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	sin_n	time_n	4,986	5	3.8313	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A68133	Occasionall meditations by Ios. Exon ; set forth by R.H.	Hall, Joseph, 1574-1656.; Hall, Robert, 1605-1667.	1631 (1631)	STC 12688.5; ESTC S103693	60,258	379

not cleared and confirmed but at my best I shall never but need spectacles till I come to see as I am seene CV Vpon moates in the Sun How these little moats move up and downe in the Sunne and never rest whereas the great mountaines stand ever still and move not but with an earthquake even so light and busie spirits are in continuall agitation to little purpose whiles great deepe wits sit still and stirre not but upon extreme occasions were the motion of these little atomes as usefull as it is restlesse I had rather bee a moat then a mountaine CVI. Vpon the sight of a bladder EVery thing must bee taken in his meete time let this bladder alone till it be dry and all the winde in the world cannot raise it up whereas now it is new and moist the least breath fills and enlarges it it is no otherwise in ages and dispositions informe the child in precepts of learning vertue whiles years make him capable how plyably hee yeeldeth how happily is hee replenished with knowledge and goodnesse let him alone till time and ill example have hardened him till hee be setled in an habit of evill and contracted and clung together with sensuall delights now hee becomes utterly indocible sooner may that bladder bee broken then distended CVII Vpon a man sleeping I Do not more wonder at any mans art then at his who professes to thinke of nothing to do nothing and I do not a little marvell at that man who sayes hee can sleepe without a dreame for the minde of man is a restlesse thing though it give the body leave to repose it self as knowing it is a mortall earthly peece yet it selfe being a spirit and therefore active and indefatigable is ever in motion give me a sea that moves not a Sunne that shines not an open eye that sees not and I shall yeeld there may bee a reasonable soule that workes not It is possible that through a naturall or accidentall stupidity a man may not perceive his owne thoughts as sometimes the eye or eare may bee distracted not to discerne his owne objects but in the meane time he thinkes that whereof he cannot give an account like as wee many times dreame when we cannot report our fancy I should more easily put my selfe to schoole unto that man who undertakes the profession of thinking many things at once Instantany motions are more proper for a spirit then a dull rest Since my mind wil needs be ever working it shall bee my care that it may alwaies be wel imploy'd CVIII Vpon the sight of a deaths-head I Wonder at the practise of the ancient both Greeks and Romans whose use was to bring up a deaths-head in the midst of their feasts on purpose to stir up their guests to drinke harder and to frolicke more the sight whereof one would think should have rather abated their courage and have tempered their jollity but however it was with them who beleeved there was nothing after death that the consideration of the short time of their pleasures and beeing spurred them on to a free and full fruition of that mirth and excesse which they should not long live to enjoy yet to us that are Christians and therefore know that this short life doth but make way for an eternity of joy or torment afterwards and that after the feast wee must account of a reckoning there cannot be a greater cooler for the heat of our intemperate desires and rage of our appetites then the meditation of the shortnesse of life and the certainty of death Who would over-pamper a body for the wormes who would be so mad as to let himselfe loose to that momentany pleasure of sin which ere long must cost him everlasting pain and miserie For mee mee thinkes this head speakes no other language then this Leese no time thou art dying do thy best thou maist do good but a while and shalt fare well for ever CIX Vpon the sight of a left-handed man IT is both an old and easie observation that however the senses are alike strong and active on the right side and on the left yet that the limbes on the right side are stronger then those of the left because they are more exercised then the other upon which selfe same reason it must follow that a left-handed man hath more strength in his left arme then in his right neither is it otherwise in the soule our intellectuall parts grow vigorous with imployment and languish with dis-use I have knowne excellent preachers and pregnant disputants that have lost these faculties with lacke of action and others but meanly qualified with naturall gifts that have attained to a laudable measure of abilities by improvement of their little I had rather lacke good parts then that good parts should lacke mee Not to have great gifts is no fault of mine it is my fault not to use them CX Vpon the sight of an old unthached Cottage THere cannot bee a truer embleme of crazie old age Moldred and clay walls a thinne uncovered roofe bending studds darke and broken windowes in short an house ready to fall on the head of the indweller The best body is but a cottage if newer and better timbred yet such as age will equally impaire and make thus ragged ruinous or before that perhaps casualty of fire or tēpest or violence of an enemy One of the chief cares of men is to dwel wel some build for themselues faire but not strong others build for posterity strong but not faire not high but happie is that man that builds for eternity as strong as faire as high as the glorious contignations of heaven CXI Vpon the sight of a faire pearle VVHat a pure and precious creature is this which yet is taken out of the mudde of the sea Who can complaine of a base original when hee sees such excellencies so descended These shel-fishes that have no sexes and therefore are made out of corruption what glorious things they yeeld to adorne and make proud the greatest princesses Gods great workes goe not by likely-hoods how easily can he fetch glory out of obscurity who brought all out of nothing CXII Vpon a screene MEE thinkes this screene that stands betwixt me and the fire is like some good friend at the Court which keepes from mee the heate of the unjust displeasure of the great wherewith I might perhaps otherwise be causelesly scorched but how happy am I if the interposition of my Saviour my best friend in heaven may screene mee from the deserved wrath of that great God who is a consuming fire CXIII Vpon a Burre-leafe NEither the vine nor the oake nor the Cedar nor any tree that I know within our climate yeelds so great a leafe as this weed which yet after all expectation brings forth nothing but a burre unprofitable troublesome So haue I seene none make greater profession of religion then an ignorant man whose indiscreet forwardnesse yeelds no fruit but

without any mixtures of sin I might have hoped for entire health But since I have interspersed my obedience with many sinfull faylings and enormities why doe I thinke much to interchange health with sickenesse What I now feele I know I am not worthy to know what I must feele As my times so my measures are in the hands of a wise and good God My comfort is he that sends these evils proportions them If they be sharpe I am sure they are just the most that I am capable to indure is the least part of what I have deserved to suffer Nature would sayne be at ease but Lord what ever become of this carcasse thou hast reason to have respect to thine owne glory I have sinned and must smart It is the glory of thy mercy to beat my body for the safety of my soule The worst of sicknesse is payne and the worst of payne is but death As for payne if it be extreme it cannot be long and if it be long ' such is the difference of earthly and hellish torments it cannot be extreme As for death it is both unavoydable and beneficiall there ends my misery and begins my glory A few groanes are well bestowed for a preface to an immortall joy Howsoever O God thy messenger is worthy to be welcome It is the Lord let him do whatsoever he will C. Vpon the challenge of a promise IT is true an honest mans word must be his maister when I have promised I am indebted and debts may be claymed must be payed but yet there is a great deale of difference in our ingagements Some things wee promise because they are due some things are onely due because they are promised These latter which are but the mere ingagements of curtesie cannot so absolutely binde us that notwithstāding any intervention of unworthinesse or misbehaviour in the person expectant Wee are tyed to make our word good though to the cutting of our owne throates All favourable promises presuppose a capacity in the receiver where that palpably fayleth common equity sets us free I promised to send a faire sword to my frend he is since that time turn'd frantick must I send it or be charged with unfaithfulnesse if I send it not O God thy title is the God of truth thou canst no more cease to be faithfull then to be How oft hast thou promised that no good thing shall be wanting to thine and yet wee know thy dearest children have complayned of want Is thy word therefore challengable Farre farre be this wicked presumption from our thoughts No These thy promises of outward favours are never but with a subintelligence of a condition of our capablenesse of our expedience Thou seest that plenty or ●ase would be our bane thy love forbeares to satisfie us with an harmfull blessing We are worthy to be plagued with prejudiciall kindnesses if we do not acknowledge thy wisedome and care in our want It is enough for us that thy best mercies are our dues because thy promises we cannot too much clayme that which thou hast absolutely ingaged thy selfe to give and in giving shalt make us eternally happy CI. Vpon the sight of flies WHen I looke upon these flyes and gnats and wormes I have reason to thinke What am I to my infinite Creator more then these And if these had my reason why might they not expostulate with their Maker Why they are but such why they live to so little purpose and dye without either notice or use and if I had no more reason then they I should bee as they content with any condition That reason which I have is not of my owne giving he that hath given mee reason might as well have given it to them or have made me as reason-lesse as they there is no cause why his greater gift should make me mutinous and malecontent I will thanke my God for what I am for what I have and never quarrel with him for what I want CII Vpon the sight of a fantasticall Zelote IT is not the intent of grace to mold our bodies anew but to make use of them as it findes us the disposition of men much followes the temper of their bodily humors This mixture of humors wrought upon by grace causeth that strange variety which we see in professions pretendedly religious when grace lights upon a sad melancholike Spirit nothing is affected but sullennesse and extreme mortification and dislike even of lawfull freedome nothing but positions and practises of severe austerity when contrarily upon the cheerefull and lively all drawes towards liberty and joy those thoughts doe now please best which enlarge the heart to mirth and contentation It is the greatest improvement of Christian wisdome to distinguish in all professions betwixt grace and humor to give God his own glory and men their owne infirmityes CIII Vpon the sight of a Scavenger working in the channel THe wise providence of God hath fitted men with spirits answerable to their condition If meane men should beare the minds of great Lords no servile workes would be done al would be commaunders and none could live If contrarily great persons had the low spirits of drudges there could be no order no obedience because there should be none to command now out of this discord of dispositions God hath contrived an excellent harmony of government and peace since the use which each sort must needs have of other bindes them to maintain the quality of their own rankes and to do those offices which are requisite for the preservation of themselves and the publique As inferiours then must blesse God for the graces and authority of their betters So must Superiours no lesse blesse him for the humilitie and serviceablenesse of the meaner and those which are of the midrank must blesse him for both CIIII. Vpon a payre of Spectacles I Looke upon these not as objects but as helps as not meaning that my sight should rest in them but passe through them and by their aid discerne some other things which I desire to see many such glasses my soule hath and useth I looke through the glasse of the creatures at the power and wisedome of their maker I looke through the glasse of the Scriptures at the great mystery of redemption and the glory of an heavenly inheritance I looke through Gods favours at his infinite mercy through his judgements at his incomprehensible justice but as these spectacles of mine presuppose a faculty in the eye and cannot give me sight when I want it but only cleares that sight which I have no more can these glasses of the creatures of Scriptures of favours and judgements inable mee to apprehend those blessed objects except I have an eye of faith whereto they may bee presented these helps to an unbeleeving man are but as spectacles to the blinde As the naturall eyes so the spirituall have their degrees of dimnesse but I have ill improved my age if as my naturall eyes decay my spirituall eye bee