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	power_n	scripture_n	7,777	5	6.2723	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A71214	A vindication of the two letters concerning alterations in the liturgy in answer to Vox cleri / by a London presbyter.	Basset, William, 1644-1695.	1690 (1690)	Wing V533; ESTC R595	18,900	36

will not promote Divisions in the Church This was the reason says p. 11. that the Clergy opposed a Bill for Comprehension contriv'd by Bishop Wilkins and for which and other Reasons the House of Commons cast it out Answ 1 He supposes what he can never prove viz. That such Comprehensions would have made a Division in the Church therefore this being a mere surmise must not be allow'd the repute of an Argument The Security he demands would have been their Preferments which would have made it their interest to support as much as they now think it their interest to pull us down and likewise their Oaths and Penalty of the Laws which would chastise every Deviation from their Rule But however to give strength and colour this suspition he says p. 10. That some Bishops and others preferred under King Charles the Second did attempt this To which we Answer What he calls Division was only a Comprehension design'd by those whose Judgment as well as Moderation we have lately had just cause to admire Such a Division we have in the Church at present and ever shall have so long as there be moderate and judicious men in it and had that Comprehension been established it would have prov'd our security at this very day Call it a Division yet they did only attempt but could not effect it and indeed it is so hard to sway a Constitution that not only the Nature of the thing but this Fruitless undertaking too may justly allay his fears of admitting a few moderate Men into the Church by some reasonable Alterations In p. 3 4. he passionately pleads against all Alterations from the unlikelyhood of gaining one Dissenter who are so stubborn and unreasonable in the terms they propose for an Accommodation and yet here he is afraid of such a number coming in as shall divide and ruin the whole Church which speaks the Author to pursue an Hypothesis but not the Truth and resolv'd by all manner of Pleas agreeing and disagreeing probable and improbable true and false or by any thing else you can imagine to confound and obstruct intended Condescensions It seems very marvellous that these very surmises set on foot by Popish Polititians purposely to hinder our Union at the restoring our Liturgy and the later project of Comprehension should not only be received by some hot men then but be pleaded at this time of the day when we have seen the dismal effects of these Policies which have used the Church against Dissenters and then Dissenters against the Church in order to the ruin of the whole Protestant interest and which at this day do give the greatest advantage to French and Popish designs throughout the World This seems to bode us no good and looks like a fate upon Men which makes them not their own Murderers only but the common Executioners of Protestants and their Religion But in the same Page he pleads against Alterations from another Topick viz reasonable Condescentions to one party is likely to encourage unreasonable Sollicitations from another Answ 1 This produced no such effect formerly Why then should it now This is the way to prevent what he pretends to fear for men are now in expectation and delays may make them clamorous but a present settlement puts a stop to all future expectations But if otherwise yet Such Alterations strengthning the Church will render it more safe for her to reject unreasonable Sollicitations hereafter than to frustrate reasonable expectations at the present But he adds Our frequent changes in some things may make men question all and at last center in the Church of Rome Answ 1 Have any or all former Changes considered together done so If they have produce your instances if they have not Why should one Alteration more do it especially considering it is well known that our Church has always allow'd such Changes Was this probable the Popish party would be wel-willers to Alterations whereas they and their confidents are raised in their expectations from the difficulties that attend this Affair The matter of Fact is undeniable therefore they or himself must be in an Error And if we consider his undertaking and performances we shall easily believe that he is not Infallible Thus you have his Feats whence in the next Paragraph he Triumphs reckoning he has knock'd down his Enemies with this Pamphlet as Sampson did the Philistines with the Jaw-bone of an Ass For thus he proceeds And now let the men that are given to change produce those weighty and important reasons required in the Preface to the Common-Prayer or that great necessity which Dr. Beveridge requires for the Alteration even of commodious Laws A bold Challenge indeed however I shall accept it And will shew these important Reasons and great Necessity of present Alterations from 1. The Sacred Scriptures 2. Our Circumstances 3. The general Sense of the Nation 4. The Duty of doing all we can for the keeping and securing our Flocks And 5. Some things themselves imposed 1. The Sacred Scriptures do determine this controversie against our Pamphlet for St. Paul forbids us to offend a weak Brother in using our power in things indifferent This indeed does not affect us as we are now under the Law but it doth affect the Church when the civil Authority calls her to Explain Alter and Omit those things that do offend But you will say that the Church hath power in all matters indifferent whence results the Duty of the Peoples Submission in all such matters It is true but if the People cannot see the Lawfulness of such Submission the Church ought not to press them any further than a due regard to the Souls of Men will allow or the general Interest of Religion and the common safety of the Church doth require 1 Corinth 10.3 We must not do all things that are Lawful but what things are expedient and edifying upon which Scripture Clem. Alex. Paedag. b. 2. c. 1. hath this Note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those who will do all that is Lawful quickly fall into that which is Vnlawful and I am sure it is no Paradox that if the Church will do all she may she certainly doth more than she ought because her power must be tempered by a tender and prudential regard to the weakness of all her Members St. Paul 2 Cor. 10.8 speaks of a power that God hath given for edification not for destruction therefore that Church doth abuse her power which by too strict terms of Communion doth not gather and build up but scatter the Flock Indeed at our last settlement the evils we have suffered were not sufficiently foreseen but since sad experience hath given us such terrible admonitions the Church seems utterly inexcusable if she refuse to the best of her skill and power to apply a suitable remedy 2. That a Kingdom divided cannot stand is a Truth so certain and allowed by all observing Men that our Saviour brought this as a Medium to prove that a