Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	great_a	see_v	world_n	7,593	5	4.4143	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39775	The one necessary thing to be sought briefly touched in a four-fold dialogue upon some of the great and most concerning truths of practical religion.	Fleming, Robert, 1630-1694.; Fleming, Robert, 1660?-1716.	1679 (1679)	Wing F1283; ESTC R28632	47,023	70

distressed Job 29 v. 16. Eccles 11 2. for thus the liberal man deviseth liberal things c. even in seeking Objects that so excellent a grace may not want its exercise each according to his Talent where it may be truely said thev receive more than they give Which was a choice word of one what ever I give that I have whilst the withholding of that which is thus required hath visiblv tended to poverty in many signal instances 8. To be faithful here is to have a serious respect to the end that it be to a Disciple in the name of a Disciple with a due regard to their present distress and not by partiality on some private interest and respects that may rise thereto else they have cause to feare that both Principal Interest is lost nor can they put this debt on the Lord where such a sad bvass is with it Matth. 10 v. 42 9. To be faithful here is to follow this closly so as not to be seen of men else such have their reward where this is an influencing motive yea not to let the left hand know what the right hand doth Matth 6 3. Here the giver should shut his eyes when he opens his hand with desire that it may never be known untill the dav of the Lord that great day of retribution when that which hath been done in secret shall be rewarded openly Mat. 6 v. 4 10. Here also is to be understood to give without grudging cheerfully as the true way to lay up treasure to themselves knowing that the Lord loves a cheerful giver 2 Cor. 9 7. 11. To be faithful here is to be given to Hospitality with a tender regard forentertaining of strangers for in such habite Angels have been entertained Heb. 13 v. 2. 12. The bounds and limites of our actings here must not ouly be the houshold of faith but a Tenderness Condescendence and Readiness to help and relieve any distressed even the Worst of men as they have opportunity which is so expresly required 1 Thes 3 ver 12. to abound in love towards all men so as to do good to be useful and exerce Tenderness toward all which should be found a more effectual mean to gaine credit to the Gospel than what is the way of many who have a name and repute of Religion in this age QU. VI. VVhat you have now spoke anent those who have a large interest in the world and in what termes they have it is undeniable I confess from the Scripture but this concernes a few in respect of such as are of a Low and meane Condition in the VVorld and what can these have to compense the want of such a Talent and make their lot desireable or sweet ANSW I hope you will not bring these things under question which may convincingly answer this 1. That a serious Christian could yet never be so Low but he hath much more than he wants though he should be put to such a reckoning with Job I have now neither Children Friends Honour or Estate in the world to call mine own but I know and am sure that my Redeemer lives Job 19 v. 25. and do you think that a mans lot or the comfortable enjoyment thereof consists in the abundance of the things he possesseth Luk. 12 15. 2. Have the poor and despised cause to quarrel with their lot if they be in truth partakers of the Grace of God when it is so clear there can be no substantial good in riches or honour which the Lord hath cast out of the Counsel of his Love towards those on whom he hath set his heart from eternity 3. Yea hath he not designed the most of the Elect to a poor Low and afflicted Condition here For you see your calling Brethren how not many wise not many noble c. according to the flesh hath he chosen 1 Cor. 1 26 27. 4. Hath not such a peculiar income in the way of the Promise which these who are full and abound most in the world cannot understand and is not owned in the Scripture to be under such a necessity to live by faith which made the Apostle give such a strange account 2 Cor. 12 9 10. I take pleasure in my infirmities in distress inpersecutions c. that the power of Christ may rest on me O what strong and vigorous acts of faith and love have oft followed the Christians low and meane state in the World whereto such as were at ease have been wholly strangers 5. Have such cause to quarrel with a low and despised lot who the less they have here whilst they have a sure evident for Heaven knowes they have the more before them And whilst others may reckon what they have by year and property can make another account what is their interest for all eternity and not grudge the hireling's wages who know they are Sons and to abide in the house for ever Joh. 8 35. 6. Would such were it put to their choice have their good things in this life or do they expect to find a Heaven out of Heaven and is not that lot with greatest advantage suited to each of his Saints that is most for promoting their eternal interest and to make them meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1 ver 12. 7. It is not by the bulk you can judge on the Christians condition here in the World a little gold is of more value than a great heap of some other metals and a little that the righteous hath is more than the riches of many wicked Psal 37 ver 16. For there lyes the blessing and what a difference is there betwixt such whose heart is gone up after his treasure that is laid up for him in Heaven and those who mind earthly things and have their heart in their belly Phil. 3 ver 19 QU. VII Such have a sweet and comforting part whether the VVorld smile or frown who know there is an eternity of joy before them But you see how many are not more low in their outward state than dreadfully wicked and loose without thc least serious weight of Religion on their soul ANS This may shew that no affliction or the saddest lot here can of it self lead into Jesus Christ without the efficacious and irresistible power of grace but as to their part who● are so visibly active to their own ruine I must say there seemes not a more sad and astonishing sight than such are 1. Who thus follow the world with a weeping eye and have their heart cleave so fast to it which will scarce bestow one flattering smile on them knowes not what gain they●might make of their present Affliction and strait 2. Who thus seek the living among the dead their reliefe from the airth from whence they see they cannot have it who have such greatest things laid in their offer to make them here and for ever blessed 3. That the very report of the gain of Godliness

Sons 6. If you can read the most dark and saddest providence with that Commentar of the Scripture thereon you will then know how the Saints afflictions stand for blessings Matth. 5 ver 10 11. and diverse temptations to be a solide ground of joy and comfort Jam. 1 ver 2. 7. Consider but in the saddest affliction how much sadder this might have been and that they are not thus a scandal to the generation of the righteous 8 What if a●l our life had been a continued tract of grief bitterness and trouble and but rarely the least of outward comforts dropt in and so much only given as to keep from sinking Oh! durst such quarrel who knew of an eternity of joy in the close 9. It was a right way the Lord led his people in when he led them through a labyrinth of sore troubles in the wilderness Psal 107 ver 7. and is there shewed as an embleme of the journeying state of the Church and each of the Saints here 10. One sight of that glorious Land which is above with the first moment of the afflicted Christians entry there will compense to the furthest a life time of sorrowes and grief 11. Is it not here the faith and patience of the Saints must shine forth the trial whereof is a more invaluable thing than all the treasures of the earth 12. The season of enduring you know is but short which for all eternity will never meet the Christian again and Oh! would you lose even the least of such an opportunity not in the trial of your faith and patience only but of your love to Jesus Christ that tribulation and distress was not able to separat betwixt him and you Rom. 8 ver 39. And your tried love under sorest outward pressures may be reported in Heaven and recorded there I shall but adde how sweet must that be to a Christian when he can say Let my beloved come and eat of his pleasant fruits Cant. 4. ver 16. which to them had most pain and wrestlings in bringing forth QU. VII VVhat are these pleasant fruits which can be found under the cross and the many imbittering griefs and troubles of a Christians life ANSW It is sure no season hath been more remarkeable for sowing to the Spirit and bringing forth much fruit for the Lord than a time of the cross and most searching trials that way and these have been known to such as were suteably exercised thereby the gain and pleasure whereof hath made the remembrance of their saddest hours sweet 1. When contrition and tenderness and soft walking before the Lord hath followed thereon for such are his delight in whom he takes greatest pleasure Esai 58 15. 2. Humility and the Christians geting his Spirit kept low is such a fruit as may make their reckoning sweet on any other loss the way to know how to abound is to know how to be abased Phil. 4 12. and this is one of the peculiar ends of afflicting Providences to hide pride for men Job 33. 17. Oblessed they who are no less concerned to hide it from themselves 3. Is it not a pleasant fruit where by the cross Jesus Christ is more endeared to his people and thus precious unto them their soul cleaving to him in desire and love even when their soul cleaveth to the dust by a humbling rod O what a rent and tribute is this which in the Christians saddest hours only can be payed into their blessed Master 4. A through resignation and surrender to the Lord and his disposal is a rare and choice improvement of the Cross Yea it is then found a Christian to be neerest his mercy and his burden most sensibly grow light and that this makes a speedy ripening for times of refreshment from the presence of the Lord. 5. This great fruit is then to be sought after by beleeving in hope when it is against hope which is one of the highest pieces of service for giving Glory to God that a Christian here can be called to and thus for putting to their seale that God is true 6. It is at the lowest Christians have the most remarkeable advantage by patient enduring for being more than conquerours through him that hath loved them Rom. 8 v. 37. yea that thus the power of Christ resting upon them may have in such a greater triumph and over a more formidable party than ever Alexander or Caesar could boast of in all their conquests QU. VIII VVhilst it may be strange how small a proportion the practice of most in these times seeme to have to their light and mens usual converse with religion more about the uppermost boughs than to ly neer the great and weighty things thereof what might most help to put some deeper impression and weight of a Christians work on him and provoke to seriousness by having some greatest truths most frequently kept in sight ANSW You know it is not the most marvellous things of Religion nor if one should rise from the dead could deeeply work upon the heart without the Spirit of God But I must tell you what was the desire of a Judicious Father to a hopless son when he was a dying that he would but once a day take half an hour alone by himself which upon trial and some deep reflection afterward that young man had what this desire might meane was blessed to be a mean of his recovery Oh! If most who are professed Christians were but once this length that beside some retirement to prayer they could but for a few moments be alone once a day to consider these truths which I shall here instance 1. What were desireable and comforting in the state of man if it looked not higher than things seen or his present abode in the world 2. How swistly are the enjoyments of the earth and delights of the flesh gone and perished in the present use thereof 3. O what should this be to think seriously on that the Gospel is an undoubted reality and so far hath the Holy God been mindful of man and magnisied him yea even beyond fallen Angels that Jesus Christ should have come down to the world to make a purchass of such to himself and save them from the wrath that is to come 4. That the import of the Gospel is no less than an eternity of Glory even to the meanest of the Saints and what a blessed strait were this for a Christian how to divide his wondering betwixt that which is now past in the great work of Redemption and that which is to come in the full manifestation of Glory 5. Let us think more frequently on this also that the poorest now on the earth hath an immortal soul that is of a more excellent nature and more inestimable value than these visible Heavens the Sun Moon and Stars yea such as no less than the blood of the Son of God revealed in our Nature could ransome from wrath and yet we put so small a price thereon 5. That it is sure so great and solemne a busines as Death is before us and we must know shortly what it means and to enter into another world O what will this once be and should it not now deeply concerne each that death come not on all at once by more frequent and serious converse therewith 6. Let us but now bring neer our thoughts what thoughts we shall have of the world when our eyes are shuting upon it never to enjoy this any more And what thoughts that marvellous change must cause on mens spirits when once entred into endless eternity 7. How marvellous is this that may cause our hearts to faile with wondering on some neer converse therewith that not only there is such a hope as to be for ever in Heaven but that our nature should be so far advanced even above the Nature of Angels in that unconceiveable Union with the divine Nature conjoined for ever in our blessed head and Redeemer 8. And what should this be to think on that our Bodies when laid in the dust shall not only be assuredly raised but made like to the glorious Body of Christ Phil. 3 21