Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	rule_n	word_n	write_a	2,444	5	10.7174	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96361	Pantheologia or the summe of practical divinity practiz'd in the wilderness, and delivered by our Saviour in his Sermon on the Mount. Being observations upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters of St Matthew. To which is prefixed a prolegomena or preface by way of dialogue, wherein the perfection and perspicuity of the Scripture is vindicated from the calumnies of Anabaptists and Papists. By Tho. White B.L. minister of Gods word at Anne Aldersgate, London.	White, Thomas, minister of St. Anne's, Aldersgate.	1653 (1653)	Wing W1806; Thomason E1466_1; ESTC R208673	167,277	207

ΠΑΝΘΕΟΛΟΓΙΑ Or the Summe of PRACTICAL DIVINITY Practiz'd in the Wilderness and delivered by our Saviour in his Sermon on the MOUNT BEING OBSERVATIONS Upon the Fourth Fifth Sixth and Seventh Chapters of St MATTHEW To which is Prefixed A PROLEGOMENA or Preface by way of DIALOGUE Wherein the Perfection and Perspicuity of the Scripture is vindicated from the Calumnies of ANABAPTISTS and PAPISTS By THO. WHITE B. L. Minister of Gods Word at Anne Aldersgate London LONDON Printed by A. M. for Jos Cranford and are to be sold at the Sign of the Phoenix in St Pauls Church-yard MDCLIV WHITES OBSERVATIONS Upon the 4. 5. 6. and 7. Chapters of St MATTHEW The Authours TO THE READER AUTHOUR THe Times wherein we live are so full of Errors Heresies and Blasphemies that except our Antidotes and Preparatives are very strong and we continually taking of them 't is impossible to be kept from being infected Christian Reader But what are those Antidotes and Preparatives which may keep one from infection 1. Take heed of Doctrines that rob God of his Honour and give it unto man Such are the Doctrine of Merits Free-will Election out of foresight of Faith and Perseverance 2. Be established upon the plain Texts of Scripture in the Truths you professe and take them not upon trust custome or education for such sandy Foundations will never be able to bear up what you build upon them in times of Persecution or Temptation 3. Love the Truths that you know else God may justly send you strong Delusions to beleeve lies though you receive the Truth if you receive it not in the love theroof 2 Thes 2.10 11. Love and rejoyce in them not upon carnall ground for if thou lovest spirituall truths upon carnal grounds when those grounds cease as all carnal grounds will thy love of the Truth will cease and though thy evidence be never so great if there be no adherence if thy soul cleaves not to the Truths thou knowest they will be like the dust that lies loose upon the ground every winde of Doctrine will scatter them Eph. 4.11 12 13 14. 2 Tim. 3.15 5. Turn the Truths of God into nourishment We must desire the sincere milk of the Word of God that we may grow thereby while meat is in thy hand it may be taken from thee if it be in thy stomack thou maist cast it up again but if once it be turned into nourishment into thy substance then thou canst never loose it 5. Desire to know the Truths of God that thou maist do them Do what thou knowest thou shalt know more Joh. 7.17 We use to take away the Candle from those Servants that have no work or will do none by it 6. If Persecution arises for the Truth suffer it with joy for if once thou hast suffered for the Truth thou wilt never part with it the way not to sell Truth is to buy it and the mother loves the childe most because she hath suffered most for it If once we have paid for Land if the Title of it be questioned we shall endeavour to vindicate it but if we only be in bargain if the title be questioned we leave of our bargaining and leave it to others take little care our selves to vindicate it but it may be thou dost not live in such times of persecution that thou must loose thy estate life or liberty for the Truth but alwaies thou livest in such times that thou must leave thy lusts or corruption for it what corruption what sin what lust hath thou left for such a truth if thou hast not parted with thy lusts and corruptions for the truth thou wilt part with the truth for thy lusts c. 7. Pray for 't is God only that teacheth wisedom secretly thou canst not come unto the Son unlesse thou come and learn of the Father Joh. 6.44 thou canst not know the Father except the Son reveal him Mat. 11.27 Thou canst not say that Jesus is the Christ but by the holy Ghost thou canst not know the deep things of God except the holy Ghost seacheth them out and reveal them unto you thou shalt learn more of God upon thy knees then by all thy reading or studying without prayer If any man lack wisedom let him ask it of God The Schoolmasters that Luther learnt most of was Prayer Temptation and Meditation 8. Be constant in hearing and reading the Word of God for those are two speciall means that God hath sanctified for the keeping of us from errour Be sure you keep close to that Heb. 4.11 12 13 14. 2 Tim. 3.13 take heed of making Traditions Revelations or Providences as thy Rule to walk by for the Scripture is plain and sufficient to teach you all things which are necessary either to be beleeved or practised and the clearing of this Point I conceive to be the most prope● Preface to Annotations upon the Scriptures more proper to that part of Scriptures here spoke to then to many others because that our Saviour evidently shews by his practise that the Scriptures nay one Book nay very few Chapters of that Book is able to answer all Satans temptations and as for the times wherein we live I wish that Discourses of the perfection perspicuity c. of the Scriptures were less pertinent Anabaptists You speak much of the Ministery and of the Written Word but these are needless in our daies or at least the written Word is not the only Rule whereby we should walk Is it not plainly prophesied of the time of the Gospel Jer. 31.34 They shall teach no more every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord and Isa 54.13 and thy children shall be taught of the Lord and if so what need Scriptures or Mi●istry Authour We will first take the words in your sense viz. that all shall be taught immediatly of God without the Scriptures or Ministry of the Word so that from the greatest to the least every one shall know the Lord that is so much of God as is needfull to salvation Then thus I argue That as far as can be proved by these words the Scriptures and Ministery of the Word is needfull until this Prophesie be fulfilled in this sense for there are abundance of ignorant persons amongst us who are not taught of God and that do not know the Lord Many there are that do not beleeve in Christ which they should certainly do if God did inwardly teach them Joh. 6.45 Now 't is so evident that few there are that beleeve and by consequence are taught of God that it ought rather to be bewailed then proved 2. Can any one imagine that none of Gods People before in Christs time or in the Apostles time were taught of God and yet what is more evident then that the Ministery of the Word and reading of Scriptures was in use and commanded in those

keep us and to wait on us we should rather be servants to them Kings and Queens are nursing fathers and nursing mothers 2. He hath given his Angels those about his own throne all Angels are his good and bad by creation but the good Angels are now only called his Angels the other are called the devils angels Matth. 25.41 3. Angels which if you compare with that which follows there you may see that every good man hath many Angels not only every man his titular Angel 4. A charge a special command 5. To keep thee not only as David gave a charge concerning Absolom Do the young man no harm 6. And they shal bear thee up in their hands they are not only to look to us lest we fall but to carry us lest we fall 7. Lest at any time not a moment that their vigilance ceaseth 8. They keep us that not only not often but not once 9. Why all this care all lest we should hurt our foot not thy feet the foot the lowest and the meanest part pars insima pars unica that he saith thy foot à fortiori it follows he takes care of all the rest of the body he that takes care of the lesser things will take care for the greater 1. It is only to keep one from hurting the next thing to be considered is the subtilty and falshood of the devil in citing this place 1. They appear in citing so fit a place for it is as if it had been a Prophecy on purpose for that very occasion for it speaks of bearing up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot against a stone 2. He leaves out that which would make against him 3. He quotes it as if it was particularly meant of our Saviour whereas it is meant of all holy men for our Saviour wanted not the protection of Angels but they his see how fitly this follows upon the former as if he should say Thou wilt not turn stones into bread but thou wilt cast thy self upon the providence of God do so now what needest thou trouble thy self to come down cast thy self upon the providence of God cast thy self down and since the word of God is that thou so much reliest upon here is the word of God it is written Vers 7. Jesus said unto him It is written again Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God And Jesus said It is written again Here was no pausing it put not our Saviour to a stand 1. You may see the great wisdom of Christ which appears first that he answered Satan for doubtlesse this was the subtilest temptation that the devil could invent yet our Saviour answered him There is a story of a Limner that to shew his Art drew a white line so small that it could hardly be discerned another to shew that he could excell him drew a black line thorow the middle of it it required an accurate sight to discern either but our Saviour at first view immediately discerned this black line of temptation to run thorow the plausible advice that Satan gave our Saviour 2. The next thing that shews our Saviours wisdome was in giving so speedy an answer When we are a disputing many times we are forced to give such an answer which may face the objection whilst we have time to rally our forces that we may be able to give such a full answer as may wholly rout it but our Saviour at first gives such an answer as gets a plenary victory over the temptation and that is the last act of Christs wisdome that he gives such an answer which considering all things a more proper and full answer could not be given by the wisdom of men or Angels nor of Christ himself though they had never so long time to consider of it for it may not be said of Christ that his second thoughts or actions could be more wise 2. The holinesse of Christ doth exceedingly appear in giving so speedy a denial for as it would have argued some defect in his wisdome not to have been able at first view to discover it to be a sin which Satan perswaded him to so having discovered it to be a sin it would have been a sinne in Christ to have consulted whether he should have done it or no for it argues coldnesse of love to consider whether we should offend God or no and it argues a great deal of folly for there is no proportionable weight between any motive that can be brought to perswade us to sinne if it be compared with the evil of the least sin to which it perswades us So that to stand weighing that is consulting which of those two have greatest weight in them argues as great folly as if one should stand weighing whether a feather or a talent of lead were heavier 3. 'T is against the nature of consultation for Deus peccatum non cadunt subconsultatione God and sinne cannot be consulted of we may consult how we may serve God but not whether we should serve God He without any stay answered and said our Saviour still answers by Scripture to shew us that the Word is not profitable to answer one but all kindes of temptation 2. To shew that the abuse of a thing should not take away the use of it 3. Again not to argue any contradiction in the Scripture but to shew us the best way to understand Scripture is by comparing one place with another 2. To shew us how excellent it is to balance and counterpoise Scripture to put those places that command a duty or set down promises should be taken and joyned with those that sets the limit to the duty and the conditions to the promises But the Question may be Why did not our Saviour since the devil alledged the place falsly shew the errour and take that way to answer since it is very dangerous to let the Scripture be misunderstood and we should not let any go on in an errour The reasons might be 1. If he had took that way haply Satan might have brought another place to that purpose to which the answer to this place would not serve therefore our Saviour brings rather a place of Scripture to confute him now this answer would serve not only for this place but for all other places of this kinde whatsoever 2. Because this did in effect answer and shew the very words that the devil left out for to tempt God is to expect Gods protection out of his wayes 3. That he might shew us that Scripture is sufficient to resist and avoid all temptations of all kinds 4. As hath been said before that we might have a rule to expound Scripture 5. To shew us that faith that is the object of faith the word of God is the only way not reason to quench the fiery darts of Satan 6. The reforming of the erroneous understanding of Scripture need not be done to Satan 1. Because Satan is incorrigible and so it would do him no good 2.

for since the Scripture only is able to make them wise to salvation the Psalmist also plainly saies that the Law of God maketh wise the simple Psa 19.7 119.130 Papist The Scripture with traditions and the Churches Exposition of them are necessary for how can you know the Scriptures to be the Word of God but by the Traditions of the Church if that had not preserved and delivered it unto you how could you ever have had the Scriptures Authour 1. I would desire you to consider what intricate Meanders you would have them walk in whom you deny to have understanding enough to go in the plain and pleasant paths of the Word of God if they say We must beleeve the Scriptures accerding to the Exposition of the present Roman Church then how shall one know whether that Church be the true Church If you say By such notes universality succession c. then what an endlesse work do you put these men whom you call simple people upon viz. reading over all Ecclesiasticall Histories of the Fathers to see whether that succession you pretend be so or no besides how doth it appear whether those notes Vniversality and Succession c. that you give of the Church be true Notes or no If you say By the Scripture then you make the Church to be known by the Scripture and not the Scripture by the Church as you pretend 't is as if you should desire to know whether your Gold were weight or no If you should say when he brought his weight how do I know whether the weight be a right weight If it should be answered If the weight weighs just as much as your gold 't is right may he not justly answer If I bring my Gold to be tried by your weight I can receive no satisfaction at all if your weight must be tried by my gold Besides those places of Scripture set down the notes of the true Church and Gods promises of preserving of it in the Truth c. which you quote for the proving that we must be ruled by the Church and that yours is that Church Those I say your very quoting proves that you will have them read and judged of by Lay-men and why then not other places of Scripture also are not other places as easie to be understood as they nay far more easie especially in Fundamentalls both for Doctrines and practice 2. As for Traditions they are wonderfull uncertain 1. Because there are divers Traditions that are very ancient and very false Clemens Alexandrinus reports that it was a constant Tradition in his time lib. 1. Stro. Clemens I say who lived about 14. hundred years ago reports That it was an Apostolicall Tradition that Christ preached but one year Irenaeus that condemns this as hereticall sets down another as a constant Tradition as false viz. That it was delivered by Saint John That Christ was very near 50. yeers old when he died Nay there was a Tradition that was as old as the time betwixt our Saviours Resurrection and Ascention It was generally reported by godly precious Saints and from the mouth of Christ as they pretended that John should not die and the mistake arose by the leaving out or misinterpreting but of one syllable Our Saviour said If I will and the Report went I will that thou come Abundance of other instances which are to be found almost in every one of the Fathers that lived near Christs time 3. There is abundance of disagreement on the Traditions of the Fathers for that which one Father accounts Apostolicall another accounts hereticall 4. This is no new practice for 't was in all ages the custom of false Prophets and Hereticks to pleade Traditions nay by their Traditions to make the Word of God of none effect as Mat. 13. and if you shall say so Hereticks make use of Scriptures but as for Scriptures we are on all sides agreed that it is a true rule and nothing ought to be taught contrary to it and we have the example of our Saviour and the Apostles for proving doctrines by Scripture 5. You Papists do not give us a Catalogue of Traditions and indeed those that you call Apostolicall Traditions wherein you differ from us 'T is a very easie thing to prove you the very yeer or at least the Century when they first sprang up but you use to amuse and silence poor simple people by putting upon your error the glorious titles of Apostolical Traditions and practice of the Primitive Church which you know they are not able to contradict in saying of our Religion that it began in Luther in K. Henry the 8. daies as if one should say Moses his Law was no ancienter then in Josias times because it had lain hid many years before and was then newly revived 6. The wickednesse of your forgery appears in this that though you pretend the current of antiquity for th innovations yet you being conscious to your selves of the falseness of this pretence have appointed an Index Expurgatorius and in your new Editions of the Fathers have left out all things that make against you and then no marvell that Antiquity seems to be folly when you make it speak what you please and hinder it from speaking whatsoever is contrary unto you Papists But though you speak so much against Traditions is it not evident that you have the Word of God by Tradition for as you cannot know but by Tradition that one whose Name was Seneca wrote those Books that go under his Name so you cannot know that this was the Word of God had not you received it from the Church Authour As a Carrier that brings a Leteer from a friend 't is not his saying that it comes from such a friend that is my main argument to make me beleeve it but I know his hand and know the matter that he writes to be such that none could write of but he because none else in the world knew that businesse but only he Insomuch that though he should bring me a Leteer to which my Friends Name was set and he should write of the same business yet I should know that it came not from my Friend by the hand and stile and if he knew not the secrets between my friend and I he would have divers mistakes concerning the businesse he wrote of by which I should discover that the Letter came not from my friend notwithstanding his Name was subscribed so for the Scriptures though the Church delivers them to us as from God yet that matter is of that nature and other intrinsecall arguments viz. holiness consent depths of mysteries and discovering all the secret corruptions of ones heart c. I know it to be the Word of God by these Arguments discover the Alcoran not to be the Word of God though the Mahumetan that delivers it to me say 't is and as for Seneca this is clear In case I were sure that there was such a one as Seneca lived