Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	bind_v	law_n	reason_n	984	5	5.1215	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91897	Christ the perfect pattern, of a Christian's practice, being the substance of severall sermons, about the Imitation of Christ. / Preached by the reverend and faithfull minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Ralph Robinson, late minister of Mary Wolnoth London. Published by Sim. Ash, Wil. Taylor, Sam. Clarke.	Robinson, Ralph, 1614-1655.	1658 (1658)	Wing R1709; Thomason E1818_1; ESTC R209810	135,574	295

he had no where to lay his head yet he had Servants the Disciples were his Servants and as he did in all other respects carrie himself as a faithful Master to them so was he not negligent in teaching them the things of God We shall finde our Saviour verie careful of them in this respect he taught them to pray Luk. 11. 2. And upon everie occasion he was dropping Religious knowledge and Instruction upon their souls he did not only preach publiquely to them as he did to others but in secret also and in private his use was to repeat what he had preached in the publique Assemblie with Explanation as need required when he had reproved the hypocritical and ceremonial washings used by the Pharisees before meales and had uttered an obscure passage Mat. 15. 11. we finde that vers 16 17. He interprets that Doctrine in private to his Disciples and makes them understand the meaning of it more perfectly Do ye not know c. That was in private vid. Mar. 7. 17 18. So Luk. 24. 25 26. c. to the two Disciples Mat. 24. 3 4. Mat. 13. 16. The Reasons are these 1 The Disciples were called to be Ministers of the Gospel Therefore it was necessarie they should be instructed Vid. Acts 1. 8. Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Judea and in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the Earth both that they might have fulness of knowledge and might learn willingly to answer scruples privately to any that should repair to them as well as preach in publick so Paul did Acts 20. 20. 2 It was out of sense and compassion to their ignorance Our Saviour knew how blind the heart of man is by Nature to receive the things of God and he had often had experience of his Disciples weaknesses in many things this made him so careful to use all diligence in instructing them and the rather also that he might convince them of their ignorance 3 To teach all Masters and Governours what their dutie is towards such as are under their charge and that they might by his example be helped forward to do their Duty Omnis Christi actio nostra instructio Christ intended mans information by all he did Vse 1. To exhort all persons who have a charge over others to imitate this Example 1 John 2. 6. Christ instructed his Servants and if thou wilt be a Christian thou must walk after thy Masters Example I would here 1 Give some Motives 2 Lay down some helps 3 Answer Objections 1. Motives are these six 1. Consider Gods strict command vid. Deut. 6. 6 7. The Law of God is indispensable every Israelite of God is absolutely bound to the performance Deut. 4. 9. Psal 78. 5 6. thereof Gods command is both the strongest reason and the highest Motive of any dutie and obedience is not pure and sincere till Dixit Dominus prevaile with us 2. Consider the practise of the Servants of God whose names are renowned and whose memories are precious in the book of God I will begin with Abraham Gen. 18. 19. David Pro. 4. 4. and so Bathsheba Pro. 31. 1. And it is not to be questioned but he also taught his Servants as well as his Children The Parents of Timothy they taught him the Scriptures of a Child 2 Tim. 3. 15. These are rare examples and Joshuah 24. 15. he could never have undertaken for himself and houshould had he not been an instructor of his houshould 3 Consider the benefit of it 1 Your Servants will never do your work faithfully if they be not instructed how to do Gods work Those are likely to have the best service from such as are under the charge who are most diligent to teach them their trade of Godlinesse Conscience is the surest and safest obligation in all the world and your servants will without doubt be faithfull to you if you can perswade them to do your duty to God 2 For your Children 't is the way to preserve and keep up the honour of your family There is a naturall desire in every man that his family may be renowned when he is laid in the dust T is Religion and Piety which builds up and keeps up the renown of Families Riches may be imbezeld and titles of honour may die but godlinsse and pietie can never die Isaacs pietie kept up the credit of Abrahams familie when he was in the dust Ishmael was rich but he was wicked Jacob preserved the memory of Isaac by his piety Esau had wealth but his wickednesse was a blot both to himself and his Fathers house It s just that God should curse that man in his posterity in his waies of Religion and its righteous with God that such Servants should become scourges to their Masters as have not been taught by them the knowledge of the Lord. 3 By informing of them which are under your charge you will informe your own souls He that whets the word of God upon his Servants and Children will with that whetting set a sharper edge upon his own affections By repeating a Sermon to others you will strengthen your own memories and warme your own hearts As iron sharpens iron so the heart of a man his friend Pro. 27. 17. 4 You may benefit the Church of God for many generations A good man would have the Church of God to flourish not onely while he lives but after his decease he would have generations to come to know and blesse the Lord. This is the waie to propagate Religion after thine own decease Children and Servants are likely to survive Masters and Parents And if they be not instructed and taught in their youth the next generation may for ought you know be atheisticall and paganish A good man layeth up an inheritance for his Childrens Children Pro. 13. 22. Thou doest not know in what place God may cast the lot of thy Children and Servants They may be instruments of spreading the knowledg of God in remote parts 5 Consider the many present Errours that are sprung up amongst us The firmament of our Church is filled and even darkened with the thick black smoak of profane and grace-destroying opinions And every one of your Children and Servants have a biasse upon their hearts which draweth them violently this waie they may bring the plague of Errors and Heresie into your families they may bring home the leaven of the Pharises and sadduces into your houses The best Antidote against this infection is frequent praier and instruction 5 Consider the great mischief of the ignorance of God and of his wayes together with the happiness of this knowledg 1 Without Knowledge the mind is not good Knowledge is the eie the Candle the Pilot of the soul A man without knowledge is like a blind guide is like a ship without a Pilot he is readie to stumble on every stone he is apt to run upon every Rock he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth

passive in the publick more active in the private Motive 2. Private Prayer is an Argument of greater love to the duty A man may publickly pray who hath not love to it out of other respects as to gain credit and applause c. but to perform the duty in a corner when no eye sees us c. this evidenceth more affection And it s a greater Argument of sincerity c. That mans heart is not right in his publick devotion who is very seldom or never in private devotion Ille dolet verè qui sine teste c. He prayes but hypocritically in the Church or in the Family with others who neglects praying alone Vid. Matth. 6. 5 6. An hypocrite is all for the publick little for the private sincerity is equally for both A Christians heart is what it is when he is alone Motive 3. He that neglects private prayer shall be neglected in his publick prayer If thou wilt not call upon God in secret God will not hear thee in publick Want of private duties is the reason why the heart is so dead under the publick c. Ordinarily that man or womans heart is best in publick who is most frequent in private Private duties fit the heart for publick c. If thou wilt carefully call upon God in private God will enable thee to serve him in publick Motive 4. Private prayer is more our own then publick is its personal service It s true in some sense publick prayer is personal but private and secret is more personal A man in the publick tenders up Confessions and P●titions and Thanksgivings by the mouth of another but in private by his own mouth Motive 5. God hath usually let out himself most to his people when they have been alone at the Throne of Grace There have been more meltings and greater manifestations of God Peter when he was alone on the house-top sees the vision c. Acts 10. 11 12. Daniel when he was alone a praying hath the Angel disparcht to him with a Message that he was greatly beloved c. Dan. 9. 20. 21 22 23. many Saints have had their assurance seal'd to them when they have been in their Closets a praying and meditating Motive 6. There is more of the power of godliness in private prayer the publick may be only in form the private is more in the power and life Let all these things move you to this duty Object 1. I have no time to pray I am a servant c. my time is not my own c. my Masters business will not allow me Sol. 1. I would not stay with such a Master if thou beest a servant that canst remove c. 2. 'T is no neglecting of thy Masters business to take a little time daily for prayer c. and other duties Its Gods not thy Masters 3. Rather take time from sleep then omit this duty God will I warrant thee blesse two houres sleep better to thee than 12. houres if thou takest it from thy sleep or recreation to give to him 2. Object I cannot pray Sol. 1. Beg of God to teach thee he hath promised his Spirit to them that ask 2. God doth not so much look for eloquence as sincerity in prayer Thou canst smite thy breast and say God be merciful to me a sinner c. 3. Make use of other helps of prayer till thou hast attained ability to pray 4. Thou canst mannage thy worldly calling as well as another why then canst thou not pray as well as others It is because thou dost not regard this so well as the other FINIS Mary Wolnoth October the 15. 1648. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 20. 34. init Jesus being moved with compassion touched their Eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IN this Chapter we have four things considerable 1. A Parable of Labourers sent forth into the Vineyard This Parable is 1. Propounded vers 1. ad 16. 2. Applyed vers 16. The scope of it is to overthrow the Doctrine of merit and to establish the gift of salvation and eternal life upon the meer mercie and free grace of God Eternal life is not given unto any for his working it doth not flow from any good in the person receiving but from the free love of God in Christ chusing unto holiness and salvation whom he pleaseth It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy that 's the Apostles determination of this Question after a serious debate Rom. 9. 16. Eternal death that 's of merit but eternal life is of grace Rom. 6. ult 1. A premonition or Prediction of the Passion and sufferings of Christ at Jerusalem vers 17. ad 20. 2. And of his Resurrection from the dead the Doctrine of the Crosse is not easily submitted unto therefore there is necessity that it should be often preached Our Saviour ever and anon was preaching the Doctrine of his sufferings to his Disciples as Matth. 16. 21. Matth. 17. 22. and in this Chapter again he takes up the same Argument They dreamed of an Earthly Kingdom and earthly honours therefore our Saviour preacheth so frequently of his sufferings to take them off from such a conceit and to prepare them for Tryal And he doth not only foretell of his suff●rings but of his Conquest also his Resurrection vers 19. We shall finde ordinarily that when his death is mentioned his Resurrection also is spoken of as in those places before cited Matth. 16. 21. Mat. 17. 23. and here in this place Mark 8. 31. Mar. 9. 31. Mar. 10. 34. It s very profitable and necessary for the Ministers of Christ when they preach of sufferings to add something concerning the issue and consequence of sufferings when we speak of Death its good to mention the Resurrection also The Spirits of the best Christians will soon sink under sufferings if they be not acquainted with the victory they shall have over sufferings We finde in the Scripture that when the Apostle spake any thing of the Crosse there is usually mention made of the good issue of it as Heb. 12. 6 7 8 9. there is the Doctrine of the Crosse And vers 10 11. there is the Doctrine of the Resurrection So 1 Pet. 4. 12. there is the cross Vers 13 14. there you have the Crown also 3. A solemn charge given to the Disciples against affectation of Dominion and preheminencè one over another vers 20. ad 29. where you have 1. The occasion of it viz. A Request made by the Mother of Zebedees Children for her two Sons James and John vers 20. ad 25. It was their ignorance and fault that they would not be beat●n off from the thoughts of a worldly Kingdom c. This gave occasion to the other 10. Disciples to be angry with the two Brethren 2. The urging of the thing it self vers 25. ad 29. our Saviour solemnly calls them together and gives them a charge against any such ambition 4.