Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	church_n	faith_n	infallibility_n	3,328	5	11.7293	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A59652	Moral vertues baptized Christian, or, The necessity of morality among Christians by William Shelton, M.A., late fellow of Jesus Colledge in Cambridge, and now vicar of Bursted Magna in Essex.	Shelton, William, d. 1699.	1667 (1667)	Wing S3099; ESTC R37384	107,365	208

make them of equal Authority We acknowledge a power in the Church Artic. 20. to de●ree rites or ceremonies and authority in controversies of Faith they add Infallibility to that Authority We acknowledge a superiority of order and jurisdiction they add the supremacy of their Pope We own two Sacraments they add five more We believe in one Mediator between 1 Tim 2 5 God and man the man Christ Jesus they make many And so in many other cases particularly to our present purpose we acknowledge a necessity of good works they adde that they are meritorious Now because the Papists go so far to ascribe so much to good works therefore some unwary men have adventured in contradiction to them to ascribe too little if they be necessary the Papists make them meritorious on the contrary l●st they should be thought meritorious some have judged them little or not at all necessary The extream opposite to the Papists in this case is the Antinomian whom yet I reserve for another Head afterwards their Doctrine being of so dangerous concernment that it doth deserve a distinct con●ideration now I onely consider them as those who in contradicting the Papists have run themselves into as great a danger on the other side Vtrinque in contrarias partes velus in extremitates Holds● Lect. 19 P. 158. s●induntur adversarii Hinc Pontificii plus aequo ad dextram vergunt dum causam salutis nostrae in legis operibus ponunt illinc Antinomi ad sinistram dum legis usum omnem obligationem explodunt On either hand adversaries run into extreams The Papists erre too much on the right hand by making good works the cause of our salvation The Antinomians on the left by denying that there is any use of or obligation to the law Sect. Thus it appears to have been in the difference between George Major and Nicholas Amsdorfius two German Divines Major defends this Proposition according to Scripture Melch. Adam in vitis corum Bonorum operum studium est necessarium ad salutem The study of good works is necessary to salvation Against this Flacius Illyrious and Amsdorfius cry out amain It is a Popish Doctrine and would introduce merit and therefore they oppose this bold and wicked speech to it Bona opera sunt noxia perniciosa ad salutem Good works are hurtful and pernicious to salvation Which proceeding out of a dislike to the Popish Doctrine of merit had been just if it had gone no farther for it is Usher answ to Jesu challenge p. 498. a doctrine which as a very Learned and Reverend Prelate saith from our very hearts we detest and abhor But see how easie it is for men to contend for victory rather than truth and rather than not oppose an adversary they will condemn him though he be Innocent Many men contend for the truth as men run for the ball when they come at it they step over it or kick out of the way to wrestle with their adversary whereas the truth of the case is we do not merit by good works yet we are obliged to them we do not merit so we acknowledge Good Artic. 12. works which are the fruits of Faith and follow after justification cannot put away our sins and endure the severity of Gods judgement yet we believe them to be necessary for us for it follows in the same place Yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively faith And surely these have been thought by learned men to be very consistent though good works do not merit yet they are necessary else a Reverend Doctor afterwards a Prelate of our Church did little understand himself in his disputation upon this argument where this is one conclusion Bona Davenant de justit actual Cap. 31. Con. 7. opera justificatorum sunt ad salutem necessaria necessitate ordinis non causalitatis vel planius ut via ordinata ad vitam aeternam non ut causae meritoriae vitae aeternae That is in few words Good works are ordained as a necessary means to eternal life but they do not deserve eternal life Sect. 4 This Objection hath hitherto been considered as concerning good works in the general but it doth manifestly relate to the Argument in hand for moral vertues so qualifyed as shall afterwards be said works of Justice and Mercy and Sobriety c. these are exercises of morality and so far as good works are necessary so far will these be found to be the necessity of which is not now to be proved but asserted and vindicated from this Objection which vulgar people that do not know how to distinguish are ready to burden it with when we are industrious to urge upon men the duties of honesty and righteous and just dealings between man and man let it not be suspected that this is done out of a secret design to symbolize with the Papists For may not a man go 10. mile unlesse he go 20. True it is we do go on part of the way with the Papists for the truths sake that is to assert good works and moral vertues necessary and here we ●ix they would draw us on further to a perswasion that they are meritorious that doth not at all follow upon the necessity we ascribe to them there is a necessity upon other accounts as shall be demonstrated in due time And this is enough to be yeilded to this plea whereupon some speak but meanly of moral vertues and there does not yet appear any thing to the contrary but they may be necessary for a Christian CHAP. III. Sect. 1 Object 2 A Sense of the insufficiency of moral vertues to salvation without the addition of faith and repentance hath been another reason why some other men have attributed less to moral vertues than otherwise they would have done if they had been considered out of that competition The merit of good Davanant ●● supra works and the perfection of them are two different things and diversly and apart handled by a fore-cited Author although therefore they be not supposed to merit yet if they be thought so perfect as that faith and repentance may be laid aside no wonder if sometimes they be lightly made of and seemingly disparaged for it is to preserve our due esteem of faith and those spiritual graces which are required in us over and above those Moral Vertues which the Heathens at any time could attain to We do not wonder when we 〈◊〉 Ch Princ. ● 4 3. read Moral Principles to such as rely upon them and seek no further prove Mortal Principles or as another likewise of our own If Moral Vertuousness Bolton's Discourse of True Happiness p. 14. were able to put on the greatest Magnificence and applause that ever it antiently enjoyed among the precisest Romans whereby it might worthily draw into admiration and just challenge even these times of Christianity yet

Law of God the Moral Law commands Therefore to abound in Moral Vertues is necessary for a Christian man Sect. 2 To which if it be Objected that Christians Obj. or New-Testament Saints are of a higher dispensation The Law was indeed given by Moses John 1. 17. but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ and that such Grace as makes void the works of the Law Answ 1 It might be answered 1. That the Moral Law was given to the Israelites not as Israelites but as men and then à quatenus ad omne valet Consequentia So long as Christians continue men Reasonable Creatures so long they will be under an Obligation to this Law And this appears because before the promulgation of this Law upon Mount Sinai Cain Gen. 4. transgressed it in killing his Brother Ham in mocking his Father the men of Sodom in Gen. 9. Gen. 19. their uncleanness which hath ever since bore the name of Sodomy from them Now in those ages they must have this Law else how could they trangress it for where no Law is there is ●o● 4. ●5 no Transgression It might be Answered that a Law once in force is presumed so to continue till it cease of it self or be repealed by the Law-maker neither of which can be made good in this Case Upon which Answer I do not in enlarge partly because especially in matters of Fact Assirmantis est probare If the Antinomians cannot produce how and when it was repealed we may persist to say it is still valid But chiefly because a determination of this question when a Law as to the reason and foundation of it ceases and is null if it be accurately done would be some what too speculative for every vulgar reader who I make account are most concerned in what I write whose practice if I may be useful to direct I shall the less care to make them wander in speculation Scholars do not want Books that make out this argument Therefore it is sufficient to say that those commands of the Old Testament which are repeated in the New are never the more out of date because they are first found in the Old such are the precepts of the Moral Law which have been already named Wherefore though other precepts and rules of Life might be insisted on out of the Old Testament which are not liable to any just exception yet because there is so very great plenty in the New thither let us go Sect. 3 There are very many commands in the Gospel that make it necessary for a Christian to abound in Moral Vertues so many that it would be long to name all yet that it may help us forward in the practice of them it may be worth our while to consider that we have a greater confirmation then of two or three witnesses There is no Book in the New Testam●nt but hath some commands or something very near commands for this purpose It is no small advantage to our cause to consider first That the first Sermon Christ preached M●● 5. 6. 7. chap. doth handle much of this Argument doth enforce many commands of the moral Law before mentioned and doth require us to love our Enemies not to be guilty of rash judging to do as we would be done to and many the like afterwards in St. Matthew's Gospel St. Mark Mar. 7. ch 12. ch doth likewise repeat some of these of Honouring Father and Mother and loving our Neighbour as our selves St. Luke also says the same things and directs Luke 6. ch 10. ch 11. ch 12. ch 21. ch John 13. 14. 15. ch Acts. 5. to shew mercy and to give Alms and warns against Covetousness and elsewhere against surfeiting and drunkenness In St. John the same Saviour spoken of in the former Gospels requires Humility and Love The Acts of the Apostles being a History is fuller of examples then commands Acts. 4. the judgement on Ananias and Sapphira for lying and of the Church for love and one heartedness but there are not altogether wanting commands there neither for Charitableness Remember the words of the Lord Jesus how he said it is more blessed to give then to Acts. 20. Acts. 23. receive for submission to Authority Thou shalt not speak evil of the Ruler of thy people And we may presume that St. Pauls reasoning with Foelix of Righteousness and Temperance Acts. 24. was in an Authoritative commanding way for it is an unusual thing for a Prisoner to make the Judge tremble If we go on to the Epistles they have much of the same Argument Rom. 12. 13. ch 1 Cor. 13. ch 2 Cor. 13. 11. v. Galat. 5. 16. v. c. to the end of that chap. The latter end of the Ep. to the Eph. from the 24. v. of the 4. ch the greatest part of the remainder of the Ep. Philip. 2. ch beginning 4. ch 8. v. A great part of the 3. and 4. ch to the Colos 1 Thessal 3. 12. v. 4. ch 5. 6. v. 9. c. 2 Thessal 3. 10. 1 Tim. 1. 9. c. 6. ch 11. 2 Tim. 2. 19. 22. Titus 2. 12. 3. 8. The Ep. to Philemon is in the design of it an exhortation to forgive an injury Heb. 13. ch 1. c. 5. c. 16. The Ep of St. James besides that it commends Works together with Faith directs to the government of the Tongue to meekness and against Envy James 3. v. 2. c. 13. 14. St. Peter hath many such precepts 1 Ep. somewhat in every Chapter 2 Ep. 1. 5. c. The 1 Ep. of St John is known to commend love so likewise the 2 Ep. v. 3. he wishes them grace with truth and love yea likewise the third as it doth commend the hospitality of Gaius so doth it adde a precept v. 8. St. Jude after he had described the sins of some of his time v. 8. 9. c. some of which were Immoralities he doth not obscurely insinuate the contrary though not in so many words command it v. 19. 20. Yea for a conclusion of all 22 Revel 11. when unjust and filthy men are given over to their injustice and filthiness yet righteous men are established in their righteousness and blessed in it v. 14. These are many but not all the directions that are to be found in the New Testament which teach us in our behaviour in the world and in the exercise of Moral Vertues The force of these commands is not now to be considered but afterwards when it must be made appear that they are peremptory and admit of no evasion or excuse It is enough now to make an induction and enumeration of particulars which is sufficient for the purpose though not so full as it might be made I have mentioned so many that I may well give this Advertisement to all those who are concerned in it that they do us great wrong who despise our preaching of Morality and do not think it Gospel preaching if

tastes to be so it remains a certain Argument that there is a great deal of pleasure in Vertuous Actions Sect. 8 I might go on to compare Vertue and Vice together and then it would appe●r by an enumeration of particulars that there is much more pleasure in temperance than in rioting and drunkenness however they that live in such pleasures are dead to all such perswasions also that just and righteous dealing brings a man more content and comfort then violence and wrong and oppression yea the forgiving an injury is sweeter then revenge and in many other like cases but this would be to descend to particulars which is somewhat without my purpose I leave it to be consider'd by any that will enter into a sober comparison of these things These Vertues have their marks in their fore-heads It is easie to discern a difference and then not hard to pass a judgement that there is more pleasure in Vertue than Vice which was the second thing to be proved in this Third Argument and so it is dispatch'd It is necessary to be Vertuous that both life and death may be comfortable CHAP. IX Sect. 1 End 4 THere remains but one thing more to make this part of my discourse like Vertue her self and like a Vertuous man who is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is square and fix'd and stable one that can stand alone without being upheld by other props or in our English phrase one that goes of all four There is a Fourth proof That it is necessary for us to be as hath been before said that hereby we may become profitable to others as well as to our selves It hath been before evidenced that it is for our own advantage to be Vertuous that our condition may be good and safe and comfortable Whereby it appears that Vertue is Bonum honestum and jucundum good and honest good and pleasant there is but one other sort of good Bonum utile good and profitable and so Vertue likewise is for hereby we do not live to our souls alone we look on the things Rom. 14. Phil. 2. of others as well as on our own That Vertue whereby we do good to others is properly called Beneficence and is comprehended under Charity But as there is a justice in every Vertue it is just and equal and fit to be done so is there a Charity too insomuch that unless we be good our selves we shall do little good to others But good and Vertuous men are Benefactors to the places where they live Two things will finish this Argument and make it correspond to the former 1. Men of vitious and loose lives do live idly and unprofitably and as such they do no good in the world 2. The exercise of Vertue is much for the advantage of mankind Sect. 2 Wickedness is a vain and unprofitable thing and wicked men are unprofitable members of a Common-wealth It may be by accident and beyond their intention they may be an occasion of good done and yet they are never the better men The staggerings and reelings to and fro of the Drunkard together with his sottish looks and behaviour and the woful effects of his intemperance may perswade another man to abhor that vice When a Spend-thrift hath impoverish'd himself by Idleness and Gaming and Prodigality another may take warning by his miseries not to be guilty of the same folly But what is this to the commendation of such men whose bad examples do only by accident make others good Thus the Spartans allowed their Slaves to be Drunk to teach their Children to abhor it but it was no part of their wisdom so to do Is the Devil to be commended for his malice against the Saints because he thereby puts them upon their guard to watch more strictly over themselves and so may be an occasion to make them better The Devil is a wicked malicious spirit for all this for he means not so but it is in his heart to destroy as was said of the Assyrians Isa 10. against the Jews What glory is it for a man to do that in which the Devil doth as much or more then he The vices of men are not the more excusable because they may be an occasion of Vertue to other men for though they may occasion good done yet they themselves do none nor do they intend any The design of wickedness is not to profit and advantage others For 1. It doth no good 2. It doth a great deal of harm Sect. 3 It doth no good and therefore is unprofitable and vain I am not altogether of that mind that they who are not good themselves cannot do good to others Minime absurdum Historia Concilii Tridentini p. 382. Folio est said the Chancellour of France in a Solemn Assembly ut multi boni Cives sint qui boni Christiani non sunt Sure it may please God both in Church and State to make use of wicked men to do him service for which there is no need of other instance then of Judas and Saul Judas was one of the 12 Apostles that Christ sent on great errands and gave them power and authority suitable to their employment Then he called his 12 Luke 9. Disciples together and gave them power and authority over all Devils and to cure Diseases and he sent them to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the Sick It is possible they who preach to others may be Cast-aways themselves God 1 Cor. 9. may bless their gifts to others though they want grace for themselves At the same time a man may out of his own mouth condemn himself and save others And for State-Affairs Saul is another instance who though a wicked man as he afterwards declar'd himself to be so wicked that God would not own him nor he God yet at his first coming to the Kingdom God made choice of him to save his people out of the hand of the Philistines 1 Sam. 9. 16. and in a particular case he was enabled to the rescue of Jabesh-Gilead by the spirit of God coming upon him Accordingly 1 Sam. 11. 6. it is easie to observe there are many men who have wisdom as an Intellectual habit when they have it not as a Moral Vertue they have parts and gifts and abilities which it pleaseth God to over-rule for the service of his Church and the good of others yet they want that grace which is saving to themselves The comparison will serve other men as well as Ministers There are many are like Greenham to Marks in the High-way which rot away themselves while they stand instructing others There are many Physitians prescribe rules to others which themselves will not observe And thus it must not be denyed but there may be many who may continue bad themselves and yet may have an influence upon the welfare of others But then it is to be observed that this is no prejudice to the Argument in