Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	great_a	life_n	soul_n	10,290	5	4.7673	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62277	Concio ad clerum a sermon preach'd to the clergy at the arch-deacon's visitation, held at Huntington, May 19, 1696 ... : to which is added a preface to the clergy / by Sam. Satwell ...	Saywell, Samuel, 1651 or 2-1709.	1696 (1696)	Wing S799; ESTC R23166	26,607	48

in its greatest perfection And they who do not consider these and such differences between the circumstances of the Clergy in the Apostles times and ours in these days can never pass an equal judgment either of them or us For we are not bound to undergo many of their difficulties and hardships Neither were they lyable to several of our temptations and inconveniencies We are not tyed to do divers Things which they did nor were they bound to some things which are expected from us And to conclude this point if they who had so great advantages to keep up their Zeal were yet too apt to mind their own things before the things of Jesus Christ it must not be thought strange if too many of us are ready to do the like though it must ever be acknowledged that they then and all we now who have taken the sacred fountain upon us are bound to seek the things of Jesus Christ in the first place and before all other matters which may be called our own which was the third thing I have undertaken to speak unto from the Text. And indeed nothing should raise our thoughts more from Earth to Heaven and fix them upon the business we have in hand than the serious and frequent consideration of the admirable ends of our office and the eternal excellency of the things we are employed about For we are entrusted to carry on that work for which this whole Universe was made and that hath exercised the infinite wisdom of God to contrive All other Sciences Arts and Professions respect only the good of this life whereas ours immediately concerns that Life which is to last to Eternal Ages All the effects and fruits of other mens labours I mean as they are meerly the products of their humane skill and industry shall perish with this World whereas the fruits of our labours and administrations shall continue when time shall be no more We are instruments to put in Execution the resolutions of the Eternal Counsels of Heaven and are set to keep up a lively sense of such truths and to promote such manners amongst men as the Son of God himself came down from Heaven to teach them And the things of Jesus Christ which we are to seek after and set forward all we can do immediately relate to the Honour of the King of Heaven and to the true and only happiness of Mankind And 't is impossible that Man's Care Wit or Faithfulness can be employed in this life about matters of a higher nature or of greater worth than these For as Christ Jesus is deputed by the Father to execute in due time the Eternal Counsels of his Will concerning the Life or Death Happyness or Misery of Mankind so are the Bishops and Pastours of his Church his Commission-officers for the carrying on of that work And therefore in the prospering or miscarrying of it the eternal fates of mens immortal Souls are involved And the Apostle tells us they are to be accounted as Embassadours for Christ and that to them is committed the word of reconciliation and therefore according as men receive or reject those offers of mercy and favour with himself which God tendereth to them by their Ministry so are they like to find peace with him in his Heavenly Kingdom or to be rejected from it Now I say the consideration of the nearness of our relation unto Christ and the infinite concernment of the work we are employed about should quicken and exalt our Zeal far above that of Ordinary Christians For who should be so much concerned for the honour of the King of Heaven as they whom he hath sent forth to be his Embassadours to his People on Earth And if the Shepherds who are set on purpose to watch for the good and security of the Flock be negligent of their Charge it will not be thought strange if it fare ill with the Sheep or if many of them should go astray or be lost And if the Stewards of the Houshold give themselves over to rioting carelessness or any disorderly behaviour it cannot be hoped that the Family should be found according to their Masters liking at his return The Ministers of Christ are termed likewise Watchmen Seers Overseers Bishops Angels c. because of the careful Eye they are always to bear over his Church and for that they should be as it were his Guardian Angels on Earth to watch for the good of his People And all the Names which are given them in God's word do bespeak them not only to be Persons of honour but also Men of business and cares and such as have a great charge upon their hands and so heavy an Onus upon their shoulders as is according to the known saying of St. Jerom even humeris Angelorum formidandum Though therefore they are not debarr'd from any innocent recreations yet they ought not to wrap themselves up in ease and idleness nor to lead careless and useless lives much less are they to give themselves over to the extravagant pleasures or loose divertisements of this World For they should remember that their business and duty is not only to teach Men the will of God and open to them the mind of Christ and the Mysteries of his Gospel but also and especially to be Patterns to their Flocks in every good work and to lead and encourage them by their Examples to all holy Conversation and Godliness They should be burning shining and steady Lights to guide others securely through the dark passage of this Life that their Eyes be not dazled by the many ignes fatui or false Lights which the Devil is ever trimming up and setting forth to the distracting and confounding the weaker Members of the Church And because God's People are commanded to hear to imitate mark obey and follow them therefore they ought to be so wise and prudent in all their Commands and Injunctions and so unblameable charitable and holy in all their behaviour that their Flocks may readily be followers of them as they are of Christ and his Apostles And in order to the performing aright the charge they have taken upon them 't is highly requisite they should have a real concern and genuine care for the good of all those they are to teach and watch over For though it may not be necessary that every Clergy-man should be a constant Preacher yet I think 't is required of all who have entered into holy Orders that they should some way or other be serviceable in the work they have taken in hand and that they should have a true zeal and earnest desire for the good of the Church and for the Salvation of Mens Souls And this is the special Commendation that St. Paul gives unto Timothy above the rest of his Fellow-Labourers in the Verse before the Text That he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. That he was one like unto and suitable to his own Soul and who was genuinely sollicitous for the Philippians