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	lord_n	week_n	2,075	5	9.7497	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B12309	A memento for Christians In some short meditations on the third verse of the thirteenth chapter of the Epistle vnto the Hebrewes [...] Published by the author, for the comfort of all those that mourne in Sion, and very fit to be seene in the hands of all men in tese troublesome dayes of the Churches sorrow.	Doolittle, E.	1623 (1623)	STC 6163.5; ESTC S113555	39,885	102

great calamity and distresse sometime in bonds sometime in great afflictions O then how should this mooue vs to take pitty vpon them knowing that their Father euen the Lord Almighty is not onely able and iust to recompence tribulation to those that trouble them but also is ready and willing 2. Thes 1. 6 richly to reward all those that vnfeinedly indeauour to doe them good yea and takes notice of the least good that is done vnto them and that at the very first moment of time if we doe but vnfeinedly inquite of their estate or offer vp a prayer vnto God for them yea if wee can but sigh vnto God fot them in their distresse the Lord who searcheth the hearts takes notice of it but if wee giue but a cuppe of cold water in his name we shall not lose our Mat. 10 41 reward But lest any should thinke that this might be soon rewarded the Lord secōds it saying That whosoeuer shall giue house or goods or lands leaue father or mother or wife or children for his sake and the Gospells they shall receiue a hundred fold now at this present and in the world to come eternall life O rich reward shall not the least kindenesse be forgot euen to a cuppe of cold water and shall the greatest fauour we can doe euen to the leauing of all bee so aboundantly rewarded O how should this moue vs to take to heart the affliction of Gods people and to striue to the vttermost of our power to doe them good and to remember them euen because they are the children of the Almighty 4. The fourth motiue to stirre vs vp to the practise of this duty is drawn from the people of God as they stand in relation vnto vs that is They are members with 1. Cor. 12. 26. vs of one and the same body Now shall one member suffer and shall not the whole body suffer with it this were against nature Therefore let the consideration of this mooue vs to the diligent practise of this duty 5. The fift motiue is drawne from our selues and first from the benefite we shall reape if we doe it as wee shall testifie our obedience to the holy will of God Secondly that wee doe it for the sake of God Thirdly that we loue God for those that loue him which begat loue those also which are begotten of him Fourthly that we are liuing members of the Lord Iesus Fiftly it will be the best meanes to prouide comfort for vs in our affliction according to that law of equity our abundance now supplying their want another time their aboundance may supply ours and according to that generall law What measure yee meate it shall bee measured to you againe Sixtly it will cause the Lord to giue vs aboundance of good things here And seuenthly and lastly glory and life hereafter 6. The sixth motiue is drawne from the euill that will insue if wee doe it not that is not onely to bee depriued of all the former blessings but also it will testifie against vs 1. that we are disobedient to the holy will of God 2. that we will doe nothing for the sake of God 3. that wee loue not God 4. that wee are not liuing members of the body of the Lord Iesus 5. that wee shall want comfort in our affliction according to that speech of the Holy Ghost There shall be iudgement Iam. 2. 13. mercilesse to those that shew not mercy 6. They shall haue no reward here and 7. they shall bee shutte out of heauen hereafter Yea not onely thus but by the omitting of this duty they pull vpon Math. 25. themselues horrible iudgementes as Curse yee Meroshe because they came Iudg. 5. not vp to helpe the Lord. And woe to those that are at ease in Sion that put Amos 6. farre away the euill day that lye vpon beddes of Iuory and eate the lambes of the flockes and sing to the sound of the violl and drinke wine in bowles that is doe abound with these outward things and are not sorry for the affliction of Joseph that is of the people of God Therefore shall they goe captiue with the first that goe captiue and their sorrow is at hand and in Obediah The vision of the Lord against Obed. 12. Edom because of thy cruelty against thy brother Jacob in the day of his calamity shame shall couer thee and thou shalt be cut off for euer 7. The seauenth and last motiue is drawne from the example of God and the Saints of God in the Scripture in Exodus 3. 6. 8 9. the Lord is said to see the affliction of his and to come to deliuer them and to bring them into a good land and in the booke of Judg. how oft is the Lord said to see the affliction of his people to heare their prayers and to deliuer them out of their distresse And for the Saints we haue Nehemiah Mordecay Hester Daniell and whole Churches in the new Testament some that haue ministred 2. Cor. 8. 3. vnto them beyond their ability some that 1. Cor 16. 2 haue set apart for them euery first day of the weeke the due consideration of which will serue to quicken vp euery one whom the Lord hath made willing continually to put in practise this duty But if neither those motiues which concerne God as the first three nor those that concerne men as the last three nor those which concerne God and man together in the last place if none of these nor all these together will mooue vs to the sincere practise of this duty it shewes plainely that as yet our hearts are exceeding obdurate and hard The means Now the meanes by which wee must doe it is partly by our prayers partly by our purse partly by our presence and partly by our paines our prayers must be first and last Yea in this doth our remembring of them chiefly consist for we may remember those by our prayers that wee cannot by any of the other meanes for by it we may remember those that are a thousand miles off vs yea that are as farre as there is any distance on earth therefore saith the Apostle Remember those that are in bonds as if he should say If thou canst not helpe them any other way yet doe not forget them in thy prayers Now thy purse will extend to all their necessities as to cloth them and feede them thy presence to visite them thy paines to goe for them like Hester to the King But the two first will extend furthest therfore howsoeuer they are most harshest yet they should be most practised The man ∣ ner For the manner how we must doe it is first willingly and chearefully for God loueth a chearefull giuer 2. Cor. 9. Secondly it must supply their wants in the thing whereof they stand in neede Iames 2. 16. But if any thinke this an hard saying and to go too neare the quicke let them consider besides the

45. from community of goods some ignorantly dreame of as they were from other of their idle fantasies they had community in vse indeed but not in propriety but to venture life is more yet some haue done it as Hester If I die I die To venture thy office thou thinkest is much yet some haue done it as Nehemia To venture the displeasure of a King thou thinkest is much yet some haue done it as Jonathan To build an house for them thou thinkest it much yet some haue done it as the Sunamite To entertaine them in house thou thinkest is much yet some haue done it as Abraham and Lot But for a night or two it may bee thou couldest be content but for a longer time thou thinkest it much yet some haue done it as Simon the Tanner To become poore to make others rich thou thinkest it much yet some haue done it as Christ to giue beyond ones ability thou thinkest is much yet some haue done it as the Macedonians to ioyne in prayer for them with the bretheren thou thinkst is much yet some haue done it as in the house of Mary to speake to the King for them thou thinkst is much yet some haue done it as Ebedmelech the blacke more to forsake the treasure of a kingdome and the pleasures of a Court for them thou thinkst is much yet some haue done it as Moses Well if none of these precepts nor motiues nor examples will preuaile with thee to cause thee to Remember them that are in bonds to helpe them the Lord shall send them helpe and deliuerance from some other place But thou and thy fathers house shall be destroyed yea thou Hest 4. 14. shalt be the first that shall goe captiue Amos 6. Yea if thou wilt not yet remember them the Lord will send them helpe some other way but it shall not be to thine honour Iudges 4. 9. The Lord shall sell them into the hands of a woman that is will raise vp some weeke meanes to relieue them for hee will send some Rauen to feed them or cause some Gamaliel to speake for them or some Iayler to fauour them or he will feed them with Angels food or else cause that their feet shall not swell nor their garments to waxe old for 40. yeeres or to cause their meale and their oyle miraculously to increase or at least cause them to like better with water and pulse then thou shalt with the kings fare when as thou shalt haue that blacke brand set vpon thee by the holy Ghost himselfe 1 Ioh. 3. 17. how dwels the loue of God in him But if any shal yet obiect that they would bee more forward but that there are so many hypocrites that in releeuing of the Saints many times they should feed the vnworthy Answ I answer that if thou giuest to any one in the name of a disciple that is whom thou seest by profession to be a disciple thou shalt not lose thy reward and it is farre better for thee to set before thee the example of Abraham and Lot who in entertaining strangers receiued Angels into their houses So thou knowest not whether in relieuing of the saints thou shalt relieue Christ him-himselfe not as some foolishly think that he comes in the shape of an old man but we are sure that he euer comes vnto vs in his members and better it were that our goodnesse should extend to all then that Math. 25. 40. Gal. 6. Math. 5. any of the houshold of faith should want as the Lord who lets his Sunne to shine vpon the good and bad vpon the iust and vniust Now if any shall say that they would doe more good but they want oportunity I answer if that they doe what good they can and desire to doe more good if they could the Lord will accept the will for the deed and let this text as a shrill trumpet euer sound an alarme in thy ears that thou maist remember those that are in bonds and then thou shalt neuer want oportunity to remember them at least in thy prayers Vse 3 The third vse is for terror to all those that are negligent in this dutie they doe not only depriue themselues of many blessings but also pull vpon themselues horrible iudgements as before hath beene shewed that howsoeuer they may abound with these outward things yet it will stand them in no sted at the day of account Math. 25. but to further their condemnation Vse 4 The fourth vse is for comfort and consolation to all those that haue bin and are forward in this duty they take the best course to inrich themselues here and to assure themselues of heauen hereafter for they make God their debter for hee that giues vnto the poore lends vnto the Lord. Now what though money be short in thy owne purse yet if it bee in a sure hand thou wilt not care but whatsoeuer thou giuest or bestowest on the afflicted Saints of God thou lendest vnto the Lord who is a sure paymaster that will not faile thee at thy need And thus much for the point concerning the duty contained in the exhortation the direction followes from whence we learne this doctrine Doct. 4 That the Lord in his word doth not barely exhort vs to doe his will but is very diligent to direct vs in the manner how to doe it This is cleere from the text and most plentifully shewed in the Scripture I will Luk. 1. 74. but instance one place in the first chapter of Luke there is a duty required of vs to serue God But is that all No hee addes the manner also how we must doe it that it must bee in holinesse and righteousnesse and that without feare before him all the daies of our liues and this is typed out vnto vs in the old Testament in the building of the Tabernacle Moses must doe all things according to the patterne shewed to him in the mount Exod. 25. 40. And of the house of the Lord which were representations of Gods outward worship both the goings out and the commings in with the whole forme thereof must bee kept Ezek. 43. 11. and 46. 9. And as this serued for the old Testament so it is in the new for Christ is faithfull in all his house as Moses Moses as the seruant Christ is as the Sonne ouer his owne house whose house we are Heb. 3. 2. 1 Tim. 3. 15. Reas 1 And this the Lord doth because hee would haue vs bring nothing of our owne into his sacred worship but as Moses must make all things in the Tabernacle according to the patterne shewed him in the mount and the whole forme of the house must be kept both the length and breadth and height and limits of it round about so wee must doe nothing in the worship of God neither for forme nor fashion of it but according to the patterne shewed vnto vs in the reuealed will of God 2. Secondly hee doth it because hee would