Selected quad for the lemma: word_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
word_n	church_n	particular_a	visible_a	3,670	5	9.2317	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61826	A discourse concerning the church ... by the Right Reverend Father in God, Robert Sanderson ...	Sanderson, Robert, 1587-1663.	1688 (1688)	Wing S597; ESTC R2316	6,874	34

Imprimatur Hic Libellus cui Titulus A Discourse concerning the Church c. Iuly 28. 1688. Io. Battely A DISCOURSE Concerning the CHURCH In these following PARTICULARS I. Concerning the Visibility of the true Church II. Concerning the Church of Rome III. Concerning Protestant Churches IV. An Answer to this Question Where was your Church before Luther BY The Right Reverend Father in GOD ROBERT SANDERSON Late Lord Bishop of LINCOLN LONDON Printed by T. B. for R. Taylor MDCLXXXVIII THE PUBLISHER TO THE READER THat the following Discourses are Genuine and Authentick and were really writ by that excellent Prelate whose name they bear can never be doubted by the Learned and Iudicious Reader For the Composures of that incomparable Pen are so Close and Logical and his Stile so Masculine and Convincing as not easily to be imitated by any other Hand However to justifie my Integrity herein since posthumous Writings lye under Suspicion I shall give this further Satisfaction That about Twenty Years since I received these Papers from the Hands of that well-known good Man Mr. Io. Pullen of MAGDALEN-HALL his Lordship 's Domestic Chaplain Who upon my Desire did communicate not only these but several other Remains of the same venerable Name Amongst which there is a Fragment of an Answer to Dr. Baylie's Challeng Whether or no it was ever finished I have no certain Conjecture But if it were and could be found the Publishing of it at this Iuncture would be Seasonable and Useful For though that Pamphlet is a Piece of as transparent Sophistry as was ever called Demonstration and though the Weakness and Inconsequence of it hath been sufficiently displayed yet such is the Pleasure of some Men that it hath been Printed and Reprinted with as much Assurance as if not the least notice had been ever taken of it The same Remark is obvious concerning these following Tracts 'T is surprising to observe after these things have been so clearly and fully stated that we should ever and anon be thus pelted with that impertinent Question Where was your Church before Luther Our Venerable Author doth tell them where it was And he doth it with such an Evidence and Strength of Reason as is peculiar to Himself For whereas the Writings of other Men may indeed convince Those of Bishop Sanderson do perfectly Silence A DISCOURSE Concerning the VISIBILITY OF THE True Church THE word CHURCH hath among others these four special Significations Being taken for First The whole Company of Gods Elect actually made Members of Christ by vertue of an inward effectual Calling to Faith and Godliness This we commonly call the Invisible Church or the Church of Gods Elect. Secondly The whole Company of all those throughout the World who by their Doctrine and Worship do outwardly make Profession of the Name of Christ. This we call the Universal Visible Church Or the Catholick Christian Church Thirdly Some particular distinct whether National Provincial or other greater or smaller Part of the Universal As we say the Church of Rome the Church of Corinth the Church of England This we call a Particular Visible Church Fourthly By a Synecdoche the Bishops Pastors and Governours of particular Churches lawfully authorized to represent the whole Church whereof they are Governours as to some special Intents This we call a Church Representative The word TRUTH applyed to any Subject is taken either Absolute or Respective Absolutely a thing is true when it hath veritatem Entis Essentiae with all those Essential things that are requisite to the bare Being and Existence of it Respectively when over and above these Essentials it hath also such Accidental conditions and Qualities as should make it perfect and commendably good A Thing may be true in the first sense and yet not true in the second but false As a Man may be a true Man animal rationale and yet a false Knave A Woman a true Wife nupta viro and yet a false Quean A Speech a true Proposition having Subjectum Praedicatum Copulam and yet a false Lye. A True Church according to the first sense and absolutely is every Church that in her Doctrine and Worship professeth the Faith of Christ whether soundly or corruptly But in the second sense and respectively that only is a true Church whose Doctrine and Worship is pure at least in a good measure from Errors and Superstitions So as other Churches which either maintain Heretical Doctrines or prescribe Idolatrous Worship may be justly called at least wise in comparison with this and in this second sense false Churches and not true A total and utter Defection from the whole Faith of Christ in Doctrine and in Worship destroys the very Being of a Church and maketh it no Church at all But a defection from the purity of Faith doth not take away the Being of a Church It remains still a true Church Absolutely but only maketh it an Impure and Corrupt Church and so far forth a false Church Respectively Corruptions in Doctrine and Worship as they are greater or lesser so they make a Church more or less false comparatively and as they are imposed upon Men with greater or lesser exaction they do more or less justify whether a Separation from or an opposition against such a false Church and in some cases enforce it When betwixt two Churches differing in Doctrine or Worship Question is made Whether of them is the true Church it must be understood not in the first sense and absolutely for so both are true and ergo equally true Churches for vero nihil verius but respectively and comparatively and in the second sense viz. Whether of them maintains the Doctrine together with the Worship taught by Christ and his Apostles in the greater measure of Purity and freer from Error and Superstition VISIBILITY as to our purpose imports such a state of a thing as wherein 't is evident and discernable more or less by sensible Marks so as a Man may infallibly know it thereby and say Here it is Which Visibility hath several Degrees and applyed to the Church may be several ways consider'd First A Thing is visible in the highest Degree where it doth it self ferire oculos as it were and is so eminently and gloriously conspicuous that a Man unless he wilfully shuts his Eyes cannot chuse but see it As the Sun in the Firmament is visible when it shines forth in its greatest Lustre at Noon-Day Secondly In an inferior Degree when 't is discernable even outwardly but not at the first sight or in any glorious Splendor but with due and serious and intent Observation As some Stars in an over-cast Evening to them that with a stedfast Eye look for them Thirdly And in a yet lower Degree when it s not discernable outwardly or at all to any but those only who more nearly partake of it As the light of a Candle in a close private Room is visible to those only that be in the Room In every of which