Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	according_a	pray_v	spirit_n	1,979	5	5.5049	4	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00765	A treatise of prayer, and of the fruits and manner of prayer. By the most Reuerend Father in God Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochestre, Preist and most eminent Cardinall of the most holy Catholike Church, of the title of S. Vitalis. Translated into English by R.A.B.; Tractatus de orando Deum. English	Fisher, John, Saint, 1469-1535.; Roe, Alban, 1583-1642, attributed name.; Anderton, Robert, attributed name.; Batt, Antonie.; R. A.	1640 (1640)	STC 10890; ESTC S115046	39,954	190

prison Prayer was made by the Church without intermission to God for him Act. 12 By which words it doth clearely appeare that a true Christian in euery worke euen when he sleepeth doth alwayse pray which cannot betrue vnlesse by prayer we vnderstand the continuall desire of the mind Prayer a continuall desire of the mind A similitude which is alwayse flourishing and mouing in the heart For euen as one in prison bound with iron fetters of great weight moued with the irksomnesse of the miseries and affliction which he suffereth doth vehemeÌ„tly desire and seeke his libertie and if he shal conceiue any hope of his deliuery he incessantly wisheth and desireth to be freed from that imprisonment So doubtlesse euery Christian who is not ignorant how vehemeÌ„tly he is incited to sinne by the flesh the world and the diuell and how many and various kinds of troubles he suffers in this vale of miseries and to how many and how great perills and dangers of this life he is exposed is dayly forced and coÌ„pelled euery moment to desire the ayd and assistance of gods diuine grace Whereby he may att length freed from these euills fly vp to the most cleere sight of God and to the fruition of aeternall happinesse And this desire is oftentimes in holy writt vnderstood to be as a certeine crye in the eares of God Our Lord Psal 9. sayth the Prophet David hath heard the crye of the poore For the desire of those who are troubled and afflicted doth quickly come to the preseÌ„ce of God and makes a great crye in his eares And because in the hearts of the godly this desire doth neuer cease but is incessantly moved and stirred and alwayse seeketh and imploreth the diuine assistance euen whether they are then a wake or sleepe or eate or drinke or what else so euer they doe they are rightly sayd alwayse to pray and without intermission Which moveth S. Augustin to say Epist 112. c. 9. ad Drobam Pray yee without intermission what other thing doth it meane then desire without intermission aeternel life let vs desire this of our Lord and we alwayse pray Thus S. Augustin without this desire noe muttering of words though neuer so prolix can open the eares of his diuine Majestie But this desire of it selfe if it be fervent although there be no noyse at all of words doth most easilie penetrate and without any delay obteines a present hearing as we shal declare more plainely heereafter Whosoeuer therefore shal vnderstand this saying of Christ according to this sense shal in my opinion rightly vnderstaÌ„d it neyther can wee other I se easilie conceiue any man alwayse to pray to God and to spend both night and day without intermissioÌ„ in prayer But by this desire which in the heart of holy men is neuer extinguished God is alwayse and incessantly prayed vnto and by it wee knoke perpetuallie at the gates of his diuine mercy for the obtaining of his grace and assistance Therefore it is most true which Christ sayd Lu. 18. we ought alwayse to pray and not to giue ouer But not soe that any sett prayer formed by words must alwayse be vttered by vs eyther by our mouth or mind but that no moment of time doe passe vs where in we doe not desire the ayde of his grace and euerlasting happinesse But because we are to speake somewhat more heereafter of this mattere Therefore we will now produce some reasons which if we shal diligently obserue they will both encourage vs to shalke of sloath and with more diligence and and facilitie stirre vs vp to pray The first reason why God is to be prayed vnto CHAP. II. THis ought first of all to moue vs A similitude that prayer is like to a certeine golden rope or chaine lett downe from heaven by which we cndeavour to draw God to vs whereas in deed we are more truly drawne by him For so it is as if one standing in a higher place and wold draw another from below he letteth downe some cord or line vnto him on which he laying hould and with all his forces drawing is att last elevated to the topp This rope or golden Chaine holy S. Dionisius calleth prayer Cap. 3. de diuinis nomibus which truly is let downe to vs from heauen and by God himselfe fastened to our hearts for no man truly and heartily prayes if he be not inspired by God 2. Cor. 3. Seing we are not of our selues as Saint Paul sayth Sufficient to thinke any thing that is good but our sufficiency is of God This line therefore is let downe vnto vs that we continuallic hanging at it may att last be lifted vp to heauen to the fruition of God But let vs lay open this matter yett more at large When one considers deepely on the one side the infinite goodnesse pietie and benignitie of God and on the other side his owne pouertie want and miseric then is he presently forced to seeke after the ayde comfort and presence of God his most benigne Creator and Protector as the kingly Prophet Sayth Psalm 26. I haue sought after thy countenance O Lord I will seeke after thy countenance And when he beleives that he is truly present then he exposeth and discouereth his miseries and necessities then he doubleth his desires then with many teares and sithes he imploreth the diuine goodnesse that he would be graciouslic pleased to helpe him in his necessities and not to forsake him in these his afflictions and to assist him with his helping grace by wich he may in all things best please his diuine Majestie And wheÌ„ the soule doth this what other thing doth it but seeme to be drawne vp to God by this line or cord of prayer What els doth it but striue to be sweetly bound vnto hits Creator What doth it but labour to conioyne its vnderstanding with the incomprehensible light of his diuine Majestie What cls doth it but vnite its affections with his vnspeakeable goodnesse Lastly what other thing doth it but elevates the mind aboue all things created soe that att last it is made one spirit with God fast bound vnto him with this golden line or chaine of prayer Behold now what kind of bond this prayer is O line more then golden O chaine aboue all iewells to be desired O most sweet bond of loue who would not most willingly be bound with this most soft and silken cord Or lastly who doth not desire from the bottomÃ¨ of his heart to repose himselfe in the armes of so loving Ã Prince so potent a King Verely this onely cogitation if it were deepely considered might suffice to inflame the most frozen heart and to stirre it vp to frequeÌ„t this holy exercise of prayer And the rather for that euery one how miserable a sinner so euerhe be may and ought without all question to hope that his diuine Majestie though incomparablie high and superemineÌ„t yet

or shapeth to it selfe of God must not be vnder any colour or light or figure or any other corporal likenesse for all these things are created and so not God whereas we seeke the vnion and coniunction of our selues with God only and not with any other thing distinct from him If therefore one goeth about to thinke of God himselfe let him with his vnderstanding flie aboue all things created Hovv vvemay atteine to the conceiving of God alone conceiueing in his mind a thing most high most excellent and by infinite degrees surpassing all other things imaginable This if he can doe without the apprehension of anie light colour figure or likenesse as I sayd before then hath he apprehended God himselfe In which affaire if thou wilt continue and diligently imploy thy selfe thou shalt at last atteine to that vnspeakable sweet ness and withall obteine the three fould fruit of thy prayer But if in the beginning this way seeme difficult to any one The meditation of the humanitie of Christ leadeth to higher contemplation of God let him first exercise himselfe in thinking vpon Iesus Christ who is both true God and true man let him therefore fix the eye of his vnderstanding vpon him as true God calling to remembrance his holy Incarnation birth painfull labours and cruel death Let him consider likewise his heavenly glory where with he now shineth sitting att the right hand of his father Whosoever shall diligently exercise himselfe in these or any other meditation of Christ Or more proportionable for him shall easily from his most sacred humanitie mount to the contemplation of the most vnspeakeable inscrutable diuine Majestie of God For this is the necrest way that leadeth vs to the tast of that most pure and diuine sweetnesse And if perchance he cannot yet atteine vnto this inward comfort and sweetnesse almightie God withdrawing himselfe eyther because as yet he seeth it will but litle proffitt him or because he is not fervent enough or sufficieÌ„tly attentiue considering the greatnesse and dignitie of the thing he desires yet for all this he shall not loose the reward of his prayer The best therefore and most pure way of prayer is The most perfect vvay of prayer if one after he hath most seriously recollected himselfe and directed his mind with all his force vnto God himselfe who is verely there present doth offer vnto him from the bottome of his heart and with a pure affection the prayers which he is about to say whether he vnderstand them or not it is not materiall and shal soe fix his mind vpon God that his imagination waÌ„ders not Such an one shal proffit more in the love of God which is the end of prayer then if he were never so attentiue to the words or sense of them For this setling of his mind vpon God is for the most part accompanied with such an eleuation of heart that the mind having forgotten all earthly things many times knoweth not where it is or what it doth as if a man were become a meere stranger to himselfe and the spirit is sometimes soe greatly moved that vnadvisedly it cryes out or doth some other action which immediately after a man remembers not because the spiritt worketh so mightily in him that he can by no meanes suppresse those actions in himselfe And as the holy fathers whoe in this art were very expert and skilfull affirme there is oftentimes so great sweetnesse tasted in prayer that it even redoundeth to the flesh so that the flesh is made pertaker of so great sweetnesse and such as it never tasted before To which the Prophet David accordeth saying My heart and flesh have exulted in the living God as if he should say my heart through the bounteous overflowing of my spirit hath received so wonderfull a sweetnesse from God that my very flesh through delight of it is over come with ioy and such as I am not able to coÌ„teine my selfe This very exultation is as it were a sparkle of eternall life which we shall inioy after the vniucrsall resurection of our bodies for then the glory of the soule shall so exceedingly abouÌ„d that it shall flow into the bodie and both soule and bodie with this abundaÌ„ce shal be fullie satisfied Out of what hath heere beeÌ„ sayd before in this chapter it may easily be gathered that the cheifest attention to be vsed in prayer is to have continuallie in our memorie the presence of God to whom we pray and to fix him immoueablie before the eyes of our heart which to doe though in the beginning of this exercise it be some what difficult and trouble some yet by successe of time and vse of prayer it will become more easie and more pleasant but to them cheifely whoe are most inflamed with the spirit of deuotion and contemplation Now let vs passe to the next question How long our prayer ought to be CHAPT III. NOw in the second place we must inquire how long our prayer ought to be for being it may be longer or shorter as we please therefore to know of what length or how short it must be belongeth to the manner of prayer I say therefore that although Iesus Christ admonisheth vs alwayse to pray it is not so to be vnderstood as we have declared in the first chapter that we ought alwayse actuallie to pray for no man is able so to continue our weakenesse and frailtie being such that it will not permitt vs to be still intent eyther to vocall or mentall prayer without any intermission yet notwithstanding doth Christ admonish vs rightly for that we are in continuall neede of Gods aide and assistance which we must continuallie begge and intreate at his hands It hath pleased therefore some grave Authors to giue vs this rule that we should so farre prolong our prayer A similitude vntill we have atteined the end for which it was first instituted For as the phisitian applieth no greater or stronger medecine to his patient then will serve to cure his disease which is the end of the art of phisicke Even soe must our prayer be soe long till wee have atteined to the immediate end for which it was instituted But the first and cheifest end of prayer is the fervor of charitie which is the healh of our soules It is fervor then of charitie that God requireth of vs for he doth despise the lukewarme and in the Apocalyps he preferrethe the key cold before him saying I would thou wert hot or cold Apoc. 9. but by cause thou art luke-arme I will beginne to vomitt thee out of my mouth See heere in how great hatred almightie God hath those that are luke-warme Wherefore we must labour by all meanes possible to procure in our selves this feruency of charitie For the obteining of which fervour prayer is of all things most necessarie which feruor so soone as we have obteined we are exceedingly enabled with great alacritie to vndertake any worke whatsoever we thinke to

other good worke still imployed eyther to gett this fervour of charitie or in increasing or nourishing the same never suffering it so farre as he is able tho rough his negligence or fault to be extinguished or to grow cold nor suffers the good motions and inspirations of the holy Ghost to die in him without some fruit he without all doubt in short time shal come vnto that vnspeakble tranquilitie of mind and to such Ã pleasant ioy in heart as incomparablie surpasseth all wordly solace and contentment all ioy all laughing and meriment all pleasure that heere can be affoorded or expected And thus let vs come to the third qustion Wether the prayer of the heart onely is more aduantagious then that which is made both with heart and speech CHAP. IV. IT remaineth now that we treate whether prayer of the heart only or prayer which is made with the heart and lipps together be most proffitable vnto him that prayeth I doe protest heere that it is not my intention to affirme any thing in derogation of vocall prayer such as is eyther receiued by custome or ordeined by the constitutions of the Church or inflicted by way of pennance or assumed by vow or any other promise whatsoever by which a man hath bound himlselfe to vocall prayer But my opinion is that whosoever is free from theise bonds and in possession of his absolute libertie and desires to serve God after the best purest and most pleasing way vnto him it is farre more proffitable for such an one to pray with his heart only then with his tongue and heart together Because as Saint Augustine in a certaine Epistle of his to Proba speaking of the fruit of prayer affirmeth saying The office of praying is better performed by sithinge and mourning then by speech of lipps Epist 121. better by weeping then speaking Which if it be so verily the prayer of the heart from whence the sorrow breaketh is much more availeable then the wordes which proceede from the lipps And rightly by cause as saint Cyprian testifierh De oratione pau lo pÃ²st principium God is the hearer of the heart not of the voyec he is not to be moved by clamour or noyse who sees the inward thoughts of the mind Wherefore a poore Wretch who casteth himselfe prostrate on the earth with great humilitie acknowledging himselfe to be a sinner and laying open his miseries pouring forth the bottome of his heart before God not vttering words but pittifull groanes this poore soule without all question shall soone obteine what he requireth att Gods hand Which appeares plainely to be true in Anna the mother of Samuell For she being barren earnestly desired att the hands of God that he would giue her a sonne for which cause she often frequented the temple imploring his diuine goodnesse by dayly prayer that he would be pleased to be propitious vnto her in this her suit yet did she not forme any one word att all but prayed in hart only as the Scripture sayth She prayed in her heart and novoyce was heard for her lipps onely moved Why doe I vse many words By this only prayer that is of her heart she obteined what she asked for she brought forth a sonne whome she with so many teares and soe much sorrow had begged att the hands of God and not with the noyse of her lipps and tongue To this also doth saint Hierome agree explicating that of S. Mathewe But thou when thou prayest enter into thy chamber Math. 6. and having shutt the dore pray to thy father It seemeth to me sayth he we are rather commanded to pray vnto our Lord Hier. in cap. 6. with our thougts in our breast then with our lipps as we reade in the booke of Kings that Anna did her lipps sayth the Scripture were moved and hervoyce was not heard Thus S. Hier. in this way of prayer vehemently moves his diuine Majestie and powerfullie inclines him seedily to heare vs. Moreouer the holy Ghost is our teacher and aduiser to this way of prayer as S. Paul testifieth Ro. 8. who sayth what we should pray as we ought we know not but the spiritt himselfe asketh for vs with groanings in speakeable As if he would say we know not after what manner to aske any thing but the spiritt of God inwardly stirring vp our hearts makes vs with vnspeakeable groanings to aske what is most fitting for our soules health Yet notwithstanding I doe not denie but that some deuout person may beginne his prayer with what wordes he pleaseth from his lipps But soe soone as ever he shall find himselfe a litle enkindled and as it were set on fire with that sweet flame of the holy Ghost then it will be fitt for him to leave of vocall prayer and follow the leading of the diuine spiritt and in sileÌ„ce to permit himselfe to be wholy gouerned by it For as I sayd a litle aboue the end which we should prefix to our selues in our prayer is cheifely the fervour of charitie with which we begin to be possessed and inflamed then by devout prayer our minds are stirred vp and clevated vnto God on high As soone therefore as we find our selves to have atteined to this end then must we striue by all meanes to continue it in vs which to doe without all doubt we have no better way then to follow the leading of the holy ghost whose conduct farre more advanceth our affaire then any words we can invent or bring forth Wherefore must wee with all our might follow the instinct and motion of the holy spiritt whether soever it shall leade vs neyther neede we from thence forth vtter any words of our owne Not vnlike vnto him who after great labour and long travaile hath passed the sea A similitude and is arrived at his desired haven then he forsaketh the shipp that brought him and applieth himselfe wholy to the end and purpose for which he came and is no more sollicitous for the poore vessayle that brought him thither So also he that by the helpe and vse of vocall prayer as by a shipp hath atteined vnto the inward consolation of his soule and to this fervour of charitie in God must then make it his cheifest care and study that this fervour by no meanes grow cold but then leaving of his vocall prayer he must follow this holy spirit who hath brought him to this fervour wither soever it shall leade him then he must not vse his owne words but whatsoever the holy Ghost shal suggest vnto his heart that let him desire not with words but with burning sighes of ioy But that thou mayst more certeinely know that this manner of prayer to wit which is offered in spirit and mind is more excellent then that which is performed with speech and words listen to that which Christ sayth in the ghospell IoaÌ„ 4. God is a spirit and they that adore him must adore him in spirit and veritie

he was in his sight keeping him that he should not be moved that is not fall in to sinne Humilitie most grare full to God By this thou seest most deare brother how highly allmighty God loveth humilitie who is alwayse neere at hand to him that is indued with it and all wayse looketh vpon him For it is written Psal 112. Psalm 10. He who dwelleth on high respecteth the humble and againe his eyes lookes vpon the poore But my deare brother when thou hearest this word poore doe not apprehend one that wants worldly fortune For many Kings haue highly pleased God Vvhois truly poore Mat. 5. and many beggars have perished But poore here is poore in spirit according to theise words Blessed are the poore in spirit because theirs is the Kingdome of heaven 1. Pet. 2. Soe dearely beloued humble thy selfe vnder the mightie hand of God Matt. 18. that he may exalt thee in the Kingdome of heaven which our Saviour hath promisedvnto the humble For thy Targett or Buckler arme thy selfe with the signe of the Crosse The Crosse che buckier signing therewith all thy body and thy heart and not onely with thy hand but euen with thy very mind all thy studies and end eauours thy entrance into any place and thy going forth thy sitting downe also and thy rising vp thy bed and whatsoever thou doest signe it first in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghost for this is a most strong armour or defence and none can ever hurt thee if thou beest signed with it For if one that carieth the protection of an earthly King noe man dareth affront him how much more ought we not to feare bearing the protection of our heavenly Emperour Vse therefore deare brother theise armes in all thy actions they are preualent against the enimie yea against the sword which is bitter and malevolent anger For this two edged sword killeh in a moment it striketh Anger the svv ord of the enimie as it is written a moment of wrath is his ruine Eccl. 1. Therefore my deare brother never neglect to signe thy selfe and thou shalt breake the netts the devill layeth to ensnare thee as it is written in the way that I walked in they haue layed a net for me Psal 139. Be therefore dayly signed with the Crosse and noe evill will come neere thee For thy bowe lift vp thy hands in prayer as it is written Prayer the bovve And thou hast made my armes as a bowe of steele For verily the hands of him who prayeth in Knowledge are as a bowe of steele against his enemies or as an arrow directly and forciblie shott by the bowbender For if in prayer you suffer your mind to wander you wil be iust as he that holdeth Ã bow in his hand but cannot direct his arrow against his adversarie shooting it att Randome and without ad vice Yet sometimes it striketh some feare in thy enimie when he seeth thee bend thy bow though the arrowe come not so neere him but a distance of Soe I say my bretheren when one prayeth with devotion and suffers not his thoughts to be wandring abroad but vnderstands to whome he prayeth that this such prayer tendeth to God himselfe then is the enimie most vehemently contristated as being peirced through the heart with a sharpe dart For how much more the soule profiteth in grace so much further of doth he flie Psal 34. as the dust before the face of the wind for the Angell of God doth persecute him fee in what thing he wounds him thus 1. Cor. 14. because he prayeth in devotion and know ledge and he is more strengthened because he restrayneth his thoughts and suffers them not to wander abroade And thou O my brother powre forth thy prayers in knowledge But if whilst thou prayest thy mind be distracted eyther by the wandering of thy eye or the catching of thy eare or evagation of thy thoughts or by any other cause know this to be his working yet make not to much hast to end thy prayer but rebuke thy selfe and recollect thy spiritts and then againe pray in know ledge that thou mayest know for whome thou prayest vnto God and for what thou prayest and vse not many and superfluous words For it is the worke of the devill to scatter our thoughts vpon many impertinent things and he doth not willingly suffer vs to persist in the intention we first made For he knoweth full well that if a man perseuereth he that made him will heare him not with standing he hath committed innumerable sinnes wherefore he suggesteth many idle and superfluous words and thoughts that the mind being repulsed from her first intention may wander through various distractions and our first intention of prayer be diuerted to some other thing wherefore my brother Vve mustaske of God vvhat is most necessarie for vs. demand of god what vrgeth thee most and for those things thou hast most neede of Remember those two blind men crying after him Haue mercy vpon vs sonne of David what sayd our lord vnto them Mat. 9.20 Marc 10. Lu. 18. but what will you that I doe vnto you And they according to the greife and affection of their heart requested that their eyes might be opened Did they aske any other thing of which they stoode in very great neede Did they say giue vs a garment to couer vs for we are very poore Noe certes but they asked God that of which they stood most in need Mat. 15 Mar. 7. Behold the woman of Canaan crying and saying vnto him lord haue mercy vpon me for my daughter is sore vexed with a deuill and sayd nothing els but vttered the greife and affection of her heart in fine all that euer came to our Lord and Saviour what did they but lay open before him the afflictioÌ„s and greife of their hearts Did not alsoe that woman which was troubled with the bloodie flux come vnto him and desired him to stopp it who I pray you goeing to the phisitian or chirurgian Mat. 9. Mar. 5. Luc. 8. Esa 6. doth not forth with open the very bottome of his disease or wound Doe thou also my deare brother offer vnto him the greife of thy soule behold him with thy spiritual and intellectuall eyes of fayth sitting vpon a most high and eleuated throne and troopes of Angells and ArchaÌ„gells assisting rouÌ„d about him and casting thy selfe before the sight of his goodnesse powre forth thy prayers before him first confessing thy sinns then in humilitie and deuotion vrging thy necessities vnto him and the sorrowes of thy heart vntill he shall in his goodnesse and clemencie haue mercy vpon the saying Ã´ faithfull soule be it vnto thee as thou desirest But withalle take this councell my brother if he shall delay and not forthwith grant thy petition yet desist not to crye vnto him Remember the Cananaean and imitate her perseuerance for

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