Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n
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A29160
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A sermon preach'd at the parish church of St. Martins Ludgate, Sept. 12, 1695 before the Incorporated Society of Apothecaries of London / by Nicholas Brady.
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Brady, Nicholas, 1659-1726.
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1695
(1695)
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Wing B4179; ESTC R24217
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10,681
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32
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Providence and therefore for us to be unwilling to perform mutual offices of love to one another would appear as unreasonable and unnatural as if the several branches of some large family should refuse to keep up an amicable correspondence and renounce all expressions of tenderness and affection for such and so great is our obligation jointly to consult one anothers advantages if we consider our selves as Brethren by Creation But farther God the Son the great Example and promoter of Union when he perfected the work of our Redemption did closely incorporate all his followers and make them members of one mystical body Thus all of us are bone of one anothers bone and flesh of one anothers flesh that so whether one of us suffer or be honoured the rest of us might mourn or rejoice along with him and therefore for some of us to divide our selves from the rest or to seem to be acted by different interests is every whit as strange and unaccountable as if the hand should refuse to provide for the belly or the eyes deny to direct the feet as if every member should set up for it self and act independently from the others For equal is the obligation that lies upon us to be mutually beneficial to one another since we are all members of that body of which Christ is the head and are most nearly related as Brethren by Redemption But farther yet God the Holy Ghost who is the great inspirer of love and concord and whose chief and peculiar employment it is to advance the strict fellowship and communion of Saints has united us more closely than into one Body by joining us together in one Soul and Spirit Thus all of us should be acted by the same affections all of us should be sensible of the same impressions and the same mind should be in every one of us whether to will or to do and therefore to estrange ourselves from one another or to be unwilling to discharge due offices of affection is a proceeding as preposterous and absurd as if the Understanding should refuse to guide the Will or the Judgment deny to give assistance to the Memory as if some of the faculties of the soul should neglect to contribute to the advantages of the others for no less binding is our obligation to be mutually serviceable to one another since we are all partakers of the same Spirit and most strictly united as Brethren by Sanctification Thus every person in the Blessed Trinity lays upon us a distinct and particular engagement to be conversant in the duties of a Brotherly affection twisting together a threefold cord of love which the wise man tells us is not quickly to be broken These are those large and spreading obligations by which we are engaged to live like Brethren either as we are Men or as we are Christians or as we are influenced by the Spirit of God but there are some additional considerations of an extent more narrow and contracted which give yet greater weight to the Psalmists exhortation and more forcibly exact the performance of this duty and that is when particular persons have formed themselves into one common Society mutually covenanting with one another heartily to promote each others advantages and carefully to advance the interests of that Brotherhood the several members of such a Body have to their Natural and Spiritual affinity superinduced a fresh Relation as civil Brethren and therefore cannot transgress against this duty of dwelling together in Vnity without adding to the violation of their other obligations the breach of their voluntary stipulation and agreement And thus much shall suffice for the first motive to Unity laid down in the Text which is drawn from the consideration of our duty as we are Brethren 2dly A second motive which the Text affords us is taken from the consideration of our true interest Behold how good and how pleasant it is The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render good has a double signification either of excellency or advantage and which way soever we consider it we shall find it our interest to be conversant in it for as the meanest and most groveling Souls will readily confess that it is our interest to practice that from whence we may reap some sensible advantage so any generous Spirit will acknowledge that it is our truest interest to be employed about that which is excellent in its nature First then it is our interest to dwell together in Vnity because it is a duty so excellent in its nature When Brethren are acted by the same interests and mutually animated with the same designs they make that earthly society a transcript of heaven and are possest of a condition that is purely celestial Those eternal mansions of peace and happiness are only filled with consenting minds whose inclinations tend to the same object who are ravish'd with the contemplation of each others felicity and who rejoycing in the joy of their fellow-angels multiply and encrease their own enjoyments by the share which they take in the happiness of others and what greater excellency can humane nature aim at than an exact resemblance to those Angelical beings What exercise can appear more eminent or illustrious than that which makes us live here like those blessed Spirits and qualifies us hereafter for their society and conversation For as this is the great entertainment of heaven so it is the strait road that leads directly thither our Saviour has assign'd it as the character of his followers the mark by which he has distinguish'd them from the rest of mankind This is that livery of the Prince of peace by which we are acknowledged to be of his family by this says he shall men know that ye are my disciples if ye love one another This plains all the ruggedness and unevenness of our nature and implants in us an obsiging benignity of mind it roots out of our Souls those perverse principles of self-love and self-interest and gives us in their room that God-like quality of being diffusive and communicative of good Thus does this great and excellent duty dignifie and exalt our corrupted nature towards the ancient standard of its original perfection nay seems to advance it to a higher level even to a partial resemblance of God himself For God is Unity in its most absolute perfection But Secondly It is our interest to dwell together in Vnity because it is a duty so very advantageous There is no part of our Christian duty which reflects greater profit upon its practitioners or pays their obedience with more advantages than that which my Text recommends to our performance Besides its conformity to the divine will by which it qualifies for eternal rewards it is attended with such blessings even in this life as may powerfully enforce the practice of it As dissention is the ruine of all Societies so Union and agreement are the supporters of them by this so many Kingdoms and Commonwealths have crept on from weak
A SERMON Preach'd at the Parish Church of St. Martins Ludgate SEPT 12. 1695. Before the Incorporated Society OF Apothecaries of London By Nicholas Brady M. A. Minister of St. Catherine Cree-Church and Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty Published at the Request of the Society LONDON Printed for Richard Parker at the Vnicorn under the Piazza of the Royal Exchange 1695. To the Worshipful the Master and Wardens the Court of Assistants Gentlemen of the Livery and Freemen of the Ingenious Society of Apothecaries of London Gentlemen THis discourse as it was preached at your kind request so it is now however unfit for the general view in compliance with your obliging importunity made publick nor could I in justice refuse you the disposal of that which was purposely composed for your entertainment The subject of it Unity is Blessed be God as fully exemplified in your Society as in any Corporation throughout the City and therefore the motives to it which the following discourse offers are rather to be taken for tacite commendations of your laudable performance than reflections or remembrancers for your omission of this Duty That you may still continue eminently remarkable for an intimate Vnion and agreement amongst yourselves and influence others by your good Example to the happy composing of all Divisions among them shall be the constant hearty Prayer of Gentlemen Your Obliged Servant and Sincere Well-wisher N. Brady Psal CXXXIII 1 2. 1. Behold how good and pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in Vnity 2. It is like the precious Oyntment upon the head which ran down upon the beard even Aarons beard that went down to the skirts of his garments THere is nothing in my opinion in which the Wisdom of this City is more eminently conspicuous nothing that more effectually contributes to the supporting of its grandeur and to the maintenance of its prosperity than the regular destribution of its several members into distinct Societies and Corporations By this means the peculiar conveniences of each are much better consulted their various interests more closely united and mutual offices of brotherly affection performed more frcquently and more easily than if they were left after a looser manner under the inspection only of a general Magistracy For that being obliged to have a publick influence and sustaining a character that is universal cannot be supposed to pry so nicely into private concernments to understand them so throughly or to watch over them so successfully as those who acting in a narrower sphere being qualified by Education and engaged by Interest are both enabled and concerned to promote the advantages of those particular Societies whose Guardianships they manage and of which themselves are incorporated members 'T is in pursuance of this wise and commendable constitution that the several members of this present Society which justly deserves an honourable mention among the most eminent of this City are this day unanimously assembled and 't is in conformity to a religious custom of hallowing such meetings with a mixture of devotion that we are assembled together in the house of God Love then and Amity and Brotherly kindness have been your conducters to this place and they are like to be your entertainment in it Since nothing appears to me more natural than upon the Prospect of an Assembly so cordially united by all the bonds of interest and affection to break out into the Psalmists rapturous exclamation Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in Vnity It is like the precious Oyntment upon the head that ran down upon the beard even Aarons heard that went down to the skirts of his garments In my following discourse upon which words I shall make use of this easie method First I shall examine the duty here enjoyned and press its practice from such motives to it as are contained in the words of my Text. Behold how good and pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in Vnit Secondly I shall consider the elegant allusion which the Psalmist makes use of to illustrate and recommend it and shall observe its agreeableness with the present occasion It is like the precious Oyntment upon the head which ran down upon the beard even Aarons beard that went down to the skirts of his garments First then I shall examine the duties here enjoyn'd and press its practice from such motives to it as are contained in the words of my Text. Behold how good and pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in Vnity Unity is that invisible band and cement of Souls which makes the designs and interests of several persons become inseparable and of a piece from hence results that agreeable Harmony of actions which causes all their affairs to be amicably transacted without any disorder or confusion from this arises that complacency and satisfaction which one takes in the advantages of another which by this happy temper are made his own This banishes all murmurings and repinings at the enjoyments of our neighbour roots out all dissentions and animosities and introduces in their stead an affectionate regard for the concernments of others a tender fellow-feeling of their several conditions and an industrious willingness to promote their happiness and to consult it as carefully as if it were our own This is that commendable disposition of mind to which the Psalmist exhorts us in the words of my Text where he advises us to dwell together in Vnity and wherein he recommends to us the practice of it by these three considerable motives 1st Upon the account of Duty 2dly Of Interest And 3dly Of Pleasure 1st then The Psalmist exhorts us to dwell together in Vnity upon the account of our duty and this seems couched in the word Brethren behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in Vnity The Relation of Brethren is so close and intimate that we find it generally made use of to express the strictest tye of tenderness and affection and Brotherly love throughout the whole Gospel is used to signifie the most perfect Union attended with all offices of kindness and endearment and therefore where-ever this Relation is found love and agreement should be its necessary consequences but the engagements of this nature are too numerous and too pressing for us ever to be able to disentangle our selves from them every person in the Holy Trinity seeming with a sort of Rivalship to contend which shall lay upon us the strongest obligations to dwell together in Vnity as Brethren God the Father who is the God of Unity and Love being desirous to unite the whole race of mankind in indissoluble bonds of Amity and Friendship made at first of one blood all the nations of the earth that by so near a relation he might fasten their affections and tye and rivet them to one another Thus we are all the children of one common parent we are all the workmanship of one great Creator and the equalcare of one watchful