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	faith_n	good_a	1,015	5	3.3065	3	false

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

by neglect of his own duty Salomon is charged for going after Ashtaroth because he gave his wives leave to do it and joined therein afterwards himself The Toleration of the High-places though they were for worship to God only 2 Chron. 33. 17. yet it was the sin of those Princes that suffered it a long time being contrary to Gods Law Deut. 12. 11 12 13. God charges it even on godly eminent Reformers as Asa Jehoshaphat c. till Josias Gamaliels counsel pleaded by some will prove a poor shelter of fig-leaves to cover such a sinfull nakedness of permitting known evil with such a neutrall spirit What wickedness might not be pleaded for by the same reason A Christian indeed should be meek and patient 1 Cor. 13. in a good way but not to the neglect of his duty against evil which was Eli's great sin who therein honoured his sons more than God 1 Sam. 2. 29. it cost him them and all Israel dear for a warning to us all Eccl 8. 11. Sinfull Tolleration brings wofull augmentation of evil still We must do to others it 's true as we would be done to so that Gods will and mans duty be not neglected The Law indeed is not to the righteous or against the righteous as righteous but it 's laid against all unrighteousness whether reigning or remaining in any Paul himself was not without the Law but under the Law to Christ 1 Cor. 9. 21. Jam. 2. 8. We should have a tender care of tender consciences but a most tender care of Gods pleasure and honour the sole rule and source of mans duty and good Vnfaithfull tenderness is cruell pity both to the patient and others The Magistrate is Lord of the externall man for good though not of any mans faith mans soul being above his reach whereof faith is a speciall act He infringes no Christian liberty when he checks sinfull Libertinism miscalled liberty prosecution of evil is no persecution of good If Papists and others take occasion to abuse any from hence so do they abuse and pervert Scripture and all good things We must not think to do Jews or others good by doing or tollerating evil Gods cause needs not be beholding to the devils help nor will it be furthered thereby White witches are alwaies most mischievous in the conclusion The Magistrates authoritative owning of the truth is not like to hinder the progress thereof he may possibly mistake and therefore needs all meet help being accountable to God for the matter and manner of his work What other Objections are moved against this Truth may be more fully answered in the following Resolves Decemb. 22. 1656. C. G. THE Libertine School'd OR A VINDICATION OF THE Magistrates Power in matters of RELIGION IN Answer to the Fallacious Queries of a Nameless Author lately spread about the City of Limrick For Detection of those Mysterious Designs so vigorously fomented if not begun among us by Romish Engineers and Jesuitick Emissaries under Notionall Disguises Thus begins our Querist Qu. 1. WHether it be not better for us that a Patent were granted to Monopolize all the Corn and Cloth and to have it measured out unto us at their price and pleasure which yet were as intollerable as for some men to appoint and measure out unto us what and how much we shall believe and practise in matters of Religion Ans. 1. The whole may be granted without danger as it 's expressed 2. If we may guess that their meaning by their scope is to shew by this comparison the unreasonableness of the Magistrates inforcing in Religious matters then we answer by shewing the fallacy of the comparison in setting forth the true parallel The Lord is the absolute Sovereign of all things Civil and Sacred man is not so in neither yet is the Magistrate the Lords servant to enforce by Civil power the disposall of things in both as God hath appointed in his Word For things Civil it 's easily granted for Sacred matters besides many other signall instances given in both Testaments by way of precept and promise prefiguration and president see Deut. 13. 5. Deut. 17. 2 3 4 5 6. Ezra 6. 11. 12. Ezra 7. 6 11 25 26 27. compare those verses together proving the Kings grant to be an answer to Ezra's request for constituting Magistrates with coercive power in Religious things in Gods Name Rom. 13. 1 2 3 4 5. Zech. 13. 3 4 5 6. a Prophesie of Gospel times 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. Isa. 49 23. applicable especially to later daies Qu. 2. Whether there be not the same reason that they should be appointed by us what they shall believe and practise in Religion as for them to do so to us seeing we can give as good ground for what we believe and practise as they can do for what they would have if not better Ans. It 's not reasonable that either they or we should appoint to each other what is to be believed or practised in Religion but it 's most reasonable that Christs Law given to us both should be inforced by the Magistrate the Civil substitute of Christ The former proofs do fully clear this and many other such places as also 2 Chron. 15. 12 13. 2 Chron. 19. 2 3 4 c. 2 Chron. 34. 4 5. Neh. 13. 19 21 22 c. We might easily bring in many instances for each command of the first Table how the godly Magistrates acted for God according to his command were it necessary Qu. 3. Whether they that would force other mens consciences be willing to have their own forced Ans. No man may or can force another mans conscience but the Magistrate is bound by his Office as the Lords Deputy to oblige and force the externall man to the observance of Gods will manifested in his written word though he be unwilling and pretend conscience Besides the former proofs clearing this see 1 King 18. 40 41 c. though Baals Priests pleaded conscience for Idolatry yet were they put to death by Elijahs command which execution was attended with speciall blessings Joh. 16. 2. They that plead conscience for putting Christians to death it excuses not but they should suffer for it according to that indispensable Law Genes 9. 6. Asa 2 Chron. 14. 4. commanded all to seek the Lord and to do the Law Nehemiah contended with the Nobles and threatned strangers about their abuses in Tithes and the Sabbath Neh. 13. 11 17 19 21. Qu. 4. Whether Christ hath said he will have an unwilling people compelled to serve him Ans. Though he hath not said those very words yet hath he said in effect so much in those many Scriptures that testifie the Magistrates duty to that end either by precept commanding it or by presidents commended for it or rewarded in it or by the contrary forbidden reproved threatned and punished for neglect contempt or abuse of that duty The Scriptures forementioned do fully prove this as also very many more were it needfull to

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

froward people Your Honours charge here looks too much like them The wisdom and zeal He received from God are stored up in Christ for all Your supplies That Christ who was all to Him and to them is ready to give all to You and to us His Substitutes You are who is our Sovereign that His work in Your hands may be prosperous is our ardent prayer The Magistrates Right is the scope of these Papers duly therefore presented to You to do their homage They speak Your Honour and Your Happiness in Your honouring and serving the Lord His Jewels on earth he trusts with You that his Worship and friends may be Your Jewels The Lord is with You whilst You be with Him if any forsake Him such will He forsake The glorious characters of His presence with You to this very day may much revive Your hearts and strengthen Your hands He hath been with You as the Lord of Hoasts He will be Yours still as the God of Peace That You may do much expect much from Him so shall Your Returns answer Your Receipts Those unclean spirits that are now raging shall soon be cast out by the Prince of Peace He doth overturn and shake all Nations that Christ the desire of the Nations may come That King of Nations shall regain his right which as King of Saints he will still improve Your Honours daily work is multiplicious and momentous still Aarons and Hurs hands must be subservient to uphold your own It 's our delight to serve You cordially that You may serve Christ most effectually I dare not presume any longer on You than to signifie my zealous ambition to be and appear in the work of Christ Your Lordships humbly devoted Servant Claudius Gilbert From my Study in Limrick Decem. 22. 1656. THE PREFACE Christian Reader THe Civil power of the Magistrate in matters of Religion is a weighty Point much controverted in these daies as it hath formerly been upon severall accounts The Champions of Truth have been put upon it in all ages to vindicate this part of Christs interest against the renewed assaults of numerous adversaries The sophisticall mistakes of its oppugners hath drawn them and their followers into dangerous absurdities and contradictions therein Very few of them if any have laboured to state the question aright that they might debate it methodically Many outcries we indeed meet with against compulsion of conscience but very little of sober discourse about the Magistrates Civil power in Religious matters where it crosses the pretence of conscience That no violent force should or can be put upon mens consciences being granted to them most of their Arguments fight with their own shadows Some would seem to oppose all kinde of Magistraticall power in any part of the first Table pleading for a licentious liberty of all sorts therein Others admit of limitations and severall distinctions therein and yet the strength of their reasons complies with the former when duly weighod Many worthy Pens have taken very commendable pains in stating and vindicating of that legall Right which the Lords Magistraticall substitute is entrusted with as Custos vindex utriusque Tabulae Specially Mr Thomas Cobbet in 1653. N. England hath found abundant cause to praise the Lord for the due exercise and vindication of that Power the neglect and opposition whereof was like to have proved their overthrow in Civils and Ecclesiasticals The same spirit of Error hath struggled there so hard for Libertinism hath gotten too much strength and favour in these Nations The like design hath been therefore vigorously drawn on to take off the Magistrate from that part of his work which is the most noble and most needfull in such a season Various interests have joined forces herein yea divers good men have been ensnured into it at unawares There is a fallacious plausibility in many things said therein which takes easily with the weak and credulous Christian as in all other doctrines of Error Some would promote it that they may promote and shelter at pleasure their Levelling Ranting and Quaking principles Others favour it for fear of being restrained in some things which the Magistrate cannot but see just cause to take cognizance of for regulation What rank our Querist is to be numbred in we cannot certainly say his Paper not being subscribed by any though his drift may be easily guessed at It grieves our hearts most to see any of Christs professed friends taking part in such a quarrell with the common enemy of his Word and Ordinances The sad consequent of sinfull separations from the Reformed Protestant Churches appears much in this as in other things When the unity of the Spirit that should keep the bond of peace in the unity of Christian Faith and Baptism within Gods house comes into disregard it cannot but prove fatally ominous to the ushering in of those many evils which have still been concomitants thereof The Primitive times afford us many wofull instances of it and Germany with other parts hath verified it by sad experience ever since the great Reformation begun Schismaticall rendings of the Church of Christ were very seldom free from hereticall Apostasi●s Had we no Record Divine or Humane Ancient or Modern to testifie this truth the posture of persons and things among us would demonstrate it too abundantly Yet would not we be mistaken in shewing the bitter fruits of sinfull separations as if we disowned all separations There is a good separation from evil required of God as there is an evil separation from good forbidden by him A separation from the man of sinne and from the sinne of man is a Christians duty Revel. 18. 4. 2 Cor. 6. 18 19. Isa 52. 11. Jer. 51. 6. But separation from the Church and good Ordinances of God is an unchristian sinne Christ owned the Jewish Church in its publique Ministry and worship though distempered with many corruptions in every part thereof whilst they retained the fundamentals of Religion he still entertained communion with them As long as that first administration of the Lords gracious Covenant lasted both he and his Apostles maintained correspondency with that visible Church of his whilst they did most keenly rebuke the members thereof for their severall enormities yea and after their setting up of that Evangelicall worship which as the second administration of the Lords gracious Covenant was to make an end of the Ceremonials and continue to the worlds end Heb. 9. 10 11 12. Heb. 12. 26 27. Matth. 28. 21. Matth. 26. 1 Cor. 11. 26. yet were they so shie of rending the Garment of Christs body his Church that they did for a long time bear with the Jewish outrages labouring by all means to keep fair with them and broke not off as long as they could hold with them in the great foundation of Religion The like course was taken by God and his servants towards Israel and Judah before their

Power therein is Directive and Protective Remunerative and Cumulative not destructive but edificative as all former Texts clearly demonstrate Qu. 10. Whether compulsion of conscience was ever in practise among the Nations or Churches till the times of Antichrist Ans. Conscience cannot must not be compelled forcibly by man yet is it no protection from that sword which is a terrour to every evil work and requires obedience from every soul Heresies are such evil works of the flesh called evil deeds by John whereof he would have no Christians to partake 2 Joh. v. 11. Errours destructive of fundamentals are properly called Heresies especially when obstinately maintained That very sword is also the Lords servant for good without exception There were many Christian Magistrates before the Roman Antichrist gat up into Christs Throne as Constantine the Theodosii Marcian c. by whose signall Orders were kept the four General Councils 1. That of Nice against Arius for denying Christs God-head under Constantine 2. That of Constantinople against Macedonius for denying the Spirits Godhead under Theodosius senior 3. That of Ephesus against Nestorius for dividing Christ into two persons under Theodosius junior 4. That of Chalcedon against Eutyches for confounding both Natures in Christ under Marcian Those godly Princes convened Synods presided therein assisted protected and quickned them in their severall consults owned their Resolves and promoted them to their power giving up therein their Scepter unto Christ according to those famous Prophesies so gloriously expressed concerning them They counted it more honour to be membrum Ecclesiae a member of the Church as Princely Theodosius said quàm caput Imperii than Head of the Empire It was Antichrist that usurped on them gradually and by getting into the Magistrates seat disabled him from doing his Homage to his Sovereign Christ Thus the faithfull Rulers are honoured in Divine Records for their singular care of his interest David and Salomon Asa and Jehoshaphat Ezechias and Josias Zerubbabel and Nehemias with divers others have signall monuments erected to their same by the Lords own hands upon that account Yea Pagan Princes were so far owned of God as they owned him in that way witness Nebuchadnezzar sent to learn that lesson among Bruits in seven years schooling there because he would not learn it to purpose before of God by man for all Daniels teachings Thus Darius Artaxerxes another Darius and divers more are memorably recorded for this Those Princes were still rebuked and plagued that slighted and abused the same as Jeroboam and his successors in Israel Ahaez and others in Judah besides many more that might be named But the Querist subjoyns Reasons to strengthen his doubt R. 1. The Sichemites saith he used no compulsion to Jacob and his sons during their abode among them Ans. The Sichemits case is absurdly quoted Nihil ad Rhombum They were Heathens who neither owned God nor his will revealed Jacobs family were no subjects of theirs no disturbers no opposers of Gods Will and Worship They were neighbours entring into league which was afterwards wickedly broken by Simeon and Levi Our Querist it seems is hard put to it being forced to call in Heathens for his Rule R. 2. The Israelites saith he when a Captivity yet enjoyed their consciences Ans. The Israelites in Captivity enjoyed their conscience so long as they kept to their duty according to Gods will revealed to them But that cannot plead for Tolleration of any thing contrary to Gods revealed will When false prophets did then arise to seduce and corrupt they met with their due wages from God and from man witness the juggling prophets Zedechias and Ahab burnt with fire by Nebuchadnezzar for that sinne common among our Libertines Community of Wives As Manes the seducer was afterwards flead alive by the Persian King for his Impostures R. 3. The Romans saith he bore with the Jews in their Religion though a Tributary Nation Ans. The Romans instance is little to the purpose who were Pagans strangers to Gods Word and minded nothing but their worldly interest to keep all quiet under their Empire Yet did many of the Jewish false prophets suffer under and by them witness Josephus their great Historian and Patriot It was the Jews following of seducing Impostors which made them rise against Magistracy and Ministry in their pretence of the light within and brought both their Church and State into confusion and themselves to ruine by the Roman power and their intestine discords as the said Josephus clears at large Much after the same manner was that Tragedy which was re-acted by those monstrous Impostors of Germany Munster Leyden Amsterdam Switzerland c. in the years 1522 1523 1533 1534 c. Stock and Muncer John Becold and Knipperdoling Skicker and Battenburgh with many more representing the like sad spectacles upon the like pretences of Christs Kingdom and Liberty witness so many Authors of approved fidelity living about those places and times Qu. 11. What would become of the Protestants of France who live under Popish Magistrates if they should appear for compulsion of conscience Ans. As for the French Protestants their Doctrine agrees harmoniously with ours in this as in other points of Religion witness their prime Authors With them accord the Divines of Germany Switzerland Netherlands c. Yea the very Lutherans in the case of tumultuous Hereticks though they have seemed most favourable towards those more quiet ones that stirred not then so openly as many did Servetus suffered death at Geneva for Blasphemy by the Senates order and with the approbation of the Protestant Cantons and German Divines who were first consulted with Neither is there any compulsion of conscience in this but punishment of wickedness on such who subvert their own and others consciences in the ruine of all Truth and Peace Good men need not fear the Powers but evil men must and cannot but dread them Such a Liberty of Conscience is desired among us and them as may prove freedom from sin the liberty of heaven not freedom to sin the liberty of hell It would be their joy and ours as it 's our joint desire and prayer that all Magistrates may so study their power in Divine and spirituall things as to countenance all good and discountenance all evil If they mistake in the application that is mans fault not the rules None must neglect their duty for fear of mistakes but be so much the more diligent and vigilant therein As we may not do evil that good may come of it so may we not neglect the good least evil should come Man should minde Gods work and trust him for help and success The Protestants of France have found the good experience thereof hitherto under varieties of dispensations Qu. 12. Whether doth not the practise of compulsion of conscience among Protestants greatly harden the Papists