Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n
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A45347
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Christ's ascension into heaven asserted and practically improved in several sermons / by Joseph Hallet ... whereunto is added by way of preface some account of the pious author.
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Hallet, Joseph, 1628?-1689.
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1693
(1693)
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Wing H450; ESTC R30724
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41,914
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130
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gone his Journey why now then let the Servants every one set to their Business to their Service now let it be known they are not eye-Eye-servants but do what they do in Love 6. There is another special Duty that from Christ's Ascension lies upon you that is Spiritual Joy and Rejoycing My Brethren Christ's Ascension was his Triumph and if a People be loyal when their King triumphs they will rejoyce Oh let our joyful Spirits give Eccho as it were to Christ's Trumpets that while they sound a Victory and Peace on Earth we may cry glory to the Highest Christ himself made this an Evidence of his Peoples Love 14 John If ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I said I go unto the Father Hadst thou a poor Kinsman advanced to some high Place in the Commonwealth thou wert but a poor Friend if thou wouldst not rejoyce So it is our eldest Brother yea our Head is gone into Heaven and there in our Nature sitteth next in Authority under God the Father who hath put all things under him and shall not we send one Gratulation after him See the Disciples Carriage when they had seen Christ ascended a Man would have thought that they which had so sweet Converse with Christ should have been found in a sad and mourning Posture upon his Departure He gone whose Life was their Light his Words a sweet Mixture of wise Counsels solid Comfort precious Promises and he departed from us Who but would have thought he should have found his Disciples wringing their Hands and prickt at their very Hearts since they had lost the Personal Presence of him who was their Counsel and Support their very Hope and Life No such matter they rejoyced that he was gone as you may see 24 Luke 52 53. He was parted from them and they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God See my Brethren it was the very Joy of their Hearts that Christ was gone to Heaven they rejoyced at it and they continued rejoycing just like good Subjects when their King rides in Triumph they cry after him GOD save the KING GOD save the KING some such Triumphant Song should we send after our Triumphing Captain None should express more Joy in Words in Works in Carriage in Conversation in Face in Faith than God's People 'T is an undecent and unbeseeming thing that a triumphing King should have a sad and a sullen People None should be so heartily merry as Christians I do not mean toyish and idle and apish in their Carriage and their Words which to see in People of Age may be the Wonder of Fools and Laughter of Children But in a comfortable Frame of Spirit arising from the Mercies they have and the Hope they have founded on the Love of God manifested in Promises that 's Madness and not Mirth which makes Fools and Children laugh but wise Men mourn Their Leader is in his Chariot on his Throne their Enemies at his Wheels at their Feet Thanks be to God that hath given us the Victory through Jesus Christ. 7. Lastly Is Christ gone to Heaven why then make up after him as fast as thou canst ascend thither Spiritually whether Christ is ascended Corporally Is Christ in Heaven why then let thine Heart be in Heaven let thine Heart be where thy Head is let thy Desires Thoughts Meditations be like the Angels on Jacob's Ladder going up coming down hold constant Correspondence with thy Prince Remember Christ thy Head is in Heaven What hast thou to do to build Tabernacles here upon Earth thou art Travelling to thy Country to thy Husband Along in the way thou art going for Jewels do not think of taking up thy rest in thy way Doest thou believe Christ is ascended What dost thou scraping then in the Earth and rooting thy self in the Mud or tumbling with Swine in dirty Puddles of Filthy Pleasures Observe what Paul saith 3 Coloss 1. If ye be risen with Christ seek these things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God What said the Angels to those that came to seek Christ in his Sepulcher Luke 24. Why say they Do ye seek the living among the dead he is not here he is risen So why seek you Christ amongst the things of the Earth he is not here he is ascended Christ is in Heaven Why then Let our conversation be in Heaven saith the Apostle Phil. 3.20 Where the Carcase is thither will the Eagles be gathered saith Christ Matth. 24.28 The Glory of the Gospel shall with such Effect and Power be maintained in the World that it shall make Men as eager to come after Christ into Heaven as the Eagle is after the Prey See then how you can find the Power of Christ's Ascension growing upon your Hearts Whether it draws thee up to Christ makes thee most Earthly and more Heavenly Whether it makes thee more Passionately eager and more Importunately earnest after Christ in his Ordinances in his Presence in his Grace in his Members This is thy Duty and this if it be thy Work will be thy Happiness What all for Earth and Christ in Heaven Let thy Thoughts then be more working to Christ thy Words more Talking of Christ thy Life more guided by Christ thy Affection more with the People of Christ Thy Head is in Heaven Let thy Heart be in Heaven and then doubt not but thy Body will come after FINIS BOOKS Printed for John Salusbury in Cornhill THE Certainty of The Worlds of Spirits fully evinced by unquestionable Histories of Apparitions and Witchcrafts Operations Voices c. Proving the Immortality of Souls the Malice and Miseries of the Devils and the damned and the Blessedness of the Justified The End of Doctrinal Controversies which have lately troubled the Churches by reconciling Explication without much Disputing Both by Mr. Richard Baxter The Protestant Religion truly stated and justified by the late Reverend Divine Mr. Richard Baxter Whereunto is added by way of an Epistle some Account of the Learned Author never before Published By Mr. Matth. Silvester and Mr. Daniel Williams The Harmony of the Divine Attributes in the Countrivance and Accomplishment of Man's Redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ By William Bates D. D. The Changeableness of this World with respect to Nations Families and particular Persons with a Practical Application thereof to the various Conditions of this Mortal Life By Timothy Rogers M. A. The Christian Laver or a Discourse opening the Nature of Participation with and Demonstrating the Necessity of Purification by Christ By T. Cruso Earthquakes Explained and practically Improved Occasioned by the late Earthquake Septemb. 8. 1692. In London and many other Parts of England and beyond Sea With a particular Account of the Earthquake in Jamaica By Tho. Doolittle M. A. The Pastor's Care and Dignity and the Peoples Duty By G. Tross
Calamities in all our Storms We shall one Day be where our Saviour is What a calming Support will it be when a Soul shall say It will be better when we shall be with Christ The Apostle says 2 Cor. 5.6 7. Therefore we are always confident saith he knowing that while we are present in the Body we are absent from the Lord We are confident I say willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. And thus have you heard the Four pleasant Streams of Eden come swimming to you from that great River of Christ's End in going to Heaven To prepare a place for his People And thus have I finished the Improvement of the Point by way of Comfort I now come to the last and that is Counsel Is Christ gone to Heaven and is he gone for us into Heaven Oh then let us carry our selves sutably to this Mercy and to our Hopes by it and that in these particulars 1. Is Christ gone to do our Work in Heaven Oh then let us do Christ's Work here on Earth 'T is but Reason and common Equity my Brethren that since Christ is gone upon our Business that we have an eye unto his Business in the World Endeavour to carry on Christ's Interest his Kingdom in your Hearts in your Families in the Places where you live Let all know you are the Servants of Christ and labour all you can to make others Servants to him do what you can by your Prayers by your Counsels by your Lives by your Examples by your Encouragements to propagate and enlarge the Bounds of Christ's Kingdom 'T is the Nature of Grace to be diffusive of her own Excellencies Grace hath a wondrous greedy eye it would fetch in all to Christ And therefore you shall find that immediately before his Ascension he shewed his Disciples that they should mind his Business when he was gone upon theirs Acts 1.8 Ye shall be witnesses to me both in Jerusalem and in the uttermost parts of the earth And then how after his Ascension his Disciples Men and Women and all went on in Christ's Business you may see in the after Verses of that Chapter Is the Master of the House gone and gone for the Servants Good Oh let them not then neglect their Master's Business How would it wound thy Heart and appale thee if Christ when he meet thee should say I have all this while on your Errand been employed to make you happy and you have done nothing for me the while whilst I have been providing for your Glory you have been dishonouring me Is Christ gone to Heaven to prepare a place for thee Then do thou prepare a Heart for him It is but a grateful Recompence to give up thy Heart to him who is gone to get Heaven for thee What wilt thou give him for all the Prayers and Cost he hath been at to make thee happy Why thou hast nothing to give but thy Heart and he calls for nothing else My son saith he give me thy heart Prov. 23.26 Prepare a Heart for Christ who hath prepared a Heaven for thee Shall Christ go to Heaven to prepare a place for thee and thou not suffer him to have a corner in thy Heart Christ is gone to prepare a Throne for thee and thou let Lust to sit upon the Throne within thee There is a sweet Exhortation 19 Revel 7. Let us be glad and rejoyce and give Honour to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her self ready Be thou as the Bride ready against the Wedding-day When Christ went to Heaven then it was the betrothing Day But thy Marriage Day is thy Dying Day Make thy self ready against that Day and prepare a Heart for him who prepares a Heaven for thee 3. Labour to look upon him ascending with an Eye of Faith then is some spiritual Gift likely to drop down to us when we see our Master ascended It is said of Elijah 2 Kings 2.10 That if he should see his Master ascending then he should have his spirit doubled Certainly 't is no less true in this matter if we can but by Faith see Christ ascended into Glory his Spirit shall in some measure come upon us 4. Thou must lean and rest thy self upon Christ for all see him ascended on high for thee and so do all in his Strength and Power However thine Hand shakes in thy Duties know thou hast one above that will hold thy Hand Set about nothing but with Paul's Confidence I can do all things in Christ that strengthens me This Use Christ directs his Disciples to make of his Ascention John 14.3 4 6. I go to prepare a place for you saith Christ Whither I go you know and the way you know We know not the Way saith Thomas No why I am the way saith he No man cometh unto the Father but by me I ascend up to the Father for you and you must ascend up to the Father by me all your Doings all your Fightings your Works your Wrestlings are all to be undertaken in the Strength of Christ Thanks be to God saith Paul who hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor 15.57 5. 'T is our Duty that now we serve him more affectionately and accurately and faithfully than ever He hath led Captivity captive by his ascending on high The World Sin Death the Devil now lie bleeding at Christ's Feet yea and through Christ that strengthens us at our Feet so saith the Apostle He will tread down Satan under our feet Rom. 16.20 What have we then to do but to serve the Lord. Deliverance doth always infer Service and Obedience being delivered out of the hands of our enemies let us serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives Luke 1.74 Christ hath purchased our Obedience by Deliverance Thus 2 Sam. 7.1 when David had Peace from his Enemies he made this Use of it to raise up a House for the Service of God when the Lord had given him rest round about from all his Enemies Behold saith he I dwell in an house but the Ark of God dwells in courtains When God had given him Rest it was not to enjoy quietly what he had but to serve God with what he did enjoy He had no sooner Rest but he thought of God's Service so these in the 9. Acts. They had Rest as it is said and walked in the fear of God Are you freed from Enemies you are the more free to serve God obey more freely since you may live more freely This was that when Christ was to ascend which he gives in charge to his Apostles to teach his People He was now ready to ascend well what was it now fit that the People should know Why that they must observe whatsoever Christ had commanded them 28 Matth. 20. teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Is the Master of the Family