Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A43039
|
The marriners card and compass. Or The best way to attain heaven amidst a sinfull and crooked generation. By William Harvey, minister of the Word
|
Harvey, William, fl. 1657-1705.
|
1659
(1659)
|
Wing H1093; ESTC R218426
|
15,444
|
43
|
The Marriners Card and Compass OR THE BEST WAY TO ATTAIN HEAVEN Amidst a Sinfull and Crooked GENERATION By WILLIAM HARVEY Minister of the Word AUGUST Vae etiam laudabili vita hominum si remotâ misericordiâ discutias eam Haec via ducit in urbem LONDON Printed in the Year 1659. To the right Honourable ANN Countess Dowager of SCARSDEL And To the rest of that Noble Family Grace Mercy and Peace c. Madam THe world for the most part is like the Cypress-Tree long and fruitless and like Tullies strange Soyl for all the sweet showres that fall upon it it 's still dry as dust The cause of it is either ignorance or negligence want of Knowledge in the will of God or Non-Improvement I have endeavoured to remove these Obstructions and to take the rubs out of the way There are but two extreams Presumption and Desperation which like Scylla and Charybdis make shipwrack of all the vesseds they met with Where these waters break out they beat down all before them They are alike dangerous faith Chrysost For Presumption falls him that standeth and Desperation after a fall admits no rising This small Tract Madam by Gods assistance will inform the one and reform the other It will be an eye to the ignorant and a spur to the negligent for it treats only of Christ and as the Star the Wise men will conduct them to him But I am loth to take too large a survey in so small a piece of ground They that write must not forget that Rule of the Orator ut titulum legant to read the Title of their Books least like the gates of Mindus it proves bigger then the City it self I was ambitions to dedicate it to your Honour that it might kiss your hand which hath been so often open to men of my calling and condition and in particular to my self the meanest of them who serve at the Altar Now the God of Heaven be your continual guard and guide his Blessings in a plurality light upon your Honour and your whole Family as the dew on Gideons Fleece This shall alwayes be the unfeigned Prayers of Your Honours most humble and grateful Servant William Harvey JOHN 14. 6. I am the Way the Truth and the Life THese words are an answer to the precedent verse and they are Allegoricall rately adorn'd partly metaphorically and partly Meronymically and they are brought in to inform Thomas and the rest of the Disciples more fully in the way of Salvation We know not saith Thomas whither thou goest and how can we know the way Our Saviour presently resolv's him in the words of my Text. I am the way the truth and the Life Aurea Sententia A golden Sentence The wife men of the East opened their treasures and presented unto him guifts even Gold Frankincence and Myrrh but he presents unto us guifts more precious in that they fit the Soul in her divine progress to Heaven and as the Angels Lazarus carry it into Abrahams bosome But I will come to the severall branches of the Text. And they are three Via veritis vita The way the truth and the Life First Christ is the way docendo by way of teaching because he alone instructs in the way to happiness The Law is our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ Gal. 3.24 and Christ is our Schoolmaster who brings us to Heaven he is that pillar of a cloud and fire leading us the way to the Heavenly Canaan Exod. 13.21 St. John saith No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him John 1.18 He is the true Mercuries finger that directs the poor wandring traveller the right way to his heavenly Mansion None but he can fit us for that blessed Academy above were we shall all be Fellow-Communers with the Saints and blessed Angels Secondly he is the way promerendo by way of Meriting Conerning this notable is that of St. Paul Rom. 5.16 17 18 19. For if by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and the guift of righteousness shall reign in Life by one Jesus Christ c. read the Text. He alone is that Sampson who hath broken the Cords of our Sins from us by which we were so fast bound and with that woman in the Gospell even bowed together That strong man Satan by him is overcome and his armour wherein he trusted taken from him and his spoiles divided Luke 11.22 The Apostle to the Colossians saith In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of our Sins Col. 1.14 and v. 20. Having made peace through the blood of his Cross by him to reconcile all things to himself To omit a cloud of witnesses St. Peter positively thus Neither is their Salvation in any other for there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Acts. 4.12 And thus he is the way promerendo by way of merit Thirdly He is the way applicando by way of application And that in Severall respects First by his word so the Psalmist Thou wilt shew me the path of Life Ps 16.11 And in another Psalme I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which you shalt go I will guide thee with mine eye Ps 32 8. Secondly by his Sacraments by which God hath not only saved us according to his mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour that being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternall Life Titus 3.5 6 7. But also he doth Confirm unto us as by undoubted Seals and assurances the way of Salvation righteousness and eternall Life So the Apostle speaking of Abraham And he recieved the sâ—gne of Circumcision a Seal of the righteousness of faith which he had being yet uncircumcised that he might be the Father of all them that believe though they be not circumcised that righteousness might be imputed to them also Ro. 4.11 Thirdly By holy and fervent prayers According to that of St. Paul Eph. 2.18 For through him we both have an access by one Spirit unto the Father c. chap. 3.12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him And to the Romans he saith For ye have nor received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of adâ—ption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. 8.15 To this purpose we are commanded in our Pater Noster to supplicate Almighty God in that sweet Epithete and name of Father Our Father c. * ut vere credamus eum nostrum verum parrem nosque ejus veros filios esse ut eo confidentius plena fiducia adcum accedamus eumque invoeemus quemadmodum videmus liberos certa fiducia aliquid aparentibus suis potere Luth in
I null good works as superfluous and unnecessary No God forbid Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall be saved but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven Matth. 7.24 For as we are not saved propter opera for our works we are saved and shall be one day judged accordingly secundum opera according to our works See Matth. 25. v. 34. to the end But I would not have men big with their works high conceited of them stand in competition with God fondly to imagine their works meritorious in so doing they derogate from the free Grace of God and the death and passion of Christ who saith in my Text I am the way c. Alio nobis non opus est ostiario mediatore vel ministro saith Chrysost We need no other door-keeper or Mediator or Minister 16. Hom. in Matth. Our Justiciaries then and conceited Pharisees like Players over act themselves These indeed have good things in them but as we use to say fools have them in keeping Should we call them Papists they would spit at it and yet verily in a sence they are all one in this particular just like the two Elders in Susanna they seem to take leave one of another and presently meet at one door He that saith I am the way saith likewise I am the door of the Sheep John 10.7 And as no man cometh unto the Father but by him so by him also we have access by faith into the grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Rom 5.22 What impudence can out face that of the Apostle For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of Workes least any man should boast Eph. 2.8 9. And the same Apostle elsewhere saith speaking of free election And if by grace then is it no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace but if it be of works then it is no more grace otherwise work is no more work Rom. 11.6 Let the Church of Rome then tells what tale they please I hope beloved it is no article in our Creed To pray to Saints and ascribe merit to our works is the next way to make us devils I am sure they never had these puddles from the pure fountain of Gods holy word Pride is one of the seven deadly sins but of two spirituall pride is the more dangerous and must expect a fall That man who is big with the timpany of his own worth will hardly acknowledg Christ to be the way This is so stiff an Oak that it will break rather then bend and with Naball it is such a son of Belial that a man cannot speak to it 1 Sam. 25.17 But to conclude the first particular Let this serve for admonition to all that truely fear God without procrastination to address themselves to Christ who is and none but he the true and living way to bliss to know him and his Father is eternall life John 17.3 Wherefore as the Apostle sometime said in another sence so let us all say whether shall we go thou hast the words of Eternall life And so I come to the second branch in my Text. As Christ is the way in like manner he is the truth I am the truth First he is the truth Complendo by way of accomplishment for in him as by a lively voice and promise whatsoever was spoken and typified concerning the Messiah by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began are fulfilled Acts. 3.21 see v. 24. and. Acts. 10.43 In like manner the whole Hierarchie of the Leviticall priesthood is accomplished in him the Antetipe which the Epistle to the Hebrews throughout plainly sheweth Thus the Apostle speaking of the Law saith that it was but a shadow of things to come Hebr. 10.1 Secondly he is the truth Promittendo by way of promise So Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth And David thus speaks Ps 119.43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth And Ps 33.4 For the word of the Lord is right Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away Luke 21.33 St. Peter having spoken of the frailty and vanity of man and flesh positively concludes that the word of the Lord endureth for ever 1 Pet. 1.25 Thirdly he is the truth Operando by operation because by the holy Ghost through the word of truth he shall guide us into all truth Jo. 16.13 And Chapt. 8.31.32 If ye continue in my word then are ye my disciples indeed and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free And v. 36. I the Son therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed This may first serve to inform us that Christ is the true Messiah that undoubted Seed of the woman who should break the Serpents head Gen. 3.8 That seed of Abraham in whom all the nations of the earth were to be blessed Gen. 12.3 He who was to save his people from their Sins Matth. 1.21 he in whom all the promises of God are yea and amen 2. Cor. 1.20 Let us then who are Christians acknowledge him alone to be our Saviour although the Jews wickedly blaspheme Parati sunt adlegendam caeci vero ad intelligendum duri ad credendum Aug. Serm. 35. de Temp. and fondly phancie themselves of a Messiah to come Of whom the Father truly speaks they are ready to read but blind to understand and hard to believe Secondly if Christ is the truth it followeth whatsoever is propounded to us against without or besides Christ to embrace and follow is a meer lye St. Paul calls it the Spirit of errour 1. Tim. 4.1 Our Saviour himself saith There shall arise false Christs and false prophets Math. 24.24 That is to say false Doctors and Teachers as Tertuil expounds the Text. Qui pseudoprotae sunt nisi falsi praedicatores Qui Pseudo-apastoli nisi adulteri Evangelizatores Qui Antechristi nisi Christi rebelles de prescript haeret cap 4. Who are false prophets but false preachers Who are false Apostles but adulterate Gospellers Who are Antechrists but rebels of Christ These come in sheeps cloathing Matth. 7.15 Having a shew of Godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 a shew of wisdome Coloss 2.23 Who by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the Simple Rom. 16.18 Yea they shall show great signs and wonders that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect Matth. 24.24 And indeed whom have they not deceived If ever that saying was true it is now Where God hath his church there the devill hath his chappel We have almost as many Conventicles as Churches and a multitude resort unto them Let but one sheep run astray and the whole flock will soon follow Et affabilissermo blandum haereticorum eloquium sunt sagena et laquens quibus pisces