Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	lay_v	thief_n	treasure_n	2,291	5	9.6844	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04608	Certaine sermons preached of late at Ciceter, in the countie of Glocester vpon a portion of the first chapter of the Epistle of Iames: wherein the two seueral states, of the riche and poore man are compared and examined, the differences in quality, and duety betwixt them shewed, both directed to such Christian parts and offices, as the sufficiencie of the one may, and ought to performe, and the wants of the other do necessarily require. Penned at the earnest requests of diuers well affected inhabitantes of the place: and now published as wel for the vse of others, as for the further profit of that particular congregation. By Philip Iones, preacher of the word of God in the same towne. Allowed by authoritie.	Jones, Philip, fl. 1589.	1588 (1588)	STC 14728; ESTC S119440	57,767	138

with such maner of men who sloting vp for a time as the sea or flood when it aryseth yet at the last are brought downe to a low ebbe and iump in cōclusion with that barē figgetree which receiued a curse from the mouth of him who neuer blesseth vnrighteouse branches Mat. 21.19 and by and by for all his gloriouse leaues withered and came to nothing or with that same gourde which came vp as a shadow to the head of Ionas for a time but beeing smitten by a worme presently dryed vppe Ionah 4.7.10 so that as it sprange in a night so it perished in a night Examples of our time in this case are superfluous for the matter is most euident and the men are yet liuing whose states are spectacles of this iustice and whose decay are glasses of this declination their tree of wealth hauing knowen the force of a curse and their gourde of pleasures hauing felt the worme of vengeance so that as their riches already hath so themselues hourely doe according to the wordes of Iames in this place vanish awaye as a flower of the grasse Which thing being true I doe not a little maruell that there are so many in the worlde who contrary to their owne knowledge for in this matter they connot pleade ignorance doe make their wealth their supporte and their treasure their shoote anker not onely being proude thereof but that which is an argument of a miraculous vnsensiblenesse doe plant their confidence in the same looking for helpe and deliuerance from their rustie and corrupte gatherings which shall consume as a snayle that melteth and as the vntimelye fruite of a woman that hath not seene the sunne It was a speciall thinge giuen in charge by Paul to Timothie that hee should inioyne riche men in no case to trust in their riches 1. Tim. 6.17 for hee knewe sufficiently howe to a riche man a perswasion intending to trust and repose in his wealth is most plausible euen as wee see it apparant in these dayes by the actions of those men whom God hath blessed with great abundance who presuming vppon the same and thinking themselues able thereby to compasse any matter doe applie them selues to oppression and tyrranny by excoriating or skinning the poore man chalenging those landes and possessions wherein they haue no interest but make a claime and pretenced right of purpose to defraud and vndoe those whome they knowe by reason of their wantes not able to make their parte good by continuing the charges of lawe against them And many other vile thinges of like nature are commonly put in practise by them not mistrusting the successe of any matter they take in hande intending that if briberie and corruption and rewardes may purchase particularly and peruert the righteouse course of iustice they will assuredly speed of their purpose this is the reason that so many bad and odious sutes are nowe vndertaken and prosecuted ouerthrowing the foundations and states of many good men because the opinion which the vnrighteous man hath of victorie and preuaylement by his wealth is a spurre in him to tyrranny supposing that his golde shal beare him out and the countenance of his money shall terrifie as many as resist him This oppressour doth little thinke of the wordes of Iames in this place proclayming the naturall vncertaynetie of the riche man and his Mammon or of the mightie foolishnes of his heart or of the iudgment of God entring into his doores from whose handes his money shall not saue him Ezek. 7.19 nor his coyne keepe him in the daye of his wrath Howe necessary then for the time is this doctrine and that counsell of the holy prophet Psal 62.10 Trust not in oppression and robbery if riches increase set not your hearte thereon and that notable confession of Iob also for example and direction whose life is a president for vs who sometimes in in great vehemencie wished that his arme might fall from his shoulder and be broken from the bone Iob. 3.24.25 if he had euer made gold his hope or had sayde to the wedge of gold thou art my confidence or reioyced in that his substance was great and that his hand had gotten muche A confession which thousandes of our dayes cannot make with any trueth whose whole trust standeth in the heape of their treasure and whole glorie in the possessiō of their wealth hauing the like vayne and vaineglorious conceite which Haman in the Booke of Hester who instead of acknowledging the goodnesse of God towards him called his friends together Hester 5.11 and in the pride of his heart tolde them all the glorie of his riches and the multitude of his children and all the things wherein the King had promoted him c. But against such maner of men the Lorde by the Prophet Amos doeth threaten to raise vp an afflicting nation from the entring in of Hamah vnto the wildernes that is a generall destruction without the escape of anie because they reioyce in a thing of nought Amos 6 1●.13 and saie haue not wee gotten vs hornes by our owne strength howe muche better then were it for vs and all men to cast of this peeuish confidence in the arme of fleshe and in the vanishing shadowe of carnall things and to trust in him and his mercie who is the shielde and buckler of the faithfull the God of all strength and saluation and able sufficiently to saue those that relye vppon his goodnes howe much more profitable for our selues and for our soules comfortable were it to put in vse that sweet direction of our Sauiour lay not vp treasures for your selues vpon earth where the mothe and canker doth corrupt and where theeues doe digge through Mat. 6.19.20 and steale but laye vp treasure for your selues in Heauen where neyther the mothe nor canker corrupteth and where no theeues can digge thorowe to steale Which wordes if they were well considered and diligently examined woulde appeare to carrie within the compasse or bowels of them many good reasons to disswade vs from all miserable indeuours of scraping together the pelfe of the worlde and all idolatrous confidences in the same I will not stande to discourse at large of those three seuerall enemyes to whose power the nature of all carnall treasure is subiect and must obey forasmuche as there is nothing which a man externally can possesse but that in time either the mothe may frette it or the canker may corrupt it or the theefe may violently breake in and surprise it whereby first the corruption then the consumption and last the danger and small securitie of wealth is most fully and excellently shewed and withall the huge vanitye of mens heartes condemned who serue with deuotion and honour that transitorie trashe wherein there is neither strength to continue nor substaunce to indure nor assurance to stande without decay and losse but this one thing in the woordes maie bee with breuitie obserued that