Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	great_a	heaven_n	see_v	3,749	5	3.4266	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13680	Of the imitation of Christ, three, both for wisedome, and godlines, most excellent bookes; made 170. yeeres since by one Thomas of Kempis, and for the worthines thereof oft since translated out of Latine into sundrie languages by diuers godlie and learned men: now newlie corrected, translated, and with most ample textes, and sentences of holie Scripture illustrated by Thomas Rogers; Imitatio Christi. English.	Rogers, Thomas, d. 1616.; Thomas, à Kempis, 1380-1471, attributed name.	1580 (1580)	STC 23973; ESTC S118358	156,757	336

by our flesh that we must not thinke that God can haue his dominion in vs vnles we vse great force to ouercome and subdue our selues to him Yet notwithstanding there are some nowadaies yea and a great some who without taking much paine I wil not say without taking any atal cesse not for al that to brag afterwarde that they be of Gods kingdome But they deceiue themselues For seeing that Gods kingdome is righteousnes peace and ioie through the holie Ghost as saith saint Paule how can it haue place in them which suffer vnrighteousnes to raigne in them And verilie it is a suffering of it to raigne when they represse it not according also as they shew in effect by their cōuersation which is no better than the conuersation of those whom they condemne I know wel they haue their shifts for it saieng that we haue no power atal that we shal be flesh stil as long as we be in this life and that we cannot proceede far forward in this great frailtie and weaknes of our nature but that Christ wil supplie al our wants and not lay our sinnes to our charge Yea verily but when they say so or rather flatter themselues after that maner perceiue they not how they disgrade themselues from the degree of Christians For if they cannot obey God and do the thing that he commandeth they haue not Christs Spirit and if they haue not Christs Spirit then are they not Christians Saint Paule saith wel that the flesh neither wil nor can obey Gods lawe but yet he addeth therewith that Christians are not in the flesh but in the Spirit You be not in the flesh saith he but in the Spirit at leastwise if Gods Spirit be in you Whervpon it must needes folow that they which cannot obey God are in the flesh and those saith he cannot please God Which reason may serue also to this saieng of theirs that we shal alwaies be flesh For if we be alwaies flesh we shal alwaies be stil vnchristianlike because that to be flesh and to be Christians are things that can by no meanes match together I meane to be flesh in such wise as to make none other trade than to folowe a mans owne lusts For otherwise I denie not but that the flesh is stil in vs so long as we be wrapped in this mortal bodie to prouoke vs vnto euil and to make war against the Spirit but not to folow the froward motions of it any more For this standeth true that whosoeuer foloweth them is not to be registred in the number of Christians And therefore Saint Paule threateneth euerlasting death to such as liue after the flesh specialy after they haue bin taught that they be alwaies subiect to damnation As touching our frailtie and weakenes wherewith they thinke to preuaile continualie against such as presse them with their dutie surely I confesse with them that it is great and such as maketh euen the holiest to be ouerthrowen and vanquished oftentimes by Satan and their owne flesh which thing they lament and bewaile but as for to make a sheeld or a defence of it to sooth themselues in their vices and to take licence to folowe their lusts it is for such folke to do as seeke al maner of occasion to doe euil and to rid away al regard of vpright dealing righteousnes which thing cannot agree with true Christians whose whole studie is to maintaine themselues in good workes as they that know how il it beseemeth those which professe themselues to be made cleane by the blood of Iesus Christ to turne back to the defiling of themselues againe Moreouer to say that Christ wil supply al our wants and not charge vs with our sinnes wherevnto we haue yeelded our selues so freely and willingly after we haue knowen him seemeth in my iudgement to tend to none other thing than to make Christ a cloake for our vices and to take occasion of his grace to flatter and maintaine our selues in them which cannot be done without manifest wickednes For seing that Christ maketh vs partakers of his grace vpon condition that we shal leade a life both pure holie and beseeming him and to bring the same to passe doth promise vs his Spirit so we aske it of him in faith if we doe the contrarie it wil not be without dooing him wrong Wherethrough it wil come to pas that we shal bereue our selues of the benefite of our redemption and make our selues vnworthie thereof For as Saint Iohn teacheth vs Christes blood maketh none cleane saue those which walk in the light as God is light But I beseech these men in the name of God to consider these things aduisedlie and to think earnestlie vpon this saicng of Christs That not al they which say Lord Lord shal be saued but they which do the wil of his heauenlie Father Neither words nor ceremonies do proue folke to be Christians children of God faithful ones members of Christ and chosen of God which are titles wherewith they deck themselues as with things which belong peculiarly and alonely vnto them but their deedes and their loue proceeding from a pure hart from a good conscience and from an vnfained faith Let vs then conclude that the onelie true marke of Christians and right beleeuers is loue without the which a man may wel talke of Christ and of the Gospel and he may wel haue the Sacraments and al the godlie ceremonies that can be deuised and yet al shal be nothing And would God that the Christians of our time as wel the one sort as the other for alas they be diuided asunder had put it wel in vre these former yeeres For then should we not see now so much hatred hartburning crueltie medling sedition part-taking treason trecherie desire of reuenge and other infinite mischeues that raigne among vs. Neither should blood haue bin shed after such a sort and in so great aboundance as it is and yet stil shalbe vnles God vsing his absolute power restraine mens mindes which are now fiercely bent and fleshed one against another as they may not be able to bring their desires and passions to passe and that they also on their side do suffer themselues to be bowed by acknowledging their faults and by hauing recourse to the remedie of repentance which is the only meane to appease Gods wrath so kindled against vs and at a word doe turne their rage and crueltie into mildnes charitie And to lay foorth the matter yet more particularlie the Christians are those which crucifie the flesh with the lusts and affections there of The children of God are they that are led by Gods Spirit and not by the Diuels spirit nor by their owne affections The faithful are they which not onely repenting themselues truely doe trust in Gods mercy through Iesus Christ but also do exercise themselues in al good works and as saith Saint Peter do indeuer

toward these than toward those but that doo they rather of humane affection than of heauenlie I am he who made al the saincts who haue endowed them with gifts and exalted them to glorie I know what euerie one hath deserued I preuented them with most liberal blessings I before the world began fore-knew who were to be loued I choase them out of the world not they me I of my great fauor called them and drew them mercifulie vnto me I lead them through manifold tentations and powred most singular comforts vpon them I gaue them power to perseuere and crowned their patience I knowe both the first and the last I loue al men most wonderfulie I am to be praised in al my saintes and in each of them honored and glorified who haue so gloriouslie exalted such as I did predestinate and that without anie merites at al which they had done Therefore who so despiseth euen the least of my seruants doth not honor the great Because I haue made the smal as wel as the great so that he who derogates from anie of the saincts derogates from me and from al the partakers of the celestial kingdome For al are one through the band of loue they al thinke one thing they minde one thing and they loue al as one Yea which is far more strange they loue me more than themselues or anie merites of their owne For being rauished aboue themselues carried awaie frō al selfe-loue they proceede wholie into the loue of me so that nothing can either turne them awaie or keepe them downe For being ful of eternal truth they burne with y ● fire of loue vnquenchable Let therefore carnal and fleshlie men who know nothing but how to loue their priuate ioies surcesse from prating about the state of the godlie For they ad vnto and diminish from their praises according as in affection they are inclined not as pleaseth the eternal truth Manie are ignorant but they especialie who being smalie inlightened can seldome loue anie man with a perfect spiritual affection of loue Some through natural and humane affection are inclined toward these men and toward those and as they thinke of earthlie so they iudge of heauenlie things But vnspeakeable is the difference betweene those things which vnperfect men do dreame of and betwene that which men spiritualie inlightened from aboue do behold Therefore my sonne wade not curiouslie in those matters which passe the reach of thy wit but bend thy whole studie that thou maist be found the least in the kingdome of God Now in case a man knew who were either more holie for zeale or in place more honorable than the rest in the kingdome of heauen what good would that knowledge bring him but onlie to make him the more humble in my sight thereby and to breake the oftener into the praise of my Name He pleaseth God better that thinketh how great his sinnes and how litle his virtues are and how far he is from the perfection of godlie men than he doth which disputeth about the highnes basenes of the saincts of God They glorie not of their owne merites in asmuch as they ascribe no goodnes to themselues but confesse that whatsoeuer they haue commeth fro me who haue giuen them al things of mine infinite mercie and loue And they for their partes are filled with such fulnes of the Godhed and ioie that they lack no glorie nor felicitie at al. The saincts the more brighter in glorie the more humble are they and the nigher and deerer to me Therefore shal you finde it written that they cast their crownes before the throne of God and with faces toward y e ground before the lambe worshipped him who liueth for euer and euer Manie reason who is greatest in the kingdome of God which neuer recken whether they be themselues to be counted in the nomber of y e least In heauen to be euen the least is a great thing where al be great For al both shalbe called and are the children of God He that is least shal become as a thousand and he that is an hundred yeeres old being a sinner shal die as a yong man For when the disciples demanded who in y e kingdome of heauen should be greatest they had this answere made them Except ye be conuerted and become as litle children ye shal not enter into the kingdome of heauen Whosoeuer therefore shal humble himselfe as this litle childe the same is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen Wo then to them who disdaine to humble themselues with litle ones For the gate of the kingdome of heauen is too lowe for them to enter in thereat Wo also to the rich who haue their comforts in this worlde For they shal stand howling without when the poore are entered into the kingdome of God But ye meeke ones reioice and be glad yee poore For yours is the kingdome of God obeieng or walking in the truth Chap. 65. That al our trust and confidence must be fixed on God alone SERVANT O My Lord wherein is mine hope fixed in this life or what is my greatest comfort of al things which are anie where vnder the coape of heauen Is it thou my Lord and God whose mercie is infinite When was it with me either wel if thou wert absent or il if thou wert present Doubtles I would choose to be rather poore for thee than rich without thee and rather with thee to be a pilgrime on earth than without thee to possesse heauen Where thou art there is heauen where thou art not there is hel and destruction Thou alone art the thing which I desire therefore neede haue I to sigh to crie to praie vnto thee Finalie I can trust none that can dulie assist me in my trobles but thee alone my God thou art mine hope thou art my confidence thou art my comforter in al things most faithful Al men seeke their owne but thou desirest naught but my welfare and profit and turnest al things for me to good In that thou laiest me open to tentations and trobles it is altogether for my profit For thy woont is a thousand waies to trie such as thou louest In which trial thou oughtest no lesse to be loued and praised than if thou did est replenish me with al celestial comforts Wherefore in thee my Lord and GOD I place al mine hope and confidence on thee doo I laie al my calamities and trobles For without thee whatsoeuer I behold is al fraile and transitorie For neither can freends profit nor strong men helpe nor wise men counsel wel nor learned bookes comfort nor riches saue nor secret

Whether he be rich or strong or faire or stoute whether he can write wel or sing wel or plough wel we enquire but how poore in spirit he is how patient and meeke how religious and spiritual manie wil not tel Nature beholdeth the outwarde partes of man Grace respecteth the inward that commonlie is deceaued this hath hir trust in God that she maie not er Chap. 38. That we must denie our selues and renounce vtterlie al carnal desires LORD MY sonne thou canst not come vnto perfect freedome vnles thou vtterly denie thy self As manie as are couetous as manie as loue themselues as manie as lust as are curious busie-bodies desirous alwaies of pleasure not of Iesus Christ attempting that which shal not abide for whatsoeuer is not of God wil come to naught are captiues and in bondage vnto Satan Take this for al. Forsake al and finde al Forsake thy desire and finde rest Meditate hereof continualie and when thou hast fulfilled al thou shalt vnderstand SERVANT O my Lord this cannot be done in a daie neither is it a plaie for children but therein brieflie the whole perfection of a godlie man is comprehended LORD Sonne change not thy mind for al that neither be thou dismaied at the naming of perfection but so much the more stir vp thy selfe vnto higher things and at the least in desire sigh after them Oh that thou wert come vnto that passe that thou couldest not loue thy selfe nor disobeie me then would I like thee wel then shouldest thou leade thy life in ioie and quietnes Thou hast as yet manie things to be forsaken the which vnles thou altogether yeeld vp to me looke not to attaine the end of thy desire I counsel thee to buie of me gold tried by the fire that thou maist be made rich I meane celestial wisedome which treadeth al abiect and vile things vnder feete Cast awaie the wisedome of this world that is cesse to please and flatter thy selfe after the facion of the world I tel you the most vile things must be bought with pretious things and such as are of greatest accompt among men For the true wisedome of GOD which doth not arrogate much to itselfe nor desireth to be greatly accounted of in this world which manie commend in wordes but dissent there from in deedes seemeth but a vile and base thing and therefore is not thought vpon wel nigh and yet for al that it is the pretious treasure and the pearle hidden fro manie Chap. 39. The mutabilitie of mans hart and of thinking vpon God in and afore al things LORD MY sonne beleeue not the affection which mooues thee at this time for speedilie it wil change For so long as thou liuest thou shalt be subiect to mutabilitie euen per-force and be now merie now sad now quiet now trobled now zelous now cold now earnest now rechles now graue and by and by light of behauior Notwithstanding the wise man rightlie instructed in the spirit standeth fast vpon these mutable things not regarding what he feeleth in himselfe or on what side the winde of instabilitie doth blowe but how he maie bring his purpose to a right and blessed end For so it falleth out that one and the same man maie abide vnmooued among so manifold euents if the single eie of his minde be directed continualie vpon me And the more pure the eie of his minde is the more constantlie doth he abide in the middes of stormes But manie haue this sight of theirs trobled so that easilie they looke vpon euerie pleasure obiected and hardlie can one be found without al blemish of selfe-loue So came the Iewes vnto Martha and Marie being at Bethania not for Iesus sake onlie but that they might see Lazarus Therefore the eie of the minde must be purged that it maie be simple and right and cast vpon me altogether notwithstanding the manifold diuersitie of things which come betweene Chap. 40. That it is a pleasure aboue al pleasures to loue God aboue al and in al things SERVANT BEhold my God al things What will more what more happie thing can I wish for O sauorie and sweete worde but to him which loueth the worde not the worlde nor the things in the world My God and al things To him that vnderstandeth I haue saide sufficient and to repeate the same oftentimes is a delight to him that loueth For if thou be present al things bring ioie if thou be absent what can make merie Thou makest the minde quiet and thou bringest much peace and the ioie of hart Through thee we thinke wel of al things and through thee in al things we praise thee With out thee nothing can like vs long and that euerie thing maie be grateful good thou must blesse it with thy fauor and season it with the sauce of thy wisedome What is not sauorie to him to whome thou art sauorie Againe what can please him to whome thou art not pleasant But the wise of this world and such as sauor of the flesh lack thine heauenlie wisedome for in the flesh ●s death and much vanitie in the world But they are wise in deede who folowe thee in contemning the world and in mortifieng the flesh because they are translated from vanitie vnto veritie and from the flesh to the spirit These relish God and these refer al thinges created vnto the laude and praise of the Creator But ods there is and great ods too betweene the sauor of the Creator and of the creature of eternitie and of time of light vncreate and of ●ight inlightened O light euerlasting which passest al lightes that are made shine ●hou vpon me and pierce purge comfort lighten with thy brightnes euen al the inward partes of my soule reuiue my spirit with al the powers thereof that I maie cleaue vnto thee with a song of exceeding ioie Oh when wil that blessed houre come alwaies to be wished wherein thou wilt so fil me with thy presence that thou wilt be al in al to me vntil when my ioie doubtles wil not be perfect As yet the old man to my great griefe not yet wholie crucified nor yet dead is within me As yet the flesh lusteth against the spirit it fighteth within me and disquiets the kingdome of the soule But thou who rulest the raging of the sea and stillest the waues therof when they doo arise scatter the people that delight in warre bring them downe by thy mightie power Extend thy mightines and make thy right hand to be knowen For in thee O Lord is mine whole trust mine onlie refuge is in thee Chap. 41. That this life is neuer free from tentations LORD

thou learne a perfect denial of thy selfe in my wil and that without al contradiction or muttering Folowe thou me I am the waie the truth and the life Without a waie men walk not without a truth they know not without a life they liue not I am y e waie wherein thou must walke the truth wherevnto thou must sticke the life for which thou must hope I am the waie inuiolable the truth vnfallible the life euerlasting I am the right waie the chiefest truth the true life the blessed life the life vncreate If thou go forwarde in my waie thou shalt know the truth and the truth shal so make thee free that thou shalt attaine vnto euerlasting life If thou wouldest enter into life keepe the commandements If thou wouldest know the truth beleeue me If thou wouldest be perfect sel al Wouldest thou be my disciple then denie thy selfe Wouldest thou attaine vnto a blessed life then despise the life present Wouldest thou be extolled in heauen then debase thy selfe on earth Wouldest thou raigne with me then suffer with me For onelie the seruants of the crosse do finde the waie of happines and of true life SERVANT O Lorde Iesu Christ forasmuch as thy waie is narow odious to the world giue me grace with thee to despise the world For neither is the seruant greater than the Lord nor the disciple aboue the maister Let thy seruant be exercised in thy waie because therein my saluation true holines doth consist Whatsoeuer I reade or heare without the same can neuer fullie recreat or delight me LORD Sonne seeing thou haste read and knowest al these things blessed shalt thou be if thou fulfil them He that vnderstandeth and fulfilleth al my commandements loueth me and I wil loue him againe and reueale my selfe vnto him and bring it so to passe that he shal sit with me in the kingdome of my Father SERVANT Grant therefore Lord that what thou hast saide and promised maie come to me From thine hands I haue receaued the crosse I wil beare the same euen to the death as thou hast enioined me Doubtles the life of a true Christian is the crosse but that is the waie into heauen neither backward nor from our course we maie not go Eigh brethren let vs proceede together Iesus wilbe with vs for Iesus sake we haue taken this crosse vpō vs let vs perseuere in y e crosse for Iesus sake He wil help vs who is our capitaine and goeth afore vs Lo our King goeth in before vs fighting on our behalfe Let vs folowe manfulie let no man be dismaied let vs euen valiantlie appoint to die in battel neuer let vs staine our honor by flieng frō the crosse Chap. 63. That we should take heede of despaire though we fal sometime LORD SOnne patience and repentance in aduersitie doth more please mee than much ioie and deuotion in prosperitie Why art thou vexed at so smal a thing spoken against thee the which were it greater should not mooue thee Care not for this it is no newe thing nor the first and shal not be the last if thou liue longer Thou art man good inough while prosperitie doth last yea thou canst giue counsel also to others and encourage them with words but when sudden aduersitie is at hand thou art straight waie without both counsel and courage Waigh what thy frailtie is of which thou hast proofe oftentimes in litle chances Notwithstanding these and such like are good for thee Cast these things out of thy mind as thou knowest thou shouldest doo and if they touch thee endeuor that they neuer ouerthrowe thee nor ouer troble thee at the lest wise beare them patientlie if thou canst not ioiefulie Now if thou heare such things against thy wil and conceauest indignation thereat bridle thy selfe and take heede that nothing slip out of thy mouth wherebie the litle ones maie be offended So wil both this perturbation of thine quicklie be setled and the griefe of minde through the returne of Gods grace be turned into ioie I yet liue saith the Lord readie to helpe and extraordinarilie to comfort thee if thou cal vpon me religiouslie in faith Be thou patient and prepare thy selfe to greater trobles Thou must not therefore be out of hart though thou see thy selfe greatlie to be afflicted tempted grieuouslie Thou art a man no God neither Angel but flesh Thinkest thou alwaies to abide in one and the same state of godlines when neither the Angel in heauen nor Adam the first man in paradise could for both fel quicklie I am he who wil both strengthen the mourners with health and exalt vnto my dignitie such as acknowledge their owne weakenes SERVANT O Lord for thy wordes more sweete to me than honie y e honie-combe I thank thee Alas in such calamitie and trobles what should I doo didest not thou strengthen mee with this ghostlie speech So that at length I maie come vnto the port of saluation what skilleth it what and how great things I endure O Lord grant me a good end and a blessed departure out of this life O my God remember me guide me the right way into thy kingdome Amen Chap. 64. That high matters and secret iudgements of God should not be searcht after OF hard matters my sonne and of the secret iudgementes of God take heed thou dispute not I saie reason not either why this man is so reiected or that man in such fauor why this man is so miserablie afflicted that man so highlie aduanced These things are beyond the reach of man neither is anie reason or disputation meete inough to search out the counsel of the Almightie Therefore when either the enimie doth bring these thinges into thy minde or ●ls some curious felowes enquire of thee answere with the Prophet Righteous art thou O Lord and iust are thy iudgements Againe saie The iudgements of the Lord are truth they are righteous altogether For my iudgements are to be feared not to be discussed in asmuch as they are aboue the capacitie of mā Do thou neither enquire nor dispute touching the merits of sainctes who either was more holie in the world or is more glorious in heauen For these things oftentimes breede strife and vaine contentions yea and moreouer they nourish pride ambition whereof spring enuie and discordes whiles one doth proudlie contende one to be more holie and religious than another The desire to learne and to finde out these things gets no profit at al but displeasure of the saincts For I am not the God of dissention but the God of peace which peace consisteth in true modestie notin arrogancie of minde Some through good wil are more enclined