Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	according_a	church_n	father_n	2,430	5	4.8831	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B03937	Mr. Keith's sermon, preach'd on May the 12th, 1700. At Dr. Bedford's church, being Saint George Butolphs-Lane, by Billings-Gate. On Luke the 1st and verse 6th.	Keith, George, 1639?-1716.	1700 (1700)	Wing K210; ESTC R179321	14,369	16

These and a numerous other Absurdities to the Reason of Mankind are contained in that senseless Mystery of Transubstantiation to defend which their Doctors have been and are forced to deny Reason and say that the same thing may and can be and not be c. But Beloved if neither Reason nor so much as our Senses may be believed Pray what assurance can we have of any thing But Oh! What assurance had 〈◊〉 to strengthen his staggering Faith about our Saviour's Resurrection This only and that particularly from his Lord viz. Stretch out thine hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but believing Nay further the now Roman Church destroys the Ground of Certainty by an innumerable Company of Lying Wonders which you may Read of in their Legends which the Priests do impudently obtrude upon the belief of the silly and ignorant People only for proof and confirmation of their Religion But on the other Hand the Sects and Sepratists being in as dangerous an Extream concerning Faith c. For I found and have now just Reason to acknowledge that the greatest part of my Religion when among them was made up of senseless and absurd Notions which I am now ashamed of they being as we were wont set forth in unintelligible fantastical Phrases by as 2 Pet 3. 16. saith wresting of Scriptures to our own Destruction tho' I indeed then as well as they accounted it the heights of Spirituality and Mystery upon which we valued and boasted our selves as the only Knowing and Spiritual People When as Thanks be to God it is known now to me and all discerning Persons that there was and is nothing in such pretended Heights and Spiritualities but only vain Imagination and Dreaming which are dangerous Deceits For as the Light of Reason and Sense dispels the vain Images of Dreams So these admitted would and will cure all Phantastical Impostures and Delusions for which cause they as well as I formerly declared against nothing so vehemently as Reason under the notion of Carnal and so an Enemy to the Spirit and the things of it True I must needs confess now that there is a Carnal Reason which is Enmity to Truth and Goodness But that as I am rightly inform'd is not the Reason of our Minds but our 〈◊〉 Passions and corrupt Interests which is not Reason truly and properly so call'd no more than an Ape can be call'd a Man And for want of knowing and distinguishing the things which so differ Verily Enthusiasticks rail violently against all Reason as the grand Adversary of the Truths and Mysterys of the Gospel Nay further resolving as I did formerly all assurance either into or upon a bare belief of the Testimony of a private Spirit For as mine was so their Ground and Belief of the Scriptures both was and is this Testimony and consequently whatsoever is received from hence bottoms there The Papists as it 's confest believe the Scriptures on the Testimony of their Church but that Sect of which I was with others believe them on the Testimony of their Spirit That is in Sober Sadness by the Suggestions and Resolutions of their own viz. they like silly Women led Captive believe because they will believe finding themselve inclined to it So upon the same Reason as has been observed when the Imagination and Humour as mine did alters they then may and will cease to believe or as I do now believe the contrary I shall not appeal only to my own Experience but to that in others also For have not some vastly multiplyed Articles of Faith by making all their private Opinions sacred calling them Gospel and saving Truths whereas at the best they were but uncertainties For being senseless Imaginations they are usually false by which they expose the whole Body of Christian Principles to Suspicion and so weaken the Faith of some and destroy that of others So now having given you the Characters of a true Church Namely First that its Articles of Faith and Doctrine are antient viz. as St. Jude saith That which was once delivered to the Saints Secondly That it 's Pure and Peaceable And Thirdly That those things it commands are both reasonable and certain And since for all the fine and gay Pretences I cannot find such a Faith in these two dangerous Extreams which I have fairly and impartially Examined I will by God's assistance Examine and see whether that Church into which I am now entred being by Law Established has those Marks and Characters of a true Faith which I have before described And First I am well assured and so dare boldly assert that the Church Established without fondness or over-weaning doth profess and teach the antient Primitive and Apostolick Faith having admitted no new things that are contrary to it For it was reformed according to the Scriptures and the Apostolick Rules and Ways I say according to the Scriptures as they were interpreted by the first General Councils and Fathers those I mean next to the Apostles whom we ought to believe for they then assuredly understood what was the Apostles Doctrines and Ways nay the Church is truly and rightly called Protestant 〈…〉 against the Roman and Sectarian Innovations so according 〈…〉 Character must be true Secondly It teaches us Righteousness in general namely our duty to God our Neighbours and our Selves in the just Latitude and extent of them For it has no Shifts and Evasions of Repentance and Reformation it allows no hopes of Salvation but upon Gospel terms It teaches no Practise that is either Impious or Immoral nor indulgeth any by its Doctrine perhaps some Rotten Members may wink and connive at such For the Church it self tells us that whosoever is Evil must know it by being Judged and Condemned Nay further the Church leaves no hopes of Salvation but what is grounded on effectual Repentance and Reformation nor imposeth any Articles of belief as necessary to Salvation but the antient Creed and no terms of Communion but reasonable Orders and Decencies as are free from all appearance of Idolatry and Superstition or any thing else that i● unlawful and as to the concerns of civil Peace the Church with Christ and his Apostles hath taught all active Chearful and Conscientious Obedience both to God the King and also Subordinate Rulers in all lawful things and a quiet Submission to the Penalties of not Obeying when the things required are plainly or certainly so to its former Praise Renown and Happiness be it spoken So Lastly the Church now Established teaches no Opinions that needs such a desperate Course to defend them For all its Articles are reasonable and may be proved or defended by Reason against all Athe●sts or Infidels c. She secures also the certainty of her Faith by resolving it into the Scriptures the true Seat of Infallibility and the belief of the Scriptures on the other hand into the Testimony of the Spirit of God which confirmed it by Miracles So that by these