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
A07733	The cleansing of the leper discoursed, and opened, first, in certaine lectures within the cathedrall church of Saint Paul, in London; vpon occasion of that great visitation of the plague, in the yeare of our Lord, 1603. And now thought meet to be published, for our present instruction and comfort; as being fitted both to this time of pestilence, and of famine amongst vs. By Henry Morley, Bachelour of Diuinitie.	Morley, Henry, d. 1616.	1609 (1609)	STC 18115; ESTC S112895	120,818	318

of a deceitful or of an vnskilfull physitiō so to apply an wholesome medicine that eyther it shall do hurt or at the least no good whenas these men that doe thus reason ought to consider this with themselues that whom God hath predestinated to saluation hee hath also predestinated to the secondarie causes and meanes that doe bring vs vnto it which is our effectuall vocation and iustification as the Apostle sheweth in that golden chaine both of the first second causes of saluation Rom. 8. Rom. 8.30 Whom God hath predestinated hee hath called whom he hath called he iustified whom he iustified he hath glorified So that in the matter of predestination we are not to reason a priori from the first and highest cause thereof in saying If I am predestinated I am sure to bee saued if not I am sure to be damned but we are to reason a posteriori from the lowest of the subordinate and second causes to the first and highest cause of all in reasoning thus My faith and good workes doe shew that I am iustified being iustified it shewes that I am called beeing called it shewes that I am elected being elected it is most sure and certaine that I shall bee saued Otherwise to set all vpon Gods predestination not looking to the second means which God hath ordained to com vnto it what is this else but as if a man that trauelles should thinke to come to the end of his iourney without stirring one foote or vsing the waie that brings him to it or as if a man should think to get vp to the top of a house without a paire of stayres or a ladder to ascend withal whereas in Iacobs sision there was a ladder that reached vp vnto heauen Gen. 28.12 the Angells of God ascended and descended by it but as for these men they think to fly vp to heauen with the wings of predestination without the staires or ladder of a faithfull and holy conuersation I haue read of one Ludouicus an Italian who neuer considering the order and the causes of our saluation grew to that desperat conclusion which many Atheists and profane wretches in these daies seem to haue learned of him in hauing this speech commonly in his mouth If I be predestinated I am sure to be saued if not doe what I can I am sure to bee damned In which his wicked assertion he continued a long time till at the length hee grew dangerously sicke whereupon he sent for a learned and a cunning Physicion to request and to vse his help The Physicion beeing made acquainted with his former lewd assertiō in his health time how he wold vsually say If I am saued I am saued he likewise directed his speech to the same purpose said vnto him Sir it shall be needlesse to minister any physicke vnto you or to vse meanes for your recouery neither do I purpose to take any such course for if the time of your death be not com you have no cause to feare you shall liue and do well enough without physick if the time of your death be now come all the Physick in the world wil not help you because it is impossible to auoid it Ludouicus musing in his bed of the strange speech which the Physicion vsed hauing cōsidered a while aduisedly of it began to see his own folly to find by reason that as meanes was to be vsed for the health of the bodie so God had also ordained meanes for the health of the soule wherupō he reuersed his former opinion took physick and so was cured both in his body and soule at one time which I wish were seriosly cōsidered of diuers irreligious and profane beastes who neglecting all the meanes of their saluation by liuing a most wicked a licentious kind of life venturing all their estate vpon Gods predestination without regarde or respect of a holy conuersation doe runne headlong to eternall destruction and damnation whereas contrariwise they and onely they which vse the meanes of saluation shall obtaine the ende of predestination which is eternall glorification The second case that I will propound is a temporall case in the preseruing and maintaining of this temporall life wherein there are many that do depend so much vpon Gods prouidence in sustayning and keeping them that they doe altogether neglect the means and the second causes of it Som in relying and resting so much vppon Gods prouidence which is the first and the principle cause that they will vse no labour nor take anie paines in anie honest vocation to get their liuing withall like vnto certaine idle Monks Augaretract lib. 2. cap. 21 of whom S. Austen complayneth in his time who liued so well vpon the almes and beneuolence of well disposed people that they would not labour nor take the least paines for their liuing saying that they did heerein fulfill the precept of our Sauiour Christ where he saith Looke vpon the fowles of the ayre Mat. 6 and the Lillies of the fielde they neither labour nor spin nor sowe nor reape nor carry into the barnes and yet God feedeth them Whereas they should not regarde so much what these senselesse and vnreasonable creatures do as what sensible and reasonable creatures ought to doe who are borne vnto labour Iob. 7 as Iob sayth God prouiding in the first beginning of all that man should not be idle Gen. 2 and therefore put him into the garden of Eden to dresse and to keepe it God doth not feede vs ordinarily as he did the Israelites miraculously by rayning downe Manna from heauen Exod. 1● by sending quailes among vs Num. 16. nor yet by Angells and Rauens which bring meat drink vnto vs 1. King 17 as they did vnto Elias but by labour and industry Philo Iud. de sacr Cain Abel which Philo calls the beginning of all vertue happiness without which no good nor honest thing is to be found among men For euen as the eye of the bodie is not able to see without light so the eye of the soule is not able to see to do any action of vertue without the helpe of labour as it were with the helpe of light Look vpon Students and Artists who study the liberall arts sciences looke vpon husband men artificers handicraftsmen and such as get their liuing by any manner of means you shall see that they doe not cease to labour with their hands and with their feete with all the strength both of their bodies and of their minds It is the saying of a heathen man that the gods do sell all things for labour Verely our God is but one and hee doth not sell but giue but yet he giues all things for labour it beeing the roote as Philo sayes from whence all good things doe spring and growe Philo ibid. For though God himselfe doth giue all things on his part without labour and difficulty yet notwithstanding he

Thou leddest thy people like sheep by the hands of Moses and Aaron Lastly in making a law Deut. 17.12 that whosoeuer dealt presūptuously wold not harkē to the priest should be put to death yea the none shuld presume so much as to speak euil of him Cypriā Corn. aduer haeret ther fore S. Pa. as Cyp. noteth hauing called Ananias the high Pr. a painted wal and being reproued by one that sayde vnto him Act 23.3 Reuilest thou Gods high Priest hee answered and excused the fact in saying I wot not that hee was the high Priest for it is written Thou shalt not speake euill of the Ruler of the people If God hath so highly honoured the Priests of the law how much more doth he honour the Priests of the gospell whose office and ministerie is far more excellent then theirs as the Apostle reasoneth 2. Cor. 3. If the ministration of death was glorious 2. Cor. 3.7 how shall not the ministratiō of the spirit be more glorious and if the ministerie of cōdemnation was glorious how much more doth the ministration of righteousnesse exceede in glorie Which honour giuen by God vnto the ministers of the Gospell will appeare by adouble honour giuen vnto them the one the honor of their office the other the honor of their person The former wherof is to be seene in diuers excellent and honorable dueties performed by their ministery As first in making of Christians the most honourable calling in the world for Christans are not borne but made as Saint Ierom sayes Fiunt nō nascuntur Christiani Hier. ad Laetam and that by the meanes and helpe of Gods ministers in that holy and blessed Sacrament of Baptisme which they only haue power to administer whereby they do also incorporate and ingraft them into the bodie and society of the Church and doe consecrate and dedicate them vnto the profession and seruice of Christ Secondly in preaching the Gospell of Christ Iesus and publishing the glad tidings of saluation which is an honour that God hath not vouchsafed vnto the Angelles though farre more excellent in nature then wee are giuing the law by them but the Gospell by Christ his Apostles and ministers which things saith Saint Pet. the Angels desire stooping to behold 1. Pet. 1.12 Thirdly 1. Pet. 1.12 in administring and deliuering with our hands the Sacraments and visible signes and pledges of the most precious bodie and blood of the sonne of God wherby we obtaine not only redemption forgiuenesse of our sins but also peace and reconciliation and inheritance in the kingdome of heauen where-as the priests of the lawe were occupied about sacrificing and killing of beasts and in burning of incense vpon the altar Mat. 18 18. Lastly in hauing the keyes of the kingdome of heauen committed vnto them so as whatsoeuer they binde in earth is bound in heauen and whatsoeuer they loose in earth is loosed in heauen Ioh. 20.20 whose-soeuer sins they remit they are remitted whose-soeuer sins they retaine they are retained A power that God hath not communicated to any of the Angels for to which of them hath hee sayd at any time whatsoeuer yee shall binde in earth is bound in heauen Vppon which wordes Theophilact doth obserue that the honour of the priesthood is diuine because it belongeth to God to forgiue sins For the other which is the honor that God hath bestowed vppon their person as they are ministers that is to be seene in those honorable titles that he hath giuen vnto them stiling them with the name of ministers a title not only belonging vnto princes gouernors who are called the ministers of God Rom. 13 Rom. 13.4 but also vnto Christ who is called the minister of circumcision Rom. 15.8 Rom. 15. in calling them men of God fellow laborers with himselfe Angels Ambassadors Rulers stewards starrs lights fathers doctors pastors with a great many more besides al which do shew in what great honor and reputation they are with God Which is also further seene in that order that God hath taken the charge that hee hath giuen for the good intertainment vsage of them prouiding not only for their indēnitie safety in that charge that he hath giuē of thē Psa 105. Psal 105. touch not mine annointed and do my prophets no harme but also for a worthy respect and regard to be had of thē both concerning loue and hartie affection and concerning reuerence and obedience to be yeelded vnto them 1. Thes 5.12 Of loue in admonishing men to know thē that labour among them and are ouer them and to haue them not in an euen kinde of loue which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as is found among friendes but to haue thē in a higher and a superlatiue kinde of loue which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle calles it and that for their work sake 1. Thess 5. Of obedience in charging men to obay them that haue the ouersight of them and to submit themselues Heb. 13.17 because they watch for their soules as those that must giue account that they may doo it with ioy and not with griefe Heb. 13. Further in reputing the wrong done vnto them to bee done vnto himselfe Zach. 2.8 Hee that toucheth you sayth God toucheth the apple of mine eye and contrariwise the loue and reuerence which is shewed vnto them to be giuen vnto himselfe hee that receiueth you sayth Christ receiueth me and he that receiueth me Mat. 10.40 receiueth him that sent mee like as a Prince esteemeth either the wrong or the honour done to his Embassadour to be done to his owne person So that considering the great honor that God hath voutsafed to the Priests both of the law and of the Gospell it is a wonder to see the maruailous neglect and contempt of the priesthood ministerie here in the world Is it because God hath not honored them No verily he hath set a crowne of honour vpon them crowning them with honour and worshippe as Dauid speaketh What is the cause then Psal 8.6 Surely because Atheists Epicures and profane worldlings haue dishonored thē that as Christ sayth of the Iewes I honour my Father Ioh. 8.49 but ye haue dishonored me so it may truely bee sayd of them that God hath honored his ministers but they like miscreants and profane wretches haue dishonoured them turning their honour into shame by louing vanitie and seeking lies Psal 4.2 Psal 4.2 A sinne not like the sinne of the Amorites of which it is sayd that the wickednesse of the Amorites is not yet full Gen. Gen. 15.26 15. but a sin full of impierie like a Cart pressed down that is ful of sheaues Amos 2. Amos 2.13 and such an one as doth argue a want of all grace and of all religion and piety and feare of God there being a iust estimate to bee taken of a mans religion