Selected quad for the lemma: act_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
act_n	faith_n	heart_n	purify_v	2,568	5	11.6551	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76748	The grand triall of true conversion. Or, Sanctifying grace appearing and acting first and chiefly in the thoughts. A treatise wherein these two mysteries are opened. 1. The mystery of iniquity working in mans thoughts by corrupt nature. II. The mystery of holiness working in the thoughts of sanctified persons. Together with precious preservatives against evill thoughts. / By John Bisco, minister of the gospel in Thomas Southwarke.	Bisco, John, d. 1679.; S. S. Man in the moone discovering a word of knavery under the sunne.	1655 (1655)	Wing B2987; Wing S147B; Thomason E1620_1; Thomason E1620_2; ESTC R209672	192,198	465

or allowed by them 2. Evil thoughts against our neighbour are either thoughts with consent or without consent 1. Evil thoughts with consent of will are such as men conceive in their minds against their neighbour and do also really desire and purpose in their hearts to practise these are directly forbidden in the fifth sixth seventh eighth and ninth commandements 2. Thoughts without consent are the evil motions of mans heart against first his neighbour to which his will never gives consent these are condemned in the tenth Commandement the whole Law is spirituall in every branch thereof but this last precept hath a height of spirituality There be two special sinnes which are directly forbidden in the tenth Commandement Thou shalt not covet 1. All thoughts of mind wishes and desires of heart after that that is anothers contrary to contentation it condemns the very first risings of our desires after any thing that God hath given to another though we would have it without fraud or violence as by giving him the full worth of it in money or otherwise 1 Kings 21. 2. The former Commandements doe forbid together with the outward Act the inward desire of another mans goods to his hurt or dammage for as desire after another mans wife is adultery Matth. 5 28. so the desire of any others house or beast wrongfully is stealth 2. This tenth precept condemnes the first motions of concupiscence arising in and from our hearts though not consented to it is purposely set in the last place as conducing to the exposit on of the former precepts which do condemn the outward facts and inward motions of Concupiscence rising with consent whereby they are really distinct from the last Commandement which must forbid something not directly forbidden in the other Commandements Thirdly evil thoughts are condemned by the Evangelical law of grace and faith as may evidently appear by these seven arguments 1. The Gospel commands sinners to forsake their own thoughts and to turn to Jehovah in their Thoughts and works Isa 55. 7. this Repentance is a Gospel duty it is often joyned with Remission of sinnes which is a Gospel benefit 2. The Gospel Word being accompanied with the holy spirit convinceth men of their evill thoughts 1 Cor. 14. 24. 25. 3. It censures and condemns mans thoughts as a judge Heb. 4. 12. This Word of God that is so full of power and life that worketh so efficaciously Heb. 4 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word of God is quick convenit hoc vorbo Dei sed praecipue evangelico Dicebantur critici nomine etiam a latinis usurpato homines acris judicii c Estius on mens hearts and thoughts which judgeth the thoughts of the heart must needes be the glorious Gospell of Christ 1 Because it is the Gospell that is the. Ministry of life and the ministration of the spirit 2 Cor. 3. 6. 8. It is called the Law of the spirit of life in Christ J●sus Rom. 8. 2. it is a quickning word John 6. 63. the Savour of Life This gospell word of God is living efficiently it hath a soul-reviving soule-raising virtue instrumentally it is the outward meanes whereby the Spirit of Life infuseth life into our dead soules James 1 18. Joh. 17. 17. The Law of Works cannot make alive dead men Gal. 3. 21. 3. 'T is the Gospell that discovers and directs in the way to eternall life This Evangelicall Word is sayd to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Critick a curious Judge and observer of the Thoughts of mans heart it censures very sharply 4. The Gospel of Christ conquers and casts down the thoughts from their Throne in mans heart 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. 5. True Gospel faith casts out all evil thoughts as enemies to King Jesus it purifieth our hearts from the power and pollution of vain thoughts Acts 15. 9. 6. It captivates the Thoughts of men to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 5. 7. In the Gospel-Covenant there is a giving of Laws to the thoughts of sanctified persons Heb. 8. 10. I will give my laws to their thoughts saith the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus the words are in the originall 4. Evil thoughts are condemned by the concurrent consent of the whole Scripture 1. They are condemned by Moses and the Prophets Gen. 6. 5. and chap. 8. 21. Deut. 15. 9. Psal 10. 4. and 14. 1. Psal 94. 11. Psal 119 113. 118. Prov. 12. 20. and 15. 26. Prov. 24. 9. Eccles 4. 8. Isa 55. 7. Isa 57. 11. Jer. 4. 14. and 18. 18. Eezch 11. 2. Hos 7 15. Micah 2. 1. 2. Evil thoughts are condemned by our Lord Jesus and his holy apostles Matth. 9. 4. and chap 15. 19 20. Matth. 16 7. Mark 7. 21. and 8. 17. Luke 1. 51. Mar. 16. 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. James 2. 5. Fifthly it will appear that thoughts are not free if mankind be considered in a threefold estate 1. In the estate of originall purity 2. In the state of original pravity 3. In the apparition of grace 1. If we look on men in their paradise perfections 1. As creatures they ow all possible service and subjection to their gracious Creator in their spirits as well as in their bodies both being framed by his omnipotent hand for himself 2. As good creatures made after the Image of Gods wisdome and righteousnesse at first in Adam they were filled with glorious power and perfection in their spirits and fitted to perform a spirituall obedience to the Law by a compleat conformity of all their thoughts and works 2. If men be considered in their originall guilt and filth it will appear that their thoughts are bond slaves and captives to sin and Satan they are not sufficient to think a good thought of themselves 2 Cor. 3. 5. 2. All the thoughts of naturall men are altogether evil from their childhood Gen. 6. 5. and 8. 21. 3. These evil thoughts do bind them over to condemnation for the violation of the holy spirituall Law so that the thoughts of carnal men are so far from being free from sin that they are free to nothing but sin 1 Cor. 3. 20. 3. If mankind be considered in the apparition of grace in Christ it will be evident that thoughts are not free 1. The Lord Christ suffered for us in soul and body yea his greatest sufferings were inward and invisible that thereby he might satisfie divine justice for our soul sins and thought-transgressions the iniquities of our thoughts and works were laid upon him Isa 53. 2. As our Thought sinnes had the greatest hand in the death of Christ so the death of these grand radicall sinnes was chiefly intended in the death of Christ he dyed to redeem us from our vain thoughts which are the chiefest part of our vain conversation 1 Pet. 1. 3. As we desire that our whole man should be glorified by Christ we must give up the whole inward and outward man with all

quality and property of those fountaines whence they spring We may truly judge of the frame and fabrick of our hearts by the ordinary working of our thoughts But now we are not to take measure of our thoughts by some particular stirrings and extraordinary motions we sometimes feele in them but according to the common current and generall actings of our thoughts For sometimes evill men may have good motions and workings in their thoughts towards that which is good but good thoughts in carnall men doe glide and passe away presently without any fruit to their owne soules So on the other side good men may sometimes be over-powred and captivated by evill thoughts either by the sudden breaking out of remaining corruption from within or by violent invasion of some entising object from without or by the impetuous and immediate injections of Satan But such thoughts as these are contrary to the generall and setled purpose of their hearts 2 The New man in them doth repell and resist them 3 The Saints know how to repent of them and pray against them 4 They walk more humbly and set a strong guard and more narrow watch over their hearts for afterwards least they should be unawares surprized the second time Thirdly The whole conversation followes the frame and temper of the thoughts Such as a mans heart is such are his thoughts ordinarily and such as his thoughts are such is the frame of his conversation Prov. 23. 7. As a man tbinketh in his heart so is he The thoughts of men are the spring from whence issues a good or bad conversation they are the master-wheele which acteth turnes about the whole course Prov. 4. 23. and carriage of their lives they have a strong influence upon all their wayes The sweetning of this spring sweetens the whole conversation If waters be corrupt the fountaine must first be cleansed and sweetned and then the streames will be sweet The Prophet healed the waters by casting salt into the spring 2 Kings 2. 20. If our thoughts be full of holinesse they will overflow into our affections and actions and fill our speeches What are the powerfull operations Quest of Sanctifying Grace upon mans thoughts They are these especially First It Discovers a world of wickednesse Answ in mens thoughts which they never saw before Renewing grace sets up a new light in the mind which manifests the Atheisme Idolatry Infidelity Unrighteousnesse Vanity Pride and Profanenesse of their thoughts Carnall men may see the grosse irregularities and open defilements of their works and speeches but they see not the first rise of corruption in their thoughts Sinners are possest with this pestilent conceit that thoughts are free but when the word of God falls with converting power upon their soules the secret thoughts of their hearts are made manifest in their naturall filth and 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. folly so that now they begin to see that the sins of their thoughts are out of measure sinfull and innumerable Secondly Sanctifying Grace Condemnes the vanity and vilenesse of mens thoughts it drawes them to sentence and condemn the evil of their thoughts and themselves for their evil thoughts Carnall men doe feed upon the forth of their filthy thoughts with delight but regenerate men doe with much bitternesse of spirit judge themselves for their thought-transgressions yea many humble soules sensible of their secret provocations are more grieved and troubled setting aside the ill of example and scandall ordinary attendants upon open and visible miscartiages for the rebelliousnesse of their thoughts then the exorbitancy and iniquity of their works It wounds them to the very heart that they are not as well able to preserve their inward thoughts pure and holy towards the all-searching eye of God as their words and visible actions plausible and orderly towards men Thirdly Sanctifying Grace begets a sincere and deadly Hatred of all evill thoughts Psal 119. 113. Sayes David I hate vaine thoughts Renewed persons doe not onely dislike evill thoughts but they also hate them as the grand Enemies of God they desire to have them crucified 2 They hate not only those thoughts which are most black and bloody but vaine thoughts also they hate all wandring and unprofitable thoughts Fourthly Renewing Grace Sanctifies the thoughts and puts them into a holy frame The naturall frame of mans heart is evill therefore all that it frameth is altogether evill A corrupt Gen. 6. 5. fountaine cannot send forth pure waters but sanctifying grace coming into mans heart implants a new holy principle which is the spring of holy living thoughts it makes the mind ready prepared to every good thought A sanctified heart is full of sanctified thoughts it is continually exercised in godly usefull and profitable meditations It can have no rest but in spirituall converses with God Grace coming from heaven doth carry up the thoughts into heaven Fifthly Sanctifying Grace Purifies the thoughts it mortifies that Lording power which sin exerciseth in mens thoughts before their renewing The hearts of all men in their corrupt frame are as a boyling Sea or as a Sepulchre of corruption evapourating and sending up continually wicked wanton and prophane thoughts How doth grace cleanse and cure our Quaere thoughts By a two-fold act 1 By mortifying the root of all evill Answ thoughts the flesh or corruption of mans nature that root of bitternesse which embitters and corrupts our thoughts continually Grace purifies Acts 15. Mark 7. 21. our hearts which are the fountaine out of which our thoughts doe flow this fountain must be cleansed and sweetned before our thoughts can be clean Can any clean thing come forth of that which is unclean That sinfull corruption which reigns Job 14. 5. and rages in the hearts of naturall men must be crucified before the strength of sin can be broken in their thoughts If carnall men by the power of the word should be so affrighted and terrified from the committing of that sin which they most love that they durst never actually returne again to it yet then their naturall corruption would fill their hearts with speculative uncleannesse and thought-pollutions their thoughts would still be running after sin When the worldly man dyes his thoughts perish so when the old man is mortified in us evill thoughts dye in respect of their predominant power 2 Grace purifies our thoughts by filling the mind with the pure and pretious word of God which is a powerfull means to keep out and cast out evill thoughts I have hid thy word in my heart in my thoughts sayes David that I might not sin against thee Psal 119. 11. There is a marvellous power in Gods word to drive away and scatter ungodly thoughts they can no more stand before it then the Clouds before a strong North-wind If the word of Christ dwell in our hearts plenteously it is impossible that vain thoughts should lodge there If our minds be filled with the word there will be no roome for