Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	angel_n	descend_v	ladder_n	1,870	5	11.7110	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02260	The happines of enjoying, and making a true and speedie use of Christ Setting forth, first, the fulnesse of Christ. Secondly, the danger of neglecting Christ, and the opportunity of grace. Thirdly, the Lord Jesus the soules last refuge. Whereunto is added, St. Pauls legacie, or farewell to the men of Corinth. By Alexander Grosse B.D. Minister of the Gospel, and pastour of Bridford.	Grosse, Alexander, 1596?-1654.	1640 (1640)	STC 12395; ESTC S103450	151,344	397

in the flesh assumed personally so that Christ in our flesh is true God and true man and he that hath the Sonne of God hath the Father hee that enjoyes Christ enjoyes God because the Godhead dwels in the humane nature personally and by this we see that Doct. Christ dwelling in our flesh is true God Christ the Sonne of God dwelling in our flesh is truely and essentially God nothing is wanting to Christ that belongs to God that appertaines to the divinity whatsoever the father doth the Sonne doth in our flesh though not by the power of the flesh but by his Godhead dwelling in the flesh the names of nature and of imposition the titles of honour love office and labour which are given unto Christ the attributes of eternity of immutability immortallity omnipresence omnisciency and omnipotency ascribed unto Christ together with the miraculous and mighty workes wrought by Christ doe give an ample cleare and invincible testimony of Christs Godhead Applic. Let us therefore looke upon the Godhead of Christ in our flesh and admire his goodness in comming so neare unto us strive by faith and love to come to him and through him to God Christ reconciling God and man as Jacobs ladder joyned heaven and earth together God dispensing all to men by Christ accepting men through Christ as the Angels descended and ascended by the ladder in Jacobs vision Let us againe contemplate Christ as God dwelling in our flesh and feare him and obey him above all commanders exalt him above all men and Angels love him above all creatures stay upon him in all distresses consecrate our selves to his service celebrate him as the Author and worker of all our welfare and happinesse and quiet and content our selves in and with him as the fountain of all fulnesse VERSE 10. And yee are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power CHAP. XVI Ascribing perfection in Christ to such alone as are truely gracious IN the precedent verse is the fulnesse of Christ opened in this verse is the fulnesse of his members proposed Christ is very free full and gracious in his ministrations to his servants As there is a fulnesse in the Vine so there is a fulness in the Branches as there is a fulnesse in the Sea so there is a fulnesse in the Rivers as there is a fulnesse in Christ so there is a fulnesse in his Members they are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power Scope of the Apostle These words contain a third argument used by the Apostle to dehort and disswade men from having recourse to humane traditions philosophicall doctrines vaine and needlesse ceremonies from seeking perfection or fulnesse in such empty lamps broken cisternes and barren trees considering they have perfection nearer home and in themselves being in Christ members of Christ incorporate into Christ in whom is all fulnesse they need not looke else where for perfection for they are complete in him In the words wee have two things in the generall 1. The Saints perfection 2 Parts 1 Saints perfection 2. Christs exaltation and yee are complete in him 2. Christs exaltation which is the head of all principality and power First of the Saints perfection and ye are complete in him wherein we may take notice 1. Of the subject yee not all but yee Yee who are effectually called from the death of sinne to the life of grace Ioh. 11.44 as Christ called Lazarus from the death of the grave to the life of nature Yee that are savingly enlightned Ioh. 9 as the eies of him that was borne blind were opened Yee that are spiritually purged and cleansed from sin 2 King 5. as Naaman was washed from his Leprosie in Iordan Yee that have put off the old man Eph. 2.4 and put on the new Gen. 41.14 42. 2 Cor. 5.17 as Ioseph had his prison garments taken off and vestures of fine linnen put upon him and a golden chaine about his necke yee from whom all old things are put away and to whom all things are become new yee are complete in him Note Such alone as are truely holy and gracious are complete and perfect in Christ Iesus Such alone are living branches in this vine a spirituall Bride to this husband endowed with Gods image interested in Gods promise separated from worldly vanities and the power of uncleannesse clothed with Christs righteousnesse and filled with Christs fulnesse Use 1 Prophane and carnall people are farre from all spirituall perfection as the dead are farre from life the blinde farre from eye-sight and bondmen farre from freedome Unregenerate and ungracious persons have no saving knowledge of Christ Jesus no participation of his fulnesse no interest in his benefits no taste of the sweetnesse of his mercies Christ to them is a hidden Manna whom they taste not an eclipsed Sunne whom they see not a sealed Well of whom they drinke not like the Tree of Life to Adam expelled out of the garden of Eden Gen. 3. one to whom they come not of whose fruit they feed not Reigning prophanenesse deprives the soule of all the benefits and comforts of the Lord Jesus Such alone as are truly gracious are Use 2 filled with Christs fulnesse discern Christs excellencies and are refreshed with the sweetnesse of his mercies They alone that live to Christ enjoy Christ and are made perfect by Christ and have the promise of eternall life in and through Christ Dignus planè est morte qui tibi Christe recuset vivere qui tibi non sapit desipit qui curat esse nisi propter te pro nihilo est nihil est propter teipsum Deus fecisti omnia qui esse vult sibi non tibi nihil esse incipit inter omnia O Christ saith Bernard hee is plainly worthy of death who refuseth to live to thee and hee that is not wise for thee is foolish and hee that cares to bee unlesse for thee goes for nothing and is nothing O God saith hee thou hast made all things for thy selfe and hee that will bee for himselfe and not for thee beginnes in the midst of all things to bee nothing Without Christ mans greatest fulnesse is nothing else but emptinesse hee that seeks himselfe and not Christ loseth both himselfe and Christ hee that strives without Christ to be happy involves himselfe in the snare casts himselfe into the gulfe of the greatest misery To live to the Lord Jesus in true holinesse is the onely way to everlasting happinesse Hee that for Christ can make himselfe nothing shall in Christ finde the perfection of all things Labour then to bee of their number who are truly holy and gracious that you may bee complete and perfect in Christ Jesus Secondly here is the benefite complete full entire perfect complete in the imputation of Christs righteousnesse in the inchoation of all saving gifts and graces

a candle of his owne thereunto to helpe him in his travell Such was the fulnesse of light issuing from the fiery Pillar that the Israelites needed not the light of any lamp besides to guide them in their journeyes to the land of Canaan Such a fiery Pillar such a bright and shining Sun is Christ that wee need no other light to guide us in all our doings in all our progresse to the heavenly Canaan but onely Christ shining in the sacred Scriptures and in the labours of his faithfull Ministers Therefore wee are sent to him as to the onely e Mat. 23.9.10 Master having both authoritie and wisedome to command and instruct us This was commanded by the voyce from heaven f Mat. 17.5 Heare him as if the Lord had said I will not that yee depend on any other whether Moses or Elias but on Christ Moses and Elias vanished Christ remained the Ceremonies of the Law were abolished the predictions of the Prophets fulfilled Christ alone remaineth and him wee must heare as a Scholler his Teacher receiving all instruction from him as a Servant his Lord yeelding ful and constant obedience to him Him we must heare in his Word as a King in his Proclamation in his Ministers as a King in his Embassadours as a Bride-groome in his Friends Him wee must heare in his precepts obeying him in his promises beleeving him in his judgements fearing him in his mercies drawing nigh unto him and rejoycing in him every way quieting and contenting our selves with him And for this cause hee is stiled our Prophet a Prophet g Deut. 18.15 18 19. like unto Moses in nature and office being a Man and a Mediatour as Moses was though more excellent and in a more singular sort Moses as a Servant Christ as a h Heb. 3. Sonne and Lord of his Church a Prophet revealing the counsell of his Father concerning our redemption a Prophet giving power to his Word to worke for our conversion As he called Lazarus by his voyce and raised him by his power so hee calleth us by his Word and converteth raiseth us by his grace And as the eyes of Israel were on the fiery Pillar to guide them and as that moved they moved so must our eyes bee on Christ conforming our motion according to Christs prescription all other doctrines are excluded wee are denied to hearken to them to embrace or entertaine them i 2 Epist Ioh. v. 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine the doctrine of Christ but his owne doctrine receive him not to house have no acquaintance with him give him no audience shew him no countenance neither bid him God speed salute him not affoord him no speech wish him no successe shut your eares at him withdraw your selves from him Though wee or an Angel from heaven saith Saint Paul whosoever hee bee be he never so famous for his learning or renowned for his sanctity if hee speake or live in externall appearance as an Angell yet if he preach another Gospel another doctrine k Gal. 1.8 then that which wee have preached unto you let him bee accursed let him be vile and execrable in your eye odious and abominable in your apprehension Looke to Christ cleave to Christ turne not aside from him looke for no other Instructer to make thee wise unto salvation Looke saith Chrysostome for no other Master Noli exp●ctare alium magistrum nemo te potest sic docere Chrys thou hast the words of God no man can so teach thee And I saith our Saviour of himselfe am the way the Truth and the Life Ambulare vis saith Augustine of Christ ego sum via Falli non vis ego sum veritas Mori non vis ego sum vita Wilt thou walke I am the Way Wilt thou not bee deceived I am the Truth Wilt thou not dye I am the life So that in Christ there is such fulnesse that wee have no cause of going to others to joyne other doctrines and observations to Christ Jesus Foure grounds of this truth In regard of the perfection of Christ It l Col. 1.19 pleased God that in him should all fulnesse dwell fulnesse of wisedome to direct fulnesse of power to defend fulnesse of worth to satisfie Gods justice to merit mans salvation fulnesse of righteousnesse to justifie fulnesse of holinesse to sanctifie fulnesse of mercie to p●rdon fulness of sufficiencie to satisfi● 〈◊〉 is stiled a Rocke for his strength to support us a Counsellour for his wisedome to guide us a Fountaine opened for his readiness and preparedness to wash away our uncleanness a Tree of life bearing twelve sorts of fruit every moneth for the plenty and perpetuitie of joy and gladness and other fruits of the Spirit which he ministers to true beleevers To a river of living water cleare as Crystall for that ineffable purity perfection comfort and satisfaction which Christ ministreth to the soules of his children To a pretious Pearle for his worth To a Store-house for his fulness of all spirituall treasure O●●e h●ppiness of the soule that enjoyes Christ He that hath the Lord Jesus n●e● not look elswhere for any perfections H●ving Christ we have all saith Ambrose he may say● Iacob did I have enough The m Rev. 12 1. woman ●ne spouse of Christ is describ●d cloathed with the Sunne and a Crowne of twelve Stars upon her head the righteousnes of Christ cloathing her as the Sun and his doctrine guiding her as the light of twelve Starres and in him are n Col. 2.3 hidden all the treasures of wisedome Surely the man never knew never saw never apprehended Christs fulness that dotes on forraigne d●ctrines that admires humane inventions In regard of the vanity of all humane doctrines and observations They are a o Ezek. 13 7. Lam. 2.14 vaine vision a vision composed of vaine and foolish things they are an emptie Lampe wherein is no light they discover not the sinne of mans heart they doe not reveale God in Christ they shine not into the heart they make not wise unto salvation they are a Schoole wherein men are ever learning and yet p 2 Tim. 3.7 never come to the knowledge of the truth He that is most devoted to humane observations is commonly most ignorant of the mysteries of godliness As long as Saint Paul was a Scholler in this Schoole he remained ignorant of his owne estate hee st●ll beheld himselfe in a false glass q Rom. 7.9 I was alive saith Paul once without the Law Hee knowes little of the Law of God that makes mens traditions a law to direct him in the service of God no light discloseth the heavens but that which shineth from heaven no doctrine shewes forth God and the way to heaven but onely that which God himselfe hath given Of all other doctrines we may say as Iob did of his friends r Iob 13.5 They are Physitians of no value they neither

withers and a branch without root abiding barren and hastening to the fire Behold then O man thy necessity of Christ thy misery without Christ and give thy soule no rest untill thou art come home to Christ Fasten your thoughts upon the vanitie of all things without Christ 2. Vanitie of all things without Christ What is worldly fulnesse to him that comes not to Christ Jesus but vanity x Eccles 2.11 vexation of spirit a bed of thornes on which hee can●ot sleep without terrour * Auru●a 〈…〉 p●●● 〈…〉 po●● 〈…〉 aurum ●●●lus ●●●nus p●●●●or servus Aug. a way of snares 〈◊〉 ●hich hee cannot walke without stum●●ng ●ruising and hurting himselfe a cup o● g●ll of which hee cannot drink with any comfort like the waters of Marah to Is●ael without the tree burthens oppressing chaine 's fettering arrowes wounding ●●as tossing and winds shaking are all worldly possessions to them that poss●sse not Christ Jesus What was Paradise to Adam when hee had deprived h●mselfe of the tree of life by eating of the tr●e of forbidden fruit but as a wildernesse of thornes and briars a place of extreame torture and disquiet The worlds choycest Paradise proves at length full of bitternesse to him that hath deprived himselfe of Christ Jesus Augustine saith * Quid prodest diviti quod habet si Deum qui omnia dedit non habet What doth that profit the rich man which hee hath if hee hath not God which gave all What availes the having of the cisterne without the fountain The having of all things is as nothing if man have not Christ with them Happy is the man that so lookes upon the creatures emptinesse that he is thereby stirred up to seeke Christ and his fulnesse The excellencie the worth of Christ 3. Dignity of Christ As they said of David Hee is better more worthy then all the y 2 Sam. 18. ● thousands of the world As they said of the Centurion Hee is z Luk. 7.4 worthy for whom thou shalt doe this thing Much more may I say of Christ Hee is worthy that you should come unto him in him are all the load-stones of vertue power beauty and whatsoever can be spoken to move and draw the soule of man towards him In him is wisedome surpassing the brightnesse of the Sunne even all the a Col. ● 3 treasures of wisedome hidden In him is power excelling the strength of all Rockes hee is not onely strong but b Psal 18.1 strength it felfe In him is honour transcending all the Kings of the earth for hee is c Rev. 19.16 King of Kings and Lord of Lords hee is d Psa 104 1 2. cloathed with honour and majesty and covered with light as with a garment In him is beauty excelling the e Cant. 2.2 Rose of Sharon and the Lilly of the valley hee is the f Cant. 5.10 fairest of ten thousand fairer then all the flowers of the field then all the pretious stones of the earth then all the lights in the firmament then all Saints and Angels in the highest heavens In him is g Ephes 3.8 riches above all the riches of the world as in the Pearle above the drosse All worldly wealth is but poverty to the riches which is in Christ In him are h Psa 16.11 pleasures excelling all earthly pleasures more then ever paradise excelled the barren wildernesse All pleasures are but sorrowes and tortures to the pleasure which the soule doth finde in Christ Surely all wisedome is folly all power weaknesse all honour ignominy all beauty deformity all riches poverty all pleasures anguish and all fulnesse emptinesse in comparison of the wisedome power glory beauty riches pleasures and fulnesse that is in Christ Jesus O therefore come to Christ that you may bee enlightned strengthened honoured enriched protected solaced and your soules every way filled O come as the Queene of the South came from i 1 King 10.1 2. farre to Solomon that you may learne his wisedome O come as the stones in the building to the head k 1 Pet. 2.5 corner stone that hee may support you come as the subjects come the Kings Court that hee may advance and honour you come as poore men to a golden Mine that hee may enrich you come as Naaman came to l 2 King 5. Iordan that hee may sanctifie and cleanse you O come as the Prodigall came to his fathers m Luk. 15. house that Christ may kill the fatted calfe for you feed you with his ordinances with himselfe with his graces and put the robe of his righteousnesse upon you O come as a disconsolate man unto his friend that Christ may comfort you with the sweetnesse of his presence the sense of his love and all the comforts of his Spirit O come as the chicken to the henne that his wings may hide and shadow you Under the wings of Christ saith * Sub Christi scapulis quatuor nohis beneficia conseruntur c. Bernard foure benefites are bestowed upon us Here wee are hidden and protected Here wee are refreshed Here the scorching heat of affliction is repelled And here wee are fed and nourished Christ saith † Christus omnia ut qui omnia propter Christum dimiserit unum inveniat pro omnibus possit libero clamare Pars mea Dominus Ierome is all things that hee who for Christ hath let goe all may find one for all and may freely say The Lord is my portion For as Ambrose sayd * Omnia habemus in Christo omnia in nobis Christus si à vulnere curari defideras medicus est c. We have all in Christ and Christ is all things in us if thou desire to be cured of thy wound hee is a Physician if thou burne with Fevers hee is a Fountaine if thou art burthened with iniquity he is righteousnesse if thou wanttest help hee is strength if thou feare death hee is life if t●ou flye from darknesse hee is light if thou desirest heaven hee is the way if thou seekest food hee is nourishment Therefore to him let us come as sheep to their Shepheard as captives to their Ransomer as children to their Father The manner of comming to Christ 1. Speedily To him let us come first speedily without all delay as Eagles to the carcasse As the woman of Shunem n 2 King 4. sadled her Asse and made haste to the man of God for the recovery of her dead childe so let us make haste to Christ for the recovery life health comfort and welfare of our poore soules let us come unto him while hee may bee found and call upon him while hee is neere at hand As the Angell hasted and thrust Lot out of Sodome and bid him o Gen. 19 haste to Zoar and escape thither so let us hasten our soules out of the Sodome of sinne unto Christ O let us with all speed

of all our friends according to the flesh made dumb and silent then our soules will be put upon Christ and there will bee no remedy we must say Come Lord Iesus And therefore this should make Christ very pretious in our eyes now this should inflame our hearts with singular and fervent love unto him for the present getting interest in him above all things and making him our chiefest and choycest our deare and onely friend This should so sweeten unto us the Lord Jesus that wee should say with Bernard Jesus dulcis in voce dulcis in facie dulcis in nomine dulce enim nomen suave Jesus consecratum ab aeterno annunciatum ab Angelo prophetatum Solomonis oraculo qui ait Oleum effusum nomen tuum Psa 73.25 Jesus is sweet in voice sweet in face sweet in name for the name Jesus is sweet being consecrated from eternitie published by the Angel and prophesied by the Oracle of Solomon who saith Thy Name is an oyntment powred forth Wee should so select him so admire him so adhere unto him so set our hearts upon him that wee should say with the Psalmist Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee So glorious so pretious so infinitely transcendent let him be in our thoughts in our judgements in our estimation and affections that wee love and affect him exalt and preferre him as the King above all commanders as the Sunne above all lights as the spring above all cisternes as the pearle above all treasure and as the husband of our soules above all friends as a Paradice of all pleasures a haven of rest from all tempests and the refuge of our soules in all troubles Let our faith bee such in him our hope so settled upon him our love so strong towards him our subjection such under him that we may bee able at all times and seasons in all estates and conditions to say Come Lord Jesus Behold in this the honour and profit the advantage and comfort which a bodily dissolution bringeth to the righteous to all true beleevers they desire the full fruition of Christ and this bringeth them home to Christ Phil. 1.21 to them to dye is gaine gaine of libertie from the burthen of all corruption from all the assaults of Satan from the servitude of the world and all affliction gaine of perfect holinesse in respect of Gods image gain of complete victory in respect of all enemies gaine of most sweet communion in respect of their fellow●hip with God Christ the glorious Angels and all the Saints of God gaine of absolute honour in respect of their glorious condition in heaven As death to the righteous is a tree of many fruitfull branches a messenger of many comfortable tidings so the Spirit of God hath given it many denominations Sometimes it is stiled a Sleepe Mat. 9.24 sleep possesseth onely the outward members and senses the soule sleepeth not so in death the body onely dies the soule is carried into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16.22 ●ev 14.13 Sleep giveth rest unto the body They who dye in the Lord rest from all their labours Sometimes it is called a gathering to our Fathers Gen. 25.8 by death the righteous are separated from the wicked gathered as wheat into Gods garner and their soules bound up in the bundle of life 1 Sam. 25 29. Sometimes it is called a way the way of all flesh by the way wee come to our home to our fathers and to our friends house Ios 23.14 and by death wee come to our heavenly home to God the father and the Lord Jesus Sometimes it is called a going forth As the prisoner goeth forth of the prison 2 Pet. 1.15 and Israel went forth from the bondage of Egypt so when the body dieth the soule goeth forth as out of a prison and entreth into the land of the living Sometimes it is called an end Mat. 10.22 because in death there is an end of all sin of all sorrow of all labour trouble as in the waters of the red Sea the Israelites Egyptian bondage ended Sometimes it is termed a sowing Ioh. 11.24 1 Cor. 15.44 the seed which is sowne doth spring forth again into a blade the body in the resurrection shall flourish like the grasse death like a Physician cures all their diseases like a key opens the prison and restores them to a blessed freedom brings them to the full fruition of Jesus Christ the desire of their soules And this is the sweetest and fullest gaine of a Christian Lucrum est evasisse incrementa peccati Augustine lucrum fugisse deteriora lucrum transire ad meliora Aug. Lucrum maximum computat Christianus Cyprian jam saeculi laqueis non teneri jam nullis peccatis vitiis carnis obnoxium fieri exemptum pressuris angentibus venenatis diaboli faucibus liberatum ad laetitiam salutis aeternae Christo vocante proficisci Cypr. This must perswade move us to work our hearts to a holy longing and earnest desire after the comming of the Lord Jesus to desire it as the husbandman the cōming of the harvest the sick man the comming of the day of health or the ward the day of his full age to looke for the new heavens 2 Pet. 3.13 2 Tim. 4.8 and the new earth and to love the appearing of the Lord Iesus and for that end there must be First Godly sorrow for sin Christs coming is comfortable to such as are truly sorrowfull he that is weary of his corruptions doth truely long for the coming of Christ Jesus Gen 45.4.5 Ioseph spake to his brethren kindly entertained them courteously when he saw them grieved for the injury offered him Luke 15. The prodigals day of humiliation Isa 61.1 was the day wherein his father graciously received him Christ will bee found a sweet and mercifull Iesus to all Mat. 11.28 truly penitent sinners Secondly there must be a thorough removall of sin an effectuall reformation of all our wayes Gen. 35.2 Jacob went not up to Bethel before he purged his house of Idols It is in vain for man to say Come Lord Jesus if there bee not a conversion of the soule to Jesus To such the Prophet speakes Amos 5.18.19 Woe to you that desire the day of the Lord to what end is it for you the day of the Lord is darknesse and not light as if a man did flye from a Lyon and a Beare met him or went into a house and leaned his hand on the wall and a Serpent bit him Shall not the day of the Lord be darknesse and not light even very darke and no brightnesse in it What the voyce of God was to Adam upon the eating of the forbidden fruit what the comming of the flood was to the profane men of the old world what the waters of the red Sea were to Pharaoh what the