Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	call_v	great_a	power_n	2,783	5	4.5526	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54946	An old way of ending new controversies in a sermon preached to the comptroller, and the rest of the gentlemen of the honourable society of the Inner-Temple, on Sunday the 8th of January 1681/2, and at their special desire printed / by Thomas Pittis ...	Pittis, Thomas, 1636-1687.	1682 (1682)	Wing P2315; ESTC R8604	14,972	44

assistance of those means our Reason dictates together with prayers and humility of mind to the investigation of what we are to rest in as that which was from the beginning A General Council would quickly determine it did not an Empire now Cantonized the opposite Interest of Princes among themselves diversity of Factions sprung up among their Subjects the great Prejudices that are in the world and above all over grown Popery clearly obstruct its Justice and Freedom and I might say its Possibility too As every Episcopal Church therefore was Planted at the first Independent of another yet to preserve a Church Catholic upon Earth admitting an Universal Union Correspondence Advice and by consent an Obligation upon particulars by Authority from the whole Every particular Episcopal Church had a power of Discipline as well as Doctrine committed to her trust and managery the first Planters conveying downward through a Sacred and uninterupted Succession their Authority and Jurisdiction to this Age and this Church to which we now pretend a Relation In Controversie and difference as the Case now stands with us there can be no Example or Rule or more Rational Pattern or Guide of Action than that of the Primitive Planters of the Gospel which is that the Inferior be regulated by the Advice and Authority of the Superior and all submit to the reasonable resolution of a National Council Thus when the great dispute about Circumcision was raised at Antioch the Metropolis of Syria they Appealed to Jerusalem to which Antioch was subjected being a place of Superior Jurisdiction and the determination of the Bishops of Judea with Paul and Barnabas Representatives of Antioch fully silenced any farther Dispute and was the infallible sentence in which they acquiesced Acts 15. But now let not any men wonder that I call the Sentences of such Councils Infallible since 't is only using a Popish word to express Protestant sence to our selves which overthrows the Roman claims over us For this being applied to our Councils here our Church neither erring in Fundamentals nor pretending to usurp upon the Natural Priviledg of mankind to judge for themselves as far as they are capable but only assists and helps their Understanding in what they are deficient for want of Education creating no New Articles of Faith nay imposing nothing on the belief of any but what the Scriptures have Authorized before and Ordaining nothing by its own power but a limitation of the outward actions of men its decrees in things that are thus the subject of human Laws are either to be actually obeyed or not publickly or tumultuosly contradicted And this is what I intend to be the sence of the Infallible Sentence of a National Council without which Controversie can never be ended no Legislative Authority maintained nor Peace and Order remain among us For want of this moderate and sober apprehension of things men make themselves lyable to those Penalties of Laws which good natured Magistrates so unwillingly inflict and well meaning Christians pity and at the same time admire the Confidence of those who are so hardy and willing to deserve them especially when they consider also that the same persons can be tamely silent in Forain Countries where Principles of Religion more severely contradict the Sentiments of their minds 'T is true indeed a Council may err unless they could put off their manhood or to every decree have a fresh Inspiration or receive a Divine Testimony from Heaven and yet it is to us Infallible i. e. to silence our open Disputes against it and to be the Rule for our External Obedience For frail men cannot possibly proceed farther in the searching out Divine Truths than in the means and way to find out the Revelation and to understand it when it is found leaving other indifferent things to the determination of those who have Authority over us and those means that I have mentioned seeming to be all that Reason and Discourse when not disturb'd by Lunacy or Enthusiasm are able to propose and since the only Evidence we have to prove the objects of sense against the bold denial of a confident Sceptick is to call in many against the obstinacy of one to give Testimony to what we see or hear and so to decide the difference betwixt us If I err with submission to that Authority which I find the ultimate mean to determine my Crime certainly will not be so great but a pardon will as necessarily attend it since the most gracious God does not require my action to be beyond the Sphere of my capacity nor my apprehensions to exceed the Powers of my being But the Authority of Councils as hitherto stated may seem too naked to be submitted to and yet we observed in the first times a ready obedience to their decrees when backed by no Secular Power It therefore they were obliging then they engage us by another addition and are strengthened by a Civil Sanction For as when the Emperors became Christians what was before Established by our Saviour and his Apostles and asserted by Pious Bishops and Divines Congregated for that purpose and drawn into Sacred Canons or Rules received a Sanction from the Legislative Power resident on Earth and were so embodyed with Imperial Laws that the Magistrate was Custos utriusque Tabulae so the Protestant Church among our selves has its Foundations in the Word of God derived downward from prime Antiquity so inlaid with the Temporal Laws of our own Kingdom that the one cannot be invaded with Triumph but the other nods nay totters till it falls into inevitable ruine and we need not a new Experiment to shew it This every one at length believes that is not by being engaged in past mischiefs an enemy to both and like Cataline resolved on future evils to justifie or secure those that are past But they more distinctly are acquainted with this who are Learned in he Laws than we who being Divines are willingly supposed ignorant of them Yet this seems to be the great Reason why such as design to invade the Crown make a pass at the Miter first because the Church is a Guard to the Palace as well as the Palace a defence to the Church Till this therefore be wounded or removed the disturbers of the Peace of both cannot in probability ascend the Throne nor place a Duke of Venice there But to return from this digression a National Council ought more especially to determine the Controversies among us so as to oblige us to Peace because their Decrees are our own Acts having chosen the persons who represent us in it Yet to silence doubts and scruples about this matter whatever regard we may all have to tender Consciences that are not raw the different thoughts of Worship among us being such as produce squabble and contentions these for our necessary ease and pleasure dividing us into separated Clans and these making us fit for Conspiracy which without any more Devils than our selves may advance