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	love_v	sin_n	9,337	5	4.8347	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66997	Law-power, or, The law of relation written in the heart of ministers and people by the finger of God, is mighty through Him, to prevaile with both : to live as a people separated to their God, and from the world, specially at the Lord's Table.	Woodward, Ezekias, 1590-1675.	1656 (1656)	Wing W3496; ESTC R25194	60,431	76

wicked men passe for Beleevers having no faith and for Disciples who hate Discipline and for Saints who persecute holinesse If the law of your Relation be written in your hearts can this be Fifthly What meaneth then That this monstrous body we meane your Church hath so much glorie and favour in your eyes and the Church of Christ the true members thereof as in charitie you should judge so little That alone honourable with you this alone despicable so far as appeareth to mans eye you are every day washing the face of the one to make it looke goodly and faire before men and so to in-state it in and possesse it of glorious matters while you bewray the face of the other which must needs be while you wash the one not with dust as you may reade hereafter but with mire and dirt Surely ye could not doe so if the law of this Relation were writton on your hearts for thus ye and we read In whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that feare the Lord Well The Lord knowes who are His and He hath made some of them to know it that they are His for Him they serve And now they know That He loves them and to the end that hath no end He loveth them And now for mans love if they have it they thanke him for it if they have it not it matters little and troubles them lesse upon their owne score But this they know That upon whose heart soever this law of Relation is written this law of love is written also For every one that loveth Him That begat loveth Him also that is begotten of Him 1 Joh. 5. 1. Idem est motus animae ad finaginem rem saith Aristotle some where The love that beares up the soule to God beareth it also to the Image of God Qui amat-supra amat infra he that truely loves God above heartily loves his Brothe● beneath But see what it is to swallow downe the Principles of Infant Baptisme and to regulate all matters in the house of God according thereunto as some doe for it is to the men of that way and judgement we speake Sixthly If you have the law of your Relation written upon your hearts what meaneth then that you doe with your poore people sottish and brutish ones so contrary to this law In suffering them to take Sanctuary at the Ordinance of Baptisme thereby to shelter them from the wrath that is to come and while they live in their sinnes give them right and title to all Church-Administrations Surely surely they that feele the law of this Relation upon their hearts cannot doe so no not for a world can they doe it it were to make a poore ignorant people to beleeve a lie which we are assured is far from your purpose to doe But you know there is finis operis and operantis utter destruction of soules will be the end of this worke though it is not your end that are the workmen no the thought of it that you should destroy soules is an abhomination to you Let your worke as to this matter be an abhomination to you also You cannot in evill things and doiugs seperate the end from the meanes if the man will goe onn sinning his end will be perishing for ever as ye ought not in good things to seperate the meanes from the end if the end I drive to be eternall life the meanes must be taken that conduce thereunto Therefore by the mercies of God we beseech you and because of the terrour of the Lord His heavy wrath and displeasure dolefull and dreadfull punishments that must be the portion of all Stewards that feele not the law of their Relation written upon their hearts by the finger of God there and regard not to feele it we would perswade with you to Consider these matters what your doings have been and are how agreeable to the mind of your God rule of His word law of your Relation advise with one another about it and then speake your minds Having praemised these six things for tryall whether the law of your Relation be written upon your heart we proceed herein according to the proposed Method and first to shew CHAP. II. WHat an influence this law of Relation written in the heart by the finger of God hath upon the doctrine and practise of a Minister We will speake of him single for as it is with one it is with all who find that law as aforesaid and of his Doctrine first § 1 First He is his Lords Paranymph or spokesman he speakes a good word for Christ where ever he comes if it be seasonable thereby to make-up the match and betroth the soule unto Him He laboureth to come within the bosome of a sinner and grapple so powerfully with his spirit that He may take no nay at his hand and for the attaining this end and to make him see what need he hath of Christ He will lay open the lothsome nature of sin and let-in the terrour of the Lord upon the Conscience that the carelesse and rebellious sinner may come to a parley of peace and be content to take Christ upon His owne tearmes and take up the profession of the Truth and not stand at the Cost * This is Gods resolution to humble the soule so low till it can in truth and seriousness bid Christ welcome upon any conditions His mercy and the blood of His Son is so pretious and unvaluable that He will not cast-it away where no notice shall be taken of it but He will make the he●rt subscribe experimentally to that Truth of His. 1 Tim. 1. 15. D. Re. Tr p. 389. Though so doeing he must part with all he hath of His owne his dearest lust and all And here He discovers to the sinner as he can the cunning fetches of his cursed heart and hunts him out of his Muses that he may not cozen himselfe and sit downe with some reserved Delusion and goe no farther And this is the Lords way sure in whose stead he stands and therefore craves of Him dayly His eye-salve that he may stand in His counsell and walke in His way and doe that which he hath seene with his heavenly Father as He hath done and by His Word and Spirit still doth so doth he in His strength and by the directions of His Word Wee will insist upon this a little When ever the Lord brings any soule over to Himselfe He first hideth pride from his eyes Man every man borne into the world and growing up there is a stout rebell a stiffe-necked creature as his father is and as yeares adde Cubits to his stature so is there an addition made to his pride and rebellion as he growes-up he growes more like his father every day now so soone as the Lord God is pleased to deale with this man by His Word and Spirit He knocks downe this Monster pride for this beares-up mightily against the Word and Spirit

often meeting one with another and speaking one to another and working one for another what possibly they can We will put a close to this in Blessed Sibs his words Next to the meditation of Christ and the Excellencies that are in Him I know no way more effectuall than is holy Communion with those that are led with the Spirit of Christ when we see the sweet fruite of it in others It hath been a meanes sanctified to doe a great deale of good to many and those that delight not in it never knew what the likenesse of Christ meant for those that desire to be like Christ they love the shineing of Christ in any They are a carelesse people to whom all companies are alike But they that walke circumspectly looking round about making it their onely care how to please God these will make choice of those that find some worke of grace on their hearts by the Spirit of God if not they may well doubt of their Condition and that there is no worke of grace wrought at all for grace will make us love the like As you see creatures of the same kind love to company with one another Doves with Doves and lambs with lambs so it must be with the children of God or else we do not know what the communion of Saints meanes In the last place and in prosecution of that was last said Fourthly We Conclude That the Saints loving and delighting in their Communion together are fruitfull and usefull to one another while they are together and therefore doe speake often one to the other Thereby to stirre-up one anothers pure minds And this is a Duty so cleared in the booke of God to be according to the mind and word of God to keepe off from the wicked who will keepe far off from God And oppose the meanes whereby they may be brought nearer unto Him It is so agreeable to the Divine Nature and as we heard the new creature to converse with their like and so to walke together in Gospell Order that truly we cannot conceive what can be reasonably said against ●t by any reasonable man specially by Ministers of Christ Nay we are assured nothing can be reasonably said against it True it is Ministers in name such and godly by profession doe oppose this Assembling together of Saints but they are ashamed no doubt to shew so little reason as to reason against it For to gaine Instruction from lower matters Can we thinke That the matters or concernments of a parish are so considerable That the chiefe men or Masters there with the rest must meete sometime to conferre about them for the better disposing of them according to decencie and right order Can we thinke then and thinke like men that the matters of Christ the concernments of His glory in our salvation will not require the like care and so Command the people of God Saints by calling to meete often and conferre about those high and sacred matters so nearely relateing to the welfare of that Body whereof the Lord Christ is the Saviour that these may be administred according to the mind of Christ and rule of His word praescibed by Himselfe to be observed in His house by His Stewards there If they will make full proofe that such they be by fidelity as well as in Name and by Office Well we are confident our Lord and Master makes us so whose manner was to speake alone and apart with His Disciples so doe all those that have gone forth by the footsteps of the flocke following His steps That all those Ministers who oppose this Assembling of the Saints together there to speake often one to another for the ends aforesaid are self-willed men self-will is their reason so there is no argueing with them who have nothing to oppose against this Gospell fellowship but their will or carnall Reason onely we would commend them to the Prayers of the Saints And for thy selfe Reader if thou canst skill onely in thy Mother tongue we would Commend to thy meditation that plaine English thou readest Eph. 4. 16. From whom the whole body c. and if thou canst skill in the Latine Then we heartily commend to thee Learned Calvins three doctrines therefrom and Beza's observations thereupon in his notes common with us and in his larger Annotations too large to be inserted in this place SECT II. ANd so we make bold to give in our Jealousie which may passe for better Reason than any self-will can give why Ministers reputed Godly plead for a loose way of receiving all sorts of persons to Communion at the Lords-Table and by promiscuous admissions prostitute the Ordinances of Christ to every Commer opposeing in the meane while what they can as they must needs doe allowing such doings the Communion of Saints here below and fellowship one with another First Is it not because they would not displease the people least thereby they should open the peoples mouths against them and shut their purses As certainly it would be so for two footed swine and dogs who returne to their folly as those foure footed ones to their vomit and myre cannot endure to be called such and dealt with as such in point of Church Communion Indeed as worthy Mr Manton saith this pleading for a loose way of receiving Epist before Mr. Sanders Booke all sorts of persons to holy things Looketh as exactly calculated for a wordly interest We charge you not so as he doth not but we would charge you in the name of the Lord ye would examine your selves whether it be not so And this we dare say to helpe you-on in your tryall That as long as a mans heart is over-loving and over-delighting in any thing but God he shall doe little for God perhaps much against Him For be he a man of great Part. 2. 359 illumination raised gifts as worthy Mr Burgesse saith and parts whereby he is admired in the world yet hath not a crucifyed and mortifyed heart he cannot but pray preach and discourse of those things which though not above his understanding yet above his heart and affections And then little can he or will he doe for God in his owne private house or in the house I have had much to doe with my proud swelling mi●d my stiffe neck and stubborne heart Hier. of His God Therefore we would advise others as we doe our selves in Luthers words If they would overcome a world of enemies without they must begin with their master-lust within and when that Goliah is subdued the Army is routed and they will flye This I know saith Luther by certaine experiences That I have more cause to feare what is within me than what is without and I have hit the naile on the head when I say venter in omni Vbi non viden● quaes●um rident Christum ubi datur u● edant add●ci possunt ut credant To●no upon Hos 10. 11. Avari●â est plerumque haeresinem comes somes

c. Ames in pe religione potentissimum Idolum the belly swayes most in every religion though where that is served Christ is destroyed and they who make their belly their God makes the Lord Christ but an Idol And this be spoken to bid you beware of the world if with full purpose of heart ye would worke for the Lord or have a thought of joyneing with Gods people or of their joyning with you ye will breake the staffe of beauty and bands quickly and away ye will goe as Demas did having embraced the present world Secondly Is it not because ye doe not stand in Gods Counsell ye doe not aske at His mouth Therefore your Judgement is so mistaken in the matters which doe concerne the glory of His house and manner of His people in all times specially those which were as ours have been yea are fierce and perillous reforming times A godly man lookes fixedly up to His God and then downe to His Word he will goe as far towards peace with all men as his light will guide him and take Holines with him he dare not step one step in the darke for then he certainly falls into sin more cannot be desired and lesse ye cannot doe if you doe your Duty in great matters and in small looke to have a word for what you doe so shall you doe things decently and in order else all will be out of order as now they are SECT III. BUt this making a difference and separating between the pretious and the vile is the stone of stumbling and gives great offence It doth so and so it ever did and so it will and it must so doe To take away this offence we say first First Holy Paul speakes fully to this we thinke doe I now perswade men or God that is doe I endeavour to perswade with you in the things of men or in the things of God and the Lord Jesus Christ doe I plead His cause or mine owne or doe I seeke to please men would I endeare my selfe to you or Him to you and His matters of so neare concernment to your pretious soules This I know and would have you to know If I yet pleased men I should not be the servant of Christ Gal. 1. 10. It is not possible in these matters but ye must offend God and His little ones or ye must offend men who cannot possibly be pleased But where and when God is highly offended which of these will ye offend when ye can no more please both than yecan serve two Masters you can remember who said it The Lord God is a glorious Friend and as dreadfull an enemie Therefore He had rather offend the whole world than Him for what can the world doe to please or quiet the Creature when God is displeased or to disquiet displease or discompose him when God is pleased with him when He giveth quietnes who then can cause Job 34. 29. trouble and when He hideth His face so we may understand it who then can behold him Who can endure the hideing of Gods face we may safely understand it too If God hide the face of a man that is condemne him passe sentence of death upon him of which hideing or covering the face was a symbol Esth 7. 8. who can behold Him who can see His face have communion Mark 14. 65. with Him whom God hath put from Him having separated him to destruction It is not then to be regarded what offends men but what offends God Feare we God and desire we of Him That He would strengthen us with All might according to His glorious power to walke worthy of Him unto all well-pleasing being fruitfull in every good worke and encreasing in the knowledge of God Ye will need all Might to enable to all pleasing and to fence you against the feare of men when ye are upon this separating worke So true is that of the wise man The feare of Prov. 29. 25. a man bringeth a snare but who so putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe or set on high Secondly Observe what God Commands and buckle-up to the obedience of it and know ye have warrant sufficient for this Have not I commanded you Come out from among them and be 2 Cor. 6. 17. ye separate and touch not the uncleane thing and I will receive you Ye say this is not meant of separating from a Church we say so too And that no such profession of separation is required from this or that or any Church but onely a separation from the world especially at the Lords Table The Church is that from which the rent is Haeresie divides from the head S●hisme from the body Apostacie from both Schisme is a renting from Churches and from Saints Separation commanded by God and practised by good men is onely from the world and that which is of the world that they may Cement and sodder together being united to Christ their Head and by charity one to another so this separation is not for want of Charity but in all love and humility together which makes them goe stooping one towards another that they may advance one th' other Heaven-ward The Godly cannot joyne with the world in their worship for then they must joyne with them in their sin so they are not so much drawne from the world as driven from the world su●ati non fugitivi The blame of Schisme saith Voetius must not be upon those who forsake those that have forsaken Christ and His Truth Therefore as not the punishment but the Cause makes the Martyr so non decessio sed causa facit schismaticum not the departing but the c●use makes the schismaticke he or she one or more that is a true separatist can say calling God to record upon their soules That love to God To their owne and others soules is the cause of their separation not want of love to their Neighbour which may remind you of what that Excellent Italian Divine Zanchi said separating from the Church of Rome I now seventy yeares old testifie together with my whole family to the Church of Christ to all Eternity That I separated from Rome with no other intent but to turne againe to Communion with her so soone as she is turned to the Lord and is become as that Church was whose praise is in the Gospell Beloved of God called to be His Saints Rom. 1. 7. So they that are followers of God as Deare Children can say from whom soever they separate now to them they will gladly returne anone when they shall be turned to the Lord which they pray-for without ceasing Thirdly In the last place This fellowship of the Saints one with another at their private meetings hath a very ill resentment with Godly Ministers and Gods people also so we have heard and so indeed we find it to be And it should be surely is of a sad resentment to all the Godly in Christ Jesus all over the Nation