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
A86726	An Humble advise to the right honorable the lord mayor, the recorder, and the rest of the justices of the honorable bench to the goodmen of the jury, aud [sic] at the Sessions House in the Old-Bayley, London, in behalf of Mr. John Bidle, prisoner in Newgate.		1654 (1654)	Wing H3396; ESTC R42339	15,114	16

affirm or deny as they see cause without being termed Blasphemers for so doing yea rather pity their mistakings nay the Jews that speak such opprobrious language of Christ as is not fit to be repeated denying not only his Godhead but his most holy and heavenly Conception yet are they not imprisoned nor Indicted for Blasphemers nor molested but suffered to live quietly amongst us for which way else shall they ever be converted to the Faith of Christ Why then is it so hainous a thing in M. Bidle to say he doth deny this or that opinion of Christ to that end it may be proved by Scripture Why doth not some zealous person shew him wherein he is mistaken without calling him a Blasphemer Will it suffize to quit a man from the guilt of such an ignominious appellation to believe every article of the Apostles Creed if it will it is then most certain this good man Mr. Bidle believes all and every Article thereof in every respect as they are there expressed If this will not suffize but that Athenasius his Creed must in every circumstance be believed also or those that cannot understand it and consequently cannot believe it in all points shall be deemed Blasphemers by most assuredly it would be thought too harsh a judgement for do you but observe with what satisfaction with how much alacrity the conscience closeth with the former saying I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ his onely Son our Lord which was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried descended into hell the third day he arose again from the dead and ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty from thence he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Catholique Church the Communion of Saints the forgiveness of sins the Resurrection of the body and the life ever lasting There being no Particle of this Belief as Mr. Bidle useth to affirm but that even in speaking it presents a plain place of Scripture to the minde for proofe thereof Whereas in reciting that of Athenasius which was the ground of that Ordinance of the Lords and Commons in making it Blasphemy to affirm so and so concerning Christ and the Holy Spirit what infinite doubts and scruples do arise as where it is said For there is one person of the Father another of the Son and another of the Holy Ghost but the Godhead of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is all one the glory equal the Majesty coeternal such as the Father such is the Son and such is the Holy Ghost the Father uncreate the Son uncreate and the Holy Ghost uncreate the Father incomprehensible the Son incomprehensible and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible the Father eternal the Son eternal and the Holy Ghost eternal and yet they are not three eternals but one eternal as also there are not three incomprehensibles nor three uncreated but one uncreated and one incomprehensible so likew se the Father is almighty the Son almighty and the Holy Ghost almighty and yet there are not three almighties but one almighty c. And in this Trinity none is before nor after another none is greater or lesser then another but the whole three persons be coeternal together and coequal c. It is true most men of years living in this Nation have through breeding and custome been formerly used to recite this Creed as what they did believe but how few there were that did truly understand it that is that did truly believe what they said and seemed to believe you can now very easily judg nay how glad would al ingenuous Christians be that these difficulties might without danger be clearly discussed by strength of Scripture that so men might no longer have things run in their mind as believed by them which in deed and in truth they do not understand nor are able to render a reason of the hope that is in them touching many of the particulars which is no better then hypocrisie and gross superstition for though men may hide their hearts from men yet from themselves and from God they cannot hide them Now because Mr Bidle hath laboured in this work to enquire how these obscure difficult expressions in this Creed are proved in Scripture which he taketh for the foundation of his faith and because he hath not been contented to take up other opinions concerning God according to the current of Interpreters of our times but still ground himself upon the Scripture for this cause only is he now a prisoner and for no other for this cause and none other doth his Accusers the Informers deem him unworthy to live But it is hoped with you he will find a much more charitable and Christian esteem for what at worst can be alledged against him or what can warrant the taking away of his life For admit the words or Books should be fully proved against him and that you should think such Accusers and Witnesses worthy of belief when not the glory of God or of Christ but their own gain hath set them on Admit that mens lives may be taken away by an Ordinance of the Lords and Commons out of time of Parliament which will not be granted England being to be ruled by Acts not Ordinances so as therein also the foundation fails for he is tried upon no other but an Ordinance Again suppose the Ordinance Law there is nothing of obstinacy expressed in the Indictment against Mr. Bidle without which he doth not offend against it but were the Ordinance in force it directs the prisoner to be Indicted the next Goal delivery but M. Bidle was not Indicted till the second Goal delivery after complaint and imprisonment wherefore the Ordinance is not pursued but the time prefixed elapsed Yet further admit there were an Act and in force yet that a Parliament can be trusted in matters of Religion and Conscience the Scripture never warranted men cannot trust because they must obey not what Parliaments establish but what the Scripture saith to their particular Consciences so as if Parliaments understand the Scriptures one way and you another whether are you to yeeld to their sense or your own whether are you to believe and worship as they direct or as you judg your selves directed by the Word of God so that the making of Laws by Parliaments in matters of Religion Faith and Gods Worship which God never did and men cannot trust them withal so that although this Ordinance were an Act and were not annihilated by the instrument of Government as indeed it is in Mr. Bidles case you could not with innocent consciences find him guilty upon it If Mr. Bidle be not protected by the instrument none are for you will find it evidently intended by the 36. 37. and 38. Articles which say thus 36 That

opinions which are charged upon M. Bidle which for more easie consideration present themselves in this form That he is indicted as a Blasphemer for denying the Vnity in Trinity and the Trinity in Vnity that the Father is the most high God the Son the most high God and the Holy Ghost the most high God and these are not three most high Gods but one most high God This any man may affirm he believeth and most men do affirm they do believe it and it is like the Informers would not scruple to swear they do believe it as those of the former times no doubt would have sworn they both understood and believed the real presence in the Sacrament but dealing clearly and conscientiously with your own hearts Is not this a mystery most difficult to be understood Can any thing be more mysterious Do you imagine that one of an hundred understands it who yet through fear of the Law and awe of death sayes he believes it Is any point in Christianity more obscure in Scripture Why did not Athenasius affix those places of Scripture to his Creed upon which he grounds his judgment whereas in place whereof he gives you only this for proof That as we be compelled by the Christian verity to believe what in this his Creed he affirms ought to be believed so saith he are we forbidden by the Catholike Religion to acknowledg whatsoever he therein denies Now you know the Real Presence was a long time here taken for a main part of Christian verity and men were interdicted and forbidden under pain of death to deny it by the Catholike Religion for the Church of Rome was thought to be no lesse then the Catholike unerring Church so as this his Christian verity and this his Catholike Religion are in these times of enquiry but slender proofs and may very well admit of dispute and a demand of plain Scripture proof to prove them and it is a very hard case if men for argument sake may not deny any thing Athenasius therein affirms or affirm any thing he therein denies the purpose and intention being to see what Scriptures can be brought for full proof of the things disputed nay if any conscientious Christian shall really think Athenasius mistaken in his mysterious opinions what offence is it to declare his thoughts and to deny them Every one knows by pro and con truth comes to be established it is only error that requires no arguments or disputations but that of Law and the Sword on its side unhallowed weapons to combat with error truth being ever Vanquisher where those odds are not It is not denied that the most mysterious opinions may be true but it must be only Scripture that proves them so and then if freedom of dispute and argument be allowed the more these truths are opposed or denied the clearer the truth ever appeareth truth being like that house built upon the Rock that stands the firmer for being assaulted error like the house built upon the Sand which had need keep opposition far from her by the out works of Law and threats of death for so you see it speeds best and continues longest as that abominable error of the Real Presence which whilst hedged about by Authoriry and Law was with the slightest arguments and even with Scriptures abused able and did even in this place deprive many of Gods dear ones of their liberties yea of their very lives by the most cruel tormenting deaths their malicious Prosecutors and Informers could devise An Heretique he was that denied the Real Presence that the Parliament Law enacted and an Heretique or Blasphemer must be put to death that also the Parliament took care for They also made the poor besotted superstitious people believe that it suffized not except the Scriptures warranted it and therefore they never failed to urge the Scripture in Titus 3.10 11. A man that is an Heretique after the first and second admonition reject knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself So then say they as some will not fail to apply it to M. Bidle the Prisoner at the Bar is an Heretique why for he denieth the Body and Blood of Christ to be really and corporally in the Sacrament so such an one is a sinner and perverted from the Christian verity and from the Catholike Religion and is condemned of him self Yes saith the Arch-bishop it is impossible but he must condemn himself his evil is so palpable only he is obstinate and will not acknowledg or confesse it Well then what is to be done with such an Heretique Why the Scripture saith after the first and second admonition reject We and our Clergy have admonished him often and again to forsake his wicked Heresie yet still he persists therefore is to be rejected that is say they and the ignorant seduced Juries of those times believed them let him be put to death yea say they the Scripture is plain Gal. 5.12 I would they were even cut off then trouble you which though every conscientious Christian knew in the Apostles sense never intended more then an Excommunication as doth also the forecited reject yet these false counterfeiting Apostles never failed to interpret a cutting off by death But to strengthen these further they urge 2 Pet. 2.1 with great vehemency against the poor innocents But there were false Prophets also among the people even as there shall be false teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction This nail they drive home into the Saints Temples crying out These are they that deny the Lord that bought them for they deny him to be corporally present in the Holy Sacrament away with them to fire and faggot for they bring upon themselves swift destruction And this place of Scripture was so violently urged in the late Parliament against Mr. Bidle and made or seemed to make so deep an impression in the very zealous part of them that they were even ready to Vote upon a swift and sudden death and were very hardly with-held from it nay had done it but that the more conscientious amongst them replied soberly that this place of Scripture could not possibly be applied to M. Bidle it being evident that he was so far from denying the Lord Jesus Christ to be the Lord that bought him or from denying him to be the Messiah the Christ the Redeemer that all the writings called his and his discourses did manifest that he did believe in his heart and confesse with his mouth the Lord Jesus to be his Lord and his God as afore is more largely expressed which if it shall please you to consider together with what in the third ver is said of the false Teachers viz. and through covetousness shall they with feigned words make Merchandize of you ye will find it reaches not Mr. Bidle in the least none in the world being more free from the loathsome sin of covetousnesse or from making Merchandize of any every one that knows him knoweth that he having food and rayment is therewithall content and that he if any one in the world accounts godlinesse with content the greatest gain in so as when all the whole Scriptures are searched for matter against Mr. Bidle let them be but impartially considered and they will appear no more in justification of his molestation imprisonment or further punishment then they were in approving the barbarous cruelties inflicted upon those former sufferers So that upon your serious consideration of all things it cannot be doubted but that Mr. Bidle is as safe whilst your Christian consciences thus rightly informed stand between him and death as if he were at his own disposing and being so through your godly care of him you will acquit your selves as wise and discreet Christians in the sight of God and stanch that innocent Blood which hath violently been let run formerly in this place upon like occasions and free both your selves your posterity and this Honorable City from Judgments and plagues due for the same Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the Blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS