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	militant_a	triumphant_a	4,315	5	11.6530	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19499	A mirrour of mercie or The prodigals conuersion briefely, and learnedly expounded, and full of comfortable consolations for all penitent sinners. By William Cooper, minister of Gods word, and B. of Galloway.	Cowper, William, 1568-1619.	1615 (1615)	STC 5928; ESTC S119161	51,916	283

is meant by this father in the parable we come now to see who are his two sons By the younger some vnderstand the Gentiles and by the elder the Iewes It is true indeede they are our elder brethren and were in the couenant before vs and shall againe returne vnto it we haue to pitie them and pray to God for them that hee would take the vaile from their eies and bring them home againe that there may be one Sheepeheard and one sheepefold But they cannot bee figured heere by this eldest sonne because they haue forsaken their fathers familie and are now strangers from the tents of Sem. Others againe by these two sonnes vnderstand elect angels and men it is true also that they triumphant in heauen are our elder brethren called therfore by the Apostle The congregation of the first borne Like as they againe call the Church militant on earth their little sister But by this elder brother they cannot bee represented for they murmur no● at any compassion shewed vs or louing intertainement made to vs by our heauenly father they grudge not but rather reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner There are yet the third who by this elder brother vnderstand pharisees iustiti●rs by the younger publicans and sinners Truth it is the Pharisees grudging at Christ for his familiaritie with Publicans gaue him occasion to vtter this parable and by it also hee conuinces them But the doctrine herein deliuered extendeth further as now we shall heare These two sonnes then represent two sortes of Gods children in the militant Church some not only chosen but effectually called by grace and these are figurate by the elder sonne some chosen but yet not called nor renewed by grace and these are figurate by the younger sonne The first sort of these will not go from their father they resolue to abide in his house and are willingly content to liue vnder their fathers gouernment correction their desire is with Dauid One thing haue I desired of● the Lord and I still require it that I may dwell all my daies in his house to behold his beauty Their resolution is with Iosua Though all the world should forsake the Lord I will worship him And their protestation is with Peter whither shall we go from thee thou hast the words of eternall life I haue not said that these sort of men sinne not if they fall they fall in their Fathers floore whose mercifull hand raiseth them vp again but it is farre from them to professe a departure from him for such as these are in the Church we giu● thankes to God As to the other represented by the younger sonne they are Gods children in regard of election but not yet called no● sanctified by grace These in their ignorance care not to shake of the yoke and discipline of their Father they will not abide with him as they promised in baptisme to be ruled by him and liue vnder his commandement but they will doe their owne will walking after the lyberty of their owne lusts with the wicked in the way of reprobation their heauenly father suffering thē with long patience to prooue their owne weakenesse that his mercy may bee the more manifest towards them when by his effectuall grace he cals them out of this snare of the deuill as heere at length he did to this Prodigal child And these in the Church whom all men may see like vnto this yonger sonne in departing from God wee pray the Lord they may also be like him in returning but alas wee● haue many like the one few like the other For which we may complaine with Augustine In occulto est vnde gaudeam in publico vnde torquear The matter of our ioy in such as cleaue vnto the Lord for the most part is hidden in secret but the matter of our griefe in such as depart from him is publike and manifest Alwaies sure it is that they that liue most licentiously if they be the elect children of God shall once ere they die bee effectually called by grace and so renewed and made obedient children vnto their heauenly father And this should learne vs compassion towards men in their sins for thou knowest not whether if or not in Gods secret counsell he be an elect child of God thy brother and an heire of grace with thee who in regard of his present euil conuersation liues as an enemy and a stranger from grace Ananias feared Saint Paul as an aduersarie whom shortly after he fauoured and embraced as a brother and many such no doubt there are in the Church concerning whom the commandement is giuen Instruct with meekenesse them which are contrary minded waiting if at any time God will bring them out of the snare of the Deuill And the younger Wee haue first to consider this Parable according to the letter for it is certaine that our Sauiour borrowes no similitude from that which is not Parabola enim de nullo non conuenit It will let vs see that often times good and godly fathers haue wicked vngratious children Seeing God who is the Father o● vs all complaines o● it I haue nourished an● brought vp children bu● they haue rebelled agains● me It becomes other fathers to beare this crosse the more patiently Neither is it without cause that oftentime● so it fals out for if wise and godly fathers had alwaies wise and godly children i● might bee thought grace were heritable flowing from nature not giuen of God frō aboue but we see the contrary as circumcised parents begate vncircumcised children so regenerate fathers vnregenerate children Adam hath a Cain Noah a Cham Abram an Ismael Isaack an Esau Ezechiah a Manasse The reason heereof is that the goodnesse which is in man he hath it not by nature but by grace of regeneration and in begetting children according to nature he communicats to them that which he hath of nature not that which he hath aboue nature by grace Homo liberos gignit ex carne vetusta peccatrice non ex spiritu quocircamini me mirum si iustus iustos non gignat sicut peccator peccatorē A man begetteth children of sinfull flesh not of the spirit No maruel therefore that a righteous man begette not righteous children as a sinneful man begetteth sinners The Graines of wheat which are sowen in the earth purged from all their superfluities hauing neither stalke nor eares nor chaffe yet grow vp againe with them all Quia purgatio illa non natura contigit granis sed hominum arte Because that purgatiof the corne is not made by nature but by the arte of man Cum autem frumenta non nascantur ab his principijs artis industria sed naturae necesse est vt nascentia sequantur non rationem humanae industriae sed naturae Therefore is it they grow vp not such