Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	action_n	good_a	law_n	1,011	5	4.8972	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47311	A sermon preached at Coles-hill in Warwickshire, January 24, 1685, on occasion of the death of the Right Honourable Simon Lord Digby, Baron Digby of Geashil in Ireland, who deceased at Coles-Hall, Jan. 19, 1685, on Heb. 6. 12 by John Kettlewell ...	Kettlewell, John, 1653-1695.	1686 (1686)	Wing K382; ESTC R658	21,305	40

Learn of me for I am meek and lowly Matt. 11. 29. But in this use of learning our duty from Good Examples we must take care to chuse such acts of Good Men for our imitation as had a law of God to direct them Good Mens examples are no warranty to our Consciences when they are alone They make our duty plainer by illustrating Gods Laws so that they help our understanding of what is good when there is a Law with them But they do not make any thing a duty without a Law and much less can they authorise any action which is against a Law of God so that we must not think it enough to justify us in any action that any good Men have done the same 1. We may not imitate all the Actions of Good Men because no Men are perfectly good in this World but have a mixture of Good and Evil in them They have not only Virtues to be followed but over-sights and Humane Passions to be pityed and avoided And these being faults and blemishes in them can give no security in following them 2. We may not imitate all such acts of theirs as the Scripture recites without blaming Such is Jacob and Rebekkah's fraud in making blind Isaac go out of his way and Stealing away Esau's blessing Gen. 27. And Holy David's putting his friend Jonathan to excuse his not attending upon Saul at the Feast of the New Moon by making a feign'd Story for him 1. Sam. 20 5 6. And by such another fiction getting the Shew-bread and Goliah's Sword from Ahimelech which occasioned the death of fourscore and five of the Priests and of all the inhabitants not only Men but also Women and Children in the City of Nob. 1. Sam. 2● c. 22 These with other such like actions of Good Men the Scripture relates by way of bare History and Narrative without making descants and reflections or passing any censure on them But the silence of the Holy Pen-men in this Point is no sign of their Approbation God has plainly enough laid down the Rules whereby Men ought to act in these cases and from which we are to judge of their actions And therefore having related the facts which were done they leave others to bring them to the Rules and see whether they are according to them When any Good mans action then is related in Scripture 't is no sufficient justification of it to say it is not censured unless it can be shewn moreover that it is not lyable to censure that is that it is against no Law of God which both the Holy Pen-men and we are to censure and judge of all Actions by Nay further 3. We may not imitate all such Actions as we find justified and commended in the Scriptures The Reason of this is because the Scriptures commend not only purely virtuous but also mixt actions which are only justifiable on some accounts but culpable on others Thus the Lord in the Parable doth by his needy Steward who at his going off provides for his future subsistence among his Lords Tenants by a false Stating of his Masters accounts he commended the unjust Steward that he had done wisely Luk. 16. 8. Where though the Lord commends his fore-sight that he acted Providently yet had he design'd to speak to it he would as much have blamed his fraud and dishonesty And thus our Saviour doth by David when he speaks of his eating the Shew-bread he justifies his eating of it though it were appropriated to the Priests and was Holy because all that was superseded by his Hunger and necessity Matt. 12. 3 4. But although he there maintains his eating of the Holy Bread yet are we not thence to conclude he would also have defended that falshood whereby he procured it 1 Sam. 21. 2. Thus St. Paul among his other Worthies praises Gideon and Samson and Jephtha Heb. 11. 3● But that which he would recommend to imitation among us from their Practice is only their faith not their Hostilities and Warlike invasions And the like judgment we may reasonably pass upon the Commendation given to the Egyptian Midwives who with their Pious Charity in saving the lives of poor Innocents joyn'd falshood to their own Prince to whom when they reply'd any thing at all they ought not to have given a false answer in their examinations Therefore says Moses God dealt well with the Midwives and made them Houses thereby not approving their insincerity but only rewarding their Pious Charity Exod. 1. v. 16. to v. 22. In these and the like instances when the Good part in a mixt action is the most eminent as in the case of the Midwives or when the ill part happen'd through a pityable fear and great temptation to it as in the case both of them and David God who is much more prone to approve than to spy faults and had rather observe what may make for us than what would make against us is pleased oft-times to take notice of the virtues of his servants which are to their Praise without mentioning the defects intermixt which would be to their disparagement But because in these mixt actions God commends what he likes we must not think that he also approves what his Law forbids and punishes The ill part of good mens Actions their faults and defects are no ground of his commendation and so can give no warranty for our imitation of them One example indeed there is which is perfectly without sin and that is the example of our Blessed Saviour who did no sin neither was guile found in his Mouth 1 Pet. 2. 22. But although we are secure that in his example nothing justly deserv'd blame yet must we not draw even it as a Rule in all Points for our imitation For he was a Person of a most peculiar office and station and many things which he did were in virtue of that which are not compatible to us that follow him He fasted forty days and forty nights at his entrance upon the office of being a Law-giver to the Church as Moses had done before him He whipt the buyers and sellers out of the Temple and overthrew the Tables of the Mony Changers without any visible authority of a publick Character or warrant from the Magistrate but only as he was the Son of God and because the Spirit of Zele was upon him He freely and openly reproved the Scribes and Pharisees those great Rules among the Jews and call'd King Herod Fox by virtue of his Prophetical Commission These and several other things he acted not as an ordinary person by his pattern to lead on other Men but as being acted by an extraordinary Spirit and in pursuit of his mediatory office and undertaking which is a thing wherein we must not pretend to imitate him 'T is true our Lord's example is a Rule to direct us in our duty and he intended it should be so calling us to be his followers by treading in the same steps

and to be meek and lowly as we saw he was But in taking Measures of our duty from it we must not conclude any thing a duty barely from his Pattern but only where his Laws say the same For not to be minute in all the particulars wherein our Blessed Saviour's example may instruct us the safest and easiest argument from his actions in this case is when they are instances and illustrations of his own Precepts It is not his practice but his command that makes any thing a duty and when he practises according to it that exemplifies the commandment in its lively forms and circumstances and is a more sensible manifestation of the duty injoyn'd by it The adding of his practice where he has given a Precept serves for a clearer illustration of it but if there be no precept his practice alone doth not bind nor make any thing become a duty which before was not one And accordingly those instances wherein the Scriptures recommend his example to us are things injoyn'd by his own Laws As when we are bid to be me●k and lowly as he was Matt. 11. 29 to inherit the virtue of Blessing our Persecutors and Slanderers from his practice 1 Pet. 3. 9 to follow his steps in a Patient Resign'd endurance of unjust sufferings without railing or wrathful returns 1 Pet. 2. 20 21 23. and the like And as this is true of the example of Christ so likewise of the Examples of other Holy Persons recorded in Scripture For even their unmixt Actions which were not blameable in them are sometimes unfit for our imitation being perform'd in pursuit of peculiar offices or authorized by such circumstances of things and other special inducements as they had at that time and which do not agree to us in common with them 1. Several of their Actions which the Scripture justif●es were by virtue of immediate divine warranty and commission which would have fallen under a just censure but for that reason Thus the Israelites borrowed of the Egyptians and pay'd not again because God the supreme Disposer of all mens Goods had given them that express Direction Phineas though a private Man did a Publick act of justice upon a Malefactor without expecting the forms of Law and the Magistrates order for it because he had a Particular Divine impulse a thing sometimes vouchsafed under the Jewish dispensation and the Spirit of Zele was upon him Jehu took Arms against the House of Ahab and slew his Master Joram by a particular command of God which would have been a most detestable Treason and Rebellion without it The Holy Prophets are most publick and plain in their reproofs both of Princes and Priests calling them Companions of Thieves Rulers of Sodom Blind Watchmen Dumb Dogs greedy Dogs and the like because there were such Profligate Powers then and though they were in Authority this was no criminal speaking evil of dignities because the Prophets spoke not of themselves but only delivered Gods Message which he had put into their Mouths These bold and open reprehensions of higher Powers were good in them because the Lord had bidden them But this is no justification at all to the black-mouth'd Quakers and other railing Rabshekah's of our time who have neither the like just occasion nor if they had can reasonably pretend to any such prophetical office and commission 2. Other of their Actions were commendable upon their suitableness to the present circumstances and particular state of things at that time which would have deserv'd no praise but rather reproof at another season Such was David's eating the Shew-bread in the pressing necessity of his Hunger and when he could have no other which had been unjustifiable and blame-worthy out of that circumstance and at any time when common Bread was to be had Such also was St. Pauls circumcising Timothy when he chose him out to gather Jewish Converts because that would help him to gain upon the Jews who at that time having a great devotion to the Law of Moses would not only be slow to receive instruction from but also to give access and converse freely with an uncircumcised person But because he did it in this advantageous circumstance we must not conclude it may be done indifferently in any others or to comply with their error who press the necessity of circumcision and the Law of Moses in which alteration of the case the Apostle himself was so far from doing the same again that he inflexibly refused to circumcise Titus when the necessity of it was urged upon him by the false Brethren and Judaizers Gal. 2. 3 4 5. Such again was the practice of having all things common at Jerusalem when the necessities of the poor Saints could not otherwise be supplyed and the confiscations coming upon the Church for Christ's sake would let no Christian there call any thing his own long And the Apostolical Rules of holding no acquaintance or commerce with stubborn contemners of Church-orders and notorious evil livers which whilst the Church was encompassed with Heathens so that its own members would seek shelter from it and the offenders were fewer in Number and so unable to protect themselves was like to reduce them These practices were good then because prudent in their circumstances and proper for that season but would not deserve the like approbation in those who should go to imitate them unseasonably at another time 3. Lastly Some Actions of good Men particularly under the Old Testament were justifiable whilst that Dispensation stood which would be criminal in us now who are under a Law more perfect Such was Elias's calling down Fire from Heaven upon his Adversaries which agreed well enough with that State But when the Disciples James and John went about to do the like and pleaded his Example in justification of it Jesus rebuked them and told them his Dispensation required another manner of Spirit Luk. 9. 54 55. Such also are the Liberties of having many Wives of putting away their Wives for every cause and dislike of cursing Enemies and praying down Judgments upon their Heads which no good Christian must presume to do because he finds it done often by holy David in the Psalms and by others of the holy Prophets since our Saviour has out-stripp'd Moses and rais'd our Duty higher in these Points As to this use then of good Mens Examples viz. taking the information and measures of our Duty from them their Examples are not sufficient to warrant our Consciences when they are alone but only when we see the Law and Rule too which they went upon It is not enough to justifie us in any Action that they did it unless it may appear that they did well in it and that it is according to Law which shews what they ought to do Their practice is not to give Laws but is it self to be ruled and judged by them as ours is If they act against any Law of God

that Law condemns them and so will never justifie us for following them in an unlawful thing But if they acted according to it we may safely follow them but that is not upon the authority of their Pattern but of God's Law which justifies both us and them They are only his Laws not other Mens Practice which at last must judge us God shall judge the World according to my Gospel says St. Paul Rom. 2. 16. and my Word shall judge Men at the last day says our Saviour Joh. 12. 48. And if Laws must govern our Sentence bare Examples without Laws can never be sufficient to guide and authorize our practice So that in learning our Duty from good Examples we must seek to understand a Command more fully and usefully by seeing it exemplified but not think bare Examples make Virtues and authorize Actions where there are no Commands at all And this I have insisted the longer on because in judging of their Duty Men are generally prone to build too much upon the Examples of such as have been eminent for the Practice of it They find it easier to follow what they see others do than to enquire what they ought to do and so by an indiscriminate imitation sometimes turn those Pious Examples which were intended for the Souls most wholsom Food into its Poison 2. The second use we are to make of Pious Examples is for a Motive to hearten and excite us to an imitation of their Virtues This is the most proper use of Examples when Laws have made Duties and establish'd the goodness of Actions to be an argument and incitement to the Practice of them This end they serve by working upon that natural Emulation which is in Men who care not to be out-done in an advantageous or praise-worthy thing and seeing others reap Honour or Happiness from any Performances are thereby much incited to attempt the same Now the Example of Pious Persons spurs us on to an imitation of their Virtues both as it shews the Performance of our Duty to be very desirable and fairly possible 1. As it shews it very desirable and inflames us with a noble eagerness and earnest longing to do as they have done That which principally doth this in Examples is the honourable end and happy event of them for the Glory and Greatness of the Rewards shews the desirableness of any Service and is fittest to work upon our Emulation And this the Scripture particularly directs us to look to in the Examples of Holy Men. Ye have heard of the Patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord how bountifully he rewarded him for it says St. James to the Jewish Converts when he exhorted them to bear Affliction patiently as he did Jam. 5. 10 11. In running our hard Race with Patience says St. Paul let us look unto Jesus who endured much worse and is now set down for it at the right hand of God Heb. 12. 1 2. Be ye followers of them saith the Apostle in the same Text who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises And remember them who have spoken to you the Word of God whose Faith follow considering the end of their Conversation and what Eternal Bliss they got by it Heb. 13. 7. Thus doth the Scripture propose the end of their Services their purchased Glories and Rewards as the most Powerful Argument to enkindle noble Desires in others and gain Followers So that if we would give our selves the Benefit of Deceased Saints Examples we must consider the Blissful End of them and often reflect how their Piety has placed them in a state of most pure perfect and endless Happiness where they are at absolute Rest from all their Labours and eternally exempt from all Sorrows Fears and Cares where they injoy all their Hearts can desire and live always in the Presence and about the Throne of God whence they daily receive Communications ineffable and Glories incomparable and such ravishing Delights and inward Satisfactions as no Fancy can reach till we come to feel them all which they are to injoy for evermore This is the incomparable Reward of all the good they did and a due and serious Consideration of it will inflame in us an Emulous Desire and mightily ingage us to do the same 2. Their Example encourages us to imitate their Virtues as it shews such imitation fairly possible They were Men of like Passions Over-sights and Infirmities and subject to like Trials and Temptations with our selves And since notwithstanding all these Difficulties and Discouragements they were successful in their virtuous Attempts we may justly take Heart and hope to be so too For our Discouragements are no greater than theirs were and our Assistances from the Spirit and good Providence of God will be no less He will be the same in all Times to all that labour in expectation of his Aid and Faith of his Gracious Promises So that if we will imitate their Labours we may promise our selves to experiment their Success and to prosper and be victorious as they have been before us And this use also the Scripture makes of good Examples St. Paul endeavours to support the Faith and Patience of the Corinthians by telling them there hath no Temptation taken them but such as is common to Man 1 Cor. 10. 13. and St. Peter bids the persecuted Christians be stedfast in the Faith knowing that the same Afflictions are accomplish'd in their Brethren which are in the World 1 Pet. 5. 9 and St. Paul exhorting the Hebrews to Patience in their Race sets before them the Cloud of Witnesses who were Glorious in their Successes though of like Passions and Trials with themselves Heb. 12. 1. Thus to strengthen his Faith in God's mercy the Psalmist says he will remember his wonders of old and talk of his doings for others which would incourage him to hope for the same himself Psal. 77 11 12. And St. Paul tells the Corinthians that whether he be afflicted or comforted it is for their Consolation and Salvation and is effectual in their enduring of the same Sufferings which he suffers they having thereby not only God's Promise but also his Experience to assure them of the same support in their Afflictions which he found in his 2 Cor. 1. 6. Thus was one great Benefit they design'd Men in proposing good Examples to them the overcoming their Diffidence either of God or of themselves and possessing them with good Hopes of Success in their Attempts after any Virtues And therefore if we would give our selves a just Advantage from the Examples of Deceased Saints we must duly consider their Discouragements and Assistances and that as they were of like Passions and Temptations with us so shall we find like Grace and Success with them if we saint not in a holy Undertaking Having thus shown what use we are to make of Pious Mens Examples and how fit they are either to be Guides and Directions to our Consciences or a Spur and