Selected quad for the lemma: life_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
life_n	abide_v	dwell_v	zion_n	41	3	9.2986	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01628	A speciall treatise of Gods prouidence and of comforts against all kinde of crosses and calamities to be drawne from the same With an exposition of the 107. Psalme. Heerunto is added an appendix of certaine sermons & questions, (conteining sweet & comfortable doctrine) as they were vttered and disputed ad clerum in Cambridge. By P. Baro D. in Diui. Englished by I.L. vicar of Wethers-fielde.	Hyperius, Andreas, 1511-1564.; Baro, Peter, 1534-1599, attrib. name. aut; Ludham, John, d. 1613.	1588 (1588)	STC 11760; ESTC S120495	239,789	550

manifest that he was so notable a prophet of God and a man so deere and acceptable vnto God If so be therfore he hath at any time or in any place vttred his minde giuen sentence touching this controuersie it ought to goe for payment and no more doubt to be made of it then of a heauenly Dracle But surelye he in this Psalme medling with an other matter taketh vpon him of purpose to ha●●●ls this only question and beeing taken in hand dooth so exactly decipher and vnfolde the same as that no man vnlesse he will himself if he mark him well néede to erre or he deceiued about it Therefore let vs with cleere and resolute mindes heare him expounding this matter vnto vs. In the firste verse of this Psalme he propoundeth the Question and being propounded he then after vnfoldeth in the verses following and finallye concludeth it in the last Thus then he putteth it foorth O Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle and thus by and by with a greater vehemencie he repeateth to the greater attention though in woordes somewhat altered saying Who shall rest in thy holy Hill And this thus propounded he layeth out afterward by many effects in this sorte Euen he saith he that walketh vprightly and woorketh righteousnes and speaketh the trueth from his hart he that slaundereth not with his tung nor dooth euill to his neighbour nor receiueth a false reporte against his neighbour he that setteth not by a vile person but honoreth them that feare the Lord he that sweareth and carefullye performeth his othe he that neither giueth his money to Vsury nor peruerteth iudgementhy taking reward Thus the question béeing decided he concludeth He that dooth these things saith he shall neuer be cast out of the house of God Now thē it is manifest which we saide that Dauid in this place vndertaketh of purpose to handle and vnfold this Question Therfore it remaineth that we harken vnto him with all diligence to the end we may perceiue what he saith and what his meaning is for which cause we will now prosecute euery thing somwhat more at large The Question he propoundeth first of all with a certaine exclamation to the intent he might bewray the greater affection of his minde and stirre vs vp the more to attention but he propoūdeth it which might seem very strang not to men as he ought to haue doone but to God O Lord saith he who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle because men pervie in this cace are blind and God is onlye the fit iudge And therfore that this so weighty a question might with the greater authortrie be determined Dauid would dispute it in the presence of God himselfe and before his iudgement seat that we might be giuen to vnderstand that the thing which is heere vttered is the certaine vndoubted Oracle of God For this cause therefore letting men goe who are too too much blind-folded especiallye in this matter he calleth God him self to witnes or rather to be the iudge of this controuersy as if he should say O God I now appeale vnto thée that thou being my witnes and iudge I may teach men which is the certaine and vndoubted way to eternall life touching the which all men vpon earth doo so greatlye striue among themselues all generally coueting to haue it but the gretest number going astray from it And we are to mark that in both the members of this first verse Dauid setteth before vs the heuenly and blessed life in the Tabernacle and in mount Syon For he dooth not demaund who shall one day enioy euerlasting life in heauen but who shall dwell in the Tabernacle that Moses had erected among the Israelits and abide in that holy Mountaine But all is one in effect For why that Tabernacle and that mount Syon was a figure of the heauenly Tabernacle and of eternall life as appéereth by infinit places of the holy Scriptures And that this is so to be vnderstood may appéer by that that if he had ment only of the outward Tabernacle and Mount he would not haue asked who should dwel in them For they were appointed to the Iewes and it was lawfull for all aswell good as bad to be conuersant in them But Dauid putting a differēce between the good and the euill and respecting the end of the Tabernacle erected considering mount Syon after a spirituall manner demaundeth who shall rest and abide there For he that by faith frequented that Tabernable and mountaine was sure to be partaker of the life eternall and heauenly whereof these were tipes and figures on earth Therfore it is all one as if he had expressely demaunded who should be partaker of eternall life Which Question afterward he expoundeth at large that is to say by eleuen sundrye effects drawen from him that earnestlye endeuereth after the same blessed life Euerye of which are of vs to be weighed but yet so as hauing regarde of the place and time we may bréefelye teach them which otherwise if the time would suffer were well worthye to be longer stoode vpon In the first verse therfore wherin he beginneth to vnfolde the question he saith that he shal be partaker of the heauenlye life that so long as he liueth this short and transitory life here vpon earth dooth so behaue himselfe that he becommeth sound and vpright and imbraceth continually righteousnes trueth Which woordes are generall and haue a verye large signification insomuch that they may contein euen the whole perfection of the Lawe That may be called sound or vpright and is so in déed which cons●steth of al his partes members and hath no one iot of them wanting So that man shal be of a sound and incorrupt life which euery where and at all times whatsoeuer he saith or dooth so behaueth himself that for Gods cause whome he entirelye loueth and feareth he neuer departeth from his dutie that is from the dutie of a good man so that he is Integer vitae Scelerisque purus In life vnattainted with sinne vnacquainted And therfore God who loueth this integritie making a couenaunt with his seruaunt Abraham requireth of him that he be perfite before him And that the word righteousnes is generall it is well known to all because righteousnes containeth in it selfe all vertues and the whole nature of vpright dealing and of the law of God Which also may be said of veritie and trueth But yet in this place these things seem rather to be refered to those duties that we ought to exercise towards men as appeereth by the whole sequeale of that that followeth Dauid therfore saith that he which aspireth to the heauenly life ought to frame and lead his life sincerely and to behaue himselfe without all fraud and guile towards others and so to exercise iust dealing that he hurt none but profit all rendring to euery man that which is his to be no dissembling or craftye person but to speak the truth in his hart that is

as héere amongst vs both before and after such banquets the handes commonly are wont to be washed with sweete water And this betokeneth the abundance and plenty of thinges whereunto also belongeth that which he addeth My cup runneth ouer For by these phrases of spéech Dauid signifieth that God of his goodnes had not only ministred vnto him that which was necessary for the main tenance of this life but also he saith that he had giuen him so great plenty of al good things beside that ouer and aboue his necessary vses he had also wherin considering Gods bounty and liberality towards him he might recreate and refreshe himselfe God is not sparing toward his but very bountifull ministring euen those things that are more thē sufficient that so hauing experience of his great goodnes towards them they might the more willinglye and chéerefully serue him But that which he setteth downe in the last verse is especiallye to be marked For he prophesieth euen of the future and perpetuall benefites of God towards him when he saith He shall followe me with this his fauour all the daies of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for euer For he signifieth that this grace should be eternall and much more continuall wherein he declareth what he looked for at Gods hand For if so be a Prince should make some one of a poore man riche or of base degrée noble and aduance him to great honour to th' intent he might shortly after thrust him from it and cast him downe headlong this were not to be accounted a benefite but rather an iniury But God is not wont so to behaue himselfe toward his that doo sincerelye woorship him this Dauid confirmeth when he saith that he is not to feare any such fall but rather saith he God will alwaies pursue me with his liberalitie and louing kindenes Declaring that the chances of Fortune as they are called though they be sundry vncertain yet are not to be feared of those who haue God to be their God And in the last place he saith that he shall dwell in the house of God a long time In the which place there is something more also conteyned then in the former where he entreated of the happines of the body and of the lif● present For Dauid had saide that all thinge● necessary for this life should be ministred vnto him of God and that he should also be defended and preserued from all euill Thirdly that these benefites should so long continue as his life did last but these thinges though they be great yet were they not inough except also regarde might be had and that principallye of the soule and of the heauenlye life which is to remaine for euer most happy and blessed of this therfore he speaketh in this verse And first Dauid saith that he shall not only enioye so many benefites appertaining to the commodious passing of this life and liue honorablye at home in his owne house but which is much more that he shall abide in the house of God to witte in the Church that is to saye that he being endued with the sincere knowledge of God shall alwaies purelye and reuerentlye woorship him in the Church wherein consisteth the foode and life of the soule And where he maketh mention of the continuance of time there is no doubt but that in these woordes is concluded the hope of the heauenly and everlasting life For that Church or Temple of Ierusalem was a figure of that heuenly and celestiall Temple not made with hands into the which Christ hauing made an eternal expiation and satisfaction for sinnes is said to be entred Heb. 9. So then there is no question but that Dauid lifteth vp his minde to that most blessed life when he thus speaketh and that he pictureth out that life in these woords which was represented by the Temple and the diuine worship and begun alreadye vpon this earth And therfore this is that singular and certaine Prouidence of God toward his which Dauid hauing experienced in his own person commendeth and describeth in fauour of al the godly For doubtlesse in this Psalme seemeth to be described the highest happines and felicitie and the way that leadeth vnto it so that this Psalme hath a patterne in it of all that euer is to be desired For why if for examples sake then haddest libertie giuen thée to wish what thou wouldest what couldest thou better or more desire to haue then that al things which are necessarye to the commodious passing of this present life might be richlye and plentifully ministred vnto thée by the hand of God euen in the despight of all thine enemies and euill willers Secondly that God himself beeing the gouernour of this whole worlde would so receiue thée into his custodye and protection that he would perpetuallye put away all euils from thée or if at any time any aduersitie befall thée that he would alwaies be so present with thée that it might nothing at all hurt and annoye thee Further that he would followe thee with this his so excellent fauour not for one yéer or two but during all the whole course of thy life Finally that hauing alwaies a speciall care not onlye of thy body but also of thy soule that is to say of thy chéefe and principall part he would enlighten it with the true knowledge of his will and not suffer it to wander in errors neither graunt thee only to liue so commodiouslye at home in thine owne house but also translate th●● into his owne pallace that thou mightest dwell and abide with him Last of all when the soule shall be loosed from the hands of the body that he would translate thée to the heuenly most happy life where thou maist liue with him most blessed for euer Then these things there is nothing more to be desired neither séemeth any thing to be pretermitted that is of any weight or moment And therfore this Psalm contemeth a most perfect patterne of al things that are to be wished and desired Now then we al couet that which is good and good the greater that it is the more it is to be counted we should all therfore couet to be in the true and vndoubted possession of so great felicitie For who would not wish that he might both be partaker of all good thinges and vtterly void of all euil and that he might perpetually abide in this estate againe that being endued with the true knowledge of God he might liue peaciblye héere and after th●● life be translated to the Kingdome of heauen and life euerlasting this is the thing that all that are of sound iudgement doo most cheefelye desire But so great a happines is offred to all mortall men yea and all are inuited vnto it of God himself For albeit Dauid speketh but of himselfe alone and saith that he was alredy come vnto it telling it foorth in such wise as though being out of all dāger he

were now in sure and certaine possession of it yet notwithstanding he allureth vs by his example to the same thing who may if we list be happye in like manner for that is in our power For why though so great happines and felicitie come not from man but from God for it is altogither diuine and heauenlye yet is it offred by him vnto vs and of vs only to be accepted and entertained We may therfore if we will be blessed but sure it is that we would as before is said for all men séeme greatly to wish and desire that they might be in that estate and condition that Dauid saith héere he had atteined vnto that is to saye that they might haue God so fauourable vnto thē that all things necessary for this life so long as i● endureth might be ministred vnto them that his help succour in all dangers might euermore be present with them that their minds might not be blinded with errors but might perfectly know god and not doubt of him to be their Father but dayly trye him to be so Fially that when they die and depart this life they might be translated to life eternall How is it therfore that so great blessednes and felicitie beeing so excéedinglye desired of all is not atteyned of all This seemeth right worthye to be diligently enquired least when all men doo earnestlye desire this thing yet missing of the way that ledeth vnto it they fall into extreme miserie and distresse Heere Dauid dooth not only by his example brawe and allure vs thereunto but also he sheweth and pointeth out the waye which if we would diligently keep we might easily atteine vnto it And the whole description of this happines standeth as we saide in the beginning vpon this reason That God is Dauids Shepheard for thereby he gathered that he should neuer want any thing And this conclusion if it be generally taken wil be no lesse true then if it be applyed vnto Dauid alone For as Dauid concludeth God is my Shepheard Therefore I shall not want any thing the same may euerye one conclude that will follow Dauids example and godlines To wit in this wise No man that hath God to be his shepheard shall euer want any thing But God is the shepheard of all good men Therfore no good man shal euer want any thing This conclusion is no lesse true and vndoubted then that particular whereby Dauid applyed vnto himselfe that which is common to all the faithfull And therfore that we may attaine vnto this happines it standeth wholy in this that God may be our Shepheard For if this be obteined then he leading vs along to the pleasant pastures and to the still running waters through plaine and commodious waies will restore our life and that for his holy names sake yea he will alwaies be mercifull vnto vs and present in all dangers readye prepared with his Shepheards crooke and rod to defend vs so that we shall neuer neede to feare any thing no though we were so neere vnto death that we were alreadye vnder the shadowe of it He will prepare a table for vs in the sight of our enemies he will annoint our head he will fill our cup ful of pure wine and will alwaies follow vs with his so great and singular fauour neither wil he nourish vs only at home in our own houses but he wil conueigh vs also into his that being addopted by him we may dwell and abide with him and when this life shall haue an end he will reward vs with a better that is to say with a heauenly and euerlasting And therfore we are to labour with all enforcement that we may attain this one thing namely that God may be our Shepheard for if so be he will become our shepheard we may safly commit our selues our liues vnto him he wil neuer faile in his duty dooing How then shall we atteine vnto this that God may be our Shepheard as he was Dauids For there must of necessitie be a certaine way vnto this thing seing God who calleth vs thither mocketh not nor beguileth any man that God thē may be our shepheard which thing he cheeflye desireth for to that end hath he created vs it is necessary that we become his sheep for these are so mutually affected betweene themselues that the one cannot be without the other We must therfore take diligent heed that the fault be not in vs for in him we are sure it will neuer be What it behoueth vs then to doo or what manner of persons wee ought to be Christ himself the good Sherheard of the sheep declareth Ioh. 10. My sheepe saith he heare my voice and they follow me but they know not the voice of a stranger neither doo they follow him but flie from him Two thinges are héere to be noted that we hearing the voice of God or of Christ and acknowledging it may followe him whither he calleth vs and goeth before vs secondly that we neither know the voice of a stranger nor follow it but flie from him in which woordes there is no doubt but that the strength and nature of faith is contained and declared that we heare not only and vnderstand the voice of God and acknowledg it to be heauenlye and most true but also that we follow it again that we neither acknowledge nor followe the voice of a stranger but flie from him But who is this stranger Sathan the arch-enemye of our saluation and of Gods glory and our sences and lustes of the flesh which entising vs with a false pretence of goodnes doo carry vs away from the true good indéed But firste and principallye this is to be considered that wee hearing the voice of the shepheard may immediatly follow him for if this be doon the other wil follow that we shal not follow a stranger but fly from him Firste héerby it appéereth that faith consisteth not in this that we heare the woord of God or also vnderstand it and acknowledge it to be the voice of God our Shepheard no nor though we giue him this honour as to iudge that to be most true which he speaketh but besides it is necessarye that we follow him For faith is not only in the vnderstanding but also in the will which is the principall parte neither is God contented with one part of vs but he requireth vs wholy that he might make vs wholy and altogither blessed Faith then ought to occupie and possesse the whole minde of man that is both to enlighten the vnderstanding and also to drawe the will to the loue of that good which the vnderstanding discerneth And therfore if any mans vnderstanding only be enlightned with the true and infallible knowledge of God so that he knoweth Christ to be the Sauiour of the worlde and can good skill of all the misteries of the Christian faith and yet will not followe the voice of God or Christ his Shepheard he is not to be accounted faithfull