Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	body_n	die_v	see_v	5,409	5	3.4069	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87089	Death's alarum: or, Security's vvarning-piece. A sermon preached in S. Dionis Back-Church, at the funerall of Mrs. Mary Smith (daughter of Mr. Isaac Colfe, formerly minister of Gods Word at Chadwell in Essex, and late wife of Mr. Richard Smith of London, draper) who dyed the 9th. day of Novemb. 1653. and was buried the 16th of the same moneth. By Nath: Hardy, Mr. of Arts, and preacher to that parish.	Hardy, Nathaniel, 1618-1670.	1653 (1653)	Wing H714; Thomason E725_4; ESTC R206763	23,164	36

it is very hard to intertaine thoughts of going out of the world If the Mountaine be strong even David is ready to say I shall never be moved no mervail if presumptuous Babylon being in her chaire of state say I sit a Queene and am no Widdow and shall see no sorrow But yet very frequently this is the houre wherein Christ cometh so the threatning runneth against both literall and misticall Babylon Evill shall come upon her in a moment in one day and so it was verified in the rich Fool who bidding his soul to take its ●ase by reason of his worldly abundance had that very night his soule required of him and carryed to torment 3. The houre of bodily health and strength is a time in which men cast the thought of death behind them whilst they have colour in their faces agility in their joynts appetite in their stomacks health in their bodies How rare are their Meditations on Death Go preach your Lectures of Mortality say they to the weake and the lame and the sick as for us wee have no reason to trouble our selves with such melancholly thoughts What do you tell us of dying and rotting in the grave whilest our bones are moystned with marrow We feel no infirmity and therefore feare not mortality And yet how often doth Christ come by death in such an houre one dyeth saith Job in his full strength being wholly at ●ase and quiet his breasts are full of milk and his bones are moystned with marrow How many valiant and stout men hath death laid upon their backs on a sodaine tripping up their heeles Have you not sometimes seene a sturdy Oak quickly blown downe by a violent winde a strong and tall Vessell presently sunke by a leake So are oft-times men snatched away in the strength and vigour of their body by death 4. The houre of Youthfull age is a time wherein few make account of dying It is soone enough say young men to thinke of our death in the day when desire shall faile to look for a grave when they that looke out at the windowes are darkned and to feare the approach of both when the keepers of the house shall tremble these gravecloths are too sad for the freshness of our life we are young and may see many a fair yeare passe over our heads before death cometh and therefore think not that like the mad man in the Gospel we will spend our life among the tombs But alas how frequently even in this houre doth the Sonne of Man come In Golgotha saith the Hebrew Proverb there are soules of all sizes and our weekely bills for the most part afford a greater numbers of dead Children than aged men The Poets have a fable that Death and Cupid lodging together at an Inne exchanged their arrowes whereby it hath since come to passe that many times Old men dote and Young men dye The truth is death doth not summon us according to our yeares even the blossome is subject to nipping as well as the flower to withering That threat which Almighty God denounceth by the Prophet Amos is very often in this morall sense made good I will cause the Sun to goe downe at noone nay not onely so but even in the morning of youth doth the Sunne of many a mans life goe down To apply this let it then be the care of every one of us that Christs coming may not be to us in an houre wee think not of and to that end let no houre at least day of our life passe without a serious thought of the day and houre of our death Larkes in Theocritus are called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} because they carry the forme of a Sepulchre upon their heads Such should all Christians be having permanent impressions of death not on but in their heads and hearts The Indian Gymnosophists were so much in love with these thoughts that they caused their graves to be made before their gates so as both at their going out and coming in they might be put in minde of their death and truly however the most men in the days of their vanity account a life spent in meditation of death to be a miserable life a death rather than a life yet when the time of their death approacheth they will change their note and say as dying Theophilus did of devout Arsenius Beatus es Abba Arseni qui semper hanc horam ante oculoshabuisti They are happy men who set death daily before their eys Indeed by this meanes the coming of Christ as it will not be altogether sodaine so neither terrible to us nor can any man so use S. Cyprians words receive comfort at his death who did not before make account of dying A late writer hath in this respect piously fancyed that Clocks were invented to minde us not so much of the Sunne 's motion in the Heavens as the passing of our life here on Earth Since the sounding of the clock telleth us that the past houre is as it were dead and buried which at some time or hour of some day or other must be our lot Oh then what ever our present condition is let us still entertaine thoughts of our latter end Art thou in health and strength remember a wise and good man even then as Gregory Nazian. saith {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} will looke both upwards to heaven and downewards to his grave Doest thou enjoy the pleasures of life learn of Joseph of Arimathea to make a tombe in thy garden and season thy delights with thoughts of thy dissolution Finally art thou advanced to an high estate in this world forget not how low thy highnesse must come ere long and what one was appoynted to have in his hands at the inauguration of the Graecian Emperours namely in the one a burning firebrand presently consumed and in the other a vessell full of ashes and dead mens bones have thou in thy heart by renewed meditations of thy mortality To close up this part It is reported concerning the Maids in the Isle of Man that the first thing they spin is their winding-sheete which they weare about them as a girdle at their feasts well were it if we would in the midst of all our enjoyments gird our selves about with our winding-sheets fixing our thoughts upon our end that so by this meanes we may not have cause at last to sigh forth the foole's words Non putaram I did not think my death had been so neare Blessed is that man whom Christ when he cometh by death shall finde not as Jaell did Siserah asleep but as Jonathan's arrow came to David standing in the field and looking for it yea so looking as to bee fitting himself which leads to the Preparednesse required in every Christian for this coming Be you therefore ready For the better and clearer dispatch of this I shall endeavour both to unfold

third observable is the time of this persons advent specified and that to be both speedy and sodaine in an houre when you think not speedy because in an houre one of the shortest dimensions of time it may be long before Christ come but when he cometh he will not be long about it and therefore he saith not in a yeare or a moneth or a day but an houre nor is it onely speedy but sodaine because in an houre men think not of and by this an addition is made to the preceding expression in that parallel verse there it is you know not in what houre and that lets us see how secret death is from and therefore how uncertaine it is to all men here it is in an houre you thinke not which lets us see how sodaine and therefore unexpected it is to many men 4. The last particular according to this Retrograde yet Logicall order considerable is the inference deduced what conclusions must be drawne from these premisses what effect these considerations of the thing person and time ought to work upon us and that is in these words be ye therefore ready namely to have all things fitted before Christ cometh that we may have nothing to doe when he cometh but to meet him That which he calleth for in the forementioned verse is watching that which he requireth here is readinesse two phrases one whereof explaines the other On the one hand lest the command of watching alwayes might seeme impossible Christ sheweth that the continuall watching he expects is onely so farre as to put our selves in a ready posture that we may not have grace to get when we should spend it On the other lest we should think it enough to watch that is think of his coming he calleth upon us not onely to watch but to be ready injoyning such an expectation of as leads us to preparation for his coming 5. Time will not give me leave to insist on each of these particulars and therefore I shall contract the foure to two and dichotomizing the Text here is observable in it Praedictio eventus A Prediction of something to come to passe In an houre you think not c. Praescriptio operis A Prescription of something to be done Be you therefore ready Or if you will here is Praemonitio periculi A Danger forewarned In an houre you think not c. Admonitio officii A Forewarning advised Be you therefore ready Yet once more The two important truths of this Scripture are Inopinatus Christi adventus The sodainnesse of Christs coming In an hour you think not c. Necessarius Christiani apparatus The necessity of the Christians preparing Be you therefore ready Between these two I shall divide the following discourse beseeching this Son of man that he would in this houre by his spirit come into our hearts that every one of us may be swift to heare and ready to receive these divine Lessons And so I begin with the Sodainesse of Christs coming in an houre which you think not the Sonne of Man will come This is that truth which S. Paul excellently exemplifieth When they shall say peace and safety then sodaine destruction cometh upon them as Travell upon a Woman with Childe when men say peace and safety they little dreame of warre and ruine paine cometh oft-times upon the woman in the street at the table in an houre when she least thinketh on it Such is Christs coming especially to carelesse and secure sinners That expression of the Prophet Jeremy may not unfitly be made use of to this purpose by way of illustration when he saith death is come up into our windows the true man cometh in at the doore but the thief at the window coming in at the doore is usuall but coming in at the window is unexpected So is Christs coming to men by death in such a way at such a time as is unlooked for This truth is that which our Lord himselfe elsewhere illustrateth by the metaphor of a snare and that day is said so to come for its secrecy and unexpectednesse Agag flattereth himselfe that the bitternesse of death is past and then Samuel giveth order to hew him in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal and usually when men think death the farthest off it is the nearest to them To inlarge this more particularly be pleased to take notice that there is a foure-fold hour wherein men usually make no account of Christs coming by death and yet in which Christ frequently cometh to men to wit hora carnalis voluptatis mundanae prosperitatis corporalis sanitatis juvenilis aetatis the houre of carnall pleasure of worldly prosperity bodily health and youthfull age 1. The houre of carnall pleasure is a time wherein death is scarce at all thought upon While the ambitious Statist is climbing high he dreameth not of falling low into a grave whilst covetous Mammonists are heaping up thick clay they think not of being themselves made an heap of dust and whilest voluptuous Epicures are feeding on dainties and dallying with Dallilah's they seldome make account of conversing with and being fed upon by Wormes in this respect no doubt it is that our Saviour warneth his Disciples Take heede to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares thereby intimating that this day cometh unawares upon them who are plunged into the cares and delights of this life and yet even in this houre the Sonne of Man is pleased to come and arrest presumptuous sinners Belshazzar is quaffing in his Cups carousing with his Companions when as in that selfe-same hour came forth the fingers of a man writing upon the wall the destruction of him and his Kingdomes Herod is glutting his aspiring humour with popular applause forgetting in the pride of his heart both God and himselfe when as by a strange judgement he is immediately devoured by worms alive and giveth up the Ghost Finally worldly men spend their dayes in getting wealth and in a moment they goe downe to the grave The coming of the Floud upon the old World is a litttle before made an Emblem by Christ of his coming and that as the amplification demonstrateth in this very particular as the Floud came upon the old World when they were so farre from fearing ruine that they were eating and drinking and giving in marriage So doth Christ seize upon sinners in the midst of their delights whilst they are indulging to their lusts 2. The houre of worldly prosperity is a time wherein men are very regardlesse of Christs coming in affliction and misery many wish for death but in enjoyments and prosperity they scarce think of it when the Sun shone so bright upon Sodome in the Morning they little expected to be consum'd by a dismal fire from heaven before Evening when the world is flowing in upon a man

the nature and press the practise of this duty 1. To illustrate the nature of this preparation be pleased to observe both the intent of the thing and the extent of the time by the former we shall see wherein this readinesse and by the latter when it ought to bee performed 1. The duty it self being of very weighty importance It should be a little inquired into what things are requisite to denominate a man ready for Christs coming The severall metaphors of a Bridegroome of a Lord and of a Thiefe under which the coming of Christ is represented to us may very fitly be made use of to this end and purpose 1. They are ready for the coming of the Bridegroom who have on their wedding garment And this is no other in a spirituall sense than that white rayment to wit of Christs righteousnesse apprehended by faith which our blessed Lord adviseth the Church to buy of him indeed when death cometh it will strip us of all other induments Job saith of himselfe and it is no more than what every man shall finde true Naked came I forth of my Mothers womb and naked shall I returne thither onely of this garment it cannot bereave us and he alone who is thus clothed may with comfort look death in the face 2. Againe he is ready for the coming of his Lord who hath discharged the trust reposed in and improved the stock left with him by his Lord Indeed thus to doe in reference to God exactly is impossible but yet this to endeavour is necessary and he onely is fit for death who hath beene carefull in life to employ his talents for Gods glory and to keep a good conscience in all things When the Lord cometh he expects an account of the Servants receipts and disbursments and how unfit will the idle or wastfull servant bee to make up his account That life must needs render a man unprepared for death which is spent in doing nothing or that which is worse than nothing in abusing the mercies we receive to the dishonour of him who hath bestowed them on us Finally he is ready for the coming of a Thief who keepeth himselfe and his family waking hath his doore locked bolted and barred and is furnished with weapons both of defence and resistance So must we prepare our selves for Christs coming by awaking our soules out of carnall and sensuall security by keeping our hearts with all diligence and by putting on the whole armour of God the condition of that man will be very sad whom death findes asleep in sinne without a spirituall guard and destitute of those graces which should arm him against its venomous sting If you desire a more distinct explication of this preparation let Christ be his owne expositor in that elegant Scripture where he adviseth his Disciples to have their Loynes girt and their Lamps burning The worke of preparation for death is both privative and positive in removing what may hinder us and procuring what may enable us to meet Christ at our death with comfort Both these we are taught under those metaphoricall allusions the former in the girding of our Loynes the latter in the burning of our Lamps 1. To be ready is to have our Loynes girt where by Loynes we may very well understand our affections and lusts which are to be girt by repentance and mortification The sting of death saith S. Paul is sinne so that we are never fit to dye till we have taken out the sting by subduing sinne he that liveth in any lust is so farre from being armed for death that he armeth death against himselfe death is a journey called therefore a going to our long home but how shall he be fit to go this journey who hath not laid aside the weight of sinne and girded up his loynes which will be a sore impediment to him More especially this girding of Loynes may referre to the expelling of worldly love out of our hearts To this purpose both that action of Christs drinking Vinegar and those words of his It is finished immediately before his death are not unfitly moraliz'd to teach us that by despising the world as vaine and bitter we are more prepared for the finishing of our life Oh how unwilling is he to goe out of the world whose heart is glued to it And therefore let it be our wisdome to hang loose in our affections from all earthly relations that as Seneca divinely if we be called to it Nihil nos detineat nec impediat quo minus parati simus quod quand●que faciendum statim facere no worldly thing may hinder us from being ready to do that presently which must be done at some time 2. To be ready is to have our Lamps burning to wit the Lamp of our Soule burning with the graces of Gods spirit the Lamp of our Life burning in the exercise of good works towards God and man Certainly he is very unfit to dye who hath not yet begun to live thy condition must needes be desperate if the lamp of thy life be put out before the lamp of grace be kindled S. John saith of them who dye in the Lord their works follow them to wit those good works which have gone before their death in the course of their lives he onely is fit to meet Christ in death who can say to him in Hezekiah's words Remember Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart a renewed nature and a reformed life are the best preparatives to a comfortable and happy death 2. You see the duty it selfe The next thing to be considered is the time when we should make our selves thus ready it is that which must by no meanes be left out since though we all agree about the thing yet we differ about the time we must be ready for Christs coming that is acknowledged but when we should goe about it is not so easily determined The answer to this is not expresly given in the text but yet manifestly implyed in the context since the housholder no● knowing when the thief will come knowing he will come is alwayes expecting and providing for him and indeed this we shall finde in the ●parallel Scripture expresly supplyed where our Saviour bids his Disciples to watch and pray {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} alwayes It is that then which ought to be the wisdome of every Christian alway to be in a readinesse for the coming of Christ suitable to this is that resolve of holy Job when hee saith All the dayes of my appointed time I will wait till my change come not onely one or a few or some but all his dayes were dayes of watching for the approach of his change according to which is that counsell of S. Basil {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} we must every day of our life be in a posture ready to goe out of this life if our Lord