Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	abide_v	father_n	keep_v	4,728	5	6.8206	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78566	A brief apology in behalf of the people in derision call'd Quakers. Written for the information of our sober and well-inclined neighbors in and about the town of Warminster in the county of Wilts. by Will. Chandler, Alex. Pyott, Jo. Hodges, and some others.	Chandler, William.; Pyott, Alex. (Alexander); Hodges, Joseph.	1693 (1693)	Wing C1934; ESTC R229320	34,744	78

the heavenly Gift and were made Partakers of the Holy Ghost and that had tasted the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come shew'd signs that they were effectually call'd and in a State of Grace that if they should fall away 't would be impossible to renew them again to Repentance not because they were eternally reprobated but because they crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh because they grieved his good Spirit Ezek. 18. 24 26. and c. 33. v. 18. and rejected the Means Hath not the Lord said If a righteous man turns from his righteousness he shall die Who can be righteous without the assistance of God's Grace No Man can make himself so 't is not in Man to direct his own Ways and yet it seems 't is possible for him to fall from it after he hath lived so long under its conduct as by it to be made righteous and one would think should then be sanctified too Our Saviour saith of himself I am the true vine ye are the branches John 1 1 2 5 6. my Father is the husband-man every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away Again If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered Surely those who are Branches in Christ while so are accepted of the Father and yet it seems 't is possible for them to fall away and be cut off as wither'd Branches whence he often repeats this Condition if ye abide in me and presently he saith John 15. 10. the way to continue in his Love was to do his Will as he had that of his Father's and continued in his Love But though we can't embrace their Opinion for their Reasons and as they state it but that 't is possible for People to make a considerable Progress in Grace and yet for want of a careful and constant Watchfulness to that Grace they may fall away Yet we believe such a State and Growth in Grace throw a vigilant Attention thereto and such a degree of Faith attainable as that there is no more going forth But that which seems to be our capital Error and the top of all their Charge and that which is to silence all Plea's in our behalf is our omitting the use of the Ordinances so called of Baptism and Bread and Wine John indeed as the next immediate Fore-runner of Christ to prepare his Way gave an Alarm to the Jews that were so secure under the Law of Moses and proclaim'd the Kingdom of Heaven at hand and Mat. 3. 2. Acts 17. 30. the time come wherein God commanded the Jews as well as others every-where to repent 't was not sufficient for them to go on in sinning and then offer those respective Sacrifices which the Law enjoyn'd them for the same but now the Wrath of God was near Rom. 1. 18. to be reveal'd from Heaven against all Ungodliness and Unrighteonsness of Men 't was not sufficient to deek and make clean the outside of the Cup and Mat. 23. 25 26. and c. 3. 10. Platter but the inside was to be clean'd and then the outside would be clean also The Axe was now laid to the root and every Tree that brought not forth good Fruit was to be hewn down The Law of Moses took hold on exterior Acts and could not make perfect as pertaining Heb. 9. 9. 2 Cor. 10. 5. James 1. 15. to the Conscience but now that Dispensation was about to be established that comes nearer home and takes cognizance of the very Thoughts that Sin be not so much as conceived by the Will 's joyning thereto Wherefore John was sent to administer the Baptism of Repentance as a lively Figure of that which was presently after to follow for John's Baptism was not capable to produce this Effect upon the Mind and he himself testifies That though he baptized them with water yet he that came after him that was before him and more honourable than he should baptize them with the Holy Ghost and Matt. c. 3. v. 11 12. with fire that his fan was in his hand and and that 't was he should throughly purge his floor Which is the great Work that is to be done under his Gospel-dispensation to take away the Sins of the World and destroy the Works of the 1 John 3. 8. Devil to purifie Peoples Hearts and make them spiritually minded this is the proper Effects of Christ's lasting Baptism not the washing away of the Filth of the Flesh but the answer of a 1 Pet. 3. 21. good Conscience towards God to purge our Consciences from dead Works to serve the Living God in Newness of Life The Baptism of Christ is but Ephes 4. 5. Rom 6. 3. and v. 6 7 8 11. one and those who by it are baptized into Jesus Christ are baptized into his Death and their old Man crucified with him that the body of Sin may be destroy'd and they no longer serve Sin because they that are dead with Christ are freed from Sin and made alive to God to live a holy righteous Life These are the blessed Effects of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and Fire and Benefits that redound to those who are in truth washed by Christ in that holy Laver which entitles us to a part Zech. 13. 1. in him 't is our chiefest Concern to know this inward spiritual Baptism of Christ that our Hearts may be washed 1 Cor. 6 11. purified and sanctified by the Spirit of God and that we really put on Christ and are in him who is the Substance in whom the Types ended John knew and foretold himself that he must decrease but Christ must encrease he John 3 30. doth not say I shall cease presently at once so soon as Christ's Baptism takes place but I must decrease but were Water-baptism to continue always amongst Christians then would not John decrease Nor will it solve this Allegation That 't was abolisht as John's and instituted anew as Christ's for then hath Christ his different Gospel-baptisms which is erronious We grant that some of the Apostles did use Water-baptism for a time but we believe 't was rather in compliance with the Circumstances of Time than of Necessity and in condescention to the Weakness of Believers in the very Infancy of the Church and even the same Age wherein John baptized who was not only a true Messenger of God in his time but had gained great Credit among the People and his Memory and Message could not soon be forgotten nor was it easie to draw them from a Practice that but just before was acknowledged to be of Divine Authority for we find the Apostles tolerated the believing Jews to live in certain Rites and Ceremonies of the Mosaical Law notwithstanding the Messiah was come in the Flesh and abrogated them so difficult 't is to disengage People from those things wherein they have been educated and to which their Minds are

same and shall so believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and love him as for the future to live a holy Circumspect Christian life and obey his commands thereby continuing in his love Which holy life so much Celebrated and strictly kept to in the Primitive Ages of Christianity that whosoever named the name or took the name of Christ upon them were to depart from iniquity we believe ought to be inseparable from a true and faithful Christian as ever accompanying a true living and active Faith and it seems was thought no less necessary by those who composed the promise that should be made in behalf of infants before they were admitted into that once sacred Catalogue to wit that as they Tit. 2. 11 12. came to years of discretion they should forsake the devil and all his works the pomps and vanities of this wicked world and all the sinful lusts of the Luk. 1. 75 flesh and keep Gods holy will and Commandments and walk in the same all the days of their lives This we believe Ro. 6. 18 19 22. 2 Cor. 7. 1. Eph. 4. 24 Thes 3. 13 4. 7. Heb. 12. 10. 14. 1 Joh. 4. 4. to be the bounden duty of mankind and though our Opposers have scoft us and branded us with error for holding perfection because in pleading for a holy righteous life as that which is well-pleasing to God and avouching his power to be stronger in man as man cleaves to it and believes to rescue him from under the power of Satan than is that of the devil to retrain him in Thraldom we have sometimes made use of the words of Christ and his Apostles as be you perfect as Mat. 5. 48 Col. 4. 12. 1 Joh. 3. 3. your Father which is in Heaven is perfect he that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure c. Yet have we never pretended to a moral perfection beyond what is contained in the above promise which is sound and true in it self and is that which God requires of us and therefore 't is that we frequently press it's necessity and fervently exhort people to its performance And notwithstanding we have hence been falsely accused that we expect to be saved by our own works as being Meritorious yet we don't acknowledge a holy life as the Efficient and procuring Cause of our Salvation which we no less than you totally refer to the free Grace and mercy of Eph. 2. 8. God in Christ without any merit in Man but we esteem it as a constant companion James 2. 18. to the end thereto and a necessary condition on our part in complyance with God's gracious offer without which we may not obtain it being inseparably annext Heb. 11. 6. Ro. 12. 1. 2. to that Faith which only pleaseth God and is but our reasonable duty And we believe that although Christ Heb. 2. 9. 10. 12. thus offer'd up himself once for all for the sins of all men to the end of the world thereby rendring repentance and amendment of life prevalent with God yet that the Traditional Belief of that alone is not sufficient to entitle us to that common Salvation that comes by him but that 't is of necessity that we truly repent and be converted from Act. 3. 19 the evil to the good and therefore 't is no less necessary for us now than 't was for believers in the Apostles days that 26. 18. 20. we be turned from darkness to light or in otherterms from the dark power of Satan to the power of God who is light that thereby we may every one know the work of Redemption and Salvation wrought in and for our selves For 't is not enough to believe that Christ dyed if we feel not the blessed effects of his death who came to save us from our sins and bless us by turning Mat. 1. 21. Act. 3. 26. Tit. 2. 14. us from our iniquities and gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works For we believe such to be the natural Gen. 2. 17 Ro. 5. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 14. Gen. 6. 5. Ro. 7. 5. State of Man in the fall that by nature we are dead as to God at a distance from him prone to evil and to gratify the desires of our sensual minds sway'd by the corrupt and sinful Eph. 2. 2. lusts of the flesh and under the power of a strange King rul'd by the 2 Tim. 2. 26. Prince of the Power of the air so that our inward man being thus dead from God we cannot exercise our spiritual senses towards him nor can this natural 1 Cor. 2. 14. man perceive know or savour the things of God which only arc spiritually discerned wherefore notwithstanding our Saviour dyed for us we are yet by nature in a miserable undone condition in Captivity to our souls Enemy except we know the second 1 Cor. 15. 45. 47. Eph. 2. 1. 5 Col. 2. 13. Ro. 8. 11. Eph. 5. 13. 14. Joh. 1. 9. Adam the Lord from Heaven that quickning spirit to quicken our souls and make us alive to God again that being restored to the use of our inward senses we may by the assistance of his Divine Light wherewith for that end he hath blest all the Sons and Eph 2. 3. 5. 6. Daughters of Men see our selves in this sad and lost state under the wrath of God and abhor our selves therefore and under this living sense wherein things will appear with another aspect than before cry to God for deliverance therefrom with such and inward 2 Cor. 7. 10. hearty sorrow as works a true repentance for the same 'T is not our being sprinkled when infants that will make us true Christians convert us from Joh. 1. 12. 13. Ro. 8. 14. being children of wrath to become children of grace and Sons of God and members of Christs Church and invest us in an interest in him 't is not learning our Catechism and subscribing to certain Articles of Faith though never so Orthodox and being educated in a historical belief of what Christ did for us above sixteen hundred years ago 't is not this only that will administer a sufficient true and saving knowledge of Christ and really interest us in his death and sufferings all which people may talk of and please themselves withal and yet continue as fast bound under the dominion of Satan who still rules where disobedience is as those less perfect in that lesson but the true and saving knowledge of Christ is to know our selves Act. 26. 18 turn'd from darkness to light from the power of Satan to the power of Col. 1. 13. God that by it we may be delivered from the power of darkness and be translated into the Kingdom of his dear Son to know his saving power really to rescue and redeem us from Joh. 8. 32. 36.

of a stranger and learn of him and follow him who is pure and ever leads to Purity and Holiness that so his offering up of himself for them may be of benefit to them and they experience the great Salvation of God for impress this upon your Minds and take it along with you That notwithstanding our Saviour hath paid a Ransom for us and made an Attonement through the precious Blood of his Cross yet if we experience not the end of his Coming and Death effected and answered in our selves it shall avail us nothing except we know him a Saviour and Supporter near except we know a Principle of Divine Light and Life to illuminate our Minds to revive and warm our languishing Hearts to beget and increase true Love to God and the living Faith that gives victory to convert us and govern our Thoughts to renew and regulate our Wills and limit our Desires and bridle our Tongues to excite holy Inclinations and keep up a due Heat in our Christianity and strengthens our Minds in that which is good and well-pleasing to God Except we know these things in and for our selves all our outside shew of Religion is but vain and our profession of Christ shall profit us nothing but we shall lye down in sorrow at last for none are Christ's but those that Rom. 8. 9 14 have his Spirit and are influenced by it nor are any Children of God but those that are led by the Spirit of God which begets in the Mind a detestation of Sin and Evil and a love to Purity Goodness and Vertue wherefore laying aside all Strife and Animosities all Envying and Evil-speaking let us abhor that which is Evil and cleave to Rom. 12. 9. that which is Good and address our selves with a due and humble Application to the accomplishment of that most concerning and important Affair of our Lives the working out our Salvation And let every one follow the Lord faithfully according to what is made known to them knowing that we shall be judged according to our Knowledge and that 't will be happy for those whose Wills and Performances correspond with their Understandings in that Day when all must stand before the Judgment-seat of Christ and give an Account of their Deeds done in the Body and receive a Sentence thereafter either Come ye blessed or Depart from me ye workers of iniquity It won't be then of what Congregation or Confession of Faith or of what Perswasion amongst the many wast thou among all which there will then be but two sorts the Sheep and the Goats those that heard the Shepheard's Voice and followed him who were guided and governed by the good Spirit of God in their Hearts and those who wrapping their Talent in a Napkin stifled Convictions and neglecting the Day of their Visitation continued under the dark Power of the Evil One One may go a great way and make a fair shew of Religion and Piety and yet be turned to the left hand 't is not having our Heads filled with curious sublime Notions though of never so fine and elevated a Speculation let 's trim and garnish our Lamps never so finely 't will not administer an entrance without the Heavenly Oil without that Holy Divine Unction fills our Hearts enlightens our Minds and inflames our Affections to a due Watchfulness and Obedience to its Teachings which are the most assured Marks of our being really in Christ in whom only our acceptance is That you with us and we with you may so circumspectly live up to Light that and Knowledge given by Christ as that our Consciences may not condemn us but that having finished our Days here with comfort we may lay down our Heads in Peace with a well-grounded Hope of a Joyful Resurrection and have Boldness in the Day of Judgment is our Hearty Desire If what we have Written for your Information may find some place with those who being impartial and inquiring have room to receive it and that it Contributes to their Benefit and Satisfaction we have our End But for those who are full or are critical and ready to Carpe at every Word or Sentence that is not plac'd to their Mind if not also pre-judge it as 't is not intended for them so we don't suppose 't will Prove to their good Liking nor meet with a Reception amongst them For we don't propose to reconcile our whole Belief and Perswasion in Religious Matters to that of our Opposers who notwithstanding what we have writ we expect will yet accuse us of Error However having thus farr declar'd ourselves in the most necessary Points of the Christian Religion we don't think ourselves farther oblidged to answer the Cavils and Criticisms of such who may appear contentious and will never want something to object against those that comes not up in all things exactly to their Level whom yet we advise rather to be quiet and study to know and govern themselves according to that Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and leads to visit and assist the Fatherless and Widows in their Affliction Jam. 1. 27. and to keep themselves from the Spots and Defilements of this World Were this as it ought our Principal Care and Concern in our Conduct we should have little mind or leisure to differ about Matters of less moment and while we seem zealously to contend about Religion frustrate its end We should not be taken up in disputing what that Principle is which God hath plac'd in us to do us good and in mean time neglect its assistance and obstruct its Operation upon the Mind but be given up to be leavened and changed by it that we m●● partake of the Blessings thereof a●● 1 Cor. 3. 11 12 13 14. with it build on the Foundation whi●● God hath laid that which may abi●● the fiery Tryal To which we reco●mend you and remains your peaceab●● and loving Neighbours W.C. A.P. J.H. c. THE END