Selected quad for the lemma: word_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
word_n	ground_n	seed_n	sow_v	3,097	5	9.7817	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13119	A receite for grace in a sermon preached in the parish church of Westminster / by Christopher Styles.	Styles, Christopher.	1620 (1620)	STC 23412.5; ESTC S1008	11,697	24

behold the Preacher stand ouer the graues of their soules now dead by sinne crying out and proclaiming the vengeance of God against euery sin and weeping for the daughter of Sion because of the neemesse of her iudgement and for the hardnesse of her heart that at the least they may be forced to say within themselues Behold how he loueth vs It may be the best meanes also to prouoke them to consider of the estate of their soules and to search and try out all their wayes and to turne againe vnto the Lord. Thus let our charitable compassion in teaching win the people to contrition and conuersion and let the hearers teares be the Preachers praise And here I must admonish you beloued that you doe not rashly and vnreuerently accuse your Teachers and when they generally aime to smite at sin with the two edged Sword Gods Word that then you make no priuate or particular application of his words against his meaning For we come not as Nathan did to Dauid poynting at the sinner 2. Sam. 12.7 Mat. 13.3 to say Thou art the man but as the sower that comes to sowe his seed if it lighteth on stony ground where it cannot take root that is hearts so hardened by sinne that they cannot repent we sorrow that we haue laboured in vaine and may iustly take vp Saint Peters complaint to our Sauiour that we haue fished all night and caught nothing And if our seed fall by the high-way-side as when we speake to vnprepared hearers where the fowles of the ayre gather it vp such are wandring lookes idle apparell vnreuerent gesture of the body the like stil we haue cause to mourne because you sorrow not or if our seed fall among thornes where the couetous cares of the world the lustfull pleasures of the flesh and the diabolicall life of pride spring vp to choke the Word and to catch and cauill at him that sowed the Word yet still we must arme our selues to beare this iniurie But if our seed fall vpon the good ground of a sanctified heart an honest heart prepared to receiue the Word with ioy and to imbrace the Teachers thereof with delight lo those are easily moued with our doctrines and sweetly drawn by our entreatings to bring forth the fruits of a godly life in the holinesse of their conuersation And these we doe beseech and for their sakes and by their examples all the rest that they receiue not the grace of God in vain And so I come to the last and great part of my Text the Apostles fidelity who laboureth to teach that onely vnto them which is most profitable for them namely how to retaine the grace of God and that they in no wise receiue the same in vaine Thirdly and lastly in speaking of the Apostles fidelity marke heere how hee doth not seeke to please them with words but in soundnesse of doctrine doth instruct them and teach them the way that they should chuse namely that they may grow in grace and not to receiue the grace of God in vaine Amongst many other attributes and titles whereby God is described he is called Gracious Exod. 34.6 not for that onely he is so in himselfe but because he gratifieth all sorts This word Grace is vnderstood three manner of wayes 1. Sometimes it is taken for grace and fauour by which a man through his gracious carriage in word and conuersation becommeth acceptable and obtaineth grace and fauour in the eyes of all that are not enuious Prou. 3.34 Luk. 2. vlt. and so he giueth grace to the humble and so Iesus grew in wisedome and stature and in grace and fauour with God and men 2. Sometimes it is taken for the vndeserued grace and fauour which is offered to any out of good will or to an offendour after some iniury receiued at his hands as when the King pardoneth offendors and one forgiuing another their trespasses Gen. 6.1 So Noah found grace in the sight of the Lord when all the rest of the world were drowned saue onely himselfe and his small Family And so the Angel told Mary Luk. 1.30 that she had found grace and fauour with God Therefore without any merit of hers at all it pleased God to chuse this Virgin aboue all other Virgins in the world to beare his Sonne her Sauiour in her wombe Thus Paul also by the grace of God became a faithfull Preacher to the Church of God that a little before was a cruell persecutor of the same and now became a chosen Vessell to beare the Name of God vnto the Gentiles Act. 9.15 3. Sometimes it is taken for those gifts that come of Gods grace and that as well such naturall graces such are faith repentance and all the godly motions of an holy soule as Lydia when she beleeued Peter when hee repented and Iob when hee trusted God as also vnnaturall gifts such are knowledge vnderstanding vtterance and grace Grace is effectually in the Elect by the sense knowledge and effects thereof but simply it is in God alone in whom all vertues are most perfect and absolutely excellent for the proper seate of grace is in God and consequently in his Sonne Iesus Christ and all that we receiue is from God and commeth downe from aboue Iam. 1.17 euen from the Father of light with whom is no variablenes neither shadow of turning The least gift is a grace therefore let our prayers and praises ascend vp vnto God that he may bee pleased to powre downe the blessing of his gracious Spirit vpon vs when we feele Gods grace let vs giue humble thankes and praise vnto God for it and when we feele the want of grace let vs pray heartily vnto God Almighty for it and God giue vs all grace to performe this duty faithfully for euermore Grace is a name deriued of ioy for nothing is so fruitfull of ioy as grace and grace in the primitiue signification is nothing else but a free loue and fauour of a superiour to his inferiour for his comfort and ioy as of a Prince to his Subiects of a father to his children of a master to his seruants and of God to the faithfull whereby euery one in their seuerall functions diligently and faithfully doe the worke of their calling in cheerfulnesse without grudging being alwaies assured of their Soueraignes gracious loue and fauour vnto them Moreouer grace is said to bee the light of the soule and therefore hee that is destitute of the light of grace dwelleth in the darknesse of sinne and without it shall neuer see the light of glory and ioy for grace is the pledge of glory and bee cannot lose the one that keepes the other nor obtaine the one without the other Heb. 4.26 Let vs therefore goe boldly vnto the Throne of Grace that wee may receiue mercy and find grace to helpe in the time of need By grace a man is taught to know his sinne to loue God aboue all and