Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	double_a	king_n	respect_n	1,282	5	10.1398	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67467	The life of Dr. Sanderson, late Bishop of Lincoln written by Izaak Walton ; to which is added, some short tracts or cases of conscience written by the said Bishop.	Walton, Izaak, 1593-1683.; Sanderson, Robert, 1587-1663. Judgment concerning submission to usurpers.; Sanderson, Robert, 1587-1663. Pax ecclesiae.; Hooker, Richard, 1553 or 4-1600. Sermon of Richard Hooker, author of those learned books of Ecclesiastical politie.; Sanderson, Robert, 1587-1663. Judgment in one view for the settlement of the church.; Sanderson, Robert, 1587-1663. Judicium Universitatis Oxoniensis. English.	1678 (1678)	Wing W667; ESTC R8226	137,878	542

ignorance herein by conceiting as if there were some difference to be made between Civil and Ecclesiastical Things and Laws and Persons in this behalf The truth is our liberty is equal in both the power of Superiours for restraint equal in both and the necessity of obedience in Inferiours equal to both No man hath yet been able to shew nor I think ever shall be a real and substantial difference indeed between them to make an inequality But that still as Civil Magistrates have sometimes for just politick respects prohibited some Trades and Manufactures and Commodities and enjoyned other some and done well in both so Church Governours may upon good considerations say it be but for order and uniformities sake prescribe the times places vestments gestures and other ceremonial circumstances to be used in Ecclesiastical Offices and Assemblies As the Apostles in the first Council holden at Ierusalem in Acts 15. laid upon the Churches of the Gentiles for a time a restraint from the eating of blood and things sacrificed to Idols and strangled Thus we see our Christian liberty unto the Creatures may without prejudice admit of some restraints in the outward exercise of it and namely from the three respects of Christian Sobriety of Christian Charity and of Christian Duty and Obedience But now in the comparing of these together when there seemeth to be a repugnancy between one and another of them there may be some difficulty and the greatest difficulty and which hath bred most trouble is in comparing the cases of scandal and disobedience together when there seemeth to be a repugnancy between Charity and Duty As for example Suppose in a thing which simply and in it self we may lawfully according to the Liberty we have in Christ either use or forbear Charity seemeth to lay restraint upon us one way our weak brother expecting we should forbear and Duty a quite contrary way Authority requiring the use in such a case what are we to do It is against charity to offend a brother and it is against Duty to disobey a superiour And yet something must be done either we must use or not use forbear or not forbear For the untying of this knot which if we will but lay things rightly together hath not in it so much hardness as it seemeth to have let this be our seventh Position In the use of the Creatures and all indifferent things we ought to bear a greater regard to our publick Governours than to our private Brethren and be more careful to obey them than to satisfie these if the same course will not in some mediocrity satisfie both Alas that our Brethren who are contrary minded would but with the spirit of sobriety admit common Reason to be umpire in this case Alas that they would but consider what a world of contradictions would follow upon the contrary opinion and what a world of confusions upon the contrary practice Say what can be said in the behalf of a brother all the same and more may be said for a Governour For a Governour is a Brother too and something more and Duty is Charity too and something more If then I may not offend my Brother then certainly not my Governour because he is my brother too being a man And a christian as well as the other is And the same charity that bindeth me to satisfie another Brother equally bindeth me to satisfie this So that if we go no farther but even to the common bond of charity and relation of brotherhood that maketh them equal at the least and therefore no reason why I should satisfie one that is but a private brother rather than the publick magistrate who that publick respect set aside is my brother also When the Scales hang thus even shall not the accession of magistracy to common brotherhood in him and of Duty to common charity in me be enough to cast it clear for the magistrate Shall a servant in a Family rather than offend his fellow-servant disobey his Master And is not a double scandal against charity and duty both for duty implieth charity greater than a single scandal against charity alone If private men will be offended at our obedience to publick Governours we can but be sorry for it We may not redeem their offence by our disobedience He that taketh offence where none is given sustaineth a double person and must answer for it both as the giver and the taker If offence be taken at us there is no wo to us for it if it do not come by us Wo to the man by whom the offence cometh And it doth not come by us if we do but what is our duty to do The Rule is certain and equitable The respect of private scandal ceaseth where lawful authority determineth our liberty and that restraint which proceedeth from special duty is of superiour reason to that which proceedeth but from common charity Quest. Whether the King and Parliament ought to impose any more upon us in matters of Religion than is imposed in the Scripture or whether every one ought not to be left to serve God according to his best apprehensions out of the Scripture Answ. The Opinion is that to do any thing at all without direction from the Scripture is unlawful and sinful Which if they would understand only of the substantials of Gods worship and of the exercises of Spiritual and supernatural graces the assertion were true and sound but as they extend it to all the actions of common life whatsoever whether natural or civil even so far as to the taking up of a straw so it is altogether false and indefensible I marvel what warrant they that so teach have from the Scripture for that very Doctrine or where they are commanded so to believe or teach One of their chiefest refuges is the Text we now have in hand but I shall anon drive them from this shelter The other places usually alledged speak only either of divine and supernatural truths to be believed or else of works of grace or worship to be performed as of necessity unto salvation which is not to the point in issue For it is freely conscised that in things of such nature the holy Scripture is and so we are to account it a most absolute sufficient direction Upon which ground we heartily reject all humane traditions devised and intended as supplements to the doctrine of faith contained in the Bible and annexed as Codicils to the holy Testament of Christ for to supply the defects thereof The question is wholly about things in their nature indifferent such as are the use of our food raiment and the like about which the common actions of life are chiefly conversant Whether in the choice and use of such things we may not be sometimes sufficiently guided by the light of reason and the common rules of discretion but that we must be able and are so bound to do or else we sin for every thing we do in such matters to deduce

Faith and Manners at this day firmly believed and securely practiced by us when by the Socinians Anabaptists and other Sectaries we should be called upon for our proofs As namely sundry Orthodoxal Explications concerning the Trinity and Co-equality of the Persons in the Godhead against the Arians and other Hereticks the number use and efficacy of Sacraments the Baptizing of Infants National Churches the observation of the Lord's Day and even the Canon of Scripture it self Thirdly In respect of our selves we are not satisfied how it can stand with the Principles of Iustice Ingenuity and Humanity to require the extirpation of Episcopal Government unless it had been first clearly demonstrated to be unlawful to be sincerely and really endeavoured by us 1. Who have all of us who have taken any Degree by subscribing the 39 Articles testified our approbation of that Government one of those Articles affirming the very Book containing the Form of their Consecration to contain in it nothing contrary to the Word of God 2. Who have most of us viz. as many as have entred into the Ministery received Orders from their hands whom we should very ill requite for laying their hands upon us if we should now lay to our hands to root them up and cannot tell for what 3. Who have sundry of us since the beginning of this Parliament subscribed our Names to Petitions exhibited or intended to be exhibited to that High Court for the continuance of that Government which as we then did sincerely and really so we should with like sincerity and reality still not having met with any thing since to shew us our errour be ready to do the same again if we had the same hopes we then had the reception of such Petitions 4. Who hold some of us our livelyhood either in whole or part by those Titles of Deans Deans and Chapters c. mentioned in the Articles being Members of some Collegiate or Cathedral Churches And our memories will not readily serve us with any Example in this kind since the world began wherein any state or profession of men though convicted as we are not of a Crime that might deserve Deprivation were required to bind themselves by Oath sincerely and really to endeavour the rooting out of that in it self not unlawful together wherewith they must also root out themselves their Estates and Livelyhoods 5. Especially it being usual in most of the said Churches that such persons as are admitted Members thereof have a personal Oath administred unto them to maintain the Honour Immunities Liberties and Profits of the same and whilst they live to seek the good and not to do any thing to the hurt hindrance or prejudice thereof or in other words to the like effect Fourthly In respect of the Church of England we are not satisfied how we can swear to endeavour the extirpation of the established Government no necessity or just cause for so doing either offering it self or being offered to our Understandings 1. Since all Change of Government unavoidably bringeth with it besides those that are present and evident sundry other inconveniences which no wit of man can possibly foresee to provide against till late experience discover them We cannot be sure that the evils which may ensue upon the Change of this Government which hath been of so long continuance in this Kingdom is so deeply rooted in the Laws thereof and hath so near a conjunction with and so strong an influence upon the Civil Sate and Government as that the Change thereof must infer the necessity of a great alteration to be made in the other also may not be greater than the supposed evils whatsoever they are which by this Change are sought to be remedied For there are not yet any come to our knowledge of that desperate nature as not to be capable of other remedy than the utter extirpation of the whole Government it self 2. Whereas the House of Commons have remonstrated That it was far from their purpose or desire to abolish the Church Government but rather that all the Members of the Church of England should be regulated by such Rules of Order and Discipline as are established by Parliament and that it was Malignancy to infuse into the people that they had any oother meaning We are loth by consenting to the second Article to become guilty of such Infusion as may bring us within the compass and danger of the fourth Article of this Covenant 3. Since it hath been declared by sundry Acts of Parliament That the holy Church of England was founded in the state of Prelacy within the Realm of England we dare not by endeavouring the extirpation of Prelacy strike at the very foundation and thereby as much as in us lieth co-operate towards the ruine of this famous Church which in all conscience and duty we are bound with our utmost lawful power to uphold Lastly In respect of our Obligations to his Majesty by our Duty and Oaths we are not satisfied how we can swear to endeavour the extirpation of the Church Government by Law established without forfeiture of those Obligations 1. Having in the Oath of Supremacy acknowledged the King to be the only Supreme Governour in all Ecclesiastical Causes and over all Ecclesiastical Persons having bound our selves both in that Oath and by our Protestation To maintain the King's Honour Estate Iurisdictions and all manner of Rights it is clear to our Understandings that we cannot without disloyalty and injury to him and double Perjury to our selves take upon us without his consent to make any alteration in the Ecclesiastical Laws or Government much less to endeavour the extirpation thereof unless the imposers of this Covenant had a power and meaning which they have openly disclaimed to absolve us of that Obedience which under God we owe unto his Majesty whom they know to be intrusted with the Ecclesiastical Law 2. We cannot sincerely and really endeavour the extirpation of this Government without a sincere desire and real endeavour that his Majesty would grant his Royal Assent to such extirpation Which we are so far from desiring and endeavouring that we hold it our bounden duty by our daily prayers to beg at the hands of Almighty God that he would not for our sins suffer the King to do an act so prejudicial to his Honour and Conscience as to consent to the rooting out of that estate which by so many branches of his Coronation Oath he hath in such a solemn manner sworn by the assistance of God to his power to maintain and preserve 3. By the Laws of this Land the Collation of Bishopricks and Deanaries the fruits and profits of their Lands and Revenues during their vacancies the first fruits and yearly tenths out of all Ecclesiastical Promotions and sundry other Priviledges Profits and Emoluments arising out of the State Ecclesiastical are established in the Crown and are a considerable part of the Revenues thereof which by the

you For whosoever doth ask shall receive whosoever doth seek shall find the door unto every one which knocks shall be opened In which words we are first commanded to ask seek and knock secondly promised grace answerable unto every of these endeavours asking we shall have seeking we shall find knocking it shall be opened unto us thirdly this grace is particularly warranted because it is generally here averred That no man asking seeking and knocking shall fail of that whereunto his serious desire tendeth 1. Of asking or praying I shall not need to tell you either at whose hands we must seek our aid or to put you in mind that our hearts are those golden Censers from which the Fume of this Sacred Incense must ascend For concerning the one you know who it is which hath said Call upon me and of the other we may very well think that if any where surely first and most of all in our Prayers God doth make his continual Claim Fili da mihi cor tuum Son let me never fail in this duty to have thy heart Against invocation of any other than God alone if all Arguments else should fail the number whereof is both great and forcible yet this very barr and single challenge might suffice That whereas God hath in Scripture delivered us so many patterns for imitation when we pray yea framed ready to our hands in a manner all for suits and supplications which our condition of life on earth may at any time need there is not one no not one to be found directed unto Angels Saints or any saving God alone So that if in such cases as this we hold it safest to be led by the best Examples that have gone before when we see what Noah what Abraham what Moses what David what Daniel and the rest did what form of Prayer Christ himself likewise taught his Church and what his blessed Apostles did practice who can doubt but the way for us to pray so as we may undoubtedly be accepted is by conforming our Prayers to theirs whose Supplications we know were acceptable Whoso cometh unto God with a gift must bring with him a chearful heart because he loveth hilarem datorem a liberal and frank affection in giving Devotion and fervency addeth unto prayers the same that alacrity doth unto gifts it putteth vigour and life in them Prayer proceedeth from want which being seriously laid to heart maketh Suppliants always importunate which importunity our Saviour Christ did not only tolerate in the woman of Canaan Matth. 15. but also invite and exhort thereunto as the Parable of the wicked Judge sheweth Luke 13. Our fervency sheweth us sincerely affected towards that we crave but that which must make us capable thereof is an humble spirit for God doth load with his grace the lowly when the proud he sendeth empty away and therefore to the end that all generations of the world might know how much it standeth them upon to beware of all lofty and vain conceits when we offer up our Supplications before him he hath in the Gospel both delivered this Caveat and left it by a special chosen parable exemplified The Pharisee and Publican having presented themselves in one and the same place the Temple of God for performance of one and the same duty the duty of Prayer did notwithstanding in that respect only so far differ the one from the other that our Lords own verdict of them remaineth as you know on record They departed home the sinful Publican through humility of prayer just the just Pharisee through pride sinful So much better doth he accept of a contrite peccavi than of an arrogant Deo gratias Asking is very easie if that were all God did require but because there were means which his Providence hath appointed for our attainment unto that which we have from him and those means now and then intricated such as require deliberation study and intention of wit therefore he which imboldeneth to ask doth after invocation exact inquisition a work of difficulty The baits of sin every where open ready always to offer themselves whereas that which is precious being hid is not had but by being sought Praemia non ad magna praevenitur nisi per magnos labores Bernard straitness and roughness are qualities incident unto every good and perfect way What booteth it to others that we wish them well and do nothing for them As little our selves it must needs avail if we pray and seek not To trust to labour without prayer it argueth impiety and prophaneness it maketh light of the Providence of God and although it be not the intent of a religious mind yet it is the fault of those men whose Religion wanteth light of mature Judgment to direct it when we joyn with our prayer slothfulness neglect of convenient labour He which hath said If any man lack wisdom let him ask hath in like sort commanded also to seek wisdom to search for understanding as for treasure To them which did only crave a seat in the Kingdom of Christ his answer as you know in the Gospel was this To sit at my right hand and left hand in the Seat of Glory is not a matter of common gratuity but of Divine assignment from God He liked better of him which enquired Lord what shall I do that I may be saved and therefore him he directeth the right and ready way Keep the Commandments I noted before unto you certain special qualities belonging unto you that ask In them that seek there are the like which we may observe it is with many as with them of whom the Apostle speaketh 2 Tim. 3.7 They are alway learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth Ex amore non quaerunt saith Bernard they seek because they are curious to know and not as men desirous to obey It was distress and perplexity of mind which made them inquisitive of whom St. Luke in the Acts reporteth that sought counsel and advice with urgent solicitation Men and Brethren sith God hath blessed you with the spirit of Understanding above others hide not from miserable persons that which may do them good give your counsel to them that need and crave it at your hands unless we be utterly forlorn shew us teach us what we may do and live That which our Saviour doth say of Prayer in the open streets of causing Trumpets to be blown before us when we give our Alms and of making our Service of God a means to purchase the praise of men must here be applied to you who never seek what they ought but only when they may be sure to have store of lookers on On my bed saith the Canticles there did I seek whom my soul doth love When therefore thou resolvest they self to seek go not out of thy chamber into the streets but shun that frequency which distracteth single thy self from thy self if such sequestration may be attained When though seekest let