Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	pray_v	prayer_n	word_n	4,036	5	4.6953	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03281	The dignitie of the Scripture togither with the indignity which the vnthankfull world offereth thereunto In three sermons vpon Hose. 8. 12. By Samuel Hieron.	Hieron, Samuel, 1576?-1617.	1607 (1607)	STC 13398; ESTC S119045	35,236	48

were meeter that we should euen with teares of bloud importune him yet the sonnes of men whose breath is in their nosthrils not waighing this vnutterable kindnes should dare to set at naught such a message and to let it flip as if it were some idle stuffe not worth the looking on Againe wheras it is often touched in the scripture that the lord had a speciall regard ouer the Iewish nation more then to any other vnder heauen the liberty of enioying the law of god is noted as the principal benefit which the lord vouchsafed them Deut. 4.8 What nation is there so great saith Moses that hath ordinances and lawes so righteous as all the law which I set before you this day And Dauid in the Psalmes haueing spoken at large touching the prouidence of God ouer all mankind cōmeth at last to shew wherin the Iewes had the preeminence aboue all other Ps 147.19 20. in these words He shewed his word vnto Iacob his statutes and Iudgments vnto Israell he hath not dealt so with euery nation Rom. 3.1 2. And Saint Paul propounding to himselfe this question what is then the preferment of the Iew answereth it thus cheifly because vnto them were committed the oracles of God So then seing among all the blessings that God bestowed vpon thē this was the choise that the great things of the law were committed vnto them in it must needs be an argument of extreame vnthankfulnes in them to make so slight account of so great a fauour The third euill of which this euill here reproued in them was compounded was neglect of their owne priuate good For the lord had not commended to them the things of his law simply as a meanes by which they might shew their obedience vnto his authority Eze. 20.11 but the intent of the lord therin was the furtherance of their good I gaue them saith God statutes and ordinances which if a man doe he shall liue in them the glory should haue returned to God by their obedience but the cheife profit should haue beene their owne and therfore for them to let the law lie like some old booke out of vse or some other forlorne or forraigne matter it could not but argue a most miserable neglect and bewray them to be men of a most profane and dissolute disposition so then if you demaund what great matter this was for which this people was so highly blamed in these words They haue accounted the great things of the law as a strange thing I answere it was an error comprising vnder it 3. soule euills 1. rebellious disobedience to Gods expresse cōmādment 2. presumtuous contempt and base estimation of gods great kindnes 3. the desperate neglect of the saluation of their owne soules This is the second point Now for the third Which is touching the punishment due to this fault if we haue obserued what hath beene said before touching the nature of the sinne we cannot doubt ether that it deserues a punishment or that the lord will surely proceed against it in his due time but yet if we shall consider what the scripture saith of it in particular it wil much more affect vs. Thus much therefore we may generally vnderstand that the lord punisheth no sinne more greiuously then the contemning of his word and thereof we haue no more full and pregnant example then this Iewish nation For wheras sundry times before the comming of Christ in the flesh the wrath of God came vpon them that the iudgments wherwith they were visited made euē their eares to tingle that heard them and brought that very people whome he had carried as it were in his armes out of Egipt to become a hissing and a by-word to the whole world whosoeuer obserueth the course of the prophets shall finde that the principall ground of all this was their slight account of the holy doctrine of God their preferring the inuentions of men the guises of other nations and the traditions of their fathers before the blessed will of the lord manifested and reuealed to them in his law But lest we should thinke this is nothing to vs though indeed it was left written to admonish vs concerning this matter there are two places of holy scripture especially to be considered and they are both in the booke of the Prouerbs Chap. 28. 9. the one is he that turneth away his care from hearing the law euen his prayer shal be abhominable marke I pray you there is no duty in the holy scripture to which the lord hath promised a greater blessing then the duty of prayer Ps 65.2 the lord takes it as an honor vnto him to haue this title to be called the hearer of prayers yet the neglect of Gods word the making no account of the meanes to bring vs to the knowledge of it turnes all a mans prayers into sinne stops vp the eares of the lord vnto all his sutes doth as it were barre vp the gate of heauen against him that though his request be neuer so earnest yet it is vnpossible for him to haue entrance God will heare no prayer that proceeds from him which doth not esteeme the knowledge and vnderstanding of his word a fearefull Iudgment Chap. 1. 22. The other place is O you fooles how long will you loue foolishnes the fooles hate knowledge ve● 25. and againe you haue despised all my counsell would none of my aduice mark now what followes I will also laugh at their destruction mocke when their feare commeth I beseech you in the feare of God let vs consider it The lord is often reported of to vs in the scripture by the name of a mercifull God a God that doeth not punish willingly a God that doeth not take delight in the death of him that dieth what a grieuous sinne then must that needs be which turneth that so sweete and gratious nature of God into that extremity that he should euen reioice at mens destruction take pleasure in their tormente And yet this reckoning the word of God as a strange thing brings forth this strange effect and makes that God who delights in mercy to please himselfe in the feirce execution of his vengance Thus then wee end this pointe if you aske what iudgment is due to this offence of not regarding the greate things of Gods law I answere in generall it sets open the very floodgate of Gods wrath as appeareth by the example of the Iewes 2 in perticular it makes all our praiers odious and the torment of our soules Luc. 14.28 a matter of reioyceing and pleasure to the Lord. It is truly saied of our Sauiour To whom God giues much of him he requires much The liberty of his word is the greatest blessing and therfore the contempt therof must needs bring vpon vs the greatest vengance Come wee now to the next point to see whether this fault thus described and thus deseruing to be punished be not our faulte

will it be no blemish to my reputation may I thereby further such such purposes are ther any examples of men of some note and fashion in the world running the same courses Here is the ordinary religion of the world but as for laying the precepts of the word as precise rules for the ordering of al our waies and the guiding of our liues in the lords path it is a thing so ridiculous vnreasonable in common Iudgment and through discontinuance of these euill times so out of vse that when as the word challengeth that right of gouerning vs which the Lord hath giuen it men forth with so strange a thing is it vnto them to beare the yoke snuffe and are not afraid to expostulate with it as the Sodomits did with Lot Gen. 19.9 shall it being a stranger iudge rule ouer vs Thus I haue by particulars confirmed this pointe viz that wee are as deseruedly liable to this reproofe as the Iewes were The Lord wrote vnto them the greate things of his law so he hath done to vs they accounted them as a strange thing wee are very equall to them in contempt Now for the last pointe propounded namely the vse of all that hath beene saied it must needs be this viz That seeing to account the greate things of Gods law as a strange thing is 1 a faulte 2 a greuious fault 3 a faulte liable to so extreame punishment and 4 our faulte there is no remedy vnlesse by a bold persisting in an apparent euill wee will prouoke God but wee must henceforth giue all diligence that the word of God may be no more a stranger vnto vs but a dweller with vs and may become familiar vnto vs. That this is a dutie from which no man is exempted the scripture is manifest in which if the whole body of it throughout be examined there is no releasement or dispensation giuen vnto any to neglect the searching of Gods booke nether was it euer maintayned by any doctrine but by doctrine of Popery that ordinary men need not seeke to be made acquainted with the scripture Wee read that when the Philistins had the Israelits in bondage 1. Sam. 13. one pollecy to keepe them vnder and to detaine them in perpetuall thraldome was this they left them neuer a smith throughout all the land and what was their reason least saied they the Hebrewes make them sworde speares 19. ver if they tooke away their weapons from them it was an easie thing to oppresse them The very like pollicy was vsed in the dayes of Popery to the end to continue the people in blindnes that they might not descriy the abhomination of that religion by the light of the scripture They tooke the bible from them and shutt it vp in Colledges and libraries and suffered it not to passe but in a language which the vulgar vnderstood not And as in that bondage of the Israelites vnder the Philistins no man could shearpen his mattock his axe 20. ver and his weeding hooke but they must be beholding to the Philistins and take of them such helpe as they would vouchsafe to afford them So in the daies of Popishi blindnes no common man wanting the helpes of learning and knowledge in the tongues could enioy the benefite of any spirituall sharpening any comforte for his soule but as it pleased those tirants ouer Gods heritage to bestow vpon them So that the contempte of the scripture of God which is the common sicknes of the country is naught else but a very dregg of popery ignorance being the scepter of that kingdome and the reasons which euen the most learned papstis alleadge for the discharging of the Laity from conuerting with the scripture being the very same which euery profaine ignorant person is able by the priuate teaching of his owne corrupt hearte to pleade on the behalfe of his owne carelesnes Well the scope of this place which is a parte of that holy truth by which wee must be iudged at the last day requireth at our hands better things and if wee be any whit a shamed of our former neglect and thinke our selues bounde in conscience to grow into a farther degree of familiarity with the word of God the vseing of these helpes shal be a greate furtherance An humble setting our selues to schole to the publique ministery In Christe are hid all the treasures of wisedome knowledge and in the sound and a sincere preaching of the word there is plainely set out vnto vs the very mistery of Christ To this course is the blessing promised that it shall saue them that beleiue Col. 2 3. 1. Cor. 1.21 especially when it is yeelded to with humility with a holy disclaiming of a mans owne seeming wisedome For the Lord will guide the meeke in Iudgment teach the humble his way yea his very secret is reuealed vnto such according as on the contrary he catcheth the wise in their owne craftiues Psal 25.9.14 1. Cor. 3.19 Rom. 1.22 and maketh them become fooles when they professe the greatest wisedome If wee would then grow into more more acquaintance with the scripture wee must weare out the threshold of the Lords howse and wacth daily at his gates Pro. 8.33 Pro. 2.2 5. giue attendance at the postes of his doores For if thou cause thine eares to hearken vnto wisedome and encline thine heart then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the lord and finde the the knowledge of God if in our affections and care we be strangers to publique teaching we may perhaps haue some smattering and superficiall knowledge but can neuer haue any true tast of the marrow and sweetnes of the scripture 2 priuate exercise namely an aduised intentiue and well prepared reading if we be able or a hearing others read This rubs vp the memory of things heard publiquely confirmes the iudgment makes fit to depend vpon the church instruction and inures to the phrase and language of the scripture 2 a busy and secret meditating and exercising the thoughts about such things as we haue receiued This doth as the Apostles speakes deliuer and as it were cast vs into the forme Rom. 6.17 and mould of doctrine which we heare and seasoneth the inner man euen the spirit of the minde with that holy truth which we haue learned 3. A reuerent and discreet conference touching heauenly things as occasion falleth sometime with our minister Mar. 4.10 Heb. 3.13 Chap. 310.24 Deut. 6.7 Luk. 24.13.14 sometimes with our neighbours sometimes at home with our famelies sometimes abroad euen as we walke by the way This is a notable quickning for our selues and a great help to others The lips of the wise doe spread abroade knowledge Pro. 5.7 Pro. 10.21 and feed many At the lest some of these priuate exercises should daily be performed for miserable is that man who for one whole day togeather doeth nether busie his tounge nor employ his thoughts nor apply his eares to some holy vse to heare or talke or muse about something by which he may be built vp in Christ Iesus 3 Carefull and stedfast practise proceeding from a resolute vow and as it were a soleume oath taken betwixt God and a mans owne soule to keepe the Lords righteous Iudgments and to haue respect to all his commaundements Vse in all things breeds cunning Psal 119.106 uer 6. and he which makes it his care to Put in execution such good duties as he heares taught praying the Lord to establish him in euery word good worke will in time grow so perfect in good things that he shall euen with a kind of pleasure for the Lords yoake is easie walke in the law of the Lord neuer being idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of Christ 2. Thes 2.17 Heb. 13.21 Math. 11.30 Ps 1.119.1 2. Pet. 1.8 Tit. 2.10 but adorning the doctrine of God our sauiour in all things The conscionable practise of these duties shall by the blessing of God reforme our common fault of being strangers in Gods booke and shall by making Christs word dwell with vs fit and make vs ready to dwell with him for euer in his kingdome The ende of the third Sermon Let God alone haue the glorie