Selected quad for the lemma: city_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
city_n	esq_n	honourable_a	thomas_n	7,669	5	10.2802	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A59627	A sermon preach'd before the honourable society of the natives of the most ancient county-palatine and city of Chester at St Mary le Bow, London, December 7th 1699. Published at the request of the stewards. By Peter Shelley, M.A. Rector of Woodford in Essex.	Shelley, Peter, b. 1650 or 51.	1700 (1700)	Wing S3070; ESTC R221101	12,392	33

A SERMON Preach'd before the Honourable Society OF THE NATIVES Of the most Ancient County-Palatine and City of CHESTER At St Mary le Bow London December 7th 1699. Published at the Request of the Stewards By PETER SHELLEY M. A. Rector of Woodford in Essex LONDON Printed by Tho. Warren for Thomas Bennet at the Half-Moon in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1700. TO MY Worthy Country-Men Treasurers Mr Richard Aston Mr William Alexander John Hale Esq Mr Thomas As●croft Mr Samuel Leadbeater Mr Carleton Vanbrug Mr Robert Mainwaring Mr Daniel Green Mr William Rutter Mr Edward Brooke Mr Richard Tyler Mr Richard Goldsmith Stewards of the Honourable Society of the Natives in the most Ancient County-Palatine and City of Chester Gentlemen YOur Earnest Request for the Printing of this Discourse was no less surprizing than your app●inting me to Preach it For as my belov'd retirement 〈◊〉 the place I now live in together with my long 〈…〉 my ●ative C●●ntry had interrupted all Acquaintance with and as I thought render'd me unknown to you So I did not imagine but the meanness of the Performance would induce you to avoid all further Reflections on your Choice by Omitting a Customary Complement rather than to defend it by Obliging me to prefix your Names in its Vindication Though in this case the Printing your Approbation will be far from publishing it Since the Sermon is never likely to have so many Readers as it had Auditors But whatever it wants of Ornament I am sure it is not defective in an honest plain good Intent and whatever influence it may have on others those great and unexpected Civilities I have received from you upon this Occasion will for ever engage me to be Gentlemen Your Most Obliged and Most Humble Servant Peter Shelley A SERMON Preach'd at the CHESHIRE-FEAST 1 Pet. ii 17. Honour all Men Love the Brotherhood Fear God Honour the King VVHAT the Holy Apostle urges in this Chapter as the most proper method for Christians to observe under the Persecution of the Roman Tyranny and in the Infancy of Christianity that they might prevail against all Opposition is no less practicable for us at this time tho' God be Thanked under far different Circumstances What was necessary to propagate the Christian Religion will undoubtedly protect it when Establish'd and those Lawful means which at first promote will as probably continue our welfare Thus the advice of my Text is a general and Summary comprehension of our Duty as Christians and a sure guide to our Prosperity as Men Teaching us the most infallible means to attain and grow in favour both with God and Man For if we Honour all Men and Love the Brotherhood if we Fear God and Honour the King undoutedly our Israel will flourish Peace will be within our Walls and Plenteousness in all our Palaces The Words contain two general Parts The first more particularly relates to the Alternate duty between private Persons Honour all Men but especially Love the Brotherhood The second enjoins the duty of Inferiors to their Superior viz. of Creatures to their Creator and of Subjects to their King Fear God and Honour the King For the better understanding of which I think is not improper to give you the import or meaning of the Word Honour and First It signifies an outward Gesture or Reverence of the Body by bowing the Head puting off of the Hat or any other such like civil respect according to the Custom of the Nation we live in Thus Lev. 19. 32. Thou shalt rise up before the Hoary Head and Honour the Face of the Old Man Secondly It signifies to censer Honour upon another as God Himself speaking of the Righteous Man Ps 91. 15. says I will be with him in trouble I will deliver him and honour him i. e. I will advance him to honour Thirdly It is taken for the joint Devotion of the Body and Heart by paying all External and Internal Reverence unto God as we read of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon who after God had Punished his Presumption and restored him to his Understanding and Kingdom makes this Solemn Declaration Now I Nebuchadnezzar Praise and Extol and Honour the King of Heaven Dan. 4. 34. Fourthly It is taken for a Charitable distribution of some part of our Estates according to our Abilities and the Necessities of those who want In which sense Solomon advises us To Honour God with our Substance and the First-Fruits of all our encrease Prov. 3. 9. i. e. to give what we can well and Prudently spare to such Charitable Uses as may best tend to the Advanc●ment of Piety and the Manifestation of our Thankfulness to the Almighty And this is called Honouring of God because in so doing 1st We as His Faithful Stewards become Dispensers of His Bounty to the Needy 2ly We tacitely acknowledge our Gratitude to Him for His Goodness towards us 3ly We own Him for the Lord and Donor of all and consequently that the Honour and Glory of all is due unto Him which Charity Thankfulness and Humility thus united is an acceptable Method of ascribing Honour unto Him Now tho' I must acknowledge that the Honour here mentioned is by the Apostle more particularly intended of that which we owe to the subordinate and deputed Magistrates who are set over us by Kings and Princes yet the Words may very well include a larger sense especially since St. Paul advises us to be kindly Affectioned one to another in Brotherly Love in honour prefering one another Rom. 12. 10. as also when He exhorts Timothy to Honour Widows that are Widows indeed and to account the Elders who rule well worthy of double Honour So that in strictness of the sense we are positively commanded in the first Words to Honour Reverence and Respect our Governours according to their several Degrees and Qualities not only in respect of their Persons but their Authority rendering to all of them their dues Tribute to whom tribute is due Custom to whom custom Fear to whom fear Honour to whom honour 'T is not then an equal and indifferent behaviour towards all Men as some no less proudly than ignorantly imagine which the Words enjoin but such an Honour as admits of several Degrees according to the several Stations of Persons and even excludes some as altogether incapable or undeserving to have any Honour pay'd unto them For though with God in regard of the Impartiality of his Justice there be no respect of Persons yet in order to the better Government of the World He hath placed some Men as Vessels of Honour above others of whom He Himself tells us I have said ye are Gods And certainly to refuse to pay our Obliged honour to such is as ridiculous and unseemly as it is to give it unto Fools or Beggars But besides those whom God and the King have set over us there is Honour due to some by their Birth and Quality to others upon the account of their Parts and Abilities and to a