Selected quad for the lemma: mind_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mind_n	bear_v	great_a	time_n	1,307	5	3.1595	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25995	A sermon preached in Trinity-College Chappell before the University of Dublin, January the 9th, 1693/4 being the first Secular Day since its foundation by Queen Elizabeth / by St. George Ashe ...	Ashe, St. George, 1658?-1718.	1694 (1694)	Wing A3933; ESTC R35285	12,914	23

Mind it fixes its Throne in the Souls of Men and rules their Reasons and Vnderstandings Are we desirous to Keep the Best Company and Converse familiarly with the Most Ingenious the Greatest and Wisest Men that ever were In Books we may freely talk with the most Celebrated Phylosophers and com●endiously reap the advantage of all their Studies and Improvements there we shall find Reason without Passion Learning without Affectation a●d Eloquence without Noise or Clamor by their means we may Converse with Mighty Heroes whom in their Lifetime we durst scarce perhaps Salute with our Eyes We may be admitted Confidents to Statesmen hear Demosthenes and Cicero haranguing in open Senate be present while Augustus and Trajan speak to their Armies see them Riding in their Triumphal Chariots and Receiving the Acclamations and Applauses of the People And all these Privileges we may arrive too without Attendance and Crowding without Brihing or Flattery without Sawciness or Intrusion Thus by the assistance of Books and Learning we may acquire a kind of Intellectual Omnipresence in all Ages and to all Places 't is thus we break into all the hidden recesses of Truth Indefatigable Reading brings in a vast stock of matter which is often without form and void like the first Chaos till Thinking and Contemplation like the seminal Spirit agitate the dull shapeless lump and work it up into Figure and Symetry Lastly What Raptures can the Voluptuous Man fancy to which those of Learning and Knowledge are not equal If he can relish nothing but the pleasure of his Senses Natural Phylosophy exposes the beautiful bosome of the Vniverse to his view admits him into Nature's Garden where he may taste of its Fruits and satisfie himself with its Plenty learn not only to admire but comprehend all its surprising Phoenomena Mathematicks discover all the delightful Contrivances of Art unfold all it● curious Springs and latent Causes and instruct the Busie Mind how to improve and better former Inventions from most obvious Principles by a natural progress and ascent the Vnderstanding rises to the boldest Truths tracing the Chain of Propositions from Link to Link and still diflusing it self over infinite Regions of new Discoveries wherein no fallacious Shadows of verisimilitude intervene there is no suspition of any latent mistake turn the Theorem which way you please in every light the Mind is still in full aquiescence in most secure possession of it's Valuable Purchase most other Knowledge how diverting soever is yet still conjectural and litigious whereas Peripatetick and Cartesian Catholick and Heretick do all agree in a Mathematical demonstration which is yet a farther conviction of the great Excellency and Beauty of its Truth 'T would be endless to run th●ô all to describe the great and useful Images which History furnishes the Subtilty of Logick and Metaphisick the Advantages of Moral Philosophy the resistless Power of Rhetorick and the Charms of Poetry it is sufficient to have pointed out such general Instances whence it may appear that all the Blessings of Nature as well as the Ornaments and Comforts of Life are derived from the retired Thinking Man 'T is true no one Humor has furnished the Stage with more pleasant Scenes or afforded a larger Harvest to Comedy and Burlesque then the Actions Gestures Habits and Expressions-of Scholars Aristophanes of old diverted the Athenians by Ridiculing Socrates and the fruitful Satyr has been plentifully propagated to our times coming out of the retired silence of a Colledge and Study they are supposed to be deafned by the noise or dazled with the false Glories of the World their Sedentary Life is thought to unfit 'em for Activity and all Business to render 'em sheepish in their Looks flegmatick in their Tempers mopish in their Conversations ridiculous in their Behaviour and exposed to a thousand pleasant Absurdities which a man of the World wou'd escape but 't is to be fear'd that they who obj●ct at this diverting rate mistake Affectation and Pedantry for Learning the Sordid Ape for the Man true Learning takes in th● theory of Men as well as Nature and it's Object is as large and universal as the very Notion of Being it Reads the World as much as Books Recommends Conversation as well as Study and joyns Experience and Contemplation together to perfect and compleat the Mind But to come closer yet to the Occasion of our present Meeting As Water to use the Excellent Lord Bacon's comparison whether it descend in Dew from Heaven or spring out of Fountains of the earth is easily lost unless it be preserved in certain receptacles where by union and collection it may be kept and increased whence humane industry has design'd Aquoeducts Cisterns and Ponds adorn'd as well for State and Magnificence as contrived for use and necessity So likewise this precious liquor of knowledge this sacred ointment of my text whether it be instill'd by divine inspiration or convey'd from our senses wou'd soon perish and be lost were it not preserved in Vniversities Colledges and Schools which are the lasting Fountains and Repositories of Learning whence with glad streams it flows to refresh and make sertile all the neighbouring land A solitary unassisted industry tho never so indefatigable is rarely known to produce any thing great or extraordinary whereas no part of knowledge seems insuperable to the joint endeavors of a well regulated Society united in common studies and the prosecution of the same useful ends in the former 't is like spending out of a private Estate in the latter as out of a publick Fund or Treasury Add to this the new lights which are daily struck out and appear by mutual Converse the happy effects of a generous Emulation which is the most impetuous powerful Spring to all the good performances of Youth and above all the inestimable advantages of Education and forming the Minds and Manners of the tender waxen Age by laying the foundation of a holy and happy life and adding several cubits to the stature of our minds which render such Societies as this the best security of Vertue and Piety the bulwarks of true Religion the most publick Blessings of a Nation 'T was truly observed by Aristotle that we are at first born meer Animals to be afterwards Educated and brought up into men our Reason then seems in a great measure to be the birth of Time and Institution and the Mind of man is such a Jewel that tho it bring its perfections from the Bed yet they are altogether rough and unpolished much pains and art are required to fashion their rudeness to conceal the flaws and as well to form as cultivate the tender Seeds and in the care of this the Chineses if we may trust the relations made of them do justly boast they have out done all other Nations having erected the most noble Edifices for the instruction of Youth alotted the most liberal maintenance to the Professors and Teachers and thought no Honours and Respects too great to be given them who lay out their whole time and powers on the Improvement of others rich persons are often expensive upon trifles about the mere circumstances of life and useless ornaments of a man they can often afford to be generous to those who instruct the feet and the hands and is it fit then that they who labour to furnish the head with useful Knowledge to adorn the Mind and Soul and to enable men to serve their God piously and their Countrey usefully Is it not a reproach I say that such alone shou'd be sacrificed to Thrift or sordid Avarice Life is a Journey not an anxious Pilgrimage and doubtless therefore the Hospitality of the World shou'd be the rather afforded to us and competent Riches and Honours allowed to our Baiting places whose whole business it is to study the Improvement of others to manage the unequal temper of Youth and to Cultivate growing Vertue and Learning This our Munificent Founders and Benefactors well understood and therefore thought they cou'd not employ their Wealth more advantageously or place it in a securer Treasury than by such pious Erections where True Religion might be taught Vertue Inculcated Learning Improved and a constant supply of useful men both in Church and State furnished out and prepared What the Poor are ordinarily relieved with is not so much the Giver's Alms as their exigence and as necessity requires it so it quickly perishes But these liberal Oblations as they savour of a more inward and deeper Charity are too of a more lasting subsistance besides the Eternal Treasures which are laid up for the Donors they provide for the perpetuity and propagation of Religion and Knowledge to all succceding Ages and may truly be said to Honour God and be useful to their Countrey not only in themselves but in all that by such their Bounty are maintained and educated This is properly to Convert and Proselyte M●mmon to Consecrate that as an Offering which was before an Idol this is to make this Earth tributary to Heaven and in a much nobler sense than the new System of Astronomy teaches advance it into a Star a Coelestial Body That their Memories therefore and Benefits may be ever gratefully Celebrated and their Names remain pretious and sacred among us that their generous Examples may excite other well disposed Persons and Benefactors to an imitation and that we may always answer the great and useful ends of our Foundation shall be our constant Prayer and Endeavour Praise the Lord therefore with Me ye Servants of the Lord ye that dwell in the Courts of the House of our God and let us magnifie his Name together FINIS