Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A39501
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An Earnest call to family-catechising and reformation by a reverend divine.
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1693
(1693)
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Wing E95; ESTC R31403
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30,606
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74
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Dispensation or Absolution to thee 6. In every Employment aim principally at the Glory of God If thou learnest learn for God if thou workest work for God In the choice of a Calling be for that in which thou mayest most Glorifie God Yea let thy very Recreations be such and so timed as may subserve this great end If thou unbendest the Bow and oylest the Wheels let it be to fit for Service 7. Let thy whole self be found in all those religious Duties which God requires You are to read meditate and pray in Secret Saith our Saviour Thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut the door pray to thy father which is in secret Mat. 6. 6. Now remember to bow thy Heart as well as Knees Who is this that engageth his heart to approach unto me saith the Lord Jer. 30. 21. Offer not the Sacrifice of fools without an Heart God will not accept of an heartless Sacrifice He is a Spirit and will be worshiped in Spirit as well as in truth Joh. 4. 24. And for family-Family-Worship while the Word of God is reading or Prayer made let not thine Ear be listning or Eye wandring after other things nor thy Heart be with the fools in the farthest parts of the Earth Let not the Lord be nigh in thy Mouth and far from thy Reins but set and keep thy heart to the duty When Psalms are singing make not thy self a Mute since God hath not made thee so Let not a dumb Devil possess thee but tune thy Heart and thy Voice unto God's praises So when present at God's Publick Worship let not thy better part be absent 8. Submit willingly and conscienciously to Family-Catechising and Instruction When Parents and Governours of Families have overcome their own inward Discouragments let them not meet with new Conflicts and Discouragements from thee Be ready to learn submit to Examination study the Sence and Meaning of what you learn ask questions for your farther Instruction of these Elders or more expert than your selves Enquire of your Parents or Governours or Ministers or any other able to instruct you It is observed That those who are much in moving pertinent Questions make the best Scholars 9. Carefully avoid all Sin and especially watch against those Sins that you may be most in danger of Saith the Apostle Flee youthful lusts 2 Tim. 2. 22. Among these let me caution you 1. Against Lying Dare not to use it either to cover a Fault or gain a seeming Advantage The Lyer is not true to himself his Heart and his Tongue are distorted one from the other He deceives his Neighbour directly opposeth the glorious Attribute of God's Truth makes a deep Wound upon his own Conscience and without repentance will meet with his Reward in Hell 2. Dread Swearing Cursing taking the Name of God in vain and all evil speaking Remember your Tongues are not your own but God is Lord over you and them Let that Scripture be engraven on your Heart But I say unto you That every idle word that men shall speak they shall give an account thereof in the day of Judgment for by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Mat. 12. 36 37. 3. Avoid all Pride in Heart Life and Attire Be cloathed with Humility God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble 1 Pet. 5. 5. 4. Shun idleness How canst thou have nothing to do who hast a God to serve and a Soul to save When idle thou temptest the very Tempter and if thou findest nothing to do he will find Employment for thee 5. Keep thy self free from Injustice and Defrauding It is a great sin will make a great clamor when Conscience is awakened and to make restitution tho a necessary is a very hard Duty and therefore avoid the occasion The unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6. 9. Let no sin of this nature seem little to thee St. Austin was brought to Confession for robbing his neighbour's Pear-Tree Aug. Confession Which sin he greatly aggravates as also his Cousenage in youthful Sports and Recreations Take heed thou indulgest not thy self in those Tricks of Youth which will afterward prove Sins of Youth either here in the Day of Conscience or hereafter at the Barr of God 6. Take heed of the Sin of wantonness even to a lascivious Look yea Thought and be not by Speech Garb or Gesture an Occasion of Temptation to any We must not only avoid the Snare our selves but be carefull we do not spread Nets for others 7. Be carefull thou dost not drown thy soul in a Life of Pleasure Voluptuousness and Excess Be not of those who are Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God 2. Tim. 3. 4. 8. Take heed of Worldliness It is a sin prodigious in Youth increaseth with Age and will at last drown the Soul in perdition 1 Tim. 6. 9. 10. 9. Beware of a Spirit of Obstinacy and Incorrigibleness This remember If thy Spirit get above the reach of Parents and Superiours yet thou art not out of God's reach who will take the work into his own hand and will certainly meet with thee to thy greater trouble here or eternal sorrow hereafter In many places of the World at this very day God is fatning the ground with the Blood and Carcasses of children of Disobedience The Lord has said That the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away because they cannot be taken with hands but the man that shall touch them must be fenced with Iron and the staff of a spear and they shall be utterly burnt with Fire in the same place 2. Sam. 23. 6 7. 10. As you would avoid all other Sins avoid evil Company He that walketh with the wise shall be more wise but a companion of fools shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 20. 10. Finally from an inward Principle of Religious Fear of God practise universally as becometh such an one as is a Christian indeed Let Religion run thro your whole Conversation Be that in your Bed in your Closet in the Family in the World that your Holy Profession obligeth you to be Whatever you do in word or deed do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus Col. 3. 17. Walk always as under the Eye of God and with serious Thoughtfulness of Death Judgment and Eternity Thus I have finished my Advice to you who are the Governed Part of Families CHAP. VI. Some Motives to the Govern'd Part of Families to submit to the Directions prescribed I Will subjoin a few Motives to induce the governed Part of Families to receive and practise the Instructions I have given you and particularly as to submitting to Family-Catechising and Instruction 1. Consider how ignorant and destitute you are by Nature of all true spiritual Good how prone and inclined unto all Evil Vain man would be wise but he is born like the wild Asse Colt Job 11. 12. Now