Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	apostle_n	faith_n	jesus_n	2,585	5	5.9640	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34668	A censure of that reverend and learned man of God, Mr. John Cotton, lately of New-England, upon the way of Mr. Henden of Bennenden in Kent, expressed in some animadversions of his upon a letter of Mr. Henden's sometimes sent to Mr. Elmeston (2) a brief and solid exercitation concerning the coercive power of the magistrate in matters of religion, by a reverend and learned minister, Mr. Geo[r]ge Petter ... (3) Mr. Henden's animadversions on Mr. Elmestons's epistle revised and chastized.	Elmeston, John.; Cotton, John, 1584-1652. Censure ... upon the way of Mr. Henden.; Petter, George. Brief and solid exercitation concerning the coercive power of the magistrate in matters of religion.	1656 (1656)	Wing C6415; ESTC R20949	43,719	60

them which before hath been declared to be otherwise The Magistrates power doth not enable him to meddle with those inward and spirituall actions of the soule but onely to regulate the outward in life and conversation It is some mervaile to me that you that are so acute to ●spy mysteries by others unseene see not the weaknesse of this and of many your reasons For it is not in the Magistrates or any man● power to create in mens hearts the principle of true love to their neighbours nor any of those gracious habits of inward cha●tity temperance meeknesse and contentation c. who yet by Laws order some outward actions of those vertues and forbid the actuall sins contrary to them as railing quarrelling fornication riotous drinking theft c. And why then in like sort may he not make Lawes about Externall acts of Religion to enjoyne the exercise of them and forbid the actuall contrary sins though he have no power to create and infuse faith it selfe It is not in vain for Ministers to preach though they cannot create Faith in the hearts of dissenters nor for Magistrates to command hearing of the Word though they can infuse no faith into the heart the outward meanes are rightly used where the inward effect can be only wrought by God As there is no need of the creating any new principle in the heart of man for doing these things wherein the Magistrate doth command which is onely the abstaining from outward evill acts as the not venting or openly professing Errors Heresies and Blasphemies or the doing of some externall duties as to joyne in Gods publique worship heare the Word and such like To performe which that power and freedome which by nature they have is sufficient Obj. The Apostles in Church-affairs were of infallible spirit but yet claimed no such power but indeavoured to draw men to faith by the cords of love A 1. Here is the same mistake which was noted before as if it were affirmed that Magistrates might compell Infidells or any to the Faith of the Gospel As for Church-affairs and any other matters I trust you know that there is a wide difference between the Apostles and Church-officers and Magistrates and the power committed to them both The power of the first is onely spirituall and ecclesiasticall and doth allow them no other meanes to reclaime men from Idolatry Heresie or any sin and to win them to the obedience of the Gospel but spirituall viz. the preaching of the Gospel and Church censures 2. But the power of the Magistrate is such as doth furnish them with authority to lay commands on men to urge them to what is good and punishments to reclaime from evil It is no wonder then that the Apostles would not intrude into a power which was not given them which yet Magistrates may use as their proper right 3. The Apostles did not put forth any coactive power against the foulest sins of Whoredome Drunkennesse Theft c. to pun●sh them with bodily punishments or to urge men to Justice Temperance Chastity but onely by words and exhortatione disswaded from such sins and perswaded to the contrary vertue● If therefore Magistrates may not in Religious affaires go● beyond this practise of the Apostles in the use of their power neither may they use their power for the punishment of sins against the second Table or by lawes encourage to the morall vertues thereof Obj. All humane Weapons can onely force the outward man with a violent and preternaturall motion c. which soon turns again when the constraint is over A. 1. It is not the proper effect of humane Magistratical commands to force menby a violent motion but rather tends to move them to a ready willing obedience such violent and constrained obedience comes not from the command but from the indisposition of the commanded parties who are ill affected to right and truth 2. That motion which is unto good and from evill though somewhat forced is more naturall unto man in his right estate and more agreeable to his right end and duty than a most free and willing motion unto sin and from good 3. Forced motions are used for the common good in other things and that without blame and so may be here in some things and in the order above prescribed The State doth force its Subjects by pressing and such like wayes to serve them in their Wars Servan●s are oft compelled will they nill they to do their Masters work Children to do their duty to their Parents So by Law-courses untoward Debtors are constrained to p●y their debt● Now these motions are such violent motions as here you except against and such as would soon cease if the constraint ceased But who complains of any wrong herin done them since the things they be constrained to be just and equall and for the common good And what lets but that some constraint with wisdom and moderation may be used in religious matters since it is a thing most just and righteous and for the common good both civill and spirituall that Idolatry and Heresie be suppressed and that the people doe attend the preaching of the Word and God● service in praying to and prayising him 4. The motion may at first be violent but afterward become very voluntary what a doe is there at first to bring a Bullock to the yoke or a Colt to the saddle when at length the o●e willingly comes to the yoak and drawes in it and the other as willingly heares the saddle and his rider It is oft so that a young Scholar for a time is forced to schoole but being a while entred and taking some l●king of learning goeth to schoole very freely and willingly So may it be and o●t is in these matters wee treat of But last This makes as much against all correction of children and all law-making about matters of the second Table as against coercive lawes in Religion For there they force children and men with a violent motion as much as here and it utterly impeaches the courses of the godly Kings Asa and Josiah in their reforming of Religion as taking such courses as could onely force the outward man with a violent and preternaturall motion who yet are for such their practise praysed in the Scripture Obj But the Gospel naturally begins with illightening the understanding then perswading the Will c. and the summe of the Covenant is to write the Law in the heart Ans. This Argument as some other before proceedes upon a false supposition 1. It surmiseth That such Magistraticall commands and penalties by our opinion serve to work inward grace in mens hearts and for their conversion when we teach that they are onely to order the outward actions of man 2. It surmiseth that they oppose and goe contrary to the work of the Gospel in mens conversion which is utterly untrue And the course which by those that plead for the Magistrates power in this thing is commended to

431 432. The Magistrate by the severity of his lawes ought to keep his people in order so far as that they do frequent diligently and religiously the hearing of the Word joyning in P●ayer the offering of Prayse and the celebration of the Sacraments he ought to correct the manner● of all his Subjects by the vigour of his Laws and ro● of Disciplin● and he shall restrain not only Adulteries Whoredoms D●unkenesse Thefts which Heathen Magistrates also do but also Impiety B●asphemy Heresies Sacriledge the contempt and forsaking of the Church Mr. John Cotton's Animadversions upon Mr: Henden's Letter to Mr. Elmeston heretofore printed published in his Book to Mr. Henden Mr. John Cotton's Letter to Mr. Elmeston sent with the following Animadversions Reverend and dear Sir IT is indeed a busie season with me to return due answer to sundry Friends who expect the same by this v●ssell But because your Letter is not onely yours but a voice from the Lord Jesus in which h● calleth me to beare witnesse to the truth for which end he came himself into the world John 18. 37. and sent his servants I durst not ●mit this first opportunity of returning answer to the scruples which your Letter enclosed If when you have perused the same your judgement con●ur therein you may please to communicate them to your Christianfriend If otherwise reserve them by your selfe Be intrea●●● to accept the labour of my love from your fellow-servant and cease not to pray for me whose businesses are more than my dayes The Lord Jesus be still the staff of your age and perfect his work in your heart and head till he trans●●te you to his heavenly Kingdome in Christ Jesus In whom with ●●arty salutes to you and Mrs. De●ly I take leave and rest Boston the 18. of the eighth moneth 1651. Yours in Brotherly love unfeigned JOHN COTTON My Letter to Mr. Henden when as I sent him a Copy of Mr. Cotton's Animadversions Good Mr. Henden SVch was my desire to be satisfied about your n●w Way and Principles and to inform your self and followers about them that I sent your Letter wrote to me to Mr. Cotton to New-England and by Letter requested his judgement thereupon In which thing according to his courteous disposition and desire to give witnesse to the truth he hath condescended to me and sent me in writing his censure upon your Letter which I received but the last Saturday and having transcribed a Copy of it have here sent it to you for you and your Disciples to peruse and thence to receive better information about your course It may be that truth commended to you from a place so remote and from so learned and godly a man will sooner be embraced than coming from a neighbour and ordinary friend as commodities brought from far Countreys as China or so are of more esteem with curious Gentlewomen than what are home-bred according to our English Proverb Far fetcht and dearely bought is good for Ladies There was you see a mistake in your quotation of Isa. 65. for 56. which I observed not but upon the receit of your last upon which occasion I could say nothing to it and Mr. Cotton here doth somewhat misse of your meaning What now I send you in writing I shall shortly make more publique by printing And if notwithstanding all this you will wander still and mislead others I can say nothing but what he did Si vult hic populu decipi decipiatur If this people will be deceived let them be deceived for who can hinder them that will not be undeceived So I rest Decemb. 20. 1651. Your loving Friend JO ELMESTON Certaine Errors noted in the Letter sent to you from a Christian Friend whereof you desired my judgement THat the foundation of the Beast consisted in an usurped power of Church Discipline footed upon man and his will without the call of God If the Beast be Antichrist then he is contrary to Christ in all his anoynments by which he is Christ Now Christ is the Anoynted not onely King of his Church but anoynted Priest and anoynted Prophet also The Beast i● Antichrist therefore not onely usurping a Kingly power over the Church in Church-Discipline but also in usurping the anoynted Priesthood in suborning to us other propitiztory and meritorious Sacrifices for Sin and other Mediators of Redemption as likewise in usurping the office of the anoynted Prophet in giving us Apochrypha-rules of Faith and advancing himselfe to be Judge of Controversies The call of God in our time is onely for Separation and Rewarding to wit rewarding evil upon Antichristians The Scripture acknowledgeth no calling onely for Separation and rewarding Evil both which are but detestations of sin but requireth also the practise of the contrary vertues Beloved saith John follow not that which is evil but that which is good 3 John ver. 11. Depart from evil saith David and doe good Psal. 34. 14. Cease to doe evil saith Isaiah and learne to doe well Isa. 1. 16 17. There is no commandment of God fulfilled submitting to the Negative part only in forbearing what is forbidden without performing the Affirmative also doing what is commanded The second Commandement is not fulfilled in abandoning or punishing Humane or Antichristian inventions without establishi●g and observing Christs own Institutions The places of Scripture alledged to prove that all the Calls of God in our times are for Separation and Rewarding are mis-interpreted and mis app●ied In Rev. 18. 46. the very phrase of coming out of ●abel implieth not onely a terminus à quo the place from whence they should come but Terminus ad quem as Rev. 12. 12. a time contemporary to the other come up hither to wit into an heavenly and pure estate That place Rev. 15. 8. doth no● argue that there were no visible Churches nor Members in them till all the seven Vials were powred forth on the Antichristian state but the contrary rather For all the seven Angels that is all the Instruments and Ministers of Gods wrath against the Beast came out of the Temple and such a Temple it was as was opened that is was visible cap. 15. 5. and therefore there was a visible Church-state before the powring out of any of the Vials As for that which is said No man was able to enter into the Temple till the seven Plagues of the seven Angels were fulfilled It is not understood of Christians who were in the Temple before but of Pagan Nations whose conversion it retarded by the smoke of Gods wrath against Antichristians which yet nevertheless hindereth not the conversion of a Sprinkling of some Jewes and Pagans but onely any large or numerous conversion of them The places in Rev. 19. 7 8 9. and Isa. 62. 5. do expresly speak of the conversion of the Jew● unto Christ in a Church Estate And their Espousage or Marriage to Christ doth not argue his divorce from the Gentiles for the coming of the Jews