Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	die_v	zeal_n	zealous_a	13	3	8.9649	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17410	The rules of a holy life. Or A treatise containing the holy order of our liues, prescribed in the Scripture concerning our carriage: towards God, towards men, towards our selues. With generall rules of preparation, that concerne either the helps, or the maner of a holy conuersation. By N. Bifield preacher of Gods Word at Isleworth in Middlesex.	Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622.	1619 (1619)	STC 4233.5; ESTC S122202	69,705	372

As 1. First hee must take heed of wretchlesnesse or a scornefull carelesnesse of his owne waies he must not despise his waies as if hee cared not how hee liued or rested satisfied to be still as hee was This carelesnesse proues the bane of many a soule whereas Hee that keepeth his soule keepeth his way Pro. 19. 16. 21. 5. 2. Hee must take heed of precipitation or rashnesse or too much haste this is the ground of much false zeale and the cause of strange euils in the practice of some Christians but the godly Christian must learne of Salomon to prepare his work in the field and then build his house he must get sound knowledge of the warrant of his actions and guide his affaires by aduice and with serious preparation fit himselfe to the doing of what he is sure is good He that hasteth with his feet sinneth what is done rashly cannot he done well Prou. 19. 2. As procrastination is a great vice so praecipitation is no vertue Prou. 24. 27 28. 2● 3 Hee must haue no confidence in the flesh hee must not relye vpon his owne wit memory reason desires vertues prayses or power but all his comfort and affiance must be in the merits intercession vertue presence and assistance of Iesus Christ his Sauiour Phil. 3. 3. 4 He must not haste to be rich for the desire of money is the roote of all euill and they cannot be at leasure for good duties that are so eager to compasse great things in the world Prou. 23. 4. 28. 20. 5 He must take heed of the snares that arise from distrustfull feares There is a snare in feare Prou. 29. 25. There are many feares will assault a man that resolues to liue well As the feare that hee cannot doe good duties The feare that God will not accept what hee doth The feare left men should scorne him or contemne him or lest hee should lose the fauour of his friends or such like Now against all these must the godly minde bee armed and take heed that those feares prooue not great hinderances to him and especially take heed of that vnbeleefe or counterfet humility in disabling himselfe or mistrusting God contrary to his nature and promises 6 Hee must take heed of adding to or detracting from the Word of God Hee must not imagine more sinnes then God hath made that is not trouble himselfe with feare of offending in such things as God hath not in his Word forbidden and so likewise he must not impose vpon his owne conscience or other mens the necessity of obseruing such rules of practice as God neuer prescribed This caution would case the hearts of many Christians if it were discreetely obserued and applied Prou. 30. 6. 7 Hee must take heed of hardening his necke against reproofs Pro. 29. 1. He must needs run into headlong euils that is so proud as not to heare aduice or to reiect reproofes and it will bee a singular furtherance to a holy life to bee easie to be entreated to leaue his offences and to mend his errours 8 Hee must take heed of beholding vanity Dauid prayes that God wold turne away his eyes from beholding vanity He that would forsake vanity must auoide the presence of vaine persons and the too much contemplation of vanity shunning the reading and discourse of the inticements of others vnto any sin Psal. 119. 37. 9 And lastly hee must take heed of the beginning of euils in his owne heart hee must keep his heart with all diligence for thereout commeth life His practice will be easie to him if hee resist sinne in the beginning and driue out Sathan from his holds within his soule whereas hee cannot but be much intangled and encumbred that allowes himselfe in the secret entertainment of contemplatiue wickednesse he must watch his heart and striue for inward purity Prou. 4. 23. CHAP. IIII. Containing the generall Rules to be remembred in the manner of doing all good duties HItherto of the first sort of generall Rules The second sort concerne the manner of well-doing There are diuers things in the generall which are to be obserued of the godly Christian in all good duties which hee ought to haue perfect in his memory and such as hee might bring with him at all times to forme his heart in respect of them to beget in him that holy manner of carrying himselfe which is requisite vnto the acceptation of the good things he employeth himselfe in and the rather should hee bee moued to the care of learning and expressing of these things because the matter of good duties may be done by wicked men as they were by the Pharises and yet all abomination to the Lord That therefore hee may not lose what he worketh hee must striue in euery good action to expresse these nine things following in the manner of his behauiour The first thing required in the manner of euery holy duty is Zeale It is not enough that hee doe the dutie but hee must do it affectionately bringing with him the stirring of the desires of his heart answerable and agreeable to the duty he would performe Zeale hath in it two distinct things willingnesse and feruencie It must not seeme euill to him to do Gods worke and in doing it he must lift vp his heart so as he performe it with all his might and with all his soule and this hee doth when either hee brings a heart delighting in good workes or when hee iudgeth himselfe for what deadnesse or distraction or vnwillingnesse he findes in himselfe He is accounted zealous when he striues for it and lifts vp his soule against the impediments which burthen him This zeale is necessary Christ died to redeeme a people vnto himselfe not onely that would do good works but that would be zealous of good workes Tit. 2. 14. 2 The second thing required in the manner of good duties is sincerity all his actions must bee done in the sincerity of his heart The life of a Christian is like a continuall Passe-ouer Now this Feast hee must keepe alwaies with the vnleauened bread of sincerity 1. Cor. 5. 8. Now this sinceritie hee must shew diuers waies as 1 By the truth of his heart as it stands opposed to hypocrisie he must not talke of well-doing or seeme to do it but he must doe it indeed 2 By his respect to all Gods commandements when he can say with Dauid I esteeme all thy precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate euery false way He that is truly sincere accounteth that euery word of God is good and desires to yeeld obedience in all things Hee hath not his reseruations or exceptions He doth not with Herod giue himselfe liberty to lie in the wilfull breach of one commandement resting satisfied to haue reformed himselfe in other things As he would haue God to forgiue him all his sinnes so his heart desires to