Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	day_n	holy_a	time_n	5,790	5	4.7273	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A16614	A meditation of mans mortalitie Containing an exposition of the ninetieth psalme. By that Reuerend and religious seruant of God Mr. William Bradshavv, sometime fellow of Sidney Colledge in Cambridge. Published since his decease by Thomas Gataker B. of D. and Pastor of Rotherhith.	Bradshaw, William, 1571-1618.; Gataker, Thomas, 1574-1654.	1621 (1621)	STC 3521; ESTC S119290	39,785	81

better halfe is gone 4. In considering the vncertaintie of those dayes that are to come that there is not a day nor an houre that we can make any certain reckoning off that it shall be a day or an houre unto us it is the present instant onely that we are sure off 5. In making account as for the time past so for the time to come that a great part of it shall be spent in sorrow and travaile and paine and distraction So that if we shall deduct all those dayes which when they are come wee shall wish they were gone and before they doe come wee wish they might never come it wil diminish the maine summe exceedingly The second point is the persons for whom this grace is desired The Prophet desireth it for himselfe and for all Gods Children Teach us sayth he to number our dayes Whence obserue we that it concerneth euery Child of God to be skilfull herein even in the numbring of his dayes that is to consider seriously of the shortnesse and uncertaintie of his life in this world and accordingly to make reckoning and account of his time here So that the fewer our dayes are the better use wee should make of them The more uncertaine our time to come is the better we should imploy the time present For those things that we number and reckon wee use to make reckoning off And those things that we make reckoning of wee doe not negligently and carelesly spend So that the spirit of God teaching vs to number and reckon our dayes teacheth us therein to make reckoning of them and in that regard not to mis-spend them Now first this condemneth the practise of most men especially our Gentlemen and many of their Servants who care not how they passe away day after day and weeke after weeke as though nothing were more troublesome to them then the day present To day they wish for to morrow when to morrow is come they are as wearie of it and devise this and that not to make use and benefit of the day but to spend it and passe it away with idlenesse and they thinke that day is best spent that is most lightly and merrily flowne over their head 2. This should teach Gods children to repent them vnfainedly of so many dayes as haue passed over their head without profit And it should teach them to make more use of the time to come Even to resolue with themselues that no day to come shall passe away vainely and idly but that they will make some speciall use and reckoning of it And therefore this day to thinke what good use they shall put the morrow to if God spare them life and so one day after another But the Heathen Painter will rise vp in Iudgement to condemne many of vs Christians If any day had passed wherein he had not done some worke belonging to his Art It is reported hee would haue sighed and sayd Oh this day haue I drawne never a lyne What a shame then should it bee for any Christian to passe day after day without drawing any lyne or doing ought that to their Christian profession appertaineth The third Point to wit the meanes by which the Grace desired is to bee obtained is by being taught of God So that it must be obtained 1. In generall by Teaching 2. In speciall by divine Teaching 3. This divine Teaching is to be obtained by Prayer 4 This Prayer must be stirred vp by a sence of our mortalitie 1. The first lessen hence then is this that The best of Gods children stand in need to bee taught to number their dayes If Moses the great Prophet of God among the rest desired to bee taught herein it shewes that he had not yet thoroughly learned it and if hee had not who can say that he hath There is none therefore too good to be taught this for certainly we shall the best of vs in our experience find it that wee are very dull and ignorant in this dutie And though we be taught to doe and practise it at some time yet often we are as farre to seeke in it as if we had neuer heard of it neuer thinking of our end how short our time is how many dayes we haue alreadie spent how few are to come but we commonly liue as though we had so many dayes to liue as it were vaine and idle to bestow time to number them as though wee might well spare the numbring of them The second lesson That except God teach this dutie all other teaching is in vaine It is not all the wit and learning in the world that can truly teach it Though Philosophers Orators and Divines should vse the utmost straine of their wits they cannot without a speciall ayd and helpe of God learne this lesson throughly but they will some way or other sayle in it Those therefore that in any good measure haue learned it haue beene taught it of God We should therefore trie our abilitie herein and if we find that in some good measure wee are inabled to doe this dutie let vs acknowledge that wee haue therein received speciall grace and fauour from God For without his speciall blessing and instruction wee shall never make any good and holy use of those dayes and times that we liue here but wee shall suffer day after day to passe over our heads without making any reckoning and account at all of them This shewes the difficultie of this worke The third lesson is That the speciall meanes to moue God to teach vs to make reckoning and account of our dayes as matters of worth is Prayer This the Prophet teacheth in his owne example and speaking in the person of all Gods people So that those that haue a heart to call vpon God herein shall be sure to finde God readie herein to assist them If the Spirit of God to this purpose haue made a Prayer in the name of Moses and the whole Church surely if Moses or any servant of God shall with a good heart make that Prayer they shall bee sure therein to obtaine their desire The fourth lesson That to stirre up our Prayer to God herein we must be deeply possest and affected with the sense of our mortalitie And surely if we did seriously consider that which hath beene taught vs in the words going before it could not but make us to pray earnestly to God for this grace And there was neuer earnest Prayer made to God that went emptie away The fourth and last point in this Petition is why and to what end we are to number our dayes thus to wit that so wee may apply our hearts unto wisedome that is that so we may spend that small and uncertaine time that we haue to liue here in those things that may bee most for our behoose and advantage And how is that done surely by seeking for and pursuing after whilst we liue here the meanes of Gods fauour and life eternall For therein consisteth true wisedome and this