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	obey_v	parent_n	5,191	5	9.3816	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A36462	A briefe summe of divinitie shewing the plainest way, how a man ought to examine his waies in this life, to the attainment of eternitie : wherein the whole doctrine of Christian libertie is briefly handled, and may serve for instruction of all such as desire to exercise their guifts aright, which are in these our daies very much abused.	Downame, George, d. 1634.	1652 (1652)	Wing D2058; ESTC R17651	13,933	30

that they were strangers from the life of God Ephes. 4 18. Secondly As it is a relation unto God so it is a standing relation That wherein he standeth towards God that is a mans estate before God There is a difference betweene one that doth sin and one that is in the state of sin A child of God may sinne but he is not in a state of sin you cannot call him a wicked man So also there is difference betweene one that doth some good actions and one that is in a good estate A carnall man may doe some good things but he is not in a good estate The estate of a man is a standing thing it is the relation that he standeth in towards God Thirdly It is the relation that a man standeth in towards God as hee is the free fountaine of spirituall life and salvation It is not every standing relation towards God For a man may be considered in relation to God as a Creatour and so the heavens and the earth and the very brute beasts stand in relation to God as they are his creatures but they have not this estate that we speake of which is a relation to God as the free giver of spirituall life and salvation He is free he may choose whether he will give it or no Now this is a mans estate the relation hee standeth in unto God Whether the Lord hath given him his saving grace yea or no spirituall life in Christ Jesus yea or no title to heaven and salvation yea or no This is the meaning when we speake of a mans estate It is said of Sodom They were sinners before God that is they were in a bad estate a state of sinne It is said of Zachary and Elizabeth They were both righteous before God that is they were both in a very good state All Christians believe that there is a God It behoveth every one now to consider in what estate he standeth to this God This is a great question that wee which are Ministers ought to demand of our people to know their estates First because we are sheepherds and are bound to look well how it standeth with our stock If we doe not labour to know your estates we can never look well to your soules Consider that place in the Proverbs Be diligent to know the state of thy flock and look well to thy herds Where the wise man first requireth that we should looke well to our flocks and then directeth us in the manner how viz. by being diligent to know their estate how it stādeth with them Secondly we are Gods labourers and wee 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 to believe and obey and all this may still be in vain if we doe not enquire in what estate they are This is the reason why Paul could not forbeare 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 soules Now then how can wee be quiet if we doe not know in what estate your soules be A good father cannot be at quiet if he doe 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 bowels 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 devill have tempted them to sinne and to apostatize How if they be troubled of conscience He could never be at quiet till he knew their estate I trust in the Lord Iesus 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 soules 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 Collossians 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 doe 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 and holy communication Thus knowing their estate onely for the generall he teacheth them in generall and therefore now hee concludeth as if he should say I speak somewhat generally because I doe 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 deale 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 doe 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 busie-bodinesse in other mens affaires it is not a spirit of medling No a minister doth 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