Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	good_a	life_n	sin_n	13,827	5	4.6650	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09436	A graine of musterd-seede or, the least measure of grace that is or can be effectuall to saluation. Corrected and amended by W. Perkins.	Perkins, William, 1558-1602.	1611 (1611)	STC 19725; ESTC S113662	16,143	72

spirituall exercises of inuocation faith and repentance and thereby also quicken and reuiue the seeds and beginnings of grace 1. In what place soeuer thou art whether alone or abroad by day or by night and whatsoeuer thou art doing set thy selfe in the presēce of God let this perswasion alwaies take place in thy hart that thou are before the liuīg God and do thy endeauour that this perswasion may smite thy heart with awe and reuerence and make thee afraid to sin This councell the Lord gaue Abraham Gen. 17. 1. Walke before me and be vpright This thing also was practised by Enoch who for this cause is said to walke with God 2. Esteeme of euery present day as of the day of thy death and therefore liue as though thou were dying and doe those good duties euery day that thou wouldest doe if thou were dying This is Christian watchfulnesse and remember it 3. Make catalogues and bills of thine owne sinnes specially of those sinnes that haue most dishonoured God and wounded thine owne conscience set them before thee oftē specially then whē thou hast any particular occasion of renewing thy repentance that thy heart by this dolefull sight may bee further humbled This was Dauids practise when hee considered his waies and turned his feet to Gods commandements Psal. 119. 57. And when he confessed the sinnes of his youth Psal. 25 This was Iobs practise when he said he was not able to answer one of a thousand of his sinnes vnto God Iob. 9. 1. 4. When thou first openest thine eyes in a morning pray to God and giue him thankes heartily God then shall haue his honour and thy heart shall be the better for it the whole day following For we see in experience that vessels keepe long the taste of that liquor wherwith they are first seasoned And when thou liest downe let that be the last also for thou knowest not whether fallen a sleepe thou shalt euer rise againe aliue Good therefore it is that thou shouldest giue vp thy selfe into the hands of God whilst thou art waking 5. Labour to see and feele thy spirituall pouerty that is to see the want of grace in thy selfe specially those inward corruptions of vnbeliefe pride selfe-loue c. Labour to be displeased with thy self and labour to feele that by reason of them thou standest in neede of euery drop of the blood of Christ to heale and clense thee from those wants and let this practise take such place with thee that if thou be demaunded what in thine estimation is the vilest of the creatures vpon earth thine heart and conscience may answer with a loud voice I euen I by reason of mine owne sinnes and againe if thou be demaunded what is the best thing in the world for thee thy heart and conscience may answer againe with a strong and loud crie One drop of the blood of Christ to wash away my sinnes 6. Shew thy selfe to bee a member of Christ and a seruant of God not only in the generall calling of a Christian but also in the particular calling in which thou art placed It is nothing for a magistrate to be a Christiā man but he must also be a Christian magistrate it is not inough for a master of a family to be a Christiā man or a Christiā in the Church but the must also be a Christiā in the family in the trade which he followeth daily Not euery one that is a common hearer of the word and a frequenter of the Lords table is therefore a good Christian vnlesse his conuersation in his priuate house and in his priuate affaires dealings be sutable There is a man to be seene what he is 7. Search the scriptures to see what is sinne and what is not sinne in euery action this done carry in thy heart a constant and resolute purpose not to sin in any thing for faith and the purpose of sinning can neuer stand together 8. Let thine endeauour be sutable to thy purpose and therefore doe nothing at any time against thy conscience ritely enformed by the word exercise thy selfe to eschew euery sinne and to obey God in euery one of his commandements that pertaine either to the generall calling of a Christian or thy particular calling Thus did good Iosias who turned vnto God with all his heart according to all the lawe of Moses 1. King 25. 25. and thus did Zacharie and Elizabeth that walked in all the commandements of God without reproofe Luk. 1. 6. 9. If at any time against thy purpose and resolution thou bee ouertaken with any sinne little or great lie not in it but speedily recouer thy selfe by repentance humble thy selfe confessing thine offence and by praier intreat the Lord to pardon the same and that earnestly till such time as thou findest thy conscience truly pacified and thy care to eschew the same sinne increased 10. Consider often of the right and proper ende of thy life in this world which is not to seeke profit honour pleasure but that in seruing of men wee might serue God in our callings God could if it so pleased him preserue man without the ministry of man but his pleasure is to fulfil his worke and will in the preseruation of our bodies and saluation of our soules by the imploiment of men in his seruice euery one according to his vocation Neither is there so much as a bond slaue but he must in and by his faithful seruice to his master serue the Lord. Men therefore doe commonly profane their labours and liues by aiming at a wrong ende when all their care consisteth onely in getting sufficient maintenance for them and theirs for the obtaining of credit riches carnall cōmodities For thus men serue themselves not God or men much lesse doe they serue God in seruing of men 11. Giue all diligence to make thy election sure and to gather manifold tokens thereof For this cause obserue the worke of Gods prouidence loue and mercy both in thee and vpon thee from time to time for the serious consideration of them and the laying of them together when they are many and seuerall minister much direction assurance of Gods fauour and comfort This was the practise of Dauid 1. Sam. 17 14. Psal. 23. all 12. Thinke euermore thy present estate whatsoeuer it bee to bee the best estate for thee because whatsoeuer befalls thee though it bee sicknes or any other affliction or death befals thee of the good prouidence of God That this may the better bee done labour to see and acknowledge a prouidence of God as wel in pouertie as in abundance as well in disgrace as good report as well in sickenes as in health as well in life as in death 13. Pray continually I meane not by solemne set praier but by secret and inward eiaculatiōs of the heart that is by a continuall eleuation of minde vnto Christ sitting at the right hand of God the Father and that either by prayer or giuing of

thankes so often as any occaon shall be offered 14. Thinke often of the worst and most grieuous things that may befall thee either in this life or death for the name of Christ make a reckoning of them and prepare thy selfe to beare them that when they come they may not seeme strange but be borne the more easily 15. Make conscience of idle vaine vnhonest and vngodly thoughts for these are the seedes and beginnings of actuall sin in word in deed This want of care in ordering and composing of our thoughts is often punished with a fearefull temptation in the very thought called of Diuines Tentatio blasphemiarum a tentation of blasphemies 16. When any good motion or affection riseth in the heart suffer it not passe away but feede it by reading meditating praying 17. Whatsoeuer good thing thou goest about whether it be in word or deed do it not in a conceit of thy selfe or in the pride of thy heart but in humility ascribing the power whereby thou doest thy worke and the praise thereof to God otherwise thou shalt finde by experience God will curse thy best doings 18. Despise not ciuill honestie good conscience and good maners must goe togither therefore remember to make conscience of lying and of customable swearing in common talke contend not either in deede or word with any man be curteous and gentle to all good and badde beare with mens wants and frailties as hastinesse frowardnesse selfeliking curiousnesse c. passing by them as being not perceiued returne not euill for euill but rather good for euill vse meate drinke and apparell in that manner and measure that they may further godlinesse and may be as it were signes in which thou maiest expresse the hidden grace of thy heart Striue not to goe beyond any vnlesse it be in good things goe before thine equals in giuing of honour rather then in taking of it make conscience of thy word and let it bee as a bond professe no more outwardly thē thou hast inwardly in heart opresse or defraud no man in bargaining in all companies either doe good or take good 19. Cleaue not by inordinate affection to any creature but aboue all things quiet rest thy mind in Christ aboue all dignitie and honour aboue all cunning and policie aboue all glorie and honour aboue all health and beautie aboue all wealth and treasure aboue all ioy and delight aboue al fame praise aboue all mirth and consolation that mans heart can feele or deuise beside Christ. With these rules of practise ioyne rules of meditation whereof I propound sixe vnto thee as I finde them set downe by a learned Diuine called Victorius Strigelius I. Wee must not fall away from God for any creature II. Infinite eternitie is farre to be preferred before the short race of this mortall life III. We must hold fast the promise of grace though wee loose all temporall blessings and they also in death must needes be left IV. Let the loue of God in Christ and the loue of the Church for Christ be strong in thee and preuaile against all other affections V. It is the principall arte of a Christian to beleeue things inuisible to hope for things deferred to loue God when hee shewes him to be an enemie and thus to perseuere vnto the ende VI. It is a most effectual remedy for any griefe to quiet our selues in a confidence of the presence and helpe of God and to aske of him and withall to waite either for some easement or deliuerance VII All the works of God are done in contrarie meanes FINIS Lib. 7. in Luc. c. 66. a Si impensè rogatur on Psal. 36. b Exposit. Epist. Iohn tract 4. cap. ● Hom. of humilitie c Sup. Cant. Ser. 84. d Tom. 4. pag. 124. e Ib. fol. 156 f Lib. fol. 300 g Resp. ad Acta Colloq Monpel h Locor com par 1. i Catechis l Epistle to Carelesse m Booke of the markes of Gods children Com. 4. l. 1. ad Simpli in fine Lib. 1. contra Pelagianos