Selected quad for the lemma: life_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
life_n	believe_v	know_v	word_n	4,525	5	4.2540	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39911	Hēsychia Christianou, or, A Christian's acquiescence in all the products of divine providence opened in a sermon, preached at Cottesbrook in Northampton-Shire, April the 16, 1644, at the interment of the Right Honourable, and eminently pious lady, the Lady Elizabeth Langham, wife to Sir James Langham Kt. / by Simon Ford ...	Ford, Simon, 1619?-1699.	1665 (1665)	Wing F1485; ESTC R10829	91,335	258

to a civil accomplishment She was also from her Infancy very conscientiously dutiful and obedient to her Parents even to the very smallest punctilios wherein she had the least intimation of their pleasure Insomuch that her Lady-Mother upon a special occasion perceiving her from the mis-apprehension of an advice she gave her more affected than she desired was fain to expound her self to her and give her a Key wherewith to uncypher her bosom for the future by telling her that sundry things which she had spoken to her were never intended as peremptory commands but only as advices and counsels which in things of indifferency must not be over-strained which considered gains a sufficient credit to that which I have been credibly informed that her Lady-Mother hath been heard to say that she was the child that never offended her in her life As she grew up she was observed to be of a precise justice and exactness to her word which that she might the better be seeing it is seldom known that they that observe not what they speak are very observant of what they speak she was very circumspect in and very sparing and thrifty of discourse a quality that undoubtedly kept her from much sin which the wise man tells us wanteth not in multitude of words Prov. 10. 19. and contributed much to her perfection which the Apostle James tells us doth much consist in the Government of that unruly member the tongue Jam. 3. 2. I have read in Saint Austin of a passage quoted from Tully wherein he commends Nullum unquam verbum quod revocare vellet emisit Aug. Ep. 7. Marc. one that he knew for never having spoken any thing which he wished unspoken upon which the Father descants thus It may saith he be understood in a more or less favourable sense for as he goes on a fool may be capable of this commendation who though he speaks many things fit to be recalled yet understands not so well what he saies as to recal any thing but saith he if it be taken in the most favourable sense concerning one that knowing what he saies saies nothing that he wishes unsaid afterwards it agrees to none so well as to those who spake by divine Inspiration For my part he proceeds this is far from being my commendation For angit me plane Horatiana sententia nescit vox missa reverti it is my trouble that wishing will not render many of my words unuttered I am sure most of us have cause to partake with that good Father in his Confession But as for this exact Lady she took the readiest course to arrive at Tullies character in the best sense by doing what Seneca adviseth Minimum cum aliis loqui multum cum seipso Epist 105. speaking much with her self but little with others Insomuch that a noble person of a very discerning Judgment and no less severe a Piety who had the advantage of being a witness to almost all her Life hath been heard to say that she believed such a person naming her had the least account to give for words of any one that she knew And yet did she not bind her tongue thus to the behaviour for want of abilities to discourse or matter to discourse of For she was of great intellectual accomplishments and those improved by much secular learning as sufficed to enable her to converse that way with persons of eminent scholarship A greeably to this Government of her tongue she was exceedingly modest and becomingly grave in her whole behaviour not from any natural heaviness of constitution or affectation of morose and reserved vertue but from a just apprehension how unagreeable to an exact strictness of Life which she designed and how unconducing to the reputation of her Sex a too sanguine conversation is often found And that she was not cynically averse to a decent and convenient degree of affability and courtesie a vertue which was also very conspicuous in her it appeared in that she was wont to receive the visits of the meanest of her Neighbours with wonderful kindness and converse with them with a great deal of becoming condescention to which as any of them appeared to her to savour more of godliness than others she could upon occasion add a fit proportion of familiarity For very careful she was to admit none into her bosom but such as by critical observation she found to answer that character of worth by which she first valued her self and then chose her intimates not Greatness but Goodness Her Courtesie as I have intimated she extended to all sorts of persons even to those whom we commonly brow-beat and look down upon with a supercilious loftiness of countenance those I mean whose necessities made them petitioners to her bounty for even those she treated with great affability So that what was said once of Titus the Roman Emperor was true Sucton in Tito of her Neminem a se tristem dimisit that no person departed out of her presence discontented Yea even those whom she denied her Alms and some persons in want are not meet objects for a discreet charity she would so handsomly reprove for not using their abilities of body to get more creditable Bread that they seemed no less satisfied in her Counsel than they would have been whith her Alms. Her inviting countenance did so embolden the Poor to implore her Patronage her compassionate heart rendred her so sensible of their conditions and her prudence so enabled her to manage their Causes that as she was most frequently imployed in many of their important addresses to several of her Relations upon whom they depended so she followed their suits in such a manner that most an-end she proved successful as meeting with such a blessing of God upon her charitable endeavours as the justice of the causes in which she engaged might warrant her to expect Yea her very Servants had a share in the obligingness of her conversation For though she well understood her own Quality and could keep them at convenient distance yet she attempered her carriage even to them with so much mildness that she was never observed to drop an hasty or passionate expression to any of them though much provoked thereunto Of so innocent a deportment she was even from a child that one of capacity enough to observe and integrity enough to vindicate the relation from the least suspicion of flattery gives her this character that during ten years abode in her Mothers Family she could never observe any intemperate word or action or any thing which if all the world had been acquainted with would have in the least tended to her just diminution or disparagement She much studied the gratifying the Tempers and contenting the dispositions and propensions of those she conversed with in all lawful waies insomuch that she hath been often observed to deny her self for the pleasing of others according to that Apostolical Rule Rom. 15. 2. And this disposition rendred her even in

nearest of Relation to insinuate the most ardent and affectionate desires of Imitation as those which through proximity of bloud have the assistance of something of natural to endear them to the Affections the help of frequent and familiar converse to imprint them in the memory and lastly the Evidence gathered from constant observation to justifie to the Judgment the reality of that Beauty which appears in them in all Dresses against the suspicions of Auxiliary tinctures wherewith our uncharitableness usually burdens the most resplendent vertues of those that are meer Strangers to us And for a close may the God of all Grace so bless them with an increase of all gracious qualities that they may all rise up into the like reputation of singulat Instances and Examples of Christian Perfection with Her that is gone before them and yet manage their growth so thriftily for us that by a precocious maturity they may not precipitate their removal from us that this profligate Age may be the longer blessed with such living Convictions and Reproofs of its desperate viciousness and themselves enjoy the more ample opportunity of advancing the Comfort of their Friends and their own Reward These Requests as there is none who prefers them on your hehalf with more zealous affection so I dare confidently affirm there is none that shall find himself more obliged to be thankful for the Answer of them than Right Honourable Your most humble servant in the work of the Lord Jesus Simon Ford. Northampton Oct. 20. 1664. ΗΣΥΧΙΑ ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΟΥ OR A CHRISTIAN'S ACQUIESCENCE In all the Products of DIVINE PROVIDENCE c. Acts 21. 14. And when he would not be perswaded we ceased saying The will of the Lord be done THis Text as it relates to The Coherence of the Text. the History whereof it is parcel contains the reception given by the Christians at Caesarea to that peremptory denial which they received from St. Paul to their importunate disswasion of him from going to Jerusalem where one Agabus a Prophet the same in likelihood whose true Prediction of a Famine in the daies of Claudius Caesar is mentioned Acts 11. 28. had foretold that he should run an hazard of his Liberty at least if not of his Life also consequently seeing so eminent a Propagator and Propugner of Christianity as he being once in his Enemies hands could not probably expect less from them than utmost extremities This denial you have recorded v. 13. He answered what mean ye to weep and break my heart for I am ready not only to be bound but to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus His Answer speaks him Man and Christian As a Man he shews himself moved with their Affections but as a Christian he declares himself not to be removed from his Resolutions He hath an heart so much flesh as to be affected tenderly with their kindness but so much flint or steel rather as to receive no impression from their Counsel For the first words of my Text tell you that he would not be perswaded And herefore seeing he would not the Brethren as passionate as they were in their importunities had grace enough to conquer nature and perswade themselves to cease their suit as apprehending an intimation of Gods will to the contrary of what they so earnestly desired from the impregnableness of that heart which they saw held out with so noble a resolution against the batteries of so many united prayers and tears They are loath to contest any farther where they see God and Grace of a Party against them and therefore they raise the siege cease their sollicitations and unanimously say The will of the Lord be done A short Text beloved but that A brief Descant on the Text. which contains a long Lesson to be studied and practised the longest day of your lives an easie Text but comprehending an hard Task one of the hardest in all the compass of Christianity viz. the most high and heroical duty of a full absolute and perpetual resignation of our selves and all our concernments to the soveraign pleasure of Almighty God Indeed every word in the Text iscite habere n corde quod nis homo habet in lin● Quod vult us hoc agat Ipsa lingua popularis est le●umque sed doctrina salutatis In Ps 32. is practically hard but one and that is saying which is so easie that St. Austin told his people long since that these Forms The Will of the Lord be done and let the Lord do his pleasure c. are lingua popularis common discourse wherefore he adviseth them to learn to get this lesson by heart which every one was able to say by rote and then they should find Doctrina salutaris an wholsom and saving Doctrine contained in it 1. And first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an hard word to be cordially pronounced by sinful flesh and blood Man in his lapsed estate is loath to own any Lord over him Psal 12. 4. what they conceit they are Jer. 2. 31. every one would fain be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lord to himself independent even upon God himself so as to need to come no more at him as there the Phrase is And that this Lesson is of no mean difficulty appears in that God near eighty times in the Scripture tells men he will be at extraordinary pains to learn it them sometimes by mercies and otherwhiles by Judgments in this common Phrase Yee shall know that I am the Lord. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Will of this Lord is yet an harder word to be practically conned Generally men are enemies to Arbitrary Power and Government by will even in God himself Let him rule by known Laws and Presidents only provided that withal he be responsible to the High Court of humane Reason for what he doth and admit every mans particular Reason to be of the Quorum and sit as Judge in the Court upon these conditions it may be he may be received as a Titular Lord among the Sons of Men. But so to own him as a Lord as to leave him free to do what he pleaseth in Heaven and Earth and in all deep places even in Hell it self Psal 135. 6. to have all the world at his sole beck without suffering any one to reply against him Rom. 9. 20. to have as absolute an unaccountable power over all things as the Potter hath over the clay v. 21. this is an had saying as they say in another case John 6. 60. and who can endure to hear it 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let this absolute will be done is not one jot easier for mans heart to utter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may possibly go down with us Gods will when it is done and no man can help it necessity will enfore men to swallow after a Fashion because it is in vain to attempt to re-call yesterday to render factum infectum what is done not to have been done But Friends

this will not serve there is more in this word than so This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports our free and voluntary Vote both of consent when it is to be done and of approbation and applause when it is done Now surely this is hard To give God our Fiat before-hand to the doing of that will of his which it may be tends to the undoing of our selves and to subscribe to it when done as done to our mindes yea so done as it could not be better done and this not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of constraint but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 willingly not as a man bestowes his Goods upon the Waves in a Storm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an unwilling will but as a man parts with his money for a good purchase to acquiesce as satisfied in it not with a canina patientia as Tertullian and Bernard call it a Doggs patience a patience perforce but with a patientia Christiana a true Christian patience grounded upon choice in this sence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though Englished is Greek still to most men and non potest legi an hard chapter and few can read it 4. Lastly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We ceased comes behind none of the rest for difficulty To calme all our passions and the expressions of them in whatever kind and be still as God bids the tumultuous World Ps 46. 10. and Christ the tempestuous Sea Mark 4. 39 to take up our Cross cheerfully and make no words of it how un-easie soever it sit not to deprecate the least circumstance of that Providence which grates most close upon our dearest Interests and Concernments and in Thought Speech and Behaviour to shew that our spirits enjoy a perfect calme not so much as the least wrinkle of a wave remaining upon them where is the man that will be perswaded that this Yoke is easie and this Burthen light Mat. 11. 30. And yet as hard a Lesson as this is the Disciples in the Text had learned it and I hope ere these Sands be spent so will You too at least as to your judgments and Consciences for God alone can disciple Passions so that you shall be convinced that these Brethren said well and did better and therein confess that you are bound to say and do so too ecchoing from your hearts and lives to every providence of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Will of the Lord be done The words offer themselves to The Parts of the Text. be handled in a double capacity 1. In the Matter 2. In the Form of them First The Matter of them is the carriage of these Christians of Caesaria upon the occasion before-mentioned which farther may be sub-divided into I. Dictum what they said to wit The will of the Lord be done II. Factum What they did in conformity to this saying they Ceased that is fotbore to sollicit their sute any further Secondly the Form of them and that consists in the Historical Relation of both by the appointment of Gods Spirit from the Pen of St. Luke who himself as appears by the Relation it self running in the Plural We ceased was pars magna had a great share in all the passages of this part of St. Pauls Story These two parts we will handle The first Part handled I. The Matter of the Text. 1. Its first Branch the Dictum distinctly beginning with I. The Matter or substance of the Text wherein first comes to hand 1. The Dictum What these Brethren said Fiat voluntas Domini The Will of the Lord be done And this learns us this Observation That When Gods revealed will and ours so clash and enterfere 1. Observation that both of them cannot be done it is a necessary piece of Christian duty for us to vayle our wills to Gods Say not this is false Logick to infer a general Rule from a particular Example For that is not a particular example which though particular persons only be concerned in yet bears a conformity with a Principle universally owned by Christians and recorded as congruous to that Principle by the appointment of the Holy Ghost for the imitation of others These Brethrens practise was produced by this Principle and therefore warrantably may this Principle be concluded from their practise To the more clear handling of Explained this Point it will be needful according to the intimation given you therein to distinguish of the will of God under the different considerations of secret and revealed The secret will of God is a Rule by which he alone acts the revealed will of God is that that we are to manage our selves by Secret things belong only to God but those things that are revealed belong to us and to our children Deut. 29. 29. The secret will of God therefore as and whiles it continues locked up in the Cabinet of his own breast to which he alone keeps the Key upon that very account because we neither do nor can know it obligeth not us farther than as it stands in a capacity to be revealed and in this capacity it requires from us a general implicite hypothetical and dispositive submission onely i. e. an holy disposition inclination and purpose of heart to submit to it whenever it shall come to be signified and revealed But the will of God once actually revealed requires a particular express actual and positive submission of us The secret will of God whiles such may be lawfully prayed against and acted against otherwise all Prayers must be sinful which God thinks not fit to grant and all courses of humane providence unlawful which prove unsuccessful an assertion so absurd that no sober Christian will own it Yea more the will of God even when expressed and signified to us that I mean which concerns the inflicting any evil upon us or ours if it be expressed only conditionally or though it may be delivered in absolute terms yet may according to the Tenor of the Scripture be warrantably supposed to imply a Condition we may both pray against and by all other pious and prudent courses 2 Sam. 12. 22. Jon. 3. 8 9. Is 38. 1 2. labour to prevent Of which we have at least three known Instances in the Scripture in the several Cases of David Hezekiah and the King of Nineveh And the reason hereof is because in such Cases the will of God revealed being not peremptory and absolute is fulfilled on the one hand even by its frustration upon the performance of the Conditions upon which it was suspended as it would on the other by taking place according to the commination in case the Conditions supposed be not performed So David and the King of Nineveh both argue For who can tell whether God will be merciful c. And in this manner it is probable the Brethren in the Text understood the Prophecy of Agabus labouring to prevent it whiles they saw no cause to conclude it absolute and irrevocable and till they perceived by the