Selected quad for the lemma: world_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	live_v	present_a	ungodliness_n	2,099	5	11.1926	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A70057	Logos autopistos, or, Scriptures self-evidence to prove its existence, authority, certainty in it [sic] self, and sufficiency (in its kind) to ascertain others that it is inspir'd of God to be the only rule of faith : published as a plea for Protestants in the defence of their profession and intended only for the use and instruction of the vulgar sort.	Ford, Thomas, 1598-1674.	1667 (1667)	Wing F1514; Wing L2842; ESTC R13905	71,286	202

wrought in us b●…t by the Word and Spirit of God And yet we do not yield to them that we can be no other way ascertained of the doctrine o●… Christ as true then by Tradition For we believe the Testimony of God speaking to us in Scripture and shall I hope while we live account of it more then Tradition or any Testimony of men I shall now add somewhat as an Answer in general to all and every one of the former Exceptions or any others of the same or like kind We s●…y that there is one onely Rule of Faith and manners and that is the Divine truth or the Doctrine of Christ which is summed up into these two general heads viz. Faith and Obed●…ence or faith and holiness according to what God hath declared as his mind and will What he promises we are to believe and when he commands we are to obey And in both we fulfill the will of God a●…d walk in the ways of eternal life This Divine truth we never found any where but in the Scripture and if our adversari●…s have made any other discovery we think it their duty to acquaint us with it That the Son of God was made man died and ro●…e again c. for our redemption all Christians acknowledge as also that all who hope for salvation by Christ Jesus must deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and live soberly ●…ighteously and godly in this present world And this to know and do is eternal life and if our adversaries or any before the●… ever knew this doctrine otherwise then by Scripture we are willing to lea●…n For their Traditions as they signifie R●…straditas we have nothing to do with them For the question put to us is only this how we are or can be ascertained of Scripture that it hath delivered over to us the Doctrine of Christ and this question drawn out into many and several Queries we have answered already and now give this as an answer to all of them or any the like And this we do not for the sake of such as are more knowing and better grounded in the faith but only for the benefit of poor souls who through want and weakness of understanding may be puzzled with such questions Now to these we say again that we hold nothing for a Rule of faith but the Divine truth which teaches the way of salvation by Christ. For Originals or translations of Scripture we know there was a time when there was neither of them And yet there was ever since God had a Church upon earth a revelation of the doctrine of Christ. Hence this Doctrine must be the Rule unless we will say the people of God had no Rule of faith for two thousand years and more For whatever God reveals as his mind that we must heed to believe and obey There may be a difference and hath been in the manner of Revelation but the Divine truth revealed was alwaies the same viz. Jesus Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. There is no other name given under Heaven whereby men can be saved Act. 4. 12. This we believe as all Gods people have done from the beginning and this doctrine of Christ which we find no where but in the holy Scriptures is the Rule and Law and foundation of our faith So the Rule is and hath been always the same though the way and manner of revealing it hath been various according to the will and pleasure of God and that at first more ob●…cure and after more and more clear till the Sun of righteousness arose And of this doctrine revealed no Christian we suppose hath ever made question What need is there then of such captious Queries about the Originals and Translations or about the letter and sence of Scripture We are sure that all Originals and Translations offer and hold forth the doctrine of Christ and whatever the letter be this is the sence that Christ is the only salvation of God And is there indeed no way of assuring this to us but Tradition or the Churches Testimony as it hath been given in all ages This ●…as hath been said is to confirm the Testimony of God by that of men And if our Faith be grounded only on the Translation English or other our foundation is the knowledge skill and faithfulness of men and they that cannot read as some we are sure cannot must have no foundation at all But he that hath the truth of God concerning the salvation of men by Jesus Christ whether in the Originals or Translations or whetesoever hath a sure foundation viz. the unchangeable counsel of God which never fails As for the Translations or the Originals though the truth of God contained in them be the Rule yet neither of them is any part of it For they are only means to conveigh and deliver over to men the Divine truth which is the only Rule And this we have I say again in all Originals and Translations and whatever sences have been made of scripture by any all agree unanimously in the doctrine of salvation by Christ. What need we then be questioned about that which no Christian ever made Question of If there be any such as doubt whether men are saved by Christ only or whether they who are saved by him must walk in love and shew their love by keeping his Commandments we desire to have nothing to do with them as not deserving the name of Christians And whether we can be assured of this doctrine in no other way then by Tradition I shall now leave to be judged by such as will impartially weigh what hath been said I have now done arguing and answering and shall only advise such as are by their profession Protestants that they would seriously bethink themselves how they may hold fast the profession of their faith without wavering unto the end The advice I offer them is 1. That they labour much and earnestly to understand the mind and meaning of God in his written Word And good reason there is for it Gods Word is his last Will and Testament by which alone we come to know what Inheritance there is laid up for us in Heaven and what Legacies he hath bequeath'd us for our livelihood and subsistence to all Eternity Scripture is as I may call it the Charter by which we have and hold all the Liberties and Priviledges which are freely conferr'd and bestowed on us by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ as also all the Laws and Orders we are bound to observe as we are Citizens of the New and Heavenly Jerusalem What should Christians then do other then read over their Fathers Will and study exactly in every particular what concerns them in order to their everlasting happiness The Letter and the sence the History and the mysterie every part and particle should be in our hea●…ts and heads so as we may have them as we say at our fingers ends If any ask How

shall this be I answer That I intend no direction to those who know better then my self what is to be done for that end nor yet for those who are more knowing or of better estates and abilities For these have many and great advantages to understand the Scriptures by improving the labours of those learned ones that have made it their work and business to clear the more obscure and difficult passages in them My only aim is to help those poor souls who want the help of larger Commentaries Annotations or Paraphrases c. and have no means to procure them or if they had are no way capacitated to use them I mean such as can hardly read our English Bibles and others too many who cannot do so much For these as well as others are concern'd to enquire after the knowledge of Gods will in his Word and these are therefore to read it or hear it read to them in such a manner as to understand what they read and hear And this I am confident they may be enabled to do in some good measure by following the directions ensuing 1. Let them be first and most in studying those Scriptures which are plainest and most easie to be understood viz. The New Testament wherein the Evangelists and Apostles speak to them as to children easily and plainly in all points of saith and manners whiles they declare more familiarly according to the dispensation of Gospel-●…mes how all the P●…ophecies and Promises of the Old Testament concerning Christ and his Kingdom are accomplished and fulfilled to a ●…ittle so as there is to be expected no other manifestation till his coming to 〈◊〉 all ●…he world in righteouiness The Old Testament which shews what were the cispen●…ations of Gods grace towards his people till Christs coming in the fle●…h must also be read in its order and heeded too if there were no other reason for this that we may be the more confirm'd in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ seeing he only from the beginning hath been promised and offered to mankind as the only name under Heaven whereby we must be saved For this is easie to be seen by all who will open their eyes That all the Histories of the Old Testament the Books of Moses and all the Laws and Ordinances by his hand delivered to Israel as also the Psalms and all the Prophets in every leaf and line of them speak nothing but Christ and the great things of God to be accomplished in and by him unto the end of all things They must therefore read both comparing the one with the other so as to observe how all that was foretold and promised is fulfilled and performed in these last dayes 2ly In reading both the Old and New Testament let them take most notice of those places and passages which more plainly and fully lay before them the main points and Articles of the Christian Faith such as we may call the Pillars of the Christian Church built upon the only foundation Jesus Christ. And those I shall reduce to these three or four Heads 1. The Fall of all Mankind with the wofull extreme corruption and depravation of our nature so perverted as we are of our selves in every thing contrary to God and his will Enemies to all that is good and inclin'd to nothing but evil 2. The only all-sufficient remedy prepar'd for that malady which was in it self desperate and past all cure or hope viz. The fullness of Christ mighty to save and the way of faith in applying him to our selves for the pardon of all sin by his satisfaction and merit and the purging of it by the efficacy of his grace and spirit 3. The many and great obligations laid upon us by that grace which hath appeared and bringeth salvation to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world so to answer the condition of the Gospel-Covenant in serving him who is our only Redeemer 4. The providences of God disposing of his people in all their wayes here upon earth together with the Crown of righteousness laid up for them in Heaven when they shall have run out their race to receive the end of their faith Now who can look into Scripture and not see all these clearly presented to his view For what so plain to be read there as Gods mercy through the merit of our Lord Jesus Christ for the recovery of faln man out of sin and misery and the duty unto which he is oblig'd upon that account What need any be troubled at Scriptures difficulty Can any read or hear these read as they are there set down and make the answer which the Eunuch made to Philip asking him If he understood what he read And who is there that understands and believes these things with all his heart that shall not be saved in the day of Christ Here then I say again let them labour to be rooted and grounded in the knowledge and belief of these things which they may run and read in Scripture and till they are so stablished let them look no further Yet is it not my mind they should never look further I would only have them begin with these and so lay a sure foundation and then build upon it by making a more strict inquirie into all and every Particle of it so as their hearts may be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ. Or as the same Apostle hath it To be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdome and spiritual understanding that they may walk worthy of his calling to all pleasing being fruit full in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God 3ly Let them read and read again over and over as often as possible though they alwaies meet with some things hard to be understood For some yea many things in Scripture are such and yet it is not upon that account no Rule of Faith to the meanest Christian and of the lowest form in Christs School Yea we are justly confident to challange our Adversaries and put them to name one Article of our Faith which the Scripture teacheth not as plainly as any man can wish or as they themselves can devise to speak it Now these being so easily understood at first sight without an Interpreter our often reading them in so many places repeated serves as to help our memories and confirm us the more in our belief so to quicken us the more to our duty in walking more answerably unto those great things of God But there is somewhat more in it and this they shall know that will be at pains to make a tryal that often reading of these is a singular help to understand those which are more hard to be understood For what is somewhere spoken more obscurely is in other