Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A44788
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A general epistle to all who have believed in the light of the Lord Iesus and are called of God to follow the lamb through the great tribulation
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Howgill, Francis, 1618-1669.
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1665
(1665)
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Wing H3160; ESTC R30344
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5,599
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10
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you to the opening of your hearts and quickning and enlivening you souls unto God and Judgeing down the evill and have you not â—elt his living mercies shed abroad in you and the springs of life opened and the holy seed refreshed and Gods witnesse reached in all and many Convinced and Converted unto God in your assemblies so that all have gone away comforted and refreshed and resolved to continue in the grace of God the Consideration of these things dwelling in your hearts and the sence of your owne present condition should stir you up and provoke you unto stedfastnesse in the faith and practice you have received and walked in from the beginning of the manifestation of Gods love unto you so that there should me thinks need little exhortation Gods enemies is resolved to do wickedly be you also so to doe your duty they seeke by any means to make any fall from their principles and stedfastnesse doe you seeke to escape their snares and to be kept cleare in your consciences before God Be valiant for the truth sell it not but all for it thâ—â— it may be your all and then you shall see your lot is fallen in a good place and your possession is pleasant the Lord calls now to suffering put now your necks in the yoake beare one anothers burthen and so fulfill the law of Christ and take heed you give not eare to that voice that speakes save thy liberty save thy estate possesse thy own provide for thy self spare thy self that is the voice of the enemy of your souls so keep over the world and its spirit let no slâ—cknâ—sse appear for that makes suffering long and that gives ground to your adversaries that they shall prevaile that weakens the hands of others strengthens not this confirmes our enemies in their deceit that we are but as other men and people that have professed God in Summer and fair weather but will make ship-wrack of all in a storm and in suffering any turning aside from the holy commandement of God openeth the mouths of Gods enemies Do not seek every one your own profit ease life and liberty only but every one anothers good and mind not only one member but the whole body heed not them that draw back that is no preâ—â—dent for you to follow but them that presse forward and is not offended in the time of hardship heed not them that will tell you they can keep their hearts upright to God and retain their love to truth and friends and yet will not afford their presence in your â—ssemblies but escapes suffering and denies the Crosse and neglects their present duty for that is deceit and their own heâ—rts will deceive them put not off till to morrow defer not the time till you can see some more ease and some greater calm beware of that for then coldnesse fearfulnesse and slavishnesse will enter in and you will lose your strength Moreover if any have begun well and be perswaded of the truth of that they have believed and continue not unto the end and do not finish such will be reckoned foolish builders that could not finish and all will mock them and neither God nor men can or will believe them but your adversaries will glory over you again when any suffers or are brought into bonds for Christ and the Gospel sakes seek not to get out by any indirect means neither make any Covenant with thy adversary vvho vvould sell both thee and all faith and hope for money that encourages deceit and that spirit would buy it self out of the service of God and grow weary give no place to that be content every one with your present condition till God arise and plead our cause and make our innocency and righteousnesse appear as noon day and make his adversaries his foot-stoole which undoubtedly he will do and make all know the most High ought to rule and will rule in the kingdoms of men and not give his glory unto another neither suffer another to take it Be conformable to none that goes about under pretence of love to perswade or counsel you from your duty to God neither submit to them that would betray you of your peace heed not the frowns of corrupt men nor the counsel of them who mind their own bellies pleasure ease profit and earthly things let not natural affections and love either to lands wife or children blind your eyes but love them and receive them in the Lord and enjoy them as though not stand loose from all things and out of all entanglements and cast your care upon the Lord who careth for the fatherless and the widow and them that hath no helper in the earth give no occasion or advantage to any that would turn your hearts aside from following the Lord least their love betray you give up all you have and enjoy to the Lord and his service and your Souls Bodies and Spirits as a sacrifice unto the Lord that he may accept you and pour forth and continue his blessing amongst you Never heed the threats of them that are as the Oaks of Bashan nor of the great men of the earth that mind their pleasure and lusts who shut you up in Prison and hale you before Judgment seats for the Worship of God and falsely accuse you and condemn you when God justifies you the moth shall eâ—t them up as a garment and stain the glory of all flesh that withstand the Lord and they shall melt away as Snayls and as the fat of Lambs and the kidnys of Rams and God will bring the recompence of their own deeds upon their own pates and wound the hoary scalp of every one that doth wickedly who toucheth Gods anointed and doth harm to his Prophets and persecutes his Children surely judgment is not far from the dwellings of them who have required the Lord thus as to render him evil for good and God will be avenged on such a faithlesse mercilesse perfidious people as this and of such a spirit which rejoyceth in iniquity and makes a mock of sin and hates all reproof and would cloak over all mischiefs with the Name of pure Laws and Authority and Decrees of the Holy Church yet persecutes and gainsayes the highest power of God in things spiritual that pertains to the conscience the Beast and false Prophet and mother of Harlots have joyned together and flatters one another and joynes their strength together against the true Church and heir of all the World and would under pretence of doing honour unto him shut him out of the earth and kâ—ls his subjects and destroyes the children of the free Woman under pretence of suppressing Herresie and turns Judgment into Gall Hemlock and Wormwood and in stead of relieving the oppressed ads to their burthens Friends dwell above all these things and the Devil and his rage the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse of it we cannot be banished from Gods presence neither shall they fulfil their determination or ever be able to root out that testimony which is among us for Princes shall be given for its Ransome and Kingdoms and Nations for its prosperity The God of power strengthen you all that you may quit your selves like men of God like children of the most high whose inheritance is not here in the world but in the Kingdom that fades not away The Lord God of power be with you and make you to consider what I say and to receive this my true love unto you all for the Lordâ— sake who partakes with all the suffering members of Christ in their bonds and shall and can rejoyce in all your comfort and joy The peace of God dwell in your hearts and his heavenly light shine upon all your tabernacles that you may be as beautiful in the eyes of the Lord as the Roses of Sharon and blossom as the Lillies of the valley and yield your fruit as the Fig-tree that casteth not his fruit The Lord takes our part let none doubt of that and pleads our cause let all consider that our enemies shall see it and be troubled at this and time shall manifest it therefore be of believing hearts and trust in the Lord so shall you never be confounded neither be ashamed but be as mount Sion that cannot be moved and as the mountains are round about Jerusalem so shall the mercies of the Lord compasse you about from this time forth and for evermore Friends Faith is sealed in my heart and Love in my reins and Gladnesse in my soul and Peace in my conscience so that none doth or can hinder my rejoycing praised be the Lord for ever and ever Amen Let this be dispersed among Friends I desire The Lords Servant and yours in all true unfained pure love F. H. THE END
A General Epistle to all who have believed in the Light of the Lord Iesus and are called of God to follow the Lamb through the Great Tribulation Dear Friends WHom God hath called out of the world and the vanities of it to serve the living God in newness of life and to be worshippers of him in Spirit and truth and to be followers of Christ in the regeneration and to be baptized with him into his suffering and death that so you may be partakers of his resurrection and life and manifest unto all that you are risen with him out of the grave of sin wickednesse and death by having your hearts renewed and your affections and minds set to seek those things which are above which are not transitory and visible but everlasting and immortal by which the souls of all the righteous and obedient children are refreshed and nourished up unto eternal life and through the eternal power of the Son of God which hath been and is manifest among them that believe in the measure of his Spirit and keep their first love and integrity unto the Lord all his are preserved out of the temptation of the adversary within and without who seeks to root out that which God hath planted and to nip the blossom and the bud which God hath caused to spring forth through his tender love in your hearts so that you might die to the good and be spoiled in that wherein all your happinesse lieth now and for ever Oh therefore all watch and be circumspect so much the more against temptations lest you be ensnared and your faith fail and you fall short of the promise of God in not continuing faithful to the end friends a care and a tender love and a godly jealousie is in my heâ—rt to you and over you all that have believed that none of you may be lost and scattered again in the desarts and mountains and dry and parched places where you have sometimes been in the time of unbelief where the Goats who are rough can feed that must go unto the left hand and have the curse The zeal of the Lord and his truth which so gloriously hath been manifest among you above all the people and families of the earth in our generation constrains me thus to write unto you and to stir you up unto faithfulnesse in this day of trial for now Satan desires to winnow you within and to sift you without therfore all watch and pray that your faith fail not which now will be tryed and your hope your love and your zeal to the Lord and his truth and whether you will confesse him before men his way worship and Laws and Statutes which he hath revealed in your hearts which fallen men opposes and contradicts and sayers gainsay and would not have him to rule nor his servants to obey so let it be manifest to all you fear God rather then men and love him and obey him above the precepts of men which are against him and whether you love the things that are above beyond the things that are earthly and whether you will own him his cross reproach and suffering or deny it and have the liberty of the world which is bondage and free from righteousnesse It 's no time of reserves concealing hovering or halting for there is an utter discord betwixt Christ and Belial and so much the more of Christ his power and kingdom is brought forth so much the more is the hatred envy and wrath of the Devil kindled who hath deceived the Nations and blinded their eyes and in his subjects who oppose the Lamb of God and tread underfoot the blood of the Covenant so that to one or other each one belongs and which is for each part will be seen for there can be no concord or reconciliation therefore all children of the day put on the armour of light and have your feet shod now when we walk through thorny places and be not fearful or doubtful but of believing hearts stand not aloofe off and idle when others are engaged in this spiritual War pull not your necks out of the yoke when others draw shelter not your selves when you see others in jeopardy love not the world when you see others have thrown it off be not intangled in cumbersom things when you see others throw off all weights turn not your backs in the day of the Lords controversie but follow the Lamb this is the day of tribulation we have to follow him in our age like as all the Martyrs and Prophets had in their age whose garments were made white in the blood of the Lamb so all that continue and are not faint hearted shall receive the Crown the honour the reward and shall reign with Christ who now suffers with him therefore all dear children of God and followers of Christ Jesus let the loyns of your minds be girded up be now ready when the Lord calls who is on my side who will take part with me who will own my reproach who will engage with me who will gather to my standard of salvation lifted up and to my ensign of righteousnesse held forth in the world to redeem it and who is ready and not abroad in the field neither hath to go to the house top but that all may say in their hearts here am I ready to do thy will ready to obey thee and follow thee and to suffer for thee for whoso draws back the Lord hath no pleasure in such he that will save his life shall lose it and he that will save his liberty will lose it in the Spirit and he that will save his earthly possessions and for the doing thereof will deny that which God hath perswaded him of that he ought to be faithful in he will lose his inheritance in the heavenly In a word who so fails in holding forth that testimony that they know God requires and is their duty to render unto him will lose the testimony of his Spirit they have sometimes felt in themselves and will decay and their love will wear out Therefore whosoever are resigned and given up unto the Lord will be approved and manifest to be on the Lords part by obedience unto these things mentioned Friends do you not believe it a duty that every Christian ought to be exercised in to meet together to wait upon him to vvorship him and to admonish exhort and strengthen one another to pray together in the holy Ghost and one for another and to edifie and comfort one another and do you not believe God dvvells not in Temples made vvith hands neither hath any fellovvship vvith Idols but is vvorshipped any vvhere and in every place vvhere the Saints meet in his Name again have you not been comforted edified and strengthened in meeting and have you not found the presence of the Lord and his face and have you not felt his great povver working in your hearts vvhen you vvere assembled together in his Name working in