Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	command_v	servant_n	unprofitable_a	1,244	5	10.6349	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04901	A confutation of monstrous and horrible heresies, taught by H.N. and embraced of a number, who call themselues the Familie of Loue by I. Knewstub. Seene and allowed, according to the Queenes Maiesties iniunctions.	Knewstubs, John, 1544-1624.	1579 (1579)	STC 15040; ESTC S108097	192,800	286

of God whereof he had a merciful promise and graunt made vnto him Likewise when Dauid his sinnes were not imputed neither laid vnto his charge that was fauour in the Lord pardoning them and not imputing them vnto him Howe doeth this hang togeather with the doctrine of H. N. who saith that wee are to folowe Christ in the death of his crosse to the pardoning releasing of vs from our sinnes And howe will this folowing of Christ in his death of the crosse for the safe making of vs frō our sinnes stand with this not imputing of our sinnes vnto vs For if our righteousnes stande by imputation then is it not purchased by imitation and following of Christe in his like death and suffering If Christ his satisfaction for sinne stande beetweene the wrath of GOD and vs then doeth not our imitation of Christ in his death keepe of the daunger of our sinnes from vs The Brasen Serpent erected in the wildernesse at the commaundement of Almightie God which was a figure of Christ declareth that it is faith in him that did hang vppon the crosse and not the following after him in the death of the crosse that doeth iustifie vs and keepe the sting of our sinnes from beeing deadly vnto vs For those who are bitten with the liuing serpentes were promised if they shoulde looke vppon the dead Serpent to liue and recouer by that meanes but were not inioyned to haue them selues after death erected and set vppe vppon a Pole for their recouery from that daunger As appeareth in the booke of Numbers And the Lord saide vnto Moses Make thee a fiery Serpent and set it vppe for a signe that as many as are bitten may looke vppon it and liue So Moses made a Serpent of Brasse and set it vppe for a signe and when a Serpent had bitten a man then hee looked to the Serpent of Brasse and liued Nowe the sharpe and daungerous biting and stingyng of the liuyng Serpent did force them to leaue them selues and too looke after comfort where it was to bee founde And when sinne shal once sting the fauourers of this opinion of H. N. theyr consciences beyng awaked which nowe are in a deadly sleepe they shall then bee forced to feele and confesse that there is no medicine in them selues able to asswage the heate and anger thereof But as it seemed vnlikely to fleshe and blood that a Serpent of Brasse beyng but a dead thing coulde euer woorke a cure vppon them who were stoong with quicke liuing Serpentes and in daunger of present death especially by the looking and beholding of the same So doeth it vnto H. N. the eyes of whose vnderstanding are altogeather fleshly that Christe his obedience vppon the crosse beeyng but looked vppon with the eies of our faith and not imitated in the selfe same practise shoulde bee able to heale the sores of our soule Albeit our Sauiour Christ affirmeth in plaine speache That as Moses lifte vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so muste the Sonne of man bee lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shoulde not perishe but haue eternall life The opinion of H. N. that our folowing after Christe and obediennce in the imitation of him shoulde be able to discharge vs of our sinnes that before were committed declareth that hee is ignorant altogether of the righteousnesse of GOD reuealed in his woorde For obedience if it were perfect in vs and no transgression to bee founde against the lawe of God either in thought woorde or deede after that once wee haue begunne to feare him yet coulde not all this answere for the least sinne that went before For it is but a part of that is due vnto the Lorde from vs Who teacheth vs that when wee shall haue discharged the whole debt and haue doone euery thing commaunded yet are wee humblie to acknowledge that wee bee but vnprofitable seruauntes and haue doone no more then that which was our dutie to doe according as hee by our owne experience and practise doth plainely prooue vnto vs For which of you sayth our Sauiour Christ Hauing a seruaunt plowyng or other wyse labouryng all the day long wyll by and by after hee bee come home say vnto him Goe and sit downe at the Table wyll hee not rather be ready to enioyne him an other woorke within the house as to prepare thynges for his owne Supper and when that is doone laye the thirde labour vppon him as to wayte at the Table and see nothing to bee wantyng vntyll hymselfe haue supped yea and when all this is doone doeth hee so muche as once open his mouth to thanke that seruant because he did that which was commaunded vnto him I trowe not saith our Sauiour Christ And in very deede we do looke for such duetie from a seruant that yf he shall deny to doe any thing of that which his maister shall commaunde him foorthwith wee geue sentence that he is no man meete for seruice because we think that the seruant ought not as if hee weere a free man to haue any libertie or priuiledge but to reache in obedience vnto all that his maister by commaundement shal enioyne him And therfore accordingly when our seruant shal haue dispatched labour after labour and obeyed commaundedement after commaundement yet do we not once thanke him for all that because wee thinke it is all duetie that a seruant doeth howe muche so euer Herevpon came that Prouerbe That no man can serue two maisters because seruice is voide of all priuiledge and libertie of infinite duetie if maisters shall make no ende of commaunding for all is accompted duetie in a seruaunt which the maister shall commaunde him to do A man cannot therefore sufficiently woonder at the blindnesse of H. N. and others who acknowledgyng that they be seruauntes vnto the Lorde dare notwithstanding in the pride of their hart make such a reckoning of their seruice a fewe dayes or yeeres as that it shoulde make a sufficient satisfaction for those dayes and times wherein they were not only loyterers and did no duetie vnto him at all but also were retained of his aduersarie and spared not to wounde his glory Dare a seruant who hath loytered one whole weeke and done his maister no woorke or seruice at all for shame open his mouth the next weeke when hee hath trauelled for his maister as a good seruaunt ought alwaies to doe and say Sir I trust now your selfe being iudge I haue made a sufficient satisfactiō for my loitering al this last weeke I cannot thinke this Famelie eyther to bee so full of loue or so empty of vpright iudgement as to take this for sufficient seruice or as a reasonable answeare to bee put vp at the handes of any of their seruantes not excepting those to whom they shall geue the least wages This familie of loue and the Papistes they are the best husbandes that I haue euer hearde of and the moste can they make of that litle they haue ▪ for