Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	act_n	expression_n	inward_a	2,830	5	9.6759	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51169	An antidote against the errour in opinion of many in these daies concerning some of the highest and chiefe duties of religion as adoration, almes, fasting, and prayer.	Monson, John, Sir, 1600-1683.	1647 (1647)	Wing M2461; ESTC R24395	33,067	136

14.35 39. Luk. 22.41 42. and the holy Angels in Gods presence where no imperfection 〈◊〉 (p) Rev. 5.9 12. 7.12 with the authority of a full Jury of men inspired whose practice gave a verdict for it Thus Moses (q) Num. 6.23 Exod. 15.1 21. 2 Chro. 5.13.26 6.41 42 ●● 38.9 10 Pal. 136. Deut. 20.3 26.3 5. 1 Cor. ●● 26. Rev. 15.3 with many nay all others in that set formes of blessing and praysing God was used by the whole Church nay sung and said in Heaven for so we sha●● finde that of Rev. 15. to be composed out of Exod. 15. Psa 14.17 Jer. 10.6 7. 4. Formes of prayer a● commanded and a pattern given not onely to direct an● regulate our prayers by as is in Matthew After this mann● pray (r) Mat. 6.9 but enjoyned in ma● materiae forma verborum the words themselves th●● St. Luke (ſ) Luk. 11.2 When you pray s●●● Our Father that is say the● very words And this mad●● St. John as Divines concen● from Luke 11.1 teach 〈◊〉 Disciples a forme for publiq●● and constant use both for o●der edification and the prevention of many other abuse and inconveniences For th●● spirit of prayer lieth not in th●● length nor strength of words but in the devotion of the heart and that I am sure must needs be most vigorous when there is nothing to disturbe it By which reason the understanding having before digested the matter and setled it selfe may better goe along with the affections in a premeditated or set forme then it can in an extemporary prayer of anothers making Because we must first throughly and conscientiously weigh his expressions before we can concenter our devotions in Amen which is a short recapitulation of them and the duty of every Christian (t) 1 Chro. 16.36 Deut. 27.15 1 Cor. 14.16 But besides this advantage they are ●●sefull for the helpe of the ignorant the preservation of the unity of faith and charity and to hedge and fence in the true Church from all fantasticall extravagant mixtures th●● froth or crudity of some men● braines and sometimes diametricall oppositions of the Ministers prayers in their severall Congregations according to their engagement of opinions or affections which may disturbe and distract the best setled devotion (v) Exod. 30 35. Deut. 26.5 Psal 96. 1 Cor. 14.40 Ecd. 5.2 even turning our prayers into sinne Psal 109.7 Nor is this a limiting of the Spirit more then an ordinary voluntary varied prayer of a private man in publique devotions but a maintaining of our liberty for we may pray with the Spirit in both since it is nothing but the Spirits praying the act of the inward man concurring with the expressions of another For if it were otherwise then those that pretend to pray by the same extraordinary transmission of the Spirit would not one crosse and contradict another in their petitions in that it is a Spirit of Love and Vnity not of division but must be able at ●east to shew us some convincing evidence to declare which of them have the true Spirit by some extraordinary gifts 〈◊〉 those of speaking divers ●ongues or prophesying ex tempore without the use of study of Arts whereas in the native and proper sence of praying with the Spirit all may agree 〈◊〉 wee consider it in its first ●ctuall motions or its teaching us the matter and manner o● our prayers as well as th● dictating the words Fo● the power of prayer consis●● chiefly in the extension of th● Spirit not in the language o● the tongue the intensnesse o● our zeale not the fulnesse o● our expressions though in tha● we ought to contrive them in●● the most contracted and path●tick way we can Eccl. 5. for th● quicker the Bow is drawn th● sharper it shoots when sta●ding bent to the height slac●● its force Which made ou● Saviour Christ choose his sho●● forme Matth. 26.37 44. 〈◊〉 often repeated out of Psal 2● and other holy men premed●tate what they were to offe●● Iob 9.14 Otherwaies Dav●● would not have said Pond●● my words O Lord had hee not first weighed them himselfe Now if it be granted that it formes may be lawfull as ●hat knowing man will deny it but that premeditation of the matter not words is more usefull I deny it upon the former grounds And with the Apostles advise shall not in this trust to any private spirit or at least not preferre it to that more publique one of the Church in her Provinciall Nationall and generall Councels she being both first and most concerned in the promises of Divine assistance who hath ever composed short and powerfull prayers most ponducing to Gods glory and the stirring up of the affections for publique use with th● reservation of a power to va●● them as occasion should invit●● still making the spirits of th● Prophets subject to the Prophe● (w) 1 Cor. 14 32. in this and all things els● that concerne the due ordering of the publique Administrations that the quit-rent● we pay into Gods Exchequer in acknowledgement of our fealties and subjection may not be in coyne embased but currant and bearing the stamp of authority Thus in the Law where the Priest was to offer for the sinnes of the people his Sacrifice was prescribed though they as single persons were to measure their offering to their abilities but then in proportion though it were meane and poore it was to be pure and of the best they could bring for Sacrifice to Gods Altar Nor is this a ●eater restraining of the Ministers spirit then a prescribing the matter and heads upon which he is to frame his petitions making him onely the Dictionary to sit them with words unlesse you conceive ●● is the musicke of the eare as well as that of the heart God delights in whereas indeed the fruits and effects of the Spirit are Essentials not Ceremonials the body of devotion not the dresse and cloathing And therefore I could wish in all things of publique worship some Sinewes and Nerves to hold all the members of Christ in a firme union some symbols of publique communion that all irreverences impertinences and impieties might be banished o● solemne and publique me●tings and our Church lik● Jerusalem all one in it selfe (x) Psa 122.3 The whole Congregation one man serving God wi●● reverence and feare truth the inward man and an humble decency without For God stand in the Congregatio● it will sure be fit for us 1. To come 2. To bow down 3. To kneele before the Lord maker (y) Pal. 95. and use all other expressio● that may declare and ex●devotion Psal 134.3 87 30 132 7. Luke 22.41 Dan. 5.10 Ezra 8 5 9 5. Ne● 6 5. Lam. 3.4 But for th●● referre to what I have ex●●essed upon the title of Ado●tion And upon these grounds 〈◊〉 Church hath ever thought ●●mes of prayer most use●●ll and necessary for Gods ●ouse of prayer where there ●ould be a daily

and kisse each other yet become not a Righteousnesse justifying but declaratory and an evidence of our justification hereafter in that we endeavour to do justice here Snum euique tribuere which made the Jewes say i● begging give me the Commandement and doe not by withholding the Mammon of the poore turne it to the unrighteous Mammon Hosea 5.11 for then it will prove a sinne f●● damnable in the negation of it though neither meritorious nor satisfactory for sinne in i●● highest perfection as a Goe y● cursed into everlasting flame●● belongs to it and therefore we●● it good to finde out some measure or direction to regulata our selves by in the dispensation of our charities especially since Christ seems to command a giving without measure as the best measure t● give by when he saith Sell a● that thou hast and give it to th● poore (p) Mat. 19.21 But to this I answer as will plainly appeare from the context that it was but a command of triall and particular to the boasting young man and no precept challenging universall obedience because not reconcilable to many other places of Scripture 1 Tim. 5.8 And therefore out of generall principles and examples not personall Mandates we must forme our care and compasse to steere by in this so weighty duty And our first rule shall be to be as universall in our obedience as God is in his command Doe good to all though chiefly to the houshold of faith (q) Gal. 6.10 rather seeking fit objects for our charity then suffering them to finde us in that we are but the poore thens Stewards who have an interest both in our wealth and increase so as their propriety lieth in our possessions which we ought at least weekly to account for 1 Cor. 16.2 and to make our ability the gage and size of our bounty justice o● charity to them with relation to our families condition quality and other circumstances But some from a computation of the Jewes laying aside a Tenth part of all their Incomes every Third yeere (r) Deut. 26.12 14.28 for charitable uses would in a proportion to that oblige us to an assignation of a Fifteenth part every yeere besides the mercy and compassion we are to use in case of debt or other engagement (ſ) Deut. 13.1 2. as the highest expression of righteousnesse inherent though imperfect Mich. 6.6 Rom. 5.7 Dan. 4.27 And surely except we goe beyond them in this we fal much short of our duty since the Gospell is but a Lecture or Epistle of love and love the completion of our Evangelicall Law Yet I am not so severe as to tie any body to this rule for then though love may be in the act it were not an act of love which for the measure of its expressions ought to be voluntary free and elective which truely and indeed is the ground of our reward Thus the Apostle 2 Cor. 9.6 He that s●●●eth bountifully shall reape bountifully And who would be sparing of his seed that were sure of an answerable increase Yet here we must set and tune our charities to the limitations our callings and relations put upon us like Musicke neither too high nor too low the Meane being the part that alwaies sounds best in Gods eares and that he rewards most though Gods glory not our own advantage should be the object and end of it for that is not given but put to interest that would not be given did he not expect a retribution of advantage And therefore Salomon commands us to cast our Bread upon the waters (t) Eccles 11 1. to sow our seed in the most barren soyle the poore mans breast where it may seem to be lost and this too without any taint or mixture of vaine-glory (v) Matth. 6.1 not giving to be seen though we may be seen in giving for though we must not paint vice into a vertue vertue may appeare in its own beauty openly and unmasked Our lights must shine though the end of holding them forth must be Gods glory not their own in appearing And if we thus serve God God will blesse us in our (w) Psal 41.1 2 3. persons in our (x) Prov. 11.24 25. purses in our (y) Psa 37.25 26. Prov. 13.22 2 Cor. 99. Psal 112.2 3. posterities for it is not onely given to the poore but Christ in them (a) Mat 25.43 and so sure not onely to be recorded in Heaven (b) Acts 10.4 31. but rewarded both temporally and eternally (c) Ecclesiasticus 4.12 17 22 29. Prov. 11.17 16 6 25 21 22 28 27. Job 29.31 R● 12 20. For the Christians Almes is his purse (d) Eccl. 29. 1 Tim. 5 8. Gal. 6.10 which fils by emp tying so as there is a gainfull expence a thriving prodigality as well as a prodigall thrift (e) Pro. 1.3 7 11.24 an improving our Talent by using not burying it by communicating both our selves and ours in workes of mercy to others whether by the lips or hands instruction or reliefe (f) Lev. 19 17 Psal 51. Isa 58. Prov. 1.4.33 4 2 8. For he that thus gives to the poore lend to the Lord (g) Prov. 19.17 and if God be our debtor O most gracious descent in that he that gives all to us is content to borrow from us He will repay with interest (h) Mat. 10. Luke 6. Pro. 14.21 23. and if we become eyes to the blind and feet to the lame He will never suffer us to want light to direct and limbs to carry us to him for mercy in our necessities Job 29. From all which considerations since we are but God● Almoners and the poore man● Almes box let us give with a large heart and an open hand knowing that we should receive Gods blessings like the ground that drinketh in the raine but to make it more fruitfull and the stomacke that takes not in the meat its food to monopolize but di●●ribute it to the most mean ●nd remote members not to ●ury nor consume but to man●ge and improve them for Gods glory First as the chiefe end for which we were created 1 Cor. ●0 3 Eph. 2.10 Secondly in a thankfulnesse ●or our redemption Lu. 1.74 75 Thirdly for the good of others in regard of the bond of ●ature Gal. 6. Heb. 13. Fourthly as part of our evidence for Heaven Matth. 25. ●rov 19.17 Esdr 8.21 1 Cor. ● 7 and sure markes of our election 1 Pet. 1.10 Our goods being nothing to us till boun●y animate and send them abroad with sincerity not vanity to do good to others but then they will prove like the Widdows myte more ponderous and of richer value 〈◊〉 the ballance of the Sanctuary then the Indies would be i● the Mine the Oare in th● Earth where it lies uselesse 〈◊〉 us So as the Christian should be like the Clouds emptying themselves for others usefulnesse and dropping refreshment if not fatnesse on 〈◊〉 below them even by the