Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	case_n	christian_a	great_a	882	4	2.1333	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33462	Capel's remains being an useful appendix to his excellent Treatise of tentations, concerning the translations of the Holy Scriptures : left written with his own hand / by that incomparably learned and jucicious divine, Mr. Richard Capel, sometimes fellow of Magdalen-Colledge in Oxford ; with a preface prefixed, wherein is contained an abridgement of the authors life, by his friend Valentine Marshall.	Capel, Richard, 1586-1656.; Marshall, Valentine.; Capel, Richard, 1586-1656. Tentations.	1658 (1658)	Wing C471; ESTC R5922	60,793	168

a lamp Psal. 119. 105. See 2 Reg. 22. 16. and 23. 2 25. 6. If our hearts be so well be sprinkled with the blood of Christ See Heb. 9. 19. and Exod. 24. 7. 7. If we be so humbled under the sense of that body of death we have about us See how it was with Josiah 2 Chron. 34. 23 30. when his heart was touched with the wickednesse of the time He read and so shall we when we have a sense of the sinne that is in us This Man of God in this short but sweet and elaborate discourse that followes hath cleared the way daintily for poor plain Christians to build upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles in those Translations that God in his great mercy hath set before them Here 's the price put into * the hand where 's the heart to use it we can but call on men 'T is God must perswade Japhet to dwell in the Tents of Shem. He was touching a little and but a little upon mans imperfections and upon the working of grace whilest it is here in this life and God took him to the place where the soules of the just are made perfect where grace is compleated in glory This brief and pithy piece hath lien longer upon mine hand then I am well-pleased with This I can say 1. It was written in his fast hand and so it was the longer work ere it could be pickt out perfectly by my selfe and some others that best knew his writing He was like * Bucer in this he his own selfe could not reade his own hand sometimes in a moneth after he had writ it 2. I have been letted by sicknesse much upon my selfe and some also in those that be near me besides some other urgent occasions 3. Not being cut out for work of this nature I had the more ado to satissie my selfe in this that 's let abroad such as it is at the last I have been more large by farre then I intended but 't is for a friend to whose memory I owe as much as Philemon did to Paul more then I can pay 2. 'T is for a man of men the Phoenix of his Age as 't was said of * Beza 3. Besides 't is all that I intend in this kinde to trouble the world withal God grant his blessing may attend it I remain Thine in Christ Jesus VAL MARSHALL Elmore May the 20. 1658. A Resolution of certaine Cases to cleare some doubts concerning my former Writings 1. Of the Scriptures IN all buildings the maine is to settle the Foundation First of all next to Christ the foundation is laid upon the Prophets and Apostles So Paul are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets meaning the foundation which the Apostles and Prophets laid Laid where In their doctrine contained in their Writings So Doctor John Rainolds the famous Hence that of Christ search the Scriptures for in them ye think to have eternal life By which place it is put beyond all Queries and Question that the Scriptures are the foundation of Religion sith in them is said Ye think and ye think well in it to have eternal life So again ye erre saith Christ to the Sadd●ces not knowing the Scriptures And again Apollos shewed and convinced the Jewes publickly by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ and once more all Scripture is given by inspiration by the breath of God Now by Scripture is meant the Word of God written Written then Printed now by the way note and grant that written and printed come all to one written then printed now so then by Scriptures we meane the Word of God written Now here the first case is What ground there is that we should ground our selves on the Scriptures sith for a matter of two thousand years the Church was without Scripture and many went to heaven when there was before Moses no Scripture at all and the Christian Church was best and purest before the New Testament was written at all This was pleaded in the Councel of Trent to justle out the Scriptures and to place Traditions in the place of the Scriptures All this should not shake and totter the heart of a Christian Before Moses the Lord did teach by tradition without Scripture and the Church did by the providence of God walk by as certaine rules then as now For this they who will may see Dr. Abbot against Bishop Many Reasons are given why then the written word was not necessary as 't is now as that the Church was in families after it came to be all one Nation over now over all Nations As also that the Patriarchs then had a spirit we have not Anabaptists say they have an infallible spirit which Wotton calls a lewd opinion yet they say this as onely for themselves But sure the Patriarchs and the Church under the Patriarchs had a certain and infallible rule to walk by which was to them as the Scriptures are to us Their rule was the Word of God but not written ours is the same Word of God but written It is enough that the Law hath now tied us to the Word of God written And for the Apostles time the Apostles men immediately inspired being living and other infallible men not Apostles as Mark Luke there was no such necessity to have the Word of God written as there was after Wherefore they did provide for this ere they died and committed the Word of God to writing when there should be no such men to consult with Let us then sit down by the Scriptures the Word of God written as the onely sure card and rule to guide us in all matters of faith and life For if we leave this once there is nothing but Sea and Aire no place for this poor Dove this poore soul of ours to rest her foot without which when and where to stay none can tell That then we may not run from opinion to opinion from Christ to Christ from Church to church till we have run our selvs out of all our onely sure way is to flie to the Scriptures to the written VVord of God as to an Anchour that so we may have hope if hope then faith Before we go further we must take it as cleare that by Scriptures Christ and his Apostles do meane the VVord of God written Our enquiry is What written word Not the Original Copy for that was in the Ark and there onely and not to be seen of every body if of any body but the high Priest and I know nothing but those Tables perished with the Temple Nor can it be that when he did call upon them to search the Scriptures he did send them to the Ark which then was not I doubt not but he meant by the Scriptures the writings of Moses the Prophets Now who can think that Christ and his Apostles did turn over the Church and people of God to the Scriptures written by Moses and the

tempests be tender of that that might be in such stead for poore trembling hearts in a stormy day Get to God then as thou canst sad distempers be upon our people Spiritual judgments be the sorest judgments What if thou hast but the a self-same words The song of Moses was a b new song tendered to God with new affections What if the petitions be c broken confused This poore d man cried saith the Text when he was in a poore case indeed like a e bedlam and yet he was heard The lesser lisping children some-whiles have the grant when those that be of greater maturity seeme to be fet aside Whilest Moses his hands were up though in a poor way Israel had the better Who can tell what God may do Abraham left asking ere God left granting even for a filthy Sodome Remember Latimers f once-again once-again tugg and wrastle We may come to see and our people may be made to know that their heart is g turned back-again to the God of their fathers For the soundnesse and settlednesse of his judgement He pitcht at first upon a good foundation and being h nourished up in the words of faith He continued in the things he had learned and beene well assured of knowing from whom he had received them He was with Socrates an a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} grounded in his opinion one that stood like a brazen wall as firme as a very rock with Virgils b Latinus in the midst of all the dashings and clashings of tempestuous times He saw with a cleare eye thorow all the painted glosses of those that were given to change and therefore was not moved at all with any thing said or done in that kinde He was true to his Religion and clave close all along to his first principles holding fast the faith that was c once and as he himself would often expresse it but once delivered to the Saints He lived and died a true Orthodox Divine according to the knowne doctrine of the Church of England He knew full well for all the great talk of the Gosspel as though it were but newly dropt out of the clouds that there is not any other Gosspel then the everlasting Gospel that was preached before unto Abraham and hath been entertained all along still by Gods faithful people and shall be so continually to the worlds end But some there be no mean pretenders to the Gospel that be in great danger of perverting the Gospel of Jesus Christ This stable man was set up as a sure Sea-mark Stand to his steps though we stand alone God and a good conscience be very good company Elijah was but one yet did very good service One d Athanasius in the East one Hilary in the West was of mighty great use in a staggering time What if we meet with stormes 'T is but a poore Religion that 's not worth suffering for 'T will turn to a a testimony When the wilde humour is spent men will look home againe A Mercuries statue will be lookt upon then Those poor silly souls that be tossed to and fro and b whirl'd about and about again with every winde of doctrine will be glad of such a sight in the day of their visitation Whereas if they that know or should know more of God be not steady in their steering but varying their course poor bewilder'd hearts will be at their wits ends not knowing which way to turne nor to whom to goe nor whom to walke after As there is but one God so there is but one Faith one Baptism c one way to eternal life one Rule for us all to walk by Why be we not then all of one heart all in one tract so many men as we see so many mindes there be Every e moneth almost a new faith 'T is easie to swim with the tyde to perswade the heart of the rectitude of that that 's turn'd up trump by the times and yet to pretend still 't is from more light We may talk of the Spirit but f Schism is a fruit of the flesh The old way is the good way he shal stumble and hamper his feet that swerves from the g ancient pathes What 's got by gadding men itch for change still There 's no rest but with our first a husband 'T is good to be all of one minde in God Where 's not unitie in judgement there 's scarcely unity in affection Too fierce we be against such as close not with our notitions It was b Bell Book and Candle once 't is not much better now Wild-fire flies amaine We cannot all cut to a thread there will be some variation in the compasie but whilest we aime at the white the c oddes is to be passed by without bitternesse Why should there be such huge rents and divisions in the Church Where 's our forbearance We have not yet learnt our lesson well to wait one for another till God shall reveale Phil. 3. 15. Whilest we be so sharp in our contests Satan makes his Markets d Religion goes to wrack our differences e widen Some be ready to give up all seeing there's no better harmony others could wish themselves well out of the world that they may be delivered as Melanchthon saith from the d implacable differences even of some Divines Hearken to God He would have the truth g followed but in love If the Word will not sway the crosse will come and set an h Hooper and a Ridley to the embracing of one another Fall upon that one and only solid way of God and stick there Be we stedfast men It was once the Martyrs a stile it will ever be the good mans glory Get we then to God he can stablish the shuttle heart 2 Cor. 1. 21. See the judgement be so rightly set Is 33. 6. and the heart so firmly knit to God and his Truth he that b loved his Master would not leave his Master Tamper we not with opinions 2 Pet. 3. 17. nor with opinionative c men Rom. 16. 17 18. nor yet with books that scatter Tares This grave d Divine himself gives very good caution to this purpose from famous e Mr. Dod a man of that vast experience An honest heart may be sorely puzled with a forked Argument The Martyr could die for Christ that could not f dispute for him Some pretend they must trie all things but they speak besides the g book Who will try Ratsbane or a sharp sword whether it will pierce into his bowels Some think to withdraw when they see danger but Satan is subtile venome will get in we know not how and errour will h stick and eate What gets the flie that goes whisking by the Candle They that nibble at the bait shall hardly ' scape the hook Again gingle not with termes that be

in Church and Common-wealth It began to work betimes we see in Pauls dayes all sought their own things Phil. 2. 21. 'T is now grown to a greater head in this age when we neither eat nor drink nor fast nor pray nor do any thing to speak of but too too apparently still b for our selves How much then was this brave man to be admired seeing all that knew him can beare him witnesse how far he surpassed in this rare grace He could deny himself in his own understanding and go after God in a way that he knew c not in his own Will when He that is above would lead him in a way that he would d not and in his own affections too when he came to be crost in what he could have most desired ruling them by reason and religion as e a wise man should subjecting himself to bear with quietnesse what could not be helpt without raising of too much dust 'T is strange to see how far he could deny himself in apparel diet tendance and in what not All that would be Christs Disciples are to fetch out this mark 'T is to be our first and last work that we may a take up our crosse and go after him 'T is self that spoils all It lies as a Jezabel in all our bosomes and opens the door for the foulest enormities It wants no varnish for that that 's of foule aspect out comes its plausible arguments and it hath its seconds to sooth thee when thou b doest well to thy self It hath too great an hand upon the very best men in the very worst times We must seeto self and see that self be subdued Cut off that hand and foot that offends Let sinful self die and we our own selves that have neither lived nor died to our selves shall be sure to have our selves our soules and bodies saved in the day of Christ Jesus 8. For his contempt of the world He had gotten the start of most men in that particular He would be beating upon this point mainly both in his publick preaching and in his private conference and shewed the reality of what he pressed when he came to act himself He could not say as Luther did he never had temptation that way but he kept himself far from any noted taint nay from the least suspition of that foule crime with famous d Whitakers I have heard him often say when he had things under his hand he still charged his servants to do what few men practice never to set in corn nor to bring home cattel but to take as the Market would afford All in these parts know he was farre enough off from the using of indirect means to get and I never knew any more willing to part with money upon a just and fit occasion then he was 'T is well known he gave over a living of good value one of the best in all our parts above twenty years before his death and betook himself to a poor little corner from which he would never be with-drawn no more then a Musculus from his Berne And even there he might have pickt mens purses if he had been this way given I have seen him many and many a time put back money and take but a small matter from those that were able and would have willingly given him more They would force him to take it but he would utterly refuse it The greatest part of men are willing he should go on in this way by himself few or none care to foot it after him All sorts be seeking great things Though the world was never more ticklish 'T is or should be well known The love of the world and of the Father be not compatible It deadens our spirits bites us sore yet will our hearts be hankering that way Our Religion is made a scorne by it to those that be but for the pot and pipe when they see some of us looking up towards God yet bending our course so directly towards b gain as if it were the only godlinesse 'T is sad to see some that erst-while would straine at the least gnat swallowing downe Camels without any regret Paul speaks of such with weeping as of a the enemies with a witnesse of the Crosse of Christ and their end will be doleful if they go on still to minde earthly things See to the world though we must be in it and may have to do with it that we love it not Sue out our divorce and do it more fully be more perfectly linkt to our head by whom the world is crucified unto us and we unto the world tugge hard for a further supply of spirit and of grace keeping our eyes more fully fixt upon the City that hath foundations and the world will fall under our feet 9. For his great humility This was the grace that graced all the good that was in him He would be often speaking of what he heard concerning Doctor John Rainolds b one would say it that knew it He was as learned a man as any was in the world as godly as learned and as humble as godly This man loved and reverenced the Doctor and trod in his steps He left us a rare extract in humility He could speak with tongues more then we all yet would he never make use of them in the publick Congregation He would honour all men acknowledge the gifts and parts of those that were farre below him and rejoyce in them as c Hooper in the blinde boy He would not meddle in things that were too high nor intrench upon that that was beyond his sphere He would not stand in the place of great men He could refuse honours a as Musculus did and content himself with plaine and mean things Caj●tan the b flower of the Cardinals would never be in his silks nor braveries but keep his c old fashion to his lives end d Melanchthon would not disdain to do that that the meanest servant would scarcely have put his hand to So here and he would beare things that went awry with very much temper Moderation he would presse and moderation he would practice e Staupicius said to Luther concerning his own government in the first three years He did all according to the utmost rigour that would not do in the next three years he did all according to the Lawes and Councels of the Ancestours and that would not hit in the third Triennial He did all according to the Will of God and yet that would not succeed And then he was faine to be content with what he could have I touch not on this for the heartning on of any in any base or vile way but to help my self and some others of pious dispositions to a fitter medicine for things amisse then some-whiles we hit on An Artist will be loath to pitch upon that to mend things which will make them worse Let

Hebrew the New Testament being not written not any of it till after Pentecost not all of it nntill John a matter of sixty years after Christs death This to the Colossians could not be meant of the New Testament but of the Old So againe the Thessalonians being Grecians did not understand the Hebrew yet they were commanded to prove all things By what why by the Scriptures and this was the Old Testament which they understanding not the Hebrew then it cannot but be meant of the translation This Conclusion I think is clear sith the Churches of the Gentiles were commanded to read Moses and the Prophets and read them they could not but in a translation therefore translations are commanded by God as an Ordinance and constitution of Heaven it felf The same Smith in the same book falls foule on the Greek translation of the seventy as that it was a grievous sin to translate the Old Testament into Greek or any language else His reason is for that this ought not to have bin done til the fulnes of time of the calling of the * Gentiles other reasons he hath not worth a fig nor is this reason much better It 's known that * Ptolomy King of Egypt had together certaine Learned Jewes skilful in the Greek Language in number seventy two and by them he caused the Old Testament to be done into Greek about two hundred and ninety years before the Birth of Christ And this is observed to be a fit time to have it done for if it had not been done till after the coming of Christ either the Jewes out of envy would have kept and hid the Hebrew Copies or corrupted them or else cast some suspition and evil report of evil doings on the translators All which it being done at this time was prevented Now though this were done before the coming of Christ and so of the time of the full calling of the Gentiles yet it was not so long before but that it was a fit preparative against the calling of the Gentiles whose language since Alexanders conquest generally was Greek and sith there then was no printing no Copies could be scattered abroad but by manuscripts and writing which is great labour and cost and this being such a slow work there needed that this translation should be done some good space before the calling of the Gentiles that so a sufficient number of Manuscript-written Copies might be had and scattered abroad among the Gentiles they all understanding the Greek and but few or none the Hebrew that the books being the foundation of the Prophets might be ready done against the time of the calling of the Gentiles for their need and use * The time of this translation being after the Jewes had been amongst the Gentiles in captivity we finde that the Gentiles being to creep into the Church and now and then some to turn Proselytes and was it not fit that there should be a translation ready to bid them welcome into the Church And what if it were a sinne to attempt the full calling of the Gentiles before the full time yet who can say with any reason that it was a sin to provide a translation which they understood against their calling Nor could this translation be sufficiently provided for number in written Copies and sufficiently scattered till the time of their calling So that this was not to go about to call them before the time was they were to be called but rather an excellent Providence to have Copies ready in a language they understood against the full time of their full calling And whereas it is objected that these Jewes who did put it out of the Hebrew into the Greek were profane men is more then I knowe or then they can prove Againe to make it good that the act of translating the Scriptures into Greek was no unlawful thing I need go no further then to the Apostles who becoming all things to all men to save some were careful in citing places out of the Old Testament to tie themselves much to this Greek translation Insomuch that though they did never vary from the Hebrew in sense yet they did chose rather to follow the phrase and words of the Greek then the Hebrew to condescend as far as might be to the Gentiles who were acquainted with the Greek translation but not with the Hebrew original Wherefore it must needs be the froth of a giddy head in this man to call this act of translation into Greek a grievous sin sith the Apostles did so much use and reverence it and chiefly Paul who chiefly the Apostle of the Gentiles We all do or should know that the Gospel began at Hierusalem from * Hierusalem it went to Judea and Samariah thence to Syria and Cilicia from thence to Ciprus Asia Greece Italy and from these parts to the utmost coasts of the earth according to the commission of Christ Now in all * those parts the Greek was most in use in most onely in use in some and of necessity they had recourse to the Greek translation Smith speaks fowle of it as a false and forged translation I dispute not what it is now but what it was then If it had been such a piece the Apostle Paul would not have looked after it so much as he did nor the church have used it so long as it did is well known to those who know the state of the Church that the church did generally use this Greek translation a Latine one framed out of this scarce any other if any other at all for six hundred yeares after Christ I know Sixtus Senensis and Bellarmine men of great reading do write that the seventy Interpreters though they were not Prophets who wrote Scripture yet that they had a line and light of the spirit which did direct them so that in translating they did not er●e at all which perhaps is too much on the other hand however it held very pure I am perswaded along time till the greek tongue began to grow out of use and then came in a world of translations in Latine and popular languages I am cleare of opinion that those Anabaptists who are against all learning are against all translations whatsoever For without the knowledge of the Hebrew and Greek tongues it is not possible to turne the Old and New Testament into any language whatsoever Nor without the understanding of those two languages can any understand the Bible in the Originals neither And on this ground God may be said to binde us to what is impossible I meane to build on the Scripture when we can neither have it by their principles in any Translation nor understand it in the Originals Mr. Wotton saith that the Anabaptists do every one claim a priviledge of not erring for himself yet not for others which opinion he calls a false and lewd opinion And on the matter if that they do so hold I know no great

need or use they have of the Scriptures in the Originals or translation Before we come unto the maine of the businesse we cannot skip over a businesse of Mr. Wotton his words are these No man ever dreamed that we commonly build our faith upon our English translation What he would have by the word commonly I know not except his heart did faile his penne when he wrote this and by this word commonly he had a conceit that he might finde by it some shift and starting hole A strange speech it is to me that English men of such he speaks who can understand no language but English should be said not to build their faith on the English translation On what then The Original they know not other translations they understand not And if they must not build their faith on the English translation they are left nothing to build their faith on And what is this but to leave all unlearned in the Originals without a rule And if this be not to steale Atheisme into the hearts of the common people I know not what is sith Atheisme is such a welcome guest to the corrupt heart as it is Which makes me call to mind an Observation of Villeroy a late wise Secretary of France That the maine different Sects of Religion in the East and the fierce opposition they made each against each made the people weary of the Christian Religion and so Mahomet crept in with his religion and was too welcome to almost all who were almost weary of the sundry Heresies and Schisms which were so brief and rife amongst Christians of the East And this saith he overthrew the Christian Church first and the Christian Empires and states next over the East and let in Mahomets Alchoran and Mahomets Sword I doubt there is scarce any strange opinion pressing hither but would be welcome to us The Christian Religion was never in such danger since my time as it is now sith men runne so many and so contrary wayes that few can now tell which is true And since so great a Clerk and so great a Reformer as Wotton hath left the poore English man no rule to prove his own or to disprove the contrary For if the English translation be not to an English man let Elias come and tell us what and which is the rule and on what an English man may build his faith on being that there is nothing left him but his English translation So the old Church after Malachi what was left to the most but the Greek Translation and after the Apostles were dead and gone the Christian Churches were tied to the Greek translation of the Old Testament or else the Old Testament was no rule to them except to a few who understood the Hebrew That which all men say saith Aristotle is not to be doubted but al the learned I think agree that the Church used no translation but the Greek for a matter of six hundred yeares after the birth of Christ for two hundred yeares before So that for my part I look upon it as a position full of danger for men to affirme That translations are not a rule to ground our faith on when we understand no other That say I or none not none therefore that And now at last after the clearing of what is past we come to the maine point to find out what it is that a poore soule who understands not the Originals must rest upon First I say that the Lord is not nor will not be wanting to his Church in things necessary to salvation And to have a rule to build our faith on is absolutely necessary to salvation And that rule for common people must be the Scripture translated or nothing And therefore I take it to be a special Ordinance that the Scriptures should be translated for the use of the Church in several languages For the Original Copies I must subscribe to that of Ganus a Papist who tells us That we are not to receive into the holy Canon both for the Old and New Testament but such books as the Apostles did allow and deliver over to the Church of Christ And as the Church of the Jewes did preserve the Hebrew Original of the Old Testament safe and sure so I doubt not but the same hand of the providence of God hath and doth preserve the Greek Original of the New Testament And for that it is not possible that the Originals should serve the turne of all or immediately of any but of such as have the knowledge of those tongues who are but a poor few in respect of all the world over wherefore I take it for granted that the line of Gods providence hath and doth and will carry the matter in having translations of several languages so inti●e as to be a sufficient rule to ground their faith else God in his providence must needs be wanting in providing necessaries for his Church Nor do I think that there was or ever shall be a Church of Christ or a Church of Christians in the belly of Antichrist but have had translations sufficient to rest their souls on I doubt not but the vulgar for all its faults hath sufficient for the saving of some soules Besides among the Papists they have Pagnine allowed by two Popes which runs as pure as any Translation in the world and Arias Montanus a translation without exception Senensis much commends Jacobus de Voragine a Papist Arch-Bishop of Genua his translation into the Italian and Senensis could well tell having great skill in the Originals To me it is much that Senensis so sharp a Papist as he is should in print and that since the Councel of Trent so highly commend a translation of the Bible into the Italian tongue And Leo the tenth Bishop of Rome did just before Luthers dayes print a recommendation of Erasinus translation of the New Testament into Latine So that I look on it as a special providence of God that there were translations and those exact too in the heart of Popery And if so then he will not suffer the visible Church to be without a sufficient translation as a sufficient rule Smith himself the great backbiter of translations saith That if the Translation agree with the Original it may well be said to be the Word of God and if it do not agree with the Original it is not the translation of the Original And now we will draw towards the main conclusion How a simple Countrey-man is to believe our Bible to be the Word Doctor Jackson and Master John Goodwin have set downe many and many excellent things but they flie so high that they are for Eagles One may say of their books as Aristotle said of his books of Philosophy That they were published yet not published seeing not to be understood without his help Now all the considerations these great Sophies have and let there be as much more added to them yet they will not