Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	eternal_a	grace_n	life_n	5,484	5	4.4259	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A70932	True gain, opened in a sermon preached at Pauls, Nov. 9. 1656 by Edward Reynolds, D.D.	Reynolds, Edward, 1599-1676.	1659 (1659)	Wing R1300; Wing R1245A; ESTC R18711	21,848	41

without wisdome to guide it is but a weary idleness 3. We may receive the things of this world from God in Christ as a fruit of his gracious Covenant 1 Tim. 4.8 4. We may lay up and provide for our selves and those that belong unto us so far as the necessities of life and decency of our particular state and condition do admit Christ himself had a bag in his family Ioh. 13.29 1 Tim. 5.8 But we may not love nor set our hearts upon the world When riches increase set not your heart upon them The world is for the back and the belly but God onely is for the heart Though we may eye our own gain yet the gain of the world is not that gain which we are chiefly to eye The soul being the most precious thing which a man hath the saving and inriching thereof is the only true Christian gain First Take the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} here for life and even so the truth of the Text will hold what gain is it to get the world and to lose the life Is not the life more then meat and the body then raiment Luke 12.23 1. All the world cannot hold or lengthen life beyond the period set it by God Our times are in his hand Psal. 31.15 the efficacy of all second causes is suspended upon his blessing man liveth not by bread alone but by every word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God Mat. 4.4 2. Life is necessary to the enjoyment of the world what good doth light without an eye to see it Or musick with out an ear to hear it what good do dainties without a mouth to tast them Or Crowns without an Head to wear them Nay a man may have his life so clog'd with sickness sorrow discontent of mind distress of conscience that all the world shall not suffice to revive and comfort him 3. When life is lost the world is all lost with it a living porter is richer then a dead Prince death translates properties If a man purchase land to himself for ever that ever is no longer then his own life if he will have the purchase extend further he must put in his heirs with himself Secondly Take the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for the soul as Luke 12.19 20. and then the truth holds much more For 1. If a man could keepe his soul and the world together there is so vast a dis-proportion between them that the one could never replenish the other 2. If it could satisfie it for a time yet it would cloy and satiate it at the last there is excesse in wordly enioyments and all excess is nauseous and painful 3. If they could replenish and not cloy that there were a commensurateness between them yet there is not an equality of duration One generation saith Solomon passeth away and another cometh but the earth abideth Eccles. 1.4 If when a man goes away the earth did go with him happily the same content which he found in it here he would find in it elsewhere but when he goes and that stayes behinde him all the content which he had in the fruition doth vanish in the separation 4. Being parted the soul must be for ever as long as God is merciful to save or just to punish and what comfort is it think we in hell for a man to remember the pleasures of a short life of which nothing there remains but the worm and the sting The Poet could say If the headach did come first no man would be drunk If men could feel but a little of hell before they sin they would easily by that understand how empty and vanishing the pleasures of lust are and how easily extinguished in a tormented Conscience as a drop of wine loseth all its sweetness in a barrel of water Again what addition is it to the joyes of heaven for a man to recount the comforts of a perishing world What content takes a grave wealthy learned man in remembring the joy which in his childhood he was wont to take in his top and counters 5. The nature of the soul is spiritual and must have spiritual objects to converse about Sensitive faculties may be delighted with material objects Meer natural reason may gaze with some content upon the beauty order contexture concatenation of natural causes and effects But the supream spiritual part of the soul is of a more high and noble extraction then ultimately to delight it self in any thing but in God from whom it was breathed It is capable of the knowledg of God whom to know is perfect wisdome and eternal life It is capable of the image and grace of God of righteousness and true holiness to beautifie and renew it Capable of the peace of God of the joy of his salvation of the earnest the seed the seal the witness of his Spirit of the sense of his love in Christ which is unspeakable and glorious Capable of that fulness of joy which is in his presence and of those everlasting pleasures and rivers of comfort which are at his right hand Capable of the heavy wrath of God which is beyond the fear or the fancy of man to comprehend As the goodness of God exceeds our faith so the anger of God exceeds our feare 6. The dignity of the soul appears by the spiritual enemies which war against it Of whom we may say as the Prophet of the Medes Isai. 13.17 that they regard not silver or gold they fight neither aganst house nor land but against the soul only Satan saies as the King of Sodom unto Abram Gen. 14.21 Give me the souls and take the goods to thy self 7. By the guard of Angels which God hath appointed to protect it And convey it to heaven Luke 16.22.8 By the heavenly Manna the breasts of Consolation the wells of salvation the bread of life the feast of marrow and fatted things which the Lord in his Word and Ordinances hath provided to see it one sentence and period whereof is more worth in an hour of Temptation then rocks of Diamonds ot mountains of Gold 9. And above all the dignity of the soul appears by the price which was laid downe to redeem it We were not redeemed by silver and gold but by the blood of God 1 Pet. 1.19 If silver and gold could have bought the soul silver and gold haply might have blessed it but since no price can purchase it but the blood of God no treasure can enrich it but the fruition of God The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance Psal. 16.5 Very many Uses might be made of this most important doctrine As. 1. To adore the infinite love of God towards the souls of poor sinfull men in finding out of his own unsearchable wisdom an expedient which neither men nor angels could ever have discovered for the punishing of the sin and saving of the soul that sinned 2. The infinite love of Christ who so loved us as