Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	apostolical_a	church_n	tradition_n	4,989	5	9.5918	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28607	The history of Athanasius with the rise, growth, and down-fall of the Arian heresie / by Nathaniel Bacon, Esq.	N. B., 1598-1676.	1664 (1664)	Wing B350; ESTC R10044	126,487	235

affecting the repute of extraordinary insight in misteries of Divinity begin to fancy sublime doctrines and to be tellers of news of New Lights and others no lesse affecting curiosity become their admirers and followers nor was there formerly any power on earth to give a stop to such extravagancies For excommunication was become but a harmlesse noise in repute of many professors because the defection was so great that excommunication turned not men into the state of heathens and publicans but from a Church strait laced to a Church unbraced and thus Heresies flowed in amain in the third Century more then formerly they had done Which made that holy man Basil to mourn exceedingly and entring into a deep scrutiny for the Cause could find none other then Propter unius magni veri solius omnium regni contemptum Proem de Judic Decirt Ascet the contempt of Christs Kingdome men chusing rather contra Dominum imperare to be without rule then to be under Gods Rule This in continuance bred a second evil no lesse dangerous for the Church Sect. 4. then the other was derogatory to Gods honour which was a tide of Schisme For the first Churches in the Primitive times after the Apostolick Times expired were governed in their Atomes of Congregations gathered not out of other Christian Congregations as now-a-dayes but out of the heathens and they at the first consisted by the rule partly of the written word and partly of Apostolical Tradition And yet were those not independant as now the gathered Churches are but in cases of difficulty they had recourse to association of Councils who did not onely advise but impose upon the Churches and they also conscientiously did submit to conclusions determined by such Councils But in after ages when the Canon of the Scripture was compleated the rule then left was the Scripture Apostolical traditions and conclusions of Councils assembled upon occasion according to the ancient Custome unto which the Churches did still submit so long as the same were according to the Word of God But as touching the execution of such conclusions Sect. 5. the care was left by the Presbyters to some one of their number who had thereby the oversight of several Congregations within one Town or Precinct as the Congregations were more or fewer and unto these Overseers about these times the title of Bishop was given by way of eminency although it seems to me it was not strictly observed till the Council at Sardica whereof hereafter This Presbyter thus advanced Sect. 6. was ordinarily some Pastor in a principal City or Town from whence the Countrey received their first instruction in the profession of Religion and therefore the Church there might in some sence be stiled The Mother Church and he became so far intrusted by the Pastors and Congregations derived therefrom as to be allowed to advise in ordinary emergencies and in continuance by acceptance amongst the people gains such respect as his advice becomes unquestionable and at last Authoritative For that advice which to the wiser sort such as the Pastors are seems to be eminent to the inferiour sort of the Congregation will soon attain the esteem of an Oracle Such was the government of the Churches in those dayes Sect. 7. so long as the Grace of God went along in preserving unity of the Churches in their associations for council which was till about the beginning of the fourth Century For though errours and heresies were even from the beginning of the Primitive Times yet they never prevailed to maintain a publick Schisme in or against Councils till about the beginning of Constantines Reigne at which time heresies grew so boisterous as to put up head against Councils and no means now left to vindicate the same it pleased God for the maintaining of Unity and Purity of the Doctrine of Religion to raise up Constantine to own the Orthodox Doctrine Who accordingly endeavoured to give a stop to the growth of Heresie and Schisme though sometimes in an extraordinary way crossing the liberties as well of such as were truly conscientious as of others that were but pretenders thereto Soc. lib. 1 cap. 4. Epist Const ad Athan. Arian himself professing that he wondred at the madnesse of the Christians who herein fall short of the Morality of the Heathen Philosophers who disagree in multitudes of particular opinions and yet esteem one another for their Learning without breach of Common Charity And Constantine began this work well Sect. 8. but in progresse mistaking the right way to the end as will appear hereafter he did not prevail no further then to give a check to the present Schisme which neverthelesse afterwards taking more root kept its possession in the Churches and still doth and will continue so long as its original sin of pride doth or can peep forth although the zeal and industry of the Civil power may keep it very low For as God hath determined that every member of the Church shall live in a continual war within himself so also shall the Church have Heresies and Schismes that they which are approved may be made manifest But above all the rest of the Schismes arising within the Church wherewith it hath been tried two especially have exceeded the one befalling in the Eastern Churches which was that of Arius who indeavoured to pull Christ from his Throne by denying of his Divine Nature The other befel in the West I mean that of the Papal Supremacy with its appurtenances The first was iniquity bare-faced the second iniquity in a Mistery the second was a complement of the first and the first the fore-runner of the second Athan. A. pol. 2. Soc. lib. 1. cap. 3. Epist Alexand and Arius himself therefore by Constantine and by the Orthodox Churches in his first rising is called the fore-runner of Antichrist CAP. II. Of Arius and the Arian Heresie in its Original THe Arian Doctrine though in the issue branched into many errours Sect. 1. yet all in the main tended against the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ some of that Sect plainly denying the same others by implication and being of more moderate temper then the rest seemed to make the difference but small and might well be reconciled by the change but of one letter of the Greek Alphabet which if taken from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies that Christ is of the same essence with the Father which the Orthodox did assert 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if put into the word signifies that Christ is of like essence with the Father which the moderate Arians did maintain but the Orthodox would neither add one letter to their faith nor would the Arian part with one letter from theirs and so the difference continued and that so successfully on the Arian part that within the space of one thirty years Basil complained that the whole world was turned Arian This Heresie had its denomination from Arius