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
A44635	The evil of our dayes with the remedy of it : a sermon preach'd at a visitation at Rothwell in Northamptonshire, Octob. 12, 1697 / by John Howard ...	Howard, John, 1647-1729?	1698 (1698)	Wing H2982; ESTC R8165	19,799	29

St. John Teaches we ought to lay down our Lives for the Brethren that is in a time of Persecution when it may appear necessary for the Confirmation of them that Believe and the Conversion of others then their wilfull continuance in sin or manifest defection from the Faith ought to be more grievous to us than Death it self And alas How many such cases as these do we see in our Parishes Some who have been under our Preaching many years and it may be receiv'd private Instructions from us too are yet grosly ignorant of the plainest and most necessary Principles of Religion Others who have Improv'd more in Knowledge are notwithstanding very loose and scandalous in their Lives Some that cannot be much accus'd either of ignorance or gross Commissions are very defective in their Piety towards God Charity towards their Neighbours or those Relative Duties they are particularly oblig'd to Others that would seem it may be to have a regard to all these for want of a sound and setled Judgment in Religion are easily impos'd on by the subtilty of seducing spirits and drawn away from our Communion Now can any thing more sensible grieve a Faithful Minister who has the Care of those Souls and has taken much pains to Instruct and Edify them in the Faith of Christ than to see them thus despise or desert him and hazard their own Eternal salvation God has set us over our People as Pastors over their Flocks yea as Fathers over their Children And can we be suppos'd the onely Shepherds that are indifferent what becomes of our Flocks or the onely Fathers that have no Compassion for our Children or Concern for their Eternal Happiness The Care Diligence and Watchfulness of all the Faithful servants of Christ do plainly bespeak the contrary Therefore though these unhappy Men who thus frustrate our Pains with them intend it not as a Persecution to us yet the Devil who Tempts them to it does really intend this who knows how much it is his Interest to discourage us in our Great Work and he cannot more effectually do it than by this means But this is not the onely Persecution which we suffer more than other Christians but our Holy Office the Honour of which ought to be dearer to us than our Lives does at this day ly under a very great and almost General Contempt And hence it is that the worst Construction is so often put upon our Words and Actions that many Calumnies are so easily cast upon us by some and so readily believ'd by others c. Thus are we Persecuted even with Swords though not in St. Augustin's sense before mention'd yet in that of holy David who Complaining of the Malicious Speeches of his Enemies against him Psal 59. says That Swords are in their Lips I may add to these things the Invasion of our Sacred Office by many who have neither Gifts nor Opportunities to fit them for it and therefore while they presume to be Teachers do justly fall under the Apostles Censure upon some such Men at Ephesus that they understand neither what they say nor whereof they Affirm I might mention also several other Injuries we often suffer as Ministers but it is time for me to come to the other part of my Text and I have been the longer and more particular upon this because the knowledge of these things I will not say For who does not know them but a serious sense of them will be a great step toward their Cure which I shall now 2. Consider in speaking to the Precept in my Text Redeeming the time or Buying the Season Here therefore I must shew how we are to use and improve our time with respect to the Evils be foremention'd 1. The Evil of Sin 2. The Evil of Suffering First The Evil of Sin And here we must take care First To preserve our selves from it Secondly To do what lies in us to Remedy it First To preserve our selves from this Evil and lead a Conversation as contrary to it as is possible And this the Apostle does exhort the Ephesians to in many particulars before my Text and must be suppos'd to intend it in this Precept as much as any thing else There ly indeed very great Obligations upon all that Name the Name of Christ to depart from Iniquity and be followers of him in a pious and useful Conversation but especially Ministers of the Gospel whom he has appointed in his own stead not only to Instruct others in the way to Heaven but also to lead them in by a holy Example And it concerns them for the honour of God and the safety of themselves and others to be the more circumspect as Sin is more common amongst us Therefore if Errors and Heresies do so much abound in this Nation we ought to be more diligent in searching after the Truth and constantly adhere to it If others are so vicious in their Lives it lies upon us to be the more Sober and Innocent to watch carefully against Temptations and to preserve our selves not only from all gross Commissions but also as far as may be from the very appearance of Evil. If the Duties of Religion both towards God and Men are strangely neglected by many that would go for Christians let us be the more zealous and constant in the performance of them If a great Indifferency in Religion has obtain'd amongst all Orders of Men and there remain but few Sparks of that Holy Fire of Zeal and of Devotion which makes our Service an Acceptable Sacrifice to God let us by all means endeavour to Revive and Cherish it in our selves and make it the more intense by reason of that Coldness with which we are encompass'd For in so General a Defection from the Life and Power of Godliness What will become of the Honour of God and his Cause in the World if we desert it or are cold in it And what greater Judgments than any we have yet felt may reasonably be expected for this Apostacy if the Righteousness of our Lives and Sincere Importunity of our Prayers do not prevent them Secondly We must do what we can to remedy this Evil. And what I have already mention'd the Holiness of our Lives will do very much towards it For this will naturally create a Veneration for us in the Minds of Men and give us more Authority in the use of other Means It will provoke them that have any remains of Piety in their Hearts Confirm such as are wavering in the Faith and half perswade those who were before Averse to Religion of the Truth and Excellency of those Doctrines which they see have had so much power upon our selves and produce such amiable fruits in our Conversation For there is a beauty in Holiness which every eye one would think may in some measure discern There is a greatness in Self denyal and contempt of the World which commands admiration and there are those charms in Humility and condescention in