Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sin_n	bring_v	death_n	wage_n	3,944	5	10.7954	5	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

exhorts 1 Cor. 15.58 Brethren be ye stedfast and unmoveable your hope being not in vain in the Lord we look for a City to come and that shall come which we look for I and not only come but ever shall continue the futurity speaks the permanence that while 't is present it shall be still to come this future knows not any Preter-perfect-tense Years eating up Days Ages swallowing up Years Time loosing his ne'er so much past yet ne'er the less to come not like our slender Joys here no sooner flow'd to us almost but ebbing from us but a Continuing City Stor'd with fulness of Joy and Pleasures for evermore Psal. 16.11 Evermore more perennious than the Gliding Stream or Constant Sun here the Sun may be one day Darkned and the Moon pay home her borrowed Light the fixed Stars may become Planets and wander headlong from their Spheres whole Nature may so forget her Office that Heaven and Earth may pass away but these Pleasures like the Right-hand they wait on remain for evermore and this is our expected City whose Inhabitants you 'l say by better title than they of Tarsus may be called Citizens of no mean City Act 21.29 XII And in this Royal City the days brightness there it knows no light no nor ever fears the least Eclipse whose chearful and smiling Brow no Moving Cloud o'recasts nor tempestuous Storm molests the passage of its Rays but still shines on Serene and clear and fills with splendors that Spacious City it needs not the declining lustre of our Golden Sun nor the borrow'd Silver of the Pale faced Moon the Radient Sun that appears there is the Lamb and the Light that shines is the Glory of God the Walls of this City are raised with precious Stones and every Gate is of one rich Pearl the Mansions are built with choicest Jewels and the Streets are paved with transparent Gold in the midst of this City runs a pure Crystal River perpetually flowing from the Heavenly Throne there all along those pleasant Banks deliciously grows the Tree of Life healing all Wounds with its balmy Leaves and making Immortal all that but taste its Fruit. XIII Thus is the holy City which we are too seek Built thus is the City of the New Jerusalem Adorn'd O thrice fortunate and most glorious City how free and happy are thy blest Inhabitants every Head there wears a Royal Crown and every Hand a Palm of Victory every Sparkling Eye o'reflows with Joy and every Silver Tongue with Psalms of Praise there we shall dwell perpetually in the view of God and be filled for ever with the sweetness of his Presence this is that Coelestial Sphere whose Zodiack is Felicity whose Constellations are degrees of Glory and whose Poles are Joy and Eternity THE Second Branch HOW To Fortifie our Selves against THE Fears of DEATH CHAP. I. That if we dedicate our Lives to Christ the advantage of Death will be to our Selves THe Apostle tells us Phil. 1.21 to me to live is Christ and to dye is Gain First St. Paul lived so do all Men so do all Animals what our Apostle saith of Bodies I may of Life there is a natural Body and there is a spiritual Body 1 Cor. 15.44 so there is a Natural and there is a Spiritual Life this is an hidden but that a manifest Life this an inclosure but that a common it is common to Heathens with Christians to Beasts with Men the little Ant the crawling Worms have a share in Life as well as we so that these may say as well as St. Paul to me to live why should we be so much in love with or dote upon this Life which we have no more Interest in than the meanest living Creature indeed it is a Mercy for which we ought to be thankful it is a Talent which we are to improve but it is no Priviledge wherein we should glory whereof we should boast or wherewith we should be too much affected II. Secondly as St. Paul lived so he made account of dying others live as well as he and he must dye as well as others and as certainly as we live we must die and Man is no less subject to perishing than the Beast yea the good man hath no more exemption than the bad for so the Prophet asserts Isa. 57.1 The Righteous perisheth indeed the Apostle elsewhere calls Righteousness a Brest-plate Eph. 6.14 but it is not Death proof and though it delivereth in yet not from Death it is true Death is the wages of Sin but still it is here the Lot of a Saint perfect Innocency should not have known Mortality but Grace in the best is mixed with that Sin which bringeth Death Christ I grant hath taken away Death but so as he hath taken away Sin for the present only in part not fully Sin is taken away by Death that is the Power and Guilt of it III. And indeed it is not without manifold Reason that divine Providence hath so ordered it first that the Members may be conformable to their Head and that we may follow Christ the same way of Death in which he hath gone before us to Glory secondly that by pulling down of the Wall the Moss may be fully plucked out and by the dissolution of the Body its Infirmity and Frailty wholly Purged away thirdly that the Power of God may appear the more Glorious in Raising us up after Death hath laid us in the Grave and the Grave turn'd us into Dust fourthly finally that the Strength of our Faith might appear the more in believing we shall live though we die for these Reasons the Wise God hath appointed his own Children to Walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death IV. To carry it yet one Step further and that in a few Words it is no other than St. Paul who was not only a Christian but an Apostle who taketh it for granted that he must die neither the Word nor the Work of Righteousness can secure from Death for Prophets Apostles Ministers as well as others are Mortal and must dye indeed they are according to our Saviour's Metaphor the Lights of the World but such as after a while may be blown out by a violent however must go out by a natural Death Clouds they are from whom the Rain of Instruction falls upon the People but at length they themselves vanish away finally Angels they are in Respect of their Office but still they are Men in regard of their Nature and must die like Men St. Paul himself hence supposeth it is a thing which sooner or later would befall him V. Now this blest Pattern of the Apostle might serve to shame us out of our inordinate living to our Selves and quicken us in our endeavour to live to Christ as Peter said in another case to Christ John 6.68 Lord whither should we go thou hast the Words of Eternall Life let us say in this Lord to whom should we live thou hast Command of our Natural

at all the present Time we enjoy tarries but a moment and then takes Wings and flys away and never returns again already we are dead to all the years we have liv'd and vain 't is to expect to live them over again But the longer we live here the shorter is our Life and in the end we become a Lump of Clay and a Feast for Worms CHAP. I. Several Notions of Death what it is its Author Name and Nature FIrst If we would know what Death is the Philosopher tells you To die is to be no more Vnhappy and if we consider Death according to the right Notion it is but a departed Breath from dead Clay enlivened at first by Breath cast upon it Now Job tells you Death is a Moth and as the Moth breeds out of the Garment so Death do's out of the Body The Heathens were of Opinion that Death was an Eternal Sleep the Fear of the Rich and the Desire of the Poor but Pious St. Augustine often breathed forth this heavenly Wish saying O that I could see Death not as it was but as thou O Lord hast now made it Death is the supremest Monarch in the World as he hath the Dominion over Sin and he is the antientest King whose Reign began from Adam yet St. Paul tells ye 1 Cor. 15.26 at last this King shall be vanquished the last Enemy that shall be destroyed is Death and Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life pronounces this Sentence O Death I will be thy Death II. Whoever was the Author and Father of Death Sin was the Mother for the Apostle tells ye 1 James 15. that Sin when it is finished bringeth forth death and Eve the Mother of all Living was delivered in Child-bed of Death Now Adam falling Sin follows him and Man being tempted Death assaults him and by Sin Death enters Every Parent is an Adam to his Child infusing Corruption in his Generation Since then Death by Sin crept in at the Window or rather at the Ear which is prone to listen to Evil Counsel let us cast it out by the Sense of Faith in hearkning to God's Word which will make us wise unto Salvation III. As for the Name of Death it is called a Sleep so St. John terms it Chap. 11.11 Our friend Lazarus sleepeth and of St. Stephen it is recorded in Holy Writ after he had done praying for his Persecutors When he had said this he fell asleep 7. Acts 60. it is likewise said of the Patriarchs and Kings of Judah that they slept with their Fathers and Job expresseth That man lieth down and riseth not he shall not be awaked out of sleep till the heavens shall be no more Likewise Saint Paul mentions in his Mystery We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed 1 Cor. 15.51 The Night is the Emblem of Sleep and Mortality Now Sleep is but the Shadow of Death and where the Shadow is the Substance cannot be far off Lastly the Grave it self is but a withdrawing Room to retire in for a time it is going to Bed to take rest which is sweeter than Sleep and when it is time to awake and rise we shall as the Royal Psalmist says be satisfied IV. Next as to the Nature of Death few or none know it though all must sensibly feel it there is nothing after Death and therefore Death is nothing it is without Essence or Substance but a privation which kills he Creature therefore curiously to ●quest the Efficiency of it were but to employ the Eye to behold Darkness Salomon in his Book of Wisdom Chap. 1.13 mentions that God made not Death but created all things that were good this caused good St. Augustine to breathe forth this Supplication Lord thou hast not made Death wherefore I beseech thee suffer not that which thou hast not made to reign over that which thou hast made Now Death came into the World by Man only whose Soul was affected to know that which God never made which was the Evil of Death thinking it had been very good by desiring to know the worst of Evils But so Divine a thing is Knowledge that we see Innocency it self was ambitious of it from whence that Proverb is derived That Evil is not known but by good V. Pet no Learned Man knows so much but Ignorance may suffer him to commit Evil for none of a sound Judgment and right understanding can be guilty of Wickedness and there is no fear of knowing too much Good but there is much Fear of practising too little But since the Almighty has revealed in his word more than we can comprehend and enough to work out our Salvation let us attain to sober Knowledge and not repine but be content with our Ignorance Indeed Knowledge and Power are the Worldling's Idol but let every Man endeavour fully to know himself and then Pride and Ambition will soon vanish CHAP. II. That Death hath no respect of Persons but we are continually dying whilst we live ALthough Men cannot or are unwilling to pay those Worldly Obligations they lye under yet they must pay this Debt to Nature and it is a Favour afforded by Nature that what she hath made most vexatious she hath made Common that the Equality of Fate might mitigate the Cruelty of it and this Question the Psalmist asketh What Man is he that liveth and shall not see death II. Our Saviour told the Jews their Fathers did eat Manna in the Wilderness and are dead 6 John 49. and the Apostle tells ye Phil. 2.8 that Christ being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto Death even the death of the Cross. So that we see it is as natural to die as to be conceived and born yet it is improper for us to say Men die Naturally for Man dies not as a Beast by an Annihilation but by a Decree from Heaven it is appointed for all Men once to dye Heb. 9.27 III. Sickness the Messenger of Death respects not the best Complexion the Sores of Lazarus will make as good Dust as the Paint and Washes of Jezabel and like Jonas his Gourd we come up in a night and are gone in a moment we come naked into the World and no sooner we are born but the Grave waits for us but to continue in the Body is not the request of those which desire Heaven for the Apostle he desired to be dissolved and the Psalmist crys out As the hart pants after the Water-Brooks so longeth my Soul after thee O God Psal. 42.1 Death only shortens Time not Life and the Merit of Death is the Debt due to Sin both impos'd on Mankind for Sin IV. Now if we cast never so bright a Lustre in the World yet alas our brittle Bodies how quickly are they broken Man says Jeremiah fades like a leaf and sin like a wind takes him away Let a Man live never so long yet at last Death seizes him but to consider aright

is not a Shadow but a Substance not a Lease but an Inheritance not Vanity but Felicity and shall be far more in the Fruition than it is in the Expectation VII Are our Friends for the present in a flourishing Estate Take we heed how we Launch out either our Hopes or Love too much towards them considering that they are but Vanity and therefore our Hope which is placed on them will end in Shame and our Love in Vexation VIII Why so big with Expectation of Advantage or Advancement from thy Rich Ally Honourable Lord Potent Friend Alas thou dost but set thy Foot upon the Water which cannot bear thee why so inflam'd with Affection to thy beautiful Wife Child or near Relation Alas thou dost but embrace a Shadow in thine Arms which cannot nor must not stay long with thee but set thy Affections on Heaven to the possession whereof he will bring us who hath purchased it for us IX Now because Death daily attends us let us wait for it and consider well these Four things First Whence thou camest now this thou art told That Sinners begat thee in Sin and miserable Wretches brought thee into this Vale of Misery So that thy Conception was Sin thy Birth Misery thy Life a Punishment and thy Death a Torment and the longer thy Life is the more Sin thou wilt have to answer for But perhaps thou wilt say To what end is this humane Life lent thee Why only to gain a Heavenly Life and this is all Divine Love aims at that thy Life may seem shorter and thy Labour less X. Secondly Consider whether thou goest thy Life which like a Flower is subject to fade and decay tells thee That thou art in a passing State but let it rejoice thee to think that thou goest to thy Fathers and be comforted in this hope thou shalt be buried in a good old Age therefore let it not trouble thee to live nor affright thee to Dye but live in Patience and dye in Desire though thou dost here for a while bewail thy Sorrow thou wilt at length forget thy Banishment and return to thy own Country XI Thirdly to express what thou art what Language can that unfold Dust and Air this thou knowest and to Dust thou shalt return that is certain Man is a sickly diseased empty thing and every Man shall be turned into nothing This none can plead ignorance in for our Metal is a moist Humour and the Mould no better in an unclean Womb condemned sooner than born that 's our condition our best Stock is the Seed of Abraham and with Job we say to Corruption thou art our Mother and to the Worms thou art our Brethren and Sisters these are our great Kindred our dwelling is amongst Insects our quantity vile our weight lighther then Vanity our worth nothing What then is our being a Dream and Sorrow XII Fourthly Consider what thou shalt be thou knowest what thou art and therefore dost know thy self not to be but yet thou dost desire both to be and to know what thou art for to see God and to live with him is to enjoy him and this is eternal Safety and secure Eternity this may be admired though hardly understood yet better understood then can be expressed therefore to thy Soul say O Soul that art ennobled with the Image of God adorned with his likeness espouto him by Faith redeemed by his Blood endowed with his Spirit ranked with his Angels What hast thou to do with Flesh but to contemplate on that brightness that sweetness and pleasure which remaineth for thee in that Vision where thou shalt behold Christ Face to Face for evermore THE TABLE THe Introduction Page 1 Chap. I. Several Notions of Death what it is its Author Name and Nature 6 Chap. II. That Death hath no respect of Persons but we are continual dying whilst we live 10 Chap. III. The Certainty of Death Practically Considered 14 Chap. IV. Several Motives to remember Death Practically Considered 17 Chap. V. Of Sin the means of Death of Sickness Youth and Old Age. 26 Chap. VI. Several forerunners of Death which may Warn Men to prepare for it Practically Considered 37 Chap. VII Of the Separation of Soul and Body with other Memorials of Mortality Practically Considered 46 Chap. VIII Eternal Life Described and Practically Considered 57. Chap. IX The Christian's Map of the World wherein the Vanity of it is shown in the shortness of Man's Life and that this World is not a Place of long Continuance Considered Practically 68 Chap. X. That Man himself is Frail and is no Continuing City or has any Duration here Practically Considered and Emblematically Discussed 78 Chap. XI That there is nothing in this World Worthy of taking off our Affections from Heavenly things Practically Considered 89 Chap. XII Several Instrumental means to be used in the seeking and attaining of a Heavenly Kingdom Practically Considered 101 Chap. XIII A Prospect of the Heavenly Jerusalem which we are to seek Practically Considered 113 The Second Branch How to Fortifie our Selves against the Fears of Death CHap. I. That if we dedicate our Lives to Christ the Advantage of Death will be to our Selves 125 Chap. II. Of the Fears of Death and how to Fortifie our Selves against them Practically Considered 136 The Third Branch CHap. I. Containing Spiritual Remedies against Immoderate Grief for the Loss of Relations and Friends Practically Considered 150 The Close 160 FINIS