Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	hear_v	heathen_a	publican_n	4,379	5	11.4435	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96976	Meditations upon the marks of the true Church of Christ: or, Motives of credibility in behalf of the true religion: and, the easiest way to finde it out. / By H.W.	H. W.; Wilkinson, Henry, 1610-1675,	1655 (1655)	Wing W36A; Thomason E1666_1; ESTC R208388	95,687	283

hath got the better in fine all injustices and outrages would be committed and no malefactours punished without a living judge and that such an one as from whose sentence there is no appeal Now if these instances prove as they do most effectually the requisitnesse of a living judge for the upholding of all true civill judicature and government much more is a living judge necessary in ecclesiasticall in which matters of Faith and Religion and consequently of eternal moment are to be tryed The second Point To understand how easie and efficacious means the true Church of Christ hath for the composing of Controversies Consider first that it belongs to the divine providence which extends it selfe to a care over every the least individuum of the most contemptible species amongst natural things not to let his Church want any thing of those which are required ad melius esse much more to supply it with what 's absolutely necessary as means clear and easie for the judging of Controversies is Secondly what perfection the Jewish Synagogue had in this kinde that à fortiori is to be supposed in Christs Church for it was but the handmaid this the Spouse if the shaddow this the Sun if the type this the reall thing prefigured if it had a living judge an infallible judge who was to shew the truth of judgment and a judge to whose final sentence that people was to stand upon pain of death shall the Church of Christ in which the most weighty controversies of divine Faith and eternal salvation are raised every foot by Hereticks want such means Assuredly no. Consider thirdly the many Texts of Scripture yea and as clear in the confirmation of this as of any point whatsoever by which the Church of Christ is impowred with an infallible authority for deciding Controversies even of the highest nature All power is given to me in heaven and in earth goe ye therefore and teach all Nations Mat. 28. in which words the emphasis of that particle theresore intimateth that a powerfull Commission was given them and consequently of teaching without danger of erring and that it was not given to them onely but also to their successors the ensuing words Behold I am with you alwayes even unto the end of the world Luke 10. Convince He that beareth you beareth me and be that despiseth you despiseth me If he will not hear the Church let him be to thee as a heathen and Publican Matt. 18.17 Our Saviour sayes of his Church that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Mat. 16. And he sayes in most significant words that the holy Ghost shall teach the Church all truth Jo. 16. O divine spirit since you cannot but perform what our Saviour promised this teaching of the Church all truth what do they deserve that accuse it of truth And indeed either the verity of Christs promise or the fidelity of the holy Ghosts performance is questioned when the true Churches Infallible Authority is doubted of or its erring avouched The third Point Consider now that since the true Church of Christ where ever it be now hath his infallible power of resolving all doubts in matters of Faith as the forementioned places of scripture besides many more confirm and since some one of the various religions now extant in the world must be Christs true Church and have this power for still there is a Church and it the Ground and Pillar of Truth Tim. 1.3 let us see what Church sympathizeth best or rather is as some one must be identified with Christs true Church in this point and by good consequence in all others First therefore this infallible judge and composer of all controversies in Christs Church formerly could be no other than either the head of it or some representative body of the Church or both joyntly together no other means of having a living judge can more probably yea or possibly be affigned for all the mombers of the church men women children cannot be collected together into one consult we see also that a Parliament in w ch some one is president above the is the representative body of a Kingdom or Common wealth and what it being a law full one acts is the act of the whole Nation we know more over that in the primitive Church this judge was no other but such an one as is here intended to wit the chief pastor and head of the Church or a General Councel or both and by such a judge was Arius condemned to wit by the Councel of Nice in which Hosius Bishop of Corduba in Spain was Presidentin the place of Pope Silvester who sent him and confirmed the acts of that Councel So was Macedonius condemned in the first Councel of Constantinople So Nestorius in the Ephesine Councel so Eutiches in the Councel of Calcedon so in all suceeding ages Controversies as they rise were decided and Hereticks condemned after the foresaid manner therefore that living judge so necessary must be such an one Consider secondly that the same praxis hath alwayes been held in the Roman Church and is held still eighteen general Councels have been called and confirmed by the supream Bishops or Popes of Rome the first whereof was the Nicene Councel and the last the Councel of Trent in which sate six Cardinalls four Legates three Patriarks thirty two Archbishops and Bishops two hundred and twenty eight besides Abbots Generals of Religious orders and a great number of divines sent by such Bishops as for infirmity or other just reasons could not be present And that this Councell was not of as great Authority as any of the first four were can never be proved all that can be urged against this Councell must be grounded upon that false and ungrounded but dreadfull fince all Sectaries venter their salvation upon on the same supposition that the Roman Church hath fallen from the true and Primitive Faith Prove this your supposition you miserable men which you could never yet prove or be converted or loose your souls of which you run a most desperate hazard by forsaking that Church which is acknowledged by your selves to have been once the true Church meerly upon Luthers hare word that it hath lost the true faith Consider thirdly that since there is no other Church now in the world but the Roman Church which holds the same way and manner of deciding controversies which the Primitivs church held nay nor hath any means to procure such a judge for want of a head to call and confirm a Generall Councel and Bishops to consult enact and see that the inferiour Pastours put in execution what was enacted Hence it follows that the Roman Church is the onely true Church of Christ The fourth Point Consider lastly that since Sectaries reject the authority of the Popes nor can have General Councels and consequently no living judge they must fly either to scripture alone or to the private spirit As for the scripture first it cannot perform the Office

since almost each Saint wrought so many Ponder this Admire this Gloria haec est omnibus Sanctis ejus this glory of working miracles is proper onely to the Saints of Gods Church and therefore those who have been priviledged with power to work these are the Saints of his Church The third Point Consider now what confirmation any of these modern Sects hath from Miracles none at all Luther and Calvin knew full well that Miracles were great marks signes of true doctrine and therefore to authorize themselves they attempted these Luther began to dispossesse a certain Wench a spiritual daughter of his but insteed of delivering her from the injury himself fell into his hands for the Devill setting upon him almost kild him as Staphysus eye witnesses report His second attempt was to raise from death a man drowned in the river Elbe Nesenus by name he comes to the place with a retinue of his new Prosellytes and others he views the body mutters some obscure words seconded with various changes of his countenance but the man stirred not at which Luther went away not a little confounded Calvin agreed underhand with a poore man called Bruley upon promise of some temporal succour that he should fain himself sick and seemingly grow worse and worse and at length die all this begun to be acted as was agreed upon Calvin is called to the poor mans house he comes with a great deal of gravity and resentment people flock apace and a greater blind is made just as the man dies Calvin takes hold of his hand and conjures him in the name of God to rise but by the just judgement of God the man proves to be really dead the poor mans wife conscious of their combining together charges Calvin with the death of her husband and discovers to Calvins shame the whole designe and thus stands the case with Sectaries in point of Miracles no no God will not with his seal confirm lyes heresies blasphemies The fourth Point Consider now some sequels derived out of the former points first one of the main reasons why Sectaries calumniate inveigh so much against some Miracles for many they cannot deny done by the Roman Catholikes is because they have none themselves and by good consequence they have not the true Church amongst them since they have not this mark which the Scripture attributes to Christs Church Secondly that the above mentioned holy fathers were all Roman Catholicks even for this very reason if there were no other to wit because they recount the Miracles of other Saints praise them and urge them as an impregnable argument against Hereticks this thing is most worthy of consideration Thirdly that the Church of Christ is onely amongst the Roman Catholicks since onely true miracles many and most strange ones were done by them and are done by them even in these our dayes And now thou O Lord who art wonderfull in thy Saints work thy wonted wonders and restore sight to those souls who have the eyes of their under standings so in a manner put out by ignorance passion or malice that they cannot see this mark of mighty Miracles upon thy Church Open with that thy Ephphata those Ears that will not hear thy Church which thou commands upon pain of being reputed no better than Heathenish should be heard Say to the lame Rise and Walk direct the footsteps of those that stray even out of that in which fools cannot go amisse that so all may return to thy Church their best House and Home Amen The sixth Meditation Of Sanctity of life The first Point COnsider first that sanctity and perfection which consists in a perfect accomplishment of the divine Will and a conformity of humane will to it is a mark of Christs true Church The holy Scriptures are most copious in the proof of this Sanctity becomes thy House O Lord unto the length of dayes to wit for ever thus King David expresses this mark immediately after that of miracles and the other marks in these words Testimonia tua credibilia facta sunt nimis to those that are members of Christs Church saies Saint Paul The Temple of God is holy which Temple you are and God himself sayes Beye holy because I am holy our Saviour inculcated this truth often Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you and ordained you that you go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain and again he sayes in plain terms that by their fruits you shall know them Man is the Tree saies S. Austin and his actions are the fruit in fine our Lord sayes to all the members of his Church Be ye perfect even as your heavenly father is perfect Hence appears evidently that sanctity and perfection is a mark of Christs true Church And Hence must be inferred that where this is wanting there the true Church of Christ hath no being where this is truly found there is the true Church discovered Be thou therefore an impartial judge in this point of Sanctity without which in some degree there is no salvation to be hoped for 1 beg the assistance of divine grace that no self ends or worldly interests no prejudice or passion may disturbe thee or hinder thee in this search after true Sanctity and the Communion of Saints which are onely to be found in the holy Catholike Church The second Point To understand how truly true Sanctity and perfection hath been taken to heart alwayes amongst Roman Catholicks Consider these three things following First the means their Religion affords them for the acquiring of true Sanctity Secondly The use they make of such means Thirdly The number and multitude of their Saints Consider therefore 1. That all the helps and requisites which the study of perfection can stand in need of are to be had amongst them to acquire the benefits of divine grace and justification as also to increase the same and to recover them again being lost As 1. The holy Sacraments are the main means now who makes any doubt but that the Roman Catholicks make most frequent and Religious use of these but especially the holy SACRAMENT of the ALTAR and that of Confession which is alwayes accompanied with the exercise of many Acts of other vertues as humility sorrow good purposes victory over ones self Faith Hope and Charity they find by daily experience to be great helps to vertue 2. Their form of worship and that divine Sacrifice of holy Masse which all antiquity ever honoured is both a motive to all acts of vertue a means to obtain vertue and a work upon which all vertues attend it is both impretatory and propitiatory in the highest degree 3. Another great furtherer most efficacious means to vertue is Prayer both mentall and vocall to the good and frequent performance of which as the Roman Catholicks are most conformable to the Counsell of our Saviour by being most addicted to it of all