Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n
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A93753
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A sermon on 2 Cor. 2. XI.
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Stafford, Richard, 1663-1703.
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1698
(1698)
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Wing S5131B; ESTC R42862
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27,033
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33
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well taste what we Eat or Drink But admit that did remain yet it is lessened again by having had it over so very often But the chief Reason is because of the nearer yea the very near approaches of Death which then doth cast an Allay and damp even upon all the Innocent Pleasures and Lawful Comforts of Life Which is one Reason why this Age unless it is attempered with Grace and Knowledge is commonly so fretful vaspish and froward But God having here promised a Crown of Life to the enduring of Temptation unto such as Love him which at this day is made good unto his Servant Job for as Abraham Isaac and Jacob do live unto God so doth his Soul also at this very moment somewhere exist this doth mightily alter the Case and make those Temptations to be willingly submitted unto Yea to become a matter of choice I had rather meet with trouble in the way of Duty then to avoid it in the neglect and omission thereof when these temptations do tend and work together for our Endless Good in the latter End and herein is that saying true It is Good for a Man that he bear his Yoke in his Youth Lam. 3. 27. This is a mighty Word of Consolation to me who have born the Yoke to a Witness in my Youth whose Life from my Youth up hath been almost a continued train and series of Afflictions and I do still labour under Crosses Oppositions Disappointments Vexations and Oppreâ—sions Tho' withal Blessed be his Name for it My God hath given me that Knowledge to eye and discern therein somewhat more then the first outward hand or next visible Instrument therein For as it is Written The Prophet is a Snare of the Fowler in his ways Hos 9. 8. So I look upon those Temptations as a Sâ—are of the Great Fowler for the Souls of Men. And as it is again written Our Soul is escaped as a Bird out of the Snare of the Fowler the Snare is broken and we are escaped Psal 1 24. 7. So those Temptations and Snares may at first be many times seen and so passed by or avoided or if one falls unawares into them or if like Troops of numerous Enemies they do come and beset one round by the help and Grace of God we may resolutely break through and not be holden by them We may work through or over or by the rub and hindrance so as not to be let thereby Tho' we may be somewhat hindred yet not utterly stopped It is not so much the Children of Men or our Fellow Creatures which do tempt or torment us but it is the Devil who Acts through them from whence Note by the way that either to tempt or occasion another to sin nothing comes so like unto the Nature of the Devil as this doth as also it is somewhat like him to Vex Disquiet or Torment only for Vexation sake as we commonly say The Devil is the Great Instrument or Engine which sets all the Sin and Evil all the Temptations and Pain a working or in Motion as it hath been and is in the World Here God doth superintend and over-rule all and disposes or suffers him to Act according to his own Will and Pleasure Behold I have Created the waster to destroy Isa 54. 6. Which waster to destroy is the Devil for he doth raise and occasion all those Destructions for they do Spring up from him as the black and corrupt Fountain that is beneath Somewhat hereof is signified by what our Saviour Christ saith unto the Jews I am from above and ye are from beneath Ye are of your Father the Devil and the Lusts of your Father ye will do Observe how it is expressed in the Plural Number Lusts more then one as also we hence see that all Lust comes under and is some of the Devices of Satan He was a Murderer from the beginning John 8. 44. There are several sorts of Lusts some of which do immediately tend to Fighting and Murder and the others do weaken and tend to destroy He hath his Name in the Hebrew Tongue Abaddon but in the Greek Tongue hath his Name Apollyon Rev. 9. 11. Which in the Margent of the Bible there is That is to say A Destroyer Here it is to be understood that the Devil was a Creature made by God as may be gathered from John 1. 3. Col. 1. 16. Isa 54. 16. He is the Great waster that was Created to destroy Like as the fire was Created to burn as well as to warm so that Infernal Spirit was Created to deceive and punish the Children of the Kingdom and those that does Iniquity all one as to prove and try the Servants of the Lord. He hath been suffered to have his Range going about seeking whom he may devour and whom he may destroy To deceive the Nations and the whole World both as taken together and also in their single Individual Persons And the Devil said unto Christ All this Power will I give thee for that is delivered unto me Luke 4. 6. By whom must this be delivered unto him but by the Great Creator and Maker of all things who is God himself We read expresly and clearly in the Revelations how that Power is given unto them to do so far and no further as to one of his Angels to take Peace off from the Earth and many such like things By which it may be easily understood and conceived how that even now God is All in All. As he hath Created all things by his Great Power and Wisdom so He that rideth upon the Heavens by his Name Jah Psal 68. 4. Doth keep the Reins still in his hands and let them go or stops or turns them as himself pleases This was hinted off before but it is safe to mention it again that ye be not Ignorant of the devices of Satan how far they go and no further for even as he hath put Bounds to the Sea Hitherto shalt thou go and no further and here thy Proud Waves are stayed So it is as to the devices of Satan and what is consequent to them the Wickedness Opposition or Rebellion of Men. And after these things I saw four Angels standing at the four Corners of the Earth holding the four Winds of the Earth that the Wind should not blow on the Earth nor on the Sea nor on any Tree And I saw another Angel ascending from the East having the Seal of the living God and He cried with a loud Voice to the four Angels to whom it was given Mark that for unless God had given them the Power they could no more hurt them then I sitting here can hurt the Scaly Leviathan that is at the bottom of the Sea To hurt the Earth and the Sea saying hurt not the Earth neither the Sea nor the Trees till we have Sealed the Servants of God in their â—oreheads Rev. 7. 1 2 3. And it was Commanded them that they should not hurt the Grass of
any thing that may displease and lose the favour of God and by consequence fall under his wrath and future Punishment These and such like things are obvious and commonly known already And so where we Read in several places of Scripture concerning the Serpent Satan the Devil the Adversary the Evil one the Great Dragon All this is commonly expressed in very plain Words that any one may understand that it is all meant and intended of him For whosoever hath constant Recourse unto the written Word of God and doth read diligently therein he will not be Ignorant of the Devices of Satan Thus Paul and the Christians of his time came not to be Ignorant of the Devices of Satan as indeed there are so many things scattered up and down therein which are spoken concerning them that whoso readeth will quickly find them And the Great Dragon was cast out the Old Serpent called the Devil and Satan which deceiveth the whole World he was cast out into the Earth Therefore rejoyce ye Heavens and ye that dwell in them Wo to the Inhabitants of the Earth and of the Sea because the Devil is come down unto you having great wrath because be knoweth that he hath but a short time Rev. 12. 9 12. And deceiveth them that dwell on the Earth Rev. 13. 14. And these are they by the way side where the word is sown but when they have heard Satan cometh immediately and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts Mark 4. 15. Not to multiply many more Texts to the same purpose we may find and feel enough of the workings and suggestions of Satan within our selves When at any time we are kept off hindred and neglect any good It is commonly through this Temptation and Instigation of the Evil one as also he doth miserably perplex and deceive in the things pertaining to God Simon Simon Satan hath desired to sift thee as Wheat but I have prayed that thy faith fail not and when thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren Now this Simon Peter was a Disciple and Precious Servant of Jesus Christ and from thence we see that Satan is as busy with the Children and Servants of God as with other People Yea rather more in that he hath already taken the others Captive at his Will And hereby also we are given to understand that God hath reserved to himself the Power over him He can go no further then God suffers and permits Tho' Satan for these Five or Six Thousand â—ears hath been let loose among the Inhabitants of the Earth yet God can tye him up again whensoever he will and he doth walk about with a hook in his Jaws to be turned back or about whither soever doth please the Great Creator of all things But I know thy abode and thy going out and thy coming in and thy Rage against me Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into my Ears therefore will I put my Hook in thy Nose and my Bridle in thy Lips and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest Isa 37. 28 29. Holds equally true of the infernal accursed Spirit himself as it did of Senacherib or Rabshakeh through whom he Acted For every Man is Acted either by God or the Devil according as the thing which he doth is Good or Evil Lawful and Right or else sin And so it is of all the Created things they have but a stinted and limited Commission and Power given to them by the Great and Sovereign Creator of all things whither they do obey or Act in Rebellion against him Both which will tend to the Great Ends of his own Glory God hath suffered such an Infernal and Invisible Spirit as the Devil or Satan is to prove the Children of Men more perfectly to know what is in their heart whither they will keep his Commandments or no. That according as it is written He that is unjust let him be unjust still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still and He that is Holy let him be Holy still Rev. 22. 11. But the wicked shall do wickedly and none of the wicked shall understand but the wise shall understand Dan. 12. 10. So these things seem to be suffered so on set purpose that they which are good may be better and so may have more favour from God and a greater reward to themselves and the bad may be worse and consequently be beaten with more stripes and receive yet a greater Condemnation This last seems to be an hard saying but it is according to the order and decree of God and according to the Scriptures of Truth It is evident by the Example and History of Job particularly in the first and second Chapters that by there being a Devil and by his being permitted to afflict the Body and Tempt his Soul The Good and Righteous are hereby proved and they will have yet more favour and a greater Crown from the Lord who suffered it so to be that the Trial of their Faith being much more Precious then of Gold that Perisheth might be found unto Praise and Honour and Glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ When this Job was proved he did approve himself unto God What an excellent Character is that left recorded of him That amidst his very Great Afflictions and Troubles In all this Job sinned not nor charged God Foolishly And how comfortable is that after all And the Lord tuâ—ned the Captivity of Job Also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more then the beginning Hereby Confirming what he afterâ—ards spoke by his Apostle James Behold we count them happy which endure Yâ—… have heard of the Patience of Job and have seen the End of the Lord that the Lord is very Pitiful and of tender mercy James 5. 11. Blessed is the Man that endureth Temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that Love him James 1. 12. Happy was it for Job that ever there was a Sâ—tan to torment him though perhaps himself could not think so aâ— the very Instant Fâ—r no Chastening for the present seemeth Joyous but Grievous Nevertheless afterward it yeildeth the Peaceable Fruits of Righteousness unto them which are Exercised thereby Heb. 12. 11. For it waâ— made double to him in thâ—s Life and much more will be added unto him in the restitution of all things Indeed it must be acknowledged to speak as a Man that no one who did throughly consider of things would choose to bear Afflictions Trouble or Loss in his Youth or in the foregoing time of his Life if he was sure to have towards his latter days double or two fold as much for the loss he sustained For Fifty Pounds a Year in Youth is better then an hundred in declining Years or Old Age not only because of what Barvillai said we cannot then so