Selected quad for the lemma: glory_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
glory_n	eternal_a	see_v	weight_n	3,366	5	9.1437	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75003	The beauty of holiness Written by the author of The whole duty of man, &c. To which is added holy devotions upon several occasions, fitted to the main uses of a Christian life.	Allestree, Richard, 1619-1681.; Hove, Frederick Hendrick van, 1628?-1698, engraver.	1684 (1684)	Wing A1096A; ESTC R223525	94,600	252

darkly but then face to face 1 Cor. 13.12 they shall as the Angels in Heaven always behold the face of their Father Matth. 18.10 in whose presence as the Psalmist assures us is fulness of joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 O the unspeakable delectability of the Saints future state where the most blessed God shines forth in his Glory where the beams of beauty ravish the beholders who stand continually in his presence receiving the manifestations of his Glory Sure if the faint expectation of enjoying the company of vertuous men in their fancied Elyzium did instigate some Heathens to imitate their vertues how much more perswasive should the heavenly Jerusalem and the City of the living God be where the holy Soul shall be admitted to converse with an innumerable company of holy Angels and taken into the blessed Society and Church of the first-born where all those imperfections that imbitter our communion here are removed where the holy Soul shall see Jesus the blessed Mediator of the new Covenant Heb. 12. who suffered so much for sinners now sitting in glory and majesty not crowned as once he was with thorns nor wearing a purple robe but having on his head the most transplendent Diadem and cloathed with Majesty and Beauty Methinks the thoughts of beholding this glory and participating of so much felicity should excite the most lazie to follow Holiness and to walk worthy of him who hath called us to his Kingdom and glory But I confess I am not able to express half of the glory of that future felicity The blessed Apostle seems to intimate that all Hyperbolical expressions fall short in describing it 2 Cor. 4.17 where he stiles it A far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory and 1 Cor. 2.9 he tells us Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared for those that love him For although we may be assured that the reward is of infinite value and that the righteous shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father yet the most glorious part is hid from the eyes of viators 't is onely those who taste the Honey-comb that can best discover its sweetness And yet it is prodigiously strange that the imperfect glance of future Glory that men may here behold is so ineffectual to form them to Holiness that men who know they may be for ever happy if they would study and endeavour to be holy in all manner of conversation yet live as if they thought such a happy state not worthy to be noticed I confess if the faithful and true God had not promised this state of blessedness and discovered by revelation the truth and reality of it we could never have dreamed of partaking of so much happiness The Heathen world could never be ascertained by Natures dim light that the Soul is beyond all doubt immortal and that there is a future state of rewards and punishments The wisest of their Philosophers by their most laborious search were exceedingly confused in their thoughts about it and could at the most only entertain some probable guesses and conjectures founded upon moral arguments which could never perfectly conquer their doubts They did indeed think it was very reasonable to believe that God who is holy just and good would in another life since he did it not in this reward good men and punish the bad but they could not be beyond all doubt ascertained that it would be so The most celebrated Socrates who parted with this life in expectation of a better plainly told his Friends it was God onely who knew whether there were a future felicity or not much less could either he or any other without revelation discover the nature and quality of the blessedness of that future state And indeed although they entertained some imperfect notions of a future life of bliss for the Soul yet they never thought of the resurrection of the Body although 't is true the felicity they formed was more congruous by far to satisfie sensual appetites than rational Souls The Poets Elyzium being much of the same nature with the Mahometan Paradise exactly accommodated to their flesh and senses In these thick clouds of darkness and ignorance did the wisest of the Heathens walk Exceedingly perplexed they were what to think their doubts being greater than their hopes But the arising of the Sunshine of Righteousness hath wholly dispelled all that darkness the Gospel hath brought life and immortality to light 2 Tim. 1.10 and hath undoubtedly assured us that there is a reward for the Righteous and that Holiness shall be crowned with Happiness SECT 3. Holiness the onely safe way to escape the wrath to come Fear is a passion so extreamly violent and repugnant to Humane nature that nothing imaginable is of more force to conquer the unruly wills of men to duty Hence is it that even humane Laws are much more secured by punishments than rewards Therefore if the promise of Heaven be not forcible enough to work upon our rebellious Wills we have a Map of eternal and intolerable torments to excite our fear and to affright us from the commission of those sins that lead down to the chambers of death and that drawn so exactly that it is the greatest miracle that men will notwithstanding slight Holiness which is the onely means to evite these lasting tortures In sacred Writ the torments of the damned are represented by such terrifying expressions that it is a wonder they impress not a fear and terrour upon the most daring sinner The Apostle St. Jude describing Hell calls it The vengeance of eternal fire and the blackness of darkness for ever Jude 7 13. And the Apostle St. John calls it A lake of fire and brimstone Rev. 20.10 15. Our Saviour more emphatically describes it to be A fire that can never be quenched and where the worm dieth not Mark 9.46 All which phrases do most significantly express the severity and intolerableness of the torments for what punishment is so terrible as that of Fire and how unspeakably does it inhance the misery in that it is eternal and that too as inflicted by an offended God who is executing his vengeance upon sinners Would God sinners would seriously consider whether they are able to endure the eternal pains of a gnawing Conscience or can patiently dwell with devouring Flames Whether the momentary pleasures of sin are to be balanced with those furious reflections those horrid stings and intolerable tortures the damned suffer day and night where nothing of life remains but the sense of pain Alas will no argument prevail with men how amazing is it to think that the everlasting God has used all the methods of love to excite men to Holiness and to reclaim them from sin and all to no purpose May I not well say to such men as St. Paul said to the Galatians Vnwise sinners who hath bewitched you Did

to God that abounds may very rationally make good men with the Psalmist say Rivers of tears run down my eyes because men observe not thy Law And thus this imputation cast upon Holiness is easily wip'd off Grief and sadness are not the effect of a good life but of an imperfect obedience And while our sins call for mourning and fasting it were a piece of madness for men to be jovial and merry and entertain themselves with those deceitful melodies which will end in weeping and gnashing of teeth And yet the sorrow of truely good men is not so obvious to the eye of men as it is to him who is the searcher of the heart it is rather the artifice of the formal Penitent and hypocritical Professor than the character of the Righteous to disfigure their faces and appear sad and demure A good man chuseth rather with David to mourn in secret and when he appears in publick to wash his face than with those Hypocrites of whom Isaiah speaks who bow down their head like a bull-rush who have chosen affliction rather than innocence The next imputation cast upon Holiness is that it is but a piece of singularity and a vain ambition to walk alone Ans I am heartily sorry that the universal deluge of Impiety should make good men say as once Elijah did in another case I am onely left the few number of good men compared with the vast multitude and Armies of transgressors makes them to be esteemed singular and precise and brings upon them the wrath and fury of ungodly sinners because they will not run with them to the same excess of riot and wallow in the mire as they do But truely this charge is not more rational than if a company of mad men should call one a singular fool because he does not comply with them in all their extravagant actings which do really rather require pity and compassion than imitation I doubt not but Singularity in some cases is a very intolerable temper and unbecoming any man who pretends wisdom but yet if it be universally condemned and in no case admitted as reasonable I don't see but the charge will rebound upon the sinner who in this degenerate age thinks the worse of himself if he exceed not others in wickedness But since Holiness is so conformable to Humane reason so advantageous and beneficial to every man what madness is it to condemn it as singular Sure he who intends to walk as a man who is of a good understanding as good men are said to be who intends to minde his interest and happiness will never be frighted from Holiness because may be it is not in vogue nor become the mode of the Kingdome If a whole Kingdom excepting a few should rebel against their Prince would it be any blot upon these sew Loyal Subjects that they affected Singularity But this cavil is so insignificant and silly that I need not enlarge Sure since Holiness is the peculiar excellency and noble embellishment of Humane nature since it is so venerable and lovely and of all perfections the most excellent he must be degenerate to the brutal nature who condemns Singularity in Holiness for this is in truth a condemning a man because he is more excellent than his neighbour as the righteous is said to be in Scripture The last heavy Charge is that it is folly and madness for men to quit with their present pleasures and expose themselves to grievous troubles for a future reward which is uncertain and which no body ever saw To this I Answer First it is a great mistake to think that Holiness exposeth men to relinquish temporal and sensual pleasures there being no men in the world so qualified to experiment the sweetness of these none who live in so happy and flourishing condition who are more healthful and enjoy a greater measure of peace and quietness than good men The onely inconveniency they are exposed to is affliction upon the account of Religion which when Christianity did commence was no rare thing but now is not so ordinary But supposing good men were exposed to greater afflictions than other men yet there is a great deal of satisfaction in submitting to them since they are but light afflictions and momentary too which work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory These small evils are rather to be endured than lasting pains and torments Sure Of two evils the least is to be chosen Secondly Although the reward of Holiness be future yet 't is not uncertain We have as great assurance that there will be a reward for the Righteous in another world as the nature of the thing is capable of and sure he is an unwise man that asks any other demonstration or proof Now that there is a reward laid up for good men which though unseen is yet as certain as if it were obvious to sense we have the greatest rational evidence and the best moral arguments to confirm it For first if there be a God Secondly if the Scriptures be the Word of God then there is not any thing more certain than that there is a state of rewards and punishments after this life First if there be a God then we can have no reasonable scruple about the future reward for since God is holy and just perfections essential to a Deity then certainly he will as the great Governor of the World reward Vertue and punish Vice But this doth not always fall out so here therefore it is reasonable to conclude that he hath reserved the wicked till that great day of wrath and prepared a reward for the righteous Secondly if the Scripture be the Word of God then he who runs may read this truth We have then the greatest moral assurance possible that there is a future reward which may sufficiently encourage men to hazard all they enjoy here for the expectation of it But I shall onely suppose that the future reward is possible which I think few will deny or can prove it to be impossible yet even upon this supposition good men who part with the transitory things of this life prove a great deal wiser than those who condemn them For if there be no life after this all the loss a good man suffers is that of temporal conveniency he hath denied himself the enjoyment of sensual pleasures so far as he judgeth them sinful he is not so intemperate as other men and perhaps is exposed to some hazards for his Religion at the most all that he is to hazard is but very small But if there be a future reward in what a dismal state are the wicked who shall everlastingly be deprived of it and be irrecoverably plunged into a state of lasting and severe torments But since we are assured of a future reward and know certainly that the righteous shall shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father and that the wicked shall be cast into utter darkness What folly

hand And because I know that it is good for me to be thus disciplined by thee I humble my self under thy mightie hand and kiss this thy rod which I trust through thy grace shall make my Soul appear fair and beautiful in thine Eyes Comfort O Lord my fainting Spirit and strengthen my feeble knees and support my weak hands and revive my deaded heart and so powerfully assist me with the Spirit of strength that I may with confidence call upon thee with patience endure this trial with hope expect thy good pleasure with wisdom make use of this thy visitation and with thankfulness ever praise thy goodness and mercy for my safe recovery if it may be with thy sacred will whereunto I submit and wholy resign now and for ever through Jesus Christ my blessed Lord and Saviour in whose most holy words I further pray Our Father c. A Prayer to be said by them that visit the sick O Eternal God who in thy holy word by the Apostle hast promised that the Prayer of faith shall save the sick and thou wilt raise him up and if he have committed sins they shall be forgiven him We come unto thee in the behalf of our diseased and distressed friend visited under thine hand Speak comfortably O Lord unto his Soul seal in his heart by thy holy Spirit the forgiveness of all his sins Have mercie upon him and according to the multitude of thy mercies do away all his offences blot all his sins out of thy remembrance Grant him thy grace to bear willingly this Cross the Cross of sickness to drink heartily of this Cup the Cup of affliction to endure patiently this Yoak the Yoak of tribulation and to suffer meekly this Rod the Rod of correction He hath received good things of thee make him willing to receive evil also as heretofore he rejoyced in his health so teach him now to rejoyce in his sickness and as he was not ashamed to live so let him not be afraid to die because his life is hid with Christ in Heaven Let the sweet feeling and tast of a lively faith distast all the filthy corruptions that are in him and after the example of the good Samaritan after the sharp wine of grievous tribulation instill also the suppling Oil of comfort whereby he may be able to endure those troubles which otherwise would be intolerable unto him Strengthen his memory whereby to call upon thy glorious Name Settle his Spirits that they may not wander and fly out into any unruly motions Lay thy finger upon his lips that they may not fall into cursing or blaspheming thy Deitie or into any vain language Take from his Eyes all delight of this frail world and let his Soul make ready onely for a voiage to Heaven Set thy saving mark upon his Soul and give order to the destroyer that he hurt it not But having fought a good fight let him now triumphantly exult and say O Death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victory I thank thee O Lord who hast given me victory by Jesus Christ Be merciful unto us here present who as feeling members of one body adore thy holy Name and implore thy Divine help for this thy servant grant him assistance of thy Spirit to the last gasp and us assurance to be heard of thee for him and all others upon the like occasion We could wish that thou shouldst speak to this our friend as thou didst unto thy servant when thou saidst Arise take up thy bed and walk but yet alas we know not whether we ask aright or not thy will be fulfilled we know that he shall but change this life transitory for Eternitie cast off mortalitie and be clothed with immortalitie and this light affliction which is but for a moment shall cause unto him a far more excellent and eternal weight of glory Wherefore make us all wise to salvation and teach us so to number our days aright that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom Give both this thy servant and all of us grace willingly to forsake this present evil world and so to live in thy fear that we may die in thy favour and so reign with thee for ever hereafter Grant this for Jesus Christ his sake our onely Lord and Saviour Amen A Thanksgiving after Sickness O Most merciful Lord God I thy late sick and sorrowful servant do with bended knees and a thankful heart prostrate my self before thee at this time acknowledging that thou hast been a loving Father unto me not onely before I was yet born but ever since I hung upon my Mothers breast Manifest experience have I had of thy manifold mercies many times but never more than in my late and last visitation I offer now unto thee a sacrifice of praise Because I employed not the faculties of my Soul and members of my Body as I should have done thou didst bereave me of the strength and vigor and use of them for a season but now because thy compassions fail not thou hast returned them to me again wherefore I consecrate and devote them perpetually to thy service and as I am in the state of my Body so by the power of thy renewing grace I will become in the estate of my soul a new man My broken heart which thou hast healed shall now entirely love thee my feeble knees and weak bones which thou hast setled shall night and day bow to thee my weak hands which thou hast strengthned shall continually be lifted up unto thee I confess unto thee O Lord that in my health I often read and heard that worldly delights and comforts were vain and much like Flags and Bulrushes which men in danger of drowning catch to bear them up but they sink down under water with them yet did I not learn till I suffered till thy rod had imprinted it even in my flesh Now O Lord I beseech thee to knit my heart unto thee that I may fear thy Name create in me a new heart and renew a right Spirit within me I asked life of thee and thou gavest it me I now desire and crave thy salvation O my God with-hold it not make me to repent of my sins the cause of my sickness and to depend upon thee the giver of all good things and make me in the time of prosperitie to think of adversity in health to think of sickness in sickness to think of death and at all times so to think of judgment that whether I wake or sleep eat or drink or whatsoever I do else I may ever have this sounding in mine ears Arise ye dead and come to judgment Give me grace O Lord to make this use of mine affliction past and to cleave and stick fast unto thee in all holiness for the time to come through my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in whose Name and words I further pray Our Father c. Of DEATH ANd now I cannot think any conclusion more fit and proper