Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A41668
|
The young man's guide through the wilderness of this world to the heavenly Canaan shewing him how to carry himself Christian-like in the whole course of his life / by Tho. Gouge ...
|
Gouge, Thomas, 1605-1681.
|
1676
(1676)
|
Wing G1387; ESTC R32454
|
122,357
|
176
|
out from among them And whensoever thou dost occasionally fall among them abide there with fear not with pleasure and no longer than needs 3. By an unnecessary conversing with prophane men thou makest thy self accessary to their sins even to their Blasphemies Ribauldry and Prophaneness For by thy silence thou givest a secret consent to their wickedness and so makest them thine own 4. Intimate and needless society with the wicked will make thee liable to their punishments He that walketh with wise men shall be wise but a Companion of Fools shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 20. that is whosoever partake with wicked men in their wicked ways and courses shall assuredly partake with them in their punishments Therefore S. Iohn as it is recorded of him going to the Bath at Ephesus there met Ebion and Cerinthus two blasphemous Hereticks belching out their blasphemies against Christ whereupon he made all the haste he could out of their company fearing some eminent Judgment from the Lord to fall upon them Who was no sooner departed but presently the house fell down and destroyed them with their Companions Ah Young Man know assuredly that if thou needlesly and frequently associatest thy self with wicked and prophane persons thou wilt partake of their Plagues If therefore thou art ingaged into evil company speedily withdraw thy self from them The Physitians rule in reference to persons infected with the Plague is good to be observed towards prophane company Cito Longe Tarde 1. Speedily flee from their company 2. Flee far away 3. Return slowly to them again Now Visited persons are not more infectious than lewd company therefore as thou regardest the health of thy Soul 1. Speedily flee from them 2. Flee far away 3. See them amend before thou returnest to them again Never expect to be one of Christs true Disciples till thou leave that accursed Fellowship Hadst not thou better say to them Depart from me I will know you no more than have Christ say to thee at the Great Day Depart from me into everlasting fire I know you not For one of these will certainly be if thou dost not here depart from thy lewd Companions leaving their Society thou must hereafter depart from Christ into Hell fire where instead of roaring and singing there will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth But it is not only the company of dissolute scandalous persons as Drunkards Swearers and Scoffers of Religion that I would advise thee to shun but even persons meerly civil dead-hearted formal Professors of Religion Let not these be the Companions of thy choice or thy Bosom Friends who being unacquainted with the Mysteries of the Gospel and the Power of Godliness cannot minister any savoury profitable discourse to their hearers So that whosoever shall frequently associate himself with such neglecting the Communion of Saints he will soon find his zeal for God and the ways of godliness much cooled his fervency in holy duties much abated his love to God and his people much lessened yea and an universal decay of his Graces insensibly to grow upon him So that a Christian instead of proceeding forward in Religion and growing in Grace he will go backward and find a spiritual decay in himself Therefore O Young Man in the choice of Friends for thine intimate Acquaintance and familiar converse seriously think of this II. Desire and imbrace the company of the Godly who may further thee in the way to Heaven make them thy familiar Friends and Companions The more thou conversest with such the greater increase wilt thou find in thy self of Knowledge Faith Love Zeal Humility and other Graces The very presence of a Religious Person much more his gracious speeches his holy advice his seasonable reproofs and his godly Conversation will be a great help to thee in the way to Heaven There is a certain vertue in the words and behaviour of men indowed with Heavenly Wisdom which by the blessing of Gods holy Spirit doth work effectually on those who are conversant with them for the inlightning their minds with the knowledge of God and his Truths for the inflaming their hearts with a love to God and zeal for his glory O Young Man thou canst not imagine what spiritual advantage may be got by conversing with holy gracious persons especially if thou beest careful to treasure up those Christian experiences thou hearest from them and what else may make for thy spiritual good Thus will the Communion of Saints be improved to the edification of Saints Having done with the Directions which concern your selves in particular I now proceed to such which relate to others CHAP. XXVI Sheweth wherein a peaceable Disposition consisteth I. BE peaceable towards all Rom. 12. 18. If it be possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men Those two phrases if it â—…e possible and as much as lieth in you though they may seem limitations of the duty yet they are also amplifications thereof and shew that there must be nothing wanting in our endeavours but our utmost ability must be put forth in following after peace A peaceable Disposition consisteth in these eight things 1. In a backwardness to give offence unto others A man of a peaceable disposition will forbear all provoking language and carriage or whatsoever may stir up others unto wrath I confess too many Young Men are like unto the troubled Sea continually casting forth the foam of passion and fury but he who hath peace in his heart will shew it in his words and actions 2. In an unaptness to take offence when given well knowing that it is the sudden taking an offence that doth occasion strife and contention rather than the giving it as it is the second blow that makes the fray Many out of their pride think it a point of â—…aseness ignominy and disgrace to put up the least wrong But Solomon saith Prov. 19. 11. It is the glory of a man to pass over an offence taking little notice thereof and putting the best interpretation on it If God were strict to mark what we do amiss what would became of us God indeed is strict to mark what we do well if there be any little good in the midst of manifold imperfections Gods way is to pass by the imperfections and take notice of the good O Young Man if thou wouldst behave thy self as a Child of God and a Son of Peace be not strict in observing every petty injury and offence done unto thee but rather pass them by taking no notice of them 3. In a forwardness to be reconciled unto those who have wronged thee I have read that there was sometime a variance between two Famous Philosophers Aristippus and Aeschines Aristippus at length goeth to Aeschines and seeks for Peace and Reconciliation and withal said Remember though I am the Elder yet I first sought for peace True said Aeschines and for this I will ever acknowledge you the Worthier Man for I began the strise but you the peace
company welcom and acceptable unto all Yea it will win the hearts of all with whom you have to do and even knit them unto you Davids courteous carriage made all the servants of Saul to respect him Yea it is said All Israel and Judah loved him 1 Sam. 18. 16. On the other side Churlishness Bitterness Testiness and such other Vices which are contrary to this Vertue alienate mens minds from them yea and exasperate them against them But withal take notice that this courtesie and gentleness must neither make thee an Hypocrite and Dissembler nor over-familiar with thy Inferiours especially such as are in subjection under thee For Gods Image which all Superiours carry must be respected of them and accordingly must they carry themselves Nor yet must this make any over-remiss in reproving Offenders for so would this comely Vertue be turned into an hurtful and dangerous Vice indeed it serveth to sweeten reproofs that they may be better accepted Be courteous to all but beware of connivence much more of compliance with evil men in their sins Let not pretence of being courteous draw thee aside to be vicious III. Carry thy self humbly towards all men thinking better of others than of thy self The truth is that man who well knoweth himself knoweth more of himself of his own weakness and vileness than he can know of most others and therefore he may well have a meaner esteem of himself than of others especially such as are of his Rank and betwixt whom there is not too too palpable a difference If he have apparently better gifts than others yet his humble mind will make him think that others may have more true inward grace and sincerity because he knows more of the deceit of his own heart than he can of others This Vertue of Humility though it be primarily seated in the heart yet from thence it extendeth it self to a mans outward conversation and proves a most lovely and adorning Grace which doth adorn our Christian Profession and obtaineth favour both with God and Man whereas a proud haughty spirit is hated both of God and Man Solomon ranketh haughty eyes in the first place among such things as the Lord hateth and his Soul abhorreth Prov. 6. 17. As for man he naturally hateth pride in another though he love and like it in himself which is a great condemnation of the sin of pride But as for the humble and lowly-minded man he doth exceedingly gain the hearts and affections of others unto him Humility is so comely and graceful a Grace that it makes him who is decked therewith amiable and gracious in every mans eye Whereas none are more disdained than the proud none are better respected both by God and Man than the humble for it is abundance of Grace that makes men humble as it is abundance of Fruit that maketh Trees most bow God highly prizeth them and accordingly bestoweth his choicest graces on them Men usually lay up their richest Wines in the lowest Cellars and God lays up his choicest mercies in the lowest hearts Yea God himself delights to dwell in the humble Soul Isa. 57. 15. God hath but two Thrones the highest Heavens and the lowest hearts He overlooks the frame of Heaven and Earth to look on a poor humble heart Isa. 66. 1 2. not with a bare look of intuition but with a look of favour complacency and delight Though the Lord be the most high yet hath he respect to the lowly Psal. 38. 6. They are Gods Iewels in high esteem with him yea they are Gods Glory Isa. 4. 5. They give all glory to God and therefore God loves to exalt them to honour So that Humility is the readiest way to Honour Many make it the chief design and the main business of their lives to contrive how they may be great and honourable in the World and often it is that Honour flies from them as the shadow from him that pursues it But if they would study to be humble and so carry themselves towards all they would find that the speediest way to exaltation For saith Christ himself Mat. 23. 12. Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted even to honour here if God sees it good for him but howsoever to glory hereafter which is the highest and best preferment for Mat. 5. 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven True Humility stands in being low in our own eyes and being content to be low in the eyes of others Get this Heart humility and that will prevent those thoughts which would puff thee up in thy self and those lofty carriages which tend to set thee up in the World Let it be thy care to approve thy self in all good Conscience towards God and let him alone to take care of thy good name among men IV. Be as serviceable to others as thou canst As it was the meat and drink of our blessed Saviour to be doing good unto others So let it be thy meat and drink even thy chief delight to be doing all the good thou canst Let not any opportunity of doing good slip out of thy hands but as the Wise Man adviseth Eccles. 9. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might that is whatsoever ability or opportunity of service God affordeth unto thee either in thy general or particular Calling improve it with all care and diligence endeavour with thy might to do all the good that possibly thou canst in thy Generation This we find was the mind of our Saviour for saith he Joh. 9. 4. I must work the work of him that sent me while it is day Now what was the work of Christ but to do all manner of good as any opportunity was offered whether by word or deed The phrase used by the Evangelist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to work the work is an Hebraism and implieth a thorow acting or doing of a thing a doing it heartily and that with all care and diligence Thus should we make it our chief care and endeavour yea the main and principal work of our lives to do all the good we can in the world accounting that the happiest time in which we can do the most good And surely it is the greatest honour we are capable of here to be any way serviceable to God and his people and that which will bring much peace and comfort to our Souls and Consciences Be not a man for thy self be a common good be willing to serve thy Generation Let it not be said of thee It had been as well for the World if this man had never been born CHAP. XXVIII Of Mercy towards such as are in misery which implieth both a compassionate heart and an helping hand V. BE merciful towards such as are in misery Luk. 6. 36. This mercifulness or mercy is such a compassion of the heart whereby a man is moved to help and succour others in their misery So