Selected quad for the lemma: love_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A60357
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Vincentius redivivus, a funeral sermon preached Octob. 27, 1678 upon the occasion of the much bewailed death of that reverend and eminent servant of Christ, Mr. Thomas Vincent ... / by Samuel Slater.
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Slater, Samuel, d. 1704.
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1679
(1679)
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Wing S3979; ESTC R23647
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37,199
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50
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Dragon but by the hand of death did I say he fell no no he rose higher and is now in the highest with the highest This Star is removed into another Orb His Mantle of flesh he dropt and left behind but his Spirit mounted and returned to God that gave it And Si verbis audacia detur give me leave to saâ— a great man is fall'n in London His work was done and his dear Master would not permit his stay after it but took him home and gave him his Crown Hear a little my Brethren of those precious sayings which fâ—owed from him abundantly that Night before a full surrender was made What he spake was taken by the Pen of a ready Writer Out of that large Garden I have pickt some few flowers which I thus make up and present unto you He had his light of comfort in that day of trouble though not a bright Sun-shine yet under the thickest Cloud he could see grace in his Heart and read his Evidence These words assure us of that Dear Iesus dost not thou know that I love thee though not with that activity which others do yet with truth of love Oh! thou knowest that I love thee and wilt not thou love me and manifest thy self to me Lord thou knowest the bent of my heart was toward thy self thou knowest I laid up my treasure with thee and made choice of Heaven for mine Inheritance thou wilâ— not forget it nâ—w He had his experiences ready to produce as Cordials to himself and Arguments with his God will you hear them Oh dear Iesus a glimpse of the light of thy Countenance is worth an age of pains and prayers I have had formerly not only tasts but large draughts sometimes Ah my dear Father thou hast given me sweet encouragement in waiting upon thee and of late thou hast not wholly turned thy back Oh my dear Iesus didst thou not manifest thy self to me at the Sacrament when I was so very weak didst not thou give me some tasts that thou art gracious and that thou didst love me in particular and that thou wouldest never leave nor forsake me nor suffer me to depart from thee is this so long a time ago He had high thoughts of God when he was at the lowest he justified him and that in this very Lauguage O my Lord I will not complain of thee though I must complain to thee I complain of my self but not of thee I have deserved thou shouldest let me die in a Cloud and though I do I doubt not but I shall be happy He could with a composed Spirit take his leavâ— and shake hands with all His expressions were these Farewell the world the pleasures profits and honours of the world farewell sin I shall ever be with the Lord. Farewell my dear Wife farewell my dear Children farewell my Servants and farewell you my Spiritual Children whom he was at leisure thus to advise be careful in your choice of a Pastor choose one who in his Doctrine life and manners may adorn the Gospel I shall be glad to meet you all in Heaven This spake a calm within a sedate frame of Spirit He could welcome death observe how his words were dipt in oyl when its hands were to be imbrewed in his blood Oh noble Death welcome welcome Would you know how this came to pass these words tell you Death hath wounded my head death hath wounded my breast which was full of pimples but he hath not wounded my conscience blessed be God He could with importunity call for Death Hasten hasten oh hasten Death where is thy bow where thine arrows come come come I am yet in the body I am yet on earth but it is Heaven Heaven Heaven I would fain be at I seek death but 〈◊〉 find it How long O Lord holy and true He would scarce be reconciled to the means of rebuking his disease and prolonging his 〈…〉 was conscience of duty that put him upon use of them That learned and excellent Physitian who applied to him in his sickness and whose heart was set upon his recovery though he much question'd it told me he said to him why do you come to keep mâ— out of Heaven Hâ— could play with Death thus Praythee take possâ—ssion of my Body see whaâ— thou wilt get by it fatten thy Grave with thy Sacrifices He had high and admiring thoughts of Jesus Christ read them thus Oh dear Iesus what or who art thou Oh! that glorious Spirit that laid â—he foundations of the Earth and stretched out the Heavens like a Curtain Oh what an excellent person aâ—t thou oh what an excellent person art thou thou art all lovely in every part from the Crown of the head to the Soal of the foot thou art all love all excellent thy bounty is divine thy love is divine thy beauty is divine He was not satisfied with what he had of Christ. Observe how desires flam'd Dear Iesus dear sweet Iesus come unto me and manifest thy self unto me that others may see and know that thou lovest me Now if ever now now now if ever now if ever O dear Iesus I am going out of the body to be with thee to deal only with Spirits Oh that I might have the light of thy countenance the sense of thy loâ—e oh bome unto me I see but a little of thy beauty and excellency oh that I might see more and taste more and enjoy more that I may have more than ever I had and â—ast more than ever I did And he longed to be with Jesus was in a kind of holy impatience sick of love and desires to delight himself in clear vision and full fruition of him Witness these groans Dear Iesus come and take me away I have no business hear my work is done my glass is run my strength is gone and when my work is done why shall I stay behind Oh come come be as a Roe upon the Mountains of spices How long shall I wait and cry how long shall I be absent from thee And again O come and take me to thy self and give me possession of that happiness which is above the vision of thy self perfect likeness to thy self full fruition of thy self without any interruption or conclusioâ— And yet again O come deâ—r Lord Iesus how long before thou â—end thy Chariots O come thou down to me and take me up to thee Having â—ain some time silent and still a Friend desired him to give him his hand if the clouds were scattered whereupon he reached out his hand and said as those present understood him I am upheld in the Arms of a Mediator Thus died this precious Saint this eminent Minister thus he lived and thus he died Let him never be forgotten he shall not he cannot be forgotten And let us who survive be followers of him and others who serv'd and walked with Christ on earth and now sit and reign with Christ in glory FINIS
a gloe-worm or the blaze of a candle who do injoy the help of Scripture that hath brought life and immortality to light who do through the riches of mercy injoy the gracious beams the warming and quickning influences of the eternal Son of Righteousness Let us not disparage the God of Israel by repairing to the forges of the Philistines or borrowing their weapons for our spiritual warfare none like to the sword of the spirit the Word of God which is mighty through God We need not go to those puddles since the Lord hath been pleased to open to us the Wells of salvation out of which we may with joy draw living waters for the refreshing of thirsty and reviving of fainting souls Those Ministers are to be remembred who bring not their own idle dreams but Gods Truths not the Precepts of men but the Doctrine of Jesus who have determined as Paul did to know nothing among you but Iesus Christ and him crucified Those Pastors which like the woman spoken of Revel 12. 1. were cloathed with the Sun and had upon their heads a crown of twelve stars The Truth of Christ and the Doctrine of the Apostles in short men sound in judgment 2. They are such as did believe what they Preached therefore you have mention made of their faith Whose faith follow Oh that I could say all Preachers are Believers But I cannot but tell you though I desire to be very charitable I have not faith enough for that all ages having sadly proved the contrary The woful defections and apostacâ—es of many in the Pagan Arrian and Antichristian Persecutions are undeniable demonstrations of the contrary God forbid I should take upon me to judg any particulars much less whole Parties that very word Party is exceeding bitter and unsavoury to me I heartily wish there were no such name or thing and oh for that day when will that day come the God of love and peace hasten it in which his people shall serve him with one shoulder and with one consent in the beauties of holiness In the mean time I am firmly perswaded that there are those who fear God and work righteousness and study to approve themselves by a sincere desire and care of walking up to Scripture-rules and the dictates of their consciences among all those Parties in England which hold the Head and have not drunk in damnable heresies as the Apostle calls them yet yet I fear there are also those that have not faith Rest they do in floating notions take things upon trust are beholding meerly to education or the profession of the Countrey where they live for their being Protestants or Christians And I also tremble to think how many would be found stark rotten if they should be shaken by a temptation found dross if they should be cast into the furnace Those deserve to be remembred who are rooted and grounded in the faith who can say Lo this we have searched this we have experienced so it is Those that see the truth in its own evidence that have found it mighty in operation upon their own souls those that have held the mystery of faith in a pure conscience and would not let it go upon any terms or in any times but chuse rather to venture all to part with all to throw all over-board than to make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience 3. They are sâ—ch as practic'd what they Preach'd and lived their own Sermons such as exprest the virtues of him who had called them out of darkness into his marvellous light and advanced them to be lights unto others Such Masters of the Assemblies as did drive home and fasten the nails of serious wholesome counsels aâ—d exhortations with the forcible hammer of a spotless gracious and heavenly deportmeâ—t in the world such as preached Christ and lived him too such as received him and walked in him such as did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foot it right and could boldly say to their flock Walk so as ye have me for an example Such as did not mind earthly things nor hunt after the world as if it had been their god did not sinfully serve the times nor turn into all shapes and wound their souls to save their skins did not prodigally spend their precious hours nor unchristianly smite their fellow-servants nor eat and drink with the drunken but were the companions of them that fear the Lord and placed their highest delight next to God in the Saints those excellent ones of the earth and did shew out of a good conversation their works with meekness of wisdom making it their inward desire great care and utmost endeavour in all things to adorn the Gospel Holy men of God who were good in the Pulpit and in the House too and in all places in all companies against whom there could be no exception save in the matter of their God abating them for those natural humane infirmities which are inseperable from the most holy persons whilest on this side of perfection tabernacling in houses of Clay The good Lord increase the number of such Pastors in England yea all the world over in all places where he hath caused his holy Name to dwell and unto them mine honour be thou united unto them shall my soul adhere in sincere and most intire affection whatever smaller and circumstantial differences are or may be between us May so much suffice to be spoken concerning the object about which the following Acts are to be exercised unto which I now come Quest. Next then What is to be done by that people whom God did bless with such Pastors Answ. Two things Remember them follow their faith Of which in order Remember them Your memories are precious Cabinets too good for dung and trifles lay up nothing in them but what is excellent there is enough of that Remember your Creator in the days of your youth yea and in the days of your age so shall you be satisfied as with marrow and fatness Remember your dear Saviour his love his life his death attend upon Ordinances and receive the Sacrament in remembrance of him remember his love more than wine Remember the mercies you have received so as to be thankful the promises you have made so as to be faithful the sins you have committed so as to be humble the experiences you have had so as to be encouraged Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them them that are in straits and necessities so as to be compassionate and liberal to them Remember your latter end so as to be diligent and quicken your pace and withal remember your deceased Pastors who obtained mercy to be found faithful They they are some of Gods Jewels allow them therefore a choice room in these Cabinets Quest. You will ask me howâ—they are to be remembred Answ. I Answer in these following particulars 1. Remember them so as to bless God for them Have not you had great benefit soul-advantages by them Oh! let God have