Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	church_n	member_n	visible_a	1,366	5	9.2837	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A31330	Catechism made practical the Christian instructed I. in the principles of Christian religion, positively, in the shorter catechism, II. in what he is to refuse, and what to hold fast in the greatest points of controversie ..., III. in the practice of several duties, viz., (1.) the practical improvement of the Holy Trinity, (2.) baptism, (3.) prayer, and (4.) preparation for the Lord's Supper.		1688 (1688)	Wing C1474; ESTC R23057	173,425	352

Oeconomiae Dispensationis c. But if respect be had to that Dispensation in which the Father in the Son and both through the Holy Ghost hath perfected our Salvation admirabilis est dulcedinis c. it is of wonderful sweetness and doth produce most exuberant Fruits of Faith Hope and Charity Considence and Trust Fear and Obedience in the Hearts of the Faithful Dispur Publica Sexta Sect. 12. Oper. 4 p 192. But his Followers in other Opinions leave him here where they should follow him as the learned Professors of Leiden shew Censura in Confessionem c. 3. p. 56,57 where they shew the practical Vse of the Doctrine of the Trinity Nor do they shew the injustice of the Censure but plead for their Silence and Caution Exam. Censurae p. 51. The English Reader that can may consult reverend Dr. Cheynel of the Divine Trin-Vnity cap. 9. Mr. Baxter of the Knowledge of God p 8 c. 5. Much has been written about Baptism controversially and but little that I have seen about the practical Vse of it It is a great Duty and Grace to improve it to the Ends of it and much neglected Parents are generally importunate to have their Children baptized and as generally negligent to train them up as baptized Members in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord and so we have so many ignorant and ungodly in the visible Church I wish what is written upon the Subject were more common and more understood by the reverend Dr. S. Ford of the practical Vse of Infant Baptism Dr. Manton's Sermon of the Improvement of Baptism in the Supplement of the Morning-Exercise at Cripple gate Mr. Joseph Whiston his Essay to revive the primitive Practice of Infant Baptism And Mr. Daniel Rogers of the Sacraments speaks with Light and Life Though having room here to speak thus much in this place for these things I have said but little in that first Chapter because limited 2. In the second Chapter I have shewed the Vse which may be made of the Catechism to accommodate the sincere fervent Soul with Matter for Prayer It is a Temptation to neglect the Duty when there is want of Mattter to utter before God. If any will object that this will be to bring People to pray by rote as they say their Catechism by rote and to bring them to a Form I answer to the first this Objection may be set up to neglect Catechizing and Teaching and so is impious and erroneous Again As God hath blessed Catechizing to his Church so by often and serious Meditation upon the particular Points of Catechism their Knowledge increaseth and comes to be enlarged beyond the Words of the Catechism so it may work upon the Affections also and then they may also enlarge in Prayer beyond the Lines of this Prayer if they can and when need is But as what is necessary and profitable to be learnt and believed is comprehended in the Catechism so what is generally necessary to be asked is contained in the Prayer And they who are convinced and believe the Truth of the Doctrine taught according to the Scripture will pray with Vnderstanding and by Faith believing and knowing what they pray And if some are commended for turning Sermons into Prayer I see as much reason for turning a Catechism into Prayer Yea but this is to bring them to a Form. What then Take away Formality and senseless Customariness and running a Stage or a Round of Prayer without Preparation Attention or Care what Answers are made and what can be judiciously or charitably said against a Form of Prayer Whereas many holy and very able Ministers as well as private Christians have in Judgment chosen a Form at least ordinarily And a Form is necessary to others because of Weakness Do you who object against all use of Forms really think that whoever is regenerate and sanctified hath the Spirit for Extempore Prayer by which I mean a present Ability to vary Words and Matter upon all Occasions And that none have the Spirit of Christ or Adoption but such as can do or such as do so and that they who keep ordinarily to the same Matter and Words are destitute of the Spirit Or do you think that Professors in these Days have more of the Spirit than holy Men had in former times You will never be able to prove these things and you are confutable by Clouds of Examples of holy and able Men excellent for Gifts If you say the Spirit is limited in a Form of Prayer take heed you do not limit the Spirit to a sort of Men. The Spirit of Grace doth excite his own Graces in the Soul that prayeth and those Graces act according to the Capacity of them that pray and also brings many things to mind which were not thought of before and when God brings in Matter he doth help to utter it but not all alike I condemn lary heartless Formality mine own practice is known to many but I honour the Name and Memory of holy and eminent Men and Fathers who had the Spirit of Holiness in a great measure who used Forms on ordinary stated Times and Occasions And I would not discourage sincere weak ones from using a good Form lest I dis-hearten them from praying at all Let me add I do not teach any to be tied up to a Form the same number of Words and Petitions for all times but give Directions for Matter and Vse of Prayer with a Prayer that may be daily used with Acceptation if prayed with Vnderstanding and Faith and other Graces It hath been the Study of many and some of them able good Men much an Prayer to publish Prayers fitted to several Occasions But alas what can they do if the Hearts of them that use them are not fitted for them It is not Devotion that is printed in a Book but what is kindled in the Heart And he is poor indeed that hath not a Prayer for his Mouth except his Book be in his Pocket or before his Eyes There is great reason for these Exhortations Pray without ceasing and Continue in Prayer for we have continual cause to draw near to God. And we that are Ministers have to do with many Souls in various Conditions and general Praying is no more effectual than general Preaching In the one there are particular Applications of the Word to Men's Hearts from God in the other particular Applications to God on the behalf of Men according to particular Conditions And there is a more excellent way than making a Prayer of Patches taken out of Books of Devotion The holy Scripture is the Prayer-book it affords Matter for Prayer as well as Preaching And how can that Man preach that cannot pray And this of praying with and for particular Persons in private and also in publick if the Case require it according to their particular Cases is one of those Every good Work for which we should be furnished 2 Tim 3.16 Those Men whom God