Selected quad for the lemma: friend_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
friend_n	affection_n	love_n	love_v	2,519	5	6.3625	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45566	The safest convoy, or, The strongest helper declared in a valedictory sermon before the Right Honourable Sr. Thomas Bendish, Baronet, His Majesties ambassadour ... / deliverd by Nathanaell Hardy.	Hardy, Nathaniel, 1618-1670.	1653 (1653)	Wing H746; ESTC R28060	22,044	37

mercy conveyed to land in a Whales belly thus doth God prosper weak and small means yea finde out strange and unexpected waies for the rescue of his Saints Sometimes he divides the waters as he did the red Sea for Israel he sets the Churches enemies one against another and by dividing both weakens them and preserves his So he did for Gideons small Army to the Midianites mighty host setting every mans sword against his fellow Sometimes he turneth the streames of the waters changeth the windes that whereas before they were contrary they become favourable to the Church and serviceable to her passage Thus was Esau's heart mollified towards Jacob who in stead of a devouring enemy becomes an embracing friend and meets him with kisses to whom he had intended blows Thus did Ioseph having God with him finde savour in the fight of the Goaler to whom he was committed indeed what Solomon saith of the Kings heart is true of all mens that they are in the hands of the Lord as the rivers of waters and he turns them whithersoever he will no wonder then if sometimes he mollifies the obdurate qualifies the malicious and melts the frozen hearts of wicked men unto love and compassion towards his servants Finally Sometimes he abates and wholly dries up these waters so that the Sea becomes a dry Land when he lessens the power takes away the sting breaks the horn and dashes out the teeth of the ungodly so that they are not able to hurt his Saints the heat of the Sun dispels the clouds and dries up the over-flowing waters and the presence of God is many times pleased to vanquish his enemies scatter their forces thereby commanding deliverances for Jacob however if he deliver nor out of he will by these waters if he save not from trouble he will make the very trouble a means of safety and when they may perish temporally in the waters of distresse he will yet be with them to save them eternally in the mansion of blisse You have seen the extent of this comfortable promise and if any shall demand a reason of Gods effectual presence with his Church in danger I answer 1. Partly the Churches near relation unto him obligeth So much is intimated in the close of the precedent verse thou art mine no wonder we reade in the next verse I will be with thee the Church is a flock God is the Shepherd So the Psalmist Hear thou Shepherd of Israel which leadest Joseph like a sheep What more needfull then the Shepherds residence with his flock especially in a time when Wolves approach the Church is a house and God the owner so Saint Peter cals her the House of God where should a mans dwelling be but in his house and especially his presence is required when robbers invade it She is his Spouse and he her husband no relation engageth to nearer union and fuller communion then this one house one board one bed holds the man and wife Who should defend the woman when assaulted but the husband and will God that is spiritually married to his people withdraw himself or withhold his succour from them Finally she is the Ship and he her Master and though while the Ship is in harbour the Masters absence may be dispensed with yet by no means when she is sailing in the deep 2 His deer affection to his Church inclines him Animus non ubi animat sed ubi amat the soul is not so much where it lives as where it loves indeed love is affectus unionis a desire of union it was the wish of two friends to Vulcan that he would new make them into one and surely Gods love to his Church infinitely surpassing the love of any creature must needs unite him to and make him one with her The Psalmist speaking of a righteous man renders this as the reason of Gods being with him because he hath set his love upon God but doubtlesse the reason holds far stronger in the other way because God hath set his love upon his Church therefore he will be with her such is Gods tendernesse toward his people that were it not for his own honour and their good he would not suffer them to passe through the waters sure then he cannot but be with them when they are in the waters yea for this cause he is pleased to bring them into depths of misery that the glory as of his power so love may be heightned in their delivery To close up this truth in a usefull application I might from hence take occasion and that justly to bespeak these waters which encompasse the Church O ye proud waves why do ye roar in impetuous words why do ye rise in insolent actions against Sion and her friends Know ye not that all your rage will prove but vain and cursed Can you overtop heaven then you may overthrow the Church Can you pull God out of his Throne then you may root his people out of the world and not till then Nemo nos laedit nisi qui Deum vincit ye cannot injure the Saints unlesse ye strike thorow God God is so with us that he is in the generation of the just qui Ecclesiam impetunt Deum petunt you cannot wound them but you must wound God yea he is so with his people that they are said to be in him It 's Davids Character of a godly man that he dwelleth in the secret of the Most High you must destroy God ere you can destroy them God is said to bear his people upon Eagles wings Exod. 19.4 It is observed of the Eagle that she carries not her young ones in her claws as other Birds do but being laid upon her shoulder she covers them with the spreading of her wings so that the Fowler who shoots at them must first wound her truly they that will injure the Church must first fight against God and how vain all such attempts are even Balaam was convinced of when he told Balak How shall I curse whom God hath not curst Numb 23.8 and therefore it was his devilish policy to separate Israel from God by sinning for then he knew he might conquer them by fighting the like thought no doubt possessed Davids enemies when they said God hath forsaken him persecute him and take him Psal. 71.11 tacitely acknowledging that while God is nigh his people their enemies may pursue but they shall not overtake them Nor is your rage only fruitlesse but cursed you cannot wrong them but you will destroy your selves Gather together oh you waters but you shall be dispersed it is the Churches triumph Associate your selves O you people but you shall be broken in pieces for God is with us Know you not that you dash against that rock which will scatter you Consider you not that God hath said of Zion I will be the glory in the midst of her and a wall of fire round about her Zech. 2.5