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
A65324	Universal Christian charity, as comprehending all true religion and happiness, demonstrated from scripture and reason in a sermon preach'd before the Right Honourable Lord Chief Justice Treby, at the assizes held at Maidstone in Kent, March the 17th, 1696 / by Tho. Watts ...	Watts, Thomas, 1665-1739.	1697 (1697)	Wing W1159; ESTC R38960	15,491	32

and Interest which in other things determine our Choice and Resolution As these are main Topicks of Persuasion great Motives to Action and high Encouragements to Perseverance against all Difficulties and Obstacles in the way So much more should they be to us in our Charitable endeavours in this our Christian Race and Warfare 1st Then we are bound in Duty to the Religious practice of this excellent Catholick Charity because 't is strictly enjoin'd us by the Highest i. e. the Divine Authority from whence all Human Power is deriv'd This is positively requir'd of us by our Lord who hath most Right to our Love and Obedience upon our Creation Redemption and continual Preservation which do World and the Devil which obliges us in Conscience and Honour to continue his faithful Soldiers to our lives end and not cowardly Debase our selves or Dishonour him by Disobedience and Neglect of his Almighty Power like the Reviling Blasphemous Jews who thus Crucify'd the Lord of Life All Sin is contagious in its own Nature but nothing more so than disrespect to Superiors as 't is notoriously plain that the World is apt to follow Example more than Reason in this case So fatal to others as to ur selves will be our Treacherous Rebellious Disobedience As nothing can be more Dishonorable Mischievous and Ungrateful which proceeds from that Earthly Sensual Devilish Wisdom mention'd James 3.15 not regarding the true Wisdom from above so full of this Excessive Universal Charity the very Temper of Heaven the Image of the Divinity which is first Pure then Peaceable Gentle and Easie to be intreated full of Mercy and good Fruits without Partiality and without Hypocrisie and the Fruit of Righteousness is sown in Peace of them that make Peace v. 17.18 which 3dly Shews our Obligations upon Interest Peace Internal External and Eternal flowing from this Principle of Charity is our only real Happiness and consequently our only true Interest Thus for instance the truely Charitable Person beyond all the greatest Heroes of the World is Master of himself has conquer'd his Passions and corrupt Affections humbled his Soul before God and cast out all Devils by Fasting and Prayer is Regenerate and Spiritualiz'd renders to all their due is as faithful to God and his Church or his Ministers as to Caesar and the State matth 17.21 c. 22. v. 21. Wrongs no Man does good to all especially the Houshold of Faith owes no Man any thing but Love Gal. 6.10 Rom. 13.8 provides for his own and uses Hospitality 2 Tim. 5.8 1 Pet. 4.19 depends upon Grace and Providence submits patiently and thankfully to the Divine Will in all things trusts in the Merits of his Saviour and who obtains his blessed Legacy of Peace Joh. 14.17 c. 16. So is he secure from the Strokes either of Justice or Violence None but a Tyrant or Villain indeed would injure such a Person who as one truly speaks is so far from the Designs of Dishonesty c. that his hands are oblig'd to be employ'd in Charity and so far from exasperating others by unruly Provocations that his very Enemies may expect because they must have his Love and those that curse him his Prayers Matth. 5.44 Thus his Life is safe from the Stroke of Justice and Injustice too if Christianity might be admitted to represent unto the Russian the Obligation that she lays on her Disciples to affront no Man However if Barbarity prevails he knows to whom Vengeance belongeth and he is not overcome of Evil but overcomes Evil with Good Rom. 12.19.21 And if he can't heap Coals of Fire on his Enemy's Head to melt him by Charity into Love and Compassion if Love will not beget Love in his hardened Heart yet after the Example of our dying Lord he will charitably forgive and interceed for his very Murtherers Luke 23.34 So he bears good Will to and is in Charity with his most inveterate Foes as he can't be an Enemy to any but is always a Friend and Benefactor to Mankind in general by good Wishes and Prayers at least where 't is not in his Power to act thus charitable may the poorest be So farther he enjoys the continual Feast of a good Conscience and the blessed Peace of Mind both in Time of Adversity and Proserity having plac'd his Treasure and set his Heart and Affections upon things above and not below Col. 3.1 2. avoiding the Snares and Temptations of Riches by doing good with them 2 Tim. 6.9 17 18 19. And being assur'd of God's Protection and Blessing upon the due Improvement of his Talents in Love and Fidelity knowing that he shall not be tempted above that he is able but in all Trials shall happily escape 1 Cor. 10 13. So in the midst of Storms and Tempests Crosses and Afflictions Wars and Desolations he remains unmov'd like an invincible Rock upon stedfast Faith and Hope in the God of his Love Psal 46. Who will certainly deliver him from all Evil the Evil of Sin and Punishment here and hereafter as in all time of Tribulation in all time of Wealth in the Hour of Death and in the Day of Judgment when he 'll be receiv'd into the Joy of his Lord Matth. 25. Which now sufficiently manifests our Obligations upon Interest as well as Duty and Gratitude to exercise this Christian Charity or comprehensive Love in full observance of the Divine Commandments whch is the only demonstration of our Love to Christ that he will accept of For he only that hath his Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth him Joh. 14.21 If therefore as now by way of Christian Application we find this effect in our Actions we may be sure the Cause is within our Hearts But if this alone be wanting all our Pretences to Christianity are vain yea all other Offices of Religion our Prayers our Repentance our Confidence our Fasting our Alms are no manner of Arguments of our Love of God and Christ because they are not used as means to this end which alone can give them the denomination of Religious Actions which plainly signifies the vast difference between Real and Nominal Christians between the faithful and pretended Lovers of Christ who are all known by their Fruits Matth. 7.15 If there were no other way to judge of the Reality of Mens Affections than the Greatness of their own Pretences there might not be devis'd a more impertinent waste of time than in a Christian Congregation to endeavour to perswade Men to love their God and Saviour We call our selves Christians after his Name we build Churches for his Worship where we often appear as on this day with bended Knees and lift up hands to send up our Prayers and Praises to him if we may be believ'd we hate them that hate him as tho' they were our Enemies We fight his Battles and propagate his Religion with the hazard our own Friends and Relations for his sake Our Saviour's Prophecy Luk. 12.51 to 54. has been notoriously verify'd

well-founded Government which if any will venture to disturb and to break the Peace will dare to injure other Mens Persons or invade their Properties c. the Sword of Justice which the Magistrate is not to bear in vain must be drawn upon such Yea to punish Malefactors is both Justice and Mercy wherein themselves can't complain of any wrong done them when they receive their Reward the just retribution of their own Demerits Yet all due care must be taken of their Souls and Repentance may plead for Pardon as the Great Judge of the World so mercifully condescends to the vilest Sinner Thus Rulers are ordain'd of God with an irresistable Power Rom. 13.1 to suppress the Wicked and protect the Righteous to Condemn the Guilty and Absolve the Innocent But woe to those that do otherwise Prov. 17.15 Isa 10.12 Now this is the Blessing of all Good Government as particularly to right the Poor the Fatherless and the Widow and what is all this but reasonable Charity and to do as we would be done by Even so are we justly oblig'd to speak and act without guile to be True Sincere Upright and Honest in all our ways and dealings for our common Welfare and Felicity The longest day has a night and the most continu'd Serenity a full Period in which Storm and Tempest Darkness and Horror succeed The uncertain variety of Man's Condition makes the Application very easie and natural The longest Felicity upon Earth is but short-liv'd and never fails to meet with an interruption at last And in what a wretched condition were the best and strongest of us all if left to our selves in our Calamities if God had not made Compassion a natural Inclination as well as a Law if Mens Consciences had learn'd no such Language as Pity if there were no Springs in Nature to stir up our Affections not only to Commiserate but to be Helpful and Assistant to one another I say without an Obligation to this Vertue we should be left alone to struggle with those Diseases which we often find enough for our selves and our Friends and be forsook by our Neighbours in the greatest Extremities of Oppression Poverty or Sickness as the wounded Deer is abandon'd by the Herd So for Temperance and Chastity what can be better Calculated to serve the Interests and provide for the Safety of Mankind Which is notoriously evident from the dismal inconveniencies that Excess and Debauchery bring upon Men. Shortness of Life and Rottenness of Bones Pains and Aches Diseases and Infirmities are the constant attendants upon the constant breach of these Commandments which to practise with the rest upon this Principle of Universal Charity is certainly more easie and pleasant and more becoming Rational Souls and Christians than all the contrary Vices and Transactions Wherefore in love to God should we abominate all manner of Prophaneness Irreligion Perjury and Sacrelige In Charity to our selves should we avoid all manner of Intemperance and Uncleanness Pride Vanity and Hypocrisie And in Charity to our Neighbour should we abhor all manner of Injustice and Unmercifulness Malice Detraction and Covetousness the Root of all Evil 1 Tim. 6.10 Thus a Charitable Disposition will eschew evil and do good Seek Peace with God and Man and ensue it 1 Pet. 3.11 will ever encrease it selfe in all Godliness and find it truly profitable unto all things as it hath the promise both of this life and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 Thus is every thing good and happy included in Charity Charity the immediate Off-spring of Heaven Man's summum bonum the Fountain of all Goodness and Felicity the Joy of Angels and Glory of Men Now who wouldnot thus with Love it self go about doing good Acts 10.38 whatever he may suffer for the same when God must be obeyed rather than Man Act. 4.19 c. wherein Love knows no Difficulties nor fears any Tribulations He that is made perfect in Love being free from all distracting Cares Worldly Anxieties or servile tormenting Fears 1 Joh. 4.18 Love secures him in the Pious Filial fear of God alone and to make him undoubtedly persist with his loving Favour in all well-doing and contented suffering Following his steps as call'd thereunto 1 Pet. 21. as in cases of Persecution happy are they that suffer for Christ's or Righteousness sake Mat. 5. tho' it is not our Love and Obedience but others Hatred and Disobedience that does us any mischief thereupon For all Christ's Love and Commandments are not only consistent with but productive of the common Peace and Good of Mankind and therefore if all Men would unanimously obey his Gospel as they ought then no body could ever suffer by it However is it not more commendable and glorious to suffer patiently for well-doing than evil doing in any case whatever 1 Pet. 2.19 20. and will not Charity rejoyce exceedingly in being revil'd and persecuted for Conscience sake and even Bless and Pray for all its Slanderers Enemies and Persecutors when so great a Blessedness as the Kingdom of Heaven will be the Reward and everlasting Glory Crowns the Martyr Matth. 5.10 11 12. Nay who would not upon any account even through many Tribulations enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Acts 14.22 When all who thus love their God and Saviour are assur'd of enjoying that Mysterious endless Bliss and Happiness in the Beatifical Vision which can neither be seen express'd nor conceiv'd on this side Heaven 1 Cor. 2.9 as those Charitable Persons shall be pronounc'd Blessed in the last General Assize of all by our great Lord and Judge himself and joyfully admitted into that Kingdom prepar'd for them where Charity hath fed the Hungry cloathed the Naked visited the Sick c. Matth. 25.34 35 36. hath reliev'd the Oppress'd and redeem'd the poor Captive and Prisoner whether Friend or Enemy This is Generous and God-like thus to love Mercy This is preferr'd before Sacrifice by our Divine Law-giver and this with the Acts of Justice and Piety instead of all the costly laborious Services and Sacrifices of Nature God hath shewed thee O Man to be good under the Old Law Mic. 6.8 as thus the Gospel teacheth us to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live Soberly Righteously and Godlily in this present World looking for that blessed Hope and Glorious appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who will then receive us into the Arms of Eternal Love who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar People Zealous of Good Works Now these things we most Charitably teach and exhort and as we may too rebuke with all Authority and let no Man despise us for thus the Love and Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all Men Tit. 2.11 to the end So I come in the third and last place to manifest some grand Obligations to the due practice hereof but very briefly from the points of Duty Gratitude