Selected quad for the lemma: end_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
end_n	draw_v	line_n	straight_a	2,138	5	12.9115	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26816	The way to the highest honour a funeral sermon, on John XII, 26, preach'd upon the decease of the Rnd Tho. Jacomb ... April 3, 1687 / by William Bates ...	Bates, William, 1625-1699.	1687 (1687)	Wing B1131; ESTC R14324	38,983	138

What the Service of Christ implies In the general Notion to serve Christ implies Obedience to his Will as the Rule of our Actions with aims at his Glory as the End of them His Will revealed in the Scriptures is a Rule eminently and exclusively Eminently for it has all the Perfections of a Rule 'T is clear and compleat sufficient to make us wise to Salvation and to direct us in the Way everlasting 'T is called the holy acceptable and perfect Will of God 'T is a Rule Exclusively To speak strictly no Creature can be a Rule to another for they are all in an equal Line of Subjection to the Creator One may be a Guide or Governour to another according to the Rule of God's Word The Laws of Men cannot reach and bind the Conscience immediately but by virtue of God's Command nor unlimitedly but as they are consonant with his Laws Now a universal respect to the Will of Christ as the Rule of our Lives is truly to serve him And the aiming at his Glory in all our Desires and Endeavours either actually or habitually is an essential Ingredient in his Service The actual Intention in every performance is not absolutely necessary Many good Actions may proceed from the Influence of the habitual Intention An Arrow that is directed by aim may hit the Mark tho in its flight the Eye be turned off from it But the ultimate scope of our Life which ought to be often renewed in our Minds must be to please and glorify Christ according to the Apostle's Expression To me to live is Christ. I will more distinctly open these Things under the following Heads 1. The Church is a distinct Society from the World of which Christ is the Head and the State of Christianity is a high and holy Calling and all who are brought into it by the outward Ministry of the Word or in Conjunction with it by the internal Grace of the Spirit are obliged to the Faith and Obedience of the Gospel the same Duties and the same Rewards are common to all And living according to that Spiritual State in Godliness Righteousness and Sobriety is to serve Christ. Thus the Adoration the Honour the Homage we render to God the making him the sole Object of our highest Love an entire relyance on the Mediator for our Salvation an earnest desire to please him in all Things and an equal fear to displease him the exercise of compassionate beneficent Charity towards Men briefly a Holy and Heavenly Conversation is the universal Duty of Christ's Servants And that our Service be accepted it must be performed with Humility Zeal and Constancy With Humility and Dependance upon the Mediator for Divine Grace and Acceptance Every spiritual Act requires a Supernatural Power Not a holy Thought or Word springs from naked Nature Our Saviour tells his Disciples Without me you can do nothing As the Branches derive Life and active Sap from the Root that makes them flourishing and fruitful so from his sanctifying Spirit that was purchased by his meritorious Sufferings and is conferr'd by him in his Glory we are made fruitful in every good Work And in the beloved Son we are only accepted This general Service due to Christ must be done with Zeal We are commanded to be fervent in Spirit serving the Lord to work out our own Salvation as the Apostle with most lively Emphasis enforces the Duty Our most ardent Affections and active Powers are to be imploy'd in this work remembring that our Lives are short and uncertain Time flies upon the swiftest Wings That the Work is of infinite and everlasting Consequence in comparison of which our fervent Diligence in worldly Affairs is like the throwing of Straws and Feathers with our utmost strength remembring that we are always under the pure Eye of our Divine Master that will call us to an exact Account To be cold and careless in his Service disparages his Excellency and will defeat our hopes The Kingdom of Heaven is taken by violence With Constancy He delivered us from the Hands of our Enemies that we might serve him without Fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the Days of our Lives The travail of Faith continues till heavenly Vision be brought forth and the Labour of Love till the Reward be obtained I will not insist on this being to resume the consideration of it afterwards 2. In the various Conditions of Life in this World we are to serve Christ. The entire Man is the Object of God's tender Care and Providence and accordingly he has wisely ordered divers Conditions and special Callings of Men wherein they are engaged and employed for the Support and Comfort of themselves and the publick Good And as in a Circle from every Point of it a streight Line may be drawn to the Centre so in the vast Sphere of this World from every lawful Calling there may be a direct prosecution of our last and blessed End the Glory of God in conjunction with our Salvation There is no state of Life so low and mean but a Christian may so manage it as to excel in Holiness and consequently Honour Christ As Phidias that famous Sculptor expres'd his Art to Admiration not only in Gold and Marble and Ivory but in mean Materials in Wood or ordinary Stone The Apostle often inculcates this Lesson upon Servants to obey their Masters with Fidelity and Cheerfulness for ye serve the Lord Christ Col. 3.24 Eph. 6.7 It was to a mortal Man and if it might be of a perverse humour their Service was immediately addres'd but if from Conscience of their Duty to Christ and a direct intention to please him they performed it that Respect sweetened and ennobled the Service 'T is the Spirit and Perfection of Christianity to transform and elevate the lowest Actions it makes the Service of a Slave to be Divine Obedience which is the most free and noble Act of the reasonable Creature From hence the same Apostle enforces the Duties of Servants that they may adorn the Gospel of God our Saviour The faithful Discharge of their Service redoubles the Lustre of the glorious Gospel and recommended it to their Pagan Masters And 't is equally true that in every lawful Condition of Life when Men are conversant in the Duties proper to it with a respect to the Command of Christ when their civil Actions are ultimately resolved into his Glory they perform Religious Obedience This is enjoyned in that comprehensive Precept Whatsoever you do in word or deed do it in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ that is with a respect to his Will and for his Honour I shall only add that Diligence in our civil Callings must always be in Subserviency to the great End of our general Calling the Salvation of our Souls to which we are primarily and indispensably obliged The Life of a Christian is a walking with God and the way is in the performance of holy and civil Duties And