Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sin_n	gift_n	life_n	wage_n	3,267	5	10.5376	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A72164	The conquest of temptations, or Mans victory over Satan especially, the great assaults, at the agony of death, full of very strong and effectuall consolations, to sustaine and comfort the weakest heart, in the greatest conflicts which can befall a Christian in the vvhole course of of life, and approach of death / gathered by the holy and deuout labour of Iohn Gerard, doctor of diuinitie, and superintendent of Heldburge ; newly Englished by Rich. Bruch, minister of Gods word.	Gerhard, Johann, 1582-1637.; Bruch, Richard, minister of Gods word.	1614 (1614)	STC 11767.5; ESTC S5215	71,686	143

hath oppressed mee I haue receiued the sentence of death in my selfe I see that I must leaue this life then which nothing is more sweet I must leaue this world then which nothing is more pleasant I must leaue this house of my body then which nothing is more deare The Comforter THou wert created of God not for this wretched and momentany Sap. 2.23 but for a blessed and eternall life for God framed the first Parent of our kinde in corruption to immortalitie neither wert thou redéemed of Iesus Christ for this fraile and miserable but for that perpetuall and most happy life which is to be expected in the heauens seeing it is a certaine and indubitate saying 1 Tim. 1.15 that Iesus Christ came into the world that he might saue sinners neither wert thou called of the holy Ghost through the word to the kingdome of Christ for the most short vse of this light but that hereafter thou mightest passe out of the kingdome of grace into the kingdome of glory out of the Church militant to the Church triumphant out of the valley of teares into the field of ioyes for if in this life only we beléeue hope on Christ wee are the most miserable of all men 1 Cor. 15.19 Wherefore when thou séest that thou art to be led through the gate of death to that life for which thou wert created of the Father for which thou wert redéemed of the Sonne for which liues sake thou wert sanctified of the Spirit doe not I pray thée despise the friendly counsell of God against thy selfe Luke 7.30 but most readily obay and follow God that calls thée II. Of the three-forked Mace of death The tempted THe thought of death doth terrifie mee the terrible shape of that enemy doth vexe my soule 1 Cor. 15.55 hee shewes mee his sting which is sinne he threatens mee with his cruell three-forked Mace while he casts before mine eyes and my heart the wrath of God the accusation of the Law Rom. 6.23 and the hainousnesse of my sinnes seeing death is the wages of sinne and through sinne death hath entred into mee Rom. 5.18 as it hath done also into the whole world The Comforter BVt I admonish thée that being seriously and from the bottome of thy heart contrite for the sinnes that thou hast committed thou behold him which was dead for thée on the Altar of the Crosse that thou mightest not be subiect to eternal death Turne thine eyes away from the outward shape of death and turne them to Christ Heb. 2.14.15 which by his death hath destroyed him which had the power of death that is the Deuill and hath deliuered vs which through the feare of death were all our life subiect to bondage Hose 13.14 Ioh. 11.25 hee is death to our death he is a sting to that Hell which wée haue deserued he is the resurrection and the life he that beléeueth on him vers 26. although he were dead yet hee shall liue and euery one that liueth and beléeueth in him 1 Cor. 15.22 shall not dye for euer Therefore as in Adam that is for sinne deriued out of Adam into vs and for actual sinnes heaped vpon this all of vs are subiect vnto death and are constrained at the last to dye so also in Christ the Captaine of life and the Conquerour of death wee are all quickened by faith that which also our Captaine of life confirmeth with a graue and serious oath Verely verely I say vnto you Iohn 5.24 hee which heareth my word and beleeueth on him that sent mee hath eternall life and commeth not into iudgement but hath passed from death to life Ioh. 8.51 And againe Verely verely I say vnto you If any man shall keepe my word hee shall not see death for euer Beléeue Christ therfore Iohn 14.6 which is the truth beléeue him promising beléeue him swearing Heauen and Earth shall passe away Luk. 21.33 but the words of Christ shall not passe away III. The vexation of Sinne. The Tempted THE remembrance of my sinnes doth come into my minde for I was not onely begotten Psa 51.7 conceiued and borne in sinne but I haue increased this summe of originall and hereditary debt with diuers debts of manifold and most grieuous sinnes through the course of my whole life how therefore can I hope that God will be fauourable vnto me whom I haue so often offended How can I perceiue any comfort in death seeing death is the wages due to my sinnes and to those that are not reconciled to God the beginning of the second and eternall death The Comforter BEhold Christ hanging on the altar of the Crosse and powring out for thy sinnes the price of thy redemption that is his precious bloud 1 Ioh. 1.8 The bloud of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God doth cleanse thée from all sinnes 2 Ioh. 2.2 he is the propitiation for thy sinnes and for the sinnes of the whole world for neither came he into the world for that end that he would be ministred vnto but that he might minister to others and giue his soule a redemption and price for the sinnes of many And lest there should arise or remaine any doubt in thée of this matter therefore from heauen which is the Throne of truth by an Angell which is a Spirit of truth that name of Iesus most swéet and most full of consolation was brought and giuen to this our Mediatour before he was conceiued in the wombe and what other thing is Iesus then a Sauiour Luk. 2.31 for therefore this name was giuen to Christ because hee saues his people from their sinnes Mat. 1.21 This is that Lambe of God which takes away the sinnes of the world Ioh. 1.29 This is that Iesus Christ which therefore came into the world that he might saue sinners This is the high Priest of the new Testament 1 Tim. 1.15 Ephes 5.2 which hath deliuered himselfe for our sins to be an offering and a sacrifice of a swéet smelling sauour vnto God It is Christ which hath powred out his owne bloud for the remission of sinnes Mat. 26.28 1 Pet. 2.24 which hath borne our sinnes in his body on the wood which was wounded for our iniquities and was broken for our sinnes Esa 53.5 God hath laid vpon him and as it were by a troupe made he hath made to fall vpon him the iniquities of vs all Him that hath not knowne sinne God hath made sinne for vs that is 2 Cor. 5.21 he hath imputed our sinnes to him he hath layd vpon him the punishment of our sins he hath made him a sacrifice for our sins neither hath Christ resisted this counsell and decrée of his heauenly Father but hath fulfilled his will with a most ready minde Psal 40.9 and loued vs and hath deliuered himselfe for our sinnes Gal. 1.10.4 Can. 2.20 hee hath loued vs and hath deliuered

those which beléeue on his name This adoption comprehendeth all things which are necessarie for vs to euerlasting saluation for if we be the Sonnes of God then are we also borne of God Tertul. in apolo c. 17. For not the carnall generation but the spirituall regeneration makes the Sonnes of God If we are the Sonnes of God then haue we also God fauourable vnto vs. For doth not a Father take pittie of his Sonnes Psa 103.13 If we are the Sonnes of God then hath he also giuen vs his spirit for so saith the Apostle They which are lead by the spirit of God these are the Sons of God Rom. 8.14 15. for ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare but ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption in which we cry Abba Father And againe Gal. 4.6 Because you are Sonnes God hath sent the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father To conclude Rom. 8.13 if we are the Sonnes of GOD then are we also heires heires of GOD and heires annexed with Iesus Christ for who is he that is truly a Son without an inheritance All these so pretious so copious and so various benefits are bestowed vpon vs in Christ Eph. 3.17 and through Christ which dwels in our harts and is borne in vs spiritually through faith which therefore the Scripture doth so often preach and commend vnto vs. Verily verily Ioh. 5.24 I say vnto you saith Christ he which heareth my word and beleeues on him that hath sent mee hath eternall life and comes not unto iudgement but hath past from death to life Hee that beleeueth in mee Ioh. 11.25 26. although he were dead yet shall he liue and euery one which liueth and beleeueth in me shall not dye for euer Ioh 7.36.39 Hee that beleeueth in me out of his belly shall flow Riuers of liuing water which our Sauiour speakes of the spirit which they receiue that beleeue on him Euery one that beleeueth in mee Ioh. 12.46 doth not abide in darknesse suppose it in the darknesse of ignorance in the darknesse of sinne in the darknesse of eternall death but by the light of faith hee is lead to the life of sauing knowledge to the light of true righteousnesse to the light of euerlasting life Nay the Apostle witnesseth plainely that all those things which are written in the Gospel of the sayings doings and sufferings of Christ are therefore written that by faith on his name wee may haue life Because God hath giuen vnto vs eternall life 1 Ioh. 5.11 12.13 and this life is in his Sonne Hee that hath the Sonne hath life from thence we know that we haue euerlasting life because wee beleeue on the name of the Sonne of God And not onely the Apostles and Euangelists but also all the Prophets giue testimonie to Christ That all that beleeue o● him Act. 10.43 receiue remission of sinnes through by name That therefore which Paul and Silas sometimes said to the keeper of the prison at Philippi the same say I to thée Beleeue on the Lord Iesus Act. 16.31 and thou shalt be saued VI. The false perswasion of Faith The Tempted BVt I haue heretofore perceiued that very many doe put on a vaine perswasion of Faith and deceiue themselues with a false boasting what if I should also be in the number of them from whence may I be assured that my saith is a true and sauing faith and not a vaine and dead Image of faith The Comforter TRy and examine thy selfe whether thou be in the faith try thine owne selfe 2 Cor. 13.5 doest thou not know thine owne selfe that Iesus Christ is in thée There want not firme and infallible instructions by which ●rue and sauing faith may be tried knowne and discerned from idle and vaine boast●ng of faith First then this is the nature of true faith that it purifies the heart Act. 15.9 and desires to purge it cleane from the dregs of sinns For s●●ing that faith doth carefully séeke and desire remission of sinnes surely he that truly beléeues shall féele a serious sorrow for the sinnes that he hath committed The Gospell is preached to the poore that is to say Matth. 11.6 Matth. 5.6 to those that are poore in spirit which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse which bring and offer to God a contrite heart and an humbled spirit Behold therefore the looking glasse of the Law and the deformitie of thy crimes will appeare Behold the shining face of Moses and it will appeare that for the workes of darknesse which thou hast followed thou canst not beare that light Behold thy selfe how grieuously the disease hath afflicted thée which is the iust punishment of thy sinnes the scourge of the reuenging God and the wages due to thy life which hath béene spent in sinnes He which sinnes against his Creator Eccl 38.5 fals into the hands of the Physitian We haue lost our health because wée haue offended our Creatour They which follow the flesh are scourged in the flesh They sigh in that in which they haue sinned The censure of the punishment is in that in which was the cause of shine By how many thoughts by how many words by how many déedes hast thou offended God How faint host thou béene aboue all things in the feare and loue of God How slacke in Prayers and other exercises of pietie How barren in good workes How oft hast thou followed the perswasion of Satan the seducing of the flesh the deceiuing of the world Those members which thou hast oftentimes giuen as weapons to iniquitie and vnrighteousnesse by the iust iudgement of GOD are now tormented with griefe and infirmitie Acknowledge this and grieue for if there be true and serious acknowledgement of sinne in thy heart immediately griefe of consciences and detestation of sinne will follow it God is earnestly angry with sinnes therefore out of the féeling of the wrath of God earnestly bewaile thy sinnes GOD doth seuerely punish sinnes therefore punish in thy selfe by iust griefe that which thou doest obserue that thou hast committed against God Psa 119.137 Acknowledge the iudgement of God to be iust and be thou humbled vnder his mighty hand Neither haue respect onely to thy outward faults but acknowledge the contagion of originall sin the fountaine of all euils Psa 90.9 that indéede is hidden but God placeth it in the light of his countenance through it all the powers of soule and body are so weakened that out of thy selfe and by thy selfe thou canst beginne no good much lesse performe it through it thou art made subiect vnto death and to all that troupe of calamities miseries and diseases which goes before death VII Griefe insufficient The Tempted I Acknowledge and feele that I am not only borne and conceiued in sinnes but that I haue offended God by diuers manifolde and great sinnes I feele this and I earnestly grieue but

opened vnto vs. As in the baptisme of Christ the holy Ghost descended vpon him in the shape of a Doue so the holy Ghost is present in our baptisme and workes therein effectually our regeneration and renouation so that by this reason in Baptisme doe concurre the grace of the Father adopting the merit of the Sonne clensing and the efficacie of the holy Ghost regenerating Therefore if thou art baptized thou mayst not doubt of the grace of God the remission of sins and the promise of eternall saluation so thou continue in that faith which there thou didst professe Baptisme is the Lauer of regeneration where there is regeneration there is the remission of sinnes there is the grace of God there is perfect iustice there is renuing there is the gift of the holy Ghost there is adoption there is the inheritance of eternall life XV The falling out of the Couenant of Baptisme The Tempted I Beleeue indeed that I am receiued into the couenant of Gods grace by the Sacrament of Baptisme that I haue attained remission of my sinnes and am written in the Booke of life but by my sinnes I haue againe fallen out of the grace of this Couenant by committing offences againe I haue made the remission past of none effect and haue often deserued that I should be blotted out of the Booke of life The Comforter NAy the Couenant of GOD is an euerlasting couenant Gen. 17.13.1 Col. 2.11 to which after thy sinnes thou mayest againe betake thy selfe by true and earnest repentance For euen as God speakes of the Sacrament of circumcision that it is an eternall couenant so let vs not doubt but that God will enter into and stablish with vs an euerlasting couenant in baptisme which hath succeeded in the place of circumcision I will marry thee vnto mee for euer sayth he by the Prophet Hose 2.19 I will mary thee vnto mee in righteousnes and iudgement in mercy and in compassion I will marry thee vnto me in faith The hils shall be moued Esa 54.10 and the valleyes shall tremble but my mercy shall not depart from thee and the couenant of my peace shall not be moued saith thy Lord that taketh pitty God forbid therefore God forbid Rom. 3.3 that we say that the faith of God can be made of none effect by the incredulitie of men If we doe neuer so much take away credit from his words or depart from him 2 Tim. 2.13 hée remaineth faithfull alwayes like himselfe true and constant he cannot deny himselfe Therefore though thou sometime sinne out of thine inbred infirmitie thou doest not forthwith fall out of the couenant of God Indéed by sinnes committed against knowledge and conscience thou dost grieuously prouoke GOD against thée and make him to be sometimes angry but by true repentance thou returnest againe into his grace and fauour The ship of Baptisme doth not floate away from vs Secunda post naufragium tabulu although wee leape out of it into the Sea of sinnes therefore by repentance which in this sence may be called a second planke after shipwracke wee may returne againe to the same shippe of baptisme that in it wée may bee brought to the hauen of euerlasting saluation Hier. in ca. 3. Esa ver 9. Tertu lib. de poenit p. 479. Therefore imbrace repentance as hée that is shipwracke the helpe of some boord or plancke this will lift thée vp being ouerwhelmed with the waues of thy sins will bring thée into the hauen of the clemency of God Peter had denied his Master 1 Pet. 3.21 but being conuerted he doth neuerthelesse seeke the promise of saluation in baptisme The Galathians had fallen grieuously and likewise the Corinthians notwithstanding the Apostle doth set before them consolation deriued out of Baptisme after that they were againe raised vp by repentance Gal. 3.17 pronouncing as many of them as were baptized to haue put on Christ nay manifestly affirming that they were clensed and baptized in one spirit into one body that is to say a misticall body Out of which it euidently appeareth that the efficacy of the couenant of Baptisme doth extend it self to the time to come neither is it made plainely of no force and abolisht by the fall of man into sinne but that that couenant abides lastingly firme August 1. de nupt concupis cap. 33. and ratified of the part of God That therefore which Paul saith that Christ did clense the Church in the Lauer of water in the word is so to be taken that by the same Lauer of regeneration and word of sanctification all the euils of regenerate men are altogether clensed and healed not onely the sinnes past all which are remitted in Baptisme but also those which are afterwards contracted by humane ignorance or infirmitie not that baptisme so often as men sinne may so often be repeated but because by that which is once giuen the pardon of what soeuer sinnes is obtained for the faithfull not only before but also afterwards vpon their true and vnfained repentance Acknowledge therefore and bewaile thy sinnes yet neyther deny the couenant of grace that was begunne with thée in baptisme nor forget it but though thou fall a thousand times yet returne and goe backe Returne vnto mee Ier. 3.12 O thou soule that art turned away saith the LORD and I will not turne away my face from you Psal 27.8 because I am mercifull sayth the LORD and I will not be angry for euer Let thy heart set this word before GOD 2 Tim. 2.13 and hée will take pitty vpon thée being mindfull of his promise for hée cannot deny himselfe and his word XVI Vncertaine taking into the Couenant of Baptisme The tempted BVT whence may I bee ascertained that after I haue fallen by true repentance I may be receiued againe of God into fauour I would to God my heart might be confirmed by some certaine seale I would there were some Sacrament by the participation whereof that promise of grace might be sealed vp vnto mee The Comforter YEa there is such a Sacrament that is to say the most holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper in which Christ giues vnto thée his most precious body and blood Wherefore when they receiuest the most holy price of thy redemption that is to say the body and bloud of Christ in that holy supper thou mayest be sure that thou art made truly partaker of all those things which Christ hath deserued on the altar of the Crosse by the deliuering vp of his body and powring out of his bloud that is the fauour of God remission of sinnes righteousnesse life and euerlasting saluation When thou drinkest that bloud by the pouring out whereof the couenant of grace was stricken and confirmed how canst thou doubt whether thou be againe receiued into that couenant and into the fauour of God What is more néere vnto God then his onely begotten Sonne as who is in his bosome Ioh.

1.18 which is in the Father and the Father in him which is one with the Father Againe what is more néere to the Sonne of God Ioh. 14.10 then flesh and bloud or the humane nature which hee hath assumed Ioh. 10.30 as which he hath coupled to himselfe in a personall and indissoluble league Therefore by eating the flesh of Christ and drinking his bloud thou art ioyned most straightly vnto God These things being taken taken down Hilar. 8. de Trin. p. 141. make that Christ abides in thée and thou in Christ What is more néere vnto vs then that which wee eate and drinke as which is eyther conuerted into the substance of our flesh as natural and elementall meates or else doth change and conuert vs into it as that spiritual food of the body and blood of the Lord which we eate indéed but we doe not change it into our substance but wee are changed into it Therefore by eating the quickening flesh of Christ thou receiuest spirituall life from the same by drinking the precious bloud of Christ thou comest to the Fountaine of life Christ hath taken vpon him the humane nature of vs in it he hath condemned sin he hath destroyed death hee hath repaired life and hath filled the same with the fulnesse of grace and heauenly good things the same nature taken from vs and repaired in himselfe sanctified and filled with heauenly treasures hee sets before thée againe in the holy Supper that thou mayst be ascertained that those things doe truly pertaine vnto thée which hee hath layd downe into the same as it were into a certaine rich storehouse he doth as it were ingraft thy wretched and depraued nature into his most holy and quickening flesh that out of it thou mayest draw the iuyce of life and an antidote of the spirituall poyson that lyes hidden in thy flesh He is the Vine we are the braunches hee that abides in him I●hn 15.5 and he in whom he abides this man brings forth much fruit The vncleannnesse of thy nature is shadowed and couered by that most holy body of Christ which thou receiuest and by that most precious bloud which thou drinkest least it appeare before the tribunall and in the sight of God Liturg. vtter Damas 4. fid Orthod cap. 14. Therefore thou receiuest the flesh and bloud of Christ for an apology that will easily be admitted and the earnest of eternall life to the sustaining kéeping of the body and the soule to the forgiuenesse of sinnes and to life euerlasting Nay in the holy Supper is giuen thée a certaine holesome prouision for thy iourney séeing the tokens of the future resurrection are exhibited vnto thée Can. Nicen. by which the right of acquaintance and hospitalitie which is to be expected in the heauenly countrey is confirmed vnto thée Iohn 6.54 He which eateth my flesh saith Christ and drinkes my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him vp againe in the last day It cannot therefore come to passe I say that thy body should abide in the graue séeing it is nourished with the body and bloud of our Lord that is to say with that food which is the medicine of immortality the antidote that wée should not dye but liue in God through Christ the purgation that driues away all euill By this foode thy weakenesse shall be comforted that thou mayest come through with Elias 2 Reg. 13.21 to the hill of the Lord. The bones of Elizeus yea euen when he was dead did giue life by how much more the flesh of Christ liuing and quickening receiued by faith shall quicken thee to euerlasting life XVII The vnworthy vse of the holy Supper The Tempted I Acknowledge that in the true and wholesome vse of the holy supper the godly are made partakers of these benefits but it doth not a little trouble mee that the Apostle doth affirme that they which eate this bread vnworthily 1 Cor. 11.27 and drinke this cup of the Lord vnworthily are made guiltie of the body and bloud of the Lord. I feare therefore lest that I be an vnworthy guest of this heauenly banquet The Comforter BY acknowledging and bewailing of thine vnworthines thou mayest escape the spot and imputation of an vnworthy guest for the Apostle calles vnworthy not those which are weake in faith wheras this sacrament was instituted for the confirmation of faith comfort of the weake but those which doe not proue themselues neither do discerne the Lords body that is which come to this holy Supper 1 Cor. 11.28.29 as it were to a common banquet without true repentance and liuely faith without the hatred of sinne and a serious and earnest purpose of amendement of life which doe not discerne this heauenly banquet from other common foode that they may acknowledge the true excellency thereof and vse due preparation of the hart thereunto Such vnworthy guests of this banquet do nothing lesse sin in eating and drinking vnworthily the flesh and bloud of Christ then the Iewes in crucifying Christ But farre be it from thy pietie farre be it I say that thou shouldest be in the number of them Chrysost in 1 Cor. 11. Thou doest acknowledge also the spots of thy sinnes thou doest bewaile the vncleanenesse of thy nature thou sighest vnto Christ the Physitian of thy soule that he prepare a sit lodging for himselfe in thy heart thou weighest the greatnesse of those things which are present and set before thée in the holy Supper and considerest the amplenesse of the heauenly gift thou hungrest and thirstest after righteousnesse Mat. 5.6 therefore also thou shalt bee filled the sinnes shall not hurt thée Luk. 15.20 which doe not please thée thou makest haste with teares to thy heauenly Father thou bewailest thy sinnes and desirest that the hunger of thy soule may be refreshed with his heauenly foode that most kinde Father vers 22. doubt not will méete thée hee will kisse and receiue thée with ioy he will giue vnto thée the first long garment of innocency he will cloath thée with the garments of saluation hée will giue thée a ring on thy hand hée will seale thée with his holy spirit hée will giue thée shooes for thy féet he will direct thée in the way of peace and righteousnesse hée will fil thée with the flesh of that sacrifice which was slaine on the altar of the Crosse vers 23. and was offered vnto him for a swéet smelling sauour Lay aside therefore all feare of vnworthy eating he which is most vnworthy in his owne eyes hee is accepted before God hée that displeaseth himselfe pleaseth God hee that is cast downe in himselfe in true contrition of heart hée againe is raised vp by the most louing hand of God XVIII The weakenesse of Faith The Tempted FAITH is altogether required to the wholesome vse of the Supper and fruit of the promises of the Gospell seeing the hand of the

precious habitation for thy soule 1 Cor. 15.42 Vers 43. Vers 44. It is sowen in corruption it riseth againe in incorruption It is sowen in dishonour it shall rise againe in glory It is sowen in weaknesse it shall rise againe in power It is sowen a naturall body it shall ris● againe a spirituall body Therefore commend humbly and readily thy soule created of God redéemed of his Son and made the habitation of the holy Ghost into the faithfull hands of God as it were a certaine pledge saying with Dauid and Stephen nay rather with Christ thy head Into thy hands I commend my spirit Psa 31.6 Act. 7.59 Luk. 23.46 thou hast redeemed mee O God of truth Note this also that in the very agonie of death thou mayest most surely promise to thy selfe the presence and helpe of God for séeing thou doest embrace Christ thy Mediatour with a true faith being most certainely perswaded that with his death he hath ouercome thine and hath restored vnto thée righteousnesse and immortall life by his resurrection Rom. 5.1 therefore iustified by this faith thou hast peace with God and thou mayest be raised vp in the midst of death by the helpe of thy heauenly Father Iob. 13.15 Psa 91.15 that thou mayest say with Iob Although the Lord shall kill me yet will I trust in him I am with him in trouble saith the Lord I will deliuer him and I will glorifie him with length of dayes will I fill him and shew him my saluation Rom. 8.39 From this loue of God neither life nor death neither any creature shall be able to separate or to pull thee away séeing it is in Iesus Christ which is a king eternall and our Sauiour for euer The accusation of the law makes the shape of death terrible that I say and the deformitie of sinne 1 Cor. 15.55 and the tentation of being euerlastingly cast away séeing the sting of death is sinne the strength of sinne is the law but call to thy memory the consolation which is before opposed to these monsters and all that outward hope of death terrible to be beheld will vanish and will be changed into a most pleasant sléepe XXXIIII The sting of Death The Tempted BY sinne death hath entred into the world and is the due wages of sinne how therefore should I not be sore afraid of death The Comforter TRuly death in it selfe and by it selfe is the wages of sinne and the reuenging scourge of the angry God but to those that beléeue in Christ it is changed into a most swéet sléepe For although the regenerate and those that beléeue in Christ doe as yet carry about the reliques of sinne in their flesh from whence also their body is dead Rom. 8.10 that is to say subiect to death for the sinne that dwels in it yet the spirit is life for righteousnesse that is because they are iustified from sins by true saith in Christ and resist the lusts of the flesh through the spirit therefore that sinne which yet remaines in the flesh is not imputed vnto them Gregor Nyssen in orat de mort but is couered with the shadow of the grace of God therefore by death the true and spiritual life of the soule doth not dye in them but doth rather beginne to which death is constrained as it were to doe the office of a Midwife Thence flow those most swéet appellations by which the holy Ghost which is the spirit of truth doth describe the death of the godly for they which before the eyes of fooles doe séeme and of them are sayd to dye the holy Ghost sayth Gen. 25.8 Cap. 35.29 Cap. 49.33 Tertull. lib. de patient p. 12. Cyprian de mortal p. ●●4 Chry. hom 45. in Gen. Col. 375. Hilar in Psal 140. Ambr. de boum ort cap. 10. 2 Pet. 1.15 that they are gathered or congregated to their people that is to the company of the blessed and triumphing Church in Heauen to come to those which haue deceased before them in the true faith or rather haue gone before them It is but the taking of a iourney which we thinke to be death it is not an end but a passage it is not so much an emigration as a transmigration from worse things to better a taking away of the soule and a most blessed carrying of it from place to place not an abolishing for the soule is taken away and transposed into a place of rest it is not kild vp It is a passage and ascension to the true life It is an outgoing because by it the godly passe out of the slauery of sinne to true libertie euen as heretofore the Israelites out of the bondage of Egypt into the promised Land Ioh. 5 24. Esa 57.2 The godly are said by death to come to peace and to rest in their chambers that is because they come out of that daily warfare vpon earth to a place of peace out of the most troublesome sea of this life to the hauen out of the most laborious prison of this life to a place of rest Phil. 1.23 they are said to be loosed to come to Christ séeing they are led out of the Inne of this present life to the heauenly Countrie and out of the dregs of wicked men to the most blessed societie of Christ in Heauen they are loosed by death out of the bands of the body for euen as the Cattell when they haue discharged the labours of the whole day at last about the euening are set frée and euen as they which are bound in prison are loosed of their fetters so the godly are ledde forth by death from the sayd yoake of the labours and sorrowes of this life and out of the filthy prison of sinne Heb. 11.5 2 Cor. 5.8 and by a most swéet translation are carried to a better life They are sayd to go forth of the land of their pilgrimage by the dissolution of the tabernacle of their body and to be present with the Lord and that because they come out of the ruinous habitation of the world to the heauenly pallace out of an house of clay to a citty made without hands eternall in the heauens out of the tabernacle of an earthly body to the heauenly Ierusalem and the most blessed society of Christ abiding therein It is his property therefore to feare death which would not goe to Christ Cypr. seru● demortal pa. 208. It is his property not to be willing to goe to Christ which doth not beléeue to beginne to raigne with Christ They are sayd to rest from their labours for not the man but the misery of a godly man dieth If this life be full of burden Caeciliae vox Ambros de bono mortis cap. 2. 1 Cor. 15.38 then the end is the ease therof but death is a good ease but death is an end death therfore is good They are sayd to be sowed into the earth or field of the