Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n
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A62907
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The faith of the saints as to a future house and happiness in the other world set forth in a sermon preached at the funeral of that worthy servant of Christ, Mr. Walter Marshal / by S. Tomlyns.
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Tomlyns, Samuel, 1632 or 3-1700.
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1680
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Wing T1859; ESTC R23761
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22,228
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33
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all yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 2. Christians come to know this by inspection into themselves and spiritual Experience of a saving work wrought on themselves Heb. 10.34 they knew within themselves that they had in Heaven a more induring Substance By looking into themselves they might espy such a Divine Nature such a supernatural Life sprung up in them as did evidence they were intituled to and designed for the Heavenly Inheritance As Mark 29.33 the Poor Woman healed by Christ felt it in her Body and verse 33. She knew what was done in her viz. that she was healed of that Plague So Christs spiritual Patients may know within themselves what excellent cures this Heavenly Physician hath wrought in and on them and thereby fitted them to Converse in the True land of the Living The very senses that an infant hath do shew that it was designed for an higher life and larger Place than still to be imprisoned and penned up in the Womb its Eyes Ears Smelling and Tasting were to be exercised on Objects in this large World so the Spiritual Senses of the Souls of Saints do speak them to be designed for the invisible and Eternal World They can see things invisible they can taste spiritual dainties they can smell the Odours that come from the Mountain of Myrrh and the Hill of Frankincense they can scent the spices of the Heavenly Canaan Moses his Parents did observe his rare and admirable Beauty and seem from thence to conclude that surely he was chosen and designed by God for some extraordinary service Heb. 11.23 And is not the Church of Believers the fairest among Women Cant. 1.8 and doth not this wonderful and rare beauty evince that Christ hath set his love on her and that she is called to the Marriage Feast and designed for the Bride-chamber of the Son of God Ignatius one of the most Ancient Fathers in his Epistle to the Romans saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The living water that did spring up in him did say to him within Come home to thy Father Christ hath written a living Epistle in their Minds and Wills The Life and Law of God as a byass on their Hearts inclines them to another Country and World They have the first Fruits of their Inheritance the earnest of the bargain the beginnings of Everlasting Life abiding in them already Job 14.23 1 Cor. 3.16 that glorious Company that they shall converse with for ever are now come down to sojourn in their hearts here below The Father and Son dwelled in them by the spirit and surely such Royal guests will in due time remove the Souls that entertain them to their own glorious Habitation 3. There is the Mysterious Testimony of the Holy Spirit Rom. 8.16 17. The Spirit himself beareth witness with or to our Spirits that we are the Sons of God and if Sons then Heirs c. Surely some very high Evidence and Assurance is intended by these words whether mediate or immediate I shall not now determine The spirit himself beareth witness this phrase imports that the Spirit himself excellently appears in this Testimony and will it Testifie and can it not make Souls to understand its voice to perceive its meaning to embrace its Testimony and acquiesce in its Evidence Shall any question or doubt whether men may know themselves to be the Sons of God when it is one Office and great work of the Holy Spirit to make them understand it and to assure their Souls of it Is the Testimony of the Spirit Dark Intricate and Ambiguous doth it leave Souls in hovering suspence and wavering uncertainty when it comes to give its evidence can it not decide and determine the Controversie and make an end of strife in an unbelieving Heart And if the Spirit doth clear up our Sonship may we not know we are Heirs All Gods Children are Heirs every Son hath the Rights Priviledges and Inheritance of a first born Vse 1. Oh be Exhorted Stirred up and Quickned to seek and obtain the sweet and comfortable knowledge of what is provided for you in Heaven Strive to assure to your selves that you have a house built a City prepared for you above Oh how uncomfortable is it to be at uncertainties whither we shall go how we shall be disposed of and where we shall be fixed for Ever We know we must remove from hence but how will this damp our spirits when we know not whither we shall remove We know what we must part with but how will it Chill and Deject us when we know not what we shall possess in another World Our love cannot be so Fervent our Joy so Strong our Praises so Hearty and Affectionate if we know not that God is our Father that he will divide a Rich Portion to us and settle a glorious Inheritance on us The knowledge of what is reserved for us in Heaven will have great influence on our Holy Calling and will both Quicken us in doing and support us in Suffering the Will of God Use therefore all diligence to attain the full assurance of Understanding of Faith and of Hope all which are mentioned in these following Scriptures Col. 2.2 Heb. 10.22 Heb. 6.11 These three do make an excellent and comfortable Syllogism the full Assurance of Understanding as to the Terms and Tenders of the Gospel maketh the Major the full Assurance of Faith believing and applying this Doctrine to our selves makes the Minor and the full assurance of Hope is the sweet Conclusion that results from these excellent Promises O Christians why are you contented to live at so low a Rate why are you so held in doubts and suspence about your Everlasting state why are you so lost in an intricate Wilderness and entangled in such uncomfortable Labyrinths why is there yet so dark a Vail on your minds that hinders you from looking with Joy and Comfort into another World Doth not the Gospel dispensation under which you live afford grounds for high Faith and strong Consolation Are we not told that God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their Trespasses to them 2 Cor. 5.19 that Christ hath made an end of sin destroyed Satan overcome the World abolished death and brought Life and Immortality to Light Dan. 9.24 Heb. 2.15 Joh. 16. last 2 Tim. 1.10 Is not Heaven purchased and Possessed for and bequeathed in Christs Testament to the Heirs of Promise Are not all that fly for Refuge to take hold of the hope set before them accepted and allowed to be Heirs of this glorious inheritance Heb. 6.18 Is not this sentence not exceeding full and comprehensive God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have Everlasting Life Joh. 3.16 and is not this Testimony clear and express that God hath given to us Eternal Life and this Eternal Life is in his Son and he that hath the Son hath Life 1 Joh. 5.11 12. This Life
is now possessed and enjoyed by Christ and he that receives Christ and hath propriety in him hath also Title to it Will you suffer Satan to wrangle you out of such Clear and wrest from you such Comfortable and Reviving Texts of Scripture will you not Echo your Assent of Faith to this good Word of God and take hold of the Hope that is set before you We have more food and abundant supports for Faith in this new Testament dispensation and therefore Faith is now said to be come Gal. 3.23 25. and Hope in a more excellent way is said to be set before us Heb. 6.18 And is it not a dishonour to this glorious new Testament dispensation for Christians to walk in darkness and to live in continual Doubts and Fears about their Everlasting Condition The Testament of the Son of God is Ratified and Established by his Death God hath promised and sworn to bless the Heirs of Promise and why should you not apply the Comfort of both to your selves and say as the Psalmist the Lord hath been mindful of us and he will bless us Psal 115.12 God hath spoken in his Holiness take him at his Word and you shall find that he will not deny his Promise or go back from it Let not Satan darken your minds or unbelief perplex your souls with needless Objections it is by Grace that you must be saved Matth. 6.33 The Kingdom of Glory is Gods free gift to men and the Righteousness that qualifies for it is wrought in them by his Spirit A new Heart is freely Promised as well as Eternal Life both are the gifts of God through Jesus Christ Ezekiel 36.26 27. Rom. 6. last Receive therefore and trust on Jesus Christ for them both As the Christian Sabbath is the first day of the week and so our Resting-day is before our working-dayes so truly we must enter into a spiritual Rest by Faith in Christ our Consciences must be sprinkled purged and pacified by his bloody before we can serve the living God Heb. 4.3 Heb. 9.14 Christ died for sinners came into the World to save sinners and those that see themselves to be such must look to and trust on Christ for Healing and Sanctification for Grace and Glory or else all Mankind must be excluded Here is no fear of presumption or deceiving our selves provided that we desire and rely on Christ for his whole Salvation for deliverance from the Power as well as the Guilt of Sin Apply your selves therefore to Jesus Christ receive him and you shall in and with him receive an abundance of Grace and of the gift of Righteousness Rom. 5.17 and so Reign in Life for evermore If you believe in Christ Job 1.12 Rom. 5.16 17. God is your God and Father and if you are Sons you are Heirs the Kingdom of glory the heavenly Inheritance is yours Match with Christ get into him who is the true God and Eternal Life 1 John 5.20 and he will provide you a place and make you welcome in his Fathers house for ever If you have the Son you have life None that belong to him can be shut out of the Banqueting-house and glorious Bed-chamber 2. You that are true Christians be exhorted to rejoyce in your Habitation say to your Souls that your Lines are fallen to you in pleasant places and you have a goodly heritage have you not a Rest and House above the reach and rage of Satan and his instruments When they have done their utmost they can but consume you on earth Psal 119.87 they cannot quench your spiritual life or rase your heavenly house If you are thrust out of this World you have a better Country to enjoy if you are dispossessed of your houses you have a more lasting habitation to enter into When cruel Enemies stoned Stephen they could not hinder him from placing his Jewel in a safe hand from committing of his Soul to Jesus Christ Acts 7.59 Why are your Souls Clouded why do your Spirits droop why do your hands wax Feeble Let this Truth Chear and Incourage you that so great an inheritance is bequeathed to you so glorious a house is prepared for you in heaven 3. Do you know that you have an Eternal House built for you in heaven Oh then let this Truth raise your Minds and elevate your Hearts to Heaven Oh let your Conversation be in Heaven Phil. 3.20 Christ hath said where the Treasure is there the heart will be also Matth. 6.21 If this eternal house be prized as your Treasure will it not be a Loadstone to draw up your hearts to heaven Why do you weary and wound your selves among the Briars and Thorns of this wretched Wilderness when your Minds might Converse in the delightful heavenly Paradise Why do you grovel on the ground embrace the Dunghil and feed on Dust when you might soar up to the Throne and Feast with Christ at his Table satisfying your selves with the fatness of his house and drinking of the Rivers of his Pleasures Oh set your Affections on and seek the things that are above Col. 3.1 2. Let your Loins stand girt suffer not your Minds to get loose fall down and draggle on this low and dirty World Christ by his Ascension into Heaven hath fixed a new Centre towards which the Minds and Hearts of all Believers should move and in which they should stay and Rest Joh. 17.24 Joh. 14.2 3. Christ hath prayed that all his People may be with him and he hath prepared a glorious place to entertain them in and yet shall our Minds stay and our hearts dwell here below shall we despise that now that we must Feast on to Eternity shall we be strangers to our everlasting home and forget our heavenly Country Oh Christians why do your Minds so often and so much leave the Guest-Chamber and the upper Rooms of Immanuels house why do you so often come down and delight so much to dwell in the low Rooms and ground Chambers of this World can you not meet with sufficient delights and full satisfaction above Is the Air on the Mountain of Myrrh and the Hill of Frankincense too pure and fine for your gross and carnal hearts O seek to Christ to cure your spiritual disease and to recover your Appetite to spiritual enjoyments Oh beg him to take off your weights of Unbelief and Carnal Affections and give you wings to mount upwards that as Children you may live on the Fatness and Dainties of your Fathers house and as Citizens of Zion you may delight your Souls on the delicious Fruits of the Tree of Life and in the pure River of Living water that Flows from the Throne of God and the Lamb. FINIS