Selected quad for the lemma: fire_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
fire_n	evil_a	good_a	tree_n	3,486	5	10.2364	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96361	Pantheologia or the summe of practical divinity practiz'd in the wilderness, and delivered by our Saviour in his Sermon on the Mount. Being observations upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters of St Matthew. To which is prefixed a prolegomena or preface by way of dialogue, wherein the perfection and perspicuity of the Scripture is vindicated from the calumnies of Anabaptists and Papists. By Tho. White B.L. minister of Gods word at Anne Aldersgate, London.	White, Thomas, minister of St. Anne's, Aldersgate.	1653 (1653)	Wing W1806; Thomason E1466_1; ESTC R208673	167,277	207

pretences telling you how much they love you and what care they have of your souls c. yet you must take heed that their fair words deceive you not look to their doctrines not their pretences So for their conversations it may be you cannot know them by one or two observations yet by much observation you may for generally hereticks are wicked men and errours end in prophanenesse 3. Take heed of judging by blossoms for then the thorn will be more glorious that way then the vine 4. You must not judge by one but by their fruits that is by their constant walkings 1. It shews the difference between the conversation of the Saints and false prophets you may stick grapes to thorns but thorns do not bring forth those grapes so their holinesse proceeds not from any root from within 2. It shews the noxious nature of false prophets they are like thorns and thistles 3. You may see the excellency of true Prophets they are like vines and fig-trees 4. Generally these thorns and thistles these hereticks grow in the sluggards fields where Gods Ministers his husbandmen do not plough and sowe They may be compared to thorns because they so easily get in but with much difficulty get out Vers 17. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit Vers 18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit Vers 19. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire Vers 20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them Every good tree c. 1. It is not enough for a Christian to have the leaves of profession and the blossoms of resolution but must have the fruit of holinesse 2. That no unregenerate man can do one action that is good the word fruit is in the singular But you will say Neither can any good man do any evil action that follows you will say I answer that in a good man there are two principles and denominations being from the better part we do not say that the good man sins as the Apostle sayes Not I but sin but an unregenerate hath but one principle and that the root of bitternesse Some good fruit may be stuck upon him but he doth not bring them forth so a wicked mans hand may give alms but not his heart Vers 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven Not every one that One may pray often and be so confident of our interest in Christ that one may not only professe to men that Christ is a Lord but tell Christ himself that he is our Lord. 2. Our obedience to Gods will must be constant for so the word in the present tense imp●rteth 3. It is not said the things that my Father commands but the will of my Father to shew 1. That many do those things that God commands that yet notwithstanding do not Gods will but wonderfully displease him 2 Or to shew that it is not enough to do what God commands but we must do it because he commands us 4. Christ when he speaks of wicked men he never cals God their Father but when he speaks to the Saints he seldom sayes my Father but your Father or if he sayes my Father he addes yours also Vers 22. Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name have cast out devils and in thy name done many wonderfull works Many will say to me in that day c. 1. Observe the multitude that shall perish by presumption despair kils his thousands presumption its ten thousands 2. Consider how long presumption continues one may die and not have presumption removed nay at the day of Judgement after sentence past it must still continue for these words may very well be supposed to be spoken after Christ speaking his sentence for so it did evidently appear Mat. 25.44 they dispute their innocency with Christ after the sentence given 'T is very strange that all the terrours of the day of judgement cannot shake their confidence 3. The wickednesse of a Minister hinders not the efficacy of his administrations The efficacy of Sacraments depends not upon the piety of Ministers A wicked man may cast out devils miraculously out of the body and out of souls and yet go to hell himself 4. It is a dangerous thing to try our states by gifts of edification one may be chosen to Apostleship and yet not chosen to salvation Joh. 6.10 comp with 13.18 5. One may have faith of miracles and not justifying faith one may both heal others in the name of Christ and be healed in body himself by Christ and yet be a cast-away and by consequence believe Christ when he gives us power to do such miracles and experimentally finde his word to be true and yet that experience of his truth in those things may be without the believing of his promises or obeying of his commands in other matters 6. See the wonderfull power and divinity of Christ that not only be himself cast out devils but could authorize whom he pleased to do it Vers 23. And then will I professe unto them I never knew you Depart from me ye that work iniquity And then will I profess unto c. 1. The word know signifies generally amongst the Hebrews knowledge of approbation Psal 1. ult Rom. 7.15 1 Tim. 2.19 2. It is one of the strongest places to prove perseverance for those to whom he shall say Depart he sayes also that he never knew them It is not I do not know you but never did know you surely if they ever had been Christs he had then known them 2 Tim. 2.19 Vers 24. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock Vers 25. And the rain descended and the flouds came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not for it was founded upon a rock Every one that heareth c. 1. The world accounts them fools that are holy but Christ accounts them the only wise 2. The difference betwixt these two is not in their house but in their foundation one builds his hopes upon the sands the other upon the rocks nay it may be the presumption of the wicked may carry a fairer show then the confidence of the Saints Confidence doth not become presumption by being too great but by being upon false grounds 3. All must expect at one time or other by afflictions persecutions or temptations to have their confidence tried upon what foundation it stands 4. Untill persecution c. ariseth it is not to be known whose profession is true or false 5. Our strength is not from our selves but from the rock upon which we are built 1 Pet. 1.4 6. When a Professour fals away his fall is very great and notorious 7. Therefore try not what thou holdest but upon what grounds if thou hast no grounds for thy religion but education custom c. these will not stand a storm 8. One Christ is better then a thousand creatures one rock then millions of sands to build on Vers 28. And it came to passe when Jesus had ended these sayings the people were astonished at his doctrine Vers 29. For he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes And it came to pass c. 1. We must stay to the end of the Sermon else we shall go away without a blessing else it shews some dislike of the Sermon for their being astonished made the stay 2. One may be astonished at a Sermon by which he is not converted 3. One that is a true Minister hath authority over his hearers let their persons be never so mean in respect of their office they are above them 4. A Minister ought to keep up his authority and not to be despised by his people 1 Tim. 4.12 Tit. 2.15 5. The Question may be Why the Evangelist takes such special notice that the people were astonished because he spoke as one having authority and seems to passe by the matter of our Saviours Sermon and takes notice of the manner of delivering of it one would think rather that the Evangelist and the people should have taken notice of the heavenlinesse of his doctrine rather then the authority with which he delivered it The reasons may be First It is said in respect of Christ to shew the difference betwixt his preaching and all others for whether they were Prophets Scribes or any others they preach not so authoritatively as Christ did for the Prophet said Thus saith the Lord the Scribes Thus saith such a Rabby c. They proved what they said by the testimony of others but Christ upon his own authority I say unto you and this was that wherein our Saviour excelled all other preachers For the substance and matter of his doctrine it was wonderfull heavenly yet for the substance of it it had been formerly preached but no one ever preached upon their own authority before his doctrine differed from the Prophets and all other teachings in heavenlinesse and clearnesse but that was only in degree but in respect of his authoritative preaching it differed but in kinde 2. In respect of the people the meaning may be thus That the Sermon of Christ came with such authority and power upon their spirits that they were fully convinced of the truth of those things he preached which conviction in any proportionable measure they never had experience before of as often as they had heard the Scribes preach 3. Or may it not be to shew that though they were astonished yet it was not upon right grounds for whosoever is taken with the eloquence pronunciation or any thing else in a Sermon besides the holinesse of the matter that is delivered though their delight be spiritual in respect of the object for it is the Word preached that delights them yet in respect of the formality of their delight viz. the ground why they are delighted in the Word preached is carnal And if you take the word so then this reason of their astonishment is set down that we might understand that this our Saviours Sermon did astonish them yet it did not convert them FINIS