Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A60348
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A funeral-sermon upon occasion of the death of Mrs. Lobb late wife of Mr. Stephen Lobb. Preached by Samuel Slater, minister of the Gospel
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Slater, Samuel, d. 1704.
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1691
(1691)
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Wing S3966; ESTC R221626
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33,124
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39
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no matter of wonder that some wicked men are â—aid to dye I rather wonder that any of them are not Such as â—e lived all their days in a total Neglect of God and Disobediâ—â—ce to his known Law and the commission of Sin with greediness 〈◊〉 whom there is-left nothing but a fearful expectation of Fiery â—ignation that shall devour them they are many of them self-â—â—ndemned and what can they look for but a like sentence from the â—ream Judge if conscience within cast them as a company of Perâ—s worthy of Death and fit Fuel for the burning they may well â—nclude the same from him who is greater than Conscience and â—oweth all things Nor do I think it strange that some good men 〈◊〉 unwilling to die those I mean who are clouded and benighted â—â—d in the Dark about their spiritual State know not what to make 〈◊〉 themselves but want their evidences for Heaven and Glory eiâ—â—â—r never knew they had any or now they are so blur'd and blotâ— they cannot read them they dare not go to God as their Faâ—r nor look to and lay hold on Jesus as one that loved them and â—ve himself for them and washed them in his Blood they are not â—e to fix the Anchor of their hope within the vail How can he be â—ling to go that knows not whither he goes Such do understand â—ething of Heaven and Hell and consider what it is to lie in the boâ— of Abraham and what in a Bed of Flames what to be satisfi'd â—h the love of God and what to be tormented with the divine Fu 〈◊〉 what to sing Allelujah with Saints and what to roar with De 〈◊〉 They consider the length of Eternity what it is to enter into 〈◊〉 immutable State and they cannot possibly be reconcil'd to Death 〈◊〉 they know it will do them a kindness they cannot be willing to 〈◊〉 with it till they know it will carry them to a comfortable place 〈◊〉 Rest and Happiness Would you be delivered from the fear of â—eath Would you be able to bid it welcome and Triumph over 〈◊〉 Then clear up your Evidences that you are turned from Darkness 〈◊〉 Light and from the power of Satan to God and that having â—en indeed born of the Spirit and made Partakers of Grace you â—â—e likewise the Heirs of Glory for they must of necessity be in a â—eadful agony of Soul who see and feel they must die their Flesh â—nsumes and their Strength fails and they have much ado to fetch â—eir Breath they must die that Desease will carry them off but 〈◊〉 the same time they conclude at least greatly fear they shall be damn'd as well as die and go down not only into the Grave 〈◊〉 into the bottomless Pit from which there is no Redemption But this was none of Paul's case He had been wiser for himsâ—â—â— and God had been better to him than that his great concern shoâ—â—â— be so uncertain He knew that since to him to live had been Christ 〈◊〉 die would be gain this he had told the Philippians but a little beâ—â—he did in the Text mention this his strait He also tells us in 2 Cor. 〈◊〉 That he knew that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolâ—â— we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal 〈◊〉 Heavens He should change a sorry Cottage for a Glorious Palâ— And he also knew 2 Tim. 4.7 8. That having fought a good fight 〈◊〉 finished his course and kept the faith there was laid up for him a 〈◊〉 of righteousness which he was sure God the righteous Iudg would give 〈◊〉 at that day All was safe and he was sure knowing whom he 〈◊〉 believed and that he was able to keep that which he had commâ—â— to him And Oh that all that read this Sermon would be perswâ—â— to bestow their care and pains this way give all diligence to 〈◊〉 your Calling and Election sure and by your present faith and 〈◊〉 ness your humble close and exemplary walking so order thingâ— that the testimony of your Consciences may be the matter of 〈◊〉 present rejoycing and when you come to die you may be at noâ— about it but ready at a call counting the day of your death beâ—â— than the day of your birth and so going with gladness out of 〈◊〉 world into which you came crying Thirdly Paul was not brought into this strait by any jealousie 〈◊〉 spicion that he should lose by the change and be a sufferer by his deâ—â—â—ture from hence He had no such thoughts as these that it woâ—â—â— make more for his interest to continue where he was or that theâ— move which he was to make at death would be to a more uncomâ—â—â—â—table place he had felt the burden of sin and met with the unkâ—â—â—â—ness of the world and had a great deal of hard usage He 〈◊〉 that at death he should go not out of an Egypt into a Wilderness out of an howling Wilderness and from among beasts of prey inâ—â— Canaan flowing with what is inconceivably better than milk and 〈◊〉 ney Death indeed will be to the detriment and prejudice of all 〈◊〉 wicked of the world profligate and profane wretches unsound 〈◊〉 rotten hypocrites lifeless formalists who having a form of goâ—â—â—ness deny the power thereof It is highly desirable for them to 〈◊〉 tinue here because whensoever they die dying what now they 〈◊〉 they are utterly undone Many of them now have high places 〈◊〉 â—â—t honour and plentiful estates they are the worlds darlings â—dled upon her knee but when once they die they lose all they 〈◊〉 it behind and carry nothing with them but sin and guilt Death 〈◊〉 it comes strips them to the skin as they came into the world â—hey must go out naked and there will be no merciful compassiâ—â—â—te hand found to clothe them in the next Here the rich Glutton 〈◊〉 deliciously every day and had doubtless his bottles of wine it 〈◊〉 be his Healths and Hazza's too but in the next World he â—â—d not by all his intreaties obtain of Father Abraham one drop of 〈◊〉 for the cooling of his tongue though he was grievously Torâ—ted in Flames But though wicked men lose all by dying Paul 〈◊〉 sure he should lose nothing for he had told us before that to 〈◊〉 to dye was gain no loss at all but great gain it was a very 〈◊〉 bargain he should make and in the Text he tells us that to â—ith Christ is far better this he knew he was sure of it he had 〈◊〉 the least doubt in the case he was sure he could leave nothing so 〈◊〉 behind him but that he saw those things before him that were 〈◊〉 What loss was it to Elijah to drop his Mantle as he was â—â—nding and mounting to Heaven Where he should at his first enâ—ce be cloathed with a Robe of Glory God doth by Converting â—ce call his Elect and chosen people out of the world so that
that shall be alive when the Lord shall descend frâ—â— Heaven with a shout with the voice of an Archangel and with the truâ—â— of God shall not sleep but be changed and caught up into the cloudâ— meet the Lord in the air and so they shall ever be with the Lord. 1 〈◊〉 4.16 17. Otherwise it is appointed for all once to die This is 〈◊〉 Divine appointment the standing and unrepealable Law of Hâ—â—â—ven that all those who inhabit these houses of clay must go out them and put off these Tabernacles and we must submit we ouâ—â—â— to do it the will of God who is the supreme Governour and Leâ—â—â—slator is to be the commanding and ruling Law and therefore thâ—â— must be no quarrel nor disputes but yielding when death knockâ— our doors and summons us Whatsoever agonies and struglingâ— in nature at the time of dissolution there must be no rebellion 〈◊〉 our wills And such ought to be the frame and temper of our Soâ—â— when it is the good pleasure of God to make breaches in our Faâ—â—â—lies and to take away from us our dearest and most desirable Râ—â—â—tions a Child out of the arms of its Mother an affectionate 〈◊〉 out of the bosom of her Husband Though you greatly delighteâ— their company and would have been very thankful if the threaâ— their lives had been spun to a greater length yet when the wiâ—◠〈◊〉 God is made known and their time is come you ought to stoopâ— God While the Child was sick David besought God fasted 〈◊〉 lay all night upon the Earth neither would he eat bread but wâ—â—â— he heard it was dead he rose from the earth washed and anoinâ— himself and changed his apparel went into the house of God 〈◊〉 worshipped then to his own house and did eat bread 2 Sam. â— In dispensations of this kind there must be no discontent no riâ—â—â—â— and Swellings of heart no tearing your selves in your anger no â—â—â—ing the reins upon your passions no extravagant expressions no â—â—â—cessive sorrows for even in that there is a spice of rebellion and such a time God in a special manner hath his eye upon you and 〈◊〉 very curiously observe you throughout not only your outward â—â—â—â—portment words and gestures but also the inward frame of 〈◊〉 hearts what order is there and whether your Souls keep sileâ—â—â— before him And if you will be unruly as Bullocks unaccustomed the yoke sinning in your sorrow and kicking at the hand 〈◊〉 smites and wounds you you may hear of it afterward and feeâ— to your cost for God doth know how to repeat his blows and â—ultiply your wounds and make deeper ones than he hath yet done â—herefore it is your wisdom to submit to God and hold your peace â— Aaron did when God destroyed his two Sons with a most tremenâ—ous stroke in the very act of their sin This then is your duty wisâ—om and interest an humble yielding to God doth nearly concern â—â—d highly become you But holy Paul did not stop here It is not a â—â—re submission that he speaks of without all peradventure he was â—â—me up to this but then he went beyond it Nay more Secondly Paul doth not say say here I am contented to depart It 〈◊〉 true he tells us in this very Epistle Phil. 4.11 That he had â—â—arned in whatsoever state he was therewith to be content and it must 〈◊〉 granted that is a great and excellent Lesson and we should all of 〈◊〉 beg of God that he would teach it us and be our selves studying â—â—d conning of it And they are all very happy Men and Women â—ho have taken it out as Paul hath done for therein they have â—â—cured themselves from those inward Gripes and Convulsions with â—hich others are tortur'd and have admirably provided for a comâ—â—rtable Enjoyment of themselves whatever Changes and Afflictions â—â—ey may meet with in their passage through the World We should 〈◊〉 pray and labour that we may be brought to such a pass as to 〈◊〉 able to say Here I am let the Lord do to me and with me what â—â—meth good in his sight If he doth not see fit to bring my Condition 〈◊〉 to my Spirit I will make it my endeavour to bring my Spirit own to my Condition I could indeed be glad to have a larger â—are in the comforts of the Creatures that so I might be the more â—ee from those solicitous Thoughts and carking Cares that now 〈◊〉 much oppress me I could be glad to enjoy a greater fulness and 〈◊〉 be placed in an higher Orb and Sphere of Activity that thereby I â—â—ight be put into a better capacity of being useful and serviceable in â—y Generation but if my God will have me mean and low and â—oor I am content to be so for he best understands my Temper â—â—d my Distempers what will be my Advantage and what my â—rejudice what Sail I can best bear and what Condition I can best â—anage therefore he shall chuse for me I could be glad to live yet â—â—nger in the World and so see the good of his chosen and the â—eace of Ierusalem and my Family comfortably provided for and â—y Children all brought home to God disposed of in the World â—nd happily setled but if God will shorten my days and cut asunâ—er the Thread of my Life before these things be effected if God will have me to dye shortly and so break off the purposes of my heart I am content I will live at his ordering and I will dye tâ— at his ordering He knoweth what is best and therefore what 〈◊〉 doth I will count so whatsoever pleaseth him shall please me 〈◊〉 for no other reason yet for this Because it pleaseth him But thâ— great Man Paul did not take up here neither For Thirdly He saith He had a desire to depart or to be dissolve What others do fly from his Soul did work out to as a desirable Oâ—â—ject What! barely to submit to a departure meerly to be conteâ—â—ed with it is too low and too little It would be a dishonour 〈◊〉 God if there were that and no more it would be a disparagemâ— to Heaven and a base unworthy casting of Dirt and Reproach 〈◊〉 the Face of that Glory which is above it would give People caâ—â— to think the state of Saints in Heaven is no better than their 〈◊〉 here nay that it is not altogether so good and of this our Aposâ—â—â— would by no means be guilty Content to depart yes that I am and abundantly satisfied about it that I do desire it I long to have 〈◊〉 Summons Oh! when will that day come that will close mine Eâ—â— and on which Angels will come to carry my aspiring Soul into 〈◊〉 bosome of Abraham I was once in Paradise in the third Heaven 〈◊〉 what I saw did so delight me that I long to be there again to 〈◊〉 fixed there and there to take up my eternal abode when 〈◊〉 when will it be that my Father will