Selected quad for the lemma: faith_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
faith_n	article_n	church_n	fundamental_a	4,539	5	10.3758	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A37176	Good counsells for the peace of reformed churches by some reverend and learned bishops and other divines ; translated out of Latine.	Dury, John, 1596-1680.; Davenant, John, ca. 1572-1641.; Morton, Thomas, 1564-1659.; Hall, Joseph, 1574-1656.; Ussher, James, 1581-1656.	1641 (1641)	Wing D319; ESTC R15642	50,356	151

there are built certain Points of Schoole-divinity about which alone we so hotly contend but what are these to a Christian What are these to Salvation In what a safe and quiet state might the affaires of Christendome have been if such nice Disputes of curious and over-busie heads had never been heard of if learned men could have contented thēselves with some generall formes of expressing the Trueth and not presently to have sifted Divinity so over-nearly as they have done But seeing these strifes which are not onely unprofitable but very hurtfull and prejudiciall to both sides are thus unfortunately raised what better advice can be thought upon for the setling and composing of these stirres than that the Faith be brought back againe to its primitive simplicitie and plainenesse by the publike authority and joynt consent of the Christian Church And that in this confused mixture and multiplicity of matters of beleife the Christian world be taught warily to distinguish betwixt the genuine and proper Articles of Faith and the lesse necessary additions of Schoole-conclusions which truely in this very businesse is a matter of no great difficulty to performe This especially is fundamentall Christ is both God and Man and so likewise this Christ God and Man is truely omniscient omnipotent omnipresent now if any shall adde further Iesus Christ according to his humane nature is omniscient omnipotent omnipresent truely that word according seemes to be farre off from the Foundation 't is a Scholasticall notion and to be turned over to profest Divines but it is not fit the Salvation of plaine and illiterate Christians should be made to hang and depend upon such a subtle and nice Point as this is Can these knowe or are they bound to know how farre the vertue of the hypostaticall Union extend's it selfe or what the bounds are either of those faculties or operations which flow from that union of the two natures Certainely if God had intended this for a necessary Point to be knowne by all men he would not so sparingly and obscurely have revealed unto his Church a mystery so fundamentall and important I dispute not the trueth of the Point nor is this pertinent to my purpose onely I question whether it be of necessity to be beleived Let us view a comparison betwixt things humane divine although what similitude can there bee'twixt Earth and Heaven Man consists of a soule and a body united one to the other and yet notwithstanding each part hath its severall properties and actions which are usually attributed and that very rightly too to the whole the whole man hath the use of sense doth understand eat walke sleep dye thus much even sense reason doth unanswerably evince will any man Hereupon say that this also is of equall necessity to be knowne man according to his body hath the use of sense and reason and according to his soule he doth eat walke sleep and dye Truly the same that Reason is in respect of intelligible matters the same is Faith in things spirituall and divine I am not ignorant how much they differ in their Subjects yet neverthelesse the necessity of the things which are either to be known or beleived is alike different in both Such Trueths therefore as are certaine such as are necessarily to be beleived and apparently fundamentall let us all unanimously embrace and professe them as for the rest let Divines if they please busie their heads with them but let not the plaine common sort of Christians trouble themselves about them more than needs But if it may seeme to make any thing for the publike Peace that we come as neare as we can one to another in the formes and manner of expression let us but say as * Hier Zanchy sometimes alledged out of Innocent and the Schoole-men that even Christ's humane nature according to its personall essence is omnipresent c. and I see no reason why both sides may not nay will not readily consent and agree to it Here let us fixe let neither side proceed any further beyond this and wee are safe In the Point of the Sacrament this is certaine and fundamentall that the true and essentiall body and blood of Christ is truely present offered and received in that holy Supper but whether or no it be corporally present in the Bread Wine whether or no by a supernaturall vertue of the consecrated Elements it be orally received and eaten even by wicked and unworthy Communicants this is a matter of Theologicall Dispute and such as in the judgement of Luther Melanchthon Iustus Ionas Osiander Brentius Stephanus Agricola yea of Oecolampadius Zuinglius Bucer Hedio ought not to infringe Christian love and Charity And upon this promising signe was begun that famous Agreement at Marpurge in the yeare 1529. That likewise is well worthy to be kept in perpetuall memory which is related concerning the meeting at Witemberge in the yeare 1536 by Ludovicus Rabus Pastor at Vlme in his History of Martyrs with whom agree's Iohn Swiccius Pastor at Constance cited by Hospinian who was there present at that time and 't is to be seen likewise in the English writings of Bucer there were present at that Meeting of the one side Capito Bucer Musculus and the rest of the more eminent Divines out of the cheife Imperiall Cities in high Germany of the other side Luther Philip Ionas Pomeranus Cruciger with other Doctors Preachers of Witemberge and after some expostulations and divers Speeches to and fro wherein both sides freely fairely delivered their Opinions at length Luther stepping a litle aside with his Associates and conferring with them about it concluded with these words If yee beleive and teach that in the holy Supper the very body and the very blood of Christ is offered given and received and not the bare signes bread and Wine and that such giving and receiving is true and reall not onely imaginary the strife betwixt us is at an end and we doe acknowledge receive you as our deare Brethren in the Lord All this Bucer Capito and the rest plainely and freely affirmed whereupon they joyned hands and so parted Indeed the waters were then calme and quiet not tossed with any stormy and tempestuous winds and therefore they did clearely shew and represent the face of Trueth Why doe not we in like manner now at last begin to be wise And having passed those tempestuous and troublesome times which afterwards followed why doe we not sit downe and rest our selves in this old and safe harbour of Peace and Unity Concerning the Point of Praedestination how doth the Church of Christ groane under the burden of a number of huge high-swolne Volumes Yet when wee have done all we can and wearied our selves and the Christian world with our wrangling pens this will still remaine to be knowne and beleived by all men 1. that God from all eternity out of his meere good pleasure did immutably elect some

hainous offence against the sacred Majestie of God Here then we may behold that grand let whereby the Reformed Churches to their great greife of heart are forced to shunne a Communion with the Church of Rome For so farre in love is shee with her Idolls and so rigorously doth shee impose the worshipping of them upon all her children that no man can be admitted into her Communion at least not continue in it unlesse he will become a notorious and down-right Idolater If the case so stood that the Germane Churches could not enter into and enjoy a blessed Unity and Peace one with another except they must be required and bound either to practise an Idolatrous worship or at the least to beleive and professe that such practice is not unlawfull I would not stick to affirme that a Communion which cannot be had but upon such hard conditions is indeed impossible to bee had since as Lawyers use to speake wee can doe onely so much as may lawfully be done by us And here we have just cause to blesse God that the Reformed Churches although they have not the happinesse to agree in all matters of lesser moment yet doe they all of them by his grace unanimously conspire joyne together against Idolatry so as not onely to condemne but also to beat downe and abolish it insomuch that if at this very houre they were all disposed and desirous to joyne hands and strike a league of amity and union it might be done without any the least danger of Idolatry Away then with that pretended impossibility of a Reconciliation grounded upon the perill of Idolatry nor let any such false surmises weaken the heart or hands of any religious Christian from going on with so good a worke The third last Obstacle which doth block up the way to an union render's it impossible is the differing of severall Churches about some fundamental point of Faith necessary to be knowne and beleived by every christian upon paine perill of eternall damnation so as that the one side doth solidly hold and maintaine it the other heretically denie's and oppose's it For to be at peace with Heretickes who goe about to undermine and subvert the foundation of our Christian faith what is it else but to revolt from Christ the rocke on which the Church is founded built Of this last Obstacle because it is of speciall use and moment I shall treate somewhat more at large In the first place therefore I conceive that to be a Fundamentall point which by the ordination of God revealing such a truth is of such necessity unto salvation to be knowne and assented unto as that a bare Ignorance much more a wilfull Opposition of it carries with it a certaine perill of exclusion from the kingdome of heaven Divines now-adaies have no Commission to invent or coine any new Articles of this nature and obtrude them on Gods Church that which was not fundamentall in the Apostolicall and Primitive times all our assertions and altercations and Anathema's will never bee able to make it such These first and fundamentall Trueths collected out of the whole body of the Scriptures put together in the Apostles Creed make up that Rule of Faith which S. Austin terme's pusillis magnisque communem a commom Rule for all men both great small and which is by him accounted necessary to bee beleived constantly by all Concerning the which that speech of Hilary also is much to the same effect 't is our safest and best course to hold fast that first onely-Evangelicall Faith which we made confession of at our Baptisme And to these fundamentall Trueths the Apostle I beleive had an eye when he stiled Titus his owne sonne {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} after the common Faith This common Faith laid downe in the Apostles Creed proposeth to all Christians to be beleived by them the wonderfull Production of all creatures out of nothing the unsearchable mysterie of the glorious Trinitie the fruit benefit that redound's to miserable sinners from the Incarnation Passion Resurrection and Glorification of Christ what follow's thereupon the Redemption of mankind the Sanctification of the Elect the Communion of Saints the Remission of sins the Resurrection of mens bodies and the Glorifying of the Faithfull He that beleive's all which wee have here comprised in this short Creed and endeavour's to lead his life according to the Commandements and Precepts of our Saviour Christ cannot justly be denied the title of a Christian nor expelled the fellowship and communion of any Christian Church whatsoever On the other side He that shall deny or oppose any one of the said Articles although he arrogate to himselfe the name of a Christian yet is he to be excluded and banished the society of all orthodoxe and sound Christians Besides these there are I confesse many other Trueths contained in the Scriptures and deducible from thence by good and solid consequence which are very profitable to be knowne and of singular use to further us in the knowledge of Divinity but they are then only and not otherwise necessary to be beleived under paine of forfeiture of our salvation or communion with the Church when 't is clearely evidenced unto us that they are contained in Gods word or may necessarily be inferred from it In these points therefore if any particular Church cannot make the Trueth which she her selfe beleive's so cleare and manifest to other Churches as thereby to winne them over to the same beleife shee must forsake them in their Errours but by no meanes may she because of such errours deny them her charity and Communion I adde further that if it should happen that two Churches should vary about some particular place of holy Writ the one conceiving that it confirme's a fundamentall point of Faith and the other thinking that it doth not so yet is not such a difference as this a sufficient cause why they should fall at odds and separate one from another so long as they agree both of them in the Point it selfe and acknowledge it to have cleare solid foundation in other places of God's word And last of all this may be added yet further that 't is not a thing impossible nor any way contrary to the duety of good Christians to entertaine a communion with those Churches which hold such a doctrine as seemes to us inconsistent with some fundamentall Trueth so that in the meane while they doe expresly beleive professe that fundamentall Trueth it selfe For 't is utterly against all Charity yea and Reason too that a man should be thought meerely for some consequences which he neither apprehend's nor grants to deny and reject a fundamentall point which yet he strongly beleives expresly affirme's yea and if need so required would not stick to seale the trueth of it with his dearest blood How much truer and more charitable is that opinion of a grave and moderate Divine

's generation and the procession of the holy Ghost are likewise fundamentall and of equall necessity with the former ought to be determined one way that man should deserve but litle thanks from Christ and his Church by such his rash and inconsiderate assertion So likewise that our Lord Jesus Christ is both God and Man that he hath both natures divine and humane inseparably united in one Person and that we have salvation onely by this God incarnate all this is fundamentall or rather 't is that firme immoveable foundation whereon the whole Catholike saving Faith is built but yet notwithstanding we must not think that whatsoever may be questioned and debated about the ineffable manner of that union betwixt the two natures or the manner how his body is present in the blessed Sacrament as also concerning the Communication of Properties unto the humane nature by vertue of its union with the Divinity or touching the actions and operations of his Humanity depending upon the said Union wee must not I say imagine that all these belong to Fundamentall Faith but rather to Theologicall Science or perhaps not so neither but onely to the vaine curiosity of some particular Divines Let them therefore make this their first and maine businesse carefully to distinguish betwixt fundamentall points and others that are not so and let them not think that whatsoever is appendant and bordering upon a fundamentall point must therefore forth with be it selfe fundamentall When this is once done their next care must be that these fundamentalls be expressed and published after a breife and perspicuous manner and propounded to the publike acceptation and approbation of all the Churches Certa semper sunt in paucis saith Tertullian certaine and undoubted Trueths are not many and they are such as maybe delivered in a few words whatsoever is necessary for a Christian man's salvation to be knowne by him and whatsoever is conducible to render us holy or eternally happy it is all of it plaine and obvious Here 's no use either of subtle acute distinctions or of any long and tedious explications which are oftimes used not for the building up of Christians in the fundamentall faith but rather to favour and further the different opinions of private Doctors In a word here 's no use of any Metaphysicall formalities and abstracted notions which serve only to perplex and confound the learned and to deterre such as are unlearned from embracing the Catholike Faith but doe not any way encline the hearts either of one or other to yeild assent and beleife to the fundamentall points of Faith After they have proceeded thus far having drawn up a breife and plaine Forme of all such Points as are by them judged to appertaine unto the substance of that common Faith which is necessary to be known and professed by all Churches having passed by left undecided all such points as are not so generally received agreed upon in the next place moderate peaceable Divines should labour to exhort and perswade all the rest that they would quietly lay aside all controversies and contentions about such points as good Christians may safely be ignorant of without hazard of their salvation and that they would not quarrell any longer about thē to the danger of the Church the losse of her Peace and the scandall of Schisme which is thereby like to fall upon her Of what good use and necessity this advice is may be clearely seen from the rashnesse of the Church of Rome and her clean contrary practice herein who being not content with those Articles delivered in the Apostles Creed and Nicene Creed will needs obtrude upon the Christian world those other new-coin'd Articles of the Trent-conventicle and hath thereby ministred occasion of a perpetuall rent and Schisme amongst the Churches How much more prudently did that blessed Martyr and most learned Father of his Times S. Cyprian behave himselfe who professeth that he would not for difference in opinion contend or strive with any man nor would he break the peace of our Lord with his Brethren or cast off any man from his communion because he was of a different minde from him By which his Christian charity and moderation S. Cyprian though in an errour deserved better of the Church than Stephen Bishop of Rome who was in the right and did by his unquiet spirit as much as in him lay to rend and teare asunder the Churches Thus warranted by the example of this blessed Martyr and likewise by the judgement of S. Austin herein I need not stick to affirme that amongst the Doctors and Divines of Germany those who are in the errour and yet are willing and desirous to retaine a brotherly Communion with the rest are freer further from Schisme in Gods sight than they who are in the Trueth withall disdaine and deny to entertaine such a Communiō with other Churches which seek and sue for it If therefore they can but get an universall consent in all Fundamentalls though in other things there bee some difference amongst private Doctors yet let them all joyne their votes and voices in this prayer to God nulla salus bello pacem te poscimus omnes no safety can be had or hoped for in warre therefore give peace in our time ô Lord But if any here shall demand what course is to be taken about such Controversies as cannot be decided and agreed upon that they may not give any occasion whereby this Peace and Union of the Churches should be hindered or being obtained should afterwards be disturbed and lost I will set down some few rules which to me seeme worthy the observation and practice of Divines on both sides First that whatsoever tart and bitter passages have formerly slipt from Adversaries either by word or writing amids the heat of disputation they should all be pardond on both sides for the publike good and for ever after buried in silence and oblivion And if it happen that any of those books and writings should afterwards he reprinted before they passe the Presse let them first be purged of all gall bitternesse which otherwise would but rub up and renew the old sore of strife contention amongst brethren Secondly Because no man can with patience heare himselfe branded with Heresie heed must be taken that none be slandered with the name of Nestorian Eutychian or any other condemned Hereticke so long as he doth expresly denie and disclaime the damn'd Opinions of such Hereticks seeing it is utterly impossible that ever they should continue firme in a brotherly Communion and concord who for every petty difference in Opinion cease not by such reproachfull and reviling termes to provoke and exasperate one another And it were to be wished further that those siding names of Lutherans Zuinglians Calvinists were all laid aside which are badges rather of Faction than any fraternall Union anh such as the ancient Fathers could never approve of

and readily professe without any doubt or scruple O what enimies are we to Peace if we will yet needs quarrell amongst our selves In all this I wish we would carefully remember that usefull distinction of Iohn Gerson esse quaedam de necessitate fidei quaedam verò de fidei devotione that there are some things essentiall and necessary to Faith other some things which shee piously and devoutly beleives but yet they are not of such necessity as the other the former are such as may not so much as bee once doubted of but these latter may admit of an {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} we may safely either suspend our assent unto them or positively dissent from them The second Article wherein they differ is concerning the manner of receiving Christ in the Eucharist Both agree that Christ's body is truly and really given taken and eaten in this Sacrament together with the outward Elements All the question is concerning Vnworthy receivers An unworthy Question truly it is that the publike Peace should any way be disturbed about it We willingly grant both of us that even such as are Vnworthy doe eat that which by a sacramentall Union is Christ's body and that therefore they are guilty of the body and blood of Jesus Christ What doe wee now making any more adoe about the manner of their eating whether it be Orall or not Let Christians make this their care that they thēselves may be found worthy Communicants and let them not trouble themselves to knowe how those which are unworthy are partakers of Christ How farre the vertue of that Sacramental Union extends it selfe and whether the manner of this eating be Orall or Spirituall let the Schools dispute it Christians need not be too curious in enquiring after it nor is it fit wee should disquiet the Churche's Peace by refusing to indulge mutually one another a liberty of Opinion in such nice Points The third Article is that fatall Point of Praedestination about which Divines of both sides expresse themselves variously but yet modestly and discreetly In many things and such as are of most moment their judgements on both sides are the same as that election is most free proceeding from the meere mercy of God that God found not any cause or occasion in those whom hee elected the sight whereof might move him to chuse them rather than others but that he did from all eternity reprobate and praedestinate to eternall damnation such as persevere and persist in their sinnes and infidelity not by any rigid and absolute decree without having any respect or regard to sin but out of his most just judgement so as all the cause the blame of it ought to be sought for in the men themselves In this they are at a stand that the foresight of Faith and Perseverance is by the reverend Divines of Saxony placed before the act of God's Election so as God did from everlasting foreordaine such as he fore-saw would in time beleive c. Certainly of all the Questions about Praedestination this concerning the order of his Decree is least materiall seeing we know assuredly that the infinite all-wise disposer of things performes all this with one single most simple act There is nothing more certain than that God did foresee who would beleive and that he did praedestinate such as should be saved let but this then be granted which they of Saxony willingly professe that Faith is the sole gift of God and that whatsoever good there is in the Elect all of it doth originally proceed from the free grace meere mercy of God which was bestowed on them in Jesus Christ from all Eternity I say let this be granted and doubtlesse there can be no danger in that Opinion of Praevision or fore-sight God from everlasting fore-saw that which he himselfe from everlasting decreed to bestow in time upon such as should beleive All this is sound and safe nor is there any cause why any further strife contention should be made here about In all this I embrace and applaud this Christian and brotherly moderation and holy desires of Peace thus it becomes Christians thus it becomes Divines I am much deceived if this modest and seasonable appeasing and calming of men's minds doe's not promise a firme and perpetuall Peace to God's Church Thou God of Peace in thy good time accomplish it give eare to the prayers of thy People and grant that all Christians may be of one heart and one way till at length we come by Thee who art the Way to Thee who art the Life Amen Amen From the Palace at Exceter Febr. 25. 1634. Which is the humble daily and devout prayer of JOS EXON Afterwards the same Mr John Dury sent unto the Ld Bishop of Exceter a Coppy of a certaine pious and peaceable Decree made published by a generall vote at a publike Meeting of the States in Franckfort requesting his Opinion concerning the meanes and manner how this good worke might be advanced whereunto he had returned him this Answer TO HIS MOST FAITHfull learned and loving freind Mr JOHN DURY all happinesse SIR I Have read over with a great deale of delight the Transcript you sent me of that Decree for Peace which was lately signed by all the Protestant States and Delegates assembled at Franckfort than which Decree nothing in my Opinion could possibly have been devised more full of prudence and religion nor doe I see as the case now stand's what more could be once hoped for or what could possibly have beene proposed and resolved upon that might more conduce to the advancement of the publike Peace which all good men so much wish and desire Thus it was meet that the holy Citizens of God's Church that pious Princes and Peeres should thus carefully provide for the Peace and safety of Christendome And blessed be God the bestower of every good gift the Author of Peace who did put into their noble hearts those holy desires and purposes may the same good God be pleased at length to finish this his owne work so hopefully begun and crowne it with successe And truely neither our prayers nor our utmost endeavours shall ever be wanting hereunto neither know I well upon what hopes it is but methinkes my mind doth confidently promise and praesage a happy issue to this holy enterprise For indeed what a small and slender hedge is it which now divide's and part 's us We doe all of us of the Reformation receive and approve the same Scriptures the same Creeds the same Augustane Confession onely in one Article the sense is so doubtfully expressed that the Author himselfe did not thinke it safe to adhere to the letter of it The foundation of the Christian Faith is amongst us all one and the same entire and unshaken there 's not so much as one stone in it or the least peice of coement about which any question either is or can be made Upon this Foundation