Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	earth_n	great_a	let_v	6,859	5	4.2631	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A36887	Abraham's faith stated and applied a sermon preached February 16, 1695/6 / by Geo. Duncumb ...	Duncumb, George, 1661 or 2-1743.	1697 (1697)	Wing D2609; ESTC R14747	11,585	30

those of whom we read of in Mic. 6.7 and saying Shall I give my first-born for my transgression the fruit of my Body for the sin of my Soul Instead of halting between Two Opinions or expostulating doubting and disputing whether he should not destroy the Promise by obeying a Command which seemingly put him upon cutting off the hopes of a numerous Posterity with his own hand Behold he presently prepared to set forth upon this unwelcome Expedition with the same forwardness as he had done formerly when he quitted the Land of his Nativity upon the prospect which his Faith in God gave him of that Inheritance which he now enjoy'd together with the Heir of Promise For we read v. 3. That Abraham rose up early in the Morning and Sadled his Ass and took Two of his Young Men with him and Isaac his Son Moreover he clave the Wood for the Burnt-Offering and when they drew nigh unto the place of which God had told him he laid the Burthen of Wood upon Isaac his Son and laid him on the Altar upon the Wood and having so done he stretched forth his Hand and took the Knife to Slay his Son But the Angel of the Covenant interpos'd with a Counter Injunction and so stopt the Execution declaring that God was so well satisfied with his real Purpose and holy Resolution as to accept the Will for the Deed. For tho' Isaac was not actually offer'd or Slain by his Father yet since it was verily intended by him who had done so much towards it as to make all things ready for it who had gone so far in it as to come to the very last act of it Abraham received this Testimony from Heaven v. 12. of the forecited Chap. Now I know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not witheld thy Son thine only Son from me Which may be Paraphrastically expressed thus Thou hast given abundant proof of thy pious impartial regard to the Commands of God and so may'st fairly be discharged from the Obligation of proceeding any further in the prosecution of this particular Order We are not to imagine That Abraham was acted by any such Enthusiastick Principle as that which influenced those who made their Children pass through the Fire to Molech offering their Sons and their Daughters unto Devils He could have no other Motive or Inducement in a Country where this piece of cruelty was never practised save only his heart's desire to please God by declining no instance of Obedience but endeavouring to do all that he should say of what kind soever And here I cannot but observe to you the several remarkable Circumstances which occur in this matter and do so mightily heighten or enhaunce the Worth and Excellency of that admirable Faith which Abraham shewed in performing such a singular instance of Obedience and in which you may see how far a true lively Faith in God will carry a good man For here was a Command to do that with which the loss of Money or indeed of Life it self in a good Cause is not to be compared nay that from which Nature most abhorr'd and Carnal Reason would have dissuaded namely That a man very Rich and in great Authority who earnestly desired an Heir which was born to him when by the course of Nature he could have no hopes of one that such a man should so overcome his natural Affection to him which must needs be exceeding great as to forego all the mighty Expectations he had from him and consent after a journey of Three days to Slay this Son with his own hands Surely this was one of the greatest things that ever mere man did If he had done it instantly or in the Moment that he receiv'd the Command it might have been interpreted the sudden precipitant inconsiderate Act of one terrified with a Dream or scared with a Vision But to do it so many days after the Command was given by Him who has undoubtedly an uncontroulable Dispensing Power and consequently a right to suspend the Sixth or any other Commandment at pleasure I say to do it upon such mature deliberation is an evident proof or clear demonstration of his unreserved Obedience and that too proceeding from a principle of pure love to God For he did not make haste to Slay his Son out of any fright he was in lest God should have Slain him or stript him of his Estate if he had disobey'd But took time to consider of it that he might show to all men what we ought to do in Obedience to God even where there is no fear of Temporal Punishment nor hope of Worldly Reward for 't is plain he Sacrific'd his dearest Comfort his greatest delight on Earth to the Will of his Father in Heaven Thus having given you an ample account of our Father Abraham's Faith which was imputed to him for righteousness and shewn you that the Two Apostles notwithstanding their seeming Difference are at a perfect Agreement it is now high time that I enquire into ours and let you see what is required in it in order to a Christian's being justified by it which was the Subject of my Second General 2dly Faith being in it self one part of the condition of our Happiness and also instrumental to work the rest 't is no less than necessary to be thoroughly informed what it is and to understand well wherein it consists For tho' it be above 1600 years since it was first preach'd it is still needful to be inculcated and explain'd especially in an Age when too many who are such loose livers as to have little or no fear of God before their Eyes would pass for True Believers barely because they retain so much of the Form of Godliness as to stand up at the Creed and with their Lips profess to believe every Article saying Amen to the whole whereas if this be all if no more were required to constitute a right Faith than thus to believe in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost as the Maker Redeemer and Sanctifier of Mankind the most dissolute Person one that is abominable disobedient and to every good work reprobate might look to be justified But the case is otherwise every Article is to be made practical and the Faith that justifies must influence our lives As there is no coming to God without believing that he is so no Faith can bring us to him or give us hopes of receiving the promised Reward from him but what is fruitful in good Works for without holiness no man shall see the Lord without Holiness no man's Faith shall be imputed to him for righteousness We read indeed That the just shall live by faith But still this Faith must be justified by such actions as are most proper and agreeable to it Faith or Belief in general is nothing else but an assent to something credible upon the Testimony or Declaration of another And the Christian Faith is our believing the Gospel and all things therein contained concerning God