Selected quad for the lemma: life_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
life_n	bless_a	jesus_n	lord_n	4,865	5	3.3913	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19433	The interiour occupation of the soule Treating of the important businesse of our saluation with God, and his saints, by way of prayer. Composed in French for the exercise of that court, by the R. Father, Pater Cotton of the Societie of Iesus, and translated into English by C.A. for the benefit of all our nation. Whereunto is prefixed a preface by the translator, in defence of the prayers of this booke, to the saints in heauen.; Interioure occupation d'une âme devote. English	Coton, Pierre, 1564-1626.; Anderton, Christopher, attributed name.; Apsley, Charles, attributed name.; C. A., fl. 1619.	1618 (1618)	STC 5860; ESTC S108849	75,781	318

holocausts of heauen pacifiing hosts of the Church triumphant Hecatombs of the Church militant you are the Lambes sacrificed without number in the Temple of Salomon whose death hath bene an odour of sweetnesse most precious before God You are the troupes of the spouse and the shorne sheep which assend going out of the Lauar and there is not one barraine amongst you You are the Birds which the good Noe second spring of humaine nature presented to God his father after the deluge of his passion and the inundation of your paines You make that goodly armie of witnesses clothed in garments as white as snowe for the puritie and holinesse of your life carying vpon your heades Crownes of pure golde that is to say of perfect charitie beset with Pearles and precious Stones apparelled with a garment of the same richly embroadered and beset all ouer with Pearles of great price The Diamonds are the inuincible force with which you ouercome the tyrants The Pearles the sweate of your browes and the teares which sell from your eyes in great aboundance The Carbuncles represent the woundes which you receaued and the bloud running from your veynes shed for his loue who is the true king of Martyrs The daughter of Sion the blessed Cittizens of Hierusalem come forth to meete you partly to honour you as the most substantiall partes of their bodie and partly to admire the rich ornaments with which you were adorned by the King of glory vpon the most happy day of your second natiuitie 2. Inuincible Champions most renowned for your Tryumphes who haue had the honour to drink of the Cup of the sonne of God and to strengthen with your bloud the foundations of his Church who as the Scripture saith are come from great tribulation haue washed and made white your garmentes in the bloud of the Lambe which assist before his Throne to doe him seruice day and night He possesseth you as his temples and dwelleth in you continually leading you to the fountaine of life wyping away the teares from your eyes and freeing you from all the lawes of mortalitie Wee haue our recourse to you as soldiers to their Captaines that we may receaue by your mediation force and courage without which we are not able to resist the assaults with which we are set vpon by enemies which are within vs round about vs and aboue vs. The flesh the world and the diuell These are the Tyrantes with whome we are now to encounter the swords the prisons y● flames the scourges the racke● the fier plats the brazen buls the gridyrons which we are to ouercome and that not once only but many times not one day onely but many dayes during our lamentable abode in this mortall life 3. You proposed before your eyes your Captaine and Genetall Iesus Christ hauing a more tender feeling of his paines then of what your selues suffered and endured for his loue O most happy soules seeing that neither tribulations nor anguishes nor stripes nor trauailes nor any thing else whether it were sweete or bitter vnto you were sufficient to seperate you from the charitie of Iesus Christ Aske for me this grace that liuing in body here in this world in heart soule and spirit I may be crucified with Iesus Christ 4. Foure remarkable vertues shine in your passions Faith Charitie Wisdome and Humilitie For which as an aeternall reward you haue the fruition of God in your will the possession of him in your vnderstanding the glory in your bodyes after the resurrection and certaine particuler speciall garlands ouer you correspondent to your torments and the particuler manner of your sufferings Wee may partake with you herein after seauen māners First when we dye for the Faith as the most part of you O victorious soules haue done Secondly when wee are killed for IESVS as it happened for you O you blessed Innocents first fruites of the Christian Church Thirdly when wee expose our liues for the good and saluation of our neighbours as did the Sonne of God your Lord and ours Fourthly when wee chuse rather to dye then to transgresse the Law of God as did the holy Machabees Fiftly when wee expose our bloud for the maintaining of the immunities and liberties of the Church as diddest thou O holy martyr St. Thomas Bishop of Canterbury Sixtly when as Abell wee are persecuted for Iustice out of the enuie of the wicked And lastly when wee loose our life for defence of the truth zeale of the honour of God saluation of our neighbour as thou didst O most holy precursor of our Lord our redeemer vnder Herod and thou Euangelicall Prophet vnder Manasses and you Ieremie and Zhacharie persecuted by popular furie Obtaine for vs O you witnesses of the liuing God the grace that wee may testifie the fidelitie which wee owe to our Redeemer after some one of these manners and that at least we may honour him when we dye whome wee honour so little whilest we liue Title 21. To the holy Doctors 1. THe high Priest in the law of Moyses during the time of his charge did weare by Gods ordinance and appoyntment a garment of colour like Hyacinth which was fringed bordered about belowe with Pomgranets mingled with belles of pure golde Ye are O masters of our soules the little belles which ring to make vs know the approching of the high Priest and the comming of the holy Ghost then when bowing downe the heauens of his greatnesse hee is pleased to drawe neere vnto vs in the Sacrifice of the alter Yee are the salt of the earth the light of the world the Citty builded vpon a mountaine the Candlesticke with seuen lamps the seauen Candlestickes in the midst of which not without great mysterie appeared the Sonne of Man Yee are the Startes of Daniell which shine aeternally I beseech you then O inflamed soules Cherubins for your wisdome and Seraphins for your charity that yee obtaine for vs but specially for the Pastors Preachers and Doctors of the Church the guift of knowledge wisdome and vnderstanding together with a sound foundation of the building of the soule which is a liuely and true Faith This I. aske by him who hath made your breasts the store-house of armour offensiue and defensiue against his enemies and ours your memorie a Iewell-house of vnderstanding your vnderstanding an Academie of knowledge wisdome your wills a fornace of Charitie your Pennes the instruments of his holy will and your tongues Organs to sound forth his Glorie Title 22. To the holy Confessors 1. CEdars of Libanus who with your sweet Odoriferous smell embalm the whole world Palmes of the terrestriall Paradice of the Church very high and eminent in highnesse Pomegranets sowed amidst the Bels and sky-coloured fringes of the garment of the high Priest which ioyne Charitie with Humilitie and good example Scarres called Hyades whose benigne influence cause the rayne of repentance and the dew of deuotion which neuer appeare but when the dayes of mercy

immutable aeternitie 29. I wil not then make supplication to thee to call to minde but to regard these prayers as present and in particuler for the spirituall and corporall health of the King Queene his royall house all the Kingdome Euen those that the good Patriarch Ioseph did present vnto thee for all Egipt Samuel for Saul Daniel for Darius the three Children for Nahuchodonozer Elias for the Kings of Israel Nathan for Dauid Esay for Ezechias Toby for Salmanaz Hester for Assuerus St. Iohn Baptist for Herod St. Siluester for Constantine St Chrisostome for Eudoxia St. Ambrose for Theodosius St. Gregory for Maurice the Empeior St. Stanislaus for Boleslaus St. Thomas of Canterbury for the then King and Realme of England and those of all the Saints for the Kings and Princes with liued in their time 30. Who is able to pray for the necessities of the Church with that seruour and efficacie as did St. Gregorie for the Reformation of religious Orders as did Saint Francis St. Dominicke St. Thomas and St. Bonauenture For States Realmes and Empires as did St. Sigismund King of Burgundy St. Carnut King of Denmarke St. Oswald St. Edmund Kings of England St. Lewis King of France Henry the Emperor St. Caenigand his wife St. Clothe and St. Radigand Queenes of France St. Edwin Dutches of Poland St. Elizabeth in Hungary and others who by thy grace knew how to ioyne Pietie with the Scepter greatnesse temporall with aeternall perishing honours with honors immortall If I my God King of Kinges and Lord of Lordes I could speake vnto thee with the same accent and aequal deuotion how many graces and blessings should I obtaine of thy most liberall clemencie for this Monarchie for the Monarch that commaunds vs and represents thee Accept then for him and all that appertaine to him the same vowes sacrifices and prayers which haue beene presented vnto thee by all the Saintes whose honourable names are written in the Booke of life and looke not at mee but looke vpon them of whome I present vnto thee the merites and prayers by thy Son our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Title 4. Protestation 1. I Knowe to my cost and to my great damage how preiudiciall I am to my selfe and how great my fra●ltie is and therefore haue occasion to feare least that so soone as I shall be departed hence I breake my purposes and doe cleane contrary to that which I promised O omnipotent and immutable God haue pittie vpon me thy fraile creature Stretch forth thy strong hand and inuincible arme to giue s 〈…〉 ur to the worke of thy han● permit not that a creature which hath cost thee so deare be so easily and so dishonorably taken from thee If my will be requisite hereunto behold it is in thy hands I giue it thee nay I restore thee it neuer to be reuoked And since there is no better title then the title of donation O God of my heart commaund that the guift which thou hast pleased to make vnto mee of thy selfe may authorize the guift which Iowe and which I giue of my selfe And that this donation made by me liuing and confirmed by thy death may be so emoled in the Records of thy eternitie that albeit I would it may not be reuoked such being the disposition of thy grace and my last will 2. And in truth were it reasonable that an euill will which passeth should disanull a determined resolution made before so resolutely 3. I protest out of all the corners of my will and with all the strength of my freedome and libertie and with a consent as full as is possible that I will not offend thee in any thing I will be thine wholly without exception I will that which thou wilt and detest that which thou detestest And if it fall out otherwise if it so happen that I seeke my selfe that I commit theft in this holocaust that I doe or omit any thing contrary to thy will and p●easure it shall be nothing else but a surprise and a stolne will altogether contrary to that which now by thy grace whilest I am in my perfect sence and iudgement and by thy assistance mistresse of my consent I so resolutely will and desire 4. And if it should so fall out that by exceeding frailtie at the shadow whereof I tremble for feare I should giue my consent to any thing that is repugnant to thy will permit not O God of truth and of infinite goodnesse that such a fault be for euer imputed vnto me since I renounce it both now and then And that consent which is authorized by thine and of which thou art the author ought to preuaile against that which is not mine but by vnhappinesse and of which the instigator and first mouer is the enemie of thy glory and my saluation 5. Euery one they say may renounce his right I renounce then the right of my free will whē it shall be tempted in danger to offend thee And therefore spare not to force it to that which is good at what time soeuer without hauing any regarde to my freewill the which otherwise thou wouldst leaue to her owne libertie as thy holy word doth teach vs. 6. And if yet not to contradict thy selfe thou hast regard to leaue my will to her freedome Consider O most wise Architect of Man that my will is not to haue any will to doe that which is naught and herein thou shalt cōdescend to my free will though thou shouldst not respect it at all seeing it renounceth absolutely herselfe in any thing which hath relation to that which is euill 7. What perfection is it to haue power to consent to that which is euill thou hast it not O my God for it is an imperfection Make me then thus farre more according to thine Image that as thou my prototype canst not sinne by nature so I may bee impeccable by grace 8. And if to haue the power to faile in my dutie bee a thing appertaining to my condition as being the seruant and slaue of sinne is it not enough that I haue wretch that I am finned so often but that I must make further proofe thereof to the preiudice of thy honour and glory better it were for mee not to be at all then to continue still to offend thee 9. The loue of my selfe maketh me enemy to my selfe and that in seeking my selfe I loose my selfe and not finding my selfe I am still lost I renounce this enmitie and I detest it with as much hatred and as often as I haue hitherto so loued my selfe or shall hereafter by my euill custome 10. Allow O good God this declaration of my will And receiue in thy iudgement and in the account that thou holdest of my actions wordes and thoughts all such affections as if they were so many afflictions all such inclinations as so many auersions all such pursuites as so many flights and all such tacite consents as so many expresse resistances 11.

and seeing that thou hast bestowed such vertue vpon the plants the stones the hearbes seeing the Sunne by the aspect and influence of the Beames doth worke such wonders in nature euen to the making and forming of mettalls in the very bowels of the earth seeing also the Adamant draweth vnto it the yron Amber the straw the Starre the steele by reason of a kinde of simpathie and naturall impression which thou the author of nature hast giuen vnto them Is it conuenient that thy most holy body and incomparable treasure honour my body with his presence that thy most precious bloud be in me and that thy diuine humanitie should really touch mine and not lift vp my soule to thy diuinitie Permit not this monster in Grace and this prodigious wonder in nature 13. Bestow vpon me the charitie which thou didst so straitly recommend vnto thy Apostles and graunt vnto me the guift of prayer and teares as well to accompany thee in thy prayers as that I may be able to resist my temptations according to thy instruction 14. By the feare which ceazed upon the inferiour part of thy soule and by the streames of bloud which did wonderfully run downe caused by thy sorrowe and vehement apprehension I beseech thee my benigne Redeemer to assist me at the houre of my death and to doe me the fauour that albeit my life hath beene so vnprofitable vnto thee yet at last I may honour and serue thee by my death which I desire may bee no other then that which thou shalt Iudge to be for thy greater glory 15. Grant that by the stroke of thy worde I may lay a long thy enemies and mine That I may be tyed and manacled in ropes and chaynes of thy loue That with thee and no otherwise I may appeare before the Tribunall of God thy Father That the Spirit of sweetnesse and meeknesse which thou didst holde towards that accursed fellow which did blindfold thee may accompany me in all occasions That I may be clothed with a white robe of Innocencie and with the purple garment of charitie that by the merrit of thy whipping my body may be a sanctified vessell instrument of thy glory That in vertue of the Crowne of Thornes which pierced thine head I neuer consent to any euil thoughts but especially to such as tend to any pride 16. When will the houre be when one seeing me may say not in derision as it was said of thee but in sinceritie and truth Beholde the man of God bring this to passe my sweet Iesus by the merrits of thy most profound humilitie 17. Then I shall be content with quietnes of minde hear the sentence and iudgement which the wicked shall giue of me and little regard what the world esteemeth of me at this time which passeth though it should be a definitiue sentence of death as vniust and detestable as was that which was pronounced against thee 18. I shall carrie the Crosse with thee such a Crosse I say as it shall please thy diuine prouidence to lay vpon my shoulder I shall edifie by my example the predestinate soules the true daughters of the heauenly Sion 19. But when shall I haue spoiled my selfe of selfe loue whē shall I be as it were naked in respect of thinges of this world to be nayled with thee to the Crosse It shall be then when the nayles of thy feet shal nayle my affections the nayles of thy hands my actions the Speare that pierced thy side shall pierce all my intentions 20 Wash me ô my God God liuing and dying for my loue wash me in the bloud which flowed from thy sacred person so as from hence-foorth I may appeare before thee as a newe washed sheep comne out of the pond as a Lamb without spot readie to be sacrificed 21. Pardon and forgiue all those which wish or doe me euill help all those which are in deadly sinne and neere to their end that they dye not in that pittifull estate as thou didst help the good Theefe in his extreamitie Commend me with the beloued disciple to the protection of thy vnspotted Mother acomplish in me the thirst of thy desires Consume whatsoeuer is displeasing vnto thee consummate all thy mercies towards me Abandō me not leaue me neuer alone Receaue my soule into thy hands as God thy father receaued thine at thy giuing vp thy Ghost Deliuer from Purgatorie the soules which are in paine as thou deliueredst the holy Fathers out of Lymbus where they were detayned Giue vs such a resurrection to life by grace as that we neuer more die by sinn And seeing that our hart ought to be where our treasure is seeing that thou the Lord of the world art placed at the right hand of thy Father lift vs vp to thee and transport our affections aboue the heauens Finally impart vnto vs some part of those graces bestowed vpon thy Apostles Disciples vpon the day of Penthecost that from hence foorth we may become the Temple of thy glorye thy heretage the chosen people with which thou takest pleasure to make thy abode Prayers and considerations as it were in passing according to the occurrences that fall out euery day Title 28. When a man is tempted 1. I Protest my GOD that I giue no consent in any sort to this temptation and that my will desireth the cōtrary of that which is proposed with as great affection proceeding from reason as I feele inclinations arising from sensualitie 2 I thanke thee O my gracious Creator that sence or feeling and consent or yeelding are two different thinges For if euery feeling were a yeilding ioyned with offence of thy diuine Maiestie I were vtterly vndone Temptation hath the one in his holde but none shall haue possession of the other but thy diuine Maiesty The world the flesh and the Deuill haue a power to make me feele but my consent or yeelding shall be euer in thy power 3. My God leaue me not alone deliuer me frō my selfe 4. I cannot liue without thee make mee then I pray thee liue to thee Title 29. When any thing falleth out that pleaseth vs. 1. IT is thou my sweet Iesu who art the author of all reasonable contentment from thee proceedeth all pure consolation I desire it not then but from thee in thee by thee and for thee Dispose thou otherwaies when thou shalt be pleased to depriue mee of it and I shall accommodate mee thereunto with all resignation and indifferencie Title 30. When any thing displeaseth vs. 1. I Accept of this displeasure as a present sent vnto me from my beloued Iesus Christ accoūting my selfe too happy y● I may be worthy to participate to carry and to kisse his Crosse 2. The beloued of my soule shall be placed in my bosome as a bundle of Mirrhe 3. Looke with how great affection I desire to be deliuered of this affliction with no lesse I aske and aske againe the continuance thereof if O my God it

treated at the hower of death Giue me grace to doe it O my God 3. My apparell is the ornament of my body O that my body might serue for an ornament to my soule conuersing holily during the time of my abode in this world vntill thou O monarch of our liues commaund me to put off this mortall skin Title 41. In putting on Iewels and other ornaments 1. HOw much more precious are thy ornaments O blessed holy Ghost O my heauenly spouse the only beloued of my soule giue me the abillament of good example the Diamond of pacience the Rubie of charitie the Emrauld of hope the Topaze of humilitie the Sardonix of puritie 2. As our serges and clothes are the fleece of Sheepe our shooes the Skins of Beasts our Silkes and Veluetts the excrements of Wormes our Amber and perfumes the Mushrums of the Ocean and sweat of beasts our Feathers and Fannes the spoyle of the Birds our golde siluer white yellow earth euen so our precious stone are as it were the warts of the Orient mountains our Pearles the excrements of the Sea Such then is O God of truth the Attire of our vanitie Open then my eyes the eyes of all Christians that acknowledging our selues to be aparelled from the Brokers shop as kings vpō the Stage as such miserable beggers as liue vpon the rich mens almes begged from the beasts We must seeke and take from thy liberal hand the ornaments of the soule which need cost vs nothing but the asking and the will to serue our selues of them Title 42. Washing our hands our face 1. MY hands my face were neuer soule by either speaking or looking but the face of my soule hath beene often defiled both by the one and the other 2. Wash me then and cleanse me O my God by all the teares of Iesus Christ thy Son by the bloudy sweat which issued out of his diuine person in the Garden of Gethsemanie by the miraculous water which together with blud issued out of his side It is the imperiall and heauenly water distilled by the fier of his charitie which alone can take away the spots of my soule and make the same pleasing vnto thy eyes powre it vpon me O God of puritie Title 43. When you vse your Fanne 1. DIuine winde which proceedest from the mouth of the Father the Son as frō one Origen coole and refresh the heat of my passions the distemper of my affections 2. Amiable Spirit desired winde dissipate the noughtie Ayre of our temptations the fierie exhalations raised by the irassible part of my soule the misty vapours exhaled from my concupiscence Title 44. When the Clocke striketh 1. SO much the lesse of my life is to runne 2. The Yard y● measureth our mortall Life is the houre out of which it followeth that neither mid-night nor mid-day euer strike but death hath taken away twelue yardes of my peece of cloath that is so much time of life or rather so many houres of my life 3. Soueraigne steward of our liues and disposer of our daies make me so passe this hower to come as I would haue wished to haue imployed all the houres of my life 4. I make an offer vnto thee O my God of all that euer I shall say doe or thinke vntill the next hower vniting them to the deedes wordes thoughts of Iesus Christ thy Sonne 5. The Periods of all time are comprised in the moment of thy aeternitie nothing is past nothing is to come before thee and all is there present And yet neuerthelesse we are free to doe or not to doe that which thou desirest And consequently it is in our power to giue thee either contentment or discontentment aeternall Permit not O my God that I euer charge thee with any such discontentment but make mee such an one temporally as thou desirest to see mee aeternally That so I may rather giue thee eternall contentment then one minute of discontentment 6. I make an offer vnto thee of all the time that I haue lost and euill imployed and in supply thereof I make a present of that time which hath measured the life and actions of my Lord thy Sonne beeing sorrie from my heart that I cannot recall those yeares that I haue so ill imployed I make then O my God an offer and sacrifice no lesse of that which I cānot then of that which I can 7. O how late haue I known thee thou infinite goodnesse how late haue I loued thee ancient beautie that neuer fadest but alwaies cōtinuest the same 8. Looke how many minutes there are in the houres or how many houres according in time eternall which are without number So often doe I blesse thee O thou ancient of dayes and I giue thee thankes more for that which thou art then for that which I am Title 45. Touching the care wee are to haue of our Children 1. THese are the beames of thy grace O Father of light these are thy gifts the workmanship of thy hands I offer them vnto thee as thine and I bes●ech thee to take care of them as of thinges without comparison more oppertaining to thee then to me 2. Accept of all that I haue done doe or shal doe for them as being aliue wholy for thee for I haue no interest in them but from thee from whome they haue and of whome they holde body soule life 3. Abraham made but once only a sacrifice of his only son I make it not onely of mine but of my selfe and of all that I haue that so often as I breath foorth or take in my breath 4. When I feele in my selfe certaine effectes of tender loue towards them I begin to conceaue a new confidence and a wonderfull hope O my God knowing how much more tenderly thou affectest them then I doe or can Being assured that thy loue far surmounteth mine and that without all comparison O thrice happy condition of soules which call themselues are called by thee thy daughters 5. Haue I any right to these Children or any intrest comparable to that which thou hast I am ashamed to recommend them vnto thee For it were as much as to pray thee to haue care of that which is thine 6. No man buildeth a house to plucke it downe no man planteth a vinyard to root it vp nor soweth a field to burne the haruest How then canst thou neglect these yong plants planted by thy grace in the Orchard of thy Church watered with thy bloud designed by thee to be transported one day into the Garden of thy aeternitie 7. I sinne blinde buzzard that I am as too couetous louing to much that which they haue take away this ouerplus O Father of mercie Or if the force of nature must so farre preuaile that it must needs remaine impure the same to the excesse of that affectiō which I owe to all that with appertayneth to thee 8. I fall somtimes into certain