Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	authority_n	church_n	primitive_a	2,508	5	9.0550	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20729	The Christians freedome wherein is fully expressed the doctrine of Christian libertie. By the rt. reuerend father in God, George Downeham, Doctor of Diuinity and Ld. Bp. of Derry.	Downame, George, d. 1634.	1635 (1635)	STC 7111; ESTC S102215	96,431	253

no law that bindeth the conscience properly but only the law of God in which sense he is called our only Law-giuer and seeing we are freed from those lawes of God which determined those particulars which are neither commanded nor forbidden in the morall law of God it is plaine therefore that our conscience is free in respect of these things As for the lawes of men whether they be ecclesiasticall or ciuill they do not properly binde the cōsciēce because neither is simple obedience due vnto them neither can they make any particular which in respect of the morall law is indifferent as being neither commanded nor forbidden to be simply necessary The conscience of a Christian is exempted from humane power and cannot be bound but where God doth binde it And therefore the Apostle as he chargeth the Corinthians that seeing they were bought with a price they should not be the seruants of men which is not to be vnderstood of externall seruitude but of the bondage of the conscience and likewise the Colossians that no man should condemne them that is take vpon him to binde the conscience with guilt of sinne in respect of meate and drinke or holy-dayes so he reproueth the Colossans for obseruing the traditions of men with opinion of necessity as if the conscience were bound by them or religion were to be placed in them Herein therefore the Church of Rome is also an enemy to Christian liberty not only in burthening Christians with an heape of innumerable traditions and ceremonies but chiefly in imposing them vpon the conscience teaching that the traditions of the Church are with like reuerence and equall affection of piety to be receiued as the written word of God and that the commandements of the Church euen concerning outward things doe binde the conscience And although many of their ceremonies be wicked more ridiculous most of them superfluous yet so absurd they are as to impose them to bee obserued not only with opinion of necessity as binding the conscience but also of worship of perfecton of merit of spirituall efficacy Secondly by this liberty we are freed frō scrupulosity of conscience in respect of the creatures which are ordained for our vse the difference of cleane and vncleane which was made by the ceremoniall law being taken away Nothing ●aith our Sauiour Christ that goeth into the mouth de●ileth a man And Paul I know saith hee and am perswaded by the Lord Iesus that there is nothing common or vncleane of it selfe But this liberty is not only an immunity but also an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or power both in respect of the ordinances of men and also of the creatures of God For being freed from the ceremoniall and iudiciall lawes of God and therefore not tyed to any particular or certaine lawes which should determine the particulars not mentioned in the word of God herevpon ariseth a liberty both to law-giuers and those who are subiect to lawes The Law-giuers are not restrained to any particulars but haue liberty to ordaine such holsome either constitutions Ecclesiasticall or lawes ciuill as are not repugnant to the word of God Lawes there must be to determine the particulars not mentioned in the generall law of God for they are the very bond of humane societyes necessary for the execution of the lawes of God and for the maintenance of peace and order among men Neither can it be denyed but that as the iudiciall law being abollished it is lawfull for Law-giuers to ordaine ciuill lawes so likewise the ceremonial law being abrogated to establish lawes Ecclesiasticall Only the question is who must be these Law-giuers Surely not the Presbyteries of euery parish which neuer were in vse in the Primitiue Church but Synodes as appeareth by the perpetuall practice of the Church both in the Apostles times and euer since Synodes I say either prouinciall or nationall and those assembled either out of some nation or out of some more then one which some call Consilia media or lastly generall The authority of Synodes prouinciall and nationall hath alwayes beene of great regard though there want a Christian Magistrate to second and confirme them being both assembled and moderated by the authority of Metropolitanes and Arch-bishops but when both nationall Synodes are assembled and the Synodall constitutions ratified by the authority of the Soveraigne and that according to the positiue lawes of the land authorizing him so to doe I see not why men should not as well thinke themselues bound to obserue lawes Ecclesiasticall as Civill For though some make a difference betweene them in this behalfe because civill lawes determining particulars belonging to the second table cannot bee violated without breaking the second table whereas ecclesiasticall lawes determining particulars appertaining to the first table may bee broken without transgressing of the first table yet who seeth not the weaknesse of this distinction Seeing the second table is broken by disobeying the lawfull authority of superiors which wee ought to obey for conscience sake as well by transgressing the one as the other Superiours in the Church are to be honoured and obeyed by the fifth commandement and other Scriptures as well as superiours in the common-wealth And if their constitutions when they wanted the concurrence of a Christian Magistrate were of force in the Primitiue Church then much greater is their validity being confirmed by the authority of the Soveraigne and the Soveraigne authorized therevnto by Law The freedome of the subiect is that being freed from the yoke of the iudiciall and ceremoniall law hee may with a free conscience obey any other lawes whether Ecclesiasticall or Civill which being not dissonant from the word of God are or shall be imposed vpon him Which though it be a plaine and evident truth yet by some men it is not observed And as touching the vse of the creatures and of all things indifferent wee are to know that the right and dominion we had over the creatures which was lost in Adam is restored in Christ for all are yours saith the Apostle you are Christs and that not onely for Christians vnder the Gospell but also for all the faithfull from the beginning For we reade Gen. 9. that to Noah who was the heire of the righteousnes which is by faith the graunt was renewed and free vse of the creatures permitted Howbeit this freedome was by the ceremoniall law restrained not only after the giuing of the law of Moses but also before a difference being put betweene things cleane and vncleane which difference by Christ is taken away For no creature is vncleane of it selfe but every creature is good and nothing to be refused but may be received with thanksgiuing Yea of all outward things not forbidden of God which commonly are called things indifferent the Apostle affirmeth in generall that all things are lawfull and to the pure all things are pure By this liberty therefore