Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	father_n	house_n	mansion_n	1,843	5	11.4237	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A23803	The whole duty of mourning and the great concern of preparing our selves for death, practically considered / written some years since by the author of The whole duty of man, and now published upon the sad occasion of the death of our Most Gracious Sovereign Lady Mary the II, Queen of England, &c. of blessed memory.	Allestree, Richard, 1619-1681.	1695 (1695)	Wing A1194; ESTC R33068	65,567	192

nor ever entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 IV. Now we ought not to forget this End but Imprint it in our minds for though we know not distinctly what the things prepared are yet we know they are Great and Glorious for so much is revealed unto us by Gods Spirit and we have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.10.12.16 and therefore O thou great being teach us to make a Covenant with our Eyes to turn them away from beholding of Vanity and ever to look at this mark and to feed our Eyes with a sight of this Glory and even afarr off to behold it by Contemplation until we approach neerer unto it and with the Psalmist be satisfied therewith Psal. 17 1● V. And in our Fellowship with God we are not only allowed to see him but to enjoy him and all that we see in him by Covenant he gives himself to be our God Gen. 17.7.8 and is our portion and inheritance Psal. 16.5 Jer. 10.16 Lam. 3.24 in this Promise are Contained all the Riches of Glory and all the Treasures of Immortality and in all the Promises of the Gospel there is not more Comfort then that which is included in this Word for what Gift is greater then God or what can be wanting to them that have the Lord for their exceeding great reward Gen. 15.1 VI. The Comfort of this Gift is unspeakable for the present in the midst of affliction but in the last period of our lives then is the fulfilling of this and the like Promises therefore is that End ever to be remembred and longed after then especially shall it appear how his Flock shall remain as Lambs in the Bosome of the Lord their Shepherd Isa. 40.11 then will it be further revealed how God dwelleth in them and they in him 1 John 4.15 16. he that fills heaven and Earth Jer. 23.24 is himself a House wherein they shall dwell and they a Mansion wherein he shall make his abode John 14.23 by this Heavenly Conjunction and Cohabitation with God shall the Elect be one even as the Father and the Son are one Christ in them and the Father in him that they may be perfect in one John 17 22. VII This thrice Blessed and most Glorious Union is that Green bed of Christ and his Spouse Cant. 1.16 an Eternal Paradise of Delights and Garden of Spiritual Comfort by this Communion God Embraceth those who are his with both armes of his love and putteth them in his bosom Cant. 2.6 chap 8.3 and in this divine Embracement there is felt more Happiness and Heavenly Joy then all the Love and Fruits of Love or whatsoever went under the Name of the Tenderest and Strongest affection in this World could ever yield unto the Heart of Man for if the first Fruits of Spiritual Joy now at this pesent in the midst of Tribulation be an Hundred fold more than all the Pleasure of Houses and Lands Fathers and Mothers Wife and Children the most desirable things of this World Mark 10.29 30. then how can it be but more then an Hundred Thousand fold Pleasure to enjoy the Beauty and Face of God in Heaven to inherit the fulness of Joy in his Presence and Pleasures for evermore at his Right Hand VIII If the infinite Blessedness of the Glorious Persons in the Holy Trinity doth appear in their mutual Union so that they were an all sufficient and Eternal delight unto themselves in enjoying one another continually before the World was and before Men or Angels were made Pro. 8.30 then may we well think how our Vessels shall be filled and overflow with Heavenly Comfort 1 John 14. when we come to Drink of that Divine Fountain and Enter into our Masters Joy Mat. 25.21.23 and taste the sweetness of that Communion this Love of God is better then life it self Psal. 63.3 and all our Life and Love of this World is to be hated in Comparison of it Luke 14.26 IX And as in Soul so in Body shall we be made like unto Christ our vile bodies shall be changed and fashioned like unto his glorious body and this according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself Phil. 3.21 that is as effectually and Comfortably as an Almighty Power is able to bring to pass and therefore as in the transfiguration of Christ his face did shine as the Sun Mat. 17.2 Even so shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father Mat. 13.43 as the raiment of Christ through the brightness of his Body did shine as the Transparen light and was exceding white as snow Mark 9.3 and withal white and glistring Luke 9.29 So the whole Person of the Righteous made whiter then snow in their transfiguration shall shine Glister and Sparkle with a Radient Beauty and Heavenly Brightness then the moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before his ancients gloriously Isa. 24.23 then he shall be glorified in his Saints and made marvellous in all them that believe 2 Thes. 1.10 X. If the Face of Moses while he was yet Cloathed with Corruption when he had seen but the Back-parts of the Almighty and that but for a moment in one Vision did yet shine so Gloriously that Men fled away amazed from him and durst not behold the Brightness of his Countenance Exod. 34.30 chap. 33.23 What then shall be the Glory of the Righteous when being Cloathed with Immortality they shall see God Face to Face and that in a perpetual Vision for evermore XI From this Transfiguration of the Saints made so Glorious by the sight of God and Fellowship whith him ariseth the Glory of their Fellowship one with another which is also an unspeakable Felicity of the Second Life to enjoy all the Beauty and all the Love of all the Glorified Souls and Bodies in Heaven as Jonathan seeing the Grace of God in David was knit unto him and loved him as his own Soul 1 Sam. 18.1 So here the Saints beholding the Glory of God revealed in each other shall be link'd together in the nearest bonds of entire Affection they that first give themselves to God do then give themselves to one another by the will of God 2 Cor. 8.5 they are all one in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.28 there is one body and one spirit Eph. 4.4 all are gathered together in one under one head whether things in heaven or in Earth Men and Angels whether they be Thrones or Principalities or Powers Eph. 1.10.22 all things are the Saints whether it be Pauls or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are theirs and they are Christs and Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. XII Hereupon the Angels take the Souls of Men deceased into their Bosomes and convey them to Heaven and then even

at all the present Time we enjoy tarries but a moment and then takes Wings and flys away and never returns again already we are dead to all the years we have liv'd and vain 't is to expect to live them over again But the longer we live here the shorter is our Life and in the end we become a Lump of Clay and a Feast for Worms CHAP. I. Several Notions of Death what it is its Author Name and Nature FIrst If we would know what Death is the Philosopher tells you To die is to be no more Vnhappy and if we consider Death according to the right Notion it is but a departed Breath from dead Clay enlivened at first by Breath cast upon it Now Job tells you Death is a Moth and as the Moth breeds out of the Garment so Death do's out of the Body The Heathens were of Opinion that Death was an Eternal Sleep the Fear of the Rich and the Desire of the Poor but Pious St. Augustine often breathed forth this heavenly Wish saying O that I could see Death not as it was but as thou O Lord hast now made it Death is the supremest Monarch in the World as he hath the Dominion over Sin and he is the antientest King whose Reign began from Adam yet St. Paul tells ye 1 Cor. 15.26 at last this King shall be vanquished the last Enemy that shall be destroyed is Death and Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life pronounces this Sentence O Death I will be thy Death II. Whoever was the Author and Father of Death Sin was the Mother for the Apostle tells ye 1 James 15. that Sin when it is finished bringeth forth death and Eve the Mother of all Living was delivered in Child-bed of Death Now Adam falling Sin follows him and Man being tempted Death assaults him and by Sin Death enters Every Parent is an Adam to his Child infusing Corruption in his Generation Since then Death by Sin crept in at the Window or rather at the Ear which is prone to listen to Evil Counsel let us cast it out by the Sense of Faith in hearkning to God's Word which will make us wise unto Salvation III. As for the Name of Death it is called a Sleep so St. John terms it Chap. 11.11 Our friend Lazarus sleepeth and of St. Stephen it is recorded in Holy Writ after he had done praying for his Persecutors When he had said this he fell asleep 7. Acts 60. it is likewise said of the Patriarchs and Kings of Judah that they slept with their Fathers and Job expresseth That man lieth down and riseth not he shall not be awaked out of sleep till the heavens shall be no more Likewise Saint Paul mentions in his Mystery We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed 1 Cor. 15.51 The Night is the Emblem of Sleep and Mortality Now Sleep is but the Shadow of Death and where the Shadow is the Substance cannot be far off Lastly the Grave it self is but a withdrawing Room to retire in for a time it is going to Bed to take rest which is sweeter than Sleep and when it is time to awake and rise we shall as the Royal Psalmist says be satisfied IV. Next as to the Nature of Death few or none know it though all must sensibly feel it there is nothing after Death and therefore Death is nothing it is without Essence or Substance but a privation which kills he Creature therefore curiously to ●quest the Efficiency of it were but to employ the Eye to behold Darkness Salomon in his Book of Wisdom Chap. 1.13 mentions that God made not Death but created all things that were good this caused good St. Augustine to breathe forth this Supplication Lord thou hast not made Death wherefore I beseech thee suffer not that which thou hast not made to reign over that which thou hast made Now Death came into the World by Man only whose Soul was affected to know that which God never made which was the Evil of Death thinking it had been very good by desiring to know the worst of Evils But so Divine a thing is Knowledge that we see Innocency it self was ambitious of it from whence that Proverb is derived That Evil is not known but by good V. Pet no Learned Man knows so much but Ignorance may suffer him to commit Evil for none of a sound Judgment and right understanding can be guilty of Wickedness and there is no fear of knowing too much Good but there is much Fear of practising too little But since the Almighty has revealed in his word more than we can comprehend and enough to work out our Salvation let us attain to sober Knowledge and not repine but be content with our Ignorance Indeed Knowledge and Power are the Worldling's Idol but let every Man endeavour fully to know himself and then Pride and Ambition will soon vanish CHAP. II. That Death hath no respect of Persons but we are continually dying whilst we live ALthough Men cannot or are unwilling to pay those Worldly Obligations they lye under yet they must pay this Debt to Nature and it is a Favour afforded by Nature that what she hath made most vexatious she hath made Common that the Equality of Fate might mitigate the Cruelty of it and this Question the Psalmist asketh What Man is he that liveth and shall not see death II. Our Saviour told the Jews their Fathers did eat Manna in the Wilderness and are dead 6 John 49. and the Apostle tells ye Phil. 2.8 that Christ being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto Death even the death of the Cross. So that we see it is as natural to die as to be conceived and born yet it is improper for us to say Men die Naturally for Man dies not as a Beast by an Annihilation but by a Decree from Heaven it is appointed for all Men once to dye Heb. 9.27 III. Sickness the Messenger of Death respects not the best Complexion the Sores of Lazarus will make as good Dust as the Paint and Washes of Jezabel and like Jonas his Gourd we come up in a night and are gone in a moment we come naked into the World and no sooner we are born but the Grave waits for us but to continue in the Body is not the request of those which desire Heaven for the Apostle he desired to be dissolved and the Psalmist crys out As the hart pants after the Water-Brooks so longeth my Soul after thee O God Psal. 42.1 Death only shortens Time not Life and the Merit of Death is the Debt due to Sin both impos'd on Mankind for Sin IV. Now if we cast never so bright a Lustre in the World yet alas our brittle Bodies how quickly are they broken Man says Jeremiah fades like a leaf and sin like a wind takes him away Let a Man live never so long yet at last Death seizes him but to consider aright

Heat and as soon do intemperately devoured Meats like much Fire a little Water drink up the radical moisture and here that Judaism is seasonable What need this wast Wast of Food Wast of Feeders a little contents Nature but nothing satisfies Opinion how fast doth Luxury consume the vital Lamp oft-times so captivating the Body to Diseases that nothing can free it but that general Remedy of all Maladies an early Death So that the Intemperate are of the Number of David's Wicked Ones that scarce live out half their days Psal. 55.33 and however not by the Laws Politick yet by the Divine Statutes each of these is by double Guilt his own Self-murtherer VIII Be not therefore like that Image of Intemperance Sardanapa●●● whose effeminate Luxury bereft him of his Kingdom least it bereave you of a better of the Kingdom of Glory but rather imitate that Pattern of Abstinence the good Emperor Valentinus who of all the Conquests he had ever Won though many yet on his Death-bed said he Gloried but of one and being ask'd of which the greatest Victory saith he that e'er I got was in Subduing that greatest Enemy my own Flesh I close this with St. Peter's dehortation and in his wooing Language I beeech you brethren abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the Soul 1 Pet. 2.12 seek Patience by suffering and that not only by forbearing but likewise by bearing Evil. IX Bearing Evil first Affliction is the Coat of a Christian and the Cross his Badge and it is said to every one as well as Constantine under this Banner thou shalt overcome are we not all Members of that Head which was Crown'd with Thorns the parts then must look to Simpathize together with it for the Head enters not by one passage and the Members by another but all go into Heaven at the same Strait Gate the Red Sea is the way to Canaan and through many tribulations must we enter into that Kingdom Acts. 14.22 Affliction like the Toad hath a precious Pearl in the Head how ever it appears ugly no Affliction is for the present joyous but our light afflictions which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4.17 X. Adversity is God's Knife wherewith he spareth not to Launce whom it pleaseth him to Heal and those like precious Jems are most beautiful after Cutting and though our Earthly Mother this World may perhaps for our Affliction with Rachel call us Ben-onies Sons of her Sorrow yet God our Heavenly Father will one day for our patient Suffering with Jacob call us Benjamins Sons of his Right-hand you may perhaps have heard of that Saying of St. Austin God had never but one Son and that his only Son without Sin but not without Affliction no ●ot his beloved Son in whom he was so well pleased Mat. 3.17 indeed the rather was he Afflicted for that he was beloved seeing he Chastneth whom he loveth and Scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth Heb. 12.6 XI The Rod is the Badge of Filiation and therefore St. Augustine notes in God a cruel Mercy and a merciful Cruelty the first when he permits the Wicked to prosper in this life as t is Job 21.13 the wicked live wax fat and grow in Wealth saith he but what ensueth a sad Catastrophe in a Moment they go down to Hell a while they flourish says the Psalmist like a green bay Tree but anon when their Sins are Ripe they are cut down like the Grass and wither like the green Herb Psal. 37 2. and this indeed is a cruel Mercy no marvel if the Prophet desired rather God's merciful Cruelty Jer. 10.14 Correct me O Lord yet with thy Iudgment not in thine Anger XII The very Heathen could say 'T is better to have been afflicted for adverse fortune more profits man than smiling stars and Job as well as David had Experienc'd it Blessed is the Man saith he the Man what Man think you the Man that 's Clad in Purple and fares deliciously every day no that 's not he is 't the Man whom the King will Honour with the Ring and Steed and Royal Robe 't is not he neither what then is 't the Man that hath caught this World in a Purse-net and by the Omnipotence of his Gold Commands all the Felicities that grow in Solomon's Walk under the Sun no none of all these but Blessed is the man whom God correcteth Job 5.17 XIII To this purpose St. Augustine feigns a Conference 'twixt God and himself God personating a Merchant and himself a Chapman says God I have merchandize to sell what is it says the Holy Father why says God the kingdom of heaven says St. Augustine what 's the price on 't for poverty says God the richest Kingdom for momentany affliction Eternal Rest and for Reproach a Crown of Glory since then our light afflictions which is but for a moment bringeth us a more excellent and eternal weight of Glory Rom. 8.18 let us not refuse the Chastning of the Lord but when he sends it Patiently suffer Evil therefore seek by doing Good do good by Charity and Prayer and seek by suffering Evil and suffer by abstaining all Intemperance and sustaining all Afflictions so run and you shall obtain thus seek and you shall find the Continuing City that we look for a Prospect of which I shall give you in the following Chapter CHAP. XIII A Prospect of the Heavenly Jerusalem which we are to seek Practically Considered This is an Object worthy all our Pains and our best deservings undeserving it take but a glimpse of it for we can do no more at present here we see as in a glass but darkly 1 Cor. 13.12 Consider it abstractly as a City then as a Concrete one to come first you see 't is a City not a Wilderness as is this World where we are all in Pilgrimage to the Sepulchre and behold here a most exact Distinction 'twixt this same and the former City the Worldly one 's built but of Clay and Stuble the Work of Mens Hands and those that make 'em are like unto 'em of a Frail dissolution but this Coelestial City is made by him who made the Hands whose Architecture is the Almighty these Buildings therefore are John 14.2 the abiding Mansions whereas those Earthly ones 2 Cor. 5.1 are but Gourds but Fleeting Tabernacles you remember the other was a City of Negatives neither of Strength Unity Rest nor Safety this of all affirmatives where in are all those fix'd as in their proper Sphere II. And first 't is a City of Strength ask St. John else Rev. 21.1 the Foundation all of Gold the Walls of Adamant and its Twelve Gates of Pearl materials of the Strongest yet Guarded with Innumerable Angels that excell in Strength Psal. 103.20 Garrison'd with an Army of Martyrs and Govern'd by the Lord of Hosts indeed there can want no Strength where dwells Omnipotence here then were that an oppertune Desire