Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	body_n	part_n	soul_n	20,019	5	5.7069	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48196	The dangerous rule, or, A sermon preached at Clonmel in the province of Munster in Ireland, upon Aug. 3, 1657 before the reverend judges for that circuit by S.L., Master in Arts, and lately fellow of C.C.C. in Oxon.	Ladyman, Samuel, 1625-1684.; J. E.	1658 (1658)	Wing L168; ESTC R2962	19,621	141

Conscience how readily might they say The Case is altered when they perceive it either to concern themselves or any who could but purchase their Favour Have you read that story concerning Judah and Tamar Gen. 38. and did you observe how suddenly his Judgement varied self-centriety drew Conscience to two opposite Points in an instant in the 24 verse he commands her without farther deliberation to be burnt But good men will be partial towards themselves When he understands by whom she was with childe though this aggravated her Crime also for what before he thought Whoredom now proved Increst how easily did this Judge remit the punishment Were Conscience ever so quick-sighted though we shall anon prove its eyes to be but dim could it like some well-touch'd Needle point exactly where it ought yet as Iron would that so would Gold draw this aside as the juxta-position of the smallest Loadstone would put the Needle into a quivering posture yea make it dance the Round not knowing in what part of the Compass of settle even just thus is every selfish Respect apt to deal with Conscience And how dangerous were it in the midst of a troubled Ocean to sail by a Weather-cock-Needle How impossible for the most skilful Artist to work exactly by a Leaden-Rule This is the second Reason drawn from Conscience Conscience is a defective Rule Reas 3. 't is too scant to measure out Justice in its due and full proportion We have already proved it to be but a reflected Light and 't is a known Maxime Quòd Radii reflexi sint semper imbecilliores that reflected Beams are more feeble then direct ones If with a strong Hand you strike a Ball against the Floor visible Experience will shew you that it makes not its Rebounds with so forcible a motion as it was carried thither Nay the Light by which Conscience proceeds in its work is but a Reflexion of a Reflexion for even the Understanding it self sees but with borrowed eyes Stars have no Native Lustre of their own but that which sparkles in them they derive from an higher Fountain and so doth the Intellect Conscience receives its Light but at the second or third Rebound And how impotent are the Moon-Beams when compared with the Sun 's more powerful and active Rays But besides this even Reason it self which holds the Candle while Conscience reads is but a poor contracted thing Homer's Wisdom might have been abbreviated into as narrow an Epitome as his Works a Nut-shell would have held them both How few are there that understand what recta ratio means Do not the Wisest see weakness enough in themselves to make them blush How easily doth the next plausible Author or able Disputant turn us from what but now we thought a well-resolved Judgement Did not the Wise Philosophers bathe themselves in the dirty Puddles of Error Aristotle votes the World Eternal Plato places rational Souls in fixed Stars Heaven must be their Mansion-house while earthly Tabernacles are fitted for them Pythagoras thwarts at once both Scripture and Reason though that asserts The Spirits return to God that gave it Eccles 12.7 Yet this Philosopher upon its parting with its Body clips its Wings and keeps it here and rather then fail even Bruits of the most ignoble species must give it Entertainment In his Opinion Actaeon's Dogs having eaten their Masters Body might drink up his Soul We must confess for the Word of Truth hath spoken it Gen. 1.27 compared with Col. 3.10 that the Image of an Infinite Wisdom was once imprinted upon the Soul of Man and the Stoicks gaz'd so long upon but the ruines of this beautiful Object till like Narcissus they grew enamoured of their own Pictures 'T is true Reason was once a most bright and glorious Torch but alas being confined to the dull and dusky Lanthorn of humane Bodies this Candle of the Lord for so the wise Man calls it is waxen dim Pro. 20.27 and shines but weakly And if the Window be grown so darksom which should let in Light to direct the Conscience in the ways of Equity Truth and Peace if Reason which is the only Guide to its feet and Lamp to its paths be thus over-cast with the shades of Error without the assistance of known Laws it can be but an unsafe Rule in matters of Judicature This is the third Reason drawn from Conscience Conscience is a most uncertain Rule Reas 4. I mean not only incertitudine Objecti for its flexibility hath proved that in part already but incertitudine Subjecti even those who were to walk by it could never be acquainted with it Whence would ensue an impossibility of obedience the dis-joynting of a Commonwealth with a continued fear and diffidency in the mindes of Subjects And 1. these though innocent would always be in a trembling posture always in fear of the Revenger for unless Consciences were all cast in the same mould those very Actions which please themselves as being correspondent to their own Light might incense their Rulers 2. And since Obedience is nothing else but the correspondency of Mens Behavior to the Laws of their Magistrates which cannot be without a knowledge of those Laws this where the Rule were so unsearchable and hidden a thing as Conscience is would be impossible Not without just cause therefore hath the Prudence of al Ages made Promulgation de essentiâ Legum this must ingredi Definitionem Suarez and Aquinas dare not venture upon the description of a Law without it 't is the publication of Acts and Ordinances which stamps upon them their commanding power Subjects till then are neither bound to own them nor submit unto them Some do thus expound Paul's circumcising Timothy that notwithstanding this Ordinance were long before abrogated yet was not that so publickly declared till Paul afterwards did it himself Gal. 5.2 3. I want time to shew you how the Supreme Legislator hath still divulg'd his Will and Pleasure to his Subjects Rom. 2.14 15. first by the silent voice of Natures secret Dictates then by the louder noise of Thunder upon Mount Sinai and since in a more Gospel-strain Heb. 1.1 20 Mat. 5 6 7 cap. by the milder blasts of Sion's Silver Trumpets And to what end was all this but that the rebellious Sons of Adam might not think with an ignorantia invincibilis to palliate their Disobedience But 3. the uncertainty and variableness of this Rule would dis-joynt a Commonweal 't would suddenly speak it yea of necessity make it an Heterogeneous Body for according to the indifferent capacities of those Men who were to judge 't would be partly Hay and partly Stubble partly Gold and partly Dirt. Laws were always esteemed the very form of the Politick Body and the compositum cannot be unum quid where the form is multiplex I remember an Exercitator in these times hath urg'd this Argument against the erecting of Judiciary Courts in each County That the various Constructions which would