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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
word_n	deliver_v	scripture_n	tradition_n	5,820	5	9.6295	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85036	Truth maintained, or Positions delivered in a sermon at the Savoy: since traduced for dangerous: now asserted for sound and safe. By Thomas Fuller, B.D. late of Sidney Colledge in Cambridge. The particulars are these. I That the doctrine of the impossibility of a churches perfection, in this world, being wel understood, begets not lazinesse but the more industry in wise reformers. II That the Church of England cannot justly be taxed with superstitious innovations. III How farre private Christians, ministers, and subordinate magistrates, are to concurre to the advancing of a publique reformation. IIII What parts therein are only to be acted by the Supreme power. V Of the progresse, and praise of passive obedience. VI That no extraordinary excitations, incitations, or inspirations are bestowed from God, on men in these dayes. VII That it is utterly unlawfull to give any just offence to the papist, or to any men whatsoever. VIII What advantage the Fathers had of us, in learning and religion, and what we have of them. IX That no new light, or new essentiall truths, are, or can be revealed in this age. X That the doctrine of the Churches imperfection, may safely be preached, and cannot honestly be concealed. With severall letters, to cleare the occasion of this book.	Fuller, Thomas, 1608-1661.; Saltmarsh, John, d. 1647. Examinations. Selections.; Fuller, Thomas, 1680-1661. Sermon of reformation. Selections.	1643 (1643)	Wing F2474; Thomason .36[9]; ESTC R23497	61,984	103

He that sees far must either have a good sight or a cleare light and sure in this age wee have both Those errours which our Fathers saw for dimme truthes we see for Herisies so surely both our eyes and our light are better for the light which our Fathers have in their lamps can discover but so much to us as it did to them and we know our discovery is such as wee are able to see the shadow which followed them even that Mistery which was working in their dayes both in Prelacy and ceremony who will deny but that the cloud of Antichristianisme was thicke in their times and then the light could not be so glorious as now when those couds grow thinner and more attenuated by the preaching of the Gospel TREATISE To cut off all occasion and pretence of caviling wee will shew God willing in what respect the Fathers for knowledge excelled and exceeded us and in what respect wee modernes goe beyond them They had a threefold advantage above us 1. Of sight 2. Of light 3. and of a nearer object First Of a better sight Being men of eminent natural parts improved with excellent learning and to the Easterne fathers the Greeke tongue the language of the New Teastament was naturall so that it costeth us much paines and sweat but to come to the place whence they started Secondly Of a brighter light As their constancie in persecution was great so no doubt the heate of their zeale was attended with a proportionable light and heavenly illumination God doing much for them that suffer much for him Especially in those points wherein they encountred hereticks they were more then men and went beyond themselves as St. Athanasius against the Arians St. Augustine against the Pelagians and Donatists from whom our moderne Brownists differ no more then the same man differs from himselfe in new cloathes 3. Of a nearer Object They living closer to Christs times could therefore better understand the sence of the Church in the doctrine delivered to the Apostles Here we must know that Apostles and Apostolick men as they wrote Gods word in their Epistles and Gospels for the profit of all posterity so for the instruction of their present age they also * traditioned it in their Preaching by word of mouth to the people of those times not that they delivered any thing viva voce contrary or differtent from what they wrote or that as the Papists stile for their traditions they supplyed and enjoyned any thing as necessary to salvation which otherwise was wanting in the Scripture but the selfe same things which they wrote in the New Testament they also delivered in their Sermons and in their Preaching delated upon them wherefore the prime primative age having as I may say two strings to their bow Scripture and Preaching must needes bee allowed to have had the clearest apprehention of the meaning of heavenly misteries and as the children * of Israell served the Lord all the dayes of Iehossuah and all the dayes of the Elders who outlived Iehossuah who had seene all the great workes of the Lord which he did for Israell in like manner wee may conclude that the greatest puritie and the clearest light of the Church lasted so long as any within sight hearing or memory of Christ or his Apostles preaching or miracles did survive Now to hold the scales even we in like manner have a three fold advantage over the Fathers First a degree of experimentall light more then they had or could have having seene the whole conduct Mannaging and Progresse of Religion since their times whereby with a litle helpe of history a Devine who is under sixtie in age may be a bove sixteene hundred in experience Secondly we have the benefits of the Fathers bookes a mightie advantage if we were as carefull to use it to Gods Glory as we are ready to bragg of it for our owne credit And here I must complaine of many mens lazinesse Indeed a learned man * compareth such as live in the latter times in respect of the Fathers to Dwarffes standing on Giants Shoulders But then if we will have profitt by the fathers learning we must take paines to mount to the tope of their Shoulders But if like idle Dwarfes we still do but stand on the ground our heads will not teach to their girdles it is not enough to through the bookes of the fathers togeather on an heape and then making their workes our footestoolle to stand on the outside and Covers of them as if it were no more but VP and RIDE boasting how far we behold beyond them No if we expect to gett advantage by their writings we must open their bookes read understand compare digest and meditate on them And I am affraid many that least looke into the Fathers boast most that they looke beyond them Thirdly Wee have the advantage of a darknesse removed by Gods goodnesse from our eyes which in some matters did dimme the sight of the Fathers Namely the mistery of Iniquity which wrought in their times now is taken away in the Protestant Church That Bramble of Rome soone will it prick which will be a thorne which afterwards Lorded it over the Vine Olive and figtree beganne very timely to play his parte And the Man of sin then but an infant and every thing is pretty when it is yonge was unawares dandled on the knees of many a devout Monke and rockt in the cell of many an holy hermit who litle suspected that then voluntary sequestring themselves to enjoy heavenly thoughts would by degrees degenerate to be in after ages the cover of Pride lust and lazinesse Now seing this man of sinne is dead already in the Protestant Church and hath a consumption attended with the Hecktick Fever in all other places the taking away of Popish superstition may justly be accounted the third advantage which our age hath By the way we must take heed of a fault whereof many are guilty For some are ready to challenge every thing in the practise of the Fathers which doth not please them presently to be Popish and pretend they tast superstition in whatsoever themselves distast O say they the Fathers lived when the mystery of iniquity did worke and hence they infer that it is evidence enough without further tryall to condemne any cerimonies used by them because they were used by them The way indeede to make Short Assises but Perjur'd Iudges whereas it is not enough to say but to shew that they are superstitious to anotomize and dissect the Popery conteined in them demonstrating where it crosseth the word of God wheras on the contrary all wise and charitable men ought to esteeme the practises of the primitive Church not only to be innocent but usefull and honourable till they be legally convicted to be otherwise If any object that the Fathers had another disadvantage that besides the spreading of Popery other Heresies did also spring and sprout apace