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	like_a	sabbath_n	1,189	5	10.2088	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35047	Reformation not separation, or, Mr. Crofton's plea for communion with the church ... in a letter, written July 20, 1661 ... / by the said R.S. to whom it was written ; unto which, is added the copy of another letter, written on the same occasion and subject.	Crofton, Zachary, 1625 or 6-1672.; P. E., Reverend.; R. S.	1662 (1662)	Wing C7000; ESTC R12168	52,912	78

And being deeply sensible of the sad doom denounced against such as administer Offence to any of Christs little ones Mat 18.6 and the great damage and danger of a groundless offence choaking the joy and curbing the duty of such as take it 〈◊〉 who have for more then six moneths been buried alive do conceive a duty and necessity incumbent upon me to appear and by such utensils as a close and severe imprisonment will afford to speak for my self in the cause of God and his Church charged on my weak hands in reference to an act which Conscience doth constrain me to pursue and or obtained liberty to attend In which I discern some ready to insult whilest others soon scandalized beyond what the nature thereof may occasion to the one or the other for God whom I serve in the Spirit is my witness I would give no offence neither to the Jew nor to the Greek nor to the Church of God The case is this SIr John Robinson the Lieutenant of the Tower did of his own accord not at that time though often before moved to it by or from me on Fryday the thirteenth instant send me word by my Keeper That I should have liberty to go to Church and enjoy the Solemn Assembly and Publique Worship of God celebrated within this place the which on second thoughts he hath remanded in the use hereof I must of necessity attend that Order of Administration against which I have publiquely witnessed as that which is Corrupt and Superstitious yet conscience of duty doth compel me to receive and use this liberty when I can obtain it as a mercy from God and favour from men the which I have often prayed for and desired Hereupon I apprehend a clamour is sent abroad that Mr. Crofton is present at and attends unto the reading of the Service-Book in which some boast beyond measure as having gained a Proselyte whilest others stumble as if I started from the truth and work of Reformation and testimony which through Gods grace I have given thereunto My good Friend you must know this clamour is as to the fact as yet false the liberty being not yet obtained but I confined to my Solitary Sabbaths wherein I hope I can profess I am not alone because the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is with me But indeed I must confess it true in the fieri my desire intention and endeavour to procure this liberty so soon as I can and my resolution to attend those corrupt Administrations and this disorderly service of God until God please to bring me forth and make me drink the waters of his Sanctuary in purer Vessels and I cannot but protest that the one or the other insulting or offended at my so doing may grieve me and wound their own souls but cannot say they know me who was ever satisfied and so declared my self in my publique Ministery as to this point or that I administer any cause for such insultation or offence Yet to the end Gods dishonor Religions disgrace their own danger by this their sin may if possible be prevented I thought it my duty to signifie to you and require you as you have opportunity to communicate to others these following considerations as Apologetical reasons for what I am convinced is not onely lawful but a positive duty not without sin to be omitted though the critisim of our times and my special case may require an Apology for the same My long close Consid 1. Deliberate thoughts not distress of condition provoke it and severe durance much beyond any other Prisoner in this place or any carnal self politique Principle hath not been the impulsive cause of my desire or use of this liberty but as in my other acts subjected to the censure of men pure conscience of duty towards God and my own soul and the preponderate dictates of my judgement I hope in some measure also to discern duty in difficult times and conditions in sense whereof I desired this liberty the f●rst day I was committed to this place and many times since and have often complained of it to God and such men as came near me as a defect in the Government of this His Majesties chiefest Prison in England that care is not taken nor liberty allowed for Christian Prisoners to attend upon the publique Worship and preaching of the Word of God I have in this respect often preferred the Compters or Newgate more base and despicable in vulgar account before the Tower of London It cannot I think be soberly I am sure not charitably denied that Christian Prisoners ought to have Christian liberty and accommodation in a Christian Kingdom It is supposed a Prisoner bringeth with him into this place some horrid crime and notorious guilt by reason whereof there is conceived but little between the Prison and death therefore the hand of Justice which punisheth the offence ought in Christian pity to seek the salvation of the soul and if possible prevent the Malefactor from dying in if he must dye for his sin I have often thought that if the Heathen indulged Paul a liberty to Preach in Prison Christians might and ought much more allow a Preacher liberty to hear the Word preached in Prison I hope it will be no offence to minde this Age that amongst other evils reflected by such as rose up against him on the Government of King Charls the first his late Majestie of honorable memory this was one Exact Collections p. 6. and not the least Men were detained close Prisoners without the liberty of using Books pen ink or paper denying them all the comforts of life not permitting their wives to come to them and for the compleating of that cruelty depriving them of the necessary means of Spiritual consolation not suffering them to go abroad to enjoy Gods Ordinances in Gods House or Gods Ministers to come to them to administer comfort to them in their Chambers Let none therefore dare to censure this act as the result of a distressed condition or base compliance by constraint of Prison against the perswasions of Conscience Consid 2 Solemn publique Worship positive duty Communion with the Church visible in all acts of solemn publique Worship is an essential part of the Sanctification of the Sabbath or Lords day and positive indispensable duty of every particular soul called by the name of God to be onely Superseded by a real inevitable necessity with assurance to any that God will have mercy and not Sacrifice This cannot be denyed by any who observe God hath denominated the Sabbath an holy Convocation Levit. 23. Synagogues were on this ground erected and frequented in all the Cities of Judah that the Lord Christ Luke 4 16. Acts 13 13 14. 17.2 fulfilling all righteousness and his Apostles in conscience of duty made it their custom to go to the Synagogue every Sabbath day that the Apostles and primitive Christians from the very Ascension of Christ

offence no argument in this case like miserable Comforters were no little Scandalized that he would not from his Crosse condemne himself as wicked nor brand himself with Hippocrisy in his past piety to which they laboured to compell him by a right Theological rather then Logical argument though not fully asserted they that plow iniquity so we wickedness reap the same Iob. 27.4.5.26.19.42.7 sorrow is the fruit of sin yet Job well knowing the Prosperity of the wicked and that God trieth the righteous would not let go his integrity Nor to justifie them would he let his lips condemn himself but made his appeal to God his witness on high and record which is above who interposing to moderate the Question Mark 2.23 ad fin●m discovered their fallacy and determined they had not Spoken of him the thing which was right as did his servant Job The Jewes were offended that the Disciples plucked the ears of Corn on the Sabbath day appointed of God for rest and that our Saviour on that day healed yet our Saviour mattered not their offence as of any weight but justified the facts by the positive duty of preserving mans natural life Luke 13.15.16.17 If the Circumstantials of the first Table must give way to the Substantials of the Second table of the Law and if obedience to humane must give place to Divine command and authority much more must the offence of a brother Act. 5 29. vail to obedience to the will of God In pleasing men God must not be displeased every man must therefore please his neighbour for his good to edification but to please a brother by omission of positive duty which is formal Rom. 15.2 fearfull iniquity is by sinfull strengthning his prophaness Scandal is not to be slighted or Error aedificare in Gehennam to edifie both to Hell from which the Lord deliver me Scandal is indeed an argument of more weight when duly and fitly pleaded then to be slighted or supersicialy evaded not to offend a weak brother Rom. 15.1 is charged as a duty we who are strong ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves It s good not to eate or drink nor do any thing whereby thy brother is stumbled Rom. 14.21 offended or made weak are Divine directions and Gospell rules fearfull is the sin of a Willfull Scandal for that it is nor onely a snare by which a Brother is entangled and laid on the rack of a Scrupulous conscience and tortured betwen his own doubts and the contrary practice of the pious professing obedience to Gods will But also a stumbling-stone occasioning to him certain sin by either acting under his own doubts and against his own apprehensions induced by the bare ensample of another or by uncharitable censureing his brother in what is to him lawfull and without his own liberty and power to do or not to do it this is therefore represented to be the destruction of the work of God Rom 4.20 against this sign our Saviour hath denounced a most sad doom Whosoever shall offend one of these litle ones it were better for him a milstone were hanged about his neck and he were drowned in tthe depth of the Sea the dread hereof hath seized on my spirit in my present state and Case that though it become lawfull Mat. 18.8 could I without sin withdraw from publique solemn worship in an unfitting order I would on sence of Scandal do it Scandall is of force and fitly pleaded to supersede or condemn an action in it self indifferent and so within a mans own power to do or not to do it scandal is of force in things indiffrent for or against which the conscience may be awed by a seemingly religious reason such was the observing or not observing a day the eating or not eating of some kind of meates or meates offered unto Idols and the like things which in the Primitive Churches and times of Christianity the Apostles during the honourable obsequies of the expired law which h●d sometimes and yet seemed to charge them as duty or forbid them as iniquity determined indifferent and directed Scandall of the weak as the casting graine in the aequilibrious minde of a man satisfyed in conscience as to the doing or not doing the same thereby guiding us in all things and cases of the like nature for the indifinite Universal Eat drink Rom. 14. or any thing that may Scandalize offend or weaken a brother advised in Rom. 14.21 must be restrained to this species and things of this kind For what is positively forbidden or commanded must not at any mans pleasure be done or left undone simple scandal hath no strength To plead we are offended and not produce a reason at least seemingly religious is a most simple plea 1 Pet. ●… Jesus Christ is a stone of stumbling and a Rock of offence to many and yet he must be preached and professed unto bonds and death it self Such as in my case pretend scandal and offence I must advise and intreat to reflect their thoughts and take heed they do not mistake the case and mistake the question and thereby take offence where none is given I confess the ministerial order and method of publique worship and prayer is purely humane within the power of the Ministers thereof and so indifferent and ought not to be prescribed or imposed when it is as in our common divine service rude confused and disorderly it s no less Scandalous to the serious Godly then was the administration of the Sons of Eli or confused acclamations of the Church at Cerinth and such on which if I out of choice at liberty to enjoy a more serious and regular order according to the Kings gracious Indulgence granted in his Royal declaration concerning Ecclesiastical affairs should attend I could not but give offence to such as seek the Simplicity of the Gospell and seem to them to allow what I have concluded ought to be abolished and to build again what I have endeavoured to destroy for extirpation of every thing which is evil though but extrinsecall and in the ministerial method of Gods ordinances being the extent of zeale and duty of every member of the Church to be endeavoured in his place and calling though however not under a special solemn sacred obligation thereunto non-attendance on that order unto and by embracing of more regular administration of the same ordinances in Communion with the same Church is the least Act I could do to the enforecing that end I cannot beleive the pious Israelites would have brought their Sacrifices unto the Sons of Eli whose order made them loath the offerings of the Lord which they durst not with-hold if they had enjoyed other Priests who would have offered more conformly to divine appointment But my friend this is not my case or Question but whether solemn publique Worship which is my positive duty unto the

Why is my now attendance on solemn publick worship branded to be renewed communion with you know not whom if you mean this of persons individual truly as to the most I know not whom nor can I think you judge it necessary I cannot in my first communion know it in any Congregation is Church gathering become a Presbyterial principle is it the work of every age is seven not seventy years an age is non knowledge of Members a cause of non communion would not common charity make me know them to be a society of Christians worshippers of the true God in Jesus Christ and are they not hereby members of the Church Catholick visible particularly divided by local circumscription or have we renounced this principle is not the Liberty of the Tower a particular Church in a Presbyterial sence as well as Christ Church or Alhallows Breads street If I communicate in these must I not communicate with I know not whom may I not hear the Gospel preached and in calling on God in the name of Christ for things agreeable to his will communicate with I know not whom But why is my communion r●newed I never denied I never ceased from I never was cut off from communion with the English Reformed Church and its particular Assemblies must Independents be verified in the false reproach viz. Presbyterial Churches w●re gathered Churches Presbytery interrupted was the Church dissolved and Communion abandoned Cave We have disowned denied determined sin and danger in these Notions I have more charity than to think my self out of Communion because violently debarred from Convention with the particular Assemblies of the Reformed English Church God having at length opened me a door of liberty to attend his solemn publick worship in this place with this Assemb●y why is my acceptance and use thereof clamorously condemned as an act not only impoliti k but impious do not you know this is the execution of a resolution neither new nor rash not new for I thus determined and thus practised in my youth when piety was reproached by profane men as Puritanism and by the Brownists as corrupt Communion I thus determined and declared in my publick Ministery and preaching for Reformation I thus determined in all my late disputes and writings whilest I was at liberty I thus practised on accidental occasions I herein convinced and hereof perswaded prayed the liberty I now enjoy the first day I was committed prisoner to this place and have ever since petitioned to enjoy it this act you know is not rash but the result of mature and deliberate thoughts besides what hath passed between God and mine own soul I have heard and weighed the objections of separating as well as reforming brethren and after many expostulations I have you know it stated my Case of Conscience drawn up my reasons communicated them to Brethren and Christian Friends craved a Confutation from more than one prayed fraternal Correption by solid and serious Argumentation and professed a readiness to hear and obey Conviction I wonder after all this and Nine Months time to have corrected convinced my Judgment I shall be censured for bringing it to Act and you should now call for an Apology Dear Brother How long shall I complain when shall I be known and dealt with as a Brother Is it fair Play to revile and not reprove To condemn and not confute Will you neither convince my Conscience nor be content without Censures to see me obey it Are you angry to be imposed on and yet expect I should live by an implicite Faith and forbear what is to me a positive Duty on this bare Reason The Brethren will be displeased Let me say it without Prophaneness or Levity Be not wise overmuch The Offence of Brethren hath its place and weight in my Soul but must be well grounded before it counterpoize Conscience of positive indispensable Duty I well understand not the Epithites which vilifie my present Act because they are general and without Reason That it is Impolitick I may not deny I have ever been estranged to and at enmity with the Brethrens Policies and Fancy If they had in some things been as foolish as silly I God might have had more Glory Truth more Strength the Church more Purity and Order my self more Liberty their Comforts I know not nor will adventure to judge What Policies this Act must relate unto I know not unless it be the strengthning and so justifying those Schisms which supplanted subverted our Reformation by those Seditions Rebellions Treasons which have made it Odious and scandalized the endeavours thereof that the most Upright and Innocent among us are pressed under it If Brethren were sensible That my Zeal for Reformation is reproached repelled and my self thus oppressed by these Schisms they would not sure think it Policy to strike hands with them or Impolitick to appear really as well as verbally against them God knoweth I may not long speak let me speak freely Truly Brother foolish I think it aque and aequaliter politick for serious sober Reformers to unite with Non-communicating Separating Congregational Brethren in the Church-confounding nullifying principles and practises As for our late King-Killers to cry up the COVENANT and confound the Quarrel of the Parliament with the Good Old Cause Confound 62. with 52. and you may reconcile 48. to 43. and soon return to 48. again Agree these in Ecclesiasticks and divide them in Civils if you can I wish I could not scent some Brethren offended at my Act as tainted already in their Civils But I am a Fool be it so yet a Fools Bolt is soon shot If Presbyters will wisely serve Gods providence and do his Church proper Service Now it is their Time and Business to witness Corruptions circa cultum publicum will not warrant Non-communion with secession or separation from a true Church and such I yet deem England Correct this folly and I may become wise till then I will through Grace joy in my folly I have observed indeed Gods and the Kings Fools were never many But truly foolish I could never judge it good Policy That Non-communion Separation and the Sectarian Spawn should shroud themselves and be sheltered by Non-conformity and Reformation Hath not our dear-bought Experience taught us That the Repute of being the Parent of these hath been the Remora and Retroversion of that Can we forget how these when in Power did divide divert and destroy Reformation Paganize all England and plant One hundred and twenty gathered Churches and thereby proclaim Entity not Purity of the Churches was their Quarrel And shall we not now be so wise as to disown and deny them as a Bastard brood Now they are taken as Vagrants and whip't up to Non-conformists as their reputed Parents Can we ever witness Relation more than by these affectionate embraces in this day of Discrimination O! that my Brethrens Policy were so wise as to consider the Duty and Necessity of differing Reformation and