Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	christian_a	holy_a	life_n	1,005	5	4.1291	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19293	A familiar treatise laying downe cases of conscience, furthering to perseuerance in sanctification. By Thomas Cooper, preacher of Gods word.; Converts first love, discerned	Cooper, Thomas, fl. 1626.	1615 (1615)	STC 5700; ESTC S120771	80,590	120

be or what others are yet let not this discourage vs in our present measure or from attaining further because he which hath giuen others more is the same also vnto vs and will bee in like measure both accepting what he giues for the present and perfiting of his owne worke in due season 2. That though wee are sometimes ebbing and sometimes flowing in the measure of holinesse yet our God is alwayes the same vnto vs. And therefore measure wee not his loue by our different measure of increase but rather resolue we that as when we increase more we haue more cause to loue him because hee answers our endeauours so when we seeme to goe backward we haue then cause to loue and trust him more that so hee may recouer vs as wee haue more need of his loue when wee faile to lead vs forward againe so we haue as great need of his loue when we haue done our best to emptie vs of all carnall respects of vaine-glory c. that so it may appeare his onely loue hath occasioned this increase all this seruice shall redound to his glory 3. That in the worke of grace wee must liue by Faith and not by sense not measuring our estate by what wee are in our selues but by what wee are in Christ not what we are for the present but what wee shall be in the life to come And therefore comfort we ourselues that as the least sparke of grace is an euidence that we are ingrafted in the Vine so being the Vine we shall be daylie purged and prepared to bring foorth more fruite that what wee doe for the present shal be accepted as perfect in Christ and the more sense wee haue of the imperfection thereof the more may we be assured of our interest in Christ Iesus the more shal we be prouoked still to be found in Christ not hauing our owne righteousnesse that so in him and through him the worke may be perfited Fourthly Make wee tryall of increase by these markes 3. That wee grow in euery part aswell inward as outward 2. That we discerne our corruptions more and are more humbled for them 3. That our affections to the world are more lessened and quieted 4. That we are more contuetned with our estates and can more cast our care on God 5. That we are more willing to endure afflictions and ready to lay downe our liues for the Name of Christ 6. That wee can more grieue for the sinnes of the time and yet labour more hartilie the conuersion of sinners 7. That wee are more sober and wise in the vse of Christian libertie 8. That wee are more cheerefull and able to holy dueties and so doe more hunger after our dissolution and are willing to die 9. That he can be emptied of all by respects yea of all respect vnto our selues for the glory of God 10. That wee finde such sinnes most weakened to which formerly we haue bene most subiect 11. That howsoeuer we differ in practize yet still our desires are more enflamed especially vpon our fayling to more constant obedience Lastlie For our comfort learne wee that our God that commands perseuerance giues grace to the same and therefore we shall continue and not finally decay wee shall leaue out first loue but not loose it altogether 1. Philip. 6. Iohn 13. Luke 22.33 Wherein note That euery conuert hath a first loue that is Doct. 7. Euery true conuert hath a first loue when God hath reuealed his loue vnto him in Christ and by the Spirit of God it is shed abroad in his heart then is the heart of a sinner inflamed to loue God againe then is it enlarged with ioy vnspeakable and glorious 1. Pet. 17. for so great saluation then doeth it striue to expresse it thankfulnesse vnto God for so great mercie then is loue as strong as death much water can not quench it Cant. 8. And this is called his first loue and it is discerned by these markes 1. By his renouncing of all in comparison of it and parting with the dearest for the enioying of it First loue discerned by markes Matth. 13. Ioh. 6. Coloss 3.1 so did the Apostles forsake all in act so must we forsake all in affection and in act too so farre as it may hinder our enioying of Christ Zacheus Luke 19.6.7 2. When we endure any affliction for the Wordes sake 1. Thess 1.9.10 and that with great ioy in the holy Ghost Hebr. 10. Ephes 1. submitting our selues to the power of the word though it be neuer so bitter to the flesh and crosse the lusts thereof 3. When we reuerence highly the Ministers of the Gospell Galath 3.4 thinking nothing too deare for them Act. 16. 4. When we cleare our conscience of all sinne by which our sweet fellowship with Christ may bee hindred so Zacheus Luke 19. not being ashamed to confesse our particular sinnes and renouncing them vnfainedly 5. When for Christs sake we loue his poore members 1. Tim. 1.15.16 17. and impart of our worldly goods bountifully to their reliefe Luke 19. Zacheus 1. Ioh. 2. Ioh. 13. Psal 16.2 6. When wee continue in the powerfull meanes of the diuine worship Act. 2. 7. When we consult not with flesh and blood nor communicate with it but doe vtterly renounce the same in regarde of heauen Act. 9. Galath 2. Matth. 8. c. 8. And being rauished with the sweetnesse of the loue of Christ Luke 22.33 wee enlarge our selues to declare the same to our brethren labouring to bring them to Christ by plucking them out of the fire Ioh. 1.18 Iude 22. The wisedome and mercie of our God in vouchsauing his children vpon their conuersion this liuely and ardent affection of holy loue is manifold Reasons of this first loue First hereby to scale vnto them the trueth and assurance of this blessed Change by this sensible and sweet change of their affections that whereas before they could not relish and brooke the power of the worde neither had any delight in the excellent but esteemed their persons contemptible and odious deemed of their wayes as madnesse or hypocrisie now finding by the mercie of God their hearts enflamed to the loue of the worde though it vtterly confound all former hopes and cut off wholly all future expectations for the flesh and withall pretending such to bee most deare vnto them who are hated of the world and in regarde of outward appearance are not able to requite our loue and yet because they are in Christ are therefore for his sake to be beloued may wee not hence assuredly conclude vnto our soules that wee are translated from death to life because wee loue the brethren is not this our euidence that wee are now chosen out of the world because we loue those whom the world hates is not this an argument that wee are now in Christ because his loue onely constraines vs to loue his members and seeing our loue vnto them is to make them like

him doth he not recompence thee bountifully in teaching thee patience to wait vpon him and must not patience bring foorth the perfect worke hadst thou not then need of patience when thou hast done the will of God that thou mayst receiue the reward and what is the reward thou waitest for is it only that thy prayers may bee granted for the present mayst thou hereby happily haue thy reward already and so to bee depriued of that great recompence of reward And doth not the Lord begin this recompence in answering thy prayers to what is fit for thee doth he not prepare thee to this recompence by enabling thee hereby in patience to possesse thy soule and to waite the good pleasure of God doth hee not hereby teach thee to commit thy soule in well doing into the hand of thy gratious Creator that so thou mayst work out thy saluation in feare and trembling and so be made meet for that glorious inheritance To auoyd idlenesse and walke faithfully in our callings tenuring our repentance for former failings 3. And therefore let my adjure bee pretious vnto thee not to disquiet thy selfe for delay of comfort but rather to take heed of idlenes and curiousity whereunto Satan will now labour to draw thee as taking aduantage of thy dumpishnes and distraction Be diligent in Gods feare so farre as thou knowest in thy calling God hath placed thee in iudge thy heart soundly for former sailings and then I dare assure thee thou shalt not want comfort in thy obedience vnto God if fit for thee for the present and the more thou fittest thy selfe hereby for ioy the sooner it shall returne either in this life if thy wayes are now constant and more spirituall or else in the life to come neuer to faile againe But of this more hereafter and commenced and especially in a treatise if God will to bee published to this purpose called the Cure of a wounded Spirit If yet thou art doubtfull of thy abiding in loue As thou maist decay so thou art iealous of thy self herein I say vnto thee Prou. 28.13 How to know whether we haue left our first loue By these markes Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies And that thou maist be resolued whether thou art decaied or no obserue for thy triall these markes therof which are apparant symptomes of the leauing our first loue 1. Know thou that if thou hast lost that peace of conscience wherby thou wast wont to come with boldnes into the presence of thy God and powre out thy soule in strong cries and teares vnto thy God and so canst not pray with that euidence as in former times with that patience and constancy ouercomming thy God 2. If thou growest fearefull of troubles and vsest carnall policy to preuent them 3. If thou growest worldly and couetous withdrawing thy hand from the necessities of thy brother and neglecting the occasions of charity c. 4. If thou growest negligent in hearing the word contenting thy selfe either with none or an vneffectuall Ministery 5. If thou canst dispense with thy selfe in vaine sports and recreations gaming vaine talke c. wherof heretofore thou madest some conscience wasting thy time and wit in them 6. If thou canst frame to all companies and temporize with each as presuming vpon thy protection from thy Christian calling Ephes 5.1 7. If thou art afraid of death and neglectest the daily and constant examination of thy waies and holy duties in priuate vnto thy God 8. If thou canst so ioy in these earthly things as either not to feele a loathsomnesse in them or not to vse them as sparkes to increase the fire of thy spirituall ioy 9. If thou measurest the happinesse of the life to come by that sense which for the present thou hast thereof thou dost not liue by faith and therefore thou hast left thy first loue Symptomes that follow the leuuing of our first loue And for thy comfort obserue herein an especiall mercy of thy God that there will follow this losse of loue 1. Inward trouble of conscience which will giue thee no rest till thou hast resolued thy case with God and recouered Psal 6.38 c. 2. Some outward sensible stripe either in thy goods person children to open thine eyes the better and bring thee to repentance Iob. 33.15.16 3. Now the world will not faile to flatter thee and as it were to owne thee that so thou maist suspect thy selfe the rather 4. And yet that thou maist discerne the worlds loue thou shalt not want some mocke and reproach to cast the durt of thy decay in thy face that so thou maist be ashamed and confounded in this decay 5. And happily thou maist be giuen vp to some grosse sinne the more to discredit thee with the world that so thou maist not be corrupted with the flattery thereof And therefore thus thou maist recouer out of this decay How to recouer first loue 1. Rest vpon the promises of thy God that thou shalt recouer out of any effects that proceed from thence and thy latter end shall be better then the beginning 2. Meditate on the former experience of the ioy of the spirit that so thou maist presse the Lord from his wonted mercies Psal 77. 1. Sam 17. 3. Consider the meanes that the Lord vsed to plant this ioy and loue in thy heart and by the same know that he will renue this worke and therfore at no hand be driuen from the meanes Cant. 1. Cant. 4.5 4. Resolue that thy former estate was better then now Ose 2.8.9 and therefore returne to thy first loue againe that so the Lord may renue and increase thy loue vnto him 5. Acquaint the experienced souldier with this thy estate that so he may be a meanes to quicken thee againe 6. Giue we not ouer our pursuit of these comforts spare we no paines thinke we all time too little impose we extraordinary afflictions as fasting and so groning vnder the burden and detesting our selues giue we the Lord no rest till he hath returned to his rest and recouered our decaies Cant. 5. To this end vse we the meanes before set downe to recouer from Apostasie And be we comforted that we shall not altogether loose our labour though we haue left this loue How far we shall recouer 1. Either we shall recouer what we haue lost in the same kinde namely the like ioy and extraordinary comforts of thee 2. Or else if we haue it not in this fruit of our loue yet we shall be sure to recouer in another kind which shall be more profitable to further vs to happinesse 3. As the lesse we feele this loue the more we shall expresse our care to vse all holy meanes whereby we may recouer it againe 4. The more we shall learne to liue by faith in the expectation of a greater measure 5. The more compassionate thou shall be to others that are cast downe by this affliction and so labour more