Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A65294
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The duty of self-denial briefly opened and urged. By Thomas Watson, minister of the Gospel
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Watson, Thomas, d. 1686.
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1675
(1675)
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Wing W1122A; ESTC R7336
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20,236
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63
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to be like Moses whose face had a lustre on it but he wist not that the skin of his face did shine Exod. 34.29 6. A Christian must deny his appetite The sensitive appetite is sick of a boulimy it cries give give St. Paul did beat down his Body 1 Cor. 9.27 Such a proportion only is to be taken for the recruiting of Nature as may help forward Gods service In licitis perimus More are hurt by excess in lawful things then by medling with unlawful As more are killed by Wine than Poison Many make their Belly their god Phil. 3.19 And to this god they pour drink-offerings Clemens Alexandrinus writes of a Fish whose heart is in its belly An emblem of epicures whose heart is in their Belly they are devoted to sensualness Excess in meat or drink clouds the mind chokes good affections provokes lust The rankest weeds grow out of the fattest soil Intemperancy shortens life as too much Oyl extinguisheth the Lamp Many dig their own graves with their teeth Christ cautioned his Apostles Luke 21.34 Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness Seneca could say he was born to higher things than to be a slave to his Body What a shame is it that the Soul that princely thing which sways the scepter of Reason and is a-kin to the Angels should be enslaved to the bruitish part Deny the sinful cravings of the flesh What hath God given conscience for but to be a golden Bridle to check the inordinacy of the Appetite 7. A Christian must deny his ease Prov. 1.23 Ease slays the simple The Flesh is full of sloath and effeminacy 't is loath to take pains for Heaven Prov. 19.24 A sloathful man hides his hand in his bosom He is loath to pluck it out though it be to lay hold on a Crown Weeds and vermin grow in untill'd ground and all vices grow in an idle untilled heart How can they expect to reap an harvest of Glory who never sowed any seed Is Satan so busie in his Diocess 1 Pet. 5.8 and are Christians idle Are they Like the Lillies which toil not neither do they spin O deny your ease Seneca an Heathen devoted himself to labour and spent part of the Night in study Hannibal forced his way over the Alps and craggy Rocks We must force our way to paradise Let us shake off sloath as Paul did the Viper Never think to be brought to Heaven as the passengers in a ship are brought to their port sleeping 1 Chron. 22.16 Arise and be doing God puts no difference between the sloathful servant and the wicked Mat. 25.26 Those people in Hetruria who like Drones entred into the Hive and consumed the honey were expelled from others and condemned to exile Such as idle away the day of grace and fold their hands to sleep when they should be working out Salvation God will condemn to a perpetual exile in Hell 8. A Christian must deny carnal policy This is the wisdom of the flesh 2 Cor. 1.12 Carnal Policy is craft The Politician consults not what is best but what is safest The Politician is made of willow he can side with all parties his Religion is cut according to the fashion of the times he can bow either to the East or to the Host zeal for truth is blotted out of the Politicians Creed It was a speech of Sir Thomas Moor he would not follow Truth too near the heels lest it should dash out his brains 'T is judged by some a piece of Policy not to declare against errour for fear of losing a party The Politician is a Latitudinarian he hath distinctions beyond Aquinas and can digest those things which others tremble at The Ostriches wings help her to out-run other creatures Sinful policy makes men run further than they can who are of purer Consciences In short the Politician is an Ecebolius he like the Camelion can change into all colours and be as his company is He can be either serious or feathery He can imitate either Cato or Cataline I grant Christian prudence is commendable but the Serpent must not devour the Dove That Policy is unjustifiable which teacheth to avoid duty Deny carnal Policy dare to be honest The best Policy is to hold fast integrity 9. A Christian must deny his inordinate passions Jam. 1.26 If any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue this mans religion is vain Every member of the Body is infected with sin as every branch of Wormwood is bitter but the Tongue is full of deadly poison Jam. 3.8 St. Augustine compares the Tongue to a furnace and too often hot sparks of anger fly out of it The Holy Ghost once descended in cloven tongues of fire Acts 2.3 But the Apostle Iames speaks of a Tongue that is set on fire of Hell chap. 3.6 Some cannot rule their own spirit but are carried away with their passions as a Charet with wild Horses Many saith Hierom who will not be drunk with Wine will be drunk with rash Anger Eccles. 7.9 Anger resteth in the bosom of fools Anger may be in a wise Man but it rests in a Fool. There is I know an holy anger against sin but the fury of passion is the scum which boils off from an unsavory heart Passion disturbs Reason and unfits for holy Duties Hot passions make cold prayers O Christians deny your selves Pray that God will set a watch before your lips Psal. 141.4 Labour to quench the fire of wrath with a flood of tears It is recorded of Mr. Iohn Bruen in the County Palatine of Chester that though he was naturally of an hasty cholerick spirit yet at length he got the Victory over his passions and grew so meek and calm that his very nature seemed to be quite altered Grace doth to the Passions as Christ did to the Sea when it was stormy Mark 4.39 He said Peace be still and there was a great calm Grace turns the fierceness of the Lion into the meekness of the Dove 10. A Christian must deny his sinful fashions Rom. 12.2 Be not conformed to this World viz. to the guise and mode of it Did the old Christians rise out of their graves our strange fashions might fright them into their graves again Was there ever such excess in Hair 1 Cor. 11.24 If a man have long hair it is a shame More money is sometimes laid out for a Periwig to cover one head than would cloath Twenty Poor One asking Reverend Mr. Dod why he did not Preach against those Ruffians who wore long hair he replied If Grace come into their heart it will make them cut their hair Nor can the female sex be excused for their excess in Apparel Seneca complained of those in his time who hung two or three patrimonies at their ears some wear half their revenues upon their backs Lysander would