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	work_n	3,459	5	5.8504	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53307	The race set before us, shewing the necessity laid upon gospel-believers, to run with diligence thorow all gospel-duties. A sermon preached in London, May 11. 1665. at Mercers-Chappel, unto that most eminent company, the Company of the Mercers. By Giles Oldisworth, Master of Arts, and rector of Burton on the Hill, in Gloucester-shire.	Oldisworth, Giles, 1619-1678.	1666 (1666)	Wing O254; ESTC R214468	20,280	47

wherein he is called therein abide with God Rom. 12 He that ministreth let him wait on his ministring he that teacheth on teaching and he that ruleth let him rule with diligence Bear with me Of late there is too great a want of this diligence in rulers Profaneness threatneth if not the cheif City yet many cheif places within this Kingdome It evil becometh a Christian Magistrate to bear the sword of his God in vain Instruction 2 Secondly If we would obtain that for which we run let every one of us mind the present duty Friends As every promise to us made implyeth a duty requisite from us so every place every moment requireth from us a present duty too Mat. 11.25 At that time Jesus answered and said Object No body spake to him Answ Iesus answered the then present opportunity viz. Unto every instant of time there is an answer due I doe not answer my duty now except I so speak as for edification and that too as from the Lord neither doe yee now answer your duties except ye now hear as persons desirous to inform awaken and strengthen your souls You of this Eminent Societie you the Honorable Company of Mercers will answer Your duties if you this day shew your selves faithful stewards of those blessings in behalf of pious and charitale uses wherewith the liberal hand of your God hath entrusted you you will this day answer your duties if your Feasting this day be among you an occasion not unto disorder and gluttony but unto love unfained and unto a rejoycing in the Lord I trust you will this day unite your hearts not only to delight in one another but to fear the Lord and his goodness Right Worshipful You are the chief and most eminent of the chosen Companies of this most famous City wherefore if at all times ye would answer your duties as your God hath placed you the first in order so endeavour ye I beseech you to lead and go before others in good examples in good works In a word every one of us then answereth present duty when he considerately endeavoreth to perform that at every present season wherein he may at every present season best glorifie his God We must do good and Gal. 6.10 good we must do as we have opportunity 1 Sam. 10.7 Do as occasion shall serve a good runner mindeth every step he will not lose no not one footing Whether mud or sands whether hills or meadows limit their banks toward their Sea rivers run they run and run continually and John 4.14 living Waters are ever springing upward We Christians throughout our Spiritual race must be like Soldiers ever upon duty This is my second instruction Instruction 3 Thirdly If we would so run that we may obtain what duty soever we do let us do it heartily as unto the Lord Then the diligent hand maketh rich when it maketh Religion its business Acts 11.23 We must cleave unto the Lord with a full purpose of heart Lev. 11.42 Whatsoever multiplieth feet is an abomination Why Answ It can but creep It is then a sign that we run well when we breath and pant viz. when we breath after holiness and when we pant after God Lovers have a language of their own their feet talk their hands talk their eyes talk so thou when by-standers when worldlings are not aware of it have a foot for thy God a hand for thy God an eye for thy God Psal 16.8 They that would not greatly fall do set the Lord alway before them much more they that would run well Then we run our best when the desire of our soul is toward the name of our God Instruction 4 Fourthly If obtain ye would Duly frequent Ordinances It is good being there where Princes scatter gifts It is good being there where the power of the Lord is present to heal Esa 64.5 Thou meetest them who remember thee in thy ways Quest. Where are the ways of God Answ Psal 77.13 Thy way O Lord is in the Sanctuary Gospel-blessings accompany Gospel-Ordinances Joh 5.4 While the good Angel moveth the waters of Life we should not absent our selves from the Pools of Bethesda John 13.30 When Judas forsook the disciples of Christ he left Christ as well as them but John 20 28. When Thomas was assembled with the rest of the Disciples he was then no longer faithless but believing Unto this hour Jesus Christ teacheth daily in the Temple though not by himself yet by his chosen Ministers That is then a fourth Instruction Let us not forsake the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is Instruction 5 Fifthly If ye will so run that ye may obtain In the use of all Gospel-Ordinances wait for the Spirit accompanying those Ordinances Jer 10.23 It is not in Man that walketh much less in man that runneth to direct his own steps but Esa 58.11 The Lord he shall guide us continually Psal 143.3 Our soul is like a barren and dry land it is God that Esa 58.11 maketh us like a watered garden Psal 143.10 Lead me but lead me with thy good spirit now this spirit is given Luk 11.13 to them who thorow very hunger ask for it If in every exercise of godliness we thirst after a communion with our God a communion we shall partake for our God hath told us Esa 44.3 I will pour water upon him that is thirsty Matth. 7.7 Seek grace and finde grace Of old time they who ran races did first anoint themselves with oyl and we in this spiritual race should 1 John 2.27 use the ointment of the Holy Ghost 1 Sam. 10.9 When Saul was anointed God gave Saul another Spirit Beloved as Royal Vnction so Holy Vnction not onely declareth a right but enableth for duty Cant 1.4 We will run after thee Qu How so Answ v. 3 Thy name is as oyntment powred forth Once get the Ointment of the Holy One you will then so run that ye may obtain Instruction 6 Lastly Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Among other Excellencies in our English Liturgy this is not the least That almost every Prayer concludeth in Jesus Christ his name Jesus Christ he is as well the Omega as the Alpha he is the Amen Beloved the graces of Gods spirit are living-waters but Zech. 13.1 Jesus Christ is that Fountain from which these waters of life are drawn 1 Pet. 1.11 The Spirit which was in the holy Men of God was the Spirit of Christ Col. 3.3 Our life is hid in God but with Christ 2 Tim. 2.1 Be strong in grace Qu. In what grace Answ In that grace which is in Christ Jesus Micah 5.5 That Man shall be the peace Qu. What Man Answ 1 Tim. 2.5 The Man Christ Jesus Ye obtain Salvation Qu. What salvation Answ 2 Tim. 2.10 The salvation which is in Christ Jesus Ephes 6.10 If ye would be strong to run this race be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might lean upon

more say Never never had the plain-dealing Holy Ghost enjoyned them who obey the Gospel so to run that they may obtain if having run their best obtain they may not Consolation 7 Another advantage ariseth from the Opposition made against us and this opposition is our double advantage For First the that is begotten of God foreknowing what an adversary he hath will the more stoutly resist him 1 Ioh. 5.18 he that is begotten of God keepeth himself so pure that that wicked one toucheth him not prae-monitus praemunitus Next Esa 30.10 Say ye to the righteous it shall goe well with him viz. God will with the temptation find a way for thine escape He Psal 91.3 will deliver thee from the snare of the fowler He Prov. 25.15 will pluck thy feet out of the nett 2 Cor. 1.10 hath delivered yea and will deliver Jesus Christ was heard in what he praied for then when Ioh. 17.15 he petitioned keep them from evill Rom. 8.31 If God be for us who can be against us Psal 22.11 If there be none to help then will God be for us Malicious the wicked one is but touch thee he shall not unless then when thou tramplest him under thy feet This is a Seventh Refuge We are strong although not in our selves in the Lord Our power is His might Consolation 8 The Excellency of the prize that is worthily our next Comfort First It would never anger one to hazard his life for a Diadem of beauty mean while should we never obtain we are but where we were Sons of death we were and should we fail of our Crown we should still be but sons of death Quae si non potuit magnis tamen excidit ausis Next Let us strive to obtain and suppose we could fail yet since what we could we did we shall not be beaten with so many stripes as negligent runners shall I say suppose we could not avoid but die we must yet we shall not die so great a death Thirdly Were it so that our labour could be in vain in the Lord yet let none of us betray our trust serviamus lieet non liberati Let us continue honest let us continue loyal although we abide neglected But Fourthly have a respect as well unto the assuredness as unto the recompence of the reward our crown is layed up and it is layed up for us great is our reward in Heaven rich is the prize of our high calling The lips of an Angel would want words heavenly enough and the tongue of an arch-angel would stammer were it now attempting to set forth that everlasting joy that eternal weight of glory which when we have run when we have so run as we ought we shall all of us most assuredly possess View the prize and desist from running who so can This transcendent excellency of the prize may very well pass for an eighth comfort Consolation 9 But our last and greatest Consolation is The glory of our God First Since the glory of our God is concerned as well in our running as in our obtaining let none of Gods Elect doubt but that as certainly as they run so assuredly they shall obtain Know it is out of love out of free love that Almighty God appointeth us both to obtain and to run Nor need I tell you that this God of love changeth not Ye all acknowledge that for whom the gracious and merciful Lord hath a Fatherly love them as a Father he loveth unto the end Accompt upon it that the same God which for the glory of his free mercy enjoyneth us to run will for the glory of his free goodness enable us to obtain Fear not little flock it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a kingdom For this very cause he doth single you out to run this race that he may hereafter glorifie himself in exalting you unto an exceeding and eternal weight of glory How infinitely infinite is the unsearchable glory of that great God who unto every one that obtaineth can bestow so rich a prize and can make whomsoever he pleaseth so to run that he shall be sure to obtain Next As God therefore causeth us to obtain the prize that he may take delight by glorifying himself in advancing us so his glory will he not give to another From what time the old Serpent fooled and foiled Adam that Serpent hath not ceased to blaspheme and revile our God as if make us he could but preserve us he could not But let the malice and the subtilty and the power of Satan speak and do their worst whomsoever the Lord reserveth to himself preserve them he can exalt them he will when Satan hath layed all the snares which his revengeful malice can invent the elect of God shall run and running shall obtain True should not the chosen of the Lord obtain the prize for which they run the Devil would then vaunt it indeed but assure your selves God standeth more upon his honor then so Esa 43.21 This people have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise Of every one which runneth his best God saith For mine own sake even for mine own sake I will do it I have brought him and he shall make his way prosperous Esa 48.11 Look back upon the glory of God in that Text It is not I the omnipotent God will but he he whom I have brought shall make his way prosperous A Giant can make a childe overcome a strong man The Conclusion Hear me ye that despair of this heavenly prize In our obtaining our God is interested as deeply as are we He is not onely of our side but of our party Are ye resolved to win the prize if ye can Know it is Gods determination that ye shall win it if you will That Jesus Christ made the lame to walk Mat. 15.31 Mark 7.37 Jer. 33.9 it was the glory of God the Father it is likewise the glory of God the Father that Jesus Christ enableth lame believers so to run that they may obtain Revel 4.11 Saints and Angels cry Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created they were created at first and are still created that is preserved Friends if the hous-keeper will not give way that any idle busie-bodies shall by any meanes disappoint him of his full retinue and of his full number of servants and attendants then of all those whom the great God hath chosen to fill up the number of his hoavenly Quire he will loose none 1 Pet. 1.5 None maugre all that sin or Satan shall or can doe Only take ye heed that ye exclude not your selves from being Kingly Priests unto our God Revel 1.6 The Devil he seeketh our pendition but as for Jesus Christ the same minde is ever in him towards us Phil. 4.1 Joh. 17.10 23. which was once in St. Paul toward the Philipians we are his dearly beloved his longed for his joy and his crown He died for us he layeth up for us an eternal weight of glory Oh let him see of the travail of his soul It is our Masters joy Matt. 25 21 as well as ours if we so run that we doe obtain Joh. 14.21 To him it is to him it will be a praise a delight Ephes 1.6 12. 1 Pet. 1.7 a rejoycing is we day by day so run through every present duty as in sinceritie we ought Let them cease form running Heb. 11.26 who forsake their own mercy but let us who have an eye to the recompence of reward 1 Pet. 1.2 let us through sanctification of the spirit to obedience so run on unto perfection 2 Thes 2.13 14. that we may obtain everlasting joy to our selves and what is more defireable everlasting glory to our Lord God To him even to God the Holy Spirit which worketh in us to will and to doe Phil. 2.13 unto God the Son who hath given us of his Spirit 1 Joh. 3.24 unto God the Father who hath given us his Son Esa 6.9 and with his Son all things pertaining to life and godliness 2 Pet. 1.3 be the perfection of the Race set before us the dayly comfort of dayly well running Rom. 8.32 and the prize which we shall everlastingly obtain with due humility and with unfained thankfulness for ever and ever ascribed Amen and Amen FINIS