Selected quad for the lemma: act_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
act_n	apostle_n	church_n	elder_n	5,779	5	10.2377	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A46526	Compunction or pricking of heart with the time, meanes, nature, necessity, and order of it, and of conversion; with motives, directions, signes, and means of cure of the wounded in heart, with other consequent or concomitant duties, especially self-deniall, all of them gathered from the text, Acts 2.37. and fitted, preached, and applied to his hearers at Dantzick in Pruse-land, in ann. 1641. and partly 1642. Being the sum of 80. sermons. With a post-script concerning these times, and the sutableness of this text and argument to the same, and to the calling of the Jews. By R.J. doctor of divinity.	R. J.	1648 (1648)	Wing J27; ESTC R213600	381,196	433

long inwardly groane under the burthen of it till they feel it as fire hid and smothered within them or their consciences as a close-stopt burning oven whereby at length they are forced through Gods goodness to them to give vent to the fire to seek ease to their consciences by acknowledgement of their sin to God and also to men as the case may require which they might much sooner have attained unto if they had sooner sought to or made use of the remedy This was Davids case Psal 32.3 4.5 This may teach such when with these converts here they are inwardly smitten and pricked in their heart to take heed of bleeding inwardly which is ever dangerous It s dangerous to keep the divels counsel let them rather without denying or concealing any longer their sins seek after the meanes of helpe and cure And if they have any doubts or temptations within themselves let them be sure not long to conceal or smother the same or to bleed inwardly This were to keep the Divels counsel which hath had in some very fearfull and dismall effects whereas the making known of such doubts and inward close temptations upon suggestions of Satan hath both defeated him and freed them of their anguish and many desperate feares The longer such things are concealed the longer at the best are the patients held in torture and the more doubtfull if not desperate the cure will prove 2. Hearers once made to tremble and troubled by the word must take and make use of the season 2. A more generall Use is for hearers whose consciences doubtless are often touched so that whilest with Felix they hear discourses of righteousnesse temperance and judgement to come their guilty consciences make them to tremble and do inwardly prick smite wound and sting them Now what should they do in this case Shall they with Felix shuffle off the businesse this great and weighty work till they have a convenient season God forbid so did Felix indeed but that season never came yet so that his trembling proved to him but a summoner to hell and a harbinger to Gods judgement as the like trembling neglected will prove now to others who make no better use of it then he did Oh no the only season is now when God by his word faithfully taught and brought home to the soul doth begin to trouble the conscience For as when the Angel Joh. 5.4 went down at a certain season into the pool of Bethesda and troubled the water whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had So the season would be watched and presently taken when the Angel or messenger and minister of God by the word smites wounds and troubles the conscience to procrastinate or put all off to another season till sickness dispatch of other business old age or time of death is desperately to neglect a mans self and soul If then thou wilt follow wholsome advice Wholsome advice which is presently to get the sting and thorn removed so soon as thou findest thy conscience struck by the word and thy heart pierced so soon after hearing retire thy self into thy closet withdraw thy self from vain company examine wel thy conscience help to drive and strike home these nails to the head defer not to step in presently for cure into these waters which are healing look up forthwith being thus stung to Christ figured by the brazen Serpent put it not off till some other time least thou die of the wound and stinging Be here in this case as the shot or wounded Hart which presently seeks to dittanie as his only remedie to cause the dart fall out If you have received into your bosome any such dart seek presently to get it pulled out least otherwise it be your death Learn of Paul who not only at his first conversion being struck and charged in conscience with his sin of persecuting of Christ in his members Acts 9.6 sought to Christ for direction but afterward having some sting prick and thorn left sticking in him 2 Cor. 12.7.8.9 deferred not but early and late sought to Christ by earnest prayer to have it plucked out and he received a gracious Answer of which he had comfort Yea learn of these here who when upon heating they were pricked in heart presently seek for direction and remedy and not so only but wisely also they seek to the true meanes of cure of their consciences and betake themselves to Peter and to the other Apostles seeking help ease and direction from them which is the third point to be considered CHAP. XXV SECT 1. Where and of whom to seek comfort to our troubled Consciences only of Gods faithfull Ministers And said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Third Point The parties of whom they sought cure and direction Considered according to a threefold relation 3. THis is the third circumstance concerning the parties to whom they spake and of whom they sought help and cure Now these here are to be considered in a threefold relation 1. To God as his messengers or as the Apostles of Christ 2. To these converts and as the same that wounded them 3. To some of these again as being the same who formerly had beene neglected yea mocked and derided by them 1. To God and as his Apostles and Ministers Who are considered 3. wayes 1. These here sought unto are the Apostles of Christ Peter and the rest whom according to the Text we will consider First and chiefly according to the quality of their persons or nature of their office Secondly according to their Order here mentioned Thirdly Number 1. These Apostles here were properly the eleven with Matthias added unto them by lot in the room of Judas 1. According to their office who were Apostles Acts 1.16 who were immediatly chosen and called by Christ whilst he remained on earth Matth. 10.2 3 4 c. First specially to preach to the Jewes only or to the lost sheep of the house of Israel vers 5 6 7. to prepare them to receive Christ himselfe and his doctrine What is that Mat. 28.17 20 then after his resurrection and ascension to preach to the whole world and to plant Churches among the Gentiles being first commanded to wait at Jerusalem for the promise of the Father untill they should be endued with power from on High Acts 1.4 and Luke 24.49 Which accordingly the tenth day after his Ascension on this day of Pentecost they received whilest the Holy Ghost was in visible manner poured out upon them and they thus solemnly inaugurated ordained and declared to be the Apostles of Christ as it were then given from heaven by Christ unto the Church These were to be speciall witnesses of Christs Resurrection Ephes 4.7 11 Acts 1.22 and Ambassadors sent of him into the whole world there to plant Churches being immediatly inspired by the Holy Ghost both to

seeing nothing is more opposite or a greater enemy to this pricking of heart or to the tender plyable humble and contrite heart such as I desire and endeavour to bring you to then is hardnesse and senselesnesse of heart and soul And thus having according to my office endeavoured to prepare the way for you and to gather out the stones I will come a little nearer to direct you to the Means Isa 62.10 by the use of which with Gods blessing you may attain to true compunction of heart and contrition of spirit the thing I aim at CHAP XV. SECT 1. Of the means of true compunction and sensiblenesse and first of Gods word heard Meanes of compunction and sensiblenesse such as was in these Jews and shall be at their calling again recalled and applyed THis pricking of heart as we have heard doth imply first tendernesse and withall pliablenesse to Gods word and will Secondly sensiblenesse and sorrow for sin not excluding fear of Gods judgements such as was in these Converts in my Text who were 1 pricked in heart that is wounded in conscience and made sensible of their sin and danger 2 Pliable to Gods will saying what shall we do And such as shall be again in these Jews at their conversion when first they also being convinced and made sensible of their sin in piercing and crucifying their Saviour shall mourn bitterly for the same Zach. 12.10 and shall no longer be stiffe-necked or abide in unbelief Rom. 11.23 such a heart was that of King Josiah and such as was in good King Josiah which was both tender and humbled yea rent and sorrowfull which made him both mourn within himself and send to enquire of the Lord with readinesse of heart to obey 2 Chron. 34.19 21 27. That then which I desire to bring or at least to direct you to The divers phrases signifying this compunction of heart is that which the Scripture in variety of phrases signifies not onely by the tender heart and heart of flesh Ezek. 11.19 and 36.26 but thus to have the heart pricked as in my Text to be of an humble and contrite heart Isa 57.15 to be of a wounded spirit Prov. 18.14 of a broken heart Psal 51.17 and to have the caul of the heart rent as Hos 13.8 Joel 2.13 God onely can and doth soften the heart Now howsoever we are exhorted hereunto and directed to the means by which it may be wrought in us yet we must know it for an undoubted truth that it is God who onely makes the heart truly humble tender and senfible Ezek. 11.19 and 36.26 Jer. 23.29 I will give them an heart of flesh which he doth by the meanes of his word which becomes as fire and as an hammer by his Judgements Mercies which yet he doth by Meanes 1 by his word and Corrections c. which he requires we attend unto and make a right use of by hearing meditation application and prayer so that whilst we thus do we are said to humble our selves though it be God by whose hand and power such hearts are given us 2 Chron. 30.11 12. 1 by our hearing his word faithfully taught 1 Make conscience of hearing of Gods word as it is taught especially by such as Peter here and other the Apostles were who without flattery in a zeal of Gods glory and of the Conversion of those they preached unto in power also and demonstration of the spirit now more abundantly powred upon them told these Jewes and convinced them of their sins that they were the crucifiers of Christ whose glory also they set forth Such teaching convinceth and judgeth the harers yea makes them judge themselves fall down and worship God and whilst the secrets of their hearts are made manifest acknowledge a divine presence and power in the preacher 1 Cor. 14.24 25 So was it here with these Converts who found a greater and more effectuall power in the word preached and thus brought home to their consciences The power of Gods word in pricking the heart which Miracles did not in these Jews then in all the miracles which God shewed either before and at the death of Christ when yet the very stones and rocks and the vail of the Temple were rent asunder or now at this time when besides the mighty noise and shew of fire or fiery tongues from heaven they saw and heard the Apostles men of no note nor learning speak in all languages the wonderfull things of God Acts 2.13 so in David they mocked at that but were pricked wounded with this Thus David after his sin of numbring the people came to a sense of his sin and his heart pricked or smote him for it and brought him to confession of it but when after the Lord had sent the Prophet Gad unto him to convince him by offering him an hard choice for that is given as the reason so that a Sam. 24.10 11 12. I do not say the word is alwayes thus powerfull or in all some are more hardened by such a ministery as the anvile by the strokes of the hammer God justly denying them his grace and not working in power with his word onely I say if the word thus preached do not prick if the word do it not nothing will do it wound and mollifie the heart nothing will do it If God by his word and spirit breath not upon the soul the soul cannot breath out so much as a sigh for sin if that wind blow not the waters of repentance will not flow if he send not out his word Psal 147.17 18. Exod. 17.6 our icy hearts will not be thawen if Gods presence promise and power be not there mans indeavours are not of effect If God stand not upon the rock our rocky hearts though Moses smiting the same shall never bring forth water onely where God will soften and wound the heart he by such a Ministery as is named shews out his power and poures out his spirit and makes his word effectuall to that purpose Wherefore if indeed we would have such hearts wrought in us we must indeavour to live under such a ministery we must desire yea and strive to live under a searching and forcible Ministery where we may hear such doctrine and so handled and applyed as that the secrets of our soul our secret sins and our hearts may be ransacked sifted and tried we may be made known to our selves and become vile in our own eys the deceits of our false hearts discovered and our sin and danger fully revealed to us without all flattery and partiality Till we be within such a distance and compass as within which the word is onely except extraordinarily active wee can expect no such at least saving effect from it Buy the truth then and spare for no cost rather then want it and accordingly to spare for no cost that is such wholsome and powerfull teaching account

wholly and only on him we lose the benefit of his death and of pardon and so die in our sins 3. As an example to us of all Holiness 3. He is moreover a most perfect example to us of all holiness in our nature of humility meekness patience sobriety temperance chastity to take us off from bragging of any of these in our selves and to shame and humble us who come so far Behind 4. As our Iudge 4. Let us conceive of Christ as of him that must be our Judge and before whose bar and judgement seat we must all appear and stand Rom. 14.10.11 12. 2 Cor. 5.10 So shall we not stand upon our own justification but in all self-deniall judge our selves that we be not judged of him for ever with the judgement of condemnation 2. Christ is to be admired in his Fulness and All-sufficiency 2. Learn we to admire Christ in his fulness and all sufficiency that we may be all in him when by self-deniall we are nothing at all in our selves So we shall be no loosers by denying our selves in other things as these here were not They flying out of themselves were sent by the Apostles to Christ only and directed to profession of his name alone by being baptized into the same Acts 16.30 31 38. and 10.43 to faith in his Name and to repentance for the remission of sin so as that through his Name whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sins Now here let our care be above all by faith and self-denyall to get into Christ to attain a new Being in him to regain our selves being lost in the first Adam in him the second Adam in whom onely All fulnesse of grace life righteousnesse holinesse is stored up and of all good and saving things besides and from whom onely as from a full fountain we can hope to have them derived and conveyed unto us who is a fountain of grace to us God hath set and pitched his love onely on Christ his Son and loves no man savingly but onely in him He makes him a fountain of life grace and glory to his chosen For so it pleaseth the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. 1.19 And that of his fulness we should receive and grace for grace John 1.16 grace according to our necessity and measure for and according to that fulness and variety of all grace laid up in him as our Head and proposed as an Head and second Adam for us to be dispensed to us according to our severall necessities diversities of our callings severall measures of grace and so as no grace laid up in Christ as in a treasury for us shall be wanting to us as our need shall be Our chief care should be to be all in him There is a Being 1 Out of Christ before the fall and since 1 A naturall 2 Sinfull and 3 Worldly Being Prefer we then in our thoughts that Being which is in Christ before all other Beings without him We had a Being out of him as a Saviour first before the Fall in innocency which was happy but not stable Secondly after the Fall and that both a naturall Being for in him as God we live move and have our being Acts 17.28 this is good but not saving As also in and under Sin and Misery which Being we have onely in the first Adam Rom. 5.12 1 Cor. 15.22 and it is a miserable being Yea and a worldly Being as a being rich and wealthy a being wise after the flesh a being mighty a being noble c. And this is a Being such as most desire yet not most desirable But the Being which most of all we should admire desire and delight in is a Being by faith in Christ 2 In Christ by faith not by bare and outward Profession onely as some whole Churches are said to be wherein all were not so sound as 1 Cor. 1.2 Gal. 1.22 but a Being in Christ by true faith and according to power such as Paul preferrs before all outward priviledges and righteousnesse of the Law when denying all these he so preferrs and desires to be found in Christ Phil. 3.9 and speaking of himself I knew saith he a man in Christ c. 2 Cor. 12.2 This is that Being which we read of 1 Joh. 5.20 where it is said And we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ this is the true God and eternall life This our Being in Christ in effect is all one with Christs being in us whereby also Christ it in us whereby God and Christ is said to dwell in us and we in him 1 Joh. 4.15 16. of which Christ saith He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood which is not orally and carnally but by faith dwelleth in me and I in him John 6.56 and Abide in me and I in you he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit Joh. 15.4 5. Thus we once being in Christ are one in him and in the Father John 17.21 As thou Father art in me prayeth Christ and I in thee that they also may be one in us This Being in Christ is to be admired and preferred before all other Beings as alone being 1 Stable and better then that we had in the first Adam This is the Being to be desired of us above all Beings else as being 1 A stable Being and therefore much better and firmer then that we had in Adam before the fall or then that which many yet would have and hold in the first Adam whilest they ascribe to themselves such a power of will and naturall abilities that being especially helped generally by the illustration of grace they have power to beleeve and repent if they will and so to stand and persevere if they will and if they will to fall but how in comparison of this our stable and established Being in Christ who are assured of it by being annointed sealed and by receiving the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts 2 Cor. 1.20 21 22. are we if we had even Adams innocency as well as power of will to deny our selves in the same 2 Spiritual better then either our naturall or worldly Being 2. It is a spirituall Being and therefore better then any naturall Being we have on earth which for it when the case so requires is to be denyed As is also our worldly Being and all earthly respects Hence the Apostle opposeth this our Being in Christ for the comfort of such as were otherwise base and could deny themselves in other things against being wise mighty noble in the flesh God calls not many such but chuseth foolish weak and base things of the world that no flesh should glory in his presence or stand upon such terms with him But saith he to such as were chosen and savingly called though otherwise but mean in all these worldly respects of him are ye in Christ Jesus

grace from whom is both the will and the deed the power and the act Phil. 2.13 Even speciall and effectuall● It was Gods effectuall work on the heart of these converts that they were so willing to obey and so desirous to be directed what to do by such as they now judged able and faithfull to direct them aright even as it is with others both in and after their first conversion Such desire onely to know what to do that is pleasing to God and they are ready to do it yet do they not ascribe the power to themselves but to Gods grace and the effectuall work of his Spirit so David Cause me to know the way wherein I shall walk and teach me to do thy will as in David It seems then he was willing ready and resolved to walk in that way and to Gods will when once the one or the other should be made known unto him But what will he do this by his own strength though now converted no for besides the force of the words cause me to know and teach me to do which imply more then a generall direction even an effectuall knowledge and practice he hereunto craves the speciall help and effectuall assistance of Gods holy Spirit or as some read the words is assured of the same Thy Spirit is good lead me or thy good Spirit shall lead me into the land of uprightness quicken me O Lord for thy Names sake Psal 143.8 10 11. Howsoever thus it is with true converts and in these Converts as with these here who as they were willing and ready to follow good direction given which was to repent and beleeve so this readinesse as also the act and performance after was Gods work in them As on the contrary the high Priest and whole councell of Elders and Scribes being in like manner charged and convinced by Stephen as these here by Peter to be the betrayers crucifiers and murtherers of Christ opposed and stoned him Acts 7.51 52 c. and the doing thereof was the work of the Divell in them and of their own wicked and obstinate wils whereby being stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears they resisted the holy Ghost and became the authours of their own hardening and damnation But we rather hasten to the Vse of the former Point and to an end of all By what is said wee see what to judge of disobedient and refractory sinners Vse 1 and of all such as being convinced of their sins as these here were and called to repentance Of reproof of such as resist the work of grace and withstand their own salvation proudly withstand God without any trembling at his word Isa 66.1 2. and are ready to say with proud Pharaoh Exod. 5.2 Who is the Lord that I should obey his voyce and with those citizens by whom such as I speak of are meant wee will not have this man to reign over us Luke 19.14 And Our lips are our own who is lord over us Psal 12.4 These very Jews both more anciently as also Gentiles Pilate and Herod and others that rejected and persecuted Christ are meant by David therein a type of Christ in his sufferings when he brings them in Acts 4.27 28. saying Let us break their that is the Fathers and the Sons bands asunder and cast away their cords from us Psal 2.1 2 3. These bands Jer. 27.2 3 -6 7. and cords Job 39.13 Ezek. 4.8 were signes of subjection and restraint yet though these bands of Christ be also bands of love Hos 11.4 and his yoake be easie Matth. 11.29 30. these proud and disdainfull ones refuse to serve Christ and will none of him Such are also their scholers who now being called upon and now in and by the ministery of the word to repent convert and turn from their own evil wayes and to be subject to Christ as their Prophet Priest and King will none of Christ will not deny their own wisdom that they may be wise onely by his word will have as an hand in the meriting and work of their own salvation so other Priests and Intercessours then he whether refusing to take on them Christs easie yoak and in a word will not submit themselves to him as their King to be guided by his word to repent and beleeve on his name or to forsake any sin for which they are reproved and of which convinced being ready to say Who is the Minister what saucy and bold fellow is he who thus reproveth us As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth Jer. 44.16 17. This if it be not so openly said of all yet is done by all such as answer not Gods call when they are invited to repent and told of Gods heavie judgements if they repent not yea also by such as by outward profession and seeming repentance have been thought to have taken Christs yoak upon them but are such as have revolted or casting it and his cords off after a seeming profession and played the Apostate from him by making defection to Popery Antichristianisme Arminianisme Lutheranisme and to other errours and to the doctrine at least practice of Libertinisme by imbracing this present evill world in the lusts of it and by licentiousnesse of life being such as the Princes of Judah of old were Hos 5.10 who were like them that remove the bound as not willing to be kept within the limits of Gods word and like those great men to whom Jeremy did speak Jerem. 5.5 and of whom he saith But these as well as the poor and meaner sort of people have altogether broken the yoake and burst the bands Their doom But their doom there follows ver 6. as also the like or worse doom of all disobedient impenitent and refractary sinners elsewhere not onely a lion out of the forrest shall slay them but God himself will be as a lion unto them as he threatned Ephraim saying I will be unto Ephraim as a lion and as a young lion which is more fierce to the house of Judah I even I. the great glorious and mighty God will tear and go away Hos 5.14 15. not tear and heal unlesse timely repentance follow Hos 6 1. but tear and go away and leave them for ever unlesse in time they in sense of their guiltinesse acknowledge their offence and seek my face But of these mens doom more hereafter We are hence taught and instructed Vse 2 when God calls us to repentance Of Instruction and exhortation especially by his Ministers and messengers sent of purpose to that end not to harden our necks not to be stiff-necked as we and others formerly have been but to give the hand or yeeld our selves unto the Lord c. 2 Chro. 30.8 to humble our selves to walk with our God to tremble at his