Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	believe_v	faith_n	rule_n	12,199	5	7.5465	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11627	The course of conformitie as it hath proceeded, is concluded, should be refused.	Scott, William, ca. 1566-1642.; Calderwood, David, 1575-1650, attributed name.; Melville, James, 1556-1614, attributed name.	1622 (1622)	STC 21874; ESTC S120840	184,517	202

all matters of faith how soone they appeare in Scripture In this third kind m●n may sinne very ●ang●rously of obstinacie as in the second of Error and in the first of Ignorance Albeit before men the greatnesse of the injurie bee esteemed for the most part by the obiect ●a●tia personae su p●et ●mp●●tatem 〈◊〉 before God the qualitie of the doer and maner of doing aga●egs the sinne no lesse th●n the substance of the deed Paul his eating of flesh may be a great guiltinesse as well as his persecution Remember the hoove of Moses Daniels meat and the opening of his window Mordecai his pre●senesle Eleazars morsel Pauls houre and appearance of evill Christ Rac● his rite of washing of hands Ismaels laughing c. The smallest matters the least gestures the shortest time the meanest appearance of evill which are mole-hills in the worlds estimation may be mountains in the eyes of God especially being found in some persons and done after a certaine manner The warning Be ye holy as I am holy is most frequent in Leviticus a book of ceremonies which both giveth comfortable assurance that God will accept of our services in the least duties and teacheth also that true holinesse the perfect paterne whereof he pointeth at in his own holines extendeth it selfe to the care of the smallest rites Archip. I must confesse by your discourse and examples that it is so But I see not the reason wherefore it should be so how can so mean matters be capable of so great guiltinesse Epaph. A natural Naaman would speak so of the whole rites of Christian religion of the very substance of both sacraments But I vvould wish you to thinke that as in matters fundamentall so also in rituall there bee three sorts of sinne one of Ignorance the cause wherof is in the mind another of Infirmitie comming of the affections and the third of obstinate maliciousnesse rooted in the will No man but he sinneth daily in things indifferent of Ignorance not knowing them to be indifferent No man but he sinneth frequently of Infirmitie in things indifferent miscarried with some passion or temptation but who against engyring light doth sinne obstinately in the least jot of that unalterable veritie can you deny but hee sinneth heynously in a matter of faith The enforced ceremonies may seeme small to our adversaries because they bring small reason for them and may seeme to bee no matters of faith because they bring no word of faith for them yet the matters vvherewith Christ charged the Scribes and Pharisees were not so great I haue often observed in my experience That a little leav● sowreth the whole lumpe and I know by my owne heart That a narrow faith makes a roome conscience Archip. Shew me then how a man shall behave himselfe that he faile not in matters of faith Epaph. It is a good distinction of faith How every one shall be kept from fa●●ing in matters of faith that is observed by Lombardus out of Augustine There is one faith vvhereby vve beleeue another faith which vve beleeue In respect of the one all our actions especially in the vvorship of God and more specially such of them as are controverted and called in question must bee matters of faith Hee that doubteth is damned if hee eat because hee eateth not of faith In respect of the other whatsoever is prescribed in the word is a matter of faith whether it be ceremony or substance whether expresly or by consequent whether in the particular or in the generall Fides quae creditur ducat fidem quā creditur Now right order requireth that the faith which I beleeue be the leader of the faith whereby I beleeue otherwise this will bee a faithlesse faith and proue effectlesse in the end As the order of Nature is Matters Res conceptus voces Verbu● fides en ●us Though●s Words so the order of the kirk is Scripture Faith Worship I● 〈◊〉 the first Axiome of our profession and the best rule for our dir●ction That the S●●●●ture is the one●y Canon of all things belonging to religion and the onely judge of all controversies All which shall be more cleare w●●n we s●●●ke of indifferencie the other branch of your appearance Archip. D●ctrine of th ngs indifferent ob●cure As Archim●des tombe when Cicero came to visite it was all overgrow●● with th●● 〈◊〉 so seemeth the matter of indifferencie to me no●h●ng more talked of nothing lesse knowne We are all in time ●la●e motion c. yet the nature of time place motion is so all digested after so manifold assayes that it gaue occasion to one ●o say That they hau● so many bones that the Philosoph●rs are like to wi●rie on them and haue need of cranes to pluck them out of their throats All our senses and wits are exer●ised about things indiff rent and yet so ignorant of the nature and vse of things indiff●rent that the wittiest that I haue h ard or read are like the Fox in the Fable li●king onely the outside of the glasse but never comming to the meat within wherof if it hath been your happines to taste I beseech you call me to the banket Epaph What wiser will ye be when I haue told you the Scholastik distinction of Indifferentia Identitati● in things altogether coincident Indifferentia communitatis of things generall in respect of their particulars Receptionis of the matter in respect of the diversitie of formes Indifferencie taken in a th●efold sen e. Aliq●●d d●citut Adiaphorā sive indifferēs ●ribas modis 1 Comparat●ve per ●●ationem 2 Effective et per cons quentia● 3 Subiective et formaliter actionis in respect of this or that particular action and have out of their smokie subtilties discoursed vpon them severally when I haue deaved you with Puel Meisnerus and many moe their rul●s their restrictions and ampliations yee will esteeme them all but shelles and not kirnels and so will depart as hungry as yee came And therefore to l●aue them to themselves and not to bee nice with you about the word of Indifferencie brought rather from Athens or Rome then from Ierusalem would you tune your care a little to our common phrase yee may obserue that we call a thing Indifferent in a threefold sense First by comparison or relation of one thing to another Secondly in respect of the effects and consequents that it hath And thirdly a thing is indifferent in the owne nature and qualitie beside which three wayes we use not to name any thing indifferent I will cleare them unto you orderly Archip. Ye haue need for that popular indifferencie of yours seemeth to mee as obscure as the other Scholasticke indifferencie And first what call ye the Relatiue indifferencie or indifferent by comparison Epaph. Any thing is called of us indifferent in the first sence 1 Comparativ● pe● relationem indifferens vvhen it is taken with comparison or relation to the maine or

beautie to allure and Ambition an vnresistable power to afray They intend no way to prejudge or extinguish the worthy volumes of the learned but rather to spurre men of good conscience and meet gifts to search and set forth fully and in perfect order these worthy purposes according to their great zeale to a sound religion so long professed and by the blessing of God upon their labours to gain such as respecting their conscience more then their credit with vertues tincture shall blush after the sight of the evill they haue committed with hearty repentance turning their praise of men to the praise of God to their ioy and comfort as Augustines Retractations are the glorie and crowne of all his writings So much the rather as the causes of their yeelding haue been in some lack of acquaintance sight of the matters in question in others simplicity presuming that nothing would be required but that which they might safely yeeld unto in a third sort a desire to be imployed in the service of the kirk thinking it more easie to beare these corruptions then to abide rigour and a fourth sort deceived by policie thinking that their yeelding with protestation should limitate to them the ordinarie forme whereunto others are tied without altering at least in many inconveniences that may ensue upon the obedience required It were a worke of singular loue to help such and many others under the restraints of feare and other infirmities who undoubtedly if they were permitted to use their own libertie without hazarding themselues upon the pikes of the law would with great joy returne to their best beloved profession and by their happy repentance quickly bring to confusion the reioycing of Papists Atheists braving Ministers and professours to their faces and saying plainly that they hope ere it be long to see them all either come to them or come to nothing But feare them not they are lying Prophets evill men and seducers they are and shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived but continue thou in the things that thou hast learned and been assured of In this case of good Christians falling by infirmitie proud enemies bragging of their hopes let it not be thought strange that the louers of the primitiue beautie of the reformed kirk earnestly wish to haue it restored againe and for that cause modestly shrink at a new statute standing in the contrary First he breaks the band of obedience sayth one who doth it without cause If the refusers haue not alledged causes iustifiable in the consciences of any who will debate the matter between God and their own soules let them be better taught Authority may crush them it cannot perswade them 2. The first act an●nt kneeling wherupon the alledged disobedience is grounded is to be better considered at least in the doctrinall part where by the words of the Psalme as it forceth the text it maketh kneeling necessarie and not indifferent contrarie to the judgement of the most inclinable sort who openly professe that if authoritie would be pleased to favour the former order of the kirk they would gladly return thereunto Againe it is granted that the kirk of Scotland hath used since the reformation of religigion to celebrate the holy communion to the people sitting where the true reason moving them so to do viz. The table of the Lord is then most rightly ministred when it approcheth most neer to Christ his own action but plain it is at that supper Christ Jesus sate with his disciples and therfore do we iudge that sitting at a table as most convenient to that holy action is omitted and another convoyed in to wit by reason of the great abuse of kneeling vsed in the Idolatrous worship of the sacraments by the Papists which indeed should be granted to be a reason of very great weight But how weak a removall of this reason is insert in the act to cast out sitting and bring in kneeling let them declare in the presence of God that haue changed upon such a reason and urge others to doe the like if all memorie of by-past superstition be passed out of Scotland or if it be not rather renued and increased But in these matters for good reasons men must sparingly speak 3. It hath never been neither can be proved by Scripture that the Magistrates commandement simply and nakedly considered without some warrant of the word of God can be reputed a true spirituall guide to lead the conscience of a subject in a matter of religion or action of Gods worship in such assurance that he may say in the presence of God my opinion is sound and action acceptable because the magistrate hath commanded it men being assured that Magistrates may erre in their iniunctions and assemblies convened by the kings maiesties authoritie may command and inact things unlawfull and unprofitable Ask the scripture whether ever the good Kings among the Iewes or else where brought in any speciall action or ceremony into the service of God without some speciall warrant from himself or whether they did devise ought or received the devices of ecclesiasticall assemblies in their dominions and impose the one or the other upon the Levits or upon any bearing office in the sanctuarie restraining them from their publick function without obedience to it or whether ever by any of the messengers of God the people were taught that for the outward form and circumstance of Gods worship a civill statute or constitution of the kirk without further searching of the scriptures might be their ground upon which they might build their obedience unto God without further inquirie 4. It is a received rule of Christian libertie at least should be in reformed kirkes that the ordinances of the kirke are presented unto Pastors and people not with necessitie of beleeving but with libertie of trying according to the rule Try the spirits It is the Lords own priviledge that his iniunctions are to be received without questioning It is likewise permitted by royall provision that where the law was otherwise men may not only content themselues soberly quietly with their owne opinions but also presse by patience and well-grounded reasons either to perswade all the rest to like of their judgements or where they see better grounds to incline thereto It is the part of a temporizing hypocrite of the servant of men and not of the servant of God to frame their actions to that which is cōmanded without any cōscience of a truth whether they know it or not polluting the world with a brutish obedience whiles without any reason in him that obeyeth and whiles against the knowledge whereby God hath inlightned his own mind In this insuing treatise persons are spared and sundry things hieroglyphically and summarily set down which must bring to readers lesse acquainted with these matters some obscuritie but be not offended Soberly and quietly peace is sought without preiudice of any person or purpose so farre as the clearing of the truth may

the forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof and living as without God in the world Next they become Atheists in affection vvishing that there were not an infinite iustice to bee revenged vpon their vvickednesse At last the Lord giveth them over to Atheisme in opinion that they say in their hearts There is not a God So may I say of Adiaphorisme and iudging of indifferencie many at the first are brought to practise without consideration Afterward finding themselves wrong but either for feare of shame or skaith refusing to follow the retrait of their conscience they wish in affection that they were not matters of faith In the end the mistresse being vowed by the hand-maid understanding is set on worke to finde out probabilities colours and appearances to make them to seeme indifferent Observe particular practises and ye shall finde it to be so Archip. These indeed are the methods of earthly wisedome Vpon the contrary by heavenly order the truth comming from aboue shineth first in the minde by her light sendeth down her heat to the heart and then in knowledge and zeale ruleth the outward action But whatsoever bee the vvayes of mens vvits thinke yee indeed that the things in question are matters of faith and not indifferent I vvould not vvish you to be singular Epaph. A peremptory answer I perceiue vvould chase you away I shall let you see my reason before I tell you my opinion first of matters of faith and then of things indifferent If yea joyne vvith mee I vvill bee no more singular at least in your estimation And I nothing doubt to bring you and all such as will giue place to the truth to be of my opinion be upon what side they will Archip. There is nothing I desire more to heare vvhat haue you then to say of the first vvhether they bee matters of faith Epaph. It is a sound and received distinction that matters of faith are not all of one kinde Three degrees of maners of faith but stand in three degrees of difference There be some things of the foundation of faith somethings vpon the foundation and some things about the foundation The first sort toucheth the life and soule of Christian religion and thus the Articles of the Creed are accounted matters of faith The second is of their necessarie attendants by cleare and undenyable consequence following the former at the heeles so that no man perswaded of the former first principles can haue any hesitation almost concerning these And the third is extended to all things revealed in Scripture concerning whatsoever purpose although most indifferent in it selfe There is nothing of so meane importance written in the word but it must bee ranked among the matters of faith how soone it is manifested to bee of divine authoritie Neither can hee haue any faith at all who hath not faith of all that hee knoweth to bee written Archip. No man will deny that for I haue learned Quaedam nec sum necessaria cre●●tu per se nec per authoritatē scripturae quaedam necessaria per se per authoritatem scripturae quaedam necessaria creditu non per se sed per authoritatem scriptura that as there be some things neither necessarie of themselues to be beleeved nor by the authoritie of Scripture some things that are necessarie both wayes so there be many things necessary to be beleeved not of themselves but by authority of scripture But what is that to the purpose Epaph. I haue heard great men say They are no matters of salvation that is to say they are not of the first degree of matters of faith and therefore not to bee much respected as neither helping nor hindering our happinesse But consider I pray you this second ground and compare it with the former that according to the three forenamed degrees of matters of faith without there bee answerably within the minde of man as many degrees of damnable infidelitie these are Ignorance Error and Obstinacie Ignorance of matters of faith of the first degree condemneth for whether amongst professors And accordingly three degrees of infidelitie or without the limits of the visible Kirk he that knoweth not the principles of Christian religion cannot be saved Error in the second bringeth condemnation because he who denieth that which followeth by necessary consequence upon the principles of religion hath not knowledge of the principles themselues He that denieth the consequent denieth also the antecedent albeit he should professe that hee cannot see the necessity of consequence Archip. I doubt of that for may not I know many grounds without knowledge of the conclusions which may bee even by necessary consequence deduced from them because I never had occasion perhaps to think upon them Epaph. Therefore I say not that Ignorance but Error of matters of the second sort is damnable And that he who after consideration denieth the consequent denieth the antecedent The Iew making confession vvith the fathers of his faith in the Messiah but denying that the Messiah is come doth indeed deny the Messiah The Anabaptist professing that he beleeveth in Christ but denying him to haue taken flesh of the virgin doth indeed deny the Mediator Al 〈◊〉 the Papist avouch that hee is sound in the doctrine of Christs person and offices yet by consequent hee denyeth both and may look for Anathema 〈◊〉 preaching another Gospell He that sweareth the king to be h●s Soveraigne and denieth him lawful obedience cannot be excused by pretending that he seeth not the necessitie of consequence And he that admitteth the princely office of Christ but vvill giue no place to his r●yall scepter neither in his owne heart nor in the government of the kirk but putteth a crowne of thornes upon his head and in his hand a ●eed will be attained of treason against the king of glory and vvill bee iudged an usurper of his incommunicable dignitie Archip. It is now evident and I cannot but thinke worse of such false friends then of avowed adversaries Albeit I would professe that if I wer ministring the Lords supper yet it is but my imagination except I keepe the Lords institution 1 Cor. 11.20 But come to the third degree of infidelitie Epaph. ●●●na domi●a non est ●●si que le●it●me ī●xta instiu●onem dominica● obser●●tur Pa●●us In the third kind of matters of faith neither Ignorance nor Error but obstinacie bringeth condemnation We are all ignorant of many things but vve must know the articles of faith We all erre in many things but we must be free of error about the necessarie consequents of these articles and free of obstinacie in the meanest matters S● that as it is not Ignorance but Error in the second sort that condemneth so it is not error simply but obstinacie in the third sort and Ignoranti● pra●e dispositionis that condemneth No man beleeveth expresly all matters of saith No Christian but he carrieth a minde prepared and ready to yeeld to