Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	apostle_n	pray_v	prayer_n	1,314	5	6.4509	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12991	A sermon preached at Paules Crosse on Barthelmew day, being the 24. of August. 1578 Wherin, besides many other profitable matters meete for all Christians to follovv, is at large prooued, that it is the part of all those that are fathers, householders, and scholemaisters, to instruct all those vnder their gouernement, in the vvord and knovvledge of the Lorde. By Iohn Stockvvood scholemaister of Tunbridge.	Stockwood, John, d. 1610.	1578 (1578)	STC 23284; ESTC S106625	73,966	202

doth it looke what thys man or that man bestoweth or asketh what shall I giue or howe much when shall I giue or howe often shall I gyue But by the pitifull viewe of the lamentable distresse of such as are in miserie easilye and readilye findeth aunswere againste all these worldlye motions Cornelius gaue muche almes to all the people Wée that are farre beyonde him in wealth and substaunce thynke wée haue done very well and ynoughe if we haue giuen a little vnto a fewe Cornelius gaue plentifullye whilest hée was aliue and we giue sparingly for feare we shall lacke ere we dye And thys is a greate faulte amongest the wealthie of this worlde that they defer their almes and other good déedes of charitie till after they be deade omitting the present oportunitie to doe good the whiche GOD hath not onely commended but commaunded and not onelye regardeth but also in mercie richly rewardeth What fondnesse is there in those that would be counted wise to imagine that theyr executours after they be dead will be more faythfull in disposing their liberalitie than they themselues woulde bée beyng aliue What excuse soeuer we pretende for this deferring to do good it springeth onelie of distruste in Gods prouidence the Lorde roote it oute of vs for in some it worketh moste horrible and wicked effectes insomuch that they do not only not giue largely after the example of this oure Cornelius but bestowe nothing at all nay that whiche is worse Couetousnesse the roote of al euil springing of thys distruste in Gods fatherly prouision for them hath br●d in them suche a burning desire of hauing still more that like vnto the dropsie man the more he drinketh the more he thirsteth the more they haue the more they desire and therfore leaste they shoulde lacke they do not onely not relieue their poore brethren but also take from them suche liuing as for their reliefe hath by others bin giuen vnto thē cruelly and barbarously deuouring the goodes of the poore and eating vppe as it were their owne fleshe The Lorde be merciful vnto vs This only to end this point I am to say if Cornelius hauing but a sparkle of faith but a little knowledge in the Christian religion amongst so many stumbling blockes lettes and daungers haue set vp vnto vs so cleare and bright a glasse of godlye almes and Christian charitie truely we that reioyce so much of our knowlege in Christ and perswade our selues of a maruellous light of fayth ought worthyly to blushe and be ashamed to come so farre behinde him in brotherly pittying louinglye reléeuing the poore estate of our owne néedie members and to be so soone colde in the exercise of charitye The Lorde worke in vs bowels of compassion that wyth Cornelius euery one according to the portiō that God hath bestowed vpon vs maye indéede féele and be touched inwardlye wyth the miseries of the néedie and in consideration of the same gyue muche almes to all the people for there wyll a day come when it shall be sayde vnto vs Giue accountes of thy Stewardship for thou shalte bee no longer Stewarde Now followeth Cornelius his dayly and often praying vnto God. For it is here sayd that he prayed God cōtinually As before where the holy Ghost speaketh of Cornelius his almes he figuratiuely vseth that worde being but one part for all the kindes of charitie so here he setteth down his dayly vse of praying for the whole worship of God as a certain and vndisceauable note of his vnfeined godlynesse For where there is the true feare of God whych hath bene alredy shewed to haue remayned in Cornelius there must needs be also a feruent desire by earnest prayer to humble our selues before the maiestie of God to bée by his holy spirit directed in the true knowledge of him his Christ that thereby wée may be taught to walke in such ways as are acceptable before him This desire may appeare to haue bene in Cornelius by the wordes whiche hereafter the Angell vseth vnto hym where hée willeth him to sende for Peter who shoulde teach him what he shoulde do For being in the number of those whyche hadde receyued the true knowledge of GOD he prayeth that he maye be admitted vnto a further and a more clearer lighte of vnderstanding concerning his hope of saluation in the redéemer Christ Iesus yet not fully reueled vnto him His prayer being reported not to be of course or of custome or seldome but dayly and often is a signe vnto vs that his religion was not builded vpon feyned and coūterfaite trifles or consisted in outward rites and ceremonies but that as god is a spirite as Iohn witnesseth so Cornelius lyke a true worshipper did pray vnto him and worship him in spirite and truth and did not sleyghtly after the manner of the cōmon sort vse coldly and faintely this exercise of praying in number measure but was earnestly and euē frō the hart bent often to call vppon God like as hys manifolde benefites and vnspeakable mercies daylye towardes him did continuallye prouoke and call him therevnto Thys example of Cornelius hys dayly praying vnto God commendeth vnto vs the continual often vse of prayer in whiche he was not so diligente and feruente as we for the moste parte are colde negligente too too slacke slothful whereas we haue to moue vs therevnto both the example of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who not only himselfe prayed often but also commaunded vs to pray oftē and hath appointed vs a forme of prayer which we commonlye call the Lordes prayer and hath besides promised to heare our prayer made in fayth we haue not I say only his example but the example of all his Apostles wyth diuerse others the godlye Patriarches fathers and Prophets of the olde testamēt There be also causes both in respecte of our selues and also of our brethren that oughte worthily to moue vs to cal vpon God for his assistaunce against our many enimies as the Diuell the worlde and the corrupt lustes and wicked affections of our owne fleshe this being one of the principall weapons of that spirituall armoure whiche Paul teacheth a christian souldiour to be furnished withal agaynst the greate and strong assaultes of those mightie enimies For besides the girdle of veritie the breaste-plate of righteousnesse the shoes of the preparation of the Gospell of peace the shielde of fayth the helmet of saluation and the sworde of the spirite he addeth And pray alwayes with all manner prayer and supplication in the spirit Againe if we woulde consider what Abraham what Isaac what Iacob what Aaron Moses Iosua Dauid Salomon Iosias Ezechias Elias Daniel the Publicane the théefe on the crosse the Apostles the Churche praying for Peter in prisō with innumerable others haue obtayned at the handes of GOD by prayer the mighty and wonderfull effectes that haue followed of theyr prayer must néedes prouoke and stirre vs vp to the often and

vnfeyned exercise of this moste Godly duetie and cause vs wyth Cornelius dayly to pray vnto god But we al these notwithstanding either pray neuer or else very seldome and euen then for the most parte of custome thinke the reading and mumbling vp other godlye mens prayers howe farre soeuer our heartes be from that which we speake to be a good prayer before God and that for thys duetie perfourmed thus of fashion rather than of hartie and earnest zeale we haue God euen bounde vnto vs so that all the daye after we are dispenced withall to doe what we liste muche like vnto the Papistes who if they haue once hearde Masse they haue euen for the worke done as they terme it deserued frée remission for all those offences which all the daye after they shoulde committe Wel all that I can saye in this greate slackenesse and disorder in prayer is to wishe you all humblye to praye vnto GOD to roote out of vs thys great negligence and to graunte vs with Cornelius continuallye and dayly not with the lippes but with the hearte earnestlye to call vpon him which if we truelye loue him we will assuredlye doe and by no meanes be letted therefrom For as he that truely loueth delighteth in nothing more than in the often talking and conference with him whō he loueth euen so where there is true and vnfeyned loue vnto God there is a burning desire by often prayer to talke wyth GOD so as no perill nor daunger no not of ●osse of life can staye or hinder it as may ●ppeare by Daniel whome the feare of the ●ions denne coulde not at the comman●emente of the King Darius kéepe from ●raying vnto his GOD but the space ●f thirtye dayes whiche vnto suche as ●aue to GOD but a little loue wyll ●éeme but a little thing But true loue ●yll rather aduenture anye perill than ●or to be but for a verye shorte tyme ●ebarred from this libertie Yea and as ●he more woodde is layde on the fire the greater is the flame so is likewise thys continuall talkyng wyth GOD by ●rayer a greate increasyng of our loue ●owardes hym as on the contrarye ●he seldomer we commune wyth hym by ●rayer the more doeth our loue toward ●im from time to time abate and slake ●ntill in the ende it be cleane quenched Let vs therefore good brethren often repayre vnto the Lorde by daylye and vn●ained calling vppon his name by whiche our loue maye more and more ●ncrease towardes hym and wée ●lso haue good and perfecte experience howe riche the Lorde is as Paule speaketh to all those that in fayth truely call vppon him whereof we can neuer haue better trial thā when by oftē praying vnto him according as the necessities either of our selues or others doe require we finde by hys liberall graunting our manifolde requestes that hée is in déede riche in mercye that hathe in stoare to suffise all creatures of the whole worlde that doe praye in faythe without wauering as Iames teacheth vs to do The seconde note that I drawe out of the praying of Cornelius is to whom when we pray we oughte to make oure prayer For hauing here a large scope very plentifull matter if I woulde enter into this comon place of prayer into the whiche my text violently séemeth as it were to drawe me wherein I mighte to your profit handle what causes ought to moue vs to pray what prayer is to whom we oughte to make our prayer when we ought to praye where we ought to praye howe he oughte to be affected disposed that must pray of what force the prayer of a godly man is with God how many sortes of prayers there are and after what manner we oughte to praye with suche like letting passe the rest as being at the full handled in the common places of learned and godly men I will only deale in this matter of prayer wyth suche circumstaunces as my texte shall plainely leade me vnto of the whiche hauing taught before that concerning time to pray we must with Cornelius praye continually not that we should do no maner of thing else but pray as the Heretiques being of holding this opinion called Enchites or Prayars do falsely teach but so often as our necessities calling vs there vnto conueniently we maye I will now briefly shewe to whom we ought to pray bycause it is here sayde that Cornelius prayed God continually If therefore in a worde you wyll knowe who he is to whome wee shoulde praye it is god And saying God I shutte out al others both men and Angels and also women from this high honour whiche beyng the greatest that we can giue vnto God hée will imparte with no other according as it is written Thou shalt worshippe the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serue Wherfore calling vpon the name of the lord being one of his chiefest seruices it belongeth vnto him alone cannot without horrible robbery be giuē to ani other And good reason it is that he only should be prayed vnto for helpe saluation who alone is able to help who alone knoweth how to help who alone is willing to help vnto whō alone vnto no other our prayers can be made that they may be heard who alone can not only by our suite conceyue our grief ▪ but also according to his infinite wisedome and vnsearchable vnderstāding knoweth a great deale better what we lack than we for our ignorance are able to expresse According herevnto speaketh the Lord by his Prophete I euē I am the Lorde and beside me there is no sauiour And againe I sayde not in vaine vnto the seede of Iacob Seeke you mee I the Lorde doe speake righteousnesse declare righteous things They haue no knowlege that set vp the wood of their Idol pray vnto a god that can not saue thē There is no other God beside me a iust God a sauiour there is none beside me Whervpō he inferreth Loke vnto me and ye shall be saued all the ends of the earth shall be saued for I am God and there is no other What cā be sayd either more plainly to withdraw vs frō praying vnto any other sith god witnesseth that no other can help or more comfortably to allure vs to cal only vpon the Lord for as much as himself hath promised that séeking to him we shal be saued If this promise can not serue we haue also cōmandements as in the Psal. Cal vpō me in the day of trouble so wil I deliuer thee thou shalt glorify me And come vnto me saith Christ our sauiour all ye that are wearie laden I wil ease you Cōcerning Saints Angels we read that whē this our Cornelius fel down before Peter gaue him but only outward reuerence Peter would none of it but bad him stād vp saying for euen I my selfe am a man. And Paul Barnabas refuse to be sacrificed vnto at Lystra willing

priuate Popishe teachers to be sought after and sifted as wel to staye the present mischiefe as also to méete with before hande the hurte that may by suffering them grow hereafter And to ende this matter in whiche albeit I haue in long I hope the necessitie and profite of it shall easily with the godlye procure my pardon I likewise hartily desire all teachers of youth not to suffer themselues to be founde lesse diligent in a good cause than the Papistes in a badde not to be lesse carefull to instructe their children in the feare of the Lorde than the Papistes are to traine vp theirs in Poperie not to be lesse mindeful to teache their schollers the true religion than the Papistes to learne theirs the false As for the rest of you beloued that are here present if any of you with Cornēlius haue laboured all his familie to feare the Lorde you haue like obedient children béene carefull to performe that duetie whiche GOD hathe layde vppon you and so in the Lordes name I exhorte you to go forwarde and those of you that hitherto for want of knowledge haue omitted this duetie of instructing your families with Cornelius in the feare of the Lord nowe that it hathe béene euidentlye proued vnto you to be youre charge no person of what calling soeuer to be excepted adde not I beséeche you to youre knowledge contempte but diligent and spéedie practise and putting it in vre For it is a fearefull thing to fall into the handes of the Lorde Take encouragement by the example of Cornelius goe aboute it in the feare of GOD and earnest calling on his name so shall you haue to youre greate reioycing euerye man in his owne house a godlye Churche and with lesse disquieting of your selues with chiding and fighting you shall haue those vnder youre seuerall chardges in singlenesse of conscience to performe suche dueties towards you as in the feare of God to you they doe owe the which for his sonnes sake I beséeche him to graunte In the fifth braunche of this firste generall containing a descriptiō of Cornelius and his qualities I haue to speak of his Almes déedes and Prayer and fyrste of his Almes bicause that is first mentioned in my Texte As before wée haue séene by Cornelius religiousnesse feare of God and vertuous instructing his familie his faith towards God so nowe by hys almes appeareth that he bare a godlye and pittifull affection towardes men in relieuing euerye manne as his necessitie séemed moste to require For where it is saide that he gaue to all the people this All is to be restrained to all the poore among the people for it hadde béene no almes to haue giuen to the riche who had ynough alreadie Iohn the Baptiste taughte the souldioures that asked of him their duetie Th●t they shoulde strike nor accuse no man wrongfully but be contente wyth their owne wages Cornelius hath plaied the good scholler he hath not only perfectly learned that lesson but hath also taken forth an other learning besids being cōtented with his owne stipend out of the same in loue and of a felowe féeling of the miseries of his poore brethren to contribute vnto their necessities for it cannot be chosen but in whome soeuer there is true Religion and the feare of God in the same also there muste néedes be loue a brotherly compassiō not only to pitie but also to helpe the wants of those that stande in néede so farre forth as by the portion of good the whiche the Lorde hathe blessed vs withall he hath enabled vs And that out of this loue this ●elow féeling this compassion this pitie did issue in Cornelius his charitable relieuing of the poore the very word it selfe whyche Luke doeth here vse for almes doth planely shewe For it properly signifieth Mercie whiche is an inwarde affection and touching of the hearte rising of the viewe of an other mans miserie and is here put figuratiuely for all outwarde dueties of Charitie whereby we doe good vnto suche as are in pouertie necessitie Wherefore in as muche as Cornelius is here said to haue bestowed much almes amongst all the people it is euident that there was in him a righte Christian hearte and bowels of mercie whiche didde yerne and as it were melt at the calamities of his brethren which did consider the band of vnitie which ought to be betwéene members of all one heade Christ Iesus who in this respect did féede foster and cherishe prouide and care for them as béeing of his own flesh and had regarde to helpe them as the very members of his owne body There is therefore no question but that Cornelius liberalitie and bounteousnesse springing oute of this fountaine of brotherly compassion was no fained counterfaite nor forged but true right and perfecte beneficence almes and liberalitie Wée learne firste out of this great almes of Cornelius that it is not sufficient to haue the name of Faith to be religious to feare God vnlesse also thys faith doe fructifie and bring forth good fruites according to that whyche Iames writeth What auaileth it my brethren thoughe a man saith he hath faith when he hath no workes can the faith saue him And againe But wilte thou vnderstande O thou vaine man that the faith which is without workes is deade And marke withall I beséeche you the manner of his speache for it maketh being rightly vnderstoode verye muche againste the Popishe Iusticiaries of oure time whiche teache oute of hym that manne is iustified by his workes whiche wordes in déede he vseth he doth not saye What if a man haue faith but what if a man say he haue faith by whiche appeareth that he speaketh of hipocrites and vaine boasters of faith For the true and liuely faith can be no more without workes than the fire withoute heate than water without moisture the Sunne without brightnesse the good trée without his good fruite And where hée sayeth that Abraham with Rahab were iustified by their workes he meaneth that their outward workes before men were testimonies of their inwarde faith before God and not that their workes were the causes of their saluation for so shoulde he be against all the Scriptures whiche teache that Faith onely doth iustifie and so likewise we shoulde make the holye Ghoste contrarye to himselfe whiche were verye wicked so muche as to thinke muche more to speake Wée therefore teache out of this example of Cornelius good déedes and suche other lyke vertuous actions of godlye men togyther with the aucthoritie of the holye Scripture that it is the parte of a Christian to doe good workes yea that whosoeuer he be that doeth no good workes he is indéede no more a true Christian than a deade carcasse a liuing man. Wherefore the Papistes doe vs greate iniurie in filling the eares of the simple and ignorant people that our doctrine is a doctrine of libertie that we teache men to liue looselie and lewdely that we are enimies vnto