Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	command_v	servant_n	unprofitable_a	1,244	5	10.6349	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13205	Englands first and second summons Two sermons preached at Paules Crosse, the one the third of Ianuarie 1612; the other the fifth of Februarie, 1615. By Thomas Sutton Batchelour of Diuinitie, then fellow of Queenes Colledge in Oxford, and now preacher at Saint Mary Oueries in Southwarke.	Sutton, Thomas, 1585-1623.	1616 (1616)	STC 23502; ESTC S105186	67,811	260

in our hope to alter the gracious aspect of the heauens to stint the influence of Gods gracious fauour to procure our woe and to giue our whole State our whole Kingdome a blow that can neuer be healed Giue mee leaue therefore for closure of the point to exhort you Right Honorable and all the rest in the name of God now at last to bethinke your selues of some remedy God hath put a sword of authority in your hand for no other purpose but to strike at sinne if yet you suffer it to rust in the sheath I am not afraid to tell you that either you are afraid to quarrell with sinne or else you be are it some good will your selfe or else you haue but malt hearts and white liuers and cold constitutions ready to faint and shrinke in the Lords cause and so by your meanes sinne shall haue a continuall Spring no Autumn not one leafe of it fall but our Land shall feele a continuall Autumne and falling from its ancient glory but see no Spring and a continuall Winter vexed with the stormes and shewers of heauens displeasure but neuer see nor feele the warmenesse of Summer Strike then at the root of sin for sin striketh at the root and shaketh the foundation of our Land But if our reuerend Iudges suffer him that sitteth vpon the Bench to wrong him that standeth below the Barr waiting for iustice thē let him know that he maintaines a sin and then we all know that he doth his best to ruinate our Land If the Gentry grow rich and potent by turning Tenants out of dores by depopulation by clipping or selling the Leuites portion then let them know that they maintaine a sin and then wee all know they doe their best to ruinate this Land If Merchants and men of Trade grow rich and powerfull by fraud and cheating these also be vnderminers of our State they do their best to ruinate this Land Good Lord what will become of vs when foule sinnes in this Citie become rich professions and yet they are the Mothes that are eating they are the Cankers that are fretting they are the Vermine that are vndermining both our Church and Kingdome The summe of all is this if wee continue in our ancient course and trade of sin it is as sure as if God had sealed it we shall be either made a prey vnto our enemies or haue our flesh so full of Gods poysoned arrowes that it were better for vs to die then to liue Let it then bee our ioint and greatest care to empty our houses to cleanse our streets to weede the cockle and darnell out of this Land that God may bee pleased long and long to continue his true Religion our peerelesse King this little Kingdome in peace and happinesse Remember what I say and I say it againe Let it be your care Right Honorable to strike at the roote of sinne in the Citie Let our reuerend Iudges strike at the roote of sin in the Courts on their Benches in their Circuites Let my Brethren of the Ministerie strike at the root of sin in their charges Let euery man that cares for Sion that loues our Nation that fauours Religion that wisheth the glorie of our Lord to be immortall that hath a true English and a Christian heart fling one stone at the face make one wound in the fore-head of sin and I beseech God that the heauens may giue you good successe and that the Lord may be with you all you valiant men And so I should come somewhat to the particular crimes whereof Israel is accused All which sinnes are reduceable to two heads some are priuatiue in the first viz. Want of Mercy c. some positiue in the second verse viz Swearing c. But before I aduenture this maine Ocean obserue by the way Neglect of duties enioyned is no small sinne That the neglect of a duty commanded displeaseth God as well as the committing of sins prohibited seeing this controuersie betwixt God and Israel arose not onely from the positiue sins wherein they committed things forbidden but from the priuatiue also wherein they were carelesse of duties enioyned God cursed Meroz not for fighting against the people of God but because they did not assist them against the mighty Iudg. 5.23 Diues fryed in hell not for robbing but for not releeuing Lazarus Luke 16. The vnprofitable seruant was cast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into vtter darknes not for spending but for not bestowing his Maisters talent The siue foolish Virgins were shut out of dores not for abuse in wasting but for wanting of Oile And the wicked shall bee condemned at the last day not for reauing the meate from the hungry but for not feeding them not onely for dislodging the stranger but for not entertaining him not onely for stripping the naked out of his clothes but for not clothing him not onely for wronging the sick comfortlesse but for not visiting and for not comforting of him Mat. 25. Vice Vertue are contraries which want a Medium therfore the absence of the one in subiect● capaci argues the presence of the other so that if we be destitute of vertue then are wee attended with troopes of vices If our houses be cleane swept and empty of spirituall graces then they are conuenient lodgings for vncleane spirits If wee bee not graced with knowledge then are we mufled and blinded with ignorance If voide of faith wee are clothed with infidelity If once wee giue ouer doing good then we prostitute our selues to all ungodlinesse And therefore the neglect of a dutie which is enioyned being alwaies accompanied with some bolts and scarres of fouler sins is sufficient matter both of enditement and of iudgement whensoeuer the Lord shall summon vs to appeare before him A speciall caueat for vs Vse 1 not with simple Ideots to blesse our selues because we are harmlesse and doe no man wrong or because wee are not tainted with the continuall fluxe or bloudy issue of such sins as would make vs odious in the world or because wee breake not with violence into the outward act of such sins as are monstrous and deserue the cēsure of the Law For God hath not onely forbidden the euill but commanded the good What if thou steale not from thy brother yet if thou open not thy hand to succour him thou art a robber What if thou dost neither lienor sweare yet if thou make not thy mouth a glorious Organ thy tongue a golden Trumpet to Preach and proclaime his loue and mercy thou art a deepe and a round offender What if no man can condemne thee for any euill yet vnlesse God and thy own conscience shall commend thee for some good thou haste wrought I tremble to tell thee how far thou art from the Kingdome of God The Iudge may not blesse himselfe in this that hee neuer hindred the poore for if he haue not furthered thē nor in this that hee neuer kindled suites