Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	command_v	servant_n	unprofitable_a	1,244	5	10.6349	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A30702	Cosmo-meros, the worldly portion, or, The best portion of the wicked, and their misery in the enjoyment of it, opened and applyed together with some directions and helps in order to a heavenly and better portion, enforced with many usef[ul] and divine considerations / by Seth Bushell ...	Bushell, Seth, 1621-1684.	1682 (1682)	Wing B6237; ESTC R40782	133,437	408

to open his benefits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 3.8 to make known the priviledges and blessings you shall partake of by your acceptance of him amongst which this is one we are to Publish and upon Gospel trust to tender even a right in him to an Everlasting Portion 1 Pet. 1.4 an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you This undoubtedly is yours if Christ be yours Nay all things are yours whether Life or Death 1 Cor. 3.21 22. or things present or things to come ●ll are yours if Christ be yours Oh therefore lay out for him and make him your Portion ●ere God offers him and would give him do not you ne●lect so great Salvation Heb. 2.3 Act. 13.46 Judge ●ot your selves unworthy of Everla●ting Life by putting away from ●ou this Blessed Portion which ●n and with Christ is held out ●nto you An accepting of him ●y a true Faith now in this pre●ent World will undoubtedly ●●sue to a full fruition of him ●nd of perfect happiness in him 〈◊〉 the World to come The ●olly of men in this respect is ●xceeding palpable who having ● Glorious end set before them and means Infallible conducing to that end without or beside which it is given in assurance to them that they shall never attain that end and they are convinced that the end is truely excellent and desireable the mean probable and easie to be attempted and they have some fai● thoughts towards it and co●● wish the enjoyment of it th●● they might dye the Death of ●●e righteous Num. 23.10 and that their last●d might be like his yea and perhaps they have some hopes but vain and upon empty grounds that it shall go well with them and yet they will not enter into the way nor accept the mean● appointed for the obtainment o● the end They regard not t● make Christ their Portion her● and yet they hope for an Eternal Portion of good things her● after Whereas Christ is th● way John 14.6 the truth and the life the hope to come to life and nev●● set one step in the way nor regard whether there be a work of true saving Grace and Faith upon their Hearts or no. Is not this palpable madness Is not this self-condemning folly And yet we find the whole World to lye a-sleep in this secure condition without God and Christ insensibly sliding down into deep destruction whilst by a cursed Hope-well they promise good unto themselves and yet the proper and only means appointed by God for the attainment of that good and without which there is no hope is laid aside and wholly neglected of them §. VIII Eighthly See to the services you perform to God that they be choice services Doe you look for the good of Gods chosen Psal 106.5 then your services should be chosen services True it is the Inheritance is given upon the account of Son-ship and not Servitude but yet these Sons are to Honour their Father in a way of Service they are to shew their Obedience by serving him without fear in holyness and righteousness before him all the dayes of their Lives Luk. 1.74 75. Our Saviour Christ though he were a Son yet saith the Apostle he learned Obedience and being made perfect is become the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him Heb. 5.8 9. Service here goes before the reward hereafter though the reward is not reckoned of Debt but of Grace for when we have done all those things that are commanded us were that possible or within our compass yet we are unprofitable Servants and have done but that which was our duty to doe Luk. 17.10 Now if you expect choice mercies let your services be choice services such as in some measure may aim at an Heavenly Portion Let your services as on the one hand influenced on by so on the other be tendent to the Grace of Eternal Life How should your services be seasoned with Faith and Fear and Self-denyal How should they be sprinkled with the salt of the Graces of Gods Spirit If you expect and move towards an Eternal Portion how serious and earnest how real and intended should your thoughts be and the workings of your affections in and about your services Let your designs in your duties be Heavenly if you design the Inheritance of the Saints in Light See to the choiceness of your Services in their Principle end and manner A Supernaturall Principle is requisite to a Supernaturall Work Those Principles which are congenite and naturally inbred will not enable to the performance of a Supernaturall Work Joh. 3.6 For that which is born of the flesh is flesh but that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Grace it is a Supernatural Principle and works beyond what conviction merely is able to raise one to it brings a suitableness between the Work and the Heart to which otherwise the Heart will not be enclined but naturally is averse and indisposed Hence all that enmity in Souls that are in the state of unregeneracy to the things of God they cannot away with Gods Service and Worship the Work of God it is a burden to them they cannot bear it they complain under it as irksome tedious wearysome saying with those the Prophet mentions When will the New Moon be gone Amos. 8.5 Mal. 1.13 and the Sabbath What a weariness is it They snuff at it Why is all this but because they want a Principle of Grace enclining the Heart towards Gods Law Psal 119.36 A Choice Service must have a Choice Principle And so the end must be suitable too or else the Service will not find acceptance The end has a great Influence upon the Work to render it acceptable or rejected if the end and aim be towards God to Honour him in Obedience to him to fulfill his Will to please him to testify our Submission to and dependance upon him our thankfulness for mercies received benefits conferred and our trust in him thus the end 's good and will so far dignifie and put a value upon the Work But if the end and aim be towards our selves as our own praise Self-esteem Worldly credit if it be to Honour our selves by seeking to receive Honour one of another Joh. 5.44 If the aim be at our profit advancement or advantage in this World it is a poyson to our services and of such Our Saviour Christ says Verily I say unto you they have their reward Mat. 6.2.5.16 They have what they aim at and they have it now And we are to see that our Services be Choice in their manner too The modality of the Act as well as the matter and end thereof is duly to be considered Circumstances are to be weighed not only the bonum but the benè is to be regarded Seneca in giving of his rule how to know the affections when they are naturall and when not saith he you shall know