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	life_n	separation_n	4,198	5	9.8832	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53272	The first, last, or, The formal hypocrite further from salvation (as to the way of God's ordinary working) than the prophane sinner being the substance of several sermons preached in course at a lecture in the countrey / by J.O. ...	Oldfield, John, 1627?-1682.	1666 (1666)	Wing O219A; ESTC R17591	60,026	155

sensible of his growth nor a fit Judg of it That of the Orator concerning growth in knowledg may be fitly appli'd hither As we see the shadow of a Dial to have gone but see it not go and the Herb or Grass to have grown but do not see it grow so the encrease of knowledg and the same may be said of Grace because it consists of very small additions is seen only at some distance Yet with these limitations I may affirm That every true Christian is in a constant thriving posture 1. That he grows downward like Trees in Winter when he seems to decay upward he grows more humble when he seems to be less holy and this is real growth God in wisdom suspends his influences as to the growth of other Graces that there may be a proportionable growth in that Christians like the Athenian Students the more they grow in Grace the more out of conceit with themselves As they at their first coming thither arrogated the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wise men then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lovers of wisdom Afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Speakers of wisdom At last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ideots So it is with Christians 2. That he grows more into hatred of sin when he seems to decay in strength against it when he feels corruption prevail lusts predominant he cryes out with the Apostle Rom. 7.15 What I hate that do I. And v. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death He more loaths sin and himself that he cannot conquer it he abhors the very thoughts of it and grows more impatient of its yoke 3. That he grows in depth of Judgment when he declines in height of Affection possibly when young he had more leaves and blossoms stronger affections and more serverous motions but now is more sober and solid At first he was sick of love now more rooted in love But now it is otherwise with the Formalist he experiences no such growth but the contrary he goes backward and not forward Jer. 7.24 grows more proud and self-confident sin grows less burdensome or more delightful to him as he hath less strength so he hath less heart then formerly to resist sin or perform duty Conscience is in a consumption and he that would have strain'd at a Gnat can after some time swallow a Camel he loses his seeming love to and savour of Religion Observe then if it be thus with thee for by these thou mayest discover thy Formality 2. But it is not enough to get a convincing sight of this sin i e. that thou art a Formalist except thou hast also an humbling sense of it there 's a great distance betwixt the eye and heart a man may clearly see that he is a sinner yet be little affected with it the Drunkard Swearer c. cannot but see their sin yet are far from feeling it It must be therefore our endeavour in order to the cure of this sin to get the heart affected as well as the Judgment convinced Sin must be our burden else we shall never look out for ease To this end therefore it must be thy endeavour to view this sin in its aggravations to consider and dwell upon the consideration of its hainousness till thy heart be pressed with the weight of it To help thee a little in this take a few things of many 1. It is a sin that turns the greatest reality in the world into a meer shew and shadow Religion is the greatest reality all we do in the World besides the work of Religion is but a meer dream Regeneration Communion with God the Spiritual combat the Life of Faith Mortification of sin c. these are realities indeed Now Formality turns all these into a naked empty Profession a vain Theatrical shew as the Poetical Fiction of the Eccho metamorphosd from a real Virgin to a meer Sound as the Papists have turn'd the true Fast into a m●ck-fast Repentance and afflicting the soul into lashings of the Body and Pilgrimages the Sacrament of the Supper into a dumb shew and the whole Worship of God into a ceremonious Enterlude So the Formalist turns Prayer Hearing Sacraments c. into shadows and is this a small sin think you Dwell upon this consideration how soon would Religion vanish into nothing if there were not a few serious spirits to uphold it in the power of it This eats out the kernel the heart the life of Religion It was no less serious then witty a division which one gave of that Text 2 Tim. 3.5 Having a form of godliness Here said he you have 1. The Body of Religion viz. Form 2. The Soul of Religion viz. Power 3. The death of Religion and that is the separation of the Soul from the Body Power from Form This is the effect of thy sin it murders Religion 2. It is a mocking God to his very face it 's a lying to God and will God endure it What are your formal Petitions Confessions Thanksgivings c. but meer mockeries Thou com'st to hear but it is as they in Jer. 42.5 6 9. who when they received a Message contrary to their designs tell the Prophet to his face that he lies or as Isa 58.2 who were but as a people that did righteousness and forsook not the Ordinances of their God Or as they are described in Ezek. 33.31 32. The Prophet's Preaching was to them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice They heard his words but did them not And what greater abuse can be put upon God then for men to come and pretend a desire to know his Will yet to take no care of performing it As to your prayers I may invert that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 14. 14. Your understanding prayeth but the spirit is unfruitful Your approaches to the Lords Table are no better than a Judas's kiss nor can God take any more pleasure in your approaches then he did in the like service of the Jews Isa 1 12-15 66.3 You do but complement with God and that is no better then meer mockery O think how wretched a thing it is how highly displeasing your duties all of them while you continue in Formality are so many jeers and abuses put upon God 3. By this sin you put a cheat and fallacy upon your own souls you mock God but deceive your selves Gal. 6.3 If a man think himself to be something when he is nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he deceives himself seduces his own soul Jam. 1.22 Bare hearers do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 play the sophisters put tricks and fallacies upon themselves So v. 26. He that bridleth not his tongue and such ordinarily is the Formalist bitter railing censorious but deceiving his own heart his Religion is vain And what greater madness than for a man to cheat himself Lay this home and aggravate your condition by it Wretch that I am I think to deceive