Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	father_n	pray_v	prayer_n	6,987	5	6.6304	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20860	Nicetas or the triumph ouer incontinencie written in Latin by. F. Hier. Drexelius of the Society of Iesus. And translated into English by. R.S. 1633; Nicetas. English	Drexel, Jeremias, 1581-1638.; Samber, Robert, attributed name.; Stanford, Robert, attributed name.; R. S., gent.	1633 (1633)	STC 7238; ESTC S109936	169,773	468

Questionles Godefrey's chastity cost him deare for he bought and retayned this candour as wel of body as soule with str●pes fastes and other austerityes Ex funebribus orationibus Dn. D. Friderici Forneri P. Ioannis Salleri But the verse admonisheth vs of Reading Stripes and Prayers We haue spoken of Reading and Stripes Now I come to prayer THE THIRD ANTIDOTE against Incontinency Prayer and the Practice therof CHAP. V. A Certaine man as Pelagius recounteth out of a Greeke history Libell ● n. 3● asking the aduise of an old Anchorite concerning a secret mallady of his mind What shal I doe said he my cogitations wonderfully afflict me they draw me to nothing els but lust I cannot so much as for one houres space be at liberty or free The old man answered When by the diuels instigatiō such impure thoughts disturbe thee enter not into discourse with them because it is the property of the diuel to suggest thy duty to repel and suppresse them It is in thy power either to admit or reject such guests at their first entrance If thou doe but resist they cannot wrest from thee any consent whether thou wilt or no. To which the yong man thus replyed But Father I am weake and hardly able to resist the temptations strong and violent wherefore I am ouercome and forced to yeald But none said the old man are ouercome in this combate but they that are willing Doe you know what the Madianites did they set their daughters as it were to sale before the eyes of the Israelites being combed and trimmed to allure them al what they could Num. 25.2 So they might allure but were not able to compel any to dishonesty It was in the Israelites power not to perish Many who honoured from their hart the law of God not only contemned this venereous allurement but also with laudable reuenge punished those they saw caught with this vaine and inticing 〈◊〉 So must we likewise Doth the diuel set before thine eyes faire objects to prouoke thee Contemne them giue no answer to impure thoughts spit at al such venerous trumpery arise pray and cry out O sonne of God take compassion vpon me To this the yong man answered againe Alas Father I pray meditate cry out but with no sensible gust I am stupified and moued no more the●… a stone Doe thou notwithstanding said this old man both pray meditate and incessantly cry out Many times the enchanter himselfe knowes not the efficacy of the wordes he pronounceth yet the enchanted spirit i● sensible of them and whether he wil or no is made subiect to that humane voice So although we haue a stony hart and are oft insensible of our prayers yet the diuel is sensible of them is terrified and forcibly put to flight Pray therefore though you seem to your selfe as hard and impenetrable as flint §. I. Should Salomon that prodigy of wisdome and wealth only speake concerning this matter it would without doubt be sufficient to perswade vs. I knew said he ●ap 8.21 I could not otherwise be continent except God bestowed the guift vpon me And euen this was a point of wisdome to know frō whom this benefit proceeded I went to our Lord and besought him Chastity and modesty is a very precious gem●…e notwithstanding it is sold vnto vs at a smal and reasonable rate He buyes it that desires it Pray to God for it thou hast bought it Doubtles euery vertue is the guift of God but chastity in a particular mannes therefore by most ardent prayers it ought to be desired of our most liberal Lord who being earnestly sought vnto infuseth that light into our soules whereby we may foresee approaching dangers inciteth and 〈◊〉 our wil constantly to apply fitting remedies to this malady He subiecteth our vnbridled appetite to the gouerment of his law he strengthneth the combatant that through the difficulty of the conflict he fal not into despaire but with an erected mind confide of assistance from heouen finally he supplieth a man with new forces againe and againe so that he which hath once begun may run through this race of chastity and obtaine the prize promised to them that keep and preserue it entire This was the cause that moued S. Augustine to pray so earnestly Lib. 19. cons c. 29. O my God enflame me Thou commandest continency giue what thou commandest and command what thou wilt That guest of Paradise chast S. Paul was so great a louer of virginity that he desired al should be like him notwithstanding he was likewise sensible of these durty dregges There is giuen vnto me said he 2. Cor. 12.7 a sting of the flesh the Angel of Satan to buffer me And I pray you by what meanes did this diuine man deliuer himselfe from the iniury of his flesh By prayers and those thrice repeated For which respect saith he thrice haue I besought our Lord that it might depart from me That prayer at last obtaineth which perseuers and breathes-out fire Cold languishing prayers neither moue man nor God to condescend God is a spirit and it behoueth them that adore him to adore in spirit and truth It is falshood shameful slouthfulnes when our tongue mutters out prayers and wordes and yet our mind in the meane while wauering and estranged from our deuotions flyes abroad to playes and dancing-reuels You would imagine this man prayed but it is meerly his mouth that is labouring while his hart trifleth or which is worse dallies and is busied about I know not what This is not to pray in spirit By these kind of prayers no mā wil obtaine the iewel of chastity That most holy Dauid labouring in his daily prayers said Ps 1●2 vers 1. 2. Vnto thee haue I lifted mine eyes who inhabitest in the heauens Behold euen as the eyes of seruants are in the hands of their Masters and as the eyes of the hand-maid are in the hands of her Mistresse so are our eyes to our Lord God til he haue mercy vpon vs. He saith that the eyes of the seruants are in the hands of their Masters not in his face that is to say this cast of their eyes is a kind of asking with a desire to receaue it hath recourse to the Masters right hand that he may open it to giue them some thing So let vs wholy place our eyes on the hand of God and with a kind of pleasing violence so acceptable to his diuine maiesty euen wrest from him this most preciousi iewel of chastity §. II. If at any time a warlike Captaine to whom the defence of a castle is committed beholdes it ready to be besieged presently he writes letters to the owner that the enemy is neere at hand and the castle in danger that he and his souldiers are in hazard to be distressed vnlesse he speedily help them Therefore he intreates his Lord if he wil haue his castle secured he would be pleased to

is repugnant That which is corrupt not entire and God is farre more powerful then nature But what shal I doe I burne I am enflamed my mind hath been long since set on fire with impure cogitations that Stygian torch flameth in the very marrow of my bones But thou mayst easily ouercome this heat with the flames of Christs loue with Christ's precious bloud thou mayst easily extinguish this fire Did not one of the Apostles say 1. Cor. c. 7. vers 38. He that ioyneth his virgin in matrimony doth wel It is so But the selfe same Apostle added He that doth not ioyne her doth better and It is good for a man not to touch a woman But had not some of the Apostles wiues They had but amongst al which they left for Christes sake were included their wiues so that al the Apostles were either virgins or when they were called continent after mariage Is it not the saying of S. Paul It is better to marry then to burne Yea and his also are these wordes 1. Cor. 7.8 But I would haue al men be like my selfe And I say to those that are not married and to widowes It is good for them if they so continue as I am Alas what shal I do I would to God I had neuer seen I would I had neuer listned to this betwitching damsel This perhaps had been better but yet though I haue done otherwise I ought not to despaire But her beauty neuer ceaseth to represent it selfe to my mind Yet is not God more beautiful from whom as a silly drop from an immense ocean proceedeth the forme beauty of al things Ah if this vehement conflict of mind continue any longer I am not able to indure it Leaue this to God's prouidence let vs indure that which God wil haue vs to day and he wil haue care of vs to morrow But what shal I leaue that poore wreched maid stil in the iawes of the hellish dragon On the otherside hast thou already forgotten into what dangers thou wert falling by the familiarity of women Thou hast scarcely escaped and do'st desire againe to run into them None can better iudge of perils then they that haue tryed them Notwithstanding it is the part of a Christian to be careful of anothers saluation but before al of his owne For the flesh inuenteth very faire pretexts to shrowd it's dishonesty it plotteth with a thousand subtiltyes how to supplant vs. A long time he was in this manner warring with himselfe reciprocally debating the matter til at last making a vertue of necessity he found a meanes to relieue himselfe and so as to a sacred anchor retired to prayer And hauing a long time continued therin not without teares he fel asleep and saw in a vision those things which when he awaked made him both weep for ioy and tremble for reuerence of Almighty God From that time forward saith S. Damascene the beauty of any woman whatsoeuer he beheld seemed to him more lothsome then a stinking puddle or putrified carcase Thus were those cruel assaults of the wicked spirits suppressed by prayer It is continency therefore my good God thou commandest giue me what thou commandest and command what thou wilt August But by right prayer must be accompanied with confession THE FOVRTH ANTIDOTE against Incontinency Frequent confession CHAP VI. HE that loueth purity of hart for the grace of his lippes shal haue the King for his freind Pro. 22.11 Nothing so much deserues diuine fauours as to haue alwaies a pure and cleane conscience But no man is able to keep it so vnles he often cleanse it Frequent confession of our sinnes enableth vs which if it be but seldome wil hardly be entire as most truly saith S. Bernard Bernard l●b med c. 37. Computatio dilata multa facit obliuisci Accountes long deferred make a man forget many things He that lookes into them but seldome must needs omit one thing or other And as accountants are more careful who if not euery day at least once a week read ouer their booke of receits and expences so for the most part are they of a more pure life who euery weeke present the staynes of their consciences to the eares of the Priest Speedy confession affordes speedy remedy And this is the first important reason to moue vs to frequent confession I wil giue you another We are continually exposed to infinit dangers of offending God Our knowne enimyes the diuel the flesh and the world albeit we withstand thē neuer so much suggest draw perswade allure and daily importune vs but they only draw they cannot compel vs their special endeauour to the end we not may become good and vertuous men nor carefully obserue the staynes and spots of our conscience is to perswade vs to be slack and negligent in washing them away What meanest thou say these our deceauers to haue so nice tender a cōscience Thou wilt stil haue enough to doe thou shalt neuer want busines nor trouble there wil alwayes be something to wipe away nor shalt thou euer haue any end of thy labours Dost thou not heer perceaue what thine enemies goe about These are the secret counsels of the diuel in the disguise of a Freind If thou wouldest not be damnified by these pernicious suggestions make thē presently knowne He that layes open the secrets of his freind looseth his credit The diuel faineth freindiship with thee thou shalt easily be rid of this masked freind if thou disclose al his secrets by frequent cōfession Eccl. 27.17 The same which S. Bernard wrote of the sacred Eucharist we may likewise alleadge of the Sacrament of Confession Two things saith he In caena Dom. de Bapt. ablut ped the Sacrament worketh in vs. It extennates the difficulty in resisting smal sinnes and in greater preuents and hindreth our consent The Councel of Trent affirmeth that they who with due preparation participate of this Sacrament are preserued from yealding to temptation and with facility proceed warily and vigilant in the way of vertue These are the wordes of the Councel But the difficulty itself of this kind of confession and shame of disclosing our sinnes might without doubt seeme very great were it not that so many benefits and consolations worthily concurring with this Sacrament are by absolution certainly bestowed vpon vs. Experience itself is a sufficient witnesse sith in those cityes where the Sacrament of Confession is frequented we see many spend the whole course of their life without any great or heynous crime I wil likewise adde a third reason why a mans conscience ought to be purged with often confession We are so enlightned by this Sacrament of Pennance that our sinnes and the original causes of them are farre more easily discerned The beginning of saluation is the knowledge of sinne Of which he that is ignorant wil not be corrected It is requisite thou shouldest find thy self guilty before thou goest about to amend

that man neuer much feareth death who hauing often confessed his sinnes and many times cast vp the accounts of his life past is ready to take that iourney Historyes recount that a certaine Priest a man very religious was wont daily to confesse himselfe before he celebrated Masse Alph. Rodrig par 1. tract 2. de per● c. 5. This man when he came to the point of death was admonished to prepare himselfe to receaue the B. Sacramēt for his last Viaticum At which message lifting vp his eyes and handes to heauen he said Blessed be IESVS these thirty yeares and more I haue daily made my confession as if it should haue been my last And therefore it wil suffice to goe to confession this time as if I were presently to goe to Masse This is to Watch. Very good is that counsel of S. Augustine Aug. in Ps 44. l. ● de visit infirm Preuent almighty God Wouldst thou not haue him punish thee Punish thy selfe Sinne must be chastized if no punishment were due vnto is it were not sinne Neuer be ashamed to declare that vnto one which perhaps thou wert not abashed to commit in the presence of many For as S. Bernard saith Bern. Mod. c. 37. dissembled confession i● not confession but double confusion EDESIMVS Verily my PARTHENIVS I haue no obstacle but only a remisse vnwilling mind which I wil endeauour to rectify You haue perswaded me PARTHENIVS I passe now to the discourse of fasting THE FIFT ANTIDOTE against Incontinency Fasting and exercise of Abstinence CHAP. VII FIre which once takes hold of a house is to be extinguished by water and sometimes the house itself to be pulled downe But that which wantes fuel dyes and goes out of itselfe Withdraw the wood from the fire and suddainly it slaketh and vanisheth Seneca epist ●0 Luxury a fire sent from hel in like manner inflames the body Wouldst thou haue this flame put-out withdraw food from thy body and although thou perceauest not when yet thou shalt certainly find it quenched Hunger is a freind to virginity Fasting spitle driues away a serpent and by the vertue of fasting the hellish Dragon is put to flight Plin. lib. 28. This is the common opinion of al the holy Fathers 1 He. 1. de Iciun S. Basil saith that fasting ministers armes against the power of diuels S. Chrysostome 2 To. ● ser 2. de Iciun Fasting was inst●tuted against the nature of diuels S. Hierom 3 Li. ● 〈◊〉 Icuin Fasting is a beautiful thing which terrifieth Sathan Origen auoucheth 4 He. 4. in di●ers in Matth. When you fast you ouercome the diuels d●…ue backe the whole malignant nauy put to flight euil desires S. Athanasius 5 Li. de Virg. that euil spirits stand infeare of the force of fasting S. Ambrose 6 Li. 6. Hexa●… c. 4. ad 〈◊〉 that you can find no remedy more effectual against our enemy the serpent then fasting What shal I say more There was neuer any that ouercame the diuel without fasting Iob that spectacle of heauen when he was in the middest of his greatest misery fasted for the space of seauen dayes together as 7 Tract 3. in Iob Origen affirmeth S. Iohn the Fore-runner of our Lord came without either eating or drinking Matth. c. 11. vers 8. For so sparing was he in his refections that he seemed neither to eate nor drinke Christ foretold the abstinence of the Apostles Matth. c. 9. vers 15. The bridegroome shal be taken from them and then they shal fast S. Paul did not prescribe himself any certaine time but vanquished the rebellion of his body by many fasts by hunger and thirst 2. Cor. 11.27 Athanasius recounteth that S. Anthony through the whole course of his life was so strict in fasting that sometimes for the space of two or three dayes he liued without my sustenance and at last vpon the fourth day eate only bread very sparingly he vsed no other fance but salt and in lieu of delicious wines of Creet branke water Hilarion at fifteen yeares of age to extinguish al fleshly concupiscence imitating the same abstinence with fifteen dry figges after sun-set rather prouoked then appeased his hunger And fearing lest al the sparkes of lust were not extingulshed by this spare diet he so englarg'd his fast that he liued three or foure dayes together without any kind of nourishment so that he was hardly able to keep life and soule together §. I. There are some kindes of diseases against which the Phisitians pronounce this resolute sentence Let the patient be let bloud and stop not the veyne til he be euen senselesse for the vehemency of his disease is not capable of a light and fauourable cure The like did H●llarion practise on himself who thought the soule was to be succoured by weakning the body For so long as the flesh was pampered he found the Spirit could not be secured He sustained with the iuyce of herbes and a few dry figges saith S. Hierom his fainting life three or foure dayes together besides the labour of his worke was double to that of his fasting so macerated and wasted in his b●dy that scarcely his bones hung together Very certaine is that saying of S. Ambrose Whatsoeuer impaires the body ●ortifyes the Spirit And most true is that of our Sauiour Christ Matth. 17.21 This kind of diuel is not cast forth but by prayer and fasting For saith S. Hierom Li. 2. cōt Iouin our Lord taught that the fiercer sort of dīuels are not otherwise ouercome then by fasting prayer Surely so it is That most eager spirit of Luxury is weakned by this kind of armes Whereupon S. Augustine saith Serm. 65. de Temp. See my Dearest h●w great the force of fasting is si●h it was able to effect that which the Apostles could not S. Ambrose discoursing very elegantly and pitthily saith Ser. 25. Behold therefore what the force of fasting is how much grace it imparteth to him that vseth it seeing it ministreth so efficacio●s a medicine to another See how it sanctifyeth the faster himself seeing it so much purifies his neighbour It is a thing to be much wondred at One man fasteth another profiteth by his abstinence this man taketh the medicine and by the operation thereof another man is cured Which likewise Blessed Pope L●o admiring said that the prayer of him that fastes is 〈◊〉 acceptable to God as terrible to Satan For if the vertue of fasting be so great that he who is armed therewith dri●es away the enemy that possesseth another ●ow much more able wil it be to resist his assaults and constrain● him to forsake his owne body The wicked spirit cannot endure the efficacy of this enemy fasting whil'st he possesseth the body of another how much lesse wil he be able to sustaine it in the man himselfe by whom he is so floutly impugned Aptly therefore doth the