Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	day_n	lord_n	sabbath_n	9,284	5	10.5348	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62048	The life and death of Mr. Tho. Wilson, minister of Maidstone, in the county of Kent, M.A.	Swinnock, George, 1627-1673.	1672 (1672)	Wing S6277; ESTC R34633	41,246	112

Mr. Robert Swinnocks to Supper By that time he had supped there would be hundred or more gathered together to Mr. Swinnocks house to joyn with him in the conclusion of the day Many times to my comfort I have seen two Rooms one considerable for largeness through which persons of all ranks the Mayor Jurates and their Wives by their patterns encouraging others to worship the great God After Supper he came among them begun with a short prayer then would read the Verses he had expounded in that day ask what observations were raised from such a Verse then proceed to the next so through all the Verses he had expounded forenoon and afternoon then enquire what the Text were the Doctrines the Explications Reasons Uses all in order as preached seldom named one head himself but still heartned them to speak and assisted them when they were at a loss then they sung a Psalm and he ended the day with prayer about ten a clock at night Once a month he administred the Lords Supper to a considerable number of solid serious Christians with that life and warmth in prayer and opening Scripture that some of his Communicants have thought themselves in the Suburbs of Heaven when they have joyned with him in that Ordinance in which he spent an hour and half commonly Thus he Sanctified the Lords Day spending nine or ten hours in publick and private Worship beside what time he spent in secret duties in which he was never niggardly so that the Sabbath which was a day of rest to others was a day of great pains and labour to him yet it was easie yea delightful to him and at the end of the day when those who took not half his pains have complained of their weariness he would be exceeding lively and chearful such was his great love to his Saviour and the souls committed to his charge The Sabbath day to him was a day of light and gladness and a good day CHAP. XV. The great pains he took with his people on the Week-days YEt he did not think it sufficient to Teach his people on the Lords Day but the Town being very populous and the Parish large and he rendred thereby uncapable of going from house to house on the Week-days he layd out himself in the service of his Lord for the henefit of his Parish Every Thursday their Market-day he preached a Lecture to which many Ministers came and with much delight sat under him On Frydays he met in private with as many of his people as would come together when sometimes he expounded the Scripture to them sometimes preached and always sung and prayed with them And also Mundays or Tursdays for his day was altered as he saw occasion he appointed a Conference in the publick Meeting place where the question being before propounded and known ex gr what was the nature of repentance or faith or what the sighness or what the means or what the motives to it his people prepared to speak to it and he by his wise courteous carriage and language won their hearts and drew them to Study the Scriptures and good Books that they might be able to speak to the purpose As they spake when he saw occasion he would help and assist them yet still take care to keep them in the way of Truth and that none did go beyond their bounds or incroach upon the Ministry After they had spoken he would gather together their scattered notions bring them into an orderly method apply to them sutable Texts of Scripture add what of his own he thought necessary and so render the meeting exceeding profitable and comfortable to his flock I have heard him at one of these Meetings when the question was about one of the petitions in the Lords Prayer to my great advantage and delight for Christian Communion mannaged with prudence is that which keeps our Religion in breath and without which it would be ready to die When he laid down this way of Conference instead thereof he set up Catechising on the Week-days in publick and this was continued till he had gone through the whole Town except some Families in the out bounds which Families he intended also to have Cathechized but was prevented He did work the work of him that sent him into the world spend himself as the Silk-worm to cloath and as the Lamp to direct others not to bury the Talent in the Napkin of idleness Indeed those Nurses Ministers I mean deserve the greatest condemnation who let their Children though they cry starve to death because they will not take the pains to draw out their breasts to them CHAP. XVI His diligence on all occasions to do good as also his way of Preaching HE was of a noble disposition very free upon the occasions to communicate knowledge to others not like a Whirlpool that sucks all to it self but as a Fountain to disperse its streams for the refreshment of many Seldom were any in his company but they might if it were not their own fault receive good by him He was neither vain in ostentation nor niggardly in reservation some might think he did ill to take so much pains on the Lords Days and on the Week-days constantly and on all occasions to the shortning of his life but he was sensible he could never labour enough for his Lord and that God make no difference between nequam nequaquam an idle and an evil servant Hence it was that when he was often advised by his friends to be mindful of his body and not to work it so hard he was deaf to all those advice and was ready to say with Calvin when counselled by his friends to take care of his health Would you have my Lord when he comes to find me idle and with Dr. Reynolds of Oxford when the Doctors persuaded him not perdere substantiam propter accidentia Noc propter vitam vivendi perdere causas I met him once at night at a friends house when he had travelled near fourty miles that day yet notwithstanding his great weariness he would spend some time in expounding Scripture to the Family beside singing and prayer which he never omitted before he went to bed St. Austins wish was that Christ when he came to call him by death might find him aut precautem aut predicautem either praying or preaching Truely such seem'd to be the desire of Mr. Wilson by his indefalligable laboriousness about his Masters business I never knew him given to any recreation though never so innocent but exceeding provident he was of his time A little after dinner he would sometimes sit and discourse but usually if he was at home his Study was his place of abode He was Hellno librorum an indefutigable Student stealing time from his sleep even when his body call'd for it for his Book It s said of Bradfrod that he slept not above four hours in the night and that his Book went not out of his hand till sleep came and

admired it but he knew it not He had not the least affectation or shew of oftentation in his carnage or language or any other thing Empty Vessels make the greatest sound and noise those that are full are more silent Ignorance and Pride emptiness and arrogancy are usually concomitants He knew much yet the more he knew the more sensible he was of his ignorance and nothingness and unworthiness and walked the more humbly with his God as a Bough laden with Fruit or an Ear with Corn the fuller and weightier the more they bend down-ward he as the Violet hung down and hid his head though his fragranacy and sweetness discovered him what he was In his cloaths he was always grave and sober never minding the whimsical modes or fashions but ever keeping to the same manner of his attire I stood once with him at his door when a great Gallant antickly drest went by upon which he secretly said I have made a Covenant with mine eyes why should I be hold vanity How accomplished was this good man when he had such rich natural gifts and such great gracious Habits which as the Diamond to the Ring add true value to naturals Alas what are all natural abilities which act grace but as Ciphers which act a figure insignificant and in Gods account standing for nothing nay usually the greater part which act grace the greater prophaneness Satan makes most use of such acute Wits and sharp Swords to do the more mischief At best they are but as Toads with a Pearl in their Heads and Poison in their whole body But Mr. Wilson had this happiness to have his great gifts adorned and ennamel'd with great grace hourly he became the greater instrument of Gods Glory CHAP. XXIII His Wives and Children WHen he was about twenty six years of Age he married a Daughter of Sir Zinzans who being in a consumption before she married him and as I have heard for love of him her Parents judging him much below her died within seven or eight months after her marriage About a year after her death he married Mistress Damaris Cable Daughter of Mr. Iames Cable of London Merchant who was a meet help to him in his Civil and Spiritual concerns by her he had eleven children one whereof viz. his eldest son Samuel who feared the Lord in his youth died young the other ten he left at his death with his disconsolate Widow He had little of this world to leave his many Children about one hundred pounds a piece as I have heard after their Mothers death but he hath left them much if we consider the many fervent prayers which night and day he poured out before the Lord on their behalves I have read of one that when she came to die told her Children I have little to leave you but this I must tell you there is not one Room in the House which is not perfumed with prayer for you Often did good Mr. Wilson cry out to God O that my children might live in thy sight Lord come down by thy Spirit into their hearts least my children die least they die eternally The God of all grace who hath promised to be a God to his and their Seed in his own day give a gracious answer to all the Requests that are on the sile in Heaven for them He had the happiness promised the good man Psal. 128. 3. Thy Wife shall be as a fruitful Vine by the sides of thine House thy Children like Olive Plants round about thy Table O that he might have that happiness to meet all his Children with joy at the great Day CHAP. XXIV His Sickness and Death THat piety which did shine so brightly in his life did wonderfully sparkle in his death The messenger which God sent to call him hence for morbus est via ad mortem was a violent Feaver which he welcomed as knowing it was sent by a gracious Father to call him home to his Fathers House No guest comes at any time a miss to him that keeps a constant Table no providence no not death it self comes at any time amiss to him that is always ready and dieth dayly while he liveth His Lamps were burning his Oyl was ready in his Vessel when the Bridegroom came His Feaver had continued but a little while before his friends did Prognosticate that it would prove mortal and remove him from thence whom they loved as their own souls and under whose Ministry they had sat with so much delight But what he had been in the course of his life the same did he continue to be to his death Though his desease was violent and his fits often acute and sharp yet he never complained he might groan but he never grumbled his pain might cause him to mourn but it did not make him murmur he reverenced the rod in the hand of his Father and that Cup which his Father gave him to drink he submitted to In his extremity his Faith and patience would eminently shine forth to the honour of God and comfort of those that visited him Being sensible of his approaching death he was exceeding solicitous for the Town and Parish whereof he was Minister It s a worthy speech of Laelius in Cicer. de Amicit. Mihi non minori Curae est qualis respublicae post mortem meam futura sit quam qualis bodis sit My care is as great what shall become of the Common-wealth when I am dead as what it shall do while I live So this good man was very anxious what should become of this people when God should call him away As Moses before he died was careful to appoint a Successor that might lead Gods people whom he had brought into the borders into the Land of Promise the Earthly Canaan So Mr. Wilson before he died took care for a Successor that might further that good work which he had begun through grace in many of them and be helpful to conduct them to their Heavenly Canaan To this end he called some of the Town who were wise and gracious to him and advised them to consider of some able good Minister to succeed him and he commended Mr. Iohn Crump a worthy Minister to them as the fittest that he knew to be their Pastour Afterwards Mr. Crump did succeed him not only in his place but also in his faithfulness and diligence and serviceableness to the comfort and advantage of the people As Iacob before his death called his children together to direct and advise what should befall them so he called his Wife and Children to him desiring his Wife not to be discouraged at his death or to sorrow as they that have no hope but to continue to serve God in Christ to trust God and to be chearful in him adding this for her comfort Though now we are parted for a time yet there is a time coming that we shall be joyned again never to part more His children were most little but those that were capable