Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A93339
|
A sermon preached at the funeral oe [sic] the incomparably vertuous and truly pious gentlewoman Mrs. Dorothy Litster. By Edward Smith.
|
Smith, Edward, 1620 or 21-1682.
|
1660
(1660)
|
Wing S4022; Thomason E1013_19; ESTC R208099
|
15,181
|
20
|
They are richer and happier in their hopes than others that want these hopes in their present possession It s such a hope Cui falsum subesse non potest Use II. See hence the reason of their courage and patience in bearing Afflictions undergoing troubles in the world here 's the reason they hope for better Gods promise and Christs merits are the root of a Christians hope and Peace Patience Courage in evil times are the fruit of it And there 's the reason why I should exhort and encourage to let patience have its perfect work and to go on through all opposition with an undaunted courage in the wayes of God to keep your pace towards Heaven be the weather fair or foul though the way be foul the journey end will be fair Be we then stedfast and unmoveable alway attending in the work of the Lord for as much as we know our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. And when we begin to faint and grow weary under the burden of Afflictions or in the duties of Religion let this hope of glory quicken us Let 's call to mind that of the Apostle Rom. 8. These light Afflictions which are but for a moment are not to be compared to that eternal weight of glory Oh let this joy that 's set before us make us follow our Master enduring the Cross See 2 Cor. 4. 16 17. This hope made the Martyrs embrace the flames and kiss the stake Pericula non respicit Martyr sed Coronas Use III. Do Christians hope for the glory of God then let us make use of this to abate our esteem and moderate our affections to the things of this life If we find our hearts ensnar'd and enamoured with the beauty and excellency of outward things there can be no better way to take off our inordinate affection than by pitching upon something that 's ' better Let 's endeavour therefore to gather clearer views of the beauty and glory of holiness and happiness and this will darken the glory of outward things as the shining of the Sun doth the glimmering of the lesser Stars that as we compare the glories of this world with this glory of God we shall say as the world did of Christ there is no comliness or beauty in them why we should desire them It may serve also to help us against temptations He that hath this hope also or the glory of God would not sell his hopes for all the pomps and glittering vanities of the world such hope heightens our spirits to such a degree of generousness and true magnanimity that we shall reject with infinite disdain the highest offers of preferment and worldly honours if they be made as baites to tempt us from God and hinder us of this glory which is the object of our hope a famous instance of this we have in Moses and that other Moses the noble Galeacius Sanctus dum appetit aeternitatem infrase habet omne quod transit Use IV. Let this serve also to sweeten to us the bitter cup of death Let us be content that our bodies should for a while be turned into rottenness and dust for God will not alway leave us in the grave our flesh shall not alway see corruption we do but lay down an evil body to take up a glorious one for it will change our vile bodies that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body When Christ who is our life shall appear we shall also appear with him in Glory Certainly this consideration may raise us not only above the fear of death but even to triumph over it in the words of the Apostle O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Use V. Let this also abate our sorrow for the dead which use the Apostle Paul makes for us to our hands 1 Thes 4. 13. For I would not have you ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleep that you sorrow not even as others which have no hope For if we believe that Iesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Iesus will God bring with him Should we trouble at their advancement or desire to detain them from their happiness when God sees them fit for it to serve our conveniences Use VI. Let us all labour to get this hope of glory that so we may have an Anchor sure and stedfast to keep our souls from splitting against the rocks of presumption or sinking in the sands of desperation and bear up against the winds and waves of persecution and temptation which we are likely enough to meet withal in this present evil world and having obtained this hope of glory let us mind the Apostles exhortation 1 Thes 3. 11 12. To walk worthy of God who hath called us to his Kingdome and Glory This will strengthen our hope for hope is fed with the duties of obedience and so at length we shall arise to rejoycing in hope of the glory of God which is the next act of the soul that 's exercised about this glorious object We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Believers rejoyce in this hoped for Glory Christians have their joy even then when they seeme to the world the most uncomfortable people in it their hearts are not alwayes pen't up with sorrow and stuffed with griefe They doe not I am sure they need not alway sigh and weep They may sometime laugh and sing the word signifies such a joy as is not be conteined that will not be kept in but glories and makes us boast of God and the great things of Heaven There are severall sorts of joy But the joy here meant is such as is wrought in the soule by the spirit of God evidencing to a Christian the pardon of his sin the acceptance of his person and service and so confirming his hopes of the glory of God The greatnesse of these mercies apprehended is such as fills the heart with gladnesse and the tongue with singing This rejoycing is faith triumphant it s not only a vitall act of a Christian but a lively and rigorous act Such as speakes the soul to be in a healthy and sound constituition Reas And surely well may Christians rejoyce if we consider the nature of the object of their joy it is as you have already heard the glory of God Concerning which if you should further ask what it is I must needs say I cannot tell only I know its such as will pose the ablest parts the richest fancy of the most eloquent oratour so much as to shadow it forth such is the excellency of it as words will but darken and eclips its glory if we stay upon them the sun doth not more benight the stars than that glory will the lustâ—e of a thousand suns The truth is eye hath not seene nor ear heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive It doth not appear how transcendently glorious we shall be It cannot be fully known but by