Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	apostle_n	doctrine_n	tradition_n	4,188	5	9.0800	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50916	Of reformation touching chvrch-discipline in England, and the cavses that hitherto have hindred it two bookes, written to a freind [sic]	Milton, John, 1608-1674.	1641 (1641)	Wing M2134; ESTC R17896	44,575	96

of all men he had onely the Bishops his enemies found God lesse favorable to him after he was Bishop then before for his last 16. yeares would come at no Bishops meeting Thus you see Sir what Constantines doings in the Church brought forth either in his own or in his Sons Reigne Now lest it should bee thought that somthing else might ayle this Author thus to hamper the Bishops of those dayes I will bring you the opinion of three the famousest men for wit and learuing that Italy at this day glories of whereby it may be concluded for a receiv'd opinion even among men professing the Romish Faith that Constantine marr'd all in the Church Dante in his 19. Canto of Inferno hath thus as I will render it you in English blank Verse Ah Constantine of how much ill was cause Not thy Conversion but those rich demaines That the first wealthy Pope receiv'd of thee So in his 20. Canto of Paradise hee makes the like complaint and Petrarch seconds him in the same mind in his 108. Sonnet which is wip't out by the Inquisitor in some Editions speaking of the Roman Antichrist as meerely bred up by Constantine Founded in chast and humble Povertie 'Gainst them that rais'd thee dost thou lift thy horn Impudent who●…e where hast thou plac'd thy hope In thy Adulterers or thy ill got wealth Another Constantine comes not in hast Ariosto of Ferrara after both these in time but equall in fame following the scope of his Poem in a difficult knot how to restore Orlando his chiefe Hero to his lost senses brings Astolfe the English Knight up into the moone where S. John as he feignes met him Cant. 34. And to be short at last his guid him brings Into a goodly valley where he sees A mighty masse of things strangely confus'd Things that on earth were lost or were abus'd And amongst these so abused things listen what hee met withall under the Conduct of the Evangelist Then past hee to a flowry Mountaine greene Which once smelt sweet now stinks as 〈◊〉 This was that gift if you the truth will have That Constantine to good Sylvestro gave And this was a truth well knowne in England before this Poet was borne as our Chaucers Plowman shall tell you by and by upon another occasion By all these circumstances laid together I do not see how it can be disputed what good this Emperour Constantine wrought to the Church but rather whether ever any though perhaps not wittingly set open a dore to more mischiefe in Christendome There is just cause therefore that when the Prelates cry out Let the Church be reform'd according to Constantine it should sound to a judicious eare no otherwise then if they should say Make us rich make us lofty make us lawlesse for if any under him were not so thanks to those ancient remains of integrity which were not yet quite worne out and not to his Government Thus finally it appears that those purer Times were no such as they are cry'd up and not to be follow'd without suspicion doubt and danger The last point wherein the Antiquary is to bee dealt with at his owne weapon is to make it manifest that the ancientest and best of the Fathers have disclaim'd all sufficiency in themselves that men should rely on and sent all commers to the Scriptures as all sufficient that this is true will not be unduly gather'd by shewing what esteeme they had of Antiquity themselves and what validity they thought in it to prove Doctrine or Discipline I must of necessitie begin from the second ranke of Fathers because till then Antiquitie could have no Plea Cyprian in his 63. Epistle If any saith he of our Auncestors either ignorantly or out of simplicity hath not observ'd that which the Lord taught us by his example speaking of the Lords Supper his simplicity God may pardon of his mercy but wee cannot be excus'd for following him being instructed by the Lord And have not we the same instructions and will not this holy man with all the whole Consistorie of Saints and Martyrs that liv'd of old rise up and stop our mouthes in judgement when wee shall goe about to Father our Errors and opinions upon their Authority in the 73. Epist. hee adds in vaine doe they oppose custome to us if they be overcome by reason as if custome were greater then Truth or that in spirituall things that were not to be follow'd which is revel'd for the better by the holy Ghost In the 74. neither ought Custome to hinder that Truth should not prevaile for Custome without Truth is but agednesse of Error Next Lactantius he that was prefer'd to have the bringing up of Constantines children in his second Booke of Institutions Chap. 7. 8. disputes against the vaine trust in Antiquity as being the cheifest Argument of the Heathen against the Christians they doe not consider saith he what Religion is but they are confident it is true because the Ancients deliver'd it they count it a trespasse to examine it And in the eighth not because they went before us in time therefore in wisedome which being given alike to all Ages cannot be prepossest by the Ancients wherefore seeing that to seeke the Truth is inbred to all they bereave themselves of wisedome the gift of God who without judgement follow the Ancients and are led by others like bruit beasts St. Austin writes to Fortunatian that he counts it lawfull in the bookes of whomsoever to reject that which hee finds otherwise then true and so hee would have others deale by him He neither accounted as it seems those Fathers that went before nor himselfe nor others of his rank for men of more then ordinary spirit that might equally deceive and be deceiv'd and oftimes setting our servile humors aside yea God so ordering we may find Truth with one man as soon as in a Counsell as Cyprian agrees 71. Epist. Many things saith he are better reveal'd to single persons At 〈◊〉 in the first and best reputed Counsell of all the world there had gon out a Canon to divorce married Priests had not one old man Paphnutius stood up and reason'd against it Now remains it to shew clearly that the Fathers referre all decision of controversie to the Scriptures as all-sufficient to direct to resolve and to determine Ignatius taking his last leave of the Asian Churches as he went to martyrdome exhorted them to adhere close to the written doctrine of the Apostles necessarily written for posterity so farre was he from unwritten traditions as may be read in the 36. c. of Eusebius 3. b. In the 74. Epist. Of Cyprian against Stefan Bish. of Rome imposing upon him a tradition whence quoth he is this tradition is it fetcht from the authority of Christ in the Gospel or of the Apostles in their Epistles for God testifies that thosi things are to be done which are written and then thus what obstinacie what presumption is this to