Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	affection_n	great_a	soul_n	3,163	5	4.7202	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A97104	A prediction of Mr. Edvvards his conversion and recantation. By William Walvvin.	Walwyn, William, 1600-1681.	1646 (1646)	Wing W691; Thomason E1184_5; ESTC R208197	7,451	23

A PREDICTION OF Mr. EDWARDS HIS CONVERSION and Recantation By WILLIAM WALVVIN LONDON Printed by T. P. for G. Whittington and N. Brookes at the signe of the Angell in Cornhill bel●w the Exchange 1646. A PREDICTION OF MASTER EDWARDS HIS CONVERSION and Recantation THere hath of late so much labour and so many good discourses beene bestowed upon Mr. Edwards and with so pious and good intentions that it is not to be supposed so many precious endevours can be vaine or fruiclesse in reference to his conversion In cases so desperate as h●● the worst signes are the best as wee use to say when things are at the worst they are nearest to an amendment To an impartiall judgement that seriously considers the violence of his spirit manifested against harmelesse well-meaning people that differ with him in judgement He cannot but seeme at best in that wretched condition that Paul was in when hee breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord and went unto the High Priest and desired of him letters to Damascus to the Synagogues that if hefound any of this way whether they were men or women he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem For certainly had not Authority in these our times being endowed with much more true Christian wisdome then such teachers and through the power thereof had not restrained the bitternesse of his and the like spirits we had had before this time multitudes of both men and women brought from all parts of this Nation bound unto London if not burned in Smithfield But many there are that feare his condition is much more sad and desperate then this of Pauls which yet the blessed Apostle was much troubled to thinke on long after his conversion accompting himselfe as one borne out of due time and not worthy the name of an Apostle because he persecuted the Church of God It being exceedingly feared that in all his unchristian writings preachings and endevours to provoke Authority against consciontious people that therein he goeth against the light of his owne conscience that he is properly an Heretique one that is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himselfe And indeed who ever shall consider the exceeding Light that hath been darted from so many Seraphick Quills shining round about him amidst his persecuting intentions all which he hath hitherto resisted will find and confesse there is cause to feare So great a shining and a burning light that it cannot be doubted but that hee discerneth how unreasonable a thing it is that one erring man should compell or comptroule another mans practice in things supernatur all or that any lawes should be made for punishing of mis-apprehentions therein wherein thousands are as liable to be mistaken as one single person He must needs know that only things naturall and rationall are properly subject unto government And that things supernaturall such as in Religion are distinguished by the title of things divine such as the benefit and use thereof could never have beene perceived by the light of nature and reason that such things are not liable to any compulsive governmen but that therein every one ought to be fully perswaded in their owne minds because whatsoever is not i● faith is sinne He cannot be ignorant how disputable all the parts of Divinity are amongst the most learned how then can he judge it so horrible a thing as he seemes to doe for men to differ though upon the highest points he knowes every one is bound to try all things the unlearned as well as the learned now if there be different understandings some weaker and some stronger as there are how is it possible but then will upon every tryall be difference in degrees of apprehensions and surely he will not say that weaknesse of understanding is sinfull where there is due endevour after knowledge and though it should be sinfull in the sight of a pure God yet will he not say it is punishable by impure and erronious man But To rayle revile reproch backbite slander or to despise men and women for their weaknesses their meanes of trades and callings or poverty is so evidently against the rule of Christ and his Apostles that he cannot but condemne himselfe herein his understanding is so great and he is so well read in Scripture that he must needs acknowledge these cannot stand with Love that knowne and undisputable Rule Insomuch as if bad signes in so desperate a case as his is are the best surely he is not farre from his recovery and conversion With God there is mercy his mercyes are above all his workes his delight is in shewing mercy and the Apostle tells us where sinne hath abounded grace or love hath super-abounded O that he would stand still a while and consider the love of Christ that he would throw by his imbittered pen lock himselfe close in his study draw his curteines and sit downe but two houres and seriously sadly and searchingly lay to heart the things he hath said and done against a people whom he knoweth desire to honour God and withal to bear in mind the infinite mercy of God that where sin hath abounded grace hath over abounded certainly it could not but work him into the greatest and most burning extremity that ever poor perplexed man was in such an extremity as generally proves Gods opportunity to cast his aboundant grace so plentifully into the distressed soule as in an instant burnes and consumes all earthly passions and corrupt affections and in stead thereof fills the soule with love which instantly refineth and Changeth the worst of men into the best of men May this be the happy end of his unhappy labours it is the hearty desire of those whom he hath hitherto hated and most dispitefully used nothing is to hard for God it will occasion joy in Heaven and both joy and peace in earth you shal then see him a man composed of all those opinions he hath so much reviled an Independent so far as to allow every man to be fully perswaded in his owne mind and to molest no man for worshiping God according to his conscience A Brownist so far as to separate from all those that preach for filthy lucre An Anabaptist so far at least as to be rebaptised in a floud of his owne true repentant teares A seeker in seeking occasion how to doe good unto all men without respect of persons or opinions he ●ill be wholly incorporate into the Family of love of true Christian love that covereth a multitude of evils that suffereth long and is kind envieth not vanteth not it selfe is not puffed up doth not behave it selfe unseemly seeketh not her owne is not easily provoked c. And then you may expect him to breake forth and publish to the world this or the like recantation Where have I been Into what strange and uncouth pathes have I run my self I have long time walked in the counsell of the ungodly stood in the way of finners and too too