Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	lord_n	speak_v	word_n	2,485	5	4.1582	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54585	A sermon preached before Their Majesties, K. William and Q. Mary's forces, at Gant in Flanders the Sunday before they marched into the camp, 1694 / by John Petter ... ; published at their request.	Petter, John, 1661 or 2-1700.	1694 (1694)	Wing P1890; ESTC R33393	18,429	44

have no manner of religion or honesty at all in them A great deal of pity it should be so at any time it is sad and may prove dangerous to have the Sword in such mad Mens hands But I think the Poet was much to blame to condemn all for the sake of some For though it be so among too many yet 't is not so universally true but that God be thanked there be some exceptions and many to your great honour Gentlemen be it spoken that are employed in this present Service Why should Religion be thought inconsistent with your Profession whatever liberties too many of it give themselves it has been as famous for Men eminently pious as any whatsoever The first Man that we read professing Christ after his Crucifixion was a Soldier in that hour of darkness when his Followers fled his Disciples fainted and the Rabble derided him a Soldier and his Company owned him Matt. 27. 54. The Centurion and they that were with him feared greatly and said Truly this was the Son of God Nazianzen in his time had a Caesarius Saint Basil a Gordius and a Learned Writer speaking of the Noble Army of Martyrs saith Pars melior ex militibus The greater part of them were Soldiers The Character which S. Luke gives of Cornelius the Centurion is That he was a devout man and one that feared God with all his house which gave much alms to the people and prayed to God alway Acts 10. 2. I have instanc'd in this last as a Pattern worthy your imitation and with a desire that you would compare the practice of this noble Roman with that of many of our present Army and see what you can find that can at all patronize that impious liberty and prophaness that is by so many recommended as reputable and ingenious and is every day so much exemplified to us in common practice that one would think it were entailed upon your Prefession The Centurion here mentioned was a devout Man and zealous for Religion one who endeavoured to promote it by keeping up all ways possible its honour and reputation in the world Many among our Centurions make a mock of it saying in their heart there is no God they sit down in the seat of the Scorner and though they cannot argue yet resolve to laugh all Piety out of countenance Every the dullest Creature that can but revile his Religion make a prophane Paraphrase upon the Holy Writ vent an impious Jest ridicule any thing that is Sacred and stoutly disclaim his Maker is immediately proclaimed a Wit not considering that this is direct Blasphemy 'T is said farther of this Centurion that he feared God they cannot in the least pretend to this part of the Centurion's character who upon every impertinent occasion take his most sacred Name into their prophane Mouths and call upon him to witness to every trifle sometimes to a lye Sure Gentlemen you cannot pretend to the fear of God who call upon him almost every moment to damn your selves your dearest friends or acquaintance for every frivolous disappointment nay often for nothing whose mouths are full of bitterness and cursing who challenge to your selves the liberty of your tongues saying in the words of the Psalmist We are they that ought to speak Who is Lord over us Psal 12. 4. Nay there are some among you I think my self obliged in duty to take notice of it who are so far from fearing God that you seem to be perfectly of the temper of the unjust Judge mentioned in Saint Luke who neither feared God nor regarded man If it were not so though the fear of God could not restrain you yet otherwise in respect of Men you would sometimes abstain from all sorts of impious leud prophane and atheistical discourse and at least comply with the rules of civility though you will not with those of piety For your unsavoury breath supposing no God to be offended with it you cannot but imagine to be nauseous to all those who believe there is one to all those who have any Zeal for their Faith you cannot think any discourse more intolerable or more disobliging Those who do acknowledge a divine Power cannot be supposed with ease and satisfaction to sit by and hear God ridiculed and blasphemed you cannot but think this to be a very unpleasant entertainment for any who believe a Deity more especially for those who are more than ordinarily concerned for his honour The next part of this Centurion's character is That he was one that feared God with all his house Now if we compare the practice of some among you with this part of his character it will be but too visible that you come far short of it I need not descend to particulars for they are too evident the many Oaths and Curses with the abundance of other unsavoury discourse that doth flow almost every minute from the mouths of the meanest and least servant that does attend the Camp sufficiently proclaim the neglect of you their Masters who too many of you by your own example and the countenance and encouragement you give to the vicious courses of those about you seem to have taken up a resolution contrary to that of Joshua's and in your hearts to say As for me and my house we will neither of us serve the Lord. Another thing that is added in commendation of this Centurion is That he gave much alms to the people his devotion and the fear of God are accompanied with Works of Charity How backward are many of you to relieve those who by the fate of War or any other misfortunes are reduced to necessity and want he was of a tender and compassionate nature you may see here the mildness and sweetness of his temper by his being kind and mercifull fruits of the spirit highly requisite to preserve those of your profession from transgressions of a crying nature which too many of you Gentlemen make light of violence cruelty wasting plundering c. But he in whose heart God had put it to give that which was his own to others when their necessities required it could not but abhor to take and detein that which was not his own from others no he walks according to the Baptist's rule of doing violence to no man and being content with his own wages But instead of walking according to this example and relieving to the utmost of your ablity the people and assisting those that are under your command how many of you take all occasions to squeez and oppress the former and to doe all the injustice you are able to the latter and like miscreant Achans make it your business by these indirect ways to enrich your selves not fearing the Curse of God on such ill-gotten treasure The last thing that is said in praise of this Centurion is That he prayed to God alway that is every day at the set and appointed times when he was not hindred by other lawfull occasions In an undertaking attended