Selected quad for the lemma: tradition_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
tradition_n	father_n	holy_a	scripture_n	2,746	5	5.8863	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57540	Ohel or Beth-shemesh A tabernacle for the sun, or, Irenicum evangelicum : an idea of church-discipline in the theorick and practick parts, which come forth first into the world as bridegroom and bride ... by whom you will have the totum essentiale of a true Gospel-church state according to Christs rules and order left us when he ascended ... : published for the benefit of all gathered churches, more especially in England, Ireland and Scotland / by John Rogers ...	Rogers, John, 1627-1665?; Rogers, John, 1627-1665? Challah, the heavenly nymph.	1653 (1653)	Wing R1813; Wing R1805; ESTC R850	596,170	655

therefore what is good in the understanding nonex veritate rei is said to be the proper object of the will A moral principle looks on a moral good a natural on a natural good a civil on a civil good a spiritual on a spiritual good we doe not say things right or wrong true or false for they are as they are in the mind objecta intellectus but things apprehended good in agreement with the moving principle Mat. 7.11 in that verse there is a different good according to the principle that moves them either natural or spiritual And hence it is that the appetitive faculties of the soule or the longing affections are distinguished according to the apprehensive faculties of the soule for the more thou apprehendest this way to bee for thy good or this thing to be for thy good the more thou desirest it and willest it with longings but the lesse thou seest it to be for thy good the lesse are thy affections towards it for though a thing bee most excellently good and desirable yet it moves the affections and will no further then it is apprehended so to be Prov. 19.8 He that keepeth understanding shall finde good David doth most earnestly desire to dwell with the Lord and to draw nigh to him because he apprehended it to be good for him so to do Psal. 73.28 So it is good for us to be here Mat. 17.4 therefore Lord let us build Tabernacles Now this is another Reason why men should come voluntary into Church fellowship because of the good the universal reason 4 good the spiritual good and heavenly advantages to bee had hereby and such as are suitable to the principles by which we are to be made a willing people What makes men so desirous of eating but the meat that is or is to be and so is in their apprehension set before them to be good what makes men run in a race as if they were mad but the rewards which they set before them And why doe the Apostles so presse the practise of Christs commands but because of the good which is set before us Tit. 3.8 Heb. 13.9 Now if bonum universale which is originale an universal good i. e. a good for all times in all conditions in all places upon all occasions c. if such a good be thy object and draws thee as the Loadstone doubtlesse God alone is this good Mat. 19 16.17 and then he alone his love which is better then wine his presence which is better then life can fill thy Will and sufficiently move it as the only able and effectual object No one good like unto this can move the will and make thee a compleat and thorough Volunteer when Moses prayed to see his glory Exod. 33.18 he said Verse 19. and I will make all my good to passe before thee But consider Fifthly The operation of the will which is velle bonum what is it else but a strong and undeniable inclination and resolution of the person willing into the thing willed or into the object of the will Now from this sweet working of the will into the thing reason 5 willed or into God this universal good another Reason might bee taken to confirme this truth That those who would enter into Christs Church-way must come by a voluntary consent being earnestly carried out into God this universal good which is that they run for Hence saith Aug. de dono persever C. 13. Nos volumus sed Deus operatur in nobis velle nos operamur sed Deus operatur in nobis operari c. We will indeed but it is God that works in us that will also both to will and to do saith the Apostle we worke but it is God who worketh in us that working of good also He is in us the principle to us the object and for us the end of all Eph. 4.6 Consider Six●hly The Instruments which propound and offer this object to the will and the means by which the man is perswaded and prevailed with to be free and spontaneous and voluntary to enter into this way of Christ or Gospel-order which are the Word and the Spirit First The outward instrument is his Word this is the Sword of Christs Kingdome to conquer with and his Scepter to govern by So Act. 2.41 All that were received into the Church gladly received the word as Ainsworth observes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is willingly and voluntarily without any compulsion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they imbraced it cum approbationes with welcome joyfully with hearty entertainment as to the dearest friend or best guest that could come now such as received the Gospel so were made members of the Church The Church did all according to Christs word and Gospel whether in binding or loosing taking in or casting out still the Statute-book Christs Word and Gospel was by them in all So that nothing was to bee done by the Decrees Lawes or Canons of men or by their Votes and Orders in Classical Provincial or National Assemblies no no such thing was heard of nor yet were any cuffed in or staved in by Magistrates powers I am of Mr. Dels judgement in His way of peace Psal. 63.64 c. who sayes Who so ever affirms that the Lawes Decrees or Canons of men Rabbies Bishops Assemblies or Councels are fitter and better to order the Church by then the pure and naked word of the Gospel by the ministration of the Spirit speaks in my judgement very blasphemously Luther sayes in Epist. ad Carolum Ducem Subaudiae Tom 7 fo● 483. Christiani eo verbo non alio regi debent quo Christiani i. e. liberi a peccatis fiunt sine additionibus conciliorum Doctorum Patrum c. that all Christians are to be ordered by the Word of God the Gospel of Christ whereby they became Christians that is set at liberty from sin and this without the addition of Councels Doctors Fathers or the like for what is it to governe and guide Christians by their Councels Decrees or Words which they may keep and yet neither become Christians nor continue such Nay many times they cease to be such by those means and wee lose the truth for their Traditions the Scriptures for their Scribbles the Bible for their Babel yea Christ for the creatures images which the intellect hath taken up and the doctrines of Christ for the Devices Decrees and Ordinances of men Moreover for such as are not yet called suppose they bee not Christians they are not to be tampered with or restrained by the ordinances or traditions of men but to be let alone as Paul saith Col. 2.20.22 Neither is the Magistrate to meddle with them by his Secular powers so as to force them into the house of God none can be compelled by iron weapons to joyne to a Church of Christ against their wills as

Gods anger is against them that doe but company with drunkards c. for they are a shame to their father Prov. 28 7. and themselves Prov. 29.3 A very Plutarch could laugh at such as would have been counted as wise as Plato and yet in Alexanders company be drunke and indeed Nebuchadnezars judgement is some mens joy viz. to have fellowship with beasts But wee must beware for who can sleep with dogs and not bee full of fleas and so with sinners in continuall communion and not be full of sinne 3 It is to avoid the vices of their best Orders and Ordinances and to have no fellowship therein although they seem full of reason and Religion too Col. 2.20 21. Thus Rev. 18.4 Gal. 4 9. Away away with them now that are but poore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beggerly at best and no more able to support a soule then one Begger is to relieve another thus saith Paul Gal. 1.14 who was so hot so high for the Jewes Religion as I sayes he who traded so zealously in and for our Fathers traditions untill what untill verse 15.16 Christ was revealed in me and so unvailed to me and then I consulted no longer that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I asked no more counsell of nor comfort from these frothy fruitlesse things whereof we are now ashamed with flesh and blood but I bid farewell or fare-ill rather to all those Trumperies and Traditions which I doted on before and thus the Saints are the precisest Separatists By all which as it plainly appeares that Parishes want this part of Church-forme for the constituting of them true Churches so also might I by what appears presse the practicall part of this point from the pregnancy of the proofes produced being twisted together from the Prophesies Precepts and practise into a threefold cord not to be broken but if the Lord will blesse you of ability to bring you into Christs way of separation from Parishes and Traditions For you that will not separate from such false wayes worships and the world must bee separates from Christ sayes Mr. Owen my honoured friend in his Esh●Col or Cluster But mee thinkes some will say Sir as you alwaies have been in all things so in this you are too strict and precise for such Separates are Schismaticks and so many learned Ministers call them that leave off their comming to Church and following our Ministers c. 1 Such Separates as I have here given you an account of are not Schismaticks unlesse to Antichrist answer 1 but on the contrary such as doe not thus separate are Schismaticks to their owne soules A causelesse separation from a true established Church of Christ walking according to Gospel-order although it may be guilty of some sleight errours in Extra-essentials and Circumstantials or things of easie concernment is in Gospel-account a sad sinne 2 Tim. 4.16 Heb. 10.23.25.39 but a causelesse continuance in a false way Antichristian worship and disorderly discipline is no lesse at least as appeares before being contrary to so much positive Precept for such a separation from Parochiall constitutions which I have proved to be at best but as civill and at worst a Christ-wronging Christ-rending and Antichristian Church-state and from such unwarrantable wayes of worship and unruly Religion is but to obey the Precept of not partaking in other mens sins And thus the Saints are and ought to be Separates and not Schismaticks which Papists and Prelates have ever branded and stigmatized the deare Saints for in their separatings from them vide Zanche on Hos. 2.8 and which Popish trick trades with many yet who make merchandize of it answer 2 2 Suppose learned men be of that minde so were they learned that accounted Christ a Blasphemer and a fellow not fit to live Joh. 9.29 and that branded the Saints for Sectaries Acts 28.22 and seditious Act. 24.5 and Hereticks Act. 24.14 and in every age have such been Christs enemies in the graine and many for the tree of knowledge lose the tree of Life vide chap 9. lib. 2. are not the Jesuites learned too and who do more mischief For as Dr. Sutton said in 's Sermon for Magistrates page 11. as the Ape that saw a Chesnut in the fire and not knowing how to get it out spied a Spaniel by the fire side and snatched his foot to take out the Nut even so does the Devill many times make use of learned ones to fetch his food cut of the fire though they scorch for it whom he makes to serve him in it answer 3 3 If they do leave off your Parish-Churches as Parish-Churches yet it hath been proved and will be more abundantly that they are no Churches and therefore they ought to doe it or they sinne in not doing it and besides thereby they also wrong us that say wee gather Churches out of Churches for it is no such matter yet were it so as Mr. Burton tells Mr. Prin page 27. of his Vindication there is example for it both by John Baptist our Saviour Christ and his Apostles Matth. 3.5.7 John 4.1 Act. 2.40 who did all of them gather Christian Congregationall Churches out of the Jewish Nationall Church and so it may be yea and must bee in these semblable times of Reformation but wee say they are no Churches for matter and forme and so shall prove them all along to bee but Synagogues of Sathan And to say more with Mr. Hooker such are not of right matter because Parishioners for no civill rule can properly convey a Church-right to any man because they are in specie specifically distinct each from other therefore cannot meet no more then two direct Mathematicall lines not in the least oblique but that are distant and distinct from each other can meet though drawne out ad infinitum Besides most Parishioners oppose all that is in order to inchurch them and as Hart hath it in 's Char. p. 15. they converse with godly Gospel-Ministers about Religion as if they were in Spaine and a searching Ministry is as bad to them as the Spanish Inquisition and all the questions we can ask them are suspected for Examinations they are afraid of some secret that wil be picked out of them and that they shall be discovered such a bondage are the poore blinde people under and so kept by some pretending Ministers whereby the blinde lead the blinde into the ditch But wee have the word of God well preached and the Sacraments dispenced in our Parish-Churches This was answered in the former Chapter that the word preached makes not a true visible Church for then might the Natives-Irish here be called A true Church and the Heathens in the East or West-Indies but there must bee a yeelding due obedience thereunto and a visible subjection to Jesus Christ before they be fit for his Church The reason is because preaching the

Scriptures is able to beget in us faith Rom. 10.17 Ergo the Spirit of God is to be our interpreter of the Scriptures wherefore if Pope Prelates Synods Classes Father Presbyter or any other give us the sense of Scripture and that thence our faith ariseth of the Scripture understood why then our faith must needs be built upon that Popes Prelates Synods Classes Fathers or Presbyters sense And another argument the Protestants fetch against the Papists which serves us is that the Scriptures cannot be interpreted but by the same Spirit wherewith they were written 1 Cor. 2.11 For who knoweth the minde of God save the Spirit of God And 1 Joh. 2.27 You have the anointing and you need not that any man teach you c. because as Augustine saith Magister est omnium qui habitat in nobis omnibus c. We are all fellow-scholars saies he we are not your teacher but he is teacher and master of us all who dwelleth in us all c. We further affirm with the former Protestants that the Scriptures are necessary to be known by all the people of God the reading hearing and understanding of them begetting faith and that it is not enough to hear the Minister preach for the Bereans searched the Scriptures Act. 17.11 Joh. 5.39 2 Tim. 3.15.17 Whereas some say it is enough to have what the Minister or Presbyter gives it puts me in minde of Mr. Bradford's answer to one Willerton Fox 1612. who told him that people ought to learn at the Priests hands Aye saith he why then saith he you will learn the people to preferre a Barabbas before Christ and to crucifie Christ for so the people learn'd it of the Priests Moreover we declare that all things necessary to the esse bene esse of a soul are expressed in the Scriptures or included in them and concluded out of them whether concerning faith or life and that nothing absolutely necessary is to be found besides the Scriptures Joh. 20.31 2. Tim. 3 16. whether for teaching improving correcting or instructing So that we overthrow the necessity of all traditions rites forms or the like here whether praeter or contra Scriptura For as Augustin hath it qui praetergreditur fidei regulam i. e. Scripturam non incedit in via sed recedit a via He that goeth beside the Scriptures goes not in but from the way this truth hath been attested and sealed to by the bloud of many Martyrs Dr. Taylor Fox p. 1522. col 2. Holy Bradford 1626. col 1. and that valiant souldier of Christ and stout Champion Mr. Hawkes Martyr p. 1586. col 2. saith Is not the Scripture sufficient for my salvation yea saies one of Bonners Chaplains but not for your instruction Ah! saith he then God send me the salvation and you the instruction Now let us not be mistaken though we say all necessary is in the Scriptures yet we deny not but there may be some use for orders sake of rites and formes but not to be forced knowing nothing necessary to salvation that is not in the Scripture Deut. 12.32 Rev. 22.18 Mat. 15.3 Act. 20.27 26.22 seeing the Scriptures are the rule and measure of faith they must not come short of the measured viz. faith for all things necessary to faith must needs be contained therein But Lastly the Scriptures are not so obscure and dark or undiscoverable as they would insinuate and urge upon poor people For as Prosper saith Parvuli magni fortes infirmi habent in Scripturis unde alantur satientur No age so young no wit so small which Scripture doth not fit There 's milk for babes and yet withall there 's meat for stronger wit So Prov. 9.35 yea the Revelation chap. 5.5 is a Book opened and as Augustine hath it De doctrin Christian. lib. 2. c. 9. In iis quae aperte in Scripturis posita sunt inveniuntur ea omnia quae fidem continent moresque vivendi in plain and easie places of Scripture all things necessary to faith and manners are manifest Nay the Councell of Toletan 5. c. 16. decreed the Apocalypse to be preached by every Minister from Easter to Whit-suntide so that they strictly enjoyning it accounted not this book of Revelation it seems so hard as men would perswade us to in our daies whereby they forbear to read preach or expound it but if it be hid it is hid to them that are lost 2 Cor. 4.3 It is sent especially to the Churches and is to be taken and opened by them But thus far for the first generall Doctrine wherein Papists and Presbyterians are too near one another and we are farre off from both even out of the sight almost 2. They are something alike in their Doctrine about Baptisme both with relation to the Ordinance the subjects forms and effects of it As first in imposing an absolute necessity upon it Papists say it is simply necessary to salvation Concil Tri●dent sess 7 can 7. Bell. lib. 6. de Baptism cap. 4. such a necessity or nigh unto it do those hold who baptize the babes of all sorts put upon it and the very argument of the Rhemists on Joh. 3.5 and the Jesuites Bell. ibid. have they often urged to me viz. Vnlesse a man be born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God And I have heard some of them severely inveigh against such as neglected to bring their children and to baptize them by such a time for fear a childe should die unbaptized and the Parents for their neglect be under the judgements and wrath of God But we differ from them whilest we decline that necessity of Baptisme to Children and whilest we affirm with such as were ever held orthodox in judgement amongst men vide Synops. 12. contro q. 3. that the Children of the faithfull that are holy are holy before they are baptized 1 Cor. 7.14 And this truth is attested by Richard Woodman a holy Martyr Fox p. 1994. who saith I read in Scripture he that beleeveth not shall be condemn'd but no Sc●ipture saith he which is not baptized shall be damned neither dare I say so for all the goods under heaven In the Greek Church Nazianzen saies in sanctum la●acrum their usuall time of Baptisme were but in feast of Pasch. and Pentecost which would not have been so seldome if the want of Baptisme had been so dangerous to Infants We deny not the ordinance but that there is much Popery peeached up and pleaded for and practised in their ordinance of sprinkling Infants all discerning men see and are ashamed of and cry out upon it as unsufferable and too impudent and as having too much of the whores forehead in it Furthermore although the veriest Jesuite do grant the positive necessity of baptizing babes to be grounded upon tradition and not upon Scripture Bell. lib. 4. de Ver. and so to baptize

them at a Font in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost yet how many imitate them therein and how hot the Presbyterians are for this positive necessity and order it is obvious to every eye As for the forme whether in the Name of Jesus Christ or of the Father Son and holy Ghost this hath been a doubt of long standing and this did cause Novatus to disowne the Church of Carthage for that this form of Father Son and holy Ghost and necessary baptizing of Infants were brought in and he and Cyprian were at great oddes about this order Anno. 240. whilest Novatus very earnestly pleads for it as the practise of Christ's Churches in primitive times and all along the Apostles daies to that hour viz. To baptize in the Name of the Lord Jesus the Head of his Church After that in Anno 400. was great contention about it but I leave this to further light and liberty only affirm with all the Protestants who are engaged against the Papists about the form Synops. 12. Controv. Q. 3. that the name is taken for the virtue power and authority Act. 3. and so doubtlesse the Apostles baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ and healed in his name and preached in his name only Beda Act. 10. Jussit eos in nomine Jesu Christi baptizari But I know no necessity of a Font nor of sprinkling more then of dipping nor any positive necessity of baptizing Infants who are soonest drowned but that these be left to light and liberty of conscience as things left either doubtfull or indifferent in Scripture without positive precept and I am perswaded for that purpose that every one may do as he is fully perswaded As for Infants the Papists make it a ground of their Baptisme that they have the habit of faith in themselves and so partly by their own faith and partly by the faith of others they are to be baptized Bellarm. lib. 1. de baptis cap. 11. So say our Ministers they have the habit of faith though not the act and by the faith of the Parents with that they are to be brought to baptisme but we say with the Protestants against the Papists that Infants have not true justifying faith which is alwaies actuall Gal. 5 6. in themselves nor yet are profited by the faith of others for Scripture saith Rom. 1.17 The just shall live by faith i. e. his own particular faith and beleeve and be baptized not let others beleeve for you for then it were as well that others were baptized for you but this will be enter'd at large I hope in the next part 3. lib. of the body organicall Tertul●ian speaking of Infants saies Fiant Christiani cum Christum n●sse potuerint Let them be made Christ●ans and baptized into the faith when they be able to know Christ Et per fidem est cognitio Christi and that is by faith Wherefore we say that children as children have no right to Baptisme and then secondly that parents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as parents can't give them a right thereto and seeing Baptisme is the ordinance of initiation or entrance into the Church of Christ it is wonderfull to see how sudden some are to null the very nature of that ordinance But lastly they and the Papists are too nigh one another in the effects which they say such a Baptisme produces in children The Papists affirm that Baptisme takes away originall sin in Concil Trident. Sess. 5. Decret de origin Peccat and in Infants newly baptized there is no mortall sin Rhemists 1 Joh. 1. Sect. 5. So have some Ministers hotly pursued this benefit of baptisme viz. that baptisme wipes away sins going before whilest we dissent and deny this Jesuiticall doctrine applying this to be the effect of Christ's baptisme which none but Christ himself can baptize with Joh. 1.33 M●t. 3.11 viz. the holy Ghost in a spirituall washing our hearts and consciences with the warm bloud of Christ whereof baptisme is a sign if not a seal and in this we have declared our judgement before to be different from the Anabaptists that attribute so much to the form and element as makes it an Idoll But to conclude this it is in baptisme as it was in the pool of Bethsaida if the Spirit move on the face of the waters there is a heal●ng else none 3. There is too much alliance between them in that Ordinance of the Lords Supper so called I shall instance briefly for I have been too long in this chapter in some few particulars The Papists make it no more then a preservative against sin Bel. lib. 4. de Sacra cap 17. and would have confession and absolution of sinnes to qualifie for this ordinance Concil Trident. Sess. Can. 11. and that none are prepared but such as are absolved and then that all may come but that they must be sure to come fasting to it and eat nothing before all that day Concil Constant. Sess. 13. Bell. lib. 3. de Eucharist cap. 22. ratian 4. and then they would have every Communicant highly adore even cultu latreiae and worship the Host c. who doth not is to be accursed Trident. Concil Sess. 13. can 6. And they say even reprobates that receive the Sacrament receive the very body and bloud of Christ Rhem. 1 Cor. 11. Sect. 16. Now although our Ministers I speak of the violentest Presbyterians do not altogether agree with them in these particulars yet they are not far from them 1. For preparation how earnestly doe they presse men to Confession of sins sorrowes legall repentance and the like and bid the people to prepare themselves whilest we say the preparations of the heart are of the Lord Prov. 10.1 Psal. 10.17 Et opera sunt secundum principium a quo sunt and they are good as they are of grace our preparation is to be from Christ in us our wisdome righteousnesse sanctification we hold with the Orthodox Protestants against the Hetero-dox Papists Opinionists and Jesuites that we must have a lively faith who come to this Ordinance but it is to be the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 and that we must have true Evangelical repentance which is for sin as sin but this must be in Christ Jesus repent in Christ believe in Christ for Acts 5.31 32. Christ was exalted to give repentance for remission of sins So that there is no preparation or qualification by any act of our own but all by Christ in us and grace teaching us to deny all ungodlinesse and wordly lusts Titus 2.12 14. For as Mr. Rogers sayes in his right way to be saved pag. 54. many mistake and are deceived whilest they dote for a faith and a repentance of their own make and look for something to ground on in themselves they are like one that does not set a young tree but lets it lye on the ground till he see what 't