Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	action_n	good_a	life_n	1,000	5	4.5123	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41990	The voyce of truth or The high way leading to true peace composed in Latine by M.G. and translated into Inglish by F.G.	M. G. (Martin Grene), 1616-1667.; F. G.	1676 (1676)	Wing G1826A; ESTC R215166	33,580	126

devotion or Solidity in them nor can they profit eyther themselves or others Doe you therefore not only avoyd doeing any such things your selfe but even the conversation of such least you seeme by your company and patience to authorise their folly Persuade your selfe most certainely that there is noe peace to bee founde with such but by flying them There are but few such nor are you to thinke any such vnlesse hee shew himselfe to bee soe but you must treat all honorably not with a sordid compliment but a sincere charity You must not disprayse any nor speake of those things which you know they are vnwilling to heare vnlesse necessity oblidge or the duty of your office require it You shall not contend with any but rather chuse to holde your toungue to preserve peace then overcome by contending Those that dispute much about every thing and alwavs defend their opinion generally want judgement and if they were but soe wise as to judge rightly they would not doe it They are alsoe often blinded with the affection of a perverse will and persuade people that things are as they would have them not as they know them to bee Whether they erre in will or vnderstāding doe not oppose them but when you have delivered your opinion leave them in their errour whether it bee that they will not or cannot see the truth Avoyd complaints which prejudice charity gauld the mind of the plaintife If you find nothing prayse worthy doe not disprayse but bee silent if you see any thing prayse worthly prayse with moderation for the excesse of prayse does great prejudice as well because it shewes the imperfect judgemēt of him that prayses as that it deceives the praysed and finaly because that hee that gives great prayses to meaner things has nothing to adde to greater and besides a moderate prayse gets credit which the immoderat looseth Prayse therefore those that are prayse worthy with moderation and according to their desert but never prayse your selfe for who soever prayses him selfe rayses envy needlesly for all men endeavour to suppresse the arrogant nor is there any thing more apr to begette contempt then an itching desire of prayse expressed by the commendation of ones selfe It is better and much more wisdome to say nothing of ones selfe but let deeds speake If you have abilityes there will not want occationes wherein to shew them expect therefore a while and vertue or wisdome will appeare more pleasing the lesse exspected Boasting does even lessen good actions and makes great things seeme smale because they were greater in expectation If you will prejudice any future action you cannot effect it in a more compendious way then if you prevent and fill peoples minds with great promises which cannot bee performed For men beeing frustrated of their expectation become passionat judges and desire to find fault and condemne every thing Prayse not therefore your selfe nor preferre your selfe before any but bee as kind and indulgent to others as you can Prayse what you can according to its desert make the best of what is doubtfull that love may appeare every where which pleases all and let not Insolency pride Anger neglect or a meane oppinion of your neighbour appeare any where or any thing that may breed aversion and doe not that to another you would not have done to your selfe and soe you will fulfill my commaundement Thou shall love thy neighbour as thy selfe But seeing it is very hard to behave ones selfe as on ought in all events especially when wee are to deale with others observe these two following rules which will very much conduce to your peace of mind The first is not to intrude your selfe into the imployments of others Let each doe their duty t is their owne deeds must make them stand or fale It is good to bee willing to help others but it is very troublesome to meddle in others dutyes you are not a Censor to pry into others lives and actions nor shall you bee iudged for the actions of others but your owne If there bee any thing amisse in your neighbour let him mend it What is that to you doe not you passe your bounds because another has transgressed his you make your selfe miserable to no purpose while you afflict your selfe with the cares of others Suppose therefore every body to doe their duty doe you in like manner performe yours If your neighbours fault is manifest first see if there bee noe body else vnto whome it belongs to reprehend and correct which if there bee you are not to meddle with it If there bee noe such personne then consider a gaine whether what you may say is like to doe good and doe not easily persuade your selfe it will for all reprehensions are vngratfull even from a superiour and from an aequal or inferiour intollerable to all but those that have a perfect abnegation of themselves But if you certainely see your words will doe good you ought not to refuse your neighbour this charity The second rule is That in all you doe or say of your neighbour you make the most favorable construction For since you must almost of necessity incline to one side or other of the ballance it is much better you should incline rather to indulgence then to much severity For to much indulgence is easily monded but to much severity once vsed is hardly ever forgott Indulgence or condecendency is a humane errour and deserves love but severity is cruelty and rayses hatred and envy Yet this is not soe to bee vnderstood as though you were any-wise eyther out of love or indulgence to deviate from what is right for such indulgence is very prejudicial and rather deserves the name of cōtempt of good discipline then fraternal charity But where there is any doubt you had better erre twice out of to much charity then once out of two much rigour Sonne these are the things which you may doe for love of your neighbour to fulfill my will in all things Yet when you have done them you must not presently thinke you shall bee in peace with your neighbour for though you have done your part yet it is not in your power to hinder that none shall oppose you and soe disturbe your peace You must therefore lastly learne how to beare injuryes when they happen soe that they doe not disturbe your peace of mind If that you doe but rightly conceive and retaine what has beene sayd there is noe more to bee added But because there is nothing harder then to beare injuryes and contumelyes as one ought I will say some what that may much conduce there vnto When soever then which doubtlesse some times will fale out it shall happen that any one provoke you by injuryes or calumnyes you must endeavour most carefully to passe over your injury as if you were not wronged They that provoke you often desire noe more then to move you to anger doe not therefore pleasure them soe