Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	old_a	young_a	youth_n	300	4	8.2577	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12182	Evangelicall sacrifices In xix. sermons. I. Thankfull commemorations for Gods mercy in our great deliverance from the papists powder-plot. 2. The successefull seeker. 3. Faith triumphant. 4. Speciall preparations to fit us for our latter end in foure funerall sermons. 5. The faithfull covenanter. 6. The demand of a good conscience. 7. The sword of the wicked. By the late learned and reverend divine, Rich. Sibbs. Doctor in Divinity, Mr. of Katherine Hall in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher to the honourable society of Grayes-Inne. The third tome. Published and perused by D. Sibbs owne appointment, subscribed with his hand to prevent imperfect copies after his decease.	Sibbes, Richard, 1577-1635.	1640 (1640)	STC 22491; ESTC S117285	286,033	622

breaking out of desires They are the breath and vapour of the soule Let us consider what is set highest in our soules what we desire most of all Oh! a Christian soule that hath tasted of the loving kindnesse of the Lord accounts it better then life it selfe It is not Corne and wine and oyle he desires but Lord shew me the light of thy countenance The desires of his heart are large to serve God and to doe good more then for the things of the world He desires earthly things but as instruments for better things and this is the desire of every sanctified soule in some measure Let us hence make a use of convinction of the folly of base men that live in the Church and yet come not so farre as Balaam that come not so farre as those that shall goe to hell They turne over all Religion to a Lord have mercy upon us and Christ dyed for us and we hope we have soules to God ward as good as the best and to a few short broken things They turne Religion to compendiums to a narrow compasse and make the vvay to it wide and broad and complaine of Preachers that they straiten the way to heaven This is the disposition of worldlings whereas alas there must be a righteousnesse that must exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises there must be a righteousnesse from an inward principle there must be a strong constant desire of righteousnesse more then of any thing in the world before we can be assured of our interest and part with Gods people Let us take heed that we delude not our selves this way But to come to an use of direction How may we so carry our selves as we may have a spring of blessed desires a spring of holy desires that may comfort us that we may have our interest and portion in the state of Gods people That we may have these desires let us desire of God the spirit of revelation desires follow discovery for desires are the vent of the soule upon the discovery of some excellency it beleeves Therefore let us beg of God the spirit of revelation to discover the excellent estate of Gods people And because this is given in the use of meanes let us present our selves with all diligence under such means as where we may have somewhat of the Kingdome of God that the riches of Christ being unfolded our desires may be carryed to such things for there is never any discovery of holy and good and gracious things to a Christian soule but there are new desires stirred up Our soules are like a mill that grinds what is put into it so the soule it workes upon the things that are put into it if it have good desires and good thoughts put into it by good meanes used and by prayer it feeds upon them let us alway therefore be under some good meanes that good thoughts may be ministred unto us that may stirre up gracious desires for the soule to worke upon Let us be in good company Saul among the Prophets we see hee prophesied and the heart is kindled and enflamed when we are among those that are better then our selves especially if their hearts be inlarged to speake of good things but to come nearer That we may have holy and gracious and constant desires let us take notice and make tryall continually of the state and frame of our soules which way for the present they are carryed in what current our desires run If they runne the right way to heavenly things it is well if not take notice what drawes and diverts and turnes the streames of our desires the false way let us thinke what the things be and the condition of those things that drawes our desires downe and make us earthly and worldly whether the pleasures or profits or honours of this life The way to have better desires is to weane our selves from these things by a constant holy meditation of the vanity of these things that the soule is carryed after Salomon to weane his heart from these desires from placing too much happinesse in these things he sets them before him and saith they were vanity and vexation of spirit Let us set them before us as nothing as they will be ere long Heaven and earth will passe away the world will passe away and the concupiscence and lust of it Let us consider the basenesse ficklenes and uncertainety of things that our soules are carryed after and this will be a meanes to weane them from them And the soule being weaned from earthly things it will run amaine another way Let us study therefore to mortifie our base affections and study it to purpose to cut off the right hand and to pull out the right eye spare nothing that God may spare all that God may have mercy upon us and spare us let us spare nothing These lusts they fight against our soules And as I said before feed our soules minister unto them better thoughts continually Those that are governours of those that are yong season them while they be yong with good things for while the soule is not filled with the world and while covetousnesse and ill lusts have not wrought themselves into the soule good things and good desires are easily rooted and planted and grow up in the soule As letters graven in the body of a tree they grow up with the tree and the fruit of the tree growes up with the tree and therefore the twigs breake not with the greatnesse of the weight of it because they grow up together so plant good things in those that are yong inure them to know good things to hate ill wayes plant in them blessed desires and inure them to holy exercises and good duties that good exercises may grow up with them as the fruit wth the tree We see what 〈◊〉 hard matter it is to convert an old man to draw the desires of a carnall worldly man to heaven when we speak of good things to him his soule is full of the world what is in his brain the world what is in his heart the world So he is dry and exhausted of all good things and that that is in him is eaten up with the world It is a great improvidence in those that governe youth that they labour not that their desires may be strong to the best things And let us all both young and old labour for heavenly wisedome that when good things are ministred to us from without or good motions stirred up by the Spirit of God to close with them and not to quench those motions and resist the Spirit but to imbrace those motions and cherish them till they come to resolutions and purposes and actions If we have a motion stirring us up to repentance let us ripen it till it come to perfect repentance till we repent indeed and have turned from all our evill wayes and turne to God with full purpose of heart