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
A15848	The victory of patience and benefit of affliction, with how to husband it so, that the weakest Christian (with blessing from above) may bee able to support himselfe in his most miserable exigents. Together with a counterpoyson or antipoyson against all griefe, being a tenth of the doves innocency, and the serpents subtilty. Extracted out of the choisest authors, ancient and moderne, necessary to be read of all that any way suffer tribulation. By R.Y.	Younge, Richard.	1636 (1636)	STC 26113; ESTC S102226	124,655	323

because they are good or because they are deerely beloved of God If a mans person and wayes please God the world will be displeased with both If God be a mans friend that will be his enemy if they exercise their malice it is where he shewes mercy and indeed he refuseth to be an Abel whom the malice of Cain doth not exercise as Gregory speaks for it is an everlasting rule of the Apostles He that is borne after the flesh will persecute him that is borne after the Spirit Gal. 4.29 not because he is evill but because he is so much better than himselfe 1 Iohn 3.12 Because his life is not like other mens his wayes are of another fashion Wisd. 2.15 I have also shewed the Originall continuance properties causes ends and what will be the issue of this enmity and therein made it plaine that as for the present they suit like the Harpe and the Harrow agree like two poisons in one stomack the one being ever sick of the other so to reconcile them together were to reconcile Fire and Water the Wolfe and the Lambe the Windes and the Sea together yea that once to expect it were an effect of frenzie not of hope It remaines in the last place that I declare the Reasons why God permits his dearest children so to be afflicted The godly are so patient in their sufferings With other Grounds of comfort and Vses And first of the first The Reasons why God suffers the same are chiefly sixteene all tending to his glory and their spirituall and everlasting good benefit and advantage for the malignity of envie if it be well answered is made the evill cause of a good effect to us God and our soules are made gainers by anothers sin The Reasons and Ends which tend to Gods glory are three 1 It makes for the glory of his Power 2 It makes for the glory of his Wisdome 3 It makes much for his glory when those graces which he hath bestowed upon his children do the more shine through imployment It maketh for the glory of his Power Moses having declared in what manner the Lord permitted Pharaoh to oppresse the children of Israel more and more still hardning his heart shewes the reason of it in these words That I may multiply my miracles and wonders in the Land of Aegypt That I may lay my hand upon Pharaoh and bring out mine Armies even my people by great judgements that my power may be knowne and that I may declare my Name throughout all the world Exod. 7.3.4 9.16 When that multitude of Amonites and Moabites came to war against Iehosaphat and the Children of Israel intending to cast them out of the Lords inheritance and utterly destroy them to the dishonour of God the Lord by delivering them from that sore affliction gained to himselfe such honour and glory That as the Text saith the feare of God was upon all the Kingdomes of the Earth when they heard that the Lord had fought so against the enemies of Israel 2 Chron. 20.29 The judgement was upon some the feare came upon all it was but a few mens losse but it was all mens warning 1 Cor. 10.11 When the Lord brought againe the Captivity of Sion saith the Psalmist Then said they among the Heathen the Lord hath done great things for them Psal. 126.1 2. God provides on purpose mighty adversaries for his Church that their humiliation may be the greater in sustaining and his glory may be greater in deliverance yea though there bee Legions of devils and every one stronger than many Legions of men and more malicious than strong yet Christs little Flock lives and prospers and makes not this exceedingly for our Makers for our Gardians glory Gods power is best made knowne in our weaknesse 2 Cor. 12.9 Impossibilities are the best advancers of his glory who not seldome hangs the greatest waits upon the smallest wyars as he doth the earth upon nothing For what wee least beleeve can bee done we most admire being done the lesser the meanes and the greater the opposition the more is the glory of him who by little meanes doth overcome a great opposition yea it is greater glory to God to turne evils into good by overmastering them then wholly to take them away Now if ●hy very enemies thus honour thee how should thy friends bought with thy precious bloud glorifie thee But the sweetest of honey lieth in the bottome I passe therefore from the first to the second Reason CHAP. 2. That it makes for the glory of his Wisdome 2 SEcondly it maketh for the glory of his marvellous and singular wisdome when he turneth the malice of his enemies to the advantage of his Church I would saith Paul yee understood brethren that the things which have come unto me are turned rather to the furthering of the Gospell So that my bonds in Christ are famous throughout all the judgement Hall and in all other places Insomuch that many of the brethren in the Lord are imboldned through my bonds and dare more frankely speake the word Phil. 1.12 13 14. In all other cases a gentle resistance heightens the desire of the seeker in this the strength of opposition meeting with as strong a faith hath the same effect Againe how admirably did the Lord turne the malice of Iosephs brethren when they sold him into Aegypt And that devilish plot of Haman against Mordecay and his people ●o the good of his Church in generall and of Ioseph and Mordecay in particular Gen. 45.8.11 Hester 9.1 2 3. Their plots to overthrow Ioseph and Mordecay were turned by a Divine Providence to the onely meanes of advantaging them And herein was that of the Psalmist verified Surely the rage of man shall turne to thy praise Psal. 76.10 It is not so much glory to God to take away wicked men as to use their evill to his owne holy purposes how soone could the Commander of Heaven and Earth rid the world of bad members But so should hee lose the praise of working good by evill instruments it suffiseth that the Angels of God resist their actions while their persons continue God many times workes by contrary meanes as Christ restored the Blind-man to his sight with clay and spittle he caused the Israelites to grow with depression with persecution to multiply Exod. 1.12 The bloud of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church Persecution enlargeth the bounds of it like as Palmes oppressed and Camomile trod upon mount the more grow the faster T is as easiy for God to work without meanes as with them and against them as by either but assuredly it makes more for the Makers glory that such an admirable harmony should be produced out of such an infinite discord The World is composed of foure Elements and those be contraries the Yeare is quartered into different seasons the minde of man is a mixture of disparities as joy sorrow hope feare love hate and the like the body doth consist and is nourished

orient For Vertues like the Stars shine brightest in the night and fairest in the frost of Affliction More particularly Affliction is a notable meanes to try whether we have faith or not Nothing is more easie then to trust God when our Barnes and Coffers are full And to say give us our daily bread when we have it in our Cubbards But when we have nothing when we know not how nor when●● to get any thing then to depend upon an invisible bounty this is a true and noble act of faith Againe touching other graces how excellently was Iobs patience and sincerity made known by Sathans malice when he brought forth those Angelicall words What shall we receive good at the hand of God and not receive evill Iob 2.10 When he stood like a Centre unmoved while the circumference of his estate was drawne above beneath about him when in prosperity he could say if my mouth hath kist my hand and in adversity the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh blessed be the name of the Lord. He was not so like the wicked as they are like dogs that follow the meat not the man Alas they are but bad workes that need rewards to crane them up withall for neither paine nor losse much lesse the censure of lewd persons will trouble a well planted mind Againe God suffers us to suffer much more especially to try our perseverance which is a grace so good and acceptable that without it there is nothing good nor acceptable And indeed how shall a man shew his strength unlesse some burthen be laid upon his back or his constancy The Spaniell which fawneth when he is beaten will never forsake his Master And Trees well rooted will beare all stormes The three Children walked up and downe in the fiery flames praising God And a Blade well tryed deserves a treble price How did the Church of Pergamus approve her selfe Yea how was she approved of God which hath the sword with two edges when she held out in her workes even where Sathan dwelt and kept his Throne I know thy workes saith God and that thou keepst my Name and hast not denyed my faith even in those dayes when Antipas my faithfull Martyr was slain among you where Satan dwelleth yea where his Throne is and where some maintaine the Doctrine of Balaam and the Nicholaitans and teach that men ought c. Rev. 2.13 14. Persecution is the Sword whereby our Salomon will try which is the true naturall Mother which the pretended Afflictions are the waters where our Gideon will try whether we are fit Souldiers to fight the Battle of Faith We are all valiant Souldiers till we come to fight Excellent Philosophers till we come to dispute good Christians till wee come to master our own lusts But it is opposition that gives the tryall when Corruptions fight against the graces and cause Argent to seem more bright in a fable Field But to go on A man is made known whether he be feeble or strong by the provocation of an enemy even calme tempers when they have been stirred have bewrayed impetuousnesse of passion Now he that overcommeth his own anger saith Chilo overcommeth a strong enemy but he that is over●ome by it is a whiteliver saith Hermes for wrath proceedeth from feeblenesse of courage and lacke of discretion As may appeare in that Women are sooner angry then men the Sicke sooner then the healthy and Old men sooner then Young Againe it s nothing to endure a small tryall or affliction every Cock-boate can swim in a River every Sculler sayle in a Calme every man can hold up his head in ordinary Gusts but when a blacke storme arises a tenth wave flowes deep calls unto deep Nature yeelds Spirit faints Heart fayles Wheras grace is never quite out of heart yea is confident when hopes are adjourned and expectation is delayed Finally Affliction and Persecution humbleth the spirits of the repentant tryeth the faith and patience of the sincere Christian but hardneth the hearts of the ungodly Wicked men like some Beasts grow mad with baiting If crosses or losses rush in upon them they fall to the language of Iobs Wife Curse God and dye or to that of the King of Israels Messenger Why should I serve God any longer 2 King 6.33 CHAP. 10. That it prevents greater evills of Sinne and Punishment to come 7 SEventhly the LORD by this evill of Chastisement for sins past preventeth the evills of sin and greater punishments for the time to come The Lord saith Elihu correcteth man that hee might turne away from his enterprize and that he might keepe backe his soule from the Pit and that his life should not perish by the sword Iob 33.17 18. The sharpnesse of crosses are Gods spirituall hedge This salt doth not onely preserve from Corruption but also eate out Corruption We are chastened of the Lord saith the Holy Ghost that we might not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11.32 Erring soules be corrected that they may be converted not confounded If Paul had not been buffeted by Sathan and wicked men he had beene exalted out of measure 2 Cor. 12.7 Pride is so dangerous a poyson that of another poyson there was confected a counterpoyson to preserve him from it God would rather suffer this chosen Vessell to fall into some infirmity then to be prowd of his singular priviledges Least I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of Revelations there was the poyson of Pride insinuating it selfe I had a Thorne in the flesh the messenger of Sathan to buffet me There was the Counterpoyson or Antidote which did at once make him both sick and whole The enjoyment of the worlds peace might adde to my content but it wil indanger my soule how oft doth the recovery of the body state or minde occasion a Relaps in the soule Turne but the Candle and that which keeps me in puts me out The younger brother shall not have all his portion least he run Riot All the life of Salomon was full of prosperity and therefore we find that Salomon did much forget God but the whole life of David had many enemies and much adversity and therfore we see by his penitentiall Psalmes others that David did much remember God As Salt with its sharpnesse keeps flesh from corrupting So their malice keeps our soules from festering Bees are drowned in Honey but live in Vineger Now if sweet meats breed Surfets t is good sometimes to taste of bitter its good somvvhat to unloade when the ship is in danger by too liberall a ballast I will tell you a Paradox I call it so because few will beleeve it but it is true many are able to say they have learned to stand by falling got strength by weaknesse The burnt Child dreads the fire A broken bone well set is faster ever after Like Trees we take deeper root by shaking And like Torches we flame the brighter for bruizing and knocking God suffered Sathan to spoile Iob