Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	appear_v	life_n	sin_n	4,010	5	4.7063	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07536	Sapientia clamitans wisdome crying out to sinners to returne from their evill wayes: contained in three pious and learned treatises, viz. I. Of Christs fervent love to bloudy Ierusalem. II. Of Gods just hardning of Pharaoh, when hee had filled up the measure of his iniquity. III. Of mans timely remembring of his creator. Heretofore communicated to some friends in written copies: but now published for the generall good, by William Milbourne priest.	Jackson, Thomas, 1579-1640.; Donne, John, 1572-1631. aut; Milbourne, William, b. 1598 or 9.	1638 (1638)	STC 17918; ESTC S112664	68,848	322

object To the same purpose Esay 65. 12. Therefore I will number you to the sword and you shall all bow downe to the slaughter because when I called yee did not answer when I spake yee did not heare but did evill before mine eyes and did chuse that wherein I delighted not So then whether by the destruction of the wicked or salvation of the chosen Gods name is still glorified His justice expects what should have beene done but was not paid unto mercy Hee can be no loser by mans unthankfulnesse or ungratefulnesse The case is all one as if one should take that from a theefe with the left hand which hee hath picked out of our right hand Thus much of the two points proposed I doe desire no more than that the tree may be judged by the fruit and questionlesse the use of these resolutions for convincing our selves of sinne or quelling despaire or for encouraging the carelesse and impenitent unto repentance by giving them the right hold of the meanes of life is much greater than can bee conceived without the admittance of their truth First seeing the end of our preaching is not so much to instruct the elect as to call sinners to repentance not so much to confirme their faith that are already certaine of salvation as to give hope to the unregenerate that they may bee saved how shall wee accomplish either intendment by magnifying Gods love towards the elect who these are God and themselves know How shall he that lives yet in sinne p●rswade himselfe there is probability that he may bee saved because God hath infallibly decreed to save some few Rather seeing by the contrary doctrine the most part of mankinde must necessarily perish hee hath more reason to feare lest he be one of those many than one of the few The bare possibility of his salvation cannot be inferred but from indefinite premisses from which no certaine conclusion can possibly follow and without certaine apprehension or conceit of possibility there can bee no certaine ground of hope But if wee admit the former extent of Gods unspeakable love to all and his desire of their eternall safety which desperately perish every man may nay must undoubtedly thus conclude Therefore Gods love extends to mee It is his good will and pleasure to have mee saved amongst the rest as well as any other and whatsoever he unfainedly wils his power is able effectually to bring to passe The danger of sinne and terrour of that dreadfull day being first made knowne to our Auditory the pressing of these points as effectually as they might bee were this doctrine held for current would kindle the love of God in our hearts and inflame them with desires answerable to Gods ardent will of our salvation and these once kindled would breed sure hope and in a manner inforce us to embrace the infallible meanes thereunto ordained Without admission of the former doctrine it is impossible for any man rightly to measure the hainousnesse of his owne or others sinnes Such as gather the infinity of sinnes demerit from the infinite Majestie against which it is committed give us the surface of sinne infinite in length and breadth but not in solidity The will or pleasure of a Prince in matters meanly affected by him or in respect of which h●e is little more than indifferent may bee neglected without greater offence than meaner persons may justly take for foule indignities or grievous wrongs But if a Princes soveraigne command in a matter which he desired so much as his owne life should be contemned a loyall subject conscious of such contempt though hapning through riot or perswasions of ill company would in his sober fits be ready to take revenge of himselfe specially if hee knew his Soveraignes love or liking of him to be more than ordinary Consider then that as the Majesty and goodnesse of our God so his love and mercy towards us is truly infinite that he desires our repentance as earnestly as wee can desire meat and drinke in the extremity of thirst or hunger as wee can doe life it selfe whiles wee are beset with death This our God manifested in our flesh did not desire his owne life so much as our redemption We must therefore measure the hainousnesse of our sinne by the abundance of Gods love by the height and depth of our Saviours humiliation Thus they will appeare infinite not only because committed against an infinite Majesty but because with this dimension they further include a wilfull neglect of infinite mercies and incomprehensible desires of our salvation Wee are by nature the seed of rebels which had l●ft up their hands against the infinite goodnesse of their Creator in taking of the forbidden fruit whereby they sought to be like him in Majesty Conscious of the transgression the first actors immediately hid themselves from his presence and as if this their terrour had imprinted a perpetuall antipathy in their posteritie the least glimpse of his glory for many generations after made them crie out Alas wee shall die because we have seene the Lord. We still continue like the off-spring of tame creatures grown wilde alwayes eschewing his presence that seekes to recover us as the bird doth the fowlers or the beasts of the forest the sight of fire And yet unlesse hee shelter us under the shadow of his wings wee are as a prey exposed to the destroyer already condemned for fuell to the flames of hell or nutriment to the breed of serpents To redeeme us from this everlasting thraldome our God came downe into the world in the similitude of our flesh made as a stale to allure us with wiles into his net that hee might draw us with the cords of love The depth of Christs humiliation was as great as the difference betweene God and the meanest man therefore truly infinite Hee that was equall with God was conversant here on earth with us in the forme and condition of a servant But of servants by birth or civill constitution many live in health and case with sufficient supplies of all things necessary for this life So did not the Son of God His humanity was charged with all the miseries whereof mortality is capable subject to hunger thirst temptations revilings and scornings even of his servants an indignitie which cannot befall slaves or vassals either borne or made such by men or to use the Prophets words Hee bare mans infirmities not spiritually onely but bodily For who was weake and hee not weake who was sick and hee whole No malady of any disease cured by him but was made his by his exact and perfect sympathie Lastly Hee bare our sinnes upon the crosse and submitted himselfe to greater torments than any man in this life can suffer And though these were as displeasant to his humane nature as to ours yet were our sinnes to him more displeasant As he was loving to us in his death so was hee wise towards himselfe and in submitting himselfe unto his

cruell and ignominious death did of two evils chuse the lesse rather to suffer the punishment due to our sinnes than to suf●er sinne still to raigne in us whom he loved more dearely than his owne life If then we shall continue in sinne after the manifestation of his love the hainousnesse of our offence is truly infinite in so much as wee doe that continually which is more distastfull to our gracious God than any torments can be to us So doing we build up the workes of Satan which hee came purposely to destroy For of this I would not have you ignorant that albeit the end of his death was to redeeme sinners yet the onely meanes predestinated by him for our redemption is destruction of the workes of Satan and renovation of his Fathers Image in our Soules For us then to reedifie the workes of Satan or abett his faction is still more offensive to this our God then was his Agonie or bloudy sweat For taking a fuller measure of our sinnes let us hereunto adde his patient expectation of his enemies conversion after the resurrection If the sonne of Zaleucus before mentioned should have pardoned any as deeply guilty as himselfe had beene of that offence for which hee lost one of his eyes and his father another the world would have taxed him either of unjust follie or too much facilitie rather than commended him for true justice or clemencie But that we may know how farre Gods mercy doth over-beare his Majestie he proceeds not straightway to execute vengeance upon those Jewes which wrecked their malice upon his deare and onely Sonne which had committed nothing worthy of blame much lesse of death Here was matter of wrath and indignation so just as would have moved the most mercifull man on Earth to have taken speedy revenge upon these spillers of innocent blood especially the law of God permitting thus much But Gods mercy is above his law above his justice These did exact the very abolition of these sinners in the very first act of sinne committed against God made man for their redemption yet hee patiently expects their repentance which with unrelenting fury had plotted his destruction Forty yeares long had hee beene grieved with this generation after the first Passeover celebrated in signe of their deliverance from AEgyptian bondage and for their stubbornnesse Hee swore they should not enter into his rest And now their posterity after a more glorious deliverance from the powers of darknesse have forty yeares allotted them for repentance before they bee rooted out of the land of Rest or Promise Yet hath not the Lord given them hearts to perceive eyes to see or eares to heare unto this day because seeing they would not see nor hearing would not heare but hardened their hearts against the Spirit of grace Lord give us what thou didst not give them hearts of flesh that may melt at thy threats eares to heare the admonirions of our peace and eyes to foresee the day of our visitation that so when thy wrath shall be revealed against sinne and sinners wee may bee sheltered from flames of fire and brimstone under the shadow of thy wings so long stretched out in mercie for us Often Oh Lord wouldst thou have gathered us and wee would not but let there be we beseech thee an end of our stubbornnesse and ingratitude towards thee no end of thy mercies and loving kindnesses towards us Amen GODS IVST HARDNING OF PHARAOH When he had filled up the measure of his iniquitie OR AN EXPOSITION OF ROM 9. 18 19. Therefore he hath mercie on whom he will have mercie and whom he will be hardneth Thou wilt say then unto me Why doth he yet find fault For who hath resisted his will LONDON Printed by JOHN HAVILAND for ROBERT MILBOURNE 1638. Gods just hardning of Pharaoh when he had filled up the measure of his iniquitie Or An Exposition of ROM 9. 18 19. Therefore hath ●e mercie on whom he ●ill have mercie and whom hee will bee hardneth Th●u wilt s●y then unto me Why doth be ye● finde faul● For who hath resisted his will● THe former part of this proposition here inferred by way of conclusion was avouched before by our Apostle as an undoubted Maxime ratified by Gods owne voyce to Moses For he said to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compasion on whom I will have compassion Exod. 33. 19. The true sense and meaning of which place I have before declared in unfolding the 16. verse of this chapter so that the later part of this eighteenth verse Whom he will hee hardneth must be the principall subject of my present discourse The Antecedent inferring this part of this conclusion is Gods speech to Pharaoh Exod. 9. 18. Even for this purpose have I raised thee up that I may shew my power in thee and that my name may be declared throughout all the Earth The inference is plaine seeing Gods powre was to be manifested in hardening Pharaoh The points of inquiry whose full discussion will open an easie passage to the difficulties concerning Rebrobation and Election and bring all the contentious controversies concerning the meaning of this chapter to a breefe prospicuous issue are especially foure 1. The Manner how God doth harden 2. The pertinencie of the Objection why doth hee yet finde fault for who hath resisted his will and the validitie of the Apostles answer 3. The Logicall determination of this proposition Whom hee will hee hardeneth what is the pr●per object of Gods will in hardening 4. What manner of division this is Hee will have compassion on whom hee will have compassion and whom hee will hee hardeneth For the right opening of all these foure difficulties the explication of the single term●s with their divers acceptions s●ves as a key The termes briefly to be explicat●d are three 1. Gods will 2. Induration or Hardening 3. Irresistible The principall difficultie or transcendent question is in what sense Gods will or Induration may be said to be irresistible whom hee will hee hardeneth Not to trouble you with any curious distinctions concerning Gods will this is a string which in m●st meditations we were inforced to touch Albeit Gods will be most truly and indivisibly one and in indivisible unitie most truly in●inite and immutable yet is it immutably free omnipotent able to produce pluralitie as well as unitie mutabilitie as well as immutabilitie weaknesse as well as strength in his creatures By this one infinite immutable will hee ordaines that some things shall be necessarie or that this shall be at this time and no other And such particulars hee is said by an extrinsecall denomination from the object to will by his irresistible will The meaning is the production of the object so willed cannot be resisted because it is Gods will that it shall come to passe notwithstanding any resistance that is or can bee made against it If any particular so willed should not come to

contra The doctrine contained in this passage of Scripture will never sound well for the setling of the affections and consciences of such as be Novices in faith untill they be taught to runne this division upon the same string Hast thou beene enlightned and tasted of the heavenly gift beene made partaker of the Holy Spirit Thy sinne is great and thou art found a despiser of the riches of his bountie unlesse thou embrace these illuminations notwithstanding thy inbred corruptions daily increase upon thee as undoubted pledges of his favour and assured testimonies of his good purpose to make thee heire of eternall life Worthy thou art to bee numbred among those perverse and wayward Jewes whom our Saviour compares to children playing in the market if while those good motions and exulations of spirit last thou givest not more attentive care than hee that danceth doth to him that pipeth or harpeth unto that sweet voyce of our heavenly Father encouraging thee in particular as hee did sometimes the host of Israel Oh that there were such an heart in thee alwayes that it might goe well with thee for ever But eschew these or the like inferences as cunning Sophismes of the great Tempter that old and subtile Serpent I thanke God I have felt the good motions of the spirit I perceive the pledges of his good purpose toward mee but his purpose `is unchangeable Therefore is my election sure enough I am a sealed vessell of mercy I cannot become a vessell of wrath If such thoughts have at any time insinuated into thy heart or be darted upon thee against thy will remember thyselfe in time and thus repell th●m If God harden whom hee will if this will be immutably and eternally free it is as free for him to harden mee as any other And consider withall that albeit thou canst not make or prepare thy selfe to be a vessell of mercy yet thy untimely presumption of it continue long in the end will make thee as in the beginning it doth prepare thee to be a vessell of wrath This was ●he disease where of the whole Nation of the Iewes did perish Doest thou see thy brother one baptized in the name of Christ goe on stubbornly in his wicked courses thou doest well to threaten him with the sentence of Death Yet limit thy speeches by the Prophets rule Ierem. 18. pronounce him not for all this an absolute reprobate or irrecoverable vessell of wrath give him not forthwith for dead but rather use double diligence to prevent his death and tell him If God shew mercy upon whom he will shew mercy if this his will be eternally free it is as free for him yet to shew mercy upon supposed Castawayes and to harden uncharitable and presumptuous Pharisees for the present manifestation of his glory as it was for him to reject the Iewes and chuse the Gentiles Perhaps the ingenuous and hitherto indifferent reader will here begin to distrust those last admonitions and for their sakes most of our former resolutions as prejudiciall to the doctrine concerning the certainty of salvation But if it please him either to looke back unto some passages of the former discourse or to goe along with mee a little further I shall acquaint him though not with a surer foundation yet with a stronger frame or structure of his hopes than hee shall ever attaine unto by following their rules who I verily thinke were fully assured of their owne salvation but from other grounds than they have discovered to us Surer foundation can no man lay than that whereon both parties doe build to wit the absolute immutability of Gods decree or purpose Now admitting our apprehension of his will or purpose to call elect or save us were infallible yet hee that from these foundations would reare up the edifice of his faith after this hasty manner Gods purpose to call elect and save mee is immutable Ergo my present calling is effectuall my election already sure and my salvation most immutable becomes as vaine in his imaginations as if hee expected that wals of loome and rafters of reed covered with ferne should be able to keepe out Gun-shot because seated upon an impregnable Rock For first who can be longer ignorant of this truth than it shall please him to consider it That Gods purpose and will is most immutable in respect of every object possible that mutabilitie it selfe all the changes and chances of this mortall life and the immutable state of immortality in the life to come are alike immutably decreed by the eternall counsell of his immutable will Now if mortalitie or mutabilitie have precedence of immortality in respect of the same persons by the immutable tenor of his irresistible decree can it seeme any paradox to say That ordinarily there should be in every one of us as true a possibility of living after the flesh as of living after the spirit before wee become so actually and compleatly spirituall as utterly to mortifie all lusts and concupiscences of the flesh Untill then our mortification be compleat and full wee may not presume all possibilitie of living after the flesh to be finally expired and utterly extinct in our soules And whether this possibilitie can be in this life altogether so little or truly none as shall be in the life to come after our mortall hopes are ratified by the sentence of the almighty Judge I cannot affirme if any man peremptorily will deny it nor will I contend by way of peremptorie deniall if it shall please any man upon probable reasons to affirme But if to such as finally perish no true or reall possibilitie of repentance during the whole course of this mortall life be allotted by the everlasting irresistible decree in what true sense can God be said to allow them a time of repentance How doth our Apostle say that the bountifulnesse of God doth lead or draw them to repentance if the doore of repentance be perpetually mured up against them by his irresistible will If in such as are saved there never were from their birth or baptisme any true or reall possibility of running the wayes of death not what sinnes soever they commit the feare of Hell or the declaration of Gods just judgements if at any time they truly feared them is but a vaine imagination or groundlesse fancie without any true cause or reall occasion presented to them by the immutable decree Or if by his providence they be at any time brought to feare hell or the sentence of everlasting death yet hath God used these but as bug-beares in respect of them though truly terrible to others And Bug-beares when children grow once so wise as to discerne them from true terrors doe serve their parents to very small purpose For mine owne part albeit I feare not the state of absolute reprobation yet so conscious am I to mine owne infirmities that I would not for all the hopes or any jov or any pleasure which this life can afford