Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	destroy_v	devil_n	power_n	8,762	5	5.0803	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87095	The first general epistle of St. John the Apostle, unfolded & applied. The second part, in thirty and seven lectures on the second chapter, from the third to the last verse. Delivered in St. Dionys. Back-Church, by Nath: Hardy minister of the gospel, and preacher to that parish.; First general epistle of St. John the Apostle. Part 2.	Hardy, Nathaniel, 1618-1670.	1659 (1659)	Wing H723; Thomason E981_1; ESTC R207731	535,986	795

whose usuall boast was veni vidi vici I came I saw I overcame But in this war our Apostle doubts not to affirme of those young Souldiers they had overcome and that not without good reason For 1. They are said to overcome the Devill whilst they are yet in the fight because they are sure to overcome it is not unusuall in Scripture to express that as accomplisht which shall surely be fulfilled Thus the Prophets often spake of Christs sufferings which a long time after were to be undergone in the Present and Preterperfect Tense for this reason might St John thus express this victory Indeed it is not so in other battels Alea belli incerta the success of war is dubious ofttimes the less number weaker side and worst cause gets the day in this respect it is justly said Let not him that puts on his armour boast as he that putteth it of they that have gone into the field big with hope have returned home with shame But in this war it s no more but fight and the conquest is certain St James position is express resist the Devill and he will flie from you If we stand to it he runs away Satan cannot conquer us without our own consent it was his word to Christ cast thy self down he could not cast him down we may give our selves into his hands otherwise he cannot captivate us Indeed Christ hath wrought the victory for us so the first promise telleth of him that he should breake the Serpents head that is his power and policy so the Evangelicall History records how he overcame in the wilderness Satans impetuous assaults Ut oppressum atque contritum tradat discipulis concul●andum as St Hierome excellently that he might deliver him bruised and subdued to be trampled on by his Disciples Finally So St Paul asserts of him He spoiled principalities and powers and again Through death he destroyed him that had the power of death to wit the Devill No wonder then if all Christians being ingraffed into Christ overcome by the blood of the Lambe It is safe fighting with a disarmed man and captivated Enemy well may we be sure of the day who wrestle with a conquered adversary 2. They are said to overcome because they have begun the conquest look how believers are said to have eternall life because the spirituall life in them is the begining of eternall So they are said to overcome because they begin that conquest which shall never end Indeed the Church Triumphant is on the other side the Sun nor shall a compleat victory be obtained till this mortality put on immortality The Israelites march out of Aegypt was an Emblem of our taking the field against Satan and when had they prevailed Not till they lodged their colours in Canaan Only glorified Saints are above the Devils reach but withall we must distinguish between Satans commanding and assaulting power every converted Christian is delivered from the one but not from the other Satan is not so conquered but that he still layeth siege yet he is so conquered as that he is turned out of the Castle the Devill still rageth and more then before but his dominion is taken away so that notwithstanding renewed assaults and particular f●yles he hath no fixed rule in the heart As therefore St Paul who bids the Colossians Mortifie their earthly Members asserting of them just before you are dead meaneth according to Davenants gloss Mortifiecare caepistis you have begun to dye So St John intends by this you have overcome that is you have begun to overcome yet so as that we must not be weary but still prepare for more assaults and so persevere fighting to the end 3. They are said to overcome as inchoativè so interpretativè In Gods account and estimation our striving against the Devill is a conquest over him look as Abraham is said to offer his son Isaack when yet a Ram was sacrificed because his will to offer him was esteemed by God as if he had done it So a Christian indeavour to overcome the Devill though we cannot fully master him nay are sometimes mastered by him is accepted as if it were a victory when the Childe taketh the bow in his hand putteth the Arrow into the Bow and draweth as far as it can the Father accounts it as if the Childe had hit the marke so doth our gracious God look on the strugling of his servants with Satanicall temptations and our continuing to combate is in his mercifull acceptation a gaining the Conquest To end this what an incouragement should the consideration hereof be to us in our Christian warfare What though the victory be difficult not to be obtained without sweat and bloud Yet it is possible nay certain if the difficulty discourage let the certainty incourage Indeed there be many inducements to this combate The Authority of our call having a commission from the King of Kings The justness of our cause as being against him who is both ours and Gods enemy above all the assurance of success as being such a fight as shall unquestionably end in conquest The truth is on the one hand If we yield to him he is an imperious Tyrant and on the other hand If we resist him he is a timorous coward The Historian said of Alexander that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a formidable warriour and a gentle Conquerour but the devill is a cruell Conquerour and a faint warriour This Lyon to use St Bernards expression Rugire potest ferire non potest may roare but cannot teare Rugiat quantum vult tantu● non fugiat ovis Christi let him roar as much as he will only let not Christs sheep run away fight therefore according to St Pauls counsell this good fight which is good as in the cause so in the event Pugnate ut vincatis vincite ut coronemini according to St Austins exhortation fight that you may conquer and conquering be crowned which that you may be enabled to do furnish your selves with choice and excellent weapons and so I am fallen on the Next considerable the helps whereby this victory is attained in these words You are strong and the word of God abideth in you This wicked one in the Text with whom we are to encounter is such an adversary as wants neither power nor policy strength nor skill to set upon us in regard of the one he is compared to a Lion of the other to a Serpent and truly in both these respects it may seem strange that we should overcome him but these words return an Answer to such an Objection letting us see that true Christians have that strength whereby they can grapple with the Devils power and by the word dwelling in them they have that wisdome which can discover and defeate the Devils subtilties The participation then of a divine strength and the inhabitation of Gods word are the two singular helps by