Selected quad for the lemma: father_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
father_n	holy_a	son_n	teach_v	15,032	5	6.6919	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41725	A discourse deliver'd in two sermons preached in the cathedral at Ely, in September 1684, not long after the death of the Right Reverend Father in God Peter Gunning, late Lord Bishop of Ely / by Humfrey Govver ...	Gower, Humphrey, 1638-1711.	1685 (1685)	Wing G1458; ESTC R18728	39,015	72

London But thus as I was saying did this Apostolical man endure hardship as a good Souldier of Jesus Christ God having not given him the Spirit of Fear but of Power of Love and of a Sound mind Like his Lord and Master He went about doing good in meekness instructing those that oppos'd themselves and was instant in season and out of season reproving rebuking exhorting with all long-suffering and Doctrine Thus spent he his days of mourning either privately wrestling with his God in Prayer for the remnant of Israel that He would turn the Captivity of his people and be favourable and gracious unto Sion and build up the walls of Jerusalem or in publick contending with the enemies of the Church disputing both in publick and private with the most Powerfull and skilfull of the Adversaries of both kinds Romanists and others with equal zeal and knowledge convincing or confounding the gainsayers For He was a Workman that needed not be ashamed God had given him many talents and grace to improve them so that as none could be more desirous neither was there any more able to serve the Church then Himself Once He was seiz'd whilst He was in these Holy Exercises and by special Order carried before the Usurper himself who expostulated with him as Ahab did with Elijah as a troubler of Israel But then so affectionately and solidly did the Apostolical man like St Paul before Felix reason of those things for which He was call'd in question that whether the wretch that heard him had sence enough left to make him tremble or no certainly he was not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake but having vouchsaf'd to bestow some few good words on the Church-Prayers sent away the Good man without using any further violence at the present But thus far have I been carried by the Consideration of that Holy Fire of Zeal which flam'd in Elijah's breast to speak of that which was so plainly discernable in our late Prelate But leave we now that blessed Prophet to the happy rewards of his Love and Labours and leave gazing too at his wondrous ascent the Whirlwind the Fire and Flames the Chariot and Horses that conveyed him strangely and safely to some of the many mansions in the Fathers house And let us look down a while and observe and listen to the behaviour and lamentation of the forsaken and desolate Elisha Elisha was the humble Friend both the companion and servant of Elijah He was Prophet-elect being by Divine direction and designation to succeed his Master But why should he lament then Why this outcry when his Master was taken from him Was there any thing so sad and grievous to either of the two in this translation that might justly provoke Elisha to such a transport of grief as he seemed to express when he cried out and took hold of his own clothes and rent them in two pieces He himself well knew and had been reminded by other sons of the Prophets often enough of what would happen and he expected it at that time and was come thither resolv'd to be present at it Elias himself could not perswade him to stay behind so that there could be no great surprize in the case Besides it was a very glorious Exit for his Master whom he saw in State and Triumph ascending up towards Heaven Here was no room one would think for sorrow no reason for lamentation No sick bed nor dying groans Nothing of agony or pain nor ought of that ghastly pomp of Death that commonly renders the passage to the other state terrible and uneasie even to the best of men and very uncomfortable and grievous to their friends Or was it for himself that Elisha thus laments because now he had lost his Master who was taken from his head and therefore could no longer assist him by his presence and advice But what loss could that be to him who had the Spirit of God for his assistance was a Prophet himself and now that Elijah was gone the Principal and Father of them all But well might He grieve for all this Not indeed on the account of his Master in whose case there was nothing at all dismal or deplorable but for himself and for the publick there was much matter of sorrow And those considerations of a just grief seem to be expressed in the Phrases of his lamentation My father my father The chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof The first speaks as we have observed already his own private interest in the Prophet He had lost a Guide and Governour a faithfull and able Teacher and Director And such are very frequently and deservedly stil'd Fathers in Holy Writ and accordingly they that are so taught and govern'd are call'd Sons as several times in this very Chapter as well as in other places The Spirit of God indeed could and would and did abundantly supply Elisha with all things necessary for his Prophetick Office But still he had lost a sure Friend a pious Companion and wise Guide of his life and that 's enough to make his mourning appear decent and to justifie all the expressions of his sorrow But Elisha stops not at this reflexion on his own loss That consideration was presently swallowed up by greater The Church and Kingdom had in Elijah lost a main ornament and support and that is it which is express'd in the following very elegant and significant Phrases The chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof The appearance which Elisha then had before his eyes of a chariot and horses of fire made the comparison the more seasonable and might be sufficient to prompt him to it But that was not the only reason if it were at all any occasion of that figurative allusion It is like he would have us'd the same expression tho' he had seen the Prophet expiring on a bed instead of mounting towards Heaven in a chariot as it was by King Joash applied to him himself 2 Kings 13. 14. when fal'n sick of his sickness whereof he died The whole world is a looser by the death of a good man more especially then was that Kingdom and people so by the loss of so excelling a person as was Elijah This truly was a becoming argument for the lamentation of a Prophet For when the righteous man perisheth or is taken away tho' others do not yet they that are like himself will consider it and lay it to heart He indeed hath hope in his death and enters into peace and is refresh'd and comforted in Abraham's bosom but they that are left behind they particularly that liv'd near him within the direct influence of his good deeds and holy example are really damnified by his death as will soon appear by weighing the expressions in which Elisha here bemoaneth the publick loss in the person of the great Elijah The chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof A Metaphor taken from war and so very aptly bestowed upon a