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A09465 A treatise of mans imaginations Shewing his naturall euill thoughts: His want of good thoughts: The way to reforme them. Framed and preached by M. Wil. Perkins. Perkins, William, 1558-1602.; Piersonn, Thomas. 1607 (1607) STC 19751; ESTC S100455 58,962 240

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they make thou only of God imperfect by ●●pe●cing vp the some with mans merits in the worke of Redemption for Gods mercie is either euery way mercie or no mercie as Paule saith If it bee of grace it is no more of workes or else were grace no more grace and if it bee of workes it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke Secondly the Christ of the Papists is a false Christ this will appeare by plaine reason out of their doctrine for first they spoile Christ of his true manhood by their doctrine of reall presence wherein they hould that Christs body is not onely in heauen but really substantially in all places wher the sacrifice of the masse is offered thus they make it omnipotent so quite take away the nature of a bodie Secondly they disgrade Christ from the three offices of his mediatorship first from his kingly office by placing the Pope in his Roome and stead as his deputie in Christs presence for they giue power to the Pope to rule the Catholique Church and to make lawes to bind mens consciences which bee thinges proper to Christ alone where in they doe as much as if they should take the Crowne from Christs head set it on the Popes for to claime regencie in the presence of the lawfull prince is to proclaime rebellion against the prince for commission of vicegerencie ceaseth in the presence of him that appointeth it nowe Christ is alwaies present with his Church Math. 28. 20. And therefore the Pope by his claime must needes thrust Christ out of his office Secondly from his priestly office which consisteth in satisfaction and intercession Christs satisfaction they nullifie by ioyning therewith the satisfaction of mens workes for thereby they make it imperfect And they robbe him of his intercession by communicating the same to Saintes yea they exalt the virgine Marie far aboue Christ in this worke for they praie her to aske the Father to command Christ her sonne by the authoritie of a mother to doe thus and thus for them and so make Christ her vnderling Thirdly from his propheticall office by making the Pope the infallible iudge of all controuersies avowing that they rather desire to knowe the auncient institution of Christian religion from the Popes mouth then from holy writte Nowe thus robbing Christ of his offices they make him a false Christ and so wanting the sonne they cannot haue the father for he that hath not the son hath not the father and therefore popish religion wanting the father and the sonne cannot bee a true religion but meere coloured Atheisme in iudgement The second degree of Atheisme in iudgement is when men place some Idoll in rome of the true God houlding the same for their God thus did the Gentiles sinne in worshipping the sonne and the moone and the starres or other creatures The third degree is when a man doth avouch hould maintaine that there is no God at all this is the highest degree of Atheisme and the most notorious sinne that can bee and all such persons as maintain this cursed thought are vnworthie the common breath of men for if that man shall die the death and that worthilie who shall avouch his lawfull prince to be no prince howe much more ought hee to die the death though hee had a thousand liues that shall affirme the true God to bee no God Thus wee see the fruites of this euill thought whereby the haynousnes of it doth plainly appeare IV. Point The examination of our owne hearts touching this thought whether it may be found among vs or not doubtles every one will labour to cleare himselfe hereof And the reason wherewith many doe sooth vp themselues is this because they neuer felt in themselues any such conceits as this that there is no God But wee may easily deceiue our selues herein for a man cannot alwaies discerne what bee the thoughts of his owne heart There be in man two kinds of cogitations or as one may say reasons the first is a single cogitation whereby a man simply thinketh or knoweth or iudgeth this or that and this is properly called the mind The other is a reflex cogitatiō or reason whereby a man iudgeth that he knoweth or thinketh this or that and it is commonly called Conscience Now since Adams fall the conscience is corrupt by originall sinne as be all other powers of mans soule whēce it commeth to passe that conscience can not doe his dutie in giuing true testimonie concerning mans Imaginations but a man may thinke euill and yet his conscience not tell him and therefore wee may nor say because wee feele not these euill thoughts in vs therefore we haue them not or we are free from them But that we may the better examine our hearts wee must come to the signes whereby this euill thought is best discerned Dauid in the 14. Psalme setteth downe three signes hereof first A disordered life secondly not calling on the name of God by praier thirdly contemning of them that put their trust in God Looke where these are to be found there is this euill thought That there is no God Nowe if wee examine our selues by these signes we shall finde this wicked thought to be amonst vs for first many indeede are content to heare Gods word but where is that man that reformeth his life according to that he heareth Certen it is as their conscience can witnesse few turne vnto God vnfainedly fewe doe breake of their course in sinning Now this vnreformed life is an infallible token of this damnable thought Secondly the exercise of praier and inuocation on the name of God is rare among men no doubt many a touched heart doth euery day vnfainedly call on God for grace but yet generally this is true men goe on from day to day and from yeare to yeare and neuer pray vnto God for supply of grace Indeede men plead for themselues that they vse to pray for they say the Lords prayer the Creede and the tenne Commaundements but wee must know that with many this practise is nothing but a vaine repetition of words for prayer is an action of the heart and not the labour of the tongue and lippes onely so to say the Lords prayer is not to pray for the words thereof may be repeated with the heart of an Atheist And thirdly the contempt of them that put their trust in God is rise among vs for who is so much scorned and reproched as he that maketh profession of religion Now may that complaint be iustly taken vp by the seruants of God Isai. 8. 18. Behold I and the children whome the Lord hath giuen me are as signes and wonders And He that refraines from euill makes himselfe a pray to the euill tongue Isa. 59. 15. Yet let these scoffers know what euer they be that seedes of Atheisme doe possesse their soules To come yet more particularly to the
obseruing the sinnes of our liues and this will make vs arme our selues against him by Gods grace euen in the weakest parts that hee breake not into our hearts to the ruine of our soules This consideration concerneth all men not onely the dissolute and sinnefull but euen those that haue receiued most grace It were infinite to goe through all the temptations of Satan consider this one for all whereby he kills many a soule Through the whole course of mens liues he laboureth to fill their hearts with carnall securitie and to bring them to neglect the ordinary meanes of saluation this done he seekes to keepe them in this estate all their life long but in the end he takes an other course for when death approcheth then he seekes to strike their mindes with obliuion of gods mercies and to fill their soules with terrours in regard of their sinnes and of Gods iudgements due vnto them that so bereauing them of all hope of mercie he may bring them to finall despaire Wee therefore beeing forewarned of his deadly fraud must seriously bethinke our selues of this temptation and cast with our selues euery day how to auoide it This we shall doe if we shake off carnall securitie and negligence in the meanes of our saluation and prouide betimes for the assurance of Gods loue and fauour that when death shall come wee may be free from the terrour of an euill conscience haue strong hope and consolation in Christ Iesus Sect. 4. Of our particular ende Fourthly we must consider our particular ende The Lord complaineth of the want hereof in his owne people Oh that they were wise then would they consider this They would consider their latter end In this consideration three points must be obserued first that the time of death is vncertaine no man knoweth when he must dye secondly that the place is vncertaine no man knoweth where he must dye thirdly that the manner of his death is vncertaine none knoweth by what death he shall glorifie God and therefore that we may not deceiue our selues wee must thinke that most fearefull and greivous ends may befall vs in regard of the bodily payne and torment euē then when we little feare or suspect any such thing This consideration will bee a notable meanes to stirre vp our hearts either to beginne or renew our repentance when wicked Ahab heard of his fearefull end hee was humbled And the Ninivites beeing told of their sudden destructiō repented in Sackcloath and Ashes and turned to the Lord. Sect. 5. Of our straight accompt at the last day Fiftly we must often consider with our selues and that most seriously of that straight account and reckoning of all our thoughts words and actions which we must make vnto God at the last day of iudgement This is the principall consideration of all and the want hereof a fearfull sinne arguing great negligence ignorance blyndnes of mind and hardnes of heart If a Traveller come into an Inne hauing but one penny in his purse and call for all manner of dainty fare and prouision spending sumptuously will not al men iudge him void of all consideration sith he hath nothing to pay when his account is to bee made loe this or worser is the most mens case who in this life pursue their profits and pleasures with all eagernes they care not how neuer regarding that reckonning which they must make vnto God at his terrible day of accounts with all the world and therefore though the former cōsiderations will not yet let this take place in our hearts to mooue vs to a daily forehand reckonning with God in the practise of true repentance and to imploy the good gifts and blessings we receiue from God like good seruants vnto the best advantage of his glorie that when this account is to be made we may giue it with ioy and not with feare And that this consideration is effectuall to this purpose Salomon teacheth in vsing it as his farewell with dissolute youth with whome otherwaies he hath little hope to preuaile saying goe too thou young man take thy pleasure in thy youth yet know that for all this thou must come to Iudgement But how powerfull it is with Gods child we may see in Paul who professeth of himselfe that in regard of this account he endeauoured to haue alway a cleere conscience towards God and towards men Sect. 6. Of our present estate towards God Lastly we must seriously consider of our present estate towards God whether we be in the state of sinne or in the state of grace whether we belong to the kingdome of darkenes or be true members of the kingdome of Christ It is not enough to bee in the Church but we must be sure we be of the Church For many wolues and Goates be in Gods fould They went out from vs saith S. Iohn but they were not of vs And therefore Paul adviseth to this consideration saying prooue your selues whether you bee in the faith or not The want hereof was the fearefull sinne of the foolish virgins who contented themselues with a shew of religion hauing the blasing lampes of outward profession and laboured not for that oyle of true grace which might enlighten their soules to the fruition of Gods glorie yea this is the common sinne of this age men blesse themselues in their good meaning saying they hope well and doe not through search whether they be true members of gods Church or not Now if after tryall it appeare that true faith and repentance be wanting in vs which are the seales of Adoption in Gods children then with all good conscience we must vse the meanes appointed of God to obteine these graces for our assurance the comfort whereof will be so pretious vnto our soules that we shall abhor to admit such wicked Imaginations into our minds as any way tend to depriue vs of it These are the considerations which respect our selues whereunto if we giue our mindes in a constant course as also to the former which concerne the Lord obseruing withall the rules before prescribed through Gods blessing vpon our endeauour wee shall vndoubtedly finde by good experience that euill thoughts shall not preuaile against vs but beeing reformed in our cogitations we shall send out of our mindes as from a cleansed fountaine such streames of good words and works through the whole course of our liues as shall redound to the glorie of our God the good of our brethren and the consolation of our owne soules through Iesus Christ our Lord to whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be praise in his church for euermore Amen FINIS a Pro. 4. 23. b Pro. 23. 26. c See Acts. 5. ● Luk. 22 3. d Moses body Iude 9. e Mat. 12. 35. Hinc fons boni peccandi origo Hieron ad demetriad f August in p● 148. g Psal. 24. 7. h Ephes. 6. 2 i Qui posse di● ipse imperabit ibid. Aug. k Mat.