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	faith_n	tradition_n	3,058	5	9.0436	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28839	An exposition of the doctrine of the Catholique Church in the points of controversie with those of the pretended reformation by James Benignus Bossüet, counseller in the King's counsels, Bishop and Lord of Condom, tutor to His Royal Hyghness the Dolphin of France ; translated into English by W.M.; Exposition de la doctrine de l'Eglise catholique sur les matières de controverse. English	Bossuet, Jacques Bénigne, 1627-1704.; Montagu, Walter, 1603?-1677.	1672 (1672)	Wing B3782; ESTC R30305	47,803	218

r Daillé hath writt a treatise intitled Faith grounded vpon the scripture wherein after having exposed all the articles of Faith professed by the Pretended-Reformed Church he Saith that They are without contest the Church of Rome professeth the beleife of them and true it is that they hold not all our opinions but that we hold all their beleefs Wherefore this Minister cannot deny our beleeuing all the principall articles of Christian Religion vnless he will destroy his own Faith But had not Mons r Daillé graunted this the matter proues it self since all the world knowes that we profess the beleife of all those articles which the Caluinists call Fundamentalls so that an ingenuous syncerity would allow vs without dispute this Assertion that we haue not waued or declined any of the Essential perswasions The Pretended-Reformers discerning the aduantages we may draw from this concession seeke to disapoint vs by alledging that we destroy those articles by asserting others which are inconsistent with them This is what they labour to euince by consequences they inferr from our doctrines but the same M r Daillé whome I produce to them not so much to conuīce them by the testimony of one of their most learned Ministers as in regard that what he saith being euident in it self teacheth them what they ought to beleiue of those sorts of consequences supposing that ill ones might be deriued from our Doctrine This is what he saith in his letter to Mons r de Monglat vpon the occasion of his Apologie Although the opinion of the Lutherans in point of the Eucharist inferres according to vs as well as that of Rome the destrūction of the humanity of CHRIST JESVS yet that consequence cannot be obiected to them without calumnie considering that they doe formally reiect it There is nothing more Essentiall to Christian Religion then the verity of the Humane Nature of JESVS-CHRIST and yet notwithstanding the Lutherans hold a doctrine from which is inferr'd a destruction of this Essentiall verity by consequences the Pretended-Reformers account euident they haue not scrupuled to offer them their communion in respect that their opinion hath no poyson in it as M r Daillé attesteth in his Apologie and their Nationall Synod held at Charenton in 1631 admits the Lutherans to their Communion vpon this ground that they agree in the principles and fundamentall points of their Religion It is therefore a maxime constantly established amōgst them that we ought not in this matter to consider the consequences which may be drawne from a Doctrine but simply what the party maintaineth and what he stateth who professeth it So that when by consequences they pretend to deduct from our Doctrine that we can not sufficiently acknowledg the souueraine glory due to God nor the quality of Saviour and Mediator in CHRIST JESVS nor the infinite dignity of Sacrifice nor the superaboundant plenitude of his merits we may easily defeate those consequences by this short answer which M r Daillé himself furnishes vs with by saying that the Catholique Church disclaiming them they can not be imputed to vs without calumny But I will vndertake further and clear to the Pretended-Reformers by the single explication of our Doctrine that so farr it is from ouerthrowing the Fundamentall articles of Faith either directly or by any just consequence that quite contrary our Doctrine hath established them in a manner so solide so euident that without palpable injustice the aduantage of a right vnderstanding them can not admit a question And to begin with the adoration due to God the Catholique Church teacheth that it consists principally in beleiuing that he is the Creator Lord of all things and in adhering to him with all the powers of our soule by faith hope and loue as to him who alone can conferr our Eternall happinesse by com̄unication of the infinite Good which is himself This interior adoration which we render to G'od in spirit and in truth hath its exterior markes of which the principall is Sacrifice which can not be offered but to God alone by reason the homage of Sacrifice is established in order to a publike confession a solemne protestatiō of the soueraingnity of God and of our absolute dependance on him The same Church teacheth that Religiōs Worship ought to terminate in God as being the necessary end and obiect thereof and if the honour she renders to the Blessed Virgin and the Saints may be termed an Act of Religion it is upon the ground that it relateth necessarily vnto God Before I explaine further in what this honour consisteth it will be vsefull to obserue that the Pretended-Reformers being press'd by the power of euident truth begin to acknowledg that the practise of praying to Saints and honoring their reliques was established in the Church euen in the fourth Century M. Daillé making this acknowledgment in the booke he writt against the Latine Church touching the obiect of Religious Worship accuseth S. Basile S. Ambrose S. Hierome S. John Chrysostome S. Augustin and diuers other great lights of Antiquity which did shine in that age and aboue all the rest S. Gregory Nazianzen who is styled the Deuine as a note of his excellency he taxeth all these with hauing changed in this point the doctrine of the preceding ages But surely it will seeme very improbable that M. Daillé should have better vnderstood the sentiments of the three first ages then those who did as it were inherite their doctrine immediately vpon their death and it is by so much the lesse to be beleiued by reason that the fathers of the fourth age were so farre from perceauing any introduction of new doctrines in this Act of Religion that this Minister himself citeth expresse texts by which they shew clearly that they pretended in praying to Saints to follow the example of their Predecessors But not to examin any longer the iudgments of three primitiue ages I rest satisfyed with the graunt of M. Daillé who yealds to vs so many eminent Doctors who did instruct and discipline the Church in the fourth Age. For though it is an easy matter twelue hundred years after their death to taint them by way of scorne with the title of a Sect calling them Reliquarists as persons who honored Reliques I will hope that those of his Communion will beare more respect to those eminent personages they will not presume at least to object that theyr praying to Saints and honoring their Reliques rendred them guilty of Idolatry or that they ouerthrew the confidence that Christians are to haue in IESVS-CHRIST and we may hope that hence forward they will forbeare those reproaches when they consider they can not apply them to vs without laying the same imputation vpon so many excellent persons whose Doctrine Sanctity they professe to reuerence But since it is my worke to exhibite here our Beleif rather then produce the Mantainers of it we must persue the explication of it The Catholique Church teaching the

preuent all scandal They haue concluded by this regulation that both kindes were not essentiall to the Communion by the institution of CHRIST for otherwise they would haue bin bound absolutely to refuse the Sacrament to such as were not able to receaue it compleat and not to giue it them in a manner contrary to that CHRIST JESVS had commanded and in that case their disability would haue sufficiently excused them But our Aduersaries haue conceaued that such a rigour would be excessiue if they did not allow at least one of the Species to such as were not capable to receaue the other and since this condescendence hath no ground in the Scripture they must needs confesse with vs that the words whereby CHRIST IESVS hath proposed to vs the two Species are liable to some interpretation and that the right vnderstanding of them ought to be declared by the Authority of the Church But it might seeme that this Article of their Discipline which is of the Synode of Poytiers held 1560 had bin reformed by the Synode of Vertueil assembled in the year 1567 where it is said that the company is not of opinion the Bread should be giuen to those who would not receaue the Cupp These two Synodes neuerthelesse are not at all opposite to one another that of Vertueil speaketh of those who Will not receaue the Cupp and that of Poytiers of such as Can not take it And indeed notwithstanding the Synode of Vertueil that Article remaineth in their Discipline nay more hath bin approued by a Synode later then that of Vertueil namely by the Synode of Rochelle in 1571 where the Article was renewed and putt into that state which it now remaineth in But supposing the Synodes of the Pretended-Reformers had differr'd varied in their opinions that would serue only to manifest that the matter in question is not a point of Faith but of that kind which the Church may order dispose of according to their own principles There remaineth now nothing but to expose what the Catholiques hold touching the Word of God concerning the Authority of the Church CHRIST IESVS hauing lay'd the foundation of his Church vpon the Preaching of his Disciples the Vnwritten Word was the first guide rule of Christianity when the writings of the New Testament were adioyned to them the former Word did not for all that loose its Authority which causeth vs to accept with the same veneration all that was taught by the Apostles be it by writing or by word of mouth according to what S. Paul himself hath expresly inioyned And the certain proofe that a Doctrine comes from the Apostles is its being accepted and embraced by all Christian Churches whilst its beginning can not be pointed mark'd out We can not choose but receaue all that is establish'd in this manner with the submission due to the Diuine Authority and we are confident that such persons of the Pretended-Reformed Religion as are not very obstinate haue the same perswasion in the bottome of their harts it being impossible to beleeue that a Doctrine setled and receaued from the beginning of the Church can flow from any other spring then that of the Apostles Wherefore our Adversaries ought not to wonder that we being zealously carefull to inherit all that our Fathers haue left vs doe conserue the Deposite of Tradition as well as that of the Scriptures The Church being ordained by God to be the Depositary of the Scripture of Tradition we receaue from her hands the Canonicall Scriptures and we beleeue whateuer our Aduersaries say that it is principally the Church's Authority that determineth vs to reuerence as Diuine writt the song of Salomon which hath so few sensible markes of Propheticall inspiration and likewise the Epistle of S. Iames which Luther reiected and that of S. Iude which might be suspected by reason of some Apocriphall bookes cited in it in fine there can be no motiue but that Authority to perswade the receauing the whole body of the holy Scriptures which Christians accept as Diuine euen before the reading hath wrougt any feeling of the Spirit of God in those bookes Being then inseparably bound as we are to the Authority of the Church by meanes of the Scriptures which we receaue from her hand we are taught also by her Tradition and by the help of Tradition the true sense of the Scriptures So that the Church professeth to say nothing meerly of her self and likewise that she inventeth nothing new in her Doctrine that she doth but follow and declare the Diuine Reuelation by the interiour direction of the holy spirit which is giuen her for her Teacher That the holy Ghost expresseth himself by the Church the dispute raised about the Ceremonies of the Law euen in the time of the Apostles doth euidence and their Acts haue directed all succeeding ages by the manner that first contest was decided by what Authority all following differences are to be determined so that whensoeuer any dispute happens to deuide the faithfull the Church will interpose her Authority and the Pastours assembled will say after the Apostles It hath seemed good to the Holy Spirit and vs. And when the Church hath pronounced and determined her children will be taught not to examine a new the Articles resolued vpon but that they are bound to accept with all submission the Church's Decisions And in this methode we follow S. Paul and Silas who deliuered to the faithfull the first iudgment of the Apostles and were so farr from allowing a new discussion of what had bin decided as they trauell'd through the townes teaching to obserue the ordinances of the Apostles In this manner the children of God acquiesce in the iudgment of the Church beleeuing that by her mouth they hear the Oracle of the Holy Ghost and it is vpon the ground of this perswasion that after hauing profess'd in the Creed I beleeue in the Holy Ghost we ioine next to it The Holy Catholique Church by which protestation we oblige our selues to acknowledge an Infallible and Perpetuall Verity in the Catholique Church since the same Church which we beleeue perseuering throughout all ages would cease to be a Church if it left to teach the Truth reuealed by God so that such as apprehend least she should abuse her power by introducing Falsities haue little Faith in him by whose hand she is held and conducted And if our Aduersaries would consider discusse these matters in a fairer and more humane manner they would be forced to auowe that the Catholique Church is so farre from affecting to render herself Mistresse of her Faith as her Aduersaries charge her that quite contrary she hath laboured with all her power to binde her self and to exclude all means of In̄ouation since she doth not only submitt to the holy Scriptures but to banish for euer all Arbitrary interpretatiōs which would make the conceipts of men passe for Scripture declareth herself obliged

resembled to the two great pillars of brasse call'd Booz and Iachin supporting the gates of the Temple of Salomon wherefore these two points are sett at their full length solidly founded and fairely polished by a cleer smoothing and explication of the seeming hardenes of those proposalls which were taken as a hard saying coming euen out of CHRIST'S own mouth but if rightly vnderstood following this Author 's faire exposition they will be acknowleged as our Sauiour himself attested of them Verba quae ego locutus sum vobis Spiritus vita sunt The words that I haue spoke vnto you they are Spirit and they are life And can there be imagined a greater Blessing next to the Beatifical Vision then the Reall Participation of the Body and Blood of our Divine Sauiour IESVS-CHRIST Me thinks that which would haue bin the wish of all zealous Christians if it had not bin the free guift and gratification of God is this Reall Partaking euen in this life of this blessed cōmunication by which we may glory with S. Peter that by this precious promise we are made partakers of the Diuine Nature And surely I haue not seen any worke vpon this designe wherein these two corner-stones of the Catholique Church haue a more solid foundation or that affords a more easy comprehension of these two sublime mysteries By this motiue I haue bin perswaded to passe into my Country this forrein commodity which like a delicate wine of the same place may loose somewhat of the natural Spirit quicknes by the transport yet I may presume that it retaineth all these healthfull and cordiall qualities it had in the natiue production And hauing heretofore presented my Country in their seuerall seasons Spring-Flowers and other Summer-Fruits as the Parfumes of Poesy and the Reflection of Morality now in this winter of my age I transport to my nation this Riper and more wholesome fruit the feeding whereon contrary to the effect denounced against the forbidden fruite may produce life euerlasting Vpon which hope I may summon my Country in that call of our Lord IESVS commanded to be written by S. Iohn He that hath eares to heare let him heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches for that with greife I say it the reproach of the Prophet Esay may be so truly applied to our Nation Behold you kindle a fire and compasse your selues about with sparkes and walke in the light of your fire and in the sparkes that you haue kindled The strange diuersity of Sects and Severall professions of Religion doth too euidently appropriate this reproach of the Prophet wherefor the rest of my life shall be assigned to sollicite God for the blessing of the Primitiue Christians vpon our so deuided Country to be Cor Vnum and Via Vna One Hart One Way This Vnity was the most feruent prayer we find that our Sauiour euer made to his Father for his Church left vpon earth that they may be One as we are One. In order to some contribution to this Blessed Vnion I haue made this present to my Country and with great sense of Hart for whose Good Happinesse the Syncerity of my zeale is such that I perswade my self I may expresse it in S. Paul's offer for his Conuerts Ego autem libentissimè impendam Superimpendar ipse pro animabus vestris I most gladly will bestow and will my selfe moreouer be bestow'd for your soules And now giue me leaue to closevp this address to my Country in the words of our Lord IESVS which S. Iohn hear'd directed to the Bishop of Ephesus Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent and doe thy first workes For which blessed resipiscence shall be zealously offer'd all the days of my life the best of all the Religious offices and priuate deuotions of DEARE COVNTREYMEN Your most humbly deuoted seruant W A. MONTAGV Permis d' imprimer fait ce 12. Auril 1672. DE LA REYNIE AN EXPOSITION OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE CATHOLIQVE CHVRCH VPON THE POINTS OF Controversie AFTER more then a whole Age's contestation with those of the Pretended-Reformed Religion the matters vpon which they have grounded their breach may be conceiued sufficiently explayned and their minds disposed to a right vnderstanding of the Catholique Churche's Perswasions so that it seemes we can doe nothing better then propose them sincerely and distinguish them from those which have bin wrongfully imputed for in effect I haue observed in diuers occurrencyes that the auersion those persons expresse for the most part of our Doctrines is deriued from the false ideas that they haue figured of our tenents and most commonly drawn from certain expressions which offend them so much as resting at first sight vpon them they neuer passe forward to the enquiry of the grounds of the matter Whereupon I haue conceiued nothing could be more vsefull then to explaine to them what the Church hath defined in the Councel of Trent touching those points which remoue them the most from our Communion I will not therefore stay vpon what they commonly obiect to our priuate Doctors or vpon those matters which are neither inioyned nor vniuersally accepted since all parties agree and Mr Daille him'self that it is vnreasonable to impute the perswasions of particular persons vnto a whole body and he goes further confessing that one ought not to make a separation but vpon Articles Authentically established and whereof all sorts of persons are obliged vnto the Beleefe obseruation I will not therefore fix vpon any but the decrees of the Councel of Trent since it is there the Church speakes Decisiuely of the matters in question and what I shall offer to facilitate the right vnderstanding of those Decisions is approued by the same Church and shall appear manifestly conformable to the Doctrine of that holy Councel This explication of Doctrine will produce two good effects the first that diuers disputes will entierly vanish by reason they will be discerned as grounded meerly vpō wrong explications of our Beleefe the second the disputes remaining will not appear euen according to the principles of the Pretended-Reformers so capitall as they at first sight haue sought to qualify them and that euen by their owne principles they contein nothing that offendeth the grounds of Faith And to begin with these Fundamētall articles of Christian Faith the Pretended-Reformes must needs confess that they are beleeued and professed in the Catholique Church If they state them in the beleefe of adoring one single God Father Sonne and Holy Ghost and the confiding in God only by his sonne incarnate crucified and raysed from the dead for us they are conuinced by their own conscience that we protest the same Doctrine and if they will add the other Articles contayned in the Apostles Creed they doubt as little of our professing them intierly without exception and doe not question our hauing a pure and right vnderstanding of them Mons