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	judgement_n	scripture_n	1,546	5	5.9918	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25212	Melius inquirendum, or, A sober inquirie into the reasonings of the Serious inquirie wherein the inquirers cavils against the principles, his calumnies against the preachings and practises of the non-conformists are examined, and refelled, and St. Augustine, the synod of Dort and the Articles of the Church of England in the Quinquarticular points, vindicated.	Alsop, Vincent, 1629 or 30-1703.; G. W.	1678 (1678)	Wing A2914; ESTC R10483	348,872	332

for had they been guided by the Counsels and Interests of such Divines we must have Renounced ours too long ago 3. That Church in lieu of the Scriptures gives them Traditions Nay do not wrong the Grave Tridentine Fathers it was but Pari pietatis affect●… veneramur The Church of England abhors indeed that Sacriledge in her 34 Article Whosoever through his private judgement willingly and purposely doth openly break the Traditions and Ceremonies of the Church which be not repugnant to Gods word ought to be rebuked openly And I am confident the Roman Church will allow us openly to break any of hers when she shall confess them to be repugnant to the word of God 4. Instead of such things as were from the Beginning it prescribes those things that had their beginning from private Interest and secular Advantages It has been a piece of policy of our Duellers to escape the Laws to cross the Channel and fight it out upon Callice Sands If our Enquirer will go with me thither I would dispute it fairly with him whether the Terms of Communion be the same that were from the Beginning If the Church of Rome be warrantably deserred because her matters stand not in the Primitive posture They that can make the plea will expect the same priviledge The Learned Author of the Irenicum p. 121. assures us that it is contrary to the practice and moderation then used to deprive men of their Ministerial functions for not conforming in Habit Gestures and the like and he adds his pions wishes That God would vouchsafe to convince the Leaders of the Church of this Truth It will be less material therefore whether the things so ●…ifly insisted on had their beginning from private Interests and secular Advantages for if they were not from the beginning is 't little to us where they had their rise The Canons of 1640. leave bowing towards the Altar indifferent and prohibit Censuring and Iudging Extend but the same Moderation to all other things as far from the beginning as they and of ●…o greater Importance or confine them to Cathedrals as Organs once were where they that have little else to do are at more leasure for such operous services and we shall be secure as to Schism which the Enquirer will certainly yield to since he equalizes that sin to the most horrid crimes of Idolatry Murther and Sacriledge 5. They make seven Sacraments And at our Equirers Rates may make sevenscore What is a Divine Sacrament but an outward visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us ordained by Christ himself as a means whereby we receive the same and a pledge to assure us thereof And let him define a humane Sacrament more appositely if he can Then an outward visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace ordained by man himself as a means whereby we receive the same grace And wherein does a Mystical Ceremony come short of this Description whose declared end is To stir up the dull mind of man to the remenbramce of his duly to God by some notable and special signification whereby he may be edified Nor is there any thing wanting but the Royal assent the Divine stamp of Authority to make it a Sacrament as accomplisht at all points as those which are declared Generally necessary to salvation And if the Papalins erroneously judge their five ordained of God and we confess ours are not so all the difference is this That they are mistaken and act proportionably to their mistake and we see better and yet act disproportionably But the truth is many of their most Learned Writers freely own their five Sacraments to be no more then Ecclesiastical Traditions and Mystical Ceremonies such as the Sign of the Cross though to set them off to the eye they honour them with the August Title of Sacraments Thus Petrus a Soto Omnes illae Observationes sunt Traditiones Apostolicae quarum principium Author origo in Sacris Scripturis inveniri non potest Cujusmodi sunt Oblatio sacrificii Altaris unctio Chrismatis in vocatio Sanctorum Orationes pro defunctis totum Sacramentum Confirmationis ordinis Matrimonii Paenitentiae ●…nctionis extremae Merita Operum necessitas satisfactionis enumeratio peceatorum facienda sacerdoti We are to account all those Observations Apostolical Traditions whose Beginning Author and Origine are not found in the Holy Scriptures Such as are the Oblation of the sacrifice of the Altar the Anointing with Chrisme Invocation of Saints Prayers for the Dead The whole Sacrament of Confirmation of Orders of Matrimony of Penitance of extreme unction the merits of Good Works the necessity of satisfaction and Auricular confession 6. They have taken away one of the ten Commandments and have Arts of evacuating all the rest And why may they not evacuate the second as well as our Author the fourth Commandment All were equally promulgated in Mount Sinai all have the same Signature of Divine Authority and he that can make Schism equal to Idolatry may when he sees his time throw off the second as he has done the fourth for a piece of Judaical Superstition 7. They have brought in Pageantry instead of Piety and Devotion effaced the true lineaments of Christianity and instead thereof recommended and obtruded upon the world the dictates of Ambition the Artifices of gain He may safely talk his pleasure at this distance though it would not be so prudent to preach this Doctrine where the Popes great Horse sets his foot All the use I shall make of it is this little That if the introduction of Pageantry instead of Piety and Devotion be a good warrant to justifie our Separation from Rome Let them judge who have to do with it whether it were Fellony to remove a mans Quarters ten miles from some Cathedrals 8. Lastly says he these things could not be submitted to without grievous sin and manifest danger of Damnation No! now observe how the Romanist will belabour him with his own Cudgel p. 122. It s the custom of those that have a mind to quarrel to aggravate and heighten the Causes of discontent to the end that the ensuing mischief may not be imputed to the frowardness of their temper but to the greatness of the provocation And passion is such a magnifying glass as is able to extend a Mole-hill to a Mountain If men would be perswaded to lay aside their passions and calmly consider the nature of those things that they divided from the Catholick Church upon they would be so far from seeing Reason to perpetuate the Schism that they would on the contrary be seized with wonder and indignation that they have been imposed upon so far as to take those things for great deformities which upon mature Consideration are really nothing worse then Moles which may be upon the most beautiful face But the Reader will easily see that these are nothing but some ill gathered shreds out of your Formul●… Oratoriae or Clarks Transitions which will

the Doctrine of the Churches Power to take it away 3. That the most rigid Calvinists do not scruple Subscription to the Articles so far as they relate to the Quinquarticular Controversies and for a clear experiment herein for once let the Church make those Articles only the single Rail about the Communion Table and we shall soon see such Multitudes of Dissenters crowd into the Constitution that she will hardly find two Benefices a piece for them It 's my greater admiration that they who deny Particular Election Original sin the interest of Christs death in Reconciling God to us that they who assert Iustification by our own Works Freewill c. can subscribe them and indeed it seems they swallow'd them with some Reluctancy and are now reaching and straining with many a sowr face to Degorge not the Bait of the Benefice which is infinitely sweet but the Hook of the Article which is unmereifully sharp This pretended Pretence then might safely have been forborn but that the Lapwing thinks it advisable to raise a huge cry where 't is not that we may not search where really it is to make a clampering about the Non causes to divert our Fnquirers from the true and proper causes of Non-consormity Like the ingenious policy of the Thief that being arraigned for a Horse freely confessed the stealing of a Bridle but prudently concealed it was upon the Horses Head But says our Enquirer though this neither needs nor deserves an Answer yet I stall reply Two things to it That is he will give us Two needless Answers to One needless Objection 1. The summe of the former needless Answer is thus much Common Arts and Sciences which depend upon Humane Wit and Invention are capable of daily improvements but Christianity depending solely upon Divine Revelation can admit of no new discoveries The busie Wit of Man way perplex but it can never bring to light any New Thing for if we admit of any New Revelations we lose the Old and our Religion together we accuse our Saviour and his Aposiles as if they had not sufficiently revealed Gods Mind to the World and we incur St. Paul's Anathema which he denounces against him whosoever it shall be nay if an Angel from Heaven that shall Preach any other Doctrine than what had been received The Enquirer may call this a Needless Answer sor who shall hinder him from calling his own what he pleases but I assure him it contains a great deal of Needful Truth which had he like a good Husband improved the rest of his Book had been more needless than this Answer Needless we consess it to be as to the Objection which was it self needless but not so for his own Confutation for thus the Dissenters will come over him If neither Time nor the Wit of Man can make any New discoveries in Christianity then the Pope who like another Columbus or Americus has made Great and New discoveries in the Terra Incognita of Tradition and Ceremonies must either be a God or a Devil That the Liturgy was a principal part of Gods Worship he has told us in the Introduction that it was discovered from the beginning and not by later Adventurers he will be sore put to it to prove for all the Musty Fragments of St. Iames's Liturgy That it was not part of the Wisdom of Christ or his Apostles we are well enough satisfied That there was Wit and Invention in it we confess all the Question is whose Wit should have the glory of the Invention Again If to admit New Revelations be to lose the Old and our Religion together Let us make a short Quaery upon 't whether to admit of New Ordinances and Constitutions be not to lose the Old and our Religion together That is whether Gospel Institutions be not exclusive of new ones as well as Gospel Revelations and why we may not expect a new Credimus as well as a new Mandamus New Revelations as well as New Injunctions A New Prophet of the Church seems to me as necessary as a New King over the Church and a New High-Priest as needful as either And I proceed upon this Principle that the Law of Christ was as perfect as his Discoveries He has told us as fully and clearly what we should do as what we should believe He that may invade the Royal Office upon pretence there are not Laws enough for the Government of the Church may with equal appearance of Reason invade the Prophetick Office too upon pretence there are not Revelations now for its instruction And therefore the vigilant universal Pastor has found it as necessery to supply the defect of Revelations by his own Traditions as the nakedness of Worship by decent Ceremonies As Jesus Christ vindicated the Moral Law from the false Glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees so he superadded a Ceremoni●…l Law depending meerly upon his own fulness of Power and Authority now what right any can pretend to add new Particulars to his Ceremonial Law which they may not also pretend to add to his Meral Law I cannot Divine And therefore one of our Enquirers great Friends who had his Eyes in his Head and saw farther into these matters than his poor Neighbours was constrained to assert a power that had lain dormant somewhere of adding New Particulars to the Divine Law But further If New Revelations do accuse our Saviour and his Apostles as if they had not sufficiently revealed Gods Mind to the World Then new ways of teaching Gods Mind new invented Symbolical Ceremonies will accuse him and them of the same culpable failure in not discharging those Offices committed by God to a Mediator and by him to his Apostles And in short If we incur St. Paul's Anathema which he denounces against him that shall Preach any other Doctrine than what he has received Then they will do well to get out of the way of that Curse who Preach this Doctrine The Church has power to decree Rites and Ceremonies Unless they be sure they have received it from Christ for it s but ill venturing to stand in the way of an Angel with a drawn Sword more terrible than which is one of the Scriptures Anathema's Some will ask where and when and from whom the Church received that Doctrine which some Preach viz. A Power to impose Mystical and Symbolical Ceremonies as the Terms of Communion with a Church●… but I shall only say that our compassionate Enquirer will need a most compassionate Reader upon these Two Accounts First that he makes an Objection for Dissenters which is their Answer And Secondly that he gives an Answer to that Objection which is their very Objection but yet we have not heard the Conclusion The Consequence says he of these Premises is That the elder any Doctrine of Christianity can be proved to be it must needs be truer and he that talks of a more clear Light of the latter Times and clearer discoveries in Religion talks as idly as he that

he that separates but he that is the Cause of the separation is the Schismatick 4. That to require the execution of some unlawful or suspected act is a just cause of refusing Communion for not only in Reason but in Religion too that Maxime admits of no Release Cautissimi cujusque praeceptum quod dubitas ne feceris 5. That it hath been the common Disease of Christians from the beginning not to content themselves with that measure of Faith which God and Scriptures have expresly afforded but out of a vain desire to know more then is revealed they have attempted to devise things of which we have no Light neither from Reason nor Revelation neither have they rested here but upon pretence of Church Authority which is none or Tradition which for the most part is but ●…eigned they have peremptorily concluded and confidently imposed upon others a necessity of entertaining conclusions of that nature 6. To l●…ad our publick forms with the private fancies upon which we differ is the most Soveraign way to perpetuate Schism unto the worlds end Prayer Confession Thanksgiving Reading of Scriptures Administration of Sacraments in the plainest and the simplest manner were matter enough to furnish out a sufficient Liturgie though nothing either of private Opinion or of Church pomp of Garments or prescribed gestures of Imagery of Musick of matter concerning the Dead of many superfluities which creep into the Church under the name of Order and Decency did interpose it self To charge Churches and Liturgies with things unnecessary was the first beginning of all superstition 7. That no occasion hath produced more frequent more continuous more sanguineous Schisms then Episcopal Ambition hath done 8. That they do but Abuse themselves and others that would perswade us that Bishops by Christs institution have any superiority over other men further then that of Reverence or that any Bishop is superiour to another further then positive order agreed ●…pon amongst Christians hath prescribed 9. In times of manifest corruptions and persecutions wherein Religious assembling is dangerous Private Meetings howsoevr besides publick Order are not 〈◊〉 lawful but they are of necessity and duty All pious Assemblies 〈◊〉 times of Persecution and Corruption however practised are indeed 〈◊〉 rather Alone the lawful Congregations And publick Assemblies though according to form of Law are indeed nothing else but Riots and Convemticles if they be stained with Corruption and Superstition There is one person more whom since he has quoted Incognit●… for an excellent person I will the rather recommend to his consideration Irenic p. 109. where speaking of the private Christian he says He is bound to adhere to that Church which appears most to retain the Evangelical purity And p. 116. He is bound to break off from that Society which enjoyns a mixture of some Corruptions as to practise One word from Dr. Iackson chap. 14. of the Church where he acquits those of the Schism which withdraw from●…hat Church which imposeth Rites and Customs that cross the Rule of Faith and Charity Bishop Bramhalls Testimony will pass for sterling p. 7 8. of Schism When there is a mutual division of two parts or members of the mystical Body of Christ one from the other yet both retaining Communion with the universal Church quamcunque partem amplexus fueris Schismaticus non Audies quippe quod universa Ecclesia neutram damnavit Which side soever you close with you shall not be reproacht for a Schismatick because the universal Church has condemned neither side And he plainly tells us p. 101. That it was not the erroneous Opinions of the Church of Rome but the obtruding them by Laws upon other Churches that warranted a separation Next we will hear a word from the Learned Lord Verulam 'T is a sign says he of exasperation to condemn the contrary part as a Sect yea and some indiscreet persons have been bold in open preaching to use dishonourable and derogatory speeches and censures of the Churches abroad and that so far as that some of our men as I have heard ordained in forreign parts have been pronounced no lawful Ministers And further let us remember that the ancient and true bounds of Unity are one Faith one Baptism and not one Ceremony one Policy and endeavour to comprehend that saying Differentia Rituum commendat unitatem Doctrinae Christs Coat was indeed without Seam yet the Churches Garment was of divers Colours Amongst all these we must not forget that noble and gallant Person the Lord Falkland A little search will find them He speaks of no little ones to have been the destruction of Unity under pretence of Uniformity to have brought in superstition and scandal under Titles of Reverence and Decency to have slacked the strictness of Unity which was between us and those of our own Religion beyond the Sea●… S●…rates lib. 〈◊〉 cap. 21. tells us that in his time there could scarce●… be found two Churches that used the same forms of prayer In France the Ritual of Paris differ'd from that of Anjou and in England we had our Devotions secundum usum Sarum secundum usum Bangor and yet the one never reproacht the other for Sectaris or Schismaticks I am consident therefore to assert it That neither the Wit nor Malice of man can prove him a Schismatick who maintaining Evangelical Love towards and holding the substantial Doctrines owned by the Church of England shall either out of choice or necessity transplant himself from under the spreading shadow of a Goodly Cathedral to a Parochial Church and yet the one has its Organs Adoration towards the East and Altar Adoration at the Naming of Iesus with multitudes of Rites and Observances unknown to the Villages and far more differing from the Parochial Usages and Customs then the Worship of most Country Towns differ from that of the Non-conformists After all this I shall throw up the Authority of these great names and give him full scope for his Rational Abilities to prove his proposition when I have first noted those few things § 1. He requires an apparent breach of the Divine Law as the only thing that can excuse separation from the guilt of Schism but will not a real breach of the Divine Law serve the turn unless it be so apparent as he can desire I perswade my self God never yet spoke so loud that they who have barracadoed their Ears with prejudice will hear him nor ever yet wrote so plain that they will see his mind whose Eyes interest has sealed up And what if it be an apparent breach of the Divine Law in the sincere judgement of him that separates must he never discharge his Duty till he can perswade all the world to see theirs and pursue it § § Who shall be Iudge whether the Imposed Terms contain an apparent breach of the Divine Law and such as will justifie a separation Mr. Hales indeed tells us It 's a point of no great depth or difficulty but yet the true

to spare and may part with some excrescences and never touch the Quid of Religion rather then they who own a Naked Religion without any Additaments and if any such be found Amongst them they are Content to surrender them up as a Sacrifice to peace 5. They who by their Authority are Qualified to make a through Reformation and such Abatements in supernumerary observations such fillings up of the Chasmes and vacuities as may not only Retrieve peace at Home but procure a General union with all the Reformed Churches abroad to the strengthning of the Protestant Religion weakning the hands of the Common Enemy rather then those poor people whose Circumstances are such that they cannot propose the Terms of peace to others and what Alterations they shall make in themselves will be insignificant to an universal settlement 6. They who have already given some specimens of their Condescensions to the Romanists by Removing some exasperating passages and it may be hoped and expected that they will take a few steps towards a Compliance with dissenting Protestants For as the Author of the Irenicum observes well p. 132. That which was laid as a bait for them the Papists was never intended as a Hook for those of our own Profession And therefore to conclude this Chapter I will take the freedom to Quote that Celebrated Son of the Church for a Theological Notion whom he has already quoted 〈◊〉 Philosophical one Dial. 5. p. 399. speaking of the Papacy as the Kingdom of Anti-Christs he has those Notable words Which we knowing so experimentally not to be Compassed by Needless Symbolizing with them in any thing I conceive our best policy is Studiously to Imitate them in nothing but for All indifferent things to think the worse of them for their using them As no person of Honour would willingly go in the known garb of Any Lewd and infamous person whatsoever we court them in they do but turn it to our scorn and Contempt and are the more hardned in their wickedness wherefore seeing that Needless Symbolizing with them does them no Good but Hurt we should Account our selves in all things indifferent perfectly free to satisfy and please in the most universal manner we can those of our own party nor Caring what opinions or Customs or outward formalities the Romanists or others have or may have had from the first Degeneracy of the Church which we ought to Account the more hid●…ously soiled by the Romanists using them but supporting our selves upon plain Scripture and solid Reason to use and profess such things at will be most Agreable to us All and make most for the safety and welfare of the Kingdom of Christ for this undoubtedly O Philopolis is the most firm and true Interest of Any Protestant Church or state whatsoever CHAP. IV. The vanity of the Enquirers Confidence noted in boasting that they who find fault with the Churches Constitution will never be able to find out or agree upon a better his Reasonings about this matter examined IT was a piece of the old Roman val●…ur to kill themselves for fear of being Killed and it 's a Considerable piece of the New Roman piety not to stir for fear of going out of the way to Resolve against Reformation upon some dangers which are fancied may attend Reformation That Church always apprehending or pretending to apprehend dreadful inconveniences in all changes though apparently for the better Before we can possibly know whether A better way may be found out we must first be Agreed what is a Good way Now All Goodness Consists in the due Conformity of a thing to it's Rule and Idaea by which it ought to be measured and it 's fitness to reach that end to which it is a Means And therefore the betterness of Any thing must be judged of by it's nearer Approach to that Rule and it 's greater proportionableness to the attainment of it's design If then we could find out A worship more Agreable to the Rule of worship or a Constitution more apt to reach the great intendments of Holiness and Peace such a worship such a Constitution will justify it self to be a better then any of it's Competitors which shall Deviate from that Rule or more uncertainly attain the Desired End 1 The first part of our task then will be to find out our Rule which when we have done we have nothing remaining but to apply that Rule to those Models which we would erect or having erected we would examine their Regularity And as they shall be found to approach nearer or depart farther from that Rule we may Confidently pronounce they are therefore by so much The better or the worse Now the only Rule of Reformation in our judgment is the Infallible word of God which we therefore judge sufficient and adaequat because they give this Testimony to their own Perfection And seeing we have now to do with those who own the Scriptures to assert nothing but Truth it will be evidence enough that they are such a Rule if they do but Assert that they are so It is indeed no new thing to hear them charged as Lame and defective such as must be pieced and eked out either with Immediate Revelations or Humane Traditions to render them a Compleat and perfect standard of our Faith and acceptable obedience To which we only oppose the Testimony of the Apostle 2. Tim. 3. 16. 17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for reproof for Correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect thorowly furnisht unto all good works Concerning which sacred Rule I will use our Authors Confidence with I think better warrant That they who find fault with this Rule will never be able to find out or Agree upon a Better whereof the Endless mazes the perplexed labyrinths into which they have cast themselves who despising and forsaking this only Canon have delighted to find out by-paths is very clear but very sad demonstration for when they have tryed Traditions or gaped for revelations or depended on the Churches Authortiy and yet found no satisfaction they think to secure themselves and gratify theMagistrate with a New power who has already such burdens upon his shoulders that we have more need incessantly to sollicite the throne of grace on his behalf for wisdom Counsel strength to manage and bear them then fondly to think to do him a kindness by Imposing upon him a greater work which all others are weary of But this one Text which I have mention'd may abundantly satisfy us that there can be nothing requisite to equise and furnish out A Christian A Minister A Church for Duty and obedience but what is summarily therein ascribed to the written word § 1. That the Scriptures are of unquestionable Authority to Determine all those Controversies whereof they haveCognizance because they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divinely inspired which no person no Church no Convention of