Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	good_a	know_v	see_v	1,978	5	3.1860	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42017	Sermons of Christ, his last discovery of himself of [brace] the spirit and bride, the waters of life, and, his free invitation of sinners of come and drink of them : from Revel. 22. 16,17 / by William Greenhill ...	Greenhill, William, 1591-1671.	1656 (1656)	Wing G1858; ESTC R40034	141,801	259

the coming of Christ In Isa 66. they say there Let God be glorified Joh. 16. They shall cast you out of their Synagogues and hate you and kill you for my name sake and think they do God good service Wicked men know it is their duty to glorifie God and they go about it though they do it the wrong way but now this being for Gods glory and revealed it is the duty of all men to desire the coming of Christ But I shall come to those Observations the words will afford Obs 1. That the coming of Christ is a thing made known and ought to be made known Let him that heareth say Come How shall they hear unless this be known and made known it cannot be heard nor desired there is hardly any thing in all the Gospel so much made known as the coming of Christ is Christ himself doth frequently speak of it Joh. 14. I go away but I will come again I will see you again saith Christ Joh. 21.22 23. If I will that he tarry till I come what is that to thee so v. 23. If I wil that he tarry till I come what is that to thee Till I come I mean to come again And in Revel 2.25 That which yee have already hold fast till I come saith Christ to the Church of Thyatira Christ himself speaks oft of his coming so the Angels have proclaimed and made known the coming of Christ Acts 1.11 This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as yee have seen him go into heaven So Peter he hath proclaimed the coming of Christ Acts 3.20 And he shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you God shall send Jesus Christ again and he shall come and he vindicates the coming of Christ which was questioned 2 Pet. 3.4 some said there Where is the promise of his coming Peter vindicates this Looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God And Paul he is not silent in this business but he speaks frequently of the coming of Christ 2 Thess 1. When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and chap. 2. vers 1. We beseech you Brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and vers 8. Whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming So in 2 Timoth. 4. I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing And in Tit. 2.13 Looking for the blessed love and the glorious appearing of the great God and of the Saviour Jesus Christ and in Heb. 9. ult and chap. 10.16 17. he speaks of it James also mentions it And it is observable there is not one Writer in all the New Testament but speaks of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ Jam. 5.8 Bee yee also patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh Peter also speaks of it I told you before So i● Jude 14. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints and John he mentions it frequently six times in this Chapter my text is in doth he speak of it And will you have Matthew and Mark and Luke to give their testimony see in Matth. 24.27 For as the Lightning cometh out of the East and shineth unto the West so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be Mark likewise speaks of it chap. 8.38 When he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels and Luk. 10.13 he calls his ten Servants and delivers them ten pound and saith unto them Occupy till I come so that it is very observable that all the Apostles and all that write the Epistles do speak of the coming of the Lord Jesus Now why is this coming of Christ insisted upon so much and made known so much and so often repeated 1 Because we are hard to beleeve it men are hardly induced and perswaded to beleeve the coming of the Lord Jesus 2 Pet. 3.4 say they Where is the promise of his coming do not all things abide as they did from the beginning They could not beleeve Christs coming and it is a hard thing to perswade men and settle men in this the coming of the Lord Jesus again 2 If men be perswaded to this yet they are wonderfull apt to forget his coming and to put the evil day farre of Matth. 24.48 The evil servant says in his heart my Lord delays his coming he will not come in my days so the wise and foolish Virgins grew secure the wise slumbered and the foolish slept and so forgat the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ we are apt I say to forget and to put it off 3 This is so often mentioned and insisted upon that so we may prepare for it Matth. 24.44 Therefore bee yee also ready for in such an hour as yee think not of the Son of Man cometh The Son of Man comes and hee will come suddenly when men and women do not think of it therefore it is to be made known that people may bee ready and prepared for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ 4 Lastly This is made known and so much insisted upon in the New Testament because it is a ground for Patience and to bear up the spirits of men and women against the Cross against afflictions against reproaches against discouragements and all the hard measures they meet withall here in the World Heb. 10.36.37 For yee have need of patience that after yee have done the Will of God yee might receive the Promise they had indured the spoyling of their goods and great afflictions and saith he yee have need of Patience For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry here is a ground for their patience Christ will come and so in Jam. 5.7 Bee patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord behold the Husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it be yee also patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth neer This will bear up the heart against all discouragement these afflictions reproaches temptations will have an end when Christ comes so that upon these accounts it is so much spoken of and to be made known Application 1 This serves for reproof First of those that cannot indure to bear of the coming of Christ that had rather hear of any thing than the coming of Christ why is Christs coming spoken of so by himself by all the Apostles and Evangelists Doth the Spirit say come and the Bride say come and shall not we indure to hear of the coming of Christ It argues abundance of guilt abundance of wickedness and prophaneness abundance of ignorance in the heart that cannot indure to hear of the coming of Christ 2 It reproves those and shews how inexcusable they will be that the coming of Christ is so made

it is all from the root of the tree so the differences that are amongst men it is from the root Christ he gives unto one man great parts to another man lesser parts he gives unto one man a strong judgement a strong memory admirable Elocution to another man he gives not the same the difference is in Christ he is the root of Nature and communicates what he please So likewise the talents of Grace he gives to one man one talent to another man two talents to another man five talents the Lord is the root and he makes one higher than another some men have choyse Gifts and Graces some one man hath more than ten other men have it may be another man is beneath him in a degree or two some are beneath a great deal in Grace some are Babes some Children some Young-men some old Disciples So in Glory the twelve Apostles shall sit upon twelve Thrones in glory some are like the Sun some like the Moon some like the Stars where is the difference the difference lies in the root he communicates what he pleases both in Naturals in Spirituals and in Glory 3 If Christ be the root then let us not bee high-minded let none be lifted up with whatsoever injoyments they have whatsoever gifts you have whatsoever Graces you have what Glory soever you look for bee not lifted up and the reason is plain here and so Rom. 11.18 Boast not against the Branches Why another man is a Branch as well as thou art take man as man he is a Branch in the Tree of Nature and wilt thou boast thy self against him boast not of thy wit or beauty or strength or any Natural abilities thou hast for thou bearest not the root but the root thee So boast not of Spirituals that you have so much faith so much knowledge so much patience humility and love do not boast of these things Christ is the root and the root bears thee So do not boast of what places you shall have in Heaven the Sons of Zebedee they would bee at the right hand and at the left hand of Christ when they came into his Kingdom they would have such and such places but know the root bears thee be therefore humble and lowly what thou hast thou hast received why art thou lifted up then as if thou hadst not received it the root the Lord Christ will call you to an account one day of what you have received and how you have imployed the same therefore remember thou hast all from the root and nothing of thine own 4 If Christ be the Root that bears up all bee the root of Nature Grace and Glory then let us fear to offend and provoke him if a mans life habitation and maintenance depended upon some one man would he not take heed how he provoked that man doth not your All depend upon this root Christ your Nature depends upon him in him you live and move and have your beings your habitations and maintenance depends upon him So for your Spiritual life and Spiritual good doth it not depend upon this Root Is not hee the Root of Life of all Spiritual life and comfort and blessings Is not hee the root from whom you receive all Grace all truth and all comforts and good Do you not look through him to have your glory why will you offend him now and sin against him O what a root is this that bears up all Nature that bears up all Grace and all Glory and bears up all the Spiritual good of men and women the root that bears up Heaven and Glory and all take heed I say of trampling upon this root of wronging Christ of slighting Christ of grieving Christ of displeasing him any way if he with-draw influences of nature dye you must presently if he with-draw influences of Grace in darkness you must sit presently if he should with-draw Glory from you where would you bee but without doors 5 Again If Christ bee the root of Nature Grace and Glory then let us make it our business to serve and honour him is it not the duty of a Childe coming from the loyns of his Parents to serve them and honour them so it is the duty of every man seeing Christ is the root of every man it is the duty of every man to serve the Lord serve him with thine Eyes serve him with thy Tongue serve him with thy Hand serve him with thy Foot serve him with thy Understanding serve him with thy Will serve him with thine Affections serve him with the whole Man for thou hast all from him as a man let all then return to him Waters that come from the Sea run back again to the Sea and seeing wee all come from Christ who is God and the root of Nature let us then work in order and serve him But much more you that are Spiritual hath Christ given you life Spiritual life quickned you when you were dead in sins and trepspasses Is Christ the root of all your Spiritual good and welfare will you not serve Christ what will you be for the World for Hell and for Sin now why Christ is your root are you then his Vine and will not live to Christ certainly we should serve Christ and honour Christ upon this account and we would do it if we did well consider why I have my life of Faith and of Grace and of comfort and I hope for Glory hereafter from Christ and shall I not serve the Lord Jesus Christ I look for glory therefore I will purifie my self as he is pure Christ in you the hope of Glory is he your root and have you hope of Glory then purisie your selves as he is pure yea serve Christ with pure hearts and pure affections and pure conversations live to the Lord Jesus he is the root of Nature the root of Spiritual life and the root of Glory 6 Again if Christ be the root of all then here you may know what your conditions are what state you are in tell me what root you are rooted upon what root do you grow on do you grow upon the old Adam still or are you rooted upon Christ If old Adam be your root as hee is the root of Man-kind of corrupt man if you grow upon that root you are no more than when you came into the World your fruit is sour your Grapes are wild Crapes your Natures are corrupt you are enemies to God you are upon the root of bitterness a root of death Nay let me say Are you upon Christ now as he is God only for Christ is the root of Nature as he is God if you be rooted upon Christ as hee is God only as he hath made you if you be no more than this you have marred your selves since he made you therefore make inquiry whether you be rooted upon Christ as Mediator as the root of David as God-man whether you have interest in Christ upon that account and if it be your

Christ Cant. 5.10 He is said to bee white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand and altogether lovely who should bee more desired than Christ Christ looks upon his Church as lovely and desirable and he saith Come away come away my beloved come over the Mountains and come away and have communion with me and Christ is farre more lovely than the Church farre more glorious and beautiful Christ is the bright morning Star and is not that desirable Christ is the Sun of Righteousness that comes with healing in his wings and is not be desirable Christ is the brightness of his Fathers glory and is not he desirable Pro. 13.15 Wisdom is to be desired above all things saith he and is not Christ the Fountain of all Wisdom In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 and is not he desirable Christ is the Bridegroom and is not he desirable such a Bridegroom as never was in the world before nor will be afterwards no marvell then the Church saith Come come come he is desirable 3 If the Church do desire Christ then here is matter of comfort for the Church matter of comfort for every beleeving soul that doth desire Christ comfort upon sundry considerations 1 The soul that doth so desire Christ as you have heard that desires Christ Spiritually that desires Christ earnestly that hath a waking desire after Christ a lasting desire a desire that springs from promises this is an Argument now unto thee of the truth of grace such desires come from the Spirit of God they are not from Nature from the flesh and bloud flesh and bloud doth not desire the coming of Christ but it is from a principle of Grace from a Fountain within from something conformable to Christ and this is an argument of comfort many are troubled they know not whether they have Grace or no but dost thou so desire the coming of Christ it is an argument of the truth of grace in thy heart 2 It is an Argument of a blessed condition Matth. 5.10 Blessed are those that hunger and thirst after righteousness blessed are they in the Judgement of the Lord Jesus Christ himself thou art a blessed Creature Dost thou hunger and thirst after righteousness To hunger and thirst is to have earnest strong desires after righteousness and if so thou art blessed Now is not Christ righteousness Look into Jer. 23.5 6. saith the Lord Behold the days come that I will raise unto David a righteous branch and a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute Judgement and Justice in the earth in his days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is the name whereby hee shall be called the Lord our righteousness Well dost thou hunger and thirst now after righteousness after Christ and his righteousness Doest thou see thine own righteousness as spotted filthy loathsome and throw it away and hunger and thirst after the righteousness of Christ what he hath purchased and procured by his Death Sufferings and Merits for poor sinners thou art a blessed Creature that dost desire Christ 3 Thou shalt be satisfied for ere long Christ will come Yet a little while Heb. 10. and hee that shall come will come and will not tarry Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me I am a coming I am a coming saith Christ and he will satisfie the souls of those that do desire him Revel 7.15 Therefore are they before the Throne of God and serve him day and night c. and vers 16. They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sun light on them nor any heat for the Lamb which is the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes They shall be fed and be filled and shall not hunger and thirst any more and it is not long For that might bee obj●cted Wee have desired and we have waited long why it is not long Christ is a coming the things that now we see do prognosticate as much unto us When the Son of Man cometh shall he finde faith on the earth Where is any faithfulness in men no faith to be found in men And doth not the Devil rage now and throw out puddle waters Blasphemies Errours and Heresies And are not all Nations perplexed at this time and know not what to do and which way to turn them And is there not a spirit of Prayer abroad for the coming of Jesus Christ more than hath been in former days And if it bee so these are Arguments that Christs coming is nearer at hand then you are aware of therefore here is comfort to the Saints and servants of Christ Christ will come and then they shall be satisfied that have desired and waited for his coming 4 If it bee so that the Church desires the coming of Christ then let me intreat you all to examine your selves whether you do so desire the coming of Christ yea or no and if you would know it I shall commend two or three things to you beyond what I have laid down 1 That Soul that desires the coming of Christ as the Bride here doth lives not in any known sin that Soul that lives in any known sin that Soul cannot that Soul doth not that Soul dares not desire the coming of Christ I will give you one place of Scripture for it 2 Thes 1.8 When the Lord Jesus shall bee revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ If a man be ignorant and knows not God and his duty and if a man do know God and his duty and disobey the Gospel dares that man now desire the coming of Christ that shall come in flames of fire to render vengeance Doth the Murderer desire the coming of the Judge Doth any guilty man desire the coming of him that will bring him forth and punish him for his guilt therefore the Soul that desires the coming of Christ is a Soul that lives in no known Sin he is neither ignorant of God Gospel nor duty nor disobedent to God Christ or Gospel 2 If you do desire the coming of Christ in truth and according to those desires before mentioned you will make some preparation for the coming of Christ as you see the Bride that saith Come she prepares for his coming Revel 19.7 And his Wife hath made her self ready she prepared for his coming And so in the Gospel Luke 12.40 Be yee therefore ready also for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when yee think not And the wise Virgins they made ready in Matth. 25. saith he there And while the foolish Virgins went to buy oyl the Bridegroom came and they that were ready went in with him to the Marriage and the door was shut Now what do you do towards Christs