Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	bring_v	good_a	treasure_n	13,062	5	10.6433	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A32783	Via lactea, or, The saints onely way to true blessedness opened in a sermon from Matth. 5, 8 : also the danger of neglecting gospel-salvation, from Heb. 2, 3 / by Thomas Cheesman ... ; with his epistle to vindicate himself from those absurdities of method and language and little less then blasphemies, with which he was abused by a mercenary pen, in the former impression.	Cheesman, Thomas.	1663 (1663)	Wing C3776; ESTC R43092	18,787	38

is laid down in the Revelation and then judge whether Goats and Swine are fit to be admitted to be its Inhabitants A bare profession may give you admission into the Church Militant but it is nothing but Scriptural holiness and real purity that can give you admission into the Church Triumphant as for profane persons however they may flatter themselves with vain hopes yet while they continue in sin every leafe almost in the Bible stands as a flaming sword to keep them out of Paradise Fifthly We should labour after purity of heart because without this there can be no perseverance Those whose Religion stands only in a glistering shew of outward profession though they may seem stedfast and flourishing for a while yet they will certainly fall away in an hour of temptation What is the reason that so many have begun in the spirit and ended in the flesh so many with the Church of Ephesus have forsaken their first love It is because their hearts were rotten and corrupt from the beginning perhaps their heads were enriched with choice notions curious speculations and the like but still they were strangers to purity of heart they looked upon Religion as that which could only afford matter of discourse or did consist in disputing for opinions Sixthly We should labour for purity of heart that so we may plentifully tast the goodness of God in all conditions that is a very remarkable place in Psal 73.1 Truely God is good to Israel even to them that are of a clean heart Whatsoever Changes Vicissitudes and Revolutions there may be in the world yet the pure in heart shall experience the mercy and goodness of God In the last place We should labour to get purity of heart because the very life of Christianity doth consist in this In 1 Peter 3.21 Baptisme also now saveth not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God We must consider whether grace have enabled us to answer those solemn engagements which our baptismal Covenant laid upon us it is inward washing which doth principally denominate a Christian Thus much for the reasons and motives stirring up to labour after purity of heart But in the third place What must we do to get our hearts purified First Labour to be heavenly-minded you may observe the nearer things are to heaven the more pure they are Water is more pure than the earth as being higher in its situation Air is more pure then water and the Fire is more pure than the Air because it is nearest to the heavenly bodies If thy heart were turned and taken off from the world if it were more raised to converse with heaven and things of an heavenly nature this would mightily encrease the purity of it Secondly Attend upon the word John 15.3 Now you are clean saith Christ to his Disciples through the word that I have spoken unto you So Psal 119.9 Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed according to thy word And then get the spirit of grace to dwell in thy heart that is the most effectual way to have the heart purified the spirit is sometimes compared to water for its purifying nature John 3.5 Except a man be born again of water and the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God by water here is not meant the Element of water made use of in baptisme none can conclude baptismal Regeneration from such a place of Scripture as this no but except a man be born of water and the spirit that is of the spirit that resembles water compared to water for its cleansing vertue and efficacy so likewise the Spirit is compared to fire Mat. 3.11 John speaking concerning Christ One cometh after me greater then I whose Shoe Latchets I am not worthy to unloose he shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost and with fire that is with the Holy Ghost that doth resemble fire so called from its refining vertue In the fourth place I proceed to shew wherein this purity of heart doth discover it self It discovers it self chiefly in these four things an understanding free from error in purity of Works in purity of Words and in purity of Worship First An understanding free from error those that have a pure heart they will strive against Errors in Doctrine as well as Errors in Practice for if the head be once poysoned the venemous influences of it will quickly distend to the heart infecting the very vitals of Christianity corrupt opinions and corrupt practices commonly go together they that have purity of heart will be filled with a love to truth Secondly Purity of heart discovers it self in purity of works if there be a conformity to the Image of God in the heart there will also be a conformity to the Law of God in the outward conversation you may as well suppose the Sun to be without light the fire without heat and honey without sweetness as that saving grace should be rooted in the heart and not bring forth the fruits of holiness in the life Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven therefore those do miserably cheat their own souls which boast as if their hearts were good though they live in the dayly practice of gross and scandalous sins a pure fountain would never send forth muddy streams a good tree would never bring forth corrupt fruit if filthiness appear in the outward behaviour you may certainly conclude that there is much more impurity in the inward parts Thirdly Purity of heart sheweth it self in purity of words James 1.26 If any man among you seem to be Religious and bridle not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart this mans Religion is vain How can the heart be chast when the words are loose and immodest how can the heart be humble when the speech is swelling and lofty how can the heart be heavenly when the discourse constantly runs out and spends it self upon the things of the World the words are still sutable to that treasure which is laid up in the heart Mat. 12.35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things Fourthly They that are endued with purity of heart labour for purity of worship they are Enemies to Will-worship they cannot endure to serve God in any way save that which he has appointed they would not have the gold of the Sanctuary mingled with the dross of humane invention t is the coruption and uncleanness of mens spirits which makes them so violently contend for and obstinately addicted to the observation of Idolatrous customes HEB. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation THe Apostle had told us in the foregoing verse that if the word which was spoken by the Angels that is the Law which was published upon Mount Sinai

VIA LACTEA or THE SAINTS Onely VVay to True Blessedness Opened in a SERMON from MATTH 5.8 ALSO The Danger of neglecting Gospel-Salvation from Heb 2.3 By Thomas Cheesman Master of Arts and formerly a Member of Pembrook-Colledge in Oxford With his Epistle to Vindicate Himself from those Absurdities of Method and Language and little less then Blasphemies with which he was abused by a Mercenary Pen in the former Impression London Printed for the Vindication of the Author and Satisfaction of the Reader 1663. TO THE READER Courteous Reader MY poor Labours in the Gospel have been of late so wretchedly abused and falsely represented to the World as that I have been in a manner constrained to Print these following Sermons for a necessary vindication of my Ministry from the contempt of those prophane adversaries who would gladly lay hold upon any occasion to vilifie it and load it with disgraceful imputations In partieular that Sermon upon Mat. 5.8 Has been most barbarously handled and contumeliously dealt with for I dare appeal to any judicious auditor which was present at the delivery of it whither the counterfeit Copy can shew almost any thing true and genuine save onely the Text that absurd Pamphlet in which these unparalled forgeries are comprized carries a fair and plausible Title flattering the Reader into expectations of some rich spiritual treasure but he which would take the paines to search shall find his deluded hopes entertained with nothing but dross and dung the very excrements of a sottish distempered brain in a word the discourse is altogether wild brutish and extravagant as if it were ambitious to derive its pedigree from a pure frensie and were calculated for Bedlam rather then any serious Christian auditory or were penned by an author who had publiquely renonnced all congruity of language and had professed himself a sworn Enemy both to reason and conscience before he could be qualified for the work and therefore Christian Reader for the future I desire thee neither to receive or give credit to any thing that shall come abroad in the like nature as mine But I shall dwell no longer upon this unpleasing subject be it known for thy further satisfaction that what is here Printed is the same for the main substance of it with that which was formerly Preached without any considerable addition concerning the whole I shall venture to say thus much that there is the clear water of life drawn from the wells of salvation though not presented to thee in a golden cup wholesome food though the dish be not artificially garnished yet if thou be in the number of hungering and thirsting souls such as relish the simplicity of the Gospel thou wilt not stand upon niceness or delicacy I Intreat that thou do not onely read but weigh and consider never rest satisfied until the truths here contained have made some lively impression upon thy heart so this and all other discourses of the like nature may build thee up in thy most holy faith and bring thee nearer to God which shall be the Prayer of him who would gladly approve himself a faithful Witness to the truth Tho. Cheesman MAT. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God HEre is a description of happiness quite contrary to the expectation of Scribes and Pharises who being strangers to the spiritual interpretation of the Law did commonly teach their Disciples that they need not doubt of obtaining Salvation if they did but lead civil lives if they did but bring forth the fruits of moral honesty and were exactly conformable to the Tradition of their Elders But says our Saviour Do not satisfie your selves with such an empty shadow of outward Traditional and Ceremonial holiness Know it is the inward frame and disposition of heart which you are principally engaged to regard and look after Blessed are the pure in heart c. though there are many persons zealous in the observation of superstitious customes which their own fancy hath made choice of though they stand much upon clean Garments and clean Vessels Though they do much for the purifying of the flesh yet notwithstanding this their outward purity they may be objects of Gods reprobating anger they may be condemned to perish with the unbeleiving world and fall short of eternal happiness But blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God By heart here is meant all the powers and faculties of the inward man so purity of heart doth imply an understanding free from error a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man a will freed from the Dominion of sin and Satan affections clarified and refined from the dross of this present World Blessed are they that are thus pure in heart for they shall see God that is they shall enjoy him Vision is commonly put for fruition in the Scripture so in that place Heb. 12.14 Follow Peace and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord that is none shall enjoy him no man without holiness shall be admitted to tast that fulness of joy or bath in those Rivers of pleasures that are at the right hand of God or else we may understand it according to the more plain and familiar signification and thus the pure in heart shall see God in his work of creation they shall behold him in the beautiful frame of Heaven and earth every thing which they see will put them in mind of their creatours wisdom goodness and power they shall see him likewise in the works of providence taking notice of his hand in every mercy and in every judgement and they shall see him present in all his Ordinances but more especially they shall see him in the life to come they shall see the blessed person of Jesus Christ who is the glass of the Trinity and in whom those who are pure in heart shall one day behold the fullness of the God-head dwelling bodily this glass is of a transforming nature for they which see it shall be changed into the same likeness from glory to glory Thus much for the meaning of the words the pure in heart shall see God while they continue in this World by an eye of faith they shall likewise have a more clear immediate ravishing and refreshing vision of him when they are perfectly glorified in the life to come The Text may be divided into a Proposition and a Demonstration The Proposition asserts that the pure in heart are blessed The Demonstration or Argument which the Holy Ghost makes use of in this place to prove their blessedness is taken from their seeing of God blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God The principal Doctrine resulting from the words may be this That the pure in heart they and onely such as they are blessed or that true blessedness can never be obtained without purity of Heart In the Prosecution of it I shall first shew what precious ingredients are required to make up this purity of heart