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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	church_n	great_a	know_v	1,117	5	3.7969	3	false

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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

wonne by them to sound obedience to the Word of Christ nor can grieue them more than by their wilfull resisting of the meanes 3 It requires a great deale of spirituall policie and skill to winne soules a Minister that would doe it must sometimes be like a Foxe It is written of the Foxe that when he is very hungry after prey and can finde none he lyeth downe and feineth himselfe to bee a dead carcasse and so the Foules fall upon him then he catcheth them Even so a Minister that hungreth after the winning of his hearers must sometimes be driven to make a very carcasse of himselfe by denying himselfe and turning himselfe into all formes that his hearers may bee enticed to flocke to his doctrine Paul is faine to deny his maintenance and to become all things to all men even to be a servant unto all that hee might winne some 1. Cor. 9.19.20.21.22 Yea sometimes a man to entice his people must deny his owne profit and make himselfe like a dead carcasse in respect of profits that so he may the better allure them to fall upon him in his minstery Some people will never be caught if the Minister bee bussling amongst them for the utmost of his Rights but if a man will endure to be stript of his Rights sometimes they will goe to heare such a man and so may be catched And thus from the Etymologie of the Word The matter it selfe imports divers things done upon the person so gained as also it notes some thing in the disposition of the party that is to winne and withall something in the estate to which he is wonne For the first when a man is said to be wonne it imports first that he is brought to see that hee is lost in his former estate Secondly that he is brought to confesse his misery and sinne and withall to yeeld himselfe with humilitie of minde to bee disposed of by the supreme Conquerours and withall that he giveth over all opposing of the way of godliness Which may serve for tryall to all such as account themselves gained to godlinesse for such as oppose sincerity or see not they are lost or yeeld not themselves to be disposed of by Iesus Christ are not indeed wonne whatsoever they professe For the second it notes That such as are truly godly shew their affection to such as they are linked to in the bonds of nature by their earnest desire after the salvation of the soules of such as they are tyed to in those bonds Thus Paul desired the salvation of the very Nation he was of thus parents shew their love to their children by bringing them up in the nurture and instruction of the Lord and thus here godly wives shew their love to their husbands in endevouring to winne them to godlinesse and the obedience to the Word Which serues also to trye the affections men professe they beare to their kindred or neighbours or any they are linked to in nature or affinity Parents love not their children that endevour not to get grace for them aswell as riches and so neighbours should shew their love by admonishing instructing and edifying one another 1. Thes. 5.14 For the third in that hee saith indefinitely Wonne not mentioning to what it imports That such as are wonne to true godlinesse are likewise wonne to all happinesse even to Gods kingdome in respect of their right to it especially if they be effectually converted Hee is wonne to glory that is wonne to grace which also may serve for tryall for if thou canst find that thy heart is wonne to sound sanctification thou maist from thence assure thy selfe of thy salvation as certainly to be had as it is certaine thou hast sanctification They also This Also imports two things First that the Word of God never winnes so many but there are still more to be wonne though thousands were converted among the Gentiles yet still there was hope of winning more In the spirituall husbandry all times are not times of harvest and in the harvest all the spirituall graine is not ripe at once The Iewes were first to be gotten in and then the Gentiles were ripe for the harvest Iohn 4. and when the fulnesse of the Gentiles is come in by that time the Iewes will be ripe againe and so it is in particular countries cities parishes families And as in winnowing though it bee done with never so good a winde or skill yet some graine will still be in the chaffe so it is in places where the most good hath been done by the meanes And herein God is better than the naturall husbandman for the naturall husbandman will never winnowe the chaffe over againe for a few graines of corne nor will he thresh over his strawe againe if but a few cornes of wheate or barley bee in the strawe but God will winnowe a great heape if it were but at length to find one graine of spirituall corne It may be often observed that in some places God sets his servants to thresh or winnowe in great assemblies of chaffe and yet after divers yeares labour it may be they get but one graine of corne that is convert after much toile perhaps but one or two soules Now if any aske why all that belong to God are not converted all at once I answer that it were sufficient to satisfie us if we knew no more but that it pleased God to have it so it is his will it should be so But yet that it is a wise providence of God so to order it may appear in divers things for by continuing the meanes to call his owne Elect thus by degrees the wicked are left without excuse Besides the godly while they looke for the daily discovery of new converts are thereby put to the exercise of many graces and dueties as diligence compassion charity a winning conversation meeknesse prayer exhortation and the like And besides the outward peace of the Church is thereby preserved for if it were knowen once that all the Elect in any place were called there would follow such violent opposition from the greater worser sort as there would bee no place of rest for the Church in the world They would all bee of Caines minde if God had declared his testimony on both sides from Heaven And therefore at the day of judgement ●ssoone as he hath parted the Elect and Reprobate and sentenced them he disposeth so of them as they shall never live together againe And further if all the Elect were gathered at once the world would bee at an end for then Christ would deliver up the kingdome to his father 1. Cor. 15.24 and therefore Ministers should continue painefull in their labours as remembring that they are set to worke for the edification of the Church till Christ come againe Eph. 4 12. And though the most of their present hearers have refused the Word of God and are hardened yet they may see cause of constancie because

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

they must presently lay necessity of silence upon themselves till they be able to speak quietly and without frowardnesse This one rule constantly for awhile observed would breed a great alteration in their dispositions quickly and in time weare out the force of the disease Vnquietnesse is much enlarged by the words are uttered after the offence is taken And thus of a meek and quiet spirit only we may note from the indefinite requiring of meeknesse That Christians and in particular Christian wives must exercise meeknesse and quietnesse towards all persons and at all times and in all places In all places I say and so both at home and abroad towards all persons and so they must carry themselves quietly not onely towards their husbands but towards their servants and their neighbours whether they be poore or rich And at all times They must not be yongue Saints and old deville as the proverb is that is of a soft and gen●le behaviour at first and then grow froward afterwards Age and infirmitie● are not sufficient excuses for vicious anger and unquietnesse Besides in that the Apostle resembles meeknesse to apparell it imports That by nature wee are borne without it our soules being as naked in respect of meeknesse as our bodies be in respect of cloathes and withall that it should be our every-daies care to put on meeknesse and fit our selves for quietnesse as wee would put on our cloathes And further as it is not enough to put on our cloathes but we must tye them and fit them handsomely so must we use discretion in the putting on of meeknesse and quietnesse sitting the vertue to the reasons and occasions of the day Thus of the second part of this verse The third and last is the reason why women should be so carefull of this kinde of dressing and apparell and that is Because it is a thing of great price in the sight of God Which in the sight of God is of great price Divers things may be hence observed 1 That God doth highly esteeme of the vertues and true grace and good behaviour of his servants and therefore in this place their vertues are said to be very rich in Gods sight and in the Scriptures hee gives the terme of riches to their gifts 1. Cor. 1.5 and grace is called glory Esay 4.5 and God is described as if he were in love with his people when they carry themselves graciously Iohn 14.21 And this serves greatly to exalt the praise of Gods good nature and tender affection to man and the more because all good things in us are his owne gift Iames 1.17 and because our best gifts have many imperfections in them and our best workes are defiled with sinne Esay 64. and besides because he greatly esteemes them even the least beginnings of goodnesse in his servants as their desires to bee good and their very preparations of their hearts to goodnesse Esay 55.1.2 Psal. 10.17 2 Christians are bound in all their behauiour to carry themselves so as that God may accept of them and esteem what they doe and this is required of them in every state of life They are tyed to this not onely in what they doe in Gods house but in what they doe in their owne house This all are charged Heb. 12.28 and so wives here and so seruants Eph. 6.5 6. 7. The praise and acceptation of God should bee ever before their eyes the reasons are Because the formes and rules of all behaviour are given by God his Word is the light to our feet and the lanthorn to our paths Psal. 119. and is onely able to make the man of God perfect in every good word and worke 2. Tim. 3. ult and besides if we doe well we are sure never to faile of the praise of God whereas if we seeke the praise of men we may be deceived For either they may praise us for that which is abominable in the sight of God Luke 16.15 or they may dispraise us when we doe well or at best their praise is mutable And further it is God that must reward our good conversation Ep● ● ● and therefore reason● that hee bee looked after in what we doe Lastly this i● a signe of difference betweene the godly and the wicked in doing good dueties a godly man is knowne by this signe that his praise is of God and not of men Rom. 2.29 Mat. 6. The use should be to teach us therefore in all our waies to labour to please God and above all things to seeke his acceptation Now if wee would have God pleased with what we doe we must looke to divers rules 1 Wee must bee sure that wee are not in the flesh for they that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8.8 Wee must be sure we are new creatures Gal. 6.15 2 Wee must set God alwaies before us and remember his holy presence Gen. 17.2 Psal. 16.8 God cannot abide to be forgotten 3 We must come to the light that it may bee manifest that our workes are wrought in God Iohn 3.22 Wee must walke by rule Gal. 6.16 and doe all in faith Heb. 11.6 4 Wee must serve God in our spirits aswell as in our outward man not as men-pleasers or with eye-service or with outward worship but from the heart and with the spirit Rom. 2.28.29 Eph 6.5.6.7 5 Wee must make conscience of the least sinnes to avoide them and of the least commandements to obey them if we would be great in Heaven Matth. 5.19 Divers of these are exprest in one sentence Mich. 6.8 Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee surely to doe justly and to love mercy and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God 6 We must avoid those sins that God especially hates such as are Swearing Commandement 3. Deut. 28.58 lukewarmnesse in religion Rev. 3.15.16 persecuting such as feare God 1. Thes. 2.15 16. wilfull fashioning our selves after this world Rom. 12.1.2 to blesse our selves in our hearts against Gods curses Deut. 29.19 through impatience or unbeliefe to withdraw our selves in adversity Heb. 10. 38. and in generall all grosse sinnes Rev. 22.15 Doct. 3. The best riches a Christian hath are his vertues and gifts of his minde and therefore he saith here they are rich in Gods sight Now they are his best riches in divers respects 1 Because they are riches in Gods sight whereas all worldly treasures commend not any man to God Gal. 3. 28. He gives us naked into the world and takes us himselfe naked againe 2 Because they furnish the best part of man viz. his minde whereas worldly riches doe onely furnish mens houses or bodies 3 Because no violence can take these treasures away A man may be vertuous spight of the hearts of all the devills in hell or devillish men on earth whereas worldly treasures may be many waies lost 4 Because those things doe make a man rich to immortality whereas worldly riches can serve at best