Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	bring_v	fruit_n	seed_n	3,454	5	7.8573	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02260	The happines of enjoying, and making a true and speedie use of Christ Setting forth, first, the fulnesse of Christ. Secondly, the danger of neglecting Christ, and the opportunity of grace. Thirdly, the Lord Jesus the soules last refuge. Whereunto is added, St. Pauls legacie, or farewell to the men of Corinth. By Alexander Grosse B.D. Minister of the Gospel, and pastour of Bridford.	Grosse, Alexander, 1596?-1654.	1640 (1640)	STC 12395; ESTC S103450	151,344	397

which words wee may take notice 1. Of a particle of conclusion Finally 2. Of a title of compellation Brethren 3. Of a terme of valediction and farewell Farewell 4. of a vote Of exoptation or wishing Be perfect be of good comfort be of one minde live in peace and the God of love and peace be with you Wherein Saint Paul like a Testator or Parent that makes his last Will Testament bequeatheth these five gifts as five Legacies to the Corinthians his children in Christ which are like the h Gen. 45.22 five changes of rayment which Joseph gave to Benjamin for the spirituall warmth and ornament which they minister to the soules of Gods children like the i Judg. 18.7 five men which brought good tidings to their brethren incouraging them to arise and enter into the land for the comfortable newes which they bring to the soules of men encouraging them to enter into Gods service to set their feet into the wayes of peace and holinesse like the k 1 Sam. 21.3 five loaves of bread which David asked of the Priest for the nourishment refection and strength which they minister to the soules of Gods servants and these I shall being now as a dying man to you bequeath unto you as a Legacie of choycest worth to adorne you of greatest strength to support you of best nourishment to feed you of sweetest peace to solace you Finally brethren farewell Be perfect c. The branches growing on this tree are many the streames issuing from this fountain are divers and having but one day to gather the fruit here growing to draw the waters hence arising I shall but briefly touch give you a taste of each of them and first of the particle of conclusion Finally lastly Denique quod superest or as touching that which remaineth that is after that I have done mine office and have instructed you by the word threatned you by the judgements and intreated you by the mercies of God and have used all meanes to move you to repentance and to draw you to Christ Finally or what remaineth more to be done now but that you doe your duty that you beleeve repent reforme bee perfect and draw home to Christ with all your soule and might This is that which now remaineth which is now on your behalfe expected And hence you see Doct. That the Ministers long and frequent preaching must be attended with much perfection in the people After the Ministers long and frequent instruction faith repentance and true conversion must shew it selfe forth in the people When the Minister hath done his dutie towards men men must doe their dutie towards God The l Exod. 17.6 rocke gushed out water after Moses striking it After the Priests seven times compassing the walles of Jericho and m Jos 6.20 blowing of their Rammes horns the walles fell unto the ground After the Prophets n 2 Kings 4.34 spreading himselfe upon the woman of Shunems child the flesh of the child waxed warme hee neesed and opened his eyes After the Ministers often smiting our hearts with the hammer of the word often sounding of the trumpet of the Gospel in our eares and right dividing and applying of the word unto our hearts our stony hearts should be softned and send forth the waters of godly sorrow the strong and mighty holds of sinne should bee cast downe our soules enlivened the eyes of our understandings most clearly and savingly opened After the shining of the Sunne the aire is inlightned after the distilling of the dew and plentifull influence of the heavens the earth fructifieth after the long shining of the light of the Gospel and frequent distilling and dropping down of the dew of heavenly doctrine mens understandings should bee filled with knowledge as the aire with light and their lives replenished with all spirituall and heavenly fruit This the Lord expecteth o Isa 5.4 What could have been done more to my vineyard saith the Lord that I have not done in it in regard of the externall meanes wherefore I looked that it should bring forth grapes that like a vineyard long and well dressed it should bring forth good grapes of knowledge faith repentance and the like this is the property of Gods children as good p Mat. 13.24 ground receiving good seed they bring forth much fruit as living and healthy children sucking their mothers breasts they q 1 Pet. 2.2 grow by the sincere milke of the word of God This fruit hath followed the labours of Gods Ministers Saint Peter r Acts 2.44 testi●●● and exhorted and his word was glad 〈…〉 and about three thousand soules were 〈◊〉 to the Church Saint Paul preached and as ſ Acts 13.48 many as were ordained unto life beleeved The Apostle preached at Ephesus t Acts 19.20 many beleeved came and confessed and shewed forth their deeds so mightily grew the word of God and prevailed u Exod. 17.11 Iosua fought Moses prayed and Israel prevailed over Amalek When the Minister preacheth and prayeth Gods Israel must prevaile over Satan and their corruption Peter w Ioh. 21.11 casteth the net the second time into the sea and a multitude of fishes are taken in it At the Ministers first and second frequent and often preaching many soules should by the net of the Gospel bee drawne out of the gulfe and sea of sinne and the world And that In regard of the end of the Ministers Reason 1 long and frequent preaching The x Psa 104.22 23. Sunne ariseth sayth the Psalmist the wilde beasts gather themselves together and lay them downe in their dennes man goeth forth to his worke and to his labour untill the evening The Gospel like the Sunne ariseth and all the lusts of men which like so many wilde beasts walke forth and make their prey upon the soules of men in the right of their ignorance must now lye themselves downe by humiliation mortification and true repentance and man must arise from the bed of sinne and goe forth out of himselfe as out of his house to his worke and to his labour y Phil. 2.12 working out his salvation with feare and trembling never z 1 Thess 1.3 ceasing from the worke of faith and labour of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ untill the evening untill the sunne of his life be wholly gone down and set This the Apostle presseth from the end of the appearing of the Gospel a Rom. 13.11 The night is farre spent the time and state of ignorance and blindnesse is farre gone and the light is neere at hand the day of the Gospel breaketh forth and the light of illumination doth appeare Let us therefore cast off the workes of darknesse as men cast off their bed-clothes in the morning and let us put on the armour of light as men put on their day clothes and so let us walke and b Tit. 2.11 the grace of God saith

percipiuntur Good saith he is the way of humility whereby truth is searched out charity is obtained and the generations of wisdome are perceived Humility exalteth he that is most humble is and shal be most honourable Moses was the meekest man on earth and God made him the most honourable calling him up unto himselfe in the mount and making him the Leader of his people Gedeon was very little in his own eyes the least of his fathers house in his owne apprehension and God marvellously exalted him making him the deliverer of Israel As mans pride is attended with infamy so is mans meeknesse waited on with glory Vis magnus esse incipe ab imo Wilt thou be great begin from below saith the Father As the roots of the tree descend so the branches ascend this makes the soule capable of grace as the low grounds of water and the broken earth of seed God gives grace to the humble as men poure liquor into an empty vessell The Altar under the Law was hollow to receive the fire the wood and the sacrifice the heart of man under the Gospel must be humble empty of all spirituall pride and selfe-conceit to receive the fire of the spirit and Jesus Christ who offered himselfe a sacrifice for our sinnes this keeps the soule free from many darts of Satans casting and snares of his spreading as the low shrubs are free from many violent gusts and blasts of wind which shake and rent the taller trees I have read of one that seeing in a vision many snares of the devill spread upon earth he sate downe and mourned and said within himselfe Quis pertransiet ista Who shall passe through these whereunto he heard a voice answering Humilitas pertransiet Humility shall passe through them The Divell hath least power to fasten a temptation on him that is most humble hee that hath a gracious measure of meeknesse is neither affected with Satans proffers nor terrified with his threatnings This makes man peaceable in conversing with his brethren fruitfull in well-doing cheerfull in suffering comfortable in every condition constant in holy walking this makes a man precious in the eyes of God as a humble servant in the eyes of his Master Qui parvus est in reputatione propriâ magnus est in reputatione divinâ saith Gregory He that is little in his owne account is great in Gods esteeme This makes the way and worke of man acceptable unto God and also sweetens and encreaseth mans communion with God If ever therefore you entend to enjoy Gods glorious and blessed presence labour for this humility and meeknesse Fourthly Bee servent and unfained in your love to God his truth and his children this will make your language very gracious Amantium mos est saith Chrysostome ut amorem suum silentio tegere nequeunt Lovers know not how to keepe silence lovers of God are very full of gracious expressions this will make you liberal you shall give your selves to God and the service of his Saints as the men of Macedonia did this will make you patient in suffering as Jacob in his service for Rachel this will make you frequent the house of God with all alacrity frequency and diligence as children their fathers house and table this will make you joyfull in hearing the word of God as the Bride in hearing the voice of the Bridegroome this will make you carefull free and full in the observation of Gods statutes as loving children in the observation of their fathers precepts this will make you diligent and rich in all good workes the more man loves God the more he strives in all well-doing to glorifie God Love like fire is not idle but operative Amor Dei saith Gregory nunquam otiosus est operatur enim magna si est si verò operari renuit amor non est The love of God saith he is never idle for if it is it worketh great things but if it refuse to work it is not love Love makes the yoke of God easie and his worke delightfull it is only want of love that makes the commandement a burden Tantò magis delectat opus bonum quantò magis diligitur Deus summum incommutabile bonum saith Augustine A good work so much the more delighteth by how much the more God the chiefest and unchangable good is loved Love among some of the Ancients was resembled to and represented by the Sun the Sunne inlightens the world the more love the more light Knowledge and love like the water and the ice beget each other man loves God by knowing and knows God by loving God dwels in love and where God is there is light that mans light is darknesse which is not attended with the love of God and his testimonies the Sunne makes the earth fertile he that loves God cannot be barren his love makes him fruitfull in all well-doing the Sunne is swift and constant in his motion love makes man cheerfull speedy and unwearied in running the race which God hath set before him the Sunne is impassible love is patient and invincible it endureth all things no floods can drown it no waters can quench it Want of love and affection is the maine cause of mans apostacy and back-sliding the Sunne casteth his beames upward and downward to the East and to the West to the North and to the South Christian love causeth its beames to ascend to God above and to descend to man beneath to our friends on the right hand to our enemies on the left hand to them that are in the state or grace before us to them th●t are in the state of corruption behind us love which is not in this sense universall is corrupt and carnall The Sun beginning to ascend in his circle never goes back u●till he comes to the highest degree thereof true love abhorres apostacy ascends to more perfection and ceaseth not untill like Eliahs fiery chariot it hath carried the soule to heaven If ever you meane to see and enjoy the God of love labour for this love Fiftly Be very serious studious circumspect and carefull in all your walkings ponder the path of your feet like carefull travellers consider and weigh all your doings let all your waies of the heart within and worke without be ordered aright according the rule of Gods word every motion of the soule is a step to life or a step to death a step towards heaven or toward hell Mans labour and service is temporall his wages and recompence eternall therfore as Zeuxes that famous Lymner being demanded why he was so exact and serious so long so careful and curious in his workmanship answered Diu pingo quia aeternitati pingo I am long in painting because I paint unto eternity We all paint unto eternity every one of our actions tends to an eternity of joyes or sorrowes all our temporall actions are as seeds of eternity sowne by us a temporall seed an eternall harvest we speak we heare we write we read we

manner consider and bee thoughly affected with the barrennesse of the Kingdome wherein wee are subjects of the Congregation whereof wee are members of the Families in which wee are fathers mothers husbands wives sonnes daughters servants soiourners every man the barrennesse of his own heart way life let us be in bitternesse of soule and pray and weep as sore for this barrenness of soule as ever Hanna did for the barrennesse of her body The Lord hath done great things for us as for Jerusalem he hath separated us to himselfe set us up his tabernacle among us beene a wall of fire round about us caused the clouds of heavenly doctrine to poure downe their sweet and comfortable dew upon us he hath given us Pastors according to his owne heart Jer 3 15. to feed us with knowledge and understanding and yet we are unfruitfull As the men of the City of Jericho said of that 2 Kin. 2.19 The scituation of the City is pleasant but the water is naught and the ground barren so may we truely say of our selves the Lord hath seated us in a pleasant place in a fruitfull land in a Paradise of all temporall and spirituall plenty yea the waters the ordinances of God the meanes of life are also good sweet savoury completely fitted to minister comfort to the s ules of the people but our hearts are for the most p●rt naught and our lives are barren of the good fruit should grow upon them We are 1. Such fallow gr●und such strangers to a contrite and broken spirit that the Word is to many of us like seed sowne on ground not broken 2. Our hearts are so growne over with the thornes and briars of worldly cares that the seed of the Word is choked in the greatest number of us 3. Our souls are so over-spread with the weeds and drowned in the waters of sensuall pleasures carnall lusts and vaine delights that the meanes of life are not to a few as seed sowne in watry ground where it prospers not 4. Many of us doe so please our selves with a formall profession that wee are but as women travelling with a false birth we doe so flatter our selves with the naked having of Gods Ordinances with the glorious name of Christians that we regard not the nature life power fruit of godlinesse but remaine universally barren our understandings like a lamp without oile our memories like a peece of paper wherein nothing is written our hearts like an Altar on which no fire burneth our faith like Jeroboams withered arme our affections like the lame mans feet who could not walke the whole man like a garden wherein every tree is barren a house whereof euery roome is empty the greatest part of us like foolish Souldiers that think it enough to draw forth and flourish their weapons never wounding their enemies therewith suppose wee have done as much as is required when we attend upon the Ordinance of God though wee never make any particular and effectuall application thereof Aristotle was wont to taxe the Athenians Lae●t li. 5. cap. 1. quòd cum duas res invenissent frumenta ac leges frumentis uterentur legibus nequaquam And for this may we be no lesse justly reproved that God having given us the fruits of the earth and the law of life and salvation we use the former but neglect the latter Is it not wonderfull to see how industrious the Husbandman is to improve his ground of a barren to make a fruitfull land how the Merchant setteth his wits on worke to improve his trade how the married persons doe long to see their children stand like Olive branches round about their Table how every person yea every creature in his way after his kind doth strive to be fruitfull and shall the Christian the most excellent peece of the workmanship of God be contented to remaine barren and unprofitable Doe you not heare how the Husbandman complaines like the men of Jericho if the field be barren how the Merchant droopes and hangs downe the head if his ship miscarry his trade faile and poverty come upon him Doe you not heare how the Husband like Isaac prayes for the fruitfulnesse of the Wife when there is no conception how the barren wife cries with an impatient spirit Give me children or I die Gen. 30.1 2. And shall not we complaine bow downe and humble our selves for our barrennesse in grace shall not we study strive labour pray and crie unto the Lord our God to open our hearts that are shut up to enlarge our souls to fill us with all goodnesse And to induce us hereunto the consideration of the concomitants and fruits of this spirituall barrennesse are of very great force For 1 Barrennesse reproacheth it was a reproach to a mother in Israel to be barren 1 Sa. 1.6 Barrennesse disgraceth fields trees cattle reasonable and unreasonable creatures and barrennesse of grace in like manner disgraceth us in the eyes of God in the eyes of Gods children giveth occasion of insultation to the adversaries of religion as the bodily barrennesse of Hanna gave Peninna occasion to insult over her this causeth our profession to be traduced and the name of God to be blasphemed Ro. 2.24 2 Barrennesse is unprofitable a barren tree ministreth no profit it doth but cumber the ground Luk. 13.8 barren Christians are unserviceable to God pester and cumber the Church wherein they live 3 Barrennesse grieveth the barren wife grieveth the husband the barren tree grieveth the keeper of the Orchard a barren people grieve the faithfull and painfull Minister whom the Lord hath set as a Shepheard over them this pained Paul as a woman in travell Gal. 4.19 Jer. 20.14 occasioned Jeremy through the anguish and trouble of his spirit to curse the day of his birth and wrought so forcibly with Eliah 1 Kin. 19.4 that he grew weary of his life and wished for death rather then life 4 Barrenness spoileth the soule of much sweet and heavenly peace boldnesse comfort and confidence Doth the Master smile or else frowne upon the unprofitable servant can such a servant come before his Master with confidence with assurance of acceptance doth he not hang downe the head is he not ashamed is not his confidence removed farre from him When Adam was naked he ran from the presence of the Lord Gen. 3. when the soules of men within are naked of grace and the lives of men without are naked of good works they have no courage no comfort no boldnesse to present themselves before the Lord. 5 Barrennesse provoketh the barren field angreth the Husbandman the barren tree mentioned in the Gospel displeased our Saviour when hee sought fruit and found none on it Christ hungred Mat. 21.18 19. desired much to taste of the sweet grapes of faith repentance love thankfulnesse which should have beene brought forth by the Jewes a Vine of his Fathers owne planting once a Vine of many goodly

branches the Patriarchs Moses the Prophets a Vine loaden with many sweet grapes but now there was nothing but leaves on it a glorious profession a formall performance of religious duties much vaunting and boasting that they were the children of Abraham but they were barren they did not the workes of Abraham they had neither the faith nor trode the steps of Abraham And therefore our Saviour cursed the figtree 1. In testimonium to shew his Deity his absolute authority and dominion over all creatures 2. In declarationem to shew his anger against the Jewish people 3. In typum thereby to shew what the end of that people should be 6 Barrennesse ruinateth the barren tree is hewed downe the barren ground is burned Heb. 6.8 a barren people the Lord will forsake remove and cast out of his sight this is fully expressed by our Saviour in the Parable of the Housholder Mat. 21.34 in which the Housholder is God the Vineyard is generally the Church particularly the people of the Jewes the hedges are the Mosaicall lawes likened to a hedge for distinction for preservation the people of the Jewes being by them distinguished from other people and preserved from wasting as a field by a hedge the Winepresse was their ministery of the Word likened to a Wine-presse in regard of preparation fitting them to offer unto God the pleasant wine of found obedience and holy and fervent prayers the Watch tower was the Kingdome Priesthood Temple likened to a Tower for the ornament honour glory which it ministred the husbandmen to whom he let it out were the Priests and Levites likened to husbandmen for their labour in and watchfulness over the Lords Vineyard and the Lord is likened to one going into a farre Countrey not for the mutation of his presence but by cessation of miracles immediate manifestation of himselfe among them leaving his Vineyard to their charge the servants sent were the Prophets whom they beat imprisoned killed stoned at last he sent his own Son whom they crucified and for their ingratitude and barrennesse the Vineyard hath beene long let out to others This did our Saviour threaten Mat. 23.37 38. How often would I have gathered you together and ye would not Behold your house is left unto you desolate and for this likewise he threatned the removing of the Candlesticke from the Church of Ephesus Rev. 2.5 and for this we have great cause to humble our selves But what need may some say have we to humble our selves we have Gods Ordinances we have plenty of learned zealous godly Preachers we have multitudes of Professours the firmament of our Church is garnished with bright and shining starres our garden is decked with many sweet and beautifull flowers our orchard is set with variety of pleasant and fruitfull trees our land enriched with great abundance of all things much cause of rejoicing but what cause of humiliation Beloved Israel had the Arke rejoiced much in the presence of it yet fell before the enemy 1 Sa. 4.5 they had the Temple of the Lord they gloried not a little thereof yet were destroyed Jer. 7.4 Wee have many learned painfull able Ministers blessed bee the great Shepheard of our soules that sends them and the Lord daily increase the number of them wee may say indeed with the Psalmist The Lord hath not dealt so with every nation Psal 147.20 Yet this was a prerogative to which Ierusalem was no stranger all the Prophets were set as watchmen upon her walles Isa 62.6 the Baptist also who excelled all the Prophets the Sonne of God himselfe and all the Apostles were sent to them yet after all this and even then was Ierusalem destroyed The more labourers in the vineyard the nigher is it unto burning if it continue unfruitfull Wee have plenty of all things so had Ierusalem a land flowing with milke and hony Isa 47.7 Babylon sate as a Queene and no widow and many who open as saith the Psalmist their mouthes against heaven Psal 73.5 have more then heart could wish and yet have been set in slippery places the more wee have received the more such ought to bee humbled as make not the best use of it It is not the presence but the good use wee make of our temporall fulnesse which proveth us to bee Gods servants Wee have many Professors men forward in attending Gods ordinances in the performance of holy duties So there were also in the dayes of our Saviour but they undertooke their profession upon false grounds for outward things Ioh 6.26 Ioh. 2.22 and therefore our Saviour would not commit himselfe unto them There were many beasts in the Arke but not all clean Foure sorts of ground received seed but onely one good Profession without practise is odious in Gods presence such of all people are in Gods eye most hatefull to Gods name most dishonuorable to Gods religion most scandalous Tit. 1.16 as professe that they know God but in workes deny him being abominable and disobedient and unto every good worke reprobate As wee looke on what wee have and are comforted so let us looke on what wee want and be humbled and thus consider First how many ignorant idle covetous corrupt unprofitable carnall and carelesse Ministers wee have who either doe not Gods worke at all or at least are very carelesse in the performance of it leaving their congregations as candlestickes without a candle children without a nurse families without a stewart ships without a pilot Some Foxes there are among the Shepheards some Drones among the Bees thus of old Some were covetous looking for their gaine from every quarter some dawbed with untempered morter some cried Isa 56.11 Ezek. 13.10 Ier. 23.14 Peace when there was no peace some strengthened the hands of the wicked Thus of old and thus now and thus wee have cause of humiliation Secondly how are the painfull and faithfull Ministers of the Word entertained 1 Kin. 22.8 2 Chro. 32.16 Jer. 15 10. Are they not for the most part hated mocked made as men of cōtention to the whole earth Doe not the men of the world handle them as Hanuns servants did Davids men when they shaved off their beards unto the halfe 2 Sam. 10.4 and cut off their garments to the buttockes loading them with reproches depriving them of their maintenance filling them with manifold discomforts esteeming powerfull and plaine preaching with the men of Athens no better then babbling Acts 17.18 Thirdly what doe wee for the most part profit by the labours of Gods Ministers Where is our repentance reformation new life Are not a great number of us like Micha the Idolater that pronounced himselfe blessed Jud. 17.13 because hee had a Levite to his Priest though hee still kept his Idol And thus a great number blesse themselvs in the naked having of the ministery of the Word though they still retain their Idol their covetousnesse drunkennesse pride malice like the