Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	grace_n	kindness_n	temperance_n	1,155	5	11.6453	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A70791	A sermon preach'd before the honourable society of the natives of the county of Kent, Novemb. the 17th. 1698, at St. Mary le Bow, London by John Peter, D.D. ...	Petter, John, 1661 or 2-1700.	1698 (1698)	Wing P1891; ESTC R8020	18,071	34

when the Distemper and Passions of it does overcast and darken our Reason and Understanding the Mind returns the Malignity in an ill aspect on the Body as the Vapour and Venom exhal'd in some Climates from an unwholesome Soil falls again in deadly Showers upon it In short the Body looks fresh or withered gay and lively or dull and unactive as the Mind shines or lowrs upon it So that the approbation of the Spirit does chear and quicken the Body it communicates new Life and motion to it Since therefore we are carried by instinct and by our meer animal motion and tendency to Compassion and Pity or to raise and assist our own drooping Natures in the Persons of others as I have shewn and that besides this Inclination and Byass impress'd upon us we have the dictate of reason and the chearful reflection of the Mind which spreading new pleasure upon us at the review of our good actions to inspirit anew and heighten the quickness and life of the Body and to make it go on easily and with pleasure because we have both these advantages on our side we are obliged on a double account not only to exercise acts of Compassion and Goodness but to make a mighty advance in them When wise Men advise how to make a Progress in any Science or Art or Calling they often consider and study the genius and tendency of the Man's temper that they may apply him to that which he is most strongly byass'd and inclin'd to not doubting but that he will go on more smoothly when he goes along with the grain of his Nature the pleasure he finds in following his own fancy and humour makes him apply more closely and the difficulties he meets with do but whet his desire and make him pursue his Business with more appetite and keenness than before and this is such an advantage as a Man would wish for to attain to a dexterity and perfection in any thing Since therefore we have these Advantages and Inclinations rooted in our Natures not only as we are Men and endued with Reason but as meer Animals how strongly are acts of Mercy and compassion enforc'd upon us nay what a mighty proficiency may justly be expected from us herein and therefore if we do violence to these Principles if we so deprave our native tenderness and not only come short of that perfection that may be hoped for from these of our Talent and which is yet lower not go one step or degree towards it but which is worst of all if we have so corrupted our own Natures that we have acted counter to these Principles and have hardned and contracted our Hearts so that our selves or a few more have engross'd all our kindness and affection when our covetous and penurious temper takes off from that universal tenderness we were born with and not only so but which was farther recommended to us by our common Reason When the Seed sown in good Ground is choakt up by Thorns and Bryars and the Cares of this World when we not only omit doing good to others but do suffer and commit many acts of Unkindness and Oppression upon them and are fruitful of Tares instead of that wholsom Grain which the Divine Husbandman had planted in our Natures when we do all this we are liable to a complicated Guilt to many Guilts comprized in that one of dealing unkindly by another for 't is an offence not to go on by the spring and good tendency of our lower Nature and when the reflections of right Reason do carry us farther and are a new incitement to us 't is an offence of an higher nature but when we do not only offer our selves this violence when we not only omit acts of kindness and compassion but commit their very contraries we arrive at an high strain and pitch indeed and this last is comprehensive of the two former and has besides a special Malignity superadded That saying of Nero in the beginning of his Reign e're his tenderness was perverted is remarkable I search saith he every where for some object worthy my Liberality I take pity on the Poverty of one I encourage the Merits of another the Youth of one and the old Age of another and if I find a miserable Creature that deserves not to be holpen I consider my self in his Person and I solace my self in solacing him so that there is no body I would not do good to on the account of his being a Man and yet this Idolater had not the Motives we have to perswade him to this Duty he knew not that eternal Inheritance promised in lieu of that perishing Portion we exchange for it And now I have made it sufficiently appear that our Reason as well as very Frame and Constitution obliges us to be tender compassionate and kind to others But if we look yet farther and consult Thirdly Holy Writ how closely how inexcuseably is the duty of Compassion and Charity tied upon us 'T is enforc'd upon us with all the earnestness and vehemence possible we are allured and excited to it by sweet perswasives and endearing promises and least we should not be drawn by the Cords of a Man lest we should become insidious to our selves and countermine our own Happiness lest there should be base and ungenerous Men that would not be drawn by the disinteress'd love and kindness of God and the prospect of an undeserv'd mighty reward God endeavours to lay an Holy force and a kind of necessity upon them he would awaken these by threats and menaces assuring them that the Unmerciful shall receive no Mercy and thus he stirs them up by hopes and fears the Springs of Humane Actions Sacred Writ does thus press Charity upon us with that holy Warmth that plainly shews the great Value of this Grace our good Works are there made the characteristick and mark of our Christianity and Discipleship as if our Initiation in Baptism by which we have a Right to the external Priviledges of the Church were not to be nam'd when compar'd with these there is such a stress laid on it in the Gospel that it seems to intimate That the whole Process of the day of Judgment shall be grounded on this one Grace of Charity and truly it is so recommended that perhaps it is not altogether unnecssary to Observe That as the Moralists as well as Divines agree that the Virtues are connected and joyn'd together so should the Graces go hand in hand and as you may read it in the 2d Epistle of St. Peter chap 1. That we should give all diligence to add to faith virtue and to virtue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to tempeannce patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity Here Charity finishes the Catalogue and crowns the rest And by Moses 't is made the sum of the Old Law as 't is by Christ made the sum of the New the price and value of

this Grace may arise in a great measure from hence That it gives occasion to and is productive of several other Virtues it gives an Opportunity to the Poor that are reliev'd not only to pray but to praise God for their Benefactors An act of Charity seems also to be an act of Faith and relyance on the Promises 't is laying down what is certain and in our power for somewhat at a distance and in the dark whereof we have no other assurance but that which is founded on the veracity of God which dependance on his Word and submission to his Will without any farther Evidence must needs be very acceptable and well-pleasing to him And when we consider Fourthly That God himself came down from Heaven out of pure Love and Charity to give us this new Commandment and as he was infinitely perfect and infinitely desirable from all Eternity no accession of Happiness could accrue to him that he had not in his own Bosom before his own unbounded Nature and Essence containing all the the Variety that can be enjoy'd to all Eternity it being the nature of Infinity never to be Exhausted when we consider this and that it must be the diffusiveness of his Goodness and his disinteress'd Love to us that induc'd him to condescend to wear our poor dress of Flesh and Blood and to teach us familiarly in our own Nature by his own Example and ocular Demonstration which is the plainest way of Instruction to go about to do good as he did how much moreforcibly does this press the exercise of Charity upon us And to refine upon this Duty to the last degree he not only forgave his Enemies but did them good and pray'd for them at his very Death and his Death and Passion was design'd for their Welfare and Happiness and he fell like that Tree that affords Balm to Cure the Wounds of those that cut it down And when this great light disappear'd he left Apostles Martyrs Confessors and all good Men that after the setting of this Sun should shine like Stars in the Firmament to enlighten and direct our Paths by their Instruction and Example and this brings me to shew Secondly How advantagious and necessary it is That persons of Rank and Quality and Fortune should distinguish themselves in this respect Liberality is a quality that shews that largeness of Soul and clearness of Spirit that is essential to a truly Generous and Noble Person 't is by this Temper of Mind that a Man shews himself the Master and not the Slave of what he possesses and by holy aspiring after Goodness and Perfection he gets above himself makes some approaches and is allied to Divinity For as Clemens Alexandrinus Remarks A Man doing Good is the Image of God he carries in his Person the Character of the Divinity for he imitates the greatest and the noblest of the Divine Attributes that is Mercy and Liberality and can any thing reflect a greater honour or lustre on a Man than thus to aspire and gasp after Goodness to take such flights towards Heaven and to perfect his Nature Persons of Rank and Quality and Fortune should be a mighty defence and protection not only to the Poor and Distress'd but also to the Injur'd and Oppress'd they should by the interposeal of their Authority and Credit ward off as much as possible the Violence and check the Insults and Insolence of wicked Men and 't is the best Argument of a greatness of Mind and true Honour to descend to and comply with the low Estate of the Poor to lay by that Pomp and stiffness of Deportment that as it keeps them at an awful distance does quite unqualify them for that Familiarity that is necessary to let a Man into their secret Wants and Exigencies affability condescention and obligingness of Humour are the best marks of an high and exalted Mind and that disposition and suppleness of Temper that carries a Man to be a Succour to the Afflicted and to descend to their low liness and condition is found to be the most Erect the least capable of bearing Affronts or Insolence and is the most ready to spring against Insults and Oppression the Complexion and Temper of such Men are so uncorrupt so tender and so much in the primitive state and purity that they cannot bear the Wrongs that are oppressive of Human Nature and men that signaliz'd themselves in this respect were in the Old World Deify'd and rank'd in the number of Heroes and distinguishing Marks of Honour were awarded for them as for those that deserv'd best of Human Nature and this Honour and profound Respect was paid to the Memory of those Worthies There is an outward Respect and Ceremony due to the Rank and Quality of a Man which men study to pay too officiously to the Living whether deserving or no perhaps imagining that every such act must please because it seems to suppose a Worth answerable tho' perhaps these men only discern a weakness in Great Men by the means whereof they endeavour to wind themselves into their Favour But these Men that deserve so well of the Publick have the real Esteem of the Heart which puts forth these external Ceremonies with warmth and affection so that a great and a good Man may have mighty Opportunities of doing good people are byass'd to receive his Dictates and to be led by him without a nice enquiry into and examination of his Actions Virtue and Goodness are so becoming and fashionable especially when worn by Great Men that we are very ready to conform our selves to them they lend Piety some Ornaments and Lustre that other Men have an ambition and curiosity to wear and Mimick and truly habits of Virtue like fine Cloaths upon a right and well shap'd Body sit gracefully upon an erect and goodly Mind and are very decent and becoming And such great Examples and shining Lights carry some authority and power to direct our Paths which Authority we are inclin'd to follow and to pay a natural submission to and the Rhetorick and Eloquence of their Actions perswade more forcibly than that of their Words and Discourses either because it discovers some new Beauty in Virtue or teaches the Practice more plainly or that it smooths and sweetens the Difficulties of it whether or no these altogether or any of them is the cause of the great power and efficacy of Examples this is certain That Learning by Examples is most compendious and lively and that Instruction by Rule and Discourses is tedious and slow He that exhorts to and displays Virtue in its due Colours must lay out a great deal of time and discourse in describing its Nature and Beauty and to inspire the Practice of it but if he lays this plain to the Eye if he practises himself what he Taught before he must smooth the way and clear his Doctrine wonderfully and he will perform incomparably more by his Example than by all his Reasoning A Man may understand