Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	air_n	earth_n	element_n	2,424	5	9.4906	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86017	A sermon preached (before God, and from him) to the Honourable House of Commons. At a publike fast, Novemb. 27. in the yeare GoD Is oVr refVge, oVr strength; a heLpe In troVbLes VerIe aboVnDant VVe finDe. By George Gipps rector of Elston in Leicester-shire, one of the Assembly of Divines. Published by order of the said House.	Gipps, George, d. 1654.	1644 (1644)	Wing G779; Thomason E23_3; ESTC R18994	29,030	37

help and succour Psal 104. 18. Prov. 30. 26. as both David and Salomon tell us that the Conies fly unto the holes of the rockes as the Goats to the steep craggy tops thereof Our only work therfore is to make good these 2. reasons The former one being the affirmative and the expresse third Doct. we shall meet with it seasonably there In the meane time cleare we here the latter negative one that out of God in no one no not in all the creatures in one is full certain and sufficient help and that by these three Reasons First Reas 1 because all creatures are but instrumentall subservient helps under God in and for God how and how farre he pleaseth who stoppeth turneth routeth and overturneth them all at his pleasure therefore in them out of him is no safe repose for helpe Lions fire water winds seas yea devils and all the hostes of Creatures are wholly at his beck who biddeth one goe and he goeth another stay and he stayeth as the Centurion said to Christ desiring him thereupon to say the word only and his servant should be whole We have plenty of Scriptures to shew this in particulars and shall hereafter mention some of them The second reason is because these instrumentall helps such as they be are likewise but partiall and particular helps Reas 2 some in one kind some in another none in all no not all joyned in one sufficient help in all troubles though God blesse them with the utmost improvement of that naturall faculty whereby he hath inabled them to act and work In the first Creation as well as in Noabs floud the waters covered the surface of the whole earth should perpetually do so bu●… Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be dispensed therewith for the good of man Fire heateth and drieth but withall it burneth and consumeth but that water moistneth and cooleth water moistneth and cooleth but withall it sinketh and drowneth did not earth support earth supporting we should be soon smothered without aire to breathe in and it with all would make up but a vast dungeon did not the heavens inlighten by which with their other influence they make all the elements fruitfull and serviceable for the use of man Hence had the Heathen so many gods as they had severall helpers for that they knew not that they were one Gods arbitrarie instruments to doe his pleasure which Gods revealed will hath cleared unto us Obj. But here may be objected I but God thus blessing each creature to act his part they all joyntly can afford sufficient help in all our wants and necessities Answer As he that tryeth to pluck up a tree if it settle after that shaking it taketh faster root so will this second reason be much firmer upon answer to this objection that hath seemed to loosen it which I shall render three-fold First Answ 1 grant we what is supposed in the objection yet were it more wise safe generous and comfortable to goe at once immediately to God then severally and scatteringly to the creatures for help it is both the shorter cut and the securer way especially being so graciously invited Psal ●…ulcius ex ipso sonte c. 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt hereby glorifie me Who will scrape to a keeper for a piece of Venison who may have free accesse to the master of the game to aske and have A second answer is Answ 2 But so it is not we recall what was granted For God reserveth to himselfe his Royall Power Paramount to underwrite his Fiat in all the workings of all his creatures without which all is null and voide ipso facto they will not they dare not they cannot doe it God presently withdrawes his blessing from the creature when man neglecteth him and resteth on it And the ground of equity herein is full of comfort namely God doth all this in much grace and mercy unto man that man in a constant free kind of familiarity may have recourse unto himselfe who without these occasions and invitations would serve God as many gracelesse children have served their parents when they have put the staffe wholly out of their own hands so that the child hath no farther hope to get any more from them they slight them and neglect all observance of them As it was with the Prodigall sonne in the Gospel who having received his portion from his Father went into a farre country and returned not untill he wanted bread to satisfie hunger whereas on the contrary necessity enforceth us as the case now standeth to have daily recourse to God and so use bringeth onward to delight therein Hence our Saviour most wisely teacheth us to pray Give us this day our daily bread to enforce upon us a daily duty to crave from hand to mouth if not rather from mouth in prayer to hand and this is the true ground and reason of the duty of prayer and praising of God not to enforme him of our wants who knoweth them better then our selves nor to quicken him to supply our wants who is more ready to give then we to aske and preventeth us with requisites uncraved least of all that he hath any need of or advantage by our service to whom the whole creation can adde nothing neither doth he want any thing nor any the like reasons but meerly and purely in mercy and grace he will have us see our wants know where is the spring-head for supply 1. Tim. 3. 4 5. and to have recourse thereto to beget in us his Saints and servants a delight to converse with him as he dealt with Adam in Paradise to stablish us in our new creation The more is their sin who neglect so great grace offered unto them Take the third and last answer to the objection Answ 3 namely againe that it is not so because besides what is said God reserveth some choicest blessings for himself immediately to bestow upon his children without the helpe of any creature and beyond the course of nature namely election redemption justification sanctification and glorification with all spirituall gifts wherein if we shall runne to any creature though but as meanes for aide even glorified Saint or Angel or to our owne merits ipso facto we make all void and doe out our selves of Gods grace Psal 73. 24 25 26. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and none in earth that I desire besides thee Thou art my portion which truth doth utterly rout the Papists in their doctrine of merit of invocation of Saint or Angel whatsoever And if any shall here farther object that God useth his ministry and ordinances as meanes in this behalfe To this we answer First not colourably so in matter of Election and glorification no nor of Redemption wherin Christ alone is interested God blessed for ever Secondly I say in the rest these meanes are not naturall within the compasse of the