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
A46702	The vvorks of heaven upon earth, or, The eccellencie of praise and thanksgiving in part displayed in a sermon, inlarged into a treatise, preached at Taunton in the county of Somerset May 11. 1648, being the day set apart for the annuall commemoration of the deliverance of that town, by the reliefe which they received on May 11. anno 1645 / by Henry Jeanes ...	Jeanes, Henry, 1611-1662.	1649 (1649)	Wing J513; ESTC R20545	60,248	86

unto the production of spirituall and supernaturall effects when they are made instrumentall of sanctification and spirituall consolation First wen they are made instrumentall of our sanctification when they improve our graces quicken to duties stirre up holy and heavenly affections when they help and further us in the wayes of God And thus all mercies do● that are received enjoyed and used thankfully Such mer. cies are as glasses to discover and represent the wise and carefull providence of God towards us as steps whereby our souls ascend towards God in holy and heavenly contemplations and affections as needles to use the smilitude of Austin to sew God and our soules together as golden cords to draw us and as Anchors to fasten us unto God As the shining of the Sunne on a garden of Spices raiseth up a fragrant smell as a showre of rain makes the Woodbine or honysuckle as also the Eglantine or sweet-bryer Rose more fresh and sweet so the Sunshine of mercies and the showres of blessings Ezek. 34.26 on thankfull persons begets a sweet savour of obedience betters both their soules and their lives makes them more faithfull unto God and fruitfull unto men Lastly sanctified mercies are made instrumentall of spirituall consolation sound peace of conscience joy unspeakable and full of glory arising from an apprehension of a renewed and comfortable estate in such mercies as also of a testimony of Gods love by them a discovery of the light of Gods countenance shining through them on us in his Sonne Christ Jesus A thankfull heart lookes on all mercies the smallest meanest mercies as fruits of Gods speciall love as branches of his promises as returnes of his own prayers ●and this renders his little his narrow measure of temporals better that is more sweet and comfortable unto him then the vastest riches and possessions are unto the unthankfull Psalm 87.16 He findes and feeles amidst his greatest wants a purer clearer more unmixed more satisfying gladnesse then they can take in the greatest increase of their corn and wine That is very remarkable which Luke records of the Primitive Christians Acts 2.46 7. in even their persecuted condition They did eat their meat with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart praising God They therefore did eat their meat with gladnesse because they praised God The praise of God will make relishable the meanest and coursest fare a morsell of brown bread and cup of cold water c. Thirdly Vide Antidum Mortoni contra meritum c 19. sect 3. thanksgiving and praise procureth at Gods hands new mercies which are expected and desired not in a way of justice but onely in a way of mercy and liberality not out of desert of the duty but meerly in vertue of Gods free grace and promise in Christ Jesus Against the merit of thanksgiving I shall onely alledge these two Arguments It is our duty and Gods free gift First our duty as appeares by what we have spoken at large concerning the justice of it and our Saviour commands us when we have done those things which are commanded to say We are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to doe Luke 17.9 10. Secondly * Illud quod sumus quod habemus sive sint boni actus five boni habitus scu usus totum est in nobis ex liberalitate divina gratis dante conservante Et quia ex dono gratuito nullus obligatur ad dandū amplius sed potius recipiens magis obligatur danti Idco ex bonis habitibus ex bonis actibu● sive usibus nobis à Deo datis Deus non obligatur nobis ex aliquo debito justitiae ad aliquid amplius dandii ita quod si non dederit sit injus●us sed potius nos sumus Deo obligati Durand it is Gods free gift as all graces and good works are 2 Cor. 3.5 Phil. 2.29 Phil. 2.13 Now free gifts oblige the receiver unto gratitude and not the giver unto any further degree or larger measure of bounty But although thanksgiving cannot be Medium meritorium of mercies it is yet of them Medium impetratorium What is usually said of the prayer of petition is appliable even unto the prayer of thanksgiving It is the key of heaven which unlocketh all the treasuries of Gods mercies both temporall and spirituall Deliverance of our selves and overthrow of adversaries is a mercie highly valued in these dangerous times and what an influence praise hath thereon you may see by comparison of Psalm 8.2 with our Saviours quotation of the place Matth. 21.16 Davids words are Out of the mouthes of Babes and Sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies that thou mightest still or cause to cease the enemy and the avenger Now our Saviour rendreth strength praise Matth. 21.16 Out of the mouthes of Babes and Sucklings thou hast perfected praise And from these two places compared together it is obvious to inferre That the praises of Babes and Sucklings the weake and contemptible members of a distressed and persecuted Church is their strength such a strength as is able to still the enemy and the avenger to rout and destroy all the Churches adversaries Hence it is that the Psalmist for the obtaining of a full and compleat victory against Church-adversaries advised the Saints to make use as of a two edged sword in their hand so also of the high praises of God in their mouth Psalm 149.5 6 7 8 9. Let the Saints be joyfull in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds let the high praises of God be in their mouth and a two edged Sword in their hand to execute vengeance upon the Heathen and punishments upon the people to bind their Kings with chaines and their Nobles with fetters of iron to execute upon them the judgement written c. Of this strength of prayse we have a notable example in the successe of Jehosaphat against the children of Moab and Ammon 2 Chron. 20 21 22. He appointed Singers unto the Lord and that should praise the beauty of holinesse as they went out before the Army and to say Praise the Lord for his mercy e●dureth for ever And when they began to sing and to praise the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon Moab and Mount Seir which were come against Judah and they were smitten It was not then you see without good reason that Luther called the prayers and praises of Christians their Artillery and Gun●es If you desire growth in grace increase of the Spirit such a perfection and fulnesse of grace as is attainable here in this life the Apostle Paul prescribeth as means of obtaining it the exercise of Psalmes and giving of thankes Ephes 5.18 19 20. Be filled with the Spirit speaking to your selves in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord giving of thankes alwayes c. From which words the pious and learned Bayn collects that the exercise