Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A65411
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Sion shining in gospel-glory, or, The churches advancement and saints engagement in gospel-times with some hints of thankfulnesse for Englands deliverance from the Popish Plot of the powder treason : being the summe of a sermon preached at St Michaels in Cornhill, London, upon the 5th of Novemb. 1651 / by T.W.
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T. W.
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1652
(1652)
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Wing W130; ESTC R26300
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12,749
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36
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relation to the Church in general and to particular Saints Consider'd in relation to the Church in generall it hints sundry particular observations which we shall briefly passe over Arise shine Then note that Obser 1 The Church may be sometimes in a cloud The Sun may for a time wear sackloth the Stars may loose their light the Temple may be full of smoak and the Ark wrapt up in darknesse A mist may cover the face of Canaan and a thick cloud may rest upon Jerusalem God loves to beautifie the Face of Time with some spots of darknesse God delights in chequering the world with interchanges of light and darknesse day and night The returns of darknesse do illustrate the beauty of light That light is most beautifull amiable and acceptable that 's born out of the womb of the thickest darknesse The Sun shines forth most clearly when it hath washt its beams in the waters of the Clouds Then let not any Star think it strange that it is sometimes obscured when the Sun it self may be Eclipst and the Constellations of Heaven mask'd in darknesse Arise shine Then There are castings down before liftings up Clouds before clearnesse Darknesse as in the Old so in the New Creation before light The Church is called to Arise therefore she was yet down She is commanded to Shine therefore she was yet dark Despair not then poor dejected souls who lie down in darknesse and see no light when you have a while with sad hearts sorrowed for your sins your light will break forth as the morning and you shall hear this sweet Gospel-voice Arise shine Arise shine Then There 's an excellency in the Church of God a bright and shining excellency This is the Sun of the lower world which shall at length shine in the highest heavens The Saints have their lustre which is nothing else but the reflection of those glorious beams of grace which are shed from the Sun of Righteousnesse upon them This is the Woman cloth'd with the Sun that hath the Moon under her feet and upon her head a Crown of twelve Stars Rev. 12.1 This is she that is come to excellent Ornaments and crowned with perfection of beauty through Christs own comelinesse put upon her Ezek. 16.7 14. She is all Fair all Glorious within through the Glory of God arisen upon her Cant. 4.7 Psal 45.13 The Church of God is the Crown of the earth and the Glory of the world The world is wrapt in darknesse till she Arise and shine Horrible are the attempts of the Churches Persecutors Hellish darknesse would soon over-spread the earth if the Churches light were once extinguisht O ye strangers of the world You that lie muffled in midnight even in the Gospels midday lift up your heads behold and admire the Churches excellencies Leave your dark dens of sin and profanesse and come to her shining light Be ravisht with the beauty of her Grace and admire the brightnesse of her Glory Walk in her light and you shall partake in her brightnesse and beauty Arise shine Then take notice that A Gospel state is a glorious state a Heaven upon Earth The state of the Church of God under the Gospel is more glorious then under the Law Isa 60.17 2 Cor. 3.7 ult Herein are more clear and glorious manifestations of Christ dispensations of Grace communications of the Spirit more abundance of spirituall and glorious mercies gifts and endowments The state of grace under the Gospel is nothing lesse then the Kingdom of heaven upon earth Mat. 3.2 Heaven is open'd under the Gospel and Believers enter in and are invested with glorious priviledges and inrich'd with glorious enjoyments This is that Heaven wherein God's Saints shine as so many Stars in the lustre of that glorious light which they derive from the Sun of Righteousnesse This Evangelical condition is an Angelical condition wherein Gods Saints those bright morning-stars sing for joy and record the glorious praises of their gracious Redeemer Gospel Times are glorious Times Gospel mercies are glorious mercies Gospel graces are as I may say glorious graces Gospel comforts are glorious comforts Gospel Salvation is a glorious Salvation Happy are we that live in Gospel times Oh that we could but embrace Gospel Truths happy are we that have Gospel seasons Oh that we were but Gospel Saints O how are we to admire the riches of Gods grace that he is pleased to vouchsafe us his glorious Gospel Let us then labour to adorn this glorious Gospel by gracious courses The day-spring from on high hath visited us and the glorious light of the Gospel shines round about us let us then cast off the works of darknesse and put on the Armour of light let 's cease to sin arise and shine in the lustre of this light that shines upon us Arise shine Know then When God pours out light and lustre upon his Church she must pour it out into the world When Christ puts a burning Lamp into the hand of his Spouse she must give light to the Nations that sit in darknesse and the shadow of death The Sun pours his light upon the Moon and Stars and these pour it out with many pretious influences upon the earth When Jesus Christ the Sun of Righteousnesse pours out the light of the Gospel with influences of love upon his Church and Saints they must likewise pour out the same upon the world and sinners When God sets up his Golden-candlestick at Jerusalem 't is that it might give light to the Cities round about O then let every Star shine to encrease the lustre of this light and let sinners come to the brightnesse of this shining that they may see the way of life leading to eternall Glory lest otherwise they be shut up under everlasting darknesse and damnation See Mat. 5.14 15 16. Doct. Arise shine Now let 's consider the words as they bear reference to particular Saints and they 'l import thus much The Saints of God in Gospel-times shall and must Arise and shine They shall for this Precept implies a Promise They must for this Promise is lockt up in a Precept Arise shine This is the Saints Dignity this their Duty Branch 1 1. They shall they must Arise They must not lie down still in darknesse when the light shines and the Spirit saies Arise Arise from the 1. Pit of horrour and the dungeon of darknesse whereinto they have been cast by conviction God doth indeed cast down but doth not keep down his Elect in this dark and sad condition God brings sinners to Heaven by the Gates of Hell While they lie under conviction their sins like swarms of Bees encompasse them arm'd with fiery poysonous stings the wrath of God flames against them the Terrours of the Almighty surround them and the unspeakable Torments of of Hell amaze them their own Conscience which should be a Port of Peace to a troubled Spirit being full of Horrour and Confusion is a very Hell unto them In this wofull