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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	word_n	world_n	year_n	369	4	4.3593	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A60670	Life in death, or The living hope of a dying saint, handled in a sermon preached at the funeral of that eminently vertuous, and religious gentle-woman, Mris. Mary Morley, late wife to Colonel Harbert Morley, Esq; and daughter to Sr. John Trevor Knight. By Zachary Smith, minister of the Gospel, and pastor of the church at Glynde in Sussex, Sept. 18. 1656.	Smith, Zachary, b. 1604 or 5.	1656 (1656)	Wing S4351; ESTC R214782	29,879	40

LIFE IN DEATH OR The living Hope of a dying Saint HANDLED IN A SERMON Preached at the Funeral of that Eminently Vertuous and Religious Gentle-woman Mris MARY MORLEY Late wife to Colonel Harbert Morley Esq and Daughter to Sr. JOHN TREVOR Knight By Zachary Smith Minister of the Gospel and Pastor of the Church at Glynde in Sussex Sept. 18. 1656. Psal 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Prov. 10.28 The hope of the righteous shall be gladnesse but the expectation of the wicked shall perish 1 Cor. 15.19 If in this life onely we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable Polani Syntagma pag. 342. Mors electis credentibus non est pro peccatis satisfactio sed peccati abolitio transitus in vitam aeternam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Nazianzen Orat. 21. London Printed by W. Bentley for Andrew Crook at the sign of the green Dragon in Pauls Church-yard 1656. To the Honourable Sr. JOHN TREVOR Knight And to his vertuous Consort the Lady ANNE TREVOR As also to the Honourable Colonel HARBERT MORLEY Esq HONOURABLE I Make bold to prefix your names to this plain ensuing Sermon not that I conceive it worthy of your Patronage but because none had sadder hearts than your selves at the occasion of it nor any Persons on earth greater Interest in or nearer Relation to that precious Gentle-woman at whose Funeral it was preached If my heart deceive me not it 's not desire of vain-glory that makes me willing to publish this Sermon but rather these motives First a desire that God may have the glory of the Soveraignty of his grace ascribed unto him who can so deeply implant his fear in the hearts of his people that they shall never depart from him and can keep alive those sparks of heavenly fire which he casts into the bosoms of his Children in the midst of the Sea of worldly encumbrances or enjoyments Many waters cannot quench love a proof whereof was evident in her she lost not her first love to Christ and his Truth in these times of Libertinisme and Errour neither did the Cares or Profits or Pleasures or Honours of the world whereof she might have her hands full choke the good seed of Gods word in her but still she kept the best room of her heart free for Christ and heavenly things Many of my reverend brethren have of late years born publick testimony to the Truth of Christ I take this occasion to give in my testimony to the Truth of his grace maintained and manifested to the last in this blessed Saint Though Paul tells us that not many wise not many mighty not many rich not many Noble are chosen and called yet one such at least was in this little Parish whiles she continued among us who gloried more in the Lord than in riches or honour or all worldly enjoyments and I hope some yet remain among us looking towards Christ and heaven much provoked thereunto and bettered by her example Another motive that induced me hereunto was an earnest inclination in my spirit to testifie that honourable respect that I did bear towards her I am not afraid to tell the world that she was a Gentle-woman whom I did as much honour and as highly esteem as any one living of her sex and quality in regard of the vertues and graces which I observed shining forth in her carriage whereby she did very much beautifie and adorn her profession of Religion I find Matth. 26.13 that our Saviour takes care that a Memorial of Maries Piety Beneficence towards him in anointing his head and feet with precious Oyntment Joh. 12.3 might be published and perpetuated in after-ages and I am much emboldned by that instance of Christ to take some care that this Maries Memorial also who delighted to sit at Christs feet and hear his word and who often anointed his head with the sweet Oyntment of Piety and Devotion glorifying him as God and his feet with the Oyntment of Charity and Compassion relieving his poor Members and so ministring to Christ of her substance may be published and transmitted to posterity In hope also that the Readers hereof may through the blessing of God be edified and provoked to walk in the way to eternal life and follow after righteousnesse so as they also may have hope in their death I have adventured to commit this Sermon to publick view to give people warning not to go on in their sins lest they be driven away in their wickednesse nor to content themselves with the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees lest they come short of the Kingdom of Heaven nor to rest in a bare groundlesse lazie conjectural Hope lest their hope make them ashamed and exhorting them to use all diligence to make their calling and election sure by making sure their interest in Christ by faith considering that such as are without Christ are without hope Ephes 2.12 whereas such as have Christ framed in them have learned a rich and glorious mystery Christ in us being the hope of glory Col. 1.27 For if with Paul we resolve endeavour that Christ shall be magnified by us whether by life or death he will be unto us both in life and death advantage Phil. 1.20 21. And when Christ who is our life shall appear we shall also appear with him in glory Col. 3.4 I shall not trouble you further with any Apology for my boldnesse in mentioning your names and addressing my self to you in the Dedication hereof assuring you it is not with any desire or intent to revive or encrease your sorrow or aggravate your grief who had the greatest share in that great losse which we have of late sustained but rather to asswage and allay it by minding you of that great gain and advantage which she hath gotten by death Our Saviour tells his Disciples when comfortlesse at the thought of his departure from them If ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I go unto the Father John 14.28 I know you loved her dearly as a dutifull Childe to you her Parents and as a tender affectionate faithfull spouse and true Christian yoke-fellow to you her Husband let your love to her be now expressed rather in rejoycing that she is gone to her heavenly Father that she is at rest in the bosom of her Spiritual Bridegroom than in mourning for her departure from 〈…〉 of this Vale of misceries considering that to be with Christ is far better and in the presence of her heavenly relations she may enjoy fulnesse of blisse and pleasures for ever more If the Poet spake truth when he said Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris That it 's a comfort to the afflicted to have companions of their grief you may take some comfort in considering you had many who did sympathize and condole with you at her death yea very many of the Children of Sion did mourn and make bitter lamentation so that

death that his dead body shall be again united to his Soul and 3. raised up in glory 1. Cor. 15.43 Yea our vile bodies shall then be changed and fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ Phil. 3.21 Col. 3.4 The Glory of beleivers bodies at the Resurrection will appear in these 5. particulars 1. They will be perfect and entire in regard of Parts limbs or senses however they might be maimed or defective before 2. They will be faire beautifull and illustrious full of splendour and brightnes what ever blemishes or deformityes they were disfigured withall before Matth. 13.43 then shall the Righteous shine forth as the sunne in the Kingdom of their Father The most beautifull body on earth is but like Carrion sullyed with smoke and foot in respect of the glorified body of poor Lazarus at that day 3. They shall be immortall i.e. in such a condition that they can never die again This mortall shall put on immortallity and so Death shall be swallowed up in victory 1. Cor. 15.53 54. 4. Incorruptible i.e. not only free from putrefaction but also from all weaknes both of infirmity and deformity such as cannot again be corrupted with sinne Now our bodies are corruptible and so mutable subject to manifold infirmityes but then they shall be strong and powerfull 1. Cor. 15.42 43. It is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption it is sown in weaknesse it is raised in power 5. Spirituall Bodies not that our bodies shall vanish into Ghosts or spirits but they shall be so admirably glorifyed and perfected that they shall be able to subsist without meat drinke physike sleepe c. wherewith naturall bodies are sustained Rev. 7.16 they shall hunger no more nor thirst any more Matth. 22.30 This hope of a glorious Resurrection of his Body at the latter day comforted and refreshed Jobs spirit in the depth of his misery under Bodily boiles and distempers and all his other pressures This was an Article of that Christian faith which he made Confession of Job 19.25 26 27. Thus have I proved and cleared the truth of this Doctrinall Proposition viz The Righteous hath hope in his Death I shall proceed now to lay down some Reasons and Grounds hereof Reasons Reason Because the Lord hath made many rich and precious Promises to the Righteous concerning the life to come as well as for this life 1. Tim. 4.8 Godlines is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come Beleivers have heard of future good things promised in the Gospell to be bestowed upon them after this life and this is a ground of their hope in death Psal 130.5 I wait for the Lord my Soul doth wait and in his Word doe I hope Paul speaking of the fruits of faith and love which abounded among the Colossians mentions a motive whereby they were incited and provoked thereunto Col. 1.5 for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven i.e. for those glorious things which your hope assureth you are laid up for you in heaven Hope being there taken by a Metonymy for the thing hoped for But how came they to hope that there were good things laid up for them in heaven He shews the ground of their hope in the next words to be the Word of God whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospell so Titus 1.2 In hope of eternall life which God that cannot lye promised before the world began but hath in due time manifested his word through preaching Beleivers are heirs of promise unto whom God being abundantly willing to shew the immutability of his Counsell confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us 2. Reas Because of Christs Resurrection from the dead 1. Cor. 15.17 18 19 20. if Christ be not raised then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished if in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable but now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept Christs Resurrection is a pledge of ours hence Peters Benediction 1. Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead i.e. confirmed in us a living hope or hope of life in and after death by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ because God raised him up that we might believe and hope in God for our Resurrection unto Glory Vers 21. 3. Reas Because of Christs Ascension Heb. 6.19 20. which hope we have as an Anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast and which entreth into that within the vail whither the forerunner is for us entred even Jesus Hope is as the Anchor cast out of the ship on firm ground when tossed and driven with winde and waves this anchor of the Soul is cast within heaven though a believer be yet as a ship at sea tossed with troubles and tempations in this world yet all is safe the soul is sure the anchor of hope being cast within heaven taking hold on Christ the rocke of our salvation who is entred and ascended into heaven as our fore-runner to prepare mansions for us Job 14.2 3. 4. Reas Taken from Christs Intercession that is another ground of a believers hope in death Joh. 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me Christ having prayed that believers may be with him in eternall Glory and happines after death they have good ground to hope and expect that they shall be with him and behold his Glory for the Father heareth him alwayes and never denies him in any suit that he makes in the behalf of his People Joh. 11.42 5. Reas Because God hath not only delivered up his Son Christ to die for them and to purchase life and salvation for them but hath also given Christ unto them and revealed and framed him in them and given them his spirit as an earnest in their hearts 2. Cor. 1.22 whereby God assures them that he will pay as it were the whole sum of his promises for an earnest is as a pledge whereby we confirm a bargain or a peice of money whereby we assure the payment of the whole the first gift therefore of the spirit and of life is a pledge of their whole inheritance which they hope to enioy after death so Ephes 1.13 14. Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of Glory and Rom. 5.5 Hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us yea the experience of Gods goodnes and

faithfullnes towards them which they have had in time of their life confirmes their hope of obtaining what good things he hath promised them after death Vers 4. experience worketh Hope So that believers in greatest straits may argue as David against Goliah 1. Sam. 17.37 The Lord that delivered me out of the Paw of the Lion and out of the Paw of the Bear he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine and as Paul 2. Cor. 1.9 10. We had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us 6. Lastly Because of Gods bounty towards others in this life The Lord bestows liberal portions of outward blessings upon many that regard not to serve and honour him but go on in wayes of Rebellion wicked men prosper and abound in worldly comforts sometimes when good men want them surely then this argueth that he hath reserved better things in store for his own Children after death Psalm 31.19 O how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee This consideration David made use of as a ground to confirm his hope in death of enjoying happinesse after this life Psal 17.14 15. the men of the World have their portion in this life whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure As for me I will behold thy face in righteousnesse I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse he professeth his resolution to go on in the wayes of God expecting a gracious yea a glorious issue out of all his dangers and persecutions q.d. I will not live wickedly as they do but righteously and then I shall enjoy thy favour here and Heaven hereafter I shall view thy face and see thee plainly and perfectly and stand in thy presence where is fulnesse of joy when I awake i.e. from the sleep of death when I am raised out of the dust I shall be satisfied with thy likenesse having thine image upon me and thy glory fully manifested unto me in Heaven this beatifical Vision shall so abundantly satiate and solace my Soul that it shall say I have enough So Ps 49. when in death worldly men leave their wealth to others and are like the beasts that perish i.e. dying without hope of any further happinesse yea in a worse condition for death shall feed on them vers 14. yea the second death shall have power over them and they shall lye in Hell-torments then saith the righteous even under the pangs of death vers 15. But God will redeem my Soul from the power of the grave for he shall receive me Selah Where Selah is added not onely as a bare Musical Note for raising of the voice c. but it calls for elevation of minde and more than ordinary attention pointing at a clear Testimony for the immortality of the Soul and for a better life after this the hope whereof fills the hearts of the godly with comfort and triumphant joy even under the pangs of death For he shall receive me whensoever the fatal hour shall come that body and Soul must part God will receive my spirit into Heaven So again Psal 73.24.26 against all the discouragements which he met with in the wayes of God from the present prosperity which the wicked enjoyed and the manifold afflictions that himself under-went he comforts himself in certain hope of eternal life and being received up into glory and hereupon resolves still to follow the conduct and direction of Gods word and spirit Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel in this life and after this life ended wilt receive me to that glory which thou hast promised me Thus have I made good the truth of the Doctrinal Proposition The righteous hath hope in his death and confirmed it by shewing you several grounds and reasons and should now come to make application of it but I desire first to remove one objection that seems to lye in the way Quest If the righteous have such hope in their death how comes it to passe and why is it that some good Christians are so fearfull of death and so unwilling to die Why are they not rather desirous to die having such hope of future glory happiness Answ It is true there may be in the dearest of Gods Children an unwillingnesse and fear to die Jeremy petitioned King Zedekiah that he might not be sent again to the house of Jonathan the Scribe lest he should die there Jer. 37.20 if he were shut up close prisoner in that nasty stinking Dungeon so our Saviour forewarning Peter of the manner of his death tells him he should be carried whither he would not Ioh. 21.18 and some of the Martyrs have sometimes found fear and unwillingnesse in themselves to die Latymer in a Letter to B. Ridley writes thus Pray for me I say pray for me for I am sometimes so fearfull that I would creep into a Mous-hole c. as Lot lingred when God would take him out of Sodom so there is some backwardnesse and unwillingnesse in the Saints of God to leave this world and to die And the reasons of it may be 1. Death causeth a parting of two most dear inward and ancient friends the dissolution of Soul and body one from the other is unpleasing to nature old friends are loath to part when David and Jonathan were to depart one from another O how grievous was their parting 1 Sam. 20.41 But the Soul and body have been more inward and ancient friends than Jonathan and David were no marvel therefore though they part so unwillingly The untying of the Marriage-knot between Soul and body is unwelcome to nature though grace may bid it welcome which suggests another reason 2. The best of Gods Children believe but in part and are not perfectly rid of sin and corruption till death They have flesh remaining in them as well as spirit Gal. 5.17 and though the spirit be willing yet the flesh is weak Matth. 26.41 The spirit saith to death as to Christ Come but the flesh saith Go The flesh saith its good being here though the spirit saith it s better being in Heaven and it may be believers do not stir up their graces nor read over their Evidences nor consider seriously of their Priviledges by and after death Yet lastly I answer Though there be some unwillingnesse in the best to die yet they know it is their fault and sin to be unwilling and they chide themselves for it and overcome this unwillingnesse in the end many who in their life-time have seemed unwilling to die and afraid of death yet when it hath come to the point have been suddenly strengthened beyond expectation willingly and cheerfully to lay down their heads on the block yea to yield up their bodies to the flames and have bid death welcome though it hath seized upon them with