Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	commandment_n	john_n	love_v	9,696	5	7.3869	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80867	The foundation of God, with the immutability thereof laid for the salvation of his elect; with infallible marks and signs of election. Which may serve as a storehouse of comfort to religious minds, in this season of danger felt and feared.	Crompton, William, 1633-1696.	1659 (1659)	Wing C7031A; ESTC R175852	40,951	136

most ductile and that 's the best Blade which bends well without reteining its crooked figure St. Augustine being asked which was the first Grace answered Humility Which the second third he answer'd Humility Empty Casks sound most when the well fraught Vessel silenceth its own fulness and the deep Rivers pay larger tribute to the Sea than the shallow brooks and yet empty themselves without noise Thus it goes with the heirs of Heaven As the Harp though they sound most sweetly they hear not their own melody As Violets cover themselves with their leaves so do gracious Persons hide their sweetest Excellencies under the garment of humility They live yet not they but Christ liveth in them They are willing to be a Cypher so Christ may stand for a figure Prorsus Satan est Lutherus sed vivat regnat Christus Let Luther be accounted a Devil so Christ may be exalted as God saith that Incarnate Seraphim of himself They say in Herauldry the plainest Coats are the richest Arms sure we may be the most poor in spirit on Earth are the richest Citizens of Heaven This they learn of their Master at their entrance into his School to be meek and lowly in heart both in regard of God and man 2. Love that is a Jewel Christs Bride wears a sparkling Diamond which God placeth in the bosom of his Elect 1 John 4.16 He that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God As there is Love descending to us so there is Love ascending to God It 's said that Iron touched with a Loadstone it hath an inclination of following the Loadstone verily when God hath touched any soul with his Love it leaves an instinct behind it of following after God And where this Love dwells it is operative like fire for it 's a Divine flame it is not idle but active and it works diverssy First Towards the Word of God This is given as the mark of a Christian Psalm 1.2 His delight is in the Law of God The Prophet David often expresseth so much Psal 119. O how I love thy Law how sweet are thy words to my taste yea sweeter than the honey to my mouth dearer unto me than thousands of gold and silver He roles it as Sugar under his Tongue he takes pleasure in it as a man doth in a bed of Roses The covetous man takes great delight in telling his thousands but David hath sweeter apprehensions and affections to Gods Law than he had to thousands And so the Prophet Jeremiah Ch. 15. v. 16. Thy words were sound and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart To the same effect the Prophet Isaiah Ch. 60. v. 8. Who are these that fly as a Cloud and as Doves to their windows Gracious souls fly as Doves to an Ordinance upon the Wings of Love God opens the heart of his Chosen to love the Word to receive it as new born Babes do the milk of the Breast greedily delightfully patiently and profitably to grow thereby And therefore Luther said speaking of wicked men only contemn not the Word and there is hope Qu. To this some or other may reply I love the Word and have comfort from it though I be not so strickt and curious for my life as others are Ans It is impossible for a man to love the Word and not reform his life by it David gave not only his Ear but turned his Feet to the Commandments of God He walked in them We judg not of a mans health by his high Colour but by the pulse of the Arm so we judg not of a Christians soundness by words what are they but an higher colour but by his obedient actings towards God and when we see his Soul tuned into a conformity with his Word and mans Will so far as it is discernable perfectly to concur with Gods Will. Hear the Divine Apostle who wrote his Epistles with an Ear in Heaven 1 John 2.3 By this we know that we know him and by this we know that we love him if we keep his Commandments John 14.21 He hath hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me John Epist 2. v. 6. This is Love that we walk in his Commandments Peter Lovest thou me feed my Lambs The Crystal streams of Divine Actions will necessarily bubble from the pure spring of Affection Secondly This Love works towards the Messengers which bring the glad tidings of salvation to us They that love the Message cannot but manifest it by a tender expression of love to the Messengers How welcom are the feet of those who bring glad tidings from Emmanuels Land the Countrey of Canaan He it enjoyn'd Philip. 2.29 Receive them with all gladness and hold such in reputation 1 Thessal 5. Esteem them very highly in love if not for their own yet for their works sake Ministers are Gods Angels to set forth the Kingdom of God and eternal Life non specie oestimandi sed munere not to be judg'd of by their outside but by their Office as Ambrose expresseth it The most curious Pearls are here enclosed in the ruggest shells and the Lord lodgeth rich Treasures in earthen Vessels See Turks Idolatrous Papists honouring every hedg-Priest of theirs and have them in singular esteem above their merits and it is observ'd of the Grecians how they gave greater respect to their Philosophers than to their Oratours because these taught them only how to speak but they how to live well Let us learn something from them to love faithful Ministers who labour with Christ in the Gospel It is a good sign and cannot miss a Reward Thirdly It works towards the People of Christ our fellow-servants Professours of Religion in the Power thereof of whom we may and ought to have this hope that they are laid with us in the foundation of God This sweet Spice sends forth its smell that bears his Image on whom it contemplateth the Image of the first Beauty John 13.35 By this shall all men know ye are my Disciples if ye have love one to another Other mens disciples are known by their Titles Habits Ceremonies as the Popes Shavelings are but Love is Christs cognizance He who loveth him who begets loveth him also that is begotten Gods Children are his walking Pictures if we love God we shall love those on whom he hath drawn his Image yea notwithstanding some infirmities as children love one another though there be some imperfections of Nature and we love Gold in the Oar notwithstanding its Drossiness The best Saints have their blemishes the fairest Face may have a scar to disgrace it Yea though poor the Children of God love their Fathers Image though hung in never so mean a Frame Though we have not grace or gifts in that measure and degree we see it in others yet if we love it in them and them for it we may be confident God hath begun his work in us None can prize Grace but they that