Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	accuse_v	conscience_n	law_n	3,144	5	5.7967	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53700	Gospel grounds and evidences of the faith of God's elect shewing : I. The nature of true saving faith, in securing of the spiritual comfort of believers in this life, is of the highest importance, II. The way wherein true faith doth evidence it self in the soul and consciences of believers, unto their supportment and comfort, under all their conflicts with sin, in all their tryals and temptations, III. Faith will evidence it self, by a diligent, constant endeavour to keep it self and all grace in due exercise, in all ordinances of divine worship, private and publick, IV. A peculiar way whereby true faith will evidence it self, by bringing the soul into a state of repentance / by John Owen ...	Owen, John, 1616-1683.	1695 (1695)	Wing O759; ESTC R9544	55,512	98

of God in his Oblation and Intercession 3. Of the great Multitude and Variety of precious Promises engaging the Truth Faithfulness and Power of God for the Communication of Righteousness and Salvation from those Springs by that means I say on the just Consideration of these things with all other Encouragements wherewith they are accompanied the Soul concludes by Faith that there is Salvation for it self in particular to be attained in that way 3. THE last Act of Faith in the order of Nature is the Souls Acquiescency in and trust unto this way of Salvation for its self and its own Eternal Condition with a Renuntiation of all other ways and means for that End And because Jesus Christ in his Person Mediation and Righteousness is the Life and Center of this way as he in whom alone God will glorifie his Wisdom Love Grace and Mercy as he who hath purchased procured and wrought all this Salvation for us whose Righteousness is imputed unto us for our Justification and who in the Discharge of his Office doth actually bestow it upon us he is the proper and immediate Object of Faith in this Act of Trust and Affiance This is that which is called in the Scripture believing in Christ namely the trusting unto him alone for Life and Salvation as the whole of Divine Wisdom and Grace is administred by him unto those Ends. For this we come unto him we receive him we beleive in him we trust him we abide in him with all those other ways whereby our Faith in him is expressed AND this is the second Ground or Reason whereon Faith doth close with embrace and approve of God's way of saving Sinners whereby it will evidence it self unto the Comfort of them in whom it is in the midst of all their Trials and Temptations Thirdly FAITH approves of this way as that which makes the Glory of God in the giving and the Sanction of the Law to be as eminently conspicuous as if it had been perfectly fulfilled by every one of us in our own Persons The Law was a just Representation of the Righteousness and Holiness of God and the End for which it was given was that it might be the means and Instrument of the Eternal Exaltation of his Glory in those holy Properties of his Nature Let no man imagine that God hath laid aside this Law as a thing of no more use or that he will bear a Diminution of that Glory or any part of it which he designed in the giving of it Heaven and Earth shall pass away but no Jot or Little of the Law shall do so No Believer can desire or be pleased with his own Salvation unless the Glory of God designed by the Law be secured He cannot desire that God should forgo any part of his Glory that he might be saved Yea this is that on the Account whereof he principally rejoyceth in his own Salvation namely that it is that wherein God will be absolutely universally and eternally glorified NOW in this way of saving Sinners by Jesus Christ by Mercy Pardon and the Righteousness of at other of all which the Law knows nothing Faith doth see and understand how all that Glory which God designed in the giving of the Law is eternally secured and preserved entire without Eclipse or Diminution The way whereby this is done is declared in the Gospel See Rom. ● 24 25 26. Chap. 8. 2 3 4. Chap. 10. 3 4. Hereby Faith is enabled to answer all the Challenges and Charges of the Law with all its Pleas for the Vindication of divine Justice Truth and Holiness It hath that to offer which gives it the utmost Satisfaction in all its Pleas for God So is this Answer managed Rom. 8. 32 33 34. AND this is the first way whereby the Faith of Gods Elect doth evidence it self in the minds and Consciences of them that do believe in the midst of all their Contests with Sin their Trials and Temptations to their Relief and Comfort namely the closing with and Approbation of Gods way of saving Sinners by Jesus Christ on the Grounds and Reasons which have been declared The Second Evidence of the Faith of God's Elect. THE second way whereby true Faith doth evidence it self in the Souls and Consciences of Beleivers unto their Supportment and Comfort under all their Conflicts with sin in all their Trials and Temptations is by a constant Approbation of the Revelation of the Will of God in the Scripture concerning our Holiness and the Obedience unto himself which he requireth of us This Faith will never forgo whatever Trials it may undergo whatever Darkness the mind may fall into This it will abide by in all Extremities And that it may appear to be a peculiar Effect or work of saving Faith some things are to be premised and considered 1. THERE is in all men by Nature a Light enabling them to judge of the Difference that is between what is morally good and what is evil especially in things of more than ordinary Importance This Light is not attained or acquired by us we are not taught it we do not learn it It is born with us and inseparable from us It prevents Consideration and Reflection working naturally and in a sort necessarily in the first Actings of our Souls AND the discerning Power of this Light as to the Moral Nature of Mens Actions is accompanied inseparably with a Judgment that they make concerning themselves as unto what they do of the one kind or other and that with respect unto the superiour Judgment of God about the same things This the Apostle expresly ascribes unto the Gentiles who had not the Law Rom. 2. 14 15. The Gentiles which have not the Law do by Nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the Work of the Law written in their Hearts their Consciences also bearing Witness and their Thoughts the mean while accusing or excusing one another This is a most exact Description of a natural Conscience in both the Powers of it it discerns that good and evil which is commanded and forbidden in the Law and it passeth an acquiting or condemning Judgment and Sentence according to what Men have done WHEREFORE this Approbation of Duties in things moral is common unto all Men. The Light whereby it is guided may be variously improved as it was in some of the Gentiles And it may bestisled in some until it seem to be quite extinguished until they become like the Beasts that perish And where the discerning power of this Light remains yet through a continual Practice of sin and obduracy therein the judging power of it as unto all its Efficacy may be lost So the Apostle declares concerning them who are judicially hardened and given up unto sin Rom. 1. 32. These knowing the Judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of Death not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them

unto him in all the Acts and Duties of spiritual Life This is that whereby the Holy Ghost is in them a Well of Water springing up into Everlasting Life Joh. 4. 14. It is the Spirit that is born of the Spirit it is the divine Nature whereof we are made partakers by the Promises It is a Principle of victorious Faith and Love with all Graces any way requisite unto Duties of Holy Obedience as to the matter or manner of their Performance enabling the Soul unto all the Acts of the Life of God with Delight Joy and Complacency THIS it is in its Nature however as unto Degrees of its Operation and Manifestation it may be very low and weak in some true Believers at least for a Season But there are none who really are so but there is in them a spiritually vital Principle of Obedience or of living unto God that is participant of the Nature of that which we have described and if it be attended unto it will evidence it self in its Power and Operations unto the Gracious Refreshment and Satisfaction of the Soul wherein it is and there are few who are so destitute of those Evidences but that they are able to say whereas I was blind now I see tho' I know not how my Eyes were opened whereas I was dead I find motions of a new Life in me in breathing after Grace in hungring and thirsting after Righteousness though I know not how I was quickned 3. IT may be considered as unto its Disposition Inclinations and Motions these are the first Actings of a vital Principle As the first Actings of Sin are called the Motions of sin working in our Members Rom. 7. 5. Such Motions and Inclinations unto Obedience do work in the minds of Believers from this principle of Holiness It produceth in them a constant invariable Disposition unto all Duties of the Life of God It is a new Nature and a Nature cannot be without suitable Inclinations and Motions And this new spiritual Disposition consists in a constant Complacency of Mind in that which is good and according to the Will of God in an Adherence by Love unto it in a Readiness and Fixedness of Mind with Respect unto particular Duties In Brief it is that which David describes in the 119th Psalm throughout and that which is siguratively foretold concerning the Efficacy of the Grace of the Gospel in Changing the Natures and Dispositions of those that are Partakers of it Isa. 11. 6 7 8. THIS every Believer may ordinarily find in himself for although this Disposition may be variously weakned opposed interrupted by in-dwelling Sin and the Power of Temptation though it may be impaired by a neglect of the stirring up and exercise of the Principle or spiritual Life in all requisite Graces on all Occasions yet it will still be working in them and will fill the mind with a constant Displacency with it self when it is not observed followed improved No Believer shall ever have Peace in his own Mind who hath not some Experience of an universal Disposition unto all Holiness and Godliness in his Mind and Soul Herein consists that Love of the Law of which it is said those in whom it is have great Peace and nothing shall offend them Psal. 119. 165. It is that wherein their Souls find much Complacency 4. IT may be considered with Respect unto all the Acts Duties and Works internal and external wherein our actual Obedience doth consist Being on the Principles mentioned made free from Sin and becoming the Servants of God Believers herein have their Fruit unto Holiness whereof the end is everlasting Life Rom. 6. 22. This I need not stay to describe Sincerity in every Duty and Universality with respect unto all Duties are the Properties of it THIS is the Will of God even your Sanctification 1 Thessal 4. 3. That Holiness without which none shall see God Heb. 12. 14. That good and acceptable and perfect Will of God which we are to approve Rom. 12. 2. OUR next Enquiry is what is that Approbation of this way of Holiness which we place as an Evidence of saving Faith And I say it is such as ariseth from Experience and is accompanied with Choice Delight and Acquiescency It is the Acting of the Soul in a delightful Adherence unto the whole Will of God It is a resolved Judgment of the Beauty and Excellency of that Holiness and Obedience which the Gospel reveals and requires and that on the Grounds which shall be immediately declared and the Nature thereof therein more fully opened THIS Approbation cannot be in any unregenerate Person who is not under the Conduct of saving Faith who is destitute of the Light of it So the Apostle assures us Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is Enmity against God for it is not subject unto the Law of God neither indeed can be Whatever Work it may have wrought in it or upon it yet whilst it is carnal or unrenewed it hath a radical Enmity unto the Law of God which is the frame of Heart which stands in direct Opposition unto this Approbation It may think well of this or that Duty from its Convictions and other Considerations and so attend unto their Performance but the Law it self in the universal Holiness which it requires it doth utterly dislike those in whom it is are alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them Eph. 4. 18. This Life of God is that Holiness and Obedience which he requireth of us in their Principles and Duties And to be alienated from it is to dislike and disapprove of it and such is the frame of Mind in all unregenerate Persons HAVING thus prepared the way I return unto the Declaration and Confirmation of the Assertion namely THAT true and saving Faith in all Storms and Temptations in all Darknesses and Distresses will evidence it self unto the Comfort and Supportment of them in whom it is by a constant universal Approbation of the whole Will of God concerning our Holiness and Obedience both in general and in every particular Instance of it WE may a little Explain it 1. FAITH will not suffer the Mind on any Occasion or Temptation to entertain the least Dislike of this way of Holiness or of any thing that belongs unto it The Mind may sometimes through Temptations fall under Apprehensions that one shall be eternally ruined for want of a due Compliance with it this makes it displeased with it self but not with the Obedience required Rom. 7. 10 11 12. The Commandment which was ordained to Life I found to be unto Death but the Law is holy and the Commandment is holy and just and good However it be with me whatever becomes of me though I dye and perish yet the Law is holy just and good It dislikes nothing in the Will of God though it cannot attain unto a Compliance with it Sometimes the Conscience is under Perplexities and Rebukes for Sin sometimes the Mind is burthened