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
A49783	God save the King, or, The loyal and joyfull acclamation of subjects to their King as it was opened in a sermon, preached in one of the congregations of the city of Edinburgh ...	Lawrie, Robert.	1660 (1660)	Wing L694; ESTC R34509	19,165	22

to subsist without Magistracy And who doth not see how many wayes a good King is necessary and usefull to a people When Kings and Rulers are taken away the eye of the Common-wealth is put out and we are left in blindness the foundation is pulled away and how can the house but fall The feet are cut off and how can the body stand The head is gone and there is no counsell The arm is broken and there is no strong rod to be a Scepter to rule and this is for a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation Ezek. 19.14 The breath of a Peoples Nostrils is stopped and what then followes but death to the whole body Good reason therefore have a people to apprehend this and be sensible of it That their happiness is bound up in the happiness and welfare of their King and in the sense thereof to cry out with loud acclamations Let the King live Let him live that we may all live that the Land may live that Religion may live Counsell may live Justice may live Peace may live that we and our posterity may have a Rest a Center of quietness under his shadow Thirdly This acclamation hath in it a short prayer and an hearty wish to God for the Kings safety and welfare Our translation and the word we use God save the King expresseth this most fully Wherein the Lesson is clear That as it is our duty to praise God for our King So to pray to God earnestly for him 1 Tim. 2.12 The Apostle Paul exhorteth to this I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for Kings and all that are in Authority that we may lead a godly and peaceable life under them The Apostle saith first of all because this is a matter of prime consideration and remembrance that should have a principall place in all Church-assemblies as to seek God for a blessing on all holy and spirituall so also upon all civill administrations and the persons by whom they are administred He mentioneth Kings in particular for two reasons at Interpreters agree 1. Because at that time Kings were strangers to the Gospel unconverted and heathen and people might doubt whether being so they should pray for them The Apostle looseth the doubt I exhort you pray for them notwithstanding for your peace sake Yea Eusebius telleth us that not only Constantine and Justinian sought the prayers of the Christian Church for them but that even heathen Emperours some of them though otherwise evil affected to Christianity Yet had such an esteem of Christians prayers that they thought themselves and their Empire more secure by them as appears by the Edict of Galerius Maximinus Eusebius Lib. 8. Cap. 29. Unde Christiani hac indulgentiâ à nobis concessa devincti debent Deo suo obnixè supplicare pro nostrâ Reipublicae pro sua ipsorum salute c. And it was charged upon Gallus who succeeded Decius though he was a heathen that beginning by cruel Edicts to proscribe Religious Christians who were wont to make earnest prayers for him in driving them away it is said he drave away with them these prayers also which were accustomed to be poured out to God for him 2. For this reason also doth the Apostle particularly mention Kings to intimate what blessed Instruments they might be to the Church of God being converted to the faith of the Gospel being members of the Church themselves they bring in their glory and honour to the Church Rev. 21.24 And this was Gods promise to his Church long before John's time Isa 60.16 Thou shalt suck the milk of the Gentiles and thou shalt suck the brest of Kings And Oh! how glorious things are spoken of the Church there when it is so for copper I will bring gold for iron silver c. to the end of the Chapter Let me add three motives more to this point 1. Kings above all persons should be prayed for because the Lord challengeth a speciall work upon the hearts of Kings Prov. 21.1 The Kings heart is in the band of the Lord as the rivers of waters As the husband-man cuts out a channel for the water-course with his spade sometimes lets it run in to water his fields sometimes sets it off So doth the Lord more easily with the hearts devices and counsells of Kings he turneth them to water and refresh his people as the heart of Pharaoh to Joseph of Darius to Daniel of Cyrus to the Jews sometimes he bears them off when they would run impetuously to do hurt as he did with divers of the Roman Emperours and with Charles the fifth to the late Reformers Melancthon Pomeranius and other famous men of God whom after he had conquered the Protestant Princes he dismissed in safety without laying any bands upon them at all 2. Because as God hath a speciall work upon the hearts of Kings so his work on them is of speciall concernment to the Church How the heart of a King is inclined is of all earthly concernments most considerable for it is like the palme of the horologe to tell the time how Gods heart is inclined towards a people when the Lord is angry with a people he saith he will make such as hate him reign over them and when he is pacified he giveth them Kings according to his own heart So that the inclination of a Kings heart is the sign of Gods favour or displeasure to a people When God was to punish Judah he set a Manasseh over them who though he was well educated under Hezekiah yet proved he a fierce King Again when God was pacified he sets a Josiah over them who though he was mis-educated under Amon yet had he a tender heart towards the people 3. Because Kings have above all others a difficult task and most weighty charge great dominion carries with it alwayes a great care which doth many times make sleep depart from their eyes Esth 6.1 The Apostle Paul said of himself 2 Cor. 11.28 that beside his troubles without the care of all the Churches lay upon him So Princes have the care of all their Subjects lying upon them beside the many dangers they are oftentimes incompassed with above others The enemies of the publick peace being like the King of Syria who commanded his Captains to fight neither against small nor great save against the King 1 Kin. 22.31 You see then your duty set about it The King is more obliged to them who pray for him and for his life and health than to those who drink his health in vain carrouses So he saith himself in his late Proclamation Some that are here on this solemn day I believe have no great plenty cannot command strong drink cannot come at a rich table a cup running over Let such go home and pray this prayer aright with strong and fervent affection God save the King This will do him more good than all the healths that others