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	live_v	sin_n	27,888	5	5.5903	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87103	A sermon, preached at St. Gregories church by St. Paul's on Sunday the 13th. day of Iune, 1658. Intended for the funeral solemnization of Iohn Hewit, Dr. of divinity, and late minister there	Hardy, Nathaniel, 1618-1670.	1658 (1658)	Wing H747A; ESTC R231880	12,735	26

perishing and more then so taken away and when this perishing and taking away of the righteous was a prediction that concerned themselves of their ruin their judgements was at hand and ready to overtake and overthrow them and they not to consider it adde to this that this shall be so and that there should not be a man to consider it not as if there was none at all there were some though the number be but very small that did bemoan and lay this thing to heart yet it is usuall in Scripture to expresse where there is but a few as if there was none at all as in the 53 Psal. 3. 5 Ierem. 15. Because there is but a very few therefore it is expressed as if there were none at all there was but a few zealous in regard of the multitude and generally it they did not consider that the Righteous perish and they did not lay it to heart the mercifull men are tak●n away from the evil to come I say these things being put together you will find it was noe small sin and that the Prophet hath noe little reason to complain that they did not lay it to heart if you consider it in reference 1. Vnto God 2. Vnto them 3. To our selves 1. In reference unto God this was a great work and aspeciall work of Gods provience that he was pleased to suffer his righteous ones to p●rish and be taken away It is a very great sin not to observe Gods dealing they are equally bad when Gods word sounds in our eares his works appears in our eyes and neither is regarded by us As the Psalmist complains in the 26 Psalm This is great impiety that God should passe by us in a speciall providence and we not take notice thereof if not a sparrow fall to the ground without his knowledge nor a hair of our heads fall to the ground much lesse our heads they cannot perish but by a speciall providence and they should be taken notice of when God intends to take them from us and as it impiery against God so likewise it is a sin against them it argues that as we want piety so pity as purity so bowels when those that are our Fellow-members Righteous ones especially nay when in a higher rank then our selves Ministers or others are in misery and we are not troubled at their sufferings this argues we want much pity they are but glasse eyes that weep not for such a losse and it is but a woodden leg that is not sensible what the rest of the members endures And as it is a sin against them so likewayes it is an evil against our selves it argues a stupid mind a secure heart and an obdurate spirit that is not moved with such providentiall dispensations against us especially when it presages judgement and misery to come upon a people and yet it should not work upon us All this considered you will find it was a just matter of complaint which the Prophet takes up the righteous perish and no man layes it heart c. I beseech you in the fear of God let us learn to practise the contrary and to lay to heart the miseries distresses and perishings of the servants of God but especially when they die by a violent death the Sun daily shines and noe man regards it but when once it is in an Eclipse then every eye will be upon it neither do men mind the high mountains when standing but if it chance to fall then every eye consider it and shall we not take notice of the Eclipses of Gods faithfull servants and so lay them to heart by remembring to register the deeds of Gods faithfull servants How and when taken away and withall bemoaning and bewailing both the miseries they suffer and the Calamities we are like to suffer by reason they are taken away from the evil to come and by imitating their vertues following their graces setting before us their exemplary lives and treading in their steps so as to prepare for dying for suffering in the like or any other kind that death may not find us unprovided and if we do live to prepare for the evil to come judgement is at hand Let us be making our peace with God by repenting of our own and the sins of the land that when the evil comes it may not come upon us unprepared and though we be taken away we may be but taken to the fruition of Glory and happinesse and that I may not be guilty of this sin I here declaime against it I dare not but stir up my self and you sadly and veriously stir up you and me to lay to heart this mercifull man of God this righteous man that hath been lately taken from us I hope none will envy his Character if we look no further then his death it was a violent death but as for the cause of his death it concernes not me it must be referred to that great day the day of judgement I hope without offence to any here I may look to the manner of his death the righteous are said to be bold as a Lyon and hath hopes in his death and what is this but the serene consequence of a well led life that made him meekly bold and humbly confident and chearful at his dissolution of all acts of mercies none is greater then that of forgiving enemies which that he did witnesse those lines those excellent lines read at his interrment or those gracious charitable words and prayers he uttered upon the Scaffold which proclaims him a man full of grace mercy I want time and tongue to go over his life and al that knew him will acknowledge this that the whole course of his life was a constellation of graces and vertues both as he was a Christian and as he was a Minister This righteous man is now perished this mercifull man is now taken away But I trust nay I have some measure of confidence he is but perished from the earth taken from us and removed to a better habitation to enjoy a safer a more Glorious life and I hope though he be out of sight yet he is not out of mind and will not be forgotten especially by you among whom he hath been a faithfull and painfull Laborour he having spent his time strength and labour for your Souls good therefore do you lay his death to heart Remember how often you have behold him from his sacred Oratory How often you have heard him dropping nay overflowing with faithfull reproofes sweet comforts wholesome admonitious Remember all those savery instructions you have heard from him remember and practice them that will be the best way to lay to heart the losse of this viagilant and faithfull Minister and lay to heart your own barrenesse and unfruitfullnesse that hath provoked God to deprive and Rob you of such a Iewell lay it to heart that you have been no more bettered and mended by those saving Doctrines and not onely you but all of us lay it to heart this and all others of Gods servants that have been taken from this City not many years ago which is a sad persage that the ruine thereof is at hand if a timely repentance and amendment of life prevent not which is the end of our discourse that all of us may be brought to a serious repentance as to lay to heart the perishing and taking away of the Righteous ones so not to murmur and repine at those that have been the instruments of our losse but to repent of our sins with grief and sorrow as the cause thereof by contempt of the word and Sacraments having used all means to provoke God to take them from us Let us for the time to come so repent that if it be possible Gods wrath may be appeased his judgements diverted and those faithfull ones that are yet among us may be continued and that more faithfull messengers may be sent into his harvest which God of his mercy grant AMEN FINIS

the desolation came that fell upon Germany thus is Gods dealing in the taking away of his servants and that upon a double account 1. In regard of themselves 2. In regard of others 1. In regard of themselves That they may not only not see but also that they may not suffer in the evil that is to come and this is the very reason why Josiah was cut off that he should not see that general devastation that should come upon his native Countrie and that they may not see the evil he hath taken them away 2ly The chief account why he takes them away is that they may not keep of the evil that is to befall any people for the righteous and mercifull men are the Chariots horsmen of Israel that do defend the places where they live the Angel told Lot he could do nothing against the Citie until he was out of it you know what God said to Moses Let me alone c. A good man as it were ties Gods hands that he cannot bring evil upon a place one righteous man may do more with God by prayer then a thousand men by armes there is a great prevalencie in the prayers of the righteous And when God will bring evil upon a place he first takes away the righteous that they may not keep it off as when a man will take down a house he first takes away the pillars and supporters thereof so when God intends to destroy a people he remooves the pillars that support them God takes away the righteous as on the one hand they may not see so on the other hand they may nor prevent the evils he intends to inflict To wind up this in a word of use Look on the one hand as there is little Cause for the wicked to insult over the righteous when they are taken away Rejoyce not over me O mine enemy saith the Church I say little Cause have the wicked to rejoyce for the taking away of the good because it is a sad presage to the bad The Righteous being taken away if such things be done to the green tree what shall be done to the dry If the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the wicked appeare If that the righteous be taken away from the evil to come it is that the evil may come upon a place it is an undeniable consequence if God deal severely with his own the wicked must exspect his cup to be filled to the full If these perish for a time those for ever therefore let not the wicked triumph and as there is no reason why the wicked should rejoyce so no cause why the friends of the righteous should be too much troubled when they perish by what hand soever for all the righteous servants of God when they are to be taken away say to us as our Saviour said to the Woman weep not for me weep not for us weep for your selves and as they are taken away from evil so they are received unto good they are taken from a Prison to be seated in a Palace they are taken from a Wildernesse to be transplanted into a Garden they are taken away from earth and carryed unto Heaven no reason therfore to weep for them but for your selves the evil to come cannot light on them but on us but let them not be disregarded by us we are not to be stupid under such a divine providence least we incurre the sin which the Prophet here complaines of and so I come to the complaint of the Prophet against the wicked bewailing their obstinacie the righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart mercifull men are taken away none considering that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come no man layes it to heart no man considers it the phrases which the Prophet makes use of are very emphatical The first phrase according to the Hebrew is no man puts it upon his heart and the latter no man doth understand or seriously weigh or dewly consider so that one phrase hath reference to the affections the other to the judgement no man laies it to heart so as to affect it no man considers it so as to understand it and these two well agree together and the one infers the other that which a man laies to heart he will consider if the heart be affected the understanding will be imployed a man cannot but revolve that which he is cut and strucken with by considering it we lay it to heart While I Muse the fire kindled there is an affection in the mind toward the object if it be of delight it brings joy if sadness it brings sorrow and these two phrases are very fruitfull exprest here no man lays it to heart no man considers it And observe what the sin is that the Prophet charges with and complaines against it was not a sin of commission no it was a sin of omission it was neglect of duty it is as horrid impiety to omit what God commands us to do which he forbids Remember we do provoke God as much by omitting to do good as by doing those things he hath forbid Many men please themselves pharasaically When the sinfull neglect of any known duty being judgement as soon as the doing of a known sin I say it is the not doing of our known duty makes us culpable and that sin here charged on us is not the rejoycing and triumphing when the godly are taken away but the not laying it to heart that argues a man to be in the depth of wickedness to come to sit in the seat of the scorners to deride at the calamities of the godly and make their tears his drink and their ruins his play and sport this is the depth of wickednesse when men rejoyce at the miseries and ruins of the righteous but it is not considering or laying to heart the miseries of the servants of God that is here onely meant though you will find that a great sin the not laying to heart their being taken away One would think it but a a small thing but you will find it a great sin not to lay it to heart when the rightous are taken away For 1. take notice it is the perishing of the righteous When any man dies the living will lay it to heart saith Salomon And shall not the living lay it to heart when not an ordinary man but a good man one of the Prophets of God and those righteous mercifull and eminent ones are taken away Shall such stars fall from the firmement and no eyes behold it no heart consider it Put those altogether it was the righteous that is perishing and besides when we consider it was not an ordinary but a violent death When a good man dies naturally the living will lay it to heart much more when cut of when he might have lived longer and then consider all oportunities of doing good is taken away and when not an ordinary person and that not by an ordinary death