Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	fire_n	ghost_n	holy_a	6,369	5	5.6726	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67780	A sovereign antidote to drive out discontent in all that any way suffer affliction As also the benefit of affliction; and how to husband it so, that the weakest Christian (with blessing from above) may be able to support himself in his most miserable exigents. Together with the wit, generosity, magnanimity and invincible strength of a patient Christian rightly so stiled, and as is herein characterized extracted out of the choisest authors, ancient and modern, both holy and humane. Necessary to be read of all that any way suffer tribulation. The second part. By R. Younge, of Roxwell in Essex, Florilegus. Licensed and entered according to order.; Soverign antidote to drive out discontent in all that any way suffer affliction. Part 2.	Younge, Richard.	1668 (1668)	Wing Y192A; ESTC R218099	37,680	36

so anger doth sooner inflame a fool than a man composed in his resolutions This the Holy Ghost witnesseth Eccles 7. Be not thou of a hasty spirit to be angry for anger resteth in the bosome of fools vers 9. So much fury so much folly the more chafing the lesse wisdome I confesse I finde some wise men extreamly passionate by nature as there is no generall rule but admits of some exceptions Even God himself had particular exceptions from his generall Laws as the Cherubims over the Ark was an instance against the second Commandment the Israelites robbing the Aegyptians against the eight the Priests breaking the Sabboth Matth. 12.5 against the fourth and Phin●as killing Zimry against the sixth Numb 25.8 And these as they are more taken with a joy so they tast a discontent more heavily In whom Choler like fire in stubble is soon kindled and soon out for they are stung with a Nettle and allayed with a Dock being like Gun-powder to which you no sooner give fire but they fly in your face And they say these hot men are the best natur'd but I say then the best are nought And it is a strange fit that transformes a wiseman with Apuleius into an Asse yea a Tyger And others again none of the wisest who are free from being affected And as they never joy excessively so they never sorrow inordinately but have together lesse mirth and lesse mourning like patient Gamesters winning and losing are all one But for the most part it is otherwise Yea impatience is the Cousin-german to frenzie How oft have we heard men that have been displeased with others tear the Name of their Maker in pieces And lastly This of all others is the most divine and Christian-like revenge witnesse our Saviour Christ who by death overcame death as David cut off the head of Goliah with his own sword and even then tryumphed over his enemies when most they seemed to tryumph over him Col. 2.15 And the Martyrs who are said by the Holy Ghost to overcome the great Dragon that old Serpent called the Divell and Satan in that they loved not their lives unto the death Rev. 12.11 Their conquering was by dying not by killing and can the back of Charity now bear no load are the sinews of Love grown so feeble And holy David who when he had Saul at his mercy instead of cutting off his head as his servants perswaded him only cut off the lap of his garmnet and after thought that too much al●o And at another time when the Lord had closed him into his hands finding him asleep in the Fort instead of taking away his life as Abishai ●ounselled him he took away his Spear and instead of taking away his ●lood from his heart he takes a pot of water from his head That this kind of ●evenge for a man to find his enemy at an advantage and let him depart ●ree is generous and noble beyond the capacity of an ordinary man you may hear Saul himself confesse 1 Sam. 24.17 to 23. Again when the King of Syria sent a mighty Host to take Elisha and the Lord had smote them all with blindness and shut them into Samaria what doth the Prophet slay them No indeed the King of Israel would fain have had it so his fingers itcht to be doing but Elisha commanded bread and water to be set before them that they might eat and drink and go to their Master 2 King 6.22 So a Christian truly generous will omit no opportunity of doing good nor do evil though he have opportunity for to may and will not is the Christians laud. Which yet is not all for besides that it is the most generous noble valiant wise divine and Christian-like revenge to passe by and forgive injuries our Saviour Christ in whom is the fountain of all wisdome and knowledge as all the senses are in the head Zach. 4.12 allowes none for magnanimous but such as together with forgiving bless those that curse them and do good to such as hurt them Matth. 5 44. The case of Moses Steven and many others as I shall shew in Chapter 31. which is true generosity indeed But how contrary is the opinion of the World to the judgment of God and the wisest of men concerning valour CHAP. II. 2. BEcause suffering is the only way to prevent suffering Revenge being one of those remedies which not seldom proves more grievous than the disease it self When once Xantippe the wife of Socrates in the open street pluckt his cloak from his back and some of his acquaintance counselled him to strike her he answers You say well that while we are brawling and fighting together every one of you may clap us on the back cry Hoe well said to it Socrates yea well done Xantippe the wisest of the twain When Aristippus was asked by one in derision where the great high friendship was become that formerly had been between him and Aeschines he answers It is asleep but I will go and awaken it and did so least their enemies should make it a matter of rejoycing When Philip of Macedon was told that the Graecians spake evil words of him notwithstanding he did them much good and was withall counselled to chastise them he answers Your counsel is not good for if they now speak evil of us having done them good only what would they then if we should do them any harm And at another time being counselled either to banish or put to death one who had slandered him he would do neither of both saying It was not a sufficient cause to condemn him and for banishing it was better not to let him stirre out of Macedonia where all men knew that he lyed th●n to send him among strangers who not knowing him might admit his slanders for truth better he speak where we are both known then where we are both unknown And this made Chrysippus when one complained to him that his friend had reproached him privately answer Ah but chide him not for then he will do as much in publike Neglect will sooner kill an injury than Revenge These tongue-squibs or crackers of the brain will die alone if we revive them not the best way to have them forgotten by others is first to forget them our selves Yea to contemn an enemy is better then either to fear him or answer him When the Passenger gallops by as if his fear made him speedy the Cur followes him with open mouth and swiftness let him turn to the brawling Cur and he will be more fierce but let him ride by in a confident neglect and the Dog will never stir at him or at least will soon give over and be quiet Wherefore when aspersed labour as the eclipsed Moon to keep on our motion till we wade out of the shadow and receive our former splendor To vex other men is but to prompt them how they should again vexus Two earthen pots floating on the water with this Inscription If

we knock we crack was long ago made the Emblem of England and the Low-Countreys When two friends fall out if one be not the wiser they turn love into anger and passion passion into evil words words into blows and when they are fighting a third adversary hath a fair advantage to insult over them both As have you not sometimes seen two neighbours like two Cocks of the Game pick out one anothers eyes to make the Lawyers sport it may be kill them As while Iudah was hot against Israel and Israel hot against Iudah the King of Syria smot them both At least Sathan that common and arch enemy will have us at advantage For as vain men delight when two Dogs or two Cocks are a fighting to encourage and prick them forward to the combate Even so doth Satan deal with us Controversies like a pair of Cudgels are thrown in by the Devill and taken up by male-contents who baste one another while he stands by and laughs And we cannot please the Devill better for as the Master of the Pit oft sets two Cocks to fight together unto the death of them both and then after mutuall conquest suppeth perchance with the fighters bodies Even so saith Gregory doth the Devil deal with men He is an enemy that watcheth his time and while we wound one another he wounds and wins all our souls Thus like the Frog and the Mouse in the Fable while men fight eagerly for a toy the Kite comes that Prince and chief Foul that rul●th in the aire and snatcheth away both these great warriours Or like two Emmets in the mole hill of this earth we fight for the mastery in mean while comes the Robin-red breast and picks both up and so devours them But on the other side by gentleness we may as much pleasure our selves It is said of Aristides when he perceived the open scandall which was like to arise by reason of the contention sprung up between him and Themistocles that he besought him mildly after this manner Sir we both are no mean men in this Common wealth our dissention will prove no small offence unto others nor disparagement to our selves wherefore good Themistocles let us be at one again and if we will needs strive let us strive who shall excell other in vertue and love Aristippus and Aeschines two famous Philosophers being fallen at variance Aristippus came to Aeschines and saies Shall we 〈◊〉 friends again Yes with all my heart saies Aeschines Remember th●● saith Aristippus that though I be your elder yet I sought for peace tru● saith Aeschines and for this I will ever ackowledge you the more worthy man for I began the strife and you the peace And we read of Euclid●● that when his Brother in a variance between them said I would I migh● die if I be not revenged of thee he answered again Nay let me die for it if I perswade thee not otherwise before I have done by which one wo●● he presently so won his Brothers heart that he changed his minde and they parted friends Milde words and gentle behaviour may be resembled to Milk that quencheth Wild fire or Oyl that quencheth Lime which b● water is kindled And this was Davids way of overcoming 1 Sam. 24 He whose Harp had wont to quiet Sauls frenzie now by his kindness dot● calm his fury so that now he sheds tears instead of blood here was a victory gotten and no blow stricken The King of Israel set bread and water before the host of the King of Syria when he might have slain them 2 King 6.23 What did he lose by it or had he cause to repent himself No he did thereby so prevent succeeding quarrels that as the Text saith the bands o● Aram came no more into the Land of Israel And such a conquest is like that which Evagrius recordeth of the Romans namely That they got such a victory over Cosroes one of the Persian Kings that this Cosroes made a Law that never after any Kings of Persia should move warre against the Romans Actions salved up w●th a free forgiveness are as not done so every wise Christian will do good to them that do hurt to him yea blesse and pray for them that curse him as our Saviour adviseth neither is he a fool in it for if grace comes and nothing will procure it sooner than prayers and good examples though before they were evil enemies now they shall neither be evil nor enemies It was a witty answer of Socrates who replied when one asked him why he took such a mans bitter railing so patiently It is enough for one to be angry at a time For if a wise man contend with a foolish man saith Solomon whether he be angry or laugh there is no rest Prov. 29.9 whereas gentle speech appeaseth wrath and patience bridleth the secret pratlings of mockers and blunteth the point of their reproach Had not Gideon Judg. learned to speak fair as well as to smite he had found work enough from the swords of Iosephs sonnes but his good words are as victorious as his sword his pacification of friends better than his execution of enemies Vers 2 3 Satyrus knowing himself cholerick and in that whirry of mind apt to transgresse when he but suspected ill language from any he would stop his cars with wax lest the sense of it should cause his fierce blood to seeth in his distempered skin And Caesar although he could moderate his passions having in that civil garboyl intercepted a Packet of Letters written to Pompey from his Favorites brake them not open but burnt them immediately And Pompey committed those Letters to the f●re before he read them wherein he expected to find the cause of his grief Rage is not ingendred but by the concurrence of cholers which are easily produced one of another and born at an instant When the stone and the sseel meets the issue ingendred from thence is fire w●ereas the sword of anger being struck upon the soft pillow of a milde spirit is broken The shot of the Cannon hurts not Wool and such like yeilding things but that which is hard stubborn and resisting He is fuller of passion than reason that will flame at every vain tongues puff A man that studies revenge keeps his own wounds green and open which otherwise would heal and do well Anger to the soul is like a coal on the flesh or garment cast it off suddenly it doth little harm but let it lye it frets deep Wherefore saith one their malice shall sooner cease than my unchanged patience A small injury shall go as it comes a great injury may dine or sup with me but none at all shall lodge with me for why should I vex my self because another hath vexed me That were to imitate the fool that would not come out of the Pound saying They had put him in b● Law and he would come out again by Law or Ahab who because he could not have his will on

A SOVEREIGN ANTIDOTE To drive out DISCONTENT In all that any way suffer Affliction As also the Benefit of Affliction and how to Husband it so that the weakest Christian with blessing from above may be able to support himself in his most miserable exigents Together with the Wit Generosity Magnanimity and Invincible strength of a patient Christian Rightly so stiled and as is herein Characterised Extracted out of the choisest Authors Ancient and Modern both Holy and Humane Necessary to be read of all that any way suffer Tribulation The Second Part. By R. Younge of Roxwell in Essex Florilegus Licensed and Entered according to Order All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 LONDON Printed for the Author and are to be sold at his House near the Wind-mills next dore to the three Colts with more than forty other pieces by the same Author 1668. A SOVEREIGN ANTIDOTE To Drive out DISCONTENT c. PART II. CHAP. I. IN the former part I have Shewen the several Reasons why God suffers the best of his Children to be afflicted with the manifold benefits and advantages they make thereof Now that some may be perswaded to make this use of their sufferings and that we may also put to silence the ignorance of others foolish men who are mistaken in judging of this matter supposing it a base thing to suffer injuries unrevenged see the Reasons which deservedly make Gods children so patiently to suffer wrongs that the men● of the world never dream of And how through the study of vertue and Christian prudence they make the servile passions of their mindes fear and anger subject to the more worthy faculti●s of their souls reason and understanding The reasons thereof are these 1. Because it is more generous and laudable to forgive than revenge Certainly in taking revenge a man is but even with his enemy but inpassing it over he is superiour to him for it is a Princes part to pardon yea quoth Alexander there can be nothing more noble than to do well to those that deserve ill And St. Gregory It is more honor to suffer injuries by silence than to overcome them by answering again Princes use not to chide when Embassadours have offered them undecencies but deny them audience as if silence were the way royall to correct a wrong And certainly he enjoyes a brave composednesse that seats himself above the flight of the injurious claw Like the Emperour Augustus who though of a most tenacious and retentive memory would forget wrongs as soon as they were offered Or Agathocles Antigonus and Caesar who being great Potentates were as little moved at vulgar wrongs as a Lyon at the barking of Curre● yea the Orator gives it as a high praise to Caesar that he could forget nothing but wrongs remember nothing but benefits and who so truly noble as he that can do ill and will not ' True It is not rare to see a grea● man vex himself at the neglect of a peasant but this argues a poor spirit A true Lyon would pass it by with an honourable scorn You 'l confesse then 't is Princely to disdain a wrong and is that all No forgiveness saith Seneca is a valiant kinde of revenge and none are so frequent in pardoning as the couragious He that is modestly valiant stirs not till he must needs and then to purpose Like the Flint he hath fire in him but it appears not untill you force it from him Who more valiant than Ioshua and he held it the noblest victory to overcome evil with good for the Gibeonites took not so much pains in coming to deceive him as he in going to deliver them And Cicero more commends Caesar for overcoming his own courage in pardoning Marcellus than for the great victories he had against his other enemies Yea a dominion over ones self is greater then the Grand Signiory of Turkie For as the greatest knowledge is truly to know thy self so the greatest conquest is to subdue thy self He is a wiseman that can avoid an evil he is a patient man that can indure it but he is a valiant man that can conquer it And indeed for a man to overcome an enemy and be overcome by his own passions is to conquer a petty village with the losse of a large City What saith a Father Miserable is that victory wherein thou overcomest thine enemy and the Divel in the mean time overcomes thee thou slayest his body the Divel thy soul Now we deem him to have the honour of the warre that hath the profit of it But as an Emperour said of the means prescribed him to cure his Leprosie which was the blood of Infants I had rather be sick still than be recovered by such a medicine so wilt thou in this case if thou hast either bowels or brains Yea if the price or honour of the conquest be rated by the difficulty then to suppresse anger in thy self is to conquer with Hercules one of the Furies To tame all passions is to lead Cerberus in chains and to indure afflictions and persecutions strongly and patiently is with Atlas to bear the whole World on thy shoulders as saith the Poet. It is no shame to suffer ill but to do it to be evil we are all naturally disposed to be holy and good is the difficulty Yea every beast and vermine can kill it is true prowesse and honour to give life and preserve it Yea a beast being snarled at by a cur will pass by as scorning to take notice thereof I but is it wisdome so to do Yes first the ancient received opinion is that the sinews of wisdome are slowness of belief and distrust Secondly None more wise then Solomon and he is of opinion That it is the glory of a man to pass by an offence Prov. 19.11 We fools think it ignominy and cowardise to put up the lye without a stub a wrong without a challenge but Solomon● to whose wisdome all wise men will subscribe was of another judgment and to this of Solomon the wisest heathen have set their seal Pittaeus the Philosopher holds That pardon is better than revenge inasmuch as the one is proper to the spirit the other to a cruel beast And Demos●henes being reproached by one answers I will not strive with thee in this kind of fight in which he that is overcome is the better man But how Socrates whom the Oracle of Apollo pronounced the wisest man alive and all the rest of the Philosophers approved of it both by judgment and practise we shall have occasion to relate in the reasons insuing No truer note of a wiseman than this he so loves as if he were to be an enemy and so hates as if he were to love again We know a spark of fire falling upon a solid body presently goes out which falling upon combustible matter kindles and burns Now as with fire the light stuff and rubbish kindles sooner than the solid and more compact