Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	christian_a	faith_n	life_n	1,074	5	4.4282	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09088	The second part of the booke of Christian exercise, appertayning to resolution. Or a Christian directory, guiding all men vnto their saluation. / VVritten by the former author R.P..; Booke of Christian exercise. Part 2.	Parsons, Robert, 1546-1610. Christian directory.; Parsons, Robert, 1546-1610. First booke of the Christian exercise.	1592 (1592)	STC 19382; ESTC S126315	217,410	610

For as it is a true saying and by all meanes worthy to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the worlde to saue sinners so is it as true a saying and no lesse worthy to be affirmed that they which haue belieued GOD shold be careful to shew forth good works S. Gregory vppon the words of Christ to S. Thomas Blessed are they who haue not seene yet haue belieued hath a notable discourse to thys purpose If any sayth he infer heereof I beleeue and th●refore am blessed and shall be saued he sayth truely if hys life be aunswerable to hys beleefe for y t a true faith dooth not contradict in maners the things which he professeth in words For which cause S. Paule accuseth certaine false Christians in whom he founde no vertuous lyfe aunswerable to theyr profession that they confessed God in words but denyed hym in theyr deedes And S. Iohn auocheth that who soeuer sayth he knoweth God and keepeth not his cōmaundements is a lyar Which beeing so we must examine the trueth of our fayth by consideration of our lyfe for then and not otherwise we are true Christians if wee fulfill in works that wherof we haue made promise in words That is in the day of our Baptisme we promised to renounce the pompe of thys world together with all the workes of iniquitie which promise if wee performe now after Baptisme then are we true Christians and may be ioyful But contrariwise if our life be wicked and contrary to our profession it is sayd by the voyce of truth it selfe Not euery one that shall say to me Lord Lorde shall enter into the kingdom of heauen And again why doe ye call me Lord Lord and doe not performe the things y t I tell you Here-hence it is that God complayned of his old people the Iewes saying This people honoureth mee with their lips but their harts are far off from me And the Prophet Dauid of the same people They loued him with theyr mouth with their tongues they lyed vnto him Wherefore let no man presume to say hee shal be saued if fayth and good lyfe be diuorced and put a sunder which S. Chrisostome noteth by the woful and hea●y chaunce and iudgement that happened vnto him who in the gospel was admitted to the feast of christian fayth and knowledge but for lack of the ornament or garment of good lyfe was most contumeliously depriued of his expectation Of whom S. Chrisostoms words are these He was inuited to the feast and brought vnto the table but for that by his foule garment he dishonoured our Lorde that had inuited him he was not onely thrust from the Table and banquet but also bound hand foote and cast into vtter darknes where there is eternall weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherefore let vs not deere bretheren let vs not I say deceiue our selues and imagine that our deade and vnfruitfull fayth wil saue vs at the last day for except wee ioyne pure lyfe to our beleefe and in thys heauenly vocation of ours do apparel our selues with the woorthy garments of vertuous deedes whereby we may be admitted at the mariage day in heauen nothing shall be able to deliuer vs from the damnation of this miserable man that wanted hys wedding weede Which thing S. Pa●l wel noteth when hauing said we haue an euerlasting house in heauen not made with mens hands he addeth presently thys exception Si tamen vestiti et non nudi inueniamur That is if we be found at that day well apparrelled and not naked Would God euery Christian desirous of his saluation woulde ponder well thys dyscourse of S. Chrisostome And so wyth thys alone to conclude our speech in thys Chapter without allegation of further matters or authorities which are infinite to this effect it may appeare by that which hath already beene sette downe wherein the true profession of a Christian consisteth therby each man that is not partial or blinded in hys owne affection as many are may take a view of his state and condition and frame vnto hims●l●e a very profitable coniecture how he is lyke to speede at the last accounting day That is what profit or damage he may expect by his knowledge profession of Christian Religion For as to him that beleeueth soundly and walketh vprightly in hys vocation performing effectually euery way hys professed duety there remaine both infinite and inestimable rewards prepared so to him that strayeth aside swerue●h from the right path o● fayth life prescribed vnto hym there are no lesse paynes and punishments reserued For which cause euery Christian that is carefull of his own saluation ought to fixe hys eyes very seriouslie vpon them both and as in beleefe to shewe hymselfe constant firme humble and obedient so in life conuersation to bee honest iust pure innocent and holy And for this seconde poynt concerning lyfe and maners hath beene already hādled in my former booke which as I vnderstand is imprinted in England I shal need to wade the lesse in further discourse heereof But for I haue been admonished by the wrytings of dyuers howe my former booke hath been disliked in two speciall poynts first that I speake so much of goods works so little of fayth secondly that I talk so largely of Gods iustice and so briefely of hys mercy whereby the consciences of many haue beene offended let the last chapter going before of beleefe and lyfe aunswere the first and that which immediatly followeth serue for the latter obiection and so I doubt not but a Christian man may be thorowly resolued OF THE ONELY IMPEDIMENT THAT IS WONT TO LET SINNERS FROM Resolution Which is the mistrust and diffidence in Gods mercie through the multitude and greeuousnes of their offences CHAP. VI. AMong all other the most greeuous and perrilous cogitations which in thys world are accustomed to offer themselues to a minde intangled and loden with great sinnes this vsually is the first through the nature of sinne it selfe and crafty suggestion of our ghostly enemie to fa●l into distrust dispayre of Gods mercy Such was the cogitation of most vnhappy Caine one of the first inhabitants of the earth who after the murther of his own onely Brother and other sinnes by him committed brake into that horrible and desperate speech so greatly offensiue vnto his Lord Maker Mine iniquitie is greater then that I may hope for pardon Such was in lyke manner the desperate conceite of wicked Iudas one of the first of them that were chosen to the peculier seruice of our Redeemer who feeling hys conscience oppressed with manifold iniquities and most of all with the prodition of hys own Lord Maister tooke no other way of amendment or redresse but to destroy him selfe both in body and soule adioyning onely these words ful of myserable distrust desperation I haue sinned in betraying the innocent and

and whether thou goest If hetherto thou haue wandered and gone astray be sorrie for the tyme lost but passe no further If hetherto thou haue not considered y e weightines of thys affayre serue thy selfe of thys admonition and remember that it is written that a Wiseman profiteth by euery occasion Esteeme thy resolution in thys one poynt the chiefest menage that euer shal passe through thy hands in this world albeit y u wert a Monarche and Ruler of tenne worlds together And finally I will end with the verie same words wherewith the wiseman concludeth hys whole Booke Feare God and obserue his commaundements for this is euery man That is in thys dooth all and euery man consist his end his beginning hys lyfe and cause of beeing that hee feare God and direct hys actions to the obseruaunce of hys commaundements for that without thys he is no man in effect seeing that hee looseth al benefit both of his name nature redemption and creation THAT THE SERVICE WHICH GOD REQVIRETH OF MAN IN THIS present lyfe is Religion With the particuler confirmations of Christian Religion aboue all other in the world CHAP. IIII. HAuing prooued in the former chapters that there is a GOD which created man and that man in respect thereof and of other benefites receiued is boūd to honor and serue the same GOD the question may be made in thys place what seruice this is that God requireth and wherin it dooth consist Whereunto the aunswer is briefe easie that it is Religion which is a vertue that containeth properlie the worshyp seruice that we owe vnto GOD euen as Pietie is a vertue contayning the duety that chyldren doe owe vnto theyr Parents Obseruaunce another vertue that comprehendeth the regard that schollers and seruaunts beare vnto their Maisters In respect of which comparison and likenes betweene these vertues God sayth by a certaine Prophet The sonne honoreth his father and the seruaunt his Maister if then I be a Father where is my honour if I be a Maister where is my feare The acts of Religion are diuers different some internall as deuotion and prayer some other external as adoration worship sacrifice oblations and such lyke that are declarations and protestations of the internall It extendeth it selfe also to styrre vp and put in ●re the acts and operations of other vertues for the seruice of God in which sence saint Iames nameth it Pure vnspotted Religion is to visite Orphans widdowes in their tribulation to keepe our selues vndefiled from the wickednes of this world Finally how soeuer some Heathens doe vse thys worde Religion to some other significations yet as S. Augustine well noteth the vse therof among the faithfull hath alwaies beene to signifie thereby the worship honour and seruice that is due vnto GOD so that if in one word you will haue it declared what GOD requireth of man in thys life it may be rightlie sayd that all standeth in thys that he be religious Heereof it proceedeth that whatsoeuer sort or sect of people in the world professed reuerence honor or worship to GOD or to gods or to anie diuine power essence or nature what-soeuer were they Iewes Heathens Gentiles Christiās Turks Moores Heretiques or other they did alwaies cal theyr said profession by the name of their Religion In which sence also and signification of the worde I am to treate at thys tyme of Christian Religion that is of the substaunce forme maner way reuealed by Christ and hys Apostles vnto vs of performing our duty and true seruice towards God Which seruice is the first poynt necessary to be resolued vpon by hym that seeketh his saluation as in the Chapter y t goeth before hath beene declared And for obtaining this seruice the true knowledge thereof no meane vppon earth is left vnto man but only the light and instruction of Christian Religion according to the protestation of S. Peter vnto the Gouernours of the Iewes whē he sayd There is no other name vnder heauen giuen vnto men whereby to be saued but onely this of Christ and of his Religion If you obiect against me that in former tymes before Christes natiuitie as vnder the law of Moises for two thousand yeeres together there vvere many Saints● who without Christian Religion serued God vprightly as the Prophets other holy people and before them againe in the law of Nature when neyther Iewish nor Christian Religion was yet heard of for more thē two thousand yeeres there wanted not dyuers that pleased God serued him truely as Enoch Noe Iob Abraham Iacob and others I aunswer that albeit these men especially the former that liued vnder the Law of nature had not so particuler expresse knowledge of Christ of his misteries as we haue now for thys was reserued to the time of grace as S. Paul in diuers places at large declareth that is albeit they knewe not expresly how and in what maner Christ should be borne whether of a Virgine or no or in what particuler sort he should liue die what Sacraments he should leaue what way of publishing his Gospell he shold appoint the like wherof notwithstanding very many particulers were reuealed to the Iewes from time to time and the neerer they drewe to the tyme of Christes appearaunce the more plaine reuelation was made of these misteries yet I say all and euery one of these holy Saints that lyued from Abraham vntil the comming of Christ had knowledge in generall of Christian Religion and did belieue the same that is they belieued expresly that there shold come a Sauiour and Redeemer of man-kinde to deliuer them from the bondage contracted by the sinne of Adam This was reuealed straight after theyr fall to our first Parents and Progenitors in Paradise to wit that by the Womans seede our redemption should be made In respect wherof it is sayd in the Reuelations that Christ is the Lambe that hath been slaine ●rō the beginning of y e world And Saint Peter in the first generall Counsell holden by the Apostles affirmeth that the old auncient Fathers before Christes natiuitie were saued by the grace of Christ as we are nowe which S. Paul confirmeth in diuers places And finallie the matter is so cleere in this behalfe that the whole schoole of Diuines accordeth that Fayth and Religion of the auncient Fathers before Christes appearaunce was the very same in substaunce that ours is now sauing onely that it was more generall obscure and confuse then ours is for that it was of things to come as ours is now of things past present For example they belieued that a Redeemer should come and we belieue that hee is already come They sayd Virgo concipiet a Virgine shall conceiue and we say Virgo concepit a Virgine hath conceiued They had sacrifices and ceremonies y t prefigured his

this whole dyscourse and treatise of the proofes and euidences of our Christian Religion seeing that by so manifold inuincible demonstrations it hath beene declared layd before our eyes that Iesus is the only true Sauiour Redeemer of the world and consequently that hys seruice and Religion is the only way and mean to please Almighty God and to attaine euerlasting happines there remayneth now to be considered that the same Iesus which by so many Prophets was promised to to be a Sauiour was also foretold by the selfe same Prophets y t he should be a Iudge and examiner of all our actions Which latter poynt no one Prophet that hath fore-shewed hys comming hath omitted seriously to inculcate vnto vs. No not the Sibyls thēselues who in euery place where they describe the most gracious cōming of the Virgins sonne doe also annexe thereunto hys dreadfull appearance at the day of Iudgement especially in those famous Acrostick verses whereof there hath beene so much mention before the whole discourse vpon y e words Iesus Christ the sonne of God Sauiour Crosse contayneth nothing els but a large and ample description of hys most terrible comming in fire and flame and conflagration of the worlde at that dreadfull day to take account of all mens words actions and cogitations To which description of these Pagan Prophets is consonant the whole tenor and context of the olde Bible foreshewing euery where the dreadful maiestie terrour and seueritie of the Messias at that day The newe Testament also which tendeth to comfort and solace mankinde and hath the name o● Euangile in respect of the ioyfull newes which it brought to the worlde omitteth not to put vs continually in minde of this poynt And to y ● ende both Christ himselfe amidst all hys sweet comfortable speeches wyth hys Disciples dyd admonish them often of thys last day and hys Apostles Euangelists and Disciples after hym repeated itterated and vrged thys important consideration in all theyr words and wrytings Wherefore as by the name and cogitation of a Sauior we are greatly styrred vp to ioy alacritie confidence and consolation so by thys admonishment of Gods Saints and by the testimony of our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ himselfe that hee is to be our Iudge and seuere examiner of all the minutes moments of our lyfe we are to conceiue iust feare and dreade of thys hys second comming An illation vpon the premisses with an exhortation AND as by y e whole former treatise we haue beene instructed that the onely way to saluation is by the true profession of Christian Religion so by thys account that shal be demaunded at our handes at the last day by the Authour and first institutor of thys Religion wee are taught that vnlesse we be true Christians indeede doe performe such duties as this Law and Religion prescribeth vnto vs so farre off shall we be frō receiuing any benefite by the name as our iudgement shall bee more greeuous and our finall calamitie more intollerable For which cause I would in sincere charity exhort euery man that by the former discourse hath receiued any light is thorowly confirmed in his iudgement concerning the manifest and vndoubted truth of thys Christian Religion to employ hys whole studie indeuours for the attainment of the fruite and benefite thereof which is by beeing a true and faythfull Christi●n for that our Sauiour Christ hymselfe fore-signified that many shoulde take the name w●thout benefit or commodity of theyr profession And to the ende each man may the better knowe or coniecture of himselfe whether he be in the right way or no whether he performe indeede the true duety belonging to a faythful Christian I haue thought conuenient to adioyne this Chapter next following of tha● matter and therin to declare y e particuler poynts belonging to that profession Which beeing knowne and thorowly considered it shall be easie for euery one that is not ouer partiall or wilfully bent to deceiue himselfe to discerne cleerely of hys own estate and of the course and way that hee holdeth Thys I say is a high poynt of wisedome for all men to doe whyle they haue time least at the last day we hauing passed ouer the whole course of our liues in the bare name onely of Christianitie without the substance and true knowledge therof doe find our selues in the number of those most miserable and vnfor●unate people who shal cry lord Lorde and receiue no comfort by that confession HOWE A MAN MAY IVDGE OR DISCERNE OF HIMSELFE WHETHER he be a true Christian or not With a declaration of the two parts belonging to that profession which are beleefe and life CHAP. V. AS in humaine learning and Sciences of thys worlde after declaration made of the vtilitie possibilitie certaintie conueniencie and other qualities commendations properties thereof the next poynt is to shewe the meanes wayes whereby to attaine the same so much more in thys diuine heauenly doctrine of Christian Religion which concerneth our soule euerlasting saluation for that we haue shewed before not onely the most vndoubted trueth whereupon it standeth but also that the knowledge heerof is so absolutely necessary as there is no other name or profession vnder heauen whereby mankind may be saued but onely thys of Iesus it followeth by order of cōsequence that we should treate in thys place how a man may attaine the frui●e of this doctrine that is to say howe hee may come to be a good Christian or if he already possesse that name how he may examine or make tryal of himselfe whether he be so indeed or not Which examination to speak in briefe consisteth wholy in consideration of these two poynts First whether he doe not onely beleeue vnfainedly the totall summe of do●uments and misteries left by Iesus and his Disciples to the Catholique Church but also perswade assure hymselfe of the forgiuenes of all hys sinnes and of the fatherly loue and fauour of GOD towardes hym in Christ Iesus whereby he is adopted to be the sonne of God an heyre of euerlasting life Secondly whether he conforme and frame hys lyfe according to the precepts and doctrine of Christ Iesus So that in these two poynts we are to bestow our whole speech in thys Chapter The first part concerning beleefe AND for the first howe to examine the trueth of our beliefe it would be ouer tedious to lay down euery particuler way that might bee assigned for discussion thereof ●or that it would bring in the contention of all tymes as well auncient as present about controuersi●s in christian Fayth which hath beene impugned from age to age by the seditious instruments of Christes infernall enemie And therefore as well in respect of the length wherof this place is not capable as also for that of purpose I doe auoyde all dealing with matters of controuersie within the