Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	master_n	servant_n	service_n	3,408	5	7.4851	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44679	A funeral sermon for that faithful and laborious servant of Christ Mr. Richard Fairclough (who deceased July 4, 1682 in the sixty first year of his age) by John Howe.	Howe, John, 1630-1705.	1682 (1682)	Wing H3027; ESTC R28698	23,255	72

The Life which he hath liv'd on Earth and the Life which we have reason not to doubt he doth live in Heaven Nor could my thoughts reflect upon any portion of Scripture more fit for our purpose or that was more sutable to him and us i. e. that could more aptly serve to describe him and Instruct our selves nor have I known any person to have left the World within my time to whom this Text of Scripture might more fitly be apply'd I shall only observe and Insist upon these two Heads of Discourse from it The Character of such a Servant And The Treatment which he finds at last from his Heavenly Master First His Character He is said to have done well or 't is said to him ● well no more is there in the Greek Text. And then he is further bespoken as a good and faithful Servant more generally and particularly his fidelity is commended in reference to the special trust and Charge which is imply'd to have been committed to him Thou hast been faithful in a few things I have not over-charg'd thee and thou hast acceptably discharg'd thy self Some think this and the whole Parable to belong only to the Ministers of the Gospel the Servants of Christ in that special sence I do not see a reason for that restriction The words are of themselves capable of being extended further to the faithful Servants of Christ in whatsoever capacity thô being spoken to the Disciples as from the continuation of the Discourse with this Evangelist from the beginning of the foregoing Chapter may be Collected it seems not unfit to allow them a more particular reference to their special Office and trust And here we must note that these words of Commendation Well done good and faithful Servant do speak both the Truth of the thing and the Judgment and estimate which his Lord makes thereof accordingly We are now to consider them under the former notion as they express the truth of the thing the matter of Fact whereof we cannot have a more certain account than as here we have it from his Mouth who imploy'd him was his constant Supervisor must be his final Judge and will be his bountiful Rewarder at length We shall here in opening his Character Note First Some things leading and Introductive or that belong to his entrance into this Service And Secondly Some things that belong to his performance afterward First For the Introductive supposed part of his Character He is 1. One that hath Disclaimed all former and other Masters All in Coordination for of such no man can serve two Other Lords had Dominion over him but by their Vsurpation and his unjust Consent who was not his own and had no right to dispose of himself The faithful Servant Repents and retracts those former engagements as Bonds of Iniquity by which he will be no longer held renounces any former inconsistent Master or Service A truly subordinate Master he must own for the same reason upon which he acknowledges the Supream and do all that such derived Authority challenges by his direction who gave it Otherwise he hath learned to call no man Master on Earth 2. He is one that hath by Covenant surrender'd and resign'd himself to this great Lord and his Service Some Relations have their foundation in Nature this of Servants to a Master we except Slaves in their Consent or in mutual contract and thô this general Relation between God and Man have the most deeply natural foundation imaginable whereupon all are his Servants yet the special Relation must have the other ground viz. That of Consent or Contract superadded not to give God a right to our Service but more expresly and effectually to oblige our selves to it and that we may have a right to his Rewards 'T is but acknowledging and recognizing his former Right in us which is part and the initial part of our Duty to him He requires and justly insists upon it to be acknowledged as our only rightful Lord which till we do we are in Rebellion against him and in the Condition of Servants broke away from their Masters Run-aways Fugitives and who keep our selves out of the Family and thô that cannot however destroy his Right yet it is inconsistent with our Duty for our Service must be throughout voluntary and with our Reward for nothing that is not voluntary is Rewardable Therefore the good and faithful Servant in the Text is one that affects and chooses the State first and sayes with the Psalmist Psal. 119.38 Thy Servant who is devoted to thy Fear And Psal. 116.16 Oh Lord truly I am thy Servant I am thy Servant the Son of thy Hand-maid thou hast loosed my Bonds He doth as is required Rom. 6.13 19. Yields himself to God and all his parts and Powers Servants of Righteousness unto Holiness He reckons it neither Dutiful towards God nor Comfortable to himself to do him only occasional Service but ad libitum and as an unrelated Person He thinks it not Honourable to the great Lord of Heaven and Earth but to Borrow as it were anothers Servant nor can he satisfie himself not to be of the Family therefore he consents first to the Relation and enters himself his Covenant-servant Faithfulness supposes having Covenanted and hath the same reference to our part of the Covenant that Gods faithfulness hath to his 3. He is one that hath thereupon made it his earnest Study to know his Lords will His first enquiry is What wilt thou have me to do Lord he is solicitous to understand the Duty of his Station Psal. 119.125 I am thy Servant give me Vnderstanding that I may know thy Testimonies To enter one's self the Servant of another without any concern to know the business of his place shews an insincere mind and argues he hath more a design to serve himself upon his Master than to serve him 4. He is one that hath an inclination to the work he is to do when he knows it a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an inclining bent of mind to it That which the Scripture means by having the Law of God written in the heart Spoken of our Lord himself in reference to that peculiar Service he was to perform Lo I come to do thy will O God thy Law is in my heart Psal. 40.8 Who thô he were a Son yet taking the form of a servant apply'd himself to that severe part assign'd him with a most willing mind and had hereupon the highest approbation imaginable Isa. 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteth And it is spoken of all the inferiour true servants of God besides Jer. 31.33 I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts 'T is the same thing with being Gods workmanship Ephes. 2.10 created unto good works and with that readines to every good work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 3.1 If a mans heart be not so framed to Gods Service how awkwardly and