Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	body_n	soul_n	true_a	7,689	5	4.8842	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64834	Sin, the plague of plagues, or, Sinful sin the worst of evils a treatise of sins tryal and arraignment, wherein sin is accused for being, proved to be, and condemned for being exceeding sinful : and that 1. as against God, his nature, attributes, works, will, law, image, people, glory and existence, 2. as against man, his good and welfare of body and soul, in this life, and that to come : with the use and improvement to be made of this doctrine, that men may not be damned, but saved, &c. : being the substance of many sermons preached many years ago in Southwark / by Ralph Venning ...	Venning, Ralph, 1621?-1674.	1669 (1669)	Wing V226; ESTC R38391	212,020	400

Mans ground is over-grown with thorns that he hath many an aking head and heart many a sore hand and foot before the year come about to get a little livelihood out of this sin-cursedground Mans Paradisical life was easie and pleasant but now 't is labour and pain such as makes him sweat yea Eccl. 2.1 2. his recreations fall little short of his labour for pain and sweat The old world was very sensible of this as may be gather'd from Genes 5.29 He called his name Noah saying this same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed sin curse and toil keep company 2 Sin is against mans comfort and joy 2 His comfort and joy Genes 3.17 In sorrow shalt thou eat all the daies of thy life not one whole merry day 't were some comfort to a man if after he had toil'd and moil'd all day he could eat his bread with joy and drink his wine with a merry heart but sin will not suffer him if he laugh sin turns it to madness Eccl. 2.2 or else 't is no better Musick then the crackling of thorns Eccl. 7.6 In Paradise the blessing of God on Adams diligent hand made him rich and there was no sorrow with it to allude to Prov. 10.22 but now mans sweet meats have sowre sawces in sorrow shalt thou eat his bread is the bread of affliction Yea the Femaie the She-man or Manness the Woman hath a peculiar sort and share of sorrow for the time of conception breeding bearing and birth are tedious yet alas many that feel the pain which sin brought are not sensible of the sin which brought the pain though their sorrow and pain too be greatly multiplied as we find it exprest Genes 3.16 and the more for want of faith and sobriety 1 Tim. 2.15 3 3 His health Sin is against mans health Hence come all diseases and sicknesses till sin there were no such things For this cause in general many are weak and sick among you Let a man take the best air he can and eat the best food he can let him eat and drink by rule let him take never so many Antidotes Preservatives and Cordials yet man is but a crazy sickly thing for all this Verily every man in his best estate is a frail and brittle thing yea altogether vanity Psal 39. which is spoken with reference to diseases and sickness take him while his blood danceth in his veins and his marrow fills his bones yet then is he a brittle piece of mortality 4 Sin is against the quiet of a mans natural conscience for it wounds the spirit 4 The quiet of conscience and makes it intollerable a wounded spirit who can bear Prov. 18.14 while that is sound and whole all infirmities are more easily born but when that is broken the supports fail and this hath great influence upon the body for Prov. 17.22 a merry heart doth good like a medicine no cordial like it but a broken spirit drieth the bones it sucks away the marrow and radical moisture Prov. 12.25 heaviness in the heart of man makes it stoop a good conscience is a continual feast but sin mars all the mirth When Cain had killed his Brother and his conscience felt the stroak of the curse he was like a distracted man and mad when Judas had betray'd his Master he was weary of his life 5 Sin is against the beauty of man 5 His beauty it takes away the loveliness of mens very complexions it alters the very air of their conntenance Psa 9.11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity thou mak'st his beauty or that which is to be desir'd in him as 't is in the margine to consume or melt away like a Moth surely every man is vanity his beauty vain Now there was no such thing as vanity or deformity till sin entred every thing was lovely before and man above any thing of the inferiour world 6 6 The loving cohabitation of soul and body Sin is against the loving and conjugal cohabitation of soul and body they were happily matried and lived lovingly together for a while till sin sowed discord between them and made them jar many a falling out is there now between body and soul between sense and reason they draw several wayes there 's a self-civil war even in this sense the flesh lusteth against the spirit that poor man is hall'd and pulled this way and that tossed to and fro as with several winds nunc hic nunc flectitur illic man is full of contradictions Time was when the mind commanded the body but now this servant rides on horse-back when that Prince walks on foot Man is inverted his head is where his heels should be his soul is become a prisoner to the body rather then a Free-man too too often the beast is too hard for the man and the horse rides the rider sense Lords it and domineers over reason 7. 7 His relative good Sin is against mans relative good in this world mans comfort or sorrow lies much in relations the weal or woe of his life is as relation are that which was made for an help proves but too often an hindrance Sin hath spoil'd Society that homo homini lupus diabolus one man is a wolf yea a devil to another Sin will not let Husband and Wife Parents and Children to live quietly but sets them at variance and many times a mans Enemies are them of his own house and bosome they who eat bread at our Table lift up their heel against us and familiar friends become enemies Lust makes wars James 4.1 and from pride comes contention Proverbs 13.10 It breeds divisions factions in Church and State that there is little of union or order harmony society or friendship in the world Thus doth sin set it self to oppose mans well-being Yea 2 Sin is against the very being of man 2 'T is against the being of man sin doth aim not only that man should not be well but that man should not be at all How many doth it strangle in the Womb how many miscarriages and abortions doth it cause how many doth it send from the Cradle to the grave that they have run their race before they can go others die in their full strength beside the havocks it makes by war c. as some do alwayes eat their bread in darkness Job 21.23 Man no sooner begins to live but he begins to die and after a few daies which are but as a span and do passe away more swift then a Weavers Shuttle sin lays all in the dust Princes as well as Beggars Sin hath reduced mans age to a very little pittance from almost a thousand to a very uncertainty not only to seventy but to seven for among men no mans life is valued at more mans time is short and uncertain he that 's born to day is not sure to live

Loathsomness of Sin 2. The Infectiousness of Sin 1. That Sin is a filthy i. e. a loathsom thing will be clear if we do consider a little that to which sin is resembled and likened as to the most offensive and loathsom diseases 't is likened to a Canker or Gangrene 2 Tim 2.17 Now with such persons as are under these diseases others are loth to eat or drink 't is likened to the rot to the filth and corruption of the foulest disease which is so foul and rotten as according to the Proverb one would not touch it with a pair of Tongs The Apostle tells us of some who like Jannes and Jambres resist the truth and calls them men of corrupt or rotten minds And Solomon gives us to know that as a sound heart is the life of the flesh so Envy any thing opposed to the sound heart is rottenness to the bones yea sin is likened to the Plague which every one flies from 't is so noisom and loathsom that it separates the nearest relations now sin is called the Plague of the heart 1 Kings 8.38.39 which is much worse then any plague-sore of the body and this is not all but as sin is likened to the most loathsom diseases so to other the most loathsom things that are 't is likened to the blood wherein infants are born which is loathsom as Ezek. 16.5 6. It s likened to Mire and Dung to the very excrements that lye in Ditches and Common shores wherein Sows and Swine do wallow as 't is exprest 2 Pet. 2.22 yea to the Vomit of dogs in the same place to the Putrifaction of graves and sepulchres Math. 23.27 28. which is stinking as Martha said of Lazarus when he had been some days dead Joh. 11.39 't is likened to Poyson Rom. 3.13 All these things and others which I shall not name are loathsom things at which men stop their noses and from which they hide their eyes yet sin is more loathsom then they all if we consider that nothing but the fountain open'd for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in nothing but the blood of Jesus can cleanse from this filthiness all the Nitre and Sope in the world cannot get it out beside 't is not only filthy but filthiness not only corrupt but corruption in the very abstract and all the things to which sin is resembled are far short of sin they are but shadows which are very imperfect representations of things all the former Instances or others of like name and nature reach but to the body and do not defile the man but sin reacheth and seizeth on soul and spirit and defiles the man Math. 15.19 20. This is the Canker the Rottenness the Plague the Poyson of the Soul and sin is not only worse then any but then all of these yea further if our righteousness be but as a menstruous rag Isa 64.6 how filthy must our sin be The Apostle St. Paul counted his righteousness which was of the Law to be but dung Phil. 3. what did he reckon his injuriousness persecution and blasphemy then surely as bad as death and hell if not only our righteousness but our righteousnesses yea all our righteousnesses be as filthy rags as 't is in that fore quoted place Isa 64.6 what is our sin our sins and all our sins Ah how filthy beyond expression or imagination yet again sin is not only filthy i. e. loathsom but it is 2. A polluting and infectious thing 't is of a pestilential and poysonous nature and therefore called not only corruption but pollution and defilement 2 Pet. 2.20 There are many things that may make a man foul and loathsom as Leprosie and ulcerous tumours c. and yet the soul of a man may be pure and fair as Jobs was when his body was all over of a scab or sore and he state on the dunghil but sin as was hinted before defiles the man and soaks into his very spirit and infects that But that we may take the clearer and fuller prospect of sins pestilent and infectious nature and operation let us behold it 1. In its Vniversality how it hath extended and spread it self over all the world there is no Land or Nation Tribe Language Kindred or People where it hath not been known from the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof all Climats hot and cold all Quarters of the world Americans Africans Asians and Europeans have all been infected not only Sodom or Samaria but Jerusalem and Sion were infected and ruin'd by it 't is here and there and every where but in Heaven Beside this it hath infected all Ages 't is almost as old as the world it hath run in a blood from Adam to Moses and so on to this day 't is a plague that hath lasted almost 6000 years yea which is more not one man hath escaped it all kind of men of all ranks and qualities high and low rich and poor Kings and Beggars have been infected by it the wise the learned as well as foolish and illiterate Rom. 3.9 10. who is there that hath lived and sinned not our Saviour excepted and if any man say he hath not sinned he sins in saying so By one man sin came into the world but since not one man but every man hath sinned all have sinned and come short of the glory of God Rom. 3.23 and death came upon all in as much as all had sinned Rom. 5.12 If all men are mortal then all are sinners for death came in by sin where there is no sin there 's no death as in Heaven Rev. 21.4 All men have died of this plague yea our Lord and Saviour had not died if he had not been made sin for us Moreover this Leprosie hath spread it self not only on whole mankind but on the whole of man every whit of every man is infected it hath made flesh and spirit filthy 2 Cor. 7.1 from the crown of ●he head to the sole of the foot there 's no sound part in him all as I instanced above all his members are servants to sin and 't is no better within Gen. 6.5 his heart is evil the thoughts of his heart are evil the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart are evil the very thoughts of his thoughts are evil every creature of the heart is evil How the Vnderstanding is darkned and depraved I shewed above that the Heart is desperately wicked and deceitful beyond any knowledge but Gods the Prophet assures us from God himself Jer. 17.9 the mind and Conscience is defiled Tit. 1.15 16. The Will is become perverse and stubborn worse then so 't is wilful and mad set upon sin and hell Eccle. 8.11 The Affections concupiscible are inordinate the Passions irascible are unruly that man 's more head-strong then the horse that rusheth into the battel It hath made some men so restless that they cannot sleep unless or until they have done mischief Prov. 4.16 To go on yet further Sin spreads its

peace though we walk in the imaginations of our heart to add drunkenness to thirst the Lord will not spare them but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against them and when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction will come upon them as travel upon a woman with child and there will be no escaping 1 Thes 5.3 There are some other inferences yet to be spoken to and of them I shall say but a few things in brief Time spent in sin is worse then lost Sin being so sinful 2. I infer that time spent in sin is worse then lost Most of the pastime in the world is lost time but sinning time or time spent in sin is worse then lost it must be accounted for and who can give a good account of evil doing while men live in sin they do nothing but undo themselves Man was not sent into this world only to eat drink sleep and play much less to sin yea that he might not sin but as into a great Work-house to work for the glory of God Joh. 17.4 and so to work out his own Salvation and that with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 but they that live in sin work out their damnation and many times without fear or trembling of which they will have great store when they come to receive their just doom and damnation Time is a most precious Commodity for on this moment depends Eternity and as men sow in this seed-time they will reap in that harvest Time is a Prophet for Eternity as men live here they are like to live for ever they that sow sin must reap death Galat. 6.8 Time is to be redeemed Eph. 5.16 and every day to be numbred greatly valued and improved that we may apply our hearts to wisdom Psal 90.12 and this is wisdom the fear of the Lord and this understanding to depart from evil Job 28.28 This is wisdom to know and do what is the acceptable will of God Mat. 7.24 Eph. 5 15-17 We may be said to be but not to live if we live not to God and all time that is not so spent is but mis-spent and worse then lost poor distracted persons that have lost their understanding They that mock at sin are worse then fools wear out their days to less loss and disadvantage then sinners do 3. Then they that make a mock at sin are worse then fools and mad-men fools make a mock at sin Prov. 14.9 tell them as Lot did his sons in Law the danger they are in the judgments that hang over their head and our is to them as Lot was to them as one that mocketh Gen. 19.14 they laugh at it as if God were not in earnest when he threatens sinners and as if they that preach against sin were but ridiculous persons It s a sport to fools to do mischief Prov. 10.23 and there are that sport themselves in their way to Hell as if 't were but a recreation Oh what fools are they that laugh at their own folly and destruction too 'T is a devilish nature in us to mock at the calamity of others but to laugh at our own seems to be worse then devilish There are many too many that mourn under affliction yet laugh over their sins that sigh weep when they feel any burden on their bodies but make merry at that which destroys their soul Can any thing be more mad then these that laugh mock and make sport at that which is a burden and weariness to God Isa 1.14 Amos 2.13 which is the wounding piercing and crucifying of Christ Jesus Zach. 12.10 Heb. 6.6 which is a grief to the Spirit of Consolation Eph. 4.30 which is a trouble to holy Angels Luke 15. which is a wrong to and the undoing of their own souls Prov. 8.36 and such is sin 4. It cannot be well with men in their sin Sin being so sinful infectious and pernicious it can never be well with a man how well soever he be while he is in his sins Was it well with Dives though he fared deliciously every day no it was better with Lazarus that lay at his gate full of sores for that 's wel● that ends well which it never doth with sinners if judgment be not executed speedily 't will surely for they are condemned already being sons of death and perdition No man hath cause to envy the prosperity of sinners 't is not good enough to be envied but 't is bad enough to be pitied they are but fatted and thereby fitted to destruction Prov. 1.32 the prosperity of fools shall destroy them their folly alone doth it but their prosperity doth double it and do it with a vengeance the prosperous sinner is in the worst case of all sinners they are set in slippery places and shall be cast down from their height to the depth of destruction Psal 73.18 5. Sin being so sinful It concerns us to be religious betimes it greatly concernes persons and hugely obligeth them to be religious betimes that they may prevent a great deal of sin which without being early religious and strictly so they cannot possibly do how precious and dear should that be to us which prevents the being of what is so pernicious and destructive how industriously careful should we be to keep our selves from that which will keep us from happiness and how ambitious to enjoy that which capacitates us for the enjoying of God for ever and gives us the first-fruits of it here We cannot be too soon nor too much religious but the sooner and more the better If ever you mean to be religious there is no time more proper then now the present now no day to to day Eccl. 12.1 remember now thy Creators as the word is viz. God in Christ for he ●reated all things by Christ Jesus Eph. 3.9 Col. 1.16 Remember now in the days of thy youth before the evil days come when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them not only no pleasure in the evil days of sickness death and judgment that evil day which I put far from me but I have none in the remembrance of my youthful days Youth is the most proper season of all our days and now is the most proper season of all our youth to remember God in If you say we will do that when we are old 't is now spring-time with us and no month to May we will think of Religion in a Winters night Oh do not boast of to morrow as young as thou art thou art old enough to dye this night thy soul may be taken from thee and be in Hell to morrow Take the Wise-mans counsel Eccl. 11.9 Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes yes Sir with all our heart we will take this counsel we like it well this is pleasing Doctrine

we had rather mind this then to be holy we will be dehonaire and jovial we care not for severe Preachers of strictness and devotion we will laugh and sing drink and dance away our time while we have it c. But mistake not Solomon speaks Ironically and hath something else to say take all and then if thou rejoyce 't will be with trembling rejoyce but let thy heart cheer thee but walk in th● ways of thine heart and eyes but but what Know thou that for all these things thou mus● come to judgment and how wilt thou answer for thy vanities and follies thy pride and wantonness thy drunkenness and debauchery then Oh remember thy Creator before that evil day come and prevent a life of sin which is the miserablest life in the world and God hath promised that if thou seek him early thou shalt find him and in finding him thou findest all Prov. 8 17-21 Remember him in thy youth for memory is then in its prime and most flourishing shall he that gave thee thy being and memory be forgotten by thee If God should not remember thee what would become of thee and see what 's like to become of thee if thou forget God Psal 50.22 How good how excellent soever thy memory be I am sure thou hast a very bad one if thou forget and do not remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth The young mans glory is his strength whether of memory c. and wilt thou give thy strength to sin which is due to God Mark 12.30 Gods Sacrifices were to be young the first ripe fruits and the first-born which is the strength Gen. 49.3 were to be dedicated to God and he will not be put off with less now Gods chiefest Worthies have been and are his young men 1 Joh. 2.13 14. Gods men of valour are young men the Princes of this World like the Romans of old make up their Armies of young men the flower of their Army is Romana juventus of young and strong men and shall the King of Kings be put off with what 's decrepit and worn out no he will not Mal. 1.8.13.14 go offer it to thy Governour will he be pleased with or accept such persons no nor will God who is a great King the Lord of Hosts whose Name is dreadful They that have been religious betimes are greatly famed and honoured in and by the Scripture-Records God is taken with and remembers the kindness of their youth Jer. 2.2 Abel though dead is yet spoken of with an honourable testimony even that of God himself for serving God so young and so well Heb. 11.4 Joseph was very early religious so was Samuel Jeroboams little Son is not to be forgotten for God hath honoured him King Josiah Daniel and the three Children or young men of Israel are all inrolled in the Court of Honour and Heaven And in the New Testament St. John is called the Disciple whom Jesus loved his Bosom-favourite and Darling and the reason usually given is because he came to Christ and became his Disciple while yet very young 't is the command of Timothy that he knew the Scriptures from a Child 2 Tim. 3.15 Many Parents are afraid to have serious and divine things taught their children lest it make them melancholy and dispirit them but is there any thing better to fit them for service to God o● man then Religion or any spirit comparable to that true greatness and gallantry of spirit which is in being afraid to sin We should teach children moral and religious courage and bravery which is more in fearing to sin then t● dye and to make Moses his choice to prefer th● reproaches of Christ before the treasures an● pleasures of this world and this way are the● like to attain better names and greater estates to enjoy more pleasure and preferment then any this world can confer upon them They are best bred who are taught to love and serve God best and they attain most honour who honour God for them will God himself honour I speak not in derogation of any thing that 's civil handsom and gentile but would press to more to what 's commendable to God and in his sight of great price to remember him in the days of youth For evil days are a coming sickness old age death is approaching the Judge is at the door and certainly that 's best while we are young that will be best when we are old and dye and that can be worth very little at the beginning which will be worth nothing at the end of our days The sins of youth will lye heavy upon an old age yea if God give repentance to thee when thou art old 't will cost thee the dearer that thou didst repent no sooner and thou wilt regret it that thou hast been so long in sin and art now to live but a little while to testifie thy conversion 'T was sad with Job to possess the sins of his youth Job 13.23 24. Youthful sweets do often prove old ages bitterness and the pleasures while young cost pains when old which made King David pray to God that he would not remember against him the sins of his youth Psal 25.7 I suppose this may suffice though much more might be added to shew how much persons are concerned to be religious betimes seeing sin is a thing so dangerous and destructive To welcome the the Gospel 6. Sin being so pernicious how welcome should the Gospel be which brings the good and happifying news of a Savior and how to be saved from sin the cause of wrath and wrath the effect of sin how beautiful should their feet be that bring this blessed Receipt to us Rom. 10.15 had we the gout or stone what would we not give for a Recipe an infallible medicine to cure us We use to welcome Chirurgions though they put us to pain and Apothecaries though they bring us loathsom drugs yea so dear is health that we not only thank but reward them too Oh what a welcome then should Christ his Gospel have who come with saving health to cure us of the worst of diseases and plagues viz. that of sin methinks we should press with violence and be so violent as to besiege Heaven and take it by force and we should no less hasten to receive the Gospel and take into us the wine and milk thereof and the waters of life seeing we may have them so freely for coming for indeed our Salvation cost Christ Jesus dear but he offers it us at a cheap rate and methinks we should not let Heaven be so thinly and Hell so populously inhabited when Salvation may be had at an easier rate then going beyond Sea for it Rom. 10 6-10 with Deut. 30 12-14 Oh seeing 't is so faithful a saying and worthy to b● received be not so unworthy as to refuse it and with that to refuse thy own Salvation But I shall take an occasion from hence to pass