Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	bless_v	lord_n	star_n	2,155	5	10.0592	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01379	Fiue sermons preached vpon sundry especiall occasions Viz. 1 The sinners mourning habit: in Whitehall, March 29. being the first Tuesday after the departure of King Iames into blessednesse. 2 A visitation sermon: in Christs Church, at the trienniall visitation of the right reuerend father in God the lord bishop of London. 3 The holy choice: in the chappell by Guildhall, at the solemne election of the right honorable the lord maior of London. 4 The barren tree: at Pauls-Crosse, Octob. 26. 5 The temple: at Pauls-Crosse. August 5. By Tho: Adams.	Adams, Thomas, fl. 1612-1653.; Adams, Thomas, fl. 1612-1653. Barren tree. aut; Adams, Thomas, fl. 11612-1653. Temple. aut	1626 (1626)	STC 115; ESTC S115603	103,732	219

house defends vs God defends his house our house comprehends vs God comprehends his house Wee are onely within our houses and they are without vs God is so within his house that hee is also without it elsewhere euery where yea his house is within him When we are abroad we cannot keepe our houses yea when wee are in them asleepe they serue to keepe vs. God can neuer be absent from his nor doth the keeper of this Temple euer sleepe Now euery materiall Temple wherein the Saints are assembled the truth of the Gospell is preached and professed the Holy Sacraments duely administred and the Lords Name is inuocated and worshipped is the Temple of God Why is it called His Temple but for the testification of his presence When Cain stood excommunicated for murdering his brother and might not come to the place appointed for Gods seruice he is said to be cast out from the presence of the Lord. Some haue interpreted the like of Ionahs flying from his presence that he fled from the place where the Prophets vsed to stand ready to be sent of God Nadab and Abihu dyed before the Lord that is before the Altar of the Arke or Altar in the Tabernacle or Temple was said to be done coram D●mino And yet too many come to the Temple with so little reuerence as if they thought God were not at home or did not dwell in his owne house But the Lord is present in his Temple in vaine shall wee hope to finde him elsewhere if we do not seek him here I will bee in the midst of you gathered together in my Name not any where not euery where but here Indeed no place excludes him but this place is sure of him hee fills all places with his presence hee fills this with his gracious presence Heere hee both heares vs and is heard of vs Audit orantes docet audientes hee heares our prayers and teacheth vs our lessons No place sends vp faithfull prayers in vaine no place hath such a promise of hearing as the Temple It is the Lords Court of Audience his Highnesse Court of Requests There humble soules open their grieuances from thence they returne loaden with graces Why are many so voyd of goodnesse but because they are negligent of the publike deuotions They seek not the Lord where hee may bee found therefore deserue to misse him where they pretend to seek him Why should they thinke to finde God in their Closets while they care not to seeke him in his Temples When wee need the helpe of our friend do we tarry till we meet him by chance or till hee come to vs or shall wee not rather go home to his house Peter and Iohn went vp into the Temple at the houre of Prayer they thought it no sufficient to pray in their priuate chambers but ioyne themselues with the Congregation as a Nauy Royall to transport their holy Merchandise to heauen Lift vp your hands in the Sanctuary and blesse the Lord. Pure hands are accepted in euery place but especially in the Sanctuary What followes The Lord that made heauen and earth blesse thee out of Sion Hee sayes not the Lord that made heauen blesse thee vpon earth nor the Lord that made earth blesse thee out of heauen but the Lord that made heauen and earth blesse thee out of Sion Blessings come originally from heauen mediately through Sion In the Temple let vs seeke in the Temple wee shall finde those precious treasures and comforts of Iesus Christ. This Temple is not without some enemies Besides those prophane Polititians that thinke with one Eustathius that there is no vse of Temples or those Massilians who as Damascen reports did adde to other Heresies Templorum contemptum or those Pseudo-Apostoli that laughed at a Temple full of Suppliants as a house full of fooles Or those that bee of Ieroboams mind who to settle himselfe in the kingdome of Israel diuerts the people from Gods house at Ierusalem In stead of that snowy glittering Temple they shall haue two golden representations Sion is too farre off these shall bee neere home that is a tedious way of deuotion these both compendious and plausible As Iosephus brings him in perswading them My good people and friends you cannot but know that no place is without God and that no place doth containe God wheresoeuer we pray he can heare vs wheresoeuer we worship hee can see vs therefore the Temple is superfluous the iourney needlesse God is better able to come to you then you are to goe to him Beside these the Temple of God hath two kinds of foes 1. The Anabaptists tell vs that the old superstition hath made those houses fitter for Stables then for Churches that they ought no more to be called Templa Dei but Templa Idolorum as they pretend the Passeouer was called in those corrupt times not Pascha Dei but Pascha Iudaeorum By the same reason they would haue remoued all Princes because some haue abused their gouernments But we say though euill men abuse good things yet if a kingdome were not a lawfull State Dauid and Iosias would neuer haue been Kings for good men doe not vse euill things The Temple in Christs time was become a denne of theeues yet euen then and there did hee send vp deuout and holy Prayers It is a grosse ignorance that cannot distinguish betwixt a fault that proceeds ex natura facti and that which proceeds ex abusu boni the former is malum simpliciter the other is but malum per accidens No man pulles downe his house because vncleanesse hath been committed in one of the chambers Let offenders be remoued from the Temple not the Temple demolished because of offences The Kingdome of God shall be taken from you saith Christ not quite taken away but onely taken from the Iewes When GOD threatned the like to Saul he did not meane to haue no more Kings or to reduce it to the former state of Iudges no onely the kingdome shall lose Saul but Israel shall not lose the kingdome It is a Maxime in nature Things dedicated to God are not to bee transferred to the vses of men a principle in Philosophy Quae rectè data sunt eripi non licet and a prouerbe among our children To giue a thing and take a thing is fit for the Deuils darling 2. The Sacrilegious to whom God is beholding if they let his Temple stand but for the maintenance of it they will bee so bold with him as either to share halfe or leaue him none There bee many that pray in the Temple who yet also prey on the Temple as if a thiefe should doe homage to that house in the day which hee meanes to robbe in the night But alas why should I touch that sore which is all dead flesh or speake against Sacriledge In orbe sacrilego among them that delight in it Where Lawyers are feeed

his bribe comes to bee denyed for if his vsuall carriage had giuen him no hope of speeding hee would not offer A Seruant that is a fauourite or inward giues suspition of corruption and is commonly thought but a by-way some post●rne or back-dore for a gift to come in when the broad fore-gates are shut against it This makes many aspire to Offices and great places not to doe good but to get goods as some loue to bee stirring the fire if it bee but to warme their owne fingers Whatsoeuer affaires passe through their hands they crooke them all to their owne endes and care not what becomes of the publike good so they may aduance their owne priuate and would ●et their neighbours house on fire and it were but to rost their owne egges Let them banish Couetousnesse with as great a hatred as Amnon did Thamar first thrust it out of their hearts then shut and locke the dore after it for the couetous heart is none of them that God chuseth Next let vs see what kinde of hearts of God will chuse and they be furnished with these vertues fit for a Magistrate 1. There is Cor sapiens a wise heart and this was Salomons suite An vnderstanding heart Hee saw hee had power enough but not wisedome enough and that Royaltie without wisedome was no better then an eminent dishonour a very Calfe made of golden Eare-rings There is no Trade of life but a peculiar wisedome belongs to it without which all is tedious and vnprofitable how much more to the highest and busiest vocation the gouernment of men An ignorant ruler is like a blind Pilot who shall saue the vessell from ruine 2. Cor patiens a meeke heart what is it to discerne the cause and not to bee patient of the proceedings The first Gouernour that God set ouer his Israel was Moses a man of the meekest spirit vpon earth How is hee fit to gouerne others that hath not learn'd to gouerne himselfe He that cannot rule a Boat on the riuer is not to bee trusted with steering a Vessell on the Ocean Nor yet must this patience degenerate into cowardlinesse Moses that was so meeke in his owne cause in Gods cause was as resolute So there is also 3. Cor magnanimum a heart of fortitude and courage The rulers and squares that regulate others are not made of lead or soft wood such as will bend or bow The principall Columnes of a house had need be heart of Oke A timorous and flexible Magistrate is not fit for these corrupt times If either threatnings can terrifie him or fauour melt him or perswasions swerue him from Iustice hee shall not want temptations The Braine that must dispell the fumes ascending from a corrupt liuer stomach or spleene had need bee of a strong constitution The couragious spirit that resolues to doe the will of heauen what malignant powers soeuer would crosse it on earth is the heart God chuseth 4. Lastly there is Cor. honestum an honest heart Without this courage will prooue but legall Iniustice policie but meere subtiltie and abilitie but the Deuills Anuile to forge mischiefes Priuate men haue many curbes but men in authoritie if they feare not God haue nothing else to feare If hee bee a simple Dastard hee feares all men if a head-strong commander he feares no man like that vniust Iudge that feared neither God nor Man This is the ground of all fidelitie to King and Countrey Religion Such was Constantines Maxime Hee cannot bee faithfull to mee that is vnfaithfull to God As this honourable place of the Kings Lieutenāt-ship hath a Sword-bearer so the Magistrate himselfe is the Lords Sword-bearer saith Saint Paul And as hee may neuer drawe this Sword in his priuate quarrell so hee must not let if bee sheathed when Gods cause calls for it It is lenitie and conniuence that hath inuited contempt to great places Did Iustice carrie a seuerer hand they durst not traduce their Rulers in Songs and Saty●s the burden whereof will bee their owne shame Magistrates are our ciuill Fathers and what deserue they but the curse of Cham that lay open the nakednesse of their Fathers When Alexander had conquered Darius and casually found his slaine bodie lying naked hee threw his owne coat ouer him saying I will couer the destinie of a King It is God alone that casteth contempt vpon Princes which that hee may not doe let them preserue Cor mundum a cleane heart not conscious of ill demerits Such a one sits on the Iudgement-Seat as one that neuer forgets that hee must appeare before the Iudgement-Seate of Christ. So hee executeth Iustice as neuer losing the sense of Mercy so hee sheweth Mercie as not offering violence to Iustice Hee can at once punish the offence and pitie the offender Hee remembers his oath and feares to violate it to an enemie hee is not cruell to a friend hee will not bee partiall And if euer hee haue but once cut the skirt of Iustice as Dauid the lappe of Sauls garment his Heart smites him for it Hee minds no other clocke on the Bench but that of his owne Conscience Hee will not offend the Iust nor affoord a good looke to varlets nor yet doth hee so d●sregard their persons as to wrong their causes Hee will maintaine Pietie but not neglect Equitie In Court hee lookes not before him on the person nor about him on the beholders nor behind him for bribes nay hee will not touch them in his Cloffer or Chamber lest the timber and stones in the wall should-witnesse against him So hee helpes the Church that the Common-wealth bee no loser so hee lookes to the Common-wealth that the Church may not bee wronged The lewd feare him the good praise him the poore blesse him hee hath been a Father to Orphans a Husband to distressed Widowes Many prayers are layde vp for him in Heauen and when hee dies they with the assist●nce of Angels shall beare him vp to blessednesse Lastly let vs see why God will chuse men by the heart I denie not but wisedome and courage moderation and ●atience are all requisite concur●ences but the Heart is the Primum Mobile that sets all the wheeles a going and improoues them to the right end When God begins to make a man good he begins at the heart as Nature in forming so God in reforming begins there As the eye is the first that begins to die and the last that begins to liue so the heart is the first that liues and the last that dies It is said of the Spider that in the morning before shee seekes out for her prey shee mends her broken webbe and in doing that she alwayes begins in the midst Before wee pursue the profits and baits of this world let vs first amend our life and when wee vndertake this let vs bee sure to begin at the heart The Heart is the Fort or Citadell in this little I le of man let vs fortifie that or all

and makes himselfe this answer It may be Lord for feare lest thy heauenly Court should bee in doubt which of the two they should goe first to meet An tibi Domino suo an ipsi Dominae suae whether thee their Lord or her their Lady as if it had been well aduised of Christ to leaue his mother behind him lest she should share part of his glory Did this make for the honour of Christ To choke vp the knowledge of God by preaching that Ignorance is the mother of Deuotion hath small colour of honouring God The ascribing of false miracles to the liuing or departed Saints seemes to honour God but sure he will neuer thanke them for it Saint Augustine being sick a blind man came to him expecting that he could miracu●ously restore his sight but that good Father sent him away with a check Doest thou think that if I could cure thee by miracle that I would not by miracle cure my selfe It is a foolish thought that God will bee glorified by a lie Our iudiciall Astrologers that tye mens destinies to the Starres and Planets pretend Gods honour who hath giuen such vertue and influence to his creatures but indeed make thē no better then Idols Though the Sunne and Moone bee good and necessary yet to adore the Sunne and Moone is flat Idolatry It was not Mercury that made the theefe nor Venus that made the strumpet as when the husband cudgeld his adulterous wife and shee complained that he was vnnaturall to strike his owne flesh alledging that it was not shee that playd the harlot but Venus in her to whom he replied that neither was it shee that he did beat but Venus in her or rather Venus out of her To make this vsefull to ourselues let vs take heed of fancying an other seruice of God then hee hath prescribed vs. Euery Master in his owne family appoints the manner how he will be serued He that requires our seruice requires it his owne way or else he holds vs to serue our selues not him Shall we make ourselues wiser then our Maker as if he did not best know what would best please him Shall heauen giue a blessing to that which was deuised against the will of heauen Doth not God threaten them with the addition of plagues that shall adde to his precepts If such deuices be good and necessary why did not God command them Did he want wisdome If they bee not necessary why doe wee vse them Is it not our presumptuous folly The Lords Ielousie is stirred vp by the rivalitie not onely of a false God but of a false worship Nothing is more dangerous then to mint his seruices in our owne braines In vaine doe they worship mee teaching for doctrines the commandements of men Is it not gricuous for men to lose all their labour and that in the maine busines of their life That so many hundred oblations so many thousand prayers so much cost of their purses so much affliction to their bodies so much anguish of their soules should be all forceles fruitles Like a dog that hunts counter and takes great paines to no purpose Euill deeds may haue sometimes good meanings but those good meanings are answered with euill recompences Many bestow their labors their goods their bloo●s and yet receiue torments in stead of thanks When the Apostle bids vs mortifie our earthly members hee does not intend violence to our selues but to our sinnes There is one mortification to cast our selues out of the world there is another mortification to cast the world out of vs. A body macerated with scourges disabled with fastings wearied with pilgrimages was none of S. Pauls mortification Who hath required this at your hands Where is no commaund imposed no reward proposed no promise made if you doe no punishment threatned if you doe not what fruit can be expected but shame Must wee needs either doe nothing or that which is worse then nothing Shall we offer so much suffer so much and all in vaine Quis haec à vobis Let him pay you your wages that did set you on worke Neuer plead your owne reason where God hath set a plaine interdiction He that suffers his faith to be ouerruled by his reason may haue a fat reason but a leane faith That man is not worthy to bee a follower of Christ who hath not denied himselfe therefore denied his Reason for his reason is no small piece of himselfe If Reason get the head in this diuine businesse it presently preuailes with will and will commands the affections so this new Triumvirate shall gouerne the Christian not Faith But as when three Ambassadors were sent from Rome to appease the discord betweene Nicomedes and Prusias whereof one was troubled with a Megrim in his head another had the Gowt in his toes and the third was a foole Cato said merrily that Ambassage had neither Head nor Foot nor Heart So that man shall neither haue a head to conceiue the truth nor a foot to walke in the wayes of obedience nor a heart to receiue the comforts of saluation that suffers his reason will and affections to vsurpe vpon his faith Hence it comes to passe that the most horrid sinnes are turned into Idols by setting our owne reasons against the manifest will of God Thus lies shall bee father'd vpon the Father of truth and truth vpon the Father of lies Thus breach of faith and periurie shall be held Orthodoxe opinions Yea that execrable monster whereof this day remembers vs Treason it selfe shall be held good Doctrine Rude cacodaemon that stigmaticke Idol that grosse deuill shall be worshiped Si fas caedendo coelestia scandere If this be the way to the kingdome of heauen if thus men may merit to be starres in the Firmament by embruing their hands in the bloud-Royall of Princes what Iesuite will not be a Star When such bee their principles such must needes bee their practices What though God condemne Treason to hell when the Pope will aduance it to heauen What though the Diuinne Scripture doth ranke traitors among dogs deuils when the Pope will number them among Saints It was wont to be said Ex quolibet ligno non fit Mercurius euery block is not fit to make an Image Yet now the most monstrous sinne that euer the deuill shaped in his Infernall forge is not onely by the practice but euen by the Doctrine of Rome turned into an Idol What is that we shal call sin when murther Treason is held religion Alas for our age to beare the date of these impieties That our posterity should euer reade in our Chronicles In such a yeare in such a day Traitors conspired against their lawfull Gracious Soueraigne and that in those dayes there was a sect of men liuing that did labour in voluminous writings to iustifie those horrible facts But oh may those pestiferous monuments be as fast deuoured by obliuion as the authors and abettors themselues are