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	lord_n	soul_n	3,217	5	4.7786	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A58836	Massachusetts, or, The first planters of New-England the end and manner of their coming thither, and abode there: in several epistles ...	Dudley, Thomas, 1576-1653.; Allin, John, 1596-1671.; Shepard, Thomas, 1605-1649.; Cotton, John, 1584-1652.; Massachusetts	1696 (1696)	Wing S2098; ESTC R10108	23,148	60

not stay at home to suffer why should we not let the Lord alone rejoyce that Christ is Preached howsoever wheresoever And who can say that this work was not undertaken and carryed on with sincere and right ends in an holy serious manner by the chief and the body of such as undertook the same The Lord knows whether the sincere desires of worshipping himself according to his will of promoting and propagating the Gospel was not in the hearts of very many in this Enterprise he that seeth in secret and rewardeth openly knows what prayers tears have been poured out to God by many alone and in dayes of Fasting and Prayer of Gods servants together for his counsel direction assistance blessing in this work How many longings and pantings of heart have been in many after the Lord Jesus to see his goings in his Sanctuary as the one thing their Souls desired and requested of God that they might dwell in his house for ever the fruit of which prayers and desires this liberty of New England hath been taken to be and thankfully received from God Yea how many serious consultations with one another with the faithful Ministers and other eminent servants of Christ have been taken about this work is not unknown to some which clears us from any rash heady rushing into this place out of discontent as many are ready to conceive We will here say nothing of the persons whose hearts the Lord stirred up in this business surely all were not rash weak spirited inconsiderate of what they lest behind or of what it was to go into a Wilderness But if it were well known and considered or if we were able to express and recount the singular workings of divine Providence for the bringing on of this Work to what it is come unto it would stop the mouths of all that have not an heart to accuse and blaspheme the Goodness of God in his glorious Works Whatever many may say or think we believe after-times will admire and adore the Lord herein when all his holy Ends and the wayes he hath used to bring them about shall appear Look from one end of the heaven to another whether the Lord hath assayed to do such a Work as this in any Nation so to carry out a people of his own from so flourishing a State to a wilderness so far distant for such ends and for such a Work Yea and in few years hath done for them as he hath here done for his poor despised people When we look back and consider what a strange poise of spirit the Lord hath laid upon many of our hearts we cannot but wonder at our selves that so many and some so weak and tender with such cheerfulness and constant resolutions against so many perswasions of friends discouragements from the ill report of this Country the straits wants and tryals of Gods people in it c. yet should leave our accommodations comforts should forsake our dearest Relations Parents Brethren Sisters Christian friends and Acquaintances overlook all the dangers and difficulties of the vast Seas the thought whereof was a terrour to many and all this to go to a Wilderness where we could forecast nothing but care and temptations onely in hopes of enjoying Christ in his Ordinances in the fellowship of his people Was this from a stupid senslesness or desperate carelesness what became of us or ours or want of natural affections to our dear Country or nearest Relations No surely With what bowels of compassion to our dear Country with what heart-breaking affections to our dear Relations and Christian friends many of us at least came away the Lord is witness What shall we say of the singular Providence of God bringing so many Ship-loads of his people through so many dangers as upon Eagles wings with so much safety from year to year The fatherly care of our God in feeding and cloathing so many in a Wilderness giving such healthfulness and great increase of posterity What shall we say of the Work it self of the kingdom of Christ and the form of a Common wealth erected in a Wilderness and in so few years brought to that state that scarce the like can be seen in any of our English Colonies in the richest places of this America after many more years standing That the Lord hath carryed the spirits of so many of his people through all their toylsome labour wants difficulties losses c. with such a measure of chearfulness and contentation But above all we must acknowledge the singular pitty and mercies of our God that hath done all this and much more for a people so unworthy so sinful that by murmurings of many unfaithfulness in promises oppressions and other evils which are found among us have so dishonoured his Majesty exposed his work here to much scandal and obloquie for which we have cause for ever to be ashamed that the Lord should yet own us and rather correct us in mercy then cast us off in displeasure and scatter us in this Wilderness which gives us cause with Mich. 7. to say Who is a God like our God that pardoneth iniquities and posseth by the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage even because he delighteth in mercy Tho' we be a people of many weaknesses wants yet we acknowledge our God to have been to us a God of many mercies in respect of that sweet peace which he hath taken away from so many Nations yet continuing the same to us in respect also of that liberty we have in Gods house the blessed Ministry of the Word the sweet unity and communion of Gods Churches and Ministers increase multiplication of Churches Christian Government in the Common-wealth and many other mercies we enjoy but especially the gracious presence of Christ to many of our Souls in all these But we will not insist much upon this subject being perswaded it is in the Consciences and Hearts of many of our dear Country-men to think that we should be an object of love and tenderness to that State and People by whose Laws and unkind usages we were driven out into a Wilderness rather then to be judged as desertors of our Brethren and the Cause of Christ in hand with-whom excuse us if we now speak plainly it had been far more easie unto many of us to have suffered then to have adventured hither upon the Wilderness sorrows we expected to have met withal though we must confess the Lord hath sweetned it beyond our thoughts and utmost expectations of prudent men c. c. From New-England November 28. 1645. IOHN ALLIN THO. SHEPARD In Domini Nortoni Librum ad Lectorem Praefatio Apologetica GRAVIS ea quidem Calumnia est et c●ndore spiritus Christiani indigna admodum Fratres sive 〈◊〉 Belgio reduces sive in nova Anglia exulantes Rerum Anglicarum ruinam praesentiscentes tanquam sorices e domo labante aufugisse ut saluti quidem suae provide prospicerent