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
A15636	Exercises vpon the first Psalme Both in prose and verse. By Geo: Wither, of the Societie of Lincolnes Inne.	Wither, George, 1588-1667.	1620 (1620)	STC 25902; ESTC S120229	57,241	188

some God head should Direct them thither and in feare they might Misse that good Deity which guide them could They seru'd too many Gods and lost it quite The old Philosophers not knowing this That Nature by our fall was growne corrupt By Morall Vertues onely sought for blisse Which did their hoped Passage interrupt For when they had done all which might be By strict Morality to gaine their passe And time their course vnto an end had brought wrought Their ayme they mist because Christ wanting was For though some good they did yet missing him To sanctifie their vertues and to take Those faults away which bad escaped them Into this rest no entrance could they make The blinded Iewes by ceremonious lawes And strict obseruing of their ancient guise Haue labour'd for it but vpon some cause That way was long since chang'd and from-ward lies By vaine will-worship others goe And some By formall shewes of Zealous sanctitie By way of their owne merits many come And come farre short of true felicitie A thousand other crooked paths there be Which seeme to be direct yet lead astray Lest therefore some of those miscarry thee That hast a longing to the blessed way Who happy are lo here it shall be showne And how thou mayst thy selfe be such an one VERS 1. Blessed is the man that doth not walke in the counsell of the vngodly nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seat of the scornfull FIrst get thee out of that vngodly way The way of Nature in which all the race Of Adams Progeny haue gone astray Walke out of it into the way of Grace To which there lyeth no hard passage thence For if thou wade but thorow Baptismes ford And passe the thorny hedge of Penitence Thou straight art guided thither by the Word Yet take thou heede when thus thou entred art Lest that corruption which doth still remaine By vaine affections ill-aduise the heart To walke with the vngodly backe againe Cast not thine eyes about on those gay bayts That grow beside the way of Blessednesse But shun thou all occasion that awayts To draw thee into paths of wickednesse Let not the loue of honour pleasuré ease Reuenge lust enuy pride or auarice Nor any such ill Counsellours as these Thy feet vnto an euill course entice Pursue not wordly things as worldly men That know not God or true religion do But giue his Honour first respect and then With moderation seeke the creature to Let no desire without that compasse stray Which honesty and piety hath set For if thy thoughts doe euer breake away And Counsels of vngodly longings get They will not leaue thee but from lust to lust Allure thee on in the vngodly path Vntill they bring thee to some act vniust And there the sinners way beginning hath Oh! if through weaknesse and attending to Vngodly Counsels thou shalt thither rome As all indeede though all their best they doe Into the way of euill doers come Yet stand not there continue not in sin But by repentance soone returne againe Lest thou shouldst by insisting long therin Affect it and for euer there remaine Vse gets a habit and the habit got The title of a Sinner gaineth thee And sin in this gradation resteth not Till to a Scorner thy Commencement bee And then beware For if degree thou take So far and be a Doctor of their Chaire The next progression thou from thence canst make Is either hell immediate or dispaire In thinking ill we doe from heauen-ward goe In acting it we further run astray But if we to deride religion grow There 's hardly hope that we repent vs may For though God can the course of nature turne Bid aire descend and earth aboue it rise Quench heat in fire make frozen water burne And in all creatures change the qualities Yet that he therfore will it followes not And so although he can repentance giue To such as haue a wicked habit got And in despight of him and vertue liue Assoone shall I beleeue that desperate Churle Who from a rough steep cliffe or high Tower wall Himselfe a furlong from the top doth burle May raise himselfe in middest of the fall As that the Sinner who of wilfulnesse Hath cast himselfe downe from the hold of grace Can leaue that deep-deep gulfe of wickednesse And in the rocke of mercy get a place It is a rare-gain'd fauour when God daignes That vicious liuer grace at his last breath Who from no sinne for loue of Good refraines Nor thinkes to aske forgiuenesse vntill death But 't is a Miracle if euer hee Shall in his life or death forgiuenesse get Who knowes and scornes the means that profer'd be For neuer was it found exampled yet Of these three steps oh be yee wary then To sit or stand or walke doe you forbeare In seat or way or counsell with those men That Scorners Sinners or Vngodly are Nor will this be enough For as the Swaine Who sitteth downe when he himselfe hath lost Is no more like to reach his home againe Then he that quite another way doth post So they who thinke it is enough to shun The ordinary path that Sinners tread And take no heed what good is to be done Shall neuer of true happinesse be sped Or like as they who without Sterne or Card Dare seeke an vnknowne Coast for golden ore May crowne their voyage with a rich reward Assoone as those that vse nor Saile nor Oare Right so as well may such as loosely liue The prize of happinesse attaine vnto As those who hope they shall at blisse ariue Although not one foot thither-ward they goe And therfore listen my aduise vnto That you may learne what you have yet to doe VERS 2. But his delight is in the Law of the LORD and in his Law doth he meditate day and night WHen Gods great mercy safely brought thee hath From all the counsels waies seats of sin Lest thou stray backe againe take vp the path That iust against it lies and walke therin Keepe on foreright let nothing tarry thee For non-progression there regression is But if thou in continuall motion bee Though slow it doth appeare it brings to blisse To helpe thee on two sacred Scrowles there are Which may direct thy Pilgrimage throughout They profer'd are to euery Passenger And can informe them where they stand in doubt The first sure marke that tels vs we are right In this blest progresse and haue quite abhord The way of Sinners is a true delight Vnto the Law of our eternall LORD Whilst that affection holds there is no feare Or danger of relapse No wicked traine Which the vngodly roundeth in thine eare Can moue thee to partake therein againe But lest thy heart deceiue thee for mans heart Is false and oft betrayes him to his foe Make triall of his truth if wise thou art And I will shew thee how thou mayst doe so Search if there be no carnall vaine respect

are fed And in respect of whom the Sun is dim Oh! what a passion will torment thy soule When thou shalt misse that sweetnesse And imbrace Insteed therof deformity as foule As hell can put vpon her lothsome face What wilt thou doe alas when thou must beare All this great horror and sharp pangs withall For thus euen thus will the vngodly fare When that great Iudgement ouertake them shall And it shall adde vnto their torment to What e're they suffer say or thinke or do VERS 6. For the LORD knoweth the way of the Righteous but the way of the Vngodly shall perish BVt that no righteous Man deterr'd may be From labouring for his blessednesse through doubt That the Almighty doth nor mark nor see How many painfull steps he paceth out And likewise that no Sinner may vnwarned His owne vaine way pursue with false surmize That God doth ouer-passe as vndiscerned The course he takes or winke at villanies Know this you happy men that would attaine To perfect Blisse That howsoe're you seeme Obscur'd on earth and oft to spend in vaine Your labours and your liues without esteeme There 's not a drop of bloud a sigh a teare An inward smarting or an outward grone A sleight vnkindnesse or a scoffe you beare But the Almighty knowes them euery one If you but sweat a little in this path He sees it and in time reward it will Not one sad thought your heart in secret hath But God both knowes therof and mindes it still Though you close prisoners were in strictest thrall Neglected of the world and seene by none But such oppressours as would smother all Which for your praise or comfort might bee knowne Though you were mew'd where none might come to tell What you haue done or suffer'd in this way And being in some dungeon forc'd to dwell Had mourn'd to death shut from the sight of day Yea though your foes should labour to obscure Your good endeauours with a slandrous fame And brand you with vile actions so impure That all men thought you worthy death and shame Yet God whose bright and all-beholding eyes Viewes present past and euery future thing Sees vndeceiu'd and whatsoe're he spies To light will one day to your glory bring He knowes knowing doth approue your course And what he doth approue shall neuer faile Nor Man nor Deuill policie nor force Against his power or knowledge can preuaile Oh therfore droop not though a thousand stormes Or likelyhoods of ruine may appeare For when dispaire puts on her vgliest forme Then is your most assured safety neere Nor boast you Sinners as if you had found A readier course vnto the truest blisse Then righteous men because your way is crown'd With more vaine honour then their labour is Nor let your painted pleasures gull you so To make you dreame that God deceiu'd will bee Or that an vnsuspected course you go Because the world your danger cannot see For though a while you prosper and delude With shewes of happinesse the blinded eye Of fooles and the abused multitude That are in loue with your gay vanity Yet ruine shame and desolation shall Confound your way And vpon euery one That therein walketh will destruction fall Euen then when least perhaps you thinke theron Though in the world you long haue had the names Of honourable honest iust and wise Walkt in a course approu'd and left your fames To after ages in large Histories Though you are great and Orators can hire To cloke your foule proceedings with faire showes Or to defame the Righteous here conspire And make abhorr'd the path in which he goes Though at your deaths with formall pietie And workes of publike loue you often do Conceale your rotten hearts hypocrisie Deceiuing so your selues and others to And at your funerals haue preacht abrod A glorious rumor of a blessed end Those clouds can neuer blinde the sight of God But ruine shall your wicked course attend Though you the ancient Heathens prais'd moralities The Iewish strictnesse the hot Zealousnesse Of Schismaticks haue learn'd with Romes formalities To trim your way with shewes of happinesse And though the Passenger that walks it carries A lode of pardons mumbling as he goes Fiue thousand Creedes ten thousand Ave Maries And of his owne good merits addes to those Yet all will faile him yea there 's many a one By you for Saints canoniz'd whom your path Hath thither brought where now they lie grone Beneath the burthen of Gods heauy wrath For he approues no meanes of happinesse Or way of seruing him but that which he Hath taught himselfe And it is wickednesse Another course to seeke what e're it be This you haue done you sinners so for this Your way and you shall perish And while those Whose course you haue derided dwell in blisse You all contentment shall for euer lose That since you would not vnderstand aright The path that leads to safety whilst you might You should when you are past returning know It was the Way that you despised so THus haue I sung the sum of what the Muse Of our great Prophet in this Ode pursues The way to Blisse Which as my weaknesse can I striue to leuell so that euery man Yea little children may come walke along And make it short and easie with a song Here warne I all but here I cannot say Enough to perfect all men in that way For some lacke one thing some another misse To further on theirvoiage vnto blisse Some faith some works some loue some knowledge want In some repentance in some grace is scant The greatest part defectiue finde I shall Of most of these and many men of all Then some dispaire and some presume as far Some too secure and some too pensiue are Some pray not and some praise not God aright That each man therfore he well furnish might For this aduenture and with meanes diuine Assist him from his heauenly Magazine To fit their seuerall wants he offers you A hundred nine and forty in a row Of such Instructions as who e're shall please To weigh their vse and liue and walke by these My life for theirs at length they shall attaine That happinesse their soules desires to gaine And to assist their weake simplicities That cannot sute their owne necessities In that rich treasurye My humble Muse Shall be their Guide their Seruant and refuse No paines if Gods great Prouidence permit Till all these sacred Oracles she fit To their capacities So I shall be A help to them And they may further me By their good prayers in that blessed path Whose end contentment euerlasting hath THE PARAPHRASE WHERIN THE WORDS of the Psalme are wholy retained and distinguished from the rest by a change of LETTER BLessed is the man that being in the first estate of innocency doth not walke from it after the euill affections of corrupted nature in the lewd Counsels of the vngodlie By consenting vnto euill concupiscences Nor stand in