Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	according_a	good_a	work_n	2,155	5	5.3493	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42049	The Gregorian account, or, The spiritual watch a sermon preached to the society of the Gregories dwelling in and about the city of London and assembled in the Church of St. Michael Cornhill, June 19, 1673 / by Francis Gregory.	Gregory, Francis, 1625?-1707.	1673 (1673)	Wing G1895; ESTC R27395	22,222	36

sneaks the Adulterer there lurks the Thief there 's hid the Murtherer and if we find this cursed crew lodged within us Custodiendae sunt vigiliae super cogitationum gregem saith St. Bernard we must set a guard upon these desperate Villains such brutish and devillish Thoughts must be shackled chained dislodged condemned crucified Such a caution hath Moses left us Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart saying thus or thus Deut. 15.9 The expression imports that although men make light of wicked Thoughts yet 't is our great concern not onely to watch but with indignation and zeal to throw them out 2. The Designs Ends and Aims that are found in man's Heart have too much need to be watched 'T is usually said Finis coronat opus 't is the End that crowns the work The Philosopher tells us Actiones morales specificantur à fine Moral actions are good or bad according to that End towards which they are designed How good soever any work may be in its matter and substance yet if the End be naught the whole work will prove so too Doubtless the Pharisees did many excellent things they observed the Sabbaths they prayed they fasted they gave Alms and yet their base unworthy Designs their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their desire of a little applause and vain-glory provoked God to disown their persons that were so plausible and to reject all that service that was so pompous And truly 't is but sad to consider that these Pharisees who looked so much like glorious Saints should by the treachery of naughty Hearts and the proposal of sinister Ends render themselves but gilded Hypocrites 'T is but sad that such splendid shews of Devotion such strict observations of Sabbaths such frequent Prayers and such set and solemn Fastings should rather through their low Designs provoke our God then please him that those very persons should prove but Meteors whom the world took not onely for Stars but Constellations too And lest this should prove our own condition lest all our services should miscarry and God should say unto us as once he did to the Jews When ye fasted and mourned did ye at all fast to me even to me Zach. 7.5 'T is a dreadfull demand but that it concern us not we are obliged most strictly to examine what are the Designs and Projects of our Hearts lest perhaps some mean and wicked End should corrupt our holy Duties lest some degenerous and ignoble Aims should turn our Gold into dirt our sacrifice into sin and make our sweetest incense goe ●●t and stink with God as if it were but so mu●● snuff 3. The several Passions that are found within the Heart of man have but too much need to be watched too That there are and ever were and will be whatever the Stoicks dream whatever some Fathers think such and such Affections found within the Heart of man 't is sure enough Plutarch tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To find a man without those common Passions of love hatred fear hope desire and the rest 't is impossible That these Affections and strong and impetuous all experience sheweth St. Bernard thus complains Intellectus Affectus quandoque sibi adversantur man's Passion contradicts his Reason Parere nescit saith Seneca it will not obey no impar Ratio saith Seneca again man's Reason is too weak for his Passions which rule that Soul whom they should have served And methinks if our Affections instead of being loyal Subjects are thus like to invade and usurp our Reason's throne if our Passions which were designed by God to be the servants of our Vnderstandings are like to become domineering Lords and Tyrants if these blind and boisterous Rebells endeavour to seise the captive Soul and then use it even at pleasure methinks we are concerned and that in time and guard and watch them I remember that expression of the Psalmist quoted by St. Paul Stand in awe and sin not Psal 4.4 St. Hierom translates it Irascimini and the LXX thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be angry and sin not This Text doth not command our anger as a Duty but doth rather suppose it as a natural and lawfull Passion Si irascimini so Muis Si contingat irasci so Estius If this Passion chance to move and stir What then Cavete beware set a watch lest perhaps it exceed its bounds and so become a sin The same course must be taken with other Passions too It's-true what Seneca saith of our best Endeavours non tollunt sed temperant we cannot destroy these Affections and quite root them out but yet we are concerned to moderate subdue and rule them and in order to that we must be sure to guard and watch them But why all this upon what score is it that man stands thus obliged to watch over Himself his Eye his Tongue his Hand but above all his Heart and Spirit I answer First The Soul of man doth sufficiently need the strictest Watch and the strongest Guard that can be thought on and that for these Reasons 1. The Soul of man hath many Enemies abroad round about and very near it too This is one great Consideration that doth ordinarily quicken men to watch Hannibal ad portas if an enemy be at the Gate if Thieves and Robbers beset the house 't is no time then to snort and sleep This argument is not mine but St. Peter's Be sober be vigilant but what needs that because your adversary the Devil as a roaring lion walks c. 1 Pet. 5.8 The Devil walks his rounds and shall man lie secure the Devil himself doth roar and is not man concerned to look about him 'T is observable that the Devil is styled a Lion a beast nullius ferè somni saith Coelius Rhodiginus one that sleeps but little and if the Devil himself doth watch how dares the Sinner slumber But besides the Devil and his numerous legions the World hath in it great store of Enemies too its Pleasures its Profits its Honours its Sons of Belial what are all these but so many Traps and Ginns to catch and ruine Souls Hostes sacrilegi animi mei fures so Socrates rightly called them And yet there is one Enemy more that 's nearer still I mean our own Flesh with its numerous train of Lusts And certainly this Enemy doth approach somewhat near indeed As St. John is styled by the Greek Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ 's bosom friend so may our Flesh be styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man's bosom foe Hence the Apostle thus exhorts us Abstain from fleshly lusts why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they war against the Soul 1 Pet. 2.11 And methinks if the Soul of man be thus opposed by the Flesh besieged by the World assaulted by the Devil if it be surrounded with Enemies that are strong cruel malicious and strangely politick it must needs want the strictest Watch and the strongest Guards that can be thought