Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	knowledge_n	young_a	zeal_n	22	3	7.5707	4	false

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 ●…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 ●…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

Consider how God expects to be honoured by our thoughts as well as by our words and actions by the workings of the heart as well as by the way of the life Holy thoughts are something of the root of an holy life who knows how much precious fruit may be in a good thought It 's true if they die as soon as they are born and bring forth nothing God will but lightly regard them but there is great hope that where the Grace that is in the heart does put forth into holy thoughts it will thence spring up into holiness of life Therefore O Young Man forget not daily to render unto God thy Thought-service as well as thy Tongue-service and the rather because thou hast more opportunities for the one than the other Thou hast not always opportunity for outward performances but thou mayst when thou pleasest think of God and the matters of Eternity where-ever thou art What can hinder thee from giving a Visit to Heaven every hour and oftner Send these winged Messengers up constantly let there be frequent comings and goings betwixt Heaven and thine heart let thy Messengers go up and they will doubtless bring thee down gracious and comfortable returns He whose eye is much upon God his Eye will affect and warm and quicken his heart and beget upon it the very Visage and Image of God in the view of whose Face he lives These good Spies sent up in search of the good Land above will return with such Clusters of the precious Fruits thereof as will revive and incourage and also strengthen the heart for that hard service it may be put to in its journey thither None make such haste Heaven-ward and such sensible Progress in their way as they whose eye is continually there 7. Whensoever thou goest unto God in Prayer amongst other thy sins bewail the multitude of vain worldly wanton thoughts that lodge in thine heart and there Revel it day and night Think it not enough to confess the outward acts of sin but likewise the inward contemplative wickedness and speculative filthiness which is in thine heart For the outward acts of wickedness are no more transgressions of the Law than the inward thoughts which do beget and produce the outward acts And sinful thoughts are the more abominable for that they are the Fountain and Original of all actual sins Such therefore as please themselves with this fancy that they were never guilty of outward acts of Uncleanness Drunkenness Murther Oppression and the like so long as they entertain and harbour inward lusts after those or any other sins and live in contemplative wickedness they shall find those to their cost and woe as dangerous as the outward gross acts of wickedness and uncleanness Besides we ought to bewail our vain thoughts because of the number of them which indeed are numberless Not a moment of our lives but swarms of vain thoughts arise in our hearts so that though they may be accounted lesser sins in comparison of outward gross acts yet by reason of their multitude they may prove as dangerous as they Many Sands by their multitude may sink a Ship as well as a few great Mill-stones So vain wicked worldly wanton thoughts by reason of their number and multitude may sink a Soul to Hell as well as a few outward gross acts Therefore O Young Man thou hast cause to humble thy self for thy sinful thoughts as well as for thy sinful words and actions And having confessed them unto God then amongst thy Petitions let one be for Grace to inable thee to keep down all wicked wanton thoughts and to give thee his sanctifying Spirit which may spiritualize thy carnal heart making it more holy and heavenly fit to produce heavenly thoughts CHAP. XIX Of the well ordering and governing our Words II. AS thy thoughts must be well ordered and governed so likewise thy words which is of special importance for preservation both of our outward and inward peace and wherein consisteth much of the truth and reality of our Religion For if a man seem to be Religious and bridleth not his tongue but breaketh out into bitter and reviling speeches that mans Religion is vain or to no purpose Iam. 1. 26. Though his Profession be glorious yet it will little advantage his Soul Therefore Solomon adviseth next to the keeping our hearts to keep our tongues Prov. 4. 23 24. we ought to be the more careful of our tongues 1. Because we are very prone to offend therein corrupt speaking being the ordinary issue of our corrupt nature 2. Christ hath delivered it as a certain truth That for every idle word that men shall speak they must give account in the day of Iudgment And that by our words we shall be justified and by our words we shall be condemned Mat. 12. 36 37. Because mens words do declare what their inward disposition is therefore by their words are they justified or condemned Beware therefore O Young Man that thou dost not vainly and causleslly increase thy accounts either by rotten and unsavoury or by idle and unprofitable discourses Far be it from thee to use this wind of words as Bellows to kindle against thy self the flame of Gods wrath here and the fire of Hell in the life to come But rather let it be thy care with the Prophet David To take heed to thy ways that thou offend not with thy tongue Psal. 39. 1. For thy better help therein take these few Directions 1. Be not too free of thy tongue but let thy words be few knowing that in multitude of words there wanteth not sin but he that refraineth his lips is wise Prov. 10. 19. And Prov. 17. 27. He that hath knowledge spareth his words and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit knowing when to speak and when to keep silence and vers 28. Even a Fool when he holdeth his peace is counted wise because he hath this happiness not to discover his want of wisdom Many a mans folly and ignorance would not appear could he but keep his own counsel And the Apostle Iames Chap. 1. 19. exhorteth to be swift to hear and slow to speak To which purpose Nazianzen well observeth how God hath appointed a double guard to keep in the tongue namely the lips and two rows of teeth that it might be restrained from breaking out by this double fence Be not therefore lavish in words but sparing in thy speech for silence is an excellent Vertue and saveth many a mans Credit Reputation and Conscience 2. Let your converse one with another be more fruitful communicating your experiences your comforts and supports one to another exhorting one another and provoking one another to love and good works This questionless is one end of Gods bestowing his gifts and graces upon us that we might impart what we have received to the spiritual good and benefit one of another And hereby shall we increase and improve our own gifts and graces by communicating we