Selected quad for the lemma: friend_n
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B04185
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Sermons on several subjects; shewing Gods love to mankind. Salvation is by grace. Wilderness-provision. God a strong hold in trouble. Light is to be improved. / By J. Lougher minister of the gospel.
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Lougher, John, d. 1686
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1685
(1685)
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Wing L3093C; ESTC R180071
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105,071
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248
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accept Life upon Gospel-terms This is evident in his weeping over Jerusalem saying Luk. 19 42. If thou at least in this thy day hadst known the things that belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes So that every mans destruction is of himself Hos 13.9 Joh. 5.40 Heb. 2.3 because men will not come to Christ that they might have Life but refuse him that speaks from Heaven and neglect great Salvation This is written in legible Characters that he that runs may read the Love of God towards degenerate fallen Man That 's the second declaration of it 3. Let us look upon Man in his actual and effectual Recovery and Restitution and here we shall see yet further and more eminent manifestations of God's Love unto those that are his own in the World He hath declared greatly his Love to all Mankind yet much higher Love is in him to all true Christians 'T is said Christ looked upon the young man in the Gospel Matth. 19. and loved him We also find it recorded that he loved Martha and Mary Lazarus Of this last they went to Jesus and said Behold he whom thou lovest is sick and this was such John 11.3 5 36. as others observed it For Jesus weeping at his grave they said Behold how he loved him And I doubt not but it was a far higher and more endeared Love than what he had for the young man who it 's evident loved the World more than Christ and esteemed earthly Treasure above heavenly To make this Love of God more apparent let us consider the Properties thereof This Love is great comprehensive free distinguishing excellent satisfying and everlasting 1. It is a great and transcendent Love which God hath declared unto his People God who is rich in mercy Eph. 2.4 saith Saint Paul for the great love wherewith he loved us He is a great God and his Love is like himself a great Love 'T is great above humane expressions yet some can speak great words When St. Paul was in his Visions he was caught up into Heaven 2 Cor. 12. and heard things unutterable We read of joy unspeakable 1 Pet. 1.8 such is the Love of God to his Servants the best and greatest words are too weak to declare it yea it 's greater than the largest apprehensions of Men and Angels can reach This Love of God is like the Peace of God Phil. 4.7 which St. Paul saith passeth all understanding Hence we find that the four dimensions by which men take an estimate of corporeal greatness are given to this Love We read of the breadth and length Eph. 3.18 19. and height and depth of this Love the very same which are ascribed to God to declare the greatness of his perfection which is said to be as high as Heaven Job 11.7 8 9. deeper than Hell longer than the Earth and broader than the Sea But I would speak of it comparatively and so amplifie the greatness of this Love The Love of one creature to another is very great That between David and Jonathan was great 2 Sam. 1.26 and wonderful even passing the Love of Women either of one Woman to another or of an affectionate Mother to her only Son or of a loving Wife to her dearest Husband But what is David's Love or the Love of all creatures to God's Love The one is but finite the other infinite Compare it with the Love of good men unto God some have had great affections this way as David I love thee dearly Psal 18.1 says he O Lord my strength But here is a vast disproportion If all the Love that ever have been now is and ever shall be in all the Saints were in one mans heart it would be a great Love to God yet far short of that in God to them Let us compare it with the Love of God to other objects he loves all his creatures as such yet Man above all inferiour creatures The Angels by Creation had more Love than Man and he loves Christ yet more than all Now his Love to his People is greater than all these except the last and though Christ is the more adaequate object of God's Love and so hath higher measures of it than Believers are capable of yet he loves them with the same Love for quality and kind that he loves Christ with This we learn from Christ himself in his solemn Prayer That the Love wherewith his Father hath loved him may be in them And again Joh. 17.23 26. That the world may know that thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me Every Beam of Light is of the same kind with that in the Sun every drop of Water is the same for quality with that in the Ocean and so every drop of that Love which falls upon Believers is the same for kind and nature with what the Father bears to his Son Oh the transcendent greatness of his Love Who is not amazed at it 2. It is a comprehensive Love it includes all the kinds or acts of Love whatsoever The Sun is so glorious a Light because in the light thereof all other lights are contained in an eminent manner Thus it is in this Love of God to his People there are all acts of Love in it there is amor benevolentiae the Love of good will there is amor miserecordiae a Love of pity and compassion Isa 63.9 In his love and in his pity he redeemed them This Love inclines him to succour them in misery and to help them in trouble There is also amor amicitiae the Love of friendship which he manifesteth to them as they come to close with him in the Covenant I entred into Covenant with thee Ezek. 16.8 saith the Lord to Israel and thou becamest mine and this was the time of Love This is reconciling Love which is nothing but a redintegration or renewing of broken friendship between God and us Sin makes the breach and God's Love makes it up Hence comes Abraham a Heathen and an Enemy to be called the Friend of God James 2. Rom. 5.8 10. Herein has God commended his Love that his People when Enemies were reconciled by the death of his Son Into such friendship hath this Love brought them as the secrets of God are revealed to them Shall I hide from Abraham says God Gen. 17.17 the thing that I will do Thus Christ called his Disciples Friends For Joh. 15.15 says he Whatsoever I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you There is also amor beneficentiae the Love of Beneficience his heart opens his hand to do them good even beyond all the good of this World He loves them therefore he gives his Son for them 1 John 4.9 and to them and into them that he may live in them and they live through him It is this Love that gives them the remission of their sins He hath loved them