Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	apostle_n	faith_n	good_a	2,900	5	3.9902	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34668	A censure of that reverend and learned man of God, Mr. John Cotton, lately of New-England, upon the way of Mr. Henden of Bennenden in Kent, expressed in some animadversions of his upon a letter of Mr. Henden's sometimes sent to Mr. Elmeston (2) a brief and solid exercitation concerning the coercive power of the magistrate in matters of religion, by a reverend and learned minister, Mr. Geo[r]ge Petter ... (3) Mr. Henden's animadversions on Mr. Elmestons's epistle revised and chastized.	Elmeston, John.; Cotton, John, 1584-1652. Censure ... upon the way of Mr. Henden.; Petter, George. Brief and solid exercitation concerning the coercive power of the magistrate in matters of religion.	1656 (1656)	Wing C6415; ESTC R20949	43,719	60

them which before hath been declared to be otherwise The Magistrates power doth not enable him to meddle with those inward and spirituall actions of the soule but onely to regulate the outward in life and conversation It is some mervaile to me that you that are so acute to ●spy mysteries by others unseene see not the weaknesse of this and of many your reasons For it is not in the Magistrates or any man● power to create in mens hearts the principle of true love to their neighbours nor any of those gracious habits of inward cha●tity temperance meeknesse and contentation c. who yet by Laws order some outward actions of those vertues and forbid the actuall sins contrary to them as railing quarrelling fornication riotous drinking theft c. And why then in like sort may he not make Lawes about Externall acts of Religion to enjoyne the exercise of them and forbid the actuall contrary sins though he have no power to create and infuse faith it selfe It is not in vain for Ministers to preach though they cannot create Faith in the hearts of dissenters nor for Magistrates to command hearing of the Word though they can infuse no faith into the heart the outward meanes are rightly used where the inward effect can be only wrought by God As there is no need of the creating any new principle in the heart of man for doing these things wherein the Magistrate doth command which is onely the abstaining from outward evill acts as the not venting or openly professing Errors Heresies and Blasphemies or the doing of some externall duties as to joyne in Gods publique worship heare the Word and such like To performe which that power and freedome which by nature they have is sufficient Obj. The Apostles in Church-affairs were of infallible spirit but yet claimed no such power but indeavoured to draw men to faith by the cords of love A 1. Here is the same mistake which was noted before as if it were affirmed that Magistrates might compell Infidells or any to the Faith of the Gospel As for Church-affairs and any other matters I trust you know that there is a wide difference between the Apostles and Church-officers and Magistrates and the power committed to them both The power of the first is onely spirituall and ecclesiasticall and doth allow them no other meanes to reclaime men from Idolatry Heresie or any sin and to win them to the obedience of the Gospel but spirituall viz. the preaching of the Gospel and Church censures 2. But the power of the Magistrate is such as doth furnish them with authority to lay commands on men to urge them to what is good and punishments to reclaime from evil It is no wonder then that the Apostles would not intrude into a power which was not given them which yet Magistrates may use as their proper right 3. The Apostles did not put forth any coactive power against the foulest sins of Whoredome Drunkennesse Theft c. to pun●sh them with bodily punishments or to urge men to Justice Temperance Chastity but onely by words and exhortatione disswaded from such sins and perswaded to the contrary vertue● If therefore Magistrates may not in Religious affaires go● beyond this practise of the Apostles in the use of their power neither may they use their power for the punishment of sins against the second Table or by lawes encourage to the morall vertues thereof Obj. All humane Weapons can onely force the outward man with a violent and preternaturall motion c. which soon turns again when the constraint is over A. 1. It is not the proper effect of humane Magistratical commands to force menby a violent motion but rather tends to move them to a ready willing obedience such violent and constrained obedience comes not from the command but from the indisposition of the commanded parties who are ill affected to right and truth 2. That motion which is unto good and from evill though somewhat forced is more naturall unto man in his right estate and more agreeable to his right end and duty than a most free and willing motion unto sin and from good 3. Forced motions are used for the common good in other things and that without blame and so may be here in some things and in the order above prescribed The State doth force its Subjects by pressing and such like wayes to serve them in their Wars Servan●s are oft compelled will they nill they to do their Masters work Children to do their duty to their Parents So by Law-courses untoward Debtors are constrained to p●y their debt● Now these motions are such violent motions as here you except against and such as would soon cease if the constraint ceased But who complains of any wrong herin done them since the things they be constrained to be just and equall and for the common good And what lets but that some constraint with wisdom and moderation may be used in religious matters since it is a thing most just and righteous and for the common good both civill and spirituall that Idolatry and Heresie be suppressed and that the people doe attend the preaching of the Word and God● service in praying to and prayising him 4. The motion may at first be violent but afterward become very voluntary what a doe is there at first to bring a Bullock to the yoke or a Colt to the saddle when at length the o●e willingly comes to the yoak and drawes in it and the other as willingly heares the saddle and his rider It is oft so that a young Scholar for a time is forced to schoole but being a while entred and taking some l●king of learning goeth to schoole very freely and willingly So may it be and o●t is in these matters wee treat of But last This makes as much against all correction of children and all law-making about matters of the second Table as against coercive lawes in Religion For there they force children and men with a violent motion as much as here and it utterly impeaches the courses of the godly Kings Asa and Josiah in their reforming of Religion as taking such courses as could onely force the outward man with a violent and preternaturall motion who yet are for such their practise praysed in the Scripture Obj But the Gospel naturally begins with illightening the understanding then perswading the Will c. and the summe of the Covenant is to write the Law in the heart Ans. This Argument as some other before proceedes upon a false supposition 1. It surmiseth That such Magistraticall commands and penalties by our opinion serve to work inward grace in mens hearts and for their conversion when we teach that they are onely to order the outward actions of man 2. It surmiseth that they oppose and goe contrary to the work of the Gospel in mens conversion which is utterly untrue And the course which by those that plead for the Magistrates power in this thing is commended to

down their Idolatry and bring them to Gods worship But this is to be taken in by the way That meer force is not to be used but instruction and teaching to informe in the truth and to perswade the will ought to go along with power that they be not driven as Beasts but led fairly along as men of reason and understanding 3. For such Subjects as have been baptized into the faith of Christ and so have given themselves to the profession of it the Magistrate may and ought to provide against their renouncing of the Faith and falling to Heresie and Idolatry and for their submitting to meanes of being further taught and built up in it and holding forth the profession of it as otherwise so especially in frequenting the worsh●p of God Last The Magistrate may and ought by his Authority not onely give way to the profession of the true Religion and some way to countenance it but is bound to provide that Gods Word be preached by faithfull and able Ministers that they be encouraged and well maintained and to command the practice of Gods worship in all points by Gods people Now your Scriptures make not against this Assertion thus explained For they chiefly intend the inward conversion and work of Grace in the heart which is onely the work of the Spirit and to which the civil power cannot reach nor doe we allow him to meddle with it as if by his Lawes he could work it They concern not these outward actions mentioned which may be reached and regulated by the civill Power And though inward Conversion be the sole work of the Spirit yet doth it not exclude the use of outward meanes which do either more directly conduce or occasionally make some way for that work 1. It doth not exclude the preaching hearing or other use of Gods Word by which the Spirit worketh Faith and other saving Graces in men Nor 2. Doth it exclude the exercise of Church-censures which availe to keep men in the Faith and an holy Conversation Nor 3. The command of the M●gistrate so far as hath been said to restraine men from Idolatry and Heresie which cannot but hinder the work of true Conversion and to command the attendance on the Word preached and other meanes of instruction whereby men may be brought under the shadow of the holy Ghost that he may work on them But to touch upon your Scriptures more particularly for that of Zeeharie I shall desire the Reader to wait for the clearing of it untill I come to a passage in your Book following where it is againe alledged and will be more fitly examined To that of Rev. 6. 2. it is but your single conceit as you affect to be an odde man by your selfe that by the white Horse whereon Christ is said there to ride forth conquering or the Bow in his hand is meant of the Spirit It is an expression not to be parallel'd and sense not well sounding to say That Christ doth ride on the Spirit or carry the Spirit in his hand It is the more generall and genuine sense to understand it of the preaching of the Gospel according to that of Psal 45. where Christ it bid to ride forth verse 4. as on an horse which is there expounded his truth and furnished with sharp arrows verse 5. to pierce the heart of his enemies Now the preaching of the Word doth carry forth Christ as it were on Horseback in the view of men and out of it as a Bow in his hand doth he shoot his divine Doctrine Promises and Threats which pierce to the heart of men and by it he did and doth conquer the world The preaching of the Gospel hath its ●fficacy indeed from the Spirit going forth with it which conquering power of the preaching of the Gospel and of the Spirit the command of the Magistrate as above declared doth no way hinder but promote rather as tending to bring men within the rode of that white Horse that they may be conquered by his Rider and brought to his Obedience and within the reach of his Bow that his Arrowes may pierch their hearts with godly sorrow for sin and make them fall downe unto Christ Subordinata non pugnant saith the Logician Things subordinate fight not one with another but are subservient one to the other For the Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands Dan. 2. 34. it doth indeed typifie Christ and the Church his Kingdome And as he concerning his humane nature was framed in the Womb of the Virgin Mary without any procreation from man and set up as King of the Church by God alone without mans concurrence so his Church and Kingdome was first set up by Gods onely power and authority and not by that of Man but so that outward means were and are a●so used by him and all is not done by the immediate power of God without any use of meanes as at first the world was created by him For there are Ministers employed to preach the Gospell Magistrates set on work to countenance and defend it and by their authority to set it up in their Countreys Professours raised up to hold it forth in their lives to suffer for it bu● these means are so used by the Lord that the whole work and successe of it appears to be from Gods power and blessing alone not at all from man as hereafter I shall more largely shew and so is cut out as it were without hands It is manifest that in the overthrow of those mighty Monarchies figured and set out Dan. 2. the Lord did use the power of the Sword and Armies and I believe that you think that Christ this Stone doth so now and will doe the like in dashing to pieces all the mighty Opposers of his Kingdome And therefore all things that are done toward the advancement of this Kingdome are not wholly done without hands or externall meanes And why then may not Christ also use some hands or externall meanes in some things that more directly tend to the setting up and maintaining his Church and Kingdom whose successe and efficacy yet is not from themselves but wholly from Christs power and spirit and so effected as it were without hands For Psal. 110. 3. and 47. 9. which say That Gods people must be a willing people and 2 Cor. 5. 14. That they act not nobly unlesse out of love How doth the command of the Magistrate as it is above laid downe hinder them in Gods service to be a willing people or to act out of love For if they command good and lawfull things the command doth not hinder their willingnesse in the doing of them but encourage them in it as knowing that they shall do them with praise and approbation If they restraine them by their command from evill things men ought not at any time to be willing to doe evill but rather should willingly be restrained from it And it is better that against their will they be

restrained from evill than that they be permitted willingly to rush into it It is also an Antinomian misconceit to think that nothing is done willingly and out of love to God which is done out of obedience and respect to a commandement enjoyning or prohibiting it 2. Gods people were to be a willing people in his service and to act out of love under the Law also as well as the Gospel For there must be a willing mind● and working out of love before any thing will be accepted And yet Abraham is commended that he would not onely exhort and perswade but out of his authourity command his houshold to feare God and Asa likewise that he commanded Judah to seek the Lord God and to doe the Law c. Which course of theirs had it hindred the willingnesse of those that were commanded in Gods service or their acting out of love it may seem strange that those so godly persons should pract●ce it stranger that it is recorded to the praise of both 3. It is as much required that men should be willing to abstain from foule sins against the second Table and to doe the good duties of it and that herein they should act out of love about which yet you allow the Magistrate to make lawes to r●straine men from Murder Fornication Theft c. and to cause them to be sober honest and just And how then doth this willingnesse and acting out of love hinder Mag●strates from making meet Lawes in matters of Religion Last Nothing can be spoken more punctually than that of the Apostle concerning Servants that what they doe in the Masters service they should doe it heartily and willingly Notwi●hstanding surely you will grant Masters that authority over Servants as to lay their command upon them to doe them just service and to punish the neglect of it Willingnesse to doe good and acting out of love is nothing hindred but may be promoted by the command of Authority It is true that if a thing be done onely out of obedience and respect to mans command it wants its acceptance with God but it is good in it selfe and though an humane command may give some occasion to the doing of it yet a godly person will doe it also yea and more out of the love of God and to shew his ready obedience to him But here we have a Criticisme cast in by the way viz. that the Hebrew Text carries it to signifie voluntaries as well as willing people as if forsooth there were some great and observable difference between these two words when the one is but our common English word the other coyned out of the Latine and are both the same in sense and signification Next we have a silly cavil about the Errors named as coming out of the womb of an univers●ll toleration Nay say you they were long extant before such a toleration was granted and so that could not be a womb to breed and bring them forth Answ. 1. It is more than we know that such a Toleration is yet granted If it be shew us the act for it It is and hath been indeed long pleaded for and practised 2. For those Errours and Heresies I speak not of their first rising which was heretofore in forraigne parts and those perhaps where too much way was given for such a Toleration but of their int●uding spreading and multiplying in ou● Land Concerning which if we look back unto the writings and practises of some later yeares it will appeare that if the one were not extant before the other that yet like two bad weeds they grew up together and that this Toleration did if not give them their first birth yet conferre much to their growth and enlargement What then becomes of that clamour that I have here non-pluss'd all Logicians as denying the cause to precede the effect and am one unworthy to be disputed with is denying the maine principles of Reason Good words I pray you be not so eager but let me in cold blood argue the matter with you If I were palpably mistaken in the rise and beginning of these things which you have not proved but barely ●ffi●med the mistake were onely in my calculating the time of their Nativity not in my denying that Logicall Axiome Causa est prior effectu If this Axiome were alledged to confut● me I should as readily receive the Axiome as you onely the question would be which of these were the cause which the effect and which was before the other whether that Toleration or these Errors and Heresies in nature and time I may here then return you some of your own language that my intellectualls as you jeere were not so much disturbed with any heat of passion against S●ctaries as your braines were taken with the whirligig out of your eager humour to carp and snarle What followes is more serious If Errours arise say you not carnall but spirituall weapons must beat them down Answ. I grant that spirituall weapons as preaching conference Church-censures and prayer are the most proper and effectuall for this work as more directly tending to informe in the Truth convince of Error and perswade mens hearts and minds and such are first and most to be used in this case But by your leave no these onely Spiritual weapons must be used against sinnes against the second Table as preaching admonition Church-censures to convines men thereof to restrain them and bring them to repentance But if these aloue should be used such sins and sinners would not so fully and effectually be repressed as when withall civill Lawes are made against them and such punishments prepared for them So here Spirituall weapons alone may be too weak to beat downe Errors and Heresies and keep them from breaking out and spreading abroad But if with these Spirituall weapons the carnall as you in some scorne call them viz. the prohibition of the Magistrate and some moderate punishment be added they will doe good as otherwise so to make erroneous persons the more seriously to consider of their wayes whether they be right or wrong and the more ready to receive the truth manifested to them which otherwise out of pride and selfe-conceit they will reject It is too well known that most erroneous persons are of the nature of the Servant Solomon speaketh of who will not be corrected with words though he understand well enough his Masters minde yet upon b●re words he will not answer nor be brought unto his duty So is it with these persons for the most let them be never so fully convinced let the truth be never so clearly manifested to them so that they cannot put it off but with grosse shifts yet for all words and spiritual weapons they will not yeild to it but of haughtinesse of spirit persisi in their errors and be oft more pertinatious and turbulent in their way Errors and Offences you say must come according to the Scripture to manifest the approved and to

431 432. The Magistrate by the severity of his lawes ought to keep his people in order so far as that they do frequent diligently and religiously the hearing of the Word joyning in P●ayer the offering of Prayse and the celebration of the Sacraments he ought to correct the manner● of all his Subjects by the vigour of his Laws and ro● of Disciplin● and he shall restrain not only Adulteries Whoredoms D●unkenesse Thefts which Heathen Magistrates also do but also Impiety B●asphemy Heresies Sacriledge the contempt and forsaking of the Church Mr. John Cotton's Animadversions upon Mr: Henden's Letter to Mr. Elmeston heretofore printed published in his Book to Mr. Henden Mr. John Cotton's Letter to Mr. Elmeston sent with the following Animadversions Reverend and dear Sir IT is indeed a busie season with me to return due answer to sundry Friends who expect the same by this v●ssell But because your Letter is not onely yours but a voice from the Lord Jesus in which h● calleth me to beare witnesse to the truth for which end he came himself into the world John 18. 37. and sent his servants I durst not ●mit this first opportunity of returning answer to the scruples which your Letter enclosed If when you have perused the same your judgement con●ur therein you may please to communicate them to your Christianfriend If otherwise reserve them by your selfe Be intrea●●● to accept the labour of my love from your fellow-servant and cease not to pray for me whose businesses are more than my dayes The Lord Jesus be still the staff of your age and perfect his work in your heart and head till he trans●●te you to his heavenly Kingdome in Christ Jesus In whom with ●●arty salutes to you and Mrs. De●ly I take leave and rest Boston the 18. of the eighth moneth 1651. Yours in Brotherly love unfeigned JOHN COTTON My Letter to Mr. Henden when as I sent him a Copy of Mr. Cotton's Animadversions Good Mr. Henden SVch was my desire to be satisfied about your n●w Way and Principles and to inform your self and followers about them that I sent your Letter wrote to me to Mr. Cotton to New-England and by Letter requested his judgement thereupon In which thing according to his courteous disposition and desire to give witnesse to the truth he hath condescended to me and sent me in writing his censure upon your Letter which I received but the last Saturday and having transcribed a Copy of it have here sent it to you for you and your Disciples to peruse and thence to receive better information about your course It may be that truth commended to you from a place so remote and from so learned and godly a man will sooner be embraced than coming from a neighbour and ordinary friend as commodities brought from far Countreys as China or so are of more esteem with curious Gentlewomen than what are home-bred according to our English Proverb Far fetcht and dearely bought is good for Ladies There was you see a mistake in your quotation of Isa. 65. for 56. which I observed not but upon the receit of your last upon which occasion I could say nothing to it and Mr. Cotton here doth somewhat misse of your meaning What now I send you in writing I shall shortly make more publique by printing And if notwithstanding all this you will wander still and mislead others I can say nothing but what he did Si vult hic populu decipi decipiatur If this people will be deceived let them be deceived for who can hinder them that will not be undeceived So I rest Decemb. 20. 1651. Your loving Friend JO ELMESTON Certaine Errors noted in the Letter sent to you from a Christian Friend whereof you desired my judgement THat the foundation of the Beast consisted in an usurped power of Church Discipline footed upon man and his will without the call of God If the Beast be Antichrist then he is contrary to Christ in all his anoynments by which he is Christ Now Christ is the Anoynted not onely King of his Church but anoynted Priest and anoynted Prophet also The Beast i● Antichrist therefore not onely usurping a Kingly power over the Church in Church-Discipline but also in usurping the anoynted Priesthood in suborning to us other propitiztory and meritorious Sacrifices for Sin and other Mediators of Redemption as likewise in usurping the office of the anoynted Prophet in giving us Apochrypha-rules of Faith and advancing himselfe to be Judge of Controversies The call of God in our time is onely for Separation and Rewarding to wit rewarding evil upon Antichristians The Scripture acknowledgeth no calling onely for Separation and rewarding Evil both which are but detestations of sin but requireth also the practise of the contrary vertues Beloved saith John follow not that which is evil but that which is good 3 John ver. 11. Depart from evil saith David and doe good Psal. 34. 14. Cease to doe evil saith Isaiah and learne to doe well Isa. 1. 16 17. There is no commandment of God fulfilled submitting to the Negative part only in forbearing what is forbidden without performing the Affirmative also doing what is commanded The second Commandement is not fulfilled in abandoning or punishing Humane or Antichristian inventions without establishi●g and observing Christs own Institutions The places of Scripture alledged to prove that all the Calls of God in our times are for Separation and Rewarding are mis-interpreted and mis app●ied In Rev. 18. 46. the very phrase of coming out of ●abel implieth not onely a terminus à quo the place from whence they should come but Terminus ad quem as Rev. 12. 12. a time contemporary to the other come up hither to wit into an heavenly and pure estate That place Rev. 15. 8. doth no● argue that there were no visible Churches nor Members in them till all the seven Vials were powred forth on the Antichristian state but the contrary rather For all the seven Angels that is all the Instruments and Ministers of Gods wrath against the Beast came out of the Temple and such a Temple it was as was opened that is was visible cap. 15. 5. and therefore there was a visible Church-state before the powring out of any of the Vials As for that which is said No man was able to enter into the Temple till the seven Plagues of the seven Angels were fulfilled It is not understood of Christians who were in the Temple before but of Pagan Nations whose conversion it retarded by the smoke of Gods wrath against Antichristians which yet nevertheless hindereth not the conversion of a Sprinkling of some Jewes and Pagans but onely any large or numerous conversion of them The places in Rev. 19. 7 8 9. and Isa. 62. 5. do expresly speak of the conversion of the Jew● unto Christ in a Church Estate And their Espousage or Marriage to Christ doth not argue his divorce from the Gentiles for the coming of the Jews