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
A96362	A true relation of the conversion and baptism of Isuf the Turkish chaous, named Richard Christophilus In the presence of a full congregation, Jan. 30. 1658. in Covent-Garden, where Mr. Manton is minister. Imprimatur, Edm. Calamy.	White, Thomas, 1628-1698.; Dury, John, 1596-1680.	1659 (1659)	Wing W1807; Thomason E2141_1; ESTC R204020	32,885	117

his commands they ought to render obedience of Faith unto him and to believe in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the holy Ghost according to the scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles upon which the Believers are built Jesus Christ being the chief Corner stone the scriptures are the word inspired by God to make men wise unto salvation by the Faith which is in Jesus Christ to make them perfectly instructed unto every good work for Doctrine Correction and instruction in Righteousness Moreover I believe that Baptism ought to be administred in the name of the Father of the Son and of the holy Ghost to shew forth that the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost are the only true God in whom we ought to believe and whom we should obey I believe also that all believers are baptised by the holy Ghost into one Body and that every one of them being members of this Body in his place become members one of another The washing which is instituted in Baptism doth signifie the washing of Regeneration by the renewing of the holy Ghost which is shed abroad by Jesus Christ upon believers I believe also that this washing is a sign of the new Covenant established in the blood of Jesus Christ into which we are received by the Testimony of a good Conscience towards God in giving our selves wholly over unto him according to the tenor of his Covenant to be taught and governed by him in all things as his Disciples in this washing which is common to all believers to be received all they who are joyned to Jesus Christ as to their Master or head to become his members are baptized by him into one Spirit to become one Body and to behave themselves the one towards the other as his members in the Communion of Saints I believe that the Spiritual and inward Baptism of the Souls which doth purifie the Conscience from dead works makes believers carefull to keep all the Commandements of God and gives them access to call upon the name of the Lord at the throne of grace to be helped in due time I believe that that the Commandements which ought to be observed are given by Moses and confirmed by Christ and the prayer by which we should make our requests known to the Father is taught by the Lord Matth. 6. 9 10 11 12 13. I believe that the Church of God is made use of in this world to hold forth the word of life and the Ordinances of Truth which are appointed to the things which beget and increase grace and to reform vices and scandales I believe that the Ordinances of the publick administration of the Word and Prayer for those that are Ministers or Pastors whose office is to prophesie and pray in the Church are the Organes by which God doth beget faith in men and to make them compleat in all other graces as Saints for the building up of the body of Christ I believe that the Ordinances of the Church and Government of Discipline ought to be administred by the office of Elders and are Organs to prevent and reme the spiritual adultery and evill which is incident unto the society of Saints by an equal administration of Charity for the comforting of the weak and supply of the necessities of the poor as also for order and decency to proceed in all publick concernments and for the correction of a Brother and of those that are in any disorderly way I believe that the Government of God and the Administration of his Providence in the World to come is universal towards all and particular towards the Elect By his universal Providence he will raise up the dead at the last day both great and small and shall call the quick and the dead as well Men as Angels unto Judgment this sentence shall last eternally wherein the Angels shall be judged by the Saints and by his particular Providence over the Reprobates they shall be destroyed from the presence of the Lord with everlasting torments in Hell with the Devil and his Angels but the Elect shall be received into everlasting glory with Christ being made heirs of all things in the presence of God for ever I believe that the Scriptures of the old and New Testament are the true Word of God containing evidently infallibly and perfectly his revealed Will and Truth to be a rule of our Faith and obedience a Judge of our lives a touch-stone of all Doctrines and an Organ to make all believers perfect unto Salvation My Spiritual Father This evening I have made a general confession before my Lord Jesus Christ of my Faith as his slave with a good heart as yet it seems to me that I have great need of Baptism which our Lord Jesus Christ hath ordained for those that believe in him with a good heart Sir I pray you for the love of God to sollice it that I may be baptized for you know that we are subject to die and if I should dye without Baptism I shall not dye having my heart contented I am inclined to pray my Lord Iesus Christ for all faithfull Christians who bear love unto him Isuf Chaous the Slave of my Lord Jesus Christ The Confession being read and the fulnesse of it being taken notice of the Minister went out of the Pulpit down to the Font at which he sate and standing by him asked him three Questions First whether he did not renounce before God and this Congregation the Mahometan Sect whereunto he answered yea he hid renounce it utterly Secondly whether he did not desire to make profession of the Christian Faith and to be Baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost as a disciple of Christ whereunto he answered yea it was his earnest desire Thirdly whether he was not resolved in the future course of his life to submit himself to all the Ordinances of Christ and to walk unblameably under Christian Discipline whereunto he answered yea it was his sincere Resolution These Questions his Answers were made in the Italian tongue and interpreted afterward unto the Congregation in English Then a Prayer was made for a blessing upon the Ordinance to be administed unto him desiring the Lord to be present with his Spirit to seal and exhibite the thing signified thereby that being made partaker of the Promises of the Covenant his walking may be answerable thereunto and he may be delivered from all the Temptations of the evil one henceforth to be filled with joy and comfort by the Holy Ghost and other requests to this effect Which being done the Minister dipt his head into the water of a large Font and poured water upon it saying Richard Christophilus I Baptize thee in the name of of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Then the Minister returning to the Pulpit exhorted the Congregation to observe to the Glory of God the freedom of his Grace and Election that he did out of the midst of a most damnable Sect call this soul to himself in a way more than ordinary and that we should praise God for the work of Grace bestowed on him and that we might hope that God was preparing by such meanes a way to bring in the Conversion of the Jewes and the Fulnesse of the Gentiles amongst which the Turks should be comprehended of whom this man and some others being the first fruits we might expect hereafter a full Harvest They were also exhorted to rejoyce with and for him that he was now in the bosom of the Church that they should embrace him in their hearts through the Communion of Saints and pray for him These Exhortations being ended the Action was concluded with a Prayer and the singing of a part of a Psalm And this Relation is thus made publick that all those to whose hands it may come should be edified therby and stirred up to consider Gods works to give him due praise for the mercy which he shewes to any sinners and to pray that he would dayly add such as belong to his Election unto his Church till all flesh see his glory together And that this Proselyte may be made instrumental to advance his Glory towards his own Nation in due time being delivered from the Temptations and Assaults which Satan hath made upon him in a way not ordinary wherein the Lord hath hitherto graciously supported him and whereof hereafter in due time some more particular account may be given In the mean time this is offered to the ingenuous and true-hearted Christian that various and uncertain Reports may be prevented concerning this Action which we hope will redound to the Glory of our gracious Lord Jesus Christ in whose name it hath been performed and to him with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all Honour Praise and Thanksgiving rendred from all his Creatures and in all his Congregations for evermore Amen FINIS Rom. 9. 15. The Estry 1. Of God 2. Of the Holy Trinity 3. Of the Creation of the world 4. Of Adam and his falling from God 5. Of the Restauration of man by Christ 6. Of the ten Commandements 7. Of Christs office of Mediation between God and Man 8. Of the Doctrine of Faith 9. Of good works 10. The Creed 11. The Lords Prayer 12. Of the Sacraments 13. Of the Lords Supper 15. Of Baptism 14. Of the Church Ordinances 16. Of the last Judgment 17. Of the Holy scripture

me the true Faith by which I find an inward rejoycing in my soul to come to God and to call upon him with confidence and therefore I must serve and love him And I judge lastly that both his Faith and Love is well grounded because I find him really patient meek and humble with cheerfulness bearing this condition on whereinto God hath cast him which in it self outwardly is not at all comfortable but rather hard and because he maketh oft a reflexion upon the great mercy and love of God towards poor sinners of which number he doth feelingly confess himself to be one And I judge that he doth it feelingly because he shewes a hatred to his former sinful life and a joy to have found a way of deliverance from it The consideration of these Characters of Grace in this Turk who hath so little Notional knowledge of which so many of us Christians abound so much and for which there is so much stir and strife and so many rents among us doth make me see more evidently and distinctly than I have formerly been able to do how little speculative knowledge is needful to save a soul when the Spirit of Grace by true Faith and Love doth dwell in it which doth make me fear that many of our great leading and pretending professors some in forms and some without forms exalting themselves in their waies one above another will be found in the way of true Christianity far behind this Turck when they shall be tryed as he is Surely Religion doth not consist in the things which most men strive about but in the life and power of Godliness which is forgotten when men make their profession to become a matter of Interest and do not own Christ surely for his own sake as he is the Son of God and our Saviour which I find this honest Tvrck doth in simplicitie for he is a Sober man in words and behaviour for so far as I have conversed with him I have found nothing indiscreetly done or said by him for he spakes seldome except he be put to it and when he speaks of himself he doth it sparingly chiefly concerning his outward former state and at present he desires nothing so much if a man may believe his expressions as being supplyed with a necessarie livelyhood to apply himself to the study and life of Christianity to which effect he desires to be taught our Language to speak read and write it that he may learn the Law of Christ in the Scripture and I believe by the former Characters of his Faith and Love to Christ that this is his true intention and desire Having delivered my opinion of his sincerity upon the ground of mine own conversation with him I shall farther relate what I have found concerning him upon an inquiry from others for being desirous to know how he spent his time dayly he told me that he went abroad from morning till evening and that his acquaintance was with some Turkie Merchants and with some French Men and with Mr. Powel who liveth near the Temple I have spoken with the Governour and Secretary of the Turkie Companie and with some of the Merchants amongst whom Mr. Muddiford is the Chief of his acquaintance and with the french Men with whom he hath had his dyet since he came hither they all give him a very good report cōcerning his life conversation and make no doubt of his sicerity Mr. Muddiford in a special manner told me that by the circumstances of things which he relates concerning his Father he believes him to be the Son of one who commanded a Squadron of Gallies and was killed in a fight at Negropont If then upon the whole matter I should give my advice touching that which I think fit should be done with him take it thus First some competent provision being made for his livelyhood and so setled that it may come duyly to his hands he might be boarded and lodged with some understanding honest Christian who should at a reasonable rate provide one to teach him to read write and speak English at certain hours of the day Secondly he should be made acquainted with Mr. Calandrine the Dutch Minister who speaks Italian and with the Minister of the Italian Church who should with Mr. Despagne and my self be obliged to take some turns to converse with him till we judge it fit that he should be publickly baptized Thirdly when he shall be sufficiently instructed to make a publick profession of his faith and promise of his obedience unto Christ the time place and manner of his publick Baptism may be determined Fourthly when afterward he shall be able to speak English it may be considered whether yea or no and what employment he may be put to For he professes a willingness to do any service which he shall be judged capable to perform This was the substance of that report and advice which Mr. Dury gave of him to Mr. Secretatry about the latter end of May 1658. And this advice was followed for being recommended to the Ministers forenamed they gave him admittance and soon found him fit to be Baptized but the Solemnity of his Baptism was delayed partly by reason of his sicknesse partly by reason of a journy which Mr. Durie made into the Country and partly by reason of some other lets and tryals which did befall him till at last Mr. Durie thought it expedient to put him upon a way of manifesting his capacity of Baptism that all who should doubt of the sufficiencie of his knowledge in Christianity might receive satisfaction thereby and to this effect he made a Note of certain heads of matters to the number of seventeen naming only the bare Titles as concerning God concerning the Trinity concerning the Creation of the World concerning Adam and his Sin c. and gave them to him that his boy should read them to him in order for he can neither read nor write himself and that he should dictate unto his Boy that which he did know and believe concerning each of those Heads This Note Mr. Durie gave unto him about nine of the Clock in the Mornng and left him to his thoughts when he had promised that he would go about it that very day and the same day about nine of the Clock at night his Boy brought Mr. Durie the Confession hereafter adjoyned pretty well written in French which when Mr. Durie had read finding it so full and satisfactory that he did wonder at it he resolved to translate it into English keeping as neer as the sense would bear it the very words which he used and having done this he caused some Copies to be transcribed in his French and some in English and imparted the French to some of his Highness Councel and the English to the Commissioners who meet at White-hall for approving of Ministers who all hearing of his holy and zealous way of conversation judged him very fit to be Baptized without delay and