Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	blood_n	body_n	sacrament_n	22,235	5	7.4969	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13680	Of the imitation of Christ, three, both for wisedome, and godlines, most excellent bookes; made 170. yeeres since by one Thomas of Kempis, and for the worthines thereof oft since translated out of Latine into sundrie languages by diuers godlie and learned men: now newlie corrected, translated, and with most ample textes, and sentences of holie Scripture illustrated by Thomas Rogers; Imitatio Christi. English.	Rogers, Thomas, d. 1616.; Thomas, à Kempis, 1380-1471, attributed name.	1580 (1580)	STC 23973; ESTC S118358	156,757	336

to shew in their faith strength in their strength skil in their skil staiednes in their staiednes patience in their patience godlines in their godlines brotherlines and in their brotherlines louingnes The members of Christ are they that take paine to frame and facion themselues like to their head as much as can be in this life assuring themselues that it is not possible for the head to be of one wil and the members of another Gods elect or chosen are they that endeuor to be holie and vnblamable before him in loue Those those be the markes where by a man may ought to discerne them from the vnbeleeuers the heathenish the vnholie the children and lims of the Diuel finalie from al kinds of false Christians In respect whereof it is not amis to alledge the saieng of S. Augustine The wicked man saith he may haue baptisme he may haue the gift of prophesieng he may receiue the Sacrament of the bodie and blood of our Lord he may beare the ●ame of a Christian haue Christs name ●n his mouth and he may haue other virtues but charitie is the thing which the wicked cannot haue it is peculiar to the true Christians And therefore saith he ●et euerie man examine himselfe what he ●oueth and thereby he shal find to what citie he belongeth If he loue the world and worldlie things that is to wit fleshlines monie or honor he is a citizen of Babylon but if he loue God he is a citizen of Ierusalem He is good and righteous and therefore he must not doubt but that God wil at that day giue vnto him the crowne of righteousnes Amen A. G. BLESSED ART THOV O LANDE WHEN THY KING IS THE SONNE OF NOBLES ECCLES 10.17 The first Booke of the Imitation of Christ. Chapter 1. That al worldlie things are vaine and to be contemned HE which followeth me saith Christ doth not walke in darknes but hath the light of life by which words we are iniomed to imitate his manners and conuersation if we desire trulie to be inlightened and deliuered from al blindnes of hart Wherefore it is our parts most earnestlie to consider what the conuersation of our Sauior was The doctrine of Christ surpasseth al the lerning euen of the best men a man endued with his Spirit findeth an hidden and heauenlie Manna in his words but for want of the Spirit of Christ many though much they heare yet litle they profit by the preaching of the Gospel Wherfore if any would fullie vnderstand and with pleasure attaine to the knowledge of our Sauiors words he must endeuor to frame his life after his example What auaileth it thee subtilie to dispute about the Trinitie if thou lacke humilitie and so displease the Trinitie Doubtles darke saiengs make not an holie man but a virtuous life bringeth into the fauor of God For my part I had rather finde my selfe conuerted from sinne than cunninglie define what sinne is If thou hast the whole Bible yea the saiengs of al Philosophers too at thy fingers end what art thou the better if thou be out of charitie and the fauor of God Vanitie of vanities and al is vanitie saue onelie to loue and to serue God syncerelie When al is done the true wisedom is by contemning the worlde to go on towards heauen It is vanitie for a man to seeke transitorie riches and to trust in them It is vanitie to hunt after preferment and to be puffed vp It is vanitie to folow and fauor the lustes of the flesh which one daie thou wilt rue ful greeuouslie Vanitie it is to desire a long life and not to care for a good life It is vanitie to behold the time present and not to foresee what wil come hereafter And vanitie it is to couet those things which passe awaie most swiftlie and not to hasten thither where is ioie without end Forget not the Prouerbe The eie is not satisfied with seeing nor the care with hearing Wherefore endeuor thou to withdrawe thy selfe from the loue of this world and looke on things which are not seene For they which giue the raines to their desires both defile their consciences with sinne and slaie their soules through Gods displeasure Chap. 2. Against vaine glorie in spiritual things AL men naturaly desire to know but what is knowledge without the feare of God The simplest country swaine fearing God is better than a proude Philosopher which stareth vpon the Stars and careth not for himselfe Hee which knoweth himselfe throughlie esteemeth of himselfe but lightlie and waieth nought y ● praise of men If I had al knowledge and had not loue what would that profit me afore God who wil iudge me according to my deedes Studie not ouer ernestlie for knowledge for that is but a vexation of the Spirit and a deceauing the minde For learned men commonly would be knowne and counted wise Many things there be which knowen but litle if they doe anie thing profit the soule and he is extremely foolish that casteth his minde vpon anie thing which tends not vnto his euerlasting welfare Much wordes doe not satisfie the mind but a good conscience is a continual feast and maketh a man with boldnes to approach before God By how much thou knowest mo and better things than other men by so much shal thy paines be greater and more greeuous than others vnles thou liue by so much better than other folkes So then let none Art nor knowledge make thee proud but hauing knowledge be thou more humble And if in thine opinion thou knowest much knowe thou that far moe things there he which thou knowest not and neuer be proude man but confesse thine ignorance Why preferrest thou thy selfe before others seeing that many there be better learned and more skilful than thy selfe If thou wilt be learned and knowe in deede then studie to be vnknowen and to be obscure For the true perfect knowledge is to know and debase our selues and he which wil esteeme lightly of himselfe greatlie of others is doubtles a wise and perfect man When thou seest one openlie to offend and greeuouslie to transgresse conceaue not by and by better of thy self than of him for thou knowest not how soone thou maist fal thy selfe For in verie deed we are al fraile but think none more fraile than thy selfe Chap. 3. Of true knowledge or knowledge of the truth HAppie is that man whom the truth it selfe not letters nor figures which vanishe doth teach For our owne opinions and senses doe many times deceaue and seldome profit vs. What auaileth it subtily to dispute about obscure and dark things the ignorance wherof shal be none hinderance vnto vs at the daie of iudgement Certeinlie it is egregious follie to

by our flesh that we must not thinke that God can haue his dominion in vs vnles we vse great force to ouercome and subdue our selues to him Yet notwithstanding there are some nowadaies yea and a great some who without taking much paine I wil not say without taking any atal cesse not for al that to brag afterwarde that they be of Gods kingdome But they deceiue themselues For seeing that Gods kingdome is righteousnes peace and ioie through the holie Ghost as saith saint Paule how can it haue place in them which suffer vnrighteousnes to raigne in them And verilie it is a suffering of it to raigne when they represse it not according also as they shew in effect by their cōuersation which is no better than the conuersation of those whom they condemne I know wel they haue their shifts for it saieng that we haue no power atal that we shal be flesh stil as long as we be in this life and that we cannot proceede far forward in this great frailtie and weaknes of our nature but that Christ wil supplie al our wants and not lay our sinnes to our charge Yea verily but when they say so or rather flatter themselues after that maner perceiue they not how they disgrade themselues from the degree of Christians For if they cannot obey God and do the thing that he commandeth they haue not Christs Spirit and if they haue not Christs Spirit then are they not Christians Saint Paule saith wel that the flesh neither wil nor can obey Gods lawe but yet he addeth therewith that Christians are not in the flesh but in the Spirit You be not in the flesh saith he but in the Spirit at leastwise if Gods Spirit be in you Whervpon it must needes folow that they which cannot obey God are in the flesh and those saith he cannot please God Which reason may serue also to this saieng of theirs that we shal alwaies be flesh For if we be alwaies flesh we shal alwaies be stil vnchristianlike because that to be flesh and to be Christians are things that can by no meanes match together I meane to be flesh in such wise as to make none other trade than to folowe a mans owne lusts For otherwise I denie not but that the flesh is stil in vs so long as we be wrapped in this mortal bodie to prouoke vs vnto euil and to make war against the Spirit but not to folow the froward motions of it any more For this standeth true that whosoeuer foloweth them is not to be registred in the number of Christians And therefore Saint Paule threateneth euerlasting death to such as liue after the flesh specialy after they haue bin taught that they be alwaies subiect to damnation As touching our frailtie and weakenes wherewith they thinke to preuaile continualie against such as presse them with their dutie surely I confesse with them that it is great and such as maketh euen the holiest to be ouerthrowen and vanquished oftentimes by Satan and their owne flesh which thing they lament and bewaile but as for to make a sheeld or a defence of it to sooth themselues in their vices and to take licence to folowe their lusts it is for such folke to do as seeke al maner of occasion to doe euil and to rid away al regard of vpright dealing righteousnes which thing cannot agree with true Christians whose whole studie is to maintaine themselues in good workes as they that know how il it beseemeth those which professe themselues to be made cleane by the blood of Iesus Christ to turne back to the defiling of themselues againe Moreouer to say that Christ wil supply al our wants and not charge vs with our sinnes wherevnto we haue yeelded our selues so freely and willingly after we haue knowen him seemeth in my iudgement to tend to none other thing than to make Christ a cloake for our vices and to take occasion of his grace to flatter and maintaine our selues in them which cannot be done without manifest wickednes For seing that Christ maketh vs partakers of his grace vpon condition that we shal leade a life both pure holie and beseeming him and to bring the same to passe doth promise vs his Spirit so we aske it of him in faith if we doe the contrarie it wil not be without dooing him wrong Wherethrough it wil come to pas that we shal bereue our selues of the benefite of our redemption and make our selues vnworthie thereof For as Saint Iohn teacheth vs Christes blood maketh none cleane saue those which walk in the light as God is light But I beseech these men in the name of God to consider these things aduisedlie and to think earnestlie vpon this saicng of Christs That not al they which say Lord Lord shal be saued but they which do the wil of his heauenlie Father Neither words nor ceremonies do proue folke to be Christians children of God faithful ones members of Christ and chosen of God which are titles wherewith they deck themselues as with things which belong peculiarly and alonely vnto them but their deedes and their loue proceeding from a pure hart from a good conscience and from an vnfained faith Let vs then conclude that the onelie true marke of Christians and right beleeuers is loue without the which a man may wel talke of Christ and of the Gospel and he may wel haue the Sacraments and al the godlie ceremonies that can be deuised and yet al shal be nothing And would God that the Christians of our time as wel the one sort as the other for alas they be diuided asunder had put it wel in vre these former yeeres For then should we not see now so much hatred hartburning crueltie medling sedition part-taking treason trecherie desire of reuenge and other infinite mischeues that raigne among vs. Neither should blood haue bin shed after such a sort and in so great aboundance as it is and yet stil shalbe vnles God vsing his absolute power restraine mens mindes which are now fiercely bent and fleshed one against another as they may not be able to bring their desires and passions to passe and that they also on their side do suffer themselues to be bowed by acknowledging their faults and by hauing recourse to the remedie of repentance which is the only meane to appease Gods wrath so kindled against vs and at a word doe turne their rage and crueltie into mildnes charitie And to lay foorth the matter yet more particularlie the Christians are those which crucifie the flesh with the lusts and affections there of The children of God are they that are led by Gods Spirit and not by the Diuels spirit nor by their owne affections The faithful are they which not onely repenting themselues truely doe trust in Gods mercy through Iesus Christ but also do exercise themselues in al good works and as saith Saint Peter do indeuer

al worldlie things and contemne those vaine delightes For therein true felicitie and ample reward of comfort doth consist And the more thou withdrawest thy self from worldlie pleasure the sweeter consolations shalt thou finde in me But as I saide before thou shalt not attaine therevnto without sorow and labor For there is against thee old custome but that wilbe foiled by a better custome the flesh but that wilbe bridled by the heate of the spirit the old serpent Satan but he both at thy praier wil flie and by godlie exercise runne awaie Chap. 15. Of obedience to our betters after the example of Christ. LORD SOnne he that withdraweth himselfe from obediēce driueth himselfe out of Gods fauor and he that seeketh priuate forgoeth publike things He which gladlie and voluntarilie obeieth not his better showeth plainelie therebie that he hath not yet brought his flesh in subiection but that it wincheth backward and murmureth manie-times Wherefore learne with al speede to submit thy selfe to thy superior if thou desire to tame thy flesh For the outward enimie is the more easilie ouercome if the inner man be sure and strong Thou hast none so il and troblesome an enimie to thy soule as thy selfe if thou be out with the spirit For thou must vnfeinedlie contemne thy selfe if thou wilt be master ouer blood and flesh But forasmuch as thou louest thy selfe as yet immoderatelie thou abhorrest to commit thy selfe who lie to the wil of another But O earth ashes what great thing doest thou if for the Lordes sake thou obeie man when I the Almightie and most Hie who of nothing created al things submitted my self humblie to man for thy sake and was most vile contemptible that thou by mine humilitie mightest ouercome that pride of thine Learne to obeie O dust learne to bring downe thy selfe O earth slime and to throwe downe thy selfe vnder al mens feete Learne I saie to breake thy wil and humblie to submit thy selfe to al Waxe hot against thy selfe and suffer not pride to haue place within thee but showe thy selfe so lowlie and simple that al maie treade thee vnder feete like myre in the streetes What hast thou O vaine man to complaine How canst thou O wicked wretch speake againe to them which dispraise thee seeing so oftentimes by offending GOD thou hast deserued the paines of hel But I gratiouslie haue spared thee making no smal account of thy soule that thou perceiuing this my loue to thee wardes mightest alwaies showe thy selfe thankeful for my benefits and euermore being giuen to true obedience and modestie take it patientlie when thou art contemned Chap. 16. That we are to consider the secret iudgements of God least we waxe proude in his gifts SERVANT O Lorde when thou thunder est foorth thy iudgments against me thou makest al my mēbers to shake quake for feare terrifiest my mind aboue measure Astonished I consider that the verie heauens are not cleane in thy sight And if thou foundedst follie in thine Angels and therefore diddest not spare them what shal become of me If the verie starres did fal from heauen what shal I that am but ashes and dust hope for They whose works seemed commendable haue vtterlie bin confounded and such as were fed with the bread of Angels I haue seene to be delighted with the huskes that swine cate So that there is none holines if thou Lord draw back thine hand no wisedome helpeth if thou gouerne not no strength doth good if thou assist not no chastitie is sure if thou defend not no custodie can keepe safe if thou watch not For being forsaken alas we drowne and perish but if thou care for vs we liue and prosper We are of our selues fraile but strong through thee and of our selues neither hot nor cold but zelous through thee Doubtles it is my part to conceaue most humblie baselie of my selfe and though I seeme to haue some goodnes yet must I not waie the same I saie it is my part to submit my selfe to those bottomles iudgements of thine seing I find my selfe to be no better than nothing of nothing O waight without measure O sea vnpassable where I find my selfe to be nothing but altogether nothing Where is then the couert of glorie Where is the vaine concept of glorie Al vaine glorie is swalowed vp in the gulfe of thy iudgements ouer me What are al men in thy sight Euen as claie in respect of the potter Can he waxe proude with vaine praises whose minde is trulie obedient to the Lord No though al the world should extol him seeing he is in seruice to the truth he wil not be moued with their commendations whose trust is fixed vpon the Lord. For euen they al who vtter his praises are nothing and together with the sound of their words shal vanish awaie But the truth of the Lord endureth for euer Chap. 17. What wordes and manner we should vse in desiring anie thing at the hands of God LORD SOnne in thy praiers thou must vse these wordes Lord be it euen so if it please thee Lord if it be for the aduancement of thy glorie let it be done in thy Name Lord if thou seest it good and profitable for me grant that I maie vse it to thine honor and praise but if thou knowest it wilbe hurtful O Lord remooue awaie this desire fro me For euerie desire which seemeth right and good in the iudgement of man is not of the holie spirit and it is an hard matter to discerne rightlie whether a good or an euil spirit doth prouoke thee to couet this or that or whether thine owne spirit moue thee therevnto Manie in the end haue bin deceaued who seemed to be stirred vp by a good spirit And therefore alwaies thou must wish for y t which thou wouldest haue in the feare of God and with humblenes of minde and commit the whole matter to the Lord with a meere check to thy selfe saieng on this wise Lord what is better for me thou knowest doo thou whether of both thou wilt thy selfe Giue me what thou wilt as much as thou wilt and when thou wilt thy selfe Deale with me as thou thinkest good and as it shal please thee and be most for thy glorie Place me there where thou wilt thy selfe and in al things vse me at thy pleasure I am in thine hand turne me lose me euerie waie Behold I thy seruant am prepared to al things because my desire is to and would to God I could rightlie and perfectlie serue thee not my selfe Chap. 18. A praier for grace to do the wil of God SERVANT O Most bountiful Sauior extend thy fauor towards me let it be with me labor with me and