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
A20161	Another tombestone; or, A sermon preached at Laurance Pountneys-Church London, vpon the last day of August, in the yeere, 1626 At the celebration of the funerals of Master Iohn Iuxon, late citizen of the Honourable city of London. By Stephen Denison, preacher of Gods most holy Word in the same city.	Denison, Stephen, d. 1649 or 50.	1626 (1626)	STC 6598; ESTC S118655	22,186	84

shall not Christians much more Vse But to come to the Vse of the point is it so that a Christian may and ought to desire to be dissolued this meets with them therfore which are at home in this world which if they might haue their choice would make themselues euerlasting Tabernacles here and would neuer remoue being content rather to liue in sinne and to endure much hardship then to change their habitation I confesse life is sweete and wee ought not wilfully to imperill it Homer brings in the most valiant men armed and weaponed ready to defend their liues and so it may stand with a magnan imous spirit to seeke to preserue life by all lawfull meanes but to dote vpon this momentany life and to preferre it before eternity must needs be a great sinne honey is sweete and yet we must not surfeit vpon it so life is pleasant but we must not ouerualue it Now that we may attaine this resolution of Saint Paul to desire to be dissolued wee must obserue these rules following First wee must pull out the sting of death which is sinne death is a Serpent but if you take away its sting you may safely put it in your bosome Aristot lib. 3. ethic ad nic hom c 6 The Heathen Philosopher could say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 death is the most fearefull thing in the world and why not because after death there is neither good nor euill as he atheistically speakes but because the conscience is terrified with sinne vnrepented of O that I could inlarge my selfe now to speake to euery particular sinner Thou that art a common swearer a Sabbath-breaker a secret adulterer a common drunkard a fraudulent dealer a malitious person a persecutor and a slanderer of Gods faithfull Ministers an idle droane a lyar a tale-bearer a belly-god a proud person an vsurer a base worldling c. dost thou desire euer to looke death in the face with comfort without hellish feare break off thy sinne else death will sting thee like an Addar thou shalt neuer be able to look God in the face Secondly if we would attaine to a willingnesse to die wee must get faith wee must make our calling and election sure wee must with Simeon get Christ in our armes and then we shall easily say Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace a man cannot choose but feare to die when he knowes not what shall become of his poore soule in the world to come We haue many encouragements to beleeue First because we are commanded so to doe 1 Ioh. 3.23 Secondly because Gods mercies and Christs merits are greater then our sinnes be our sinnes neuer so great Isa 1.18 Thirdly because great sinners haue bin saued Manasse Mary Magdalen Dauid The prodigall Sonne with diuers others Fourthly because the tender of mercy is made to euery Creature Mar. 16.15 Fifthly we haue many excellent helpes to beleeue to wit the preaching of the Gospell the vse of the blessed Sacraments experience of former feelings and tokens of Gods loue c. O therefore let vs stirre vp our selues to beleeue and let vs labour for such a Faith as may purifie our hearts Acts 15.9 as may worke by loue Gal. 5.6 as may fill our hearts with sound ioy 1 Pet. 1.8 as may bee ioyned with good fruits Iames 2.26 If wee can but beleeue by such a faith as this is nothing shal be able to hinder our Saluation yea if all the tyles vpon the house where we shall die were so many diuels we should not feare It is recorded of one Epaminondas a famous captaine Diadorus Siculus lib. 15. who being wounded in Warre asked first if his shield were safe as though he had not cared what had become of his life so his buckler were preserued euen so we need not care what becomes of our liues so our Faith be safe Thirdly If we will die willingly and with comfort we must expell out of our hearts the immoderate loue of the world Ambro. lib. de fide resur Tom 3. Mors nec amara egētibus nec gratiosa diuttibus It is a true saying of one of the antient Fathers Death is neither bitter to men that liue in want neither is it welcome to rich men a rich man that hath made Mamō pleasure his God will be as loath to part with these at his death as euer Labā was to part with his Idols which Rahel had stolne yea if God would offer him heauen vpon condition to part with these he would refuse the offer Mat. 19.21.22 O therefore my beloued let vs take the counsell of the holy Ghost in Psal 62.10 If riches increase let vs not set our hearts thereon let them not clog the wings of our affections but let vs in the mids of aboundance reserue in our selues a willingnesse to bee dissolued and to be with Christ knowing that with him is induring substance and fullnesse of ioy for euer and euer Dost thou willingly dye and leaue thy deare freinds behold thou shalt enioy the company of the blessed Trinity of the elect Angels and of the soules of men made perfect dost thou willingly part with great riches on earth behold thou shalt haue great treasure in heauen dost thou cheerefully leaue thy earthly habitation behold a better mansion aboue ready to receiue thee Fourthly if we will die willingly wee must bee fruitfull in good workes this is to lay vp for our selues a good foundation against the time to come howbeit not of merit but of assurance 1 Tim. 6.19 it is no maruell if any man be vnwilling to be sent out to liue in some strange Countrey vnto the which hee hath sent no prouision before hand for his owne entertainement and so it is no strange thing if any be vnwilling to die who hath not had any care to lay vp treasure for himselfe in heauen let me vse therefore that effectuall exhortation of our blessed Sauiour Luke 16.9 Make you friends of the Mammon of vnrighteousnesse that when ye shall fayle they may receiue you into euerlasting Tabernacles Good workes done in a right manner and with a sound intention will make thy life sweet thy death comfortable and thy end happie What a man giues to kindred friends out of meere naturall respects he giues it meerely to them and they onely haue the benefit of it but whatsoeuer any shall giue for Christ and for pious vses he giues it to himselfe he rewards his owne soule hee alone receiues the maine benefit according to that August in serm de divite Quicquid pauperibus dederimus ipsum integre posside bimus Whatsoeuer wee shall giue to the poore wee shall enioy it all our owne selues Fifthly if we would die willingly we must with Christ finish the worke the Lord hath giuen vs to do Ioh. 17.4 no seruant is willing his Master should returne vntill hee hath done his appointed taske no steward is willing his Lord should call