Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	call_v	covenant_n	zion_n	16	3	9.3119	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87557	An exposition of the epistle of Jude, together with many large and usefull deductions. Formerly delivered in sudry lectures in Christ-Church London. By William Jenkyn, minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and pastor of the church at Black-friars, London. The second part.; Exposition of the epistle of Jude. Part 2	Jenkyn, William, 1613-1685.	1654 (1654)	Wing J642; Thomason E736_1; ESTC R206977	525,978	703

1. From the time wherein they appeared 2. From their qualities or conditions wherewith they appear'd according to which the Apostle saith they were 1. Mockers 2. Such as walked after their lusts 1. For the first their appearance was in the last time EXPLICATION Two things here briefly for explication 1. What the last time is 2. Why these seducers shewd themselves in the last time 1. For the understanding of the first the last time in the Greek * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in quo necesse est ut consistamus Ultimum dicitur ultra quod pergere non licet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must know that by speeches of last time the Scripture meanes sometime a Continuation or length of time sometime an end of time When by the last time it meanes a Continuation of time it intends a space which in respect of that compasse of time whereof it is the last part may fitly be called the last time Thus the life of man being made up of severall ages the last space thereof old age may be called its last time Thus within the compasse of a year there being foure seasons the last season thereof winter may be cald the last time of a yeare or 1. Uitimum tempu● 2. Ultimum temporis sometime by the last time is meant terminus temporis the very end or expiring of time as the moment wherein a man dyes is his last time or the last day of December is the end or last time of the year Now thus the last time is the end of the world and it is ever exprest in the singular number and usually called the last day as foure times Joh. 6th and once in the 11th 1. Pet. 1.5 And thus 1. Pet. 1.5 the last time is taken where the Apostle mentions that salvation ready to be revealed in the l●st time The last time in this place must needs be taken in the former sense viz. for a space which is the last age of the world or the last part of its time and thus those places are ever to be taken where we read of the last times or dayes in the plurall number as 1 Pet. 1.20 It s said that Christ was manifested in the last times which times have continued many hundreds of yeares So Heb. 1.2 God hath spoken in these last dayes by his Son So 2 Tim. 3. In the last dayes perilous times shall come And Act. 2.17 In the last dayes I will powre out of my spirit So 2 Pet. 3.3 And thus it s taken in this place Nor doth the holy Ghost intend these last times by a word of the singular number in any place as I remember save onely in this place of Jude Now by these last times in generall are meant all those times from the revelation of Christ to the end of the world Vid. Mead. in his learned discourse of the Apostasie of the last times in which space the Kingdom of Christ was founded and advanced in the world which times because saith learned Mead they are under the last Monarchy viz. the Roman are cald the last times and because under the times of that last Monarchy the Kingdome of Christ appeard in the world hence it s said that in these last dayes God hath spoken by his Son Heb. 1.2 and 1 Pet. 1.20 Christ was manifested in these last times and Gal. 4.4 When the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Son c. Others thinke that these times after the coming of Christ to the end of the world are call'd the last times in respect of those which went before wherein the state of the Church was oft changed and the Covenant frequently renewed but now by the death of Christ the Covenant of grace being so establisht that its never againe to be renewed or changed but the condition of the Church is to be in a sixt state to the end of the world and no other to succeed it these are cald the last times For the second why these prophane seducers arose in these last times 1. The last times are times of presumption and security and therefore of dissolutenesse and impiety In former times judgments were threatned the dissolution and destruction of all things foretold but because the execution hereof is not beheld therefore they who live in these times are encouraged to sin Because sentence against their evill works is not speedily executed therefore are their hearts set to do evill This security Christ foretells should be in the last of the last dayes namely at his coming to judgment as in the dayes before the flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage c. so shall also the coming of the Son of man c. and this continuance of all things as they were from the beginning occasion'd these seducers to scoff at the promise of his coming 2. Pet. 3.4 The neerer they came to the feeling the further they were from the fearing of punishment 2. They who live in the last dayes are more skilfull practitioners in sin wittily wicked understand more how to contrive sin and work iniquity by the improved experiences of their own and former times Thus as 't is in every other art so likewise in that of sinning by length of time custome and experience t is improved to a greater degree of finenesse and exactnesse The sinners of the last times are men they of former times were but children in wickednesse That old Serpent the older he growes the more of the serpent he hath and so it is with the seed of the Serpent 3. In the last times the Kingdome of Jesus Christ is more to be enlarged and advanced and therefore the malice of Satan is the more increased As Christ riseth in glory so will Satan and sinners more swell with rage and envy It s said that those people that live in places where the sun is hottest and most scorching every morning curse the rising sun and thus in times where the Gospel reacheth men with its holy heat and light they curse and malign it Hatred is the genius of the Gospel and as wicked men the more raged at Christ the older he grew so the more his Gospell spreads the more the Devill despights it 4. Lastly In the last times the Devils time growes short and therefore his wrath growes great Satan labours to supply the shortnesse of his time with the sharpnesse of his assaults Besiegers make their last onset upon town or Castle the most resolute and terrible of all others Satan now sets upon soules by seduction the more furiously because when these times are at an end he shall never be suffered to doe so any more Like a malicious tenant who perceiving that his terme is almost expired doth what he can to ruine the house or like a bloody tyrant who suspecting the loss of his usurped Soveraignty makes havock among his subjects OBSERVATIONS 1. Obs 1. The wicked are worst in the best times In the

whereby the wicked shall ever strive to part with that which they shall never lose and crave that which they shall never procure If it be so great a misery for a starving Prisoner to be kept without bread but for a day or two in a Prison and to see through his grate Passengers laden with that plenty of provisions which he must not so much as touch Oh what a woe will it be for the Damned ever to see the Faithful feasting themselves in the fruition of Gods presence and they to know that they shall eternally starve and yet not dye in the want of the least drop the smallest crumb of that full Banquet of Happiness which the Saints ever enjoy in Gods presence OBSERVATIONS 1. Observ 1. The world without the Word lies in a condition of darkness The Ministers of the Word are the stars the light of the world take them away and every place is full of darkness The people to whom Christ preacht sate before in darkness in the region and shadow of death Matth. 4.16 The Ephesians sometime were darkness saith the Apostle Before the Gospel is savingly delivered we are under the power of darkness and darkness is that term from which we are called when we are brought out of our natural estate And in three respects is the world without the Gospel in darkness 1. In respect of ignorance 1. It knowes not God The Gentiles are said to be such as knew not God The Word only discovers him savingly because it onely makes known God in Christ The wisest of the Heathens till this light came could not know him The world by wisdom knew not God they worship● the unknown God 2. It knowes not the will and wayes of God and this followes from the former for he who knowes not what another is cannot know what he loves The will of God is only laid down in the Word of God There is no service pleaseth him but that which himself prescribes The knowledg of the Heathen only serves to render them inexcusable for not doing what they knew not able sufficiently to understand all they had to do 2. The world is in darkness in respect of wickedness and unrighteousness A man in the dark sits still and forbears to walk as he doth who is in the light Wicked men are unprofitable slothful servants unactive in the wayes of God ●zek 15.45 not those by whom God gaines They are like the branches of the Vine in building good for nothing He who is in the dark wanders stumbles or falls every step that he takes Every wicked action is a falling into a slough and down a precipice a deviating from the way of Gods Commandments and therefore sin is in Scripture called a work of Darkness Yea they who are in the dark are not ashamed of the filthiest garments which they wear or of the uncomeliest actions they perform and they who are without the light of the Word in a night of sin and ignorance blush not in the doing of those things which he who is Spiritually inlightned is ashamed to hear behold or think of What profit saith the Apostle have you in those things whereof you are now ashamed 3. The world is in darkness in respect of fear horror and misery Men in the dark tremble at the stirring of every twig There were they saith David Psal 14.5 in great fear and it is called their fear Fear not saith the Prophet Isai 8.12 their fear It is only the light of Gods countenance which scattereth the clouds of fear Till fury be taken out of God fear can never be removed out of men but through the fear of death they are all their life time subject to bondage Hebr. 2.15 when any misery befals them they tremble as did the Elders of Bethlehem at Samuels coming they not knowing whether it comes peaceably or no nor is it any wonder that the darkness of fear should here seize upon those who expect utter darkness hereafter in the everlasting separation from the light of Gods countenance wherein there is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore We see then the true cause that the world hath ever so much hated the word which discovers its deeds of darkness I have given them thy word saith Christ and the world hath hated them Joh. 17.14 and he who was the word Incarnate was also hated by the world because he testified that the deeds thereof were evil Hatred is the genius of the Gospel saith Luther the shadow which ever attended upon the Gospels sun-shine Though Saints are blameless and harmlesse the sons of God without rebuke Phil. 2.15 yet if they wil shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation they must look for opposition but how irrational and groundlesse is this hatred of the world for though the word manifests its deeds of darknesse yet withall it discovers its destruction in eternal darknesse and were the light thereof beheld and loved it would prevent it and lead by the light of grace to that of glory 2 Obs 2 Great is the difference between the light which shines here and that which we shall behold hereafter In the night of this world we have stars to give us light we have a light which shines in a dark place but when the sun shall arise 2 Pet. 2. all these stars shal be put out Prophets Evangelists Pastors Teachers are given but til we all meet in the unity of the faith and of the knowledg of the Son of God Eph. 4.13 and then prophesies and tongues shall cease knowledg shall vanish away when that which is perfect is come that which is in part shall be done away when we shal behold the light of the sun we shall no more want star-light or candle-light the immediate vision of God shall abolish these the people of God shal be above Ordinances and Ministry when they shall be above sin and error In heaven all our difficulties and knots shal be untied though here we are doubtful of many truths yet in heaven we shall truly have cause to say now Lord thou speakest plainly and not in parables He who died in his child hood in heaven knowes more then the wisest Solomon ever did upon earth and that little light or speak of joy which here the Saints had shall in heaven be blown into a flame their bud of joy shall there be a ful blown flowre Psal 97.11 here light is sown but there shal be a harvest a fulnesse of joy Oh blessed estate 3. Obs 3 People should labour to walk and work by the light of the Ministry Yet a little while saith Christ is the light with you walk while ye have the light John 12.35 let us walk decently saith the Apostle Rom. 13.13 as in the day The light of the Gospel must put Christians upon a two fold manner of walking and working 1. Speedily 2. Accurately 1. Speedily Our light is not lasting our

the care of the shepherd Thus David the Lord saith he is my shepherd I shall not want 4. En●chs humble and sweet acquaintance with God stood in his enjoying of all his comforts in God and God in them he so much esteemed communion with God that he accounted nothing sweet but what he had with his love and smile he was not a slave to sense delighting himself only in the good things themselves which he enjoyed he accounted every condition sweet or bitter so far forth as God did communicate himself in it or withdraw himself from it so that he was neither unduly lifted up in his enjoyments nor dejected in his losses the God of his delight being ever and evenly the same nothing was delightful to Enoch by it self but only God other things only as they came with God as though water is only sweet when something sweet is put into it yet hony and sugar are sweet alone by themselves 3. This walking with God notes spiritual motion there cannot be a walking without a moving Enoch neither stood by God nor sat with God but walked with God the commandments of God were the way wherein he walked and moved and every act of obedience was a several step taken in that way in all his motions he observed some duty enjoyned and eschewed some sin forbidden so that he praised God with the language of his conversation he could not have walked unless he had been as practical as he was speculative and professing only works speak words are silent before God and man nor did he only practise this walking with God when he was exercised in the duties of Gods immediate worship but also when imployed in the works of his particular place and calling In the performing of the former he was as it were in heaven in the doing of the latter heaven was in him the necessary employments of his calling took him not off from conversing with God they did not make him at all renounce this Paul when he was making of tents did not cast off conversing with God neither doth piety make us idle in our places nor doth moderate diligence in our callings make us impious and prophane and indeed we cannot walk with God unlesse we serve him both in our general and particular callings To conclude this discourse of Enochs walking with God with a touch of the manner how he performed it 1. He walked with God solely he admitted no intruders into or disturbers of his heavenly converses with his God the world followed him as a servant walked not with him as a companion this God cannot abide he rather used the world than enjoyed it or rather used it as if he used it not God cannot bear the the company of Mammon the love of God and the world cannot stand together 2. He walked with God evenly and in a direct course he halted not like the Israelites 1 King 18.21 between two he made straight pathes for his feet he gave allowance to no wandrings nor false waies they who wil walk in by-paths walk not with God but alone and therefore Enoch walked in a straight path to heaven and turned not aside to crooked waies not treading in the way of any known sin 3. He walked cheerfully not unwillingly or constrainedly or sadly his walking being with him who is the God of all comfort and indeed God takes no pleasure in that mans company who accounts not walking with him a pleasure Enoch was not by fear or force or restraint detained before the Lord but he delighted himself in him looking upon holy duties as his priviledges as wel as his tasks nor indeed can any walk cheerfully but when with God his company makes the valley of the shadow of death to be a pleasant way a bitter condition sweet and a sweet condition sweeter 4. He walked constantly unweariedly with God from strength to strength til he appeared before him in the heavenly Sion Enochs goodness was not by fits and starts like that of some hypocrites he did not take a step or two but walked with God this his walking with God lasted as long as his continuing in the world he did not set out wel only in the beginning but held out wel also til the end of his race OBSERVATIONS 1. The faithful must be holy in unholy times Enoch in a corrupt age walked with God Obs 1. and kept close to him when most left him Saints must shew that they are not of the world when they are in it they must not be conformed to the world nor run with the world to the same excess of riot 1 Pet. 4.4 As their righteousnesse must exceed the righteousnesse of hypocrites so must it condemn the unrighteousness of the profane the rest of their time they should not live to the lusts of men but to the wil of God they are forbidden to follow a multitude to do evil to go in the way of evil men Prov. 4.14 to have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darknesse Elijah was zealous for God Eph. 5.11 when he scarce could discern any to joyn with him as Noah was saved by God when the earth was overwhelmed with an inundation of water so did he walk with God when it was overspread with an inundation of wickedness Psal 71 7. Isa 8.18 Jer. 20.7 when David was looked upon as a monster Isaiah and the faithful as wonders yet they retained their integrity when the wicked have almost made void the law even then nay therefore must the godly love Gods Commandments and esteem all his precepts Psal 119.126 127 128. concerning all things to be right God is a friend a father and as this friend loves us in the day of our adversity so should he be beloved in the day when his honour suffers May not God say to those that temporise with his enemies for fear or hope Is this your kindnesse to your friend Is there any time wherein God hath left or forsaken us and should there be any wherein we are weary of walking with God Is God our father and can we endure with a tame patience to see him dishonoured It s reported of a Son who though before dumb yet seeing enemies about to kill his father presently cried out kil not my father The sons of God must glorifie their father and shine as lights in a crooked and perverse nation Ephes 2.15 Nor can the truth much less the strength of grace or the power of godlinesse ever be manifested unless it appears in times of opposition there is no power seen where there are no difficulties contended with wherein doth the life of grace differ from death in sin if Christians shal be carried down the stream of their times unholinesse Grace wil ever conflict with that sin either in the soul or the world which it is not able to conquer it wil condemn it though it cannot execute it And what more unreasonable lastly then for us to mete to God

saint themselves and to say If such an one were commendable and voiced by our Minister for a good man I thank God t is much better with me I never was guilty of halfe his extravagancies and I see I may be a good man yea and commended when I am dead notwithstanding my failings so he calls his allowed wickednesses though I be not so pure as such and such are Oh how unsutable is it that by funerall Sermons men should be made more unfit for death to paint those in the pulpit who are punisht in hell and that a Minister should be strewing that dead body with flowers whose soule is bathing in flames For my part though I should not deny due commendation even at a funerall to some eminently exemplary saint or publiquely usefull instrument yet mostly I thinke his speech concerning the deceased may suffice who said If he were good he did not desire If bad he did not deserve praise 2. When we so admire the persons of some instructers as to neglect and despise others who haply deserve better then they the sin of the Corinthians when the Apostle tells them 1 Cor. 3.21 of their glorying in men some teachers being so gloried in peculiarly as if they were onely worth the hearing and none else to be regarded Some accounted Paul the only teacher some delighted onely in Apollo some magnified Peter as the alone worthy man thus they thought of men above what was meet and they were puffed up for one against another They gloryed in some disdaining all others as not to be named with them though teachers of the same truth because they had an high conceit of their learning wit cloquence holinesse or the like qualifications A great sin doubtlesse and I fear the common sin of this City How unthankfull for the bounty of Christ doe men make themselves hereby who gave all the Ministers of the Gospell to be theirs for their good all things saith the Apostle are yours whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas 1 Cor. 3.21 22. It s unthankfulnesse to a bountifull Prince when he bestowes many Lordships on his favourite if he should regard one of them onely and despise all the rest Yea how injuriously is the Spirit of Christ hereby reproached For the despising of those who are of small gifts is a reproaching of the Spirit of God as if he were defective in his gifts whereas their variety sets forth the fulnesse and freenesse of Gods spirit who divideth to every man severally as he will and worketh all these 1 Cor. 12.11 Besides this sin is oft the maine cause of schismes in the Church It makes people to divide themselves under different teachers whom they admire and it causeth teachers to take away those that affect them from other teachers whom they affect not so much Now this sin of schisme in it selfe very great as afterwards shall be shewn God willing on the 19. ver is made much the greater by being occasion'd by those very gifts of men which God bestowed upon them to this end that there might be no scisme in the body but that the members should have the same care one of another 1 Cor. 12.25 Nor is there any sin which doth more expose Christian Religion to so much contempt and obloquy then this kinde of admiring of persons for hereby severall Companies of Christians are made like the severall schools of Philosophers some whereof followed Plato some Aristotle some Epicurus and the doctrines of faith are but accounted as the proper opinions of severall teachers and all zeal for them is conceived to arise not from a certaine knowledge of heavenly truth but from peculiar humour and strength of fancy And how great a stumbling block must this needs be to those who are without how will it hinder them from embracing the truth and lay it open to derision yet further the sinfulness of this sort of man-admiration appears in that hereby both the despised person is so greived and discouraged that he is infeebled and disabled in his work and also he who is admired is not onely puffed up with pride and thereby occasion'd to adulterate the word invent and broach errors that stil he may be advanced above all others by going in a different way from them but also put upon the pleasing of men by sinfull flatteries in stead of profiting them by faithfull reprehensions To conclude this consideration nothing begets so great an aptness in men to receive errors as this sinfull admiration nor hath any seed of heresies and superstitions proved so fruitfull as this affection commonly makes men take down falsities and error is easily received from them whom we much admire and God doth often leave admired teachers to erre for tryal of the people and the punishing of their vanity in making Gods truth to stand at the devotion of the teacher for its acceptance and trampling upon the holy and perhaps learned labours of those who are more seeing and faithfull than the admired 3. When we so admire mens persons as to give all respect to men in outward greatnesse though perhaps wicked despifing the poor Saints because poor this James reproves my brethren have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ in respect of persons James 2. When wickedness in robes is magnified and holinesse in raggs contemned Oh how unworthy is it that the gold ring and costly apparell should be prefer'd before the robe of Christs righteousnesse and the jewel of grace that godliness and good examples should be rejected for their want of a gold ring that he who shall have a throne in heaven must here be a footstool upon earth 4. When Elections and offices are passed and bestowed partially for freindship favour money kinred a sin by much agravated when men have taken oaths to a Corporation to the contrary and it s ost a great tentation to the party who enters by money to sell justice dear 5. When we so admire the person of one as to do injustice in judgment whether Civil or Ecclesiastical which is when our affection doth so blind our judgment by some outward respect or appearance that we will not determine righteously the cause being over ballanced with such forreign considerations as have no affinity with it Thus men are in judicature sometime swayed with foolish pitty sometime with cowardly fear both these the Lord forbids Levit. 19.15 Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor Deut. 1.17 nor honour the person of the mighty This sin would make God a patron of iniquity the sentence being pronounced from God OSERVATIONS 1. Obs 1. The oondition of men in greatest out ward emiuency and dignity is oft very miserable None have so many flatterers and therefore none so few freinds as they flatterers as worms breed in the best fruit When a poor illiterate man is admonished for sin a rich a learned man is admired in nay haply for sin As the bodies so the sonls of Kings and great men