Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	neighbour_n	require_v	respect_v	1,097	5	11.7860	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66029	A discourse concerning the gift of prayer shewing what it is, wherein it consists, and how far it is attainable by industry, with divers useful and proper directions to that purpose, both in respect of matter, method, and expression / by John Wilkins, D.D. ; whereunto may be added Ecclesiastes, or, A discourse concerning the gift of preaching by the same authour.	Wilkins, John, 1614-1672.	1653 (1653)	Wing W2180; ESTC R7133	129,988	242

liberality Almes Hospitality Restitution By this we are taught to pray that we may not wrong or defraud our brethren by any outward act of oppression injustice or deceit That our hearts may not be troubled with any sollicitous or carking cares that our conversation may be without covetousnesse being content with such things as we have trusting in his promise that he will never leave us nor forsake us that they who seek the Lord shall lack nothing that is good Remembring how he hath commanded us to cast all our care upon him and how he provides for the fowles of the aire and the beasts of the field and that in our greatest discontents we are in much better condition for the world then many of his blessed Saints and Martyrs who were forced to wander up and down in sheep-skins and goat-skins and that we enjoy more then our blessed Saviour himself did who though he were Lord of the world yet had not whereon to rest his head That he would teach us how to abound and to want and in all estates to be content That he would moderate our desires to these earthly things that we may not too much love the world nor the things of the world that we may covet earnestly the best things seeking first the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof expecting other matters as additions thereunto To esteem godlinesse for the greatest gain and as for these outward things not to desire any abundance of them but if we have food and rayment to be therewith contented That we may be just and upright in the wayes of getting wealth that we may not go beyond or defraud any one as knowing that the Lord is the revenger of all such being diligent in our callings working with our own hands the thing which is good that we may be able to give to them that need Being consciencious in repaying that we owe in making restitution of that wherein we have wronged any one That he would give us hearts to use and enjoy the estates which we possesse Power to eat thereof and to take our portion and to rejoyce in our labour That we may be wise and faithful in laying out the talents committed to our trust Not lavishing of them by any idle and vaine expences as knowing that we are but stewards of our estates being to give an account of them to our Lord and Master Not niggardly and sparing towards any work of charity Not trusting in uncertaine riches but in the living God that we may do good be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate laying up in store for our selves a good foundation against the time to come that we may lay hold on eternal life Making our selves friends of unrighteous Mammon which may hereafter receive us into everlasting habitations Laying up for our selves treasures in heaven Considering that he who soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and he who soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully The ninth Commandment does referre to duties which concerne our Neighbours or our own reputations From this we may learne to pray that we may be tender and charitable in upholding the credit of others willing to speak and hear and judge the best of them Covering their infirmities in love Not back-biting with our tongues nor taking up a reproach against our Neighbours Not speaking evil of any one but being gentle shewing all meeknesse to all men That we may not be willing to listen unto and hearken after any rumour which tends to the defamation of our Neighbour but may rather rejoyce in their good report Disliking all flatterers Tale-bearers and such other persons as do usually raise and spread ill rumours That we may not be pragmatical or censorious in the affaires of others where we are not concerned But may study to be quiet and to do our own businesse being careful to pull the beam out of our own eyes before we find fault with the mote in others Doing nothing through strife or vain-glory but in lowlinesse of minde each one esteeming of others better then of himself That we may be lowly in our own eyes Not thinking of our selves more highly then we ought to think that we may be careful by all good means to advance our own reputations Valuing a good name above great riches labouring to be such as we would seem to be walking circumspectly not as fools but as wise approving our selves unto him who trieth the hearts Avoiding all appearances of evill and following matters of good report The tenth Commandment does require a sincere and upright heart to our selves and our Neighbours By this we are directed to pray that God would cleanse our souls from that evill concupiscence so natural unto them endowing us with a sincere inclination to all the duties of charity That he would make us more watchfull over our own senses and hearts in keeping out and extinguishing all those evill fancies and imaginations which may arise within us And to this purpose that he would bestow upon us the whole Armour of God whereby we may cast down all fleshly reasonings and imaginations and bring into subjection every thought unto the obedience of himself That we may make a Covenant with our thoughts not to please our selves in the speculation of any sins not to think of them without soathing and detestation That we may never make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof that our hearts may be dis-ingaged from the world That he would give unto us the Spirit of wisdome to discern in what things we are most obnoxious to temptation and to be most vigilant over our hearts in respect of those particulars That we may keep our hearts with all diligence That we may never envy our neighbours well-being nor rejoyce at his sufferings CHAP. XXII Of the graces that are more particularly required in the Gospel NExt to the Precepts of the Law we are to consider the duties which the Gospel does require of us namely that we should repent and believe That we should be careful to perform to continue and increase in all those particular duties and graces which are comprehended under these two general heads So that from hence we are directed to pray 1. For Repentance That since God hath in love to our souls vouchsafed unto us in his Gospel this Priviledge of repentance which the Covenant of Works did not admit of that he would also give us hearts for it granting us repentance unto life That he would convince us of the danger and folly and pollution of our sins enabling us to mourn over them bestowing upon us broken and contrite spirits Dissolving our stony hearts into that godly sorrow which worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of That we may search and try our wayes and turn unto the Lord Bringing forth fruits

in those callings wherein we should provide for our selves and our families or else too much hastening to be rich by violence and oppression craft or over-reaching by being unfaithful in our words and promises Not so upright and sincere in our dealings with others not conscionable in paying their dues When we are not wise and moderate in the use of these outward things Not so discreet in laying out the Talents committed to our stewardship too sparing and parsimonious unto good purposes too lavish about dishonest and unnecessary occasions The ninth Commandment does forbid those vices which concern our own or our neighbours reputation as Slander Credulity Hearing of tale-bearers Censuring Sinister suspitions Flattery Silence in defending c. Against this we sin not only when we do publickly concur with others in false judgement against our neighbours But also When we are not charitable in our speaking hearing thinking of others Subject to reviling scornful slanderous speeches very ready to speak ill and to spread the faults of our neighbours when it does no way concern us or is like to benefit others Willing to entertain Back-biters Tale-bearers Scoffers ready to listen unto any report that tends unto the defamation of others too much affected unto flattering tongues and deceitful lips Busie and medling in the affairs of others where we are not concerned Full of Credulity and rash belief in judging of ill rumours too liable unto uncharitable suspitions apt to interpret good things ill and doubtful matters in the worst sense Not so careful in upholding our neighbours credit by admonishing exhorting rebuking him according to our Callings and opportunities Subject to arrogant high conceits of our selves and yet very negligent in those ways wherby we may establish our reputations Not labouring to be such as we would seem to be Not endeavouring to keep a good conscience before God and a good report before men Not avoiding all appearances of evil The tenth and last Commandment does forbid any concupisence against our neighbour though before the consent of the will whether by covetousnesse self-love evill thoughts envie Against this we sin when we have not such a holy disposition in our mindes unto the duties of charity as God hath required When we are apt to favour and entertain the temptations that are suggested to us When our mindes are full of evill fancies and wicked perturbations arising from our corrupted natures When we delight our selves in any evill imagination keeping it close and rolling it in our thoughts though our mindes perhaps do not consent to the acting of it CHAP. XII Sins against the Gospel NExt to these transgressions against the Law we ought to enumerate our sins against the Gospel which for the general kindes of them are reducible to these two heads Unbelief Impenitence 1. Our Vnbelief in the several degrees of it Not labouring to acquaint our selves with the duties promises priviledges of the Gospel though it does contain the best glad tidings and of the greatest consequence that can possibly be imagined Our not assenting to it according to its full latitude being easily carried about with every winde of doctrine any wilde erroneous fancie apt to turn aside unto our own crooked wayes And to have our minde corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ Not being sound in the faith Our not loving and esteeming of it Not sufficiently admiring that miracle of divine bounty wherein the Love of God was more especially commended and manifested towards us in that he sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him Our too much slighting and under-valuing the great love and merits of our blessed Redeemer Treading underfoot the Son of God prophaning the blood of the Covenant and doing what we could to make Christs passion of none effect Being apt to prefer drosse and dung before the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord. Not counting him all in all Not rejoycing in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have received the Attonement Not glorying alone in Christ and him crucified Not counting his favour and loving-kindnesse to be better then life Not claiming his promises as our heritage esteeming them the joy of our hearts Not looking upon them as being unsearchable riches exceeding great and precious Our not living by faith in all estates and conditions Not embracing the promises of the Gospel with so much readinesse nor adhering to them with so much stedfastness as the excellency and certainty of them does require Not improving and applying this rich treasure of Gospel-promises unto the various changes of this temporal life in respect of Prosperity Adversity being very apt to be altogether immersed in sensitive external things without reflecting upon those advantages we might from thence enjoy in this regard And so for our spiritual life being apt to rely on our own righteousnesse and self-justifications thereby endeavouring as much as in us lies to deprive Christ of his Saviour-ship Not owning of Christ in all his offices not willing to accept of him as well for our Lord as our Saviour And this heart of unbelief does prove unto us a root of Apostasie making us to depart from the living God 2. Our Impenitency in that when God had in some measure discovered unto us our own miserable condition by reason of the Covenant of Works we have not yet humbled our selves in any proportion to the multitude or greatnesse of our sins Nor applied our selves with any fervency of heart unto the onely means of pardon and reconcilation in the Covenant of Grace Not being inquisitive after our sins not endeavouring to examine and finde out our particular failings but rather to hide and excuse them Not being humbled and grieved for them as considering that wretched injustice folly unkindnesse that we have expressed by them Not resolving and striving against them not improving all advantages for the avoiding and subduing of them Refusing to repent though God has vouchsafed us time and means Though light be come into the world yet loving darkness rather then light Receiving the grace of God in vain Turning it into wantonness Tempting grieving quenching the holy Spirit of God whereby we should be sealed to the day of redemption Hardning our selves by a custome and delight in sin and by this means Treasuring up for our selves wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God 'T is here to be observed that though these two sins be more immediately and directly against the Gospel yet the other breaches of the Law before mentioned are in some sense reducible also under this head Evangelical obedience including Legal as subordinate to it and the Law being the rule of Gospel conversation And for this reason I am the more brief upon this head We should here likewise remember that all these offences before enumerated are

but the generals and kindes of our sins The particular acts of them being past our numbring To all which may be added our pronenesse to maintain justifie extenuate our offences CHAP. XIII Concerning the aggravation of sins BEsides the Enumeration of our sins it is also requisite that we understand somewhat concerning the aggravation of them whereby they may appear exceeding sinful that so we may be the better affected with a selfe-abhorrency and humiliation for them Aggravation may be either of Sinne in General Kindes of sin Particular sins 1. Sinne in general may be aggravated either by its Greatnesse Multitude in both which respects it is eminent above any thing else as for other matters if they be great they are but few if many they are but small But sin exceeds in both these 1. The greatnes of its evil may be discerned in its Nature Effects both in regard of Christ. Our selves Other creatures 1. All sinne in its own nature and essence is enmity against God Now as he that hateth his brother is a murtherer So he that hateth God may be said to be a murtherer of him Because in his heart he wishes that he were not The holy Ghost fitly stiles it The excrement The superfluity of naughtinesse implying that if all other evils were to have a scum a superfluity 't is sinne must be it 'T is worse then the Devil himself it made him to be so 'T is worse then Hell that is but opposite to the good of the creature this of the Creator And if the greatnesse of the malady may be judged by the cost and difficulty of the Cure It will easily appear that no evil is so great as this because nothing could serve for the remedy of it but the infinitely precious blood of Jesus Christ 'T is so great an evil that there can be no greater punishment of it then by it self when God would deale with a man as a most desperate enemy he give him up to sin There can be no worse epithite or expression for it then it self When the Apostle would speak the worst of it he could he calls it by his own name sinful sin 2. For the effects of it in regard 1. Of Christ who had it only by imputation as our Surety It was the cause of all his bitter Agonies It afflicted his soul and broke his heart making him to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 2. In respect of our selves it hath utterly undone all mankinde debased our souls which were fit companions for God himself unto a servile shameful condition Deprived them of that glorious Image wherein all our happinesse and excellency did consist and made us more vile then the beasts that perish 3. In respect of the other Creatures it hath brought a vanity and curse upon the whole Creation causing all the miseries and sorrows in this world and those eternal torments in the world to come All which mischief is contained in the nature and might be effected by any the least particular sin Now if every sin have in it so much deformity and danger if our least offences do contain in them more enmity and injustice against God then could be expiated by the whole Creation and of themselves would be enough to sink us into eternal perdition how desperate then are those greater abominations those crying sins of a scarlet and crimson dye wherewith our lives have been defiled If an infinite wrath be due to our idle thoughts what may we expect then for our unclean covetous malicious proud Atheistical Blasphemous thoughts If every vaine word does deserve hell what depth of damnation then shall be inflicted for those many cursed oaths lies bitternesse railings and other unsavory discourses whereof we have been guilty If our Righteousnesse be as filthy rags if the iniquity of our holy things be enough to condemne us what dregs of indignation may we then expect for our many rebellions prophane hypocritical actions if our sacrifice and obedience may be counted abomination what shall be thought then of our Sacriledge and Rebellion 2. For the multitude of our sins who can tell how oft he offendeth Our iniquities are increased over us and our trespasses are grown up unto the heavens They are more then the haires of our head Neither the tongue of men or Angels is able to reckon them up if there be any impiety which we have not fallen into 't is not for want of sinful inclinations in us but rather because we had not temptations means opportunities for the acting of it To which may be added our continuance in sin as a fountain casteth out her waters without intermission Now if one sin alone be enough to expose us to damnation O then how shall we be able to stand before so many sins which we know by our selves besides those many secret sins which we have not known many that we never considered and very many that we have quite forgotten If all the plagues and curses of the law be due unto those who continue not in all things written in that book to do them What fury and wrath then may they look for who have persevered in a continual rebellion against all Gods holy Laws and Commandments If one sin in Adam were enough to condemn the whole world what then may a world of sins in every one of us All which sins will yet appear more heinous by comparing them with those many and great favours which we have received 2. The Kindes of sin may be aggravated 1. By comparing them with others which are lesse evil 2. By examining them according to their full latitude shewing how many impieties are involved in every one 3. By distinguishing them into their several degrees 1. By comparing them for example sinnes of Commission are in themselves more hainous then sins of Omission Sins against the Gospel are in some respects much worse then sins against the Law because they are against greater light and mercy and the more means any have injoyed the greater shall their condemnation be Corazin and Bethsaida being upon this ground pronounced by our Saviour to be in a worse condition then Tyre and Sidon As in matter of grace God does not weigh it by the Scales but try it by the touchstone not so much regarding the number as the truth of duties So it is likewise for sins a lesser sin against light and love does more provoke him then a much greater with reluctancy or from surprisal Transgressions against the first Table are worse then those against the second If one man sin against another the Judge shall judge him But if a man sin against the Lord who shall intreat for him and for this reason the first Table is called The great Commandment Neglect of a principal duty of the first or second Table is a greater sin then the neglect or omission of that which

is circumstantial or ceremonial Obedience and Mercy being better then sacrifice Sins against the clear light of nature or reason are in many respects worse then those that are discovered to us by the written Word The more obligations are broken the greater still is the sin as when our offence is not onely against the Word of God but likewise against the Law of Nature Conscience particular Promises and Vows 2. By examining the latitude and comprehensiveness of any kinde of sin though it may more especially referre to the breach of some one Commandment yet if we search into its utmost compasse and extent we shall finde that it does also refer unto divers others So the sins of the second Table do not only intrench upon one another but also upon those of the first Table by reason of that disobedience which is in them unto the Command of God 3. By distinguishing the degrees of sin the first Consent being not so bad as the Act nor the Act so bad as the Custome and delight A particular offence being not so bad as an habitual reigning sin that wastes the conscience 3. That which does more especially concern us in our Confessions is the aggravation of particular sins Because a general view of them is more apt to produce a confused stupor and amazement rather then any proper and genuine humiliation Every man hath some black dayes in his Calendar some more notorious sin whereof he hath been guilty He should in his private humiliation endeavour to call those to fresh remembrance and set them before him Not forgetting that horrour and dread which appeared to him when God did first discover them to his conscience And therefore it will concern us to labour after a more distinct discovery of the heinousnesse of our particular offences which will best appear by examining them according to their divers circumstances Now the Circumstances of actions are usually reckoned to be these seven 1. The Person 2. The Place 3. The Thing 4. The Means 5. The End 6. The Manner 7. The Time 1. The Person is considerable under a twofold capacity either for the Person Offended Offending 1. The Person offended the Creator and Governour of the world so eminent for his Greatnesse and Majesty which does adde much to the offence An ill word against the King being high Treason whereas the greatest offence against another is not so much So that it may be very helpfull to set forth the heinousnesse of any sin to consider who it is that is offended by it Not only our Brethren Superiours Equals Inferiours or our selves but the great God who is able with the blast of his mouth with a frown of his countenance to ruine us eternally and cast us into hell And it must needs argue extream folly for men to contend with their Maker to provoke him to jealousie as if they were stronger then he So infinite in holinesse and knowledge of pure and piercing eyes abhorring sin infinitely and yet necessarily beholding it Though men may stop their eares or shut their eyes against what they dislike yet God cannot go out of the hearing or seeing of sin He hears every one of our vain and sinful words He sees into the secret corners of our hearts the least glimpse of any sinful contrivement which we our selves can scarce take notice of and should we provoke the eyes of his glory So terrible in his Justice and Majesty who shall one day come with thousands of his glorious Angels in flaming fire to render vengeance upon all those that know him not or obey him not So merciful and gracious unto us The Lord our Redeemer the holy One of Israel our King Our Father who hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace And shall we return evil for good and hatred for his good will Shall we thus requite the Lord Is not he our Father that bought us hath he not made us and established us The Person offending a frail creature of a dependant being preferred out of nothing to the noble condition of the humane nature One that hath taken upon him the Profession of Religion ingaged himself to the duties of Christianity by a solemn Vow in Baptism participated the means of Grace in a greater measure then others and hath had so much experience of Gods more especial favour towards him One who is called a Christian and rests in the Gospel and makes his boast of Christ and knows his will and approves the things that are more excellent c. 2. The Place where we have enjoyed the liberty and sunshine of the Gospel In the land of uprightness dealing unjustly In that very place which hath so much abounded with temporal and spiritual blessings flowing with milke and honey and that which is more nourishing and pleasant to the soul then either of these to the body The Word and Ordinances of God in sincerity and power 'T is recorded of the Israelites Psal. 106 7. that They provoked God at the sea even at the red sea which is repeated with an Emphasis as being the place of mercy where they had lately seen so miraculous a deliverance which circumstance did adde a great aggravation to their rebellion 3. The Thing that which we have so often relapsed into against which we have so frequently resolved being in it self it may be of a more foule and scandalous nature c. Hitherto does belong the aggravations which concern the kinds of sin which were mentioned before 4. The Means with hypocritical pretences making Religion the veile for our unlawful desires fighting against God with those abilities with which we should serve him Abusing that health wealth strength wit and all the other Talents we have received not only neglecting to improve them unto the glory of the Giver but wastefully lavishing of them so that we cannot with the foolish servant give God his own again using them as weapons against him thereby resisting his Spirit and Ordinances 5. The End for lying vanities the short pleasures of sin which are not without some mixture of sorrow in the very injoyment of them and do afterwards fill the soul with guilt and fear Forsaking the Fountain of living waters and hewing out unto our selves broken Cisterns that will hold no water Spending our money for that which is not bread and our labour for that which satisfieth not Prosecuting those things whereof we might be ashamed the end of which will be death 6. The Manner how which is capable of much amplification it being a great addition to the heinousnesse of any sin when it is committed either Out of ignorance when we have had means of being better informed Out of impudence against the dictates of nature the light of reason and education some taste and relish of spiritual things the checks of conscience former promises and resolutions