Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	able_a	affliction_n	angel_n	40	3	5.6510	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15334	A Christian and learned exposition vpon certaine verses of that eight chapter of the Epistle of that blessed Apostle Paule to the Romanes, and namely, vpon verse, 18.19.20.21.22.23. VVritten long agoe, by T.W. for a most deare friend of his in Christ, and now lately published in print, for the benefite and good of Gods people wheresoeuer.	T. W. (Thomas Wilcox), 1549?-1608.	1587 (1587)	STC 25620.5; ESTC S106381	90,228	156

in sense and doctrine peruerted this place and swarued from the godlie iudgement of former times Ierome I meane and Augustine whose wordes are most plaine and pithie Ierome euen vpon this place that wee haue nowe in hand saieth thus Hic vult futuram gloriam commendare vt praesentes pressuras facilius tolleremus Et reuera nihil possit homo condignum pati gloria coelesti etiamsi talis esset illa qualis modo est vita Quicquid enim passi●s fuerit a morte plus non est quam etiam peccatis suis antea moerebatur Nunc autem peccata donantur tunc vita aeterna praestabitur consortium angelorum splendor solis c. quae sanctis legimus repromissa that is to saie The apostle mindeth in this place to commend the glory that is to come that so wee might the more easily beare the present troubles and afflictions And certainely man is able to suffer nothing that is worthie of or in worthines answerable to the heuenlie glorie yea though that that were but such as this life nowe is for whatsoeuer hee shall suffer by death or at deaths hand it is no more than that which hee had euen before deserued thorowe his sinnes But nowe both our sinnes are forgiuen vs then eternal life shal be bestowed vpon vs the company of the Angels the brightnes of the sunne c. which wee read are againe promised to the saints And Augustine De verbis Apostoli sermo 15. Pro nihilo inquit saluos facies illos c. For nothing saith one thou shalt saue them what is meant by these words for nothing thou shalt saue them This is the meaning thou findest nothing in them wherefore thou shouldest saue them and yet thou sauest them Thou giuest freelie thou sauest freelie yea thou giuest altogither freely and sauest freely euen thou I say dost this which findest nothing wherfore thou shouldest saue men but findest much wherefore thou shouldest condemne them And thus farre for this point now it followeth in the Apostle vvhich shall be shevved vnto vs. Euery word here carrieth with it force to perswade the trueth propounded to wit the excellencie of the ioyes of that life that is laid vp for the sonnes and seruants of God and serueth also to teach all the faithfull in all manner of holie patience to attende and looke for that that shall in good time bee made manifest vnto them yea the full fruition and possession whereof they themselues shall haue That worde shal be instructeth all of vs with faith and patience to expect the manifestation thereof not doubting but stedfastly beleeuing that though there be some delay of the accomplishment of this yea and though our present afflictions be neuer so many great and greeuous that yet notwithstanding a time will come when they shall be vtterly remooued and taken away from vs and we our selues put into actuall and reall possession of eternall ioyes promised the faithfull performaunce whereof we did and yet do in some measure of a sound hope looke after Neither doubt I but euen in this behalfe namely touching the delay of the things promised there do and wil arise by meanes of their natural corruption many temptations in the mindes of Gods children and those also increased not onely by Satans malice who laboureth to make vs beleeue that either GOD can not or will not be as good as his word but fostred and fed by texts of scripture also not wel vnderstoode or rightly applied as when the holy ghost shal say Prou. 13.12 The hope that is deferred is the fainting of the hart c. But against these we must learne in al blessed wisdome of the spirit and mightie power of the word to set such comforts as it shal please God out of the holie scriptures to manifest vnto vs. Amongst which these folowing are in my poore iudgement though not of the greatest force as some may perhaps thinke yet of some good effect doubtles to represse such assaults of diffidence In worldly matters when men deale with men yet are they not dismaied with delayes but rather raise vp their hope herein that the deferring of the things promised is not a taking away of the same or else persuade themselues that the length of time shall be recompenced either with the excellencie fulnes of the things themselues or with som one consideration or other an other waie How much more should we be cōforted not only in this that we deal not with man who is euen as the wind and weather wauering vncertaine but with God who alwayes continueth like vnto himselfe and haue from him the assured promises as of al benefits generally so of such blessings in the life to come particularly as with the least wherof al the delights and pleasures of this worlde whatsoeuer no though they were al laid togither bestowed vpon one man were anie maner of way matchable specially sith that GOD knowing our harts and state better than we do our selues doth therfore many times put off the performaunce of such excellent things that so hee might make vs the more reuerently to esteeme of them when we receiue them and the more earnestly to desire them when we want them that are so exceedingly cōfortable profitable for euerie one of vs. Neither doth god dally with vs herein as men do who wil either giue fair words do no good deeds or else many times shew vs good things a farre off that so they might seeme more faire and beautifull and by that meanes as a man woulde saye set our teeth on edge vppon them and yet notwithstanding not bestowe them vpon vs neither when they haue done or giue vs any other good thing in stead thereof that so in some testimonies of fauour we might haue our hope vpheld in obtaining of matters of greater importance in time to come but dealeth farre otherwise with vs not onely giuing vs a sight but a sensible feeling sometimes as of many outward benefits and blessings pertaining to this life so of sundrie and singular spirituall graces but specially of those incomprehensible ioyes that in heauen are hidden for vs in Christ before the foundations of the worlde were laid Whereof that we might be the better persuaded yea euen then when he letteth vs for a little while want our former comforts hee doth yet vouchsafe vs innumerable tokens and pledges of his most constant loue and that not onelie in bodily benefits as health wealth libertie c. but as was said before in spirituall blessings also as in his worde sacraments praier and a great number suche like effectuall meanes to bring vs in good time to that quiet hauen of heauen and eternall rest that wee in the midst of the manifolde tossings and turmoils of this wretched life haue often and earnestlie wished for And yet this faith may be fostered and fedde in vs by an other worde in the text namely when he saith that it shall

in the order of nature which our aduersaries doe in opposing mans supposed righteousnes which indeede is not at all and therefore their dealings more absurd in that behalfe against mans sinne the euidence whereof is so notorions that it is most liuely painted out vnto vs by the light of the worde by the stinging testimony of our owne hearts and by that great floud of all manner of wickednesse which as heeretofore so presently ouerfloweth all Wherefore if euer men manifested ignora unce in discerning or else faulted foulie in matter of opposing contraries one of them to an other our aduersaries in this behalfe be most shamefully ouertaken who though they do set life against death and saluation against damnation haue not yet in the working and performance of these things learned to set God against man and his grace and goodnesse against mans peruersenesse and euill whereby also these inconueniences fall out not onelie that men are puffed vppe in pride aboue measure and that in their owne eies before GOD and their brethren but the infinite riches of GODS grace and goodnesse also is as much as they may vtterlie obscured and darkened which doth not in anie nor in all thinges whatsoeuer more plentifully and plainely shewe foorth it selfe than in the forgiuenesse of the sins of his seruants thorow the death and obedience of his sonne Christ the bringing of them to euerlasting life and blessednesse thorowe his powerfull resurrection and glorious ascension notwithstanding that by the meanes of their iniquities they haue deserued the contrarie to wit euerlasting condemnation both of bodie and soule with the diuell and his angelles in that lake of fire brimstone that burneth for euer One thing more there is in their notes vppon this place which I cannot wel let passe bicause it is a branch of their corrupted doctrine sauoreth as much of error and heresie as the former points to wit that they affirme that the value of Christs actions riseth out of the length or greatnesse of them in themselues but of the worthines of the person What if wee yeelde to this as to a trueth What shall you gaine thereby or what will you inferre therevpon Forsooth that so the value of our actions riseth of the grace of our adoption But wee tell you it is a non sequitur as they say in schooles Wil you always plovve vvith an oxe and an asse Deut. 22 10 11 And wil you continually vveare a garment of linsey vvolsey And will you neuer learne for all that hath beene said to compare and resemble either quite contrarie things or right equall and like things togither Why do you not infer for so you shold haue done if you would haue dealt plainely that the price of our works riseth from the worthines of our persons also But this you knew was blasphemous and contrarie to the written word of God which in many places reiecteth both vs our good deeds specially when they are done with an opinion or mind to merit and that before God as hath beene already plainely prooued and therefore you wil smooth it ouer with the grace of adoption To which we tell you in fewe wordes that we our selues do in truth and sinceritie attribute more to the grace of Gods adoption than you that babble so much of it and vnder such colours go about to deceiue the hearts of the simple And yet notwithstanding all this afterwards you blush not to saye that good workes which be meritorious proceede from the childe of God But deale plainely with vs and the worlde we beseech you and tel vs but yet in no darke speeches whether the merite of mans workes proceede from the grace of adoption onely yea or no Or else whether the merit of them floweth frō men alone as they are Gods adopted children Or else whether from God and man togither as working causes of merit For our owne parts wee feare not to affirme that whatsoeuer you will put downe in this case is and must be accounted in the iudgement of truth meerely absurde and erronious For to ascribe it vnto the grace of adoption by it selfe sundred from man and his merits that you dare not bicause it is flatly opposite to the whole doctrine of poperie and to your owne assertions in many places agreeable therewith Besides the grace of adoption is a free gift of God and not a merit for of whome I pray you should God deserue it for our sakes And to cast it vpon men alone without the grace and fauour of God is not onelie presumptuous as in regarde of man Iohn 25.5 vvho vvithout him can do nothing and yet against him wil haue heauen whether he will or no if that be once yeelded vnto but is bla phemous to God whose grace and goodnes must needs be vtterlie euacuated if that assertion be established And if you will say it proceedeth from both togither that also is as vnreasonable and false bicause one and the selfe-same streame alone as for example your matter of merits here which is but one thing can not proceede from two seuerall heads specially so opposite one of them to another as god man are yea and it hath bin hardly heard of that euen in naturall things there should be two principall efficient causes concurring to the constitution of one and the selfe same subiect Of a truth wee can not but tell you in all plainenesse and simplicitie that if you will holde that the merit of mans workes commeth from man as of and from himselfe alone or as coupled with an other that then the whole worde written the certaintie of religion yeelded to in all ages and testimonie of trueth in former time declared wil crie out against you blasphemie and intollerable presumptiō yea al the world that is of sound iudgement cannot but condemne you for matching vnequall thinges togither yea for mingling most cleane and most filthie thinges one of them wyth another For though wee might grant that the grace of adoption as it proceedeth from God being also a perfect worke as nothing comming from him can be vnperfect might as in respect of it selfe if it were not defiled with our corruptions and imperfections merit something before God yet there is no cause at all why we shoulde yeelde to it when our workes be ioined therewith considering how much we taint and deface euen the best graces of God in vs or bestowed vppon vs. To conclude this point of confutation wherein we confesse we haue bin very long but our aduersaries importunitie and tediousnes hath drawen vs thereto with a notable testimonie or two of some one of the docto is of the church in stead of manie though I doe not greatly delight I confesse in the allegation of them bicause the trueth of the worde without them is strong enough as which hath not his credite and authoritie from men but from the Lorde himselfe that so it may appeere how much they haue both

againe sufficiently declare the same vnto vs. For what do the murrens sicknesses and infinite diseases and at the last death also attending vpon the creatures preach else vnto vs And what can we see else in the excessiue abuse of the creatures throughout the whole course of mens liues some in apparell abusing them to pride and newefanglednes othersome in eating and drinking turning them to lust wantonnes glutonie and drunkennes othersome by a hoarding of them vp and hauing no vse of them subiecting them to moaths wormes rust and rottennes depriuing as thēselues so others and specially the church and common-wealth of the free christian vse of them no man almost among ten thousand striuing or caring religiously and in sanctification to vse them Not of it ovvne vvill The reason is bicause if the creature could choose it would not be subiect to that poor estate By which we may see that he meaneth then that it is vnwillingly in respect of it self brought vnder this condition and yet notwithstanding by the meanes of mans sin subdued to this thraldome and slauery And seing we know that such creaturs haue no sens or wit thogh for our rudenes sake such thinges are ascribed to them let vs therfore vnderstand that vvil in this place must be taken for som naturall inclination in the creatures against which they are subiect as before not otherwise And the rather let vs yeelde to this bicause we see by the light of humane reson that eueri thing doth by a natural instinct aime at the preseruation of it selfe what it can if it can not effect it it is not for want of care or loue in themselues for themselues but by reason of som more strong working cause either inward or outward to which thei are cōstrained to giue place But by reason of him that is to saye by reson of god his holy ordināce who hath mercifully apointed that notwithstanding mans great sin which indeed was the first cause of tainting of the creaturs for by creation they vvere exceeding good Genes 1.31 Genes 3.17 when sin once entred the Lorde cursed the earth and all things therein for mans sinne sake and the contrarie inclination of the creature that still they shoulde be subiect vnto vs though not in so large a measure and plentifull sorte as before the fall of man yet in suche aboundance as might serue for the manifesting of Gods great mercie towards vs poore and miserable men that we are might tend to the maintenance and vpholding of our naturall life not onelie with things of necessitie or profit but of pleasure and delight also All which should teach vs to be humblie thankefull vnto him that hath dealte with vs in so large a hand and that not onelie in the wordes of our mouthes but also in the reuerent soules and sanctified vse of his creatures and that the rather bicause whereas he might for our sinnes haue iustly depriued vs not of some one of them alone but of all of them and by consequent of our naturall life also he hath been pleased to leaue to vs a most large and liberall portion as before hath beene saide VVhich to wit God alone for none other can do it but he and such as he shall appoint and furnishe with gifts for the dooing of the same For besides that we see many of the mightie creatures vntameable and euery one of them in their rage readie to fall vppon men to their vtter ruine as we may see in lions beares woolues tygers and an infinit number such like specially such as be at libertie in the wilde woodes and wildernesses wee knowe by the light of the worde and triall of our times that if God will furnish but the least of his armie or creatures with power that not men onelie but that not all the men in the world can withstand much lesse subdue the same Why coulde not Pharao hinder the cralling of frogges in his ovvne chamber Psal 105.30 31 nor let the svvarmes of flies and lice that vvere in all the quarters of his land Why be not we our selues able to auoide the dartes of death the griefe of the graue Nay what speake I of such great things Why do we not shunne if we could the stinging of bees and waspes the bitings of gnats flies and sundrie such like We see then that this must needes be vnderstoode of God alone bicause it is as a man woulde say a certain description of him For in whose hand and power is it else to cause the creatures to tremble and quake at his presence and to walke in obedience vnto his good pleasure but in the Lords alone Let vs proceede hath subdued to wit by his almightie power by the force of his eternall word ordinance and decree which as it was strong in the beginning to make all things of nothing and hath beene powerful euer since the creation in the strength of that blessing that the Lord did giue vnto the workes of his owne handes to multiply increase preserue and vpholde all that he created so no doubt it is and shall be mightie and effectuall notwithstanding that man by the meanes of his sinne did what he coulde to hinder it to cause all the creatures to stoupe and bend to that vse of man that the Lord woulde haue them subiect vnto Otherwise certainely neither could the creatures be brought vnder nor continue in that their subiection He addeth it that is to saye the creature or all creatures calling them al as it were by the name of one both for the excellencie of him that is the one and the onely creator and also for the singuler harmonie and consent which is amongst all the creatures them selues howsoeuer that nowe and then thorow the corruption that cleaueth vnto them by mans sinne they seeme to iarre one of them with an other and to be hurtfull and noisome one to an other but of this somewhat hath bene said before therefore wee staye not vppon it now but go forward vnder hope To wit of restitution to that excellent estate which they had by creation and of deliuerie from that miserable and slauish estate wherin they presently are and not vnder hope either of perpetuity or vse as some dote and dreame of both which points and some others also wee will speake hereafter God willing but yet no otherwise by gods grace then as we haue learned out of gods worde In the meane while let vs marke that in these wordes the Apostle mindeth to giue vs to vnderstand that God neuer purposed for mans sinne to subiect his creatures to a continuall course or such a punishment as should neuer be done away but hath giuen them some hope that they shall bee freed from the same Which thing ought notablie in my minde to glade the heart strengthen the perswasions of the sons of God that in as much as the creatutes shall bee freed from the course of sinne much