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	year_n	4,245	5	4.7587	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39761	The dead saint speaking, or, A sermon preached upon occasion of the death of that eminent man, Mr. Mathew Newcomen ... wherein is succinctly discoursed (to a popular auditory in Dedham) what instructions are given and sealed to the living by the death of the righteous servants of God / by J.F., Minister of the Gospel.	Fairfax, John, 1623-1700.	1679 (1679)	Wing F127; ESTC R16035	17,568	32

is made of the noble Acts Victories and Triumphs of the faith of the ancient Patriarchs Prophets and Martyrs the Worthies of God of whom the world was not worthy Among these Abel hath the Priority and leads the Van to the honour of whose faith three Things are here spoken First The excellency of his sacrifice above his Brothers By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain Secondly The justification of his person in the sight of God By which faith he obtained witness that he was righteous God testifying of his Gifts Thirdly The preciousness of his memory the voice and virtue of his remembrance after death By it he being dead yet speaketh This last as being suitable to our occasion shall be the subject of our discourse which must be not according to the merit of the occasion but according to the weakness of the Orator and the short time you thought fit to allow me for this solemn service By it he being dead yet speaketh At the very first reading of these words there may seem a paradox in the Text much greater than in the Pulpit Behold here a person naturally dead Abel the second man that was born into the world and the first that dyed having been dead now five thousand years and upward he yet speaketh The dead are indeed altogether deaf they cannot hear there is no speaking to them in vain are prayers and supplications made to Saints departed Abraham is ignorant of us and Israel knoweth us not they are as deaf to their Petitioners as Baal to his Priests but yet they are not altogether dumb they may and they do speak not formaliter not vitally and syllabically by the instruments of the throat tongue teeth and lips as a living man doth but effective eminenter in effect comprehensively as the man is said to speak with his feet Prov. 6.13 Formal speech is that which holds forth somewhat to the ears of others which is to be known and understood by them Now when a visible argumentative signification of such things is made to us by the dead then are they said to speak what the living do learn or may learn or ought to learn from the dead that the dead speak Being dead he yet speaketh the word may be rendred passively he is yet spoken of he being dead there is an honourable mention made of him The active sense seems more probable but we shall not exclude the passive Abel being dead he yet speaketh What! is this peculiarly attributed to Abel Is he the only man that speaketh and are all the rest dumb No what is here spoken of Abel is common unto others but it is peculiarly attributed unto Abel for a double reason 1. Because Abel was the first dead it is spoken of Abel as the first as the representative of all that follow in the estate and condition of Abel 2. It is peculiarly attributed to Abel because it is especially recorded of him that after his death he speaketh Gen. 4.10 The voice of thy brothers blood crieth unto me from the ground That dead Saints do yet speak is the general truth from the Text which is peculiarly exemplified in the instance of Abel Abel being dead yet speaketh Speaking in the Text must be understood in a sense of eminency and dignity speaking somewhat worthy to be heard and observed This is not an attribute to be allowed to every dead person Alas what do the ignorant worldling debased debauched prophane generation of men being dead speak They speak it may be as the Psalmist saith Psal 36.1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart There is no fear of God before his eyes They speak folly vanity violence wickedness and forgetfulness of God nothing else do they speak worthy to be heard God indeed sometimes by his remarkable Providences and some notorious Judgments makes them to speak when they are dead but as a wrecked Ship upon the Sands or Rocks speak unto the Mariners that is in a dangerous Sea or Voyage so Achan being dead spoke unto the covetous Zimry and Cozby speak unto the adulterer so Herod being dead speaks to the proud so Ananias and Saphira speak to the lyars but of themselves freely directly and intentionally they speak nothing they are silent in the grave Psal 31.17 They neither speak to the profit of others nor are they spoken of to their own honour This is the honour of the Saints of God to speak when they are dead By faith Abel being dead yet speaketh By the precious Graces with which the Saints are enriched by the holy life they have expressed by the good works they have wrought by the pious examples they have set before their generation by the eminent service they have done to God and his Church by their sharp tryals and temptations by their bitter Sufferings and Martyrdoms wherein they have been more than Conquerors By these the Saints being dead yet speak they speak to purpose for the vindication of truth to the shame of wickedness they speak to the honour of Religion they speak to the furtherance of the Gospel they speak to the conviction correction instruction edification and salvation of the living they speak to the glory of God This general truth we shall speak of in the particular instance of Abel Abel being dead yet speaketh he speaketh to us and he speaks to God Abel speaks to us in a fivefold respect or under a fivefold consideration Abel yet speaks Abel a man being dead yet speaks Abel a believer being dead yet speaks Abel a worshipper of God being dead yet speaketh Abel a Priest or Teacher being dead yet speaketh Abel a Martyr being dead yet speaketh 1. Abel a man being dead yet speaketh and this is it he speaks he speaks death to us all Oh my Brethren and Sisters the Sons and Daughters of my Father Adam ye are all mortals mortality is your property there is a principle of corruption in you and death hastneth Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return said God to Adam Gen. 3.19 Probatum est saith Abel being dead Gods word is truth take me for an instance Abel vanity is the signification of it and that is my name Every man at his best estate is altogether vanity Psal 39. Particularly Abel a man being dead yet speaketh He speaketh unto the young man death may overtake thee in thy youth Abel he might be forty or fifty or sixty years of age when he dyed but this was a young man then that was a small age in that age of the world when the age of man was seven or eight or nine hundred years or upward Why then what assurance canst thou have that thou art far from death who in the course of nature hast forty or fifty years to live before thee when Abel is cut off from the land of the living who had in the same course of nature as many hundreds of years of life before him as thou hast half

The Dead Saint Speaking OR A SERMON PREACHED Upon Occasion of the Death of that Eminent Man Mr. MATHEW NEWCOMEN Sometimes Minister of the Gospel at Dedham in Essex Who dyed at LEYDEN Wherein is succinctly discoursed to a popular Auditory in Dedham what Instructions are given and sealed to the Living by the Death of the righteous Servants of God By J. F. Minister of the Gospel Prov. 10.7 The memory of the just is blessed Psal 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints LONDON Printed by A. M. and R. R. for Edward Giles Bookseller in St. Andrews Parish in Norwich 1679. TO THE READER I Know not how I am induced to prefix a few lines to this Anonymous discourse unless from the great kindness I have to the memory of that Reverend person whose death gave occasion to it A person whom I had the happiness to be acquainted with for the space of about thirty years during which time and since that time I have had the happiness to be acquainted with very many learned and pious men But this I shall say I never knew any that excelled him considering him as a Minister in the Pulpit a Disputant in the Schools and a desirable companion In the first capacity his gift in prayer was incomparable He was a solid painful pathetick and perswasive Preacher I have often thought that if Moral Suasion would have done the work though God blessed him with very many yet he would have had many more Converts than he had I have known very few his fellows either in pleading with God on the behalf of men or with men on the behalf of God he had the true abilities and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a Preacher He succeeded that great man Mr. John Rogers of Dedham of whom I remember what himself said in his Verses he made upon his Death whiles I was a School-boy in the Town Since Peters days scarce ever any Fir'd so many But their gifts were very different Mr. Rogers was a grave severe solid Divine his great gift lay in a peculiar gesture action and behaviour in the delivery of what solid matter he had prepared so as few heard him without trembling at the Word of God This Reverend persons gifts lay almost all ways and his worst enemies must say he shewed as much Art as Piety in his Sermons and Prayers and all Religious Services he was a most accomplished Scholar and Christian His Sermon preached before the Parliament upon Novemb. 5. 1641 His Irenicum indeed whatever of his appear'd to the World speak him such a one as none can dispute his want of Learning without bringing their own in question His managery of the Argument against the Toleration of the Jews though never printed made him admired by all that heard it Take him in his ordinary converse he was pleasant facetious of extraordinary humility affability and courtesie his whole conversation was both pious and amiable After he had undertaken the charge of the Church of God in Dedham which was immediately upon the death of Mr. Rogers he would listen to no temptation to any other place though he had both many and great offers but there continued till a legal death deprived them of him Anno 1662. After this in a short time he was invited to the Pastoral Charge of the Church at Leyden he was pleased to entertain several discourses with me though much his inferiour such was his great humility about his going I was no great incourager of his acceptance of it that which prevailed with him was that there he should have the publick liberty of his Ministry which he preferred to any thing besides in this world there he finished the remaining part of his course exceeding acceptable to Dr. Hoornbeck and other of the Professors there He was pleased to maintain a correspondence with me by Letters and the last Letter if I remember right which I received from him if I mistook him not hinted some thoughts of his return into England not finding that satisfaction in all points there to himself which he before he went hoped for But the Lord prevented him taking him to himself by a Fever which prevailed much in that City and swept away many in the year 1668 or 1669 I forgot which This Sermon was afterwards preached in that which sometimes was his Pulpit in Dedham by a Reverend and Learned person I cannot say I know not the person but think it not reasonable to fetch him out of his Covert who although yet alive is not willing to discover himself I shall only say that he is a Workman who needs not be ashamed Whoso readeth this popular discourse will easily conclude him a man of excellent Parts and great Piety It had been no great difficulty to him to have stuft his Sermon with Quotations out of Authors or to have dressed it up with six-footed words and a lofty stile if he had judged that that Language of men puft up had been proper for a Countrey Auditory how judicious soever or could have judged that folly of Preaching to have been that foolishness of Preaching mentioned by the Apostle by which God hath chosen to save elect souls I remember Augustine said of Cyprian he once preached at that rate to shew he could do it but never but once to shew he would not This Reverend Author although a very learned man knew that an Iron key was better to open a Lock it is Augustines metaphor than one of Gold Thou wilt Reader find here what is scriptural pious profitable and that clothed with a decent language and such a discovery of Wit and Art as will make thee understand the Author if he had pleased as to those little things of wit and phrase could have outdone what is here but chose to do no more for ostentation of himself that he might the more profit his ordinary Readers Souls I could have wished the Author would have himself dressed it up for the Press but he rather chose to be studying new Sermons than trimming up old ones It is not his but some Auditors importunity that hath brought it to the light and I should have checkt my self in helping the least toward it but for my fondness to have any thing publick that might tell the world the worth of so worthy a person so much my intimate friend and what England and the Reformed part of the World lost that day in which Heaven gained this Eminent Servant of God to whose Memory it is dedicated This will tell thee how he being dead yet speaketh The Lord give us all an hearing ear and an heart willing to learn Thy faithful Friend in the Work of the Gospel 〈…〉 HEB. XI 4. By it he being dead yet speaketh THIS Chapter is a short Martyrology An Epitome of the Acts and Monuments of the Church of Old wherein by an Apostolical hand guided by the Divine Spirit a true and faithful Record a good and honourable Report

scores 2. Abel a man being dead speaketh to the strong Death may overcome thee in thy strength No question but Abel was come to strength of years and that age was much stronger than this when out of the loins of one the immediate issue might be an hundred-fold and more What then speaks Abel being dead Glory not O strong man in thy strength Remember thy beauty thy vigour thy maturity thy marrow and fatness the courage of thy heart the stoutness and straitness of thy body the dexterity of thine arms and legs cannot withstand the assaulting enemy but must yield up themselves to the force of prevailing death 3. Abel a man being dead yet speaketh he speaketh to the secure and unprovided death may surprize thee unawares Abel in the Field Abel about the works of his Calling Abel conversing with his Brother Abel to whom death was so much a stranger that he never saw it who would have thought that Abel went out into the field to dye Thus Abel was taken in his calling Nabal in his feasting Belteshazzar in his cups Herod in his pomp the rich fool promising himself ease and merriment all spake the same thing 4. And lastly Abel a man being dead yet speaketh unto all Death may kill thee with thine own weapon A brother is born for adversity a brother is born for a help in danger for a defence and safeguard Oh but yet by a brother doth Abel dye What then speaks Abel being dead Why so frail is thy life that thy food thy physick thy house thy horse thy sword thy servant thy friend thy brother yea thy self may be thy death Abel a man being dead yet speaketh Secondly Abel a believer being dead yet speaketh What speaks he He speaks 1. The grace of God to be most free he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy It is Grace that makes the difference between one man and another Abel and Cain both Children of one and the same Father both lying together in one and the same womb as twins probably both partakers of one and the same means both commended to God in one and the same prayer Abel the younger and Cain the elder and yet behold Abel is a believer and Cain is a murderer Abel is loved and Cain is hated Abel righteous and Cain wicked Abel is justified and Cain is condemned Abel the Child of God and Cain a Child of the Devil What speaks Abel being dead but this That grace makes the difference 2. Abel a believer being dead yet speaketh Righteousness is by faith not by works By faith he obtained witness that he was righteous Cain had his works but he had no faith Cain sacrificed but believed not Cain is unrighteous Cain is condemned Abel hath works and faith too Abel offereth and believeth Abel is righteous he is justified God hath respect unto Abel Justification is by faith 3. Abel a believer being dead yet speaketh That it is a happy advantage to live under means Abel believed Whence hath he his faith from God as the Author from God as the principle But what without means No Abel had the happy instruction of a Father and he was taught the law by a holy Mother The Patriarchs were Priests and Prophets in their own families Adam taught his Children the fear of the Lord. Abel then being dead yet speaks this in the language of the New Testament Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God blessed are they that hear the joyful sound thereof 4. Abel a believer being dead yet speaketh this That the grace of God doth not priviledg from the greatest crosses of all evils death is the forest death is the most grievous Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life was a truth though a lyar spoke it Abel a Saint in grace and in favour with God yet he dyed he dyed a violent death by the hand of his brother It was not an enemy then I could have born it saith David neither was it he that hated me that lifted up his hand against me but thou O man my brother mine equal mine acquaintance this was the wounding of his heart What speaks he If grace exempts not from death from such a death with such circumstances much less from lesser evils God scourgeth every son whom he receiveth 5. Lastly Abel a believer being dead yet speaketh What The greatest crosses shall not make void the grace of God Abel died he is bel●ved of God still Abel dyed he is righteous Abel still he speaks this That God knows the souls of his Saints in their adversities God chuseth the Saints in the furnace of affliction He tells their wandrings and puts their tears into his bottle The supplication of the Saints come before him their desires and their groans are not hid from him Thus Abel a believer being dead yet speaketh Thirdly Abel a worshipper of God being dead yet speaketh what speaks he as a worshipper of God 1. God is to be worshipped by us His holy example speaks this God is to be worshipped as the Author of our beings as the Lord of our lives as the Father of our spirits as the God of our mercies as our King and Lawgiver the Mighty the Almighty Jehovah our Saviour and Redeemer whose we are and who we ought to serve we are not our own not our own free-men not independent beings but we are made by the power of God we are maintained by the providence of God we are bought with the blood of God we were subject to the Law of God we are bound by the Covenant of God and therefore ought to live to the glory of God 2. Abel a worshipper of God being dead yet speaketh That God that is to be worshipped is to be worshipped by faith By faith he offered a more excellent sacrifice by faith he worshipped God The worship of God in faith is a worship of Gods own constitution God is not to be worshipped by mens inventions but by his own appointments God is to be worshipped not as we will but as he commands 3. Abel as a worshipper of God being dead yet speaketh That God is to be worshipped with our best Abel he brought of the firstlings of his flock of the fat thereof Gen. 4. of the best The last or the least the torn the blind the lame the weak the sick the dregs of our beings the weakness of our age the deadness of our hearts the coldness of our affections the exercise of our bodies this alone is not to be offered unto God for he is a great King but the kindness of our youth the ripeness of our age the strength of our parts the zeal of our affections the intentions of our hearts the health of our bodies our whole hearts all our souls and all our strength the best improvement we can make of our selves is an offering becoming the great God 4. Abel a worshipper of God being dead yet speaketh That the best