Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	christian_a	church_n	religion_n	1,340	5	5.5492	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35694	The burnt child dreads the fire, or, An examination of the merits of the papists relating to England, mostly from their own pens in justification of the late act of Parliament for preventing dangers which may happen from popish recusants : and further shewing that whatsoever their merits have been, no thanks to their religion and, therefore, ought not to be gratified in their religion by toleration thereof by William Denton ...	Denton, William, 1605-1691.	1675 (1675)	Wing D1064; ESTC R16886	91,543	165

The Burnt Child dreads the Fire OR AN EXAMINATION Of the Merits of the PAPISTS Relating to England mostly from their own Pens IN Justification of the late Act of Parliament for preventing dangers which may happen from Popish Recusants And further shewing That whatsoever their Merits have been no thanks to their Religion and therefore ought not to be gratified in their Religion by Toleration thereof Numb 25.16 17 18. The Lord spake unto Moses Vex the Midianites for they trouble you with their Wiles Isaiah 45.20 They have no knowledge that set up the Wood of their graven Image and pray unto a God that cannot save By William Denton M.D.M.Q.R. LONDON Printed for James Magnes and Richard Bentley 〈…〉 Post-Office in Russel-street in Covent-Garden 167● Omnibus Christi Fidelibus Vt Causae Regis magnae Britanniae Franciae Hiberniae verae Antiquae Apostolicae Fidei Defensoris ejusque Parliamentorum Justicia toti Orbi Christiano Innotesceret THough it hath not been deemed prudent that Legislators should in their Acts and Sanctions render their reasons of them lest by so doing they might haply invite and court contradiction from some ill-affected thereunto which might prove derogatory unto their Supreme Authority by giving occasion to the governed to wrestle with their reasons rendred and alledged and if they should think though erroneously that they have resolved or confuted them they would then also think that they have taken all vertue and efficacy from the very Laws themselves Yet it hath ever been esteemed acceptable and good Service to Government it self that Subjects should defend the just Laws of their Princes and especially those wherein Religion is concerned And Religion being or ought to be the grand concern of every Individual I hope I shall not be thought to wander inconsiderately out of my own Province whilst I endeavour to justifie the late Act of Parliament for preventing dangers which may happen from Popish Recusants I must confess that I dare not adventure my Salvation or Damnation on blind obedience or Implicite Faith or on any Deputies Proxies Popes Priests or Fryars no● take their bare word without express warranty from Scripture especially being commanded to search them and thereby to try them that say they are Apostles and are not and being pre-cautioned lest by good words and fair speeches the Hearts of the simple be deceived Rom. 16.17 In which kind of Arts the Papalins are most expert I have exposed this Treatise to the consideration of all Christians but more especially of all Kings Princes and Governours not to implore their Countenance or Protection of any error that haply may be found herein that were not only unmannerly but injurious to Majesty it self If what is here written cannot be justified by its own truth and effort of sound reason let it fall to the ground and be obliterate for ever For no error or salshood or any false equivocating reasonings can ever be pleasing to the God of Truth and therefore ought not to be supported or countenanced by any sublunary Majesty whatsoever Justa ratio sapientem non possit offendere The chief aim and great design in this Publication is to justifie to all the Christian World His Majesties great Title of Defender of the Faith truly Antient Catholick and Apostolick by his ready compliance with His great Council his Two Houses of Parliament to put away the evil from this our Israel by this His Act that both this and future Ages perceiving it to have been grounded both on great reasons of State and true grounds of Religion all the World may be the better satisfied and his own Subjects may hear and fear and do no more so presumptuously It is the great duty of every individual Christian for Truth and Conscience sake but more especially of Gods Lieutenants on Earth even for necessity and reason of good government also nay even out of duty to him by whom they reign to maintain and preserve Religion in its purity For this very end God hath ordained Kings and Queens to be his Vicegerents on Earth and conferred greatness and Majesty upon them to make them Defenders nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers of his Holy Church in which Calling the greatest of them can never give a good account of this their Charge and Stewardship except it be by a constant watchful care in matters of Religion As it is not prudent in civil Politicks for any Prince to receive a great succour from a more purissant Empire so it is as imprudent for any temporal Prince or Power to indulge or countenance any Sects that own any dependence on a Foreign Head Ecclesiastical or Civil especially if Sworn to advance that Head and promote his Interest And such a Head is the Pope who claims to be superiour to all Princes to be exempt from all Controll and exempts his Ecclesiasticks from their subjection and obedience unto their natural Princes and whom if you will believe them they cannot chastise though they are rebellious that he hath Power over all and can deprive Kings of their Kingdoms that in any difference between the Ecclesiastical and Secular the judgment appertains to the Ecclesiastical as to the more worthy And as is the Pope so are his Papalins The same Hour they become his Proselytes they also become his sworn Vassals and Advocates Can it be other than an infinite prejudice done to the Authority of Sovereign Princes if they should but supinely permit or be constrained to change or but to suspend their own Laws at the Beck and Pleasure of another State or Interest passing from one Law to another or tacitely by conniving only to acknowledg that he borrows from any other any power of governing in matters Civil or Ecclesiastical and therefore but just and reasonable for Princes to secure their own power by wholsome Laws preventing all Popish influencies that haply by some Wiles or politick Stratagems might oppose them or interfere with them in order to gratifie and support their own interest contrary to the interest of those Princes whose Subjects they are The main Bane of true Church power hath been the great opinion that the Antient and first converted Emperors had of the Abilities piety and devotion of the Antient Fathers Ecclesiasticks which confidence begat in them supiness and negligence of their own power and that gave occasion and encouragement to the Popes and their Ecclesiasticks to usurp and encroach upon their Authority whilst they little regarded their own power which God had fairly stampt upon them consequently neglecting their duty as if they were to render no account to God for themselves or their Subjects as if the care and defence of Religion and Piety were the least of their concerns tolerating for their own interest the people to be deceived by suffering the Pope to set up new Orders and Rites under the umbrello of Religion but in reality for his own Empire and profit without considering that such Orders and Customs by tract of time

of Latria or Divine Worship his Image is to be adored with the adoration of Latria also which induces me to believe that that in Jeremiah ch 10. is as truly applicable to the now Romanists as to the Jews of old All which seriously considered and that though Supreme Magistrates have power moderately and in measure by wholsom Laws not by Fire and Faggot Tortures and Inquisitions to compel and to secure the true Religion and undefiled and their Realms professing the same yet I find no warrant in Bibliis Sacris for any power to tollerate and indulge any false Religion in their Dominions § Concerning which I shall say thus in general That though no mortal man hath rightful power to forbid Christs Spiritual Duties the Worshipping of God Preaching his Word and Truth yet I say first that no Indulgence ought to be given by the Magistrate to any Sect whtsoever whose Doctrins and Principles are not known and therefore none to Quakers and Enthusiasts whose Rule is not the Scripture but the Light within them which is darkness to others if not to themselves and it may be Hosanna to day and yet Chucifige to morrovv Then the Principles by vvhich other Sects do worship being known the legislative Magistrares whether Monarchs or Free States are the Judges of them how confistent or inconsistent with Gods true Religion and Worship and with the peace and wellfare of their own Dominions and Subjects and accordingly may or may not Indulge or Tollerate their Religion and Worship And therefore Princes ought to use great Caution and to be very wary and circumspect herein for that sins committed by others through our Example Instigation Connivnace or Tolleration become ours by just Imputation In Naboths death the Judges and false Witnesses were the next Agents Jesabel the Plotter only and Instigator 1 King 21.7 13 23. Yet she is punished for shedding Naboths Blood though her hand was not upon him Even in Courts of ordinary Justice it seems just and is so in our Law that not only the Executioner but the Plotter Abettor Instigator and Concealer of Treason be punished with death Yea see how far a less degree of participation brings guilt upon our Souls The Rulers amongst the Jews that but tollerated the breach of the Sabbath are charged to have prophaned the Sabbath Nehem. 13.17.18 Yea the least Countenance given to Idolatry makes culpable of Idolatry 1 Cor. 10.18 21. To this agrees the Prohibition of St. Paul Communicate not with other Mens sins 1 Tim. 5.22 And that command Lev. 16.17 Thou shalt rebuke thy Neighbour plainly and not suffer him to sin It is a Gospel-Principle that Gods Children ought to be careful not only to eschewe evil in their own persons but also to prevent it in othrss A notable Example we have in the people of Israel who well knowing that God was a Jealous God Deut. 4.24 Isa 42.8 and would not have his Glory communicated to others nor his praise unto Graven Images out of their abundant caution minding the concerns of their Brethren as their own when they heard Tidings how the Rubenites Gadites and half Tribe of Manasseh had Erected an Altar not for Worshipping as they truly protested but for Memorial so fearful they grew of Gods Wrath that they presently dispatched an Embassy to their Brethren to prevent their sin And see how pithily they deal with them Is the Iniquity of Peor too little for us from which ye are not cleansed to this day that ye also must depart from following the Lord Josh 22.17 Thus they in a shew only and appearance of evil which we are commanded to abstain from 1 Thes 5.22 and to resist unto Blood striving against sin Qui non vetat peccare quum possit Jubet Heb. 12.4 The Conclusion is strong What sins of others we labour not within our Province Power and Compass to prevent are ours in the guilt as well as those of our own personal Commission The Reasons are many 1. We hazard our selves to infection 1 Cor. 5.6 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump 2. Vnto wrath Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her Plagues Apoc. 4.3 We hazard the Delinquents to obstinate impenitency We blemish our own same and since●ity 5. Quantum in nobis we encourage others to like exorbitancy in sinful Worship even in our common Laws it is held maintenance when a great person only by his presence countenanceth a Cause Saints of old were regularly scrupulous and abstemious in this kind I have not sate with vain persons neither will I go in with distemblers I have heated the Congregation of evil doers and will not sit with the wicked Psal 26.4 5. Jer. 15.15.17 I sat not in the assembly of mockers nor rejoyc'd Did not Elias sharply repove King Ahab and the Commons of Israel for that error He did not say Why permit you not those that will to serve the Lord and those that lift to serve Baal But How halt you between Two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then fallow him 1 Kings 18.21 Since it is confessed both by Protestants and Papists That there can be no God save the Lord Psal 18.31 and he never meant to surrender any piece of his Glory Isa 48.11 but is so jealous of it that he will be served and only served with all our Heart and with all our Soul Deut 10.12 I reckon it cannot stand with a Magistrates duty to reverse this Heavenly Decree Thou shalt Worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Mat. 4.10 Deut. 6.13 with establishing Two Religions in the Realm And the first precept forbiding more Gods than one barreth all other services of the same God save that which himself hath appointed for himself His commands relating to his own Worship are very severe very strict He that is born in the House and bought with thy Money must need be Circumcised i. e. Observe the whole Law Gen. 17.12 So the charge of Keeping the Sabbath is had upon the Father of the Family for all that are within his Gate Exod. 20.10 The Lord commandeth That if any person Brother Son Daughter the Wife of thy Bosom or thy Friend which is as thy own Soul shall intice to Idolatry or any City shall set up a new Worship the one shall be killed the other destroyed Det. 13.6 9 12 15. To this belongeth that precept to seperate the pretious from the vile Jer. 15.19 and this viz. Not to sow the Field with divers Seeds nor to wear a Garment of divers things Lev. 19. ●0 So Moses Deut. 22.10 Thou sha't not plough with an Oxe and an Asse together which St. Paul thus expoundeth 2 Cor. 6.14 Be not unequally yoaked with unbelievers Which the Apostle demonstrates to be as absurd and monstrous as that righteousness shall have fellowship with unrighteousness or light to have communion with darkness or that

of God Jeremiah Ezechiel c. to the ruine of the City and Kingdom was the fault of Jehoiakim and Zedekiah And at this day it is the fault and folly of Christian Kings that suffer the grand Seignior of Rome to impose upon them and that the Church of Rome is not either reduced to her primitive truth and purity from which she is degenerated and brought to better confortymity vvith the truly Holy Catholick and Apostolick Church or else demolished as the Jewish Synagogue vvas § Gratian at his first entring finding all places full of Arrians and the Laws of Valence his Unkle making for them fearing some general Tumult if he should presently destroy so many gave leave That every Religion might have Churches and Oratories with Freedom and Immunity But being once settled and joyned with Theodosius he commanded that all Heresies should keep silence for ever as interdicted by the Law of God and Man That none should any longer teach or learn prophance Doctrin Cod. 1. Tit. 5. lege omnes The same prohibition did Arcadius and Honorius continue with great severity Let all Hereticks understand that all places must be taken from them as well Churches as other places and of private Houses also In all which let them be debarr'd from service both by night and by day the Lord Deputy to be fined 100 l if he permit any such thing in sight or in secret Ibid. lege cuncti Theodosius the younger and Valentinian his Cousin comprising a long Bed-roll of sundry sorts of Heresies appointed That no where within the Roman Empire their Assemblies or Prayers be suffered and that all Laws made to probibit their meeting should be revived and stand good everlastingly Ibid. lege Ariani The Papists in the time of Queen Elizabeth wrote divers Books and used many Arguments against the Oath of Supremacy and for a Tolleration of their Religion alledging the Examples of other Countries and admomshing Her Majesty that she must answer to God not only for things done by her command and knowledg but for whatsoever is done unjustly by her Name and Authority though she never knew thereof but Her Majesty respecting her duty and account that she was to make to God of all things done in the flesh whether they were good or evil denied to bear the burden of their wicked abuses and poisoned errors which no civil Magistrate can avoid that permitteth their sinful Masses and licenceth their wicked Rites because the seeing and suffering their Impieties having power to suppress and hinder them is a plain consent and in a manner an open Communion with their unfruitful works of darkness The downfall of Ely a dear Servant of God once a Judg in Israel for Connivence only and foolish Pity where even Bowels of Nature might seem if not to dispence with severeties yet to excuse his lenity Scriptures have Registred for our warning and terror And if Religion be not as meer a Fable as any in Aesop the greatest Governments in the World will one day be called to a most severe Account for their so doing § That other Countries and Kingdoms otherwise affected in Religion than themselves were nevertheless contented to suffer their service vvithin their Dominions prevailed not vvith Queen Eliz. she vvell considering that their doings could be no warrant nor discharge for her who was not to imitate the Vices but the Vertues of Princes Besides that in such tolleration they did well ought first to be proved before their Examples should be urged as they were in her days It being the duty of every Prince to consider and do what every Prince ought to do by Gods Law and not regard what other Princes please to do what seemeth best in their own Eyes And Her Majesty for so refusing to countenance their Religion deserved more countenance and protection with God and praise with Men for that in guiding her people she rather embraced Christian Piety than irreligious policie and chose rather to walk by Gods Precepts than by the ill Example of other Princes Besides Her Majesty well knew that amongst the Germans and Helvetians Examples in their Writings urged many Dukes Landt-graves Marquesses Counts yea Bishops Barons Abbots and Gentlemen had Regal Jurisdiction within their respective precincts And it is no news to see divers Laws under divers Lords and divers Religions under divers Regiments As for any other Countries or Kingdoms as Polonia Hungaria c. not able without Blood and War to reduce their Countries to the profession of the true Faith neither may we reprove them as negligent nor the Papists alledge them as warrantable Examples since not their own sault but other mens fore● keepeth them from attempting any redress by thei● Princely power which the Nobles restrain and th● Commons receive with this Proviso that their accustomed freedom of conscience be no ways prohibited nor interrupted Other Examples of Turks Pagans Arrians and the like are unfit for Christians David Josiah and other Kings of Judah are to be imitated in this not Sarazins Moses and other Holy Writers are very plain and positive against this dawbing with untempered Morter Exod. 23.13 32 33. Deut. 12.2 3. Deut. 13.6 Jor. 15.19 Deut. 12.10 Come out from among them and be ye seperate and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 6.17 18. Levit. 36.12 Isa 52. n. Was not the Church of Thyatira otherwise beautified with many Graces highly blamed for suffering the false Prophetess to teach and to seduce I know thy Works and Charity and Service and Faith and Patience all excellent Graces notwithstanding I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that Woman Jezabel which calleth her self a Prophetess to teach and to seduce my servants to commit Fornication and to eat things sacrificed unto Idols Rev. 2.19 20. which fearful Effects made Constantine to decree That all Temples of Hereticks should without any denial be overthrown and in no place publick or private should their Assemblies be suffered Jovinianus resused to govern those that were not sound in Faith Socrat. lib. 5. c. 1. The privateness of the place when the fact is ill acquitteth not the doer from sin nor excuseth the permitter from negligence No corner so secret no Prison so close but their Impieties there suffered do offend God infect others and confirm their own frowardness Private permission of error is unlawful as well as publick if Popish Religion be good Why should it lack Churches If it be naught why should it have Corners St. Patil hath put in a Caviat against that slight of permitting which in truth is consenting Rom. 1. Ely reproved his Sons yet was sharply punished of God for his Indulgence which is all one with Connivance 1 Sam. 2.22 St. John saith He that receiveth into his house or biddeth an Heretick God speed is partaker of his evil deeds Eph. 2 10