Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	christian_a	faith_n	life_n	1,074	5	4.4282	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47646	Sermons preached by Dr. Robert Leighton, late archbishop of Glasgow published at the desire of his friends, after his death, from his papers written with his own hand.	Leighton, Robert, 1611-1684.	1692 (1692)	Wing L1031; ESTC R29941	164,938	342

usque ad aras Give to Caesar the things that are Caesars but nothing of Gods neither ours to give nor his to receive For for this Cause you pay tribute also This the Apostle gives as a sign of that confest right that Magistrates have to the subjection and obedience of people that in all Nations this Homage and Acknowledgment is due to them Tribute payed which it may be he the rather mentions because some question might be what might Christians do concerning this however this according to the Constitution of several places he takes as granted to be not only lawful but due to be rendred Here we are not to insist on the seanning of this but certainly as the power of a Magistrate is not in this nor in any other thing absolute and unbounded so the legal and just paying of Tribute and other Revenues by the people argues their engagement to these set over them and is not as Wages to a Mercenary servant but an Honorary due to their place and calling who are the Ministers of God in civil Government so also convenient yet liberal maintenance to the Ministers of Gods own house is their right yet not to inrich them nor yet ought it to be given grudgingly as undue or superciliously as to servants but with the chearfulness and respect agreeable to the Lords servants watching for their Souls All Tribute and Obedience still relates to this and is grounded on it the Lords Institution of Power and Government for the good of Men though it sometimes prove otherwise in the exercise of it yet the Ordinance is pure and most wisely suited to its end from which the Sin and Corruption of Men turns it but too often so that one Man Rules over another to his hurt to the hurt of both the Ruler himself and of the Ruled Eccl. 8. 9. There is a time wherein one Man ruleth over another to his own hurt each proving a scourge to the other in the Just Judgment of God upon both for their Iniquities making a fire from Abimelech to devour the Men of Shechem and the Men of Shechem deal treacherously with Abimelech Yet still the thing it self remains good many skilful Physicians may kill instead of curing yet it is but a caprice to decry all Remedies and the use of things Medicinal that the God of Nature hath furnisht for that use Men may and alas most do prejudice their own health by either intemperate or some way irregular Diet yet this makes nothing against the continual necessity and use of Food nor can disswade any from using it Thus the abuses of Authority infringe not this That Magistrates are a publick good yea the Unjust better than none Tyranny better than Anarchy there is some Justice done in the most Unjust Government But thus they that are exalted to Rule ought to consider who raised them and for what they are raised and so faithfully to do Justice They are raised high as the Stars are set in their Orbs for influence and the good of the Inferiour World and as the Mountains which rise above the Vallies not to be places of Prey and Ruin but by the streams they send out to refresh them So from Magistrates Judgment ought to run down as Water and Justice as a mighty Stream they ought to consider themselves as Ministers though called Magistrates with relation to the people yet Ministers in relation to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the people's in him as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports being constant Labourers for their good Even the Sun a Minister Gods Minister of Heat and Light to the Earth Would they look up thus to God it would make them look down on their Inferiours not with the ill aspect of Pride and Cruelty but the benign looks of Good Will Fidelity and Vigilancy for their Welfare knowing that they are appointed for this very use in the World not referring to that which is nearest here and nearest themselves The receiving of Tribute but the remotest good which is the chief for which their Tribute and themselves are appointed The punishing of the Wicked and encouragement of the Good Render therefore to all their dues Tribute to whom Tribute c. The Apostle enlarges his Exhortation to the general Rule of Equity the humble upright mind will willingly suit with this and pay respect to men in obedience to God and therefore primarily to him which the most neglect Honour and fear are due to him as to our Father and Master and yet where is it to be found If I be a Father where is mine honour And if I be a Master where is my fear c. Mal. 1. The Tribute of Praise and Glory in all these is due and ought not to be purloyned nor any part detained but how few are faithful in this Much Uncustom'd Goods pass among our hands in the course of our Lives many things wherein we are not mindful to give Glory entire Glory to God but he cannot be deceived if we go on he will take us in our quietest conveyance and all will be forfeited We shall certainly lose all if all Glory return not to him all that we have and are should we daily and heartily offer up to him from whom we have life and breath and all things Owe no man any thing but to love one another c. That which the Apostle set before himself as his own study and exercise Act. 24. he doth in the latter part of this Epistle set forth at large as the Duty of every Christian to keep a Conscience void of offence towards God and Men. And having in the former part of it treated amply and excellently of the Doctrine of Christians Faith and Salvation and ascended to its highest cause he descends from thence to give the Rules of a Christian Life and he reduces them to those two To give the Lord his due which is our selves entire Our Bodies ought to be a living Sacrifice Chap. 12. ver 1. And that they are not without the Soul and it is Love in the Soul that offers up this whole burnt offering to God the fire that makes it ascend Towards men likewise Love is all of which in many several acts of it he spake likewise in the former Chapter verse 9. c. And having inserted an exhortation to Subjection to Humane Authority as a Divine Institution he now returns to that main Comprehensive and Universal Duty of Love and passes fitly from the mention of other particular Dues to Superiours to this as the general Due or standing Debt all men owe one to another So I conceive this is not intended for the further pressing of that particular Duty of Subjection by reducing it seeming hard in it self to the sweet and pleasant Rule or Law of Love but that he passes wholly from that particular to this common Duty so as that is not excluded but comprehended here with the rest though not specially aimed at but a

condition of the Church Know this to be the great obstructer of its peace making him to withdraw his hand and hide his face and to turn away his ear from our Prayers and loath our Fasts Isai. 1. 15. Jer. 14. 12. The quarrel stands sin not repented and removed the Wall is still standing Oaths and Sabbath breaking and Pride and Oppression and Heart burnings still remaining Oh! what a noise of Religion and Reformation all sides are for the Name of it and how little of the thing The Gospel it self is despised grown stale as trivial Doctrine Oh! my Beloved if I could speak many hours without intermission all my cry would be Repent and pray Let us search and try our ways and turn unto the Lord our God Oh! what Walls of every ones Sin are set to 't Dig diligently to bring down thine own and for these huge Walls of publick National guiltinesses if thou canst do nothing to them more compass them about as Jericho and look up to Heaven for their downfal Cry Lord these we our selves have reared but without thee who can bring them down Lord throw them down for us a touch of thy hand a Word of thy mouth will make them fall Were we less busied in impertinencies and more in this most needful work it might do some good who knows but the Lord might make his own way clear and return and visit us and make his face to shine that we might be saved FINIS A Catalogue of some Books Printed for Samuel Keble and are to be Sold at the Great Turks-Head in Fleet-Street over against Fetter-Lane end A Weeks Preparation Towards a Worthy Receiving the Lord's Supper Preparation to a Holy Life or Devotion for Families and private Persons by the Author of the Weeks Preparations to the Sacrament A Collection of private Forms of Prayer out of the Common Prayer-Book for Morning Noon and Night and other special occasions being in a different Method from any former by the Author of the Weeks Preparation to the Sacrament Together with the Holy Feasts and Fasts as they are observed in the Church of England Explained and the Reasons why they are yearly Celebrated A Table to all the Epistles and Gospels in the Book of Common-Prayer so that you may find any Text of Scripture being contained in them This Table may be put into your Common Prayer-Book without new binding Rules for our more Devout Behaviour in the time of Divine Service in the Church of England An Explanation of the Terms Order and Usefulness of the Liturgy of the Church of England by way of Question and Answer recommended to be learned after the Church Catechism God's Revenge against Murther in thirty Tragical Histories by John Reynolds Heresiography or a Description of all Heresies and Sectaries of the latter times by E. Pagit much enlarged The Innocent Lady The Interpretations of Dreams by Artimedorus Degrees of Marriage that which is Ordered to be had in all Churches The Book of Bertram the Priest in English A Persuasive to the stricter Observation of the Lord's Day in pursuance of His Majesty's Order and Direction to Preach by Matthew Bryan LLD. The Education of young Ladies and Gentlewomen c. The new Youths Behaviour containing First His Duty towards God in Meditation and Prayers for Morning and Evening with some short Rules for a good Life Secondly Decency in Conversation amongst Men c. Ogleby's Aesop. in Two Vol. The Worth of a Penny or a Caution to keep Money c. Epictetus Enchiridion made English in a Poetical Paraphrase by E. W. FINIS Gen. 3. 5. Sophocl●'s Hos. 5. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 4. Psal. 119. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The Nature of it * Palge Maijim Pelagus aquarum 3. The Measure 4 The Subject To Baal Shemin Balsamus sic suibus sic male nardus olent Matchiavel * Judg. 9. 20. Psal. 24. 7. * Deus neminem alium quam seipsum sinit de se magnifice Sentire Herodot Julian * Invenit insomni volventem publica cura fata virum casusque urbis cunctisque timentem securumque sui Ille velnt rupes unmota manebat Archimede● Lapi● super Lapidem in Theatro 2 Cor. 10. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Linquenda tellus domus placeus uxor c. * Ezek. 8. Behind the Wall