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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	act_n	act_v	action_n	376	4	6.5285	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34877	A supplement to Knowledge and practice wherein the main things necessary to be known and believed in order to salvation are more fully explained, and several new directions given for the promoting of real holiness both of heart and life : to which is added a serious disswasive from some of the reigning and customary sins of the times, viz. swearing, lying, pride, gluttony, drunkenness, uncleanness, discontent, covetousness and earthly-mindedness, anger and malice, idleness / by Samuel Cradock ... useful for the instruction of private families.	Cradock, Samuel, 1621?-1706.	1679 (1679)	Wing C6756; ESTC R15332	329,893	408

men but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men 5. His appearing in and under a visible sign argues his Personal existence This is related Matt. 3.16 And Jesus when he was Baptised went up strait way out of the water and lo the Heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him He took the form or shape of a Dove and nothing but a Person can assume a shape wherein to appear 6. He is placed in the same rank and order with other Divine Persons and is set forth as the proper Object of Divine and Religious Worship Matth. 28.19 Go ye therefore and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost 7. To him is ascribed Vnderstanding 1 Cor. 2.10 The Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God Searching is a Personal action and undeniably argues him to be an understanding Agent 8. To him is ascribed Will Vnderstanding and Will are most eminently distinstuishing Characters of a Person 1 Cor. 12.11 But all these things worketh that one and the self same Spirit dividing to every one as he will 9. He is said to teach Luk. 12.12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say Joh. 14.26 But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you And those that pretend to be Teachers of others and neither seek nor regard his guidance or assistance had need consider what they do 10. He calls men to the Ministry Act. 13.2 3 4 And the Holy Ghost said Separate unto me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them Act. 20.28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his blood 11. He is spoken of as the Object of such actings and actions of men as none but a Person can be the Object of Thus he is said to be tempted or provoked Acts 5.9 Then Peter said unto her How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord He is said to be resisted Act. 7.51 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do always resist the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so do ye He is said to be grieved Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption Compare this with Isa 63 10. But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemy and he fought against them Now to be tempted provoked gresisted rieved though improperly spoken of God yet are such affections as a quality is not capable of And these expressions declare what effects they would produce in a Nature capable of such Affections And so much of the first particular the Holy Ghost is a Person Secondly He is not a Created but an Eternal Divine Person having one and the same Divine Nature with the Father and the Son and so is truly and properly God This I shall prove by these Arguments 1. He is expresly called God Act. 5 4 9. Then Peter said unto her H●w is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the L●rd You have n●● lyed unto men but unto God 2. Divine Properties are attributed to him which none can be endu●d with to whom the Divine Nature belongs not and which ●vi●● 〈◊〉 d●●l●re him to be the most High God Such are first Eternity Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the Eternal ●pirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God Secondly Immensity Psal 139.7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit Or whither shall I flee from thy presence Thirdly Praescience Act. 1.16 Men and B●eth●e● This Scripture must needs be fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas which was guide to them that took Jesus Fourthly Omniscience 1 Cor. 2.10.11 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God For what man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Thirdly Divine Works are ascribed to him and which are only proper to God Such as are Creation Job 33.4 The Spirit of God hath made me And the working of Miracles Matth. 12.28 If I by the Spirit of God cast out Devils then the Kingdom of God is come unto y●u And thus we have proved that the Holy Ghost is a Divine P●rs●n 3. He is a Person distinct from the Father and the Son I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter saith our ●●viour to his Disciples Joh. 14.16 Now the Person sending and the Person sent must need be distinct the one from the other And this same reason also proves the Son and the Holy Ghost to be two distinct Persons b●c●use the Holy Ghost is also sent by the Son Joh. 15.26 But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me Joh. 16.7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto y●u but if I depart I will send him unto you 4. He is a Person pr●ceeding from the Father and the Son The Father proceeded from none the Son from the Father the Holy Ghost from both First from the Father Joh. 15.26 The Spirit of truth which proceeds from the Father Secondly From the Son For he is called the Spirit of the Son Gal. 4.6 Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Rom. 8.9 Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he his none of his Thus we have proved that there is but one God and yet Three distinct Persons or Hypostases distinctly subsisting in the same Divine Essence or ●eing Now a Divine Person is nothing but the Divine Essence considered with an especial property and subsisting in an especial manner As in the Person of the Father there is the Divine Essence with its especial Properties of begetting the Son and subsisting in an especial manner as the Father And because this Person hath the whole Divine Nature all the Essential Properties of that Nature are in that Person The like may be said of the Persons of the Son and Holy Ghost Each Person having the understanding will and power of God becomes a distinct intelligent voluntary Omnipotent Agent

stone rolled to the door of the Sepulchre Matth. 27.60 Thus the design of the Jews made his Grave with the wicked intending he should be buried with them who were crucified with him But the design of Heaven placed him with the rich in his death and caused a Councellor and a Ruler of the Jews to bury him So that we may interpret that place of Isaiah thus He was buried nigh to the wicked yet with the rich when he was dead Our Saviour notwithstanding the malice of the Jews being thus honourably buried The Chief Priests desired of Pilate that the Sepulchre might be made sure lest his Disciples should steal him away which was accordingly done the Stone being sealed with the publick Seal and then a watch was set upon the Sepulchre We come now to consider what improvement we are to make of this Article 1. Then seeing Christ did really die and was buried let us testifie our communion with him in his death by dying unto Sin 2. In his Burial by the burial of the old man 3. In his Resurrection by rising unto newness of life This the Apostle hints to us as our duty Rom. 6.4 Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life SECT VI. Of that Article in the Creed Descended into Hell He descended into Hell AFter Christs Crucifixion Death and Burial the Creed subjoyns He descended into Hell In treating of which I must in the first place suggest this that this Article of Christs descent into Hell was not in the antient Creeds 'T is not found in the Rules of Faith delivered by Irenaeus lib. 1. c. 2. by Origen lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Tertullian Adversus Prax. cap. 2. 'T is not in those Creeds that were made by the Councils as explications of this Creed particularly not in the Nicene where the words are these He was Crucified for us under Pontius Pilate He suffered and was buried and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures It was not in the Roman or any of the Oriental Creeds This being premised we come to consider this Article which cannot with any shew of reason be understood of Christs Divine nature which is every where present and cannot be said either to ascend or descend It must therefore be understood of his humane nature And here it will be needful to enquire whether it be to be understood of his Soul or of his Body If it be to be understood of his Soul it must be meant either Metaphorically or really Some understand it Metaphorically and so by Christs descent into Hell they understand those inexpressible sufferings of his Soul a See Calv. Instit lib. 2. c. 16. which of all his sufferings were the most grievous by which he felt the wrath of God in his Soul for our sins But these sufferings were all antecedent to his death he having suffered part of them in the Garden and part on the Cross and all before he commended his Spirit into the hands of his Father and said it is finished and gave up the ghost But the descent into Hell as it now standeth in the Creed seems to signifie something done after his death Besides the torments of the damned are surely such as these 1. Remorse of Conscience or the never-dying worm 2. A bitter sence of an utter rejection from the favour of God 3. Despair of ever being eased of that unsupportable misery Now certainly none of these could befall our Saviour He did not endure so much as for a moment any of the Hellish torments Therefore surely in this sense Christs Soul did not descend into Hell Others hold that Christs Soul did really and by a local motion descend into Hell This they pretend 1. To prove and that from three places of Scripture And 2. To assign the ends for which he did thus descend We shall examine both First They say that though these words are not formally expressed in the Scriptures that Christ descended into Hell yet they are contained virtually in them which they will prove 1. From Eph. 4.9 Now that he ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth by which they understand Hell For answer by the lower parts of the earth I humbly conceive is meant the earth it self which is the lowest part of the World as Heaven is the highest For before Christ could ascend unto Heaven it was necessary he should descend to the Earth by his incarnation but there was no necessity of his descending into Hell And further the Grave may be called one of the lower parts of the earth in opposition to the surface or upper part of it on which we live And this is all that seems to be meant in this place 2. They pretend to prove it from 1 Pet. 3.19 where 't is said that Christ being put to death in his humane nature was quickned or raised up again by the power of his Spirit or God-head by which he preached to the Spirits in Prison whence they infer that he descended into Hell to preach to the Spirits there in torments Answer From these words it appeareth 1. That Christ preached in the dayes of Noah by the same Spirit by the vertue and power of which he was raised from the dead But that Spirit was not his Soul but something of a greater power 2. those to whom he preached were disobedient all that time the long-suffering of God waited for their repentance and return while the Ark was preparing And 3. Their Souls or Spirits for their disobedience are now in Hell and for refusing of that mercy that was offered to them by the preaching of Christ 'T is true indeed this was not performed by an immediate act of the Son of God as if he had personally appeared on earth and actually preached to the old world but it was performed by the Ministry of Noah who was guided and inspired by his Spirit and accordingly is called a preacher of Righteousness 2 Pet. 2.5 The third place they alledge for the maintenance of their opinion is Acts 2.25 26 27 a place that relates to Psal 16.10 Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell c. Therefore say they surely Christs Soul did locally descend into Hell I Answer Soul is sometimes taken properly only for the Soul or Spirit of a man sometimes improperly for the whole person as Acts 27.37 We were in the Ship two hundred threescore and sixteen Souls Sometimes the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nephesh which signifies a Soul doth also signifie a dead body as Levit. 19.28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead Levit. 21. v. 1. There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people Numb 6.6 All the days that he separateth himself unto the Lord he shall come at no

of thy Father the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now Christ told the Sadducees that God is not the God of the dead but of the living Matth. 22.32 God so stiling himself their God sheweth that their souls did still live though separated from their bodies and also that their bodies should be raised again and both souls and bodies being re-united should live for ever * Deus est Deus Abrahae s●il totius God is the God of the whole man and not a part only And thus much for the proof of this Article out of the old Testament But the new Testament doth more clearly assert this Doctrine life and immortality being in a more evident manner brought to light by the Gospel as the Apostle tells us 2 Tim. 1.10 To give some few places of many that might be brought for the proof hereof Matth. 25.46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment but the Righteous into life eternal John 3.16 36. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Mark 10.30 But he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time and in the world to come eternal life John 12.25 He that loveth his life shall lose it and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal 1 Thes 4.17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall we ever be with the Lord 2 Cor. 5.1 For we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens John 17.27 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me Having thus shewed that everlasting life is plainly asserted both in the old and new Testament I come now to shew that there are three degrees of this everlasting life held forth to us in the Scriptures 1. There is a life eternal Initial which is the life of grace John 3.36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life that is hath it begun in him hath the earnest of it in his Soul 2. There is a Partial life eternal which is the life which belongeth to the Soul when it is separated from the body 'T is the happiness which the souls of the Righteous enjoy between the time of death and the day of Judgment The Scripture is abundant in asserting this kind of life eternal which the separated soul injoys in the other world Eccles 12.7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the Spirit shall return unto God who gave it Matth 10.28 Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the Soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell Luke 12.4 Be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that have no more that they can do But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear Fear him who after he hath killed hath power to cast into Hell yea I say fear him Heb. 12.23 To the general assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect Luke 23.43 Our Saviour said to the penitent Thief To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Luke 23.46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice he said Father into thy hands I commit my Spirit and having said thus he gave up the Ghost Acts 7.59 And they stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Phil. 1.23 For I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to he with Christ which is far better 1 Pet. 3.19 By which also he went and preached to the Spirits now in Prison Rev. 6.9 10. And when he had opened the fifth Seal I saw under the Altar the Souls of them that were slain for the word of God and for the Testimony which they held And they cried with a loud voice saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and revenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth 3. There is a life eternal Perfectional which shall be conferred on the Saints after the re-union of their Souls and Bodies Matth. 25.34 46. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World Then shall the Righteous go into life eternal Now this perfectional life everlasting which will be the portion of the Saints at the last day is such a life as shall be free from all evil and full of all good 1. Free from the evil of sin The Souls of the Just shall then be made perfect 2. The evil of temptation There was a Tempter in Paradise there will be none in Heaven 3. The evil of affliction All tears shall be wiped from your eyes Rev. 7.17 2. This life shall be full of all good 1. Their Vnderstandings shall have a clear knowledge sight and vision of God 2. Their Wills shall be perfected and adorned with an absolute and indefective holiness 3. Their Affections shall be set right with an unalterable regularity 4. They shall injoy an uninterrupted communion with God 5. They shall be blessed in their company 6. And lastly They shall have this blessedness secured to them without fear of ever losing it or being deprived of it But though the Saints shall enjoy such an eternal life in bliss as we have before described yet it shall not be so with the wicked Eternal life in misery will be their portion They shall be tormented 1. With the pain of loss 2. With the pain of sense 3. With the worm of Conscience a tormenting reflection on their former folly 4. With despair of ever coming out of that woful misery which is the very Hell of Hell But of these things I have spoken more largely in the former Treatise pag. 130. It remaines therefore now that I shew what improvement we are to make of this Article and then I shall shut up this discourse 1. We may from hence learn how inexcusable they are who hazard and expose their souls and bodies to eternal torments for a short satisfaction of their bruitish lusts 2. We should consider that there is no concern we have in the World that should lie so near our hearts as the making our peace with God upon sure and safe grounds 3. From hence we may learn how highly we ought to prize the blood of Christ and his undertaking by which alone we can escape the wrath that is to come 4. It may shew us how we ought to pity those who are running on in a full carreer

practice of these things 1. Betake thy self to some retired privacy and sequestring thy self from worldly cares and business labour to bring thy mind into a good calm sedate frame and fitness for this great work 2. Earnestly beg of God to give thee the assistance of his holy spirit to inable thee to fit thy self for this solemn Ordinance 3. Seriously consider the danger of receiving this Sacrament unworthily that is without such a disposition of mind and such a preparation of heart and such reverence and devotion as is agreeable unto so holy an Ordinance Such persons as are not so fitted and yet approach to this holy Table are guilty of profaning this Sacrament which is the commemoration of Christs death and of vilifying the signs and pledges of his body and blood and so incur the danger of temporal Judgment and chastisement here and without repentance of eternal hereafter 4. Seriously consider what is required to a worthy receiving And here a twofold caution is to be observed 1. That the pitch of worthiness is not to be set too high so as none shall be thought sit to partake of this Table but such as have a high and eminent degree of grace For this ●●dinance was appointed for the ben●fit of the lowest Believers and s● such as are weak in the Faith 2. That it be not set too low so ●hat a●● person though very ignorant of the true nature and end of this ordinance if he be free from gross open and scandalous sins may be thought fit to come and be admitted to it That we may therefore avoid both these I shall set down 1. What qualifications are requisite to a worthy Receiver 2. What are insufficient The qualifications requisite are these 1. Knowledge The fundamental principles and grounds of Christianity and the nature signification end and use of this Sacrament must be known by every one that would be a worthy receiver Ignorant persons therefore are totally unfit for the present and must first be instructed before they be admitted to this holy Ordinance But by the knowledge required we do not mean the profound knowledge of a Scholar who knows how to dispute upon any of these points and knows all the distinctions about them but the savoury knowledge of a Christian which hath these properties 1. 'T is not a meer speculative floating or swimming in the brain but a knowledge that affects the heart and works upon the affections 'T is such a knowledge of God as causes the heart to fear him such a knowledge of sin as works in the heart a hatred and loathing of it 2. 'T is an humbling knowledge Knowledge not sanctified puffeth up 1 Cor. 8.1 But the more any Soul is savingly inlightned the more it sees and is sensible of its own folly and corruption and great depravedness 3. 'T is a knowledge that is operative for the drawing the Soul to Christ and for the mending of the heart and reforming of the life Never let any man tell me that he has knowledge enough he knows as much as the Minister can teach him he knows the way to Heaven and Salvation as well as any body can shew him when I see him going on in paths leading down to Hell Shall any man perswade me that he has a sufficient skill in Physick and yet when he is dangerously sick he is neither sensible of it nor applies any fit remedy for himself Certainly that knowledge of the things of God is not right which does not affect the heart nor reform the life 2. Repentance They that are truly penitent have wrought in them by the Spirit of God 1. A Conviction of the evil and danger of their sins 2. True contrition and godly sorrow for them 3. A hatred and loathing of them 4. They are brought humbly to confess them with sorrow and shame unto God And 5. To turn from them unto God by sincere amendment of their lives 3. Faith in Christ This is a main qualification requisite to a worthy Communicant The main acts of Faith are these two 1. A serious owning and acknowledging Christ for the only Saviour of the World 2. A sincere giving up of the soul to him to be pardoned in his blood and sanctified by his Spirit and a solemn trusting and depending on him for all the benefits purchased by his death and passion And such a faith as this is operative for the purifying of the heart and reforming the life 4. Love Of this grace there are several acts required 1. We ought to excite a great love in our Souls to God our Creator and constant benefactor who sent his Son to redeem us 2. We ought to excite and stir up in our souls a great love to Christ Jesus who humbled himself to the death for us In contemplation of which transcendent love of Christ the Apostle cries out If any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16.22 Q. But you will say how may we know whether there be in us a sincere love to Christ or no 1. Have we been deeply wounded with a sence of our sins and have we betaken our selves to him as our only Physician to be cured and have we found him curing our accusing condemning consciences Hath our love to Christ any such foundation as this 2. Do we own Christ and love him as considered in all his Offices Do we love Christ not only as a Priest that has made atonement for us but as a Prophet and a King Do we love the guidance of his holy Spirit and the guidance of his word Do we love his Soveraignty as well as his Saviour-ship 3. Do we love him for his deep humiliation and bitter sufferings which he so readily underwent for us and for the great redemption and salvation he hath wrought for us 4. Are we willing to obey Christ If you love me sayes our Saviour keep my commandments 5. Is the interest of Christ dear to us Are we concerned in his honour and dishonour Are we suitably affected when his interest prospers or is trampled upon when it goes well or ill with his Church 6. Do we love him for those eminent graces which were so conspicuous in his life 7. Are we willing to be serviceable to him and to suffer for him when he calls us to it 8. Do we love him for his constant intercession for us at Gods right hand Let us try our love to Christ by these marks 3. We ought to have in our hearts a true love and charity to all Christians We should excite in our Souls a true love to all those that are real members of Christ We should love their persons graces and fellowship These we should love with a complacential love But besides these we should love our very enemies with a love of benevolence wishing well unfeignedly to them and praying for them The proper offices and effects of this Charity are 1. Forgiving injuries 2. Doing good against evil 3. Speaking

over this Jordan and now I am become two bands In David 1 Sam. 7.18 And David said who am I O Lord God and what is mine house that thou hast brought me hitherto 8. Look upon the Devils themselves that tempt you to be proud See what Pride hath brought them unto A proud man is the very image of the Devil Pride Malice Hatred and Lying are the Devils peculiar sins And can it be pleasing to you to be like unto him 9. Consider how God does usually leave proud persons to themselves at one time or other and suffer them to fall into some sin or miscarriage that so they may be abased and humbled One indiscreet action of a man left to himself may throw down the reputation that he has by great caution and circumspection been many years in raising and make him vile in the eyes of the world 10. Consid that those that are proud are usually near some dreadful fall or heavy judgment God himself hath made Pride a symptom or prognostick of it Luke 14.11 Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted and Chap. 1.51 He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts He hath put down the mighty from their seat and exalted them of low degree 11. Reason thy self into a loathing of this sin Ask thy self what art thou what hast thou what canst thou do that thou shouldst be proud 1. Is it thy birth thou art proud of If thy Parents were of great quality and of great virtue thou oughtest to look to it that thou imitate them in their worthy behaviour and vertuous life else thou wilt be a dishonour to them If they were great in this world and vitious thou hast no cause to boast of thy descent from them but to take heed of treading in their steps lest a curse be intailed upon thee from them Besides consider that personal merits render any man imcomparably more valuable than his relalation to very deserving Ancestors 2. Is it Riches The more thou hast the greater will be thy account Our Saviour tells us 't is hard for a rich man especially such an one as trusts in his riches to enter into the Kingdom of God Mark 10.23 24. Few rich men escape the snare Thy account and danger should rather make thee fear than thy riches lift thee up Or if thou hast riches 't is very uncertain whether thou wilt carry them to thy grave There are many accidents that may impoverish thee Or if thou dost carry them to thy grave thou canst carry them no farther but there must leave them and possibly either to a fool or a prodigal 'T is often seen the faster men gripe and think to hold their wealth the sooner they loose it like him that gripes Callice-sand in his fist the harder he gripes it the faster it slips away from him 3. Is it Power thou art proud of So great will be the account that men in power must give how they have improved that Talent whether for God or against him that the very thoughts of it may affright any considering man Thou hast need well consider how thou hast improved thy power whether for the interest of God and the good of the world or only to serve thy own or other mens lusts as too many do 4. Is it thy learning thou art proud of certainly the more learned thou art the more humble thou oughtest to be True knowledge discovers the folly and pernitious tendency of Pride and affords abundant matter for Humility The heaviest and most weighty heads of corn bow down themselves the empty ones perk up themselves Consider also how little thou knowest of what is knowable and of what thou mightest and oughtest to know Alass Thy learning is but a pitiful narrow thing in respect of the amplitude of things that are to be known 5. Is it Beauty or bodily strength thou art proud of Alass possibly a disease at this very moment is breeding in thee that will suddenly pull down thy strength and deface thy beauty And observe it who will that strength and beauty that raises Pride is commonly short lived For vain-glory commonly putteth great strength upon dangerous and perilous attempts and undertakings which usually do indanger and hurt it if not destroy it And that beauty which is set forth to be a temptation to lust and dishonesty is commonly the ruiner of its owner That beauty is best set off which is attended with the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price If God hath given thee beauty let it stir up thy gratitude and not be a ground of pride to thee 6. Is it Wit or good natural parts that thou art proud of Alass how soon may a fever or apoplexy deprive thee of thy memory wit and understanding Besides observe it wit is never sooner foiled than by Pride Pride casteth a ridiculousness and a kind of blot upon the greatest parts Such an one hath good parts saith the common by-word but he knows it too well Pride also often times draws up into the brain such hot cholerick vapours and fumes as disorder and discompose it But humility and lowliness of mind is a great advantage for the improving of all our faculties It cools and qualifies the blood and spirits and keeps the whole man in a good frame and temper Besides those that are conceited of their wit do usually at one time or other run into some extravagancy renders them despicable and ridiculous 'T is ten to one but their Pride will carry them into some ridiculous action so that they will receive more reproach and censure for their pride than they received before applause for their parts 'T is far more desirable to be a wise man than a witty man When therefore thou art apt to swell with Pride at the reflexion upon thy parts think how many there are in the world more wise and learned and worthy than thy self * Cum superbia tentat cogita me●iores Bernard Think how many brave men there now are and formerly have been who have done more for God and for the good of the world than ever thou hast done 7. Is it Credit or applause or honour or esteem thou art proud of The wind is not more uncertain Thou thinkest thou hast honour thou deceivest thy self thou hast it not He hath it that gives it thee and he may detain it from thee when he pleaseth * Honor magis est in honorame quam in Honora●o A mans credit is least in his own keeping of any thing 8. Is it fine cloaths thou art proud of All Pride is a very foolish thing but that which arises from such mean things is the most irrational of all Alass you must shortly change all your finery for grave-cloaths and that vile body of yours that now you endeavour with so much art and cost to deck and adorn must shortly be laid in the