Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
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A26336
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A sermon preached at White-hall on Sunday, the 17th of February, 169 4/5 before the right honourable the lord chamberlain, ladies of the bedchambers, and others of the houshold to our late gracious Queen Mary, of blessed memory / by J. Adams ...
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Adams, John, 1662-1720.
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1695
(1695)
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Wing A484; ESTC R32693
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9,966
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27
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sudden Attack of Death but if it comes on by Degrees if they reach old Age what sad Spectacles of Woe are they What Ruines of Vice appear in every Limb yet their greatest Hell is not visible the Torments of the Mind are far more insupportable But the Righteous feel nothing of all this there can be no Fear where no Guilt is and for Death it self they know that this is but the Passage to that Eternity which is their Reward How bless'd and happy is he How secure his Innocence Who reflecting upon one well-spent Day can say Return to thy Rest O my Soul for the Lord hath rewarded thee 'T is but doing thus for a little while and he may with as much Readiness and Joy lie down in the Grave The Life of a Good Christian ought to be a continual Contemplation upon Death for he that keeps this farthest Point in his Eye shall never mistake his Way He that considers how soon his Body tho it be fearfully and wonderfully made though he be never so Healthful or so Young so Great or so Good is by the least Accident shaken into its Dust will ever be in readiness if Death come never so unexpected 't will find him doing his Lords Will but if he be continu'd to a good old Age his Body fails Regularly because he liv'd so every Passion and Appetite grows less imperious as every Sense decays and the Soul grows more sprightly and vigorous the nearer it is to its Separation Nay let us follow such a one to his last Minute let us consider him as just passing into the next World if he have leisure to look back on this what a Blessed and Chearful Prospect does his well spent Life afford him how do his Works of Righteousness rise to his View in Numerous and Goodly Order There where he sees how many Naked he has Clothed how many Sick he has Visited how many Temptations he has Mortified has he any thing to do think you but to Comfort his Friends useless and unreasonable Sorrow Or does any Passion move him unless it be a Holy Joy for the Nearness of Eternity No certainly Mark the perfect and behold the upright for whatever his Life is 't is certain that the Death the end of that man is Peace Psal 37.37 But it may be objected that a Man may be so absolute an Atheist and have so sear'd a Conscience as to be past feeling past any Sense of Guilt or Fear of Death such a Monster can scarce be fancied but never known the most Speculative Atheist can get no farther than Incertainty as to a God and future State and how far incertainty in a matter of so great Importance can contribute to a settled Peace of Mind any one may guess when what Pains soever he shall take to Root up or Stifle these Notions the Danger the dismal Consequence of being mistaken will return often upon him and let him choose what Vice he pleases for that 's the modern way of Dispelling these Vapours as they call 'em yet after the most industrious Debauch this Qualm of Mind will always follow but more especially if any Calamity befalls him what a Wretch does he grow without Council or Courage then however he has been entranc'd for a Moment the frightful Images of his former Wickedness return more powerfully and increasing still in Terrour as Death draws on There is no Peace saith my God unto the Wicked the way of Peace they have not known in their Lives and therefore shall never find it at their Deaths V. The Work of Righteousness does not only promote Peace in the Act of doing Well but also by the memory of such Actions by leaving such sweet impressions upon the Soul as bless us as often as we Reflect upon them with ever new and everlasting Pleasure What Horrour Confusion and Dejection of Soul attends the Reflections of an ill Conscience When a Wretch considers how Perversly and Ingratefully he has neglected or Despis'd the most gentle and gracious means of Salvation Fear Sorrow Shame Anguish and Dsepair Wrack and Torment him the Sense of an Offended God His Love and Mercy Despis'd His Justice and Anger Provok'd no length of Time no change of Place can give him any Ease This is excellently Describ'd in that dreadful threat Deut. 23 65. c. Thou shalt find no Ease neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest but the Lord shall give thee trembling of Heart and failing of Eyes and sorrow of Mind and thy life shall hang in Doubt before thee and thou shalt fear day and night in the morning thou shalt say would God it were evening and in the evening thou shalt say would God it were morning So restless a Condition so far from any the least Peace is the wicked Man And this is the farthest from Remedy of any Evil for other Afflictions Reason Cures but Reason itself promotes remorse upon ill Actions gnawing upon the Soul to its Shame and Confusion For as they who have Agues or Fevers feel a more intense Heat or Cold than those who dwell under the Pole or the Equinoctial so the mind is less affected with outward Accidents but an ill Conscience when 't is Eccho'd from within I none but I my self have been the cause of all this what Torture and Despair Whereas on the contrary the worker of Righteousness not only enjoys the immediate Pleasure of his good Actions but provides wisely against Age Adversity and Death itself and lays up continually Satisfaction for Hereafter Such Satisfaction as not only Reason promotes but Revelation Encourages by repeated Promises of the greatest Assistance and Reward Wherefore no Plenty of Riches no Nobility of Blood no Extent of Empire can yield such Serenity and Calmness to Life as the Souls being free from ill Actions for when that Fountain of Action is preserv'd pure and clear good Deeds perpetually flowing from it bless us with the sweetest Peace and fullest Happiness make us look back upon Life with Pleasure and forward upon Death with Joy Let us then be so far from doubting of the Torments hereafter or questioning the Eternity of them as rather to be Astonish'd at the Divine goodness in promising Immortal Joys Immortal Happiness for our momentary Obedience here when we have so great and so immediate a Reward as a good Conscience But tho this may be so yet Can no outward Evils disturb this Peace of the Mind Will not the Malice of wicked Men or the suddenness of great Afflictions shake and disturb it In answer to this I proceed to the other part of my Text The effect of Righteousness shall be Quietness and Assurance for Ever By the first of these is meant that the Work of Righteousness shall produce Peace in regard of our Neighbour this we are assured from the Scriptures That when a mans ways Please the Lord he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him Prov. xvi 7. And that this is agreeable to
Reason will appear if we consider what it is that is most apt to Provoke or Please mankind and the Nature of Goodness or Righteousness in general The great cause of Strise and Contention is the Injustice that is offer'd to Men in their Persons Estates or Reputations and that by Ambition Covetousness or Detraction Ambition is generally the cause of the other two for this being the thirst of Power Power consists in the having many others at Command and that comes to pass either by their necessary Dependance upon us for their Interest or their voluntary Service for Reward and this is the Power of Riches or else it consists in the Reverence and Love which Men bear to Superior merit and this is the Power of Reputation Both these Ambition endeavours to lessen in others and Usurp for it self by all kinds of Fraud and Injustice and from the striving for these on the one side or endeavouring to keep 'em on the other arise most Quarrels and Divisions But the worker of Righteousness makes no Enemies by these ways but is fair and open in all his Words and Actions Impartial to Himself and Just to his Neighbour Besides that Love and Charity which is every where inculcated in the Gospel so quiets our Passions so softens our Tempers causes such a generous neglect of Injuries such a ready and watchful disposition to Oblige such a calmness and sweetness of Conversation without Offence to the Present or Injury to the Absent that a Righteous Man has no Affronts to Revenge because he gives none and no Enemies to fear because he makes none but on the contrary is lov'd and defended because he is a general Good and because his Peace and Happiness is every Mans Interest But further this is so thro the nature of Goodness or Righteousness in general which uses of it self either to prevail upon the best Tempers or to Awe the Worst The Soul beeing most work'd upon by Sensible Objects the power of Example is very Great in the doing Good as well as Evil. There is a Secret manner of Conviction in good Actions which persuades more than all the force of Reason or Charms of Eloquence Something in Human Nature rises and opposes it self against Arguments especially when they come from an Equal not but that we could be contented to entertain Truth could we find it out our selves but we can seldom endure that Superiority which the Discovery of it seems to give others over us no not in matters of the greatest importance of Salvation it self But when the light of our good Actions shines before Men it pleases without suspition it wins insensibly upon their Souls and makes 'em to Glorifie with us our Father which is in Heaven And if Righteousness has not this effect upon stubborn Minds yet it strikes 'em at least with awe and terrour The most ignorant People have very Early Notions of Good and Evil and if these be any thing improv'd by Education open'd and confirm'd by Reasoning 't is impossible that they should be so entirely rooted out by any Habit of Vice but that there must remain enough of the Knowledge of Good to apprehend what is so in others and regard it accordingly There are many Instances in History how Robbers and Murtherers have suddenly held their Hands at the sight of single and disarm'd Men of known Goodness and how raging Multitudes have been restrain'd by the Presence of Men of Publick Worth as if as S. Chrysostom says of Daniels Lions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 T. 5. p. 17. they saw the Venerable and Majestick Image of God Resplendent in him they beheld the same Characters of Goodness which were visible in Adam before his Fall when every Beast approach'd to receive its name from him and this has been particularly Observable in good Magistrates or great Persons who scatter evil with their Eyes as Solomon says Elegantly their very looks being sufficient to damp and chill the most successful Impudence and Habitual Wickedness But Lastly Tho this should not be always so but good Men may sometimes suffer under the Malice of evil Men and not only so but tho they may be afflicted with any other Calamity whatsoever yet the Work of Righteousness is a sufficient defence against this in that Assurance which it always carries with it This consists in an Absolute Trust in God upon account of his Goodness Wisdom and Power and in a joyful Resignation of our selves to his good Pleasure this is the effect of Righteousness as 't is the product of a good Conscience Beloved if our Hearts Condemn us not says S. John then have we Confidence towards God therefore no Affliction can disturb the Peace or Quiet of the Righteous keep thy Eye fix'd in humble Confidence upon the God of Peace and nothing shall offend thee Thou wilt keep him in perfect Peace whose mind is staid on thee because he trusted in thee Isaiah xxvi 3. And what is the ground of this Assurance the knowing that God will not tempt 'em try 'em farther then they are able to bear and the shortness of such Tryals we no sooner hear that many are the Troubles of the Righteous Psalm xxxiv 19. but it follows immediately The Lord will deliver him out of all But then again the Prophet adds for ever the Effect of Righteousness shall be quiet and Assurance for ever This is that which makes the Righteous Mans Joy complete and which settleth his Hope and confirms his Faith all other Assurance is vain and finite that in God infinite as His Being What Confidence alas in Man whose Days are a Shadow that flyeth away their Breath goeth forth they return to Earth and all their Thoughts their Projects perish This is the end of that busie Creature who is so ingenious in Disturbing his Neighbour and himself But thou O God art from Everlasting and thy Years shall not fail thou art God blessed for ever and thy Righteousness extends to Childrens Children even to all Generations This is that Assurance for ever which supports such as work Righteousness in the Day of Trouble and in the Day of Death All Evils are dreadful only as they threaten Death but what is this in all its utmost Horror to a good Conscience They who believe that all things happen by Chance and that nothing is after Death may be frighted and alarm'd at whatever disturbs or shortens their only Being But they who believe another World may enjoy the fullest Quiet in the greatest Afflictions yes when the blackest Calamities thicken dreadfully upon us this sweet Assurance breaks thro all and shews us beyond 'em the Prospect of Heaven opening still wider and wider to our view and the Son of God Himself encouraging us to be faithful unto Death but unto Death which is never far off in Prosperity but which is still nearer the greater the Adversity is Be thou faithful unto Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Therefore with what an equal and deliberate Courage with what a generous Indifferency as to Life or Death doth the Good Christian bear himself he disdains to fly to a Grave in the greatest Calamites and yet whenever his Lord calls he readily resigns his Dust and Ashes He gladly quits that Body which is subject to so many Dangers and Diseases to receive it again in a short time to receive it so chang'd so improv'd so spiritualiz'd as never to be sick never to be tempted never to be laid down more but to remain with Him for ever who is the first and the last who liveth and was dead and is now alive for evermore FINIS