Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	great_a	life_n	write_v	5,211	5	5.2860	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93110	Of the foure last and greatest things: death, iudgement, heaven and hell. The description of the happinesse of heaven, and misery of hell, by way of antithesis. With the way or means to passe through death, and judgement, into heaven, and to avoid hell. / By VVilliam Shepheard, Esquire.	Sheppard, William, d. 1675?	1649 (1649)	Wing S3196; Thomason E551_7; ESTC R205687	96,747	120

If at that time we be not prepared we are undone forever if we be prepared we are made for ever Matth. 25. 9 10 11. 4. None but such as are prepared will be able to stand justified in that judgment Luke 21. 36. Watch c. that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things which shall come to passe and to stand before the Son of man If now you shall ask me how you may be prepared for Christs comming I answer 1. We must labour for true repentance which doth consist in contrition confession faith and reformation Acts 17. 30 31. Now God commandeth all men every where to repent because he hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath ordained c. 1. Cor. 11. 31. If we judge our selves we shall not be judged Now let us weep over him in time because we have offended him least we be forced to weep and wail to late that we did not weep in time Acts 3. 20 21. Repent and amend that your sins may be put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and he shall send Jesus Christ c. Mat. 11. 20 21. Luke 13. 3 5. 2. We must beleeve and obey the Gospel of Christ Acts 16. 31. Beleeve on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved By this faith we are united to Christ the Judge and make him a sure friend to us Phil 3. 9. 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. 2 Thes 1. 10. when Christ comes to Judgement he shall be admired of all them that beleeve And he is a Saviour onely to them that obey him Heb. 5. 9. But he will shew himself from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire rendring veng●an●● to them that do not know God and which obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thes 1. 7 8. 3. we must labour for a holy and unblameable life 2 Pet. 3. 11. Seeing then all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse looking for and hasting to the comming of the day of God And after verse 14. be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse Rev. 3. 4 5. They who have not defiled their garments i have kept themselves from the contagion of sin even from the shew of evil Iude ver 23. they shall be clothed in white ● gloriously and their names shall not be put out of the book of life in which the names of the elect are written But the wicked shall not be able to stand in the judgement Psal 1. 5. and into the holy Citie there shall not enter any unclean thing neither whatsoever worketh Abomination or Lies but they which are written in the Lambs book of life Revelation 21. 27. 4. We must labour with all diligence to make good our Election to our selves for thereby we shall be made sure of salvation if we can be sure our names are written in the book of life Reve. 21. 27. Reve. 20. 12 15. And I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of Life and the dead were judged of those things which were written in the books according to their 〈◊〉 And whosoever was not found written in the books of life was cast into the ●ake ●of fire And we shall finde out our Election by our Sanctification Rom●n●s 8. 30. 2 Pet. 1. 10 11. and Iude ver 1. 1 Thes 4. 7. 5. We must have a care to to keep our Accounts alwaies even between God and us For this purpose we must 1. set them down exactly 2. We must cast them up often Thus thriving men and such as mean not to be bankrupts use to doe by their Civill accounts 6 We must seek the Lord now whiles he may be found Esay 55. 6. Let us now su● out our pardon and make our peace with him in Christ and get the favour of the Judge for now is the day of mercy of grace the day of Judgement is a day of wrath and vengeance 2 Cor. 5. 10 11. Luke 3. 7. Rom. 2. 5. 7. We must not sleep in 〈◊〉 but be alwayes awake unto righteousnesse and having our Accounts ready live alwayes in an expectation of Christs suddain appeareance Luke 21. 34 36. Matth. 24. 42. Rom. 14. 12. 2 Thes 5. 4 6 It is doubtlesse one main cause of the freedom and boldnesse of men in sinning that either they think not of giving any account at all or if they do they put that day far from the● he that without all consideration taketh up money and runs in debt doth certainly never mean to pay it again Come saith the Ha●lot Prov. 7. 8. Let us take our pleasure to the full c. my husband is gone a far journey c. Matth. 24. 48. The evil servant that smiteth his fellows and eateth and drinketh with the drunken saith My master doth defer his comming Amos 6. 3. They put far from them the evil day and approach to the seat of iniquity 8 If we be professours of religion we must not be content with the lamp of profession onely but also labour to get the oile of true grace and piety in our hearts Matth. 25. 1. 2 3 c. 2 Tim. 3. 5. 9 We must be faithfull and active in the places wherein God hath set us and in the trusts put into our hands Mat. 24. 46 10. We must pray alwayes Luke 21. 36. Pray with David Psal 143. 2. Lord enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy fight shall no flesh be justified 11 And thus we must love long and wish for the speedy comming of this day and of Christ our dearest friend Rev. 22. 17. 2 Pet. 3. 12. 1 Cor. 1. 7. And rejoyce that it draweth nigh Acts 3. 19. Luke 21. 28. 12. We must continue withpatience a●d sobriety to wait for Christs comming till he come For 1. it will be long ere he come Mat. 25. 5. 2. A generall securitie will be upon all sorts of people Mat. 25. 5. 6. Mat. 24. 38. 39. 3. Securitie is dangerous to all Mat. 25 5 6. 7. 8. 4 Herein is watchfulnesse indeed in an earnest care and bending of the mind to live every day as one would live upon his Judgement day which may fall out to be every day for ought that he knoweth Thus let us be alwayes prepared for Christ will come in an hour that we think not of 4. Since at the day of judgement every man shall receive according to his works let us be from hence exhorted in the next place to take care that our works be good and that we be fruitfull in good works Rom. 2. 6. 7 8. Especially in succouring the needie members of Jesus Christ Mat. 25. 35. I was hungry and ye fed me c. The last definitive sentence

shall passe upon men according to their forwardnesse and freenesse in shewing mercy to the family of faith and the meanest kindenesse done to them Christ will accept and will reward as done to himself Mat. 10. 41. 42. God is not unfaithfull that he should forget your labour of love c. 5. In the next place since at this great day our conscience shall give evidence against us and either accuse or excuse us and it will be a time of great trouble let us labour to get good and quiet consciences towards God and man 2 Pet. 3. 14. And if at any time the conscience happen to be defiled or disquieted by sin let us by repentance and application of Christs blood by faith get it to be cleansed and quieted again A good conscience will be more worth than all the worlds good at the day of judgement Acts 24. 16. 2 Cor. 1. 12. 6. In the next place let this serve to perswade us that are Gods people to be patient under all the sufferings of this present life Iames 5. 6 7 8. Be patient therefore for the comming of the Lord draweth nigh and then when he comes all will be well for then his people shall have rest from all their troubles 2 Thes 1. 6 7. But of this we shall have more in the use of comfort 7. Let us be perswaded in the next place to think and speak more reverently of the Judge of all flesh the Lord Jesus If we honour our civill Judges we are much more bound to honour this Judge Rev. 14. 7. 8. Since that at this day of judgement all things shall be dissolved by fire Let this in the next place perswade us to moderation in our desires after and delights in all earthly things the works either of creation or natures daily production or arts invention 2 Pet. 3. 11. 1 Cor. 7. 31. Let us use the world as if we used it not 9 In the next place since after the dissolution of all things there shall be n●w heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3. 13. i none but righteous persons Let us then labour by regeneration to be such persons 10. Since this time of Christs second comming will be such a troublesome time Let us take care to be in a safe place at that time as men do when a city is to be stormed Let us put our selves into Gods hands Psal 31. 5. 11. In the next place let this perswade us to a reverent fear of Gods judgements which are so terrible Psal 119. 120. Hab. 3. 16. Quest But here a question may be made whether there be any prepared for Christs comming And whether any shall be thought worthy to escape the things that at that time shall come upon the world and that will have cause to rejoyce at Christs comming And who they are that shall be thus prepared c To the first part we answer That doubtlesse there are such as doth clearly appear by these Scriptures Luke 21. 28 36. Acts 3. 19 Rev. 22. 17. Ans For answer to the second part since the day of judgement is a day of so much good to some and so much evil to others that some shall have cause to rejoyce others to weep and howle when it comes we shall spend some time in examination For which purpose Vse The next use therefore shall be a use of triall and examination to shew men of which side and sort they are and to discover to them whether they are of the sheep of Christ and shall at the day of judgement be set on his right hand and taken up to glorie or whether they be goats to be placed on his left hand and sent down to hell Let us trie our selves whether we be in the faith or no. 2 Cor. 1. 5 Let us see whether our names be written in the book of life i whether we are elected to life and our names are written in heaven to be taken up into life and glorie with them that are appointed thereunto for those whose names are not written there are to be cast out Rev. 21. 27. And hence it is that this Book is to be opened at the day of Judgement Rev. 20. 12 ●5 to see whose names are written there Rev. 3. 5 21 27. Phil. 4. 3. The work is then to finde whether our names are written in this Book of life for if once written there they can never be put out again But you will say how shall we know this which is not to be known we answer First this is to be known 1. For otherwise Moses spake he knew not what in Exod. 32. 31 32. And Christs speech must needs be idle in Luke 10. 12. When he bids his disciples rejoyce that their names were written in the Book of life And the Apostle 2 Pet. 2. 10. spake unadvisedly when he bid them make their Election sure 2. The Saints have known this Iob 19. 25 26. 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. Secondly their names are written in the Book of life i they are Elected which are Christs sheep And they are Christs sheep which have 1. Christs Eare mark an inward and effectuall C●l●●ng i that are drawn by the work of Gods Spirit from sin to holinesse and made of sinners saints and sons of God 2 Tim. 1. 9. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Acts 2. 39. Rom 8. 28 30. Whom he predestinated them he called c. 2. Christs brand mark brotherly love 1 John 3. 14. Iohn 13. 35. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye love one another 3. His mark in their foreheads they mourn for sin Ezek. 9. 4. 2 Pet. 2. 7. 4. His Seal the spirit of God Rom. 〈◊〉 8 9 10. 5. They feed in his pastures upon his ordinances and grow and thrive thereby in grace Ephes. 2. 21. Psal 23. 2. Psal 84. 7. 6. That are like to sheep in nature and qualitie 1. Tractable and meek that may be easily governed and reduced from their strayings Psal 100. 3. Esay 11. 6. Matt. 5 5. Ephes 4. 1. 2. 2. Chast Tit. 2. 5. 3. Innocent Matt. 10. 16. 4. Patient Iames 5. 7 8. 1 Pet. 1. 6. Psal 40. 〈◊〉 Esay 53. 7. 5 Profitable Phil. ver 11. 6. Temperate Tit. 1. 8. Luke 21. 24. 1 Peter 1 6. 7. Sociable and loving Heb. 10. 25. Ephes 4. 1 2. 8. Clean from soul 2 Pet. 3. 14. Rev. 3. 4 5. 7. They have not onely a form but a power of godlinesse not onely oyle in their lamps but in their vessels also Matt. 25. 1 2. 3. c. 8 They are active and faithfull in their places for Gods glory and his Churches good Matt. 24. 46. And finally they are such as beleeve and obey the gospell of Iesus Christ turn from sin sincerely stick to God constantly and suffer patiently the evil of this present time desire wait and lock for the appearing of this Christ to judgement 2. Thes 1. 7 8. Matt. 24. 48 13 33 37. Heb.

a Covenant with death that it shall not come nigh to him And doth he not say with them in Amoz 9. 10. evill shall not overtake me Albeit they see wise men die and likewise the foollish is it not their thought that their houses shall continue for ever Psal 42. 11. It is certain this lesson no man can learne till God teach it him otherwise Moses had not need in a time of mortallity when so many fell on his right hand and on his left hand to pray Psal 90. 12. Lord teach us to number our dayes It is a p●ant of Gods own planting in mans heart sadly and seriously to thinke and be perswaded of the vanity and shortnesse of mans life that it is but a Tale a Shaddow a Sleep a Race a Bubble a Smoak a Wind a Flower to think how many wayes and how easie a man may take his death that our life is short and much of it past already that the day of our death is at hand that our Sun is about to set that our Shaddow declineth and is ready to vanish that it is certain we must die but uncertain when we must die these and such like thoughts as these Gods spirit only suggesteth and the Devill with all his might opposeth Esay 28. 15. Luk 12. 19. Psal 30. 4 5. Let us then thinke of it that death is the common condition of mankind and that our selves are mortall and may and must die shortly and let us say with Barzillai 2 Sam. 19. 37. How long have I to live If it be asked How we must thinke of it We answer first daily and continually not once a week much lesse is once a moneth or once a yeare sufficient to entertain this meditation of death 1 Cor. 15. ●1 I die daily 2 Cor. 21. 23. in deaths often First death hangeth over my head continually and I doe incessantly prepare my self for it Psal 119. 109. Secondly seriously and sadly as of a thing that doth most of all concern us not cursorily scornfully or prophanely as the Gentles 1 Cor. 15. 32. Esay 22. 13. Let us eate and drinke for tomorrow we shall die Thirdly profitably so as to make some advantage thereby to our soules Psalm 90. 12. Teach us so to number our dayes as to apply our hearts to wisdome Fourthly let us thinke of it as neere and at the doores and not with those in Amoz 6. 3 and the evill servant Mat. 24. 28. as farre of as a thing delayed or prolonged Ezek. 12. 22. 11. 11. Prov. 7. 19. To quicken us up to this duty let us consider these things First this meditation of death will keepe the heart in a good frame First in a repenting frame Jon. 3. 4. 5. 6. c. Secondly in a patient and a contented frame Job 1. 21. 2 Sam. 12. 23. Thirdly in a sober frame towards the vain delights of this world we shall not easily be intemperate in the use of that we looke upon as perishing in the using Eccles. 6 11. 12. chap. ● ● 2. chap. 5. 9 10. 15. Fourthly in an humble frame for we will not be lifted up with any thing we have or thinke we have whilst we are perswaded we must shortly leave it Gen. 18. 27. Acts 14 15. 5. This will keep the heart in a watchfull and carefull temper 2 Cor. 5. 6. 9. 2 Tim. 4 5. 6. Secondly this meditation wil be a preservative unto us to keep us from doing evill and a spurr to provoke us to good Amoz 6. 3. 2 Tim. 4. 5. 2 Cor. 5 6 7. 2. Pet. 1. 13 14 15. Thirdly this meditation will make us to take care to provide for death and keep us from being surprised thereby unawares which will be dangerous to us Mat. 24. 48 49 50. Helps To help us in this meditation let us use these meanes First let us have our Coffins alwayes ready in our houses Remember to die Written in great Letters before us and if we may have our Sepulchers in our gardens Io● 19. 41. Mat. 27. 57 58 59 60. Secondly let us read oft those Scriptures and Bookes that treat of mans mortallity Thirdly let us look often upon the examples of mortallity Eccles. 7. 4. It is better to goe to the house of mourning then to the house of feasting because this is the end of all men and ●●e living will ●●y it to heart Let us looke much on our dying and think much on our dead friends and say as David I shall goe to them Fourthly pray that God will mind us of it Psal 90. 12. Thirdly the third main duty we are from hence to be exhorted to is to prepare for death before it come we use to provide for a great journey when we are to undertake it a great while before and before we go out of one house we use to take care where we may have another And th●● is great reason for this 1. because it is a needfull care 2. It is a wise care it is a high point of holy wisdome so to do and extreame folly to neglect it Pro. 10. 5. 3. It is a glorious care it will be much to the honour and praise of him that doth take it and to the shame and reproach of him that doth neglect it 4. It is a profitable care for this will much joy the heart and aswage the evill of death when it comes Fiftly we if we be found unprepared for death when it comes are undone for ever If you shall desire to know when this preparation must be made We answer this work of preparation for death being the work of a beleever must be set upon presently and without delay and may not be put of to the morrow much lesse to the time of old age or of or after mens death For 〈◊〉 although it be certain that a 〈◊〉 shall ●●e yet it is uncertain when he shall die Secondly no man knows what a day may bring forth perhaps he may not have to morrows time to do it Thirdly he will be lesse ●it to morrow then he is to day Fourthly ●he latest preparation is never to late but the late preparation is seldome true Fifthly it will be hard late to do any thing to it when death comes for we shall be then most of all unfit for the work Sixtly old age is also a most unfit time for 〈◊〉 Eccles. 12. 1. 2. Seventhly when we come to d●● we shall find it enough to doe that work it will therefore be our wisdome to have nothing else to do at that time but to die Eightly It will be too late to do any thing after death for there is then no time of amendment of any thing for as death leaves m●n so judgment will find them Ec. 9. 10. Ninthly we read but of one that did put of this care to the last and prospered in it and this instance is extraordinary If now you shall ask how this preparation must be made We answer It