Selected quad for the lemma: knowledge_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A62904
|
Christ's ministers must shortly put off their tabernacles set forth in a funeral sermon preach'd at Hungerford at the interring of Mr. Ric. Moor, late minister of the Gospel there / by Samuel Tomlyns ...
|
Tomlyns, Samuel, 1632 or 3-1700.
|
1694
(1694)
|
Wing T1857A; ESTC R32812
|
18,504
|
42
|
Spirit reaps up the Fruit of its Faith in a state of Glory 5. Ministers put off their Tabernacle because the Lord intends to Glorify himself by raising them and the Bodies of all his Saints again tho they sleep and have a long dark Night in the Grave yet a bright and comfortable morning will come Psal 49.14 tho they put off the Garment of the Body yet Jesus will dress them and put on these Cloaths again tho they go out of their Bodies as a Tabernacle yet they shall return to them again and dwell in them as a house for ever these their vile bodies shall be changed and made like the glorious Body of Christ Phil. 3.21 The bodies of Saints are but sowed in the Earth 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44 they must appear and Spring up again to everlasting life Jesus Christ is a Second Adam and an Everlasting Father Isa 8.6 He must therefore beget the Bodies of his People from the Dead They must bare the Image of the Heavenly Adam 1 Cor. 15.48 49. old Adams Holding and Tenute must cease and be utterly extinguished and we must be Regenerated in our Bodies as well as in our Souls and then we shall hold them from Jesus Christ our Bodies are now as knocked bruised or broken Vessels that are cast into the Furnace that they may be melted and new moulded and framed as the Tabernacle was taken down in the Wilderness but was set up again in Canaan so tho the Tabernacle of the body be dissolved and taken to pieces in the Wilderness of this World yet it shall be joyn'd together and set up for ever in the Heavenly Canaan those that dwell in this Tabernacle do groan being burdened but those that dwell in the Body as a House built by the hand of the Lord stretched out from Heaven shall Sing Rejoyce and Triumph for ever 4. Ministers have ground to conclude that shortly they must put off their Tabernacles tho we cannot say as Peter That we have a particular Revelation from Christ of the Kind or Time of our Death yet we may say that our God hath shewed us that it must be shortly 1. Gods Threatning doth evidence it Gen. 3.19 Dust we are and to dust we must return what God said to the first Adam that he repeats and saith over to his Children return ye Sons of Men Psal 90.3 when he requires us to return we cannot stay here but must be gone God will change our Countenances and send us away Job 14.20 we know not how soon how suddenly God may speak this word return ye Sons of Men we cannot foresee when that Wind of Sickness or other accident will arise that will blast our Flower and blow out our Lamp of Life Death sometimes lays in Ambushment and break forth unexpectedly on persons 2. The Death of other Servants and Messengers of God that daily are called away and drop into the Grave before our Eyes doth shew us that shortly we must follow them into the dust Zeck 1.5 Your Fathers where are they and the Prophets do they live for ever Those holy Men that were inspired by the Spirit were yet mowed down by the Syth of death Many Thousands of Famous Ministers have taken the Grave for their House and have made their Bed in Darkness And must not we travel in the same Road and take the way of all the Earth Will not our Glass be quickly run our Sun set and the Thread of our Lives be 〈…〉 cut 3. The Distempers that we feel the Infirmities that exercise us the Diseases we groan under do sensibly teach us That shortly we must put off our Tabernacles All Pains and Distempers are Deaths working in us and warring against us These are the Harbingers of the King of Terrors that come to take up Quarters and Lodgings for Death in our Earthly Tabernacles All the painful Maladies thou dost complain of are Deaths Batteries against the Fort of the body are stroaks towards the Felling of the Tree are Warnings to remove out of this Earthly Tabernacle as one Post one Messenger should go after another to inform the King of Babylon that his City was taken at one end Jer. 51.31 So the decays of our strength of our sight of our hearing of our taste doth plainly tell us that Death hath taken us at one end This King of Terrors is lodged already at the Cinque-Ports of our Senses with a design to conquer the whole Country of our bodies The only use that I shall make of this Doctrine is an Use of Exhortation And here 1. I would humbly direct and earnestly press a word of Exhortation on you my Reverend Brethren in the Ministry that are here present Must we that are the Messengers and Ambassadors of Christ shortly put off our Tabernacles O then leâ—â—â—â—ll improve our short time bestir and put forth our selves to the utmost while our day lasts and our strength continues it is better for a Knife to wear away by continual use than to rust away by disuse why doth God shine into our Hearts but that we should set forth and impart the light of the knowledg of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ to others 2 Cor. 4.6 what will it avail us if we be large ponds our selves to hold much water if we are not spiritual pipes to convey the water of Life to thirsty and perishing Souls as the Bread that Christ did break to distribute to others was multiplied and did increase in his hands Matt. 14.19 20. so while we divide the word of Truth and break the Bread of Life to others our own knowledg in the Mystery of Christ will increase and our own Spiritual Life and Strength will be improved O strive to break hard Hearts with the hammer of the word and to cut off the Members of the old Man with the sword of the Spirit labour to awaken sleepy drowsy Sinners to reduce those that are gone astray to sput sluggish and loytering Souls pluck brands out of the Fire snatch the prey from the paw and mouth of the roaring Lion Christ bids his Disciples to go to their lost sheep of the House of Israel Matt. 10.6 Christ awakens their pity stirs their bowels draweth forth their him passions by the name he gives to poor sinners they are lost sheep perishing sheep such a are sinking into Hell dropping into the Bottomless Pit and will you not bestir your selves to step rescue and save them O let us consider the danger the distress the necessities of Souls and be instant urgent pressing upon them in season and out of season let us sound the Trumpet and brandish the flaming Sword of Gods threatnings to alarm and rouse up sullen and presumptuous sinners Let us shoot the keen and sharp Arrows of the word to wound the Hearts of the workers of iniquity that they may fall down as a Conquered and submitting People under Jesus Christ Psal 45. â— yet let me beseech you to Sollicit Heaven that
over your Neighbours to have on Eye towards to instruct exhort warn reprove as opportunity is offered or Necessity requires The work that God calls you to is great you must prune weed water improve your Vineyard The work is Noble and Honourable to render your own Souls and the Souls of others fruitful Vineyards to God to yeild such Wine as he delights in as will cheer the heart of Christ and of Saints The work is profitable you will record in Heaven what you do on Earth for his glory by your diligence and faithfulness Fruit will be brought forth that will abound to your account in the great day of the Lord Phil. 4.17 Suffer not therefore your Vineyards to be over-run with Nettles Briars or Thorns or to lie open and unfenced 6. I would mind you of your Race Heb. 12.1 2. as there is Hope set before you Heb. 6.18 so there is a Race set before you Heb. 12.1 Keep your eye stedy on the Mark and bend your course directly towards it The Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I follow on I press forward in a strait line towards the mark 1 Cor. 9.26 I do not sometimes move one way sometimes another this would be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to run as if we were uncertain what course to steer what mark to aim at what Prize to run for He that is a double-minded man and pursues Two Objects doth run so obscurely sometimes inclining to one Object sometime following another as if he were uncertain which is the best Master which is the chief Good Again persons may be said to run as uncertain or not to run with any Evidence when they make no visible progress when they do not get ground and advance in the way everlasting Persons run 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 darkly when they do not manifest any proficiency in the Knowledge and Grace of Christ when they neither root deeply in him or manifestly grow up into him 2 Col. 6.7 Ephes 4.15 look to it that you not only hold out as Travellers but also that you may hast as Racers as you are to beware of wrong steps out of the way so also of slow steps in it the mark is perfect Holiness the prize is glorious Happiness there is an excellency in the Mark as well as in the Prize yea the very Mark here may be accounted a Prize we profit and advantage our selves when we have our fruit to Holiness Rom. 6.22 O! therefore forget what is behind and reach forth to what is before Phil. 3.13 14. let not any attainments in Grace slacken your pace cool your Zeal abate your diligence or fervency but be as earnest as if you had but just now started or were taking your first steps in the Spiritual Race this is properly to forget what is behind tho the Eternal Inheritance be properly a Legacy bequeathed in Christs Testament Heb. 9.15 yet the Lord to encourage and honour our diligence and to reward our obedience proposeth it as a Prize to be won by us Phil. 3.14 tho we live move and act by the strength and influence of Grace continually 8. Let me put you in remembrance of your Account we must all stand before the Judgment seat of Christ and every one of us must give an account of himself to God Rom. 14.10 12. the account is long and large there are innumerable thoughts words actions to be accounted for there are Registers and Records of all kept above Isa 65.6 behold it is written before me God would not have been a Lawgiver if he design'd also to be a Judg The Divine Records must be 〈◊〉 viewed the Books must be opened the Accounts of Sinners stated and the Sentence pass on them Rev. 20.12 2 Cor. 5.10 Our Lord will come and reckon with his Servants and summon Stewards to give an account of their Stewardships Luke 16.1 2. O! therefore let not your Lords Stock Talents or Pounds lye idle and dead in your hands as one Candle will tind or light a thousand Candles so let that knowledg you have received be improved to enlighten many others let the Love of Christ so burn in your Hearts so flame out in your words and Actions that all those may be heated that come near to you or Converse with you let your Loins be girt work strenuously and diligently let your Lamps be burning act wisely and skilfully Luke 12.35 yet when you have done all confess your selves to be unprofitable Servants that you have not merited that any reward or profit should redound to you from such sick Service from such defective and imperfect Obedience Lay all your Offerings on Christ as an Altar let all your sins be drowned and your Service washed in Christ's Blood how else can you account with God for Years Months or one Day the Lord Jesus will certainly return to take an account Luke 19.12 He is the Nobleman that is gone into a far Country 〈◊〉 receive a Kingdom and return and shortly your Spirits must return to God to give an account Eccl. 12.7 All you have done will follow overtake meet you in another world Think on prepart for your account set this Sentence on the Head of your account The Blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God cleanseth from all sin 1 John 1.7 then this passage may be put at the Foot of it There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 I have done with the Text of Scripture that I pitched on and I shall now proceed to speak something on that Text of Providence that the Lord hath chosen to be the Occasion of this mournful solemnity Two things I would propose to you on this Occasion 1. O consider of reflect upon and be duly affected with this sad sudden and unexpected stroke of Providence should not this make deep impressions on your hearts that a faithful and skillful Labourer is in the midst of his days discharged from his work when a great Door is open for Service and the Fields are white to the Harvest when the Necessities of Souls are so great and the Labourers are so few to attend them Pause and stay your thoughts on this sad dispensation a Star is taken down from the Orb and Firmament of the Church a Lamp of the Sanâ—â—uary is put out a Shepherd is removed from his Flock an Ambaâ—â—…dor of Peace is recalled by 〈◊〉 King of Glory It is true the hand of the Lord hath done 〈◊〉 but may not your sins have been the meritorious and procuring cause of it have not many of you heard the Word from him with drousie Ears cold Hearts unconcerned Spirits have you not made light of the Travel of Christ's soul of the purchase of his blood of the Legacies of his Testament have not your hearts been frozen within you tho with respect to the warm dispensation of the Gospel among you you have liv'd in the Torrid Zone of Love have not some of you drawn out the Fatal Web of your iniquity even under his Ministry and so provoked God to cut short the precious thread of his Life and have not the looseness of some and the barrenness and unthankfulness of others snatch'd your Pastor away out of the World silenc'd and laid him in the dust have not your Ears and Hearts been stopt from hearing the word and so you have provoked God to shut his mouth from Preaching it any more among you do not sooth or flatter your selves this is a loud speaking reproving rebuking Providence to you 2. O! cry earnestly and fervently to God to supply your wants and to fill up this breach plead with the great Shepherd to raise you up a Pastor according to his own heart to feed the flock of God among you with knowledg and understanding Jer. 3.15 it is a great work skilfully to feed the Flock of God rightly to divide the word of truth and to give every one his Portion terror to sinners comfort to saints instructions and exhortations to both pray to the Lord of the Harvest to provide you a Labourer Matt. 9. last so great are the discouragements to this sacred Function from an ungrateful World that the Lord of the Harvest must thrust forth Labourers Matt. 9. last And so great is the Carnality and averseness of People from the Feast of Jesus Christ that Ministers must compel guests to come in it is the Lord of the Harvest that must fit and furnish men to be Labourers it is he that must enrich them with Grace and fill them with the Spirit It is such Pastoâ—◠〈…〉 that become an Exalted Glorified 〈…〉 bestow on the Church Eph. 4.10 11. Christ 〈…〉 take them in his own Net as Fish and then fit them to be Fishermen he must first gather them into 〈◊〉 own Fold as Sheep and then render them meet to 〈◊〉 Shepherds he must first espouse them to himself 〈◊〉 then Enlighten their Minds and inflame their 〈◊〉 to Wooe others for himself he that hath not 〈◊〉 Embraced Christ's Offers and consented to match 〈◊〉 him will but coldly Prosecute Christs Suit to gain others to the Lord of Glory In the judgment of a learned man * Dr. Stilâ—â—â—â—leet in 〈◊〉 Irenicum Ministers Pastors and Teachers are called Saints Ephes 4.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he thus renders For the perfecting or fitting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry that is for the perâ—â—â—â—ing or fitting of Ministers that are or should be Saints for the work of the Ministry As the Priests Court 〈◊〉 in the Temple by some steps higher than the Peoâ—â—â—… Court so Christ's Ministers should be higher and 〈◊〉 above the People both in Knowledge and in 〈◊〉 Be earnest Solicitors to the Father of Merâ—â—… that he would not leave you desolate as sheep withâ—â—… shepherd as in some Games among the Grecians 〈◊〉 did run carrying a burning Lamp and then deliâ—â—â—'d it to another to run also with it so this Servant of the Lord how deceased did in his Life-time run aâ—â—â—â— you carrying the sacred Lamp of the Gospel O 〈◊〉 to God to raise up another to take his Lamp and 〈◊〉 it further before you to direct your hearts into the 〈◊〉 of God and to guide your Feet in the way of Peace FINIS