Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	believe_v	die_v	life_n	6,038	5	4.8496	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87179	Good news to all people. Glad tydings for all men. God good unto all, and Christ the saviour of the world: or, The general point faithfully handled by way of exercise: or A sermon preached at Buckingham upon the 25 of March, being (as so called) Easter-day. By William Hartley.	Hartley, William, of Stony-Stratford.	1650 (1650)	Wing H974; Thomason E594_11; ESTC R206917	25,853	32

us debate the matter I conclude you be sheep-masters I would see that man amongst you having an hundred sheep and losing but one of that hundred which will not leave his ninety and nine in the wilderness to seek that one sheep and having found it he rejoyceth more for the recovery of that one sheep then at the possession of ninety nine that strayed not Is this history true touching your sheep and cannot you understand this mystery All creatures in the world all men and women in the world are my heavenly Fathers if any person break the fold or wandereth in evil ways and by-paths of sin or ignorance he carefully endevoreth to regain him which if accomplished There is more joy over one sinner that repenteth then over ninety nine just persons who need no repentance I might add something touching the lost groat but I shall not multiply presidents lest I burthen your memories onely give me way to speak a word or two to the Parable of the Prodigal and then I shall proceed Although the Parables of the lost sheep and groat were sufficient to reprove the Pharisees of their harsh sentence yet our Saviour for their better conviction addeth this comparison of a man having two sons the younger demanded his portion Luk. 15.12 went into a far Country wasted his patrimony c. and when he returned home his father was so far from calling him to account for his Prodigality as that he used all expressions of love unto him met him in the way kissed him richly clothed him put shoes to his feet gold to his hand all which as also the Parable it self is of spiritual construction and when the eldest Son repined at his younger Brothers entertainment his Father silenced him with these words It is meet that we should make merry and be glad for this thy brother was dead and is alive again was lost and is found It would ask more time then I have by Gods permission to spend at this present to unfold the mystery of the whole Parable onely take notice from the grudgings of the elder brother as also the evil eye of the laborers in the vineyard upon their masters kindness to their fellow servants Matth. 20. How subject Creatures are to repine at the goodness of God conferred upon their brethren He was dead and is alive saith the Text Observe my beloved Friends the life of man doth not consist onely in exercising the faculties of Nature as breathing speaking acting c. but chiefly in the enjoyment of God without which the Creature though alive to the world yet is he really dead in himself * Simile A tree that is newly felled may have boughes and blossoms answerable unto other trees yet is truly dead as being separated from the root even so saith the Apostle they that live in pleasures are dead while they live He was lost and is found Every Soul departing from God loseth it self though never so sensible of the way it walketh in Jonah knew whither he went when he marched to Anathoth yet lost himself having received Orders for his advance to Nineveh The heart of man is a notable Sophister giving heed to Satans Logique filleth the Microsmos or little Universe of Man full of misprisions that when he thinketh he stands he falls when he thinketh he saveth his life he loseth his life when he thinketh he hath a good bargain he loseth himself in the purchase In this sence He truly buys gold too dear that winneth the world with the loss of his Soul Pardon I pray this circumlocution and take notice with me from the Parable of the Prodigal this one thing That if it be an undubitable matter of rejoycing to receive a dead childe to life or for a childe that was lost to finde the way home again the grief of both Parents in such a condition being great but especially of the latter if you have heard the sad complaint of divers in London and elsewhere who have been made sensible of such an affliction then certainly we may see what our Saviour thus methodically gives us to understand by the similitude to wit That it is well pleasing to Almighty God that every Creature should come to the attainment of Life and Salvation But methinks I hear some object and say That they cannot beleeve that Christ dyed for the World or that God is so open-handed unto all Creatures but rather according to the Doctrine of the Reformed Churches that God predestinateth some to life and Salvation and of those there is an impossibility of perishing Others he hath appointed to death and destruction and of such no possibility of Salvation And for their Faith in this particular there are many warrants from Scripture viz. Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself yea 1 Object the wicked for the day of evil From whence it is reasoned That God acting from a principle of his own Will made all things for his glory and consequently the wicked for the day of evil that his power may be manifested Jude 4. There were certain men crept in 2 Object who of old were ordained to this condemnation From this Scripture is proved the Doctrine of Reprobation viz. That God of old or from all Eternity did ordain or appoint certain persons unto condemnation Rom. 9.13 Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated 3 Object From this Text it is manifest That God in his Decree of Election before they were born or had done good or evil did appoint Jacob and his seed to Life and Salvation Esau and his posterity to Hell and Destruction So then taking the Scriptures together First that in Prov. 16. proveth the soveraignty of God in making the wicked for the day of evil Secondly that in Jude proves That in the determinate Counsel of God certain men were appointed to Destruction Lastly that of Rom. 9. manifesteth Gods free Election in chusing Jacob and refusing Esau Which being considered how can the Doctrine be closed with that hath been delivered viz. That it is the good will and pleasure of Almighty God that every Creature should come to the attainment of Life and Salvation Now Sirs ye have heard the strength of the Objection let me crave your attention to the Reply Indeed the Scriptures produced through mis-understanding may have some seeming opposition but if rightly weighed they infer no such thing Therefore we shall answer to the several Objections in order Answer to the first Object To the first Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself yea the wicked for the day of wrath where from Gods plenipotency over the Creatures is argued That God made wicked men Gen. 1. and appointed them to Destruction we answer That all God made was good yea saith the Scripture exceeding good and that persons be degenerated is through prevarication of their own hearts for God made man righteous but he sought out his own inventions Therefore

then reprove the Legal Teachers in our generation who present the terrors of the Law to reduce persons to the obedience of the Gospel and by coercive power if they had it beat mens spirits into a conformity Christ satisfied Peter that his Kingdom was not of this world From which I apprehend we may gather That majesterial or worldly power hath no cognizance over the things of God Paul telleth Timothy who as all conclude was a famous Bishop 2 Tim. 2.24 25. The servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if peradventure God will give grace to repentance How unsuitably then do those persons act who under pretence of * ●Nab●th blasphemed c. only a sleight to get his Vineyard Cave C. O. Heresie and Blasphemy condemn men first and give them time to repent afterwards Harken unto me ye fiery Zealots let us reason the matter suppose there were in this Congregation one that is a Jew pleading for a necessity of Sacrifices Circumcision c. Another a Turk pleading the interest of Mahomet A third of Aristotle and Pythagoras his Judgment denying both Diety and Resurrection I pray let me ask you this question Is it not more Christian-like to instruct these men then destroy them Should not these poor Souls be objects of pity rather then fury seeing they must all stand at the Judgment seat of Christ and to torment them before the time is to do that to them which as I understand Scripture Christ permited not to be done unto Devils Now if such civility is to be used unto Aliens and Forreigners who are Strangers in person and Religion will you that be fellow Natives desire Laws of cruelty to be exercised upon those that are neerer by affinity both in birth and judgment Again Coercive power at the best makes men but Hypocrites when perswasion through love maketh a change in the minde and what is it to drive the person of a man into a little outward conformity when in his minde he is always free to affect that which his judgment gives him to be truth * Simile A Lion chained is a Lion still the chain mitigateth not but exasperateth the fierceness of the creature Outward forcings onely chain the out side it is love onely that can change the minde Saint Paul exhorteth Titus to be gentle and shew all meekness unto all men and by a self-experiment he encourageth him to that duty For saith he Tit. 3. We our selves also were sometimes disobedient serving divers lusts c. but after the kindness of the love of God appeared c. Then there was an alteration If the men of our generation that stile themselves Ministers of the Gospel had labored to beget love in the people towards God by presenting the Love of God in our Saviour to the people in a gentle and meek way according to the Gospel the rent amongst themselves would not have bin so great and * Bellum episcopale hinc iliae lachrymae divisions of the people less One thing more observe from the connexion of this Discourse The precedent Verses speak that these Athenians worshipped the true God after an ignorant way As God may be truly worshiped by a form so the true God is often worshipped in a form after a false manner I pray God the whole Kingdom be not guilty of it The outward deckings and adornments of you that hear me speak forth a good time or some high * It was Easter day in the afternoons Exercise day but how fitted and prepared your hearts be for reception of the substance of these formalities God and your Consciences are your Judges The Apostle Paul telleth the Colossians of us rising with Christ as well as the rising of Christ Col. 3.1 If ye be risen with Christ seek those things that are above c. To beleeve Christ in history as to be born dead and risen again at Jerusalem Rome Spain France acknowledg as much yea the Devils beleeve confess it and tremble but the Unity and participation in the mystery of this history is that which must be of Soul-concernment unto every one of you Prove your selves whether you be IN the Faith or no Know ye not that except Jesus Christ be IN you you are reprobates If you know any thing of the new-birth of Regeneration or of Christ being formed in us by a manifestation of God in Our flesh then you may keep Christmas at Mid-Lent Or if you know what it is to have your conversation in Heaven and understand that of the Apostle Col. 2.12 Buried with him in Baptism wherein also you are risen with Him by faith through the operation of God then you may keep Easter and Good Friday all of a day I know many of you here have this morning observed the solemnity of the Passeover by eating or breaking bread God forbid that I should discourage you in any thing that you apprehend to foe of God in this Form but give me leave to declare what Bread the Apostle would have the Corinthians observe the Passeover with 1 Cor. 5.8 Therefore let us keep the feast not with the Leaven of malice and wickedness but with the unleavened bread of Sincerity and Truth And further when he speaks as to wise men 1 Cor. 10.16 The Cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ By which expressions you may observe the Apostles drift was to fix their hearts upon the Substance which is Spirit and Life in it self and the very Soul of the Sacrament One word more to the Military part of this Auditory for whom this Discourse was more precisely intended Gentlemen having been your fellow-Soldier in the Nations cause I take the more boldness and freedom to speak a word of Exhortation to you You have heard what hath been pressed viz. Gods Goodness unto Mankinde The consideration whereof taking impression upon our spirits will be a strong motive and provocation to us for to repent and be changed in our mindes from the love of the world to the love of God If this duty be to be practised by all then more especially by you that be Soldiers I have observed one notable stratagem of Satan in transporting the minde of the creature above its proper sphere Take it for granted in the generality that those societies of men that are in most danger of death are most careless in their living * Quatuor aut septem si sit latissima ●aeda Seamen and Soldiers in what ha●ard do they lead their lives yet how vainly do they spend their time and how improvidently fitted for death My Masters I knew the time when the hearts of wel-affected were refreshed to hear the goodness of God manifested in your meetings but how have you sadded the spirits of good men to observe so much