Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A26811
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The sure trial of uprightness open'd in several sermons upon Psal. xviii, v. 23 ... / by William Bates.
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Bates, William, 1625-1699.
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1689
(1689)
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Wing B1129; ESTC R24838
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61,106
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151
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rectitude in the discharge of their Office Judges should so impartially and with that noble Resolution perform their Duty as to disourage all Attempts to pervert them Zeuxes having painted a Boy carrying some Grapes so coloured according to Nature that the Birds peck'd at them An Observer said The Birds discredited the Picture for if the Boy had been drawn with equal Life they had not been so bold to fly at the Grapes a sign they fancied the Grapes true and the Boy painted Thus whoever tempts those who sit in Judicature to unworthy Things disgraces their Dignity and constructively declares that he esteems them to have an appearance of Vertue without sincere Zeal for it And how many who are pleaders by fallacious Colours commend a bad Cause and discredit a Good and thereby expose themselves to that terrible denunciation Wo be them that call Good Evil and Evil Good. A degenerous Mind and mercenary Tongue will plead any Cause to obtain the Ends of Avarice and Ambition as if according to what an Italian Lawyer said of himself They were the Advocates of their Clients and not of Justice In short every Calling has its Temptations In the various ways of Commerce there are deceitful Arts which an upright Man observes and abhors Some Callings expose to more Temptations than others so that without Circumspection and Care Men are undone in the way of their Callings Some ingage Persons in such a throng of Business that from one rising of the Sun to another they never seriously remember God or their Souls 'T is therefore a Point of great Wisdom in the choice of a Calling with a free Judgment to consider what is least liable to Temptations and affords more freedom of serving God and regarding our Spiritual State for the Body is not the intire Man and the present Life is not his only Duration The Apostle directs Christians to chuse such a State of Life that they may have an advantage of attending upon the Lord without distraction I shall add That the several Relations wherein we stand as Husbands Parents Masters and Wives Children Servants have peculiar Temptations and many whose general Conversation seems fair and blameless are not observant of their Relative Duties A Husband may be harsh and unkind a Parent fond and viciously indulgent 't was Ely's Sin that brought Ruin upon his Family a Master may be severe and rigorous Superiors who are to instruct and govern Families by Holy Counsels and Examples often neglect their Duty and by their evil Carriage set a Copy which their Children and Servants transcribe and derive a woful Guilt upon themselves from their multiplied Sins And how often are those in lower Relations careless of their proper Duties Wives disrespectful and not observant of their Husbands Children disobedient Servants unfaithful If Conscience be inlightned and tender it will regard the whole compafs of our Duty it will see and feel our sinful neglects in any kind and make us careful according to the extent of its Obligation 2. The opposite States of Prosperity and Adversity have suitable Temptations adherent to them Prosperity is beset with the thickest and most dangerous Temptations In a Garden the Tempter lay in ambush and made use of the Fruit that was pleasant to the Taste and pleasant to the Eye and desireable for Knowledg and by those Allurements corrupted and ruin'd our first Parents to the loss of their Innocence and Felicity Although Prosperity be a Blessing in it self yet 't is often more destructive than Adversity by the inseparable and ingaging Snares that surround the Persons that enjoy it Pride Luxury Security Impiety grow and flourish in Prosperity Affliction calls home the wandring Spirit makes us reflect with solemnity upon our selves excites us to arm our Minds with Religious Resolutions against the World whereas Prosperity relaxes and dissolves the Spirit and foments the Lusts of the Flesh. Those who live in the Courts of Princes where the Height of Honour and the Centre of Pleasure are where Ambition Hypocrisy Avarice and Sensuality reign are encircled with dangerous Inchantments and usually are charm'd and corrupted by them The Court Life is splendid to the Eye but very perilous like a Ship that is finely carv'd painted but so leaky that without continual pumping it cannot be kept above Water so without the strictest guard over their Hearts and Senses the prosperous cannot escape the Shipwrack of a good Conscience and fall into many foolish Lusts that drown Men in Perdition Yet this state of Life many aspire to as the most happy When Lot separated from Abraham he chose the pleasant fruitful Country that was like the Garden of the Lord. Sad choice the Land was the best but the Inhabitants the worst Within a short time the cry of their Sins reach'd as high as the Throne of God and brought down showrs of Fire and Brimstone that turned that natural Paradise into an Hell. Riches has a Train of Temptations and Poverty is not exempt from them 'T was the wise Prayer of Agur Give me neither Poverty nor Riches lest I be full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord or lest I be poor and steal and take the Name of my God in vain A full Estate intirely possesses the Heart and excludes the eternal World from the Thoughts and Affections 't is therefore wise Advice If Riches increase set not your Heart upon them intimating they are a Snare to the most in the corrupt State. They often induce in Mens Minds an ungrateful Oblivion of their Divine Benefactor as 't is charg'd upon Israel Their Hearts were exalted therefore they have forgotten me They incline Men to presume upon Self-sufficiency and to rob God of the Homage that is due from his Creatures an humble thankful dependance upon his Providence every day The Psalmist saith They trust in their Wealth and boast themselves in the multitude of their Riches They are engaging Snares to renounce Religion when-ever the Sincere and open profession of it exposes our Estates to hazard Briefly as the Israelites made an Egyptian Idol of their Egyptian Jewels so worldly Things are abus'd for worldly Lusts. The most who enjoy Prosperity perish by the abuse of it 'T is a rare effect of Divine Grace to preserve the Heart and Conversation pure in such a contagious Air when a thousand fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right Hand And the contrary state of Poverty and Affliction in any kind if sharp has its peculiar Temptations Discontent and the use of unlawful Means to obtain what they want and desire is the Sin of the Poor The Afflicted are ready to faint under the weight of Sorrow The loss of one Comfort blasts all the Content of their Lives There is a perpetual consumption of their Thoughts and Time in revolving the afflicting Circumstances of their Condition and they are apt to think as if God were regardless or very severe to them Fearful depth they