Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	contrite_a	humble_a	revive_v	2,916	5	11.4354	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09997	Remaines of that reverend and learned divine, Iohn Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to his Majesty, master of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes-Inne Containing three excellent treatises, namely, Iudas's repentance. The saints spirituall strength. Pauls conversion.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.	1634 (1634)	STC 20249; ESTC S115107	168,230	405

great for he persecuted Christ for which he was strucken downe and it was inevitable he saw no way to escape it is hard for thee to kicke against the prickes that is it is in vaine for thee Paul to set thy selfe against me and prevaile there will bee no resisting without great danger thus when hee saw no way by no shift to escape then he was astonished I might note many doctrines from the words but least I should be prevented in the maine I will therefore omit them and come unto the proper point intended by the holy Ghost which is this That whosoever will receive Christ and be ingrafted into him and receive the Gospell as he ought to doe he must be first humbled I say it is necessary for the right receiving of Christ that a Christian bee humbled It is a necessary condition because no man will receive Christ till then till hee bee cast downe Christ will not bee prized grace will not be esteemed and then hee will see a necessity of Christ and holinesse Now that humiliation is of such necessity wee will prove by Scripture even by those phrases by which this humiliation is set forth First it is called a pricking of the heart Acts 2. 37. And when they heard it they were pricked in their hearts they had then broken hearts they were thorowly humbled and when it was thus with them then they can inquire after Christ what shall wee doe to be saved and on the contrary that which keepes men from Christ is the want of sound humiliation in Ezek. 36. 26. I will take away the stony heart out of you and I will give you a heart of flesh that is till I have made you sensible of sinne you will not prize mee that is you will not doe it till you be humbled Againe consider that Christ came to this end to revive the humble sinner Esa. 61. 1. the spirit of the Lord is come upon mee to preach glad tidings to the meeke to binde up the broken hearted hee that is not broken hearted and wounded with sinne will not seeke to the Physician to be healed Christ is no precious balme unto him He feeles himselfe not a prisoner to sinne and therefore cares not for the libertie that is in grace because he is not broken hearted but if he were thorowly humbled it would be farre otherwise with him Secondly it is called poore in spirit in Matth. 5. 3. those who are broken hearted and mourne for sinne will seeke to be inriched by Christ and therefore Christ promises to comfort these in Esa. 61. 2. to comfort those that mourne those that are are thus spiritually poore and mourne for the want of grace shall have comfort because I am come to this end the contrary to this you shall see in Revel 3. 17. the Laodiceans they thought themselves to be rich wanting nothing and therefore they sought not after Christ but thou art poore and blind and naked the way to make thee to come unto mee is to humble thee in the sight of thy spirituall povertie Thirdly it is called a melting heart that is such a heart as will take any impression of grace this we see in the 2. Chron. 34. 27. Because thy heart melted within thee and thou humbledst thy selfe before me that is because thou wast thorowly humbled and thy heart sensible of sinne and of the Iudgements that I would bring upon thy people therefore I have heard thy prayer if thou hadst not beene humbled thou couldest not have sought to have made thy peace with mee so in Ier. 31. 19. after that I turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed So that till a man bee humbled hee will not turne unto Christ but when hee is humbled then hee will seeke unto Christ and be ashamed of himselfe the contrary to this we see in Hosea 4. 16. Israel is like an untamed heiffer viz. because shee was not humbled Fourthly it is called a trembling at the Word Isai. 66. 2. and Iob 42. 5. 6. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the eare therefore I abhorre my selfe c. that is when I heard thee in thy Word it much humbled mee and caused mee basely to esteeme of my selfe and highly to esteeme of thy favour Prov. 28. 14. Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes the contrary to this is hardnesse of heart when the Word wants this effect to humble men they feare not at all Now that this humiliation is a necessary condition will appeare more apparantly and fully if we doe but consider Gods dealing with men in all ages I say it is the course that God himselfe takes first to humble sinners Thus he dealt with Adam Gen. 3. 8. When he heard the voyce of God he trembled and feared and thus hee dealt with the children of Israel hee showes unto them but a glimpse of his power at the delivering of the law and they were much cast downe Againe this was the course that the Prophets used when they came unto any people you shall see they first pronounce the judgements of God against them Thus and thus saith the Lord c. thorowly to humble them and then after they preach of mercy and the loving kindnesse of God of the readinesse of God to receive those unto mercy that are thorowly humbled Againe this was the course that Iohn Baptist tooke he came in the Spirit of Eliah with sharpe words pronouncing heavy judgements against those that remained impenitent and therefore Matth. 3. 7. he calles them O generation of Vipers who hath forewarned you to flye from the wrath to come c. And all this to humble them because hee knew they would never receive Christ nor prize grace till they were humbled Againe this was the course that our Saviour tooke in Ioh. 4. 31. with the woman of Samaria first hee humbles her and then he comforts her that is first he makes her confesse that shee was a sinner and then shee beleeved and therefore he saith I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance to wit to make them see their sinnes and be humbled for them that so they may flie unto God for mercy Againe this was the course that the Apostle Peter tooke Acts 2. 37. first he humbles them and then after comforts them so Paul Acts 24. 26. when hee preached of Iudgement Felix trembled and so likewise in the three first Chapters to the Romanes Paul preacheth matter of humiliation in the first Chapter hee taxeth them with their Idolatry bringing unto their remembrances particular Iudgements which the Lord inflicted upon them for it in the second Chapter hee brings them to the Law in which they so much boasted of and makes a comparison betwixt the Gentiles and them that howsoever they thought hardly of the Gentiles yet they were as bad

themselves from all such workes on that day which may bee a meanes to keepe them from humiliation for the object being holden long on the faculty it will at last humble us for our nature is like the fire if matter be not upplyed unto it it will goe out so if we keepe not a sence of sinne humiliation and sorrow in our heart it will dye Therefore you must take paines with your hearts and set sinne still before you Davids sinne was ever before him and Paul was ever humble in remembring his sinnes therefore let this humiliation and godly sorrow bee in you not like a land flood but like a spring this sorrow must still be running and springing and flowing or else you will not remaine humble I confesse it is true that they that have received the spirit have not the spirit of bondage to feare that is to sorrow hopelesse but yet they have received such a spirit that keepes them still in awe that keepes them still in this sorrow that keepes them still in feare but yet the evill that is in the sorrow and feare is taken away because of a mixture of spirituall joy hope and confidence that they have wrought in them by the spirit The third is this you must proportion your humiliation according unto your sinnes if your sinnes have beene great sinnes then your humiliation must be a deepe humiliation this wee see in Manasses as his sinne was exceeding great so his humiliation was exceeding great it wrought in him a great measure of humiliation and so Peters sinne was great and his humiliation was great for as the sinne is greater or lesser so the humiliation should be greater or lesser because the greater the sinnes are the greater shall bee the judgement for them and therefore when you can passe over your sinnes as little sinnes it is a signe that you are not humbled for if you were you would then otherwise conceive of sinne now where there is great sinnes forgiven there will be great love as the woman in the Gospell she loved much that is she had many sinnes forgiven her therefore shee exprest much humiliation and love unto Christ. Againe let every man labour to feele their sinnes the more that they may love Christ the more for that which the affections are most affected with that the understanding apprehends most and then the bent of the will followes and a man may if he will come unto this to see sinne in himselfe in such a manner as to humble him and make him to love God the more As a man that hath a desire to see the Prince in a multitude hee will ever fasten his eye unto him so if a man would but fasten his understanding and minde upon sinne he would at last see it to humble him and this did David in the sinne of Vriah he brought his sinne unto this that it was ever before him no sinne humbled him as this did And thus much for the meanes of getting humiliation Is it so that humiliation is so necessary a condition on our parts though as I said before it is not simply necessary on Gods part neither a simple grace because there is no promise that follows it but the promise is made without exception of persons or conditions generally unto all Whosoever will let him come and take of the water of life freely that is without any antecedent condition faith excepted yet as I said except we be humble we will not come in and receive Christ and without Christ there is no meanes to bee saved and this we will not doe till we be humble therefore it behoves you to examine your selves whether you have this condition in you or no and now that I may make you willing to examine your selves for except you be willing you will not consider these three things to moove you hereunto The first motive is this consider that all that you doe till you bee humble is lost labour you heare in vaine you reade in vaine you receive in vaine you pray in vaine you give almes in vaine till you be truly humbled Psal. 51. 17. the sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite heart all the prayers that a man makes all the almes that hee gives all the holy duties that he doth performe if they doe not proceed from a truely humbled soule they are unsavory things and that for these reasons I. Reason The first reason is this because a broken heart is the altar on which we must offer whatsoever we offer up to God they are not such as God accepts of if they be not offered up upon this altar for the sacrifices of God are a broken heart a truly humbled soule for as in the time of the Law the Priest was to offer up sacrifices for the people in all humilitie so Christ in the Gospell on the Crosse with a broken and a contrite spirit offered a sacrifice for all his children and makes them acceptable unto God yet except the heart be humble he will not accept of a sinner II. Reason The second reason is added in Isaiah 66. 2. hee will dwell in a broken and a contrite spirit a humble soule is a fit habitation for the spirit now the spirit dwels in the heart as the sunne in a house by communicating his grace unto the soule where he will come into and where the spirit will dwell there he doth certainly love and no sooner doth he dwell in the heart but he will fill the heart full of holinesse and on the contrary he will not come neere a proud heart therefore if ever you would have the spirit to dwell in you you must get humble hearts III. Reason The third reason is because except a man have a broken heart he will not be constant with Christ he will serve him but by halves and fits and not constantly now and then as passion rules him but when a man is truly humbled hee will keepe close unto Christ now a man that is unstable God doth not esteeme of as a friend he doth not esteem him as a friend that is unstable because he knowes not how to depend upon him hee stands now with him but whether he will when he shall need whether he will hold close to him or no he knowes not and therefore the Apostle saith that the unstable heart shall receive nothing of God Iames 1. 7 8. God will not accept of any thing that he doth thus you see all is lost labour till you be humbled men are unwilling to loose their labour in any thing but much more in this if they had hearts to beleeve it The second motive is this because whatsoever profession a man makes in religion it is nothing worth till a man be humble for what is the reason that men doe not hold out in their profession but fall away and loose their first love but because they were not throughly humbled for pride of heart

Againe in Esa. 57. I dwell in the high and mightie place with him also that is of a contrite and broken spirit that is there is but two places that God delights to dwell in the one is in heaven and the other place is in a humbled heart now surely hee will not dwell there where he loves not for to dwell notes a speciall presence with them that is hee will not onely dwell in the heart but hee will make his presence to comfort the heart and againe in Esa. 66. I will bee neere unto them that are humble and that tremble at my words that is I will take a speciall care of them that are humble this readinesse of Christ to receive sinners is excellently set forth in the parable of the Prodigall How readily did the father receive a rebellious childe even so ready and much more ready is Christ to receive sinners that are humbled an example we have in David how ready was God to pardon Davids great sinne when he had humbled himselfe and the same we see in Peter and so here in Paul The reasons of this point are these The first reason is because mercy pleaseth him as it is in Micha I will pardon your transgressions because mercy pleaseth mee that is he delights to shew mercy to sinners and what man will not willingly doe any thing that pleaseth him The second reason is because mercy is naturall unto God that is it is his nature for although mercy be a qualitie in us yet it is a nature in God and what man will not willingly doe any thing that is agreeable unto his nature The third reason is because God is rich in mercy a man that is rich he will not respect the giving of a small gift but he will give liberally bountifully and it is for his credit to doe thus now if it be thus with men then how much more with God because he is the Store-house hath the fountaine in himself and therfore it stands with his honor to give liberally to be rich in mercy to his children The fourth reason is because God is our Father and you know a father hath a tender affection over his children and if it be thus with men then it is much more with God towards his children thou needst not to feare the missing of his mercy if thou be one of Gods children The consideration of this that God is exceeding mercifull should draw us close unto God that is is God mercifull then let us run unto him this hoping of mercy should winne us to come unto him for what is that which makes a Traytor or a Malefactor after Hue and cry to come in and lay downe the armes of Rebellion but the Proclamation of mercy and in hope of this he comes in Therefore when you heare that Christ is exceeding mercifull then come in only lay downe the armes of rebellion and you shall finde mercy Object Oh but saith some I would willingly come unto Christ but alas my sinnes are so many and so great that I feare Christ will not receive mee Answ. To this I answer what if thy sinnes be exceeding great and many yet they are not Infinite that is they doe not exceed the price payed for them But God is Infinite in mercy and therefore exceeds all thy sinnes Againe consider the abilitie and power of God he is able to make thee cleane and purge thee from all iniquitie and therefore feare not the greatnesse of thy sinnes only labour to finde the condition faith in thee and then come and take of Christ freely Secondly if God be exceeding mercifull then let men take heed that they wrong not themselves in regard of salvation by the neglect of those meanes whereby grace is got that is let men be humble and then let them know that Christ is mercifull And that you may not put off repentance and the getting of grace consider these particulars The first thing is this take the time and opportunitie when grace is offered that is it will bee good for you to strike while the Iron is hot and grinde while the winde blowes and saile when there is a faire gale so it is good to follow the spirit in its motion for as there is a time when the spirit is offered so there is a time when the spirit may not be got and therefore it is that this time is so insisted upon so often in Hebr. 3. To day if yee will heare his voyce c. that is there is a time when God will not be found of us though wee would give a world to have but one motion of the spirit againe one moment of repentance one offer of grace but you shall not well then now you have the time and opportunity that is the day of salvation I offer you Christ and salvation and you may have him if you will but receive him that is if you will but suffer him to rule in your hearts if you will but acknowledge him to bee your Lord and King you shall have him whatsoever thou art or hast beene for the time past onely if you will be a new man for the time to come but if you will not receive Christ now but refuse him there shall a time come when thou wouldest receive him but then thou shalt not Remember the five foolish Virgins Matth. 25. They were shut out of the marriage chamber and so maist thou if thou now refuse him Secondly consider that repentance is not in thine owne power that is it is a turning of the heart and casting of a man into a new mould the setting of the heart the right way and withall know that there is a false repentance Cain and Esau and Iudas repented as well as Paul and Peter and David but the one proceeded from the Spirit and the other from the flesh it must be sound repentance if it be acceptable now this no man can doe of his owne power and strength except there bee a supernaturall worke of grace in the soule There are two causes why God doth afflict his children First God afflicts his children because of some scandall I speake now of Gods children and thus David was afflicted because he gave a just occasion of scandall in the matter of Vriah therefore God afflicts him Secondly to weane them from the world because God knowes till they be humble and basely esteeme of themselves and the world they will not prize Christ or grace but when they are throughly humbled then they will come in and take Christ and therefore it is that wee preach Christ generally unto all that whosoever will come and take him may have him and therefore this is the question that wee move and propound unto all men whether they will receive Christ that is whether they will take him above all things for better or worse to bee their Lord Master and King if they will thus receive him they