Selected quad for the lemma: faith_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A75473
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Antidotes against some infectious passages in a tract, concerning schisme.
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1642
(1642)
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Wing A3499; Thomason E142_12; ESTC R19075
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4,091
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8
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ANTIDOTES AGAINST SOME infectious passages in a Tract concerning Schisme LONDON Printed for Thomas Vnderhill at the signe of the Bible in Woodstreet 1642. Antidotes against some infectious passages in a Tract concerning Schisme IT is a great pleasure Pag. 5. Toward the end poore spirited persons and advantage to the Socinians to lessen the estimation of the judgement of the Fathers that so their mighty works against Arrians and others of kin to Socinians may have lesse credit and trust But certainly his Argument doth not follow That because they have failed in some lesser points therefore their judgment is not competent in greater This Argument being set against Barnabas and Paul would have shewed an ill face Because Barnabas and Paul did not agree in the small Controversie of taking Marke with them they were incompetent Judges of greater Controversies of Faith It is a wise Dispensation of Divine Providence That in this life wee know but in part and it is a great preservation of Humility that it is so Our blindnesse in lesser matters shewes whence wee have our Light in greater and calls upon us to give the Glory of our Light to the Father of Lights Again this knits us the faster in a spirituall Commerce while one man knowing but in part hath need of anothers help who knows that part which to himself was unknowne If this Authour know more concerning the Controversie of Easter surely I believe the Fathers knew more then hee before hee had read them of the great Controversies of the Trinity And certainly if the mighty Arguments taken out of the heart of Scripture by Athanasius Cyrill of Alexandria and others against those Heresies which are now revived by Socinians be duly weighed it must be acknowledged that the Spirit of Truth was powerfull in them and that they had the very minde of Christ And so at worst they were but like the Church of Thyatira Revel 2. which the Spirit commends for Faith and works though with all the same Spirit saith I have a few things against thee This passage hath need of Salt Pag. 7. Towards the end What if the gesture or adoration be used to the Altars to make it savoury If there be an idolatrous adoration to Altars in one place and none in another I think it is no Schisme to forbeare that place where this abominable wickednesse is committed which both offends God and vexeth the souls of righteous Lots and to goe to another where neither God nor man is so offended And it is considerable whether thy voluntary and indifferent using such places doe not encourage such Idolaters in their Idolatry yea give some hint to a weak brother to think that it is approved by thee Saint Pauls reason against eating things sacrificed to Idols seems to lead us to such an opinion Neither doth this example of the Israelites comming to Shiloh Deut. 12.5 11 13 14. 1 Sam. 1.3 where were the corrupt manners of Elies sons agree with this case For there was a necessity at that time to repaire to that place it being setled and peculiarly appointed for a great part of Gods worship which could not elsewhere be performed It seemes that the buyers of this Authour inclines more to Arrianisme than to Macedonianisme Pag. 9. Indeed Manichaisme Valentinanisme Macedonianisme c. Manichaisme c. And certainly if Socinians may be Judges they will finde reasons why Arrianisme shall be accounted but a Schisme and the others Heresies But indifferent Judges will perchance find such to be Judges of partiall thoughts and that not upright ballances but speciall favours are used in this partiality For is it not a favour to undertake that Valentinus Manes Macedonius did know their Errours to be lies and Arrius did not Again though there be such a difference in these heads and roots of Errours which I think this Author can hardly make good out of any acquaintance with their hearts yet if he had carried an equall affection to each side hee might with equall favour have excused their followers upon whom the names by him expressed Arrianisme Valentinianisme Mahometisme c. are fixed For though the first Authors of these Sects might differ yet no question many of their followers were alike and equall that in simplicity of heart and out of ignorance not wilfulnesse did embrace their Errours Neither did these know that the opinions which they received were lies Yea even at this day Mahometans generally doe not think that the Doctrine of Mahomet which they believe is a Lie being seriously and extreamly zealous in it Secondly Deum verum cum patre unum Deum nolunt fateri August cont sect Arianorum Hi dictitant Nos creaturam quidem illum esse dicimus c. Epiph. Her 49. Psal 18. is it not an high favour to affirme that the Rents in the Church for the opinions of Arrius and Nestorius were at worst but Schismes and that upon matter of opinion For is it meerly matter of opinion wherein is a safe freedome to opine one way or another to believe or not believe that Christ Jesus is not true God but a creature Doth not this looke like a matter of salvation or damnation and not meerly of opinion Can that faith which believes not Christ to be God ingraff us into him who is God And can wee be carried into union with him further then our faith goes before and apprehends him If our faith doe not believe him to be true God our union will not be with him as true God being not united to him as he is God we can have no salvation from him Christ as hee is God is that Rock on which the Church being built hath safety and salvation and in him is that saying of David verified Who is a Rock but God alone Again if there be a reall dis-union between such a Misbeliever and Christ Is there not a reall dis-union betweene such a Misbeliever and the Members of Christ Hee that is not in union with the Head hath no union with the members and this dis-union is not meerly in matter of opinion but in deed and Truth Thirdly it seemes a very scandalous favour allowed to Arrians to frame Liturgies for their sakes that we and they might joyn in one Liturgie and one Congregation For is not this in effect to say That in all our Liturgie wee must not say Christ is very God of very God nor call him that which hee is nor pray to him as God yea Rom. 9.5 1 Iohn 5.2 may we read those Chapters wherein hee is said to be God blessed for ever or This is the true God and life eternall Far be it from us in the least Atome to abate the Godhead of Christ or the Glory and worship due to that Godhead to joyne with unbelieving men that diminish both his Godhead and his Glory If they have not unity with us in the Head I know no reason why in the name or for