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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
earth_n	father_n	heaven_n	maker_n	3,071	5	10.1314	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28171	The common principiles of Christian religion clearly proved and singularly improved, or, A practical catechism wherein some of the most concerning-foundations of our faith are solidely laid down, and that doctrine, which is according to godliness, sweetly, yet pungently pressed home and most satisfyingly handled / by that worthy and faithful servant of Jesus Christ, Mr. Hew Binning ...	Binning, Hugh, 1627-1653.; Gillespie, Patrick, 1617-1675.	1667 (1667)	Wing B2927; ESTC R33213	197,041	290

is the stupid security of men that are only awakened by some new and unusual passages of Gods works beyond that straight Line of Nature Then fourthly look upon the power of God in making all of nothing which is expressed here in Heb. 11. There is no Artificer but he must have matter or his Art will fail him and he can do nothing The Mason must have timber and stones laid to his hand or he cannot build a house the Gold-smith must have gold or silver ere he can make a Cup or a Ring take the most curious quick inventer of them all they must have some matter to work upon or their knowledge is no bettter than ignorance all that they can do is to give some shape or form or to fashion that in some new model which had a beeing before so that what ever men have done in the world their work are all made up of these things which appear and Art skill to form fashion that excellently which before was in another mould and fashion but he needs not sit idle for want of materials and therefore in the beginning he made Heaven and Earth not as they now are but he made first the matter and substance of this Universe but it was as yet a rude and confused Chaos or Masse all in one lump without difference but then his Majesty shews his Wisdom and Art his excellent invention in the following dayes of the creation in ordering and beautifying forming the world as it is and that his power might be the more known For how easie is it for him to do all this There needs no more for it but a word let it be it is He spake and it was done He commanded and it stood fast Not a word pronounced and audibly composed of Letters and Syllables mistake it not so but a word inwardly formed as it were in his infinite Spirit even the inclination and beck of his will suffices for his great works Ye see what labour and pains we have in our businesse how we toil sweat about it what wrestlings strivings in all things we do but behold what a great work is done without any pain and travel It is a laborious thing to travell through a parcel of this earth which is yet but as the point of the Universe It is troublesome to lift or carry a little piece of stone or clay it s a toil even to look upward and number the stars of Heaven but it was no toil no difficult thing to his Majesty to stretch out these Heavens in such an infinite compasse for as large as the Circumference of them is yet it is as easie to him to compasse them as it is to us to span a finger-length or two It is no difficulty to him to take up hills and mountains as the dust of the ballance in his hand weigh them in scales Hath he not chain'd the vast huge Masse of the wighty earth and Sea in the midst of the empty place without a supporter without foundations or pillars He hangeth it on nothing What is it I pray you that supports the Clouds who is it that binds up their waters in such a way that the clouds are not rent under them even though there be more abundance of water in them than is in all the Rivers waters round about us Iob. 26. 7 8. Who is it that restrains sets bounds to the Sea that the waters thereof thogh they roar yet do not overflow the land But this Almighty Jehovah whose Decree commandement is the very compasse the bulwark over which they cannot flow all this he doth with more facility than men can speak If there were a creature that could do all things by speaking that were a strange power but yet that creature might be wearied with speaking much but he speaks and it is done his word is a creating word of power which makes things that are not to be and there is no wearying of him besides for he is Almighty and cannot saint but why then did he take six dayes for his work might he not with one word of his power have commanded this world to issue out of his omnipotent vertue thus perfect as it is What needed all this compasse Why took he six dayes who in a moment could have done it all with as much facility Indeed herein the Lord would have us to adore his wisdome as well as his power he proceeds from more imperfect things to more perfect from a confused Chaos to a beautifull World from motion to rest to teach man to walk through this wildernesse and valley of Tears this shapelesse World into a more beautiful habitation through the tossings of time into an everlasting Sabbath of rest whether their works shal follow them they shal rest from their labours He would teach us to take a stedfast look of his work and that wee should be busied all the dayes of our pilgrimage and sojourning in the consideration of the glorious characters of God upon the work of his hands wee see that it is but passing looks and glances of Gods glory we take in the creatures but the Lord would have us to make it our work and businesse all the week throgh as it was his to make them He would in this teach us his loving care of men who would not create Man till he had made for him so glorious an house replenished with all good things It had been a darksome irksome life to have lived in the first Chaos without light but he hath stretched over him the Heavens as his Tent and set lights in them to distinguish times and seasons and ordained the VVaters their proper bounds and peculiar Channels and then maketh the Earth to bring forth all manner of fruits when all is thus disposed then he c●…eats man To this God the Maker of Heaven and Earth be glory and praise Heb. 11. 3. Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister c. THere is nothing more generally known than this that God at the beginning made the heaven and the earth and all the hosts of them the upper or the celestiall the lower or sublunary World but yet there is nothing so little believed or laid to heart By faith we understand that the Worlds were made It is one of the first Articles of the Creed indeed Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth but I fear that Creed is not written in the Tables of flesh that is the heart There is a twofold mistake among men about the point of believing some and the commoner sort do think it is no other than simply to know such a thing and not to question it to hear it not to contradict it or object against it Therefore they do flatter themselves in their own eyes and do account themselves to have faith in God because they can say over all the Articles of their belief they

searching we could find them out unto perfection but to believe what is spoken till the day break and the shadows flee away and the darknesse of ignorance be wholly dispelled by the rising of the Sun of Righteousnesse We are called then to receive this truth that God is one truly one and there are three in this one the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost This I say you must believe because the wisdom of God faith it though you know not how it is or how it can be though it seem a contradiction in reason a Trinity in Unity yet you must lead your reason captive to the obedience of faith silence it with this one answer The Lord hath said it If thou go on to dispute and to enquire how can these things be Thou art escaped from under the power of Faith and are fled unto the tents of humane wisedom where thou mayest learn artheism but no Religion for the world through wisedom knew not God 1 Cor. 1. And certainly who ever he be that will not quiet his conscience upon the bare word of truth in this particular but will call in for the help of reason and disputation how to understand and maintain it I think he shall be further from the true knowledge of God and satisfaction of mind than before There is no way here but to flee into Pauls Sanctuary Who art thou O man that disputes When ever thou thinks within thy self How may this be how can one be three and three one then withall let this of Pauls sound in thine ears Who art thou O man who disputes Think that thou art man think that he is God Believing ignorance is much better than rash presumptuous knowledge ask not a reason of these things but rather adore and tremble at the mysterie and Majesty of them Christianity is foolishnesse to the world upon this account because it 's an Implicite faith so to speak given to God but there is no fear of being deceived though he lead thee blind by a way thou know not yet he cannot lead thee wrong This holy simplicity in believing every word of God trusting without more trying by disputation is the very Character of Christianity and it will be found only true wisdome for if any will become wise he must be a fool in mens account that he may be wise he must quite his reason to learn true Religion which indeed is a more excellent and divine reason neither is it contrary to it though it be high above it In this place of Moses you have the Unity of God asserted The Lord thy God is one Lord And that is indeed engraven on the very hearts of men by nature That God is One for all may know that the common notion and apprehension of God is that he is a most perfect being the Originall of all things most wise most powerfull infinite in all perfections Now common reason may tell any man that there can bee but one thing most perfect Excellent there can be but one infinite one Almighty one beginning and end of all one first mover one first cause of whom are all things and who is of none Again in this place of Iohn ye have a Testimony of the blessed Trinitie of Persons Father Son and holy Ghost in that holy Unity of Essence The great point which Iohn hath in hand is this fundamentall of our Salvation that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Saviour of the World in whom all our confidence should be placed and upon whom we should lean the weight of our souls this he proves by a twofold testimony one out of Heaven another in the Earth There are three bearing witnesse to this truth in heaven The Father the word that is Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God whom this Apostle calls the word of God or wisdom of God Ioh. 1. 1. and the Holy Ghost The Father witnessed to this truth in an audible voice out of Heaven when Christ was baptized Mat. 3. 17. This is my wel-belovd Son hear him here 's the Fathers Testimony of the Son when he was baptized which was given very solemnly in a great congregation of people and divinely with great glory and Majesty from Heaven as if the heavens had opened upon him and the inaccessible light of God had shined down on him which was confirmed in the transfiguration Mat. 17. 5. VVhere the Lord gave a glorious evidence to the astonishment of the three Disciples how he did account of him how all Saints and Angels must serve him Him hath God the Father sealed saith Iohn Indeed the stamp of divinitie of the divine Image in such an excellent manner upon the man Christ was a Seal set on by God the Father signifying confirming his approbation of his well-beloved Son and of the work he was going about Then the Son himself did give ample Testimony of this this was the subject of his Preaching to the VVorld I am the light and life of men He that beleeveth on mee shall be saved and therefore he may be called the word of God and the wisedom of God Joh. 1. 1. Prov. 8. Because he hath revealed unto us the blessed mysterie of Wisdom concerning our Salvation He is the very expression and Character of the Fathers person and Glory Heb. 1. In his own Person and he hath revealed and expressed his Fathers mind and his own Office so fully to the World that there should be no more doubt of it Out of the mouth of these two witnesses this Word might be established But for superabundance behold a third the Holy Ghost witnessing at his baptisme in his Resurrection after his Ascension the Holy Ghost signifieth his presence and consent to that work in the similitude of a Dove the Holy Ghost testified it in the power that raised him from the dead the Holy Ghost put it beyond all question when he descended upon the Apostles according to Christs promise For the other three witnesses on earth we shal not stay upon it only know that the work of the regeneration of souls by the power of the word and spirit signified by water the justification of guilty souls signified by the blood of Jesus Christ the Testimony of the spirit in our Conscience bearing witnesse to our Spirits is an assured Testimony of this that Jesus Christ in whom we believe is the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth The changing pacifying and comforting of souls in such a wonderfull manner cryes aloud that he in whom the soul believes is the true and living God whom to know is eternal life But mark I pray you the accuracy of the Apostle in the change of the speech these three witnesses on earth saith he agree in one in giving one common testimony to the Son of God and Saviour of Sinners But as for the heavenly witnesses the Father the Word and Holy Ghost how ever they be three after an inconceivable manner

own ignorance of him then I would desire no other knowledge and growing in the grace of God but to grow more and more in the believing ignorance of such a Mystery in the knowledge of an unknown unconceiveable unsearchable God that in all the degrees of knowledge we might still conceive wee had found lesse that there is more to be found then before we apprehended This is the most perfect knowledge of God that doth not drive away darknesse but increase it in the souls apprehension any encrease in it doth not declare what God is or satisfie ones admiration in it but rather shews him to be more invisible insearchable so that the darknesse of a soul's ignorance is more manifested by this light and not more covered ones own knowledge is rather darkned disappears in the glorious appearance of this light for in all new discoveries there is no other thing appears but that this which the soul is seeking is supereminently unknown and still further from knowledge than ever it conceived it to be Therefore what ever you conceive or see of God if ye think ye know what ye conceive see it s not God ye see but something of Gods lesse than God for it 's ●…aid Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man to consider what he hath laid up for them that love him Now certainly that 's himself he hath laid up for them therefore whatever thou conceive of him thinks now thou knows him this is not He for he hath not entered into mans heart to conceive him Therefore this must be thy souls exercise progress in it to remove all things all conceptions from him as not beseeming his Majesty and to go still foreward in such a dark negative discovery till thou know not where to seek him nor find him next Si quis Deū videat intelligat quod vidit Deum non vidit If any see God understand what they see God they do not see for God hath no man seen 1 Joh. 4. 12. And no man knows the Father but the Son And none knows the Son but the Father it 's his own property to know himself as to be himself silent seeing ignorance is our safest and highest knowledge Exod. 3. 14. I AM THAT I AM. Psal. 19. 2. Before the mountains c. from everlasting to everlasting thou art God Job 11. 7 8 9. Canst thou by searching find out God c. THis is the chief point of saving knowledge to know God And this is the first point or degree of the true knowledge of God to discern how ignorant we are of him and find him beyond all knowledge The Lord gives a difinition of himself but such a one as is no more clear than himself to our capacities A short one indeed and you may think it saith not much I am What is it that may not say so I am that I am the least and most inconsiderable creature hath its own being mens wisdom would have learned him to call himself by some high styles titles as the manner and custome of Kings and Princes is such as the flattery of men attributes unto them you would think the superlatives of wise good strong excellent glorious and such like were more beseeming his Majesty and yet there it more Majesty in the simple stile than in all others but a naturall man cannot behold it for it is spiritually discerned Let the pot sheards of the earth saith he strive with the pot-sheards of the earth Isa. 45. 9. But let them not strive with their Maker So I say let creatures compare with creatures let them take superlative styles in regard of others let some of them be called good and some better in the comparison among themselves but God must not enter in the comparison Paul thinks it an odious comparison to compare present crosses to eternal glory I think them not worthy to be compared saith Paul Rom. 8. But how much more odious is it to compare God with creatures Call him Highest call him most Powerfull call him most Excellent Almighty most Glorious in respect of creatures you do but abase his Majesty to bring it down to any terms of comparison with them which is beyond all the bounds of understanding all these do but express him to be in some degree eminently seated above the creatures as some creatures are above all others so ye do no more but make him the Head of all as some creaturs is the head of one line or kind under it but what is that to his Majesty he speaks otherwise of himself Isa. 40. 17. All nations are before him as nothing and they are accounted to him less then nothing Then certainly you have not taken up the true notion of God when you have conceived him the most eminent of all beings as long as any being appears as a being in his sight before whom all beings conjoyned are as nothing while you conceive God to be the best you still attribute something to the creature for all comparatives include the positive in both extreams So then you take up only some different degrees between them who differeth so infinitly so incomprehensibly the distance betwixt heaven earth is but a poor similitude to expresse the distance between God and Creatures what is the distance betwixt a being and nothing Can you measure it Can you imagine it Suppose you take the most high and the most low measure the distance betwixt them you do but consider the difference betwixt two beings but you do not expresse how far nothing is distant from any of them Now if any thing could be imagined less than nothing could you at all guess at the vast distance between it and a being Now so is it here thus saith the Lord All Nations their glory perfection and number all of them and all their excellencies united do not amount to the value of an unity in regard of my Majesty all of them like Ciphers joyn never so many of them together they can never make up a number they are nothing in this regard lesse than nothing So then we ought thus to conceive of God and thus to attribute a being and life to him and as his sight and in the consideration of it all created beings might evanish out of our sight as the glorious light of the Sun though it no not annihilate the Stars and make them nothing yet it annihilates their appearance to our senses and makes them disappear as if they were not although there be a great difference inequality of the Stars in the night some lighter some darker some of the first magnitude and some of the second and third c. some of greater glory and some of lesse But in the day time all are alike all are darkned by the Suns glory Even so it is here though we may compare one creature with another and find different

his will Since by his will he hath chained us with an inevitable necessi●…y to sin what can we do Men cannot wrestle with him why then doth he condemn accuse them But who art thou O man that disputes against God as if Paul had said thou art a man and so I am why then looks thou for an answer from me let us rather both consider whom we speak of whom thou accusest and whom I defend it is God what art thou then to charge him or what am I ●…o to clear Him Beleeving ignorance is better than presumptuous knowledge especially in these forbidden secrets in which it is more concerning to be ignorant which faith and admiration than to know with presumption disputes thou O man I will wonder reply thou I will believe doth it become thee the clay to speak so to the former Why hast thou made me thus Let the consideration of the absolute right and dominion of God over us more than any creature hath over another yea or over themselves let that restrain us and keep us within bounds He may do with us what he pleaseth for his own honour and praise but it is his will that we should leave all the blame to our selves and rather behold the evident cause of our destruction in our sin which is nearer us than to search into a secret and incomprehensible cause in Gods Counsel Heb. 11. 3. Through Faith we understand that the worlds were made c. with Gen. 1. WE are come down from the Lords purposes decrees to the execution of them which is partly in the works of Creation and partly on the works of Providence The Lord having resolved upon it to manifest his own glory did in that due and predeterminate time apply his own power to this businesse Having in great wisdome conceived a frame of the world in his mind from all eternity he at length brings it forth and makes it visible We shal not insist upon the particular story of it as it is set down in generall but only point at some things for our instruction First ye see who is the maker of all things of whom all things visible and invisible are it is God And by this he useth to distinguish himself from idols and the vanities of the Nations that he is that self-being who gave all things a being who made the heavens the earth This is even the most glorious manifestation of an invisible and eternall being These things that are made shew him forth If a man were travelling into a far Country and wandred into a wildernesse where he could see no inhabitants but only houses villages and cities built he would straight way conceive there hath been some work-man at this this hath not been done casually but by the Art of some reasonable creatures how much more may we conceive when we look on the Fabrick of this world how the heavens are streatched out for a Tent to cover them that dwel on the earth and the earth settled and established as a firm foundation for men living creatures to abide on how all are done in wisdome discretion we cannot but straight way imagine that there must be some curious and wise contriver and mighty Creator of these things It is here said that by Faith we understand that the worlds were made Indeed faith only in the word of God gives true and distinct understanding of it Innumerable have been the wandrings and mistakes of the wise of the world about this matter wanting this lamp light of the Word of God which alone gives a true and perfect account of this thing many strange dotages and fancies have they fallen into yet certain it is that there is so much of the glory of God engraven without on the creature and so much reason imprinted on the souls of men within that if it were not for that judiciall plague of the Lords darkning their understandings who do not glorifie him in as far as they know him no man could seriously soberly consider on the visible world but he would be constrained to conceive an invisible God Would not every one think within himself all these things so excellent as they are cannot be out of chance neither could they make themselves so that of necessity they must owe what they are to something beside themselves and of this it is certain that it cannot have its originall from any other thing else there should be no end therefore it must be some supream beeing that is from no other and of which are all things But next consider when these things were made in the beginning and what beginning is that certainly the beginning of the creation of time to exclude Eternity what ever may be said of that subtility that God might have created the world from all Eternity for it appears even in created things that there is no necessity of the precedent existence of the cause since in the same instant that many things are into being in the same do they bring forth their effects as the Sun in the first instant of its creation did illuminate yet certainly we believe from the word of the Lord that the world is actually but of a few thousand years standing six are not yet out run since the first creating word was spoken since the spirit of the Lord moved upon the waters this we know also that if it had pleased his Majesty he might have created the world many thousand years before that So that it might have been at this day of ten hundred times ten thousand years standing and he might have given it as many years as there are numbers of men Angels Beasts yea pickles of sand upon the sea-coast But it was his good pleasure that that very point of time in which it was created should be the beginning of time and from that he gives us a History of the World upon which the Church of God may rest and so seek no other God but the God that made these heavens and earth This will not satisfie the ungodly curiosity and vanity of mens spirits who will reproach the Maker for not applying sooner to his work and sitting idle such an unmeasurable space of Eternity Men wonder what he could be doing all that time if we may call it time which hath no beginning and how he was imployed I beseech you restrain such thoughts in you with the fear of his glorious incomprehensible Majesty who gives no account of his matters It is enough that this is his good pleasure to begin then he conceals his reasons to prove the sobriety of our faith that all men may learn an absolute and simple stouping to his Majesties pleasure Remember that which a godly man answered some wanton curious wit who in scorn demanded the same of him He was preparing hell for curious and proud fools said he Let us then keep our hearts as with a bridle and represse their boundless wanderings

think the Word is true and they never doubted of it But I beseech you consider how greatly you mistake a main matter of weighty concernment If you will search it as before the Lord you will find you have no other belief of these things than children use to have whom you teach to think or say any thing there is no other ground of your not questioning these truths of the Gospel but because you never consider on them and so they passe for current Do not deceive your selves with the heart man believes it is a heart-businesse a soul-matter no light and uselesse opinion or empty expression which you have learned from a child You say you believe in God the Maker of Heaven and Earth and so say children who doubt no more of it than ye and yet in sadnesse they do not retire within their own hearts to think what a one he is they do not remember him in the works of his hands there is no more remembrance of that true God than if no such thing were known So it is among you you would think we wronged you if we said ye believed not that God made the world yet certainly all men have not this faith whereby they understand truly in their heart the Power Wisdome and Goodnesse of God appearing in it that is the gift of God only given to them that shal be saved If I should say that you believe not the most common Principles of Religion you would think it hard yet there is no doubt of it that the most common truths are least believed and the reason is plain because men have learned them by tongue and there is none that question them therefore very few ever in sadnesse and in earnest consider of them You say that God made Heaven Earth but how often do you think on that God And how often do you think on him with admiration Do ye at all wonder at the glory of God when you gaze on his works Is not this volume alwayes observant before your eyes every thing shewing and declaring this glorious Maker yet who is it that taketh more notice of him than if he were not at all such is the generall stupidity of men that they never ponder digest these things in their heart till their soul receive the stamp of the glory greatnesse of the invisible God which shines most brightly in these things that are visible and be in some measure transformed in their minds and conformed to these glorious appearances of him which are engraven in great Characters in all that do at all appear There is another mistake peculiar to some especially the Lords people that they think faith is limited to some few particular and more unknown and hid truths and mysteries of the Gospell Ye think that it is only true believing to imbrace some special Gospell-truths which the multitude of people know nothing of as the tenor of the Covenant of Grace and of Works c. And for other common Principles of Gods making and ruling the World you think that a common thing to believe them But saith the Apostle By faith we understand that the worlds were made it is that same faith spoken of in the end of Chap. 10. by which the just shal live So then here is a point of saving faith to believe with the heart in God the Creator and Father Almighty to take a view of Gods Almighty Power and sufficient Goodnesse and infinite Wisdome shining in the Fabrick of the World that with delight and admiration at such a glorious Fountain-being to rise up to his Majesty by the degrees of his creatures this is the climing and aspiring nature of Faith You see how much those Saints in the Old Testament were in this and certainly they had more excellent and beseeming thoughts of God than we It should make Christians ashamed that both Heathens who had no other Book opened to them but that of Nature did read it more diligently than we And that the Saints of Old who had not such a plain testimony of God as we now have yet did learn more out of the Book of the Creature then we do both out of it and the Scriptures We look on all things with such a carelesse eye and do not observe what may be found of God in them I think verily there are many Christians and Ministers of the Gospel who do not ascend into those high and ravishing thoughts of God in his being and working as would become even meer Naturalists How little can they speak out of his Majesty or think as it becomes his transcendent glory There is little in Sermons or discourses that holds out any singular admiring thoughts of a Deity but in all these we are so common and carelesse as if he were an Idol It is not in vain that it is expressed thus By faith we know that the worlds were made for certainly the firm believing pondering of this one truth would be of great moment and use to a Christian in all his journey You may observe in what stead it is to the Saints in Scripture This raises up a soul to high thoughts and sutable conceptions of his glorious Name so conforms the worship of his Majesty unto his excllency it puts the stamp of Divinity upon it spiritualizes the thoughts and affections so as to put a true difference between the true God and the gods that made not the Heavens the Earth Alace the worship of many Christians speaks out no diviner or higher object than a creature it is so cold so formall and empty so vain wandring there is no more respect testified unto him than we would give to some eminent person You find in the Scripture how the strain of the Saints affections and devotion rises when they take up God in his absolute Supremacy above the creatures look on him as the alone fountain of all that is worth the name of perfection in them A soul in that consideration cannot chuse but assign unto him the most eminent seat in the heart gather those affections which are scattered after the creatures into one channell to pour them out on him who is all in all and hath all that which is lovely in the creatures in an eminent degree Therefore know what you are formed for to shew forth his praise to gather and take up from the creatures all the fruits of his praise and offer them up to his Majesty This was the end of man this is the end of a Christian you are made for this and you were redeemed for this to read upon the volumes of his works word and from thence extract songs of praise to his Majesty As this would be of great moment to the right worshipping of God and to the exercise of true holiness so it is most affectual to the establishing of a soul in the confidence of the promises of God When a soul by faith understands