Selected quad for the lemma: faith_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
faith_n	church_n	rule_n	tradition_n	8,631	5	9.6183	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01698	The only rule to walke by guiding Christs ministers, and all his members, how to frame their conuersation in the way to saluation. A sermon preached at a synod, or meeting of ministers in S. Michaels Church in Couentry the second of October. 1615. By S. Gibson, preacher of the word, and pastor in the same city.	Gibbons, Samuel.	1616 (1616)	STC 11837; ESTC S118451	20,003	53

halfes in some things they are content to follow him in other things they will haue their owne way some giuen too much to their pleasures and to the pampering of the flesh passe beyond the bounds of sobrietie and others carryed with passion in cases of wrong are very irregular and will not be kept within compasse by the good rules that our Sauiour hath giuen to all Christians of patience and meekenes Math. 5.39.44 Rom. 12.21 Col. 3.12 but specially in things that concerne their profit we see many professors break square though otherwise of note for Religion Hence much falsehood and deceit in bargaining among those that should giue better example hence Vsurie growne so common though in the * Exod. 22.25 Leuit. 25.37 Deut. 23.19 Psal 15.5 Luke 6.35 Philip. 4.8 Word of God there bee much against it nothing for it and hence sacrilegious withholding of the goods of the Church from the right owners thereof but this cannot stand with that integrity which religion requireth neither will it serue the turne in some things to be conformable and obedient to the lawe of Christ but we are to order our steppes thereafter in all our occasions Wherefore to dra●● to a conclusion of this point let all of vs as we would be sure to go the rig● way which leadeth to life Psal 119.6 learne to haue due respect to the Canon and rule giuen vs of God in all things in the seruice and worship we perform to God and in our carriage towards all sorts whether superiors or inferiors rich or poore frie●●s or enemies in our words and in our w ●kes in those things that concerne o● profit or pleasure as well as in other things in all things let vs haue an eye to th● rule which is giuen vs. For he only walketh safely that walketh by rule and hee that followeth his own way Esay 53.6 goeth out o● the way out of the way to heauen o●t of the way to Euerlasting life And ●hus much for the first point touching ●he Canonical obedience we owe to God Doctrine 2 It is f●rther obseruable that the holy Apostl● speaketh not of rules but only of one ●ule which hee would haue all to walke by And thence this doctrine ariseth that there is but one rule onely for ●●e whole Church of Christ and all Ch●istians to follow one rule of faith ar● one rule of life let vs walke by the same rule And this point is plentifully set forth in Scripture To the lawe and to the testimonies Esa 8.20 Isay 8.20 They haue Moses and the Prophets Luk 16.29 Luke 16.29 and it is written sayth our Sauiour when he contended with Satan Mat. 4.7 Matth. 4.7 and when questions were asked him What is written how readest thou Luke 10.26 Luke 10.26 and wee may not presume aboue that which is written 1. Corin. 4.6 Cor. 4.6 Hence hath the Scripture the honourable title of Canonical appropriated to it and proper it is thereunto to bee giuen by inspiration Tim. 3.16 Pet. 1.21 so that alone is the sure rule that cannot deceiue vs. Neither is there any need of any other rule this is so perfect and complete of it selfe and wil bring the religious follower thereof directly to eternall life ●h 5.39 as 2. Tim. 3.15 Tim 3.15 It is able to make vs wise to saluation and is profitable to teach to improue to correct to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be absolute and perfect to euery good work What vse then is there of other rules Let vs walke by the same rule and hence let all be warned to take heed of the false and counterfait rules of our aduersaries which they haue brought in to the dishonour of the diuine Canon and of the author of it Regulae monasticae nihil aliud sunt quam stultae inanes hominum superstitio for ū● praescriptiones circa res l●dicras c. Festus Hom. disp 29. Not to speake of their ridiculous Monasticall rules which seuerall sectes keepe so precisely which are nothing but foolish and vaine prescriptions of superstitious men about idle matters which are aduerse to Gods pure seruice and to Christian liberty That which is most intolerable is that they make the Scripture imperfect and defectiue and so but partialem regulam Bellarm. de verbo D●i no● scripto c●p 12. a piece of a rule and magnifie the Fathers and Councels and Traditions and the Church specially and the Popes definitiue sentence ex cathedra making that to bee the maine infallible rule of Faith But alas if wee should harken to them herein we could neuer be at a certainty for our Faith For 1. As for the Fathers they agree not amongst themselues but are one opposite to another in many things and amongst many Truths haue some great Errors Origen was an Allegorist an vnsound Interpreter Tertullian a a From who● he held that prodigious error against second mariag● his argumen● answered by Beza de poly Montanist Iustin Martyr a b One that dream'd of a golden worl● to continue 1000. yeeres after the res●rection wh● in Christ should reign● with the Sai● on earth Chiliast or millenary Eusebius halfe an Arrian And others had their seuerall errors And therfore there 's no building vpon them 2 As for Councels they were not only subiect to erre but did erre and of the best and most eminent of them as the 1. Nicen Councel in a point of c Canone 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iubent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can. 12 pro●ibent eos re●ire ad militiā qui cingulum ●biecissent quod est cōtra Luke 3.14 Anabaptisme and another foule Error they had like to haue committed had it not beene for d Absque Paph●anxissent nenini Ecclesia●icorum pronissum esse ●ormire cum ●xore quam ●um Laicus es●t duxisset ●elas test Paphnutius 3 As for Traditions they are vncertaine many of them are forged and counterfeit as our aduersaries confesse 4 As for Popes their owne stories shew how some of them haue been Haeretikes and how they haue crost one another As what Pope Formosus decreede Pope Stephen the sixt abolished After Iohn the ninth disanulled the acts of Stephen and establisht againe what Pope Formosus had done After Sergius the third disanulleth what Formosus and Iohn had done and reestablished the acts of Stephen Here 's Pope against Pope and one contrary to another Hee were a wise man therefore that would builde his faith vpon the Popes iudgement 5 As for the Church the Catholike Church sometimes is inuisible and as for any particular Church it is subiect to erre and fall away as did Israel where the chaire of Moses was Reuel 2 3 and the Churches of Asia to which the Spirit spake and Christ wrote by his seruant Iohn And as for the Romane Church there 's great difference betweene the olde and the present 1

In the Apostles time there was no praying in an vnknowne tongue there as now there is hee flatly condemneth it 1. Cor. 14. 1. Cor. 14 2 In the Apostles time the people were not forbid to read the scriptures as now they are the Beraeans are commended for it Acts 17.11 Act. 17.11 and Timothy was brought vp in them from a child 2. Tim. 3.15 2. Tim. 3.15 3 In the Apostles time Mariage was honourable among all men Heb. 13.4 Heb. 13.4 and Peter himselfe had a wife Luke 4.38 Luke 4.38 Math. 8.14 Math. 8.14 But now a Concubine is fitter for a Priest then a wife and disgracefully they speake of the Ministers of reformed Churches because they marrie for which by the way Epist ad Ocean they may be answered as S. Ierome answered a dissolute adulterer that condemned Carterius a married Bishop For vs it is written Mariage is honourable among all men Col. 2.18 Reu. 21 8 9 and the bed vndefiled but for them it is added whoremongers adulterers God will iudge 4 In the Apostles time they worshipped none but God now Angels Saints Images ● Cor. 11.25.28 5 In the Apostles time they had the Communion in both kindes all the Lords people both eat and drunke at the Lords Table according to the order appointed by the Lord of the Sacrament now only a little w●fer is pop't by the Priest into their mouthes but to drinke of the sacramentall cup they are not allowed In these and many other things there 's great difference betweene the old Roma●e Church and the present Wherefore it remaineth that the scripture is the only sure infallible rule that we can trust to For 1. There wee are sure is no error 2. There is no opposition but a sweet harmony betweene Moses and the Prophets Christ and the Apostles 3. That is euer the same without any alteratiō though Churches vary that is euer the same 4. Whereas it may be more questionable which is the Church whether the Greek or Latine or Protestant euery one challēging the name That the scripture is the Word of God is out of question amongst vs and all agree that that conteineth the Truth and nothing but the Truth And therefore let vs walke by this rule it is wisdome for vs to make that the onely rule of our faith and to cleaue fast thereunto it is the safest course to preserue vs from error and so many as walke after this rule Gal. 6.16 peace shall be vpon them and mercie and vpon the Israel of God And hitherto of the counsel of the Apostle tending to vnity Now of the maine exhortation to vvhich the former vvas but subordinate Bee of one minde or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Minde one thing which as appeareth by the former verses is rather to bee referred to the iudgement then to the affection For he desired before their consent in opinion and still hee vrgeth the same thing hee sawe there was difference amongst them some were in an error of whom notwithstanding he speaketh like himselfe in the spirit of meeknes fauourably charitably hopefully God will reueale Verse 15 yet still calling vpon them to leaue their priuate opinions and to ioine with the Church of God in the truth without opposition or dissent Be of one mind Doctrine 3 Our lesson hence is that those of the same faith in Iesus Christ should labour by all meanes to agree in points of religion as there should be correspondency in affection so likewise agreement in iudgement amongst vs. This he most instantly and vehemently perswadeth the Philippians vnto with all sweet termes of loue Cap. 2.1 c. If there be any consolation in Christ Philip. 2.1 if any comfort of loue if any fellowship of the spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfill my ioy that ye be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accord of one minde and 1. Cor. 1.10 ● Cor. 1.10 There 's his most earnest request vnto them for the same The thing there desired is vnity and it is three-fold Verball Reall and Mentall 1. In word That ye speake one thing 2. In deed That there bee no dissensions amongst you 3. In minde That you bee knit together in one minde and in one iudgement Then marke how affectionately he desireth it of them 1. Vsing a lowly obsecration I beseech you 2. A louing compellation Brethren 3. An earnest adiuration by the name of our Lord Iesus Christ I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that yee speake one thing and that there bee no dissentions amongst you but be you knit together in one mind and in one iudgement And in his second Epistle to the same Church Chapter 13. Verse 11. 2. Cor. 13.11 when in conclusion he giueth them the Vale hee giueth them a speciall charge for this to be of one minde and liue in peace All which sheweth that it is a matter of great importance that there should bee concord in iudgement and sure the contrary is of dangerous consequence For first specially when teachers differ in opinion it is an occasion to make vngrounded hearers to start aside and become to bee of no religion Of olde this turned many from the true faith Sozom. lib. 1. cap. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dissonancie and diuersitie of opinions that was amongst learned men was the cause that many would not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 embrace the Christian Religion And such pretences at least haue bin made by some that haue forsaken our Church and proued Romane Proselytes they haue pretended that the hearing of one Preacher to contrary that which another taught was the cause of their turning Now though herein they haue done foolishly not considering that this is not peculiar to our religion but hath euer bin in the Church of God A noble challenge is made them by Dr. White p. 154. where he offereth to proue that there is no point wherein they differ frō vs but they differ among thēselues and that in the Church of Rome there is great diuersity of opinions as well as in ours yet woe be to them by whom the offence commeth They haue much to answere for that haue giuen the occasion by their opposite doctrine Well this sheweth there had need be great heede how we differ 2. Vpon difference of iudgement ordinarily followeth difference in affection and so contention arising betweene the Pastors much mischiefe must necessarily follow In ancient Churches there haue been prodigious quarrels hereupon Niceph. lib. 14. cap. 47 and sometimes murthers haue been committed as wee may see in Ecclesiasticall Histories And therefore there had need be great care in euery one to maintaine vnity and to forbeare opposition This then is to be applyed against all of what sort so euer that affect singularity in opinion and loue to be in oppositum and so cause diuision and contention The sinne of many