Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	free_v	sin_n	whoredom_n	72	3	16.2895	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96372	A treatise of the power of godlinesse: consisting of three parts. 1 wherein it consists. 2 cautions against, and discoveries of, several mistakes and hinderances, most common to the people of God. 3 several means and helps for attaining of it. / By Thomas White, preacher of Gods Word in London.	White, Thomas, Presbyterian minister in London.	1658 (1658)	Wing W1848; Thomason E1848_1; ESTC R209711	168,479	438

sin and powerful Preachers are used by such persons as Traytors or enemies but in the Regenerate though there bee a Master sin all powerful searching Sermons are accounted Friends and sin is accounted the Rebell 7. If sin reignes whatsoever sins are subdued by it are restrained but not mortified for sin doth not mortifie sin but only imprisons it and confines it insomuch that when wee refrain from one sin out of a greater love we have to another wee are not innocent of the sin wee commit not nay sometime the ground upon which wee abstain from a sin hath so much evil in it that it makes one more guilty upon abstaining upon that ground than if wee should have committed the sin wee abstained from but grace mortifies sin Means to finde out a master sin 1. From our enemies for an enemy is like an Eagle sharp-sighted to cry out and open-mouth'd to tell of our faults There are two things that keep our friends from telling us them 1. Unwillingness to displease makes our false friends unwilling to tell us our faults but our enemies care not nay rather study to displease us 2. Love makes our true friends unable to discern our faults for love covers a multitude of sins self-love makes one not to see his own failings and a friend being alter idem his love doth not onely cover and conceal from others his friends sins and failings but from himself also This was the way by which Monacha came to know that shee was sometimes guilty of intemperance which one of her companions falling out with her told her of upon which shee left it Hee is in a good condition that sees more evil in himself than his enemies can It was a good answer for a Phylosopher to give when one told him of such and such things one spoke of him to his disgrace Ah sayes hee it seemes hee does not know mee for if hee had hee would have spoken far worse And indeed wee have great cause to love our enemies for many great advantages wee receive from them more comfort wee may receive from our friends but more profit it may bee from our enemies 1. Wee have thereby an advantage to do higher acts of Religion for thine enemies do thee injuries and thou mayest forgive them and love them thy friends do thee courtesies and thou mayest requite them and it is an higher act of Religion to forgive an injury 〈…〉 an to requite a benefit and so th●●●st a richer jewel from the heads of th●●●●oads 2. Thy enemies make thee live more circumspect and wary it will teach thee how to watch over thy self one shall hardly bee wise before one hath lived amongst enemies 3. Thine enemies will tell thee those faults thou would'st never finde out thy self nor thy friends for thee they look upon thy faults with a multiplying glass which not only does magnifie and aggravate thy sins that thy self or others see but discovers those that none else perceives as a Multiplying-glass does not only make a grain of wheat which wee see without it bigger than a large beam but discovers a Down upon each grain which without that glass wee perceive not 2. The second thing to discover our Master sin is by the company wee keep for socii aut inveniunt aut facient similem One had two daughters Julia and Livia and at a publike meeting hee observ'd who courted them and hee found that grave Senatours did court the one and light Gallants the other whereby hee plainly ●●●●●d that the one was more stayed 〈…〉 e other more loose 3. The third rule to know thy Master sin is by considering what vice thou most hatest the contrary vice to that is the vice to which thou art most inclin'd as if thou hatest prodigality most it is likely thou art given to covetousnesse if thou abhorrest idols take heed thou dost not commit sacriledge 4 The fourth rule is to consider what sins thou art free from and then consider what sin it is that wil lnot stand and agree with those sins thou art free from and thou wilt finde that to bee thy Master sin As for example Doest thou not revenge Art thou not guilty of gluttony drunkenness whoredome but art guilty of swearing extortion c. then it is very probable that covetousness is thy reigning sin for covetousnesse will free one from all chargeable sins So if thou wilt know whether pride bee thy Master sin consider what sins pride frees one from and that frees one generally from all scandalous sins and rather from those that the world most speaks against than those that are of greatest guilt in themselves it will rather free thee from drunkenness and whoredome than from blasphemy for sin may free one from sin as well as grace but herein lies the differences First When grace frees one from sin it frees from all sin it cleanses one from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit but when sin frees one from sin whilst it frees one from one sin it inclines one to another as covetousness though it may free one from drunkenness and prodigality yet it inclines one to extortion and oppression Secondly When fin frees one from sin it frees one not at all times as pride will not free one from any sin if one can but keep it secret nor covetousness from revenge gluttony or drunkenness when one may have them of free cost but grace frees one from secret sins Thirdly sin may free one from the outward act of sin but not from the inward affection to sin covetousness may keep us from the outward act of revenge when 't is chargeable but not from the inward love and desire of it The fifth rule to know our Master sin is to consider what sins you are most subject to as suppose to revenge censuring of others anger envy then you are to consider from what root these spring for that is not alwayes thy Master sin which doth most appear but rather the root whence that doth spring So that if thou art very passionate passion is not properly thy Master sin but pride from whence that springs for from pride comes contention therefore it is good to know from what root springs those several sins wee are guilty of from pride comes as before wee have said anger revenge envy ambition censuring others thou wilt bee more ready to forgive a debt than an injury and more ready to bear a loss than an ill word from covetousness proceed inlarged desires of earthly things continual cares and fears discontent with ones condition neglect of the works of charity c. from voluptuousness comes idleness adultery gluttony drunkenness c. for the works of the flesh are so manifest that they need not and so filthy that they should not bee nam'd amongst Christians The sixth rule is to consider what places of Scripture that concern practicals do most affect and most afflict thee what places they are that thou hast most ado to expound so as