Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	earth_n	high_a	lord_n	11,163	5	3.8462	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45567	Safety in the midst of danger a sermon preached in the church of Alhallowes Barkin, Jan. 4, 1655 : upon the anniversary commemoration of the dismall fire which happened in the said parish, on Jan. 4, 1649 / by Nath. Hardy ...	Hardy, Nathaniel, 1618-1670.	1656 (1656)	Wing H747; ESTC R20509	19,795	32

therefore act with their utmost vtgor hence it is that fire naturally cannot but burne and burning if the matter be capable consume surely then that this fire should be in a bush which is so easily capable and not consume it was not onely super but contra-naturall {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to use S. Cyrils phrase a matter indeed of astonishment the fire forgets its naturall quality and sitting upon the bush instead of consuming cherisheth it Doubtlesse it was no other then the first and supream cause which did as it were inhibit and lay a restraint upon the fire that it should not act according to its proper and naturall instinct The voice of the Lord saith the Psalmist divideth the flames of fire yea here the voice of the Lord divideth the flame from the fire and hindereth its consumptive operation As in that fiery Fornace God did as it were lay a charge upon the fire that it should not so much as scorch those three Salamanders so here that it should not consume the bush If any shall further inquire how God did restrain the fire I answer with Tostatus that it was by withholding his providentiall concourse It is a received maxime in the Schools that the continuance of second causes in their Being and working depends upon the renewed influxe of conserving providence in which regard Saint Gregory is expresse that all creatures would returne to their first nothing nisi operatione divinae virtutis conservarentur in esse were they not preserved in their Being by the influence of Divine Power Nor is it lesse true in regard of working then Being if the first wheel stand still the rest cannot move True there is in every creature implanted a naturall power which it receiveth together with its existence of producing its proper effect but it cannot exerere aut exercere to use Gerards phrase put forth and exercise that power unlesse actuated by God what more naturall to the Sun then to arise and yet our Blessed Saviours words are expresse he maketh his Sun to rise what more naturall to man then to move and yet Saint Paul saith in him we move I cannot better illustrate it then by Aquinas his comparison Sic se habet omnis creatura ad Deum sicut aer ad solem illuminantem As it is with the Aire in regard of the Sun so is it with every creature in regard of God and as the Aire can no longer communicate light to the world then the Sun doth communicate light to the Aire no more can any creature any further put forth its effecting vertue then it partaketh of Divine influence and hence it is that as when the Sun withdraweth its light the Aire becometh dark so when God is pleased to suspend his influence the creature becometh unable to produce its effect for this cause our Blessed Saviour asserteth Man liveth not by Bread onely but by every word which proceedeth from the mouth of God hereby intimating that though the Bread have in it selfe nutritive vertue yet it cannot be exerted for the sustaining of mans life unlesse a word proceed from Gods mouth The suspension then of this word the withholding of Divine concourse may very fitly be looked upon as that which did restraine and hinder the fire from its naturall operation of burning so as to consume Nor yet as Tostatus well observeth did it cease to be fire since the forme and the operation of a thing are really distinct and though the operation cannot be continued without the forme yet the forme may be conserved without the operation I cannot let this goe without taking notice 1. On the one hand of that Authority and Soveraignty which God hath over all creatures as being Monarch of the Earth and Possessor of Heaven supream Prince of the Fire the Aire Lord high Admiral of the Seas yea so absolute in his dominion over all that he hath a negative voice He commandeth the Sun and it riseth not and sealeth up the Stars saith Job if he forbid the glorious luminaries vaile their brightnesse and hide their splendor He rebuketh the Winde and the Seas saith the Evangelist concerning Christ as God and there was a great calm the roaring waves and impetuous blasts ceasing their noise and rage at his word Finally he commandeth the fire and it burneth not it consumeth not its mercilesse heat being kept in by his mercifull power Oh what a God doe we serve in whose hands are all the corners of the Earth and things in the World whence should the servants of God feare destruction where need they doubt protection as being under his armes who is over all 2. On the other hand of that Obedience and subjection which all creatures give to God and that not onely according to but against their naturall instinct The Psalmist saith that the fire hail snow and vapour and stormy windes fulfill his word yea even then when his word is contrary to their nature thus the Sun stands still nay goeth backwards the Waters divide the Iron swimmeth finally the Lyons devour not the Whale swalloweth and killeth not and the Asse openeth his mouth to speak at his command Oh what shame may sit upon our faces who though of all creatures we are most obliged to yet are least forward in serving God Excellently Origen to this purpose Hi qui prudentiae intellectus expertes sunt inclinantur jubenti c. These creatures which are void of wisdome and understanding that have neither speech nor language observe his Commandements He chideth the windes and they are still he speaketh to the Sea and it obeyth onely men who are made after Gods image to whom he hath given both reason and language are contumacious and rebell against him How shall the Whale the Lions and the Asse unreasonable creatures the Fire the Water and the Sun inanimate creatures one day condemn men for their disobedience Yea I would to God the best of us might not justly accuse our selves as below them in subjection to that God who hath dignified us so much above them in our creation whilest though we obey God in some things yet in those which are contrary to our Reason and Will we resist him making his Law our rule no farther then it may consist with our will Surely as Solomon sends the sluggard to the Ant to learn diligence so may we be sent to School to the fire to learn obedience 2. But further this miracle is no lesse considerable in regard of the Bush it being a thing deservedly admirable that a Bush should have a fire in the midst of it and yet not be consumed by it Of all materialls wood is most susceptible of the impressions of fire and is farre more easily consumed then stone brasse brick or such like things Of all wood none more easily combustible then bushes the fire is farre longer in taking hold

SAFETY IN THE MIDST OF DANGER A SERMON Preached in the Church of Alhallowes Barkin Jan. 4. 1655. Upon the Anniversary Commemoration of that dismall Fire which happened in the said Parish on Jan 4. 1649. By NATH HARDY Minister of the Parish of Saint Dionis Back-Church Sedul. Carm. lib. 1 Ignibus innocuis flagrans apparuit olim Non ardens ardere rubus nec juncta calori Materies alimenta dabat nec torrida virens Sensit damna frutex sed amici fomitis aestu Frondea blanditae lambebant robora flammae LONDON Printed by J. G. for John Clark and are to be sold at his Shop under St. Peters Church in Cornhill 1656. To the VVorshipful Henry Hunter Esq. Mr. James Man Merchant Mr. AbrahamPerret Gent. Mr. John Wood Merchant Mr. Thomas Salmon Mr. Henry Marchant and Mr. Samuell Burrell Gent. Worthy Friends IT is the Psalmists assertion concerning God He hath made his wonderfull workes to be remembred or as Ainsworth tracing the footsteps of the Originall more closely readeth it He hath made a memoriall of his marvellous workes Indeed as God expects that men should so knowing our dulnesse he hath taken care himselfe that the remarkable dispensations of his providence shall not be forgotten Divine workes are of two sorts either blazing Comets or shining Starres blustring Stormes or gentle Showers wofull Desolations or mercifull Preservations Those are acts of Justice these of Mercy both of Power and God hath made memorialls of both That his exemplary justice on seditious Corah and his complices might be perpetually remembred he commands their Censers to be made broad plates for a covering of the Altar for so it followeth and they shall be a signe to wit rememorative and thereby commonitory to the children of Israel That his eminent Mercy to the Israelites in the Wildernesse when raining bread out of Heaven he give them to use the Psalmists language Angells food might be recorded to posterity Moses as the Lord commanded bid Aaron take a pot and put an Omer full of Manna therein and lay it up before the Lord for so the reason is expressed in the next words to be kept for their Generations This extraordinary event which happened was doubtlesse a speciall effect of Providence and that such as was mingled with severity and clemency severity to them who were consumed in clemency to you my Honoured friends and the rest who were delivered from or snatched out of the flames And surely your Anniversary Commemoration of so notable a worke deserveth singular commendation that being thankfulnesse indeed which consults for renewed prayses by repeated memorialls In pursuance of this pious designe I conceive it is you have desired this Sermon to be made publique that being according to Gods command concerning Israels deliverance and Amelek's discomfiture written yea Printed in a Book Time which is so great a devourer might not consume the memory of this consumption And Printing which is so faithfull a Register might preserve the memoriall of this preservation In order to this end I have concurred with your desires and caused this imperfect piece to see the light Commending it to Gods benediction You and yours to his protection I subscribe my self as your many favours oblige me Your faithfull Servant NATH HARDY Exod. 3. 2. the latter part And behold the Bush burned with fire and the Bush was not consumed THe Text you see presents us with a sight and a sight it is which this day minds us of That in the Text was of a fire a burning fire such was this of the day That in the Text such a fire as never was before nor hath been since This of the day such as the like every way hath seldome been before and as yet hath not been God grant it may never be againe Finally that in the Text was of a fire burning but not consuming and this of the day of many who were plucked out of the burning and not consumed I will now turne aside saith Moses in the next verse to wit from the flock which he was feeding and see this great sight The like Soliloqute I believe you here present had every one with himselfe this morning I will now turne aside for one houre from my secular imployments to heare of that great sight which was beheld this day at once both with sorrow and joy Welcome good Christians I trust your expectation will not be disappointed I shall God assisting set both sights before you the miracle of the one the wonder of the other but first begin we with this in the Text And behold the Bush burned with fire c. The words offer two Generalls to our view here is A miraculous preservation described The Bush burned with fire and the Bush was not consumed And A serious observation required Behold The miraculous preservation of the Bush is that which would first be handled the Object being in order of nature before the Act for the better discussing whereof we shall consider The strange Event which happened And The choice intent for which it was designed The event is that a Bush burning with fire was not consumed This phrase the Bush burned is not to be taken strictly for then it must have been pabulum ignis fuell for and so consumed by the fire thus wood is said to burne when the fire having taken full hold of it it sends forth flames from it selfe till it be wholly turned to ashes we must know therefore that the holy Scripture as Lapide well observeth oft-times speaketh of things not as they are in themselves but as they appeare to outward view and so this Bush is said to burn because whosoever had seen it would have thought it to burne and though the burning was onely in appearance yet the fire was no doubt reall else it had been no miracle and was within and round about the Bush notwithstanding which it was not consumed That so it was is plainly asserted and therefore not to be doubted how it came to be so is concealed and therefore not to be curiously inquired When God divided the Red Sea the Scripture tells us it was by a great Eastwinde but when Jordan was divided we only reade that it was done but not how it came to passe and so here in which respect though the meanes of effecting it may be conjectured yet it cannot be determined Certain it is it was an effect of Omnipotency besides above against the ordinary course A thing to reason incredible because to nature impossible and such as since neither our power can accomplish nor our knowledge comprehend it is but just we should admire The more to raise our admiration and withall the better to informe our apprehension of this miracle be pleased to consider it in a double reference to the fire and to the bush 1. To the fire They are known Maxims in Philosophy all naturall agents produce their effects necessarily and