Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	body_n	sin_n	soul_n	1,667	5	4.8252	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55028	The necessity and encouragement, of utmost venturing for the churches help together with the sin, folly, and mischief of self-idolizing applyed by a representation of 1. some of the most notorious nationall sins endangering us, 2. the heavy weight of wrath manifested in our present calamities, yet withall, grounds of 3. confidence, that our church shall obtain deliverance in the issue, 4. hopes that the present Parliament shall be still imployed in the working of it : all set forth in a sermon, preached to the honorable House of Commons, on the day of the monethly solemn fast, 28. June, 1643 / by Herbert Palmer ...	Palmer, Herbert, 1601-1647.	1643 (1643)	Wing P243; ESTC R21704	67,757	76

For which their party hath well requited you ever since and so have others too for all your gentlenesse to many desperate Delinquents who have been your prisoners 2. For the other Was there not a time when nothing you asked was denyed you Might not somewhat in that advantage of opportunity been obtained for Religion which hath not been and which would have kept the wheeles going eversince that have long stood still for want of it And since that season was it not morally possible to have speeded some things more then they have been I know I am not able to fathome the depths of your Businesses and Hindrances which have been apparently very many Therefore I take not upon me so much to be a reprover as a remembrancer Yet even the former could I know things as well as your selves do or may by reviewing your journalls my Office would not onely bear me out in but even require of me as the Case may be We have long and too justly complained of Princes being flattered by them that least should and how much we and they have been undone by it Let it I beseech you be your glory and God will make it so that you had rather be twice admonisht even without cause then to want it once when there is just cause And so I leave this Advise with one word of addition That if ever after this day God should which if we all seek him as we should even this day I hope he never will send you and us any affrighting tidings As we all must each one for themselves in particular so you would both for all us and for your selves severally and joyntly as a Body make diligent inquiry what is Gods meaning in it What sins they are that have provoked him so against us and you and accordingly see and practise each one their duties upon it And so I passe to the third Use which is of Exhortation to all and every one to resolve and practise from hence-forward the utmost possible for the Churches help endeavouring all venturing all to this end both against sins and dangers of enemies Taking in for Motives and to answer all Objections the Text Doctrines and Reasons foregoing and following together with the Protestation made two years ago and the late Covenant and for Means namely against sin in speciall the Assembly called There is not any Duty and way of help generall or particular that any hath been backward to set upon or can be tempted to neglect but upon the grounds laid I durst undertake to convince of the necessity of doing the utmost even for our own sakes as well as the Churches And without me if any will deal faithfully with themselves and apply things home to their own hearts each will not fail to perswade themselves to all things that come within their compasse This therefore I earnestly exhort all to do now and hereafter whiles I apply my speech particularly at this time unto those upon whom this work lies principally because they have the Power and Authority in their hands Our Senatours of the honourable Parliament Let me beseech you Honourable and Worthy to remember all that you have heard of the necessity of helping the Church that it may provoke you and prevail with you to put to all your strength and even venture all things that you may effectually help the Church particularly against the cause of all her dangers sinne And herein not by way of exclusion of other matters but of specification of some main things to be looked to Let me name some particulars to you 1 1. The banishment of idolatry wholly and for ever Never reckon upon the Churches safety or the Nations while any such treason against God is so much as winkt at in this Kingdom So farre as you do not the utmost possible in this I must tell you you are will be greatly wanting to the Churches help And never fear the provoking of any persons or multitudes at home or abroad by your faithfulnesse to God and the Church herein For beleeve it you will run a thousand times worse hazard by suffering them as experience for the present besides all other things may teach you shew therefore your indignation against all the reliques and objects and practisers of it in all places within your reach as you have happily already begun to do in some And manifest your zeal and wisdome in preparing such Laws against that cursed practise for the time to come As all the Nation may hear and fear and do no more so wickedly Deut. 13. 11. and secure the children that are growing up 2 2. Dispell ignorance We are undone by this mist of infection specially in the Countrey In the Name therefore of Jesus Christ who will come in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God 2 Thess. 1. 7 8. In the name of millions of souls throughout the Kingdom of many even in my Congregation whom this black Devill possesses and who cried out as he Mat. 8. 29. that we torment them when we offer but any endeavour for their dispossession and which no means in the world according to Man can cure without your effectuall help And in the name of all the faithfull Ministers of the Kingdome who preach to stocks and stones in the likenesse of men I cry out unto you unto you this day for help help effectuall help I name nothing particular now because of the Assembly else I had rather have spent my whole time upon this one argument then to have past it over so briefly 3 3. Conjure down the atheisticall Devil the impudent scorner of godlinesse and conscience Make every word of that kind a greater reproach to the Speaker then he can intend it to the person spoken against Make it an action of the case to reproach any with a Nickname for their conscientiousnesse to God and let such pay good dammages and full costs speedily or any other way whereby it may be more effectually done And till then know for a certainty that that direfull threatning will hang over the Land which is recorded Jer. 23. for one kinde of reproach against the Prophets of God ver. 33. to the end and it will utterly drown us in destruction when ever it fals Also without a law of this Nature let me assure you that make what ever Reformation you will or can it will prove in the issue and even within a very little while I doubt but as a wall dawbed with untempered morter and crumble all to nothing and the Church can never be helped while her glory is made her shame and suffered to be so 4 4. Cure Superstition There are more tainted with it then you can easily imagine and it is bred and nourisht by every thing that is customary specially among those that are not thoroughly instructed and chiefly by any meer humane ordinance though usefull being rightly used when once any

hazard for the Object loved So ought we to do because we ought to love the Church and professe we do love it So Saint Paul Col. 1 24. I now rejoyce in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behinde of the sufferings of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church Here is another great Example not onely of this Duty acknowledged but practised and that with joy and as a debt to Christ and his Church A strong Reason also insinuated All Christs Members must suffer after His example even for the Churches good not meritoriously or satisfactorily which was onely proper to him the Head but by way of conformity to Him and testimony to them to seal hereby the truth of the Doctrin of Christianity of faith and holinesse and proclaim it worth suffering for and to propagate it while any opportunity is afforded in despight of sufferings Moses also of old ventures and forfeits all his greatnesse in the Court of Aegypt being the reputed and adopted son of Pharaohs daughter for his brethrens sake the children of Israel under oppression even for the rescue of one of them tyrannically abused Exod. 2. And so Aaron Numb. 16. Even though his people but the day before were in rebellion against him and would have thrust him out of his Office and at the present had again renewed their mutiny against him and Moses crying out Ye have killed the people of the Lord when it was Gods own immediate vengeance that struck them and for this murmuring he now strikes them so heavily as 14700. of them died of the plague in a quarter of an houre or lesse Into the middest of which multitude with extreame danger Aaron to save them ventures himselfe and runnes in with his censer and incense between the living and the dead to make an atonement for them Here was an admirable charity indeed typifying Christs our great high Priests both dying and praying for his very enemies and crucifyers And David when his people were in danger of the destroying Angel offers himselfe to his sword his owne life to the Pestilence that they might be spared 2 Sam. 24. 17. Finally even Joab though a man of bloud and when his turne came to die unwilling enough 1 Kings 2. yet can encourage himselfe and his brother too to venture themselves to the utmost for their people the cities of their God even though not certain of the successe which he therefore wholly referres to God Let the Lord doe that which seemes him good 2 Sam. 10. 11 12. And great reason for all this whether we consider God or the Church our selves or the enemies or friends of the Church or By-standers 1. All Gods professed People Owe themselves Certainly to Him to Doe all things Venture Lose Suffer all things at His Bidding and for His Sake If then He Appoint to Doe any of this or all this for the Churches sake we Owe it as a Duty Vnquestionably What say You to this Brethren what think you of St. Pauls saying You are not your owne 1 Cor. 6. 19. What have you which is not His by Creation by Preservation special Providence and gift And may He not call for all that is His at any time or any way Are not you His by Redemption too You are bought with a price therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirits which are Gods 1 Cor. 6. 20. Satan had you once his slaves and you did his worke fulfilled his lusts with body and soule and all that you had and all that was Dishonour to God exceedingly Now God hath bought you with a price such a price as the precious bloud of His own Son can you chuse but owe your selves wholly to Him at His pleasure Once more are you not His altogether by covenant A right He hath in you even that way as much as it is possibly for you to pretend or imagine your selves ever to have been your own What is the covenant of Christianity plainly but for Him to be our God and we His people Jer. 31. 33. and every where and Heb. 8. 10. to deny our selves take up our crosse daily and follow Him Luke 9. 23. to sell all Mat. 13. 44 45 46. forsake all hate all Luke 14. 26. 33. or else we are told by the Truth it selfe we are no Christians we cannot be his Disciples Now doth not all this amount to all endeavour and the Venture of the utmost hazard What can any one except against this or except out of this Thou hast an estate who gave it thee but God Riches and honour are of thee c. ● Chron. 29. 12. or rather lent it thee made thee steward of it He appoints thee to lay out so much for such an use gives the Church a Letter of Atturney Is it not thy due to yeeld it upon demand Thou hast honour and dignity who promoted thee Psal. 75. 7. God is the Judge He puts down one and sets up another If He will have thee lay it down and give over thy office maist thou say I am not bound to yeeld to it Thou hast friends who made them friends and able to shew themselves friendly but God who rules all hearts If He will thee to sleight their friendship in this or that case canst thou say thou owest Him no such respect Thou art a Freeman in bondage to none who made thee free spiritually but Christ made thee be borne a freeman temporally not a slave as in some countries but God if he call thee to venture lying in a dungeon as a prisoner a captive or come into bonds and debts to doe Him necessary service wilt thou say thou owest Him no such service In a word thy lims sense life whence hadst thou them or hast them first and last may He not then command them all Owest thou not all of them to Him and so thy selfe in all respects to Him and accordingly to His Church at His wil Remember this as the first main Reason upon which all the rest depend They are divers but of each of them more briefly For 2ly God hath made the Church his receiver of all his rents and dues so far as her need requires Plainly God every where expresses that He counts that done or not done to Him which is done or not done to His Church Christ we know expresses this as the stile of His sentences at the great day of Judgement even referring to particular members helped or neglected You did it to me You did it not to me Mat. 25. Where note also the very Reprobates and now doomed to damnation dare not deny but they owed all respect to Christ and speak as though they would not have neglected it if they had lookt at it as reaching to Him so that He would have taken it to heart But they might have known we may from so many expressions in His word that in reference to the Churches necessities

Christ and the Church are one and have but one name Jer. 23. 6. with 33. 16. and 1 Cor. 12. 12. If we could see no Reason for this yet since he so often saith it we must not choppe logicke with Him and offer to deny it but if we would all logick and reason would confute us for 3. God is specially glorified upon earth or dishonoured according as His Church fares Israel is His glory Esa. 46. ult. The Church Christs spouse and His kingdome He is glorified in their welfare when their number encreases their sins are purged they freed from judgements and enemies and their prosperity advanced Therefore to endeavour this with our whole strength and utmost hazard is our duty as well as to love Him with our whole hearts and soules and minds and strength and to doe all things to His glory And we cannot faile in any thing but we faile so much in our love to Him and dishonour Him so much therefore 4. We pray for this for the Churches good when we understandingly pray as Christ hath taught us Hallowed be thy Name Thy kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven And we mock God if we so pray and endeavour it not with all cheerfull readinesse universall Fractice and constant continuance like the Angels in Heaven though we cannot reach their perfection nor are they put upon hazards because they have no sin and so no suffering to undergoe but 5. The very example of the Angels endeavours affords a distinct argument of our obligation They are sent forth to minister for their sakes that shall be the heirs of salvation Heb. 1. 14. It is not too mean an office then for the greatest on earth to endeavour the Churches helpe For 6. All things and persons are ordained for the Churches sake The very world continues that every one that in Gods Decree belongs to the Church should be converted and be brought to repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. All gifts are bestowed for the Churches sake The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall 1 Cor. 12. 7. all for the Churches profit and so 1 Cor. 3. 21 22. All things are yours whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours All not only things but persons Apostles and Ministers Kings and Parliaments and all are every one of them intended for the Church God called this Parliament for his Churches sake and for his Churches sake it is that he hath so establisht and continued it And the Prophet tells how that it was for Jacob his servants sake and Israel his elect that God raised up Cyrus and gave him victories holding his right hand and subduing Nations before him and loosing the loynes of Kings opening the two leaved gates c. Esay 45. ver. 1. 4. And elsewhere that Kings should be nursing Fathers to his Church and Queenes nurses and that they should carry the Churches children in their armes and upon their shoulders and give them suck do even the meanest offices of help to them with all diligence and paines-taking and breaking their sleep as Nurses use for their nurslings for their good And all this Cyrus hath taught us to be not onely prophesies of what shall be but precepts of what ought to be For understanding of the prediction Esay 44. 28. that he should build the Temple he takes it to be a command given to him as he proclaimes to all the world 2 Chron. 36. Ezra 1. Thus all humane authority on earth is for the Churches good And which is farre higher and a most exceedingly admirable expression the very Authority of Christ in Heaven though ultimately for his own glory the glory of God yet is also intended for the Churches good So remarkeably and fully speakes the Apostle Ephes. 1. 22. God gave him to be the Head over all things to the Church How much more are earthly men so meant It is injurious therefore without question not to God onely but to the Church in point of right for any man on earth to withhold any thing from her whereby she may be helped or benefited For also 7. The comforts as well as Talents that we have received we may instrumentally thank the Church for them as our Mother that bare us and her children as our brethren and sisters that helped to bring us up both naturally and spiritually and doe still while we live more for us then we can possibly requite with our utmost endeavour and venturing our selves for them Thankfulnesse then ties us besides all former Obligations The rather because 8. Every one by their sins have sundry wayes endangered the Church and do almost continually provoking God and sometimes men against her dishearting the Friends and strengthning the Enemies by evill Words and Examples We owe then by way of satisfaction to her and repentance toward God to do henceforward our utmost to help and rescue and strengthen her every way This was Davids reason in the forementioned 2 Sam. 24. and Pauls provocation to his duty doubtlesse many a time This is the more strong because still 9. The Church hath many Enemies who do and will do their worst against her and are specially encouraged and advantaged by our neglect They get ground as much as we withdraw and give back And our valour makes them at least at a stand and is some discouragement to them Also 10. When any of Gods people shrinks he endangers to break the Ranks and disorder others and make them run away from their Colours as well as himself or at least sads their hearts weakens their hands and makes bare their sides and contrarily each ones vigour and valour adds strength to his companions every way We owe it to them then and to the profession we have made to stand to them and live and die with them And there are great examples both wayes of this 11. Finally By-standers and Neuters are much led like sheep by the eye and though fearfull yet are sometimes engaged by our courage But to be sure they learn fearfulnesse of us And if those see us backward any way whose interests seem to be more in the Cause then theirs they will easily think themselves excused And then their sins will prove ours This I speak to those that in a more peculiar manner professe themselves Gods people though others also are professed Christians at large there should be no such difference if all would come up to their duties But since all will not at least not readily we that are outwardly forwardest any way must be so every way else I say we discharge not our debt and duty and give ill example to those that are too too backward of themselves So I have done with the proof of the first Point which is the main foundation of all and therefore not to