Selected quad for the lemma: tradition_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
tradition_n	church_n	doctrine_n	unwritten_a	1,841	5	12.2029	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34689	A practicall commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and vses upon the first Epistle generall of John by ... John Cotton ...	Cotton, John, 1584-1652.; R. D. (Roger Drake), 1608-1669.; Scott, Chr. (Christopher), fl. 1655.	1658 (1658)	Wing C6452; ESTC R5113	587,691	443

shall follow their pernicious wayes and so they sell the souls of men and so one part of the merchandize of the Romish Whore is the souls of men Rev. 8.12 13. and therefore if any pernicious Lyers who more pernicious than they that lye against the souls and salvation of men no greater Cheaters than to cheat us of our Saviour of our Father of Salvation 2 The evident falshood of them A man lyes when he mistakes the truth which he might easily see or though it were more hard to see but if a man know it to be false and pernicious yet to lye against his knowledge and Conscience this makes the Lye palpable and grosse now these Lyes are not only contrary to the truth of the Word and experience of Christians but also contrary to their own knowledge and Conscience and they must needs be grosse Lyers that lye in such weighty matters as Salvation and that so evidently that he that runs may see their falshood Vse 1. Let us see the damnable estate of all Antichristian false Teachers for they that shall not only hold but thrust on others damnable Doctrins whereby they hasten their own and others destructions must needs be in a damnable estate it is their tenent that no Church so safe to live and dye in as their Catholick Church and their reason is because among Pagans and Infidels you shall find nothing but horrible lyes and blasphemies and it is true and among Christians there is the safest living for they are confident that salvation is found in their Church and all out of their Church cannot be saved and therefore it is safest for all to live in their fellowship but though there may be some that in that Church may be saved yet whosoever they be that doe know the Doctrine of the Church of Rome and that doe beleeve and obey and practise that Doctrine not one of them but they have suckt in damnable Heresies and bring on themselves swift damnation so that if thete be any lyars among Turks and Infidels these Antichristian teachers shall carry away the prize in lying and those that are saved among them it is because they secretly renounce their Doctrine therefore let them not boast of our charity to some amongst them for none more pernicious and evident Lyars than they therefore let us be dehorted from their Doctrine and cleave close to the profession of the truth Vse 2. Let us take heed of Antichristian Doctrine if ever they come among us these are described to be the Frogs that goe about the World to seduce poor people be not deluded then when they professe themselves to be Patrons of the truth the Spirit condemns them to be Lyars and none more grosse and evident lies than theirs They are likewise cunning Lyars 2 Thes 2.10 none ever by cunning deceit so circumvented the World as they have done Vse 3. It may serve to teach men not to be mealy mouth'd in speaking plainly and home the Spirit we see puts the grossest terme on them who be Lyars if they be not therefore we must not be offended at the plainnesse and simplicity of the Scripture none so plaine as this Apostle he calls them Lyars and Froggs in the Revelations and Beasts and the Whore of Rome he deals even as an old Father when he would deteine Children from any evill they use to put homely names on them Vse 4. It may serve to teach us all to be abundantly thankfull to God that hath delivered us from this lying false Doctrine wherein many of our Fathers have perished for there is no Religion more grosse and no blessing greater than to be delivered from such a grosse lying Religion to be delivered from a grosse sin is no such great matter for the Publicans and Sinners came into the Kingdome of Heaven sooner than the Pharisees and yet theirs was the strictest sect and Paul blesses God that delivered him from that Religion when he was a strict Pharisee yet God was pleased to call him to the grace of Christ and such a mercy is it to us as none can be greater to any Nation to be delivered from this lying Religion and on this ground God urgeth obedience to the morall law because he was the God that had brought them out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of Bondage Exodus 20.1 and on this ground we should stick close to God and that Religion he hath set us in that God may see that we are sencible of this great mercy that we are delivered from such grosse pernitious evident lyes Doct. 2 Antichrist denyeth Jesus to be the Christ or he that denyeth Jesus to be the Christ is Antichrist 1 John 4.3 2 Epist John 7. the name of Antichrist shews he is such a one as is against Christ an enemy to Christ 2 Thes 2.4 he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A man may deny Jesus to be the Christ either grosly and assertively or else cunningly and fraudulently of ancient Heriticks some denyed the manhood of Christ and some the God-head and some palpably denyed his Office of mediation and redemption But that false Antichrist did not deny him palpably and grosly 2 Thes 2.2 for first Antichrist is said to work in a mystery Secondly that he should sit in the Temple of God 2 Tim. 2.4 so that he should keep some correspondency with Christ and his and sits as a Member of Christ otherwise no Church would suffer him so that he should not openly and grosly deny Christ but he should deny him to be that Christ that is anoynted of God anoynted to be King Priest and Prophet therefore if you shall finde any in the Church to deny Christ to be King Priest and Prophet of his Church that is Antichrist therefore observe how their Doctrine cuts asunder the whole work of Redemption 1 For his prophetical office the Church of Rome denies it Christ is anoynted to be a Prophet to teach his Church by his Word and by his Spirit in his Word they deny his Propheticall Office 1 By adding other unwritten traditions to the Word of God as necessary 2 By preferring the Vulgar Translation to be more authentical than the Original languages 3 By denying the use of the Scripture to the common people and telling them it is obscure and dangerous for them 4 By suspending the authority of his Word not upon the Testimony of his Spirit but on the Church of Rome so that if you ask a Papist why they receive the Gospel of St. Matthew and deny that of St. John they say because the Church hath received the one and renounced the other and so they make the Scripture to depend on general councils especially on the Pope 2 The Lord teacheth his Church by his Spirit which they evacuate 1 By confining this Spirit to councils and Clergy-men and not to the common people 2 They evacuate this teaching of the Spirit by making it a conjecturall thing and probable but not

another of Exhortation Admonition Consolation and Reproof Levit. 19.17 1 Thes 5.14 and for temporal things we should be helpful one to another take up quarrels 1 Cor. 6.5 6. pardon one anothers failings be helpful to the poor brethren Rom. 15.15 we must not neglect or despise one another or carry our selves as strangers one to another is this brotherly love to carry our selves strangely towards them or not care for their communion or company never to help them this is not brotherly love And indeed the Sacrament invites us to brotherly love for we are moulded as it were up into one Loaf and drink of the same Cup 1 Cor. 10.17 therefore if there be any strangeness or quarrelling or contempt between us it is to sin against this Ordinance if God be the God of peace then Satan is the author of discord how comely a thing is it for brethren to live together in unity Psal 133.1 2 3. he compares it to the most precious Oyntment that was poured on the head and ran down upon Aarons beard and the skirts of his garments and so what grace is poured on the eminentest Christian must run down to the lowest and as the Mountains let the drops of Dew which fall upon them to fall down upon the Vallies so where God hath mounted any blessing where God hath bestowed eminent Gifts every one should so use his Gifts as the lower Vallies may be the more fruitful they the more helpful Vse 3. It reproves Ministers that dishearten and make sad those that God would not have made sad many times Ministers are most bitter against their best Hearers Ezek. 13.22 nor let people make sad the hearts of their Ministers brethren should not thus carry themselves but rather comfort one another It also reproves the aptnesse of many to affect natural carnal men their only delight is in them and they only hate the Seed of the Woman that is contrary to St. Johns precept I write no new Commandment c. Doct. The Ministers of Christ are carefully to avoyd all suspicion of novelty in all the Doctrines they teach whether of faith or manners Thus St. John he seeing that it might seem a new Commandment to walk as Christ hath walked he tells them It is no new Commandment that I write unto you Jer. 6.16 Job 8.8 9 10. and Moses sharply reproved the Israelites for serving new gods Deut. 32.17 Act. 26.22 he continued witnessing no other truth but what Moses and the Prophets had delivered before him Obj. Is it not said Mat. 13.52 is it not the part of a good Scribe to bring forth things both new and old Ans True he is to bring forth new things but 1. Such as may be new to the people not new to the Word such as they never heard of yet not new to the Word for it is their duty to bring their sheep to new fresh green Pastures Psal 23.2 but it must not be new in it self but anciently delivered by the Prophets and Apostles 2 A Minister that delivers an old Doctrin and known to the people yet he must bring it in in a new manner that it may affect them the more being drest after a new manner the appetite desires new dishes more as for our Saviour he taught no new Doctrin but he spake it in such a manner in such Parables that it seemd strange to them 3 He should have so much respect to newnesse as to bring out all old Doctrin with a new vigour of Spirit not with the old Spirit but with a new affection and vigour that so the people may be more affected therewith hee must deliver the same matter with a new Spirt he must drink a new draught of the Wine of the Sanctuary but a Minister must not teach any thing that is new to the Scripture Reas From the perfection of the Scripture Psal 19.7 Gods perfection is more seen in this than in any other works the World is perfect in its kinde vers 6. but vers 7. How perfect is the Law of God Now as it were a Frantique thing to go about to create new Creatures so to come with Nova dogmata and new Opinions it is as if a man should come with new Creatures there is not any new Creature in the World so let a man survey all Doctrins he shall finde them to be the same which were from the Creation Vse 1. To mortifie a new-fangled trick of Ministers and People when the Minister fits their itching ears with New-fangled Doctrin and the people affect new Doctrin this is against the Apostles practice here 2 Tim. 4.2 3. Act. 17.19 20 21. they thought Paul came in with new matters and they were affected with news but though this Doctrin was new to them yet it was not new to the Word Vse 2. To reprove the Popish-Religion it is new some are Franciscans and some Dominicans these are new we never read of them in the Scripture neither do we read of Jesuits or Monks or Abbots they never had any footsteps in Scripture some of them confesse that in their matters of difference from us they have no ground in Scripture for purgatory or prayer for the dead but what saith St. John I write unto you no new Commandment Vse 3 To Assemblies and Synods to take heed what they impose on the Church no new traditions must be thrust on us if it be not from God let it be abandoned But that which you have had from the beginning Doct. True Antiquity in all Doctrines of the Apostles or Ministers is that which fetches its original from the beginning 1 That which hath had its original from old times is not alwayes safe as we see Mat. 5.27 35. and yet this doth not make it true Antiquity because it was not from the beginning Joh. 8.44 the Devil had his lying from the beginning but it was not from the first beginning for he was not created a lyar but he made himself so But the true Antiquity is twofold 1 From the first Institution or Creation of a thing Mat. 19.8 and that is a good Antiquity that is fetcht from the first Institution 2 That which fetcheth its beginning from God though it were of later times for hee is Alpha and Omega Rev. 1.8 the beginning and end of all things Rea. 1 From the nature of all evill which is an aberration from the first good Estate if any corruption be in marriage as polygamy or adultery from the beginning it was not so if the Devill be a lyar from the beginning he was not so 2 From the nature of Truth and good things that come from God they have the nature of God stamped on them and as he is the ancient of dayes so is that good as Baptisme and the Lords Supper though they were not in the World before Christs coming in the flesh yet being from God they have true Antiquity they are derived from the ancient of dayes Vse 1 It discovers the