Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	good_a	king_n	subject_n	2,457	5	6.6055	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77742	St. Paul's thanksgiving: set forth in a sermon preached before the right honorable House of Peers in the Abby-Church Westminster, on Thursday May 10. being the day of solemn thanksgivng to almighty God for his late blessings upon this kingdom. By James Buck, B.D. Vicar of Stradbrook in Suff. and domestick chaplian to the right honorable Theophilus Earl of Lincoln.	Buck, James.; England and Wales. Parliament.	1660 (1660)	Wing B5308; Thomason E1033_2; ESTC R208955	19,136	33

to commend this passage of Androtius We cannot present our selves in sacrifice to God without Christs assistance and though a man should offer himself a thousand times it were little therefore that we might have what to render to God for all his benefits Christ himself as by dying on the Cross he offer'd himself to the Father Traidd ti etiam se homini ut ab homine possit cum meritis amore suo infinito tanquam hostia pro peccato tanquam oblatio pro beneficiis Deo offerri sic homo potest patri offerre infinitum precium meritorum Christi ipsum Christum Androtius de pass morte Christi c. 5. v. c. 11. tradidit etiam se homini hath made over himself also to man that by man he might be offered to God with his deserts and infinite love as a Sacrifice for sin and as an Oblation for benefits and so man may offer to the Father the infinite price of Christs merits and Christ himself which is the proper work of the regenerate Sect. 4 And so I am arrived at our third station That it is peculiar to the regenerate whom Paul represents and in whose person he speaks as well as in his own to pay through Christ their debt of thanks and praises unto God Psal 33.1 Onely the regenerate pay through Christ the debt of thanks and praises unto God Praise is comely for the upright it beseems the godly and holy to praise the God of holiness But it is unhandsom that the wicked should pollute Gods praises with their impure lips Psal 50.16 The brave Roman held that onely for a praise which came à viro laude dignus from a man worthy of commendation and should God have his praises pronounced by men of uncleane lips Hence it was that Thankfulness that precious vertue hath ever been so rare and such a stranger in the world that the learned Languages of Greek and Latin have no proper word for it the thing not appearing their ingenuity left it nameles but unthankfulness as every where frequent got a name in all tongues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a good Greek word and ingratitudo a good Latin so is not gratitudo which sprang up after the purity of Latin speech was exspired about the time of Tiberius when they coyned for complements words without experiments Humility and gratitude are vertues proper to Christianity in Believers and Martyrs above others to act not in themselves but in their Mediator and when they have actually shewed the greatest thankfulness and charity and died for their Lord and are crowned for so doing Apoc. 4.10 to prostrate their Crowns before his throne and acknowledge him the onely-worthy of all glory and honour and that in his power and grace they conquered and triumphed Because this office is appropriate to the godly the holy Scripture sets them to this work by name Offer to the Lord thanksgiving Psal 50.14 thus we see David the man after Gods heart for sincerity love devotion to be the sweet singer of Israel 2 Sam. 23.1 and the especial Trumpeter of Gods praises And there is nothing that David so varies in his Psaltery in sundry wayes of repetition as his Hallelujah Praise ye the Lord beginning and ending divers Psalms therewith ending every verse of some with invitation thereto as the 150th the last verse excepted which hath it doubled in the close and in the 136th Ut quicquid operam Dei percurritur ideo intelligatur ●ffectum ut honitatis misricordiae ejus intelligatur aeternita● S. Prosper 1b paying six times at the end of every verse thankful acknowledgment of everlasting mercy which manageth all Gods proceedings with his people This moved the devotional King David that prayed three times a day Psal 55.17 to give thanks seven times a day Psal 119.164 as the principal work of the sanctified And because we have more reason to give thanks for free mercies than to crave undeserved kindnesses and God is more worthy to be praised than any thing in heaven or earth to be desired and our fruitions exceed our wants the vouchsafements which regenerates enjoy are above all they can desire and more than all they need the imitation and entring into the state of true grace harder than the progress Vid. S. Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him 3. the new birth more difficult than the growth the first conversion hath more of the creating hand than all proficiency and perfection Sect. 6 That regenerates are the most obedient Subjects and most thankful for Kings and Princes As none are thankful for Supernaturals but onely they that have Christs grace so neither are any equally thankful for terrene and political blessings as the orthodox and truly pious none so obodient to Princes in as much as it is part of their faith that humane laws bind Conscience Rom. 13.5 And they consider the benefit of government and Kingship what instruments and ministers they are of publique tranquility and repose Sects and schisms are the issues of pride and contention in the Church and so naturally prone to breed and foment divisions and disturbances in the State but Orthodoxality is a daughter of obedience in the Church and consequently frames the spirits of men to be quiet and orderly in the State Grace harbours not malignity towards equals or inferiours to misconster be jealous suspitious and interpreting all things to the worse much less can it abide such humours against our Superiours but ever hopes the best of governors and takes their doings in the fairest sense You have a most imitable temper for Subjects 2 Sam. 3.36 Whatsoever the King did pleased all the people and that induced Almighty God to give the King a mind in all things to gratifie the people 1 Chron. 13.2 And David said to all the congregation of Israel If it seem good to you let us do so and so confidence of Subjects excites trust and complyance in Kings Further conscientious people look upon it as a duty imposed on them from heaven freely to contribute to the royal support of their Kings Rom. 13.6 7. render all their dues Tribute to whom tribute is due which in St. Augustines judgment is the way for a Nation to grow rich M●j●res nostr ideo copiis omri●us abundabant qui Deo decimas dabant Caesari censum ●eddebant hom 48 Our Ancestors the Christians of the primitive best ages therefore abounded in all plenties because they gave tythes to God and subsidies to Caesar and well may your Honours confirme the tythes to God who hath quit you of the danger of DECIMATION and well may you leavie tributes for the King who makes you masters of your Contributions and frees you from the bondage of paying whatsoever Phanatiques would pretend that Providence did act them to exact The little finger of an Usurper is thicker than the loyns of a lawful possessor nor can a voluntary people grudge to afford a

and the fidelity of his gracious covenant in Christ for whose sake all things are intended guided and collated for our good if we would so take them that whether God give or take whether he afflict or inlarge we may alwayes say with patient Job The Lord hath given the Lord hath taken as it pleaseth the Lord so come things to pass blessed be the name of the Lord for ever and ever Job 1.21 2. For Admiration the kingly Prophet saying Let my soul live and it shall praise thee Psal 119.175 declares not onely that he desired life for no other cause in chief but that he might therein give thanks and glorifie God but also that the praises of Gods children here have in some respects prelation above the hymns of glorified spirits Which Hezekiah also affirms protesting that Hell cannot praise God but the living the living he shall praise God Esa 38.18 whereupon those religious Kings notwithstanding the trust they had to celebrate among the Fathers immortal thanks petitioned that they might abide here to praise God In pirke avoth It was a wise apothegme of Rabbi Jacob that one hour of repentance and good works in this world is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 better than all the life of the world to come and one hour of refreshment in the world to come is better than all the life of this world The complete praises of the other world are without comparison diviner than our imperfect thanksgivings upon earth in regard of the acts themselves but praises here have their priviledge in that they be exemplary to sinners and converting praises not seldom attracting others from vanity to be companions in the true worshiping of God as godly Hezekiah hints in those words The father to the children shall make known thy truth Moreover divine praises here be operative and efficiently antecedent to our glory there After death the blessed rest Apoc. 14.13 and cannot promote in bliss and the state of glory in heaven is proportioned to the measure of vertue and praise upon earth whiles we are in the way every praise addes to the treasury of our future glory when we come home into our country we take up our standing and can proceed no further here must we furnish our everlasting mansions here must we lay up in store for our selves a good foundation for the future 1 Tim. 6.19 and procure that degree of honour wherein we would sempiternally praise God 3. For Exhortation urging us above all studies to intend thanksgiving and frequent Gods praises as in our Lords prayer we are taught to begin our petitions with praying first and principally Hallowed be thy name enable us and all thy creatures to glorifie and praise thee and in the close annexed in many Greek copies to that prayer Mat. 6.13 to ascribe Kingdom Power and Glory to God as the father of lights and donor of every good and perfect gift which is the summary of thanksgiving The hellishness of hell and most horrible evil there and that which most terrifies the godly in their contemplations is that the damned perpetually gnash their teeth Psal 112.10 and blaspheme and curse God that is blessed for ever Apoc. 16.10 11. They gnawed their tongues in pain and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and repented not of their evils if reprobates do so on earth what will they ●o in hell And this is to the minds of them that fear God the heaven of heaven that there is no cessation nor end of praising God there Apoc. 5.13 none is silent in the heavenly Chorus Every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea heard I saying Blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sittteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for ever Apoc. 7.9 10. Sect. 9 Swasives to thanksgiving Will you be pleased to ponder the commendations heaped upon sacred thanksgivings Psal 147.1 It is good to sing praises unto God it is pleasant and praise is comely It is good and by consequence hath force to draw and allure every rational will as convenient for it vox hominem sonat it is a speech for a man to men who will shew us any good therefore God commends this duty to us as men it is good it is right Eph. 6.1 it hath all reason for it It is pleasant not onely pleasing to God whose pleasure is more acceptable to the pious than any life but pleasant to the thanksgiver a duty which cannot possibly be performed without pleasure on his part For that our good Lord would have us rejoyce evermore 1 Thes 5.16 Be alwayes chearful he passes an injunction that we should in every thing be thankful vers 18. Would any learn to go easily away with his burthen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In pareticis c. 35. let him hearken to Saint Nile In adversity give thanks and the yoke of afflictions will be easie and light when and wherein soever we are discontent we detain praises in unthankfulness and give not God the honour of governing all things for the best Thank God unfeignedly for thy portion for thy corrections for all thy tryals and the Lords dealing ceases to be any longer displeasant to thee It is comely there is nothing so unseemly and odious as ingratitude nothing so amiable and decent in all eyes as thankfulness how then doth it become Psal 51.12 the free ingenuous and princely spirit wherewith we are sealed to officiate in this divine service and sacrifice continual thank-offerings to the God of our praise who hath made us his praise in preeminence of heavenly collations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P● Martyr Ju●●●●m O happy David for an heroick spirit in practising Divinity Psal 116.12 What shall I render unto God which is wisely expended by St. Basil to be the voice of one that was bravely in straits and saw his penury on all sides that he had nothing fit for retribution but to the utmost of his power he was willing to lay out himself and spend and be spent for God and that he was glad of an opportunity to serve his generation and advance the interests of his maker Honourable Lords there is no higher decorum than to study grateful returns do something worthy of God and your Nobility and this day of your triumph and joy And whereas your goods and goodness cannot reach to God but may reach to his substitutes the receivers and takers of the King of heaven let me beg leave to speak a word for Christs poverty in our Land that in reception of so transcendent blessings you would remember the poor and signalize this happy year with a provision that there may be no complaining no begging in our streets and work-houses may be erected in these rich and populous cities that all that are able to work may be blessed in eating the labour of their own hands Psal 128.2 and all that are absolutely

impotent be otherwise sufficiently relieved a work that all mankind must necessarily acknowledge excellent Hodieque in captivitate nullos mendicos habemus qui stipem postulent sed onnes aut Synagogarum proventibus aut divitum liberalitate sustentantur ita ut necessaria iis nunquam desint Menasses Ben-Israel conciliator p. 223. The Jews can provide for their poor throughout Christendome without begging may not Christians much better do the like Some neighbouring people in forreign parts prevent all need for their poor to beg what hinders this magnificent Kingdom to do the same Other Parliaments as fame goes have had this religious design under consideration but have left you the glory to complete the work and put it in execution Your Honours have raised such extraordinary hopes in these three Nations that they promise themselves from these two Houses the greatest benefits that can be procured by the best Parliament and therefore I had the boldness humbly to propose this motion to you And when I shall in three words have toucht upon three motives that exalt thanksgiving above all other service I will dismiss this honourable audience to the festivities of this joyful day 1. It is very remarkable that ever and ever is adjoyned to the close of the Doxology Mat. 6 13. because thanksgiving onely is an eternal and everlasting office prayer is a duty of time thanksgiving is a service of eternity after the day of Judgment petitions shall cease when once all desires are accomplished but giving of thanks shall be sempiternal Agobard ad c●mores occ●esiae Lugd●●ens V. 612. that God hath filled up all our faculties of desiring and left us no more space nor room for prayer 2. Thanksgiving is an Angelical office therefore to set an estimate upon sacred hymns and praises Esa 6.2 3. You have the Seraphims of the supreme order veiling their faces and feet in token of reverence and flying as they sing in testimony of affection and longing to draw near to God and they being as it were chief chantors and leading the song all the Chorus of Angels accompany them with harmonious and according voices and with incredible gladness and exaltation of spirit 3. Thanksgiving as it is a Saint-like and Angelical performance so it is the proper service of heaven as it is the place of everlasting repose Hence Luke 2.14 they sing glory to God in the highest heavens as the seat of eternal praises Petition oft tends to our own good thanksgiving looks entirely at Gods glory which therefore is the grand duty and product of charity and the peculiar office of heaven where having whatsoever they can wish they have no other imployment but to bless the fountain of their blessedness Prayer pertains to viators and praise to comprehensors as satisfied in good and secured of eternity in bliss Dionysius Carthusianus Deum laudere est actus praeclarior quam Deum orare 1. qunniam actus ille est magis Angelicus 2. quia actus ille est simplicior ac purior quia per illum m●gis purè in Deum convert●mur per orationem vero ad nos ipsos aliquo modo reflectimur De S. Catharina sen 1. a godly and learned Writer shall conclude for me To praise God is a more eminent act than to pray unto God both for that it is a more Angelical act and because it is a purer and more sublimated act as in which we are purely inclined and converted to God whereas in prayer we reflect in some sort upon our selves This then of all other is a most celestial function to sing Hallelujahs to coassist with the heavenly inhabitants in praising God this is to be in Paradise to taste the first fruits and in a manner to have the exercises and fruitions of heaven upon earth Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all the company of heaven let us thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. FINIS