Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	keep_v	peace_n	unity_n	7,015	5	8.9407	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50460	The cause and cure of strife and divisions being the substance of two sermons preach'd in London, March the 12th and 26th, 1695 / by Richard Mayo ...	Mayo, Richard, 1631?-1695.	1695 (1695)	Wing M1521; ESTC R3763	24,752	40

closing with the good Ways of God They say Look what Quarrels and Divisions there are among these Professors of Religion God bless us from such a Religion as this if this be their Religion thus to fall out and contend one with another we will have nothing to do with it or them God is a God of Peace and Love and therefore such contentious Persons as these can be none of his People We complain sometimes that Conversion is a rare Work that very few are converted and brought home to Christ in our days whenas it is a wonder considering our divisions that any at all are converted that all don't keep at the greatest distance from the Ways and People of God 6. Contentions and Divisions do grieve the Spirit of God and the Spirits of those that are truly godly They grieve the Spirit of God that peaceful Dove can't away with those that are full of Gall and Bitterness When the Apostle had dehorted the Ephesians from grieving the Holy Spirit Ephes 4.30 he immediately subjoyns this Exhortation Let all bitterness and wrath and clamour and evil-speaking be put away from you with all malice and be ye kind one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you Again These Divisions do grieve and sadden the Spirits of those that are truly godly nothing lieth nearer the Hearts of some good and godly Men than the uncharitable Contentions of their Brethren these Breaches do break their very Hearts they are weary of their Lives upon the account thereof and are ready to wish with that German Divine That they were out of the World that so they might be deliver'd from the implacable Enmities and Contentions of Ministers and Christians 7. Contentions and Divisions do stir up much corruption in Christians and they open a wide door to many other Sins Solomon says Prov. 17.19 He loveth transgression that loveth strife he occasions abundance of it in himself and in others also There is a world of anger envy malice and revenge in the hearts of Men and contention gives them vent and draws them forth The Apostle James says James 3.14 If ye have bitter envyings and strife glory not Don't think or boast of your selves to be such good Christians these will stain all your other Excellencies and will stir up all your other Corruptions So it follows Verse 16. Where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work Strife and Contention is the Devil's Forge and if he can give a Christian a heat or two therein he will quickly be softned and made malleable for the Hammer of his Temptations Meek Moses when he was a little heated he spake unadvisedly with his Lips Oh the Lies and Slanders the Whisperings and Backbitings the Censures and Detractions that come out of this Mint From hence it is that Christians instead of reproving they fall a reproaching one another instead of comforting they fall a censuring one another instead of provoking one another to love and good works they provoke one another to anger and wrath and to other evil works 2. The second Direction is To pursue those things that promote Peace and Union The Scripture in some places calls upon us to pursue and follow Peace though it runs or flys from us yet we must pursue and follow it This Advice is given in Heb. 12.14 1 Pet. 3.11 In both these places the Greek word doth signifie to pursue or follow a thing eagerly as Hunters do their Prey And in one place we are requir'd not only to follow peace but to follow after the things that make for peace Where 's that Why 't is in Rom. 14.19 There it is said Let us follow after the things that make for peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things of peace such things are meant as are conducible and subservient thereunto The Lord help us to take out this Lesson Many pretend to be followers of peace that decline the things that make for it Let me descend unto particulars 1. Make out after those Graces that have an uniting property Let these be in you and abound I told you before that there are sundry Lusts and Corruptions which occasion Strife and Division And now I will shew you that there are sundry Graces and gracious Qualifications which conduce to Peace and Union 1. There is the Grace of Love I mean Brotherly Love This is of an uniting and knitting nature We are said Col. 2.2 to be knit together in love This Grace obligeth Christians to all acts of mutual kindness one to another it expelleth Prejudices and Jealousies it extinguisheth the unhallowed Fire of Anger and Wrath towards one another The excellent Properties of Love are laid down at large 1 Cor 13. There it is said That charity or love suffereth long and is kind it envieth not it doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh no evil rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the truth beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Where is the Love to be found in our days that is endu'd with these Properties It is because there is so little love that there is so much strife and division among us Because love is waxed cold therefore Christians are so sick of the burning Feaver of Contention 2. There is the Grace of Self-denial Self is the great Make-bate and Self-denial is the great Peace-maker If Christians could learn to deny themselves they would be at peace one with another The Apostle exhorts the Philippians in Phil. 2.3 to let nothing be done through strife But how should this be prevented See what he adds in the next Verse Look not every Man on his own things but every Man also on the things of others Oh what peaceable Times should we have if Christians would love others as they love themselves There would be another World if that Rule were but observ'd which you find in 1 Cor. 10.24 Let no Man seek his own but every one another's wealth 3. There is the Grace of Humility As Pride causeth so Humility cureth Contentions and Division Solomon says Prov. 28.25 He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife But he that is of an humble and lowly Spirit doth quench or extinguish it We may say to Humility what Tertullus said to Faelix By thee we enjoy much quietness But where are Christians that now adays are cloathed with Humility There would be an end of Strife if we would put on this Garment If in lowliness of mind each would esteem others better than themselves Vid. Phil. 2.3 4. There is the Grace of Meekness This hath a peace-making Property It is mention'd in Scripture as that which contributes greatly to Peace and Unity Ephes 4.2 There we are enjoyn'd to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace And in order thereunto we must abound in all lowliness and meekness And to these we must add