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	rule_n	scripture_n	1,783	5	6.0386	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69915	A plea for the Non-Conformists giving the true state of the dissenters case, and how far the Conformists separation from the Church of Rome, for their Popish superstitions and traditions introduced into the service of God, justifies the Non-Conformists separation from them for the same : in a letter to Dr. Benjamin Calamy, upon his sermon, called, Scrupulous conscience, inviting hereto : to which is added, A parallel scheme of the pagan, papal and Christian rites and ceremonies : with a narrative of the sufferings underwent for writing, printing and publishing hereof / by Thomas De Laune.	De Laune, Thomas, d. 1685.; Danson, Thomas, d. 1694.; De Laune, Thomas, d. 1685. Eikōn tou thēriou.; De Laune, Thomas, d. 1685. Narrative of the sufferings of Thomas Delaune.	1684 (1684)	Wing D893; Wing D891; Wing D892; ESTC R12757	93,215	122

with the Church of Rome that we have most clear evidence of its being a symbolizing with her in an Apostolical Institution Thus have you the Objection in words at length to which in each part the Dissenters do say or may be supposed to say as followeth In the first place If it be taken for granted that the Pattern is fetch'd from those times and not from the Popish times viz. Rome in its Apostacy we would inquire these two things 1. By what Rule or Reason they should be a pattern to us so as to have their Rites and Services Impos'd upon us for our Ritual And 2 whether there were not great Errors and Superstitions in those times as well as the succeeding Ages First Why should our first Reformers any more impose the Rites and Customs of those times upon us than any other Why were we more obliged to accept of the Ecclesiastical Laws of Constantine than his Civil as Doctor Taylor well urges That the Fathers met at Laodicea at Antioch at Nice at Gangra ● 1000 or 1300 years ago should have any Authority ●ver us in England so many Ages after is so infinitely unreasonable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Fearful and Vnbelievers the Scrupulo●● and 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a slavish Nature and are in bondage 〈…〉 and know not how to stand in the Liberty by which 〈…〉 them free will account themselves in 〈…〉 upon this account the Rulers of the Church will 〈…〉 just warrantable Canon we are to obey in 〈…〉 they have power to Command But the 〈…〉 for being in the OLD CODES of the Church 〈…〉 than the LAWS OF CONSTANTINE No they 〈◊〉 higher or else it will not do To the first Primitive Christianity and Religion in the first Primitive times given as by Christ and his Apostles For Dr. Stillingfleet has well instructed us if we believe the Scriptures are the ONLY RVLE of FAITH then it follows Councils and Fathers Traditions and private Spirits are no more our Rule than the Pope himself and therefore with the Doctor we refuse the Belief of all the Additions Inventions Traditions because not contain'd in our only Rule of Faith To the La● and to the Testimony if they speak not according to that it is because there is no Light in them But secondly do we not find these very times abounding very much with Error and Superstiti●n Which is an Argument we should not receive them for our Pattern more tha● others whereof I shall give you some Instances from their Naevi or Errors mentioned by the Centurists viz That Origen asserted two Christs deny'd his Godhead the Head of the Arians and Pelagians holding as Jerom saith very desperately about the Spirit and very corruptly about Angels Devils Creation Providence Original Sin Church-Government and the Resurrection and Sacrificing for the Dead Orig. l. 3. in Jo. Baptism takes away Sin and that there must be a Baptism after the Resurrection They also say of Cyprian That Cyprian affirm'd the Church of Rome to be the Mother-Church that there ought to be one High Priest over the Church and that the principal Church is Peter's Chair from whence the Unity of the Priesthood ariseth and that upon Peter the Church is founded That he was a violent Impugner of Priests Marriages held that Sins are done away by Alms and good Works That the person Baptizing in the very Act conferreth the Holy Spirit that Chrysm and Exorcism are absolutely necessary and that there should be Sacrifices for the Dead though some suppose many of these things were foisted in by the Papists St. Austin prays for the dead the Soul of his Mother Monica St. Ambrose for the Soul of Theodosius St. Gregory for the Soul of Trajan St. Austin saith Prayers avail not unto all alike who are departed therefore when the Sacrifices of the Altar or of Alms are offered for all them who are baptized and are defunct for the good they are Thanksgivings for the not very bad they are Propitiations for the very bad though not help the dead yet comfort to the living Chrysostom was for offering Prayers for the dead with Alms and Oblations Austin a great friend to Reliques affirming great Miracles wrought by them Jerome a great defender of Reliques Adoration of them Constantine a great admirer of Reliques Mr. Mede says That Primitive Christians canonized Saints and honoured the Reliques in Imitation of the Gentiles their Daemon-worship thereby to allure them which saith he laid the foundation of Antichrist's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Idolatrick Apostacy They had Sufflation Trine Immersion Exorcism Chrysm white Garments Milk Honey to the new baptized giving the Eucharist to the Infant from the 4 to the 12 Century mingling Water with the Sacramental Wine the Eulogiae c. To which head you may add the Royal Witness in the beginning So that from the consideration of the Errors and Superstitions abounding in these times there is no ground why our first Reformers should propose them for our Pattern for if in one thing why not in another But in the next place I presume upon a fair Examination of particulars these two things will appear 1. That we in the Church of England do not in our Rites Services and Ceremonies symbolize with Antiquity And 2. that we do wholly symbolize in most if not in all of them with Popery 1. It is manifest that our first Reformers as we are told did not make such a perfect piece from pure primitive Antiquity in the first Reformation and forming of our Liturgy which contains so much the Rites Services and Ceremonies of the Church for if so there had been no such need to make so many Alterations and reform so often and in so many things the Reformation And that they have so done the Author of the Protestant Reconciler gives us this Account It is certain saith he that our Church hath already altered her Liturgy at several times and in several parts viz. the Lessons Festivals Ceremonies Rubrick Collects Prayers the Form of Administration of Sacraments the Catechism Confirmation Marriage Visitation of the sick the Burial of the dead and Commination All which he has demonstrated in each particular and from thence he makes these three Remarks 1. That the pretence of still retaining imposing the present Ceremonies out of due Reverence to Antiquity is false hypocritical 2. That it cannot justly be pretended that these Ceremonies are retained and imposed to manifest the Justice and Equity of the Reformation by letting their Enemies see they did not break Communion with them for meer indifferent things or that we left the Church of Rome no further than she left Antiquity 3. Hence it appears how senselesly it is alledged that we cannot abate or change these Ceremonies because they have been once received and owned by the Church BUT in the next place the descending into particulars will

A PLEA FOR THE Non-Conformists GIVING The true State of the Dissenters Case And how far the Conformists Separation from the Church of Rome for their Popish Superstitions and Traditions introduced into the Service of God justifies the Non-Conformists Separation from them for the same In a Letter to Dr. Benjamin Calamy upon his Sermon called Scrupulous Conscience inviting hereto To which is added A Parallel Scheme of the Pagan Papal and Christian Rites and Ceremonies With a Narrative of the Sufferings underwent for Writing Printing and Publisher hereof By Thomas De Laune Could we prevail with the People diligently to examine the Merits of the Cause and equally to hear both Parties upon the different determination of the Guides on both sides our Church would every day gain more ground amongst all wise men Dr. Calamy's Scrup. Consc page 24 25. Nihil Sine Nihil Contra Nihil Praeter Nihil Ultra divinam Scripturam a●mittendum esse Pet. Mart. on 2 Sam 6 p 212. Prov. 31. 8 9. Open thy Mouth plead the Cause of the Poor and such as are 〈◊〉 for Destruction Rom. 2. 1. Wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy 〈…〉 thou that judgest 〈◊〉 the same things Esay 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony Mark 7. ●3 making the Word of God of none Effect through your Tradition Mit. 19. 8. From the beginning it was not so 1 King 18. 21. How long halt we between two Opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal follow him London Printed for the Author 1684. A Royal Witness to the Dissenters Cause Being some Gleanings of some of those Weighty and worthy Sayings of the late King in his Conference with the Popish Marquess of Worcester 1646. in Ragland Castle out of Certamen Religiosum 1st In behalf of the Scripture which the Papists slight for their Tradition 2dly Against their Primitive Antiquity which they adore and fetch their vain Worship from 1st FOr the Scripture he saith p. 11● That the Scripture is the Rule by which all Differences may be composed it is the Light wherein we must walk the Foo● of our Souls an Antidote that expelleth any Infection the only Sword that kills the Enemy the only Plaister that can cure our Wounds the only Documents to attain Eternal Life And p. 116. That the Evidences which are in Scripture cannot be manifested but out of the same Scripture and quotes for the same Ironaeas lib. 3. 12. 2 dly Against their Antiquities p. 111. Our Saviour Christ saith We must not so much hearken to what has been said by them of old time Mat. 5. 38 39. as to that which he shall tell you Where Auditis dictum esse Antiquitatis is expelled and Ego dico vobis is come in its place And speaking of that King of Phrigia that was about to be baptized ask't the Bishop What was become of all his Ancestors He told him they were gone to He●l flang away and said Thither then will I go unto them saith No less wise are they who had rather err with their Fathers and Councils than recti●ie their Understandings by the Word of God and square their Faith according to its Rules And speaking of the Fathers saith p. 114. I discover no Fathers Nakedness but deplore their Infirmities that we should not trust in Arms of Flesh Tertullian saith he was a Montanist Cyprian a Rebaptist or Anabaptist Origins an Antropomo●p●ist Jerom a Monogonist Nazianzen an Angalist Eusebius an Arrian St. Austin had writ so many Errors that he writ a Book of Retractations that they have often contradicted one another and sometimes themselves That it was no strange thing to see Error triumph in Antiquity and flourish their Ensigns of Universality Succession c. in the face of Truth and nothing so familiar of old as to besmear the face of Truth with spots of Novelty for this was Jeremiah's case Jer. 44. 16 17. c. If you vaunt never so much of your Roman Catholick-Church we can tell you out of St. John That she is become the Synagogue of Satan neither is it impossible but the House of Prayers may be made a Den of Thieves You call us Hereticks we answer you with St. Paul Acts 2● 14. In the way you call Heresie worship we the God of our Fathers believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets And the better to testifie his Piety and Compassion to peaceable Dissenters having himself found the Inconveniency of the contrary speaks to his Son our present King in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 217. thus viz. My counsel and charge to you is That you beware of exasperating any Factions by the Crosness and Asperity of some mens Passions Humours or private Opinions ●mployed by you grounded only upon Differences in lesser matters which are but the Skirts and Suburbs of Religion wherein a Charitable Co●nivance and Christian Toleration often dissipates their strength when rougher Opposition fortisies And p. 164. That his Prerogative is best shewed and exercise in remitting rather than exacting the Rigour of the Law there being nothing worse tha● legal Tyran●y The CONTENTS Of the principal things contain'd in this Letter to Doctor Calamy bringing forth the Merits of the Cause as the Dr. desires under the Conformists Objections and Non-Conformists Answers are as followeth viz. 1. Obj. THe first Objection the Conformists make against the Non-Conformists is That they have no ground conscientiously to scruple at the Rites and Ceremonies of their Church because they are none of them forbidden in the Scripture upon which single Point they say stands the whole of the Controversie pag. 3 4. Answ To which the Non-Conformists return to them the same Ans●er they themselves give the Papists to the same Objection against them viz. That what is not contained in our only RULE OF FAITH THE BIBLE is to be rejected p. 6 7 8. 2. Obj. That the Non-Conformists have no reason to s●ruple much less to separate from their Church for such small indifferent things as the Rites and Ceremonies in the Liturgy which they affirm to be so p. 9 10. Answ To which they say That the Rites and Ceremonies in Gods Worship are not small indifferent things either in Gods account p. 13 14. nor in their own account as their Principles from their own Pens evidence and their Practices declare viz. by their imposing them as absolutely necessary upon the Penalty of Life Liberty and Estate yea Soul also though themselves do grant that the enjoyning ind●fferent or unnecessary things as Necessary is an adding to Gods Word Will Worship and vain Worship p. 11 12 13. 3. Obj. That they have no cause to separate upon the account of Rites and Ceremonies as tho' they were Popish Novel●ies because they are all of them founded in Primitive Antiquity before Popery was known in the World both which they possitively Affirm p. 14 15. Answ To which they Reply 1st That Primitive Antiquity without Scripture Authority ought to