Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	age_n	church_n	scripture_n	2,324	5	6.0450	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10655	A sermon touching the peace and edification of the church preached at the second triennial visitation of the right reverend father in God, Francis Lord Bishop of Peterborough, at Daventry in Northamptonshire, July 12. 1637 / by Edvvard Reynolds ...	Reynolds, Edward, 1599-1676.	1638 (1638)	STC 20931.5; ESTC S4443	27,058	42

as a Mine of Gold or Silver is the Princes in whose ground soever it be discovered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have our Faith and our Appellation from Christ and not from any other Person and therefore they who upon any undue respects can with equall facility hold or let goe Truth the Fathers fear not to call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men that make marchandise of Christ and his Truth contrary to that of Solomon Buy the Truth but sell it not Prov. 23.23 And therefore wee find the Orthodox Beleevers still keeping themselves to the Stile of Antioch Christians and refusing the names of Petriani or Pauliani or Melitiani or pars Donati And indeed partiall and personall respects will be ever apt to lead unto contention I cannot affirm any thing but a conjecture I think we may make that if Barnabas had not been Marks uncle the difference betweene him and Paul had not been so hot 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To bee Wise unto sobriety Rom. 12.3 When we are to deale in things divine to set bounds unto our selves that wee breake not through to gaze Exod. 19.12 21. Not to draw every thing in Religion to the Rule of our Right or rather crooked and presumptuous Reason to take heede of Quomodo in things of Faith the Fathers call it a Judaicall word and unbeseeming Christians Saint Paul chargeth us to Take heed of Philosophy and vaine deceits Col. 2.8 Not but that there is admirable use of sound Philosophy and of Reason raised and rectified so long as it is subordinate to Faith but when it shall bee so proud as to judg of Faith it selfe and to admit or reject it as it shall be consonant or disagreeing with her prejudices this is a tyranny which would quickly overthrow all Other cause there hath been none of those desperate Heresies wherewith the Socinians have pestred the World but that they will have all Truths to stand or fall at the Tribunal of their presumptuous Reason as if all the present and ancient Churches of God besides consisted but of brute Creatures and they onely in a corner of Polonia as sometimes the Donatists in Africa the onely reasonable and holy men Foelix Ecclesia cum nova curiosa de Deo dicere lascivia crederetur Happy indeed the Church of God when curious novelties and as it were Tourneaments in sacred things are esteemed profane when men doe not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor disparage the Majesty of so Honourable and solemn a Foundation with the levity of slight chaffie and triviall superstructions It was a grave and serious speech that of Seneca and worthy the consideration of the greatest Divines Nunquam nos verecundiores esse debemus quam cum de Deo agitur 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To keepe our selves to the forme of sound words Rom. 12.6 2 Tim. 1.13 to hold those Doctrines which accord best with the grounds of faith love in Christ those which ascribe most glory to God and his Grace which most conduce to the humbling and debasing of the pride of man which most tend to the practice of godlines to the purifying of Conscience to the edifying of the Body of Christ. Our Doctrine must be according unto godlinesse 1 Tim. 6.3 and our knowledge the acknowledging of the Truth which is after Godlinesse Tit. 1.1 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Custom of the Churches of God To retaine that when there is no expresse and evident variation from Divine Authority which is most consonant to the received usage of the ancient and pure ages of the Church This Rule the Apostle gives for suppressing of differences If any seem to be contentious wee have no such custome neither the Churches of God 1 Corin. 11.16 Inquire of the former age saith Bildad and prepare thy selfe to the search of their fathers Iob 8.8 Look to the old way saith the Prophet Ier. 6.16 It was not so from the beginning saith our Saviour Mat. 19.8 Onely this Rule is to be qualified with this necessary distinction That no Antiquity hath any Authority in matters necessary of Faith Worship or Doctrines of Religion to prescribe or diliver any thing as in it selfe and immediately obligatory to the Conscience which is either contradicted or omitted in the written Word which we beleeve to be fully sufficient to make the man of God perfect and throughly furnished unto every good worke 2 Tim. 3.16 17. But 1. In matters accessory of indifferency order decency and inferiour nature 2. In matter of Testimony to the truths of Scripture and for manifesting the succession flourishing and harmony of doctrines through all ages of the Church the godly learned have justly ascribed much to the authority and usage of the ancient Churches The study of the doctrine and Rites whereof is justly called by the most learned Primate of Ireland a noble study I wil conclude this particular with the words of S. Austin In those things saith he wherein the holy Scripture hath defined nothing mos Populi Dei instituta majorum pro lege tenenda sunt The custome of Gods people and appointments of our fore-fathers must be held for laws Lastly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Submission to the spirits of the Prophets and the judgments of the godly learned not to be stiffe and inflexible in our owne conceits nor to be Acceptors of our own persons but to be willing to retract any errour and with meekness and thankfulness to be led into the right way by any hand Excellent was the resolution of Iob in this case Teach me and I will hold my peace and cause me to know wherein I have erred Iob 6.24 In which one disposition did all men who otherwise differ firmly agree and were not too partially addicted to their own fancies nor had their judgments which should be guided only by the truth of things too much enthralled to their own wils ends or passions soon might they be brought if not wherein they erre to change their judgments yet at least so to allay them with humility and love as Saint Cyprian did his that they should never breake forth into bitternesse towards their Brethren or disturbance of the Church of God Thus have I with as much light as my weaknesse could discover and with as much brevity as the weight of the Argument would allow opened the meanes of procuring and preserving Peace amongst Brethren The other Particular in the Text would require as large a portion of time as this hath already spent I shall spare to bee so injurious to your patience and to the businesse wee attend upon onely because those things which God hath joyned together no man ought to put asunder I shall therefore as Architects use to doe give you in but a few lines a Modell of the building here by the Apostle