Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	faith_n	true_a	word_n	7,218	5	4.2741	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76021	Unum necessarium, or, The great duty of a Christian in two tracts : the one, Of adhering to God, written in Latin, by Albertus Magnus, the other, Of the love of God, written in high- Dutch, by John Staupitz / both faithfully translated into English for the promoting of primitive Christianity.; De adhaerendo Deo. English. 1692	Albertus, Magnus, Saint, 1193?-1280.; Johannes von Kastl, 15th cent.; Staupitz, Johann von, d. 1524.	1692 (1692)	Wing A878; ESTC R42992	62,774	183

and therefore were in a more damnable condition than the Heathens They had received many more benefits from him than from any one besides but yet did not love him in the highest degree who had loved them to the utmost so as to give his Life for them And thus at this day we frequently find that those who have Christ most in their Tongues have him least in their Hearts whence follows that they also communicate or impart him to others so as they have him themselves viz. on the Tongue and not in the Heart they teach them to talk much of him but to love little by which means the poor simple People are much hindred in the way to true Perfection and happiness CHAP. VII The Love of God above all things cannot enter into a Man except the Holy Ghost be there before SAint Paul saith The Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Ghost which is given unto us even the Spirit of our heavenly Father the Spirit of Christ whom he that hath not is none of Christs neither is it possible for such an one to love God above all things Wherefore we are to take notice that the first the greatest and the highest Favor God bestows upon a chosen Soul is that he vouchsafes to take up his Dwelling in him By this means it is that the essential Self subsisting Love which is God himself is always in Man before his own Love or any thing that can be called Good and much the same thing happens to every pious Soul as befel the blessed Virgin Mary the Mother of God when it was told her by the Angel That she should conceive and be with child of God whereupon when the Virgin demanded how this should come to pass and by whom seeing it was not to be according to the Order of Nature To which question she and all holy Souls with her received this Answer The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the Power of the Highest shall over-shadow thee Luk. 1.35 As if he had said a Child of God is not born of Blood nor of the Lust of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but is born of God alone Job 1.13 In which Birth the Soul is endued with Divine Power to fulfil all things and all Commands through the Love of God Wherefore if at any time any thing that is holy or good be done by us we must not attribute and appropriate it to our selves but to God only who is the only Father of all good Fruits and Gifts in us Upon which Account also the Angel gives us this further Information saying therefore that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God O happy yea more than happy is that Man into whom the Holy Ghost is come down from above in whom the self-subsisting essential Love which is God himself hath taken up his abode for in him continually and for ever Divine Fruits grow and spring forth whether he knows it or not for the Holy Ghost is never idle Sometimes he stirs in us motions of Anger to reprehend and reprove that which he will have reproved sometimes he moves us to mirth and jocose words to revive and rejoyce those whom he will have comforted c. and frequently makes us in those very things his Fruits and Children whereby we are apt to fear that we were become his Enemies Many very many Fruits of our Salvation doth he work in us whereof we know nothing neither more nor less Could we now in this manner always see him in our selves and clearly discern and know him this would be to be happy indeed here on Earth but it hath rather pleased him and seemed good in his Eyes to be hidden and concealed in us according to the Saying of the Prophet David Ps 18.11 He bowed the Heavens and came down and Darkness was under his Feet he made Darkness his hiding Place his covering round about him were dark Waters c. CHAP. VIII From the Indwelling of the Holy Ghost first proceeds the Light of true Christian Faith THat no Man can reach the Sense and Power of the Holy Scriptures or the Love of God above all things from any outward Learning or Information whatsoever our Lord Jesus Christ himself plainly declares when he saith to his Disciples Job 16.12 I have yet many things to say to you but ye cannot bear them now It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Holy Ghost will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him to you And when He the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth and teach you all things and will open to you the hidden mystical Vnderstanding of the things I have spoke to you Christ must depart and pass away from the Eyes into the Heart from the Flesh into the Spirit before ever he can be known to Salvation Upon which Account he himself disowns the Fruit of his outward Doctrine when the same is separated and divided from the inward Teaching It is in this sense St. Paul declares that as well his Teaching as that of all the other Apostles was nothing except God himself teacheth in the Heart Neither can any man with any words how high and choice soever they may be declare make out or represent the above measure lovely Love of God if God do not first reveal himself in the Heart Wherefore it is without all doubt that God himself brings into the Soul of those by whom he will be loved above all things that Light whereby his great Loveliness and Kindness are clearly seen and discerned through a firm Faith without doubting before ever we know or understand what is right and good Wherefore we must conclude that the knowledge of the True Christian Faith is a pure meer Grace of God CHAP. IX That Man is never comforted in hope whom the Spirit of God himself doth not comfort ALL the comfort of this World is Vain Useless and Empty all confidence in the Creature is deceitful for which reason the Holy Scriptures denounce Curses against all those who confide in their own Jer. 17.5 6. or others created power or ability and by this means seek their comfort in and from the Creature The only true comfort upon Earth is founded and grounded in this as St. Paul assures us that we boast our selves and Triumph in the Glory of the Children of God Rom. 5.2 11. that is in our indubitable assurance that we are the Children of God foreknown and Elected to Eternal glory This is the comfort which no Creature can give neither can any deserve it it must and can only be given by the Holy Ghost the Comforter to whom only it belongs to comfort his People and whose property it is to convey a lively hope into the heart of his chosen and this even before there is any Merit in them Neither hath our saving hope

struck and smitten him to the end that nothing but Love might flow from him and that the substantial and essential Love which is God himself which is given unto us before all gifts and graces without any merit of ours for Righteousness might through the Holy Ghost flow through and wholely penetrate our hearts From all which we may gather this Conclusion that to love God above all is a meer pure Grace and Favour above all our Arts or Abilities and above all our Works and Merits CHAP. XI To love God above all things is not vouchsaved to all Beloved ones in the same Measure or Degree TO love God above all things is to love him Savingly now forasmuch as even in Saving Love there be higher and lower greater and less degrees it will not be in vain or unprofitable to make mention of the said difference or diversity There are some in this Love of God above all things that are called Incipientes i.e. Beginners others Proficientes Proficients or goers forward and some again Perfecti that are arrived to the Perfection of it Of which three sorts the first love God least the second more the third or last most of all yet all of them Love him above all things for did they love any thing more than God or equal with him their Love would rather be Hatred of God because therein they do not render him his true and due Honour as Gods Love saith Men indeed may build Straw Hay and Wood Gold Silver and Pretious Stones upon the Rock but for all that the Foundation doth not suffer it self to be shaken or removed Christ must still be Christ and God must be beloved as God that is above all things this is the true Foundation of all Love and good Desires and this is common to all true Lovers of what rank soever But the Reason of the diversity of some loving more some less some in a higher and others in a lower degree is this because Gods kind and amiable Manifestation of himself doth not act necessarily like Nature according to its utmost Power and Ability but more or less as the Holy Ghost pleaseth and how and when he pleaseth Therefore to Love God above all things is not only Free Grace but every degree of Love is so likewise CHAP. XII How or in what manner the Beginner loves God above all things THE first degree of Love manifests it self in this manner when the Loveliness of God is so deeply imprinted on the heart that a Man begins to love God above all things then such a Love infallibly brings along with it a loathing or dislike of whatsoever is contrary to God as of all deadly Sin and more especially of Pride whereby Man takes upon him to place himself on even ground with or above God which every Man does when he loves himself as much as or more than God This Love brings along with it Humility in Honour Temperance in Lusts and holy Fear not such as Servants stand in of their Master but such as young Children have for their Father In these Beginners there is a mixture of Fear and Love and a Conjunction of Heavenly and Earthly Desires they love many things together with God Therefore the vertue or goodness of these consists only in this that the Love of God that is in them continually brings forth Heavenly Desires and that tho' they love God together with other things yet they love him above and more than them Wherefore also the Beginner falls often into many lesser Sins by the delight he takes in Temporal Profit Honour and Pleasure and into strong Fears and Apprehensions of Temporal Losses and Trouble finds also in himself strong Inclinations to Deadly Sins so that often he is ready to sin but that the Friendly and Lovely Perception of God in his heart doth hinder him Wherefore it still appears that whatsoever the Love of God above all things begets or brings forth in the Heart is nothing else but meer Grace CHAP. XIII How the Proficient Loves God above all things MOreover it oft happens that God from Heaven doth manifest himself yet more friendly and amiably to the Heart and thereby inflames the Will to that degree that now the Soul doth not only love God above all things but also make use of all other things in subordination and with reference to the Love of God in all things aiming at his Praise and Glory Such an one is more concern'd how he may please God than about Sins displeasing of him Now he to whom it is given to love God in this Degree or to speak more exact he in whom the Holy Ghost thus loves in him this Love is immediately followed by the Love of Righteousness great Strength and Courage of Mind a Liberal Heart Prudent Converse wise Purposes and Undertakings and other such like Vertues that help to raise a Man above himself I have said that Man being so highly excited and moved with the Divine Kindness and Loveliness doth love God in this manner or rather that the Holy Ghost thus loves in him to the end that no body might attribute his Proficiency or rising higher to himself but appropriate and impute it to God alone Even as Christ instructed his Disciples and in them all of us When ye shall be brought before Kings and Governors for my sake take no thought how or what ye shall speak for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak For it is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you Mat. 10.18 19 20. These are the Words of Eternal Truth Now if it be true that he does not speak whom we see moving his Tongue and Lips whose Voice we hear and perceive his Breath why should not we then for the same reason appropriate and impute the Love we feel in our hearts to God alone acknowledging it to be his only The moving or motion is from the Holy Ghost but the perceiving of it is ours as when any one tickleth us the Tickling is anothers but the Sensation it produces is our own From all which it appears that the Love of Proficients together with the Vertues flowing from it are meer Grace as well as that of the Beginner CHAP. XIV How the Perfect Lover loves God above all things HE is called Perfect in Love to whom God manifests and represents himself so kind so sweet and so amiable that he becomes wholely of the mind that there is nothing lovely but God nothing kind sweet and friendly but God Such a Man as this loatheth and is burthen'd with himself hateth this Life and longs for Death that nothing might hinder him in his Love Wherefore also strange and wonderful Works proceed from such an one all which God by Love works in him He is full of Joy Peace and Rest he doth not trouble himself about either Heaven or Hell Angel or Devil Friend or Foe he hates Father and Mother Wife and

it Joh. 14.13 14. As if he had said as long as men do not ask in my Name they have no assurance of being heard But if you do ask in my Name then need you no other Intercessor Joh. 16.26 27. For the Heavenly Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and believed that I came forth from God If therefore any one would be sure that his Prayers are heard let him believe in Christ For he that believeth in Christ is beloved of God and needs no other Inte●…ssor But if all the Saints in Heaven should pray for thee and thou have no Faith in Christ it would be all in vain and unprofitable to thee CHAP. X. Concerning our indissoluble Union with Christ THE Faith that is in Christ suffers no man to remain or abide in himself but draws us out and raiseth us above our selves and never ceaseth till it have united us unto God In the first place God doth so unite all Believers amongst themselves that they all become one Heart and one Soul in God wherein Christ's Prayer is heard and fulfilled which he prayed to the Father for them Joh. 17.11 19. Holy Father keep through thine one Name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are one Which Words do not only respect the Twelve Apostles of Christ but all those that for the future should believe on him through their Word as the Text manifestly holds forth and this is the only true Ground and Original of the Unity of the Church Now all that believe in Christ shall in like manner be united in and with God as the Father in Christ and Christ in the Father are of one Will one Mind one Sense one Meaning and one Desire Moreover God doth so unite all those that believe in Christ with Christ that they become one Body with him of which he is the Head and they the Members and as all the Members are Ruled and Influenced by the Head so are they Govern'd and led by Christ in Christ so that no body can be helpful or advantageous to them as to their inward guidance in the Spirit save the only most intimate Jesus With respect to this intimate Union Jesus said Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Act. 9.4 As if he himself had been only concern'd whereas indeed he persecuted those that believed in him By means of this Mystical Union Christ poures forth all Spiritual Gifts and Graces into our heart through the Holy Ghost yea and his very self too But besides this Union there is yet another whereby God the Father Espouseth those to Christ that believe in him so that a Believer and Christ are inseperably United and Joyned together in the indissoluble Band of Wedlock This Marriage-band is the Marriage in Paradise a Sacrament and Seal that Christ hath taken upon him all our Weaknesses Defects Wants and Sins and is become Sin for us that we might become the Righteousness of God in him and made our Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption not without us but within us To us Christ is given to us he is born and for us he dyed his Life Death and Suffering his Doctrine and Works are wholely ours and we in Christ through Faith are united and made one with God This is the Eternal Heavenly Marriage Band that we abide eternally betrothed joyned and united with Christ forasmuch as we are born of God himself and still-are in him who hath born us And this is and is called Faith viz. Christ dwelling in us and that is the true Love viz. God and his Holy Spirit in us This is the highest Union in the which Christ and he that believes in him give up themselves wholely into God that he alone may be All in All and work All in All. Of this Union much might be said but it is above our Understanding and as long as this Life lasteth it will but be in part with us However this is and abides undoubtedly true that he who believes in Jesus Christ becomes thereby Eternally united to God For he that cleaveth to the Lord becomes one Spirit with him which God of his Mercy grant unto all Amen Dr. John of Staupitz Jesu thine I am Save me FINIS

Another is that his Words be few necessary simple and concerning Divine things the Third is that his whole life all his VVorks and whatever he doth be so compleat and blameless that in nothing he may be reprehended by any one And of the Internal the first is that his Thoughts be pure and Heavenly the Second that he purely seek and intend God alone the Third that he be able easily and readily without any Trouble to bid farewel to all for God that is that whatever befalls him an Unmoveable undisturbed and true Peace be in his mind that as Water not moved with any blast of wind is quiet so his Soul may in all things persevere calm and immoveable For as in water so long as it swells with VVaves and is stirr'd with continual motion no man can behold himself so that most simple and most pure Good which is God can never direct the Rayes of his Light into his Soul into his Spirit or Interior part so long as he is moved with prosperous or advers occurrences For no Prosperity or Honour tho never so great for no Riches or Friends or whatever fortunate accide●● must our heart yield to Levity Dissoluteness 〈◊〉 vain Joys Again on the other side he must per●●… undaunted and immoveable against all Adversi●… so that he be not disturbed or hindred in his Sou● by any damage done him nor wish any Evil Withi● or without to any other whatever he suffers from him whether he deprive him of all his Good● whether Honour or Friends or Commodities or a●… his comforts yea tho he pull out his Eyes fire 〈◊〉 House or whatever other mischief he do him h●… must by no means bear an Evil thought agains● him nor defire Revenge but taking all not from Man but from the hand of God render him devou● thanks that he is in any thing made conformable to him Yet notwithstanding we must know that there is none so happy or holy Christ only and th● Glorious Virgin excepted but he may sometimes suffer at least the first motions of passion for all the Saints have suffered them But as soon as ever they perceived them they knew how by the Grace of God so to suppress them so as that they could not easily be perceived either in their Countenance in their VVords or their Gestures Lastly to this Quiet condition this also is required that he be so affected so disposed that tho he be encumbered with Diversity and multiplicity of business is soon as ever he turns himself to God in Prayer no Image thereof no appearance not so much as any shadow of it may remain whence in his Intellect or mind he may become indisposed or hindered Our Lord Jesus Christ. Grant that to these things we may all in time attain Amen A TREATISE OF Albertus Magnus of adhering to God CHAP. I. Of the Vltimate and highest Perfection of Man as far as the same is attainable in this Life I Have purposed with my self with the greatest accuracy as far as it is possible in this our Exile and Pilgrim State to give a description of the Absolute and Plenary Abstraction from all things and our ready secure naked and firm adhering to our Lord God alone And this the rather because the very End of Christian Perfection is Charity or Divine Love whereby we cleave to and are made one with the Lord our God To which Divine Adhesion by Love every one is bound that hopes for Salvation and is performed by the observance of the Precepts and Conformity with the Will of God the observance whereof excludes whatsoever is repugnant to the Essence and Habit of Charity such as are all Mortal Sins But those that are in Religious Orders have over and above this bound themselves to the Practice of Evangelical Perfection and of those things which are matter of Evangelical Councel and Advice rather than strict Imposition and by means whereof we more readily arrive to our ultimate End which is God by the observance of which are likewise excluded all those things which clog and hinder the Activity and Fervor of Charity from carrying us up into our Lord God such as are the denying of all things yea even of our own Soul and Body for seeing that our Lord God is a Spirit they that would worship him Joh. 4.24 must do it in Spirit and in Truth That is with Knowledge and Love with the Understanding and Affection devoid of all Phantasms or Images To this purpose is that Command of our Lord But thou when thou Prayest Math. 6.6 enter into thy Closet that is the inmost retreat of thy Heart and when thou hast shut thy door viz. the door of thy Senses upon thee there do thou with a Pure Heart and Good Conscience and Faith unfeigned pray to thy Father which is in Secret in Spirit and in Truth Which is then best done when a Man being disentangled and divested of all other things and wholly retir'd within himself and having forgot and shut out all and every thing in the Presence of Jesus Christ the Mind alone doth in silence with Faith and Assurance lay open her Desires before her Lord God and thus by the entirest Affection of her Heart and Love doth most sincerely and fully pour forth and plunge her self into God with the inmost Marrow and Strength of all her Powers dilating inflaming and dissolving her self wholly into him CHAP. II. How a Man may despising all other things adhere to and intend Christ alone NOw whosoever Desires and makes it his Business to undertake and enter upon this State or kind of Life it is needful that he as it were shutting his Eyes and Senses do not concern or trouble himself with or be careful and sollicitous about any thing whatsoever but totally reject and renounce all things as impertinent hurtful and pernicious and in the next place that he wholly retire within himself and in that Retirement entertain no other Object but Jesus Christ alone and him Crucified and so press on through him into him i. e. through Man into God through the Wounds of his Humanity into the inmost recess of his Divinity and there without any further disputing readily and securely commit himself and all his Concerns to his indefatigable Providence according to that of St. Peter Casting all your care upon him 1 Pet. 5.7 who can do all And again Be sollicitous for nothing Phil. 4 6. And that of the Psalmist Cast thy care upon the Lord Ps 55.22 and he shall sustain thee And again But it is good for me to Ps 73.28 cleave unto God And again I have set the Lord always before me Ps 16.8 And with the Spouse in the Canticles Cant. 3.4 I have found him whom my Soul loveth because Wisd 7.11 as Wisdom saith All good things come together with it This is that hidden Heavenly Treasure and that precious Pearl which cannot be purchased Mat. 13.44 5 6. but

forasmuch as the Divine Love only flows forth from Gods Love revealed and manifested to us it for the most part happens that we through our vehement earnestness and eager pursuit after her hinder our selves from rellishing her sweet Savour which is best tasted and perceived when we are silent and introverted inwardly attentive when we open our Mouths wide expecting the Heavenly Food when we work or do neither Good nor Evil but attend the Working of the Holy Spirit in us In this manner David hearkned and heard what God spake in him and found him speaking Peace He opened his Mouth wide and experienc'd Gods filling it was silent and waited upon God and received Incomes of Spiritual Strength and Power Ps 81.10.40 1.85.8 For the Almighty VVord saith the Wise King Wisd 18.14,15 comes not down from Heaven his Royal Throne nor suffers it self to be heard till all things be in quiet silence Therefore for a conclusion we must above all things labour and endeavour for inward stillness and quiet of Heart and to reduce our Prayer and other outward and inward Exercises to Rest and Silence that so we may hear the Heavenly Voice of God and perceive his Lovely Motions Thus thou seest how our good God permits himself to be overtaken by a soft or slow Pace but never by Running according as we read concerning the Divine Spouse Cant. 3.1 2 4. c. 5.2 3 4 5 6. That when she laid down on her Bed and had no Desire after her Bridegroom but rather seem'd to be troubled at his knocking yet was this the time he took to manifest himself in all Friendliness and Love towards her whereas when she run out after him he hid himself from her CHAP. XVI The Degrees of the Love of God alter and are changed according to the Will and Pleasure of the Self-subsisting Love of God suitable to what he knows to be most Vseful for Men. TO Love God above all things therefore is a perpetual and constant Work always abiding the same as long as the Lover abides in the true Love yet not always at the same Height or in the same Degree but sometimes more and at other times less as God knows it will be most Profitable for the Beloved Person To Paul was given a thorn in the Flesh an Angel of Satan to buffet him that he might not be exalted above measure by reason of the abundance of Revelations vouchsafed unto him 2 Cor. 12.7 And on the other hand we see the Robber was assured of his part in Paradice Luk. 23.43 and had a clear sight given him that he was a Child of Salvation and was favoured with a joyful Death to the end the Depth of his Sins might not overwhelm him At one time Paul crys out Rom. 7.24 O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from this Body of Death And not long after we hear him boasting and triumphing at such a rate as this Rom. 8.38 39. for I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall separate me from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. This was a perfect Word proceeding from a perfect Love Thus it happens still at this day that God often in an Hours time yea in a much shorter space doth oft alter the degrees of Love in us Sometimes we find in our selves a perfect Elevation of our Minds with entire and total Resignation and soon after experience a frightful and doubting Heart and an unstable Will and many are in the same Moment comforted again with Courageousness and a Peaceful and Joyful Mind which makes them break forth with David Psalm 56.11 In God have I put my Trust and will not fear what all mine Enemies can do unto me So that a Man here upon Earth is not constant in any degree of Love but sometimes is raised above himself and at other times sinks beneath himself according as the Holy Ghost draws him Furthermore we are to know to our great comfort that the Love which God hath towards us doth neither admit of encrease dminution and frequently is doing the very best for us when we least of all perceive or understand it We are also for the most part most sweet and well pleasing to him when he seems most bitter and harsh to us here upon Earth where his Divine Love more exerts its self for our Cross and Suffering than for our Joy Heaven is the place where God continually manifests and displays himself in everlasting Joys not this Earth Forasmuch therefore as there is more advantage and profit in Poverty than in Riches more in Suffering than in enjoyment more in Weeping than in Laughter more in Hunger than in Fulness or Satiety more in Communion of Suffering than in Communion of Comfort it follows that the Love of God manifests it self in a fuller and greater Measure to us when it procures us Lamentation Sorrow Suffering and Misery than when it affords us pleasure and delight Wherefore altho' the feeling of that Quiet and Peace of Heart which is the Portion of those who are Perfect in Love be Sweeter and more delightful yet is the Love of Proficients wherein God manifests himself for the strengthning and encouraging of the Mind more profitable for Advantage and Amendment Besides it is far more profitable and advantagious to our Salvation that we despair of our own Strength than that we confide in our own Works or Labour For which Cause also God of his great Grace doth frequently take away from us the Love of Proficients and drives us into the acknowledgment of our disability and into fearfulness and despairing of our selves to the end that as little helpless Children we might run to him as our only Redeemer accounting our selves nothing and magnifying his Grace and Power alone When it is thus with us then from the great Love of God to us ward the Love of Beginners proves of greatest use and advantage to us and we do experience by so much the more comfort from God by how much the more we despair of our own Power when we do not trust in our Strength nor take upon us to strive and struggle but only six our eye upon the Lifted up Brazen Serpent Numb 21.6 7 8 9. as in the Figure it is very comfortably held forth to us When the Children of Israel were dangerously and mortally hurt by the poysonful stinging of the Fiery Serpents God was pleased to give them a Brazen Serpent lifted up on a Pole even a Serpent without Poyson made of Brass and whosoever did only behold the same became immediately healed and all the Serpents fled away from him without any more ado Which Figure imports thus much that there is no more ready or compendious way for a Man to get rid of the Poyson of Diabolical Temptation than when he despairs of any opposition himself can make