Selected quad for the lemma: enemy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
enemy_n	evil_a	good_a	overcome_v	2,148	5	9.0851	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A46725	Peace and love, recommended and perswaded in two sermons, preached at Bristol, January the 31, 1674/5 / by Tho. Jekyll ...	Jekyll, Thomas, 1646-1698.	1675 (1675)	Wing J533; ESTC R1429	32,018	39

such excellent Council and Advice especially too since the enjoyments of this life and our hopes of happiness in another do so necessarily depend upon it All which since I have I hope clearly and fully prov'd that which remains is to excite you to and direct you in the practice of this Duty First Then see here the excellency of the Christian Religion in general it requires nothing at our hands but what tends to the improving of our natures into an absolute Perfection all its Laws are wholesome and good and such as a wise man would choose to be guided by Deut. 4.6 Moses tells the Children of Israel that the Observation of those Laws that he taught them would be their Wisdome and their understanding in the sight of the Nations who would be ready to give this Character of them that they were above all others a wise and understanding People And if the Law of God were so excellent then what is it now since it has been improv'd by the Gospel and illustrated by our Saviours admirable exposition upon on it in the Mount Certainly there is nothing in the World more sweet and taking nothing that comes so near the Reason and the Interest of Mankind nay even the severest duties of it which seem the most contrary to our natural Tempers and Constitutions such as are Meekness and Humility Repentance and self-denyal Mortification of our Lusts and passions and the like yet even this if we look well into them will appear not only reasonable in themselves but upon several accounts very much for our interest and advantage tending all along to the perfect quiet and settlement of our minds here and to our everlasting happiness and peace hereafter And as for that peculiar Law of Christianity which forbids Revenge and commands us to love our Enemies and to forgive Injuries though it may seem harsh and grievous at the first yet no man can think it so that compares the restless Torment and continual slavery of a malicious and revengeful Spirit with the delights and sweetness of Love and the glorious victory of overcoming evil with good whereby a man conquers both his Enemy and himself 2. See here the necessity of these two excellent Duties in particular viz. peace and holiness 1. For that of peace which the Apostle requires should be universal follow peace with all men which precept of his doth very well agree with the New Testament notion of a Brother which is indeed every man in the World as appears from the parable of the man that fell among Thieves whereby not only our kindred and acquaintance but even strangers and our very Enemies too are brought into that Relation upon which account this becomes as necessary a duty as it is an excellent grace and commends us unto God beyond all other duties of Religion nay it 's that which gives being to Religion it self and is the very Life and Soul of all true Devotion For indeed what is Christianity it self but the highest Demonstration of the greatest love that ever was And why is it so cleerly Revealed unto us but only to excite us to the like practices one towards another And therefore at the last day this is the main thing that we shall be accountable for so that if there be any thing more necessary than other in order to the obtaining of everlasting Salvation it must certainly be this hatred and malice being of all other things the most odious in the sight of God as being so directly contrary to the daily methods of his providence yea to his very nature and commands tearing in pieces not only his seamless Coat but his Body and rendering frustrate the very expence of his blood in so much that he will sooner pass by all our other Immortalities than this which therefore that we may avoid there be three things which if they were Reduc'd into our practice would very much contribute to our peace 1. Bearing with one anothers Infirmities 2. Dealing by others as we would have others deal by us 3. A sincere and earnest endeavour after holiness all which if they were but laid to heart and practic'd would certainly restore our peace as at the first and our prosperity as at the beginning 1. Bearing with one anothers Infirmities Though it be the design of the Christian Religion to make us holier than others and to improve our minds and practices beyond the common Rate of Men yet it was never intended to make us therefore keep our distance and to stand off from all that are not arriv'd to as high a pitch as our selves no the higher the true Christian is in Gods account the lower he is always in his own The more experience he has had of Gods goodness unto him the more pitiful and courteous he is to others It was this that made St. Paul become all things to all men that is so far to condescend to the weakness but not the wickedness of any as to deny himself that Christian liberty which otherwise he might have taken which was doutless that holy guile wherewith he caught so many upon which account he recommends the same practice unto us Rom. 15.1 we then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves which advice of his is as necessary as it is excellent and would well become all Christians in general but more especially the Ministers of the Gospel who should be men of gentle and peaceable Dispositions rather composing differences than fomenting of them Therefore says the Apostle 2 Tim. 2.24 25. The servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves by which proceedings he shall obtain that which the same Apostle requires in a good Bishop 1 Tim. 4.7 A good report of them that are without by which means not only more Credit and Reputation but more Proselytes and Converts too are to be gain'd than by all the unnatural Methods of force and violence For I know not what it is in mens natures that so inclines them but certainly most have this principle in them that they hate to be forc'd though it be even to goodness and vertue and will discard piety it self and Heaven too rather than be threatned thither whereas on the other hand the most refractory and stubborn Spirits whom force cannot prevail upon will be supple and pliant when reproofs and zeal come cloathed with love when they see Tears shed for them and their own interest more look'd after by others than themselves when they see they are rather pittied than hated and are notwithstanding all their obstinacy and wilfulness woo'd both by God and Men to accept of happiness and an Heaven Besides let us remember the best of men whilst they are here on Earth need a great many Grains of allowance The Education Tempers and Constitutions of men are to be consider'd from whence the greatest part both of