Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	church_n	infallible_a	interpretation_n	3,557	5	10.7106	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89790	A declaration of the faith and order owned and practised in the Congregational Churches in England; agreed upon and consented unto by their elders and messengers in their meeting at the Savoy, Octob. 12. 1658.	Congregational Church in England and Wales. Savoy Meeting (1658).; Owen, John, 1616-1683.; Nye, Philip, 1596?-1672.	1659 (1659)	Wing N1488; Thomason E968_4; ESTC R203024	44,014	43

therefore are of no authority in the Church of God nor to be any otherwise approved or made use of then other humane writings IV. The Authority of the holy Scripture for which it ought to be believed and obeyed dependeth not upon the Testimony of any man or Church but wholly upon God who is Truth it self the Author thereof and therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God V. We may be moved and induced by the Testimony of the Church to an high and reverent esteem of the holy Scripture And the heavenliness of the Matter the efficacy of the Doctrine the Maiesty of the Style the consent of all the parts the scope of the whole which is to give all glory to God the full discovery it makes of the only way of Mans Salvation the many other incomparable excellencies and the intire perfection thereof are Arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence it self to be the Word of God Yet notwithstanding our full perswasion and assurance of the infallible Truth and Divine Authority thereof is from the inward work of the holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts VI The whole Counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own Glory mans Salvation Faith and Life is either expresly set down in Scripture or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture unto which nothing at any time is to be added whether by new Revelations of the Spirit or Traditions of men Nevertheless we acknowledge the inward illumination of the spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word And that there are some circumstances concerning the Worship of God and Government of the Church common to humane actions and Societies which are to be ordered by the Light of Nature and Christian prudence according to the general Rules of the Word which are always to be observed VII All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves nor alike clear unto all yet those things which are necessary to be known believed and observed for Salvation are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other that not only the learned but the unlearned in a due use of the ordinary means may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them VIII The Old Testament in Hebrew which was the Native Language of the people of God of old and the New Testament in Greek which at the time of writing of it was most generally known to the Nations being immediately inspired by God and by his singular care and providence kept pure in all Ages are therefore Authentical so as in all Controversies of Religion the Church is finally to appeal unto them But because these Original Tongues are not known to all the people of God who have right unto and interest in the Scriptures and are commanded in the fear of God to read and search them therefore they are to be translated into the Vulgar language of every Nation unto which they come that the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all they may worship him in an acceptable manner and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope IX The infallible Rule of Interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture it self And therefore when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture which is not manifold but one it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly X. The Supreme Judge by which all controversies of Religion are to be determined and all Decrees of Councils Opinions of ancient Writers Doctrines of men and private Spirits are to be examined and in whose Sentence we are to rest can be no other but the holy Scripture delivered by the Spirit into which Scripture so delivered our Faith is finally resolved CHAP. II. Of God and of the Holy Trinity THere is but one onely living and true God who is infinite in Being and Perfection a most pure Spirit invisible without body parts or passions immutable immense eternal incomprehensible almighty most wise most holy most free most absolute working all things according to the Counsel of his own immutable and most righteous Will for his own Glory most loving gracious merciful long-suffering abundant in goodness and truth forgiving iniquity transgression and sin the rewarder of them that diligently seek him and withal most just and terrible in his Judgments hating all sin and who will by no means clear the guilty II. God hath all Life Glory Goodness Blessedness in and of himself and is alone in and unto himself All-sufficient not standing in need of any Creatures which he hath made nor deriving any glory from them but onely manifesting his own glory in by unto and upon them He is the alone Fountain of all Being of whom through whom and to whom are all things and hath most Soveraign dominion over them to do by them for them or upon them whatsoever himself pleaseth In his sight all things are open and manifest his Knowledge is infinite infallible and independent upon the creature so as nothing is to him contingent or uncertain He is most holy in all his Counsels in all his Works and in all his Commands To him is due from Angels and Men and every other Creature whatsoever Worship Service or Obedience as Creatures they owe unto the Creator and whatever he is further pleased to require of them III. In the Unity of the God-head there be three Persons of one Substance Power and Eternity God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost The Father is of none neither begotten nor proceeding The Son is eternally begotten of the Father The Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son Which Doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our Communion with God and comfortable Dependence upon him CHAP. III. Of Gods Eternal Decree GOD from all eternity did by the most wise and holy Counsel of his own Will freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to passe Yet so as thereby neither is God the Author of sin nor is violence offered to the will of the Creatures nor is the liberty or contingency of second Causes taken away but rather established II. Although God knowes whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed Conditions yet hath he not decreed any thing because he foresaw it as future or as that which would come to passe upon such Conditions III. By the Decree of God for the manifestation of his Glory some Men and Angels are predestinated unto everlasting Life and others fore-ordained to everlasting Death IV. These Angels and Men thus predestinated and fore-ordained are particularly and unchangeably designed and their number is so certain and definite that it cannot be either increased or diminished V. Those of mankind that are predestinated unto Life God before the foundation of the world was laid according to his eternal and immutable purpose and the

and continueth to be the Copy ordinarily onely sold printed and reprinted for these 11 years After the 19th cap. of the Law we have added a cap. of the Gospel it being a Title that may not well be omitted in a Confession of Faith In which Chapter what is dispersed and by intimation in the Assemblies Confession with some little addition is here brought together and more fully under one head That there are not Scriptures annexed as in some Confessions though in divers others it 's otherwise we give the same account as did the Reverend Assembly in the same case which was this The Confession being large and so framed as to meet with the common Errors if the Scriptures should have been alleadged with any clearness and by shewing where the strength of the proof lieth it would have required a Volume We say further it being our utmost end in this as it is indeed of a Confession humbly to give an account what we hold and assert in these matters that others especially the Churches of Christ may judge of us accordingly This we aimed at and not so much to instruct others or convince gain-sayers These are the proper works of other Institutions of Christ and are to be done in the strength of express Scripture A Confession is an Ordinance of another nature What we have laid down and asserted about Churches and their Government we humbly conceive to be the Order which Christ himself hath appointed to be observed we have endeavored to follow Scripture light and those also that went before us according to that Rule desirous of nearest uniformity with Reforming-Churches as with our Brethren in New-England so with others that differ from them and Us The Models and Platforms of this subject laid down by learned men and practised by Churches are various We do not judge it brotherly or grateful to insist upon comparisons as some have done but this Experience teacheth That the variety and possibly the Disputes and Emulations arising thence have much strengthened if not fixed this unhappy perswasion in the mindes of some learned and good men namely That there is no setled Order laid down in Scripture but it 's left to the Prudence of the Christian Magistrate to compose or make choice of such a Form as is most sutable and consistent with their Civil-Government Where this Opinion is entertained in the perswasion of Governors there Churches asserting their Powet and Order to be jure divino and the appointment of Jesus Christ can have no better nor more honorable Entertainment then a Toleration or Permission Yet herein there is this remarkable advantage to all parties that differ about what in Government is of Christ's appointment in that such Magistrates have a far greater latitude in conscience to tolerate and permit the several forms of each so bound up in their perswasion then they have to submit unto what the Magistrate shall impose And thereupon the Magistrate exercising an indulgency and forbearance with protection and encouragement to the people of God so differing from him and amongst themselves Doth therein discharge as great a faithfulness to Christ and love to his people as can any way be supposed and expected from any Christian Magistrate of what perswasion soever he is And where this clemency from Governors is shewed to any sort of persons or Churches of Christ upon such a principle it will in equity produce this just effect That all that so differ from him and amongst themselves standing in equal and alike difference from the principle of such a Magistrate he is equally free to give a like liberty to them one as well as the other This faithfulness in our Governours we do with thankfulness to God acknowledge and to their everlasting honour which appeared much in the late Reformation The Hierarchie Common-Prayer-Book and all other things grievous to God's People being removed they made choice of an Assembly of learned men to advise what Government and Order is meet to be established in the room of these things and because it was known there were different opinions as always hath been among Godly men about forms of Church-Government there was by the Ordinance first sent forth to call an Assembly not onely a choice made of persons of several perswasions to sit as Members there but liberty given to a lesser number if dissenting to report their Judgments and Reasons as well and as freely as the major part Hereupon the Honorable House of Commons an Indulgence we hope will never be forgotten finding by Papers received from them that the Members of the Assembly were not like to compose differences amongst themselves so as to joyn in the same Rule for Church-Government did order further as followeth That a Committee of Lords and Commons c. do take into consideration the differences of the Opinions in the Assembly of Divines in point of Church-government and to endeavor a union if it be possible and in case that cannot be done to endeavor the finding out some may how far tender consciences who cannot in all things submit to the same Rule which shal be established may be born with according to the Word and as may stand with the Publique Peace By all which it is evident the Parliament purposed not to establish the Rule of Church-Government with such rigor as might not permit and bear with a practise different from what they had established In persons and Churches of different principles if occasion were And this Christian Clemency and indulgence in our Governours hath been the foundation of that Freedom and Liberty in the managing of Church-affairs which our Brethren as well as WE that differ from them do now and have many years enjoyed The Honorable Houses by several Ordinances of Parliament after much consultation having setled Rules for Church-Government and such an Eccleasistical Order as they judged would best joynt with the Laws and Government of the Kingdom did publish them requiring the practise hereof throughout the Nation and in particular by the Min. of the Pr. of Lon. But upon the former reason or the like charitable consideration these Rules were not imposed by them under any Penalty or rigorous inforcement though frequently urged thereunto by some Our Reverend Brethren of the Province of London having considered of these Ordinances and the Church-Government laid down in them declared their Opinions to be That there is not a compleat Rule in those Ordinances also that there are many necessary things not yet established and some things wherein their consciences are not so fully satisfied These Brethren in the same Paper have published also their joynt Resolution to practise in all things according to the Rule of the Word and according to these Ordinances so far as they conceive them correspond to it and in so doing they trust they shall not grieve the Spirit of the truly godly nor give any just occasion to them that are contrary minded to blame their proceedings We humbly

conceive that WE being dissatisfied in these things as our Brethren the like liberty was intended by the Honorable Houses and may be taken by us of the Congregational way without blame or grief to the spirits of those Brethren at least to resolve or rather to continue in the same Resolution and Practise in these matters which indeed were our practises in times of greatest opposition and before this Reformation was began And as our Brethren the Ministers of London drew up and published their opinions and apprehensions about Church-Government into an intire System so we now give the like publique account of our Consciences and the Rules by which we have constantly practised hitherto which we have here drawn up and do present Whereby it will appear how much or how little we differ in these things from our Presbyterian Brethren And we trust there is no just cause why any man either for our differing from the present settlement it being out of Conscience and not out of contempt or our differences one from another being not wilful should charge either of us with that odious reproach of Schism And indeed if not for our d ffering from the State settlement much less because we differ from our Brethren our d fferences being in some lesser things and circumstances onely as themselves acknowledge And let it be further considered that we have not broken from them or their Order by these differences but rather they from us and in that respect we less deserve their censure our practise being no other then what it was in our breaking from Episcopacy and long before Presbytery or any such form as now they are in was taken up by them and we will not say how probable it is that the yoke of Episcopacy had been upon our neck to this day if some such way as formerly and now is and hath been termed Schism had not with much suffering bin then practised and since continued in For Novelty wherewith we are likewise both charged by the Enemies of both it is true in respect of the publique and open Profession either of Presbytery or Independency this Nation hath been a stranger to each way it 's possible ever since it hath been Christian though for our s lves we are able to trace the foot-steps of an Independent Congregational way in the ancientest customs of the Churches as also in the Writings of our soundest Protestant Divines and that which we are much satified in a full concurrence throughout in all the substantial parts of Church-Government with our Reverend Brethren the old Puritan Non-conformists who being instant in Prayer and much sufferings prevailed with the Lord and we reap with joy what they sowed in tears Our Brethren also that are for Presbyterial Subordinations profess what is of weight against Novelty for their way And now therefore seeing the Lord in whose hand is the heart of Princes hath put into the hearts of our Governours to tolerate and permit as they have done many years persons of each perswasion to enjoy their Consciences though neither come up to the Rule established by Authority And that which is more to give us both Protection and the same encouragement that the most devoted Conformists in those former Superstitious Times enjoyed yea and by a publike Law to estalish this Liberty for time to come and yet further in the midst of our fears to set over us a Prince that owns this Establishment and cordially resolves to secure our Churches in the enjoyment of these Liberties if we abuse them not to the disturbance of the Civil Peace This should be a very great engagement upon the hearts of all though of different perswasions to endeavour our utmost joyntly to promove the honour and prosperity of such a Government and Governours by whatsoever means which in our Callings as Ministers of the Gospel and as Churches of Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace we are any way able to do as also to be peaceably disposed one towards another and with mutual toleration to love as brethren notwithstanding such differences remembring as it 's very equal we should the differences that are between Presbyterians and Independents being differences between fellow-servants and neither of them having authority given from God or Man to impose their Opinions one more then the other That our Governours after so solemn an establishment should thus bear with us both in our greater differences from their Rule and after this for any of us to take a fellow-servant by the throat upon the account of a lesser reckoning and nothing due to him upon it is to forget at least not to exercise that compassion and tenderness we have found where we had less ground to challenge or expect it Our Prayer unto God is That whereto we have already attained we all may walk by the same rule and that wherein we are otherwise minded God would reveal it to us in his due time A DECLARATION OF THE FAITH and ORDER Owned and practised in the Congregational Churches IN ENGLAND CHAP. I. Of the Holy Scripture ALthough the Light of Nature and the Works of Creation and Providence do so far manifest the Goodnesse Wisdom and Power of God as to leave men unexcusable yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and of his Will which is necessary unto salvation Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in divers manners to reveal Himself and to declare that his Will unto his Church and afterwards for the better preserving and propagating of the truth and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh and the malice of Satan and of the World to commit the same wholly unto writing which maketh the holy Scripture to be most necessary those former wayes of Gods revealing his Will unto his people being now ceased II. Under the name of holy Scripture or the Word of God written are now contained all the Books of the Old and New Testament which are these Of the Old Testament Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes The Song of Songs Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi Of the New Testament Mathew Mark Luke John The Acts of the Apostles Pauls Epistle to the Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Phillippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 To Timothy 2 To Timothy To Titus To Philemon The Epistle to the Hebrews The Epistle of James The first and second Epistles of Peter The first second and third Epistles of John The Epistle of Jude The Revelation All which are given by the inspiration of God to be the Rule of Faith and Life III. The Books commonly called Apocrypha not being of Divine inspiration are no part of the Canon of the Scripture and