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	moses_n	pharaoh_n	4,537	5	10.9869	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86532	The saints guide, in three treatises; I. The mirror of mercie, on Gen. 6.13. II. The carnall mans condition, on Rom. 1.18. III. The plantation of the righteous, on Psa. l.3 / By Thomas Hooker minister in New-England.	Hooker, Thomas, 1586-1647.	1645 (1645)	Wing H2655; Thomason E1160_1; ESTC R11339	43,446	180

report of the Land which they had searched unto the Children of Israel saying the Land which we have gone to search is a Land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof c. The Gyants were so cruell that they eat up one another and those that came amongst them upon this report the Children of Israel murmoured against Moses and Aaron and they wished themselves in Egypt again Exo. 14.2 They would willingly have been in Canaan they still cryed out for the Land that flowed with milk and hony but they were not willing to encounter with any hardship by the way when once they heard of Gyants then the Leekes and Garlick of Egypt was preferred before the delicacies of the Land of Canaan when Christ feed his followers many flocked after him but it was more for love to the loaves then to his Doctrine John 6.26 Many would bee happy that are not willing to be holy when once they are called upon to deny themselves to crucifie their beloved sinnes to forsake all yea life it self for the truth then they cry out it is a heard saying and who can bear it and then they scandalize the wayes of God and the truth of God and raise evill reports of them Object Is it then in our power to make the word effectuall Answ No but it is your power to doe more then you doe your legs may as well earry you to the word as to an Ale-house your ears may heare the word as well as idle tales you may sing as well Psalmes as idle songs you may read good books as well as Play-books doe you what you are able to doe put all your strength and diligence unto it and then cast your selves upon God and tell his Majesty that faine you would forsake every evill way but of your selfe you are not able and though the spirit bee somewhat willing yet the flesh is weak and that you have a base deceitfull heart that is ready to embrace every occasion of sinning that lyeth in the way beseech him therefore not onely to begin but to consummate every good work within you Though it be not in mens power to save themselves yet their owne Consciences will tell them that they might do more then they do Luke 7.29.30 The Publicans justified God that is said that hee was faithfull and mercifull Being Baptized with the baptisme of John but the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the councell of God against themselves or to their owne hurt and were not Baptized of John terms of grace and Salvation were offered both to Publicanes and Pharisees the one reject the good councell of God given the other accept of it therefore when we see others called converted by the same meanes we live under wee should blame our selves and reflect upon our souls and say the word would have enlightened me had I not contemned it it would have quickened mee had I not gainsayed it I was almost converted I had some tastes of Heaven and happinesse but oh wretch that I was company came thoughts of the world came and choaked it the Lord hath oftentimes knocked at my heart but I would not set open the doores of my soul that the King of glory might come in Thirdly A Carnall heart doth oppose the good word of God so that it works not upon his soul by resisting the work of conviction when the word of God hath had some powerfull work upon the soul that the sinner is a wakened and his conscience roused up within him that hee cannot but say I am the man these are my sinnes which finlesse the Lord in mercy prevent it will surely be my ruine now carnall reason endeavours either to extenuate the sins or to villifie the word of God and the truth of it which is the ground of all opposition against the word for if men did indeed beleeve that it was the word of an Almighty God and that every curse therein denounced should surely fall upon the heads of those that transgresse those Ordinances divine they durst not sinne against the plaine commands thereof as they doe When Balack sent to Baalam to curse the people of God thinking him to be a Witch and therefore whom hee blessed was blessed and whom he cursed were cursed God saith to Baalam thou shalt not goe with them therefore hee went not But when Balack sent more honorable men then they and promiseth him promotion then saith the poore sinfull covetous wretch Stay all night and I will see what the Lord will say when as the Lord had peremtorily said thou shalt not goe with them yet his affections were lingering after the house-full of gold therefore he hoped that God would have changed his minde and thus hee tempted God to require him contrary to his commandement a low esteeme that hee had of the word of God was the cause of that fearfull sin Now how many be there that follow the wayes of Baalam as the Apostle Jude speaketh who are willing to obey the commands of God so long as it may stand with their profit and hononr but when such a try all comes as that by lying and deceit they may get gain as hear a house full of gold proffered then they look for a despensation then they cast the Commandments behinde their backes Many a Vsurer that findes the sweetnesse of it and is resolved to continue in that sin hee will studie all the Arguments that hee can to palliate it and readily catch hold of every thing that may seeme in the least manner to countenance it but oh how hardly can he be brought to give ear to what the word of God saith against it When Moses stood before Pharaoh and his rod by the immediate finger of God was turned into a Serpent Pharaoh doth not sit kowne under the Miracle but to make it of light esteem he sends for his Magicians who turne likewise their rods into Serpents but Moses his rod devoured theirs Yet saith the text Pharaohs heart was hardned so it is with every carnall heart when the word cometh home and convinceth him and fills his soul with terrour and trouble then he send his Magicians carnall reasonings and though the word of God doth eat up all those reasonings yet the carnall heart goeth away satisfied and with Pharaoh groweth harder and harder Fourthly and lastly if by carnall reason they cannot defeat the truth then they fall to down right opposition of it laying violent hands upon it and in despite of the truth doe whatsoever their own wicked hearts suggest as it was with the Children of Israel when their proud hearts prompted them to aske a King Samuel makes a gracious Sermon unto them to diswade them from it and hee shewes them the manner of their King and how he should enslave them and make their sonnes and their daughters all that they had to be at his disposing not that Kings have any such Authority by their office but being he was to reigne in Gods wrath therefore hee

some measure also comes to conceive of the nature of grace he beginnes to see the excellencie of Faith and Repentance what it is to bee in a Christ what it is to want a Christ the man is become an apprehensive man saith God I will cause the house of Jsraell to know their abhominations It is not sufficient to come and heare the word and never attend it or consider of it But if God comes with it it will make the Drunkard know what it is to be drunke and the Dissembler what it is to deale fasly with God and his truth Job 36.9 Hee shewes them their workes and their transgressions God shewes a man his iniquities God shewes a man his pride his vanity of minde the judgements threatned the plague deserved Oh then The sinner saith this is my sinne and this is the punishment due to mee that is the Nature of my abhomination and that is the judgement of God for it Thus I say the Lord takes hold of a sinner And this is the first way by summons or Subpena If a sinner be secure God brings him to the word if then carelesse God makes him attend If ignorant he informs him As in a Law case The man is not onely attatched to appeare but when he appeares there is a declaration of the fact So the Lord shewes the soule what his sinnes are what neede there is of Christ grace faith and repentance which hee never knew of before Secondly Thus the Action being laid oh the sinfull heart invents marvellous strange shifts and evasions The day is appointed for the triall what Lawyer doth the Soule get to plead his Cause He sends for carnall reason as Pharaoh sent for the Magicians And when God hath opened his eyes and discovered his soule to his soule then he calls in I say the Magicians of carnall reason to plead against the word of God lest it should prevaile or his sins should lie so heavy upon him as to tire and weary him out of them First it excuseth the hainousnesse of sinne that the sin was not so great that though the Minister speake as if we were all Saints yet are we not all sinners who then shall goe unpunished we doe not looke to be saved by our selves or our workes but by Jesus Christ and he came to save Sinners It is but looking towards him and crying God mercie at last but saith the Minister we must be sanctified as well as saved Acts. 3. 26. God having raised up his Sonne Jesus sent him to blesse you in turning every one of you from his evill way That is blessednesse we must be reformed if conforted humbled if glorified What saith the Sinner must I forsake my evill waies we know no man can what need a man to be so precise and curious Thus with these and many other please carnal reason like a cunning Solicitour with the helpe of the Divell who will play the crafty Lawyer and what the one can invent and the other suggest will be surely pleaded to beate backe the power of the word And t is admirable to consider what contentions there are herein and how the wicked heart of man will out-bid all the meanes under heaven untill the spirit of God come in upon the soule and then as the wisedome of God informes a sinner so the spirit becoms the Advocate of God that wise and holy Spirit by the Ministery of the word convinceth the sinner John 16.8 And when he is come he will convince the world of sinne he will answer all the pleaes and arguments that the sinner can make 2. Cor. 10.4 5. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong holds Casting downe immaginations and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ when the soule cavills what needes all this adoe Shall not a man goe to Heaven unlesse he pray heare Sermons and sanctifie the Sabboth Then the Spirit of God convinces a man fully that he hath not a word to say against the evidence of truth hee gives up the day and saith I confesse I am the man these are my sinnes I must forsake these or perish nay I must forsake all my sinnes or else I forsake none I see I cannot be a good Christian and a swearer a proud vaine person a carelesse liver then a Heathen a prophane Atheist will be as good a Christian Thus the action being laide by Information and the sinner cast in the action by the Spirits conviction Then 3. Least the sinner now in this estate apprehending his sinnes and the hainousnesse of them and of his desperate forlorne estate thereby should sinke under his burthen the Lord lets in the manifestation of his goodnes into his soule and the Soule thinkes with it selfe how good is God in his providence to provide the meanes of grace to bring me under them to shew mee my wanderings Ah sinfull lost undone creature And yet the Gospell of grace and the word of grace invites me to mercie Oh Is it possible that such a foule as mine should be recovered That I am yet alive yet on this side hell yet enjoy these meanes Rom 2.4 The goodnesse of the Lord leadeth unto repentantance and it incourageth the sinner both to comfort and amendment doth the Lord vouchsafe mee these mercies why not my heart purged why not my corrupt Natures cleansed why Lord thou wast mercifull to Manasses who after all his wickednesse repented and received mercy 4. If yet the sinner shall turne this goodnesse of God into wantonnesse and pervert the meanes of grace unto by ends because he is yet in strength and health doth and will continue still in his sinnes delaies his repentance Repentance will be soone enough hereafter That the wisedome of God groweth almost resolved to forsake him because all the wayes thereof for the sinners reformation are neglected The goodnesse of God is resolved to incourage him no more because despised yet the patience of God commeth in and when the Lord is even leaving the sinner and Justice taking hold of vengeance the blessed patience of God steps in and pleades and enters a new succor It intreates the Lord to stay one yeare longer When the Lord came three yeares to the Figetree Luke 13.7 and found no fruit Cut it downe saith the Lord nay stay Lord saith the Keeper of the Vineyeard another yeare it may beare So that Gods patience prevailes that God doth not yet proceede in justice and execute judgement Hos 11.8 9. How shall I give thee up O Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israell how shall I makethee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zebeim mine hart is turned within mee my repentings are kindled together I will not execute the fiercenesse of mine anger c. See how patience pleades for a poore creature Oh Lord this poore sinner hath delayed but he will