Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	child_n	love_n	parent_n	6,450	5	9.2665	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43577	The general assembly: or, A discourse of the gathering of all saints to Christ Wherein it appears that all saints in all places and ages, shall be at last gathered together to Christ their head. Together with the time, manner, ends and reasons of this last great congregating of all saints, and what use may be made thereof. Being some meditations upon 2 Thess. II. 1. By O. H. minister of the Gospel.	Heywood, Oliver, 1629-1702.	1700 (1700)	Wing H1766; ESTC R221312	62,244	144

of Israel They shall no more be prosecuted by Murthering or scattering Acts they shall now be out of date they shall no more hear the Voice of the Oppressour there have been many such days as those in the Apostles times great persecutions against the Church Acts 8.1 that they were all scattered abroad through forreign Regions But now the storms are blown over the clouds scattered and the glorified Saints shall never be broken up or disturbed by the Sons of Violence any more They shall recount those by past troubles with Songs of Praise 8. The Saints of God that have been confined to Prisons shall be set at liberty and injoy sweet content together The Lord made their very Prisons sweet by mutual Communion but Heaven will be sweeter The imprisoned Bird never sings so sweetly in the Cage as at liberty O blessed inlargement Now they are delivered with the rest of the Creation into the glorious liberty of the children of God Rom. 8.21 They walk abroad at liberty at another rate then ever How shall they with joy and triumph recount their wandring about in Deserts and Mountains Heb. 11.37 38. in Dens and Caves of the Earth Sometimes thrust into dark and dirty Dungeons with Felons and Malefactors yea condemned tortured executed but now they have obtained a better Resurrection O happy deliverance These shall have their proper Mansions in their Fathers House and the Coelestial Pallace will resound sweet Eccho's of their triumphant Praises they shall not now with Paul and Silas sing in the Stocks Acts 16.24 25. but above where they shall be advanced together 9. The Saints that have providentially parted one from another upon any occasion shall meet again and part no more When Paul was to be bound at Jerusalem and the Disciples understood it they took on heavily Paul said what mean ye to weep and to break my heart Acts 21.11.13 Their weeping breaks his Heart But especially saith the Text they sorrowed most of all Acts 20.38 for the words that he spake that they should see his face no more And this is the Case of many Christian-friends but the relief is they shall see each others Faces again and their Faces will shine as the Sun and their Contentment shall be exceeding the bounds of any Capacity in this lower World They parted but for a Season that they should receive each other for ever Philemon 15. when the gracious God hath received them into everlasting Habitations 10. The Saints that divided and could not agree to walk together in one Church upon Earth shall be perfectly reconciled above and then shall mutually embrace each other They shall all speak the same thing and never have the least reflecting Speech or Thought against each other Possibly in this World the Contention or Paroxism betwixt a Paul and Barnabas may be so sharp that they may depart asunder one from another Acts 15.39 As all God's People are necessarily scattered into distinct Societies though uniting in Spirit in the bonds of Peace yet good Persons of different Perswasions may in some cases refuse to hold Communion occasionally one with another some being for greater Latitude others for smaller Bonds or being of different Principles in smaller Matters or through Prejudice or Passion yet in Heaven they shall be all of one Mind and one Heart and all Dissention and Division will be laid aside O what perfect Love sweet Harmony and joyful Delight will there be in the Persons and Graces of each other There will be no saying then I am of this Opinion or of this Party or a Member of this Church and not of another but they shall attain to be in the Unity of the Faith and united Members of the Triumphant Church 11. Christians that had their natural Infirmity shall leave them behind them and their united Spirits shall be made perfect How rough-hewn Natures have some godly Souls How unsociable are some that proves a great Affliction to themselves and all about them still quarrelsom and discontented nothing pleaseth them and sometimes they cannot help it though they strive and fight and pray against it it still recurs and returns and breeds much vexation but upon this blessed gathering together the crooked shall be made streight Isa 40.45 and the rough places and spirits plain when the glory of the Lord shall be revealed O happy day when there will be no envy or discontent but the Saints shall rejoyce in each others Graces and Comfort as their own and lie square to each others Spirits Though some Stars shall out-shine others in luster and glory yet every Vessel shall be full both of Grace and Comfort and not a wry Look or peevish Word shall be found there to all Eternity 12. The Saints that here condoled themselves and each other in their Personal afflictions shall leave their Sorrows behind them and all the occasions and grounds thereof and unanimously thank God for compleat Immunity from all some are sick some are pained some are pinched with Poverty others are tormented with wicked Children and bad Relations Some have troubles of Conscience under darkness hidings of God's Face some assaulted with hellish Infections Fatanical Temptations some are deeply Melancholy and under sad Complaints Now we are required to bear one anothers burthens Gal. 6.2 And Paul saith who is weak and I am not weak 2 Cor. 11.29 Who is offended and I burn not Grace in the Heart commands sympathy with others but that perfect State dischargeth all Compassion as well as Passion They that mourned together shall rejoyce together not a sigh or groan shall ever possess a glorified Spirit 13. The Saints shall lay aside all difficult and self-denying Duties There are many personal Duties that require some cost and it becomes a Christian before hand to sit down and count the cost Luke 14.28 to mortify some special Lusts to maintain a strict watch over Heart and Life to worship God in the Spirit exercise every Grace maintain constant Communion with God these will cost a Soul much care and industry and though these are sweet in managing to purpose Prov. 3.17 for wisdoms ways are pleasantness yet because of the corruption of our Hearts and aversness to any thing that 's good they become difficult and then relative Duties are difficult to discharge trust to Relations Parents to Children Masters to Servants Christians one to another mutual Inspection Admonition giving and taking Reproofs faithfully humbly Christians find these Duties hard and grievous to flesh and blood But the more Spiritual any Man grows the more Easy they grow the more Love is in our Hearts to God the less are his commandments grievous 1 John 5.3 Now in Heaven Love will be perfected And holy Souls will be in their Element while they are serving God and doing the works of that Place But the more you can sing in the ways of the Lord Psal 138.5 Jer. 31.12 the

the Sectaries of late have made dreadful Rents and Schisms in the Church the more Holy Christians are the more Catholick Spirits they have They are most likely to be sensual that needlesly separate themselves yea not having the spirit Jude 19. however they may boast themselves to be more full of the Spirit than others they separate from Well Sirs consider what you do how you prejudice your selves weaken your Brethrens Hands sadden their Hearts yea you weaken the Interest of Religion hereby What Friends shall one Heaven hold you and cannot one Church hold you Do you look for comfort at Christ's second Coming among his Saints and will you not keep by the foot-steps of the flock The Lord awaken you 3. Some Christians make nothing of offendting the Saints of God that they should not offend that 's a dreadful word Mat. 18.6 Whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me it were better for him that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea I confess this is spoken of open and violent Persecutors whom our Lord will banish among the pushing Goats But even Christians are too apt to offend one another sometimes by provoking words sometimes by offensive carriages doing that which however it seem indifferent to us yet thereby a Brother stumbleth or is offended or made weak Rom. 14.21 Unadvised walking may hinder much good occasion much evil at least may make sad the hearts of those whose hearts God would not have made sad With what comfort or confidence will you look in the Faces of those whom you have justly offended An eminent Divine saith Mr. Baxter in a Letter before Mr. Burgess's Book of Christian Commemoration if it be my weakness I have much ado to think but some shame with confusion will accompany me when I first meet any there that I have been unkind to or wronged or that will know my faults better than here they did and that I shall ask them forgiveness which will be soon granted being forgiven by Christ However matters will go then it becomes all the Saints to be very choice and chary of the Holiness and Comsort of their Fellow-members on Earth and to say with Paul 1 Cor. 8.13 Wherefore if meat make my brother to offend I will eat no flesh while the world standeth lest I make my brother to offend Happy are they that neither give Offence carelesly nor take Offence causelesly 4. Yet still there 's a great if not greater fault of good People and that is to be too familiar with Wicked Men to comply too far with Sinners to the dishonour of God scandal of Religion and wronging of our own Consciences Paul writes and writes again 1 Cor. 5.9.11 not to keep company with fornicators the word is very emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to be mingled with them by intimate familiarity as streams of Water mix together but Christians must be like Oyl that will not mix with Water especially scandalous Professors of the True Religion if such be disorderly Persons Idle Busie-bodies disobedient to the Word sound close-walking Christians must note that man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed 2 Thess 3.11.14 Brand such an one as infamous discover a strangeness in your Carriage to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he may turn into himself and consider what may be the cause in him of this your alienation from him Such a Recognition may become a means of his Repentance whereas if you still smile upon him as if you saw nothing amiss in him you do but harden him in sin Yet there 's something worse in your sinful complyance you contract Guilt to your own Souls and are in danger to be infected and so partake of their Sins Rev. 18.4 and of their Plagues How often doth God call Come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness 2 Cor. 6.14.17 Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but reprove them rather Eph. 5.11 How often doth David bid Wicked Men depart from him And if they will not be gone he will flee from them as from a Pest-house Psal 26.4 5. I have not sate with vain persons neither will I go in with dissemblers I have hated the Congregation of evil doers and will not sit with the wicked And then prays ver 9. Gather not my soul with sinners Oh Friends tremble to be found among Wicked Men in the Gathering-day CHAP. IX Examination of our Souls whether we shall be gathered with Saints 3 ANother Use is of Tryal Whether we be the Persons that shall be gathered to Christ with the rest of his Saints in that Solemn Day of his Appearing 1. Consider you may know whether you be of that number yea or no assurance is possible attainable God's Children have obtained it 2 Cor. 5.1 For we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens We can be well content to forego this tottering Cottage because we are well assured of a Coelestial Palace there we shall lodge with God Christ Angels and glorified Spirits for ever 2. Nor is this Assurance only communicated by Divine Revelation but may be obtained in the diligent use of God's appointed means hearing the Word Prayer Meditation exciting and exercising of Grace holy Warfare and Victory over Temptations Corruptions walking close with God particularly by a Practical Syllogism where the Word of God is the Major Conscience the Minor the Spirit makes the Conclusion Thus such whose Eyes are opened that are turned from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God shall have an inheritance among them that are sanctified Acts 26.18 Then Conscience brings in the Minor I have found my Heart and Life thus changed by Conversion then the holy Spirit brings in the Inference or Conclusion therefore I do groundedly hope I shall obtain the Inheritance of Glory with the rest of the Saints This is called the witnessing of the Spirit with our Spirits that we are the Children of God Rom. 8.16 3. Therefore it is the Duty of all Christians to endeavour after it we are commanded to give diligence to make our calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 We desire saith the Apostle that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the End Heb. 6.11 Such as look not after Assurance conscientiously render their spiritual Estate suspicious For it is the Nature of Grace to put the Possessour forwards to Perfection The sincere Christian will be perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 and press forward to injoy more of God's Presence Let us saith the Apostle draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith Heb. 19.22 4. And oh the advantage and benefit that

Saints and be found among them and not be of them for it s said Rom. 9.6 They are not all Israel which are of Israel i. e. they are not of the same Spirit that are of the stock of Israel some Goats may be found among the Sheep till the separating day Some may have a name to live and be dead All 's not Gold that glisters Rev. 3.1 shining Lamps and Oil in the Vessels are different things It will be a dreadful thing when the Master of the Feast comes to view his Guests and finds one not having on a wedding Garment and thus Expostulates with him Friend how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment Alas he was speechless and cast into utter darkness Oh what weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 22.11 12 13. O take heed of a shew and semblance of Religion Tremble least when you are weighed you be found wanting least your Works be not perfect before God Rev. 3.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filled up with the necessary Essentials that constitute a Christian Sirs a day is coming when your inside will be turned out to the open view of all When God will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the councels of the heart 1 Cor. 4.5 See then that your Hearts be sound in God's Statutes that you may not be ashamed Psal 119.80 Be sincere and then you will be without offence till the day of Christ Phil. 1.10 Be upright in Heart and downright in Life Keep Conscience void of Offence Walk with God and you shall rest with God 2. Gather your selves together in solemn Exercises of Religion Especially in cases of publick Calamity and common Danger so God calls to Israel Zeph. 2.1 2. Gather your selves together yea gather your selves together O nation not desired before the decree bring forth Be unanimous and harmonious in Fasting and Praying How often doth God call his People of Old Joel 1.14 ch 2.16 to sanctify a fast call a solemn Assembly gather the Elders there 's great reason for it all have sinned all must be humbled all are concerned Persons may be helpful one to another a threefold cord is not easily broken Eccl. 4.9 12. God sometimes expects unanimous Votes which make a great sound in his Ears Let Christians do as the Children of Israel and Judah go together to God weeping and seeking the Lord their God covenanting with God as in Jer. 50. 4 5. Yea in ordinary Duties of Prayer Conference Reading let them strengthen one anothers Hands in God Provoke each other to love and to good works Heb. 10.24 Sing God's praises together Oh what an Emblem of Heaven is this Communion of Saints Many live sticks make a great blaze Grapes put together ripen one another Is Communion of Saints good in Heaven and is it not good here Are not some Christians ignorant and want informing Are not some dead and want quickening Hard and want softening Wandring and want reducing Are not some staggering and want setling Are not some weak and should not we lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees Heb. 12.12 Get together here as you hope to come together hereafter 3. Agree lovingly Let not Christians fall out by the way that hope to meet in the End Away with discords and divisions if any occasions of Difference fall out as its likely there will rest not till you seek and obtain Reconciliation If thou have any thing against thy Brother be thou faithful in admonishing if it be his Fault to bring him to Repentance keep not Malice burning in thy Heart avenge not your selves express brotherly kindness to him Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good study Rom. 12.18 21. If thou remember that thy brother hath ought against thee leave thy gift before the altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Mat. 5.23 24. God will rather tarry for his due then thou should'st neglect thy Duty if thou be conscious to thy self that he hath just reason to be offended with thee humble thy self confess thy Fault to God and Him if thou be conscious that thou hast done him wrong go to him and know the reason of his Strangeness to thee and endeavour to pacify him but do not fall out with any Brother but live in peace that the God of love and peace may be with you 2 Cor. 13.11 Oh take heed of Quarrels and Animosities study the Wisdom which is from above that 's first pure James 3.17 then peaceable gentle easy to be intreated you must agree in the End now lovingly Agree for shame of the World for the credit of Religion for your own Comfort live peaceably cut not asunder the Veins and Sinews of the Mystical Body of Christ study 1 Cor. 1.10 Phil. 2.1 2. 4. Travel over Sinners for their Conversion Do your utmost endeavour to bring in Souls to God that there may be more at that great Day to be gathered together to Christ This is your present Duty this will be your future Comfort This is Ministers proper Work and every Christians Concern I have heard of a private Christian that used to follow Persons to their Shops Plows and discoursed with them about Soul-affairs and thereby was an instrument to convert forty Souls to Christ O what an honour would this be doubtless private Christians if Wise Serious and Zealous might do much good this way and yet keep their Places Jude 22.23 Of some have compassion making a difference others save with fear putting them out of the fire Alas Sirs how can you find in your Hearts to see Relation or any miserable Sinner dropping into the Fire of Hell and not speak one Word to stop them O dreadful cruelty Are you not some way accessary to that Man's death that 's a going to cut his own Throat and you neglect to lay hands on him Consider this and be not Merciless to Souls Advise admonish rebuke intreat them for Christ's sake for their Souls sake to pity themselves and not leap into the Pit of Destruction who knows what good you may do if you be but instrumental to convert one poor Sinner from the errour of his way you save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins Jam. 5.20 And oh what joy on both sides will there be at your next meeting before the Throne 5. Moderately lament and profitably improve dead Christian Friends They are gathered to Christ and the rest of their Brethren They are safely laid up out of danger they would be loath to be back again in this sinful sorrowful World You may lawfully lament your loss but envy not your Friends gain Sorrow not even as others which have no hope 1 Thes 4.13 As if they were lost or as if you should never meet again for the dead in Christ and survivers shall be ever with the Lord 15 17.