A10659:779
Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulness of sin. The life…Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulnesse of sinne. The life…
Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulness of sin. The life of Christ. Being the substance of several sermons preached at Lincolns Inn: by Edward Reynolds, preacher to that honourable society, and late fellow of Merton College in Oxford.Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulnesse of sinne. The life of Christ. Being the substance of severall sermons preached at Lincolns Inne: by Edward Reynoldes, preacher to that honourable society, and late fellow of Merton Colledge in Oxford.
London: printed by Felix Kyngston for Robert Bostocke, 1631
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.
The means whereby I come to know that may be either extraordinary, as revelation, such as was made by the Prophets concerning future events; or else ordinary and common to the faithful. This the Papists say is the authority of the Church. Against which if one would dispute much might be said. Briefly (granting first unto the Church a ministerial, introductory, persuasive, and conducting concurrence in this work, pointing unto the star, which yet it self shineth by its own light, reaching forth and exhibiting the light, which1 though in it self visible, could not be so ordinarily to me, unless thus presented; explaining the evidence of those truths unto which I assent for their own intrinsical certain•y:) I do here demand how it is that each man comes to believe? The Collier will quickly make a wise answer, as the Church believes. But now how ⟨p. 518⟩or why doth the Church believe these or these truths to be divine? Surely not because the Church hath so determined; our Saviour Himself would not be so believed. If I bear record of my self, my record is not true. 2Well then, the Church must needs believe by the spirit which leads it into all truth. And what is the Church, but the Body of Christ, the congregation of the faithful, consisting of divers members? And what work is that whereby the Spirit doth illuminate and raise the understanding to perceive aright divine truth, but only that3 Ointment which dwelleth in you, saith the Apostle, whereby Christs sheep are enabled to hear His voice, in matters of more Heavenly and fundamental consequence, and to distinguish the same from the voice of strangers?
The meanes whereby I come to know that may bee either extraordinary, as revelation, such as was made by the Prophets concerning future events; or else ordinary and common to the faithfull. This the Papists say is the authoritie of the Church. Against which if one would dispute much might bee said. Briefly (granting first unto the Church a ministeriall, introductory, perswasive, and conducting concurrence in this worke, pointing unto the starre, which yet it selfe shineth by its owne light, reaching forth and exhibiting the light, which