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	reveal_v	5,457	5	8.8529	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A36078	A Discourse about conscience, relating to the present differences among us in opposition to both extreams of popery and fanaticism.		1684 (1684)	Wing D1568; ESTC R8393	25,645	43

Church and Security of the Government under which we live Secondly Conscience I told you includes Knowledge as much in the Notion of the thing as Composition of the word where there is no Knowledge there can be no Conscience because in such a case it is withwhat to do or how to govern it self and judge aright whereupon Conscience is not so much concern'd about things that are uncertain whereof we can have no sure Proof or clear Evidence either from Sense Reason or Revelation which are the three only ways of attaining Knowledge or arriving at the certainty of any thing Thus in matters of School Question or Controversial Divinity which are banded to and fro with probable Arguments on both sides For Instance Whether The Fire in Hell be Material or Metaphorical true In the Letter or in a Figure so we do but believe there is such a place as Hell reserved for the Punishment of Wicked Men as Scripture doth assure us Conscience as to the rest is not concern'd to believe either one way or other because Scripture is silent in the case and the Arguments from Reason on either hand are alike probable and if I am induc'd to believe one part of the Question rather than the other this can arise no higher than to a private Opinion of my own not a publick Article of my Christian Faith wherein my private Judgment not my Conscience is concern'd That Christ was born of a Pure Virgin is matter of Faith and consequently of Conscience to believe because Scripture doth affirm it but whether she remain'd so all her Life long is not so Indeed it hath been an Opinion in the Church that she did but however there is no other Argument but that of Piè Credimus that can induce us to be of that mind In like manner the Descent of Christ into Hell so we do not deny the thing which hath for many Ages been a received Article of the Apostles Creed tho left out in some others it matters not greatly whether it were Local or Virtual Metaphorical or Metonymical for in all these several Senses it hath been taken by Learned and Pious Men but in which of these we need not be overmuch concern'd for this Article being not expresly Revealed or clearly delivered in Scripture we believe it chiefly upon the account of the Apostles Creed whose Antiquity ought to command our Reverence and Respect tho I think it cannot strictly oblige my Conscience especially when the Church hath not determin'd any thing in the Case any more than Scripture but left me at Liberty to judge either way as I see cause The like may be said of the Knowledge of the Saints departed with many others which for Brevity sake I now omit Thirdly Some things there are tho for certain Revealed yet being Obscure and Vnintelligible in their own nature cannt so immediately oblige our Consciences as those that are more plain and Obvious The Decrees of God Arcana of Providence the great and Stupendous Mystery of the Blessed Trinity and Incomprehensible Vnion of the Two Natures in the Son of God these are in many things above our Reach and Capacity and so far as they are above us belong not to us A modest and humble Faith is here requisite and all that is expected from the common and ordinary sort of Christians a too curious search and inquiry into these Venerable Mysteries being not convenient for all nor absolutely necessary for any A particular Explication of them concerns my Faith no further than as it is consonant to Sacred Scripture and agreeable to what is more plainly revealed in Holy Writ or else by natural and genuine Consequence may be deduced there-from But now as for other Difficulties that may arise from thence I am not bound to pin my Faith on any one man's Sleeve nor receive his Scheme or Hypothesis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for inspir'd Doctrine No nor for Truth neither any further than he can confirm it by Scripture which is the sole infallible Test of Divine Truth All that in this Case I am oblig'd to do is to guide my Conscience by Scripture and my Judgment by the catholick Determinations of the Church that is I am oblig'd in Conscience to believe all that the Scripture reveals and make that the Rule of my Faith and Obedience But in all other things where difficulties may arise and Scripture is either totally silent or very obscure here we ought to believe as the Church believes mistake me not I do not speak it in a Popish Sence which sets up the Traditien of the Church in Opposition to Scripture and in an impious manner prefers them before it teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men but my meaning is that I and every body else in matters dubious and obscure ought to be so modest as to mistrust our own particular Judgments rather than that of the Church and submit our Private Opinions to her Publick Determinations If not yet the least that in this Case we ought to do is to keep our Persuasion to our selves rather than disturb the Peace or oppose the received Doctrine of the Church out of an indiscreet Zeal for any fond or affected Opinion of our own For pray consider Can it be any other than Pride or Self-conceit to call it no worse for a few private persons to oppose their particular Sentiments to the Catholick Faith and what they decry in their Governors to practise more unjustly themselves by Prescribing to their Superiors in Matters dubious and uncertain and which are perpetually controverted on all hands In all things of this nature Conscience obligeth me to be Humble and Modest rather than Positive and Peremptory and therefore it would better become us to receive our Faith from than impose ours upon the Church in whose Communion we live and of the Truth of whose Doctrine we are satisfied in the main as the Dissenting Brethren are generally with ours But however if they see Reason to Dissent in their private Thoughts from the Establisht Faith they ought to keep their Judgment to themselves and not disturb her Peace on that account In this Sense let them remember that of the Apostle He that hath Faith let him have it to himself And he that keeps it there way keep it safe enough and out of the reach of all Humane Power and Compulsion For Conscience while it keeps within its due bounds cannot ought not to be compell'd by any Power upon Earth for in that respect it is free and never to be fore't But Secondly and positively Conscience is chiefly and more immediately concern'd about such things as are more necessary and substantial plain and obvious in Religion And these in the First place are the Main Fundamental Articles of our Christian Faith which constitute the greatest part of our Creed and have an immediate influence on our Lives and they are those that are contain'd in our several Creeds which are the brief Summary of the