Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	life_n	lord_n	power_n	8,674	5	4.5803	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A59956	The universality of the light which shines in darkness asserted, and the notions & opinions of Jeremiah Ives (divulged the 24th of the 2d moneth, 1674, in the market place at Crayden in the county of Surrey) detected &c. written and published ... by William Shewen.	Shewen, William, 1631?-1695.; Stubbs, John, 1618?-1674.	1674 (1674)	Wing S3426; ESTC R21692	18,539	30

all men the true Christians were taught by it others walked despightfully to the Spirit of Grace and turned from it into W●ntonness Also A Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal One Talent at least is given to improve though Thousands answer not the End of the Lord who is the Giver thereof Life and Death Good and Evil is set before all men and the Lord is present and ready with his Wisdom and Power to enable men to chuse Life and Good and to eschew Death and Evil. But how men are said to be Darkness and to walk in it notwithstanding the True Light shines in them is a Mystery to the cunning Wit of men which cannot comprehend the Possibility thereof and are ready to cry out If all are lighted with the Light of Christ which is in it self a saving Light then why are not all men saved If all have a measure of this Light in them how can any be said to be Darkness And if this Light in it self be sufficient to lead to the true Teacher what need hath Christ to send forth a Ministry and what 's the End of your Preaching and Printing of Books c. if all men have a Light sufficient in them This hath been the Cry of the Spirit of this World which savours not the Things of God Now such Ministers which Christ sent and sends forth were and are sent to open the Eyes of the Gentiles and to turn their Minds from the Darkness to the Light and from the Power of Satan to the Power of God that they might receive Forgiveness of Sin and Inheritance among the Saints c. They had Eyes before though shut and Light before though their Minds were not turned to it nor exercised by it but by the Darkness and by the Power of Satan and so walking in this Darkness they stumbled and Mankind being in this State joyned to the Power of Satan and to Darkness is called Darkness notwithstanding the Light shines in it as the holy Scriptures fully evidence Now this Darkness and Power of Satan was and is inward within People and this Light and Power of God was also inward within People For it would be very absurd and ridiculous to imagine that Christ's Ministers were sent to turn the Minds of People from outward Darkness to an outward Light the Darkness and Power of Satan was spiritual and inward and the Light and Power of God was spiritual and inward and the pure Mind they were to stir up was within People Now though they walked in Darkness and sat in the Region and Shadow of Death and saw no Light by Reason that the Eye was shut and the Mind turned another Way though it was nigh they did not see it so as to have the Benefit of it or to believe in it because the Clouds of Error Ignorance and Unbelief were so thick and gross in them that though the light shined so far in them as to convince and reprove them for Evil yet they could not comprehend it or believe in it as a Light in that State but rather accounted Light Darkness and Darkness Light as many in this Age do Now when this Light shined out of Darkness and dispersed the Clouds and gross Fogs that were before their Understandings by means of Christ's Ministry then begun the Work of Regeneration then they became as new-born Babes desiring the sincere Milk of the Word then the Work of Christ's Ministers was as Fathers to cherish them and feed them with Food convenient and as it were lead them by the Hand till they grew strong Men c. And to effect this they travelled among them from City to City and from one Country to another to confirm them and establish them in the Light Power and holy Truth or Gospel of Christ Jesus which their Minds were turned to And this is the Work and End of Christ's Ministry now which we are made Partakers of And this is the End we have in writing printing and preaching for though all have one Talent at least yet Exhortation is needed that Improvement may be made according to the Ability given and that Men receive the Grace and Love that ●s tendered and make use of the Means given and appointed of God to lead to Salvation and this was and is the Work of the Ministry even to perswade Men to be reconciled to God who is Light and dwells in the Light and is not far from every one as a Light ready to lead them out of the Paths of Darkness though till their Minds are turned from the Darkness to which they are joyned and in which they walk and dwell they cannot see him Opinion That the Light which lighteth every man is not the Light of Christ yet it is a Divine Light This is a Piece of Ignorance and Contradiction not of the east Magnitude It is common with the Builders of Mystery Babylon grosly to err and mistake and be confused in their Language and the clamorous Woman pulls down her House with her own hands What! Grant that every man is lighted with a Divine Light but not with the Light of Christ How many sorts of Divine Light are there Is not the Light of Christ Divine What thou mayst form as a cunning Artificer by way of Argument to prove this Nice Carnal Corrupt Distinction will prove like a Castle built in the Air or vain Imagination and fall upon the Head of him that builds it For the whole Current of the Scriptures comprehends things under two Heads Good and Evil Light and Darkness Life and Death Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual and Natural Old and New Holy and Polluted Divine Nature Sinful and Corrupt Nature c. Now Divine Nature is the same with Divine Light Holy Heavenly Pure and Spiritual And it was by this Nature the Gentiles did those things contained in the Law c. they did them not by the corrupt Nature for that leads all that are in it further into Transgression and Breach of all the Law of God and as that is given way unto razeth out and demolisheth the Law in the Heart And how J. I. can set forth a Divine Holy Heavenly Spiritual Light wherewith men are lighted and shew that this Divine Light is not the Light of Christ I judge is a Mystery to himself unknown for I cannot find neither in the Scripture nor among Holy Men a President for the like Doctrine so for ought I know he may be called the Father of this Vain Conceit or Notion Opinion There is a Natural Light in all men which may shew them Sin and this Natural Light is Divine for every Gift of God is perfect therefore Divine Ans This Conceit or Opinion differs not much from the former only in this thou acknowledgest that this Light wherewith every man is lighted is able to shew or convince men that Sin is Sin now what that is that makes manifest and convinceth of Sin the Scriptures

are Divine but not one That which is Divine in God becomes Natural when given to men Some in the World are without Christ therefore some in the World are without the Light of Christ I noted these at the Time and Place aforesaid in Short-Hand and I know not that I have wronged thee if thou judgest otherwise I desir● to hear from thee suddainly W. S. THE UNIVERSALITY OF THE LIGHT ASSERTED AND THE Notions and Opinions OF JEREMIAH IVES DETECTED c. Opinion THe same Body that is now the Habitation of the Soul and Spirit shall rise again and enter with the Soul united into Everlasting Joy or Torment Answer The Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Just and Unjust in the Day of Judgment and their future Estate in Joy or Torment was alwayes asserted by us in Scorn called Quakers though wickedly insinuated and divulged to the contrary by our Opposers And this whole Nation may be convinced by our Conscientious Suffering for bearing witness to the Truth we have received that we believe a Future Estate Else why should we suffer to keep our Consciences void of Offence If we were of the number of those then might we say Let 's eat and drink and take our fill of Pleasure in the things of this World to day for to morrow we shall dye And let us run down with the Stream of the Times we live in and be Men Pleasers and so preserve our selves from Suffering But our Conversation hath not been on this manner but quite the contrary and impartial People may see that it is great Ignorance if not Wickedness and Emnity imour Enemies both Professors Prophane to endeavour to father and fasten such a Doctrine upon us But we pitty their Blindness knowing that it is the Work of that old Adversary the Devil which rules in the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience on purpose to make us odious and hateful to the People who have a gross Traditional Faith concerning the Resurrection as of other Truths of the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Now the Mystery of Godliness is great and the Mystery of Iniquity is great also and they are reveal'd to the Babes and Sucklings and hid from the Wise and Prudent of this World the Wit and Cunning of men finds it not out neither can the Wisdom of the World comprehend it the Busie High-minded Puffed up Contentious Corinthians would be prying into things not made known to them by the Spirit of the Lord but Paul the aged dealt wisely and gravely with them giving them many sharp Reproofs for their high Conceits telling them 1 Cor. 4.3 18. He could not speak to them as unto Spiritual Men but as unto Carnal and could not minister Strong Meat to them but Milk having Envyings Strife and Divisions among them he concludes they were Carnal and walkt as men wise and puft up in their own conceits But saith he to them If any among you seem to be wise in this World let him be a Fool that he may be wise for the Wisdom of this World is Foolishness with God c. 1 Cor. 3. And in most of his Epistle he reprehends them for their Failings and Errors Now some among them broached this Error also That there was no Resurrection of the Dead Many weighty Arguments he urges to convince them of their gross Ignorance 1 Cor. 15. If there be no Resurrection of the Dead then is not Christ risen so on to the 19th verse where he also saith If in this Life only we have Hope we are of all men most miserable c. For since by Man came Death so by Man came also the Resurrection In Adam all dye in Christ shall all be made alive he that reads let him understand Some also among them might after they were convinc'd by his Arguments enquire how the Dead were raised and with what Body come they forth To such he saith O Fool that which thou sowest is not quickened except it dye and that which thou sowest thou sowest not that Body that shall be c. to the end of the Chapter And now if the curious Enquirers of this Age would know further and presume above what is written out of the Sense and Knowledge of the Holy Spirit which moved Holy Men to write they are to be answered with Judgment and sharp Reproof for the puffed up Spirit and busie Mind which aspires to know much before-hand leads men to neglect the doing that good which they already know therefore it was very well said by Geo. Whitchead when the Dispute was like to continue about the Resurrection That it would be more profitable and necessary for People to hear a Discourse that may tend to inform them how they may be fitted and prepared to be one of that number which shall rise in the Resurrection to enjoy Everlasting Felicity and to avoid the contrary and not at present to contend about the Sameness of the Body that shall rise and what Matter and Form it shall have and how and when the Soul and Body shall meet and be united and how they shall be entertained in Heaven c. About these things the vain Thoughts and Imaginations of men are many and some that count themselves able to teach others are as ignorant of the Resurrection as Nicodemus was of the New Birth And this busie Mind and unsubjected Spirit which learns not at the Feet of Jesus has great Conceits and Imaginations what God hath done of old in Generations past and what he is able to do Thousands of Years to come but is ignorant and unacquainted with his Power at present believes little of his Power and Ability in their own Particulars in this present time wherein they are to know him by his Mighty Power to raise them out of the Grave of Sin and give them Victory over it and so to witness their part in the first Resurrection This is of more absolute Necessity then to enquire what manner of Bodies God will raise in the Last Day and how he will provide and entertain the Soul and Body in Heaven when time shall be no more They that know God do believe in him and can trust him and do resign up their Bodies Souls and Spirits into his Hand in this World and in that which is to come also and have no doubt but he will provide well for them if they persevere in well doing to the end Opinion It may be in the great Day of Judgment God may receive the Heathen to Glory but it is more then they know whether he will or no For those People that have not the Scriptures among them in common have no Knowledge of their future Estate Answ What God will do with the Heathen it seems thou knowest not but art in thy Thoughts or may bees about it They that walk in the Light in which God dwells know more of his Mind However thou mayst read in the Holy Scriptures of God's Love and

bear witne●s in that of John Chap. 16. That which convinceth the World of Sin c. is the Saints Comforter even the Spirit of Truth it hath many Names in the Holy Scriptures but is one thing So this Light which is Divine Holy Heavenly and Spiritual is one with the Spirit of Truth in Nature and Operation and is the Gift of God to all men though some rebel against it and hath Power in it not only to shew and convince of Sin but to destroy Sin and convert to God those that love its Appearance and turn at its Reproof I perceive thou hast read That every Gift of God is Perfect and that the Light is the Gift of God therefore Perfect and Divine thou hadst better know it so and prove it by the Experience of its Vertue and Operation in thy self then by a Syllogism then thou mightest be a true Witness of its Divine Perfectio till then however I will take thy Argument for as good a Proof as thou canst give that the Light is Perfect and Divine Opinion Men may sin out all Sense of Sin and become Darkness and have no Light in them Answ Men through long Custom of sinning may have their Hearts hardened to that Degree that they may be compared to a Stone and to a Deaf Adder which will not hear the Voice of the Charmer c. And men may be so ignorant of the Law and Mind of God even while they profess him that they may think they do him good Service while they are serving the Devil and doing his Work yet there is Means of Redemption and a Possibility of Deliverance appointed of God out of this State and the stony Heart may be it be made soft and become changed into a Heart of Flesh and the deaf Ear and Eye may be unstopped and the ignorant unsensible spirit removed and done away and this State is upon men while the Light shines in Darkness which Darkness they are and cannot comprehend it c. But now after the Light comes to shine out of Darkness and men come to receive it and for a time to walk in it and to be so enlightened by it as that they may in some measure know God and Jesus Christ which he hath sent which is Eternal Life and may taste of the Power of the World to come and witness a Translation from Death to Life and from Darkness to Light and a cleansing from the Pollutions of the World over which their Faith in Christ had given them Victory and their House may be swept and garnished c. yet after all this they may fall into a worse Estate then that above mentioned out of which they may never come to witness Redemption nor Deliverance seeing after they knew God they did not like to retain the Knowledge of him nor to Glorifie him as God And seeing they make shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience and turn like the Dog and Swine to the Mire and Vomit again and crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and for want of Watchfulness let seven worse Devils enter the latter end of such will be worse then their beginning And it s such that are compared to Trees twice dead plucked up by the Roots and their Consciences are said to be seared as with a hot Iron c. for such it s said there remains no more Sacrifice for Sin this Estate is lamentable and little short of the utmost Hell seeing the Spirit of God hath ceased striving with such for their Salvation and that which they hate will be their Condemnation And there is none that ever did or shall sin themselves into such a state of Hardness and Unsensibleness as that they shall not feel the Reward of Sin sooner or later neither shall they escape the Biting or Gnawing of that Worm that never dyes nor the Anguish of that Fire which the Breath of the Lord kindles if the Wicked that hate the Light could dwell in such Darkness where the Light could not find them or if they could destroy this Gnawing Worm and extinguish or put out this Fire which the Breath of God kindles then should their Sensibleness of Pain and Anguish for Sin be at an end but as they cannot do the one so they cannot escape the other The Wages of Sin is Death even a dying Death a sensible Death where the Gnawing Worm will be felt and the Wicked shall be able to lift up their Eyes in Hell as Dives did when he saw Lazarus in Abraham's Bosom and cry for Help in the Sence of their Torment when it is too late the Gulf being fixed c. Opinion The Sun may shine and some men may shut their Eyes and will not see it and some are blind and cannot see it Are they therefore enlightned by it So likewise c. Answ The Strength of this Opinion of thine by way of Similes I take to be thus That though the Sun doth shine yet some are not willing and some are not able to see the Light of it and so are not or will not be lighted by it and from hence wouldst conclude notwithstanding thy former Concession viz. That every man is lighted with a Divine Light That some men have no Light in them nor are not in a Capacity to receive Benefit by the Light because blind And others will not come out of the dark C●lls of the Earth where they have taken up their Habitation to behold it Now the Scriptures bear witness That the Seers or Prophets saw Christ the Gift of God to be the Light of the Gentiles and to be his Salvation to the Ends of the Earth and there was and is a Call to all the Ends of the Earth to look unto him and be saved and the Gentiles and Ends of the Earth looking unto him have had have and may have Salvation by him And the Lord desires not nor wills not the Death of him that dyes nor the Blindness of him that is blind but would have all men walk in the Light and come to the Knowledge of his Truth and be saved He bids or commands no men to Hear See or Walk when he hath not given them Ears Eyes and Ability so to do He calls to all men every where to Repent and he hath afforded them Light and Grace sufficient to enable them so to do if they would believe in it and obey it He shuts no man's Eyes neither is he the Author of any man's Blindness Wilfulness and Stubbornness It 's man's own Sin that separates man from his Maker and blinds his Eye and strengthens his Will that he cannot and will not see the Light when it shines in him so as to be saved by it and to walk in it though he hath in this blind sinful State so much Sight Sense and Knowledge of it as to feel its Reproofs and Convictions John 3.20 So every one that doth Evil hates the Light and cometh not to it lest his Deeds should be