Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	bind_v	law_n	nature_n	1,568	5	5.4669	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19461	A modest and reasonable examination, of some things in vse in the Church of England, sundrie times heretofore misliked and now lately, in a booke called the (Plea of the innocent:) and an assertion for true and Christian church policy, made for a full satisfaction to all those, that are of iudgement, and not possessed with a preiudice against this present church gouernment, wherein the principall poynts are fully, and peaceably aunswered, which seeme to bee offensiue in the ecclesiasticall state of this kingdome. The contentes whereof are set downe in the page following.	Covell, William, d. 1614?	1604 (1604)	STC 5882; ESTC S108881	174,201	234

lawes and ordinations commaund to bee done by vs wherein to refuse what hath beene the practice of former times onelie because it was proportionable to that age is ouer well to esteeme of our selues and rather to hazard an opinion of singularitie then to bee thought wise Besids if Iacobs vowe at such time as hee tooke his Iorney towards Haran was that if God will bee with mee and will keepe me in this voyage which I am to goe and will giue me bread to eate and clothes to put on so that I may returne to my fathers house in safetie then shall the Lord bee my God and this Stone which I haue set vp as a Piller the same shall bee Gods house and of all thou shalt giue mee I will giue vnto thee the tithe be a rule not onely of prescription but an example of warrant what ought and is fit to bee done by vs in the like case Doubtlesse wee are no sooner to think of Gods protection and his blessing of our increase but withall to think of the furtherance of his worship and that not the least effectuall to this end is our iust and liberall paying of our tithes Wherein if vowes be but a more speciall obligation of our dutie in those things which religion generallie doth require at our hands it must needs seeme equall and iust both for others who are free in the like case for to vow the like and for those who alreadie by lawes stand boud to the same duties to performe them sincerelie and with much truth Now this which nature taught vnto the heathen themselues making tenne that portion which they paid for deuine tribute the law after by Moses imposing equally vpon all euen by this meanes the poorest among them yeelded equallie the same proportion as the greatest did in affection peraduenture much more It was to them an vndoubted assurance that in Gods sight from whom all good is expected concerning acceptation and protection they were all one and that this thus bestowed was not lost but that the remainder was sanctified by this meanes and that God receiuing a part vndertaketh to blesse all And doubtlesse if we were as vertuously inclined either to depend vpon God for new blessings or humbly to giue thanks for those we haue alreadie receiued as sometimes the Iewes were wee must needs account our tithes a hedge and a wall to the rest wee possesse besides For these being truely brought into the storehouse that there may be meate in my house proue if I will not saith God open vnto you the windowes of heauen and powre downe vpon you an vnmeasurable blessing So that although the Church bee now free from the law of Moyses yet because nature hath taught men to honour God withall that they possesse and the scripture hath left vs an example of that particuler proportion which for Morall considerations hath ben thought fittest by him that could best iudge and seeing the Church hath entred into the like obligation long since it must needs bee a question altogether supersluous to dispute whether tithes bee a matter of diuine right For doubtlesse that which lawfully whilst it was ours wee might retaine now being once by our own consent for that which our fathers did the law accounteth to bee our act alienated from our selues wee can no more warrantablie retaine backe then Ananias the price of those possesions whereof voluntarilie hee made sale for the Apostles vse for they no sooner by alienation passe from vs but the propertie being altered God for euer after doth account them and recken them to bee his owne Whose tribute either to diminish or to wash and to clip that coyne whervpon God hath placed his owne marke must in the end proue heauie and shal be punished as the robbing of God himselfe And therefore least any man should challenge a proprietie by any interest in these things the lawes doe account them the possessions of none The vertuous consideration whereof made those princes memorable and famous which tooke vpon them inuiolablie to defend the Churches right whereas the bold prophanation in others puld downe the wals of their kingdome and their hands were ouer weake to rule those scepters committed to them because before they were vnhallowed and poluted by presumptuouslie aduenturing for to robbe the Church Wherein the resistance of some inferiours in this case were of a little merit if nature had not taught all men to abhor Sacriledge For this alone ouerturneth Kingdomes when souldiers are made rich by the churches spoiles And these for the most part as a wise man noteth suffer both the miserie of beggers and the infamie of robbers seeing then the indowment of our church for the continuall supplye and reward of the Clergie aryseth from some lands but principally from Tythes and these well and conueniently alotted by former Kings to giue maintenance both to Colledges which may breed deuines as to Cathedrall Churches where deuines after their paines may well rest both places beeing the rich storehouses of learned men seruiceable to the Church for many vses it cannot bee but an intention of ouermuch enuie and violence to seeke inconsideratlie an alteration and impouerishing of these honourable allowances for these places by which in the end all feruent studie of deuinitie in the best dispositions must needs perish so that if men had as much freedome to alter and diminish the liuing of the Church as of other persons yet no man can think it safe nor possible for a Ministrie to continue learned in that kingdome long when other professions grow rich and the reueneues of the Church faile Tithes then beeing a dutie wherevnto all men are now bound both by law of nature deuine positiue and a vertuous voluntarie obligation to the Church wee can see no great reason in the refusers of them why they shoud either altogether bee kept back or else bee alienated to other ends For where the law of nature requireth a sufficient maintenance for the Minister the law positiue being a determination of the former alloweth the tenth to bee the best proportion wheerein if this bee remembred that the maintenance bee sufficient we doubt not but the prince may determine the tenth or the fift or any other number to bee the measure Yet surelie stronger reasons and of more equalitie in all ages haue beene found for the tenth then for any other number besides that tenne being the perfection of all number and this dutie as it were a quit rent to him that is the author of all perfection as it is or hath beene moderatlie conuenient to maintaine those whom hee imployeth in that businesse so most fitly it is answereable to his owne perfection And if the bond of allowance arise from the benefit which wee receiue at their hands whom Gods ordination for our good imployeth in that kind it must needs follow that the tenth vnder the law being the proportion which the Clergie had there is small

and people and would deuide all liuings among their Elders Decons whom they appoint to be paymasters of their Pastors if either I charge them with vntruth or any indifferent vnderstanding can thinke this not danngerous to the Church and the Commonwealth let their petitions haue successe their complaints haue audience their cause finde fauor and in that one Act let Religion the Prince peace and all vtterly perish I omitt first fruites Tenthes subsides cōtributions of Ecclesiasticall persons all which are graunted by the lawes vnto the Prince of this Land all which by thē are accounted sacriledge and robberie and left wholy to the disposition of their polliticke Consistorie and where as as wee shall haue occasion to handle heareafter some special men in particular cases both in equitie and conscience are to be exemted by priuiledge from those lawes that doe binde all a power only reserued to the Prince himselfe These hould all dispensations vnlawfull and howsoeuer they fauour it in themselues no lesse than superstitious and Antichristian in others A thing doubtlesse of much vse and great necessitie in all kingdomes and of no daunger at all where the King is vertuous Whilst the true consequēts of their false opinions haue taught the world that these and such like derogations of the Kings authoritie haue beene maintained in that vnlearned Schoole they labour to make all men beleeue that Princes haue not more honest Religious and loyall Subiects than they are A thing surely by experience neuer to be found so longe as they haue entered vnder pretence of Religion to become abbaters and disposers of the Kings Reuenewes as if he that were gouernor of the Church and the Commonwealth were bound in dutie by power and reuenewe but to haue care of the Church only a Diminution of all greatnesse is affected by thē that by the disposition of that which they esteeme to be the superfluitie of all States necessarie defences and moderate Ornaments may all faile to make them rich CHAP. II. The Church visible of all other Societies is fittest to haue a Discipline but neuer the same that some men desire TO thinke that either the Church how putrified soeuer the Religion be be in so good a case for gouernment that nothing can either be added or taken away to make it better or that the same societie how much soeuer disordered be to be altered by priuate warrāt is very daungerously and apparantly to erre in both The first being the effect of too much flattery and self loue the latter the daungerous attempt of an insolent presumption both hazardous to that holy Societie whom either they thinke for gouernment to be absolute or absolutely to be gouerned by their owne fancies In these two Errors the difference is this that they first may easily erre in thinking that to be best which Experiēce hath taught them to be good in the latter there is lesse excuse because they mislike all whatsoeuer may not be esteemed to proceede from their owne deuice that there is a gouernment requisite for that Societie which we call the Church the wisdome of God hath made knowen vnto vs both by proportion of those naturall and Ciuill Societies to which the Church is compared and by the perfection of that fellowshippe which the Saints in all ages and places where the true worship of GOD hath preuailed haue had from the foundation of the worlde amongst themselues The first roote of humane Societie as being impossible to continue without order is distinguisht by God himselfe into seuerall degrees and prerogatiues of Husbands Parents Maisters aboue Wife Children and Seruants and yet all linked in the mutuall agreement of like dueties The greater Branches that rise out of these rootes Cities countries and kingdomes are neither destitute of lawes to prescribe nor Magistrats to execute for the common good all receiuing dignitie and strength from this fountaine that by the benefit of Good lawes they are well gouerned If men were of themselues either willing or constant in that which were good It were needles to haue a discipline for all where euery mans vertue were a lawe to himselfe but seeing our corruption is such that we are easily deceiued by our selues more easily seduced by others but most and most daungerously peruerted through feare and desire the one to spurn vs that we goe not too flowe the other to bridle vs that we runne not too fast there is a line both to direct and to amend necessarily limited to all sorts and this in due season lest disorder indured bread confusion the fore-runner of all ruine Seeing then the Church of Christ is the house of God the Citty of the liuing God the kingdome of his beloued Sonne can wee thinke that he is careful for others and carelesse or negligent for his owne or that disorder is lesse daungerous or lesse to be feared in the Church than in the Common-wealth surely hee that in all places is the Author not of confusion but of peace will haue all thinges performed decently and in order for the Gouernment of his Church To this ende hee appointed Stewardes oouer his houshold Watchmen and leaders ouer his flocke laborers in his haruest Husbandmen in his Tyllage and being proportioned to a bodie maketh some to bee Eyes Eares Tongues Handes that is principall members for directing and assistance of the whole without which in all reason it must needes be vnable to prouide for the safetie and securitie of it selfe so that the Honour or happinesse had beene small to haue made it a Church vnlesse this likewise had beene added To haue made it a Church that is well Gouerned for the vnitie of of the Spirit is not kept but in the bande of peace This Regiment of the Church is as well Extelternall as Internall The latter is that gouernment which God hath by his holy Spirit and truth in the hearts of the faithfull which as it is neuer varied so it is not questioned amongest vs in the Church of Englande By this which is the Kingdome of his Sonne all men confesse that GOD inwardly and effectually worketh in his Saintes the Faith of his truth the feeling of his grace and other spirituall blessinges according to the purpose of his will for the praise of his owne Glorie in which no earthly creature is able to ioyne or to concurre with him sauing only in this that the Word and the Sacraments being left as externall meanes there must be fitte persons for both and a power in them to admitte and reiect lest happily holy thinges be defiled whilst Pearles are cast vnto Dogges and Swine From hence ariseth a necessitie of externall Gouernment in Gods Church which respecteth the appointing of meete men and the due approbation of such as are to be credited with the free dispensation of such inestimable Treasures committed to their Charge In this whilst all men agree that it ought and many that are religious are desirous that

as much as may bee to mitigate the euils that when the best things are not possible the best may bee made of those that are Wisedome will rather tollerate some euill in A forme of gouernment that is tryed Than in a Gouernment vntryed to stand to the hazard of a farre greater It is the honour of all Kings that which is the Title of the Princes of this Land to bee as they are called Defendours of the Faith and this not onely in regard of Enemies abroad but in respect of those also which desire alteration at home oftentimes A hope of ease giueth men that iustly suffer occasion to complaine whose discontentments how lamentably soeuer diplayed are not alwaies the euidences of true griefe nor euer the argumentes of a iust wrong For doubtlesse let a Church bee as well gouerned as euer was any eyther in or before the Apostles time Let Moses and Aaron both labour to make it Excellent Let Dauid and all his Counsellours aduise for the good of it yet she shal neuer want those within the bosome of her who eyther wearie with that which is auncient or in loue with some newe deuise of their owne are readie to depraue that Gouernment which they ought for to reuerence as being the Orders of that Societie wherevnto in all dutie they doo owe obedience There will euer bee some Corah Dathan and Abiram to tell Moses and Aaron that they take too much vpon them Such is the frailtie of humane nature and so great our vnwillingnesse to liue in subiection to the gouernment of other men That wee will rather hazard an opposition to God himselfe than haue our Zeale to bee guided by the limits of any Lawes doubtlesse those that are thus proud may iustly suspect that GOD hath not placed them as workmen in the reformation of the External gouernment of that Kingdome whose foundation was first laid with so much humilitie This if the first authors of these troubles had well considered they would not in a matter of so great Consequent haue allotted the power and authoritie of alteration vnto the violent and vnlimited passions of the rude multitude a thing in it selfe as without warrant so incredible almost to haue proceeded from men that were furnished but with common sence Could any thing sound more pleasing to the lowest and worst parts of a Kingdome Could any thing moue sooner to rebellion than to tell them that Reformation of Religion belongeth to the Communaltie that the Communaltie may lawfully require of their King to haue true Preachers and if he be negligent they iustly may themselues prouide them maintaine them defend them against all that persecute them and may detaine the profit of the Church-liuings from the other sorte If these strange opinions which must needes sound harshly in the eares of all Kinges had not dispersed themselues like a poyson into the veynes of this Kingdome the Authors might haue slept in silence and their hallowed treasons haue remained vntouched But seeing those who were sollicitours abroad are now so neere that they be daungerous perswaders at home it is a consideration not of small importance as well to looke at the Authors and the meanes with what pretences soeuer they are ouershadowed as at the thing it selfe neither much needfull nor verie safe And howsoeuer in humane reason we haue now lesse cause than euer to feare the daunger of this euill yet seeing no harme in a religious Kingdome with a vertuous Prince findeth as little resistance as that which is couered with the name of Zeale all men haue cause both to pray aduise and assist that the misteries of this euill the iust punishment for the contempt of his truth light not vpō vs in our dayes nor in the dayes of our Children that shall succeede after There is not any fancie grounded vpon so little truth that hath so speedely growne to that greatnes as the discipline of Geneua hath It is like in our Kingdome yet fit inough peraduenture for them vnto the Gourd that shadowed Ionas but of a small continuance and yet some great Prophets are content to rest vnder the shadowe of it wee shall easily forgett the Author of greater benefits vnlesse some Worme in mercie be sent for to eate it downe at the first in the Auncient Disputations against the Papists and Anabaptistes both in Fraunce and Geneua there could bee found but two essentiall notes of the Church The true preaching of the word and the right administration of the Sacraments but when some of ours were returned from Geneua they were not affraied to tell vs a strange opinion to be publisht by learned wise men That Maister Beza helde the Geneua Discipline the third note of the Church and of as much necessitie as the Sacramentes or the worde it selfe which thing if it were as soundly proued as it seemes it is constantly beleeued by them all men had reason to acknowledge them the Authors of much good and to aduenture themselues farre in the defence of it Out of this stronge opinion haue proceeded these vnreuerend speeches against our Land Englande with an Impudent forehead hath said I will not come neere the Holy one wee are neuer the better for her Maiesties reformation seeing the Walls of Sion lye euen with the Ground Rome is come into our gates Antichrist reigneth amongst vs Infinite are the speeches collected out of their owne writings by others in this kinde and yet for all this they would seeme both to flatter the Prince if so worthie a Prince could bee flattered and highly to commend her happie gouernment so many waies profitable both to the Church and the Common-wealth but whilst we charge them with Innouation a thing whereunto wise Gouernors must haue good regard One commeth forth with great boldnesse yet one of the weakest that hath laboured in this cause and saith wee craue no alteration in Religion but only that the things which are standing as they doe may be brought to the order of the Apostles vse and to the Canon of Gods holy word in those circumstāces which remain yet vnreformed Do you speake cōsideratly in this plea were all things that are desired by you and others vsed in the Apostles time Are they all warranted by the Canon of Gods word Doubtlesse if you had perused with any indifferency all the learned discourses of those that haue laboured in this you should easily haue found that most things demaunded and so much desired are new and that wee are not now absolutely tied to all these things that were in vse in the Apostles time It shall not be amisse howsoeuer it hath beene alreadie most learnedly performed by others to let them Vnderstand that the orders of the Church haue beene at times diuers Whereof some haue beene added some ceased and that wee are not absolutely tied to imitate the times that haue beene before in euerie particular the Church as it is Militant heere on earth liueth

to preach in that manner as they vnderstand preaching and of lesse profound learning then these great Reformers haue in themselues and doe wish in others are notwithstanding True Ministers Lawfully ordain●d and that the Church is not simplie faultie for admitting of these men to the performance of those duties Hereunto we add that seing Priuate Instruction and Exortation was the most vsuall kinde of teaching in the Apostles time both because Publicke authoritie did not fauour publicke Assemblies to this end and that simple men are better informed by priuate conference and considering the nature of profound Schollers is not altogether so easilie framed to goe from house to house to this purpose nor can if they had inclination and leasure probablie frame themselues to the small capacities of the poore people which notwithstanding greater imployments of the Church if they were willing would denie vnto them we rather chuse to haue them receiue Instruction from meane Schollers such as our Church admitteth not vnprofitably to that vse then wholie in expectation of great learned men to liue and die with no other Information then they heare at Se●mons So that touching those Arguments taken from the Principles of common right to proue that Ministers should bee learned as likewise those authorities of the Apostle aledged to that end because S. Paul req●ireth in a Minister abilitie to teach to conuince to distribute the word rightly because also the Lord himselfe hath protested they shall bee no Priests to him which haue reiected knowledge and because if the blind lead the blind they must both needs fall into the ditch wee hold it iust and requisite according to the lawes and statutes which the Scripture hath the Cannons that are taken out of auncient Sinods the decrees and constitutions of sincerest times the sentences of all antiquitie and the conscience of men that Ign●rance is a great sinne in those that haue taken vpon them the cure of soules But seing to furnish all places of Cure in this Realme it is not an armie of twelue thousand men that would suffiice nor two Vniuersities though both well stored can alwaies supply so many as decay in so great number nor the fourth pa●t of the liuings with Cure able when they fall to giue maintenance to learned men It must needs in reason bee allowed vnlesse the greatest part of the people should bee altogether left voide of the vse and exercise of Religion that a number must bee admitted into Ecclesiasticall Order which doubtlesse for learning are but meanely furnished For whatsoeuer wee may conceiue in our plots priuatlie in our studies or vtter to others to maintaine argument yet surely reason will tell vs that all vneuitable necessities considered besids eminent and competent learning wee shall bee forced for supply of this calling to discend a step which is neither but onely tollerable Wherein if hee that is Iudge for the allowance of those men shall finde them able to performe the seruice of publike Praier to minister the Sacraments vnto the people to solemnize Marriage to visit the Sick and burie the Dead which some fondly think to bee no part of the Ministers dutie to instruct by reading although by more learned preaching as yet they cannot wee hold in this case that the law of the Apostle is not altogether broken In this respect we obey necessitie which we know not how possiblie to auoide otherwise and of two euils make choice of that which is lesse dangerous seeing some inconueniences being tollerated in this it may notwithstanding be recompenced with greater good and if euen these men the lowest almost of the Clergie which our Church hath who are accounted by others to bee dumb and silent may and doe in some degree as profitably instruct their Parishioners as some others who of as meane gifts but of more audacitie then they dare take vpon them to expound and deuide the Scriptures by Preaching vpon some text whervnto notwithstanding they come nothing neere whereas the onely reading of Scripture in the other is properly to bee termed a Preaching what reason haue they with disdaine so to think and to speake of them for surely when the world most abounded with iust righteous and perfect men their chiefe studie was the exercise of pietie wherein for the safest direction they reuerently harkened to the reading of the law of God they kept in minde the Oracles and Aphorismes of wisedome which tended vnto vertuous life if any scruple of conscience did trouble them for matter of actions which they tooke in hand nothing was attempted before counsell and aduice were had for feare least rashlie they might offend wee are now more confident not that our knowledge is more but because our desires are an other way their Scope was Obedience ours is Skill their Indeuour was reformation of life our Vertue nothing but to here gladlie the reproofe of Vice they in the practice of religion wearied chieflie their knees and hands wee especiallie our eares and tongues wee haue grown to an intemperancie as one noteth that the desire of Sermons hath brought almost all other duties of religion out of tast and in these wee think onelie such to bee most excellent who are aptest to mislike what superiors in their wisedome aloweth and what the giddinesse of our fancies desire to haue chaunged These compared with the other which doe onelie read and yet are obedient to the Princes lawes are to receiue incouragement and alowance when as the other better learned paraduenture in small measure for their vurulie disobedience deserue neither For it is much better that the Church should want altogether the benefit of such mens labours then indure the mischiefe of their inconformitie to good lawes In which case if any by beeing put to silence repine at the course and proceedings of Iustice they must learne to content themselues with the answere of that wise Roman which hauing occasion to cut off one from the bodie of the common wealth in whose beehalfe because it might haue bene pleaded that the partie was a man seruiceable he therefore beegan his Iudiciall sentence with this preface The common wealth needeth men of qualitie yet neuer those men which haue not learned how to obey Now because neither any man in our Church taketh vpon him the defence of vnlearned Ministers nor the lawes of our land inclyne not to the fauoring of that defect as if wee expected no more of any then we allow in some It must needs bee a slander in them who think there are worthie men enough if they wer sought after both in the Vniuersities other where but while men are suffered to run and ride and catch before they fall many worthie men are passed ouer not knowne some are faine to bee schoolemaisters and some beecause of these troubles change their Audies First I desire this man to remember his owne words in another place If hee think there