Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	believe_v	faith_n	know_v	1,475	5	4.2406	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85986	The libertine school'd, or A vindication of the magistrates power in religious matters. In ansvver to some fallacious quæries scattered about the city of Limrick, by a nameless author, about the 15th of December, 1656. And for detection of those mysterious designs so vigorously fomented, if not begun among us, by romish engineers, and Jesuitick emissaries, under notionall disguises ... (politicæ uti & ecclesiasticæ. axiom. Arabic.) Published, by Claudus Gilbert, B.D. and minister of the Gospel at Limrick in Ireland.	Gilbert, Claudius, d. 1696?	1657 (1657)	Wing G702; Thomason E923_4; ESTC R202210	61,982	75

quote them It was the commendation of Asa and his people 2 Chron. 14. 4 5. 2 Chron. 15. having been stirred up by the Prophet they acted further vers. 12 13 14 15 16 putting down the Idolatrous Queen-mother with her Idoll for which they were signally blessed Qu. 5. If a Father or Magistrate have not power to force a Virgin to marry one she cannot love whether they have power to force one where they cannot believe against the light and checks of their own consciences Ans. 1. The Discourse hitherto hath been concerning acts of the outward not of the inward man whereof Believing is one wherein the Magistrate hath no power nor authority neither {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} nor {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as is confessed by all So that the question as worded is but captious and impertinent Yet if by Believing the Querist means profession of faith or practise of religious duties required of the outward man it 's answered That though a Father or Magistrate have no power to force a Virgin to marry one she cannot love yet hath the Magistrate power to force one where he cannot believe though against the light and check of his conscience Because 1. A Virgin before contract is not bound to any one person for a husband but every soul under Gospel-publication is bound to own Christ for a husband and his Word written for the Rule of their faith profession and practice 2. Though God allows Virgins to chuse their husbands yet doth he not allow men to chuse any Religion besides his own 3. As the Magistrate hath power to restrain forcibly all women from fornication and adultery and punish them for it so may and should he restrain all persons from spirituall fornication and adultery committed by the outward man and punish them for the same though the light and checks of their consciences should erroneously justifie them in their said fornication and adultery seeing no plea of conscience can be on any account a sanctuary to any sin or breach of Gods revealed will The Scriptures formerly named do sufficiently clear this truth We meet next with an Objection proposed by the Querist to be answered by himself drawn from Luke 14. 23. which being but a man of clouts for himself to skirmish withall and not so pertinent to the point in hand as more weakly asserting the Magistrates power we wave that we may come the sooner to more express matter for demonstration by this Querist cavilled at Qu. 6. Whether the servants of the Lord are not forbidden to strive but to be gentle towards all 2 Tim. 4. 2. Ans. 1. We readily grant it and that it was of force of old when transgressours of the first and second Table were most severely dealt withall 2. The Scripture quoted saith nothing for their purpose in that 1. It speaks not of Magistrates but of Ministers duty properly as appears by the whole context directed to Timothy a Minister of Christ as a directory for the Ministry 2. Though it should be applied to the Magistrate yet will it not exclude his civil Jurisdiction and power as it excludes not the Ministers the scope of the place signifying to us that none of the Lords servants should strive for any evil matter nor in an evil manner though for good but against evil in a good manner as Jud. 3. 4. Gal. 2. 11. Neh. 13. Rom. 13. 4 5 6. For this they are commended Rev. 2. 2 3. For the neglect thereof they are rebuked Rev. 2. 14. 20 21. Rev. 3. 13 16. To this duty they are also often stirred up both in their civil and spirituall relations It becometh not Christian Magistrates to be cowed in Christs Cause nor to betray the same by cowardliness or by respects Prov. 20. 8. Exod. 32. 20 26 27 28 29 30. Rom. 13. Zech. 13. 2 3 4 5. Rev. 17. 16. Qu. 7. Whether the Saints weapons against errors be carnall or no 2 Cor. 10. 4. or whether the semi-independents were of that minde in the Bishops daies Ans. 1. To the first part Ministers weapons of whom the text properly quoted speaks are not carnall but spirituall and mighty through God of this minde were judicious Christians whether nick-named Independents or others in the Bishops daies as they are still 2. If we should grant it to include the Magistrates weapons we deny them to be sinfully carnall though we grant them to be civilly carnall and yet according to Gods Ordinance Rom. 13. 1 2 3 4 5. 1 Pet. 2. 13 14. Qu. 8. Whether it be not in vain for us to have Bibles in English if even against our souls perswasions from the Scriptures we must beleeve as the Church or Parish beleeves Ans. 1. This Question is impertinently proposed to Protestants who deny either Church or Parish to be the Rule of their faith however it may be among the Papists and all Pharisaicall professours of implicite faith and blinde obedience 2. The Scripture must therefore be translated into all Vulgar tongues that every man may thereby learn to know and discern what the Church and we ought to beleeve and to conform his belief thereto Conscience is to be enlightned and quickned by Gods light in Scripture that our faith may not be pinned upon any mans sleeve but that all as the noble Beraeans may try all Doctrines by the Word bringing all to the Law and to the Testimony that thereby their dark mind may be gradually directed through that light which shines in the Ministry of Christ and the Church and their mistakes rectified Wherein their judgements may possibly differ they are to enquire soberly diligently and submissively till satisfaction be mutually given and received But this takes not off the Magistrates power in commanding the outward man about things clearly revealed in Scripture witness Peter Paul and all the Scriptures before quoted Qu. 9. Whether our Magistrates and Governours be not wronged to give them the Titles of Civil Magistrates only if their power be spirituall Ans. 1. The Magistrate is not wronged thereby seeing his Power is not spiritual but civil though sometimes imployed about spiritual things 2. Our Magistrates are truly called Civil because the means and manner of executing their Office their Laws and Arms their Proceedings and Courses their Rewards and Punishments are all Civil only and not Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall Though their object is sometimes spirituall as in things of the first Table So that it s their duty to reduce all to Gods honour and therefore to maintain and observe his will revealed being Custodes utriusque tabulae uti Vindices Keepers and Defenders of both Tables to regulate the externall man accordingly They act politically about Ecclesiasticall things as Constantine the Great said of himself and as becomes the Nursing-Fathers of Gods people Their charge is to be the Shepheards of Nations as that great Prince is styled in History Their

All his Titles of honour mind him of duty and trouble But his great comfort is that God himself takes the best share thereof in whose stead he acts To act for God and with God like God and through God is his honour and happiness Christ himself suffered much more than all that comes to But what if his conscience should afterwards check him for mistakes therein The sure way to prevent horrors of conscience is to be diligent in the Lords work that our respective Callings do challenge from us Sin is the great disturber of conscience especially that darling sin which hinders from Gods work by taking from our heart what is due to him Every trouble proceeds from the want of Gods grace given or manifested He meets them that rejoyce in working righteousness those that remember him in his waies Retort the Query you may thus then What horrors of conscience shall that Magistrate feel that hath minded himself in neglecting God that hath been zealous for Civil affairs but frozen to the Lords interest that hath done much for the world but little for heaven that hath been carefull of the subjects bodies but careless of their souls that thought no cost too dear for their earthly priviledge but every little too much for spiritual help Qu. 12. Whether imprisonment or other corporal punishment would not make thousands in England Scotland and Ireland face about to any Religion yea to Popery as it did in Queen Maries daies Ans. What of all this because many have their Religion to chuse shall not the Magistrate discharge his duty for their good Is there not so much the more need he should be so much the more watchfull against jugling Mountebanks because so many are so easily fitted to their baits The corruption of mans heart that disposes him to evil and indisposes him still to good should be the more carefully looked after for restraining of that which cannot be renewed External Reformation is better than none at all though the chief part of Gods sacrifice is still the heart of man yet is it not much better that God should be publickly owned than disowned The greatest number will be the worst still till the great restawration come Yet when the leaders do bring their people to solemn owning of God he takes it kindly and rewards it Was it not so in Josias and Edward 6th time a form of godliness is good though formality be naught If the generality be brought to the means of grace they are in the road of Christs blessing Had not the poor man waited long at the pool of Bethesda he had not been cured It 's good being in the Lords way when he passes by to give out his doles How many thousands were the better for crouding after Christ and his Apostles though most for the loaves or novelty sake But let 's hear what the Querist Objects to himself Obj. 1. We would willingly suffer the Truth to be preached but those that we persecute do teach erroneous doctrines which hazard the souls of men Ans. He answers The guilt thereof lies upon the Teachers conscience not on the Magistrate or any other as Matth. 5. 19. Whosoever shall teach men so he shall be least in the Kingdom of heaven Reply Is not he also guilty that prevents not evil when he may What else means that of Paul Be not partaker of other mens sins Are there not sins of omission when we reprove and discountenance not evil The very light of nature taught the Heathens to say Qui non vetat peccare dum potest jubet Had not Austin just cause to complain so much of his other mens sins Is the Physician guiltless that willingly suffers his patient to be poysoned by Mountebanks Is the Watch-man blameless that warns not and keeps not the thief off Is the Gardiner faultless that suffers carelesly the weeds to choak the good plants Is that Officer faithfull that lets an enemy wittingly to debauch and ruine his souldiers Is that Magistrate faultless that suffers his people to be seduced by pernicious Praters without check Will Christ excuse the rest when he condemns the false Teacher Doth he absolve the accessory that punishes the Principal What shall he be in the Kingdom of hell that teaches men to break the greatest commands if he shall be least in the Kingdom of heaven that teaches men to break the least of them Is not he a breaker of Gods command that gives free licence to the notorious transgressors thereof He that is not with me is against me saith the Lord himself Obj. He Objects to himself again The Kings and Governours of Judah compelled men to serve the Lord therefore Kings and Governours may now compell Ans. 1. He answers They that lived under the Jewish worship were compelled only strangers were not Reply We reply As the Jewish worshippers so now the Christians are then obliged to the Law of that worship they profess Indeed for Jews Turks and Pagans the case may differ somewhat Yet though strangers were not compelled to the worship they were to be restrained from abusing it any way witness the fourth Command that injoyns all superiors to see that the Sabbath be not profaned by the stranger within their gates Nehemiah that zealous and truly Noble Governour threatned the Merchant-strangers with imprisonment if they came again to profane the Sabbath though but without the gates But what means this kind of answer Speak plain Do you disown the Name and Worship of Christ as too many of your comrades do in effect deny his Person and Office If you think much of being Christians tell us plainly what you are whether Jews or Turks Heathens or Atheists that we may know what to say to you Ans. 2. He answers secondly They were not compelled to any thing but what they knew and confessed to be their duty 2 Chron. 6. 12 13 14 15. Reply We reply Salomon indeed and their faithfull Rulers knew and confessed their own and their peoples duty in the great matters of Gods worship A good patern for all Christian Rulers to study it and profess it solemnly that they may as effectually engage their people to God and God to them He requires not a blind and lame sacrifice of implicite faith and obedience yet were still too many of that people ignorant in too many things though in the gross they owned Gods appointed worship They needed still teaching and quickning means as our people do still now Therefore godly Jehoshaphat made it a chief part of his Reformation to send abroad Teachers into all vacant places and with them his Princes to countenance them and to cause them with vigor and comfort to teach as the Hebrew elegance imports the good knowledge of the Lord When they had been orderly instructed then did he send Judges in their circuits to proceed further in that great Work as