Selected quad for the lemma: faith_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
faith_n	believe_v	church_n	creed_n	9,079	5	10.7231	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55520	An interpretation of the number 666 wherein, not onely the manner, how this number ought to be interpreted, is clearely proved and demonstrated : but it is also shewed [that] this number is an exquisite and perfect character, truly, exactly, and essentially describing that state of government to [which] all other notes of Antichrist doe agree : with all knowne objections solidly and fully answered [that] can be materially made against it / by Francis Potter ...	Potter, Francis, 1594-1678.	1642 (1642)	Wing P3028; ESTC R40657	113,466	230

Beati Petri Apostolorum Haec est fides Patrum Haec est fides Orthodoxorum I have noted three things in which the number 25 is applicable unto it First concerning the number of Prelates there assembled in the first Session the History of the Councell of Trent lib. 2. pag. 130. plainly testifieth that the number of all the Prelates then and there assembled was 25. And although the number of Prelates was afterwards in other Sessions increased and continually altered and changed yet this first Session was that which gave nomen esle to the Councell and therefore the number of Prelates assembled in this Session is most remarkable rather to be observed then in any other Secondly concerning the number of Sessions and that the whole Councell is divided into 25 Sessions all editions of that Councell doe testifie and the books themselves will be as a thousand witnesses untill the end of the world And lastly it is witnessed by the same books also that the number of Popish Archbishops which subscribed to this Councell was 25 and although many other Bishops and Legates and Abbats others subscribed also yet the number of Archbishops is more remarkable then any of the rest because as Bishops who ought chiefly if not only to have decisive voices in generall Councells are virtually and representatively their whole subordinate Clergie so they themselves especially in the Romish Hierarchie are virtually and representatively contained in their Archbishops It might be here as I believe truly added that the number of all the Decrees of this Councell of Trent was also 25. I meane of such a For the other Decrees which concerne either the beginning continuing prorogueing translating or ending of the Councell or of any Session or which concern safe conducts are matters of meere formality and unavoidable necessity and are not to be numbred with the Decrees of the Councell nor were read when the Decrees were cōfirmed as the last act of the Councell witnesseth Decrees as concerne matters of faith reformation which onely are to be accounted for the Decrees of the Councell because these only were read and confirmed in this Councel as appeareth by the last words of the last Session but because it is hard to set downe any one certain number of them and because it is already proved by that which is above said that the number 25 is more remarkable in this Councel then any one other number therefore I passe now to that Creed and forme of profession of the Romish faith which was composed by Pope Pius the fourth according to the doctrine of the Councell of Trent by which Creed it is evident that they have increased the number of the Articles of the faith from twelve unto twenty five as by the Creed it selfe here written verbatim out of Pope Pius his Bull may evidently appeare 1 Credo in unum Deum patrem omnipotentem factorem Coeli Terrae visibilium omnium invisibilium It is evident that some Articles of the Apostles Creed were believed by the Iewes and were Arti le● of their saith before our ●aviour Christ came in the flesh The Iewes then did and doe y●t believe one God the father almighty they did believe the holy Catholike Church the Communian of Sa●nts the forgivenesse of sinnes the resurrection of the flesh and life everlasting A● therefore the Apostles did not make de novo all the Articles of their Cree● but did ●nely adde certaine articles to that faith which was formerly believed in the Church pretending and that truly that this their addition was implicitely contained in that saith which the Jewes did then professe concerning the Messias which was to cowe So Antichrist was not to make de novo al the Articles of that Creed which he was to professe but was only to adde as it were one moitie to that faith which was formerly believed in the Church pretending but falsly as it behooved Antichrist to doe that this his addition was implicitly contained in the Creed which was formerly professed in the Church 2 Et in unum Dominum Iesum Christum filium Dei unigenitum expatre natum ante omnia secula Deum de Deo Lumen de Lumine Deum verum de Deo vero genitum non factum consubstantiolem patri per quem omnia facta sunt 3 Qui propter nos homines propter nostram salutem descendit de Caelis incarnatus est de Spiritu sancto ex Maria Virgine homo factus est 4 Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato passus sepultus est 5 Et resurrexit tertiâ die secundùm Scripturas 6 Et ascendit ad Coelum sedet ad dextram patris 7 Et iterum venturus est cum gloria judicare vivos mortuos cuius regni non erit finis 8 Et in Spiritum sanctum Dominum vivificantem qui expatre filioque procedit qui cum patre filio simul adoratur conglorificatur qui loquutus est per Prophetas 9 Et unam sanctam Catholicam Apostolicam Ecclesiam 10 Confiteor unum Baptisma in remissionem peccatorum 11 Et expecto resurrectionem Mortuorum 12 Er vitam venturi saeculi Amen 13 Apostolicas Ecclesiasticas traditiones reliquasque ejusdem Ecclesiae observationes constitutiones firmissimè admitto amplector 14 Item sacram Scripturam juxta eum sensum quem tenuit tenet sancta mater Ecclesia cujus est judicare de vero sensu interpretatione sacrarum Scripturarum admitto nec eam unquam nisi juxta unanimem consensum Patrum accipiam interpretabor 15 Profiteor quoque septem esse verè proprié sacramenta novae legis à Jesu Christo Domino nostro instituta atque ad salutem humani generis licet non omnia singulis necessaria scilicet Baptismum Confirmationem Eucharistiam Panitentiam Ordinem Extremam Vnctionem Matrimonium illaque gratiam conferre ex his Baptismum Confirmationem Ordinem sine sacrilegio reiterari non posse 16 Receptos quoque Approbatos Ecclesiae Catholicae Ritus in supradictorum omnium sacramentorum solenni administratione recipio admitto 17 Omnia singula quae de peccato originali de justificatione in sacrosanctà Tridentiná Sy nodo definita declarata fuerunt amplector recipio 18 Profiteor pariter in Missa offerri Deo verum proprium propitiatorium sacrificium pro vivis defunctis atque in sanctissimo Bucharistiae sacramento esse verè realiter substanti aliter corpus sanguinem unà cum anima ●● Divinitate Domini nostri Iesu Christ fierique conversionem totius substantiae panis in corpus totius substantiae vini in sanguinem quam conversionem Catholica Ecclesia transubstantiationem appellat 19 Fateor etiam sub altera tantùm specie totum atque integrum Christum verumque Sacramentum sumi 20 Constanter teneo Purgatorium esse animasque ibi

answerable to those ancient Tribes of Hierusalem and Rome although called by another name and changed to another number And thus much of things answering to the Tribes of the new Hierusalem Jn the next place it is to be observed that in every one of these Parishes there was some publique place of meeting appointed or some Church erected for the administration of Baptisme these places or Churches in the City of Rome are fitly answerable to those Churches in the literall Hierusalem which were the first Gates of the spirituall Hierusalem For as it is above declared that every particular Church may for divers reasons be said to be a gate of the Church universall but especially in respect of the administration of baptisme which literally and properly is the Gate of the Church so these Churches in the City of Rome which are named Baptismall Churches as it is a By D. Field observed because in these only Baptisme was originally administred are in this respect as also in divers others properly and exactly answerable to those Gates of the Spirituall Hierusalem That there were such Churches as these and that to every one of these Churches there was at the first but one Priest appointed as there was one Angell placed at every Gate of the celestiall Hierusalem is evident by that which Onuphrius hath written and by the testimonies of divers other writers whose words J shall have occasion to set downe when I come to speake of the number of these Churches But when these Parish Preists degenerated into Cardinalls and were made a Colledge and Corporation exercising a new kind of superepiscopall jurisdiction in and over these churches then was the birth of Antichrist then did Antichrist really and truly and literally and locally sit first in these christian churches at Rome and from thence his pseudo-apostolicall Authority hath been obtruded and imposed upon other churches By which it is evident that as some interpreters doe make the Apostles themselves although in divers respects to be the Gates the Angells and the foundations of the celestiall Hierusalem so the Cardinalls in one respect may be said to be the first Gates of the Church of Rome because at their first institution the administration of Baptisme was committed unto them only and in another respect they may be called Angels because they were Pastors of the first parish churches in Rome and lastly they may be truly said to have been the first Foundation stones on which the Popish Hierarchie hath been ever since erected as it is above more fully and particularly declared I doe not forget that some writers doe interpret these twelve Foundations to be the twelve Articles of the Creed but I passe over this interpretation in this place not because the Pope hath not a Creed consisting of twentie and five Articles answerable to those of the Apostles but because I conceive the 12 Articles of the Creed to be chiefly and directly aymed at by the twelve manner of fruits growing on the tree of life as in the sixth and last place shall be observed And thus much in generall of things sometime actually existing in Rome answerable to the Gates Tribes Angels and Foundations sometime actually existing in the new Hierusalem and that according to all senses which way soever they may with any probability be interpreted concerning all which I doe oblige my selfe to prove that there were 25 Gates in Rome according to the sense literall 25 Churches for Baptisme according to the sense spirituall and 25 Pastors placed at these Churches and 25 Cardinals sitting and ruling in them and 25 Titles Tribes or Parishes belonging to them CHAP. 18. Of such things as are answerable to the measure of 12000 furlongs and the 12 manner of fruits growing on the tree of life The conclusion of all that hath been said concerning the Antithesis of things in generall as it is distinguished from that Antithesis of numbers which is next to be proved IN the next place it comes to be inquired what that is in the City of Antichrist which is answerable to the measure of 12 thousand furlongs by which as it is above shewed the true compasse of that City in which Christ did first and chiefly erect his Church and Hierarchie is truly although mystically declared To which J answer that as the number 12 having thousands of furlongs added unto it is the truesolid measure of an imaginarie Cube whose compasse is equall to the compasse of the city Hierusalem so the number 25 having thousands of furlongs added to it is the true solid measure of that imaginary Cube whose compasse is equall to the compasse of the city of Rome I will not here trouble the reader with Arithmeticall computations let those that have understanding to extract the Roots of numbers either believe me or else finde out themselves what is the solid root of 25000 and they shall be then resolved that a Cube of 25 thousand Furlongs is in compasse 116 furlongs and above 3 quarters of a furlong that is 14 miles and an halfe and almost halfe a quarter of a mile which measure how fitly it agreeth with the circuit and compasse of the city of Rome shall in it's place be evidently declared It remaineth now in the sixth and last place to be considered what is meant by the 12 manner of Fruits growing on the tree of life and what those things are in the Church of Rome answerable unto them This tree of life in the midst of the city is Christ in the midst of his Church these 12 Fruits are that food by which Christians live and are nourished up unto everlasting life and that food by which Christians live is Faith For all just men live by Faith as it is written and by every word that proccedeth out of the mouth of God but the Apostles creed is the only true faith because it is the materiall object of every Christian man's faith and a perfect summe of the doctrine of Christian religion gathered out of the Scriptures and containing all truthes necessary to be believed and therefore whosoever confesseth with his mouth and believeth with his heart all the Articles of the creed he doth truly eat of all those fruits which grow on this tree of life Now because the creed of the Apostles did originally proceed from 12 persons doth naturally branch it selfe into 12 Articles as it hath been long since actually divided therefore J doubt not but that this is that particular truth really and actually existing in the Church to which these 12 manner of Fruits have a speciall and evident allusion Now as touching the Romish faith J shall make it evident that the Papists have added new Articles to the Apostles creed and have increased the number from 12 unto 25 For whether we take the councell of Trent it selfe to be the faith and doctrine of the Church of Rome or that Creed which was composed and set forth by Pope Pius the fourth according to

detentas fidelium suffragiis juvari 21 Similiter sanctos unà cum Christo regnantes venerandos atque inrocandos esse eosque orationes Deo pro nobis offerre atque eorum reliquias esse venerandas 22 Firmissimè assero Imagines Christi ac Daiparae semper Virginis nec non aliorum sanctorum habendas retinendas esse atque iis debitum honorem ac venerationem impertiendam 23 Indulgentiarum etiam potestatem à Christo in Ecclesia relictam fuisse illarumque usum Christiano populo maximè salutarem esse affirmo 24 Sanctam Catholicam Apostolicam Romanam Ecclesiam omnium Ecclesiarum Matrem Magistram agnosco Romanoque pontifici beati Petri Apostolorum principis successori ac Iesu Christi Vicario veram obedientiam spondeo ac juro 25 Caetera item omnia â Sacris Canonibus oecumenicis Conciliis ac praecipuè à sacrosanctà Tridentinâ Synodo tradita desinita declarata indubitanter recipio atque profiteor simulque contraria omnia atque haereses quaseunque ab Ecclesia damnatas rejectas anathematizata● ego pariter damno rejicio anathematizo The words which follow next in the Bull which are these Hanc veram Catholicam fidem c. doe suppose and intimate that a perfect forme of the Catholike faith is premised and formerly declared wherefore J suppose that it cannot be denied either that this Creed endeth in this place or that it is not aptly and fitly divided and distinguished into 25 Articles For supposing the first part of this Creed wherein we agree with the Papists to be distributed into 12 Articles as commonly it is and as no man that is a Christian will deny J doe upon this supposition appeale unto any man whether this whole Creed can with any tolerable conveniencie be distributed either into a greater number of Articles without separating such things as are in themselves united or into a lesser without confounding such things as are in themselves to be distinguished If it be objected that the 12 Articles of the Christian faith ought not to be accounted as part of Antichrists Creed and that this application would better fit Antichrist if that addition onely which he hath made unto the Apostles Creed either were or conveniently might be divided into 25 Articles J answer that if Antichrist had added 25 Articles unto the Apostles Creed then the number of Articles contained in the profession of his faith would have been 37 and not 25. For it cannot be denied that the Pope doth openly professe the 12 Articles of the Christian faith nor proved that Antichrist ought not so to doe But rather it is to be considered that it is as great if not greater impiety and presumption to adde new Articles to the Christian faith as wholy rejecting it to erect another faith and religion And that it more properly befits Antichrist to deny the Christian faith ex consequenti and indirectly then to renounce the externall profession of it for the mouth of Antichrist ought to be as a fountaine sending forth at the same place sweet waters bitter he is to have a forme of godlinesse but to deny the power thereof he is to pretend himselfe to be a Christian and to be built upon the true foundation of the Apostles but he is also to overthrow this foundation upon which in some sort he is and pretends himselfe to be built by superinducing damnable doctrines exconsequenti and indirectly contradicting denying that faith which he doth externally professe The Divels themselves may make profession of the Christian faith to the same end that Antichrist doth that is to deceive by it and it is probable that the Divels doe more certainly know and believe the historicall truth of the Creed then some Popes have done And lastly the Papists themselves cannot deny but their imaginary Antichrist who shall be of the Tribe of Dan as they say must believe or at least prosesse himselfe to believe so many of the Articles of the Creed as the Iewes now doe or as may be evidently proved out of the old Testament By all which things it is evident that the externall profession of the Christian faith can no way priviledge the Pope from being that great Antichrist which was to come into the world but rather it may be truly said that this externall profession is causasine qua non such a thing as could not but concurre to his constitution For as Antichristianisme consists of two parts the one being an open yet a fained and hypocriticall profession of the truth the other a secret and indirect yet a reall and effectuall eversion of it so this forme of the profession of the faith above mentioned consisting of 25 Articles of which 12 belong to the first part and 13 to the second may be fitly esteemed a perfect summe and character of Antichristianisme CAP. 23. The conclusion which followeth upon the chiefe part of the application above proved and some necessary and remarkable Observations concerning it I Have now shewed and proved that as the number twelve is in six severall things applicable to the new Hierusalem so the number twentie five is applicable to the mysticall Babylon in six severall things answerable and opposite unto them and whereas the Tribes Gates Angels Foundations Measures and Fruits of the tree of life are all or most of them such things as doe admit a double or manifold interpretation according as they have been by divers Authors diversly expounded I have made it manifest that which way soever they be understood there are things in all senses answerable unto them in the Romish Babylon to which the number 25 is applicable and that it should so fall out according to such diversity of interpretations a Ille quippe author in ●●s● dem verbis quae intelligere volumus ipsam sententiam forsitan vidit certè Dei spiritus qui per eum haec operatus est etiam ipsam occu●●u●ā lectori vel auditori sine dubitatione praevidit imo ut occurreret quia ipsa est veritate subnixa providit Nam quid in divinis cloquiis la●giùs uberius potuit divinitùs provido●i quàm ut cadē verba pluribus intelligantur modis quos alia non minùs divina constantia faciunt approb●ri Aug. de Doctrin Christiana lib. 3. cap. 27. this as I believe addeth much to this mystery because every differing exposition is as it were a distinct and severall prophecy in one respect or other more clearely describing the Papacie If the root of the number 666 had been applicable onely to one of those six things above mentioned as for example to the Colledge of Cardinals of Rome in respect of their first originall this one thing as I conceive if the historicall truth of it cannot be confuted had been a more manifest signe and token that the Papacy is Antichrist then all the b For it is aboue evidently proved both by reason and by an example

the doctrine decreed in that Councell in either of these the number 25 is as remarkably applicable to the Romish faith as the number 12 to the Apostles Creed but J pitch chiefly upon that forme and profession of the Romish faith which Pope Pius the fourth hath set forth according to that Councell to be generally received by all men or as the Bull it selfe witnesseth ut unius ejusdem fidei professio uniformiter ab omnibus exhibeatur unicaque certaillius forma cunctis innotescat That this Councell of Trent doth fully containe the whole faith and doctrine of the Romish Religion the Papists themselves are neither able nor willing to deny Thus much is testified by the eight and ninth acclamations at the end of this Councell which runne after this manner Cardinalis à Lothoringia Sacrosancta Oecumenica Tridentina Synodus eius fidem confiteamur eius decreta semper servemus Responsio Patrum Semper confiteamur semper servemus Cardinalis à Lothor Omnes ita credimus omnes id ipsum sentimus omnes consentientes amplectentes subscribimus Haec est fides beati Petri Apostolorum haec est fides Patrum haec est fides Orthodoxorum Responsio Patrum Ita credimus ita sentimus ita subscribimus I say therefore as the 12 Apostles after that Christian religion began to be believed in the world did assemble themselves together and composed a Creed consisting of 12 Articles for the preservation of unity in matters of religion and for the suppressing of heresies so the chiefe Prelats of the Popish Church after their Romish religion began to be received and believed in the world did for the advancement of their superstitions for the suppressing of that which they call heresie assemble themselves together at the Councell of Trent which Councell was begun by 25 Prelates continued 25 Sessions and ended with the subscription of 25 Popish Archbishops and last of all which is the thing J chiefly ayme at the doctrine and faith decreed in this Councell was afterwards by the Pope and his Cardinals reduced to a set forme of words so naturally branching themselves into 25 Articles that they cannot with any conveniencie be divided into any other number as it shall be declared I have now spoken in generall of all those six things to which the number 12 is applied in the description of the new Hierusalem and I have shewed that there were things actually existing in the city Hierusalem and in the Primitive Church to which every one of these things hath an evident allusion And I have also shewed that there were and are things actually existing in the City and in the Church of Rome fitly answerable and opposite to every one of those six things above mentioned and that according to all senses and interpretations which may with any probability be put upon them If I have spoken more then needs concerning the opposition or contraposition of Things in generall I have therefore done it because I am fully perswaded that this description of the new Hierusalem is not for this reason onely set downe in the Scriptures that by it the true Church of Christ might be described but also that the false Church of Antichrist by way of Antithesis and opposition might by the same description mutatis mutandis be manifestly revealed For there is not intended by this description an opposition of Numbers only and not of those things also which are numbred nor an opposition of Things only and not of those Numbers also which are joyned with them but a double Antithesis and contraposition both of Things and Numbers so that from this description of the new Hierusalem we may make two severall inferences concerning Antichrist the one drawne from the consideration of Things opposite the other from the consideration of Numbers opposite By the first may be found out the Genus by the second the Differentia by which Antichrist may be defined From the first consideration it followeth that Antichrist ought to have such things belonging to his state and Hierarchy as I have already proved to have been actually existing in the Papacie as namely persons answerable to the Apostles a City answerable to Hierusalem having certaine measures and a certaine number of Gates Churches Pastors Parishes professing their faith and religion under a certain number of heads and Articles But from the second consideration which consists in the application of that number which is opposed to 12 unto all these things above mentioned it may be concluded not only that Antichrist must have a Citie answerable to Hierusalem but precisely how many furlongs in compasse his City must be how many Gates it must have about it how many chiefe Churches in it into how many Parishes it was first divided what the first originall decreed number of these persons must be who must pretend themselves to be the Basis and foundation of that Hierarchie which Antichrist was to erect in it And lastly by this number may be concluded into how many heads or Articles the Faith and Religion of Antichrist actually should or conveniently might be divided It remaineth now in the last place that I make the truth of all these things to appeare by particular application and that I make good what I have above promised by shewing out of history that the number 25 is as evidently applicable in all these particulars above mentioned to the City State and Hierarchie of Rome as the number 12 is in all like and answerable respects to the Church of Christ and to the new Hierusalem CHAP. 19. That the first decree'd and limited number of Cardinalls and Parish preists in Rome was 25. And that the first number of Churches for Baptisme and Parishes was 25 also I will first begin this application with the Cardinalls of Rome and with those Titles and Churches in seperably united unto them And as I first shewed that in the Romish Church Cardinalls were answerable to the Apostles so I will first shew that their first originall decreed number in the City of Rome was 25 as the first number of Apostles was 12 at Hierusalem It is a truth generally received and as I believe not contradicted by any writer that the Cardinalls sprang originally from being parish Priests in the City of Rome a Tom 2. 〈◊〉 Clericis cap. 16. Bellarmine acknowledgeth that Cardinalis in suo Titulo est veluti Parochus that a Cardinall is as it were a Parish Priest in his owne Title b li●ro 1. 〈◊〉 pag 31. Alexander a Turre writeth to the same purpose in these words Nec aliud profectò erat ab Ecclesiae p●●mordijs agere Cardineas partes quam obire ●uram animarum cujus rei in argumentum ad huc in urbe retinent Parochialium Ecclesiarum Titulos that is neither was it any thing else in the Churches begining to execute the office of a Cardinall but only to discharge the cure of soules For which cause the Cardinalls even to this day doe