Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	dead_a	life_n	quicken_v	5,491	5	10.4511	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33545	Fifteen sermons preach'd upon several occassions, and on various subjects by John Cockburn ...	Cockburn, John, 1652-1729.	1697 (1697)	Wing C4808; ESTC R32630	223,517	543

at present we are in the State of Children or Heirs while they are Minors and therefore now only we have Hope but it is a lively hope as the Text expresseth it It is Hope which enliveneth the Soul it quickeneth the Spirit and rejoiceth the Heart but without Hope the Spirit flags and the Heart faints and languisheth It is Hope which stirreth up to all Endeavours Hope is the Wheel which moveth all Designs it sets them on and keeps them a going The Labourer plougheth and soweth because he hath Hope the Merchant ventureth to the Sea and the Souldier to the War out of Hope and it is this which makes others follow the Court But these Worldly Hopes are much inferiour to this Christian Hope to which God hath now begotten us This is far more than any or all of them together And there is more Reason to rejoice and be glad of this Hope than of these other For neither the Object of them is so great nor the Ground of them so certain What worldly Men hope or what any Man hopeth of these things which relate to this World when narrowly examined amounts to no great matter oft times we are as well without these things as with them and sometimes better And however how uncertain a thing is worldly Hope and how soon and how easily is it blasted What Men trust to for effectuating their Hope is vain and deceitful and withal weak and unable to resist and overcome those Difficulties which fall in in the Prosecution of our Designs So that we see daily many ashamed and disappointed of their Hopes and not only come short of them but also to meet with the quite contrary Thus Shame and Wounds fall to the Souldiers share instead of his fansied Booty and Preferment the Labourer expected a rich crop and is reduced to Cleanness of Teeth the Merchant turns Bankrupt who was blown up with the Hopes of great Wealth the Courtier is forced away with Disgrace instead of the Honour and Command he promised himself and that Alliance which was enterprized with such Earnestness and was begun with so fair and big Promises produceth nothing but continued Vexations and Grief This is oft the end of worldly Hope and therefore it may be called a dead Hope but the Hope of a Christian is a lively Hope for it never dieth till it end in Fruition And in the mean time it hath more Life and Vigour in it to quicken and animate the Spirit of Man The hope which we have saith St. Paul is an anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast Heb. vi 19. for it is founded upon two immutable things viz. God and his Promises his Power can never fail and his Word as little but as he is still able so he is ever willing to accomplish what hath gone out of his Mouth But let us see what is our hope it is saith the Text to an inheritance This is more than the World giveth to her Children All in this World are not born to Inheritances even those Fathers who have Lands and Possessions bestow not the Heritage of them on all their Children one only of the Sons gets it but our heavenly Father giveth to every one of his Children an Inheritance Fear not little flock saith Christ it is your Father's will to give you a Kingdom And as we have an Inheritance so an Excellent one for its Kind and Quality Some Kingdoms and Inheritances are petty and inconsiderable and afford small matter to brag off but this Inheritance is so great that there is none greater nor any comparable to it For First It is said to be Incorruptible this respects the duration of it and the like cannot be said of any other Inheritance The Psalmist tells us Mens inward thoughts is that their houses shall continue for ever and their dwelling places to all generations and that therefore they call their Lands after their own names Psal. xlix 2. but who sees not the Vanity of this thought What Chapping and Changing of Inheritances is daily made How do they run away that no Foresight nor Law nor Wit can secure them How many famous Kingdoms and Monarchies and Noble Families are extinct that there is no memory of them except in some old dark Records It must therefore add much to the worth of this Inheritance that it is Immortal and Unchangeable But yet the next quality is better for if a Possession is little worth it is no great matter though it pass away but if it be good and excellent the perpetuity of it is much to be desired wherefore that this Inheritance is incorruptible is matter of great Joy seeing it is also undefiled by which is meant that it is so pure as to yield nothing to give the least disgust to the Inheriter O rare and singular quality No perfectly pure Enjoyment is here to be found all are full of unpleasant mixtures or attended with troublesome inconveniencies which damp and spoil the Pleasure and Satisfaction of them No Rose is to be found but upon a Thorn nor any Delight without some Molestation what takes one Sense grates another neither in Company or Retirement Solitude or Publick Employment Celibacy or Marriage high Stations or low Places City or Country nor in any condition of Humane Life is matter of full and perfect Contentment to be found but whatever pleaseth one way displeaseth another It is the Property only of this Inheritance here spoken of to afford perfect Satisfaction to the Soul because neither its Pleasures are gross to cloy the Mind nor are they mixed with improper and disagreeable Ingredients to give any disgust It is altogether pure and Undefiled and so the joy it yields must be both full and pure In thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand are rivers of pleasures for evermore Psal. xvi But to proceed it is further added that this Inheritance fadeth not away In the Original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the Name of a Flower that never withereth but keeps always fresh and green and by naming this Inheritance so the Apostle designed to hold forth the continued Vigour and Flagrancy thereof As it lasteth long so it never waxeth old the Infirmities and usual Appendages of Age never overtake it it never suffereth any decay in its Strength Beauty Glory or Vertue There be many things which at first and while they are New are taking and splendid but within a while they fail and answer not Mens expectations as at first But it is not so with this Inheritance it fades not when Thousand thousand Ages are past it is still gay and flourishing never diminished in its quality As it is Eternal in its Duration so its Pleasures Riches and all other Advantages are Eternal You will ask where lieth this Inheritance If you look for it in any of these lower Regions you will meet with a disappointment neither this nor any other Country