Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A44521
|
The first fruits of reason, or, A discourse shewing the necessity of applying our selves betimes to the serious practice of religion by Anthony Horneck ...
|
Horneck, Anthony, 1641-1697.
|
1686
(1686)
|
Wing H2830; ESTC R4566
|
37,544
|
144
|
Imprimatur C. Alston R. P. D. Hen. Episc. Lond. à sacris Domesticis THE First Fruits OF REASON OR A DISCOURSE Shewing The Necessity of applying our selves betimes to the serious Practice of Religion By Anthony Horneck D. D. Preacher at the Savoy LONDON Printed by F. Collins for D. Brown at the Black Swan and Bible without Temple-bar and are to be sold by John Weld at the Crown between the Temple-gates in Fleet-street 1686. THE PREFACE TO THE READER THE following Discourse was occasioned by a young Man's being unfortunately kill'd in Bartholomew Fair whose Friends led partly by natural Affection partly by love to the young Mans Vertues were pleas'd to desire me to preach a Sermon at his Funeral and because they would thereby be serviceable to the living and more especially to men of the same age with the Deceased entreated me to pitch upon the Text which appears in the front of the ensuing Treatise Having gratified their desire in that particular they gave me some Motives and Arguments to publish it which I could not well resist But the Discourse as it was deliver'd at St. Sepulchres Church on the 20 of September being too short to make any thing like a Book of it I resolved upon second thoughts to enlarge it and with these enlargements additions it comes now abroad though in an age so fertile of excellent Sermons I might be discouraged from adding any of mine own yet since every man in his station is bound to contribute to the common Interest of Religion having this opportunity I was willing to embrace it because it 's possible that some or other who lights upon these Papers may think of the Contents and by the assistance of the divine Spirit be perswaded early to consecrate himself to unfeigned and impartial Devotion The great debauchery and looseness of the Youth of this Age is enough to oblige us and a sufficient call to do all we can to stem the floud of Impiety which rages so much in the younger sort and proves too often the occasion both of their temporal and eternal ruine All I shall add is this to entreat the Reader to become a Supplicant with me at the Throne of Grace that both this and other mens endeavors of this kind may prove effectual to recal both young and old from the errours of their ways and that God as it is our Liturgy would shortly accomplish the number of his Elect that we with all those who are departed in the true Faith may have our perfect consummation and bliss in his Eternal and Everlasting Glory THE First Fruits of Reason ECCLES 12.1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth THis Book of Ecclesiastes is generally looked upon as Solomon's recantation Sermon in which he renounces his former Follies and having seen the vanity of the world and the pleasures of it like a man come to himself again aspires to nobler delights and after a woful fall lifts up his sinking head and beholds and re-embraceth the true and glorious liberty of Gods Children Curiosity had led him not onely into a search of Nature but into that of Sin and Impiety too and while Greatness and Riches and a sawning Court flattered him with power to do what he pleased he at once forgot the baseness of his slavery and over-looked the heinousness of his Iniquity As if it had been too mean for a Soveraign Prince to commit puny sins he transgressed above the ordinary rate of Mortals and if it be true what the Jewish Rabbins say that his inquisitive humour made him even venture upon the mystery of the black art it 's like that together with his fondness of Heathenish Women enticed him to Idolatry If this Book be his penitential Monument we may believe his Repentance was great and signal and that after this his Cloathing was Sackloth and he mingled his drink with weeping Sins of a deep dye require profound Contrition and it is impossible to be truly sensible of monstrous and unparalell'd Ingratitude and not to express that sence by very visible and eminent Humiliations One great Character of true Repentance is a hearty endeavour after the Conversion of others and this excellent sign we find in this Convert or returning Prodigal For not to mention the Counsel he gives to all degrees of men in the foregoing Chapters in that before us his kindly Calls and Admonitions to young men speak a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Koheleth or a Soul earnestly desirous to gather all men into the Sheepfold of Grace and Mercy And of these Calls that in my Text is not the least Remember now thy Creator in thy days of thy youth By way of Explication I shall only tell you First That what we render here in the days of thy youth is in the Original in the days of thy Choice So youth is called 1. Because in that Age man chuseth his Employment and when he first enters upon the Stage of the World after he comes from under Tutors and Governours he determines what Calling or Profession he shall take to 2. Because in that Age particularly when Reason exerts its full strength God sets the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil before us Heaven and Earth Paradise and the World Righteousness and Sin Life and Death and leaves us to our choice according to which our portion and reward will be when the Soul appears before Gods dread Tribunal Secondly As our youth is the Age wherein a Choice must needs be made so the Wiseman here bids us chuse remembring our Creator Which the Chaldee Paraphrast expounds Remember thy Creator so as to glorifie him in the days of thy youth which Paraphrase is so sound that we need not search out for another interpretation for as the serious practice of Religion is meant by that Remembrance so that practice is in a manner nothing else but glorifying God in our Souls and Bodies called so by the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.20 And Herein is my father glorified that ye bear much fruit saith our Saviour Joh. 15.8 Nor need we wonder how God can be glorified by Fruits of righteousness that we bring forth For as these point at the Sun which warms them into being or at God by whose Word and Power and Influence they grow and ripen and come to perfection so they proclaim the glory of his Grace and discover how kind how merciful how bountiful and how liberal that Supreme Being is in bestowing such gifts on men gifts which Nature cannot confer nor Angels distribute nor the greatest Monarchs impart to their Favorites And hereby the happy person whose life bears such Fruits is encouraged to glorifie the spring and Fountain of them Others also that see them and receive comfort or benefit by them cannot but adore and admire the Divine Goodness which is pleased to display its glory in such communications of his Holiness and as Angels rejoyce at a sinners Conversion here on
earth so they cannot but magnifie and glorifie God for the fruits and good works which after their Conversion such men bring forth Those ministring Spirits are entirely intent upon Gods Glory and the greater the number is of those that contribute to Gods Glory the greater is their joy and with their Joy their Praises and celebrations of the Divine Wisdom and Power and Goodness are advanced This being premised it will be easie to guess at the subjects of the ensuing Discourse which if we follow the Text close can be no other than these 1. What it is to remember God for that 's implied here 2. What force there is in remembring God under the notion of our Creator 3. Why the strict observance of these two Lessons is particularly necessary in the days of our youth First What it is to remember God 1. So to remember his Omniscience and Omnipresence as to stand in awe of him For this is no speculative but a practical Remembrance The Name of God speaks his being present in all places and knowing whatever passes in Heaven and in Earth A truth which even the wiser Heathens were sensible of and when they said that Jovis omnia plena that all places were full of the Supreme Deity no doubt they meant that God was present in Heaven by his Glory on Earth by his Providence and in Hell by his Justice that above us he stands as Judge under us as our Supporter and on both sides of us as an Assessor and Speculator of our actions whether they be good or evil So that he who remembers God must necessarily remember his Omniscience and Omnipresence and in vain are these remembred except we stand in awe of him And this was it which God thought fit to put among the first Lessons he gave to Abraham his friend Gen. 17.1 I am the Almighty God walk before me and be perfect i. e. Behave thy self in all places like a person sensible of an all-seeing Eye above him like one who believes God sees him and hears him and is not far from him that knows his down-sitting and his uprising and understands his thoughts afar off This Remembrance is a necessary and essential part of the fear of God and he that lays this Remembrance by will stick at no sin he can commit with safety without exposing his Credit or Honour or Interest This Remembrance is a bridle for our Lusts and he that sees God where ever he walks or sits or stands or lies will not be easily taken with the beauty of sin and vanity It was therefore an ingenious as well as a religious reply which St. Ephrem made to the Harlot who enticed him to be naught with her and was very urgent with him to assign her a place where she should meet him In the Market-place saith he tomorrow at Noon-day Fye answered the Harlot are not you ashamed to be taken notice of of men that will pass by and see us To this St. Ephrem Art thou asham'd to be seen by men and dost thou not blush to venture upon this villany in the sight of God Can the eyes of men make thee afraid and is the revenging Eye of God no disswasive from thy wickedness 2. To Remember God is so to remember his Goodness his Mercies and gracious Providences as to live a life of love and gratitude We cannot name God but we must understand by that expression one from whom every good and perfect gift descends by whom all creatures are fed maintain'd and cherished and preserved who opens his hand and filleth the desire of every living thing and to whom we in particular are beholding for all the necessaries conveniencies accommodations and superfluities we enjoy But this remembrance is insignificant and like sounding Brass and a tinkling Cymbal except it touches the Heart with a strong desire and endeavour of gratitude Kindnesses like fire must give heat and as among men he is supposed not to remember what such a great man hath done for him that shews him no respect or doth what is prejudicial to his Honour and Interest so God looks upon him as a person that remembers neither him nor his Mercies in whom this remembrance works no earnest care to please him And whatever the pretences of remembring may be where it doth not influence the life nor produces love in the inward and outward man it 's Contempt not Remembrance Hypocrisie not Gratitude He properly remembers God that takes notice of his Works and the operations of his Hands sees his Finger in the blessings he enjoys and clings to his great Benefactor with ardent affections that never thinks of his goodness without admiration and whenever he considers how kind God hath been to him ruminates in his mind with David What reward shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits Psal. 116.12 It was therefore with respect no doubt to this practical acknowledgement that the same Psalmist gives this exhortation Psal. 105.5 Remember ye his marvellous works the wonders and the judgements of his wrath They that heretofore painted the Graces with hand in hand intimated that one good turn requires another and to neglect such returns among men hath ever been counted odious Monster hath been the best name that hath been given to such persons in all Ages and therefore none can suppose that the neglect of them with respect to God our kindest friend will pass for a tolerable infirmity He that doth not return acts of love upon the remembrance of Gods preservations deliverances and munificence will have the whole World and his own Conscience to boot for his accusers and the crime is inexcusable because the wretch eludes the force of the greatest charms and the strongest motives to Love and reciprocal Affection 3. To remember God is so to remember his Laws and injunctions as to yield actual obedience He that acknowledges a God must acknowledge him to be the governour of the World and consequently that he governs by Laws agreeable to his greatness and Holiness and therefore when God tells the Israelites how they should remember him he chuses to word it thus Remember ye the Law of my servant Moses which I commanded him in Horeb with all the statutes and judgements Mal. 4.4 Gods Laws would signifie nothing if they were not intended as a rule for his Subjects and the impertinency of remembring God as our Law-giver without suitable obedience is sufliciently shewn in that expostulation of Christ Luke 6.46 Why call ye me Lord and do not do the things which I say Wonderful was the care God took that the Jews should remember his injunctions They were not only to be in their Frontlets and Wrist-bands but the Fathers of their respective Families were commanded to teach them diligently unto their Children to talk of them when they were sitting in their houses and when they walked by the way and when they lay down and when they rose again They were to write them also upon the Posts