Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	article_n	believe_v	creed_n	2,820	5	10.5298	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75466	An antidote against bigotry in religion, or, A discourse proving from the testimony of kings, nobles, judges, bishops, deans, doctors, &c. that wise and good men may differ one from another both in doctrine and discipline, and maintain Christian charity amongst themselves / by a True Berean.	True Berean.	1694 (1694)	Wing A3491A; ESTC R43601	60,737	88

than they are Conformists Plea for the Non conformists Part 3. pag. 75. Indeed the Separation with which the Nonconformists are charged is not as Separation from a Church but as Separation in a Church fundamentally and essentially the same but differing in Modes and Accidents which must needs be the lowest kind of difference For the Conformists and Non-conformists are all one in Christ agreeing in all the parts of Christian Catholick Communion with us Mr. Kidder 's Serm. on 1 Pet. 3.11 The things in which we all agree these things are many and of great weight what we differ about bears no proportion to those things which we are agreed in Mr. Hancock 's Sermon on Luk. 19.42 pag. 24 25. The Mortification of our Lust and Passion living a life of Spiritual Purity and Devotion Self-denial and Meekness Justice and Charity Peaceableness and Patience Sobriety and Chastity and a trusting in the Merits of Christ for pardon of our Sins and acceptance of our imperfect Righteousness these are the substantials of our Religion about which all wise and good men are Agreed however we differ about other Matters Difference of Case between Separation of Protestants from Rome and the Separation of Dissenters pag. 69. As for the Dissenters methinks it should not be hard to disswade the most of them from breaking the Communion of the Church any longer with which they agree in the Substance of Faith and Worship Mr. Wake 's Sermon on Rom. 15.5 6 7. pag. 16 17. Our differences do not at all concern the Foundations either of Faith or Worship and are therefore such in which good men if they be otherwise diligent and sincere in their enquiry may differ without any prejudice to themselves or any just reflection upon the truth of their common profession To conclude this Head Bish Reynold's Br. Reconcil p. 7. Why should not the many Truths wherein we agree teach us to join in Love which is a Christian Duty rather than the few opinions in which we dis-agree cause breach in affection which at best is but an human Infirmity That the Creed contains all Truths necessary to Salvation IN the Common Prayer at the Visitation of the Sick the Minister by the Churches order saith thus to the Sick I shall rehearse to you the Articles of our Christian Faith that you may know whether you do beleive as a Christian man should or no. And so Bishop Tailor on the Credenda in the Holy Catholick Church The Creed which whosoever beleives is a Catholick and a Christian but he that beleiveth it not is neither In Baptism according to the Church of England The question put to the person to be baptized dost thou beleive in God the Father and so to the end of the Creed And will thou be Baptized into this Faith And in the Church Catechism That in our Vow at Baptism we promised to believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith And in the beginning of the Reformation it was agreed upon that the Bishops and Preachers ought to instruct the people according to the Scripture the Three Creeds and the four first General Councels The Fathers are cited by the Reverend Bishops in testimony that the Creed contains all Truths necessary to Salvation as by Arch-Bishop Laud against Fisher Bishop Taylors Ductor Dub. and Bishop Bramhal especially Tertullian Clemens Romanus Ambrose Augustine c. who made the Creed to be the only standing immoveable and irreformable Rule of Faith the sum of the whole Catholick Faith the Key of the Christian Faith the rule and square of the Apostical Sermons i. e. after the making of it wherein the Apostles have collected into one breviary all the points of the Catholick Faith which are diffused throughout all the Scriptures The Creed is one perfect collection and sum plain short and full that the plainness might help the weakness of the Hearers the shortness their Memory the Fulness their Instruction The General Councel of Ephesus did forbid all men to exact any more of a Christian at his Baptismal profession and again the same Councel That it should be lawful for no man to publish or compose another Faith or Creed then that which was defined by the Nicene Councel and that whosoever should dare to compose or offer any such to any persons willing to be converted from Paganism Judaism or Heresie if they should be Bishops or Clergy-men should be deposed if Lay-men Anathematised i. e. Accursed with Excommunication It was the Universal practice of the Primitive Church Credisne at Baptism On Palm-Sunday the Christian converts from Heathenism as yet under Catechizing petitioned for Baptism and from that day forward had some assigned to expound the Creed unto them whereof they were to make solemn profession at Baptism All the Divines of the Reformed Church confessedly and generally own this Truth that the Creed contains all Truths necessary to Salvation Bishop Halls Works p. 637. 'T is not Cassander's Speech only but every wise and honest man's the Creed is the common cognizance of our Faith surely saith he Theodoret when he would allay the bitter contentions of those antient Christians of Antioch writes thus both parts made one and the same confession of their Faith for both maintained the Creed of the Nicene Councel and blames the Romanists that the confession of the same Creed is not sufficient with them for peace Item Resolution of Practical Cases of Conscience Case 5. Dec. 3 d. If there were not some special Truths the belief whereof makes and distinguishes a Christian the authors of the Creed Apostolick besides the other symbols received anciently in the Church were much deceived in their aim Doctor Potters Answer to Charity Mistaken p. 221. How can it be necessary for any Christian to have more in his Creed than the Apostles had in the Church of their time may the Church of after ages make the way to Heaven narrower than our Saviour left it c. The Apostles profess they revealed to the Church the whole Councel of God keeping back nothing needful for our Salvation What Tyranny then is it to impose any new matters on the Faith of Christians especially as the late Popes have done under that high commanding Form Qui non crediderit aut fecerit damnabitur Bishop Tailor Coll. of Discourses p. 524. It is a strange Boldness in the Church of Rome first to add Twelve new Articles to the Apostles Creed and then to add the appendix of Athanasius this is the Catholick Faith without which no man can be saved For I demand can any man say and justifie that the Apostles did deny Communion to any man that believed the Apostles Creed and lived a good Life Let them remember Pope Pelagius who when the Bishops of Istria deserted his Communion in causa trium Capitulorum he gave them an account of his Faith by recitation of the Creed and by attesting the Four General Councels and is confident upon this that de fidei firmitate nulla

poterit esse questio vel suspicio generari Bishop Usher In those Propositions which without all controversie are universally received in the whole Christian World i. e. Articles of the Creed so much Truth is contained as being joyned with an holy obedience may be sufficient to bring a man unto Everlasting Salvation and that as many as walk according to this Rule peace shall be upon them Upon which saith Doctor Chillingworth this is a great and as good a Truth and as necessary for these miserable Times as can be uttered Hookers Eccles Polit. p. 266. We have received from the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ that brief confession of Faith which hath been always a badge of the Church a mark whereby to discern Christian men from Infidels and Jews Dr. Hammond of Schism p. 58. Calls the Creed the Apostolick badge or mark A tessera or token of the Apostles having planted the Faith in any Church the known summary of that beleif which had been received from the Apostles p. 211. It cannot be affirmed of all the Articles of the Creed that they are thus absolutely necessary i. e. that no man can be imagined to Reform his Life so as to be acceptable to God but he to whom every one of those Articles has been intelligibly revealed for as to many plain yet pious Christians it s not certain that can be affirmed Bishop Tailor Coll of disc p. 536. The Religion of Jesus Christ is the Form of sound Doctrine set down in Scripture separated as to the Question of necessary or not necessary by the symbol of the Apostles Item p. 407. Now if more were necessary than the Articles of the Creed I demand why was it made the characteristick note of a Christian from an Heretick Jew or an Infidel or to what purpose was it composed or if this were intended as sufficient did the Apostles or those Churches which they founded know any thing else to be necessary Bishop Sparrows Rationale upon the Common Prayer p. 50. In the time of the stay at Jerusalem they agreed upon this Creed as a Rule of Faith according to the Analogy of which they and all others should teach and as a word of distinction by which they should know Friend from Foes for as the Gileadits by the word Shibboleth Judges 12. 6. c. So the Apostles and the Church should know who were right believers who false by this word of Faith for all that walked according to this Rule and Professed this Faith she acknowledged for hers and gave them her peace but all others that went contrary to this Rule and Word she accounted enemies Tertull. de praescriptione and lead by false Spirits as 1 John 4.6 Item a Christian evidences to the Church his sound beleif by expresly repeating the Creed and every particular thereof which is and always hath been accounted the mark and character whereby to distinguish a true beleiver from an Heretick or Infidel Judge Hales discourse of Religion p. 4. The Credenda or things to be known or beleived are but few and intelligible briefly delivered in that summary of Christian Religion usually called the Apostles Creed and in brief the Baptismal Covenant as it is contained in the Liturgy and Explanation thereof in the Church Catechism i. e. by the Covenant Mercies and Covenant-duties together with the precepts of the Decalogue contain in effect the summary or brief Epitome of our Christian duty Cars peaceable Moder p. 43. The Creed is a short Abridgment and Epitome of the Apostles Doctrine which they received from Christ our Saviour and delivered to us in the New Testament the Rule of our Faith Touch-stone of Truth the pith and substance of our Christian Religion the very badge and cognizance of a Christian whereby he is not only known from Pagans but also distinguished from Hereticks Bishop Pearson The Creed without controversie is a brief comprehension of the objects of our Christian Faith and is generally taken to contain all things necessary to be beleived in praef to his Exposition on the Apostles Creed Glanvell's Catholick Charity p. 30. The Fundamentals of belief are few and plain for certainly the Divine goodness would not lay our Eternal interest in difficulties and multitudes things hard to be understood and retain'd Item Agreement of Reason and Religion pag. 5. In the Creed are all the Fundamentals of Religion and though our Church require our Assent Ministers he means to more propositions yet those are only Articles of Communion not Doctrines absolutely necessary to Salvation And if we go beyond the Creed for Essentials of Faith who can tell where we shall stop Doctor Tillotson I doubt not but that the belief of the Ancient Creed provided we entertain nothing that is destructive of it together with a good Life will certainly save a Man True state of the Primitive Church Part First That which we commonly call the Apostles Creed if it were not composed by them yet certainly by Primitive and Apostolick men and proposed as the sum of Christian Faith the sum total necessary to Salvation It cannot be supposed that they left out any thing which they thought necessary to Salvation they might as well have omitted half or all Dr. Steward 's Englands Case pag. 20. In our Reformation we still adhering unto the Three Creeds which are the Faith of the Church Catholick Mr. Hancock 's Sermon on Luk. 19.42 pag. 26. To the Honour of the Church of England let it be said whatsoever is imposed on us as necessary to the Salvation of all men is contained in the Apostles Creed This is the Faith of the first and best times of Christianity the Faith into which we are Baptized and the Belief of this Creed hath a direct influence on our Christian practice which is the great business of Religion Bishop Sanderson in his nine Cases of Conscience pag 8. Whosoever well considers may rest satisfied in his judgment and conscience that the Faith professed and taught in the Church of England is a plain and safe way to lead a Christian Believer to Eternal Salvation if he withal lead his life and conversation answerable thereunto Dr. Barrow 's Discourse of the Vnity of the Church annexed to his Treatise against the Popes Supremacy In regard to this Union of Faith among Christians the Body of Christians adhering to it was called the Catholick Church from which all those were esteemed Ipso facto to be cut off and separated who in any point deserted that Faith pag. 9. Conformists not forward in Censuring any as guilty of Heretical and Damnable Errors HOmily of Contention First Part. May help with other Citations to explain the Hereticalness of an Error He that is faulty let him rather amend than defend that which he hath spoken a miss least he fall by contention from a foolish Error into an obstinate Heresie Bishop Jewel's Def. of Apol. pag. 46. For just proof of Heresie three things necessarily be required 1. That it be an

prejudice which is a Fault I confess but a fault incident to good and honest men very often That none are to be shut out of the Church and denied Communion for Lesser Sins and Errors BIshop Tailors Ductor Dubitantium In what case is Excommunication to be inflicted I chuse to give it in the words of the Fathers because there is in this case Reason and Authority too 1. Unless the offence be evident no man must be excommunicated says Origen agreeably Hooker Eccl. Pol. pag. 408. As for Iniquity and Sin it lieth many times hid and because we be all offenders it becometh us not to encline towards hard and severe sentences touching others unless upon notorious wickedness 2. None but peccator gravis scandalosus Why should a man proceed to violent remedies when a gentle application will make the cure Therefore the Fathers in the Council of Worms in Can. 2. Decreed Nullus Sacerdotum c. no Priest shall excommunicate any man sound in the Faith for small and light causes but only for some very grievous fault according to the practice of the Fathers St. Leo in the 93. Epist forbade Let not the Communion be easily or lightly denied to any Christian nor at the pleasure of every angry Priest It was a worthy cause of complaint in St. Leo to consider that this evil was done for so little things and therefore if the Church do Excommunicate him whose Actions or Words though faulty yet can consist with the state of a good man and do not destroy the Love of God the Censure was too heavy as to the External and false as to the Internal Communion For the man is not fallen from God but doth communicate with the head and continue to receive of the Spirit of Christ 3. Neither is this sufficient a scandalous sin alone is not enough for Excommunication is the last remedy Omnia prius tentanda When nothing else will do it then is this to be used for his amendment Bishop Usher 's Directions concerning Liturgy and Episcopal Government That none might be excommunicated but by the Bishop himself with the consent of the Pastor in those Parishes the Delinquent dwells and that for heinous and scandalous Crimes joyned with obstinacy and wilful contempt Idem In his Body of Divinity Bishop Pearson on the Creed pag. 350. By great and scandalous offences by incorrigible mis-demeanors we my incur the Censure of the Church of God and while we are shut out thence we stand excluded out of Heaven Item Doctor More 's Mistery of Godliness 14. chap. That none are to be excluded from Communion that profess the belief of the Holy Scripture and the Creed unless they stand guilty for some gross and scandalous sins and do persist therein impenitent and unreclaim'd Item The Judgment of the Church being nothing else but an effective and terrible Declaration of the Judgment of God must not be exterminating and Final for things of little concernment but according to the Mercy which we hope for Again If the Church kills on Earth i. e. Excommunicates and God saves in Heaven its clear she hath not used her power aright Whoever deserves Excommunication deserves Damnation pag. 530. in Collection of Discourse Polemical and Moral In the Commination The persons coming under the Discipline of the Church said to be such as stood convict of Notorious Sin And further the Wrath of God which obstinate sinners through the stubbornness of their Hearts have heaped unto themselves which despised the Goodness Patience and Long-sufferance of God when he called them continually to Repentance c. And the Curses therein are denounced against wilful and open Evil-Livers Article 33. of the Church of England That person which by open denunciation of the Church is rightly cut off that is Excommunicate c. On which Mr. Rogers Exposition reckons two sorts of men to be rightly Excommunicated whereof the one pervert the sound Doctrine of the Truth as did Hymeneus and Philetus the Resurrection the other sort such as be defiled with notorious wickedness Bishop Jewel 's Defence of the Apol. pag. 140. The Minister we say shutteth up the gate of the Kingdom of Heaven against unbelieving and stubborn persons denouncing unto them Gods Vengeance and Everlasting punishment or else quite shutting them out of the Bosom of the Church by open Excommunication Item pag. 146. That the wicked and wilful and such as would not believe c. Item Reply to Harding pag. 32. Persons Excommunicate upon great and notorious Crimes could not be suffered to communicate with the rest of the Faithful Item pag. 88. The apparent wicked and ungodly were removed from the Congregation Bishop Andrew 's Latter Sermons pag. 32. It hath ever been held good Divinity that the Church from Christ received power to censure and separate wilful offenders Item pag. 55. Speaking of the same power given to Edification and not to Destruction I say not first and principally to Destruction nor of any save only of the wilful and impenitent Sinner Item Bishop Andrew 's Sermons Edit 3. pag. 727. Then is not every Error repugnant to Gods Grace God is able to pardon and not impute Error in Opinion as well as Error in Practice did not the High Priest offer as well for the Errors as the Transgressions of the people This only we are to look to that with St. Peter we be not wilful if there come a clear comperi as ready to relent in the one as to repent of the other Archbishop Laud cited in Dr. Puller 's Moderation of the Church of England pag. 391. The Church of England is not such a shrew to her children as to deny her Blessing or denounce an Anathema against them if some peaceably dissent in Points remoter from the Foundation Bishop Davenant 's Letter to Duraeus The Apostles Creed saith he and the Articles therein contained he that believeth and endeavours to lead a Life conformable to the commands of Christ is not to be blotted out of the Roul of Christians nor expelled from Communion with other Members of any Christian Church whatsoever Item That Church doth too much please it self which rejects others in which neither Tyranny nor Idolatry nor Deadly Heresie is found as men unworthy of Communion with her for some Infirmity of Understanding the Fathers of the Ancient Church did not so Why should men be more rigid than God Why should any Error exclude any man from the Churches communion which will not deprive him of Eternal Salvation Dr. Chill chap. 4. Sect. 40. of his Book Doctor Chillingw chap. 4. Sect. 13. What Man or Church believes the Creed and all the evident consequences of it if also he believe the Scripture sincerely and heartily cannot possibly be in any Error of simple belief offensive unto God nor deserve for any such Error to be deprived of his Life or cut off from the Churches communion and hope of Salvation Sir Francis Bacon In his Advertisement of the controversies of