Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	child_n	commandment_n	father_n	1,231	5	5.3636	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17412	Sermons upon the ten first verses of the third chapter of the first Epistle of S. Peter Being the last that were preached by the late faithfull and painfull minister of Gods word, Nicolas Byfield. Wherein method, sense, doctrine, and vse, is, with great varietie of matter, profitably handled; and sundry heads of divinitie largely discussed. Published since the authors death by William Gouge.	Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622.; Gouge, William, 1578-1653.	1626 (1626)	STC 4235; ESTC S107153	186,240	252

the world and had the honour to be ordayned in the blessedest place in this visible world even Paradise and was made betweene two persons that were like God himselfe and therefore God doth expect that men and women should walke very carefully in this estate Genes 2. 2 Because man and wife had so neer an originall and dependance one upon another The woman was made of the ribbe of man which Adam perceiving by a spirit of prophecy said she was bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh that is another selfe or himselfe in another shape or sexe and therefore whosoever disagreed they should agree it being most unnaturall for a man to hate or disagree with himselfe Gen. 2. Ephes. 5. and ever the more miraculous the forming of the woman was the more extraordinary should the affection betweene man and wife be 3 Because they are but two of them they would hardly please many that cannot please one 4 Because they are appointed necessarily to be companions in life without parting or dissolution and therefore since they live alwaies together they should resolve to dispose of themselves so as their lives might be comfortable 5 Because from man and wife is the originall of all mankind of Church and Common-wealth and all other societies now those Husbands and Wives that live disorderly dishonor the whole kind What would they have the streames to be when the fountaines are so troubled and impure 6 Because marriage is honourable in Gods account and ought to be so amongst men therefore it being a great dignity to which they are called it is as shamefull a fault to live disorderly in that estate as in the estate of a Magistrate or Minister or the like Heb. 13. 7 Note that the fift Commandement that concernes family-duties and the order should bee in our dwellings stands between the Commandements of the first Table and the rest of the Commandements of the second Table to signifie that from the carefull performance of domesticall duties men are fitter to serve God in the first Table or converse with men in the world in the second Table yea all we get from God in the first Table or from men in the second wee bring it home to our houses or to the place of well imploying it Note the last words of vers 7. of this chapter 8 Because man and wife resemble Christ and the Church by way of type or image and will men or women dare say that Christ and the Church carry themselves so unlovingly or disorderly one to another as they doe one to another Doe you not thinke it had been a hatefull thing for any man that was to be a type of Christ to have exprest the type by false or wicked waies Even so is it for man and wife to carry themselves one to another so as Christ and the Church doe not one to another Ephes. 5. 9 The end of marriage is Gods glory now if God may not have glory by the loving and orderly carriage of man and wife one to another he will winne himselfe glory to his Iustice in revenging the quarrell of the Covenant which they have broken 10 Because usually the carriage of man and wife is the originall cause of good or evill order in the family partly because thereby they are the more inabled or disabled for their carriage towards others in the family and besides their courses are exemplary and withall they thereby lay the ground of their owne honour or dishonour in the hearts of children and servants 11 Because Gods commandement injoyning them their duties one to another bindes the conscience as hard as any of the other Commandements so as God is aswell provoked by these disorders betweene man and wife as by swearing or cursing or Idolatry or murther or whoredome or drunkennesse or the like yea they that live in the customary breach of these duties are unjust and dishonest aswell as if they broke any other Commandements 12 The Apostles were the more earnest in pressing husbands and wives to a loving and orderly behaviour one towards another because of the scandall or honour came to Religion by it It did greatly adorne and become the Gospel if they lived amiably together it made men like of their Religion the better and contrariwise it was a foule scandall and caused the Religion to be lesse esteemed or else hated when they lived so ungodly and unquietly together 13 Because if they live lovingly together they are like to have a quiet conscience and a cleane heart whereas if they jangle and live in discontentment it is a thousand to one the conscience will be very froward and their hearts filled with foule lusts after others Pro. 5. And that the conscience should be froward how can it be otherwise when they live in the direct breach of Gods commandement which as was shewed before bindes as strongly in this as in another dutie 14 Because this commandement is the first commandement with promise To the faithfull discharge of these domesticall duties is promised a long and happie life in the land God hath planted men in 15 Because men and women may greatly further their salvation by living according to Gods will in this estate as is intimated 1. Tim. 2.15 16 Lastly let husbands and wives remember their accounts at the last day Will it not be a wofull miserie for a rebellious and froward wife to be throwne to hell and see her quiet and religious husband goe to heaven and so on the other side The use may be for complaint of the generall and grievous neglect of these things in the most men and women Where may a man observe in any family almost that amiable carriage betweene man and wife that ought to be Quest. What are the causes of this generall disorder and unquietnesse betweene men and their wives Answ. 1. It may be God revengeth some sinne in the manner of the marriage or going about it of which the parties have not soundly repented as precontracts or marriage for carnall ends without respect of Religion or Gods glorie as for wealth or the like or some secret wickednesse betweene the parties before marriage 2 In the most it is the want of the true feare of God they are carnall and so their Natures being not regenerate are full of all evill fruits Two carnall persons can no more agree together than two wilde beasts and what will not men and women allow themselves in when they doe not from their hearts feare Gods displeasure 3 In many it is ignorance of their mutuall duties men and women doe not studie with care and conscience the particular duties which in this estate God requires of them 4 In such as know their duties it is eyther unskilfulnesse to beare with infirmities or neglect of daily prayer to God to fashion their hearts to obey his will in those things as well as in other points of his service and worship 5 In some it is strange and strong

such as are the fashions of Whores or debauched creatures and such a beginning it is said commonly Yellow had What fellowship betweene light and darkenesse righteousnesse and unrighteousnesse Christ and Beliall If wee would have God to love us we must separate and come out from amongst them and touch no uncleane thing 13 When such apparell is worne as is contrary to the wholesome lawes of men for wee are bound to submit our selves to every ordinance of man for Gods sake 1. Pet. 2.13 14 Lastly when the partie that useth such apparell or dressing is condemned in himselfe and hath his owne conscience accusing or disliking it or is not fully assured that he doth not sinne Whatsoever is not of Faith in those things is sinne Rom. 14. Vers. 4. But let it be the hidden man of the heart c. HItherto of that adorning they should not be curious or costly in Now in this verse he shewes in the affirmative what apparell or dressing they should be carefull of and that is the adorning of their soules and the apparelling of the inward man In the words three things may be noted 1 What must be apparelled viz. the hidden man of the heart 2 With what it must be adorned Which hee shewes both in generall and in particular in generall it must be with incorruptible things in particular it must be with a meeke and quiet spirit 3 The reason viz. because such apparell is very rich in Gods account The first thing then is what must be apparelled viz. the man of the heart The man of the heart This is a kinde of speaking not used in any place of Scripture but this onely this Apostle only useth this kinde of expressing himselfe Now concerning the man of the Heart I would consider of sixe things 1 What he is 2 Whence he is or his originall 3 In what he excells the outward man 4 What condition he is in by nature 5 How he may be mended or made better 6 How we may know when the man of the heart is right For the first by the man of the Heart he meanes the same the Apostle Paul doth by the inward man 2. Cor. 4.16 and the inward man is the soule or heart of man Thus he speakes of a Iew that is outward and a Iew that is inward Rom. 2.28.29 Now the Heart is and may well be called the man for diverse reasons 1 In respect of definition For the definition of a man agrees to the heart of man though there were no bodie for God was the God of Abraham and Abraham was and was a living man many hundred yeares after his bodie was in the grave Matth. 22. And hence it is that unto the soule or heart of man in Scriptures is attributed all things that the outward man can doe as life Psal. 22.27 language Eccles. 9.1 Psal. 14. 1. 36.1 praying to God Psal. 37.4 receiving messages from God as when the Prophet is bidden to speake to the heart of Ierusalem Isa. 40. serving of God c. 2 In respect of dominion The Heart is the man because it disposeth the way of man Prov. 16.9 and ruleth the outward man for out of the aboundance of the Heart the mouth speaketh And therefore Salomon saith that from the Heart comes life Pro. 4.23 3 In respect of acceptation The Heart is that which God especially respects in man it is the Heart hee lookes upon 1. Sam. 17.7 He tryes the heart and as Salomon saith bee weighes the hearts of the children of men Prover 21.2 and hee wil be served with our hearts Ioshua 24.14 and in all holy dueties it is with us in Gods account according as he seeth the heart 1 Kings 8.39 so he requires the Heart in repenting 1. Sam. 7.3 in praying 2. Tim. 2.22 Hos 7.14 in hearing the Word Luke 8. and so in every good duty Thus of the first point For the second The man of the heart hath his originall from God himselfe He is the Father of Spirits Heb. 12. 8. and it was his especiall glory to forme and fashion the heart in man as divers Scriptures shew Zach. 12.1 Psal. 33.15 and is therefore called the God of the heart Psal. 37. For the third The man of the heart excells the outward man exceedingly and that both in substance and in priviledges As for substance in the outward man wee agree with beasts but in the inward man wee agree with Angels inasmuch as the man of the heart consists of a spirituall and immateriall essence aswell as the Angels And as in substance so in properties there is great difference for first the man of the heart is hidden it can bee and doe all his worke and yet be invisible God himselfe hath variety of conversation with the man of the heart that no creature else knowes Secondly hee is free and subject onely to the God of his heart properly No man can come at or governe or command the heart of man Thirdly he is properly the seate of Gods image We are not properly like God in our bodies because God hath no body but in our spirits though it be true that the glory of Gods image shines through the body of man as the light doth through the lanthorne in respect whereof the outward man is said to be made after Gods image but else properly only the man of the Heart is capable of that preferment to be made like God For the fourth point The man of the Heart by nature is in a most wofull condition though in those generall things before mentioned hee excels the outward His miserie will appeare if we throughly consider either what he is in his qualities or what he doth in his worke or what he suffers in that estate If you inquire after his qualities by nature first he is vaine Ephes. 4.18 yea so vaine as the outward man dares not act what the man of the heart entertaines Secondly hee is foule as Salomon saith Who can say I have made my heart cleane yea he is so foule that it is as hard a worke to make the heart of one man clean as to create a world anew Hence David said O Lord create in me a cleane heart Psal. 51. Thirdly he is uncircumcised and altogether indisposed to matters of Religion he is slow and hard to beleeve uncapable and unteachable and makes not use of the very first businesse in the entrance into Religion Ier. 9.26 1. Cor. 2.14 Fourthly he is deceitfull above all things he can be trusted in nothing Ier. 17.9 Fiftly he is verie unquiet and never enjoyes any sound peace nor is pleased with any condition and oftentimes hee is like the raging Sea Isa. 57. These are his qualities some of them His workes he doth are most abominable for 1 He is alwayes imagining mischiefe the whole frame of his thoughts is only evill continually Gen. 6. There is a world of wickednesse in him every day 2 That he may be wicked the

Word of God upon all occasions Deut. 6.7 Gen. 18.19 They must see that Gods Sabbaths be kept and sanctified in their dwellings and therefore must not onely restraine labour but bring his houshold to the exercises of Religion and privately helpe them by examination or repetition Command 4. Exod. 20.4 yea and by sanctifying them to Gods worship Iob 1.5 which is done by exhorting them to holinesse and preparation and by humbling himselfe in prayer before God for himselfe and them and he must sanctifie the creatures they use by prayer 1. Tim. 4.5 Secondly in speciall towards their wives they must use their knowledge in instructing them or resolving their doubts as there shall be occasion 1. Cor. 14.35 Thirdly they must teach their wives reformation and right order of behaviour by their owne example giving full proofe of their piety discretion providence painfulnesse and meeknesse not daring to commit the faults themselues they reprove in their wives and to live so as not to be liable to any just exception There is a question is often asked about the first branch of this answer and that is whether a woman may performe the dueties of religion in the family in case of the absence or insufficiency of the husband Now for answer thereunto it is hard to give any peremptory rule because in this thing wee have no commandement from the Lord but yet seeing some of the dueties of Religion may bee done by the Wife as instructing of children and servants for the Law of grace should be in her lips Prov. 31. and both Parents are charged with instructing the children Ephes. 6. therefore I thinke by Anallogy it will follow that the wife may doe other duties as pray and repeat Sermons But yet it is most likely that this power extends not further than her children and her maides which was the power Hester used Hest. 4.16 or if it goe further it must be in some speciall cases and with observation of divers circumstances in which their safest way is to get direction and resolution from their learned Pastors 2 Matter of toleration and that in respect of the infirmities of his wife if her infirmities be bodily it must be the praise of his knowledge not to loath her for that because God laieth them on her and she cannot helpe them And for her faults they are either meer frailties arising from ignorance or insufficiency shee cannot helpe and those hee must passe by altogether when he discerneth that shee is not willing to offend in them Prov. 19 10. Or else they are faults shee committeth of knowledge and so they are either curable or incurable Curable are such faults of negligence or waiwardnesse that prove grievous to him or others for these his rule is he must not be bitter to her Col. 3.19 but shew himselfe to be gentle and easie to be intreated Iames 3.17 Hee must use all good meanes of counsell and forewarning of her and intreating and such reproofes as may bee seasonable and secret as much as may be He must avoid raging furious passion and reproaches If her faults be incurable that is such as hee cannot mend by such courses then I suppose hee may flie to the generall remedy of all Christians in the case of trespasses and that is to take one or two with him and admonish her then if she mend not he may flie to his Pastor and such as have charge of soules with him and get them to admonish her But if none of these courses will serve I thinke the Pastor or others imploied in the businesse may give notice as they have occasion to other Christians of her incurablenesse and they may thereupon forsake her company and reject her as a Pagan or a Publicane but for the husband he must cohabite still and with patience beare the crosse God hath laid upon him waiting if at any time God will give her repentance or otherwise restraine her wickednesse 3 Matter of circumspection To dwell according to knowledge is to dwell with circumspection and that hee must shew in matter of his owne right Hee must take heed that by no indulgence or remissenesse hee lose his owne right He must keep his authority and rule as head and not suffer things to be done or disposed ordinarily against his will And for the good ordering of necessary directions if his wife will not obey he must then provide to have things done aswell as he can by his children or servants This I speake of things essentially expedient to the peace or well-being of the family he must not be his wives underling contrary to the order of nature and ordinance of God Gen. 3.16 1. Cor. 11.3 7 8 9. Ephes. 5.23 1. Tim. 2.12 13 14. Secondly hee must shew it in the care of his estate restraining her wastfulnesse if she be given to disorder or wretchlesnesse in that kinde Prov. 14.1 Thirdly in case of sinne against God he must take heed that he nourish not sinne in her by connivence or neglect of counsell or reproofe Iob 2.9 10. Fourthly in case of difference betweene her and her servants so preserving his authority as he judge not partially but with equall judgement shewing the fault whersoever he finde it else he may extreamly harden his servants against them both Giving them honour This is the second thing required in the Exposition They must honour their wives And this the Husband doth 1 When he useth her with signes of his estimation of her according to her ranke in the family and her relation to him intertayning her as his companion and not as his servant or slave To honour her is to carrie himselfe with such respect towards her that all may see that he makes a great account of her as the companion God hath given to him for his life to be a helper to him 2 When he is carefull to protect her from wrongs and dangers and indignities 1. Sam. 30.5 3 When he provides for her maintenance both in his life time and after his death as well as he may allowing her such apparell and other things as may shew manifestly how great account he makes of her and doing all with cheerefulnesse and not like churlish Nabal and the rather because for the most part they are not able to make shift and provide for themselves 4 By the speciall delight hee takes in her above others cherishing her as his owne flesh and making as much of her as he can doe of himselfe Pro. 5.19 Eph. 5.28 5 By suffering himselfe to be intreated and in some cases advised and admonished by her Gen. 21.12 6 By giving her such imployment as her gifts are fit for leaving to her trust such things in the family and his estate as she is fit to dispose of It is dishonour to the wife when the trust of businesses is committed to servants or others when she is able and willing to undertake it Pro. 31.11 7 By yeelding a free and just testimonie of

of God are capable of this Grace Heb. 9.16 Ioh. 1.13 And in particular wee must have a true justifying faith Ioh. 1.12 For as was shewed before we come to the right of Sonnes onely as wee are ingrafted into Christ upon whom all the inheritance is originally and fundamentally conferred and into Christ wee cannot get but by faith And further wee must looke to the sound mortification of the deedes of the flesh Rom. 8.13 and know that none can inherit but such as ouercome the power of their corruptions and are not in bondage to any sinne Rev. 21.7 And more specially God requires in all such as will be his sonnes that they bee such as are not in bondage to the passions and perturbations of the heart 〈◊〉 for hee hath promised that the meeke shall inherit Mat. 5.5 Thirdly we must forsake all needlesse society familiarity with the wicked of the world if wee will be Gods sonnes and daughters and resolutely refuse to be corrupted with the sinnes of the times as the Apostle shewes at large 2. Cor. 6.17 18. Fourthly wee must be such as are described Esay 56.4 5 6. Wee must make conscience to keepe Gods Sabbaths and chuse the thing will please God being more desirous to please God in all things than naturall children are to please their earthly parents and take hold of Gods Covenant as resting upon this preferment and the promises of it as our sufficient happinesse And that we may be the more established in the knowledge of our Adoption it will bee good for us to try our selves by the signes of such as are Gods adopted children 1 Such as are Gods children by Adoption haue this marke They are made like unto God their Father in holiness in some truth of resemblance 1. Pet. 1.25 And this they shew two waies first by purifying themselves and sound humbling of their soules for their sinnes that deface the Image of God in them as Saint Iohn saith Every one that hath this hope purifyeth himselfe as he is pure 1. Ioh. 3.2 3. Secondly by imploying himselfe constantly in doing righteousnesse for hereby the children of God are knowne from the children of the Divell 1. Ioh. 3.10 2 In the last recited place you may discerne another signe of a sonne and heire to God and that is the love of the godly as his brethren and fellow heires Hee that loveth not the brethren is of the Divell not of God 1. Ioh 3.10 3 The gift of prayer is a signe of Adoption and that we have received the spirit of Adoption Rom. 8.15 16. By the gift of prayer I meane not the skill to utter words to God in a good form of words and variously but the gift to speake to God in prayer both with confidence in God as in a father and with the affections of praier which the phrase of crying Abba Father imports 4 A Child of God discovers his Adoption by the manner of doing good dueties hee doth serve God not with servile respect but with filiall affection hee loves to be Gods servant as may be gathered Esay 56.6 5 To love them that hate us and blesse them that curse us and doe good to them that persecute us is a signe that wee are children to God as our heavenly father Luk. 6.35 Mat. 5. The second impression that this glory of Adoption should make upon our hearts should be to stir up us to cary our selves in this world as becomes the children heirs to such a father as God is And so in generall it should wonderfully fire us to all possible care to be holy as he is holy and to expresse more to the life the Image of Gods grace and holinesse 1. Pet. 1. 14 15. And that in all manner of conversation striving to carry our selves as the sonnes of God without rebuke in the middest of this froward and wicked world all sorts of the men of the world being so ready to reproach such as are Gods people that if they will speake evill it may be onely for our good conversation in Christ Phil. 2.15 16. And in particular wee are charged in Scripture with certaine speciall and choise things that doe greatly adorne and grace the life of a child of God that is an heire of heaven if we be Gods heirs and he be our father 1 Wee should be Peace-makers for our father is the God of peace and this will force men to call us the sonnes of God Mat. 5.10 2 Wee must not render reviling for reviling but rather blesse seeing wee are heires of blessing as the Apostle urgeth it ver 9. 3 Wee should live without care as knowing that wee have a heavenly father that careth for us Mat. 6.32 And seeing wee are heires of a better world wee should not love this world nor set our hearts upon such mean things as this world can afford 1. Ioh. 2.15 4 If wee be Gods sonnes wee should be willing to submit our selves to his correction If wee yeeld that power to the fathers of our bodies how much more to the Father of our spirits Heb. 12.9 But especially take heed that we provoke not God by carelesnesse and boldnesse in favouring any corruption Deut. 32.18 19. Thirdly our Adoption should be a singular consolation to us against all the miseries of this life It matters not though our life bee hid and though it doe not appeare to the world what wee are and though wee have many crosses and losses and persecutions yet the thought of our inheritance with God should swallow up all Whatsoever wee are now yet when Christ appeares wee shall appeare in glory and there can be no comparison betweene the suffering of this life and the glory to be revealed upon us Rom. 8.17 Mat. 19.29 Col. 3.2 4. 1 Ioh. 3.2 And that wee may be the more comforted wee should often pray to God to shew us by degrees and to make us know the riches of our inheritance both in what we possesse in this world and what wee looke for in heaven And thus of the title of our dignities We are heires Of life Now follows to consider what we inherit and that is Life We are heires of life It is somewhat a strange speech but yet if wee consider of it Life is a most sweet thing there can be no happinesse without it A living Dog is better than a dead Lyon But as life is to be taken here it is a Treasure above all treasures in the world But the enquirie into it is very difficult it is wonderfull hard to find out what life is especially to describe or define the life here mentioned as the glory of Gods adopted ones Life in Scripture is either naturall or spirituall as for naturall life especially since the fall that is so poore a thing as to be an heire to it is no great preferment By naturall life I meane that life that men live while they are unregenerate I say that life is a very poore thing

God and walke in his waies 3 It greatly staies and supports the heart of man in the evill day when temptations or afflictions befall us yet the comfort of our assurance sustaines us and refresheth us greatly For helpe in the evill day the Apostle saith wee should above all things put on the shield of faith which if it remove not the crosse yet it quencheth the fiery temptations of Sathan with which we may be assaulted Eph. 6.16 and it greatly helpes us against the feare and terrour of death Heb. 10.19 20 22. In a word it overcomes the world 1. Iohn 5.4 5. 4 The faith of a Christian is all his living hee lives by faith in all the occasions of life as his faith helps him when all other meanes failes him and makes all other meanes more successfull when he useth them The just man lives by faith The people in captivity that were Gods children raised a living for themselves in a strange land by their faith Hab. 2.5 5 It puts life into all the duties of religion or righteousnesse it worketh by love it sets all our affections on worke towards God and his people and creatures Gal. 5.6 6 It opens a spring of grace in the heart of a Christian every good gift from above is excited and made to flow from within him by the benefit of his certaine knowledge and assurance of faith Iob. 7.38 Now if any aske how a Christian comes to know his calling I answer 1 By his sensible feeling of his sinnes to be a heavie burthen to him of which hee is truely weary so as hee desireth more to be rid of them than of any burthensome crosse whatsoever Mat. 11 2● 9.13 2 By his manner of receiving the voice of Christ and the preaching of the Gospell not in word but in power The voice of Christ hath a marvellous power over him above all things in the world which appeares by the effects of it For he feeles in hearing the word first such an estimation of it as he acknowledgeth nothing like it for power and wisdome 1. Cor. 1.23 24. Secondly he finds at sometimes especially such an assurance of the truth of his religion and the doctrine hee heareth that he is fully established and ●●eed from his naturall uncertainties about the true religion Thirdly the Word worketh in him spirituall senses and very life from the dead which hee feeles in all parts of his conversation making conscience of his waies in all things bewailing his frailties and striving to be such as God would have him to be Fourthly it makes him to separate himselfe from the world avoiding all needlesse society with the wicked and exciting in him constant desires to use the world as if he used it not Fiftly much spirituall joy before the Lord even then when in respect of outward things he is in much affliction The most of these effects are noted 1. Thes. 1.4 5. 3 By the Image of the vertues of Christ in his heart by new gifts in some measure for when God calls a man he reveales his Sonne in him Gal. 1.15 16. There is begotten in him a likenesse of Christ his very disposition is changed into the similitude of the vertues of Christ God gives him a new heart with the Image of Christ stamped upon it and hee is like Christ in respect of lowlinesse of minde and meeknesse and contempt of the world and love of God and the godly mercy wisdome patience love of his very enemies and desire to live without offence and praying to God as to his father Quest. But if Christians may know their calling what should be the reason that so many Christians are so unsetled and are not assured of their calling Ans. Distinguish of Christians some are Christians in name and outward profession but not in deed beeing not at all converted though they have the meanes of conversion and this is the estate of the most men and women in all places Now some are indeede converted but are weake Christians as it were infants that lye but in the cradle of religion Now for the first sort the answer is easie They know not their calling because they are not called yea they are so far from knowing it that they generally are offended at it that we should teach that any body can know his owne calling certainly Carnall Christians then know it not because they have it not and in particular the causes why these Christians attaine not assurance is because they rest upon common hope of mercy in God which house is but like the house of a Spider and will give up the ghost when the evill day commeth upon them And besides they live in knowne sinnes which they love and preferre before all things can bee offered to them by the Gospell Now it is impossible to have true assurance and to lye at the same time in knowne grosse sinnes without repentance And further many Christians by their wilfull unteachablenesse and incurablenesse in sinning doe so provoke God that all meanes notwithstanding yet those things that concerne their peace are hidden from their eies Luk. 19.42 Now for the weake Christian the causes of his want of assurance are such as these Sometimes ill opinions about assurance either that it may not be had contrary to the charge given 2. Pet. 1.10 or if it be had it will not bee profitable contrary to the reasons given before Sometimes it is their ignorance they are so unexpert in the Scriptures that not discerning the frame of godlinesse in generall they can never tell when they fully know this or any other doctrine in particular And this let is the stronger when they smother their doubts and will not aske the way or seek resolution in things they understand not especially in cases of their owne consciences In some Christians this want of assurance ariseth from meare slothfulnesse though they bee often called upon and convinced yet they returne to their former carelesnesse and will not bee at the paines to use the directions given them for the setling of their hearts In some Christians it is a violent pronenesse in their natures to take offence at such infirmities or mistakings as they observe in such as have professed religion before them yea sometimes they take offence at the liberty of those that are truly godly though they abuse not their libertie And this offence is sometimes so deadly that they give way to the projects of renouncing of all religion because they have observed such things in those that professe religion As in the primitive church many Christians took grievous offence at other Christians for the use of their liberty in things indifferent so as the Apostle was affraid they would fall away and perish in their scandalls Lastly some Christians are not setled because when the evill day comes upon them they cast away their confidence and strive to thinke that because God afflicteth them therefore they are not his being for the