Evidence for heaven containing infallible signs and real demonstrations of our union with Christ…Evidence for heaven containing infallible signs and reall demonstrations of our union with Christ…
Evidence for heaven containing infallible signs and real demonstrations of our union with Christ and assurance of salvation : with an appendix of laying down certain rules to be observed for preserving our assurance once obtained / published by Ed. Calamy ...Evidence for heaven containing infallible signs and reall demonstrations of our union with Christ and assurance of salvation : with an appendix of laying down certain rules to be observed for preserving our assurance once obtained / published by Ed. Calamy ...
Edmund Calamy 1600–1666London: printed for Simon Miller, 1657
[26], 209, [15] p. · 67k words · Wing C240 · ESTC R3864
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Love and intimate converse melts the heart, nothing more; strangeness hardens it, nothing the like; intimate converse with God, increaseth love to God, and melteth the heart; intimate converse with the godly-wise, doth the like.
Love and intimate converse melts the heart, nothing more; strangeness hardens it, nothing the like; intimate converse with God, encreaseth love to God, and melteth the heart; intimate converse with the godly-wise, doth the like.
Our great hardness of heart, and unprofitableness under the great means of grace in public, I may truly say, hath in great part sprung ⟨p. 47⟩from the gross neglect of the duties of Christian love; and the great strangeness that is grown amongst Christians, in these times, where we meet, but in complement usually.
Our great hardness of heart, and unprofitableness under the great meanes of grace in publick, I may truly say, hath in great part sprung ⟨p. 47⟩from the gross neglect of the duties of Christian love; and the great strangeness that is grown amongst Christians, in these times, where we meet, but in complement usually.
But when God shall give his people one heart, and one way, to serve him, with one consent; when their love shall abound, one towards another, and operate without these obstructions of division, in judgement, and affection [they shall then have hearts of flesh, and not of stone:
] as appears by Jer. 32.39. and Zeph. 3.9. compared with Ezek. 36.26. which places have reference to one and the same time.
But when God shall give his people one heart, and one way, to serve him, with one consent; when their love shall abound, one towards another, and operate without these obstructions of division, in judgement, and affection [they shall then have hearts of flesh, and not of stone: 1] as appears by Ier. 32.39. and Zeph. 3.9. compared with Ezek. 36.26. which places have reference to one and the same time.
It is said of Leviathan, Job 41. That the flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves, they cannot be moved. His scales are one so near another, that no Air can come between them. They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered. The Lord Jesus Christ is the great Leviathan of Heaven and Earth, and his people are his scales, and the flakes of his flesh; and were they so joined together in Christian love and society, that no Air of temptation could come between them, they would be firm in themselves; and so stick together, that they could not be sundered, yea, in their neck would strength remain, and sorrow would be turned into joy before them.
It is said of Leviathan, Job 41. That the flakes of his flesh are joyned together: they are firme in themselves, they cannot be moved. His scales are one so neer another, that no Air can come between them. They are joyned one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sunder•d. The Lord Jesus Christ is the great Leviathan of Heaven and Earth, and his people are his scales, and the flakes of his flesh; and were they so joyned together in Christian love and society, that no Air of temptation could come between them, they would be firm in themselves; and so stick together, that they could not be sundered, yea, in their neck would strength remaine, and sorrow would be turned into joy before them.
Great is the latitude of Christian love, of love congruous to the rule of God; for they whose love is congruous to the rule of God. Grudge not a one against ••e other; Speak not evil ⟨p. 48⟩bone of another: Do not bite cand devour one another; Devi•e •ot evil one against another;d; Do not oppress, over-reach, or defraud eone another, i• any matter; Render not evil ffor evil unto any man; Say not I will do gso to him, as he hath done to me, I will •ender unto the man according to his deeds; They bear not false hwitness against their Neighbour, nor bear witness, without icause against their Neighbour, nor deceive with their lips; Lay not wait against the dwelling of kthe righteous; Spoil not his resting place; Add not affliction lto the afflicted; Rejoice not in their menemies fell, much less in their brothers; Hate not their brother in nheart; Stand not against the blood oof their Neighbours, out of desire of revenge, nor upon a political account; Are not as Cain *who slew his Brother;15 They judge not their pBrother, nor set at nought their Brother; Give no offence qwillingly to any, but endeavour, as much as lawfully they may, to live peaceably rwith all men; They put away all sbitterness, and wrath, and anger, and •lamour, and evil speaking, with all malice; Love one another as tGod gave us Commandment; Love one another, as Christ hath loved uus; Love as *Brethren; Love without xdissimulation, cordially, yunfeignedly, out of a pure heart, fervently; Love not in word zand in tongue only, but in deed and in truth; They walk ain ⟨p. 49⟩love; abound bin Love, grow cin Love, speak the truth din Love, serve one another ein Love, continue fin Love, are kindly affectionated one towards another gwith brotherly Love; Rejoice with them hthat rejoice, and weep with them that weep; In honour prefer ione another, have compassion kone of another, are pitiful, are courteous lone towards another, tender mhearted; if rich, they are rich in good works 38ready to distribute, willing to communicate, show mercy owith cheerfulness, they bear one another's pburdens. If strong, bear the infirmities qof the weak, support rthe weak, bear one with another, a•d forbear one sanother; Forsake not the tassembling of themselves together, but exhort one another daily, edify one another uand comfort one another, with the Word of the Lord;
Great is the latitude of Christian love, of love congruous to the rule of God; for they whose love is congruous to the rule of God. Grudge not a one against ••e other; Speak not evil ⟨p. 48⟩bone of another: Do not bite cand devour one another; Devi•e •ot evill one against another;d; Do not oppress, over-reach, or defraud eone another, i• any matter; Render not evill ffor evill unto any man; Say not I will do gso to him, as he hath done to me, I will •ender unto the man according to his deeds; They bear not false hwitness against their Neighbour, nor bear witness, without icause against their Neighbour, nor deceive with their lips; Lay not wait against the dwelling of kthe righteous; Spoil not his resting place; Adde not affliction lto the afflicted; Rejoyce not in their menemies fell, much less in their brothers; Hate not their brother in nheart; Stand not against the blood oof their Neighbours, out of desire of revenge, nor upon a politicall account; Are not as Cain *
*Gain was wicked, and slew his brother, yet was he not so impudent as to give God thanks for it, when he had done, much less did he call out Adam thereunto.
*Teach and admonish one another, consider one another to provoke xunto Love, and to good works, confess their faults one yto another; This (I think) is meant, at least chiefly, of faults committed one against another, and pray one for another; Pray for 4all men, even enemies; †Do good unto all, abut especially unto the household of Faith, they are not overcome of evil, but blabour to overcome evil with goodness; they do as they would cbe done by in all things; they esteem dvery highly in Love, for their works sake, their lawful and faithful Ministers, especially those in whom they have propriety; They receive eone another, as Christ received us to the glory of God; and be at peace among themselves.
*Teach and admonish one another, consider one another to provoke xunto Love, and to good works, confess their faults one yto another; This (I think) is meant, at least chiefly, of faults committed one against another, and pray one for another; Pray for 4all men, even enemies; †Do good unto all, abut especially unto the houshold of Fai•h, they are not overcome of evill, but blabour to overcome evill with goodness; they do as they would cbe done by in all things; they esteem dvery highly in Love, for their works sake, their lawfull and faithfull Ministers, especially those in whom they have propriety; They receive eone another, as Christ received us to the glory of God; and be at peace among themselves.
Then again. He whose Love to his brother is congruous to the Rule of God, goes not up and down as a tale-bearer, fHe seeks not his own, gbut his brothers good; labours to avoid whatsoever may offend hor weaken his brother, or be a stumbling block unto him; labours to please ihis brother for his good, to Edification; He loves his Neighbour as himself; kdoth good freely, llooking for nothing again; He says not as Cain, Am I my brothers keeper? but watches over his brother for his good, and reproves mhis brother in Love, according to Christ's Rule nprivately and publicly, if need be; informs against his brother oin such place and case, as Christ commands him, and with-draws from his brother in case of pscandal or contempt of the Churches lawful constitutions and censures; or in case he cause divisions qor offences in the Church, contrary to the Doctrine of the holy Scriptures; mourns rfor his brother, and prays for shim in such cases. Labours to restore this brother in the spirit of meekness, when overtaken in any fault, and returns to him uwhen he turns to the Lord. Forgives *him and comforts him, and confirms his Love towards him; He forgives his brother his trespasses from his xheart, as often as he yoffendeth, and repenteth, freely, as zChrist forgave us; For Christ's sake, and as God hath forgiven us.
Then again. He whose Love to his brother is congruous to the Rule of God, goes not up and down as a tale-bearer, fHe seeks not his own, gbut his brothers good; labours to avoid whatsoever may offend hor weaken his brother, or be a stumbling block unto him; labours to please ihis brother for his good, to Edification; He loves his Neighbour as himself; kdoth good freely, llooking for nothing again; He saies not as Cain, Am I my brothers keeper? but watches over his brother for his good, and reproves mhis brother in Love, according to Christ's Rule nprivately and publiquely, if need be; informs against his brother oin such place and case, as Christ commands him, and with-draws from his brother in case of pscandall or contempt of the Churches lawfull constitutions and censures; or in case he cause divisions qor offences in the Church, contrary to the Doctrine of the holy Scriptures; mourns rfor his brother, and praies for shim in such cases. Labours to restore this brother in the spirit of meekness, when overtaken in any fault, and returns to him uwhen he turns to the Lord. Forgives *
All these qualifications the Scripture calls for, in my Love towards my Brother, as these quotations in the Margin do manifest; Therefore that Love towards man, which is congruous to the holy Scripture, must needs have these qualifications in it, ergo.
All these qualifications the Scripture cals for, in my Love towards my Brother, as these quotations in the Margin do manifest; Therefore that Love towards man, which is congruous to the holy Scripture, must needs have these qualifications in it, ergo.
But here the soul conscious to its own wants and failings, will be ready to reply,1 as the Disciples did to Christ, when he told them, how hard a matter it was for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; who then can be saved, said the Disciples? so the soul will be ready to say here, if all this be in that Love which is congruous to the rule of God, who then can say his Love is congruous to the rule of God? surely none, for in much of this we fail all.
But here the soul conscious to its own wants and failings, will be ready to reply,1 as the Disciples did to Christ, when he told them, how hard a matter it was for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; who then can be saved, said the Disciples? so the soul will be ready to say here, if all this be in that Love which is congruous to the rule of God, who then can say his Love is congruous to the rule of God? surely none, for in much of this we faile all.
He that truly wills, desires,1 and endeavours to do all this,2 that Christ may have the honour of it, doth it in a Gospel-sense, and in Gods acceptation, who accepts the will for the deed: where ability is wanting, this must be granted, otherwise no Child of Adam could conclude on the affirmative.
He that truly wills, desires,1 and indeavours to do all this,2 that Christ may have the honour of it, doth it in a Gospel-sense, and in Gods acceptation, who accepts the will for the deed: where ability is wanting, this must be granted, otherwise no Child of Adam could conclude on the affirmative.
1Answ.
2This, and no less then this, is vigour fit to give the appearance of a sincere Love.This, and no less then this, is vigor fit to give the appearance of a sincere Love.
Now for other appearances of Love, they are these; What a man Loves, he prizes accordingly; What a man loves, he delights in accordingly; What a man Loves, he desires to enjoy; what a man loves, he cannot hear reproached, reviled, and spoken against, but with grief of heart: This needs no proving, every ones experience, will testify the truth of it.
Now for other appearances of Love, they are these; What a man Loves, he prizes accordingly; What a man loves, he delights in accordingly; What a man Loves, he desires to enjoy; what a man loves, he cannot hear reproached, reviled, and spoken against, but with grief of heart: This needs no proving, every ones experience, will testifie the truth of it.
Wouldest thou know, whether thy Love to God and thy Love to man be sound, and such as demonstrates the holy Spirits saving habitation in thy soul or not? then go through what hath been said in this little Epitome, touching Love to God, and Love to man; and consider, whether thy Love be truly such, yea or nay; and if thou findest it truly such, though but weakly, conclude thou mayest safely to thy comfort, that thy Love is such, ⟨p. 52⟩as really demonstrates thou art beloved of God and endued with the holy Spirit of God savingly: For Love indeed and in truth, argues that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him, as the Apostle affirms, 1 Joh. 3.18, 19. Therefore if thou upon a true trial, findest by this that hath been said, that thou hast any truth of Love to God and thy Brother, argue not against thy self, or thy Love, but bless God for that Love thou hast, and labour to grow and increase in Love to God and man daily.
Wouldest thou know, whether thy Love to God and thy Love to man be sound, and such as demonstrates the holy Spirits saving habitation in thy soul or not? then go through what hath been said in this little Epitomie, touching Love to God, and Love to man; and consider, whether thy Love be truly such, yea or nay; and if thou findest it truly such, though but weakly, conclude thou maist safely to thy comfort, that thy Love is such, ⟨p. 52⟩as really demonstrates thou art beloved of God and indued with the holy Spirit of God savingly: For Love indeed and in truth, argues that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him, as the Apostle affirms, 1 Ioh. 3.18, 19. Therefore if thou upon a true tryal, findest by this that hath been said, that thou hast any truth of Love to God and thy Brother, argue not against thy self, or thy Love, but bless God for that Love thou hast, and labour to grow and increase in Love to God and man daily.
I (s•ith the Lord) will pour upon the house of David, the Spirit of grace and supplications; And they shall look upon him, whom they have pr•••ed, and they sh•ll mourn for him, &c. Zach. 12 10.
