Selected quad for the lemma: world_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A39769
|
The truth and certainty of the Protestant faith with a short and plain account of the doctrine of the Romish Church in its visible opposition to Scripture and the very being of Christianity : to which is adjoined some serious considerations anent popery & the state of that controversy.
|
Fleming, Robert, 1630-1694.
|
1678
(1678)
|
Wing F1277B; ESTC R37829
|
39,817
|
62
|
this we appeal our adversaries to produce one essential difference betwixt the one and the other from the Records of these times or any Writings of the Fathers 3. That no evidence can be given in contending for the Christian Faith against Heathens and to hold forth the certainty thereof which doth not undeniably answer to confirm the Protestant Religion 4. That in the writings of the greatest Adversaries their bitter invectives against Christianity who in the first times did oppose themselves to the same Doctrine the Protestant Church now owns and professeth such as Câ—â—sus Tryphon Porphyrie Lucian c. There is not the least mention of Popery in any of these Articles against which the Protestant Church contends nor of the Romish Supremacy and Infallibility where they could have had so great advantage to object against the Christian Cause and call its Truth in question Nor did the Jews who objected all they could against the Christian Faith in the least once mention any such points as are now controverted betwixt them and us 5. It is clear from unquestionable Historie and confession of our Adversaries that a continued succession of Orthodox Doctors who did confesse and teach the same Doctrine for the substance that we own have in no times been wanting to the Church nor some visible partie to withstand Poperie and keep up a witnesse to the Truth even in the greatest darknesse as the Romish Writers are forced to confesse That the Protestants now are the same which the Waldenses were of old and the Berengarians before them Qu. Doth not the Popish Religion found on such grounds and Principles as can bring a sufficient certainty therewith of its Truth when it hath the Decrâ—es Canons and infallible Decisions of their Church to warrant the same and of the Pope as Supreme Head Ans According to their Doctrine Principles they can have no possible certaintie of their Religion nor of that they pretend to found on When 1. They are not agreed nor ever like to be who that infallible Judge is or in whom such an Infallibilitie as they claim is seated whether in a General Council or the Pope alone So as they are in greatest contradiction to other about the very foundation of their Faith nor is this a controversie amongst a few but one part of their Church with greatest heat is opposing the other therein 2. They can have no assurance if they have any Church at all and whether most of their Popes Bishops and Priests be not without Baptism and still laicks without Ordination when their Doctrine and the Council of Trent so expreslie hold the efficacie of all Sacraments of which they reckon Ordination as well as Baptism to be one to depend on the Intention of the Priest who officiates of which none possiblie can be sure 3. Such have no rational certaintie of what they professe to believe who are with their own consent shut out from all proper knowledge of the Scripture and on the testimonie of men must resolve their Faith 4. Is it not on a matter of fact and most doubtful Relation they ground their Faith and adventure their immortal soul where scarce a Shadow or School-problem is to bear up the whole Fabrick of Poperie which is an alledged Presidence of Peter amongst the Apostles while no demonstration can ever be given that Peter was at Rome or that he was Bishop there or if the same priviledges be intailed to his Successours and how these should be chosen in after-times 5. According to their Principles they have no Bible nor any such Authentick Record to prove Religion but what is a Masâ—e of dead unsensed Characters that hath no articulate voice or intelligible sound until the Romish Clergie put a sense thereon So that the verie Letter of the Scripture is most evidentlie past from For my self I dare say before him who knoweth all things that I would tremble and stand in a we of any deceit or mistake in the matter of Religion and have in greatest earnest sought to be perswaded of the Truth without respect to interest party or education as that wherein I know an eternal salvation is concerned but can see no way to embrace Poperie except men turn Atheists yea quit all Religion and Reason at once Qu Is not Rome the Catholick and Apostolick Church out of which there is no Salvation Ans We know there is a Catholick Church under the Gospel that consists of all who imbrace the Christian Faith whether bond or free Jewes or Gentiles and is to no particular Nation People or language restricted as under the Law But that the Romish Church can have no possible claim here is unanswerable 〈◊〉 Because no Institution is in the Scripture of such a Church as consisteth of all Christians subjected to one humane Head and Supreme Governour under Jesus Christ on the Earth or where subjection to the Pope is made a condition to Salvation 2. It is clear that in the Apostles time and for many Ages after the Christian Catholick Church had a being when it had no dependence on the See of Rome nor was known by any such Test as to own the Pope and his Supreme Jurisdiction except it be averred that there was one Catholick Church before the setting up of Papacy and the other since essentially different from the former 3. There is no accesse to deny that they are more and of greater extent in the world who embrace the Christian Faith and have no communion with the See of Rome or their Doctrine than such who are subjected thereto 4. As there is on Faith and one Lord Jesus Christ so is there but one body which is his Church united to him as her Head Eph. 4 3. 4. Which is the prorogative of the Son of God alone and incommunicable to any to be the Head thereof but he who for this end died and rose that he might be the Lord of the dead and of the living Rom. 14 9. Qu. Yet is not still the same Christian Religion at least for substance held forth in the Popisâ— Doctrine which the Protestant Church owns Ans Whatever in words such pretend their Principles and the known Doctrine of the Council of Trent can too visibly resolve this that these do not retain the Christian Faith in the essentials thereof but have razed the very foudation who resolve not their Faith on the Scripture and its Divine Authority but on a humane testimony and deny religious worship to be due to the true God alone but give it unto Angels and Men also who lay another foundation to build on than Jesus Christ another Purgatorie than his blood to purifie us from all sin another Propitiatorie Sacrifice to expiate sin than his Death who was once offered to bear the sins of many Heb. 9 28 another merite than his obedience by which we are made righteous and thus make void the great intent of the Gospel laying down a way of Life and Salvation on the same
discovered and all to be an imposture confessing the same her self with the whole manner of it so as the evidence thereof did enforce the Archbishop of Lisbon with the Inquisition to make some shew of condemning her as is printed at Seville 1589. but the discovery came too late of this or rather too soon for their interest after the relation of her Miracles had gone a broad These instances I only here touch of which so many else are known to the world that it may be seene on what signes and lying wonders this party leanes for the support of their Doctrine which may not abide the light of the Scripture But oh It may be sad and amazing in this day when the truth is so clearly shewed forth how so much the World seemes to have lost all sight and impressions thereof yea turned at that rate Atheistical to be thus imposed upon for subjecting to that way where the baite cannot be more discernable then the hook and where men must quite both Religion and Reason at once in getting such a stile as this of a Roman Catholick CONSID. IV. FOurthly Whilst this strange sight we have this day before us of the Romish state and Hierarchy with that peculiar frame and mould it is cast in so different from other Kingdomes of the world of such numerous orders and degrees resolving in one Monarch and head the man of sin after whom the world so long hath wondered Let us but seriously also consider what true account antiquitie on which they so much lean gives of this way 1. How clear and noture even to admiration is that discovery so many ages past of this Adversary his shape the way and manner of his appearance and so expresly foretold by the holy Ghost as we now see with our eyes in the event when upon no principles of Reason or the least of visible appearances such future emergencies could ever been foreseen or have entered into mens thoughts that it may be demonstrably evident to all this only could have been revealed by him to whom all his works are known from the beginning 2. As the Scripture shewes that early rise this mystery of iniquity had and its beginning to work with the first dawnings of Christianity though then more undiscernably and under ground This we may know also under whose hand this monstruous birth was most ripened and brought forth to a more Publick View of the World to wit that horrid and vile wretch Phocas who then usurped the Empire and conspired against his Master Mauritius and as all Histories of that time shewes what a plague and judgement from the Lord he was to the world so as it s related of a holy man who then lived after much wrestlings in prayer with God with some serious enquiry why such a vilewretch had been set up over the Empire got in a strange mâ—nner this answere quia non inveni pejorem Yet this cruel and brutish man Phocas as the Popish writers themselves are forced to confess was he for whom Gregory the great by his legate doth so congratulate his advancement as he summonds the Angels and all the Saints in heaven to rejoice therein After whose death the succeeding Pope Boniface did so far insinuate on this Emperiour as to divide him from the Greek Patriarch and obtained the granting of that Chartour upon which their pretended right stands to be universal head and Bishop of the Christian Church a very obvious suteableness being here for one bloody usurper as this was who rose upon the assasination of that good Emperour and his Children to make thus way for another nor a fitter mean could have been found to help the man of sin to his throne than this Phocas for which see Baron 81. an 603. art 3. 3. It should be remarkable that concurrance of things was then for the more full discovery of this Adversary and of his being revealed to be that man of sin shewed by the holy Ghost 2 Thes 2 3. when their own greatest writers are enforced to tell since this could not possibly be hid how from the eighth Century and several ages after such as exerced the papal power were for the most part so many prodigies of wickedness in their time that those Histories seemes to want words to express the horrour and abomination of such as were Popes for which let any but read Platina himself lih 5. upon Benedict the 4. and many others of their lives where he shewes how they were become such as laying aside all divine Worship like cruel tyrrants did exerce their malice in the world but that some of them lived not long God taking them away as so many Monsters of men but more fully doth Cardinal Benno speak to this yea Baronius also in his Annales Tom. 10. how it was then known their ordinary use of Magick consulting with the Devil and giving themselves over to these horrid Villanies as no heathen records almost give such an account And which are Baronius his own words though one of the greatest friends to the Popish interest that such was the face of the Romish Church as Sees were changed Bishopricks and Church offices given at the pleasure of the vilest Strumpets that then bare rule at Rome Now this is that true antiquity they have to boast of to the world and of those Popes whose infallibility in all matters of faith they would perswade men to rely on 4. How undeniable is it from those times when the Romish Hierarchy once began to ripen to its height what sorest plagues did thus follow and break in on the Christian world yea what an inlet of grossest ignorance was therewith not only of divine things but of all humane literature and morality as from the concurrance of histories then is clear that with the several steps of the advance of the Popish grandour and power the world did gradually turne worse yea and in a strange manner became barbarous rude and savage so as both Baronius and others of their writers who they know intended no reflection upon their way further then necessity enforced them to speak shewes such was the face of those times as it was a matter of suspition to know the Greek language but to have any knowledge of the Hebrew was no less than heresie yea calleth them infaelicissima luctuosissima Romanae Ecclesiae tempora and that these and following ages were such wherein all things both humane and divine were in visible confusion 5. And is it not noture to all who consults the Church records what a flood not only in dissolutness of practice but Atheisme in Principles did remarkeably then break forth on the Christian world with that advance of the Romish interest towards its height so as those who were serious in the matters of truth were almost brought to a questioning of the whole of the Gospel and any sound founding of their faith in the matters of God whilst Religion seemed to be almost lost in fabulous traditions