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	world_n	13,220	5	5.1546	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69684	The doctrine of particular unconditionate election (before time) asserted and prov'd by God's word against the Quakers, papists, and Arminians : in answer to a challenge given the author (by the Quakers) to make good (by the Scriptures of truth) the abovesaid doctrine ... / by Ja. Barry.	Barry, James, fl. 1650-1702.	1700 (1700)	Wing B969A; ESTC R27208	49,035	128

Counsel of the Lord standeth for ever the Thoughts of his Heart to all Generations What is Gods Election of some to Life Eternal and the means leading thereto but the Birth or Product of his own Counsel Rom. 9.11 The purpose of God according to Election must stand And Oh what an unspeakable cause of rejoycing is this very Consideration to that Man or Woman who find in themselves the Fruits or Effects of the New Birth to think and believe that they in particular are chosen to Life Eternal by him who cannot change that purpose of his wherewith he hath purposed to Save so poor and miserable a Sinner as the effectually called Sinner looks on himself to be Neither is the poor weak Believer to doubt but that those Sins and Backslideings both of his Heart and Life for which he will be but too apt to fear and conclude God will at length cast him off were all perfectly known to God even then when he Elected him to Salvation notwithstanding which God fixt his Love and embraced the poor Sinner in the Bosom of his irreversible Decree when nothing of Loveliness but rather the contrary appeared to the Eye of Gods Praecognition or fore knowledge in the Soul so pitcht on by his Decree Whom God once loves with that Electing Love he loves them to the end Jer. 31.8 Mal. 3.6 Jo. 13.1 Rom. 11.29 And as Gods Act in Electing is without change so in the third place it was from Eternity though the work of effectual Calling and Saving Conversion be in time yet Gods decree and purpose of bestowing that Grace and Mercy on the Elect Sinner was before time So witnesseth the Apostle Acts 15.18 Known unto God are all his Works from the beginning of the World Ephes 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World 2 Thes 2.13 From the beginning hath God chosen you Rev. 17.8 Whose Names were not written in the Book of Life from the Foundation of the World The Electing Love of God it is from one Eternity to another as it did commence before time so when time shall be swallowed up of endless Eternity this Love of God to his Elect and chosen in Christ will be and continue the same for ever And therefore let that Believer who feels himself inwardly and frequently annoyed with those discouraging Fits of fickleness and unconstancy in walking with God in the way of New Obedience take Sanctuary here by Faith applying to himself the sweet Benefits of these Properties of Gods Electing Love filling both his Head and Heart with the thoughts and fixed perswasion that the Blessed God who is the Infinite Soveraign of the World who Acts all things which pleaseth himself according to the Counsel of his own Will hath of his own good pleasure chosen him a poor unworthy empty nothing Creature to be a Vessel of Mercy through Jesus Christ to the Praise of the Glory of his own Grace And that Love wherewith God hath Loved him it began towards him before he had an actual Being yea before the World was And as that Love of God was set on him before time began so when time it self shall be no more that Love of God to him shall still be endless like God himself Nothing more conduceth under God to Heart Settlement in the ways of God then to be well Verst in Understanding and Believeing with application to ones fels these Fundamental Principles of Gospel Religion And this one thing I desire the Reader to remember and carefully to observe viz. That if there were no other Argument to evince and make good the Truth I have now asserted than the Arduous and Elaborate endeavours of Satan and his busy Agents both in Preaching and Printing against the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation it were sufficient The Devil and the Pope know full well how destructive and pernicious to both their Kingdoms the bringing Sinners to the Scriptural Knowledge and right Believing this Doctrine will be And therefore for preventing hereof the Doctrine it self must be expos'd in the blackest hue as a Doctrine which makes Men proud secure and careless of good Works and which leads Men to loose Living and in the end to final Desperation And as the Doctrine it self is shot at by the Romish and Arminian Archers so the most zealous and bold Assertors and Maintainers of it are set out in the most odious and black colours which Envy and Malice it self can devise but maugre all the Crast and Envy of Devil and his most subtil and industrious Tools the Doctrine of particular Election before time is plainly held forth and asserted in the Writings of Moses the Prophets and the Holy Apostles And in case Divine Providence calls to a suffering Condition for defence of it I do not doubt but God hath a Sealed number in these Kingdoms known to himself who will be enabled to Seal the Truth of it with their dearest Blood An Objection or two lyes in the way to be answered before I can proceed to what remains behind Object 1. The Doctrine of particular Election puffs Men with Pride Answ The contrary to this the Devil himself knows to be true For I doubt not but Satan hath made his Observations that none of all Gods called Children have more abounded with Humility and self Abasement than those who have had the highest assurance of Gods Electing Love None but these can rightly admire and adore the Grace and Love of God in Christ Jesus To me who am less than the least of all Saints is this Grace given c. crys that great Apostle of the Gentiles Ephes 3.8 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation That Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners of whom I am the chief 1 Tim. 1.15 For I am the least of the Apostles that am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I Persecuted the Church of God 1 Cor. 15.9 But by the Grace of God I am what I am Vers 10. It is to be observed that among all the Apostles none was more highly advanced in respect of extraordinary Manifestations and Gospel Revelations than Paul was and yet among all the Apostles none more abased No greater admirer of Free Grace than he was and indeed not only Paul but others also both under the Old Testament and under the New whom Free Grace singled out to be Vessels of Mercy These were still addicted to go out of themselves in a way of self Abasement and crying up the Riches of Gods Grace and Mercy every way free and undeserved by them And herein I appeal most freely to the Personal Experience of every regenerate Believer now Living whether they do not find in themselves that the nearer they come to know and perceive the Love of God to themselves in particular the more vile they are in their own esteem and the more the Sight and Sense of their own Nothingness grows and abounds the more are they