Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	dead_a	faith_n	life_n	2,818	5	5.3918	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13017	The heauenly conuersation and the naturall mans condition In two treatises. By Iohn Stoughton, Doctor in Divinitie, sometimes fellow of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge; and late preacher of Gods word in Alderman-bury London	Stoughton, John, d. 1639.; Burgess, Anthony, d. 1664.	1640 (1640)	STC 23308; ESTC S113792	78,277	283

is true since neither Elect nor Reprobate are hated by God though in the state of corruption for the Elect I answer they may be considered two wayes first according to Gods eternall counsell and secret will toward them and so he is unchangeable he loves them from the beginning to the end from eternity to eternity Whom God loveth once he loveth to the end Iob. 13. 1. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. There is no interruption of this love much lesse blotting out of the Booke of life Nulla litura in deretis sapientum as the Stoickes were wont to say I have blessed him and he shall be blessed as Isaack said of Iacob Quod scrip si scrip si that which I have written I have written as Pilate said to the Jewes But secondly the elect may be considered according to Gods revealed will and so during the time of their corruption he reveales no other but that he hates them And he may be truely said to hate them in two respects or with a double hatred First as they are in themselves Odio paterno as a Father may be truely angry with his child and during that state be said to hate him Secondly as they are in Christ Odio inimicitiae proprio as one doth his enemy the former may be conceived in three respects First Ex quoad parte termini that I may speake so because hee sees nothing in them which hee can love being all over-spread with sin and corruption nothing but what he may most justly hate Secondly Ex parte effectus because hee gives no signification of any thing but displeasure and hatred neither causing the light of his countenance to sh ine upon them not so much as giving them a good looke much lesse bestowing his favours upon them in that manner that hee doth where hee loveth but on the contrary in token of displeasure many times sharpely correcting and chastizing them Thirdly Ex parte sensus which followes from the former two because he behaves himselfe towards them that they gather no comfortable assurance of love toward them but evident tokens of wrath and thus hee may bee said to hate them as they are considered in themselves with a fatherly and improper kinde of hatred but secondly as they have Christ their suretie so hee hates them indeed and properly so that hee will inflict the utmost punishment upon that their sinne justice doth deserve which being considered as suffered and undergone by them in the person of Christ their surety then his love towards them is grounded upon a new title for besides his free mercie of predestination he loves them now in justice as just by vertue of Christs purchase and Redemption Now secondly in the second place for the Reprobate I say that God doth absolutely and simply hate them in the state of naturall corruption neither doth his favours of this life temporary confer'd upon them nor eternall of a better offered unto them prove the contrary for the favours of God are of two sorts First Common which are indifferently distributed to all out of his generall bounty and liberality Secondly Speciall such as are proper and Peculiar to his elect both those are of the former kinde and all such gifts as in Gods Decree have no necessary and infallible connexion with everlasting life and so no marvell if the Reprobate have part in them as well as the Elect or rather God causeth his Sunne to shine and his raine to fall upon the evill and the good the just and the unjust Matth. 5. 45. for these are such things as a man cannot know love or hatred by them Eccle. 1. 9. The Papists abuse this place to prove that no man can know whether we be in the state of grace or no but Salomon affirmes not that but onely thus much at the most no man can know it by all that is before them as our Translation hath it that is by outward and common favours for Iunius reads it cleane otherwise onely those are speciall favours and tokens of Gods speciall love which are conjoyned with everlasting life as faith and other saving graces and those belong onely to the Elect. And thus having removed this dead Amasa out of the way which might have hindered our march I goe on to the proofe of the Point That God is an enemie to all men in their naturall corruption and doth hate them I will not trouble you with many places of Scripture heaped up because all that have beene produced in the former Point doe give witnesse to this also the terme Enemy as I then shewed importing a reciprocall affection of hatred betweene two two or three shall suffice and first that place I thinke is most pregnant in the Ephesians 2. 3. We were by Nature children of wrath even as others where the Apostle saith that both the regenerate and others even all men are children of wrath which implies two things First that wee are subject and obnoxious to the wrath of God and the heavy effects of that eternall condemnation for both I thinke are included in the word wrath Secondly that we are borne so which is the meaning of the other word sonnes or children of wrath and to set that downe yet more expresly there is another word joyned with it by nature We are by nature children of wrath Againe Rom. 5. 18. By the offenceof one the fault as the old Translation supplies the Text judgement as the New came on all men to condemnation and in the 12. verse By one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Againe Gal. 3. 10. For as many as are of the Law are under the curse for it is written Cursed is every man that continueth not in all things which are written in the Booke of the Law to doe them and supposing that all are borne in sinne you have a plaine and literall testimony Psa 5. 5. Thou hatest all workers of iniquitie But this will be more cleare in laying out the ground of this hatred which in generall hath beene already opened the last time to be that dissimilitude which is betweene God and us he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the acclamation of the Elders Rev. 4. which the Etymologists derive from the privative Particle and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earth in whom there is no earth no pollution but all heavenly puritie we are according to that proclamation of God Ier. 22. 29. Earth earth earth our understanding and will and affection being altogether earthly no purity in them but all earthly pollution He is the King of Saints as you had it out of the Revelation 15. the holy one of Israel but wee are the slaves of sinnes and Satan and by going a whoring from God and committing folly with the creature we are become everie one of us as Tamar told her brother Ammon like one

he seemed to be little moved yes said he there is none of you that cares more than I doe for my countrey pointing with his finger up to heaven as though heaven were his countrey and so it is a Christians indeed for if the proposition of the Philosopher be true that is our country where wee have the best fare and entertainement then his conclusion is infallible therefore heaven is my countrey without which I cannot live well for there is a plenty of all good things Let then the Philosopher comfort himselfe that he was not banished though out of his countrey and that he was not confined to any place like a Snaile to her shell because he was a free denizan and a Citizen of the world the Christian is not ashamed to confesse the whole worlds libertie to be but a banishment to him who is but a Pilgrim in a strange Land here because he is a free Denizan and Citizen of Heaven Nay more he stayes in the world as in some more free and noble Prison where you must pardon him if he cannot be in love with his fetters though perhaps of gold Hee is in the body as a child in the wombe in a walking Sepulcher his delivery from thence shall be his Nativity from whence he meanes to begin the account of the tearme of his Life To live with God is the onely life to raigne with Christ the onely libertie according to that of Simeon Now lettest thy servant depart so that the body is as the Bridewell and Prison of our life as Basil interprets it this is that hee sighes and breaths after Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell in Meshech I desire to be dissolved and be with Christ Come Lord Jesus come quickly How long Lord for ever Christ was borne in an Inne to teach him to make the world but a throwfare where if hee take his rest yet he must not set up his rest Secondly Conatu in Endeavour without which affection is like Rahel beautifull but barren neither doth a woman without a man neither doth the Affection of hope produce any thing serviceable without Endeavour Pythagor as was wont to say that he had another errand to the Olympick games then the most that frequented them some came for pleasure and to pot it in a knot of good fellowes which were like to meet there some for gaine and to vent their commodities at a good rate in such a faire of people some for Glory and hope to be crowned conquerours and win the Garland for valour and activitie in those sports and exercises but he professed that hee came onely as a looker on pleasure and gaine and glory are the Trinitie which the world adores and the behaviour of the most is such as though they came into the world upon no other errand but to scramble for some of these They smile perhaps when they see children so fond and busie and eager about their toyes making Houses and Pies of dirt kissing their babies of clouts blowing bubles into the ayre out of a shell and running after them and when they reade that Domitian the Emperour persecuted the poore Christians abroad in his Empire and persecuted the poore flies at home in his Palace they would take respit perhaps to decide the controversie whether that act had more crueltie or this idlenesse more folly but let them looke to it whether they be not carius ineptis haunted with a more tragicall and costly folly who being placed by God in this August Palace of the world where the Heaven is the sieling the Earth the floore can finde no better employment The carriage of a Christian I am sure hath passed this sentence upon them already which is such as though he repined that he was forced to be so much as a looker on at these Apish Anticks which in a scornefull silence he checkes with the severitie of his frowne and confutes with the majestie of his countenance in which you may reade his minde written in Hieroglyphicall letters that he thinkes with Anaxagoras that he was borne to contemplate heaven observe which way he may get thither and therefore he followes the suite for these earthly things something coldly negligently as one that cares not much which end goes forward or rather generously and nobly tanquam Candidatus Caesaris as a Favorite of Caesare as they were wont to say at Rome and if he speed enjoyes his conquests moderatly using them as the dogs drinke at Nilus or as Gidions Souldiers lap and away lest if hee should let loose the reines he might be guiltie in the use of his lawfull libertie as a man they say may commit adultery with his owne wife in a word useth them as though he used them not tanquam aeternitatis Candidatus as Tertullian speakes as one that is a favorite of eternitie But for heavenly things good Lord what alacritie shewes he what diligence what resolution They report of Mahomet an ordinary Turke that this was the first step of his advancement to the Empire his Master Solyman the great let fall a letter out of a window which while the rest to approve their diligence to their Lord ran about for Ladders he without any more deliberation or circuit leapt out of the window and returned presently This is the nature of Love and Zeale to overlook all danger to forget themselves to please God and these are they that came to preferment to be favorites in the Court of Heaven when they that are so wise to looke before they leape may look long enough before they rise and a foole he is that lookes for any other ladder to climbe to Honour besides his Masters favour What diligent The Ancients were wont to paint fortune taking Cities in a net for one Timotheus an Athenian Captaine whom they drew sleeping by but our Timothy knowes the new Ierusalem the Citie above cannot be taken otherwise and therefore plants a streight siege about it with an army of vertues plies the battery with the ordinance of prayer casts up mounts against it giving all diligence that he may adde to faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse mountaine upon mountaine as the Gyants did that at last he may scale heaven What resolution the famous Artificer Phidias advised the Athenians to make the statue of Minerva the Tutelary goddesse of the Citie of Marble rather then Ivory alleadging two reasons First because Marble was more durable and this passed with allowance Secondly because Ivory was more chargeable at the mention whereof with infinite indignation they commanded him silence base wretches that study to beate downe the price of heaven and will not deale except they may have it under foot the ancients were wont to call an Holocaust prodigam hostiam the prodigall Sacrifice but a Christian

men to oppose and hate the children of God Ponam inimicitiam c. saith God himselfe I will put enmity betweene thee and her and betweene thy seed and her seed the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent the seed of Sathan and the seed of Saints And in those words as one said Incipit liber bellorum Domini the Booke of the warres of God beginnes and as there is an hatred in generall so Secondly Those are most opposed of the world and worldly men which have most similitude with God which is most like their heavenly Father and resemble him most in all gracious cariage all holinesse of life and conversation And those who in that respect are most deare to God those especially doe wicked men shoot at with reproaches and scorne and slander That garment of righteousnesse parti-coloured with all variety of graces is a great eye-sore to them and makes them maligned as Ioseph was of his Brethren for some such testimonies of his Fathers speciall love toward him Thirdly those that have more neere and speciall relation to God as his servants in peculiar title His Messengers his Ministers they are sure to have a large share in the worlds hatred ●●●ecially if they chance to come within a mans walke if they come neere them then they will be sure to blurt it out though they smothered it before perhaps and say as Ahab to Elias Hast thou found me O mine enemy All which doe argue that naturall Antipathy which is betweene a naturall man to God for this is a certaine conclusion that they doe inwardly hate the Saints of God And that is a certaine evidence that they remaine still in their corruption even as when we can say with the Psalmist All my delight is in the Saints upon earth those that excell in vertue when we love the Brethren that we are passed from death to life 1 Ioh. 3. 14. And this is a certaine consequence if we hate Gods children we hate God himselfe And now beside our aptnesse to the hatred of God directly confirmed I might strengthen the same with the consideration of our aukernesse and aversenesse from all reconciliation to him I have stretched out my band saith Wisedome Prov. 1. 14. And no man regardeth Yea all the day long saith the Lord in the Prophet to a rebellious people We are not willing to heare of a parley much lesse of a peace and this place is proofe enough of it where you see how farre the Lord is forced as it were to condescend and yeeld to our untowardnesse when his Ambassadours to whom he hath committed the word of reconciliation say thus We are Ambassadors for Christ as if God did beseech you by us We pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God But it is time to passe to the second point and having shewed the enmity of man to God to shew now in like manner the other part of this relative and reciprocall affection The enmity of God to man The point then is this that God is an enemy to all men as they are by nature and hates them Before I proceed any further in the declaration of this truth it will not be amisse I thinke to remove one objection one scruple lest some may happily stumble at it and that is this How can God whose essence is himselfe who is a most pure and simple Act and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. be said to have any affection or be that granted how can God who is said to hate nothing that he hath made and whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is tender love to mankinde is particularly commended by the Apostle Tit. 3. 4. be said to hate men or admit that too de posse that it may be how can this appeare true de facto esse when as without controversie the elect of God whom he loved from all eternity never fall from that love no not while they are in the state of nature and for the Reprobate God bestowes many favours upon them in the things of this life and offers freely and truely to them at least many the participation of eternall life and happinesse and so that it is their fault that they have it not There be three branches you see of this objection which I will answer as I can briefely and orderly First for the first there is no great difficulty The answer consisting in two things First God is to be considered two wayes First as he is in himselfe and his owne excellency Secondly as he hath revealed himselfe and so as it were bowed himselfe downe to our capacity in the former consideration as in himselfe he is a simple essence and pure act without any composition of matter and forme and without all distinction and variety of qualities he is onely that which he is and thus we cannot at all apprehend him but in the second as he hath revealed himselfe so we may distinguish many attributes in him which he hath taken to himselfe That what we could not graspe together we may by parts in some sort lay hold of As Cyrus passed the river Euphrates by dividing it into many small streames Secondly the second thing to be considered is that among those things that are attributed to God from the creature some things are simply perfections some involve some imperfection in them also or perhaps better some thing in them is conceived as a perfection to which notwithstanding there cleaves some imperfection also here we must sever the one from the other and ascribe the perfection to God but proscribe and banish the imperfection As in this case Hatred is attributed to God being taken from living especially reasonable creatures as it imports a dislike of evill so it notes a perfection but as it connotates a dislike by way of passion or perturbation as it is in the creatures so it hath a mixture of imperfection in the former sense it is properly given to God in the latter it cannot thus you see the first part how hatred agrees to God as an Attribute taken from Analogy to the reasonable creature being a simple dislike and aversion from evill without any motion or perturbation The second is how God can hate any of his creatures especially man I answer man may be considered two wayes first as created and so God saw all things that they were good and loved them and above all man whom he had made according to his owne Image Secondly as corrupted and defiled with sinne and God who is a God of purest eyes who is not a God that delighteth in iniquity cannot chuse but abhorre him The third is something harder and so the place though it be alledged but out of the Apocrypha God bateth nothing that he hath made may be satisfied not simply in it selfe and for it selfe but yet he hateth Sinne in man which is not of his making and man secondarily for his sinne Thirdly the third is somewhat harder How this