Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A27456
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Historical applications and occasional meditations upon several subjects written by a person of honour.
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Berkeley, George Berkeley, Earl of, 1628-1698.
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1667
(1667)
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Wing B1963; ESTC R8483
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20,594
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142
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whenas in the matters of greatest importance they are so carelesse and remisse even in the Salvation of their Souls For all wise men in difficult cases will doe that which is safest Now to live as believing there is a God and truly to fear and serve him is certainly most secure for though there be many Arguments besides the conviction of every mans Conscience to prove there is a God yet no man can demonstrate the contrary that 's impossible and if there were none no person would repent after death that he in his life-time believed there was one but disbelieving the Deity in his life he may by that God whose Essence he durst so impudently deny be punished in Hell eternally XXXVIII IT is safest and best for us to believe as God in his Word has revealed to us and not to be guilty of carnal arguings as not to think it reasonable that Man should be punished infinitely for finite sinning or to seem to incline to Origen's Opinion which most would be willing to embrace if there were any Religious ground for it That all men at the last day shall be saved even the very Devils themselves But thus consider In this World the wisest men know but in part and see but in part in the next World the mist will be taken from our eyes and we shall see clearly the most ignorant persons here shall know more in the other world then the greatest Clerk upon Earth But here it is our duty to acquiesce in what we suppose is God's will we should believe or practise his Will is the highest Reason and ought to be esteemed so by us XXXIX WE account an ungrateful man the worst of men Ingratum si dixeris omnia dixeris and yet we little consider how ungratefull we have been to the God of Heaven who has given us our Being and Well-being who hath done such great things for us by whom we live and move and have our being What great Dangers do we daily esâ—ape by his mercy A Preserving Providence is no lesse then a Creating one What cause have we to be ashamed and repent of our Ingratitude and perfidious Promises If we once break a solemn promise and engagement to men we cannot expect to be trusted any more and yet how many Promises of more strict and circumspect walking have we broke with the great God of Heaven and earth either upon our Sick-beds or upon our receiving the blessed Sacrament and many such like serious occasions How many times have we said O Lord spare me yet but this once and I will live and amend and when we have recovered our Vows have fallen off like cords of vanity How dangerous is such breach of Vows and how justly may we upbraid ourselves for it abhorring our selves by reason of our Iniquities and repenting in dust and ashes as holy Job did XL. SUnday is the Lord's day which ought more particularly to be devoted to God's Service For though it is our duty in our several Callings every day to serve God and endeavour to advance his Glory yet on that day the Weekly Holy-day we should not think our own Thoughts nor do our own Actions but what necessity requires and therefore 't is most fit then to refrain from playing at Cards or such Recreations which may administer Scandal to many good people If it be a measuring cast whether any particular thing be lawful or unlawful 't is safest and best to resolve on the Negative for this is an infallible Maxime They that in all things will do the utmost that is lawfull will be tempted in many cases to doe that which is unlawfull XLI VVHen we are tempted to any sin let us say with Joseph Shall I doe this wickednesse and sin against God God forbid Shall we sin that Grace may abound God forbid XLII IN this world as good Christians we are engaged in a Spiritual Warfare the Flesh warring against the Spirit sometimes one prevails sometimes the other But let us comfort our selves We fight under Christ's Banner he is the Captain of our Salvation and therefore in such a War we may joyfully hope to obtain Victory over the Lusts of the Flesh by the assistance of God's gracious Spirit if we valiantly contend to the end of our lives being not weary of well doing for which we shall reap if we faint not the Crown of life Let us consider then how blame-worthy those are who are so far from contending that they willingly yield and are so far from Fighting in a good Cause that they basely deliver themselves up Prisoners without striking one stroak so far from Resisting that they tempt Temptations to tempt them in this supplying the place of the Great Tempter the Devil untill they are justly given over to a reprobate sense sinning with delight and greedinesse drinking Iniquity like water and living and dying with obdurate Hearts and seared Consciences From which sad Judgment Good Lord deliver us Amen XLIII FRiendship is a noble thing Worthy Doctour Hammond used to say he pitied him that was destitute of a Friend as a very unhappy person By conversing with a Friend and communicating our secret affairs to him our Joyes are by Sympathy increased and our Griefs lessened Two dear Friends seem to have one Soul in two Bodies they are like Twins when one dies the other pines away there is but one Propriety between them both all their Goods are in common Friends are to Friends like little Gods whilst they Honour and Friendship to each other pay Mr Herbert worthily says in his Poems All worldly Ioys goe lesse To that of doing kindnesses This being so Good God let Hatred cease And Friends and Neighbours love and live in peace Some very curious scrupulous persons have made Inquiries whether Friendship between those of different Sexes may be innocent To this I answer affirmatively without the least scruple or dispute but he that truly values the honour and reputation of his Female Friend will be very cautious lest by any act of his indiscreet affection he should lessen her good opinion in the world and as that Learned and Pious Doctour Taylor says in his Tract of Friendship which is worthy the perusing A man ought to lose much of his Satisfaction rather then she any thing of her Honour XLIV NEither the Ambitious nor Covetous man can ever be satisfied for their thirsty desires after Honour and Wealth increase by their obtaining what at present they so greedily covet like one in a Burning Fever the giving him Drink does but increase in him a desire still to have more and his Thirst is but little quenched He that will not religiously frame his mind to content himself in what-ever station God has placed him will scarcely be satisfied and easy in any Condition for if we cannot proportion our Fortunes to our Minds we should our Minds to our Fortunes rendring thanks to God Almighty who has done such great things for us and then we are happy as to this World To make our Felicity here the more conspicuous we ought to compare our temporal state to those beneath us our Inferiors and not to our Superiors If Riches increase set not your heart upon them but look upwards and say Vanity of vanities all is vanity and vexation of spirit There is no end of writing many Books and much study is a wearinesse to the flesh But observe Solomon's conclusion who was best experienced in the Trial of humane Delights and affairs After he had said There is a season for all things and that Time and Chance happens alike to all to the wise as well as foolish and advised all persons to make use of God's Blessings with a contented thankful mind for we know not who shall be after us then he adds Fear God and obey his Commands for this is the whole Duty of Man A Prayer for the KING and the Royal Family O Lord our God let the choicest of thy Blessings fall down upon thy Vice-gerent our Sovereign Lord the KING on the QUEEN Queen-Mother the Illustrious Duke of YORK and all the Royal Family O Thou who art the King of Kings who hast in thine hands the Hearts of Kings and canst turn them as Rivers of water be pleased to send down the Light of thy Countenance so to shine upon His MAIESTY that He may be as holy valiant and prosperous as King David wise and rich like Solomon zealous in thy service as Josiah that He may alwayes govern the People committed to his charge in thy fear And as thou hast indued Him with a mild gracious and merciful disposition suffer not O Lord any of his Subjects to abuse his Clemency and deprive themselves of the continuance of it by a necessary Severity upon them but be pleased so to dispose the hearts of Prince and People that in their several Stations and Callings they may esteem it their greatest honour and satisfaction to do thee Service And after a long and happy Reign let Him attain the end of his hopes at the period of his days even the Salvation of his Soul for Christ his sake Amen The END * The most ingenious and Religious Mr Boyl worthy Sr Robert Murray the famous and eminently learned Dean Wilkins cum multis aliis * This was alwaies the constant worthy Principle of those Ministers of the Profession of our Church of England * The Female * If goods increase they are increased that eat them c. Eccl. 5. 11.