Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	age_n	life_n	old_a	5,148	5	5.6715	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A92849	Christos kai kerdos. = Christ the life, and death the gain, of every true beleever: or, The life of a saint resolved into Christ, and His death into gain. Held forth clearly in a sermon preached at the late sad and solemn funeral of the right worshipful Rowland Wilson, Esq; a Member of the Parliament of England, and of the honorable Councel of State; and one of the aldermen and sheriffs of the city of London. By Obadiah Sedgvvick, B.D. and minister of the Gospel at Covent-Garden. Together with an epistle dedicatory: wherein is an exact account given upon some years more then ordinary experience of the superlative worth of this eminent servant of Christ, and of the Common-wealth. By George Cokayn, an unworthy teacher of the Gospel at Pancras Soper lane, London.	Sedgwick, Obadiah, 1600?-1658.; Cokayn, George, 1619-1691.	1650 (1650)	Wing S2368; Thomason E599_6; ESTC R206326	26,159	45

thy Blood and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests And therefore worthy is the Lamb to Receive Power and Riches and Wisdom and Strength and Honor and Glory and Blessing Rev. 5. 9 10 12. Nay let me add one Obligation more which lies upon you and that is this You are the onely People in the world whom Jesus Christ doth intrust with his Glorious Interests He forms you for his Praise he trusts you with All his Honor here below amongst the sons of men And truly as it is your Great Honor to be trusted with the Honor of Christ So are you thereby the more obliged to live and act for his Honor and Glory 5. To direct and act the whole Course of Life for Christ This is the Highest and Noblest Improvement of Life Beloved Our Actions have their denominations partly from their Formal and intrinsecal cause and partly from their Final and extrinsecal cause The Actions of Man are more Noble then those of Irrational Creatures because They do flow from a Cause from a Soul which is more Noble And the Actions of a Christian are more Noble then those of a Man because they do spring from Principles which are divine And as Actions are thus dignified by their Formal Causes so likewise are They by their Final and Extrinsecal Causes The more low and sordid the Ends are the more base are the Actions of Life As when they are unworthy of such a state and condition If a Man should form his course of Life onely for such ends which do bound the Appetites of Brute Beasts in satisfying of himself with Sensual Objects this sordid End makes his Life a most sordid Life And so on the contrary the more excellent the Ends are for which our Lives are improved the more are our Lives raised in the degrees of Beauty and Perfection The more perfect Ends do always grace our Actions with the more perfect Glory The Actions of God himself are therefore the most glorious because they are Levelled at and come up most perfectly to His own Glory which is the chief End of Himself And so it is with the Actions of our Lives when they Rise to Christ and are Terminated in him This is their Dignity and Glory they cannot be Raised unto a more choyce Nature or degree of employment They are Now carried on and lifted up to the highest End As far as Christ and His Glory are above Sinful Lusts and Worldly Lusts above Earthly Pleasures and Earthly Profits and Earthly Honors and above our Selves So Far is a Living unto Christ above and beyond a Living unto Any or All of these And thus have you heard the First Proposition in some measure cleared unto you Namely That the Life of a Christian is Resolved into Christ I Now come to speak of the second Proposition which is this That the Death of a Christian is Resolved into 2 Propo●it Gain To me to live is Christ And to dye is Gain I shall not trouble you with the several considerations of Gain which yet might be aptly applied to the present Subject As Lucrum ex Benevolentia ex Pacto ex Societate ex Re Accepta Gain by Favor by Compact by Society by Matter falling into hand in respect of all which the Christian is a Gainer by Death But I shall briefly clear the Assertion 1. By Scriptures 2. By Arguments 1. By Scriptures Ecclesiastes 7. 1. The day of Death is better then the day of ones Birth If it be Better then it is Gain If you get more by Death then you do by Life surely then Death is a Gain Phil. 1. 23. I have a desire to depart i. e. to dye Death to a Godly man is but a departure from one condition to another and from one place to another and to be with Christ which is far Better To be In E●e Christum cum Paulo magna securitas Esse Paulum cum Christo summa Felicitas Bernard Christ is very Good thus we are whiles we live But to be With Christ this is Best of All and thus we are when we dye For Christ to be with Paul this was a Great Blessing But for Paul to be with Christ this was chiefest Blessedness said Bernard Take one place more Revel 14. 13. Blessed Are the Dead which dye in the Lord they rest from their labors and their works Follow them There is a Proportion of Blessedness which Christians have in this Life But the Full Portion of it is at Death therefore Death is Gain In this Life we are laboring for Blessedness but at Death you shall be Fully possessed of Blessedness Possession is better then Expectation and Blessedness in Hand is better then Blessedness in Hope therefore Death is Gain to Christians 2. By Arguments It cannot be but that Christians must Needs Gain by Death Because thereupon they pass into such an Estate where they do receive a Full Reward and where All the Promises of God are perfectly made Good unto them and where All the Gracious and Eternal Intentions of Love and Happiness towards them are as in their last End Fulfilled and Accomplished And beyond which Estate there is Not in them No Not a possible capacity for the Fruition of a Greater Perfection and Glory But more particularly If the Estate into which the Christian is Translated by Death doth more then Recompence All his Losses by Death and doth transcendently exceed All the Benefits which he hath in Life then Death is Gain or Advantage unto him For herein doth All Gain consist It is a Fuller Recompence or a Larger Addition If you lose a little and for that Receive more this is Gain If you lay out a little and for this Take in much this also is Gain Now consider 1. The Christians Compensations by Death are far greater then any of his Losses by Death You read of the Phoenix that her old Age falling into the Flames of death procures unto her a second Edition or Birth of a New and Fresh Life And hereby Death is an Advantage unto that Creature Much more is it to the Christian concerning whom the Apostle saith in 2 Cor. 5. 4. That Mortality is swallowed up of Life and that Death is but the dissolving of his Earthly house so that he might enjoy An house Not made with Hand Eternal in the Heavens Vers 1. There is Nothing which you can lose by Death but what must be lost and what for the most part may be lost in Life And whatsoever that is which you so lose by Death it is superabundantly made up unto you again You lose a Mortal Life but then you Finde an Immortal Life You lose the Society of Men but then you Finde the Society of Angels You lose the Sight of Friends but then you Finde the Sight of God You lose the Possession of the World but then you Finde the Possession of the Kingdom of Heaven Are Not these Compensations more then Equivalent to your Losses

the Doctrinal Propositions from the Text There remains Nothing behinde but the useful Applications of the whole unto our Selves Is the Life of a Real Christian Resolved into 1 Vse Christ Then I Fear that there Are But Few Real Christians in the World What Christ spake of the Way which did lead to Life Few there be that Finde it Mat. 7. 14. That I may speak of Christ as the Scope of our Life Few there be who make Him so and minde Him as so All seek their own Not the Things which Are Jesus Chri●ts Thus the Apostle long since and so may it Now be complained Phil. 2. 21. If we did faithfully cast up All the Ages of Life and All the Services and Disbursements of those Ages What think you would in the Foot of the whole account Fall unto the share of Christ That Age of Infancy is found to be but a Cipher We Know not what it was Nor for whom it was it was a meer Fancy of Life That Age of Youth is found to be but a Vanity A Vain Life it is and if layd out on Any thing that same Goes wholy upon the account of Pleasure which is the Bane and Madness of Life That Age of Manhood is found to be but the Death of Life therein men Serve their lusts weary themselves in their Iniquities give up themselves to Sin with greediness this is the Reproach and Loss of Life That Age of Old-Age wherein the Grave is digging for Life wherein the Glass is even run out and the Candle is spent to the last inch yet this Age where Men are stepping out of the World is that Age wherein Men most dote on the World and are Scraping for the things of this Life And thus either Nothing hath our Lives or Vanity which is the best of Nothing hath our Lives Or Sin which is worse then Nothing hath our Lives Or the World which is little better then Nothing hath our Lives And Jesus Christ who is the Best of All things hath no share at all or if any it is the last the least the dregs and snuffs of our Lives This I speak onely in the general but give me Favor to Press this sad Conviction a little closer unto our Selves There are Four sorts of men who do not live to Christ They cannot say To me to live is Christ 1. Spiritually dead men unconverted men It is impossible to live to Christ until Christ doth first live in us Christ cannot be the End of Life where He is not the Principle of Life It is an excellent Expression which Ambrose hath That is not a Death but Life which Joyns the Dying Ambrosius in 1 Tim. 5 6. Man to Christ and that is Not a Life but Death which Separates the Living Man from Christ Now how many men are there who have not the Life of Christ in them Nay who are Alienated from the Life of Christ are dead in trespasses and sins 2. Self-Interested men who live wholy unto themselves The Apostle speaks of Some who are Lovers of themselves 2 Tim. 3. 2. and who are Seekers of themselves Philip. 2. 21. and who are Minders of themselves They minde Earthly things Phil. 3. 19. Of all these we may say as God spake of Israel Israel is An Empty Vine he brings forth Fruit unto Himself Hosea 10. 1. These men are so far from living unto Christ that they would for Self ends make a Living of Christ himself 3. Offensive men who live to the Dishonor and Reproach of Christ Many walk of whom I have told you often and Now tell you even weeping that they are the Enemies of the Cross of Christ Phil. 3. 18. Christians in Name but not in Life in Life they are the Enemies of Christ Salvian relates how the Heathen did Reproach some Christians who by Their lewd lives made the Gospel of Christ to be a Reproach Where said Salvianus de G. D. l. 4. they is that Good Law which they do Beleeve Where are those Rules of Godliness which they do learn They read the Holy Gospel and yet are Unclean They Hear the Apostles Writings and yet are Drunk They Follow Christ and yet disobey Christ They profess a Pure Law and yet do lead Impure Lives O Sirs A wicked Life in a Christian is so far from living unto Christ that it is a Blaspheming of Christ and a Crucifying of Christ and putting of him to open shame 4. Dull and unsensible men of such did one long since complain That they did Patientiùs ferre Christi Jacturam quam Suam more calmly pass by the Injuries done to Christ then those which were done unto themselves Many men do carry themselves towards the Blasphemous Dishonors of Christ as the Priests did to the heavy Complaints of Judas What is that to us See thou to that Although they do Know how much the Person of Christ and the Truths of Christ and the Ordinances of Christ are opposed and contemned yet they lay None of these things to Heart They pass by the Wounded man they speak not for Christ stand not for Christ act not their Parts and Power for Christ Is this your Love to Christ Is this your Care for Christ Is this to live to Christ Can you ever answer Christ for this But I pass on Is the Life of a Real Christian resolved 2 Vse unto Christ Then let us every one strive so to live so to employ and improve Life that Christ may be magnified by us You Read That the Four and Twenty Elders Fell down before Him that sate on the Throne and worshipped Him that liveth for ever and ever And did cast Their Crowns before the Thr●ne saying Thou Art Worthy O Lord to Receive Glory and Honor and Power for Thou hast Created All things and for Thy Pleasure they Are and were Created Revel 4. 10 11. So let Every one of us Prostrate All our Excellencies and All our Abilities All our Places and Powers and Endevors to the Honor and Glory of Jesus Christ If we had a more clear and experimental Knowledg of the Surpassing Love of Christ we would do so That would Endear our Hearts to Christ That would Inflame our Hearts for Christ It would make us to spend and to be spent for Christ O that you who are Parliament-men would live more for Christ Who amongst us have such Power and such Opportunities to do for Christ as you have God speaks Honorably of Phineas He was Zealous for my sake Numb 25. 11. And Christ commends Ephesus For my Names sake thou hast Labored and hast not ●ainted Revel 2. 3. Put out your Selves against Blasphemies and Profaneness and put out your Selves for All the Ordinances Truths and Ways of Christ c. O that you who are Magistrates of this City would live more to Christ Do more for Christ Be more vigorous in Punishing and Restraining the open Profanations of the Lords Day Notorious Drunkennesses and Abominations Encourage and support

All the Interests of Christ O that you who are the Embassadors of Christ would live more to Christ Do you desire to Know Nothing but Jesus Christ and Him Crucified Reveal the Glorious Excellencies of Christ make Know the unspeakable Love of Christ direct men strive with men perswade men to Know Christ to come into Christ to serve Christ What have you more to do then to be doing for Christ O that All of us would live more to Christ That All our Oyl might be emptied into the Golden Candlestick That Parents and Children Masters and Servants All might be doing more for Christ Every Morning let us consider What may I do this day for Christ Every Evening let us Review What have I done this day for Christ And as he thought that day lost wherein he had done No Good thing So let us repute that part of Life as dead and lost wherein we have done Nothing to the Honor and Advantage of Christ O Christian Thou livest not until thou livest to Christ O Christian Thou canst not dye but thou must dye for ever if thou hast not lived unto Christ It was a Good Speech of one Vis in pace mori sis Servus Dei Wouldst thou dye in Peace then be the Servant of God So say I Wouldst thou dye and Go to Christ then live so as to be a Servant of Christ Every Man when he dyes Goes unto his Master whom he hath served and to whom he hath lived A Wi●ked Man when he dyes he goes to his Master whom he hath served He goes to the Devil and to the Place of Torment A Godly Man when he dyes he goes to His Master He goes to His Christ and enters into the Joy of his Master If you would dye with Pauls Confidence you must first live with Pauls Conscience I have fought A Good Fight I have finished my Course I have Kept the Faith Here is Pauls Conscience Henceforth there is layd up for me A Crown of Righteousness c. Here is Pauls Confidence 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. O Blessed Christ Be Thou my Master make me thy Servant Let me grieve that I have done so little for thee let me pray that I may do more for thee When Death comes my work is at an end I can then Never Speak more Nor do more for Thee who hast done so much for me O that I could live many days in one day and many lives in one life The time is short the Reward is infinite let my remaining life be No longer mine but thine At least let this be found in me That I would serve none but thy Self and that though others may exceed me in Acting for thy Glory yet None may exceed me in Sincerity of Endevor to be Altogether Thine And thus have I said Something of the Best Life and of the Best Death To live is Christ To dye is Gain I will borrow a little more of your Patience to Speak a few words to the Present Occasion concerning our Brother departed who whiles he lived could say To me to live is Christ and being Now dead hath found the other truth of the Text To me to dye is Gain His manner of Life from his youth most or many of you here present do Know And therefore I shall say the less of him of whom you Knew so well and so much There were three things three choyce Jewels which were very Remarkable in him besides All the rest The First was Humility the Beauty of Graces The Second was Integrity the Soul of Graces The Third was Faith the Crown of Graces 1. He was an Humble Christian under All those Eminent Places of Service unto which He was called For one who lived so short a space of Time He lived not above Thirty Six years in all He was Advanced to as many and as the Times Now are to as Great Places of Employment as Any of His Rank I think in the Land To be a Parliament-man To be of the Councel of State To be a Justice in the Country To be an Alderman and Sheriff of This Great City c. Under All which weight of Advancements He deported himself with a discreet and lowly spirit Not lifted up Not at all losing himself Nor Altered by Any of these Alterations These things were under Him Not above Him and truly he looked on them as Burthens and Cares and Greater Duties Not as Dignities and Poor Glories It is Not an easie matter to bear a low condition with a contented minde No● yet an High condition with a lowly Heart It shews a strength of Grace to be Patient in Troubles and to be Humble in Dignities 2. He was a Sincere Christian Active and Sincere His Integrity was Answerable unto his Humility In all His Places wasting his Life for the Publique Good Doing much Good but Scraping up Nothing to his Private Good The Publique did not serve Him but He did serve the Publique He was the Servant Not the Executor of the Land He might truly say as once Samuel did Behold here I am witness Against me Whose Ox have I Taken or whose Ass have I taken or whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed or of whose hand have I received Any Bribe to blinde mine eyes therewith 1 Sam. 12. 3. 3. He was a Beleeving Christian prizing and exalting Christ Above All and Rejoycing in Christ as in His onely Best of All Nay often exposing his very life Jeoparding it in th●●igh places of the Field Not counting it too dear for Christ and His Cause But as one spake well Seldom is Excellency in Any Kinde long-liv'd When we see Men Abundantly layd out for Christ and Acting for Him It is an Ordinary Symptome That they have Not much time left to do for Christ When a Person is High in Grace He is Nigh to Glory the Nearer the Center the Swifter Motion And thus it befel him His days were Fulfilled even in the midst of his days Weakness and Sickness suddenly seize on him and at length translate him to be with His Christ which is best of All. And all these Death-summons and Death-strokes he did Bear with that Heavenly Patience and sweet composedness of Spirit that as the Jews ●eign of Moses's Soul That it was Suck'd out of his mouth with Kisses So His Soul did Kindly take leave of His Body that without a Metaphor or Hyperbole His Death was but a Sleep and Rest And Here by the way suffer me as a Friend to speak for him who cannot Now speak for himself In Taking off that Falshood Bold and Notorious Falshood Raised on him by That Generation of Lyars even whiles he was yet living and able to confute it himself As Luther did the lying Scandals of the Papists concerning his strange hideous Death and Burial Some had Raised on him at the beginning of his weakness That he was Fallen mad and they Assign the Particular Occasion of it Then both which Nothing could be more Falsly said The very Truth is That he was of a composed Minde to the very last Gasp and so composedly Himself that within a Few hours before his Death he perfected his own Will with his own Hand But This is an old malicious Trick of the Devil to oppose Good Men living and to reproach Good Men dying and dead Jesus Christ could Not Escape it in his Life Nor yet when layd in his Grave No more could the Apostles of Christ Nor the Primitive Christians Nor those Eminent Servants of Christ against Popery Hus Wicliff Luther Calvin Oecolampadius Beza Junius c. Nor yet many Glorious Instruments in our own days The Servant is Not Above his Master If Christ himself were Accounted Mad it must Not seem harsh Nor strange that Any of his Servants be Reputed so And besides this it is also a Comfort to Good Men when None speak evil of them but evil men Nor can these speak evil of them without a lye as Jerom hath it And truly it is a Sure Sign that there is something of Great Worth in that Man whose Name wicked men do strive so much to asperse and wound The Dogs bark most when the Traveller Gallops But let these poor spirited men have leave to please themselves who have no other weapon but a lye and a Reproach left to Revenge themselves This is the Truth Our departed Brother lived in Faith and dyed in Peace If in Any thing he might truly be said Not to be Himself it was onely in this That He was Not his Own but Christs And so I have done with him and with you save that I have a Word to them who stood in Near Relation unto him I confess your loss is Great but let this comfort you that so His Gain is also exceeding Great You have more cause to Rejoyce that you had such a Husband and such a Son then you have to Grieve that God hath Taken him from you He is but Gone before you must shortly Follow In the mean time make up All your Comforts in God Though these Outward Comforts dye yet the God of All Comforts lives for ever The Sun still shines though the Glass-windows be broken And let us All here at this time Go away the Better We must Every one ere long dye and come to Judgment and Give an Account of our Life Live so that you may live for ever and dye so that you may dye but once You Are Servants and I trust Christs Servants Be doing the Work of Christ and be Faithful in That Work of Christ Blessed is that Servant whom His Master when He cometh shall Finde So Doing and So Liveing FINIS