Selected quad for the lemma: tradition_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
tradition_n	authority_n	doctrine_n	scripture_n	2,840	5	5.9217	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29583	Sancta Sophia, or, Directions for the prayer of contemplation &c. extracted out of more then (sic) XL treatises / written by the late Ven. Father F. Augustin Baker, a monke of the English congregation of the Holy Order of S. Benedict, and methodically digested by the R.F. Serenvs Cressy of the same order and congregation ...; Sancta Sophia	Baker, Augustine, 1575-1641.	1657 (1657)	Wing B480; ESTC R16263	412,832	848

permit thy selfe to be detained avvhile in the Entry For perhaps a short delay here vvill make thy progresse aftervvard both more speedy and proffitable 2. This is to acquaint thee that the immaculate Doctrine contained in this Booke though it neuer met vvith any that opposed or so much as questioned the Verities thereof speculatiuely considered yet there haue not vvanted some that haue iudged them not fit to be thus freely exposed to thy vievv much doubting thou vvouldst proue such an one as vvould make an ill vse and peruerse aduantage from them 3. Now the principall yea onely Point that giues some this Iealousy is that vvhich thou vvilt find in the Second Section of the First Treatise vvhere is treated touching Diuine Illuminations Inspirations Impulses and other Secret Operations of Gods Holy Spirit in the Hearts of Internall Liuers Concerning vvhich the constant Teaching of our Venerable Authour in breife is this viz. That the Diuine Spirit by vertue of the sayd Operations is to be acknovvledged our onely secure Guide and Maister in these Secret Pathes of Diuine Loue discouered in some measure in the following Treatises And consequently that the most essentiall Vniuersall Duty to be aspired vnto by euery one that pretends a desire or intention to walke in the same Pathes is to giue vp his Soule and all its Faculties to Gods Internall Guidance and Direction only relinquishing and renouncing all other Instructours and Instructions as far as they are not subordinately cooperating vvith this our Diuine Maister For the receiuing of vvhose Celestiall Influences the humble and devout Scholler is obliged to prepare and dispose himselfe by Prayer Abstraction of Life c in Solitude hearkning to his Voyce Call and learning how to distinguish it clearely from the Voyce Sollicitatiōs of Humane Reason or Corrupt Nature till that by long familiarity conuersation with God Diuine Loue alone will so cleare his spirituall sight that he shall see at last no other Light nor receiue Motion from any other but God only this in all Actions Omissions and suffrings though in themselues of the smallest importance 4. This is our Venerable Authours Doctrine every vvhere in all his Treatises vvhat euer the Subiect be inculcated and euen to the vvearying of the Readers continually repeated and asserted Indeed a Doctrine it is so fundamentall to all his other Instructions concerning Prayer and Mortification c that the least vveakning of its authority renders all the rest vnproffitable 5. But little reason there is to feare that a Doctrine vvhich is the very Soule of Christianity can be shaken by humane opposition or disparaged by jealousy True it is notvvithstanding that though this Fundamentall Verity receiues testimony abundantly both from Scriptures and Vniuersall Tradition though it be constantly asserted in the Schooles and sprinckled euery vvhere in almost all Mystick Writers yet scarce hath any one since the Ancient Fathers times especially S. Augustin so purposely largely and earnestly recommended it to Practise And therfore no great vvonder it is if such a vvay of deliuering it haue seemed a Nouelty euen to those that speculatiuely and in Theft acknovvledge it to be the established Doctrine of the Church and vvhilst they vvillingly and vvith applause heare it asserted daily in the Schooles yet meeting vvith it thus popularly spread they are offended vvith it I meane vvith the communicating it to the vse and practise of the Vnlearned 6. Now vvhat is vvas that troubled them vvill appeare from the only Obiection in the Authours life-time made against it vvhich vvas indeed a mere Iealousy least this doctrine so deliuered should preiudice the Authority of Superiours The vvhich Obiection He ansvvered to the full satisfaction of all that vvere interessed in the matter The Summe of vvhich Answer followes in the Ninth Chapter of the second Section of the first Treatise and needs not be here repeated 7. But since his Death and especially after that by a generall vnanimous agreement of all Superiours among vs it had bene ordained that the summe of the Authours spirituall Doctrine should for the good of Soules aspiring to Contemplation be published both the same Obiection hath bene renevved and others moreouer added therto and all of them haue risen from the like ground of Iealousy not so much acknovvledged to be rationall by the Obiectours themselues vvho readily subscribe to the Doctrine as Catholickly true and Holy as feared from others to vvit partly from ordinary not learned Catholicks vvho it is suspected vvill be suspicious of a Doctrine that vvill seeme nevv and hovveuer vnproper to them but principally from strangers Enemies to the Church especially the frantick Enthusiasts of this age vvho as is feared vvill conceiue their frenzies and disorders iustified here 8. These things considered both zeale to Truth Duty to Superiours and Charity to thee beloued Reader obliged me before all other things to beseech thee to abstaine from reading the Booke vnlesse it can be demonstrated before-hand that it vvas fitt to come into thy hands that the suspected inconueniences and suspicions are euidently groundlesse that it vvould be a greater frenzy in the Enthusiasts of these day or in any seduced or seducing Spirits to claime any right in this Doctrine then that vvhich all ready possesses them and in a vvord that no obiections either against the Doctrine or publishing of it either haue or as wee suppose can rationally be deuised to make vs repent the Printing or thee the reading of the follovving Booke 9. Among the sayd Obiections this one is scarce vvorthy to find place vvhich yet by some hath bene vrged in generall against the publishing to all Christians view Instructions about Prayer and Mysticall Practises proper to a few Contemplatiue Persons for vvhom alone the Authour intended them vvithout the least thought of hauing them communicated exposed so generally Especially considering that this Treatise discourses of Sublime Mystick Matters aboue the reach of vulgar capacities and also that vvheras to such tender vvell-minded Soules as those vvere for vvhom the sayd Treatises vvere meant iust liberty condescendence vvas allovved in many cases not to be permitted to others that either in the vvorld or else in a Religious life doe vvalke in other vvaies these notvvithstanding vvill be apt to their ovvne preiudice to make vse of such liberty 10. But surely as it vvould be most vnreasonable to forbid a Physition to publish a Booke of Remedies against some speciall Diseases for feare that some that are vntouched of those Diseases or perhaps sick of the Contrary should hurt themselues vvith making vse of Medecines improper for them Or Molina the Carthusian to publish his Excellent Instructions for Preists least Lay-persons should assume the Priuiledges belonging to that Sublime Calling Or Aluarez de Paz to print his Volumes about the Duties Exercises of Religious persons because they are improper for Seculars So neither vpon such grounds ought these Instructions be hindred from being publick Neither