Selected quad for the lemma: life_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
life_n	death_n	sin_n	sin_v	6,726	5	9.1768	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A94266	A vvarning-piece for the slumbring virgins. Or, An alarm to the friends of the bridegroom, in some awakening meditations upon Christ's own watch-word, Matth. 26.41. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation, &c. / By Geo: Scortreth, preacher of the Gospel in Lincoln.	Scortreth, George, b. 1612 or 13.	1657 (1657)	Wing S937; Thomason E1638_3; ESTC R209055	57,932	207

we have refused the cleare counsel and pure comforts of the Holy-Ghost in the day of his gracious visitation what strong delusions and strange declinings to the right hand or the left since we have forsaken the guide of our spirits 3. Watch your spiritual enemies they watch us Luk. 4.13 as Satan did Christ when the Tempter is gone and his temptation seemes to be quite over he does but watch another season and therefore we must watch in season and out of season As Nehemiah and the people of God with him did with Sanballat and the enemies of God Neh. 4.7.8.9 they prayed and set a watch day and night the enemie was very wroth and they were very watchfull a sword in one hand when at work with the other So should we at this day watch at the Lords work Watch and Pray watch and heare watch and speak c 'T is very seasonable that counsell of the mightie Counsellour Take heed no man deceive you for many shall come in my name saying I am Christ deceive many Oh how much are we concerned in that blessed caution upon whom the ends of the World are come Math. 24.4 5 11 24 25. How affectionate and importunate was Paul the aged and experienced in warning the people night and day and that with teares to beware of such as should seeke to withdraw them from the Gospel of Christ Do not spiritual dangers multiply upon us every day whiles we are under a Spirit of slumbring securitie from our soul-enemies and that on every side Oh what need of the whole Armour of God on the right hand and on the left what need of a diligent spiritual watch over our heads and hearts words and wayes teachings and hearings Oh gather up your spiritual forces every day and call in auxiliaries from Heaven and follow the Captain of your salvation Watching and Praying as the armour-bearer did Jonathan climbing upon heads and feet contend eamestly for the faith which was once given to the Saints and as you 're fighting the good fight of faith be ever looking up to Jesus 1 Pet. 1.5 and you shall be kept as in a Garrison so the word imports by his power through faith unto salvation 4. Watch over and for one another for good in an evil time 't is very seasonable to be knocking at one anothers doores and jogging at each others elbowes in the Spirit of meeknesse to keep as many awake as you can in this slumbring time through the good hand of God upon you and surely they whose hearts are awakened in such a day as this by the Lords speaking from heaven to them cannot keep silence but must be speaking to their brethren in the name of the Lord saying awake awake As our hearts should dwell much upon awakening meditations so our mouths should be filled with awakening salutations and exhortations when we meet with the servants of Christ as it was with the lively Christians in the primitive times saying behold he comes like a thief and The Judge standeth at the door and the like When so many watch one anothers haltings let us watch to be helpers of one anothers faith and joy by provoking one another to Watching and Prayer when many fellow-servants are smiting one another with words of violence and verulency let us smite one another with words of truth soberness and the deeper they pierce the heart in the Spirit of Love the better could we hit one another o' th heart-vein 't would be a mercy Oh that the righteous would thus smite one another with gracious words of reproof to restore one another and all in much mutual soul-love what a kindness would this be Such precious oyntments would not break the head but mollifie and meeken the heart Such wounds would be welcome from the hand of a friend Alas we complain every where of the Saints slumbring wandring and wantonnesse 't were better we turned our complaints inward and left them upon our selves that we do not stir up one another to Watching and Prayer we do but bear one another as burthens upon our spirits when we should beare one anothers burthens and help at a dead lift as with one shoulder we see poore Christians in a dead sleep on every hand and we lie dying by them but who calls upon them to be watchfull and strengthen the things that are readie to die Rev. 3.2 How many have our eyes beheld lying as a man asleep upon the top of a Mast and floods of temptation under them too prov 7.23.34 readie to swallow them up but how few have we laboured to awaken to this day 2 Sam. 16.17 may we not reflect upon our selves in the words of Absalom to Hushai Is this our kindnesse to our friends Is this nothing to you all ye that passe by do you not take notice how many foolish Virgins lie slum-bring and languishing upon beds of sensualitie and securitie and the house readie to be set on fire over their heads and do you take no care to awaken them would it not pitty your very heart to see the flames seize upon them while they are asleep How long has the keeper of Israel watched over them and kept them as the apple of his eye notwithstanding all their slumbrings and wandrings and does he not expect think you that you should be your brethrens keeper for his sake and cry unto them in all haste to prepare to meet him least he withdraw the wing of his protection from them and leave them naked if you see your brethren sleeping starving dying and shut up the bowels of your compassions from them in such a case how dwels the love of God in you And if you say 't is not in mans power to awaken anothers heart who cannot awaken his own can a man raise the dead T is true the low voyce of a weak man can never make those hearts heare which can sleep under the loud thundrings of Heaven why but can you weep over them as the Jewes did over Lazarus in his grave yea can feelingly sigh over them saying Can these drie bones live Who shall roul away the stone and open their graves why he that is the resurrection and the life can awaken them out of the deepest sleep and quicken them with a word of his mouth If Jesus will but groan in Spirit with you and say awake arise come forth the dead shall heare his voyce and live You cannot lift up their sleepie hearts no alas they are too heavie for you but cannot you lift up a prayer for them If any man see his brother sin a sin not unto death he shall ask 1 Ioh. 5.16 and he shall give him life what high encouragement is here to praying-souls to lift up their voice on high for such as are sinning and sleeping in sin almost to death oh then if the Spirit of prayer were raised again from the dead as one may say what blessed

pray at all in Gods account But that a true Israelite who has had power with God in prayer should cease to pour out a prayer before him this is strange and yet no more strange then true amongst slumbring Christians who cannot chuse but give over praying when they give over watching the Spirit of prayer must needs be silent under a spirit of slumber 3. Is not thy Spiritual warfare maintained dost not thou wrastle against spiritual wickedness c Dost thou not feel the Law of the mind warring against the Law in thy members Art thou not at odds with thy own heart every day and quarrelling with it for heart-sins Why then the heart is asleep whilest thy lusts lie sleeping within thee thou dost not watch whilest thou dost not war How shamefully wilt thou be foiled by the lusts thou fightest not against Sin will get head and heart too whiles thy heart is asleep thy lusts like so many flies will swarm about thy sleepie soul Thou dost not reckon with thy self about thy dying to sin self c. Alas how dead is thy heart in the mean time thou hast given over thy complaining of the body of death and yet thy lusts are more lively and thou livelesse they strong and thou art weak sure they are awake and thou sleepest 4. Art not thou sensible of the subtile insinuations and secret suggestions of Satan in this busie day of his Dost thou meet with none of his buffettings now he layes so about him dost thou feel none of his fiery darts now Hell is broke loose Mayst thou not be very suspitious that a spirit of slumber is upon thee and the evill spirit rocks thee Art not thou pleasing thy self with smooth things lying quietly upon a pillow of carnal security and Satan pleasing of thee too and loath to disquiet thee Art thou at ease in Zion singing a Requiem to thy Soul why thou mayst sleep on for him and take thy rest 'T is not for his purpose to awaken us out of false dreams this cunning Fowler is most busie with awakened spirits that are struggling from him that would be ever upon the wing Christward but he stirs little when men lie asleep at his feet onely watches over them he makes least noyse there but does most hurt Oh the mystery of iniquitie works most and worst amongst idle souls that work not watch not 5. Dost not thou sympathize with the suffering servants of Jesus Christ Is not thy heart affected with the afflictions of Joseph Hast thou little or no fellow-feeling of thy brethrens calamities Canst not bleed in their wounds as thine own heart whose blood has been spilt like water upon the ground for the testimony of of Jesus Sure then thy spirit within thee is benummed under a spirit of security and almost past feeling Did not the sad cryes of the distressed Protestants in the Valleys of Piedmont and in Germany saying Have pity upon us O our Friends have pity upon us for the hand of the Lord hath touched us Did not I say their doleful complaints come to thine ears and did not this go to thine heart do not thy bowels sound within thee towards them who are sighing it out Our bowels our bowels dost thou not make lamentation over them crying Alas alas Is it nothing to thee there are so many mourners in Zion at this day hanging their harps upon the Willowes and dost thou put no tears i' th bottle for them And further how stands thy heart affected towards such as are afflicted in spirit Does not thy soul bleed within thee towards poor wounded souls who are even ready to bleed to death for want of the gracious presence of the Lord of life Canst thou not mourn in secret for such as walk mournfully without the Sun Time was when thine head was as water and thy eyes as fountains of tears that thou couldst not but weep with those that wept and mourn as the Doves of the valleys with them that mourned but now thy eyes are dry thy bowels strait and thy heart hard Oh what strong stupidity is upon thee if all the members should suffer when but one suffers how stupid and senselesse is that one that suffers not when so many suffer I cannot but pity such slumbring Christians who want yearning bowels of pitty when I consider what sharp medicines must be applyed to their insensible stupified spirits to cut them to the quick and fetch up their spiritual senses to sympathize with Christ in his members 6. Is not thy Soul vexed at the filthy conversation of the ungodly 2 Pet. 2.7 8. as Lots righteous Soul was Dost thou not bear the backslidings of Gods own people was a burthen upon thine heart before the Lord Dost thou not inwardly tremble at the dishonour put upon that Name which hath been proclaimed amongst us in so loud languages as glorious in holinesse c Are not the abominations of the Times the very abomination of thy soul Canst thou not mourn in secret for the open Pride prophanenesse profusenesse of so many thousands in our Israel at this day Why then believe it thy heart is asleep indeed when the crying sins of this adulterous generation do not awaken it Oh how many who have appeared as Children of the day have fellowship now with the unfruitfull works of darknesse who once seemed white as snow and are now black as a coal who some years since would not have touched the garment spotted with the flesh have now put on the Aethiopian skin again and the Leopards spots having once escaped the pollutions of the flesh and are again entangled therewith Hovv are the honourable things of the Law and Gospel too become contemptible in the eyes of many who seemed to prize them above thousands of gold and silver how are the precious pearls of Jesus Christ which are worth more then a world and of which the World is not worthy trampled under foot as if they were nothing worth Oh what loathing of Manna even amongst Israelites what turning of grace into wantonnesse Horrible things are done in our Israel and that in the sight of the Sun published in the streets of Ashkelon so that the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph And shall not the daughters of Zion sigh and mourn for these abominations which are more then enough to break ones sleep and heart too which break the Lords own heart And if thou lay them not to heart Ezek. 6.9 thy heart 's asleep Directions for Watchfulnesse 1. Even set before thee the All-seeing eye of Jehovah which is ever upon thee His eyes which are ten thousand times brighter then the Sun daily looked upon by an eye of Faith will be very awakening Think much upon those heart-stirring meditations Psa 139.1.2 3 4. of Gods glorious presence which were so much upon Davids heart as Gods encompassing thy path and thy bed besetting thee behind and before looking thee thorough in all places at all times watching

not deny thee When Christ trusts him with himself and his own strength but for a little season how fowly he shews his weaknesse and shames himself and very sinfully offends him more then they all by being so shamefully offended because of him denying before them all that he knew his Master upon the word of a damsel that said Thou wast with Jesus And the Holy Ghost sets a brand of Cowardize upon this self-confiding Champion leaving this upon record to all Ages to shake and shame all the Lords people out of themselves that when another Maid said This fellow was with Jesus he denyed with an oath Ver. 71. I know not the man Would any of the Disciples have ever believed such a thing as this of Peter or he of himself that a cursed oath should have ever been found within his blessed lips and that to deny his Lord and Master with those lips that had so oft blessed him that he should so desperately disown him with his mouth whom he owned honoured and loved so dearly at his heart Oh how have the mighty fallen how have the mighty fallen when they have been left to themselves and have fallen into their own hands Such remarkable examples as these taken into our serious consideration may happily if the Lord strike in with them awaken some sleepy hearts from a presumptuous self-full security to a religious watchfull jealousie that they who think they stand may take heed lest they fall as certainly they shall though they seem to be pillars as Peter did if they stand upon their own leggs and not upon his that are as Pillars of Marble set upon sockets of fine gold Cant. 5.15 Upon this double Account that they are so exposed to Temptation and so indisposed to Opposition who do no Watch and Pray Let me call for double diligence in the Name of the Lord to this double Duty First Double your Watch Oh watch watch 1. Over your own Hearts Jer. 17.9 for they are most deceitfull and the Deceiver lyes most at catch there the subtle Serpent he knowes where our guile lyes which he would willingly make use of to beguile us with 'T is his Commission onely to bruise the heel Gen. 3.15 but 't is his covetous ambition to break into the heart How he watches day and night works without wearinesse and windes about every way to surprize this Royall Fort of the King of Glory if he carry that he commands all and will lead us captive at his will if he can but get his head into our hearts and keep his hand upon this great wheel he has his hearts desire and will turn all about with it Oh therefore lay to heart that blessed Counsell of our great heart-keeper Prov. 4.23 Keep thy heart above all keeping so the Hebrew has it for out of it are the issues of life 'T is matter of life and death this 'T is as much as thy life is worth to watch the heart well and not to watch it is death The Devill knowes if there be any good treasure within thee it is laid up in thine heart and he would fain have the key of this Cabbinet to rob thee of thy Jewels If he can but corrupt this fountain all the streams will be filthy out of it will proceed the worst of Evils when it becomes the worst part which should be the best The Father of spirits doubles his Charge upon our spirits The Lord God of Israel saith Take heed to your spirit Mal. 2.15 16. take heed to your spirit Here the unclean spirits muster up their Forces and therefore here must our main Guard be Watch but the heart so as to keep him out there and put the Devil out of heart hee 'l despair of you 2. Watch the good Spirit of God in all its motions impressions convictions allurings comfortings c. as ever you would escape the temptations and delusions of the evil spirit and therefore First Watch the good Spirit to welcome him make much of his sweet breathings ther 's much life and love in them If the Spirit come to Convince you saying as Nathan did to David Thou art the man say Speak Lord for thy servant heareth Be ready to hear of that ear though he speak such things as make it tingle as you love the peace of your own spirits If he come as a Spirit of glory and power to subdue your iniquities to cut off your right hand c. with his two edged sword Oh say Let him go on and prosper till he have slain his thousands c and made all his enemies become his footstool If he come to coast as a Dove upon you to meeken and sweeten your Spirits Oh put forth your hands to take him in as Noah did the Dove with the Olive-leafe make both much of and set much by the good Spirit and Word of God and the evill Spirit will not be able to do you much hurt Oh prize the gracious manuductions of this faithfull guide at an high rate and be as glad of his heavenly conduct as the wise men were to see the starre that pointed out Christ to them Math. 2.10 they rejoyced with exceeding great joy Lie as even as you can under his celestial influences and sweet distillings of the precious dews of grace and peace Attend his glorious ministration all along let him have his whole will upon you and do his work wholly and fully within you say him not Nay in any thing he will work mightily within you and witnesse manifestly to you 2. Watch the workings and witnessings of the Holy Spirit so as you may not hinder him when he comes to help you nor grieve him when he comes to comfort you take heed of tempting him who only can help you against the Tempter oh shut not out his glorious light for all the glory of the World imprison not any of his precious truths for all the specious libertyes under the Sun resist not the stirring power of his grace upon you when hee 's shaking the powers of darknesse within you refuse not the free and familiar tenders of his heart-renewing and reviving love for thousands of Gold and Silver Lose not willingly one syllable of the secret whisperings of this messenger of peace lest he with draw his light love power and peace and leave you to the power of Satan and he lead you into Prison and keep you in darknesse Alas alas we have given the greatest occasion and advantage to spiritual wickednesse in high places to tempt vex disturb and divide us by tempting vexing and quenching the Holy Spirit as ever any in the World have done And are not now the shadowes of the evening upon us for slighting his goings forth as the morning How strangely have the lying Spirits deceived us since the Spirit of truth has been rejected and the truths of the Spirit What a thick black dark hour of temptation is come upon us since