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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	read_v	scripture_n	word_n	6,227	5	4.4267	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96266	The narrow path of divine truth described from living practice and experience of its three great steps, viz Purgation, illumination & union according to the testimony of the holy scriptures; as also of Thomas a Kempis, the German divinity, Thauler, and such like. Or the sayings of Matthew Weyer reduced into order in three books by J. Spee. Unto which are subjoyned his practical epistles, done above 120 years since in the Dutch, and after the author's death, printed in the German language at Frankfort 1579. And in Latin at Amsterdam 1658. and now in English.	Weyer, Matthias, 1521-1560.; Spee, J.	1683 (1683)	Wing W1525A; ESTC R231717	176,738	498

then ●nto the understanding his salvation also ●n go no further then into the under●tanding and reason so that it must at last needs dye in that death that is so necessary to all Christians viz. wherein Reason is destroyed for in this death there remains nothing but the Soul or mind only But if it be objected that our faith and knowledge do penetrate even into the most inward regions of the Soul and mind I answer thereto That then also it is necessary that this our Soul and mind when it shall live with such an estrangedness from the flesh that it cannot but with great Nauseousness and tedious disdain bear in its self all the desires and lusts which spring from the nethermost parts of the flesh so as it would rather dye infinite deaths and to be freed from them then with pleasure even once to perform them in the verv act Behold my G. this brief proposal how every one ought to prove and try h●● faith If any man believeth in Chri●● from the very bottom of his Soul 〈◊〉 must need be wracked with great do●lours in his Soul by reason of sin so th● he will account of sin for the most grievous torture that can be found in all th● world and for his greatest enemy and how then for the sake of acting it can he enter into a friendship with it Although therefore the Vulgar knowledge of those who glory in the Gospel may say on this wise Sin if so be it is not perpetrated in the very act though it should lurk in the heart doth us no hurt yet do thou I pray hear how Christ doth nevertheless assert that he who looketh on a woman to lust after her is already guilty in the sight of God by which words surely Christ excuseth not but accuseth the lusting of a man and will really have it accounted for sin in the sight of God Dearest G. I beseech thee do not despond in thy mind because of this hard saying for all things are possible to God I only write this of purpose that thou mayest seasonably learn to judge of all things least thou shouldst consume thy youth unprofitably and that thou mayest bear fruit to God ●in thy own soul they in the mean time who are of the dregs of the Vulgar though they may have knowledge yet they lye down tired in sloth nor do they oppose sin with the least burning zeal or brea●● its impetuous assaults Nor yet doth this external abstinence from sins and the debilitating of them suffice for it 's necessary to descend to the very bottom it self when even the thoughts are to be judged in the presence of God Far therefore be it from us to commit sin in the very act Also this my Letter intends this at least that thy young limbs be stirred up both night and day to the worship of God by continued prayers in temperance purity meekness of heart long-suffering lov● of thine Enemies as also in the Reading of Scripture in holy proficiencies an● in other virtues conducing to Christian discipline Concerning which thy ow● Conscience will afford to thee a testimony all which being performed thou wi●● every day rejoyce in thy great success i● the work of the Lord that at last whe● thy most miserable condition is known thou wilt be a terrour to thy own sel● and therefore thou wilt so much th● more diligently call upon God for help that his most powerful right hand ma●● at length gratiously support thy Soul and conquer the power of the enemy in a real victory The Lord have mercy on us all and heal our diseases and effectually cause us to hunger and thirst after his righteousness least we be left naked in our own impurity EPIST. VIII How any one who is studious concerning the way of the Lord ought dayly to exercise himself MOst beloved Neece Because I understand that thou earnestly desirest such a disposition of heart as truely to walk in the ways of the Lord I could not withhold my self but must write to thee these few things for thy greater confirmation in them that thou being once entred into this way shouldest not desist from vigorously proceeding forward and to adhere to the Lord with thy whole heart together with a total suppression of thy carnal part Be therefore diligently studious that thy diligence be not tired out in reading in humanity in Silence in meekness in temperance forbearance patience and compassion also learn to exercise thy self in all studyes of virtues that thou being found faithful in little things mayest be made ruler over much greater for if thou shalt not be faithful in these few things assuredly thou wilt never be entrusted with more But I hope that thou wilt receive wisdom and prudence from the Lord that thou wilt have a care of and diligently attend unto thy own self least some bitter root should spring up in thee and so thou and thy Soul tumble head-long into destruction for the flesh doth very subtilly assault a man to beguile him and turn him away from Godliness Wherefore making a strict watch upon thy life and conversation carefully incompass thy self round having cut off the world and all wantonness of life speech and thoughts preferring every one with all gentleness and patience not only the good but also the evil and the immodest Learn also to bridle in thy self and to humble thy self being always turned to the Lord in thy heart Never let vain evil and unworthy thoughts arise in thy mind but always oppose them with great earnestness pouring out to the Lord fervent prayers and if thou gettest any spare time on holy days or otherways employ it in reading the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament or else of that little book intituled Of the imitation of Christ and in these exercise thy self and learn to ponder them often in thy mind If thou readest any thing which thou doest not understand call upon the Lord with ardent sighs and dayly tears that he would open to thee the true sense of his most holy word for to be the Necessary food of thy Soul for the more thou shalt follow the Lord the more thou shalt understand of holy Scripture and by how much the less thou art intent to wait upon the Lord by so much the less shalt thou understand Scripture Therefore let thy constant endeavours be to approve thy self faithful in these things which are viz. made known to thee in and by mortification and a continual access to God by prayer nor let any time slip by thee in vain and withou● thus doing If thou repliest that thou understandest not what thou readest again say that though thou mayest no● understand all yet is it incumbent o● thee to exercise thy self in the sacred word of the Lord as also to be unwear●edly sollicitous about it For by thes● exercises thou shalt sooner be amended then by idleness and these are the be●● means of instituting and of exercising an● man

always more and more streightned and at length comes into that affliction anxiety and sorrow by which he is so advanced forwards and his conscience is so clarified and illuminated that he can gain a true discerning of things and no falsity can ever deceive him to all eternity CHAP. XIX A Certain man said That burden and trouble which my neighbour hath upon my account does affect me with much grief formerly such a matter was to me a light thing and not grievous but afterwards it became a running sore No man ought to use any liberty towards his neighbour after that I had relieved my neighbour by my own proper trouble and had transferred the burden from my neighbour upon my own self I found my self notably advanced forwards And when I did not so do I was thereupon still under blame for in this very particular I walked not in the sight of God If a man must be advanced it behooves him to be quick-sighted that he may rightly converse with his neighbour It is often times necessary that one should neglect his exercises and his zeal for the sake of his neighbour and he shall commend himself unto God nor shall he therefore suffer any damage The levite and the Priest would not perform that because they were about their business and had their exercises and took care of themselves but left their wounded neighbour without help applying to him no compassion There was a true cause which yet they did not observe whence also it was that they were not praised of the Lord. A man attends fervently unto prayer and yet let him rightly weigh the causes of things and God will know he is to be advanced Oftentimes an advancement springeth from such a thing out of which there seemed that an hindrance would arise When a man observeth his conscience then is he always more and more streightned that sometimes he knows not which way to turn himself To neglect all things unto which lust reacheth out its hand and not to use them afflicteth a man When Nature is suspended then is not a man rejoyced though he hath the affluence of all things nor is he made sorrowful though they should be wanted if good things do abound yet they are not his for he cannot enjoy them truly so as to have a life in them but if they be wanting he hath lost nothing Wherefore he passeth between both parts unconcerned neither being rejoyced in those nor made sorrow in these To deny ones proper commodity and gain and for our neighbours sake and advantage to suffer detriment affecteth the conscience with great pleasure but if one seeks commodity and gain by the detriment of his neighbour or advantage by his neighbour's in jury or honour by his neighbour's disgrace then the conscience cannot be at rest and at last becomes grievously gauled Much is placed in this point so that he who desires to be advanced let him rightly use or handle his neighbour let him walk with frequent exercisings and with severity as under the Law and in all things let him observe his conscience He that spareth himself and does detriment to his neighbour rather then to himself he can never be advanced Also a man ought not to admit without lawful causes that his neighbour should serve him That the Fathers of old did so openly avoid gormandizing and gluttony this was the reason that gluttony is the chiefest of the vices under which all vices are contained Gluttony is the bull-work and defence of all the other vices which being broken down they can no longer maintain a war but the man goes on to fight them and to get the victory and one victory after another till by God's help he quite conquereth his carnal life and begins a happy life that so the flesh being corrupted and undone the Soul begins to bud forth and is gained But when afterwards these things are again to be lost certainly that death and affliction is much greater then was the death of the flesh In things necessary as meats drinks sleep cloaths c. they ought always to be only so taken as Nature can be contented therewith and not that pleasure or joy may arise out of them Such a use of them takes away all superfluity so that Necessity only may remain as in the sight of God Time is to be esteemed as too precious and worthy then to be squandred away in the reading of unprofitable books Conscience ought to be above all cases not ought any case to prevail at all if it be against conscience Carnal afflictions such as are these to be spoiled for the sake of the word of God to suffer persecution to be captivated to be tormented c. these I say I have not tried but I highly esteem them and the more because I have not experienced them rather then if I had experienced them That which is beyond Necessity is to be omitted and not used If any thing exceeds Necessity omit that for it will be grateful to you nor will you repent thereof although at present it may afflict you If you will not do thus greater pains and afflictions will arise therefrom That which is at present grateful at length breeds sorrows and that which at present affecteth with sorrow that at last will bring forth pleasure That which is sweet at first does at last give a bitter tast Boethius saith The end of pleasure is pain Also he saith There is no sin without pain and affliction as there is no virtue without its reward A man cannot be inwardly advanced nor have peace and rest unless outwardly he be withdrawn from all things in which he liveth and which he desireth and lusteth after and is imployed about slender and mean objects But thence resulteth great affliction without which notwithstanding no man is advanced Affliction is the food of the Soul To dye to the flesh is the life of the Soul Disquiet affliction and pain as to the flesh is peace joy and pleasure to the Soul for the one is also contrary to the other CHAP. XX. IT is necessary that a man should be made ashamed in all things and glory be given to God alone We must condole with our neighbour if one cannot do that yet must he hold his tongue and abstain from rash judgment When all things succeed to a man according to Nature pleasure appetite and proper commodity these are not the means of advancing him towards God but when all things go with a man against Nature viz. otherwise then Nature requireth and against delight and appetite then whole dayes are consumed in afflictions and then one may be advanced in God When things flow according to the current of will and Nature then there is nothing towards advancement but when we must sail against the current with men from whom many grievous things are to be born and who are altogether adverse unto us there in is advancement for such men are both the means and the cause of