Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	force_n	iron_n	loadstone_n	832	5	13.7270	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15434	Thesaurus ecclesiæ: that is, the treasure of the church consisting of the perpetuall intercession and most holy praier of Christ, set forth in the 17. chapter of the Gospel by S. Iohn: which in this treatise is plainly interpreted, with necessarie doctrines enlarged, and fit applications enforced.	Willet, Andrew, 1562-1621.	1604 (1604)	STC 25704; ESTC S102754	86,296	210

kind louing mercifull and bountifull that nothing can fall our amisse to Gods children they need not feare temptation tribulation trouble all shall fall out for the best Christ will haue it so Againe so forcible is the mediation of Christ that whatsoeuer we shall aske the father in his name he will giue it vs Iohn 16. 23. No man hath any such assurance in his suites and requests which he maketh vnto men wherefore we ought most chearefully to resort to the throne of grace where our faithfull petitions are neuer reiected and cast forth Hierome well saith Peto vt accipiam cum accepero rursus peto auarius sum ad accipienda beneficia Dei nec ille deficit in dando nec ego satior in accipiendo quanto plus bibero tanto plus sitio I aske to receiue and whē I haue receiued I ask again I am couetous to receiue Gods blessings he faileth not in giuing and I am not filled with receiuing the more I drinke the more I thirst That they which thou hast giuen me be with me where I am This is a great priuiledge that our blessed sauior hath appointed vs to no other place then where he himselfe is 1. Thus S. Paul saith We shall meet the Lord in the aire and so shall be euer with him 1. Thess. 4. 17. 2. The Lord said to the conuert vpon the crosse This da● shalt thou be with me in Paradise S. Paul assureth himselfe that when he should be dissolued he should be with Christ. Phil. 1. 23. 3. Like as it is a great honour if the master should set his seruant at his own table so our Sauiour saith to his Apostles that they should eate and drinke at his table in his kingdome Luke 12. 29. Like as Iehu took Iehonadab vp into the chariot with him 2. King 10. 15. the like honor Christ vouchsafeth vnto his Saints 4. Our Sauiour giueth this reason they had contiued with him in his temptations Luke 22. 28. And againe he saith Where I am there be my Ministers also Iohn 12. 26. They which haue bene partakers of the afflictions of Christ shall also be made partners in his glorie 5. If we desire then to dwel with Christ in the kingdome of heauen he must dwel with vs in earth if to be receiued into his euerlasting habitation then we must now prepare for him the habitation of our hearts How can they then be assured to enioy Christs presence in heauen that delight not to heare him present now who by their corrupt communication and prophane behauior do grieue the spirit of God and chase away Christ from them Ambrose saith wel Proiectus est Adā è Paradiso nō immerito ipse enim se prius absconderat à facie Dei Adā was cast out of Paradise and not without cause for first he had hid himselfe from Gods face so they which behold not Gods face nor enioy the presence of his spirit here cannot haue the presence of his glorie in heauen That they may behold my glorie which thou hast giuen me they shall not onely be beholders but partakers also of that great glorie 1. So the Apostle saith We all behold as in a mirrour with open face the glorie of the Lord and are changed into the same image from glorie to glorie 2. Cor. 3. 18. This glory seene here as in a glasse shall be seene there with open face and so seene as that we shall be changed and transformed into it 2 Thus Moses and Elias appeared in glory in mount Tabor where our Sauiour was also transfigured Luke 9. 31. So Stephen beholding the glorie of God and Iesus standing at the right hand of God himselfe also was partaker of that glorie being yet vpon the earth his face was as the face of an Angell Act. 6. 15. 3. Like as Hezekiah to gratifie the king of Babels messenger who was sent to congratulate with him for his recouerie did shew him in kindnesse all the treasure of his house though this were a simple part of Hezekiah and done without warrant But yet like as men exalted to honour and wealth do delight to shew to their friends their happie estate so our Sauior Christ desireth that his Church shold behold his great glory Like as the church saith in the Canticles I will leade thee into my mothers house I will cause thee to drinke spiced wine Cant. 8. 2. so our blessed sauior will bring vs into his fathers house and shew vs of his best things 4. For this glorie which Christ hath receiued as our Mediator he hath to this end receiued it to bestow it vpō his church Iohn 17. 22. The glorie that thou gauest me I haue giuen them Christ hath not merited or purchased any thing to himselfe by his great glorie but whatsoeuer he wrought for vs as our Mediator the whole gaine and benefite thereof redoundeth to vs. 5. But as we hope to behold the glorie of Christ in heauen with open face so must we now see him by faith as the Apostle saith We walke by faith not by sight 2. Cor. 5. 7. then we shall walke by sight not by faith wherefore whosoeuer now seeth not Christ by faith shal not then inioy his sight and presence in glorie We must as Moses discerne the land of promise a far off before we can enter into it They therfore that want the vision of the soule in this life cannot haue the full contemplatiō of Christs glorie afterward Certaine it is that Christ will reueale himselfe to all his children before they go hence as he was seene and embraced of Simeon before his departure Origene saith wel Vt naturalis quidam attractus quibusdam inest vt magneti ad ferrum bitumini ad ignem sic fidei ad diuinā virtutē as some things haue a natural property to draw vnto them as the lode-stone to draw iron brimstone to draw fire so faith hath attractiue force to draw diuine vertue Faith then will draw vs to heauen hope pitcheth her anker there and will in good time draw vs thither For thou louedst me before the foundation of the world Our Sauiour speaketh of that glorie which the Lord decreed to giue vnto him before the beginning of the world whereby we do learne that as Christ the head was predestinate vnto glorie so also his members were set apart vnto life in the euerlasting decree of God 1. The Apostle saith that Christ was determined or predestinate the sonne of God as some translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. 4. Saint Peter sayth to the same purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowne or ordained Augustine therupon doth inferre that Christ was Praeclarissimum lumen gratiae praedestinationis The most manifest light of grace predestinatiō As Christ was predestinate as man vnto glorie so are his members Who hath predestinate vs to be adopted thorough Iesus Christ vnto himselfe Ephes. 1. 5. 2. So the Lord saith to

for their sanctification in generall v. 17. to be sanctified with the truth in speciall to be made fit for their message because they were sēt into the world v. 18. the reason because for their sakes Christ did sanctifie himselfe both by his life and death v. 19. which was afterward to come v. 20. he praieth for their sanctification in their perfect vnion and loue from the ●ffects that the world may beleeue c. v. 21. originall cause their electiō vnto glorie v. 22. ende that they may be perfect in one c. v. 22. glorification it s●●e which is described v. 24 〈◊〉 meanes vnto it knowledge set forth by the co●●rarie the w●rld knoweth not god v. 25. the cause I haue declared thy name v. 26. sense and feeling of Gods loue v. 26. Certaine fruitful Meditations vpon the most holy praier of our Sauior Christ as it is set forth by S. Iohn in the 17. chapter of that Gospel diuided into certaine Lectures The first Lecture declaring the order and methode of this Chapter with some speciall obseruations concerning prayer in generall THe prayer of our blessed Sauiour Christ Iesus in this Chapter cōprehended is eyther concerning his owne glorification from ve 1. to verse 6. or as touching the confirmation of his Church either then present consisting of his Apostles other Disciples from v. 6. to v. 20. or which was afterward to bee called by their preaching from v. 20. to the end The summe of Christs prayer is for his glorification which is expressed v. 1. v. 5. The reasons which our Sauiour vseth for this his request are four 1. à fine from the end v. 1. Glorifie thy Sonne that thy Sonne also may glorifie thee 2. à pari from the like v. 2. As thou hast giuen him power ouer all flesh and as power is giuen vnto him so also glory belongeth vnto him 3. à causa meritoria from the meriting or deseruing cause v. 4. I haue glorified thee on earth and now glorifie mee he was worthy of this glory which was due vnto him 4. ab aequo from the equitie of it it was his owne glory before the world was But before I descend to intreate particularly of this Scripture or any part therof there are three necessarie considerations first to be handled two of them concerne Christs prayer in particular first of the validitie and efficacie thereof whose force and vertue extendeth to the worlds end secondly of the qualitie and difference betweene Christs prayer and ours betweene Christs prayer then in the daies of his flesh and the prayer or intercession of his Mediatorship now The other point is of the vse of Praier in generall namely of the necessitie thereof First concerning the force and efficacy of our Lords prayer it is euerlasting it is not yet either extinct or slaked but remaineth still and shall till the worlds end for though there are now sixteene hundred yeares well nie since this praier was vttered by our Sauiour yet the benefite thereof doth extend it selfe vnto this age for we also as many as beleeue in Christ through the word of the Apostles are comprehended in this praier verse 20. 1 Thus the Apostle testifieth that our Sauiour offered vp in the daies of his flesh praiers and supplications with strong cries and teares and was heard Hebr. 5. 7. As he was heard in that zealous prayer which hee made in the Garden before his passion whereof the Apostle there chiefly speaketh so also he was heard in all other his praiers Iohn 11. 42. I know thou hearest me alwaies and especially in this praier which he powreth forth in the behalfe of his vniuersall Church then being or which was to come 2 If Abels voice spake after his death for by saith yet being dead hee speaketh Heb. 11. 5. much more doth the voice of Christ in this praier yet speake vnto God which as the Apostle saith speaketh better things then the bloud of Abel Hebr. 12. 24. If Abels voice was heard after his death crying for vengeance much more Christs voice yet soundeth in the eares of GOD calling for mercie Salomons praier which he made at the dedication of the temple 1. Kin. 8. did consecrate the temple to that holy vse not during his time but so long as the temple stood for thus he praieth v. 38. What prayer or supplication soeuer shall be made of any man c. and shall stretch forth his hands in this house heare thou in heauen If Salomons prayer did transferre the benefit thereof to the succeeding ages much more auaileable is the power of Christ. 3 Then like as the Manna was laid vp in the Arke though it was of it selfe but as a melting dew which faded by the heate of the Sunne yet by Gods blessing endured many hundred yeares so the voyce of Christ though it were a transitorie sound yet it hath a permanent force The Grecians doe speake much of a certaine place of Olympia which giueth seuen ecchoes or reflexions of one voice which therefore they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of seuen voyces But we may woorthily admire this prayer of Christ which giueth not only seuen or seuenty seuen voices but cōtinually sounds in the eares of God reboundeth to vs. 4 For the Preacher saith Ecclesiast 3. 12. I know that whatsoeuer God doth shall bee for euer and the Prophet saith Psal. 119. 89. Thy word endureth for euer in heauen This prayer therefore proceeding from the sonne of God must needes be of an euerlasting force as the Apostle saith This man because he endureth euer hath an euerlasting priesthood Hebr. 7. 24. Wherefore his prayer being an act of his priesthood is also euerlasting 5 Wherefore this is much to the comfort of the Church of God that this holy prayer of Christ is still in memorie with God that like as they boldely come into the Princes presence when their supplication is already offered and their suit granted so haue wee through the prayer of Christ bold accesse his prayer maketh a way for our prayers euen as the arke went before to diuide the waters of Iordan and the people followed after Iosua 3. 14. so hath Christ our Arke Altar Priest and all diuided a way for our prayers he is the doore and by him also a doore is opened to our prayers as Ambrose well saith vpon these words Reue. 4. 1. I looked and beholde a doore was opened in heauen apertum est igitur ostium Ioanni precanti apertum est Paulo A doore is opened to Iohn praying a doore is opened to Paul ● Secondly we are to consider first of the difference betweene the praiers of Christ and the praiers of his church then of the diuersity betweene the praiers of Christ in the dayes of his flesh and now in his glorious maiesty For the first 1. Christs prayer tendeth wholly to the good of his church he hath no neede to pray for himselfe as neither did hee offer