Selected quad for the lemma: enemy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
enemy_n	apostle_n	death_n	destroy_v	1,140	5	7.8175	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A23803	The whole duty of mourning and the great concern of preparing our selves for death, practically considered / written some years since by the author of The whole duty of man, and now published upon the sad occasion of the death of our Most Gracious Sovereign Lady Mary the II, Queen of England, &c. of blessed memory.	Allestree, Richard, 1619-1681.	1695 (1695)	Wing A1194; ESTC R33068	65,567	192

at all the present Time we enjoy tarries but a moment and then takes Wings and flys away and never returns again already we are dead to all the years we have liv'd and vain 't is to expect to live them over again But the longer we live here the shorter is our Life and in the end we become a Lump of Clay and a Feast for Worms CHAP. I. Several Notions of Death what it is its Author Name and Nature FIrst If we would know what Death is the Philosopher tells you To die is to be no more Vnhappy and if we consider Death according to the right Notion it is but a departed Breath from dead Clay enlivened at first by Breath cast upon it Now Job tells you Death is a Moth and as the Moth breeds out of the Garment so Death do's out of the Body The Heathens were of Opinion that Death was an Eternal Sleep the Fear of the Rich and the Desire of the Poor but Pious St. Augustine often breathed forth this heavenly Wish saying O that I could see Death not as it was but as thou O Lord hast now made it Death is the supremest Monarch in the World as he hath the Dominion over Sin and he is the antientest King whose Reign began from Adam yet St. Paul tells ye 1 Cor. 15.26 at last this King shall be vanquished the last Enemy that shall be destroyed is Death and Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life pronounces this Sentence O Death I will be thy Death II. Whoever was the Author and Father of Death Sin was the Mother for the Apostle tells ye 1 James 15. that Sin when it is finished bringeth forth death and Eve the Mother of all Living was delivered in Child-bed of Death Now Adam falling Sin follows him and Man being tempted Death assaults him and by Sin Death enters Every Parent is an Adam to his Child infusing Corruption in his Generation Since then Death by Sin crept in at the Window or rather at the Ear which is prone to listen to Evil Counsel let us cast it out by the Sense of Faith in hearkning to God's Word which will make us wise unto Salvation III. As for the Name of Death it is called a Sleep so St. John terms it Chap. 11.11 Our friend Lazarus sleepeth and of St. Stephen it is recorded in Holy Writ after he had done praying for his Persecutors When he had said this he fell asleep 7. Acts 60. it is likewise said of the Patriarchs and Kings of Judah that they slept with their Fathers and Job expresseth That man lieth down and riseth not he shall not be awaked out of sleep till the heavens shall be no more Likewise Saint Paul mentions in his Mystery We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed 1 Cor. 15.51 The Night is the Emblem of Sleep and Mortality Now Sleep is but the Shadow of Death and where the Shadow is the Substance cannot be far off Lastly the Grave it self is but a withdrawing Room to retire in for a time it is going to Bed to take rest which is sweeter than Sleep and when it is time to awake and rise we shall as the Royal Psalmist says be satisfied IV. Next as to the Nature of Death few or none know it though all must sensibly feel it there is nothing after Death and therefore Death is nothing it is without Essence or Substance but a privation which kills he Creature therefore curiously to ●quest the Efficiency of it were but to employ the Eye to behold Darkness Salomon in his Book of Wisdom Chap. 1.13 mentions that God made not Death but created all things that were good this caused good St. Augustine to breathe forth this Supplication Lord thou hast not made Death wherefore I beseech thee suffer not that which thou hast not made to reign over that which thou hast made Now Death came into the World by Man only whose Soul was affected to know that which God never made which was the Evil of Death thinking it had been very good by desiring to know the worst of Evils But so Divine a thing is Knowledge that we see Innocency it self was ambitious of it from whence that Proverb is derived That Evil is not known but by good V. Pet no Learned Man knows so much but Ignorance may suffer him to commit Evil for none of a sound Judgment and right understanding can be guilty of Wickedness and there is no fear of knowing too much Good but there is much Fear of practising too little But since the Almighty has revealed in his word more than we can comprehend and enough to work out our Salvation let us attain to sober Knowledge and not repine but be content with our Ignorance Indeed Knowledge and Power are the Worldling's Idol but let every Man endeavour fully to know himself and then Pride and Ambition will soon vanish CHAP. II. That Death hath no respect of Persons but we are continually dying whilst we live ALthough Men cannot or are unwilling to pay those Worldly Obligations they lye under yet they must pay this Debt to Nature and it is a Favour afforded by Nature that what she hath made most vexatious she hath made Common that the Equality of Fate might mitigate the Cruelty of it and this Question the Psalmist asketh What Man is he that liveth and shall not see death II. Our Saviour told the Jews their Fathers did eat Manna in the Wilderness and are dead 6 John 49. and the Apostle tells ye Phil. 2.8 that Christ being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto Death even the death of the Cross. So that we see it is as natural to die as to be conceived and born yet it is improper for us to say Men die Naturally for Man dies not as a Beast by an Annihilation but by a Decree from Heaven it is appointed for all Men once to dye Heb. 9.27 III. Sickness the Messenger of Death respects not the best Complexion the Sores of Lazarus will make as good Dust as the Paint and Washes of Jezabel and like Jonas his Gourd we come up in a night and are gone in a moment we come naked into the World and no sooner we are born but the Grave waits for us but to continue in the Body is not the request of those which desire Heaven for the Apostle he desired to be dissolved and the Psalmist crys out As the hart pants after the Water-Brooks so longeth my Soul after thee O God Psal. 42.1 Death only shortens Time not Life and the Merit of Death is the Debt due to Sin both impos'd on Mankind for Sin IV. Now if we cast never so bright a Lustre in the World yet alas our brittle Bodies how quickly are they broken Man says Jeremiah fades like a leaf and sin like a wind takes him away Let a Man live never so long yet at last Death seizes him but to consider aright