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	spirit_n	word_n	3,484	5	4.1248	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A94757	A helpe to Christian fellowship: or, A discourse tending to the advancement and spirituall improvement of holy societie. Wherein the practise of it is commended, 1. In the communicating or imparting of their gifts and graces. 2. In their walking together in the ordinances of Christ. 3. In a mutuall serviceablenesse to one another. The particular graces necessary to the qualifying of Christians for it, are propounded. And an invitation unto it is urged by some motives from the benefit and pleasantnesse thereof. Applied to these times for the strengthening of mens hands in the happy work of reformation. By Samuel Torshell. Imprimatur, Charles Herle.	Torshell, Samuel, 1604-1650.	1644 (1644)	Wing T1937; Thomason E37_8; ESTC R11602	27,805	36

Father and with Christ of the multitude of them that believe of the household of faith or according to the tearmes of the description such as are joyned together in heart mind and affection being made one with Christ are at an agreement among themselves being borne of the same immortall seed nourished by the same breasts called by the same word gladly receiving it and continuing stedfastly in it interessed in the like pretious faith and ruled and guided by the same Spirit These are the subject of this fellowship none else are truely capable of it Profane spirited men no nor hypocrites neither though they croud in sometimes and take up roome cannot may not be acquainted with these joyes Such Canaanites are Merchants of this world they have nothing to doe in the house of the Lord of Hosts Zach. 14 2● Isa 26.2 Isa 35.8 These gates are to be open only to the righteous nation which keepeth the truth that they may enter in for this way is called the way of holinesse the uncleane shall not passe over it No bastard no Gibeonite no stranger no blemisht one is capable of entrance into this sacred Temple of believing fellowship None but sonnes and daughters of the Almighty citizens of the new Hierusalem free denizons of the glorious corporation of Believers are the right subject for such only have the spirit of Communion which unites the members of the Church as the Phylosophers say There is a soul of the world which holds together the parts of it The same spirit the same faith the same heart mind and affections are the sinewes muscles and ligaments which keep this body from loosening and falling asunder I commended the Primitive times and they had this spirit of communion the hundred and twenty that were at Hierusalem Acts 1.14 continued with one accord in prayer and supplication And I commended St Pauls longing after such society and he had the spirit of communion Who is weake saith he 2 Cor. 11.29 and I am not weake who is offended and I burne not And this mind he would have to be in all Christians Rom. 12. Rejoyce with them that doe rejoyce and weep with them that weep be of the same mind one toward another CHAP. III. The other part of the Description The exercising of Christian fellowship The mutuall exchange of gifts and graces MEN being thus qualified for fellowship The exercise of it The exercising of it is in these three things 1. A mutuall exchange and imparting of gifts and graces 2. A mutuall walking and holding hands in the Ordinances of Christ 3. A mutuall serviceablenesse to the bodies and foules of one another 1. A mutuall exchange of gifts and graces In the exercise of holy fellowship there must be a mutuall exchange and imparting of gifts and graces God hath dispensed variety of gifts unto his people all are not qualified alike There are some eminent graces that make the countenances of some Saints to shine Iob 1.8 Job was exemplary for singlenesse and plainenesse of heart Numb 12.3 2 King 22.19.23 25. Phil. 2.20 Moses for faithfullnesse and meeknesse Josiah for tendernesse and a melting spirit and for activity in the cause of Reformation Timothy for ministeriall diligence and a naturall care of the state of the flock Athanasius was prudent and active Cyprian zealous and vigilant Basil heavenly and of a faire sweet spirit Chrysostom laborious and without affectation Ambros resolved and grave c. The gift of Christ is grace according to measure He measures to such a one such gifts to another such to a third such and such as he pleaseth This I take to be the meaning of the Apostle Ephes 4.7 when he saith Vnto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ God gave the Spirit without measure unto Christ Joh. 3.34 considered in his humane nature when he was sent forth as himselfe speakes But we have it according to our scantling 1 Cor. 12.8 9 10. and as he pleaseth to honor and entrust us To one is given the word of wisedom to another the word of knowledge to another faith to another prophecie to another the discerning of spirits to another divers kinds of tongues 1 Cor. 1.7 c. Thus every man hath his proper gift of God one after this manner and another after that One hath quicknesse of parts but not so solid a judgement another is solid but not ready and presentiall one hath a good wit another a good memory a third good utterance One is zealous but ungrounded another well principled but timerous one is wary and prudent another open and plain hearted one is trembling and melting another is chearefull and full of joyes God is a free giver and a most wise disposer that we may be ingaged to use his bounty to each others help The knowing Christian is to impart unto him that is weake in gifts and the other that it may be hath fewer notions but more warmth and fuller of love to those truths that he knowes 1 Cor. 12.21 is to impart of his heate to his knowing friend for the eye the knowing man cannot say to the hand the active man in Gods cause I have no need of thee The members must have care one of another the knowing men of the ignorant ver 25. yea the knowing men are to care for one another not envying the communicating of their notions for some truths may be more cleared and revealed to one then to another who is otherwise every way his equall in habituall knowledge The Christian that hath collected experiences or found out methods for the advancement of holinesse must not deny such knowledge to the body We must like it well that others may thrive as well as we God makes no Patentees nor will he endure any Monopolies Christians must drive an open and free trade They must teach one another the mysterie He that growes rich in notions or in graces must let others know the thriving way Tell your experiences and tell your conflicts and tell your comforts Make all that thou hast the bodies and all that the body hath thine Some say the Art of Medicine was thus perfected as any one met with an herbe and discovered the virtue of it by any accident he would post it up in some publike place and if any were sick or diseased he was laid in some beaten passage that every one might communicate the best receipt and so the Physitians skill was perfected by a collection of those posted experiments and receipts Of all things take heed of the napkin wrap not up the talent thorough envy for then thou art not fit for our great masters family 1 Pet. 4.10 But as every one hath received the gift even so must we minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God We are stewards for the use of our brethren and are

as that they might share among themselves the gaines and profits arising out of blind and seduced people In all ages The usefulnesse of it men have understood the usefulnesse of these Combinations which I take to be the meaning of that observation of the antient Sages Vnus bomo nullus homo omnes homines u num hominem const ituunt Rom. 12 5. 1 Cor. 12 12 13 14. That one man is no man and That all men make up but one man Which agreeth with that of the Apostle We being many are one body in Christ and every one members one of another And with that which he speaketh more expresly in another place As the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ for by one Spirit we are all baptised into one body and have been all made to drinke into one Spirit for the body is not one member but many He doth not say All the members are of one body but more significantly and fully to our purpose that they are one body And such a body Believers not only are by union with Christ but also ought to be by communion and fellowship with Christ The Antiquity of it and with one another Which fellowship the primitive Christians did excellently maintaine Concerning which St Luke gives a cleare testimony That such who gladly received the word and being baptised were added to the Church Continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine Acts 2.41 and in fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers For so I reade the words not as the Syriac Ambrose and the vulgar Latine render them That they continued in the Apostles doctrine and in the communion of breaking bread but as the parts are distinct in the Greeke Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They continued with much patience resolution and care and with much fervor and courage 1. In the Apostles doctrine in the profession of that faith which they had received from the preaching and ministery of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. And in fellowship being all begorten by the same word and kept together by the power of it closing with it and finding the sweetnesse and use of it walking by it 3. And in the breaking of bread keeping up the constant and daily use of that ordinance which Christ had made for a memoriall of himself till his comming again 4. And in prayer weekly daily solemnly occasionally meeting together before God with their supplications This was the conversation of beleevers at Hierusalem they sweetly conversed together chearfully and friendly entertained one another and walked fruitfully in all the ordinances of Christ Neither was the conversation of other Churches unlike to theirs for to instance this point in the beleevers of Thessalanica it seems they preserved so sweet and so holy a correspondency that as touching brotherly love St Paul saith he need not write unto them 1 Thes 4.9 Oh that among the Christians of this age there were no need to write of this thing but now when the path which the old believers trod is so over-grown that the track and print of their footsteps is almost worne out Now when scarce a shadow of Communion is left among professors it is needfull to write of such a subject This then is the point which I would a little pursue That Believers as they have so they ought to have followship one with another CHAP. II. The main point confirmed The Relations of Believers The Description of Holy fellowship The Subject of it THat Believers ought to have fellowship one with another The Relations of Believers Exod. 26.3 6. Ephes 2.21 22. hath a full proofe thorough the Scripture Such are the Curtaines of the Tabernacle that must be coupled together They are the costly stones of the Temple which must hold up one another as in an arched building fitly framed together Gal. 6.10 Ephes 4.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 2.11 They are the holy Hicrusalem a City compact together Or if we respect closer expressions They are all of a family The Household of faith They are all of a body A body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth They are all of a blood and kindred Bretheren and sisters for Christ is not ashamed to call them brethren It was a part and is a fruit of Christs prayer I pray for them which shall believe on me thorough the word Joh. 17.20 21 22. That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they may be one even as we are one It was the delight and longing of such as had the Spirit of Christ St Paul professeth so much to the Romanes Rom. 1.11 2 I long to see you that I may impart unto you some spirituall gift to the end you may be established and I may be comforted together with you by the mutuall faith both of you and me And why else was it that he so abundantly indeavoured to see the faces of the Thessalonians 1 Thes 2.17 19. with so great desire but that he might joy and rejoyce in them and with them as his crowne in the fruit of his ministery In a word let me name those arguments Ephes 4.3 4 5 6. which the Apostle hath laid up in one heape There is one body and one spirit and one hope one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and Father of all All having a joynt influence upon our indeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace I will not insist farther upon the proofe the point being practicall and undeniable it will be rather necessary to cleare and open what this fellowship is and what is requisite unto it I speake not here of the fellowship which we have with the Father 1 Joh. 1.3 and with his sonne Jesais Christ Nor of that communion which is had with the Spirit of the Father But of the fellowship which Believers ought to have among themselves And of this also in a generall consideration only not applying it to the controversie now under debate about the fellowship of Churches nor limiting it to that Communion and Relation between Pastors and their Congregations But intending to open what that trade of commerce is which Christians of all sorts and conditions ought to maintain and drive Give me leave therefore The D●scription of Christian tellowship according to the Notion in which I use it to propound this Description That The fellowship of Believers is a mutuall serviceablenesse and an exchanging of the gifts and graces of such as are joyned together in heart mind and affection holding hands and walking together in the ordinances of Christ I consider in this description the Subject of this fellowship and the exercising of it The Subject of it 1. The Subject of it Such as are of the body of Christ one with the

Lord Mal. 3.16 met and spake often one to another No doubt they spake of God and his counsels of Gods works and ways of his providence and goodnesse of the basenesse of Atheisticall thoughts concerning God What I have apprehended farther upon this place I have exprest in my Exercitation upon Malachy This exchanging of words and notions make them thrive and grow rich that use it of which I gave a full example Hypoorite discovered c. l. 1 ch 15. in my Hypocrite where I promised this Treatise Truely the benefit of conference must needs be great for thereby Christians doe build up one another as the Apostle useth the word 1 Thes 5.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 24.32 and doe heate and inflame one another as it was in the case of Christs conferring with the two Disciples and doe strengthen and encourage one another as it seemes those brethren did St Paul Acts 28.15 who met him at the three Tavernes in his way to Rome There should be a law of grace in the lips of friends when either occasionally or purposely they meet to confer wisely without bitternesse meekely humbly alwayes endeavouring either to doe or receive some good CHAP. V. A third exercise of Christian fellowship Mutuall serviceablenesse To the soules To the bodies of the Saints 3. THE last exercise of this fellowship that I propounded is A mutuall serviceablenesse unto one another 1. Christians are to be serviceable to each others soules Mutuall serviceablenesse of Christians for advancement of spirituall wellfare 1. In watching over one another Take heed of that profane speech Am I my brothers keeper Enemies they many times like Jeremies familiars doe maliciously watch for our haltings Jer. 20.10 but sincere friends may doe it very profitably We had need have either prying enenties or faithfull friends to make us know our selves 2. In admonishing and reproving those that fall meekely and seasonably mourning and melting with them Bolt Quat Noviss p. 163. This is a great duty but much neglected Reverend Mr Bolton professed He was grieved at his heart that he had done no more in that kind And indeed it will be a cause of griefe to any that omit this duty for what sinnes they rebuke not where they may they commit Oh count not admonition an unnecessary medling Through a foolish humour to be esteemed peaceable and quiet we suffer many to miscarry and be lost Lev. 19.17 and by suffering sinne upon our brother we shew that we hate him The truest friendship is maintained by the faithfulnesse of mutuall admonitions He was a wise man and an experienced Christian that said He was never acquainted thoroughly with any one but first he displeased him by admonishing him of some failing 3. In recovering those that are fallen thorough a spirit of meekenesse This is according to the rule of the great Apostle Brethren if any man be overtaken in a fault Gal. 6.1 2. ye which are spirituall restore such an one in the spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted Beare ye one anothers burdens This is to be weake with them that are weake 2 Cor. 11.29 Rom. 15.1 in St Pauls sense and being strong to beare the infirmities of the weake and not to please our selves Not to triumph over them that are upon the ground and thrown down by a temptation but to sit by them upon the same flat and mourne with them and for them and to feele some of the weight An excellent temper specially for a Pastor Ambros of whom a great Commander under Theodosius was wont to say That he knew no other man worthy the name of a Bishop He had such a pastorall-spirit he would weep as plentifully as the sinning party that was to be admonished or excommunicated or reconciled Your lofty knowers and popular orators many of them understand not what belongs to this fellowship in mourning 4. In instructing the ignorant dull and lesse capeable being willinger to keep a slow pace then to out-goe the young and tender lambes We shall have their company in Heaven that while they were here never knew criticismes upon the Texts nor had quicknesse enough to discerne of Arminian notions nor could ever spare leisure to understand and enquire Socinian subtilties All that they could reach unto was to know God in Jesus Christ and to understand the principles without which they could not have been safe Oh let us not despise them here with whom we shall have eternall company Be not too high for their fellowship if they know and can say any thing of God or if they would faine heare of him Be willing to lay out your gifts and leisure and patience Strive with their infirmity and unfitnesse St Augustin would speake false latine if the people understood false latine better then true Lay the mouth close to the eare that is deafe Be content to strike the third fourth and fift blow upon the wedge that enters with difficulty Neglect not the rere of the Christian Army 5. In incouraging weake beginners Bid them wellcome that stand upon the threshold that linger in the portch of the Temple of fellowship and would be glad to sit down among the Disciples of Christ Quench not smoaking flax incourage it rather unto a flame If you perceive a poore soul to listen after Christ and hearken if some word of comfort may be let fall open your selves to him and if he cast a wondring and pleasing-eye as he is in transitu let him into the pleasures and ravishments of the Kings chambers Take heed of making any one goe back or grow out of love with the order and government of Christs family 6. In stirring up the spirits and gifts of one another Heb. 10.24 25. Consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works not forsaking the assembling of our selves together but exhorting one another A meane an inferiour person by propounding a question may lay the first stone whereupon a goodly frame of excellent and rich discourse may be reared Quicken one another in the wayes of godlinesse As the iron sharpens iron and as the rubbing of the hands makes both warme and as live-coales make the reft burne so let the fruite of our societie be mutuall sharpening warming and enflaming 7. In raising chearing comforting the dejected Job 4.3 4. dismayed and sad spirit Strengthen the weake hands and the feeble knees How did the Martyrs in their prisons set one another at liberty from the bondage of feares How did holy Bradfords sweet and chearfull company make the very dungeons lightsome and pallace-like to his fellow prisoners as themselves professed An unbelieving heart oppressed many times with foolish cares and feares feeles the load quite taken of sometimes by a word duely spoken or a promise applied in the season of it Luther and Melancthon it seems maintaind a brotherly communion and Melancthon was much the better even for a few poore