Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	abide_v	able_a	love_n	43	3	4.9444	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11555	The true image of Christian love An excellent, learned, and very comfortable treatise, meete and necessarie for these dangerous days: wherein men are growen so disobedient to God, so vndutifull to their Prince, and so vnchartiable to their neighbors. Written in Latin by Adrian Sauorine a Dominican Frier, and translated 50. yeres ago by an English obseruant frier named Richard Rikes, [and] now truely conferred with the auncient copies, and published by A.M. one of the messengers of his Maiesties chamber.; Ymage of love	Ryckes, John.; Savorine, Adrian, attributed name.; Munday, Anthony, 1553-1633.; Gough, John, fl. 1528-1556.	1587 (1587)	STC 21801; ESTC S101945	42,798	120

we loue God and dooing thus we are not able to prooue true what we say For the perfect louer of God is so wedded to God that nothing abideth in his thought but the quicke and liuely remembraunce of God As for our spirites and sences they be occupied with so many other matters that we can want ●●nd and leysure to think on God so far 〈◊〉 we from this perfect loue which is a vertue of that dignitie power and maiestie that in it selfe contayneth all the preceptes of the 〈◊〉 all the Lawes of the Prophets all the doctrine of Christ and all the rules of the Apostles yea more then all this loue hath that preheminence as it is vnder no rule but is Lorde aboue all Lawes all inuentions all precepts and all commandements that GOD hath giuen to man For loue hath no bond But you must alwayes remember that loue is not perfect vnlesse it vee burning It is not a quenched loue a colde loue or loue growing in the téeth or lippes which I nowe speake of but the hote burning harts affection towardes God this you must vnderstand to be perfect loue The ende of all the course walking of the sonne of God in this world was to leaue héere among men thys loue The marke whereat our Sauiour in all his preaching and teaching aymed was to haue men endued with this loue For our diuine Schoolemaster sawe that there néeded no rehearsall of sins which were to be eschewed nor yet of vertues that were to be followed if men could lay sure holde on this loue which of it selfe is sufficient to kéepe men from stumbling in the way from wandering out of the way and finally to conduct men to the blessed waies ende so that the compasse and circuite of it is so wide as it comprehendeth al y ● can be spoken eyther against vice or with vertue Yet some think y ● loue is nothing but to kéepe patiēce not to be displeased or angry indéed this is one part of loue but not all for whatsoeuer the loue of God prouoketh vs to or the feare of God driueth vs from all is concluded in this perfect looue Beside Saint Augustine sayth Loue is a good and gracious effect of the soule whereby mans hart hath no fantasy to esteem value or ponder any thing in thys wyde worlde beside or before the care and studie to knowe God For whosoeuer is inclined to loue these earthly thinges so long as he so doth it is not possible for him euer to attayne to the assured constant perfect vse of loue because his minde hath so manie and so diuers hinderaunces that withdraw him from taking the possession of this great treasure wherin is couched the heapes of all other vertues And a little more to speake of these impediments and lettes it shall much appertaine to my purpose for we shall the more easily come to loue if wee knowe and can escape all the blocks that lye in our way to let vs not onely to keepe vs from thys vertue but also to driue and chase it so farre from vs that neither wee can come to it nor it to vs. Of the impediments and lets that keepe vs from this true Image of diuine loue and of diuers necessary rules to be remembred Chapter 12. THe perfect loue of God hath in it a meruailous quietnes and rest it is neuer mooued shrred or carried away by any storme of worldlye ●●●bles but sitteth fast and sure in a continuall calmenes agaynst all 〈◊〉 all wethers and all stormes whatsoeuer No rocke is more still then the minde of a charitable man when the world tumbleth rolleth and tosseth it with the fierce waues of temptations which drowneth the mindes of all that are weake and sicke in loue yet sitteth this man safe and sounde from al these disturbances and triumpheth ouer them with great tranquilitye You must vnderstand that there are certayne motions called passions which verie so●● assault our soule and bringeth our spirite into great disquietnes as to bee mooued with 〈◊〉 to nourish rancor and mallice to bee mindfull of any iniury to be studious for auenging to be gréeued with euill speaking to ●ume at backbyting to grudge at complaintes and to freate with chyding These are the thinges that suffer no minde to rest and the very least of these passions will permit no quietnes to be had Agayne to studdy for promotion to care for mariage to thirst for riches to be gréedie of honour and to gape after prayses these 〈◊〉 also sharpe spurres in y ● sides of a quiet mind that at no time it can enioy any rest or ease Likewise to ensue a delight of deintie and choyse feeding to bee ouercome with pleasures of the body to fall downe in sorow to pearch vppe with gladnes to hold ●p the head to high in prosperity to hold it down to low in aduersity to be in bondage vnder y ● fierce rules of sensuall lustes whose cruelty ouer man hath no pittie measure or ende these and such like so vexe and trouble the minde that no loue or charity can harbour there For looke a little vp●● the vnmercifull man that can not 〈◊〉 sée how he boyleth in his 〈◊〉 to be auenged Looke vpon the 〈◊〉 stomacke how he without 〈…〉 in destring to sée his hurt 〈◊〉 he enuieth Looke vppon the glutton how beastly he puruayeth his belly chéere Looke vpon the Lether howe busie he is in his vngrations 〈◊〉 Looke vpon the coueto●s in 〈◊〉 howe without reason hée pincheth and scrapeth for gaynes and looke vpon the ambitions fellow how 〈…〉 him selfe to get worship and 〈◊〉 These men thorowe theyr 〈…〉 are no lesse grea●●● to satisfy theyr desires then the hungry thirstie bodies through naturall necessity séeke to bee refreshed wherby it foloweth that sléeping or waking these mens mindes keepe euer one state of disquietnes Such wrastling fantasies and inordinate appetites are these passions which mooue and stirre the soule contrarye to her nature either by loue without reason or hatred without measure when wee wyllingly consent to the winde of these sensible thinges The mother of all these passions in a ●●●tiall loue that we beare to 〈◊〉 selues that is to say the loue of this 〈◊〉 and of this life to kill in vs his ●●●ther of all mischief our master Christ teacheth vs to hate this life and to sette our body at naught 〈◊〉 animam suam sayth Hee 〈◊〉 et qui perdider it 〈◊〉 propter me inueniet eam He 〈◊〉 findeth his life shall loose it and he that looseth his life for my sake shall find it so that the next way to 〈◊〉 life is if we set nothing by 〈…〉 the caring for this body ●●porteth and bringeth with it a 〈◊〉 of Gods prouidence as though GOD had better prouided for the 〈◊〉 of of the ayre then for man whom hée hath created after his owne Image Nowe then to get

thy Crosse The second Image of Loue which Nature shewed me was betwéen the bodie and the soule The soule loueth the bodie so déerelie that it suffereth great paine and sorrowe to be parted from it but when it is ordered by the holie Ghost so that the soule vse the bodie vnder the Law of God to be repentant to giue thankes to profitte other and to chuse rather the want of all earthlie pleasure yea to die rather than to commit such sinne as shal offend her maker If these coloures had 〈◊〉 laid on this Image then would I haue said Nature had doone like a perfect worke woman But her loue béeing tied to this life desiring to ioy and delight héere in this world to hide long in lustes and wanton pleasures and for the maintaining of them not to care for the displeasure of God I must néedes say the deuill was too néere when this counterfeit was drawne and hath infected it so much with his mischeuous presence as he draweth all that so leade theyr liues to hell headlong after him iustlie agréeing with the saying of Saint Augustine By such as these are the Cittie of the deuill is builded The third Image of Loue shown by Nature was betwéene the fiue wittes and theyr obiects As when the sight is presented with beautifull thinges or deuises of variable and arteficiall colours Or when the hearing is delighted with the sounde of swéete voices or daintie musical harmonie Or when the tasting is 〈◊〉 with delitious meates and drinks Or the smelling of swéete 〈◊〉 and perfumes Or the féeling and ●●●●hching of such thinges as is mo●●● lyking to the same And héerewith shee presented thrée other portraits or figures of Loue the first was betwéen a man and his wife The second an ordinary kinde of loue betwéene m●n and man And the last was the Loue betwéene fréendes and such as are mutuallie brought vp together in cōpanie from their youth And al these being not gouerned by the diuine spirite of direction it is easy to knowe what harme commeth by them therfore I hadde good reason to perswade my selfe that none of these was the speciall Image of Loue I looked for neyther that Nature could bring mee to the sight thereof indéede and therefore I thought it best for me to dispose my thoughtes to a further search But then on a soddaine came to my remembraunce howe the Romaines in olde time hadde an Image among them which they greatlie praysed and made no small estimation thereof This Image as I haue read was portrayed like a young man standing dare headed hauing written on hys fore-head Estas et Hie●s Summer and Winter and he was clothed in a short thin coate on the hem whereof they had written Mors et Vita Death and Life His fide was open that his hart might be séene and hys army was bowed poynting wyth hys finger to his hart where might bee seene written Longe et prope far and néere When I had well viewed thys counterfeite and perswading my self there was some secrete meaning shadowed in this deuise I was immediatly made acquainted with y ● whole conceit thereof and euery circūstance declared vnto mee as followeth The ca●●e why he was paynted like a young Men signified that true Loue and loyall fréendship is alwaies fresh chéerefull and amiable neuer fading or fayling for any extremitye whatsoeuer Hee was bare headed not ashamed to shewe himselfe vnto all men and likewise that he was not afrayd to shewe himselfe a friende at all occasions His rude and thinne vesture declared that a very fréende indéede wyll not refuse to suffer hard exigents and extreame necessity for the loue of his fréend The cause why Mors et Vita was written on the hemme of his garment was that h●e which loueth truelie his fréend continueth so all hys life vnto death and after death likewise so farre as the bonds of fréendship may stretch Ectas et Hiems on his forehead signified that vnfayned fréendship endureth as wel in aduersity as in prosperitie Hys hart was open to be séene meaning he woulde not hide or conceale anye thing from his freende and Louer And poynting his finger towardes his hart be declared that his deedes 〈◊〉 accord to his hart and his harte likewise consented to his words The 〈◊〉 there written Long● 〈…〉 〈◊〉 that true and inui●lable Loue can not bee imp●ached by distaunce of place or long continuance of time but euermore continueth in one permanent estate florishing faythful intire and perpetuall The deuise of this Image mee thought was to bee commended and accounted necessary to thys present life and 〈◊〉 Aristotle Cato with manie other prayse it aboue all the thinges that 〈◊〉 Nature Beside the Wise men sayth Ami●● fideli nulla ●st comp●●●●● 〈…〉 fides illi● A faythfull freende hath no peere ●he ●eight of golde and siluer is not to bee compared ●ward● the goodnes of h●s fayth Ye was there one special● 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 in thys goodlie Image which 〈◊〉 that bee alwayes looked downewarde vppon earthlie thinges and verie sternelie and bitterlie vpon his enemies If hée had looked vpward towards heauen●● hauing respect to God and heauenl●● thinges I would haue commended it for the moste woorthy ornament amongst all Natures inuentions But Saint Paule for that very cause wylled me to despise it saying to thē that were the inuenters thereof Quia cum cogn●nissent Deum non sicut Deum glorificauerunt aut gratias egerant sed e●anuerunt in cogitationibus suis et obscuratum est insipicui 〈◊〉 ●orum dicontes enim se esse sapientes stulti facti sunt Although they knews God they glorified him not as God neyther were thankfull but wexed full of vanities in their imaginations and their foolish hart was blinded when they counted themselues wife they became fooles and fell to Idolatrie and to manie great inconueniences Our Sauiour also refuseth this Image and such other bothe for thys cause and for that it looked so cruellie vpon his enemies saying If ye loue onelie them that loue you what reward looke ye to haue truely ye shal haue none of mee for you haue receiued your rewarde alreadye And thus leauing Nature I was glad to seeke further Of worldly Loue. Chapter 3. THe World then called me and shewed me a portrait that a farre off appeared verye fayre and goodlie al burnished with gold and siluer and iewels that were both ritch and costly set out likewise with verie freshe and orient colours offering it to mee for a small value which made mee drawe 〈◊〉 little néerer it and on the border thereof were figured fooles beastes flyes serpents wormes and flowers of diuers kindes so meruailous and so ingeniouslie ●ra●ed lyke vnto Nature as though they hadde béene the selfe same thinges indéede The foules séemed so rauenous the beastes so cruellie deuouring the flies so defiling hearbes and flowers and taking away theyr sweete and pleasant

In vestitu de aurato circundata varietate In apparell goodly guilt set about with diuersity of orient colours and precious stones of vertues and gifts of grace with borders and hemmes of gold In thys Image shoulde all zealous affected soules that be the true and faythful spouses of Christ haue theyr glory and delyght and not in paynted clothes or carued and grauen Images set about with diuersity of byrdes beastes and foules which is but a grosse and coloured deuotion or more aptly to speake a meere fond and foolish superstition and let them haue such delight who féele no taste of glory and comfort inwardly in theyr soules by testimonye of a good conscience such as haue no zeale to perfect méekenes and feruent loue of God and cannot ioy or delight themselues but onely in earthly and transitory thinges But you that be Kinges and Noble mens sonnes and daughters yea all we that professe the glorious and triumphant name of Christe Iesus should principally haue our glory inwardlie and from the very harte In fimbriis aureis circumamicta varietatibus In hemmes and borders of gold that is to say godly and continual perseueraunce in true loue and patience which is true gold indeede surely approoued and tryed in the fire of trouble and aduersity apparelled and clothed round about with colours of diuers vertues so conueniently and so religiouslie set in order in the hart as one setteth forth another meruailous gloriously and the beauty of one increaseth by the noble vertue of the other and that beautie which nature it selfe affoordeth it is of so little splendour and orient appearaunce in sight as beeing placed among the other rich vertues it seemeth a thousande times more goodlie and precious Put diligence to obedience and nothing can be more pleasant let meekenes be ioyned with chastitie and nothing is more splendaunt vnite patience with pouertie and nothing canne bee more delectable running coupled with lowlines and gentlenes what is more beautifull set Iustice and mercy together and what better company benignitie placed with magnyficence is a royall pearle in the eye of the beholder sadnes or grauity dooth meruailously well and discretion mixed among all these maketh the whole vesture goodly sure and profitable And aboue all these is the rich gylt garment that I did speake of namely godly wisedome which is not in gesting riches pleasure and honours but in setting them at naught and despysing both them and all other earthlie thinges It is in compunction of hart and zealous contrition for our sinnes and offences in daily exercise of godlie and charitable works and in continuall meditation and contemplation of immortall and heauenly thinges in study of holie Scripture the lawe of God and to frame our life and conuersation thereafter The hemme of this vesture is perseuerant loue according as Saint Paul sayth Finis praecepti est charitas de corde puro et conscientia bona et fide non ficta The end of the commaundementes of God is charitie or perseueraunt loue comming from a pure hart and a good conscience and from a fayth vnfayned this is the extreame parte of godly wisedome wherein is sette great plentie of precious stones and Iewels the xii articles of y e fayth the seauen gifts of grace and many other inestimable treasures The white kercher vppon the heade is sure hope made by the workes of cleannes and deedes of pyttie and whited with the dewe of grace from Heauen aboue Loe thus haue I heere discoursed the habite and ornaments of thys Image of Loue occupy the eyes of our mindes in beholding these varieties and you that bee the very Temples of God set vp therein the Altare of your harts and there make your sacrifice and prayers for euen nowe is the time that Christ spake of to the Woman of Samaria saying Mulier crede mihi quia veniet hora quando neque in monte hoc neque in Ierosolimis adorabitis Patrem Vos adoratis quod ●●scitis nos adoramus quod scimus quia salus ex Judaeis est Sed venit hora et nunc est quando veri adoratores adorabunt Patrem in spiritu et veritate Nam et pater tales quaerit qui adorent eum Woman beleeue me the houre commeth when yee shall neyther in thys mountayne nor yet at Ierusalem worshyp the Father Yee worshippe yee wot not what wee knowe what wee worship for saluation commeth of the Iewes But the howre commeth and nowe it is when the true worshipper● shall worship the father in spirit and trueth for such the father also requireth to worship him that is not after the outwarde obseruaunces as the Iewes did that kept the outward obseruaunces of theyr lawe in sacrifices and prayers with theyr mouthes but their hart and loue was farre from God therefore hee lothed and despised their sacrifice saying 〈◊〉 mihi multitudinem vict●●arum vest●●rum pl●●us sum c. What shall I doo with your diuers sacrifices I am full of them I require them not of yours but a louing and a contrite hart he neuer despiseth and that is the sacrifice which he requireth Howe this Image of Looue is to bee honoured Chapter 11. WEe haue deliuered vs in manie and sundry places of Scripture that God regardeth not the outwarde appearaunce of man but looketh earnestly on his inward behaui●r whervpon it is said in the Prophet Samuell Nec iuxta i●●uitum 〈◊〉 ego indica 〈◊〉 enim vidit as quae parem 〈…〉 cor For God see●th not as man seeth for man lookketh on the outwarde appearaunce but the Lord beholdeth the hart and iudgeth thereafter Againe Non secundum visionem indicabit neque secundum auditum aurium argu●● c. And he shall iudge not after the outward seeing of mans eyes nor after the hearing of the eares but after the very right and after the thought and intent of man Therefore if a man take héede and be wary what he doth in the sight of man much more ought he to be careful what he doth in y e sight and presence of almighty God When the body is clothed in a religious vesture we thinke it well and as beseemeth but what doth it help or auaile if y e mind beare stil a secular and sinful habit after the manner and fashion of the world such kéepe silence outwardly séeme in the eies of men as saints but let them looke that the mind with in be at rest from vaine thoughts and not cloyd or choked with worldly imaginations els all their holines is to smal purpose In the material Temple we knéele and stoupe lowe to the ground but what doth that profit vs if in y ● inward temple of our soule we stand sturdily vnreuerently against God and our superiors in disobeying his or their commandements Some fast and abstaine from many thinges which are good and of themselues doo not defile man but shoulde they not rather