Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A58125
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The Christian monitor containing an earnest exhortation to an holy life, with some directions in order thereto : written in a plain and easie style, for all sorts of people.
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Rawlet, John, 1642-1686.
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1686
(1686)
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Wing R347A; ESTC R32275
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44,028
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60
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your direction if you have no Books on this Subject yet read seriously the Office for the Communion in the Common Prayer and you may find very great assistance from it It 's very fit also to consult with your Minister especially the first time you receive Assure your selves it 's a very hainous sin to live one year after another in the neglect of this weighty Duty and argues a very great contempt of our Saviour's Authority and of his infinite love and kindness Before I leave speaking of your Duty to God let me beseech you carefully to abstain from that common hainous sin of Swearing A most sensless piece of wickedness that brings neither pleasure nor profit along with it When you are called before the Magistrate in weighty Cases you may lawfully swear Heb. 6. 16. but take great care to swear the Truth and nothing but the Truth for otherwise you call the true God to witness a Lie and do even call for his vengeance upon your selves In your ordinary communication avoid all manner of swearing either by the sacred Name of God or by any Creature Matth. 5. 34. Jam. 5. 12. Use not such Expressions As you hope to be sav'd As you hope for mercy with others the like which are great Oaths though frequently used upon every slight occasion Do not so much as rashly and carelesly mention the holy Name of God or Christ but let your inward Reverence be manifested in your outward Expressions And to this I may fitly joyn as earnest Caution against the sin of Cursing in which the Name of God is often dishonoured when men wish that God's Curse may light upon others sometimes on their very Children and nearest Relations sometimes on their Neighbours and sometimes on their Cattel Some profane wretches wish damnation to those they quarrel with yea even to themselves And how common is it to hear Men in their wrath wish the Pox or Plague or Hanging to their Neighbour or bidding the Devil take them Indeed they themselves seem to be possest by him whilst they vent this Language of Hell and do take the ready way to bring all manner of Curses both on their own Soul and Body Psal. 109. 17 18. This wicked Custom proceeds both from the want of the true fear of God in Men's Hearts and also from want of Kindness and Charity to one another of which I am next to speak a few words Next to the love of God above all the loving of our Neighbours as our selves is the great Duty of a Christian as our Saviour teaches in that same place Matth. 22. 39 40. And Love is said to be the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13. 8 9 10. Nothing more becomes a Disciple of Jesus Christ than to live in love and charity with all Men doing all the good we can to others but doing no manner of evil to any Read 1 Cor. 13. This is most frequently and strictly commanded in the Gospel and made the very badge and character of a Christian Joh. 13. 34 35. This makes us most like to our blessed Lord and Master who went about continually doing good both to the Souls and Bodies of Men even to the very worst of Men and his most bitter Enemies did he shew great charity and kindness And herein let us study to be like him to the utmost of our power If we have true love for all Men we shall then easily and readily perform all those Duties which we owe to them in the several places and relations wherein we stand of which I must not here go about to give a particular account But in general Husbands and Wives ought most entirely to love each other and study to render one another's Lives happy here and their Souls hereafter For if they live in discord and wrath they have an Hell upon Earth whilst they live and have reason to expect the eternal torments of Hell when they die Parents ought to love their Children and take due care of them both as to Soul and Body and Children ought to honour and obey their Parents and relieve them if they stand in need Masters must be gentle and kind toward their Servants and Servants must be faithful and obedient to their Masters even to the froward and severe Subjects must yield obedience to all the lawful Commands of their Rulers and patiently submit to what Punishments they inflict and upon no Pretence whatever may they rebel against them â—oâ— it is most expresly forbidden in Scripture and damnation threatned to those that are guilty Rom. 13. 1 2. And commonly Treason and Rebellion bring nothing but ruin and misery in this World as well as the next The People ought to esteem and love their Ministers to follow their godly Admonitions and Examples and afford them due Maintenance In brief we must carefully abstain from doing any injury to any Man of what rank or condition soever either in his Soul or Body his Estate or good Name but must be ever ready to do all manner of good to all Men according to our ability and opportunity And hereby we are to shew that we love our Neighbours as our selves by dealing with all Men so truly and justly so mercifully and kindly as we desire to be dealt with our selves This is the great Rule of the Gospel Matt. 7. 12. And by this Rule ought we to govern our selves in all our carriage toward others both in buying and selling and in our whole Conversation This is a very plain and easie Rule to walk by and is most just and equal and very large and comprehensive so that if a Man will honestly and faithfully attend to it he need not go far to seek for direction how to behave himself in most Cases that may happen betwixt him and his Neighbour Would I be reviled and slandered cheated and cozened beaten and hurt or any other way abus'd if not then let me not use another at this rate Would I be despis'd or derided for my faults or for my poverty and misfortune Would I not rather in reason desire to be kindly instructed assisted and relieved Thus then let me deal with my Neigbour and according to my power with meekness and true kindness instruct the ignorant reclaim the vicious and erroneous comfort the sad relieve the oppressed feed the hungry and clothe the naked Even those that are of a mean condition must be ready to help such as are in greater want than themselves The Man that lives by his Labour is not wholly excused from works of Charity Eph. 4. 28. The Widow's Mite is very acceptable to God and a cup of cold water shall not lose it's reward A willing charitable mind it is that God chiefly looks at and calls for and this the poorest may have if it be not their own fault And our Charity and Kindness is not only to be shewn to our Friends but to our very Enemies themselves We may not render evil for evil but must study to