Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A12649
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A short rule of good life To direct the deuout Christian in a regular and orderly course.
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Southwell, Robert, Saint, 1561?-1595.
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1622
(1622)
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STC 22970; ESTC S106293
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53,144
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246
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that hath made me such a stranger to my natiue home and so slacke in defraying the debt of a thankefull minde but onely the iniquity of our dayes that maketh my presence perillous and the discharge of my duety an occasion of daunger I was loath to enforce an vnwelcome courtesie vppon any or by seeming officious to become offensiue deeming it better to let time digest the feare that my returne into the realme had bred in my kindred than abruptly to intrude my selfe to purchase their anger whose good will I so highly esteemed I neuer doubted but that the beleefe which to all my friendes by descent and pedigree is in maner hereditary framed in them a right perswasion of my present callinge not suffering them to measure their censures of me by the vgly termes and odious Epitheâ—es where with heresy hath sought to discredite my function but rather by the reuerence of so worthy a Sacrament and the sacred doom of al former ages Yet because I might very easilie perceiue by apparant coniectures that many were more willinge to heare of me then from me and readier to praise than to vse my indeuours I haue hitherto bridled my desire to see theÌ„ with thâ— care and ialousie of their safetie and banishing my selfe from the sent of my cradle in my owne couÌ„trey I haue liued like a forreiner finding among strangers that which in my neeâ—est bloud I presumed not to seeke But nowe considering that delay may haue qualified feare and knowing my person onely to import danger to others and my perswasion to none but to my selfe I thought it highe time to vtter my sincere and duetifull minde and to open a vent to my zealous affection which I haue so long smothered and suppressed in silence For not onely the originall law of nature written in all childrens harts and deriued from the bowelles and breasts of their mothers is a continual soliciter vrging me in your behalfe but the soueraigne decree enacted by the Father of heauen ratified by his Sonne and daily repeated by instinct of the holy Ghost bindeth euery childe in the due of Christianity to tender the estate welfare of his parents is a motiue that alloweth no excuse but of necessitie presseth to performance of duety Nature by grace is not abolished but perfited not murdred but manured neither are her impressions quite rased or annulled but suted to the colours of faith vertue And her affections be so forcible that euen in hell where â—ancour and dispight chiefly reigneth and all feeling of goodnâ—s is ouerwhelmed in malice they mouâ—d the rich gluâ—â—on by expeâ—ience of his owne misery to cary the lesse enuy to his kindred how much more in the church of God wher grace quickneth charitie enflameth and nâ—tures good inclinations aâ— aâ—eâ—tered by supernaturall gâ—fts ought the duâ—y of piety to preuaile And who but more merciles then damned creatures could see their dearest friends plunged in the like perill and not to bee wounded with deepe remorce of theâ—r lamentable and imminent hazardes If in beholding a mortall ennemy wroung and tortured with deadly pangs the roughest heart softeneth with some sorow If the most frozen fierce mind cannot but thaw melt with pitty eueÌ„ when it seeth the worst miscreant suffer his deseruâ—d torments how much lesse can the heart of a childe consider those that bred him into this worlde to be in the fall to far more bitter extremities and not bleed with grieâ—e of their vncomfortable case Surely for my owne part although I chalenge not the prerogatiue of the best disposition yet I am not of so harsh currish an humour but that it is a continual corsiue and crosse vnto me that whereas my endeuours haue reclaimed many from the brinke of perdition I haue bin least able to employ them where they were most due and barred from affording to my dearest friends that which hath bin eagerly sought and beneficially obtained of meere strangers Who hath more interest in the grape then he that planted the vine who more right to the crop then he that sowed the corne or how can the childe owe so great seruice to any as to him whom he is endetted vnto for his very life and being With yong Tobias I haue â—rauelled farre and brought home a freight of spirituall substaunce to enrich you and medicinable receits against your ghostly maladies I haue with Esau after long toile in pursuing a painefull chase returned with such prey as you were wont to loue desiâ—ing therby to procure your blessing I haue in this generall famine of al true christian foode with Ioseph prepared abundaÌ„ce of the bread of Angells for the repast of your soule And now my desire is that my drugges may cure you my Prey delight you and my prouision feed you by whom I haue beene cured delighted and fed my selfe that your curtesies may in part be counâ—eruailed and my duety in some sorte performed Despise not good sir the youth of your sonne nether deeme that God measureth his indouments by number of yeeâ—e Hoary seÌ„ses are ofâ—en cowched vnder greene lockes and some are riper in the Spring then others in the AutuÌ„ne of their age God chose not I say him selfe nor his eldest sonne but yong Dauid to conquer Golias to rule his people Not the most aged person but Daniel the most innocent infant deliuered Suzanna froÌ„ the iniquitie of the Iudges and Christ at twelue yeeres of age was founde in the temple questioninge with the gâ—auest Doctours A true Elias can conceiue that a little cloude may cast a large abundaÌ„t shower the scripture teacheth vs that God reuealeth to little ones that which he conceaâ—eth from the wisest Sages His trueth is not abased by the minoâ—ity of the speaker who out of the mâ—uthes of infants and sucklings can perfite his praises Timothy was young and yet a principalâ— pastour S. Iohn not olde and yet an Apostle yea the Angeâ—s by appearing in youthfull semblaunces giue vs a pregnant proofe that many glorious giftes may be shrowed vnder tender shapes Al which I alledge not to claime any priuiledge surmouÌ„ting the rate of vsual abilities but to auoide al touch of presumptioÌ„ in aduising my elders seeing that it hath the warrant of Scripture the testimony of exaÌ„ples sufficient grounds both in grace nature Ther is diuersity in the degrees of our carnal consanguinitie the preemineÌ„ce appertaineth to you as superiour ouer your childes body Yet if you consider our alliaunce in the chiefe portion I meane our soule which discerneth man from inferiour creatures we are of equal proximity to our heaueÌ„ly father both descended of the same parent and no other distance in our degrees but that you are the elder brother In this sense dooth the Scripture say Call not any Father vpoÌ„ earth for one is your father which is in heauen Seeing therefore that your superiority is founded vpon flesh and bloud which are in a manner
behauiour deliberation in my speeches purity in my thoughts rigtheousnes in my actions Iesu be my sunne in the day my food at the table my repose in the night my cloathing in nakednes my succour in all my needs Iesu let thy bloud runne in my mind as a water of life to clense the filth of my sinnes and to bring forth the fruit of life euerlaâ—â—ing Iesu stay minâ— inclinations from bearing down my soule bridle mine appetites with thy grace and quenche in me the fire of all vnlawfull desires Iesu keepe mine eies from vaine sights mine eares from hearing euill speeches my tongue from talking vnlawfull things my sences from euery kind of disorder Iesu make my wil pliable to thy pleasure and resigned wholy to thy prouidence grant me perfect conteÌ„tmeÌ„t in that which thou allottest O Lord make me strong against all occasions of sinne and steedfast in not yeelding to euil yea rather to die then to offend thee Iesu make me ready to pleasure al loth to offeÌ„d any gentle in speaking courteous in coÌ„â—ersation louing to my friends and charitable to mine enemies Iesu forsake me not lest I perish leaue me not to mine owne weakenes lest I fall without recouery Iesu graunt me an earnest desire to amend my faultes to renew my good purposes to peâ— forme my good intentions and to begin a fresh in thy seruice Iesu direct mine inteÌ„tions correct my errours erect my infirmities protect my good endeuours Iesu alay my passions and make me able to master theÌ„ that they neuer drawe me beyond the rule of reason and piety Iesu make me humble to my Superiours freÌ„dly to my equals chariâ—able to my inferiours and carefull to yeeld due respect to all sorts Iesu grant me sorrow for my sinnes thankâ—ulnes for thy benefits feare of thy iudgements loue of thy mercies and mindfulnes of thy presence Amen A praier before we settle our selues to our deuotions O Moste gratious Iesu giue mee leaue to presente my selfe before thy diuine maiesty and to poure out my vnworthy praiers vnto thee in sight of all the glorious court of heaueÌ„ Behould O Lord not in my merites but in the multitude of thy mercies I nowe come to make manifest my necessities and to vtter my grieâ—es vnto thee I come as a poore and needy wretch vnto a God of infinite glory I come as a worme of the earth vnto my soueraigne maker and creator I come as a guilty and heinous offendour vnto a most iust and seuere iudg I am not worthy to lift vp mine eâ—es to heaueÌ„ much lesse to open my mouth in thy glorious presence or presume to taâ—ke with a Lorde and King of such maiesty being my selfe but slime and ashes But O father of mercies and God of all comfort thou promisest that who asketh shal receiue who knocketh shal be let in who seeketh shal find Thou inuitest the greatest sinners and refusest not to yeeld thy assistance to any that will vse it Granâ— me therfor grace now to pray vnto thee as my duety and thy desert requireth Graunt me a pure intention a ferueÌ„t deuotion an atteÌ„tiue mind that I bee not carried away with impertineÌ„t thoughtes nor any other distraction but with humble heart firme hope and perfect charity I may effectually pray vnto thee and aske of thee that which thou seest most for thy glory my good to graunt sweet Iesus Amen An other O Gratious Iesu helpe mee to pray worthely that thou maiâ—st mercifully graunt my petitions keepe my thoughtes from wandering restraine my imaginations preserue my â—ences from being distracted Defend O Lord my weak hart from all ghostlie assaultes and so fixe my mind vpon thee that I be not carried away from consideration of thy presence graunt me distinctly to pronouÌ„ce my wordes attentiuely to apply my thoughtes and to be wholy rauished and posessed with zeale and true deuotion O Lord graunt me to aske forgiuenes with deep coÌ„trition and full purpose of ameâ—dement graunt me to craue thy benefits with harty thankefulnesse and gratitude for those which I haue receiued Grant me to pray for my self with perfect resignatioÌ„ vnto thy will and for others with true charity 〈◊〉 sincere affection Afford O Lord such comfort to my soule as thou seest fitte for me and by the assistauÌ„ce of thy spirit inspiâ—e thy good motions into me that I may feele them forcibly accept them thankfully and fulfill them effectually Finally I huÌ„bly beseech thee of thy mercy and goodnes that I may deuoutly spend this time of praier endeuouring with thy Angels and Saints to praise thee with true repentant sinners to appease thee and with all thy creatures dutifully to serue thee sweet Iesus Amen A short meditation of mans miserie WHat was I O Lord What am I What shall I be I was nothing I am now nothing worth am in hazzard to be woâ—se than nothing I was conceiued in originall sinne I may hereafter feele the eternall smart of sinne I was in my mother a loathsome substance I am in the world a sacke of corruption I shal bee in my graue a prey of vermine When I was nothing I was without hope to be saued or feare to be damned I am now in a doubtfull hope of the one and in manifest daunger of the other I shal be ether happy by the successe of my hope or most miserable by the effect of my daunger I was so that I coulde not then bee damned I am now so that I can scarce be saued What I haue beene I know to wit a wretched sinner what I am I caÌ„not say being vncertaine of Gods grace What I shall be I am ignoraÌ„t being doutfull of my perseuerance O Lorde erect my former weaknesse correct my present sinfulnesse direct my future frailtie Direct it O Lorde from passed euill in present good to â—uâ—ure reward sweete Iesus Amen AN EPISTLE OF A RELIGIOVâ— PRIEST vnto his Father Exhorting him to the perfect forsaking of the world To the worshipfull his verie good father R. S. his duetifulle sonne R. S. wisheth all happines IN children of former ages it hath binne thought so behouefull a point of duety to their parents in presence by seruiceable offices in absence by other effectual significations to yeelde proofe of their thankfull mindes that neyther any child could omit it without touch of vngratefulnes nor the paâ—ent forâ—eare it without iust displeasure But nowe we are fallen into such calamitie of times and the violence of heresie hath so crossed the course both of vertue and nature that their engraffâ—d lawes neuer infringed by the most sauage and bruite creatuâ—es cannot ' of Gods people without perill be obâ—erued I am not of so vnnaturall a kinde of so wilde education or so vnchristian a spirite as not to remember the roote out of which I branched or to forget my secondary maker and author of my being It is not the carelesnesse of a cold affection nor the want of a due and reuereÌ„t respect