Selected quad for the lemma: doctrine_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
doctrine_n	experience_n	good_a	great_a	144	3	2.0762	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29662	The durable legacy by H.B. ...	Brooke, Humphrey, 1617-1693.	1681 (1681)	Wing B4904; ESTC R7036	134,765	256

commended to thee upon the account of frustrating the purpose of an enemy for if he designs to break thy peace by offering some injuries if thou shewest thy self insensible thereof or rather return good for evil thou preservest thy mind from being shaken by his evil purpose and peradventure by the sweetness of thy temper thou gainest a proselyte and makest a Friend of an Enemy Concerning moderating our Desires Earnestness in Desire is an impetuous passion usually bred with us for even infants have it And is continued to old age unless the right use of reason and experience bridles it As Children cry for baubles which in a few hours of enjoyment they throw by and covet new So man is quickly satiated with what he has and even in perplexity for new acquisitions This is a great diminution to his content and thrusts him alwayes upon new designs to acquire what will but still heighten his desires Sit down therefore and continue in the tract of an honest calling contenting your self with slow and moderate gain for he that makes hast to be rich cannot be innocent that is will put himself upon wayes of hasty profit which in his serious mind he cannot justifie Need does not so much breed desire as desire begets need And therefore he that has much and yet desires more begets a need of that which he desireth A desiring man is therefore alwayes needy yea as a just punishment upon him he wants even that which he hath because through the earnest desire of more he enjoyes not what he has nor takes not that satisfaction in it which he might do were it not for his desire of what he has not The cure of immoderation in desires consists in these particular considerations 1. That the happiness of man doth not consist in the enjoyment of much wealth great honours or irrational pleasures This all the ancient Philosophers in their writings acknowledged though their lives often contradicted their Doctrines like many of our Divines who are one thing in the Pulpit and another in conversation However it is a truth which experience every where makes good and both the Lives and Doctrines of our great master and his Disciples in the whole current of the new Testament evinces it If then our happiness consists not in these why should we be earnest in their pursuit and not content our selves with easy acquisitions wherein indeed happiness consists we hunt too earnestly for that which is at hand and lose what we may enjoy and indeed have already if we would content our selves within the bounds of due moderation and not place it in that which has it not 2. A second expedient is That we live within the bounds of our estate and not think our selves unhappy if we have not so fine a House so rich cloaths nor live in so great port as many of our neighbours They can have but Content and that may be if you are wise within your reach This would be a hard lesson if necessity were upon you absolute necessity But if it be not as if you prove a good Husband diligent and temperate I believe it never will be the lesson is easily learned On the other hand if you lanch out beyond or but to the extent of your estate you can bear no cross you can lay up little for your Children and you necessitate your self to immoderate desire and unjustifiable courses to fulfil them 3. You will then easily moderate your desires and content your self with what God blesses you withal if you consider that you are but to pass through this life to a better and that you may the more surely attain it you are to place your desires chiefly upon the best and most excellent object of desire which is the fruition of God and Heavenly happiness hereafter Riches may fail Honour is vanity and pleasures sickness and the wise man stil'd them madness What matters it then with how little you content your self withal for the present when by this way of Moderation and a sober and good life you gain assurance of enjoying durable yea eternal pleasures hereafter This will sweeten your life in what soever state it is and if it be sufficient to make all afflictions tolerable how can it fail to give you true solace and content in a middle and no uneasy condition Little and much are then all one when the bent of your thoughts is directed chiefly on the enjoyment of him who is the Fountain of all true happiness and in whose mansions there are sulness of pleasures for evermore Weigh these things my Son with a sound mind and learn with the blessed Apostle in what ever State you are to be therewith content Of helping the distressed Concerning helping the distressed let me advise that thou beest alwayes in a ready mind to do it in thy Purse counsel or other personal assistance If you do it not why should you expect to be helped in your distress You are not to say what is such a ones sorrow or affliction to you for in every ones calamity you are concern'd by the relation of mankind by the tye of humanity from the great command and example of our Master who went about doing good and healing all that were sick Pray what is your misery to God Almighty or to another man and yet you will implore divine aid and expect the assistance of your Brother 'T is a pleasure in which the Divine nature is much delighted and yet vouchsafes that man also should partake thereof 'T is the great office of the Angels Ministry who stand ready at the Throne of Grace to put in execution the pleasing mandates of the Almighties Benedictions Let not prosperity make thee dispise the sorrows or wants of thy Brother 't is an argument and effect of Ignorance for there are ten thousand wayes to bring thee into adversity and no man is secure a moment the whole is said if thou rememberest that remarkable promise He that sheweth mercy shall find mercy in the day of his trouble Not to be Contentious The next is not to be Contentious This relates to opinion and propriety Men are very much pleased with making others of their own opinion this should be done only out of desire of doing good to others from a just apprehension of Truth and a strong perswasion that it will in some regard or other be better with them you would convince in case they believe as you believe Were these your Motives you would not be contentious in your debates but reason gently with mildness of Spirit and strength of Argument 'T is ambition pride of Victory or design that makes men passionate and froward in their discourses And 't is ignorance if we think we shall effect more by that than by reasonings friendly managed What has all contentious arguings produced but confirmation in each party in their several opinions animosities divisions breach of charity and sometimes the worst effects envyings hatred war and that because we