Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	body_n	church_n	society_n	1,721	5	9.2198	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26887	The certainty of Christianity without popery, or, Whether the Catholick-Protestant or the papist have the surer faith being an answer to one of the oft canted questions and challenges of the papists, sent to one who desired this : published to direct the unskilful, how to defend their faith against papists and infidels, but especially against the temptations of the Devil, that by saving their faith, they may save their holiness, their comfort and their souls / by Richard Baxter.	Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.	1672 (1672)	Wing B1213; ESTC R5291	42,876	122

all other plain points in which the Translators agree are truly translated Though the knowledge of it in lesser points is not so necessary § 4. And thus and no other way both unlearned Protestants and Papists that cannot read must know that there is a Bible in the world and that the Priests do ordinarily read truly that publickly read it to them and that there are Canons of Councils in the world c. Because it is not possible for so many men of cross interests to agree in feigning it without detection § 5. There are some passages in some Translations so palpably distorted to the Translators interests and ends as that the Text and Context to the Learned and the common agreement of the world to the unlearned may notifie the error § 6. There are many passages or words so difficult about which Translators differ as that few or none are Certain which of them is in the right And this uncertainty is of no danger to the Church or to mens souls CHAP. X. Quest. VII What Certainty have we of the true sense of the Text. § 1. Answ. THis Question is partly the same with the former For to Translate is to give the sense of the original in other words The sense is either 1. The sense of single terms 2. Or the sense of propositions and sentences 3. Or the sense of many sentences conjunct in Method § 2. The first is known to Translators as is aforesaid As you know the sense of all words of all languages by common usage and common Tradition The second is made up of the first by common reason As a sentence is made up of common words He that understandeth what these words Repentance and is and necessary signifie may know without a Pope what this sentence signifieth Repentance is necessary The same is to be said of divers sentences conjunct The sense is known by the way that men learn to talk and to understand one anothers speeches And as you understand Baronius Bellarmine the Councils or any of your Priests even by the common acception of words and reason setting them together as man from his Infancie is taught to reason § 3. But as Infants understand not common talk till they are taught nor children and untaught persons so well as men and Scholars so the plainest things in Scripture require some use and consideration and Teaching to the understanding of them Much more the harder parts And God hath made it the duty of Parents to teach the Scripture to their children at home and abroad lying down and rising up Deut. 6. 11. without asking the Pope the sense of it And God hath appointed the elder and wiser to teach the younger and more ignorant and especially Pastors and Teachers to teach the world and instruct their flocks to understand the word of God Not barely to rest in their opinion and words but to shew men the same Evidence which doth convince themselves Which Teaching is not a final Iudging § 4. But yet where the Teacher knoweth what the Learner doth not the Learner must have the humility of a Disciple and not set his untaught wit conceitedly against his Teacher and wrangle before he understandeth but must judge his Teacher whether it be Grammar Logick or Theologie words or sense that he Teacheth him to be wiser than himself Else why will he be his Scholar And so he must believe him as a fallible man with a humane faith in order to his attaining of a proper Certainty § 5. But there are in Scripture many passages so exceeding difficult that we have no Certainty of the sense And some that only a few extraordinary Students have a Certaintainty of neither Protestants nor Papists further understanding them And this is no disparagement to the Scripture nor hazard or injury to us CHAP. XI Quest. VIII What Unity of faith may be expected to be conserved by our foresaid Certainties § 1. HEre are two Questions for haste included I. What Unity in faith may be expected II. What Certainties are necessary thereto § 2. I. To the first 1. A Unity in all the Essentials of the Christian faith is already existent among all Christians in the world For they were not Christians if they agree not in all Essentials of Christianity § 3. 2. A Vnity of faith in the Integrals of Christianity is desireable and so far hopeful as that the wiser all Christians are in the more of the Integrals they will agree But here will never be an universal Concord or Unity any more than in mens age strength Stature and complexions This Paul openeth at large 1 Cor. 12. Rom. 14. 15 c. § 4. 3. A perfect Vnity in the common knowledge of all things in Scripture or all the revealed Accidentals of Religion will never be found between any two persons in this life because that no ones knowledge is perfect § 5. II. From hence the other Question is easily answered 1. To a Unity of Christians as Christians or the body of Christ and Church Universal and of necessity to Salvation no Certainty is necessary but of the Essentials of the Christian Religion 2. To the more Comfortable progress and the melius esse of Christians and the Churches as great a Concord and Certainty in the Integrals of Christianity is needful as the degree of melius esse doth require 3. To mens peaceable and comfortable Communion in Christian Societies an Unity and consequently knowledge of the points of Christian Love and holy communion is necessary 4. To our Heavenly Union Heavenly perfection is necessary § 6. But to insinuate that a Certainty of the sense of all the Scripture or all that God hath revealed to us Objectively or of all that Popes and Councils determine is necessary to that unity of faith which maketh all Christians to be Christians and one body of Christ is but a cheating trick which is against Scripture reason and their own Doctors CHAP. XII Quest. IX What Determination is necessary to this Certainty and Unity § 1. Answ. 1. GOds Determination of the Object by Verity and Evidence and his helping the faculty in determining it self in act is necessary § 2. 2. The inward true Determination of every mans own perceiving faculty sense and Intellect is necessary to his true perception § 3. 3. A Parent Schoolmaster Senior and Pastor must tell the Scholar their own Judgement and then open to him the Evidence of truth § 4. A Magistrate or other Superiour Parent Master c. hath a determining Judgement under God and his Laws in order to the ends of their proper Government and no further That is They are the only publick Judges in their Society who shall be punished or not punished by the sword restrained or encouraged as teaching false Doctrine or true But this is not an absolute and unregulated power If they determine contrary to Gods word they sin and bind not me to obey them though I am bound to continue my subjection