Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	faith_n	spirit_n	true_a	5,552	5	5.1541	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43344	A discourse concerning meekness and quietness of spirit to which is added, A sermon on Acts 28. 22, shewing that the Christian religion is not a sect, and yet that it is every where spoken against / by Matthew Henry ...	Henry, Matthew, 1662-1714.; Henry, Matthew, 1662-1714. Sermon on Acts XXVII, 22.; Howe, John, 1630-1705.	1699 (1699)	Wing H1475_PARTIAL; Wing H1476_PARTIAL; ESTC R14901	132,581	220

your Tongue and be often remembring that you said so as David doth Psalm 39. 1. Resolution would do much towards the conquering of the most rugged Nature and the quiet bearing of the greatest Provocation it would be like the Bit and Bridle to the Horse and Mule that have no Understanding It may be of good use every Morning to renew a Charge upon our Affections to keep the Peace and having welcom'd Christ in Faith and Meditation let no rude unruly Passion stir up or awake our Love 3. Keep out of the way of Provocation and stand upon your Guard against it While we are so very apt to offend in this matter we have need to pray and to practise accordingly Lord lead us not into Temptation Those are Enemies to themselves and to their own Peace as well as to humane Society that seek occasion of Quarrel that fish for Provocations and dig up Mischief but meek and quiet People will on the contrary studiously avoid even that which is justly provoking and will see it as if they saw it not Those that would not be angry must wink at that which would stir up Anger or put a favourable Construction upon it The Advice of the Wise Man is very good to the purpose Eccles. 7. 21. Also take no heed to all Words that are spoken lest thou hear thy Servant curse thee and 't is better for thee not to hear it unless thou couldst hear it patiently and not be provoked to sin in the hearing of it 'T is a common Story of Coty's that being presented with a Cupboard of curious Glasses he return'd his Thanks to his Friend that sent them and gratified the Messenger that brought them and then deliberately broke them all lest by the casual breaking of them severally he should be provok'd to Passion And Dion relates it to the honour of Iulius Caesar that Pompey's Cabinet of Letters coming to his hand he would not read them because he was his Enemy and he would be likely to find in them that which would increase the Quarrel and therefore as Dr. Reynold's expresses it he chose rather to make a Fire on his Hearth than in his Heart De non existentibus non apparrentibus eadem est ratio Keep the Injury out of sight and it will be out of mind But seeing Briars and Thorns are with us and we dwell among Scorpions so the Prophet Ezek. 2. 6. and it must needs be that Offences will come let us be so much the more careful as we are when we go with a Candle among Barrels of Gunpowder and exercise our selves to have Consciences void of Offence not apt to offend others nor to resent the Offences of others When we are at any time engaged in Business or Company where we foresee Provocation we must double our Watch and be more than ordinary circumspect I will keep my Mouth with a Bridle saith David i. e. with a particular actual care and diligence while the Wicked is before me and frequent Acts will confirm the good Disposition and bring it to a Habit. Plutarch adviseth To set some time to our selves for special strictness So many Days or Weeks in which whatever Provocations do occur we will not suffer our selves to be disturbed by them And thus he supposeth by degrees the Habit of vicious Anger may be conquer'd and subdued But after all the Grace of Faith hath the surest influence upon the Establishment and Quietness of the Spirit Faith acted upon the Mercy of God the Meekness of Christ the Love of the Spirit the Commands of the Word the Promises of the Covenant and the Peace and Quietness of the upper World this is the approved Shield with which we may be able to quench all the fiery Darts of the Wicked one and all his wicked Instruments 4. Learn to pause It is a good Rule as in our Communion with God so in our Converse with Men Eccl. 5. 2. Be not rash with thy Mouth and let not thine Heart be hasty to utter any thing When we are at any time provok'd Delays may be as advantagious as in other cases they are dangerous The discretion of a Man deferreth his Anger Prov. 19. 11. I would beat thee said Socrates to his Servant if I were not angry but he that is hasty of Spirit that joyns in with his Anger upon the first rise of it exalteth solly Pro. 14. 29. The Office of Reason is to govern the Passions but then we must give it time to act and not suffer the Tongue to over-run● it Some have advis'd when we are provoked to anger to take at least so much time to deliberate as while we repeat the Alphabet and others have thought it more proper to repeat the Lords Payer and perhaps by that time we are past the fifth Petition Forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that Trespass against us we may be reduced into Temper It is a good Rule To think twice before we speak once for he that hasteth with his Feet sinneth It was the noted saying of a great Statesman in Q. Elizabeth's Court Take time and we shall have done the sooner Nor can there be any thing lost by deferring our Anger for there is nothing said or done in our Wrath but it might be better said and better done in Meekness 5. Pray to God by his Spirit to work in you this excellent Grace of Meekness and Quietness of Spirit It is a part of that Comliness which he puts upon the Soul and he must be sought unto for it If any Man lack this Meekness of Wisdom let him ask it of God who gives liberally and doth not upbraid us with our Folly When we begin at any time to be froward and unquiet we must lift up a Prayer to him that stilleth the Noise of the Sea for that Grace which establisheth the Heart When David's Heart was hot within him the first word that broke out was a Prayer Psa. 39. 3 4. When we are surprized by a Provocation and begin to be in a ferment upon it it will not only be a present Diversion but a Sovereign Cure to lift up an Ejaculation to God for Grace and Strength to resist and overcome the Temptation Lord keep me quiet now Let your Requests in this matter be made known to God and the Peace of God shall keep your Hearts and Minds Phil. 4. 6 7. You are ready enough to complain of unquiet People about you but you have more reason to complain of unquiet Passions within you the other are but Thorns in the Hedge these are Thorns in the Flesh against which if you beseech the Lord as Paul did 2 Cor. 12. 8. with Faith and Fervency and Constancy you shall receive Grace sufficient 6. Be often examining your growth and proficiency in this Grace Enquire what ground you have got of your Passion and what Improvements you have made in Meekness Provocations recur every day such as have

without look upon your selves as Ungirt Undrest Unblest without it Put it on as a Livery-Garment by which you may be known to be the Disciples of the Meek and Humble and Patient Jesus and to belong to that Peaceable Family Put it on as an Ornament as a Robe and a Diadem by which you may be both beautified and dignified in the Eyes of others Put it on as the Elect of God Holy and Beloved because you are so in Profession and that you may approve yourselves so in Truth and Reality be cloath'd with Meekness As the Elect of God a choice People a chosen People whom God hath set apart for himself from the rest of the World as holy fanctified to God sanctified by him study these Graces which put such a Lustre upon Holiness and recommend it to those that are without As beloved beloved of God beloved of Man beloved of your Ministers for Loves sake put on Meekness What winning perswasive Rhetorick is here enough one would think to smooth the roughest Soul and to soften and sweeten the most obstinate Heart Meekness is a Grace of the Spirits working a Garment of his preparing but we must put it on i. e. must lay our Souls under the commanding Power and Influence of it Put it on not as a loose outer Garment to be p●t off in hot Weather but let it cleave to us as the Girdle cleaves to a Man's Loyns so put it on as to reckon our selves naked to our shame without it 3. We must follow after Meekness This Precept we have 1 Tim. 6. 11. Meekness is there put in opposition to those foolish and hurts●● Lusts which Timothy must flee from Thou O Man of God flee these things and follow after Righteousness Godliness Faith Love Patience Meekness See what good Company it is rank'd with Every Christian is in a sense a Man of God tho' Timothy is call'd so as a Minister and those that belong to God are concern'd to be and do so as to recommend themselves to him and his Religion to the World therefore let the Men of God follow after Meekness The Occasions and Provocations of Anger often set our Meekness at a distance from us and we have it to seek then when we have most need of it But we must follow after it and not be taken off from the pursuit by any Diversion whatsoever While others are Ingenious and Industrious enough in following after Malice and Revenge projecting and prosecuting angry Designs be you as wise and diligent to preserve the Peace both within doors and without Following Meekness bespeaks a sincere Desire and a serious Endeavour to get the Mastery of our Passion and to check and govern and moderate all the Motions of it Tho' we cannot fully attain this Mastery yet we must follow after it and aim at it Follow Meekness that is as much as in you lies live peaceably with all Men endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit we can but make one side of the Bargain if others will quarrel yet let us be peaceable if others will strike the Fire that 's their fault let not us be as Tinder to it 4. We must shew all Meekness unto all Men. This is one of the Subjects which Paul directs a young Minister to preach upon Tit. 3. 2. Put them in mind to shew all Meekness It is that which we have need to be often minded of Meekness is there opposed to Brawling and Clamour which is the Fruit and Product of our own Anger and the Cause and Provocation of the Anger of others Observe it is all Meekness that is here recommended to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all kinds of Meekness bearing Meekness and forbearing Meekness qualifying Meekness condescending Meekness forgiving Meekness the Meekness that endears our Friends and that which reconcil●s our Enemies the Meekness of Authority over Inferiors the Meekness of Obedience to Superiors and the Meekness of Wisdom towards all All Meekness is Meekness in all Relations in reference to all Injuries all sorts of Provocation Meekness in all the Branches and Instances of it In this piece of our Obedience we must be Universal Observe further we must not only have Meekness all Meekness but we must shew it by drawing out this Grace into Exercise as there is occasion In our Words in our Looks in our Actions in every thing that falls under the Observation of Men we must manifest that we have indeed a regard to the Law of Meekness and that we make Conscience what we say and do when we are provok'd We must not only have the Law of Love written in our Hearts but in our Tongues too we must have the Law of Kindness Pro. 31. 26. And thus the Tree is known by its Fruits This Light must shine that others may see the good Works of it and hear the good Words of it too not to glorifie us but to glorifie our Father Mat. 15. 16. we should study to appear in all our Converse so mild and gentle and peaceable that all that see us may witness for us that we are of the Meek of the Earth We must not only be moderate but let our Moderation be known Phil. 4. 5. He that is in this respect a wise Man let him shew it in the Meekness of Wisdom Iam. 3. 13. What are good Cloaths worth if they be not worn Why hath the Servant a fine Livery given him but to shew it for the honour of his Master and of the Family he belongs to How can we say we are meek if we do not shew it The shewing of our Meekness will beautifie our P●ofession and will adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour and may have a very good influence upon others who cannot but be in Love with such an excellent Grace when thus like the Ointment of the right Hand it betrayeth it self and the House is filled with the Odor of it Again This Meekness must be thus shew'd unto all Men Foes as well as Friends those without as those within all that we have any thing to do with We must shew our Meekness not only to those above us that we stand in awe of but to those below us that we have an Authority over The Poor indeed useth Intreaties but whatever is the Practice it is not the Priviledge of the rich to answer roughly Prov. 18. 23. We must shew our Meekness not only to the Good and Gentle but also to the Froward for this is thank-worthy 1 Pet. 2. 18 19. Our Meekness must be as extensive as our Love so exceeding broad is this Commandment All Meekness to all Men. We must shew this Meekness most to those with whom we do most converse There are some that when they are in Company with Strangers appear very mild and good humored their Behaviour is plausible enough and complaisant but in their Families they are peevish and froward and ill-natured and those about them scarce know how to speak to them

Inoffensiveness and even in his Exaltation he retains the same Character One of the Elders told Iohn Rev. 5. 5. That the Lion of the Tribe of Judah would open the Sealed Book And I beheld saith Iohn v. 6. and lo a Lamb. He that was a Lion for Strength and Courage was a Lamb for Mildness and Gentleness And if a Lion yet the Lion of the Tribe of Iudah which the dying Patriarch describes to be a Lion gone up from the Prey and that is stooped down and couched not to be roused up Gen. 49. 9. which speaks the Quietness and Repose even of this Lion If Christ be a Lion he is a Lion resting the Devil is a Lion roaring 1 Pet. 5. 8. But the Adorations given to Christ by the Heavenly Hosts speak of him as the Lamb Rev. 5. 8 12 13. Blessing and Glory to him that sis upon the Throne they do not say and to the Lion of the Tribe of Iudah but to the Lamb tho' he hath a Name given him above every Name yet he will be known by that Name which speaks his Meekness as if this were to be his Name for ever and this his Memorial to all Generations As he that rides upon the Heavens by his Name Iah is the Father of the Fatherless and the Iudge of the Widows Psa. 68. 4 5. Some make his Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have anallusion to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Kind and Gentle and Gracious Christ rides prosperously because of Meekness Psal. 45. 4. Now 't is the character of all the Saints that they follow the Lamb Rev. 14. 4. as a Lamb they follow him in his Meekness and are therefore so oft called the Sheep of Christ. This is that part of his Copy which he expresly calls us to write after Mat. 11. 29. Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in Heart If the Master be mild it ill becomes the Servant to be froward The Apostle is speaking of Christ's Meekness under his Sufferings when he saith That he left us an example that we should follow his Steps 1 Pet. 3. 21. Let us observe particularly the Meekness of our Lord Jesus both towards his Father and towards his Friends and towards his Foes in each of which he is an Example to us 1. He was very meek toward God his Father chearfully submitting to his whole Will and standing compleat in it In his Commanding-will Lo I come saith he I delight to do thy Will tho' it enjoyn'd him a very hard piece of Service yet it was his Meat and Drink Joh. 4. 34. and he always did those things that pleased his Father Joh. 8. 29. So likewise in his Disposing-will h● acquiesced from first to last When he was entring upon that sharp encounter tho' Sense startled at it and said Father if it be possible let the Cup pass from me yet he soon submitted with a great deal of Meek ness Not as I will but as thou wilt Mat. 26. 39 42. Tho' it was a very bitter Cup yet his Father put it into his Hand and therefore he drank it without any struggle or reluctance when it came to the setting to reasoning himself from that Topick into this Compliance Iohn 18. 11. The Cup that my Father hath given me shall I not drink it And it comes in there as a reason why he would not have a Sword drawn in his defence 2. He was very meek towards his Friends that lov'd and follow'd him With what remarkable Instances of Mildness and Gentleness and Tenderness did he train up his Disciples tho' from first to last he was a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief and where the Nature is corrupt such are apt to be peevish and froward with those about them yet how meek and calm his carriage was towards them all along we may see 1. In his bearing with their Weaknesses and Infirmities After they had been long under the Inspection and Influence of such a Teacher and had all the Advantages that Men could have for getting acquaintance with the things of God yet how weak and defective were they in Knowledge and Gifts and Graces How ignorant and forgetful were they How slow of Heart to understand and believe And what Blunders did they make Dull Scholars it should seem they were and very bad Proficients But their Hearts being upright with him he did not cast them off nor turn them out of his School but made the best of them rectified their Mistakes instructed them in their Duty and the Doctrine they were to preach by Precept upon Precept and Line upon Line and taught them as they were able to bear it as one that considered their Frame and could have Compassion on the Ignorant and on them that are out of the way Heb. 5. 2. As long as he was with them so long he suffered them Mark 9. 19. This as it is a great Encouragement to Christian Learners so it is a great Example to Christian Teachers 2. In his forgiving and passing by their Unkindnesses and Disrespects to himself He was not extream to mark no not what they did amiss of this kind When they murmured at the cost that was bestowed upon him and call'd it wast and had indignation at it he did not resent it as he might have done nor seem to observe how much what they said reflected upon him nor did he condemn them any other way than by commending the Woman Mat. 26. 8 11. When Peter and Iames and Iohn the first three of his Disciples were with him in the Garden and very unseasonably slept while he was in his Agony praying so little concern'd did they seem to be for him and such a grievous slight did they put upon him yet observe how meekly he spoke to them did not give them any hard Language but Could ye not watch with me one hour And when they had not a word to say for themselves so inexcusable was their fault he had something to say for them and instead of accusing them he Apologizeth for them The Spirit indeed is willing but the Flesh is weak Mat. 26. 40 41. When Peter had denied him and had cursed and sworn he did not know him than which besides the falshood and perfidiousness of it nothing could be more unkind with what Meekness did he bear it It is not said the Lord turn'd and frown'd upon Peter tho' he deserv'd to be frown'd into Hell but the Lord turn'd and looked upon Peter Luke 22. 61. and that Look recovered him into the way to Heaven it was a kind Look and not an angry one Some days after when Christ and Peter met in Galilee and had Dined together in token of Reconciliation and some Discourse past between them not a word was said of this matter Christ did not upbraid him with his fault nor chide him for it nor did there appear any other Fruit of the falling out of these Lovers but only the renewing of their Love

with greater Endearments Iohn 21. 15 16 17. which teacheth us to forgive and forget the Unkindnesses of those that we are satisfied are for the main our true Friends and if any occasion of Difference happen to turn it into an occasion of confirming our love to them as the Apostle expresseth it 2 Cor. 2. 8. 3. He was very meek towards his Enemies that hated and persecuted him The whole Story of his Life is fill'd with instances of invincible Meekness while he endur'd the Contradiction of Sinners against himself which was a constant Jarr yet he had a perpetual Serenity and Harmony within himself and was never in the least discomposed by it When his Preaching and Miracles were cavill'd at and reproached and he himself represented under the blackest Characters not only as the Drunkard's Companion but as the Devil 's Confederate with what a wonderful calmness did he bear it How mildly did he answer with Reason and Tenderness when he could have replyed in Thunder and Lightning How well satisfied under all such invidious Reflections with this that Wisdom is however justified of all her Children Mat 11. 19. When some of his Disciples would have had Fire from Heaven upon those rude People that refused him Entertainment in their Town he was so far from complying with the Motion that he rebuked it Luke 9. 55. Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of This perswasion cometh not of him that calleth you Gal. 5. 8. The design of Christ and of his Holy Religion is to shape Men into a mild and merciful Temper and to make them sensibly tender of the Lives and Comforts even of their worst Enemies Christianity was intended to revive Humanity and to make those Men who had made themselves Beasts But our Lord Jesus did in a more especial manner evidence his Meekness when he was in his last sufferings that awful Scene Tho' he was the most innocent and the most excellent Person that ever was who by the Doctrine he had preach'd and the Miracles he had wrought had richly deserved all the Honours and Respects that the World could pay him and infinitely more and tho' the Injuries he received were ingeniously and industriously contrived to the highest degree of Affront and Provocation yet he bore all with an undisturbed Meekness and with that Shield quench'd all the fiery Darts which his malicious Enemies shot at him His Meekness towards his Enemies appear'd 1. In what he said to them not one angry word in the midst of all the Indignities they offer'd him When he was reviled he reviled not again 1 Pet. 2. 23. When he was buffeted and spit upon and abused he took it all patiently one would wonder at the gracious words which even then proceeded out of his Mouth witness that mild reply to him that smote him Ioh. 18. 23. If I have spoken evil bear witness of the evil but i● well why smitest thou me 2. In what he said to God for them Father forgive them so giving an Example to his own Rule Mat. 5. 44. Pray for them which despitefully use you Though he was then deeply engaged in the most solemn Transaction that ever pass'd between Heaven and Earth tho' he had so much to do with God for himself and his Friends yet he did not forget to put up this Prayer for his Enemies The mercy he begg'd of God for them was the greatest Mercy that which he was then dying to purchase and procure the pardon of their sins not only Father spare them or reprieve them but Father forgive them the Excuse he pleaded for them was the best their Crime was capable of They know not what they do They did it ignorantly Acts 3. 27. 1 Cor. 2. 8. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Now in all these things our Master hath left us an Example What is the Practice of Religion but the Imitation of God endeavour'd by us And what the Principle of it but the Image of God renewed in us We are bid to be followers of God as dear Children But this sets the Copy we are to write after at a mighty distance for God is in Heaven and we are upon Earth and therefore in the Lord Iesus Christ God incarnate God in our Nature the Copy is brought among us and the transcribing of it in some measure appears more practicable He that hath seen me saith Christ hath seen the Father John 14. 9. and so he that imitates Christ imitates the Father The Religion which our Lord Jesus came into the World to establish being every way so well calculated for the Peace and Order of the World and being design'd to recover the lapsed Souls of Men from their degenerate State and to sweeten their Spirits and Temper and so to befriend humane Society and to make it some way conformable to the blessed Society above he not only gave such Precepts as were wonderfully fitted to this great end but recommended them to the World by the loveliness and amiableness of his own Example Are we not called Christians from Christ whom we call Master and Lord and shall we not endeavour to accommodate our selves to him We profess to rejoyce in him as our Fore-runner and shall we not run after him To what purpose were we listed under his Banner but that we might follow him as our Leader We have all of us reason to say that Jesus Christ is very meek or else we that have provok'd him so much and so often had been in Hell long ago We owe it to his Meekness to whom all Judgment is committed that we have not e're this been carryed away with a swift Destruction and dealt with according to the desert of our sins which if duly considered one would think should tend greatly to the mollifying of us The Apostle fetcheth an Argument from that Kindness and Love to us which we our selves have experienced who were Foolish and Disobedient to perswade us to be gentle and to shew all Meekness Tit. 3. 2 3 4. and he beseecheth the Corinthians by the Meekness and Gentleness of Christ as a thing very winning and of dear and precious account 2 Cor. 10. 1. Let the same mind therefore be in us not only which was but which as we find to our comfort still is in Christ Iesus Phil. 2. 5. That we may not forfeit our Interest in his Meekness let us tread in the steps of it and as ever we hope to be like him in Glory hereafter let us study to be like him in Grace in this Grace now It is a certain Rule by which we must all be tried shortly That if any Man hath not the Spirit of Christ that is if he be not Spirited in some measure as Christ was spirited he is none of his Rom. 8. 9. And if we be not own'd as his we are undone for ever SECT III. Some particular Instances wherein the Exercise of Meekness is in a special manner requir'd The Rule is general we must shew all Meekness