Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	body_n	life_n	soul_n	2,237	5	4.9959	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61224	Some thoughts concerning the life to come with a brief account of the state of religion as it is now in the world.	Stafford, Richard, 1663-1703.	1693 (1693)	Wing S5138; ESTC R37589	43,947	90

SOME THOUGHTS CONCERNING The Life to Come WITH A Brief Account Of the State of Religion As it is now in the World LONDON Printed in the Year 1693. THE PREFACE TO THE READER OF making many Books there is no end said the wise Solomon in his time which hath been since fulfilled in such a degree and to such a measure that through the multitude of Books the intended Good and Benefit of them hath been lost and defeated For when the Great Truths of GOD have come forth and been published People have not distinguished discerned and known them from the ordinary Imaginations and Sayings of other meer Humane Writers But they have remained hidden and not understood Psal 106. 7. Acts 7. 25. by the Men of this World and by the outward Worshippers Yea they have not been Understood by many of the real Servants of GOD They having not been so diligent as in Duty they ought to seek Acts 15. 17. and enquire out after all the Appearances and Manifestations of his Truth in the World In every Nation and so in every Sect or Party however it is called or named he that serveth GOD and worketh Righteousness which is a general and comprehensive Speech and doth include Obedience to all the Words of His Law is accepted with Him Acts 10. 34. To each Person which doth this GOD affords the Knowledge of Himself and of the Things which pertain to his Kingdom So that out of the Writings of the People of the several Opinions and Persuasions among us if that Foundation in them here mentioned doth stand sure somewhat of GOD and of his Truth may be sought after and also had by the godly honest and understanding Reader But this is to be attended unto that as between the Miracles of Moses and the Inchantments of the Magicians there is that manifest diversity That the one does not only much exceed the other but the first do carry that Power Evidence and Demonstration along with them that the Magicians themselves are forced to confess and acknowledge This is the Finger of GOD Exod. 8. 19. So likewise there is not only a manifest diversity between the Imaginations Subtlety and Sophistry of Satan which have also an outward likeness unto and imitation of Truth and the certainty of the Words of Truth themselves or what Job calls right Words Chap. 6. 25. But further there is observed to be a continued Vein of Holiness and a Spirit of the Fear of the Lord which runs throughout the Writings of some Men more than others Here again these are exceeded by others also who are yet mightier and greater than they in the Kingdom of God and in the dispensation of his Gospel For there is a real difference between what is meerly pious and devotional or those common things which are universally known and obvious already and the making known the Great Truths of God or those new Things which he doth declare Before they spring forth I tell you of them Isa 42. 9. Which God doth tell an● declare unto Mankind by some particular Saint or Servant of his Now whether I my self shall fall under the same Imputation which I here tacitly reprehend in other Writers or whether I do here bring forth out of my Treasury such Things new and old which in themselves are indeed worthy to be made publick or whether yet further I do not express out those Truths of God which as it is my Duty to write speak and make known so it is the Duty of the People of this my Generation to read hear and receive into their knowledge Rom. 1. 28. I refer all this to the spiritual man who judgeth all things 1 Cor. 1. 15. in this mean while as it will be yet more clearly discerned and determined by God and his Saints at the last Day It hath been observed of John the Evangelist that in his Gospel he doth set down and mention what was omitted by the other three Evangelists for whereas they all repeat and confirm the same things he doth record that as to which they are silent so it hath been and shall be my constant Method and Resolution only to publish those useful Truths and weightier Matters of the Law which have been hitherto omitted see Mat. 23. 23. in the Books and Sermons of other Writers and Preachers And tho' I have already employ'd the Press proportionally for one of my Circumstances Condition and Years yet I shall never be so voluminous as Origen of old who is reported to have made six thousand Books or as Tostatus and Richard Baxter of later Times But as I hope to be accepted of Him who comes quickly and his Reward is with him to give to every man according as his Work shall be Rev. 22. 12. I know that the Goodness and Worth thereof doth lie not so much in its quantity as its quality as a little Diamond is of more value and estimation than a much greater common Stone so I had rather speak five or a very few Words with knowledge and understanding that by my Voice I might teach others also which may be unto Men to edification exhortation and comfort than ten thousand Words in useless Notions or rather Imaginations in meer smooth Language or in vain-jangling and matters of doubtful disputation the former of which do divert and turn aside the Mind from the one thing needful and the latter do rather minister unto strife than unto godly edifying This small ensuing Treatise is an essay and endeavour to the only good and right end of seeking the present Peace and future Welfare of men and women I do therein write unto them of the common Salvation The Contents and subject Matter thereof may be apprehended from the Title-Page Where the Failings Defects Infirmities the Sins and Errours of the People are spoken of This is for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness And tho' perhaps there may not be altogether that exactness of Art Method and Connexion whereof some Scribes have been more curious and careful than of the Substance of the Things they have delivered yet herein we have a great part of the Scripture for our ensample which was given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for things which make us wise unto Salvation that the Man of God may be perfect thoroughly furnished unto all Good-works albeit it is not like unto Discourses framed by Art and Man's Device SOME THOUGHTS Concerning the Life to come c. Behold now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 John 3. 2. COncerning this thing of future and endless Life I have great thought and searching of Heart My Soul doth shrug within me when in my Bed I think upon it throughly Now I am as yet in this Life but when that Moment shall come in which I must be dislodged from

this Body there succeeds Judgment and Account and strict requiring for all those Omissions of Good and Duty which I have been guilty of which are now utterly gone by and cannot be retrieved for all eternity Trial was once had but now it is over even as to all the Days and Doings of this Life here upon Earth Now the Days are passing and we are as yet in the Flesh but then they will be all over and gone and our Spirits will be removed from hence Then shall they remember Luke 16. 25 the several Steps and Passages of our Life here on Earth which at firs● may seem as faint as the remembrance of ● Night-Vision or of the things which hav● been lately or long since past But they shal● be all call'd over again and appear before us● All the Thoughts Words and Actions of th● past Life will remain present before the Sou● and appear more lively and make yet a greater impression because then she is to receiv● accordingly than when they were first done The Word of Instruction which doth aris● hence is that every thing now should be so done as it will be then wished and desired that it ha● been done and this is to strive to the utmost i● pleasing and finding acceptance with Almighty God In what fear should we pass the tim● of our sojourning How should we improv● every moment of our precious Time and n● suffer the least portion thereof to pass away i● unprofitable and vain things The dispropo●tion between Time and Eternity is vast an● as much greater as between the whole Ocea● and a single Drop or as the whole gathering ●f the Waters is to a narrow Gulph or Stream The Rivers run to the Sea and in like man●er as soon as we draw Breath we are gliding ●n 'till we launch forth and are swallowed up ●nto Eternity The Odds will be as great or ●ather more exceeding than when one who ●as imprisoned in a dark Dungeon or cub●ed up in a narrow close Room is let out to ●he liberty of the whole Earth Or like a Swal●ow which for a little time was pent up in a Cage is let out again to fly up and down in ●he wide and immense Regions of Air. The ●lteration and Change which will be then ●ade upon us is yet more unconceivable It ●oth not yet appear what we shall be Now ●e know nothing or but little of the Soul ●e shall then perceive nothing besides the Soul ●ow we are wholly taken up with the Con●erns of the Body then we shall have nothing ●o do with it And so though our Bodies do ●●oulder towards the Dust and then seem to be ●tterly lost yet it is not so for ever for they ●●all be raised up again and rendred glorious ●nd incorruptible Now we do mind if not ●nly yet chiefly things sensible and carnal ●ut then we shall be wholly taken up with the ●onsideration of things spiritual The whole Creation with all the Things and Works of God will be more clearly manifested before us and understood by us than they are now as much as the Understanding of a Man doth exceed and surpass the Conception and Instinct of a Beast It will be a very great change and renewal of things now no more to turn to Corruption nor to be destroyed nor yet dissolved But as it is said of Melchisedeck That he abideth a Priest continually Heb. 7. 3. By which Word Priest according to its first institution is signified the most Sanctified and Holy and Choice of the People And ye shall be unto me a Kingdom of Priests and a holy Nation Exod. 19. 6. from whence cometh that Word Clergy So in like manner it may be affirmed when those true Things are erected and set up whereof the Things heretofore made and now in being are but the figure when the new Heavens and the new Earth are created which are spoken of in Isai 65. 17. then if we may so speak after the manner of Men with much humility trembling and reverence that it may be understood by their Capacities God hath done his best For the new Heavens and the new Earth which I will make shall remain observe that before me saith the Lord Isai 66. 22. This Word Remain doth denote an eternal unchangeable state or whatever is to last for a time if it be a thousand or million of Years that is transitory for the several parts and portions of Time do pass away and succeed one another Now there is both Time and Motion which are relative Terms and these do point forth unto as they will be swallowed up at length in the eternal Rest The whole Earth is at rest and quiet they break forth into singing Isai 14. 7. This doth respect and look back unto that Confusion Desolation Destruction Trouble and Weariness which hath been heretofore on the Earth when there was fear and weeping It is before said The Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow and from thy fear and from thy hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve vers 3. These former evil things shall be done away and the contrary good things shall succeed in the room thereof And though this will in some measure be fulfilled in the latter days on the Earth when the Sinners who cause all this evil and trouble shall be consumed out of the Earth and the wicked shall be no more Psal 104. 35. For in what Prayer the Spirit of Truth doth dictate is included a Promise that so it shall be And then the People who inhabit here shall practice the same Holiness and live in peace as in Jerusalem which is above which is the Mother of us all Which Word Jerusalem by Interpretation is the Visions of Peace Though this will be in a less degree and more imperfect manner just before the Church on Earth shall be received up and swallowed into that of Heaven And it shall then come to pass that the whole Creation shall be at res● and quiet They shall sing for joy and brea● forth in loud Voices and everlasting Hallelujahs as is described in the Revelations They shall not only be so as to rest and inward peace of Soul and Spirit but also as to outward Res● and Motion The Sun shall no more be thy ligh● by day thy Sun shall no more go down neither shall thy Moon withdraw it self for the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting Light Isai 60 18 19. So shall it no more rejoyce as a strong Man to run a Race nor any longer continue● his going forth from the end of Heaven nor his Circuit unto the ends of it but the reason of the thing will then also cease and God Himself will then supply that immediately to his living Creatures and Spirits which they had before by the means and instrumentality of the inanimate Creatures There shall be no more any weary Beast but if these sensitive and irrational Creatures should be raised up also to being