Selected quad for the lemma: word_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
word_n	faith_n	rule_n	tradition_n	3,406	5	9.4140	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47873	Interest mistaken, or, the Holy cheat proving from the undeniable practises and positions of the Presbyterians, that the design of that party is to enslave both king and people under the masque of religion : by way of observation upon a treatise, intitutled, The interest of England in the matter of religion, &c. / by Roger L'Estrange.	L'Estrange, Roger, Sir, 1616-1704.	1661 (1661)	Wing L1262; ESTC R41427	86,066	191

a Bold seditious Faction bidding defiance to the Civil Magistrate under the Churches Colours I find not any thing so Sacred in the Name of Presbyterian as to protect a Turbulent Party assuming that Appellation It will be urg'd that they do as little Justifie the Seditious as I condemn the Sober Presbyterian But to agree that point I 'l prove that the same Party for whom they plead and against whom I engage are no less Enemies to the King and People than to Bishops and which is more from their own practises and positions I 'l make it good Yet one would hardly guess this from their following Character As concerning their main and rooted principles they admire and magnifie the holy Scriptures and take them for the absolute perfect rule of Faith and Life without the supplement of Ecclesiastical Tradition yet they deny not due respect and reverence to venerable Antiquity They assert the study and knowledge of the Scriptures to be the duty and priviledge of all Christians that according to their several capacities being skilful in the Word of Righteousness they may discern between good and evil and being filled with all goodness may be able to exhort and admonish one another Yet they acknowledge the necessity of a standing Gospel-Ministery and receive the directive authority of the Church not with implicite Faith but the Judgment of discretion They hold the teaching of the Spirit necessary to the saving knowledge of Christ Yet they do not hold that the Spirit bringeth new Revelations but that he opens the eyes of the understanding to discern what is of old revealed in the written Word They exalt divine Ordinances but debase humane Inventions in Gods Worship particularly Ceremonies properly Religious and of Instituted Mystical signification Yet they allow the natural expressions of Reverence and Devotion as kneeling and lifting up of the hands and eyes in prayer as also of those meer Circumstances of decency and order the omission whereof would make the service of God either undecent or less decent As they worship God in the spirit according to the simplicity of Gospel Institutions so they rejoyce in Christ Jesus having no confidence in a legal Righteousness but desire to be found in him who is made unto us Rigteousness by gracious Imputation Yet withal they affirm constantly that good works of piety towards God and of justice and charity towards men are necessary to salvation Their Doctrine bears full conformity with that of the Reformed Churches held forth in their publick Confessions and particularly with that of the Church of England in the nine and thirty Articles onely one or two passages peradventure excepted so far as they may import the asserting of Prelacy and human Mystical Ceremonies They insist much on the necessity of Regeneration and therein lay the ground-work for the practise of godliness They press upon themselves and others the severe exercise not of a Popish outside formal but a spiritual and real mortification and self-denyal according to the power of Christianity They are strict observers of the Lords Day and constant in Family prayer They abstain from oathes yea petty oathes and the irreverent usage of Gods Name in common discourse and in a word they are sober just and circumspect in their whole behaviour Such is the temper and constitution of this party which in its full latitude lies in the middle between those that affect a Ceremonial Worship and the heighth of Hierarchical Government on the one hand and those that reject an ordained Ministery and setled Church-order and regular Vnity on the other hand Observation Here is much said and little proved onely a Pharisaical Story of what they are not and what they are that they are not as other men are and their bare word for all The Tale is well enough told to catch the silly vulgar that look no further then Appearances But to a serious person how gross and palpable is the Imposture In the main points of Doctrine they fully agree with the nine and thirty Articles and 't is but peradventure that they differ in one or two passages so far as they may import the asserting of Prelacy and humane Mystical Ceremonies Behold the mighty Subject of an Holy War the goodly Idol to which we have sacrific'd so much Christian blood Can any man imagine this the true and conscientious reason of the Quarrel Or that the middle way our Presbyter steers betwixt Phanaticism and Popery is the just measure of the Case But hear him on and he 'l tell ye the Party is Numerous as well as Godly VVithin these extensive limits the Presbyterian Party contains several thousands of learned godly orthodox Ministers being diligent and profitable Preachers of the Word and exemplary in their Conversation among whom there are not a few that excel in Polimical and Practical Divinity also of the judicious sober serious part of the people in whose affections his Majesty is most concern'd they are not the lesser number By means of a practical Ministery this way like the Leaven in the Gospel-parable hath spread and season'd the more considerate and teachable sort in all parts of the Kingdom and especially in the more civiliz'd places as Cities and Towns Observation It had been well our Undertaker had put his Orthodox and Learned Thousands upon the List for that Party is a little given to false Musters How many forg'd Petitions and Remonstrances what Out-eries from the Press and Pulpit in the name of the People when yet the forti'th part of them were never privy to their own Askings Of ninety and seven Ministers within the walls of London fourscore and five were driven from their Churches and Houses at the beginning of our Troubles And notwithstanding the monstrous Clamours which occasion'd the Conference at Hampton-Court in 1603. Arch-bishop Spotswood tells us that of above nine thousand Ministers but forty nine appeared upon the Roll that stood out and were deposed for disconformity Such a noise will a few Disturbers cause in any Society where they are tollerated Touching his Practical Ministery I 'l grant the Cause is much beholden to the Pulpit and that without the aid of Seditious Lectures I do believe the strife had never come to Blood But yet these Preachments did not the whole Business Do not we know what Craft and Violence hath been used to Cheat and Force the People what Protestations Covenants and Negative Oathes have been imposed upon pain of Imprisonment Banishment Sequestration Have not all Schools and Nurceries of Piety and Learning been subjected to the Presbyterian mode and many thousands of Godly and Reverend Divines reduced to beg their Bread because they would not Covenant yet all too little to procure either a General Kindess or submission to their Principles For the Reasons afore-going the infringement of due Liberties in these matters would perpetuate most unhappy Controversies in the Church from Age to Age. Let the former times come in and