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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	earth_n	heaven_n	militant_a	4,766	5	11.7120	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47437	Christ alone the way to Heaven, or, Jacob's ladder improved containing four sermons lately preach'd on Genesis XXVIII, XII : wherein the doctrine of free-grace is display'd through Jesus Christ : also discovering the nature, office, and ministration of the holy angels : to which is added one sermon on Rom. 8, 1 : with some short reflections on Mr. Samuel Clark's new book intituled Scripture justification / by Benjamin Keach.	Keach, Benjamin, 1640-1704.	1698 (1698)	Wing K53; ESTC R24422	80,847	121

or quite lose the sight of it and 〈◊〉 step he takes the further he goes from 〈…〉 and the higher he comes to Heaven and hath a clearer Sight of that So he who by Faith and Communion with God gets up up●n this spiritual Ladder Jesus Christ hath a clear Prospect of the Glory 〈◊〉 Heaven Moses by Faith saw him that is invisible Faith presented to his view the Angel of the Covenant and God Reconciled in him viz. the Lord Jesus Christ. Carnal or Earthly Persons are at such a great distance from Heaven that they cannot discern the Glory of it they have no Sight no Eyes to see afar off but the Earth and Earthly things appearing to the Carnal sight being always in their view they are exceedingly Affected therewith But Believers who are dwellers above and who daily make a further Prog●ession H●a●e● 〈…〉 the Earth and Earthly this ●s as 〈…〉 ●●●ry step they take they go f●rt●e● 〈…〉 from Earth in their Love and 〈…〉 and Contemplations Our conversatio● 〈…〉 ●●●ven Others mind Earthly things 〈…〉 the Earth and therefore speak of 〈…〉 but Believers are said to dwell in Hea●●● 〈…〉 grand Enemy of the Saints is said to open 〈◊〉 Mouth to blaspheme against God to blaspheme his Name and his Tabernacle and all that dwell in Heaven that is in the Church of God Militant they shall dwell on ●igh● they are out of those confused Hurries and Noises Dangers and Perplexities others who dwell below are attended with● They are born from above have heavenly Hearts heavenly Principles heavenly Desires heavenly Ends and Aims and heavenly Lives they have Communion with the God of Heaven heavenly things are their Delight they s●a● so high above that they are Ravished with that sight which they have of Heaven There are some other things that I might speak of as held forth by this glorious Type of Christ or which might be improved for our Instruction from hence but I shall leave them until the next time and close now with a brief word of Application VSE 1. By way of Admiration See what a wonderful person Jesus Christ is Behold the Son of Man or this spiritual Ladder that reacheth from Earth to Heaven behold it with Admiration Who would have thought of such away to Heaven Who but infinite Wisdom could have found out such a way to the Father What Work-man but the eternal God could make such a Ladder The Father is said to be above it or on the top of it to denote this way he Prepared and only by this way we must go to him if ever we come to Heaven Christ is God and Man in One Person Heaven and Earth meet together in him he brings God to us and carries us up to God God is reconciled to us in him and we are reconciled to God by him 2. Be exhorted to get up on this Ladder If ever you think to see the Father he is above it as the end of our Journey as our Hope and Reward he calls upon you Sinners to Adventure up this Ladder to believe in his Son He is above it to direct you uphold you and encourage you therefore fear not nay he is above it declaring himself in Covenant with all that come to him by Jesus Christ and to be their God I am the Lord God of Abraham c. This he spake to Jacob as standing above it or on the top of this Ladder 3. Bless God for Christ for his devising of such a way to raise us up who were sunk so low and had no strength no skill no helper none that could bring us to God nor find out a way to save our Souls but God himself only therefore he saith Deliver him from going down into the Pit I have found a Ransom Reproof This may be also for Reprehension to divers sorts of Persons 1. To such that deny the D●●ty or God-head of Jesus Christ If he be no more than a meer Man the Ladder is too short to reach up to Heaven He could not reach so high as to satisfy divine Justice or to bring us to God it being through the worth and dignity of his Person who being an infinite Person or God over all there was an infinite Worth and Merit in his Sufferings and Obedience True he might have saved himself being Perfect never having Sinned nor broke God's Law tho' he had been but a meer Man but it is from his being God as well as Man Substituted in our stead and standing in our Law-place as our great Head and ●ponser ●● that gave such Worth and Merit for us by his Obedience and suffering to the Law and Justice of God Moreover how else also could he have overcome Death the Devil and all our Enemies and have raised himself from the Dead Death would have kept him under it's Power and he had never came out of the Grave to ascend so high as Heaven to raise us thither 2. It Reprehends all such also who seek by any other way or means to go to Heaven We have new Babel-builders or Work-mongers that think to climb up to Heaven by their own Works by their own Faith and sincere Obedience And others by the Light within which is but a branch of the First-covenant or law of God writ in the Heart and if there had been a Law that could have given Life or raised us up to Heaven verily Righteousness had been by the Law But then as the Apostle saith Christ is dead in vain Examin Try your selves by what you have heard whether you have ascended on this Ladder yea or nay 1. Were you ever brought to the Foot of Christ Did you ever see your lost Condition in the first Adam and that there is no other way to be Saved but by the Lord Jesus 2. Are you at the lowest part of the Ladder and there rest or are you got up towards the top thereof There is no resting no stay to be made when you first ascend or first believe in Christ or on any attainment of Grace but you must mount up or ascend up higher from Faith to Faith have you stept up on the Roand of Obedience have you took Christ's yoke upon you this seems too hard a step for some to take are you got above the Earth in your Affections doth the Earth and the things thereof grow less and less every day in your sight as in a natural respect it doth to him that soars very high or climbs upon a Ladder to the very Clouds Are you willing to leave Earth to leave this World to go to Heaven Paul longed to be dissolved and to be with Christ He pressed towards the mark Do you dwell in Communion with God ●las many love to be below they like those lower Regions best See how it is with you but no more at this time SERMON II. GENESIS xxviij xij xiij And behold

It may be necessary to speak a little briefly by way of Explication and chiefly to shew what may be either Primarily or more Remotely or Subordinately signified or held forth by this Ladder 1. I understand by this Ladder directly and Primarily is meant our Lord Jesus Christ Nor am I alone in this respect for divers learned Men hint the same thing among which I might mention our late 〈◊〉 upon the Holy Bible on the place be●●● by Reverend Mr. Pool He says This Ladder represents Christ by whom Heaven and Earth are united who is called the way to Heaven which this Ladder was Moreover very evident it is that our Saviour himself refers to Jacob's Ladder Joh. 1.51 speaking of himself and of the Angels ascending and descending upon the Son of Man 2. But more Remotely or Subordinately it may refer as some think to the Church of Christ Some being on Earth and others in Heaven of their going from Earth to Heaven and as thus it may represent God's special Providence and Care of Jacob either Personally considered or Mystically i. e. the whole Church bearing the name of Jacob who by degree● thro' the Providence and blessed Favour of God and ministration of the Angels ascend from a low State to an exalted State or from a State of Grace on Earth to a state of Glory in Heaven It may represent saith Mr. Pool to Jacob the Providence of God who though he dwells in Heaven extends his Care and Goverment to the Earth and particularly maketh use of Angels as ministering Spirits for the good of his People who are not Idle but always in motion Behold a Ladder c. This word Behold hath various Acceptations sometimes it calls for Observation and Attention and sometimes for Admiration Behold what manner of Love is this c. It may referr to both these in my Text Such a Ladder the Foot standing upon the Earth and the Top of it reaching to Heaven calls both for diligent Attention and Observation and also for the highest Admiration The Second Branch of this Vision is That of the Angels of God ascending and descending upon this Ladder or upon the Son of Man Verily verily I say unto you hereafter ye shall see Heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man There are Two Things to be noted 1. The Persons mentioned 2. The Motions of the Persons 1. The Persons mentioned are the Angels of God 2. The Motion of these Persons they ascended and descended Reciprocally upon this Ladder that is upon Christ either Personally or Mystically considered and as one Observes when they are said to ascend they Minister to Christ Personally considered and when said to descend they minister to Christ Mystically considered i.e. to the Church How the Angels minister to Christ and to his Church I purpose to speak unto and open that in one Sermon upon this Text and shall therefore speak no more to it now And behold the Lord God stood above it In our Text this word behold is thrice repeated which doubtless may den●te the important matter signified thereby By the Lord God I understand GOD the FATHER who is represented above it as the contriver and maker of this mystical Ladder who indeed prepared the Body of Christ and so found out this wonderful way to Heaven and said I am the Lord thy God that is in Christ I am thy God or a God in Covenant with thee Jacob and with all thy true Spiritual Seed who strive to ascend up to me by this glorious Medium for doubtless God the Father being above it it doth also denote that this Ladder is the only way to the Father No man cometh to the Father but by me So much by way of Explication I. Observ. God knows how even by Dreams to instruct and comfort his People The Apostle saith That God at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets Sometimes by Angels sometimes by special Inspiration sometimes by Visions and sometimes by Dreams In a Dream in a Vision of the Night when deep Sleep falleth upon Men in slumbring upon their Beds then he openeth the ears of Men and sealeth their Instruction I shall speak a little as to Dreams in general of wh●el● there are three sorts 1. Natural Dreams 2. Diabolical Dreams 3. Divine Dreams 1. Some Dreams are meer natural Dreams and these may arise from the Temperature of the Body Melancholy and Flegmatick Persons have their special Dreams so have those that are of a Sanguine or of a Cholerick Complexion The First as Naturalists observe are inclined to Dream of things ●en●ing to Sadness perhaps of Death of Graves or of dead Men. The Second of Sottish things The Third of Pleasant and Delightful things The Fourth of War Blood Contention or of Fighting and Wranglings 2. A Dream cometh through multitude of Business Commonly as Mr. Caryl observes a Man Dreams at Night of what he hath been doing in the Day as experience shews 3. Natural Dreams some affirm are caused by the Diet or Food which we eat some Meat especially inclining to some special thoughts and Dreams 4. As the same Author noteth also Natural Dreams arise from vehement Affections to or desire of what we want the Prophet signifieth The hungry Man Dreameth he Eateth and the thirsty Man Dreameth he Drinketh These are called Natural Dreams because they arise from Natural Causes or the rise of them are seated in Nature Secondly There are some Dreams that are no doubt Diabolical or arise from the Injections of the Devil I am subject to think but few godly Christians but by sad experience may find they at some times have been afflicted by filthy or hateful Dreams dreaming of such things which their Souls abhor ask them and they will tell you The Devil well knows what Corruptions are in our Hearts or in the Unregenerate part and if God restrains him not he may work upon and stir up those evil Humours when we are asleep Take Mr. Caryl's words Satan is skilful and diligent in soliciting our Lusts and Corruptions both Day and Night both Sleeping and Waking Yea the Devil can inspire false Doctrines and Opinions by Dreams as well as provoke to wicked Practises of such Dreams If there be among you a false Prophet or a dreamer of Dreams c. False Prophets had many Dreams and as the good Prophets had their Dreams from GOD so the false Prophets had their Dreams from the Devil All diabolical Dreams are either Dreams of Lies or Falshood like Satan himself or else Filthy and Defiling for he is an unclean Spirit Thirdly There are some Divine Dreams Dreams are of three sorts saith Reverend Mr. Perkins Natural arising from the Constitution of the Body Diabolical such as come by the Suggestion of the Devil Divine which come from God Some Dreams may be called Divine Dreams 1.

from the Center of the Earth which is Three thousand to the Surface up to the Sun is above Four Millions of Miles to the Firmament where the sixed Stars are above Fourscore Millions of Miles and from thence to the place of the blessed Saints and Angels are more Millions than from the Earth to the Firmament so that according to their Account it must be many Millions of Miles from Heaven to Earth O then what was the height or length of this Ladder in my Text the Foot stood upon the Earth and the To● re●●hed to Heaven And O what is the swiftness of an Angel that can come from Heaven to the Earth in a moment Reverend Green●ill notes That a ●ullet ●ut of a Musket flies swiftly i. e. it h●ts the L●rd or Mark before the Report is heard and will fly 180 Miles in one hour according to its motion The Sun moves swifter 160000 Miles in one hour The fixed Stars about the Equinoctial 42 Millions each hour and yet saith he the Motion of an Angel is swifter being a Spirit and passing through the Air without opposition No Creature in Heaven and Earth moves faster than an Angel Thus Greenhill 6. Angels are endowed with much Wisdom and Knowledg as the Woman of Tekoah intimated to David touching his great Wisdom For as an Angel of God so is my Lord the King My Lord is wise according to the Wisdom of an Angel of God To know all things that are in the Earth They have no doubt great understanding Hence said to have the face of a Man The face of a Man 1. Signifieth according to Greenhill and divers others that the Administration of the Angels is with Knowledg and Equity The face of a Man saith he is put to shew the Excellency of Reason which must have the introduction into and the management of all Actions else they are not Humane nor Angelical 2. By the face of a Man is noted their Humanity and Love to Mankind Angels are of a loving Nature and most careful of Men especially of Believers or such that are actually espoused to their great Master Jesus Christ. 7. Angels are very strong and couragious and hence said every one to have the face of a L●on a Creature of great courage and strength What is stronger than a Lion 8. They are also very faithful and unwearied in their work and mighty patient Creatures hence said to have the face of an Ox● a patient faithful and an unwearied Servant to their Master 9. And tho Angels are Creatures of great Glory and Dignity yet are very humble never thinking any thing to be too mean or t●o low for them to do when commanded to do it no tho it be to wait upon a poor Beggar as Lazarus whil● he lived and to carry his Soul to Heaven when he died 10. And they always wait for their Commission will not do any thing without God's Command hence said to wait f●r his Word These are they whom the Lord hath sent to walk to and fro through the Earth Therefore are they set before us as our pattern that the Will of God may be done on Earth by us as it is done in heaven by them Quest. 〈◊〉 service are the holy Angels imployed in 〈…〉 Almig●●y 1. God useth them in the Government of the World as it may be seen in Ezek. 1.1 2 3 4 5 6 c. The Jews thought that the Angels only governed Jerusalem and that neither God nor his Angels did appear ●r rule any-where else But to take away this conceit God appears to Ezekiel in Babyl●● to convince him that he and his Angels do govern there and man quarters of the World as well as in Sio● And that tho God rules the World is granted yet the Angels under him are imployed in this Work is evident I argue thus It is plain that God gives or admits the Evil Angels to rule as a Prince the Devil is called the Prince of the Power of the A●● that now wor●eth in the hearts of the Child●●● of disobedience The Devil saith Reve●●●d Greenhill hath great power in the Air to ●aise Winds to cause Storms Thunder and Lightning Now if the Evil Angels be as Gods and Princes in this World have Power in the Air and Hearts of wicked Men then it must needs follow that the Good Angels are as Gods and Princes and have as much power in the World and Hearts of good Men otherwise the Devils should gain by their fall more than ever they had by their standing And it is not credible that wicked and damned Spirits should have more honourable Titles and larger Power than the good are imployed in 2. More particularly they are imployed to inform us of God's Will nay and God of our Ways tho it is true he knows all things and need not that they tell him no more than he doth need that we acquaint him with our evil hearts and many wants yet he will hear how Matters are from them and from us also They acquaint us with the Mind and Will of God Angels told Abraham and Lot what God would do with Sodom and Angels told Eli●ah what to say to the Messengers of the King of Samaria also an Angel told the Apostles that Christ should return in the same manner as they saw him go up to Heaven and sent an Angel to testify those things in the Churches Also an Angel told Daniel what things should come to pass in the World even to the end thereof and also gave him Wisdom Skill and Understanding And an Angel informed Joseph of the Mind of God touching Mary Moreover the Angels go up the Ladder as well as down in and by Christ they ascend to God as well as descend to Men they beheld all the Earth sat still and was at rest Thus God for his honour not of necessity imployeth Angels 3. They are imployed to withstand and oppose the Enemies of Christ and his Church And hence it appears they meddle with Kings and Kingdoms and in the great Affairs thereof and as their Power is great so they sometimes exercise it in the destruction of wicked Men Knowest thou whether I come unto thee and now will I return and fight with the King of Persia. And this Angel Gabriel opposed as my Author notes the cruel Edict of Cambyses King of Persia who laboured to keep the Jews in Captivity longer and to oppress them sorer than others had done Moreover it is said that Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and his Angels 4. To execute Judgment upon the Wicked they destroyed Sodom and the First-born of Egypt is said to be done by a destroying Angel the destroying Angel smote the People with the Pestilence in David's time Also an Angel smote of the Assyrians in one night 185000 it was an An●el that smote Herod so that he was eaten of Worms 5. The Angels

my Commandments Simon Son of Jona lovest thou me Yea Lord feed my Sheep I will leave this Charge with none else as if he should so say but such that love me they that love not Christ will not love his Saints 2. To hearken to Christ's Commands the Angels wait to hear what Service God will put them upon but many Professors make the Word to wait for them they come not early to the Assembly to wait for the Word 3. To do the Will of God with speed and all alacrity Angels are swift to do God's Will they are said to have Wings so we should get upon the Wings of Faith 4. To do it chearfully and with utmost Zeal the Angels are like a Flame of Fire all fill'd with burning Zeal and Fervour 5. Also to do the Will of God universally to leave no Precept undone and then we shall with David not be ashamed even when we have respect to all God's Commandments 6. To do God's Will continually never to faint nor be weary for thus the Angels do God's Commands they obey always and thus did David I have inclined mine Heart to perform thy Statutes always to the end Again he saith So shall I keep thy Law continually for ever and ever Thirdly This may administer Terror to the Wicked the holy Angels are against you As they mark the Saints for Preservation so they have Commission oft-times to destroy the Ungodly Slay utterly Old and Young c. and begin at my Sanctuary Fourthly It may be of use by way of Exhortation 1. To walk so as Christians and Members of Churches that the Angels may rejoyce and discharge their Work with Joy and not with Grief Walk reverently in respect of the Angels even as one observes in your Bed-Chambers the Thoughts of the Presence of the Angels should hinder us from doing that which is a shame or dishonour to us but much more the Thoughts of God's Presence 2. Bless God for the Ministration of Angels O! see what Love he hath to his own People and what Honour he hath conferred upon them 3. Have a reverend Esteem and Respect for the Angels and strive to converse with them and be like to them Object But say some What do you leave to Christ and the Holy Spirit to do if Angels do ●o much for us Answ. 1. What will you leave to the Angels to do saith one if they do not Teach Guide Protect and Minister unto us 2. What the Angels do Christ doth they are his Servants he uses them as Instruments in his Hand 3. We leave to Christ to do all by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost yet he makes use of the Angels of the Churches as well as the Angels of Heaven Object But you may say Christ needs not the Ministration of Angels Answ. No more doth he need the Ministration of M●n nor the Use of Ordinances yet he is pleased to make use of both for the Good of his Church Fifthly This may administer much Comfort to Believers Reprobates tho Princes on Earth have no such Guards to attend them as you have Are they not all Ministring Spirits sent forth to min●ster to them that shall be Heirs of Salvation O! what a Glorious Retinue have you Your Way is full of Angels who go to and fro therein The Wicked are left to the wide World but Christ is pleased to give his Saints Tutors Governours and Guardians to Preserve Protect and Wait upon them the Holy Angels wel● know their Charge who they are to keep and b●ar up in their Hands and save from danger 2. See how dear and precious you are to God yea how honourable in his Sight every Elect Person is He hath his Guard Multitudes of Angels to attend him at all times for your sakes they have r●ceived their Charge their Commission He hath given his Angels charge over thee You are weak but they are strong you sleep sometimes but they are always awake and sleep not Sirs God sends his own Guards to watch over you to protect and keep you he knows what a Multitude of Devils would gladly destroy you and therefore as you have heard he has sent a Multitude of Angels to defend and save you you have not only Ministers on Earth the Angels of the Churches but the Angels of Heaven to be your Servants And the End why God sends them and imploys them is expressed not that we should worship them no no they disclaim this utterly See thou do it not saith the Angel I am thy Fellow-Servant and of thy Brethren the Prophets that have the Testimony of Jesus Worship God it is to keep us in all his Ways and they exactly and diligently observe their Charge They shall bear thee up in their Hands lest at any time thou dash thy Foot against a Stone These O Child of God accompany thee minister unto thee incamp round about thee go before thee and wait upon thee but take heed you go not out of God's Ways it is in all his Ways they are to keep thee do not venture on the Devil's Ground the Angels are always upon this Ladder that reacheth to Heaven which goes through Satan's Territories the Air where there are Multitudes of Devils who strive to push thee down as thou climbest up but these do boldly resist them and defend thee continually against those Evil Spirits Admiration Do Angels minister to us then ye Saints wonder Behold the Angels of God ascending and descending O what hath Christ done to procure such Guardians such Helps such Guides for us poor feeble Travellers Never fear tho the Ladder be high Angels have Wings they can soon be with us they descend to bring them up that are given to Christ and they ascend with such that are going up You must fly by Faith and Prayer up with them from Step to Step from Fa●th to Faith from Strength to Strength from Glory to Glory until you come to the end of your Journey O ye Darlings of Heaven Tho others regard you not but reproach you slight you despise you yet matter it not the mighty Angels have you by the Hand they love you they know you are the Spouse of their Sovereign his blessed Bride whom they serve and therefore they honour you O what a degree of Glory ye Princely Ones are you raised to Moreover What Love is this what Grandure is here conferr'd upon vile sinful Creatures as we are Have we such a Guard Doth Christ's chief Courtiers above wait upon us below Must we ride in the King 's own Chariot to Heaven Do Angels wait on the Heirs of Salvation Heirs of Glory Come then ye Holy and High-born Nobles and take state upon you and say We are not for dunghil Earth not base slaves of Sin nor of this World nor of the Devil We are Princes nobly descended born from above and have the Guard of the King