Selected quad for the lemma: saint_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
saint_n	call_v	church_n	corinth_n	2,165	5	11.4080	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47331	The judgment of private discretion in matters of religion defended in a sermon on I Thessal. v. 21, preached at St. Pauls Covent-Garden, Feb. xxiii, 1686 [ie. 1687] / by Richard Kidder.	Kidder, Richard, 1633-1703.	1687 (1687)	Wing K406; ESTC R16673	16,256	40

1. Lest they take that Church for infallible which is not 2. Lest they take that for the Doctrine of this Church which indeed is not her Doctrine We are sure that the Scriptures are God's Word and were written for our instruction and that upon our diligent search into them and humble addresses to God we shall find Salvation if we seek nothing more For the infallibility of the Church which is so much talked of it must be made good before I can be obliged to receive it and when 't is I shall readily submit to it But in the mean time I find great difficulties attending upon that Doctrine both as to the Subject of that Infallibility as to the Thing it self and as to the Grounds on which it stands As to the Subject of it I find our Adversaries are not as yet agreed where it is to be placed and therefore I know not where to sind it and then 't is all one as if there were no such thing at all That which I cannot come at will stand me in no stead Let our Adversaries tell us in whom 't is lodged Is it in the Bishop of Rome Or is it in Him and the Conclave Or in Him and a General Council Or is it in a Council without Him If in a Council must that be oecumenical only or does it reside in National and Provincial also As to the Infallibility it self I would be informed how far it reacheth Does it extend to questions of Fact as well as of Law and Right Does it take in not only necessary things but also things that are of less moment Is this Church infallible not only in her Conclusions but in the premisses too from whence those Conclusions are drawn Does this Infallibility require that the question should be examined before the matter be decided or not Is it a natural gift or is it by Grace By immediate Revelation or not Let us suppose it in a General Council yet in this case I would know whether or not this Council will be infallible in their decisions however things are carried Are there no Rules the Council is to go by Must not questions be strictly examined and the suffrages be free and the Council be Canonically indicted Or will the Council be infallible tho' it observe none of these rules and forms Let them tell us what these forms are that are necessary and let them after this make it appear that they have been duly observed or let them say if any form or rule be needfull or not How comes it to pass that the Divines in a General Council have differed from one another How comes it that one Council hath determined against another Why are some of these Councils in part received and in part rejected What sure marks have we to distinguish one from another What assurance can they give that the major part is always the better and have used the greatest care For the Grounds and proofs of this Infallibility I desire to see those that are solid and weighty such as are evident and clear and will render me infallibly certain of the thing This had need be well proved it not being self-evident If I must believe the Church in all other things yet 't is fit this should be strongly proved These proofs must be taken from the H. Scriptures and not from the authority of the Church which lays claim to it And then they must be such proofs as determine it to that very Church and as do evidently prove that such an Infallibility does belong to it as she pretends to Till these things are cleared I know not any better advice I can give the Reader than to continue stedfast in the Communion of our Church as the safest way to Heaven For tho' we ought not to want charity for others yet we are bound in conscience and as we will answer it at the great Day to choose wisely and to be constant to such a choice There are some things controverted between Vs and the Church of Rome wherein we are manifestly of the safer side To worship no Image hath no danger nor is there any hazard in receiving the Sacrament in both kinds 'T were easie to give other instances in which we are on the safer side In the mean time let it be our care to live up to our Principles and we shall not miscarry The best Church is no security to the careless and the profane We shall know the Will of God best when we doe it with great care 'T is not enough that we prove all things we must also hold fast that which is good A SERMON PREACHED At Saint Paul's Covent-Garden Feb. 23. 1686. 1 THESSAL V. 21. Prove all things hold fast that which is good IN these words the Apostle commends to those to whom he writes two things the one in order to the other First That they should prove all things Secondly That they should hold fast that which is good I begin with the first Prove all things And here I think my self obliged before I proceed any farther to consider 1. The Persons to whom the advice is given And 2. The importance of the advice it self Ch. 1. v. 1. 1. The Persons to whom this advice is given viz. to the Church of the Thess alonians Not to the Bishops and Governors of the Church only but to the People also This appears from the words v. 12. We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you It cannot be supposed that St. Paul does here direct himself to the head and not unto the members He does generally address himself to the Church in the most diffusive sense of that word E. G. To all that be in Rome Rom. 1.7 beloved of God called to be Saints 1 Cor. 1.2 And Vnto the Church of God which is at Corinth 2 Cor. 1.1 to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Again Vnto the Church of God which is in Corinth with all the Saints which are in all Achaia Gal. 1.2 Again Vnto the Church of Galatia And Eph. 1.1 To the Saints which are at Ephesus and to the faithfull in Christ Jesus And where the Bishops and other Ministers of the Church are named the body of the faithfull are not forgotten Thus To all the Saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons Phil. 1.1 Colos 1.2 Again To the Saints and faithfull brethren in Christ which are at Colosse And 1 Thes 1.1 2 Thes 1.1 Jam. 1.1 To the Church of the Thessalonians And thus also St. James To the twelve Tribes scattered abroad Thus St. Peter 1 Pet. 1.1 To the strangers scattered c. And 2 Pet. 1.1 To them that have obtained like pretious faith with us And St. John as a learned man hath observed