Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	faith_n	scripture_n	spirit_n	3,116	5	6.3634	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14753	The life of faith in death· Exemplified in the liuing speeches of dying Christians. By Samuel VVard preacher of Ipswich.	Ward, Samuel, 1577-1640.	1622 (1622)	STC 25052; ESTC S111636	34,891	136

ship in the healthfullest body that euer was neuer had so calme a passage but that it hath had cause enough often to wish it selfe on shoare What with selfe groaning phantasies and iniected temptations how little respit or rest is here to be found Is there any Palace or Tower here so high or strong that can keepe diseases from the body how much lesse cares sorrows feares and Sathans assaults from the Soule Were there but such an Iland as some haue dreamed of heere on earth that might free our bodies or mindes from disquiet but for the space of the moment of this life how would people couet to dwell in it In the times of the late warres in Netherlands how did the Boares forsake their Farmes and flye into walled Cities for securitie from dangers What violence then should our heauenly Ierusalem suffer of our wishes and desires were it but for the sweet and amiable name of peace whereof it is denominated hauing indeed the God of Peace for the King and Keeper of it Wals many Cubits high into which no Zenacherib can shoote an arrow nor the Dragon Beast nor the false Prophet to seduce or to accuse strong gates and barres excluding all enemies and annoyances and so affording perfect tranquility to all the Inhabitants out of which they insult ten times more saferly then the Iebusites ouer the blinde and lame ouer the pale horse and his riders Death and Hell Consider and compare a little the simplicitie of the worldling with the wisdom of the Christian the happy stabilitie of the one with the wofull vncertaintie of the other at the time of their departure Euen Foxes and Hares and other such vermine fore-acquaint themselues with Muses Thickes and Burroes into which when they are chased and hunted they may repaire for safety but these fooles while they liue in health and prosperity neuer thinke of the euill day and when away they see they must goe how vnshystable are they Some of the meaner sort they take care for their winding-sheet or if richer for a marble or painted sepulchre which yet cannot preserue their bodies or names from putrifaction the superstitious sort to bee buryed in a Fryers Cowle or vnder an Alter of stone the desperater sort wishing the Mountaines might couer them from the wrath of the Lambe An harbour or receptacle for their soules they neuer thinke of whence it is that they are as loath to haue them turned out of their bodies as Hagar and Ismael to be out of doores and exposed to misery and dangers or rather as Cain to be cast as a Vagabond out of Gods presence fearing lest euery one that met him next should cut his throat for a cursed Caitiffe And indeed what else can they looke for but instantly to bee deuoured of the roaring Lyon that waites at the doore of Death to fetch away their soules into the place where there is no night nor day Onely the wise beleuer he hath prouided a Sanctuary or Citie of refuge against time of danger hath learned wisdome of the Conies who though a little nation yet wise and forecasting haue their refuge in the Rocks Christ is the beleeuers Rocke and his strong Tower his Altar and therfore he feares not what Death can doe vnto him Christ hath assured him on his word that hee shall haue all teares wiped away and the Spirit secured him that he shall rest from his labors In which regard he is so farre from lingring and hankering after a continuance in this Baca of teares this wildernes of feares that he studies rather to enter into this rest Cries out with Dauid Wo is me that I dwell in Meshek and Kedar when I think of peace there is warre at hand With Ieremy Woe is mee that I dwell with a contentious people With Elias I am weary of my life an end good Lord. Or with blessed Simeon Now Lord let thy seruant depart in peace into that land of peace heere I haue seene that there is no peace to bee had all here is vanity vexation of spirit For a minute of peace moneths of vanity for a dram of hony pounds of aloes and gall Soules here find no resting place for the soles of their feete till they come to the mount Ararat whither their works follow them where their sorrowes leaue them And so conclude with Vidus Bressius Oh that my soule had I the wings of the Doue to flie and make haste to that mountain of God and hill of tranquilitie and eternitie Thus th' one dies howling the other singing because the one knowes he changeth for the better the other for the worse the one takes Death for a gulfe of sorrow the other for a port of libertie and ease the one because he is stript for a scourging the other because hee layes off his clothes to go to bed after his toile If Queene Elizabeth whiles she was a prisoner in her sisters dayes could haue been fully assured and had clearely foreseene her owne long glorious and prosperous reigne ensuing would she haue wished her selfe a Milke-maid for the present No it had bin impossible All our feares doubts arise from infidelitie and the vncertaintie or else from the deadnesse and dulnesse of our hopes To put life into which there can bee no better no other help then first to ground and root our Faith in Christ through the word and spirit And then of ten to be setting before our eyes a state condition happy aboue all that Cities Kingdoms Crownes Pearles and Iewels Marriages Feasts and all other Metaphors and Parables of Scripture doe but shaddow out vnto vs. Which supereminent and super aboundant felicity Paul that had been an eye witnes not able to describe much lesse to amplifie summes it vp An exceeding exceeding eternall weight of Glory A superlatiue transcēdent phrase such as is not to be found in all the Rhetoricke of the Heathens because they neuer wrote of such a Theame nor with such a Spirit If any of vs had but halfe the strength of Pauls Faith or life of his hope or chearefull fore-imaginations which he had of this felicitie woe could not but haue the same desires and longings for our dissolution and fruition of them If we throughly beleeued and remembred this to bee the state of our selues and dead friends would we or could we so feare for our selues or mourne for them in Blackes whiles they are in whites as Iacob for Ioseph thinking him deuoured by some euill beast when he was Lording it in Aegypt No verily but thinke of it and looke for it we would with the same affections that Children do for their playes Prentises their freedome Spouses their mariage Labourers their wages Husbandmen their Haruest Heyres their Inheritance Princes their Kingdomes Mongst many thousands I chuse to instance and end with Monicah and Augustines examples the mother vsing this speech to her sonne All that I haue desired to liue to see is that which I now see thee my sonne a Christian. And now what doe I any longer in this base and impure world And hee of his mother What cause haue I to mourne for a mother of whose happinesse I may be so well assured When I awake I shall be satisfied Write O Christ these Meditations in our hearts imprint these Patternes so fast in our memories that wee may all the dayes of our liues haue frequent fore-thoughts of our appointed change chiefely in that last and solemne day of our death when the Prince of this world will be busie and wee shall be weake let thy Comforter then bring them to minde that by faith we may ouercome and hauing the Arke of thy Couenant in eye cheerefully passe through the waters of Iorden and so take possession of that land which flowes with all varietie of delights without either end or sacietie euen so Come Lord Iesus come quickly FINIS Dr. Tayler Tho. Hawkes Beza Perbins Hall Byfield 2. Kings 19. 15. Ezek. 32.