Selected quad for the lemma: earth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
earth_n	call_v	heaven_n	word_n	5,297	5	3.9799	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77362	Christs coming opened in a sermon before the honourable house of commons in Margaret's Westminster, May 17, 1648 being the day appointed for Thanksgiving for the great Victory in Wales / by William Bridge ...	Bridge, William, 1600?-1670.	1648 (1648)	Wing B4451; Thomason E471_3	19,393	30

Christs coming Opened in a SERMON Before the HONOURABLE HOUSE OF Commons IN MARGARETS WESTMINSTER MAY 17. 1648. Being the day appointed for Thanksgiving for the great Victory in WALES By WILLIAM BRIDGE Preacher of the Word of God at Yarmouth London Printed for Peter Cole at the Signe of the Printing-Presse in Cornhill at the Royall Exchange 1648. To the Honorable House of COMMONS In PARLIAMENT Assembled at WESTMINSTER ACcording to your command I have presented these notes to your view somewhat concerning the Kingdome and coming of Christ an Argument as unwelcome to some as welcome to others Kings Princes and Rulers sometimes startle at it but they need not for Christ meanes them no hurt Quicquid Christo datur abundantiùs redditur if they will throw down their Crowns at his feet he will set their Crowns on their heads and his own too Timuisti perdere terram The Jewes feared and refused to receive Christ and his Kingdome Perdidisti Deum timuisti ne tollerent gentem sustulerūt Deum quia tenere voluisti tenendo malè amisisti sine terrâ remansisti sine Deo Augustin in Joan. 11.48 Tract least they should lose their owne Kingdome and thereby they lost both their God and their Kingdome as Austin observes But who ever lost his Scepter by submitting unto Christs Scepter I may say truly Potestas Christi is rather Cumulativa then Privativa In helping Christ to his Throne you shall helpe your selves to your honours and greatnesse A liquis dicitur alio adjuvari duplicitèr vel propter additionem novae virtutis sic infirmi est sic Deo non competir vel per executionem prioris in quantum aliquis per alium exequitur ●uam ordinationē sic Deus per nos ●djuva●r Thom. ●●in I will not say that Christ hath need of you he hath no need of us But if that of the Schooles be true viz. that one is helped by another either by addition of new strength and vertue or by the exercise of what was formerly given then Jesus Christ may in some sense and that according to Scripture Phrase Judges 5.23 be said to be helped by you Great confedracies will be raised against him when he comes to his Kingdome Ps 2.1 2. But God who sits in Heaven laughs at those combinations v. 4. and in spite of them will set his King upon his holy hill of Zion v. 6. And to him that overcometh will I give to fit downe with me in my Throne sayeth our Saviour even as I have overcome and sit with my Father in his Throne Rev. 3.21 Wherefore most Honourable be not overcome with evill be not overcome with difficulties with oppositions or combinations of men but overcome evill with good and do what in you lies to bring this blessed King Jesus unto his Thron and Inheritance that as al the earth in due time shall so England in speciall manner may become the Kingdom of our Lord Christ and we may all say the Lord God omnipotent reigneth amongst us I could not long deliberate in so short a time what part of Gods Word I should preach to you but knowing the trouble of these times and that the more you spend your thoughts on Christs coming and Kingdome the more your hearts will be upheld in the times of your troubles I chose rather to preach on this Argument which I here now present beseech the Lord to blesse it to you and you to this Kingdome onely be strong and be of good courage feare not neither be dismayed and the Lord your God will be with you as he hath beene formerly which shall be the prayer of Your humble Servant in the Gospel of Jesus Christ WILL. BRIDGE CHRISTS COMING Is At OUR MIDNIGHT Mat. 25. vers 6. And at midnight there was a cry made Behold the Bridegroome cometh IN this parable ye have the state and posture of the Church a little before and at the coming of Jesus Christ Then shall the Kingdome of heaven be likened unto ten Virgins verse 1. Sometimes the Doctrine and grace of the Gospell is called the Kingdome of heaven The Kingdome of heaven is like to a graine of mustard-seed c. This cannot be meant here because in the Gospel there are not ten Virgins Sometimes the state of glory above is called the Kingdome of heaven That is not meant here because there are no foolish Virgins Sometimes the Church of Christ under the New Testament is called the Kingdome of heaven for there God appears manifests himselfe and it is heaven on earth and this is that which is here called the Kingdome of heaven Which Kingdome is described by the Governour King and Head thereof And by the subjects of that Kingdome The Subjects are described by their Agreement and Disagreement First they agree in this that they are all Virgins though some foolish yet Virgins not defiled with men or the pollutions of the world 't is possible a foolish and unsound heart may go thus farre in Religion to be free from the pollutions of the world yea through the knowledge of Christ sayes the Apostle Peter Secondly they agree in this that they have all their Lampes good and bad wise and foolish under Ordinances which are the Lampes whereby the golden oyle of the sanctuary is emptied into our hearts Thirdly they agree in this that they are all expectants wise and foolish wait the bridegroomes comming they all thinke to receive good and have a good day by the comming of Jesus Christ this is farre yet thus farre may a foolish Virgin go Fourthly they all agree in this that they had oyle in their lampes indeed verse the 3. it is said Ad nihilū valet quod non valet ad finem suum that the foolish Virgins took no oyle with them but verse the 8 they say Our lampes are gone out So that o●●e they had once but they had not enough and so none parts and gifts and common graces a man may have not only his lampe but some oyle in it for a time yet be a foolish Virgin Fifthly they agree in this that they keep Company have Communion and fellowship together in the Church yea so farre that the foolish are not knowne till Christs comming so smoothly may a foolish Virgin carry it yet remain foolish Sixthly They all agree in this also that they hold out their profession with lamps and waiting till the bridegroom comes So that possibly a man may be a Professor of the Gospel and beare up his Profession among the best even to the last yet be unfound at heart and a foolish Virgin Thus farre they agree But Secondly though these Virgins agree in many things yet they disagree in the point of wisedome for the wise got so much oyle as did serve till the last the foolish not so there was defectus olei verse 8. Secondly you have here the description of the King Governour and Head of this Kingdome

of sleeping for if you do fall asleepe you will never wake again will he not take heed of sleeping thus it shall be with the sleepers of this latter time at other times men shall sleepe and wake and wake and sleepe but if men fall asseepe into a spirituall sleepe immediately before the coming of Jesus Christ they shall sleepe till he comes and shall be wake't no more but by his coming Oh! Lord who would not watch and pray least he enter into temptation Thirdly If ye observe this Parable ye shall finde that there are two sorts of sleepers and accordingly two events of their sleeping Some slept as the wise Virgins but did keep their oyle their oyle not spent these when the Bridegroome came entred with him into his joy Others there are that sleepe and have spent their oyle had oyle but spent it and these when the Bridegroome cometh are shut out and though they call Lord open He answers I know ye not So now in the latter dayes there shall be two sorts of professors one that shall sleepe and slumber but they shall keepe their graces their oyle their principles and these though they be found asleepe when Christ comes Christ will pardon and their sleeping becausethey have still their oyle Others there shall be who shall not only fall asleepe but they shall lose their principles True I thought indeed that a man was bound for to keep the sabbath to live strictly and to make a conscience of every word and thought but now I see there is more liberty thus they shall lose their principles their oyle their judgements these poore soules shall never wake againe and when Christ comes though they cry to him for mercy they will not obtaine it No ye have lost your principles your oyle your judgements ye are foolish Virgins ye shall never enter into my joy he will then say Who would not then watch and pray what I say to you I speak unto my own soule and to every person here present Oh! let us all watch for the Son of man comes and he comes at midnight and if it be not midnight now yet it is late already And seeing all these things are so give me leave Honourable and Beloved to leave an exhortation with you which is no other then that which the Psalmist presents unto ye in the 24. Psalme Lift up your heads O ye gates and be lift up ye everlasting doores and the King of glory shall come in Gates ye know are the place where the Magistrate fate The Temple doore was called the Everlasting doore in opposition to the doore of the Tabernacle which was to continue but a little time The Psalmist speakes here of Christs Kingdome and Lordship on earth verse 1. The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof the world and they that dwell therein Then he will have a Church and a precious people Who shall ascend unto the hill of the Lord who shall stand on his holy place verse the 3. Which he answers in the generall He that hath cleane hands and a pure heart And more particularly at the 6. verse This is the Generation of them that seeke him that seeke thy face even Jacob. The Children of Israel had two names sometimes they were called Israel when they were in a more flourishing and strong condition sometimes they were in a low and weake condition and then they were called Jacob Feare not O worme Jacob. Now sayes the Psalmist here The earth is the Lords and Christ shall raigne and the poore despised Israel who now are in low condition and therefore called Jacob shall be converted and ascend unto the hill of God Now therefore my advice and counsell unto you is That as the Lord Jesus shall make any approach unto your Townes Cities Kingdomes Churches you would receive him and not shut your gates and doores against him but O all ye Cities Townes and Magistrates lift up your heads lift up your heads O ye gates and all you Temple-men and Churches lift up your everlasting doores that this King of glory may come in And if ye aske who it is It is the Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in battel wherefore lift up your heads And because this exhortation is of great consequence and men are slow to receive it I exhort you to it againe at the 9. verse Lift up your heads O ye gates even lift them up ye everlasting doores and the King of glory shall come in Now the Lord grant that we may all so lift up our heads and gates that this King of glory may come in among us not as a judge to condemne us but as our Bridegroome to love us FINIS