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 |
|
A60371
|
[Good advice] and counsel, given forth by Joseph Sleigh of the city of Dublin, in the time of his sickness, to his children. And since his death it being thought fit for the service of others also; therefore it was ordered into print, that other children, &c. may have the benefit thereof
|
Sleigh, Joseph, d. 1683.
|
1683
(1683)
|
Wing S3991; ESTC R220065
|
9,364
|
33
|
AND COUNSEL Given forth by JOSEPH SLEIGH Of the CITY of DUBLIN In the time of his Sickness TO HIS CHILDREN And since his Death it being thought fit for the Service of others also therefore it was ordered into Print that other Children c. may have the Benefit thereof Printed in the Year 1683. Advice from a Father in the time of his Weakness of Body unto his tender Children My dear Children REmember your Creator in the days of your youth in your young years before the Enemy of your Souls draw your Minds out into the Wickedness and Ungodliness of the World to defile your Hearts and Minds with the Wickedness and Profaneness there of and so harden your Hearts in Sin and Ungodliness which will bring Wo and Misery upon your Souls and anguish of Spirit and bitter Lamentation and provoke the Anger of the Lord against you This is the work of the Destroyer of Souls the Devil who goes about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour And no sooner Children grow up to years of understanding but this Enemy comes to tempt them and draw them into evil and into those things which are contrary to the pure Mind and Will of the Lord some into one thing and some into another according as they are naturally inclined some to Wildness and Rudeness some to Pride some to Stubborness and Self-conceitedness some to one vanity and some to another This is the work of the Destroyer Therefore my Children my Advice to you in tender love is that you wait upon the Lord in the stilness and coolness of your Minds in the silence of all flesh or fleshly thoughts or cogitations that you may receive Wisdom and Strength from the Lord to withstand the Enemy of your Souls For as it is written in the Scriptures of Truth They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their Strength for none are able to overcome the Enemy but they that know the renewing of his Strength for of your selves as Christ said you can do nothing and an overcoming there must be or else no entring into that Rest which is without end My dear Children you have immortal Souls that shall never die but shall be sensible either of everlasting Joy and Felicity with the Lord and with the Godly in Generations past in the Kingdom of unspeakable Glory for evermore or for ever feel the Anger and Indignation of the Lord with the wicked and ungodly in the Hell of eternal Wo and Misery which is a deplorable state And as there is but these two states for the Soul to remain in after Death the one Joy and Comfort the other Wo and Misery so there are but two ways the one is the streight and narrow way that leadeth to Life the other the broad way that leadeth to the Chambers of Death So you see there is but one way to Life eternal even the streight and narrow way although you will see many ways in the world one saying this is the way another sort saying nay but this is the way and so various sorts of Religions in the world every one crying up their several Notions to be the way to the City of Peace and Rest which upon your viewing of it in your Minds may raise doubts and cause some Considerations in your Minds And from the considering of things you may reason within your selves Here are many sorts of Ways and Religions in the world and all pretend to be the right way and how shall we do to know the one right way amongst those many ways for there is but one right way and we may spend all our days in running from one Religion to another to find the right way and may miss of it at last and so lay down our heads in Sorrow Answer Christ saith he is the Way the Truth and the Life and it is said in the Scriptures of Truth that Christ enlightens every one that comes into the world And when Christ talked with the Woman at the Well of Samaria about Worship and the place of Worship there being at that day a difference between the Samaritans and the Jews about the place of Worship as appears by the Womans words to Christ when she said Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship Christ says Woman believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father Ye worship ye know not what we know what we worship for Salvation is of the Jews But the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth Joh. 4.20 21 22 23 24. So this is the true way to worship the Father set up by Christ Jesus the Shepherd and Bishop of the Souls the spiritual Worship which is to continue And Paul saith what may be known of God is made manifest in man And Christ forbids to run after those who turn peoples minds outward to look for the way to the Kingdom saying lo here or lo there for behold the Kingdom of God in within you Luk. 17.21 Now if the Kingdom be within of necessity must mans Guide be there also as the Apostle says Try your selves prove your selves know ye not how that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates So here is Christ the way to the Father near in your Hearts to guide teach admonish and reprove and to justifie those that are his faithful followers So if you want Counsel you may wait in the coolness and stilness of your Minds and Counsel you will receive If you be like to faint in your travel Christ the way will be as the Shadow of a mighty Rock in a weary Land If you be thirsty he will be to you as a Well of Water to refresh your Souls If you hunger he will feed you with the Bread of Life and clothe you with his Spirit And if you keep the word of his Patience he will preserve you in the hour of temptation But it may be objected and said How shall we know the Teachings of Christ by his Spirit in our hearts from the Suggestions of the Enemy of our Souls which is also a Spirit Answer That which reproves thee in secret for evil committed by thee when no eye it may be saw thee is the Spirit of Truth which leads into all Truth and Righteousness and leadeth those who give up to be led by it into the paths of Holiness without which none shall see God as faith the Scriptures of Truth and condemns evil thoughts when they arise in the Creature before they come forth to actions and leads men to deny all Ungodliness and worldly Lusts and to live godlily and soberly in this present evil world and teacheth people to be true to God and also to man
may conclude those to be false Worshippers and a false Church and Cain that murthered his Brother about Religion to be their Father being led by his Spirit and the Reward of Cain they will have if they repent not which is to be driven out from the presence of the Lord and to become a Vagabond and be made to cry out as Cain was my punishment is greater than I can bear The Spirit of Christ that dwells in the true Church teacheth his people to love their Enemies to do good to those that hate them and despitefully use them that they may be the Children of their Father which is in Heaven for he maketh his Sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth Rain on the just and on the unjust Matth. 5.44 45. and to desire the good of all even the Salvation of their Souls according to Christs Command when he was in the body of Flesh upon the earth So my dear Children through the Love and Desire that is in my heart for your Souls good that you may come to live the life of the righteous and so have the righteous Reward which is Peace and Joy and Unity with the Lord to all eternity and that when you come to lay down your Heads in the Dust you may have Peace with the Lord which is of more value than an earthly Crown My heart is opened to write these few Lines unto you to leave behind as a further Legacy of my Love unto you which as ye come to years of understanding I desire you to read and consider in the same Love that moved me to write this and to leave it behind me and let it have an impression upon your Spirits as the Advice of a loving and tender Father My dear Lambs fear and love the Lord above all things and seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof and all other things the Lord will add and he will bless you with his Blessings and will provide for you and be a tender Father unto you and you shall want nothing that is good for you but your heavenly Father will provide it for you as you keep in his Fear in the humility of your Souls in a heavenly dependency upon him the Giver of all good And my dear Lambs as you grow up to understanding let your Minds be upon heavenly things and wait upon the Lord that you may feel his Power and Life that will season your Souls and draw your Affections Heavenward into Sobriety Chastity and Moderation in every thing both in your eating drinking apparel and in every thing else that you may make use of in the Creation tha tthe Lord God of my Life may bless you And dear Lambs have a care of letting your Minds on t to mind and take delight in the pleasures and vanities of this world which will endure but for a moment in comparison of Eternity And if you feel the Enemy drawing and laying before you the pleasures of this world in order to draw your minds from God wait upon the Lord in that which shews you that they are the Suggestions of the Enemy of your Souls and the Lord will give you power to withstand him and to deny his Temptations for the same that manifests Sin will as you wait in it upon the Lord give you power over Sin for the Spirit and Power of God in man hath more power as man gives up to be led by it to preserve from Sin and evil than the wicked Spirit hath to draw into Sin as saith the Scripture greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world So my dear Lambs wait upon the Lord that you may see him in all his appearances for he is a Destroyer and goes about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour So as you tender the good and happiness of your Souls be faithful to the Lord in all states and conditions and keep good Company those that sear the Lord and be willing to receive the Advice of such in all your undertakings and if it be so ordered that you be Servants to any get into honest Families those that fear and love the Lord that you may be instructed and brought up in that which is good and be faithful true and honest in your Services and be subject to those you may serve in all honest and lawful things and then the Lord will bless you and you will be a Blessing in the Family you dwell in and good example to your Fellow-servants which is well pleasing to the Lord. And if it be so ordered that you my Sons live until you be men and that you desire to marry my Advice to you is that ye mind from what ground your Love springs and consider things well in the Fear of the Lord and be not taken with every thing that may arise in your hearts but be willing to be advised by such whom you judge do fear the Lord in that weighty concern have an eye to Virtue morethan outward Riches in your choice of Wives And you my Daughters if it be so ordered of the Lord that ye live till you come to Womens estate be not ready to receive every one that may profer love to you as in relation to Marriage but wait upon the Lord for Counsel and Advice and take advice of those who you judge do fear the Lord and keep your selves sober and chast in the Fear of the Lord and no doubt but you will do well My Will and Desire is that you all be advised in all things and concerns that are any thing weighty by my Executors and Overseers who I hope will be ready to give their Advice And when you come to keep Families and have Dealings and Trading in the world have an eye to the Truth that you may do nothing to dishonour it but in your Trading and Dealings you behave your selves uprightly and justly to all men that so by your holy Lives and Conversations Truth may be well spoken of which will cause the Lord to bless your Endeavours And if Riches increase set not your hearts upon them but do good with them having an eye to the Giver and keep in a holy dependency upon the Lord and in all states learn to be content and keep your eye to the Lord over exercises and troubles inwardly and outwardly which you may meet with in this world that your Consciences may be preserved without offence towards God and all men that in the end you may lay down your heads in peace with the Lord which is better than a thousand worlds So my dear Lambs I would have you read these Lines over often and observe them that your Souls may be preserved from hurt being written in dear Love to your Souls from your tender Father JOSEPH SLEIGH Dublin the 11th Month 1683. A Testimony concerning Joseph Sleigh of Dublin who departed this Life the 2d day of the 6th Month 1683. about the 40th year