Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	ceremonial_a	law_n	moral_a	2,252	5	9.4056	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87170	Topica sacra: spiritual logick: some brief hints and helps to faith, meditation, and prayer, comfort and holiness. / Communicated at Christ-Church, Dublin, in Ireland. By T.H. minister of the Gospel.	Harrison, Thomas, 1619-1682.	1658 (1658)	Wing H917; Thomason E1769_2; ESTC R202373	72,620	183

Gen. 14.20 Pay tythes to Melchisedec the great Representee of Christ who is brought upon the stage like a man dropt out of the Clouds only to shadow out Christ as if he had neither Father nor Mother birth nor death Heb. 7.2 And that they were paid as a due to the Priesthood of Christ sustained then in a figure by Melchisedec the 7th Chap. to the Hebrews proves abundantly and that Levi himself who took Tythes here paid them and that Levi had only a Commission pro tempore to be Gods rent-gatherer and receiver they mistake that think the payment of the tenth part was then first set on foot to defray the charges of that costly worship it was paid long before Abraham is a full instance four hundred and thirty years before the Law as the Apostle observes upon another occasion Gal. 3.17 and I would know whether that were will-worship in him or what Law he hath observed what rule he walked by therein Abraham would not take a thred or a shooe latchet to himself and then returned the rest though now become his by conquest to the former owner but if he gave the tythe only by courtesie and not divine authority it proves not the thing in hand the exellency of Melchisedec's Priesthod above the Leviticall for surely that had authority to take them and so had Melchisedec paid then the tenth part was long before the Law and Levi had only a Commandement to warrant his taking of the tythes Heb. 7.5 The jus decimandi being long before vested in another Priesthood and only protempore lent to that of Levi But this was only a tenth of the spoiles taken in war may some say what say ye then to that engagement of Jacob Gen. 28.22 Of all that thou shalt give unto me I will surely give the tenth unto Et hoc tam pro se quam pro posteris suis vovet he binds his posteritie hereunto as well as himself saith Mercer in Loc. Methinks he speaks of it as a duty that he had been Catechised and trained up in the knowledg of He had the direction of the spirit for it saith Calvin and why not also the instruction of his Ancestors For Abraham practised it before him And yet this good man though he promised it so surely was not so carefull and punctuall in his performance as he should have been and his omission of it at his return when hasting to pacifie his brother he pluck away a good fleece from his estate before the decimation thereof according to his vow seems to be the cause why the Angel contended so sore with him that he put him to his tears and prayers as Hosea tells us Chap. 12.4 And though he blest him yet he sent him limping to his grave Gen. 35.1 God calls him to perform his vow and whether he paid it into the hands of Heber or Isaac the head or the family vel potius consecrarit in usus sacros set it a part for pious uses t is all one to us here 's something belonging to the Law of nature or morall Law for our instruction and imitation nor doth he engage upon condition the particle {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} rendered if ver. 20. untill ver. 15. when Numb. 36. surely Prov. 3.34 This takes away the great objection if it were a duty according to the morall Law or Law of nature he would have engaged absolutely and so you see he did notwithstanding that If the Text Thus is was before the Law Ceremoniall and Christ approves it Matth. 23.23 and affirms that dedicating a part to charitable uses sanctifies the whole as the first fruit sanctified the lump Luk. 11.41 42. 12.33 And finds no fault with the Pharisee for his practice Luk. 18.12 for his giving up of a tenth part to all that he possessed to pious uses but for his trusting in it nor were the tenths all of them consumed by Christs Consumatum est but he teacheth us even to the end of the world to give unto God the things that are Gods Marke 12 17. and both we and all that we have are his I Cor. 29.14 though he is pleased to accept a small part in lieu of the whole And plain it it that there is such a thing as sacriledg now in the daies of the Gospell all I fear many more are guilty thereof then are aware of it nay well were it if they were not most guilty who seem most to abhor Idols thou that Abhorest Idols dost thou commit sacriledg Rom. 2.22 Concedimus Deo saies Magna Charta when it speaks of seperating the tenth part to holy uses which part was called by the Antients Dei censes Gods Rent nor hath God forfeited his Right because of mans abuse or superstition I think also there must be some rule of proportion for that laying by in store commanded by the apostle 1 Cor. 16.2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him that there be no gatherings when I come according to Deut. 16.10 According as the Lord thy God hath blessed thee in some due proportion Now if there be no rule for the quantity a large heart may lay by too much and defraud his relations or other occasions a narrow heart will be sure to lay by too little and so be guilty of sacriledg by alienating that which is due to God to whom Jure Coronae besides homage and fealty service ad fidelity we owe an honorary tribute though no subsidiary Rent for that he needeth not But this he requireth and little comfort shall they have who deny it to him This though far too little for the point may seem too much in this place but if the Lord would set on the sence of this duty upon the hearts and consciences of prosessors and take them off from their subterfuges and cavils and evasions how soon would there be a sacred bank a stock raised a Temple-treasury filled to answer all religious occasions to give a speedy relief to the necessities of Saints abroad at home who starve many times while the grass is growing while the alms are a gathering How would this rowle away our reproach of being Solifidians and make the Gospell cry for fruitfullness in good works with Popish charity and blind devotiion Tit. 3.8 let them who have believed in God be carefull to maintain good works How would it cut off occasions from the flesh which craves and cals for all and consumes more upon some one lust then all a mans graces ever cost him How would it bring a blessing and prove a hedg about all the rest of the estate like Hannahs loaf which was lent to God I Sam. 2. 20 21. He gave her back five for one and so will he do by every one that ventures with him will ye prove him Mal. 3.10 do but try me saith he in this

one particular but it is a snare for a man to devour that which is sanctified Prov. 20.25 that which is and ought to be separated from common uses men rob God Mal. 3.8 and put him to strain for his own and he doth it many to their sorrow Hos. 2.8 9. For shee did not know that I gave her corn and wine and oyl and multiplied ber silver and gold which they preared for Baal they wasted all upon their lusts Therefore will I return and take away my corn in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof and will recover my wooll and my flax given to cover her nakedness Si tu decimam non dederis tu ad decimam revoceris Aug. de temp. Serm. 219. Because rich men will not give the tenth to God God many times brings them to the tenth of what they had God requires a seventh part of our time because we have that meerly from his bounty without our industry but a tenth of our estate making a defalcation or allowance for our pains and if he gives no increase he looks for nothing now both as to the seventh part of our time and the tenth part of our estate the Ceremoniall and Levitical part being abolished the morall use and equity remains to the worlds end all piety justice gratitude requireing it no Popish abuse ought to take away the use and all Nations in all ages practising this duty will rise up in judgement and condemn us if we who have the right way neglect it And who would repent his obedience hereunto when he comes to dye and to be torn away from all his outward enjoyments then it is that mens consciences wring them and make them fling away apace what the can grasp no longer Oh Then it is that their hearts dye away with anguish and astonishment to behold all the black Items of their expences to think how they have served the Devill with their estates and not God to whom they are now a going to give an account of their stewardship when he will trust them no longer they now feel the hooke which they hae swallowed and would fain disgorge that which they are afraid to digest in Hell But alas we have gotten a cheap Religion and therefore like it because it saves our purses though not our souls what praying heart feels not cause to bewaile it to go to God about it and to fill his mouth with Arguments If we hold our peace mens land will cry against them and the furrows thereof complain Job 31.38 The rust of their riches shall be a witness against them Jam. 5.3 I have only offered hints to help on this blessed work of pleading and striving and wrestling with God with the arms of his own Spirit in Prayer the decay and abatement whereof in our dayes is looked on as a sad symptome and justly bewailed by the most spiritual professors But alas how few stir up themselves to take hold of God Isai. 64.7 Now it must needs be granted that the spirit of adoption is the best Logician the only One both for invention and judgement it was he that taught Aristotle and others to reason with men as well as Job and Jeremy and the rest of the Saints to reason out the case with God When He hath formed the prepositions according to his own Canons and principles of truth laid down in the Scriptures and made the assumption according to his office which is to beare witness 1 John 5.6 and so hath made application of the proposition to the person to the poore solicatous soul He will thence clearly and strongly inferre the conclusion Yea All Hiss Arguments are highly Satisfactory his demonstration irrefragable his dilemmas unavoidable So that he convinces of righteousness as well as of sin and subdues the soul to the obedience of faith it cannot turn from him and in like manner doth he raise and refresh it when it is weary If we admit that distinction of a Mediation and Reconciliation and of intercession as that belongs to Christ so this to the spirit not exclusively as to Christ but as to Angels and Saints departed Rom. 8.26 The spirit it self maketh intercession for us And without breach of Charity I dare be bold to say he hath none of that spirit within him who can find no help by the consciencious and constant use of this way of pleading if it be not to suppose an impossibility that any can conscientiously use it without him Nay I dare say these considerations here hinted cannot miss if rightly used Only I would advise every one that would do any good on 't to pick out and select something out of every Sermon they hear to be repeated upon the knees in secret which posture I judge best both for repeating and studying any thing of this nature And let me add If God will not heare thee and answer thee upon these terms If he do not put strength into thee if he be not content that faith should overcome then be thou bold to say that all the Ministers of His holy Gospel are sadly mistaken in it and him Heb. 10.35 Cast not away therefore this confidence this priviledg of speaking freely and pleading with your God which hath great recompence of reward He who so graciously answers pious ejaculations Nehem. 2.4 will undoubtedly answer the powerfull expostulations of faith and pleadings of his spirit Forget not therefore how he calls his people to leave of their reasonings with Satan with flesh and blood and with their own evill hearts and to come and reason out the matter with him and what he promiseth shall ensue thereon Isaiah 1.18 Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sinnes be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wooll And such are many of our sinnes sinnes of a deep dye of a double tincture relapses are so But for those who live not within the lines of this Communication who come not within any of the qualifications here mentioned who cannot own any of these Arguments if it be possible any such should have the leisure and the patience to read them The Lord have mercy upon them they cannot pleade and will be pressed to death for want of it Thus have I brought you to peep through the key-hole through the hole of the doore into the Tower of David builded for an Armory wherein there hang a thousand bucklers all shields of mighty men and if you have felt your beloved putting in his hand by the hole of the doore and touching your hearts your Bowells have been moved for him and will be more and more you 'l not be at rest till you have been arguing out the matter with him in secret daily And so the pouring in a dishfull of water may help to set the pumpe a going and cause a pouring out to your hearts to some purpose this poore thing