Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	day_n	death_n	life_n	12,344	5	4.4509	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A38268	A defence and continuation of the Discourse concerning the period of humane life being a reply to a late answer, entituled A letter to a gentleman, &c. : to which is added, an appendix wherein several objections urged in private are considered, and Mr. Gales severe, but groundless charge is examined.	Allestree, Richard, 1619-1681.	1678 (1678)	Wing E27; ESTC R17144	30,062	111

well doing as those who run in a Race do not faint and give over if they expect to obtain the price Thirdly The life of man says he is compared to a shadow Answ. I know it is but sure not because it hath determined limits but because of its duration for as a shadow quickly passeth away so the days of man are but few Hence Iob tells us He fleeth as a shadow cap. 14. 2. and the Psalmist speaking of himself says I am gone like a shadow when it declineth But I have insisted too long in answering such trivial arguments I will now view if the plain as he calls them implying that the former were not Texts of Scripture he brings be urged to any better purpose THE first plain Text is Iob 14. 5. Seeing his days are determined c. this is indeed the most remarkable place of Scripture we have seemingly standing against us but in my former discourse I have fully shewn that it does no way contradict any position I defend I shall therefore now only consider what he urges against what I there replied and judge you which of us does succumb I cannot says he but admire the Author's impudence in making this Text the Basis of his discourse Good Sir is this the effect of a mild and gentle Spirit but I 'll pardon this since may be it is the result of your holy zeal but if you be not resolved to be an admirer I will endeavour to cure that distemper The reason then why I made choice of that Text was because I judged it the main place urged in defence of the opinion you maintain and if this were well cleared and duly explained and made to make nothing for you I easily foresaw how little difficulty there would be in answering other Texts LET us now view how artificially he draws Iob's words in a Syllogystick fear If God says he has so determined man's days that he cannot pass those prefixed bounds then the Period of Humane Life is not mutable but the first is unquestionable Ergo. Answ. If the Author had but remembred how he had stated the case he had never made use of this argument for he grants that both he and I may maintain that the Period of Humane Life is both mutable and immutable I did not deny but our days are determined see pag. 81. and the Author must know that all the debate is concerning the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But says the Author I am heartily glad that he acknowledgeth the infinity of the Divine knowledge When I first did read this I thought the Author had forgot himself for he is but seldom in so good an humour but when I again viewed what follows I saw all was spoken Ironice which will make me ever afterwards suspect his Complements And if he kiss again I shall be upon my Guard that he do not betray HOW the Divine knowledge is not conjectural although it be not founded on an absolute Decree has been briefly manifested in the first Discourse But because I must follow the Author I shall forbear to speak of it here because it comes afterwards to be considered A SECOND plain Text of Scripture is Psal. 90. 3. Thou turnest man to destruction and sayest return ye Children of men I am the most deceived if this Text proves what it is brought for Sure the only intent of the Royal Psalmist here is to shew that God is the supream Lord and Master of the Universe who exerciseth an uncontrolable Dominion and who can according to his pleasure either shorten or prolong the days of man but there is not one word here of any absolute Decree A THIRD plain Text equivalent to the former is Psal. 68. 20. Unto God the Lord belong the passage to Death Now let us hear the Author's Comment that is says he the Period of every man's life is in the hand of God Now this is indeed very well said but he sees better than his Neighbours who says it is spoken to the purpose But further what if he and Voetius have given a bad Translation of the Text if I might hazard to our English which I think is one of the best Translations I dare say it is so for there we read Unto God the Lord belong the issues from Death THE last plain Text is Act. 17. 26. He hath determined the bounds of our Habitation Strange the Author can never find the word determine but he instantly concludes that we are to understand an absolute and irrespective Decree He knows well enough that I grant that the Period of Humane life is determined why then does he urge these Texts against me IN the next place the Author brings a great many instances to prove the Period of those mens lives who dye a casual and violent Death is fixed and determined but he needed not to have put himself to so much trouble since I never maintained that the World is left to its own casual revolutions If he had pleased he might have viewed pag. 76. where he will find I grant that the most seemingly usual periods of men are ordered by an infinite Wisdom and fall under the Divine Rule and Dominion NEITHER needs the Author redouble his NOW NOW we have the Author yielding because I said we never doubted but the great Governour of the World may make what reserved cases he pleases from the general Rule and the ordinary course of things pag. 111. This methinks is a very plain Truth but that I may do all I can to satisfie the Author I shall add that the reason why some mens lives may be unalterably determined and yet the Period of other mens may for ordinary be left mutable is because the supream Governour of the World thinks fit it should be so If this will not suffice the Author let him choose as he thinks best BUT to proceed since the first step says he and moment of our Beings is determined it is but reasonable to think that the last is also fixed Answ. It is extreamly reasonable only we must take heed that we do not wrest Scripture to patronize our own self-chosen opinions Now the Text brought to prove that the first moment of our Being is determined is Psal. 139. 16. which is a very odd Paraphrase of the Author's for the Psalmist there is not speaking of the Divine Decrees but of the infinity of the Divine knowledge which is a depth he confesses he cannot Fathom Now that God doth know both the first and last moments of our life is a Truth I am as ready to defend as the Author BUT I see the Author is resolved to dispute with me as if I were an enemy to a particular Divine Providence else to what purpose does he bring his following troop of Arguments As 1. All the actions and works all the ways and steps of man are ordered by God Answ. All this is confessed by me if he urgeth them against any other let those concerned make answer 2.

much zeal but since the censure is altogether void of truth he must pardon me to say that the calumny is inexcusable but I love not to fling Dirt upon those who take the liberty to bespatter me with it it were easie to recriminate but our great Master never taught any such lesson BUT as I do not know of what Church the Author is a Member for it may be I oppose that Doctrin that is hotly taught in some particular Churches so neither do I know what Divines may be Orthodox in his account Sure I am that both the best and most learned Writers of this and former ages have maintained the sentiments I have embraced WHETHER the Authors opinion or mine does best agree with the humours of bad men needs but very little judgment to determin Pray how can it gratifie any wicked man to tell him that he may prolong his days a thing the most vitious and aptest to wish if he would obey the Laws of Heaven And upon the other hand that his days shall be shortened a heavy and unpleasant message to bad men who have no other heaven but what they enjoy upon Earth if he continues in his wickedness Methinks this principle is so far from encouraging men to sin that it quite opposeth it affording men most excellent encouragements to promote piety and to shun all manner of vices which lead down to the Chambers of Death BUT if we now enquire how the Doctrin of absolute and irresistible decrees do encourage men to be holy we shall weary our selves e're we find one reason to prove it There can be no Doctrine more pleasing to bad men for indeed hereby they labour to excuse themselves telling us that God has from Eternity absolutely determined every thing they should do and therefore they cannot help it O how luscious is the high relish of this Doctrin to bad men FROM all this it may appear that the Gentleman might have very well spared that Pathetick Query Shall we let it abroad to infect men without ever discovering the danger of it No sure Sir that were a great fault pray involve not your self by a sinful silence in so much guilt But alas if I should put the Author to tell me wherein lies the danger I could hazard ten to one that he should be puzled to tell But this must pass for current Coin and be as strongly believed as if it were proved by ten thousand Mathematical Demonstrations else we will be called credulous and not having so much Faith as a Grain of Mustard-Seed I CONFESS the Author pretends to be very unwilling to engage in the nice speculations of controversial Divinity but yet it seems he is of so good and condescending a nature that he cannot resist the great importunity of a noble Friend he will rather hazard one single look into things that as he says are hid than disoblige his Friend or and indeed this is a strong reason suffer the good cause to be ruined by his silence And thus we see that by his gracious condescension he luckily bestows a couple of favours one upon his friend and the other upon truth Sure never was there any man more fortunately happy but I forgot it was his fate to do so and no thanks to him for all this THE Gentleman needed not I think have troubled himself much with the state of the controversie since I had done it plainly enough and I leave you to guess if the Author has done it more clearly BUT passing lesser circumstances I come now to examin the Arguments he brings to prove that the Period of every man's life is unalterably fix'd by the Divine Decree this is the grand point he maintains a Doctrine long since introduced by the Stoicks and of a later date espoused by Mahomet and his followers AND yet if we will believe the Author this Doctrin is every whit consonant to Scripture and undoubtedly proved by reason Well then let us follow the Author in his search and see whether such an uncouth notion has a favourable aspect from either of the two AS for Scripture 1. he tells us there are many plain Texts which do upon that account express a kind of propriety that men may claim in this last Period O wonderful subtle disputer I know no man could argue so profoundly if not a Disciple of Voetius but let us consider the Texts of Scripture he brings to prove this the first is Eccl. 9. 12. Man also knoweth not his time Now the Author makes this to be the import of the words The Period says he of man's life is fixed by one absolute Decree and therefore he may call it his time This is indeed a very ingenious Comment only it is faulty in that it is singular for I dare promise few men ever thought this was the meaning of the Text If I had been in the Pulpit I had readily raised this Doctrin that the time of our Dying is very uncertain and I had proved it by Solomon's words man also knoweth not his time Another Text he brings is Psal. 39. 5. Lord make me to know mine end and the measure of my days But I remember I have already shewed how strangely this Text is brought to confirm a Doctrin it is utterly unacquainted with see The Period of Humane Life pag. 109. Edit 1. by this brief reply the Author may easily guess what strength is in these or the like Phrases to confirm his opinion THE next argument he urgeth is every whit as impertinent for it is an old and true saying Omnis similitudo claudicat this the Author seems to smell but he pretends that he is so wise as to press them no farther than the scope of the comparisons lead him but whether this be so or not I shall briefly examin First Scripture he says frequently compares the life of man to the Grass the flourishing and decaying of which is fixed and determined Answ. It will trouble the Author to prove that all Grass doth flourish in the Morning and decays in the Evening But I shall grant that there are some Flowers that do yet this can never prove that the Period of Humane Life is fatally determined If I remember well Commentators say such similitudes are made use of to denote the brevity of man's life I shall instance but one sacred Text to prove this is the import of the similitude the place is Iob 14. 1 2. Man that is born of a Woman is of few days and full of trouble he cometh forth as a Flower and is cut down Secondly He tells us that the life of man is compared to a Race Heb. 12. 1. Answ. It is so and that very aptly but not because the bounds are unalterably fixed but because of the noble price that is appointed for those who obey the Divine Precepts and who do not faint in well doing and the only intent of the comparison is that if we expect that Heavenly reward we must persevere in