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	hope_n	2,556	5	7.0461	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49459	The chief interest of man, or, A discourse of religion, clearly demonstrating the equity of the precepts of the Gospel, and how much the due observance thereof doth conduce to the happiness and well-being as well of humane societies as of particular persons by H. Lukin.	Lukin, H. (Henry), 1628-1719.	1665 (1665)	Wing L3473; ESTC R125	65,780	204

far doth this fall short of expressing the unreasonableness of such as will rather enjoy present pleasures than prepare for future happinesse A Child is bound to an Apprenticeship and he perhaps dies before his time be out and so all his labour and charge is lost or he doth not live seven years a Freeman after he hath lived seven years in a hard service But he that gives up himself to the service of Christ let it be imagined to be as hard as some mens prejudice perswades them the sooner he dyes the sooner his service is ended and though he dye never so soon he loseth not his Freedom but is made a Citizen of Heaven and once entred there he never dyes but doth for ever reap the fruit of his labours Do we not give twenty times as much for the Fee-simple as they speak of an Estate as it will bring us in one year and according to the same rule were we sure to enjoy the pleasures of sin twenty years and could imagine them to be equal to the joyes of Heaven yet we should quit them for those everlasting pleasures which we should enjoy for ever our selves and not only for some Ages as we hope to do Estates on Earth not in our selves but only in our posterity Further yet we see it is in vain to lay a snare in the sight of any Bird. Prov. 1.17 they will not come into the Net to feed if they perceive it or swallow the bait when they see the hook yet foolish men do venture on Hell which they are told will certainly be the wages of sin and will enjoy the present pleasures of it though they have all the assurance that a man can have of any thing which he sees not with his eyes that it will cost him his life and that his Soul must rue for ever in Hell God indeed doth not manifest himself to us ordinarily here nor take us up as he did Paul into the third Heavens to shew us the Glory thereof but he will have us to exercise faith here and to take his word which he hath so fully confirmed to us that we may as certainly trust to it as if we had the clearest evidence in the world The Husband-man casts his seed into the ground without any fear or suspition of losing having been confirmed by many experiments in the hope of receiving it again with increase but a thousand experiments will not so fully perswade as a divine testimony confirmed by Covenants Oaths and Seals the ordinary wayes of confirmation amongst men so that a Divine faith founded upon the word of God is as the substance of things hoped for which are but future and makes them as it were really subsist and is the evidence of things not seen confirming them to us and as fully perswading us of them though they are not obvious to the sense as any Philosophical demonstration can confirm any truth so that notwithstanding the Apostle owns sence to be a great means to move affections in this frail state wherein we are yet faith serves believers for a sufficient foundation of love and delight Though they see not Jesus Christ they love him and rejoyce in him with joy unspeakable and full of Glory 1 Pet. 1.7 We are short sighted and cannot see a far off 2 Pet. 1.9 but faith as a perspective brings things nearer to us that we may judge of them as really present Let not our senses therefore usurp authority over Faith and Reason but lot Faith and Reason have their perfect work let not the Men of the World be wiser in their Generation than Children of light let us not be wiser in the things of the World than in the things of Heaven We chuse not the fairest of things for the most part but such as are more serviceable and durable nor the sweetest but that which is wholsom and nourishing we chuse not the cleanest or pleasantest way but that which leads to the place which we are going to So let us judge of things not according as they present themselves to our senses but as they have a real intrinsick worth to commend themselves to our judgments and let us not judge of things according to their suitablenesse to our present fancies but as they conduce to our abiding good measuring every thing not by Time but by Eternity SECT XV. Inconsideratenesse another great cause of Atheism against which the best remedies are a serious apprehension of the great moment and importance of spiritual things frequent reading and hearing the word of God Christian communion and conference about matters of Religion mutual admonition The prevalency of evil customs and habits the folly of deferring repentance ANother chief reason of that Atheism which abounds so much in the World is inconsideratenesse the most important truths do not affect us any longer than we consider them The Platonists observed this who made knowledge nothing but remembrance or an actual consideration of that which Man knows not reckoning that to be knowledge which lyes dead in the habit and doth not at all affect the Soul And we find that the Scripture layes much weight upon this consideration or remembrance yea as much as Mans salvation comes to We may observe Isa 1.3 There is an Epimone wherein the Prophet layes the sin of Israel upon this that they did not consider So 1 Kings 8.47 We may observe affliction brings men to bethink themselves that brings them to repentance and repentance is a means to obtain pardon and we find by experience that when Men are by sicknesse brought to a serious weighing of matters they are easily perswaded to make good promises and resolutions which when their minds are afterwards by the pleasures of the World diverted from the thoughts of they turn to their former course yea we see many times that Men are so ingenuous as to yield to reproofs and to condemn themselves and their own wayes when they are admonished of them as if they stood in need of no more but to be put in mind of such things as they have in their own hearts and only to have conscience awakened and we find Ezek 18.14.28 that the turning away of a wicked man from the evil of his wayes depends chiefly upon consideration I have already shewed that the Devil is the remote cause of that wickednesse and prophaneness which abounds in the World yet he useth this as the great means to draw Men from God to divert their minds from the thoughts of such things as may have an influence upon their affections and actions to make a change in them as we see plainly in the Parable of the Sower Luk. 8.12 Men hear the word then comes the Devil and takes it away out of their hearts lest they should believe and be saved First we find by experience that M●n are oft seriously affected with those things that they hear while they are lively represented to their minds and pressed seriously upon their consciences

be terrors to good works but to evil To be Fathers to the poor and to search out the cause which they know not to break the jaws of the wicked and pluck the spoil out of their teeth Inferiors are thereby likewise instructed to submit themselves to their superiors to give them due honour and tribute to be Subject for Conscience sake which is the best foundation of disloyalty and fidelity As Constantius would say those that would not be true to God would not be true to him If any shall here say Quid verba audiam We have found the contrary true and have oft seen Religion made a Cloak to palliate Sedition and Rebellion I might answer by an Antistrophe retorting the objection It seems Religion is good in it self because it is made use of to palliate that which is evil Men do not counterfeit ordinary stones or Iron but Gold and Pearls as I have already upon occasion observed If Satan be transformed into an Angel of Light what wonder if his Ministers be sometimes transformed into the Servants of God I may again say with Tertullian Si accusasse sat est quis erit innocens None can maintain their innocency if upon a bare accusation they shall be condemned without a fair hearing Not Christ himself John 19.12 Nor his followers Acts 17.7 This odious crimination hath been used in several Ages as the most effectual means to subject Christians to the displeasure of Princes and to popular hatred which they had some pretence for in those times when the Emperors enjoyned such things by their authority as Christians did justly scruple which occasioned that wicked policy of Julian that he might avoid the imputation of persecution which he saw was grown odious to set the Heathen Idols by the Emperors statue that while they refused to give Religious honour to the one they might be accused of denying civil respect to the other Let us now descend to consider the aspect that Religion hath upon fellow Citizens or Subjects or how it conduceth to the mutual benefit and advantage of them And first let us consider what an influence that general rule of Christ Mat. 7.12 would have upon all Mankind to bring back again the Golden Age if when we have to do with others we would put our selves into their condition and consider how we should desire to be dealt with in such a case How gently and tenderly would superiors carry themselves towards their inferiors and with how much respect and observance would inferiors carry themselves to their superiors the Rich would not withhold from the poor when he had wherewith to relieve him and supply his wants but would bring upon himself the blessing of him who is ready to perish and make the heart of the peor to rejoyce and sing The poor would not by his idlenesse be unnecessarily burdensom to the Rich or commit rapes upon his charity but would labour diligently with his hands and abate the allowance which men ordinarily give to their lusts that so he might be in a capacity rather to give than to receive The lender would not take advantage of the necessity of the borrower nor the borrower ingratefully defraud the lender the seller would not deceive or over reach the buyer nor the buyer undervalue the goods of the seller Consider further how Christ more particularly requires that we should be like God in goodnesse doing good to all forgiving injuries and making their condition our own ready to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for each other as Ignatius oft speaks laying down our lives for our brethren dwelling in Love which works no ill to her neighbor envies not vaunts not it self is not puffed up behaves not it self unseemingly seeks not her own is not easily provoked thinks no evil rejoyceth not in iniquity but in the truth bears all things believes all things hopes all things suffers all things If such commands of Christ were observed Men might beat their swords into Plow-shares their Spears into pruning hooks there would be no leading into Captivity no complaining in our Streets no vexatious 〈◊〉 no groaning of the oppressed no extremity of poverty or want to put Men upon violence private injuries publick sedition If men would according to the command of Christ obey their teachers prove all things hold fast that which is good prefer others in honour before themselves not thinking of themselves above what is meet not being wise in their own eyes but humbly enquire after truth suspecting their own judgement following after those things which make for peace and edification studying to be quiet letting their moderation be made known to all Men. And if those that are Teachers and Rulers in the Church would not Lord it over the heritage of God but be gentle towards them as a Nurse to her Children not seeking theirs but them doing all things for their edifying we should soon see an end of divisions and Schisms and separations in the Church If any here object that I fancy a Church of Catharists and such purity and holinesse in Men as is not to be expected in this World I answer I speak of what is rather to be desired than hoped for and what religion would do towards the happinesse of Mankind were the rules of it duely observed and would Men be faithful to the principles of it which is sufficient to this Apology which I here make against such as would reproach it and bring it into disgrace in the world and to prove that the more Religion flourisheth in any Nation the happier it is and the better ordered and that we may conclude with the Tragedian Where modesty righteousnesse holinesse piety and faithfulnesse are neglected that Kingdom cannot long stand and if any think this would do well indeed if all would agree to do thus I answer the neglect of others doth not discharge us from our duty we owe it to God though Men should not deserve it or requite it with a reciprocal care of Justice and equity And further it is a great advantage for raising our honour when others neglect their duty Sometimes singularity is the only means to get a name as the Satyrist could say Aude aliquid brevibus gyaris aut carcere dignum Si vis esse aliquid probitas laudatur alget There is yet another way whereby good men do promote the weal-publick and that is by the education of children which in well governed Common-Wealths there hath alwayes been a special care taken for Those are counted good Common-wealths-men that build and plant such things as the Common-wealth may be the better for and enjoy the furit of when they are dead and gone But those that stock the Common-wealth with Plants of righteousness which may in future times bring forth the fruits of Justice and equity do more promote the publick good and those who let go Foxes and Wolves are not more worthy of punishment than such as bring up Children in a Common-Wealth which through

wise to do evil but he hath no knowledge to do good Now experience doth more confirm us in the belief of this than a thousand Arguments Again we oft read of the enmity of the Devil against Mankind and though his power be not much discerned by many yet it is like the influence of Coelestial Bodies Sun Moon and Stars upon these sublunary things powerful and effectual though not discerned but in the effects hence we read of his working effectually in the hearts of the Children of disobedience of men being taken captive of him at his pleasure of the strength of delusion of his going about like a roaring Lion of wrestling with principalities and powers and resisting the Devil stedfast in the Faith He that should have seen the Poor Man cured by Christ offering violence to himself and casting himself sometimes into the fire sometimes into the water would have easily concluded that he was acted by some evil spirit to such things as were destructive to his own nature so to see men sin against their own souls and run such desperate hazards against their own interest is a clear argument that they are acted by some other nature which seeks their ruine and destruction Now these may be remote causes of the prevalency of that Atheism which we see and lament in the World but yet there must be some nearer causes searched out for unlesse it be in some secret Sympathies and Antipathies Man doth ordinarily act according to reason that is what is either really so or seems so to him and there must be some ratio motiva to elicite or draw forth the acts of his will The Grace of God is powerful in good actions yet it works congruously to our natures moving by the means of some rational arguments and principles so the efficacy of the Devil is very great in evil actions yet he makes use for the most part of moral arguments though he had such a hand in Judas his Treason and Annanias his cosenage as that he is said to put these things into their hearts yet by the whole tenor of their story we find that there were some moral motives he made use of and that it was covetousness that did more immediately sway in these sins Now it seems one main reason of Mens Atheism which is more near and immediate is the prevalency of sense as there are some actions which do prevent the reasonings of the mind which we call actiones hominis but not humanae which indeed are actions of Men but not humane actions proceeding from the essential principle of man objects coming to the sense before they can have access to the understanding the spirits move disorderly till the understanding taking cognizance of the matter do rectifie such motions of the spirits as in a sudden noise or unexpected sight the senses as the Centinels take the first alarm but as soon as the news is carryed to the understanding as the main guard or principal officer and found to be of no dangerous consequence this sudden commotion is allayed so in more important passages of our lives sense makes many disorderly sallies and motions without taking counsel of the understanding and objects do make very deep impressions upon them and the Scripture doth take notice how much we are led by sense in this frail state wherein we are so as we may all say with the Propher Law 3.51 Our eye affects our heart this is the foundation of the Apostles argument 1 John 4.20 He that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen We have a thousand times more reason to love God than to love our Brother considering the perfections and excellencies that are in God to render him amiable and the obligations which we are under to him who hath done more ten thousand times for us than all the friends which we have in the World but whatever reason there may be in the thing it self the Apostle argues according to our poor capacity the access that things have to us and doth clearly suppose that things which have accesse to out senses are more effectual for moving our affections than such things as are only the object of faith So though we hear of an infinite Majesty that created and sustains our selves and all other finite beings who seeth all our actions and will one day call us to an account for them and likewise of an eternal weight of glory made up of things which eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor ever entred into the heart of Man to conceive these things do not move us because they are far out of our sight and the things of the World which are nearer to our senses and are the immediate objects of them pleasing the tast delighting the smell tickling and flattering the Ear dazling the eyes have more prevalency upon us But yet upon examination we shall find this is not sufficient to prevail against those important considerations which I have already proposed nor to leave mankind excusable for abandoning himself to the pleasures of this life so as to neglect those better things which are propounded as the reward of holiness Let us but quit our selves like men and exercise those common principles of reason which we exercise in other affairs of our lives and though we cannot perhaps thereby silence the clamors of sence yet we may confute them and reject them Do we not ordinarily see men correct the errors of sense by reason Do we not see them part with their blood to prevent the inconveniency of a disease which for the most part they do believe or suspect not upon the evident demonstrations but probable conjectures of a Physician or at best by their own reason Do not men endure the cutting off of a member to save the body and lengthen out a miserable life for some days or years Do not men drink the most unpleasing potions for the recovery of their health or repairing their decayed strength Do not men cast their seed into the earth in hopes of receiving the increase of it Doth not the Merchant send away his goods in hope to receive others for them which may bring him some gain and advantage And what is all this to denying ungodliness and worldly lusts denying our selves the pleasure of sin for the pleasure of Heaven yea do we not see men ordinarily binding their Sons to some Apprenticeship for many years that so they may learn a Trade to maintain themselves in some repute in the world when they shall come to years rather than let them live in idlenesse and pleasure giving up themselves to childish sports and vanities when they are young which would afterwards expose them to poverty and contempt And he is accounted a cruel and unjust Father that will not thus love his Child with such a prudent severity rather than undo him by a foolish indulgence yet how wide a difference is there in these cases And how