Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	according_a	act_n	add_v	26	3	6.0623	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93799	A holy life here, the only way to eternal life hereafter. Or, A discourse grounded on these words, The weapons of our warfare, &c. 2. Cor. 10. 4. Wherein among other things set down in a following index this truth is especially asserted; namely, that a holy life, or the habitual observing of the laws of Christ, is indispensably necessary to salvation. Whereunto is added an Appendix, laying open the common neglect of the said laws among Christians, and vindicating such necessity of observing them from those general exceptions that are wont to be made against it. By R.S. B.D.	Stanwix, Richard, 1608-1656.	1652 (1652)	Wing S5252; Thomason E1276_1; ESTC R210586	123,869	304

requisite that the said intention be so circumstantionated in the person as there may be nothing justly imputed to him or his neglect why the act is not really performed the person being to be supposed for this end to have done all in this case that was morally possible for him like as we find in the forementioned business of Abrahams offering his son whose intention carrying him on to the doing of what was in his power for the accomplishing of this work made that it was accepted for Heb. 11.17 and called an offering of him though it was not ever at all actually performed Now in this present case the matter is far otherwise the person who as wee suppose is now in extremis or a dying hath indeed nothing possible for him to perform towards the amending and reforming of his life beyond vows and promises but this is a thing that ought to have been done of him before God requiring it and having afforded him sufficient time and means for the doing of it it is a thing also that all the time he made profession of Christ or of his word he is to be supposed virtually to have professed and made show of doing it is therefore not only his own fault that it is not done that is that such intention hath not hitherto been acted but it is also such a fault as is made up of a continued belying of his profession and therefore sure there can be but small cause for any to flatter themselves or others in this case that such intention shall ever bee accepted with God for the act Gal. 6.7 no God will not be mocked that which a man soweth that shall he reap that is according to our works in our life time not our intentions at or near our death our future doom is to be expected If any now shall question hereupon what proportion of our time or lives is absolutely necessary to be spent in the service and obedience of Christ for this end to render us actually capable and heirs of Salvation I shall endeavour thus far to satisfy him 1. By telling him negatively that such proportion I conceive cannot be certainly determined so as definitely to set down that a man must necessarily such a certain number of months or years exhibit such obedience or else he cannot be saved as in the parable of the hired Servants Math. 20. some were hired and went into the vineyard at the ninth and some at the eleventh hour and yet received equall wages with them who begun to work in the morning and had born the burden and heat of the day so I grant though not through the force of that parable Chrysost Muscul whereof I find severall interpretations given and which good expositours apply to quite another sense as more suitable to our Saviours scope than that which is vulgarly apprehended to be the intent of it that some in the evening of their dayes or in their declining age may become converts and begin then to render that reall obedience to Christs laws which he requires and they formerly neglected and yet be as surely rewarded with the glorious reward of eternall life as those who set out as it were and have been engaged from their child-hood in this employment may expect to be though I think not only that such examples are rare but also where they are they must and will being such reall converts as I suppose them out of the sense of their former neglect be more than ordinarily zealous and industrious in this kind 2. I say pisitively to the former question that so much of our time is necessarily to be employed in the foresaid obedience as we may be truly said at the end of our course to have been new creatures and to have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts and to have done the commandements of Christ or to have walked according to the Spirit and in so walking to have finished our race all which being things that imply not only a change of our naturall condition but also such a change as consists and manifests it self not in words or intentions or single acts but in a solid and habituall course of piety and the expressions of it as the presence of them is simply requisite to this end that our judgment namely unto life Math. 16.27 Rom. 2.7 2 Cor. 5.10 Revel 20.13 22.12 may be said to be according to our works as the Scripture frequently says it shall be So it is plain that there cannot but be some considerable part of our time and lives necessarily required though we cannot definitely set down how much for attaining and exhibiting the same things in our selves It is very hard or rather absurd and unreasonable to imagine that God in awarding eternall life to men should only have respect in a manner to some transient vanishing disposition of a dying person as his serious mourning for sin at that time when as hitherto he is to be supposed to have voluntarily persisted in the wayes of it and yet withall that God should be said in making that award to render to such a person according to his works what ground can there be to think either that such mourning which men may well in this case be supposed to be in a great part in a manner forced to by the immediate approach and fear of death should be so highly considerable with God above all the voluntary and long continued courses in sin of the same person or that being so and God therefore that is for that sorrow or for some confident reliance on Christs merits at that time accepting the said person to salvation God should be said herein to reward him according to his works when as indeed in this case no other work of his but one or both these at most is to bee thought of any moment or consideration with God As this therefore is unreasonable to conceive so it is all one to suppose that the forementioned change into a new creature can be made or those other things signified by crucifying the flesh and doing the words of Christ and walking after the spirit can be transacted by a dying person or in so little a time as ordinarily each sickness as is the forerunner and fore-warner of death is circumscribed with No these things are of greater import than thus at once and on a suddain to be dispatched it must be more than the work of a day or a week or a month ordinarily and that when we are in our best disposition to set about it which sure in sickness we are not to put off those old habits of sin which custom hath made pleasing and after a sort naturall to us and instead thereof to contract the contrary habits of righteousness and delighting to doe the will of God to wash away those staines of the soul which through the force of carnall lusts there inhabiting have been deeply inprinted in it and in their place to superinduce that divine

devouring creatures 1. By the former is imply'd his cunning or the manifold artifices he uses for this end and indeed they are so many that they cannot easily be found out or numbred only some of the most general I shall note 1. Sometimes applying himself chiefly to the understanding He comes under the visour of Religion in the habit and it may be in the person of a preacher suggesting to men from some places of Scripture seemingly speaking that which they desire should be true some such opinions as are indeed most favourable to the flesh but most false in themselves and destructive to their souls such as that is the generality every where are possest with namely that to rely on the merits of Christ is all that is required of them that God will at last for his sake accept and crown them though now either they take no care at all of doing his will or content themselves with some faint purposes and ineffectual endeavours about it this is that artifice wherwith he takes and holds fast the multitude But it is not from any true ground in Scripture which every where speaks of doing the will of God and keeping his Commandments and being new Creatures and that as necessary conditions of obtaining salvation it is only the compliance it hath to mens natural inclinations the desire they have it should be true that makes them so readily believe it is so 2. Sometimes applving himself to the will and affections he deals with us as he dealt with our Saviour when he presented to him the Kingdoms of the world and the glory of them that is he suggest to our minds the pleasures and profits and advantages that are here to be had by giving the rains to our desires and contrarily the hardships troubles and difficulties that are likely to befall us by tying our selves to a religious course that the former are present and certain but the other namely the rewards of our Religion are yet to come and uncertain and it may be not worth the parting with those and therefore it is good to enjoy them while they are to be had and to lay aside the care of these things which if there be any such are yet farre off And to make these suggestions more effectual he hath not only multitudes of examples alwayes in readinesse that is of such as truly walk after the flesh making it all or their main care to fulfill the desires of it to present to our eyes but also many other artifices to work upon us as namely by presenting to our mindes some easy way as he did to our Saviour Onely fall down c. Matth. 4.9 or by possessing us with a perswasion that Honour and Happiness consists in those things and that contempt or danger or poverty or hatred are like to be the attendants of those that follow after heavenly things 2. Besides this Serpentine cunning he has also the cruelty of a dragon or lion and this not only in respect of the end for so this cruelty he alwayes exercises when he is most an angel that is in regard of the means by him made use of he is still a devil aiming at our destruction as his end but also in the means he useth when by flattery or the lure of profits and worldly pleasures he cannot prevail then he stirs himself to raise up storms of persecutions terrours without and terrours within sometimes putting it into the hearts of the wicked his instruments to reproach or molest and often persecute even to death those that set themselves to obey God and other times raising terrifying perplexing thoughts within themselves to make their lives and the way they are in bitter to them that so they may grow weary of it Many other things might be added but this is enough to shew the first thing which is the ground of all War namely that we have an enemy a cunning cruel powerful enemie so that its necessary we should be warriours unlesse we will give up our selves as a prey to destruction 2. The things required to war as the means to mannage it are 1. That which is requir'd before-hand as namely the discipline of war Souldiers before they engage with the enemy have ordinarily their Trainings and when they lie neer to him use to be very watchfull in keeping their Guards and sending out Scouts so there is a certain discipline wherein we are to be employ'd in the managing of our Christian warfare and it is chiefly to be proportioned to the temper and condition of our adversary that is to the cunning and cruelty that he is composed of 1. First then as one part of his cunning is to corrupt our understandings to possesse us with an erroneous judgement especially in matters which most neerly concern our salvation so our care must be to have our senses so exercised as to be able to distinguish betwixt good and evil betwixt that which is sound and that which is unsound in such matters Now this we can only attain unto by attending diligently unto the word by giving earnest heed unto those things which this Oracle of Truth commends to us For the right understanding of which we must know that though there be some things hard to be understood and which the ignorant and unstable wrest 2 Pet. 3.16 yet the greatest part especially those which immediately concern our practise and dutie whereupon our salvation chiefly and immediately depends are plain and easie to be discerned so plain indeed that it is not possible for men to apprehend them in any other sense then what of right belongs to them unlesse they will either be oscitant and carelesse readers or wilfully shut their eyes and suffer themselves to be carryed blindfold by others or lastly set themselves to wrest things to such a sense as their own sensual affections most incline them to And therefore that you neither abuse your selves nor suffer your selves to be abused by others in this kind I shall commend to you these two rules to be observed by you in this matter 1. To take heed you suffer not your affections to corrupt your judgement that is that this be not the ground of your believing this or that to be the sence of Scripture namely your desires that it should be so as that which allowes you most liberty in your sins and most comfort with them There is a saying as the fool thinketh so the bell clinketh and the meaning of it is verified here most men according to their carnal wishes and hopes they allow in themselves are willing to conceive the meaning of the Spirit of God in Scripture But as this Spirit is most contrary in it self to the temper of that carnal part in us so there cannot ordinarily be a better argument whereon to suspect or believe the unsoundnesse of any opinion or supposed sence of Scripture then this namely a natural and general forwardnesse in men to believe it for the most we

integrity and unweariedness in the service of Christ or lastly those quite contrary characters whereby especially in that Epistle to the Romans he describes a truly regenerate person will I think be enforced to grant that which good expositors Origines Chrysosto Theodor. Oecumenius Ambrosius Erasmus Bucerus Musculus both antient and modern declare to be their opinion herein namely that the Apostle in that Chapter doth as is not unusuall with him elsewhere viz. Rom. 3.7 1 Cor. 6.12.10.23.27.30 131.2 Gal. 20.18 personate another in himself that is speaks of a person that is supposed to be yet under the Law and to whom the grace of Christ shining forth in the promises of the Gospell is not known nor hath had any influence upon him shewing by instancing in himself the miserable condition of such a person and consequently must grant that those notes or affections which he there ascribes to the said person cannot belong to the Apostle as he was then being a regenerate person nor to any other that truly are so And this thing and so that perfection we here intend as necessary to salvation will better appear by observing the direct contrary notes to those set down in that Chapter as belonging to the person there described whereby a person truly regenerate is by the same Apostle elsewhere set forth to us Such are these that this person is one that hath crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 whereas the former is one in whom sin works all manner of concupiscence Rom. 7.8 This person is one in whom the body of sin that is sin it self is destroyed so that he is dead to sin and sin doth no longer live or reign in him Rom. 6.2.6.11.12.14 but the former is one in whom sin so lives that it kils him subjects him to death Rom. 7.9.10.11 Lastly this person is one that is no longer in the flesh Rom. 7.5 that is freed from sin Rom. 6.18.22 that walks not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1.4 that by the Spirit mortifies the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8.13 and that is free from the Law of sin and also of death Rom. 8.2 but the former is one that is carnall sold under sin Rom. 7.14 that does not that good that he would but the evill that he would not v. 19. that is in captivity to the Law of sin v. 23. that is deteined by the body of death that is by death it self from which as one in misery he desires to be freed v. 24. All which being either formall or vertuall contradiction cannot agree to the same person at the same time and consequently imply that the temper of that person described in that chapter and made up of those qualities and conditions there assigned is not possibly reconcilable to that other constitution of a regenerate person marked by those properties elsewhere extant which wee have expressed no those doe truly manifest the state of this person to bee such as wee conceive to be necessary to bring any to the kingdome of heaven and that is a state of freedome from all habits and courses of sin 1. Joh. 4.3.9 c. 5.18 and an answerable habituall walking in the commandement of God and this St. John further confirms when he ascribes this great privilege and perfection to such a person saying that hee is such a one that sins not nor can sin 2. Though I think this perfection as I have expressed it to bee both a possible and necessary condition in this case yet I am not so far a Chatherist as to think that he cannot be a Christian that is not every way perfect or that commits the least offence against the precepts of Christ neither do I conceive either the former notes of a regenerate person or that which hath been last alleged out of St. John to imply that the said person is so righteous as never in the least thing to sin or offend but onely that he hath not as I have before expressed the habit of any sin and that he does not live in a course of sin but ordinarily and for the greatest part abstains from and avoids the committing of it and this I conceive may sufficiently appear by these following considerations 1. That mens actions are esteemed and so men themselves denominated from the greater part of them thus wee call him a sober person and temperate in the use of meat and drink who ordinarily or for the most part avoids all excesse in in this kind though sometimes it may happen that contrary to his constant wont and purpose he transgresse a just measure therein and thus also wee call him a liberall man who usually proportionably to his ability and as prudence shall direct gives of his own though sometimes it may fall out that in some thing he may not be liberall but may omit there to give where it is fit and there is truly need of it and so answeably he is to be esteemed and so is called in scripture a righteous person who doth righteousness as St. John saith that is who ordinarily practiseth and is really addicted to works of righteousness prescribed in the word though sometimes through common frailtie or inadvertency hee may do something that is not truly righteous or agreeable to the said rule 2. Because the word sin in the new testament is ordinarily wont and used to signifie not any one single act of sinning but either some grievous offence namely such as may argue the person guilty thereof to be involved in others not light crimes and which cannot consist with the fear of God in the same person or more and iterated acts of sinning as may appear from these places Luke 15.18 Ioh. 9.2.3 Rom. 6.15.2 Cor. 12.21.13.2 Heb. 3.17 3. Because those places of scripture which are used to set forth the state of unregenerate and regenerate persons are such as denote an habit or custome thus the former are said to walk and live after the flesh Rom. 8.1.13 and to live in sin Rom. 6.2 and to commit sin 1. Jo. 3.8 and the latter to walk and live after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 and to live godlily 2. Tim. 3.12 and to live according to God 1. Pet. 4. v. 6. as the word live notes our manner or course of living so the word walk answerably notes the accustomed actions of our life for as a way is often trod in so that which wee often and usually do is called our way and accordingly the Apostle exhorts us that wee should not suffer sin to reign in us nor yield our members to it as weapons of unrighteousness Rom. 6.12.13 by which forms of speech he requires that wee should bee exempted from the reign and dominion of sin but not simply from every act of it It is true according to the sense of Moses his law the single act of any one sin subjects a man to the curse but according to the law of liberty that is the Gospel of Christ not every

act but every habit of sin submits us to the said curse or eternall death for if every such act should now doe this the state wee are now in under the Gospel were to be reckoned a great servitude not a liberty but if the habit of sin should not doe it the same state might bee justly reputed a state not of liberty but of licentiousness When the scripture faith the just shall live not by the merit of works but by faith Rom. 1.17 it does summarily and most briefely describe the whole manner of obtaining salvation for in it that sayes none other but the just shall live it shews that there is need of Justice or righteousnesse to salvation and that so much as by reason of it wee may be deservedly called just or righteous but in saying that he shall live not by the force or merit of his righteousness but by faith it thereby declares that so great and absolute righteousness is not simply required as must be altogether voyd of any blemish or defect but if there be any thing wanting to its perfection it is through the infinite goodness and mercy of God supplyed and reckoned as made up by faith 3. I say it may appear from hence that that perfection which wee hitherto have pressed and conceive necessary to salvation is neither impossible nor indeed so hard but that men if they bee truely willing to set about it may by the assistance which herein they may expect from God ordinarily and assuredly attain unto it It is no more in effect but to take upon us Christs yoke which hee himself tells us is easy or Math. 11.30 1. Joh. 5.3 to keep the commandements of God which St. John tels us are not that is the keeping of them being so understood as wee have before expressed grievous it is true both these are hard and harsh enough in themselves that is taken as separated from that which is held forth in the Gospel as the glorious reward and recompence of them but if we look upon them as sweetned with this allective and so taste it and them together we shall have no cause to complain of any such harshness as men naturally imagine in them yea this will make us if we truly taste it by firmly believing of it not onely take delight in the doing and limiting of our selves to the said commandements but also digest all difficulties by vigorously going thorough any dangers that shall oppose our doing of them The men of this world as the Psalmist cals them having hopes given them of some vanishing and with all uncertain profit and apprehending no other way of coming thereunto are temperate in all things 1 Cor. 9.25 even so as to abridge themselves in many otherwise beloved delights and expose themselves to many tedious hardships and hazards and may we not then well think that that certain eternall and unmeasurable good namely the glory hereafter to be revealed if it were truely eyed and hoped for by us would have the like or rather far greater influence upon us that is to derive strength and courage into us so as to make us both insist in the wayes of Gods commandements and to overcome all hinderances that wee shall meet with in that way I doubt not but if as in the former case there were no grounds left in mens minds as the scripture rightly understood affordes none whereon to exspect any possibility of comming to the said glory but by the aforesaid means that is the habituall observing of the Laws of God delivered to us by Christ many that now content themselves with very remisse and faint endeavours in this kind as thinking such through the force of some corrupt opinions they have entertained sufficient to this purpose would so vigorously bestir themselves about this work as actually to manifest a greater measure of perfection in performing the said commands than yet they have had a serious thought of ever aiming at This is that which by this discourse I have laboured to awaken men unto as conceiving I could not possibly do a greater act of charity for others than to rouze them out of that sleep how sweet soever which is certain to end in death and such I cannot but think that perswasion to be whereby men believe some faint desires to do well or late contrition for not doing so or performing some one or other good duty now and then or indeed any thing else but such habituall observance of the laws of Christ and change into a new creature as we have spoke of to be available for their eternall welfare Some perhaps will account this and so distaste it as too sharp or sowr a doctrine but yet if it be sound and wholesom as notwithstanding such sharpness it may be and being rightly examined I doubt not but it will appear so there will be no cause I hope for them to reject it Most things that are physicall either for restoring or confirming health are commonly unpleasing having nothing to commend or induce to the taking of them but onely the hope of the following good and I had rather be like such a Physitian that fits his prescription to the disease and necessity of his patient than him that shall temper it to the patients humour or palate when as in this case both cannot be provided for but the disease must either remain uncur'd or else the Palate be displeased If any will by the light of the word the only oracle of truth in this kind undertake to shew me or others a shorter and easier way to the kingdom of heaven than that which I have described I am not such a stranger to my own inclination as to think I should be backward such a way being so manifested to embrace and think well of it I have cause rather to fear that the apprehension of such shortness and ease in the way pretended to be demonstrated in this manner though it should not be really but only seemingly so done might tempt me to incline to much too and in my judgment approve of it In the mean time my judgment standing at present as it does that is convinced into a belief of that which I have written on this subject and therby laboured to perswade others unto I hope those that are of a contrary perswasion in this matter will be so charitable as to impute what I have so writ not to any affectation of novelty or of seeming stricter than others but rather to a sense of that obligation and duty which in this case must be supposed to lye upon me namely to doe all that is in my power to convince others into a belief of that which I conceive so important a truth it being not possible in my apprehension of things for any to be saved but who acts according to it which without such a belief of it it is not probable many will doe It is and alwaies shall be my prayer that God would open the eyes of those who