Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	put_v	spirit_n	stony_a	3,973	5	11.7036	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03464	The Christian exercise of fasting, priuate and publike plainly set forth by testimonies of holy Scriptures, and also of old and late writers: wherein is shewed how religious families priuatly, and the congregations publikely, haue humbled themselues before almightie God, making vse of iudgements past, auoyding euils present, and preuenting future calamities, &c. Together with sundrie abuses of fasting in three generations of hypocrites: the first in the dayes of the prophets: the second in the dayes of Christ: the third in the dayes of Antichrist. Hereunto also are added some meditations on the 1. and 2. chapters of Iob, to comfort and instruct all such as be afflicted with any crosse, either inwardly in minde, or outwardly in bodie. By H. Holland, minister and preacher of Gods word.	Holland, Henry, 1555 or 6-1603.	1596 (1596)	STC 13586; ESTC S104147	181,008	249

read the Scriptures chap. 9. 2. Dauid read the Scriptures Psalm 119. and 19. Christ commaundes all to search the scriptures Ioh. 5.39 Paule warnes Timothie to giue attendance vnto reading 1. Tim. 4.13 The Eunuch was very diligent in reading the scriptures Act. 8. and the Apostle commaundeth his epistles to be read publikely and priuatly to all the saintes 1. Thes 5.27 Col. 4.16 A diligent wise and profitable reading of holy scriptures helpeth iudgement increaseth faith confirmeth memorie stirreth vp affection c. and prepareth a man wonderfully to the fruitefull hearing of Gods word preached A great number not regarding this preparation know not the preachers text and many know not what booke or part of the bible and some are so rude ignorant that they know not whether the scriptures of God or apocriphall bookes be handled In reading haue a speciall regarde first vnto matter secondly to method first for matter reade most the holy scripture it selfe secondly in the scripture things most profitable and needefull for thy saluation And for methode first begin with the groundes of saluation secondly labour to discerne higher mysteries which most neerely concerne thy saluation Secondly by meditation after reading Heb. 5.12 13 14.6 1 2 3 4. After reading must follow meditation and according to our loue vnto the worde will euer bee our meditation Psalm 119.97 Reading without this is but barren and will breede neither sound delight nor good learning Psalm 37.5 Delight thy selfe in the Lord and his word and there will follow good meditation and applie the word to the minde by meditation for the right vnderstanding of it this will bring great delight and comfort to thine heart Pro. 2.1 2 3 4 5. for this diligent searching is the way to get diuine wisdome and spirituall vnderstanding 2. Heart prepared The heart must also bee humbled and prepared and that in speciall manner when we would receiue a blessing by the word preached or the sacraments administred for the good heart receiues the immortal seed of regeneration and of faith Luk. 8. vers 15. The honest and good heart heares the word and keepes it and brings foorth fruite with patience Psal 119. vers 11. Hide thy promise in mine heart Prouer. 4.4 Let thine heart hold fast my words Heb. 3.12 Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an euill heart of infidelitie to depart away frō the liuing God c. Now for that the Lorde alone workes in the heart searching and framing it as pleaseth him Ierem. 17.9 1 By prayers therefore here wee must put vp our supplications to him to prepare our harts by his holy spirit to humble and beate downe the pride of our hearts Bradford praied thus sweetly for a good heart Take from vs our hard hearts our stony hearts our impenitent hearts our distrusting doubtfull hearts our carnall and secure hearts our idle hearts our impure malicious arrogant enuious wrathfull impatient couetous hypocriticall and epicureall hearts and in place thereof giue vs new hearts soft hearts faithfull hearts mercifull hearts louing obedient chast pure holy righteous simple lowly and patient hearts to feare thee loue thee and to trust in thee for euer 2 By fasting And here wee bee called againe to the exercise of fasting for this we heard before is a meanes to humble vs and to giue wings vnto our prayers This Chemnitius sayth of his experience among the godly Multi sunt c. The 4. part A great number there is of good faithfull people when they giue themselues to the meditation of Gods word preached and to the common prayers and participation of the Sacrament the day before they fast or eate very sparingly A willing desire to learne is a good grace of god Ioh. 4.39 Heb. 4.2 The heart prepared by prayer and fasting must haue two thinges first a reuerent feare of Gods word Esai 66.2.3 Hebr. 11.7.8 secondly an earnest desire to heare it and to feede our soules vpon it as vpon our ordinary foode Iob. 23.12 2. Attention and reuerence in hearing the word and participation of the Sacrament OVr hearts and minds being well prepared before Reuerend attention in hearing the word we must with diligence attend and incline our hearts to heare Gods word preached This teacheth Gods spirit in these wordes Prou. 2.1.2 My sonne if thou wilt receiue my words hide my commandements within thee and cause thine eares to hearken vnto wisedome and incline thine heart to vnderstanding c. And againe Psal 45.10 Hearken O daughter and consider incline thine eare c. For this gift and grace Lidia is a blessed president Acts 16. for the Lord opened her hart that she did attend vnto these things which Paul spake The reuerend participation of the Sacrament Againe our hearts and minds being prepared before as is aforesayd we must draw neere also in as reuerent a manner to the participation of the Sacrament at which time thinke of these poynts First when the Minister taketh the bread and wine into his hand and partly by opening the institution and promise of God partly by prayer dooth consecrate the elements of bread and wine then meditate on this Ioh. 6.27 that Christ alone was giuen of the father and sealed to be thy redemption Secondly when the minister breaketh the bread and powreth out the wine meditate on the passion of Christ and shedding of his bloud Thirdly when the minister giueth thee bread and wine into thine hands meditate how the father offereth vnto thee Christ Iesus and all his benefites for thy saluation Fourthly when thou receiuest bread wine at the hand of the minister labour withall by faith to apprehend and receiue Christ and his benefits Fiftly As thou eatest the bread and drinkest the wine 2. Cor. 13.4.5 Eph. 3.20 Phil. 3.9.10 and 4.14 Gal 2.19.20 Heb 9.14 1. Ioh. 1.7 so labour by the same faith to appropriate and to apply Christ vnto thy soule and as thou feelest strength and comfort to come to the bodie by the outward elements ●o labour to feele Christ and his grace in thee his death more and more to kill thy sinne his bloud to sanctifie and purge thy heart and conscience from dead workes his grace power and vertue to inable thee to stand against the kingdome of Sathan and sinne 3. Meditation after the word and Sacrament MEditation is that which nourisheth and cherisheth that good in vs which we haue receiued by the word and Sacrament This meditation is either 1. With our selues and is either 1. A meditatiō of the mind and reason 2. A meditation of the heart and affections 2. With others this is conference Meditation of the vnderstanding is when reason discourseth of things heard and read which the wise heathen call the refining of iudgement the life of learning they that want this howsoeuer they heare and reade shall neuer haue good iudgement Meditation of the affections is

all good things vnto God secondly for that in outward iudgement so many accidents cannot bee ascribed to any cause but to blinde fortune So blind and ignorant is mans heart Lastly we would gladly auoyde Gods presence and diuine iudgement for the triall of all our actions These and the like reasons haue caused Epicures and grosse sinners to deny vtterly the holy doctrine of Gods prouidence They say euery one that doth euill is good in the sight of the Lord and he delighteth in them or where is the God of iudgement And againe We count the proude blessed euen they that worke wickednes are set vp and they that tempt God are deliuered Another sort well neere as prophane haue dreamed of an absolute necessitie in all things they say Gods prouidence is a chayning together of many causes which binde all things and euen God himself that he can not alter or chaunge the effects which those causes are to produce in any part of the world * Sathā confutes the Peripatetikes for he saith God himselfe doth not looke vpon Iob in a generall but in a most speciall maner caring for him and al his But Sathan himselfe is here of another iudgement A third sort would faine restraine Gods prouidence to the highest heauens would haue vs thinke that all things here on earth are gouerned either by the influence of the starres or by some secret worke of nature or by the will and reason of man or if none of these be the proper cause then fortune chance must bee the Ladie and mistrisse and mother of all such strange euents But for the confirmation of our faith and for the confutation of all such blasphemers wee must haue most strong and sufficient arguments out of the holy scripture alwayes in a readines Such as thinke not of Gods dayly cōtinual d●otrction aee worse we see here then the deuil First let Sathan confirme vs that gladly would infirme weaken vs let him cōfute his owne vassals who would faine confirme them in all their errors We see his conclusion in Gods presence whatsoeuer he suggesteth in their hearts to the contrary is but error and vanitie 2. Argument A second argument is this Man the creature is prouident and wise for gouernement Ergo much more the creator Cap. 3● 36. This is the Lordes owne reason vnto Iob Who hath put wisedome in the reynes or who hath giuen the heart vnderstanding The answer is the Lord himselfe Ergo he is more wise more prudent and more prouident then man is Psal 94.9.10 And thus the Psalmist reasoneth Hee that planted the care shall not he heare or he that formed the eye shall not he see he that chasticeth the nations shall not he correct be that teacheth man knowledge shall not hee know 3. Argument A third argument If the almightie doe not gouerne prouide for and preserue his people it is either because he will not or because he cannot To admit any such cause in him is to giue place to an intolerable blasphemie against God He that hath decreed and sworne to aduance his elect to such an euerlasting glorie in the heauens must haue a speciall care of them here on earth Q. What is Gods prouidence What is prouided The prouidence of God is the euerlasting and immutable counsell of God most wise most iust whereby God careth prouideth for and preserueth all and euery one of it creatures and effecteth all good and permitteth euill to be done and turneth both good and euill to his owne glory and the saluation of his elect Vse of the doctrine of Gods prouidence FIrst wee see by this doctrine from what sweete fountaine all good doth flow and streame continually vnto the creatures from the Lord alone God the fountaine of all good in man for there is no good in any creature but by and from his grace of his owne free will and power effecting and working the same Wherefore let vs breake downe selfe loue pride of wit free will and such fantasies and illusions of wicked spirites and neuer sacrifice vnto our owne net as the prophet speaketh but vnto the author of all good the Lord himselfe Heb. 1.16 1. Patience The doctrine of Gods prouidence will teache vs patience in afflictions Iob. 1.21 In aduersitie 2. Think vpon the Lorde principally seeke helpe of him onely by meāes appointed in afflictiō 1. Sam. 14. Psal 147.11 2. We learne here to be patient in afflictions considering the hande of our God is present with vs and his eyes are euer vpon vs let our eyes the eye of our faith be fixed and fastned vpon him and quietly let vs say with Iob As it pleaseth the Lord so it came to passe blessed bee the name of the Lord. 3. Againe in aduersitie let vs not so much thinke vpon the secondary causes and meanes as vpon the al-sufficient and most prouident God which is not tyed vnto meanes as carnall wittes and blind hearts haue imagined It is not hard for the Lord to saue by fewe or by many And for as much as our God careth for all his creatures and more for man and most of al is delighted in them which feare him and attend vpon his mercie Let vs in all holines and righteousnes striue to serue him all the dayes of our life assuring our selues that he careth for vs and seeke the meanes and a blessing vpon such as he hath appointed 4. If the cares of this life do molest thee remember by what arguments in holy scripture the God of prouidence doth confirme his people they are these the like Math. 6. Luke 21.34 against that worldly care which distracteth and diuideth the hart the Lord Christ doth call it therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proijce quae cunque cor-tuū laniant quae si aliter extrahi nequirent cor ipsum cum illis reuellendum erat Senec. epist 70. lib. epis 52. 1. Hee that careth for the lesse careth for the greater God careth for the fowles of the ayre and for the lillies of the field and therefore much more for vs Mat. 6.25 2. We must auoid such things as oppresse the hart make it dull brutish and prophane This doe surfetting drunkennesse and the cares of this world wherefore wee must take heed of them Luk. 21.34 3. He that hath giuen vs so infinite a treasure as Iesus Christ and his riches will not denye vs the trash and base things of this life Our heauenly father hath giuen vs * Ask thine owne heart conscience whether the heauenly father by his holy spirite hath married thee to Iesus Christ Note these places 2. Cant. 2.16 2. Cor 13.5 Iohn 15.1.2 Doctrine Iesus Christ Rom. 8.32 Ergo we shall not want the blessings of this life 4. Againe certaine it is he that will giue vs the greater blessing will giue vs the lesse Our heauenly father hath decreed promised and assured vs by his spirite