Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	jesus_n	lord_n	world_n	5,473	5	4.3660	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88698	Gallicantvs, seu Præcursor Gallicinii primus. Containing two addresses, the one to the King, the other to the Parliament. Tegether [sic] with a postscript about the affaires of religion, of most high concernment. By R. Lanceter, author of Gallicinivm, now in the presse.	Lanceter, R., 17th cent.	1660 (1660)	Wing L425D; Thomason E1041_1; ESTC R207925	27,361	35

the case be considered from what all men professing Christ do acknowledge namely 1. That there was a true and pure Church in the time of the Apostles and a good while after so long as it abode in the Apostolical Rule Way 2. That there was to be a falling away from that Rule and Way of true Christianity and that to be universally and damnably as the Scriptures declare fully and clearly 3. That this falling away into the estate of damnation took beginning even in the Apostles times as to some persons which afterward became a general Apostasie from the Faith under which Apostasie the Christian World so called was to abide 1260 yeares 4. All Christians holding and believing all the former things and the Protestant Divines holding the latter do withall declare and maintain that for about 1100. years before the Reformation the Christian World was generally in the Antichristian Apostasie hence then it must needs follow that there still remains after the Reformation began by Luther about 160. years of Antichrists Reign which must of necessity comprehend all the time since unto this day Thus far the truth of the case is born out by all that profess belief in the Scripture Prophesies especially by all Protestant Divines and Churches Secondly Be it considered from what is further acknowledged namely That the true Christian Apostolical Primitive Church was and is called the pure Church for that it abode in the truth and sincerity of the Gospel in its naked purenesse and spiritual clearnesse living and walking in the new nature c. But in the after-times and so to this day the Church framed it self into an Artificial Garb and Structure both in Doctrine and in Worship Ordinances and Discipline wherein it boasts it self of its Liberty and Power so to add and change as to become quite another to what it had been alledging That then it was in its Infancy naked bare unpollish'd stint●sh c. But now is become adult of perfect maturity beauteous adorned splendid and in far more complete accomplishments Hence it must needs follow That if the Church Primitive were truely Christs and represented by the Woman clothed with the Sun the nakednesse and clarity of Truth Rev. 12. Then the other must be that of Antichrist and represented by the gorgeous Whore arrayed with earthly Pomp and Gallantry Lyes and Vanity Rev. 17. 18. Which if as Babylon the Mother of Horlots is signified the Romish Church then all other Churches bred out of her as all ours are are no other then her Daughter-Harlots If it be objected That all the Artifices Additions and Changes brought into the Church are but Circumstantial tending to order and decency and so alter not the Nature and Essence of the Church I answer it is quite otherwise those Artifices have utterly mixed Christianity even as much as Adams fall ruined all mankind the case is even the same as may and will be manifested in season it being the utmost height of that despoyling of all and destroying of all Religion which is spoken of Jude 4. and in many other places of Scripture Thirdly Be it considered what is yet further acknowledged that the Scripture fore-speaking of the most accursed Estate of people in the last times beyond all others before as no times to have been under such horrid Apostasie and Cursednesse as those and that all confess that these are those times do also declare that this condition should be universal and in that estate mens hearts to be so shut up blinded and hardened as no working upon them should win them out of it being given over to so strong delusion to believe a lye to their utter damnation such a delusion as to rest in a form of godliness and utterly to deny and turn away its Po●er such a besottednesse in a carnal self-pleasing Religion as to lye drunk in it and abundance of the like dreadful expressions and fore-speakings of the state of the last times And withall that there should be no release and deliverance out of this woful estate until the brightness of Christ dissolve and break those chains of darknesse save onely from some palpable enormities towards the end of the Reign of Antichrist which brightnesse of Christ having not yet appeared needs it must be that Antichrist still abideth in life power and all his essentials even where much of his outward parts have been consumed among the reformed These things and many more discovered at large in Gallicinium may well startle and affright us For surely were there such Churches and so many precious people yea and National Churches as we dream of these things could not be nor ever have been uttered by the Word of truth Fourthly Be it considered from the clear and unquestionable evidence of the case it self which all men must acknowledge and cannot possibly clude when it be set before them And herein 1. Consider wherein consists the true nature and essential proprieties of the true Church as it stood and abode in the Apostolical and Primitive times was it not in the new Man the Lord Jesus Christ in spirit and power formed in their hearts according to his proper Nature and Office which Nature is Love and his Office is to bruise the Serpents head that is the Lusts which are the Kingdom and Power of the Devil in man and so to restore man unto that estate in the Image of God wherein he was first created that so living and walking in love the good works flowing from thene to be the fruits unto eternal life so being in the life of God and acting God's part and work in the world to be ever wel-pleasing and acceptable to God himself so becoming a Temple and Kingdom of God and of Heaven Is not this to be truly a Christian and this course and conversation the way of the Church and the conversation in heaven And did not the Primitive Church thus live thus walk Was not herein their Church-Way Church-Rule and all that denominated them truly Christian See at their fir●t conversion Act. 2. 4. how Christ and Christianity manifested it self purely in their out-flowing self-denying Love so in all their Life Conversation Exercise whole Demeanure among the Heathen Was not the essential Character of their Religion and Grace meerly Love whence flowed all Virtue Goodness Holiness c So as it became the all-sufficient Note and Character whereby to be known to be the Disciples of Christ as himself declared Joh. 13.34 But now bring we our Church and all Churches now and of long time called Christian and see if any such character note and evidence can be found So as indeed it is utterly unknown shut up in a Mysterie making good that of the Apostle Eph. 3.19 The love of Christ passeth knowledge Sure it is and Gallicinium will make it evident that both we and all other Churches so called are far from the true Church of Christ even the pure Church of old as Hell

but as that Annointing taught them The second is as clear in that all the true Members of Christ and his Church are said to be born again and being so born to be in that condition as never to sin 〈◊〉 in possibility to sin And the third is as clear from the Testimonies of the abundant joy rejoicing contentment satisfaction and flowing measure of all true heavenly good wherein the Saints and Church of Christ continually lived and poured forth These things are plentifully evident in the Word of the Gospel See then if the first branch hereof be not fully made good 2. For the second branch namely That a clear full and all-sussicient way for it was laid down by Christ is as evident also in the Gospel where we find 1. That this way is meerly and alone Love that Love which the world knows not as the Gospel affirmeth wherein is all the Light unto all Truth so as to need no other Teaching It is a vain Antichristian boasting out of pride and arrogance which blindeth the heart to advance the Learned and Learning into the place and Office of guiding in case of Religion Were this Love known and the power of it set in the heart it were Light and guidance enough into all things infallibly as may easily be shewed convincingly unto the hardest heart Again in Love is all Holiness Righteousness Goodness and not possibly any sin All sin is from the absence of this Love as may clearly be evidenced as in the Lusts is all the blinding of the heart so also is all the sin and wickedness in man And lastly in Love is all happiness for therein is all contentment satisfaction and joy and no joy comfort and contentment comparable thereunto as on th● contrary all sorrow vexation and wo is stated in Lust 2. That this Love is the whole way of Christ 1. It is the whole sum of his Doctrine wherein is the fulfilling of the Law no other Precept or Doctrine did Christ hold forth but Love 2. It was the course of all his Life whereby hefulfilled and perfected the ●aw it being not possible to be truely kept til he in that love did it whence all his life was a going about doing good as the Scripture witnesseth 3. It is truly himself in spirit and power whereinto the regenerate are born and by which they perform such true obedience to the Law as they neither sin nor can sin 3. That in this Love thus brought into the world and into man's nature all the truly converted received Christ and his Gospel and therein also preached Christ and inwrought him into others whereby they became Churches of Saints This was the work of the Ministry and the work of the Church and Elders and all the ruling and governing which the Gospel speaks of namely to act in Love and thereby beget many Sons and Daughters unto God by strengthening one another enlightening the ignorant supporting cherishing the weak and needy and reclaiming the obstinate and unruly rendring all the Church pious to God loving ust and all good doing to others loyal to their Princes and Rulers no such people ever as they living in the world whence Christ said that the least in this Gospel-Love is greater then the greatest that lived in the most exactnesse of Legal Obedience 3. For the third Branch namely That it is an easie and ready thing to bring all Congregations Parishes and People into the same Estate and Condition again even to be Churches of Saints yea and much more easie for us to compass it now then in those times of old How easily this is made good be it considered 1. That the same means thereunto still remains with us No one of Christs Ordinances and means of Grace is lost and perished what Christ planted is stil in being in the Church though planted again by man in a false ground all being plucked up out of Christ the love and planted in Antichrist in mans carnal lusts but yet stil they remain it is but to remove the Plants again and all is done 2. That there is the same way to effect all as formerly For stil there remain such Societies Congregations and Parishes of people meeting and professing Christ in the exercise of the Ordinances of Christ unto Salvation as are in nearest resemblance to the Churches of old that were called Churches of Saints Herein is every where a Ministry and People easie to be ordered in the way of being Elders and Youngers to accomplish all the blessed effects to make pure Churthes of Saints Would but Ministers themselves learn and know Christ and accordingly preach him to others And then the Elders or better Proficients in Grace that have gotten truly into the knowledge of Christ do their part to inwork also Christ into others and so back the work of the Ministry Were but Christ so in the hearts of some in every Parish as they could say with St. Paul The love of Christ constrein us all the work unto Saintship must necessarily follow 3. That there is the same power to effect all by spiritnal efficacy of Christ in and with his own Ordinance as well as ever was of old is clear both by Scripture where we have Christs promise to be with his unto the end of the World and also by our own acknowledgement all of us resting upon that Power of Christ to carry us unto Salvation through the use of the means and therefore questionless it is as efficacious for all other spiritual and heavenly purposes and effects towards others Lastly that it is more easie for us now to compass it then it was of old is clear for that we are backed into all things by a Christian Magistracy and Authority which then was wanting yea might and main opposing Clearly is seen abundance of advantage unto us more then was unto them only that may be said of us which is in the Proverbs Wherefore is there a price put into the hand of a fool to get wisdom seeing he hath not an heart unto it Too true it is Christ is wholly unknown It may be said both of Princes and people what was said of Elies sons They are sont of Belial they know not the Lord nor his Son Jesus Christ But be sure the time is at hand when if not we yet a wiser generation shall have an heart to get wisdom by the price put into their hand Christ shall rule all Nations with a Rod of Iron namely in and by the power of the true Heavenly self-denying Love the Fountain of all goodness in the hearts of all even as now the Devil and Antichrist do in and by the all-commanding power of the Hell-reigning Lusts in the hearts of every one unto all exorbitances and excess in sinfulness and wo. All these things are abundantly set forth and cleared in Gallicinium and much more also The Lord prosper both this and that also to his own heavenly glory 4. PROPOSAL That to bring

cannot hinder him when that season comes Behold the stone cut out of the Mountains without hands which is to smite Babylons Image and overthrow all the Hel-Dominion on the Earth is now in the cutting out and ere long the blow wil be given All the structures and devices of the wisdome of man shal have their fall return to their first nothing The Earthquake hath long been wherein the 7000. Names of men that is the inventions devices and structures of men in Religion whereby they have manifested themselves and made known the foolishness of their wisdom are to be slain and then the remnant afffrighted shall give glory to the God of Heaven and so the Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever God hath so determined the times and seasons unto all say and do all the wits and powers of the world what they can There is but an hour for the power of darkness to prevail and then comes the power of the Light eternally to rule all Nations with a Rod of Iron And thus having spoken nothing but the words of Christ and of his heavenly spirit I may further apply thereto that saying of Christ The words which I have said unto you they are spirit and they are life THE CONCLUSION Most Dread Soveraign AS in my first Addresse so in the close hereof I make return unto Your Maesty in the first place humbly beseeching you to consider if what I therein declared be not now made good and accordingly whether ever any thing of so high and heavenly nature was ever presented and tendered to any Prince on Earth And whether the prosecution hereof will not advance your Throne above all the Kings that ever were before you Look not upon it I beseech you as the work of a poor simple man but as a Message from the King of Kings and his Son JESUS CHRIST who hath reserved this for your time and restored you to your Kingdoms for so great a work Finally this your poore Suppliant aged and weak who yet through the strength of Christ can stand on his leggs before and against all the Powers on Earth in defence of these Truths of his Lord and Master do yet as in his first Addresse tendered to your Majesties hands so now again humbly prostrates himself on his bended knees before Your Majesty beseeching you in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God and to set your heart to bring all all your Kingdoms and Subjects in what lyes in you into the same most blessed reconciliation with God in Christ Right Honorable Senators of the two Houses of Parliament whom God hath now happily joyned with our gracious Soveraign O that man may never separate again whom God hath thus joyned To your Honours I say as I made my Humble Address in the next place unto his Majesty by the hands of the Honourable Speaker to the House of Commons so I again return my speech to you in the same order humbly besecching you to take it as an Addresse of the highest concernment that ever was or can be tendred unto you ye profess to make Christian Laws to establish a Christian Government and all your intentions and aims to be truly Christian Of necessity therefore ye must lay the foundation of all in Christ which this presents you with or else all is but building upon the Sand Be pleased therefore to take into most deepe and serious consideration what is here presented you and say not by any means ye have not yet leisure for it and so lay it by but bear in mind That Foundations are first to be considered and laid and if ye have leisure to act any thing yea to eat or sleep or live then much rather ye must find leisure for this seeing that both to eat sleep live and act any thing are all to be to the glory of God in Christ which this Addresse wholly and alone concerneth Right Houorable the Lord Mayor Sheriffs Aldermen and all others of this head Citie of my Nation unto whom also I have made my humble address by casting my self into your arms not creeping into houses to lead any Captive but proclaiming in your streets the Name of the LORD O let it not be said of you as once it was of that head City Jerusalem O Jerusalem Jerusalem that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee I say unto you and to all other the Magistrates and people throughout all these kingdoms and Nations unto whom these addresses may come Men Brethren and Fathers unto you is the ●ord of this salvation sent Never Rulers and People had more need of it never was God and all that is of heaven so lost in the world as is now Behold here the light of God's countenance returning upon you Christ proclaiming his coming in power and great glory Behold I say here a breaking forth of that Light which will yet grow clearer towards the perfect day which if it be received and imbraced will abundantly make good that of the Prophet of old Happy are the people that are in such a case yea blessed are the people that have the Lord for their God Reverend Divines of this Honorable City to whom I have also made my address by repairing to diverse of you to beseech your help and concurrence in this work of the Lord not so much presuming to impart Light unto you as to crave further Light by partaking of your grace My humble Request both unto you and to all other of Christ's Ministry in these Nations is That you would not make good my jealousies and fears conceived in this case that as it was to Christ at his first appearing so also now the Priesthood to be the bitterest adversaries The grounds of the fears are the same which were in them having drunk so long and so deep of the old wine it is very hard to like of new O remember that the same word of prophesie which fore-spake of the slaughter of 7000 names of men which we find in the executing speaks also in the same place of the fall of the tenth part of the City which to be the Clergie of Antichrist's Church is more then probable and the making it good must be either by their falling from Babylon or together with Babylon into eternal perdition which latter cannot be avoided if the other salling off prevent it not even by hearkning to that call from heaven Come out of her my people c. lest yee be partakers of her plagues And now in a word to all committing you all to God and to the Word of his Grace I commend to your consideration that of the Prophet Jer. 26.13.14 15 16. Hatred Tribulation and Persecution from the World is the bequest of Christ to his saithful ones an Inheritance in Christ never to be parted with till himself appear again in power and great glory to incline the hearts of all to the love of the Truth And therefore wo to those pretenders for Christ whom all men esteem love and applaud as himself hath said They are the false Prophets which were to come into the world strange it may seem that this excreme difference should be seeing that all professe and preach by Name the same Christ onely here it differs the one doth it in jest the other in good earnest the one in hypocrisie the other in sincerity the one basely suted to mens carnal Lusts the other highly advanced into the heavenly self-denying love And so the wide difference stands clear the one is the Antichrist from Hell the other the Lord Christ from Heaven Therefore the hatred must of necessity be by reason of the enmity of Hell in the carnal mind against God Here then is the hope and comfort if this tender of the Lord Jesus Christ find place in the hearts of people then is the brightness of Christs coming appearing in such hearts unto assurance or proceeding to the highest glory of Christ if otherwise then the hour of darkness is not yet past but the true Light is reserved for a better generation which God in his own time will bring about and then none shall hinder it FINIS