Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A64296
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A discourse touching choyce of religion By Sr. Richard Tempest Baronet.
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Tempest, Richard, Sir, 1619 or 20-1662.
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1660
(1660)
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Wing T624A; ESTC R222145
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32,156
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173
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no new discoveries to be made in the intellectuall Globe nor means to be found out with the armes of an active reason to inlarge mans dominion over nature Doth not the Ethicks invite a further disquisition touching the Culture and Georgies of the mind and to finde out Methods of attaining vertue as well as handsomely to describe it Doth not the Physickes upbraide you with the few linkes that yet men have been able to take up of natures chaine whereas onely three accidental discoveries of Guns Printing and the Loadstone have alter'd the face of Christendome in its Wars Studies and Expeditions Are the Arts of reasoning themselves so exact and fit for these scrutanies that they need not the help of reason it selfe to make them more expressive and directive whereas Hooker saith There might be a way of reasoning found out wherewith mens judgements inured they would goe as farre beyond the greatest Doctor now as the Learnedest Doctor now doth a Childe But I finde it Writ That there must be Heresies Therefore doubts scruples and questions may breed the same disturbance in mens minds as the prosperity of the wicked did to David as soon as he entred into the Temple of God he found an end of them where now with pleasure we shall retire from this noyse without and walke into the Gardens of our Heavenly Spouse where we will view the excellent Fruits of Piety that he himselfe hath Sowed and Planted there and which can onely proceed from true Religion The Antidotes of humane Learning are many times the Aery Bladders of mens Pride though the Methods of Logicke object to men their confused blindnesse the Art of Rhetoricke their rudenesse the gravity of the Ethicks their passionate weaknesse yet are they pleased many times from them rather to plume themselves with some Feathers of ostentation then endevour the reall advancement of their natures by conforming it to duty and truth True Religion stablishes men in their duties and constitutes the vertues of men from the most worthy end of their Makers prayse vertue being else but a gathering together of colours seen through the glasse of Mens diversified humors There is no vertue but Religion Wise Valiant Sober Just are Names which none want which want not vice covering discretion Without this directive power designing all things their Offices Warre is but an angry fit and violence taught to undergoe a rule Courts and Tribunals but injustice wearing the Gowne and putting on the Formalities of Law all mens services and most obsequious performances are but well order'd Craft and methodicall subtility the conversations of Men but a Stage where Vizards are worne with applause Chastity the malignity of the complexion and humility but Phlegme Religion fills mens minds with magnanimity whilst the judgement is incited to censure worldly things vaine and transitory whereby the understanding takes off a true copy of the world and the cozenages of mens soules are prevented all the inconstancies which the Scene of humane affaires represents doe but yeeld a gratefull prospect to the soule beholding it selfe placed obove the alterable nature of humane things leaving to admire what is inferior to the dignity of its owne immortall nature finding that of all the Nymphs men court be it honour wealth power by a most true Metamorphosis they catch but an armefull of dust for the greatnesse of mens minds proceeds from the little esteeme they have of all such things as are under the power and uncertaine stroke of Fortune that is of things that by the Laws imposed on them hast to change and corruption for although mens minds may seem to be too much buried and deprest with the contemplation of the dissolution of things and in viewing how low all humane hopes doe lye yet are they thereby truely raysed and elevated which except mens minds had buried them that is have pursued things to their Tombes and Ashes they would have buried mens minds by setting a greater value and rate on things then their fluid altering nature would beare Thus are we cal'd on by Religion from these delusions from loving the world or the things in the world How doth it provide for our contents lifting up the soule not to any fruitlesse rocky swellings but to an active towring height transplanting mens soules making them take root in Heaven and to flourish downward in a constant practice of vertue towards men till the cold blasts of Death breathe on them when as then those Celestiall Spirits repayre to their Mother root to flourish for Eternity It makes our passions the instruments of vertue by giving them its directions in their motions hindring their excursions and fallings out upon the many false shewes and pretences of things How Heroicall are the commands of Religion making men the Champions of their neighbours Fame the deliverers of the oppressed and every where to erect the monuments of their Charity and this upon their Masters command with the contempt of the Aery rewards of the World but set on fire with an Heavenly flame which mens breaths neither kindle nor extinguish It makes its followers use the aydes and comforts of this their exile with security in order to sublimer purchases it makes them steddily follow through all states and conditions their Masters designments desiring onely to live in the world in order to his service that made it It will approach that breast with its Celestiall purities which erects a Stage for vain-glorious thoughts to action or sets up a Shop for gaine through covetousnesse or shambles for Envy to act its Massacres on or a Taverne for excesse and pleasure How many devout orders as it were the Regiments of the Church that sight these Battles and exercise this holy warfarre and how many have all of them afforded either stout Champions of the truth against Haeresie or have stored the Church with able and devout Governors or who have ayded mens devotions and have kindled mens minds with the love of God with their seraphicall devotions Iesuits The orders of Gods Church never growes barren but are alwayes teeming with the excellencies of transcendent gifts How many sublime and generous spirits by frequent making sacrifice of themselves into Forraigne parts makes the hearts of Savages Trophyes of Christ Crucified and fill the Letterd World with the admired productions of Wit and Learning Here the fire of Devotion is layd upon the true Altar which never goes out no houre in the Day or Night where in some Church or Convent there are not some actually in the Church offering up their cheerfull Hyms of Prayse or mournfull throbs of Soule-washing Teares or their soules dilated with the flames of burning charity poure forth their intercessions They profestly tread under feet the brags of worldly glory they contemne the dotage of the world who honour one another in vanity and set a price upon that which is but the Ensigne of their lost and falne condition Here that Hydropick distemper of covetousnesse is conquerd by sending a divorce to all propriety Here by a generous Flight on the wings of Fastings and Prayer their soules soare above the smoke and steames of Flesh and Blood and breathe in those Upper and purer Regions of Celestiall conversation their spirits with disdaine descend to moderate repasts all the inferiour actions of their life are but rationall distinctions no interruptions from their Prayers they being so refined and sublimed up to spirituall objects that their conversation and all the motions and affections of their heart doe but become one continued Prayer Here they follow that councell of leaving all and following him they view what the building of Christianity will cost and as the Apostle saith Resist unto blood proving what the holy and acceptable will of God is The Church likewise instructs its Children and brings them up in the exercise of an active devotion as well as contemplative fitted to the imployments of all sorts of persons and conditions making it speake in every ones proper and naturall Language the wisedome of Gods spirit descending upon men as it were in such cloven Tongues Piety and goodnesse is the end of the Commandement the will of God being our sanctification which appeares to triumph in the practice and doctrine of the onely true Catholique Church of Divine and Infallible authority to the manifestation and demonstration of which its agreeable with the Divine goodnesse to establish the same which is the onely director and care of our way to Heaven with effectuall Sacraments with a successive Priesthood the verity whereof might be shewed as a light upon a Hill by its universality of place and time Decrees of Councels Writings of Fathers and all Antiquity Vertue hath its proper object and all actions not steared by that compasse of obedience which truth it selfe hath enjoyned us though otherwayes plausible are wound up upon the bottome of error and turne upon the Poles of erronious and selfish Principles as the clearest Rivers which though they delight and profit in their passage yet emptying themselves into a Sea of error there lose their name and the best mettall is rung out of tune notwithstanding all those who with hearty and faithfull desires seek to know how to serve God with a will rather to lose a thousand worlds then not professe what they should know was Gods command God is at the end of such mens desires as he gave them a beginning and though such be actually in a by channell and way yet by those Heavenly inspirations and spirituall gusts they are Sayling out of them into the great Canal FINIS