Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	according_a	church_n	doctrine_n	2,019	5	6.0761	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51484	A peaceable method for the re-uniting Protestants and Catholicks in matters of faith principally in the subject of the Holy Eucharist : proceeding upon principles agreed-on and waving points in dispute : upon occasion of the late conceit concerning the perpetuity of faith touching that great mystery / written in French by Lewis Mainbourg.	Maimbourg, Louis, 1610-1686.; T. W.	1672 (1672)	Wing M293; ESTC R26797	72,644	198

think so I cannot tell● but in this I am very well satisfied tha● there are many Ministers who have he● it and who for all that I know 〈◊〉 at this very day as much in the 〈◊〉 mour to maintain it resolutely and po●tively as ever And for this very reason I do declare that as I am resolved to have no de●●ings of this nature neither with his nor them so will I not run riot 〈◊〉 forsake the quiet path I am already 〈◊〉 to engage my self in the way of 〈◊〉 guing and Disputing which I purpo●● to avoide * Liv. 1. c. 13. Cardinal Richelicu has 〈◊〉 ready treated that Controversy with all the vigour imaginable and has demonstrated by most convincing Reafons that the True Church of God being guided by the Spirit of God as we must suppose her to be Vel abjiecere debent omnem Protestationem ad versus Synodum subjicere sua dogmata illius judicio vel certè si manent in Protestatione immoti eo ipso se declarant Unio●i Ecclesiarum Reformatarū renuntiare quod si faciant dispiciat postea summa potesta● quid facto sit opus cannot be deceived But that I may not be obliged to fight though with so much advantage under the conduct of so great a Person I am resolved not to enter into the field Let that passe then for the present untouched whether the Church can or cannot be deceived this is not the business now in agitation It is sufficient for what I would be at that our Brethren the Protestants do avert as von have seen in the proceedings of the Council of Dort that those who are of this Church are obliged to hold that she is not deceived that what she defines is the pure Truth according to the true meaning of the Word of God and consequently that they must submit to all her Decisions in matters of Faith under pain of being excommunicated and declared Hereticks and Schismaticks notwithstanding they still Protest as the Arminians and all other Hereticks have ever done that they have the Word of God on their side For of this very poin● it was that the Reformed Church gave Judgement in the Synod of Dort In reality as we are agreed on a● sides that in all Contests we are 〈◊〉 stick to that which is conformable to th● Word of God and that we are to reject what is not so the question is finally reduced to this how that the Word of God is to be understood when it is alledged by both sides for the supporting their Opinions The Disciples of Arminius had their place● of Holy Scripture in defence of the● five Articles The Gomarists maintained a Doctrine contrary to those Articles by other passages which they produced out of the same Holy Scripture They were at as great odds concerning the sence or meaning of those Places and Passages each Party challenging the true one on their side It being then avouched that it belongs unto the Synod to end the Debate it does also without all doubt belong to the same Synod to determine in what sence the words cited out of Holy Scripture are to be understood Now I would gladly desire these Gentlemen to tell me whether that Synod which represented as they believe the True Church was infallible o● no. If it was infallible then Infallibly the objection they make is of no force since they agree with us that the True Church cannot err But now if it was not infallible they must at least affirm that this did not hinder but they were obliged to submit to the Decisions made therein under the penalty of being Schismaticks the Divines Deputed from their several Churches having solemnly declared that they were to subscribe to the Decrees and reject as Erroneous what should be condemned But that which the Synod of Delpht does clearly and positively declare upon this occasion takes away all force from enervates and quite destroys this objection The Remonstrators at the first would not be brought to submit to the National Synod because said they amongst other reasons which they alledged for their refusal it may erre as all other even Oecumenical Councils may they being not infallible as the Apostles were Christus Dominus qui Apostolis promisit Spiritum Veritatis qui ipsos ducturus esset in omnem veritatatem Ecclesiae quoque suae pollicitus est se cum eâ usque ad finem saeculi mansurum Mart. 28.20 Et ubi duo vel tres c. Matt. 18.10 who were guided immediately by the Holy Ghost The States● Holland and Westfriesland advised abo●● this with their Synod which was the● held at Delpht And it was answered tha● that reason did not hinder but that they were obliged to receive the decisions o● the Synod and to follow the Judgement thereof when a doctrine is condemned because as Christ our Lord did promise his Spirit unto the Apostles for the instructing them in all Truth he has also promised his Church to be with her to the end of the world and that when two or three of them should be assembled together in his Name he would be in the midst of them The same Synod adds that when * Quando piiac docti Pastores ex diversis Ecclesiis diversisque regionibus or●● Christiani in timore Domini conveniunt ut ex Dei verbo justcent quid in Ecclesiâ Dei doceri aut non deceri conveniat ●●nino credendum est Christum juxta promissionem suam ejus●adi conventui interfuturum at que ●undum sancto suo Spirit● illustraturum ac recturum ut nihil in eo quod ad veritatis a● regni ejus detrimentum verti possit decernatur Nullus ords nulla pax esse poterit in Eccliâ Dei si e●ilibet quidlibet docere permi●tatur nec ad rationem doctrinae sat reddendam nec se judicio alicujus Synodici conventus submittendum obligetur juxta praeceptum Apostoli 1 Cor. 14 2. 31. ut judicetur de his quae Prophetae loquuntur Prophetarum spiritus Prophetis subjecti sint Jud Syn Delph Sess 26. Syn. Derdr many pious and learned Pastours sent from several Churches of Christendome do meet together to determine according to the Word of God what is to be taught or rejected in his Church it is to be believed with all confidence that our Blessed Saviour according to his promise will be present at such an Assembly and will not fail to enlighten and guide them by his Holy Spirit that they may not determine any thing prejudicial to Truth After which towards the end follows that there would be no Order in the Church of God nor ever could be any hopes of Peace if every one were permitted to teach what he pleased and not bound to give any account of his Doctrine nor submit himself to the judgement of a Synod according to the Command of the Apostle who ordains that what is taught by Prophets should be judged of by the Spirit of

prove so very intelligible even to the Learneder sort of men There is notwithstanding this difference that as no one of those Fathers in particular is the Rule of her belief so does she not so abselutely determin by her Decrees what is the meaning of such or such a passage of theirs leaving it many times to our discussion as she does that of holy Scripture which she permits not to be call'd in question 4. And from hence we draw a third Conclusion that when in any Province or Kingdome a difficulty does arise in matter of Religion it is very uneffectual and preposto us to undertake to compose it by way of Disputation or Conference Experience has often shewed that such proceedings serve onely to increase the Division and render it endless provoking high spirits and putting them upon a pike of Honour which permits them not to be much moved with any reasons of an Adversary We must come quickly to that fixed and setled Point I mean the Soveraign undeclinable Judgement of the Church in which there are two several times or seasons which are of necessity to be distinguished that which goes before and that which followes after In the first of these writing on both sides so it be without bitterness with a good intent and design to make Truth appear is very lawful And then the Reasons alledged in such Writings the Fathers who happen to be cited pro and con do make as it were Plaintiff and Defendant Counsil and Plea in the Court They are the Bills and Answers The Replyes and Reparties are the difficulties proposed on both sides But what the Church definitively pronounces having taken cognisance of and examined things according to the Rules and proceedings of the Court this becomes a Decree this is Truth this is the fixed Point we must stick to and rely upon whether the Fathers cited did distinctly believe it or no. In the second of these times or seasons in case those whose doctrine stands condemned will not acquiesce and submit to Judgement Princes and Magistrates who are as Protectors of the Canons and Definitions of the Church have a duty incumbent upon them to procure and exact that obedience which is due and to endeavour the quieting and reducing such turbulent spirits by such means as they shall judge most efficacious And in the mean time it shall be lawful for the Learned to Write more vigourously against them and to bring Scripture and Fathers as has been practised by many knowing Controvertists not by way of discussing a matter which is yet within the bounds of incertitude but to make the weakness of Falsity appear and to shew the force of Truth and the conformity of the Judgement of the Church with the Doctrine of Antiquity For all other Persons it is much more to their purpose not to meddle with not hearken to any thing of this kind but to satisfie themselves saying This the Church has desined this I ascept this I will stick close unto In my opinion this is all which ought to be proposed to the Faithful without making them Judges of Controversies is Faith and without giving them occasion to enter into Dispute concerning this place of Scripture and that of Holy Fathers which for the most part are things beyond their reach and capacity Si quid tibi videtur vel ambiguitate pendere vel obscuritate obumbrari Tertull. de praesc c. 14. Curiosity does frequently come in for a part and that serves only to beget troubles and perplexities when they are not able to penetrate to the secret meaning or bo●tom o● such passages or to raise a p●esumption in them when they imagin they comprehend the matter and so come to fancy themselves no mean persons searching curiously into every thing with a great deal of hazard and danger to light at length upon something that may give them a check and make them begin to waver for want of understanding Ignorare melius est ne quod non debeas noris Ibid. together with an excess of rashness and boldness It is much better sayes Tertullian to be ignorant in that kind lest by some gross mistake or ill-understanding you come at length unfortunately to know what you had better been ignorant of Fides tua inquit te salvum fecit non exercitatio Scripturarum Fides in regulâ posita est exercitatio autem in curiositate consistit habens gloriam solam de peritiae studio Cedat curiositas Fidei cedat gloria saluti 'T is Faith a Christian is to be saved by not by discussing Texts of Scripture and passages of Holy Fathers For the having faith it suffices to stick to The Rule learning the true sence of Scripture from the Doctrine of the Church But the Spirit of arguing and disculling which I here point at comes very ordinarily from an excesse of curiosity and is onely subservient to vanity for the gaining a little glory by making a vain ostentation of the knowledge one has got by his own industry and study 'T is but reason that Curiosity should give place to Faith and and vain-glory to serious thoughts and care of our Salvation To this end it is necessary we stick close to that Rule to that setled Principle which is the true Science of a Christian I mean we ought to learn of the Church what the Word of God teaches us and what is the meaning thereof Non obstrepant adversus regulam nihil ultra scire omnia scire est Let no m●● oppose this rare Maxime To know nothing more then this is in reality to know all things 5. From what has been now said we may yet draw a fourth Sequel That this general Rule and universal Prindple received and allowed of by all 〈◊〉 such manner as it has been propounded may and ought to be applyed to every particular Point controverted that we may come to have a ready and certain solution thereof For those who first opposed the Doctrine we now make profession of in any Article debated either were at that time of the fame Church with those whom they opposed which Church they owned for the True Church there being as yet no separation made or they were already dismissed from her If they were of the same it is but seeing what that Church by her Representative has declated concerning the matter in debate For we are agred that they were obliged to submit to her Judgement so far as that in case of contempt it could not be lawful to take part with them without falling after their example into open and direct Schism But if they were already divorced from her upon any other ground or for any other precedent cause it is evident from the same reason that they were upon the whole matter already true Schismaticks because either they themselves or their Predecessors having formerly been of that Church they ought not after legal Sentence given to have made a Separation and consequently that it is not lawful