Selected quad for the lemma: saint_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
saint_n	let_v	lord_n	song_n	1,501	5	9.9369	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96103	The holy longing: or, The saints desire to be with Christ: delivered in a sermon at Al-hallows Lumbard-street, Aug. 24. 1658. At the funeral of Mr. Jacob Stock. / By Thomas Watson minister of Stephens Walbrook in the city of London.	Watson, Thomas, d. 1686.	1659 (1659)	Wing W1130; Thomason E1864_2; ESTC R204059	17,860	61

be with Christ The Apostle had three great desires and they were all centred upon Christ One was to be found in Christ * the other was to magnifie Christ * the third was to be with Christ * Here observe two things 1. Paul doth not say I desire to depart and be in heaven but to be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} with Christ it is Christs presence makes heaven * as the Kings presence makes the Court 'T is not the Cherubims or Seraphims which make Paradise the Lamb is the light thereof Rev. 21. 23. 2. From the connexion of the words having a desire to depart and to be with Christ we clearly see that the soul of a believer doth not sleep in the body after death a drowsie opinion but goes immediately to Christ * Upon the divorce of the soul from the body there follows an Espousal of the soul to Christ 2 Cor. 5. 8. Absent from the body present with the Lord * It were better for believers to stay here if they did not presently go to Christ after death For here the Saints are daily improving their graces here they have many praelibamina sweet tasts of Gods love so that it were better to stay here and Paul wished that which would be to his losse if the soul should sleep in the body and not go immediately after death to Christ * Which is farre better {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a believer is no looser by death His change is for the better a science that is grafted into a better stock and planted in a better soil is no wayes damnified A believer after death is set into a better STOCK Christ and is planted in a better soile Heaven this can be no losse but an advantage Well therefore may the Apostle say to be with Christ is far better In the words there are these three parts 1. Saint Pauls choice to be with Christ 2. The excellency of his choice it is farre better 3. The nodus or the strait he was in coarctor I am in a strait betwixt two this holy man was in a great dilemma he was straitned between service and reward * He was desirous of glory yet willing to adjourn his own happinesse and stay out of heaven a while that he might be a means to bring others thither * From the words thus opened there are three observations 1. It is the desire of a true Saint to remove from hence and be with Christ 2. To be with Christ is far better how much better it is we shall better understand when we are in heaven some Angel is best able to speak to this point 3. That which stayes a Saint here in the World is a desire of doing service This did cast the ballance with the Apostle and was the only tempting motive to keep him here awhile he looked upon his abode in the flesh as an opportunity of service Paul was willing to dye yet content to live that he might be a Factor for Christ upon earth I shall at this time insist upon the first proposition That it is the desire of a true Saint to remove from hence and to be with Christ this proposition hath two branches of each distinctly 1. It is the desire of a true Saint to be gone from hence having a desire to depart What a wicked man fears that a godly man hopes for I desire saith Paul to depart a sinner cries loth to depart he doth not say come Lord Jesus but Stay Lord Jesus he would live alwayes here he knows no other heaven but this and 't is death to him to be turned out of his heaven It was the speech of Axiochus the Philosopher when he was to dye Shall I be deprived of this light shall I leave all my sweet delights * David calls death a going out of the World Psal. 39. 13. A wicked man doth not go out but is drag'd out he is like a Tenant who hath gotten possession and will not out of the house till the Serjeants pull him out If a wicked man were put to his choice he would never come where God is he would choose the Serpents curse to eat dust Gen. 3. 14. but not return to dust If a wicked man might be voti compos have his wish he would serve no other God but his belly and to this he would ever liberally poure drink offerings But a soul enlivened and ennobled with a principle of grace looks upon the World as a Wildernesse wherein are fiery Serpents and he desires to get out of this Wildernesse Simeon having taken Christ in his armes cries out Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace Luke 2. 29. He that hath taken Christ in the armes of his faith will sing Simeons song Lord let thy servant depart David prayed to know the measure of his dayes Psal. 39. 4. because saith Theodoret he desired to hear the good news of deaths approach * The Saints of God have looked upon themselves as imprisoned in the body and have longed for a Jayle delivery * The bird desires to go out of the Cage though it be made of gold * Hiliaron chides himself that he was no more willing to die Go forth my soul what fearest thou * Ignatius was desirous of Martyrdom that he might gain the presence of Christ in glory * A Christian of the right breed is ambitiously desirous to put off the earthly cloaths of his body make his bed in the grave * how is this bed perfum'd with Christs lying in it a pillow of down is not so sweet as a pillow of dust a regenerate person looking upon himself as held with the earthen fetter of the flesh and his soul put into a movable Sepulchre * cries out with David O that I had wings like a Dove that I might flie away and be at rest Psal. 55. 6. And indeed no wonder a true Saint doth desire a dismisse and is so earnest to have his Passe to be gone from hence * if we consider how beneficial death is to a child of God it puts a period to all his evils in particular there are ten evils that death will put an end to 1. Death will put an end to a believers sinnes Sinne is the great incendiary it doth us all the mischief Sinne may be compared to the Planet Saturn which hath a malignant influence it is the wombe of our sorrows and the grave of our comforts * Sinne is the sinners bond Acts 8. 23. and the Saints burden Psal. 38. 3. How is a believer tyred out with his corruptions I am weary of my life saith Rebecca because of the daughters of Heth Gen. 27. 46. That which makes a child of God weary of his life is his proud unbelieving heart Saint Paul could better carry his iron Chain than his sinnes O wretched man that I