Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n
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A93601
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Scintillula altaris. or, A pious reflection on primitive devotion : as to the feasts and fasts of the Christian Church, orthodoxally revived. / By Edward Sparke, B.D.; Thysiasterion.
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Sparke, Edward, d. 1692.
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1652
(1652)
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Wing S4807; Wing S4806; Thomason E1219_1; ESTC R203594
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218,173
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522
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is it to have a Friend of the Judg before we come to the Barr and that is our consolation if not our own default Christ is ascended our Best friend our Brother our Advocate and now we have a Mediatour in Heaven I till this Peace-maker went up Sin had set open war 'twixt heaven and earth Justice with an unbound Arm fetched a more heavy stroke not only on single persons but upon whole Cities Gen. 17. Gen. 7 Gen. 19. nay on the whole sinful world Gen. 7. then no Moses in the gap no Jacob there to wrestle for a blessing but now happy day for us the Angel of the Covenant is gone up to hold the hand of the striking God of Abraham our Aaron is at the high Altar to pray for the People Heb. 9.24 The Sanctum Sanctorum Hebrews 9.23 Christ our high Priest is entered into the Heaven of Heavens once for all to make an Attonement for us what place then is there now left black Dispaire but only Hell Rouse thee afflicted soul and ly no longer in the groanes of Cain For though the envious man Satan be ever pleading against us at the throne of God yet now is salvation in heaven saith Saint John and the power of Christ which casteth down the accuser of the Brethren Rev. 12.10 c. Rev. 12.10 There his Intercession cries louder for us then our sins against us Ostendit Patri vulnera saith Saint Augustine He is ever shewing to his angred Father those wounds He suffered for our sins and so whatever he be with us God is in Him appeased Thus pleadeth he our cause before the eternall Judge an Advocate 1 John 2.1 1 John 2. If any man sin c. Yet for all this presume not Ransomed Soul bee not high-minded but fear God forbid sinne should because grace abounds Desperation like Saul slayeth thousands but Presumption her ten thousands This were even to crucifie the Son of God afresh and grieve the Holy Spirit Eph. 4.30 Ephes 4.30 Lastly Though wee have now one yet have we but one Mediatour in Heaven we dare not admit of that Delusion that there are as many Saviours as good men Each one meriting for himselfe some for others and no fewer Intercessours then Saints and Angels since Noah Job and Daniel shall deliver but their own soules by their righteousnesse Ezech. 14. Ezeck 14.14 We dare not so rob God of his Honour nor derogate from Christ's all-sufficient merits and intercession for all the thinne Distinction of Mediatio Redemptionis Intercessionis Away with cobweb shifts and Aiery phansies Listen to infallibility 1 Tim. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one God and one Mediatour between God and man even He that was both and none but He Jesus Christ then to close with St. Bernards Counsel Ascendit Christus sequamur Fratres sequamur Agnum quocunque ierit sequamur patientem resurgentem multo lubentius Asceudentem c. Christ is now ascended into Heaven what do we groveling so on earth Letus follow Brethren let us follow the Lamb whither soever he goeth Let us follow him suffering Bernard in Festum Arising much more willingly ascending exaltationem concupiscimus omnes We all love to be exalted born Corahs all of an aspiring Nature yet change but the object set Heaven and grace in the place of earthly transitories and keep your Ambition stil Si consurrexistis coascendite if risen with Christ Ascend with him Borrowing the wings of the Dove Scalam de vitiis make a ladder of your Sins saith Aug. every one of which subdued is a new stepp toward Heaven POEM 17. THose three steps of Christs later Passion Were answer'd in his exaltation By triple opposites building him high As his foundation laid debasingly The degradation of his bitter death Sweetned by Reviviction Resum'd Breath His bed made in the dust with worms to ly Was fairly oppos'd by his Ascent on high And for his stooping to the infernall Pit He now at Gods Right hand of power doth sit The first step we have trod Le ts now ascend The rest and Heaven shall be our journies end To th'Mount of Olives then for That 's the place Christs wonted Pulpit that must have the Grace Of this Triumphant wonder there while he Instructs and comforts his disciples see Elijah in his Antitipe again Transported thence in a coelestiall wain The Clouds his Chariot and the nimble winds His winged horses Angels in their kinds His Train and Lacquayes yet no needed ayd As is of Enoch and Elijah said Thus stately mounted his etherial Chaire Glides through the yeilding Regions of the Ayre To th' everlasting doors which open wide To th' King of Glory who brings a spring Tide Both of new Joy and wonder to that place Where ne're till now appeared a Humane Face And if some serious minds Christs Passion thought Even to Heavens Quire some silence to have wrought And for awhile the Saints and Seraphins Thence interrupted in their sacred Hymns O here by contrary's what Floud of joyes When Christ ascends with such a Raptive Noise David as though H 'had heard the Melody Streight Tunes his Harp and joyns i th' Harmony Angels and Saints all one glad Chorus Sing The Welcome Triumphs of their Glorious King Where Gods Right hand being his triumphant throne He still for us makes Intercession And such as needs no help who Rivals joyn His honour and their own successe Purloyn As Angels Pry this Death so let us Scan What 's said or done to Them as here to Man Then from Christs Mount now let our souls take Rise Whos 's Olivet speaks Peace and victories Follow our Leader in this holy Fight From Earth and Sin leading to glorious Light Follow the Lamb we should whereso'ere he goes Through joyes Spirituall through temporal woes Suffering or Rising follow him but sure Ascending we will easily endure Born Corahs all yet be but Heaven the Hill We climb and then keep our Ambition stil Souls are but sparkles of Coeiestial fire O let them to their Center then aspire Though Bodies are slow Pac'd Let souls ascend And bodies will ore'take their joyes i th' end That so a full Beatifying ascent As Christs may be our Journall's complement The COLLECT The Epistle Act. 1. v. 1. to 12. The Gospel Mar. 16. v. 14. to the end Grant we beseech thee Almighty God that like as we do beleeve thy only begotten Son our Lord to have ascended into the heavens so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend and with him continually dwel who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the holy Ghost one God world without end Amen The comminge of the Holy Ghost Act. 2. 1 And when the day of Pentecost was come they were all with one accord in one place 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heauen ect 3 And there appeared unto them clouen tongues like fire and it sate upon each
more appetite then digestion Be not like the Corimandi a kind of people whose Ear covereth their whole body as now-a-dayes all for hearing little for meditation nothing for practice having as 't were the Rickets of Religion their heads sweld with knowledge or pretensions but their feet not walking accordingly And therefore hear but with Christs caution Matth. 4. What and How Take heed what you hear Try the spirits Matth. 4. Luke 8. 1 Joh 4.2 as those noble Beraeans did even by Paul himself Act. 17.11 And all this practise wil make it Otium sanctum as St. Austin calls the Sabboth an holy rest and so effect that Sabbatum pectoris that double Sabboth of the soul whereas that of Time is but a figure viz. the internall rest of conscience here in grace and that eternall rest of soul and body hereafter in full glory So be it Amen POEM 20. SHall we sing of the Streams and not the Fount This Holy of holy Dayes which doth surmount The rest according to their Objects nature As the Creator doth excell the Creature This Day unyoaks the world and ease bestows Suspending of the Curse on sweating Brows A Day of unbought Indulgence and Rest Of Gods in-acting both for Man and Beast Nor yet must This Brute-acquiescence be But the Souls Travell while the Body free Though Jews o' th' Sabboth might not yet We may Best gather Manna Now two showers a day Oh let not Plenty and such Choyce of Fare Make us like Wanton Israel appear Loath not this Heavenly Dew but come and tast Let not such Holy water run at wast With your old Raining Banquet rest content Lust for New Quails tempts but new Punishment Long not for Bethlem Waters there 's no good Nutrition in the juyce that 's price of Blood Sweet Festivall of Heaven's Beneficence Which now keeps Open House and do'st dispence The bounteous Doles of Mercy unto All That Piously approach and for them call Great Market-day of Souls Divinity On thee as 't were holds a Monopoly Come Buyers God himselfe turns Merchant now Leave Trades of Sin your selves his Chapmen vow For though his Wares are yet his Price not high Pardon for asking Heaven for Piety For Patience Conquest for Confession A gracious Act of Heaven's Oblivion This is the Souls good Clymacterick Day Boding her weal as to'ther her Decay If Number have its Vertue sure This seaven Wil most inchant a good Soul toward Heaven The Lords Dayes me thinks make up Jacobs Scale The weeks the Empty spaces whereon all Gods Right and Left-hand Blessings do descend And by which Pious Souls to him ascend Make then the Sabboth here so the Lords Day That endlesse Rest with him we once enjoy THE COLLECT PRAYER The Epistle Rom. 15. v. 4. to the 14. The Gospel Luke 21. v. 35. to 34. BLessed Lord which hast caused all holy Scriptures to bee written for our learning Grant us that me may in such wise hear them read mark learn and inwardly digest them that by Patience and comfort of thy holy word we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life which thou hast given us in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen ALmighty God which hast promised to hear the Petitions of them that ask in thy Sons Name we beseech thee mercifully incline thine ears to us that have made now our Prayers and Supplications unto thee and grant that those things which we have faithfully asked according to thy will may effectually be obtained to the relief of our necessity and to the setting forth of thy glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Rogation Week DISQUISITION 18. THis was the Week immediatly preceding Holy Thursday or indeed but the foure dayes next before it denominated à Rogationibus from the extraordinary Prayers and Supplications then used by good Christians the better to prepare their souls at that time to attend our Saviour by a spirituall Ascension as God made the Day of Ascension a day of Giving Psal 68.18 so the Church made the time a week of Asking as in the Gospel appointed And therefore this is no spurious issue of Novell Superstition but a venerable Institution of pious Antiquity and sincere Religion it being more then probable that this holy custome was practised in the Church in if not before St. Augustines dayes Serm. 173. de Temp. tom 80. Witnesse his Sermon preached on Ascension Eve and his Titles on some other Sermons Magdeburg cent 5. fol 693. and 741. De Dominicâ in Orationibus c. concerning Rogation Sunday and of the second and third day thereof it is unanimously acknowledged by Authors of both perswasions that this ancient Order was either invented or restored rather by Mamercus Bishop of Vienna Baron Animal fol. 309. long before the time of Gregory the Great Anno 450. the Reasons of which Holy Custome I find to be of two sorts viz. from Occasions Naturall and Accidentall Those of accident were the great Afflictions and Calamities that befell those times which made them happly convert their superstitious Processions to the Tombs of Martyrs into a better use of Prayer and strong Supplications for removing Judgements as things invented for one purpose by use are easily converted into more Socrates lib. 6. c. 8. And so it was by the People of Vienna when such Earthquakes of terrors befell them as amazed the hearts of all men who then began to forsake the Citie as a place which Heaven seemed to have destined to ruine for then their Bishop before mentioned as it became a Christian Prelate Hooker Ec. P. l. 5. neither void of councell as yet nor secure in himself alone under such common perplexity earnestly exhorted the remainder of the people to prevent portended Calamities by those vertuous and holy means whereby others in like case have prevailed with God To that purpose perfecting and adapting the Rogations Reasons of Rogation week or Letanies formerly in use to their present Necessities and sad occasions whose good successe therewith afterward moved Sidonius Bishop of Averna to use the same so corrected Rogations at such time as he and his people were afflicted with Famine and besieged with potent adversaries till at length it was thought convenient by Gregory the first and best of that name to contract the Flower of all the said Rogations into one And however this Iron have since got some rust yet hath it been scoured off too as I shall shew anon And this I may call as to us-ward at least the Accidentall cause of these Rogations The generall Troubles and Calamities of Nations But besides these there are some Naturall Occasions of them I mean from Gods blessings on increasing Nature and as the first tremble before God as an angry Judge so these kneel to him as a Father and a Benefactor As now you see Natures Carpet spread enameled with rare variety of flowers and hopefull blossoms Jam prata rident