Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	creature_n	lord_n	praise_v	2,323	5	9.4645	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51875	The loving husband and prudent wife represented in the persons of St. Eustachius and Theopista, martyrs / written in Italian by John Baptista Manzini and Englished by John Burbery.	Manzini, Giovanni Battista, 1599-1664.	1657 (1657)	Wing M556; ESTC R29503	56,382	213

subdu'd the rebell he secured the Empire to the Emperour and remustering his souldiers renown'd by the victory and enricht with the booty resolv'd to retreat But 't would not be amisse to relate the affectionate charity with which he commiserating the unfortunate moderated the anger of the Conquerours restrain'd the rapacity of the Covetous and repressed the fierceness of the lustfull telling them with arguments but more efficaciously by his own example that victories are dishonour'd by acts of injustice and we make an ill return of Heavens favours when we do commit cruelties It would peradventure be convenient and perhaps not unprofitable to tell the love and tears he devoutly exprest for the multitude of graces from God but who can describe the conceptions of an Angel Graces he receiv'd and was thankfull for them and was thankfull because he receiv'd them and receiv'd them because he was thankfull He return'd them so affectionatly that oftentimes the graces losing the name of graces became the reward of his gratitude his zeal making him so deserving that the favours he receiv'd made him capable of deserving them afresh O most happy state of a Soul in love with God! The Army marched and marched in order every pace being regular in respect of their motion and conveniency of the stations The Van-guard Battalia and Reer-guard with the Baggage and Provisions in their place Light-Horsmen scowr'd the way though the Countrey was open and no danger of ambushes and the Precursors went for Forrage as the way was commodious In every thing they provided against the perils of a War and enjoy'd in every thing the delights of a Peace They marched in order not out of suspicion but discipline for their Arms serv'd onely for the character and not the defence of the Souldier At the end of some dayes Eustachius arriving in a pleasant and fruitfull part of Egypt resolved the Army should repose for some time which by reason of its hard and toylsome march was in no good condition During the sweetness of this rest the Souldiers allur'd by the pleasantness of the Countrey went recreating themselves in that Paradise of Egypt whose bosome still enamell'd with a Spring of standing Treasures invited them with pleasure and tranquillity to lye every where on the ground It happened on a time that two of them declining the heats at noon day were resting themselves in a shade of Palm-trees where a Garden lay conceal'd which for the delights of the Inhabitants was seated in the most remote part of the House They lay solitary on the grass and talking among themselves and because the conveniency of the place and the time unfit for business gave them the opportunity they passing from one to another discourse informed each other by turns of the state and condition of their fortunes A poor Woman that was spinning behind the hedge of the neighbouring Garden and refreshing her self in the shade heard all their discourse and things which not onely caus'd amazement in her heart but drew tears from her eyes She toss'd up and down disorder'd and much troubled resolves to change the climate to make use of the tidings she received by chance But how will she be able to do it since she is so unhappy that to call her a Woman of small fortune would detract from her calamity While these mental tumults lasted her minde gave her happily the General if she made it her suit would easily condiscend to her modest desires She who had her heart and her ears replenish'd with the celebrated piety of Eustachius embrac'd the suggestion and arriving at the place where she heard he was quarter'd continues her request for access and easily obtain'd it of him who never asham'd to have his actions seen retires to live more quietly and not to sin more secretly She found him sitting in the midst of his Champions the glory of that age where I might say he recreated himself if treating of a Hero it came not near impiety not to say he was at Councel She first prostrating her eyes and then kneeling rather owning the title of a noble and modest Maid than a mature and beggarly Egyptian spake to him in this manner You see my Lord a poor unhappy Creature who hath lost all that Heaven and Nature could give her Time and Fortune have robb'd me of my Youth my Parents Countrey Means Husband and Sonnes But Heaven be praised whose decrees should be alwayes held in reverence nothing else is left me but the dreggy part of my age which being vile infirm frail impotent and painfull begins now so to trouble me I am oblig'd to think of my Grave to prevent my being miserable even after death Rome was my Countrey whither naturall affection calls me the onely favour I have left me to beg for so wretched a Carcass I beseech you Noble Sir deny not my request that I may at your charitable charge once again see that soyl which though it gave me so unfortunate a birth deserves my love so well I never shall remember it but with tears and with sighs These few and sweet words which she utter'd with humility and a modesty expressing majestie the standers by mov'd with compassion commended extreamly Eustachius who never was more happy and contented than when he had occasion to exercise his piety approaching to her who continu'd yet kneeling reply'd Poor Woman thou shalt receive comfort Thy discretion bears thee witness thy birth is as thou say'st Rest satisfied I will take such order thou shalt be provided of all things in the journey and go along with us to the place thou desirest On the sudden the good Woman when she heard him say so as if she had been struck to the heart lifting up her eyes and fixing them on the countenance of the General being dismay'd amaz'd and pale with a certain distemper which some did interpret confusion and others astonishment stood still without motion Every one admiring the strangeness of the thing fell a guessing at the cause produced so sudden a passion But the pale and wan colour in her cheeks became quickly a fine red and as soon as her minde had obtain'd some peace to so many perturbations she endeavour'd with her tears to vent her great passion Eustachius more amaz'd than the rest and urging her to tell the sudden cause of so sensible a sorrow offer'd to assist her more abundantly if she needed or desir'd it The issue was thus when the Woman had calmed her passion and was confident of the Generals magnanimity she besought him at last that dismissing the Company he would suffer her for a short space of time to speak to him alone about business concerning her Eustachius condescended and all the standers by went away leaving her shut in and alone with the General who longing irresolute and wavering by reason of many doubts guess'd penetrating with his judgment what the Beggar would say who was not without a great mysterie so grievously and suddenly afflicted

air he adored the Spirit of God passing and triumphing on the wings of the winde He either plow'd mowed or sow'd never wanting occasion of recollecting himself He grieved that Man from the Earth an insensible thing could promise himself a gratitude for each though little labour of his tilling when he who had a soul and was rational and more oblig'd to God than any other Creature was cold slow and backward in returning him thanks who cover'd him with the Heavens warm'd him with the Sun sustain'd him on a Pavement of Flowers and nourish'd him with plenty of all things drawn out of the ground Every Flower put him in minde of a virtue The whiteness of the Lilly made him blush to think a Soul redeem'd by Christ should let a stinking Flower surpass it in purity In every Rose he found a thorn piercing his heart and upbraiding the little charity he express'd for the love of his God who crown'd and rent with thorns was torn to save him The herb Turnsole is never weary in following the tracks of the Sun Eustachius said mortifying himself and wilt thou O my heart let a Flower instruct thee in loving ●erving and contemplating on thy God The Hyacinth in the opening of his leaves sends forth sweet and sad notes and he that bewails not his sins in his heart bewails them in the leaves But what doth Eustachius perform who hath been so long and continually a Sinner Every green Herb taught him hope and every fruitfull Tree imitation These Meditations ended in extasies of his minde which sever'd from the body did run to the feet of his Creatour to thank him for the fruit he had gather'd as a benefit receiv'd and the immature fruit as a benefit expected Such was the life of Eustachius in that solitude inhabited by Angels who continually descending and ascending as it were on Jacob's Ladder beheld and admired the love which towards his Creatour he expressed whom I cannot call earthly since he alwayes liv'd in Heaven The Loving Husband and Prudent Wife c. The third Book WHosoever is thankfull to God in prosperity pays his debts but he that gives him thanks in adversity turns Creditor Tribulation sayes Saint Jerome is a fruit of the Almond-tree the rinde of which is bitter but the kernel very sweet And the Naturalists observe when the Almond-tree is full of blossoms 't is a sign of a plentifull harvest Our Eustachius makes it good whose sufferings all know which have been so great their billows have petrify'd his heart and render'd it stony obdurate and dead to passions and affections Under the bitter Plant of affliction as Jacob under the Turpentine-tree Eustachius hath bury'd the Idols of his affections his interest and desires His heart is no longer of flesh but of Christ and had it been open'd the name of Jesus would have been found there as in that of Ignatius the Martyr But God would not permit him to continue in this state Tribulations may serve to increase his temptations but cannot increase the faith of his invincible heart which can have no addition of courage The eagerness and valour he hath shew'd on all occasions give him worthily the praises and title of a Noble Commander who had been still victorious Here misery made a stand and Heaven clear'd up to this fortunate Passenger As Eustachius was discoursing one day with certain Husbandmen in order to their rural affairs two Strangers saluting them kindly approached to them whose civility the Country People returning offer'd themselves readily to serve them in what they were able The Strangers thanking them seem'd most desirous to have information of a Roman call'd Placidus who together with his Wife and two Sons had been missing fifteen years and they were in quest of Eustachius who before had been their General and their intimate Friend knew them but was not known again And who would e're have thought so pale so hairy and so humble a countenance colour'd onely with misfortune could have been the face of Placidus who formerly full of majestie and glittering like the Sun represented in the Colours of his Banners the Purple of his Triumphs At this their encounter and demands Eustachius could not choose but be sensible of the natural commotions our frailty occasions so as 't is no wonder if the memory of himself his Wife and his Sons caused him to relent The temptation was strong because too unexpected and had a too delicate opportunity and too little suspected His Friends were the cause whose affections incommodity and charity unless by not concealing them he could not return Quickly but quietly lest he should have been observ'd he sadly turn'd his back and leaving the company went weeping towards his home His tears trickl'd down in too great an abundance and he perceiv'd he wept with a kind of afflicted sensuality even tears said Metrodorus have their lust which he soon was sorry for Woe is me what do I Men weep not in this manner for the easing of nature whose sorrows to appease many tears are not requisite Men weep in this manner for some unruly passion tyrannically subduing their reason Le ts look to our selves O Eustachius least the Devill circumvent us for this violence is too great So he spake to himself when invaded by the memory of his former prosperity his love to his wife and his grief for the death of his sons but conquer'd by his fear to be seen by his God too devoted to the world he besought his sacred Majesty not to suffer any earthly affection to prevayle in his heart which dedicated and bequeathed to him was no otherwise of Eustachius than as Eustachius could not serve without a heart and love his gracious God So with unknown resentments resembling a trance which might be thought a punishment for his sorrow but probably was the sweetness and fruit of his devotion he fell to the earth beseeching God to moderate so immoderate a passion He would have begg'd of God as he was pleas'd to comfort him with the unexpected presence of two such dear friends so he would too be pleas'd even once before he dy'd to shew him his beloved Theopista since he could not hope possibly to see his little sons ah little sons so unfortunately lost and bewayl'd He would have pursu'd his desire with devout supplications and prayers if he could have been assur'd it was no temptation he being so confirm'd and onely intense in the will of his Creator that it seem'd to him a sin to desire it He so passionately was enamour'd of God that he thought if he lov'd any thing besides him 't would decrease his love to God These his irresolutions doubts exprest his devotion and affection to God T is one of the happinesses of a soul in the state of grace to see that all his thoughts affections and operations are prayers incenses and meritotorious To these supplications of Eustachius a voyce answer'd plainly from Heaven which spake in this manner Be