Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	evil_a	speak_v	treasure_n	3,744	5	10.2424	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43344	A discourse concerning meekness and quietness of spirit to which is added, A sermon on Acts 28. 22, shewing that the Christian religion is not a sect, and yet that it is every where spoken against / by Matthew Henry ...	Henry, Matthew, 1662-1714.; Henry, Matthew, 1662-1714. Sermon on Acts XXVII, 22.; Howe, John, 1630-1705.	1699 (1699)	Wing H1475_PARTIAL; Wing H1476_PARTIAL; ESTC R14901	132,581	220

thus the Heart 〈◊〉 impregnably fortify'd for Satan against Christ and his Gospel Wrath is treasur'd up against the Day of Wrath and those who might have been the Blessing prove the Plague of their Age which is a Lamentation and shall be for a Lamentation to all that wish well for the souls of Men and to th●s● especially that are desirous of the welfare of the rising Generation Fourthly Let us take heed that none of us do at at any time directly or indirectly speak against the ways of Religion and Godliness or say a Confederacy with those that do so Submit to Divine Instructions given with a strong hand not to walk in the way of those People that speak ill of Religion Take heed of embracing any Notions which secretly tend to d●rogate from the Authority of the Holy Scriptures or to diminish the Honour of Religion in the Soul or of accustoming your selv●● to such Expressions as treat not Sacred Things with that awful Regard which is due to them Those were never reckon'd Wise Men that would rather lose a Friend than a Iest much less are they to be accounted so that will rather lose the Favour of their God Those that in their common Converse make themselves merry with serious things how can it be expected they should at any time be serious in them or experience the influence and comfort of them It is not likely that those who make the Word of God the subject of their Iests should ever make it the Guide of their way or find it the spring of their Joys Let us not chuse to associate with those that have light thoughts of Religion and are ready upon all occasions to speak against it It is not without good reason that among the many words with which St. Peter exhorted his New Converts this only is recorded Save your selves from this untoward Generation Acts 2. 40. Those that listen to the Counsel of the Vngodly and Stand in the way of Sinners as willing to walk with them will come at length if Almighty Grace prevent not to set in the seat of the Scornful Let us therefore abide by that which Iob and Eliphaz even in the heat of Dispute were agreed in that the Counsel of the Wicked shall be far from us which Protestation we have Iob 21. 16. and 22. 18. It 's dangerous making Friendship with those that have an enmity to serious Godliness lest we learn their way and get a Snare to our Souls There are two common Pretences and seemingly plausible ones under which those that speak against Religion shelter themselves but they are neither of them justifiable 1. They pretend that it is only for Argument sake that they object against Religion and pick quarrels with it and so little esteem they have of the thing call'd Sincerity they will not be thought to mean as they say And are the great Principles of Religion become such Moot-points such Matters of doubtful Disputation that it is indifferent which side of the Question a Man takes and upon which he may argue pro or con at his pleasure That grave and weighty saying of a Learned Heathen is enough to silence this pretence Mala enim impia consuetudo est contra Deos disputandi sive ex animo id fit sive simulate It 's an ill thing to talk against Religion whether a Man means as he saith or no or in the Language of our Age whether he speak seriously or only banter Iulian the Apostate when before he threw off his Disguise he frequently argued against Christianity pretended it was only for Disputation sake But out of the abundance of the Heart the Mouth speaks and whence can such evil things come but from an evil Treasure there 2. They pretend that it is not Religion that they ridicule and expose to Contempt but some particular Forms and Modes of religious Worship which they do not like And this is one ill effect of the unhappy Divisions among Christians that while one side hath labour'd to make the other contemptible Religion in general hath suffer'd on all sides To reprove what we think amiss with Prudence and Meekness is well but to reproach and make a Iest of that which our Fellow-Christians look upon as Sacred and make a part of their Religion cannot be to any good purpose at all To scoff at the Mistakes and Weaknesses of our Brethren is the way to provoke and harden them but not to convince and reform them They who think to justify this way of ridiculing those that differ from them by the Instance of Elijah's jeering the Priests of Ba●● perhaps Know not what manner of Spirit they are of no more than th●se Disciples did who would have their intemperate Heats countenanced by the Example of that great 〈◊〉 Fifthly Let ●s that profess the Chri●●●an Religion be very cautious that we do not give occasion to any to speak against it If there are those in all places that are industrious to cast ●eproach upon Religion then we have need to ●alk circumspectly and to look well to our goings that those who watch for our halting may have no occasion given them to Blaspheme It is certain that tho' in Religion there is nothing which may be justly spoken against yet a●ong those that profess it there is too often f●und that which deserves to be tax'd and which cannot pass without just and sever● Reflection● Pudet haec opprobria nobis Are there no● those within the Pale of the Church through 〈◊〉 the Name of God and his 〈…〉 and by reason of whom the way of 〈…〉 evil spoken of Are there not those who 〈◊〉 Christ's Livery but are a Scandal to his ●●mily Spots in the ●ove-Feasts and a standing Reproach to that worthy Name by which they are call'd Now though it is certainly very unjust and unfair to impute the faults of Professors to the Religion they profess and to reproach Christianity because there are those that are call'd Christians who expose themselves to Reproach yet it is without question the Sin of those who give Men occasion to do so This was the Condemnation in David's Case and entail'd the Sword upon his House though the Sin was pardon'd that by it he had given great occasion to the Enemies of the Lord to blaspheme 2 Sam. 12. 14. Let us therefore double our diligence and care 〈◊〉 no offenc● either to Jew or Gentile that Religion which hath so often been wounded in the House of her Friends may nev●r be wou●ded through our sides If we ●●uire as we are commanded to do what it 〈◊〉 that gives occasion of Reflection upon Religion we shall find that the Imprudences of those that profess it give some occasion but their Immoralities much more 1. The Imprudences of Christians often turn to the Reproach of Christianity There may be such over-doing even in Well-doing as may prove ●ndoing When more stress is laid than ought to be upon some

be dishonour'd for him who for our sakes endured the Cross and despised the shame 'T is one of the Laws of Meekness Spernere se sperni to despise being despised SECT IV. Some good Principles or Considerations which tend to make us meek and quiet In order to the well governing of the Soul the Judgment must be furnished with proper Dictates else it will never be able to keep the Peace in the Affections The Motions of the Soul are then likely to be even and regular and constant when we have fix'd to our selves good Principles which we are govern'd by and act under the influence of There are some carnal corrupt Principles which angry froward People are guided by such as these That the forgiving one Injury invites another whereas it often qualifies an Adversary or if otherwise the forgiving of one Offence will enable us to bear the next the more easily And that we must have satisfaction given us for every wrong done us whereas if we have not Satisfaction for it yet if it be not our own Fault we may have Satisfaction under it and that 's as good And That there 's no living in the World without buffing and hectoring and frightning People Oderint dum metuant whereas to live continually in that Element is to live in a Hell upon Earth mutual Indignation and mutual Fear perhaps contributing to the Torment of Devils and damned Spirits But in opposition to these and the like ill Principles shall we treasure up these few good Truths chosen out of many which might be mentioned proper for this purpose and make use of them as there is occasion 1. That he hath the sweetest and surest Peace who is the most Master of his own Passions The comfort that a Man hath in governing himself is much greater than he could have in having People to serve him and Nations to bow down to him It is certain the worst Enemies we have if ever they break loose and get head are in our own Bosoms Enemies without threaten only the evil of pain they can but kill the Body and no great hurt in that to a Child of God if they do not provoke the Enemies within our own irregular Passions which if they be not kept under plunge us in the evil of sin and that 's the much greater evil An Invasion from Abroad doth not so much disturb the Peace of a Kingdom as an Insurrection at Home doth and therefore it concerns us to double our Guard where our danger is greatest and above all keepings to keep our Hearts that no Passion be allowed to stir without a good reason to be given for it and a good use to be made of it and then if we be troubled on every side yet not distressed perplexed yet not in despair 2 Cor. 4. 8 9. Offended by our Fellow-Servants but not offending our Master reproached by our Neighbours but not by our own Consciences this is like Zion's Peace Peace within the Walls Psa. 122. 7. We have need to pray as one did Liberame à malo isto homine meipso Lord deliver me from that ill Man mine own self and then I am safe enough The Lusts that war in our Members Jam. 4. 1. are the Enemies that war against our Souls 1 Pet. 2. 11. If this War be brought to a good issue and those Enemies supprest whatever other Disturbances are given Peace is in the Soul with Grace and Mercy from God and from the Lord Iesus Nehemiah was aware of this as the design of his Enemies when they hired a pretended Prophet to give an Alarm and to advise him meanly to shift for himself it was saith he Neh. 6. 13. That I should be afraid and do so and sin Whatever we lose we shall not lose our Peace if we do but keep our Integrity therefore instead of being solicitous to subdue our Enemies that lay Siege to us let us double our watch against the Traitors within the Garrison from whom especially our danger is since we cannot prevent the shooting of the fiery Darts let us have our Shield ready wherewith to quench them If we would not hurt our selves blessed be God no Enemy in the World can hurt us Let us but keep the Peace within by the governing of our own Passions and then whatever assaults may be made upon us we may therein with the Daughter of Zion despise them and laugh them to scorn and shake our Head at them allud Isa. 37. 22. Let us believe that in hurrying and disquieting times our strength is to sit still in a holy Quietness and Composure of Mind This is the rest wherewith you may cause the weary to rest and this is the refreshing and it is enough Isa. 28. 12. 2. That in many things we all offend This truth we have Iames 3. 2. and it comes in as a reason why we must not be many Masters v. 1. It would help to subdue and moderate our Anger at the Offences of others if we would but consider 1. That it is incident to humane Nature to offend While we are in this World we must not expect to converse with Angels or the Spirits of just Men made perfect no we are oblig'd to a Communication with Creatures that are foolish and corrupt peevish and provoking and who are all subject to like Passions such as these we must live among else must we needs go out of the World And have we not reason then to count upon something or other uneasie an displeasing in all Relations and Conversations The best Men have their roughnesses and unevennesses in this imperfect state those that are savingly enlightned yet knowing but in part have their blind side the Harmony even of the Communion of Saints will sometimes be disturbed with jarring strings why then should we be surpriz'd into Passion and Disquiet when that which gives us the Disturbance is no more than what we look'd for Instead of being angry we should think with our selves thus Alas what could I expect but Provocation from corrupt and fallen Man Among such foolish Creatures as we are it must needs be that Offences will come and why should not I have my share of those Offences The God of Heaven gives this as a reason of his Patience towards a provoking World that it is in their Nature to be provoking Gen. 8. 21. I will not again curse the Ground any more for Man's sake for the imagination of Man's Heart is evil ●r●m his Youth and therefore better is not to be expected from him And upon this inducement he had compassion on Israel Psal. 78. 39. For he remembred that they were but Flesh not only frail Creatures but sinful and bent to backslide Do Men gather Grapes of Thorns I knew that thou wouldst deal treacherously for thou wast called a Transgressor from the Womb Isa. 48. 8. And should not we much more be qualified by the same consideration If thou seest the violent perverting of Iudgment and Iustice in