Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	master_n	servant_n	wage_n	1,026	5	11.4895	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A16173	The second part of the reformation of a Catholike deformed by Master W. Perkins	Bishop, William, 1554?-1624.	1607 (1607)	STC 3097; ESTC S1509	252,809	248

is as I said before rather a marke that vve should shoote at and the end of a commandement then a thing commanded M. PERKINS second reason The compasse of the lawe is large and comprehendeth commandements not only negatiue but also affirmatiue and in the negatiue be not only forbidden the capitall sinnes as murther adultery theft but all sinnes of the same kinde with all their occasions c. And in the affirmatiue are commanded not only the contrary vertues but all helpes and meanes whereby the said vertues may be preserued thus doth our Sauiour himselfe saith he expound the lawe Vpon which ground her concludeth that all duties pertayning to life and manners come within the list of some morall commandement Answere The Commandements are but tenne and the exposition vvhich our Sauiour made Math. 5. 6. contained vvith in the compasse of two Chapters as he confesseth wherefore it is not a thing either impossible or very difficult to learne and obserue them with all their necessary branches and clauses Nowe to say That all duties of life appertayne vnto them is both false and not to the purpose for first it is most euident that the vvhole matter of the Sacraments and vvhatsoeuer else is proper vnto vs Christians by the doctrine of the Gospell and not common vnto vs with the Iewes is ouer and aboue the tenne Commandements I said also that the answere is impertinent for it proceedeth only in duties of life and we treate here of such points of perfection which no man in duty is pressed vnto but only may followe of deuotion for his aduancement in vertue and Gods fauour The other reasons following I haue answered in my former part yet because some will be vnwilling to be so often referred vnto another volume I will here againe briefly answere them M. PERKINS third reason Lucae 17. When we haue done all those thinges that are commanded vs we are vnprofitable seruants we haue done that which was our duty to doe Can any man tell to what purpose this sentence is cited here Is it to proue that we cannot keepe the Commandements but it supposeth the flat contrary to vvit that the vnprofitable seruant had done all those thinges that vvere commanded him for he must say as it is in the text When he hath done that which was commanded c. Or it is to disproue workes of supererogation and counsaile but it hath not one worde of them but speaketh only of workes commanded which S. Ambrose noted 1200. yeares past saying This doth not the Virgin say De viduis this doth not he say who sold all to wit we are vnprofitable seruants but looking for a reward they say with S. Peter Lord we haue left all what therefore wilt thou giue vs c. Math. 19. But M. PERKINS will confute S. Ambrose for he saith That thinges commanded in that they be commanded are more excellent then thinges left at liberty What is this to the matter doth Christ speake of counsailes left to our liberty in that text because commandements be more excellent vvhat a sencelesse reply is this Of like stuffe is his other shift That counsailes are thought more hard then commandements and therefore if a man cannot profit himselfe by obseruing the easier much lesse by obseruing the harder First this is cleane besides the purpose then it is also false For no men commonly can profit themselues so much by thinges easie to be done as by some other thinges hard to be done for the more excellent that thinges are so much the more difficult are they to be compassed and done according to the Latin Adage Quo difficilius eo pulchrius M. PERKINS saith Papists answere secondly that although we 've vnprofitable to God yet we are profitable to our selues Reply This is reported to the halfes for we say that to God in himselfe no profit can arise from vs who needeth none of our goodes or seruice but in the Ministery of his Church he hath great seruice and honour done him by the industry and diligence of good men and therefore doth S. Paul say expresly 2. Tim. 2. vers 21. That men cleansed from sinnes become profitable seruants vnto our Lord which is venerable Bedes exposition vpon this passage of S. Luke Vers 9. But Master PERKINS saith That they are neyther profitable to God nor to themselues because the Master there doth not so much as thanke that seruant Reply Masters in deed doe not commonly thanke their seruants when they haue done their duties but yet they pay them their wages and giue them preferments also if they like their seruice and so the seruant reapeth commodity and profit by his seruice though he be not thanked at his Masters handes But we serue so kinde a Master that will before his Father and all the company of heauen thanke his seruants and say vnto them Math. 24. vers 23. Well fare thee good and faithfull seruant because thou hast beene faithfull ouer a fewe thinges I will place thee ouer many enter into the joy of thy Lord. A third answere Papists may make vnto Master PERKINS and tell him that hee hath desperately corrupted the text and omitted a vvorde vvhich altereth the vvhole sentence Christ saith not When you haue done all that is commanded you are vnprofitable seruants but then say that you are vnprofitable seruants That is haue you then an humble opinion of your selues and thinke rather vpon your owne imperfection then of your vvell-doing and if you finde all vvell thanke him that gaue you the grace to performe it and confesse that you haue done but your duty and leaue it to your good neighbour to praise you if he please and to God to recompence you so doth S. Chrysostome interpret this place But Master PERKINS to preuent this answere thought it pollicy to strike that vvorde out of the text O vvorthy cutter of Gods vvorde His fourth reason is That it is not in the power of man to keepe the lawe much lesse is he able to doe any worke that is beyond and aboue the lawe Answere The antecedent and consequent are both false that vve be able with the helpe of Gods grace to keepe the lawe is proued in a whole question of the first part Page 78. That we may doe some workes of supererogation albeit we fayled in some workes of the lawe hath beene proued in the beginning of this question For though one vvorke of counsaile be harder to doe then one worke of the lawe yet is it of more difficulty to keepe thirty precepts of the lawe then three counsailes and againe a man may be more diligent in obseruing counsailes then commandements and so obserue them better Nowe to the arguments for the Catholike party The first is taken out of the Prophet Esay Our Lord saith vnto Eunuches that keepe his Sabbaoth Cap. 56. vers 4. and choose the thing that pleaseth him c. He will giue them a