Selected quad for the lemma: nature_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	fire_n	set_v	tongue_n	3,652	5	9.4006	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29104	A perswasive (sic) to peace and unity a sermon preached before the Lord-Mayor and the aldermen of the city of London ; at the Church of St. Mary le-bow, on Sunday, January 16th 1697/8 / by Samuel Bradford.	Bradford, Samuel, 1652-1731.	1698 (1698)	Wing B4117; ESTC R6286	17,512	34

are proper for the helping us to understand an antient Book not leaning to our own understandings to such a degree as may hinder us from consulting with those who are best qualified to assist us adding withal our Earnest prayers to Almighty God for the aid of his Holy Spirit to enlighten and to sanctifie out Minds in the use of them by which means we shall not fail to preserve that Vnity of the Spirit with respect to our Judgments which St. Paul may be understood here to exhort us to To keep the Vnity of the Spirit implys also the preserving and cherishing of Love and Affection amongst Christians After an honest care used for the information of our Understandings we may possibly differ as I observ'd before in matters of less weight and moment as we find some did even in the Apostles days This may fall out from the difference there is between the Parts and Abilities of several Men. A Serious Study and Practice of the Christian Religion do indeed tend to enlarge the Understandings and minds of men but yet still there is left that difference which Nature has made between the capacity of one Man and another Besides that some have much greater Advantages and fairer Opportunitys for the improving of themselvs than others have Whence it comes to pass that there are weak as well as strong Christians babes in Christ such as have need of milk as well as others that are well grown and are able to digest stronger meat Even men of equal capacities and abilities may through their different Advantages through their tempers or their Conversations have differing apprehensions concerning several points of Christianity it self But yet in this case we may all keep the Vnity of the Spirit with respect to our Affection and Charity towards each other Christian Love is due to the Christian Temper and Spirit wherever they are to be found The Image of God and our Redeemer wherever it appears ought to engage the hearty approbation and cordial Love of Every one who pretends to bear the same Resemblance Mutual Charity is so necessary to the Members of the Christian Body that we know 't is made by our Lord himself the distinguishing Character of his Disciples this being the special and peculiar Precept which he gave them John 13.34 35. 1 John 3 11. that they should Love one another even as he had lov'd them St. John therefore calls it the Message which they had heard from the beginning that they should love one another There is indeed nothing more universally recommended to Christians and nothing more vehemently urg'd upon them than this kind of Unity Rom. 12.16 Col. 3.12 13 14. Thus St. Paul Be of the same mind one towards another and Again Put on as the elect of God that is as sincere Christians Holy and Beloved bowels of mercies kindness Long Suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another even as Christ forgave you so also do ye And above all these things put on Charity which is the bond of Perfectness that is which is the most perfect Bond or Tye whereby Christians are united to each other And to name no more just before the Text as an Introduction to this keeping the Vnity of the Spirit he exhorts the Ephelsians to be long-suffering ver 2. forbearing one another in love And according to all these excellent Precepts it was the mutual Affection of the primitive Christians by which they were distinguished and for which they were envied by their Enemies when they could look upon them and say Behold how they love one another Nothing ought to separate one Christian from another in this respect but what at the same time separates him from Christ For whilst we are Members of the same Body whilst we are all united to the same Head 't is absurd not to retain a regard to each other suitable to such a Relation To keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace farther implies a quiet and Peaceable nay a kind and amicable demeanor towards each other in our whole Conversation This is necessarily consequent upon the former such a Behaviour being the natural effect of inward affection and good will so that I need not insist largely on this after what I have said upon the foregoing particular I shall only take notice that as it includes a meek and Gentle treatment of each other in all respects so more particularly with respect to our Speech I mean that we never provoke or I ritate our fellow Christians by any rude or undecent Language which is so far from being allowable in a Christian that it is altogether unbecoming a Man But I thought fit to mention it both because this is too common a fault the Tongue as St. 〈…〉 Jane expresses it being an unruly evil insomuch that if any man offend not in word he pronounces him a perfect man and able to bridle the whole body vers 2. as also because the consequences of it are oftentimes very deplorable as the same Apostle observes Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth ver 5 6. And the tongue is a fire a world of iniquity so is the tongue among our Members that it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the course of Nature and it is set on fire of Hell but especially because too many professing Christianity to the great dishonour of their profession upon every slight difference that happens amongst them about their Opinions in Religion are exceedingly prone to this Evil accounting it a Testimony of Zeal for God and his cause when they can express themselves in very bitter and reproachful terms not considering what St. ver 16 17 18. James adds in the conclusion of that Discourse that this Wisdom namely which is accompanyed with bitter envying and Strife descendeth not from above but is Earthly sensual devilish whereas the wisdom which is from above is first pure then Peaceable Gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercy and of good fruits and the fruit of righteousness is sown in Peace of them that make Peace For which Reason St. Paul thus bespeaks the Ephesians in the Chapter out of which my Text is taken Let all Bitterness and Wrath and Anger and Clamor v. 31 32. and Evil Speaking be put away from you with all Malice and be ye kind one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you Indeed for a Peaceable behaviour in the general the New Testament throughout abounds with plain and excellent Precepts Thus St. Paul 1. Thes 5.13 14 15. to the Thessalonians Be at peace among your selves and Again Be patient towards all men See that none render Evil for Evil unto any man but ever follow that which is good both among your selves and to all men 2 Tim. 2.22 24. 25. In like manner to Timothy Follow Righteousness Faith Charity Peace with them that call on the Lord