Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	aaron_n	affliction_n	tell_v	13	3	5.8041	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77498	The drinking of the bitter cup: or, The hardest lesson in Christ's school, learned and taught by himself, passive obedience. Wherein, besides divers doctrinall truths of great importance, many practicall directions are held forth, for the teaching of Christians how to submit to their heavenly father in suffering his will, both in life and death, patiently, obediently, willingly. / As it was lately presented to the church of God at Great Yarmouth, by John Brinsley, minister of the Gospel there.	Brinsley, John, 1600-1665.	1660 (1660)	Wing B4713; Thomason E1838_1; ESTC R210133	201,893	311

In all the crosses and afflictions which befall us look upwards It was Eliphaz his speech to Job in that text forecited and it was a true one Job 5.6 Affliction cometh not forth of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground wherein he giveth him to know what he was not ignorant of that afflictions have a higher rise then men ordinarily look at They are not things which happen by chance neither do they depend meerly upon secondary causes they have God himself for their principal Efficient And therefore in all our Afflictions look upwards So must they doe who would finde out the Head of a River they must go upwards And the like course take we that we may finde out the head of every affliction look upwards look above and beyond all secondary causes Instruments means occasions look up unto God himself The thoughts of a Christian in his suffering concondition should never rest till they come at God Nay till then they will never rest The only way to quiet the spirit in Affliction to see God in it till they come to see God in every tryall take notice of his hand Whence is it that Impatiency so often surprizeth the hearts of Gods own people as it doth Surely from their looking so much at the Creature so little at the Creator as they doe When once a man cometh to see God in an affliction this quiets all Such effect it had upon David I was dumb saith he and opened not my mouth because thou Lord didst it Psal 39.9 In his affliction so long as he looked at secondary causes he could not be quiet No then as he tells us vers 3. his heart was hot within him while he was musing the fire burned and then he spake with his tongue venting his Passions in some unbecoming expressions But when once he came to see God in it seriously to consider that this was his doing this apprehension quieteth and silenceth him working in him that patience that quiet composure of Spirit which by all his reasoning he could not attain unto And the like effect it will have wherever it taketh place The soul coming to apprehend that it hath to deal with God that it is God who hath done what it feels this silenceth the Tongue So it did to Aaron Lev. 10.3 when his two sons were taken away by that strange and unheard of judgement devoured by fire from heaven Moses telling him what there he doth This is that which the Lord spake I will be sanctified in them that come nigh unto me it followeth And Aaron held his peace quietly and patiently submitting to the will of God And so it was with Job seeing God in all his Afflictions In all this saith the Text he sinned not in thought word or deed Job 1. last And such effect it will have upon a sanctified soul coming to see God seriously to consider that it hath to deal with him so as if it strive and contend it must contend with him the Pot-sheard with the Potter this silenceth the tongue and keepeth the heart in temper from rising up in inordinate Passion This it was which made our Blessed Saviour so patient in this his Passion insomuch that he was brought as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a Sheep before her Shearer is dumb so opened he not his mouth as the Prophet Isai describeth the manner of his suffering Isa 53.7 This it was that made him so willingly submit to the drinking of this Cup he saw his Fathers hand in it As for the Judas and the High-Priests and Souldiers c. they were but as the Apothecary by whom this Potion was brought and ministred unto him in the mean time he looked upon God his Father as the Physician who had prescribed and ordered it for him And herein looking upon God his Father he looketh upon him as a Father Christ looking upon God as his Father There is the second thing which I propounded here to be taken notice of The Cup which my Father hath given me Thus eying God in these his sufferings he looketh upon him under the notion of a Father And such is God to his people Obs God afflicting his people he is still their Father Signanter autem non dicit Deus aut Judex dedit sed Pater utsciamus Deum etiam quum flagellat Patrem esse Ferus Annot. in Text. even when he afflicts them he is still their Father Let that be a second Observation no lesse usefull then the former When God is most angry and dealeth most severely with his people yet even then they may call him Father So we finde the Church doing Isa 63.15 16. where expostulating with God about his alienating himself from her Where is thy zeal saith she thy strength the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards me are they restrained God did not manifest himself in such conspicuous signs and tokens of his affection towards his people as in former times he had done which she sadly bewails But mark what followes Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledge us not thou O Lord art our Father And the like again we finde in the Chapt. following cap. 64.7 8. where the Church taking up the like complaint concerning Gods dealing with her Thou hast hid thy face from us and hast consumed us because of our Iniquites yet in the next verse she subjoyns But now O Lord thou art our Father Thus in her saddest condition even then when God hid his face from her and dealt most severely with her yet still she layeth claim to her Relation calling him her Father And the like may all true Believers doe whatever their state or condition be yet still they may call God their Father Reas Reas For so he still is this Relation being an everlasting Relation This Relation everlasting Such is the Covenant betwixt God and his people I will make an everlasting Covenant with them Jer. 32.40 When God taketh a people into Covenant with himself the Covenant of grace giving himself to be their God and taking them to be his people this Covenant is an everlasting Covenant a Covenant that shall never be broke Betrothing them unto himself he doth it for ever So runs that promise which God maketh to his Church Hos 2.19 I will betrothe or marry thee to me for ever Thus is he an everlasting husband and so an everlasting Father to his people That is one of the Titles given to the Messiah to Christ Isai 9.6 The everlasting Father And so is God to his people Once a Father and ever a Father As it is with natural Parents though they fall out with their children and fall upon them are angry with them and make them feel their displeasure yet this doth not dissolve the Relation that is betwixt them no more doth it betwixt God and his children Vse 1. Applic. A comfortable meditation and so let it

thou wilt Matth. 26.39 Which he again insists upon v. 42. O my Father if this Cup may not passe from me except I drink it thy will be done Thus doth he resolve his will into the will of his heavenly Father And the like are we to do However we may desire freedome from these evils which lye upon us or threaten us and may pray against them yet let it be with submission of our wils to the will of our heavenly Father Which in all our petitions and requests is still eyther to be expressed or implied So much our Saviour teacheth us in that form of prayer which he hath set us where he directs us before we pray for any blessings for our selves first to desire that the will of God may be done Thy will be done This are we to pray for Absolutely resolving all our requests into it Which whilest we doe we may pray against Evils incumbent or impendent felt or feared A 2. And so also use meanes to be preserved or delivered from them Q. Thus Christians as you have heard not only may do but ought to do That Law which saith unto us Whether they may use means for preventing or removing them Thou shalt not kill doth therein require us to use meanes for the preserving and maintaining of Life and Livelyhood Neither doth our Saviours practise here in the text make any thing to the contrary A. True he refuseth meanes offered for his rescue This they both may and ought so doe but this he did as being acquainted with the Councell and purpose of God concerning himself Being of Counsell with his Father of his privie Councell he took notice what was decreed in heaven and was now to be executed upon earth He knew that his bour was come as St John hath it Job 13.1 and he himself tels his Disciples Matth. 26.45 Mark 14.41 the time precisly determined by his Father wherein he was to be offered up And thereupon it was that he resused al means of rescue And the like might we do yea ought to doe were we in like manner acquainted with Gods secret will as he was 〈◊〉 But this being hidden from us we must walke by the Rule of his revealed will which not only permits and allows but requires and commands that we should make use of meanes for the diverting or removing of evils present or imminent Only here again take we a Proviso or two With these Provisoes 1. Provided that these meanes as I said before be lawfull meanes Ahaziah in his sicknesse is not blamed for advising with what Physitians or Surgeons he pleased That they be lawfull but that he should send to Baalz●bub the God of Ekron to aske Counsell of that Idol this was his sin which proved fatall to him Therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art going up but shalt surely die so the Prophet Eliah sends him his doome 2. King 1.2.6 And never let them looke for a better issue who in cases of sicknesse or any other distress shall consult with Satan or his Instruments with witches or wizards or make use of spels or Charmes or any other unwarrantable meanes 2. And Secondly being lawfull meanes see that they be used lawfully Used lawfully 1 Not being sought to alone This was Asahs sin In his disease he sought not to the Lord Not sought to alone but to the Physitian 2. Chron. 16.12 Whilest we use meanes see that we take God along with them who must either blesse or blaste 2. Nor yet sought to in the first place This is an honour due unto God still to begin with him Not in the first place to seeke to him in the first place And this do we as in all our undertakings and businesses so in seeking deliverance from any evill make our first address unto God begging from him that he would direct to the use of meanes 3. Use meanes but trust not in them Thus David used his sword and his Bowe Not tr●sted in but not trusting in them I will not trust in my Bowe neither shall my sword save me Psal 44.6 This honour he gave to his God whom he made his sole trust and confidence as he often tels us Thus look at Meanes we may but neither in the first nor yet in the last place Make we God our Alpha and Omega our first and last First seeking to him to direct unto meanes and then seeking to him to bless those meanes Thus look at meanes but not so as to terminate our light in them Look through them look beyond them resting only upon him whose word of command must make them effectuall to us for good But of this heretofore With these Cautions a Christian may use means for the diverting of evils Still Gods will to be submitted to and in obedience to God he is to make use of them when providence offers them Yet still so as in the use of them he so submits his will to Gods will as to be willing with what he willeth And thus let every of us indeavour in imitation of this our blessed Paterne to submit to the drinking of whatever Cups shall be given to us to suffer what afflictions and tryals God shall please to exercise us with as not despising of them so not murmuring at them nor fainting under them but submitting to them Patiently Obediently Willingly Here is the Generall Lesson which all Christs Disciples are to learn and practise Which I might now prosecute in particulars by shewing you the several Cups which God giveth to his people the sundry sorts of Afflictions wherewith he is pleased to exercise them As sufferings in their estates by losses and Crosses in their good names by reproaches and ignominies in their Relations by parting with near and dear friends Parents Husband Wife Children in their Bodies by sickness and weakness As also how they ought to submit to God in every of these and upon what grounds they are to do it But this I foresee would be a long work And I conceive that those Generals which have been already held forth are fitly applicable to every of these or whatever other Particular cases And therefore shall I not enter into that so large a field Only looking into this Cup which our blessed Saviour was now to drinke Two bitter ingredients in our Saviours Cup. His suffering in soul and suffering of death I find in the bottom of it two most bitter Ingredients which were the two chiefest parts of his suffering viz. His suffering in soul and his suffering of Death Other things there were which he also suffered As that Reproach and Contempt which was cast upon him He indured the Contradictions of Sinners Heb 12.3 He was reviled 1. Pet. 2.23 He was set at naught as he himself foretold it Mark 9.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sleighted as nothing worth So he was as by the chief Priests and Rulers so by the vulgar

Death free the Believer This gust shall blow away all those dark and gloomy Clouds which here intercepted the light of Gods countenance so as from thenceforth he shall never know what doubtings or fears mean but shall enjoy a constant Sunshine of Gods grace and favour to all Eternity Thus you see what evils Death freeth the Believer from Generally Universally from the sense and fear of all Evils both Temporall and Spirituall And thus freeing them from Evils Consid 2 it bringeth great Good to them The great good which Death brings the Believer to letting him into Paradise or them to it Letting them into Paradise This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise saith our dying Saviour to that penitent Thief Luk. 23.43 meaning the Celestial Paradise Heaven whereof the earthly Paradise was a Type and shadow so called from those transcendent pleasures delights and contentments which are there to be found Paul being caught up into this Paradise he heard as he tells his Corinthians unspeakable words such as himself could not utter 2 Cor. 12.4 And so shall the soul ascending thither see and enjoy unspeakable things such as the tongue of man cannot expresse Eye hath not seen ear hath not heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 What things are layed up in heaven for them And these shall Death let the regenerate soul into the possession of letting it into life Mors Janua Vitae Temporall death is the dore which letteth into everlasting life Of this Tree shall he eat who hath overcome this his last Enemy To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God Rev. 2.7 to partake of eternall life of those everlasting Joyes to which Death is the Entry Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord saith the Master having reckoned with his good and faithfull servant Matth. 25.23 Thus doth Christ reckon with all his servants at the day of death then giving to them according to their works This is the Evening wherein those who have laboured in his vineyard shall every one receive their Penny Matth. 20.9 The reward of all the service which here they have done unto him a superabundant recompense infinitely exceeding whatever they have deserved Even that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that eternall weight of glory as the Apostle calleth it 2 Cor. 4.17 Then shall the Crown be set upon the heads of all Gods Saints I have finished my course saith St Paul henceforth is layed up for me the Crown of righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4.8 All true believers they are Kings while here upon earth made so by Christ who hath obtained that honour and dignity for them He hath made us Kings unto God and his Father Rev. 1.6 Spiritual Kings But they are as yet but Kings Elect heirs apparent to the Crown having a right to it but Crowned they cannot be til death Now what Prince would be unwilling to hear of his Coronation daies And such is the day of death to the true believer his Coronation day At which time being divested of his rags he shall have a Robe put upon him A white Robe He that overcommeth shall be cloathed in white rayment Rev. 3.4 Thus was Christ himself cloathed in his transfiguration on the Mount His rayment was white as the light Matth. 17.2 And so shall his Saints be cloathed after their departure hence having white rayment a garment of glory put upon them Then shall they be cloathed upon with that their house which is from Heaven when once they have laid down this earthly Tabernacle The consideration whereof made the blessed Apostle to groan so earnestly as he said he did 2 Cor. 5.1 2. desiring his dissolution upon that account Then shall they enter into their Glory So did our blessed Saviour by suffering of death he entred into his Glory Luk. 24.26 And so shall all they who follow his steps imitate his obedience death shall be to them Porta Gloriae The gate of glory letting in the soul to the beholding and injoying of that glory and happinesse which now cannot enter into it Letting it into the presence of God where it shall see him Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Matth. 5.8 And see him as he is as Saint John tels us 1 Joh. 3.2 Have a full sight of him see him after another manner then here it doth Now we see through a glasse darkly saith the Apostle but then face to face 1 Cor. 13.12 Now we see God only in the glass of his word and works which do but darkly represent him But after death believers shall have a clear and full view of him The beholding of God a beatifical vision Then shall their Faith be turned into Vision Which shall be to them as the Schools call it a truely Beatificall vision making the beholders happy Happy in as much as hereby they shall be transformed into the Image of God made like him we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is saith St John there 1 Joh. 3.2 This Believers in part are here upon earth Whilest they behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord they are changed into the same Image from glory to glory As the Apostle hath it 2 Cor. 3.18 Beholding God in the glass of his word thereby they come by degrees to be transformed into his Image to be made like him in holinesse But when they shall come to see him face to face then shall they be made perfectly like unto him Death brings the Soul to perfection so far as their finite natures are capable of partaking of his infinite perfections Then shal they be perfect as their heavenly Father is perfect Perfect with a perfection both of Grace and Glory 1. Of Grace Which is here imperfect Such is Knowledge and Love Of Grace and all other graces in the most sanctyfied soul But upon the dissolution of the Body the soul comming into the presence of God it shal attain a full perfection A perfection of Knowledge Now I know in part saith the Apostle but then I shall know even as I am known 1 Cor. 13.12 Of knowledg Many things there are which the most knowing men upon earth are ignorant of Many mysteries in Nature which by all their search they cannot find out the reason of Much more Celestiall Mysteries concerning God and Jesus Christ As the Trinity of Persons in the unity of Essence The Hypostaticall union of the two Natures The Godhead and Manhood in the person of Christ Mysteries too sublime for any of this side heaven to pry into so as to comprehend or yet apprehend them otherwise then by faith But these with whatever else may any waies conduce to the happinesse of the soul to know it shal have a clear knowledg of after death Seeing God as he is it shall

see all in him see all things after another manner then here it doth When that which is perfect is come then that which is imperfect shall be done away 1 Cor. 13.10 And as perfect knowledge so perfect Love Love Seeing God as he is it cannot be but the soul must be inflamed with Love to him And so perfect Holinesse This Christians are here called upon to endeavour after Holinesse Having therefore these promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holynesse in the fear of God so the Apostle exhorts 2 Cor. 7.1 But this while we are here we shall never attain unto But comming to see God now shall we be like him holy as he is holy being perfectly restored to that Image of God wherein man at the first was created consisting in Knowledge Holinesse and Righteousnesse Such is the perfection of Grace which the soul attaines by this beatificall vision 2. And as Grace so of Glory Like as silver or gold being set against the Sun Of glory by the beames thereof cast upon it it becommeth radiant and shining So shall it be with the soul by beholding the glory of God it shall it self be made glorious Such a glory had Moses put upon his face when he beheld the glory of the Lord having so near a communion with him upon Mount Sina the skin of his face did shine saith the story so as Aaron and the rest of the Children of Israel were not able to behold him Exod. 34.29.30 Such shall be the glory of the glorified soul having communion with God in Heaven and there beholding his glory it shall be made glorious This office doth death perform unto the believer it letteth in his soul into the presence of God whereby it becommeth perfect with perfection of Grace and Glory 2. The believer by death brought into the presence of Jesus Christ to have a full communion with him To this add It brings him also into the presence of Jesus Christ from whom while he is here he is absent While we are at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord. 2 Cor. 5.6 But now death brings the soul into his presence to have a sweet communion with him A consideration which made the Apostle not only averse to death but desirous of it I desire to depart and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 This it was that made him so confident and resolute as he was not to regard life or fear death as he there telleth his Corinthians 2 Cor. 5 6.8 Therefore we are alwaies confident knowing that whilest we are at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord. We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord Which elswhere he concludes to be far better for him then to live here Phil 1.23 To see Christ to be with him to injoy him to have a full communion with him what happinesse shall this be to the soul And this doth death bring the believer to 3. As also to Communion and Fellowship with blessed Saints and Angels Also to Communion with Saints and Angels With them the believer hath Vnion whilest here upon earth Ye are come unto mount Sion saith the Apostle to his believing Heb●ews and unto the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the generall Assembly and Church of the first born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12.22 23. Being true believers they were now made members of the Mystical body the Church whereof the one part is upon earth the other in heaven they had union with Saints and Angels being united to them by faith and Love which all Believers are But now by death they come to have a full Communion with them to see them to injoy them to have converse and society with them joyning with that heavenly Quire in singing Halelujahs to him that sitteth upon the throne and to the Lamb for Ever and Ever Here is now the good which death bringeth the believer to and putteth him in possession of The thought whereof being seriously set on upon the soul it cannot but work it to a willing receiving and imbracing of such a messenger as bringeth tidings of so great good unto it Anticonsiderations or Objections answered I but it may be said though it be thus with the Soul yet in the mean time what becomes of the poor Body Obj. 1 Though the soul gain by death yet the body looseth Though the soul he a gainer by death yet the Body is a looser by it Though that return to God that gave it yet this goeth to the grave where it is subject to Corruption Which maketh our Saviours case and ours far different As for him he knew that though his Body being severed from his Soul for a time should lye under the power of death yet it should not see corruption So David had foretold it Psal 16.10 Where personating of Christ as Peter expounds it Act. 2.31 He foretelleth what manner of death his should be Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell nor suffer thine Holy one to see corruption And this our Saviour himself well knew who foretold his Disciples how though he were killed yet he should rise again the third day Mat. 16.21 And upon this account he might be more willing to dye But it is otherwise with other of the sons of men That which Paul saith of David that he saw Corruption Act. 13.36 is noe less true of others Be their Bodies never so richly embalmed yet will not that preserve them from putrefaction So much the Psalmist willeth the great men of the world to take notice of Psal 49.6 7. They that trust in their wealth and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches None of them saith he can by any meanes redeeme his brother and so not themselves that he should still live for ever and not see corruption Such is the common fate None but must expect to have their bodies lye rotting in the grave in that land of forgetfulnesse as the Psalmist calleth it Psal 88.12 Where as they forget all that was done upon earth so they are forgotten by those they leave behind them Being laid up in the earth there the worm feedeth sweetly on them and they shall be no more remembred as Job faith of the cruell Oppressours Job 24.20 Now this is a thing which flesh and bloud cannot but look upon with great reluctancy the thought whereof may well make it loath to lay down the body upon such tearms To return an answer to this and some other Anticonsiderations or Objections of like nature which men are ready to take up and make use of in this way as discouragements hindring them that they cannot so willingly drink this Cup submit to the stroake of death as