Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	bind_v	law_n	obligation_n	1,168	5	9.4651	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51821	A sermon preached at the Hampshire-feast on Shrove-Tuesday, Feb. 16, 1685/6 by Tho. Mannyngham ...	Manningham, Thomas, 1651?-1722.	1686 (1686)	Wing M503; ESTC R4397	10,863	38

Truth and Nature and behold we have received it from the God of Truth and Nature who came to make us more like Doves than Serpents more Just than Cunning more upright and sincere Despisers of the World not more shrewd deceitful Adorers of it than Jews and Pagans Who came to root all Covetousness out of mens Minds wherein the strength of Injustice lies to lessen their esteem of Temporal Advantages to acquaint them with the Riches of his Mercy to tell them of Treasures worth all their Industry and Care to inspire them with the most generous Principles of doing all the good that lies within their reach and of copying after his Example who went about doing good and in whose mouth there was found no Guile Wherefore all Cheating Lying Dissimulation and over-reaching one another in Bargains and Contracts is directly contrary to the Righteousness of the Gospel which has not onely confirm'd the Laws of Natural Right the Rules of Civil Justice and the more excellent precepts of Morality but has added stricter Measures of its own and bound them on the Conscience with more Authority and severer Sanctions For the Gospel has heighten'd all the Relative Duties between man and man into parts and Acts of Religion All Natural Political and Domestick Obligations are bound upon us with the Fear of the Lord and are to be directed to the Glory of God And nothing seem'd a greater care with the Apostle St. Paul than that men might adorn their Christian Profession by shewing the admirable influence it had upon them in those lawful States and Callings in which it found them engag'd The immediate Acts of Religion are either so secret that others do not see them or else so outward and solemn that Hypocrisie can act them but Business Commerce and Trade give clear and obvious Testimonies of mens Hearts and Natures of the falseness or sincerity of their Intentions and Designs and by these Works we may soon discern either their Faith or their Infidelity If we ever expect to Convert the Indians the Justice and Integrity of our Merchants and Factors must prepare the way for they will never think the Christian Religion better than their own unless they are well assur'd by mens Practices that it injoyns more Honesty than theirs They will no more believe the Gospel whose Professors Cheat and Lye than they will go to Heaven with a Spaniard Wherefore all those may be said to offend highly against Christian Conversation who make it their business to endamage their Neighbours by crafty and specious pretences who think they may take the advantage of anothers weaknese and make their own profit the measure of other mens Rights Whereas the Justice of a Christian ought always to be accompanied with some degrees of the Charity of a Christian and we should ever remember that we are not onely of one stock by Nature but of one Bloud by Redemption that we are all Children of the same Father by Adoption Heirs of the same hopes and promises and that in these little Societies here on Earth it nearly concerns us that we no ways unfit our selves for that Everlasting Society which we expect in the highest Heavens 3. Whatsoever things are Honest Venerable Grave or Decent ought to be promoted in our common Conversation It is a good Rule that is laid down by some Moralists that in our most familiar Converse we should often reflect on the Dignitie and Prerogative of Man that our Thoughts might be awaken'd to noble Designs and that we might do or say nothing that is below the Excellency of that Nature we carry and always pay a proportionable respect to those who bear the same Image with us And this may be call'd the general Decorum of Life against which all Intemperances and Sensuality and base Compliances do immediately offend But we that are Christians are able to raise this Rule higher by carrying our thoughts beyond the present Dignity of our Nature to the expectation of that Glory to which through Faith and Obedience it may be advanced let us think what a gravity and seriousness becomes those who acknowledge themselves to be always in the presence of God always contending for a Crown and to be endued with Souls capable of Thoughts and Affections that immediately relate to those concerns that are Infinite and Eternal And although we are not bound to keep up these reflections continually in their full Solemnity but may sometimes unbend to an innocent refreshment yet ought their Authority and awe to be so Habitual to us as to put a check to all extravagancies and excesses to all foolish Talking and Jesting which are not convenient for Man was not made Levity but for grave and weighty Affairs and only so much Recreation is allowed him as may fit him for more important Duties There are two Extremes relating to this Rule which require some reflection The first is concerning those who will hardly allow of any other Discourse in company but what is purely Religious the other concerns those who make it their whole business to be vain and trivial and count nothing so uncourtly as a solid and a serious Temper As for the first opinion though it may sometimes proceed from Zeal and an honest meaning as it does oftentimes from meer Hypocrisie yet I cannot foresee what advantage it could bring to Christianity unless the generality of Men were better disposed than I am sure they are in this present Age. It is true there is nothing more delightful than Heavenly Discourses to those persons whose hearts are inflamed with the love of God nothing is so joyful as to communicate their thoughts of Religion of the state of their Souls and of the surest way of being happy nothing so pleasing as to unbosome their Experiences their Spiritual Sorrows and their comforts they could be willing never to admit of any secular talk but to seek their whole diversion in the variety of Divine Arguments but alas this is the hidden Manna of some few selected Souls who are able to make up a little circle of Love and Adoration in this lower world and not fit to be proposed for the common Theme of promiscuous conversation lest it occasion more Blasphemy and Prophaneness It is well if we can prevail with Men to be Rational and Moral in their familiar Communications and to reserve an appropriated reverence for Diviner Duties When it shall please God by great judgments and Calamities to take off the egregious vanity from mens Minds to consume their Ambition Luxury and Lewdness by the fury of his indignation powred out upon them then the advice may become more seasonable and may attain its proper effect then may Repentance become the Cry of the streets every man asking his Neighbour what he shall do to be saved and Religion be made the hinge on which all our thoughts and words shall move But however let the world be never so bad evil Customs never so prevailing we are to set our selves