Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	church_n	pastor_n	visible_a	1,446	5	9.4786	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41788	St. Paul's catechism, or, A brief and plain explication of the six principles of the Christian religion, as recorded Heb. 6., 1,2 with some considerations of the principles of natural and universal religion, as previous, and yet subservient to the rules of revealed and positive relgion: containing also, the duties of children to their superiors, written chiefly for the instruction of young Christians, children and servants in all Christian families / by Tho. Grantham.	Grantham, Thomas, 1634-1692.	1687 (1687)	Wing G1545; ESTC R39432	35,919	64

Jesus which God forbid S. I desire you therefore to shew me this great Mystery of the Gospel which guides poor Sinners to the true Cause of Justification from the guilt and condemning Nature of Sin. F. That I will endeavour to do in our con●ideration of the second Principle of Christ's Doctrine to wit Of Faith towards God or towards our Lord Jesu● Christ Heb. 6. 1. Acts 20. 21. The Second Principle of St. Paul's CATECHISM Or Of Faith towards God. Son. I de●ire first to have a true definition of Faith that is I desire to know what Faith is Father St. Paul defines Faith thus Heb. 11. 1. Now Faith is the substance of Things hoped for the evidence of things not seen It is also truly defined of a firm belief of the Truth of God as made known in the Scriptures and particula●ly concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord John 20. 31. 1 John 5. 10 11. S. I perceive that the main design of the Holy Scriptures is to direct us to Jesus Christ I do therefore desire to know what Record God hath given of his Son F. This is the Record which God hath given of his Son That God hath given to us eternal Life and that this Life is in his Son. 1 John 5. 11. with John 1. 4. and 6. 51. S. Was the Son of God ordained to procure the Light of saving Life to the whole World F. Yes God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting Life And the reason why many shall not see Eternal Life is because they believe not on the Name of the only begotten Son of God John 3. 16 17 18. S. But how can they be saved by Christ who never heard of him F. Christ is the Lamb of God slain in the design of God to take away the Sin of the World John 1. 29. In whom God hath offered such means of Light as to him seemed convenient Act. 17. 26 27. that all might seek him and be reconciled to him 2 Cor. 5. 14 18 19. And according to the due use or wilful abuse of his Mercy so offered you shall all be acquitted or condemned in the day when God shall judg the Secrets of Men according to the Gospel Rom. 2. 14 15 16. Now the Gospel shews that God is not an hard Master he only expects improvement of what he gives he will not reap where he hath not Sown 2 Cor. 8. 12. Dying Infants never heard of Christ yet they shall be saved Mat. 19. 14. S. By this I perceive all Men are under the Mercy of God as well as under his Justice and that none shall therefore perish for want of Mercy but because they turn the Grace of God into wantonness Shew me therefore what we who have the holy Scriptures are bound to believe concerning God and Jesus Christ whom he hath Sent. F. We are firmly to believe that God is Heb. 11. 6. and that there 's no other God but one Mark 12. 32 34. This one God is made known to us by three Denominations especially The Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Mat. 28. 19. 1 John 5. 7. 1 Tim. 3. 16. John 1. 14. And that thou mayest know how this Great Mystery was understood by the Ancient Church about 1400 Years ago I will here shew thee their Confession of Faith published by a very great Council of the Christians in those daies wherein were 318 Pastors of the Church who thus profess their Faith. The Nicene Creed I Believe in one God the Almighty Father maker of Heaven and Earth and of all things visible and invisible And in one Lord Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God Begotten of the Father before all Worlds God of God Light of Light Very God of very God begotten not made of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made Who for us Men and for our Salvation descended from the Heavens and was incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became Man. Crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate Suffered and was buried And rose again the third day according to the Scriptures And ascended into Heaven and sits at the right Hand of God. And is to come again with Glory to judg the Living and the Dead and of whose Kingdom there shall be no end And in the holy Spirit the quickening Lord who proceeds from the Father and the Son and in like manner is adored and g●●rifyed with the Fathe● and the Son and who spake by the Prophets And I believe one holy Catholick and Apostolical Church I confess one Baptism f●r remission of Sins And I look for the Resurr●ction of the Dead And the Life in the World to come S. I much reverence this ancient Confession of Faith for it 's excellent Brevity and especially for the solidity of the Matter But I desire you to shew me what Scripture-Evidence we have for some things contained in the second Article where it says The Son of God was begotten before all Worlds F. In Heb. 1. 5. the Son of God is called the First-Begotten and vers 2. 't is said The Worlds that is all Worlds were made by him and vers 10. Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the Foundation of the Earth and the Heavens are the Works of thy Hands John 1. 1 2 3. is full evidence of the same thing And Colos 1. 17. He is before all things and by him all things consist S. But how is it said the Son is God of God Light of Light c. F. 1. The same Testimonies which prove He was God and that he was before all things proves that he was God of God because there was but one God nor as yet any other Essence but God. The Son w●s therefore begotten not made because all things were made by him which was made and sure he that made all things was not made himself 2. In 1 John. 5. 20. The Son is expresly called Very God and seeing there is but one God he must needs be very God of very God. 3. And for the same reason he is Light of Light for God is that Light in whom is no Darkness 1 ●ohn 1. ● and so is Christ John 1. 5 7 8 9. See also Rev. 21. 2● Heb. 1. 3. S. It seems the great Council did not want Scri●ture-evidence to confirm this great Article o●●he pr●existence of the Son of God. I pray explain the thi●d Article where the Son of God is said to be incarnate of of the Virgin Mary by the Holy ●●ost and became Man. F. It pleased the Father Almighty that his Son who being in the form of God and thought it not robbery to be equal with God should take upon him the form of a Servant and be found in the habit of Man Col. 2. 6 7. And in this state He that was above all Angels Heb. 1. 5. was now made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering