Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	believe_v	church_n	reason_n	2,125	5	5.7482	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86696	Væ-Euge-Tuba. Or, The vvo-joy-trumpet, sounding the third and greatest woe to the Antichristian world, but the first and last joy to the church of the saints upon Christs exaltation over the kingdomes of the world. Unfolded in a sermon before the Honourable House of Commons assembled in Parliament, at their late solemne fast, May 26. 1647. / By G. Hughes Minister of the Gospell in Plymouth. Published by order of the House.	Hughes, George, 1603-1667.	1647 (1647)	Wing H3310; Thomason E389_9; ESTC R201523	30,609	48

thence to say hee reignes by his spirit in the Kingdomes of the world I leave unto Christian reason to judge 4. It seemes to reason a very great derogation from the glory of our Lord in his Christ to suppose him to leave the right hand of the Majesty on high to come here and sway an earthly Scepter whether in one or all Kingdomes of the world for heaven now is his Throne and the earth his Foot-stoole and if he should turne his Foot-stoole to a Throne it were very strange However that from Heaven hee shall visibly appeare to judge the quick and dead Acts i. 11. Acts 3.21 Acts 17.31 though not to dwell here in an earthly state with the Saints the Scriptures doe affirme And this account may suffice concerning the manner of his Reigne in the Kingdoms of this world To the fifth and and last thing 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 33.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 17.2.5 Eph. 3.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and last thing about this Reformation-change which is the stability of it we are now come For ever and ever shall this King reigne The phrase here seemeth synonomous with that Hebrew expression to generation and generation and throughout all generations Sometimes the word is used simply for ever without repetition and then frequently notes absolute eternity but in this kind of doubling many times lesse onely duration of some ages or an aeviternity as it is called The Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth an Age or Generation among other things and so here doubled in the plurall to ages of ages is the continuance of the ages or generations of this world so that such is the stable duration of this reigne of Christ over these Kingdomes even so long as the ages of these doe continue Three things are carried in this expression 1. Progresse in his reigne from age to age He shall goe forward prosper and grow in his Government 2. Immutability of State so shall he King it that these Kingdomes shall not change their Lord nor any more retreat to Antichrist as in the great Apostacie when once the Lord hath resumed these Kingdomes 3. Eternity of duration so long as these Kingdomes last even for that ever and ever our Lord and his Christ shall reigne making friends or keeping under slaves Then the end of the Mediators Kingdome shall come and God that was from everlasting shall rule to everlasting in whom the hope of all Saints shall be perfected So farte to the state of this Reformation-change The third and last generall to be held out is the certainty of all this Revelation what that is that we may have a sure ground for faith to worke upon concerning these matters which I shall labour by some speciall considerations about the context to make cleare 1. From the Author of this Revelation it is our Lord himselfe in his Christ so it is said in the entrance of this Book The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to shew unto his servants Revel 1.1 Now God cannot deceive nor be deceived if he be the Author Infallibility is upon the word There is one name mention'd in the doxologie of the Church upon this Revelation peculiar unto God which must satisfie reasonable creatures concerning the truth of this event if spoken by God Rev. 1.4 Rev. 11.17 It is He that is and Hee that was and He that is to come It is He that can alwayes say I am If hee had not been from eternity if he bee not now or if he should not be to eternity just cause there might bee of mistrusting his Revelation but if hee was to make all things that have been and if he bee to make things that are and if hee shall bee to make all things to come in his owne time there can bee no ground of suspecting him Thus the Church looketh on him and is comforted Indeed were hee of yesterday and must hee cease againe his Revelation could not over-value the Delphick Oracle but this is his strong reason to be believed as God He was and is and is to come 2. The meanes of revealing this is not despicable it was by an Angel Heb. 1.14 whether so in Nature as a ministring Spirit sent out for comforting Gods chosen in this matter as I rather conceive Rev. 3.1 c. or so onely in Office and then a Man a speciall Messenger or Minister expressed in this vision as it may be Yet it is Gods owne meanes of his owne sending to declare and therefore none of a doubtfull call that hee should bee suspected by John it is com to us and he had it from Christ this whole vision 3. The clearnesse of the Revelation adds more strength to its certainty Isa 8.19 It comes not like a whispering or muttering of seducing spirits out of the earth but sounded with a Trumpet from heaven 1 Cor. 14.8 and Gods Trumpet giveth surely a distinct sound that wee may understand his minde in it and sute our selves to his will So it did in declaring wrath and warre against sinners Amos a. 6. Hos 8.1 Zech. 9.14 that they might beleeve and tremble and returne So also in revealing his grace in Christ towards his people the Trumpet sounds it that poore soules might heare and beleeve and be comforted A trumpet-Revelation then from God needs not to be suspected A loud eminent distinct discovery doth God make of these visions that as they are sure in themselves so they might bee surely knowne and received by his Church 4. The sweet gratulations and doxology of the Church recorded in the context Rev. 11 16 17 must conclude the certainty of the event It is incredible that God would give a vision of praise to mock himselfe withall and that hee should receive blessing for that which is not nor was sure ever to be The certainty of praise argueth undenyably the certainty of this gracious event 5. The experience of so many Kingdoms and States already delivered from the yoke of Antichrist and returned from that great Apostasie to entertain the true Gospell of Gods Son may perswade that the residue of the promise to be performed is as sure as that part already accomplished in these 100 yeares past which wee see with our eyes Experience therefore should strengthen faith and breed an assured hope in Gods people of the Lords more glorious appearing to take more Kingdoms of the world into his power that they may mightily strive to it and patiently wait for it This hope shall not make us ashamed Thus the doctrine is opened and confirmed The Use followes 1. To inform us in some truths depending Use 1. their Corolaries doe issue from the sound of this Trumpet opened unto us 1. If Kingdoms of the world shall have such a Reformation-change as to be taken from Antichrist subdued to our Lord and his Christ then it must follow Corol. 1● Kingdoms may be

last and worst of wofull destructions unto them Two considerations may clearly evince this 1. It is altogether unheard of in divine revelations that God should sound woe to his Saints Indeed tribulations are their way to Heaven and bitterest afflictions they may suffer in the flesh Phil. 1.19 Heb. 12.6 10. but this is a speciall dignation of God to honour them or love to chastise them unto greater holinesse no wo properly so called which being the effect of Gods greatest indignation Matth. 23.13 14 c. terrifies and grindeth poore soules to powder 2. The three last VVo-trumpets are directed onely to the inhabiters of the earth Rev. 8 13. men so called in opposition to the Saints who are Heavens people for by these names of Earth and Heaven are the Antichristian world and the Church of Christ distinguished by the Spirit Rev. 18.9 11 20. Therefore on these onely is allotted that wofull sound of this and the former Trumpets 2. Christ and his Saints are concerned in the best event of this Trumpet for in all this time of sounding woes upon these earthly creatures Christ is possessing the Thrones of the world Saints are worshipping and praising God It is therefore a joy Trumpet unto these So hath God set the times and states of creatures adverse each to other The worlds light is the Churches darknesse and the Saints joy the worlds greatest woe The title and event then of this Trumpet are thus reconciled To make a clearer passage to the text three precognitions will be usefull 1. Of the time 2. Of the subject 3. Of the matter of this Trumpets sound which I shall touch here but shortly for a generall light 1. What time the sound of this Trumpet doth concerne is not agreed on by interpreters some make it contemporary with the last day and so call it the last Trump 1 Thes 4.16 The chiefe grounds of this I shall take off in another place onely for present these reasons evince it cannot relate to that time 1. This Trumpet sounds onely a change of the Kingdomes of this world from Lord to Lord not the period of them which the last Trump of God will surely sound at the great day of judgement they shall all expire and be no more 2. Rev. 11.18 Under this Trumpet sinne shall abound upon the earth the Nations shall be angry at the exaltation of Christ and his Saints when power shall be taken out of their hands but such reliques shall not be when the end of all things is come 3. This Trumpet doubtlesse foundeth woe upon the earth and that of no small continuance which after the last judgement cannot be These and other considerations may demonstrate that this cannot be the last Trumpet yet by the events expressed in the successive degrees of them it may be rightly conjectured that the sound of this seventh Trumpet teacheth something neere to that of the last judgement 2. Others conceive more rightly that the sound of this Trumpet concerns Heaven upon Earth that is the state of the Church below onely the difference is about the point of time for the beginning of these events spoken of one pitcheth it upon the utter fall of the Westerne mysticall Babell and the comming of the Kings of the East which though it must be under this seventh Trumpet yet is it not so probable to be the first effect of it It is a faire glosse that from the taking of the first Kingdom of this world out of the hand of Antichrist the sound of this Trumpet should be heard for if this be a Wo-trumpet upon the Romish Babel it must needs suppose that state to be standing at least in the first sounding of it And the driving of Antichrist out of the Territories and Thrones of the world hath been and must be contemporaneous with Christs re-entrance upon the ruling of them So that all the Vials powred out upon the Antichristian state in any of the Kingdomes of this world seems to contemporize with this Trumpet although indeed severall Scenes be acted and the finishing the mysterie of God be not untill the last daies of the seventh Trumpet This state of time then seemeth most sutable whereof some portions are past and some and those most glorious are yet to come 2. The subject whom this Trumpet concerns seemeth to be the Universe sublunary even all the Kingdomes or States in the world which have been captivated by that Romish Antichrist therefore not England nor the united Kingdomes of Ireland and Scotland excluded 3. The matter of this sound and great voyces is a Reformation-change of worldly Kingdomes from the power and rule of Antichrist unto the actuall administration of the Lord and his Christ In the whole paragraph about this Trumpet we have observable 1. A proposition of the Ministry of this providence wherein 1. The Minister is described The seventh Angell 2. The ministration He sounded the Trumpet 2. A proposition of the effect which is exprest 1. Generally There were great voyces in Heaven saying 2. Specially wherein three effects are discovered 1. Christs inauguration or the Lords reassuming Kingdomes for his Christ v. 15. 2. The Saints triumphant song v. 16 17. 3. The Nations anger at all this with the powring out of the wrath of God to repay them v. 18 19. The first effect is the summe of the Text to the discovery of which and the certainty thereof in the Trumpets sound I shall bend the following discourse The ground worke of all shall be layd in two propositions touching this effect 1 A Reformation-change of worldly Kingdomes to our Lord and his Christ is a sure revelation from God 2. The Lord and his Christ shall King it or reigne over these reformed Kingdomes for ever and ever The full prophesie here given is compleated in these two propositions and both these will be understood in the opening of three main things carried in them 1. The true state of the subject of this change 2. The right meaning of this Reformation-change 3. The due account of the certainty of this Revelation To the first The subject of this change here spoken of are the Kingdomes of the world wherein two notions are considerable one noting the nature the other giving the specification of this subject 1. Kingdoms note the subject of this Reformation-change 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the generall nature of it and so must import 1. The bounds of Territories which are given by God as the continent of all men that live under government in them 2. The people contained or inhabiting within the compasse of such Dominions must needs be entitled here for not lands but soules must be thus reformed 3. The chiefe of those people Princes States and Powers among those persons seem especially to be carried in this notion of Kingdoms Isai 52.15 Isai 55.5 and they not so much considered in themselves as in respect to government which they are called of God to exercise