Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	apostle_n	sin_n	sting_n	5,518	5	11.9612	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A94070	XXXI. select sermons, preached on special occasions; the titles and several texts, on which they were preached, follow. / By William Strong, that godly, able and faithful minister of Christ, lately of the Abby at Westminster. None of them being before made publique.	Strong, William, d. 1654.	1656 (1656)	Wing S6007_pt1; Thomason E874_1; ESTC R203660	309,248	523

he beleeves that death shall be unto him a blessing and not a curse 1. Cor. 3.23 all things are yours that is in ordine ad spiritualia whether life or death 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness 2. Cor. 5.1 We know that if this Earthly house of our Tabernacle were disolved we have a building with God c. And towards the time of a Saints death Faith commonly puts forth the most glorious acts the Sun shines brightest at its setting so that the soul can say with Ambrose nec pudet vivere nec piget mori c. 2 In respect of the Church though he never lives to receave the promises nor to see them accomplished yet as they have exercised faith upon the great things promised and have laid up prayers for after times so they dye in the faith of them that they shall be fulfilled in their season Heb. 11.23 God will surely visit you saith Joseph and therefore what difficulties soever they see rais'd against it yea the Archers shoot at the Church yet his bow abode in strength his faith holds out and can look through all opposition whatsoever 3 For their posterity Men are commonly troubled what shall become of the little ones they leave behind fatherless and friendless Orphans but his fatherless children he can leave with God and the widow that trusts in God shal not be forsaken although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure c. Luther in his Will says Lord thou hast given me wife and children I have neither Land to bequeath them nor houses nor portions to leave them onely tibi reddo nutri doce serva ut hactenus me pater pupillorum judex viduarum Thirdly The dye in obedience to God Obedience is not real if it be not universal a submission to the will of God in doing as well as suffering in dying as well as in living Rom. 14.8 None of us lives to himself nor none of us dyes to himself but whether we live we live unto the Lord or whether we dye we dye unto the Lord for grace having made God a mans utmost end it is his glory and a submission unto his will that is the great th ing in that mans eye whether in living or in dying if God will further use him he is content to live and if the Lord will translate him he desires to dye and so God may be glorifyed in him whether in life or death he passeth not and when he hath honored God in his life he desires that he may honor God in his death also 2 In reference unto death it self and so there is something peculiar to the death of the Saints take these three things First Though death in it self be a fruit of the Curse yet unto him it is turned into a blessing though it be a curse in the thing yet it is a blessing to the man because he having his Covenant changed he is delivered from the Curse Christ being made a curse for him A Curse hath two things in it First something that is evil in it self Secondly The wrath of God therein Now unto the Saints death is not evil and therefore they have desired it I long to be dissolved and to be with Christ neither is it a fruit of Gods displeasure to them but it flows from his fatherly and eternal love that it may be a passage unto a better life whereas all other men dye by vertue of that ancient Curse The day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye and in death the wrath of God abides upon them Secondly Unto the Saints death hath no sting 1 Cor. 15.55 Death is compared to a Serpent which by nature we fear and flye from and the thing that is dreadful in it is the sting but if that be taken out there is no fear of the serpent now the sting of death is sin and this is taken off by the surety 2 Cor. 5.21 for he hath made him to be sin for us and therefore there is no sin stands upon our score that should cause us to fear the serpent for ever but other men dye in their sins Joh. 8.21 and have all their sins to answer for before the judgement seat of Christ and not a drop of his blood shall take one of them off his score Thirdly Over the Saints death hath no dominion Rom. 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now what is it that doth constitute death in dominion that is when it can put forth its utmost power and there is none to control it but there comes upon a man quicquid mortis est usque ad novissimum it hath a power to keep them under for ever but unto the Saints the dominion of death is controlled for death entred by sin and it reigns by it therefore when the dominion of sin is broken the dominion of death is also so and the Saints are freed from the dominion of him that as an executioner hath the power of death that is the devil Heb. 2.15 Psal 49.14 but for wicked men death shall feed on them and there is none to deliver them but for the Saints the gates of hell shall not prevail against them I know that there is a Dalile interpretation commonly given and received from that scripture Mat. 16. First gates is put for the power of hell because the strength of Cities was in their gates but surely this seems not to be the meaning for by gates of hell is meant that power which should oppose the Church and surely gates by their strength might be for defence unto them but not for offence unto them without they were propugnacula non ●ppugnacula they did not fight with gates Secondly Anciently Councils did usually sit in the gates and so it signifies all the council and the policy of hell but that also seems not well to agree with the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used which signifies to prevail and overcome by power not by policy by strength and not by art but that which prevails most with me is that our Divines have commonly asserted against the local distance that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is never put for Hell or the place of the damned but either for the grave or the state and condition of the dead and if that ●e true then we read of the gates of the grave Job 38 17. Isai 38.10 of the power of the grave to keep ●hose that are under its possession and so Christ doth argue from the greatest to the least no enemy shall pre●ail because even when you are brought under the Dominion of death and the power of the grave yet you ●hall have a glorious Resurrection and the grave shall ●ive up its dead and being risen you shall dye no more ●…th shall no more have Dominion over you the gates of ●…e grave shall not be able to prevail against you and ●…erfore

Ezek. 33.31 and after vain glory in prayer Mat. 6.5 for if ever grace have the advantage it is then when a man stands before the Lord and that sin bear it down at best duties it argues that lust is exceeding powerful in a man and he is exceedingly unclean Now for some rules to judge of the perfection of this work how a man comes neerer to it take these five First The more clearly a man discerns and the more fully his heart is affected with spiritual sins the more clearly he can discern them for as all sins proceed from darkness so every sin encreaseth darkness the more unclean any man is the more blind he is therefore Paul could not only see Satans pitched battles against him but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2 11. the stratagems and ambushes that he used not only the temptation it self but Satans plots and purposes in tempting the depths of Satan Rev. 2.24 And the more he is affected with them the more bitterly he doth condemn them and mourn for them as David for his base dejection Psal 42.11 his carnal confidence in the creature Psal 30.6,7 his secret grudging at the prosperity of the wicked Psal 73.21,22 Agur for his brutishness in regard of spiritual things Prov. 30.2 Surely I am more brutish then any man and have not the understanding of a man Hezekiah for the pride of his heart 2 Chron. 32.26 for as a mans graces grow more and more in the new man inward in the old man so will his lusts and temptations be and therefore they that be still exercised about outward and bodily lusts it argues a small cleansing in them but the more a man considers that God is a Spirit and his eye is most upon the Spirits of men and that these defiling lusts before God make him most like unto the Devil who is spiritual wickedness and he saith My house and land and estate is worth so much but my heart is nothing worth Prov. 10.20 for consider if it were with me as with Maximenius and some of those Roman Emperours through their exceeding gluttony their bodies bred vermine continually how loathsom should it be for you to think and to have reason so to do but I am a man of a corrupt mind 1 Tim. 6.5 and that continually breeds vermine and will at last the worm that never dyes and this makes a man loath and abhorr himself it is a good sign of a clean heart Secondly The more a man hates and is afflicted and gos mourning for not only the raigning but the being of sin as it was with the Apostle that sin had never rebelled that it had never led him captive yet his body of death makes him miserable Rom. 7.24 the very being of it when it is with a man in regard of sin as it was with leprosie the Type Lev. 14.44,45 When they had scrapt about it and carried out the dust then they shall sweep it again then if it break forth again the house must be pluckt down So when a man hath done all he can by removing the dust and by carrying out the rubbish and yet lust will spread then to be contented and desire to have the house dissolved the house of nature that the building of sin might be destroyed 2 Cor. 5.2 it is an Argument of a great measure of purity Thirdly The more speedily a mans heart is awakned to turn to God after sinning it was a sign that Davids heart was in a clean frame when his heart smote him assoon as he had cut off the lap of Sauls garment 1 Sam. 24.5,6 and of Peter that immediately he went out and wept bitterly Math. 26. ult The first note was that a pure heart keeps it self that the wicked one toucheth him not but the second is speedily to return and cleanse a mans self after falling Davids heart was in a defiled frame that he could lie well nigh a year in the sins of Adultery and Murder without repentance the heart of a man is a fountain Mat. 12.35 that preserves it self pure and in its first glory as a fountain doth but if mudd do at any time enter into it it will be continually working of it out and it is as truly an argument of purity as the other and when a man repents that will also afflict him that God was forced to use so many means with him before he could be brought to repentance that Ephraim bemoans Ier. 31.18 Fourthly The more jealous a man is of himself upon every occasion Mat. 26.22 How far am I guilty in this sin Is it I Lord Fifthly The less a mans heart is affected and the less he is taken with worldly things Gen. 15.1 Rev. 12.1 Hem Germana illa Bestia and as Moses and Ioseph prefer the good of the people of God before any worldly advantage of their own Sixthly The more truly glad a man is and can bless the Lord that he hath been pleased to cross him in a way of sinning let God cross Ahab and he is in a rage better meet a Beare robbed of her whelps then meet a wicked man God hath crossed in a way of sinning Pro. 17.12 cross David in a way of sinning and he blesseth the Lord. And David said to Abigail Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which sent thee this day to meet me and blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood and from avenging myself with my own hand The Motives thereunto are these five First this fits a man for communion with the Lord and makes his communion more clear for what communion hath light with darkness Christ with Belial and though a man be godly and so hath fellowship with the Father and with his son Christ 1 Joh. 1.6 yet if we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye if therefore walking in darkness take away all fellowship then the more a man walks in darkness the less fellowship he hath therefore the promise to a clear communion is unto such as separate themselves for then God saith I will receive you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will dwell in you 2 Cor. 6.16,17 which notes clear and neer communion Secondly It is a special means to be imployed that God should use a man 2 Tim. 2.21 If a man therefore purge himself from these he shall be a vessel to honour san●tified and meet for the Masters use c. and so Mal. 3.3 and Godly men be as happy in their services as in their rewards on the contrary it is a Judgement to be despised of God so as not to be used a vessel wherein he takes no pleasure Ier. 22.28 The earthen vessels leprous must be broken they are of no use Thirdly this will make a man ready and willing to do service for it is corruption that is the clog that hinders from service Heb. 12.1 Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily

together for good by their Covenant all things are yours whether life or death c. 1 Cor. 3.22 Now this dealing of God with men living in the Church under the same Ordinances and enjoying the same priviledges being so different there can be no reason given of it but meerly the different Covenants under which they stand for God hath been and is alwaies mindful of his Covenant and according to it doth alwaies dispence himself to the creature Vse Let it awaken every natural man to seek for a translation Thy misery by sin stands in two things First that thou art under Adams Covenant Secondly that thou bearest his Image now we many times see our misery by the one the evil of our waies but few are sensible of the other the evil of our state and that is the greatest for this makes thee a bond-man whilest thou livest for the Covenant genders unto bondage and it cuts thee off from all hope of an inheritance hereafter for the bond-woman must be cast out with her children This is the translation which the Apostle speaks of being translated into the Kingdom of his dear son Col. 1.1 this is the passage from death to life Iohn 5.24 In this passage a of man there must be a double change First mutatio moralis a Relative change as when of a bond-man a man is made a free-man of a servant he becomes a son Secondly Physica a natural change that is when of a sick man he is made sound the first is the change of a mans Covenant and the second a change of his Image the one is done in Justification and the other in Sanctification and by both these old things are past away all things do become new 1 Cor 5.17 This translation all the people of God that ever went to heaven had experience of and this is that I desire all men in a natural state may be awakened to seek after But you will say who be the men that stand under this first Covenant I hope there be none such amongst us You may judge your selves by these two rules First he that is under the second Covenant hath an interest in him who is the prince of the Covenant he that was given as a Covenant to the Nations Isa 42.6 for we heard before that the two Covenants were made with two different heads and it is union with them that brings a man under either Covenant it is being in Adam that makes a man stand under the one and being in Christ that gives a man interest in the other for a man must be in Christ as he was in Adam that is in him legally standing under his Covenant and in him naturally that is bearing his Image Now if a man would know whether he hath an Interest in Christ or no let him take the Apostles rule and lay it unto his own soul impartially 2 Cor. 5.17 he that is in Christ is a new creature he is not barely new dressed or hath gotten a new out-side but he is within renewed in the Spirit of his mind he hath a new understanding new apprehensions of persons and things and those things which before he counted foolishness now he doth know them to be his only wisdom and those persons that he looked upon as the scum and off-scouring of all things these they judge to be the excellent ones of the earth and those dark and carnal apprehensions of the waies of God and the mysteries of Godliness that he had before they are now done and past away they have no affection to them for it is not enough for a man to have new words and new actions there is many a man abstains from the practise of many sins that their hearts love and many a man for some respects takes up the practise of some duties that his heart hates but such a man now loves that which before he hated and he now hates that which before he did love that which before was to him the only matter of his joy now becomes the only object of his sorrow thus he that is in Christ is a new creature If so then surely they cannot take themselves to be new creatures that have not so much as renewed their actions that were drunkards and so continue were Sabbath-breakers and Swearers and Userers and Scoffers and so continue still the comfort of whose lives comes in by evil it is their meat and drink they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence Prov. 4.27 It s their cloathing Pride compasseth them as a chain violence covers them as a Garment Psal 73.6 and it is their recreation it is a pastime for a fool to do wickedly Prov. 10.23 and there be no recreations that have any pleasure in them unless they be sweetned by sin surely thus walking in their old waies it is impossible they should be new creatures and not being new creatures they are not in Christ and not being in Christ the Prince of the Covenant they have no interest in the new Covenant Secondly he that is under the first Covenant is a bond-man as Ismael whereas he that is under the second Covenant is the son of the free-woman and receives from the Lord by that Covenant a free Spirit Psal 51.12 First he is in bondage by earthly engagements he can have no engagement but it is a snare to him The false Prophets were honoured by some of the Kings of Israel therefore they could not speak the truth to him neither to reprove his sin nor to discover the mind of God I must do such a thing though it be against my conscience to give such a man content I must not reprove such a sin because it will displease c. the Prophet Michaiah had a dis-engaged Spirit in this respect Secondly in bondage unto sin and under the power of their own lusts that though they may see many evils in themselves and confess it yet when occasion and opportunity serves and the lust represents it self they are no more their own thy cannot resist Eyes full of Adultery that cannot cease to sin 2 Pet. 2.14 and as men use to say they cannot choose c. Thirdly in bondage unto the creatures under the power of them 1 Cor. 6.12 one man cannot live without his honour another without his minion another without such an estate and all the thoughts of their hearts run out about such things and are wholly busied about meat and drink and cloathes and money and play and this wholly drinks up their spirits Fourthly in bondage under the guilt of sin and slavish and servile fears they go all their life long with a galled conscience filled with fearful apprehensions of death and Judgement for they all their life long for fear of death are subject to bondage Heb. 2.15 Consider seriously of these particulars and unto such men I speak as being as yet under the first Covenant and I exhort them to seek to be translated I speak not this to