Selected quad for the lemma: doctrine_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
doctrine_n	apostle_n	deliver_v	tradition_n	2,968	5	9.1889	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A63826	A good day vvell improved, or Five sermons upon Acts 9. 31 Two of which were preached at Pauls, and ordered to be printed. To which is annexed a sermon on 2 Tim. 1. 13. Preached at St. Maries in Cambridge, on the Commencement Sabbath, June 30. 1650. By Anthony Tuckney D.D. and Master of St Johns College in Cambridge.	Tuckney, Anthony, 1599-1670.	1656 (1656)	Wing T3216A; ESTC R222406	116,693	318

Bellarmine made more use of traditions then of the Scripture so the Papists plainly shew that they set more by them then they do by the written Word of God whilest they plead more earnestly for them and are more sedulous and copious in this controversie then in most do most rigorously presse them and more severely punish the neglect and transgression of them then of the expresse commands of God in Scripture as the profaning as they call it one of their Traditionary Saints dayes much more heavily then of the Lords own Day and a Priests marrying then the committing of fornication or adultery in this imitating not the true Israelites indeed but the degenerate Jews who made the word of God of none effect through their Traditions But Mat. 15. 3. ● those who have been savingly taught as the truth is in Jesus abhor such blasphemies and by all their sweet words cannot be brought to relish their Traditions which as Irenaeus and other of the Ancients plainly shew have been all along the subterfuge of Hereticks and of which for many of them it is uncertain from whom in particular they first sprang and for all of them it is most certain that coming from men at best they are but fallible and that in continuance of time they may be much altered from what they were at first nor can Bellarmines four preservatives be able so to keep them in pickle as to prevent it And therefore although the Truth of God was delivered from hand to hand before Moses first writ the Law and that Christ delivered to his Apostles and they to others the Doctrine of the Gospel before the signing of the Canon of the New Testament which we grant and although the Apostle 2 Thes 2. 15. a place which the Papists much triumph in commandeth his Thessalonians to stand fast and to hold the Traditions which they had been taught whether by word or his Epistle yet for all that they must give us leave to hold fast to the Scripture till they shall be able fully and clearly to prove 1. That there is the same use and need of Traditions now that the Canon of the Scripture is perfected as there was before 2. That there are now as immediate and infallible inspirations and manifestations of Gods will as there was to the faithfull before the writing of the Old Testament and to the Apostles before the writing of the New viz. Infallibly to direct about these Traditions and to correct in case there should be any failure or corruption Such extraordinary Manifestations we for our parts do not pretend to and that we cannot think that they are made to the Romish Antichrist it is not from want of charity but of ground of faith to believe it and indeed from sense and evident experience of the contrary 3. That for the substantials of faith and life for of eternall circumstantials I now speak not there be any such Divine or Apostolicall Traditions which the Apostles vivâ voce preached and delivered from hand to hand which were not for substance written in the Old Testament before Acts 26. 22. or not in the New Testament afterwards Many indeed of their Traditions which they obtrude are not as holding forth not Apostolical divine Truth but partly such errors and superstitions and partly such ridiculous fooleries as are not fit to be much lesse in the sacred writings much lesse in the sacred Writ But for what ever is necessary to be known or practised in order to salvation we must believe Irenaeus saying Quod tunc praeconiaverunt postea per Dei voluntatem in Scripturis nobis tradiderunt till Lib. 3. cap. 1. they be able to prove the contrary and mean while we are confident that this expression of Irenaeus in Scripturis nobis tradiderunt and yet more evidently that place to the Thessalonians which they so much urge where they are exhorted to hold the Traditions which they had been taught whether by word or Epistles fully evinceth that what is written in Scripture may be and is there called Tradition Such traditions and so written we allow to be within the compasse of this Form of sound Words but not first Humane unwritten or Popish forged Traditions Nor 2dly The Enthusiasts feigned and Divine Revelations Feigned Revelations These the Papists decry as loud as we Non enim novis revelationibus Deverbo Dei non scripto cap. 9. nunc regitur Ecclesia saith Bellarmine though by their favour they cannot so easily wash their hands of them whilest according to their Doctrine the last resolution of matters of faith is to be made into the determination of the Pope and that as infallibly directed by Divine Revelation as his Sycophants would flatter him So that thereby he is made the prime and greatest Enthusiast An artifice which seducers in all ages have made use of to conciliate the more credit to their delusions by intituling them to Divine Revelation I do not here speak of Numae's Aegeria or Mahomets Dove or the practises of other Heathen Founders of Commonwealths who out of craft and policy to gain more reverence and obedience to their lawes and government have deluded their silly people into a belief of their being appointed by divine inspirations But even in the Church of God the Apostles in their times gave warning of such as pretended the Spirit 2 Thess 2. 2. As also charge and direction how to try them 1 Tim. 4. 1. 1 John 4. 1 2 3. 6. The Nicholaitans of old Swenckfield and the Familists of Germany in the former age and their spawn both in Old and New England in this age have been all for immediate Revelations with a supine nay a most scornfull neglect not onely of other studies and learning but even of the holy Scriptures also which to them is but a dead Letter a Covenant of works c. And before their new lights such shadows must fly away They are but History to their mystery and as the Papists in their way and Castellio in his so these in theirs make account that the Spirit revealeth to them higher and more hidden mysteries then the Scriptures teach or contain such indeed as are not onely besides and as they think above it but sometimes nay oftentimes quite contrary to it a most proud and dangerous delusion and therfore Austins watch-word Prolog ad Doctrinam Christianam in regard of such is Caveamus tales tentationes superbissimas periculosissimas the direct inlet of all corruption into the Church and confusion into the Commonwealth as other places have felt and the Lord grant that we who in this kind have already found so much may not yet feel much more Purest Primitive times have been defiled with them The darkest and blindest times have talked much of such visions In the times of in-breaking light and Reformation still a great noise of Revelation But for our better settling in the Truth know that Revelation we acknowledge and humbly blesse God

Scripturis cogantur quaestiones suas sistere Tradition is their Helena and Venus which they so paint and trim up They are modest men amongst them that will afford the Scriptures an equall share of dignity and respect with them for it 's as little as they can give them to be equall with the Scriptures Aequè sunt observandae saith Eckius and pari pietatis affectu In Enchiridio reverentia suscipit c. saith the Council of Trent like him in Nicephorus whom they call Beatus Lib. 16. cap. 33. Theodosius two names too good for such a blasphemer who getting into the Pulpit denounced an Anathema si quis quatuor Synodos quatuor Evangeliis non exaequet pronounced that man accursed who did not make the four first Synods equal with the four Gospels which yet he might better do then the Cardinal Julianus Fox Acts and Mon. Tom. 1. pag 863. in the Council of Basil exhort them to give no less credit to the Council then to the Gospel Or the Council of Trent anathematize all that did not thus equal their vain Traditions with the books of the Old and New Testament But they stay not here it is not enough with them to have their Traditions equalled with the holy Scriptures if they be not much preferred before them 1. For their Antiquity as being Bellarmine de Verbo Dei non Scripto cap. 4. before any Scripture was written and therefore as first born must have the preheminence of primogeniture 2. Hereupon in point of necessity as though the Church had more need of Traditions then of the Scriptures and accordingly Bellarmine in that chapter whose title is Ostenditur Necessitas Traditionum in which he should prove Traditions to be necessary doth take a great deal of more pains to prove that the Scriptures are not necessary 3. In point of authority which they say the Scripture hath onely from the Tradition of the Church without which some of them are not afraid to say it would be of no more authority then Aesops Fables and the same Pighius who durst call it a nose of wax when over shoos over boots and therefore durst go on and say haec Scripta non praeesse nostra religioni sed subesse and as Caranza adds that the Scripture is to be regulaby the Church and not the Church by the Scripture 4. In point of extent Traditions according to them containing much more of the word and will of God then the Scriptures for although Andradius be so modest and that is a wonder for he is not usually wont to be found in that fault as to grant that maxima pars the greatest part of Gods revealed will is contained in Scripture yet others of his Fellows cannot but account him herein to have been over liberal for on the quite contrary Hosius saith that multò maxima pars that the greatest part of it by far is contained in Traditions and others of them say that minima particula it is the very least part of all that is contained in Scripture whilest Traditio omnem veritatem in se habet containeth all the mysteries of faith and Religion if you will beleeve Coster 5. For point of continuance The same Author would have you beleeve that this unwritten word is more safely kept in their hearts and not to be rased out of the Popes their high Priests breast-plate whilest moths and worms may soon consume these written papers and parchments 6. And so also in point of incorrupted certainty whilest the written word is but a dumb letter speaks not its own sense is a nose of wax and leaden rule which every heretick may bend to his purpose on the contrary their Mufti is a live Judge and the Tradition of the Church is safely lockt up in his breast he gives the true authentick sense of it and so preventeth both the Catholicks error and the Hereticks depravation 7. In point of transcendent worth and usefulness The unwritten word is of more moment say some of them and multis partibus superat scripturas saith Coster as much as the fleshly tables of Beleevers hearts in which no doubt their Traditions are written exceed the Tables of stone or papers or parchments in which the Old and New Testament are written And for use Corn. à Lapide from those words of the Covenant of Gods writing his Law in our hearts Jer. 31. 33. would make such weak men and silly Novices as we are beleeve that Traditions are more proper for the N. T. then the Scriptures Hoc si animadverterent Haeretici magis proprias esse N. Testamento Traditiones quàm Scripturas intelligerent Euge Jesuita en pietatem Romanam In this his bold and blasphemous expression we hear the voice of the Beast and see the whores brasen forehead that blusheth not to prefer their own dreams before the visions of God and their lying Cabala before that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Scripture of truth which alone is able to make us wise to Salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. 8. In particular Canus and most of them hold and say that although things of more common nature and concernment were written by Moses and other Pen-men in Scripture yet the Arcana Imperii the higher mysteries those holy things were not to be cast to dogs for so they speak when they mean these rarities of their should not be exposed to publick view as it was with the Heathen with their Abdita in Adytis and as Pythagoras and some other Philosophers and the Dryades would not have their Dictates written for all but onely communicated to their Scholars such mysteria to their Mystae So Christ and his Apostles besides their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their more ordinary and common doctrine which they either spake or wrote to all had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their more secret mysteries of So also our Enthusiasts Castellio vide Beza in 2 Tim. 3. 17. more high and abstruse nature which were onely delivered by word of mouth to their greater Intimates and Confidents To which purpose Canus feareth not blasphemously to apply that 1 Cor. 2. 2. but I determined to know or make known nothing but Christ Jesus and him crucified i. e. to you vulgar and ordinary hearers howbeit we speak wisdome amongst them that are perfect No doubt their high-flown perfectionists Profane Blasphemer as though Christ crucified whom in the foregoing Chapter v. 23. he had said was the wisdome of God and the power of God were but his ordinary and course every day doctrin which he preached to the meaner vulgar but that he had higher speculations which he imparted to those of an higher Form or as our new minted word is dispensation and attainment which our Enthusiasts boast of in their Revelations and the Papists as it seemeth promise us in their Traditions 9. And therefore accordingly Lib. 4. de verbo Dei c. 4. in their practice as the Jewes if you will believe

Brought to Christ and built upon him as the onely true Foundation 1 Pet. 2. 4 5. and in reference onely to him upon the doctrinall foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ mean while continuing the corner-stone Eph. 2. 20. 2. And thereupon are confirmed and grow up in grace both in themselves and with one another as it 's added Eph. 2. 21. in whom all the building fitly framed together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord. And thus we are said to be edified in knowledge 1 Cor. 14. 4. in faith Jude v. 20. in love 1 Cor. 8. 1. Eph. 4. 16. and the like may be said of all other gaces 3. So that a good life as the topstone is laid upon good doctrine an outward holy conversation is added to all our inward grace and holy profession then and truly not till then may we cry Grace grace to it as in the building of the second Temple Zechariah 4. 7. 4. And when we are thus converted and edified we further labour to strengthen and build up our Brethren Luke 22. 32. 1 Thes 5. 11. And therefore now for the applying Vse of this to our selves In the forementioned particulars we have our work cut out to our hand and laid before us we now have rest as these here had it concerneth us therefore not now to be negligent 2 Chron. 29. 11. and idle but to get up and be doing that we may be edified as they were And here our first great care must be that Christ in all be laid for the only foundation You may possibly think this a strange lesson to be taught them who already professe themselves Christians as though we had need to lay again the foundation as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 6. 1. but that our unhappy times are most unhappily become like those which the Psalmist in his dayes spake of in which Psal 11. 3. Foundations were destroyed For now that I may use the Apostles words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very principles of the doctrine of Christ the most Fundamental Scripture-truths such I mean as are not onely sufficient to build us up in a good life as some now Dr H. of Fundam cap. 1. mince it but such as are absolutely to be believed and practised to salvation are not onely doubted of but boldly and blasphemously denyed and impugned and this for the most part impunè and without controul Whilest the Papist robs Christ of his offices the Socinian spoileth him of his Deity the Antiscripturist of the Scepter of his Kingdom and others blaspheme him into a Notion a Forme a very Impostor Lord is thy Church edified when foundations are thus overturned and what can what should the righteous now do But the more that others pull down the more they should labour to build up both themselves and others in their most holy faith upon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Jude 20. Eph. 2. 20. Christ himself being the corner-stone with whom whosoever gathereth Math. 12. 30. not scattereth and on whom whosoever be he othrewise never so great a master builder buildeth not besides what he doth to others is certain to ruine himself unavoidably irrecoverably we know to this purpose what became of those Builders that rejected this precious Corner-stone Matth. 24. 42 43. and still and ever that will prove true which followeth v. 44. That whosoever falleth on this stone shall be broken but on whomsoever it shall fall it will grinde him to powder He is sure to build a Babel of confusion who layeth not Christ first for the onely foundation It is said Luke 17 28. that in the dayes of Lot they planted they builded but fire and brimstone from heaven soon consumed all those buildings and in this busie age of ours we are as intent to raise up Fabricks of our own both in our opinions and judgements and in our other designes and practises thereby to advance our estates or esteemes and because Christ and his Truth and Grace will not cannot square with them with those Builders we leave him out and lay him aside as not for our turn But what Castle-come-downs will all such buildings prove that are daub'd with such Ezek. 13. 10 11. untempered morter Certainly such wood hay and stubble will burn Such buildings will not stand that are built upon the sand Mat. 7. 24 25 26 27. and not on this rock In the close it will be found that this is not to edification but to destruction let our first care therefore be to make Christ our ground-work and foundation And then the second should be that the Ordinances of Christ be set up and kept up in their purity and power This is Gods building up of Zion when he Psal 102. 16. builds a Tower a Temple in the midst of his vineyard Isa 5 2. and setleth all the Formes Ordinances Ezech. 43. 11. and offices of his house This is the building of the Church both in reference to the generall constitution of the whole as also to the saving edification of the severall members of it When the wholesome word of God is dispensed according to his will for it is able to build us up Acts 20. 32. And when Sacraments and Censures are administred according to his Word for in the stedfast continuance and communion in these Ordinances the first and best Believers grew up increased and multiplied Acts 2. 41 42 c. And from hence take we notice of our sin and duty 1. Our sin in this particular is Our sin very great for although through Gods mercy the State hath some rest yet the Church according to those particulars is very far from being edified We are still on the pulling-down hand or if building up it is of Babels in which we cannot agree or understand one another nay of Temples and Altars to Idols which was not only Manassehs sin 2 Chron. 33. 3 4 5. but even Solomons 1 Kings 11. 7. which the Prophets up and down cry out of in Israel and Judah and in the mean while of the neglect and ruine of Gods Temple a sin which we are sadly and deeply guilty of whilest 1. The Fanatick Enthusiast is caught up so high in the Spirit that he now is gotten above all Ordinances and doth tanquam ex alto despicere undervalue and despise them as poor empty Formes and weak beggerly Rudiments and elements for those of lower Attainments as they in their gibberish are pleased to phrase them to be trained up with The Lord humble the blasphemous pride of these self-conceited men who thus attempt to spurn down as much below them Christs own Institutions which he hath appointed as fit and able by his blessing to build up his people in faith and love and by an humble and faithful improvement whereof many of their betters both dead and alive have attained to so much inward settlement and peace and far

ever therefore we would according to the square of the word edify the Church we must take care to build up our selves in our most holy faith as Iude exhorteth us v. 20. that by faith coming to Christ the living stone we also as lively stones may be built up a Spiritual house an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 2. 4 5. Otherwise we may gather Churches as many now do and build material Churches as in and after Constantines time both He and many others did and yet for all this the Church of God may be but a very little edified They do very ill who cry down all Formes although of Gods own making and institution and they do little better who make them indeed but bare Formes like painted Churches in a Lantskip So the Iewes of old made a charme of the Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord Ier. 7. 4. as before they made the Ark of God a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bug-bear to fright enemies which they themselves so long played with that at last both They and It were carried away captive 1 Sam. 4. 3 4 5. It is not the crying up Holy Church with Papists or Reformed Churches in the most refined Formes of them with Protestants these rested in are but Names and Notions Names indeed of God by which in our walking answerable to them he is known but horribly taken in vain whilest rested in and will do us no more good then Gehezies laying the staff on the dead 2 King 4. 31. 1 King 1. 1. child could bring life into it or Davids cloathes warmth to his spent body nay we shall prove worse by them as they say the Cypress tree the more it 's watred the more barren it groweth worst men have often been found under best Ordinances So in Penuel which signifieth the face and presence of God we meet with scornfull Neuters Iudg. 8. 8. and in Bethel the house of God with scoffing Idolaters 2 King 2. 23. Bethel proveth Beth-aven Hos 10. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Circumcision the Concision Philip. 3. 2. and the nearer we are to the Church the further from God and nearer to a curse and our end is to be burnt when after all shoures and Sunshines we bring forth onely bryars and thornes Heb. 6. 7. 8. The Church is indeed then built when the members of it are truely and savingly edified and are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as lively or living stones which do not onely lye in the wall but grow in the building When inward grace thrives according to outward meanes and when our communication and whole conversation is good to the use of edifying as the Apostle speaketh Eph. 4. 29. When a good life is built upon good Doctrine then is the Church indeed edified But so as in the last place that we labour to do as much for others as that last mentioned place intimateth That we edifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one another Singuli singulos 1 Thes 5. 11. and this mutually 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 14. 19. that by our miscarriages we do not edifie them in sin for such 1 Cor. 8. 10 a kinde of untoward edifying the Scripture somewhere speaks of but by pious admonitions and holy examples and all other good meanes we endevour to bring men to Christ the foundation and that then they may be settled upon him and grow up in him and this also is held out unto us in that former expression of living stones which do not onely live and grow our selves but are also lively and active to draw on others to the building such a care the Apostles had of any where they found any hopes or beginnings and therefore as soon as ever they heard that Samaria had received the word of God they presently sent unto them Peter and John further to bring them on and build them up Acts 8. 14 15. which is excellently set down in that place of the Canticles where Chap. 8. 9. we see what tender care the elder Churches had of their little sister in this holy Oecodomy If she were a wall they would build upon her a palace of silver If a door they would inclose her with boards of cedar If a door that See Merce in locum had opened to Christ their inclosing her with boards or barres of Cedar which never rotteth expresseth what care they had in confirming and strengthning her If a wall i. e. more confirmed and settled their building upon her a palace of silver holds forth their further endevour for her continued growth ornament and perfection and these two take up what before I said was generally contained in this duty of edification and in particular 1. When Christ as the foundation is first laid 2. His Ordinances are set up and setled according to his Word 3. We in the injoyment of them established and grow in grace our selves 4. And are means and instruments busily imployed for the effecting of the like in others then in the sense of the Text and other Scriptures the Church is edified Which should the more earnestly be desired and endevoured by us 1. As knowing the time as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 13. 11. Motive 1. for it is a duty very much incumbent on us in these last Ages to be indevoured because it is on Gods part a mercy frequently promised to these latter dayes If you look into the severall books of the Isa 58. 12. 61. 4. Ier. 31. 4 Ezech. 36. 36. Prophets in the end of many if not of most of them you shall finde many gracious and glorious promises made of the then building of the Church In this respect it is the work of the day and therefore I hope we will not stand all the day idle but that it may be our happinesse that these Prophesies and promises may be most happily fulfilled not onely upon us but also by us whilest we thus diligently act for their accomplishments But in two other respects it is the work of this our day in England according to the two readings of the Text which I before mentioned Either they then had rest and thereupon were edified Or they were edified and thereupon had rest and accordingly we have two strong arguments yet further to presse this duty We have already through Gods mercy some rest and therefore there is all reason that we should now be edified according to the first reading And again we have need to be edified that so we may have our rest confirmed and our begun peace continued according to the second reading We have with them attained Motive 2 to some rest and therefore in point of ingenuous gratitude and that we may answer Gods gracious providence we are now in so fit a season to endevour that we may be edified For