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	scripture_n	write_v	3,423	5	6.0492	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A37274	Sermons preached upon severall occasions by Lancelot Dawes ...; Sermons. Selections	Dawes, Lancelot, 1580-1653.	1653 (1653)	Wing D450; ESTC R16688	281,488	345

if thou strangle thy sefe with the smal cords of vanitie Thou must therefore be contented to forgo those little ones a great beam will put out a mans eye so may a mote too a great flame may burn a house so may a small sparkle a cart-rope may strangle a man so may a small cord a sword will take away the life of the strongest man and so may a little pen-knife nay the point of a needle a Canon shot may murther a man so may the shot of a pocket dagg the deep Ocean may drown a man and so may a smal River It is even so with sin the Aegyptians were as surely drowned that laid dead on the shore as those that were overwhelmed in the deep so the least sinne without repentance drowns a man in the gulfe of perdition as well as the greatest and let me add this which is a most certain truth though at the first it may seeme a paradox that more are damned to Hell for little sinnnes then for great Why Because as it is not the falling into the fire that burnes a man to death but continuing in it nor the falling into the water that drownes a man but lying in it so it is not the falling into sin that damns a man for then all should be damned seeing all fall into sin but cotinuance in sinne and impenitencie A great sinne may prove veniall and a little sinne the same kind●n mortall exempli gratia oppression may be veniall and the least desire of another mans goods mortall actuall adulterie veniall and adulterie of the heart unlawfull desire mortall shedding of innocent blood veniall and unadvised anger mortal one of these wee find pardoned in David another in Zacheus the third in Manasses and pardoned they shall be to all such as truly repent and believe the Gospel but these being breaches of Gods law are in their own nature mortall and unlesse repentance follow them they are sure to bring death with them not that these are more grievous in their own nature then those or did more provoke Gods wrath the contrary is true in both but because they often find mercie when the other doe not because they are often accompanied with repentance when the other are not and it is not the greatnesse or littlenesse of the sinne that makes it mortall or venial but the continuance in it or forsaking of it he that continueth in his sin though never so small shall not prosper but he that forsaketh them though never so great shall finde mercie Now many that have been overtaken with grievous and crying sinnes having had the looking glasse of the Law laid before them have been humbled and upon their humiliation pardoned and so their mortall sinnes made venial whereas these lesse sinnes wherein men walke securely and never are truly humbled for them but blesse themselves with the fancie that they are free of many hainous crimes wherewith many others in the world are stained these these I say bring many milions to hell experience sheweth that many dangerous wounds being timely looked unto are cured whereas the least as a stab with an Aule or prickle of a black or prickle of a black thorn neglected may indanger a member if not life So the greatest sinne soundly and timely repented obtains pardon whereas the least neglected as if there were no danger because of it self not so dangerous brings death on the back of it Let then the men of this world who make a sport of sinne mince and qualifie and extenuate their greatest offences let them thinke themselves happie because they are not the greatest transgressors let them never have any Scriptures but such as sound Gods mercies in their mouthes but for thee Beloved Christian if thou look to find favour at the hands of the Almighty though after thy fals and slips thou art to meditate upon Gods mercies lest thou be swallowed up with over much heaviness yet before to keep thee from falling mediate upon his judgements and fierce wrath against the least transgressions lay them open before God that he may cover them condemn them that he may forgive them confesse them to be by nature mortall that by grace he may make them veniall Thus much concerning the second proposition the last proposition is against the Romish doctrine of traditions wee receive traditions say the Fathers of the Councell of Trent pertaining to faith and manners with like devotion and reverence that wee doe the books of the Old and New Testament they meane divine and Apostolicall traditions these wee reverence and receive as well as they viz. if they be expresly delivered in the Scripture or may by necessary consequence be thence proved this is not their meaning but such as are not written but only said to be delivered by Christ and his Apostles very well but seeing the ancient received some for divine and Apostolical which are not rejected even by the Church of Rome as abstaining from blood and that which is strangled praying toward the East c. How shall I know what traditions are divine and Apostolicall Bellarmine gives me a good rule that is without doubt an Apostolical tradition saith he that is taken for Apostolicall in those Churches where is a continued succession of Bishops from the Apostles where is that marrie onely in the Church of Rome Et ideo ex testimonio hujus solius Ecclesiae sumi potest certum indubitatum argumentum ad probandas Ecclesiasticas traditiones and therefore from the testimonie of that Church onely may be taken a certain and infallible argument for proving of Apostolicall traditions This is the strongest stake that stands in the Popes hedge allow him this principle and he will be sure to win the field The Protestants have challenged the Romanists at three severall kinde of weapons Reason Antiquitie and Scripture The first they put off with their nice and aeriall distinctions the second when all other shifts have failed them they wipe oft with the wards of their expurgatorie indices wherein they deale with the ancient Fathers and some of their own side also as Terence in the Poet did with Progn● that is cut out their tongues that in future times they shall never be able to crie down Poperie when they are assaulted with the third which is the fittest that can be used to maintain Gods quarrell against his enemies being taken out of Davids Tower where hang a thousand shields and all the weapons of the strong men they put off this blow by their tradition yea but traditions are against the Word of God Ye shall add nothing unto that which I command you Deut. 4. Yea but traditions are the word of God though not written how prove you this because our Church holdeth them to be such Et quod nos volumus sanctum est as Tichonius the Donatist was wont to say Woe unto you yee Hypocrites for ye bind heavie burdens and lay them upon mens shoulders yee make the Law of

the Gospel of peace his ministers the Ambassadours of peace his natural Son the Author of peace his adopted sons the children of peace if then ye will be the sons of the most highest your endeavor must be this to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Consider what I say and the Lord give you wisdome and understanding in all things Finally to speake unto all and so to make an end of all seeing that we are all Tenants at will and must be thrust out of the doors of these earthly Tabernacles whensoever it shall please our great landlord to call us hence let us have our loines girt and our lampes continually burning that whensoever the Lord shal call us hence in the evening or in the morning at noon-day or at mid-night he may find us ready Happy is the man whom his Master when he comes shall find watching Let us every day sum up our accounts with God Ita aedificemus quasi semper victuri ita vivamus quasi cras morituri let us build as if we would ever live but let us live as if wee were ever ready to dye Then may every one of us in the integrity of heart and syncerity of conscience when the time of his departing is at hand say with the blessed Apostle If have fought a good fight and have finished my course I have kept the faith from hence forth is laid up for me a crowne of righteousnesse which God the righteous Judge shall give me at that day Unto this God one eternall omnipotent and unchangeable Iehovah in essence three persons in manner of subsistence the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit be ascribed all honour and glory power might and majestie both now and forever more Amen Galathians 3. 10. As many as are of the workes of the Law are under the Cuurse for it is written cursed is every man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the law to do them IN which words observe two things 1. A Doctrine 2. A Reason of the doctrine in the former part the reason in the latter I have spoken of the doctrine I purpose now to speake only of the reason for it is written c. wherein observe three things 1. It is to no purpose to begin a good course of life unlesse thou hold it out and continue till the end 2. It s not enough for a Christian to performe obedience to some of Gods precepts and to bear with himself wilfully in the breach of others Cursed is he that continueth not in all 3. That the rule of our obedience is no unwritten tradition but the written Word of God that are written in the booke of the Law But before I speak of these I gather from the connexion this conclusion That no man can in this life perfectly fulfill the Will of God it followeth thus because as it is written Cursed c. So it is written This doe and thou shalt live and the man that doth these things shall live in them So that the Apostle takes this for granted or else his argument is of no force this is evidently confirmed by many places of Scripture 1 Kings 8. 49. Eccles 7. 22. Psal 143. 2. Isa 64. 6. Acts. 15. 10. Acts. 13. 39. 1 Ioh. 1. 8. 2. It is confirmed by reason the first is drawn from the corruption of nature which is in the best Christians from which wee may thus argue he that consisteth of flesh as well as of Spirit canno● fulfill the Law no not in his best actions but the best Christian that ever lived consisteth of flesh as wel as of Spirit therfore he cannot fulfill the law The minor hath been formerly proved The Major is plaine for as he is carnall he is sold under sinne The wisdome thereof is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Thus it is proved from the the death of Christ for if righteousnesse be by the workes of the Law then Christ dyed without a cause Gal. 3. 21. and if they which are of the law be heires then saith is made void and the promise is made of no effect Rom. 4. 14. for he came to fulfill the law Matth. 5. 17. which was impossible to be fulfilled of us in as much as it was weake because of the flesh Therefore God sent his sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh Rom. 8. 3. But the Romish Sophisters answer that this maketh against the Pelagians which were of opinion that a man might by the strength of nature fulfill the law not against them which hold that this abilitie comes from grace and that the good workes of a Christian proceed from Christ as the juice in the branches proceedeth from the Vine To this I answer 1. That neither the Pelagians nor these against whom the Apostle disputeth did altogether exclude grace and therefore if it be strong against them it will be of force against the Papists too 2. Their answer is grounded upon a false supposition as that the works of a Christian doe proceed wholly from Christ for they they doe in part proceed from the flesh and therefore though as they are the workes of the holy Ghost who applieth unto the faithfull the force and efficacie of Christs resurrection they be perfect yet in respect of the flesh they be stained and polluted 3. Christ died for us not by any inherent but by his imputed righteousnesse which righteousness is applyed and appropriated unto us principally by the holy Ghost instrumentally by faith whereby wee are incorporate into Christ and so partakers of his righteousnesse wee might be justified I thinke Abraham was as holy a man as Ignatius the father of Jesuits or Dominicus and Franciscus the founders of Friers in whom saith Bellarmine their very adversaries can find nothing that deserveth reprehension praeter nimiam sanctitatem save their too much holiness and yet it was not his good workes but his faith for which he was counted righteous I know that this imputative righteousnesse is counted with them a putative and imaginarie righteousness but herein the injurie is not done unto us but unto him who saith to him that worketh not but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is imputed for righteousnesse Even as David declareth the blessednesse of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes saying Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth no sinne wee say that faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse now it is not written for him only that it was imputed unto him for righteousness but also for us to whom it shal be imputed for righteousnesse c. A third reason to prove that no man can fulfill the Law is because all have need to say forgive us our debts who more excellent amongst the old people saith Austin then the holy Priests and yet the Lord commanded them that