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
A45741	A sermon preached before the right honourable the lord mayor and court of alderman, at St. Bride's church, on Wednesday in Easter-week, April 11th. 1694 by John Hartcliffe ...	Hartcliffe, John, 1651-1712.	1694 (1694)	Wing H969; ESTC R10311	15,681	35

much Good is done in the World this way and how much Credit is brought to Religion by this course of Life To which if we add their Example it must be of mighty force to amend a degenerate Age for it is a greater Encouragement to go before a Man and shew him they way than only to give him direction 'T is true Religion is more refined and lovely in the Notion than it is in him who professes it In the Definition it is pure and hath nothing of Allay but in the Person it is attended with Mixture and Imperfection yet Vertue is more lively in the Person hath more taking Charms and Allurements when we behold its Shape in the Actions of Bounty and Goodness and altho Religion may be represented with more beautiful Colours in a Discourse yet Example satisfies us that there is nothing in it but what is practicable for Holiness would seem an impossible thing and not to be obtained were it not made familiar to us and easie for our imitation in the Behaviour of Charitable Men did it not shine forth with the brightest Lustre in all their Doings who by Counsel and Instruction point out the right Path of Salvation but in their Example they take us by the hand and lead us into that way It is incredible of what moment a few good Examples may be to reform an evil Age especially if their Stations make them any ways subject to the Notice of others for a Man of severe Innocency and Justice of an inflexible and strict Integrity is like so much Salt cast into the World to preserve the Manners of Men from that Filth and Putrefaction which is contracted by vicious Habits One of a sweet and humble Temper doth make the Conversation of his Neighbours to be so too a Man of a moderate and peaceable Spirit is like so much Balm to heal Differences and to asswage the Violence of irregular Passions one of sincere Piety and lively Devotion may be compared to so much Fire sent down from Heaven to kindle in others warm Affections for the Service of God and the Love of their Brethren a Man of eminent Sanctity doth discountenance the Wickedness of other Men one of a prudent and grave Behaviour doth restrain their Vanity and Folly In this manner both the Continuance and Reformation of the World must be ascribed to charitable and vertuous Persons for they make all others as happy as they can by advising them to be better and by keeping them from growing worse besides God doth so love Holiness Justice and Mercy that he will not only reward those who practise them in their own Persons but all that have any relation to them shall be the better Thus the Faith of Abraham and the Sincerity of David had an Influence upon Israel for many Generations Thus Nations and Cities have owed their Safety and Success to the Prayers of such Holy and Pious Men as can prevail with God because they are offered to him in conjunction with their Alms. Now the best Arguments for our giving of Alms are That it is the only Course we can take First To be like our Blessed Saviour Secondly To do Services acceptable to God Thirdly To save our Souls for ever First We are hereby made Like our Blessed Saviour who went about doing Good by which Method he spread the Fame of his Gospel and made it appear lovely in the Eyes of all Beholders for whenever he intended to convert any to his Faith he did it by some visible good Works in the sight of the Multitude but he never gained any Disciple by the Conflicts he was pleased to undergo in his own Mind for he performed his Fast and his Agony alone in the Wilderness and in the Garden Hence it is that our Lord commands his Disciples not to believe him but the Works that he did because he thought in the most honourable Labour to study the Benefit of Mankind to help their Infirmities to supply their Wants to ease their Burdens And thus the whole Doctrine of Future Happiness was introduced by feeding the Hungry by curing the Lame and by opening the Eyes of the Blind Let this Mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus We must then be intent as he was upon the constant Exercise of vertuous and good Actions for we have an exact Rule of Life set before our Eyes that doth enjoin us such Duties of Piety as will procure the Love and Favour of God such Practices of Bounty and Good-will as will govern well our Behaviour to our Brethren and such excellent Precepts as will produce if we obey them our utmost Content and Happiness Thus in the Life of Christ God hath shewed thee O Man what is good and what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to do justly to love Mercy and to walk humbly with thy God So that were we to contrive a way to make our selves happy we should fix upon just such Laws as these are they are so agreeable to the Composition of our Natures they require us to perform Duties so plainly necessary and beneficial to Mankind so delightful also to our selves because therein we follow our Natures and do gratifie the most importunate Dictates of our own Reason Therefore the Principles upon which our Saviour obliges us to act are Love Reverence and Gratitude to God hearty Good-will towards Men and a sober regard to our own true Welfare the Ends of our Doings which he prescribes are God's Honour Publick Edification and the Salvation of our own Souls so that his Conversation upon Earth which we are bound to follow had not one Spot nor Blemish in it there was not one false or uneven Stroak in all this fair Copy that we might be secure from doing amiss in transcribing any part of it for it was intended to guide us through all the manifold Instances of our Duty chiefly those that are most spiritual and consequently difficult to our frail Constitutions general Charity self denying Humility and invincible Patience which when received into the Temper of our Minds will render us truly wise holy and good For Christ Jesus as he is a Mediator with God on our behalf so he is a Principle of Divine Life in us and his Religion doth not that which is permanent and lasting if it do not obtain this effect upon us of reconciling our Minds to his nay it is but an imaginary thing if we have not implanted in us by his Spirit a pure Heart a right Mind clean Affections an obedient Will and a Sound Understanding Which is effected if we order the Actions of Reason and Liberty by the set Rules of a Righteous and Holy Life For then we shall walk as Intelligent Agents should do who are baptized into a noble free and divine Spirit which Spirit will give us that Wisdom which is from above and is said to be first pure then peaceable full of Mercy and good Fruits without Partiality without Hypocrisie