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
A95867	Tvvo sermons preached: one before the Right Honorable House of Lords, on their publick fast, May 26. 1647. The other, before the Honorable House of Commons, on their publick fast, in Margarets Church in Westminster, Septemb. 29. 1647. / By Thomas Valentine one of the Assembly of Divines, and minister in Chalfort in the county of Bucks.	Valentine, Thomas, 1585 or 6-1665?	1647 (1647)	Wing V27; Thomason E409_13; ESTC R204423	15,835	24

to have your garments white at all times Eccl. 9.8 How will this condemne many that live in the visible Church that have never a ragge to cover their nakednesse and yet are contented with it Others take up a profession of Religion and yet keepe not their garments cleane they goe unhandsomely and slovenly 1 Joh. 3 9. It is said That hee that is borne of God cannot sinne he hath another nature given him and while he is himselfe he cannot goe against the principles of grace as a neat cleanly man would not doe a slovenly act though no body should see him and a curious workeman cannot bungle so a godly man cannot sinne and tumble ●n the mire for he is a Sheepe not a Swine It is reported of the Ermin which is a neat creature that if a puddle be on the one side and Dogs on the other he will choose to dye rather then defile himselfe I wish wee could see this cleanlinesse in Christians It ought to be so and Schoole-men give a good reason for it because grace workes not by feare onely but by hatred A man feares a drawne Sword when the point is set against his brest and it is in the hand of an enemy but if it lye on the Table or be in the hand of a friend it is not feared Men may feare sinne when God doth threaten to run them through but if he put up his Sword their feare is removed therefore the kindly worke of grace is by way of hatred and loathing a man would not take a Toade in his hand though he knew the poyson would not hurt him this hatred and loathing of all filthinesse and pollution should be in those that have this white raiment and then they would keepe their garments cleane Use And now give me leave to make a further application to you that are the Great Councell of the Kingdome and let me tell you that the people of this Land looke for this pure gold and white raiment and to purchase them they have offered faire Their Plate their Money their Horses their Servants and their Sonnes they begin to feare they shall not have these Commodities which they have bidden well for because in all this time they had little else then ends of gold and silver wee will perswade them to waite longer and to helpe you by their prayers that you may become the happie instruments of the Kingdomes good in making the gold and raiment in the Text as plentifull as the materiall gold was in Solomons time To effect this you have need of Solomons wisedome the present Divisions and Distractions of the time require it and unlesse God interpose his owne power and wisedome wee conceive wee shall bee still under the troubles of Warre such as were in Davids time And though you doe well to thinke of building the Temple and yee contribute somewhat towards it yet wee doubt whether wee that are alive shall see it done and injoy the peace and happinesse of Solomons time Yet however let me represent unto you the state of the people in this Land which is much like to these Laodiceans they are poore and naked they have thought themselves rich in their Clergie and honoured above others in their outward pompe and glory and for their wealth and goods they have abounded and had need of nothing now they see themselves poore in every kind and they lament their povertie they are naked also both in regard of raiment and armour and Aaron hath made them so Exod. 32.25 They hope that you will take care to inrich them and provide such as will clothe them You did purge the Sonnes of Levi and tooke away many that were no better then drosse and Tin you now give over It is much feared least many Congregations shall still be poore and naked the people desire a golden ministery such as have golden gifts and graces and then they hope there will be golden Christians and the golden dayes will come in so much as in you lyes you should pittie and relieve the Kingdome herein by setting up a godly ministery and countenancing it against the reproach and contempt of these present times which is greater then heretofore hath beene knowne Wee thought the witnesses had been slain because it is said in Rev. 11.3 7 9. that after they had Prophesied in sackcloth a long time then they were killed and then they were unburied three dayes and a halfe There is no doubt but godly Preachers among others were the witnesses that gave testimony to the truth and they have Prophesied mournfully even in sackcloth a long time together and then they were slaine they were suspended which was a civill death they were not killed as men but as Prophets and they were in the streets as dead men not suffered to execute their Ministeriall Functions and this was for three dayes and a halfe and the time of continuing the suspension of many Ministers by the Bishops which was three yeares and a halfe did fall out so pat and punctuall as it might well be thought to be the slaying of the witnesses in England It is not necessary to make this killing of the witnesses to be in all places at the same time but that it fell out among us at this time the words following in the Text plainly shew for after that time of three dayes and a halfe the Spirit of Life entred into them and they lived againe as Prophets and were restored and great feare fell upon men Those that were Actors in killing them desired them to goe and desire their freedome which was quickly and easily granted they were glad to be rid of them * Ornati ● ūmo honore gloria ad exemplū Ch●isti qui post mortem debellatam sublatus est in caelum quod autem vox auditur jubens ascendere eo significatur non aspiraturas prophetas ad hoc honoris suo in arte sed aliorum authoritate collo candas esse in isto fa●●igio pu●a Sol●●ni aliqua principum sanctiore Brightman in Locum And further to confirme this It followes in the Text that there was a great voice from Heaven saying unto them Come up hither Heaven is the highest part of the visible World and it resembles men in highest place and power King and Parliament And this great voice from Heaven was from the State and you said to poore despised Preachers Come up hither You gave them countenance and incouragement even before their Adversaries You said to the proud prelaticall idle Clergie Come downe hither and I thinke you said well But to the godly despised Ministers of the Gospell you said Come up ascend higher and you gave them respect But now there is a voice from the Earth which saith Come downe hither The people that Petitioned you against the maintenance of the Ministery they say Come downe to us you are too high doe as wee doe worke for your living as wee doe Whether this voice from Heaven or Earth shall prevaile Wee leave it with you and the God of Heaven to determine Onely let me give you an Item to take heed in this case of doing as David did betweene Mephibosheth and Ziba 2 Sam. 16.3 4. Hee accused Mephibosheth that hee aspired after the Kingdome and looked after great matters and when the Innocent lame man had opportunitie to make his owne defence yet David unjustly gave away halfe his Land to his Accuser 2 Sam. 19.29 They are like enough to say of us W●e would get higher and wee looke after great matters but take heed of dividing upon such a false surmise and give one halfe away to satisfie their desires and leave the other halfe for us to live upon in a poore manner But I forbeare the further pressing of these things and in a word returne to the first Branch of my Exhortation I beseech you give us nothing but gold let not your Authoritie countenance any thing but what is good and precious You are Gods Merchants and you should have put off more then you have done Many things come before you little is setled It were an evill thing for many Causes to come before a Judge and nothing to bee determined The Lord quicken your spirits and guide you in your way And for you the people of this Land bee wise to judge of things as they are indeed There is gold to bee had and white rayment the Lord Jesus Christ would sell you these You sometimes cheapen them and inquire after them but you goe not through with the bargaine Who would want gold in his purse and good raiment upon his back if hee could have them You may have these if you will and it will bee a horrid thing in the day of your account to render and returne poore naked soules before Go that might have beene inriched and clothed FINIS