Selected quad for the lemma: mind_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mind_n	beauty_n	body_n	soul_n	1,303	5	5.0984	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

admonish us to remember the Evident Monuments of our Frailty when secret Things are hidden from us by the Almighty those which are Revealed are the more to be observ'd by us Deut. 29.29 II. The Scriptures will inform us how some Persons Men or Angels have vanished out of the sight of those they had convers'd with and from thence we are to observe that it is not requisite for us to know what they had heard and seen or to pry narrowly into that which the Divine Wisdom has ordered to be kept from us Luke 24.31 32. Acts 8.39 Judg. 6.21 22. Moreover God hath appointed that they should not be suffered to live which attempted to converse with the Spirits of those which were departed from us Lev. 20.27 1 Sam. 28.8 9. c. But by all this we are so much the more lead to observe the common visible Memorials of Mortality shewed unto us in them that die before us III. Furthermore it is to be observ'd that when the Spirit is return'd away presently to God that gave it yet the Body remains and returns to the Dust from whence it was taken Eccles. 12.7 If the Almighty by Death had taken away both Soul and Body or if it had pleased him to take away all Men as Enoch and Elias were Heb. 11.5 Gen. 5.14 2 Kings 2.11.17 or to bury all Men so as Moses was Deut. 34.6 namely so as their Bodies should be seen no more among Men yet even then there were occasion enough to remember that wonderful great and final Translation but now seeing every Man departing this Life leaves a part of himself on Earth among his Friends yea and that visible Part even the Body which was best known among Men God by this frail Part of Man that is left gives us occasion to contemplate what is done with the immortal part and to keep in Memory the Death past to prepare us for the Death to come As Elias ascending to Heaven let fall his Mantle for a Remembrance unto Elisha that took it up 2 Kings 2.13 so we ascending do let fall our Flesh that hath been the Mantle of the Soul under which it was veiled and covered in the Days of our Mortality Now by this Pledge the dead warns the living to part from the love of Vanity and to make ready for this Change when the Soul departs more naked out of the World than it came into it V. Besides the Body is left behind as a Pledge of our Corruption to imprint into our minds the horrour of Death through that putrefaction which soon invades it when it is deprived of the Souls presence had the Body remained only without Life and retained its former Comeliness and Beauty and not been liable to putrefaction how then would their dearest Relations and Friends have choicely kept them and lovingly embrac'd them but now by the divine appointment the body is Sown in Corruption 1 Cor. 15.42 the Royal Body of David sees Corruption Acts. 13.36 the Body of Lazarus the Friend of Christ begins to Stink the Fourth Day John 11.39 the Fair Body of Sarah whose Beauteous Countenance charmed Kings and Princes she being dead must needs be removed out of the sight of her most Faithfull and Loving Husband Gen. 23.4 VI. And in such a degree hath Corruption prevailed that some Bodies hath been forced to be buried very deep in the Earth So noysome have they been and soon putrefied but though they are not to be looked upon with the Eye yet they are the more to be thought upon and our fading Estate to be Reflected on by this Serious Reflection Job humbled himself confessing that Corruption was his Father and to the worm thou art my mother and sister Job 17.14 and by this Consideration might be humbled the Proudest and most Ambitious Heart when they Seriously Reflect how the Wormes breed out of their own Corruption and surround their whole Carcasse Isa. 14.11 these are the Laws and Ordinances of Death established by the Almighty whereby he call us the more effectually to think of our End not to pamper the Flesh nor to take so much Care for our Bodies as we do for our Souls according to this Example of God who shews more respect and love to the Soul by receiving of it into his Glorious Kingdom whereas he suffers the Body to lodge in the Pit of Corruption 1 Cor. 15.43 VII The Sequestration of the Body from the Place where the Soul is and the Corruption of it being Separate are mememorials wrought immediately by the Hand God Now besides these there is other after warnings of Death effected by the providence of God by the affections and respects of Men that is paid to the Honour of the dead and Comfort of the living Now for the Honour of the dead Holy Men of Old have shewed great Care to provide Sepulchers Tombes and Monuments for them such was the Cave of Machpelah purchas'd by Abraham Gen. 49.30.31 the Pillar on Rachels Grave that Jacob set up Gen. 35.20 that continued so many Generations to Samuel's time 1 Sam. 10.2 the Title on the Sepulcher of the Man of God that Prophesied of Josias 2 Kings 23.17 18. the Sepulcher of David that continued twice Fourteen Generations from David to the Apostles time Acte 2.29 having been preserved in the time of the Babylonian Captivity even then when both City and Temple were destroyed these in Scripture are called Memorials Math. 23.29 John 11.38 chap. 19.41 by which the Righteous are taught to Remember their latter end VIII The Magnificent Tombes and the Sumptuous Sepulchers are but so many Scaffolds Stages and Theaters of human Frailty and so many Pulpits out of which our Mortality is Preached and all the Graves of the Popularity are the Coffers of Death the view whereof should instruct us to lay up our Treasure in Heaven and thus though the touch of a Grave defiled the Body with a Ceremonial Pollution in the time of the Law Numb 19.16 yet the sight of a Grave may serve to cleanse the Soul by a Spiritual Consideration of our latter End even as the sight of the Leviathan being raised up made Men Purify themselves Joh. 41.25 IX The Grave being prepared for the Dead Corpse then Men proceed with their Funeral Pomp and Exequies the mourners go about the streets and a great train of Relations Friends and acquaintance accompany the dead unto his Grave and follow him that is going to his long home Eccles. 2.5 this going a Procession to the Grave is a Memorial to them of their own Condition that they in their Course must die and be carried forth in like manner thus they are called of God to remember at such times then have they special cause to remember that Iron Chain of Death and Mortal necessity by which the dead Person is said to draw all men after him as there were innumerable before him Job 21.23 X. Then are Men called to climb up the Mountain of Contemplation from the

riseth up if Lust be quelled Pride starteth forth if Pride be subdu'd Anger exasperateth thus are we forced to a continual strugling with our Sins but when we die the Combat ceaseth and as for the present we are not under Sin so then we shall be without Sin or so much as the Motions of Sin CHAP. II. Of the Fears of Death and how to Fortifie our Selves against them Practically Considered DEath in all Mens Opinion is the King of Terrors and the most formidablest Enemy in the World to humane Nature now all Grief ariseth from Love and Self-interest and naturally Men fear Death because it puts a period to that Life which Indulgent Love and Weak Nature would preserve Christians were wont to assume that Courage that no Fear possess'd 'em but that of Sin they could Expostulate with the Law and say thou hast no power over me for God the Father hath sent his beloved Son to Redeem me from the Captivity of thy Bondage and therefore thy Terrors and Accusations are all in vain for this Expedient I have I will creep into the hole in my Saviours Side there will I hide my self from all my Foes and plunge my Conscience in his bleeding Wounds and by Vertue of his bitter Death Victorious Resurrection and Glorious Ascension shall I gain the Conquest II. Why should we then thus be surrrounded with Fears and permit Death's Terrors thus to affright us seems it so hard a task to Walk the Path which all our Ancestors have Trod before us Adam the first of all Mankind and Righteous Noah that feared the Almighty Abraham the Father of the Faithful and Friend of God and Moses the Servant of the Lord David the Man after God's own Heart and Solomon the Wisest King that e'er Sway'd the Scepter all these have Justly paid their Debt to nature and subcribed to the Law of universal Mortality Nay Jesus himself the blessed Saviour of the World has expired on the Accursed Cross of Eternal Shame and went to his Transcendant Glory through the Gates of Death III. And Now shall our Childish and fond Self-love so blindly flatter us as to wish an Exception from this regular and general Rule shall we be still murmuring and repining when our Life is but a Bubble a Vapour nay but a Span and still expos'd to innumerable Sorrows and Afflictions does not the very shortness mitigate and abate its Miseries and does not those many Miseries highly applaud its shortness should we not rather be glad and rejoye at the approach of Death that when e'er it comes it proves so advantagious to us if in our Aged Years t is a Haven of Repose and ought to be kindly Entertain'd after so long and tedious a Voyage if Death appears in our Infancy and Youth it prevents a Thousand Calamities and numberless Dangers of ruining our Souls if by an ordinary fit of Sickness 't is according to the Course of Nature if by any disaster or outward Violence 't is always the will of Heaven what occasion have we then to dread or fear how many Darts Death has in his Quiver when we are sure he can throw but one at us IV. Therefore to depart this World is an act to be done but once and that once well done we are happy for ever we must needs confess the Decrees of the Almighty are always Just and that 't is only our selves are the cause of all our Miseries for no sooner are we Born but we begin to Sin we Sacrifice our minority and Youth to Vain Sports and Follies and our Riper Years to Gluttony Drunkenness Lust and Pride we spend our Old Age in Politick Craft and Greedy Avarice and begin not to live till we are ready for the Grave then indeed we lament the shortness of our time when we have our selves like Spend thrifts thrown it all so Prodigally away for when we have lived and led a loose and negligent Life we then Complain Death seizes on us unawares we find fault that perhaps our days are too few to grow Rich or to satisfie the Ambition of a haughty Spirit but did we strive to be Taught the Love of God and to immitate the meek and humble Life of the Blessed Jesus it would require not so much the number of Years as the faithful endeavours and utmost diligence of a Pious Mind could we but bestow on the improvement of our Immortal Souls the time we so vainly trifle away on our Frail Bodies our day would be short enough and not seem tedious and long enough to finish our appointed Task V. Then what shall we but say to our Souls that our only business here is but like unto the Wise Virgins to Trim our Lamps and to wait the coming of the Bridegroom but to sow the Immortal Seed of a never failing Hope and expect hereafter to reap a due Increase it is insignificant how late in the Year the Fruit be gathered if still it improve in growing better no matter how soon it falls from the laden Tree if a Stormy Wind blow it not down before it proves Ripe let us then Contemplate on God's most Just and Secret providence who governs all things by the Counsel of his Divine Will whose powerful Hand can Wound and Heal lead down to the Grave of Silence and bring back again let us be ever ready to him to bow our Heads and freely submit to him our dearest Concerns let us say unto him Lord strike as Thou pleasest our Health or Lives we cannot be safer than at thy disposal only these few but earnest Requests we humbly make which O may thy Clemency Vouchsafe to hear Cut us not off in the midst of our Sins and Folly nor suffer us to Expire with our Sins unpardoned but make us Lord first fit and ready for Heaven and then take us to thy self in thy own due time for 't is not for us O Lord to choose our own Conditions but to manage well what thou hast appointed VI. It is true Death bereaveth us of a Mortal and Transitory Life but it is an inlet to an Immortal and Everlasting Life it despoileth us of our Worldly possessions I but it putteth us in possession of our Heavenly Inheritance it taketh us from the Society of our bosome Friends and Neighbours I but it sends us to Abraham's Bosome and makes way for our Society with Christ finally it severs the Soul from the Body I but it unites the Soul to God what is it for the Candle to be put out whilst we enjoy the light of the Sun for the standing Pools to be dry so long as we may drink at the Fountain for our Earthly Comforts to be taken from us when Heavenly Joys are Conferred on us the truth is Death is not a privation but a permutation so Holy Job calleth it a Change Job 14.14 and that a Blessed Exchange of a Cottage for a Palace a Wilderness for a Paradise a House of Bondage for a Place of Liberty of

and the Workers of them are called dead Men Mat. 8.22 Luke 15.32 John 5.25 Eph. 2.1.5 and therefore upon every occasion of Sin committed we are taught to remember Death Whatsoever thing hath Death annex'd and threatn'd as the Reward and Fruit belonging to it the same thing is a just and necessary Memorial of Death Now all our Sins have this Reward denounced Rom. 6.23 and 7.5 and therefore in all Sins Death is set before us as God also speaks expresly in his Warnings against Sin Deut. 30.15.19 as in sight of Death we are to remember Sin the Cause of it so in the sight of Sin we are to remember Death the Effects of it II. Neither are these Sins thus to be considered by us only in respect of their future Reward but God by a further Judgment in sending a present Terrour and Fear of Death upon the present Acts of Sin Lev. 26.36 Heb. 2.15 doth call Men yea and force them to remember Death thus it is with all Wicked Doers and with the Just sometimes in part through divers Temptations Psal. 77.3.7 8. but with the Faithful there is another Remembrance of Death by occasion of Sins as comfortable to them as the former is terrible to the Wicked for in fight of Sins that perplex 'em they call to mind what shall quite free 'em from those Sins which Expedient is Death thereupon they set Mortality before their Eyes and are taught that Lesson of the Almighty to long for their Redemption by desiring to remove out of the Body Rom. 8.23 2. Cor. 5.8 III. Afflictions Sicknesses and Dangers wherein Death is threatned unto Men are likewise Means of Death and by them also we are called of God to remember our Latter End Sometimes it pleaseth the Great Being for the Warning of Secure Men to bring them to the Gates of Death before they enter Psal. 9.13 and though he bring them back again yet is this done by the Almighty for a Memorial of Death God brings Men into such Extremities that nothing but Death is to be expected they receive the Sentence of Death in themselves and despair of Life 1 Cor. 8.9 and are free among the Dead in their own and others Judgment Psal. 88.4 5. and thus many times they are in Deaths often 2 Cor. 11.23 and such things God worketh oftentimes that Men might renounce the World and set their Heart and their House in Order as a Preparation for their Departure Job 33.22 29. IV. Let us praise then the Goodness of the Almighty who ordains all things for the best to his Servants whose unlimited Providence governs us all our Life and takes so peculiar a Care of our Death He wisely casts us down on our Beds of Sickness and mercifully draws the Curtain 'twixt the Transitory World and us shutting out all its vain and pernicious Designs and contracting all our Affairs and Business to a little Room or Chamber there in that close and quiet Solitude he speaks to our sorrowful Hearts and methodically sets before us all our sinful Life there he prudently discovers to us the Frauds and Fallacies of this World and kindly invites us now at last to prepare speedily for the other Thither he carefully sends his Messengers of Peace to treat earnestly with our Souls and reconcile them to his Heavenly Kingdom Thither he sends even his only beloved Son to secure our strait Passage and to guide and conduct us to himself V. O how quite contrary will our serious Thoughts be then to what they were in our Negligent and Careless Health how shall we justly and freely Censure what we once much esteemed and be easily and readily convinc'd into wiser Counsels when our unruly and stubborn Senses shall be check'd with Aches and Pains and our rash and inconsiderate Minds made sober and calm with Fear When the Opportunity and Occasions of Sin shall be removed away and every Object about us encline us to Repentance VI. Let thy Holy Name O Lord for ever be magnified whose Mercy Sanctifies even thy Punishments and Judgments into Favours thou bringest us Low and Weak to persuade us to be humble and prescribest us a Sickness to heal out Souls and cure our Infirmities thou commandest the unsatisfied Grave to dispense with none but indifferently seize on all alike That all may not neglect to provide for that last and fatal hour and none be utterly undone with foolish and mistaken Hopes thou tell'st us sincerely and plainly we all must dye but tenderly and kindly concealest the Time and Place that every where we may readily stand on our Guard and every moment vigilantly expect thy Coming VII In the Age of Man where they first climb up and ascend to their height and then presently decline and descend again is propounded by the Almighty Now the Face of Man is a Dial of his Transitory Age and the manifold Changes thereof from time to time as the Shadow of Declination in the Dial do shew his Mortality and the main Differences in the Physiognomies of Men may justly serve for a Memorial of Man's changeable Estate his Beauty and the Vigour of his Countenance being daily altered as the Grace and lovely shape of the Flower that perisheth James 1.11 This ought to affect us daily that the different Faces which we behold may put us in mind that the fashion of this world passeth away VIII As the Face so the Stature of Man growing up as a Plant according to the divers Measures and Degrees of his growth appointed of God Psal. 144.12 Luke 1.80 and 2.52 is another Testimony of his changeable Estate even from the Child of a Span long unto those that have their full growth Lam. 2.20 though some be of low stature as Zacheus Luke 19.3 and some again higher by the head as was Saul 1 Sam. 10.23 24 yet even in these compared with themselves the proportion of their Growth is an Evidence of their Age to such as know them and thus the Wheel of Man's Age is visible in the variation of his his Stature which may put him in mind of his Latter End IX Besides the Face and Stature the Almighty hath set other Marks upon the Bodies of young and old for a Memento of their Time passing away God describes to Youth the Time of Love Ezek. 16.7 8. and to Age the near approaching Tokens of Death whereby they are warned of God to prepare for it for through decay of strength the Arms and Hands the Keepers of the House begin to tremble Eccles. 12.3 and the Legs that are as Pillars of the Body bow themselves and the help of a Staff to rest on is sought of the Aged Person Zach. 8.4 and with that Assistance at every Step he takes he strikes upon the Earth and raps at the Gate of the Grave untill it be opened unto him This Weakness is further signified by the ceasing of the Grinders Eccles. 12.3 both the upper and the nether Millstone which are called the Life of Man