Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
lord_n death_n sin_n soul_n 10,824 5 5.0379 4 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A28519 A consolatory treatise of the four complexions, that is, an instruction in the time of temptation for a sad and assaulted heart shewing where-from sadness naturally ariseth, and how the assaulting happeneth : hereto are annexed some consolatory speeches exceeding profitable for the assaulted hearts & souls, written ... March 1621 / by the Teutonicall philosopher, Jacob Behmen.; Trost-Schrift von vier Complexionen. English Böhme, Jakob, 1575-1624.; Hotham, Charles, 1615-1672? 1654 (1654) Wing B3402; ESTC R19729 29,679 98

There are 3 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

good notice of these words The seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head Canst thou not find it Stay a little and I will light a candle to help thee it stands registred in the same place with Adams fall where immediatly upon the denuntiation of Judgment from Gods wrath upon man followes this sentence of wrath upon thee and of mercy to the fall'n Sons of Adam That the Womans seed should crush thy head This is another receipt will please him no less than the former But if he will not yet be gone but shall still urge Thou art a gross sinner hast purposely committed this or that heinous sin which thou knewst to be an offence yet would still cover the deformities with the outward mantle of Gods gace when as the principle of Gods wrath was indeed kindled in thee and that therefore thou art now the Devills propriety Thus by the injections of the Devills imagination is the poor soul oft cast into such affrighting thoughts as these thou hast been a most heinous sinner and for this cause God hath forsaken thee Now will the Devill lay hold on thee and throw thee headlong into the bottomless pit whence she growes exceedingly afraid of him But when he signifies his approach by these his discomforting harbingers take again a fresh courage out of Christs armory against him and say I have yet something for thee Devill in store that may if thou canst use it help thee to thy Angells shape again here take it and say if thou canst the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sinns Item the Son of Man is come to seek save that which was lost What wouldst thou give O Devill that God might become man in thee I have always an open door of grace to these saving promises but thou hast not so thou art now as always a liar pack hence thou hast not the least share in me If I be a sinner the guilt is principally thine thou thorough thy deceit wroughtst the sin in me take to thee what 's thine own the sin is thine the suffering and death of Jesus Christ is mine He for this purpose became man that he might free us from the guilt and infection of sin Thou wert he that wrought the sin in me keep it as thy own portion and my Lord Jesus Christ hath wrought in me that righteousness that is accepted with God this I will keep to my self his death and passion for mans sin is mine He died for my sinns that I have committed and is risen up in his righteousness and has receiv'd my soul into his satisfaction Christ is in me and I in him my sin is in thee and thou in Hell Mock him further saying go too thou glorious Angell that couldst not stand one day in Heaven That wast created an Archangell but now boasts thy self of the sin-register the filthy sins of mens transgressions Take thou hang-man my sins into thy beggers wallet art thou now become sins servants carry them to thy masters so shall I be rid of them so will Christs merit only remain with mee Christ hath said My sheep are in mine hand and no man can rend them thouce from me the Father that hath given them me is greater than all How art thou bright Angell turn'd to a drudge to bear about that sack full fraught with sins from a Prince to a base Executioner Get thee hence with thy load of sin and take mine in to make up waight for 't is mens sinns thou hast most need of nor doth ought else belong to thee in my soul thou hast not the least share here I stand devour me if thou canst. But see I have in me a signe or mark viz. the sign of the Cross whereon Jesus strangled sin and death destroy'd Hell and bound up the Devill to remain a prisoner within the Dungeon of Gods wrath-principle eat up this Recipe with the rest and they may perhaps remetamorphose thee into an Angell Suffer not by any means thy thoughts to dispute with him neither be terrified at his presence Let nothing make thee dispair by day or by night he dares do nothing to thee though thou mockst him never so bitterly he giving cause for it otherwise mock him not If the inward anguish or terror of soul be not accompanied with a kinde of outward terrifying astonishment then is the Devill not there present but t is the souls amazement which is affrighted at the inward risings of the dark Abyss or principle of Gods wrath in her She thinks oft when the melancholy complexion is kindled by some angry sour influence of the Starrs that the Devill is there when indeed there is no such matter When he comes 't is either with vehement astonishing terrors or in an Angells behaviour or rather in a flattering posture like a fawning hound If he comes to thee in the dark and skares thee thou being in the dark stir not a foot from thy place she not from him he is not worthy a man should do him that honour Mock him in the dark saying how-now art thou there I thought thou hadst been an Angell of light and dost stand as a theef in those dark lurking holes there had need be provided for thee whoswillest up so greedily the foetid exhalations of sin some other more stinking abode Let this when he ther comes be his entertainmēt but otherwise give him not by causeless provocation any occasion of drawing neer A stout-hearted man that starts not back for all his menaces he doth not lightly assault especially if withall he take courage and mock him for he is proud and would be Lord wheresoever he be so if the man he assaults will not flinch nor give back his ground it much troubles him he will not stay long there and if as most commonly at his departing he leave a stinck behind him then leave the place for that time saying Fie thou stincking hangman how strong thou smellest of thy own dungeon the draught-house smells not so odiously thus repuls'd with scorn he will have small mind to return again in hast with his vapours against the manly soul Entertain as I said no dispute with him in thy mind for he is not worthy the spending an argument upon Fix this one following sentence in thy imagination which will be enough nor shalt thou in the greatest affrightments need more comfort The blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God cleaseth us from all our sins Herein wrap up all thy thoughts let for the time no other issue out of thy heart let the Devill suggest to thy imagination what he will know all what he sayes is a lie but this sentence is a firm truth hold it fast as thine own maugre all his sly suggestions to the contrary Make not provision of many sayings against the assaults of terror he is too subtle for thee steales the first best out of thy heart that thou forgetest or doubtest of it Wrap up thy
whole soul confidence in one ther 's strength enough in one to withstand him thou maist in it strength wilt thou but wrap up thy soul in it easily put him to shame Neither can he touch thee nor will he long abide thy presence If thou manfully stand thy ground and give not back he becomes a laughing-stock to his other agents employed in his service among men and also the holy Angells therefore he usually takes his wings and flies away before he be forc'd by those tart scoffings to avoid the place Repeat therefore as need requires that one saying thou hast made choise of fix it in thy heart and from thence strengthen thy courage against him the Spirit that lies hid in the holy Oracle will not fail to stand by thee Though the soul tremble before him stand firm though in the wrath his own principle against him yea though thou art in fear of thy life thou shalt suffer no hurt He dare not force thee nor indeed hath he any power to touch the soul during this life for Christ hath unlock● the door of grace it now stands wide open to the poor finner while he lives upon earth this door of grace stands open in the soul Christ hath in his soul broke ope the Iron gate that was fast shut up in Gods wrath Now all souls have a communion and correspondence with this soul they all come from one and are altogether one tree with many branches his breaking open of that prison is from him gone forth upon all souls from Adam till the last men the door of grace stands open to them all God hath shut it up to none but those that will needs exclude themselves The signe or mark of his ingress into the manhood is manifest to all souls the same will be a witness over all ungodly men in the judgment day which they have despised Though our sins saith Esaias were as red as blood yet stands the door of mercy still open for in the sinners conversion they shall be made as white as the snowy wool further sayes the Prophet Esaias Can a mother forget her child that she take not pity of the son of her wombe She may possibly forget it but I will no forget you for I have markt you in mine hand viz. In his hand pierc'd thorough with the sharp nailes and in his spear-wounded side did he engrave the everlasting memorial of the soul of all souls Will now any man not come and rest himself therein but contemn the mark of Christ or suffer the Devill to cover it he is himself in the fault and though he cover it yet remains it still deep engraven in the greatest sinner that lives on earth For Esaias sayes in the Spirit of Christ Though a mother forget her children which she cannot do but with great grief yet shall his love and grace never be forgotten he forgets not the souls though never so deep dyed in the sinfull Tincture for he hath engraven their character in his own Blood and Death not of some only but of the whole tree intire with its root branches and as sin came from one upon all so saith the Apostle came righteousness through Christ upon all As the sin from one pierc'd through all unto death so had the righteousness out of Christ its impenetration from one into the whole stock with all its branches to animate them to a new life But that all men partake not of this life the fault is in their own will their will is free Gods will is that all men should be holpen and Psal. 5. Thou art not a God that willest the evill And Ezek. As true as I live saith the Lord I will not the death of a sinner but rathat he be converted and live Therefore let no soul think the measure of mine iniquities is full God hath forgotten me I cannot be sav'd No it cannot be so he hath engraven her in his nail-pierced hands She is a sprig of the great tree of all souls and hath an invisible commerce and communion with all as the branch with the tree While she lives in this world so long as she is clothed with flesh and blood she remains yet in the tree Of the temptation arising from the complexion and insluence of the Starrs ALL temptation comes not from the Devill especially with melancholy men but the most part of that afflicting sadness which falls so heavy upon them comes from the imagination of the soul which being necessitated to dwell in dark melancholy habitations no wonder if it be easily surprised with heaviness so as to think God hath forgotten her and will have none of her For the melancholy complexion is dark and hath no light of its own as the other complexions have yet is not this darkness essentiall to the soul but is only her lonesome tabernacle during her pilgrimage here on earth nor doth the souls holiness and righteousnes consist at all in the complexion but is deep rooted viz. in the inward heavenly principle where God dwells For as S. Paul says Philip 3. Our conversation is in heaven Now this Heaven wherein God dwels is not manifested in the outward complexion but only in it self viz. in the second principle It oft happens that the holiest souls are in this manner overwhelmed with sadness and this not without Gods speciall permission to the end they may be proved and strive the more earnestly after that heavenly crown of victory which is given them in this life as a pledge of their everlasting felicity For when the soul takes heaven as 't were by storm and winns her crown the gift of the Holy Ghost after a constant persevering stedfastness in the fiery conflict her Crown of triumph is much more noble and pretious than that which is not obtain'd till after the bodily death for the Revelation of Jesus Christ saith To him that over comes will I give to sit with me upon my Throne as I have overcome and am seated on my Fathers Throne Item To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden Manna and will give him a good testimony and with the Testimony a new name written which no man knows but he that receives it But to return to the natural cause of sadness in the melancholy complexion There oft happens a malignant conjunction of the Starrs or Eclypse of the Sun or Moon which if it chance to be in an earthly signe and ♂ poyson the ☌ with his hellish influence then does the influence of this ☌ mightily terrify this soul enwrapt in the melancholy complexion she always imagines 't is the fierce wrath of God is risen up against her or that t is the Devill is now come to hale her away into Hell For her complexion being strongly imbiterd with ♂ his venemous beames and finding herself enclos'd in a desolate and dark dwelling she presently imagins God hath cast her from him and will have none of her and this
of God when it reveales it selfe in the soule comes like that still voyce of God to Elias clad with the greatest humility and meek calmeness of spirit O what a blessed serenity and divine triumph doth calm the fire complexion in the soul at its appearance there but it here rather remaines in its own inward center and hath very rarely its outflowings into outward skirts of this self-admiring masterfull complexion Therefore take warning strive diligently after meekness in words and works so shall not thy complexion be able to kindle the fire of hell in thee for God loves a humble and contrite spirit Thou art not by thy complexion at all debarr'd from communion with God provided thou abuse not the good of it and beware of the evill be sure thou dost all with a sincere desire to the sole honour of God and crucify thine own will and then thy complexion shall do thee no harm Of the Sanguine THou maist live orderly according to this noble complexion but let not hypocrisy take place in it By the largness of thy comprehension thou art capable of great inventions Take heed thou bring not stubble and straw into thy sanguin habitation and mistake and give it forth for the Holy Ghost For thou hast in the complexion a shining light t is but humane however defile it not nor embase it by the letting in of earthy vanity A sober temperate life is good for thee keep thy self carefully from drunkenness els thou castest thy self wilfully into thine enemies armes Thou art much inclin'd to Love place it upon the right object love not unchastity and pride And though thou beest naturally of a pliant gentle and humble disposition yet mayest thou be easily surpris'd with pride For thou bearest about thee as the air and upper waters a receptacle of all the influences of the Starrs and Planets If thou wilt enter into the fear of God and behave thy self a right therein thou mayest easily find the Great Mystery yet not of thy self but through Gods gracious revelation only thou hast above other complexions a lightsome chamber and an open door thereunto Therfore beware with what kind of food thou nourish thy soul For there is nothing so good by nature but it may be converted and abus'd to evill by the letting in that which is evill to contaminate and commix with it If men despise thee pass it over with neglect and trust in God for this will oft happen unto thee from the wise of this world by reason of the candid simplicity of thy disposition Keep well what thou hast content thy self with the pure simplicity of the Divine wisdom and have not much commerce with the subtill inventions of the alienated humanity lest otherwise to thy hurt thou admit of a stranger into thy noble palace T is better to suffer here a little shame than everlasting misery hereafter If thou shouldst addict thy self to drunkenness the Devill would then bring into thy tender house great misfortune and much evill For thy complexion is most hatefull to him being a property wherein he can have no possession till he hath first induc'd to infect it by false imagination or some sinfull mis-use of the creature A private quiet life is best for thee but thou art full of wandring thoughts and like the air thou art resembl'd to easily tak'st in all impressions and as easily lett'st them vanish again Take heed to thy goings out and comings in mark well what thou lettest out of thy soul and what thou tak'st in that it be not the product of a Starry influence but a genuine issue of the Deity in thee els if thou be not very watchfull thou mayst be easily misled to the deceiving both of thy self and others Of the Phlegmatick THe truth and righteousness were an excellent medicine in thee for otherwise thou art full of lies and little regardest what thou givest forth or takest in Poor soul thou hast a very dangerous way and a vast Ocean of sorrow to pass thorough in this complexion thou art naturally inclin'd to a perpetual defilement of thy self in sin both in words and deeds water hath indeed a bright transplendence and repercussion of light but t is for all that a faint deceitfull mirrour and such is that of the poor soul in this complexion For the water receives all things indifferently into it self be they good or ill which it keeps and darkens it self therewith In like manner goes it with this complexion she receives all the poysonous influences of the Starrs into her imagination and presents them as a Looking-glass to the poor captive soul to contemplate in which false shadow she mistaking for a substance modells for herself in words and works answerable thereunto O what a treasury of smooth glozing words hath this complexion in store to sell like the fresh-springing waters to every one at an easie or no cost yet not unmixt with a conseal'd bitterness from the Starrs-infection It makes no scruple of deceiving with lying pretences which are the fair tapestry its hypocrisie lies shrouded under There 's no deceit seems too much to this complexion Lies are her mantle of hypocrisy with a superficial appearance to be good Christians and servants of God though living in Babel Thou dost not easily of thy self discover the unrighteousness of thine own wayes but if a man come before thee with a spark of the true light thou mayst receive it into thy mirrour The best counsell for thee is that thou know thy self a man more than ordinarily addicted to sin yet mayst well enter into effectuall repentance if thou wilt pray to God for the goverment of thy floting water by his holy Spirit wherewith the deprav'd affection and desire of thy constellation may be restrain'd that it possess not the soul and drive it on headlong into all folly A temperate sobriety will also conduce much to thy health both of body and mind and to stand always upon thy watch and to be frequent in prayer and constant in the fear of God will secure thee against all the evill of thy nature and constellation For he that is wholly acted by his constellation lives no otherwise than a beast But when a man sets up the fear of God as a ruler in his heart the Soul then becomes Lord of her outward inclinations and compells them all into an obedience to the divine light otherwise the cōplexion becomes the souls master and instructer which though she cannot govern in her own power yet she presents before the soul in her mirrour the several effects of the configurations of the Starrs and elements wherewith the foul comes to be bewitched and led into captivity Conclusio totius Therefore let a man behave himself as becomes a man giving the dominion of his life to the manly reason and light of God shining therein and not suffer himself to be hurried on by the brutish instincts of his complexion as a beast to the slaughter so may he win the possession of the highest and eternall good let his complexion be what it will For there is no complexion so noble and pure in nature but is capable of infection from the malignant impresses of the Starres and of the Devill and so the man in danger of being there by led captive into sin and death if forsaking his true pilot he will suffer his ship to be carried on by every wind blowing from that principle Therefore is that of S. Peter to all complexions a most necessary and seasonable aviso 1 Pet. 5. 8 9. Be sober and Watch for your adversary the Devill goes about as a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour Withstand him in the faith and fear of God and be never securely careless of his temptations FINIS