Selected quad for the lemma: doctrine_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
doctrine_n	authority_n	church_n	tradition_n	3,081	5	9.1854	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52371	No popery, or, A catechism against popery wherein the heretical doctrins, idolatrous worship, and superstitious practices of the Roman Church are briefly yet plainly refuted, and the Protestant principles proved by testimonies of Holy Scripture, and evidence of reason / by a minister of the Gospell.	Minister of the Gospell.	1682 (1682)	Wing N1187; ESTC R19866	57,846	152

combated Satan Matth. 4. He proved the Resurrection from the dead to the Saducees Matth. 22.23.29 31 32. And showed to his Disciples the necessity of his Death and of his Resurrection Luke 24.46 By them John Baptist proved his Mission Matth. 3.3 And by them the Apostles overcame the Jews and shewed powerfully that Jesus was the Christ Acts 9.22 and Acts 18.28 Q. Hath God commanded us to consult the Scriptures as our Judge A. The Prophet Esay 8.20 sends to the Law and to the Testimony and if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no Light in them And Jesus Christ commands the Jews to search the Scriptures because they testified of him John 5.39 and Luke 16.29 They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them And St. Peter after having mentioned the voice from Heaven This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased adds We have also a more sure Word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed 2 Pet. 1.17 18.19 Q. But when there is a difference about the interpretation and sense of the Scripture is it not necessary to have a Judge who can judge Infallibly and with Authority of the meaning of the Scripture and declare it to us for our agreement A. God hath not given this power to any in the world but Scripture must Interpret Scripture one passage must be Interpreted by another as they did in the time of Esra who made them understand the Law by Reading of the Scripture Nehem. 8.8 Q. How can you decide matters of Faith by the Scripture since it is obscure A. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost of whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds even Unbelievers 2 Cor. 4.3.4 But it is not obscure to them who have received the Spirit of God that they might know the things that are freely given to us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 And to accuse the Scripture of obscurity is to accuse it falsely for David Psal 119.105 says Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my paths Q. Yet St. Peter says in the 2 Epistle 3.16 That in the Epistles of St. Paul there are some things hard to be understood A. I grant there are many obscure places in the Scripture to exercise the Faith of Believers and keep the most Learned humble but God hath so ordered that all things necessary to Salvation are clear and easie to be understood Q. But since St. Paul would have Believers to judge of his Doctrine 1 Cor. 10.15 I speak as to wise men judg ye what I say Why should not the Church assembled in Council hvve that Authority A. There are two kinds of judgment one is a judgment of Authority the other of discretion by which particular Believers ought to try the Spirits whether they be of God and discern the true Doctrine of Christ from lies and of this judgment Paul speaks when he says judge ye what I say but for the judgment of Authority God hath not given it to any Mortal man not to the Councils themselves which have no power to make any Canons or Decisions to oblige the Consciences of any but so far as they are conform to the word of God Jesus Christ only hath Soveraign Authority in the Church as the well beloved Son that the Father hath commanded us from Heaven to hear Matth. 3.17 and John 5.22 Jesus Christ says that the Father hath given all judgment to the Son SECT IV. Of the Perfection of the Scripture Q. IS the Scripture the perfect Rule of our Faith A. Yes Because all the Articles of Faith and Doctrines necessary to Salvation are contained therein and therefore St. Paul 2. Tim. 3.15 says That the Holy Scriptures are able to make wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus Q. St. Paul speaks there only of the Books of the Old Testament for the New was not then writ so it follows by your reason that the New Testament is superfluous since the Old is sufficient for to instruct us to Salvation A. Upon the contrary St. Paul speaking of the Books of the Old Testament only fortifies strongly our reason for the sufficiency and perfection of the Scripture for if the Books of Moses and the Prophets were sufficient to make the Church wise unto Salvation Why may not the Scripture be sufficient now since to Moses and the Prophets God hath added the Evangelists and the Apostles Besides it follows not that because the Books of the Old Testament were sufficient for the Church then that the New is Superfluous since God hath pleased to give it us to manifest the Doctrine of Salvation more clearly and fully as 2 Tim. 1.10 Paul says That Jesus hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel Q. Is all Tradition to be Condemned A. No for this word Tradition signifies nothing but a Doctrine given from hand to hand the Scripture it self is a Tradition and the Doctrine of Salvation before it was written was a Tradition and hath been called Scripture since it was put into Writing and St. Paul calls the Doctrine of the Gospel Tradition which is written 1 Cor. 15.3 I have given unto you that which I have received viz. That Christ dyed for our Sins according to the Scriptures Q. What Traditions then are to be condemned A. All Traditions of men wherewith they pretend to bind the Consciences of men and give them for Articles of Faith which S. Paul Colos 2.8 would that we should take heed of Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the Traditions of men after the Rudiments of the World and not after Christ Such were the Traditions that the Pharisees added to the Law which Christ condemns Matth. 15.3 Why do ye transgress the Commandement of God by your Tradition applying to them what God says of Hypocrites Esay 29.13 In vain they do Worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandements of men Such are the Traditions which the Roman Church hath added to the Gospel as Worshipping Images and Praying to Saints which tho' they have no foundation in the Scripture but are formally condemned therein yet the Council of Trent hath commanded them to be received with the same Devotion and Piety that the Scripture is Q. Nevertheless St. Paul 2 Thess 2.15 Commands the Thessalonians to hold the Traditions that they had been Taught by Word or Epistles and 2 Tim. 2.2 He recommends to Timothy to commit to faithful men the things which he had heard in presence of many Witnesses A. I Answer that those Traditions and Instructions of St. Paul are not Traditions of men but the Word of God as he himself says 1 Thess 2.13 And the Instructions he gave Believers by Word and Living Voice are the same he hath writ in his Epistles and that we may be assured that his Doctrine is not Traditions of men he protests to the Jews Acts 26.22

Schism but that which is the cause of Separation now our Separation being upon a just account cannot be called Schism for the Errors and Superstitions of the Roman Church made our Separation necessary for God having discovered them to us by his Word we could not without bringing guilt upon our selves neglect that Commandment of God Revel 18.4 to come out of Babylon that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her Plagues besides it doth not become them to reproach us with our Separation and to accuse us of Schism since they first thrust us from amongst them by their Excommunications and all sorts of violence and we may much more justly call them Schismaticks they having so unworthily separated from Jesus Christ and his Apostles and from the purity of his Doctrine by so many Heresies which they teach Q. Yet could you not for peace sake have dissembled and contented your selves with distasting them in your heart A. No For God vomits out of his Mouth those that are luke warm Revel 3.16 and would have us to glorifie him as well in our bodies as in our spirits which are his 1 Cor. 6.20 and that as we believe with the Heart unto Righteousness we should with our own mouth make Confession unto Salvation Rom. 10.10 SECT X. Of the Head of the Church Quest WHo is the Head of the Church A. Jesus Christ only for St. Paul says Ephes 4.5 There is one Lord and one Faith and Chap. 1.22 he says that God hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the Head over all things to the Church which is his Body Now as Jesus Christ hath but one mystical Body viz. his Church also this Body can have but one Head Q. But hath not Jesus Christ established under him one here upon Earth to be the visible Head of the Church A. No for the Word of God hath made no mention thereof and Ephes 4.11 St. Paul rekoning up the Offices in the Church says He gave some Apostles and some Pastors and Teachers but says nothing of this pretended Head which should have been the first And Jesus Christ forbids all Superiority of Authority amongst his Disciples Luke 22.25 26. The Kings of the earth exercise Lordship over them but ye shall not be so and Matth. 23.8 Be not ye called Rabby for one is your Master even Christ and all ye are brethren Q. It would seem that Jesus Christ looked on St. Peter as a Head Ordinarily he is first named in the Gospel and Matth. 16.18 Jesus Christ says to him Thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church A. His being named first doth not import any Superiority of Authority or Jurisdiction but of Honour and Order because of his Age or Gifts and when Jesus Christ says upon this Rock will I build my Church he had not regard to the person of St. Peter but to his Doctrine and the Confession he had made in the name of the other Apostles saying Thou art Christ the Son of the living God and on this consideration not only Peter but the rest of the Apostles are called the Foundation of the Church as we are taught by St. Paul Ephes 2.20 And are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself beeing the chief corner stone Q. But Jesus Christ in the same place promises to give him the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and that whosoever he shall bind on Earth shall he bound in Heaven A. In those words he gives no Authority to St. Peter which he gives not to the other Apostles to whom also he hath given the Keys and the power of binding and loosing and of remitting and retaining sins John 20.21 As my Father hath sent me so send I you verse 23. Whosoever sins ye remit they are remitted But supposing it were as true as it is false that Jesus Christ did in this passage Establish Peter Visible Head of the Church it would not follow that the Bishops of Rome are his Successors in that Office since we see no warrant for it in the Scripture neither hath the other Apostles had any Successors in their Offices as Apostles Q. But since the death of Jesus Christ and his Ascension did not the Apostles acknowledge St. Peter for their Head A. No on the contrary Acts 8.14 the Apostles send him with John to Preach the Gospel in Samaria and St. Paul says 2 Cor. 11.5 That he esteemeth not himself a whit behind the very chiefest Apostles and Gal. 2.9 Naming James before Peter he says James Peter and John gave him the right hand of Fellowship and proves at length in the same place that he was not called to be an Apostle by any but by Jesus Christ alone and 1 Cor. 1.12.13 He reproves those amongst the Corinthians that did choose to themselves any other Head or Patron but Jesus Christ every one of you says I am of Paul and I of Apollo and I of Cephas and I of Christ Is Christ divided Was Paul Crucified for you Or were you Baptized in the name of Paul To acknowlege then another Head than Christ is to divide Christ Neither can we acknowlege any other Head but he who was Crucified for us and in whose Name we are Baptized St. Peter himself takes no other Title in his Epistles but that of Apostle and Elder and speaks to the Pastors of the Church not as having Authority over them but as their comparison in service 1 Pet. 5.1 The Elders that are among you I exhort who am also an Elder SECT XI Of the Invocation of Saints Quest MVst we pray to Saints A. No Because we have neither Command nor Example in the Word of God for it and when the Apostles desired Jesus Christ to teach them to Pray he injoyns them to pray to God only Luke 11.2 When you Pray say Our Father which art in Heaven c. Now that which is without the Word of God is without Faith Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God It is then a sin to Pray unto Saints since it is to Pray without Faith which is required in Prayer James 1.6 Let him ask in Faith nothing wavering Q. But is not Praying to Saints expresly forbidden in the Word of God A. Yes For God hath commanded us to Adore and Serve him only Matth. 4.10 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve now praying is one of the chief and principal Acts of Religious Worship and Service and St. Paul teaches us that we cannot call on those we do not believe in Rom. 10.14 How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed then we are not to Pray to Saints since it is not lawful to put our confidence in them for God declares them cursed that put their trust in man Jerem. 17.5 Cursed be the the man that trusteth in man Q. It is true we are to serve God