Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	good_a	master_n	servant_n	6,134	5	7.3996	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34673	The covenant of Gods free grace most sweetly unfolded and comfortably applied to a disquieted soul from that text of 2 Sam. 23. Ver. 5. : also a doctrinall conclusion that there is in all such who are effectually called, in-dwelling spirituall gifs [sic] and graces wrought and created in them by the Holy Ghost / by that reverend and faithful minister of Gods word, Mr. John Cotton, Teacher of the Church at Boston in New-England ; whereunto is added, A profession of faith, made by the reverend divine, Mr. John Davenport, in New-England, at his admission into one of the Churches there.	Cotton, John, 1584-1652.; Davenport, John, 1597-1670. A profession of faith.	1645 (1645)	Wing C6424; ESTC R30971	35,301	46

this is all his desire The word in the Originall signifies also delight It is all his delight though God bring him otherwise to no great matters nay though he should decay in these outward things yet this is all his desire that Gods Covenant to him may remain firm and sure The words being thus opened divers things may be raised from them as Doctr. 1 That there is no godly man keeps so good an house as to walk with God answerable to their calling and the means of grace offered unto them and this is the meaning of the words though my house be not so with God to wit not walking according to my calling in fear and righteousnesse it is true I should shine as the Sun in the morning without clouds with my family but we are clouded with many corruptions the grasse after Sunshines and rains hath alwayes a green and fresh colour but I and my house receive many showers and Sunshines yet are not we in the like manner fruitfull and flourishing David might well say his house had not the feare of God when Absolom was so rebellious against him as to have plucked him out of his kingdome when Amnon defiled his sister and was for it slain by Absolom who further defiled his fathers Concubines and that in the view of the whole nation there was neither fear of God nor righteousnesse to man notwithstanding the many sweet showers they received from the Prophets they walked not answerable to the blessed means received but were cruell and rebellious therefore though God hath called David to walk with him in the fear of his Name and to cause his family to do so yet that hee should fall short of the grace manifested he hath just cause to complain and yet Davids house is set for a pattern for all houses Zach. 12.8 In that day shall the Lord defend the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and he that is feeble amongst them at that day shall be as David and the house of David shall be as God as the Angel of the Lord before them in which place is shewed that God had especiall regard to the house of David and where David falls short few exceed it David had a speciall care to rule and govern his house aright Psal 101.1 2. I will saith he behave my selfe wisely in a perfect way I will walk within my house with a perfect heart yet notwithstanding all this when David looks back and considers his own wayes and findes many disorders and failings his house is not so with God therefore you may take it for granted that no godly man doth keep so good an house as to walk answerable in his calling to the means of grace offered unto him No house walks according to their callings First concerning the feare of God in your Christian callings in every family there be some of these vices 1. Eye-service children and servants are more carefull to approve themselves to their Parents and Masters then to God 2. In every family you shall finde pride and haughtinesse of minde and spirit contrary to Gods Spirit Rom. 11.20 3. You shall finde drousinesse of spirit in the performance of good duties which implies likewise a want of the true feare of God and this you may finde in the Family of our blessed Saviour they could not watch with him one houre notwithstanding his calling upon them and stirring them up thereunto Matth. 26.40 4. You shall finde a slownesse and dulnesse of capacity and understanding to apprehend any thing that good is Luke 24.25 O fooles and slow of heart to believe c. 5. You shall finde hardnesse of heart the Disciples of our Saviour though they were continually with him enjoyed his glorious presence daily conversed with him saw many strange visions and great miracles and thereby had many sweet showers from our Saviour himself falling upon them yet notwithstanding after all this what said our Saviour unto them As yet perceive ye not nor understand have you your hearts yet hardened Matth. 8.17 So likewise in our outward callings we are failing many wayes in righteousnesse one towards another the husband is wanting to his wife in not giving her her due of love or the fruit of love and she back again to him Parents and Masters wanting to children and servants and so likewise those back again to their superiours not giving and rendring to one another that which God requires of them you shall see Sarah wanting to Abraham Gen. 16.5 when she saw that Hagar had conceived by her husband and she came thereby to be despised of her she imputed the occasion of the wrong offered to her by her hand-maid wholly to her husband and calleth the Lord to judge between them notwithstanding she was most faulty her self in it Gen. 16.5 So likewise are husbands wanting to their wives in love kindnesse provision protection c. which is a want of righteousnesse so children are wanting to their parents and one another as Absolom Adonijah and Amnon in true naturall affection to his sister sometimes they are malicious one to another as Josephs brethren of Jacobs family So likewise idlenesse and lying as in Gehezi 2 King 15.25 David had not dealt well with his sons nor his sons with him neither Eli with his in their younger dayes we should not so complain in our generall calling of hardnesse of heart and want of life and unprofitablenesse in good duties towards God if we were not so much wanting to one another in love and righteousnesse if we therefore would not have our hearts dull and unprofitable in our generall calling we must then labour to dispose our selves aright in our particular calling Not so he meaneth not answerable to the means of grace this is true in any family some of the family will not be brought in no not if there be strong means used it will be but in hypocrisie notwithstanding all the sweet showers that fall upon them and pleasant Sun-shines whereof they daily partake yet some will continue as ignorant as at their first entrance into the family and though many do settle themselves to goodnesse yet they rise not without clouds there be many corruptions in them As they have much knowledge so likewise shall you see them defiled with much pride and vain-glory Husbands cannot bring in their wives nor wives their husbands Parents their children nor their servants and though peradventure they may bring in some yet not all neither this without many a cloud many sinfull corruptions lying profanenesse unprofitablenesse and when they have brought them forward in any good way they have many times such fears and doupting of their estates that they are ready to forsake all and fall back again and if they come on to any profitable performance of good duties yet are they so wonderfully unsetled in their estates and conditions that many times the further the day growes the more cloudy it appears such ado and trouble is there to come to any setlednesse in

good wayes they are so clouded with feares of their estates that if they come to be assured of Gods love they will a while love good duties but afterward fall back again to a customary performance and rest themselves contented with the deed done yea many times they break out into open failings to the wounding of their own souls they prove like the high-wayes and barren places rather more defiled then like the green grasse which is bettered by the showers that fall upon it mens hearts may be right before God and they may have much care and diligence to uphold in such a blessed condition and yet come far short of what is required of them as you see in David Although my house be not so with God c. And what might be the reason of this From a secret purpose and counsel God hath to have some unbelievers in every family Reason 1 yea in such places where you shall see most Religion used and God most truly worshipped there shall be some upon whom it shall be his pleasure to shew his displeasure Christ made as good choyce as choyce could be made and yet hee would have us see what we may not unjustly expect in the like case Joh. 6.70 Have not I chosen you twelve and behold one of you is a Devill If it were so in Christs family then we must not look to speed better there is no family wherein one is not a devill his family being as a pattern to all other families it was not for want of means it so proved in his it being our Saviours continuall practice and whole calling to publish Gods truth So for further instances you may see in Adams family Cain the first born an unbeliever In Noahs family there is cursed Cham in Abrahams family is scoffing Ishmael in Isaacs family prophane Esau in Jacobs family brethren against innocent Joseph Moses had a prophane wife who counted him a bloody husband for administring circumcision Aaron had his Nadah and Abihu Samuel his sons were bribe-takers 1 Sam. 8.23 Eli his sons were faulty in the priests office David had his Absolom Adonijah and Amnon Solomon amongst all his wives had not above two that were good Asa his mother had a grove Jehosaphat a wicked son Hezekiah had Manasses who at the first was very wicked Josiah all his sons were wicked and so in all other families we see it true and therefore we can see no cause why with others it should prove better Object But it is said of the Centurion he feared God with all his houshold Acts 10.2 they submitted themselves to all Gods Ordinances though not in truth That may be true in the generall Answ 1 if all did but professe it it is true If they did feare God in truth it was not likely to hold some will be removing and it is like worse come in their room but if they should be all good yet they who were good would be wanting in the feare of God and righteousnesse one towards another in any answerable walking according to the means they do enjoy So concerning the house of the Jailor the same answer may be given though they be all generally good yet may they fall short of the right performance of many good duties to God and one to another The second Reason is from the vanity and curse that lies upon the creatures in every condition of life Reason 2 Every man in his best estate is vanity Psal 62.10 take them single they are vanity take them together they are lighter then vanity it selfe If it was possible to assemble a company who are all good yet would they corrupt one another yea put what persons together you can they will hurt and defile one another in stead of doing good Heb. 12.23 If any man could have a perfect family hee might then have an heaven upon earth which he shall not enjoy In the Church and Congregation you shall finde some wheat some chaffe some good corn some tares so in the best families you shall finde a mixture of good and bad together The third reason is from the mixture of flesh and spirit that is in every man Wee know but in part wee prophecie but in part Reason 3 and as our knowledge so likewise all other graces are imperfect our obedience hope love faith they are but all in part and if David himself was not so how could hee expect it of his family Though all our families should be brought on to be godly yet would they be corrupt in part for so are the best here Learn we then hereby Vse 1 every one of us to judge our selves and our families and to teach every person to judge themselves as at other times so more especially in the dayes of their humiliation and when they come to renew their promises and vowes with their God If David were not able to say that his house were perfect with God what then may we say we have not that means which he had such Teachers to instruct us such guides whereby we might be brought forward neither are wee compassed about with Prophets in a land of uprightnesse where shall we finde an house that walks with God as David did that growes as the tender grasse and is as the Sun without cloud Wee are therefore to charge our selves with our follies and failings and to humble our selves for them whether it be towards God or towards one another we should consider how we are failing in the true fear of God how subject we are to eye-service and although we can do little in reforming Kingdoms and Nation yet we may take care for our own houses we may judge our selves and our families in our manifold failings we may judge our selves for our high-mindednesse drousinesse in good duties for our evill slow heart to get hold of any spirituall thing for our customary performance How do we start aside from them upon every occasion our common complaint is we are wanting to God in his fear and holy service we are too strait hearted in the performance of good duties true cause there is why it may be so with us yet this is but a branch of the Covenant and the reason of our failings in that is because we are wanting in righteousnesse one towards another husbands walk not towards their wives nor their wives back again to them Parents to their children nor children to their parents c. as they all ought to do according to the Law of God and therefore we are to judge our selves for our uncleannesse for our unprofitablenesse under the means we enjoy and toward one another and this is the cause why such good means as are used are not so powerfull to prevaile with us The Sun riseth without cloude and shineth forth freely and powerfully if we be overclouded and overshadowed with any inordinate unruly passions and unbeseeming behaviour if we rise so distempered and the corruption of our natures raise such vapours and mists

in us we are to judge our selves for these and to take upon us Joshuah's resolution I and my house will serve the Lord Josh 24.16 From this generall reformation of families God may be pleased to spare the whole Land as many times a man spares a Vine that hath but one branch and cluster of grapes upon it if not altogether yet at least untill such time as the grapes shall be ripe So God seeing a cluster of Christians here and there because they cannot grow if the Vine be cut up God will therefore therefore spare the whole Again though God be purposed to send out his destroying Angel to lay waste a place yet then we have some helps to save our selves There was but one good house in Jericho which was Rahabs the Harlot yet God spared that for some good service done unto him by her so when we shall hold out the truth and sprinkle our selves with the blood of Christ as the Israelites did God seeing the blood of Christ sprinkled upon us by our faith and repentance wee may be saved from those destroying evills that overwhelm others Vse 2 This may quiet the hearts of Gods servants in temptations though they finde many troubles in their lives and in the right ordering of their families they must not take up such complaints of their houses husbands children servants as to thinke that no body is so much troubled in these things as they are for better men then they have had worse houses David had a speciall care of planting his house well and yet see what corruptions are found even in his family what disordered incestuous and bloody sons he had in his house wherefore wee may well complain of the failings of our families if wee observe what want there is of the fear of God what formall and meer outside performing there is of many good duties this therefore should train us up in some patience and quietnesse of minde and spirit to walk wisely and humbly under Gods hand and not to pine and murmur at our estate and condition Vse 3 And yet in the third place not so to be quieted with the disorders in our families as to drive us to neglect but labour to purge them more and more and not to suffer them to come in if sin once get an head wee may receive many sweet showers and Sunshines and yet be little the better for all If David speaks it with griefe it is then for David and every good man to use all means they can to reform their families to call on them to feare God and to walk religiously one towards another and not to suffer these good showers and pleasant Sunshines these profitable means to be bestowed in vain upon them you have a sweet promise Isaiah 55.10 11. For as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater so shall my Word be that goeth forth out of my mouth it shall not return unto mee voyd but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it We are daily to intreat a blessing upon the means that it may be effectuall to the end for which it is sent Quest But how may wee help our families to amend Answ 1 Wee must labour to observe what is amisse in one another and labour to purge out all our corruptions thus mutually to help one another in the knowledge of those things which wee of our selves may be ignorant of that so wee may come to cleanse our selves in some measure from all sins and this ought we to do more especially when we come to solemn duties as at times of humiliation and receiving of the holy Sacraments It was commended in Jacob Gen. 35.1 2 3 4. when God commanded him to go to Bethel and cleanse his house his care was accordingly to reform what was amisse in his family as appeares by his charge unto them to put away the strange gods from them to cleanse themselves and change their garments if we change our dwellings and not our sins the same evils will follow us whithersoever we go consider we therefore if raigning corruptions are within us no raigning sin whatever but it is our God wee must therefore part with it be it never so deare and neer to us and pray unto God that hee would be pleased to give us strength to subdue it and bring it under and not to be of their disposition that will see no fault that is not the way that which is a strange thing in Gods sight let it be so in ours let us gather together all our corruptions and burn them in sacrifices to God it is the sin of a family that troubles a family and that when no means is used for healing it v. 19.17 Levit. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin upon him and when God sees no corruptions nor filthinesse in us hee will be readier to blesse us and prosper us in all our wayes So then wee must have nothing to do with our sins which do hinder all good things from us but we must labour to gather them all together and offer them up in sacrifice to God that they may vanish away in smoke that they be no more seen nor heard of Answ 2 That we may the better help forward our families in goodnesse wee must not rest in any good means of grace wee do enjoy for David wee see went further then thus therefore we must not content our selves that wee enjoy the ordinances of God but we must labour to finde God in them and his blessing to us in the performance of them or else all is little worth This was Hezekiahs Prayer 2 Chron. 30. that the Lord would be mercifull to those of his people that prepared their hearts to seek him although they were not cleansed according to the purification of the Temple the Lord heard his Prayer and healed their corruptions because they sought God in his Ordinances Let us then also following their example seek God in his Ordinances labour to feel our wants in him teach the same unto our families and seek him by prayer that hee would be found of us that so we may do that which becometh the Gospel of Christ And so much for this point Doctr. 2 Again in the second place wee may observe That it is the stay and comfort of a godly housholder against all the disorders of his own heart and family that God hath made an everlasting Covenant with him ordered in all things and sure This you see evident in David here Though my house be not so with God yet God hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure We have not walked in the feare of Gods Name nor in

use much fasting and prayer and yet fail much of our performances of the best duties yet notwithstanding if we give up our selves to be bound to this service if we come to God submit our selves to him in all things to do with us as hee pleaseth and as shall seem good in his sight submitting our selves to be ruled and squared by him in all things hee shall have our whole hearts to do with us what he will here is the Covenant made up between God and a good Christian God then offers himself to us he is ours and wee are his Psal 27.8 When thou saidst seek yee my face my heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seek You must herein resolve to take heed of all sin labour to perform every good duty and be sorry you can do it no better notwithstanding herein stands the difference between one that serves an apprentiship to become free and one that enters into service to be with God The apprentise must serve seven yeers before he can become a free man but the childe of God is made free that first day that hee gives up himself to God though thou be a servant to another man yet art thou the Lords free man 1 Cor. 7.22 If we can but content our selves to be the Lords servants we shall be his freemen yet herein are those services sutable in the beginning an apprentises service is very difficult hee is exposed to much hardship he knowes not how to please Master or Mistresse if he knew their mindes hee would be willing to frame himself accordingly So when we come into Gods service if he but a little hides his face we think presently wee are cast off and that we were never any of his but all this comes for want of experience of a Christian mans life if you can be content to break off from all your evill wayes and with all your hearts cleave unto God doubtlesse then God hath made with you an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure If you be not in the Covenant but your whole desire is that you may you must labour to bring your selves into a good family and that you may be fitted for any service you must deny your selves and give up your mindes wills and affections unto God take Christs yoak upon you if hee calls you to any crosse stumble not at it but bear it patiently and wait upon him for a deliverance out of it and that you may the more earnestly strive to get within this Covenant consider that in so doing you shall certainly bring a blessing upon you and yours though you and your family be disordered yet Gods Covenant will remain firm and sure unto you all estates though never so free conveyed are nothing unto this and therefore as you love your selves and would leave a sure inheritance to those that shall come after let your speciall care be how yee may attain to this for even a kingdome without this is but a poor state Vse 3 It must teach all such as are under this Covenant of Grace to walk thankfully and humbly and faithfully See Davids humble thankfulnesse 2 Sam. 7.18 Who am I O Lord God and what is my fathers house that thou hast spoken of thy servants house for a great while to come We must walk fruitfully with God in the sense of this Covenant in pardon of sins in beating down corruptions there is no better sign that we are in this Covenant then to grow thankfull for it and humble under it and fruitfull in communicating our experience unto others and labouring to bring them within the compasse of it Thus much for this Doctrine The third thing is the confining of Davids desire and salvation to this Covenant whence observe Doctr. 3 That the security and sufficiency of the Covenant of Gods Grace is all the salvation and desire of Gods people This is evident in the Text it is all his will the will comprehends the desire and the delight of a man so that this Covenant is so compleat that a man needs nothing more to salvation or to satisfie his desires and these two comprehend all that hath been said of Gods Covenant What is it that he saith it is all my salvation and desire Salvation comprehends in it these two things First a deliverance from dangers Secondly a safe comfortable and glorious estate So that salvation implies in it safety viz. deliverance from all dangers Ps 3.8 So also a safe comfortable and glorious estate in heaven When David said This is my salvation his meaning is I had never been freed from danger nor set in a safe and glorious condition but by vertue of this Covenant Secondly this is the substance of my salvation for this Covenant gives us such hold of salvation that though we have it not yet we believe we have salvation by vertue of this Covenant we are in many discouragements but God hath made a covenant to deliver us Thirdly This is all my desire viz. the object and summe of all my desire nothing but as it comes within the compasse of this Gods glory is my desire as all my desire is here so all my rejoycing for the word which is here desire in the first Pslam v. 2. is translated delight all Davids desire and delight was in this Covenant he took no comfort in his crown nor that he was a sweet Singer of Israel nor in his children though comly nor in the ordinances of God no further then they were wrapped up to him in this Covenant of God and the Reason is Reason 1 First because there is no blessing safe to us no desire or delight but so far forth as it is conveyed in this Covenant unto us If a man were delivered from danger unlesse by vertue of this Covenant it is a cold deliverance For if he be saved from drowning the gallows may claim his right of him if the gallows cannot hell fire will reach him if he be not within the compasse of this Covenant if hee have credit and wealth in this world yet if not conveyed unto him by vertue of this Covenant it is a miserable estate children beauty strength gifts may be desired if they come under this Covenant Reas 2 Secondly from the compleatnesse of the sufficiencie of this Covenant No deliverance we can stand in need of but this Covenant can convey it unto us all the desires and delights of the Church are wrapped up in it No good thing will he with-hold from them that live a godly life Psal 87.7 All my springs saith David are in thee God delights in us when we are in his Covenant his Covenant reacheth to his Church and wee being members of that Church Hence it comes to passe that we partake of all the pleasant springs of Gods love and rich mercies to us in Christ Jesus For the Use of this point Vse 1 First it may serve to teach men and women be their condition never so happy