Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	day_n	law_n	sabbath_n	1,963	5	9.4513	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53665	Animadversions on a treatise intituled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion, between papist and Protestant, Presbyterian and independent by a Protestant.	Owen, John, 1616-1683.	1662 (1662)	Wing O713; ESTC R22534	169,648	656

But we have other things yet pleaded as the Example of the Hebrew Church who neither in the time of Moses nor after translated the Scripture into the Syriack yea the book was privately kept in the Ark or Tabernacle not touched or looked on by the people but brought forth at times to the Priest who might upon the Sabbath day read some part of it to the people and put them in mind of their Laws Religion and Duty I confess in this passage I am compelled to suspect more of ignorance then fraud notwithstanding the flourishing made in the distribution of the old Testament into the Law Prophets and H●giography For first as to the Translation of the Scripture by the Jews into the Syriack Tongue to what purpose doth he suppose should this be done it could possibly be for no other than that for which his Masters keep the Bible in Latine I suppose he knows that at least until the Captivity when most of the Scripture was written the Hebrew and not the Syriack was the vulgar language of that people It 's true indeed that some of the noble and chief men that had the transaction of affairs with Neigbhour-Nations had learned the Syriack language toward the end of their Monarchy but the body of the people were all ignorant of it as is expresly declared 2 Kings 18.26 To what end then should they translate the Scripture into that Language which they knew not out of that which alone they were accustomed to from their infancy wherein it was written Had they done so indeed it would have been a good argument for the Romanists to have kept it in Latine which their people understand almost as well as the Jews did Syriack I thought it would never have been questioned but that the Judaical Church had enjoyed the Scripture of the Old Testament in their own vulgar language and that without the help of a Translation But we must not be confident of any thing for the future For the present this I know that not only the whole Scripture that was given the Church for its use before the Captivity was written in the Tongue that they all spake and understood but that the Lord sufficiently manifests that what he speaks unto any he would have it delivered unto them in their own Language and therefore appointing the Jews what they should say unto the Chaldean Idolaters he expresseth his mind in the Caldee Tongue Jerem. 10.11 Where alone in the Scripture there is any use made of a Dialect distinct from that in vulgar use and that because the words were to be spoken unto them to whom that Dialect was vulgar And when after the Captivity the people had learned the Caldee Language some parts of some books then written are therein expressed to shew that it is not this or that Language which on its own account is to confine the compass of Holy Writ but that that or those are to be used which the people who are concerned in it do understand But what Language soever it was in it was kept privately in the Ar● or Tabernacle not touched not looked upon by the people but brought forth at times to the Priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what Book was kept in the Ark the Law Prophets and Hagiography who told you so A Copy of the Law indeed or Pentateuch was by God's command put in the side of the Ark Deut. 31.26 That the Prophets or Hagiography were ever placed there is a great mistake of our Author but not so great as that that follows that the Book placed in the side of the Ark was brought forth for the Priest to read in on the Sabbath days when as all men know the Ark was placed in the Sanctum Sanctorum of the Tabernacle and Temple which only the High Priest entred and that once a a year and that without liberty of bringing any thing out which was in it for any use whatever And his mistake is grossest of all in imagining that they had no other copies of the Law or Scripture but what was so laid up in the side of the Ark. The whole people being commanded to study in it continually and the King in special to writeout a Copy of it with his own hand Deut. 17.18 out of an Authentick Copy yea they were to take sentences out of it to write them on their fringes and posts of their doors and houses and on their gates all to bind them to a constant use of them So that this Instance on very many accounts was unhappily stumbled on by our Author who as it seems knows very little of these things He was then evidently in haste or wanted better provision when on this vain surmise he proceeds to the encomiums of his Catholick Mother's indulgence to her children in leaving of the Scripture in the hands of all that understand Greek and Latin how little a portion of her family and to a declamation against the preaching and disputing of men about it with a commendation of that reverential ignorance which will arise in men from whom the means of their better instruction is kept at a distance Another Discourse we have annexed to prove That the Bible cannot be well translated and that it loseth much of its grace and sweetness arising from a peculiarity of Spirit in its writers by any Translation whatever I do for my part acknowledg that no Translation is able in all things universally to exhibit that fulness of sense and secret vertue to intimate the Truth it expresseth to the mind of a believer w●● is in many passages of Scripture in its Original Languages but how this will further the Romanists pretensions who have enthroned a Translatiō for the use of their whole Church and that none of the best neither but in many things corrupt and barbarous I know not Those who look on the Tongues wherein the Scripture was Originally written as their Fountains if at any time they find the streams not so clear or not to give so sweet a rellish as they expected are at liberty if able to repair to the fountains themselves But those who reject the Fountains and betake themselves to one only stream for ought I know must abide by their own inconveniencies without complaining To say the Bible cannot be well translated and yet to make use principally at least of a Translation with an undervaluing of the Originals argues no great consistency of Judgement or a prevalency of Interest That which our Author in this matter sets off with a handsome flourish of words and some very unhandsome similitudes considering what he treats of he sums up p. 283. in these words I would by all say thus much The Bible Translated out of its own Sacred phrase into a prophane and Common one loseth both its propriety and amplitude of meaning and is likewise devested of its peculiar Majesty Holiness and Spirit which is reason enough if no other why it should be kept inviolate in its own style and

brought no other Religion with him then what was taught by Peter and Paul and the rest of the Apostles and Evangelists in other parts of the World What Religion men taught vivâ voce in any age is best known by their Writings if they left any behind them No other way have the Romanists themselves nor other do they use in judging what was the Doctrine of the Fathers in the following ages The writings of the Apostles are still extant by them alone can we judge of the Doctrine that they preached That Doctrine then unquestionably taught Joseph in Brittain and that Doctrine blessed be God is still owned and professed amongst us All and only what is contained in their Writings is received with us as necessary to Salvation This Conversion was wholly ours Quod antiquissimum id verissimum Being the first it was certainly the best Our Author indeed tells us of Crosses Shrines Oratories Altars Monasteries Vigils Ember● honouring of Saints you must suppose all in the Roman-mode making Oblations and Orisons for the dead and that this was the Religion in those dayes planted amongst us If this be so I wonder what we do to keep the Bible which speaks not one word of that Religion which the Apostles and Apostolical men preached Strange that in all their writings they should not once mention the main parts and duties of the Doctrines and Worship which they taught and propagated that Paul in none of his Epistles should in the least give the Churches any direction in or concerning the things and ways wherein their Worship principally consisted and their Devotion was chiefly exercised but how comes our Author to know that these things in the Roman-mode were brought into England at the first entrance of Christianity Would he would give us a little Information from what Writings or Monuments of those times he acquired his knowledge I know it is unreasonable to put an Historian to his Oath but yet unless he can plead that he received his acquaintance with things that are so long past by inspiration as Moses wrote the Story of the Creation and Ages before the Floud being destitute of any other Monuments or Testimony that might give evidence to what he says I hope he will not be offended if we suspend our belief Solus enim hoc Ithacus nullo sub teste canebat This first conversion then as was said is wholly ours it neither came from Rome nor knew any thing of that which is the present Religion of Rome wherein they differ from us That which is tearmed our second Conversion is the Preaching of Damianus and Fugatius sent hither by Eleutherius Bishop of Rome in the dayes of King Lucius in the year 190. as our Author saith Beda 156. Nauclerus Baronius 178. Henricus de Erfordia 169. in the dayes of Aurelius or Commodus I have many reasons to question this whole Story And sundry parts of it as those about the Epistles of Lucius and Eleutherius are palpably fictitious But let us grant that about those dayes Fugatius and Damianus came hither from Rome and furthered the Preaching of the Gospel which had taking footing here so long before and was no doubt preserved amongst many We know God in his Providence used many various wayes for the propagating of his Gospel Sometimes he did it by Merchants sometimes by Souldiers sometimes by Captives as a poor Maid gave occasion to the Conversion of a whole Province What will hence ensue to the advantage of the pretensions of the Romanists The Religion they planted here was doubtless that and no other which was then professed at Rome and in most other places in the world with some small differences in outward observances wherein each Church took liberty to follow Traditions or Prudential Reasonings of its own When our Author or any for him can make it appear that any thing material in that which we call Popery was in those days taught believed preached or known among the Churches of Christ they will do somewhat to the purpose But the present flourish about the Catholick Faith planted here which no man ever denyed is to none at all It was the old Catholick Faith we at first received and therefore not the present Romish After those dayes wherein this Propagation of Christianity by the Ministry of Fugatius and Damianus in this Province is supposed to have fallen out a sad decay in faith and holiness of life befel Professors not only in this Nation but for the most part all the world over which especially took place after God had graciously in the Conversion of the Emperours to the Faith intrusted them with outward Peace and Prosperity I desire not to make naked their miscarriages whom I doubt not but in mercy God hath long since pardoned but it cannot be denyed that the Stories of those dayes are full of nothing more then the oppressions luxury and sloth of Rulers the Pride Ambition and unseemly scandalous contests for preheminence of Sees and extent of Jurisdiction among Bishops the sensuality and ignorance of the most of men In this season it was that the Bishop of Rome advantaged by the Prerogative of the City the antient Seat and Spring of the Empire began gradually to attempt a Super-intendency over his Brethren according as any advantages for that end which could not be wanting in the intestine Tumults and Seditions wherewith Christians were turmoyled offered themselves unto him Where-ever an opportunity could be spyed he was still interposing his Umpirage and Authority amongst them and that sometimes not without sinful Ar●ifices and down-right forgeries wherein he was alwayes accepted or refused according as the Interest of them required with whom he had to do What the lives of Priests and People what their knowledge and profession of the Gospel of the poor Brittains especially in those dayes were our own Countrey-man Gildas doth sufficiently testifie and bewail Salvianus doth the same for other parts of the world And generally all the pious men of those ages whilst the Priests strove for Soveraignty and Power the people perished through ignorance and sensuality Neither can we possibly have a more full conviction of what was the state of Christians and Christianity in those dayes in the world than may be seen and read in the horrible Judgments of God wherewith he punished their wickedness and ingratitude When he could no longer bear the provocations of his people he stirred up those swarms of Northern Nations Goths Vandals Hunnes Franks Longobards Alans Saxons c. Some few of them Arians the most Pagans and poured them out upon the Western Empire to the utter ruine of it and the Division of the Provinces amongst themselves After a while these fierce cruel and barbarous Nations having executed the Judgments of God against the ungodliness of men seating themselves in the warmer Climates of those whom they had in part subdued in part exstirpated as is the manner of all persons in transmigration from one Countrey to another began to