Selected quad for the lemma: tradition_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
tradition_n	faith_n	reason_n	scripture_n	2,267	5	6.0519	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B09464	Animadversions on the defence of the answer to a paper, intituled The case of the dissenting Protestants of Ireland, in reference to a bill of indulgence from the exceptions made against it together with an answer to a peaceable & friendly address to the non-conformists written upon their desiring an act of toleration without the sacramental test.	Mac Bride, John.; Pullen, Tobias, 1648-1713. Defence of the ansvver to a paper intituled The case of the dissenting Protestants.	1697 (1697)	Wing M114; ESTC R180238	76,467	116

mechanick Priest-Missionaries that came into England would prove the truth of that Letter better which will be suspected till then by all that consider how hard it would be to perswade lazy Priests to undergo the long fatigue of learning Handycrafts which would do them little service without the language of the Land And they who know the strict scrutiny made by Presbyterians and Independants e're they admit any as members of their Congregations or Ministers will be more affraid that such should thrust themselves in the Establish'd Churches than ours His 3d. Argument to prove that Toleration to Dissenting Protestants will increase Popery is because 't is the cause of our Divisions whereof the Papists take great advantage For proof whereof he cites Mr. Baxter A. That Papists and all other Adversaries make their advantage by our Divisions is seen and bewailed by all good men with Mr. Baxter but that our mutual forbearance of one another in matters not necessary to Salvation was ever the cause of divisions Mr. Baxter hath nor taught but the contrary Yet if he desire an account of the true causes of our divisions he may learn them from one of the Ornaments of the Church of England the memorable Mr. John Hales of Eaton in his Tract of Schism page 201. Who teacheth us that all Schisms have crept into the Church by one of these three ways 1st Upon matter of Fact 2d Upon matter of Opinion 3d. On point of Episcopal Ambition I call that matter of Fact when something is required to be done by us which we know or strongly suspect to be unlawful So the first notable Schism of which we read in the Church contained in it matter of Fact for it being upon Error taken for necessary that an Easter must be kept and upon worse than Error if I may so speak for it was no less than a point of Judaism forc'd upon the Church upon worse than Error I say thought further necessary that the ground for the time of keeping that Feast must be the Rule left by Moses unto the Jews There arose a stout Question whether we were to celebrate with the Jews on the 14th of the Moon or on the Sunday following This matter tho most unnecessary most vain yet caus'd as great a combustion as ever was in the Church the first separating and refusing Communion with the last for many years together In this phantastical hurry I cannot see but that all the world were Schismaticks neither can any thing excuse them from that Imputation excepting only this that we charitably suppose that all Parties out of Conscience did what they did a thing which befell them through the Ignorance of their Guides for I will not say their Malice and that through the just judgment of God because through Sloath and blind Obedience men examin'd not the things which they were taught but like Beasts of burthen patiently couched down and indifferently underwent whatsoever their Superiors laid upon them Further page 210. For in these Schisms which concern Fact nothing can be a just cause of refusal of Communion but only to require the execution of some unlawful and suspected Act for not only in Reason but Religion too that Maxim admits of no Release Cautissimi cujusque praeceptum quod dubtias ne feceris And speaking of the second Councel of Nice where Image-worship was established where was the first remarkable Schism upon just occasion of Fact he tells us The schismatical Party was the Synod it self and such as conspir'd with it for concerning the use of Images in Sacris 1. It is acknowledgby all that it is not a thing necessary 2. It is by most suspected 3. It is by many held utterly unlawful Can then the injoyning the practice of such a thing be ought else but abuse or can the refusal of Communion here be thought any other thing than duty here or upon the like occasion to separate may peradventure bring personal trouble and danger against which it concerns every honest man to have pectus bene preparatum so that in these cases you cannot be to seek what you think or what you have to do His 2d sort of Schism arising upon occasion of variety of Opinion is thus It hath been saith he the common disease of Christians from the beginning not to content themselves with that measure of Faith which God in Scripture hath expresly afforded us but out of a vain desire to know more than is revealed they have attempted to discuss things of which they can 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 is for the most part but figment they have peremptorily concluded and confidently impos'd on others a necessity of entertaining conclusions of that nature c. After he tells were Liturgies and publick Forms of Service so framed as that they admitted of no particular and private Fancies but contained only such things as in which all Christians do agree Schisms in opinions were utterly Vanished for consider all the Liturgies that are or have been and remove from them whatsoever is Scandalous to any Party and leave nothing but what all agree in and the event shall be that the publick Service and Honour of God shall no ways suffer whereas to load our Publick Forms with the private fancies upon which we differ is the most Sovereign way to perpetuate Schism unto the Worlds End Prayer Confession Thanksgiving Reading of Scripture Exposition of Scripture Administration of Sacraments in the plainest and simplest manner were matters enough to furnish out a sufficient Liturgy tho' nothing either of private Opinion or of Church Pomp of Garments of prescribed Gestures of Imagery of Musick of matter concerning the Dead of many superfluities which creep into the Churches under the Dream of Order and Decency did interpose it self For to charge Churches and Liturgies with things unnecessary was the first beginning of all Superstition and when scruple of Conscience began to be made or pretended then Schism begun to break in If the spiritual Guides and Fathers of the Church would be a little sparing of incumbring the Churches with superfluities and not over-rigid either in receiving absolute Customs or imposing New there were far less danger of Schism or Superstition and the inconveniency were likely to issue would be but this they should in so doing yield a little to the imbecillities of Inferiors a thing which St. Paul could never have refused to do in the mean while where ever false and suspected Opinions are made a piece of the Churches Liturgy he that separates is not Scismatick for it 's alike unlawful to make profession of known and suspected falsehoods as to put in practice unlawful and suspected Actions The third Cause of Schism is Episcopal Ambition p. 218 saith he Aristotle tells us that necessity causeth but small Faults but Avarice and Ambition are Mothers of great Crimes Episcopal Ambition