Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	death_n	life_n	lord_n	7,059	5	3.5024	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B03494	Great and precious promises; or, Some sermons concerning the promises, and the right application thereof whereunto are added some other concerning the usefulness of faith in advancing sanctification. As also, three more concerning the faith of assurance. / By Mr. Andrew Gray, late minister of the Gospel in Glasgow. All being revised since his death by some friends.	Gray, Andrew, 1633-1656.; Traill, Robert, 1642-1716.; Stirling, John, b. 1621?	1663 (1663)	Wing G1608A; ESTC R177624	115,304	218

infinit justice of God 〈◊〉 of mercies we have received 〈◊〉 〈…〉 enter into eternity of joy we●● ●e the greatest debtors unto the 〈…〉 grace of Christ in regard of mercy we 〈◊〉 ●bused There shall be none in heav●● 〈…〉 ●o us and if we shall go to hell there shall ●e few there that may be compared unto us And let me but adde thus further before I ●ome to the words go where we will we shall be out of doubt with our condition Within a short time a real Christian shall be exalted above the reach of his misbelieving 〈◊〉 hypocrite shall be depressed below the ●each of his faith and one that is grosly in ●ature he shall be abased beyond the reach of his presumption A Christian ere long shall misbelieve no more a hypocrite ere ●ong shall believe no more and one that is grosly in nature shall ere long presume no more there is no misbelief in heaven and 〈◊〉 here is no faith nor presumption of well ●eing in hell But to come to that which we intend to speak to we told you when first we began our discourse upon that pretious and exalting grace of Faith under a ●wofold notion and consideration First As it is justifying And secondly as it is sanctifying For the first we resolved to speak to it in a twofold consideration First As it closeth with Christ simply as the ob●ect upon which it resteth and of this we have spoken from that place 1 Joh. 1.3 23 Secondly As it closeth with Christ as held●●orth in the Promises And now being 〈◊〉 speak of it in this consideration we 〈◊〉 made choise of this place in which 〈…〉 ●●ings concerning the Promises 〈…〉 2. In a Christians believing of spiritual p●●mises there is often some sense and rea●● that helpeth him to the exercise of Fai●● at least they presse not the contrary b● to believe a temporal Promise when a Ch●●stian is redacted unto a strait and that 〈◊〉 can see no outgate present sense and re●son stands upon the top of his Faith a● presseth him to dispair As for instance when a Christian is living upon the top of mountain and knoweth not where to s● at night to believe that there is a prom●● upon which he may rest that he shall 〈◊〉 want his food but if that the Lord had ●●vice for him he will provide Here 〈◊〉 hath not only reason to dispute against b● the strong pinching sense of hunger bo●● crying out How can bread be given in 〈◊〉 wildernesse 3 The tentations that assa● a Christian to misbelieve upon temporal pr●mises they are more subtile and more co● naturall to a Christian then his rentatio● that assault him in resting upon spiritu●● promises When a Christian is in straits 〈◊〉 the world the tentations that hinder 〈◊〉 exercise of Faith they are more consona● to flesh and blood we are ready to ye● to misbelief then because we think it is ●●tional and speaketh the truth 4 A Ch●●stian is often so affrighted by his daily ●●ings or some particular more grosse o● breakings in his life that howbeit he 〈◊〉 through grace be helped to belive 〈◊〉 the Lord shall make out these prom● which concern his eternall salvation an● ●o him good in the latter end yet may he be sadly perplexed and distrestfull in making ●use of any particular temporary promise for drawing forth any comfort or encouragement therefrom as to his present exigont because he knoweth that although the Lord doth forgive his peoples iniquities yet may he take vengeance on their inventions Psal 99.8 and therefore may punish his present failing with the like calamities as he hath lone others 5. There is also much of a ●atural and carnal self love to a present life ●emaining in the best that we are many times worse to satisfie in our securities for the ●hings of this life then of that which is to ●ome and can more easily trust the Lord or our souls then for our bodies so that ●hough his naked word will sometimes satis●e us for the one yet it will not for the ●ther And the last ground of it may be a ●hristians unacquaintednesse with that lo● 〈◊〉 exercising Faith upon temporal promises ●ere being many who think not that there 〈◊〉 use for Faith except for Salvation and ●e things above which maketh his Faith ●●on these more difficult then upon pro●●ses that are spiritual And this may ap●ar most clearly in that we find men more ●sily bear their spirituall wants even a ●●ristian that is most exercised then they ●●r their temporal want and more cor●●ption and impatience doth arise from tem●●al want then from spiritual want 2. Consider That all a Christians du●● 〈◊〉 turned over into promises there is 〈◊〉 a duty that is required of a Christian bu● is converted into a Promise Is not Faith duty 1 Joh. 3.23 This is his Commandm●●● that ye should believe And is not that t●● ned over in a promise Jer. 3.19 Thou sh●● call me thy Father The word importe● not only an act of necessity but of violen● thou shalt do it And in the thirteenth 〈◊〉 Zechary at the close Thou shalt call me 〈◊〉 Father and so in Ezek. 11.19 Is not m●tification a Christians duty Colos 3.5 M●tifie therefore your members and it is turn over in a promise Jer. 32.28 and Ez● 36.25 29. where he promiseth that 〈◊〉 will purge away all their uncleannesses a● it is clear from Micah 7.19 I will sub● said he all thine iniquities it is not sa● thou must subdue them but I will do it 〈◊〉 not also the knowledge of God a comm●ded duty and yet it is turned over in a p●●mise in the Covenant of Grace They sh●● know me from the highest to the lowest nei●● shall there be need any more that one sh●● say know the Lord for they shall be all ta● of me Is not the commandement of 〈◊〉 your duty as is clear from Eccles 12. 〈◊〉 and yet that is likewise turned over in a ●●●mise I will put my fear in their in●● parts that they shall not depart away from So tendernesse is a Christians duty and that is turned over in a promise I will away their heart of stone and give them a 〈◊〉 of flesh And that I may say no more of 〈◊〉 but to these four places and ther● 〈…〉 see almost all duties turned over in mises there is Jer. 31. Jer. 32. Ezek. 11. ●nd Ezek. 36. ye will see all the duties of ●●e Covenant converted into promises But ●ay not some say what advantage is there ●f this much certainly every way That ●he duties are turned over into promises it ●ay give a Christian hope that he shall once ●erform these duties Will ye not once ●e tender Yes certainly because your ten●ernesse lieth within a promise Will ye not ●nce be much in the exercise of fear No ●oubt ye will and the ground of it is this ●ecause your fear lieth within a promise and ●o of the rest And 2. there

trial as if he had said would ye have a distinct perswasion that y● are in Christ then be much in the exercis● of self examination For the rest of th● words of the verse we intend not 〈◊〉 handle As to the first That there is such a thi● attainable I shall only propose these reasons unto you to make it evident 1. It is known in Scripture that the Saints of old have in ordinary way attained to distinct perswasion of their interest in Christ Song 2. vers 16. My beloved is mine and I am his and Rom. 8.38 I am perswaded saith the Apostle that neither death nor life c. shall be able to separate me from the love of God in Christ And 2 Cor. 5. ver 1. For we know if this our earthly tabernacle were dissolved we have a house with God not made with hands eternal in the heavens 2. It is the great scope of many Scriptures to shew how Christians may attain to assurance 1 Job 1.13 These things I write unto you that ye may know what ye have eternal life The great end and design of John writing in these Epistles is to make a soul acquaint with Christ and to make them to accept of him and to give them a distinct assurance that Christ hath accepted them 3. There are many commands in Scripture for Christians to be serious in scarching after assurance 2 Pet. 1.10 Wherefore brethren give all diligence to make your calling and election sure It is the blessed end of Gods oath in the everlasting Covenant that a Christian might get assurance What was the ground and great end that God confirmed his Covenant with an oath was it not Heb. 6.18 That by two immutable things wherein it was impossible for God to lie ye might have strong consolation 5. If assurance of our interest in Christ were not attainable then th●se precious graces of joy and love could not be well exercised i● Christian were evermore in the dark conce●ning his interest in Christ he could not giv● obedience to that exhortation Rejoyce eve● more again I say rejoyce 6. The Scripture hath set down these means by which 〈◊〉 Christian may win to assurance as is clea● 1 Joh. 3.18 19. 2 Pet. 4.5 compared wit● vers 10. where the Apostle Peter pressing th● Doctrine of making our calling and election sure he setteth down these excellent mea● by which they may win to it and doubtless the marks and evidents that are registrate i● the Scripture of a gracious state do assur● us that assurance is attainable 7. What ar● the ends of the Sacraments but that our assurance may be confirmed and that our faith may be strengthned the two Sacraments are the two great Seals of heaven that are put to the Charter of the Covenant Now as to the application and the mor● full improvement of this first point I shal● only offer these considerations 1. I woul● have it taken notice of that though grac● and assurance be two lovers yet there is 〈◊〉 such band of union between them that th● one cannot consist without the other 〈◊〉 Christian may have the real grace of God 〈◊〉 and yet walk in darknesse and have no light 〈◊〉 a Christian may be going to heaven and ye● that word oftentimes in his mouth I am 〈◊〉 off from thy sight yea are there not eve● some who have had assurance and somtim● a day have been admitted to draw that co●clusion I am my beloveds and his desire 〈◊〉 towards me who are now under darknesse concerning their interest and in much bitternesse of spirit do sometimes cry out My hope and my strength is perished from the Lord. But therefore let me say this one word both to weak ones who never had assurance and deserted ones who have lost it when ye misse assurance beware of drawing such negative conclusions concerning your graces but when ye sit in darknesse and see no light Trust in the Name of the Lord and stay your selves upon your God that is when ye cannot reach the faith of assurance be much in maintaining of adherence remember Jobs divinity Though thou should kill me yet will I trust in thee and consider that sweet word He will keep them in perfect peace whose hearts are stayed on him My second consideration is That since assurance is attainable ye would 〈◊〉 find out and remove these things that 〈◊〉 hinder you from attaining unto it And that we may help you in this we conceive that the obstructions of a Christians assurance are especially in these two 1. Our mistaking of the Lords dealing towards us And 2. Our untender and unsuitable dealing towards him Of the first sort we shall lay before you these five The first is want of favourable termes of prayer this often maketh a Christian to debate his interest and call in question his evidence Lam. 3.8 compared with verse 18. I cry and shout but he shutteth out my prayers and this is the conclusion of that dispensation verse 18. My hope and my strength is perished from the Lord and this especially occasioned when the Christian most serious and servent in prayer and the he meereth not with a return this maketh them exceedingly debate their interest A●● I confesse it is a sad dispensation to m●● with a silent Christ in prayer but yet th● needeth not make a Believer question all a●● debate the reality of his interest in God since the dearest of all the children of th● Kingdom have been so dealt with even 〈◊〉 David Psal 22. Cryed night and day without silence and is not heard but cryeth out Why art thou so far from helping and from the word of my roaring yea that passage may relate t● him who was the root and off-spring of David for even he was so dealt with and had not presently a sensible return when he ha● prayed thrice that the cup might passe from him Secondly The want of sensible enlargement and liberty in prayer that he never got to his knees but his heart beginneth to die like a stone within him then he cryeth forth that word 2 Cor. 3.17 Where th● Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty and sur● if I had the Spirit of the Lord I would ha●● liberty in the exercise of prayer and tha● this is a rise of the disputing of our intere●● is clear from Psal 77.4 compared with 〈◊〉 7.9 saith David I am sore troubled that 〈◊〉 cannot speak I have no liberty in prayer 〈◊〉 never go to God in prayer but as it we●● my tongue sticketh to the roof of my mou●● he from hence draweth that conclusion 〈◊〉 God forgotten to be gracious and hath 〈◊〉 wrath shut up his tender mercies for ever I confesse this also is a sad dispensation to meet with an absent and vailed Christ in prayer so that we can never go to seek God in secret but we may write this upon our prayers He is gone he is gone especially when we have lost that liberty that formerly

been passing many excellent promises he strengtheneth their faith with this Thus saith the Lord God Almighty and no doubt where the word of this King is there is power and who can say unto him what dost thou O misbeliever of the precious promises of the Covenant be ashamed to cast up your eyes to heaven above or to the earth beneath we think the Stars the Sun the Moon and all the works of God they may speak that to you do not misbelieve God but trust in him That is wonderfull in counsell and excellent in working The second is the wisdom and infinit counsel of God he hath not only compleat ability to accomplish the promise that he hath given but he hath the depths and treasures of knowledge by which he hath contrived the way of the accomplishment of such a promise Hence is that word 2 Sam. 23.5 that the Covenant is well ordered which speaketh out the wisdom of God and then that word is subjoyned the Covenant is sure yea the Covenant of Grace is such a thing that there is so much of the arte of heaven so much of infinit wisdom shining in it that it is called the counsel of God Heb. 6.17 That ye might know the immutability of his counsel The third golden pillar is the infinit love of God that though there be nothing in us that can put him to accomplish the promises yet he will take an argument from his own love to make out such a promise to us there is sometimes if not alwayes nothing in us but that which may speak forth delayes of the accomplishment of the promises but when God can bring no argument from us he can bring an argument from his own love as Deut. 7.7 8. where giving a reason of the accomplishment of many promises and of his love to them I loved you saith he because I loved you there being no reason that can be given for love but love The fourth is The unchangeablnesse of the Promiser that he is the same yesterday and to day and for ever and without all alteration and shaddow of change Hence ye may see Exod. 3.14 when God is repeating many preciou● Promises unto Moses He as it were 〈◊〉 strengtheneth Moses faith with this I am saith he that I am which we conceive to point forth the unchangeablnesse of God that what he hath said he will certainly accomplish in its own time and though the vision do tarry yet at last it shall speak The fifth is The faithfulnesse of God and that he is one that cannot lie but certainly will make out what he hath spoken Love it maketh the promises the faithfulnesse and power of God accomplisheth the promises and the infinit wisdom of God chooseth the most fit time for the performing of them Hence it is said Psal 119.89 90. Thy word O Lord is for ever setled in heaven and the ground of it is in the following verse For thy faithfulnesse is unto all generations Hence you may see that oftentimes when God is making promises to his own he putteth to that word I that speak in righteousnesse Isa 45.19 and Isa 63.1 O! must not the promises be unchangeable that are made by the Father who is the God of Truth Must not the promises be unchangeable that are received and merited by the Son that is Truth it self and the faithfull Witnesse and Amen Must not the promises be unchangeable that are applyed by the holy Ghost that is the Spirit of Truth And must not the promises be unchangeable that are made known unto us by the Gospel that is the word of Truth Was there ever any who could leave that upon record of God that he was unfaithfull in the accomplishment of his promises O what a clear sight of the faithfulnesse of God shall a Christian get whe● he shall be standing upon the our most line between Time and Eternity then he will see God faithful in accomplishing all his promises unto him from first to last The last golden pillar is The justice of God His justice it now putteth him to accomplish his promises mercy and righteousnesse have now kissed each other Hence is that word 1 Joh. 1.9 He is just and faithful to forgive So that now the accomplishment of the promises it is not only an act of love but it is an act of justice also We confesse indeed love and mercy maketh the promises but justice and truth also putteth God to the accomplishment of them Hence is that word Micah 7.20 To perform the truth to Jacob and the mercy to Abraham Why is it mercy to Abraham and it is truth to Jacob It is in short this because mercy made the promises to Abraham but truth did accomplish the promises to Jacob. The third thing that we shall speak to from this That the promises are unchangeable shall be to presse these six duties upon you from this point O Christians and Expectants of Heaven who have Christ in you the hope of Glory rejoyce and be exceeding glad that the promises are unchangeable 1. This is a duty that is pressed from that ground Heb. 6.18 That by two immutable things we might have strong consolation There is exceeding much joy that may come to a Christian from this that the promises shall be accomplished i● their own time We conceive that the word unchangeable it is engraven upon the head of many a Christians mercies Is not unchangeable written above the head of our promises Is not unchangeable written upon the head of our blessednesse Is not unchangeable written above the head of our enjoyment of God That day is coming when we shall have unchangeable love unchangeable enjoyment of God and all things unchangeable And we conceive that if these two were believed the truth of the promises and the unchangeablenesse of the promises a Christian might walk through this valey of tears with joy and comfort himself in hope The second duty we would presse is this that ye would surcease and give over your disputings and carnal reasonings about the accomplishment of the promises since the promises of God are unchangeable ought not we with this to silence misbelief and all that blind humane reason can say This is pressed Heb. 6.16 An oath for confirmation it is an end of all strife Gods confirming of his Covenant by an oath it ought to cut short the disputings of misbelief And here give me leave to point out a little these grounds upon which it is that Christians doth so much dispute the accomplishment of promises and to let you see how all these grounds may be answered from these six pillars that were given of their unchangeablnesse The first is When dispensations seemeth to coutradict the truth of the Promises the promise it speaketh one thing and dispensations seem to speak another and this is the occasion that oftentimes Christians cry out Doth his promise fail for evermore This is clear from the practice of David 1 Sam. 27.1 when dispensations were

the fulness that is in Christ Faith is that noble correspondent between that weaknesse that is in us and that e●erlasting strength that is in him Therefore there are two noble and excellent counsels of Faith First It counsels us not to lean to our own strength And secondly to have our recourse unto him whose Name is Jehovah that everlasting strength An●● doubt if we were more taken up in imp●●ing Christ by faith that prophesie should accomplished I will make the feeble one David and David as the Angel of God 〈◊〉 when a Christiian is most diffident in him●● then God should prove himself to be Almi●●ty and All-sufficient And 4. Faiths influence may be clea●● in this that it layeth hold upon the p●●mises and doth believe them and believ●ing of the promise bringeth forth that no●●● birth conformity to God according to th● word upon which we were speaking 2 P●● 1.4 by believing the promises that is the advantage of it We are by them made part●kers of the divine nature 5. Faith also believeth the threatnings that are past in Scripture against sin and the believing them hath an undoubted and strong influence upon the attaining and growth of Sanctification Faith strengtheneth a Christian against the committing of iniquity with these two words that word Rom. 6.20 O soul saith faith commit not iniquity for the wages of sin is death and that word Rev. 21. last There shall in no way enter into that City any thing that is unclean or that committeth iniquity And be perswaded of it that the faith of the threatnings and of the promises that are in Scripture would be as a threefold cord not easily broken to restra●● you from the acting of iniquity And shall I sell you briefly the ground why these curs● hearts of ours doth commit iniquity wi●● so little fear and with so much delight it is even this because we believe not the threatnings of God which shall be accomplished in their own season for is it possible that if ye believed that word Rev. 21. last That nothing shall enter into the New Jerusalem that defileth or worketh abominations or that maketh a lie that ye durst for a world adventure upon the committing of iniquity as ye do And I shall onely say to such that do undervalue the threatnings of God the day is coming when they shall be constrained to cry out He hath spoken it and he hath done it and faithfull is he there is not one jot nor title in the Word of the Lord that shall fal to the ground And believe it God will be faithfull in the accomplishment of his threatnings as he is faithfull in the accomplishment of his promises 6. Faith discovereth unto a Christian the noble excellencies and those spiritual dignities that are in that everlasting estate that is provided for the Saints in light Faith as it were carrieth up the soul to the top of Pisgah off which it is admitted to behold the promised land and truely the seeing of these noble things that are provided for the Saints cannot but make them study holinesse since they know that there is an impossibility for one to attain to that estate without holinesse because he had said it Without holinesse no man shall see God O then if once ye saw heaven ye would be constrained to walk in that path of Sanctification since it is the glorious way by which ye must walk in through the gates of that blessed City Bu● ye know not the excellency that is there i● is a fancy and notion unto you and that 〈◊〉 the ground that ye do not study to conform your selves unto that blessed image of God And I would only ask you this one question Is it possible that such a delusion as this can overtake you as to think that ye who never studied holinesse on earth shall yet enter in to heavens gates I know there are some that say in their hearts I shall have peace though I walk in the imaginations of my own heart and many more that suppose that they might fight and overcome that they may quite the estate of nature and be compleat in the estate of grace all in one day But why will ye deceive your selves Can a nation be born in one day Or is there but one step between hell and heaven O remember though nothing be impossible with God yet there was but one thief saved upon the crosse 7. Faith hath influence upon the attaining of holinesse in this respect That it believeth the exceeding great advantages that are promised unto the person that studieth holiness Faith believeth that word Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the poor in spirit for they shall see God Paith it layeth hold upon the truth of the excellent sayings and maketh the Christia● endeavour to attain unto a likenesse and conformity with him that so he may be admitted to behold his face for all eternity and to be made like unto him 8. Faith discovereth unto Christians th● sinfulnesse of sin this is never done till once they be in the lively exercise of the grace of Faith And I will give you these three grounds why faith compleatly discovereth the sinfulnesse of sin 1. Faith letteth us see the Person against whom we commit this sin and that doth exceedingly aggrege sin for when the Christian is admitted to behold God and to see that matchlesse excellency that is in him then saith he what a beast was I to offend such a glorious Majesty as He What a fool was I to kick against the pricks or to enter in the lists with such an infinite God 2. Faith letteth a Christian see these excellent obligations of love that Christ hath imposed upon us Faith letteth us see the ancient and everlasting love of Christ Faith is that grace that letteth us see his sufferings Faith letteth us see all that he hath done for us and this maketh the Christian to cry out Do I thus requite the Lord O foolish one and unwise And no doubt if a Christian were more taken up in the study of this duty he would be lesse in contracting debt and were you but seriously taken up in the study of these two great Registers 1. The Register in which all the infinit acts of love are recorded And 2. That Register in which all your acts of offending precious Christ are written ye would be astonished and ashamed to see so much forgiven you and durst not sin any more there ye would see infinite ●ency desiring to rejoyce over judgement and ●here ye would see the spotlesse riches of ●hat transcendent grace that is in Christ 3. Faith letteth a Christian see the disadv● tages of sin and what wofull effects doth 〈◊〉 low upon it and this doth exceedingly ho● forth the sinfulnesse of sin The second thing that we shall speak concerning Faiths influence in the attain●● Sanctification shall be to enquire a little 〈◊〉 to these things that hinder even Believ● from attaining this blessed effect of th● Faith for