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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	life_n	sin_n	spirit_n	19,754	5	5.4357	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A97294	Some prison meditations and directions on several subjects viz. on [brace] the fall of man, the sufferings of Christ, repentance and faith, reproof and counsel, the holy Scriptures, prayer, love to mankind, sincerity, the vanity of the world, the benefit of affliction, heaven and hell / by Samuel Young, minister of the Gospel.	Trepidantium Malleus.	1684 (1684)	Wing Y88A; ESTC R43962	59,844	144

Like men that should go on singing and dancing and calling for their Cups and Musick to the place of Execution I have spoken of several Duties of reading Scripture Prayer Charity but we must remember all must be done in Sincerity and this is the next thing we shall consider CHAP VIII Of Sincerity MEDITATIONS MAny there are I doubt not whose Sincerity no man questions that will be found formal another day and many that few thought well of will be saved Snow covers Dunghils Gilt makes common Wood and Stones look like Gold So doth a Profession and some attainments make many Unconverted Men look like true Christians When Judas went up and down Preaching the Gospel if any one had said to him Judas thou art now perswading the world to close with Christ within a little time thou thy self wilt betray this Christ to death for thirty pieces of Silver would he have believed it or would he not rather have said as Hazael to Elisha 2 Kings 8.13 Am I a Dog that I should do this thing Many famous Ministers great Preachers men of great Parts and Zeal much followed by all and accounted Angels from Heaven I fear will in a little time Mat. 258. cry Our Lamps are gone out Many forward hearers that have done many things set on Reformation and minded reading and praying in their Families will I fear in a little time be found to be Cakes half baked Hos 7.8 On the other hand there are many Ministers and People that are taken but little notice of for Religion that I hope will be saved Their Heavenly Father sees that in secret hearts broken for Sin and breathing after Christ for which he will reward them openly Many that deceive themselves thus plead I can remember the time when the place where the Minister by whom I was Converted 1 Kings 21.27 28.29 When Ahab heard these words he rent his cloaths he fasted c. God takes notice of it to the Prophet Seest thou not how Ahab humbleth himself before me Then Ahab remembred the time when the place where the Prophet by whom he was terrifyed so as to pray fast and had a Promise from God on the doing this work Acts 8.13 Simon himself believed and was Baptized Verse 21. And yet his heart was not right in the sight of God Philips Doctrine and Miracles Converted seemingly him that had deceived many Simon might say I remember the time when the place where the Minister by whom I was convinced and awakened and yet he was in the gall of Sin and the bond of Iniquity Gal. 4.14 15 16. Once again many of them received Paul as an Angel of God even as Christ Jesus high words were ready to have plucked out their eyes and have given them to him and yet at last they accounted him their Enemy because he told them the truth No doubt many of them were but formal to whom he said Where is then the Blessedness you spake of These men could remember the time when the place where the Minister by wom they were reformed Many such men can say but little else but their first Convictions and Terrours Others plead That God hath heard and wonderfully answer'd their Prayers and that they are assured from the Scriptures of Truth John 19.31 That God heareth not Sinners but if any man be a Worshpper of God him he heareth And they will tell you of Extraordinary Providences that they have met with as an answer to Prayer I answer It may be God heard not your Prayers but your Murmurings as Numb 11. The Quails came at the peoples request here was a Providence but what was the close of all Some have desired Children Riches c. but unless these things have made them love and serve God they never were given in a way of Mercy but Judgment Or it may be God heard only the Cry of nature in you as he hears the cries of Young Lions and Ravens Gen. 21.17 19 20. God heard Hagar's and Ishmaels Cry When Hagar lift up her voice and wept an Angel calls to her and tells her God had heard the Cry of the Lad and it is said vers 21. God was with the Lad. Hagar and Ishmael might they say God hath heard and wonderfully answered our Prayers and God heareth not Sinners And yet both were cast out I doubt not but God doth work Wonders or Miracles for their Preservation or Deliverance that shall never be saved Some plead But I find I have Repentance I have Faith I yield Obedience to the Gospel c. Amen would to God it may appear to be so Yet hear the Word of the Lord Mat. 8.12 The Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out Conclude on it there is nothing in Art that doth more resemble a thing in nature than Legal Repentance resembles Evangelical Temporary Faith Saving Partial Obedience Universal Never was there the picture or Statua of a man that did more resemble a living man than common Grace doth Saving Never was any Brass Half-Crown more like one of good Silver than the life of a Hypocrite may the life of a Christian Have you so repented of Sin as to loath Sin as Sin for its malignity and evil nature Hath your faith made you to esteem of Christ his Ordinances and People more than of all Treasures Your Obedience unfeigned without reserves In the account we have of the sickness and death of Bellarmine done by C.E. the Jesuite one passage he hath to make him famous to the world which makes me more to hate the name and memory of Bellarmine than any thing recorded of him That when his Confessor came to him Such saith he was the innocency of the man that he could hardly tell what to confess insomuch that his Ghostly Father was in some perplexity wanting matter of Absolution till by recourse to his life past he found some small defects of which he absolved him The Author cryes O Zealous Mind O Noble Bishop but let the Christian poor in spirit that complains with Paul Rom. 7. of a Body of Sin and Death cry O stupid Soul O vile Hypocrite how secure was thy Conscience that at thy death hadst no scruple but the exchanging of one good work for another and that when commanded to it That was his leaving the Archbishoprick of Capua for better preserment What is related of him his lying on his bed with his eyes and hands lift up to Heaven his falling prostrate on the ground to receive the Sacrament his bestowing so much to feed the poor all these things signifie nothing when the heart is so proud so insensible of its own Gailt Then every man must try himself The Famous Divines in the Synod of Dort gave these Marks of Sincerity Dordrehti Synodus Vera in Christum fides filialis Dei timor dolor de peccatis secundum Deum sitis esuries justitiae A True Faith in Christ when a man humbly relies upon him for Life

immediately on the fall applyed himself to him and promised a Redeemer Paul to the Romans makes Adam a Figure of him that was to come Rom. 5.14 If sin and guilt might have made any man pine away Adam had been the man that opened the Flood-gates of Sin and Wrath to break in upon the World and was the ruine of the greatest part of his Posterity yet hearing of a Saviour he lived almost a thousand years We are not so to mourn for sin as to forget to rejoyce in Christ our Saviour Of this blessed Saviour I shall speak in the next Chapter CHAP. II. Of the Sufferings of Christ MEDITATIONS GOD is more pleased with the Sufferings of Christ than displeased with the Sin of Adam he more loveth us as the Children of Christ than he hated us as the Children of Adam We must often consider the Death of Christ and be affected with it It was Prophesyed of old Zach. 12.10 They shall look on him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for the loss of an only Son and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his first-born And O what wringing of hands what deep Groans what doleful Out-cryes are there made oftentimes for the loss of an onely Child or First-born Act 2.37 What made Peters Converts to be prickt at the Heart but the Preaching of a crucified Christ I shall here consider 1. What Crucifying was 2. Who were the Agents in this Work 3. Who and what he was on whom this Cruelty was acted 1. For the manner of Crucifying There was Lignum Geminum as the learned Weems speaks at large in his Christian Synagogue The Cross had four things Arrectarium or Main-tree Scabellum the Tree where the feet were Nailed Lignum transversum whereunto their Arms were fastned with Cords and there Nail'd Vertex the Title with the Inscription above the Head This way of putting to Death was so shameful and so lingring that the Romans inflicted it on none but Slaves or the vilest sort of men Constantine in Honour of Christ took away this Punishment Christ had carryed his own Cross as all Crucified Persons did but they had so weakned him Mat. 27.32 that they made Simon of Cyrene to carry it not out of Kindness to Christ but hatred lest he being so severely handled before should faint by the way and their blood-shot eyes lose the Pleasure of beholding him tormented on the Cross The Romans call'd this Punishment Servile Supplicium for the reason before-named 2. We come to consider the Actors in this woful Tragedy They were not the prophane Gentiles or common Rabble among the Jews that only did this but the High Priest the Scribes the Pharisees 1. They that had so long prayed and waited for his coming Before he came into the world the Devout Jews thought Blessed were the eyes that should see the promised Messiah in the Flesh It was a Petition commonly made by them in their Giving of Thanks at their Tables Let our eyes be made worthy to see the Messiah in the Flesh What cryes were there Isa 64.1 O that he would rend the Heavens and come down Malachi that closed up the Old Testament foretold how though they longed for him yet they could not stand before him Mal. 3.1 2. Behold I will send my Messenger and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple even the Messenger of the covenant in whom ye delight But what follows But who may abide the day of his coming And who shall stand when he appeareth For he is like Refiners Fire and as Full●rs Sope. He dealt too plainly with the world con●erning their Sin and Duty to be welcom'd by them They expected a Messias to deliver them from the power of the Romans and God sent a Messias to deliver from the power of the Devil 2. They that were acquainted with the Law and the Prophets That might by Types and Prophesies have known that Christ was the promised Saviour 3. They that heard his Doctrine and saw his Miracles His Doctrine was spitual and Heavenly reaching the Heart and Soul His Miracles were not done in a Corner as feeding many thousands with a few Loaves his raising Lazarus from the Dead 3. We now come to consider who and what he was who thus suffered 1. He that did their Bodies so much good Paul sayes for a good man some would even dare to die Though scarcely for a Righteous man Rom. 5.7 That is consider him as righteous before God and so few love him so well as to die for him but consider him as good to man so some would lose their lives for him But here they were so far from dying for this good man that they contrived his death He cured all sorts of men of all sorts of Distempers he raised the Dead c. 2. He that came to save Souls from endless burnings and to bring them to endless Blessedness 1 Thes 1.10 It is not more true that our Bodies and Souls are now in the world than that they had been in endless misery had not Christ dyed 3. He that was God God suffered in the Person Acts 20.28 though not in the Nature Hence it is that his Temporal Sufferings were as much as our Eternal would have been Christ had his Sonship but not his Substance from the Father who begat him in respect of Personality not of Essence The dignity of his person made the Sin of crucifying him so great I will suppose that all the Saints in Heaven and Earth were met together yea that all the Angels were incarnate and among them and that a man or number of men should murther them all this Sin were no sin in comparison of what I now speak of the Crucifying of the Lord of Glory Christ suffered from first to last In his Birth for the Ancient of Dayes to be born in time for the Eternal God to become a Babe this is soon said but who understands the depth of these things Luke 2.12 And this shall be a sign unto you you shall find the Babe wrapped in swadling-cloaths lying in a Manger yet was all ordered by the infinite wisdom of God Had Christ been the Son of Herod or Caesar then it had been no wonder that all the world went out after him but that one so obscurely born should carry the world before him was wonderful John when in Patmos Rev. 11.15 foresaw That the Kingdoms of the World would become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ which then was very unlikely in outward appearance He was sorely tempted by the Devil we read at large in Mat. 4. Gods end in all we have Heb. 2.18 Being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Ask the Saints what Suffering this is that often sweat under this Saddle when they are tempted to hate God or distrust him have such suggestions as are not fit

III. Of Repentance and Faith MEDITATIONS THE Apostle Paul gives us a Compendium or Abridgment of his Doctrine and Preaching Repenarnce and Faith Acts 20.22 Repentance sheweth a man his sin When a Convert is in his Agonies and Pangs in his throws and conflicts then the heart the once hard heart falls a bleeding before God Faith sheweth a man his Saviour Acts 16.13 We are often call'd upon to believe in Christ Quest Why might it not be as well exprest to believe in the Father or in the Holy-Ghost as in the Son It is true the Father Son and Holy-Ghost save us but in a different way The Father by sending the Son The Holy-Ghost as sent from the Father and the Son in the Hearts of Believers but the Son by his Merits by his Death The Father contrived the Spirit applyed but Christ procured the Remedy This Repentance wounds and Faith heals By Faith we are said to be justified Rom. 5.1 and the Righteousness of God is revealed from Faith to Faith Now when Christs Righteousness is imputed unto us by Faith it is not the Righteousness of Christ as God for that is his uncreated Righteousness and this essential Righteousness cannot be communicated to us and made our accidental Righteousness and this is the Righteousness of the Father and Spirit as well as of the Son And then Father and Spirit might be said to justifie us as well as the Son But it is the Righteousness of Christ the Mediatour who is God man Jer. 23.6 And this is his name whereby he shall be called The Lord our Righteousness DIRECTIONS Stay Reader ere thou goest any farther if thou art an unconverted man get and cherish a few Resolutions to put in Practice the few following Directions Lift up thine eyes unto that God whose dwelling is not with flesh that he would thus incline thy heart in hopes of this I direct 1. Go in secret sit down and consider the great sins of thy Heart and Life Allow time enough for this Are you guilty of the horrible Sins of the Age Try your selves by the Word by the Ten Commandments Can you not do this will you do it 2. Consider these things till you find your Hearts to ake and Countenance to change If you have such Convictions as to say O that I had not done these things Could I live over my time again things should be otherwise Thô such Convictions may not be saving yet they are too good to be thrown away Strike man whilst the Iron is hot 3. Fall down on the Ground pray to God for Pardon and Acceptance through Christ Say as Ezra Chap. 9.6 O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face unto thee My God for our iniquities are increased over our Heads and our Trespass is grown up to the Heavens Cry as the Leper Mat. 8.2 Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean Look to Jesus typified by the brazen Serpent John 3.14 15. that thou mayest be healed 4. Away to the minding of Secret and Family Duties Read the Scriptures call on God lest the sparks of Convictions you have gotten go out 5. Converse with them that Converse with God say as David Psal 119.115 Away from me you Evil-doers for I will keep the Commandments of my God Psal 119.63 I am a Companion of all them that fear thee and of them that keep thy Precepts Tell them your Case beg their Prayers hear their Instructions I have lain down a few plain Directions Wherefore I pray thee O Sinner Let my counsel be acceptable in thy sight as an Ambassador of Christ I pray thee as in Christs stead as though God did beseech thee be thou Reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.20 Will not this do Then I adjure thee by that God that made thee by that Jesus that shall judge thee another day Consider thy ways If any think a Death-bed-repentance will serve thy turn the famous Bolton saith that Oracle of his time in his Directions for distressed Consciences That he could not get proof of any man Converted on a sick Bed I knew one reformed three years upon sick bed Repentance but at last grew more vile than ever In some Respect we may bless God that blasteth such Convictions The World too much depends on them now what would they do if they saw them in any Persons sound and saving Mat. 20.7 12. If you say some were called at the last hour I answer But none were called at the last minute If a man in old age be converted which is very seldom will it follow therefore a man on a Death-bed may be so Dr. Hammond in his Discourse of Sick-bed Repentance tells us how we should deal with such Gods example saith he must be our rule Judg. 10. v. 13 14 16. to dispense comfort by Degrees When they cryed God seems to deny Deliverance and when they were greatly humbled the Lord was grieved for them He adviseth Ministers and others to shew such men the necessity of mourning and self-indignation If I be too forward to comfort them I ruine them saith he I would to God they were of his mind who are so forward to absolve upon dry Confessions and to Canonize in Funeral Sermons to the great hardning of the Hearers God will say by Conscience on a sick bed What I have written I have written The Soul that Sins shall dye Some are ready to say If they mind these things now they shall be out of their Wits Miserable Souls they have long since told the World by their Lives that they were never well in their Wits You know Physicians sometimes say to their Patients Had I come timely I might have cured you If a Patient say I will take no Physick I will not be confined to my Chamber I will eat and drink what I please this is to say I will not recover I will dye So to say in the heart I will not follow Directions is to say I will be damned Remember God that calls you needs you not Job 22.33 Is it any Pleasure to the Almighty that thou art Righteous or is it any gain to him that thou makest thy way perfect Let none deceive themselves and think they have repented and believed when it is not so They may say as Agag Surely the bitterness of Death is past 1 Sam. 15.32.33 and yet be hewed before the Lord. O Blessed God! what a dreadful Surprizal will it be in the time of Death to many great Professours that thought for twenty thirty years or more that they were in the Way to Heaven and then then find themselves mistaken who find themselves at the Gate of Hell when they thought themselves at the Gate of Heaven Have you Convictions now stifle them not bring them before God lest he say of you My Spirit shall no more strive with you O man Gen. 6.3 I take an everlasting Farewell of thee seeing thou wilt be unholy be