Selected quad for the lemma: state_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
state_n	body_n	death_n	separation_n	1,072	5	10.0139	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B05977	The map of the little world, illuminated with religion being a practical treatise, directing man to a religious scope, and right measure, in all the periods of his life; with devotion suitable. To which is added an appendix, containing a gospel ministers legacie, in some sermons, upon 2 Pet. 1. 12, &c. / By Patrick Strachan minister of the gospel at St. Vigeans.	Strachan, Patrick, fl. 1693.	1693 (1693)	Wing S5775A; ESTC R184656	117,746	314

a Requiem while perhaps immediatly their Soul may be taken from them Some put off the day of Death and many run to another extream and hasten their Death by sensuality and look upon it as fatality and so grow careless Some are so swelled with the World that they can not here mement● fili but the old World Sodom Belshazer the Rich Glutton Her●● Annanias and Saphira and others are Beaco● to thee to guard against precipices a●● learn thee to be considerate practically t● think upon thy latter End And yet further this practical knowledg● of Death is very useful to advance practical Religion 1 st Guarding against security and surprise 2ly Stirring up men to plie their work in time well 3ly To dissarm of its Sting and dreadour 4ly To prepare us for our decease Fitst This practical knowledge of Death saves us from the greatest of evils and that is security and surprise in a matter of such a consequence as passing to our final Doom Security is the great Temptation And it produceth most dierful effects as the Old World and Wordly men set forth by Christ in the case of Dives doth declare It layes the hold open to the enemy and takes the man off the Stage of time ere he hath done any good in it Sudden destruction follows such as cry Peace It hath made tall Cedars fall But to be awake and to be armed let 〈◊〉 not fix our Repose upon Earth whe● it cannot be had for the Voice 〈◊〉 GOD sayeth Arise this is not thy R●● And to be thus prepared delivers us fro● the dreadour of Death For how dreadful is Death to the Man at ease said th● son of Sirah 2ly The practical knowledge of Death cannot but make any Serious Man to plye his Work in time it will not suffer him to delay and put off Our Life is but a Vapour and very uncertain and therefore we should do our Work now or never we should neither boast of to morrow nor putt of till to morrow but do the Work of the Day Accidents and Incident troubles and diseases may soon lay us by by the blast of the Wrath of GOD For all men are but Grass c. Isa 40. 6. 3ly To dissarm Death of its sting and dreadour the most of men live under the bondage of the fear of Death the most of their time And certainly to have the practical knowledge of it would make the consideration of Death to be easie and familiar to us When we can say with Job I know that thou will bring me to death And Death gathers a great and venomous sting if we labour not to re● move sin and interest our selves in the Death of Christ and then we may triumph with St. Paul O death where is thy ●ting 4ly This practical Knowledge serves to prepare us for our death and to make us ready to render up our Soul that we may expire in the Arms of Christ and with old Simeon have Christ in our Arms and therefore desire to depart in Peace And this practical Knowledge serves much to make us lead a good Life which is the only way to a happy Death Let this then learn all Christians especially Gospel Ministers to study this practical Knowledge of Death App which made St. Chrysostome say Offeramus DEO voluntarie quod ●ro debito debemur reddere give that freely to GOD which we owe in Debt to Him Ministers of the Gospel should be mortified their Life should preach Mortification they have a great account to make at Death and therefore by their Well doing should undo it There are no men who have more need of Wisdom than they and it is the greatest Wisdom to consider our Latter End 2ly The favourable Representations the Apostle here gives of Death a putti●● off or laying down this Tabernacle Where observe That Death is not dreadful to the Godly Natu●● Doct 2d may shrink but Faith preva●●● Death is but a long sleep the Grave a do●● mitory it is but a taking up of our Tent and a passing to our Fathers House leaveing our Pilgrimage to possess our Inheritance Death is very kindly to a well resolved Christian it puts our Body in a Chamber gives us a Covert from the storm Isa 26. 20. In which state of Separation we have no more sense to feel than the Dust we ly amongst the irksomeness is only in our Apprehension It is the common fate of all Mortals We cannot tell how we did grow in the Womb much less how we shall rot in the Grave The Body was an Instrument of sin it must be corrupted and in a manner refined in the Grave to rise incorruptible at the Resurrection Let us then pay the debt of nature freely willingly and with a sort of Holy Faith concur with GOD and lay down our Tabernacle with Joy and render up our Soul with Delight that having our Work done and our Loi●s girt up we may mo●nt Nebo with Moses and flee to Heaven with Elijah 3dly Come I now to consider how the Lord did show this Apostle of his Death Some makes this refer to the time of his Death some to the manner of it as John 21. 16. Thou shalt follow me hereafter c. saith Christ to him I shall not be very positive in determining providing that this one general be observed that the Term of our Life is uncertain we know we must die but when how or where is only known to God there is no Oracle but that of God which can clear us and Horoscops as they are too daring in medling with the secret things of God as they are dangerous so are they frequently ●a●al and leaves the Curious Enquirer as Wise as he was Yet it may be observed That some Favorites have much more of Doct. 3d. GODS Mind in this matter than the generality of Men. We find Moses and A●r●n and the famous 〈…〉 the●● Pass from their Master and did ly down and die and the Sons of the Prophets knew and said to Elisha Knowest thou not that God will take away thy Master this day And God doth wonderfully insin●ate his Will in this by Dreams and Visions in th● Night O then labour to do thy work and then thou has no more adoe but to die Die daily and this will fit thee for thy da●● and since thou knows not the hour wat●● till thou get thy dying Call Sermon V. Of the Endeavours Faithful Ministers have to make their Labours useful to People after their Decease and to fix such Monuments as may serve after Generations● Ver. 15. Moreover c. O Fall the Offices and Works in the World the Work of the Ministry is most for Eternity it 's all Divine it came from Heaven and tends thither so that a Gospel Minister according to his Measure may say with St. Paul I received it not from Man It 's the Eternal Word which they Preach the Sonls to whom they Preach are Immortal and the Result of

have no excuse to neglect Religion in thy most busie Employment It will be good also that thou be a keeper at home and be not like a Bird that wanders from his Nest Let no sinful diversion especially the Tavern take thee away from thy Trade And if thou enclines to Religion follow not the guise of the Times be not carryed about with every wind of Doctrine Rather follow the Faith of the Orderly Church For it is very dangerous for love to a Sect to cutt the Church and break the Staves of Beauty For as long as thou reels with this giddy humour thou canst not well fix in a solid course of Religion And Lastly Beware of Discord and Division in thy family For 〈◊〉 consumes the Substance thereof mak●● many careless and desperate is an En●●my to all th●i●t For A house divi●● cannot stand § 7. And for the management b●● of thy conjugal Relation and calling●● must here in the beginning of thy sett●●ment Recommend unto thee dom●●tick devotion and ●amily worship a du●● that none of the seed of Jacob should ●●cline it being their Fathers practice wh●● house was a Bethel to GOD a little Te●●ple for the LORD of Glory who h●● this duty brought down to him from 〈◊〉 famous Grandfather Faithful Abrah●● who is commended for the Religious G●●vernment of his Family whose steps 〈◊〉 sau treased a man much of Contemp●●tion at home And thô Jacob h●● Greater incumbrance and a more nu●●erous family Yet his house as well 〈◊〉 person was consecrated to GOD. a●● not only the Jews but also Christia●● should follow the Steps of these Vener●● Patriarchs to be lively portractures of th●● vertues as Images of their nature A●● this duty is so proper to the family th●● before the Church was enlarged 〈◊〉 Master or Father of the House was ●●iest and did officiate in the dayly S●●●ifice at home And when the Church 〈◊〉 made more ample it is constitute of ●amilies which if Heterogenius to the ●ody they are but useless and corrupt ●embers Whereas the Families of the Faithful are blessed of GOD And His ●rath power'd out upon such families as all not upon His Name Jer 10. 25. Joshua that great Cap●ain of the LORDS ●ost did not suffer his military Affairs 〈◊〉 hinder him and his House to serve GOD tho all Israel should neglect it David after him in the midst of a Bloom●●g State under the burthen of a Crown and Countrey Yet walked Righteously in his House And every Tribe Family is called to pray and mourn a part Zech 12. 13. And the Gospel hath set up this Duty clearly Christ hath promised to be among the midst of two or three conveened in his Name And we read of the Church being in particular Houses and the Centurion feared GOD with all his House Acts 10 2. And Christ hath made 〈◊〉 a Royal Priesthood and a Holy Generation And this doth rather prepare for than invade a setled order of a Priesthood Private and Publick duty doth not interfere and Clash Thou must not only pray for thy Family but pray in thy Family Is the LORD the GOD of all the Familys of the Earth and not of thine Shalt thou wish GOD a Catholick service and cutt of thy Family by schisme This were to joyn thy House to another GOD or else to have none at all Let all Houses then that Smoak Smoak with Sacrifices to GOD for the House of the Godly is under a special Protection his Eyes are open to their Prayers GOD is a Shadow and Covert over the Roof of such Families It 's good To declare his Faithfulness every night and his Loving Kindness every morning Psal 92. 2. Let the People praise Thee O LORD let all the People praise Thee And Lastly This Duty of Family Devotion may be called Ezekiels Sign and Mark that saves from the destroying Angel and if any trouble fall out GOD knows how to deliver the Godly out of Temptations This Family worship is the great Characteristick of a Christian it makes thy House thy Home and gives thee Repose in thy Perigrination it makes thy house a Dutyful Tenement to the Great Land-Lord it payes due Rent to GOD it is the Bond and Beauty of thy House and makes thy Family like Jerusalem compact together § 8. Let every Christian then Regard Domestick duty which is so necessary and useful to guide the family and to consecrate and cover thy house which if thou Rule well with discretion and good Government thou shall find some leasure if it were but as long as to take thy Brakefast thou may conveen thy family and joyn together and seek GOD it would never hinder thy business but rather advance it if thou pretend thy ignorance it is much to be imputed to thy own fault and the neglect of thy Soul And if you say it is not the custom of many of your Rank Alas You are ready to follow an evil custom but to imitate what is good you have neither heart nor hand yet I am loath to leave thee in such neglect and therefore for meaner Capacities I shall subjoyn the Practice of Domestick Devotion and family Worship The Morning Prayer O Eternal and ever blessed GOD our blessed Creatour Preserver and Redeemer the fountain of Life and the Father of Lights the Keeper of Israel who never sleeps nor slumbers this poor family falls down before Thee this Morning and with all humble Devotion praises thy exalted Name for all thy mercies to Mankind and to us and that Thou has protected and refreshed us the night bygon and raise● us up this morning in any health and hope Glory to Thee who hast given us time to rcpent LORD give us Grace to repcnt and to work o● the work of our own Salvation LORD heal o●● corrupt nature sweeten our humour and seas●● our heart with Grace slay our corruptions an● give our heart a right set with Thy healing ha●● perfect our Faith and guide us by Thy Spirit Vphold us with Thy Arm Refine and ●●our hearts and passions set a Watch at the d●● of our lips be at our right hand we shal nev●● be moved give us to set Thee alwayes before 〈◊〉 and while it s called the day that we harden 〈◊〉 our hearts but hear thy Word and Voice th●● we may spend the rest of our dayes in Thy 〈◊〉 and sincere Obedi●nce save us from sin and Satan the deceits of the World and all danger● of Soul and Body LORD bless our Fami●● with Grace Peace Comfort and Contentmen●● Heal the Church rule the publick Governme●● of Chureh and State Bless the Parish with●● Gospel Blessing strengthen our Pastor prepa●● us for Death and Judgement guide us all our dayes by Thy Council in Thy fear grant us a blessed and happy End and hereafter receive us unto Thy Glory through JESVS CHRIST our LORD in whose Name and Words 〈◊〉 pray Our Father c. And in the evening again labour to Recollect

time of plowing and sowing in order to our great harvest We must work while it is called the day for the night cometh wherein no man worketh John 9. 11. What ever our hand findeth to do we must do it with our might for there is no knowledge nor work in the grave Ecl. 10. 9. The present time is the season of preaching ●o day if he will hear his Voice Ere long the Pastor's Mouth will be closed as well as your Ears GOD useth not to send a Seminary from the Dead to preach the Gospel the Living shall praise Him and act for Him for in this short Life all our Bussiness must be done in order to Eternitie the LORD doth not cause preach to the Dead for in the state of Separation our Bodily Organs are consumed and the Soul is under its everlasting Sentence it s therefore absolutely necessary that we plye our Work in time with all Alacrity and Diligence But this must be more particularly unfolded by the consideration of these following heads 1. The great care that serious men should have to make use of the Season 2ly Their great Diligence that they should manifest in their weighty Work 3ly The Frailty and Brittleness of our mortal Life our Soul is in a Tent or Tabernacle 4ly The Reinforcement of the Remembrance upon this account 1. The great Care that Serious Men should have to make use of the Season This is not the Work of Yesterday for that is past and cannot be recalled nor of to Morrow for we know not what then may be Prov. 27 1. Therefore we should not bost of it for we know not what a Day may bring forth But it is the Work of the Present 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Instant which passeth as a Thought and will not abide Delayes and as we know not if we shall preach another Day so people know not how long the Voice may be behind them saying This is the Way But this they may know that it is the Voice of GOD that callet● them and they know not how soon i● it may be silent and the Heavenly Oracl● give no more Response 2ly The great diligence that Serio●● Men should manifest in their Weighty Work Their Work is a Harvest the Labourers should be busie and tho GOD doth not allow that with too fast driving we put our selves out of Breath yet since the Work tho very weighty is so pleasant and so necessary and the exercise of the greatest Charity of the World to do good to Souls and since we have anointing Oil and the Aid of the Spirit to enable us we should not be idle nor taken up with Triffles and vain things and especially shun all worldly and sinfull Distractions that we may be well excercised in so good and necessary a Work 3ly The frailty and Brittleness of our mortal life Our life is both short and uncertain we are Pilgrims on Earth and sojurn as all our Fathers have done our Soul is in a tent and our life is but Transient ambulatory and transitory we are Pilgrims Souldiers strangers and not at home we have no continuing abode here the Tabernacle and Tent may soon be lowsed our passing house fall about our ears Which as it should prevent our taking our Rest on Earth so should it make us busie while we are in this Tabernacle and animate us in all our travels on earth with our priviledge that we shall come to a Temple and have a House with GOD Eternal in the Heavens 4ly The Reinforcement of the Remembrance upon this account the Apostle makes much use of this Word for Ministers are GOD's mouth they should admonish and incite People to duty People should be warned for they are secure and become tuchy when they are awakened they are ready to say Peace Peace before sudden destruction Come We should therefore seek supplie to our Lamps in time and to have our Wedding Garment in hand against the Bridegroom come there be many things to give us Memento and Ministers should never forget to give this warning but labour to keep people on foot to Run their Race unto the End Sermon IV. Of the Practical Knowledge of Death and the Information and Warning that the LORD giveth some of His Favourites thereof Knowing that shortly I must put off this Tabernacle Verse 14. ALTHO no doubt this Holy and Reverend Father had his Soul still upon readiness to render it up on his Master's Call with all Chearfulness And tho he was animated to Duty by an extraordinary Help of the Spirit Yet the Knowledge he was shortly to put off his Tabernacle did serve as a motive in him to excite him in his holy Work As his Master before him John 9. 4. 2 Wherein we may Consider 1st His Resolution Practical Knowledge of his approaching dissolution 2ly His favourable Representation of Death a putting off this Tabernacle and giving the Soul more room to commerce with GOD. 3ly His more than ordinary Information of this his Deseace As to the First we may observe that the Practical Knowledge of Death serves much to make serious Doct. 1 Men well Employed All men know they must die but few consider and improve it Which maketh Moses in the Name of the LORD so pathetically cry out O that they were wise to consider their latter End Deut. 32. 26. And Jeremiah so sadly to lament That Jerusalem was taken away because she knew not her last end The best of Men have layed this to Heart I have run sayeth St. Paul Cor 9. 26. For Death puts a Period to all Business Eccles 9. 10. Death puts us ab agendis a Judgement immediatly follows where account must be given of our Stewartship Who is then that faithful Servant that when the LORD cometh shall find so doing and busie about his work Do not say the LORD delayeth his comming let not GOD's Patience make thee procrastinate but be the more busie that thou hast a day to labour in 2ly If thy Work be imperfect and not done it will remain undone for ever and except Christ stand for thee thou will enter imperfect to ternity It is dangerous to sleep our time or triffle it but rather if thou hast loitered double thy diligence This practical knowledge of Death concerns all Men Omnes Tangit from the Court to the Countrey from the Palace to the Cottage Death hath an Universal Empire over all Ranks Sexes Ages Goodness Greatness Riches and the Greatest power and strength cannot prevent it bribe it nor oppose it It is the Messenger of the Great King It cannot be deforced disce mori learn to die is a great lesson it is a great principle in Practical Religion as nosce teipsum to know thy self is necessary Death comes upon many with a surprise and unaware it creeps on Gray hares are here and there on us ere we advert There are some inconsiderate and layes it not to heart Some are dead and drowned in interest and sing