A32047:68
The noble-mans pattern of true and real thankfulness presented in a sermon preached before…The noble-mans patterne of true and reall thankfulnesse presented in a sermon preached before…
The noble-mans pattern of true and real thankfulness presented in a sermon preached before the Right Honourable House of Lords, at their late solemn day of Thanksgiving, June 15, 1643 : for the discovery of a dangerous, desperate and bloody design tending to the utter subversion of the Parliament and of the famous city of London / by Edmund Calamy ...The noble-mans patterne of true and reall thankfulnesse presented in a sermon preached before the Right Honourable House of Lords, at their late solemne day of Thanksgiving, June 15, 1643 : for the discovery of a dangerous, desperate and bloody designe tending to the utter subversion of the Parliament and of the famous city of London / by Edmund Calamy ...
London: printed by G.M. for Christopher Meredith, 1643
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Secondly, As great men have greater reason then others. §2So they have greater abilities and opportunities to serve God then others. Now every ability and opportunity is a talent with which we are betrusted, and for which we must be accountable. The Wise-man tells us,1 Ecclesiast. 7. 11. ⟨p. 17⟩That wisdom is good with an Inheritance. Wisdom is good without an inheritance. But it cannot do so much good when it is seated in a poor man, as when it is joined with an inheritance. When divine wisdom and honours meet together, they are like apples of Gold in pictures of silver. Riches and greatness have made many good men bad, but never any bad man good, and yet they put a price in a good mans hand to do much good. As a good musical Instrument doth not make a skilful Musician, but a skilful Musician can play better upon a good instrument then upon a bad one. If the man be gracious and religious that is great and rich, he will make sweeter harmony and melody in Gods ears, then if he were poor and in a low estate. It is not to be expressed what attractive power there is in the good examples of great men to make others good. Great men are like unto looking-glasses, according to which all the Country dress themselves, and if they be good looking glasses they do a world of good. When Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue believed, many of the Corinthians hearing of it, believed also, Act. 18. 8. When Shechem and Hamor were circumcised, they quickly persuaded their people to be circumcised also. Joshua's example in my Text made all Israel enter into Covenant to serve God. And if the great-men and the rich-men of the Kingdom would appear in more number, and more courageously and resolutely in the great cause of the war now undertaken by the Parliament, how quickly would the whole Land arise as one man to take part with them. What mighty lodestones were Nehemiah, Ezra and Zerubbabel to draw thousands of people to go with them from Babylon to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. So much for the Explicatory part.
Secondly, As great men have greater reason then others. §2So they have greater abilities and opportunities to serve God then others. Now every ability and opportunity is a talent with which we are betrusted, and for which we must be accountable. The Wise-man tells us,