Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	believe_v	faith_n	fundamental_a	1,746	5	10.1277	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53386	The opinions of certaine reverend and learned divines concerning the fundamentall points of the true Protestant religion, and the right government of reformed churches Wherein is declared the plaine path-way to a godly and religious life. Published by authoritie.; Good counsells for the peace of reformed churches.	T. I.; Davenant, John, ca. 1572-1641.; Hall, Joseph, 1574-1656.; Morton, Thomas, 1564-1659.; Ussher, James, 1581-1656.	1643 (1643)	Wing O356; ESTC R216583	49,936	153

foundation of our Christian faith what is it else but to revolt from Christ the rocke on which the Church is founded built Of this last Obstacle because it is of speciall use and moment I shall treate somewhat more at large In the first place therefore I conceive that to be a Fundamentall point which by the ordination of God revealing such a truth is of such necessity unto salvation to be knowne and assented unto as that a bare Ignorance much more a wilfull Opposition of it carries with it a certaine perill of exclusion from the kingdome of heaven Divines now-adaies have no Commission to invent or coine any new Articles of this nature and obtrude them on Gods Church that which was not fundamentall in the Apostolicall and Primitive times all our assertions and altercations and Anathema's will never bee able to make it such These first and fundamentall Trueths collected out of the whole body of the Scriptures put together in the Apostles Creed make up that Rule of Faith which S. Austin terme's pusillis magnisque communem a common Rule for all men both great small and which is by him accounted necessary to bee beleived constantly by all Concerning the which that speech of Hilary also is much to the same effect 't is our safest and best course to hold fast that first onely-Evangelicall Faith which we made confession of at our Baptisme And to these fundamentall Trueths the Apostle I beleive had an eye when he stiled Titus his owne sonne {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} after the common Faith This common Faith laid downe in the Apostles Creed proposeth to all Christians to be beleived by them the wonderfull Production of all creatures out of nothing the unsearchable mysterie of the glorious Trinitie the fruit benefit that redound's to miserable sinners from the Incarnation Passion Resurrection and Glorification of Christ what follow's thereupon the Redemption of mankind the Sanctification of the Elect the Communion of Saints the Remission of sins the Resurrection of mens bodies and the Glorifying of the Faithfull He that beleive's all which wee have here comprised in this short Creed and endeavour's to lead his life according to the Commandements and Precepts of our Saviour Christ cannot justly be denied the title of a Christian nor expelled the fellowship and communion of any Christian Church whatsoever On the other side He that shall deny or oppose any one of the said Articles although he arrogate to himselfe the name of a Christian yet is he to be excluded and banished the society of all orthodoxe and sound Christians Besides these there are I confesse many other Trueths contained in the Scriptures and deducible from thence by good and solid consequence which are very profitable to be knowne and of singular use to further us in the knowledge of Divinity but they are then only and not otherwise necessary to be beleived under paine of forfeiture of our salvation or communion with the Church when 't is clearely evidenced unto us that they are contained in Gods word or may necessarily be inferred from it In these points therefore if any particular Church cannot make the Trueth which she her selfe beleive's so cleare and manifest to other Churches as thereby to winne them over to the same beleife shee must forsake them in their Errours but by no meanes may she because of such errours deny them her charity and Communion I adde further that if it should happen that two Churches should vary about some particular place of holy Writ the one conceiving that it confirme's a fundamentall point of Faith and the other thinking that it doth not so yet is not such a difference as this a sufficient cause why they should fall at odds and separate one from another so long as they agree both of them in the Point it selfe and acknowledge it to have cleare solid foundation in other places of God's word And last of all this may be added yet further that 't is not a thing impossible nor any way contrary to the duety of good Christians to entertaine a communion with those Churches which hold such a doctrine as seemes to us inconsistent with some fundamentall Trueth so that in the meane while they doe expresly beleive professe that fundamentall Trueth it selfe For 't is utterly against all Charity yea and Reason too that a man should be thought meerely for some consequences which he neither apprehend's nor grants to deny and reject a fundamentall point which yet he strongly beleive's , expresly affirme's yea and if need so required would not stick to seale the trueth of it with his dearest blood How much truer and more charitable is that opinion of a grave and moderate Divine We must not saith he so much consider what will follow in the thing it selfe from every assertion as what will follow from it in the apprehension and judgement of those who maintaine any such assertion as seeme's to us repugnant to some fundamentall point of Faith For as he who assent's to the trueth of some Principle cannot therefore be said properly to beleive and understand whatsoever and abler Schollar can by consequences infer from that Principle so neither can he who maintaine's a false Opinion justly bee thought to hold all those absurdities which a nimble head easily observe's to adhere unto or follow upon that erroneous Opinion of his We may indeed urge and presse these consequences upon our Brethren to see if haply wee can by this meanes beat them off their errour but malitiously to fasten them upon them as though they were their profest Opinions this we may not doe How farre this extend's and of what excellent use it is to the setling of a brotherly union amongst the Reformed Churches all wise men and such as unfainedly desire the peace of Gods Church will easily perceive For if it once be granted that a Peace and Union is not impossible that is not unlawfull save onely with such as actually disbeleive some fundamentall point of Faith or maintaine some such Heresy as strike's at the heart of Religion and cut's off the Abettors of it from having any communiō with Christ then will it follow that betwixt a sound and a diseased Church betwixt two Churches whereof one is more the other lesse pure there may be such a brotherly communion as we desire among the Germane Churches Let therefore the Orthodoxe Churches separate themselves from all such as have plaid the Apostates fallen away from fundamentall Faith but let them not separate from those which erre onely in points of lesser moment and such as doe not cut off the maintainers of them from being members of the mysticall body of Christ the sole author and fountaine of our salvation The Apostle command's us to receive not reject such as are weake in the Faith And the same Apostle tel's us how that we which are strong ought to beare the

be of necessity to be beleived Let us view a comparison betwixt things humane divine although what similitude can there bee'twixt Earth and Heaven Man consists of a soule and a body united one to the other and yet notwithstanding each part hath its severall properties and actions which are usually attributed and that very rightly too to the whole the whole man hath the use of sense doth understand eat walke sleep dye thus much even sense reason doth unanswerably evince will any man hereupon say that this also is of equall necessity to be knowne man according to his body hath the use of sense and reason and according to his soule he doth eat walke sleep and dye Truly the same that Reason is in respect of intelligible matters the same is Faith in things spirituall and divine I am not ignorant how much they differ in their Subjects yet neverthelesse the necessity of the things which are either to be known or beleived is alike different in both Such Trueths therefore as are certaine such as are necessarily to be beleived and apparently fundamentall let us all unanimously embrace and professe them as for the rest let Divines if they please busie their heads with them but let not the plaine common sort of Christians trouble themselves about them more than needs But if it may seeme to make any thing for the publike Peace that we come as neare as we can one to another in the formes and manner of expression let us but say as * Hier Zanchy sometimes alledged out of Innocent and the Schoole-men that even Christ's humane nature according to its personall essenc● is omni present c. and I see no reason why both sides may not nay will not readily consent and agree to it Here let us fixe let neither side proceed any further beyond this and wee are safe In the Point of the Sacrament this is certaine and fundamentall that the true and essentiall body and blood of Christ is truely present offered and received in that holy Supper● but whether or no it be corporally present in the Bread Wine whether or no by a supernaturall vertue of the conse●rated Elements it be orally received and eaten even by wicked and unworthy Communicants this is a matter of Theologicall Dispute and such as in the judgement of Luther Melanchthon Justus Jonas Ofiander Brentius Stephanus Agricola yea of Oecolampadius Zuinglius Bu●er Hedi● ought not to infri●ge Christian love and Charity And upon this promising signe was begun that famous Agreement at Marpurge in the yeare 1529. That likewise is well worthy to be kept in perpetuall memory which is related concerning the meeting at Witemberge in the yeare 1536 by Ludovicus Rabus Pastor at Vlme in his History of Martyrs with whom agree's Iohn Swiccius Pastor at Constance cited by Hospinian who was there present at that time and 't is to be seen likewise in the English writings of Bucer there were present at that Meeting of the one side Capito Bucer Musculus and the rest of the more eminent Divines out of the cheife Imperiall Cities in high Germany of the other side Luther Philip Ionas Pomeranus Cruciger with other Doctors Preachers of Witemberge and after some expostulations and divers Speeches to and fro wherein both sides freely fairely delivered their Opinions at length Luther stepping a litle aside with his Associates and conferring with them about it concluded with these words If yee beleive and teach that in the holy Supper the very body and the very blood of Christ is offered given and received and not the bare ●ignes bread and Wine and that such giving and receiving is true and reall not onely imaginary the strife betwixt us is at an end and we doe acknowledge receive you as our deare Brethren in the Lord All this Bucer Capito and the rest plainely and freely affirmed whereupon they joyned hands and so parted Indeed the waters were then calme and quiet not tossed with any stormy and tempestuous winds and therefore they did clearely shew and represent the face of Trueth Why doe not we in like manner now at last begin to be wise And having passed those tempestuous and troublesome times which afterwards followed why doe we not sit downe and rest our selves in this old and safe harbour of Peace and Unity Concerning the Point of Praedestination how doth the Church of Christ groane under the burden of a number of huge high-swolne Volumes Yet when wee have done all we can and wearied our selves and the Christian world with our wrangling pens this will still remaine to be knowne and beleived by all men 1 that God from all eternity out of his meere good pleasure did immutably elect some unto Salvation 2. that none were elected by God nor shall be saved who doe not beleive in Jesus Christ and persevere in this Faith 3. that none can beleive in Christ save onely they whom God is pleased to enable hereunto and to worke it in them by the effectuall grace of his Spirit 4. that God did not damne no nor reprobate any man but with an eye to sin so that all the cause the blame of men's Damnation lie's in themselves but the cause of Election and Salvation is in the meere grace and mercy of God Now all this is confeston both sides ● know right well there are infinite Questions Controversie a raised about this Point Let every man on God's name enjoy his owne Opinion I will not prescribe to any man For my selfe if any man be desirous to know what my Opinion herein is I freely professe my selfe to adhere to the Articles of the Church of England and to the judgement of our English Divines who voted in the Synod at Dort wherein my selfe was presen 〈…〉 But what is there in this profound Point about which vulgar and illiterate Christians need to trouble themselves save onely that plaine obvious Trueth confest by all For the rest let Divines dispute them in the Schooles but it were well if they would forbeare to medle with them in the Pulpit How are the very same Controversies and others of greater waight and moment still on foot in the Church of Rome and yet so warily and wisely doe they carry the matter that the publike Peace is notwithstanding preserved amongst them Let vs learne wisedome from them who professe nought but enmity towards us Would but Christian Princes by their Authority decree Divines fairely and moderately containe and keep themselves within these bounds of Disputation and Controversie bounds indeed larg and spatious enough wee should have a lasting firme Agreement the Church would flourish in Peace and Tranquillity and lastly Trueth would bebome victorious and triumph over the common Enimy That this may be brought to passe as we all wish and desire it should the honourable States and Delegates did very wisely propose and advise that a publike Meeting of peaceable

reall not imaginary onely the strife betwixt us is ended At that very same time c Bucer his Adherents granted that the very body and blood of our Lord is offered given and received together with the visible signes of bread and wine Iacobus Andreae saith we neither hold with the Capernaites nor admit of Popish Transubstantiation nor maintaine we any Physicall or locall presence and inclusion of Christs body and blood in the blessed Sacrament nor doe we by those words substātially corporally orally understand any thing else but only a true reall presence and participation of his body and blood in this Sacrament Now let us heare the judgement of the Helvetians herein Although they deny that there 's any Transubstantiation of the Elements or any locall inclusion of Christ's body in the bread or any Conjunction of his body and blood with the outward elements remaining after the Sacrament is ended yet they willingly grant that by vertue of a mysticall sacramentall union the bread is Christ's body that his body is truely present and received together with the bread J doe not knowe what two things can possibly be more like than is this Opinion of the Helvetians with that of the Lutherans But if any man suspect that there may privily lurke a diversity of meanings under these so-concording expressions yet are we still to urge and enquire whether that diversity be such and so great as to render the Peace and Union of those Churches utterly impossible and to give just occasion for a perpetuall rent and division amongst them I assure my selfe learned judicious Divines when they are out of the heat of Controversy and look indifferently into the matter will think farre otherwise of it Now as for those other Controversies concerning the ubiquity of Christ's body the Communication of Properties other such like all springing from that former touching the Sacrament he that doth seriously ponder with himselfe what is granted and what denied of each side will easily perceive that neither the one nor the other doth so much as call in question much lesse oppose or overthrow any necessary and fundamentall point of Faith since both sides hold and professe whatsoever the Church Catholike in her Creeds and Generall Councells hath declared to be beleived in these points and whatsoever hath been by her in like manner condemned as erroneous is equally rejected by both But yet notwithstanding all this that we see now and then some men catching at consequences and taking advantage from thence to charge Heresy one upon another it is a matter that deserve's not so much our wonder as our pitty we all of us know 't is the common custome of hot and eager disputants especially when through long agitation of the matter they are inflamed with choller and passion and besides I have already showne in breife what we are to think of such Heresies as are fastned upon men meerely for such consequences as they themselves neither apprehend nor grant For the present this alone may suffice to show the Possibility of a Reconciliation that there 's no one Opinion expresly maintained by either side which is directly contrary to the substance of Faith or destructive of Salvation salutis devoratorium to make use of Tertullian's expression nay whatsoever is such is plainly and expresly condemned by both If of later times any new Differences have been raised amongst those Churches touching Predestination Freewill and the like these can no way be made a sufficient ground of Schisme and separation betwixt them For in all these there is nothing of fundamentall and necessary beleife save onely this that the free grace goodnesse of God in the Predestination of miserable men in the conversion of sinfull men in the freeing of their captivated wills in a word in the finall Perseverance and Salvation of his Elect be so farre forth acknowledged and extoll'd as that whatsoever makes any way for the enstating of them in grace and glory and whatsoever is done by them in reference thereunto all must be ascribed to the speciall grace and mercy of Almighty God on the contrary whatsoever concerne's the corruption of man's nature his obstinacie in sinne the pravitie and servitude of his corrupt will in short whatsoever praecipitate's plunge's wretched men into Hell and everlasting perdition all this we must thank our selves our sins for by no meanes impute any part of it to God So long as these things stand firme and unshaken as without doubt they doe though in the meane time their manner of apprehensions and expressions yea though their Opinions be different in other points which are onely superstructions and belong not to the foundation yet are not these of such moment as that a perpetuall Breach and Division should be made and continued betwixt whole Churches for such petty matters If therefore this were but once agreed upon amongst Divines that their jarres and contentions are not nor ever were about any fundamentall points and such as are of absolute necessity to be known and beleived by all that will be saved then must it also be granted for a manifest trueth that 't is no way impossible but an agreement and Communion may be established this dangerous Schisme utterly rooted out and a blessed Peace setled and preserved amongst the German Churches And thus having proved that a Reconciliation is possible it remaine's that in the next place we consider whether or no Princes Doctors and Pastors of Gods Church and in generall all Christians bee not bound in duty by the law of God every man to endeavour according to his utmost power and ability that such an union may with all convenient speed be setled and established amongst the Reformed Churches 1 And that all men are so bound seeme's to be intimated by that of S. Paul which I alledged before if it be possible as much as in you lie's live peaceably with all men If so great care and diligence must be had to maintaine a civill and externall peace with all sorts of men then surely a spirituall Ecclesiasticall peace amongst Christians is much rather to be sought after and preserved where therefore there is no utter impossibility to hinder why such an Union may not be obtained such men can in no wise be excused who either out of negligence or wilfulnesse disobey the Commandements of God herein Nor can any man justly here pretend that Discords and diversities of Opinions cannot as yet be composed and setled for if it be possible that the Schisme it selfe the Rent betwixt these Churches may be taken away as without all question it may I had rather that a mil-stone were hanged about my neck and that I were drowned in the depth of the Sea than that I should willingly be any hinderance to so good a work so well-pleasing to God and so necessary to the removall of Scandall nay than that I should not with my whole