Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	ark_n	israel_n	zion_n	23	3	9.2897	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66346	The excellency of a publick spirit set forth in a sermon preach'd (since much enlarged) at the funeral of that late reverend divine Dr. Samuel Annesley, who departed this life Dec. 31, 1696 in the 77th year of his age : with a brief account of his life and death / by Daniel Williams.	Williams, Daniel, 1643?-1716.	1697 (1697)	Wing W2648; ESTC R26373	66,824	154

our own Translation which it 's a fault needlesly to recede from The former part viz. Serving his Generation will be so inlarged on as the scope of my discourse that at present I need say no more than to note that the word Serve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is metaphorical and denotes both the publick influence of David's Labours and his great Subjection it alludes to a Man's Rowing in a Vessel under the conduct of a superior Pilot. The Royal Prophet was but an Under Rower i. e. as much under Divine Authority and as dependant as if the meanest Man He served in the Vessel viz. the Church and State the safe Passage whereof he consulted and subserved as his principal business By the Will of God God did not only serve his purposes by him which the most regardless and obstinate cannot prevent but this Blessed Man did designedly and faithfully serve those purposes God intended in his Age and Place he obeyed God's Will as he had notice of it and what ever labour expence or danger attended it This Will of God he still consulted as to the matter and manner of his performances If you read the History of David's Life and the Book of Psalms you 'll find the laudable Character in my Text evidenc'd in almost an uninterrupted Series of publick and profitable Actions from his very Youth to his Death By him God saved Israel from greatest Dangers he secured their Peace enlarged their Borders he fought their Battels united the Tribes brought the Ark to Zion established the Publick Worship encouraged and propagated real Piety exemplified the Divine Law in the course of his Practice few are the instances wherein he came short of the Common Good as the scope yea his Heart was so enlarged as to resolve greater things than God thought fit to permit his Execution of as building the Temple for which nevertheless he prepared the Materials How solicitous was he that his indispos'd Age it self might not fail to be useful to God's Honour in his own yea future Generations Ps. 71. 17 18. O God thou hast taught me from my youth and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works Now also when I am old and gray headed O God forsake me not until I have shewed thy strength to this generation and thy power to every one that is to come A Life so eminently useful might well warrant his saying I bear up the pillars of the Earth Ps. 73.5 deserve the peoples acknowledgment 2 Sam. 18.3 Thou art worth ten thousands of us and answer the Testimony the Omniscient God gave before-hand concerning him Act. 13.22 I have found David a man after my own heart who will fulfil all my will 2. David's Death He fell asleep after not before he had faithfully served a common good nor later than he was capable to do so Every Man is Immortal be his danger never so great till he hath accomplished the service God designeth by him and there is scarce a good Man that knows himself such but would live till his course in service be finished or would chuse to live longer than he can be serviceable but when we are unfit to be Instruments of good to others and are wrought to a meetness for Glory it 's fit time others have our place whom Providence hath suited to God's further Designs by somewhat peculiarly fitted to the rising Generation The word by which David's Death is expressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he lay him down to sleep which notes Death to be no terror to him and that Resurrection would certainly ensue The former part of the Text is what I shall principally insist on therein David is commended and they who imitate his life partake of the like Honour Two Observations the words easily afford I Obs. It 's an excellent Character of a deceased Person that by Faithfulness and Diligence in his place he hath been eminently useful in his Generation To render this intelligible and useful I shall 1. Explain this Character 2. Give an account of some things requisite to render a Man eminently useful in his Generation who is capable to be so by his Gifts Estate Office c. 3. Evidence the Excellency of this described Character For the Explication of this Character I shall propose the following Heads which I think will render that Duty plain which I would this Day call you to the performance of 1. God so disposeth of Men in their respective Generations that they are capable of being benefited by each other The parts of a Political Body can no more say to each other I have no need of thee than those of the Natural 1 Cor. 12.21 which disposition of things is the foundation of all Societies Men need each other and are receptive of mutual Advantages Conversation Friendship Families Trades Common Safety and what not are provided for hereby and without it would be defeated and cease but the All-wise God hath placed Men in that posture towards each other that no one is Self-sufficient Some need Health others Knowledge others Defence others Food and Raiment others Counsel others Reproof and Spiritual Instruction others Comfort and the like in each of these respects those words of our Saviour may be applied Ioh. 12.8 The poor you have always with you some that need your help many in a great degree most in one sort or other so that none can pretend want of Objects or Occasions as a Plea why they are not useful they are daily at hand and adapted to the Nature and Proportion of your Talents infinite Wisdom hath contrived the several wants of Mankind to give opportunity for employing that common Stock he hath distributed and as wonderful is it that those very wants be the great Means that the several Possessors of that Common Stock receive benefit by the shares thereof which they respectively do enjoy for it 's visible that whatever any one Man enjoys would leave him distressed unless by exchanging that with another he were relieved by what that other Man possesseth and himself wants Nay that no Man may reflect on God as unkind to the World because the Poor are so many it 's worthy our admiration that Poverty it self is very conducive to the Publick Good not only as it prevents much sin but as it 's the greatest Spur to Diligence Callings Inventions and Services which the Common Benefit depends upon yea were none poor every Man would be next to miserable by wanting all those conveniencies which they now obtain by any other persons Want or desire of Wealth Who would be Servants private Soldiers Seamen Handicrafts-men c. if none were poor If some would study Law Physick c. it 's from few of them that their Neighbours could expect the advantage of their Arts. They who would sail to other Countries and bring back any thing of their peculiar growth how few if any besides themselves should be the better for them I wish I might not say we should have fewer Preachers