Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	good_a	heart_n	word_n	6,783	5	5.4992	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09331	A weekes worke, and a worke for every weeke by R.B.	Bernard, Richard, 1568-1641.	1616 (1616)	STC 1964.3; ESTC S1779	36,940	190

the death of sin the strength of grace of thy contempt of the world and of thy desire to bee with Christ for by a constant course in this daily exercise thou shalt see these things more and more to encrease vpon thee if indeed this worke for euery weeke without formall and customarie hypocrisie in a holy and conscionable respect of thy dutie bee religiously and constantly performed Thirdly consider how thou hast passed ouer so many dayes the allotted time for worldly labours and so hast brought the weeke to an end that so thou mayest meditate of thy shortening of thy daies and drawing nearer vnto iudgemēt Also how thou hast ended daies and weekes and so shouldest end thy sins and as times renew vpon thee and yeeres encrease so shouldest thou be daily renewed in minde and bee encreased in goodnesse that so the longer thou doest liue the better thou may bee more holy to God more vpright to men more spiritual lesse worldly more desirous of immortality lesse regarding vanitie so liuing as thereby leauing a blessed name to posterity so dying as thou mayest enioy a better life in eternity Fourthly with the rest of thy former daily deuotions and euery nights exercise and godly meditation going to bed adde to this night these two considerations That the week is as the end of the world and the seuenth day following as the eternall Sabbath when all the elect of God shall be assembled to worship him for euer and euer Gaius Reuerend Sir although thus be ended the duties and meditations for the sixe daies in the weeke yet is not this worke for euery weeke fully finished One thing remaineth of which though many haue spoken I beseech thee say something and set downe in a few words how I may behaue my selfe vpon this day of rest to sanctifie it and to keepe it holy vnto the Lord. Iohn Friend and faithfull Gaius thy desire is good and I cannot but condescēd to thy request to make vp this so little a worke for him that readeth it which yet will bee a most holy labour to him that practiseth it Concerning this thou art to know three things first 3. Things to bee knowne for the keeping of the Lords day holy what to doe before thou goest to the assembly then how to demeane thy selfe there and thirdly how to behaue thy selfe afterwards Gaius What am I to do I beseech thee in the morning Iohn Thou art not only now to performe thy euery day mornings deuotion but thou must make a speciall preparation for this day First awake early and What to doe vpon the Lords day in the morning arise be times as thy age and health wil suffer thee the sooner vp the more ready for holy exercises and longer time for them It is meet thou shouldest assoone rise for the Lords seruice to the soules safety as in the weeke day for thy selfe or earthly master to get maintenance for the body Secondly being thus risen and ready bee earnest and ardent in prayer and therin first for thy Pastor and Teacher that God would enlarge his gifts vpon him that hee would giue him vtterance and liberty of speech that hee might speake powerfully that the spirit might work both in him and by him effectually that so he himselfe might be a preacher in word and works a liuely paterne of his doctrine in a holy life and conuersation then for thy selfe and the rest of the hearers that they might haue prepared harts as good groūd for the Lords seede that they might bring forth plentifully for the Lords haruest for your ministers encouragement and your owne comfort After this reade some portion of Scripture with the text to be handled if hee goe on with a scripture calling to minde what hee hath spoken where hee left that so you may prepare your selues better to that which remaineth and so with some sweete Psalme of Psal 14. 92. 95. comfort praise God Thirdly and lastly after all these things speedily dispatch all businesse of absolute necessity auoide whatsoeuer is superfluous leaue as few as possibly may be at home make hast to the assembly and thinke whether thou art going looking to thy feet before thou enter into the house of the Lord and be more ready to heare then to offer the sacrifice of fooles Gaius Oh Lord God Of mens vnpreparednesse to Gods house how vnpreparedly come most into Gods house wee doe vsually rush into the holy assemblie without doing any of these duties from worldly businesse stuffed with cares of this life which choke the seed of Gods word some out of the Alchouse with red faces bidding defiance to all sober spirits other hardly gotten from their beds hauing not shaken off their idlenesse and perhaps their wantonnesse other spend all the time in dressing and attiring themselues that they may come to see and to bee seene into the congregation as the diuels ensigne-bearers of vanity pride Some come with couetousnes as Iudas some with hypocrisie as Ananiah some with enuie as the Pharisies some with Prophanenesse and mocking spirits like the Iewes some to cauill and catch aduantage as certaine did in Ieremies daies some come for companie as good fellowes not for conscience some onely of a fashion and of a custome taken vp vpon a kind of religion but neither knowing why nor wherefore nor euer learning any thing for their reformation Some come for feare of man but not of God most that come come as the people did to Ezechiel to heare but very few to doe because indeed they come not thus in a conscionable preparation But I haue been too long in this sorrowfull complaint shew me I pray thee what I am to do in the open congregation Iohn 1. Be thou respectiue How to carry our selues in the open congregation of Gods presence the presence of his holy Angels 2. Shew a reuerent behauior in thine eies countenance gesture of thy whole body whether it bee standing sitting or kneelings 3. Wholly addict thy selfe to attentiue hearing ioyning with the minister and the rest of the congregation in all the publike exercises is the preaching of the word in administration of the Sacramēts in distributing to the poor in their necessities in prayer and singing of Psalmes vnto God 4. Auoid all wandring thoughts idle gazing drowsie sleeping superstitious praying there alone also priuate reading and whatsoeuer may shew either neglect or contempt of the publike administration of holy thing 5. Continue constant with the congregation abide to the end and conclude with the rest depart with a heart lifted vp vnto God for such heauenly means of saluation and so goe forth with a reuerent and a holy behauiour in respect of God of his Angels of Gods Ministers and his people and in respect of departing so immediately from such holy and heauenly exercises and also in regard of the place but without superstition set apart to so holy an end Gaius Alas alas

how contrary heereunto are the most and how defectiue are the best I may mourne heauily for the multitude and much lament my own wants but as I heare now my dutie so will I endeauour to performe by Gods grace more carefully hereafter the present desire of my heart and therefore proceed thou best beloued Apostle of the Lord to teach me what to do when the publike seruice to God is ended Iohn 1. Preuent al present occasions of worldly vnnecessarie communication 2. Betake thy selfe a Our duty after publike seruice of God while to some priuate place for priuate meditation and prayer vpon that which thou hast heard remembrest 3. Receiue that day so much nourishment only as may satisfie for necessitie auoiding superfluitie arising of variety which may cause drousines dulnesse of spirit and hinder thy meditation 4. Vse conference with other and occasion them to holy speeches if thou doest doubt thou mayest perhaps bee resolued if thou hast forgot the memories of other may help thee as also giue thee vnderstanding in that thou thy selfe knowest not 5. Being disposed to be merrie sing Psalms abandon foolish and leaud sports and vaine companie 6. Forget not this day to shew forth workes of mercy to visit the sicke to relieue the poore and to comfort the afflicted Lastly in the end of the day praise God for the comforts thereof remember what thou hast heard and that which especially concerned thy selfe make some vse of all but forget not that pray for a blessing resolue to put what thou learnest into daily practise and then before thy rest fall to thy daily deuotion and in all good things bee euer constant vnto the end Gaius O Lord grant me so great mercy how happie were I if thus I could doe I earnestly desire it Oh that I could attaine vnto it This were indeed a blessednesse here a heauen vpon earth a celestiall felicity in a terrestriall place in this wretched state of miserie This pearle if I could purchase I offer willingly to giue away all my carnal pleasures al my worldly profits all vaine honour and my selfe wholly for the loue of it For what am I if I had all the world without the effectuall sauing power and grace of the word if I had all pleasure and had no portion in the heauenly Paradise If I had all honour without certaine hope of heauen Woe would bee to mee endlesse woes would seaze vpon mee I will therefore now resolue to walke with God seek fellowship with the faithfull and abandon the waies of wickednesse whatsoeuer befalleth mee in this present world Iohn A most blessed resolution sweet soule go on and prosper looke for ioyfull fruits of thy blessed labour by well doing thou shalt haue assured hope of Gods fauour boldnesse in Christ to go vnto God who will be to thee a Father the Spirit a Comforter as Christ thy Redeemer and Iustifier Feare not death dread not hell heauen is thine inheritance The godly pray for thee Angels accompanie thee the Law will not curse thee the Gospel is for thy comfort and thy conscience will speake peace vnto thee Satan dare not claime thee God doth acknowledge thee for his owne and hath thee in his safe keeping to bring thee to heauen Gaius Blessed man of God thou beloued of the Lord thou hast comforted me and spoken comfortably vnto thy seruant the Lord recompence thy worke and a full reward bee giuen thee of the Lord God of Israel and now behold thy seruant and the seruant of the Lord bee it vnto mee according to all these thy words Yet good Sir before I end I must needs craue a little more helpe I was aduised to pray vpon the Sabbath day in the morning before I goe vnto the publike congregation and in the euening when the day is ended vouchsafe I beseech thee to help my weaknesse heerein also and to set me downe how to pray morning euening on the Sabbath Iohn Friend Gaius I am ready to further thy gracious desires in al good things much reioycing in thy vnfained loue to the Lord and to the holy exercises of religion I heartily wish thee heerein all happie successe such feruencie such growth such constancie as thy example may moue many to imitate thy vertues and to ioyne with thee in the way to eternitie Thus therefore mayest thou or to the like effect pray in the morning O Lord our God whose A Prayer for the Sabbath day in the morning will and commandement it is that wee should keepe holy this day as set apart for the publike worship and seruice of thy most holy name Now I do heartily beseech thee in thy tender compassion and mercy so to looke vpon me in Christ Iesus that my sinnes may not be a wall of separation betweene thee and me but that of thy gracious goodnesse through my blessed Sauiour I may obtaine ful remission of all my sinnes and by him the gift of thy most holy spirit which may happily prepare and make ready my heart that I may goe to the holy assembly of thy Saints as well prepared ground fit to receiue the good seed of thy most holy word Oh Lord open mine eyes to see thy truth mine eares encline to harken attentiuely bend my will to follow what I shall heare that I may not be a bare hearer but a doer of thy word Giue me wisdome to iudge of the truth humility to receiue it faith to beleeue it conscience to practise it make it vnto me the Sauiour of life vnto life a word of reconciliation that I may for euer by it be wonne vnto thee Withdraw my mind and affections wholly from euery thing that may hinder mee from the performance of my duty this day in thy diuine seruice Take from me blindnesse of mind dulnesse of wit disorderlines of affections deadnesse of spirit hardnesse of heart vnbeleefe pride selfe-conceit presumption of mercy and wicked prophanenes that so I may not contemne nor yet make light account of thy holy ordinances the word read and preached the administration of the Sacramēts prayer and thankes giuing with the whole congregation Being set to heare good Father blesse me from wandring thoughts vaine imaginations Satans suggestions drowsinesse of the flesh and whatsoeuer is an enemie to the sauing hearing of thy blessed word Sanctifie my vnderstanding rightly to conceiue my memory to retaine and keepe and my heart truly to affect what thy seruant shall speake vnto mee and to the rest of thy people this day O Lord open his mouth that hee may speake onely thy truth enforme his vnderstanding settle his iudgement enflame his affections with that truth which he shal deliuer vnto vs and guide so his tongue that he may speak wisely seasonably aptly and also with great power of thy spirit to the heart and consciences of euery of vs his hearers so as we may liuely feele the power of thine owne ordinance and may also truly say of him that