Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	die_v	life_n	sin_n	30,740	5	5.1513	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65304	The one thing necessary Preached in a sermon at Pauls, before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, and the aldermen of the City of London, Aug. 31. 1656. By Thomas Watson, minister of Stephens Walbrook, London.	Watson, Thomas, d. 1686.	1658 (1658)	Wing W1134A; ESTC R220893	27,086	82

together There being therefore such mistakes and deceits about this work of salvation we had need be the more cautious and curious in this work Thirdly the difficulty about salvation-work ariseth from the remoraes and hindrances of this work These hindrances are either 1. From within viz. the flesh This is a slie enemy The flesh cries out for ease it lusts against the Spirit * Gal. 5. 17. We are bid to crucifie the flesh * Gal. 5. 24. but how many wounds must we give with the sword of the Spirit before the flesh will be perfectly crucified 2. We meet with hindrances in this work from without 1. Tentations our whole life saith Austin is a tentation We tread among snares there is a snare in company recreation yea our table is of a snare * Satan is still fishing for our souls How often doth he lay a train of tentation to blow up the fort of our grace The Apostle tells us o● his fiery darts * Ephes. 6. 16. Tentations are called darts for their swiftnesse they are shot in suddenly and fiery for their terriblenesse they are shot like flashes of fire into the soul which do amaze and afright and doth not this retard the work o● Salvation and make it difficult 2. Reproaches this sect is every where spoken against Act. 28. 22. The old Serpent is ever spitting his venome at Religion and the professors of it I may allude to that 1 Cor 10. 1. All our fathers were under cloud All the Saints of old have passed to Heaven under a cloud of contumely and reproach the world puts them in their black book whom God will put in his Rubrick The throat of the wicked is an open Sopulchre * to bury the good names of professors in Those who have been the antesignani the ensignbearers of Religion and have carried her colours 1. Sometimes have been traduced and slandered Paul was reported to be a seditious man 2 Tim. 2. 9. The Popish Rhemists traduced Calvin and fathered upon him this opinion that God was the Authour of sinne and that he died cursing though Beza who was an eye-witness and wrote his life and death confuted that slander and relates what a comfortable end he made Martin Bucer that blessed man who cried out in an holy triumph I am Christs and the devil hath nothing to do with me yet the Papists slanderously report of him that he should deny Christ to be the Messiah come in the flesh but he who was the Orator at his Funeral was his compurgator The like slander did the Jesuites in Burgundia raise of Beza that holy man they say that he perceiving death to be at hand renounced his former profession of the Gospel and was perfectly reconciled to the Church of Rome This was so false that Beza who lived after the slander went abroad did himself with great indignation refute it 2. Sometimes the Saints have had the trial of cruel mockings Heb. 11. 36. Cyprian was called in a jeer Coprian Athanasius Satanasius David was the song of the drunkards Psal. 69. 12. I doubt not but Noah had many a bitter taunt when he was building the Ark so many years before the flood they would laugh at him and censure him for an old doting fool that would be wiser than all the world besides Thus when we see the flood of Gods wrath coming upon the world and we begin to build the Ark and work out salvation men will be venting their scorne and derision What you will be holier than others more precise than needs all this serves to retard salvation work and make it difficult 3. A third remora or hindrance in this work is open violence Gal. 4. 29. as he that was borne after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now no sooner doth a man give up his name to Christ and seriously set upon the working out his salvation but the world raiseth her train-bands and sets all the Militia of hell against him Gods Church is like Abrahams ram tied in a bush of thornes witnesse the ten persecutions in the time of Nero Domitian Trajan c. a man strictly holy is the white that is shot at if the worlds musick will not prevaile it hath its furnace ready 2 Tim. 3. 12. be assured Christ and his crosse are never parted It is with us in our building for heaven as it was with the Jews in their building the wall Every one with one of his hands wrought in the work and with the other hand held a weapon Nehem. 4. 17. So we must not only be builders but warriers with one hand we must work and with the other hand hold a weapon viz. the sword of the Spirit and fight the good fight of faith this is another hindrance in the work no sooner do we begin to set out for heaven but bonds and afflictions abide us Acts 20. 23. The world sounds an alarum and no cessation of armes till death 4. That which makes salvation-work hard is 't is a slippery work Look to your selves that we lose not those things which we have wrought * Joh. 2. 8. This work falls down almost as fast as we build An ordinary artificer when he hath been at work he finds his work the next morning just as he left it but it is not so with us when we have been working out salvation by prayer fasting meditation and leave this work a while we shall not find our work as we left it a great deal of our work is fallen down againe We had need be often called upon to strengthen the things {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which are ready to dye Rev. 3. 2. no sooner is a Christian taken off frō the fire of the Sanctuary but he is ready to cool and freeze again in security He is like awatch when he hath been wound up towards heaven he doth quickly unwinde to earth and sinne again * When the gold hath been purified in the furnace it remaines pure but it is not so with the heart let it be heated in an Ordinance let it be purged in the furnace of affliction it doth not remaine pure but quickly gathers soile and corruption we are seldom long in a good frame All this shews how difficult the work of salvation is we must not only work but set a watch too * Quest 1. But why hath God made the way to heaven so hard why must there be this working Answ. 1. To make us set an high estimate upon heavenly things If salvation were easily come by we should not have valued it to its worth If diamonds were ordinary they would be slighted but because they are hard to come by they are in great esteem Tertullian saith that when pearles grew common at Rome they wore them upon their shoes which was the next way to tread them under feet Salvation is such a pearl

it self to its own nest and if any of the Storks leaving his own mate joynes with any other the rest fall upon him and pluck his feathers from him God would have the adulterer put to death Deut. 22. 22. Gregory observes concerning the stream of fire and brimstone poured upon Sodom God sent that noisome plague to let them see the filthinesse of their sinne This sinne of adultery is a soul-damning sinne 1 Cor. 6. 9. the adulterer like the flie doth so long flie about the candle that at last he singeth his soul This sinne though it begins Comical it ends Tragical will it not be bitterness in the end 2 Sam. 2. 26. This sweet calme is before an earthquake after the womens hair come the lions * teeth Branch 6. It reproves them who put off this great work of salvation till they are past their labour They put off repenting till old age and sicknesse 1. Till old age * when they are fit for no other work then they will begin this Old age is no good age to repent in When the fingers are stiff 't is ill learning to play on the Lute when the heart is grown hard and stiff in wickednesse 't is but ill tuning the penitential string a tender plant is easily removed but 't is hard to pluck up an old tree that is rooted An old sinner that hath been a long time rooting in sinne is hardly plucked out of his natural estate In matters of salvation 't is dangerous to adjourne * the longer men go on in sin the more full possession Satan hath of them the longer poison stayes in the stomack the more mortal 'T is a madnesse to put off the work of salvation till evening and sun-set The night cometh when no man can work * It were a very unwise course for a Mariner while the ship is sound the tackling strong the winde favourable the Sea calme to lie idle at anchor and when the ship begins to leak and the tempest to rise now to launch forth and hoise up sailes for a Voyage so is he who neglects the time of health and strength and when old age comes and his tackling is even broken now begins his voyage towards Heaven 'T is very questionable whether God will accept of our repentance when it is so late He calls for the first-fruits and do we think to put him off with the gleanings this was not the least reason why God rejected Cains offering because it was so long before he brought it In processe of time Cain brought the fruit of the ground * or as the original is more emphatical at the end of many dayes * It seemes it was stale before he brought it How unworthy is this for men to give the devil their strength and marrow and then come and lay their old bones upon Gods Altar 'T is true God may shew mercy at last but such runne a desperate hazard a sinner in the time of his old age sleeps between death and the devil as Peter slept between two souldiers * 2. Till sicknesse he were very unwise who being to go a long journey should lay the heaviest load on the weakest horse What imprudence is it to lay the heavy load of repentance on thy self when infeebled by sicknesse when the hands shake the lips quiver the sinews shrink the heart faints Perhaps thou shalt have no time of sicknesse perhaps not the use of thy senses perhaps God will deny thee his grace and then where is thy repentance 'T is just that he who forgets God in the time of health God should forget him in the time of sicknesse Branch 7. It reproves them who begin to work but do not work out their salvation 'T is not enough to begin well Non tantum facite sed perficite 't is Justinians note Some have like Jehu driven furiously in Religion but within a while their chariot-wheels have been taken off We live in the fall of the leafe divers we have observed who did once put forth fair blossomes and give good hopes of their conversion but their Spring is turned into Autumn they have left off working for Heaven a signe the motion was but artificial not vital Israel hath cast off the thing that is good * Such as were once diligent and zealous in Prayer hearing holy Conference now they have left off the thing that is good they have tired in their march to Heaven * I have often thought there are many may be resembled to Nebuchadnezzars image * at first they seemed to have an head of gold they looked like glorious professors then afterwards they seemed to be silver then brasse then iron and clay they have at last degenerated into sinne Thus like fair mornings they have been soon overcast Epiphanius observes of the Gnosticks at first they seemed to be a strict holy people but afterwards they fell to libertinisme * Some are grown so impudent that they brag of their Apostasie time was when they did read and pray in their Families but now they thank God they are grown wiser and they surcease from these duties just as if you should hear the Devil boast that once he was an Angel of light but now he is turned an Angel of darkness Apostates are the richest spoiles that Satan goes away with these he will hang up in hell for triumph Such as have left off working let them read that thundering Scripture 2 Pet. 2. 21. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousnesse then after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandment By leaving off working they unravel all they have done before they lose their reward He that runnes half the race and then faints loseth the Garland Use 3. And so I proceed to the next Use which is of Exhortation to perswade you all in the bowels of Christ to set upon this great work the working out your salvation Beloved here is a plot for Heaven and I would have you all in this plot rally together all the powers of your soules give neither God nor your selves rest till you have made your election sure Christians fall to work do it early earnestly uncessantly Pursue salvation as in a holy chase other things are but matters of conveniency salvation is a matter of necessity Either you must do the work that Christians are doing or you must do the work that Devils are doing Oh you that never yet took one stitch in this work of salvation now begin Religion is a good trade if it be well followed Be assured there is no salvation without working But here I must lay down a Caution to prevent mistakes Caution Though we shall not be saved without working yet not for our working We do not work out salvation by way of merit Bellarmine saith we merit Heaven ex condigno no though we are saved in the use of means yet