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	father_n	good_a	2,753	5	4.1032	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76092	Sick-bed thoughts, upon those words of the apostle in Phil. 1, 23 ... Part. I containing an answer to that great and solemn question, what that state and condition is, which a person must be found in, before he can have good and sufficient ground, not to be affraid, or unwilling to dye? / by J.B.	Batchiler, John, ca. 1615-1674.	1667 (1667)	Wing B1075; ESTC R42879	47,054	145

wrought Gold Psal 45.9 13. So doth poor captive Hester when taken out of her captive-condition and made Queen she throws away her captive-weeds and comes to her Liege-Lord and Prince with the Crown Royal upon her head and in robes of Majesty though all still not at her own cost or charges or by her own procurement but by free-gift from her gracious Prince who finding love enough in his heart to make her his Queen found money enough in his Coffers thus richly to adorn her And thus is it here between Christ and the Soul he provides it sumptuous attire and the soul by Faith puts it on and Oh! now how lovely and taking is it in the eye of Christ what a goodly person is it How doth it dazle in it● Cloath of Gold and in such a cloat● of Gold as is Coat of Male too which Divine Justice it self with its keenest Arrows can never pierce all which while Conscience hath an evidence of within it self and can prove that it hath thus put on Christ Is not here also another ground of peace of admirable peace Yes verily saies the Apostle Rom. 5.1 Being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Fourthly When Conscience bears witness that 't is not content onely with the meere work of Regeneration and that it hath indeed passed that over whereby it is become a Childe as well of the second Adam as of the first and bears the Image as of the Natural man so of the Heavenly too but also is every day endeavouring to perfect holiness in the fear of God and to be growing in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and so more and more making sure of Heaven according as the Apostle excellently discourseth in 2 Pet. 1.5 9. For so says he An entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ So how why by giving all diligence to adde to Faith Virtue and to Virtue Knowledge and so of the rest that is to add new degrees to every Grace for otherwise there is no new Grace can be added that was not received in the first work when the soul was first regenerated and became a new creature The meaning therefore is that he is not satisfied with meere habitual Grace but is careful that every grace may grow and grow at root and branch too in fairness sweetness fragrancy He would not have the earthly plants and 〈◊〉 in his Garden out-grow the Heavenly ones that are in his heart he would not have the Sun Showers and Influences of the visible Heavens fall 〈◊〉 upon his Violets and his Roses than the powerful Be●●●s and Influences of the Sun of Righteousness upon his Soul and therefore he takes pains with his own heart waits upon every Ordinance improves every opportunity he meets with seeks all waies and means and useth all possible endeavours that he may thrive in his inward man and at last attain to that stature in Christ that may render him meet to partake of the inheritance of the Saints in light However others spend their time in this world this is one of his main businesses and this his Conscience bears him witness and is not here again more matter of peace Fifthly when Conscience bears witness to a man that to the utmost of his power he hath faithfully discharged all relative duties that lye upon him either as a good subject to his superiours and the powers he lives under as far as may any way consist with his loyalty to Jesus Christ or in his domestick relations in his family as an Husband a Father a Master or as a Childe a Servant or what ever other Family Relation he or she hath stood in or as related to a Church of Christ of which happily he is a member or to any other of his fellow-Saints abroad or Neighbours Dealers Traders with whom he any way converseth I say when Conscience accuseth for no want of duty here likewise It is a quiet Conscience and at peace within it self Sixthly When Conscience bears a man witness that he hath been or at least is of a God-like Spirit that is of a gracious and benigne Disposition 1. To all men in general That as his Sun shines both upon the Just and unjust and his Rain falls on good and evil Matth. 5.45 So he hath been and alwaies is ready as occasion serves to do good to all sorts of men even the very worst that are so far as may consist with the Rule of his Duty and he hath any warrant for it But more especially towards three sorts of persons in the World 1. To Malefactors Enemies such as hate him have much offended him and done him wrong yet hath been alwaies ready to lay aside revenge and to pardon and forgive even to seventy times seven Thus God doth and thus his Conscience bears him witness 't is his not onely endeavour but delight to do even to overcome evil with good 2. To persons in misery he is like God here too of a merciful disposition can say as Job yea and appeal to God himself as he did concerning his compassion and helpfulness to the Widdow the Fatherless the poor and the oppressed that had no friend to speak for them in the Gate No Morsels to feed upon nor Garments to wear but what they received from his Table Bounty or Procurement Job 31 16-22 3. But most of all to the poor suffering Members of Jesus Christ to them of all others his Bowels yearne them to be sure he will not fail to relieve cherish visit comfort and every way as far as able minister unto them and this without distinction of Persons or Parties 't is not this or that difference in Opinion provided it be such as leaves a man upon the foundation but the grace of Christ that draws his heart and his compassions from him Seventhly and lastly When Conscience yet farther bears witness that in all he hath purely sought the glory of God even in all that he hath done throughout his whole course in one kinde or another yea and that he hath not onely been ready to do what Service he could for God in any capacity wherein he hath at any time set him since he had any saving knowledge of him but hath been ready also to suffer for him and give testimony to his Truths Waies Ordinances and holy Institutions in opposition to what-ever hath been contrary unto them What-ever Sufferings of his might any way advance Christ his Name Honor and Interest in the world he hath willingly undergone them and still is ready as much as in him lies in all lawful and warrantable waies to do his utmost for the raising of Christ and his Kingdome higher and higher even above the Thrones and Scepters of all that oppose him If Christ might ascend but one inch by his becoming a foot-stool to him he would joy and glory in it he

being wicked men and women they are far from a truely good and quiet Coscience And so now I think I have answered this objection too and that without leaving any room for a Reply I come next to the use of all which is two-fold SECT 10. The uses and improvement of the point First by way of information and then of exhortation both to good and bad By way of Information SEe here the difference the vast difference between men and women regenerate and unregenerate between men reconciled to God and unreconciled between men of a good Conscience and an evil Conscience and that both in their life and in their death In their life which in many things differs very much I will reduce all to four heads briefly 1. One of them the regenerate person lives holily the whole course of his life is holy in all the designs of it in his continual practise in a sincere thorough universal constant obedience He is freed from the bondage and power of sin he is no way under the dominion of it it doth not reign in his mortal body but he is very much dead unto sin and alive unto God There 's nothing in the world that he hates and flys from so much as sin and all occasions and temptations leading to it Hee 'l as soon adventure himself into a nest of hissing Serpents or into an house infected with the Plague as to go into any place or company where his heart may be endangered or his eyes and ears be vitiated with corrupt and corrupting objects discourses and examples And as for the Devil that is alwaies injecting filthiness into his thoughts or laying snares before him and still some way or other is soliciting him to evil he is so much aware of him that he stands upon his guard continually is evermore struggling with him and by his holy combates with him through the strength of Christ never fails of making some conquest over him more or lesse and whilst he resists him causeth him to fly from him But now the other the unregenerate person how wickedly and wretchedly doth he live What an unholy and impure life How doth he wallow in his filthinese as a Swine in its mire and lick it up as a Dog doth his vomit how doth his heart lye asoak in sin and what a miserable Vassal and Slave is he to it multos Dominos habet qui unum non habet How many Lords is he under whilest he disobeys the Lord his Maker every lust exerciseth a domination over him a great and a severe Tyranny How is he distracted betwixt this sin and that betwixt this temptation and that And how busie is he to make provision for every Lust I and he must please the Devil too whose Vassal he likewise is so far is he from resisting or opposing him and indeed how can he he having laid his chains upon him For doth it not fare with the Devils Bond-Slaves whom he holds Captives at his will as the Apostle speaks 2 Tim. 2.26 as it doth with the Turkish Galley-Slaves who being both Manacled Shackled and fastned to their Seats and Oares are made to work till the Irons eat into their very flesh and besides that to suffer as many cruel blows as their savage Task-masters have a minde to give them This then is one difference A second is this The Regenerate person walks with God is in amity and friendship with him as Enoch was there is a great good will betwixt God and him they are agreed together as the Prophets Phrase is Amos 3.3 can two walk together except they be agreed It is the regenerate man's daily and constant care in all things to please God to do his will yea all his will this is meat and drink to him he is never better pleased than when like Christ himself Luke 2.49 he is about his Fathers business this he mindes more than his appointed food as Job did Job 23.12 He will rather lose a Meals meat two or three for fail than an opportunity of doing a service for God or wherein he may any way injoy some good from him in this or that Duty or Ordinance Which kindness God takes great notice of and will be sure to answer again to him and some way or other makes him sensible how well he takes it at his hands This blessing and that shall speak it out unto him he will make good all that he hath promised to them that keep his Statutes and his Judgements to do them Deut. 28 1.-15 All manner of blessings shal come upon him the blessings of the City and of the Field of the Basket and of the store yea of Heaven and of Earth as is there at large expressed But now as to the unregenerate person it is quite otherwise with him he is at enmity with God and God with him he walks contrary to God and God to him he hates God and God hates him as 't is said of the howling Shepherds so they are called Zach. 11.3 that had no pity upon the Lords people ver 5. their soul saies God abhored me and my soul loathed them ver 8. the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hates Psal 11.5 And thereupon must not such an one needs be under a curse a dismal one and may he not reasonably look for it every day Yea every hour every moment hath he not cause to fear that one curse or other one sore Judgement or another will fall upon him What saies David Psal 7.11 12 13. God is angry with the wicked every day if he turn not he will whet his Sword hee hath bent his bow and made it ready Hee hath also prepared for him the Instruments of death he ordaineth his Arrows against the Persecutors And again Psal 11.6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible in the Margent 't is a burning tempest this shall be the portion of their Cup. And this is a second Difference the third follows A regenerate person hath an awakened an enlightned a tender Conscience a good and bonest Conscience that will do all its Offices faithfully It will inform accuse give true evidence rebuke and passe a right Judgement too as the case requires It will not suffer him to lye in his sin or to neglect the means that may remove either the guilt or filth thereof and 't is his constant care alwaies to keep it wakeful and tender apt to be convinced and apt to rebuke upon all occasions He no way despiseth the fore-warnings of it to prevent sin and the checks of it when sin is working and ready to put forth it self for by this means principally the amity is kept up between God and him and the peace that he injoyes inwardly maintained But how much otherwise is it with an unregenerate man either he is a man of no Conscience that is makes no Conscience of any thing he doth scruples nothing doubts nothing but adventures upon any thing