Selected quad for the lemma: church_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A60348
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A funeral-sermon upon occasion of the death of Mrs. Lobb late wife of Mr. Stephen Lobb. Preached by Samuel Slater, minister of the Gospel
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Slater, Samuel, d. 1704.
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1691
(1691)
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Wing S3966; ESTC R221626
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33,124
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39
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the 〈◊〉 knows them not owns them not but hates and persecutes them 〈◊〉 they lose nothing by it for then he calls them out of darkness inâ—is marvellous light then he calls them unto his Kingdom and Glory 〈◊〉 doth at death call them to come up to another place come up 〈◊〉 He sends for them from all their beloved Friends and Relatiâ—here from all their comfortable possessions and enjoyments so 〈◊〉 these places shall know them no more but then he calls them 〈◊〉 the Church militant where they are often put upon hard service 〈◊〉 have their conflicts and wounds to the Church Triumphant where 〈◊〉 shall have their Palms and Thrones and Songs of Praise He 〈◊〉 them from waiting at the Posts of his door and sitting at his â—â—shold to a lying in the Bosome of his Everlasting Love So that 〈◊〉 can in none of these things find what we are enquiring after viz. 〈◊〉 thing which had put this Holy man into a strait What then was it â—â—swer â—ourthly and Affirmatively thus The Apostle had two things be 〈◊〉 him two Interests in his eye and for each of them there were 〈◊〉 strong and weighty Arguments by means of which he was 〈◊〉 a Needle between two Load Stones and by them drawn first one way and then another so that as he had said in the foregoâ—â—â— Verse Which of them he should chuse he wot not If you ask Wâ—â—â— these two things were you will easily understand by consulting 〈◊〉 context take it thus One thing was Dying and thereupon a goâ—â—â— to Christ and being with him which he knew would be gain to 〈◊〉 the other was an abiding here and continuing yet longer in 〈◊〉 Flesh to attend upon his Office as an Apostle and Servant of Jeâ—â—â— Christ and to engage yet further in the work of the Gospel wâ—â—â— he knew would through a concurrence of the Divine Spirit and â—â—â—sing turn to the gain and advantage of the Church by bringing in 〈◊〉 that were without to the acceptance and obedience of Faith 〈◊〉 also by strengthning comforting establishing and building up 〈◊〉 higher in Knowledge and Grace those that had been alreâ—â— brought in Now these two things the Apostle doth according 〈◊〉 the Wisdom and Grace given him of God compare togerher 〈◊〉 one Scale of the Balance he laid his own Gain and particular Advâ—â—â—tage which would be the infallible and immediate consequence 〈◊〉 his Death In the other Scale of the Balance he laid the Churâ—â—â— gain which he rationally concluded would be the desirable and â—â—â—py effect of his Life and Ministerial Labours and in his judgâ—â—â— the Scales did hang even so even that if a liberty of Electâ—â—â— Choice should by God be granted to him he should be at a very 〈◊〉 loss not well knowing to which side he should incline whiâ—â—â— these two he should chuse And thus good man he was as a pâ—â—â—prest and straitned between two things and two affections coâ—â—â—ry the one to the other Namely a desire of being present with 〈◊〉 Lord though absent from the Brethren and a desire of being â—â—â—sent with the Brethren and helpful to them though in order theâ—â—â— to he must consent to a being for a time absent from the Lord. 〈◊〉 this case he scarce knew what to do That ardent and imâ—â—â— Love which he did bear unto the Lord Jesus Christ would puâ— upon chusing and desiring a departure hence for where the caâ—â— is there would the Eagles be and where Christ is there would â— Christian be That principle of levity which is in the spark 〈◊〉 not more naturally carry it upward than a principle of saâ—â— Grace in the heart of a Believer doth carry him out in earnest dâ—â—â— and longings to be with Christ But then again That sincere 〈◊〉 very great Love which he had to the Brethren did produce in 〈◊〉 an humble and holy willingness to continue yet longer here He 〈◊〉 desirous to dye that he might enjoy Christ but he had learned t◠〈◊〉 himself for the sake of the Brethren These two things had â—â—ch weight and worth in themselves and such an influence and powâ—â— upon him that he was divided in himself and knew not well upon â—hich he should fix his choice Upon the consideration hereof I find â—e Learned Zanchy breaking out into this pathetical and admiring â—xclamation O cor vere Apostolicum in quo Dei proximi perfecta viâ—â—bat dilectio O Heart truly Apostolical worthy of so excellent a â—aint so great a man as Paul highly becoming so eminent an â—fficer as an Apostle of Jesus Christ in which there was such a â—â—re and vehement Flame both to God and to his Neighbour â—â—ere was indeed the Spirit of a Saint here was a Christian in his â—eauty and Glory here was Love doing its perfect work both â—ward Christ and to his Interest toward first the Person of Christ â—hom it longs to embrace and enjoy and towards the people â—f Christ whom it is also free to serve Thus have I done with the â—ird and last thing in the Text viz. the Strait in which Paul was â—nd how he came to be brought into it wherein there is an evident â—â—scovery of the excellency and nobleness of this great man's Spirit â—ut he was inlarged and set at liberty again as you find in the two â—erses immediately fellowing the Text Nevertheless to abide in the â—â—sh is more needful for you and having confidence I know that I shall â—â—ide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of Faith â—â—at your rejoycing may be more abundant in Iesus Christ for me by my â—â—ming to you again This he knew would be and so long as it was â—â—r the Glory of God and their good he was very well pleased â—â—ne request indeed he had to make to them that while he continued â—mong them he might live comfortably among them that they â—ould not be his Grief but Joy while they prectice what he â—reached and lived up to the Mysteries he reveal'd and those exâ—ellent Rules he laid down Verse 27. Only let your conversation 〈◊〉 as it becometh the Gospel of Christ. Thus have I with all the conveniâ—nt speed I could make run through those things which are conâ—â—ained in this Scripture and endeavoured in an expository way to â—xplain and open them to you The only thing which according â—o promise at our entrance into this Discourse doth remain â—urther â—o be done is to draw up some Doctrinal conclusions from the â—hole and present them to you which I shall with God's Assistance â—o and in few words dispatch every one of them leaving you to â—nlarge upon them in your own Meditations and commending both â—hem and you to the Divine Blessing for improvement First observe from these words that Death is a departure or going froâ— hence Here you are now and some of you have been so a long while sâ— long as that others are weary of you and possibly you