Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A61711
|
Sermons and discourses upon several occasions by G. Stradling ... ; together with an account of the author.
|
Stradling, George, 1621-1688.; Harrington, James, 1664-1693.
|
1692
(1692)
|
Wing S5783; ESTC R39104
|
236,831
|
593
|
even now Heirs of a kingdom Jam. 2. 5. The wise that shall inherit Glory Prov. 3. 35. Heads destinated to a Diadem in Tertullian's expression which their Heavenly Father hath prepared for and will at last put upon them who alone too makes them fit to wear it meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in light III. How differently soever the Children of God may share in the same Inheritance This is certain that every one's share therein shall be the Gift of his Heavenly Father The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here imports it The Apostle alluding to the Division of the Land of Canaan a Type of Heaven which God had appointed to be done by lot wherein Himself we know had the main hand according to that of Solomon Prov. 16. 33. The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord. Thus it was in the Choice of Matthias to the Apostleship Act. 1. And thus it is as to our share in the Inheritance of Glory It falls to us by lot by the disposition of God the Father we have no part here but what he gives us And if so then no merit of Condignity nor so much as of Congruity can be pleaded by us And truly one would think it were sufficient to partake of the Inheritance without making out our own Title to it That we might be content to be Heirs without coming in as Purchasers or if we will needs be so to be Purchasers on Christ's score and not our own But this is too low and mean for some men who come with Counters in their hand ready to reckon with God to shew Him how much he is in their debt and who stick not to tell Him to his face that He is an unjust Master if he pay them not their due wages But 1. Our Lord Himself hath told us That God is beforehand with us That whatsoever we can doe is due from us to Him That when we shall have done all those things which are commanded us we must say that we are unprofitable servants and have done but that which was our duty to doe Luk. 17. 10. And then what merit can there be in paying just debts And 2. St. Paul hath told us That we can doe no good thing without Him too who worketh in us both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. So that He crowns His own gifts in us and rewards not our deservings Besides 3. Our goodness extendeth not to God says David Psal. 16. 2. And being unusefull how can it be meritorious Nay our best works are so imperfect and so sinfull too that the utmost they can expect is but a Pardon and not a Reward And were they never so good and perfect yet what proportion can they bear to such a Reward as an Inheritance in light Our light affliction which is but for a moment to a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. where we must not let pass an elegant Antithesis For Affliction there is Glory For Light affliction a Weight of glory And for Momentary affliction an Eternal weight of glory to shew the vast disproportion between these things so vast that even Martyrdom it self the highest utmost proof of our love to God is in St. Paul's account nothing in comparison of that Glory we expect For I reckon says he that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us Rom. 8. 18. IV. And lastly The very word Inheritance excludes all Purchase on our part For this were to renounce Succession to cast off all Filial Duty and Affection not to own our selves Sons but mercenary Purchasers yea and Purchasers of an Inheritance already purchased for us by Christ and for his sake freely bestowed upon us by our Heavenly Father out of His own pure Goodness and Bounty to which alone we must ascribe it For we all the best of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God Rom. 3. 23. And we are told ch 6. 23. that The wages of sin our proper wages is death but the gift of God is eternal life The Apostle might have said and indeed the Antithesis or Opposition there seem'd to require it But the wages of Righteousness is eternal life But he altered the Phrase on set-purpose and chose rather to say The gift of God is eternal life That we might from this change of the Phrase learn That although we procure Death unto our selves yet 't is God that bestows eternal life on us That as He hath called us to his kingdom and glory 1 Thess. 2. 12. so he gives that glory and that kingdom for no other reason but because He is pleased so to doe It is your Father's good pleasure for into God the Father's good pleasure Christ resolves it to give you a kingdome Luk. 12. 32. No merit nor so much as any good disposition in us for it He propares it for us Matt. 20. 23. And he prepares us for it too here in the Text by making us meet to be partakers thereof For what meetness could he find in us for such an Inheritance Title to it we have none being by nature the Children of wrath and disobedience Eph. 2. 2 3. Mere Intruders here and Usurpers The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and we the violent take it by force Mat. 11. 12. Qualifications proper for it we have none too That An Inheritance in light we darkness That An Inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 1. 4. we corruptible polluted and still decaying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cries out our Apostle We are not sufficient not fit for the word signifies either as of our selves but our sufficiency or fitness call it which you will is of God 2 Cor. 3. 5. 2 Pet. 1. 4. who as He makes us Partakers of his divine Nature so meet Partakers of the divine Inheritance not by pouring out the divine Essence but by communicating to us those divine Qualities which will fit and prepare us for the Sight thereof by putting light into our Understandings and holiness into our Wills without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. By cleansing our hearts and washing our hands that so we may ascend into the hill of the Lord dwell and rest in his Tabernacle Psal. 15. 24. He gives us Faith and with that a Prospect of our Inheritance and He gives us Hope and with that an Interest therein And to summ up all in one He gives us his Holy Spirit the earnest of that Inheritance Eph. 1. 14. who worketh all our works in us writes his laws in our hearts and by softning makes them capable of his divine Impressions In short That divine Spirit which by Regenerating makes us new Creatures and so fit Inhabitants for the new Jerusalem calling us first to Vertue and then to Glory to that as
sure it will be a much greater wonder if we shall refuse to hearken to his so pathetical and earnest Entreaty conjuring us by the mercies of God with such humble condescention and submissive insinuation calling us His Brethren whom he might have commanded as our spiritual Pastour and Father in Christ And all this but to make us more our selves by being God's The Text then consists of two Parts a Preface and a Duty I. The Preface in the former part of the Verse I beseech you where we may observe 1. The Apostle's method of proceeding here not by way of Command but Entreaty I beseech you and that too back'd with a double Argument The former couch't in his affectionate Compellation Brethren The latter drawn from the Bounty and Goodness of God appearing in his Mercies which the Illative Particle Therefore points to implying a former experience and taste of II. The Duty comprehended in the latter part of the Text That ye present c. Where we have 1. What we are to present Our Bodies 2. How we are to present them by way of Sacrifice 3. The Properties of that Sacrifice which must be 1. A living 2. A holy one And which is rather an effect or consequence than a property as such it will be acceptable 4. And lastly Here is the Conclusion of all by way of an Exegesis or farther Explanation what such a Sacrifice imports viz. A reasonable Service Of these in their order And first of the Preface and that very briefly for I must not detain you long in the Porch I beseech you The Apostle might have said I command you But such a smooth way best became a Preacher of the Gospel The Prophets indeed take another Course suitable to the Preaching of the Law which is usually delivered as it was first promulged in thunder and lightning every sentence in the Law carrying death in it and every letter thereof being a killing one But Christ's Embassadors are to use a different dialect We pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled unto God is our Apostle's language 2 Cor. 5. 20. And such Court-ship as this commonly prevails more on men than severe and sullen arguments and gentle insinuations do better persuade them than the peremptoriness of strict reason commands It being an easier matter to surprize than force to lead than to drag them to duty But then secondly I beseech you Brethren A word of humble condescension in so great an Apostle especially to inferior Christians A more charming word than Cesar's Commilitones whereby St. Paul like a skilfull Orator labours to beget a good opinion of his Person the better to make way for his Advice which is seldom ineffectual where the Party to be persuaded has a good opinion of its Author The affection of a Brother disposing him to a more ready entertainment of his Counsel And yet thirdly As if the Apostle suspected the weakness and insufficiency of this motive He adds a stronger The Mercies of God That if they would not hearken to him for his own they would doe it for God's sake A God whose mercies were more infinite than their sins or their necessities could be Now mercy as it is an endearing so is it withall an engaging word It doth cover sin and present it It makes disobedience to be unkindness and ill manners to be ill nature If an enemy had done me this dishonour I would have born it says the Psalmist Psal. 55. 12. When Caesar shall receive death from the hand of Brutus the hand is more grievous than the death it brings to behold that was more insupportable than endure it Our blessed Lord who had greater Agonies of love than sorrow is now capable of finds no greater sorrow than to see his love neglected Our Intemperance fills his Cup with a more bitter Gall our Ambition wreathes him a sharper Crown our ranking Religion among other stratagems places him again among worser Thieves and that we own Him in words for our Lord is but the civility or rather mockery of Pilate who when he nail'd Him to the Cross cry'd out This is Jesus the King of the Jews If he be a King and his Subjects not obey Him if a Father and his Sons abuse him if a Lord controll'd by his Servants or a Saviour and condemn'd by those he saves The Sufferings are enhansed by the Authors of them Nay what he suffers from us receives weight from what He deserves of us so that He bears the burthen of his own Merits is afflicted with his Love and grieved with his own Compassion That very kindness which doth endure makes it not to be endured His tenderness becomes to Him a burthen so insupportable that nothing but love could bear it from us and yet that very love doth make it more insupportable I beseech you therefore by the Mercies of God c. Of all those things which have a black character Ingratitude is the most confessed so The Vice this not of a Man but of a Fiend Kindness is Obligation and the cords of a Man stronger than those of Iron The consideration of the Mercies of God should not only make us doe our Duty but love it not only submit to God's Commands but be glad of them It should make us rejoyce when we have an occasion to deny our selves for his sake for then indeed we can only discover whether we are gratefull in earnest Who the most profligate wretch would not serve God if it were to be done only by gratifying of his own pleasure if God were to be pleased only by doing what his own lust would prompt him to But this consideration chiefly should make us enamoured with our hardest duties that they are opportunities of discovering our thankfulness for past blessings And is any so stupid as to reflect on the Mercies of God and not be refresht with the very thought of them Doubtless they are as it were once more received by being considered nor can we thank God for them without enjoying them over again we recall past Favours by remembring them and double our present Mercies by taking notice of them But for the most part so unworthy are we as not to value Enjoyment till Want teacheth us to doe so God is to be angry with us to make us love Him to remove his Mercies to make us tast them and he has little reason to continue these Mercies to us which are only valued when He takes them from us And yet methinks St. Paul is as high in Rhetorick as he is in Devotion when he beseeches us by the Mercies of God If his Love cannot prevail his Empire surely should not His Commands one would think should be of less force than his Promises for They indeed lay hold upon us but These within us St. Paul then hath here used his strongest argument when he beseecheth he doth most effectually command and the most sweet but withall the most powerfull Motive is the Mercies of God The word here