Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	church_n	minister_n	people_n	2,506	5	4.7611	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A68568	Ruths recompence: or a commentarie vpon the booke of Ruth wherein is shewed her happy calling out of her owne country and people, into the fellowship and society of the Lords inheritance: her vertuous life and holy carriage amongst them: and then, her reward in Gods mercy, being by an honourable marriage made a mother in Israel: deliuered in seuerall sermons, the briefe summe whereof is now published for the benefit of the Church of God. By Richard Bernard ...	Bernard, Richard, 1568-1641.	1628 (1628)	STC 1962; ESTC S101697	273,649	490

to preuent pretences of marriages for if marriages were not publike but priuately huddled vp some might pretend marriage and liue together as man and wife in shew and yet be but lewd liuers so others wearie of one another might say they were not married and so vnlawfully separate themselues Therefore let marriages be publike and in a publike place as here it was and as now by our Lawes we bee bound thereto and auoid priuate making of marriages and in corners for they are often made in haste and end vnhappily Secondly that marriage in old time was onely a ciuill action there was no need of a Minister to make it it was lawfully and sufficiently done when it was made openly by such as might marry among the people as we may see in the marriage of Isaac of Iacob Esau Samson Which confuteth the Papists that make marriage a Sacrament as if marriage were onely lawfull in the Church and not among the very heathen when yet from the beginning it is common to all mankind and allowed to all sorts True it is that we doe make such marriages lawfull onely when ministers make them but this is not with a papisticall opinion of a Sacrament nor for that our Church condemneth marriages otherwise made in other nations as vnlawfull but the Church and State haue so ordained for the greater reuerence to Gods ordinance when his Ministers shall blesse the same in the publike Congregation with the prayers of the Church and when they shall teach them their dueties which doe marry Thus gracing Gods holy ordinance by their praying and preaching the one for benediction the other for instruction and therefore worthily ordained and so of vs to be religiously obserued Verse 11. And all the people that were in the Gate and the Elders said We are witnesses The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah which two did build the house of Israel And doe thou worthily in Ephratah and be famous in Bethlehem THe Assembly make answer vnto Boaz first acknowledging themselues to bee witnesses and then praying for a blessing vpon the woman and then vpon him that shee may be louely and fruitfull and he to doe so worthily that hee may come to be renowned And all the people that were in the Gate and the Elders said In so great a company no doubt differing in nature and conditions yet wee see heere how they doe all agree before Boaz to applaud him may it be imagined that none had a by-thought to see an old man to marry a young woman one rich and noble to take a poore and meane maiden Yet before him all say well vnto it for great men haue to their faces great countenance and applause of the people in that they take in hand The people will like all that Dauid doth 2. Sam. 3. 36. so will foure hundred prophets allow of Ahabs purpose to goe to battell against the Syrians to recouer Ramoth-Gilead for people feare to offend they desire to please their betters And therefore this should teach those of place and wealth vpon whom many doe depend to take heed what they doe for they may set others on to godlinesse and they may moue others vnto wickednesse they cannot fall themselues alone but be like the great Dragon with their taile pulling Reue. 12. many downe with them Let Dauid set vp Religion multitudes will follow him to the House of God Let Ieroboam set vp Idols and Deuils the Israelites will worship them Let Ahab worship Baal all will doe so and let Iehu destroy him and they will helpe him to doe it People are like a shaddow following authority like waxe also which will take any print In themselues are nothing but allow and disallow as they see great Ones doe before them And therefore let no men of place regard their applause thinking that well done which the Vulgars approue or flattering dependants for they will not speake as the truth is but to humour persons not what they thinke to be right but what they know another liketh of and would haue them say Wee are witnesses That is wee acknowledge our selues to bee so as thou sayest wee are witnesses and will vpon any lust occasion bee ready to shew our selues so Whence note that what men are called to witnesse being either eye or eare witnesses thereof or both that should they bee ready to testifie as these heere professe themselues to bee and as did the Israelites in the behalfe of Samuel before the Lords Anoynted A faithfull witnesse faith 1. Sam. 12. 45. Salomon will not lye And therefore let vs in such a case bee ready and faithfull witnesses for the truth sake for iustice and peace sake among our brethren Many times ready and faithfull witnesses prouent suites and keepe peace where otherwise there would be strife and contention This reproueth those which being able sufficiently to beare witnesse yet for feare of displeasing will not these want feruent loue of the truth and offend against the Commandements which bind men to preserue the dignitie life chastity goods and good name of our Neighbours Now if any of these be endangered and wee by our witnesse might set them hee and will not we are guiltie thereof Againe this checketh or rather condemneth those that for fauour will either adde or detract in their witnesse-bearing so seeking to please man and to displease God giuing a deadly wound to their owne consciences Thirdly such as doe speake onely what is done and said but yet to another end and meaning than was intended as Doeg dealt with Ahimelech and the false witnesses against Christ These wicked persons sinne against the Commandement Exod. 20. they trespasse in one of the se 〈…〉 sinnes which Prou. 6. 19. and 12. 22. GOD heteth and are an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the LORD who ordained in the Law a punishment Deu. 19. 16 19. answerable to that which by their false witnesse should haue beene inflicted vpon another Such God threatneth to punish for they Prou. 19. 9. offend greatly they hinder the true course of iustice they deceiue the Iudge they hurt their Neighbour and they abuse the holy Name of God which they call to witnesse falsely Let men therefore take heed hereof The Lord make the woman Here they begin to pray for them and all ioyntly together Of praying to God I haue before spoken here further may be obserued First that marriage is to be solemnized with prayer and others are to pray for the married parties as these doe heere and Bethuel Gen. 24. 60. Loban and her mother did for Rebecca and as our Church ordaineth now at marriages and that for these three causes First for the holinesse of the action being Gods holy ordinance and an honorable estate institutes in Paradise and in the time of innocencie and to be therefore vndertaken holily and reuerently with supplication and prayer vnto God Next for the vnholinesse of our

the honour which our family may come vnto by obtaining antiquitie should make vs vphold it for ancient families haue a certaine honour vpon them for antiquitie sake though otherwise but poore and meane Now to keepe vp a name and that in See Verse 12. good credit we must obserue and fulfill these things first plant Religion and keep that among vs for so God will vphold and strengthen vs and blesse vs and ours the godly shall be had in an euerlasting remembrance but the name of the wicked shall rot Secondly bring vp our children and so teach them to bring vp theirs in honest courses and callings and not to let them liue idly and vainely for nothing preuents euill more nor vpholds a mans estate better than to liue with industry and diligence in a calling and what ouerthroweth houses and bringeth men to ruine making Gallants to sell away their inheritances but that they haue beene idly brought vp without callings without honest imployments Thirdly keepe our Genealogies from our Ancestours and the increase of our posterities to behold therein the Lords blessing and to reioyce in our encreasing the Lords Church Fourthly we must helpe them vp againe which by Gods hand fall into decay common charity and naturall loue doe perswade hereunto and our owne credit also in keeping our name from contempt if that respect may moue vs for the more poore the lesse esteeme and the greater contempt Fifthly we must labour to preferre our kindred to good marriages to good places as they shall be fit and occasions offered as farre forth as we shall be able to the vtmost Sixtly we must loue one another entirely Which shall appeare first by our enquiring after one another when we be separated Secondly by visiting one another neere and sending one to another farther off Thirdly by being glad to see any of them though descended many degrees from vs for the further off the better appeareth the antiquity of our kindred and the greater encrease of our house Fourthly by being desirous that one should make vse of another before any other whatsoeuer for this combineth them very neerely in affection Fifthly and lastly to defend them in their iust causes and to be as one man to preserue them from wrongs and iniuries offered them vniustly this doe but yet onely as farre as may stand with publike peace for that must bee preferred before kindred yea and our owne estate and liues lest we runne into factions and partakings and so cause ciuill dissention which must be most carefully auoided but otherwise being no breach of publicke peace no wrecke of conscience nothing against iustice and legall proceedings we must defend them and in their good courses vphold them in loue and charity If euery house and familie would doe thus should not men be happy should not euery one rest in peace vnder his owne vine The rich friends would supply the want of their poore kindred and the poore would honour them and lay downe their liues for them Charity would rule as Queene and iustice would sit in peace Religion would flourish and the Land would bee blessed and people made renowned admired and feared Before I end this verse here it may be asked Whether the Law of Moses mentioning a Deut. 25. ● brother be to be vnderstood of naturall brethren or onely as the Hebrewes vse to vnderstand brother a neere kinsman and not a naturall brother Answer It is to bee vnderstood of a naturall brother for the Law was in vse before it was Gen. 38. 17 18. written and so then vnderstood by Iudah and Thamar God dispensing therewith and Naomi Chap. 1. 13. thus vnderstood it also though if there bee no brother the nighest kinsman then must marry the widdow therefore Ruth claimed it of Boaz and Boaz did propound it to the neerer kinsman besides these Learned men doe take the Law to be so meant Verse 6. And the Kinsman said I cannot redeeme it for my selfe lest I marre mine owne inheritance redeeme thou my right to thy selfe for I cannot redeeme it THe Kinsmans answer to Boaz concerning his propounding of Ruth to him He refuseth her and giueth his reason then he resigneth his right to Boaz and repeateth againe the words of refusall as a reason of his resignation And the Kinsman said I cannot redeeme it for my selfe He could before redeeme it but now he saith he cannot he loued the land and in that respect hee was ready to fulfill the Law but hee cared not for the woman the poore widdow and in this regard the Law was not respected of him So we see how that Worldlings are partiall obseruers of Gods Law some part they take and some part they leaue euen as it liketh them they looke to the bare Letter but not the spirituall meaning they shunne the act but for words and thoughts they doe take no care the sinnes in the grossest kind they auoid but the lesser as they account them they make little or no conscience of that which concerneth their pleasure and their profit according to the Law they are ready to doe but on the contrary where the Law crosseth them that they cast behind them as this Kinsman here they hate popish fasts but loue drunken feasts they abhorre superstitious worship and cost about it but they can bee content to liue of sacriledge and the maintenance due to Ministers though giuen by Ancestours to the Church with an execration or curse vpon such as shall change them to any other vse other mens dueties they can heare of and vrge the Law to them but to be told of their owne and pressed to the performance thereof they cannot endure The reasons of this partiality are these First the want of the true loue of God and reuerent feare of the power and authority of the Lawgiuer for where this loue and feare is there will be respect had to all the Commandements Psal 119. 6. without partiality as we may see in Dauid and in other holy men of God Secondly the vnbridled lust of man vnsubdued not brought into the obedience of Christ by the power of the Word as Saint Paul speaketh for if the Word 2. Cor. 10. 5. ruled in their hearts they would not be thus partiall in obeying Gods will but bee like Zacharie Luk. 1. 6. and Elizabeth walking in all the Commandements of God vnblameable Thirdly their loue of pleasure and worldly profit more than God himselfe which appeareth by this that they will lose neither of these for Religion sake Herod will doe many things but his pleasure with Herodias he will not forgoe Ananias and Saphira will giue much sell all to giue to the Church but not giue all they will thinke more of the matter than giue away all at once though still they will pretend it such Herod-like and such Ananiasses there bee which haue not denied their pleasures nor their profits for Religion sake which therefore maketh them partiall in

poore Ruth Whence note I. That there is a recompence of reward from God euen to the poore for well-doing this the prayer of Boaz sheweth who else would not haue begged it at Gods hand and we must know that the Lord in promising to reward well-doing excepts against none rich nor poore but will recōpence the wel-doer be he whosoeuer with him is no respect of persons but he that worketh righteousnesse is accepted Act. 10. of him and godlinesse in whomsoeuer it be hath the Promise of this life and of the life to 1. Tim. 4. 8. come Let this comfort the poore in their well-doing and in their works of vertue and godlinesse Quest Here it may be demanded what good workes can the poore doe to expect reward from God seeing they haue no riches Answ A good worke is not nor stands not onely in giuing almes and such like things for then should onely the rich be doers of good workes but many other things are good workes and approued of God and which he will recompence which the poore that haue not one peny may doe as to doe the duety of loue and obedience to their parents or to others to whom they owe it to forsake idolatrie for the true worship of God to leaue their countrey for the Lords sake and for his people to forsake their old heathenish acquaintance and kindred All which Ruth did and these may the poore doe which workes God will recompence and all other dueties which one oweth to another in any sort being done in faith in loue and in obedience to God they are good workes and the Lord will reward Col. 3. 24. the same euen the honest and painefull seruice of a poore seruant as the Apostle teacheth Wee see then that the poorest may doe good workes though not such as commonly are so called to the doing whereof the worlds wealth is required and yet herein a poore soules two mites are more acceptable to God then the superfluities of the rich II. The rich from the example of Boaz may not thinke scorne to pray and that very heartily for the poore It is a very rare example to see so mighty a man of wealth and so high in authoritie to be so much taken vp in his affection in considering the poore womans vertue as to breake forth into so vehement a prayer as this was as appeareth by the doubling of the words and yet this ought rich men to doe if they thinke that the poore are not excluded out of the communion of Saints and that they be the children of God with them as they are taught in the Lords Prayer This would shew a great measure of grace this would encourage much the poore to goe on in well-doing But alas this comes not once into the thought of a rich man he thinks the poore bound to pray for him but himselfe not at all vpon any occasion for them because he thinkes he can pleasure them but they can no way pleasure him so he considereth onely outward and personall benefit and not the excellencie of vertue and fruit thereof to them and others as Boaz did And a full reward be giuen thee A good man thinkes his mercies and kindnesse are not enough to recompence and reward the vertue and workes of welldoint in others for he valueth vertue aboue wealth and aboue the price of all these transitorie things Againe note that there is to be expected a full reward for a good worke I say first a reward yet so that it be looked for in mercy and not in merit for God hath promised a reward and that in many places of Scripture and then it shall be a full reward which Boaz prayeth for here to be giuen to Ruth which shall be certainely accomplished in the life to come here sometime in a great measure as it was to Ruth in giuing her Boaz for an husband which he little thought of in this prayer that he should be the reward of her godlinesse and grace This is an excellent incouragement to vertue and good workes Of the Lord God of Israel Israel was Iacobs name and now applied to all his posterity the people of God Thus was the true God called by the name of God noting the persons in the Trinity and of Lord noting his substance and being of himselfe as the originall words to the Learned doe shew and he is the Lord God of Israel because Deut. 7. 6. he chose the Israelites to be his people before all other nations of the Earth a type of the Elect number called The Israel of God To this Gal. 6. true and euerliuing God doth Boaz make request for a full and perfect reward shewing that it is not in man but it must be God that can make a full payment to godlinesse the full reward is to be giuen of him and therefore from him it is to be expected who hath the recompence in his hand in full perfection Vnder whose wings A figuratiue speech vsuall in Psalmes to expresse the loue of God and the Psal 17. 8. and 57. 36. 7. 61 protection of such as be his for as a Hen nourisheth and defendeth her young ones vnder her wings from the Kite and other rauenous birds so doth the Lord care for his people to keepe them in safety from dangers They are safely protected Deut. 33. 29. who come to the Lord and trust in him for Psalm 91. God hath vndertaken to protect such and he is Zach. 2. 8. able to desend them and he will doe it because he loueth them Oh then let vs labour to be of the Lords people to goe vnto him and to trust in him Men being in danger here get into great mens seruice for protection and we being in greater danger yea in such dangers euery day on the right and left hand from which none can deliuer vs but God should not we seeke his seruice for protection And being in it let vs be comforted as sure of his aide let vs trust in him as did Dauid for he saueth all them that put their Psal 61 4. Psal 17. 7 57. 1. Psal 17. 8. and 119. 94. Psal 63. 7. Psal 34. 91. Iob. 1. trust in him Let vs in neede runne to him for aid as did Dauid and desired to be saued by him and let vs reioyce vnder the shadow of his wings for his Angels shall guard vs and pitch their Tents about vs he will make a hedge about vs also and if this will not be defence enough then Zach. 2. 5. will he be a wall of fire so sure and safe shall we be from all our enemies Thou art come to trust Boaz taketh it for granted that shee had faith for they that come to Heb. 11. God must beleeue that he is This draweth vs to God this keepeth vs with him when we be come vnto him Now that we may know what is here meant by faith we must