Selected quad for the lemma: nature_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	ghost_n	holy_a	trinity_n	3,214	5	9.7060	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08300	A poore mans rest founded vpon motiues, meditations, and prayers. Expressing to the inward man, true consolation. In all kindes and times of afflication. By Io. Norden.	Norden, John, 1548-1625?	1620 (1620)	STC 18629; ESTC S105984	150,903	437

for there cannot be a more apparant discouery of a rancke Hypocrite then to make outward shewes of Deuotion with the gesture and lips and yet the heart to be busied in the cogitation of idle earthly and prophane things And nothing more discouereth an idle heart outwardly then the wandering of the eye in the time of diuine prayer for it is probable and often found by experience that the eye withdraweth the heart and if the eye be inconstant the prayer hath not nor can haue the due Attention of the heart yet it doth not follow that although the eye be fixed on any certaine obiect or be shut that therefore the heart is rightly set on God for oftentimes the eye followes the heart the cogitation of the heart making the eye to forget it obiect as when the heart is wandring in the fields of Corne viewing the heards of Cattell and flocks of Sheepe when it is in the Ware-house in the Shop in the Chest minding bands and payments ouer-come with pride plotting reuenge oppressed with feare besotted with pleasure intangled with cares or otherwise peruerted by any prophane and vngodly cogitations Prayers made with such an extrauagant heart be they in words neuer so holy they are imputed vnto vs as sin for shall we thinke that God will heare our prayers to our profit or comfort when the thoughts of our harts in the meane time dishonor him Many pray in their owne familiar language and yet consider no more what they speake for want of Attention then if they spake in an vnknown tongue yet such men will hold themselues very deuout to haue power in themselues to pray when they list as if true prayer were of that facility and ease to vtter as in an idle tale and as it seemes by Beggars that tumble out the Lords Prayer with one breath at a dore yet minde nothing but their Almes Such men are to be pittied and to be wished better to aduise themselues before they attempt this seruice of God most holy for Prayer is not an easie worke it is of a deeper straine then a tale that is but from the tongue to the teeth from the teeth to the lips so into the ayre True Prayer is cordial of that force efficacy as it constraineth the heart to sighes groanes teares with such inward feruency of holy zeale as tenters the heart with such internall gripes as may betruly said the renting of the heart And the more we feele our hearts thus inwardly sharply touched so much the more comfort it yeeldeth to the soule of the faithfull Petitioner yea such and so great consolation as he that feeles it cannot expresse it with his tongue be he neuer so eloquent neither can any conceiue or apprehend the sweetnesse of it that is not exercised and experienced in the same for nature apprehendeth it not No man can say that Iesus is Christ but by the holy Ghost and none can desire the Spirit of God but by the Spirit of God Flesh bloud cannot as much as desire spirituall things spiritually for spirituall things are to be compared with spirituall things and spirituall gifts are obtained by spirituall meanes And therefore are words without the Spirit as naked and bare Incense without fire but being inkindled in the heart and sanctified by the holy Spirit of God who is promised to assist our spirits they are as a liuely and acceptable sacrifice to God working so powerfully with him through Christs mediation as they neuer returne empty of whatsoeuer blessing we desire Prayer can neuer be effectuall vnlesse there be some certayne spirituall obiect of the minde to moue the attention of the heart which obiect is God and we must consider that when we pray vnto him or yeeld him any other worship that we are not to conceiue him in the forme of any earthly or heauenly bodily or spiritual creature whatsoeuer for in that manner not to conceiue him is a degree of conceiuing him aright according to Master Perkins God must be conceiued of vs in our prayers as subsisting in the whole three persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost The Vnity in Trinity Trinity in Vnity is to be worshipped retayning in minde the distinction and order of all the three persons without seuering or sundring them for as they are conioyned in nature so are they to be conioyned in worship And therefore he that prayeth vnto God the Father for the forgiuenesse of his sinnes must aske it of him for the merits of the Sonne and by the assurance of the holy Ghost and he that prayeth for the remission of sinnes to God the Sonne must pray that he would procure the Father to grant him pardon and to assure it by his Spirit He also that praieth for the same to God the holy Ghost must pray that he would assure vnto him the remission of his sinnes from the Father for and by the merits of his Sonne Thus must we apprehend the Trinity in our prayers so shall we auoide that Idolatrous conceiuing of him imbraced of some who cannot pray vnlesse they haue the figure of a humane Creature to represent vnto their bodily eyes the shape of God the Father in likenesse of an old Man and a Crucifix figuring Christ suffring on the Crosse and the holy Ghost by a Doue whose worship cannot be reputed spirituall but carnall and their prayers not heauenly but prophane Prayer is a spirituall action proper onely to the children of God who are Saints by calling sanctified in Christ And they and none other truly cal vpon the name of the Lord IESVS prophane persons pray not though they seeme to pray But most happy is that man that commeth vnto God Father Sonne holy Ghost truly prepared and duly attentiue he may boldly aske and confidently assure himselfe to receiue grace for grace and all blessings spirituall without limitation and all benefits corporall needfull If our prayers be made in vs by him who hath promised and hath power to giue what we aske shall wee think he will faile to performe The hope of Hypocrites indeede shall perish their prayers vanish as the smoke because they wait vpon lying vanities and desire carnall pleasures and worldly profits But the Lord will surely fulfil the desires of them that feare him because their prayers t●●d to the setting forth of Gods gloly to the good of the Church to the remission of their owne sinnes and other mens to the obtayning of Gods graces to the increase of the vnderstanding of heauenly things that they may walke before God and be vpright that they may do the works bring forth the fruits of the Spirit These are the prayrs that are the POORE MAMS REST. These are the prayers that wound the Serpent and that please God bringing peace to the conscience afflicted But which is to be lamented all men are dull by nature And the very Elect sometimes weakly disposed to pray And therefore is

men by nature are likewise so farre tainted with that first offence as infinite offences are bred in euery man by that offence as I for my part good Father against whom that first sinne was done do acknowledge that I féele the force of that originall corruption working so strongly in me that I cannot but accuse my selfe to be the most vile and vnworthiest of all Adams issue for I cannot otherwise iudge of my selfe when I looke into and sée and consider what I am and how I am inclined to sinne I cannot but confesse what I cannot hide from thée who séest the most secret and most couered thought of the heart much more then the déedes of darkenesse which I commit to whose all-séeing eyes the darkenesse and light are all one and therefore findest out all my sins whether they be in thought intent or action And although euery sinne bringeth death yet there is a promise vpon repentance that they shall be forgiuen But Lord among many sinnes remaining in mée thou séest one principall and as it were a raigning commanding sinne in me whereunto I am drawne by the continuall violence of that neuer-ceasing aduersarie Satan who worketh my more corruption and by my corruptions polluteth mine affections and mine affections bréede so strong an inclination to that odious sinne that I am weake to performe what thou commandest and strong to effect what thou forbiddest Therefore good Father kill all and especially this sinne that hangeth so fast on mee that it raigne no longer in mée for I féele it an heauy and loathsome burden vnto my soule which I cannot shake off as of mine owne power but by the speciall working and strength of thy holy Spirit who worketh true repentance O worke true repentance in me and make sinne more and more loathsome vnto mee for thou séest Lord that I commit all sinne as it were against my wil. Giue me therefore power to bridle all my corrupt affections the consideration whereof grieueth me and a heape of feare possesseth my soule despaire presenting it selfe before me which would vtterly deuoure all hope of reconciliation with thée did not thy word and promise firmly assure me not onely of frée pardon for all that is past but of power also to withstand Satans future assaults in the bloud and merits of Christ Jesus thy Son my Sauiour yet not without my true and serious repentance which also is thy gift O worke in me true repentance giue me grace to withstand all temptations And although I shall neuer so mortifie my corruptions but some dregs will remaine and breake forth yet kill the strength of this all other sinnes in me that I may be able truely to assure my conscience that what I would doe that I doe not what I would not that I doe that thy frée fauour and loue in Jesus Christ working in me for me by me faith obedience and a renued heart may worke and preuaile in mee to the withstanding of the tempter and his temptations suppresse my corruptions and their fruits and make mée to become more more holy by the imputed holinesse which in thy sonne by promise is mine to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be ascribed all honour and praise for euer Amen Lord increase my Faith and giue mee true repentance for my sinnes and power euermore to resist them A Prayer for a prosperous Iourney O Lord in whose hands all things and all men are the Guide and Protector of all that beléeue and come vnto thée I come Lord vnto thy diuine Maiesty begging at thy hands pardon for my sins which I doe confesse to be very great worthily may pull downe a great and weighty burden of thy Judgements vpon mée and nothing can truely prosper with mée vntill I be reconciled vnto thee in Christ in whom thou art so well pleased as who so in him commeth vnto thée neuer departeth emptie of some blessing or other and therefore I now good Father vnder thy fauour by thy permission and fatherly furtherance intending to take my iourney doe beséech thée to pardon my sinnes and grant that before I betake mee to my trauell I may séele in my conscience a liuely assurance that thou hast forgiuen mee and that I am reconciled vnto thee and at peace with thée that so I may be assured that as thine holy Angell went with the seruant of Abraham and prospered his iourney as an Hast of Angels were present with Elisha to defend him from the King of Aram and as thine Angels comforted and conducted Iacob in his iourney so thou wilt send thine Angels with me that they may take charge of mée conduct mée guide mée and prosperously spéede my iourney and giue good successe vnto the occasion of my trauels for I doe confesse and acknowledge that it is not in the wisedome the art power ●r prouidence of man either to preuent the dangers which in diuers manners doe lye hid and concealed from the wisest till they fall neither to performe his iourney or to accomplish the occasion of the same prosperously and therefore vnlesse thou maist be pleased to assist me with thy grace to support mee with thy hand to defend me in thy mercy to blesse mee in thy loue and in thy prouidence to comfort mée I cannot but confesse that my iourney cannot be prosperous my selfe in body or soule safe nor the businesse where about I goe come to good effect ●ith therefore good Father thou hast made vnto all men that come vnto thée an assured promise that thou wilt neuer faile nor forsake them but wilt command thine Angels to take charge of them that nothing shall hurt them and that thou wilt be with them in the way they ride or ●o in the house wherin they rest or refresh them and wilt enable them to performe that which they intend better then they haue either skill or ablenesse blesse me I beséech thée with such wisedome will power and discretion as I may so performe my iourney and the occasion thereof as may be to the discharge of my dutie to thée in true obedience to man in a good conscience and to my selfe in a due regard of the reliefe of mée and such as thou hast giuen mée and withall most gracious Father sith that thou hast ordained thy Creatures to serue to my vse in this my iourney blesse them I beséech thée with strength and power to performe the seruice for me which the necessitie of my iourney requireth that my iourney being ended and my busines duly effected I may returne the praise and glory to thy most holy name in Christ to whom with thée and the holy Ghost be ascribed all honour power glory and dominion for euer more Amen Lord increase my Faith and prosper my Iourney A Motiue to the Prayer folowing against Enemies IT is the nature of carnall men to hate their Enemies and seeke all meanes possible to be reuenged of them wherein they offend the Maiestie of