Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	according_a	lord_n	servant_n	2,414	5	6.5575	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93062	The sinfulnesse of evil thoughts: or, a discourse, wherein, the chambers of imagery are unlocked: the cabinet of the heart opened. The secrets of the inner-man disclosed. In the particular discovery of the numerous evil thoughts, to be found in the most of men, with their various, and severall kinds, sinful causes, sad effects, and proper remedies or cures. Together with directions how to observe and keep the heart; the highest, hardest, nad most necessary work of him that would be a real Christian. / By Jo. Sheffeild Pastor of Swithins London.	Sheffeild, John, d. 1680.	1650 (1650)	Wing S3064A; Thomason E1863_1	165,696	337

done smoaking and sparkling when shall this filthy scum boile out when shall these wells Ezek. 24. 6. 2 King 3. 25. Ezek. 36. 25. be fild and stopped up Oh when shall this heart be made clean when when shall it once be and when shall the clean water promised be poured out Deep calleth loud unto Deep the deeps Psal 42. 7. Zech. 13. 1. of misery to greater deepes of mercy This secret fountain of sin to that open fountain of grace for sin and uncleannesse Lord search and cleanse this heart and Psal 139. 23. Psal 19. 12. Psal 51. 10. Psal 17. 8. cleanse me most from secret sins A new a right a stable s●irit create in me O God and keep thou this heart for me with all thy keeping as thou wouldest keep the apple of thine eye Woe is me that I must Psal 120. 5. still dwell in Mesech and my soul with them that hate peace Oh blessed thrice blessed Psal 23. 1 2. he whose sin is pardoned and most blessed he in whose spirit there is no guile Apply the Lev. 14. 6. 50. Lev. 14. 25. 28. warme blood of a dying Saviour to remove my guilt and the efficacy of a living spirit to purge out my guile as the blood of the dead and water with the living sparrow went both together to cleanse the Leprous house and as the blood of the lamb and the anointing oile together to cleanse the Leprous person Oh when shall I have done trifling dallying roving in my thoughts Oh when shall I have done doubting disputing distrusting Oh when shall I have done murmuring repining fretting Oh when shall I have done carking caring thought-taking Oh when shall my heart become composed fixed stablished Oh when shall my thoughts begin to be serious spirituall sanctified Oh when shall I begin to be considerate circumspect heavenly Oh when shall I begin to love chuse and obey thee When shall I follow on to know acknowledge and glorify thee as God! When shall I see that happy day to delight rejoyce and glory in thee When when shall it be my study to seek God contemplate God converse with God When when shall it be my practice to sleep and wake with God to talk and walk with God to injoy and joy in God! Let natures works lead me by the hand to seek thee let reason lift up my head to discern thee let thy word raise up my heart yet higher to admire thee and let thy spirit of grace elevate my soul yet higher to embrace thee till Grace and Glory meet to make thee and my soul meet and be united Onely deny me not two things before I dy Prov. 30. 7 8. Psal 120. 3. remove from me vanity and lyes deliver me O Lord from lying lips and from a vain deceitfull heart Lord is folly so fast bound up in the heart of a child that the rod must fetch it out and Prov. 22. 15. is it bound up so much faster in the heart of a man that neither rod nor word nor smiles nor blowes nor mercies nor judgements can fetch it out Thou hast brayed me in a morter yet doth not this folly depart from Prov. 27. 22. me Oh send out once thy light and truth thy grace and spirit and let them lead me Psal 43. 138. Oh when wilt thou prepare repair and renew this heart Oh that thou wouldest soften circumcise and subdue this heart Oh that thou wouldest purge sweep and cleanse this heart Oh that thou wouldest adorn enrich and furnish this heart Oh that thou wouldest enlighten enliven and enlarge this heart Oh that thou wouldest abide in inhabit and keep this heart Oh that thou wouldest watchover secure and guard this heart Oh that thou wouldest open shut and lock this heart shut out idle unclean and vain thoughts keep in holy pure and chast thoughts setting up the doors thereof the locks thereof and the bars thereof Neh. 3. 6. 2 King 2. 21. Oh season this spring then shall not the waters be barren nor dead Mend this treasure then shall communication be wholsom Mat. 12. 35. and conversation holy Give me Lord What wilt thou give me Give me the heart to ask give me the heart I ask for Give a soft a tender a sound heart Give a rent a broken a contrite heart Give a mourning a melt●ng a fleshy heart Give me Lord a believing a loving an obedient heart Give a humble a meek a contented heart Give a holy a high a heavenly heart Give Lord a faithfull a thankfull a chearfull heart Give a panting a praying a praising heart Give a free a firm a fixed heart Give a willing a wise an understanding heart Give a pure a perfect a sincere heart Give a new a true another heart yea Lord that heart that is according to thine own heart Lord take this heart for an Ark and a Temple and a sacrifice for God Lord make this heart the habitation the sanctuary the mercy-seat of God Let it be thy Shiloh thy Bethel thy Penuel Let it be my Jehovah-j●rith Jehovah Shammah Jehovah Shalom Let it be thy fountain sealed thy engraven signet thy garden enclosed But Alas Alas I must renew my griefes mine habitation is in the midst of deceit my dwelling among briers and thornes yea among scorpions is my abode serpents and Cookatrices that will not be charmed Were it an open enemy I had to do with I would bear it or seek to avoid him or were it a suspected friend I would be shy and wary of him and hide my self But it is thou my familiar my self where shall I go out to fly or go in to hide me I have long looked for peace but behold trouble W●e is me my soul is wearied because of murderers Jer. 4. 13. And my life is a wearinesse to me because of these daughters of Heth to which I am married They who repaired the gate of the fountain in Nehemiahs time had a happy and honourable emploiment but how unhappy mine who am set to repaire this Dung-gate and to set up the doors thereof and the locks thereof and the bars thereof Neh. 3. 14 15. But is there no Balme in Gilead Is there no Physitian there Is there no Refiners fire nor fullers sope to be had or hoped for Must I sit down and say it is my burden and I must bear it The frogs Jer. 10. 19. were a sore plague to the Egyptians which came into their Chambers and were upon their Tables But these come into an Israelites heart into my oratory closet and bed Thou didst sever then between the Israelites and Egyptians sever now between the Israelites and these frogs They after two or three daies were removed and shall these never They had that plague of lice crawling on their bodies yet at length removed but I unhappy I have these on my spirit They had botches on their backs I a plague in my heart they the

to perform duty Pray Magus Let wicked men pray let them sing Psalmes let them hear I do not say let them be wicked It is their sin if they do not pray is not their sin to pray Say not my children shall not pray nor be taught to pray till they be holy and sanctified As some pray by the Eph. 6. 18. Jude 20. Luke 11. 13. spirit so others pray for the spirit first Refuse not to joyn with such who are no Saints in singing praying c. which are the proper works of Saints Let wicked ones pray I say but let them repent as well as pray Repent of this thy wickednesse and pray c. 8. Wicked and desperate sinners after conviction reproofe and plain admonition are to be given over and left to themselves and Gods Judgment with their blood running upon their own heads Let the dart be left sticking in their side Let them take Rev. 22. 11. their course and be filthy still and let the word take its course and become a favour of death to death to such Here is no place for foolish pitty and casting Gospel Pearls before such swine The Godly Minister is unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish 2 Cor. 2. 15. None of these observations do we intend to stand upon But the ninth and last which we shall fasten upon is this Doct. Sinfull thoughts got rooted and entertained in the heart put a man into a very sinfull and wofull condition Or thus If such sinfull thoughts be received and entertained in the heart without true and serious Repentance of them and Earnest prayers against them the man is in a hopelesse and desperate state CHAP. II. The point explained Prov'd and confirmed by sundry arguments in the text FIrst I say for the opening of the termes in the position Thoughts finfull fixed rooted entertained such was this in Magus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 machinatio Beza Cogitatio nimium dilute redditur Significatur his vafrum Simonis commentum Leigh It was in his heart and the two wordes used here signifie fixed and deliberate thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 20. which is more then a transient injected sudden thought or inconsiderate Imagination And the other word in this verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred thought signifies more properly machination project designe purpose of the heart Secondly Peter would never have begun with such an Execration of his motion or used such an Imprecation on his Person Thymony perish with thee or thy mony and thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 go into Perdition together for so is the Grammaticall reading nor would he have concluded with such a peremptory sentence of Condemnation nor would he have so Rattled and Terrified him if his sin and danger had not been very great nor lastly would he have doubled all his Arguments if it had not been to leave him sensible of so great a mischief and throughly to waken and warn others 1. He tells him twice of his thought v. 20. and 22. 2. He tells him twice or thrice of his state 1. Thy heart is not right in the sight of God 2. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter 3. Thou art in the gall of Bitternesse and bond of Iniquity Thirdly He calls upon him to a double duty Repent and pray Fourthly And to drive him out of all his security and to force him out of his sloth he makes him no absolute promise nor so much as conditionall neither but leaves him in doubt yea a double doubt 1. If 2. perhaps He saith not so much as Joel 2. 14. Who knows but the Lord may repent but all he saith is Perhaps and as if that were too much yet he puts in another If If perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee For the evill of thoughts consider these other Scriptures Pro. 6. 18. among those six things which God hateth The heart that deviseth wicked Imaginations is one Pro. 15. 26. The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord. Esay 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his tboughts Jer. 4. 14. O Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickcdness that thou mayst be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee When the Pharisees carped at some acts of our Saviour and reasoned in their hearts it is said Jesus knowing their thoughts rebuked them saying wherefore think you evill in your hearts Often it is said Mat. 9. 4. in the Gospel Jesus Christ took notice of their thoughts Luke 11. 19. and Luke 24. 38. Why do thoughts arise in your hearts By all which proofes it appears how much evil is in the evil thought Reasons There be many reasons at hand in the Text. 1. These Proclaim what we make of God of the Gospel and the wayes and servants of God Thy mony perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with mony q. d. What a thought hast thou conceived what dost thou think of God of the Holy Ghost the gift of God of the Gospel and of us Thou art all for mony thy selfe thou thinkest God is so at least we are so and that the Gospel and gift of God is but a devise to get more mony Thy mony and thy thoughts perish together 2. These thoughts lay open the heart and shew the temper of it more then any outward action or expression Phisiognomy doth not so declare the constitution of the mind not the Pulse of the heart nor the urine of the disease as the thoughts do the state and frame of the heart if thou wilt take the paines to observe them Vrina est meretrix and baptisme profession hearing wondering mony giving are no better shew not the Christian to himself so much as the thoughts Thy heart is not right saith Peter because thou hast harboured such a thought in the sight of God Jer. 4. 14. Wash thine heart how long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee Where vain thoughts are lodged the heart is not clean 3. These to a Judicious and discerning Eye leave in a most desperate state what ever Ignorant wicked or self-deceiving persons may dream to the contrary I perceive saith Peter I know thou thinkest not so ill of thy selfe or thy state I perceive that thou art in the very gall of bitternesse and in the bond of Iniquity That is thy heart and state is as bad can be as bitter as gall Thou art as fast in sin as if bound to it with chaines It is more saith Beza then to have Gall or bitternesse in him as it is more to be in wine or to be in the water or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Extra se erat v. 13. Idem verbum v. 9. non eodem sensu acceptum ibi Magus prestigiisf acinavit dement avil spectatores hic ipse quasi in Extasi positus totus obstupuit to be in

health thereby 3. Dividing between the body and his convenient rest he is working or watching or plodding when it is more then time he were in his bed 4. Between rest and sleep by night his body is laid down to rest but his sleep departs from him or when he begins to sleep his cares make him turn himselfe upon his bed and raise him up before his time Eccle. 2. 23. 5. Between the mind and Cheerfullnesse Pro. 17. 22. or contentednesse the cheerfull mind is as good as a medicine the carefull mind is as a consumption in the bones 6. Between labour and delight the Lord Deut. 12. 18. would have his people to rejoyce in all the workes of their hands and to joyne labour and delight together as those who serve a gracious master these bereave themselves of allowed outward comfort disquieting themselves in vain and onely eat the bread Psal 127. 2. of carefullnesse and drink the water of affliction Now though there be no comparison between worldly joy and Godly sorrow the least drop of Godly sorrow is more worth then the whole sea of worldly joyes yet between even naturall and worldly joyes and sorrowes there is a great difference joy and delight as much exceeding naturall or worldly sadnesse as the light doth darknesse or health doth sicknesse an ounce of Godly sorrow is more worth then a pound of carnall and sinfull joy but an ounce of naturall and honest joyfullnesse in thy labours is more worth then a pound of affected sadnesse and heart pinching carefullnesse 7. Between industry and piety God would have us both industrious and religious not slothfull in businesse fervent in spirit Ro. 12. 10. serving the Lord The worldling thinks businesse goes not forward if Religion and piety be not laid aside The Christian goes to schoole to the Ant and to the spider too The one labours for her food The other seeketh to get into the Kings houses The good houswife described Pro. 31. as shee eateth not the bread of idlenesse so she is Pro. 31. 20. 27. full of good workes of piety and charity 8. Between diligence and dependance The Codly Christian hath learned to joyn diligence and dependance together because he reades in one chapter these two Proverbes set near together The hand of the diligent maketh rich Pro. 10. 4. and v. 22. The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich The worldling saith away dependance sancta diligentia ora pro nobis and help me saint diligence he throwes away the keyes of heaven with Julius the second and trusts onely in his arme of flesh and as Esau lives by his sword not his faith Gen. 27. 40. 9. Between providence and providence divine and humane as if I could not shew my self provident unlesse I destroy and distrusted Gods providence or could not be Curatus unlesse Episcopus also or nisi sublato Episcopatu a Curate unlesse Gods Episcopacy and oversight be removed I must take care for my self faith the worldling whom have I to take care for me besides my self Beast who takes care of the fowles of the heaven and beasts of the earth and shall he not as much care for thee oh Ma● 6. 30. thou of little faith 10. More and worse divisions yet They divide between the Christian and his duty Be carefull for nothing but in all things by prayer supplication intercession and giving Phil. 4. 5. thankes let your request be known to God Cares and Prayers dwel not together Though Melancton said once Si non curarem non orarem If I had not many cares I should have made but a few prayers yet commonly the Christian saith otherwise Si non orarem magis curarem If I had prayed lesse I must have cared more Prayer either weakens cares or cares drive out prayers So he that hath most cares of the world hath as we say no care in the world of spirituall duties hearing reading meditation The Epicure makes short graces we say and long meales The worldling short graces and meales too and onely long daies workes He feares undoing no way but by serving and trusting God And gives more credit to the worlds Cursed proverb then to all Solomons divine proverbs viz. He that is religious shall dye a begger 11. Worse divisions yet between the duty and the heart in duty The duty is slubberd over but the heart hath been otherwise employed he is like a child who asketh blessing and lookes another way He heares without attention he prayes without affection his heart goes after his covetuousnesse all sermon time and when will the Sabbath be gone is his constant Sabbath meditation He likes Amen better then all the prayer and the grace of our Lord Jesus above the whole sermon 12. Between a spirituall seed time and harvest The thorny ground had a most lovely and hopefull seed time better by far then the high way ground yea then the stony that heard with joy and beleeved Mat. 13. 20. 22. early These go very far yet come to no maturity and perfection These never persevere up spring the thornes of worldly cares and all is choaked he is a knowing man he was a great hearer he continues a civil man but the world comes in upon him and his heart is set upon it he never holds out but the great husband hath spoiled the good Christian The Asses are cared 1 Sam. 10. 2. 1 King 2. 40. 46. for till the Son is lost with Kish The servants are sought for till thy self art lost with Shimei more ado for a lost groat Lu. 15. then a lost soul 13. Yea not to multiply particulars they divide between many things that are of affinity and should joyn to help each other 1. They divide between cares and cares 1 Cor. 7. 34. 2 Cor. 7. 11. 1. Cares of the world lawfull and moderate cares which are allowed and commended and carefullnesse for the soul and for the things of the Lord which are more commended 2. Between Gods cares and our cares 1 Pet. 5. 7. There is both Gods care and ours Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you The world casts in care upon you you are to cast it out It is Gods worke to care for you this burden will break your back if you cast it not upon the Lord. 3. Between Calling and calling Thy generall calling and thy particular which are made to be mututall helpers of each other but here the general calling of Christianity is neglected that the other may be more attended Hag. 1. 9. 4. Between Labour and labour that for bread which perisheth is preferd before that for bread which endureth to eternall life Jo. 6. 27. when as both are in their place and measure to be laboured for 5. Between Rest and rest he either takes away the sabbath out of the decalogue and resteth not or he separates spirituall rest from bodily his body rests it may be a Church time

oh that I had a treasure a stock a spring of such thoughts I should never be weary of them Lastly good desires concerning which we shall make a particular digression in the next chapter CHAP. XXXIIII Of Good Desires THE Desires do as much discover the heart and thoughts as any thing else And because oft Hypocrites are apt to shroud themselves under this pretence of their good hearts because of some good desires and to think themselves to be much better then they are The wicked boasteth of his hearts desire and the covetous blesseth himself in Psal 10. 3. this respect when the Lord abhorreth him And on the other side godly ones not taking notice how much good is in a right good desire think themselves worse then they are I shall take a little paines 1. For the incouraging of the one to tell him how much good is in a good desire 2. For the undeceiving of the other to tell him what desires are good and when And the first I shall lay down in Eight Conclusions 1. There is so much good in good desires that it is almost all the godly have to speak and reckon of Make an Inventory of a Christians State and search every room if you find not these you find nothing and if you set these down you set down all he is worth Inprimis In his heart a few good desires Item In his best duties and prayers a few good desires Item In all his acts dealings and whole life a few good pious and honest desires Lastly the Summatotalis is so many good desires Hence the godly have oft mentioned their desires Esa 26. 8 9. They are mentioned twice as if they had nothing else to set down Nehem. 1. 11. Psalm 38. 9. As Daniel was called a man of desires so may Dan. 10. 11. every Christian being wholy made up of good desires 2. Of these God taketh speciall notice he Psal 10. 17. 1 King 8. 18. Cant. 1. 6. and 4. 7. heareth the desire of the humble he saith in as much as it was in thy heart it was well when we say I am black he saith thou art all fair thou hast good and fair desires As the new wine is found in the cluster and one saith destroy it not there is a blessing in it so will I do for my servants sakes that I may not destroy them Esa 65. 8. all in the cluster of good desires there is a great deal of good new wine put into the bottle of the new heart And God will not have one good desire destroyed but hath a blessing in store for it 3. These if the heart could be lookt into be ript open do shew better what is there of grace or sin then any thing else A wicked man is better known by his desires then words or deeds he may keep in ill words forbear evil acts is never free from ill desires Neither he nor Satan do alwaies tempt ly steal murder commit adultery but dost thou desire So many sinful desires so many sins a man may be guilty but of one act of murder or adultery ye● be a thousand times a murderer or adulterer because of so many such desires Pharaoh had slain Moses Haman Mordecai Saul David Amnon had ravished Tamar long before if they could have had their desires God doth set them down so many times a murderer incestuous c. So is the godly man measured by his desires Dost thou desire to pray repent believe mortify sin honour God benefit his Church This is to have done so much as thou desirest yea the godly is a thousand times better in his desires then he can be any other way He aimes at the mark in his desires though he shoot still short or wide By his good will he would have every duty performed perfectly every sin destroyed might he have his will had his sins all one neck as Caligula wished of the Romane Senators he would give the blow and he makes that vow that Israel did Num. 21. 2 3. If the Lord will deliver these Canaanites into his hand he will destroy them utterly and call that day Hormah that is utter destruction 4. Good desires are ever the first preparations unto grace to let it in As the day comes in by the breaking of the cloudes so grace by the breaking of good desires Psal 10. 17. Thou hearest the desire thou preparest the heart 5. They are not the preparations onely for but the first buds and blossomes of grace The first beginning of grace and the appearance of it is seen in the change of the desires as the woman conceived with child yet knows not whether she be with child or no but she observes there is a change in her somewhat is the matter she hath less stomack to former diet she long 's and desires that which formerly she cared not for and never thought off So the godly now begin to loath sin and to desire grace 6. Yea further These are the very life and soul of grace as the flame is of the fire as natural life is preserved in the appetitive faculty it begins and ends with it so spirituall life in the spirituall appetite and concupiscence Gal. 5. 17. The spirit lusteth against the flesh and the flesh against the spirit The life of sin is preserved not in the continuall acts of sin but in the continuall love of it So life of grace not alwaies continued in the apparent acts and exercises of it but in the desires after it 7. To go yet higher These are the very perfection and the highest pitch of grace on earth Divines speak of many perfections here on earth 1. Of parts not degrees 2. Comparative not absolute 3. Inchoated not attained Poor perfections all God knowes But the 4th Of desires is above them all Parts Comparative Inchoated fall short as Caro concupisci●a ●versus spiritum spiritus adversus carnem c. ut ●on quod volumus facimus Quare quia ve●mus ut nul lae amnino sint concupisentiae sed non passumus Aug. well as Degrees absolute attained but desires rise higher My duties parts graces are imperfect saith the godly soul my desires are perfect duties low desires high duties smoak desires flame my duties creep of all four and cannot go my desires have four wings like that creature Dan. 7. 6. that had four feet and four wings my performances do but creep and leave me on the ground my desires are winged and carry me up to heaven Yea higher yet what will you say if we tell you desires are the best perfection of heaven where there is nothing of imperfection and that not onely among the spirits of just men now made perfect but among the Angels themselves who were never lesse then perfect There are many perfections in heaven of degrees absolute compleat There is perfection of knowledge love joy peace of all grace and glory all perfections Yet I may safely say this