Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	apostle_n	good_a	work_n	1,094	5	5.3618	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45328	An apologie for the ministry and its maintenance wherein is set forth the necessity, dignity and efficacy of a gospel-ministry against the Socinians, Swenckfieldians, Weigelians, Anabaptists, Enthusiasts, Familists, Seekers, Quakers, Levellers, Libertines and the rest of that rout ... / by Tho. Hall.	Hall, Thomas, 1610-1665.; Shaw, Samuel, 1635-1696.	1660 (1660)	Wing H425A; ESTC R28055	88,780	120

Philistines were subdued before Israel And if Moses let God alone the people will be consumed with his wrath Exod. 32. 10 Gods Ministers are not only Souldiers and Captains but they are all the army they are the horsemen and the Charriots of the Church they are for defence unto it And if one Elijah carryed and protected the people and defended them more by his zeal and prayers then thousands of Charriots and horsemen what strength and might shall there be found in many Elijahs These are the Churches walls the bullwarks of the land and the best fortifications for any City They kill the enemyes of God with the sword of Gods word whereby they sharply wound in reproving and kill in threatning death If furious Iehu should chance to let any escape the sword of Elisha shall be sure to slay him 1. Kin 19. 17. And you may see Elija sitting upon a hill and s●aying an hundred of Ahaziahs Souldyers to death and burning them up with the words of his mouth 2. Kin. 1 The same is the power of Gods witnesses out of whose mouths fire doth proceed devour their enemyes Rev. 11. 5. Let England then take heed of pulling down nay so much as loosening these pillars lest the whole structure of Church and state fall together with them 21. They are called Bishops A generall title and given to all the Ministers of the Gospell all whose it is to oversee the flock committed to their trust and to have a diligent care of it Act. 20. 28. And therefore whom the Apostle calls Elders Tit 1. 5 these he calls also Bishops V. 7. Neither doth this title conferre dignity only it inferrs duty also The office of a Bishop has employment as well as preferment in it It is a work in the Apostles judgment 1. Tim. 3. 1. He that desireth the office of a Bishop desireth a good work 22. They are called Teachers this being the great businesse of Ministers to preach and teach the word of God This title primarily belongs to Christ who is the teacher of his people But it is applyed secundarily to his Ministers who are ush●rs to him the Head ● master Eph. 4. 11. 1. Tim. 2. 17. 23. They are called Clouds spirituall Clouds watering refreshing fructifying the vineyard of the Lord with the former and the latter rain of ordinances I● 5. 6. Hence they are sayd to drop their doctrine upon men by a word fetcht from the Clouds Deut. 32. 2. Ezech. 21. 2. Am 7. 16. But Heretiques and deceivers are emp●y bottles waterlesse Clouds ●ossed to and fro with the winds Iude. 12. They make an ostentation and specious pretence of knowledg when as indeed their sounds are but the sounds of empty bottles and they are specious white Clouds that seem to promise the earth a belly full of water but when they should come to distill it they are gone with a blast of wind and so gull the thirsty expectation of the silly spectators 24. They are called Nurses 1. Th●s 2. 7. For as a Nurse dandles and husheth and suckleth and ●lattereth the little infant so the Ministers of the Gospel should even hugg in their bosomes speak pleasantly unto feed with the sincere milk of the word Christs new born-babes accommodating their language behaviour and way of feeding to their infant state And as a nurse with admirable patience doth digest the wranglings endure the frowardnesses of her nu●seling not grudging it her own blood to feed upon So a faithfull Minister should be patient in his pains indefatigable in his diligence and not count his life dear unto him if by it the Church of Christ may be advantaged nor think much at his own destruction if by it his people may be edisyed 25. They are called the Ministers of Christ. 1. Cor. 4. 1. Which word in the Greek bespeaks sorrow and calls for ●ains as the office of a rower doth require They sit at the oares where if the wind of Gods spirit do not exceedingly help they will find intolerable pains and if it do help yet they must use an indefatigable diligence And if they be the Ministers of God administring faithfully the word and ●●●●ments they must be approved in much patience in afflictions in necessi●yes in distresses c. 2. Cor 6 4. They are not prese●'d to 〈◊〉 and imperiall dignity but an Ecclesiasticall Ministry in which they may promise themselves whatever pains the meanest of servants in rowing running or what else do find and more 26. They are called Starrs and that not wandring but fixed For Christ who sits at the right hand of God holds them in his right hand Rev. 1. 20 1. Starrs shine so ought they by clearnesse of doctrine and integrity of life to shine before others 2 Starrs shine in the night so let a Minister of the Gospell shine more glorio●sly and illustriously when the Church of Christ is be●louded with heresyes and benighted in persecutions 3. Starrs shine with a borrowed light so the Ministers of Christ receive their calling gifts and doctrine from him the Sun of righteousnesse Nay they excell either fun or starrs for these shall be turned into darknesse the sun shall be totally eclipsed the starrs sink down into their sockets and be put out at the dissolution of the world but they shall shine for ever and ever Dan. 12. 3. Oh that they were also as the starrs of heaven for number the Lord of the harvest sending out plenty of labourers to reap his yet plentifull ha●vest and more fixed in the firmament of our Church then the stars in heaven that sometimes tumble head-long 27. They are called Angells of the Church Rev. 1. 20. 14. 6. For 1. like Angells they are messengers sent by God to declare his will to men 2. They ought to imitate an Angelicall purity chastity zeal and celerity that they may be as Angells amongst men Masters amongst boyes and shepheards amongst sheep So that this name also brings duty with it as well as dignity Many would be content to be Angells to dwell in heaven but loath to be Angells to doe Gods errands upon earth but he that would enjoy the honour must first be imployed in the office and execute that office too with carefullnesse cherefullnesse and speedinesse as the Angells doe Now if Timothy as being a man of God must flee covetousnesse how much rather ought he to doe it as being an Angell of God And if the Angels of God by pride fell from the presence and glory of God it concerns these Angels that yet they be humble as men What matters now though the world call us blind guides God counts us starrs and will set us in heaven when the starrs themselves shall be misplaced What though they call us devills it is honour enough that God counts us Angels Let us doe the work of Angels and God will not stick to own us and honour us as such before all men and Angels 28. They are called Presbiters and

of the Gospell in praying for the people and consecrating themselves to God in a more peculiar manner 6. They are called bearers of the vessels of the Lord Is. 52. 11. in whose presence they stand Deut. 10. 8. and whose substitutes they are being appointed to preach administer Sacraments and to other sacred employments Let these bearers of the uessels of the Lord have their own vessels holy to the Lord and handle holy things in a holy manner For if the Ministers of the tabernacle must be clean in heart and hands how much more cleannesse is required at our hands both towards God and men who carry not the vessels but the word of the Lord. 7. They are called Stewards or Dispensers of the Mysteries of God 1. Cor. 4. 1. 2. Tit. 1. 7. that is of Grace Iustification Sanctification and Salvation Neither are they the stewards of Emperors or Kings but of the heavenly householder Now the great commendation of a steward is his faithfullnesse Luk. 12. 42. And the best expression of faithfullnesse is to design his Masters profit and credit and not his own and also to serve his Masters will and not his own in administring the affayres of the family He accomodates his distributions to the capacity of the subject gives milke to the babes and strong meat to strong men and also purgeth the family of all corrupt members Hence it is that they have received the Keys from God with which they open the gates of heaven to believers and lock them against the unbelievers Mat. 16. 19. Now the Lord who hath in effect call'd us stewards effectually call us to be faithfull 8. They are called VVorkmen or Reapers in the Lords harvest and Vine dressers whom he sends into his vineyard Mat 9. 37. 20. 1. 1. Thes. 3. 2. 2. Tim. 2. 15. This phrase denotes not only the necessity of a Gospell-Ministry but the diligent laboriousnesse of the Ministers Those that assert the easinesse of a Ministers employment will not I believe speak so much in favor of a Reapers work and yet their employments run parallell in the Scripture dialect Ministers are called Reapers Now Reapers you know are exposed to the heat of the Sunne the violence of winds showrs and storms which hardships do require a strong and hardy nature not a man accustomed to idlenesse and pleasure Ministers break themselves with labours wear and wast themselves with watchings and are therefore called labourers 1. Tim. 5. 17. such labourers as husbandmen reapers Souldyers who weary themselves with working For such is the force of the Greek phrase The employment of the Ministers of Christ is so laborious that it attenuates and consumes the body impaires the strength hastens old hairs to young heads to the grave Our Saviour Christ at three and thirty years of age by his great paines in preaching the Gospell incessant watchings and prayings had brought upon himself the suspicion of fifty years of age as many rationally conclude from the Iews words Ioh. 8. 57. Thou art not yet fifty y●ares old And the Prophet Isaiah mourning under the treachery and perfidiousnesse of his Countreymen being zealous for his Gods glory and their souls good cryes out as a man consumptive with cares and sorrowes My le●nnesse My leannesse If. 24. 16. 9. They are labourers together not with Paul or with Peter but with God 1 Cor. 3. 9. So called b●cause God useth them for the begetting of faith their paines and the promulgation of the Gospell tending to one and the same end even the Salvation of souls An honourable Character And great is the dignity that God hath con●er●ed on them to adopt and adapt them to be helpers without whose help he could as easily do his own work if he pleased God calls us to those pains which he doth not need and then honours us with those honours and honourable titles which we do not de●erve This is a great Angelic●ll nay divine dignity in which we may find a consolation almost as great as the dignity inferring that if we miscarry not in our duty God will be also our fellow-labourer and help us by his labour For what man will forsake the plowmen the Shepheards the Stewards which himself sets a work And what good commander is thers but will encourage vindicate embolden and reward his faithfull Souldiers in and for their faithfull service And although Christ primarily and by way of Eminence be called Gods fellow Zach. 13. 7. Yet se●un darily the Ministers of the Gospell upon this account are so too 10. They are called Gods Moses that faithfull servant of God and steward of his house is called a God even by God himself Exod. 4. 16. Thou shalt be to Aaron instead of God and again Exod. 7. 1. See I have ●ade thee a God to Pharoab He was indeed a man still by nature but a God by office and delegation from God and also by the communication of divine power and wisdom to him And if they be called Gods unto whom the word of God came Ioh. 10. 35 Surely then the title is as due to the prophets of God as any other concerning whom it is so oft recorded that the word of the Lord came unto them All the Ministers of the Gospell are as much Gods as it is possible for one to be that stands only in Gods stead for of them it is that God saith He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me Luk 20. 16. 11. They are called VVatchmen If. 62. 6. Ier. 6. 17. Ezech. 3. 17. and 33. 7. Hos. 9. 8. Heb. 13. 17. So called because they foresee the future dangers and warn the people of them as a watchman seeth the enemy comming afarr off and by the giving of a sign warneth the inhabitants The Ministers of the Gospell watch over the souls of the people that they be not led aside by errors nor perish in their sins And this they doe by preaching praying reproving and other exercises of their calling 12. They are called Pastors or Shepheards If. 63. 11. Ier. 3. 15. Ioh. 10. 2 12. Now in a Shepheard there is required 1. Diligence and industry to feed the flock to reduce the straying to heal the sick to preserve the whole 2. Courage to defend the sheep and resist the wolve● 3. Faithfullnes●e to restore the sheep to their Master confessing himself a servant and not the Master of the flock 4. Wi●dome and discretion to know whether to use his voyce or his sta●●e 5. Patience and ha●dinesse to endure the winds the storms and tempests which he is expos'd to as Iacob complains of himself Gen. 31. 38 39 40. Thus the Ministers of Christ do feed the Church that flock of Christ with the food of heavenly doctrine keep them from the poysonous and rotting pastures of hereticks and the wolves from them and do also govern the sheep committed to them with the rod of discipline 13. They are called builders of the Church Eph.

need a savo●y and ●●ving Ministry to keep us that we die not of this Sickness and to restore us again to pe●fect 〈…〉 Nay we are all by nature distanced from the mercy of God are destitute of all i●●ate strength whe●by to help our se●ves Nay we are not onely sick and unable to restore our selves to health but even dead in sin Eph. 2. 1. and therefore b● sure unable to restore our selve to life and so we are obnox●●us to the hea●●●st wrath of tl● M●migh●y God And does not this sad condition call for A●istry of Reconciliation 5. ●he Necessity of a Ministry appears by the sad condition of them that are destitute of the preaching of the Word as may be exemplified in the I●ws sometime wanting it and the Heathens at this day without a teaching Priest and without the true God are put together 2 Chron. 15. 3. And the Heathens that want this Ministry are without God in the world without Christ without hope Eph. 2. 12. When Moses the Iews Minister was a way but five or six weeks the people presently become idolatrous Exod. 32. 1. After Paul's departure grievous Woolves are seen entring in amongst the people Act. 20. 29. where there is no vision the people perish saies Solomon prov 29 18. Where there is no Ministry of the Word we may exspect whatever evi●l is exprest or signified by the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate perish 1. Denudation or stripping off the true and saving knowledg of God faith love with the whole Armour of God as also of Divine safeguard and protection 2. Rebellion viz. against God and against men 3. Cessation from the study of good learning performance of good duties and practice of good works 4. Separation not onely from God by Apostasie but one from another by cruel enmities and carnal Errors as sheep having no Shepherd and as when there was no King in Israel so if there should be no Preacher in Israel every one would do what seemed good in his own eyes Nay I doubt not to say if Israel were nothing else but Kings yet if there were no Preacher they would all do so We see some good fruits which God is pleased to hand over to us by the Ministry some sad fruits of the want of it and some Arguments evincing the necessity and efficacy thereof What remains but that we maintain and stick to this Ministry love and reverence the Ministers at least for their work sake CHAP. IV. The Doctrine is applyed in an Vse of Information THe Corrolaryes issuing out of the bowells of this Doctrine thus explicated and demonstrated will serve for Information Instruction Consolation Reprehen●ion Exhortation 1. For Information There is then a Ministry in the Church To what purpose are all these Names and honourable Titles if there be no such Order as Ministers in the Church Which Order is not of a moneths a years or an Ages standing but must be contemporary with the world even in its last Ages There is and shall be a Ministry in the world so long as there shall be a world for it to be in which we shall prove by Arguments 1. Confirming the truth 2. Infirming and confuting the Cavills of the Anabaptists 1. It is plain by those Evangelicall Prophesies and Promises by which God hath made himself a debtor to his Church He standeth engaged to his people in all ages as well as to those of the Primitive times to give them Pastors according to his own heart who shall feed them with knowledg and understanding Isa. 30. 20. Ierem. 3. 15. and 23. 4. Ezech. 44. 23. 2. It is plain by the Promise of Christs presence and help with the Ministry of his Word to the end of the world the enrollment of which Promise we may see Matth. 28 20. Loe I am with you not a day nor a year but alway even unto the end of the world Although it may be shaken sore in this world yet it shall not be pluckt up by the roots although many may and do gnash their teeth against it yet shall they not be able to devour it for Christ will build his Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it or its Ministry Neither did our Saviour make this Promise only though chiefly to his Apostles but to all his Ministers also in generall that either in times past have been to us who now are and to them that shall be after us even to the end of the world 3. The Offices of Ministers and the works of the Ministry shall be perpetuall Therefore shall the Ministry it self last also The Preaching of the Word and the Administration of the Sacraments are Offices of Ministers and works of the Ministry but these have a long-liv●d Char●●r a promise of perpetuity and an injunction that they be perpetuated A Ministry was given not for one age but for all ages ●ot for the Edification of one man but of the whole body of Christ the Church Eph. 4. 11 12. The Administration of Sacraments must extend it self to the utmost times and last age of the Church Matth. 28. 19 20. 1 Cor. 11. 2● Now whilest the Office continues they must needs continue that execute it Where there is any Religion there must be some set apart to maintain it Baal himself if he be a God must have his Priests The same may be found in Scripture concerning the fictitious crew of all those devilish De●●ies which the Phili●●ines Egyp●●ans M●abites and Ammonites worshipped 4. It is plain from the necessity of this Calling VV●●hout faith no Salvation Iohn 13. 1● VVithout the preaching of the word no faith Rom. 10. 17. VVrithout Preachers no preaching and without a Ministry there can be no Preachers For How shall they preach except they be sent So then without the ministry and Ministers no Salvation So long as there shall be any to be saved God will provide some by whose hands he will save them 5. Whilest there shall be a Church there must be a ministry of the Church But God will have a Church militant upon earth whilest ●un and moon endure 〈◊〉 31. 36. Matth 16. 18. Eph. 3. 21. It is necessary therefore that as there ever hath been a ministry because there ever hath been some ●●●ct so there should be a ministry for ever because there shall ever be some Elect who●e Salvation shall be carryed on thereby that it should be commensu●able with the Churches necessi●ies Whilest God shall have upon earth a Church to be built a Vineyard to be planted a field to be tilled a Flock to be ●ed an harvest to be reaped and soules to be saved so long will he have builders planters tillers shepherds reapers Saviours and a Ministry for the accomplishing of these things see Act. 1● 10 11. 6. It appears in that it is said to be the priviledg and is rep●esented as the Property of the New Ierusalem to have no Temple in it Rev. 21.