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	receive_v	tradition_n	2,537	5	8.9791	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62340	Separation yet no schisme, or, Non-conformists no schismaticks being a full and sober vindication of the non-conformists from the charge and imputation of schisme, in answer to a sermon lately preached before the Lord Mayor by J.S.	J. S.	1675 (1675)	Wing S86; ESTC R24503	61,039	79

religious Customes and Usages contrary to these General rules c. Thus having given you our true sence and meaning of unscriptural Ceremonies now I answer to your dilemma Either you say these things thus imposed are in themselves lawfull or unlawfull I answer Your argument as you form it is trivial and not to the purpose for it speaks not to the Question under Consideration for the Question is not about the nature of the things imposed taken Absolutely but about the Religious use of those things in the worship and service of God Thus then your argument ought to proceed Either the religious use of these things imposed in the Worship and Service of God is lawfull or unlawfull I answer Now directly the Religious use of them is unlawfull and this antecedently to the imposing of them and therefore the imposing of them cannot make them lawfull Here had been a fit place for you to have shewn your strength if you had any in Convincing us that the Religious use of these things in Gods Worship is Lawfull antecedently to the Imposition But we have not a word hereof and therefore since I find no more opposition therein I might justly dismiss this first thing without any further Reply Yet if any shall ask for what reason is it that we say that such a use of them is unlawfull I answer our reasons are ready and they are such that do at least Convince our Consciences so far as to doubt and really suspect their use to be unlawful Which is sufficient to make their imposition a warrantable ground of withdrawing though the Evidence thereof be not so great as to Convince our Gainsayers no nor possibly to demonstrate fully the unlawfulness thereof to our own Consciences as hath been already proved If I be yet urged to shew our reasons of this our perswasion or supposition Methinks it were reason enough if I onely told such that these things imposed are only the productions of a humane spirit and are beholding for their Continuance in being to the Traditions of men and so hold in no respect of Christ the head which is sufficient not only in my opinion but in the judgment of the Apostle Paul to give members of Churches Caution against the reception of them Col. 2.8 Beware lest any man make a prey of you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the Traditions of men after the Rudiments of the World and not after Christ Whoever pleaseth to see an excellent paraphrase upon this verse let him read it in Mr. John Dale in his exposition on this Epistle which hath the Imprimatur Tho. Tomkins Ex Aed Lambeth and therefore I hope the testimony of this excellent person may obtain some repute his words are these The Scriptures calls those doctrines Traditions of men which have men only for their Authors which come from men and not form God these with the errours of Philosophy of which the Apostle speaks immediately before may bear the same name since they both flow'd from the spirit of men and had no other source but this imagination A little after he saith Whence it doth appear that no productions of an humane spirit are receivable in Evangelicall Religion neither those that are supposed by some pretended reasons nor those that are sounded upon Use and Antiquity they are all of them nothing but solly and vanity in the sight of God with what Colour soever they be painted over And though men boast of their utility they are extreamly hurtfull as pestering Consciences and busying them about things which God hath not ordained and turning them aside from his pure service to matters of nought Accordingly you see that our Lord Jesus Christ rejects and roughly thrusts away all the Traditions of the Pharisees how much esteemed soever they were for their Antiquity and pretended Use reproaching them that by holding fast those Traditions of Men they did let loose the Commandements of God Applying to them those words of the Lord in Isaiah In vain do they Honour me teaching for doctrines the Traditions of men As indeed it 's an unsufferable presumption that men should attempt to prescribe the form of Gods service especially after the declaration which himself hath vouchsafed to make of his holy will nor is there one among men that would indure his servant should treat him in that manner and instead of obeying his Orders and causing others to dispatch them fall a Philosophising in his house and giving his Family a new Rule to observe as if he were wiser than his Master I know well the Authors of these Traditions and those that follow them are not without fine reasons to palliate their temerity but it is Evident that they do the very same for Substance Neither is it to be doubted but a Servant that should be culpable of such a vanity would alledge likewise his motive and designes to any that would give them audience But Common sense dictateth to the meanest capacities that such undertaking Spirits merit not so much as to be heard especially where God is concerned in Comparison of whom they with all their sufficiency are but poor worms of the Earth Hold we firm therefore this Foundation of the Apostle that the Traditions of men ought to have no place in Religion it concerns me not to inform my self of their age whether they be the Traditions of Men Antient or Modern it sufficeth that I know they are Traditions of men having the Apostles advertisement we should not be moved with any reason or splendor or antiquity they may come cloathed with if you would have me receive them shew me that they are prescriptions of Gods institutions of his Christ Doctrines of his Scriptures without this However specious you make them appear to me I shall never believe it it is but to make a prey of me and your diligence shall have no effect but the making me suspect them so much the more Thus far you have had the Judgement of as great Divines as the Church in this last age hath produced and who ever thinks there is not reason enough in this discourse to give Foundation sufficient to tender Consciences at least to suspect if not to be confident of the unlawfulness of the Religious use of these things in the service of God I know not what such will yeild to be sufficient nor would I wish such any greater punishment for their being otherwise minded than that they were obliged to give a more rational account of this verse of the Apostle and likewise to enervate the force of this Authors reason here produced In confesse such is the vanity of mans mind that whilst he either not at all or very negligently hath regard to that Jealousie that God hath over his Worship as is frequently taken notice of in Scriptures is apt to think of these fictitious Ceremonies of Worship as very indifferent and harmless matters for who could of a sudden think there is any good ground of making such