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 dragon_n fight_v 3,032 5 9.6120 5 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A96805 The abridgment of Christian divinitie so exactly and methodically compiled, that it leads us, as it were, by the hand to the reading of the Holy Scriptures. Ordering of common-places. Vnderstanding of controversies. Cleering of some cases of conscience. By John Wollebius. Doctor of Divinity, and ordinary professor in the University of Basil. Now at last faithfully translated into English, and in some obscure places cleared and enlarged, by Alexander Ross. To which is adjoined, after the alphabetical table, the anatomy of the whole body of divinity, delineated in IX. short tables, for the help of weak memories.; Christianae theologiae compendium. English. Wolleb, Johannes, 1586-1629.; Vaughan, Robert, engraver.; Ross, Alexander, 1591-1654. 1650 (1650) Wing W3254; Thomason E1264_1; ESTC R204089 204,921 375

There are 4 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

or other Head over them then the Son of God by Michael the Archangel the Son of God is rightly understood For He is set in opposition to the Devil as to the head of evil Angels Rev. 12.7 Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon ver 10. Now is salvation in heaven and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ VI. The good Angels are ready executors of Gods will especially in the praising of God and preservation of the godly VII We are not carefully to enquire whether or not particular men or Provinces are governed by certain Angels For out of Scripture it appears that GOD useth sometimes the Ministery of one Angel sometimes of more The government of evil Angels is that whereby God hath thrust them out of Heaven into infernal places and eternal destruction as voluntary Delinquents having forsaken their first integrity and become the enemies of Christs kingdom The RULES I. Evil Angels are such not by creation but by their own voluntary defection II. What their first sin was whether Pride or not the Scripture doth not specifie yet it is certain that it was not committed without pride For Pride is joyned to every sin that is committed with deliberation III. We may more safely with the Apostle Jude ver 6. call it a defection from their first originall and a desertion of their proper habitation IV. the evil Angels have a Prince whom the Scripture by way of excellency calleth the Devil the old Serpent Satan and the Dragon See Rev. 12.9 V. Whereas the Scripture speaks nothing of the time when the evil Angels fell nor of the number we ought also in this to be silent VI. Their punishment consisteth partly in the memory of their happiness lost irrecoverably partly in the perpetual sense of their misery and torments VII The substance of the evil Angels remained invisible and immortal and simple VIII There remained also in them no small knowledge and a sagacity also of searching out future things having these helps 1. Their natural knowledge 2. Their long experimental knowledge 3. Astrologie 4. The knowledge of Scripture chiefly of the Prophets 5. Extraordinary revelation so often as God makes use of the service of these torturers * A. R. There is in the evil Angels a twofold knowledge the one by nature which they have not lost at all for their nature being simple admits no dimunition therefore that knowledge which in them depends from their nature as their other natural faculties do were not lost nor diminished Hence they knew how to produce frogs in Egypt and do the other wonders that Moses did onely they could not produce the lice not as if they were ignorant of the occult seeds and causes of such production for the knowledge of the lice was not more difficult then that of the frogs but because they were hindred by the power of God Their other knowledge is by grace and that is either speculative or practical the former is not totally lost but much diminished for of Gods secrets they know very little But the practick knowledge which is joyned with the love of God and detestation of evil is totally lost in them for such evil cannot consist with obstinate malice yet as they naturally know God so they naturally love him as an Entity but not morally as he is the fountain of all happiness of which they know themselves to be eternally deprived IX As this their knowledge is far from charity so it is void of all comfort and strikes in them a terrour Mat. 8.29 What have we to do with thee Jesus the Son of God art thou come to torment us before our time Jam. 2.19 Thou believest there is one God thou doest well the devils also believe and tremble X. There remaines also in them great power which they shew by removing huge bodies out of their places in raising of storms in overthrowing houses and mountains in infecting the ayre and the bodies of creatures with a venemous breath in possessing of men in bewitching the outward and inward senses by altering and changing the organ or object XI But over the stars or celestiall bodies they have no right or power Because to them is granted power to rule in the ayre onely Eph. 2.2 XII All their power over inferior things is so limited by Gods providence that without his power they can do nothing Mat. 8.31 But the devils besought him saying if thou cast us out suffer us to go into the herd of swine XIII Evil Angels can do wonders but not work miracles Because miracles are works exceeding all power of the creatures CHAP. VIII Of the government of man in the state of Innocency SUch is the Government of Angels The government of man is seen in the state of Innocency of Misery of Grace and of Glory The government of man in the state of Innocency is that by which God made a Covenant of works with man promising him eternall happiness under the condition of obedience otherways eternal death The RULES I. God made a double Covenant with man the one of works the other of grace that before this after the fall II. The Covenant of works was confirmed by a double Sacrament to wit the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge both being planted in the midst of Paradise III. They had a double use 1. That mans obedience might be tried by using of the one and abstaining from the other 2. That the Tree of life might ratifie eternal happiness to those that should obey but the Tree of knowledge should signifie to the disobedient the loss of the greatest happiness and the possession of the greatest misery IV. Therefore the Tree of life was so called not from any innate faculty it had to give life but from a Sacramentall signification V. Likewise the Tree of knowledge of good and evil hath this denomination from signifying the chief good and evil and from the event For in effect and by experience man found out how great that happiness and good was which he lost and how great evil and misery he brought upon himself VI. The happiness of man being yet in his integrity consisted chiefly in the Image of God VII The soul is the principal Subject of this Divine Image the body is the secondary so far forth as the operations of the soul do manifest themselves in it VIII The gifts of Gods Image were partly natural partly supernatural IX The natural gifts were the simple and invisible substance of the soul with its faculties the intellect and will X. The supernatural gifts were the clearness of the understanding the liberty and rectitude of the will the conformity of the appetite and affections the immortality of the whole man and dominion over the inferior creatures XI Such was the clearness of Adams understanding that he knew all naturall things which had a possible existence in the first principles which are of themselves known An excellent proof of this was shewed
voluntary disobedience hath made himself guilty XV. For understandings sake two acts are made of Reprobation to wit The denial of undeserved grace which is called Preterition and the ordaining to deserved punishment which is called Predamnation XVI In the trial of our Election we must proceed analytically or by way of resolution from the means of Execution to the Decree beginning from our Sanctification Thus syllogistically Whosoever feels in himself the gift of sanctification by which we die to sin and live to righteousnesse he is justified called or endowed with true faith and is elected But by the grace of God I feel this therefore I am justified called and elected XVI But this is a diabolical argument If I am elected there is no need of good works if I be a Reprobate good works are needlesse For first it is not the part of a Christian to say Either I am elected or reprobated but rather to make trial of his faith as the means of election 2 Cor. 13.5 6. Prove your selvs whether you are in the faith examine your selves know you not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates But I trust that you shall know that we are not reprobates 2. This syllogisme disjoyns things subordinate and conjoyns things inconsistent For good works are subordinate and not to be separated from Election for they are the means of its execution and of our assurance thereof But to be a reprobate and to do good works are things inconsistent CHAP. V. Of the Creation HItherto of GOD'S internal works His external are those which are without the essence of God and these are two to wit the Creation and the Government or Gods actual providence Creation is that by which God produced the world and the things therein partly out of nothing and partly out of matter unapt naturally for that production for the manifestation of his power wisdom and goodnesse The history of the Creation is extant in Genesis c. 1. 2 The RULES I. Creation is not onely a production of something out of nothing but also out of matter altogether unapt for such production naturally II. The work and honour of Creation belongs to God alone and not to Angels or any other creature * A. R. The reason is because an infinite power is required to produce things out of nothing 2. Because entity or being is an universal effect and therefore must be produced by an universal cause which onely is God who created that is gave simply being to the creature III. Creation is a transition from the Possibility to the Act not of the Creator but of the Creature IV. That possibility is not privative but negative Because the matter of creation is naturally unapt to that which is created out of it For example there was no aptitude or disposition in dust to mans body which was so miraculously produced thence V. There was no accession of perfection in God by creating the world neither did he create it that he might be bettered or perfected by it but that his goodnesse might be communicated to the creature VI. Creation is either of the Species with all the Individuals so the Angels Stars Elements were created together Or of the Species with some Individuals onely having an innate power of propagation VII A more particular knowledge of the Creatures we leave to Natural Philosophers it shall suffice in this place to handle them according to each Dayes production VIII The first day of the Creation is famous for three works 1. For the production of Angels with the highest Heaven called the Heaven of the blessed 'T is most probable that the Angels were created the first day because when God laid the foundation of the earth He was then praised by them Job 28.7 2. For the production of this visible world which was not altogether destitute of forme but of perfection separation and beauty which by degrees then it received 3. For sending in of the primitive Light which was neither the Elementary fire nor a bright Cloud nor any other body but a Quality sent into the aire by God who is that inaccessible light This created quality of Light was afterward the fourth day placed in the Stars IX The second day the Firmament was created or the Aerial heaven which by its lower part separates the waters above that is the Clouds from the waters beneath that is the Sea X. The third day God 1. separated the inferior waters which as yet covered the earth and gathered them into certain channels that the rest of the earth called dry land might afford a commodious habitation for man and beast 2. He gave to the earth a fructifying power to produce herbs and plants without the help of seed or sun XI The fourth day the Stars and great Lumi●aries were placed in heaven whose motion proceeds not from a soul or any assistant intelligence as the Philosophers affirm but from that power which God gave them in the beginning no otherways then the earth by its innate power stands immovable XII There is a threefold use of the stars 1. To distinguish the day and night 2. To note the times and seasons of the year 3. To impart their vertue to inferior bodies XIII The fifth day were made the Birds Fishes and Creeping-things XIV The sixth day after the earthly Creatures were produced and this whole Vniverse as a large house was furnished with all kinde of furniture Man at last was created Of all these Creatures Men and Angels are chiefly considered in Divinity because on them God bestowed his Image THE RULES I. Although the whole World be the Looking-glass of Gods power wisdom and bounty yet properly Gods Image is attributed to Angels and Men onely 2. Gods Image doth partly consist in natural gifts to wit in the invisible and simple substance of Angels and mens souls in their life understanding will and immortality partly in supernatural gifts to wit in their primitive blessedness in the uprightness of their intellect and will and in their majestie and dominion over the other Creatures Angels are intelligent Creatures void of bodies The RULES I. Angels are not accidents nor qualities but true subsistences II. Angels are void of bodies * A. R. If the Angels were corporeal the world were imperfect because there would be wanting incorporeal creatures 2. God made men and Angels to his own image which consisteth not onely in will and understanding but also in immateriality and immortality and are not subject to destruction III. The bodies in which the Angels appeared were not meer apparitions nor yet united to them hypostatically but were freely assumed to perform some service in IV. Angels are in a place not by way of circumscription but by way of definition V. Angels cannot be together in many places VI. Angels truly move from place to place Man is a creature whose body originally was formed of earth but afterwards is propagated of seed by traduction
which this is conversant are the Law the service of sin and death affliction of conscience in things indifferent and mens commandments V. The form is expressed by divers conditions as the objects are various VI. We have shewed above in the doctrine of the Law how we are freed from the Law VII We are not quite in this life free from the inherence of sin in us but we are freed from the guilt and dominion of it from that by justification from this by sanctification Rom. 5.12 Let not sin therefore reigne in your mortal bodies that you should obey sin in the lusts thereof VIII From indifferent things that is such as are neither commanded nor prohibited we are so freed that our conscience is not bound to keep or break them Rom. 14.2 3. For one believeth that he may eat all things another who is weak eateth hearbs let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not condemne him that eateth IX Now in these cases a special care must be had of Faith and Charity of faith lest we take things not indifferent for indifferent of charity lest we offend our weak brother Of Faith Paul speaks Rom. 14.23 He that doubteth if he eat he is already condemned because he eateth not of faith but what is not of faith is sin of Charity c. 14. ver 1. He that is weak in the faith receive you but not unto doubtfull disputation c. X. The same care of liberty is about mens commandments for our conscience is not obliged to those things which are against Gods commands or being adiaphorous are obtruded as necessary but we must not for conscience refuse obedience to those things that are consonant to Gods command XI The end of this liberty 1. Is true consolation arising out of our freedome from sin death and solicitude in things indifferent 2. The service of righteousnesse which indeed is true liberty 3. The true worship of God free from superstition or the scandal of our neighbour XII Contrary to Christian liberty is the liberty of the flesh and wantonnesse Jud. v. 4. There are some men crept in now of old ordained for this condemnation ungodly men turning the grace of our God into wantonnesse CHAP. XXXIV Of the comming of Christ and Resurrection of the flesh which go before the last Judgement HItherto of the State of Grace now follows the State of Glory To this belongs the doctrine of the last Judgment The parts whereof are three 1. Of its Antecedents 2. Of the Judgement it self 3. Of the Consequents thereof The Antecedents are Christs comming and the Resurrection of the flesh Christs last comming is his return from heaven to which he ascended to judge the Earth The RULES I. It is most certain that Christ will return to judgment This was revealed even in the Patriarks times Jud. v. 14. Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these saying Behold the Lord commeth with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him The rest of the Scripture is full of such testimonies Psal 50.3 c. Dan. 12. Mat. 24. 25. Act. 17. Rom. 2. 14. 2 Cor. 5. 1 Thess 4 5. 2 Pet. 3. Rev. 19 c. II. Although no man knows the time of Christs coming exactly in respect of the day and houre a yet there are signes set down by Christ and his Apostles shewing that that day is not far off b a Of that day and houre knoweth no man not the Angels of heaven except my Father only Mar. 13.32 Nor the Son himself but the Father alone 1 Thess 5.1 2 c. Concerning the times and seasons brethren it is not needfull that I write unto you for you your selves know well that that day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night b Mat. 24.32 33. Learn a parable of the fig-tree when its branch is yet tender and putteth forth leaves ye know that summer is nigh so likewise ye when ye shall see all these things know that it is neer even at the doors III. These Signes are either common or proper IV. Those are common which were to signifie both the destruction of Jerusalem and Christs last coming Such were these predictions of Christ Mat. 24.4 c. when he speaks both of his own coming and of the destruction of Jerusalem as the type thereof to wit False Prophets false Christs wars pestilence famine earthquakes persecutions for Christs sake treacheries want of faith and charity c. V. The proper Signes are Extreme security and impiety a The revealing of Antichrist and his destruction by the breath of Christs mouth b The ruine of Rome c with the forsaking and burning of the Whore d a Luc. 17.26.27 As it was in the dayes of Noah c. And as it sell out in the dayes of Lot c. 1 Thess 5.3 When they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travel upon a woman with child and they shall not escape 2 Tim. 3.1 5. This know that in the last dayes perillous times shall come for men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents unthankfull unholy without natural affection truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traitors c. b 2 Thess 2 3. Let no man deceive you by any means for that day shall not come till there be a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition v. 8. And then shall that wicked one be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightnesse of his coming c Rev. 18.2 She is fallen she is fallen that great Babylon c. d Rev. 17.16 And those ten horns that is the ten Kings shall hate the Whore and they shall forsake her and make her naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire VI. To these signes some adde A visible and generall uniting of the Jewes to the Church of Christ which they teach must be expected in the last times * A. R. * This opinion of the calling of the Jewes is plausible if it were found in Scripture Here Wollebius strives to weaken the opinion of the Jews conversion before the last day so did of old Caesariensis Greg. Nazianzen's brother Dial. 4. by denying that in Scripture their conversion is expressed whereas indeed the Scripture in many places speaks of this generall calling And though Hierome on Isa 11. and Hos 9. seem to contradict this truth yet we shall find that he doth not absolutely speak against their final conversion but against the manner of it which the Jews thought should be effected by Ellas whom they dreamed would reduce them again
ye should be wise in your own conceit that blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved The Apostles scope in this is to dehort Christians from insulting over the Jews that are rejected because they themselves are called The reason is because by their ruine the Gentiles have received salvation ver 11. Yet so that all hope of reconciliation is not cut off from the Jews ver 15. Nor are they exempted from being rejected who being Christians onely in name are puffed up in their mindes ver 20 21. That former passage of the rejection of the Jews which was not altogether without hope of pardon doth shew in a mysterie that the Jews were not totally but in part only rejected not in respect of time for it was to last onely a while but in respect of that part of the Jewish Nation which contains the Reprobates so that the meaning is this blindness hath hapned not to all the Jews but to a part onely that is to the reprobates Neither have these words untill the fulness of the Gentiles come in this meaning that there shall be such a plausible calling of the Jews after the fulness of the Gentiles is come in For there is nothing more usual then that these particles untill or till being denyed or affirmed signifie the same that never or always As we shewed above c. 19. Neither doth that which the Apostle subjoyns v. 26. hinder any thing this interpretaton And so all Israel shall be saved For by the name of all Israel he understands the Elect which indeed are the true Israelites as above c. 9.7 c. he sheweth And also in the following places v. 28 c. 11. he explains saying As concerning the Gospel they are enemies for your sakes but as touching the Election they are beloved for their fathers sakes The summe of the whole place is this The rejection of the Jewes nation in part whereby blindnesse shall remain upon the reprobate doth no wayes prejudice the elect of that same nation but they also and so all Israel shall be saved See Calvin on this place VII The signe of Christs presence shall be doubtless an incredible brightness and majestie in which he shall appear For he shall come in the clouds of heaven Mat. 26.64 with incredible glory Mat. 25.31 accompanied with the whole army of his Angels ibid. with a great shout and voice of the Archangel 1 Thess 4.16 By reason of his brightness the Sun and Moon shall be darkned as lesser lights by the greater and stars shall fall from heaven that is they shall seem to fall from heaven and the powers of heaven shall be shaken Mat. 24.29 yea at his sight heaven and earth shall seem to flie away Rev. 20.11 Thus of Christs coming The resurrection of the dead is whereby the bodies of the dead shall be raised but the bodies of those that remain alive shall be changed and shall be again united to their souls by an indissoluble union The RULES I. The Resurrection called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is First or Second That is a resuscitation from the death of sinne to the life of righteousnesse This is a revocation from death corporal to life Rev. 20.6 Blessed is he who hath part in the first resurrection II. The Scripture proves the Resurrection of the dead by testimonies a examples b types c and reasons d a Iob 19.25 26. Dan. 12.2 Hos 13.14 Mat. 22.31 c. 27.52 Ioh. 5.26 27 28. Phil. 3.21 1 Thess 4. and other such like places b The example of those that were raised by the ministery of Eliah 1 King 17.22 Elisha 2 King 4.34 2 King 13.21 by Christ also Mat. 9.25 Luc. 7.14 Ioh. 11.11 Mat. 27.52 53. and by the Apostles Act. 9.40 20.10 c The type of Aarons Rod budding Num. 17. of the Jews returning from Babylon Ezek. 37. but chiefly of Henoch and Elias Gen. 5. 2 King 2. d Reasons are drawn from the covenant of God which is not broken by death Mat. 22.30 from the promises of life eternal from the Sacraments which are seals thereof which 1 Cor. 15. are set down at large but the chief reason is drawn from Christ who is not only the type and example of our resurrection but the beginning also thereof for from the life of the Head we undoubtedly gather the life of the mystical body III. Though the Resurrection of the dead is above nature and mans corrupt reason yet it is neither against nature nor against right reason For right reason teacheth that the dead can be raised and shall be raised That is gathered from his omnipotence this from his justice For as it is just that some sins be punished after this life so it is just likewise that what was the companion of sin should be the companion of pain IV. The generall efficient cause of the Resurrection is the whole Trinity the particular is Christ our Lord. Christ is the efficient cause of this three wayes 1. As God 2. As the Judge of the world 3. As Mediator The first two wayes he is the efficient cause of resurrection both in the elect and reprobate but the third way he is the cause of the resurrection of the faithful by his merit efficacie and inchoation V. The matter is the same numerical body that man had in this life Besides Iobs testimony Iob 19.26 the reason annexed to the third Canon taken from Gods justice proves this VI. The form consisteth in the reunion of body and soul and restoring of the dead to life and in the sudden change of those that remain and in their freedome from corruption 1 Cor. 15.51 VII The end is the declaration of Gods justice and mercy of that in raising the wicked to condemnation of this in raising the godly to life eternal Dan. 12.2 Joh. 5.28.29 VIII In the Resurrection the godly shall be freed not only from corruption and bodily defects but shall be crowned also with glory 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. It is sowed in corruption it is raised in incorruption it is sowed in dishonour it is raised in glory it is sowed in weaknesse it is raised in power it is sowed a natural body it is raised a spiritual body CHAP. XXXV Of the last Judgement SO much of the antecedents of the last Judgment The Judgment it self is that most glorious act whereby Christ shall judge the whole world The RULES I. The certainty of the last Judgment is proved by the same arguments by which we proved the certainty of Christs coming and of our resurrection II. The general efficient principal cause is the whole Trinity the particular is Christ our Lord in the assumed humane nature but glorified III. The chiefe power of Judicature shall be in Christ for to him all power is given and from whom no appeal can be made to any superiour IV. This Judge shall be