Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n
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A91729
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Precepts for Christian practice; or The rule of the new creature, containing duties to bee daily observed by every beleever.
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Reyner, Edward, 1600-1668.
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1645
(1645)
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Wing R1223; Thomason E1189_3; ESTC R208272
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6,129
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16
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PRECEPTS FOR Christian Practice Or the Rule of the new CREATVRE Containing Duties to bee daily observed by every Beleever The second Edition Corrected Inlarged and now Published according to Order Gal. 6.16 As many as walk according to this rule Peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God LONDON Printed by Rich. Cotes for John Bellamie and are to the sold at his Shop at the three Golden Lyons in Cornehill neere the Royall Exchange 1645. Jan. 31 1644 Precepts for Christian practice or the Rule of the new CREATVRE Dutie 1. 1. BE alwayes sensible of thy originall corruption and consider how it inclineth thee continually to all evill and indisposeth thee to any good groane under it and bewaile it as Paul did Rom. 7.24 Also take speciall notice of your actuall sins or daily infirmities in thought word deed Indeavour to make your peace with God for them before you go to bed which must bee done these foure waies 1. By repenting and confessing your sinnes to God working your heart to griefe and sorrow for them by some such melting considerations as these First of Gods goodnesse to you 2. Of the unreasonablenesse and every way unprofitablenesse of sin 3. Of the great prejudice and damage that commeth to the soule by sinne John 1.1 9. 2. By beleeving and casting your self wholly on Christs righteousnesse for remission of sinne and for reconciliation with God Rom. 3.22 24 25. 3. By cleaving to Gods promises of pardon and peace Isaiah 43.25 Rom. 5.1 4. By waiting till the Lord shall speake to you Psal 85.8 Dutie 2. Get your union with Christ and interest in Christ cleered and confirmed to you daily more and more that you are a branch in his vine and a member in his body 2 Cor. 13.5 This may be done three wayes 1. By daily renewall of your faith in Christ especially of that act of faith whereby the soule knits or tyes it selfe unto Christ casts or roules it selfe on Christ for salvation Cause your heart in a solemne manner every day to act this part or to put forth this primitive act of faith in the view of the whole soule The daily exercise hereof will increase strengthen the divine habit of faith in the soule and make the soule sensible of the very act of it By frequent beleeving you shall feele at your very heart that you do beleeve so shall you have a witnesse in your selfe that you are in Christ 1 Joh. 5.10 2. By examining your heart upon what grounds you take Christ to be yours The grounds are these five 1. A sight and sense of of your sins as of the guilt power and punishment of them and of your misery by them Mat. 9.13 2. Your want of Christ seene and felt at your very heart to justifie sanctifie redeeme and save you else you are utterly lost and undone everlastingly Luke 19.10 3. Gods free and generall offer of Christ to any that will take him by faith John 3.16 there are manifold promises to this purpose And the grounds of all Gods offers and donations of Christ to the poore soule are free grace rich mercy undeserved love Ephes 2.4 5 7. Tit. 3.4 5 6. 4 Christs sweet and gracious invitation of such to come to him as are weary of sin Matth. 11.28 to buy as have no money Isaiah 55.1 no worth or desert in themselves 5. As sinfull vile wretches as you are have been sought of Christ and found in Christ as 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. 1 Tim. 1.13 Paul was a blasphemer persecuter and yet obtained mercy and therfore why may not you Thus the more cleerely you discerne upon what grounds you take Christ the more cleare is your title to Christ evinced to your owne soule 3. By surveying and observing in what manner you take Christ daily Which is whether First you do wholly renounce all opinion and conceit of your owne righteousnesse and desert Mark 8.34 Phil. 3.7 8 9. so that you come to Christ empty of your selfe very vile yea nothing in your owne eyes unworthy to receive him 2. Whether you lay hold on Christ alone with an empty hand of faith joyning nothing at all with Christ in the matter of salvation as the holy Martyr at the stake cried out None but Christ None but Christ 3. Whether you find the Father drawing your heart after Christ Joh. 6.44 which is in hungring and panting desires that will never be satisfied without him so that the streame both of your Judgement Phil. 3.7 8. and affections run towards him 1 Cor. 2.2 Gal. 6.14 4. Whether you take Christ as a Lord to rule you as well as a Jesus to save you Col. 2.6 As one that is all in all to you your wisdome your righteousnesse your sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 your spirituall food John 6.48 your Rayment Rom. 13.14 your Strength Phil. 4.13 your life Gal. 2.20 Col. 3.3 5. Whether you seeke and waite for Christ out of the sense of your spirituall want and penury in every ordinance publike and private Word Sacraments Prayer Meditation Conference not as they are your owne works of sanctification but as they are Gods Ordinances appointed of purpose for the manifestation communication of Christ to the soule Frequent perusall hereof will cleare to you your manner of taking Christ and that will evidence to you your right and title which you have in Christ Jesus Dutie 3. Labour to draw and derive from Christ by the powerfull attractive force of faith spirituall ability sufficient for the day 1. To performe all your duties Phil. 4.13 2. To exercise all your graces 2 Cor. 3.5 3. To resist and overcome all your tentations and corruptions Rom. 8.37 4. To undergoe all your trials and afflictions thereof John 1.16 Make your provision of grace and strength from Christ every morning fetch from him so much as you shall have occasion to use all day long yea and upon all occasions that fall out in the day goe to Christ still for the wisdome that must direct you for the holinesse that must character you for the shoulder which must beare your crosses for that strength that must resist your tentations and for abilitie to perform all duties as duties To this end act your faith daily in the promises of grace and strength as John 1.16 Ezek. 36.26 27. Isaiah 44.3 Zech. 10.12 these and the like promises are security given you by God that you shall receive grace in the use of the ordinances which are as the conduit-pipes or instruments of conveying the same from Christ unto you This is the way and meanes to doe all in the strength of Christ and to take forth a great deale of Christ into your soule that not you but Christ may live in you Gal. 2.20 Dutie 4. Perform daily duties both in family closet especially these three of Prayer Meditation Reading and doe them with serious intention heate of affection diligence and delight Jerem. 48.10 Mal. 1.14 1 Chron.
Ezek. 36.26 which will receive impressions from the very thoughts of God in the mind 4 Apply promises of particular affections as first of love Deut. 30.6 2 of feare Ier. 32.40 3 of delight Isa 58.14 There is heart and life in the se promises sufficient to quicken and warm thy dead and frozen affctions Dutie 9. Get a publike spirit to mind the things of Jesus Christ as naturally as if they were your own things Phil. 2.20 21. to looke on the things of others and preferre first Jerusalems welfare before your chiefest joy Psal 137.5 6. and 2. the Gospels liberty before your own as Paul did and to mourn for the sins of the times as the Godly in Jerusalem did Ezek. 9.4 Especially lay to heart 1. The Churches misery when Gods Ordinances goe downe and superstition goeth up when Gods cause and side are put to the worst when any thing falls out which gives a blow to Religion or proves an impediment to the Gospel If the Arke bee taken call your comforts Ichabods 1 Sam. 4.2 2. The afflictions of Joseph Amos 6.6 The sufferings of Gods servants whether Ministers or people O sympathize with them Heb. 13.3 Neb. 1.4 labour to feel their troubles sorrows at your very hearts and pray earnestly for them as the Church did for Peter Act. 12.5 3. The signes of the times Mat. 16.3 which hypocrites cannot discerne though they bee well versed in the face of the Skie to wit the sad symptomes and presages of approaching Judgements as First the commonnesse of sin for all sorts transgresse in all kind of open sinfulnes with a high hand against the light of nature and the meanes of grace Ezek. 12.3 2 Contempt of Gods Ordinances misusing of his Ministers 2 Chron. 36.16 3 Departure of Gods glory from his house Ezek. 9.3 4 Incorrigibenesse after former and under present judgements Lev. 26.14 to the end of the chapter 5. The death of many righteous men Isaiah 57.1 the carrying away of others to hiding places 6 The vials of Gods wrath powred on the Churches beyond the Seas Ier. 17.12.14 7 An inundation of spirituall judgements as a spirit of errour superstition apostasie c. which do commonly end in temporall plagues Isa 6.10 11. Now the Holy ghost is a publike spirit breathing and acting in all the members of the mysticall body of Christ Pray for it Luke 11.13 beleeve for it Gal. 3.14 Ezek. 36.37 Dutie 10. Get your hearts weaned daily from the world and from those creatures and comforts in it which are dearest and sweetest to you As wife children friends goods liberty house life This Christ requires of those that follow him Luke 14.26 27. Mark 10.29 30. this will prepare you either to suffer or to die when God cals you to it To this end consider seriously 1. That these things cannot satisfie your heart when you have enjoyed them to the full Eccles 4.8 5.10 you soone grow weary of them or glutted with them so that you desire some new delights or more of the old or some over againe 2. Nor can they sanctifie you but expose you oft to many lusts 1 Tim. 6.9 10. tentations distractions to a spirit of the world and they hinder from following Christ Mat. 19.22 3. Nor can they save you from Gods wrath from death or judgement Prov. 11.4 4. The wicked whose portion is onely here have often the greatest share of them Psal 17.14 Job 21.7 to 14. 5. They serve onely for this life whilst wee are on this side of the grave they shall not be the least Ingredients into our celestiall happines When we do come to be happy in heaven wee shall stand in no need of food rayment physick marriage c. Mat. 22.30 for we shall be like the Angels of God in heaven we shall hunger no more neither thirst any more Rev. 7.16 we shall live by the al-sufficient Spirit of God which never needs refreshing we shall be clothed with long white robes of immortality Rev. 7.9 In a word when wee come to heaven the place of Gods Habitation wee shall enjoy the face and beatificall presence of the most glorious Jehovah blessed for ever as an object wherein all the powers of our soules will be satisfied with ineffable delight and everlastingnesse God will be unto us all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 FINIS