Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	day_n	great_a	time_n	3,379	5	3.3867	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39770	The confirming work of religion, or, its great things made plain, by their primary evidences and demonstrations whereby the meanest in the church may soon be made to render a solid and rational account of their faith / written by R. Fleming ... ; now published by Daniel Burgess.	Fleming, Robert, 1630-1694.; Burgess, Daniel, 1645-1713.	1693 (1693)	Wing F1279; ESTC R6736	83,701	146

the most full Enjoyments of the Promise and proper way to attain rest and tranquillity of Spirit must be ever by taking on the yoke of Christ 8. Yea to Confirm this entire Union and Harmony more fully he now sees that exact and marvellous Correspondence which is betwixt that first Fundamental Promise of the Messias and the Event betwixt all the Ancient Figures and Types of the Levitical Service and the Revelation of Christ himself in which all these did meet as in their proper Centre and now have their full End and Accomplishment 9. His Confirmation thus grows to see that wonderful Consent of Christianity and Native result hereof to put fallen man in a due posture towards God towards his Neighbours and towards himself so as he may know by Faith and Adoration how to enjoy God and his Brother by Love and thus by Patience Meekness and Humility to possess his own Soul and enjoy himself 10. Yea it is in this rare and wonderful frame he is made to see and no sight can be like this that exact correspondence which is betwixt the Foundation and Superstructure how the whole Tract of the Gospel is but one Entire and Compleat means to Glorifie God and restore fallen Man to the highest Blessedness How that excellent Stream of Sanctification does flow from that Fountain Head of an Eternal Decree which does still run under the Ground until it break up at last in the Heart of each Christian by the Effectual Call of the Gospel and thus runs down through time until it lose its self in that unconceivable deep of Perfection and Glory Thus is it that each Christian might attain some higher Degrees of Confirmation in his Faith than most seem either to know or look after if he understood more how to improve this rare comparing work of Religion by setting the great Truths and Principles thereof in their Order and Dependance so as each may be seen in its necess●ry Coherence with other and under its proper aspect But the more deep Reflection and Enquiry he hath herein he is the more made to wonder and finds this one of the great Assaults to his Faith that the Revelation of Christ and Redemption by his Blood should have no greater effects this day amongst men and that the Christian World is not in some other manner awakned with the Glory of this Light and prest after a larger spreading and Diffusion of this highest and universal good to poor mankind Yea the more he considers this it doth heigthen his Amazement to think how mens designs in the matter of Duty and Service for the Kingdom of Christ can be so low within time whose Designs and Hopes in the close thereof are so high in the matter of Enjoyment or take so little to heart that the whole Day of the dispensation of the Gospel amidst the most dismal Tryals that may fall in therewith is a continued time wherein we are called to keep the Feast and from one Age to another celebrate the same as a perpetual Jubilee of Joy and Exultation since Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us but oh how rare a thing seems this to be and how little of that flame and fervency of Love to our Blessed Redeemer is now kindled on his Altar Such as might be expected on such wonderful incitements thereto and which once were in the Church CHARACT III. Though a Confirmed Christian must be specially stated as such one who knows the Internal part of Religion and Sealing work of the Holy Ghost on his own Soul which is not by words but things of the highest Truth Substance and Reality yet is he not satisfied to know this by Spiritual Sense until he can see the same with the furthest Evidence of Light also to his mind and have no less a clear and judicious Tryal of this great Mystery of Experimental Religion for confirmation of his Faith than to be sensibly affected with the felt power thereof And in the first place why this is necessarily requisite and called for with respect to the Confirmed State of a Christian may be thus considered on some few grounds 1. That the things of Religion which must be experienced within time are such sublime and wonderful Mysteries as may be just matter of astonishment and make men a wonder ●o themselves to think that these present Pledges of so grea● a hope which is to come are no shadows no appearances of things but most sure and undoubted realities and that such there are this day in the Earth who know so near a converse with an Invisible God and the supernatural Truths of his Word with the sensible feeling of the inestimable Love of Christ by this demonstration of Experience yea who in such dismal Times do assuredly know what the Joy of his Presence and an immediate Fellowship with their blessed ●●ead is upon the greatest certainty of Tryal since these are so high and marvelous things which exceed all Natural Understanding as the felt Sweetness of their enjoyment should not more deeply take men up than to see the Truth and Sureness of these Principles whereon they build 2. Because this Testimony of the Truth of Experimental Religion should be understood not only as it 's of highest use for Christians Personal Comfort and Establishment but with respect to the Publick Int●rest of the Church a special duty it is to have the Credit of this greatest Testimony and Seal demonstrably cleared with the furthest strength of harmonious and argumentative Reason for such who look but at a distance yet thereon which may not only awaken them to some deeper sense and impression hereof but constrain them to see how no Natural Science hath more clear and firm demonstrations than the Experimental part of Christianity which is the very Life and Soul thereof may have to mens Reason and Judgment tho' they never knew it within themselves Yea for this end should such as have experienced the Truth and Vertue of the Gospel reckon themselves as Witnesses who are judicially obliged to put their Seal thereunto and is now more called for in an Age when no particular Truth seems more strongly impugned than the Reality of Experimental Godliness is and become as a Publick Theam of Derision tho' men must either quit the whole Revelation of the Scripture or see this to be as Essential to the Constitution of a Christian as Vital Principles are to a Living Man 3. Yea it 's sure herein that such as take Religion to heart must needs look to be put to the greatest Tryal of its Certainty and should ●ost nearly concern themselves to know if they can abide as firmly by their Spiritual Sense as by that which is Natural and do know as surely in themselves the Operations and Motions of a Spiritual Life as that they have being by Nature and that here be no doubtful or abstract Notions but which have had deep Tryal and Reflexion on them that they who dare to venture their

immediate revelation of God unto men is so demonstrably extant in the world page 24 VI. Of the special evidences of the Scriptures Divinity which men must needs see to be infallible page 25 VII Of the secure conveyance of the Scripture though all the changes of times past page 27 VIII Of the fall of man and entry of sin into the World as it is fully demonstrable to reason as well as by the certainty of Faith page 28 SECTION II. I. HOlding forth those great assistances to the Christian faith and of the Messias being surely promised to the Church before his coming page 29 II. Of the truth and accomplishment of this great promise of the Messias and how it is now as sure in the event as it 's clear he was promised page 30 III. Of the special advantage for confirmation of our faith herein that for 4000 years the promised coming of the Messias was deferred page 32 IV. Of the nature and internal excellency of Christianity to bear furthest evidence to the truth thereof page 33 V. That this is the same Gospel we now receive and enjoy which from the first promulgation thereof hath had so great effects on the world page 34 VI. That the sufferings of the Saints in times past was so demonstrably above the assistance of Nature page 36 SECTION III. I. FOR holding forth on what grounds the faith of a Deity must determine men to be Christians page 37 II. What confirmation the Christian Religion hath from that visible State of the Jews page 38 III. The way and manner of its prevailing on the world which no profession else could ever pretend to page 39 IV. The nature of that great evidence which Christ hath himself given to the world of his divine mission in the love and unity of his people Joh 17.21 page 40 V. How the strength of such a demonstration stands still clear and evident in these dividing times of the Church page 42 VI. What in these last times is under our hand to compensate such a confirmation by miracles which was in the first times of the Gospel page 43 SECTION IV. I. FOR holding forth with the furthest rational certainty and evidence the truth and doctrine of Christ to be a soul-quickning and experimental Religion page 44 II. The truth also of conversion of men from a state of nature to a new state of grace page 46 III. Of so great an experiment of Religion as Communion betwixt God and men here on Earth page 48 IV. Of so great a demonstration of Religion in the power and workings of the Conscience page 49 V. Of that special confirmation to our faith which doth result from such a demonstration of this power of the Conscience over men page 50 SECTION V. I. FOR holding forth the Truth of a Kingdom of Darkness in the World in opposition to the Kingdom of Christ page 51 II. What confirmation to our Faith the certainty hereof and of these Powers of Darkness doth clearly afford page 52 III. That great truth of the immortality of the Soul with the clearest evidence to reason as well as by the certainty of Faith page 54 IV. How confirming a Seal to the Scripture that great change which passeth on all men by death is and how it 's no natural accident page 55 V. Some special assistances to the Christians Faith of an eternal Glory in Heaven and to serve an unavoidable conviction on the greatest Atheists page 57 VI. Something of a visible Hell in some near approach hereof even to mens senses held forth to awake and convince the World of such a state of horrour and torment in another World page 59 VII Some assistances to our Faith of that great truth of the Resurrection of the Body page 61 CHAPTER III. The Confirming work of Religion further improved with respect to this dismal and amazing time we are now fallen in SECTION I. TO hold forth what may be both for light and confirmation upon this great distress the Churches of Christ are now under page 63 SECTION II. HOW great a talent we stand accountable for in this day of such immediate and extraordinary appearances of the Lord for confirming the same publick cause of the Reformed Church since the Reformation which we are now called to adhere to page 65 SECTION III. WHat manner of time is the present lot of the Church now fallen in and what judgment we ought to have hereof from the Scripture for our furthest confirming in such a day page 73 SECTION IV. SOme special service that we are now called to and accountable for in behalf of the truth and for sanctifying the Lord in the eyes of others who are under so great a talent of Light and confirmation in the same page 77 The True and Infallible WAY For attaining a confirmed State in Religion c. CHAP. I. The Primitive Confirmation in the truth of Christianity held forth and cleared in its continued necessity and use to this day in seven Positions Posit I. THAT nothing can be of a more sad and threatning aspect on the present state of Religion in all the Churches of Christ than that utter estrangement most are under to the true grounds of Faith and to those fundamental differences betwixt Christianity and every false way which no pretended Religion can lay claim to The reasons of the Position are these I. That it is too visibly manifest how no men in the world know so little of their own profession of any human art or science as such who bear the Name of Christians Or are so generally strangers to the Truth and firmness of the Principles thereof for maintaining either a due Valuation or powerful sence of the same on their Soul so that an implicit and Traditional Profession is the only part and propriety which most can claim in the Truth and Doctrine they profess II. That very rarely also is any Serious Personal Inquiry and Tryal if there be indeed such a thing as an Experimental and Soul-quickning Religion in the Earth That can bear the expence of the most dismal and afflicting times and hath so great a temporal Revenue as Peace with God an Immediate Communion with him the Joy and Comforts of the Holy Ghost when we are under such pressures of trouble as are above the support of Nature III. That the furthest account why most go under the name of Christians rather than of any other form can rise no higher than Custom and Education that it did bespeak them from their Birth and was the Religion of their Ancestors yea become in that manner natural to them as the Customs and Language of their Country Which are grounds that would determine to the very opposite Profession if they were stated under the same circumstances and had the same motives to be Mahumetans since it is sure these can found no other Assent than is suitable to the Nature and Strength thereof IV. That thus it is plain the most numerous part of

this way as in all Ages have been known by most remarkable instances when not in the least distemper of their natural reason that may present to mens Senses something of a visible Hell as convincingly as if one had risen from the Dead for the same IV. A trembling sense and terror of Divine Vengeance oft follows upon horrid acts of wickedness and so eminently breaks forth upon a surprising sight of Death that all may see something more dreadful herein than in the dissolution of Nature and the Power and present Arrest of a future judgment is made visible in the same V. There are begun degrees of blaspheming and rage against God because of his plagues and such prodigies of cruelty exercised by Men here in the Earth as may be evident to all to be more than humane and rather the effects of infernal spirits acting in a humane shape VI. So clear a prelude and beginning of Hell is in that judicial obduration and blindness which many are given up to under the greatest discoveries of light that all may see their being thus bound over in Chains and shut up in Prison until Death bring them forth to the Execution and that no relief or application of the means of Grace hath then any success VII Such a Map and Shadow of Eternal Vengeance is in these terrible acts of Divine Judgment inflicted here on Apostates and Persecutors of the Truth and other flagitious persons which with the very first view might present an awful and immediate appearance of God in the same some strange and supernatural punishment is oft so visible on the workers of Iniquity VIII And whatever be of natural causes in such visible representations here in the Earth as that sulphureous Lake where once Sodom was and those burning Mountains of Haecla Aetna and Vesuvius yet we may truly judge that they are thus set before the World as visible memorials of the Infernal Flames and as it were so many Chimny's or Vent-holes thereof for such who will not believe the same because they do not yet see or feel such a thing Qu. VII What assistances hath our Faith of that great and wonderful truth of the Resurrection of the Body after its dissolution in the Grave unto Dust Answ I. It hath great assistance from that visible and stupendious frame of the Heavens and the Earth when it 's sure that the same Infinite Power that hath not only made Man but the whole Creation can as easily collect and reunite the dispersed ashes of the Body as form the same II. From that greatest pledge hereof in the Resurrection of the Body of Christ III. From that tribulation and sore pain that the Saints here in their outward man are exposed to since it is sure that in the holy justice of God he did not give such Bodies for labour and for toil and to his Martyrs to endure unexpressible torments for Christ at last to perish for ever IV. From these visible resemblances and p●efigurations of the Resurrection which the Lord hath given to confirm our Faith herein in the ordinary course and productions of nature so as all may see how every night is as the Grave of the day light and each morning a new resurrection of the same and how visible an image of Death is in each season of the Winter with so marvellous and beautiful a Resurrection of the Earth on every return of the Spring in the Herbs Flowers and Plants taking life and rising again in the leaves blossoms and fruits yea this in such a variety as may no less convincingly evidence an Infinite Divine Power herein than that the same body of man should be raised at the last day V. From that continued miracle of the Harvest after the Seed-time with so amazing a production of the Grain sowen in the Earth and its first dying there before it be quickned so as to be at last brought to 30 60 yea sometimes an hundred fold out of the very same grain which to these who had never before known the same would seem incredible and above all reason to conceive or give credit thereto CHAP. III. The Confirming Work of Religion improved with respect to the Times to clear the way of the Lord herein before this Generation and let us see how nothing is so strange in the Events of this day which should not more strengthen then shake and that the God of the Reformed Church doth still own the same Interest according to his Faithfulness Which is here briefly Pointed at upon some special inquiry proposed about the same SECTION I. Qu. I. VVHat can afford both Light and Confirmation to our Faith in such a time when we see the Work of the Lord about his Church to be most remarkably now a work of Judgment with such dark and searching Tryals therewith as former times have not known Ans It is sure we have seen nothing but what might have been too evidently looked for and that we can pretend no want of Light herein upon these Grounds I. That the Trials of a Church should be suited to the measure of their Talent of Light and when this hath been in some more than ordinary way dispensed that some remarkably searching Times might be expected to follow nor can it be now strange to us that such things fall in with this day which did not meet the Churches of Christ at the first entry of the Reformation who then had not so clear Discoveries of the Truth and that measure of Confirmation therein which hath been since II. That some unusual Tryals and Conflicts in the Lords Method of Providence should be suited also to the greatness of that Work which he is bringing forth may be no strange thing and to see a time of such sore wrestlings as this when all things seem to cry and be in Pain as Micah 4.20 Yea when some great event of the Scripture is to be revealed to the World and near to its full height and Period of Accomplishment as we have safe ground for Assurance of this day III. Nor hath this sad and dismal hour on the Church been more obvious than the provoking Cause hereof in which the Holy Righteousness of God may be no less clear than the Cloud now is dark when there has been such a Visible falling off from that Love Tenderness and Power of Religion that did formerly attend its Profession for these many years past we might have seen that some sore and remarkable Judgment was coming and that if we had not been in such a manner undone we were under some sadder stroak of Spiritual Judgment ready to be utterly undone IV. Yea it hath been too Visible that such Evils followed the Reformed Churches as in no time it was ever known that the Holy God did pass by without some signal Evidence of his Wrath against the same before the World V. We know that Carnal Confidence hath a Curse ever waiting upon it in the Scripture and none can take it