Selected quad for the lemma: fire_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
fire_n	fruit_n	good_a	tree_n	12,773	5	9.6998	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A18126	A sermon of the nature and end of repentance shadowed in the ministerie of Iohn the Baptist. Preached the Sunday afore Lent. 1613.	Case, William, 1584 or 5-1634.	1616 (1616)	STC 4767; ESTC S107898	20,795	36

doth it onely seeme to be a counsell but rather a louing perswasion because the reason is so amiable and louely for it might haue beene otherwise proposed as it was in another place by our Sauiour Repent least yee perish But here it is Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand as if he should haue said The time was when as the hardnesse of mens hearts had lockt vp and fast barr'd the doores of grace so that then there was neither hope of expecting nor meanes of obtaining mercie or fauour at the hands of God But behold now such is the goodnesse of God the time approacheth and is nigh at hand when as the gates of the kingdome of heauen shall be set wide open and therefore now if euer is the acceptable time now is the day of Saluation to day if yee will heare his voice harden not your hearts A most forceable perswasion and sweete allurement agreeable to the glad tydings of the Gospell yea euen to the beginning of the Gospell as Saint Marke cals it the Doctrine of Repentance which albeit for the most part it be a doctrine of sharpe rebukes and seuere discipline yet is it mixed with such gracious motiues and incitations of encouragement to the vndertaking of it as driues away all thoughts and doubts of danger or despaire howsoeuer it be branded by prophane Libertines with an imputation of crueltie working desperate horrour and distraction in the soule and consciences of man For although the duetie of repentance imposed be very troublesome harsh vnto flesh and blood yet is the end of our repentance so full of comfortable successe as doth alleuiate all forrowes and make the yoake easie and the burden light And therefore if Christ doe call vs though it be with Peter to walke vpon the Sea yet let vs goe vnto him and though mighty windes whether outward crosses of the world or inward terrors of conscience through our infirmitie infidelity may afright wel-nigh ouerwhelme vs yet if when we begin to sinke we can but say with Peter Maister saue vs Math. 14.29 our Lord Iesus will stretch forth his hand and catch vs But if neither commandments can force vs nor reasons perswade vs nor louing allurements draw vs to the vndertaking of this happy though heauie course of Repentance it shall not be our pleading that Abraham is our Father that shall helpe vs Math. 3.9.10 for God is able euen of these stonges to raise vp children vnto Abraham Now also is the axe laid vnto the roote of the tree and therefore euery tree that bringoth not foorth good fruite shall be hewne downe and cast into the fire Implying this much that they who will not kisse the Sonne as friendly subiecta and be ruled by his Scepter now in his kingdome shall hereafter be subdued by the Sonne as his enemies and bruised in peeces with his iron rodde in the day of his wrathfull indignation Now because the reward is so great which is proposed to repentance euen the kingdome of heauen and on the other side the punishment so great if we doe not repent as thereby to incurre the danger of euerlasting fire it will haply so fall out that as Herod heard Iohn gladly vntill he was rebuked for his incestuous marriage so many it may be will willingly entertaine with reuerence the doctrine of Iohn vntill their dearest sinnes be reproued and then rather then they will be deuorced from that adulterous broode which with so great liking and delight they nourish as chaste spouses in their bosomes rather I say then they will suffer rebuke for them or be drawne to forsake them they will not onely seeke to contemne the calling and disgrace the persons but euen if they could also take the heads of those Ministers that shall so boldely censure and shew themselues vnto themselues And therefore wee cannot well tell what we shall be vntill we know what repentance is in the parts of it And that the Baptist teacheth in the third of Lukes Gospell and the fifth verse distinguishing the same into foure seuerall speciall parts comprising therein all particular braunches that respectiuely may be referred thereunto When he saith Euery valley shall be filled and euery mountaine and hill shall be brought low Luk. 3.5 and the crooked things shall be made straight and the rough waies shall be made smooth and so all flesh shall see the saluation of God Wherein he doth not onely intimate and inferre the end and fruit of Repentance in generall that it is a propertie thereof to pull those scales of ignorance and sensualitie from off the eyes of our vnderstanding without which we could not otherwise apprehend and see the saluation by Christ offered vnto vs but also by an allegorie doth manifestly declare wherein true repentance doth consist and doth likewise particular the parts thereof For whereas the nature of repentance is nothing else but a mortification of all sinne and a generall amendment of life there is no irregularitie whatsoeuer whereby the soule of man is diuerted from the righteous rule of Gods law but the reformation thereof may be reduced vnto one of these foure heads either in filling the vallies or in leuelling the mountaines in making straight the crooked or the rough in being made smooth for the vallies are filled when as our affections are raised from the things on the earth and are set on those things that are aboue Col. 3.2 The mountaines are brought low when the proud thoughts of man are captiuated to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 The crooked things are made straight when the vnrighteousnesse of our actions are brought within such compasse as that we doe not otherwise vnto others then we would haue others to doe vnto vs Mat. 7.12 And lastly the rough things become smooth when as we willingly take the yoake of Christ vpon vs. and learne of him to be lowlie and meeke Math. 11.29 For by Valleyes Mountaines and crooked waies and rough as farre as I can conceiue there of can be vnderstood nothing better then the base earthlinesse of our affections the swelling pride of our hearts the vniust iniquitie of our actions and the peruerse frowardnesse of our wils These foure containing within them the whole disorder of the frame of mans nature For inasmuch as the directing spirit of grace hath forsaken vs because first we had forsaken him there is now no better desires in the heart of man but first an eager pursuite and delight which he hath onely in the things of this world Secondly a vaine-glorious pride and boasting which he taketh in them hen he hath them Thirdly the meanes whereby he doth attaine vnto them are indirect and iniurious And lastly if he fade or be crost in the prosecution of them his passions are troublesome and boysterous Vnder which soure vices all other are comprehended as all graces are vnder these foure that are directly opposite vnto them for indeede they are ex