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
A86356	The good old vvay, Gods vvay, to sovle-refreshing rest: discovered in a sermon preached to the Right Honorable the Lord Maior and court of aldermen of the citie of London, at their anniversary meeting on Wednesday in Easter weeke at Christ-Church, Apr. 24. 1644 being the day of the monethly publike fast. By Thomas Hill B.D. Pastor of Tychmersh in Northampton shire. Imprimatur, Charles Herle.	Hill, Thomas, d. 1653.	1644 (1644)	Wing H2023; Thomason E48_4; ESTC R11496	52,548	61

of our happinesse this the Patriarchs and Prophets have beene discovering from time to time our thoughts should bee active how to find it out Herein we must not sodainly take things upon trust but with much circumspection consider and enquire after it the necessity whereof will appeare by these following Reasons The Lord would have you carefully inquisitive after the good way because there are s● many wrong and by-wayes wherein you may miscarry Matth. 7. 13. Our Saviour tels us the gate is strait the way is narrow which leads to Heaven the passage is so difficult the passengers are but few But the way to Hell is a broad way having a d●c●itfull latitude naturally we love elbow-roome for our lusts in this broad way there are by-paths and secret turnings many poore soules too too many walke herein A thousand crooked paths into which deluded sinners turning aside like lost Sheepe goe wandring up and downe till at last they bee irrecoverably intangled in a Wildernesse It is observed by the Learned if you divide the world into thirty equal parts nineteen of those thirty according to their computation are still over-grown with Heathenish Idolatry Six of the eleven remaining are overspread with Mahumetisme then there remaine but five parts of thirty where christianity hath taken possession Amongst those Christians many seduced Papists who are led captive in by-wayes and of the remaining Protestant Party how few that are Christians and Protestants indeed Some have a forme of godlinesse but deny the power others though they glory in the name of Christianity yet scarce so much as any externall shew of Pietie still the most walk in a way that is not good This more fully appeares in that excellent parable of Christ concerning the sower who went out to sow his seed upon foure sorts of ground some fell by the high-wayes side upon prophane Atheistical spirits where it made no impression this word sunke no more into their hearts then seed into a troden path ver. 19. some fell upon stony ground they receive the word with some joy ver. 20. yet because they were not deeply humbled to make sin their greatest sorrow and Christ their greatest joy in time of persecution they are offended and fall off vers. 21. some seed is sowne upon thorny ground a generation of Professors that make some further progresse in entertaining the Gospell for a time yet at last the riches and cares of the world choakes the word in them they become unfruitfull prosperity is as great a snare to them as adversity was to the stony ground The fourth which is the good ground is but one quarter I wish it were so much in every Christian Congregation few receive the seed of Gods word with good and honest hearts bringing forth fruit unto perfection This is but a little spot in comparison look into most Families most Congregations not a fourth part ordinarily that lookes like good ground enclosed and set apart to bring forth fruit to God but rather like a common wast over-growne with weeds like a Wildernesse sine cul●u sine fructu sine ornatu Here is a multiplicity of by-wayes wherein the most doe lose their God their Soules their Hopes their Happinesse therefore you should bee carefully inquisitive There are many false guides as well as crooked by-wayes which will cunningly indeavour to mislead you into self-undoing courses upon this ground also you had need bee the more carefully inquisitive after the good way The Apostle Pete● assures us there were false Prophets among the people even among the people of God there shall also be false Teachers among you who shall privily bring in damnable heresies they mingled noisome weeds with some sweet flowers scattered their poison upon Gospel truths And ver. 2. many shall follow their pernicious wayes scil. their corrupt doctrines and evill examples they loose the reines to all manner of licentiousnesse of the flesh under the pretence of Christian liberty ver. 18. by reason of whom the way of Truth shall bee evill spoken of the Gospel much reproached by the adversaries and so others diverted from the right way as long as the Devill hath a Kingdome here hee will send abroad his Emissaries acting this part to draw people into pernicious wayes How came the man of sin to rife from so small beginnings to so great an height looke into 1 Tim. 4. 1. the spirit speaketh expresly in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits The Devill and the Pope have had many industrious Chaplain● who boasting as if they were inspired and sent by God pretending devotion and by insinuating straines of Rhetorick have first scrued themselves into mens consciences then pickt their purses first cheated them of their Religion of their Salvation and then consened them of their Estates got their Kingdoms to enlarge the Popes Territories And all this carried on {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} by the Hypocrisie of those who speake lies with most cunning devices deluding many poore creatures obtruding guilded errors upon them in stead of Truths Possibly you may bee seduced by such spirits unlesse you bee vigilant and inquisitive It 's worthy your observation in 1 King 22. 20 when ever the Lord intendeth to suffer any poore creature to bee deluded you shall find the Devil is alway at hand No sooner did God speak these words in Verse 20. The Lord said Who shall perswade Ahab that hee may goe up and fall at Ramoth Gilead God had a quarrell against Ahab and he was resolv'd to suffer him to engage himself in such a Warre and to goe up that he might be there undone But the Question is now how this should bee brought about In Verse 21. There came forth a spirit and stood before the Lord and said I will perswade him No sooner doth God expresse any intention to suffer any one to bee seduced but the Devil is most ready to bee imployed in the service The Lord saith unto him Wherewith In Verse 22. hee saith I will goe forth and I will bee a lying spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets And hee said Thou shall perswade him and prevaile also goe forth and doe so The Devill knew Ahab had a company of Trencher mercenary Chaplaines that would easily bee wrought upon to say any thing to the King so the Devil undertakes them and hee knowing the length of their foot that hee could prevaile with them saith hee I will goe and bee a lying spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets Hence it commeth that Ahab himselfe was seduced to those waies that lead to his owne destruction Vnhappie King hee had such corrupt Chaplaines that were false guides and there was a Devill that was very ready to make use of all advantages how to mis-lead them that they might mis guide Ahab Such engines as these are the Devil in all ages sends abroad who come like ignis