Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	desire_v	die_v	life_n	7,123	5	4.9012	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A56449	A sermon preached at the funeral of that faithful servant of Christ, Robert Breton, D.D. Pastor of Deptford in the county of Kent, Febr. 20. 1671/2. By Richard Parr, D.D. of Camerwel in the county of Surrey.	Parr, Richard, 1617-1691.	1672 (1672)	Wing P549; ESTC R216956	13,679	43

Son and you of so good a Pastor so good a Friend so good a Man If you enquire of his Death because it seemed to us to be somewhat hasty 't is true he had but one great Paroxysm of an hour which ended his Life a sigh a groan and an expiration yet let no man think this a surprize that fetch'd him away to Heaven without much ado They dye suddenly that live wickedly such dye all at once but he that dyes daily though he be not sick every day yet dyes by degrees and is every day in expectation of it perhaps a tedious Sickness may make a man more willing to dye but not more fit unless his former life hath been a virtuous holy preparation both for a bed of Sickness and the gate of Death Elijah was a man of God 2 King 2.1 and he was snatcht to Heaven in a whirlwind Enoch walked with God every day and in an hour was taken away to Heaven in a moment as it were Let no man think that Death to an Holy man come it when or where or how soever can be a disadvantage let it come by day or by night abroad or at home if a mans habitual frame intentions and designs be just holy heavenly good this man dyes well enough Unhappy we if a man could not be saved unless he dyed aged or wasted by a tedious sickness a Consumption or an Ague Surely if a good mans Translation be from perfect health and strength he hath no wrong done him a pang of an hour that begins and ends his pain is rather a mark of favour than displeasure Tell me Oh men of sowre Censure Is it not a desirable posture to be found in when a servant of Christ is found doing the work of his Master This Servant of Christ was all that day he dyed as he was many dayes in the like fasting and praying and preparing for Preaching the next day and the next to that and as though he had a sight of the approaching closure of his life with the day blessed his Children solemnly and gave them such directions as they were capable of charging them to serve God and be pious to be obedient to their Mother c. saying withal It may be I may see you no more after this and said I wish I were now in Heaven Who would not desire to be in such a frame as this if he thought his appointed time was at hand Thus he dyed and I am perswaded and I think all good people are so too That the day of this mans death was better than that wherein he was born and his Change happy and of infinite advantage to him for he is in peace and bliss and thousands might be well contented to dye as he did were they so well prepared as he was And now if you would shew respects to his Memory and kindness to your selves Then Stand fast in the Faith he taught you waver not shift it not Remember his pious and heavenly Exhortations and Counsels and reduce them to Practice for that and so much of Religion which you practise will do you good and no more nor else And let every one that would dye happily let him endeavour every day to be prepared for it and not deferr because of health for Death may come at Sun rising as well as at the setting thereof To the High and most Glorious GOD the lover of Souls and the rewarder of his faithful Servants be all Praise and Glory for ever Amen FINIS

the house of his God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness and he gives the reason of it v. 11. For the Lord God is a sun and a shield i. e. Light and Defence The Lord will give grace and glory and will with-hold no good thing from them that walk uprightly 2. And then secondly There is another Consideration which will mightily encourage well doing because in so doing that servant lays a foundation for a spring of Comfort when he is drawing near his end when all those evanid Apocryphal Pleasures and Riches of the World are vanishing and then nothing but the conscience of so doing will stand with me for my refreshment and my testimony When shortly I must appear before my Lord to give up my account of the service I was employed in if I am able to say I have made it my chiefest business and aim to please God and to do what he hath commanded and given me to do without wilful neglects or unfaithfulness How may such a ferious sincere holy devout Soul look back with Comfort and forward with Joy in expectation of Acceptation with God his Lord and Saviour Methinks S. Paul speaks to this purpose 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in this world 3. Then thirdly Let it be considered when he that servant who hath been faithful and constant in well doing abiding therein so doing to his end what a blessed state is he in when his Lord shall call him thence to enter into the joy of his Lord Mat. 25.21 What an happiness it is that at the same instant he gives out his last breath he is separated from all his trouble and temptations and the same Death which puts a period to his life and labour gives a quick passage to his rest and joy his Faith ends in vision his Hope in fruition his Love removed to a fuller comprehension his Labour to Rest his Sorrow changed into Joy the hire of a Servant into the inheritance of a Son the service on Earth to the pay in Heaven What a Blessed thing it is to be designed to and employed in the service of our Lord to be about the work he hath given us to do to make Religion ones business to follow Christ fully to do his Commands chearfully and to be found so doing to the end Death temporal which way soever it comes or at what time soever it comes Ecclus. 7.1 2 cannot be hurtful The day of such a mans death is better than the day wherein he was born Rev. 14.13 for 't is but a going off from trouble where is little rest to that rest where there is no trouble 't is but a ceasing from being with men and sin Heb. 12.22 23. to be with Christ Angels and Saints in Heaven and that which is best of all 1 Thessal 4.17 to be for ever with the Lord. Oh happy and blessed is that servant whom the Lord finds so doing who gives him an inlett to immortal immixed Joyes and eternal never expiring Felicities The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God and there shall no torment touch them Wisd 3.1 2 3 4 5. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to dye and their departure is taken for misery and their going from us to be utter destruction but they are in peace and their hope is full of immortality for God proved them and found them prepared for himself Thus shall every faithful servant of our Lord be Blessed whom the Lord when he cometh shall find so doing The Application I shall dispatch what I have further to speak of this matter when you shall receive I. Instruction II. The Warning III. The Invitation which this whole affair affords for our serious Consideration I. Instruction 1. First of all let every one know and take notice That he is a Servant that Christ is our Lord he hath given us our Work to do he expects we should be doing The Work we have to do in reference to the Blessing promised is not Worldly but Heavenly the affairs of our Souls in order to Eternity they must be done in their season as the Lord hath appointed and we must be doing them while we live Our Lord is coming though we think he delays he will be with us quickly and every one of us shall be called to account in particular What hast thou done What art thou doing If he find thee idle slothful negligent he will cast thee off as Unprofitable if he find thee working evil doing iniquity thy portion will be the Rebuke and Destruction of evil doers and Punishments threatned to the workers of iniquity But if thy doings be good thy dispositions right thy intentions holy thy Faith active thy Repentance sincere thy Piety great thy Duties frequent thy Lamp furnished thy Light shining in Good works thy chief and constant employment be Religion in those instances where Religion is concern'd and this be the babitual frame of thy Soul to be always ready to every good work of Piety Justice Charity and every Christian duty where our Lord calls for Obedience in any instance of Service Then when ever our Lord comes the Blessing comes with him and that Servant so doing shall be blessed and made happy But alas What have we for the most part been doing since first we were admitted to and engaged in our Lords service hath there a day past wherein we have not done some service to Satan World or Flesh And how many days have past over our heads wherein we have scarce had a good thought of God or of our duty and did nothing at all worthy the name of a servant of Christ Do not most men live as though they were priviledg'd persons exempt from Duty and Service and as if they were never to give account of their Talents and improvement of them What abundance of industrious Labour do most men lay out themselves in about the affairs of this World and take more pains to gratisie sensualities and beastly appetites to their undoing so working out their own Damnation than in doing the will of God and working out their Salvation But with what face can such Servants expect an Enge from their Lord that either neglect the service or do things contrary to the Injunctions of their Lord And how shall such be able to look our Master in the face at the evening of our Life who have been loytering or ryoting all the day 2. Secondly Let this then be for a Warning and an awakening to us all lest Death should surprize us e're our work be done or while we are trifling speedily to set our selves to practise good things while every mans opportunity lasteth and no man can tell how long it will last It may be very shortly our Lord may send for us by Death to meet him the Lord is at hand and the Books are opening