Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	serpent_n	sin_n	sting_n	4,692	5	12.2188	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01992	The wise vieillard, or old man. Translated out of French into English by an obscure Englishman, a friend and fauourer of all wise old-men; Sage vieillard. English	Goulart, Simon, 1543-1628.; Williamson, Thomas, 1593-1639.; T. W., obscure Englishman.	1621 (1621)	STC 12136; ESTC S103357	144,385	222

crimes and offences doe banish for euer the malefactors from humane society Who shall dare to say that it is iniquity in God the Lord of the permanent and durable City if he eternally banish out of his kingdome of glory his sworne enemies the wicked who continually offend him And the polluted prophane vniust reprobates who plot and conspire against God and their neighbours remaine for euer vnder the wrath and curse of the Lord For iustification of all consider onely the corruption of humane nature and what the sonnes of Adam are in themselues For howsoeuer the beleefe touching the immortality of mans soule be orthodox and most true yet may it fitly bee sayd that the soule is subiect to a certaine kind of death Wee call it immortall because it ceaseth not to liue and in some sort to haue sence and feeling The body is mortall because it may bee depriued of life which consistes in the residence of the soule in it from whence floweth that which doth maintaine it not liuing of it selfe but by the soule which doth gouerne and mooue it But the death of the soule is when God doth abandon it and depriue it of his grace And wee say that man is vtterly dead when the soule is quite gone out of the body and that God doth abandon the soule finally adiudged to euerlasting torments S. Augustine will that the name of death bee deriued from the venomous morsure or sting of the infernall serpent the diuel then by him brought into the world when hee first bit and stung out first mother Eue leauing fast sticking in vs the sting of sinne which the Apostle calleth the sting of death This sting being blunted and taken away death ceaseth mortally to sting vs. When S. Ambrose writeth in his Treatise of the benefit of death Chap. 1. 2. that death hurteth not the soule consequently is not euill seeing that nothing but sinne hurteth the soule it is to bee vnderstood of the bodily death in respect of Gods children Therefore hee maketh a ●hree-fold distinction of death the one good the other euill the third good or euill The good is the mysticall death when a man dyeth to sinne and liueth to God whereof the Apostle speaketh That we are buried with Christ Iesus into his death by Baptisme The euill is the death of sinne whereof it is written Then soule that sinneth shall dye And the third is the end of our race and calling in this world that is the separation of the soule from the body of good men accounted good of wicked men euill Although death doth vnshackle and set all persons at liberty very few yet are to bee found which take pleasure therein But this proceedeth not from any offence that is in death that is in the separatiof the soule from the body but from the infirmity of mortall men who suffering themselues to goe on in their carnall pleasures and delights of this life doe tremble and feare to see themselues at the end of their race in the earth louing long life there to liue euilly that is there to dye hourely O how sweet is the good death to wise old men to men and women who are the seruants of God who watch who pray who cry to their Lord in repentance in faith and charity who manfully fight against all temptations And how bitter is the euill death to those euill soules vnbeleeuers stiffe necked ones hypocrites who wrap themselues in their sinnes who haue no pleasure hope nor comfort but in this world These things being so it is easie to shew how death is to be feared or not Certainely the death of sinners is euill who not content to be borne in sinne liue still in all manner of iniquities But the death of the Saints is precious being the end of their labours and toyles the conseruation and custos of their victory the doore of life and the entrance into an assured perfect glorious rest Those are to bee bewayled in their death who haue hell for their prison But it beseemes vs to reioyce and bee glad at their departure whom God doth bid welcome into his heauenly Palace where they magnifie him for euer If any one aske vs sayth Lactantius in the third Booke of his Christian Institutions whether death be good or euill wee will answere that the qualitie thereof doth consist in the consideration of life in it selfe Death in it selfe cannot bee sayd to bee good pleasing and to be desired on the contrary it is the destruction of nature and the reward of sinne But wee must esteeme it a thing worthy great prayse pleasing and full of grace and delight when wee dye ioyfully in the true knowledge of Christ Iesus to goe out of the prison of this mortall body out of this valley of miseries out of this desart where we are exiled persons to returne to our Father our countrey and heauenly city He dyeth well who with the Apostle sayth in sincerity of conscience all my desire is to depart hence and to bee with Christ Iesus Particularly as touching my selfe I haue fought the good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith also the crowne of righteousnesse is layd vp and reserued for mee which the Lord the iust Iudge shall in that day giue vnto me not to me onely but to those who loue his appearing Againe death and the remembrance and apprehension of it is wonderfull irkesome and bitter to a man which trusteth in his riches liuing in all ease in full strength of body and prosperity Here we demand what we are to judge of the death of those who are cruelly quartered and dismembred by hangmen or by fierce and wilde beastes are swallowed vp in the belly of fishes are stifled with a suddaine apoplexie are bereaued of wit sense and reason by some hot burning feaver or who die franticke and madd As for those who are put to cruell death for the name of Christ Iesus the answere is that their death cannot bee tearmed and accompted but deare and precious in the sight of the Lord and of all his Church For if the heathen Philosophers haue had some reason to say that a vertuous man leaues not to be happie though he bee put to a violent death why should we not say the same of the true vertuous to wit the holy Martyrs seeing we haue so certaine testimonies and so many famous examples of their faith charitie patience and constancie in death The Epistle to the Hebrewes is herein expresse for it conteyneth the heroicall trophies of faith also the opprobries disgracefull reuilings and cruell torments of the invincicible Champions of Christ Iesus But I pray you what torments can dismay and terrifie him which glorieth in the crosse of Christ Iesus among all others a shamefull and terrible torment and death Turtullian obserueth in his Apologetico that in his tyme Christians were called Sarmentitij Semissij bavinistes and poore snakes because they were bound to a stake which

this pardon by the gift and hand of a liuely faith doe wrastle against the image of death against a bruised Serpent a wourried torne Lyon against a stinglesse Waspe against a vanquished enemie Chrysostome censureth in good manner those wretches who feare death and feare not sinne wherein they are insnared and wrapped nor the vnquenchable fire of hell which gapes for them Thus sayth he as children are wayward and wrangle if their mothers come neere them with maskes on their faces but when a lighted Candle is brought neere vnto them they readily thrust their handes in it and are burned So those men feare death who know not what it is to liue Death snatcheth away a miserable and short life to make vs to enter into an eternall and perpetuall blessed life Death doth seperate vs from the heapes of Iewells the robes moueables coffers crammed with gold and siluer the sundrie immoueables which we must leaue But in heaven we haue vnseperable riches with the Angels death extrudes and thrustes vs out of the earth but to bring vs into paradize death kills the bodie but it shall rise againe to die no more but be conformable to the glorified bodie of Christ Iesus If any man fight with his owne shadow he hurtes no bodie so death doth but beate the ayre in bickering and jousting against the just It hath beene Gods will and pleasure so sayth Chrysostome that this present life should be painefull and miserable to the end that being buffetted on all sides with so many and manifold miseries we should eagerly aspire to the happinesses to come But seeing we are thus farre ill aduised to wallow and idle it so willingly in this present life where so many disasters and miseries doe surround and encompasse vs how would it be with vs if there were nothing but ioy peace and rest here Our most mercifull heauenly Father doth so mitigate and temper the afflictions of this life that as a Lute-player doth not winde vp too high his Lute strings for feare to breake them nor slacken them too much that so their sweete harmonie tunablenesse may be more distinctly perceiued So doth the wise maister of our life not leauing vs in continuall prosperitie nor too much oppressed He is faithfull who will not suffer vs to be tempted beyond and aboue our strength but will giue a good issue to our temptations and tryalls to the end we should be able to beare them We see men of warre desirous of honour and to attaine to some rancke and degree manfully to expose themselues to a thousand dangers The couetous Marchant to runne vpon all hazards and risques for a handfull of yellow earth The voluptuous person to disdaine and set light by infinite reprochfull and woefull dangers to satisfie his passions and humours And you wise old men will you slumber and sleepe in a corner will you still sit with your armes and legges a crosse not rouzing lifting vp your selues to the contemplation and diligent seeking after so many happinesses prepared for them which loue God Doe you feare death you which in the middest of the shadowe of death haue standing at your ell-bow the Prince and Author of life If you beare in your hearts that quickning spirit which raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead whence is it that you feare death Haue you blotted out of your remembrance him who hath the wordes of eternall life who is the way the truth the resurrection the life who dyed for our sinne and is risen againe for our iustification But soyle not this gracious remembrance with the myre and mudd of sordid and obscene pleasures Let not the perswasions of the vncleane and filthie flesh stoppe and hinder the motions of the spirit illuminated by sacred Philosophie Let the repetitions of his most sweete most certaine and most holy promises bee potent and powerfull in your hearts who was willing to participate of our flesh and bloud that in the same nature foyled by Sathan our Sauiour hath abolished it by his death as by a most sufficient ransome he which conquered death to wit the Deuill Giue me leaue to reforme and rectifie you by recitall of the excellent promises following of the Lord. Verely I say vnto you that whosoeuer heareth my word and beleeueth in him which sent mee hath eternall life and shall not come to condemnation but is passed from death to life Iohn 5. 24. This is the will of him which sent me that whosoeuer beholdeth the sonne and beleeueth in him hath eternall life and for this cause I will raise him vp againe at the last day Such perspection and contemplation of faith is not as prophane persons chatter and mutter a vaine imagination but is coupled and covnited with his effect and with the true apprehension and laying hold of Iesus Christ and his benefites This great Sauiour hath so often times and againe and againe recommended it and for confirmation of it hath prepared his holy Table to which we draw neere there to receiue the bread of life ordayned to the nourishment of our soules to eternall life not for our bellies to receiue which bread we hold vp the hands of faith to heauen and beleeuing in him doe eate it That bread I say which is giuen to the children of the house not to reprobates who sometimes eate the bread of the Lord but not the bread of life which is the Lord. He which is not reconciled to Christ Iesus eateth not his flesh and drinketh not his bloud although euery day hee receiue but to his condemnation the Sacrament or the holy signes of so excellent a thing But he which confirmes and establisheth vs in Christ and who hath annoynted vs is God who also hath sealed and giuen vnto vs the earnest of his spirit in our hearts It is this holy spirit of promise wherewith we haue beene sealed yea for the day of redemption without which spirit the visible signes in the Sacramentes are receiued to condemnation by which spirit faith taught by the word confirmed by the signes or seales of the righteousnesse of the same faith takes daily new growthes and growinges and is manifested by holy workes of which the summe and totall is that we liue and die to the Lord who is dead and risen againe to haue dominion as well over the liuing as the dead to gouerne and guide vs as the sheepe of his pasture and finally to draw vs out of the hideous deserts of this worldly life no life in deed to gather vs to himselfe his heauenly sheep folde If God be on our side who shall be against vs Who shall bee able to make vs afraide and dismay vs Iesus Christ who is dead is risen againe it is he who now being set at the right hand of God maketh request for vs. Let vs adde some worthie sayinges of S. Cyprian in his excellent Treatise of death Simeon the iust reioycing to hold in his armes the little babe Iesus whom he had so

a heauy and vnsupportable burthen whose weight doth suppresse them and cause them to tumble into euerlasting perdition 5. Fifthly let vs now adde some assured consolations against death and first we will draw from certaine places of the holy Scripture the faire termes and names which it giueth to death to sweeten vnto vs the apprehension of it By whose testimony to dye is to bee gathered to his people as it is said of Abraham Gen. 25. 8. It is to goe the way of all the earth 1. Kings 2. 2. It is to be bound vp in the bundle of life 1. Sam. 25. 29. It is to be taken away from euill to enter into peace and rest in our beds Esaiah 57. 1 2. It is to be in the shadow and at rest as the hireling which hath ended his dayes worke Iob 7. 1. 2. It is to sleepe Iohn 11. 11. 1. Thess 4. 13. To rest from his labours Apocalips 14. 13. It is to goe out of the world to goe to God our Father Iohn 13. 1. It is to goe to our Fathers house where there are many dwelling places Iohn 14. 1. It is to returne to our home and countrey after a long painefull and perillous voyage 2. Cor. 5. 6. It is to be vnshackled and deliuered out of a galley or prison to bee with Christ Iesus Philip. 1. 23. It is to goe hence out of a poore beggarly tabernacle 2 Peter 1. 14. It is to be clothed in heauen with glory and immortality 2. Cor. 5. 1. 2. It is to finish our course and our fight to receiue a crowne 2. Timoth. 4. 7. 8. It is to goe to the Nuptialls of the Lambe and his Bride in the Celestiall Ierusalem in the City of God all garnished with gold and precious stones that is adorned with incomprehensible glory and eternall happinesse Apocalips 21. 1. c. It is to liue with Iesus Christ a thousand yeares to wit for euer Apocalips 20. 4. This life and glorious immortality is manifested vnto vs in the Gospel by Christ Iesus who by his appearing hath abolished death 2. Timothie 1. 10. Wherefore then should a wise man feare to goe to his Fathers and would haue a way by himselfe Is it well done not to will and desire to be gathered with the true liuing from so many euills without within aboue belowe behinde before and round about vs After so many battailes so many conflicts skirmishes and wounds especially in the soule to refuse peace to rest out of the short and danger of the weapons teares alarmes vacarmes gurboyles and stirres of the world of our owne heart of the corruption of the wicked and of the powers of Sathan our capitall aduersary O strange case Wee runne after peace and rest and flye from it when it offers it selfe Trauailes and labours weigh vs downe and oppresse vs and we are agaste and abashed to bee ridde of them There is no bed in the world so soft as that where the bodies doe rest when the soules are separated from them notwithstanding not to lie in it we would be contented to bee condemned to goe wooll ward in sackcloth and haire cloth in totters and ragges and to lye on the hard ground or vpon thornes Had we rather dwell with Vipers then with our Father in his heauenly Mansion Those euerlasting Mansions so much to be desired are in lesse account and esteeme with vs then the vncleane and nastie stables of Beastes The earth doth more infinitely please vs then heauen This galley of our life where we tugg both day and night at the oare of ambition auarice cruell lustes debauched pleasures These darke dennes of innumerable sinnes are the resting places that we make much on and wherein we bristle vp our selues and outragiously curse whatsoeuer sacred Philosophie doth propose and set forth vnto vs of the blessed estate of the triumphant Church with her head in heauen What old men are we who grow young in our vices who had rather renounce our sweete Countrie and trott vp and downe in the hideous desertes of the world full of scorpions and Basilisques of horrid ghostes and hob goblins and so many kindes of Deuills then to set one steppe in the right way of repentant faith of charitable hope and patient humilitie Men of wit where is our wit when our bodies are of more price vnto vs then our soules and we are willing to forgoe and loose our armes to saue our sleeues Who preferre a garment before eternall glory a handfull of crownes before most durable treasures a fond idle wicked damnable pleasure before euerlasting ioyes Who still desire to runne on in the way of perdition who fight and striue against nothing but pietie righteousnesse holinesse to conclude who purchase a buryall place for vertue to cause vice to raigne and triumph When will it be that the invitation to the solemne feast of the Sonne of God with his Church will please and be well-come vnto vs When will we prouide our costly rich robes to appeare in this holy assembly Will we still deferre to cleanse our selues from the filth of sinne which makes vs holds downe the head to blush to looke pale and wan to be halfe dead or in a traunce not to dare once to lift vp the eyes of our minde but in hypocrisie and a very strange stupiditie to him which calleth vs to him to the gates of the Pallace whereunto we are so neere Wise old men awaken and rouze vp your selues and more deepely yet consider and meditate vpon the consolations insinuated and inserted in the termes and names which diuine wisedome giueth and ascribeth to death It is demanded seeing Christ Iesus hath abolished death and that by him we are reconciled to God to obtaine eternall life how comes it to passe that we are still subiect to death S. Augustine answereth that heretofore death came and was by sin haled into the world but now death takes away our temporall life to the end we should cease from sinne and that the remembrance of death doe keepe and conteme vs in our dutie So by the vnspeakeable mercie of God the punishment of our sinnes was changed into an armour or shield against sinnes And although that the death of the flesh proceedeth originally from sinne so is it that the good aspect and face of death hath made many excellent Martyrs And although death and all the euils trauailes and turmoyles vexations and sorrowes of this present life proceed from the desert of our sinnes and that after hauing obtained pardon these euills remaine still it is to the end we should haue aduersaries to wrastle against and to exercise vs to make knowne and sensible to vs how strong the power of the Lord is in our weakenes And that so the new man may grow vp and bee fitted and prepared in this world for the world to come looking for the perfect and compleat happinesse of all Gods children Therefore repentant Christians whose sins are pardoned and who accept