Selected quad for the lemma: honour_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
honour_n	due_a	fear_v	tribute_n	3,178	5	10.8957	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A31428	A sermon preached before the Right Honourable, the Lord Mayor, Alderman and citizens of London, at S. Mary-le-Bow on the fifth of November, 1680 by William Cave ...	Cave, William, 1637-1713.	1680 (1680)	Wing C1606; ESTC R1491	19,106	42

forget this duty S. Paul has made it a solemn and standing part of the ministerial office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be their Remembrancers in this case Tit. 3.1 put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers and to obey Magistrates Lastly These commands thus plainly delivered thus frequently inculcated are to be complyed with not only out of principles of fear but of conscience and are bound upon us with the considerations of no less than eternal happiness or misery in the other world 2. The true genius and spirit of the Christian Religion is opposite to nothing more than to disturbance and disorder for 't is a spirit of meekness and humility not thinking of our selves more highly than we ought to think but in honour preferring one another a spirit of love and gentleness of justice and integrity that renders to all their dues tribute to whom tribute is due custome to whom custome fear to whom fear honour to whom honour Wherever Christianity is cordially complyed with it begets the most sweet and benign the most peaceable and benevolent temper of mind represses all hasty and indeliberate transports and suffers not the mans spirit to be ruffled with passion by every trivial affront or injury that 's offered to him It enables us to be patient towards all men and to bear provocations with a generous mind to carry our selves towards those that wrong us with all kindness and gentleness and to be ready to do them all the good we can 'T is not enough that we do not fly out into the excesses of an extravagant revenge the Christian spirit is something more 't is to treat our enemies with all the arts of softness and good nature to interpret their actions with candor and ingenuity to love their persons though we condemn their vices to study their amendment to pray for and promote what in us lies their comfort and quiet in this and their happiness in another world It teaches us to be content with our place and station and to take up with that portion which the wisdom of the divine providence has allotted to us levels pride and ambition and makes us willing to abate of our own private interests when it may conduce to the peace and prosperity of the public it naturally begets a mighty regard and reverence for Superiours a dread of their power a veneration for their authority and a readiness to sacrifice our estates or lives for the common safety This is the true life and temper of Christianity and he that can be religious without this must be a Christian by a contradiction And therefore when the two sons of thunder were hot in fetching down fire from heaven to be revenged upon those Cities that would not entertain them our Lord takes them up and tells them Luk. 9.55 you know not what manner of spirit you are of you little consider the nature and design of that Evangelical institution which I am come to set on foot in the world such passionate wild-fire as you breath after does but little suit with the mild and gentle spirit of the Gospel The summ is this Were men duly influenc't by the power of that Religion which they profess the world would soon be blessed with the most happy scene and state of things Governours would rule peaceably and securely subjects obey freely and quietly and every man in his capacity would be in some measure as happy and prosperous as himself or other men could make him And that there was a time when such a spirit eminently rul'd in the breasts of Christians will appear if we consider Thirdly The temper and practice of the ancient Christians in the first and best ages of the Gospel when men really were what they pretended to be when they liv'd and lov'd as brethren honoured even their Heathen Magistrates paid their tributes obey'd their laws serv'd in their wars and pray'd daily for their prosperity and safety Such an instance of universal charity modesty and obedience was our blessed Saviour readily paying tribute though it put him to the expence and charges of a miracle freely owning Pilats authority to be from heaven and cheerfully submitting to his unrighteous sentence such were his Apostles who tho' unjustly scourg'd before the Council gave not an ill word or look but went away rejoycing and when Herod had barbarously kill'd one of their number and design'd the next day to send another of them the same way what course did the Christians take in this case fire the City about his ears hire a Ruffian to stab him or a Physician to poyson him oh no they oppos'd with nothing but prayer to Heaven See Prim. Christ Part III. chap. 3. 4. where the practice of the ancient Christians in this matter is fully represented And the same were the Christians in succeeding times as I could shew at large would the time and your patience give me leave Tertullian assures us That in their Church-service they daily pray'd for and in their constant practice promoted the happiness and prosperity of the Empire that the Christian was an enemy to no man and much less to his Prince and both he and the rest of the Christian Apologists do upon all occasions vindicate the Christians as the truest subjects and best friends to the Empire Where they could they obey'd actively where they could not they were careful in patience to possess their souls And therefore when Julian the Apostate urg'd his Army most part made up of Christians to wicked counsels and the practices of Idolatry they withstood him only with prayers and tears because sayes Nazianzen Orat. 〈◊〉 in Jul. p. 94. who liv'd at that time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they accounted this the only remedy in times of persecution Nay Julian himself whom none can suspect as over favourable to Christians gives them this testimony that if they see any one mutinying against his Prince 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eragm Ep. p. 528. immediately they punish him with the severest penalties Nor were they thus submissive and patient meerly for want of power and because they knew not how to help it no they could quietly dye at the Emperours command even when they had power lying at their feet whereof the Thebean Legion Vid. Eucher Comment ap Sur. Septemb 22. prim Christ ubi supr c. 4. p. 331 c. consisting of at least six thousand six hundred faithful and resolute souldiers is a never to be forgotten instance who being commanded by the Emperour Maximian to do sacrifice to the gods upon their refusal were commanded to be decimated their general Mauritius exhorting them to dye like Christians and not to oppose tho with power by their side Orders being renewed a second time they unanimously return'd this generous answer We acknowledge Caesar that we are your souldiers and took up arms for defence of the Empire nor did we ever betray our trust or forsake our station