Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	apostle_n	doctrine_n	rule_n	2,565	5	6.7825	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57598	Londons resurrection, or, The rebuilding of London encouraged, directed and improved in fifty discourses : together with a preface, giving some account both of the author and work / by Samuel Rolls.	Rolle, Samuel, fl. 1657-1678.	1668 (1668)	Wing R1879; ESTC R28808	254,198	404

the phrase is Rom. 14. as to which the Church it self can give no other satisfaction than its probable conjectures will afford to which a reverence is due yet not so great as to receive those probable conjectural interpretations of the Church which may possibly be weakned by probabilities on the other hand as if they were matters of Faith or as evident as are the Articles of our Creed all but that one so ambiguously worded viz. about Christ his discent into hell not that the thing intended by that Article as Doctor Pierson and others expound it is doubtful but the manner of expressing it putting the word Hell for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Sheol which may signifie the grave and the estate of death But that by the way If the God of Truth and Unity could have brooked no latitude in the Opinions and practises of those men that hold the same foundation of Christian Religion surely he would have left nothing indifferent but have given order concerning every pin belonging to his Church under the New Testament as well as to his Tabernacle under the Old neither would he have left so many things doubtful and disputable as are manifestly left in that condition This seemeth to have been done as in order to giving men something of liberty a thing so sweet and pleasant as is a fine Garden behind a closs house so likewise and that principally to exercise the charity and humility of men that the weak should learn not to judge the strong and the strong not to despise the weak and both of them to love the Image of God in one another whilst they see in each but little of their own that is of the image of some of their own perswasions and practises And now I have spoken so much for latitude that some it may be will think I am a Latitudinarian in the vulgar sense of the word but I think they are mistaken Alas that I am got over but two Principles relating to the composure of the minds of men about Religion I say but two principles all this while viz. first that it is unreasonable for the Professors of two or more Religions fundamentally opposite each to other to expect equal countenance and incouragement from the Laws of one and the same Nation Ex. gr for Papists to expect that where the Laws of the Land are in favour of the Protestant Religion they should be as much in favour of the Roman Catholique as they non-sensically call it and therefore that Religion which is fundamentally opposite to what the Law of a Nation hath established ought not at least by violence to struggle for preheminence nor yet for parity as we see the Protestants in France do neither expect nor attempt any such thing as to equalize much lesse to overtop the Papists who there have the Law on their sides And why should Papists attempt any such thing here against those Protestants who in England have the Law on their side every whit as much this principle received would lay one great strugling about matter of Religion the other and only principle we have finished besides this is that within the compasse of the owned and avowed Religion some certain latitude ought to be admitted that all the sober and peaceable Professors and Teachers thereof might be included and not a piece of a Religion accepted and protected instead of the whole and the rest to the great dissatisfaction both of God and men unwarrantably excluded I doubt I must ride Post through the other principles and maxims unlesse I ought rather to call them proposals which I would lay down because I have stayed so long upon the two first Thirdly whereas every Religion must and ought to be built upon some foundation which no man within the power and Jurisdiction of the Nation professing it should be suffered to rase or to undermine by preaching publick disputing or writing against the same I lay it down as a farther principle to quiet men in point of Religion viz. That fundamentals in Religion or whatsoever things are so called ought to be so plain in Scripture that he who runs may read them and should themselves be all manifestly built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles viz of their Doctrine In this case we must to the Law and to the Testimony or else there will be no light in us The Analogy or Rule of Faith and what are true fundamentals of Religion but such is or ought to be taken out of the plainest Texts of Scripture such as give light to the simple for such only can be index sui obscuri that is shine in their own light and give light to others Two things if I mistake not go to the constituting of a fundamental truth viz. that it be clear as I have said already that is de facto though it may not be so de modo as the doctrine of the Trinity moreover that it be of great consequence and importance if not of absolute necessity to salvation to be known and believed If either of these qualifications be wanting it is no fundamental truth nor fit to be received as such if both be present they will prevent a great deal of strife and debate which the putting of small and doubtful things upon the Church for fundamentals like the fallacy of non causa pro causà would produce Now whereas there are some points of Religion which for the great consequence of them as also for their clearness de facto are and have been adjudged fundamental particularly the doctrine of the Trinity in Unity which de modo is very obscure the meaning and manner of which is very hard to explain I would humbly propose that the best way to avoid contention about such obscure Articles of our Faith were to state them wholly and only in the very words of Scripture and to leave them to the Faith of men just as there we find them ex gr as the Apostle expresseth it 1 Joh. 5.7 There are three that bear Record in Heaven viz. the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Why should they not be judged to consent with us in the Doctrine of the Trinity who subscribe to that Text and to all others of like import without any explication given either on their side or on ours For why should we require from others a punctual assent to our explication of those things the manner of which we our selves do profess very little if at all to understand Too peremptorily to explain things that are almost if not altogether inexplicable and to indeavour thereby to conclude the Judgements of others what is it but to conjure up enemies and to bring quarrelsom wits about our ears Least of all may private or particular men take upon them positively to explain those great mysteries contrary to that sense which the Church for several ages hath given of them and that it may be not without fear

Pretensions and Competitions even from those places which had themselves worn the Crown of Dignity whilst and so long as London was as several times it hath been and now partly is in the dust And now have I undeniably proved if I mistake not that these three Nations are highly concerned in the Restauration of London But now the question will be whether all the Protestant part of the world be so likewise as hath been affirmed tell me then whether England when it is its self be not able to yield a countenance and protection to Protestants all the world over to be a kind of covering upon all their glory If I am not deceived it hath done so particularly in the daies of Queen Elizabeth and may do so again As is the House of Austria to the Papists viz. their great prop and pillar so England hath been is or may be to the Protestants If then the strength and bulwark of Protestants be England and that the strength of England as hath been proved be London we may easily conclude by that sure Maxim Causa causae est causa causati that London is or may be the great bulwark and fortresse of the Protestant Interest and consequently that the whole Protestant World is concerned in the being and well-being of London This the great Zealots for Popery have known and do know too well who in order to the Propagation of that Religion have thought and do think nothing more requisite than that the City of London should be laid in ashes and continued there England being so mighty in shipping as it is at leastwise hath been or may be may be serviceable to them that professe the same Religion with its self not only near at hand but at the greatest distance and will be so if ever God shall cause the zeal and the prosperity of it both to revive together Let me add that if London flourish England cannot likely do much amisse and the most zealous part of the world as for the Protestant Religion will then prosper to the advantage of all others who make the same profession What is it then that not only England but Scotland and Ireland and not those Kingdoms only but any part of Christendome called Protestant can do or contribute towards the rebuilding of London whatsoever it be their own interest doth call upon them to do it with all their might If London rise not they are like to fall after it Shall we not hear of the kindnesses of Holland Sweden Denmark much more of all England and of Scotland and Ireland if they be able to do any thing towards poor desolate London let them be good to themselves in being good to it its interest is their own Help London now you know not how soon you may need its help and find it both a chearful and considerable helper in a time of need DISCOURSE XIV That the Protestant Religion and the principles thereof may contribute as much towards the building of Churches and Hospitals c. as ever Popery hath formerly done HOw many places are demolished by the Fire such as Churches and Hospitals which must be rebuilt if ever upon the accompt of Piety and Charity But where is that Piety and Charity to be found Methinks I hear the Papists vaunting themselves against Protestants extolling their Superstition above our true Religion and their Doctrine of Lies above the truth of ours telling us that they built most of those Churches and Hospitals which are now burnt down and must do it again if ever it be done as Peninnah when time was did upbraid Hannah Sam. 1.1 with her barrennesse so do they the principles of the Protestant Religion as if they could bring forth no good works As for their building those houses again there may be more reason for that than I shall presume to give but that if it must be our work our Religion will not as strongly invite us to do it as theirs would if they might build them for themselves that I utterly deny True it is if God stood in need that men should lie for him none were fitter to do him service than they whose Religion is full of lies and Legends but that he doth not but of such as say or report the Apostles of Christ to say Let us do evil that good may come of it the Scripture saith their damnation is just Rom. 3.8 We know full well their great Incentives to Charity and what falshoods they are telling the people that they must be saved by their good works that is by the merit of them that Christ hath merited to make their works meritorious talking much of opera tincta works died in the bloud of Christ how meritorious they are whereas theirs are rather died in the bloud of Christians and of holy Martyrs how men by their good deeds may satisfie the Justice of God for their evil ones and expiate their sins how by eminent acts of Charity they may hereafter deliver themselves and others out of Purgatory with many more such cunningly devised fables wherewith they pick mens pockets We know there is truth enough in the world or rather in the Word of God to make men as charitable and free in that sense as it is fit they should be We distrust not the efficacy of Divine Truths as they do nor think them Nouns Adjective that cannot stand without our lies as if they were so many Substantives added to them We therefore tell men as the truth is that by the works of the Law no flesh shall be justified Gal. 2.16 but withall we tell them that good works are causa sine quâ non or things without which there is no salvation for faith without works is dead as a body without a soul and that there can be no love to God where there is no charity towards men 1 John 3.17 Who so hath this worlds good and seeth his Brother have need and shutteth up his bowels from him how dwelleth the love of God in him He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how should he love God whom he hath not seen 1 John 4.20 Therefore such as have wherewithall to shew mercy and to do good cannot be saved say we and this principle well considered were enough to make men charitable if we could add no more But then we say further that no one good work or deed of charity that is truly such shall go without a reward quoting and urging Mat. 10.42 with other Texts of like import Whosoever shall give a cup of cold water only to one in the name of a Disciple verily he shall not loose his reward Nay more than so we tell men that the reward of charity and of good works truly so called is no lesse than Eternal Life though not of merit but of grace We charge them that are rich in this world as Paul bid Timothy to do that they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing