Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	affection_n	people_n	zion_n	11	3	8.7880	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91915	The Christian subject: a treatise directing a Christian to a peaceable conversation sutable to an holy calling. Wherein are answered those ordinary objections, of haresy, tyranny, usurpation, breaeh [sic] of covenant. Which some make as a sufficient plea to take them off from a chearfull obedience to this present government. / Written by Iohn Rocket, Minister of the Gospell at Hickling in Nottinghamshire.	Rocket, John.	1651 (1651)	Wing R1763; Thomason E646_2; ESTC R205971	80,124	163

danger in the excesse then in the defect though this be much to be lamented other as much to be hated For an oppressive Tyrant is more tolerable for good men and more wholesome to a Common-wealth then a Partiall Idle Fearefull or unwise Magistrate that will not or cannot use that Authority committed to him for at such times we have multitudes of Tyrants and concludes with destruction to the whole oftentimes 3. Acts of policy should not suspend Acts made or delay Acts to be made for Piety and Honesty Lay first these as the foundations of Peace and God himselfe will build a glorious Structure for us build Gods House and God will build our houses We see in that Text that the Church in the first place would pray for Magistrates so Magistrates in the first place would act for them The Philosopher that had more reason then Faith could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Pol. 7. c. 8. Col. Lyps Lyps lib. 4. c. 2. pag. 172. Chiefely or first our care should be about Divine things and sure it is the best policy for as a wise man said Jam verò publicè qui salvissimus nisi illa salva Religio timor Dei solus est qui custodit hominum inter se societatem Now who may be safe in a Common wealth unlesse Religion be safe for its Religion and the feare of God alone that keepes the society of men among themselves Let Gods way goe first and it will enlighten and it will guard our wayes if we walke uprightly even our enemies shall be at peace with us But if we lay our owne counsels deepe and lay aside though for a while the way of God our owne counsels will destroy us or God will destroy them and make us know that it is the safest and best policie to gaine him and keepe him on our sides and in such cases it will prove the most successefull at the least the most comfortable to denie our carnall reasonings herein Let us consult our counsels with our owne hearts It s bad to say with the worldling I will but provide so many Portions and obtaine such a proportion of Land then I will rest and serve the Lord let us not first seeke our selves then the Lord it s no part of true Faith to trie what the Lord will doe first for us before we doe any thing for him and it s no wisedome to trust our hearts till then for they not onely coole in the meane time but are subject to severall mutations from temptations arising out of the alterations of our conditions In a word while the Magistrate makes fences for his owne Government let him make some for Christs and let not his Church lye so open his Lawes so loose and readie for spoile and defilement least God pull downe the hedge of the Magistrates territories and rayse up another Magistrate that will take care of his owne 4. The Common-wealths peace cannot be firme without the Churches peace if the Church be tossed upon the waves the Common-wealth cannot be in a calme but when she rides under a full sayle and all her men acting in their severall offices and places it s a signe that then the Civill Government is well and settled or will be so How-ever no permanencie to Peace while there is no assured and reall establishment of Religion Saith Jehu What peace while the whoredomes of thy Mother Jezebel are so great While Israel ungratefully neglected the House of God after her deliverance God had other secret judgements to eat out her comforts and to make her libertie more miserable then her captivitie Now there is a Negative Peace when the Magistrate as a third man interposes himselfe betwixt jangling parties and by his power abates differences this is well but this will not long continue the severitie of a Judge may make the high way so plain and peacefull that a rich man with his wand may walke in the duske of the evening but till those mens spirits be made honest there will be such to inrerrupt it againe Now there is an Affirmative where there are holy and sure grounds for reconciliation and unitie layd for the Church to walke by its probable then to be One indeed and a reall Peace establisht Quibus spiritus unus est unus sit animus sensus Cypr in Orat Dom. in whom there may be one spirit one minde one meaning surely to have one way in generall to walke by is the next way to reduce men unto it A great Polititian was in judgement that it behoved a Common-wealth to have but one Church in it Lyps lib. 4. c. 2. pene toto which is directly conductive to civill Peace Wee all desire to see this liberall and beautifull Queene Peace to be Regent amongst us and to command us to beat out our Drum-heads and beat our Swords into Plough-shares But doest thou desire this for thy selfe so does many for the publique that 's more noble for God that 's Christian Thou askest it aske it for Gods sake not onely as the efficient cause and ground in himselfe of bestowing it on us but as the finall cause on which thou wouldst bestow it Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love it Jerusalem was the chiefe Citie and place of justice Jerusalem was the chiefe place of worship and type of the Church of God pray for the peace of both pray out of worldly and ardent affection from a sincere and entire heart desiring to see Sion in her beautie and these teares of division of losse of feare of bloud to be wiped off sure such prayers are full and will be most like to speed but alas what love men beare to Sion their faint and very wishes for peace doe too much testifie Howsoever pray for it thy prayers may counter-worke others endeavours Therefore we pray for Magistrates as our dutie being subjects as Rulers over us and Nurses of Sion both Magistrates people pray for Sion because they all are or ought to be her subjects and to lay all they have at her feet to serve her And let them know that such as out of pure affection pray for her shall prosper Here is the encouragement of all they shall prosper c. Men may pray for peace and not love the peace of Sion nay be inward enemies unto it therefore they prosper not Men never saw in the Promise the excellency of Sion what is foretold of it therefore neither pray for nor love it these prosper not likewise But if the private man would prosper in the Shop the Field the Family if the Minister would prosper in his Calling among his people or the Magistrate in the administration of his Government let them love the peace of Ierusalem let that love breake into the flame of desires and pray for it And let the God of peace for Christ his Sons sake the King of Peace and head of his Church send down his Spirit to guide the hearts of all his people in the way of Peace that so his Jerusalem here below may be restored to her glory that is now in trouble Amen FINIS