Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	according_a	earth_n	promise_n	2,581	5	6.8170	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66519	The building, beautifying, or repairing of Churches, an act of religion A sermon preached in the parish church of St. Helens, London, on Sunday, August 8. 1697. At the first opening of that Church after it had been repair'd. By Tho. Willis, M.A. vicar of St. Helens.	Willis, Thomas, 1651 or 2-1701.	1692 (1692)	Wing W2857; ESTC R219576	8,966	35

Breast which renders the Action agreeable to a man's natural reason and understanding And seeing this was no act of Ceremonial Service it is equally agreeable to the times of the Gospel And after the Abolition of Legal Sacrifices the Apostles made use of the Temple thus built for evangelical services for as we read Acts 2.46 They continued daily with one accord in the Temple But as thus to erect or beautify a House to the Honour of God wherein to perform the offices and services of Religious Worship appears to be agreeable to the nature and reason of man so 3dly It may be evidenced to be a proper act of Religion by the approbation and acceptance of God Thus we read in 1 King 8.18 that the Lord said unto Dadid Whereas it was in thy Heart to build a House unto my Name thou didst well that it was in thine heart and if you peruse the 2 Sam. 7. throughout you will find God by his Prophet Nathan approving of David's Religious purpose and promising great Benefits and Blessings to his seed upon that account 〈◊〉 Antiq. Jud. 15. Cap. 14. And it is very memorable what Josephus writes that during the time of the building of this Temple or the repairing it rather and eight years in doing it never rained by day but by night only so that the Workmen were not lett or hindered God who commands the Clouds by thus ordering and disposing of the showers of Heaven approving of the re-edifying of his House on Earth The Temple I grant indeed was typical of Christ and Prayers were directed towards it and sacrifices to be offered only at it But the building of it I say was a proper act of Natural Religion for it was as worded in my Text for the honour of the most high God I know Origen says the Christians have no Temples and Arnobius we i. e. Christians do not Honour God by building of Temples to him but yet I find the word Temple was used by some Christians in early days for Ingatius tells the Magnesians All of you meet together in one place and go as one man to the Temple of God It is true that the generality of the Primitive Christians did shun the name of Temple partly in respect of the typical use of the Temple of Solomon to which the moral service was directed and much of the Ceremonial was confined And this upon the Account of the שכינה or divine Presence But now God who is every where graciously present in his Church is every where acceptably worshipp'd Again the primitive Christians generally shunn'd the name of the Temple partly too in opposition to the Temples of the Heathens in which they shut up the worshipp'd their Divinities whereas the Christians acknowledged Gods immensity and declared Heaven it self could not contain him According to that of Acts 7.48 49. The most high dwelleth not in Temples made with hands for Heaven is his throne and earth is his footstool But though for these reasons the Name of Temple was by the primitive Christians generally avoided and shunned they yet call'd their places for publick Worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Churches and the more stately structures that were erected for the honour of God and the Christian Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Royal Palaces acknowledging by doing so Gods Soveraign Majesty and Supreme Authority as King of the Church which to do I hope you will allow to be a proper Act of Natural and Rational Religion and both these they call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Houses of God as being dedicated to his immediate service and honour The House of John Grot. in Acts 7.4 Surnamed Mark being the place of our Saviour's eating the last Passover and instituting his Holy Supper the place where the Disciples afterward assembled and Christ came to them and where the Holy Ghost descended this Houses I say was afterwards made a fair Fabrick and a famours Church as St. Hierom and venerable Bede both tells us Under the Emperor Severus the Christians began to build Churches to God but when Diclesian came he beat them down thinking at one and the same time to demolish Churches and to destroy the Christian Religion Taylor 's life of Christ p. 242. Maximinus when he ascended the Throne gave leave that the demolish'd Churches might be rebuilt Upon this the Christians presently were overjoy'd and quickly rais'd them to an incredible Height and an incomparable Beauty Lucian calls the Christian Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Golden-roofed House This we must say was more for Ornament than Service for the honour of God rather than the necessary use of Mon. The Temple and every Basilica or stately Christian Church is properly speaking a Type of that Heaven where the Holy Angels incessantly attend the most high God in Glory for herein is God adored so far as mans meanness can attain in a way agreeable to his Greatness and Majesty Thus St. Chrysostom chiding his people of Antioch for walking and talking in the Church says the Church of God is not a Shop of Merchandize but the place of Angels and Arch-Angels the Court of God and an Image of Heaven and St. Gregory calls the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heaven on Earth And thus have I endeavour'd according to my promise to clear it to you that it is a proper act of Natural and Rational Religion to have a House a stately magnificent and well adorned House or Church to the Honour and Glory of God And now my Brethren instead of recommending your Duty to your Practice in the close of my discourse I cannot but applaud you for having done it How can I choose but commend your Piety and Zeal for the Honour of the Lord our God evidenced in the Reparation of this lately ruinous House wherein we now are and the Reduction of it at your great cost and charge to a due decency and fitness for the use for which it is appointed I mean the solemn Worship and Service of Almighty God This is a work I believe you are all satisfied was necessary to be done and now it is done I must tell you is honourable and acceptable to God The solemnity of Gods Service and the Publick exercise of Religion is certainly the most necessary and honourable Work in the whole World It is so esteemed by all Nations as well Heathens who worship false Gods as Christians that adore the true The solemn acts of Religion are designed to a twofold end which renders the publick Worship of God of such mighty concern to all men and so very necessary that nothing in the world can be more so or of greater concern to any man Now these are the Honour and Glory of God and the Salvation of the Souls of men This is the great end of mans Life and Being and better indeed a man had never seen the Light or had a Being in the World than that neglecting the means of the Salvation of his Soul