Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	contempt_n	good_a	great_a	149	3	2.1022	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A70235	The vanity of self-boasters, or, The prodigious madnesse of tyrannizing Sauls, mis-leading doegs, or any others whatsoever, which peremptorily goe on, and atheistically glory in their shame and mischief in a sermon preached at the funerall of John Hamnet, gent. late of the parish of Maldon in Surrey / by E.H. Minister ...	Hinton, Edward, 1608 or 9-1678.	1643 (1643)	Wing H2066; ESTC R7444	51,429	56

they care not how dishonest the meanes be how base the instruments nor how foule the way so they may get to their journeys end God grant that we owe not our present sufferings nay our present sinnes our hideous lyings oathes perjuries bloody stratagems murthers and oppressions to such inordinate desires Thirdly and lastly they which desire honour meerly that they may vaunt and glister they will not desire that which neither God nor man hath thought fit for them and with a strange eagernesse and hazard pursue this desire untill they have either lost themselves or gain'd their unjust honour but into these straights are they also cast viz. to be as base and sinnefull in keeping their Honour as they were in the obtaining of it according to that rule of the Historian m Salust Iisdem artibus retinetur gloria quibus parta fuit glory is to be kept upon the same tearmes it was got if thou by sinnefull courses and base instruments gottest up the same finnefull courses and base instruments are necessary to the keeping of thy height otherwise they which set thee up will pull thee downe again ex gr if by flattery and dissembling thou gottest so high then O misery must thou still be base and flatter if by bribing then must thou still be sending and giving otherwise 't will bee with thee as with a Comet which say Astronomers continues its blaze and lustre no longer then it hath matter to feed and maintain it nor will thy glory if thus come by last longer then thou hast oyle to foment it base smooth language or gifts but when these faile thy great friend will begin to frown and then down thou must and wilt fall like a spent exhalation Put these together then and tell me Have those which are so unjust in their desires and so violent in the pursuit of them so violent I say that they oft run through any sin and venture on any danger rather then they 'l be hindred yes and are forced for the most part to a necessary continuance in the sinnes by which and liablenesse to those dangers through which they waded to their heigth have these I say just cause of boasting of their honour thus got and enjoyed Alas my brethren did you feele and know the stings and burnings the throwes and cuttings of their guilty consciences if they have any you would not be long in giving in your answer But one step further that they Atheists as they are have no consciences for none but Atheists would be so violent and sinfull in the pursuit of honour and that they can gloriam ●sdem artibus retinere quibus parta fuit keep their heigth and glory with the same sins and strength wherewith 't was got yet all this will but make them great and glorious sinners whose end is horrour to imagine And then for the best honours which are to be gained the best and most innocent way though offered and forced on thee labour thou maist indeed to deserve them but never to make them matter of thy boast Hence our Saviour the people crying Blessed is he which commeth King of Israel n Luk. 19.38.40 would by no meanes be brought to rebuke them but understanding their intention was to make him King he withstood them o Ioh. 6. ●5 whereupon Hilarius Insinnat quod statum regium mundi honores volebat mereri contemnere he thereby willed the desert and contempt of worldly honours Magne fortuna est magna servitus high place is but an honourable servitude and will stand in little stead at last it cannot stave of deaths arrest though happily it may the Lawes Even of the greatest of mortal saith the Psalmist p Psal 146.4 his breath gooth forth he returneth to his earth the earth from whence he came and then all his thoughts not good thoughts certainly for such are gloriously satisfied but his bad thoughts his thoughts of soaring revenge rioting c. shall perish Then as Lucretius wittily q Lib. 3. Eripitur persona manet ves the play will bee done his exiit come and his robes took off he will appeare an arrant man not of better earth or mould then the poorest begger Thirdly and lastly no just cause hast thou to boast of thy great friends thy dependancy or mighty relations and that for these reasons First because most are false they dive and winde themselves into thy bosome and being got into thy innermost closet acquainted with thy naturall bent and inclination they will accordingly so bende and crook their words and actions and therewith as with a false key they will unlock and open thy heart that they may deale with thee as Latiaris in Tacitus did with Sabinus r Annal. 1.4 sound and pump thee untill they have got enough out of thee to undoe thee They will ſ Eccl. 13.11 12. smiling on thee get out thy secrets lay up thy words will not spare to doe thee hurt or to put thee in prison There are I am confident plenty of such friends storing up against a black day How usuall a way of poysoning is it to professe Physick Who would not have took Ioab to have been Amasa's friend see his friendly greeting Art thou in health my brother Takes him by the beard to kisse him but nothing lesse this onely to make way for more surely murthering of him for hereby saith the Text Amasa took no heed to Ioabs sword so hee strook him therewith on the fifth ribbe and shed out his bowels to the ground and strook him not againe t 2 Sam. 20.9.10 Secondly suppose thy friends not such wretched Caitiffs as to intend to build themselves a fortune out of thy ruines or rise the higher by treading on thee though the discovery of many bloody underminings tell us there are store of such amongst us notwithstanding few are there which doe truly intend the good of their friends Many will be friends to thy wealth thy power wisedome or hospitality which will not be so to thee such as the Philosopher sayes qui eo usque oleum infundunt donec lucernâ opus est which put oile into the Lamp no longer then they make use of its light But when thy candle is put out as Iob phrases it u Iob 18.6 when thou art disenabled from affording them comfort and reliefe then presently will they fall off and as he complaines of his friends x Iob 6.15 deale deceitfully with thee as a brook in summer in the heat of thy afflictions when thou hast most need of them faile thee and like Davids kinsfolk stand afarre of y Psal 8 1● Thirdly grant thy friend true and for the time fast yet how soone may another creep into his bosome and thrust thee out I need not to goe so farre back as to tell you that Haman but now Ahasuerus his great Favorite the onely man privy to his sports and businesses was on a sudden forc't to be an

examination severally First then the good things of thy body are either beautie or strength but neither of these can justifie the least pride or vaunt Not beauty which is Flos floris the flower of a flower Man at the best is but a Flower suddenly gone (z) Ps 103.15.16 As for man his dayes are as grasse as a Flower of the field so he flourisheth for the wind passeth over it and so it is gone and the place thereof shall know it no more but beauty is that which soonest fades and alters in man nay 't is only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (*) sch Aen. the flower of colour or the colour of a flower which soonest fades in a flower Adde to this that Scripture experience Chronicles and most Histories tell us that those sinnes and miseries can scarce be equalled which this fond thing we call beauty hath produced And even this might take off from boasting of it because 't is as Pindarus termes it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wanton Goddesses Embassadour Nor can strength health or manhood justifie thy boast for know especially in the times of warre and sicknesse know that the healthiest ablest men fall thickest Strong and able men are daily call'd to the dangers and hazzards of the warre and the purest and best complexions soonest yeeld to the infection and cruelty of raging diseases and most Physicians affirm that Temperamentum ad pondus as they call it the exactest constitution hath most danger in it because it cannot long consist in its perfection and excellencie Et quia non potest in melius progredi labitur in deterius as Galen somewhere because it cannot grow better growes worse And that Aphorisme of Hippocrates (a) Hippoc. sect 2. Aphor 30. 〈◊〉 will hinder your boasting paines and diseases are easiest in youth and age 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of more force against the strongest complexion A sudden tempestuous sicknesse a feaver the Stone or wind in the Stomack as a tempest deales with sturdy Okes soonest plucks up and overturnes the strongest when weak creeping wretches come off easier And if thou hast no just cause to boast of the good things of thy body much lesse cause hast thou to boast of the things we call the good things of Fortune because they are lesse thine own longer winged and flye away sooner First no cause hast thou to boast of thy riches for nec verae sunt nec tuae (b) Bern. Ser. 49. they are neither truly wealth nor thine owne so farre are they from being thine owne that we are forbidden to gather them for our selves Lay not up saith our Saviour for your selves treasures upon earth not that we are forbidden with honest and moderate carefulnesse to endeavour an increase of our stock and talent (c) Mat. 6.19 No the hand of the diligent maketh rich saith Solomon (d) Prov. 10.9 their growing rich is made the reward and encouragement to moderate and honest carefulnesse but that we should not lay up treasures for ourselves that we should not therfore carke spare and pine that we may purchase a propriety in wealth that we may have heapes of gold and store of lands that we may call our owne that we may have what to set our hearts on with that foole in the Gospell singing lullabie to our soules Soule take thy rest thou hast much goods laid up for many yeeres (e) Luke 12.19 thou hast goods laid up the goods are thine and for thee onely are they laid up Well might this foole by the Psalmist (f) Psal 39 6. be said to be disquieted in vaine because he stored up riches and knowes not who shall enjoy them So farre is he from knowing who shall enjoy them that he knowes not for whom he gathers them Even in this sense also that charge of the Apostle (g) I Cor. 10.24 requires obedience Let no man seek his owne but every one anothers wealth Let him not seek wealth for himselfe to make it his owne but for others either for his children friends Common-wealth especially for God for the upholding of his cause or the reliefe of his servants And oh that men would consider what no propriety what no right they themselves have to their wealth what no masters themselves are of their owne purse when Gods cause calls for 't and bids them deliver Again the deceitfulnesse of riches as our Saviour calls it (h) Mar. 4.19 which especially failes us in our greatest necessity should keep us from boasting of them when age or sicknesse throwes thee on thy death-bed thy full barnes and cram'd bagges will afford thee little comfort thy corn will not then be nourishing nor thy gold restorative In this needfull time they deale with us as Hagar did with Ishmael (i) Gen. 23.16 being not able then to comfort us with the waters of refreshment they depart from us they yeeld us up unto death and after death thy comfort will be least of all thine I mean which pridest thy selfe in thy wealth for in that last and great day they will but encrease thy onus adde to the score and make thy accompts deeper and more intricate This misery riches bring with them though well got but if ill got got by oppression the trade of Vsury or other unlawfull gaines what no cause hast thou to boast of them especially in thy last sicknesse when their deceivablenesse plainly appeares this heavie strait wilt thou be brought to if thou make restitution as God and thy conscience requires thou must then leave thy children beggers if not thy soule sinks into hell Coelum undique undique pontus Secondly no just cause hast thou to boast of thy honours which though in themselves good not onely as they are Gods gifts He it is that raiseth the poore out of the dust and lifteth the begger from the dunghill to set them amongst Princes and to make them inherit the seat of glory k 1 Sam. 2.8 but also as they are rewards to those that stick for his Honour He will honour those that honour him l 1 Sam. 2.30 Yet to those that desire to pride themselves in them are just cause of dread and shame for these reasons First such will desire honour farre above their desert and place Thus Alexander who gloried much in his height and Victories willingly accepted of divine respect when some of his base Courtiers perswaded him he was a God then presently became he violent against the few faithfull friends of his that gainesayed it so violent that the faithfullest of them was murthered and no wonder for thinking himself a god 't was easie for him afterwards to conceive that he was not bounded by Law or duty Secondly such will not ouely affect honour farre above them but whatsoever honour they affect they are eager in the pursuit of it and it cannot casily be guest what variety of sinnes and dangers such will run thorow to satisfie their lust

instrument of Mordecai's honour whom ere-while hee would not suffer to sit covered before him and immediately afterwards hang'd on that Gallowes he rear'd for him z Est 7. How suddenly the scales have turn'd and good carding altered our own Chronicles will tell you yes our own times very late times will tell you how a long imprisoned person hath been took out of the prison judged and censured his but now mighty adversary 'T were losse of time to shew you those many whom sympathy and conversation have been long a twisting which in a thrice have been as famous for thei enmity as ever they were for their friendship One instance shall serve Sejanus had but now so much of the bosome of Tiberius as the Historian tells us (a) Tacitus that he stiles him consors curarum partnet in his cares and so much of his dignity that he stiles him Collega imperii partner in his Empire but how suddenly and fatally did the Scene alter next day nay next houre Calcamus Caesaris hostem Macro a new pellet but his old Adversary thrust him out of Tiberius his favour brought men and Authority to the Senate to spoyle him of his life and which was worse to an ambitious man of his honours too then those which but this houre were his Idolaters became with the hearing of six lines read proud to bee his executioners and made him the sacrifice which but this morning was their God Fourthly and lastly suppose thy friend thy greatest friend true and fast as constant too as the three paires the Heathens boast of let him be as close and sure to thee as Ionathan was to David nay further suppose him as close and as fast to his God too yet he is still but Gods instrument if thou dost ill he neither will nor dares stick to thee if thou dost well yet can he be nor more nor longer thine then God shall suffer him Nay let me tell you if high friends great dependance or mighty relation be that which you pride your selves in and boast of God may and 'c is probable he will so crush and humble thy great friend that thou maist gladly make use of Peters I know not the man 't was I believe somewhat in the cause why the Lord lesus so left Peter that he denied forswore and wept because he relied too much upon the man Christ Iesus Reade we not that 't was usuall amongst the antient to attach and accuse friends as accessories and conclude every traitours friend a conspiratour and that humour is not yet quite worn out For though judgement doth not so peremptorily as in old times seize the friends of the accused or guilty yet suspition sticks close to them and if jealous suspitious eyes are about thee 't is as bad as mosse about a tree 't will for the present hinder thee from thriving and at last by degrees wither thee No sooner was our Saviour betraid but present enquiry was made after his friends and followers then presently thou also Peter wast with Iesus of Galilee * Matt. 26.69.71 and again this fellow also was with Iesus of Nazareth b And though the Disciples fell not presently with their Master yet his cause was their death and because they persecuted him they persecuted them much more This have I said not that I would have you leave your Saviour or feare to professe friendship to his cause and servants but then you might know that friendship and relation only be they never so innocent may cause your overthrow Hence the Athenians Phocion asking them why others he only being thought guilty should bee accused answered onely quod amici fuerint because they were his friends Thus Alexander as Curtius tels us sought the death of all Parmeno's friends and allies and to Sejanus his friends amicitia objecta est they were accused of friendship Nay as Tertullian witnesseth of him * Apoloz portati sunt in carcerem emorituri puberes qui mortem nesciebant sub cultro ridebant 't was sufficient fault for his children to be his who tender wretches were put to death ere they know what it meant and sported with that axe that was to end both their mirth and life So suddenly may the wind turn and times change that you may with a heavy heart say of your great friend what Evodius does of Sejanus Aequè illum amasse quàm offendisse periculosum his friendship is now as dangerous as before his anger was To put this together then if some friends are basely treacherous many selfe-ended others inconstant and all but men fraile and uncertaine in their persons and condition subject to the miscarriages of state and change of times yes so subject that thy former friendship and relation with them may utterly ruine thee though thou and thy great friend be never so innocent This being so doubtlesse thou hast no just cause to boast of thy friends though I bate thee the sinfulnesse of it But were we not eare and eye-witnesses to the contrary we could not think that any one which hath not left to bee man can be so very a craven as to crow on these dung-hills boast of meere froth of these low wordly gaudy nothings a Heathen could say a Sen. prae sat in ratural quested quagrave m contempta res est homo si non supra humana so exercuirit man is a very inconsiderable thing if the things here below onely take up his time and thoughts yet there are bona animi the good things of the mind somethings within man such as knowledge sweet and affable dispositions morall vertues together with reason and other gifts and naturall endowments which a man may better call his owne and therefore the Heathens have so strangely boasted of them which some even Christians have thought may enable them expuris naturalibus meerely of themselves to lay hold and keepe fast their Saviour to worke out their salvation with feare and trembling as pround nature misconstrues that place of the Apostle and therefore some even Christians have boasted of these naturall and morall endowments But for my part so sensible am I and the Lord continue me so of these wretched fruits which radix ista damnata as the Father cals her o nature that dāable root brings forth b Austin ● contia Iuian that I cannot but in respect of these good things of the mind also as they are called continue my wonder and question and aske the richest endowed the compleatess man that nature or industry hath made Why boastest thou thy selfe in these And first what just subject of boasting can the wisdome and knowledge of the experientest learnedst man afford him which some have thought at the best to be but opinion that whatsoever we are capable of is not onely uncertaine in its possession but in its knowledge also nay this Tenet of theirs That nothing can be truely knowne is not sufficiently knowne unto themselves as Lucretius well Nil sciri