Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	brethren_n	life_n	love_v	5,972	5	7.1555	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17416	The signes or An essay concerning the assurance of Gods loue, and mans saluation gathered out of the holy Scriptures. By Nicholas Byfield, one of the preachers for the citty of Chester.	Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622.	1614 (1614)	STC 4236; ESTC S118320	26,778	156

signes That a Christian in this life may be infallibly assured of Gods fauour to himself in particular and that hee ought to seeke this assurance as a matter of singular necessity these places of Scripture proue The Apostle Paul chargeth the Corinthians to Examine themselues whether they be in the faith and requireth this prouing of themselues with such earnestnesse that he saith know yee not your owne selues how that Christ Iesus is in you except ye be reprobates As if he would auouch it that a man can neuer haue found comfort of his election till he get this assured knowledge of Gods fauour in Christ. And the Apostle Peter exhorts Christians to vse all diligence to make their calling and election sure whatsoeuer carnall persons speake against it Iob vehemently desires there were a perpetual record of his words when he speaks of his assurance that no man might thinke he spake passionately or vainegloriously He knew that his redeemer liued and that at the last day his very flesh should be raised he should see God with ioy By the spirit of God a Christian knowes the things of God yea to this end haue we receiued this Spirit which is of God that wee might know the things which are freely giuen vs of God yea it searcheth the deepe things of God And in the second of the Corinthians Gods children are said to know their glorification as certainely as by sence and experience they know that their bodies which are their earthlie tabernacles shall bee dissolued so certainely are they assured of the building of God not made with hands eternall in the heauens yea they are alwaies confident herein and therefore Gods seruant are taught to pray for the spirit of wisdome and reuelation that the eyes of their vnderstanding may bee inlightned that they might know the hope of their calling and the riches of their inheritance and the exceeding greatnes of Gods power towards them vpon this assurance Paul knowes whom hee hath beleeued and no afflictions should hinder him but he will settle vpon this perswasion that God will keepe his soul which he hath cōmitted to him against the day of Christ. The Apostle Iohn saith We know that we haue passed from death to life And again ye may know that ye haue eternall life And again we know that wee are of God And the Apostle to the Ephesians saith that in Christ we haue boldnesse and accesse with confidence by faith in him yea the very words of assurance are found in Scripture where it is shewed that we may haue much assurance yea full assurance yea the riches of full assurance and men are earnestly exhorted to vse all diligence to get this full assurance to the end and when it is once had neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor anie other creature should be able to seperate them from this loue of God in Iesus Christ. Le ts THe attainment of the sence power comfort of this assurance is exceedingly hindered in all sorts of people First For many can neuer attaine it beecause they are forestalled with euill opinions about it they thinke it is impossible to be had or it is needelesse or it is presumption to seek it or it would prooue a nurse to security if it were had Secondly in the most common hope serues the turne and supplies presumptuously the roome of this sacred gift Thirdly many heare professe and goe farre in the opinion of others and yet get not assurance because they take not a soūd course for the mortification of the body of sinnes that are passed whereas it is certain assurance can neuer be had till there be some sound course taken in the acknowledgement bewailing and reformation of them Fourthly besides a barraen life is an vncomfortable and vnsetled life and contrariwise to abound in Gods worke hath stedfastnesse and a secret rest of heart as an vnspeakeable companion of it Fifthly Melancholy also that is terrors and griefes of which a man can yeelde no true reason is in diuers a mighty let to the setled assurance they might haue They are so eaten vp with those strong conceits that all the comfort is propounded most anend prooues as water spilt vpon the ground especially when this humor is nourished by some extraordinary distemper of the body Physicke not arguments of Scripture must here be vsed or rather both of them Sixthly the loue of earthly things is another great impediment many professors haue their thoughts and cares so eaten vp with worldlinesse that they cannot seriously hold out to follow the directions requisite to the attainement of assurans This grace requires a minde some way fitted for contemplation It is a knowledge will neuer be had with looking downeward Seuenthly further many are so passionate and froward they can get no rest in their heart when as ful assurance would bee lodged in an humble quiet brest Eighthly Others want assurance because they neglect the meanes of assurance which are the word praier or fellowship in the Gospell Ninthly In some there lodgeth some secret sinne vnrepented of and this either keepes out faith or keepes it downe in the cradle that it can get no strength Lastly assurance is the gift of God and hee bestoweth it on whom hee will The signes generally propounded THere are sixteene infallible signes of a child of God as may appeare by the testimonie of most apparent Scripture First Pouerty of spirit for the poore of spirit are blessed and theirs is the kingdome of heauen Secondly Godly sorrow for it causeth repentance not to be repented off euen such a repentance as is vnto saluation Thirdly the loue of the word for this is a sure comfort in affliction and may quicken a mans heart this is a sauour of life vnto life in them that are saued Fourthly The loue of Gods children for hereby we know wee are passed from death to life because wee loue the brethren Fifthly Faith for god so loued the world that hee gaue his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Sixthly Vprightnesse of heart for God will giue grace and glorie and no good thing will hee with-hold from them that are vpright in heart Seuenthly The spirit of Adoption For it beareth witnes to our spirit that wee are the sonnes of God and if anie man haue not the spirit of Christ he is not his Eighthly Holy desires For euery one that thirsteth shal haue of the water of life freely if they will heare their soules shall liue and enioy the sure mercies of Dauid they are blessed and they shall be satisfied Ninthly The spirit of praier or supplication for whosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lord shall bee saued 10

The obedience of Christ for he is the author of eternall saluation to them that obey him 11 Sauing knowledge For this is eternall life to know God and whom hee hath sent Iesus Christ. It is not onely a signe of eternall life or saluation but the beginning and part of it 12 The Sacraments in the right vse of them are infallible signes of our saluation and to that end ordained for he● that belieueth and is baptised shall bee saued Hence it is said Baptisme saueth vs they are sure seales of the righteousnesse of faith 13 The loue of God for if a man loue Christ the Father will loue him and come vnto him and dwell with him 14 The feare of God for it is a fountaine of life to depart from the snares of death 15 Loue of our enemies for it is not onely a signe of a Christian but of a perfect Christian. 16 Desire of death For a crowne of life is layed vp for all them that loue the appearing of Christ. The signes particularly expounded and first of pouertie of Spirit SPirituall pouertie may bee tried either by properties or by effect Gods poore haue eight properties First They are sensible and that first of their owne wants and misery by nature and daily sinne Secondly they know when they see Gods iudgements that it was the word of the Lord. Thirdly they tremble at Gods word and feare his displeasure while it yet hangs in the threatning Fourthly they are sensible of that speciall goodnesse of Gods mercy when a man is poore and needie he can say with Dauid mercie is good Fifthly they are sensible of their owne mortalitie they haue feeling impressions of their fading condition Secondly they are thankfull and that for lesser mercies a poore man is glad of a pennie whereas a rich man cannot bee touched with so small a fauour Gods poore will praise Gods name for the very crums that fals from his table and as anie are more poore and humble they are more thankefull Thirdlie they are teachable and willing to bee appointed and instructed it is a great signe a mans heart is not humble when he must haue so much to doe before he can bee perswaded to anie trueth or disswaded from anie sinne pride and ignorance is hard to learne Fourthly they are hungrie people especially greedie after the food in Syon they loue it they desire it they esteeme it they are satisfied with nothing better then with it it is the reliefe of their hearts foreuer And there are fiue effects of spirituall properties THe first is praier for Gods poore liue by begging if hee be poore hee will crie vnto God The second is Abnegation for this poore man renounceth his owne merits hee seeth no good will be had by deseruing for hee deserueth nothing but Gods curse in al things hee forsaketh also the world both in the lusts of it and in the companie of the wicked and all earthly things as not hauing the chiefe good in them The third is diligence in Gods worke yea Gods poore are willing to do the meanest and hardest worke God will be pleased to set them to so as they may finde fauour in his eies to be accepted with him they would account no worke too base for them to doe but they would bee glad to doe anie thing they could with their best desires and endeavours Fourthly Gods poore commit themselues all their waies to Gods care and mercie they will onely trust in the name of the Lord and bee contented to let God dispose of them as pleaseth him Fifthly The last is a feare to offend God in word or deede by their good will they would doe none iniquitie nor speake lies a deceitfull tongue should not be found in their mouth Gods poore and Gods Turtle doues are all one so in seperable are harme lesse innocencie and spirituall pouertie 2. Godlie sorrow WEE may know whetther our sorrowes be Godly if we consider First the causes Secondly the properties Thirdly the concomitants Fourthlie the effects of them For the first of them wee must consider what raiseth our sorrowes and what asswageth them for godlie sorrow is chiefelie raised for sinne and so for the sinnes of the time because others keepe not the law For Ezechiel doubt not to mark them with Gods marke that mourne for the abhomination done in Ierusalem but wee must vnderstand that this sorrow must bee simple because God is dishonored And further in sorrow for our owne sins we must mourne for al sorts of sinnes for lesser sines as well as greater for sinnes of our calling for secret sins as well as open for sins that presntlie trouble vs as well as for sinnes past for the sins feared and the corrupt inclination of our natures for beeloued gainefull and pleasing sinnes finally for the euill of our good works as wel as for euil works Now there are two notes of great vse in triall of sorrow for our sinnes the one is that wee must sorrow for sinne as it is sinne and the other is that a man should not easily satisfie himselfe in the measure till he can mourne as much for sinne as he was wont or now would for losses The Prophet Zacharias instanceth when he saith the spirit of God shold cause them to mourne as in the familie as one would mourne for the losse of their onely sonne or as in the common wealth the subiects would doe for the losse of a most worthie Prince He mentioneth their sorrow for Iosiah yet wee must know that teares are not of necessitie and specially in such natures as are voide of teares for anie other causes Secondly in asmuch as sorrow may be Godly euen for iudgements wee must vnderstand that herein our triall wil be if we can mourn rather for spirituall iudgements then for temporall and among the rest if we can feele and bewaile hardnesse of heart mourning because we cānotmourne as we ought and farther if we can be grieued as well for the offence of God as for punishment Thirdly a christian is principally stirred vp in true sorrow by the sence of Gods goodnesse so as nothing doth more fire him to a desire to abase himselfe and to humble himselfe euen in the verie dust in the sence of his owne vilenesse then to feele and finde the gracious goodnes and readinesse of God to shew mercie He feareth the Lord and his goodnesse And as godlie sorrow is raised by spirituall meanes and considerations so it is asswaged onely by spirituall meanes those sorrowes that can be healed by sports merrie companie or the like are much like the medecines vsed to helpe them but in godlie sorrow the same God that wounded them must heale and a christiā desires helpe from the same word that pierced him Thus of the causes THere are foure properties of godly sorrow which among the