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book_n write_n write_v writer_n 265 4 7.7662 4 false
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A59248 Sure-footing in Christianity, or Rational discourses on the rule of faith with short animadversions on Dr. Pierce's sermon : also on some passages in Mr. Whitby and M. Stillingfleet, which concern that rule / by J.S. Sergeant, John, 1622-1707. 1665 (1665) Wing S2595; ESTC R8569 122,763 264

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to_o find_v what_o be_v the_o ancient_a or_o primitive_a tradition_n or_o what_o the_o apostle_n teach_v or_o deliver_v but_o only_o to_o the_o live_a voice_n of_o the_o present_a church_n which_o have_v be_v but_o a_o weak_a procedure_n in_o case_n their_o hold_v now_o a_o thing_n deliver_v be_v not_o argumentative_a that_o it_o be_v deliver_v ever_o which_o be_v the_o substance_n of_o my_o proof_n a_o posteriori_fw-la for_o the_o indefectiveness_n of_o tradition_n and_o lest_o it_o shall_v be_v imagine_v that_o this_o argument_n lose_v its_o force_n by_o tract_n of_o time_n or_o the_o long-continuance_n of_o the_o church_n peter_n chrysologus_fw-la in_o his_o 85._o sermon_n secure_v we_o from_o that_o danger_n a_o christian_a mind_n know_v not_o how_o to_o bring_v into_o dispute_v those_o thing_n which_o be_v strengthen_v by_o tradition_n of_o the_o father_n and_o even_o ipsis_fw-la temporibus_fw-la by_o time_n
her_o certainty_n be_v the_o first_o principle_n in_o the_o science_n of_o controversy_n 6._o this_o tenor_n of_o my_o discourse_n brief_o reflect_v on_o i_o beg_v of_o my_o intelligent_a reader_n to_o regard_v it_o once_o more_o in_o the_o bulk_n and_o he_o will_v see_v that_o i_o begin_v with_o self-evident_a principle_n that_o my_o principle_n be_v antecedent_n to_o authority_n and_o so_o be_v competent_a mean_n to_o judge_v authority_n by_o that_o i_o studious_o avoid_v wordish_a ambiguity_n which_o rhetorical_a discourser_n lie_v open_a to_o hold_v rigorous_o to_o the_o notion_n or_o meaning_n of_o the_o word_n that_o i_o lay_v but_o the_o meaning_n of_o two_o familiar_a word_n rule_n and_o faith_n for_o the_o basis_n of_o all_o my_o discourse_n that_o i_o endeavour_v to_o pursue_v my_o principle_n by_o very_o obvious_a and_o immediate_a connexion_n that_o all_o the_o way_n i_o attend_v heedful_o to_o and_o build_v upon_o the_o nature_n of_o the_o thing_n which_o in_o short_a devolve_v to_o this_o that_o it_o may_v be_v hope_v at_o least_o by_o my_o method_n that_o there_o need_v nothing_o but_o time_n and_o industry_n to_o frame_v and_o make_v up_o in_o rigorous_a demonstrative_a form_n that_o sense_n which_o i_o have_v here_o deliver_v in_o a_o way_n more_o suitable_a to_o the_o temper_n of_o the_o world_n and_o ease_n of_o my_o reader_n who_o may_v see_v evidence_n in_o my_o discourse_n without_o be_v oblige_v to_o bend_v their_o brain_n to_o study_v my_o book_n with_o that_o severity_n as_o they_o will_v do_v a_o euclid_n 7._o when_o this_o be_v do_v let_v my_o reader_n reflect_v on_o all_o the_o discourse_n concern_v faith_n make_v by_o any_o protestant_n and_o see_v how_o far_o they_o be_v short_a from_o i_o will_v not_o say_v any_o such_o performance_n but_o even_o a_o attempt_n of_o evidence_n first_o principles_n they_o lay_v none_o and_o consequent_o evidence_n of_o deduction_n can_v be_v expect_v from_o they_o for_o want_v first_a principle_n it_o be_v nonsense_n and_o folly_n to_o talk_v of_o deduce_v again_o for_o want_v of_o such_o principle_n they_o want_v certainty_n of_o any_o text_n of_o scripture_n to_o justify_v it_o against_o a_o atheist_n or_o deist_n they_o want_v self-evident_a principle_n to_o guide_v they_o in_o interpret_n their_o uncertain_a letter_n and_o so_o confute_v other_o sect_n which_o differ_v from_o their_o church_n and_o the_o method_n they_o take_v to_o do_v it_o be_v evident_o quite_o of_o another_o nature_n than_o scientifical_a they_o have_v nothing_o upon_o account_n of_o live_v teacher_n which_o ascertain_v sense_n so_o that_o you_o must_v to_o find_v your_o faith_n not_o build_v upon_o the_o sense_n of_o two_o or_o a_o few_o familiar_a word_n but_o of_o a_o whole_a large_a book_n that_o be_v on_o million_o of_o word_n and_o those_o too_o not_o only_o unsence_v but_o also_o very_o abstruse_a and_o mysterious_a they_o suppose_v all_o which_o be_v antecedent_n to_o faith_n that_o be_v all_o principle_n which_o be_v to_o induce_v faith_n and_o so_o make_v no_o provision_n for_o the_o ground_n of_o christianity_n against_o heathen_n and_o atheist_n the_o nature_n of_o thing_n they_o be_v so_o far_o from_o proceed_v upon_o that_o they_o not_o so_o much_o as_o mind_n or_o think_v of_o they_o nor_o i_o doubt_v fancy_n or_o value_v that_o method_n when_o set_v before_o their_o eye_n principle_n to_o weigh_v each_o testimony_n by_o they_o lay_v none_o and_o so_o quote_v at_o random_n certainty_n they_o seek_v not_o nor_o care_n for_o for_o they_o quote_v the_o father_n and_o scripture_n as_o by_o themselves_o interpret_v and_o yet_o neither_o hold_v the_o testimony_n of_o father_n infallible_a nor_o yet_o themselves_o in_o interpret_n scripture_n yet_o plain_a reason_n tell_v we_o that_o unless_o the_o father_n or_o themselves_o be_v infallible_a hic_fw-la &_o nunc_fw-la in_o this_o say_n or_o interpretation_n they_o be_v hic_fw-la &_o nunc_fw-la fallible_a that_o be_v all_o build_v on_o that_o testimony_n or_o interpretation_n be_v contingent_a and_o uncertain_a yet_o of_o such_o citation_n no_o better_o authorise_a cl●d_v perhaps_o in_o some_o fine_a word_n the_o book_n of_o their_o best_a champion_n be_v make_v up_o so_o that_o they_o be_v convince_v not_o to_o study_v thing_n but_o word_n that_o be_v not_o to_o be_v scholar_n or_o knower_n but_o empty_a talker_n and_o so_o the_o effect_n of_o their_o endeavour_n can_v never_o be_v satisfaction_n to_o a_o intelligent_a soul_n but_o only_o tickle_v the_o ear_n or_o please_v the_o fancy_n 9_o as_o i_o have_v show_v this_o ungrounded_a proceed_n of_o the_o protestant_n by_o principle_n so_o i_o intend_v to_o do_v the_o same_o by_o instance_n but_o ere_o i_o go_v about_o this_o undertake_n i_o think_v fit_a to_o meet_v with_o a_o objection_n obvious_a to_o many_o reader_n it_o be_v this_o that_o it_o be_v strange_a all_o catholic_n do_v not_o take_v this_o way_n it_o be_v so_o conclusive_a as_o well_o as_o i._o 10._o i_o answer_v that_o all_o truth_n be_v connect_v it_o be_v evident_a each_o truth_n even_o for_o be_v such_o be_v maintainable_a several_a way_n especial_o supreme_a ●nd_n very_o concern_v one_o among_o which_o way_n some_o be_v suitable_a to_o some_o capacity_n other_o to_o other_o wherefore_o catholic_n controvertist_n esteem_v themselves_o debtor_n both_o sapientibus_fw-la or_o to_o those_o who_o judge_v of_o thing_n per_fw-la altissimas_fw-la causas_fw-la and_o insipientibus_fw-la or_o those_o who_o do_v not_o so_o nor_o fly_v high_o than_o a_o prudential_a pitch_n and_o the_o late_a of_o these_o be_v the_o generality_n hereupon_o the_o charity_n and_o prudence_n of_o those_o learned_a opposer_n of_o dr._n pierce_n and_o very_o many_o other_o have_v think_v fit_a to_o address_v to_o these_o by_o answer_v his_o testimony_n particular_o leave_v i_o the_o way_n of_o reason_n and_o principle_n though_o in_o danger_n to_o receive_v much_o disadvantage_n by_o my_o imperfect_a delivery_n and_o secure_a under_o the_o managery_n of_o their_o able_a head_n and_o pen_n i_o declare_v therefore_o that_o i_o intend_v no_o confutation_n of_o any_o of_o those_o author_n nor_o to_o share_v in_o the_o victory_n of_o those_o excellent_a champion_n of_o truth_n it_o be_v perhaps_o needless_a to_o the_o generality_n however_o very_o satisfactory_a to_o examine_v wit_n to_o confute_v that_o in_o common_a which_o be_v already_o confute_v by_o retail_n i_o write_v more_o against_o their_o way_n than_o their_o book_n yet_o if_o any_o will_v be_v so_o charitable_a as_o to_o judge_v my_o short_a hint_n to_o bear_v the_o force_n of_o a_o solid_a confutation_n because_o they_o radical_o and_o fundamental_o overthrow_v all_o their_o argument_n and_o very_a method_n of_o argue_v if_o it_o be_v truth_n be_v advantage_n i_o shall_v give_v god_n thanks_o for_o it_o and_o be_v glad_a of_o it_o but_o the_o main_n be_v it_o import_v not_o in_o maintain_v truth_n what_o other_o do_v or_o do_v not_o but_o if_o it_o be_v show_v that_o catholic_n principle_n i_o mean_v the_o live_a voice_n of_o the_o catholic_n church_n or_o tradition_n our_o rule_n of_o faith_n can_v bear_v such_o a_o rigorous_a test_n of_o reason_n and_o appear_v more_o lustrous_a and_o bright_a by_o so_o severe_a a_o trial_n and_o on_o the_o contrary_a that_o the_o principle_n of_o the_o revolter_n from_o she_o be_v so_o little_a solid_a so_o volatile_a and_o mere_o make_v up_o of_o fancy_n that_o they_o evaporate_v into_o air_n and_o even_o shrink_v into_o nothing_o when_o set_v in_o the_o midday_a beam_n of_o truth_n the_o rule_n of_o evidence_n i_o desire_v no_o high_o a_o honour_n to_o the_o catholic_n church_n nor_o deep_a discredit_n to_o her_o adversary_n first_o appendix_n animadversion_n on_o the_o groundlesness_n of_o dr_n pierce_n sermon_n 1._o look_v about_o for_o instance_n of_o protestant_n book_n most_o proper_a to_o be_v confute_v by_o my_o former_a doctrine_n my_o thought_n pitch_v natural_o on_o mr_n whitby_n where_o he_o go_v about_o to_o settle_v rational_o his_o rule_n of_o faith_n and_o on_o mr_n stillingfleet_n where_o he_o oppose_v the_o way_n of_o reason_n and_o the_o certainty_n of_o tradition_n but_o it_o seem_v convenient_a to_o take_v to_o task_n also_o some_o adversary_n who_o insist_v on_o testimony_n and_o bring_v he_o to_o ground_n because_o in_o the_o way_n of_o reason_n which_o bring_v testimony_n to_o ground_n to_o confute_v one_o be_v in_o a_o manner_n to_o confute_v all_o dr_n hamond_n seem_v proper_a but_o his_o book_n be_v now_o out_o of_o vogue_n if_o it_o be_v ever_o in_o it_o for_o i_o never_o hear_v pass_v two_o or_o three_o person_n speak_v of_o it_o and_o i_o be_o sure_a the_o best_a protestant_a wit_n of_o our_o nation_n never_o value_v he_o as_o a_o smart_n and_o efficacious_a writer_n beside_o the_o note_n i_o have_v late_o give_v upon_o the_o