Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	apostle_n	church_n	tradition_n	3,170	5	9.1818	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53945	Ancient and modern delusions, discoursed of in three sermons upon 2 Thes. 2.11 concerning some errors now prevailing in the Church of Rome / by Edward Pelling ...	Pelling, Edward, d. 1718.	1679 (1679)	Wing P1071; ESTC R13403	31,461	63

From these two Instances it doth appear that there is reason enough for us to suspect at least that they have acted craftily and against the light of their own Consciences and so it is very probable that they do still and that they may know themselves the falshood of those things which they would fain have us to believe and perhaps for Varro's and Scaevola's reason because it is fit sometimes the People should be deceived in their Religion for peace and quietness sake But yet What if the Rulers of these People be of the same Faith with their Vassals it is no argument of the truth of their Creed because great and learned Men have believed it for great and learned Men may be and have been deceived That great Philosopher Zeno did question whether there was any such thing as Motion in the world but what authority is this for me to disbeleive my own eyes And Scipio Tettus was such a Fool that he denied the being of God and set up a School of Atheism and died a Martyr for Atheism and clapt his hands too in the very flames Now all that we can collect from these and the like instances is that Man is a most senseless Creature when God gives him up to his own conduct and management especially if he be blinded too by him that ruleth in darkness Magnus Deus est error as Luther said Error is a God which the most admired Sophies are ready to adore when the God of Truth Righteousness and Peace shall leave them to themselves and commit them to their own hands And that this is usual the Instances are too many to be insisted on and the thing is too common to be wondered at And so the first thing I propounded is made good that many people are led away by strong delusions to believe that which is a manifest and notorious lie and how this cometh to pass Partly by the power of Mens Education partly by the efficacy of their Lusts but chiefly by the Justice of God thereby punishing them for their darling wickednesses for this cause God doth send them strong Delusions that they should believe a Lie ANCIENT and MODERN DELUSIONS Discoursed of in three SERMONS Upon 2 THES 2. 11. SERM. II. 2. THES 2. 11. And for this cause God shall send them strong Delusions that they should believe a Lye THE second consideration now followes that notwithstanding those great Evidences which have been given on the behalf of Truth yet multitudes of silly people are very fond of delusions and lyes still nay even such as are of the same or of the like Nature with those Delusions which St. Paul speaketh of here which he sayeth were to be sent upon that Generation as a curse and Judgement upon them because they loved not the Truth that they might be saved In the handling of this matter I must of necessity observe this Method to shew you what those Pretences were which prevailed in the very first ages of Christianity Then that many pretences which are in vogue now do resemble and come very near to those which were broached in the beginning by damned Seducers and lastly that these are meer Delusions and Lyes how specious soever they may appear unto the vulgar 1. Then it is observable and very certain that in the most Primitive Times of the Church many Impostors did pretend to an Infallible Spirit This is clear to any man that hath but enquired into the History and condition of that Age wherein the Apostles of Christ lived For Simon the Sorcerer of whom we read Act. 8. and whom the Ancients called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Eldest Son of the Devil pretended that he was that Divine Being which framed both the Angelical and Visible world He perswaded many to believe that he was the great power of God or as it may be rendred that he was that Power Numen or Divine Majestie which is called Great He pretended to be more than Gods Vicar upon Earth for he gave out that he was the very God that appeared Epiph. Haeres 21. Iren. l. 1 c. 20. Cyril Catech 5. Iustin Dial. in Tryph. Euseb Hist Eccl. lib. 2. c. 13. upon Mount Sinai as the Father that he was the Christ that afterwards conversed with the Jews as the Son and that he was the Holy Ghost that at last descended as the Paraclete or promised Comforter Eusebius tells us that he had a Demon alwayes attending on him which was called the Virtus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby he Quod de Marco Annot Iren. lib. 1. c. 9. wrought such seeming Miracles that he was worshipped as the Supream and Sovereign Deity and it appears by the joynt testimonies of Tertullian Justin Martyr and other the most Tertul. Apol. c. 13 Iustin Apol. 2. Iren. l. 1. c. 20. Cyril Catech. 5. ancient Writers of the Church that Claudius the Emperor erected a great Statue in honour of him with this Inscription upon it Simoni Deo sancto to the Holy God Simon Some learned Divines do conceive that this was that Man of Sin of whom Saint Paul saith in this 2 Thes 2. 4. That he opposed and exalted himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped c. This is certain that his Followers pretended to the most perfect and certain knowledge of Gods Will insomuch that they despised the Apostles themselves as much inferiour to them in understanding the Divine Mysteries And Epiphanius relates that when the Church appealed to Epiph. lib 1. Haeres 14. 34. Iren. lib. 3. c 2. the Writings of the Apostles they urged the authority of a more infallible Tradition and affirmed themselves to be wiser than the Apostles and to be Preachers of greater Truths than ever the Apostles were acquainted with These were those false Prophets which our Saviour foretold would come Matth. 7. 15. He called them false Prophets not because they pretended to foretel future events but because they falsly pretended to Divine Inspiration and to an Infallible Spirit These are they which Saint Paul saith were puffed up with a profession of Science falsly so called 1 Tim. 6. These were they whom he called false Apostles deceitful workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ 2 Cor. 11. 13. And these are they against whom he cautioneth the Thessalonians in this Chapter that they should not be shaken in mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 2. by any pretences of the Spirit by a shew of Inspiration Immediate Revelation and Infallible Knowledge Now by what hath been spoken you may easily observe that the Fundamental and Grand Pretence upon which those monstrous Hereticks went in the Apostles Times was This that their Master was the Divine Oracle the great Teacher of all Truth and that they themselves by being his Disciples had this Priviledge above other men to be divinely and immediately inspired so that they neither did nor could be mistaken in their Religion Like unto this is the