Selected quad for the lemma: work_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	bear_v	good_a	tree_n	8,220	5	10.2554	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96109	The saints delight. To which is annexed a treatise of meditation. / By Thomas Watson, minister of Stephens Walbrook in the city of London. Imprimatur, Edm. Calamy.	Watson, Thomas, d. 1686.	1657 (1657)	Wing W1142; Thomason E1610_4; ESTC R210335	123,303	409

is in the Law of the Lord. CHAP. I. Shewing that negative goodnesse is but a broken title to heaven AS the Book of the Canticles is called the song of songs by an Hebraisme it being the most excellent so this Psalme may not unfitly be entituled the Psalme of Psalmes for it containes in it the very pyth and quintescence of Christianity What Hierom saith of St. Pauls Epistles * Breves esse pariter ac longas Hierom. the same may I of this Psalme 't is short for the composure but full of length and strength for the matter * Psalmus hic reliquis anteponitur estenim quasi pro●●mium in univer sam sacram Scripturam Moller This Psalme carries blessednesse in the frontispiece it begins where we all hope to end It may well be call'd a Christians guide for it discovers the quicksands where the wicked sink down in perdition verse 1. and the firme ground on which the Saints tread to glory ver 2. The text is an epitome and breviary of Religion But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night Every word hath its Emphasis I begin with the first word But * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This But is full of spiritual wine we will broach it and taste a little then proceed But This is a tearme of opposition The godly man is described 1. By way of negation in three particulars 1. Verse 1. He walketh not in the councel of the ungodly He is none of the Councel he neither gives bad councel nor takes it 2. He standeth not in the way of sinners He will not stand among those who shall not be able to stand in the judgement verse 5.3 He sitteth not in the seat of the scornful Let it be a chaire of state he will not sit in it he knows it will prove very uneasie at last The word sitting * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implies 1. An habit in sinne * Moles imposita sepulchroipsa est vis dura consuetudinis qua premitur anima nec resurgere nec respirare possit Aug. in Mat. hom 45. Adeo sunt pertinaces suisque perfricta fronte peccatis addicti ut jam nihil cos pudeat sed omnem religionem habeant proludibrio Moller Psal 50.20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother 2. Sitting implies familiarity with sinners Psal 26.4 I have not sate with vaine persons that is I do not haunt their company The godly man shakes off all intimacy with the wicked * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menander He may traffique with them not associate he may be civil to them as neighbours but not twist into a cord of friendship Diamonds and stones may lie together but they will not sodor and ceament II. The godly man is described by way of position or rather opposition But his delight is in the Law of the Lord. From this word But observe Doct. That negative goodnesse is not sufficient to entitle us to heaven To be no scorner is good but it is not enough There are some in the world whose religion runs all upon negatives they are not drunkards they are not swearers * Qui flagitium nou committit non est vir bonus sed tantum non malus natal com and for this they do blesse themselves See how that Pharisee vapours Luke 18.11 God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers c. Alas the not being scandalous will no more make a good Christian than a cipher will make a summe The godly man goes further He sits not in the seat of the scorner but his delight is in the Law of the Lord. We are bid not only to cease from evil but to do good Psalme 34.14 'T will be a poore plea at last Lord I kept my selfe from being spotted with grosse sin I did no hurt but quid boni inest What good is there in thee It is not enough for the servant of the vineyard that he doth no hurt there he doth not break the trees or destroy the hedges if he doth not work in the vine-yard he loseth his pay 't is not enough for us to say at the last day we have done no hurt we have liv'd in no grosse sin but what good have we done in the vine-yard where is the grace we have gotten if we cannot shew this we shall lose our pay and miss of salvation Use Use Do not content your selves with the Negative part of Religion * Virtutis est magis houesta agere quàm non turpia many build their hopes for heaven upon this crack'd foundation they are given to no vice none can charge them with any foule miscarriages and these are their letters of credence to shew to such persons I say three things 1. You may not be outwardly bad and yet not inwardly good You may be as far from grace as from vice though none can say black is your eye yet our soul may be dyed black Though your hands be not working iniquity your heads may be plotting it Though you do not hang out your bush yet you may secretly vent your commodity a tree may be full of vermine yet the fair leaves may cover them that they are not seen so the faire leaves of civility may hide you from the eye of man but God sees the vermine of pride unbelief covetousnesse in your heart Ye are they saith Christ that justifie your selves before men but God knows your hearts Luke 16.15 a man may not be morally evil yet not spiritually good He may be free from grosse enormity yet full of secret enmity against God like the snake which though it be of a fine colour yet hath its sting 2. If you are onely negatively good God makes no reckoning of you you are as so many ciphers in Gods Arithmitick and he writes down no ciphers in the book of life Take a piece of brasse though it be not so bad mettal as lead or iron yet not being so good as silver there is little reckoning made of it 't will not passe for currant coine though thou art not profane yet not being of the right mettal wanting the stamp of holinesse upon thee thou wilt never passe currant God slights thee thou art but a brasse Christian 3. A man may as well go to hell for not doing good as for doing evil he that beares not good fruit is as well fuel for hell as he that bears bad Matth. 3.10 Every tree which beareth not good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire One may as well die with not eating food as with poison a ground may as well be spoil'd for want of good seed as with having tares sown in it They that were not active in works of charity were sadly sentenc'd Depart from me ye cursed c. for I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat Matth. 25.41 42. It is not said ye took away my meat