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	sin_n	wage_n	4,080	5	11.1858	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A94158	The gods are men: or The mortality of persons in places of magistracy. As it was explained and applied in a sermon preached at the assize holden at Hertford for that county on March 15. 1656/7. By George Swinnocke M.A. last Fellow of Bailiol Colledge in Oxford, and now preacher of the gospel at Rickmersworth in Hertfordshire.	Swinnock, George, 1627-1673.	1657 (1657)	Wing S6276; Thomason E919_1; ESTC R207499	42,242	46

Hell the higher their exalation is the greater and lower their damnation will be The words of the Prophet are Emphatical i Isa 30.33 Ingentia beneficia ingentia flagitia ingentia supplicia Kings saith one are fair marks for traytors to shoot at Tra. on Esth 2. Tophet is prepared of old yea for the King it is prepared The greater mens preferment is the greater their defilement and the greater their punishment 2. Others understand them of a fall by a violent death So many Princes fall In that bloody way Saul Abner Ahab and many other Princes mentioned in Scripture went to their long homes The Roman Historian observeth that the Cesars got little by their places nisi ut citius interficerentur Some mens honour hath been the Knife to cut their throats Horat. ad Licin Saepius ventis agitatur iugens Pinus celsae graviore casu Decidunt turres feriuntque summos Fulmina montes 3. A third sort Expound the words of falling as the Princes of other Nations Deodati in loc though ye are the Princes of God's people yet ye are not thereby priviledged from the arrest of death For as the sun of prosperity shineth as well on the briars in the Wildernesse as on the roses in the Garden so the frost of adversity falleth as well on the fruitfull corn as on the hurtful weeds The most notorious sinner liveth as well as the most gracious Saint and the most gracious Saint dyeth as well as the most notorious sinner Grace is an Antidote against the poyson of death but not a preservative from undergoing death 4. The words are construed thus Like the Princes that have been before you Ye know that your Ancestours who were as high in honour and as great in power as your selves yet submitted to death so must ye doe as they have done Etiam muta clamant cadavera Their graves amongst you do read a Lecture of mortality to you The term whereby the Spirit of God describeth death is considerable it s called a fall and fall like one of the Princes * Rom. 14.13 Sin is called a fall and so is death Death is the first-born of sin and therefore no wonder if the Child be called after the name of its Parent Death is to every man a fall from every thing but God and godliness Ye that are Magistrates fall more stairs yea more stories then others the higher your standing while ye live the lower your falling when ye die Death to some is a fall from Earth to Hell to all from the society of men to the company of worms To you that are great men it will be a fall from your richest treasures from your delightful pleasures from your stateliest possessions from your loveliest relations Job 7.7 from whatsoever is called the good of this world Your eyes shall no more see good Hor. ad Posth Linquenda tellus domus placens Vxor neque harum quas colis arborum Te praeter invisas cupressos Vlla brevem Dominum sequetur Death is called an uncloathing 2 Cor. 5.4 because it will strip you of all your places of honour of all the ornaments of nature As ye came naked into the World Job 1. ult so ye must go naked out of the World Nothing will follow you when ye die but your works Rev. 14.13 When the good Magistrate dyeth that hath been zealous for the Lord's honour and studious of his souls welfare his works follow him through free grace into an eternal weight of glory When the evil Magistrate dyeth who hath been careless of his Conscience and unfaithful in his calling his works follow him through divine severity into a boundless Ocean of endless misery Doctrine After this brief Explication of the words I proceed to the doctrinal Observation That Magistrates are mortal or they who live like gods must die like men the most potent Emperour must take his leave of this life as well as the poorest beggar Death is called * Josh 23.14 the way of all the Earth because all flesh on Earth go this way Is the greatest road in the World never without many travellers of all sorts ranks and degrees The grave is the Inn or resting place whither this way tendeth and Job telleth k Job 3.19 us that The small and the great are there The mortal sythe of death is Master of the royal Scepter and moweth down as well the Lillies of the Crown as the grasse of l Isa 40.6 7. the Field At one end of the Library in Dublin was a Globe at the other end a Skeliton to shew that though man were Lord of all the World yet he must die All flesh is grasse and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field The grasse withereth the flower fadeth As Athanasius speaketh of Julian so I may say of the greatest King in the World Nubecula est quae citò transibit Do we not find by experience that the greater Candles consume and burn out as well as the lesser And that the boysterous wind of sickness bloweth down and rooteth up as well the tall Cedars of Lebanon and the strong Oaks of Bashan as the lower shrubs and weaker trees of the Vallies We Ministers that preach the Word of life must ere long submit to m 2 Cor. 4.7 death ye have the Heavenly treasure in earthen vessels And you Magistrates that are the Bulwarks of the Countrey under God to preserve us from the shot of a violent death must necessarily your selves undergoe a natural death Ye are called n Psal 47.9 Scuta terrae sunt terrea scuta the shields of the Earth yet ye are but Earthen shields Ye are called the o Isa 44.18 As at a game at chess when done not only pawns but Kings Queens and Knights are tumbled into the bag so when the race of life is finished noble as well as ignoble are tumbled into their graves shepherds of the people but this Wolf of death will seise as well on the shepherd as on the sheep I shall not stand to prove it any further at this present there is not one of you either Judge or Justic●s that hear me this day but within a few days shall be the proof of the text I shall only give you the causes of the Doctrine and then make some Use of it But why do the gods die like men There are three Causes of it as they are men * Grounds of Doctrine 1 Ethicall cause of death is sin Rom. 5.12 Rom. 6. ult Stipendium peccati mors First the moral or meritorious cause of death is sin Sin and death like Jacob and Esau were brought forth at one birth they were twins and came into the World together As the thread followeth the Needle so death followeth sin Wherefore as p by one man sin entred into the World and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that

death Magistrates have natural strength as they are men but death trippeth up the heels and layeth on their backs the most strong and valiant t Job 21.23 24. Plato saith that Marrow is not only the sourse of generation but the seat of life One dyeth in his full strength being wholly at ease and quiet His breasts are full of milk and his bones are moistned with marrow Put the case that a man be in the z●nith and height of his estate when his health is most pure and his strength is most perfect when he hath the choicest complexion in his face and soundest constitution in his body when there is most agility in his joynts and most appetite in his stomach yet even then sickness arresteth him at the suit of death haleth his body to the prison of the grave and sendeth his soul to his own place Man at his best estate yea u Psal 39.5 surely every man at his best estate is altogether vanity 2. Riches cannot Luke 16.22 Secondly as the strength so the wealth of Magistrates is insufficient The holy Ghost telleth us that the ●i●h man also dyed Men may put riches into the grave with them The Irish have a Proverb What aileth a rich man to die but they will not keep them one moment out of the grave Death like jealousie will not regard any ransome not be content though men would give many gifts Job speaketh supposing that he had dyed Then I had been at rest with Princes that had Gold and filled their houses with Silver It s reported of Cardinal Beauford that when on his death-bed he should say Fie will not death be hired will Money doe nothing if the whole Realm would save my life I am able either by wealth to buy it or by wit to procure it but it could not help him die he did Money is the Monarch of this World but not of the next it can neither stave off sickness nor buy out death 3. Honours cannot Thirdly as neither strength nor wealth so neither can the honours of men help them against this last enemy How have the highest men on Earth been laid as low as the Earth by it Man in honour doth not abide Psal 49.12 His duration is sometimes the lesse because his reputation is so great Job speaketh excellently Where is the dwelling place of Princes who shall declare his way to his face Job 21.28.31 This person is so high that none dareth tell him of his wicked practices Luther compla●neth that in his time Magistra●es Elati superbia volebant esse ipso verbo superiores Kings saith one have Clouds in their brows as well as Crowns on their heads they would be adored like gods and not reproved like men Yet these men which are so high that none must speak to them death will be sure to speak with them Yet he shall be brought to the grave and remain among the Tombes Job 21.32 There is much weight in that word Yet i. e. though he be a Prince so proud that he scorneth to hear mens reproofs yet he shall be forced to listen to death's language though his dwelling place was stately amongst men yet he shall be brought to an homely one amongst Worms Yet he shall be brought to his grave and remain amongst the Tombes When Michael Paleologus Emperour of Constantinople sent for a present to Nugas the Scythian Prince certain royal Robes and rich Ornaments he set light by them saying Nunquid calamitates morbos aut mortem depellere possent It was a notable speech of the King of Persia who visiting Constantine at Rome was shewn the rare Edifices rich Coffers and great Honours of the Emperour Mira quidem haec sed video ut in Persia sic Romae hommes moriuntur If Magistrates are mortal 2. Vse by way of Inference of the Magistrates folly how much folly is in him that laboureth most for his body The truth is there is a secret conceit in the hearts of great persons who have the World at will that they shall not die it is not vox oris but it is vox cordis they still think of a longer life though they have lived never so long they can see death in other mens brows but not in their own bosomes w Psal 49.11 How many be too like that Duke d'Alva who b●ing asked whether he had observed a late eclipse of the sun answered That he had so much business to doe on earth that he he had no time to look up to Heaven so they spend so much time on their dyi●g bodies that they can spare none for their never dying souls Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for ever and their dwelling places to all generations Hence it commeth to passe that they work altogether for this world so they have Earth in their hands they care not though they have nothing of Heaven in their hearts Their endeavour is to live in the favour of great men and not to die in the feare of the great God How many great Persons spend their time as Seneca speaketh inter pectinem speculum occupati between the Comb and the Glasse and not between Scripture and Prayer their labour is to go finely to fare deliciously to live honourably to prosper outwardly but not to honour God fruitfully to discharge that trust which is committed to them faithfully or to work out their own Salvation diligently There is a story of a fat man riding through Rome on a lean horse it was demanded how it came to passe that he being so exceeding fat his horse was so lean he answereth Ego meipsum stabularius equum curat I mind my self but my Groom looketh after my Horse Too many God knoweth have fat bodies and lean souls their outward man is flourishing their inward man is perishing and the reason is they themselves regard their bodies but they say they trust God or more truly the Divel with their souls Prince Absalon is a fit resemblance of such persons whilst he lived he provided somewhat against the time he must die But what doth he provide only a place for his body to rest in The Spirit of God takes special notice how provident this ambitious youngster was for his body 2 Sam. 18.18 Now Absalon in his life time had reared up for himself a Pillar But he never thinketh of his precious soul where that might rest when it left his body How foolish and faulty are many Magistrates in this particular whilst they live they take special care that when they die their bodies be in such a vault interred with such a company of mourners attended that such a Monument be e●ected but take no care that when their bodies go to the house appointed for all the living their souls might go to that house which is not made with hands but eternal in the Heavens They little consider that when their Friends are weeping over

look on your left hands and there is none to help you on your right hands and there is none to pity you on the one side of the bed thy neighbours may be sighing and sobbing on the other side thy wife and children may be wringing their hands and renting their hearts c Psal 142.4 5. but if thou canst not then with David look up and say Lord thou art my refuge O what a sighing sobbing weeping condition art thou in indeed O what a comforting cordial will it be to a dying person to be able in uprightnesse of heart to say with d Psal 73.26 It was an excellent saying of a worthy person to a great Peer of this Realm that shewed him his houses goods lands honours pleasures and the like My Lord you had need to make sure of Heaven otherwise your Lordship will be a very great loser when you die Asaph My flesh and my heart fail me but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever When news cometh that ye must die can the ablest Physitian in the world prescribe or provide such a cordial as good Hezekiah had He turned to the wall and weepeth saying Lord thou knowest I have walked before thee with a perfect heart Believe me Sirs your honours treasures and relations will shake hands with you at death like leaves in Autumn fall from you like Absalom's Mule fail you even in your greatest extremity Then Dives and his dishes Herod and his Harlot e Isa 38.2 3. Baltasar and his bowls Achan and his wedges Balaam and his wages the ambitious man and his honours voluptuous man and his pleasures covetous man and treasures must part and that for ever ever Doth it not concern you then to choose that part that shall never be parted with 2. Hereby your names will be highly honorable Prov. 3.13 15. Salvian complained that in his time men thought Religion made Noble men vile when indeed saith he it maketh vile men Noble Job 1.8 Car. in loc which shall never be taken from you 2. By this means you names may be highly honoured true glory is entailed on piety The Heathen would go through the Temple of Vertue to the Temple of Honour Happy is the man that findeth wisedom length of dayes is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour I do not say that wicked men shall commend you for godlinesse no their good word were a blot to your names What evill have I done said the Philosopher that this vicious wretch speaketh well of me Yet godlinesse will make you like statues of Gold which the polluted breath of ungodly ones cannot stain the more the dirty feet of men rub on a figure graven in brasse the more lustre they give it But God and godly men will honour you for holinesse What doth God say of a living Saint Hast thou not considered my servant Job i. e. I am sure in thy travels and wandrings about the world thou couldst not choose but take notice of Job he is my jewel my darling Job was a godly magistrate Godlinesse doth truly ennoble a person the four Monarchs without it are resembled to four beasts King Herod to a fox Nero to a lyon the Princes of Israel to the kine of Bashan Nam genus proavos quae non fecimus ipsi Vix ea nostra voc● Ovid. a special man among all the sons of men He is such a spectacle as may justly draw all eyes and hearts after him When thou walkedst to and fro didst thou not make a stand at Job's door I cannot but look upon him my self and consider him therefore surely thou hast considered him And how honourably doth God speak not only of a godly Magistrate living but when he is dead also f Josh 1.2 Moses my servant is dead g Isa 41.8 The seed of Abraham my friend So godly men will honour you if ye fear God When your eyes are shut mens mouthes will be open And what will good men say of a pious judge There was a Judge that would not swerve a tittle from the Law but executed it couragiously without fear impartially without favour who made the Malefactor to tremble with his frowns and cheered the innocent with his smiles He was one that did justly loved mercy and walked humbly with his God of whom the world was not worthy for he is now enjoying a weight of glory And of a good Justice when dead what a character will good men living give There was a Justice that would secure his conscience whatever became of his credit that would please God how much soever he displeased men that was not only strict to punish but active to find out swearers drunkards and Sabbath breakers Pious Master Vines at Essex Fu. p. 15. He was one that ever counted the toleration of men in such sins an intolerable sin Or if you will have it in the language of a learned Divine now in Heaven He was a Justice that would scatter drunkards from their Ale-bench and never understood the language of a Bottle or a Basket O how gallantly if ye act nobly for God will these trumpets sound your praises when ye are in the place of silence When of a wicked Magistrate they will speak when he is dead as Nazianzen of Julian Caligula could say of his father in law Marcus Silanus that he was but a golden brute when he was smitten and wounded It was to him indeed vulnus lethale but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sickness whereby he died was possibly damnation to him but it was salvation to us we are thereby freed from his wicked pattern and ungodly practises Or as the Romans of Pompey by a witty sollecisme Misera nostra magnus est The more he was advanced the more our misery encreased The very * Heathen can tell us of a long lived vicious man Diu fuit non diu vixit Multum jactatu est Senec. ad Paulin. cap. 8. non multum navigavit Believe me the highest ungodly Magistrate when he dyeth goeth out like a Candle that leaves a stinking sent a noysome smell behind him 3. If ye mind godliness your deaths will be truly peaceable 3. Hereby your deaths will be truly peaceable An ungodly man can never die with true peace though he may die in much security He may die by his own hands and yet not with his own will h Luke 12.20 Job 27.8 Such a mans soul is taken from him and snatch'd away by fo●ce Were I not by experience too too much acquainted how hard and desperately wicked the heart of man is I should much wonder how any man should die in his wits that dyeth not in the faith of Christ that their souls go not out of their bodies as the Divels out of them that were possessed renting raging foaming and tea●ing I am confident were the conscience awakened no graceless wretch alive can look death in