Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	wonderful_a	work_n	work_v	74	3	6.5022	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29687	The crovvn & glory of Christianity, or, Holiness, the only way to happiness discovered in LVIII sermons from Heb. 12. 14, where you have the necessity, excellency, rarity, beauty and glory of holiness set forth, with the resolution of many weighty questions and cases, also motives and means to perfect holiness : with many other things of very high and great importance to all the sons and daughters of men, that had rather be blessed then cursed, saved then damned / by Thomas Brooks ...	Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680.	1662 (1662)	Wing B4939; ESTC R36378	584,294	672

hearts of his children against sin by their very falling into sin O what love to Christ what thankfulness for Christ what admiration of Christ what cleaving to Christ what exalting of Christ and what drawing from Christ are Saints led to by their very falls O what exercise of grace what increase of grace what magnifying of grace what liftings up of Divine Power and what a high price are holy men led to set upon the precious Blood of Christ and all by their falls 'T is the glory of Gods Holiness that hee can turn spiritual diseases into holy remedies and soul-poisons into heavenly cordials that hee can prevent sin by sin and cure falling by falling one calls that 8th of the Romans and the 28. The blinde mans Promise and I may call it the lame mans Promise that is holy and the deaf mans Promise that is holy and the dumb mans Promise that is holy and the needy mans Promise that is holy and the sick mans Promise that is holy and the languishing mans Promise that is holy and the dying mans Promise that is holy O the comfort O the sweet O the content O the satisfaction that this Promise hath afforded to many a precious Saint when other Promises have not been at hand O Christian what though friends and relations frown upon thee what though enemies are plotting and conspiring against thee what though wants like an armed man are ready to break in upon thee what though men rage and Devils roar what though sickness be in thy family and death stands every day at thy elbow yet there is no reason for thee to fear or faint because all these things shall work for thy good Yea there is wonderful cause of joy and rejoycing in all the afflictions and tribulations that comes upon thee considering that they shall all work for thy good O Christians I am afraid I am afraid that you do not run so often as you should to the breasts of this Promise nor draw that sweetness and comfort from it that it would yeeld and that your several cases may require and thus I have done with this use of comfort and consolation to all Gods holy ones You see what comfort what consolation yea what strong consolation waits upon all Gods sanctified ones I have been the longer upon this use because the times require it and the condition of Gods people calls for the strongest cordials and the choicest and the sweetest comforts And now I have nothing to do but to lay down some Positions concerning Holiness which may be of singular use for the preventing of some Objections and mistakes and for the giving of satisfaction especially to such in whom the streams of Holiness runs low and who are still a lamenting and mourning under the imperfections of their Holiness c. And the first Position is this Where ever real Holiness is it will appear it will discover it self it will shew it self Eph. 4.15 16. it is the very nature of Grace and Holiness to manifest it self and therefore it is set forth in Scripture by the names of light which shines abroad and of ointment and perfume Mat. 5.16 Prov. 27.9 Cant. 3.6 which cannot be hid of Leaven and Salt which deriveth its own nature and rellish upon a whole lump And 't is very observable that when the Holy Ghost was given Act. 2.1 2 3 4 5. he was given in tongues fiery tongues and with a rushing of a mighty wind all which have a quality of self-manifestation and notifying of themselves to others Take a River that is damm'd and stopt up yet if the course of it be natural and if it commonly runs downward it will at length bear down all and ride and run triumphantly over all that is in its way So though real Holiness in a day of temptation desertion and affliction c. may seem to bee damm'd and stopt up yet at length it will make its way through all over all and shew its self in its native colours Though fire for a time may lye hid under the Ashes yet at last it will flame forth and shew it self to be fire Holiness is a divine fire and though in some cases it may for a time seem to bee hid it will at length break forth and shew it self to be Holinesse I have not Faith enough to beleeve that that man was ever really holy whose Holinesse is still un●er a bushel or in a dark Lanthorn Look as natural life cannot be so hid but that it will discover it self a hundred hundred waies So Holinesse which is a Christians spiritual life cannot be so hid but it will discover it a hundred hundred waies The second Position is this That Holiness rises by degrees it rises gradually in the souls of the Saints Though the first Adam was made a man a holy man Job 17.9 Psal 92.12 Mal. 4.2 Hos 14.5 6 7. yea man perfectly holy and all at once yet the Holiness of all that is interested in the second Adam rises by degrees 'T is true in the Creation of the world all the creatures were made in their full and perfect growth and strength at once but in the new Creation Holiness which is Gods own creature is carried on by degrees Luk. 2.52 Look as Christ increased in wisdome and in stature and in favour with God and man by degrees So that Babe of Grace Holiness increases in the soul by degrees Look as the seed which is sown in the furrows of the earth Mat. 13.23 Mark 4.28 first springs into a blade and then into an ear and then into ripe Corn So that immortal seed Holiness which is sown in the furrows of a Christians soul springs and grows by degrees Look as the waters in the Sanctuary rise first to the ancles then to the knees then to the loins then to the chin Ezek. 47.3 4 5. and then to a River that was not passable So Holinesse rises higher and higher in the soul by degrees Look as the morning light shines more and more unto the perfect day Prov. 4.18 So the light of Holinesse shines more and more clear and more and more bright until all darknesse and imperfection be swallowed up in perfection Look as the body of a man grows and increases by degrees in stature and strength till it comes to its full growth and perfection Eph. 4.16 So Grace and Holinesse will grow and increase by degrees till Grace bee turned into Glory till Holiness bee turned into Happiness Though the Ocean be full yet the bottle cannot bee filled but by degrees Wee are poor narrow-mouthed Bottles and therefore what wee take in of Holinesse must bee by degrees our incapacity is so great that at present wee are no waies able to take in a fulnesse of Holinesse and therefore God drops in now a drop and then a drop now a little and then a little as wee are able to take it in And indeed to difference

to say with those in Ezekiel Behold they of the house of Israel say the vision that he seeth is for many days to come Amos 6.3 Ezek. 12.27 Luk. 12. and he prophesieth of the times that are afar off So the rich man in the Gospel reckoned upon many years when he had not many monthes no not many weeks no not many days no not many hours to live in this world Unholy persons are very apt to say to death as Pharaoh said to Moses Get thee from me Exod. 10.28 and let me see thy face no more When death knocks at the poor mans door he sends it to the rich mans gate and the rich man translates it to the Schollar and the Scholar posts it away to the Citizen and the Citizen to the Courtier and the Courtier to his Lady and his Lady to her Maid so death is posted away as it were from one to another every one crying out to death O let me not see thy face O let me not see thy face 'T was even a death to Queen Elizabeth Sigismund the Emperor Lewes the 11 of France Cardinal Beauford and others to think of death or to hear of death and therefore they strictly charged all their servants about them that when they saw them sick they should never dare to name that bitter word Death in their ears And Pashur can't cast his eye upon death but he is presently a Magor Missabib a terror to himself Jer. 20.3 And Saul though he was a valiant King yet at the news of death he falls on his face 1 Sam. 28.20 And so Belshazzar though he was a mighty Emperor Dan. 5.1 7. yet a letter to him from him whom Bildad calleth the King of terrors Job 18.14 Ah how does it amaze astonish affright and terrifie him and how many are there who with Mecaenas in Seneca had rather live in many diseases then die and with the most famous Heathens prefer the meanest life on earth above all the hopes they have of another world like Achilles who had rather be a servant to a poor country Clown here then to be a King to all the souls departed or like Withipoll a rich and wretched man who when he was in danger of death earnestly desired that he might live five hundred years Vitellius looking for the messenger of death made himself drunk to drown the the thoughts of it though it were but in the shape of a Toad Near Lewes in Sussex a woman being ill one of her neighbors coming to visit her told her that if she died she should go to heaven and be with God and Jesus Christ and with Angels and Saints the sick woman answered that she had no acquaintance there she knew no body there and therefore she had rather live with her and her other neighbors here then to go thither to live amongst strangers And thus you see how apt persons are to shrug at death which is a common lot and to say to it as Ephraim did to his Idols Get you hence what have we more to do with you but this is and must be for a lamentation that men put off the thoughts of their latter end to the latter end of their thoughts Man naturally is a great life-lover and therefore he will bleed sweat vomit purge part with an estate yea with a limb I limbs to preserve his life like him that cryed out O give me any deformity any torment any misery so you spare my life And upon this account 't is that he desires that such a guest as death may not knock at his door but Ah that all such vain men would consider that by putting the day of their death far from them they do but gratifie Satan strengthen their sins provoke the Lord and make the work of faith and holiness more hard and difficult and so lay a deep foundation for their own eternal destruction Well sirs remember this the serious thoughts and meditations of death if any thing will work you to break off your sins to mend your lives and to look to the salvation of your souls there is nothing that will sooner work a man to a holy fear of offending God in any thing and to a holy care of pleasing God in every thing then the serious meditation of death Though that text Remember thy latter end and thou shalt never do amiss be Apocryphal yet the truth asserted is Canonical I have read a story of one that gave a young prodigal a Ring with a Deaths-head on this condition that he should one hour in a day for seven days together think and meditate upon Death which accordingly he did and it bred a great change and alteration in his life and conversation O! man thou doest not know but that the serious thoughts of death may work that desireable thing in thee viz. holiness which yet has not been wrought in thee by all the holy counsels the gracious examples the fervent prayers the sorrowful tears of thy dearest friends thou doest not know but that the serious meditation of Death may do thee more good then all the Sermons that ever thou hast heard or then all the books that ever thou hast read or then all the prayers that ever thou hast made or then all the sighs or groans that ever thou hast poured out and why then shouldest thou put the thoughts of death far from thee Certainly as he is a sinner in grain that dares look death in the face and yet sin that dares cut a purse when the Judge looks on so he is a monster rather then a man that dares look death in the face and yet satisfie himself to live without holiness that dares look death in the face and yet say I 'll drink and be drunk I 'll sware and swagger I 'll roar and whore I 'll cheat and cozen I 'll hate and oppose I 'll quarrel and kill and my hands shall be as bloody as my heart and let death do her worst if such a person be not in the ready way of being miserable for ever I know nothing Well sirs remember these three things First That there is nothing more certain then death That Statute Law of heaven Dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return Gen. 3.19 will take hold of all the sons of men There is no man that lives and shall not see death Psal 89.48 Gen. 32. Though Jacob wrestled with an Angel and prevailed yet death was too hard for him though Hazael was as light of foot as a wild Roe yet he could not out-run death 2 Sam. 2.18 and Absalom could not out-ride it nor Pharoah out-drive it though Saul and Jonathan were as swift as Eagles and as strong as Lyons yet were they slain among the mighty 'T was not Solomons wisdom that could deliver him nor Sampsons strength that could rescue him nor Hamans honor that could secure him nor Goliahs sword that could defend him nor Dives riches that could

ransom him from the grave and therefore why should men put this day so far from them But Secondly As there is nothing more certain then death so there is nothing more sudden then death When the old world when Sodom when Pharaoh when Hagar when Amalek when Haman when Nebuchadnezzar when Belshazzar when Dives when the Rich fool and when Herod were all in their prime and pride when they were in their most flourishing estate when they were at the very top of their glory Ah how suddenly how sadly how strangely how unexpectedly and how wonderfully were they brought down to the Grave yea to Hel● O! the thousand thousands of crosses losses diseases sicknesses calamities dangers and deaths which attends the life of man and by the least of which he may be suddenly surprized and carried into another world and therefore why should man cry out cras cras to morrow to morrow when he does not know whether he shall have a to morrow when he does not know but that he may dye before he had begun to live Waldus a rich Merchant of Lyons in France seeing one suddenly drop down dead in the streets went home repented changed his life studied the Scriptures and became a worthy Teacher Father and Founder of the Christians called the Waldenses or poor men of Lyons And O! that the serious thoughts of the suddenness of death might have that happy effect upon your souls as to work you to break your league with sin and to fright you as it were into a love of holiness and into a life of holiness O! swearer what doest thou know but that death may seize on thee whilst the oath is in thy mouth And what doest thou know O drunkard but that death may step in between the cup and the lip as it did to Belshazzar And what dost thou know O adulterer but that a poisoned dart may strike thorough thy liver whilst thou art in the very flagrancy of thy lust as it did tho●ough Zimries and Cozbies And what dost thou know O proud Haman but that thou who art thus noblely feasted one day mayest be a feast for the Crows the next day And what dost thou know who art so crafty O Ahitophel but that if thy subtile counsel be rejected one hour thou mayest hang thy self the next hour And what doest thou know O thou opposing and murmuring Corah but that the earth may suddenly open and swallow thee up and therefore why should you put that day so far from you that may so suddenly overtake you Berline in Germany charged Saint Paul with a lye in the Pulpit Scultet Annal. and was suddenly smitten with an Apoplexy and fell down dead in the place And what doest thou know who art so apt to charge the people of God with lying but that God may strike thee both dumb and dead whilst the lye is in thy mouth Bibulus a Roman General riding in Triumph in all his glory a Tyle fell off from a house in the street and knockt out his brains And what doest thou know O vain glorious man but that whilst thou art triumphing in thy world glory by some unexpected blow thou mayest be sent into another world Lepidus and Avsidius stumbled at the very threshold of the Senate and died the blow came in a cloud from heaven God by an invisible blow may send thee out of this visible world Sophocles died suddenly by excessive joy and Homer by immoderate grief excessive joy or excessive grief may suddenly bring thee to thy long home Theater of Gods judgements lib. 1. cap. 9. p. 64. Olympus the Arrian Heretick speaking against the Holy Trinity as he was a Bathing himself was struck dead by a threefold Thunderbolt We may run and read some mens sins in the very face of their punishments Mr. Perkins speaks of One who when it thundered scoffingly said It was nothing but Tom Tumbrel a hooping his Tubs c. and presently he was struck dead with a thunder-bolt from heaven There would be no end of recounting the several judgements that have suddenly surprized all sorts of sinners let these few instances suffice to stir up every unholy heart to take heed of putting far off the day of death But Thirdly As there is nothing more sudden then death so there is nothing more short then life Job 8.9 Psal 102.11 Psal 73.20 90.5 Job 20.8 ch 7.7 and why then should you put the day of your death so far from you If you consider the life of man absolutely 't is but short 't is but as a span a shadow a dream a bubble a blast a puff of wind a pile of dust a fading leaf or a tale that is told c. The life of man is as a dream that vanisheth when one awaketh 't is a wind that goeth away and cometh not again 't is as a cloud that is soon dispersed with the wind 't is as a vapor that appeareth for a time and then vanisheth away 't is as the grass that soon withereth 't is as the flower that soon fadeth 't is as the candle that every light puffe of wind bloweth out The life of man is rather made up of days then years Psal 90.12 So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom Moses does not say Lord teach us to number our years but Lord teach us to number our dayes fallen man is apt to misreckon and to compute days for years and therefore this holy Prophet desires that God would teach them this Divine Arithmetick of numbering their days it being a lesson that none but a God can teach So Job 14.1 2. Man that is born of a woman is of few days or short of dayes and full of trouble He cometh forth like a flower and is out down he floeth also as a shadow and continueth not He speaks not of an Age nor of years nor of many dayes but of a few days mans days are short in themselves and shorter in respect of the troubles that attends this present life Mans life is so short Aug. l. 1. Confess Austin doubteth whether to call it a dying life or a living death Now these few days of mans life are upon the wing hastning and flying from us as the Eagle hastneth to his prey and therefore man had need set a greater price upon every moment and minute of time then he does upon all the world and accordingly improve it Secondly If you consider the life of man comparatively 't is but short and that will appear briefly thus First If you compare the life of man to what man might have reach't to had he continued in his primitive glory had man stood fast in innocency he had never known what death and misery had mean't death is a fall that came in by a fall had man kept sin out of the world he had kept death out of the world had man kept fast his holiness and purity he had remained a piece of