Selected quad for the lemma: sense_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sense_n	catholic_n	church_n	universal_a	1,773	5	9.0565	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41212	A compendious discourse upon the case, as it stands between the Church of England and of Rome on the one hand, and again between the same Church of England and those congregations which have divided from it on the other hand together with the treatise of the division of the English church and the Romish, upon the Reformation / enlarged with some explicatory additionalls by H.F. ...	Ferne, H. (Henry), 1602-1662.	1655 (1655)	Wing F790; ESTC R5674	55,518	166

for preserving that one body which is the Church Eph. 4. 4. 13. 16. II. As for Catholick or Vniversal Practice or Tradition which stands in the consent of all the Churches in all Nations and Ages since the Apostles as Sectaries wave it altogether as wholly contrary to their Novelty so Papists pretend it onely reducing it into the testimony of their present Church and cannot truly give Catholick Tradition for any point of their faith and worship wherein they differ from us But the Church of England in the midst between both denying onely the Romish Tradition which brings not down any part of their Faith or Worship through all Ages from the Apostles admits of the true Catholick Tradition or Practice and yields due Authority to it the force of it resting upon common sense and reason which is in every man and which he must forsake that denies the Witnes of such Tradition it being not possible that all the Christian Churches which began in and about the Apostolical Times and so succeeded through all Nations and Ages should be either deceived in what they unanimously witnessed or agree all of them to deceive those that followed them Whereas the testimony of the Romish Church being but part of the Catholick and possibly over-ruled with some prevailing Faction cannot convince upon any such common notion of humane reason but must first prove it selfe to be the onely Church and infallible And seeing it is forced to seek such proofe by witnesse of Scripture they plainly run in a Circle from the testimony of their Church to the receiving or proving of Scripture to be the Word of God and back again from the Witnesse of Scripture to prove their Church But Catholick or Vniversal Tradition brings down Scripture to the Conviction of Heathens or Jews that will but use their common sense and reason that discovery which Scripture makes of it selfe by light from the innate qualities and internal Arguments relucent in it comes after and appeares to them onely that having entertained it upon the former Witnes of Catholicke Tradition are versed in it So by this Witnes of Catholick Practice in observing the Lords day Easter day Episcopal Government throughout the Church from the Apostles time we are assured that such passages of Scripture as concern any of these doe shew the Beginnings of the said Practices and the Church of England as it received at first and ever since observed the fore-mentioned particulars so it commands in generall due respect and adhaesion to that sense of Scripture which comes down by such universall consent III. Whereas the condition of the Church according to severall respects admits the distinction of Visible and Invisible the Romanists beare themselves too much upon the one extreme and the Sectaries upon the Other the first will have such a visible flourishing condition of it as is inconsistent with that state which the Church of Christ has and may fall into and prejudiciall as by them pretended to all just Reformation and profession of Truth which more neerly concerns the life and soul of the Church and the more invisible perfection of the members thereof And therefore they please themselves with the outward garb and face of their Church and will have it tryed by the conspicuous Eminency of it as Tr. 1 c. 12. rather than by truth and purity of doctrine Sectaries on the other extreme bear themselves too much upon the Invisible condition of the Church which stands in those inward qualifications of true faith and sanctification requisite to make a true and lively member of Christs mystical Body so that in the pursuit thereof and in pretence of gathering Churches consisting of such members onely they dissipate the visible Church of Christ and dissolve the Government he has setled in it But every true English Protestant acknowledges the Church of Christ is a visible society of Believers or of Professors of the Christian Faith of whom some are effectually called true and lively members but that is invisible others not yet advanced beyond the externall calling or profession a society I say of such Professors under such a Regiment or Government left by Christ and his Apostles and left to this purpose to keep all in unity and to advance those that are admitted in the visible Church to the meanes of Salvation unto a reall and effectuall participation of Grace and Union with Christ as lively Members of his body Eph. c. 4. 11 12 13. 16. And therefore all Christians are bound to yeeld obedience to the lawfull Pastors and Governors of that Visible Church whereof they are Members All this we professe in that Article of our Creed touching the Church for albeit that invisible condition of true Faith and Sanctity be the highest concernment and qualification of a Member of Christs Church and the attaining to that condition be the hope and aime of every good Christian in the Visible Church and therefore the chiefest thing in the profession of that Article viz. a Communion of such true Believers Saints and Members of Christ yet because the administrations of the visible Church tend necessarily unto that end and he that cuts himself off from the communion of the visible Church bereaves himself necessarily of the means to be advanced to that invisible condition therefore he that professeth this Article sayes he believes Christ alwayes has his visible Church which may be found in which such Meanes and Administrations may be had and that he yields obedience to the Pastors and Governors set in it to that end and purpose IV. As the Romanists pretend to an infallible assistance of Gods Spirit bound to St. Peters Chair so have Sectaries their confidence of the speciall guidance of the same Spirit And if we set the vanity of the one against the other we may find as much semblance of Reason from those places of Scripture which Sectaries alledge for every true Believer so inspired and directed as from those places the Romanists alledge for the Papal Infallibility of which Tr. 1. c. 27. Both these pretences are the very bane of the Unity of the Church Romish Infallibility rendring that Church incorrigible and setting it beyond all bounds of accord with other Christians that desiring Reformation will not be satisfied or put off with that pretended priviledge and the pretence of Sectaries rendring Pastors and Teachers in the Church uselesse or at least weakning the obedience due to them puts it into the power of every one that will fancy himselfe a true Believer and guided by such assistance to be a Reformer and to break the Church in pieces In the Church of England no such pretence either of Infallibility in the Governours or of Private Judgment in any against their Governours but such Authority of Governours and Pastors lawfully constituted as is beyond Appeal save to a Generall Council sitting and competent to determine and define in all Causes and to stop the mouth of the gainsayer and bind