Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	day_n	great_a	sabbath_n	1,288	5	9.0935	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61598	A sermon concerning sins of omission preached before the King and Queen at White-Hall, on March 18th, 1693/4, being Midlent-Sunday / by ... Edward, Lord Bishop of Worcester.	Stillingfleet, Edward, 1635-1699.	1694 (1694)	Wing S5636; ESTC R15343	16,441	37

are under to do them 1. As to the Nature of our Duties For there are several kinds of things that are Good and we are to have a different Regard to them Some things are Good because they are commanded and some things are commanded because they are Good and even God himself allows us to make a Difference between these when himself saith I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice although he required both but if it happens that both cannot be done then he prefers the former although his own Honour seems more concerned in the latter Our Saviour extends this Rule to Mercy on the Souls of Men and to Mercy on our Bodies even out of the Case of urgent or extreme Necessity which cannot be pleaded in the Apostles Case of Plucking the Ears of Corn on the Sabbath day But from hence we have ground to infer that when two Duties interfere with one another we are bound to prefer the greater and more substantial Duty and then the Omission of the lesser is no Sin 2. As to the Authority which requires them There is no question but when the Authority of God and Man do contradict each other God is to be obeyed rather than Man But the Authority of God's Command is not equally clear in all Cases for some things are required plainly and directly and some things by consequence and parity of Reason some things are declared and enforced by the Gospel others left to our own Deductions and Inferences some things are made positive Commands for all Ages others are reported by way of Example but that Example understood by the Church to have the force of a Command now in all these and other like Cases we ought to have the greatest regard to plain positive moral and perpetual Commands but withall to have a due regard to consequential and usefull Duties especially where the Church of God hath always so understood them which is the best Interpreter of such doubtfull Cases where the Sense of it is truly delivered to us 3. As to the Obligation we are under and that is threefold 1. That of Nature which is to act according to Reason and none can question that but those who question whether there be any such Principle as Reason in Mankind and whosoever do so have Reason to begin at home 2. Of Christianity which supposes and enforces that of Nature and superadds many other Duties which we are bound to perform as Christians 3. Of our Several Relations and particular Imployments As to the former we are under great Obligations from God and Nature and Christianity to doe the Duties which belong to us in them As to the latter they commonly require a stricter Obligation by Oath to doe those things which otherwise we are not bound to doe But being entered into it by a voluntary Act of our own we cannot omit such Duties without Sin but where the Circumstances of things do supersede the Obligation Thus I have gon through as clearly and distinctly as I could the most usefull Cases relating to Sins of Omission It remains now that I make some Application to our selves When we reflect on our Lives and Actions our Sins of Commission are apt to terrifie our Consciences and make us very apprehensive of the Wrath of God but how few are any ways concerned for their Sins of Omission viz. For not discharging the Duties of their Places for not doing the Good they might and ought to have done for not serving God with Diligence and exemplary Devotion for not having their Minds so fixed and intent upon him as they ought to have on their Creatour and Preserver and Redeemer In a very corrupt Age not to be remarkable for doing Evil is a kind of Saintship but how few are remarkable for doing Good and yet that is one of the best Characters of Saintship How much time is squandred away in Vanity and Folly and yet how is that grudged which is spent in the Worship of God O what a burthen it is to serve God and spend any time in Devotion How many Excuses and Pretences of Business will such make rather than attend upon Religous Duties which themselves would judge very frivolous in other Matters And will God and Conscience be satisfied with such unequal Dealing such notorious Partiality Let us deal faithfully and sincerely with our selves Are we as ready to serve God as to serve our Lusts and Pleasures Have we the same regard to his Worship that we have to any thing we really love and esteem If not there must be something very much amiss in the Temper and Disposition of the Mind and we are highly concerned to look into it I do not speak now of casual and accidental Omissions of some particular Duties at some times but of a general Unconcernedness about Matters of Religion as though they were either too high in the Speculation or too mean and low in the Practice of them or at least that it is no great Matter one way or other whether they mind them or not This I am afraid is too much the Temper of the Age we live in which seems to be sinking into a strange Indifferency about Religion It is possible for Persons to have a Zeal against some corrupt Opinions and Practices in Religion and yet to have no true Zeal or Concernment for Religion it self For they may so much hate being imposed upon by false Pretenders that carry on an Interest and Faction under the Shew of Religion as from thence to suspect all Religion to be nothing else which is as unreasonable as for a Man to conclude that all Merchants and Jewellers are Cheats and that there are no such things nor can be as true Diamonds in the World because he hath fallen into the hands of such as would have cheated him with those which were counterfeit And it is common with such who design to deceive that what they want in Sincerity they make up with Confidence This is a good Argument for caution and looking about us but it is none at all for our indifferency about Matters of Religion For it is not here as in Jewels which are fine things to look upon but the Happiness of Life doth not depend upon them But would any one let alone things necessary to the Support of Life because Poison may be put into them We may take care to prevent it but we must have the Necessaries of Life and it would be great Folly to die for want of Sustenance for fear of being Poisoned If we have no true Love to God and Religion we must perish for there is no hopes of Salvation without it And if we go on in a careless Indifferency about God and his Service If we do not do our Endeavours for suppressing Wickedness and Vice If we do not mind Religion our selves nor are incouraging it in others it will shew that we have not that Love of God and Religion which we ought to have Therefore if we