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A61439 A profession of faith comprizing the ancient forms of the Catholick Church with other articles relating to the terms of communion with the present church of Rome / by E.S., an English Catholick. E. S., English Catholick.; Stephens, Edward, d. 1706. 1700 (1700) Wing S5436; ESTC R13750 20,568 25

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Ignorance and Error may be some Excuse for divers actual Vsurpations of the Civil Authority yet is all such Usurpation in it self more or less Sacrilegious and Impious and what may provoke some Secret Curse upon the Guilty tho' through Ignorance or Error especially if continued after Notice And for the Clergy to comply with it is to betray the Rights of the Church and of Christ himself But for any one to assert and maintain any such as Lawful or the Right of the Magistrate Heresie and a Betraying both of Church and State the one to Oppression the other into Sin and Divine Vengeance the Punishment thereof 9. That the Christian Religion was instituted and the Word of God taught and delivered to the World by our Saviour and by his Apostles by his express Command by Preaching and Teaching viva voce and Orders settled in the Church by the Apostles by Word and Deed and continued by Observation in Fact without Writing And whatever hath equal Evidence of Apostolical Authority is of Equal Authority whether Written as the Holy Scriptures or Unwritten the Writing adding nothing of Authority but only of Evidence as St. Paul himself exhorting the Thessalonians to stand fast and hold the Traditions which ye have learned whether by Word or by our Epistle makes no difference unless it be in preferring the Word before the Epistle And therefore since the Wisdom of God hath provided a double Evidence of things concerning the Christian Religion it is not true Piety but Impiety The Faith which Christians are eatnestly to contend for is that which was once delivered to the Saints Jud. 3 whether by Word or Writing v. 1 Cor. 11.2 23 15.3 2 Pet. 2.21 to reject either or set them one against the other and the common Practice of all Hereticks and Schismaticks even from the Apostles times as appears by Irenaeus and in all after-Ages to oppose the one and then pervert the other to their own purpose 10. That in Matters of common Faith and Manners and necessary Orders and Observances wherein the Churches founded by the several Apostles were by them ordinarily instructed and ordered viva voce and not by Instructions and Orders in Writing it is unreasonable to interpret the Scriptures contrary to the Sense and Practice of the Catholick Church and the approved Rule of Vincensius Lirinensis And in such extraordinary Matters as were not commonl● taught or ordered by the Apostles after the common Faith Tit. 1.4 or Matters of lesser moment to raise or maintain any Contention in the Church especially against the Authority is immodest uncharitable and unchristian The most questioned is Matrimony which being of so much Importance to Mankind instituted by God celebrated Solemnly in the Church with Imposition of Hands and Benediction of the Priest often by St. Augustin expresaly call'd a Sacrament might reasonably be allowed that Title at least by those who contend so much for Enjoyments of it contrary to the Custom of the Apostles and of the Churches of God v. 1 Cor. 11.16 11. That tho' there be no Catholick Tradition for any Difinite Number of Sacraments yet since by the Latin Churches it has been declared that there are Seven which are properly so called and it cannot be denied that they are all Means used with visible Signs or Significant Actions by Divine Authority to confer or obtain some special Grace it is great Insolence Uncharitableness and Indecency unbecoming the Profession of Christianity to raise or maintain a Contention against such Authority about the Number which may be differently computed to be either more or fewer by reason that Imposition of Hands and Vnction two very considerable Signs and of Divine Institution may be and are used for divers purposes But because there is no Evidence either of Holy Scripture or of Catholick Tradition that they were all particularly instituted by our Saviour I cannot believe that I could with a good Conscience and safely either swear or profess that they were or that such an Article can be made one of the Terms of Communion with any Church without exposing the Authority of that Church obstructing the Increase of the Kingdom of Christ and administring Occasion of Dissentions among his Subjects and incurring his Displeasure by an Act so unfuitable to his Example and Directions 12. That it is great Presumption and Impiety to reject or censure the received and approved Ceremonies of the Catholick Church used in the Administration of the Sacraments tho' they may not be generally understood For as Origen rightly observes In the Observations of the Church there are some of such sort that it is necessary that all observe them tho' the Reason of them be not apparent to all And God injoined the Observation of such Ceremonies even to Moses in doing of Miracles as few know the Reason of to this Day and yet had he not observed them undoubtedly the Effect had not followed Also that ordinarily all Rites Ceremonies Observations and Constitutions not only of the Catholick Church but of National Provincial and particular Diocesian Churches not disallowed by superior Authority ought reverently and religiously to be observed till they be regularly altered But special Care ought to be taken that the Divine Institutions which only are Essential and absolutely necessary be not confounded eclipsed or obscured by Multiplicity or Formality of any Additions of Humane Invention tho' it be very probable that in the Institution of them in so great Simplicity and the Records of them with so much Brevity there might be a Divine Design to leave Circumstantials and Matters of Indifference to the Ordering of the Church both to express her Devotion and to exercise her Authority and the Peoples Humility Submission and Obedience Graces very necessary to qualifie Souls for the Coelestial State and not so naturally improved as by Exercise under Creatures of the same Rank and Order 13. That the Word Missa in English The Mass was in the Latin Churches in the times of St. Augustin and St. Ambrose and before commonly used for what in the Greek Churches was called Liturgia that the Canon of the Mass which is the principal part is the most Ancient Form for the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist that is known to have been used in any of the Latin Churches more ancient than the times aforesaid and in common use in all or in most of the Latin Churches without any considerable Variations in all Ages since tho' there were divers Variations in other parts And that in the due Celebration of the Blessed Eucharist there is not only a Sacrament but also a * In this have with me besides the Authority of the Catholic Church in all Ages which Mr. Jos Mede hath sufficiently produced to my hand the concurrent Judgment of the most learned English Clergy ever since the first English Liturgy was composed Sacrifice commemorative of our Saviour's Passion and Sacrifice of Himself upon the Cross as effectual to all Intents and Purposes
for Christians as were any or all the Sacrifices of the Jews for them that therein is performed the most Solemn and Peculiar part of the true Christian Worship that accordingly it hath been held in great Veneration and much frequented with great Reverence and Devotion by a great Number of Saints and all the most Holy Christians in all Ages that the Opposition which hath been raised against both Name and Thing hath been raised through the Malice and by the subtile Energy or Operation of the Devil and that to deny the same is Heresie and to abolish out of the Publick Liturgy of any Church what doth import any thing of an unbloody Sacrifice Sacrilege and Anti-Christian Impiety v. Dan. 8.31 14. That the Commemoration of the Saints in the most Solemn Christian Worship is a common Practice of the whole Catholick Church of great Antiquity and immemorial Prescription without any known Beginning of very commendable Observation for the Communion of Saints which we profess to believe an Act of Charity Honour and Respect to them well-pleasing to God and beneficial ●● our selves in rendring Thanks to God for them with Prayers for our selves that we may follow their Example and have Communion Part and Society with them and a part in the Benefit of their Prayers and that to put that out of the Service savours of a Complication of very evil Humours as Superstition Arrogance Contempt of the Authority of the Catholick Church Affectation of Reformation Contention and malicious Reflection of Odium upon others and Separation from the Mystical Body of Christ of which they were most illustrious Members through the Delusion and Instigation of the wicked Anti-Christian Spirit who being overcome by them through Christ dwelling in them abhor all Acts of Affection and Respect to them and that their Triumphs should be celebrated to the Honour of Christ who is honoured in them and for whose Sake all is performed to them 15. Of this I have lately printed a Discourse dedicated to the Lord Chancellour and Judges That Prayers for the Dead departed in the Communion of the Church in this Solemn Worship is also a Practice of the whole Catholick Church of as great Evidence of Apostolical Authority as part of the Holy Scripture it self and other things believed and observed by those who oppose it Innocent Inoffensive Charitable Desirable opposed only upon the same Principles Motives Humours and Instigations with that last mentioned 16. That in the Holy Eucharist there is a Divine Change of the Elements from common Bread and common Wine by the Descent of the Holy Spirit at the Prayer of the Church whereby they are consecrated not by a meer Separation for a Sacred use but by an actual Sanctification and made the Body and Blood of Christ inriched with a Divine Power and Virtue for the Sanctification of the duly disposed Communicants But I cannot say a Transubstantiation because I find no Catholick Tradition for that in the vulgar Sense but rather the contrary as appears by that of Ireaeus duabus rebus constans coelesti terrena and the like in Theodoret and others nor doth it seem necessary or necessarily implyed in any words of our Saviour recorded in the Gospel tho' Cyril of Hierusalem Nyssen and some others may seem to favour it But if there be any proper Explication of it to a Sense truly Catholick I conceive it becomes not any private Person to contend with Authority about a Word only the vulgar sense of Transubstantiation I cannot subscribe to and doubt it is Scandalous and prejudicial to the Interest of the Kingdom of Christ especially to make it a Term of Communion 17. That for Communion in one kind in publick Assemblies and denial of the Cup to the Laity there is no Appearance of ●●y Catholick Authority but the quite contrary for above 1000 years even in the Latin Church and in all other Churches to this Day Nor was it introduced at first upon any good Deliberation and Consultation of the Clergy but as evil Customs and Abuses crep in insensibly That for any part of the Church to presume to impose it upon all National and Provincial Churches who have Authority to order such things as are lawful in themselves as they see most expedient for their own People seems to savour of great Arrogance unjust Usurpation and an Occasion of Disturbance in the Peaceful Kingdom of Christ Men of Wit and Parts may say much for any thing But in such matters it is good to consider whom we have to do with lest we betray our own Souls and the Church too which we pretend to serve by our Unfaithfulness to it as well as to our Lord to some Divine Judgment It is fit the Church it self should give Example to all if there be Occasion of Humiliation and giving Glory to God I can submit for Peace sake and out of respect to Authority to what I cannot approve but that will aggravate the Sin of those who abuse the Authority committed to them 18. That the Custom of attending at Mass without Communicating is not of any truly Catholick Usage or Authority but contrary to the most ancient Canons of the Church to the common Practice of the first Ages and to the earnest Exhortations of most Eminent Persons * It is very remarkable that the great Confusions in the Greek Churches and Decays of true Piety in the Latin soon issued after their Neglect of frequent Communion began as if by a special and appropriated Judgment of God To be prelent and not communicate was anciently one so●t of Penance both of the Greek and Latin Churches proceeded from Decays of Devotion at first and hath produced greater seems to savour of Disrespect to our Saviour and to be very prejudicial to his People being an implicit refusal of Communion and Confirmation of the Holy Covenant with him which is implicitly comprehended in the Act of Communion and an inconsiderate and ingrateful Neglect of a most Holy and effectual Means of Grace most graciously offered to them so that as by what was last mentioned they are deprived of part by this they are defrauded of the whole And in both the Subtilty of the Serpent is much to be suspected 19. Nothing seems more likely to have provoked so severe a Judgment of God upon this Church by Hen. 8. than the Severities before-exercised upon People for what was commended in and by the ancient Christians Reading and Teaching the Scriptures c. in a Language they understood That to keep the Publick Offices of the Church and the Holy Scriptures in a Language not understood by the People hath no Apostolical or true Catholick Authority but is directly contrary to both was at first the Effect of that Alteration of Languages which Wars and other Occurrences produced not only in the Latin but Greek Churches also and is still so continued in both and others besides which were it through Negligence seems hardly excusable much less