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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	father_n	know_v	truth_n	5,230	5	5.7940	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26615	Protestancy to be embrac'd, or, A new and infallible method to reduce Romanists from popery to Protestancy a treatise of great use to all His Majesties subjects, and necessary to prevent error and popery / by David Abercromby, D., lately converted, after he had profess'd near nineteen years Jesuitism and popery.	Abercromby, David, d. 1701 or 2.	1682 (1682)	Wing A86; ESTC R6382	30,832	174

our mind a World of illegal absur'd and irrational inferences and are besides contradicted through all Ages by the constant experience of all seeing and feeling men Let no Man nevertheless imagine we ground our mysteries on the Testimony of our Senses we only say nothing can be suppos'd as a mystery that is point blank against the evidence of sence and infallible experience which cannot be retorted against the mystery of the Trinity for though we neither see it nor feel it yet our Senses shew nothing to us evidently destructive to it and on this account this mystery is not against but above the reach both of Sense and Reason Secondly This Doctrine inclineth the meaner capacities to idolatry and the sharper wits to Hypocrisie and Dissimulation The common People because incapable to distinguish the appearance of Bread they see from the Body of Christ they see not and being taught to adore him hidden thus under the veils of Bread and Wine are apt to and no doubt do frequently adore the accidents they see which they call sometimes blasphemously God yea say commonly when the Wafer is lifted up by the Priest in the midst of the Mass on leve Dieu God is lifted their understanding finding no passage through the Consecrated Wafer to Christ's Body 9. As for the sharper sort of Romanists when they reflect 1. On what is said in Scripture that the Heavens must receive Christ until the times of restitution of all things 2. That a Body can no more be without its due extension for example of five or six foot than water without humidity fire without heat a stone without hardness 3. That the Bread cannot be miraculously chang'd into Christ's Body because all miracles are of necessity visible as is clear by all those we ever heard or read of But here the substance into which the Bread is converted is not visible This visibility nevertheless is necessary in a change really miraculous as it appears by that of water into wine of Moses Rod into a Serpent c. 4. That 't is inconsistent with reason to say Christ's Body is at the same time in Heaven and Earth yea and in as many places as there be all the World over Consecrated Wafers Who-ever understands these absurdities will never I am confident believe a true Transubstantiation though he profess otherwise outwardly through Hypocrisie and Dissimulation The Trinity I confess and Hypostatical Union or the Incarnation are far beyond the reach of our reason yet because they are not the Objects of our Senses we believe them with less reluctancy and more easily upon authority but that which hath ever been and still is evidently repugnant to the experimental knowledge of all our Senses as the Transubstantiation confessedly is can scarce ever be looked upon as a truth by such as make use of their discerning faculty The Romanists instance commonly these Words of Christ This is my Body as the ground of this Doctrine which they say must not be taken in a figurative sence because they are Christ's last Will and Testament and no man neither ignorant nor malicious expresseth his last Will by Figures and Metaphors But here lies their mistake that these words This is my Body are a true and real Testament or Christ's Legacy to his Apostles For he says not I leave you my Body which is the usual manner of uttering our selves in Testaments but This is my Body 'T is no Testament than as they imagine or at least not a proper one 10. Their Doctrine relating to the mediation of the Virgin Mary and other Saints withdraws them from rendering to Christ our only Redeemer due Honour and Glory For though there is no other Name under Heaven whereby we must be saved but that of Christ yet many of them pretend to Eternal Happiness by the merits of the Saints and the Virgin Mary whom they joyn still with Jesus in their Visits to the Sick either crying aloud to them or exhorting the sick to pronounce Jesus Maria as if they judg'd Christ's merits insufficient or that some other Name than that of Christ our Advocate with the Father could be a propitiation for our Sins hence 't is they extol so much their meritorious works that we have reason to say they ground thereon their best hopes of the other Life at least 't is certain the simple undiscerning sort relys more on what they do than on what Christ did for them I mean more upon their good works than on his infinite merits and mercys SECT II. Their Divine Worship and Ecclesiastical Discipline 1. THeir manner of Divine Worship is not unlike that of the ancient Heathens and on this account is far from the purity of the Primitive Church They adore God in Pictures and Images as he was adored by the Heathens in the Sun Moon and other less noble Creatures or rather to speak in their own terms they worship those Images as representations of that invisible and Soveraign Being we call God Though this was severely punished in the Israelites worshipping the Golden Calf as a representation of God for I cannot imagine they ador'd it as a true God unless you suppose they were as void of reason as it was if then this Worship of theirs be looked upon by all as Idolatry what may we judge of that Romish Image Worship the very same or at least in nothing material differing from it 2. Images are commonly called the Books of Ignorants but in my judgment they deserve rather to be denominated the Books of Ignorance because they occasion often mistakes and errors As for instance an Old Man representing God the Father a Dove the Holy Ghost are apt to make the ignorant sort believe they have indeed some such shape I shall not contest here about this point because it hath been discuss'd so often by others One thing only I shall say which I think is undeniable that Protestants serve God more in spirit and truth than Romanists do Because they make their Addresses to him immediately without having recourse to Images or imploring the help of Saints as Mediators I know they answer this by distinguishing a relative and Soveraign Worship The former they allow to Images the latter to God only But First This relative Worship was condemn'd and punish'd in the Israelites as I have insinuated above And Secondly They adore confessedly the Cross cultu latriae with that Soveraign cult belonging to God only What then can they instance in defence of their innocency I must as yet tell them in this place 3. They fall short of the end they aim at in covering the inside of their Churches with rare Pictures and Images of exquisite Artifice their aim is as I charitably suppose to stir up the people thereby to greater devotion But we find by experience a quite contrary effect they are diverted from Prayer by that great variety of alluring objects they have before their eyes you may see them in their Churches more gazing for

Majesty and consequently deserve his eternal Wrath as being of an unlimited malice Fifthly They allow every one to read the Scripture as the Fountain of all wholesom Doctrine and capable to make us wise unto Salvation as being a Light to our Understanding lest we err and a Fire to our Will lest we wax Cold in Charity and Love towards God and our Neighbors Sixthly Their Doctrine concerning the Lord's Supper is spirit and life it gives no occasion either of Idolatry or Hypocrisie by teaching that strange Novelty of Transubstantiation They captivate indeed their understanding in obsequium Fidei in obedience to Divine Faith but pull not out their Eyes to believe there is no Bread in the Eucharist where they see all the inseparable Properties thereof as Colour Shape Quantity c. Seventhly They rely solely on the Merits of Christ neither on the mediation of Saints nor on their own good works fully persuaded of this Christian Truth when they have done all they can they are but useless Servants and that all their sufficiency is from Above Eighthly Their Divine Worship is pure and without mixture of Superstition or Idolatry neither intirely without Ceremonies nor overburden'd with 'em superstitiously Ninthly They adore God in Spirit and Truth not under corporal Shapes and false Representations they adore him as Spirit and Truth as he is in reality knowing perfectly all their spiritual needs and bodily necessities without the help of Saints as Speakers and Informers Tenthly Their Ecclesiastical Discipline is most conformable in all its parts to that of the Primitive Church as also their Faith their Manners and way of living as may be gathered out of this and the foregoing Article and every one knows that is not altogether a Stranger to Antiquity Eleventhly They serve God in all freedom of spirit without endangering their Souls by vows of Continency true Snares rather to Innocency than fit means for attaining to Perfection and eternal Felicity ARTICLE III. SECT 1. Conclusions flowing from the first Principle of this Method I. MY first Principle was That those who profess Protestancy may be saved I proved it to Conviction without invectives or bitterness in the spirit of Christian Charity Meekness and Lenity persuaded of this clear Truth that Conviction of the intellective Faculty worketh never a true Conversion unless the Will be conquer'd by a civil and charitable way of debating II. 'T is Proverbial amongst the Romanists That out of the Church there is no hopes of salvation In what sense this is true 't is not my design here to inquire but I affirm they are pitifully mistaken understanding by the Church that handful of Christians united together in communion with the See of Rome which is as unreasonable as if one would say a Particular is an Universal a Part is the Whole or at least of as great and vast a bulk They will grant then I suppose Protestants to be Members of the Universal Church but dead ones destitute of life spirit and vigour The contradictory of this Proposition stands demonstrated in the first Article for since they may be saved by the merits and influence of their invisible Head Christ they are both wholesom living and vigorous Members of his Church III. They cannot be accused of Schism nor without a groundless Calumny called Schismaticks since they are still contain'd in the Catholick or Universal Church their Reform being in the Church not from it hold they not all Points necessary to salvation and whatever was of Divine Faith in the primitive Times They separated I confess from the particular Church of Rome but Romanists were the true causes of this Separation by introducing Errors and Novelties so they are properly the Separatists not Protestants Let them be ashamed then to sound perpetually as they do in the Peoples ears such a notorious Calumny which with greater truth may be Retorted against themselves IV. I hope hereafter they shall prove more moderate and call them Brethren whom they have thought hitherto Hereticks for I am persuaded they are convinc'd this foul aspersion of Heresie is groundless as being a meer illusion and the product of a preoccupated judgment The Protestants say they are Hereticks because they reject obstinately the Decisions of General Councils but will they never reflect that these Decisions can neither be looked upon by us nor by them as revealed Truths unless their Infallibility be either grounded on clear Scripture or in their sentiment on the Authority of some General Council In what Scripture is it said General Councils are infallible Judges of Controversial Debates In what Council was it decided that General Councils were unerrable Here they are amaz'd and their thoughts at a stand they are forced to yield and confess ingenuously that this pretended Infallibility hath no other foundation in being but that of their own Opinion and Fancy For though 't were grounded on the Decision of some General Council this must be first proved Infallible by an Evidence distinct from its own Testimony V. But because my onely design in this place is to raise Inferences and not to frame new Arguments I entreat the Romanist Reader after a serious perusal of my first Article to reflect a moment upon his own Uncharity against so many Thousands of His Majesties Subjects and other Nations so commendable for their unstain'd Life and Conversation so acceptable to God because of their Virtue and Innocency Let them I say upon second thoughts repent of their former Uncharity in condemning their Neighbors so inconsiderately as Schismaticks Hereticks Reprobates Let them detest from the bottom of their hearts this Unchristian Rigor and Severity if perhaps upon such groundless pretences they were persuaded 't was lawful to persecute them by Treason Fire and Sword the deep ignorance they liv'd in could be as a Veil to the Enomity of their Crime But after the perusal of this Treatise they can no more pretend ignorance they are told of their Errour and sufficiently inform'd of their former mistakes VI. Neither can they with the least appearance of Truth call Apostates such as embrace Protestancy since they retain still the Faith of that Church which flourished the first three Centuries after our Saviour's Birth and is confessed by all Parties to have been the true Church of Christ They admit not indeed the additional Articles of Purgatory Transubstantiation Image-worship Invocation of Saints c. for the grounds above laid But on this account they are in no true sense Apostates because Apostasie is a defection from the true Faith and these Points are either gross Errors or as a learned Divine of the English Church calls them inferiour Truths not destructive to Divine Faith whether believ'd or denied though they be as I have insinuated elsewhere not a little prejudicial to true Virtue and Christian Piety VII Rashness or Imprudence can with as little justice be objected to such as retreat from Popery It has been demonstrated by the consent of Romanists and self-evident

form of Prayer appointed to be said after every Council they pray that God would spare their ignorance and pardon their errors and if they curse and anathematize such as reject their decisions this argues not they arrogate to themselves any infallibility in deciding for the same is the practice of Provincial and Particular Councils who neither pretend to be nor are look'd upon by the Romanists as infallible Judges 9. This undeniable truth is of greater moment than perhaps it appears to be of at first For if the General Councils be not infallible when they decide in matters of Faith none of their decisions can be holden by Romanists as divine and reveal'd truths unless they be evidently conformable to God's written Word Wherefore receive they not the definitions of a private man as reveal'd Oracles the reason is because they know he is fallible and lyable to error Now the same being the condition and fate of General Councils they must of necessity confess they impose no obligation upon us to believe their decisions as Articles of Divine Faith Who then rejects as Protestants do Transubstantiation Invocation of Saints Image-worship Power of Popes to depose Princes Prayer for the dead and all other points we yield not to the Romanists deny's only what is asserted by errable Councils and consequently no Articles of Divine Faith we are therefore notoriously calumniated when on this account we are called by Papists obstinate in error and Hereticks 10. But how sayes the Romanist shall we resolve our doubts in matters of Faith if we acknowledge not the definitions of General Councils as divine and infallible Oracles You was told before by S. Austin how to behave in this case I repeat his words set matter with matter sayes he cause with cause reason with reason try the matter by the authority of Divine Scriptures never yet corrupted in material points nor ever shall by Gods especial and necessary Providence over his Church if then you read his Infallible Word with true humility and a sincere desire of your own spiritual profit he will open your understanding resolve your scruples give repose to your conscience and as great insight in his Word as he knows to be convenient for your spiritual interest 11. This method is better and securer than that of the Romanists what-ever is decided by a lawful general Council is to them an Article of Faith a reveal'd truth a divine Oracle but such Councils they hold none to be unless the Members thereof have been really baptiz'd which they can never be certain of because this depends on the uncertain intentions of those who Baptiz'd them For they generally teach besides the pronunciation of the words I Baptize thee in the Name of the Father c. The Ministers intention to confer the Sacrament is absolutely necessary so if it be wanting as easily it may the Child is not Baptiz'd On the same account they are not certain if their Popes be Priests because perhaps the Bishop who ordain'd them had no such intention when he pronounced the set form of ordination Of this I shall say a word again in another place 12. But if the general Councils be not infallible what mean the Scriptures by asserting The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church the Church is the pillar and ground of truth To this I answer There is nothing here as is evident relating to that ptetended infallible decisive faculty of General Councils The first Proposition signifieth only the true Church shall have an existency and being to the end of the World maugre the opposition of Tyrants Persecutors and all her Enemies though it may fall out she be not always visible in any Assembly or Congregation As it happen'd to the Primitive Church at Jerusalem when all her Members were scattered abroad throughout the Regions of Judaea and Samaria as it happen'd when Christ was smitten and all the rest were hid as it happen'd in Elias his time who thought he was left alone not knowing where th' other seaven thousand true Worshippers of God were as it happen'd during the Persecution of the Roman Emperors and lately before the General Reformation of the Christian World yet the Gates of Hell prevail'd not against the Church because she was ever existent though not visible as now to the World Her Meetings and Assemblys being of necessity in that juncture of affairs very secret and unknown to her Enemies She is said to be the pillar and ground of truth by reason of Gods especial Providence over her Children never suffering them all to fail and err but still stirring up some or several in opposition to Superstition Idolatry and Errors ARTICLE II. PRINCIPLE II. That Protestants may be saved more easily and with greater security than Romanists I Hope the foregoing Discourse will be an occasion of moderation to the most severe Romanists who reflecting impartially on their former mistakes rash Judgments and preoccupated opinions will convert their former zeal or rather fury against Protestants into Brotherly Love and Charity I say more if they will be at the pains to consider a moment or two and seriously the Contents of this second Article they shall I doubt not let go the uncertain take what is surest and embrace Protestancy as the easiest and safest way to our Eternal Happiness since by the grace of God it wants these lets and impediments to be met with in the Profession of Popery To run over some of them with order and method we shall take notice 1. Of their Faith and Doctrine 2. Of their Divine Worship and Ecclesiastical Discipline SECT I. Their Faith and Doctrine 1. THeir Faith is so blind that I have heard many of them say if a General Council had defin'd white to be black they would believe it whereby you see they are disposed to admit of any error if it be authoriz'd by a General Council though the infallibility thereof be no point of their Faith as I have proved evidently in the foregoing Article 2. They believe Baptism absolutely necessary to Salvation and none a true and real one if the Minister when he pronounceth the words intends not to Baptize which no doubt happens frequently since his intention may be easily diverted to his other designs and affairs Let all the World judge if people thus principled can enjoy a true repose of mind or peace of Conscience the only foretast we have in this life of that to come For how can they know assuredly whether the Minister or Priest really intended to Baptize them or not and so they may doubt if they be Christians for such they grant none is to be accounted without true Baptism and of this they can have no certainty because they are still uncertain of the Ministers intention judg'd by them so necessary to the validity of this Sacrament that if he intended only the meer pronounciation of the words I Baptize thee in the name of the Father c. The Baptism could be

no more a true one than a bare frivolous and insignificant Ceremony what trouble then and turmoil of Spirit they must needs perpetually wrestle with while Protestants as to this point enjoy a perfect Tranquility holding Baptism independent on the Ministers good or ill will malice or intention provided he pronounce seriously the words and set form of Baptism which we cannot be but sure of 3. I was once eye-witness to the cruel torture of Conscience a Romanist suffered upon a doubt of his Baptism occasion'd by this Romish Doctrine We were in the same Ship together upon Sea press'd by a furious Storm to think on what was our only concern in that conjuncture In the mean time this Gentleman showing by his melancholy looks the inward distemper of his Soul cryes aloud as if he had been beside himself he fear'd to be damn'd I question'd him on what grounds he spoke so rashly because said he I know not whether I be Baptiz'd or not I doubt if the Priest had any such intention when he pronounc'd the words commonly used in Baptism I told him whatever I thought fittest to convince his understanding and quiet his Conscience but could not prevail because he knew the Council of Trent teacheth the Ministers intention to be absolutely necessary to the existency of Baptism 4. On the same grounds they may doubt if their Priests can absolve and be truly Priests because in their perswasion they are no Priests without the intention of the Bishop that ordain'd them which perhaps he had not when he utter'd the set form of Ordination This minds me of a Bishop lately deceas'd in France who confess'd at his last hour he had ordain'd many but ever without intention to ordain any I was intimately acquainted with one ordain'd by the same Prelate and I am fully perswaded if he were advertis'd of this last confession of his he would scruple to continue a moment in the function of Priesthood 5. Who can relish if he hath any sentiment of true Piety what they teach of their Purgatory and purging fires This Doctrine flatters sinners in their imperfections causeth them to live more loosely than otherwise they would do to make little scruple of these sins they call venial and never eternally punish'd On this account they are not so apprehensive of these Everlasting Torments we should ever remember of when we are sollicited to sin if no higher motive can withdraw us from it Hell I say enters not so deeply into their thoughts because they rely on this third place And the worst of them all after an absolution got from a Priest hopes to go to Heaven if not streight at least a little about by Purgatory The Protestants who believe no middle place after death out of Heaven or Hell walk more cautiously fear more God's dreadful but just Judgments certain if they dye in the Lord they shall rest from their labours if in sin they shall be liable to his wrath for ever 6. The Scripture is the true Spiritual book we should still have in our hands Nocturnâ versare manu versare diurnâ Here we are to gather that Spiritual Manna to nourish not our Bodies but our Souls while we travel through the Wilderness of this wild World These sacred Writings are capable to make us wise unto Salvation search the Scriptures saith S. John for in them ye think ye have Eternal Life Yet the Romanists deprive the people of this Spiritual Food forbiding them severely to read the Holy Scriptures as if they were more hurtful than profitable hence 't is they live in a deep ignorance of all true Christian Duty in indifferency and lukewarmness without relish of heavenly things without true devotion which is never more stirred up than when we hear God speaking in the secret of our hearts by the Divine Oracles of his Holy Word 7. They cause the People to contemn or at least to have less veneration for Divine Scriptures by teaching they contain not all things necessary to Salvation they are obscure they are imperfect They seem sometimes to question their Divine Original when they ask how we are sure they are inspir'd by the Holy Ghost as if that were not known to say no more by the Air Majesty and Simplicity of expression proper to God only as we know the Kings Letters and Commands to his Subjects by his Seal and proper expressions none but the King uttering himself after that manner So the Holy Scriptures being as God's Patents and Letters to us we need not enquire from whom they are let us only disclose them and we shall instantly know their Divine Original quasi dei sigillo as by God's own Seal and Characters proper to him only without having recourse to the pretended infallible decisions of General Councils as Romanists do who must run back to the Scriptures again to prove these decisions infallible and so in circuitu ambulant they turn round in a circle without advancing one step But 't is not so much my design to dispute and quarrel with the Romanists as to go on peaceably and in the Spirit of Christian Charity pointing out as with the finger the great Obstacles to perfection they meet with by following blindly the Maxims of Popery I add only here their Prayers in an unknown Tongue unfruitful as S. Paul saith to the understanding is not a small let to Piety and Devotion what Spiritual Consolation can the ignorant sort reap at Mass or as they call it Divine Service by hearing the Priest praying they know not what unless they hold against common sence and reason that ignorance is the Mother of Piety and Devotion 8. Their Doctrine of Transubstantiation is on several accounts dangerous and ensnaring First It destroys all evidence grounded on the experimental knowledge of our senses and makes void the proof Christ made use of to his Apostles in aim to convince them he was not a Spirit Handle me sayes he and see for a spirit hath not Flesh and Bones as ye see me have which can be no conviction to Romanists who both tast handle and see bread in the Eucharist if they will trust their own senses as our Saviour in a not unlike case desir'd his Disciples to trust to theirs yet deny flatly what they see tast and handle to be Bread against their own and the experience of all men not blind of both eyes Our Saviour's Proof I say that he was not a Spirit shall never influence a Papist to Conviction for though the Apostles could both see and handle our Saviour's Body nevertheless 't is no necessary inference by their Doctrine of Transubstantiation that Christ's Body was there may they not say the Apostles could touch handle and see the appearance only thereof as they handle and see the accidents of Bread and not really Bread in the Eucharist in their opinion of this Sacrament which taketh quite away the force of Christ's argument grounded on the meer Testimony of our senses and favours