Selected quad for the lemma: nature_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	law_n	moral_a	precept_n	2,880	5	9.5945	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03409	The Churches authority asserted in a sermon preached at Chelmsford, at the metropoliticall visitation of the most Reverend Father in God, VVilliam, Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury his Grace, &c. March 1. 1636. By Samuel Hoard B.D. and Parson of Morton in Essex.	Hoard, Samuel, 1599-1658.	1637 (1637)	STC 13533; ESTC S104116	44,865	76

c. for this is a sinne by accident because against the command of authority those other essentially and formally because damned by the light of nature But if we behold it in the manner of committing it is a greater this being seldome committed never punisht without wilfulnesse and obstinacy they many times breaking out through meere weaknesse and infirmity And so it is in respect of its dangerousnesse in the issue For 1. It is a bold faced sinne that Ionah-like stands alwayes upon its justification and pleads not guilty and casts a blemish upon that authority that dares censure it These other are sinnes as more foule so more modest lesse confident like the Heretique in Titus 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-convicted and self-condemned and meet with fewer Patrons 2. Those sinnes fight against Church government by consequent only this directly and if it be not in time restrained brings confusion and Anarchy into the Church Like Peters dissimulation Gal. 2. it sowreth a multitude in a moment like a gangren if it seize and be permitted to settle but on one limb it speedily runnes over and ruines all the body men too sinfully affecting since the fall to be Domini suorum actuum Lords over their owne actions in all things and to shake off the yoke of government 3. Those sinnes goe many times alone this never but like a fury brings a troope of mischiefes after it It makes divisions and breaches in otherwise peaceable congregations begets discords contempts in people of their learned able and wel-deserving Pastors It breeds emulations also between brethren of the same Tribe ministers of the same Christ even to the sharpning of tongues and pens against each other till like the Cadmean brethren mutuis vulneribus confossi cadunt as Erasmus speakes they fall to the ground by their own unbrotherly wounds This makes some stand neuters and look on others turne Apostates and deride this makes our friends lament us and our adversaries triumph over us while they hope to see our Church dissolved without either plots or pens of theirs by our own unnaturall broyles and contentions And therefore it is many wayes a greater sinne than they and worthy of condigne punishment To conclude this point take an estimate of this sinne from God himselfe Did not he reveale his wrath from heaven even against Miriam and smite her with leprosie excommunication for a time for opposing but with one weak word or two the authority of her brother Moses Num. 12 was not Korah and his seditious company consumed with fire from heaven and made Horrenda victima nil miserantis orci a lamentable sacrifice to the gaping earth in a moment and why but for denying obedience to Moses and Aaron and making a rent in the congregation Quis dubitat sceleratius esse commissum quod gravius est punitum Who doubts saith S. Hierome that the sinne which was so fearefully punished was as highly detested Leave off therefore these scandalous criminations which have in them neither truth nor modesty Cypr. de unit ●l Q●d fa● 〈◊〉 p●o● C●no ●p● 〈…〉 ●um● that seq● 〈…〉 g●atul 〈◊〉 lum e● 〈…〉 l●●r 〈…〉 C●st● 〈◊〉 ●nata ●g ●ne p●ar and seek not to make justice odious with such nick-names of tyranny and persecution As great a woe is due to such as call good evill as to them that call evill good Quid facit in pectore c. What doth the wildnesse of wolves and the madnesse of dogs saith S. Cyprian in Christian breasts the poyson of serpents and the cruelty of beasts why should they lodge there Would ye be counted Saints what have Saints to doe with such angry and uncharitable passions tant aene animis coelestibus irae would ye be esteemed men of the spirit what fellowship hath the meek Spirit of God with the malicious spirit of the devill Spiritus Dei nec mendax nec mordax the Spirit of God neither belies nor bites as they doe who call deserved punishments persecutions Hier. ep ad Vigil for Nonest crudelitas pro Deo pietas Zeale for God and the Churches peace is no cruelty saith S. Hierome And so I come to my last Consectary Ceremonies and orders imposed by Church governours on inferiour ministers and people 5. Consectary must be obeyed For power in them to enjoyne by the law of Relatives inferres in us a necessity to obey There are 3. sorts of things and actions saith (a) Aug. l. 3. de lib. Arb. c. 18 19 S. Austin 1. Some intrinsecally and essentially good which cannot bee evill at any time such are vertues and vertuous acts which though they may be accompanied with evill ends and so non redundare in personam not redound to the good of the doer can never be bad 2. Some internally and essentially evill which are not therefore evill because prohibited as the eating of the forbidden tree and Sauls sparing of the Amalekites were but prohibited because evill as perjury murder adultery and other sins against the light of nature 3. Other things there are of a middle nature neither good nor evill in themselves but easily changeable into good or evill by concomitant circumstances Of this sort are Rites and ceremonies ordained by the Church to bee used in or about Gods service In themselves they are like fastings watchings and such other bodily castigations which considered in the naked act are affirmed to bee unprofitable and distinguished from true godlinesse 1 Tim. 4.8 neither pleasing nor displeasing to God yet sub mandato as they are by lawfull authority enjoyned they become necessary and attingunt conscientiam lay an obligation of obedience on the conscience For we reade that Idolothytes things strangled and blood though they were in themselves indifferent meates and might be eaten or not eaten without offence of conscience yet when they had the stamp of a negative command upon them and were for certaine reasons prohibited by the Apostles they were called necessary things Acts 15.28 It seemes good c. to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things Necessary for the avoiding of scandall necessary through the command of the Apostles restraining their use for the time though in themselves indifferent And S. Paul exhorting to obedience of authority saith Ye must be subject not because of wrath only but for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 giving us to understand that even these smaller things when they are once commanded doe reach the conscience and cannot be omitted without some violation of it Necessity of obedience ariseth sometimes ex natura rei from the nature of the thing commanded as in all morall precepts sometimes ex vi mandati from the power by which they are enjoyned as in all positive laws and commands whether civill or ceremoniall And so it doth here to wit from a double power 1. The power of the Governour commanding these things to be done 2. The power of God authorizing him to command and obliging