Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A48760
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A letter, written by that famous and faithful minister of Christ Mr John Livingstoun unto his parishoners of Ancram in Scotland, dated Rotterdam October 7. 1671.
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Livingston, John, 1603-1672.
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1671
(1671)
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Wing L2599; ESTC R216776
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17,702
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19
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Word and Discipline which terrified and tormented them and may now both swear terrible Oaths and drinke drunk which by some will be expounded as a clear evidence of their loyaltie they may now after the example of many Great ones walk in the lust of uncleanness mind nothing but how by any means just or unjust to get the World and then how to spend it on their lusts and hate and to their power persecute all who will not run with them to the same excess of riot Now as I have often in publick with as great earnestness and tenderness as I could warned these to flee from the wrath to come so I would yet desire them to stand still a little before they go to the pit and hear from a truely loving Friend a few words which I am confident in the day of the great reckoning shall be found a message from the living God Do you beleeve there is a God or Heaven or Hell or can ye with all your will and strength scrape the thoughts of these out of your sleeping consciences Or do ye in such sort hate God that because ye are his creatures ye will so far be avenged on your selves as to sell your selves to his enemie the Devil for nought to be tormented in all eternity I am most sure none of you all can be sure that ye are Reprobats and I can give you assurance greater than the stability of Heaven and Earth even the sworn word of him that liveth and reigneth for ever that if ye will forsake your wicked way and yet betake your selves to the only Saviour of lost sinners ye are no Reprobates O! what advantage have ye when ye have gained all the World and all the Pleasures all the Riches and all the Favoure of it and have lost your immortal and precious Souls It is utterly impossible but that sometimes your own heart tells you there will be bitterness in the end Doth not Whoredom and Drunkenness waste the body take away the Judgment and leave a sting in the Conscience Can any avoid the Curse that goods gotten by falshood or oppression bring upon the man and all he hath yea on his Posterity Is it not sad that Satan can prompt men to Swear Curse and Blaspheme and utter that which he dare not utter himself And although ye were free of all outward Outbreakings doth not an unrenewed estate the neglect of commanded duties Sabbath-breaking and such evils binde you over to the wrath of Him who is coming there in flaming fire to take vengeance on them who know not God and obey not the Gospel Ye may possibly think you reso far gone on that there is no retreat and the wayes of the Lord are such as your disposition can never agree with but how can your disposition agree to burn consume never consume in everlasting flames where each of all your fins shall have the own particular torment How can ye agree to dwell with Internal Furies Or will ye adde to all your other wickedness despaire despising of all the Lords loving loud and long continued Invitations What shall you answer if hereafter the Lord shall say to some of you I would have given thee both Grace and Glory if thou hadst but sough it thou wouldst not give once two or three knocks at my door thou wouldst not open when I knocked oft and long at thy door by so doing thou hast subscribed thine own Reprobation and Condemnation Oh let me obtain this much of all and every one of you for all the pains I have taken among you in preaching for all my Nine years banishment from you for all the prayer I have put up for you for all the love which he who knoweth all things knoweth I bear to you yea let your own souls and the love you have to your own welfare here and hereafter obtain it or rather let him who for sinners shed all his most precious blood at Jerusalem obtain this of you that you will take one day each of you alone from morne to evening forbearing both meat and drink and go apart rather into some quiet room in an house or unto some part of the fields where you may be most quiet and having before-hand marked in the Bible such Places as are fit to be read at such a time as also having somewhat searched your way toward God and his wayes toward you there set yourselves in his sight spending the time in Confession of sins and Prayer for Pardon and grace to serve him and save your own souls and if which is not readily to be supposed ye get no access on such a day yet continue thereafter in such exercise and suits for deliverance from Hell Enjoying of Heaven and the Favour of God are worth more pains then ye can take all our Life Now if this so easie and necessary advice shall be rejected without prescribing time and place or measure and manner but if the main intent of taking some time to humble yourselves before God and turning unto him be rejected I take instruments before Son and Moon and all the Creatures that I have left this warning as an indorsed summones fixed on the doore of your consciences to be called and judged before him who is ready to judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and in his Glory when beside the witnessing of all your sins of your own consciences and of all the Creatures I also as your lawful Minister sent to procure your Reconciliation with God shall appear to witness that ye got fair warning but did reject the same and would needs choose death Therefore while it is called to day take a trial of Christs Yoke do but put him to it and see whether or not he will open the windowes of Heaven and raine Blessings and Righteousness upon you come and see and tast the goodness of the Lord ye shall be made to say He is a rich and loving Master once engage your hearts to him and ye may defye Sathan and all the allurments and terrours of the World to draw you from him Glad would my heart be to hear before I go to the grave that some of you have begun a new course and if ye begin indeed ye will not get it supprest it will be heard I shall as I can pray for it and desire others here to pray for it It is not needful to multiply words I leave it with you as ye shall answer to Jesus Christ when he shall come in the clouds The Second Rank is of those who either had true grace or seemed to have it and who went a length beyond others in an orderly walk and following the Ordinances at home and abroad but since the late change have either turned loose and profane or so far sided with the corruptions of the time that not one footprint of their former stedfastness tenderness doth appear but they are justly reckoned among those who will obey whatsoever is