Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	bring_v	die_v	life_n	8,298	5	4.5286	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A38268	A defence and continuation of the Discourse concerning the period of humane life being a reply to a late answer, entituled A letter to a gentleman, &c. : to which is added, an appendix wherein several objections urged in private are considered, and Mr. Gales severe, but groundless charge is examined.	Allestree, Richard, 1619-1681.	1678 (1678)	Wing E27; ESTC R17144	30,062	111

well doing as those who run in a Race do not faint and give over if they expect to obtain the price Thirdly The life of man says he is compared to a shadow Answ. I know it is but sure not because it hath determined limits but because of its duration for as a shadow quickly passeth away so the days of man are but few Hence Iob tells us He fleeth as a shadow cap. 14. 2. and the Psalmist speaking of himself says I am gone like a shadow when it declineth But I have insisted too long in answering such trivial arguments I will now view if the plain as he calls them implying that the former were not Texts of Scripture he brings be urged to any better purpose THE first plain Text is Iob 14. 5. Seeing his days are determined c. this is indeed the most remarkable place of Scripture we have seemingly standing against us but in my former discourse I have fully shewn that it does no way contradict any position I defend I shall therefore now only consider what he urges against what I there replied and judge you which of us does succumb I cannot says he but admire the Author's impudence in making this Text the Basis of his discourse Good Sir is this the effect of a mild and gentle Spirit but I 'll pardon this since may be it is the result of your holy zeal but if you be not resolved to be an admirer I will endeavour to cure that distemper The reason then why I made choice of that Text was because I judged it the main place urged in defence of the opinion you maintain and if this were well cleared and duly explained and made to make nothing for you I easily foresaw how little difficulty there would be in answering other Texts LET us now view how artificially he draws Iob's words in a Syllogystick fear If God says he has so determined man's days that he cannot pass those prefixed bounds then the Period of Humane Life is not mutable but the first is unquestionable Ergo. Answ. If the Author had but remembred how he had stated the case he had never made use of this argument for he grants that both he and I may maintain that the Period of Humane Life is both mutable and immutable I did not deny but our days are determined see pag. 81. and the Author must know that all the debate is concerning the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But says the Author I am heartily glad that he acknowledgeth the infinity of the Divine knowledge When I first did read this I thought the Author had forgot himself for he is but seldom in so good an humour but when I again viewed what follows I saw all was spoken Ironice which will make me ever afterwards suspect his Complements And if he kiss again I shall be upon my Guard that he do not betray HOW the Divine knowledge is not conjectural although it be not founded on an absolute Decree has been briefly manifested in the first Discourse But because I must follow the Author I shall forbear to speak of it here because it comes afterwards to be considered A SECOND plain Text of Scripture is Psal. 90. 3. Thou turnest man to destruction and sayest return ye Children of men I am the most deceived if this Text proves what it is brought for Sure the only intent of the Royal Psalmist here is to shew that God is the supream Lord and Master of the Universe who exerciseth an uncontrolable Dominion and who can according to his pleasure either shorten or prolong the days of man but there is not one word here of any absolute Decree A THIRD plain Text equivalent to the former is Psal. 68. 20. Unto God the Lord belong the passage to Death Now let us hear the Author's Comment that is says he the Period of every man's life is in the hand of God Now this is indeed very well said but he sees better than his Neighbours who says it is spoken to the purpose But further what if he and Voetius have given a bad Translation of the Text if I might hazard to our English which I think is one of the best Translations I dare say it is so for there we read Unto God the Lord belong the issues from Death THE last plain Text is Act. 17. 26. He hath determined the bounds of our Habitation Strange the Author can never find the word determine but he instantly concludes that we are to understand an absolute and irrespective Decree He knows well enough that I grant that the Period of Humane life is determined why then does he urge these Texts against me IN the next place the Author brings a great many instances to prove the Period of those mens lives who dye a casual and violent Death is fixed and determined but he needed not to have put himself to so much trouble since I never maintained that the World is left to its own casual revolutions If he had pleased he might have viewed pag. 76. where he will find I grant that the most seemingly usual periods of men are ordered by an infinite Wisdom and fall under the Divine Rule and Dominion NEITHER needs the Author redouble his NOW NOW we have the Author yielding because I said we never doubted but the great Governour of the World may make what reserved cases he pleases from the general Rule and the ordinary course of things pag. 111. This methinks is a very plain Truth but that I may do all I can to satisfie the Author I shall add that the reason why some mens lives may be unalterably determined and yet the Period of other mens may for ordinary be left mutable is because the supream Governour of the World thinks fit it should be so If this will not suffice the Author let him choose as he thinks best BUT to proceed since the first step says he and moment of our Beings is determined it is but reasonable to think that the last is also fixed Answ. It is extreamly reasonable only we must take heed that we do not wrest Scripture to patronize our own self-chosen opinions Now the Text brought to prove that the first moment of our Being is determined is Psal. 139. 16. which is a very odd Paraphrase of the Author's for the Psalmist there is not speaking of the Divine Decrees but of the infinity of the Divine knowledge which is a depth he confesses he cannot Fathom Now that God doth know both the first and last moments of our life is a Truth I am as ready to defend as the Author BUT I see the Author is resolved to dispute with me as if I were an enemy to a particular Divine Providence else to what purpose does he bring his following troop of Arguments As 1. All the actions and works all the ways and steps of man are ordered by God Answ. All this is confessed by me if he urgeth them against any other let those concerned make answer 2.

of the wicked nor does this Paraphrase any ways agree with the Psalmists intention 1. THE Psalmists intention was to shew that wickedness is the reason and cause of Mens short lives Now if he had only meant their hopes and expectation he needed not have made any mention of the wicked for this might have been applicable to the most part of Men both good and bad 2. IT agrees not with the Text for if their days be determined they live out their whole time let them dye whensoever So that he could never have said They shall not live out half their days And indeed this had been no great punishment inflicted upon the wicked for their Sins if it mean only their hopes for good Men may thereby be as well included and the wicked are not a whit more unhappy than others if the case be so THE Author is angry with me because I said That if we consult experience we shall find the Religious and Vertuous Men enjoy ordinarily far the longest lives Truly I see no reason to repent what I said nor does the wise Man's Observation any ways contradict this for all that he aims at there is to shew that a good Man's Righteousness will not be able to defend him from the malice and cruelty of the Wicked and that Wicked Men may pass on in their Sins without controll THAT the Divine promises are notable encouragements to live holy and devoutly is very plain and undoubtable But yet it may be questioned whether according to some Mens principles they be useful for the foresaid end A SECOND argument I did urge was taken from the pious and devout Prayers of the Righteous and their turning from their Sins by an hearty Repentance To this he Answers That the Divine Statutes although they be irrepealable yet do not exclude the use of Prayer because it is included in the Decree Reply I have already told if there be any condition the Decree is not absolute But because I find the Author has always recourse to this fancy I shall briefly evidence that the Author cannot make use of such an evasion Prayer and Repentance says the Author are conditions absolutely decreed and therefore they are necessary Reply The Stoicks may have recourse to this as well as you For Prayer and Repentance are hereby made necessary not because Men elicit those acts as parts of their duty but because they cannot do otherwise And thus the Prophet Daniel could not but pray that Gods anger should be removed from his people Israel because it was absolutely before decreed The like was David's case and others mentioned by the Author BUT by this means the promises of Scripture can be of no use to induce us to live holily for they are not conditional Thus if you obey the Divine Statutes ye shall live long and if ye rebel ye shall be punished But you shall obey the Divine precepts and live long and you shall live wickedly and have your days shortned THAT Prayer and Repentance have been the means of prolonging many Mens lives is obvious to experience some few instances to confirm so plain a truth I laid down in the first discourse I shall therefore now only examin the Author's Answer THE first instance was concerning the case of Nineveh where I told That their Repentance did prevent the Execution of the threatned Iudgment To this he answers 1. That Prayer and Repentance do not move God to change his Decree Reply We do not say that they do only we say there was no absolute but conditional Decree in the case 2. He says That their Repentance was from Eternity decreed Reply How then could the threatning be serious Do you think that a holy wise and just God would threaten to inflict a Judgment upon a people when he had absolutely decreed that such a Judgment should not be inflicted To this which he could not but take notice of he answers That such threatnings only imply that the nature of the crime deserved to be punished with this Iudgment Reply I know the merit of every Sin is death but this is no Answer to the difficulty for the threatning not only implies the demerit of the offence but also expresly declares that the Judgment threatned should be inflicted if they did not by their Prayers and Repentance prevent the Execution of it A SECOND instance I urged was Hezekiah's recovery c. To this he Answers 1. That we must distinguish between the threatnings and decrees of God Reply Well we shall observe this caution but upon this proviso that the Author will not make the threatning inconsistent with the Decree for if God had absolutely decreed that Hezekiah should not dye 'till the fifteen years were expired then how could the threatning Thou shalt surely dye and not live be serious But that the first was not absolutely decreed appears to be plain for otherwise how could the fifteen years be said to have been added to his life 2. HE says The denunciation of death was a conditional commination absolutely propounded inducing Hezekiah to Repentance having no respect to the absolute Decree Reply This Answer is not conformed nor agreeable to the Author's principles for he alledgeth that both the threatning and Repentance are absolutely decreed now if the threatning had been an argument to engage Hezekiah to Repentance we must suppose that Repentance was not absolutely decreed but a thing depending upon Hezekiah's will otherwise both the threatning and Repentance were slight and of no force Nay indeed since the commination was only a Moral act it might have been an inefficacious motive But since it had as the Author will say its efficacy from the internal operation of the holy Spirit hence is it that Repentance can be no condition required on Man's part since it is not in his power not to Repent when God works it in him And truly this makes the threatning ridiculous for how can it be a motive to induce to Repentance since Repentance is absolutely decreed and in time by a Physical predetermining act wrought in Man nill he will he HOW the Author will be able to absolve himself from having any respect to the two dangerous opinions he says we must by all means avoid I wish he would seriously consider I DO not well understand the meaning of one phrase the Author useth viz. That God did not Will that Hezekiah should dye when he threatned him only he willed that there should be such a threatning This is indeed pretty subtile but I know not for what end it was brought Sure it is not very pertinently alledged if he thinks hereby to prove that there is no opposition between the Decree and the threatning as may appear by what I have already said 3. WE must distinguish says he between the conjectural certainty of death inferred from the fatal events which frequently accompany dangerous Diseases and the infallible certainty of death inferred from the Decree Reply The distinction is without controversie good