Selected quad for the lemma: earth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
earth_n	church_n	invisible_a	visible_a	3,670	5	9.2967	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A94157	The door of salvation opened by the key of regeneration: or A treatise containing the nature, necessity, marks and means of regeneration; as also the duty of the regenerate. / By George Swinnocke, M.A. and pastor of Rickmersworth in Hertfordshire.	Swinnock, George, 1627-1673.	1661 (1661)	Wing S6272; Thomason E1817_1; ESTC R209823	254,830	512

profession the lie The Pope professeth himself the servant of servants and yet even then exalteth himself above all that is called God 2 Thess 2.4 And he that professeth himself so humble as to do service to the meanest Christian is yet so proud as to take merit from Christ himself Every one that 's cloathed in black is not a Scholar nor every one that wears a sword a Soldier neither is every Professor a true and upright believer Pharnaces sent a crown to Cesar when at the same time he rebelled against him but Cesar sent back the crown with this message Let him return to his obedience first and then I will accept the Crown Thus God will not be graced with our crowns of profession unless that be crowned with a gracious conversation He is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that in the heart whose praise is not of men but of God Rom. 2.28 29. Thirdly Spiritual Priviledges are no sure sign that thine eternal estate is safe we read of them that were Israelites to whom pertained the adoption the glory the covenants the giving of the Law and the service of God and the Promises whose were the Fathers of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9.4 5. and yet many of them perished notwithstanding all these great Priviledges Paul had glorious priviledges when he was a graceless person Phil. 3.5 6. Thou mayst enjoy Sermons Sacraments Sabbaths seasons of grace the society of Saints and yet miss at last of salvation All that are in a family are not children though they possibly feed at the same table and lodge in the same chamber All that enjoy Church-ministry are not Church-members Doeg may set his foot within the house of God as far as David Iudas may partake of the same privileges with the Apostles and yet be a devil the outward Court was larger thent he inner and so Gods visible Church takes more in then his invisible Tares may be in the same field with wheat enjoying the same benefit of the Sun rain and earth and yet are tares still The Jews boasted much that they were Abrahams children Matth 3. and yet Truth it self tells them that they were of their father the devil Joh. 8.44 Circumcision is nothing nor uncircumcision but a new creature Gal 6.15 Where the new creation is wanting spiritual priviledges are but as seals to a blank and signifie little Regeneration is the figure which if missing they as cyphers stand for nothing The voyce of many among us now is like to the voyce of the Jews heretofore 1 Sam. 4.3 in time of their distress Bring us the Ark say they that that may save us when alas they were destroyed by the Philistines for all their Ark So thou Reader when conscience frighteth thee or death comes nigh thee probably speakest in thy heart come bring me the Ark that that may save me bring me the Sacrament that shall save me thou runnest to thy Baptism to thy Sabbath to priviledges and thence concludest that thou canst not be condemned when alas thou mayst go to hell fire for all thy Font water and to eternal torments though thou hast often been at the Lords Table Matth. 7.22 Baptismal water is not ever the laver of regeneration many sit at the Lords Table which do not taste of his Supper All in the Church may hear the word of Christ but few hear Christ in his word It is ordinary to enjoy the Sabbath of the Lord but not so to enjoy the Lord of Sabbaths Outward priviledges are of great value in themselves but like a jewel which some speak of they lose their vertue if put into a dead mans mouth they are of no efficacy or benefit to thy soul whilst thou continuest dead in trespasses and sin Unregenerate Israel was to God as Ethiopia Amos 9.7 for all their priviledges Gentiles regenerated are called Jews Gal. 6.16 and Jews unregenerated are called Gentiles Amorites Hittites Sodomites Ezek. 16.3 Hos 12.7 Isa 1.10 Spiritual priviledges always commend God to us but not us to God Their abuse will be a dreadful encrease of thy damnation but their bare use will be a pittiful plea for salvation How many live all their days under the means of Grace that never get one dram of grace in the use of the means Corazin Bethsada and Capernaum who had the priviledge to hear Christ's oracles and to see his miracles were sad seals to these truths Matth. 11. for they were lighted to the chambers of utter darkness with the torches of Ordinances Rest not in this Reader for thou mayst be lifted up to heaven in the enjoyment of Priviledges and cast down to hell for mis-improvement of them Thou mayst like the Decii leap into the gaping gulf at noon day or like the Egyptians follow the pillar of fire into the deep and perish nay which is saddest of all as a ship which is sinking the more it is laden though it be with silver and gold the deeper it sinketh so the higher thy priviledges if thou perishest the deeper thy perdition Thou mayst flye like Joab to the Altar of priviledges but if thou art unregenerate he that is greater then Solomon will pluck thee thence or slay thee there The unsuitableness of thy life to the discoveries of his love doth but tell him to his face that thou art not careful to answer him in his matters that thou wilt not serve his Son nor worship the Mediator whom he hath set up and hereby thou dost but notwithstanding thy preferment provoke him the more and cause him as Nebuchadnezzar the oven to heat hell seven times hotter Thy priviledges like oyl and pitch will make that fire to scald and scorch the more terribly Weeds in the garden are sooner pluckt up then weeds in the high-way No trees are more surely for the fire then those which are planted in Gods own vineyard and bear not fruit Fourthly Great Gifts and Parts will not speak thy right to glory Edifying Gifts and sanctifying Grace do abundantly differ Thou mayst have a clear head and yet an unclean heart We read of them that were famous for gifts and parts and infamous for prophaness who might preach profitably and yet were workers of iniquity who had the gift of casting out devils and for all that were cast to devils Matth. 7.22 23. Ministers may like Noah's Carpenters build an Ark to save others and be drowned be damned themselves They may carry a lanthorn which may enlighten others while they go in the dark themselves Thou mayst as a land-mark direct others in the right way and never set a foot thy self in it How holily did Balaam prophesie and yet how hellishly did he practise surely like a burning-glass he hath fired many others by his heavenly language yet he himself never fired Many have

cause thee to blossom and bud and ripen in the fruits of holiness There is mercy with thee that thou mayst be feared Psal 130.4 Why doth he send the nipping winter of adversity but to kill the hurtful weeds of thy lusts This is his end in afflicting even the taking avay of sin Isa 27.9 He useth the flail that the huskes may flie off when one key will not open the door of thy heart he will try another Why doth he interweave mercy and affliction that his providences towards the children of men are chequer-work white and black black and white mercy and affliction affliction and mercy but because his infinite wisdom seeth that this mixture will suit best with his ends the purifying and renewing his creature If all the year were summer the sap of the trees would be quite exhausted if all were winter it would be quite buried If thou hadst nothing in thy body but natural heat it would burn thee up if nothing but moisture it would drown thee therefore thy radical moisture allayeth thy natural heat and thy natural heat giveth bounds to thy radical moisture and each well tempered make an excellent constitution of body If thou hadst nothing but mercy thou wouldst be wanton and conceited if nothing but misery thou wouldst be too much dejected therefore God sendeth mercy to make thee cheerful and misery to keep thee awful The good Physician tempers his drugs wisely and weigheth them exactly and so prescribes and gives them as they may best conduce to the carrying on of his own end the spiritual health of his Patients Fifthly Regeneration will appear to be excellent in that it is the special work of God himself Grace is the immediate creatue of God man can ruine but not renew himself Which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God John 1.13 Man may lay some claim though there also God is the principal to the fatherhood of our fleshly beings but God onely can lay claim to the fatherhood of our spiritual beings Holiness is a beam of light darted forth from none but the Sun of righteousness We are his workmanship Ephes 2.10 His workmanship both by way of efficiency and excellency How beautiful is that structure which hath such a Builder what a rare work must that be which hath such a workman Surely that is a choice plant which is of Gods own planting O who would not be in love with so fair a child for the fathers sake The creation of our outward beings as we are men Iob 10.8 1.10 is the work of God Thy hands have made me and fashioned me Psal 119.77 God makes every man as well as the first man Nature and natural causes are nothing but the order in which and the tools with which he is pleased to work Now this work of God is excellent it is the Master-piece of the visible Creation Man is the fair workmanship of a wise Artificer saith one Heathen The bold attempt of daring nature saith another One of the Ancients calleth man The Miracle of miracles Another The measure of all things A third The worlds Epitome The world in a small volume The body which is the worst half of man Psal 1 ●9 14.15 is curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth and made in secret as curious workmen when they have some choice piece in hand they perfect it in private and then bring it forth to the light for men to gaze on In thy book were all my members written Psal 139.14 15. A skilful Architect who is to set up some stately building will draw a model of it in his book or upon a table before he will adventure to set it up to be sure that it shall be done exactly So to shew what an exact piece the body of man is God is said to work it by the book But the soul which is Gods work too is a more exquisite piece the body is as it were the sheath Dan. 7.15 the soul is the glittering sword the body is but the cabinet this is the jewel 't is by this that man claims kindred with the Angels in Heaven and surpasseth all creatures on Earth Consider then if this work of Gods hands this visible Creation be so excellent how excellent is the invisible Creation the creating man in Christ unto good works Surely that is curious work workmanship indeed The Tables of stone hewed immediately by the hand of God and on which he had with his own fingers written the Law was such a piece that mortal eyes could not behold it without astonishment and admiration What a rare Manuscript was that where the book the matter the writing were all of Gods own making and doing But the writing of the Law in the fleshly tables of the heart by the Spirit of God is much more glorious I am very willing Friend to convince thee of the excellency of Regeneration and therefore would speak more to this head Think of what thou pleasest which thin eunderstanding can judge excellent and thou shalt finde the image of God far more excellent Is wealth excellent Luk. 16.11 1 Tim. 6 7. Mat 6.19 ●0 Prov. 8.18 this is the true riches others are but the shadow this is the substance other riches are but for a short time these are for ever durable riches and righteousness Other riches will go only as brass farthings in some particular places in this beggarly low world of earth but these like gold and silver go in all countries are currant coyn even in the higher world of Heaven Is wisdom excellent this is wisdom the fear of the Lord is the beginning the word fignifieth the apex the top the perfection of wisdom Prov. 1.7 Job 28.2 The pious man is the prudent man He alone can judge rightly of things set a due price upon things propound to himself the noblest ends and use the best means therefore he is called by way of eminency A man of wisdom Mic. 6.9 The knowing subtle Pharisees for want of this were but learned fools Matth. 23.17 Sinner and Fool are Synonima's in Scripture The English word Fool is thought to come from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth wicked Is beauty excellent Grace is the greatest beauty the beauty of holiness Psal 110.5 O how comely is the new creature never any saw it but fell in love with it The Spouse of Christ is the fairest among women Thou art all fair my love thou art all fair Cant. 4.1 Godliness is such a beauty that as I have said before God himself is taken with it Sin is a spot a defilement this beauty is inward it sits upon the face of the most noble part of man the Soul and thereby is the more comely its lasting not liable to the rage of a disease or wrinckles of old age but always increasing whilst here to a greater perfection Is pleasure excellent Godliness is