Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
spirit_n blood_n body_n part_n 8,155 5 4.9083 4 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A07203 Contentment in Gods gifts or some sermon notes leading to equanimitie and contentation. By Henry Mason parson of S. Andrews Vndershaft London Mason, Henry, 1573?-1647. 1630 (1630) STC 17604; ESTC S102845 26,914 126

There is 1 snippet containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

God hath given unto men a measure of good things and hath tempered their gifts with many other defects it is easie to see that they are both indebted to God for that which they have and stand in neede of his dayly favour for supplying of that which they want And consequently this different disposing of Gods gifts may teach us both to think humbly of our selves and thankfully of God 3 A third reason may be because God would give men occasiō of mutuall love charity each to other For if one man had all things hee would neither have neede to receive helpe from others not care to doe good unto thē of whom he had no neede But now that one man hath one abilitie and another man another abilitie and no man hath all nor any man nothing men are hereby made fit both to do good to others and to receive good from them back againe This the Apostle observed in the parts of mans body that the eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of thee nor the head to the feet I have no neede of you but that God hath so tempered the bodie together that there should be noschisme in the body but that the members should have the same care one for another 1. Cor. 12.21 24 25. And so we see it is for the eye seeth not for it selfe onely but for the whole body and the eare heareth not for it selfe but for all the other members and so the stomack doth concoct meate and the liver makes blood and the heart engenders spirits and the feet move themselves and each one doth his proper office not for his owne use but for the use of all the other parts and by this meanes every one enioyeth all the perfections that all the rest have And so it is in the civill bodie The King enacteth Laws constituteth Iudges mustereth souldiours it is not for his owne safetie onely but for the safetie of the whole Realme without whose welfare he could not long enioy his Crowne And so the Preacher studieth the Scriptures not onely to enforme himselfe but to instruct others and the Counsellor studieth the Law not onely that hee may plead for himselfe but more especially for his Clients and the Shoomaker maketh shooes the Tailorgarments and each artificer the worke of his calling that when they have done their worke they may disperse their own commodities abroad and by the sale of them supplie themselves with the commodities of other Trades wherein they have no skill And hereby it appeareth that there is great reason and much wisdome to be seene in this varietie and difference of Gods gifts it remaineth now onely that we make a right vse of it And it may serve us for two uses 1 We may learne contentation with our owne place and gifts and 2 We should set a due valuation of the gifts bestowed on other men without grudging or repining Vse 1 I. We should hēce learne to be contented with that place in which God hath set us with those gifts which God hath bestowed upon us For if God have disposed his gifts in different manner for such good and important reasons and more especially in such provident sort as is most for our owne advantage then wee have great cause to let God alone with his owne both wise and gratious dealing This lesson is most applicable to Murmurers and impatient people such as are discontented with their own lot grumble at the welfare of others Such were those Laborers in the Gospel who having received their full paie yet murmured against the Master of the house Mat. 20.11 because he had given as much to them that wrought hut one houre as he had done to themselves who as they say had borne the burden and heate of the day And such are they in our daies who grudge to see their equalls preferred thēselves sit still where they were or to see their neighbors thrive in wealth and themselves to goe slowly forward or to see others respected abroad when themselves are passed by and neglected And not unlike to these are they also who grudge against God because their places are meane and their maintenance too small for men of such parts and abilities Such men for stilling of their querulous natures should consider these three things 1 That they have no right to that which they do so greedily desire For all things are Gods and he may dispose them at his pleasure The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Psal 24.1 Every beast of the forest is his and the cattell that be upon a thousand hills Psal 50.10 The silver is mine and the gold is mine saith the Lord of hosts Hagg. 2.8 And thine saith David O Lord is the greatnesse and the power and the glorie and the victorie and the Maiestie for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is thine thine is the kingdome O Lord and thou art exalted as head above all 1 Chron. 29.11 And if all be Gods why doth man laie claime to any thing as his due Or if nothing be due to him why should hee grudge for want of that whereto he hath no right Sure it was a reasonable speech of the good-man of the house when he answered the grumbling Labourer Is it not lawfull for me to doe what I will with mine owne Mat. 20.15 And so if any of us shall murmure because others are advanced to offices when we sit still in our place below God may answer us with the like reason Is it not lawfull for mee to doe what I will with mine owne preferments And if any grumble because others grow rich when themselves remaine poore God may answer them It is not lawfull for me to doe what I will with mine owne riches And if againe they shall grudge because others are esteemed and themselves are neglected hee may answer Is it not lawfull for me to doe what I will with mine own honours And finally if our present state content us not but that wee grumble for more then God hath thought good to give he may still reply and the answer is full of equitie and reason Freind I do thee no wrong may not I doe what I will with mine owne And sure every man would thinke him a proud presumptuous Begger that should prescribe to his Benefactor what and how much hee should bestow upon him And therefore if any should grudge because he hath no more God may challenge him as an Incrocker upon his right 2 Malecontents should consider that the things which they have how small so ever they seeme are the free gifts of Gods mercy the least whereof themselves did no way deserve and for everie one of them they owe praises and thankesgiving For what hast thou saith the Apostle that thou hast not received 1 Cor. 4.7 and David when hee and his people had given liberally to the building of Gods house All things saith he come of thee O