Selected quad for the lemma: doctrine_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
doctrine_n	believe_v	church_n	tradition_n	3,140	5	9.2920	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A70333	Political aphorisms, or, The true maxims of government displayed wherein is likewise proved ... : by way of a challenge to Dr. William Sherlock and ten other new dissenters, and recommended as proper to be read by all Protestant Jacobites.	Harrison, Thomas, fl. 1690.	1690 (1690)	Wing H917C; ESTC R35445	27,370	42

unusual way of Writing by way of Challenging of particular Men is because in a general Challenge no Man would reckon himself concerned in it for what is every ones business is no body's business and because the Dissenters from the present Government do assert that the late King James is De Jure still and that Obedience is due to him during his Life and that Dr. Sherlock and many others can prove the Doctrine of Passive Obedience without reserve to be a true Doctrine and they hope to hear it Preach'd with as much Zeal as ever These are the Reasons that induced me to Challenge particular Men and to write this Tract that there might be no Plea for the Resurrection of this absurd nonsensical sheepish slavish inhumane Bow-string Doctrine which one sucks in with his Milk another he takes it to be the distinguishing Doctrine of the Church and another believes it because it has been told him from the Pulpit and a fourth because a great many ingenious and learned Men have declared it to be a true Doctrine Thus we become wise by Tradition and Example having an Implicit Faith to believe whatever our Guides declarr to be the Doctrine of the Gospel though it be never so contrary to the Iustice and Goodness of Almighty God and to undenyable Reason If the Church in its Reformation from Popery had retained Transubstantiation no doubt but we should have had as many and as zealous Asserters of that Doctrine as of Passive Obedience without reserve the one being as false as the other is impossible I remember the saying of a Passive Obedience Man If an Angel sayes he came down from Heaven and Preacht any other Doctrine than Passive Obedience as it was lately taught us I would not believe him O what a commendable thing is it to be true to ones Principle though it be never so ridiculous or false or tends never so much to the Inslaving or Destruction of our Countrey I have hitherto says Cato fought for my Countreys Libety and for my own and only that I might live Free among Free-men I wish that every English-man could say that he had either sought or done something else for the good of his Countrey which is the Ambition of T. H. Political Aphorisms OR THE True MAXIMS of Government DISPLAYED IT is evident that no Rule or Form of Government is prescribed by the Law of God and Nature for that then they would be both immutable and the self-same in all Countries For the better proof whereof it is necessary to shew how far Government proceeds from Nature and how far from Man to wit that Man is sociable and inclined to live together in Company which proceeds from Nature and consequently also from God that is Author of Nature from whence do proceed all private Houses then Villages then Towns then Castles then Cities and then Kingdoms and Common-wealths as Aristotle saith in his Book of Politicks Tho Government in like manner and Jurisdiction of Magistrates which does follow necessarily upon this living together in Company be also of Nature yet the particular form or manner of this or that Government in this or that Fashion as to have many Governors few or one and those either Kings Dukes Earls or the like or that they should have this or that Authority more or less for longer or shorter time or be by Succession or Election themselves and their Children or next in Blood All these things I say are not by Law Natural or Divine for then as hath been said they should be all one in all Countries and Nations for God said Gen. 2. 18. It is not good that Man should be alone I will make him an Help-meet or Assistant like unto himself So that as this first Society of our first Parents was of God and for so great purpose as the one to help and assist not destroy or inslave the other So all other Societies as proceeding from this first stand upon the same ground of God's Ordinance for the self-same end of Mans Utility or Happiness all which is confirmed by the Consent and Use of all Nations throughout the World which general Consent Cicero calleth Ipsam vocem Naturae the Voice of Nature her self For there was never yet any Nation found either of ancient times or of later days by the discovery of the Indies or else-where where Men living together had not some kind of Magistrate or Superior to govern them which evidently declareth that Magistracy is also from Nature and from God that created Nature though not in this or that particular Form which Point our Civil Law doth prove in like manner in the beginning of our Digest do origine Iuris civilis omnium Magistratuum of the beginning of the Civil Law and of all Magistrates which beginning is referred to the first Principle of Natural Instinct and God's Institution Though Common-wealths and Government of the same by Magistrates are of Nature yet the particular Forms or manner of Governments are not of Nature but are lest unto every Nation and Country to chuse what Form of Government they like best and think most fit for the Natures and Conditions of the People By the State of Nature we are all equal there being no Superiority or Subordination one above another there can be nothing more rational than that Creatures of the same Species and Rank promiscuously born to all the same Advantages of Nature and the use of the same Faculties should also be equal one amongst another without God by any manifest Declaration of his Will had set one above another and given him Superiority or Soveraignty Were it not for the Corruption and Viciousness of degenerate Men there would be no need of any other State for every one in that State being both Judg and Executioner of the Law of Nature which is to punish according to the Offence committed Men being partial to themselves Passion and Revenge is very apt to carry them too far in their own Cases as well as Negligence and Unconcernedness makes them too remiss in other Mens This makes every one willingly give up his single Power of punishing to one alone or more as they shall think most convenient and by such Rules as the Community or those authorized by them to that purpose shall agree on with intention in every one the better to preserve himself his Liberty and Property What is it but Flattery to the natural Vanity and Ambition of Men too apt of it self to grow and increase with the Possession of any Power who would perswade those Monarchs in Authority that they may do what they please because they have Authority to do more than others since Rational Creatures cannot be supposed when free to put themselves into Subjection to another for their own harm which were to put themselves in a worse Condition than in the State of Nature wherein they had liberty to defend their Lives and Properties against the Invasions of any Man or Men