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	servant_n	wife_n	3,844	5	6.4476	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A72376	The soules possession of Christ: shewing how a Christian should put on Christ, and bee able to doe all things through his strength. Whereunto in annexed A sermon preached at the funerall of that worthy divine Mr. Wimott, late minister of Clare, in Suffolke. By T.H.	Hooker, Thomas, 1586-1647.; Hooker, Thomas, (1586-1647). Spiritual Munition: a funeral sermon.	1638 (1638)	STC 13734; ESTC S125041	45,018	247

easily submits to every good word of God Thirdly 3 addresse thy selfe to reforme what ever is amisse doe thy uttermost endeavour to amend the evill committed and performe this good duties thou hast formerly omitted doe what thou canst in the particular and labour for ability from Christ to doe that which of thy selfe thou art not able It was a hard taske which God enjoyned Abraham to sacrifice his beloved and darling Isaack yet when the thing appeared plaine to be Gods command though it were never so hard there is no resisting it Abraham therefore rose betimes in the morning and hee and the child went immediately to discharge his duty he prevents all occasions that might hinder him his wife was not acquainted with it and his servants knew nothing of the matter So if a man be the son of faithfull Abraham whatsoever the Lord enjoynes though it be the killing of a darling secret beloved lust if the Lord say it must bee done this sin must be avoided this course must be amended bee it never so profitable and full of content the soule of a gracious man will rise early in the morning that is he wil forthwith set upon the means to accomplish the same As for instance Let this be the case that comes to the scanning of a poore ignorant Christian Imagine the Lord informes him and his conscience perswades him that hee must pray in his Family Now happily a poore soule at the first is not able to pray his understanding is weake and his abilities meane hee cannot of himself frame a prayer to God yet hee will set upon the duty he will take the booke and reade a prayer though hee cannot conceive a prayer being a novice and a young Christian yet hee will use the stilts till he get his legs follow him home to his closet and you shall finde him bemoane his basenesse and hee prayes that hee may pray he beseecheth the Lord hee may know what to aske that he may see his sins and confesse them he will begge for the Spirit that hee may bee able to cry Abba Father I beseech you remember this one thing it is a marvellous distemper in many people that say I confesse such courses ought to be avoyded the Word forbids it and my conscience goeth against it but what shall I doe I cannot set to the worke I shall never overcome it why then lay all religion aside for how can it stand with sincerity of heart that I should bee informed and convinced that the Lord requires a service at my hands and I yet never set upon the performance thereof I deny not but a good Christian may be unable to doe as hee ought but he will strive to doe what God requires Alas Object saith the Gallant I confesse the fashions are fooleries and it is a madnesse to follow every vanity but what should I doe a man had as good bee out of the world as out of the fashion Fashion not your selves after the world Ans saith the Text. But I know not how to get out of it saith the gallant The custome is so usuall that I cannot leave it Doest thou know a duty and is thy heart perswaded of it and yet wilt thou not submit to it Where is grace now in thy soule Certainly thou art still in the gall of bitternesse even reason and common civility wil make a man reforme some things me thinkes grace should prevaile much more If a man will not part with a lock with a feather a fashion a foolery for Christ how will hee lose his credit liberty and life for him how can hee leave all sinne that will not part with the shadow and appearance the haire and nayle of sinne Fourthly a gracious heart is content to take up the hardest means the sharpest medicines that God hath appointed for the killing and slaying of his corruptions If there bee any weapon in the world more keene than other for wounding of his lusts the soule gladly imbraces the same that reformation may bee made Take an arme or a legge that hath the Gangrene the nature of which disease is to infect spread over the whole man when the Chirurgeon comes and tels the patient Either you must lose your legge or your life you must have your arme cut off or else bee cut off your selfe one of the two must speedily bee done If the patient say I will rather abide the worst than part with a limbe every man will conclude he cannot live long If hee did purpose to maintaine life sure hee he would part with that which takes away life So is it here with some kinde of baser sinnes I meane grosse and notorious crimes which are scandalously vile there is no way to bee ridd of these without some corrosive bee applyed the soule will never be separated from them unlesse some bitter Pill be taken which if a man refuse to use it is an evident signe hee hath no purpose to part with his sinne Suppose a man hath got an estate by theevery and cozenage and the like when the Word of God comes home to his conscience and tels him he must make satisfaction or bee damned This man may bee dejected in spirit and bemoan himselfe with teares but that will not serve the turne nothing will cure but satisfaction peace will not be attained without restitution this is the Gangrene that must bee cut off Happily hee will say most of his estate hath come in this way and if I should restore all that I have unjustly gained I should die a beggar Let me ask thee but this question What will it profit a man to get the whole world and lose his owne soule Is it not better to die in a poore estate than in a sinfull estate To depart a good man than a rich man Againe suppose a man lives in the bosome of the Church and be a great Professor and yet hath beene seen openly drunk or is knowne to have cōmitted adultery there is no cure for this man now but he must satisfie the congregation the Church of God which hath beene dishonoured and discredited by his sinne let him fast and pray and weepe in secret never so much I cannot see how this mans conscience can be quieted unlesse he make publike satisfaction as his offence was publike But to proceed 5. A sincere Christian wisheth and welcomes those truths that are most powerfull to prevaile with his sinnes 5 and most likely for the subduing of his corruptions when he cannot doe what hee would and master his sinnes as hee desires hee wisheth Oh that the Lord would send some truth that might plucke these corruptions out of my heart and that word is most pleasing to him that is most effectuall this way The soule makes its moane to God and complains as David did Yee are too hard for mee yee sonnes of Zerviah O Lord these corruptions sticke so close they are too mighty for mee I am not able

THE SOVLES POSSESSION OF CHRIST Shewing how a Christian should put on Christ and bee able to doe all things through his strength Whereunto is annexed A SERMON Preached at the Funerall of that worthy Divine Mr. Wilmott late Minister of Clare in Suffolke By T. H. LONDON Printed by M. F. for Francis Eglesfield at the sign of the Marigold in Pauls Church-yard 1638. Imprimatur THO WYKES Novemb. 11. 1637. THE SOULES POSSESSION OF CHRIST Rom. 13.4 The Text. Put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought or make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it THE intendment of these words is to suggest into the hearts of the Romanes The intent of the words a saving meanes whereby they might bee cheared up to the performance of such duties as were required at their hands and this the Apostle doth from the eleventh Verse to the end of the Chapter He had told them before that they ought to put off the old man and that they should no longer walke in rioting and wantonnesse but that they should put on the armour and walke as Children of the light Now because the matter was difficult either to get more grace or to performe the duties required of them oh might some say we know we should labour to subdue this sin and it becomes Christians to walke comely holily agreeable to Gods will but it is a hard matter to get grace to doe the same For answer hereunto the holy Apostle in this Verse suggests a double means saying 1. A double meanes to subdue sin Put on Christ 2. Put off all base occasions and provide not for pride and lust and malice by these you shall bee strengthened to performe whasoever duty the Lord requires at your hands and to overcome any corruption In the first means there is 1. The description of the party that must be put on The Lord Iesus Christ 2. The application of this party Now if any man aske what is meant by putting on the Lord Iesus Christ What is meant by putting on Christ I answere to put on Christ is to be conceived in a double sense 1. Wee must put on Christ by faith 1 in justification when we beleeve in Christ that our debts are laid upon his score and his merits are applyed to us but this is not meant here The Reason is because this had beene spoken of long before and it is presumed that these Romanes to whom hee wrote had beleeved in Christ already 2. To put on Christ is spoken in regard of sanctification 2 as when we finde both many weaknesses and much want of grace in us and unfitnesse for duties then wee put on Christ to overcome our corruptions and to quicken up our hearts for the performance of such services as God requires of us This is plaine for St. Paul having enjoyned them to lay aside all sin as pride malice riotous living and all the workes of the old mā he exhorts them to put on the Lord Jesus Christ that they may the better overcome these sinnes and corruptions and be quickened up to every needfull duty Hence I observe this Doctrine They that have received Christ and are neare to salvation and that have good proofe from Gods word that the night is past and the day hath dawned in their hearts even these I say have daily need to fetch succour from Christ and grace for the performāce of every spirituall service which God requires at their hands Our Saviour Christ must be put on Doct. hee is to be conceived of as of a garment and that in two respects as when a man puts on a garment 1. he must have it fitted for him and 2. put it on and apply it to his body so it is in this place Note The Lord Jesus Christ takes measure of all the infirmities of his children and applyes sutable grace according to every mans severall necessities as in Psa 21.5 Psa 21.5 our Translation hath it Glory and comely honour hast thou laid upon him or as it is in the Originall Glory and honour thou hast fitted for him And againe Christ not onely takes measure of our infirmities but also he gives sutable grace fitting for our conditions as in time of injury hee gives patience in time of persecution he gives courage to stand for his truth and wisedome to carry themselves aright yea he shapes out mercy and seasonable helpe for every estate The Lord gives not only a fit grace to his children but also he gives a present aide strength to apply that grace as a man not onely makes his garment fit but hee puts it on close to his body and then he is ready for any employment So it is here when the grace is applyed then a Christian is fit to walke with God in a holy course as Luke 24.40 Luke 24.40 Acts 2.3 4. verses compared with the second of the Acts 3 4. we shall see that the Lord gives a supply of seasonable grace according to our necessities In Luke the Text saith Stay you in Ierusalem till you be clad with the Spirit from above and in the Acts the Evangelist gives the meaning of the former place and saith The Spirit sate upon each of them that is GOD gave them abundance of grace to fit them for their workes the Spirit spake in them and they spake as the Spirit gave them utterance The Apostles had need of much wisedome and courage and therefore GOD gave them abundance of spirituall assistance as in that place is plaine The issue of the point is this Those that are in the Lord Jesus Christ have need every day to receive grace and quickening power from him to enable them to discharge such duties as the Lord requires of them 1. God is the Author of all grace Reas 1. and we have it not of our selves 2. None of us can maintaine that grace which we have Reas 2. further than God will enable us 3. Neither can any man put forth his grace further than GOD will stand by him Reas 3. So then if the grace bee Gods gift and if none can maintain and keep his grace when he hath it further than God enables him nor can exercise or put forth and use his grace aright without divine assistance then it is needfull that wee depend upon God for what we have or doe And if grace and aide to performe any duty comes onely from the Lord Jesus then it is very necessary that wee have daily recourses to him for the same The Vse is Vse to shew us how humble wee ought to be in our owne eyes and with what feare and dread we should walke before God Can we doe nothing without Christ then walke tremblingly before him lest hee take away his Spirit from thee and withdraw the comfort of his grace from thy soule for the Lord hath scourges enough for thee The Apostle saith Phil. 2.12 13.