Selected quad for the lemma: world_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	soul_n	whole_a	worth_a	1,913	5	9.2236	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A16314	The carnall professor Discovering the wofull slavery of a man guided by the flesh. Distinguishing a true spirituall Christian that walkes close with God, from all formalists in religion, rotten hearted hypocrites, and empty powerlesse professors whatsoever. By that faithfull servant of Christ, Robert Bolton B.D. late preacher in Northampton Shire.	Bolton, Robert, 1572-1631, attributed name.; I. T., fl. 1634.	1634 (1634)	STC 3225; ESTC S111236	58,877	294

difficulty in fulfilling lusts there can never be any in the rising and sprouting of lusts It is no paines to conceive seede though it bee to bring forth a birth the longer any man lives in sinne the sweeter it is to him The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare with hearing no more is a sinner with his deeds of darknesse if he should live for ever hee would sinne for ever Evill comes out of the heart as sparkles out of the fire which never cease while the fire continues Lust is like a furious rider never weary of the way hee may have enough to load him but can never have enough to weary him he may quickly have enough to sinke him but can never have enough to satisfie him Lust it selfe growes never olde nor weary when adultery in the heart hath worne out the body so as it strength withereth yet even then it will finde a vent in a wanton eye unchast speeches and thoughts full of uncleanenesse Though a man may weary himselfe in the acting sinne yet lust is never satisfied in conceiving sinne Lastly consider the propagation of this sinne which may well therefore be called an olde man because it dyes not but passeth from one generation to another A mans actuall sinnes are personal they both beginne and end in himselfe But originall sinne is naturall and therefore together with our nature it passeth over to our posterity It is an entaile that can never be cut off it hath held from Adam and so will continue to the worlds end Every parent is the channell of death to his posterity Adam diffused damnation to all mankinde Neither is it any wonder that from a cursed root should proceed branches fit for nothing but the fire What a watch then should we keepe over our evill hearts what paines should we take by prayer and unweariednesse of spirit to suppresse this enemie If there were any time wherein the flesh did sit still and sleepe wherein the water did not runne and seeke for vent wee might then lessen our care but since it is ever stirring in us wee should bee ever stirring against it using all meanes to diminish and abate the same Since the heart is unwearied in evill wee should not faint nor bee weary of well-doing Since the heart is so abundant in evill we should abound likewise in every good worke Retaine in thy freshest memory such quickening thoughts as these If I commit this sinne it will cost me unvaluably more heart-breake and spirituall smart before I can purchase assurance of pardon and peace of conscience then the sensuall pleasure is worth If I never repent it will be the ruine of my soule for ever When thou goest to buy a commodity if the price be great thou forbearest and wilt thou venture up on sinne knowing what it will cost thee If Iudas had knowne as much before he betrayed his Master as now he feeles hee would never have committed that villany Alas thy soule is incomparably more worth then the whole world and wilt thou for a little paltry pleasure of some base and rotten lust which passeth away in the act hazard the losse of so precious a jewell Doe not consider the smalnesse of thy sinnes but the greatnesse of thy God who is displeased with them Mortification is tedious but heaven is sweete men are content to goe all day after their hawkes and hounds enduring hunger and thirst for a little pleasure not worth the enjoying why then should wee refuse any labour for the obtaining so rich a reward In lust a man wearieth himselfe and hath no hope but here our labour is not in vaine in the Lord wee shall reape if we faint not A little glory in heaven nay a little comfort in earth will plentifully recompense all our travaile and paines in this kinde Looke not alwayes on Satans temptations the worlds solicitations and thine owne sinfull inclinations these as clogs will presse thee down and much dishearten thee in thy Christian course but looke unto Iesus the author and finisher of thy faith who will carry through al difficulties and overcome sinne in thee by his grace call therefore to him hee is within the voice of thy prayers and will come to strengthen thee How jealous ought Christians to bee over themselves having so dangerous an enemy nigh unto them Iob would not trust his eye without a covenant nor David his mouth without a bridle so strangely unexpectedly will nature breake out Vēture not on any tēptation presumptuously be not cōfident of any grace received so as to slacken your zeale Ioseph flung out and would not trust himselfe in the company of his Mistresse company might easily have kindled concupiscence and a little of Sathans blowing might have caried the fire from one stick to another David would have no wicked thing to abide in his sight hee knew how full of ill humours his heart was how apt to catch every infection that came neere it and therefore tooke speciall care to decline the very objects and examples of sin When men thinke there is least danger then the danger is greatest sinne and Sathan are ever watching their opportunities which is when wee watch not Security will rust us undoe us and eate out all that good is in our soules if any thing will awaken the dead and drowsie heart of man it is some vexing sin or other Me thinkes the consideration of this thorne in our flesh which we daily carry about us should much humble and abase our spirits Alas how long have we lived in an empty fruitlesse manner barren of grace and goodnesse spending our precious dayes in folly and vanity dedicating the flower of our age to sinne and Sathan How oft have we despised mercy and cast the precepts of the Almighty behinde our backes What little growth in holinesse have wee What little improvement in the wayes of God How much wearinesse and revolting of heart How evill and unprofitable in regard of the meanes we have enjoyed and what we might have beene How many notorious visible sinnes hast thou committed to the scandall of the Gospel and the wounding of thine owne soule How should the consciousnesse of this humble thee in secret before God Brethren think of this the more vile any man is in his owne eyes the more precious he is in Gods And the best way to bring a man to a base esteeme of himselfe is to reflect his thoughts seriously upon his owne estate to view himselfe in his naturall condition There is no good so truly good but his heart abhors it No evill so extreamely wicked but there is an inclinablenesse in him to embrace it no servant so ready to doe his masters will as hee is to doe the workes of the devill no rebell so desperately adverse to his lawfull soveraigne as hee is to God Oh that men were truely sensible of their carnall condition The want of this is the cause of

worldly matters is no way able to embrace the principles of Gods truth or to retaine that which may be his onely comfort longer then a dynt struck in the water from whence it commeth that a carnall man entertaineth the word at one eare and letteth it out at another his whole religion consisting in hearing not binding himselfe firmely and effectually to remember any thing unlesse it be a matter which he thinketh either cleareth him in his sinne as God is mercifull and at what time soever a sinner repenteth or else that toucheth his neighbour in the next seat but as for the knowledge of God and his nature a saving faith in Christ or the like teach him every weeke nay every day for the space of twenty yeers together he will not remember so much as a beast may bee taught in some active sleights in an houre I know what I say a dogge or horse may sooner be taught to remember a toy whereof his nature is capable in one houre then a meere naturall man the true substance of religion all the dayes of his life 4. Concerning the Will. The former faculties of the soule are called speculative there is another kinde called practicall which are the Will and affections and these are exercised in action as the other in Contemplation The Will is the absolute Monarch in a man and the Vnderstanding is his Counsellor Now whereas before the Will was counselled and guided by true reason and understanding and so was both able and willing to bee conformable unto God now it is both impotent as was said of the understanding not able in any sort to desire or will heavenly things as also rebelleth against that which is good and willeth that which is evill And no marvaile for if the understanding which should be the guide thereof bee grosse and carnall the Wil cannot bee spirituall It must needes bee a miserable State where the Prince wanteth wisdome and the people due moderation 5. Concerning the Affections The affections likewise which are divers dispositions of mans soule stirred up by diversity of objects are more stained with fleshly corruption then any other part of the creature besides which in regard of their violence make a carnall person to be caryed like a mad man upon a wilde horse so as he can neither stay himselfe nor bee staid by others Which fleshly corruption consisteth in this that they are moved unto contrary objects for those which should bee stirred up by the evilnesse of an object to abhorre it doe in that respect embrace it and move towards it and those which should bee moved by the goodnesse of an object to embrace it doe in that respect abhor and shunne it For which cause they may fitly bee compared to a bedlam who rageth and raileth against his keeper or unto a sicke body which loathing that which would worke the cure hankereth still after that which engendreth corruption and increaseth his disease For example whereas man should love God and embrace each thing as incites therunto contrariwise he hateth God and his Ministers yea and embrāceth from his heart each thing which may most soundly and effectually kill and slay that affection in him soft apparell sweet meats faire building outward pompe rich coffers merry company sleepe ease what if I say whores and harlots these be his loves these be his mistresses these be his Paramours and all these in a carnall man are like entising minions labouring to divorce his affection from his maker You cannot love God and Mammon God is a jealous husband he will not communicate the pleasure that hee taketh in an honest heart maryed to himselfe unto any stranger Againe whereas at the first man joyed in the fruition of the presence and favour of God in serving and meditating of him and his workes now he taketh no pleasure therein at all but if by the Law or for shame hee bee drawne to some spirituall exercise nothing is more tedious unto him his body is imprisoned in a seat his minde walketh about all the while either hee climbeth up unto one of the scaffolds viewing his friends defying his foes or else is in his shop counting his ware plotting some bargaine or the like Moreover whereas we should bee sorrowfull for our sinne we are sorrowfull that wee cannot sinne poverty sickenesse danger prison displeasure strike us downe dead but the poverty of the soule stript naked of Gods graces the sicknesse of the minde able neither to see nor know the Almighty grieveth us not at all Whereas in the time of innocēcy man relyed himself upon God for an happy estate and gave credit to his promises now though he protest and binde it with a solemne oath no man beleeveth him though hee hath sent his beloved Sonne from his owne bosome to ransome us out of our spirituall captivity and left it for ever in perpetuall record witnessed by men and Angells yet who regardeth it in his heart or blesseth God in his soule for the same Iesus Christ of Nazareth the Carpenters sonne was too base a fellow to gratifie the stately personages of our times No the Gods of England shall deliver us wit learning beauty strength friends riches nobility sinne Sathan this present world any thing save Jesus Christ. So that hereby it is manifest that man is so farre from having affiance in God that he is at defiance with him refusing and renouncing his patronage and protection By this therfore which in cursory wise hath been uttered you may easily perceive how fearefully this fleshly poyson hath dispersed it selfe over our whole man and made every faculty of soule and body swell with pride and ambition against God yea and like a mad dogge to byte and snatch at every hand even them of his owne nature As a light Chariott drawn with wilde horses and driven with a blinde man willing to give the raines whither soever the horses will runne must needs be in great danger of shattering all to pieces So the understanding being deprived of light which should give notice to our blinde will and wilde affection must needs in the end overthrow both soule and body with the finall calamity of the whole man unlesse the Lord give a better guide and take the whip out of the hand of our corrupt will and govern the affections faculties of our soules with the restraint of his saving Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Originall sinne is an hereditary disease which in time breakes out in whole mankinde it is the match that dischargeth the pealing pieces of all our infamous actions It is the husband which begetteth on us his wife the faculties of our soules and bodies many bratts many actuall transgressions as Paul notably allegorizeth which that I may more fully lay open and worke your hearts to a holy indignatiō against and detestation of consider but in a few particulars the many and great evils which accompany the same 1. It is an universall corruption

wholly stripping thee of all that righteousnesse and holinesse wherein at first thou wert created like a disease overspreading the whole man filling thee with a generall pravity to all that is good and a constant propensity to all that is evill 2. It cleaves as fast to thy nature even as blacknesse to the skinne of an Ethiopian which cannot possibly bee washed out thou mayest loppe the branches but the roote will never die till thou expirest with it As long as corne is in the field it will have chaffe about it so as long as thou continuest in this miserable world the remnants of olde Adam will stil abide in thee A man may as easily shake off the skinne from his backe as ridde himselfe of this evill inhabitant wee beare our snare with us and carry our enemie about us where ever we goe 3. Consider the great contagion and pestilentiall humour that followes this sinne it derives venome upon every action that comes from us Sinne in the soule is as poyson in the fountaine that sheds infection into every performance wee take in hand Whensoever thou art going about any good this evill will be present with thee This is that which in thy prayers deads thy Zeale humiliation and importunity with God causing thee to rest in the worke done never enquiring after the truth of thine owne heart or Gods blessing thereupon This is that which fills thy minde with impertinent thoughts and wrong ends in religious duties This is that which in thy calling makes thee so unmindefull of God and his service so froward vain and unprofitable in thy Christian course ayming at nothing but thine own advantage 4. Consider the temptations that arise from this sinne the daily and hourly solicitations wherwith it sets upon the soule to withdraw it from good things and incline it to evill A man is tempted of his owne lusts saith S. Iames when he is drawne away and entised If a man shoote an arrow against a rocke it may be broken but can never enter No more can Satans temptations prevaile against the soule without something within to give them admittance when he tempted Christ hee could not hurt him because hee found nothing in him to receive his darts but in us the flesh holds treacherous complyance with Sathan and this wicked world and is ready to let them in at every assault Seede will never grow in any creature without a womb to foster it temptations may vexe but they cannot defile us without our owne sinfull entertainement It may grieve a chast woman to be solicited by base Ruffians but it cannot corrupt her whiles shee retaines her chastity If wee can keepe in our hearts from imbracing Sathans offers and shew our distast of them the sin is his then not ours but here is the misery Sathan knowes how our inclination stands hee searcheth out our dispositions and thereunto frameth his temptations therefore wee have great neede of spirituall wisdome to observe where wee lie most obnoxious where Sathan doth most plant his forces and ever to apply our strongest watch our most importunate prayers to those gappes 5. Consider the warre and rebellion of this sinne the flesh lusteth against the spirit and fleshly lusts warre against the soule saith the Apostle whilest wee are in this militant condition we shall have hourely experience of this traytor in our bosomes And this warre is not at a distance but an intimate and close contrariety in the same part the same soule that cōmands obedience doth it selfe resist it in the same will there is a delight in the Law of God and yet a counter-motion to the law of sinne In the same heart singlenesse and sensiblenesse of sinne and yet much secret fraud and hardnesse in the apprehension of wrath In the same affections love of God and love of the world feare of God and feare of men trust in God and doubting of his favour Lord I beleeve helpe thou mine unbeleefe was the cry of the poore man in the Gospell and such must be the complaint of the best of us Lord I remember thee helpe my forgetfulnesse Lord I presse towards thee helpe my weaknesse Lord I rejoyce in thee helpe my heavinesse Lord I desire to have more communion with thee help my strangnesse I am dull and dead hearted doe thou quicken me I desire to please thee helpe my failings We must not only wrestle with God by strong and importunate prayers but with the lusts and frowardnesse of our owne hearts 6. Consider the strength and power of this sinne to bring about what ever it hath projected for the advancement of Sathans kingdome it raignes like a King and hath the strength of a law in our members and a law without strength is no Law for Lawes are made to binde and keepe men in order therefore the wicked are called servants to sinne and the best of us all are captives that is unwilling servants So much flesh as remaines in any man so much disability he hath to withstand sinne The choisest vessell of mercy and most peculiar Saint of God is no way able to keepe his standing as of himselfe for this is certain that to be preserved from the strength of our owne lusts wee have not onely use of the good graces which God hath given us already but of a continuall support and underpropping Grace in the best here is but like the putting of hot water into cold which may bee warmed for a time but yet presently returnes to its former temper cold is predominant however the preserving of fire under it keepes it hot for the present It is not the Grace which any of us receive can overcome sinne in us if God should there stop and leave us to our selves without a fresh supply that which preserves us is his promise of never failing us of healing our back slidings and following us with his mercy all our dayes For grace doth not onely prevent a wicked man to make him righteous but followes him lest hee become wicked againe 7. Consider the indefatigablenesse of this sinne how unwearied it is in every mischiefe it sets about If we resist the devill hee will flye from us but this fleshly heart of ours will never sound a retreat it is like a wounded wolfe that runnes up and downe to doe mischiefe a man that hath in some measure overcome his lusts will bee farre more sensible of their stirrings and struglings then another in whom they rule without disturbance Sin is kindled by that which quencheth all other fires and surely grace which extinguisheth other temptations doth occasionally enrage the flesh though in regard of exercise and actuall power it dye daily The reason is because a thing in its proper motion is never tyred who ever knew the Sea give over raging or the streame grow weary of running Now corrupt motions are as naturall to a man as the course of a river Though there may be

keepe grace low and looke how much we detract from the flesh so much our spirituall part will prosper and be in good liking How may a man know that grace hath gotten the upper hand and that the power of sin is abated in him Dost thou loath nothing more than thy former spirituall bondage Hast thou a secret dislike of thy naturall estate seest a necessity of reforming it and watchest over those things which are most pleasing to it this cannot proceed but from a worke of grace in thee for Nature is a lover of it selfe and seekes by all means its own preservation when a man is come to this that he doth not approve his sinfull inclination nor willingly give way unto it but studies rather which way to curbe and restraine the same it is a manifest signe of some higher hand by which the flesh shall bee more and more over ruled I doubt not but a man after there is some change wrought in him by grace may in some particulars receive a foyle by his owne corruptions and by that law of his members which fights and rebels against the law of God hardly may a man say hee is truly changed unlesse he be sensible of the struggling of nature against grace but yet still it is a pledge of such a work begun as shall never be broken off when Nature in the proper disposition thereof is become a burthen to the soule and a man would faine bee better and have it otherwise with him than it is Grace cannot stand with the regiment of sin That person in whom grace is truly wrought desires to bee furnished with the compleat armour of God that he may resist the devill the strength and bent of his will and affections are for God and goodnes hee chooseth holinesse with a full purpose and resolution to walke in it he turnes from his former evils with a detestation of them and leaves them with a resolution never to take them up againe he daily prayes and cryes earnestly to God for strength against corruption and wisheth O that my wayes were so directed that I might keepe thy statutes He is not for God to day and the devil to morrow Hee is no Morning Saint and evening Devil but desires continually to walke with God in all well pleasing A Gracious heart keepes a constant warre with his lusts the law of his members is evermore rebelling against the law of his minde Howsoever upon the assault of some furious temptation haply hee may be wounded and taken prisoner by some raging lust which imperiously treads and tramples upon him yet doth hee not yeelde and give himselfe over to the power of lust Grace within bestirs it selfe the heart sighes and groanes and seekes to God for succour If thy case be thus that thou abhorrest Sathan and his snares that thou delightest in the law of God concerning the inner man that thou ponderest with care and diligence willingly and setledly to follow the things of the Spirit that is such things as the spirit prompts and suggests Doe you grieve inwardly for that dominion which the flesh exerciseth over you lessening the power and practice of sinne all you can not leaving the reines to corruption to carry you whither it will but rather holding it in with a bridle of righteousnesse Doth not the feare of God in you though sometimes driven from its station still dwell as controuler in your soule represse refractory thoughts and affections and sway your heart against the naturall inclination that you may keepe Gods word that though you bee interlaced with the flesh yet you give the guidance of your life to the holy Ghost loving that he may have the principality in you Doe you chiefly attend your spirituall being and principally affect things in heaven and not things on earth Doest thou submit to the commandement with pleasure in it so as thou canst truly say I am content to doe thy will yea thy law is within my heart Doest thou lay hold upon good thoughts and desires so soone as they offer themselves unto thee welcomming them in the kindest manner into thy heart and constraining them by a respective usage to stay still with thee so soone as any good motiō arises doest thou feare the deceitfulnesse of thy heart and pray with David knit my heart this fickle fugitive heart of mine is alwayes ready to steale from thee knit it O Lord and tye it fast unto thy selfe that as it is now with thee so it may still continue O Lord keep this frame of the thoughts of thy servants heart for ever Are thy failings matter of daily humiliation unto thy soule Doest thou finde and feele that nothing under the Sunne more stings and pierces thy soule than to be now and then overtaken with sinfull passions or carried away with the swinge of any corruptions against thy godly purpose and resolutions Doest thou love righteousnesse it selfe as righteousnesse bee the thing and subject of never so small a nature And dost thou hate sinne as sinne bee it never so little in thine eye Is the one precious to thee for his sake whom it resembles and the other loathsome because it opposes the Almighty Doest thou obey God out of a love of goodnesse seeing a beauty in the wayes of holinesse being humbled when thou hast done thy best that thou canst bring no more glory to him dost thou love righteous men for righteousnesse sake Is thy service ready and cheerefull without repining and delay Canst thou be content to obey against profit pleasure credit liberty ease the liking of the world or carnall friends preferring Gods commandements above all things yea life it selfe Art thou sensible of the dishonour done unto God and more vexed for that than for any disgrace or injury offered to thy self it is a good signe But art thou quick sighted into the faults of others and indulgent towards thine owne it is an ill symptome The best men are most severe against themselves and tender over others A gracious heart dislikes sinne in any but in himselfe most of all He is very backward in censuring others but exceeding forward in accusing himself None can say so much against him but he is ready to say much more He loveth goodnesse in the greatest enemie and hateth sin even in the greatest friend Art thou conscionable of the least offence as wel as the greatest cherishing an universall hatred of all sinne in thy soule whether secret or open without exception and carying a constant purpose and resolution in nothing willingly to sinne against God but whatsoever thou knowest to be a sin thou wilt not deliberately doe it for all the world at all times and in all places though no eye sees thee and it may be beneficiall unto thee Here is a notable signe that grace hath gotten the upper hand when as thou preferrest vertue before vice even then when in humane reason vertue will be the loser and