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	heart_n	love_v	3,359	5	6.1438	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45559	The pilgrims wish, or, The saints longing discussed in a sermon preached in St. Bennet Grace Church at the funeral of Mrs. Anne Dudson ... who departed this life the 4th day of January, 1658 ... / by Nath. Hardy ...	Hardy, Nathaniel, 1618-1670.	1659 (1659)	Wing H738; ESTC R2193	17,690	36

are pleasures for evermore And therefore as to Pleasure it is farre better to be with Christ Indeed well may being with Christ be better then all enjoyments on earth when it is the best of Heavens Happinesse It is true we shall in Heaven be with our godly Friends with all the holy Patriarchs goodly Prophets glorious Apostles noble Martyrs faithfull Confessors glorified Saints and Blessed Angels but all this is nothing to the blisse of being with Christ It is the presence of Christ which is the Heaven of Heaven Without him Heaven would not be Heaven and with him even Hell would be Heaven Whom have I in Heaven but thee saith David to God What were these visible Heavens without the Sunne What were the Empyreyal Heaven without God and Christ By what hath been said it appeareth that St. Pauls desire of death was not an extravagant passion but a well grounded Affection nothing being more rational then that every one should most desire that which is best for him Oh let us learn to have the same estimation of Christs presence and then we shall have the same affection to death which St. Paul had The Queen of Sheba said to Sol●on Happy are these thy servants which stand ever before thee But oh how happy are they that stand before and are ever with thee oh blessed Jesus It was a devout speech of old Bullinger Socrates gaudet sibi n●oriendum esse propterea quod Homerum Hesiodum alios prestantissimos viros se visurum crederet quanto Magis ego gaudeo qui certus sum me visurum esse Christum servatorem meum c. Secrates rejoyced at death believing he should see Homer Hesiod and other excellent men how much greater is my joy who am sure besides many holy men to see my Saviour Christ the eternal Sonne of God in the flesh Cercidas as we read in Caelius Rhodiginus told his Friends on his dying bed He left this life with delight in an apprehension of enjoying after his death the company of Pythagoras the Philosopher Hecateus the Historian Olympus the Musician and Homer the Poet Oh with what cheerfulnesse should we depart in the assured hope of enjoying not only the Society of Abraham Isaac and Iacob but Christ himself When the Holy Apostle St. Peter was upon the Mount with Christ at his transfiguration he cryeth out {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} it is good for us to be here How much more reason have we to say of being with Christ in Heaven It is good It is best infinitely best for us to be There And therefore as Moses went up to a Mount to die so we should gladly die that we may go up to that Mount where Christ is I end this There want not many Comparisons to be made in this kind whereby death may be rendred desirable but none so cogent as this We should be willing to depart because it is better to be at home then in a strange place To be in a Palace then a Prison in a Paradise then a Wildernesse at rest then in labours and to be free from sin then to fall into it But much more willing because it is farre better to be with Christ then abide in the flesh 3. There is onely one part of the Text behind and that is the Energy of this desire in the Effect flowing from it which is expressed in the beginning of the verse I am in a straight betwixt two What those {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} two things were is easily found out by what hath been already said as also by that which praecedeth and followeth namely to live and to die To depart and be with Christ and to remine in the flesh Between these two St. Paul was straightned to wit which he should make choice of and according to the signification of the Greek word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} was in such a perplexity that he knew not what to do like a Beast that is put into a pound or a People that are beseiged in a City There is in every one of us nor was it extirpated in St. Paul a natural desire of life in which respect it may seem strange that the Apostle should be in a straight which of these to choose but as on the one hand St. Paul had that which was common with him to all men a natural desire of life so on the other he had that which was peculiar to him and such as he was strong Christians a spiritual desire of death nor was this lesse fervent then that No wonder if he were in a straight There was in St. Paul as there is in every good Minister a love to his People the Philippians who were a part of his care in respect of whom he very well knew how advantagious his life would be I but this Holy Apostle had an ardent love to Christ which made him as all perfect Christians do long to be with him yea as it were impatient of death and this put him into a straight Much like that which would to use Zanchy his comparison afflict a tender Mother and affectionate Wife when she is called upon to goe to her Husband in some remote place and withall to leave her Children behinde her when yet perhaps they are not able to help themselves Or to use St. Bernards allusion which would distresse a Begger when being hungry she is invitad to come into a rich mans Table and refresh her self but she must leave her unquiet Child at the door What the result of the Apostles determination was appeareth in the subsequent Verse namely to be content to abide in the flesh And it was Iudicious yea Religious since on the one hand the prejudice to him in living would be only a retarding of his blisse in Christs presence for a time But on the other hand the danger to them might be great through his dying by reason of the many false Teachers which endeavoured to subvert their Faith and so destroy their souls by which likewise would accrue dishonour to Christ So that Charity to the Philippians good and zeal to Christs glory did at last weigh down the scale but still it was not without much ado many debating and perplexing thoughts which did arise from his earnest desires of enjoying him whom his soul loved And now that the same desire which was in this holy Apostle may be imprinted on our hearts I shall briefly commend these following Counsels 1. Let our affections be alienated from this world When the entangled Bird would flye upwards the snare puls it back thus doth worldly love hinder us from mounting Heaven-ward in our desires to be with Christ You have oft-times beheld the sorrowfull parting of dear Friends what delayes and teares salutes and looking back so loath are they to leave each other thus must it needs be between the world and him that is a Friend of the world

Ejus est in mundo diu velle remanere quem mundus oblectat saith St. Cyprian He that is taken with cannot but desire to continue in the world and it is a kind of death to think of parting with it which he knoweth must be when death comes And therefore said an Ancient truly The soul can never willingly be seperated from the body till it be taken off from these worldly pleasures 2. Let no sinne have dominion over us When the sting is plucked out of the Serpent it is not terrible but amiable St. Paul hath told us The sting of death is sinne Oh let us pluck it out by repentance It is impossible for him who lyeth in sinne to live with Christ Well may he be afraid to dye Indeed if a wicked man desire to dye it is out of ignorance and incogitancy because he doth not rightly apprehend or at least seriously consider what followeth after death Alas it were far better for an impenitent sinner to live here though in meannesse and misery then to go hence and be with Devils in torment to eternity Oh let it be our care in life to separate stnne from our souls and then the separation by death of our souls from our bodies will be a means of the union of our souls with Christ and consequently an Object rather of joy then fear 3. Let our Faith grow up to a full Assurance It was by Faith that Moses refused Pharaohs Treasures and chose affliction with the people of God and by Faith it is that we are enabled to contemn life and desire death Those things which are so glorious in the worldlings eyes are to Faith contemptible and those things which are so dismall when looked upon with an eye of sense become amiable to the eye of Faith Even death which is the King of terrours is to a Believer a Queen of desires That he who questioneth whether there be a life after death or who doubts whether he shall partake of it should be afraid to die is no wonder He that knoweth not what shall become of him when he goeth hence may well be desirous to stay here And therefore let us strengthen our Faith in the Promise of eternal life and make our calling and election sure 4. Finally Let our love to Christ be more and more enflamed Love is desirous of Union and if fervent will break through all difficulties to the enjoyment of its Object Friends delight much in each others society What loving Wife would not willingly be with her Husband I and go to him though it be over the boisterous Seas Oh when shall I come and appear before God was Davids wish arising from his zealous love to Gods presence in his Sanctuary Come Lord Jesus come quickly is the voice of the Church earnestly longing after his approach because she dearly loveth him And from this sweet spring bubled up that affectionate wish of an Ancient Utinam essem cum Christo meo Oh that I were with my Christ Mori timeat qui nolit esse cum Christo as St. Cyprian excellently Let him be afraid to die who would not be with Christ to which he cannot be unwilling who hath a sincere affection towards him Thus let us remove out of the way those stumbling blockes of reigning wickednesse and worldly love let us take to our selves the wings of Faith in and love to Christ so shall we make haste in our desire to be dissolved that we may be with him HAving given a dispatch to the Text it now remaineth that I adjoyne a few words concerning this our Deceased Sister whose remaines are to be laid up in the Grave And truly whither you looke upon Her in Her Life or Death in her Health or Sicknesse you shall find Her a Patterne of many graces Shee was the Daughter and Neece of two Reverend Ministers of the Gospell now with God and as I doubt not but Shee had a Religious Education So Shee retained the sweetnesse of that Liquor with which Shee was at first seasoned That truly Reformed Religion of the Church of England wherein Shee had been grounded and established Shee constantly professed and in some measure practiced Shee was an affectionate Wife a tender Mother a prudent Mistresse a Friendly Neighbour a Virtuous Woman and a Devout Christian It pleased God of late to visit Her with much Sicknesse which Shee underwent with much Patience being often heard to say Shall I kick against my Maker In her last Sicknesse Shee was full of Heavenly Expressions by which Shee gave Testimony of the graces of God confer'd upon Her Shee renewed Her Repentance and godly sorrow for Her sinnes for though She blessed God who had kept her from notorious sinnes that Shee could not but accuse Her selfe for many neglects and infirmities being much troubled yet Shee had spent her time so ill and not done that service for God Shee ought Ardent were Her longings after Gods favour often saying A Reconciled God is worth all the World Shee testified Her submission to Gods dispose by that sweet language If it were Gods will I am content to live but not else Her affections were much taken off from the world for which reason Shee said Shee was unwilling Her Children should be about Her Bed least they should steale Her Heart from God and though Shee had the World at will yet Shee accounted all dung that Shee might win Christ It pleased God to suffer Satan to Winnow Her but Her Faith did not faile and after some conflicts Shee got the Conquest triumphing over him bidding defiance to him casting Her self in an humble confidence upon the merits of Her Redeemer Finally when Shee was desired by her Friends to forbeare much speaking least it should exhaust Her Spirits Her reply was Can I spend my self better then for God with whom I trust Shee now is which since it is far better for Her I hope it will not be too much trouble to her Relations Let not Her dear Husband grieve inordinately Since Shee is gone to Her better Husband Christ Let not her affectionate Aunt mourn immoderately because Shee is gone to Her Heavenly Father Let none of Her Friends weep much for Her who is with Her best Friend rather let all of us learne to follow Her in those Virtues which Shee practised that we may attaine that glory whereof I hope Shee is possessed whither he bring us who hath dearly bought us Iesus Christ the Righteous Amen FINIS Gen. 1. Partie 1. 2 Tim. 4. 6. 2 Pet. 1. 14 15. Tertul. l. de animâ c. 27. Ambros. de bono mortis c. 2. Plat. in Phad Cic. in Tusc. Ambros. ibid. Aug. l. de spir. anim c. 43. Eccl. 12. 11. 2 Cor. 5. 1. Iohn 1. 14. 1 Pet. 2. 11. Aug. Iob 14. 10. Mic. 2. 10. Luke 12. 35. Partic. 2. 2 Cor. 5. 6. Rev. 14. 16. Luk. 23. 43. 1 Thes. 4. 17. Rev. 6. 9. Aug. l. de Eccl. dogin c. 79. Id. De consid. mort. Serm. 2. Just M. Quaest. Resp. Orthod 9. 75. Greg. Naz. in erat Caesar Macat hom. 12. Chrysost. in Phil. hom 3. Iren. adv. haer. l. 5. Chrysost. Ibid. Jobn 14. 18. Cypr. de Mortal Gen. 2. Partic. 1. Hier. Turtul Luke 12. 36. Cypr. Ibid. Greg Mor. l. 5. c. 40. Isai. 57. 2. 2 Cor. 5. 4 Quer. 2. Vulg. Lat. Exod. 20. 12. Luk. 2. 29. Sen. Ep. 24. Cic. Cypr. de mortal Sen. Ep. Cypr. de mortal Id. ibid. Arab. Heb. 1. 0. Rom. 8. 17. Prov. 8. 18. Eph. 2. 6. Rev. 3. 21. Joh. 17. 24. Rom. 8. 17. 2 Tim. 2. 1● Rev. 3. 20. M●● 4. 2. Psal. 15. 10. Psal. 73. 25. 1 King 10. 8. Bulling Mat. 17. 4. Cael. Rodig l. 21. c. 44. See my Sermon called the Epitaph of a godly man Ver. 21 24. Zanch. in l●c Bern. Serm. 12. in Cart Cypr ib. Diad●ch 1 Cor 15. 56. Psal. 42. 2. Rev. 22. 20. Cypr. ibid. Mr Abraham and Mr Isaac Calfe