Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	apostle_n	church_n	key_n	2,057	5	9.6217	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53095	Ultimum vale, or, The last farewell of a minister of the Gospel to a beloved people by Matthevv Nevvcomen ...	Newcomen, Matthew, 1610?-1669.	1663 (1663)	Wing N914; ESTC R8564	50,710	82

is no ambiguity the word that signifieth to commend by way of praise is either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Luke 16.8 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 8.8 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 5.8 and 16.1 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 3.1 and 5.12 but the word used to signifie commending by way of trust is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Luke 23.46 Acts 14.23 and that is the word here used in the Text I commend you that is I resigne you over I deliver you up I commit you to the Trust of God That is the second thing the Act. The Third thing is the Subject of this Act or the persons thus commended You amplified by their relative compellation Brethren Brethren I commend you to God It is clear that this relates to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus and it is probable that some of the Vulgar some of the Plebs might be there also especially if they understood that Paul now sent for the Elders to take his last leave of them doubless some of the Brethren and Church-Members would willingly put themselves to the trouble of so small a journey to be present at this solemn parting and if you consider well the words of the 20 25 27 verses methinks it is more than probable that there were present upon the place some of Pauls ordinary hearers and ordinary members of the Church as well as the Elders therefore we may safely conclude that this you Brethren includes both Elders and People Brethren I commend you The fourth thing considerable is the Person to whom he doth thus commend these Brethren and that is first to God the Wise the Gracious the Faithful the Almighty God The same God to whom with my Lord and Master Jesus Christ I would commend my spirit if I were now a dying into his hands I commend you I commend you principally and in the first place to God and then secondly and subordinately to the Word of his Grace as a powerful means and nstrument of God unto you Brethren I commend you to God and the Word of his Grace Fiftly You have here the Eulogie of this word which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among them that are sanctified which clause may either refer to God I commend you to God who is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among them that are sanctified or to the Word of hic Grace I commend you to God and the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up c. and so in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is God is able by his Word to build you up and bring you to Heaven Or The Word of God is able to build you up in Grace and bring you to Glory Lastly You have the time when Paul doth thus studiously and solemnly commend the Brethren to God and to the Word of his Grace and that is Now Now that I am departing from you never to see your faces more Now that after my departure grievous Wolves shall enter among you Now Brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified Which words will afford variety of Observations First For the term of Compellation Brethren This term Brother or Brethren saith Hierom quadrupliciter accipitur is taken four manner of wayes 1. First For those that are born of the same Parents 2. Secondly For those that are of the same Linage though not of the same immediate Parents those whom we call Cousins are usually in Scripture called Brethren and Sisters 3. Thirdly For those of the same Nation 4. Fourthly For those of the same Religion and Profession 5. To which we may add fifthly For those of the same place and co-habitations Thus Lot calls the men of Sodom Brethren Gen. 19.7 6. Sixthly They are called Brethren that are of a like quality and disposition so Prov. 18.9 He that is slothful in his work is Brother to him that is a great waster Here it is used upon no other but upon a Religious Account The Apostle calls these Persons here present Brethren because he and they had one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father therefore Brethren If we suppose this Compellation used to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus then we may reade in it the exceeding great humility and condescension of the blessed Apostle Paul who though he was advanced to an Office and Dignity of highest Eminency of any that ever Christ instituted in his Church even the Office of an Apostle which is another manner of Title and Dignity than that either of Bishop or Arch-Bishop or Patriarch or Cardinal or Pope And though the Apostle sufficiently understood how to magnifie this Office of his when necessity or occasion required it Rom. 11.13 yet so modest and humble is the Apostle that he doth not disdain to give unto a company of poor plain Presbyters or Elders of the Church that were in Office and questionless in Gifts and Graces many degrees inferiour to the Apostle yet I say he doth not disdain to give unto them the title and respect of Brethren So that other Apostle Peter whom the Papists forsooth would fain have to be the Prince of the Apostles and Head of the Church see what modest language he useth to the Elders of the Church 1 Pet. 5.1 The Elders that are among you I exhort who am also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fellow-Elder with your selves One would think it would have sounded better and more like the Prince of the Church to have said We will and require you We Peter by divine dispensation Prince of the Apostles Head of the Church the Vicar of Christ to whom the Keys of Heaven are given WE will and require We charge and command the Elders that are among you to feed the Flock of God This indeed is more according to the language and genius of those that pretend to be the Successors of Peter and of the Apostles But those Primitive and purer times knew no such distance betwixt the Ministers of the Gospel nor no such Lordliness of the one over the other the highest Officer in the Church looking upon the lowest as Brethren and Fellow-Elders These gracious and holy Souls had not yet forgotten the Words of their Lord and Master Luke 22.25 The Kings of the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lord it over them and they that exercise Authority upon them are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benefactors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But as for you it shall not be so but he that is greatest among you let him be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the younger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he that is Ruler or Governor among you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Deacon or Minister or Servant The Servants of Christ had not yet forgot these Words of their Lord and

God is able to build you up The Word of God is able to build up the Saints it is able to convert them which is the greater therefore it is able to build them up which is the lesser it is able to save their souls Jam. 1.21 which is the end therefore it is able to build them up which is but in tendency to that end Hence it is that the Word of God is compared to tools or instruments wherewith men build to an Ax Mat. 3. to an Hammer and to Fire Jer. 23. And here It is able to build up but how not of it self no more than an Ax or an Hammer can build a House of it self but God working with the Word and by the Word as an Instrument The Word is able to build up the Saints The weapons of our warfare saith the Apostle speaking of the Ministry of the VVord are mighty through God 2 Cor. 10.4 Therefore the Apostle here joyns God and the VVord together I commend you to God and the VVord of his Grace which is able God by the VVord of his Grace is able to build you up not the VVord alone without God Now this building up imports two things 1. Preservation from decay 2. Progress and carrying on unto Perfection Now the Word is able to do both these First It is able to preserve and keep the Saints from decaying in their Graces from decaying in Faith and Holiness Secondly It is able to carry them from Grace and build them up to more perfection Let this then be a comfort to all the upright-hearted People who it may be are now full of fear that they shall decay and wither away and come to nothing especially when there is such a great and visible decay of Preachers and Preaching in the Land who alas when they had the VVord constantly and instantly preached and pressed upon them in season and out of season had yet much ado to hold on their course then and now so many of their faithful able Teachers are removed from them are ready to think What shall they do now what will become of them they shall never be able to hold out Well Christians fear not as long as God lives and as his VVord lives and you are commended to them and resigned up to them you are safe enough well enough God is able and the VVord of God is able to keep you from falling away Jude 24. He is able to build you up and he will do it assure your selves God will never suffer it to be said concerning him as of that man in the Parable This man begun to build but was not able to finish Luke 14.30 VVhich is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified Qu. This Inheritance here spoken of what is it Ans That which the Apostle speaks of Col. 1.12 and calls an Inheritance among the Saints in Light And which the Apostle Peter speaks of 1 Pet. 1.4 and calls an Inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved for us in the Heavens So that this state of Happiness and Glory in the Life to come is it which the Apostle means by this Inheritance An Inheritance among all them that are sanctified Several Doctrines are observable from hence First That Heaven and the Happiness of it is an Inheritance Secondly That this Inheritance of Heaven it is a Gift Thirdly That God gives this Inheritance by his VVord which is able to build you up and give you an Inheritance Fourthly That Heaven is only for sanctified Persons It is an Inheritance among them that are sanctified Fiftly That Heaven is for all sanctified Persons It is an Inheritance among ALL THEM that are sanctified First Heaven is an Inheritance So Ephes 1.11 In whom also we have obtained an Inheritance and v. 14. Which is the earnest of our Inheritance Col. 1.12 Heb. 925. and in many other places Hence it is that the Saints in Scripture are so often called Heirs Heirs according to Promise Gal. 3.29 and Heirs of Grace 1 Pet. 3.7 Heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 Heirs of the Kingdom James 2.5 Heirs of God yea Co-heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 where I pray mark that Believers are said to be joynt-heirs with Christ not joynt-purchasers with Christ no Christ is Sole-Purchaser of Life and Glory but he is pleased of his Free Grace to admit the Saints into partnership with him of that Inheritance which he hath purchased They are therefore said to be Heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Jesus Christ They are said to be Heirs of God in respect of the Person whose Heirs they are as a man is said to be such a mans Heir They are said to be joynt-heirs with Christ in respect of the Person in whose right the Inheritance falls to them They are said to be Heirs of Life and Salvation in respect of the Matter and Substance of the Inheritance They are said to be Heirs of Grace and Promise in respect of the way and means whereby they come for to have claim to this Inheritance Haereditas saith the Civil Lawyer est Successio in universum jus defuncti When a man dyes and leaves his whole Estate House Lands Money Goods and all he had to another he that there succeedeth in his whole Estate is Haeres exasse his sole Heir Now truly Believers cannot in this sense be said to be the Heirs of God nor can the happiness and glory of the Life to come upon this account be said to be an Inheritance for God is Immortal and therefore this Inheritance is not Successio in jus defuncti And yet nevertheless the happiness of the Saints in the Life to come is called an Inheritance and the Saints are said to be Heirs of God First Because as an Heir entering upon the whole Estate of all that that was that mans whose Heir he is he enjoyeth it all So the Saints being the Heirs of God possess and enjoy all the good things that are in God they have Right to them here in this life but they possess and enjoy them in the Life to come Secondly Because as ordinarily men make their children their Heirs natural children if they have any or if they have none they adopt some into their family and make them first their children then their Heirs so it is here all that are the Heirs of God they are the Children of God not by Nature but by the Grace of Adoption Rom. 8.17 If Children then Heirs Heirs of God and Joynt-heirs with Jesus Christ Jesus Christ is the Only Son of God by Nature and He is the Heir of all things Heb. 1.2 Believers being by Faith united and joyned to Christ they become thereby the Adopted Children of God and Joynt-heirs with Christ and this Grace of Adoption and Co-heirship Jesus Christ himself hath purchased for them with his own Blood Thirdly Because as an Inheritance it is Largissima Compensatio a large and abundant recompence of all that