Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	father_n	scripture_n	tradition_n	2,047	5	9.1715	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80378	The interest of England how it consists in vnity of the Protestant religion. With expedients moderate and effectuall to establish it by the extirpation of the papacy. By a member of the House of Commons.	Constantine, William, Sir, 1611 or 12-1670.	1642 (1642)	Wing C5948; Thomason E121_47; ESTC R22632	28,124	40

Eccl. Dan 26. H. 8. 1. 11. H. 4. 37. ancient right Surely that sage Parlament as it exprest deepe prudence to unward the Kingdome of a forraine servitude so exprest it mighty confidence in their Prince to the scale of whose prerogative it added the waite which was formerly its ballance An additament being to the person perhaps no lesse cumbersome to prerogative then quarreld at by the prelacy For shall not the Prince by wholsome and steddy providence temper and qualify the headinesse and fiery suggestions of his Clergy they swolne aloft from an inferior ranke are soone inflated with ambitions and under the false glosse of service to their master designe their own interest and in the end his rifling for could they by a higher power check the curb of Law they would soone degree into their ancient separation and priviledges so mortall to monarchy which the Hierarchy being now e Perfectum est cujus nihil est extra accipere Arist. 2. cael Tex 23. Et appetitus materiae non estnisi motus ad formā 1. Phys Aris imperfect cannot but as naturally Covet as it is to be ambitious The attempt of which perhaps may expose even Majesty quod avertet deus to much sufferance and burry the people impatient of Church-pride to combustions certaine it is Variety of preferments tempts men to hanker after their injoyment and distracts from that diligence of superintendency intended by the Gospell wherby the people become libertines and they like * Acts 18.17 Gallio carelesse of those things Thus those competencies which our Ancestors by the name of Tiths dedicated to preserve knowledge in the Laity are diverted to erect a greatnesse in the Clergy and holy orders are undertaken as a beneficiall office not of conscience but to acquire honour and revenew as if Religion were as Machiavill designes only a Mach. de Princip fallere civitates b Tacit. 1. Ann. regere vulgi animos Sit alite dextro blest be the age when each Church shall be reindowed with a full competence that each incumbent may contentedly acquiesce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 superintendere to oversee his single charge that so some ministers might not be necessitated to hackny out their age in penury and scorne while the rest perhaps lesse worthy not more Divine deboyst and scandall their profession in the riot of superfluity and excesse endevoring in the interrim to patch up their own deficiencies by ammusing entertaining the gasing sences of their dull parish with perfumes pictures chantings gorgeous and solemn services c. now heere then there now low then aloft now Priest then people then clark then quire by which sportive varieties some weake soules are possest that Gods Service is more sensuall then cordiall or that their is a deepe mistery in the meere forme of worship and industring to keepe conformity with the severall changes become disabled to settle and compose themselves to a steddinesse of devotion stifling indeed the pith of true religion in the barke which like a simple Infant is so straitned in the prison of his garment that it scarce has liberty to vent breath Lo all this is to the high impayring of that which is indeed the miracle of Christianity To observe the supposed sonne of a a Mark 6.3 Carpenter b Isay 53.3 Mat 9.9 Mal. 4.18.21 Iohn 11.2 Mal. 26.7 A man of sorrowes to inspire onely a few unknowing publicans men in raggs silly women To waive the assistance of Kings and Princes whom his diety might have stoopt to neglect the slights of eloquence c Cor. 2.4 1 Cor. 1.17 c. the intising speech of mans wisdome the inchanting symphonies of Musick pomp or sumptuousnes only with naked simplicity innocence meeknesse temperance and humility those celestiall graces d 1 Cor. 2.1 c. ver 4. in plaine evidence of the spirit and of power to assault powers principalities ambitions lusts to force men from the riot of their appetites levell their high thoughts with the Earth and to reduce the disobedient onely with the spirit of gentlenesse and admonition or at most e Mal. 10.14 1 Cor. 5.13 1 Tim. 1.20 dissertion by these low accomodations to disperse his doctrines argues in deed a Divinity in the author and a purity in the ordinance Wheras to have sown his Religion and preserved it by the ayd of power pompe violence inquisitions burnings fines imprisonments c. had evidenc'd nothing of a miracle for by such politick principles Mahomet and the heathen have infus'd and fortifyed their Idolatries It is the badge and Emblem of a Christian not Pomp not Pallaces not Pictures Altars Fire c. but humility and d●votion in the heart which argument as it alone convinces all controversy in opinion so does it orthodox Christianity to be Divine Then does the Church of Christ most flourish when people are religious and good not when the Clergy are aloft and proud perhaps of this Diana to much a Acts 19.28 By whose craft c. Observe we from the premises as the novelty of the Romish Church so the difficulty to reconcile it to us Our Doctrines are affirmative and derived from all authority such as neither the Romish-Church nor any considerable body of Christians ever disaffirm'd Those positions which they adde and we explode they either father upon darke tradition or squease obscurely from the Text to what is demonstrated or evidently implyed by the Scripture we subscribe Their superfortations as we cannot pedigree their divine originall so we justly suspect to be introduced by designe and good cause for their is scarce one doctrine wherein we vary but it contributes a capite ad calcem as the sence of it at lest is now diverted to uphold some or all the aforesaid lavish usurpations of their Clergy Now were their Hierarchie and those superiours level'd to their primitive humility Learne of me for I am humble and in heart lowly and diligence woe is me if J preach not those after births would of themselves moulder off as uselesse and ungospellary Mat. 20.26 Mat. 18.4 1 Cor. 9.16 But t is so sensuall to tyrannise in a separate Dominion to riot uncontrolably in excesse and sloth that their selfe-conviction can no more probably be expected then that Belzebub should cast out Divills Mat. 9. 34. Mar. 3.22 and their devout lay-votarist is so awed by their authority and so fifted by confession that he dares not unhood his understanding so much as to resent the mistery Indeed they have beene so provident during their universall sway over Christendom as to suffer few Ancient wrightings to be deriv'd unto posterity to convince their grosse incrochments Some Fathers they have father'd others they have purg'd the rest confounded Books as well as persons so that to argue by antiquity seemes to be an impar congressus as to joyne issue where the power of one party has purloyn'd the evidence nay has sate Iudge The Scripture only