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	scripture_n	spirit_n	3,143	5	5.2045	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00791	An answer to a pamphlet, intituled: The Fisher catched in his owne net In vvhich, by the vvay, is shevved, that the Protestant Church was not so visible, in al ages, as the true Church ought to be: and consequently, is not the true Church. Of which, men may learne infallible faith, necessarie to saluation. By A.C.	A. C.; Champney, Anthony, 1569?-1643?, attributed name.; Sweet, John, 1570-1632, attributed name.; Floyd, John, 1572-1649, attributed name.; Fisher, John, 1569-1641, attributed name.	1623 (1623)	STC 10910.4; ESTC S107710	44,806	106

posteriori is more demonstratiue then a priori M. Fisher did not speake perhaps he might say That a proofe a posteriori doth better demonstrate to vs then a priori not meaning in general to preferre a Logical demonstration a posteriori before that which is a priori but that such a proofe a posteriori as he in this present Question required and as the Question it selfe exacted would better demonstrate or shew to al sorts of men which is the true Church then any proofe which D. Featly or D. White can make a priori to proue the Protestant Church to be the true Church as shal be shewed when need is hereafter at this present it may suffice to say to that which D. Featly now obiecteth against the proofe taken from visibilitie That although al kind of visible Professors doe not argue right Faith yet want of visible Professors argueth want of Christs true Church For supposing it to be true which euen D. Featly himselfe here saith according to the Protestants Relator viz. We know by the Promises of God in the Scripture that the Church which maintaines the true Faith shal haue alwayes Professors more or lesse visible and as M. Fisher further proued in one of the foresaid Papers giuen to the old Gentleman before this meeting so visible as their names in al ages may be shewed out of good Authors Supposing also out of D. Whitaker contra Dur. l. 7. p. 472. That whatsoeuer is fore-told by the ancient Prophets of the propagation amplitude and glory of the Church is most clearely witnessed by Histories and supposing lastly out of D. Iohn White in his Way p. 338. That things past cannot be shewed to vs but by Histories Supposing al this I say it is most apparant That if there cannot be produced as there cannot names of Protestants or of any other Professors of Christian Faith in al ages out of Histories to whom Gods Promises agree beside those which are knowne Roman Catholikes not Protestants nor any other but onely the Roman Catholikes are the true Church of Christ which teacheth the true Faith and of which al sorts are to learne infallible Faith necessarie to Saluation But as for the argument which D. Featly wil needes perswade vs not to be Petitio principy but Demonstratio a priori viz. That Church whose Faith is eternal and perpetual and vnchanged is so visible as the Catholike Church ought to be and as the Popish Church by M. Fisher is pretended to be But the Faith of Protestants Church is eternal perpetual and vnchanged Ergo The Protestants Church is so visible as the Catholike Church ought to be and the Popish Church is pretended by M. Fisher to be This argument as it is set downe is so farre from being a Demonstration whose propertie is to conuince the Vnderstanding as it is not a probable or Moral perswasion For I am verily perswaded that no wise man not alreadie possessed with Protestant opinions wil or can be so much as morally conuinced or in any sort probably perswaded by it That Protestants be the true visible Church more then a man in case of doubt can be by the like argument which a man may make to proue himselfe and his Brethren to be as wel spoken of as any in al the Parish Thus Those who are in heart true honest men are as wel spoken of as any in al the Parish But I and my Brethren are in heart true honest men Ergo As this proofe is not able to make any man not partially affected to beleeue these men to be wel spoken of or to be honest men so neyther can D. Featlyes proofe make any wise man beleeue Protestants to be the true visible Church or to haue the true Faith Secondly If the terme That Church be vnderstood onely of a particular Church as for example the Church of England it is so farre from a Logical Demonstration as it hath not in it any Logical forme according to any of the vsual Moods Barbara Caelarent c. But if it be vnderstood vniuersally of euery Church that is or may be then both Maior and Minor are false and so it cannot be a Demonstration whose propertie is to consist of most certainely true propositions The Maior in this latter sense is false for that there may be a Church or Companie who may haue inward Faith eternal and vnchanged as for example a Church of Angels who for want of visible Profession are not so visible as the Catholike Church ought to be The Minor is false also for the Protestant Church hath not the true Primitiue Faith neyther is that Faith they haue vnchanged but so often changed and so much subiect to change as one may say as a great Person in Germanie once said of some Protestants What they hold this yeare I doe in some sort know but what they wil hold next yeere I doe not know Which is true in regard they haue no certaine and infallible Rule sufficient to preserue them from change But if D. Featly shal say That he neyther meant the tearme That Church in eyther of the aforesaid senses but meant to signifie by it that one holy Catholike and Apostolike Church which the holy Scriptures doe shew both to haue perpetual vnchanged Faith and also to be perpetually visible Then indeed the Maior is true But the Minor is most false and so the argument is farre from being a Demonstration especially when it endeuoreth to proue Magis no●um per ignotius viz. the Visibilitie which is easily knowne by the truth of Doctrine which is more hard to be knowne especially by onely Scripture of the sense Whereof according to Protestants who say The whole Church may erre no particulat man can be infallibly sure For if the whole Church or Companie to whom Christ promised the Spirit of Truth to teach them al truth may erre Then much more may euery particul●r man erre and consequently no particular man can be infallibly sure of the sense of Scripture Thirdly This argument beggeth or supposeth that which is in question For in asking which is the true visible Church or Congregation of the true faithful we aske at least virtually which is the true Faith in regard the true Church cannot be without this true Faith Yea therefore doe we aske which is the true Church that of it being first knowne by other Markes we may learne what is the true Faith in al points in which we yet know not what is to be held for true Druine Faith Fourthly Although Faith be pre-required to be in some or other members of the true Church yet inward Faith alone without some outward profession by which it is made visible or sensible doth not sufficiently make a man to be a member of the visible Church Let D. Featly therefore looke backe vpon his argument and tel vs what Academical Learning taught him to cal it a Demonstration a priori But let vs heare how M. Fisher did answer this

be ridiculous impudency By this may appeare how notoriously the old Gentleman and the rest of the Protestant Audience were abused by D. Featly vndertaking so boldly to proue both by syllogisme and Induction the affirmatiue part of the aforesayd question which was proposed to be treated in the conference the Negatiue whereof is so plainely confessed by so many Prime Protestants as now we haue heard §. 3. About the Method Concerning the Method which had beene fittest to haue beene obserued in treating the aforesayd Question it is to be noted that there be two severall methodes of finding out infallible diuine truth in all points necessary to saluation the finding wherof was the chiefe end for which the aforesayd Question about the perpetual visibility of the Church was proposed to be treated of The first methode or way is that euery man eyther by his owne wit or by hearing another discourse do examine throughly ech particuler point of diuine Fayth about which Controuersy or Question is or may be made what is and what is not to be beleeued vnder payne of damnation the which requireth 1. Ability and strength of naturall wit and skill in Latin Greeke Hebrew and other languages and some art by which he may vnderstand the tearmes and state of the Question and all that is writen of it 2. That he reade or heare and vnderstand all that is written of that Question in holy Scriptures Councells Fathers and moderne Writers and in the originall Languages and Copyes and what els may be sayd of it pro and contra by learned Disputants 3. That he doe maturely weigh and ponder al that is sayd both for the affirmatiue and negatiue part of the Question 4. That by prayer and good life he obtaine the assistance of Gods spirit to illuminate his vnderstanding in matters which exceed the capacity of his naturall wit 5. That all this premised he of himselfe without relying vpon the Iudgement of any Church frame a firme and infallible Iudgement what is and what is not to be held for truth necessary to saluation and this being knowne by it as by a rule to iudge which company of men are or are not the true visible Church of Christ in al Ages Now who seeth not that this methode or way of attayning sound resolution in all particuler points of Fayth by that to iudge what company of men are or are not the true visible Church in all ages cannot be fit and conuenient to be prescribed to all or indeed to any sort of men and especially to such as neither haue extraordinary ability of naturall wit or skill in languages nor art requisite to vnderstand the tearmes and state of all Questions nor leasure to read or heare nor strength of iudgment to weigh and ponder all that is or may be sayd of them nor such extraordinary guiftes of prayer and other vertues as they may presume to haue gotten particuler assistance of Gods spirit more then other men whereby they may assure themselues that they in particuler without relying vpon any Churches iudgement can firmely and infallibly iudge in euery Question about points of Fayth what is and what is not to beleeued as a truth necessary to saluation The 2. methode or way which indeed is both most easy and may giue full satisfaction to all sortes consisteth in these 3. points 1. To beleeue and acknowledge as euery Christian is bound by the articles of his Creed that there is and hath beene in all Ages a visible Catholique Church of Christ which is the Pillar of truth and in it a visible company of Pastours and Doctours and lawfully sent Preachers assisted by the spirit of God who haue learned of their predecessours and they of theyrs still vpwardes vntill Christ his Apostles who learned of Christ and Christ of God his Father the infallible Truth in all pointes of fayth of whome by Gods appointment all sorts haue in all Ages past as appeareth by Historyes learned and must in tymes present and to come learne the infallible truth in all matters of Christian fayth necessary to saluation The 2. is to discerne which company of Christians are this visible Church of Christ and who be these Pastours Doctours and lawfully sent Preachers of whome all sorts of men may securely learne what is and what is not to be held for infallible truth in all matters of fayth necessary to saluation The 3. is to heare and belieue and obey whatsoeuer this Company of Christians haue in all Ages taught and what the present ordinary Pastours Doctours and Preachers thereof do teach to be diuine and infallible truth necessary to saluation which to do will not be hard to those who do truely feare and loue God and be meeke and humble in hart and who can and will for the loue and seruice of Christ captiuate their vnderstanding and submit it to the obedience of faith which must be done by mortifying and denying their owne priuate opinion that they may follow the sense and iudgment of Christ speaking in and by his Catholike Church VVhich whosoeuer heareth beleeueth obeyeth doth heare beleeue and obey Christ. And VVhosoeuer contemneth or will not heare beleeue and obey the Church he contemneth Christ and by Christs owne censure is to be accounted as an Heathen or Publican Now concerning the first and third of these points as no doubt or difficulty was moued either by the old Gentleman or Syr Humfrey Lynde or the Doctours or any other of the Company presēt at the Conference so there is no reason why any difficulty should be made therof at all And as for the 2. point it seemeth to me there should be no great difficulty in regard it is already agreed of all sides that there must be one or other such Company of Christians and among them Pastors preachers so visible as is said and none besides the Catholique Romaine hitherto hath shewed a sufficient Catalogue of names of men in al Ages who can with any colour be proued or defended to haue beene professors of the true diuine infallible Catholike primitiue vnchanged faith first deliuered by Christ and his Apostles after continued in an orderly succession of visible Pastors Doctours appoynted by God to be allwayes in the Church of purpose to preserue people of all ages from wauering in doubt of any point of faith or being carried about with the wind of any vpstart Errour Neither indeed can any such Catalogue be giuen but it may be manifestly shewed to be insufficiēt as either wanting names of men in some ages or containing names of such as may certainly be proued to be no Protestants but to differ in doctrine of fayth one from another and to condemne one or other of the 39. Articles vnto which English Protestant Ministers are sworne Neuertheles if any one be not yet satisfyed in this point but will haue the Question made whether the Protestant Church hath beene so visible in all Ages as