Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n
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A45586
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A Scriptural and rational account of the Christian religion particularly concerning justification only by the propitiation and redemption of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Harley, Edward, Sir, 1624-1700.
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1695
(1695)
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Wing H778; ESTC R14848
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33,881
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122
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God can be well-pleased with sinners even through the Blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God who purgethi'geth our Consciences from the dead Works of Sin to serve the Living God For by one Offering he hath perfected ever them that are sanctisied Therefore to imagine any Possibility of the Pardon of Sin without out the atoning Propitiation and Satisfaction only obtained by the Blood of Christ is an evil Figment to palliate the desperate Wickedness and Sinfulness of Sin to make void the Law of perpetual Righteousness which is the inâ—sible Rule and Judg of all Affections and Actions and doth indeed effectually contemn and blaspheme the infinite Majesty Holiness and Justice of God the Creator and Preserver of all Beings and consequently miserably deprives a Sinner of that strong Consolation given by God to those that fly for Refuge unto Christ to obtain by his Resurrection the Evidence of his compleat Satisfaction to Divine Justice the Answer of a good Conscience The Worshippers thus purged as the Scripture saith having no more Conscience of Sins the Lord having laid on him the Iniquities of us all who do the Work of God to believe on him whom he hath sent For this is the true Cabala the faithful Saying and worthy of all Acceptation That Christ Jesus came into the World to save even chief Sinners In the Cases of Life and Death according to universal Justice in the World it is fatal not only to be an Outlaw flying from Justice Mute in refusing to answer Justice but it proves no less mortal to suggest a Plea which the Law will not allow If a Criminal condemned to die be favoured with some Reprieve and then by the Soveraign's Commission intrusted with an important Imployment the faithful Discharge of that Trust is meer Duty but not Merit and he remains still a condemned Malefactor liable to the former Sentence by the Law of Attaint and Death from which not any thing can deliver but a Pardon from the Soveraign laid hold on and legally pleaded by the Criminal It is thus according to the Rule of Righteousness between the Judg of all the World and every Mortal Creature that God might be just and the Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus Therefore we must not be ignorant of Saton's Devices the Popish Doctrine of Merit by Works sprinkled as they say by the Blood of Christ available to Justification and Salvation is an Antichristian Departure from the Faith and the teaching of Lies in Hypocrisy For there cannot be any Work possible to be accepted by Divine Justice but what is an Act of Obedience to the Law and the best Performances of such is but as our Saviour saith that of an unprofitable Servant When we shall have done all those things which are commanded us we must say We have done that which was our Duty to do Therefore the Observance of a present Duty the Neglect or Male-performance whereof would be criminal Guilt cannot in any just Construction be assumed or imputed to expiate a precedent Transgression guilty of Felony and Treason Yet this Truth doth not in any degree exempt from the Obedience of Faith which is the inseparable and indispensable Obligation and Duty annexed to the Covenant of Grace So that there is not in the least degree any Pretence for Antinomian Libertinism For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all Men teaching us that denying Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Because Faith unites us to the Principle of Life and works in us by Love which is the Operation or Activity of Life in the fulfilling of the Law There is also another Method of the Depths of Satan to cloud the Glory of God's free Grace and the compleat Merit of Christ's Satisfaction and Righteousness and also to shake the Confidence of a Sinner's Hope to obtain Remission and Acceptance by suborning the Act of Faith to share in the Merits of Christ Now how weak and unreasonable this Supposition is will appear by the Consideration of parallel Cases of Civil and Natural Instances in Judicature Tho the guilty Person cannot have Benefit unless he plead the Royal Pardon yet there is no Virtue in the Plea and humble Claim but only in the extensive Validity of the Pardon Likewise in desperate Sickness or deadly Wound the healing Virtue is not in the meer Application or receiving the Sovereign Balm or Elixir not withstanding the Patient cannot be healed without the Reception or Application of the Remedy Thus it is with a Sinner before the Divine Tribunal Faith believes the Truth and Goodness of the Promise and embraces and relies upon it that is upon the Redemption purchased by Jesus Christ for compleat Salvation from the Condemnation and Corruption of sinful Death for Reconciliation and Acceptance with God and for Participation of Eternal Life which is in Christ Jesus to be communicated to all those who by Faith receive Christ and so have an Union of Life with Christ Now as in the Body the Artery and Nerve is the Ligament the Vessel and Conveyance for vital Union and Motion unto all the Members by the Blood and Animal Spirits So Faith to the Soul is a Means of vital Union with Christ and of the Application and Merits of Christ All which is effected by the Spirit of Christ without which we are none of Christ's and Faith it self is dead The Look of one stung with the deadly fiery Serpent to the Brazen Serpent had no share in the healing Virtue of that Divine Ordinance yet without looking up to the Brazen Serpent the Person stung could receive no Benefit but must die So Faith hath no justifying Virtue inherent in it self For what may prevail to justify must make the Conscience perfect Consequently the Efficient of Perfection must of it self be perfect but Faith cannot be such for it is not of our selves it is the Gift of God Now whatsoever is received is received according to the Measure and Capacity of the Recipient which 〈…〉 and frail 〈…〉 it cannot be 〈…〉 the Law was weak and 〈…〉 through the Flesh so even the Gift of Faith is not able through the remainder of Corruption to perform any perfect Work Therefore the Scripture represents the Lord Jesus Christ under the Notion of the most tender Compassion to the weak in Faith that he will not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax but will bring forth Judgment unto Victory which proceeds not from any Virtue and Power inherent in the Work of Faith but from the Righteousness and Strength which only is to be found in the Lord Jesus by perishing Sinners who sly for Refuge unto the Hope that is set before them Jesus Christ the Son of God Even as the Man-slayer under the Law could not be secure from the Avenger of
Manifestation of his infinite incomprehensible Being which Manifestation of the Deity is given in his Word of Truth to be God the Father God the Son God the Holy Ghost one and the same living and true God blessed for ever 21. The Efficacy of the Covenant of Grace consists in Redemption and Regeneration Redemption by the Propitiation to Divine Justice through the Satisfactory Merits of the Sufferings Death and Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the Will of God for the Justification of a Sinner Regeneration by the Holy Ghost in the Renovation of the Soul quickened and sanctified in all the intellectual Faculties unto Newness of Life by a new spiritual Birth The Condition of the Covenant is Faith fiducially resting on Christ and vitally uniting unto Christ for Justification and Sanctification by effectual Vocation The Obligation and indispensable Duty of the Covenant is the Obedience of Faith working by Love in the fulfilling all the Commandments of God 22. The Covenant of Works being made with the first Adam who was a meer Creature and therefore liable to fall when left to the freedom of his Will the Perseverance in his created Uprightness could not be secure But the Covenant of Grace being made with the second Adam the Lord from Heaven both the Performance of the Duty of Obedience to the Precepts of the Covenant and the final Perseverance in the Conditions of the Covenant are according to the Promise of God by the Spirit of God enabled to preserved in and perfected So that no believing Sinner may presume in himself or despair in the Grace of God by whose Power he is kept through Faith unto Salvation The everlasting Covenant is ordered in all things and sure for this is our Salvation that nothing shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 23. That which is stiled Natural Religion is the Rational Conviction upon the Intelligent Mind of Man of indispensable Duty to fear trust obey believe and love God with all his Heart Mind and Strength according to the Commandments of God Therefore there is a necessity of the Revelation of the Will of God by which is made known the compleat Perfection of instituted Religion Instituted Religion is the Rule of true Wisdom to bring Mankind to eternal Happiness by directing all his Affections and Actions in the Fear Faith and Love of God to their proper Objects according to the Will of God and the Glory of God That Religion only is true which is the Practice of Obedience to the Word of God and accordingly brings us to God in Spiritual Worship by Jesus Christ alone who is the only Mediator of Redemption and Intercession That Wisdom which was the Enquiry of Philosophy the Demonstration of Theology is the Possession and Practice of the pure undefiled Christian Religion which removed from all Profaneness Superstition and Will-worship is the commanded and accepted way of Worship to God in Spirit and in Truth of Obedience to all the Commandments of God from Love to God of Righteousness to the Neighbour with Love as to ones self of Holiness and Sobriety in respect of his own Person made and renewed in the Image of God all upon hope of everlasting Blessedness to the Glory of God This Religion is the Characteristick Excellency of Man and is the only true Cement and Security of Mankind in all Conditions and Relations 24. The Felicity to which the Christian Religion gives Title and Possession is both temporary and everlasting In this Life Conversion from Darkness unto Light from the Power of Satan unto God from the Folly and Madness of Vanity and Sin unto the Fear and Love of God which is the beginning of true Wisdom Justification from the Guilt of Sin and thereby Peace with God Sanctification by the renewing of the Image of God in Righteousness Knowledg and true Holiness by the Spirit of God dwelling in the Soul to quicken direct preserve in the Paths of Righteousness from all Apostacy Adoption to be a Child of God an Heir of Heaven and to have Right and Acceptance to cry Abba Father that is to be emboldened to approach the Throne of Grace and to offer continual Sacrifices of Supplication and Thanksgiving upon our only great and glorious Altar the Lord Jesus Christ in him drawing near to God our exceeding Joy This State gives Contentation in every Condition under the assurance that all things shall work together for our good and that all our most difficult Labour to resist Temptation to overcome the World to mortify Corruptions to deny Self shall not be in vain in the Lord but shall receive a full Recompence of Reward in the Kingdom of Heaven Therefore whatsoever is done or suffered is in hope of the Glory of God knowing that the State of this present World is not capable to receive the Blessedness and Glory of Eternity in Heaven The Felicity of Eternity cannot possibly be represented or declared by the Tongues of Men and Angels Unspeakable Words uncapable to be heard or uttered in this Vale of Tears are necessary to set forth what Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the Heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him and fear him and wait for him and trust in him before the Sons of Men. This is that immense Felicity when we shall know as we are known and shall be changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord in the Beatifick Vision of God to all Eternity when the Lord shall bring all his Servants into the Possessions of the Joy and Glory of that Kingdom which God hath prepared for them before the Foundation of the World But most dismal shall be the woful Misery of those who refuse to obey the Gospel commanding to crucify the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts to renounce a vain Conformity to the Pomps and Pleasures of the World to forsake a vain Conversation received by Tradition from our Forefathers to deny self so as to cut off Right-hand and Foot and pluck out right-Eye and to cast them away They that account such Lessons too difficult to be observed must hear and perish under the Sentence Depart from me ye Workers of Iniquity into everlasting Fire where the Worm shall never die and the Fire shall never be quenched The Conclusion and Sum of the whole is this In the beginning i. e. from Eternity was the Essential Word and the Word was with God All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Who in the fulness of Time was God manifested in the Flesh for of the Seed of Abraham as concerning the Flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amen In whom we have Redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of Sins Who is the Image of the invisible