Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	harden_v	judgement_n	pharaoh_n	2,936	5	10.9003	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01974	Gods three arrovves plague, famine, svvord, in three treatises. I. A plaister for the plague. II. Dearths death. III. The Churches conquest over the sword. By William Gouge Doctor in Divinity, and preacher of Gods Word in Black-Friers, London.	Gouge, William, 1578-1653.; Gouge, William, 1578-1653. Dignitie of chivalrie.; Gods three arrowes. aut	1631 (1631)	STC 12116; ESTC S103284	362,085	493

schismaticall and prophane persons loathed Superstitious persons wish for Queene Maries dayes againe Schismatiques wish there had beene no reformation unlesse it had beene better The prophane cry out of too much preaching 5. For Magistrates abusing their authority all the complaints 5. Magistrates abuses of the Prophets may too justly be taken up against many of ours if at least this were a fit place to make complaints of their bribe-taking perverting justice oppressing the innocent using their power to their owne turnes c. 6. For Ministers perverting their function many among 6. Ministers faults us exceed the false prophets among the Iewes None greater discouragers of the upright None greater animaters of the prophane The greatest zeale which they use to shew is in their bitter invectives against such as make most conscience of sinne They are too great companions with the baseer and lewder sort 7. For trampling upon such as are fallen so inhumane are 7. In humanity Am 6. 6. many as they do not onely stretch themselves upon their beds and drinke wine in bowles while their brethren ●e groaning under sore afflictions or like the Priest and Levite passe by without succouring such as are not able to helpe themselves Luk. 10 31 32. Iob 4 6. Luk. 1. 1. 2 Sam. 16. 7 8 but like Iobs friends charge them with hypocrisie or like the Iewes account them the greatest sinners or as Shemei raile on them and so give them instead of a cup of consolation vinegar and gall to drinke 8. For conspiracy and consent in sin when was there more 8. Conspiracy then among us Great ones meane ones old young male female Magistrates subjects Ministers people rich poore masters servants all of one mind to disgrace integrity and to countenance impiety and iniquity Insomuch as the Prophets complaint is too truly verified among us Isa 59. 15. He that refraineth from evill maketh himselfe a prey 9. For obstinacy in sinne who can open his mouth wide 9. Obstinacy enough against mens stubbornenesse They are impudent and stiffe-necked They have a whores forehead and will not be Ezek. 2. 4. Ier. 3. 3. ashamed They bid a kind of defiance to God himselfe As they abuse his mercies so they despise his judgements What swearer what blasphemer what drunkard what adulterer what fornicatour what oppressour what extortioner what usurer what deceiver is reformed by this Plague So obstinate are people as God had need to make the faces of his Ministers strong against their foreheads Ezek. 3 8 9. 10. For Infidelity we Ministers have too great cause to cry out Who hath believed our report Were not this sinne 10. Infidelity Isa 53. 1. so fast fixed in mens hearts as it is much more comfort would be received from the Ministry of the Gospell and much better obedience yeelded thereto The Apostle giveth this reason of the small profit that was reaped by the Gospell It was not mixed with faith in them that heard it True faith hath a double worke where it is kindly wrought Heb 4 2. Faiths double worke 1. In generall it perswadeth the heart of the truth of Gods Word 2. In particular it brings the heart to apply that truth to it selfe as a truth which concernes him The small profit that many reape by Gods Word the little use that they make thereof sheweth how infidelity beareth sway in them Thus it commeth to passe that they are like the children in the market that neither danced to them that piped nor lamented with them that mourned Nor promises nor Mat 11. 16 17. threatnings nor mercies nor judgements worke upon them 11. For impenitency It cannot be denied but that many yea most are so setled on their sins as they hate to be reformed 11. Impenitency Where are true fruits of repentance to be found Where shame where sorrow for sin Where turning from sin Men rather grow worse and worse Gods judgments harden their Tantam nactus Pharao lengani mitatē extrema● de omnibus dedit poenas Chrys ad Pop. Hom. 46. hearts as they did the heart of Pharaoh But he paid thorowly for abuse of so much patience If by any occasion their consciences be any whit rub'd and they brought thorow feare and anguish to promise amendment they quickly shew that no true repentance was wrought in them But it is hapned unto them according to the true proverbe The dog is turned to his 2 Pet. 2. 22. owne vomit againe and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire 12. For Apostasie if first we consider inward apostasie 12. Apostasie Inward which is b Rev. 2. 4 5. 2 Thes 2. 10. 11. a decaying inwardly in former love of truth too great and just cause of complaining is given Many have left their first love and become c Rev. 3. 16. Outward Apostasie lukewarme as the Laodiceans Thus a ready way is made to outward apostasie which is an open renouncing of the very profession of true Religion as this whole land did in Queene Maries raigne It is much to be feared that if a like occasion should be given a like apostasie would follow If these and other like provocations of Gods wrath among us be duly weighed we shall see cause enough to confesse that Gods wrath is justly gone out against us and that we have deservedly pulled this Plague upon our owne pates It remaines therefore that we thorowly humble our selves that we lay open our soares before our mercifull God that we faithfully promise amendment that we give evidence of the intire purpose of our heart in promising by an answerable performance But above all for the present that we crave mercy and pardon of God thorow Iesus Christ that he may offer up his sweet incense to pacifie his Father and cause his destroying Angell to stay his hand §. 47. Of the kind of plague here meant THe Effect of the fore-mentioned wrath that came from the Lord is thus expressed THE PLAGVE IS BEGVN The word translated * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plague is a generall word that signifieth any heavy stroake of God The roote whence it is derived signifieth to strike a Exo. 21. 35. It is applied to an oxes striking or pushing to death so to other like strikings but most commonly to Gods striking of wicked men with some extraordinary judgement As where David said of Saul b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sam. 26. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord shall smite him meaning so as to destroy him This word is c Exo. 8. 2. 12. 23. 12. 27. Ios 24. 5. oft used of Gods smiting the Egyptians when they held the Israelites among them as bond-slaves Yea such a word as d Exo. 9. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word in my text is used to set out all those judgements which God brought upon the Egyptians called plagues The word PLAGVE in our vulgar acception

the Elders of Israel in his time of b b b 1 Sam. 7. 9. Samuel of c c c 2 Chro. 13 14. the Priests in Abijahs time of d d d 14. 11. Asa e e e 20. 6. Iehosaphat f f f 32 20. Hezekiah and Isaiah Magistrates and Ministers have the charge not onely of their owne soules committed unto them but also of all the members of the Common-wealth and Church So as by a double bond they are tied to the fore-named duty One in regard of their owne safety the other in regard of the safety of such as are committed to their charge For the preservation hereof there is no other meanes comparable to that which is here intimated A faithfull seeking of succour from God Besides among other persons their prayers caeteris paribus are most likely to prevaile with God because by vertue of their publique functions they sustaine the persons and stand in the roome of all that are under them Take notice hereof you that are in eminent places either in Church or Common-wealth By your conscionable care herein give occasion to your people that are under you to blesse God for setting you over them give them occasion to pray for you yea to pray that God would heare your prayers for them Thus will they esteeme you as g g g 2 Sam. 18 3. Davids people esteemed him worth ten thousand of them Thus will they readily willingly cheerefully be subject to you and yeeld to you in every thing your due This is the best means of knitting hearts of people to their Magistrates and Ministers §. 41. Of performing the promises which we make of praying for others III. * * * Sec §. 38. PRayer promised must be performed When Pharaoh felt the heavy hand of God to lie upon him he desires Moses and Aaron to pray for him They desirous to shew how much rather they would that he should submit himself for his owne and peoples preservation to the good pleasure of God then by his fierce wrath be destroyed make promise to pray for him and answerably they made conscience to performe their promise whereupon it is noted that a a a Exo. 8. 12 32. they went out from Pharaoh and cried unto the Lord. Yea though b b b 9. 30 33. he knew that when the judgement was removed Pharaoh would againe harden his heart yet was Moses faithfull in performing his promise c c c 1 Sam 7. 5 9 10. Samuel having made a promise to pray for Israel when the Philistims were assembled against them he so cried to the Lord as the Lord thundred with a great thunder upon the Philistines and discomfited them Yea he acknowledgeth it to be d d d 12 23. a sinne to neglect to pray for the people And surely it is an hainous sinne especially after promise of doing it is past For in this case there is a double bond broken 1. The bond of loue and mercy whereby we are bound to pray as occasion requireth though we have not promised so to do 2. The bond of truth and fidelity wherewith our owne mouth by making promise hath bound us e e e Psal 19 4. Promise is to be kept in many things that are prejudiciall to us How much more in such duties as we are necessarily tied unto whether they be promised or no. We have just cause on this ground to call to mind what occasions have beene offered to draw us to make promise of this duty and withall to consider whether we have made good our promise or no. Questionlesse there hath beene much failing herein It is usuall for Christians on all occasions when they are in any want or distresse when they part one from another when they write one to another both to desire and also to promise this mutuall Christian helpe of prayer But if examination be made of the performance of such promises even they that are forward and frequent in making them wil be found exceeding backward and negligent in performing them Be perswaded that this carelesse neglect of that whereunto ye are so doubly bound is a great sinne Repent of that which is past and for the time to come be more faithfull and conscionable Such a promise is not far from a vow The more tender ought we to be of breaking it Of the two it is better not to promise then to promise and Melius est non promittere quam promittere non facere Hier. Comment l. 13 in Ezec. 44. not performe what we promise But let not this keep men from promising For mutuall prayer being in it selfe a bounden duty we ought by promises to draw on our selves thereto Promise therefore and performe §. 42. Of the interpretation and resolution of the eleventh Verse EXOD. XVII XI And it came to passe when Moses held up his hand that Israel prevailed and when he let downe his hand Amalek prevailed THe * * * See § 1. Issue of Moses his being upon the mount is here noted to be different according to the steddinesse or weaknesse of his hand The first phrase And it came to passe or word for word a a a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it was is an usuall transition in Scripture dialect whereby one point is knit to another By Moses holding up his hand is meant the steddinesse of his faith in prayer b b b Metonymia Adiu●cti The outward signe is put for the inward thing signified thereby We have c c c §. 22. before shewed that by lifting up of hands as this action hath relation to God and that in prayer is meant a desire and expectation of Divine help and a readinesse to receive it Holding up hands implieth a continuance therein without fainting d d d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hiphil The Hebrew word is of such a conjugation as intimateth both a reciprocation and also a continuance of the action e e e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quoad The particle prefixed before this clause and translated when importeth as much for it signifieth so long as in which sense it is used in the very next clause of this verse f f f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tremel quieti dabat The other word translated let downe in the conjugation wherein it is used signifieth to give to rest or to make to rest This is ordinarily done upon wearinesse It appeareth hereby that Moses waxed weary with holding up his hands and being weary to rest them let them downe Whereby it is implied that in his continuance to pray his spirit waxed faint and his faith weake which made him somwhat to intermit that duty As therefore Israel had the better while Moses with a stedfast faith continued to pray for them so while thorow weaknesse he intermitted that duty the enemy had the better The Summe of

Ministers or rather Gods e Isa 10. 5. rod staffe and f 34 6. sword to smite his people withall The Lord takes upon him to revenge that he may order vengeance as he seeth just cause either to aggravate or mitigate Lege Tertullianum lib. 1. cont Marcion Qui dixit Deum non ulcisci malos it to continue or to cease punishing which questionlesse was the reason that moved David to say g 2 Sam. 24. 14. Let us fall now into the hand of the Lord. As all hope of impunity is hereby taken away so good ground of penitency is given How can any thinke to escape seeing the every-where present all-seeing impartiall God undertaketh to punish him h Heb. 10. 30. Vengeance belongeth unto me saith the Lord where upon he inferreth I will recompence Feare therefore to provoke this avenger Do not vainely hope to escape his revenge though thou persist in sinne Yet if after thou hast sinned thy heart smite thee and thereupon true repentance be wrought in thee prepare to meet thy God Thus maist thou either prevent and keepe off all vengeance as i Ion. 3. 10. the Ninevites did Or if he have begun to strike thou maist make him k 2 Sam 24. 16 17. repent of the evill and cause him to stay his hand as David did It is God that smiteth To him therefore must we looke It was the aggravation of Israels obstinacy that l Isa 9. 13. They turned not to him that smote them §. 22. Of the utter destruction which stubbornenesse brings to men VI. * See §. 11. STubbornenesse after some stroakes causeth utter destruction a Lev. 26 18 c. So much is threatned in the Law and b Isa 1. 5 c. 9. 13 14. Am. 4 6 c by the Prophets declared to be accomplished Many particular remarkable instances hereof are recorded in Scripture Deu. 29 19 c that succeeding ages might be the better warned thereby c Gen. 14. 10 11 Sodom and the Cities that tooke part with her were overcome and sacked by the foure Kings that came against them This was no light stroake yet it wrought no amendment Wherfore not long after d Gen. 19. 24. they were utterly destroyed with fire and brimstone from heaven Pharaoh and his subjects were so smitten with e Exo. 7. 20. c ten severall plagues as gave sufficient demonstration of their folly in standing out against the great Lord of heaven yet still continued they to harden their hearts against God therefore at length f Exo. 14. 28. he and his whole host was drowned in the Red Sea The Israelites were oft and sorely punished by many judgements but no whit bettered by any of them so as the Lord was provoked at length to make their land desolate g Lam. 1. 1 c This h Mat. 3. 10. phrase which Iohn the Baptist useth The axe is put to the root of the tree importeth as much By the axe he meaneth Gods judgement by the tree the nation of the Iewes by putting to the root an utter extirpation A tree may be lopt and yet stand and grow and flourish againe But if it be cut at the root downe falls body boughs and all He implies therfore that whereas God had formerly by Plague famine sword captivity and other like judgements lopt them and oft times made them bare now he intends to cut their root utterly to cut them downe and cast them off Gods justice and wisdome yea and the glory of all his See the Churches Conquest on Exo. 17. 14. § 69. properties provoke him so to do If the stubbornenesse of sinners against lighter judgements might carry it away man would seeme stronger then God Gods wisdome and justice would be much impeached His corrections would be despised his Word not regarded Besides others would be emboldened by the stubbornenesse of some to carrie themselves stoutly against God Mortall Kings and other Governours Parents and Masters will not suffer their inferiours to carrie away the masterie by stoutnesse Can we then imagine that the immortall God will suffer it He can and will beat downe the stubbornenesse of the stoutest Humble your selves brethren under the mighty hand of 1 Pet. 5. 6. God If he threaten fall downe before him repent go not on to provoke him further If we go on to provoke him more and more his rod will be turned to a staffe his staffe to a sword cleane to cut us off §. 23. Of sudden judgements VII * See §. 11. SVddennesse adds much to the severity of a judgement In way of terrour suddennesse is oft threatned as where the Lord saith a Exo. 33. 5. I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment and consume thee b Psal 73. 19. How are they brought into desolation as in a moment c Pro. 1 27. Their destruction commeth as a whirle-wind d Deut. 7. 4. The anger of the Lord wil destroy thee suddenly e Pro. 6. 15. His calamity shall come suddenly suddenly shall he be broken without remedy f Isa 29. 5 z 30. 13. 47. 11. It shal be at an instant suddenly g Ier. 6. 26. The spoiler shall suddenly come The terrour of Babylons destruction is hereby aggravated in that it was h 51. 8. suddenly fallen yea and of Sodom which is thus expressed i Lam. 4. 6. The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater then the punishment of the sinne of Sodom that was overthrowne as in a moment It is noted that k Gen. 19. 23. the Sun was risen upon the earth a little before the fire and brimstone fell from heaven That rising of the Sun made shew and gave hope of a faire day Yet then even on a sudden was that faire skie turned into a sulphurious and most dismall skie Mischiefes of sudden judgements 1. Sudden judgements strike men into amazement So saith Eliphaz l Iob. 22. 10. Sudden feare troubleth thee It makes men at their wits end as we speake Instance a sudden and unexpected surprisall by an enemy 2. Sudden evils not onely confound a mans wit and understanding but they bereave him of the use of such meanes as are usefull for his succour For there must be time for providing sufficient meanes 3. They are a great hinderance to true repentance to faithfull prayer and such like spirituall meanes whereby the wrath of God might be pacified and judgements prevented or removed 4. They are evidences of Gods incensed and implacable wrath As a man that is fully resolved to punish and not to spare will suddenly do what he intends to do This affords matter of instruction and direction Instruction in Gods tender respect to us For though by our sinnes we have long and much provoked him suddenly and utterly to destroy us yet hath he given us many warnings before hand by his

up that breach or otherwise it will soone become irrecoverable The cause of utter destructions Hence have we a demonstration of the folly of men who having incensed the Lords wrath continue to adde sinne to sinne and to lie securely therein nor repenting nor humbling themselves with prayer and fasting nor thinking any way to pacifie the Lords fiery indignation till the fury thereof flame round about them and that so fiercely as there is little hope of quenching it This is the cause of those desolations and utter destructions that have bene heretofore or still are made in the world For 1. i Mic. 7. 18. The Lord delighteth in mercy Were men carefull to walke in any measure worthy of his mercies his godnesse would be as an ever-springing and over-flowing fountaine sending out sweet streames to refresh us from time to time with all needfull blessings 2. k Isa 28. 21. Iudgement is his strange worke therefore he useth to threaten it before he execute it If therefore threatning of vengeance did kindly worke on men and make them humble themselves before the Lord and turne from their sinnes he would not execute what he threatneth Instance the case of l Ion. 3. 10. Nineveh and of m Ier. 26. 18 19. Hezekiah 3. God is n Ion. 4. 2. slow to anger Though he be provoked to begin to execute vengeance yet is he not hasty in powring out all the vials of his wrath He first begins with one He first striketh but softely If then men humble themselves and confesse their sinnes with penitent hearts he will say to his Angell whom he hath sent to destroy o 2 Sam 24. 16. It is enough stay now thine hand Deferring repentance a cause of much mischiefe The cause therefore of Gods severity in executing vengeance rests in mans obstinacy For p Psal 18. 26. Tamberlane ut Stephan in Apolog pro Herodoto With the froward God will shew himselfe froward Man persists obstinately in sinne and God persists resolutely in punishing sinne I have heard of a Generall that was wont to carie with him in his Camp three sorts of flaggs a white red and black one And when he first came against a City he displayed his white flag to shew that if without resistance they would yeeld they should upon acknowledging fealty to him enjoy their lives livings and liberty If they refused this offer he then displayed a red flag to intimate that he intended a bloudy battell against them If notwithstanding this menacing of bloud they obstinately stood out against him he lastly displayed a blacke flag giving them to wit thereby that now nothing was to be expected but utter ruine and desolation That practice was somewhat answerable to a Law that God made for his people that s Deut 20. 10 11. when they went to fight against a City they should first proclaime peace whereof if they would not accept they should destroy them all To apply this The preaching of the Gospell is Gods white flag The seasonable and just threatnings of his Ministers his red flag Execution of judgement by Plague famine sword or any other like kinds his blacke flag How foolish how sottish how rebellious against God how injurious to their owne soules are they that not only despise the offer of mercy in the Gospell but also cary themselves contumeliously against the threatnings of Gods Ministers grounded on his Word and justly deduced from it Even this is our case so have we dealt with God and thereby provoked him to hang out this black and deadly flag of Pestilence whereby so many hundreds are weeke after weeke destroyed among us This by speedy humiliation and conversion might have been prevented Speedy repentance very profitable If in any case speed and haste be needfull surely it is most needfull yea and necessary in appeasing the wrath of God No fire no floud like to it For the point therefore in hand what course soever ye take having good warrant for it That you doe do quickly Whether the judgement be publique or private on our selves or others let us make no delay Take * At the time when this was preached viz. Aug. 1625 a publique fast was weekely celebrated this opportunity now at length offered for publique humiliation by prayer and fasting and what you outwardly make shew of before men do inwardly and effectually before God the searcher of hearts Put off no longer time t Heb. 3. 7 8. Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your heart There is just cause to speake to you in such a manner as in another case u Act. 27. 21. Paul did to those that were in the ship with him Ye should have harkened to Gods Ministers and not have loosed from your loosed from your covenant with God and have gained this losse and harme which by fiercenesse of the plague hath befallen us You should as * §. 6. hath beene noted of Iob upon suspition have used meanes to prevent this Plague or at least when one or two in a weeke died of the Plague in the suburbs of the City you should have used all the meanes that Gods Word warranted then and there to have stayed it Have ye not heard of the counsell that Eliah gave to Ahab 1 King 18. 44. When there arose a little cloud out of the sea like a mans hand he said prepare thy chariots and get thee downe that the raine stop thee not So upon the sight of the smallest signe and first beginning of this Plague we should have used all warrantable meanes to have prevented if it had beene possible these showers of Gods vengeance which have day after day fallen upon us But seeing those opportunities have been too carelesly passed over let us now be made more wise Quickly speedily as quickly speedily as possibly we can seek yet to quench this fire to make an attonement for our selves and others yet living Considera quam multi modò moriuntur quibus si haec hora ad agendum poeni tentiam concederetur quae tibi concessa est quo modò per attaria quam festinanter currerent ibi flexis genibus vel certè toto eorpore in terram prostrato tam diu suspirare●t plorarent orarent donec plenissimam peccatorum veniam d Deo consequi mercrentur Tu verò commedende bibendo j●c●ndo ridendo tempus o●●ose vivends perdis quod tibi in dulserat Deus ad acquirendam gratiam promereadam gloriam Cogita etiam quot animae in inserno nunc cruciantur sine spe veniae misericordiae Si amor Dei te tenere non potest saltem teneat terreat timor judicij metus gehennae c. Bern. de Interiori Domo cap. 63. O cōsider how many have died who if they had this time for repentance which ye have would fast and pray and turne from sinne