Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n
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A30278
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Eighteen directions for saving conversion unto God by Daniel Burgess ... thus published for the poor.
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Burgess, Daniel, 1645-1713.
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1691
(1691)
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Wing B5705; ESTC R36045
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21,736
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58
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him and Badges of being his put upon you to the Conquest of Disobedience Sacramental Obligation is the chief Store-house and Magazine to draw Armour from in an Hour of Temptation There is none like it Rom. 6.1 2 3. What shall we say then shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein Know ye not that so many of us as were Baptized into Jesus Christ were Baptized into his death 1 Pet. 3.21 The like figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good Conscience toward God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 and 21. The Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ The Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ Ye cannot drink the Cup of the Lord and the Cup of Devils ye cannot be partakers of the Lords Table and of the Table of Devils D. 17. Hear your selves daily your Catechism I mean the Summary of Religion unto which you have attained There be several set down in my Three Questions Resolved long ago Printed I advise all once a day to go over that which they have Learned and can Remember Let grown Christians ask and answer themselves how they do in their Hearts BELIEVE each Article of the Apostles Creed how they PRAY each Petition of the Lords Prayer how they PRACTISE each Commandment of both Tables how they are ENCOURAGED and ENGAGED unto all three unto the Life of Holy Faith Prayer and Practice I mean by their Holy Baptism and the Lords Table Rom. 2.21 Thou which teachest another teachest thou not thy self Psal 4.4 Commune with your own Heart Psal 16.7 My Reins instruct me D. 18. Command your last Thoughts to be fit to be your last When you compose you to sleep suppose that you may die in that sleep And if so the God unto whom you must go in that death is fit to be thought of in the entrance to it If not it will be sweet in the Morning to review last thoughts of him at Night Yea and those thoughts of Faith and Love and Trust at Night will be generative of more of the same Spirit and Goodness in the Morning Psal 63.6 I remember thee on my Bed and meditate of thee in the Night Watches He that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of Men Rom. 14.18 Motives with Directions unto Religious Discourse such as tends to promote Conversion and holy Conversation By the same Author Thus Published for the Poor THE H. Spirit setting forth the sin of all the Members of the Body insisteth longest upon the Instruments of Speech Rom. 3.13 14. Their Throat is an open sepulchre with their Tongues they have used deceit the poison of Asps is under their lips Whose Mouth is full of cursing and bitterness He declares also that our Safety depends upon the right or ill using hereof Prov. 18.21 Death and Life are in the power of the Tongue and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof And that one of the prime things that shall be brought to Judgment are our Words Mat. 12.37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned He makes our Speech the great discovery of our Heart Mat. 12.34 O generation of Vipers how can ye being evil speak good things For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Psal 37.30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom and his tongue talketh of judgment And accordingly holy men watch against the sins of the Tongue Psal 39.1 I said I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my Tongue I will keep my Mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me Yea and Pray unto God to assist their watch Psal 141.3 Set a Watch O Lord before my mouth Keep the door of my Lips They make conscience of expressing the Image of their hearts in holy discourses Psal 37.30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom and his tongue talketh of judgment And count it absurd to pretend to be religious if their Discourse be not governed by Religion Jam. 1.26 If any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart this mans Religion is vain God for Christ's sake forgive me my trespasses And prosper unto many others with me these twelve Motives to Religious and Useful Discourse M. 1. Our Speech is given us by God for Religious Discourse Jam. 3.9 Therewith we bless God We do so it we use it to the end for which He gave it It is a Faculty most Excellent and therefore ought to be consecrated unto the holy uses for which it was by Him intended Otherwise we oppose his just Design and abuse his rich and extraordinary Gift That which He hath bestown upon no Creatures but those that are capable of Religion and bestown it on them for no use so much as of Religion M. 2. Religious Discourse is the most Honourable Doth God excel Creatures Doth Eternal Blessedness transcend momentany things As truely and plainly doth Religious discourse out-shine all other Men despise Childrens talk of their Play-things Princes contemn Subjects talk of their Shops and Farms and no less do New-born Souls slight Princes talk of Crowns and Kingdoms in comparison of talk concerning Heaven It is only holy Breath that is Nobly spent M. 3. Religious Discourse is the most Delightful It is most apt to Delight and doth actually Delight Men most when Sin corrupts not their Sense As Honey is incomparably sweeter than Whites of Eggs when no Disease hath vitiated our Palates For what is Delightful but Goodness And what is Goodness but Pleasingness unto God And what Discourse so pleaseth God as Religious And who have so much Pleasure as they in Heaven who have no discourse but Religious Prov. 15.26 The words of the pure are pleasant words M. 4. Religious Discourse is the most Profitable It trafficks in the richest Commodities God hath no richer than what it trades for Yea and its words be a wind that do always blow good unto both the Speaker and Hearer They prevent evil Words and Thoughts abundance of them if not much other Sin They awaken the Speakers Mind and affect his Heart and give him a rich promise of Gods Blessing Prov. 11.25 The liberal Soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered also himself Mal. 3.16 17. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his Name And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own Son
conclude Our Words have a middle place between our Thoughts and our Deeds and of a mighty influence they are upon both and certainly the ordering of them as I have said is a great Ordinance of God for Making and Keeping good our Thoughts and Works and our Neighbours also Wherefore a needful prayer it is for us O Lord open our mouths that is give us DISCRETION wherewith to open them and HOLY AFFECTION wherewith to open them and desirable OPPORTUNITIES wherein to open them for thy Glory and our own and our Brethren's Edification Amen Twelve Directions for Religious Discourse Prov. 1.5 A wise man will hear and increase Learning Good Proficients will give heed to first plain Elements D. 1. Understand well the TRUTHS and DUTIES of Religion Read Hear Enquire spare no Pains to get a good understanding of the Creed Lords Prayer Ten Commandments and Doctrine of the Sacraments A well informed mind it is that must teach the Mouth and add Learning to the Lips Prov. 16.23 The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth and addeth learning to his lips An inquisitive humble man will not long be Ignorant And when he ceases to be Ignorant he will presently be usefully Eloquent And it is no matter if he be not gawdily so D. 2. Believe the things of Religion to be real Even as the things that you see with your Eyes Believe thus the Being and Glory of God the Sinfulness of Sin the Beauty and Importance of Holiness the Joys of Heaven the Torments of Hell the Eternity of Both. Whatever your Head be if your Heart be faithless your Discourse will be heartless And must be extorted from you too it will not come freely as little as its worth will be But strong Faith makes forward to speak bold in speaking and unrestrainable from it 2 Cor. 4.13 It is written I Believed and therefore have I spoken we also Believe and therefore speak D. 3. Love the real things of Religion with all your Heart Knowledge and Faith too is an idle mute without Love They work yea and speak also by Love It is out of nothing of the heart so much as Love that the Mouth speaks Love maketh the Lips of those that are asleep to speak Cant. 7.9 And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine for my beloved that goeth down sweetly causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak Nothing sooner casts out dumb Devils Who ever knew a great Lover of his God a silenced Man Undoubtedly our Affections are chilled before our Tongues are tyed D. 4. Perfect the Subjection of your Selves unto Religion Be constantly and universally under its government in all your ways Eat and Drink by religious rule Buy and Sell by the same Pray and Worship by the same For if you allow your selves in any one Sin you cannot reprove others for any You cannot Decently nor can you Sincerely Under the Law the Snuffers were to be made of pure Gold Teaching that Reformers of other Men were to be Unspotted and Inoffensive themselves and Praise-worthy Exod 37.23 And he made his seven lamps and his snuffers and his snuff-dishes of pure gold D. 5. Compassionate the Souls that be void of all sound Religion Consider their Misery and their Helplesness unless help be brought quickly Remember that Sinners be Stray creatures from God their Owner And be sinking under the burthen of their sins into Hells bottomless Pit Remember also that God who hath called thee into his way of Salvation and hath forgiven thy Sins will be exceeding angry if thou hidest thy self from thy perishing Neighbours If thou Pretendest that thou knowest not the case of their Souls or Passest them by unreproved and uninstructed as though thou didst not know it God will be angry if thou shewest not more Pity upon an Ox or a Sheep or an Ass yea though it be thy very Enemies Exod. 23.4 5. If thou meet thine enemies Ox or his Ass going astray thou shalt surely bring it back to him again If thou see the Ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden and wouldest forbear to help him thou shalt surely help with him Deut. 22.1 4. Thou shalt not see thy Brothers Ox or his Sheep go astray and hide thy self from them thou shalt in any case bring them again unto thy Brother Thou shalt not see thy Brothers Ass or his Ox fall down by the way and hide thy self from them thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again They be Cruel as Ostriches that are Dumb as Dogs Yearning Bowels will bring forth Edifying Discourses D. 6. Covet earnestly your own Proficience in Religion In the Gifts Graces Services and Comforts of it Prov. 11.25 The liberal soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered also himself To water others is one way a sure one and an excellent to have God water us God never muzzles the Mouths of such as do kindly and painfully tread out Corn to others He doth then most sensibly Teach us while we are Teaching others Ordinarily he doth so as Experience tells us I believe we may all say as one great man saith expresly I am never backward to help or cold in helping the Souls of others until a base cold is gotten into my own Soul and it is waxed careless of it self Desire of our own Spiritual good will certainly put upon Endeavours for other Men's good Although Covetousness of earthly things puts upon a contrary practice D. 7. Keep a Law of Moral Kindness in your Lips towards Religious men and Irreligious Remember still that Gospel Precept 1 Pet. 3.8 Be ye courteous Forgetfulness of it is an extreme damage to the Interest of the Gospel It is an unknown mischief that one rough rugged word will many times do How many thousands of good ones it will prevent or frustrate Whereas Affable ones do wonderfully open our Ears Mouths and Hearts unto each other Do not think to impart Wisdom where you do not pleasantly express Love It must be your Lovers to whom you will have much pleasure to Discourse And who will with much pleasure Hear you Neither may you expect to make or keep many such Lovers without Morosity and Sourness of behaviour abandoned If Love cast not them out they will soon cast Love out and then farewel to good Discourse You may see how the very Apostles were fain to carry it to maintain their Ministry and its Usefulness 1 Thes 2.7 We were GENTLE among you even as a NURSE cherisheth her Children A winning Affability is as necessary as Breath it self to profitable Discourse especially with weak Christians D. 8. Perfume your own Houses with Religious Discourses Make it said in your Neighbourhoods that happy are your Children and happy your Servants which live continually near you and hear your Wisdom Be sure that your Lips disperse Knowledge at home and that your Families have Precept upon Precept Fail not to be Guides of your own Blind Of your own