Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A37065
|
The earnest breathings of forreign Protestants, divines & others, to the ministers and other able Christians of these three nations for a compleat body of practicall divinity ... and an essay of a modell of the said body of divinity / by J.D. ... ; together with an expedient tendered for the entertainment of strangers who are Protestants, and by their means to advance the Gospel unto their several nations and quarters ...
|
Dury, John, 1596-1680.
|
1658
(1658)
|
Wing D2855; ESTC R3545
|
75,860
|
66
|
are discovered to be vertuous or vicious that the way of maintaining our course in vertue and declining vice may be known in matters circumstantiall aswell as substantiall These Circumstantiall duties are of three sorts some regulate the naturall some the spirituall circumstances of th◠〈◊〉 of the Professors some relate unto both The naturall circumstances concern either the Sex in respect of the difference which God hath made therein or the societies which arise amongst men from the conjunctions thereof Concerning the difference which God hath put between the Male and the Female we should know this 1. What the preheminency of the Male is above the Female in respect of right to mannage domestick and publick concernments 2. What the proper worke of each Sex is which we may call the naturall calling thereof that is what the imployment is whereunto God hath created each Sex that they should advance his glory in their severall kinds 3. What the rules are by which each Sex should order it selfe within those bounds and limits of employment whereunto God hath appointed it Concerning the naturall Societies which arise amongst men from their conjunctions we observe that The first natural Conjunction and Societie is of the Male and Female of one with one for the propagation of Mankind which is Matrimonial of which we should know First What Gods appointment is concerning marriage in respect 1. Of the ends for which it is to be intended lawfully and for which it ought not to be intended 2. Of the persons who may or may not joyn together in that state 3. Of the manner how it ought to be setled between these who may lawfully joyn therein 4. Of the duties which married persons owe to one another by which they may obtaine the lawfull ends of their Conjunction by Gods blessing 5. Of the causes for which marriage may lawfully be dissolved 6. Of the manner and way how it ought to be when needs it must be dissolved Secondly What the inclinations of men are to abuse marriage and what corruptions are become customary therein even amongst Professors Thirdly How prejudiciall the abuse of the ordinance of marriage is not onely to the holy Profession but even to the Society of Mankinde Fourthly How far both Ministers and Magistrates are bound to endeavour each in their own way to rectifie the abuses of this Ordinance by repressing all Whoredomes Adultery Incests and other unlawfull Conjunctions as Concubinate and Polygamy and whatsoever in this kinde is contrary to the will of God and to the right use of nature The second naturall Conjunction and Society is of Parents and Children where we must know 1. What the duty is of Parents towards their Children joyntly in respect of their education and of their settlement in a course of life in the world 2. What the duty of the Mother is towards the child whiles it is an Infant how far she is obliged to give it suck and attend it her selfe and in what cases she may be dispensed withall in reference to these duties 3. What the duty of the Father is toward the Childe after it is past the state of Infancy and how far he is obliged to look to the education thereof himselfe and in what cases he may be dispensed withall to commit it unto a Deputy 4. How the peculiar care of the Daughters belongeth to the Mother and the peculiar care of the Sons to the Father chiefly when they are past childe-hood 5. What the duty of Children when they come to years of discretion is towards their Parents and how they ought to yield unto them not onely honour and obedience but a requitall in their old age 6. How far the law of Marriage by which a man is appointed to leave Father and Mother and cleave to his wife doth emancipate him from subjection and dependency upon his Parents 7. How family duties ought to be observed in the Societies of Parents and Children and what obligation doth lie upon Parents to worship God with those of their family The third naturall Conjunction and Society is of brethren and sisters and of kinsfolks where we must know 1. What the nature and extent of the relation is and how it differs from the foregoing of Man and Wife and parent and childe 2. What the duties of kinsfolks are towards each other 3. What the proper care and affection is which is more due unto kinsfolks respectively then unto others though these in all respects be as commendable and perhaps farre more commendable for grace and vertue then they The fourth naturall Conjunction and Society is of Alliance where we must know 1. What the nature and extent of this relation is and how far it is inferior unto that of kindred 2. What the proper duties thereof are more to each other then to meer strangers All these Conjunctions and Societies are properly naturall and unavoydably necessary if we suppose the propagation of Mankinde by Marriage there are other conjunctions and societies which are more voluntary and freely taken up or left off as there is cause sound and these are againe either of one with one or of many together in a Society The voluntary conjunction and society of one with one is of Master and servant where must be known 1. For what ends and in what employments men ought to seek for others to serve them and in what things they ought to serve themselves 2. What the duties are of Masters towards their Servants 3. What lawfull services and employments are in humane Societies and for what ends men ought to offer themselves to be servants unto others 4. What the duties are which servants owe unto their Masters and how they ought as Christians to performe the same The Voluntary Conjunction and Society of many together in one Body is either of many Families to make a City or of Cities to make Provinces or of Provinces to make Nations and Kingdoms all which are setled in their Relations by Laws and maintained therein by Officers indued with Authority and Power to administer the same whence doth arise the Office of Magistrates and Subjects where we must know Concerning Magistrates 1. VVHat a Magistrate is in the Societies of Christians 2. Whence Magistrates have their Authority 3. What the proper work of their Employment is for the good of the Publick Society And whether it be not to procure the observation of Both the Tables of the Mosaical Law in the Common-wealth over which they are Rulers 4. How the Sword is committed unto them and to be used by them for Vengeance against evill Doers and for the Reward of those that are good 5. For what End Taxes and Customes are to be laid upon Subjects 6. What Offices are necessary and lawfull to be constituted for the Peace and Safety of Humane Societies 7. What maketh Warre lawfull in a Christian Magistrate and what unlawfull 8. What Power he hath to administer Oaths and for what Ends. Concerning Subjects we must know 1.
his vertues and cause men to take notice of the excellency of his Nature that they may have cause to admire and love and praise him in the same and if we do nor set our hearts entirely to work all our works in God that he may thus be glorified thereby we have renounced in our heart the great end of our Creation which is nothing else but his glory and the only means by which that end is attainable are good works shewed forth unto men Mat. 5. 16. for we are Gods workmanship created in Jesus Christ unto Good Works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding Riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus Ephes 2. 7 10. Thus then the only way to glorifie God the Author of this Talent is to improve it by imparting unto others freely that which Christ hath freely given unto us Nor is there a readier way by which we are made capable of being glorified with God hereafter then thus to glorifie him on Earth we see the slothful servant was deprived of glory because he was slothful and others were made partakers thereof because they were diligent and faithful in using their Talents and the promise is that such as are wise shall shine as the brightnes of the Firmament and they that turn many unto Righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever This then is our wisdome to win souls unto God and turn many unto Righteousness and this will prove the greatest folly and the greatest unthankfulness that we can be guilty of that having so great a Talent in our hand and so fit for such a service we should not thereby Honour God by making it useful to the enlargement of his Kingdom But above all this there is a Law of Justice which doth require this duty of us as a debt to be paid unto all that are susceptible of the benefit thereof but chiefly unto those that challenge is as having a right thereunto all that belong to the houshold of Faith have a right to all the priviledges of the house and all the gifts and treasures pertaining to it are theirs all things are yours saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 3. 21. 22. because every member of the Body hath an interest in all the graces which flow from the head as conferred upon the Body nor doth any member possesse any thing for it self but for the whole nor is any thing in it self but as it standeth in its place to serve the whole and as it belongeth unto other members for we are said to be members one of another So that we have a right to challenge for our use as our own all the graces which another hath if we stand in need thereof nor is it lawful for any to refuse the Communication of any spiritual gift wherewith he is possessed to any that craveth it of him in the name of Christ except he will make himself guilty of the breach of the great and Fundamental law of the Kingdom of Heaven upon which the happiness of that whole State is settled for the happiness of the State of Christianity above all the States of the world is this that al the Subjects thereof are but one new Creature and Spiritual man in Christ that they are made and called to serve one another in Love as he served us and to enjoy him in each other as he is the same light of Truth and light of God in all for the enjoyments and possessions of all other men in all other States and Kingdoms of this World are distinct and peculiar to every one because some things are incommunicably proper to some more then to others as their lot is fallen amongst men and except this Law in natural things were observed there would be nothing but endless and inextricable confusion and strife yea much more then now is amongst the Sons of men But it is not so in Spiritual things the Spiritual man his joy is this that others partake of all his blessings that others have a right in him and interest and he in them for all their Grace and that he is a debtor of all that he hath unto every one and every one are debtors of all that they have unto him So that none can count himself happy or compleate in any thing or ought to rest contented within himself without the Happiness Perfection and contentedness of others Thus none can want what another hath and what God hath given unto any it is to be offered unto all and he that doth not live by this Rule in the Church of God doth exclude his own soul from the Communion of Saints and maketh himself incapable of all the Felicities of Christs Kingdom We see then how many and how strong the obligations are which bind us unto this duty of Spiritual Communication of the graces which we have received to profit withall for if we should not intend this we shall discover our selves to be of all men the most ingrateful towards God and most unworthy of all the Honours which he hath cast upon us We shall shew our selves destitute of all love both to God and man and of all faithfulness in the trust committed unto us of all sincerity in our Profession and of all care either to advance Gods glory as becometh the Disciples of Christ or to be advanced unto glory by him or to maintain the happiness of our own Estate by fellowship with his members or finally to discharge the debt of Righteousness which we owe unto others on Gods behalf for God hath assigned the payment of all the debts which we owe unto him which are the fruits of his Graces towards us to be laid out upon the members of Jesus Christ that much joy and many thanksgivings from many hearts and mouths may redound to the glory of the Father through him If then we should hold this truth of God in unrighteousness we should not onely be found enemies to God and our selves so far as in us lyeth to frustrate him of his intent and our selves of all the honour whereunto he doth design us but opposite unto all goodness to suppresse the brightness of his glory to darken the comforts of his Children to defraud our Brethren of their just claim and expectation and to deprive all sorts of men of that wherein we are indebted unto them for it is not onely our Brethren that challenge that which is their right of us on Gods behalf to whom we owe this duty as a debt but we owe it unto all men that either now or in after ages may profit thereby towards the advancement of Christs Kingdom and that is the thing which our Brethren in the conclusion of their Letter presse though briefly yet throughly upon us for having proposed Gods intention in giving his Gifts our duty answerable thereunto and their demand grounded upon both they present unto us the benefits which