Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	right_a	zeal_n	zealous_a	37	3	9.1000	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51412	The spirit of man, or, Some meditations (by way of essay) on the sense of that scripture, 1 Thes. 1:23 ... by Charles Morton ...	Morton, Charles, 1627-1698.; Mather, Cotton, 1663-1728.; Mather, Increase, 1639-1723.	1692 (1692)	Wing M2825; ESTC R31044	42,571	116

always able to manage a 〈◊〉 Spirit nor can always Distinguish b●●twixt Fire from Heaven in the strong Motions of Gods Holy Spirit which 〈◊〉 ought to be Cherished and th● Fire which arises from Hell in the vehmence of Temptation Enkindling 〈◊〉 Reakings and Fumes of their Corrupte● Nature of which the Devil never fa● to take his Advantage Young Elihu before mentioned 〈◊〉 a zealous warm Spirited man And 〈◊〉 without great Piety as the Tenour of 〈◊〉 Discourse does manifest Yet when 〈◊〉 Spirit constrained him and his Belly was 〈◊〉 Wine which hath no vent and ready to Bu●● like New Bottles Job 32. 18 19. i e. When his Passion was stirred within 〈◊〉 He Breaks out not only to Irreverence 〈◊〉 his Elder Brethren v. 9. Great men are not always wise neither do the Aged Understand Iudgment But he also Charges Iob I think very falsely ch 33. 8 9. I have heard the voice of thy words saying I am clean without Transgression I am Innocent neither is there Iniquity in me Where I wonder does Iob so speak Surely if he had God would not have Justified him as he does ch 42. 7. Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is Right as my Servant Iob hath So much do Hot Spiririted Men tho' Good Men yet often overshoot themselves The Rightest Temper of a Sanctified Zeal was that of Stephens a mixture of Meekness Wisdome and Courage Acts 6. 10 They were not ahle to 〈◊〉 the Wisdom and the Spirit with which he spake He spake with a Spirit which I take to be Zeal and Earnestness and yet with Wisdome so as no Exception could be justly taken and with Meekness too which after all their horrid Injuries is Testified by his Last and Dying Words ch 7. 6. Lord Lay not this Sin to their Charge And thus much of Zeal near of kin to which is 2. Iealousie a passion to which some mens Spirits are more than others prone And whereby men are Inclined to Suspicion fierce Anger Hatred and Bitterness 'T is called a Spirit of Iealousie coming upon a man Numb 5. 14. whether his Wife be Defiled or not This Spirit in Unsanctifyed persons and practises is an Odious and Bitter Evil. 'T is Declared Hateful to God and horridly Injurious to man Hateful to God Mal. 2. 16. I hate putting away saith the Lord. ● Therefore Take Heed to your Spirit namely This Iealous Spirit that you Entertain it not And Injurious to man as appears in the precedent words v. 15. Take Heed to your Spirit Let none deal Treacherously or Unfaithfully marg Against the Wife of his Youth 'T is a Treacherous Unfaithfulness to Entertain groundless Jealousies Love is Covenanted in Marriage and this is quite contrary thereunto Love thinketh no Ill Iealousie thinking nothng else Love covereth Faults Groundless Iealousie searcheth to Discover faults where there are none And then the Repetition of the words Therefore take Heed to your Spirit v. 15. and again v. 16 is well to be Noted for 't is a Rule Repeated words in Scripture call for special observation And as in Marriage so in other Relations it Destroys Friendship spoyls Humane Society and mutual Confidence and sometimes stirs up the most bitter Enmity for Ieal●usie is the ●age of a man That takes no Ransome for Life Prov. 6. 34. This is the Spirit that Dwelleth in us i. e. our Corrupted Nature Lusting to Envy James 4. 5 And yet ●or All this 〈◊〉 said of it nor can enough ●e said Abs●ract but a Iealous and Suspicious 〈◊〉 from In-bred Corruptions Take it as a pure Natural Temper 'T is a Basis of Great Prudence Wisdom and Wariness Not to allow of that Rotten principle Suspect every man to be Knave with whom you have to do But to take care in avoiding that Cha●acter of a Fool Noted in Prov. 14. 15. The Simple believeth every word But the prudent man Looketh well to his going Not Uncharitably to Suspect but prudently to be Circumspect is becoming a wise and hon●st man This pure Natural Cautious Spirit may be the Subject of Sanctif●cation and may become God like and a Godly Iealousie God like when a man so utte●●y Disapproves Sin and 〈◊〉 That he Dislikes the very Appearance thereof and Tendency thereunto Thou shalt not Bow down for I the Lord thy God am a Iealous God Exo. 20. 5. And by Sins however palliated is provokt to Iealousie Deu● 32. 16. 21. Every Likenese of Sin may Deserve that name Ezek. 8. 3 The Image of Iealousie which provoketh to Iealousie And as God-like so 't is Godly The Holy Prophet owned and professed it 1 King 19. 10. 14. I have been very Iealous for the Lord God of Hosts And so did the Holy Apostle 2 Cor. 11 2. I am Iealous over you with Godly Iealousie for I have Espoused you to one Husband c. 'T is Godly when the ●ent of Jealousie is only to promote Holiness when the Suspicion notes but care and watchfulness and the Bitterness ascribed to this Spirit is but a Hatred of Sin it may so be of very Excellent Use especially in those who by Gods Order have the Oversight of others And thus much of the Hotter Spirit which is Chearful Active Couragious Angry in zeal and Iealousie We shall now take a view of its Opposite and so better Illustrate both by comparing them together 2. The Colder Spirits which are in some men under the Temperaments of Phlegm or Melancholly The more if Radicated by Habits or excited and promoted by Ill Objects or Outward Circumstances These are in every point of the contrary Character to those Hotter Spirits before-mentioned As I. Is that Chearful and Brisk This is sorrowful and pensive full of Grief and Mourning as if made up of Sighs and Tears And whether it be from Natural Temper or from that concurrence mentioned of sad and troublesome Circumstances Mens Spirits are hereby Formed and Disposed to Lamentations Such was weeping Ieremiah such was our Blessed Saviour in his Humiliation A man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief as was Prophesied of him Isa. 53. 3. Now if this be Unsanctified it Disposes to many Evils especially where the Dogged Melancholly is prevalent therein 'T is an Evil Spirit in it self and of Evil Consequences I. In it self probably this was the Evil Spirit from the Lord upon Saul A Melancholly Spirit and perhaps sometimes even unto Fits of Distraction I take it so to be for that it was Alleviated by Davids Musick 1 Sam. 16. 23. Surely Davids Harp could not Conjure down Devils Nor does give any Countenance to Popish Bell Baptism for the same purpose No rather it was a Natural Evil an Evil Natural Spirit sent of God in Judgment and Helped by Natural Means thro' his Blessing David played with his hand so Saul was Refreshed and was well and the Evil Spirit Departed from him So by a Natural Means prescribed by his Doctors v. 16. Mus●ca Mentis Medicina Maestae was well It seems before

they were against God yet against their Enemies they were very Cowards or God in Justice made them so for their Stubborness against him The Children of Ephraim being Armed and carrying Bows turned back in the day of Battel But If Sanctified 't is an Excellent Spirit and of great use This was that other Spirit of Caleb Numb 14. 24. The Spirit of the other Spies was Base and Cowardly and caused the heart of the People to melt Iosh. 18. 8. at which God was greatly displeased but Calebs courage was approved and accepted of God tho' it had not its desired effect upon men and was Rewarded with admission into the Land of Promise when others were excluded This Spirit Sanctified is a Spirit Bound Bent and Resolved in the service of God what-ever be the Hazards And now bohold says Paul I go bound in the Spirit to Ierusalem not knowing the particular things that shall befal me there Act 20. 22. saving Bonds and Afflictions in general which I expect v. 23. But none of these things move me v. 24. Now this Bound Spirit I take to be the Apostles Brave Spirit Bound that is strongly inclined by the Spirit of God to this special and particular Service notwithstanding all these foreseen difficulties to break thorow which he was Gallantly Resolved And this his Courage is I think the same that he prays might be given to the Ephesiaus chap. 3. 16. That he would grant you according to the Riches of his Glory to be strengthned with might by his Spirit in the Inner Man This referrs to v. 13 I desire that ye faint not at my Tribulations for you Some men are so Weak Spi●ited as to faint when they see another Bleed or have a grievous Wound dressed or the like But I would not have you to be so Feeble-Minded I would have you more Couragious and for that end make this prayer on your behalf I should rather shrink that feel the trouble then you that only behold it with your eyes Such another Brave Spirit was in Nehemiah when God had raised it up See a taste of it Neh. 6 11. Should such a Man as I Fly And who is there being as I am would go into the Temple to save his Life I will not go in This Gallantry was of the Lord for whatever his Naturl Spirit was His Captive circumstances had rendred him but weak as we may Guess by his Timorousness to speak to the King tho' he was in good place about him He continually fetch'd his strength from God He was fain by Ejaculation to pray between a Question and an Answer chap. 2. 4. What is thy Request So I Prayed And I said c. He had not Courage to give the King an answer till he had his Spi●its Revived by the God of Heaven 4. This Hotter Spirit is an Angry Spiri● is Ardent and Fervent in it sel● Eage● and Vigorous in motion with a vehemence in Inclinations all which may be better Referred to this head then that of Activity before mentioned Its chief ingredient is Chollerick Constitution tho' it may be also Habitually encreased and Morally Fixt in men by frequent occasions and provocations as also by much converse with peevish and fretful persons this is intimated in that Prov. 22. 24. 25 Make no friendship with an angry man with a furious man thou shalt not go Lest thou Learn his ways and get a snare to thy Soul His anger will by degrees heat thy Spirit into a Disorder or at least bring it into another frame then to what thou art naturally inclined This Spirit Acts and shews it self in ZEAL and IEALOUSY 1. Zeal is a Fervour of Spirit whereby a man does Act Valide Valde All that comes to his hand he presently does it with his Might Here Anger is Cos Fortitudinis the Whetstone of Valour And tho' Courage hath it● Strength in it self yet it commonly ha● the beginning and more often the continuance of its motion from this Zeal This is as the Touch-Powder that catches the first Fire and as soon inflames that which has all the force in it T is a Natural Passion and therefore in it self neither Good nor Bad. But if 1. Unsanctifyed 't is a Hellish Flame that burns unmercifully and does abundance of Hurt to ones self and others 'T is KAKOZELIA a mischievous vehemence that spoyles the comfort of Humane Society and if it be any way concern'd in Religion it m●kes Havock of the Church as is seen in the Bigots of a false Religi●n An eminent example of which was Paul while he was Saul before his Conversion to the true Faith They shall kill you and think they do God good Service Iohn 16 2 In a word it renders men like the Chaldeans Bitter Hasty Habbac 1. 6. 2. But if Sanctified then the Warm-Spi●ited Paul is another Man He now re●lects on his former course as a Mad Hare Brain●d Wicked Business See the Account of it Acts 26. 9 10 11. I verily thought His Hot Head mistook his way and so ran on furiously in a Perni●ious Error That I ought Divilism is now taken for Duty to do many things contrary c. Many not a few were s●itable to his Hot and Active Spi●its many places Ierusa●em every Synagogue even to s●range Cities many Persons Many of the Saints Many Ways did I shut up in Prison put to Death and compelled them to Blaspheme yea when he was but a St●ipling when he could not hu●ll Mortifying S●●nes he gave his voice against them Held the Garments of those that Stoned Stephen and was consenting to his Death All this he acknowledges to be meer madness being exceeding mad against them But being now Converted Does his Grace quite extinguish his Fi●ry Nature Spirit Not at all only directs exerts it to better purposes Paul is the same Zealot but in other matters His Active Spirit Labours more abundantly then they all 1 Cor. 15. 10. Zeal he commends exhorts and practises He commends Zeal in his Epistles if it be rightly placed 'T is always good to be Zealous in a good thing Gal. 4. 18. To be Zealous of Spiritual Gists 1 Cor. 14. 12. of Good Works Titus 2. 14. He also exhorts men to be Fervent in Spirit Serving the Lord. Romans 12. 11. And he Allowed and Practised it in himself of which we have Divers Instances Take a view of his Hot and Earnest Spirit in some particulars At Athens his Spirit was stirred in him when he saw the City wholly given to Idolatry Acts 17. 16 't was full of Gods without the True God and he was angry and vext to see it So in Corinth at the Jews Infidelity He was pressed in Spirit and Testi●ied that Jesus was the Christ. chap. 18. 5. Now when was this 'T was when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia He had a good mind to it before even when he was a poor Labouring Sojourner v. 3. Even then he Reasoned and perswaded every

is the most Curious Desireable and best Manageable to every good purpose Therefore 3. Some men are of a more Temperate Spirit which is Cool in Respect of the Heats and Warm in Respect of the Chills of Spirit in the former two Extreams All the Conveniencies of those it has without their Inconveniencies This is the Well-balanced Spirit that moves Evenly Smoothly and Firmly The Vessel of due proportion betwixt Hull and Sayl which usually well Arrives at its intended Port. 'T is the faelix Temperies of the Philosophers that naturally Disposes to and Adapts for General Vertue 'T is best enabled to Use its own Abilities and manage its own powers whether Intellectual or Volitive to the best Advantage 1. Intellectual by a moderation and order of Thoughts of a sufficient Heat to Excite them and yet of Coolness enough to Govern them and their Effects which otherwise might be Exorbitant 'T is not the Dull Soul that thinks not Intensely of any thing Nor the Phantastick Air that Huddles and is precipitant in all things But it is such a well composed Spirit as indeed Quickens a man to Act and yet Renders him Sober and Deliberate in all his Actions Hence arises Wisdom and Prudence in Matters and a firm Iudgment that will not suffer it self to be Biassed or Disordered by any unruly Passions But Governs them by Reason and brings and keeps them in their due Subordaination Whence follows 2. The Volitive Powers are well used and ordered by such a Moderate Spirit The Will is Benign and the Passions Regular The Will and all the powers under its Commands are Disposed to Subjection unto Right Reason Hence This Spirit is apt to be well governed In the man that has it And thereby Renders him more fit to Govern amongst other men in the world from both which it may be Denominated A Spirit of Government Of this brave Spirit was Titus Vespasian who from thence was called Humani Generis Deliciae The Delights of Mankind Faithfulness Candour Beneficence and all other things that are Excellent so far as Nature can go have their Derivation from this Spirit because it is not so liable to the Infirmity of Unruly Passions which is the Natural Cause of all the contrary Vices Yet if this Rare and Excellent Spirit which is so very good in it self be Unsanctify'd and Corrupt 'T is all as Bad if not worse then the Rest. Corruption of the best is worst For 1. It s Wisdom and Prudence if Unsanctifyed is at best but Worldly Wisdom and Imployed wholly to serve Worldly Interests But it seldome stops there for it commonly proceeds in a way of Enmity against God and Goodness And becomes too often a Devilish Policy If the Enemies of the Church be men of this Spirit they are most Dangerous 'T is the men of this Temper that are the Achitophels for Mischievous Counsels The Hot Spirited Huffs and Hectors may have as great an Enmity which they often shew in a storming rage But their vehement Passions do oft-times Deprive them of a discreet consideration whereby they overshoot themselves and miss their Designs The Smooth-bootes that look Demure who can think and contrive and are not in over-great Haste The Wolves in Sheeps-cloathing in a word The close and undiscerned Hypocrites who by means of this Moderate Spirit may more easily so be These are the Dangerous Enemies These under their seeming Vertues have advantage to act their secret Vices Lyons by Roaring may Terri●ie the Sheep into their Safefolds while the slie Foxes by surprise do Devour the Flock As to the Spirit of Iudgment and Government Unsanctified 't is that which maketh Nets and Snares and perverteth Jugdment in the Gate 'T is not the Bawling Sollicitor so much as the subtile Judge that Frames Mischief by a Law Psa. 94. 20 and cover it over by a plausible pretence Not the Clamarous Multitude so much as the Cunning High-Priests that do violence to the Law and pollute the Sanctuary Zeph. 3. 4. 'T is they that say VVe have a Law and by our Law he ought to Die. Ioh. 19. 7. Thus they Turn Judgment into Hemlock and make the Ordinance of God Minister to their Lusts and Passions 2. It s calmness of VVill and moderation of Affections with those seeming Ver●ues that attend it all are nothing so as they do appear but are Evil and Subservient thereunto Evenness of Mind Unsanctified Renders a man but a Gallio caring for none of these things Not concerned about the Greatest Interests of their own or others Souls This is that Odious Lukewarmness which God will Spue out of his mouth Rev. 3. 16. Again Benignity Generosity and Candour of Spirit if Unsanctified is as Mr. Fuller calls it The Bad-good-nature which is commonly and most Abused by Parasitical Hang-byes Such men are Led by a Thred not like Ariadne's Clew out of But into continual Dangers Th● Gallantly follow Trappanning and Deceitful Guides to do Mischief like the men that followed Absa●om in their simplicity and they knew not any thing of his Designs 2 Sam. 15. 11. These are oft Impos'd upon and made Tools and Implements in mischievous and ungodly projects for want of Gracious Wisdom On the same account of Bad●good-nature they are apt to spare and favour even VVickedness in men and Indulge them in their corrupt ways They are apt to be prodigally Bountiful to such as they should rather frown away Prov. 29. 23. The North-wind Driveth away Rain and so doth an Angry Countenance a Backbiting Tongue Lastly as to the Fidelity and Stedfastness of this Natural Spirit if Unsanctifyed it fits men to keep the Devils Counsel He Heareth Cursing and bewrayeth it not Pro. 29. 24. A Thief may trust him with his Stollen Goods Alas he is mislead by false names and notions of things and ●he Clea●●● Immoveably to them As for Instance An Oath to which he will stick tho' it be but a Bond of Iniquity contrary to the very nature of an Oath Truth and Trust he so looks upon under the Name of Moral Vertues That he forgets the Christian Duty of not bei●g Parta●er in other mens Sins So also in Friendship which through his Candour he often strikes with the Enemies of God He then thinks himself obliged to be faithful in all things to these his friends Tho indeed true Friendship is only in Vertue and other Friendship neither ought to be Begun or Continued Shouldst thou Help the Ungodly and Love them that Hate the Lord Therefore is VVrath upon thee from the Lord. 2 Cor. 19. 2. These Firm Spirited are the unhappy men who being once Ill-engaged are hard to be Reclaimed They will persist tho' against the very Edge and prickles of Cons●ience and Convictions They scorn to forsake their Colours tho' it be to come under Christ's Banner There is no hope to perswade no For I have Loved Strangers and I 'le never be a base Changling or Turn●coat After them will I go Jer. 2. 25. Thus this