Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	church_n	earth_n	triumphant_a	4,427	5	11.4398	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29663	A sermon at the funeral of the Worshipful John Symonds, late of Great Yeldham in the county of Essex, Esq. preached in the parish-church of Great Yeldham aforesaid on the 24th of February, 1692, by John Brooke ... ; with a short account of his life.	Brooke, John, 1633 or 4-1716?	1693 (1693)	Wing B4906; ESTC R12467	25,737	32

being and dwelling in the best of Gods people here but when once the Souls of good men are dislodged and have taken their flight from their Bodies this incroaching inmate as one terms sin shall be turned out of doors shall never have so much as any being or existence any longer in them shall never more give them any further labour or trouble The death of a Believers body shall perfectly deliver him from this body of Death as the Apostle calls sin Rom. 7.23 Christ will present unto himself in the other world a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it shall be holy and without blemish as the Apostle assureth us Ephess 5.27 And hence the souls of just men when once got thither are said to be perfect Heb. 12.23 and death is call'd by one Peccatorum sepultura the burial or grave of sin and that is one thing that speaks out the happiness of those that dye in the Lord they shall then be at rest from the labour of sinning which is of all labours and troubles the worst and greatest the most afflictive to a good man whence the Grecians in their Language term a wicked man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from a word which signifieth with them labour and pains To denote as the labour and pains that wicked men are at many times to accomplish their wicked designs for they rest not except they have done mischief and their sleep is taken from them unless they cause some to fall as Solomon tells us Prov. 4.16 so possibly to denote that labour and trouble which sin and the remainders of it give to good men in this life Well from this labour from this trouble they shall be perfectly freed and delivered in the other life they shall be at rest then from the labour and sorrow of sinning any more Yea I may add here as a supplement to this Head the dead that dye in the Lord are not only at rest from sinning but from all suggestions and temptations to it there will be an end put then to all Satans temptations as well as to our sinning He is very busie here in suggesting of bad things to the minds of good men he is dayly dogging them and disturbing them in every thing they go about he buffetted St. Paul we read he desired to winnow St. Peter he stirr'd up David to number the People and whiles Joshua was ministring unto the Lord he was at his right hand to resist him as we are told Zach. 13.1 and it 's no small unhappiness to us that we are thus continually followed and haunted with such an ill Ghost yea but now Death will deliver such as dye in the Lord from this trouble also It will set them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the reach of his batteries and gun-shot though his darts be all fiery darts and so its likely he is able to fling them high as one saith yet not high enough to reach the Saints in glory The Saints on earth indeed are in a Militant Condition part of Gods Militant Church dayly sighting with him and he with them but the Saints in Heaven are in a Triumphant Condition Members of the Triumphant Church wholly above him and more than Conquerours over him and over all their other enemies thro' Christ that loved them as the Apostle assures us Rom. 8.37 His walk is indeed to go to and fro on the earth as he told God himself Job 1.7 but he can't enter the Confines of Heaven When he fell from his integrity he was turned out of that place of felicity and shall never be restored to it again This great Accuser of the Brethren is cast down neither shall his place be found any more in Heaven as we are assur'd Rev. 12.8 this spiritual Pharoth as one terms him may pursue good men to the hour of their death and it may be may then most fiercely too assault them may muster up all his forces in Battle-array against them but at death it may be confidently said unto them in respect of Satan what Moses said once to the Children of Isra●l in respect of the ●●gyptians Exod. 14.13 with which I shall conclude this particular F●ar ye not o●ly stand still and see the salvation of the Lord whi●h he will work for you to d●y for the Aegyptians which ye have seen to d●y ye shall see them no mor● forever 2. Such as dye in the Lord shall be at rest as from the labour of sinning and of all temptations to it so also from their labours in respect of suffering their death will put an end to all those sorrows and sufferings to which by reason of sin they are here exposed God will then wipe all tears from his peoples eyes and t●ere shall be no more sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain f●r the f●rmer things are passed away Revel 21.4 and this indeed followeth upon the former for sublata causâ tollitur eff ctus remove the cause and the ●ff cts will ce●se dry up the fountain and the streams will not run Sin the cause of sorrow and suffering being removed as you have heard then it will be sorrow and suffering the effects of sin must needs then cease Now if need be saith the Apostle ye are in heaviness 1 Pe● 1.6 now men have strong corruptions and therefore need strong corrections Now there is Chaff mingled with our Wheat and therefore there is need of Gods Fan to separate it Dross with our Gold and therefore need of his Fire to refine it Now his Rod and Ch●sti●ements are very necessary to teach us out of Gods Law a● the Psalmist tells us Psal 89.32 but at De●th● th● Scholar in Christs School will have perfectly learn'd his Lesson and herefore there will be no further need of corre●tion Thus De th will set good men at rest from the labour of suffering as well as of sinning yea and that both with reference to their bodies and with reference to their souls that I may en●arge a little here 1. Death will set good Men at rest from all Sufferings with respect to their Bodies Many and G●eat are the Su●f●rings which good Men meet with here by reason of their crazy in●irm Bodies by reason of the gre●t variety of Disea es that are inc dent in this Life to them to mention now none of those other sufferings which some have been forced to undergo by reason of the Racks and Wheels of Persecutors Jo had we know his Botches Hezekiah his Boyl David his Sores the poor Widow of the Gospel her Issue of Blood One Man wasteth away with a Consumption till all his Moisture is Exhausted another is Burnt up with a Feaver a third is as it were Drowned with a Dropsy In one the k●eepers ●f the House that I may Allude to that Elegant Allegory of Solomon Ecl●s 12. Tremble in another the sound of the Grinders is brought low in a third those

die they shall rest from their labours and their works shall follow them therefore they are and must needs be thenceforth blessed Yea that I may descend to and instance in a few particulars here such as die in the Lord must needs be truly though not compleatly blessed and happy immediately after death for they shall then be blessed with perfection in resp●ct of their S uls with the comforta●le soci●ty of the blessed Angels and Souls of just men made perfect and which is more still than all these with a clearer more immediate and never more to be interrupted enjoyment of God and Christ 1. Such as die in the Lord will be immediately after death blessed with perfection in respect of their own Souls their Souls shall be then no longer clog'd down with their bodies But shall be elevated and exalted to their just 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the highest pitch of perfection that they are in their separated Estate capable of and that in all the powers and faculties of them as to instance and but to instance in them 1. Their understandings shall be then extraordinarily enlarged and enlightned to see into those mysteries of nature and divinity which are now hid from them Now I see saith the Apostle through a glass darkly but then face to face now I know but in part but then I shall know even as also I am known 1 Cor. 13.12 The good mans understanding shall then be nevermore deceived or mistaken shall never more be troubled with misconceivings or misapprehensions all those mists of ignorance and errour which do now so much cloud his mind shal● then be scattered and blown over all those groundless fears and scruples which by reason of the weakness of our understandings and the imperfection of our knowledge do now so rack and gravel tender hearts shall then be laid aside for ever abandoned all those laborious studies controverted problems and polemical disputes which do now steal away so much of our time all to so litle purpose shall then have their final decision and full determination and the meanest understanding of them that are dead in the Lord shall then probably be able to confute the now ignorant sentiments of the learnedest Scholars And as their understandings so 2. Their wills shall be then Perfected with a perfect and indefective Holiness with an exact conformity to the divine will and with a perfect freedom from all servitude to sin they shall then be no more troubled with doubtful choise but with a perfect freedom shall steadily embrace the chiefest good and shall find it too as easie to do good as to will and desire it as one expresseth it And as their wills so 3. Their affections too shall be then all composed and placed aright and that too by an unalterable regularity in which too they shall receive the greatest content and satisfaction All those furious waves which do now many times rage in Mens hearts by reason of the turbulency of their passions and affections and do make them too too often like the Seas to foam forth their own shame shall then be reduced to an Everlasting calm Ye all those peevish passions and brutish affections which do now so often dethrone Judgment Conscience in Mens hearts and set the whole world as it were on a sire shall then be for ever cashiered and abandoned And we shall love fear desire delight and rejoyce in nothing but what is good And as their affections so 4. Their memories also shall not then be idle or useless but they shall perfectly remember the miseries that they were in the rock and shelves the dangers that they have escaped as likewise the mercies and good things which they met with here on Earth and all to inhance and heighten the worth of their Happiness and present enjoyments in Heaven Thus 1. Such as die in the Lord are immediately after Death blessed for they shall then be blessed with all that perfection which the nature of the Soul will admit of in its separate Estate 2. They are Blessed for they shall then be blessed too with the happy Society of the blessed Angels and of the Souls of just Men made perfect ye are come saith the Apostle Heb. 12.22 23. speaking indeed of the members of his militant Church in the dayes of the Gospel upon Earth and therefore it s much truer of the members of his Triumphant Church in Heaven unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem a●d to an innumerable company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the Spirits of just Men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the n●w Covenant 1. Then such as die in the Lord shall after their death be immediately blessed with the Society of the blessed Angels ye are come to an innumerable company of Angels and how sweet and comfortable how pleasing and taking their Society is the Saints in Heaven can only tell us but doubtless it is very lovely and amiable they being all creatures of such a noble Extract and of such an Heavenly make as they are 2. They shall then be blessed as with the Society of the Blessed Angels so with the Society of the Spirits of just Men made perfect as the Apostle tells us in the place fore-quoted this tends not a little to the making up of their Happiness The of God are Excellent persons even whiles they are here upon Earth The righteous saith Solomon is more Excellent than his Neighbour Prov. 12.26 And my delight saith David is in the Saints those Excellent ones upon Earth Ps 16.3 Their company even in this life is very taking and pleasing notwithstanding that by reason of that Body of Death which they carry about with them here they are even loaded with many imperfections which may and do breed sometimes real grounds of distaste to those that converse with them But O how excellent are they in Heaven How pleasant and taking will their company be there when they shall be disburdened of all these when they shall be made perfect as then they will be And shall all joyn together with one heart and with one voice to Offer up Everlasting Halelujahs to God and to the Lamb that hath re●●emed them as we are told they sha●l and will Revel 19.1 2 3 4. But then 3. And lastly which is still more than all this the Dead that die in the Lord are immediately after their death though not compleatly yet truly blessed because they then shall be blessed with the blisful fruition of God and Christ they shall come then as to th● Spirits of just Men made perfect so to God t●e judge of all and to J●sus the Mediator of the new Covenant as the Apostle assureth us in that place so often mentioned Heb. 12.22 23 24. According also to that of our Saviour to the penitent

blessed for straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to everlasting life and few there be that find it as our Saviour tells us few alas in comparison of those that miss of it but that such of those dead are happy or blessed that die in the Lord which is the second thing to be opened viz. what it is to die in the Lord And there is some variety amongst Expositors about the interpretation of this phrase Some there are that tell us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put here for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that to die in the Lord in this place is to die propter Dominum or Domini causa for the Lord or in the Lords cause in defence of his Truth against Antichrist as the Holy Martyrs did and they quote several parallel places of Scriptures where the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Lord is to be so taken to confirm what they say as Rom. 16.12 and Ephes 4.1 and do moreover alledge the context and the occasion of these words for this sence of them Others there are that take these words in their proper sence as not confined to the martyrs only to such as die for the cause of Christ and do seal his Truth with their Blood but as belonging to all that die in the faith and fear of the Lord and so to die in the Lord with them is to die in his faith and fear in his love and favour as all good men do and they do quote also several places of Scripture to confirm this sence of theirs where this phraze is so used as Rom. 16.7 salute Andronicus and Junia which were in the Lord before me saith St. Paul that is which were believers which were in the faith before him 1 Thes 4.14 If we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus i. e. which die in Jesus will God bring with him and to mention no more places to this purpose see Ver 16. of the same Chap. The Lord hims●lf saith the Apostle shall descend from Heaven with a shout wi●h the voice of the Arch-Angel and with the Trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first the dead in Christ i. e. those that die in the faith of Christ as all true believers do interested in him in his love and favour The words in my Text may be taken I humbly conceive in both these Senses and though possibly the first sense given of them may be primarily intended in it yet the second is in no sort to be excluded for though the Martyrs and such as die for the truth and cause of Christ may have the greatest share in this blessedness as being most capacitated for it and most deserving of it yet such as die in the faith and fear of Christ as all good men do are blessed as well as they and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab hoc tempore henceforth as we render the Original which brings me to the second thing observable in my first general viz. 2. The circumstance of time whence this blessedness doth in a more especial manner commence comprized in this word henceforth Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord henceforth Not but that the dead that died in the Lord were blessed before this time alwaies blessed and that too from the very first moment of their dying whatever the Papists talk to the contrary in defence of their Purgatory and Limbus Patrum but that they were so now in an especial manner when this Book I mean of the Revelations was written in that they would by this means be as it were housed and secured from that severe storm of persecution which then hung over the Church of Christ and which was to be raised by the Beast and Antichrist against the saints and servants of God but so much shall suffice for the explication of the first thing observable in my Text the Assertion here laid down touching the happy estate and condition of such as die in the Lord in these words of it blessed are the dead that die in the Lord henceforth I come now to the Second general viz. 2. To the Confirmation of this Assertion in the remainder of my Text and we have it confirmed to us Three wayes 1. By a voice from Heaven I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the Dead c. 2. By the Testimony of the Holy Spirit upon the earth Yea saith the Spirit 3. By the reason of the thing or the ends that are given here why good men die That they may rest from their Labours and that their Works may follow them 1. Then we have this assertion here confirmed by a voice from Heaven I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me write Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord henceforth We read in the Scriptures of several Voices that have been heard from Heaven to confirm us in the Principles of our Religion and in the Articles of our Creed The voice heard from Heaven by St. John in my Text was to Confirm him and us in the last Article of our Creed touching the Happiness of the dead and the glorious estate of the triumphant Church in the life to come and what greater confirmation can we desire to establish us in any truth than a voice from Heaven since a voice from Heaven tells us that the dead that die in the Lord are blessed we have no reason in the world to doubt of it For who can know who are in Heaven and what is the estate and condition of those that are there better than those that are in Heaven or have come from thence as this voice did we have no better way to know what is done in China or in the East-indies or how happy the Inhabitants of those Countreys are Than by talking with one that hath been in those parts or is come from thence we have no better way to know what is done in Heaven and how happy they are that are got thither than by talking with and hearing of those that live there or have come from thence and therfore I say since the blessedness of those that die in the Lord hath been confirmed to us by a voice from Heaven we have all the reason in the world to believe it But then 2. We have this truth confirmed to us as by a voice from heaven so also by the testimony of the holy spirit upon earth I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord henceforth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea saith the Spirit viz. the Divine Spirit or the Holy Ghost as the word Spirit doth often import in this Book and in other Books of the sacred Scriptures as if the voice or he that uttered the voice had said to St. John 't is not only I who am but possibly an Angel a fellow-creature of thine a bare messenger sent from Heaven to