Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	minister_n	people_n	preach_v	2,383	5	7.1947	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76085	The second part of that book call'd Independency not Gods ordinance: or the post-script, discovering the uncharitable dealing of the Independents towards their Christian brethren, with the jugglings of many of their pastors and ministers, to the misleading of the poor people to the detriment of their own souls, and the hurt both of church and state, with the danger of novelties in religion; proving that Independency, is one of the most dangerous sects, that ever appeared in the world, since mortality inhabited the earth. In the which also there is a satisfactory answer given to the principall cavils of him that writ that railing pamphlet, stil'd The falshood of Mr Will. Prynnes Triumphing in the antiquity of popish princes and parliaments. With Doctor Bastvvicks just defence against some calumnies in way of preface. / By John Bastvvick, Dr in Physick.; Independency not Gods ordinance. Part 2	Bastwick, John, 1593-1654.	1645 (1645)	Wing B1069; Thomason E287_9; ESTC R200091	93,218	111

and have undergone great persecution for Religigion as they publish to the world in their writings If it be tolerable therefore and praise-worthy in the Independents to oppose the Truth notwithstanding they have been sufferers will any rationall man count it an intolerable thing in me to oppose the errors and novelties of the Independents which they would impose upon the people of God as his lawes when they are but their own inventions and as things necessary to salvation And will any reasonable creature call this a persecution in any if in his own person to the uttermost of his abilities he labours to defend the truth and convince error and exhort all those that fear God to do the same because he hath been a sufferer I conceive upon deliberation he will have a more charitable opinion of such an one And if this be a crime in such as have suffered for Religion to resist Error the Independents are guilty of the same as deeply as any other for they also should remember they have bin sufferers yet they maintain their Novelties for truths and exhort all their followers to do the same and to oppose all gain-sayers which they do to the uttermost of their power in words and deeds and count this their honour and a great virtue yea valour and yet blame it in me and in all the Presbyterians and I know no reason why I or any Presbyterian should not be as valiant for truth as others should be for the upholding of their errours and Innovations especialiy when they fly so high in their Expressions as to make them the onely way to heaven and that whosoever is not in that their way they are in the broad street to perdition and exclaim against all such as oppose their opinions as persecutors of the wayes of God for this is their usuall dialect yea their ordinary language and custome to call all writing and preaching against the Errors and Heresies of the time Persecution in all the faithfull Ministers and people which duty notwithstanding they are bound unto by Christ and all the holy Prophets and Apostles who are by them commanded to lift up their voyces like a Trumpet to oppose and rebuke all gainesayers and to contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints And this is the language of that Author that writ the Arainment of Persecution and he that writ that malicious Pamphlet against M. Prynne who calls him and all the Presbyterians Persecutors whose wicked and vaine Cavils by which he laboureth to prove the necessity of a tolleration of all Religions are these following His words are these Six impossibilities which do necessarily accompany Persecution for cause of conscience 1. It is impossible that the Gospell should come to be preached unto all Nations if men may be questioned for matters of conscience 2. It is impossible that such as know but in part should grow in knowledge or from one measure and degree of Faith unto another 3. It is impossible that in a rationall way there should be a firme secure peace throughout the World nay not in a Province City or Towne so long as men may make a point of conscience to compell one another to their opinions 4. It is impossible to prescribe such a way for suppressing new and different opinions whatsoever which to any State or Church may seem Hereticall but there will still be left a gap a possibility of fighting against God even when such State or Church think they fight for him most of all 5. It is impossible that either the weak Believers mis-believers or unbelievers can be wonne by our godly conversation as is required 1 Pet. 2.12 and 3.1 2. and 1 Cor. 7.12.16 so long as we will not suffer them to live amongst us 6. It is impossble for a man to hold fast the truth or be fully perswaded in his owne heart of what he does of what Religion he makes choise of unlesse after he hath searched the Scriptures and tryed the spirits whether they be of God or no it be lawfull for him to reject that which shall appear to him as evill and adhere to that which seems good in his own judgement and apprehension These are the formall words of the Author that writ that Pamphlet by which he endeavours to maintaine that hellish opinion The tolleration of all Religions To the which I shall briefly answer after I have set down some testimonies out of holy Scripture concerning Persecution Yet before I go any further I desire all men by the way to take notice that whiles I labour to shew the vanity and invalidity of this Cavillers assertions I animate no man to persecute the truth For I know that persecution of the true Religion is the greatest sin in the world one only excepted and therefore that all men should ever be carefull to offend in this kinde lest they bring speedy distruction upon themselves by it but they must also be as diligent to take heed lest whiles they would shew a vice they neglect not their duty and decline a vertue which is to oppose all errors and falsehood in Religion for that is as great a sin on the other side But now I will produce some testimonies out of holy Scripture and reasons from thence to shew that to be questioned for matters of conscience or persecution as they call it for cause of conscience imposes not an impossibility as they would infer that the Gospel by this meanes should be preached unto all Nations nor hinders not the growth of grace in Christians nor the measure and degrees of faith in them which is the first and second of these Propositions and the which to speak the truth are the main and chiefest of all the Independents Arguments by which they labour to evince the necessity of a tolleration of all Religions that prodigious Tenent lest forsooth otherwise the course of the Gospel and the increase of grace in the Saints should be hindred if men should as they pretend be persecuted for cause of conscience which is no better then whiles they seeme to dispute to blaspheme and to give Christ and the Spirit of God the lye who teach the contrary and to fight against the holy Scripture and truth it self as will by and by appear First therefore I shall desire that Christs own words may be heard and then what the holy Apostles have spoken concerning these points Christ in Matth. 10.17 18 19 c. speaking to his Disciples saith Beware of men for they will deliver you up to the Councels and will scourge you in their Synagogues and ye shall be brought to the Governours and Kings for my sake for a testimony against them and the Gentiles but when ye are delivered take no thought how and what ye shall speake c. For the Brother shall betray the Brother to death and the Father the Sonne and the Children shall rise up against their Parents and shall cause them to dye and yee shall be

much as in them lyes the very company of such as they count Presbyterians and rarely if ever come at our assemblies And in New-England it self it is well knowne that they doe not only cast those out of their Churches that differ from them in opinion but also expose them to banishment and to greatest misery and think all they do to be their duty and publish it to the world for the imitation of all other their Churches and Congregations and I am most assured had they the authority in their own hands here in England they would be as severe towards the Presbyterians as ever the Prelates were against the Puritans And I am induced so to believe both from their words and writings for what can be more bitterly uttered against them then that they daily speak upon the least occasion if any but preach or write the least thing in opposition to their opinions professing that all such Preachers ought to be hanged and had they the power in their hands they would trusse them up as many can testifie and witnesse and in their writings how prodigiously daily they abuse with all manner of calumnies and reproaches and with all reviling speeches the Presbyterians all that have patience to reade their blasphemous Pamphlets can tell so that whiles in them they pleade for a tolleration of all Religions they will not tollerate the Presbyterians to defend their own by which they sufficiently declare what favour they would shew them if they were in their hands on whom they look as the profest enemies of Christs kingdome Now I say if neither the example of Gods dear Saints and Servants nor the Word of God can move us to our duty nor the example of the Papists and Hereticks of all ages then at least let us follow the example of our Brethren both in New-England and Old-England for they as all men know remove all from them that differ from them in their Church-way and seperate themselves from us and gather congregations by by themselves Independent refusing to communicate with us as an unholy people and not suffering or permitting us to communicate amongst them in the Ordinances either of baptisme or the Lords Supper but upon their own tearmes and account us all as unclean things and to be separated from which I affirme should move all solid Christians and such as truly and unfeinedly desire that God may be glorified and his truth every where set up to oppose all their errors and novelties in religion under what pretenses soever they be brought in and under whatsoever seeming holinesse they be set forth and so much the more care is to be had and diligence used both by the Magistrates Ministers and all the reall godly of the land by how much they know the craft and subtilty of those that seduce them for there was never yet any Sect whatsoever that came to any rise perfection or name in the Church of which the first venters and contrivers had not some seeming shew of godlinesse and holinesse of life and that more then ordinary to which they usually added the bravery of language and fine alluring speeches and cunning craftinesse as they were many of them men of singular elocution and deep subtilty as the Prophets and Apostles through the whole Scripture signifie And Paul in the 16 chap. of his Epistle to the Romans speaking of those that made divisions contrary to the doctrine that he had taught them hath this expression Verse 18. For they that are such saith he serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and faire speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Here we see the false Teachers of his time made use of good words faire speeches to deceive the hearts of the simple And in Gal. 4.14 the Apostle there exhorting them saith Henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every winde of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lye in wait to deceive In this place the Apostle gives all Christians a charge to take heed of all erroneous doctrines and withall sets down the manners and ordinary carriage of all seducers that they might be the more carefull to shunne them for such saith he use in the deceiving of you the flight of men and cunning craftinesse This has ever been the method of all false teachers as Saint Peter also in his 2 Epistle chap. 2. vers 1 2 3. c. witnesseth for speaking of the false teachers of those times he lived in and of those in future ages that should bring in damnable doctrines even denying the Lord that bought them and bringing upon themselves swift distruction he foretels also that many should follow their pernicious wayes by reason of whom the way of truth should be evilly spoken of And then also he sets down the manner and customes of those seducers and amongst other things he saith of them that through covetousnesse and with their faire words they should make merchandize of the people So that we may see all false teachers clothe their craft with their rhetorick and fained words for otherwise they would prevaile but little Now by how much more the Christians in this our age have to deale with a generation of cunning and crafty Juglers who seeme to equallize if not to transcend all others in holinesse and godlinesse in their outward cariage at least it concerneth every one I say more diligently to take heed of them and of all their new-wayes their new born truths and their New-lights for God himselfe by his holy Prophets and blessed Apostles has commanded us not to decline from those wayes we have learned of him and those truths that he hath taught us in his holy Word Neither to the right hand nor to the left Dut. 4.5 Iosh 1. Prov. 4. Nay if an Angell from Heaven should teach otherwise then God hath taught us by Christ and his Apostles we are to account him accursed Gal. 1. And in the expresse words above specified we are prohibited to be carried about with every wind of doctrine So that all those that vent those new-truths and set up those new-lights which are all indeed new-lights of doctrins be they never so seemingly holy are all cunning deceivers fighters against God And all those Christian Magistrates for ought I know that tollerate such and all those orthodox Ministers that connive at them and are so meal-mouthed as they dare not preach against them and forwarne the people of them neglect their duty and are not faithfull Watchmen over their flocks committed to their charge and are blameworthy for it And all those people that being so often taught by God himself in the holy Scriptures to take heed of all such as come to them in sheeps clothing and with their fained holinesse with their fair speeches to deceive them and make merchandize of them and yet will not take heed of these novelties doe as much as in

excellentest means of upholding piety and godlinesse as in his doctrine so in his example he went before all the people in a strict observing of that day imploying it only in the duties of piety and charity alwayes either in praying or preaching or catichizing or repeating of his Sermons or in meditation or in visiting the sick or relieving the necessitated And in this faith I was instructed and in this through the grace of God I now stand firme and in the which by Divine assistance I shall ever persevere to the last period of my life never as yet having swarved from those principles notwithstanding all opposition And from under this reverend mans ministery and preaching I went to Cambridge where by his means Dr. Chudderton the Master of Emanuel Colledge in which I was a Studient a man of fame for piety in his generation took me into his own tutering and pleased to make me his companion an honour that many of my betters enjoyed not and he also had as great a care to further me in those principles of Religion I had formerly been indoctrinated in as any man living could have And from him I went into the Low-countries where I lived four years and a halfe in the Universities of Leiden and Franeker and halfe that time in the house of reverend Doctor Amise who pleased so highly to honour me as he likewise made me his companion and was a most painfull Tutor unto me and added greatly by his learned Lectures and private communication to the confirming and strengthning of me in all those orthodox truths I had formerly been instructed in And from thence I went to Geneva where there were as learned and orthodox Ministers save only in the point of the Sabbath in which I shall ever dissent from them as any in the world Now I never have deserted my Generall the King of Saints and King of Kings the Lord Jesus Christ and Julian-like apostated from my Captaine or from my Christian religion nor never have swarved from any opinion in doctrine that is imbraced or believed in the Reformed Churches or taught by the orthodox and learned Ministers of the Church of England or from any opinion that I made publick profession of or ever pleaded for or perswaded others to imbrace the God of Heaven and my conscience bearing me witnesse and as all that know me can testifie as many that are now Independents have done And therefore they deale most injuriously with me and unchristianly to call me an Apostate and only because I oppose their Independency Now whereas they say that I have forgot that I was a sufferer and remember not the former kindnesses shewed unto me by the godly of the Land and that I am now turned a persecutor they do me in this also a great deale of wrong for I have never forgotten any kindnesse shewed me by any as the following discourse will sufficiently shew Neither have I forgot that I was a sufferer or am now a persecutor of the Saints as they calumniate me though I shall ever oppose all Heresies and novelties in Religion in the very Saints as Paul opposed Petes error Gal. 2. when he temporized and did not walk uprightly and desire all Christian Magistrates and Ministers and Parents and Masters of families and all good people to do the same because I have been a sufferer for the Truth But it seemeth strange to me that the Independents should use such an Argument to me That I should not oppose all Heresies and novelties in Religion and exhort all other good Christians to do the same because I have been a sufferer for the Truth One would think that this should rather be a motive and incitement to put me on to oppose all error because I have suffered for the Truth before for if that be a good reason to deter men from defending of the Truth against Errors and Innovations in Religion because they themselves have been sufferers for Religion then Elias Esaiah Jeremiah and all the holy Prophets should have been deterred to oppose all Errors because they had been persecuted for the Truth and suffered at wicked and ungodly mens hands for it and yet they notwithstanding were the more encouraged to inveigh against all the false Prophets and Teachers of their times as all the Scripture of the Old Testament witnesseth and Christ also and John Baptist and all the blessed Apostles who suffered grievous persecutions some of which were whipped in every good Towne they came in and were stigmatiz'd and gloried that they carried the marks of the Lord Jesus about them And all these therefore by this Argument of the Brethren should have been afraid and discouraged to oppose the Errors Heresies and novelties in Religion in their dayes whereas on the contrary we finde that Christ and Iohn the Baptist and all the Apostles ever opposed the Errors Schismes and Heresies of their times with all the false Teachers calling them A generation of Vipers Wolves in Sheeps clothing ravinous Wolves Children of the Devill Enemies of the crosse of Christ Dogs evill workers them of the Concision Hereticks and wisht that they were cut off and give them such odious names as there can be no more reproachfull utter'd The same did all the holy Prophets and yet all these were sufferers The same did Luther Calvin Zwinglius Bullinger against all the Sects of their times and yet they were all persecuted by the Papists And therefore it is not a dishonour but a praise to all those that love the Truth and have suffered for it ever to oppose all Errors in Religion yea it would argue great cowardize and basenesse in any Christian or at least that he were now very cold in Religion that would not so much as open his mouth in defence of that Truth he had formerly suffer'd for for feare of offending men And if this Argument be of any power to disswade any man from opposing errors in Religion because they have been sufferers for it then the Independents themselves should not so bitterly inveigh against those Tenents they count Errors for they brag much of their sufferings also cry out daily of Persecution when notwithstanding no man troubles them howsoever they with all reviling speeches daily persecute their brethren under the name of Presbyterians But I say if this Argument will make any thing against me to disswade me from defending of the truth and exhorting all good Christians to oppose all Heresies and Innovations in Religion why then do the Independents in all their Pulpits and in all their scurrilous and blasphemous writings oppose the Truth it selfe and why doe they for the setting up of their New-lights and for the bringing in of their own Traditions and Novelties persecute their brethren with all injurious languages worse then ever Ishmael used towards Isaac or Esau towards Iacob and proclaim them all enemies of Jesus Christ and his kingdome and persecutors for they also have been sufferers and that eminent ones

in Jerusalem after the preaching of the Gospell and in the Apostles times as were before of the Jews for they after they were Christians continued still to assemble themselves if not dayly every Sabbath day at least in their Synagogues as they were wont to do where the Apostles were all so taken up in preaching as they had no leisure for reciprocall salutations and therefore of necessity there were more congregations in the Church of Jerusalem and a greater multitude of Christians them could all meet in any one or a few places even as it was here in England in King Edwards and Queen Elizabeths dayes as I specified before there was no fewer congregations and assemblies of Protestants in London then was before of Papists for as many Parish Churches as there were in the city of London so many severall congregation of Protestants there were then through the city and they that profest Popery before did now imbrace the Protestant Religion and made so many congregations and severall Churches of Protestants as there were congregations of Papists before and as it would be accounted great absurdity yea a ridiculous thing in any man to affirm that there was but as many Protestants in London in King Edward his time or in Queen Elizabeths dayes as could all meet in one place or in one congregation so to any understanding and intelligible man it is as absurd to conclude that there were no more christians and beleevers in Jerusalem then could all meet in one place and congregation when the Scripture it self affirmeth that all Jerusalem was turned Christians and had their meetings and assemblies in the Temple and in every house and that there was many assemblies there and it stands with all reason that if there had been but one Congregation of beleevers in Jerusalem when Paul went to visit Peter that then he of necessity should have seen some at least of the other Apostles besides Peter and Iames for without doubt Paul was dayly among the Christians a preaching to them in their Synagogues or meeting places and the other Apostles also whose duty it was to be continually taken up in praying and preaching amongst them would not so long a time have layen idle and private but in that neither Paul saw them not the Apostles Paul it is a sufficient Argument to prove there were many congregations and assemblies of beleevers in Ierusalem which so imployed them all in their severall Ministeries as they had no time for mutuall visits and that was the onely cause that hindred them from saluting one another so that I conceive by that which I have now said all understanding men will gather that there were more congregations of beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem then one and that all these severall assemblies made but one Church and were all governed by the joynt consent and common councell of one Presbytery whatsoever the Independent Ministers perswade the poor deluded people to the contrary for the upholding of their imaginary Presbyterian Government which is against all Scripture Antiquity Reason and Ordinary sense And therefore I may boldly assert in their dealing with their severall Congregations when they set before them their Churches of Ierusalem Ephesus c. as consisting of but one Congregation and Assembly a peece they juggle with them for no other end but to make themselves Lords and masters of them and to get the Soveraignty in time over the people into their own hands while they would seem to be their servants And therefore it highly concerns all men that desire the peace and welfare of Church and state duly to weigh and seriously to consider the danger of Schisms and rents in either which ought to move them to study by all means how rather they make up the breaches already made and how now to unite themselves together in love and unity against the common enemies of them both then to follow such blind leaders and guides as by their factions and fractions will bring us all into the pit of destruction and expose us and our posterities to as great misery and slavery both for souls and bodies as ever Nation groaned under And as it is the duty of every private Christian in his particular family to teach and instruct his children and servants in the nurture and fear of the Lord and with all singular care to purge his house of all such as may misleade them and seduce and corrupt them that are in their tender years and not well grounded in the principalls of Religion to give them speciall charge to haunt no such places and company as by which they may be viciated in their manners or poysoned with fals and erronious doctrines and opinions as the Word of God commands both in the Old and New Testament So it is the duty of all Magistrates and Ministers in their severall places who are the Pastors of the people the one for their bodily preservation and the common peace and the other for their spirituall good to joyn together for the setting up of Gods true Worship Government and Service in all Cities Towns and Parishes through the Kingdome the one by their power and authority and the other by lifting up their voyce like a Trumpet as all the holy Prophets and Apostles did in all their generations against all false teachers and to warn the people under their severall charges to take heed of them and shun them as they either desire Gods glory their own eternall Salvation or the publike present good and the prosperity and tranquility of their off-spring in succeeding ages and to be as sedulous and diligent in suppressing errours and schisms as all the godly Magistrates and faithfull Ministers have been in their severall times whose praises for this their good work is frequently recorded in holy writ and in all the Ecclesiasticall Records to their eternall honour and renoune and for our instruction And truely if the examples of the holy Prophets blessed Apostles and godly Magistrates and of all the deer servants of God whose names and fames are glorious to all posterity in the holy Word of God will not move us then at least let us learn of the very enemies of the Papists Sectaries and Hereticks in all precedent and fore-going Generations for they as all histories and dayly experience teacheth us not onely labour to remove all such out of their families and Churches as be of a contrary opinion to them but study also to exterminate them out of their very territories if they have strength or policy so to do And if none of their examples may yet perswade us to our duty then let the example of all those that now differ from us in opinion but in the matter of government teach us what to do in this point for they will not willingly entertain any into their families that is not of their own minde and opinion nor suffer their children to be instructed in any other way then their own and shun in as