Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	body_n	earth_n	soul_n	16,341	5	5.1635	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34480	Jura cleri, or, An apology for the rights of the long-despised clergy proving out of antient and modern records that the conferring of revenues, honours, titles, priviledges, and jurisdiction upon ecclesiasticks is consistent with Scripture, agreeable to the purest primitive times, and justified by the vsance and practce of all nations / by Philo-Basileus Philo-Clerus.	Philo-Basileus Philo-Clerus.	1661 (1661)	Wing C612; ESTC R23895	70,115	98

* Campanell● Design and compassed what they so much tug'd for in our late Troubles to ruine the Universities deprive the Clergy of a setled Maintenance and bring them to a sordid Benevolence they had done their work How many hopeful persons intended for Labourers in Christs Vineyard have been hereby discouraged their worldly Parents diverting them to more gainfull imployments many Congregations left destitute of able Preachers Blue Aprons and Buff Coats stepping up in their rooms whereby such an Inundation of Errours have brake in upon us that it requires skillfull Pilots to keep the Ark of our poor Church from Sinking THE CLERGIES HONOURS CHAP. I. The Honour of the Sacred Function vindicated by Scripture Reason Equity and Fathers THe second Head to be treated of is the Respect and Honour due to this Sacred Function which the Spirit of God is not sparing or backward in asserting knowing the malice of Satan and the depraved Nature of man prone enough to vilifie it And therefore that none might plead ignorance we have repeated Precepts scattered up and down in sundry places In the 2. Philip. 29. the Preachers of the Gospel are commanded to be had in honour and 1. Thess 5.12 to be esteemed and Reverenced 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceeding abundantly the Original being scarce to be expressed by a Translation Now the grand design of all this is that Christ may be advanced for the respect shown to the Servant redounds to the Master who will one day own it inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these Little Ones ye did it unto me The Honour and Preferments you conferred upon them I take as done to my self I wonder what answer our Clergy-Haters will return to such clear Texts certainly they must borrow that Glosse of the Learned Canonist Statuimus i. e. Abrogamus for their practise puts no better a Comment upon those words of S. Paul Honour those that are over you i. e. despise them revise them and take away their maintenance It has oftentimes saddened my soul to see many who pretend to higher Dispensations a more eminent degree of Sanctity then their Brethren to place much of their Religion in scorning and reviling the Embassadors of Christ as if they did him service when they cast dirt in the face of his Ministers But he will at last give them slender thanks for their preposterous zeal We have the Great Apostle of the Gentiles for an example that boasting does not alwaies misbecome us and doubtlesse if ever it were seasonable now is the time when this Art of Arts the Government of Souls is so much trampled upon Scholiast Pindar Now if the Dignity of a Calling may be judged by the usefulnesse of it which is Pindars Argument for his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where is any that dares stand in competition with this Other Professions are variable like the Moon sometimes dark and sometimes shining at certain fits and seasons serviceable this never out of date never to be dispensed with A Souldier is loved or rather feared in War but disregarded in Peace a Physitian 's seldom courted but in sicknesse and by crazy distempered bodies and for Lawyers they are principally lookt after when men are disposed to wrangle but there 's no Age no Season no State of Life that does not require at least need the assistance of a Divine Again if that Profession which can produce the most Worthy Persons engaged in it as Scal. argues should carry the Bell the day is surely their own In our Corporations here if a King be but made free of such a Company the Society presently vaunt they have gained much credit by it but how many Emperours Princes and Nobles may be instanced in that have not only listed themselves but actually exercised the Office of the Ministery Spelm. Ep. Ded. an t Con. Cambd. Brit. p. 98. Capgrave reckons up at least a Score of our British Kings and Queens that left their Scepters and betook themselves to Religion in those fertile Ages of Royal Saints Peruse the holy Records we have Melchisedock a King and a Priest Heb. 7.1 David a King and a Prophet and Solomon the Wisest of Mortals glorying more in the name of a Preacher then all his Royal Titles But why stand I upon these when Jesus Christ the King of Kings the Eternal Son of God thoughtit not below him telling us expresly Luke 4.18 that he was sent into the World on no other errand then to preach the Gospel Here upon earth a great Personage that had but one only Child would be loath to imploy him in any base unworthy calling and may we not here safely conclude this to be an Honourable Profession which the most Wise God put the Son of his Bosom to Let me speak a proud word then at least some will judge it so the Ministry is an Imployment that the Noblest Peer nay the greatest Prince upon earth need not be ashamed of Nor let any one blush to be of that Profession which Adam Moses David Solomon nay Christ himself hath honoured I shall not take notice of those Rhodomontado Vaunts of the bragging Canonists who compare the Clergy to the Sun and the Laity to the Moon Though backed by an eminent * Bartol Confil. 18. si Aliqua Coll. 2. Civilian who pronounces the Sacerdotal dignity greater then any Secular Nor doe many of the ancient Fathers come farre behind them who have very swelling expressions to this purpose Hear but Ignatius St. John's Disciple Ep. ad Smyrn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Priesthood transcends every thing amongst mortals And Chrysostome styles the Clergy Christs Deputies or Vice-gerents presently adding * Hom. 17. on St. Mat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. As much as the Heaven is more honourable then the Earth and Soules then bodies so much is the Spiritual Function more excellent then the Civil But these straines are somewhat Hyperbolical and must be understood in a qualified sense with some graines of allowance Come to those that speak modestly and soberly For the Jewes Josephus is my Authour that Interest in the sacred Function was an unerring argument of a splendid Original * Jos Vit juxta init 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Casaubon stops not there but will have it to be the * Exercit. in Bar. 1. N. 5. only Nobility when the Line of David was eclipsed all others though never so powerfull never so wealthy being lookt upon as no better then Plebeians Descend to Gospel times Clericatus est Dignitas saith Panormitan any Relation to the Church entitles a man to honour And he that reades the Digests Basilica or our own Lambard will find the meanest Clergy man of no small account amongst the Ancients the principal part viz. the Bishops being all the Saxon period ranked among the Greater Thanes and in the Norman daies equal to the Barons as will in its proper place be farther cleared For Reason and common equity do seeme

Prophets no meal-mouth'd flatterers charge them with this sin but the Levites portion the 48. Cities assigned them by Joshuah increased in after ages as it should seem by the List 1. Chron. 6. to above 60. though of greater emolument and far more considerable put all together then what our English Clergy ever enjoyed continued entire and without diminution or disturbance to that Tribe till the final subversion of the Jewish State Should we grant these Lands had at first been given out of Superstition t is not a blemish in the Donours intention that will make void the Act. If so there would have been colour enough to plunder the Treasury of the Temple because the proud Pharises and many such like cast in their Offerings Mar. 12. In the 16 of Numb we have the Gensers of Corah and his accomplices men of the Lords anger and indignation offered in a rebellious sinfull manner yet commanded to be imployed in some holy uses and not prophaned because they were once hallowed in being dedicated to the God of Israel And this Saint Austin recommends as a pattern to Christian Magistrates to be imitated in paralel cases Epist 54. Should we grant the present Incumbents had never so much misbehaved themselves profusely lavishing the Churches Patrimony perverting it to prophane uses proud backs and pampered bellies Yet how had Christ offended what had he done that you should deprive him of his portion and Inheritance those small fragments which former Covetuousnes had spared For know Ye sons of Sacriledge that what you took Cooks Com. in Magn. Char. from the Church you took from him it being the Tenour of all the old grants Magna Charta and others Concessimus Deo For Quod datum est Ecclesiae datum est Deo It has made me tremble many a time when I have read in the old Charters the dreadfull execrations denounced against those that should lay hands on those Devoted Things recorded in Spelm. Counc and Monast Angl. Passim c. bure I am Hehemiah one of the best and greatest Reformers in the world could not bear the alienation of one poor Chamber belonging to the Priests c. 13.7 8. so farre was he from preying upon any thing himself And yet no Reformation could content ours but an utter depriving the Embassadors of Christ of their fairest encouragements If our eyes had not beheld and our eares heard it could it be imagined there should be any in these Gospel-dayes to repine at the wealth conferred upon the Clergy and to use Language much like that of Foelix Treasurer to Julian Magdeburg Cent. 4. see in what plenty these servants of the Son of Mary live Well I had almost said that the sin of Sacriledge in taking away the Churches Patrimony cryes lowder in the eares of Heaven then ever did their pride and luxury in abusing it Yet am I none of those that will once open my mouth in defence of looseness debauchery and such Immoralities which my Soul abhorres equall to Heresie But if wealth be so apt to corrupt them ler all the Lawes already enacted be impartially executed and if that be not judged sufficient let as severe ones be added as the Wisdome of our Senators shall think fit to meet with growing disorders and abuses I beleive there 's none will decline Vessii Hist Pelag. l. 5. Part 2. whatever lawfull Authority shall impose Only t is hoped that peice of Pelagianisme is not now revived that t is impossible to be great and good Rich Humble T is true the poor bladders of mans tainted nature are too prone to swell with a little wind but God can keep the heart low under the highest honours sober in the greatest affluence Have we not Joseph the second person in Aegypt David a King Daniel and Nehemiah Courtiers and yet their hearts right with God their Integrity still retained Nor is it poverty of estate but of spirit to which Christ promises the blessing Mat. 5. There may then be good use made of this unrighteous Mammon for as wine is not evil but drunkenness no more are riches evil but Covetuousnes Let not any therefore be cheated by such pitifull Sophismes countenanced only by some few wrested Texts of Scripture and misunderstood passages of Antiquity Let me but ask any considerate person what we have gained by all our 20. years wandrings One of the beautifullest Islands and flourishing Churches in Europe hath been almost ruined by our Giddinesse Let zealous ignorance now confesse its mistake and by a dutiful Conformity hereafter redeem its errors Have you comfort to look back upon the Desolations you have made so many magnificent Churches Levelled to the ground so many converted into Magazines of War Dens of Thieves and Stables for Horses which the poor innocent Beasts have already smarted for I dare not go about to fathom the Depths of Divine Judgements those waies are unsearchable and those paths past finding out but if we will believe some curious Observers they le tell us that the Prodigious Disease which has of late so much raged amonst Horses had its Original in the House of God beginning at the Guards in St. Pauls And our eyes have beheld in these late Revolutions in how eminent a manner the Righteous God has frowned upon the great Sticklers in Church Lands declaring in the face of all the World how much his soul abhors the covetuous Now since God has smiled upon us to restore our Rulers as at the first t is hoped our wise Senators will be careful to wipe away that stain and blot which lies upon our Reformation for alienating Monastick Revenues and not adde sin to sin and iniquity to imquity Most Honoured Patriots you are the great Representatives of the Nation whose Repure ought to be dear unto you Be pleased then to consider Will it not be a reproach to a rich and slourishing Kingdom to have a starved indigent Clergy in a Land of Plenty exposed to Beggery An injury and dishonour to the memory of your Religious Ancestours and Predecessors who not out of ignorant zeal and blind superstition but conscience but honour to the God of their substance Consecrated some portion of their Estates to his service and confirmed the Donations of others not only by naked Votes but repeated oathes Now to have all these Monuments of their Devotion at once swallowed up by their Sacrilegious Posterity Or will any be so mad for the future as to become Benefactors when there is so little Security in the Publick faith of a Nation Certainly this was one of the deadliest blows that for many years has been given to Religion what an hindrance has it proved to the happy progresse and successe of the Gospel what an advantage to the Kingdom of Satan making us stink in the Nostrils of all the neighbouring Countries alienating the hearts of sundry well-affected weakning the hands of Friends and strengthning Enemies And if the Romish Emissaries could but have perfected their