Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n
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A49584
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Of earnestly contending for the faith a sermon preached at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor and aldermen of the city of London, on Sunday, Sept. the 22th, there being that day an ordination by the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of London / by James Lardner.
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Lardner, James, b. 1670.
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Wing L436; ESTC R13861
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12,315
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day repeat We are to show the World that our Faith is a practical one continually producing the Fruits of Righteousness and discovering it self in all holy Conversation and Godliness that our chief Endeavour is to be like our great High Priest Holy Harmless Undefiled that our main design is to shine like so many Lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse Generation and to keep our selves unspotted from the World This is an effectual convincing way of Preaching when we not only instruct others how they ought to walk but visibly set a Copy before their Eyes for them to Transcribe and who knows but many of those Men may be won over by a good Example whom a positive Precept will not work upon What a mighty Force what an almost irresistable byass doth a good Example lay upon the Minds and Actions of others This carries not only Light but Heat with it too for a truly pious Zeal for God and Religion will kindly dispense its warmth to all that come within reach of it But then Thirdly To be more particular there is another sort of Adversaries who are not content to be wicked in their Practises but are if I may so speak debauch'd in their Faith and Principles And with these Men they are particularly concerned to deal whom the Holy Ghost hath made Overseers of that Flock which the Son of God hath purchas'd with his own Blood They are timely to forewarn those who are committed to their Charge of these sorts of ungodly Men who by false Glosses and forc'd Interpretations of the Text wrest the Scriptures to their own and others Destruction For these Men are not satisfied in being deceived themselves but have the boldness to spread their Errours openly proclaim defiance to all the Mysteries of the Gospel publickly oppose that Faith which was once delivered to the Saints and by publishing their Notions to the World slily insinuate that they have reason on their side Thus whilst by cunning Craftiness they lie in wait to deceive they catch the ignorant and unstable who are convinc'd often by a shew of Argument and have not Genius enough to distinguish between a colour of Reason and a Demonstration These are Wolves which in considerable numbers have lately crept into the Flock and are indeed Enemies of a very dangerous kind and therefore it behoves us earnestly to contend and as publickly oppose and confute their Errours as they dare to Print 'em To discover the Trick and Sophistry which they use in the Management of their Arguments not suffer them by any false Interpolations to add to nor by any false Pretensions from the Authority of this or that ancient Copy to diminish from the Text. We are to take care that they do not impose upon the World by any false Citations out of the Primitive Fathers or by misquoting any other antient Authors and so make the World believe that the Doctrine of the Church in former times was consonant to what they teach This is our Business this ought to be the Fruit and result of that studious sedentary Life to which we are design'd By this means we shall not only be able to confute those Heresies which at present infest the Church but prudently provide against any that may be broach'd hereafter This I say is our Business thus are we to contend earnestly for the Faith and give me leave to add that we are under one of the strictest Obligations imaginable so to do no less than a solemn Vow and Promise before God in the Presence of some one or other of the Reverend Fathers of the Church at our solemn Ordination they who are admitted to the lowest Degree of the Ministry to the Office of Deacons do promise Office for the Ordaining of Deacons That they will apply all their Diligence to frame their own Lives and the Lives of their Families according to the Doctrine of Christ and make both themselves and them wholesome Examples of the Flock of Christ. And when afterwards they are advanced to the Dignity of the Priesthood they engage themselves to be ready with all faithful Diligence Ordination of Priests to banish and drive away all erroneous and strange Doctrines which are contrary to the Word of God But Thirdly How those that are Magistrates are to contend for the Faith how they to whom the Sword of Justice is entrusted are to deal with these Adversaries of God and Religion the Time will not admit me to enlarge upon but give me leave to say thus much That they are obliged to take care that they bear not the Sword in vain There are some sort of Weeds springing up even in the Garden of the Lord the Church of Christ which cannot be cut down or at least not totally rooted out without the assistance of the Civil Power and therefore it is to be hoped especially considering before whom I speak that whenever such assistance shall be desired it will be as readily granted There are a sort of bold obstinate Wretches who seem to have made a Covenant with Sin and Death who are Reprobate concerning the Faith who are positively resolved to shut their Ears against all Advice that may be offer'd who will not give themselves leisure to reflect nor are ever cool enough for a serious Morning Thought these must be given over to the Management of the Civil Power and as on the one hand in the Administration of Justice and Discipline we are not altogether to forget Mercy so on the other side when we are inclined to be favourable we must take care to be so favourable as not to be too remiss And now having already said thus much I have prevented my self from enlarging upon the Third Head viz. to show what mighty Encouragements we have to perswade us to a constant Perseverance in our Christian Warfare what blessed Assistances are offer'd to us and what glorious Rewards we shall be Crowned withal if we fight the good Fight and do inviolably keep the Faith But no one surely can doubt but that God who in the performance of all our Religious Duties hath promised us the blessed Assistances of his most Holy Spirit who hath promised that in all our Afflictions and Temptations his Grace shall be sufficient for us will likewise more particularly assist and support us whilst we are fighting the Lord's Battles and couragiously standing up for his Cause And as we are assured that none of all our Labours shall be in vain in the Lord so undoubtedly the brightest Coronets of Glory shall be reserved for them who after a mighty conflict with all their potent Adversaries come off Glorious and Triumphant To him thâ—t overcometh saith the Blessed Jesus will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne Amen Hallelujah Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to preserve you faultless before the Presence of his Glory with exceeding Joy to the only wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power both now and for ever Amen FINIS
alludes to those ancient Games and Exercises in use amongst the Greeks and particularly here to that of running a Race wherein the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Reward of the Conqueror was set at the end over the Goal and the pious suffering Christian may here be consider'd at the approaches of the last solemn hour pressing forward toward the prize of his high Calling come as it were within fight of the Goal fully resolv'd notwithstanding the Conflicts and Fatigues which he undergoes not to slack his pace or be diverted by any thing that may court him in his way He presses forward and endeavours to grasp that Crown of Glory which stands in view though tortured will not accept of Deliverance nor quit his Master's Service to gain inglorious Ease He relies upon the sure word of Promise Job 27.5 and till he die will not remove his Innocence and Integrity from him And should it please God to draw a Cloud of Persecution over his Church again it is our Duty I say to follow the steps of those pious Confessours to maintain our Innocence even to the Death to strive earnestly for the Faith and whilst we keep our Eye upon the promised Reward the unspeakable Glories of the other Life to possess our Souls in Patience to be easie and contented too through much tribulation to enter into the Kingdom of God A truly pious and couragious Christian who is strong in the Lord and in the power of his might will consider that though he be cruelly used yet 't is for the sake of his Master and thinks it but reasonable to lay down his Life for his sake who died for him he will not value the troubles or inconveniences of the Wilderness so long as Canaan the Land flowing with Milk and Honey stands in view at his Journey 's end But then Secondly Let us see how we are to deal with and contend with those other Adversaries which we have been speaking of in Times less perilous and hard and here we may consider our selves either First As private Men of ordinary Capacities and endued with a moderate share of Understanding Or Secondly As Persons peculiarly set apart for the Service of God endued with more than ordinary Abilities and whole business consequently it is to stand up vigorously for the Cause of God and Religion Or Thirdly As Magistrates God's Vicegerents upon Earth to whom is intrusted the Management of the Sword of Justice First Consider we how we are to deal and contend with the Enemies of the Faith of Christ supposing our selves private Men of very ordinary Capacities and endued with but a moderate share of Understanding Now here we are to consider our selves as such whose Conversation generally speaking lies among Men of the same Rank and Size with our selves but yet by reason of the number of those with whom we converse we must have to do with Men of different Principles and different Lives Take we therefore care to be diligent and frequent in reading the Holy Scriptures consulting the Oracles of God and by this means furnishing our selves with all saving Knowledge and enriching our Souls with that Wisdom which is from above and if any thing of difficulty doth occur any thing too knotty for us to resolve our most holy Church hath provided us Spiritual Teachers who are of Abilities to inform and direct us and to whom in these Cases we are obliged to repair By this means we shall arm and secure our selves from that Poison which doth often insensibly steal into us from a mix'd Conversation evermore observing that we put in practise what we read and take care that our Conversation be such as becomes the Gospel of Christ that by a truly pious exemplary Life we endeavour to adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things Thus shall we influence not only our Children and Servants and those who belong to our Family but probably bring others over by our good Example thus shall we encrease our Numbers and double our Forces against our Adversaries whilst we take care by a constant perseverance in Holiness to perform all those necessary Duties which are made the indispensable Conditions of our Salvation whilst we let others see that we really are what we outwardly pretend to viz. the Servants and Disciples of the Holy and Immaculate Jesus this I say will be a means to encrease our numbers and consequently lessen and weaken the contrary Party by bringing Deserters over to our side Secondly Consider we how we are to deal with our Adversaries and contend for the Faith supposing our selves Persons peculiarly set apart for the Service of God furnish'd with more than ordinary Abilities and whole business it is to stand up for the Cause of God and Religion Whose Business I say it is it is our Calling our Profession the promoting the Honour of God and the Interest of Religion is the one great Work which is to take up all our Care and be the Subject of our constant Endeavours First then let us see in the General how we are to contend with those who practically deny the Faith and live in constant opposition to those Laws which the Son of God hath been pleased to prescribe These Men are to be sharply dealt with and we are to show 'em the Terrors of the Lord and not any way desist from our Duty though it must be confess'd that to reclaim a stubborn and obdurate World is a Work which is attended with a great deal of Difficulty and Hardship To tell a Man of his Faults and discover to him his Miscarriages doth very often prove an unthankful Office to lay open his Follies and at the same time rebuke him sharply for 'em too may very likely make him uneasie 't is like touching a Man to the quick and probing a Wound to the very bottom But what then why should the Skilful Chirurgeon be concern'd or dismay'd at the uneasiness of the Patient when he is sure that what he doth is out of an honest design and that he acts only in order to a Cure And why should the Ministers of the Word be frighted from their Duty because the peevish World are uneasie when they tell 'em the Truth so long as they are satisfied in their Consciences that they act upon a good Principle and endeavour as much as in them lies to promote the Eternal Interest Health and Salvation of Mankind 'T is our Duty to be bold and daring in a good Work and not sneakingly stifle a Reproof when it may be seasonably given out of a fear to displease another and put him out of Temper when at the same time we are assured that 't is our Duty to Rebuke him sharply Secondly As we are thus to reprove and rebuke with all Authority in our Exhortations so are we likewise to do it in our Practice and let others see that we are ashamed of all those abominable Practises which they every