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
A58177	A persuasive to a holy life, from the happiness that attends it both in this world and in the world to come by John Ray ...	Ray, John, 1627-1705.	1700 (1700)	Wing R401; ESTC R13690	51,693	134

consequences of loving our Neighbour as our selves If we loved him as our selves we would wish him as much good and do him as much good as we do to our selves We would willingly that other Men should do their Duties to us shew us all kindness and be helpful and beneficial to us in all our Wants and Necessities and why because we love our selves Had we the same love to them it would have the same effects We would do the same good to them that we desire from them To instance in the particular Commands Children Subjects and Inferiors would yield to their Parents Magistrates and Superiors all that Honour Reverence and Obedience which themselves would expect and desire from their Inferiors were they in the same Relations and Circumstances No Man would willingly have his own Body killed or wounded or any way tormented and put to pain because no Man ever yet hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it as the * Eph. 5.29 Apostle speaks Did he then love his Neighbour as himself he would be so far from injuring him in that kind that he would not suffer others to do so if he could help it Every Man is jealous of the Loyalty of his Wife and impatient of having his Enclosure invaded and made common because he sets a high value on her Love and Fidelity and looks upon it as a great dishonour as well as an injury done him to be robbed of it Think we then he would offer such an abuse and wrong to his Neighbour did he love him as himself and were as tender of his Reputation as his own Did Men love their Neighbours as themselves there would be no need of Locks and Bars to secure their Goods from rapine and surreptions by Thieves and Robbers because there would be no such so that every Man might lie down securely and there would be none to make him afraid Love is so far from invading another's right that it is liberal and communicative and willing rather to part with its own The like if it were needful might easily be shewn in the rest of the Commandments relating to our Neighbour It remains now that we speak of the Effects and Consequents of a Holy Life upon the Soul or Inward Man They are I. The regulating and exalting of our Faculties and inabling them for their proper Functions II. The Peace Tranquillity and Joy attendant to and consequent thereupon 1st As for the regulating and exalting of our Faculties they are 1. The Vnderstanding 2. The Will 3. The Affections 1. The Vnderstanding As Sin and Vice doth stupifie and blind it and disable it to judge aright so the Commandments of God when obeyed do enlighten it and enable it to discern and approve things that are excellent Psalm 119.98 Thou through thy Commandments hast made me wiser than mi●e enemies for they are ever with me v. 99. I have more understanding than all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation v. 100. I understand m●re than the a●cients because I keep thy precepts Psalm 111.10 A good understanding have all they that do his Commandments 2. The Will The Perfection whereof consists in a perfect resignation to the Will of God and true liberty that is freedom from the Bondage of Sin and Corruption from the slavery of Satan from the dominion of every vile Affection Wicked Men are real Slaves and Vassals to their Lusts This the very Heathen acknowledged as Cicero and Horace Juvenal Persius and others From this Bondage the Son of God delivers us John 8.34 Our Saviour saith Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin And v. 36. If the son therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed 3. The Affections or Passions The Law of God requires and commands us to moderate and rule them to place them upon their proper Objects and to keep them within their due bounds and good reason there is we should hold a strict hand over them Animum rege qui nisi paret Imperat. If they be given way to and the Bridle let loose they become the great disturbers of Mens peace quiet and tranquillity Anger Hatred Envy c. What storms and tumults do they raise in the Breast what mischievous imaginations do they excite what plotting and counterplotting of revenge breaking out many times into railings revilings opprobrious Language bitter Curses and Execrations they toss the Mind to and fro as contrary Winds do the Sea causing it to cast up Mire and Dirt. On the contrary where the Passions are duely governed and moderated kept within their proper bounds and channels the Soul is calm and serene and fit for any Employment or Exercise Civil or Religious 2dly The Happiness of the Inward Man consists in that peace joy and tranquillity that is attendant upon or consequent to our obedience to God's Commands 1. Pleasure and Delight attends the performance of our Duties Vertuous and Pious Actions are agreeable to the Nature and Inclinations of good Men It is as grateful and pleasing to a good Man to do good as to an hungry Man to eat or a thirsty Man to drink It is as great a satisfaction to his Rational Inclinations as those other are to the sensual Appetites Nothing can be more delightful and welcome to a generous Mind than an opportunity of shewing it self grateful to Parents Friends and Benefactors and making ample returns to those by whom he hath been obliged for the favours received Nothing more acceptable than to be employed in worthy Actions especially such as tend to promote publick good the peace and prosperity of our Country or Mankind in general The Heathen Poet could say Dulce decorum est pro Patria mori It is a sweet and comely thing even to die for ones Countrey Which yet I suppose is too high a flight or pitch of Charity for a Heathen to attain to and that there must be something of glory to carry them so far To overcome Evil with Good and return Kindnesses instead of Injuries thereby melting the Hearts of our Enemies and making them our Friends is certainly a more pleasant thing and much more for our peace and ease than revenging our selves of them To return good for evil is a Godlike quality our Saviour commanding us to love our enemies and to do good to them that hate us c. to engage us thereto proposes God's Example who causes his sun to shine on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust Who is kind unto the unthankful and the evil Cicero in his Gratulatory Oration to Caesar for M. Marcellus makes him that forgives Enemies and restores them to their former Dignities like to God Non ego illum summis viris comparo sed Deo similem judico 2. Peace and joy and confidence towards God is a necessary consequent of Obedience to his Commandments 1 Joh. 3.21 If our hearts condemn us not then have we confidence towards God and whatsoever we