Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	affection_n	child_n	parent_n	2,013	5	8.8735	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41128	The souls looking-glasse, lively representing its estate before God with a treatise of conscience : wherein the definitions and distinctions thereof are unfolded, and severall cases resolved / by ... William Fenner ...	Fenner, William, 1600-1640.	1643 (1643)	Wing F700; ESTC R477	127,214	226

labourers and we must know in what estate our work standeth else we may labour and labour and all in vain we may preach and exhort and call upon our people to heare and believe and obey and all this may still be in vain if we do not enquire in what estate they are This is the reason why Paul could not forbear sending and enquiring how it stood with the Thessalonians in what estate they were in how it went with their faith whether they kept it or no lest the tempter had tempted them and his labour should have been in vain for so it had been for all his preaching and teaching them if they had not been in a good estate therefore he sent to know Thirdly we are to take the care and the charge of your souls Now then how can we be quiet if we do not know in what estate your souls be A good father cannot be at quiet if he do not know how it is with his children How if they should be sick how if undone Oh it would comfort a good father to know his children to be in good case But if it were otherwise with them though it would grieve him much yet he had rather know it then not for if he know it he can better tell what to do So it was with the Apostle his very bowells yerned upon the Philippians Oh my poore people thought he I wonder what estate they be in How if they totter how if they miscarry how if the devil have tempted them to sinne and to apostatize how if they be in trouble of conscience He could never be at quiet till he knew their estate I trust in the Lord Jesus saith he to send Timotheus shortly unto you that I also may be of good comfort when I know your estate He had a great care of their souls and therefore it would comfort his heart to know what estate they were in Fourthly we are teachers and therefore we must know the estate of our people otherwise we are ignorant what doctrine to provide for them what points to handle among them Paul in this epistle to the Colossians knowing onely their estate in the generall delivereth abundance of generall precepts and exhortations unto them he describeth unto them the mystery of Christ admonisheth them to continue stedfast therein to embrace the preaching of the word to beware of philosophy and the vain traditions and sophistry of men to take heed of doting upon ceremonies which are all ended in Christ to set their affections on heaven to mortifie the deeds of the flesh to put off the old man he warneth them to be loving and humble he biddeth wives do their duties to their husbands and husbands to love their wives children to obey their parents and parents to encourage their children servants to obey their masters and masters to deal well with their servants all to continue in prayer watchfulnesse thanksgiving to walk wisely towards them that are without to be carefull of godly holy communication Thus knowing their estate onely for the generall he teacheth them in generall and therefore now he concludeth as if he should say I speak somewhat generally because I do not know your estates in particular and therefore I send to you Tychicus a faithfull good minister that he may learn your estates in particular and deal with you answerably It may be some of you want corrosives it may be some of you want cordials it may be some have need to be searched and humbled some of you to be encouraged and comforted I have sent him to enquire into your estates in particular that he may do accordingly Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose that he may know your estate and comfort your hearts The use of this is threefold First for instruction Hence we may see that a minister doeth but his duty when he enquireth into mens estates how they stand before God It is not prying into other mens matters it is not busi-bodinesse in other mens affairs it is not a spirit of meddling No a ●inister doeth but his duty when he doeth it How can a Physician apply true and proper physick unlesse he enquire into the state of mens bodies Now a minister is a physician to mens souls and therefore he is to enquire of the state of mens souls how they stand before God They are men of Belial that say What must the minister know all and Can there be nothing done but the minister must heare of it These are very evil speeches The minister doeth but his duty when he is inquisitive The second use may be for reproof If it be the duty of a minister to enquire of mens estates before God then those people are too blame that will not make known their estates What is the reason that so many men abide in a rotten estate but because they are loth to open truly and fully what they are to Gods ministers Nay many are like them in the prophet who say to the seers See not They would not have Gods ministers see what they do nor see what they are I confesse there be some that will open something about their estates but not all they know by themselves They keep in the main like some foolish clients who misinform their Counsel making their case better then indeed it is and so their cause miscarrieth So some keep in that which would give most light to judge of their estates But this ought not so to be I can tell you an example of one that being troubled about his estate before God and some ministers being by Oh saith he I will tell you all that I know of my self I 'le not hide a syllable from you and if I be yet no better then a wretch I beseech you tell me plainly that I am so and if I be in Christ I beseech you prove it plainly unto me This man took a right course and thereby through Gods mercy came in a little space to the assurance of his own blessed estate and condition Thirdly for exhortation Let Gods ministers know of your estates that they may be able to speak to you accordingly By this means they may speak words in due season and like wise house-holders give every one his portion If you had but a cut finger would not you be glad to have the right plastre and if you had a burning fever would you not desire the right remedy how much more in curing the sicknesse of the soul Now from the text it self without any cutting up of the words we may gather foure propositions 1. That there is an estate that every man is in either an estate of grace or an estate of sinne 2. That this state may be known 3. That every man should be willing to have his estate examined that it may be known whether it be good or no. 4. That a man can never have true comfort till it be known that