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 |
|
A61224
|
Some thoughts concerning the life to come with a brief account of the state of religion as it is now in the world.
|
Stafford, Richard, 1663-1703.
|
1693
(1693)
|
Wing S5138; ESTC R37589
|
43,947
|
90
|
he shall have yet less for there must be somewhat or else that could not be taken away and then that is taken away from him that hath not that is to say that little which before he had There is some little left remaining to prove and try him still whether he will abuse or improve that very little The truth of all this is evident by experience for there is none so very ungodly and wicked but there are in them some small sparks or seeds of Goodness some principles of Righteousness and Truth do remain in them Tho' with many all this is in a very imperfect manner yet they have also some general Principles of God and of the things pertaining to his Kingdom and of future life and immortality By this little God doth prove them whether they will keep his Commandments or not and whether they will understand and seek after God Psal 14. 2. and follow on to know the Lord. By that tincture and conception and small knowledge they have of him already if they did once begin to do either then he would give them more grace and knowledge So it is with the indifferent middle-size of People yea and with the best sort of Christians at this day God is before-hand with all of them for even they do not live up nor act according to all and the utmost which God makes known unto and requires of them and also gives them strength to perform It is agreeable with the method and wisdom of God to do nothing which is superfluous or more than needs must nor yet is he wanting in what means are absolutely necessary I will cry unto God the most High unto God that performeth all things for me Psal 57. 2. Which he doth by little and little and by unexpected ways He sees where his own People for there is a fault and defect in them even in them do not obey those secret motions of the Spirit which he doth already instill into them and there he ceases to infuse further motions because the former were quenched 1 Thess 5. 19. despised or disobeyed and so they are forgotten by the person who had them as also God hath withdrawn them Whereas if they were cherished and obeyed and complied withal God would give them much more abundantly and they would have it in full measure and running over By doing the several acts of good and duty we are more enabled and strengthned to do so still and yet better and more abundantly in the kind So by performing acts of Zeal we grow more zealous for these things are kept up by the use and exercise as contrariwise upon the omission neglect they do languish and utterly wither away Agreeable hereunto the Spirit speaketh Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die Rev. 3. 2. Thus it is as to the several Graces and Gifts of the Spirit and as to the good Works which are wrought in us they are all to be acted and employed on their several objects and as every opportunity is to be had for by only keeping them within and folding up these Talents in a Napkin they serve as nothing they grow listless and subject to decay and perish As they said in Acts 19. 2. We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost so it is with many Men and Women at this day They do not so much as know and perceive whether there be any such thing as motions and workings of the Holy Spirit albeit God hath shewed it unto them by having put some measure of the Spirit in them For there is a residue of the Spirit Mal. 2. 15. and a measure of the Spirit John 3. 34. and there is a taking off of some of the Spirit and a giving or dividing of it unto others Numb 11. 25. For all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit dividing to every Man severally as he will 1 Cor. 12. 11. Thus it is that where God doth put his Holy Spirit in Man and Woman there is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee Isai 64. 7. They do not stir up and actuate the Spirit that is in them What Advice Paul gives unto Timothy Neglect not the Gift that is in thee 1 Tim. 4. 14. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the Gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands 2 Tim. 1. 6. is proper and necessary to every Christian Soul that they do not neglect any but stir up all the Gifts and Graces which are in them For want of which as it is a general failure amongst all Professions and sorts however they are distinguished or named it comes to pass that there are no such Christians now among us as was in the days of the Apostles and in the primitive Times Where is now that fervent burning zeal for God and Christ and for all the Commandments without exception or preferring of one thing before another Where is that diligence and constancy in his Worship Where is that lively Faith in God with that willing subjection of themselves to the Cross Persecution Suffering and Trouble for the Word and Truth 's sake Where are those now-a-days that are not afraid of the face of Men and of the blast of the terrible ones which with them of old Time was as a storm against the Wall Isai 25. 4. making no impression much less causing them to yield for they did remain unshaken and stood their ground still Or who is there now that doth not regard the Persons of Men Or if they do refrain from giving flattering Titles yet do they not secretly accept Persons By which Adverb Secretly the Holy Ghost doth find them out Who doth now come up to that unfeigned Love of the Brethren so as to love one another with a pure heart fervently Where is now that sounding of the Bowels and that most earnest sensible Compassion one to another which we read they then had Where is that laying down their Lives for the Brethren and the following them to Prisons and to Death They did formerly minister relief unto their Fellow-Christians tho' they were forbidden so to do by their Persecutors Where is now to be seen that selling of Lands and Possessions to distribute to every Man according as he has need as was in Acts 4. 34 35. What is now become of that plentiful Alms-giving and abundant liberality which was shewed forth in those first and purest Ages Is not that plainness and simplicity and godly sincerity which was then in the hearts and practices of all the faithful almost now gone off from the Earth but only here and there some imperfect footsteps thereof are to be seen in a very few Is that good Zeal of the ancient Jews now any where to be found who would hazard and lose their Lives rather than they would suffer Statues to be set up before the Gates of the Temple or eat Swines flesh