Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	faith_n	good_a	unfeigned_a	2,823	5	11.0408	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25421	The right government of thoughts, or, A discovery of all vain, unprofitable, idle, and wicked thoughts with directions for the getting, keeping, and governing of good thoughts, digested into chapters for the ease of the reader : whereunto are added four sermons / by ... John Angel ...	Angel, John, d. 1655.; T. B.	1659 (1659)	Wing A3162A; ESTC R13149	89,280	271

the little Common-wealth of himself overcometh devils principalities and powers Thirdly ordering is a word of perseverance and implieth bringing about of things to an issue and a continuation unto the end for what is order but a Ordo est dispositio à primo ad ultimum per media disposition of things from the first to the last by means conducing thereunto Fourthly in the next place we are to consider what it is to order aright or straightly now a thing may be said to be right What 's meant by aright First that hath rectitude from himself and is the cause of rightnesse in all other things and so God is onely right Secondly that may be said to be right that hath its rectitude from another yet there is in it an infallible rule to square other things by it and in this sense the Law of God is said to be right Psal 19. Thirdly things or persons may be said to be right which are neither the cause of rectitude in others nor yet properly a rule to square other things by yet are they rightly fitted to the true rule and of this are three kinds First such a rightnesse as answereth exactly to the rule both for kinds and degrees And so onely Christs conversation was ordered aright he onely fully accomplishing perfect righteousness Secondly a thing may be said to be right which though it be not wholly directed for matter manner or measure yet is it squared thereunto in some sutablenesse and propertion evangelical and though there be some aberrations and swervings in it yet in comparison of the way of the wicked and in respect of the purpose of the heart the bent of the will the sincerity of the soul and the endeavour of the life And withal in regard of Gods gracious acceptance it may be called an ordering of the conversation aright Which I speak to prevent discouragement in weak Christians so that we may well expound the meaning of my text by that 119. Psal 119. 133. Psal 133. order my steps in thy word And to order in thy word is as much as rightly to dispose it the word of God being the rule of right it must have warrant from the word and be conformed to it from the word and to conclude thus then is a matter ordered aright when it holdeth proportion to the rule and is carried sutably Secondly when it proceedeth from a right principle 1 Tim. 1. 5. even a pure heart a good cause and faith unfaigned Thirdly when it is carried on upon a right ground and motive as suppose the love of God conscience of duty c. and discharged in a right manner in sincerity in humility in the presence of God to be approved of him 1 Cor. 10. 13. And lastly when it is directed to a good end which is the glory of God Opposite hereunto are the indirect crooked turnings and windings of all gracelesse persons who pervert their waies See Proverbs 10. 9. Now for the promise annexed on Gods What 's meant by salvation part it is as full and large all blessings are couched under salvation Salvation is as much as protection safety deliverance in this life and that which is to come the salvation of God is a singular salvation for the addition of God in my Text notes the excellency of it as the mountains of God are excellent mountains and the salvation spoken of is either ordinary or extraordinary and both that which is begun in this world as also that final receiving the end of our faith even the salvation of our souls First that he will give us a glimpse and sight of it in this world by manifesting of it to our souls and assuring us of it say unto my soul I am thy salvation saith the Psalmist Psal 35. 3. he shall see himself saved Secondly the injoying and possessing of it Psal 85. 7. Having thus taken the words asunder and explained them I will now joyn them together and prove the truth of the entire proposition Nothing is more clear in Scripture Proof of the point then this that God hath linked together sanctification and salvation in an unseparable and Adamantine chain never to be broken all the Bible throughout witnesseth that holinesse ever ends in happinesse What is it to order our conversation aright but to lead a godly life And hath not godlinesse the promise of this life and that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. yes and the performances too the accomplishment of the said promises those that have their fruit in holinesse shall have Rom. 6. 22 their end everlasting life and they that go to heaven are said to receive an inheritance among those that are sanctified many and precious promises are scattered throughout the world some to persons that fear God some to those that love God c. but all belong to those that order their conversation aright see Psal 91. 10. 11. This also may be proved negatively on the other side that none shall see the salvation of God but they that order their conversation aright without holinesse saith the Apostle no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. And doth not our salvation consist in the vision of God mark well these three particulars First for holinesse Secondly without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. Thirdly with holinesse none but he shall see the God of his salvation this is also proved reciprocally on both sides both affirmatively and negatively Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Next for the shewing us his salvation What 's meant to shew us his salvation or making us know our interest in it that is also true sooner or later more or lesse he that orders his conversation aright shall see it Yea it holds proportionably the more exactly the conversation is squared the more clear assurance is given to such a person See for this how confidently David affirms of himself Psal 27. 1 2 3 c. and Paul 2 Tim. 4. 17. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course from henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of righteousnesse It is the promise of our Saviour Christ John 14. 21. He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them there is the right ordering of the conversation I will love and manifest my self unto him The Reasons of the Point The grounds of this truth the first lieth in Gods free-grace and dependeth on the faithfulnesse of his promise for there is no proportion betwixt our conversation for a short time and Gods salvation for ever to be joyned betwixt our imperfect sanctification and Gods perfect salvation but God hath engaged himself by promise to us It is a Reward of favour not of debt as the Apostle distinguisheth Rom. 4. 4. It is not from the merit of our workes but from the meer mercy of God Reas 2 But

to be found in the word of God As first the rules for our carriage in Directions in relation to men relation to men First that golden one delivered by our Saviour himself Mat. 7. 12. Whatsoever ye would that other men do to you the same do ye to them Mark it is not said What others do to you the same do ye to them for that is not always right but some times crooked but it is said Whatsoever ye would that others should do to you set your selves as it were in their rooms and do ye the same to them that is not what you would or are content in your passions that others should do to you but whatever in right reason upon due deliberation and sound judgement when you are most your selves you would that others should do to you do ye the same to them Secondly remember the Apostolical rule serve one another in love for it is written Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Gal. 5. 13 14. We must seek not every one his own but one anothers wellfare 1 Cor. 10. 24. A golden rule to be observed in contracts and negotiations to keep us from over reaching any man 1 Thes 4. 6. and not meerly to do things out of respects to our selves but to joyn the wellfare of our neighbour to our own benefit and what we do to them to do it out of love Thirdly let nothing be done out of contention or vain glory but in lowlinesse of mind let each esteem others better then themselves Phil. 2. 3. and let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus verse 9. he never did any thing in all his life out of contention or vain glory and indeed be the matter of our actions never so fair or good yet either of these two contention or vain glory will fly-blow them and corrupt the action Again in all our businesses in relation Speciall rules for our services in reference to God unto God we have these rules First for the end that the glory of God be made the white at which we aim in all our natural civil or religious actions according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God this must be the Butt that we all must shoot at Secondly for Christ Whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of Christ Jesus giving thanks to the father by him Col. 3. 17. that is what others do as men do ye as Christians you must do all in Christ his name that is upon his authority and his warranty in the strength of Christ in confidence upon him for acceptation of the service and praying and invocating the father in his name and giving thanks to God by him Thirdly whatsoever we do to men or towards our selves to do it to the Lord and for the Lords sake looking beyond men and further then our selves so in our almes-deeds to give to Christ in giving to such a man or woman Verily in as much as ye did it to the least of these ye did it to me Mat. 25. 40. So likewise the Apostle prescribes to servants this duty Col. 3. 23. Servants be obedient to your Masters and whatsoever ye do do it heartily to the Lord and not to men knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of inheritance and this rule is not to be appropriated unto servants but it reacheth to all masters also yea to all ranks of persons for all the duties of the second table are to be performed to others must flow from our obedience unto God commanded in the first Table so Christ told Peter that his ministerial discharge in feeding of his sheep John 21. 15 16 17. ought to spring from the love he bare to Christ himself Next for our selves take these directions Rules in relation to our selves out of Scripture do nothing with a regreet of heart or reluctancy of conscience but labour first to have a warranty out of the word for your conscience to rest upon a warranty I say at the least of God his allowance of it if not of his command For what ever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14. 23. that is if it be done out of perswasion of heart that it is lawful for the warrant of the action we must do nothing with the check or renitency of our consciences against the dictates of the same blessed is he that condemneth not himself in his conscience in that which he performeth to wit in his actions verse 22. Secondly the end of the commandements is love out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfained 1 Tim. 1. 5. where we are to observe that for the matter of our obedience it must be love love to God and love to our neighbour and for the fountain and spring of love in our actions it must issue from a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfaigned otherwise the streams will never be clear Thirdly the prescript of the word is Thou shalt not do that which seemeth good in thine own eies but what the Lord thy God commandeth thee Deut. 12. 8. 32. If any thing at the first blush presenteth it self unto thee with a shew of good presently begin to suspect it as fearing there is some evil couched under it and see what God saith of it in his holy word from which thou maist not turn to the right hand or to the left Fourthly for the manner of our performing the word aright in my text all must be done in humility and sincerity and carried on sutably to the duty which we have in hand it must be done understandingly feelingly fervently if we pray if any man preach he must speak as the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4. 11 approving themselves to God and the consciences of the hearers so you shall find several directions for several discharges Rom. 12. 8. He that giveth let him do it with simplicity he that ruleth with diligence he that sheweth mercy with chearfulness c. so every one in their relations must mainly look to the Cardinal vertue which turneth about all the rest as let the wife see to it that she reverenceth her husband Ephes 5. ult according as she looketh to that all her other duties do either ebb or flow in her so the husband must be careful of the main of all that he loveth his wife as Christ loved his Church Ephes 5. 25. In one word order your steps so as where God hath laid the fullest and the stricktest charge there be sure to shew your greatest care as in the substantials of religion before the circumstantials or ceremonies mercy before sacrifice and the great commandment of loving the Lord with all our hearts before the rest Matth. 22. 35 37 38. To end this let all our outward discharges spring from an heart rightly disposed else it will prove formality or dissimulation nothing is any

masked too often according to the judgement of thy betters the sway of the times thy own projects and designs in hand most men minding to put on a seemingnesse of good intentions as Herod did to worship the babe Christ few walking in the uprightness of their hearts and according to the simplicity of the Gospel If therefore thou wouldst find peace and comfort in times of temptation turn into thy own thoughts if thou findest them swept and garnished sweet and well disposed thou mayest assure thy self Christ hath been there Blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no guile Psal 32. 2. a spiritual guilelesse mind is a comfortable evidence of Christ being in us So a man which would know the cleannesse and virtue of a water comes to the nearest issues that may be found because the lowest streames may be altered by the Channel or inundation of other sloods or foyled by the trampling of beasts so wouldest thou know thy self whether Christ dwell in thy heart or no Search thy thoughts and thy affections these are the immediate issues of thy soul and such as these are such is thy state of grace or nature 8. There is great need thou govern thy thoughts for God knowes all the thoughts of men when David prayed give ear to my words O Lord consider my meditation Psal 5. 1. he prayed in faith knowing that God did what he prayed him to doe God heares the words of his servants praying and considers the very meditations of the heart it is the Psalmists confession that God trieth the heart and reins Thou Psal 7. 9. knowest my down-sitting and my uprising Psal 139. 2 thou understandest my thoughts afar off those voces inconditae unformed and embryon actions of the soule are known unto God Thou even thou onely 1 Kings 8. 39. O Lord knowest all the hearts of the children of men There is nothing so inward and hidden in man that God should not see it openly Many miraculous believers came to Christ at Jerusalem upon the Passeover in the feast day but Jesus would not trust himself with them why but because John 2. 24 25. he knew all men he knew what was in them If the Scribes speak but within themselves Jesus knows their thoughts and reproves them wherefore think ye evill in your hearts Beloved remember what Job answers the Lord I know that thou canst do every Mat. 9. 4. thing and that no thought can be with-holden from thee Such a consideration Job 42. 2 as this will make you wary in the government of your thoughts nothing runs or stayes in your minds and hearts but God looks on it The good or evill of a mans thoughts lye in the dark to the eyes of other men unlesse evidenced by some further production of it in words or gesture or deed but God with whom we have to do seeth all things as clear as in the day for night and day are to him alike what avayles then to hide from men while God looks on who will one day be our judge And thus much concerning the great need which we have of the right government of our thoughts They are the fountains of all actions good or evill evill thoughts are sinne and the occasions of sinne and God will punish for them But good thoughts are pleasing unto God they unite us unto God they are comfortable to our own soules and God knowes all our thoughts therefore let us labour to be the Masters of good thoughts and to govern them aright I might adde that a man hath a good companion yea many good companions toward Heaven that hath alwayes good thoughts with him others sit solitary and complain for want of company but a man of a large heart and good thoughts is never less alone then when alone Those hours are comfortable and full of contentment wherein the thoughts entertain God the chiefest good and those dependancies which bring us to the enjoying of him CHAP. IV. I Have proved that the getting and governing of his thoughts is necessary to the well-being of a just mans life let me proceed to declare the common errours and exorbitancies of the Christians thoughts which though it be a thing difficult considering the variety and multiplicity of the souls unkind progeny of evil thoughts yet by Gods grace I will adventure in the humility of my soul to give you my thoughts in this matter The soul is the nobler part of man fitted of God unto the greatest workes to wit the contemplation of himself and of heavenly things or the framing of our actions to earthly subjects with reference to Gods glory and its own salvation yet sometimes it leaves off its noble work and contrary to her essential being thinkes of nothing at all or contrary to its well-being thinks of that which is unprofitable in both these respects the thoughts of men and women are not just The first common errour of our thoughts may not unfitly be called dulnesse or drowsinesse of thoughts when imagination is dull and thinks of nothing at all or but sleepily it sometimes happens that the mindes of men are as it were dead within them a spirit of heavinesse comes upon them Isa 61. 3. so Ezra sate astonished until the evening sacrifice like a clock that stands when the plummets are down or as a man in a deep sleep or amazement Ezra 9. 4. 5. the soul thinks not of what it hath to do A Christian hath businesse at home in himself and abroad in the world yet oftentimes he forgets himself and thinks not at all or but sleepily of what he hath to do say beloved Is it not sometimes thus with you Do you not sometimes find a damp upon your spirits so that ye had need to pray unto God to quicken them My soul cleaveth to the dust quicken me according to thy word Psal 119. 27. This is a fault of imagination against the nature of it which tends to its perfection by continual action The second errour of our thoughts is when our imaginations are busie but they act not to any profitable end to our selves or others for prevention of evil or attainment of good and too often they act to wicked ends to the harme of our selves and of others The first of these two we may call the vanity of thoughts the other the wickednesse of thoughts First there is a very vanity in some mens thoughts so the Gentiles became vain in their imaginations having their foolish hearts darkened Rom. 1. 21. they could not know God as God and therefore they conceive him in their mindes in the similitude of four-footed beasts of creeping things and of flying fowles This I may call a vanity of minde in regard of object or the thing thought upon The Apostle notes it a fault in that he forbids it Refuse vain and old wives fables and exercise thy self rather unto godlinesse 1 Tim. 4. 7 It would be an endlesse labour to tell you in what variable manner the mindes

Offices as King Priest and Prophet of his Life Death and Resurrection c. Secondly We are to know our selves first as originally created in Adam invested with Gods image Eccles 7. 31. God made man righteous Secondly as by sin and disobedience we are by nature children of wrath and that the frame and thoughts of our hearts are onely evil and that continually Gen. 6. 5. Thirdly as by grace and regeneration we are renewed in holiness and righteousnesse after the image of him that created us Eph. 4. 24. Thirdly We must know the Covenant of grace and how it is distinguished from the Covenant of works by this God requires perfect obedience Cursed is he that continueth not in all things that are written in the Law to do them Gal. 3. 10. But by the Covenant of grace The just shall live by faith Gal. 3. 11. in this Covenant of Grace God promiseth life if we obey as in the other Covenant but withal he gives faith and obedience that we may live he promiseth to put his fear in our hearts and that he will not depart from us and that we shall not depart from him Jerem 32. 40. and ch 31. 33. Fourthly we are to know the nature of a Sacrament That it is a visible sign of invisible graces represented thereby That it is a seal of the Covenant betwixt God and us Rom. 4. 11. for t is there called a seal of the Righteousnesse of faith so was Circumcision so is Baptisme and the Lords Supper Again we must understand the Analogie and proportion betwixt the outward sign and the inward graces signified That the Bread signifieth the Body and Blood of Christ and being set apart for holy use they also signifie the designment of Christ by God the Father unto the Office of Mediatour John 6. 26. for him hath the Father sealed the Bread broken and the Wine poured out the actual crucifying of Christ The tradition of it by the Minister unto us signifieth both the delivery of Christ to death by the Father and the reaching of him out unto us in that Ordinance and that by Bread and Wine whole Christ is represented with all his graces and benefits It is our duty further to understand the ends of the Celebration of the Sacrament both principal that it must be done in remembrance of him for the shewing forth of his death until he come Luke 22. 19. 1 Cor. 1. 23. Lesse principal that we may have sealed unto us all the benefits of his death as ours Rom. 4. 11. Whosoever is a stranger unto these things cannot be a good Communicant he is not able to discern the Lords body 1 Cor. 11. 29. Nor is his heart right without this knowledge there will be some evil unespied and lurking in the heart And when we have examined our knowledge for substance we must secondly examine the sincerity of it it is not sufficient that we know unlesse our knowledge be sanctified which must be tryed by these grounds First A sanctified knowledge humbleth the Owner it makes our spots and blemishes perspicuous to our selves the more we know the more we discern our selves to be ignorant This is clear in Paul there was not a man more rarely accomplisht with all kinde of knowledge than he there lived not upon the face of the earth a more humble soul he was in his own judgement the least of all Saints Ephe. 3. 8. the greatest of sinners 1 Tim. 1. 16 The Scribes and Pharisees on the other side knew much and were great Scholars but their knowledge was not sincere because it puffed them up 1 Cor. 8. 1. they scorned to learn any thing of others John 9. 34. Thou art said they altogether born in sin and dost thou teach us Again they slighted others that were ignorant and therefore they say This people that know not the Law are accursed It seems they were highly conceited of their own knowledge Secondly Where knowledge is sincere the mind is impartial to all truths such a person doth not hood-wink himself and will not see some truths as Peter speakes of some that were willingly ignorant of some truth 2 Pet. 3. 6. they would not see some things to be sin because they resolved to continue in them This is a deteining the truth in unrighteousnesse Rom. 1. 18. whereas a man of a sanctified knowledg is like Cornelius Act. 10. 33. ready to hear all things commanded of God though they cross his opinions or affections interrupt his pleasures or draw some inconveniency upon him Thirdly A holy and sincere knowledge may be known by the end propounded practise is the end of sincere knowledge Psal 9. 10. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee Some desire to know and onely to know and that is vanity some desire to know that they may be known to know and that is curiosity some desire knowledge to make a gain of it that 's mercenary coveteousnesse But some desire knowledge that it may be a guide to their affections a directive of their actions and that they may communicate their light to others and this is true Christianity The second Grace to be examined is our faith Faith is a resting on Gods Promises and Christs merits for salvation In a justifying faith there are four acts included The first is knowledge of the word which Christ would have his give credit unto as this Whosoever believeth on Christ shall be saved 2 An assent of the mind unto the truth which God speaks Of these somewhat hath been spoken before The 3d. act of faith whereon consists our justification is a resting of the heart upon Gods word especially his promises of salvation by Jesus Christ a clasping about them with our affections resolveing to cast all our hopes upon them And hence it is that the Scripture describes faith under such termes as imply a rolling our selves in Christ hence a soul goes out of it self and puts on the Lord Jesus Christ and desires to be found in him Philip. 3. He is willing to be naked as to the righteousnesse of the Law and to be found in the righteousnesse of Christ This is hard work for natural men for such think that for their good intentions and good meaning and their unblameable civility they shall go to Heaven though in words they professe they look to be saved only by Christ Moreover he that rests upon Christ fot justification and salvation will rest upon Christ for direction for he believes Christ is wisdom unto him and he will rest upon him for sanctification also for he believes Christ hath purchased holinesse for him and will give it him because Christ is made unto us of God both wisdom to teach us and righteousnesse to justifie us and sanctification to hallow us and redemption to save us 2 Cor. 1. 20. Finally faith rests upon Christ in all estates in adversity as well as in prosperity When we cannot discern God a loving Father by things that are seen