Selected quad for the lemma: world_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	great_a	king_n	monarch_n	2,456	5	9.6433	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A23681	The desire of all men a sermon preach'd at Daventry in Northamptonshire, March 5, 1694/5, (being the day of the interment of our late Most Gracious Queen), before the bayliff and burgesses of the said corporation of Daventry and other gentlemen of the country, and published at their request / by Charles Allestree ...	Allestree, Charles, 1653 or 4-1707.	1665 (1665)	Wing A1080; ESTC R8239	11,013	30

Subject of our Contemplation at that time that there is not the least room left for a Cursory Reflexion upon them And the reason why the Mind of Man in all the Operations it can exert is solely limited and apply'd to this Object is because it is wholly employ'd with recollecting and preparing things for the Trial of the Great Day for the coming of the LORD And these indifferent Actions of Life neither serving one way nor the other neither to justifie nor condemn us in the other World it is unconceivable and almost impossible that any thing which does not tend to one of these Ends either to acquit or condemn us at God's Tribunal should find any entertainment in our Thoughts I know sometimes the necessary management of our Domestick Affairs does interpose and hinder this intention of Mind and a Man's Thoughts are frequently call'd back from their application to the things of another World to a due regard to the settlement of the Affairs of this But it ought to be remember'd that Matters of this nature God commanded Hezekiah to do 2 Kings 20.1 To set his House in order And it is a Duty which he requires of all Mankind so that if this care is any interruption to us and hinders us from calling our Moral and Virtuous Actions to remembrance it is only a little exchange of our Office for the better it only diverts us from meditating upon that which was Good to fasten and engage us to that Work which we actually know to be our Duty and commanded to be done Now though it is a great Comfort even in the midst of Health before there are any Disturbances in Nature to feed upon the Repast of a Good Conscience and to enjoy that serenity of Mind which naturally flows from the Remembrance of a well-spent Life yet it is a more unspeakable pleasure to enjoy this Conscience and Reflexion of things at the last Hour and Article of Death because that time being the Conclusion of our Lives the Horizon betwixt Us and Eternity we are remov'd from the danger of relapsing and from the Fears of forfeiting the Reward of our Innocence by any actual Sin or open Transgression of the Laws of God Whereas he that in the midst of his Days looks back and is able to comfort himself with the Virtuousness of his Former Life has it is true the satisfaction of a Good Reflexion but not so lasting an impression of Joy upon his Spirits because ‖ 1 C●p. 〈…〉 him then stand having he fall ● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phal Epist 〈◊〉 he may justly be afraid lest through the deceitfulness of his Heart and the insinuation of Sin he should hereafter upon surprise give way to Temptations and by one gross Sin cancel the memory of all his former Virtue But this is the security of a Dying Man that has spent his Life in a constant course of Piety before that his Reflection shall be as lasting as Eternity and himself out of danger of committing any thing that may embitter his Remembrance It was Tully's Observation that amongst other things which recommended the practise of Virtue to us this was none of the least That it was acconstant Comforter to us in all the Distresses and Ex●gencies of Humane Life that nothing could solace a Man's Mind or buoy it up in Affliction but the Reflexion of a Virtuous Life and the good Actions we have done here All other things may give some diversion or pleasure in the time of doing them but when they are past they cannot be remember'd with any Complacency but what is worse they commonly leave a sting behind them Nay he carries the supposition higher and though says he we are long in the contrivance of a Delight have the pleasure of seeing it at a distance and anticipating it before-hand in our Imagination nay when the Delight is at hand and we are long in the enjoyment of it yet since there must be an end this one Consideration is enough to embitter it to us Quid enim est illud ipsum Diu quod cum venerit omnis voluptas praeterita pro nihilo est And surely if Cicero from the Light of Nature and mere natural Reason was able to decide the Case and determine so Divine a Truth we may give our Assent to it whom the Light of the Gospel and the Day-spring from on High hath visited All the little insignificant Pleasures with which we busie and entertain our senses here will be forgotten upon the Death-Bed and nothing but the Remembrance of our Charity and Well-doing will be able to comfort or support us in that Condition and Extremity Our Historians relate this sad and disconsolate saying of Cardinal Woolsey when he was fallen in Disgrace with his Prince whom he had sincerely serv'd in most of the Great Offices of State Had I serv'd my God with half that Zeal and Affection as I have paid my King He would not have left me in such Distress And we may observe that in pursuance of taking of our reliance upon Earthly Creatures the Scripture puts the Case and supposes the utmost that Men's Pride or Ambition can possibly arrive at and declares that the whole World is not a valuable Consideration nor a full Compensation for the loss of a Soul And yet Men frequently hazard this immortal Part for the gain of a small parcel of it to extend their Lands or their Estates a little further Now let us compare this passage of Holy Writ and this Instance together This Great States-Man whom I mention'd was griev'd in Mind for paying more Observance and truer Service to his Temporal Prince than to God for robbing God of his Honour and transplanting it but a degree lower even to his Vicegerent here Though he enjoy'd all that the World calls Great and was advanc'd as high almost as a Subject could be promoted yet his Favour with his Earthly King could not recompence the dread of his Heavenly Monarch nor his Temporal Felicities make amends for his Fears of being depriv'd of Eternal Happiness And yet there is a vast disproportion and difference betwixt his Case and Ours for so egregious is our Folly that it is not for the highest Preferments and Dignities of State that we sacrifice our Eternal Concerns to but for small broken and interrupted Pleasures And we may justly be afraid lest it should be the Complaint of many of us in the last Hour that had we pursued the Works of Righteousness with half that eagerness and intention of Mind that we follow'd after Vanity they would not have been so unkind as to have fled the Memory but would have staid to comfort us at the last Gasp and Article of Death They would have made us bore our Sickness with Pleasure and Resignation have given us patience under our Afflictions and even sanctified the Disease it self which is the second Consideration that makes the Death of the Righteous desirable II. Namely His peaceable Carriage

utmost Period and Extent of Time Let her Example therefore excite us to a Holy Imitation of her Virtues and let us consider with her the Greatness of our Nature the end of our Creation and what we were made for all Vice is below the Dignity of Man it is Virtue or in another word Righteousness which is the same thing only Virtue improv'd and sublimated by Grace that is the proper and commensurate Object of our Thoughts If we stedfastly pursue this and hunger and thirst after Righteousness we shall all be so happy as to die the Death of the Righteous that is to die like Her We shall have her assurance her sedate and composed Temper in our Sickness so that if we are consign'd to another World we shall expect our Change with Joy and never be dismay'd at the Approaches of Death or if any paleness any horror of Countenance does arise the Alteration will proceed from the Decay of Spirits or the want of Vital Heat and not from any consternation or despondency within Thus have I enforc'd the Motives in a speculative manner that render the Death of the Righteous desirable to all Men. I am sensible that these Discourses in Theory make but a faint impression upon the Mind and that a Bright Example would illustrate and set it off better I shall therefore make the Application in descanting upon the Holiness of the Life and Actions and Happiness of the Death of this most Religious Princess whose Obsequies we celebrate now And in this attempt I shall not fear any misconstructions of Flattery The Subject is above it and uncapable of being perverted to that Abuse the most masterly strokes of Art cannot reach the heigth of those Eulogies that justly appertain to so much Goodness and Perfection much less shall I be able to celebrate her Great Worth in a becoming manner who knew Her as we ought to approach Majesty only at an awful Distance and with an humble Reverence This therefore is a great disadvantage I labour under but it is not sufficient to discourage me from casting in my Mite into the Treasury of all those that have already set forth the Eminency of her Virtues and parentated to her Memory for I consider that it will be an extraordinary Service done to Piety and Religion when the Friend to Learning the Patroness of Religion the Advocate of Virtue and the Pattern of Humility shall be recommended to our Imitation for whole Volumes of Sermons would not be so useful to promote the Ends of Religion and advance the Reputation of Virtue in the World as an Example of it drawn to the Life especially if it be so Great so Illustrious so Honourable and so Majestick a One as this Incomparable Princess was She had the Happiness of being educated early under the Care and Precepts of the best Instructors in Religion and her large and capacious Soul improv'd those advantages to that degree and proficiency both in Knowledge and Piety that She outstript her Age and in the Prophet's Phrase Isai 65.20 The Child was an Hundred Years Old She had then so little of the Vanity or the Pride or the Indiscretions that are usually incident to that time of Life and her High Birth that She became an Example of Modesty and Humility to her Sex in her Youth and gave a sure and certain Omen of that Heigth and Progress in Goodness which afterwards She arrived to and by this means of setting out early in a right Course She acquired Habits of Virtue betimes and enobled her Mind with the brightest Images and Idea's of Truth for having devoted her Innocent Soul to the Service of God and to the Power of Religion and continually begging the assistance of the Holy Spirit She was by his Grace preserv'd safely in the right way and never deviated from the Paths of Righteousness And as an instance that She labour'd after the Power of Godliness and not the form of it She led even in the midst of those Temptations that surround Greatness and attend a Court a most Pure and Innocent a most Holy and even an Angelical Life Her Great Endeavour was to know God and to be assimulated and made like him in the inward Qualities and Depositions of her Soul And this World and the Glories of it could not gain the Ascendant over her Thoughts or make her over-look things that are Eternal The Crown She bore was vile and despicable in her Eyes in respect of that Incorruptible One which She expected and was sure of in Glory She knew that an humble Spirit a sincere Devotion and an habitual Goodness were greater Accomplishments and more comely Ornaments to her Sex than any outward Acquisition whatever and consequently her Devout Soul aspired after the attainment of these Excellencies which She was bless'd with and possess'd to that degree that in her Primitive Christianity was reviv'd afresh and She liv'd as those first and best of Christians did and as we ought to do This was evident as by many other Instances to particularly by the frequency of her private Devotions and constant Attendance in the House of God at Publick Prayers which she never omitted but like holy Anna served God with Fastings and Prayers Night and Day And to this devout Temper of Mind she always added a Munificence of Nature and a Largeness of Heart to distribute Alms to the Poor and her Liberality in this kind was so great that possibly the Annual Incomb of the Richest Subject cannot come up to the heigth of her Charity and Distributions But though she delighted inwardly in these Religious Duties of Prayers and Alms yet it is not to be omitted that she reckon'd the principal part of all her Joys to consist in receiving the Holy Sacrament and accordingly she Communicated once every Month besides Collar-Days and other great Solemnities and her Pious Soul found most ravishing refreshments in the Spiritual Feast of the most precious Body and Blood of her Saviour Neither did she superficially or slightly examine her self for her Preparation but she exercised such a strict Devotion and such a Religious Austerity as if she was to pass from the Table of her Lord to his Tribunal neither did she contract any moroseness or fourness of Temper by thus exercising her self with Religious Acts and retiring into her own Bosom She knew that Chearfulness and Religion are consistent and that a good Christian has always the joyfullest Heart and accordingly she was always chearful but under the Government of Reason and none of all her Attendants ever saw her discomposed or out of Humour Many Occasions she met with from the Angry Men of this Generation and from the Libellous Pens of Mercenary Scriblers that put to trial her Patience and Contentment but in her they were not able to produce any sensible alteration she still preserv'd the Constancy and Greatness of her Mind under all Provocations neither was she insensible of Affronts but she was content and could forgive