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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	work_n	work_v	worthy_a	39	3	6.2518	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B03501	The mystery of faith opened up: or Some sermons concerning faith (two where of were not formerly printed.) Wherein the nature, excellency, and usefulness of that noble grace is much cleared, and the practice thereof most powerfully pressed. Whereunto are added other three sermons, two concerning the great salvation, one of these not formerly printed, and a third concerning death. / By that pious and worthy servant of Jesus Christ, Mr. Andrew Gray, late minister of the Gospel in Glasgow. All these sermons being now carefully revised, and much corrected.	Gray, Andrew, 1633-1656.; Traill, Robert, 1642-1716.; Stirling, John, b. 1621?	1668 (1668)	Wing G1616; ESTC R177630	121,416	225

there are these seven advantages which attend those who live within the continual sight of this truth that they must dye First the faith of approaching death will make a soul exceeding diligent in duty This was our blessed Lords Divinity John 9.4 I must work the work of him that sent me while it is day the night ●meth when no man can work That i● death is approaching therefore I must work It is clear also 2 Pet. 1.12 compared with verse 14. In the 12. verse Peter is exceeding diligent in his duty and the ground of his diligence is in the 14. verse Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle c. Yea it is even the Epicures argument Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shal dye And should not the Christian much more cry out Let me watch and pray for to morrow I may dye I say if the Epicures did make use of that notion to make them vigorous in the pursuit of their pleasures O how much more should a Christian improve it for making him vigorous in the pursuit of his duty Therefore I say unto you all O! be diligent for your night is drawing near O Christians and expectants of heaven are you not afraid lest you be nighted before you have walked the half of your journey For if you be nighted on your journey to Heaven before you come to the end of your race there is no retiring place whereunto you may turn aside to lodge therefore O work work work while it is day for behold death is approaching and then shal we all be called to an account 2. The faith of approaching death will make a Christian exceeding active in his duty he will not only be diligent but also exceeding serious and zealous in the exercise of his duty This is clear from that notable exhortation Eccles 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might and the reason is for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest Wherefore O be active while you are alive for you shal never work any more after you are dead and if ye leave but one work undone there is no doing of it after death There is no work saith Solomon in the grave therefore O be active 3. The faith of this truth that we must all dye will help a Christian to be exceeding mortified to the things of a present World Oh covetous men and women would you shake hands with cold Death but once every morning I should defie you to pursue the World so much as you do Paul was much in the meditation of his change which made him 2 Cor. 4.18 to overlook those things that are temporary VVhile we look not saith he to the things that are seen which are temporal but to the things which are not seen which are eternal Therefore chap. 5.1 Knowing that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens therefore in this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven What aileth you Paul might one have laid may you not take a look of the World No saith he for I know that if this earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved I have a house with God not made with hands but eternal in the Heavens That is I know that ere long the pins of my Tabernacle will be loosed and it will fall down about my ears therefore I must look for another dwelling house And 1 Cor. 7.24 The fashion of this world passeth away therefore saith he verse 32. I would have you without carefulness caring to please the Lord. And Phil. 4.2 Let your moderation be known to all men the Lord is at hand As if he had said death is approaching and at hand therefore I intreat you be sober But I think many of us will be found like Saul hid amongst the stuff that is we will be lying amongst the midst of the pleasures of this passing World But I say to thee who art such an one that death will break the strings of thy harp and thy musick will quickly cease O! but death will make thee have a low esteem of the World O! blessed is the person who hath those thoughts of the World all along his way which he shal have of it at his death Have not the most cursed wretches been forced to cry out Oh! I would give ten thousand worlds for Christ Have not some persons who have had the Moon upon their head and that have made their belly their God being forced to cry forth at death O cursed person that I am that ever I made the world my God! Alace that I contented my self with the World Therefore I say unto thee who art such an one O! stay thy pursuit after the World for death is approaching that will cause all thy worldly comforts to evanish 4. When a Christian believeth this truth that he must dye it will be an exceeding great restraint to keep him from sinning as is clear Job 31.13 compared with verse 14. where Job reckoning over many good deeds done by himself saith What then shal I do when God riseth up And when he visiteth what shal I answer him As if he had said Sirs mistake me not I am not boasting much of my self for I could not have done otherwise else what should I do when God riseth up How could I answer to God if I had done otherwise I think it were a notable practise for each of you when temptations begin to assault you to say O temptation what shal I answer to God when he riseth up to reprove me if I should yeeld unto thee Likewise Eccles 11.9 where Solomon disswading young men to pursue after vanity bringeth this as a reason Know thou that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement Therefore I say unto thee who art often tempted to sin let death and reckoning with God be still in thy sight and I defie thee then to embrace half so many temptations as now thou dost I intreat you to answer all your temptations with that one word What shal I do when he riseth up And what shal I answer when he visiteth me 5. When a Christian liveth within the sight of this truth that he shal once see death it shal make him exceeding patient under every cross wherewith he meets Such a Christian will hardly meet with a cross but he will quiet himself with this Death will put me beyond this cross This is but a cloud that will quickly pass away And for this cause did David so composedly put up that desire Psalm 39.4 Lord make me to know mine end and the measure of my days He was sure that the knowledge of his end would put him in a sober and patient frame The sixth advantage is this The faith of approaching death will teach the person that hath

him but death will propose this question to such a person Lovest thou him more then these Lovest thou him more then thy wife More then thy house More then thy friends But your unwillingness to dye giveth us much ground to fear that many have little love to Christ but much to the World and so dare not answer the question Lord thou knowest that I love thee 3. Death will try thy enjoyments some of you may be ready to think that you meet with many enjoyments so that you might reckon as you think to fourty enjoyments and sweet out-lettings but beware that death bring them not down to twenty I have known some who thought they had met fourty times with God but when death came it made them take down the count to the half therefore seeing death will try the reality of thine enjoyments O prepare for it 4. Death will try thy patience thou mayest seem to have much patience now but when death cometh thou art put to dye it will put thy patience to a great tryal therefore prepare for it 5. Death will try the reality of thy duties yea even those duties wherein thou hadst most satisfaction as thy communicating aright in such a place thou hopest that is sure thy reading the Scripture at such a time aright thou hopest that is sure thou prayedst at such a time aright and hopest that is sure thou meditatest in such a place aright and thou hopest that is sure But believe me death may make thee change thy thoughts for there are some persons who have communicated and prayed c. as right as any in this generation who for all that will not find six duties wherein they can find satisfaction at death 6. Death will exceedingly try thy sincerity when it cometh An hypocrite may go all along his whole way undiscovered yet death may bring him to light and make it appear what a man he is 7. Death will discover unto thee hid and secret sins of which thou never had a thought before yea albeit thou thoughtest these had been forgotten death will let thee see them standing between thee and the light of his countenance 8. Death will accurately try thy mortification Some think they have come a great length in mortification but believe me death will try it and put it to the touch-stone 9. Death will try thy hope whether it be real or not I shal only say this that all the other graces must low their sails to faith and so it is faith must carry us thorow being that last triumphing grace which must fit the field for us when all the other graces will faint and ly by It is faith that must enter us fairly within the borders of eternity It is faith must gainstand all the temptations of death yea all the other graces as it were stand by and see faith strike the last stroke in this war The second consideration to press you to mind death is this That ye are to dye but once O! labor to do that well which you are to do but once and the wrong doing of which can never be helped If ye pray not aright ye may get that mended and if ye communicate not aright ye may get that also mended but alace if ye dye not aright there is no mending of that Therefore O prepare for death that ye may dye well seeing ye are to dye but once The third consideration to press you to mind death is this That ye are pronounced blessed who dye in the Lord Rev. 14.13 Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord. O let that provoke you to prepare for death that so ye may dye in the Lord that is the only way to make you eternally happy I confess it is a question difficult to determine whether it be more difficult to dye well or to live well I shal not answer it but rather desire you to study both The fourth consideration to press you to prepare for death is this viz. That though thou put all thy work by thy hand before death ye shalt thou find that death shal have work enough for it self yea as much as thou shalt get done It will then be much for thee to win to patience it will be much for thee to win to the sight of thy justification and it will then be much for thee to win to assurance O then is it not needful for thee to put all thy work by thy hand before thy latter end come Wherefore I may say to you as Moses said in his Song Deuter. 32.29 O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end O that ye had this piece of divine wisdom I pray you consider that sad word Lam 1.19 She remembered not her last end and what of it Therefore she came down wonderfully So will the down-coming of many in this generation be wonderful who consider not their last end The fifth consideration for pressing you to prepare for death is this viz. That their labor shal end but their works shal not be forgotten as is clear from that fore-cited place Rev. 14.13 They rest from their labors and their works follow them and is not that a glorious advantage The sixth consideration to press you to prepare for death is this viz. That death may come upon you ere ye be aware ye know not but death may surprise you this night before ye go home to your houses and therefore let that press you to study a constant preparation for death The seventh consideration to press you to prepare for death is this viz. That as death leaveth you so will Judgement find you If death shal leave you strangers to Christ ye shal appear before his Judgement-seat strangers unto him therefore I intreat you all to prepare for it I think that noble practise of Paul exceeding worthy of imitation 1 Cor. 15.31 I dye daily which I think doth comprehend these three things 1. That Paul had death always in his sight 2. It comprehendeth this that he labored to keep such a frame as that every moment he should be ready to dye so that whensoever death should put the summonds in his hand he should be content to answer 3. It comprehendeth this that he labored to lay aside and remove all things out of the way that might detain him from laying down his tabernacle O saith Paul I labor so to clear my self of all hinderances as that when ever I shal be summoned to remove out of time I may willingly lay down my life Therefore I would ask you this question viz. When did you make your last testament I think it were suitable for us to be renewing our latter-will every day for in so doing Paul made an excellent testament the better of which none that died since have made 2 Tim. 4.7.8 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith these are very sweet articles and then he addeth Henceforth there is

THE MYSTERY OF FAITH OPENED UP Or some SERMONS concerning Fa●… two whereof were not formerly printed Wherein the Nature Excellency and Usefulness of that noble Grace is much cleared and the practice thereof most powerfully pressed Whereunto are added three other Sermons two concerning the Great-Salvation one of these not formerly printed and a third concerning Death By that pious and worthy Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. Andrew Gray late Minister of the Gospel in GLASGOW All these Sermons being now carefully revised and much corrected John 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God Glasgow Printed by ROBERT SA●… and are to be sold at his shop 〈…〉 CHRISTIAN READER AMongst many weighty and soul piercing sentences that ye will find in these following Sermons this is one That the professors of this age whether they go to Heaven or Hell they will be the greatest debtors that shal be in either place the one to the free grace of God and the other to his Justice And certainly if we speak of these in this time whose blessed lot it shal be to inherit the Kingdom they cannot but acknowledge themselves indebted to his love above all that have gone before them for washing them from such ugly pollutions as this generation hath been defiled with for bringing thē through such great tribulations preserving them in the midst of so great tentations and dangerous snares and have encompassed them yea and still keeping in the light before them notwithstanding of so many blasts if we may so speak from all the four winds of Hell to blow it out And on the other hand if we shal speak of these who in this generation shal perish assuredly their debt unto Divine Justice must be exceeding great above all who are gone down to the pit before them because the rod of their mercies will be found to have been many Cubits longer and many Cubits broader then theirs who lived in the preceeding ages and the great things that the Lord hath wrought in our days have born a greater testimony against the wickedness hardness and atheism of this time then of many former But above all the great measure of Gospel light that he hath no less plentifully offered then wonderfully preserved to this generation beyond all our Ancestors hath undoubtedly made the sin of these who shal utterly reject their own mercy so out of measure sinful and their unbelief so exceedingly inexcusable that their guilt must needs justifie Corazin and Bethsaida or Sodom and Gomorrah in that day when every man shal give account of himself to God And amongst the many preaching-witnesses that alace we are afraid shal compear in that day against many yet living in their pleasures and dead while they live This now glorified Author cannot but be one whose testimony must be very condemning especially to the vain loose negligent and time wasting youth in this age For when he was first drawn forth to the Ministry he was but a youth indeed scarce twenty years compleat for within that age that by the Constitutions of this Church except in case of more than common abilities which indeed he had is required for entring in that great and holy Calling And for the space of two years after which was all the time that the Church enjoyed his labour he was helped to press the truths and threatnings of God so home upon the consciences of his hearers that as it was observed of him by one of his most learned and pious Colleagus Master Durham who is now in glory with him he did many times cause the hair of their head to stand up The Lord not only hereby verifying his Word that he can take the weak things of the World to confound the strong and out of the mouths of babes can perfect his own praise but designing also as would seem of purpose to send a boy out of the school for a reprover of the sluggishness of his people that thereby the aged might be the more ashamed and the younger more afraid Neither do we think that this was all but truly when we consider what measure of graces gifts and experiences the Lord did bestow upon so young a person and then with what humility self-denial gravity prudence diligence authority and moderation he was helped to manage these Talents during that short time of his Ministry It may be justly conceived that the Lord brought him forth to be a great conviction even to many of us in the Ministry who came into our Masters Vineyard long before him and will go out behind him And indeed to us it looketh somewhat like the Lords taking up of the little child and setting him amongst the midst of his contending Disciples in th●se times that even they who would be greatest amongst us might be the least and see somewhat of their own weakness As to the little Piece whatever ye shal find in it it hath this to say for it self that whereas many writings in the World do intrude themselves upon the Press yet this the Press hath violently thrust into the world For some young Student from his good affection to the edification of the Lords people and no doubt from his high esteem of the precious Author his memory having given into the Press a copy of some of these Sermons being only notes taken from his mouth when he preached them no sooner were they seen abroad but all the Presses in the Nation fell a laboring about them so that if we mistake not in less then two or three months time three or four Impressions were cast of yet all of them so imperfect and maimed that howbeit the excellency of the matter and the fresh remembrance of the worthy Author his name made him very sweet to many especially those who had heard him preach yet the unsuitable dress wherein they appeared and their mistakes of the first Writers they being hard lyable to take up every thing as it was spoken occasioning diverse material failings in the sense besides lesser faults could not but be a trouble to those who were acquainted not onlie with the singular graces but parts also of the eminent Youth This gave occasion to some friends to speak a little what way these prejudices which both the Truth and the Authors name might ly under by these uncorrect Impressions And finding that the Copy which by providence the worthie young Gentlewoman who was his wife had lying by her though it was but Notes taken from his mouth yet was the most correct that could be found And that it also did contain the whole purposes that had been preached upon the Texts Yea the whole purposes concerning Faith that he had preached according to that method proposed in the first of the Sermons formerly published This was undertaken to be revised by some who albeit none of the fittest for the imployments yet rather or nothing should be done in the business were

it to study saving wisdom this is clear Psalm 90.12 where David putteth up this request So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom As if he had said I will never think my self wise till I know that blessed piece of A●ithmetick How to number my days I would desire every one of you all to think with your selves every morning when you arise Now we are an hour nearer unto eternity then we were before and at the end of every hour Now we are a day nearer unto eternity then we were before I say think often yea always thus We were never so near death as we are now for oh are we not all nearer to eternity to day then we were ye sterday The seventh advantage attending the faith of approaching death is this That it will make a Christian very careful in preparing for death it is impossible for one to believe really that death is approaching and not prepare for it Say what you will if you be not careful in preparing for death you have not the solide faith of this truth that you shal dye Believe me it is not every one that thinketh he believeth this truth that believeth it indeed And O how dreadful is it for an unprepared man to meet with death He desireth not to dye yea he would give a World for his life but dye he must whether he will or not for death will not be requested to spare a little when he cometh and therefore I say unto you Set your house in order for you shal surely dye Old men and women Set your house in order for surely ye must dye Young men and women Set your house in order for to morrow ye may dye and be cut off in the flower of your age Think not that there are any who can sell time for I say you shal never get time sold unto you Alace I feat the most part of persons that dye now death findeth them at unawares for indeed the persons that dye amongst us when we come to visite them we may give you a full account of them for we think they are all comprehended under these four sorts First when we go to visite some persons on their death bed they are like unto Nabal their heart is dying and sinking like unto a stone within them they are no more affected with death then if it were a fancy Alace for the great stupidity that hath overtaken many Therefore I intreat you delay not your repentance till death lest the Lord take away your wit so that you cannot then repent for your senslesness and stupide frame of spirit A second sort we find in a presumptuous frame saying They have had a good hope all their days and they will not quite it now they will go down to the grave with their hope in their right hand or rather they will go down to the grave with a lye in their right hand they live in a persumptuous frame and they dye in the same delusion for when we tell them that by all probability they are going down to hell they answer God forbid I was all my time a very honest man or woman But I love not that confession for there are many such honest men and women in hell this day The third sort we find have some convictions that they have been playing the fool all their days but we can get them no further I shal only say to such To go down to the Grave with convictions in their breast not making use of Christ is to go down to hell with a candle in their hand to let them see the way and truly the greater part that dye dye in this manner Fourthly there are some whom we find in a self-righteous frame trusting upon the covenant of works and their own merits and trusting by these to go to heaven yet neglecting the offer of Christs righteousness But alace we find not one of a thousand in this frame I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ that is best of all And scarcely do we find any in such a frame O wretched man that I am who shal deliver me from the body of this death Therefore I say unto you who are all here O will you mind death before it take hold on you Oh mind your work now for you will find that death shal be work enough for it self though you leave no work till then The eighth advantage that attendeth the Christian believing this truth that once he must dye is this Death will not be so terrible to him as it is to many when it cometh What think you maketh death a King of terrors What maketh many to shake like the leaf of a tree when they are summoned to appear before Gods Tribunal It is even because of this they have not been thinking on death before it came so as to prepare for it and I fear many in this place may be feared for death and that when it cometh to them they will say unto death as Achab said to Elijah Hast thou found me O mine enemy Surely death will take you and bring you to the Judgement-seat of Christ therefore study by all means to think ofren upon it and make ready for it for believe me death is a very big word for it will once make you stand with horror in your souls if your peace be not made up with God I know not a more dreadful dispensation then death and a guilty conscience meeting together The second thing that I shal speak unto from the first observation viz. That it is a most certain and infallible truth that all persons shal once see death shal be to give some good considerations for pressing you to prepare for death The first consideration is this that to dye well and in the Lord is a most difficult work therefore I intreat you prepare for death It is a difficult work to communicate aright it is a difficult work to pray aright and it is a difficult work to confer aright But I must tell you it is a more difficult work to dye aright then any of these it is true it is more difficult to communicate aright then to pray aright yet it is much more difficult to dye aright then to communicate aright for it is a most difficult work to dye in the Lord. Death will put the most accurate Christian that is here to a wonderful search and therefore I will tell you nine things that death will try in thee 1. Death will try both the reality and strength of thy faith it may be easy for thee to keep up faith under many difficulties but death shal put thy faith to the greatest stress that ever it did meet with Yea know this that the faith of the strongest believer may get and ordinarily doth get a set at death the like whereof it never got before therefore prepare for death 2. Death will try thy love to God some persons pretend much love to