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	grave_n	soul_n	8,304	5	5.4298	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34900	The light of Gods countenance: or, The glory of God in the face of Ghrist [sic] Jesus infinitely out-shining all earthly vanities. Set out in a sermon preached at Lantilio Pertholy, in Monmouth-shire, June 5. 1653. By John Cragge, Master of Arts, and dispenser of the gospell there.	Cragge, John, M.A.	1654 (1654)	Wing C6787; ESTC R215238	20,478	30

cup does overflow All this may bee confirmed by the Effects and Fruits of it by Examples by the Effects it 's Light that wee may see all things expells Darknesse that the mist of Ignorance vanishes enlightens us that we are lights in our selves that Reason Will Affections are improved inflames our soules with the heat of Zeale causes Faith Hope Charity Patience Long-suffering bud out as herbes in the spirituall garden of the heart if God lift up this Light over the Zenith of our soules it causes these earthly shadowes of Honour Beauty Ambition to be the shortest our dayes of Comfort the longest it is All things a Castle to the Besieged Liberty to the Prisoner a Father to the Fatherlesse a Husband to the Widow Cloathes to the Naked Bread to the Hungry Health to the Sick Oyntment to the Head Oyle to the Face Wine to the Heart Marrow to the Bones Strength to the Body Comfort to the Sole eternall Salvation to both Body and Sole By examples this Light held up confirmed the blessed Angles when the rest fell into utter darknesse guided Enoch that he walked with God preserved Noah in the Arke from the Flood Jasswaged the heat of fire to the three Children in the Fornace stopped the mouth of the Lions against Daniel in the Denne made the Apostles sing Psalmes at midnight in the Gaoles comforted the Martyrs in the Racks Torments Executions made Stephen in the midst of hellish paines to see Heaven open as the Starre the wise men guides all Saints to Christ in glory All the reasons wee will give of this point is that it is a Blessing beyond all Reason a Starre above our Firmament that our understanding cannot calculate our Jacobs Staffe cannot reach to if we attaine to it by any meanes it must be with the Angels by Jacobs Ladder Christ Jesus in that we cannot conceive it it arises from the disproportion betwixt our knowledge and it in that it is our cheifest blisse it 's from the proportion betwivt our soules and it We have done with the former a word of the latter Mans soule was created by God nothing can satisfie it but God hath some part of Gods image in it like the pin of a D●all still restlesse till it be fixed upon him the Pole or Noahs Dove still flichring for the windowes of Heaven Now Gods Grace is the earnes the seale in the forehead the wedding garment which if we keep here will assure us of all hereafter the soule being in continuance eternall in desire infinite cannot be contented with a finite Man being of creatures the noblest cannot rest in an inferiour creature but when the Creator supports the Creature the clearest light shines in deepest darknesse strength uponlds weaknesse heaven is promised to him that is rescued out of hell and is not this able to sway with all men in the world with the wise men to forsake Heards Cattell Friends Lands Revenews and follow this Starre that guides us unto Christ at his Fathers right hand in glory Thus the reason the uses follow Obj. Are all worldly things as Gloe wormes and rotten stocks in the dark obscured when God puts brightnesse of his face Some men seem to have as sincere joy in their Corne Wine Children and in their eyes seem as bright Starres as Gods favour Answ I answer it is either in the night of their ignorance before this morning Starre appeare in their hearts or if after they are but Pareliosses which may shine but it is when the true Sun is under a cloud againe what light they have it is borrowed from the other by reflection 2. Obj. The Saints in whom this Light dwells suffer afflictions persecutions sorrowes without sometimes pangs of Conscience within as though their light was put out in utter darknesse whiles the Worldings rejoice Answ I answer though God sometimes cover his face with clouds yet in these stormes there are signes of his favour which as the Rainbow shews some small shower will follow yet they are a sure pledge he will not utterly destroy them 3. Obj. If the light of Gods countenance so farre exceed all things why doe so few men sue for it so many for earthly things Ans I answer they are like blazing Stars and Meteors in the lower regions that set all eyes at gaze man by nature is blinded with this ignis fatuus or foolish fire that leads him into every ditch in that the Saints are freed they are like the celestial Orbs having a peculiar motion to themselves besides the common motion The second use may let us see wherein this grace of God consists it 's not his favour in bestowing naturall endowments as good temperature in body bloud spirits which hath the usuall name of cheerfulnesse it 's not a morall comfort at sing from the exercise of high and heroicall morall vertues which breeds a kind of solace and contentment in the exercise and work delight Thirdly it 's not a civil blessing consisting in honor riches wealth and other things temporall for thus far the worlding may goe but it 's a spirituall favor arising from the presence of Gods holy spirit curing us healing us sealing us to the everlasting love of God in Christ Jesus See the links of this golden Chain by this grace we are become new creatures conceived of the Spirit Joh. 3.5 reconciled unto God in Christ freed from Satans bondage made spirituall Kings and Priests sanctified by degrees assured of ou a loption encouraged to come to the throne of Grace have peace of conscience joy in the holy Ghost enjoys light that guides us in the narrow straights of death makes Saints shine at the Resurrection as starres carries us into heaven where neither Sun nor Moon but the Lambe shall enlighten us for ever The third use may serve for humbling from whence comes our foylings and faylings our courage and valour onely from Gods grace 1. It makes us able to doe any thing 2. fuffer any thing 3. saves us from all things 1. Do any thing subdue the flesh encounter Satan conquer the world when all friends forsake us at death and follow us but to the grave it makes our beds in sicknesse causes us to dye softer stands by us when we groan and comforts u● heartens us upon death when it is coming and sayes our Redeemer lives whispers us when we are departing and sayes our warfare is accomplished lodges our body in the grave as in a bed mans our soule to heaven makes it able to look God in the face without terror nay sustains us when Riches Parents Husband Friends Breath Life even Patience Hope Faith have left us in some measure it will not leave us Secondly suffer any thing Rage Dragons Bears Lions if God be pacified frowne Tyrants and Executioners so he smile mangling of Bodyes ripping of Bowels racking of Joynts burning of Flesh boyling in Oyle become tolerable when a murdering Theodorick sees the face of a Man in the mouth of a Fish it lets us see the power of God in weak flesh when Bessus hears the cry of murder in the chattering of Birds it shews the sweet whispers of comfort in the soule when Sanders runs over Irish mountaines out of his wits it makes us run to God when Reprobates call for hills and mountaines to cover them it makes us look at the brightnesse of Gods face as the Gymnosophists at the Sun with undazled eyes Thirdly it saves us from all encounters suppose Hell be let loose upon us the D●vils let sl p all their Doggs at once some barke some bite all pursue Gods grace stops all their mou●hs that they cannot hurt This Light of Gods countenance is to us as a pillar of a cloud by day a pillar of fire by night stands still like the Sun to Joshua till we have vanquished our bodily and ghostly enemies when our joyes seeme to set it turnes back as the Sun to Hezekiah that neither Plague nor Sword nor Famine of the Word nor Death nor Hell nor Damnation shall prevaile over us Lastly a word of Exhortation and we have done Now then Brethren Is not this Light worth the beholding you cannot have alwayes comfort in Wealth comfort in Health comfort in Friends Neighbours Wives Children these be not alwayes and while they be they sometimes minister matter of discomfort yea sometime their life and presence doe discourage but in the presence of God is constant Peace constant Comfort and Joy to be found he is constantly Good True O get this favou however you do get it and you shall have all come what will come this changes not these Comforts in Christ are sure never cease seeking begging hearing conferring till his face shine upon you you be sure of his love you have seen the comforts of the world you see how all cisterns faile you goe to the fountain in the word of God in the House of God in the Favour of God you shall have comfort in his Light you shall see light when others nothing but Darknesse round about O then thou that sittest in darknesse of Affliction darknesse of Poverty D●bt in the darknesse of Temptation of Sin thou that seest no light none within thee none without thee none in thy Soul none in thy Mind none in thine Estate Friends arise put on Beauty come into the Light stand up from the Dead dead Comforts dead Companions dead Works and the Lord shall lift up the light of his countenance upon thee for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉

contemplation by observation than we here is the default that it is not grounded in the Understanding settled in the Affections wrought into the heart established in the Conscience this is the true and distinct knowledge and what our knowledge hath indefinite of spirituall it will have in excess of temporall This arises from the disproportion and distance betwixt our souls and spiritual things from the proportion and nearness betwixt them and temporall they are continually in our sight fills our eyes more affects us deeplyer and though they be like the Moon now w●xing now wayning now eclipsed now altogether gone yet because they are nearest us they seem bigger than Grace Mercy Peace and other fixed Starres in the firmament of glory 3. The third reason to prove the wee are passionately carried after the things of this world is drawn from the cause which in generall is the corruption and depravation of our nature and the improvement of these cursed seeds in particular to every unregenerate man who can bring Light out of Darkness gather Grapes of Thornes and Figgs of Thistles Who being earthly can desire any thing but earthly it is Christs own saying Joh. 3.31 Qui ex terrâ terrena c. He that is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth nay he not only speaks of it but he thinks of it dreams of it twings and galls and toyles his soule for it places his health his wealth his felicity in it that men are become like brambles growing with both ands into the ground as waspes can relish nothing but poyson as spiders weave webbs out of nothing but the principles of our corrupted nature as amber draws nothing but stubble trash and straw unto us Lust raignes in the throne of the flesh the world besieges it Satan strives to be the Porter these three are the Tritarkes of the Soule that either bribes or casts Conscience into a sleep suffering the Will Understanding and Affections to entertaine no guest till they have first sworne Allegiance to them hence is that disorder in the soule distempered heat of a feavour now carking now cating now burning now boyling now loving now loathing still coveting never satisfied 4 Fourthly the generall example of others and daily conversing with them begets in men an esteem that some unvaluable excellency is in them All places seem to worship this Mammon or Idoll of the World Towns Viliages Countries Cities Courts Common-wealths makes suits for this Debates in common Pleas upper Bench Chancery Court of Wards Trialls for Lands Goods Liberty Honour pleads answer to this interrogatorie Who will shew us any good Men ventures themselves on the angry Seas diggs into the bowels of the Earth exposes their bodyes in wars to Wounds Scarrs Schirmages Massakers Death for Honor Riches Wealth Empire Dignity the Young man hopes the Strong man enjoyes the O d feares to lose them the Poore sorrowes for them the Rich rejoyces in them and yet still craves more an Earldome a Dukedome a Kingdome an Empire nay if the whole would could be granted such is the boundless ambition of man that he would weep with Alexander that there were no more worlds to be conquered but one nay for this they will sweare lye deceive oppresse extort toyl Body wound Soul gall and gash Conscience and are not so many examples by Sea Land Young Old Rich Poor able to draw a world after them Hitherto the reasons the uses follow 1. Of information Qu And Whether it be lawfull agreeable to Gods will any prejudice to the health of the Soule to desire these tempor all things or no Answ The truth is we may for all good is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amiable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very divine having some sparke of Gods Image in it goods temporall spirituall internall externall eternall for this life for the life to come Are all attractive desirable in their places in their order 1. Because they are Gods Creatures which are all good all for some use 2. Because God hath implanted in us by nature a desire of them omne appetit bonum every thing desires that which is good and nothing is desired but that which is good or seemes to be so in that we call evill good desire it excessively disorderly it came by corrupted nature not by nature 3. Because we cannot live without them they are scrips and baggs that we must use in our pilgrimage to the heavenly Canaan barques that must ferry us over Jordan to the Land of Promise 4. They are meanes whereby we may serve God with more cheerfulnesse here in providing helpes distributing to the necessity of Saints charitably succouring the poor 5. They are meanes to further us in our journy to heaven for if in the creatures here below we descry Beauty Goodness Glory O then how good how beautifull how glorious is He that made them But now as the world uses them they are become thorns stumbling-blocks impediments hinderances for Heaven and that in these three respects 1. First Ratione ordinis when we desires them disorderly as children that delight themselves with the guilded out-side of the book and look not within or as swine that feed upon the acrons and look not up at the tree look not up at God except as Marriners at the pole that thereby they may better arrive at their earthly shore desire riches honour as their chief felicity and end not as meanes leading to that end this made our Saviour direct and prescribe the right order Mat. 6 33. Seek first the Kingdome of GOD and the righteousness thereof and other things shall be added unto you for Body for Soul for Health for Wealth for this Life as well as for the Life to come but if the things of this life that should be Gods Embassadours Souldiers Ledgers Factors rob him of his Glory and challenge Soveraignty to themselves though with Absolom they may seduce flitter and b●witch for a time yet this treason will be punished and attach the worldlings conscience that neither Field nor towne nor Bed nor Board nor Life nor Death nor Depth nor Grave can render them secure 2. Secondly the things of this world become hurtfull respectu medi when they are desired out of measure excessively when the understanding too highly prizes them the will too earnestly desires them the affections like Souldiers about a prey are at jatre amongst themselves and at mutiny with God for them crying passionately with the Israelites in the Wildernesse for Manna or Rachael Gen. 30.1 Da liberos Give mee Children or I die This is 1. when we desire them without condition not submitting our will to Gods will 2. without bounds that our whole soule is taken up with them that faith zeale charity are expelled 3. without end that if all worldly contentment should flow upon them as Rivers into the Sea yet the boundlesse bank of their ambition would never be filled 3. In the third place