Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	aaron_n	appear_v	egypt_n	18	3	7.8863	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85088	Two treatises The first, concerning reproaching & censure: the second, an answer to Mr Serjeant's Sure-footing. To which are annexed three sermons preached upon several occasions, and very useful for these times. By the late learned and reverend William Falkner, D.D.	Falkner, William, d. 1682.; Sherlock, William, 1641?-1707.; Sturt, John, 1658-1730, engraver.	1684 (1684)	Wing F335B; ESTC R230997	434,176	626

these persons nor can lay any thing to their charge And these several sorts of men make up so great a number that it was the complaint of an ancient and pious Bishop of considerable note (b) Paulin ad Celant inter Epist Hieronymi 14. that there were very few men who had forsaken this vice and concerning those from whom better might be expected he adds that even they who had gone far off from other vices fall into this as into the last snare of the Devil 3. But since this hath respect to the actions and practices of men we may best discover how largely this evil is propagated by observing particular instances of fact and none can be given more considerable than that which concerneth our blessed Saviour Wherefore I shall now enquire Who they were by whom he and other worthy men were reviled 4. Yet 1. It is odious to the best of men Now First He was not reviled but reverenced by the best and most holy men who observed and obeyed the true rules of Religion These rendred unto him that honour and glory which was due to the Son of God the Messias and Mediator of the New Testament and the Saviour of the World And indeed all rash evil speaking and reproaching especially against those who deserve to be highly esteemed and honoured is much opposite to the reason and conscience of man and more especially to the true Christian temper and both that charity and that honesty and integrity which it so much requires It is also greatly contrary to the motions of the Holy Spirit of God who disposeth good men to the performance of these Christian duties Hence the Apostle having commanded that men grieve not the Holy Spirit of God Eph. 4.30 31. adds Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil-speaking be put away from among you with all malice Slandering and reproaching are of the evil one and it is part of the character of those worst sort of men described by S. Jude that they are murmurers complainers walking after their own lusts and their mouth speaketh great swelling words But meekness patience humility and charity are such great and necessary duties that those who are sincerely good apply themselves to the practice of them And uncharitable speaking hath such a contradiction to these and such like duties that it is very distastful and odious to the spirits of such pious men who have duly considered the evil of it S. Austin professed such an earnest and constant dislike hereof that as (c) Pos d. de Vit. Aug c. 22. Posidonius relates he had contra pestilentiam humanae consuetudinis against the plague or pest of the custome of men in their converse these two Verses inscribed upon his table Quisquis amat dictis absentum rodere vitam Hanc mensam indignam noverit esse sibi That is Whosoever pleaseth himself to use biting words against the lives of absent persons let him know that this table is no fit place for his society And the same Writer tells us that he would not with patience hear any man speak contrary to this rule of free and familiar conversation The best men are not only perfect strangers from but enemies to this vicious practice and every Christian man ought watchfully to take heed of it and if at any time he be surprized and overtaken thereby he so far departs from the rules of his Religion and makes himself work for a future repentance 6. But Secondly 2. It is frequently entertained by the publick vogue of the multitude The common vogue may frequently pass severe censures upon the best of men Even the Holy Jesus was reviled and evil spoken of by the generality of the Jewish Nation It is true that manifest and open vice is a thing so shameful and so contrary to the common sentiments of reason and conscience that it is in all places a blemish to any mans reputation and a just matter of general censure And vertue and goodness considered in the notion of it and in the practice also when rightly understood go under a general commendation and applause But yet such are oft-times the common mistakes of the multitude concerning persons that the best men fall under a suspicion amongst them of harbouring some secret evil design and men of the greatest integrity and simplicity are charged with being the contrivers of danger and mischief by the publick voice and clamour of the people And it is no hard thing for subtil ill-designing men or for those who are themselves jealous to promote these misapprehensions amongst others Even the useful undertakings which wise and good men prudently manage with the greatest integrity are oft-times strangely misunderstood and the intent of them strangely misrepresented to the common esteem of men This was so much observed by Socrates that he declared as Xenophon tells us (d) Xenoph. 2. Memor that it is no easie thing to undertake any work to wit of a publick and useful concern without undergoing blame because it is no easie thing to be every where free from real fault or to meet with equal judges where they are so 7. it is the more mischievous by reason of its spreading infection And there are very many instances wherein the greater part of the people have been guilty in this particular of judging speaking and acting against their duty and in divers of them Gods displeasure was remarkably manifest Thus did the Jews with united votes and clamour engage against our Lord. Nor was this only the carriage of the meanest sort of men who might be thought more rash and inconsiderate but even their Elders and chief rulers and the whole Jewish Sanhedrin was of this temper and spirit And though this gave encouragement unto others it was not the better for them but the worse that this sin prevailed so universally for hence proceeded the ruine and misery of the Jewish Nation to this day and the forfeiture also of their relation (e) Cypr. Ep. 69. to God to Christ and to his Church And when after the death of Corah even all the Congregation of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron Numb 16.41 this occasioned a dreadful Plague And before this the general discontent against the Conduct of Moses which appeared in all the Children of Israel who resolved to chuse themselves a new Governour and to return back to Egypt Numb 14.4 at the time when they who searched the land of Canaan brought an evil report upon it did provoke God to resolve that they should all die in the Wilderness 8. But in such cases as these every good man ought to have that generous and couragious spirit as not to be daunted or moved even with publick censure And he must esteem his approving himself to God and having the testimony of his own conscience to his integrity to be of more value than the flattering applauses of the greatest numbers of men It was excellently spoken by