A09339:2088
A Golden Chain
A golden chain: or The description of theology containing the order of the causes of salvation and damnation, according to Gods word. A view whereof is to be seen in the table annexed. Hereunto is adjoined the order which M. Theodore Beza used in comforting afflicted consciences.A golden chaine: or The description of theologie containing the order of the causes of saluation and damnation, according to Gods word. A view whereof is to be seene in the table annexed. Hereunto is adioyned the order which M. Theodore Beza vsed in comforting afflicted consciences.
Cambridge: printed by John Legat, 1600Cambridge: printed by Iohn Legat, 1600
AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED. I believe in God. &c.AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED. I beleeue in God. &c.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Why wilt thou go to him to day, it is neither new moon nor sabbath day: whereby it is signified that when teaching was skarse in Israel, the people did resort to the Prophets for instruction and consolation. And David saith,1 that the people wheresoever there abode was, went from strength to strength till they appeared before God in Zion. And oftentimes, they being Proselytes, there abode must needs be out of the precincts of Jewry.
Why wilt thou goe to him to day, it is neither new moone nor sabbath day: whereby it is signified that when teaching was skarse in Israel, the people did resort to the Prophets for instruction and consolation. And Dauid saith,1 that the people wheresoeuer there aboad was, went from strength to strength till they appeared before God in Sion. And oftentimes, they beeing Proselytes, there aboade must needes be out of the precincts of Iewrie.
- 1[…]〈…〉
Thus we see what the visible Church is: now further concerning it, three questions are to be scanned. The first is, how we may discern whether particular men and particular Churches holding errors, be found members of the Catholic church or no. For the answering of this, we must make a double distinction, one of errors, the other of persons that err. Of errors, some are destroyers of the faith,1 some only weakeners of it. A destroyer is that, which overturneth any fundamental point of religion; which is of that nature, that if it be denied, religion it self is overturned; as the denial of the death of Christ, and the immortality of the soul, justification by works, and such like: and the sum of these fundamental points is comprised in the Creed of the Apostles and the Decalogue. A weakening error is that, the holding whereof doth not overturn any point in the foundation of salvation; as the error of freewill, and sundry such like. This distinction is made by the holy Ghost, who saith expressly that the doctrines of repentance, and faith, and baptisms, and laying on of hands, and the resurrection, and the last judgement,