Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	commandment_n	love_v	word_n	5,108	5	4.8578	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52417	A collection of miscellanies consisting of poems, essays, discourses, and letters occasionally written / by John Norris ...; Selections. 1687	Norris, John, 1657-1711.; Norris, John, 1657-1711. Idea of happiness, in a letter to a friend.	1687 (1687)	Wing N1248; ESTC R14992	200,150	477

of his affections gravitates and inclines to somthing further what is more Reasonable than that he fix upon God as his Center who is as well the End as the Author of his Being And since whatever portion of his love is not directed hither will necessarily light for it cannot be idle and must fix somwhere upon disproportionate and vain Objects which neither deserve it nor can satisfy it and consequently will but vex and torment him what can be more Reasonable than that he unite and concenter all the rays of his affection both Intellectual and sensitive upon God and according to the strictest sense of this great Commandment love him with all his heart Soul and mind Vision and Love make up the full composition of our Celestial Happiness hereafter and they are the nearest approach we can make to it here 30. Nor is the 2d great Commandment less reasonable than the first The truest and most effectual way a man can take to love himself is to love his neighbor as himself For since man is a necessitous and indigent Creature of all Creatures the most indigent and since he cannot upon his own solitary stock supply the necessitys of his nature the want of Society being one of them and since of all Creatures here below none is capable of doing him either so much good or so much harm as those of his own species as 't will be his best security to have as many Friends and as few Enemys as he can so as a means to this to hate and injure none but to love and oblige all will be his best Policy So far is the state of Nature from being according to the Elements of the Leviathan a state of Hostility and war that there is no one thing that makes more apparently for the interest of mankind than universal Charity and Benevolence And indeed would all men but once agree to espouse one anothers interests and prosecute the public good truly and faithfully nothing would be wanting to verify and realize the Dreams of the Golden Age to anticipate the Millennial Happiness and bring down Heaven upon Earth Society would stand firm and compact like a Mathematical frame of Architecture supported by mutual dependencys and coherences and every man's kindnesses would return again upon himself in the Circle and Reciprocation of Love. 31. But besides this Consideration of Interest there is another which equally contributes to recommend this Law of universal Benevolence and perhaps with more sweetness of insinuation than the former and that is Pleasure These two are put together by the Psalmist who tells us that 't is both good and pleasant for Brethren to dwell together in unity There is certainly a most Divine pleasure in the acts and expresses of Benevolence so that if God may be said to take pleasure in any one thing besides the richness of his own infinity it must be in the Communication of it Sure I am no man can do good to another without recreating and feasting his own spirit nay even the most happy and self-sufficient man who as to his interest has the least need to be kind and obliging yet as to his Pleasure has the greatest For he enjoys his happy state most when he communicates it and takes a Partner with him into his Paradise and receives a more vigorous joy from the Reflexion than from the Direct incidency of his Happiness 32. I might here take occasion to shew the Reasonableness of Justice and Honesty with other particular Branches of this great Law but the necessity of these is so notorious no Society being able to subsist without them and withall so attested by the common vote and experience of the world it being the business of all human Laws and the end of all Civil Government to engage men to the observance of them that I shall not need to make any Plea in their behalf Instead therefore of lending any further light to what shines already so conspicuously by its own I shall now proceed to justify the Christian Law in some of those instances which seem most to cross the present interest of mankind 33. There are some Precepts of the Christian Law which seem directly and in their whole kind to be against the interest of man. For as for those which may accidentally and in some junctures of Circumstances I shall consider them afterwards Now these I shall derive from that Abstract of Christian Philosophy the divine Sermon on the Mount. The 1st instance shall be in the Precept of Meekness which our Divine Lawgiver has extended so far as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we resist not evil which is not to be understood in Prejudice either of the Civil sword or of legal Prosecutions for the reparation of injurys for this would be to give the worst of men a continual advantage against the best nor of public wars between distinct kingdoms for they being under no common jurisdiction have no other expedient whereby to right themselves when injured but only as to Private persons who by vertue of this Precept are not permitted unless in apparent danger of life for then the Law of self-preservation takes place the Benefit of other laws being not at hand I say are not permitted to retaliate evil but obliged rather with their Divine Master to give their backs to the smiters and their cheeks to them that pluck off the hair 34. Now this may seem a very disadvantagious and inconvenient command in as much as it may be said by tying up our hands to expose us to all manner of contumelies and affronts and invite the ill treatments of rude and disingenious spirits But whoever seriously considers the matter will find that pure and simple revenge is a thing very absurd and very productive of ill consequences and in some respects worse than the first injury For that may have some ends of profit and advantage in it but to do another man a diskindness merely because he has done me one serves to no good purpose and to many ill ones For it contributes nothing to the reparation of the first injury it being impossible that the Act of any wrong should be rescinded tho the permanent effect may but instead of making up the breach of my Happiness it increases the objects of my Pity by bringing in a new misery into the world more than was before and occasions fresh returns of malice one begetting another like the encirclings of disturb'd water till the evil becomes fruitful and multiplies into a long succession a Genealogy of mischiefs And by this time I think the man has reason to repent him of his Revenge and to be convinc'd of the Equity of the Law which forbids it 35. The next instance I shall mention is that of loving enemies This runs higher than the former that being only negative not to return evil but this positive to do good A strange precept one would think and highly contradictory to Reason as well as

HEROIC PIETY 1. SInce the Practice of Religion in general is not only the Natural Instrument of our present Happiness but also the only and indispensable condition of our Future one would think there were but little left for the Orator to do here the naked efficacy of Self-love and a serious consideration of our true and main Interest being sufficient to engage us upon Religious performances But he that shall undertake to recommend the Practice of Heroic Piety has a much heavier task not only because he perswades to higher degrees of Vertue but because he is to address himself wholly to a weaker Principle For since our interest is secured by the performance of necessary Duty there remains nothing but a Principle of Generosity to carry us on to the higher advances the more glorious Atchievements in Religion And what small probability there is that it will often do so may appear from the ill success of the former and more prevailing Principle For if the greatest interest imaginable can prevail with so very few to perform what is indispensably necessary to secure it sure there is little hopes that Generosity which is a much weaker Principle should engage many upon greater performances 2. But yet notwithstanding these discouragements since our Blessed Saviour has taught us to pray not only for the performance of God's will in general but that it be done on Earth as it is in Heaven that is with the greatest zeal readiness and alacrity with all the degrees of Seraphic ardency that frail Mortality is capable of I think a Perswasive to Heroic Piety may be a proper and useful undertaking it being very reasonable we should make that the object of our endeavours which our Saviour thought fit to make the matter of our Prayers 3. In discoursing upon this subject I shall proceed in this Method 1. I shall state the notion of Heroic Piety and shew what I mean by it 2. I shall demonstrate that there is such a thing And 3. I shall offer some Perswasives to recommend the practice of it 4. The Notion of Heroic Piety will be best understood by considering what the Moralists mean by Heroic Vertue For the one carries the same proportion in Religion that the other does in Morality But before I proceed to explain the Thing I suppose it will not be amiss to give some short account of the Name That it is derived from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very obvious all the difficulty is concerning the derivation of the Greek word it self And here I find the Grammarians are very much divided some derive it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but that seems somwhat hard others derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because 't was supposed by the Ancients that the Souls of the Heroes had their abode in the Air where they had a near prospect of human affairs and accordingly Xenon in Laertius lib. 7. calls Heroes the Souls of wise men separated from their Bodies and ranging about in the Air others derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the Heroes are a kind of terrestrial Gods according to that definition which Lucian gives of an Hero 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that is neither God nor man but a compound of both Others derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name of Juno who was the President Goddess of the Air intimating thereby either the Habitation or the light aereal Nature of the Heroes And this Etymology I remember is approv'd of by St. Austin lib. 10. de Civ Dei cap. 21. But methinks the most natural and significant one is that of Plato who derives it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of that ardent and passionate Love which the Heroes are supposed to have for God. And as the word Hero is very doubtful as to its Etymology so is it also various in its acceptation Somtimes it is attributed to illustrious and eminent Personages while living such as act and live above the ordinary strain of Mortality and render it a very disputable Point whether they are Gods or men A Character which Homer gives of the great Hector Iliad ●● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in this sense the word Hero is used by Hesiod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Somtimes by Heroes are meant the Souls of wise and good men departed as is evident from the fore-cited testimony in Laertius But in the Platonic Philosophy by Heroes is understood a middle sort of Being inferiour to those whom they stile the Immortal Gods and superiour to Man as is to be seen at large in Hierocles 5. Beyond these three acceptations of the word I do not know of any other But this is certain that in whatsoever sense it is used it always denotes somthing great and extraordinary So that from hence 't is easie to collect what is meant by Heroic Vertue viz. Such a vehement and intense pursuance of a mans last and best end as engages him upon such excellent and highly commendable actions which advance him much above the ordinary level of human Nature and which he might wholly omit and yet still maintain the Character of a good man. Aristotle in his Ethics l. 7. c. 1. calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Vertue that is above us By which I suppose he does not mean that it is above our reach and unattainable but that it is above our obligation and that when it is attain'd it will elevate us above our selves 6. In proportion to this Notion of Heroic Vertue I understand by Heroic Piety those excellent degrees and eminences of Religion which tho to arrive at be extremely laudable yet we may fall short of them without Sin God having not bound them upon us as parts of Duty or made them the Conditions of our Salvation but only recommended them by way of Counsel and left them as instances of Generosity Of this sort are those high and singular Exercises of Religion which are the fruits and effects of a profound and steady contemplation of God Such as are the passionate applications of Seraphic Love acts of ecstatic joy and complacency in the Perfections of the Divine Nature holy transports of Zeal and Devotion Praise and Adoration earnest contentions and very numerous returns of Prayer actual references of our most natural and indifferent actions to Gods glory extraordinary works of Charity great severities of Mortification and Self-denial abstemiousness from many lawful Pleasures perpetual Celebacy and whatsoever else are the excellent products of a contemplative and affectionate Religion 7. Thus far of the Notion of Heroic Piety I come now to my second Undertaking which was to shew that there is such a thing Tho universality and sincerity of Obedience be indispensably required of every Christian and consequently every part of Religion obliges under the penalty of Damnation as to its kind yet that there may be some degrees to the attainment of which we are

not so obliged will evidently appear from the proof of this one single Proposition That every one is not bound to do what is best The reasonableness of which Proposition appears from the very nature of the thing for since that which is Best is a Superlative it necessarily supposes the Positive to be good And if so then we are not bound to that which is best for if we were then that which is only good would be evil it being short of what we are bound to which is contrary to the supposition 8. This Argument I take to be Demonstrative and therefore 't would be a kind of Supererogation in me to alledge any more But however for the clearer eviction and stronger confirmation of this Assertion I farther consider that the Scripture consists of Counsels as well as Commands Now if some things are matter of Counsel onely 't is obvious to conclude two things 1. From their being counsell'd that they are good nothing being matter of Counsel but what is so and secondly from their being only counsell'd that they do not oblige and consequently that there are some degrees of good that we are not obliged to 9. It is farther observable that in Scripture there is mention made of a threefold Will of God. Rom. 12. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Will which is good that which is well-pleasing and that which is perfect The first of these denotes absolute Duty the two last the various degrees of Perfection and Heroic Excellence Thus for St. Paul to preach the Gospel to the Corinthians was an Act of strict Duty which he could not leave undone without incurring that woe which he annexes to the omission of it 1 Cor. 9. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But to preach without charging them was an instance of Generosity and in that respect there was room for boasting Thus again for a Jew to allot the tenth part of his Revenue every third year toward the relief of the Poor was an act of express Duty and in doing of that he would but satisfie the obligation of the Law But now if in his charitable contributions he should exceed that proportion according to the degrees of the excess so would the degrees of his Perfection be Thus again in the matter of Devotion daily Prayer is generally concluded to be a Duty and by some Criticks that it be twice perform'd in proportion to the returns of the Jewish Sacrifices Morning and Evening But now if a more generously disposed Christian should add a third time or out of abundance of zeal should come up to the Psalmist's resolution of Seven times a day will I praise thee this would be a free-will Offering well pleasing and of sweet savour but not commanded 10. From these and many other instances which if necessary I could easily produce it plainly appears that Religion does not consist in an indivisible point but has a Latitude and is capable of more and less and consequently there is room for voluntary Oblations and Acts of Heroic Piety 11. I know it is usually objected here that what is supposed to be thus Heroically perform'd is inclusively enjoyn'd by vertue of those comprehensive words Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy Soul c. But I conceive that all which is intended by that phrase will amount to no more than First a sincere love of God as 't is opposed to that which is partial and divided and secondly such a degree of loving him as admits of nothing into Competition with him And thus far reach the Boundaries of indispensable Duty it being impossible that he who does not love God in this sense and degree should keep his Commandments But beyond this there are higher degrees which because we may fall short of without sin are the more excellent when attain'd So that in this Precept of loving God as in all other instances of Religion there is a great latitude it being very possible for two Persons to love God sincerely and with their whole Soul and yet in different measures which is observ'd even among the Angels the Seraphins having their name from their excess of Love nay for the same Person always to love God sincerely and yet at some times to exceed himself and with his Saviour who to be sure never fail'd of necessary Duty to pray yet more earnestly 12. There is another Objection yet behind which I think my self concern'd to answer as well in my own defence as that of my Argument Some perhaps may be so weak to imagine that by asserting such a thing as Heroic Piety and that a Christian may do more than he is commanded I too much favour the Doctrine of Supererogation But I consider that for a Man to do more than he is commanded is an ambiguous expression and may denote either that he can perform the whole Law of God and more or that tho he fail of his Duty in many Instances and consequently with the rest of Mankind is concluded under Sin Yet in some others he may exceed it by pressing forward to some degrees of excellency he is not obliged to I do not assert the former of these but the latter And I think I have sufficiently proved that there are certain degrees in Religion which we are not obliged to under Pain of Sin and consequently that he who arrives so far does according to the latter notion of the Phrase do more then he is commanded 13. Having in the foregoing Periods stated the Notion of Heroic Piety and demonstrated that there is such a thing I proceed now to my third and last undertaking which was to offer some Perswasives to recommend the Practise of it First then I consider that Religion is the Perfection of a Man the improvement and accomplishment of that part of him wherein he resembles his Maker the pursuance of his best and last end and consequently his Happiness And will a man set bounds to his Happiness Will he be no more happy than he is commanded no more than what will just serve to secure him from a miserable Eternity Is not Happiness desirable for it self as well as for the avoiding of Misery Why then do we deal with it as with dangerous Physic weighing it by Grains and Scruples and nice Proportions Why do we drink so moderately of the River of Paradise so sparingly of the Well of Life Are we afraid of making too nigh advances to the State of Angels of becoming too like God of antedating Heaven Are we affraid our Happiness will flow in too thick upon us that we shall not bear up against the Tide but sink under the too powerful enjoyment Hereafter indeed when we are blest with the Beatific Vision and the Glories of the Divine Brightness shall flash too strong upon our Souls so that our Happiness begins to be lessen'd by its greatness We may then with the Angels that attend the Throne veil our Faces and divert some