Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	canon_n	church_n	testament_n	1,961	5	8.3321	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A36292	Biathanatos a declaration of that paradoxe or thesis, that selfe-homicide is not so naturally sinne, that it may never be otherwise : wherein the nature and the extent of all those lawes, which seeme to be violated by this act, are diligently surveyed / written by Iohn Donne ...	Donne, John, 1572-1631.; Donne, John, 1604-1662.	1644 (1644)	Wing D1858; ESTC R13744	139,147	240

Iobs case he might not lawfully doe it because he could propose nothing but his own eas●… Y●…t Iob whose sanctity I thinke it facriledge to diminish whether he were a person or personate in their confession strayed thus farre towards killing himself●… as to wish his death and curse his birth for his whole third Chapter is a bitter and malignant invective against it and a violent wishing of his own death Sextu●… Sexens●… gives an answer for him so literall as it can admit or reach to no sense which is That cursing his birth day which then was past he cursed nothing And Saint Gregory gives an answer so mysticall as no s●…nse can reach to it which is That there is a second bi●…th into Sinne in this world and Job cursed his entrance into that And so because these words might bee readily taken for an inordinate wishing of death Gregory provides them also a mysticall interpretation for the Latine reading it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anima me●… he saye This was Suspendium spi●…ituale which was but an elevation of the minde as S. Paul said Christe crucifixu●… sum cru●… But besides that this escape will not serve when the Originall word is considered and that the next verse is Desperavi 〈◊〉 ultra vivam in the twentieth verse he chides God by the name of O thou preserver of man as being angry that he preserved him Being now a ●…rthen to himselfe and would not leave him alone whilst he might swallow his spittle And he ends that Chapter thus If th●…n se●…kest me in the 〈◊〉 I shall not be found This I say onely to show that one whom none hath exceeded in 〈◊〉 may without any de●…ortion of his words be argued to have step farr●… towards a purpose of killing himselfe Who list to give any other construction to his words shall not displease me nor impaire the strength of our 〈◊〉 And though I confesse I have not read any to expound these word●… of Iob directly thus and though I know the opinion in generall of his despairing be thus I much discredited that it is held by the 〈◊〉 yet besides that it is not just ●…or ingenuous to condemn all that a conde●…nd man says for even a leprous man may have one hand clean to take and give withall And S. Hier. is inexcusable in that point of his slippery zeal in his behaviour towards 〈◊〉 y●…a the Tr●… Councell it selfe is obnoxious therein for condemning Names of Authors and not Books Besides this I say the Anabaptists differ from me in their end and purpose for they impute despaire to Iob onely to infirme the Authority of the booke which scismatically they labour to rent from the Canon of Scripture But I justly with the consent of all Christian Churches admitting it for such say that Job might keep his sanctity and the Book his Dignity and yet he might have a purpose to kill himselfe For very many reverend Authors in the Reformed Church not rashly to be fors●…en have imputed to our most bless●…d Saviour as neer approaches to a more dangerous kind of despaire then we impute to Iob without diminishing him or his Scriptures SECT VI. I finde also another place of Job obtruded Skin for skin and all that ever I a 〈◊〉 ●…ath will he give for life From which words they argue a Naturall love in us to this life Let it be true though the Devill say it for the words are his that our sensitive Nature is too indulgent to this life though I feare I have offended and furfetted you in the first Part with Examples of meer Naturall and Sensitive men which have chosen death yee will that prove that our Reasonable Nature may in no ●…afe correct that enormity This is as strong against Gods outward calling us to him by sicknesse or persecution as against any such inward motions SECT VII As unproperly and unprofitably to their ends and purpose do they offer that place of Ecclestasticus Non est census supra censum falutis Corporis which I place here though out of Order because of the affinity betweene this place and the last and that one answer is at least enough for them both For tho●…gh this place may prove that wee naturally love this body yet it is not of the fafety of the body as it all men desired that the body might live but it is of bodily health whilst it doth live yet it proves not that wee may in no case abandon it SECT VIII The most proper and direct and strongest place is the Commandement for that is of Morall Law Thou shalt not kill and this place is cited by all to this purpose But I must have leave to depart from S. Augustines opinion here who thinks that this Commandement is more earnestly bent upon a mans selfe then upon another because here is no addition and in the other there is Against thy Neighbour or certainely I am as much forbid by that Commandement to accuse my selfe falsely as my Neighbour though onely he be named And by this I am as much forbid to kill my neighbour as my selfe though none be named So as it is within the circuit of the Command it may also bee within the exceptions thereof For though the words be generall Thou shall not kill we may kill beasts Magistrates may kill men and a private man in a just warre may not onely kill contrary to the sound of this Commandement but hee may kill his Father contrary to another When two naturall Lawes contrary to one another occurre we are bound to that which is strictioris vin●…li As all Lawes concerning the Honour of God and Faith are in respect of the second Table which is directed upon our Neighbour by Charitie If therefore there could bee a necessity that I must doe an act of Idolatry or kill I were bound to the later By which Rule If perchance a publique exemplary person which had a just assurance that his example would governe the people should be forced by a Tyrant to doe an act of Idolatry although by circumstances he might satisfie his owne conscience that he sinned not in doing it and so scandalize and endanger them if the matter were so carried and disguised that by no way he could let them know that he did it by constraint but voluntarily I say perchance he were better kill himselfe It is a safe Rule Iury Divino derogani non potest nisi ipsa derogatio suri Divino conste●… But since it is not thought a violating of that Rule To kill by publique Authority or in a just Warre or defence of his life or of anothers why may not our case be as safe and innocent If any importune me to shew this Priviledge or exemption of this case from the Commanment I may with Sotus retort it and call for their priviledge to kill a Day thiefe or any man

true that of Adrian the Emperor who was about 120. yeares after Christ we finde one Rescript in the body of the Law That if a Souldier do attempt to kill himselfe and not effect it except he offred it upon impatience of griefe or sicknesse or sorrow or some other cause capite plectatur Which Rescript is repeated againe in another Title and there though the other generall clause or some other cause might seeme to have reach'd farre inough are added especially for excusing causes wearinesse of life madnesse or shame You see with what moderate gradations this Law proceeded which being as it seemes to contend and wrestle with a thing customary and naturally affected extends not at all to punish it when it is done as in many other crimes the Lawes doe by confiscation and by condemning the memory of the delinquent and ignobling his race Nor embraces it all manners of doing it yea scarce any considering how benignly and favorably penall Lawes are to be interpreted Nor overtakes it all men but onely such as being of present use as well much disadvantage might grow to the Army if sodainly any numbers of them should be suffered to turne upon this naturall and easie way of delivering themselves from painfull danger as much dammage to the State if those men matriculated for Souldiers to whom there belong'd by the lawes as many priviledges and immunities under the Romane Emperors as ever did to the Clergy under their Romane Bishops after they had thus maym'd themselves and defrauded the State of their service should by this inh●…rent character of Souldiership enjoy all those advantages which those Lawes afforded them There is one law more in the body of the Civill Law which seemes to reach farther because it binds not it selfe to any one condition of men which is That if a man already accus'd or taken in the manner for any such crime upon which his goods should be forfeited upon conviction kill himselfe before judgement his goods shall be forfeit else nor For the Law addes her opinion of the fact Non facti celeritas est obnoxia sed conscientia metus And proceeds Qui causam mortis habet habeat successorem So that that Law presumes there are just causes to worke such an effect And upon the consideration of this Civill Law I determin'd to bestow this first Distinction Distinction II. SECT 1. THat which they call the Canon Law is of larger extent then this for it reaches to bind the Princes themselves at least by their acceptation and submission to it And as the subject of it is greater being people and Prince so is the object being the next and eternall life Yea it is so vast and undetermin'd as we know not in what books to seeke the limits thereof nor by what rules to set the land-marks of her jurisdiction For for the booke it is evident that the Primitive Church had Codicem Canonum which was inserted into the body of the Romane Law and had no other subfistence but as it was incorporated there Thereupon Gelatius writes to Theodorus the Goth King of Italy to intreat him that as by his authoritie the Romane Law was observed in Civill matters so it might be still in Ecclesiastique And after the expulsion of the Goths Leo 4. intreated and obtained the same from Lotharius From this Codex Canonnm the Emperors determined and decreed in many Ecclesiastique causes From this Codex the Councels after were governed in making their Canons as wee may see particular Canons of this Booke cited the booke being often call'd for in the Councels and being then ordinarily named The body of the Canon Law This body consisted of the Canons of nine Councels authorized by the Emperors But for those immense additions growne to it since that time of Bulls and Decretall Letters of Popes Decrees of suspitious and partiall and S●…hismatick Councels for nothing is more properly Schisme and Solutio continui than a rent betweene the Civill and Ecclesiastique State which occasion'd many of the later Councels the rags of Fathers decerpted and decocted by Gratian and the glosses of these made also as authentique as the Text. I perceive not what title they have to bee of the body of the Canon Law except where the Princes have incorporated and denizen'd them But least to quarrell with their authority now might seeme in us a subter-fuge and shift to decline them as though they were heavy against us in this point which we have now in hand wee will accept them as they are obtruded and dissemble nothing which in them seemes to resist this opinion though in common entendment this law is likely to be severe against it because the civill lawes content themselves ever with any excuse or colour in favour of the Delinquents because when a fault is proved it punishes severely but the Canon Lawes which punish onely medicinally and for the soules health are apt to presume or beleeve a guiltinesse upon light evidence because those punishments ever worke good effects whether just or no. SECT II. And first because heresie which is laesa Majestas Divina of all crimes is the principall object of that Court I say that this proposition is not by any thing extant in the Canon law and therefore not at all hereticall allowing to them their largest definition of heresie which is Any thing which is against Catholique faith that is Scriptures rightly understood Or the traditions and definitions of the Church or generall Councells lawfully gathered or definition of the sea Apostolique or the common opinion of Fathers in a matter of faith The proposition may perchance seeme to some so ill qualified as it may be male sonans or temeraria or perchance sapiens heresis for all these proceed from the indisposition and distempred taste of the apprehendor which must not alwaies be idly flattred and pampred but invited to the search and discovery of truth who else being the greatest Prince in the world should have no progresse but be straightned in a wretched corner First therefore to cast a glance upon every part of the definition of heresie whether it be against the Scriptures rightly understood or no will be more properly and naturally examined when we come to the last part which is of Divine law Next there is no tradition nor definition of the Church in the point at all much lesse as of a matter of faith which is the second limbe of the definition No decree of any generall Councell No rescript or Bull of any Pope And for the common opinion of the Fathers besides that it can be no safe rule because as Azorius notes Controverters often say on both sides this is the common opinion And certainely that is the common opinion in one Age which is not in another yea in one Kingdome at the same time which is not in another though

in defence of another And as these Lawes may be mediately and secondarily deduced from the conformity of other Lawes and from a generall Authority which God hath afforded all Soveraignes to provide as necessities arise So may our case bee derived as well from that necessary obligation which lyes alwayes upon us of preferring Gods glorie above all humane respects So that we cannot be put to shew or pleade any exemption but when such a case arises wee say that that case never was within the reach of that Law Which is also true of all the other which we called exemptions before For whatsoever might have beene done before the Law as this might if it be neither against Nature nor Justice from both which we make account that wee have acquitted it upon that this Commandement never fell not extended to it SECT IX I have found also a place urged out of the Booke of Wisdome which is Seeke not death in the errour of your life Which being ever coupled with another place in Deuteronomie by collation of the two places it appeares That that which is forbidden there is Idolatry and by Death is meant the Second Death or the way to it And so this Distinction which was intended for the places cited from the Books of the old Testament shall here have an end and to the next we allow those of the New Distinct. III. SECT I. OF which the first that I have observed is in Matthew when the Devil tempts Christ thus If thou be the Son of God cast thy self downe With all Expositors I confesse this was a temptation to vain glory and therefore most appliabl to our case where we make account that we work somwhat to the service of God and advancement of his glory when we allow this to be done and it is a very slippery passage and a devout man were out of the nature of devotion 〈◊〉 to erre that way then a worldly but that the ha●…d of God is extended to the protection of such But directly this place will not shake nor attempt our proposition for though Christ would not satisfie the Devill nor discover himselfe yet he did as much whe●… it conduced to his owne ends as the Devill tempted him to in this place or the other both in changing the species and nature of water into Wine and in exposing himselfe to certaine danger when he walked upon the waters Christ refused no difficultie nor abstained from Miracles when he knew he profited the beholders nor doe I say that in any other case then when we are probably and excusably assured that it isto a good end this may be lawfull to us SECT II. The next place is in the Acts of the Apostles The keeper of the prison drew out his Sword and would have killed himselfe supposing the Prisoners had beene gone But Paulcryed Doe thy selfe no harme for we are all here To which I say That by the same Spirit by which Paul being in the inner Prison in the darke knew what the Keeper thought and what hee was about to doe without hee knew also Gods purpose to be glorified in the conversion of him and his Family and therefore did not onely reclaime him from that purpose which was inordinate and for his owne sake to escape punishment in which yet wee may observe how presently Mans nature inclines him to this remedy but also forbears to to make his benefit of this Miracle and to escape away and so though he rescue the Keeper he betrayes himselfe And therefore Calvin upon this place makes to himselfe this objection That Paul seeing all his hope of escape to consist in the death of the Keeper neglected that way of liberty which God offered him when he restnained the Keeper from killing himselfe And he answers it onely thus That hee had a conscience and insight into Gods purpose and decree herei●… For otherwise if he had not had that which very few attaine to have it seemes he ought to have permitted the keeper to proceed to facilitate thereby his way of escaping SECT III. Which also inferres some answer to another place of Saint Paul where hee delivers and discharges himselfe and his fellow Apostles of having taught this Doctrine That a man might doe evill that good might come thereof And consequently it is well and by just Collection pronounced that he forbids that Doctrine And we also humbly subscribe to that Rule and accept it so as Saint Paul intends it that is in things which Nature and not Circumstance makes evi●…l And in these also when any such circumstance doth make them evill as another circumstance to the contrary doth not praeponderate and over-rule this This therefore we must have liberty to enlighten with a larger discourse Of the evils which seeme to us to bee of punishment of which kind Death is God ever makes others his executioners for the greatest of all though it be spirituall which is Induration is not so wrought by God himselfe immediately as his spirituall comforts are but Occasionally and by Desertion Sometimes in these God imployes his Angels sometime the Magistrate sometimes our selves Yet all which God doth in this life by any of these is but Physicke for ●…n excaecation and induration is sent to further Salvation in some and inflicted medicinally And these ministers and instruments of his are our Physitians and wee may not refuse any bitternesse no not that which is naturally poyson being wholesomely corrected by them For as in Cramps which are contortions of the Sinewes or in Tetars which are rigors and stiffenesses in the Muscles wee may procure to ourselfe a fever to thaw them or we may procure them in a burning feaver to condense and attemper our bloud againe so in all rebellions and disobediences of our flesh wee may minister to our selves such corrections and remedies as the Magistrate might if the fact were evident But because though for prevention of evill wee may doe all the offices of a Magistrate upon our selves in such secret cases but whether we have that authority to doe it after or no especially in Capitall matters is disputable and at this time wee need not affirme it precisely I will examine the largenesse of that power no farther now But descend to that kinde of evill which must of necessity be understood in this place of Paul which is that we account naturally evill And even in that the Bishops of Rome have exercised their power to dispence with Bigamy which is in their doctrine directly against Gods Commandement and therefore naturally evill So did Nicholas the fift dispense with a Bishop in Germany to consult with W●…tches for recovery of his health and it were easie to amasse many cases of like boldnesse In like manner the Imperiall Law tollerates Vsurie Prescription Mala fidei and Deceit ad Medium and expressely allowes Witchcraft to good