Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	heart_n	life_n	sin_n	4,868	5	4.2787	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87802	Abraham's image in one of his sonnes: or, The picture of a good old man, represented in a sermon upon the third of November, anno Dom. 1657. in West-Newton, at the funeral of John Dethick Esquire, father to the late lord mayor that was of London in the year 1655. By William Knapp Master of Arts, of Katherine-Hall in Cambridge, now rector of VVest-Newton in Norfolk.	Knapp, William, d. 1688.	1658 (1658)	Wing K667; Thomason E937_2; ESTC R207740	24,523	44

old age is good as being honourable 2. As 't is profitable Length of years in a good man is not much unlike the long Bagg of an old Usurer out of which may be drawn a comfortable abundance length of years is an old mans treasure out of which he can draw things both new and old as our Saviour speaks of the Scribe instructed unto the kingdom of Heaven Mat. 13.52 Youth is like the spring hopeful for fruits to come middle age like the autumne signifying their maturitie and old age like winter which argues they are reaped and layd up ad varios usus depromendos to be forth coming upon all occasions a good old man hath been so frequently exercising his faith and hope upon the promises of God as he can now rely upon them with a great deale of comfort and complacency a good old man hath been so frequently clothing the backs and feeding the bellies of the poor and fatherfess as he hath now gained himself a throng of friends to make supplication for him Luke 16.9 and to help him in the day of his infirmities Oh my brethren what a great deal of difference there is between old wicked men and old good men They have a long time been sowing the wind and in their old age they reap the whirle-wind as in Hosea 8.7 they sowe vanity and reap vexation of spirit they have been spining of the Spiders web of many vain and triviall pleasures and works of the flesh with which because they cannot * Esa 59.6 cloth themselves they lie the more naked open to the fierceness of divine wrath but these these have been so continually hastning through faith into the great name of Jesus as now they are * Prov. 18. 10. to wer'd in so great a strength as that they are safe against all the batteries of the powers of darkness these have made so faithfull and so fruitfull an improvement of their former dayes that their old age is to them as Mount Nebo to Moses Deut. 34. from whence they can look into the holy Land and see the Lord ready to receive their souls as soon as their bodies which are ripe for dissolution drop to the earth and thus the old age of good men is good to them as being profitable 3. As being pleasurable and delightfull a man would think it strange at the first sight that that age which hath such a ponderous clog of sinfull infirmities and wherein Solomon sayes a man will say he hath no pleasure in it Eccle. 12.1 should taste any delight 'T is true I confess wicked old men having spent their former days in the profanation of Gods blessed name in abusing his creatures to gluttonie and drunkenness and in sheding no other tears for their sinns but those of the tanker have at last nothing but horrors of conscience and preoccupations of Hell being afraid they shall step as soon in there as into their graves which they drawing neer by reason of their age are so much the more in trouble but good old men have such joyous reflections upon the long experience that they have had of the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living how the Lord hath born them as an Eagle upon the wings of his mighty power and delivered them from many dangers which otherwise would have overwhelmed them as they are in their old age comfortably sustain'd with such apprehensions think we that a Souldier having been long in the wars and been led by the gracious hand of God through many difficulties and hazzards of life does not upon thoughts of such deliverances sit down in his old age with comfort certainly if old covetous men can delight themselves in recounting their golden Elizabeths and Iacobus's which they have in heapes before them then how many thousand times more do the Saints of God joy themselves in telling over their mercies which they have frequently been enriched withall and no wonder therefore that the Psalmist in sense hereof breaks forth so pathetically in Psal 104.34 my meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord Beside Conscientia bene acta vitae multorumque benefactorum recordatio jucundissima as Cicere the review of a well spent life and those many works of piety and charity whereby eyes have been given to the blind and feet to the lame and the poor delivered that cryed Iob 29.12 and the fatherless and him that had none to help cannot chuse but solace the heart of an old man and he being sensible of all those blessings which he hath received from God to have been evidences of his loving kindness in this life and but beginnings of more love in the life to come cannot but possess himself with such a joy in the Holy Ghost as shall make his old age pleasurable Use Since then old age is good onely upon these several accounts be therefore carefull in the service of God before hand that it to you may be honourable profitable and pleasurable Alas yeares make no man good of themselves The Latines have a common Proverb and t is true barba non facit Philosophum that specious formalitie and appearance of years is no infallible sign of goodness a man with a beard and no wit showes that he hath more haire than wit and then he is the more contemptible for his but seeming beauty 't is with years as 't is with the outward things of the World they are good non quod bonos faciunt sed de quibus bona facimus August not that they make any man good but that good may be made of them and thus ought we to do and if we grow not better by this gift of God we shall grow worse more hardened in sin more miserable more abominable Solomon in the 25. of Ecclesiasticus reckons up three sorts of men which his soul did hate a poor man that is proud a rich man that is a lyar and an old adulterer that doateth he might have added a forth worse then all a poor old wicked man if a man be old and poor he is like never to be rich and no great matter and if he be old and wicked he is like never to be good but this is sad enough There may be I confess great possibility but very small hopes with many 'T is true he that bore upon the cross all the crimson and bloudie sins of the unconverted part of the lives of the Saints wherein they drew iniquity with cords of vanity and sin as it were with Cart-ropes may bear the many sins in the long life of an old man and through the sent of those Soveraigne waters which come from the Sanctuary of Christs blood the dry bones of their carrion souls may live But Oh! do not such men run a great hazzard in the willingness of God to give them a portion in Jesus Christ after so many grievous repulses of his spirit who hath said I will not alwayes

presse forward for the price of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ Phil. 3.14 Oh me thinks what should hinder the manifestation of our love to him in the oblation of all holy sacrifices to his name whom neither iniquity transgression nor sin could constrain to despise the workmanship of his hands but notwithstanding our enmitie against him by wicked works he should prepare an habitation for us eternal in the heavens and not onely so but prepare for us a way thither a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vaile that is to say the flesh of Christ in whom whosoever whether young or old approacheth unto the living God God will in no wise cast out Heb. 10.21 Having therefore such an high-priest over the house of God let us draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience and our bodies washed with pure water let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as ye see the day approaching the day what day the day of Judegement which particularly is after the dissolution of soul and body but generally is at the end of all the world which though both dayes are certain yet because 't is as uncertain when will be the one or the other it concerns us to make use of the present time and whilest 't is called to day be a working out our salvation with fear and trembling that when the Lord shall be pleas'd to demand our souls we may freely and with alacrity resigne them up into his hands as into the hands of a most wise mercifull creator and redeemer And now what shall I say more as to the text unless I should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 show you this diseased Gentlemans picture in the words Abraham before he dyed was 175. yeares of Age our friend was aboue 90. An age that did as kindly ripen him for the Grave as that of Abrahams in regard of which therefore that may be said of him which was said of holy Job chap. 5 26. That he came to the Grave as a Shocke of Corne cometh in his season Abraham before he dyed was a good old Man his goodness stands upon record in these four particulars First In his meek and peaceable disposition towards men as appeared in that he would rather remit of his right than stand to contend with his Cousen Lot Gen. 13.9 And this disposition was in our Friend I know it in one particular my selfe Secondly Abraham acknowledged that of whatsoever he possessed God was the Lord by paying into the hands of his Priest his tribute of Tythes Gen. 14.20 And this Reverence to God the Lord had taught this Son of Abraham here departed He never would dare to rob God of what he claimed as peculiar to himself He alwayes made a conscience of paying that to the Stewards of the mysteries of God which the Apostle cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 9.14 A reward for the glad tydings of the Gospel whether it were by Tythes or otherwise Thirdly Abraham when he saw three men at his door in the heat of the day most freindly invited them in and gave them entertainment and this was the fruit of his Hospitality that he entertained Angels unawares Heb. 13.2 And this disposition in our Father Abraham was drawn to the life in this his Deceased Son and 't was known to be in him wheresoever he was known and no question but by the entertaining the needy members of Christ as frequently he did he entertained those three persons which some interpret Abraham did Father Son and holy Ghost But then Fourthly Abraham by the eye of Faith saw the day of the Lord Jesus Christ at almost two thousand yeares distance and so did this his Son in whose soule so firm and lively a Faith was wrought in Christs blessed Incarnation Crucifixion Resurrection Ascension Session with and Intercession to the Father that certainly as in the time of his life he thus saw Christ in part so now he sees him Face to Face Now as it appears that Abraham before he dyed was a Good old Man so when he dyed he freely resigned his Ghost to God assuredly knowing that as God promised so he would be as good as his word to him in becoming his exceeding great reward and thus did this his Son whose willingness to depart this sinfull life and to be with God he delivered to me upon his Death-bed in many comfortable expressions And thus when Abraham had given up the Ghost he was gathered to his people even to the spirits of those just men who dyed before him as to his Soul and to his Wife in the Cave of Machpelah as to his Body and thus was his Son we trust as to his Soul he is beholding the face of God and Christ upon whose redundant merits he devolved himselfe and as to his body we see that he is here brought to his wives whom he buried here and to his eldest Son and Daughters whose Souls together with his we trust are joyned to the Quire of Angels in the glorious and eternall kingdom of God To which the Lord bring us all through the blood of sprinkling Amen Quid enim nisi vota supersunt FINIS Over-sights in the Printing PAge 12. l. 3. 5. for a friend r. a kin for beatifie r. beautifie p. 13. l. 15. 16. for erripere r. Arripere for superiore superior p. 15. l. 29. for actae r. actae p. 20. l. 26. for teares r. feares p 21. l. 26 27. for man r. men for enter r. enter p. 23. l. 6. 7. mind his peace r. mend his pace p. 27. l. 2. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 28. l 20. for much graine of Grace r. such graine of p. 32 l. 32. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diseased Gentleman r. deceased

a very able and godly ministrie so their doctrine distill'd upon his heart as dew upon the grass as the soft showers of heaven upon the tender herb and brought forth the fruit of love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness and that which is the lustre of them all temperance As for his love he did first pitch it upon God and then upon man for Gods sake and upon such especially as did nearest communicate as he thought of the likeness of God He was tender in point of censuring others whose judgment differ'd in matters rather of the superstructure than the foundation of faith or in matters intricate and of controversie and not opposing an holy life Difference in judgement in such affairs should not with him make a breach of charity especially if the parties so erring were consciencious in their outward conversation seemed desirous to prove all things and hold fast that which was good according to the Apostles rule 2 Thes 5.21 And where hee found any going astray there he would seek to reduce them with the spirit of meekness b Eph. 4.15 speaking the truth in love and pitying rather than insulting over their infirmities And as touching his own faith 't was strongly built upon the Scriptures which were to him as c Gen. 24.65 Isaac to Rebecca velum oculorum the veyle of his eyes he desir'd to confine his sight within that blessed compass When between the Ministers of Lynn there was a difference about the extent of divine grace he carried himself with an amiable wisdome and circumspection for he became an Auditor to both parties accounting that whatsoever was propounded in the name of God and his Son Jesus Christ might well deserve audience and when he had well weighed their opinions hee concluded that God had a peculiar people whom he knew from the beginning of the world and into whose hearts he purposed by his determinate counsell so to put his fear that they should not depart from him as Ier. 32.40 yet so as not to lay any violent constraint upon the liberty of their wills but to make them willing in the day of his power in the beauties of holiness and to draw them with a certain omnipotent facilitie who otherwise through natural corruption would never become subject to the divine will When once he and I had discourse concerning the Universalists I told him that the sacred Trinitie of Persons the Father Son and Holy Ghost as they had a d Gen. 1.26 Psal 8.3 Luke 1.51 finger in the creation of man and of the whole fabrick of heaven and earth so they had an arm in the redemption of man and were all equally sharers therein 't was the Fathers good pleasure to send the Son into humane flesh and the Son 's good pleasure to take it upon him to work salvation for men and the Holy Ghost's pleasure to work that salvation in them which the Son works for them so that unless the sun of righteousness did arise upon the hearts of men by the healing power of his spirit neither could they discern nor would they imbrace the way of their eternal peace and because this gracious work of Gods spirit is found in some and not in others we therefore say God loves some more then he does others and though many bee call'd yet few are chosen that there should be any one I told him 't was the infinite free mercy of God in Christ Jesus and this he certainly did believe and was not this faith of his like that of Abraham yes verily in this hee was a true son of Abraham and therefore as God was to Abraham a shield and an exceeding great reward Gen. 15.1 so he was and is to him he was a shield to defend him from the fiery darts of Satan and to keep him safe from the dominion and condemnation of sin and he is now questionless his exceeding great reward giving him a crown of righteousness in his glorious and eternal kingdome where we will leave him to the reward of his working and betake our selves to the working out of our reward who are yet but labourers in the Vinyard here below or rather strangers in this wilderness of sin and sojourners as all our fathers were whereof to have a more firm and active remembrance is The third and last end of this our funeral concourse Hereunto therefore let me beseech you friends to receive with meekness and reverence that portion of divine Writ before rehearsed out of Gen. 25.8 which words do present themselves to ordinary view in three obser vables 1 Something before Abraham's death 2 Something at his death 3 Something after his death First Abraham before he dyed was an old man a good old man and full of yeers the words are a compendious but a full narrative of Abraham's life Abraham was a great man in yeers and he was as good as great and therefore was said to have dyed in a good old age they which liv'd before him liv'd much longer even above eight hundred yeers yet we read not that they dyed in a good old age and they which liv'd after him liv'd not so long so that Abraham was remarkable in yeers and as much in goodness God made him great in yeers and his grace crown'd his yeers with goodness From whence therefore we may draw a twofold observation 1. Observ 'T is a blessing from the Lord to live long God blessed Abraham with length of yeers length of yeers comes within the compass of Gods promises now all his promises are exceeding great and precious God promis'd Solomon that if he would walk in his ways and keep his statutes he would lengthen his days 1 King 3.14 And this the Lord annexed to the fourth Commandment as a reward of obedience to father and mother Exo. 20. and the contrary is the just doom of all blood-thirfty and deceitful men they shall not live out half their days Psa 55.23 Now as in other gifts of God so in this God has a further intendment of grace to all his people when the Lord reaches forth his hand in any gift of his he does it to draw a man to himself in the knowledge of and sweet communion with him The Lord * 2 Cor. 6.1 labours for the advantage of men both in his word and works and thus he does in the gift of a long life The Lord in his Sabbaths intends a peculiar sequestration of our selves unto his divine service not only that thereby we should symbolize or betoken the God of our creation or redemption but that we should benefit our selves in a fuller knowledge of God and the way of salvation for to that purpose the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath Mark 2.27 and as upon all such dayes of rest Use we ought to be moving to God-ward in a more speciall manner so likewise upon all other dayes when we have a vacancie from our secular