Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	john_n	word_n	write_v	2,847	5	5.7890	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26811	The sure trial of uprightness open'd in several sermons upon Psal. xviii, v. 23 ... / by William Bates.	Bates, William, 1625-1699.	1689 (1689)	Wing B1129; ESTC R24838	61,106	151

are capable of Instruction and Discipline and by coming near to Reason have a little imitation of Liberty they are rewarded or punished But Man in the condition wherein he was created had perfect freedom becoming the dignity of the reasonable Creature and was enrich'd with all the Graces of which Original Righteousness was compounded the harmonious Orders and coherent Dispositions of the Soul and Body qualified him for his Duty But in the state wherein his voluntary Sin has sunk him the Body is often distemper'd by the annoyance of the Mind and the Soul pays an unnatural and injurious Tribute to the vicious Appetites of the Body And when Corruption is heightned by Custom and the natural Propensity inflam'd by Temptations any Lust becomes more irresistible So that without a new Nature inspir'd from Above they cannot rescue themselves from the Bondage of Sin. Now the moral Impotence in Men to vanquish their Lusts tho it will be no Apology at the Day of Judgment yet it will discourage them from making resistance for who will attempt an impossibility Despair of Success relaxes the active Powers cuts the Nerves of our Endeavours and blunts the edg of Industry 'T is related of the West-Indians that upon the first incursion of the Spaniards into their Country they tamely yielded to their Tyranny for seeing them clad in Armour which their Spears could not pierce they fancied them to be the Children of the Sun invulnerable and immortal But an Indian carrying a Spaniard over a River resolved to try whether he were mortal and plung'd him under Water so long till he was drown'd From that Experiment they took courage and resolv'd to kill their Enemies who were capable of dying and recover their dear Liberty lost by so foolish a Conceit Thus Men will languish in a worse Servitude if they fancy the Lusts of the Flesh their intimate Enemies to be insuperable Fear congeals the Spirits and disables from noble Enterprises which Hope persuades and Courage executes Now we have an Army of Conquerors to encourage us in the Spiritual War with the Flesh the World and Satan Enemies in combination against us How many Saints have preserv'd themselves unspotted from the most alluring Temptations they were not Statues without sensible Faculties but ordered them according to the Rule of Life they were not without a conflict of Carnal Passions but by the Holy Spirit subdued them and though some obtain'd a clearer Victory than others yet all were victorious by Divine Grace The Examples of so many Holy and Heavenly Men prove as clearly and convincingly that the strongest Lusts may be subdued as the walking of Diogenes demonstrated there was progressive motion against the Sophistical Arguments of Zeno. I can do all things saith the Apostle through Christ that strengthens me To Omnipotent Grace all things are easy Our Saviour speaking of the extream difficulty of a Rich Man's Salvation That 't is as easy for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Needle as for a Rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven presently mitigates the Difficulty what is impossible to Men is possible to God. He can sanctify a Rich Man that his Humility shall be as low as his Estate is rais'd above others that his Affection shall be Heavenly in the affluence of the World that trust in God shall be his dearest Treasure Divine Grace is a sure Fountain of Assistance to all that sincerely seek it 'T is the Promise of God Ephraim shall say What have I to do any more with Idols The Idols that charm'd their Imaginations should be rejected with deep abhorrence Our Saviour cur'd the Paralitick Person that for 38 Years had been in a desperate Case incurable by natural Remedies an Emblem of the Efficacy of Divine Grace in curing the most inveterate Habits of Sin. There are recorded some eminent Instances of the Power of Grace in changing the Nature of Men. Nicodemus came to our Saviour conceal'd at first by Night as being asham'd or afraid of Observation in the Day But when he was born again by the renovation of the Spirit what an admirable change was wrought in him with a holy heat of Affection he defended our Saviour when alive in the presence of the Pharisees his unrighteous and implacable Enemies he brought costly Preparations for his Funeral when dead And these two glorious effects of his Valour are recorded by St. John with this addition This is that Nicodemus that came to Jesus by Night No Passion is more ungovernable than Fear yet even the Apostles did not express such fidelity and fervency for the Honour of their Master Another Instance is of the Jaylor that kept the Apostles Prisoners he was of a harsh cruel Temper a quality adherent to his Office but Grace so intenerated and softned his Heart that he took them the same hour of the Night and washed their Stripes Acts 16. 33. A visible and suddain effect of the Spirit of Love and Power and of a sound Mind 'T is recorded of many who used curious Arts they brought their magical Books though counted worth fifty thousand pieces of Silver and burnt them so mightily grew the Word of God and prevail'd How insuperable soever Sin is to naked Nature it may be subdued by Grace St. John gives an honourable Testimony of the Christians to whom he wrote My little Children ye are of God and have overcome the evil One for the Spirit that is in you is greater than that which is in the World. The Holy Spirit is not only greater in himself than the Tempter but as fortifying weak Christians is superior to the Evil Spirit with all his Train of Artillery the manifold Temptations which the World affords in his War against our Souls Satan takes advantage not only from our Security but our Pusillanimity we are therefore commanded to resist the Devil and he will flee from us What is observed of the Crocodile is applicable to the great Enemy of our Salvation He is terrible in his Assaults upon the faint-hearted but flies from those who are watchful to resist his Temptations To excite Christians to make serious and hopeful Trials for the subduing the strongest Corruptions I will select two Examples of the vertuous Heathens who restrain'd Anger and Lust that are the most rebellious Passions against the Empire of the Mind Socrates by natural Temper was Cholerick yet he had so far reduc'd his Passions under the command of Reason that upon any violent Provocation his Countenance was more placid and calm his Voice more temperate and his Words more obliging Thus by wise Counsel and Circumspection he obtain'd a happy Victory over himself The other is of young Scipio the Roman General in Spain who when a Virgin of exquisite Beauty was presented to him among other Captives religiously abstained from touching her and restor'd her to the Prince to whom she was espous'd How do such Examples of the poor Pagans who in the glimmerings of