Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	family_n	master_n	servant_n	3,657	5	6.8258	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76092	Sick-bed thoughts, upon those words of the apostle in Phil. 1, 23 ... Part. I containing an answer to that great and solemn question, what that state and condition is, which a person must be found in, before he can have good and sufficient ground, not to be affraid, or unwilling to dye? / by J.B.	Batchiler, John, ca. 1615-1674.	1667 (1667)	Wing B1075; ESTC R42879	47,054	145

wrought Gold Psal 45.9 13. So doth poor captive Hester when taken out of her captive-condition and made Queen she throws away her captive-weeds and comes to her Liege-Lord and Prince with the Crown Royal upon her head and in robes of Majesty though all still not at her own cost or charges or by her own procurement but by free-gift from her gracious Prince who finding love enough in his heart to make her his Queen found money enough in his Coffers thus richly to adorn her And thus is it here between Christ and the Soul he provides it sumptuous attire and the soul by Faith puts it on and Oh! now how lovely and taking is it in the eye of Christ what a goodly person is it How doth it dazle in it● Cloath of Gold and in such a cloat● of Gold as is Coat of Male too which Divine Justice it self with its keenest Arrows can never pierce all which while Conscience hath an evidence of within it self and can prove that it hath thus put on Christ Is not here also another ground of peace of admirable peace Yes verily saies the Apostle Rom. 5.1 Being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Fourthly When Conscience bears witness that 't is not content onely with the meere work of Regeneration and that it hath indeed passed that over whereby it is become a Childe as well of the second Adam as of the first and bears the Image as of the Natural man so of the Heavenly too but also is every day endeavouring to perfect holiness in the fear of God and to be growing in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and so more and more making sure of Heaven according as the Apostle excellently discourseth in 2 Pet. 1.5 9. For so says he An entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ So how why by giving all diligence to adde to Faith Virtue and to Virtue Knowledge and so of the rest that is to add new degrees to every Grace for otherwise there is no new Grace can be added that was not received in the first work when the soul was first regenerated and became a new creature The meaning therefore is that he is not satisfied with meere habitual Grace but is careful that every grace may grow and grow at root and branch too in fairness sweetness fragrancy He would not have the earthly plants and 〈◊〉 in his Garden out-grow the Heavenly ones that are in his heart he would not have the Sun Showers and Influences of the visible Heavens fall 〈◊〉 upon his Violets and his Roses than the powerful Be●●●s and Influences of the Sun of Righteousness upon his Soul and therefore he takes pains with his own heart waits upon every Ordinance improves every opportunity he meets with seeks all waies and means and useth all possible endeavours that he may thrive in his inward man and at last attain to that stature in Christ that may render him meet to partake of the inheritance of the Saints in light However others spend their time in this world this is one of his main businesses and this his Conscience bears him witness and is not here again more matter of peace Fifthly when Conscience bears witness to a man that to the utmost of his power he hath faithfully discharged all relative duties that lye upon him either as a good subject to his superiours and the powers he lives under as far as may any way consist with his loyalty to Jesus Christ or in his domestick relations in his family as an Husband a Father a Master or as a Childe a Servant or what ever other Family Relation he or she hath stood in or as related to a Church of Christ of which happily he is a member or to any other of his fellow-Saints abroad or Neighbours Dealers Traders with whom he any way converseth I say when Conscience accuseth for no want of duty here likewise It is a quiet Conscience and at peace within it self Sixthly When Conscience bears a man witness that he hath been or at least is of a God-like Spirit that is of a gracious and benigne Disposition 1. To all men in general That as his Sun shines both upon the Just and unjust and his Rain falls on good and evil Matth. 5.45 So he hath been and alwaies is ready as occasion serves to do good to all sorts of men even the very worst that are so far as may consist with the Rule of his Duty and he hath any warrant for it But more especially towards three sorts of persons in the World 1. To Malefactors Enemies such as hate him have much offended him and done him wrong yet hath been alwaies ready to lay aside revenge and to pardon and forgive even to seventy times seven Thus God doth and thus his Conscience bears him witness 't is his not onely endeavour but delight to do even to overcome evil with good 2. To persons in misery he is like God here too of a merciful disposition can say as Job yea and appeal to God himself as he did concerning his compassion and helpfulness to the Widdow the Fatherless the poor and the oppressed that had no friend to speak for them in the Gate No Morsels to feed upon nor Garments to wear but what they received from his Table Bounty or Procurement Job 31 16-22 3. But most of all to the poor suffering Members of Jesus Christ to them of all others his Bowels yearne them to be sure he will not fail to relieve cherish visit comfort and every way as far as able minister unto them and this without distinction of Persons or Parties 't is not this or that difference in Opinion provided it be such as leaves a man upon the foundation but the grace of Christ that draws his heart and his compassions from him Seventhly and lastly When Conscience yet farther bears witness that in all he hath purely sought the glory of God even in all that he hath done throughout his whole course in one kinde or another yea and that he hath not onely been ready to do what Service he could for God in any capacity wherein he hath at any time set him since he had any saving knowledge of him but hath been ready also to suffer for him and give testimony to his Truths Waies Ordinances and holy Institutions in opposition to what-ever hath been contrary unto them What-ever Sufferings of his might any way advance Christ his Name Honor and Interest in the world he hath willingly undergone them and still is ready as much as in him lies in all lawful and warrantable waies to do his utmost for the raising of Christ and his Kingdome higher and higher even above the Thrones and Scepters of all that oppose him If Christ might ascend but one inch by his becoming a foot-stool to him he would joy and glory in it he

cares not how much hee decreaseth so Christ may increase No proud ambitious Haman ever sought his own honour so much as he seeks Christs his heart his whole-heart is set upon this his time his estate his parts his power and interest among men if any he hath all shall be improved this way to serve Christ let his sufferings be what they will or can be in his Name Liberty bodily Pains no Prisons scare him no sorrows whatever so Christ may gain by it Now when Conscience bears witness to this also as well as to the former particulars that this is the frame of his heart or at least that he sincerely desires and endeavours that it may be so this man I dare avouch hath a quiet Conscience a Conscience settled in a well-grounded peace and so hath no just reason to fear death SECT 7. The second Branch of a quiet Conscience namely a Conscience void of offence both towards God and towards men A Conscience void of offence towards God is a Conscience impelling and putting a man upon his utmost endeavours in all things to approve it self to God and to walk before him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto all pleasing Col. 1.10 Which the Apostle saies is to walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Worthy of the Lord who in all things deserves to be pleased by his own Creatures especially by man above the rest for whom he hath done more than for all the rest more than for Angels themselves Now he that upon consideration thereof doth all he can to testifie his gratitude to his most obliging God in avoiding every thing that may offend him not onely every sin but every occasion unto sin every shadow of it and so hates the very garment spotted of the flesh and also in doing whatever may be acceptable and delightful to him this man if any hath a Conscience void of offence towards God For to be sure he alwaies doth three things that none else do First He makes it his great care and study to finde out the whole will of God concerning him to understand all his Duty Secondly To practice all that hee knows thereof even to his utmost So that God himself may say of him as he did of his Servant David Act. 13.22 I have found David my Servant a man after mine own heart he shall do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all my wills and indeed herein lies the very excellency of our obedience that 't is done in compliance with and pursuance of the Divine Will and to have our own wills engaged in so doing for as 't is the will in God that an holy man chiefly looks at as the ground and great reason of his obedience so 't is the will in man that God also chiefly eyes in all he doth If there be first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a willing minde sayes the Apostle it is accepted 2 Cor. 8.12 Intimating that if this be wanting let the Duty in the matter of it or seeming performance otherwise be never so splendid and glorious yet 't is not accepted 'T will be no better than a guilded iniquity as the Lord saies to Judah by the mouth of the Prophet Jeremiah Chap. 2.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iniquitas tua inaurata 't is but a fine painted sin when all is done We say in Phylosophy forma dat esse 't is not the matter but the form that specificates every thing and distinguisheth it from all things else it is much more true in Divinity the heart and Soul of the man must be in every act of that obedience which pleaseth God he must be sincere in it and that universally and constantly every command must bee readily embraced and gladly obeyed and he that doth this or at least strongly desires and endeavours it is upright before and acceptable to God especially it being added in the Third place that wherein he fails 't is the great grief and sorrow of his heart that which costs him many a sigh in secret and many a tear between God and him and this briefly is to have a Conscience void of offence towards God and concerning which he can appeal to God as Job did whatever men say or think of him Job 16.19 20. Also now my witnesse is in Heaven and my Record is on high my friends scorn me but mine eye poureth out tears unto God The next thing is That 't is a Conscience void of offence towards men too When is that you 'l say When there is a great tenderness in the Conscience of doing wrong to any no not in the least and a great impulse to do to every man what is right and just and this from a principle of holiness For holiness towards God is the root upon which Righteousness towards men stands and from whence only it springs and grows And the truth is without both these Conscience cannot be good neither as a light nor as a witness nor as a Judge It can perform none of its Offices in fit manner nor due order the rule holds here as much as any where ad constituendum bonum ponenda sunt omnia requisita sed malum fit ex quolibet defectu to constitute a good thing all requisites must be present but one defect onely makes it evil Therefore the Apostle when he would describe a good Conscience puts in comprehensive words words that take all in that render it every way good Honestè bona pacatè bona good in the integrity of it good in the calmness and peaceableness of it Void of offence How large is that and void of offence towards God! how large is that too What needed hee have added any more The truth is whoever offends men and himself among others whoever interrupts his own peace brings any guilt upon his own Soul as well as doth wrong to another doth he not even therein also offend God and transgress his Law However the Apostle notwithstanding adds that also Void of offence towards men and thought it necessary to do so not onely for the more full vindication of himself before the Roman Governours to whom hee appealed but to intimate that his actions were every way such that hee durst appeal even to men also whoever they were though enemies as well as a righteous God if they would but be impartial and lay aside passion and prejudice that he was unjustly accused But this by the way onely Let 's consider what the Apostle means in this place by a Conscience void of offence towards men I conceive he doth not place it in meere moral acts of justice such as fair dealing paying every man his own giving every man his due and such like but in a pious and religious care no way to become an offence a stumbling-block or scandal to any by any dangerous opinion or evil example and that this is the Apostles sense or at least his principal meaning two things induce me to believe 1. What hee saies in the fore-going verses 14 15 where he