Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	great_a	king_n	son_n	2,904	5	5.0346	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87177	The everlasting joys of heaven: or, The blessed life of a Christian, in grace here; and in glory here-after. Set forth for the comfort and encouragement of all those that desire to fear the Lord; / by John Hart, a servant of Jesus Christ. Recommended to the reader, by Obadiah Sedgewick, and Iohn Downam, ministers of the Gospel.	Hart, John, D.D.; Sedgwick, Obadiah, 1600?-1658.; Downame, John, d. 1652.	1656 (1656)	Wing H948; Thomason E1680_2; ESTC R209155	49,553	177

contained therein We know that in the day of our flesh all that we can have of Thee and of this Building is but a tast of thy gratious goodnesse and that eye hath not seen ear heard that it cānot enter into mans heart what thou hast done for them that love thee and fear before thee even before the sons of men much more in heaven But seeing thy spirit fearcheth all things even the deep things of thee our God who knowest the course with the height and breadth and depth and length of heaven and earth and canst set the rule thereof on the earth and canst by him reveal unto us what it pleaseth thee to make known of these unknown wonderfull things O Let thy good spirit guide and lead us along into this land of the living this heavenly building of thine and guide us from room to room joy to joy glory to glory astonishment to astonishment thereof in some ravishing astonishing way as our hearts may ever thereafter be taken up vvith delight admiration and vvonder so as the svveet tasts ravishments joies raptures and glory thereof though vve vvander upon earch into the vvildernesse of this vvorld may make us remove to dvvell in heaven vvith heavenly conversation and affections more then ever O discover somevvhat of the excellency thereof unto us and suffer us if it be thy good pleasure to peep a little into the eternity thereof vvhich may make us groan earnestly for the full manifestation of the same vvith a discovery of all those considerations which may bring and lead us aloft unto this high high and lofty place of eternity to dwell with thee for ever But now in the first place let us come to view The excellency of this Building in general In five particulars 1. In that it is said To be a Building prepared as here when Princes and Noblemen intend magnificent entertainment though they have divers houses of note yet they have one mansion house above all the rest which they furnish and prepare for entertaining of their choice and chief respected beloved friends as Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 5.27 of his Pallace is not this great Babel which I have built for the house of the Kingdome by the might of my power and the honour of my Majesty So God to shew forth to the Saints the glory and magnificence of his power hath prepared this magnifique Building to entertain them for ever wherein he hath shewed the strength power and invention to make it suitable to the Builders eminency most magnifique and excellent which must the more excell above all other structures and buildings which ever were or can be imagined as the Master builder thereof is beyond all others in art skill riches invention and power And then secondly The excellency hereof is shewed by The unvaluable price of that purchase that was paid for it such a ransome as nothing else could purchase it but the bloud of the eternal Son of God yea more than Heaven it self It was thought a wonder and a great matter whereat Israel was sore grieved when the King of Moab sacrificed his the King of Edoms eldest son for a burnt offering in his distresse 2 Kin. 3.27 Amos. 2.1 But oh here is more cause of admiration That God should become Man suffer and die incarnate in our nature be sacrified for our sins upon the Crosse that ignominious and cursed death and al by the appointment and dererminate counsell of God And therefore the Apostle may wel come 1 Iohn 3. ● with his admiration Behold what love the father hath given us that we should be called the sons of God no love like unto this which is further set forth by an unexpressible expression Iohn 3.16 For God so loved the world that he hath given his onely begotten son that whosorver heleeveth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life Thirdly the excellency thereof appears in this that here shall be The fulnesse extent and accomplishment of all the rich and exceeding precious promises for here we have many great and rich promises made the extent whereof in their promised fulnesse are not fulfilled in this life what then shall they be in vain oh no they must be fulfilled either here or in heaven for no word of God proceeding out of his mouth must return again untill it have performed that for which it was sent Isa. 55.10 Here then must needs be an excellent place where the full extent and accomplishment of all promises as they came from heaven shall all in a concurrence meet and fully be accomplished unto us in the largenesse of their extent whatsoever Again this is such a Building wherein we shall fully fill up all the powers and faculties of the soul and satisfie the same unto the height of contentment for here we cannot satisfie any one faculty of the soul but it hath emptinesse and some further desire the eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear filled with hearing Eccles. 1.8 nor is the heart with injoying but that it hath further inlargements But there the whole soul and all the powers and faculties thereof shall be filled with a satisfactory contentation Not like that enforced upon us in this life wherein in afflictions and crosses we look up unto God and sit down under the same i● patience because God we know will have it so therefore submitting our selves unto his good pleasure in all things But with a high joyfull free contentation satisfactory to fill up the utmost of all the powers and faculties of the soul so as it shall be impossible to have a thought beyond it And further in this glorious Building the soul shall not onely be satisfied unto the extent of all satisfactory fulnesse But it shall be also satisfied to wonder and admiration at the surpassing excellencies thereof as it is said 2. Thes. 1.10 of Christ that he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be made marvellous in all them that believe marvellous indeed for then we shall see marvells beyond admiration and beyond the disciples who wondered at the goodly stones of the materiall Temples a type hereof But yet more distinctly to describe this glorious Building we must instance them in divers particulars 1. In the Titles given unto it 1. Christ calleth it John 14.1 His Fathers House Travellers in hot countries have Tents and Tabernacles to rest in for a while where they stay nor long but here is a mansion house an abiding and resting place and therefore now we may well be bidden to arise to go hence for here is not our resting place untill we come unto this Mansion house our fathers house where we must needs expect all the free kindnesses whatsoeuer and to receive them abundantly for he who spared not his own son but gave him for us all to death how shall he not with him give us all things also Rom. 8.32 And then again it is called a City in opposition to our

good subjects submitting themselves thereunto that they should have a pardon of all their sins and inherit eternall life having freedome to come and drink freely of the water of life Of all which and a great deal more the spirit convinceth us of Because Christ our surety is at liberty having paied all our debts and returned in our nature and flesh into heaven now set down at the right hand of the father pleading our cause and making good there his purchased redemption by his continuall intercession for us in heaven putting sweet incense and odors into our prayers that they may be accepted But this is not all for yet a main thing remains though we be convinced of the forementioned two things yet here are The sons of Anak to be encountred with Principalities and powers to wrestle against strong oppositions within and without us of the world the flesh and the Divel concerning our continuance and holding out unto the end in all these tumults we are to passe through and war against so many dangerous enemies Here then in the next place comes that third conviction of the Spirit to convince our best judgements that our fears are in vain and that we shall notwithstanding all the rubs in our way overcome all and triumph over all as Christ our head hath done for us so shal we conquer all in him as it is Rom. 8. nay that in all these things we are more than conquerours in him who hath loved Us For the Prince of this world is judged meaning that as a condemned man hath no power no sentence no voice no freedome but is limited bound and manacled so is it with the Divell who is judged chained and fettered up from hurting us and therefore that Christ as he is the Author so he will be the finisher of our faith Heb 12.2 And that Christ will no fail nor be discouraged untill he bring forth judgement unto victory that is plant in us such a victorious sanctification in the soul which shall overcome all adverse powers in its way betwixt us and heaven This is that third Conviction of the spirit where with the two former going on in a holy frame of sanctification in newnesse of life then our souls are soundly seasoned then are we rightly qualified to know that which is the second thing propounded That we may come to know and he assured of a future glorious estate to come which knowledge our Saviour calleth life eternall Iohn 17.2 To know God thus revealed in the high perfections of Jesus Christ in a Practical way which we may certainly attain unto as it is clear by the whole currant of the Scriptures and those many gratious promises and many trials of the same interest we have in set down to examine our selves by al which were in vain if no such certainty of our future estate to come were attainable But to name a few trials onely passing by the Promises which are so aboundant We know By these signs as of having the spirit of Christ or else to be none of his Rom. 8.9 In our not walking after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8.1 Of our being new creatures 2 Cor. 5.17 Of endeavouring to purifie our selves even as he is pure 1 Iohn 3.3 Of having heavenly mounted affections where Christ is at the right hand of the father Colloss. 3.1 Of being translated from death to life becaused we love the brethren 1 Iohn 4 13. Of loving one another v. 17. By conformity with him in his sufferings Rom. 6.5 Of putting on the Lord Jesus and making no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13.14 Of being partakers of the Divine nature in being full of gratious goodnesse having eschewed that corruption which is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.3 whereby and many other the like Trials whereunto gratious exceeding rick and precious promises are belonging True like God himself we may come to know and have assurance of a future glorious estate to come in the heavens having these and other the like qualifications all of them branches of The new Creature as witnesses of the truth of our sanctification in our renewed estate following upon our justification which if in truth is inseparably accompanied with sanctification spreading it self universally through all all the parts and powers and faculties of soul and body though in every part not totally renewed And then in the next place We may know that we know TWO ways 1 By Gods spirit witnessing with our spirit that we are the children of God Rom. 8 16. 2 By the immediate testimony of the spirit sometimes by it self alone not joining with our spirits or the word Which are both mentioned 1 Iohn 5.7 8. For there are three which bear record in heaven The Father The Son and The Holy Ghost and these three are one and there are three which bear record on earth The Spirit The Water and the Bloud and these three agree in one in discovery whereof it may a little help us in this great businesse To distinguish these witnesses how and when they witnesse The witnesse of Gods spirit from the witnesse of our spirit upon earth and betwixt the immediate witnesse of The Spirit as it were immediately from heaven from the witnesse of the same spirit with our spirits which may help to clear this in shew intricate discovery under correction I take 1. The Witness of our Spirit To be nothing else but The Reflecting Testimony or Answer of a good Conscience in our sincere upright walking according unto the Rules prescribed in the word of God whereof it seems St. Paul speaks Act. 24.15 of his keeping a good Conscience before God and Men because he looked for a Resurrection both of the just and she unjust And Ioh 3. This whole chapter is nothing else but the Witness of his Spirit in his Uprightness and sincerity of his Obedience throughout the Commandements So David Psal. 18.20 he makes use of the Witnesse of his Spirit testifying his Obedience and Uprightnesse And so 1 Sam. 12.3 he makes use of the Witnesse of his Spirit this way unto the people clearing himself from oppression and briberie Whose Oxe or whose Asse have I take Or to whom have I done wrong And the whole Church it selfe is brought in clearing her selfe though she were beaten down into the Den of Dragons as it were and covered with the shadow of death Psal. 44.17 That for all this she had not dealt falsly in the Covenant nor stretched out her hands to looke after a strange God whereby it seems that there is a twofold Witnesse of our Spirit The witness of our Spirit in a Calm The witness thereof in a Tempest The former whereof is without difficulty and ordinary the usuall answer and reflecting testimony of a good conscience directed upon all occasions by the rules of the word when we are not hardly and sore put to it by grievous trials of dissertions damps intermissions of

with Oyle of Myrrhe and the other with sweet Odors So this Impression of Eternity shews us that all our life time here is nothing else but our persuming time to fit us with the fragrancie of all heavenly graces and endowments that then willingly and chearfully we may mount up out of the Wildernesse of this world as it is said of the Church Cant. 5.6 perfumed with Myrrhe and Incense and all the Spices of the Merchants fraught with the full fragrancie sweetnesse of all Heavenly Graces And Lastly It makes us that not onely we are not content to sit downe quietly doting on these earthly things on this side of eternity as is said but further It enflames the soul sets it on fire and furnisheth it with grounds and arguments to attain to a habit of sighing and groaning earnestly to be cloathed with our house which is from heaven not onely from the excellencies of all that glory and eminence shewed of this heavenly house which is abundantly enough to make us to long after the same but also in regard of those grievous and heavy pressures and burthens wherewith we are pressed down in this life as what can we name wherewith we are not more or less pressed down or burthened so that that we have just cause to sigh and groan earnestly for this our heavenly house The body it self is a heavy lumpish corruptible body subject to much toil labour and wearinesse which maketh us to sigh and groan much besides the trouble and noisomenesse of so many troops of diseases and sicknesses which accompany the condition of our frail bodies causes of continuall sighing and groaning But in heaven all sicknesses and diseases shal haven an end with perfection of health for ever and the body shall be no more lumpish or heavy as now but a nimble spirituall body Philip 3.21 Where they shall follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth it being heaven wheresoever Christ is or shall shew himself the body then being nimble and spiritual able to mount upwards or downwards backwards or forwards as swift as thoughts are now And then wonderfull weights and pressures we have from others and from our own spirits pressing them down burthens by the Sympathizing with others weeping and mourning with them that weep in prison with them that are imprisoned and so forth of all other miseries bearing a part with them And the bearing with the passions and infirmities of others is also a great burthen to stoop to them and bear with them as Nurses and Parents do with their Childrens infirmities And the wicked conversation of others is also a great burthen unto us for which David Lot and Ieremiah were so grieved and burthened And from others also we endure Slanders and Persecutions of all sorts yea and it is also some burthen unto us That we are not able to do more good unto others and help them in their miseries But in heaven all these things shall have an end all shall love and joy alike all be of one will mind and affection no misconstructions passions distempers mistakings can be there no Slanders Tale-bearers or reports shall vex there no Sorrow Griefe or Want shall be there no objects of our compassion to grieve us all shall have enough with a conversation suitable unto heaven And here our spirits have grievous burthens vexing our spirits and our affections of love and joy are disordered either set on wrong objects or doting too much on earthly things or coming far short in joying or loving of God whom we should joy in with all our might and love with all our strength and delight and can never joy in or delight too much these presse us down as was said of Christ that his soul was heavy even unto death so these depresse us and make us lumpish and as it were rounds his about with sorrow Now a Man that hath a little glimpse of the glory excellency and eternity of this heavenly estate by faith knowing that then all sorrows and tears shall be washed and done away cannot chuse but groan earnestly to be cloathed with its house which is from heaven Because in heaven there shall be no more erring in our affections which shall all be placed on the right object and then there shal be no more fear of doting upon the creature or of the excess degree or measure of our love to God or joying in him whom we cannot too excessively love for as on earth we cannot love him too much so in heaven we shal not be able to love him too little And here our ignorance is great and a burthen to us a great toil and labour to attain knowledge and a burthen to be such non-proficients to profit so little and slowly in search thereof yea having attained a little knowledge then it is a burthen to know so little of that we should know and that so much remains yet to be known we are ignorant of And when our knowledge is here at the height then is our burthen greatest of all because then we most of all see into our own misery and want in knowledge especially in heavenly things so that that falleth out to be true which Solomon saith that he who increaseth knowledge encreaseth sorrow But in heaven the soul shal not be capable of any ignorance but as soon as the interposing veil betwixt the soul and heaven shall be removed as soon as this curtain shall be drawn it shal be filled as it were in a moment with perfection of all knowledge more then all this world ever had since the creation were it altogether in one so that now both our ignorance and knowledge when we know are a great burthen unto us and causes of groaning earnestly and sighing for our house which is from heaven Our callings are also some burthen unto us be what they will on way or other there is wearisomnesse or vexation in them and even the ministry it self a great burthen to undergo as Paul speaketh of himself undergoing the care of all the Churches But in heaven no burthens wearisomenesse or pressures shal be in any thing we go about but all done with ease and much facility and cheerfulness Then also there is a bondage of corruption in the wil refractory unto all goodnesse prone unto al evill in all holy duty still going whither our flesh would not which is unruly and untamed so as we have great warring betwixt the flesh and the spirit which is a terrible burthen not to be able to perform that good we would and led captive unto that we would not But in heaven the wil shal be renewed changed and newmolded that there shal be no reluctancy or drawing backe nor the least jot of any inclination to depart from the exact will of God in all things Because by this time we being perfectly holy Gods will and ours must of necessity be all one and so the currant of our affections run for ever in one channell And unto all these