Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	death_n	die_v	good_a	2,567	5	3.9002	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10033	The patriarchs portion or, the saints best day Deliuered in a sermon at the funerall of Sir Thomas Reynell of Ogwell in Deuon. Knight, Aprill. 16. 1618. Wherein may be seene, 1 The shortnesse of mans life. 2 A Christians combat against 1 Sathan. 2 The world. 3 The flesh. 4 Sinne. 3 A preparation to die well. 4 The reward of glory after warfare. By Iohn Preston, preacher of Gods word at East-Ogwell, in Deuon.	Preston, John, minister of East Ogwell.	1619 (1619)	STC 20282.3; ESTC S114305	28,466	80

first comfort the godly in that their liues lie not in the power of men or malice of Satan for these indeed would swallow them vp quicke when they are displeased at them and the godly neuer want the wicked or the Diuels displeasure you shall see some of the Iewes band together and binde themselues by an oath that they will neither eate nor drinke till they haue killed Paul but their plot shall bee preuented and Paul preserued till the time appointed of God Tyrants may take away the life of the godly but they cannot cut off the lappes of their coats nor touch the skirts of their garments without Gods permission and he will neuer permit them before the appoynted time Pharaoh would haue taken away Moses his life often but God had not appointed it so for Moses died in the land of Moab Saul thought to make sure worke with Dauid when he ran at him with a speare but God had appointed that Dauid should die a naturall death in his bedde as he did wee see such men as are grieuously wounded oftentimes doe not die as on the contrary the cutting of a corne doth kill some what is the cause but the performance of Gods appoynted time in both Asaph was but sick in his feet farre from the heart he ●…s to seeke helpe of the Phisition yet dies of the disease Hezechiah was sicke at the heart and at the poynt of death yet liues many yeares after because his time determined by God was not yet come when he should die though in regarde of his disease in the sight of man the day was come that hee should die One lies long sicke yet recouers because his time is not come another as hee walkes in his chamber or sits in his chaire drops downe and neuer riseth because his time is come To conclude this Vse for the comfort of the godly though their enemies that seeke to spill their blood be many and those mighty and malicious withal yet all these cannot diminish one day of this life which the Lord hath decreed Secondly this may serue for reproofe of such as dreame dote only vpon second causes and neuer looke to Gods councell and decree This makes these men cry out and say when their friends are taken away Oh it was for want of learned Phisitians about him yet died of no dangerous diseases while hee looked to second causes and not to the Lord without whose appointment nothing can come to passe A Sparrow cannot fall to the ground without Gods guiding prouidence nor a bird fall into a snare where no fouler is In the pestilence they cry out of the infection of the ayre in consumptions of sorrow and griefe in feuers of cold in famine of foule weather in warre of the malice of the enemies but Moses would haue men to looke to a higher hand in all these For it is the Lord saith hee that shall smite men with consumptions and with the feuer and with the burning ague and with feruent heat and with the sword and with drought with the mildew The second causes I know that is such meanes as God hath appointed for the preseruation of life must not bee despised yet they must not be doted vppon vse these carefully but commit the successe to God who onely can blesse these meanes and will whensoeuer they may serue for the performance of his purpose and his time appointed which can by no meanes be either preuented or auoyded Thirdly this may teach vs to waite with patience expecting when our changing shall come It is not for vs to know the time and season the yeere or moneth of our appointed time which God hath kept secret to himselfe It is comfort enough and powerfull to perswade a patient expectation of our change to thinke how happy a change we shall haue Christ shall change our vilde bodies that they might be like vnto his glorious body when we haue the world at will and nothing comes crosse vnto vs we can be content wee say to liue as long as the Lord hath appointed but when we are pinched with pouerty or surcharged with sickenesse or vexed with sorrow and griefe then most impatiently we pray and wish that wee were out of the world and wee will not waite the Lords leisure but with the King of Israel we wickedly resolue be hold this euill is of the Lord what should I wait for the Lord any longer In these cases we can alledge Scripture that it is better to die then to liue because Salomon saith that the day of death is better thē the day of our birth Salomon doth not say that the day of death is good simply but by way of comparison better then the day of birth and yet this may seeme in humane sence and reason to be absurd for there is ioy when a man is born into the world The number of the children of God is increased life is the gift of God How thē can the day of death be better then the day of life The meaning of Salomon is that life is attended with many miseries for we are borne to labour and trauell subiect to sickenesses and sorrow and sinne nothing but death can deliuer vs from all these and therefore better is the day of death then the day of birth yet be it neuer so good be it better then life yea be it best of all to be with Christ Though we haue here no abiding Citie Though we be strangers and pilgrimes Though soiourners as all our fathers were Dust and ashes Wormes of the earth Though wee were worse then all these yet we must wait Gods appointed time Though the euer-liuing God hath condemned mankinde to death which is the wages of sinne and to the graue which is the house appointed for all the liuing yet may we not either hasten our death or digge our own graues and descend into them before we be dead Though our bodies bee but houses of clay earthly houses or tents rather yet may wee not pull downe these houses ouer our heads or remoue these tents before our Generall giue command but waite till our changing come In a word God hath determined that we must die and therefore death should be welcome when it doth come but he hath determined withall when we must die and therfore nothing should make vs weary of waiting till it doe come Fourthly this point duly considered may reprooue such that goe about to shorten their liues these men presume to appoint their own time with a fals key to open this prison of their body and let their soules depart before God call for it or giue them any commission vnto it It is true that God hath appointed this time for these mens deaths in his secret counsell but it is more then they know and for ought that they see they might liue longer if

help doth come they will cut off our hands that wee shall not lift them vp in prayer vnto God as the Apostle exhorteth They will pull out our tongues that we shall not speake to God in prayer and they will binde vs hand and foot that we shall not be able to helpe our selues or goe to other to seeke for helpe Thus wee haue seene the quality of mans daies how they are sharpe The second generall point notes the quantity of our dayes that they are short in these words Are not his dayes as the daies of an hireling The Christians Crowne of glory after warfare ARe not his dayes as the dayes of a ●ireling an hireling hath a time appointed and limited how long hee shall labour and then to haue his wages so man hath a time appointed to warre and fight and then to haue his reward which is promised by him that di● neuer deceiue any the grand Captaine Christ Iesus who will confesse such as serue him before his Father and before the holy Angels an hireling looketh and waiteth when his day will end that hee may haue his hire so the godly desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ that they may receiue the Crown of glory prepared for thē Many profitable points might hence bee collected but the time will not giue me leaue to stand vpon all onely this I will briefly vrge That man shall then receiue his rewarde when hee hath ouercome when he hath done his worke God will not denie his wages this rewarde is not carnall but spirituall not earthly but heauenly not mans but Gods not merited but giuen of mercy This reward is layd vp and it is a Crowne not of thornes as on Christs head nor of gold as on earhly Kings heads but a Crowne of righteousnesse so Paul cals it a Crowne of life so Iames names it a Crown of glory so Peter stileth in yea a Crowne incorruptible and euerlasting When thou hearest of a Crowne conceiue a triumph for Crownes are layde vp for them that after victory triumph ouer the enemy There is no garland where there is no gole to runne to there is no victory where there is no enemy there is no hire where there is no labour and there is no happinesse where there is no tryall by temptation and rather then such as fight the Lords battels against sin and Sathan the world and the flesh shall want either Credit or Comfort God himselfe shall be their Crown In that day shall the Lord of hostes be for a Crowne of glory and for a Diadem● of beauty vnto the residue of his people Esa. 28 5. So runne that you may obtaine this Crowne Such as wrastle or runne in a race will diet themselues before hand and endure much when they come to fight or runne euen sweate and pant and blow and bleed how much more should Christians in this course conflict of Christianitie especially considering the enemies with whom wee are to fight and wrastle are farre mightier for they wrastle but with men made of the same mould and mettall that wee are wee with principalities and powers and wicked spirits the time that we are to fight is farre longer they but for an houre or two but we al the daies of our life the Crowne for which wee striue is farre better they did wrastle for the applause and commendation of men or for a garland of flowers which did fade in a day we for an incorruptible Crowne of glory which God shall giue vs in his kingdome Let no man looke for his reward in this world but in the end of the day that is after death then the wages shall bee paid when wee rest from our worke As L●…ch called his sonne Noah because he should comfort him and make all his labour and sorrow to eease and end Euen so all iust and righteous men may call death their Noah the sonne of their rest and end of there labours and sorrowes and sicknesses and sinne and shame for then these and all other miseries shall bee done away and shall neuer be againe and then shall hee be crowned that hath ouercome This may serue to let Christians see what a gracious Master they serue who will not see their worke vnrewarded The wicked indeed in a pow●ing and repining humour will say as Iob settes it downe VVhat is the Almighty that we should serue him and what profit should we haue of we pray vnto him But the Christian will gladly confesse that their wages is farre beyond their worke for if wee ouercome the Crowne is not due of debt heauen is no purchase of ours but a free inheritance giuen to the godly for Christs sake Eternall life it the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord Euery man shall receiue according to his workes but not for the worth and merit of his workes The Crowne is of mercy not of merit and where there is need of mercy as what man doth not need it there is no standing vpon merit The Apostles reason in this point is plaine If saluation bee of grace it is no more of workes for else were grace no more grace and if it be of workes it is no more of grace for else were workes no more workes But saluation is of grace as the same Apostle hath plainely deliuered By grace are you saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes least any man should boast Indeed we are created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes that wee should walke in them as it followes in the same place that we should walke in them not that we may merit by them For good workes are the way wherin wee must walke to the Kingdome of Heauen but they are not the cause that wee are Crowned when wee come there Good workes wee all know proceed from the grace of God and therefore God cannot any way be indebted to vs for his owne which he giues vs. Doth not Dauid say all things come of thee and of thine owne hand we haue giuē thee Who hath giuen vnto him first and hee shall be recompenced We are borne to doe good and our whole course must be to walke in Gods commandements and a speciall commandement is to bee fruitfull in good works As hirelings are busied all day so must wee as long as we liue here exercise our hands vnto good works These are the best apparell of Christians and their most durable riches and treasures What one point doth God more presse vs vnto then this duty of doing good workes bring forth workes worthy amendment of life Be zealous of good workes And this wee cannot be till we be in Christ without me saith our Sauiour ye can doe nothing As a graft can bring forth no fruit which is not set into a stocke so no man can possibly turne his hand to any thing that is truely and

themselues were not the cause and so they crosse the reneiled will of God which onely can bee our warrant in all our actions Againe though they were so much of Gods secret Counsell as to know that God had appointed this to be the time yet they know that God hath not appointed either themselues or such violent meanes to make good his purpose at his appointed time No no it is misery that makes these men weary of their liues and therefore like the foolish fish they will leape out of the frying-Pan into the fire out of short trouble here into eternall torments hereafter He that will liue godly must suffer persecution hee that will come into heauenly Canaan must passe through this earthly Egypt Through many afflictions we must enter into heauen and shal we then cut off the thred of our life because wee finde some knots in it Abimelech cut off his owne life so did Saul so did Ahithophell so did Iudas and so doe many in their desperate humour now a dayes by the cunning of Satan but not without the secret vnsearchable and iust iudgement of God Fiftly and finally if our time be determined and that time known to God vnknowne to man certaine to him vncertaine to vs we must prepare against that time come we are men and therfore mortall weake men and therefore secure for we are euery day dying and cannot long liue as old men haue death before their eyes so yong men haue him behind their backs and betwixt old and yong I desire no other difference but this that yong men may die quickly and old men cannot liue long and therefore all must be prepared Be ye prepared therefore for the Sonne of man will come in an houre when ye thinke not All must prepare old and yong rich and poore great and small noble and ignoble old men must prepare for they must shortly die they should put their houses in order they should with sence and sorrow confesse their sinnes to God saying Against thee against thee onely haue we sinned they should labour for life to be at peace with God and their owne consciences and if it be possible to haue peace with all men Yong men should prepare for they may die before those that goe crooked with age they haue no Charters of their liues It is not policie nor gay and gorgeous apparell not eloquence of an Angels tongue not strong Castles and stately houses not pompe nor promotion can take day with death or perswade the wormes to pitty them nor preserue their names from perpetuall infamy These things may procure honour on earth but no happinesse in heauen If all were not subiect to death yong men might hope to be exempted but a new ship may as soone be dasht in pieces meeting with a rocke as one that is old and weather-beaten a yong tree may be ouerturned with a whirlewind as soon as that which is old and blasted many old men haue out-liued these tha● were yong but neuer any yong or olde that liued and did not die Doth not euery man beare about him in his own bosome that which will bring him to his end are wee not all sick of the same disease euen the consumption of our daies Time pretious time passeth away swiftly and with it wee passe towardes our end and like those in a ship we perceiue it not and therefore prepare not for it or thinke not of the danger of it for as death leaueth vs so the day of Iudgement shall finde vs. They that build faire and sumptuous houses are not certaine how long they shall hold them they that purchase lands and liuings cannot tel how long they shall possesse them they that haue gathered in a great haruest cannot tell whether they shall bee better by it they that plant cannot tell whether they shall eate of the fruit of it yet all these men are prouident to prepare for life that is vncertaine and forget death which is most certaine shall come more vncertaine when it shall come Prepare then in health for it may hardly bee done in sicknesse or at the houre of death Sicknesse may be so full of extreame sorrowe and paine and death so sudden and present that thou canst not prepare thy selfe if thou would or if thou doe yet not so well as thou wouldest many neglect to prepare themselues when they may and when they would cannot So the fiue foolish Virgins might haue had Oyle in their Lamps if they had lookt to it in time but afterward when willing they would could neither buy nor borrow any These men consider not how dangerous it is to procrastinate and p●…●ff their repentance from day to day a●… that for two causes First God doth leaue the wicked destitute of diuine helpe in that howre I haue called saith the Lord but ye refused ye were in health in the prime of your time in the flower of your age in the heat of lust hauing by nature corrupt hearts and carnal affections liuing in pleasure passing the time in mirth subiect to youthfull wantonnesse and to vnstaidnesse of affection full of loosenesse which is the way to lewdnes of weakenesse which is the way to wickednesse then you would not heare now in your death-bed ye shall call but I will not heare but laugh at your destructiō They that forget God liuing God will forget them dying Secondly in the time of death men are more grieuously tempted and therfore it is dangerous to deferre repentance to the dying day Remember saith Salomon thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth why should wee remember God in youth because if youth be spent in vanity commonly old age will end in prophanenesse The Prophet speaketh of Crimson sinnes sinnes of a double die if it bee right Crimson or Purple it is dyed in thred in the wooll and that is euer a deepe dye so if Satan dye vs in our wooll in our youth before we be men before wee be made cloath it is like to sticke by vs and to go with vs to our graue If Sathan make thy youth vnprofitable of all the ages after there can hardly any good be hoped for if the blossome be nipt where is the hope of the Autumne Thus much for the first point that God hath determined the dayes of man how long hee shall liue A Christians combat against 1 Sathan 2 The World 3 The Flesh. 4 Sinne. THe second point of Doctrine which doth arise frō these words is this That the time appointed by man to liue vpō earth is a time of warfare Men must liue Souldiers and die Conquerours liue fighting and die ouercomming from the cradle to the graue is a time of warfare wee haue many enemies all fierce and furious 1. The Diuell 2. The VVorld 3. The Flesh. 4. Sinne. All these we must encounter and ouercome too if it goe well with vs and woe is vnto vs