Selected quad for the lemma: saint_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
saint_n	believe_v	church_n	creed_n	1,645	5	10.6358	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49797	Magna Charta ecclesiæ universalis the grand charter issued out and granted by Jesus Christ for the plantation of the Christian faith in all nations ... / by George Lawson ...	Lawson, George, d. 1678.	1686 (1686)	Wing L708; ESTC R37962	90,290	226

To relie upon God thus represented and believed as able and promising eternal life unto sinful man upon fairest terms 3. To profess this our faith God is the efficient cause by his Spirit of this faith he is the object his word is the rule 3. This faith we Protestants do profess this faith they of Rome do profess and both agree not only in the words but for the most part in the sense of this Creed as appears by the exposition thereof given in their Trent Catechism This is not so to be understood as though there were no errours in that except in these three particulars For besides the many truths delivered in that part of the Catechism there are several errours intermixt though none of them so gross as these three 1. In the manner of Christs birth 2. In the division of Hell into several parts 3. In the visible Headship of their Roman Pontif over the universal Church Though none of these have any ground in Scripture or in the writings of purest Antiquity are no ways necessary or conducing to Sanctification and Salvation and are more like Fancies and Fables then any solid truth yet we must be condemned as Innovators Hereticks Schismaticks as having no hope of salvation till reconciled to their Church and having no existence of a Church before Luther this is their charity but this is our comfort God will be Judge and they as well as we must be judged and they cannot prove that by our publick Doctrine we have added any new Article to the Ancient Catholick Apostolick Faith nor rejected any matter of doctrine or practice which is necessary or effectually conducing to salvation 4. Though this form of confession be generally received amongst us yet we find in it two additions not expressed in many former Creeds 1. Is the descent of Christ into Hell 2. Concerning the holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints Concerning the first its doubted 1. When it was added to this confession 2. What the sense and genuine meaning of it is 1. We find it not in many of the ancien● and Apostolical forms of confession not in the Nicene or Ephesiene or Constantinopolitan Creed nor yet in the Roman Therefore Ruffinus in his exposition of this Creed confesseth that this article of Christs descent into Hell is not found either in the Roman or Oriential Creeds Besides some inform us that it is not found in genuine Copies of Athanasius his form therefore some say that it was brought in by a Synod held at Aquileia 2. As for the sense it s much controverted For some will have the words to signifie no more then that he was buryed others that Christ suffered in his soul the pains of Hell others that he passed into the estate and place of the dead others that in his soul he passed locally and substantially into Hell to preach unto the spirits and souls there imprisoned Thus Lib. 6. Ruffinus in his exposition thus Stromat Clemens Alexandrinus thus the first Reformers wko in the time of Edward 6th composed the Articles of Subscription for which they out of Clemens Alexandr alledged the Text 1 Pet. 3. 18 19. yet that explication was omitted in after-times when the Articles were reduced to the humber of 39. as now they are without any addition to the words of the Creed for the words of the Article are only these As Christ dyed for us and was buryed so also is it to be believed that he went down into hell The second addition is concerning the holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints For though there is no Creed but implies that there a number of people who being called do believe and are partakers of the benefits of Christs Redemption yet in many ancient forms we find no mention of these words Yet the sense of them is plain and the matter clearly expressed in Scripture The occasion of the inserting of them might be the Schism of the Donatists or some others like them who confined the Church to themselves at Cartenna in Africk and like many in our days refused Communion with any other Christian but of their own party Whereas the Article according to the Scriptures signifies that the Church since this commission in my Text was put in execution by the Apostles going into all Nations and reducing many unto Christ became universal And these reduced are all of them Saints and though they be many living at a distance without any interview or converse civil one with another yet they are but one Body Society Corporation under Christ their Head and have spiritual communion one with another in the same Faith Sacraments and Spirit This is against not only the Jew but the Schismatical Donatist and also Rome it self as confining the term Catholick to her own party and engrossing the priviledges of the universal Church as though they did only belong to her who is but a little part or particle of the same Chap. 5. Shewing how in this Doctrine of our Saviour we have the abridgment of the Scripture Sect. 1. THe second proposition in the Mandate was That Christ commanded the Apostles to teach all Nations after the explication whereof I did enlarge and undertook to manifest four things 1. That the Doctrine to be taught was our Saviours Creed 2. That it was the ground of all the Apostolical and ancient Creeds 3. That the Creed commonly called the Apostles is agreeable to this Doctrine 4. That it is the abridgment of the holy Scriptures This undertaking in respect of the first three things according to my poor ability I have performed It remains I make good the fourth and last which is to make it evident that it is the abridgment of the holy Scriptures To this end I will 1. Acquaint you with the principal subject and parts of the Scripture according to the method of the Creed 2. Teach you how to refer the several parts of the Scripture to those parts 3. Reduce the whole to the form of a confession 1. The principal subject of the Scriptures is God and therefore they are called the word of God in writing not only because in them God speaks to man and hath revealed his mind but also because they speak of God So that he is not only the efficient but the Subject of the same This most excellent subject is represented in this Book of Books 1. As he is in himself from everlasting to everlasting 2. As he is the univesal and supreme effiecient of all things out of himself 1. As in himself he is represented as only one most perfect glorious substance wh● always acting upon himself and contemplating himself produceth a word which perfectly and fully represents himself and his own infinite and eternal goodness unto himself and so is infinitely and eternally enamoured delighted and satiated with himself For the Scriptures tell us that he doth know and love himself from all eternity and is infinitely and eternally blessed in himself Sect. 2. As he

poor souls that hearing they may believe call upon God be saved from Hell and Death and when the number of God's Saints are finished then they may be for ever glorified CHAP. VI. Concerning Baptism Sect. 1. YOu have heard of the first Proposition commanding the Apostles to go to all Nations concerning the second commanding them to teach all Nations the third follows and is this Christ commanded the Apostles to Baptize all Nations taught and discipled The former is concerning the dispensation of the Word this concerning the administration of the Sacraments where we have something of the Covenant something of Discipline In this Proposition we must enquire 1. What Baptism is 2. Who may and must administer it 3. Who are to be baptized 1. For the nature of Baptism it 's easily known from the Institution in this Commission It 's an initiating Sacrament of the New Testament wherein a Disciple is washed with water In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost The word Baptism is a derivative from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both signifie to dip or plunge a thing in water or some other liquid substance and because the end of this dipping or plunging is sometimes to wash and cleanse therefore both the words do sometimes signifie to wash and cleanse and because a spiritual cleansing is signified in this Sacrament therefore it is called Baptism This is only for the Name In this Description we must observe 1. That it is a Sacrament 2. It 's a Sacrament of the New Testament 3. It is an initiating Sacrament 4. This initiation is by washing with water In the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost 1. A Sacrament as here it 's understood is a Sacred or Religious Sign Rite or Ceremony And because there be many and several kinds of Rites which have their several ends and the end of Sacraments and these Mysteries is distinct and different from the end of other Rites therefore in strict sense a Sacrament is a Rite instituted of God to confirm his Covenant where we have 1. The general nature of a Sacrament 2. The efficient cause of a Sacrament 3. The end of a Sacrament 1. The general nature is that it 's a Religious Rite there are Civil and Religious Rites and both are used as additions to some other things or actions to which they are accidental and no ways essential and they usually signifie something to the understanding besides that which they represent to the senses The reason why they are added is the greater solemnity Thus the Sacraments are Religious Rites added to the Covenant of Grace and in themselves are some outward things and actions which represent some things and actions which are Sacred and Divine And this signification is not Natural but from Institution in this respect they usually make two material parts of a Sacrament 1. An outward sensible sign 2. An inward hidden spiritual thing signified So that the things and actions which are Rites are to be considered 1. In themselves 2. In their significative nature as signs These Sacramental Rites are annexed to the Covenant that it may be made and renewed with the greater solemnity Thus Circumcision is said to be a sign added to the Covenant made with Abraham and his Seed and in these ceremonial religious signs we usually have things actions words which usually inform us of the hidden mystical part 2. The efficient cause of these Rites to be observed by all Christians is God who by his Son Jesus Christ hath not only spoken unto us and revealed the Gospel but also instituted these Sacraments There are Rites invented by Men and also by Devils and some of them are abominable and from the multiplication of these in performance of Divine Service spring so many Superstitions when such things as God never appointed or required at our hands are conceited to be holy or necessary or of a sanctifying power therefore it concerns us all to consider what Rites are of Divine Institution whether they be Ceremonies of the Old or New Testament for God instituted Rites of old as well as in these latter times of the Gospel 2. What Rites instituted by him are now in force so as that we are bound to the observation of them By reason of Divine Institution and Command they are positive Laws of God which do not bind by reason of the matter of them which is indifferent but of God's Command from whose Institution Promise and Command but not of themselves they conduce to our sanctification 3. The end of a Sacrament is to confirm the Covenant in Christ made between God and man This presupposeth 1. The death and redemption by Christ as the foundation of the Covenant for if there be no Redemption there is no promise of life unto sinful man 2. A Covenant and this Covenant presupposeth a Law wherein God commands man to repent and believe in Christ and upon this Repentance and Faith promiseth remission of sin and eternal happiness And because God will deal with Man as with a rational free Creature he proposeth the conditions required in his Law and expects his assent and voluntary obligation of himself 3. When a man expresseth his consent and promiseth freely unto God that he will believe and repent then this Covenant is made The Redemption by Christ the Covenant in it self and the making of the Covenant presupposed the Sacrament is added that by it the Covenant may be solemnly confirmed both on God's part and Mans as though they put to it their hands and seals and so mutually engage themselves one unto another Thus Circumcision which was a Sacrament is said to be not only a Sign but a Seal because as a Seal is put to an Indenture or other Evidences and particularly to Leagues to confirm them so a Sacrament is added to this Covenant for confirmation so that neither part can draw back or neglect to perform except they will go against their own act and deed and solemn engagement This confirmation doth limit the general nature of Sacraments as they are Ceremonies and differenceth them from all other Rites which were but Signs or Types and not instituted to this end Sect. 2. Thus you have heard what a Sacrament is The second thing affirmed is that it is a Sacrament of the New Testament or Covenant This doth difference Baptism from all the Sacraments used by man instituted by God before Christ's Incarnation for there were extraordinary Sacraments of old as Baptism under the Cloud and in the Red-Sea Manna and water out of the Rock there were ordinary Rites as Circumcision and the Passover yet these might be said to be Sacraments of the Old Testament which differ in many things from these of the New and that not only in the signs and circumstance of time but chiefly in this that the former Sacraments did presuppose Christ to come and faith in him as not yet exhibited but the