Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	call_v	father_n	lord_n	2,649	5	3.5290	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15579	Iacobs staffe To beare vp, the faithfull. And to beate downe, the profane. Touching the one's assured, and the others conceited title, vnto God himself, and all his precious promises. VVherin. The saints interest is justified, to be absolutely infaillible, the sinners clayme detected, to be apparantly deceivable, notwithstanding all infernall suggestions of feare, and infidelity in the one, or of presumption, and security in the other. Formerly preachcd [sic] at Hamburgh by Iohn VVing late pastor to the English Church there, as his farewell to the famous followship [sic] of Merchant Adventurers of England resident in that city. And now published, and dedicated, to the honor and vse, of that most worthy Society, there, or wheresoever being.; Jacobs staffe to bear up, the faithful and to beate downe, the profane	Wing, John, of Flushing, Zealand.	1621 (1621)	STC 25846; ESTC S120115	141,154	226

to vrge any particulers now because we have much to say touching the promises in our next point yet thus much I must say and it concerne's every sincere christian to consent vnto it with his hart that if we have any assurance either of grace or any other good thing in present possession on earth or of glory and all eternall good in future expectation in heaven the assurance we have flowe's from the interest we have none but they that are the Lords shall partake of either Psal 84.11 and they that are his shall have both soe saith David sweetly The Lord will giue grace and glory and no good thing will he witholde from them that walke vprightly 1. Cor. 3.21 and the apostle sumne's vp all within this circuit All things are yours and that not only in generall or in the grosse but more particulerly he come's to a distribution ver 22. whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come ver 23. all are yours and whence is it that all is soe surely ours even hence and yee are Christ's this clause confirme's all that went before and is the reason that ratifyeth the same fally So then if a man would now sit him downe and set himselfe to thinke of all the infinite fullnes and vnspeakable plenty and variety of those good things which the Lord doth either giue on earth or reserue in heaven and having enlarged his hart to comprehend as many of them as he could thinke might make him truly and fully happy to the absolute joy and contentment of his very soule he should now further think why these things are to be had many haue them already many more shall haue them heareafter how may I also come by them and be sure to enjoy them The holy ghost doth readily tell vs the way and meanes which is to become Christs be you sure of that one thing and all these things are sure to you They that are his shall have all these and more then their owne or mans imagination can comprehend heavens fullnes cannot be conceived of any creature Angells are not able to expresse what Gods saints shall inherit and posesse when they come to the consummation of that their happines which is prepared of God purchased by Christ reserued for them and they preserued vnto it by the power and through the fauour of that God in Christ who at the last day shall call all his owne with those sweete words Come ye● blessed children of my father receiue the kingdome prepared for you c. It was ordained and intended only to these and all they are as sure to haue it as Christ himself who doth now sit at the right hand of his father And thus we have in some measure opened some of those consolations vnto you which this our interest doth yeeld vnto vs I say some and in some measure because an absolute manifestation of them all cannot be vndertaken by vs or entertayned by you Our assurance is euident and we can declare it but our inheritance is infinite and none can vtter it Howbeit I hope we have sayd enough to make the comfort of this point cleare that it is a most happy thing to have right in the Lord to know him to be ours our selues his The which seing none but the saints of God candoe the benefit and joy herof remayneth only wholy to them and that in all and every of the particulers aforesaid which if we shall breifly summe vp together recall the particulers it will presently most plainely appeare that they are indeed happy by this heavenly truth In a word then is it not matter of much happines that we may goe to God and pray boldely that we be enabled to beare affliction cherefully that we be armed against sin throughly that we may be assured of all good absolutely These as we have heard are the sweete consolations of this sauing truth and in them all and in euery of them may the saints of God solace their soules and refresh their spirtis to know themselues capable of such advantages by the interest they have in the Lord their God who hath founded his favours vpon this truth and it is not more ceartaine and vndoubted that the foundation of God abideth sure 1. Tim. 2.16 and that the Lord doth know who are his then that they who are his may know all these good things to be theirs And thus much for the first use of this point vnto the saints of God Now we will set forward to the second Vse 2 Reprehension and that concerne's wicked and vngodly men whose impudency presumption in entitleing themselues to God is equall if not beyond the infidelity and feare of the faithfull who are so backward herin It hath ever beene the practise of that olde serpent the aiuell to withdraw Gods people from all their priueledges that they might not clayme them to encourage vngodly persons to whome they pertaine not to challeng them that soe he might draw them both vnder heauy jmpiety the one to rob themselues in refusing their right the other to rob God and his children in seizing vpon that which the Lord intended only to his owne The divell knowe's too well what he does The haynous euill of vngodly men in making claime to God oh that themselues did know it well when he abetts jmpious persons either to conceit that God is theirs or to call him soe it being such an jmpiety as scarce any is more insufferable or provoking and because he foresee's how it will anger and incense the Lord therfore is he so busy to set sinfull men about it Satan vnderstand's what damage it is to God what dāger to vngodly men and what advantage to himself And to the end they may also vnderstand it let vs ponder and particulate the evill of it so plainly as they may see it and seing it either shan and surcease it or make their sin by occasion of this discouery out of measure sinfull if they continue to commit it And this we will the rather endeauour because I am perswaded many a wicked man never jmagine's it sinfull but think 's he may safely yea that it is duty to call God his father and therfore in commiseration of their estate and desire of their information and reformation we will doe our best to make declaration of the monstrous impiety herof And first Euill 1 it is an vnspeakable indignity jnjury to the Lord a greater dishonor cannot be done against him for why it is a plaine putting of God into the diuells place For wheras he is avouched to be the God of this world that is 2. Cor. 4.4 of all those that are of the world and by Christ he is called the father of all prophane impious persons these vngodly wretches Job 8.44 doe father themselues vpon God and make the

his image but the same was his owne It is not more assured that a man-childe is the son of a man then that a holy man or woman is the childe of God all his children are like himself he hath power to make them soe and it is his revealed resolution that soe it shal be and therefore it must follow that if we carry not the image of God we can clayme no interest in him Adam I meane the first Adam was the son of God by creation and how like himself the Lord made him may be collected both out of his resolution before his creation let vs make man in our image and by the act it self when he endowed him with such singuler excellency of grace as wherin he carryed the admirable impressions of his most glorious maker in such holines knowledge and righteousnes as in a creatures perfection might be a representation of the infinitenes of them all in God himself the creator And while but alas it was but a litle while that Adam stood in these perfections of created grace the Lord acknowledged him for his owne But assoone as he lost these his title was gone he was now no more the Lords but Satans that misled him Christ Iesus the second Adam was the son of God by an eternall and inconceivable kinde of generation and how did his sonship when in times fullnes he was incarnate shew it self wherby was he knowne to be the true naturall son of the most high why even by this that he was so like his father that as himself saith he that hath seene me hath seene my father and as the Apostle saith Joh. 14.9 Heb. 1.3 he was the bright and expresse image of his person By this lively similitude was he knowne to be the son of the living God And as he never had any naturall son but he soe never was any soe like him as this son was for he was the same with him even one with him in all those supernaturall excellencyes which might expresse the nature of God And as it was with these two wherof the one was his son by creation the other by generation soe must and will it be in their measure with all his sons and daughters by grace and regeneration They must also be like vnto him who in his loue hath begotten them anew Ezeh 6.3.26 and to the end they may be soe the holy ghost tell 's vs we must have now harts new spirits new affections new mindes and dispositions all new according to that of the Apostle 2. Co. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature or as the word importeth a new creation made all new beholde J make all things a-new and againe Gal 6.15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avayleth any thing nor vncircumcision but a new creature or creation and thus new we must be that we may be like to Iesus Christ who in opposition to the old Adam is called the new man by whome we must be cast into a new moulde to be made conformable to him And therefore the apostle vrgeth our consimilitude to Christ and newnes of life together and inferreth them one vpon another that wheresoever newnes of life is Ro 6.4.5 there is a cleare conformity to Christ Iesus And this jmage or similitude vnto our saviour is abundantly pressed vpon vs and made knowne to be the minde of God and a manifest evidence of our interst in many particulers Nothing is more frequently called for at our hands then that we should be holy as he is holy mercifull as be is mercifull perfect as he is perfect followers or imitators of Christ lyke mynded to him learning of him all patience kindnes humility meekenes and every saving grace whereby it may appeare that we are made partakers of the divine nature in the cōmunicable qualities therof 2. Pet. 1.4 soe assuredly interessed into him of whose nature we doe partake That soe as we have borne the image of the earthly Adam in sin and corruption and thereby made it too evident that we are his children and heires of condemnation soe also we should beare the image of the heavenly Adam in holines sanctification therby be sealed to be his sons and daughters yea his members reserved to the glory of Gods kingdome And that this image of his to wit our conformity to Christ is an evidence infallible vndoubted herof is most cleare by that which the Apostle directly layeth downe and avoucheth when he telleth vs that those whome the Lord did fore-know to be his elect them Ro. 8.26 he did predestinate to be like the image of his sonne soe that we see how the depth of this profound doctrine of praedestination may be sounded and soundly discerned as touching the evidence of the same by every man in himself and one may ceartainly know himself to be predestinated of God to live for ever with him in life and glory if he be cast into a new moulde made a new lumpe like to Iesus Christ Most true it is that Gods praedestination is touching the doctrine therof in the causes and reasons of the same why some and so few should be ordayneth to happines others and so many to hell torments may be matter of amezement vnto vs but the discerning of the same in our owne particuler is nothing difficult but most easy and manifest For if a man doe carry the image of the Lord Iesus in grace and holines he is without controversy appointed to be glorifyed with him but while he continueth in a cursed conformity to sin and corruption and beares the likenes of the old Adam or rather of the olde serpent he may know he belong's not to Gods decree of election because all such as appertaine therevnto are as well predestinated to be gracious on earth as to be glorious in heaven These two were never parted yet in any person whatsoever Gods predestination of grace is as absolute as of glory and the former must be the forerunner of the latter But we will not digresse into any further discourse of this matter The point we have in hand is vndeniably true and cannot be doubted off that if we be like him we are his and he that is not the same is none of his Now then let every man search himself and endeavour to apprehend aright how it is with him herin that he may well vnderstand whether he hath belyed the Lord or noe when he hath called him his For he that doth soe and is not like him hath lyed vnto God fo oft as he hath layd clayme to him Enquire then and see what piety what zeale what humility patience holines purity and vprightnes is in thee looke well vpon thy self nay into thy self and let others looke vpon thee what characters and impressions of God are to be seene whose image and superscription thou carryest in thy conscience before God in thy conversation before men

towards vs. All the hope and happines and all the seare and misery of a man doth wholy consist in that which God conceiveth of him His good opinion of vs doth assure vs to be in a good nay a most excellent condition but it is wofull with the man of whome the Lord thinks ill he is indeede in a hard case of whome he hath a hard conceit If our owne conceites of our owne estates might rule the roaste and beare all before it what sure grounde of any safety could we have in any thing being subject to such grosse aberration in all our apprehensions for through the force of temptation we are diuersly and for the must part erroneously opinionated of our selves sometimes too presumptuously as Dauid when he thought he should neuer have beene mooued Psal 3 v. 6 Ion. 2.4 sometimes to dejectedly as Ionas when he gave himselfe quite ouer for a cast away our ignorance and Satans mallice working with it make's vs many times proud and praeposterous many times slavish 〈◊〉 base ever amisse never in the right for our owne estates therefore there is nothing to be gathered from this false ground of what we imagine seing the Lord who knowes our thoughts long before they come into our harts hath tolde vs that the imaginations of our harts are evill continually Gen. 6.5 Nay which is yet more we may not measure our future estate in this manner vpon those good and warrantable thoughts we have of our selves as when God commandeth and his spirit enlighteneth vs to see our vnworthines and to thinke meanely of our selves as we ought to doe in regard of our sins desert we may not hence collect any such conclusion as we would here inferre For the divell doth abuse vs by double pollieye both in causing vs many times to misse the true apprehension of our estate and if at any time the spirit of God lead vs into a true vnderstanding of the same he perverts the consequence therof and make's that false We being then so subject to this twofolde miscarriage either of false opinion or false conclusion by him suggested vpon our true perswasion let it be farre from vs to frame or enforce any thing concerning our finall condition vpon what we thinke for the present God never built any thing at all that belonges either to our present state of grace or our eternall state of glory vpon this hay stubble chaffe of our apprehensions It is the Lords approbation or disallowance which all the world must stick to for by it all men either stand or fall sinke or swimme liue or dye are condemed or justified for ever Our right and part in himself and all his promises lyes herevpon He cannot erre or be misguided touching vs being the most righteous judge both of Angells and men the elect and reprobate of both as he sayes all is and soe it must be for ever and ever Isa 55.8 Hence it is that the Lord sendes the Iewes word that his thoughts are not as their thoughts as if he should say it matters not what you thinke what I thinke is the thing you must depend vpon ver 9. and that he explanes vnto them in the very next verse where he affirmeth his thoughts to exceede theirs as farre as the heavens sur passe the carth which are every way much more high and excellent What then though you thinke your selfe vnworthy if the Lord thinke you worthy it is well enough you are bounde to the one he is free to the other though it be your duty to account meanely of your self yet it is his mercy to accept you as worthy of his best favours and your estate must be conceived of according to his not your owne estimate So God relleth his people by his prophet Ieremiah Ier. 29.11 I know the thoughts that I have thought concerning you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evill to give you and expected end Ioe according to his thoughts soe is it vnto vs by his thinking thus of vs we attaine an expected end Indeede to be but meanely conceited of our selves is no other then we ought to be and if we could thinke ill of our selves without any further such ill consequence concluded thervpon it were well with vs and a sure signe that God thought well of us as we might instance in many particulers vpon whome it hath well appeared that Gods thoughts of them have not beene as their owne have beene Iob 40.4 cap. 42.6.7.8 Jer. 31.18.19.20 Iob thought himself vile but God accounted preciously of him as he that readeth may see ●phraim blamed himself exceedingly and layd much to his owne charge God acquited him yea commended and comforted him abundantly And the same might we say of many more but one shall serve for all and that is Paul who laye's out himself at large in regard of that wickednes which made him vtterly vnworthy of any mercy but most worthy of Gods greatest vengeance and sury He doth freely confesse his foule offences past his blasphemy against God his tyranny against his saints c. And in regard of these we may conceive that he thought himself for ever vtterly vnworthy to intermedle in that holy ministration of the Apostleship and much lesse worthy of any interest in Gods kingdome of glory but did he thence as you doe conclude that he should never receive any consolation because he was vnworthy Noe but the cleare contrary he measured his estate not by his owne estimation of himself but by the Lords approbation of him 1. Tim. 1.12.13 marke his words And I thanke our Lord Iesus Christ who enabled me for he counted me faithfull and put me into his service Consider well the power of this truth in this holy Apostle there was good reason he should judge himself vnworthy yet no reason that he should therefore esteeme himself incapable of Gods favour he settle's his soule and rests his hart as vpon a rock on that which the God of heaven did conceive of him and as God did account of him so was he comforted in himself All the thoughts of his owne worthlessnes could not debarre his blessednes but Gods accounting of him worthy made him blessed And this is our second evidence against this pretence Thirdly Eviden ∣ ce 3 this pretence intimates that our vnworthynes is the only barre of our interest and benefit in Gods promises and soe consequently that our worthynes is our evidence to clayme them by and neither of these have either any truth or true comfort in them but much presumption is in the one and foule falshood in both For why it is more then manifest that the Lord never meant to founde his favours vpon any such ground in vs but only and meerely vpon his owne free grace loue and faithfullnes that in these he might be magnisied of vs. Doe we not vnderstand thus much plainely by that which the Lord saith when he putts the

doe and can submitt themselves freely to the Lords wisdome and guidance in every thing Never any lost by this master that ever did any of his worke and was ruled by him therin noe he hath ever shewed himselfe to be the best master to appoint the best worke to allow the best wages For why such as have beene the servants of this Lord have ever had good pay for the performance of any thing where about they have beene employed for him Good pay did I say nay that worde is not great enough it ha's beene more then good evē the best that this world could yeelde and better then the best that vnder heaven is to be had many of them I am sure have sped better then ever they made any account off and have had more happines then their harts could desire or ever thought off witnes Abraham both in his posession and posterity he that call's him out of his owne land gaue him both much more land and which was more heyers to enjoy it after him and both these were more then he made account off or could reckō vpon Ioseph whose rare fidelity and piety patience humility and honesty was recompenced with wonderfull and I dare say on his parte vnexpected prosperity doubtles he never once did dreame to be the second in the kingdome the greatest Peere and next in place to the King himself assuredly he looked for no such issue of exaltation yet the Lord gaue it him as the reward of his obedience to him and being ruled by him Iacob here who when he fled to this Laban as himselfe saith was in meane condition poore state as verse 12. but now is opulent rich exceeding abundant in all kinde of stocke and store How many more witnesses were it most easy to produce to the attestation of this consolation Dauid who met with a kingdome and being faithfull in that which was lesse was put in trust over that which was greater even the greatest power vnder heaven to be the soveraine prince of Gods owne people Mary who abiding and mourning at the sepulcher and desiring but to finde the dead body of Christ there founde him aliue speaking most graciously to her soe that she was made the first happy messenger of his most glorious and triumphant resurrection The saints Heb. 13. who got Angels to be their guests in being harborours to the poore members of Christ Multitudes more might be multiplied to make good the joy of this truth to every soule that is subdued vnto it resolued to doe as the Lord will haue it Eph. 3.20 The Apostle saith enough that he is able to doe exceeding abuntdantly beyond all that we can aske or thinke Even in this lyfe so graciously doth he deale with vs and doth thus vnto vs. But in that which is to come he infinitly exceedes this doth assure vs thoroughly that to him that worketh shal be given reward beyond all not only more then can be desired but more then can be imagined mans hart cannot conceiue how happy he shal be in this matter that the doth sincerly serue his God what sweete sentēces doe we finde Enter into thy masters joy Ro. 2.7 Receaue the kingdome prepared for you To them that by continuance in well doing seeke and they shal be sure to finde honour glory jmmortality eternall life note no lesse then all this and I will deale wel with thee and is not this good dealing for wel-doing If it be not what is or can be if it be who can but be comforted and cheered that hath got a hart to doe well according to Gods will seing such a hart is attended with such happines as wee haue seene In the next place our second vse meeteth with all such whome the Lord ruleth not vse 2 but in whome the God of this world even the divell is praedominant powerfull to carrie them to every corrupt and finfull practise against his law his loue his whole reuealed will such I meane as not being subdued vnto him rebells against him and therfore reserved to his wrath and iustice to be punished by him Those I meane whome the world may rule the divell may rule who to each other in any vanity or jmpiety are at as much command as the Centurions servants were to him as he tolde Christ to come and goe and doe they being ready to come to goe to doe or not doe this or that or any thing at his pleasure These men neede no more miserie then the priuation of the joy wee haue spoken off howbeit the losse of that is not all their sorrow but the least part of that heavy condition which shall ceartainly befall them noe noe over aboue the absence of the sweete joy and consolation of the saints they have assurance of miserie and vengeance compleatly opposite to our happines and that being vnspeakable their mischeife must needes be insufferable A man is in dreadfull state when he cannot be sure God will deale well with him nay when he cannot but be sure he will deale not gratiously but righteously not mercifully but miserably with vs according to the strict and exquisite tearmes of absolute justice and exasperated wrath Oh who is able to abide it when God wil be exact or can any possbility be conceaued that any flesh may either stand it out or shun it no no it is an absolute impossibility to conceit either He that will not be ruled by God must and shall rue it when the time is come of the Lords visitation and recompence to be rendered to every rebellious person So saith our Lord Christ The wrath of God abideth on him Joh. 5.2 The. 1.7.8.6 So the Apostle when the Lord Iesus shall appeare in flaming fire rendering vengeance to them c. which shal be punished with everlasting perdition And doth not the same Apostle conclude the quite cōtrary to vngodly one's Ro. 2.9 to that which wee noted out of the same chap. saying Tribulation anguish shal be vpon every soule that doth evill Now if vnto these scriptures we shoulde enquire after instāces we might soone furnish our selves with more then a few Sodome Gomorah would not by ruled by God when the Lord saw that he coulde not prevaile with them how dealt he with them fire and brimstone came from heauen vpon ther bodies their soules were cast into the lake of fire and brimstone that burneth for ever in hell The olde worlde was also most wicked and rebellious against the Lord Noah coulde haue no audience from God among them how dealt the Lord with them why he drowned their bodies besides what may be conceiued of their soules though I will not affirme they were all eternally rejected And what should I neede to produce particular persons when wee have the whole worlde to witnesse it I could name Pharaoh Saul Ahab and many other accursed caytiffes and most miserable miscreants who would not doe

may never enjoy lesse from the hands of the living God who giveth abundantly and vpraydeth no man who sincerely seeketh his face for any present or future favour And soe Jamt 5. now deare Christians f●●hers bretheren sisters from the greatest to the meanest my faithfull affectionate hort bidds you all farewell you are all beloved of me and my love desireth you may every one be blessed of God with me That as while I was present with you I did my best to helpe you forward towards Christs kingdome soe absent I may meete you there when once the time is come and the date out that we must depose this earthly tabernacle O let our cheise care be that we may be sure beforehand that we shall change it for a heavenly I say beforehand because the Lord make's few comfortable exchanges with man at the last day or houre of his dissolution or ot last day of the worlds consummation We never read but of one the good theife that sped well at such a time I am sure there is none that ought to suppose or once sarmize that himself shal be the second man that shall reape the like measure of extraordinary favour You see how I am suddenly slip't into discourse againe and forgotten my ending let your loue pardon this excesse of myne Might my speech be as long as my hart is large or could it possibly be soe when should I surcease these my hartiest benedictions these my kindest valedictions which I neither know how to expresse as I would or to end when I should But I am now resolued to master my selfe wholely and to end instantly not to detayne you longer my last salutations shal be in the gracious words of the holy Ghost inspired into Paul when he was to take his leaue of the Ephesians Act. 20.33 Now bretheren I commend you to God the word of his grace which is able to builde you vp to giue you an inheritance among them that are sanstified of the Thessalonians 1. The. 5.23 Now the very Ged peace sanctify you throught and I pray God that your whole spirit soule body may be preserued blamelesse vnto the appearance of our Lord Iesus Christ. of the Hebrewes Now the God of peace Heb. 13.20.21 make you perfect in every good worke to doe his will working in you that which is pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whome by vs all be glorie honour for ever ever Finally I end in all the divine and heavenly deprecations and blessings of all Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles yea of Iesus Christ himself vttered in the dayes of his flesh while he dwelt among vs which I wish the Lord may assigne and make ouer to you that you may feele them in the full fruit and consolation of every particular petition contayned in them all and your soules be filled with the sweetnes of them as with marrow and fattnes and in their fullnes you may rejoyce with joy vnspeakeable glorious And now I will constraine my self silence and muzle my overflowing minde and mouth shutting vp all with sincere suplication of all good to you all from our God who is all in all And to glorify and honor this God let vs for ever joyne our endeovours at present joyne our prayers to him because we know he is able to doe vnto vs exceeding abundantly aboue all that we can aske or thinke All yee that loue the Lord doe this all true harts all vpright spirits confoederate combine conjoyne herin that with one mynde and one mouth we may blesse God even our Father Doe the same all yee that desire to be beloued of the Lord and through his loue to liue with him for ever So shall it assuredly come to passe that God who is loue and who is life it self shall turne all our heavines into Hallelujahs our mortality into life our misery into glory Faith full is he which hath promised who will also doe it in his due time To him be praise glory in all his whole family the Church tryumphāt in heaven the churshes militant on earth and in all saints apart both now for ever and ever Amen Amen and let all that loue the Son of God the Sion of God their owne soules and the soules of all true christians say againe and evermore Amen Amen even so be it saith my sorrowfull soule once more and evermore breathing out her last and best desires that the Lord may seale all these supplications with an answer and issue gracious to vs and glorious to himself according to the most wise counsell of his sacred will Glory be to God on high