon as it do's otherwise The End * Contumelia afficere