Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	good_a	hear_v	heart_n	3,879	5	6.4623	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11850	Christs counsell to his languishing church of Sardis. Or, The dying or decaying Christian, with the meanes and helpes of his recovery and strengthening. By Obadiah Sedgwicke, B. of D. late preacher to the inhabitants of S. Mildreds Bredstreet, London	Sedgwick, Obadiah, 1600?-1658.	1640 (1640)	STC 22151; ESTC S117037	59,254	284

have heard in their daies and would thinke it a mortall fault not to heare but for meditating pondering reviewing of delivered truths calling them to minde the better to order their hearts and lives they will not trouble themselves so farre as if truth were a burden or an unworthy companion Now to the forgetfull hearer I would commend these things to be considered of 1 If his forgetfulnesse bee onely of good things when yet in any other thing and businesse his remembrance is quicke enough he can remember a tale or story twenty yeeres since it is a very uncomfortable signe I confesse that every good mans memory is not an equall treasurie nor perhaps a very fruitfull soyle but to have a memory like an utterly barren wombe retentive of no spirituall truths Simile but like sand in a glasse put in the one part and instantly running our to the other this totall and absolute falsenesse in our memories is a shrewd presumption that either wee doe not at all rightly conceive of and understand spirituall truths or if wee doe yet that we doe not much care for them and respect them 2 Forgetfulnesse of truths heard and received is a kinde of very evill ignorance the Schoolmen doe distinguish of Ignorantiae purae negationis wherein a man doth not know and of Ignorantiae pravae dispositionis wherein either a man will not or unfits himselfe to know Thus is it with forgetfulnesse truths forgotten are like truths unknowne and the more that the knowledge of former truths weare out the lesse capacity is there to apprehend and receive further truths Nor is this all forgetfulnesse is not onely a curtaine drawne over knowledge but it is a bar also to our practise the forgetfull Iam. 1. 22. hearer can be no good practitioner For no man acceptably practiseth more then hee knowes and no man properly knowes more then he remembers Nor is that all forgetfulnesse keeps us not only in an estate of ignorance and blindenesse nor onely in an estate of barrennesse and undoingnesse but further yet it keepes us in a condition of sadnesse and uncomfortablenesse for all our comforts depend upon divine truths they are our springs of joy but with this caution so farre as they are solidly and rightly applied by us Simile as strong waters refresheth when they are taken now the forgetting person is an unapplying person there can be no good using where there is no good remembring of holy truths So that now by thy forgetfulnesse divine truths are lost and the operations of them are lost they can neither guide thee nor helpe thee nor preserve or comfort thee at all and if all these be lost thou thy selfe canst not be safe whatsoever opinion thou wilt have of thy selfe Saint Iames assures thee that thou deceivest thine own selfe cap. 1. 22. Iam. 1. 22. 2 If remembring of truths heard and received be necessary then be pleased to act the point which Christ here chargeth Remember how thou hast received and heard thou hast perhaps heard of the doctrine of sinne and knowledge thereof by the law out of Rom. 7. 7. Thou hast heard of the manifold aggravations of sinne in severall texts as against knowledge meanes of grace mercies afflictions covenants c. and of infidelity that binding sin out of John 3. Thou hast heard many a Sermon of the power of the word for conviction and conversion and for consolation and for conversation and for salvation out of 2 Thes 1. Thou hast heard of the impediments of the soule from comming to Christ partly from the love of sinne Iohn 3. partly from the love of the world Mark 10. 22. partly from the perversenesse of our wils Math. 23. 37. Thou hast heard of the preparations of the soule unto Christ and much of the new covenant out of Mal. 3. 1. Thou hast heard much of faith for the nature of it out of Acts 16. for the degrees of it out of Mark. 9. for the use of it in all the promises out of 2 Cor. 1. and of our love to God out of Psal 31. 23. Thou hast heard the doctrine of repentance from dead works largely opened out of Acts 17. 30. and further unfolded in the conversion of the Prodigall out of Luke 15. and of the doctrine of temptations out of Luke 4. the kindes of them and methods of defence and conquest Thou hast lately heard of that comfortable ample perpetuall care and goodnesse of Gods providence over his Church and people out of Psal 23. all over Lastly thou hast heard something of a languishing and of a recovering soule from this out of Revel 3. 2. I call God to record at this day that according to my knowledge and ability I have as Saint Paul Acts 20. 27. not shunned to declare unto you all the counsell of God requisite to your salvation testifying unto you all repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ verse 21. yea in season and out of season in strength in weakenesse in publike in private have I desired and endevoured your everlasting good Now let not these pious truths slip from you or be as water spilt upon the ground Ministers dye but let not truths dye Ministers depart but let not truths depart stony hearts are bad but iron memories are good if ye have heard truths and received them why still retaine the truths for the truths sake let them ever abide with you live with you dye with you And doe not locke up the truths onely but let your memories faithfully serve out those truths according to your particular occasions and occurrences of your life hold them out to keep out errors bring them out to keep up graces improve the directions of the word to leade your waies and the comforts of the word to refresh and encourage your hearts and that you may skill the art of heavenly memory know that There are sixe things which Sixe things will much availe to helpe and inable the remembrance of truths heard and received 1 Ardent affection love is a safe locke and a ready hand which we much like we shall much minde David was fervent in love and therefore frequent in thinking of Gods law Psal 119. Oh how I love thy law Psal 119 97. it is my meditation all the day here was great love and great studying Simile a childe will not forget his mother 2 Frequent meditation many earthly things weare out by handling as characters in gold or silver but heavenly characters abide longest where they are most perused Every new and serious contemplation of them makes a fairer and firmer impression it is like a second stamping of them The memory is like a glasse and the understanding as an eye looking back into it the more frequent acquaintance and familiarity that the understanding hath by reflecting on the memory the more strongly are things ingraven in our remembrance 3 Constant operation if memory were more used memory would be more usefull when

more will that man grieve for sinne the more will he feare to sinne the more will hee hate sinne the more will hee repent of sinne the more carefull will hee be to walke before God the more tender and conscientious will hee grow in duties the more able unto praier and the ordinances and the more successefull under them Therefore deale prudently for thy strengthening Simile when an house is declining we doe not meddle with every rafter and piece of wood no but wee strengthen the pillers and foundation faith is the piller as it were of our graces strengthen it to more apprehension application to more submission to the wil of God to more affiance to more dependance on God through the bloud of Christ and faith will both finde out thy strength and impart it I can doe all things through Christ that strengthens me 2 Love this is another radicall grace not that it brings forth other graces for their habits but onely that it eggeth on other graces to their acts and operations for as holy love is a most active quality in it selfe so it doth make the Christian to be most active it is a doing thing and makes the person to be doing More fully thus 1 There is activity flowing from love grace shall never be idle where the love of God is strong the love of Christ constraines 2 Cor. 5. me saith Saint Paul it is like the vertuous woman in the last of the Proverbs who did set all her handmaids to employment for love will finde duty enough for it is never quiet but in doing the will of God 2 There is diligence It will not set graces to a naked work but to a diligent worke even carefully and diligently to expresse their acts to take all the seasons of holy actings strictly to oppose and resist corruptions neatly to set out duties so as God may have most glory 3 There is delightfulnesse it makes our communion with God pleasant and the works of piety easie to the soule and the more delightfull and easie any acts are the more frequent they grow David loving of the Lord was glad when they said let us goe unto the house of the Lord and he had a desire even to dwell and rest there as the birds did Psal 84. Psal 84. Now put all this together and you shall see that if love be strengthened all our spirituall estate will be strengthened for it makes our graces to be active and doing to be carefull and exact in doing to be delightfull and cheerefull in doing good and in communion with God and all these are admirable meanes to raise and strengthen graces Forasmuch as the more any Christian doth the more hee may by using his spirituall strength he alwaies increaseth it and also wit All know that diligence in acting is a thrifty course the diligent hand makes rich saith Salomon so the diligent Christian is the gaining Christian and that delightfull frequency of acting Simile it is like the twisting of a cord which comes thereby to be the stronger No Christian is so able in the habits of grace as hee who is conscientiously frequent in the practise or exercise of grace 4 Seriously and in good earnest and not slightly and faintly the recovery of a faint soule will never be effected by faint workings Simile gentle physicke is improper for tough diseases you did fall into your decayed estate by remissive operations or actings and thinke you that what was not able to keep up your graces from sinking can now quicken and raise them being greatly sunke If my hands cannot keep a swouning person from falling to the ground can they lift him up being fallen whereas every heavy body the farther it descendeth the heavier it is No no Christian thou deceivest thy selfe to thinke that a few complaints or a few sighes or a few teares or a prayer once in a quarter of a yeere more earnestly pressed will serve the turne I tell thee that thy wounds are deepe and thy diseases are strong thou art deeply revolted from the Lord the very foundations are shaken and battered within thy soule What talkest thou of putting a soft cloth over thy stinking and festred wounds of sinfull corruption thou oughtest to search deeply and to cut off the dead flesh lest the whole be gangrened Take my advise even breake up the fallow ground I meane thy hollow heart search and try it to the utmost not by slight but by deep and full humiliations and supplications make thy peace not by common but by extraordinary performances seeke to renue thy selfe Thy fals have beene great and therefore thy worke must not be slight great sinnings require grand sorrowings and low fallings the more industry for higher risings therefore act thy strengthening part with all thy strength and as it were for thy very life remember that David was in fasting and Peter in bitter teares for their falling and so they rose againe 5 Throughly and to some purpose doe not begin a strengthening worke and then either upon the motions of a lasie heart or a fearefull heart or an unbeleeving heart be discouraged and desist this inconstancy would keepe thee in an everlasting infirmity Simile just as if a Patient should follow the prescription of the Physitian for a day or two but afterwards finding that to be somewhat painefull and troublesome hee will bee bound no longer but then hee fals ill againe So if thou set upon the waies of strengthening and a while thou wilt keepe close to praying and hearing and humbling and reforming but perceiving the workes to be painefull and offensive to thy corrupt heart and too strict to thy licentious heart or the fruits of them to be hopelesse to thy unbeleeving heart I cannot hold out all is in vaine or to little purpose I tell thee that thou doest but play the foole with thy soule set it forward and backward this were to twist and untwist Penelopes threed thou never wilt get any thing by an inconstant and weary spirit But this must thou doe if thou wouldest recover thy strength indeed thou must never admit of interruptions thou must never break off thy renewing worke till thou hast got to thy former station in grace againe The worke must bee a daily worke a constant going on in mourning praying c. till thou hast got thy tender conscience againe till thou hast gotten thy broken heart againe till thou hast got thy more willingly and cheerefully obedient heart againe till thou hast recovered thy first love and canst doe thy first works againe Object It is true thou shalt meet with many temptations from Satan with many contrary suggestions from thine owne spirit and with many discouragements from the world and it is true also that thy doings may not at every time equall or be like to it selfe thou mayest feele thy physicke at one time to worke better then at another sometimes thou mayest doe thy strengthening worke with more strength sometimes with

not bolstered up with high clamours and with artificiall lyes But truth is naked and plaine it is neither of a cruell nature like Caine nor of a subtile spirit with Absalom nor of a lying spirit with Ahabs false Prophets it flatters no man nor beguiles any being truth it is not ashamed of light or triall and it alone can maintain it self against all contrary quarrels a good cause is like a good conscience even a bulwarke to it selfe like the sunne in its light and heat against all clouds c. 5 The duration of them truth like the sunne hath runne down through all ages not that all men have embraced it but that by some it hath still beene embraced some one or more hath still beene at the barre to beare witnesse unto it New men have still risen up and sometimes out of the ashes as it were of the dead to maintaine and either by tongue or pen or bloud to defend the truth but Erroneous doctrines as they want an inward harmony so also an outward consent like a deceitfull brooke they are spent after a while or like commotions in a state Simile though strong or long yet they come to an end at length either some speciall judgements on the ringleaders or the authority of Princes as Alexander against Arius or the prayers of the Saints or the decision of lawfull counsels have still cashiered these meteors but as it is said of divine mercy that it endures for ever the same is affirmed of divine truth it runs from one generation to another till Christ make his Church triumphant the militant Church shall be the pillar of truth 6 The conformity of them to the rule or word Erroneous doctrines like unsound flesh cannot abide handling and Simile like an ill favoured woman would have all glasses broken But truth like sound gold will endure a touch-stone truth will be found truth upon search bring it to the conscience it will worke as truth bring it to the death-bed it will uphold as truth bring it to the scriptures it will hold out as truth 2 When truths upon search are found to be truths then embrace them for the truths sake not upon personall and mutable causes or ends 3 Firme refolution after tryall by which our knowledge comes to be cleare and without doubt there must be now a plain resolution and purpose of heart in cleaving to such faithfully evidenced truths thou must by an immoveable faith as it were root thy very heart in the truths of Christ as Saint Paul though bonds and afflictions though good report or evill though death it selfe abide him for Christ come what will come disputes fancies errors troubles losses I have found the truth and it will I hold for ever 3 Loyall affection then it is loyall when it is inclusive to every truth c. exclusive to nothing but truth this loyall affection will make us to first doe secondly suffer thirdly cleave love truth and then truth will be held I held him and would not let him goe said the Church then in love with Christ Cant. 3. Love is the easiest key to open the heart to Cant. 3. Christ and the strongest locke to keepe sure the truth in our hearts when thou hast experimentally felt the heavenly strength and comfort of Gods truths then wilt thou certainly sticke unto them 4 Ioyne conscience to science O when people have the truths still sounding in their eares and ungodlinesse still stirring and ruling in their lives it cannot be that they should have strong hands who have wicked hearts Hymeneus made shipwracke of faith and of conscience both together 1 Tim 1. 19. Therefore strive to obey the 1 Tim. 1. 19. truths adde to thy faith vertue be a doing Christian as well as a knowing Christian 5 Be watchfull in prayer to God with David to uphold thee with Saint Peter to establish thee still to keepe thee that thou mayest keepe his truths excellent is that speech of Bernard S. Bernard in Psal qui habitat pag. 283. Basil neque enim quae habemus ab eo servare aut tenere possumus sine eo that God by whose light alone we know the truth by his strength alone we keepe it Thus much for the text and now for the occasion and here I cannot be long neither my affections nor yours will admit of large discourse onely a word of you and a word to you Of you so regardfull have you beene to my Ministery so loving to my person so faithfull in your maintenance so cheerefully encouraging generally from you all but chiefly from the chiefest that had it pleased the Lord to have given mee health the which I have scarce enjoyed one whole yeere together since I have beene heere I should not have stirred easily from such a people for the best preferment that could be conveniently offered unto me I speake my heart freely I cannot tell on which side the unwillingnesse is most whether on your part who are left or on my part who am constrained to leave you But to say no more of your goodnesse give mee leave for the close of all to leave a few Legacies with you being all my friends and hearken to my words as the words of a dying man for the Lord knowes how short my daies may be My Legacies are these 1 Lay out more time for your soules the soule is a precious thing the soule is a corrupted thing sinnes are in it much guilt is upon it there is a Christ that it needs holinesse that it must have heaven that it would have thy body is but clay thy soule a spirit the world a vanity thy soule immortall all is well if the soule be wel nothing is well if that be evill I beseech you pray more heare more know more confer more doe more and more for your soules when you come to dye you will then finde it to be all your worke O then whiles health is in you make it thy chiefest worke to seeke the kingdome of heaven and the righteousnesse thereof for your soules feed not the slave and starve the childe 2 Vpon good grounds make sure of a reconciled God live not in an unreconciled condition no enemy like an ill conscience and a good God study the right of thy sinnes and the bloud of Christ repentance from dead workes and faith in the Lord Iesus so shalt thou behold the face of God and live The waies of reconciliation with God and the setling of thy conscience about it may cost thee many prayers and teares and diligent studies but the love of God and heaven will answer and recompense all 3 Wisely improve all heavenly seasons the Lord hitherto hath continued unto you daies of peace and salvation heavenly opportunities publike and private and I beseech him for ever so to doe Now receive not the grace of God in vaine lay hold on these occasions if there be not wisedome to improve them there may be sadnesse for neglecting