Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	grace_n	great_a	soul_n	4,875	5	4.7291	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65377	A weeks work: shewing the whole duty of a Chritian Laying down in seven particular heads for the practise of the seven days of the week, what prayer is, how to use it profitably, wherein is shewed the true nature, power, and effects of vocal and mental prayer; with advice and instructions (for such as be ignorant in prayer and spiritual duty) how to attain to a true spiritual, effectual, and proficient way of praying. Very useful and requisite to be read in societies and families. To which is added seven copper-plates, suitable to each days exercise.	G. V.	1668 (1668)	Wing W1250AB; ESTC R220908	22,326	107

they are also full of compassion works of mercy and charity Spiritual and Corporeal they indeavour as near as they can to keep a clear Conscience and are desirous to serve please and praise God in all things And thus they are inflamed in Divine love I could heartily wish there were many more of this sort than there are however do you your endeavour to be one for his Grace will never be wanting to a willing mind TUESDAYS Exercise Satan tempteth Job Job 2. So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD and smote Job with sore boils etc v 7. And he sat down among the ashes v 8. Then said his wife unto him dost thou still retain thine Integrity curse God and die v. 9. CHAP. III. Of the dignity and profit of Mental prayer Sect. 1 IN Mental prayer you walk a perfect way for you speak to God as What Mental prayer is to one near to you that gives ear to your Petitions or as one familiar Friend with another in great privacy or secresie Vocal prayer is used often without any particular attention but Mental prayer requires the attention and a serious application of the Mind inwardly or it is no Prayer in this when the Soul getteth within her self she begins to discover the strange works of God which are in Man unknown but to those that are by God illuminated in this as in a Looking-glass a Man discovers what he is and cometh to the true Knowledge of himself for there he sees how far he is from true Christian perfection Sect. 2 This knowledge of our selves is the ground and foundation of our Spiritual life in this a Man Foundation of spiritual life finds out what Vices and Passions do most domineer and molest him and the causes why he doth not Live in all things according to the Word of God and the right rule of Reason and what Remedies to apply to this great Evil. Here all the inward sore Diseases evil customs inclinations and disordered affections are perceived This is the School where we may be daily taught and instructed how to cure those Sores suppress those Vices mortifie those Passions regulate those Affections and Inclinations gain Virtue and please our Heavenly Spouse Sect. 3 Here we come to know the vanities unconstancies and uncertainty of the things of this Transitory life with a clearer World's vanity known sight of feeling than ever before which causeth the Soul to loath and contemn the World hate Vice love Virtue and seek after God above and therefore she resolves to change her Life and be no more what formerly she was her Eyes are opened she is illuminated and taught in this Prayer how all things created can give her no true content which makes her seriously desire and aspire to those things that are Eternal Sect. 4 For she begins to taste in this Tasts of Heaven Prayer of the content and joy of Mind which the true Servants of God enjoy in Heaven now she regards not the wisdome of this World but that which doth consist in subjection humility and sanctity of Life Sect. 5 Nay more then so in this The Devil and Natures deceit discovered Prayer the wiles and deceits of the Devil and the subtle and alluring excuses of Nature are discovered which are very hurtfull to a Soul that desires true perfection which must be had by the way of Mortification which the Devil and Nature do little affect Here the knowledge and love of God increaseth to a great heighth of the Soul which His Divine Majesty doth often visit and replenish with supernatural Graces and Comforts and by secret Influences of His Holy Spirit doth Elevate her far beyond her self to see know and feel with great content and joy what Tongue cannot express Sect. 6 To conclude in this Prayer we come to a true Vision of our A true vision of our wills Wills with the Will of God which is the highest we can attain to in this Life by our labour and industry through His holy Grace without which we can do nothing though many hath great Favours Visions and Revelations by his special Gift Oh what a happy thing this Prayer is O what a sweet Invention this is of our good God to bring Souls to his Knowledge Love and Familiarity as is said in the beginning that thereby with more facility and security they may gain that Glory for which they are Created This all ought to love desire and practise that desires endless Felicity and Happiness Sect. 7 Many there be who think it Christianity not difficult impossible or at least of great difficulty to attain to or gain this blessed Prayer but I do assure them they are very much mistaken though true it is that it cannot be had without some Industry and Labour of ours neither can a Man learn any Art or Science the first Day be it never so easie For experience ●eacheth all we see thousands of all sorts and Sexes given daily as we ought charitably to believe to this Exercise and practise of Mental prayer so that i● you intend to go forward in this Holy Exercise and acquire perfection you must not think i● difficult nor be dismayed if presently you gain it not for every thing hath a beginning and nothing is had in the World without labour Sect. 8 You know that a Man is seven Years an Apprentice before h● can profess himself expert in his Trade The Farmer or Husbandman in the depth of Winter cold frost and snow dry or wet taketh great Toyl and Labour and with much patience endureth and passeth all in expectation of a little Fruit in Summer or Corn in Harvest and perhaps get little or none and shall not we Labonr a little to gain this benefit or Art of Prayer and reap thereby the Fruit of Virtue and Life Everlasting Our labour is less in this then theirs the fruit and profit more certain than theirs and of greater value without any comparison than theirs Sect. 9 Be not therefore dis-heartned but as the Prophet saith come and taste of it that is Practise it Comfort offered and you shall see and feel how sweet and pleasing our Lord is to those that through Love do truly seek after him For if you be in Darkness come to him by Prayer and you shall be Illuminated if Thirsty there you shall drink abundantly of Divine Nectar springing as pure water from the Fountain of Life if Hungry you shall eat there of the Celestial food of Angels for there your Beloved hath his Table set with varieties of Dainties for all commers without exception and his Goblets of Wine of all pleasant and delightfull tasts placed thereon Sect. 10 If you be cold come to Prayer Divine heat and ye shall be made warm and comforted with the fire of divine Love Come I pray to this fair Garden and Paradise of pleasure and delight your self with the Beauty Varieties and sweet Odours of

or how dare I presume to come to thy presence my God and King of infinite Majesty and Glory for I am nothing but Dust and Ashes meat for worms and which is worse a wicked Sinner who have often offended thee and deserve thy wrath and indignation rather than any favour which makes me with fear and trembling now appear before thee Sect. 9 But because thou art Goodness it self and as well the God and Lord of Sinners as Just having all Power over both and art very desirous of the good and Salvation of all thy Subjects being infinitely mercifull and canst forgive more in an instant than I have done or ever can commit with an humble and submissive heart yea with shame and confusion I do come to thee Oh most merciful and great God of Glory being a grievous Sinner yet desirous to amend my Life and never more offend thy Divine Majesty Wherefore I humbly beseech thee not to cast me from thy presence but give me Audience my dear God and incline thine Ears and Heart my most gracious King unto my words and hear what I shall say for I will not despair but confide in thy mercy and goodness and do humbly beg of thee to grant me thy Grace that I may truly open my Heart and make the cause of my Soul known unto thee Sect. 10 These or the like words you may use and then read in some pious and divine Book possessing Reading your self of the quality of the business by Reading Sect. 11 Then will necessarily follow The second part of prayer being Meditation Meditation by which you do consider that Matter or Subject with all its circumstances and conveniences as how it was is or may be for your Spiritual good and profit what and how great a benefit it is to you or you may get thereby and what Obligation it doth cast upon you For the end for which we Meditate is to move the Will to some good Affection which once had Meditation or Discourse is needless and will rather hinder than profit the Soul which remaining in any pious Affection doth spend the time very profitably Sect. 12 But if you be not moved or the Affection governeth cold go on with your Meditation or Discourse thus O Lord how spightfully are they striving who shall abuse thee most and consider that when they rested a while they begin again as it were in your presence and what approbrious and injurious words they speak unto him laying heavy Lashes on every side and not so much as once to favour him or to take compassion on him The Meditation of his holy Passion is very great but I am sorry that so few have a feeling of it by reason they do not try how sweet our Saviour is to all that through Love do come to him Consider that our Saviour by his Suffering made satisfaction to his Heavenly Father for our sins and the great Torments that in Hell we were to suffer for them which is a great and special benefit that ought to move you to take compassion upon Him to hate Sins and to be very thankfull for his Love in suffering for you And consider your great Obligation to serve him ever after with more fidelity and sincerity procuring your Salvation with so great pain meerly of his goodness and love without any merit or desert of thine Sect. 13 This well considered and your Soul well possessed of this great Obligation she may say of her own feeling blessed mayst Soul 's own feeling thou be my God for all thy favours I do acknowledge and confess this to be so great that it doth oblige me for ever to thy Love and Service Oh Jesus how admirable how excessive great is thy Love to me Dust and Ashes the worst of Creatures the greatest of Sinners O Lord thy Goodness is incomprehensible and thy Mercy is truly far beyond all thy Works and thus Meditations with Reason is to move the Will to acknowledge God's benefits and to induce it to love and gratitude Sect. 14 For if you meditate of Sin and that thereby you offend God who might cast you into perpetual Torment yet did not what a benefit this is to bear God's forbearance with thee expecting thy repentance and conversion if the pains of Hell be considered how often have you deserved them by breaking the Laws of God yet this punishment was not inflicted then when you were in Sin and thereby the Slave of the Divel how many sweet inspirations and remorses of Conscience had you from God which by the benefit of his holy Sacrament brought you to Grace and freed you from the power of Satan which is no small favour now do not many thousands Rot in the filth of Sin and Sin and 't is feared will be Eternally damned Sect. 15 If you think of Death how often you might by it have been deprived of Life and time of Repentance when in Sin you might have perished in Body and Soul for ever which by God's goodness and mercy was God's goodness prevented though daily many others are suddenly Dead and God knows in what case If you consider the Joys of Heaven which you lost by Sin and see that it is recovered again and purchased for you with no less price than the precious Blood and Death of Christ our Saviour what a high Obligation doth it cast upon you of some requital of Love you see how all these and what else you can consider in Prayer do plainly appear to be great benefits of Almighty God to the knowledge and feeling understanding of which Meditation doth bring you and consequently to be thankfull to love and serve his Divine Majesty with great sincerity and fidelity I have written these Examples briefly to help you the better to meditate and know what to conclude upon out of what you do consider Sect. 16 The next part of Prayer that The third part of prayer being Thanksgiving follows is Thanksgiving for when you perceive by what you have Meditated that you received a benefit from God stands it not with reason you should acknowledge the favour but also give him thanks in the best words and expressions you are able or can make your thankfull mind known which may be thus done O Lord my God the true lover and most faithfull friend of my Soul when or how shall I be thankfull unto thee for all thy gracious favours and gifts and for this particular benefit bestowed and done unto me poor wretch wholly unworthy of thy Love Oh my dear Jesus how shall I requite this thy tender affection Oh how shall I serve thee or wherein can I please thee Oh how shall I praise thee being what I am Oh how shall I honour thee my God who hast so highly exprest thy love and desire of my Salvation in this great benefit Oh most loving Creator how near and dear to thy sweet Heart the Creature is Rest in this if you can looking on

him with a reverential and loving Affection Sect. 17 Oblation which is the next The fourth part of prayer being Oblation part that followeth consequently consisting in this that the party who received a benefit would in what he could not onely in Word and Affection as in Thanksgiving but likewise in Work and Deed requite with some Gift the love of their Benefactor or Friend for a gratefull Mind is never content to be thankfull in words only but it always thinks and considers in what manner service or gift to requite the benefits or favour done offering to God thy good will and affection of a sincere Heart and Soul ever to be imployed in the service of God with a stedfast purpose and resolution to abhor and mortifie what ever is displeasing to him not forgetting thy darling or bosome Sins to repent in particular for them for good resolutions and virtuous Arts are acceptable to God Sect. 18 Now follows the last part The fifth and last part of prayer being Petition which is properly called Prayer that is Petition for by this we beg and ask as being poor and needy of that great God rich and powerfull King whom we certainly believe both can and will grant us our desires to help and relieve us in our necessities and bestow what we are in want of as thus A Prayer MY Omnipotent and most bountifull Lord most mercifull and gracious King whose hands are always open to the needy and whose willingness to assist the distressed is greater than their desire to be relieved and without thee we are and can do nothing experience hath made me to know my own weakness frailty and unconstancy in any good for I often failed in performing virtuous and godly Resolutions formerly made for the amendment of my Life which causeth me humbly to confess that of my self I am truly nothing and can do no good Therefore my God take compassion on me leave me not unto my self grant me thy holy Grace to be constant in my good purposes otherwise I shall slide away like water whose steps are not perceived my resolution will fall to nothing and I shall be as if I were not having nothing whereby to subsist Therefore I humbly beseech thee and earnestly beg for thy goodness and mercy that thou wilt commiserate my case and as thou hast graciously inspired those good purposes and godly Resolutions for they are from thee and not from me so thou wilt be mercifully pleased to grant and give me particular assistance of thy holy Grace that I may be thereby enabled to amend my Life and through thy true Love to execute and perform what I have now purposed to do for thy sake and principally to overcome my evil inclinations and utterly to abandon and forsake this Vice of here name thy bosome Sins by which I do most offend thy Divine Majesty that hereafter all my thoughts words and deeds may be highly and purely to thy Honour Glory Endless praise and my own Souls Salvation Amen Sect. 20 If in this you find your self moved to any pious Devotions rest sweetly in it then pray for the holy Church conversion of Sinners exterpiation of Heresies your Parents Friends Benefactors and other necessaries commended to your Prayers or what else you please which are necessary wants THURSDAYS Exercise The three Children delivered Dan. 3. Shadrach Meshach and Abed-nego answered and said to the King etc v 16. If it be so our God whom wee serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace etc v 17. Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury etc v. 19 Then the King was astonied etc v 24 etc CHAP. V. Profitable advices concerning the use of Prayer Sect. 1 FIrst you must be carefull to observe and keep a Set hours of prayer not to be omitted certain hour for Prayer morning and evening which you must never omit but one great necessity Sect. 2 Be not dismayed if soon you cannot gain a felicity in Praying for believe it the time will quickly come and it will not be Comfort in prayer long before you taste the sweetness thereof none can be perfect the first Day in any Trade time will perfect all This makes men Labour with patience in Winter expecting the Fruit in Summer Make no great account Distractions in prayer of Distractions and idle Thoughts which many are troubled with in Prayer when they are not voluntary but do you do your endeavour to cast them off when you take notice of them for your resisting of them will be very acceptable though you did nothing else because to have these Thoughts or to go without them is not in our power but when they come to accept of and entertain or resist and reject them that is in our power No man can have good Thoughts or be without evil Thoughts when he please but the one comes from God and the other from Satan which doth use to multiply them in time of Prayer to vex us and breed a disgust that thereby we may perceive it a thing very troublesome and in a manner impossible to be acquired that at last we should omit it altogether This is his aim for he well knows that by this Prayer we do daily serve our selves more and more from him and his Wiles and draw neerer and neerer to God which he cannot endure and would hinder if he could and believe it your time is well spent though you did but put off these Thoughts in the time of Prayer for in this you fight for God's cause Sect. 3 When you find your self so Distracted that you can hardly think upon any good thing suppose in your mind that you are the cause thereof therefore with profound Humility prostrate before Remedy for distraction in prayer His Divine Majesty examine your Conscience and likely you may find you have committed some Sins or not prepared your self for Prayer or not performed your good purposes or not answered your Holy inspirations and if you find none of these at least acknowledge it to be a just punishment for the sins of your Life past and that you are truly unworthy of any Heavenly consolation or Heavenly visitation being such and so ungratefull a Sinner and that you are more then well dealt withall to be admitted to his Holy presence for this Humility doth highly please his Divine Majesty and doth often move him instantly to give unto the humble Souls great comforts benefits and graces Sect. 4 Commonly you must use all The parts of prayer to be used in order the parts of Prayer in order untill you be practised in them by reason in time of Aridity when you can have no Gust in one part you may pass to another and so without trouble or loathsomeness you may spend the time of Prayer if not with content and comfort yet with profit For these parts of Prayer are placed before the Soul as so many Diversities of Meat that if in one

she get no Gust she may take of another and so tasting of each 't is like shee 'l get content and satisfaction in some one of them to please her Pallat and sweetly refresh her self after her long Labour taken in discoursing seeking to find that Spiritual food and be sure to spend more time in the Affective parts then in the Preparative or Dispositive but if in any part you are moved to some pious Affection remain in it without inward words looking on the Object and affecting it as long as you can be carefull that your Affection through too much Fervour doth not drown or overcome the Understanding for when it is Vehement with too much sorrow or joy of Spirit do not force or forward it for that will stifle or choak the Spirit but either sweetly rest in it or divert your Mind on some pious Object for this as cold water cast in a boyling pot will asswage or qualifie that little pot of your Heart which is ready to run over with the too great heat of the Fire of Love which the Holy Ghost hath left burning in the Soul and Experience teacheth that all Violence or Force hurteth the Body hindreth the Soul's spiritual profit and causeth her to fear and loath to go to Prayer by reason of the pain she is put to in that forcing for fain she would enjoy totally what she loves and she forceth her self to this which cannot in this Life be had by all our endeavour possibly for it is not in our power but must come by God's holy Gift when he please Sect. 5 Also if you be in any great Arridity or driness of Spirit do not force your self but in your Desolation with humility Desolation in prayer acknowledge your self unworthy of any favour by reason it depends of the good pleasure of his Divine Majesty and is beyond our reach to have those comforts and feelings and esteem it a special favour as indeed it is to be admitted to his presence on any tearms to treat with him concerning your Reconciliation and Salvation having so often formerly offended and wronged him and give him very great and hearty thanks for this favour and benefit This is the true way and must be observed Sect. 6 If through weakness frailty Sins through weakness or negligence you fall or fail in the performance of your good purposes or commit some small Sins or imperfections be not impatient with your self for this afflicted many troubleth the Mind disturbeth dismayeth and dejecteth the Soul makes her forsake Prayer and keeps her from going on heartily in the Service of God a discontented and troubled Mind cannot Pray well Therefore in such Occasions let not your Passion sway but with all submission go to his Divine Majesty who is a more loving Father than a rigorous Judge confess your frailty and disability of which he is very sensible and well knows our weakness and will have us to understand and acknowledge it and that we of our selves can do nothing therefore must place our whole trust and confidence in his Omnipotent goodness who will give us the Victory over our selves if we be persevere in our holy Desires and his Service and not doubt of his assistance and help for he is so good that seeing your fidelity and desire to please him he cannot but reward it abundantly though he defers it for a while Children learning to go do get many falls by reason of their weakness yet crying to the Nurse with her help they always rise again even so you are but a Suckling as yet Learning to go in the way of Virtue and perhaps you get many falls then cry to God your good Nurse and with his holy Assistance and Grace you may rise again as often untill at length you may go without fear or any danger Sect. 7 It will also comfort you much in all these Aridities Desolations and Temptations to remember and call to mind how To take our Saviour's pattern our Saviour was sorely Tempted and had many Crosses inviting us to carry our Cross and follow him for he who doth not carry his Cross and follow me said he is not worthy of me that is to be my Disciple or gain my love and the favours I am wont to bestow on my true Servants The way of the Cross is the King's High-way to Glory and the Cross is the Livery of Christ our Saviour by this his true Servants are known from the Servants of Sathan and the Lovers of the World who for human policy doth dissemble and stop their Passion without Merit and others will not endure any trouble or cross for Virtue or the love of God or Human respect but must have their Humour though it be to fret in passion and chafe themselves with raging words and revenging thoughts to their ruin and undoing but in the way of the Cross the Servants of God ever did and still do follow him to his Kingdome of endless Felicities Sect. 8 Consider their Lives and Deaths that is able to encourage thee to go forward with great content and hope to overcome all Difficulties and to accept with patience all Crosses and Patience in afflictions Afflictions that shall occur as tokens of Love sent unto you by his Divine Majesty for whom he loveth he chastiseth Moreover he knows best what is convenient and fittest for every one and therefore he gives to some sensible Devotion with many sweet Tears in Prayer because they are weak Spirits and must be fed with those sweet Milk sops of Consolation others like Hirelings go to Prayer in expectation of a reward of some Comforts and Consolations which now and then they felt in Prayer and this doth forward them in the practise of Virtue more than the love of Virtue Sect. 9 Others for a long time have Poor souls nothing to feed on but the hard crusts of Temptations yet they go on very heartily for they do not value those sensible Devotions neither will they serve for Hire but as loving Children serve their Heavenly Father to please him by reason it is his business and like faithfull Subjects serve their King this is the Life of Saints these we must imitate if we desire virtue and true perfection these use the form of kneel in Prayer resisting vain Cogitations and do not for want of Consolations depart from Prayer or go not to it for they seek not their own content but do the will of God knowing that all theirs is to please and honour God conforming our will to his happen what may They that go in the beginning this way in the end will have Celestial comforts Sect. 10 Lastly when Prayer is ended Divert not your mind by outward objects do not suddenly divert your Mind by applying it to outward affairs but in what posture see you are in reflect strongly on what you did Pray call to mind the Benefits you thought upon the good resolutions and promises you made for