Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	faith_n	good_a	unfeigned_a	2,823	5	11.0408	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91004	Syneidēsilogia ̇or, The doctrine of conscience, framed according to the points of the catechisme, in the Book of Common-Prayer. / By the Right Reverend Father in God, John Prideaux, late Lord Bishop of Worcester, for the private use of his wife.	Prideaux, John, 1578-1650.; N. Y.	1656 (1656)	Wing P3436; Thomason E1697_2; ESTC R203209	47,433	193

themselves and satisfaction in most things to weak Consciences agree not concerning the method in delivering this doctrine but this should scruple no man all laying sure grounds and driving to the same end which the Apostle mentioneth The end of the Commandement is Charity out of a pure Heart and a good Conscience and Faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 This Three-fold cord may not be untwisted and broken howsoever perchance be somewhat intangled without sundring that which God hath joyned together The heart must be pure without unclean or corrupt affections the Conscience good not tainted with by-respects or vendible for any advantage and Faith the ground of all must lastly be unfeigned not puffed up with presumptuous pretences but expressed in good workes as the Apostle prescribes Jam. 2. a tree planted by such rivers of water will bring forth its fruit in due season And a Conscience fastned by such nailes and pricked on by such Goads will never shame the Masters of the assemblies for the disposing that am●sse they have received by the hand of one Sheep-herd and Bishop of their Souls to whom they have returned from the by-paths of mens traditions As I censure not the courses that any have taken in this kind so I trust none will take my disposition amisse which I shall frame as neer as I may to the points of the Catechisme in our Church-booke wherewith all should be best acquainted The cases of conscience then so disposed will come under these heads Concerning 1. Religion 2. Scripture 3. The Apostles Creed 4. The Decalogue or ten Commandements 5. Lords Prayer 6. Sacraments In speaking somewhat of all which as God shall enable observe that C. standeth for Conscience proposing scruples D. a Doctrinal resolution or direction answering such queries by 1. what 2. whether 3. why 4. wherefore briefly and plainly as the case requireth CHAP. I. Of Cases concerning Religion WHether Christian Religion may not be thought to be a politique invention of the wisest worldlings to keep the simpler sort in awe and order This is that Satan would buzze into busie conceipts to make men atheists D. that he might rule all but herein he bewrayes himselfe for if by his sensible commerce Witches 1 Sam. 28. Acts 16. Possessed Pythonists such as have familiars or spirits of divination whom they consult with and worke by doe apparant mischief it be made most apparent that there is a Devill it will necessarily thence be inferred also that there is a God that puts a hook into his Nostrills to restrain him from further mischiefing this invisible frame of the world with all the inhabitants thereof Whom reason will further convince that such an inestimable piece of worke as the world is seen to be could not come to be so by chance of it self or indure as it doth without a maker and preserver which what may we imagine to be but God Almighty to whom we owe our being and preserving Reason and Necessity therefore will cast us upon the acknowledgement of all Religious duties to be performed to him What assurance have Christians that their Religon is to be preferred before that of the Jewes C. II. Mahumetans and Heathens Christianity hath the most D. warrantable antiquities and testimonies of all ages to confirme it miracles beyond all exception and prophecies of future contingencies above humane comprehension to back it such doctrine as fiteth all men of all conditions to live religiously in respect of God justly in relation to others and soberly in reflex upon their owne demeanure with plaine instructions concerning the originall progress and reward of wickednesse the onely freeing from it the immortall rewards of another world which the wisdome of this world could never think of This the Wisest and Learnedst in all ages have embraced Tyrants and the Devils with all their complices have in vain opposed the ablest opposers of it themselves have been convinced to justifie with Pharaohs Magicians that the finger of God is in it And none could take any exceptions against which have not been answered to their confusion All which and divers other excellencies all other professions are so farre defective that upon slight examination they will be found to be unreasonable bruitish and ridiculous May not all sorts of people that never heard of C. III. or were instructed in Christianity attaine unto Salvation if they live morally well in their own profession Their punishment may be easier in another world D. then that of those who have lived amongst them more disorderly because punishments are by Gods justice proportioned to demerits Tire and Sidon shall have an easier doom then Corazin and Bethsaida that were better instructed and did worse But for coming to the Father without the Son here Ioh. 14.6.17.3 Act. 4.12 Ioh. 10.7 or hereafter we can finde no way No life eternall to be expected but by knowing him No Salvation but by his name No entrance but by that way door And this the Heathen doe in a manner confesse when the best of their dead must be beholding to Charon's boat the Turkes when they place their Paradice they know not where to supply them with all sensuall pleasure they had not so fully here And what good can the Jewes howle for in expectation of a Messias to save them in another world beyond the date of all their Prophecies who tarrieth no man knowes where some say lingreth at Rome Seeing that they that turn many to righteousnesse C. IV. shall shine as the Stars for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 and the King of Heaven would have men compelled to come in to the celebration of his Sons Marriage supper Luk. 14.23 Whether those of a contrary perswasion to Christianity under our power and living amongst us may not be forced to conforme themselves to our Religion By no meanes D. For the Commandement runs goe and teach not force by Fire or Faggot or any other co-active wayes all nations Mat. 28.19 seconded by the Apostle be infant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine 2. Tim. 4.2 Religion being not to be planted or propagated in a Turkish manner by the Sword but by the Word in an Apostolicall manner and method I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God Rom. 12.1 no lording over mens Consciences which St. Peter forbad long ago 1 Pet. 5.3 which his pretended successors have little hindered whence the compulsion the Gospel speaks of must be by perswasion not coaction as appeares by the use of the same word Mat. 14.22 Gal. 2.14 Whether Protestants by renouncing Popery C. V. may justly be charged to have set up a new Religion differing from that which their ancestors professed and are charitably thought to be saved in They can be charged no further with Novelties D. then Josias might be and other Pious Kings for plucking down Idolls and purging Gods Worship from Idolatry nor then our Saviour for whipping out

examples the rewards upon the fulfilling thereof and punishments attending the breaking of it The Moralities in Iob David and Solomon the exercise of patience devotions and all manner of wisdome in all cases whatsoever The Prophets beating down the wickedness of the times lead us to Christ whom the Gospels in the N. T. set forth as the Prophet Priest King on which the Church must wholly depend whose planting and progresse is set forth in the Acts of the Apostles doctrine laid down in the Epistles and expectances in the Revelation by a method so connected that none but prating fooles as the wise man termes such may carp at wherein the obscurities of some places are enlightned by the clearnesse of others or set as taskes for the industry of the greatest wits to beat down their pride and presumption that finding themselves over-mastered they may seek unto God by prayer for that they acknowledge themselves to come short of Whereupon the dissentions that arise prove the faults of the wranglers not the insufficiency of the rule no more then the different judgments of Artists doe the disorder-linesse of the coelestiall or terrestrial bodies Upon cansideration of the new covenant fore-told by Jeremy C. III. c. 31.33 and ratified by the Apostle to the Hebrews c. 8.10 wherein a plain promise is made of writing Gods Law so in mens hearts that they shall not need to teach one another because all shall be so gifted may not a weak Conscience be warped to think well of the Swenchfeldists and enthusiasticall Wrigelians of these times to lay aside the letter that the Spirit may act the more freely The old and new Covenant are both alike D. under hand and seal though the tenure be diverse the first was of Workes the other is of Faith for our Justification the one saith Doe this and live the other Believe in him that hath satisfied for thee and thou shalt be saved The spirit indeed is promised to lead us into all truth but not by frantick enthusiasmes but by the Scripture which is written for our learning and many times walketh under the name of the Spirit too God hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son Hebr. 1. Joh. 5.39 Rom. 1.16 which is his Word and which alone ought to be our guide search ye the Scriptures is commanded us which are the conduit of Life and Power of God unto Salvation Thus we are taught of God not to inquire at the Oracles of our Lusts and Phantasies but of his word not to be led by conceipts of our owne framing but by the means of his prescribing the outward preaching of the Word and the inward operation of the Spirit to embrace it It is thought amongst many Learned Godly C. IV. and painfull Ministers that the bare reading of the Word in publick or private is not of power sufficient to beget Faith in the hearers what comfort shall any therefore finde in assemblies by scripture where there is no preaching Minister and how can I esteem of that my Conscience tells me will doe me no good Dilating upon a text of Scripture D. taken at adventure must not be taken for the onely preaching that begets Faith it may set an edge upon some hearers devotion but can adde no efficacy to the Text that is quick and powerfull of it selfe and sharper then any two edged sword to discerne the very thoughts and hearts intentions Heb. 4.12 Beside it is well known that Moses was held to be preached by the Apostle in that he was read in the Synagogue every Sabboth day Act. 15.21 Those that benefit not therefore by hearing the Text read which they may well rely upon will hardly be better edified by the glosse which may be as obscure as that and far more liable to exceptions And should not our Saviours and the Apostles Sermons instruct them better that often heare them reiterated with attention then a set speech of a man of meaner gifts that may be forgotten as soon as it is uttered and ofttimes is more intricate and obscure then the Text it indeavoured to explaine This must be taken not to detract from solid and seasonable preaching but for vindicating of the word read from the abatement and scorne too many put upon it in these evill dayes The Scripture being acknowledged to be the undoubted word of God C. V. conteining that counsel of his which he would have communicated unto all for their Salvation with what Conscience may any portion of it be kept back from being read in the Congregation as the Canticles with divers other parts of the Old Testament and most part of the Revelation in the New The not reading of some passages in Scripture in publick detract nothing from their Authority onely serve to put a difference between milke and stronger meat according to the stomachs that are to receive it I have many things to say unto you saith Christ to his Disciples but ye cannot bear them now What would the Hebrew titles the Higgaions Selahs c. in Davids Psalms benefit the auditory when the Teachers themselves cannot agree what to thinke of them So Genealogies in the Chronicles and the not understood praedictions in the Apocalipse which the Learned make use of the Vulgar may sooner cavill at them then in any sort be bettered by them How may any with a safe conscience endure the reading of the C. VI. Apocrypha in the Church especially when so many Chapters of Canonicall Scripture are laid aside that may supply the yearly course of reading with more sure Doctrine and more evident then from the Apocrypha can be expected In the titles of our Bibles D. the Apocrypha is sufficiently distinguished from the Canonicall Scripture so that the Chapters that are read out of it are not prescribed to set aside the Canonicall it being left to the choice of the Minister to reade such Chapters in their stead as he thinks fit And by reason of the consonancy of that which is read out of them with the Canon the respect by the antient given unto them and the instructiveness of the style some choice passages are read out of them as of ancient and received homilies making for the better explication of the Canon which those that most oppose them cannot deny but they may as well be approved as their comments upon a Text which 't is presumed they would not have to be taken as Canonicall How far may Scripture be conscionably used in exorcises in casting out C. VII or commanding Devills or in charms for curing of diseases or in preservatives in wearing it about us to protect us from severall dangers or inconveniences In such cases it may be used not at all D. otherwise then as the ground of prayer by which we must be supplicants to God that he would preserve and deliver us from all evill Naturall operations are not to be expected from the words of Scripture but morall

converted and then baptized as Infidels heretofore have been a cunning artifice of Satan to destroy Christianity by making it a sinne to engage any early to the service of Christ Wherein the Prince of this world hath managed his businesse with as much subtilty as when he set Julian on work to plunder the Church of their revenue both equally tending to the destruction of Christian Religion the one cutting off the branches as the other did hew up the root Whether the signe of the Crosse C. IV. according to the order in our Liturgy may be lawfully used in the administration of Baptism Not onely to the Jew is the Crosse of Christ an offence D. but we have those who though nothing can seem more odions unto them then to be said to put Christ to death yet crucifie his members in revilings and disgraces and amongst other reasons they pretend this is not the least because they are for the Crosse in Baptisme and defend the Liturgy in the lawfull use thereof But to passe by these Sons of thunder Those that are more moderate will rest themselves satisfied with the reason given by our Church-book why that ceremony is used as also for the lawfulnesse thereof if they will allow the Church what St. Paul giveth to her a power to enact laws concerning decency and order and then consider too that it hath been a laudable rite and very antient in the Church of Christ taken up in defiance of the Pagans to tell them wherein the glory of Christians did consist even in the Crosse of Christ which by them was accompted the shame and disgrace of their profession And though it may be objected now that the cause being taken away 't will be useless if not superstitious to keep it on foot still yet may such remember 1. that all things whose use doth cease are not presently to be taken away and destroyed witnesse the brazen Serpent which was reserved till the dayes of Ezechia as a monument of Gods mercy to which purpose also the pot of Mannah and the rod of Aa●on were preserved 2. Though we have not Pagans to deale with yet 't is to be feared there are too many amongst those who take upon them the profession of Christianity who though they will not endure to be called enemies yet are despisers of the Crosse of Christ 3. That it doth serve us as a memoriall to put us in minde of our duty and profession Neither can it weigh with any rationall man what is buzzed in the ears of men to amuse them that it is an Idol and hath been abused to Idolatry in which charge the Popish Crosse is concerned not ours 'T will be no good reason because the Papists have abused the Crosse to Superstition therefore we should be denied the lawful use thereof Beside the Sun and the Moon were worshiped by the Heathen Paul and Barnabas deified by the men of Lystra the bread in the Sacrament adored by Papists yet I hope upon this bottom none will be so indiscreet as to adjudge them to eternall destruction Neither can they be led thereunto from that instance so much used of the Brazen Serpent whence it may onely be inferred that the same individuall thing idolized is to be destroyed but not their whole kind We may not burne all trees because one tree or grove hath been abused to Idolatry What is to be done C. V. that one may worthily receive the Lords Supper Observe that rule of the Apostle D. 1 Cor. 11.28 But let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that bread and drink of that cup. To doe which rightly it is requisite he make a twofold inquiry into himself 1. concerning his Faith 2. his manners 1. For his Faith that he hath a competent and right understanding of the principles in Religion particularly concerning the doctrine of the Sacraments so as to be able to render some account thereof as also to discerne the Lords body which last upon no terms he can be said to doe who maketh his approach to this Holy Table with no other devotion then if he came to sit down at a common repast the vice not onely taxed but punished in the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11. To satisfie his Conscience therefore in this particular let him remember 1 Cor. 11.29 1. it is the Lords body he is invited to a most high and mysterious mistery yet such is the love of Christ to him that he is permitted not only to look thereinto but to partake thereof 2. He prophane it not as the Corinthians did with their owne Feasts so with irreverence and indevotion 3. 1 Cor. 11.31 He judge himselfe most unworthy of so high an entertainment and favour a sinner the chiefest of sinners Now II. for his manners he is to make inquiry whether he hath lived according to the rules and doctrine of the Faith he professeth to which there is required though not exact yet sincere obedience If in either of these he prove and not approve of himself he ought to abstaine from those holy mysteries till such time he hath either informed his knowledg or reformed his manners at least in a resolution and serious purpose of Holy living For as to be qualified to receive this Sacrament worthily knowledge is necessary to instruct the head so likewise is repentance to purifie the heart both which must be rightly prepared for this work Neither the ignorant nor the unholy person being fit guests to sup with Christ But yet there is one more beside our selves concerned in this worke which is our neighbour towards whom we must he affected with Charity which is the Simbol or badge of a Disciple of Christ and is the cement to ioyne and knit the Communicants together whence the Sacrament may in a most sweet and genuine sense be termed a Communion without it being rather a disunion then so to be called Indeed this is the salt of the Sacrifice without the which nothing is to be offered as well under the Gospel as the Law Whether any one who hath a suit at Law with his neighbor C. VI. or is at private difference with him may with a safe conscience come to the L Table As to private differences D. the case is quickly resolved It being manifest that this Holy Feast was instituted by our Saviour not only to shew forth his death but also to be a Signe and Symbol of Love with which they ought to embrace each other that doe partake thereof 1 Cor. 10.17 And as a commentary to this Text you have the Practise of the Christians in the primitive Church who before they received the Eucharist did greet one another with an Holy Kisse to signify not only their Communion in faith but union in heart likewise and therefore immediately after it was celebrated began their agapae or love Feasts None therefore are to adventure to offer Their gift on this Altar Mat. 5.23.24 whose