Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	action_n	good_a	life_n	2,683	5	4.5961	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65455	The trouble and cure of a wounded conscience set out in a sermon preached in St. Mary's church at Gates-head, in the County Palatine of Durham / by Richard Werge ...	Werge, Richard, 1624 or 5-1687.	1685 (1685)	Wing W1367; ESTC R8110	17,292	42

the prophets Hos 6. 5. It is like that Sword Gen. 3. 24. that turned every way to keep Adam out of Paradise so doth the Law in the Conscience of a Sinner forbidding him during his Agony to enter into the Paradise of comfortable thoughts The Law purely considered without any respect had to the Covenant of Grace was given to discover Sin to proclaim Wrath and Curses to the Sinner The Law so considered perswades a Sinner that all those Armies of Plagues and Curses and Sorrows and Sufferings denounced therein shall with an unresistable violence take hold on him and pursue him with that fury as that he shall never be able to abide nor avoid it The Law also being given upon Mount Sinai in Arabia the Ishmaelites Land who descended from Hagar out of the bounds of the Land of Promise considered purely and abstractively from the Covenant of Grace and not as given in subordination and subservenice to the Covenant of Grace is to discover Sin and the wrath of God against Sin and this works terrour in the Sinner Secondly Sin is an occasion of this Guilt is an adjunct of Sin All the world is guilty before God Rom. 3. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 liable to condemnation Now this guilt works horrour and upon this horrour sometimes follows desparation Peracto scelere magnitudo ejus conspiritur as Tacitus said of Nero. When a man hath committed a sin then he seeth the greatness of it that thereby the Law of God is violated that thereby the Justice of God is offended and then he is ready to look upon himself as being excluded from those Gospel-priviledges Adoption Acceptation Pardon Peace Spiritual Life Liberty Grace and Glory in Jesus Christ then he looks upon himself as a Debtor to God bound over to the penalty of his Law which he hath broken and then he is ready to accuse and condemn himself and is over-whelm'd with desperation ready to destroy himself Our Blessed Saviour being a Sinner onely by imputation met with conflicts and desertions and was in an Agony Sin deprives men of God's favour which is the spring of comfort it keeps men from an interest in Christ who is the Consolation of Israel Sin blinds the minde it hardens the heart it deads the affections it alienates men from God it works delusions desperate thoughts horrour of heart and confusion of spirit Sin follows men like an Avenger of Blood Sin is a bitter-sweet like Esaus Mess like the Israelites Quails like Adonjah's Dainties when the Meal is ended then comes the Reckoning When Sin is unmaskt then that which before appeared sweet and beautiful will appear bitter and ugly that which before was delightful will then appear dreadful Oh the shame the pain the gall the bitterness the horrour and hell that a true sight of Sin will raise in the Soul When the Dress is taken off it will appear more vile and filthy and terrible than Hell it self This made Anselme say That if he should see the shame of Sin on the one hand and the pains of Hell on the other and must of necessity choose one he would rather be thrust into Hell without Sin than go into Heaven with Sin Thirdly Satan is an occasion of trouble in wicked men Those Serpents that stung the Israelites were called fiery Serpents possibly in regard of their colour or rather in regard of their effect Serpents biting the Israelites did occasion a burning in their flesh which made a fiery heat in those whom they stung so the old Serpent the Devil doth set the Souls of wicked men on fire so that they think themselves to be burning already and expect to burn for ever hereafter in Hell The Devil is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Adversary he is also called a roaring Lion Pet. 1. 5 8. as an Adversary he will spight men and as a roaring Lion he will affright men The Devil is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Accuser Rev. 12. 10. the Devil doth not onely accuse God to man as Gen. 3. 5. and man to God Job 1. 9 10. but man to himself Satan entred into Judas Luke 22. 3. to accuse and torment him with thoughts of his Blood-guiltiness he is also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from a compounded Verb that signifies to strike through We read of the Fiery-darts of the Devil these Darts he shoots through the Spirits of wicked men and doth infect poison and burn He is called the Envious man Satan from his craftiness Belial for his mischievous wickedness Cor. 2. 6 15. Abaddon and Appollyon Rev. 9. 11. as being a destroyer Belzebub which signifies a Prince of flies because he doth vex and fret a Wounded Conscience even as flies do vex and fret a gaul'd Creature Fourthly Conscience is an occasion of this The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Conscience is a compound it is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to see or know and the proposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies with the Latine word Conscientia is quasi cordis Scientia So that the Greek the Latine and the English word Conscience which is derived from the Latine signifies a Knowledge with that is with some other thing even as of the Heart What man knows the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him 1 Cor. 2. 11. Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to which thou didst to David my father Solomon there appeals to the Conscience of Shimei 1 Kings 2. 44. And indeed Conscience is the private Register of mens Actions it is a faithful Monitor within their breasts it is the Eye of the Soul to over-see the whole Occasions and Actions of the Heart and Life it is the Tongue of wicked mens Souls that makes report of the aberrations of their ways The office of conscience is to bear witness Rom. 2. 15. and indeed it is a faithful witness that will not lie Prov. 14. 5. Now the witness of Conscience is according to the qualities of men it excuseth good men Acts 23. 1. and thereupon followeth Peace Rom. 5. 1. It convinceth and accuseth wicked men John 8. 9. it condemns them also Titus 3. 11. 1 St. John 3. 20. aie and it torments them by occasioning shame and anxiety of spirit Levit. 26. 26. Prov. 28. 1. Rom. 6. 21. Grief Trembling and Desparation these are usually the Adjuncts and Concomitants of a perplexed Conscience There are three things considerable in Mans Conscience First The Matter Secondly The Act. Thirdly The Conscequence The Matter of Mans Conscience before the Fall was a Conformity in the whole Man to the whole will of God The Act of Mans Conscience then was to give a true testimony thereof And the Consequence upon Mans continuance in that Estate would have been Peace and Quietness Such a good Conscience would have remain'd in man if he had continued in his entire Estate But by mans Fall his good Conscience was quite

The blood of Christ speaks better things than the blood of Abel Heb. 12. 24. The blood of Abel cryeth for vengeance Gen. 4. 10. Mat. 23. 35. But the Lord Christ cryeth with a loud voice as with the voice of a mighty Angel my Blood for the undeserving my Blood for the ill-deserving my Blood for sinners for the worst of sinners for the chiefest of sinners my Blood for all blood my Blood for the Sins of the World nay and for a World of Sins Well might the Apostle call this Blood precious Blood 1 Pet. 1. 19. It is precious Blood in itself as being the Blood of the Son of God it is precious in its Effects Whereas other blood calls for Revenge this Blood calls for Grace for Mercy for Pardon for Reconciliation for Acceptation and Salvation We are justified by his blood Rom. 5. 9. and upon this follows our peace with God Rom. 5. 1. We are washed also and made white by this blood Revel 7. 14. Now the sence and experience of the purity of heart and a reformed life layeth before us a ground of peace and comfort Being washed and sanctified by this Blood we have a good a pure and a clear Conscience in the testimony whereof we may rejoyce and take comfort 2 Cor. 1. 12. We read of Themistocles that when he went to to make Peace with a Prince he carried the Princes Son in his Arms. And if you will make Peace with God who is the King of Kings you must carry Christ a long with you who is the Son of God and the Prince of Peace If you can with old Simeon get Christ in your arms you may sing a Requiem as he did When you are thus at Peace with God and within your selves I would advise you to two things First To be thankful Secondly To beware of Apostasie I. Be thankful It is fit you should be so Beneficium and Officium must go together every one that is servatus should be servus Praise is comely for the Upright The fire was kept burning continually upon the Altar to shew us our constant Duty in this respect God requires thankfulness for the least Mercy Gather up the fragments that nothing be lost said Christ John 6. 12. We must be thankful for the least Blessing much more should we be thankful for so great a Mercy as this Hath the Lord Christ spoken comfortably to you in a Wilderness Hath the Lord Christ been to you as the Shadow of a Rock to a Traveller in a weary Land Are you brought out of a Dungeon into a Pallace out of Darkness into Light out of the Shadow of Death into the Land of the Living O then set up David's Resolution Psal 30. 11 12. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing thou hast put off my sack-cloath and girded me with gladness to the end that my glory may sing praise to thee and not be silent O Lord my God I will give thanks unto thee for ever And elsewere saith he I will be glad and rejoyce in thy mercy for thou hast considered my trouble thou hast known my soul in adversity Oh how great is thy goodness How amiable are thy tabernacles How great are thy works I will triumph in the work of thy hands Psal 90. 4. Are you now delivered from the trouble and misery of a Wounded Conscience Is that confusion formerly in your Souls now rectified Are you now under the assurances of Faith Is God in your Hearts Is Heaven in your Eyes Is joy in your countenances O then let the comfort thereof enlarge your Soul like an Angel let it put wings upon your Soul like a Cherub and let it set your Soul on fire like a Seraphim with holy zeal of Gods glory and the good of others With holy David be telling others what God hath done for your Soul spread forth the sweet odours of praise be daily offering up the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving II. Beware of Apostasie and back-Sliding Psal 85. 8. The Lord will speak peace to his people and to his saints but let them not return again to folly After you have received Christ into your Hearts to revive and refresh you let not then your carriage toward Christ be like the carriage of the Jews toward Christ after they had received him into Jerusalem Mat. 21. At his entrance they received him as their King v. 5. They spread their garments in the way they cut down branches and strewed them in the way And the multitude that went before and that followed after cried Hosanna to the Son of David Hosanna in the highest But the Scene was quickly changed they received him as their King afterward they would have no other King but Caesar Here they cried Hosanna Hosanna afterward away with him away with him crucifie him crucifie him as if they would have had him twice crucified Here they spread garments in his way afterward they cast lots for his garment Here they cut down branches to spread before him and afterward they prepared a Cross and a Crown of Thorns for him O let not your carriage be such toward Christ after a reception of Peace and Comfort from him When you are got into Wisdoms ways which are ways of pleasantness take heed that you do not then start a side lake a broken Bow Say then concerning Christ as Jacob did concerning the Angel I will not let thee go Let Christ be written in your Hearts with Golden Letters as it was said of Ignatius Let Christ be written in your Hearts with indelible Letters that neither temptations nor tortures may blot it out Keep close to Christ in all humility and reverence in all duties and by all means keep up communion with him be no longer as a barren Wilderness to him lest he be again as a Land of Darkness to you Grieve not the Spirit of Christ which is the Cause of all Grace and Comfort Resist not the gracious motions of the Spirit of Christ by carnal delights or by sinful practises Let his Spirit have a full work Let it be seen that the Spirit of Christ reigns in you in that you will do nothing contrary to it Spiritus Christi ita nos tractat sicut à nobis tractatur The Spirit of Christ will handle you as you handle it If you again grieve the Spirit of Christ by resisting the Holy motions of it He may again vex your Spirits in with-holding the comfortable influences of it And therefore have an high esteem of Christ delight in him and please him by your obedience in the course of your life By this means you may be like Saint Anthony the Monk of whom it is said that he always appeared of a cheerful countenance By this means you may be at peace with the creatures at agreement with the stone of the wall and beasts of the Fields so that you may safely walk by the Lion and tread upon the Basilisk Hereby you may find inward Peace in your Hearts and Consciences and may be established in your combate against the terrours of Sin and the temptations of Satan and may be possessed with such quietness of mind as may make you in a time of mourning and suffering for Righteousness to rejoyce not onely in the promise but in the possession of such a Peace internal as may end in a Peace eternal in the Heavens which is no less than the Felicity of the Saints in Heaven and the Glory of the blessed Angels who having no jarring principles among them remain for ever in Love and Peace FINIS