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scripture_n apostle_n church_n creed_n 2,605 5 10.2206 5 false
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A71330 A preservative against popery. [Parts 1-2.] being some plain directions to unlearned Protestants, how to dispute with Romish priests, the first part / by Will. Sherlock ... Sherlock, William, 1641?-1707. 1688 (1688) Wing S3326; Wing S3342; ESTC R14776 130,980 192

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must_v neither_o believe_v their_o sense_n nor_o trust_v their_o reason_n nor_o read_v the_o scripture_n it_o be_v easy_a to_o guess_v what_o know_v and_o understand_v christian_n they_o must_v needs_o be_v but_o it_o may_v be_v say_v that_o notwithstanding_o this_o the_o church_n of_o rome_n do_v instruct_v her_o child_n in_o the_o true_a catholic_n faith_n though_o she_o will_v not_o venture_v they_o to_o judge_v for_o themselves_o nor_o to_o read_v the_o scripture_n which_o be_v the_o effect_n of_o her_o great_a care_n of_o they_o to_o keep_v they_o orthodox_n for_o when_o man_n trust_v to_o their_o own_o fallible_a reason_n and_o private_a interpretation_n of_o scripture_n it_o be_v a_o great_a hazard_n that_o they_o do_v not_o fall_v into_o one_o heresy_n or_o other_o but_o when_o man_n be_v teach_v the_o pure_a catholic_n faith_n without_o any_o danger_n of_o error_n and_o heresy_n be_v not_o this_o much_o better_a then_o to_o suffer_v they_o to_o reason_n and_o judge_v for_o themselves_o when_o it_o be_v great_a odds_o but_o they_o will_v judge_v wrong_a now_o this_o will_v be_v something_o indeed_o do_v the_o church_n of_o rome_n take_v care_n to_o instruct_v they_o in_o all_o necessary_a doctrine_n and_o to_o teach_v nothing_o but_o what_o be_v true_a and_o can_v such_o man_n who_o thus_o tame_o receive_v the_o dictate_v of_o the_o church_n be_v say_v to_o know_v and_o to_o understand_v their_o religion_n how_o far_o the_o church_n of_o rome_n be_v from_o do_v the_o first_o all_o christian_n in_o the_o world_n be_v sensible_a but_o themselves_o but_o that_o be_v not_o our_o present_a dispute_n for_o though_o the_o church_n of_o rome_n do_v instruct_v her_o people_n into_o the_o true_a christian_a faith_n yet_o such_o man_n can_v be_v say_v to_o know_v and_o understand_v their_o religion_n and_o to_o secure_v the_o faith_n by_o destroy_a knowledge_n be_v a_o direct_a contradiction_n to_o the_o design_n of_o the_o gospel_n which_o be_v to_o make_v man_n wise_a and_o understand_a christian_n for_o no_o man_n understand_v his_o religion_n who_o do_v not_o in_o some_o measure_n know_v the_o reason_n of_o his_o faith_n and_o judge_v whether_o they_o be_v sufficient_a or_o not_o who_o know_v not_o how_o to_o distinguish_v between_o truth_n and_o error_n who_o have_v no_o rule_n to_o go_v by_o but_o must_v take_v all_o upon_o trust_n and_o the_o credit_n of_o his_o teacher_n who_o believe_v whatever_o he_o be_v tell_v and_o learn_v his_o creed_n as_o school_n boy_n do_v their_o grammar_n without_o understand_v it_o this_o be_v not_o a_o active_a but_o a_o kind_n of_o passive_a knowledge_n such_o man_n receive_v the_o impression_n that_o be_v make_v on_o they_o as_o wax_n do_v and_o understand_v no_o more_o of_o the_o matter_n now_o will_v any_o one_o call_v this_o the_o knowledge_n and_o understanding_n of_o a_o man_n or_o the_o discipline_n of_o a_o child_n but_o suppose_v there_o be_v some_o man_n so_o dull_a and_o stupid_a that_o they_o can_v never_o rise_v high_o that_o they_o be_v not_o capable_a of_o inquire_v into_o the_o reason_n of_o thing_n but_o must_v take_v up_o their_o religion_n upon_o trust_n yet_o will_v any_o man_n say_v that_o this_o be_v the_o utmost_a perfection_n of_o knowledge_n that_o any_o christian_n must_v aim_v at_o be_v this_o the_o meaning_n of_o the_o word_n of_o god_n dwell_v in_o we_o rich_o in_o all_o wisdom_n 16._o be_v this_o the_o way_n to_o give_v a_o answer_n to_o any_o one_o who_o ask_v a_o reason_n of_o the_o hope_n that_o be_v in_o we_o the_o perfection_n of_o christian_a knowledge_n be_v a_o great_a and_o glorious_a attainment_n to_o understand_v the_o secret_n of_o god_n law_n those_o depth_n and_o mystery_n of_o wisdom_n and_o goodness_n in_o the_o oeconomy_n of_o man_n salvation_n to_o see_v the_o analogy_n between_o the_o law_n and_o the_o gospel_n how_o the_o legal_a type_n and_o ancient_a prophecy_n receive_v their_o accomplishment_n in_o christ_n how_o far_o the_o gospel_n have_v advance_v we_o above_o the_o state_n of_o nature_n and_o the_o law_n of_o moses_n what_o a_o admirable_a design_n it_o be_v to_o redeem_v the_o world_n by_o the_o incarnation_n and_o death_n and_o suffering_n and_o intercession_n of_o the_o son_n of_o god_n what_o mystery_n of_o wisdom_n and_o goodness_n the_o gospel_n contain_v the_o knowledge_n of_o which_o be_v not_o only_o the_o perfection_n of_o our_o understanding_n but_o raise_v and_o ennoble_v our_o mind_n and_o transform_v we_o into_o the_o divine_a image_n these_o thing_n be_v reveal_v that_o they_o may_v be_v know_v not_o that_o they_o shall_v be_v conceal_v from_o the_o world_n or_o neglect_v and_o despise_v but_o this_o be_v a_o knowledge_n which_o can_v be_v attain_v without_o diligent_a and_o laborious_a inquiry_n without_o use_v all_o the_o reason_n and_o understanding_n we_o have_v in_o search_v the_o scripture_n and_o all_o other_o help_v which_o god_n have_v afford_v we_o now_o if_o christian_n knowledge_n be_v something_o more_o than_o to_o be_v able_a to_o repeat_v our_o creed_n and_o to_o believe_v it_o upon_o the_o authority_n of_o our_o teacher_n if_o the_o gospel_n of_o our_o saviour_n be_v intend_v to_o advance_v we_o to_o a_o true_a manly_a knowledge_n christ_n and_o the_o church_n of_o rome_n seem_v to_o have_v two_o very_a different_a design_n our_o lord_n in_o cause_v the_o gospel_n to_o be_v write_v and_o publish_v to_o the_o world_n the_o other_o in_o conceal_v it_o as_o much_o as_o she_o can_v and_o suffer_v no_o body_n to_o read_v it_o without_o her_o leave_n as_o a_o dangerous_a book_n which_o be_v apt_a to_o make_v man_n heretic_n for_o it_o be_v hard_o to_o conceive_v that_o the_o gospel_n be_v write_v that_o it_o may_v not_o be_v read_v and_o then_o one_o will_v guess_v that_o he_o by_o who_o authority_n and_o inspiration_n the_o gospel_n be_v write_v and_o those_o by_o who_o authority_n it_o be_v forbid_v to_o be_v read_v be_v not_o of_o a_o mind_n in_o this_o matter_n 1._o this_o i_o think_v in_o the_o first_o place_n be_v a_o evident_a proof_n that_o to_o forbid_v christian_a people_n to_o read_v and_o study_v and_o mediate_v on_o the_o word_n of_o god_n be_v no_o gospel_n doctrine_n unless_o not_o to_o read_v the_o bible_n be_v a_o better_a way_n to_o improve_v in_o all_o true_a christian_a knowledge_n and_o wisdom_n than_o to_o read_v it_o for_o that_o be_v the_o duty_n of_o christian_n to_o grow_v in_o grace_n and_o in_o the_o knowledge_n of_o our_o lord_n and_o saviour_n jesus_n christ_n this_o be_v one_o great_a end_n of_o publish_v the_o gospel_n to_o the_o world_n to_o enlighten_v and_o improve_v man_n understanding_n as_o well_o as_o to_o govern_v their_o life_n and_o though_o we_o grant_v man_n may_v be_v teach_v the_o principle_n of_o christian_a religion_n as_o child_n be_v without_o read_v the_o bible_n yet_o if_o they_o will_v but_o grant_v that_o study_v and_o meditate_v on_o the_o holy_a scripture_n be_v the_o best_a and_o only_o way_n to_o improve_v in_o all_o true_a christian_a knowledge_n this_o show_v how_o contrary_a this_o prohibition_n of_o read_v the_o scripture_n be_v to_o the_o great_a design_n of_o the_o gospel_n to_o perfect_v our_o knowledge_n in_o the_o mystery_n of_o christ._n 2_o lie_n this_o be_v a_o mighty_a presumption_n also_o against_o transubstantiation_n that_o it_o be_v no_o gospel_n doctrine_n because_o it_o overthrow_v the_o very_a fundamental_a principle_n of_o knowledge_n which_o be_v a_o direct_a contradiction_n to_o the_o design_n of_o the_o gospel_n to_o advance_v divine_a knowledge_n to_o the_o utmost_a perfection_n it_o can_v attain_v in_o this_o world_n whoever_o have_v his_o eye_n in_o his_o head_n must_v confess_v that_o the_o doctrine_n of_o transubstantiation_n be_v contrary_a to_o sense_n for_o be_v our_o sense_n to_o be_v judge_n of_o this_o matter_n they_o will_v pronounce_v the_o bread_n and_o wine_n after_o consecration_n to_o be_v bread_n and_o wine_n still_o and_o therefore_o what_o ever_o reason_n there_o may_v be_v to_o believe_v it_o not_o to_o be_v bread_n and_o wine_n but_o flesh_n and_o blood_n yet_o it_o must_v be_v confess_v that_o our_o faith_n in_o this_o matter_n contradict_v our_o sense_n for_o even_o roman_n catholic_n eye_n and_o nose_n and_o hand_n can_v see_v and_o feel_v and_o smell_v nothing_o but_o bread_n and_o wine_n and_o if_o to_o our_o sense_n it_o appear_v to_o be_v nothing_o but_o bread_n and_o wine_n those_o who_o believe_v it_o to_o be_v the_o natural_a body_n and_o blood_n of_o christ_n believe_v contrary_a to_o what_o they_o see_v thus_o there_o be_v nothing_o more_o contrary_a to_o the_o natural_a notion_n we_o have_v of_o thing_n than_o the_o doctrine_n of_o transubstantiation_n for_o if_o this_o doctrine_n be_v true_a than_o the_o same_o individual_a body_n of_o christ_n