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	word_n	4,593	5	4.4164	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66610	Totum hominis, or, The whole duty of a Christian, consisting in faith and good life abridged in certain sermons expounding Paul's prayer for the Thessalonians, Epist. 2, Chap. 1, Vers. 11, 12 / by the late reverend and worthy Mr. Samuel Wales ...	Wales, Samuel.; Wharton, Philip Wharton, Baron, 1613-1696.; Wharton, Thomas, Sir.	1681 (1681)	Wing W296; ESTC R41158	76,673	232

grace vvill make no such conclusions It s the Devils Logick not Gods vvhich teacheth to reason from the certainty of Gods grace to the neglect of our ovvn duty Thus of the former instruction Our second Lesson from the same ground is that Godly Mens Prayers promote the salvation of others The hearty supplications of the faithful put up unto God for their brethren are good means furthering and helping forvvard the salvation of their brethren if this were not so our Saviour would not have taught us to pray that Gods Kingdom of grace and glory may come to others as well as our selves that others as well as our selves may know and obey the will of God sincerely chearfully constantly The Apostle would not have said I know this shall turn to my salvation through your prayers my prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved the Lord grant that he may find mercy in that day If a man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shall ask and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death For sometimes the prayers of the godly obtain for others the beginning of actual salvation that is conversion as our Saviours prayer for the Jews who crucified him took effect when so many of them were brought to repentance by Peters first Sermon and Stevens when Paul was converted therefore the Apostle willeth Christians to pray that Heathenish Magistrates may be turned to the Lord and come to the knowledge of the truth sometimes the progress of it that is the continuance and increase of all consequent blessings and gifts which are preparatives forerunners certain prognosticks of perfect salvation as fuller assurance comfort in afflictions spiritual establishment and the like Yet here we must know that we may rightly and soundly understand the point that Prayer is not a cause moving God to save those whom before he did not intend to save or making him more willing to save such whose salvation he formerly willed for Divinity teacheth that the will of God admitteth not intension or remission but a condition commanded and required in us which being fulfilled by us the Lord hath promised to shew and shed abroad upon others that grace which he had purposed before all time to bestow upon them The which doctrine serveth first to teach us what is the best office and greatest good turn we can do to any whom we love or whose kindness we desire to recompence as faithful friends bountiful benefactors kind parents dutiful children loving yoke-fellows Lend them many hearty prayers intreat the Lord ser them that they may be delivered from this present evil world their eyes enlightned their sins pardoned their hearts parged their feet guided in the way of peace beg these things for them If thou prevailest in thy suit thou hast done more for them than if thou hadst made them Lords of all that the Iberian Nimrod doth either possess or desire all the Kingdoms of the earth Oh the dignity utility riches of prayer a good man by prayer may do that for his friend which all the wealth and power of the world cannot do The poorest Christian on whom God hath powred the spirit of supplications may be very profitable to the rich helping him to that which all his store cannot purchase For by the Heaven-piercing prayers which ascend daily from the Altar of a pure heart in the Temple of his soul he may be a means of receiving him into everlasting habitations that is of saving his soul Secondly hence we must be stirred up 1. In our daily petitions not only to speak for our selves but to remember also the whole community of them that belong to God wheresoever scattered It s a great fault in Christians not only to omit this duty altogether but to make it as too many do a meer matter of form Indeed our wicked hearts out of sloth or unbelief will be too ready to say Alas wherein can our prayers be profitable to them whose faces and cases are unknown to us But answer them from this Doctrine our prayers may advance the business of their salvation and like a prosperous wind facilitate their course or set them forward with happy speed towards the Celestial Paradise How are we friends of Gods people if we deny our helping hand to procure in special sort we should be mindful of them that travel under tribulation and suffer with Christ or for Christ This duty is included in that general precept remember them that are in bonds The practice of it occurs often in Scripture The sweet Psalmist singeth redeem Israel O God out of all his troubles that thy beloved may be delivered save with thy right hand and hear me How often do the Faithful in the Psalms complain to God of the Churches distress and petition for redress Psal 74.79 80. Daniel and Nehemiah Courtiers both in great favour with the greatest Monarchs in the world at that time how mournfully and earnestly do they intreat for the church then in misery For First Reason 1 they are our fellow-members parts of the same body if one member suffer or be diseased will not the rest sympathize and seek the best relief for it they can if the head ake the stomack want meat the heart be pained the arme wounded the foot gouty will not the tongue the souls orator by speaking the hand by writing crave supply or remedy sure else they were unworthy to have any place in the body or receive life or motion from the head and heart Secondly Reason 2 they greatly need our prayers for their condition is both pityful and dangerous They stand as Gods souldiers in the very heat and heart of the most dangerous battle have not these need to be well backed by our prayers they sigh and groan under oppression and wrong have not these need to be eased and helped by our prayers they are in the furnace of fiery tryal Have not these need of the cooling comfort of our prayers if they should quail and start back whom the Lord hath now brought into the open field for the maintenance of his truth the enemies would insult Satan be proud of his victory Gods cause in danger to fall to the ground and many weak ones be discouraged Thirdly Reason 3 we may do them much good by our prayers We may knock their persecutors in the head it hath been observed that the faithful fighting against proud and cruel Tyrants with no other weapons but prayers and tears have given them blows after which they could never rise or recover we may move the Lord to give them compassion before those that afflicted them or to raise them up friends and fautors we may obtain for them deliverance as the Church did for Peter or strength to stand invincible under the cross Lastly our own hearts will tell us Reason 4 that were we in their case we would desire and expect this kindness from others We would think them

no confidence in God 2. No man can doubt that the spirits of just and perfect Men now in Heaven do believe and wait for the redemption of their bodies therefore faith and sight are not so opposed as they cannot stand together 3. If there shall be a word in Heaven then faith but there shall be a word not this written or printed Bible but the substance of that Doctrine which is contained in the Bible and consequently all those Promises which speak of the Eternity of that glorious Estate reserved for Believers in He aven shall be written in their hearts So that if any ask what use shall there be o● Faith when now they enjoy the Lords promised Salvation I Answer they shall believe that God will perpetuat and continue those joys and pleasures that blessed condition to them for ever and ever 4. I suppose this is sound Doctrine which hath hitherto gone for currant among our Divines unless in that late Controversie whether faith or repentance hath precedency it have received some affront Faith is the root foundation original of holiness Doth the root wither when the tree and branches flourish more than ever 5. In the day of Judgment the Lord shall pronounce all the sins of the righteous eternally forgiven the sentence of absolution remission shall be openly and fully declared and confirmed as Divines teach Shall they nor believe what Christ speaketh 6. Why may we not say that as the godly in this world believe things past as the creation the incarnation death resurection of Christ so shall they in the life to come These arguments sway me to this opinion as most probable that Faith in God is an eternal gift abiding in the Heavens the some Operations of it shall cease in Heaven whereof there shall be no number The matter is not of such weight that I would contend with any man about it Let the Prophet judge and instruct him better if he orr who in points of this nature suspecteth his own judgment as much as any other and is more desirous to learn than to teach Lastly from this instruction its easie to gather that we must seek unto and rest upon God as well for the finishing as beginning of our salvation Should the beginning be Gods work the accomplishment ours so wise an Apostle would not have spent nor by his own example taught us to spend so many prayers for it This is to be marked as meeting with the Papists they will have God lay the foundation of mans salvation by Predestination redemption free remission of sins but afterwards they will not be much beholden to him they can now perfect the building themselves for they can merit increase of justice and eternal life so that in effect they say to God as a man sometimes to his neighbour when he would have this or that work done do but set me in and I shall do well enough But that doctrine which suffereth us not with the Apostle to pray while we live Lord accomplish in us weak and worthless Vessels by thine own power the work of faith and all the good pleasure of thy goodness is not from heaven but from men and the Devil Hitherto we have unsolded the special requests which the Apostle made unto God for the Thessalonians There now remaineth only the end why or for which he thus intercedeth with God and moveth him for the forenamed blessings and its double 1. Principal respecting Christ 2. Subordinate respecting the Thessalonians themselves The former is set down in these words that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you that is that Christ himself by this means may be honoured in you and by you in this present world As if he should say I do the rather beg these things for you because they mainly tend to the promoting of the glory of Christ among the sons of men which thing I am sure your souls earnestly wish and desire Observe from these words to instructions First Doct. 1 that the scope of Christians must be the glorifying of Christ The Apostle testifieth of himself in another place that he desired nothing more than that Christ might be magnified in his frail body Phil. 1.20 whether by life or death and professeth that he made this the only end of his life the mark at which he aimed in his whole Ministry all his actions and passions to bring glory to Christ For so I expound those words for to me to live is Christ and generally of all true believers he saith elsewhere Whether we live we live unto the Lord or whether we die we die unto the Lord. And good reason For First Reas 1 Christ is the Author both of their being and conservation From him they have life and sustentation natural and spiritual For by him all things were created Col. 1.16 do subsist and are upholden by the word of his power he gives unto every Mun that comes into the World a reasonable soul he quickens sanctifies the elect Feeds them with his own flesh and bloud 1 Cor. 1.2 2 Co. 5.17 presenteth stablisheth enableth to every good word and work holds them in his hand supports them by his grace as the High Priest the ruines of Israel on his shoulders without him we have nothing can do nothing would return to nothing Therefore nothing is more meet than that Christians should wholly addict themselves to his glory Secondly Reas 2 consider the several relations of Christ unto Christians Is he not their Husband Must not all Wives give honour to their Husbands Is he not their King yea the King of glory are not subjects bound to honour their King Is he not their Lord and Master ought nor servants to count their masters worthy all honour Lastly he is their dear Redeemer who willingly disrobed and emptied himself of his regal glory and put on the homely mantle of humane flesh that he might ransom them with the price of his own bloud Therefore they owe themselves wholly to him and stand obliged to glorifie him in soul and body whose they are both in soul and body For to this end saith the Apostle Christ died for them 1 Co. 6.20 that they should not henceforth live to themselves but to him that died for them Hence the living Creatures are brought in saying with a loud voice worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive honour glory and blessing Thirdly Reas 3 it s no small honour which through Christ is already put upon them and from Christ they expect far greater in the next life They are now partakers of a glorious adoption a glorious shining righteousness glorious graces glorious joys they are called to glory and wait for a richly glorious inheritance an eternal weight of glory to be conferred upon them by Christ Now shall not those that have and look to receive so great glory from Christ endeavour so to live as Christ may have glory from them But alas Vse

they are most subject to be poisoned with pleasures puffed up with pride surfet of prosperity let loose the reigns to all injustice violence cruelty in a word to break the bonds of all discipline promise to themselves impunity and become incorrigible while they powre out themselves to all licentiousness because few dare freely reprove them hence no doubt sprung that Dutch Proverb which must be taken with a corn of salt Princes in Heaven are as scarce as Venison in poor mens Kitchins therefore they have need to be extraordinary careful of their salvation and guarded with double diligence watchfulness zeal in all religious duties Lastly their lives are very exemplary obvious to publick inspection and imitation many eyes are fixed upon them their actions are powerful to command effectual to corrupt inferiours who are too ready to follow and conform to their courses and think if great men live wickedly they may do the same by authority Satanknoweth that by their exorbitances they not only lose their own souls but draw much company with them to perdition Examples even of greatest Princes Kings Emperours further confirming this point are not wanting David though entangled in many wars besides other incumbrances and employments not a few spent no small time in communing with God and his own heart as appears by this that 140 of the Psalms in probability are of his penning and composing King Josiah in the eigth year not of his life as some mistake but of his reign that is in the sixteenth of his life began to seek after the God of David his father that is to give himself to the private study of piety to reading prayer and such like exercises Who more devout than Daniel and Nehemiah two great Courtiers and Governours Constantine the Great besides reading and praying with his family did every day at set times shut himself in his closet and there converse with God by solitary Prayer Alfred King of England spent eight hours the third part of every natural day in prayer study and writing These things I have thus discoursed that your Lordship may see and others acknowledge I do not without cause offer to your hands and eyes a Treatise wherein the two main parts of religion faith and good life are explained and urged It pleased your Noble Father while yet he dwelt in the land of the living to vouchsafe me the meanest of Gods messengers that gracious respect which I could never have expected from so honourable a personage and your Honour also in those times to take notice of me The remembrance of those things hath emboldened me to this Dedication which otherwise I should never have presumed to attempt Wherein the Searcher of hearts knoweth I seek and aim at nothing else but the honouring of his memory who now sleepeth in the Lord and stirring up your tender mind to the imitation of his vertues What honest heart ever knew him and did not lament his departure as a publick loss or say this world which now wants him was unworthy of him He was a professed enemy of Popery and Prophaneness a true friend and favourer of all godly and painful teachers without exception or partiality receiving their persons and doctrine with such gladness and singular reverence as I must needs say to me was vvonderful and in persons of his ranck is rarely seen ready at all times by his authority speech letter to help and encourage them in their holy function What shall I say of his supported life in the slippery time of youth his religious care of constant frequenting Gods house not only twice on the Lords day but ordinarily on Lecture days and preparing himself for the use of the Lords Supper his sincere affection to the holy ways of the Lord and all that walk in the same which to any observant eye appeared by many not obscure signs and testimonies I shall comprehend all if I do but say by profane great ones who openly reverenced him he was secretly twitted for Preciseness and Puritanism And could the Epilogue of such a life be any other but a blessed death Though his sickness was violent yet how sweetly he comforted himself in the Lord and having foretold the day of his death rejoyced in spirit from assurance of being with Christ after his dissolution how graciously feelingly powerfully he powred out his heart in supplication before the Lord those that were present can witness and will never forget and amongst the rest I remember one an ancient and reverend Minister who professed to me that himself was exceedingly affected and refreshed by his prayer and that he hath seldom heard any Preacher pray more excellently more divinely Novv my Lord vvhy hath the Divine Providence which doth nothing in vain sent set before you such a domestical precedent Surely for your admonition and instruction that you might be warned there by to tread in the same steps and learn the path of life by example as well as precept Suffer therefore I beseech your Honor the word of exhortation As God hath made you heir of your fathers greatness so labour to shew forth an express image of his graces and godly conversation and think often you hear his voice thus sounding in your ears for by his life being dead he yet speaketh to you My son know the God of your father and serve him with a perfect heart and willing mind Macte nova virtute puer sic itur ad astra By the grace of God I have led you the way walk as I have walked that we may meet and enjoy one another in Heaven Repel with infinite loathing the whisperings of those witches who go about to perswade that though it s not amiss for Nobles to have a form of godliness yet forwardness in Religion is a stain and blemish to Noble bloud Such things are suggested by the father of lies to rob you of true comfort in this life and a Crown of glory after death For I assure your Lordship in the word of truth as true piety is able to accommodate Noblemen with the best Musick peace of Conscience the best Counsellor the wisdom which is from above the fairest and strongest house Gods protection the best weapons defensive offensive faith and the spirit of prayer the best attendants Gods holy Angels so it will wonderfully adorn and beautifie all other excellencies purchase them more true honour than an external accomplishment even the honour that cometh from God only a place and a Name better than of Dukes Earles Lords an everlasting name that shall never be cut off and at last put them into the possession of immortality and eternal life The father of mercies inrich with all blessings of heaven and earth the noble and vertuous Lady Philadelphia your mother keep your Honour from every evil now and ever season and govern your young years by his holy spirit that as you increase in days and stature so you may increase in all sanctifying gifts and in favour with

portion at once an exceeding great stock of grace but he quickly forgetting both God and himself spent it and proved a bankrupt Wherefore our heavenly Father thinks fit to give us ours by little and little that we may know and all the days of our life acknowledg our selves to be beggers depend upon him for a continual subministration of new grace learn better to husband and improve that little which he hath put into our hands First Vse 1 this Doctrine confutes all those that dream of perfection attainable in a short moment As 1. Papists teaching that in Baptism the soul is made inherently as pure spotless glorious as the Sun and grace infused by which a man is made able to fulfil the Law Alas no marvel men roave strangely speak absurdly and ignorantly of the state of grace and the saving workings of the holy Ghost when they have no experience of these things in themselves 2. Familists and such like fanaticks who boast of such a fulness of holiness that they need no further purging who if their confident affirmations may be believed have so much joy that they need or desire no more in heaven brag that they are past the doctrine of the hearts deceitfulness never crave pardon of sin and deridingly tell them that do they have their pardon on their back acknowledge no use of the Law after justification feel no need of preaching prayer Sabbaths use these things rather least they should give offence than for any necessity professing to the same purpose this to be their opinion that the new man may be so strong as it shall not need any means and to this height they are mounted in a few months I might truly say days even by hearing one or two Sermons Well we need no other argument if we be wise to perswade us to stop our ears against such erroneous spirits but this that they boast of and arrogate to themselves the possession of such things as Paul the greatest of the Apostles had not attained many years after his conversion not many before his death as appears by his complaint to the Romans his confession to the Philippians Secondly this must comfort and stay those righteous souls who are much dejected because they find much corruption and great want of grace in themselves I forbid them not to deplore and grieve for their spiritual defects not to seek to the fountain for supply and perfecting his work in them only I exhort them not to be dismaied nor to conclude they have no grace because they have not the measure they desire Thy case is the common case of all the godly not one of them but hath his wants to complain of not one of them but feeleth in himself much emptiness great weakness of holiness much ignorance vanity unbeliefe hardness deadness inordinacy of affections nay evil motions and inclinations yea the better any man is the more he discerneth and groaneth under these things and confesseth himself far short of perfect fulness Look not the Lord should deal otherwise with thee than with all the sons he brings to glory Be content therefore first to be a babe in Christ for so thou must before thou canst be a tall man be content that the seeds of grace do first poorly peep up and sprout in the mould of thy heart which in time will grow to be great herbs and fill the whole garden If thou wert recovering of a great sickness though health should return very slowly wouldst thou not be glad and praise the Author of life Do here in like manner rejoyce and bless God that thou art begotten again and come into the new World of new Creatures though thou wantest much of that strength which some have attained The third instruction is Doct. 3 Christians should desire a full measure of all graces or spiritual gifts That which Paul beggeth for his Thessalonians every believer ought to desire for himself but Paul desireth that God would accomplish in them all good things needful for their salvation This is further confirmed in those places in which the Apostle prays or testifies that he prayed for them to whom he writes Ephes 3.19 c. That they might be filled with all knowledge of Gods will abound more and more in knowledge and in all judgment be filled with the fruits of righteousness yea with all the fulness of God made perfect in every good work to do his will those places also which exhort to such things as Be ye perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect be ye filled with the Spirit and such like And good reason For first Reas 1 there is a certain fulness attainable in this life which appeares because 1. God hath promised to replenish and satiate the hungry soul to poure his Spirit abundantly on his people to fill the earth with the knowledge of himself as the waters cover the sea to make the parched ground a pool the thirsty land springs of water the feeble in the Charch like David in strength so that they shall mount up with wings like Eagles run and not be weary walk and not faint Now he that promiseth wanteth neither will nor power to perform his word being the All-sufficient a most bountiful Father and Master Rich to all that call upon him giving liberally and upbraiding no man delighting in the posperity of his servants 2. The Scripture affordeth examples of such as have attained it I speak not of extraordinary persons such as the Apostles of whom joyntly it is said They were filled with the holy Ghost as the same is affirmed particularly of Peter and Paul such also as were sundry ministers believers in that first Church for example Steph'n others with him in Jerusalem Barnabas c. but of ordinary Christians Doth not the Apostle give this honourable testimony of the ancient Romanes Rom. 15.14 that he was perswaded they were full of goodness filled with all knowledge Of the Corinthians and Ephesians that they were enriched with all knowledge utterance wisdome prudemce Now that which God hath promised and the Saints have received from him why should not the godly still desire and hope to obtain If in any thing this point contradicteth other Scriptures and the places mentioned in the former Doctrine I answer fulness is either absolute such a perfection as admits no defect this is reserved for the life to come or comparative such a measure or degree of grace as sitteth falleth into a grown Christian is answerable to the age of a Father in Christ which in respect of the weak beginning of young Christians may be termed fulness this is that we affirm may be found enjoyed here on earth wch thing the Apostle also plainly teacheth for in the very same place where he denies himself to be perfect he calleth himself those believers in Philippi that were of good standing and growth in Christianity perfect wch sentences seemingly contrary are to be reconciled