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	parent_n	reason_n	3,280	5	5.9698	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52574	New-Englands duty and interest to be an habitation of justice and mountain of holiness containing doctrine, caution, & comfort : with something relating to the restaurations, reformations, and benedictions promised to the church and world in the latter dayes : with grounds of hope, that America in general & New-England in particular may may have a part therein : preached to the General Assembly of the Province of the Massachusetts-Bay, at the anniversary election, May 25, 1698 / by Nicholas Noyes ...	Noyes, Nicholas, 1647-1717.	1698 (1698)	Wing N1461; ESTC R16814	53,865	112

so far as it was of moral Equity it ought to be observed in Christian States and Caeteris paribus and Consideratis Considerandis is of Excellent use to all Lawgivers and Judges to the end of the world for that People were under a Theocrasy and their judicial Laws were of divine legislation for the most part If any were otherwise they had at least divine approbation The moral law is all of it of everlasting equity and amiableness as we have shewed as Holy Righteous and Good in Paul's time as in Moses's time Rom. 7.12 And in our times as in Moses's or Pauls For till heaven and earth pass one jot or title of the law shall in no wise pass Math. 5.18 The Assemblies reflection on this text is How much more needful is this Doctrine when men would make all the law void and not obligatory to believers Its Historys are our Examples either of imitation or caution 1 Cor. 10. Now these things were our Examples that is saith the English Annotations God set the punishment of those Israelites as a glass or image before us that we in them might see what we may expect if we sin as they did In the following verses the Apostle dehorts from Idolatry ●ornication Tempting Christ and the sin of Murmuring from ●●amples of caution written of old But saith the Apostle they were written for our Admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come v. 11 So Heb. 3.19 compared with Heb. 4.1 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief Let us therefore ●●ar c. So Esau's Example of selling his birth right for one morsel is urged by way of caution Heb. 12.16 We have also Examples of Imitation taken out of the Old Testament improv'd in the New So in Heb. 11. The Examples of Antediluvian Patriarchs and Postdiluvian Patriarchs and Kings Priests and Prophets Judges and Military Commanders all famous for Exploits of Faith Worship and Obedience are set before Christians for Imitation And the Apostle argues from them Heb. 12.1 That Cloud of Witnesses are to be followed by Christians as the Cloud was followed by the Israelites in the Wilderness So Peter urgeth the Example of holy Women of old and of Sarah in Particular for to teach Christian Women Subjection to their Husbands Conjugal Chastity and Modesty of Apparel So Abrahams faith and his justification by it is set forth for an Example to Christians for their imitation Rom. 4.4 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe The like may be said of Promises and Threatnings which are found Originally in the Old Testament but improved in the New Testament Of Promises some that seem National others Personal are by way of Analogy transferred to Christian People as if they had been made nextly and directly to them So Eph. 6.1 2. The Apostle Exhorting Christian Children to obey honour their Parents urgeth them to this duty 1. By the Intrinsical Goodness and Immutable and Eternal Equity is in what he Exhorts them to Children obey your Parents in the Lord for this is right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just 2. By the Authority of the fifth Commandment 3. By the Promise annexed for this is the first Commandment with promise i. e. the first of the Second Table for the second Command hath promise annexed to it Showing mercy to thousands viz. of Generations of them that love me and keep my Commandments i. e. Ordinances and Institutions means of Worship free from Superstition mens Inventions and Will worship When the Apostle saith the first Command with promise he refers to those words that thy days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Which words in their next intention are directed to Jewish Children and mean a long and happy life in the Land of Canaan but the Apostle writing to the Children of the Church at Ephesus that had nothing to do with the Land of Canaan alters the words by Analogy and makes the promise run that it may be well with thee and that thou mayst live long upon the Earth So the promise made nextly to Joshua Josh 1.5 I will never leave thee nor forsake thee is by way of Analogical Accommodation transferred to Christians Heb. 13.5 So Davids confident conclusion Psal 118.6 The Lord is on my side I will not fear What can man do unto me is drawn into argumentation Heb. 13.6 And the words that Solomon sp●ke to his Son Prov. 3.11 is said to speak to the Christian Hebrews Heb. 12.5 Ye have forgotten the Exhortation or that consolatory Exhortation which speaketh unto you as Children My Son dispise not thou the Chastening of the Lord. Of Threatnings also applied by Analogy Heb. 4.7.9 11. I shall on this head only further show that Prophesies in the Old Testament are of use to Christians they help us in the belief of New-Testament Prophesies many of them being already accomplisht others also of them agree with Those in the Revelation and illustrate one another as the Text and the interpretation So also 2 Pet. 3.13 We according to his promise look for New Heavens and a New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness and many Prophesies in the Old Testament that flourish in expressions literally expressing temporal felicity yet were intended as Prophetick Types of Spiritual Blessings under the Messias And they had some kind of accomplishment in Temporal Deliverances Peace Plenty c. before the Coming of Christ but were more fully accomplisht in Spiritual Redemption and the Spiritual Priviledges Benefits and Graces Enjoy'd in the Churches of Christ If we consider what cognation there is between History and Prophesy it will not seem strange For Prophesie is History antedated and History is Postdated Prophesie the same thing is told in both If therefore the History of the Old Testament is Example to us and instructive to us so must needs be Prophesy And many things in the Old Testament are first set forth in Prophesy and afterward in History either of them yea both of them beneficial to the Church Besides Prophesies for the most part contain Promises or Threatnings in them And therefore if Old-Testament Promises and Threatnings are of use and may be by way of accommodation applied to us so may the Prophesies also I have insisted the larger on the foregoing head not only to show how genuine the Doctrines raised from the Text are and to strengthen the foundation on which I build the Superstructure of the Application I further intend but to vindicate the just Reputation of the Sacred Scriptures of the Old Testament from the indignity done them by those that speak of them as of things formerly useful but now antiquated and out of date as also for the benefit of those that esteem them by way of Direction how to use them that the Old and New-Testament may be used by us as two breasts of Sacred

be imagined that the most wise and holy God would leave it Arbitrary to men whether they would sanctify the Great and Dreadful Name of God or prophane it by Blasphemy Perjury or Irreverence in his Worship Could special worship be due from man to God and yet no set Time be appointed by God for it and seperated and so sanctified for that holy end and use and when God had by his own Example and Revelation of his will notifyed what proportion of time for his peculiar Service was best pleasing to him and most proper for us could it be any wayes suitable to the Wisdom Holiness and Majesty of God to Submit to the pleasure and humor of man whether he would religiously observe it yea or no Thus it is and could be no otherwise with man relating to the first and great Commandment and there is a second like to it thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self Man must of necessity be obliged by this also seeing we have all on Father one God made us and made us capable of being beneficial or mischievous to our sel●e and one another It is determin'd by our make as well as our Maker that although all duty was ultimately owing to God yet some was nextly owing to our selves and neighbours That we who were bound to Love God superlatively for his own sake should be bound to love our selves and our neighbours in Subordination to God and for his sake If God had intended to have sent out man into the world like the wild Ass free he would have made him like him but seeing he made man after his own Image in holiness and righteousness he must needs be obliged to live according to it Seeing man was made by God and like God for God it must of necessity be mans duty to live to God like God and seeing that the Moral Law bears the Image of Gods holiness and righteousness it must needs be immutable and till man ceaseth to be Gods Creature or God ceaseth to be holy righteous which can never be mans obligation to be holy and righteous is as sacred and inviolable as ever and if no People or place can either fairly or safely pretend to exemption from the Moral Law least of all may Christian Plantations or Countries Reason 2. Although the Primitive Apostasy hath many wayes mortifyed mans ability to keep the Law yet it hath no ways nullifyed the Laws-authority or mans duty God is God still as holy and righteous as ever he was and man is as much Gods Creature as ever he was Gods due therefore and our duty as to holiness righteousness is the same and no just exemption or dispensation can be pretended by any and least of all by Christians who are in part recovered to the Image of God and have his Law written on their hearts Reason 3. From Adam to Moses mankind was held under the direction and authority of this Law and although the Covenant of Grace was some way dispens'd though darkly whereby it appeared that some were exempt from the Curse of the law yet was there not the least intimation that any were released from under the Obligation of it to Obedience Paul in Rom. 5.13 proveth indisputably that the Law was in the world before the Sinai-Promulgation of it and the History of Cain Abel Seth Enoch Noah c. offer irrefragable proof that God insisted on holiness and righteousness in the old world though the old world was destroyed yet was not the old law abolished the New world was equally obliged to holiness and righteousness if not more seeing they had seen one day of Judgment the flood come upon the ungodly and unrighteous 2 Pet. 2.5 Job 22.15 16 17. Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden whose foundation was over flown with a flood c. Though the Language of man was confounded yet was not the Law confounded at Babel nor did the Abrahamitical Covenant or Gospel as Preached to Abraham discharge him or his Posterity from the Authority of the Law requiring holiness and righteousness as the History of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and his Posterity sheweth Reason 4. The peculiar Covenant which God made with the Jews of which Moses was Mediator did make them a people nearer and dearer to God than other people but did no ways free them from Obligation to holiness and righteousness nay it was far from it as is evident by the fresh promulgation of the Law by Gods own Voice and the engraving it in Tables of Stone by his own Finger and the alluring motives to Obedience viz. the Promises the Coercive Sanctions of the Law viz. the threatnings their own personal obliging themselves to very exact obedience So far was the law of holiness and righteousness from being abrogated that the Jews had it re-enforced upon them with new motives from Law and Gratitude and the judicial proceedings of God with that people leave it past dispute Reason 5. The Gospel doth no ways relax the authority of the Royal Law as it is a rule of holy and righteous living Our Saviour sayeth Think not that I am come to destroy the Law implying that licentious men would be apt to think so and pretend Gospel for the transgressions of the Law See Math. 5.17 Our Saviour asserts the very contrary that he did not come to destroy it but to fulfill it he humbled himself to be made under the Law and he honoured the Law by yielding perfect Obedience to it when we had dishonoured the Law by disobeying of it Zacharias his triumph in the prospect of Christ was that we might serve God in holiness and righteousness all our days without fear that is without servile tormenting fear not without that which is filial and reverential Luk. 1.74 75. And Paul being become a Christian did not account himself without law but under the law to Christ and exercised himself to keep a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men 1 Cor. 9.21 Act. 24.16 Paul was an eminent Minister of Jesus Christ and Preached the unsearchable riches of Christ and yet declareth to the Romans that the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men Rom. 1.18 and in many other texts to the same effect So that if the Apostle say less by way of motive from temporal rewards punishments it is partly because that is said already under the old Testament which is still in use and force as to holiness and righteousness and because that praetermission is abundantly recompenced by the frequent mention of eternal rewards and punishments 1 Cor. 6.9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Heb. 12.14 Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. Reason 6. The Christian Profession layeth a special obligation on such professing people to excell in holiness and righteousness Because they profess they take the holy and righteous God for their

growing worse There are other designing persons that are no great friends to holiness and righteousness that are of a vulture Spirit that fly hastily over all the fair meadows and fields without eying of them that they may pitch and prey upon some Carrion These find nothing but faults in the Government Churches Ministers and Good people of all ranks Sport themselves with the falls of here and there an Eminent Professor or the infirmities real or supposed mistakes of men much better than themselves These fools make a mock of sin and it serves their occasion to blaspheme all the Work of God in the Wilderness and traduce for Hypocrites all those that their evil example can't make loose or prophane All I shall say to this latter sort is That I have no design to justify our selves Shame and blushing and confusion of face belongeth to us for we are sinners Yet if a comparative goodness would serve our turn as it will not we might possibly pass in this degenerate Age. We acknowledge we are very bad but yet not so bad but we are afraid of being worse 2. Others make speak as if we were as miserable already as miserable we could be To which I reply I have no design to speak diminitively of the Judgments of God I acknowledge they have been very terrible At this also my heart trembleth yet I think we ought not so to pore upon the Judgments of God as to forget the Mercies of God for in Judgment God hath remembred Mercy I am sure such Speeches forget Thanksgiving Unhumbled Unthankful and peevish men think to receive only good from the hand of God and not evil and under a merciful moderate Affliction say it can't be worse But such ought to know that the holy and jealous God hath more and more terrible miseries mischiefs to heap and arrows to spend upon an Unreformable Covenant-people than ever yet have come upon New England The Example of the Jews is a dreadful instance of it We ought to justify God yea to praise him that hath punisht less than our Iniquities deserve and to mourn under our afflictions as they are evidences and effects of Divine Displeasure and to mourn for our Sins and beg the pardon of them for the sake of Christ Jesus and to reform our doings and not murmur at the Judgments of God And all this to prevent an experimental Conviction that there was real danger of being more miserable U. 8. To Encourage all good people to hope and pray for the Restaurations Reformations and Divine Benedictions promised to Jews or Christians or prophesied to come to them in the latter days and that we in New England may through the Grace of God have a share in the good things spoken of that are to be fulfilled in the latter days The proof of the Third Doctrine is pat to this purpose If God can do such things may do such things hath done such things already and will do such things again for his Ancient People the Jews and there be prophesies and promises that God will do such things not only for the Jews but for Christian places that are in ruines over-run with sin misery Why should we not hope and pray for the accomplishment of them Besides the fore mentioned Reasons I shall offer to consideration three particulars more which may animate faith prayer remove impediments objections 1. The Reformation is prophesied of as well as the Restauration and Benediction 2. The Reformation is promised as well as the Restauration and Benediction 3. That it is not absolutely necessary that the Reformation precede the Restauration 1. The Reformation is prophesied of as well as the Restauration c. Now prophesie relates to what is future and properly speaks of Event not D●ty If it speaks of Duty yet it speaks of it under the notion of Event Consequently if the Prophesie foretells Reformation than which nothing is more duty yet it speaketh of it under the notion of what shall certainly come to pass We must not therefore be discouraged from praying for it because we yet see not the Desolate Countreys inhabited as formerly and see not Religion reviving and thriving in them as formerly Were these things come to pass the prophesie were already fulfilled But we must believe it future because the Holy Ghost by the mouth of the Prophets hath foretold it Perhaps some could easily believe the Restauration if they could see the Reformation but both must be believed to be future though neither as yet be come to pass because both are foretold 2. The Reformation is also promised Many speak as if only the Restauration and Benediction were promised and look upon Reformation as the condition of the Promise And because they see not the condition fulfilled cannot believe the Restaurations Blessings When the truth is the promise that is contained in Prophesy as such is absolute not conditional When promises are annexed as Sanctions to the Laws of Christ they belong to the preceptive will of God and so are considered as Conditions But when Promises are infolded in Prophesies they belong to Gods will of Purpose therefore must come to pass For though Gods Commands are broken yet his Counsels are not they stand for ever and the Thoughts of his heart to all generations All such promises therefore ought to be considered as absolute and consequently the Reformations will certainly come 3. It is not absolutely necessary that the Reformation precede the Restauration or that the Reformation be sensibly advanced before God begin to plead the cause of his people against their Enemies and begin their Restauration I readily acknowledge that in point of Duty Reformation ought to precede and all the Religion justice and reason in the world oblige those that have made defection from God and his pure ways and are under dreadful effects of his displeasure should be speedy and thorough in their Repentance and Reformation But so desperataly wicked is fallen man that if God should not begin with man man would never begin with Him Men are dead in trespasses and sins and so cannot or so habituated and inclined to evil they will not return to God till God is before hand with them If God bring on Reformation upon the world that lieth in wickedness be is found of those that seek him not and if upon a deeply degenerate people he stretcheth forth his hands to a gainsaying and rebellious people And the Grace of God must be exerted in a victorious and irresistible way before Reformation can advance either in the Church or World Seeing then both Restauration and Reformation depend upon the good pleasure of God it is in vain for us to determine which shall precede though we know in point of mans duty which should be first That which we affirm is that we ought not to be discouraged in praying for these Restaurations or believing they shall come to pass till we see Reformation in