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	lord_n	see_v	2,421	5	3.2795	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52818	A spiritual legacy being a pattern of piety for all young persons practice in a faithful relation of the holy life and happy death of Mr. John Draper / represented out of his own and other manuscripts containing his experiences, exercises, self examinations and evidences for heaven ; together with his funeral sermons ; published by Chr. Ness.	Ness, Christopher, 1621-1705.; Draper, John, d. 1682.	1684 (1684)	Wing N464; ESTC R29558	57,400	206

to take him then were my thoughts fixed upon Christ though they had been wandring two days before and I had lost my beloved yet nothing could give me peace till I here found Him and Sweet communion with Him wherein I heard him say to my Soul thy sins smal and great are pardoned and thy pardon is sealed I saw as it were his precious blood spurting out of his sides into my heart Oh my Soul ever for ever love this Lovely Lord admire and adore him who hath sealed thy pardon Never sin more but walk suitably to all this c. The Fourth Sacrament was November 6. 1681 whereof he saith thus I have longed for this ordinance because I had more than ordinary sins such as pride that I had long groaned under which made me long for the sprinkling of my Dear Redeemers blood to wash them away I was also pestered with passion as well as pride with unbelief with wandring thoughts and some times with Blasphemy O cursed cursed sin and O wicked wicked heart once to think whether God was or no when thou hast had such clear evidences of a Diety these were my five deadly odious sins which I begg'd might be purged from me O that I may never see nor feel them more At this Ordinance I found relief and feeling the Wine falling down lower and lower I desired it might carry of all my filth so as to leave none remaining and there did I resolve through grace to leave those five sins and never have any thing to do with them c. The Fifth Sacrament was December 4. 1681. wherein saith he I did again lay my sins before the Lord fearing their return upon me did desire a meek and humble heart against my pride and passion I did again resign my self to God having broken Covenant with Him and begging with the Syrophaenician Woman to touch the Hem of Christs garments that I might be cleansed from my issue of sin but could not at that instant get so nigh him but afterwards had I a clear representation of Christs sufferings in the Garden where he bore the wrath of God sweating drops of blood through his cloths in a cold season so that he came as from Bozra with died garments then I saw the crown of thorns upon his head and his head beaten with the Soldiers iron-gloves which made the thorns wound his Holy Head in 72. places so that the blood ran down upon his body I saw also the heavy weight of the cross laid upon Him and how he was spit upon reviled and derided this blessed sight prevented wandring thoughts till the last prayer though I did not deserve the least crumb of comfort for unpreparedness to so great a work which had God dealt out my desert would have been no less than Hell c. The Sixth Sacrament he did partake of was January the first 1681 2. upon which he makes these remarks I had been some days before more than ordinary in my preparation and prayer for a profitable receiving and when I came to it I was sore afraid that I should lay stress upon preparatory actings therfore begged I of God that he would not deal with me accordingly I laboured to act my requisite graces As 1. Repentance laying open before the Lord all my old year sins to that New-years day and laboured to mourn for them more than formerly especially for my deadly deadly sins Spiritual pride Passionateness Wandring Thoughts in Holy Duties unbeleif worldliness c. and I hope God gave there both pardon of them and power against them 2. My thankfulness I actuated as well as I could for so rich a mercy begging for it both hard and always 3. My love though I had much too little experiencing the sweet Kisses of Christs mouth and Embraces of his love I saw Christ on the Cross Embracing me as vvell as I him and saying to God I have paid a Ransom for him this man is he c. This was so sweet that I could embrace the stake or even go into hell so I might thus enjoy him whom my Soul loved and when I heard the Minister say mourn for your sins that murdred your Lord I answered within my self How can the Children of the Bride mourn while the Bridegroom is with them Twice did wandring thoughts offer themselves but were by grace suppressed at the first rising having now obliged my understanding will memory affections conscience yea all to attend Gods service While thus fill'd with this enjoyment I longed to be in Heaven and desired that welcom welcom friend death that I might sing with the Holy Saints and Angels Hallelujahs to to the Lord then said I O my Soul let nothing draw thy love from thy Lord For the World Friends Relations Pleasures Profits all things put together can never give such joy to thee as thou hast found from lovely lovely Jesus in this blessed ordinance therefore lay not out thy love upon any thing besides Him who hath done and is doing great things yea and will do greater for thee Such was my warming warming loves at this Supper The Seventh Sacrament was February the 3. 1681 2. Upon which he remarks thus when I found my heart not fully fixed by my New years Day Sacrament but notwithstanding all my striving I was yet troubled with distraction in duty I longed for this ordinance very much and thought it long till it came that accounts might be made even between God and my poor Soul I was dull for 2. or 3. Duties before and could not get my heart raised whereby I saw that I deserved nothing though wandring thoughts pressed upon me yet were they cut short 2 or 3 times I found relief from those sins I had laid open before the Lord in the foregoing Sacrament I bewailed my breaking covenant my distraction my deadness and coldness in duty c. And at this Sacrament my Dear Redeemer met me said to me I have pardoned those thy sins at thy request this much affected and inlivened me in love to him seeing him then as it were coming from Heaven to the Earth and from Earth to the Cross shedding his precious blood for me and from the Cross into Glory and methought Christ said to me go sin these your sins no more which obliged me to a close walking and to be more watchful than before all this month the Lord kept me from pride but alas my other sins returned to foil me The Eighth Sacrament was March 5. 1681 2. Upon this he saith thus I had more than ordinary communion with God before it and have not had a sweeter season for a long time which made me long till it came in this ordinance I saw my dear Redeemer as it were dead with a company of Holy Angels holding of Him and a great darkness over all the place this was grief to my Soul but presently he that was dead I saw him alive again and comming into the midst of us to see

to the unconverted which through grace shewed me the necessity of my conversion yet all this time never consulted with any man about my sins but only confessed them to God till I met with Mr. Hookers Soul preparation for Christ which convinced me to advise with some Godly minister hereupon I did address to one though a stranger to him saying Sir I cannot I dare not any longer refrain having ask'd my self what fitness I had to dye was answered I was unfit till I had eas'd my heart to you as followeth 1. When I was 7. years old I tore my Bible and cast away my Catechism 2. I have broke the Sabbath by rambling abroad playing at farthings with naughty boys and washing my self in the fields when I should have been at the Church c. 3. By excusing my sins with a lye so added one sin to another for covering it 4. Nor have I been free from Youthful Lusts which young Timothy was bid to flee but my corrupt Heart hath had workings after the Act several times yet hath been wonderfully prevented by the advice of my Godly Sister who laid before me Christs words Mat. 5.28 whoever looks on a woman to lust after her c. however I am guilty of Heart-Adultry yea 5. I have erred and laughed when I have heard the word preached with power c. Hereupon the Good Minister gave me grave council and comfort suitable to my penitent case and condition yet notwithstaning all this I was not effectually called nor througly converted and made a new creature until afterwards I heard that Sermon upon Mat. 5.25 26. as the account above mentioned specifieth But alas in my Apprentiship through the hurries of the World in our way of trading especially in May and June c. I became negligent of my close walking with God not minding as I might to continue in his love when God my adversary was reconciled to me I neglected Dayly Self-examination or did it only to halfe part being dull and sleepy through weariness with worldly work at night then my old corruptions got head again upon me I broke my Covenant made at the agreement with my adversary and I Apostatized from these sweet thoughts I formerly had upon my God and Dear Redeemer for which had he not been gracious I had been damned and rotting in Hell for ever This consideration made me exclaim against my self saying O silly Soul to heed a perishing dying world before Heaven such sadness and darkness seized on me at this time when the things of the world I found had been the substance of my thoughts and discourse that I knew not what to do nor whither to go at last I turned to the Lord and begged of him that he would not take the forfeiture nor suffer me to run this ready way to utter destruction I cryed Lord 't is just with thee to hurle mein to hell and into the hottest place thereof and never wait longer upon such a cumber-ground as I am but to thee my Dear Redeemer do I run for refuge as one that am hungry and hardly bestead poor blind naked wretched and miserable a loathsom wretch unworthy to be called a servant much less a Son having so wickedly departed from my God yet through thee will I venter again to my God and by thy strength I will better mind my future walkings O my dearest Redeemer I die without thee O come in once again and let me feel once more what it is to have Christ dwelling in my Soul O find a time of love wherein to disperse those dark clouds and shine upon my Dead and Darkned Soul O hath my night no day 't is an hell to me to be thrust away from God I know the cause is all at home my sin my sin O let it be done away then should I recover the light of thy countenance as formerly and in so doing I do ingage to amend my manners depending on thy help my hand is witness John Draper now to bind his Soul and Slippery heart to God the better in observing this new ingagement he wrote down many profitable rules in his pocket book As 1. In a day of humiliation I must lay all my sins before the Lord and resolve to forsake them 2. I must look upon my sin of Passion as a feaver in my mind of Lust as fire in my bones of Pride as a fatal tympany in my Soul of covetousness as an insatiable and unsufferable thirst and the sin of Envy or Malice as rank poyson in the heart 3. If I would run so as to obtain I must cast off all those weights or sins that do so easily beset me 4. I must resolve to begin betimes the running of this race 5. Nor must I loyter in the way 6. Nor must I cumber my self with the needless incumbrances of the World 7. I must look to every part of my way with equal care and observation 8. Nor must I ever think I have gone far enough till I have obtained the prize 9. And the further I have run in this race the more eager should be to obtain the end 10. I must alway think that I am upon the brink of eternity and therefore should give all diligence to make my calling and election sure working out my Salvation and making sure work for a better world before I go hence to be seen no more 11. I must ever come to God as to a Soul-pittying a Sin-pardoning and a Prayer-hearing God 12. I must be fervent in prayer yet submit to Gods Soveraign●y 13. Occasions of being too ●ong alone are to be avoided so ●s Strong Drink and too full a Dyet 14. I must be thinking oft Death Judgment Hell and Hea●en those four last things 15. I must not stretch my Christian liberty too far for he that dare go so far as he thinks he may goes sometime farther than he should c. 16. I must bridle my Tongue and not be too apt to speak of things whereof I am not certain And much more to the same purpose both for particular and general instruction too long to insert here This Holy Young-Man put down in his pocket book also how he had been Exercised with Temptations to Sin as to Theft Adultry Playing at Cards and prophaning the Sabbath c. as also with tryals to prevent temptations instancing that in a lash upon his eye with a Coach-whip whereby the Lord healed him of hie lustful Eye which had been too ful of Adultry 2. Pet. 2.14 CHAP. IV. NOw come we to the Third Head his Examinations of himself in the workings of his heart relating to his Communion with God It was not enough to this good Soul to examine himself only when he was approaching to the Lords Table on the Lords Day as is before specified but he look'd upon it as his duty to do it every day both every Sabbath-day when there was no Sacrament and every week day also making it his continual daily

c. Tenthly So observant was he 〈◊〉 all the workings of his own heart that he sets down how that when he was praying once in the dark Cellar without any light the Tempter possessed him with fears that something would appear to affright him but God graciously stepped in and said to him fear not thou Son of Abraham c. Gen. 15.1 Eleventhly He records the very Days wherein he missed his taking an account of his own daily task of self examination and when he omitted the scattering of some savory discourse becoming table-talk at meat-times Twelfthly He computes the very times First When mourning for sin was made sweet to his Soul Second When he enjoyed Gods presence in prayer both by himself and with others Third How often God came to him when disturbed in Duty or disappointed of it being constrained thereby sometimes to pour out his heart to God in the shop by day and upon his bed by Night in both which places he had sweet warmings of Spirit Fourthly How oft he made resignation of his Soul to God which was very frequent as also how oft he renewed his Covenant with God especially upon Sacrament Days which are the most Material Remarks whereof I would not omit one out of choice I could collect out of the many sheets I had to peruse in my oft reading them over And had not the same matter so oft upon distinct occasion repeated been reduced by this method to those few several Heads this tract might have swollen into a volume CHAP. V. THE last subject of this Discourse is twofold First The Evidences He had for Heaven Second The Characters that were given him by gracious and judicious witnessings of others As to the First I find several Evidences writ with his own hand and which gave sweet encouragement to his Soul that he was a chosen vessel of mercy and one to be filled as with Grace Here so with Glory Hereafter First I know my Repentance saith he because my sense under sin as a burden is heavier to my Soul than all my afflictions are to my Body I am ashamed of my secret sins which no man seeth or knoweth before the Lord who seeth and knoweth them and all other things and I desire to leave my darling sin and to leave all love to it yea to loath it through my love I bear to my Lord and Dear Redeemer whom I account dearer to me than any sin yea than all the World c. Secondly I know saith he that to have true faith by Christ is more precious to me than all things in the World I am willing to receive him into my heart as my Lord and King to Rule me and my Faith works by Love so that I am grieved for his absence and rejoyce at his presence and I am willing to part with all for him that he may be my all and in all Thirdly I find a delight to do Gods Will sometimes in praying to him sometimes in praising of him sometimes in hearing from him and sometimes in meditating upon him and upon that Work of mans Redemption Fourthly I feel my heart mourning most for that sin which most disturbeth my peace and most separateth betwixt God and my Soul and longing most for that mercy that will do me most good in a dying hour to wit not general but special mercy even mercy in Christ Fifthly I can say that I love the Lord for I hate that which grieves him and that because it grieves him and I love those that are most like him yea the places and duties wherein I have found the Lord warming my heart and cannot be content without him in any Sixthly I can say I have a principle of life spiritual for I find hungrings and thirstings after an enjoyment of Christ and find my Soul grieved when he is dishonoured either by my self or by others and I love long and look for his last appearing and coming Seventhly I highly value the Gospel that Word of Christ and Truth which bringeth good tidings even Reconciliation and the Dispensation of the Grace of God which hath been hid some Thousand of Years and now is forfeited yet graciously continued to us though withdrawn from many Nations I am thankful for it labour to live like it and to adorn it with my life daily Eightly I know that matters are agreed with God so that he is now no adversary because I find an oneness with him 1. In mind which is made correspondent with the mind of God by this agreement I can think the reproaches of Christ to be greater riches than the Treasures of Aegrpt Heb. 11.26 2. Oneness of Will I can say whether for life or Death the will of the Lord be done Acts. 21.14 Though there hath been much ado to bring my will into an agreement with God and when I find not sometimes an actual agreement yet have I always an habitual agreement of my will with the will of God 3. Oneness of Affection I love what God loves and hate what God hates Psal 119.70 Jer. 44.4 I hate sin which God hates so I love holiness which God loves 4. Oneness of way Can two walk together unless they be agreed Amos 3.3 Psal 119.30 and 25 5. and Isa 56.4 5. 5. Oneness of interest Gods Interest is mine and my interest is Gods I can say in the Witnessings of the Holy Ghost Rom. 9.1 that there is this five-fold Oneness betwixt God and me so are agreed The Ninth Evidence for his Interest in Heaven was his Holy Jealousy over his own heart in all his holy undertakings ever fearing that some by respect and not Gods glory was the motive that led him to holy duties this he oft prayed against and particularly cautions a gracious Young-Man with whom he had agreed to carry on a Christian Correspondency either in absence by Letter or in presence by Conference that herein they did not bring hurt instead of good to themselves by seeking our selves and not him whose we are c. We are not our own but Christs who pay'd dear for us far more than we are worth and we have covenanted to glorify him not our selves c. this Holy Jealousy is a blessed frame of Spirit Tenthly His prizing an Union and Communion with God above the Confluence of all worldly comforts This point he in another letter to the Young-Man aforesaid when in the Country by sickness much insists upon saying while we enjoy Gods presence we have the Hidden Manna and that joy which strangers to God intermeddle not not with all is nothing and worse than nothing without it 't is Heaven upon Earth and 't is Heaven in the way to Heaven thus David reckon'd One Day with God better than a thousand without him c. Eleventhly O What carefulness do I find in all his Manuscripts as well as in his letters expressed to keep his accounts even betwixt God and his Soul that right reckoning might keep them long friends in his