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
A91746	The meanes and method of healing in the Church. Set forth in a sermon. Preached before the Right Honourable the House of Peers in Westminster Abby, April 30. 1660. being a day of solemn humiliation to seek God for his blessing on the counsels of the Parliament. By Edward Reynolds, D.D. and Dean of Christ-Church.	Reynolds, Edward, 1599-1676.	1660 (1660)	Wing R1265; Thomason E983_32; ESTC R203411	17,461	47

Pharaoh-like put God to so many changes of Rods and variety of Judgements as we in this Nation have felt Let us yield betime unto him for he will overcome when he judgeth Let us take heed of flattering our selves when one rod is worn out or laid a side as if the bitterness of death were past God can make every Creature about us every faculty within us a Rod and a Scourge against us And therefore having received such deliverances as we lately have done let us make holy Ezra's conclusion Should we again break thy Commandments Ezra 9. 13 14 Should we not take heed of sinning any more lest a worse thing come unto us Joh. 5. 14. Should we not consider for what it is that God restored us to our stations namely that we should in our places study how to honour him to be zealous for his Truth and Pure Religion tender of the Liberties Properties and equal Rights of all the people in the Land to restore all oppressed Innocents to loose the bonds of violence and to settle these so long shaking and discomposed Nations upon the firm foundations of Truth Peace and Righteousness againe Thus much for the first General The supposition of Judgements various and such as come immediately from God and admit of no possible prevention by humane wisdome or removal by humane power II. We proceed to the Direction unto Duties wherein comes first to be considered the Quality of the persons who are to perform them My people that are called by my name All men are his Creatures only a select and peculiar inheritance that bear his name enjoy his Peace Promises and Protection and are in Covenant with him are called His People I entred into Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine saith the Lord Ezek. 16. 8. This people have I formed for my self Isa. 43. 21. The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himselfe Psalm 4. 3. They are the people of his holiness Isa. 63. 18. A people for his name taken out from among others Acts 15. 14. To be called by his Name noteth to be his adopted Children as Josephs children were made the children of Jacob Genesis 48. 5 16. We are Gods people two wayes 1. By visible profession or Sacramental separation from the world as the whole Nation of the Jewes are called his people A peculiar Treasure unto him above all people Exod. 19. 5. A Nation nigh unto him Deut. 4. 7. His people even then when they rebelled against him Isa. 1. 3 4. 2. By Spiritual Sanctification and internal Dispositions Thine they were and thou gavest them me and they have kept thy word John 17. 6. Jews inwardly by the Circumcision of the heart Rom. 2. 29. The Israel of God Gal. 6. 16. The Children of the Promise Rom. 9. 8. The Remnant according to the Election of Grace Rom. 11. 5. The Circumcision which worship God in the spirit Phil. 3. 3. These are His people by a Price of Redemption 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. By a peculiar Designation unto his service Tit. 2. 14. By an Intimate Relation of Love and Dearness Ezek. 16. 8. By an high Valuation of them as Treasures Jewels vessels of Honour Mal. 3. 17. 1 Pet. 2. 9. 2 Tim. 2. 20. By Destination to a more glorious end Eph. 4. 30. The Duty extends to both The whole body of a visible Church are in Judgements to humble themselves and as to temporal deliverances the Lord doth respect the Humiliations of the worser Members of the Church as we see in the cases of Ahab and Rehoboam 1 Reg. 21. 28 29. 2 Chron. 12. 6 7. But to do this so effectually as to attain all the annexed promises is the work of the Israel of God by spiritual Sanctification Now from this Qualification we gather these two useful Observations I. The sins of Gods own people who are in Covenant with him may provoke and procure Judgements their Pride and Security Worldly Love Conformity to the Corruptions of the times Coldness and Formality in Duty Uneven and Unfaithfull walking acting by divided Interests from the rest of the Lords people may provoke God severely to punish a land and we may justly fear hath done so amongst us A good man though a Son may yet be silius sub ira under paternal displeasure If Moses and Aaron do not by believing glorifie God they must both die in the Wilderness Num. 20. 12. If David grow proud of victories and number the people God will send a plague which shall lessen their number and his pride 2 Sam. 24. 15. If Solomon turn from God to Women and to Idols though he be a Son he shall be chastized with the rods of men 2 Sam. 7. 14. If Asa grieve the Prophet and oppress the people he shall be vexed with Warrs and Diseases 2 Chron. 19. 9 12. If Jehoshaphat help the ungodly his life shall be endangered and his ships broken 2 Chron. 19. 20. God will have Judgement begin at his own house 1 Peter 4. 17. Their sins have some Aggravations in them which other mens have not these are committed against special light and more glorious convictions as those of Solomon After God had appeared unto him twice 1 Reg. 11. 9. Against special Love and experiences of divine favour 2 Samuel 12. 7. 9. Against special Relations the Honour of a Father a Lord an Husband Isa. 1. 2. Against special Grace and Assistance of the Holy Spirit Ephes 4. 30. Against special Covenants and Engagements after a vouching God for theirs Psalm 78. 34. Against special Deliverances from greatest dangers Ezra 9. 13 14. Against special Hopes and more special Promises which should have perswaded them unto Holiness 2 Cor. 7. 1. 1 John 3. 3. Against special Peace and glorious Comforts as David sinned against the joy of Gods salvation Psalm 51. 12. Peter denied Christ after he had seen his Transfiguration And this may teach the holiest of men 1. To take heed of playing the Wantons with the Grace of God Though God be a tender yet he may be an Angry Father And who knoweth the Power of his Anger Psalm 90. 11. 2. To be more carefull to stand in the breach against publick Judgements having by their sins contributed to the bringing of them upon the Land 2. It is not our doing of Duty but Gods being in Covenant with us which is the ground of his Mercy to us Property doth stir up Compassion Though they have provoked me yet I will spare them because they are mine Malachy 3. 17. Whence we learn 1. In what manner to go to God and to plead with him not in confidence of our Duty but of our Relation to him as His Thou art our Father we are thine Isa. 63. 16 19. The Church in Affliction seldome useth any other Argument Why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people Exod. 32. 11. Art not thou our God 2 Chron. 20. 7. We are called by thy name leave us not Jer. 14. 9. Spare thy people