Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

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
A51034	A discourse of the glory to which God hath called believers by Jesus Christ delivered in some sermons out of the I Pet. 5 Chap. 10 ver. : together with an annexed letter / both by that eminent and worthy minister of the Gospel, Mr. Jonathan Mitchil, late pastor to the church at Cambridge in New-England.	Mitchel, Jonathan, 1624-1668.; Collins, John, 1632?-1687.	1677 (1677)	Wing M2289; ESTC R36603	134,741	304

Hypocritical persons that are secret adversaries to Truth and Piety as 2 Cor. 11.26 Psal 55.12 13. You shall have no discouraging company in Heaven that will clog and thwart and hinder you in that that is good none to oppose either Truth or Piety but all to joyn with one accord in the serving and Glorifying of God 3. Divisions differences and dissentions among the Godly which the state of Imperfection on earth is lyably to and lamentably cumbred with and trouble and disquietment multiplied thereby but no such thing in Heaven there is but one mind and one mouth in Heaven as there is but one truth not so much as a dissering apprehension among all the thousands and millions of Saints there There we shall fully attain what is exhorted to 1 Cor. 1.10 and prayed for Rom. 15.5 6 7. There that goodly sight is to be seen in perfection Psal 133.1 The state of perfection there implyes and infers this Hebr. 12.23 The Saints while children may wrangle and contend and differ but when grown up to their adult age and to a perfect man they will have more grace than so Ephes 4.13 14. That ignorance weakness and darkness whereby we are oft here mistaken and miss the truth and cannot see the same truth by the same light our knowing in part whence we may be mistaken in part ignorant in part will then be done away and hence perfect union in the truth which is but one 1 Cor. 13.9 10 11 12. Si non amplius in his terris te visurns sum said old Grineus writing to Chytraeus apud Milch Adam pag. 879. ibi tamen conveniemus ubi Luthero cum Luingleo optimè jam convenit Paul and Barnahas Hooper and Ridley Luther and Zuinglius are there fully reconciled and shall never differ or contend more Heaven is full both of peace and truth even of that peace that is knit in the bonds of truth and holiness The griefs and distractions that result from dissentions among the Godly here are there all swallowed up in perfect peace And so all the difficulties and weary travails and oppositions that Christ's Kingdom now conflicts with and must be carried on through are there ended Mans corruptions Satans temptations weakness on every hand cumbers even Gods work with difficulty and obstruction here but no such thing there the Militant state of Christ's Kingdom is then ended and it passeth into a state of victory and rest 4. Bodily ailes sicknesses pains weakness deformities infirmities of what kind soever you shall be freed from all these in the life to come Philip. 3.21 Do you think the body of Christ now glorified knows any pain or grief or weakness as when on earth no more shall the bodies of the Saints in Heaven but be in perfect health in your beauty strength and Glory for ever 1 Cor. 15.42 43. The Resurrection to that life to come will cure the oldest pain aile ache disease lameness that could not be cured here those ailes that you carry to your Graves with you you shall not bring them out of your Graves again you shall rise again but they shall be buried and lost and laid aside for ever nor shall the body be so troublesome as now need so much ado about it and so many shores and props of meat drink sleep cloathing c. You are groaning now under many bodily ailes and evils but then comes a day of Redemption of the body as well as soul actual perfect Redemption of it from all evil Rom. 8.23 5. All other afflictions from the hand of God all the remnants of the Curse that Christ leaveth upon us in this world for our chastisement and correction Rev. 21 4. if it shall be so comparatively i. e. compar'd with the troubles of former times in the more glorious times of the Church Militant much more will it be so absolutely in the glorified estate of the Church-Triumphant While sin is with us as here there will be sorrow but the abolition of sin will abolish sorrow too perfectly No sin and no sorrow neither in Heaven All tears shall be wiped away i. e. all afflictions or troubles that are the cause of tears shall be quite taken away No more of those tears that arise from the various tryals of this weary life wants straits losses crosses in Name Estate Relations Imployments the briars thorns and thistles that grow in every corner of the field of this world Ezek. 26.24 There will need no rod in Heaven not a frown nor a blow nor a stroke of correcting anger there As there is nothing but wrath in Hell so there will be nothing but love in Heaven Here on earth there is a mixture of both yea even to Gods own people while they have sin in them and are full of faults though Children their Father cannot but be angry with them now and then and they need a rod ever and anon Psal 89.32 33. but in Heaven as no sin so no anger no not for chastening there● the Lord will never knit his brows nor chide or strike never hide his face there be here Soul-afflictive spiritual Agonies from a sense of Gods anger and doubts of his love those also shall cease but they shall live under the smiles of his face and light of his countenance without interruption But thus in that as to fredom from all evil as 2 Cor. 5.4 so sin is swallowed up of grace and holiness the remainders of sin and sorrow that hang about us in this state of Imperfection are utterly swallowed up and abolished by that perfect holiness and perfect happiness that there is and continues for ever 2. Perfect enjoyment of all good It is not a meer negative happiness that the Saints in Heaven partake of viz. a not being miserable an absence of evil but also the positive presence and enjoyment of all good Psal 16.11 Joy is from the presence of good and full joy from the satisfying fulness of all good Under this Head may be comprised those great and glorious things that make up and compleat the positive happiness of the Saints in Heaven and were pointed to in the description As viz. 1. Full fruition or enjoyment of God perfect glorious and full communion with God the God of Glory God Father Son and Holy Ghost This is the main and the essence of the Happiness of Heaven It is not a carnal or sensual thing standing in bodily carnal pleasures and delights as Pagans and Mahometans teach and sensual Spirits dream but spiritual divine and coelestial standing in the enjoyment of God and communion with him This we have some little tast of here but being there in perfection it makes up perfect blessedness for mans blessedness lies in fruition of God the chief Good whom he was made for and in whom is that infinite fulness of all good that is able to satisfie and make happy the soul of man and to be the endless joy thereof It is not Creatures Crowns Kingdoms not a

understanding the Joy unspeakable and Glorious 1 Pet. 1.8 the ravishing Consolations in the sense of the Love of God which the faithful have at times been feasted with such as in Comparison whereof all the Comforts of the whole World all the Riches Honours Pleasures upon Earth are but a dry Chip such as the surpassing sweetness and Glory whereof cannot be expressed And yet this but a little taste of Heaven as a drop to the Ocean of the same kind indeed with the Glory that is there but as an earnest Penny of a great and Rich Bargain A drop of the Joy of the Holy Ghost excells all the Rivers of Worldly outward sensual Comforts and Joyes which the men of the World swim in Psal 4.6 7. but infinite drops of Worldly Joy together it will not make Heaven but of Spiritual Joy it will but this is but a drop there is an Ocean of such Joy in Heaven which the Saints shall Swim and Bath themselves in to all Eternity 3. The Visible Glory and Peace of the Church that may be enjoyed in this World before the coming of Christ Great things are spoken in Scripture of the Glorious times that are yet to come wherein Jews and Gentiles shall walk together in the Lord and the Church shall enjoy freedom from open enemies and Persecutions Isa 60.18 plenty and purity of Ordinances Ezek. 37.26 Isa 66.21 23. plentiful Effusion of the Spirit and of the Graces thereof Ezek. 39.29 Prevalency and Eminency of Truth Holiness and Peace Joel 3.17 Zephan 3.9 Godly and Gracious Civil Rulers who shall make their business to promote Truth and Holiness the honour of Christ and the welfare of his people Isa 49.23 Rev. 11.15 The special presence of God in all the wayes and means thereof among them Isa 60.19 20. Revel 21.23 And hence Honour and esteem in the sight of all men Isa 62.7 and 25.8 Revel 21.24 Why this condition of the Church will be a little Heaven upon Earth hence conceived to be described by sundry terms taken from the Kingdom of Glory in Heaven Rev. 21. and 22. and there will be much Glory in it Isa 60.1 2 7. But yet it will be far short of Heaven indeed no state of the Church on Earth shall equal the state of the Church in Heaven There will still in the best time on Earth be sin and Imperfection and Temptation and Flesh and Allurements of the World to conflict withall and many particular afflictions too from the hand of God We in this remote Corner of the World have for a long time as may be well conceived enjoyed not a little tast and specimen of this peaceable and flourishing Condition of the Church but yet we find it is not Heaven we find Corruption enough in our own hearts and in one another to keep us in a continual conflict c. In the best estate of the Church on Earth there will be still cause to sigh and groan for the coming of Christ in the day of full Redemption Rev. 22.20 The greatest Glory that ever the Church shall enjoy on Earth before the Coming of Christ to Judgment will in comparison of Heaven be inglorious for that will alwayes be a truth in this world 1 Joh. 3.3 2. But if so much Glory and such great things be to be enjoyed on Earth what then will Heaven be The thought or expectation of Glorious and Happy times on Earth instead of Carnal drawing down our minds it should raise and lift them up thither For all is but an Hansell a Taste a beginning and Inchoation of what will there be Consummate All the pledges and tasts which God does or ever will give his people on Earth they are but to quicken them to press after the prize a full draught and rest that is reserved for them Comp. 3. Consider the great sufferings troubles sorrows and afflictions that the faithful some of them especially have endured in this life those are a little matter as nothing to the future Glory in Heaven there is no Comparison between them which shews that Glory to be exceeding great Rom. 8.18 Paul's Sufferings were very great few have ever gone through more then he did had you seen much more had you felft them you would have thought them exceeding heavy 2 Cor. 11.23 27. and 6.4 5. 1 Cor. 4 9 11 12 13. 2 Tim. 3.11 yet there was no Comparison between the evil and trouble of all these and the Comfort of that Glory this did infinitely over-ballance them they hold no weight against it as the word imports 2 Cor. 4.17 N●t that the affliction in these was light but because the other end of the ballance was exceeding heavy As you know though there be a considerable weight in one Scale yet if you put a far greater in the other as several hundreds against ten or twenty pound weight why the far greater fetches up the other as if it were a light thing a Feather a very nothing Why thus put into one Scale all the Afflictions that ever you felt or have seen others feel about you all Sicknesses Pains Diseases Wearisome nights and dayes thereby such Griefs as those in Job 6.2 3. All the Sufferings of the Martyrs Racks Strappadoes Burnings and exquisite new-devised Torments all the Deaths Stripes Pains Bonds Wants Reproches Afflictions that Paul went through from first to last heap them on altogether in one Scale yet Eternal Glory in Heaven being put into the other Scale it is a weight exceedingly exceeding all this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this speak the exceeding greatness of this Glory that so far so exceeding Hyperbolically weighs down all the Heaviest Afflictions that they are but as a Feather as nothing to it And yet some one of these Afflictions will weigh down all the good and Comfort of this World Let a man have a dangerous Sickness a sore Tormenting pain upon him it imbitters all yea he would willingly part with all he hath though great Riches c. to be freed from it Job 2.4 Mark 5.26 But put them altogether and they will be over-ballanced and weighed down by the Glory of Heaven even as a few Sands by a Mountain Comp. 4. Consider the Excellency and Glory of this lower World and the Cost Riches and stately workmanship that God hath expended and laid out thereupon and upon the entertainment he gives to all his Creatures there in What then is the Glory of the third Heaven and of those upper and Coelestial Mansions Gods own dwelling place And what is the Entertainment that he will give there to the Inhabitants thereof This lower World is but as a stage that is set up for a while to be taken down again It is but as the hovels and out-houses where all sorts of Creatures are kept but Heaven is the Palace the dwelling house of the Great King and appointed to be the everlasting habitation of the Blessed Joh. 14.2 1 King 8.39 43. If you should come to any Great or Wealthy

mans Place and there find the Barnes and Out-houses excellently and Substantially built and much Cost laid out about them ample accommodations therein for every Beast and Creature about the house and liberal Provision for them every thing compleat and excellent you would say what is the Dwelling-house and what is the Furniture thereof Sure that is wonderful Rich and Stately and both the Building and Furniture beyond measure exquisite The application is obvious Even this lower World is a curious and costly piece The Earth which is but the dregs of Nature is full of Gods Riches Psal 104.24 In the Bowels of it is Gold Silver Precious Stones Mettals of all sorts the surface of it is in the Summer-season clothed with a pleasant dress delightful to the sense and profitable for use It is arrayed with more Glory than Solomon had in his greatest Splendor Mat. 6.28 30. Hos 14.5 6 7. Psal 65.12 The Sea is full of Riches and of the admirable Works of God Psal 104.24 25 26. The Air is a Treasury of fruitful showers and other admirable Meteors Deut. 28.12 The Aetherial Heaven is garnished with Stars Job 26.13 Therein is a Tabernacle for the Sun that admirable work of God travelling his dayly and yearly Circuit to give Light and Heat to all things on the Earth Psal 19.4 5 6. In these visible Heavens is such Divine Workmanship as may ravish all beholders Psal 8.3 and 136.4 5 7 8 9. and look upon the entertainment God gives unto all his Creatures here in this lower World all the multitudes that are down-lying and up-rising in this great house of his what Commodious and large Provision he makes for them even Inferior Creatures besides and beneath man Psal 104 27 28. The wild Asse hath the range of the Mountains for his pasture Job 39.6 8. There is enough to spare for him and all other wild Creatures that live upon the Grass in the Wilderness their table lyes alwayes spread and there is enough and to spare by the stately bounty of the large Creator The feeble Conies want not their houses and fortifications Psal 104.18 Nor the Birds their resting places ver 12.17 The young Ravens are not forgotten of God Job 38.41 Psal 147.9 Why is there such work and such Riches filling this lower World Earth and Sea and Water and the Starry Region what then is Heaven And what are the Riches and Glory that are laid up there What is the Entertainment there given to men yea to Saints and Members of Christ Jesus Christ uses that Argument as to this World Mat 6.26 much more may we use it as to the World to come when God shall pour out the fuln●ss of the Riches of his goodness upon the chosen Vessels thereof If such workmanship be laid out upon the Earth and the r●st of this house of time what a curious piece is Heaven that house of Eternity 2 Cor. 5 1. the City and Palace of the King the very Region and place of Heaven the Fathers House where all his Children must be lodged and accomodated and dwell forever it does as far excel and is far above the Earth as the height of it and the ends and uses of it do excel The Pearls and Precious Stones c. that are found in the Earth will scarce serve to make the Walls of that City as appears by these Metaphorical Descriptions of the Heavenly Jerusalem which it meant of the Church on Earth is far excelled by the Glory of Heaven Revel 21.18 21. and if the outside be so Glorious that the best of the things on Earth are scarce worthy or fit to be shadows or resemblancs thereof what then is the outside What is the Furniture within and entertainment there Why it stands not in Carnal outward things and delights as the Mahomitan Paradice and the Heathen Elysian Fields they cannot be raised up to such an height as to make Heaven But Spiritual holy Delights and Joyes in the frution of God and those in their height and fulness compared wherewithal the Glory and Joy of the World is but a trif●le And the External condition of the Body shall in Glory Beauty Vigour Strength Spiritual Activity and Comfort every way unspeakably exceed what it is or can be conceived here Comp. 5. Consider the vast preparation God maketh for the Glorifying his Saints in Heaven The great preparation he maketh both to prepare Glory for them Mat. 25.34 Joh. 14.2 3. Heb. 11. 16 And to prepare them for Glory Rom. 9.23 2 Cor. 5.5 Col. 1.12 Election Redemption Christs Ascennsion and Intercession Vocation Sanctification Christs second coming Joh. 14.3 are all to make way and fit for and bring unto to this Glory When we see great and va●● preparations for a thing much time and cost spent therein as for a Kings Coronation for a Funeral for a Wedding we conclude it will be very magnificent ●n this preparation for Glory there is much time spent all the time of this life the Believer is fitting for it nay from before the foundation of the World from all eternity preparation hath been making Mat. 25.34 and all the time of Christs being in Heaven By his possessing it as our head Intercession c. Joh. 14.3 And great Cost all Ordinances are to this end to fit us for Heaven and all Providences Christs Death Bloodshed Ascention Intercession 1 Pet. 5.10 c. And all the Gracious operations of the Spirit 2 Cor. 5.5 All the promises point thither speak of that Glory and empty themselves there There and then viz. in the Glory of Heaven and not till then they shall be fully accomplished All the great and magnificent things which have so high a sound in all the promises in the Book of God they are fully found and met together there All the great expectations and hopes of the Saints Center and Issue there All which shew that the Glory of Heaven must needs be exceeding great and excellent And so the difficulty of it might be another Argument For difficilia quae pulchrà it cost Christ dear his Pains his Blood Life and it must cost the Christian not a little in Praying waiting watching striving Travelling Suffering the oppositions of Hell Flesh and World and not without great difficulty at last he gets to Heaven 1 Pet. 4.18 Mat. 7.14 Comp. 6. I might mention the Titles that are given to this Heavenly Glory in Scripture It 's called an Inheritance Ephes 1.18 Act. 20.32 that is amongst the best things on Earth A good Inheritance what care to obtain settle make sure of that a Rich Heir is counted happy though he wait long e're he come to Age But this is an Inheritance not Earthly but Heavenly Colos 1.12 1 Pet. 1.4 A Kingdom Mat. 25.34 Luk. 12.32 A Crown Jam. 1.12 1 Pet. 5.4 Crowns and Kingdoms are counted the top of Humane felicity on Earth the highest that mens Hopes Desires Ambitions Climbe what Scuffling and Strugling all the Earth over to be