Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	bind_v	good_a	work_n	1,025	5	5.9292	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14645	The poore-mans preacher A sermon preached at S. Maries Spittle in London, on Tuesday in Easter weeke, being April. 7. 1607. By Ro. Wakeman Bachelar of Diuinitie, and fellow of Ballioll College in Oxford.	Wakeman, Robert, 1575 or 6-1629.	1607 (1607)	STC 24951; ESTC S101713	35,727	96

there is nothing else but as Saint Paul speaketh 1. Corint 9. that his disciples preaching the Gospell should liue of the Gospell and sowing spirituall things vnto the people should be rewarded with their corporall reliefe Againe suppose that wages or hire did signifie eternall life as out of Matt. 20. they prooue yet shall we thinke by our good déeds to demerit the same séeing in that very chap. you shall finde that they who were called at the last houre had as large a reward as they that came at the first which had neuer béene if merit had béene respected and therefore as Saint Ambrose saith in his lib. 1. cap. 3. de vocat gentium Cùm hi qui in multo labore sudarunt séeing they which were in all the labour receaued no more than the last intelligant donum se gratiae non operum accepisse mercedem let them vnderstand they receaued a gift of Gods grace and had nothing in them to merit this reward of their works Yea but in the Reuelation the words are more plaine and the spirit there pronounceth them woorthy Reuel 3.4 Thou hast a few names yet in Sardi which haue not defiled their garments and they shall walke with me in white for they are woorthie But how beloued non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are not absolutely woorthy but respectiuely in cōparison of those wicked ones in Sardi that had consented to idolaters and polluted their consciences with euill and were altogether profane So doth S. Ambrose expound it writing on the 2. Timoth. 1. quantum ad caeterorum comparationem digni sunt quantum ad rem ipsam omnes indigni in respect of others they are woorthy but in regard of the thing it selfe they are all vnwoorthie Or else they are woorthy not simply of themselues but because God did so accept them in Christ Iesus Non ex operibus sed pura gratia as a good writer will haue it Not by the merit of their works but by the imputation of Christs woorthinesse not because they are clensed by their almes but because their robes are made white in the bloud of the Lambe Reuel 7.14 Yea but that place Matth. 24. cannot be answered Receaue the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world for I was hungrie and yée fed me naked and yée clothed me c. ergo almes déedes are the efficient causes of euerlasting life the casting our bread vpon the waters shall merit heauen for vs. Indéed my brethren this is the Scripture they most presse but if you will a little consider this place with me I doubt not but as that Aegyptian was slaine with a speare taken out of his owne hands 2. Sam. 23.21 So our aduersaries shall bée confuted out of these words which they alledge for the defence of their own cause For if we looke into the text we shall find that this kindgome was prepared for them from the beginning of the world Whence wée may frame against them this argument If this kingdome were prouided for the faithfull before they had done any almes déedes at all then did not the faithfull by their almes déedes as by precedent causes merit or deserue the same But this kingdome was prouided for the faithfull before they had done any almes déeds at all euen before the foundation of the world was laid ergo the faithfull did not by their almes déed merit or deserue the same Againe our works are said to be meritorious when we doe them of our owne frée will and pleasure and not of due debt for when wée doe that which wée are bound to doe we doe no more but our dutie But behold beloued and consider what the Apostle saith We are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus to good workes which God hath ordained wée should walke in them Eph. 2.10 and the particular good works of almes déedes are in my text and in many other places of holy scripture required of vs. We are not left to our owne frée will and pleasure whether we will doe them or no but as Saint Paul saith of himselfe concerning the preaching of the Gospell Necessitie is laid vpon me and woe be vnto me if I preach not the Gospell 1. Cor. 9.18 So may all Christians say of themselues in this behalfe there is a necessitie laid vpon vs to relieue the poore to cast our bread vpon the waters and woe be vnto vs if we doe it not And shall we then make our almes meritorious when necessitie requireth that at our hand Did the master thanke his seruant because he did that which was commanded him Luc. 17.9 and doe we thinke that when wée haue done all that is commanded vs wée shall be in any better ranke then vnprofitable seruants or doe we looke the Lord should thanke vs or that he should bestow the kingdome of heauen on vs for the woorthinesse thereof Lastly betwéene the worke and the reward there should be an equall proportion otherwise it cannot be said to merit for if the reward be more than the works it is not a reward of desert but a gift of good will Whence it is manifest that our best almes can neuer merit this kingdome of heauen because none of them can equal it What is a cup of cold water to eternall life what is a morsell of bread to a crown of glory what is a small mite to the kingdome of heauen Nay what are our best works to such an immortall reward All the afflictions of this life are not woorthie of that glory that shall be shewed vnto vs Rom. 8.18 Quid possumus dignum facere praemijs coelestibus saith S. Ambrose in his 20. serm in Psal 119. what can we doe to deserue heauen Beatae vitae nullus potest aquari labor nulla operatio passiones nullae saith Gregory in Psal 142. to blessed life no labour worke or suffering can bée equall Quid sunt merita nostra ad tantum gloriam saith S. Bernard in his 1. serm De Annuntiatione What are all our merits euen our best merits in comparison of so great glorie To these I might adde the testimonies of S. Chrysostome S. Basil S. Hierome S. Augustine and the rest of the antient fathers of the Church who in many places of their works being rightly vnderstood doe beat downe this monster of popish merits to the shame of our fugitiue countrimen who are not ashamed to publish to the world that all the Fathers Councels Reasons Scriptures are in this point for them against vs. Whereas you sée the contrary hath béene in part and might be in the whole prooued if time would permit And the word of God herein is so opposite vnto them that I maruell not if that godly martyr was so thorowly perswaded of this trueth that hée said vnto his enimies He that can shew me in any Scripture that our almes déeds or best works doe merit heauen for the first Scripture I will without any

are famous thorow the whole world neither doe I thinke that any one citie hath giuen more woorthy testimonies of a true and liuely faith but among all these I finde one good worke yet wanting I wish it may be hereafter registred in this bedroule it is that which heretofore many haue much desired and I cannot at this time conceale it from you that whereas this Honorable citie is aboue all the cities in this land so well furnished with the choicest men for learning sent hither wéekely to stand before the most solemne congregation there is not some place prouided at the charges of this citie and the well affected therein for their better entertainement but that they are constrained to take their diet and lodging in troublesome Innes whereby their expenses are increased their mindes disturbed their meditations distracted I speake not this beloued in mine owne behalfe for blessed be God I néed it not and I haue no cause to complaine héerein my selfe receauing so kind entertainment of a priuate friend but I speake it out of a compassionate affection towards many of my poore brethren and fellow-labourers in the ministerie who hauing but small meanes and maintenance are by authoritie sent for from the Vniuersities to supply if not sometimes this yet many times that other solemne place The course of their studie is héereby interrupted their paines increased their bodies wearied their purse emptied and yet their person nay their calling by many is little respected for as that Leuite sometime said I goe now to the house of the Lord and yet no man receaueth me to house Iud. 19.18 so many of our Leuits may as truely professe of themselues that comming hither they goe vnto Gods house to performe that part of seruice due vnto him and yet there is no man receaueth them to lodging no man entertaineth them in his house Gaius was but a priuate man yet he was the host not of S. Paul onely but of the whole Church Rom. 16.23 Simon was but a poore Tanner and yet he lodged S. Peter many daies Act. 9.43 Lydia was but a purple-seller and yet shée requested nay euen constrained the Apostles to come into her house and to abide there Act. 16.15 and will not London so rich and so religious through her many inhabitants be as forward héerein as one man Will not such a publike citie performe as much as a priuate person will not they whose zeale in other matters as S. Paul speaketh of the Corinthians hath prouoked many be prouoked by others to this good work That good Shunamite shall euer be remembred while the world standeth for her loue to the Lords Prophets Marke I beséeh you her spéech vnto her husband 2. Kings 4. I know this is a holy man of God that passeth by vs continually let vs make him I pray thée a little chamber with walles and let vs set him there a bed and a table and a stoole and a candlesticke that he may turne in thither when he commeth vnto vs. O that wise men would not scorne to imitate a weake woman and that you right Honorable my L. Maior and the right worshipfull Aldermen of this citie would vouchsafe in your méetings among other your serious affaires to entertaine this consultation that as this holy woman of God mooued her husband out of his priuate estate so you would be as readie to mooue one another that at the last out of the publike charge there may be prouided for the Lords Prophets a little chamber and a bed and a table and a stoole and a candlesticke I meane a place sequestred from tumult and fit for meditation whereunto they may betake themselues when they come vnto you Know you not that he which is taught in the Word should make him that hath taught him partaker of all his goods Gal. 6.6 know you not that they which minister about the holy things eate of the things of the temple and they that waite at the altar are partakers with the altar who goeth a warfar at any time of his owne cost who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruite thereof or who féedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke thereof 1. Cor. 9. They come to sowe vnto you spirituall things and thinke you much they should reape your carnall things they come to bring you heauenly Manna and will you not affoord them your earthly mammon they come to saue your soules and will not you prouide for their corporall necessities they come to féed you with the bread of life and will not you bestow on them materiall foode they come to comfort you with the waters of life and will not you giue a cup of cold water to refresh them they come to bring you to the kingdome of heauen and will not you prepare for them a pilgrims lodging in an earthly mansion wherefore as S. Paul told the Corinthians 2. Cor. 8.7 so giue me leaue to vse the like exhortation as yée abound in euery good worke in faith and word and knowledge and in all diligence and in your loue towards vs euen so sée that yée abound in this grace also Blessed shal he be that furthereth such a businesse blessed and thrice blessed he that thus casteth his bread vpon these waters such a good worke will be acceptable to Almightie God comfortable to his Ministers and honorable to this renowned citie Consider my déere brethren what I haue héerein spoken and the Lord God giue you a right vnderstanding in all things I might héere take occasion further to incite you to this and the like holy duties by the example of many of your forefathers in this citie not yet named who haue excelled in the works of mercy and with a liberall hand haue cast their bread vpon the waters But I will not presse this point any further onely of them thus much I say their remembrance wil be as the composition of a perfume that is made by the art of the Apothecarie swéet as honie in all mouthes and as musicke at a banket of wine They were the great Amners of the king of heauen plentifull in the déeds of piety abundant in the fruits of charitie and full of the bowels of compassion toward the néedy They are now dead rest from their labours and their works follow them though I sée manie now liuing not to follow them in their works for alas my brethren how farre are some of vs degenerated from their steps how farre are we fallen from their religious deuotion aetas parentum peior auis tulit nos nequiores mox daturos progeniem vitiosiorem Well might our forefathers be great giuers and bountiful casters but surely now the world groweth woorse woorse We are fallen into that iron age wherein charitie the life of Christianitie is waxen colde and the loue to the poore in manie is abated if not quite distinguished The Naturall Historian writeth of the Eagle the prince of birds and of the Lion