Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	blood_n	body_n	vital_a	2,040	5	10.4566	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85887	A treatise of prayer and of divine providence as relating to it. With an application of the general doctrine thereof unto the present time, and state of things in the land, so far as prayer is concerned in them. Written for the instruction, admonition, and comfort of those that give themselves unto prayer, and stand in need of it in the said respects. By Edvvard Gee, minister of the gospel at Eccleston in Lancashire.	Gee, Edward, 1613-1660.	1653 (1653)	Wing G451; Thomason E1430_1; ESTC R209520	284,427	526

verification of the same in and amongst our selves That which was once complained of as the case of Judah Jer. 4.10 hath been made good upon us to wit the Swords reaching unto the Soul It hath reached unto yea and pierced through the Soul of these three Nations in regard of their publique Interests besides that it hath run through the Soul of many and many a particular person in them in respect of life or of other things dearer to them then their own lives and this Soul-piercer hath been a shrewd Heart-discloser As when that holy King and Prophet David was driven out of his Kingdom by the rebellious sword of his own son and Subjects the hearts of men did diversly discover themselves towards him One shewed himself a traytorous Ahitophel another a raillng Shimei another a self-advantaging Ziba another a seditious Sheba others as the two hundered which went with Absalom out of Jerusalem in their simplicity are seduced from their Loyalty others stand fast and approve their fidelity though some of them are mis-represented to David as Zadock and Abiathar Ittai and Mephibosheth So hath it come to pass amongst us Our eyes do now behold all these parts acted as the several issues of mens hearts drawn forth by this dissecting Sword O what Ambition Deceitfulness Malice Covetousness Dissimulation Cruelty Carnal-policy Mutability Hypocrisie in Religion Perfidy and Perjury in Covenants and Oaths What Ignorance in the ways of God Insensibleness of one anothers Miseries Censoriousness Contentiousness hatred of Reformation weariness in well-doing Impatience Infidelity have the several bosoms of men opened by this Sword poured out in the face and theater of the world during the progress of these Wars and Commotions These times abound not scarce with any thing so much as with strange extractions and productions out of the mynes of mens hearts by the efficacy and influence not of the Stars but of these sublunary Revolutions Whilest an height of earthly prosperity and advancement hath so dissolved some and a load of hardships and frustrations hath so depressed and squeezed others that they have expressed become and acted what neither themselves would nor others durst imagine of them 'T is commonly observed saith one that though smooth and peaceable times are best for the Liver Jo. Wilkins Beauty of Providence pag. 62. yet times that are full of Changes and Vicissitude are best for the Writer for the Historian then hath greater store of strange passages to commit to memory SECT III. The Faithful's Persecutions cause Heart-discoveries in themselves IT is besides my present purpose to undertake the decyphering or cure of all or many of those unhappy heart-maladies even now named the most of them are too dangerous Ulcers for me to deal with such a Spittle-ful of running raging sores require the view and applications of a whole Colledg of the ablest Physicians It is enough if I admove my hand to the most gentle and curable amongst them There are some of them are the taintures and griefs of the godliest uprightest men such as in the aforementioned tryals the faithfulest Disciples of Christ the fastest friends of David yea and David himself was subject to those both deserve more pity and promise more hope of recovery Such are weariness in the ways of God failing and frowardness of heart under the smart of worldly troubles and disappointments distrustful thoughts doubts and reasonings about the Promises and Providences of God and the like My design is to apply my self did I know how unto some of the servants of God laboring under or in danger to be overtaken by these evils To speak as the Prophet bids to them that are of a fearful or hasty heart Isai 34.4 to be strong and not to fear It being promised by the same Prophet both that the heart of the rash or hasty shall understand knowledg Isai 32.4 29.24 and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly or elegantly and that they that erred in spirit shall come to Vnderstanding and they that murmured shall learn Doctrine It is no new thing that the hearts of men truly gracious and holy under disastrous events do manifest some perversity or distemper It hath scarce ever been otherwise with any such in that condition Adverse Providences are a stone at which as carnal and prophane persons do stumble and fall and are broken and snared and taken so do the faithful stagger Isai 8.15 Psal 73.2 Jer. 25.15.27 8.18 Lam. 1.20 22. in so much that their feet are almost gone their steps are well nigh slipt The Judgments of God are a Cup of which all must drink and the potion thereof as it makes the wicked drunk so that they spue and fall and rise again no more so it bringeth upon the soundest of the servants of God qualms and sick fits and is very painfully digested by them It is in a sanctified Soul as in a Bee-hive If you stir or thrust any thing into the hive presently all the Bees come forth the honey stays within but the stinging Bees swarm out So if such a Soul be pierced with that persecuting-sword that entered into Mary's Soul the corruption in it makes issue and comes forth whilest the graces and vertues lie hidden and couched down within As in Nature when the heart is violently affected either through any sudden passion of the mind or noxious humor in the body the blood and vital spirits retire inward and betake themselves to the heart the outward parts are possessed with weakness paleness trembling and distortion So you may observe in the spiritual Constitution Let vehement troubles assail a gracious person and you may find not seldom and especially in the first onset that in such a one infirmities and corruptions are forward to break out and the good that 's in him to be slow of vent or benummed and shut up in the Center The Examples of the Servants of God in Scripture thus carrying under Afflictions the obscurement and overcasting of their graces and good principles and the irruption of their frailties are more and larger then I can allow my self to lay forth How much in this kind is recorded in the Old Testament of those great names and renowned Saints Job David Heman Ethan Jeremiah Jonah and Habakkuk may easily be remembered The bitter Complaints the overwhelming Horrors the deep Astonishments the high Expostulations the perverse Judgments and Conclusions the Infidelity Wrath Impatience and Despondency which they have bewrayed are too ample a Subject for me here to expatiate on Some perhaps will presume those imperfections and over-cloudings were peculiar to that time of the Churches Minority before the Gospel times but now she is come to more maturity under the Gospel the Saints are overgrown those distempers But this can in no wise be admitted I alledged before the weaknesses of this nature appearing even in the Apostles and other Disciples of Christ in the hour of his falling into his