Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	divine_a	faith_n	revelation_n	2,555	5	9.7977	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41191	A sober enquiry into the nature, measure and principle of moral virtue, its distinction from gospel-holiness with reflections upon what occurs disserviceable to truth and religion in this matter : in three late books, viz. Ecclesiastical policy, Defence and continuation, and Reproof to The rehearsal transpos'd / by R.F.	Ferguson, Robert, d. 1714.	1673 (1673)	Wing F760; ESTC R15565	149,850	362

the Divine Institution of Sacrifices may be fetcht from the consideration of that peace welfare inward consolation c. which in the adoration of God by the offering of Sacrifices all mankkind especially the Patriarchs proposed to themselves There is in all men a Natural Consciousness of sin with an apprehension of punishment and Vengeance due for it Hereupon in all their addresses to the Deity they endeavoured the procuring the pardon of sin and peace with God and the obtaining comfort in their own Consciences This must be at least the subordinate end of the whole Religion of Sinners nor otherwise do they act rationally with respect to the estate they know themselves in Now they must promise themselves the attainment of these things either in the vertue of the Action it self or else through the application of some promise of God entitling them to such mercies upon a due performance of such services If the Latter then Sacrifices must necessarily be of a Heavenly Original For where the Thing signified depends upon the alone Will and Pleasure of God there the Symbol and sign of it depends upon his sole Will and Institution also Though the sign materially may have a Being in Nature yet formally considered as 't is the representation of such a gracious design and of such a voluntary and free benefit 't is perfect nonsence to imagine that Natural Light can give any direction about it But if they expected pardon of sin and peace with God and in their own Consciences from the bare Action it self and in the vertue of the meer offering They did that 1 which God expresly declares his abhorrence of The Lord upon all occasions testifies his Detestation of Sacrifices when Trusted to for Reconciliation and Remission of sin Psal. 40.6 50.8 9 10 11 12. Mic. 6.6 7. Heb. 10.1 2 3 4. 2. They acted repugnantly to Natural Light Our Reason how much soever distempered clouded weakned can still instruct us that the blood of sheep or Oxen is too mean a trifle to satisfie for an offence against God He hath indeed mean thoughts both of God and Sin who thinks that the Justice of God can be attoned or the guilt of Sin expiated by the blood of a Calf or Lamb. What either proportion or Relation is there betwixt Men and Beasts that the Lives of the One should commute for the Lives of the Other Men might sin at an easy rate could the Death of a brute Animal satisfie for the offence He is generally supposed to have been a Heathen however he cloaths himself with the Name of one that said Quum sis ipse nocens moritur cur victims prote Cato lib. 4. distich 5. Stultitia est morte alterius sperare salutem Ne credas placare Deum cum c●de litatur a part of the 39 dist The Fourth Argument in justification of our assertion concerning the Rise of Sacrifices from the Institution of God I take from that of the Apostle Heb. 11.4 By Faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain c. Abel and Cain may be reckon'd among the First that made their approach to God by Sacrifice At least the first Notice we have of applying to God by this Medium of Worship is in them And the Reason here a●●igned by the Holy Ghost why the Lord when he rejected the Sacrifice of Cain had regard to that of Abel is because Abel offered his Sacrifice by Faith If we can then evince that the Faith here spoken of had respect unto the Testimony Revealing Commanding and Promising to accept them in that way of Homage and address we shall in so doing fully demonstrate that Sacrifices owe not their rise to Humane choice but that they began upon the Warrant of a Divine Institution and precept This we shall therefore attempt to make good by two Topicks First The Faith attributed to Abel from which he receives the testimony of having offered an acceptable Sacrifice to God must be of such a Nature and kind to which the Definition of Faith verse 1. may agree The Apostles Description of Faith in the first vers is that which he plainly intends for the Regulation of the several Instances of it in the whole ensuing part of the chapter Let us view then the definition of Faith there laid down and we shall find it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we may either understand Expectation according to that of the Seventy Psal. 39.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expectatio mea in te est And the● the sence will be that faith is the expectation of things hoped for which sounds better than our translation by Substance Or we may render it Confidence agreeably to the import of the word 2 Cor. 9.4 2 Cor. 11.17 Heb. 3.14 And then the meaning will be that Faith is the Confidence of things hoped for It is much at one which of these significations we here admit either of them will render the definition of Faith clear and congruous Whereas o● rendring it by Substance makes it both obscure and harsh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evidence Argument convincing demonstration as Hi●rome renders it Certa ac clara intuitio ● sure and clear evidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of things not seen not discernable either by sence or Reason Things out of the view of whatever is natural in us Now this definition is that which must Regulate every Instance of Faith in the whole Chapter and by consequence every act ascribed to it must have a Revelation Command or promise of God for its foundation otherwise it should not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle expresly affirms it to be 2. The Faith ascribed to Abel is of the same Nature and kind with the Faith of others whom the Apostle here mentions Whereas then the Faith of every other Worthy recorded in the Chapter doth infallibly suppose a Divine Revelation as that on which 't is bottom'd and by which 't is warranted If we will speak coherently we must likewise acknowledg that Abels Faith had the same Authority to rest on Not onely the tenour of the Apostles whole discourse induceth us to this belief but we have a plain testimony verse 39. to indubitate it to us All these having obtained a good Report through Faith received not the promise The same kind of Faith is predicated of all And by their not receiving the actual exhibition of the thing promised which is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is plainly intimated that they had a Divine Command or Promise to rest on in all these exercises of Faith there celebrated A fift Argument in Confirmation of the Divine Original of Sacrifices might be taken from the consideration that every Priest ought to be ordained of God and that no man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God Heb. 5.1.4 and consequently that the Patriarchs were authorised of God otherwise they

or services The other is the consideration of the Divine Goodness But the consideration of his Justice being as ponderous to the contrary this is as inept to beget an assurance of our acceptance with God as the former Conscience through being guilty being also suspicious will hinder us in our expecting any thing from the Divine Goodness by continually objecting his justice to us But supposing we were sufficiently furnished with Notices of the Divine placability and that he will accept a Homage from us yet it still remains to be proved that precluding a supernatural Revelation we have any rational ground of belief that he will approve our manner of approach to him by Sacrifices I know no perfection in the Divine Being to which they are Naturally suited It is true I find a Late Author insinuating that the Religion of Sacrifices flows from the Nature and the Attributes of God requiring no other discovery than the Light and no other determination than the choice of natural Reason def and continuat p. 427 428. But I would fain know what property in the Divine Nature the Religion of Sacrifices flows from God is not capable of being fed or refreshed by the scent and smoke of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 2. Sect. 24. Indeed Porphyry tells us that a great many thought so but I am sure it was a most foolish thought And besides what-ever flows from the Divine Nature and the Attributes of God the obligation to it is indissoluble nor can we be superceded the performance of it And by consequence the Worshipping of God by Sacrifices should both have obliged mankind in the state of innocencie and doth still indispensably oblige us Nor can the Christian Institution vacate any Duty that flows from the Nature of God Indeed the mysterious and gracious Counsels of Gods will in reference to our recovery from Wrath by the Sacrifice of his Son which he designed the bringing into light and the giving the world instruction about by this Medium render our being found in this Method of address to God while the end proposed in it continued very rational and justifiable but abstracting from that the mind of man can not entertain a more silly and ludicrous thought than that we should thereby honour God in a due and suitable way That we should adore and magnifie the Goodness and bounty of God in all the benefits we partake of and that we should use them soberly and discreetly improving them into motives of cheerfulness humility and advantages of service both in communicating to the wants of others and being the more alacrous in obedience our selves hath the authorisation of Reason for it and becomes that habitude we stand in to God as Rational Creatures But to reckon that the presenting God with slaughtered Animals is the most natural Symptome of Homage that Rational Creatures can express their thankfulness to him by Naturalis Ratio si recta esset sciret De●● t●libus non indigere neque ea à nobis requirere R●vet in cap. 4. Gen. Exercit. 22. Def. contin p. 431 I account it a sentiment only fit for them who never duly meditated what God is And in my conceit the missing of such an invention would have been so far from being flat stupidity that it would have argued a mind pregnant with generous thoughts of God The Second thing produced in proof that Sacrifices took their beginning from Humane Agreement is because there appears not any shadow of command for them when they were first practised and to say that the expression of worship by Sacrifices was commanded though ● is no where Recorded is to take the liberty of saying any thing without proof or evidence Eccl. Polit. p. 101. v. def contin p. 428. To this I reply that 't is not needful that every command relating to institutions be expresly and in terminis recorded 't is enough that it be colligible from the Scripture I know no Logick that will allow the sequel That because the command of a thing is not registred in so many words that therefore the thing it self is not of Divine Original The Reverend Person who reviewed and animadverted on the Ecclesiastical Polity told him that there was an Institution for the offering and burning Incense only with sacred fire taken from the Altar and that the Priests were consumed with fire from before the Lord for the neglect of it Yet there is no express command in the whole Scripture where that Institution is in terminis Recorded p. 272. This our late Author takes no Notice of in his Def. Contin but passeth it in deep silence as he doth all the most material things in the said Reply I shall only subjoyn one instance more to the same purpose The Observation of the Christian or First day-Sabbath will be allowed I suppose to have a Warrant in the Revelation of the Word yet there is not in the whole Gospel a Command in express Terms for the keeping of it There is indeed a precept in the Decalogue for the observance of one day in Seven as a Holy Sabbath to the Lord and there is an express determination founded on Gods Resting from his Works for the keeping the last day of the Hebdomadal Revolution during the Old Testament Oeconomy as a day of Sacred Rest. There are also various Arguments taken from the Creation of all things in and by Christ his Finishing and Resting from all the Works of the New Creation in and by his Resurrection his declaring that a Day of Rest accommodated to his own ceasing from his Works remains now for Believers Together with the Apostolical observation of the First Day of the week as a Sabbath to the Lord God's blessing his People in their attendance on him from time to time on that Day John Baptising it with the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord's Day c. All which do evince the change of the Day from the Seventh unto the First to be of Heavenly Original and founded in Divine Authority Yet there is not a Command 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the whole Sacred Code and Register for it In a matter of so great antiquity as Sacrifices when the Lord instructed his Church by Dreams Visions mental Impressions audible voice c. To affirm that there was no Divine Command for the Religion of Sacrifices because the Command is not expresly delivered is a very unwary and bold assertion It is enough for us if we can demonstrate that they acted not herein without a Divine Warrant though we cannot assign the manner in which it was prescribed and this we hope to make good to the satisfaction of all sober inquirers but to satisfie Scepticks and prejudic'd persons who have no mind to be convinced is more than any man can undertake The third Opinion then concerning the Original of Sacrifices is theirs who deduce them from the Institution of God himself And as this is the common sentiment

super●sse est Ep. ad C●esiphon I shall therefore subjoyn a few exp●essions more which I meet with to the same purpose in the foresaid book In short saith he the whole state of this Question being discoursing about the identity of Vertue and Grace is plainly this That in the days of the Apostles the Divine Spirit proved it self by some clear and unquestionable Miracle and that was the rational evidenc● of its Truth and Divine Authority but in our days it proceeds in an humane and in a rational way joyning in with our Understandings and leading us forward by the Rules of Reason and Sobriety by threatnings and by promises by instructing our faculties in the right perception of things and by discovering a fuller evidence and stronger connexion of Truths ibid. p. 334. Though any learned person will easily discover the drift and intendment of this passage yet it being so proposed and containing such a mixture of truth and falshood bended together that 't is difficult for a common Reader to discern the leaven and poysonous ferment that is wrapt up in it I shall take a farther survey of it There are some men so accustomed to twist and interweave things of a heterogeneal nature one with another that it requires considerable skill to make a due separation and disposal of the several ingredients of their composition to what they are shapen and designed to subserve In the first place I know none of all the Assertors of supernatural infused Grace who pretend the overthrow of the Rules of Reason and Sobriety by Gods working immediatly and effectually upon the Souls of men We attribute no such violent motion to Gods Spirit upon ours as overthrow our powers and faculties By a Communication of a vital principle the Soul is attempered in its inward frame to the things its moved to Through the introduction of the New Nature our faculties are connaturalized to their duty The Soul being irradiated with a Divine Light and having a new strength transfused into it is carried to its object out of choice and upon conviction Nor do I know any in the second place that preclude the use of promises and threatnings or who affirm that the Spirit of God in the Regeneration and Renovation of Sinners acts abstractedly from and independently on the Word No the dispensation of the Word is Gods power unto Salvation the vehiculum spiritûs the Chariot of the Spirit the Seal by which he impresseth his Image An attendence to the Reading and Preaching of it is what they press every man earnestly to and that all impulses be examined by it That which I except against in this Paragraph of our Author is this that all allowed to the Spirit of God in his dealing with the Souls of men is that he acts only Objectively in ministring Arguments of Conviction to them For that was the alone end of miracles and that is our Authors intendment by the Spirits proceeding in an humane way Now this supposeth the whole subjective power to reside naturally in our selves and that all the assistances of the Spirit serve only to excite it and to awaken us to exert our natural abilities nor is this new There are some others in whose writings our Author seems not a little conversant who have gone before him in these apprehensions Novas autem qualitates creari seu produci non est necesse It is not necessary that any new qualities should be created or produced in us Stoinski coetus Racov. Minister ad Crell Nonne ad credendum Evangelio Spiritus S. interiori dono opus est Nullo modo Is not the inward operation of the Holy Ghost necessary in order to our believing he means savingly the Gospel by no means Cateches Racov. Est àutem probitas nihil aliud quam recté agendi studium a recto rationis judicio pr●fectum Holiness is nothing but an endeavour of living uprightly in the strength of and in the pursuance of Right Reason V●lkel lib. 4. cap. 1. Causa proxima probitatis est ipsa voluntas seu arbitrium nostrum cujus ea est vis ac potestas ut in quam velit partem libere se i●clinet The immediate cause of Holiness is the Will it self whose Power and Ability is such that it can determine it self to Good or Evil as it pleaseth Crell Eth. Christian. lib. 2. cap. 2. Non est Spiritus Sanctus qui necessario requiritur ad vim efficaci●m ●verbo Dei conciliandam quippiam diversum ab ipso verbo The Holy Spirit that is required to make the Word effectual is nothing but the Word it self Socin de Justif. p. 27. Homo audito intellecto Dei verbo sine ulla alia nedum sol● speciali Spiritus Sancti operati●ne potest se reipsa ad Deum convertere Men through the help and assistance of the word heard and understood may convert themselves to God without any other much less special operation of the Holy Ghost Schlichting cont Meisner de Servo Arbitrio p. 88. Non requiritur supernaturale lumen potentiae superinfusum mentem elevans ad intelligendum credendum Scripturis There is no supernatural infused light necessary for the understanding and believing of the Scriptures he understands a Salvifick knowledg and belief of them Episcop disp 5. Thes. 3. An ulla actio Spiritus immediata in mentem aut voluntatem necessaria sit aut in Scriptur●s promittatur ad hoc ut quis credere possit verbo extrinsecus proposito negativam tuebimur whether besides the external Promulgation of the Word there be any immediate operation of the Spirit upon the Understanding or Will necessary We undertake the defence of the Negative idem in Thes. privatis ad Disput. 46. Corol Nihil obstat quo minus vel sola grati● Moralis homines Animales Spirituales reddat Nothing hinders but that men may be regenerate in the alone Vertue of Moral suasion Grevinchov Vim suam exerit Dei Spiritus qui illuminare mentes nostras dicitur non quod novum lumen iis infundat Volzog de Script Interpret p. 254. Gratia neque nobis neque Scripturae novum lumen inserit Velthuis de usu Rationis p. 70. Regeniti non regeniti cognitio de rebus mysteriis fidei non differt luminis ratione idem ibid. p. 9. I have been the more prolix in these citations that we may the better understand whom in this matter we have to conflict withal and from whom these Notions are derived that are with so much confidence obtruded of late upon us If it be excepted that the person contended with seems to allow a subjective principle of Grace distinct from our Natural faculties For he expresly affirms That if he did not believe the influences of the Spirit upon the minds of men he behoved to explode the Lords Prayer it self as a foolish and insignificant Form seeing the greatest part of its Petitions are things of that nature as that they cannot be accomplished