Selected quad for the lemma: end_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
end_n peace_n perfect_a upright_a 1,494 5 10.7491 5 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A64990 God's terrible voice in the city by T.V. Vincent, Thomas, 1634-1678. 1667 (1667) Wing V440; ESTC R24578 131,670 248

There are 2 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

their death and separation so there is a great difference between the carriage of their spirits at their death and upon their sick Bed Some wicked men are stupid and senseless and are given up to a judiciary hardness and dye in a sleep of carnal security out of which they are not awakened till they are awakned in the midst of flames others more sensible and considering what hath been and what is coming upon them are filled with unexpressible terrour through the roarings and tearings of a guilty accusing conscience and the fore-thoughts of that horrible unsupportable torment they are so neer unto Now scaring dreams do terrifie them and fearfulness of the bottomless Pit and the burning Lake below doth surprize them and some breaketh forth in the anguish of their despairing souls Who can dwell with devouring Fire who can inhabit everlasting burnings and however jovial and full of pleasure their life hath been yet at their latter end they are utterly consumed with terrours But mark the perfect man and behold the upright the end of that Man is peace whatsoever storms they have had in their passage through a rough Sea the wind blowing and the waves roaring and sometimes have been ready to sink through opposition and discouragement sometimes have been over-whelmed with grief and doubtings sometimes have been dasht upon the Rocks of terrour and perplexity yet now they are come to the haven of death the Winds are husht and still the Waves are smooth and silent the storm is over and there is a great calm upon their spirits they are past the Rocks and are out of the danger they feared when they are in the greatest danger of approaching death It was generally observed amongst us that Gods people who dyed by the Plague amongst the rest dyed with such peace and comfort as Christians do not ordinarily arrive unto except when they are called forth to suffer martyrdome for the testimony of Jesus Christ. Some who have been full of doubts and fears and complaints whilst they have lived and been well have been filled with assurance and comfort and praise and joyful expectation of glory when they have layn on their death-beds with this disease And not only more grown Christians who have been more ripe for glory have had these comforts but also some younger Christians whose acquaintance with the Lord hath been of no long standing I can speak something of mine own knowledge concerning some of my friends whom I have been withall I shall instance only in the house where I lived We were eight in Family three Men three Youths an old Woman and a maid all which came to me hearing of my stay in Town some to accompany me others to help me It was the latter end of September before any of us were toucht the young ones were not idle but improved their time in praying and hearing and were ready to receive instruction and were strangly born up against the fears of the disease and death every day so familiar to the view But at last we were visited and the Plague came in dreadfully upon us the Cup was put into our hand to drink after a neighbour Family had tasted it with whom we had much sweet society in this time of sorrow And first our Maid was smitten it began with a shivering and trembling in her flesh and quickly seised on her spirits it was a sad day which I believe I shall never forget I had been abroad to see a friend in the City whose Husband was newly dead of the Plague and she her self visited with it I came back to see another whose Wife was dead of the Plague and he himself under apprehensions that he should die within a few hours I came home and the Maid was on her Death-bed and another crying out for help being left alone in a sweating fainting fit What was an interest in Christ worth then what a priviledge to have a title to the Kingdom of Heaven But I proceed It was the Monday when the Maid was smitten on Thursday she dyed full of tokens on Friday one of the Youths had a swelling in his groin and on the Lords day died with the marks of the distemper upon him on the same day another Youth did sicken and on the Wednesday following he died on the thursday night his Master fell sick of the disease and within a day or two was full of spots but strangely beyond his own and others expectations recovered Thus did the Plague follow us and came upon us one by one as Iob's Messengers came one upon the heels of another so the Messengers of death came so close one after another in such dreadfull manner as if we must all follow one another immediately into the Pit Yet the Lord in mercy put a stop to it and the rest were preserved But that which was very remarkable in this Visitation was the carriage especially of those Youths that died who I believe were less troubled themselves then others were troubled for them The first Youth that was visited being asked by his Father concerning the provision he had made for his death and eternity told him he hop't if he died he should go to Heaven being asked the grounds of his hopes said the Lord had enabled him to look beyond the World and when he was drawing neer to his end boldly enquired whether the tokens did yet appear saying that he was ready for them and so a hopeful bud was nipt but let not the Father or the Mother weep and be in sadness for him he is I don't doubt with their Father and his Heavenly Father which may be their comfort The other also was a very sweet hopefull Youth so loving and towardly that it could not choose but attract love from those that were acquainted with him But the grace he had gotten in those years being I suppose under seventeen did above all beautify him and stand him in the greatest stead in his sickness he had much quiet and serenity upon his spirit and lay so unconcerned at the thoughts of approaching death that I confess I marvelled to see it the sting and fear of death were strangely taken out through the hopes which he had of future glory yet once he told his Mother he could desire to live a little longer if it were the will of God she asked him why he desired it he told her he desired to live till fire and faggot came and above all he would fain die a Martyr she said if he died now he should have a Crown he answered but if he died a Martyr he should have a more glorious Crown yet he was not unwilling to receive his Crown presently and went away with great peace and sweetness in his looks to his fathers house and I could not blame the Mothers grief for the loss of such an only Son but to be so immoderate was not well now I am sure it is time to dry up tears and lay aside sorrows for the loss of
to his Peoples prayers after his sore Judgements which he had brought upon them Ier. 29. 11 12 13. I know the thoughts that I think towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end Then shall ye call upon me and ye shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken unto you And ye shall seek me and finde me when ye shall search for me with all your heart Seek the Lord believingly mingle your Prayers with Faith and make use of the Mediation of Christ that you may prevail 11. God calls upon London by the voice of his Iudgements to prepare for greater troubles The face of God seems to threaten greater troubles there is little sign that Gods brow is smoothened now more than it was before the Fire there is little evidence of the appeasement of Gods anger The face of the times seem to threaten greater troubles the Cloud over London and England is still very black and seems to be thicker than it was before Gods own people are like to undergo greater troubles some of them have endured much but they are like to endure much more some of them have suffered deeply but they are like to suffer greater things more generally they have been brought low by affliction but not so low as others be when others of Gods people are stript of all they enjoy a comparative prosperity they are not so low as they deserve to be their Gospel-reproaching sins deserve far greater severities they are not so low as they may have need to be they may need greater troubles to unite them more one to another in their affections to further their sanctification to wean and loosen them more from the World to humble them for and purifie them more from sin to exercise and brighten more their graces they are not so low as possibly they must be before they be exalted the Night is the darkest before the Day breaks the storm is the fiercest many times in its last blast and the afflictions of Gods people are the sorest before God gives them deliverance God layes his people most low when he intends their highest exaltation surely the expected shock is not yet over and Gods Peoples most dreadfull sufferings seem most immediately to be threatned they seem to be near very near even at the doors The intent of the late Judgements by Plague and Fire seems plainly to be for the fitting and preparing of them for more smart and heavy strokes If God had permitted those expected sufferings to have come upon them more suddenly they might have found them more unready God hath given them time to prepare and awakening warnings to prepare and when will they be ready to suffer like Christians like Protestants if now they be not ready The Profane and wicked Generation in the Land are like to endure greater troubles as hath been shown pag. 80 81 82. and when the storm of Gods anger doth break down upon them are there no drops likely to fall upon London Is not the whole Land likely to be in danger of ruine when God doth deal with the ungodly and wicked Crew whom he spares for some time whilest he punisheth so severely the more righteous The troubles of London have been great but methinks it is evident that London is in danger of greater troubles therefore they have need to make preparation which they have had such awakening calls unto Some possibly may think the bitterness of Londons troubles is over because their troubles have been so bitter that the sharp Winter cold is gone when it was so sharp in the midst of Winter and the Sun had got to some height but March can bring in as cold nipping Frost as December and Ianuary did and when the Spring of Prosperity is expected by some they may finde the sharpest part of the Winter of troubles to be behinde Prepare therefore London for greater troubles 12. God doth expect that London should trust no more in arms of flesh but in himself alone By these Judgements God hath shown to London the weakness and insufficiency of arms of flesh what broken reeds they are Some put their trust in men and their great expectation of relief and comfort hath been from their friends by the Plague God hath shown how frail and weak man is how like grass or a flower that quickly withereth or is cut down how like glass or a bubble which is easily broken and vanisheth many have lost by the Plague their chief friends upon whom they have had all their dependance and the Lord hath shown how insufficient a foundation man is for any ones trust and confidence therefore he calleth aloud to London to cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of Isa. 2. 22. not to trust in any of the sons of men in whom there is no help and the reason is because their breath goeth forth they return to their dust in that very day all their thoughts perish Psal. 146. 3 4. Some put their trust in their wealth and riches Prov. 18. 11. the rich mans wealth is his City and a high wall in his own conceit God hath by the Fire which hath consumed so much of the wealth of the City shown how insufficient a foundation wealth is for any mans confidence he hath made it evident that riches are uncertain and that they fly away with Eagles wings sometimes whilest the owners are looking on may not that which is threatned Psal. 52. 5. 7. be spoken of many in London that God hath rooted some of them by the Plague out of the Land of the living plucked and forced others out of their habitations by the Fire and taken away their stay and prop from them of whom it may be said Lo these are they that made not God their strength but trusted in the abundance of their riches and strengthned themselves in their wickedness London trust no more in arms of flesh but trust in God alone It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in men it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in Princes Psal. 118. 8 9. God is knocking off your fingers from all things here below his will is that you should put your trust in him which is one promised effect of great desolations and afflictions that you should labour after Zeph. 3. 12. I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord. You were not so forward to trust in the Lord when you had greater abundance endeavour to trust in him now you are brought into greater poverty and affliction his Infinite Power Wisdom loving kindness his promise truth and faithfulness are a strong bottome for your trust and confidence in God Trust in him at all times in the worst of times when your danger is greatest he will be your help and shield Psal. 115.