Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	affection_n	know_v	love_n	3,601	5	5.2122	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B06542	A brief, and plain apology written by John Wheelwright: wherein he doth vindicate himself, from al [sic] those errors, heresies, and flagitious crimes, layed to his charge by Mr. Thomas Weld, in his short story, and further fastened upon him, by Mr. Samuel Rutherford in his survey of antinomianisme. Wherein free grace is maintained in three propositions, and four thesis [sic] ...	Wheelwright, John, 1594-1679.	1658 (1658)	Wing W1604; ESTC R186427	40,565	36

the truth and shall assure our hearts before him doth thus Comment Semper autem me minerimus non habere nos ex charitate notitiam quam dicit Apostolus quasi inde petenda sit salutis certitude certe non aliunde cognoscimus nos esse filios Dei nisi quia gratuitam suam Adoptionem cordibus nostris per spiritum suum obsignat Et nos certum ejus pignus in christo oblatum fide amplectimur This is the question here determined by Mr. Calvin How we come first to know that we are the Children of God and by the like reason justified He denies that it is by any argument taken from our love How then By the inward witness of the Spirit perswading us of our Adoption What use then are we to make of our love to the Brethren in point of evidencing It under props saith he and strengthens our perswasion These are his words Est igitur charitas accessio vel adminiculum inferius al sidei fulturam non fundamentum quo nititur Zanchie upon Ephes 5.1 draws this as an inference from that text Sciamus ergo pro fundamento christianae Pietatis teneamus hoc primum principium fidem i. certissimam perswasionem de remissione peccatorum ex solâ paterna clementia condonatorum causam esse omnium virtutum omnium bonorum operum omnisque verae obedientiae They who stand for the first evidencing of Works overthrow this fundamental principle The Answer which Mr. Cotton gives to this Question Whether some saving qualification may be a first evidence of Justification is thus set down by himself in terminis A man may have an Argument from thence yea I doubt not a firm and strong Argument but not a first evidence In his Answer to Mr. Baylie Object 1. Keeping Gods Commandments and love to the Brethren are brought in by the Apostle John as first evidences of Justification 1 John 2.3 3.14 Answ These and the like Scriptures strongly argue That works of Sanctification are cerrain evidences of a good estate which is a truth so clearly held forth in Gods Word as if it were written with a beam of the Sun But can it be concluded from hence That John and the Christians to whom he wrote amongst which they of the lowest rank did know the Father had received an unction from the holy One and knew all things had no former evidence of their justification Did they never hear the inward witness of the Spirit nor see their Falth by which they did receive this witness Did they conclude a good estate by reflecting upon their keeping Gods Commandments and love to the Brethren without any immediate discerning of their inward Call or their act or acts of believing as precedent in order to their works Whether was this keeping Gods Commandments and love to the Brethren the procreant cause of their knowing and believing the love of God to them or the contrary The Apostle puts it out of doubt 1 Joh. 4.16.20 We know and believe the love that God hath to us What effect doth this produce We love him because he first loved us It is our knowing and believing that God loved us first even from eternity that makes us love him This is then the Apostles meaning We who have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father we who are believers are confirmed in our Faith because it is operative and works causing us to keep Gods Commandments and this special Commandment of loving the Brethren What is the keeping of Gods Commandments but charity out of a pure heart and Faith unfeined 1 Tim. 1.5 Faith whereby we are truly perswaded of Gods mercy towards us in Christ is the mother of a good Conscience and charity What is love to the Brethren but an holy affection wrought in us by the Holy Ghost whereby upon the apprehension of Gods love to us in Christ we do from our very hearts wish well unto them and study to do them all the good we can 1 Joh. 4.16.19 20. Truly we should neither love God nor the Brethren nor his Commandments did he not first make known his love in Christ to us Mr. Calvin upon these words 1 Joh. 2.3 And hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his Commandments writes thus Notandus est hic orde quum dicit nos cognoscere quod noverimus Significat Dei obedientiam sic conjunct am esse scientiae ut tamen haes ordine fit prior ●cuti necesse est causam effectu suo esse priorem Object 2. An Effect argues the Cause as well as the Cause doth its Effect Why may we not begin with keeping Gods Commandments and love to the Brethren to evidence a good estate and make them our first evidences We can know by fruit that there is a tree upon which it did grow and by streams that there is a fountain from which they did flow though we never see the tree or the spring Answ The tree doth naturally bring forth its fruits and the fountain sends out its streams without any act of ours whether we see them or not But Justification which is a gracious act of God acquitting of us from our sins and accepting us as just for the righteousness sake of Christ received by Faith doth not cause us to bring forth works of Righteousness and true holiness by a meer Physical force but as apprehended by Faith which works by love Gal. 5.6 The perswasion that Mary Magdalene had of the pardon of her many sins made her love much Luk. 7.46 If a tree did not bring forth fruit nor a fountain send out water but by our looking on them as the instrumental cause surely we should see the tree as going before the fruit and the spring-head before the streams Good works are such effects as are caused by our apprehension of Gods mercy towards us in Christ Object 3. No man can limit God to what evidence he shall first bring into the Conscience of a justified estate Answ True yet can God limit himself He can do more by his absolute power than he doth by that which is actual If the Lord wil have all works of sanctification to be done in Faith out of love without a slavish fear as so many acts of gratitude for our Redemption through Christ they who deny sanctification to be the first evidence do not limit God but are limitted by God The Gospel is as immutable in the order as in the substance of its parts being an everlasting Gospel Rev. 14.6 Object 4. Many of Gods Children can evidence to themselves a good estate by their love to God his children and commandments who never were perswaded of Gods love to them by any argument taken either from the inward testimony of the holy Ghost or their act or acts of beleeving Answ This is asserted gratis but not proved How did those Children of God come unto Christ Surely they were taught of God and heard the spirits inward call He

with the word of truth James 1.10 The immediate testimony is I conceive an act of the spirit by which he doth dictate and strongly suggest with a soul-ravishing inward voyce to a believing penitent humble over-coming Saint that he is the child of God his sins are forgiven or the like being compared to hidden Manna a white stone a new name Rev. 2.17 which doth exceedingly confirm Faith and it is not I suppose the portion of every good Christian but a special benefit given by God who is a most free agent before in or after sufferings for the name sake of Christ or some special service done unto him as God sees meet Sundry of our learned godly orthodox Divines do acknowledge such a testimony as Dr. Preston Mr. Bolton Mr. Elton with others and divers of the Martyrs had experience thereof as I doubt not many Christians have at this day This is part of the Comforters office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is taught in the Word he shal bring to remembrance John 14.26 The spirit of truth never revealeth any thing in this kind immediately for the confirmation of Faith which is not revealed in the words of truth He shall not speak of himself saith Christ he shall take of mine and shew it unto you Joh. 16.13 14. This immediate Testimony differs not from that which is mediate by the Word in the thing testified but in the manner of testifying and stablisheth the Soul by making a deeper impression filling it with joy and with the holy Ghost 3. By spiritual sense and experience There is in Gods Children not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 1.9 By reason of use they have their senses exercised Heb. 5.14 and that by divine objects 1. They are many times made very sensible of the grace mercy and love of God unto them in Christ The love of God is shed abroad in their hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto them Rom. 5.5 The Lord doth again and again lift upon them the light of his countenance and in the light of his favour they see the light of all felicity Psal 36 9. Christ doth manifest himself unto them in the Spirit Joh. 14.21 They hear see look upon and handle the word of life 1 Joh. 1.1 They taste and see that the Lord is good 2. They have frequently and for the most part as of sin so likewise of the work of Gods grace in them sense and experience The wind of the Spirit blows into the gardens of their Souls and the spices of saving graces with a fragrant smell flow out Cant. 4.16 The Sun of Righteousness shines into the hearts of Beleevers acts upon the saving graces of his own spirit excites and stirs them up from whence a sweet scent goes out as from some costly perfumed Oyntment When Faith love joy godly sorrow for sin humility patience with other saving graces are vigourously acted it exceedingly affects the Saints who are very sensible of it The Virgins love Christ not only for the savour of the oyntment of his own Righteousness which they perceive and receive by faith but even of these good oyntments powred into them Cant. 1. The Spouse in the Canticles David Paul with others do largely express the great sense and feeling they had of the gifts of Gods Spirit in them accompanying salvation as an Argument of that fellowship which they had with Christ 3. Beleevers have an experimental knowledge of the gracious Works of Gods Providence about them which doth likewise confirm their Faith So had David 1 Sam. 17.37 So had Paul 2 Tim. 4.17 18 For though there be no marks set upon the outward acts of Gods Providence whereby they may be discerned to proceed from Gods eternal and fatherly love yet do the children of God behold them in and through the covenant of Grace as testimonies of Gods favour and feel them to be such by their gracious effects knowing by experience that chastisements and corrections for sin are for their good Psal 119.71 So that the long experience which we have of Gods grace upon us his work of grace in us the gracious works of his providence about us is a special means to strengthen our faith This for the substance is all that I have ever Taught or held forth concerning evidencing a good estate I am not for the sole witnessing of the Spirit with Enthusiasts nor of Faith alone with Solifidians nor of works in the first place with you but of al these Three in one and that in the Apostles order 1 Joh. 5. The Spirits inward effective testimony of Gods grace towards us in Christ in giving him unto us in the free simple promise with a command to beleeve begets faith faith produceth works of sanctification sanctification confirms faith Promises are so many Declarations of Gods good Will towards us and it is the spirits office to apply them I do humbly conceive That when the Spirit of Promise applyes the absolute Promise of Grace that by way of excellency is called The spirits witness otherwise I do not see how the spirits witness should be a distinct witness from water and blood If the conditional Promise made to beleeving be applied that is the witness of blood let the conditional Promise made to sanctification have its application that is the witness of water He who hath one of these three witnesses hath them all in some degree and he that wants one wants them all for all these three are brought in by Christ when he comes into our hearts in our effectual call as witnesses of his gracious presence So that a Christian can reason thus I have the spirits witness I am a beleever I am a Saint therefore Christ dwells in me and I in him This is the sum of all concerning Evidencing That act of Faith by which we beleeve that Christ and his Righteousness is given to us and we receive him is begotten by the inward testimony of the spirit in an absolute promise confirmed by works of sanctification the immediate testimony of the holy Ghost spiritual sense and experience Because I would not acknowledge your works to be good Evidences which you will needs have to appear before Gods Grace or Faith appear you are highly displeased and labour to make the Court Churches and all the world beleeve that I taught That sanctification is no good Evidence and if a man conclude a good estate from sanctification which he sees in himself he shall never be saved 4. The Fourth Errour which you charge me to have delivered is That they who hold not according to this Doctrine are Antichristians enemies to Christ and under a Covenant of Works If by this Doctrine you had meant That Doctrine which indeed I taught owned by me in my first Three Propositions you had done me wrong I did never expresly nor implicitly affirm That they who were not of my judgement about the grounds of

terminis but in sense These are frequent Gospel expressions We are justified by Faith Faith is taken as well for the habit as the act When Faith is said not to fail that is to be understood of the habit When we are commanded to Beleeve that is meant of the act Bucer saith Zanchy is not ashamed to say That we beleeve sometimes in act sometimes only in habit There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus Let a man be in Christ whether by the act or by the habit of Faith he is justified Which way soever Christ and his righteousness is made ours this righteousness is counted to us for ours by God who counts things as they are Object 3. He that beleeveth not is condemned already Joh. 3.18 We are not then justified but consequently to our act of beleeving Answ The act of Faith doth ever follow the habit and in order of time they can scarce be distinguished the one from the other But in order of causality Gods work goes before ours A Christian is in the order of nature in the state of grace before Faiths act though not in time In a word when it is said He that beleeveth not is condemned already it must be understood thus He that beleeveth not either actu secundo or actu primo else what will become of us when we are asleep and put forth no act of beleeving Object 4. If we be justified antecedently to our act of Faith then justification goes before vocation contrary to that Rom. 8.30 And whom he called them he also justified Answ That doth not follow Vocation is a gracious act of God by which we are brought into fellowship with Christ 1 Cor. 1.9 We are in our effectual call drawn into union with Christ by a Physical act of God in our passive conversion precedently to our act of beleeving Faith goes in order before justification both in our passive and active conversion the habit in the one and both habit and act in the other THESIS III. That the Faith of Gods Elect whereby they do beleeve on Christ is grounded upon a free simple absolute promise of Grace The Question is Whether God in the Gospel do first reveal his special love to his Elect in giving of them Christ and blessing through him in a conditional promise or in an absolute promise I say in an absolute These are my Arguments 1. Almighty God himself the Prophets Angels John Baptist Christ and the Apostles in the publishing of the Gospel have ever propounded Christ to be beleeved on in an absolute promise of Grace Gen. 3.15 15.5 Isa 9.6 Hos 2.19 20. Luk. 2.10 11. Matth. 3.2 4.17 10.7 2. The Elect have alwayes founded that act of Faith by which they did beleeve on Christ upon this principle Abraham beleeved on the Lord and it was counted unto him for righteousness Upon what promise did he ground his Faith Upon this absolute promise Thus shall thy Seed be Gen. 15.5 6. This Faith of Abraham is made a patern for all the spiritual seed of Abraham to follow Rom 4.23 24 25. Paul describeth the Faith by which he spiritually lived Gal. 2.20 In what Promise was Christ revealed Even in this absolute Declaration of Gods good Will towards him who loved me and gave himself for me The Apostle tells us That all the Elect are born as Isaac was Now we Brethren as Isaac was are the children of the Promise Gal. 4.28 In what form runs the Promise This is the word of Promise At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a Son Rom 9.9 The children of this absolute Promise are counted for the seed vers 8. 3. The proper immediate effects of justifying Faith do strongly argue That it is built upon an absolute promise powerfully applyed by the spirit in our effectual call How comes Faith to work by Love It apprehends Gods love to us in Christ How doth it cause Rejoycing It beholds Christ given for us and to us out of Gods eternal love Abraham rejoyced to see Chrtsts day and he saw it and was glad Joh. 8.56 How doth it beget Peace It looks at God as reconciled unto us in Christ How doth it cause Repentance It makes us apprehensive that we have sinned against our Saviour Omnium appetitivorum motuum causa est bonum vel malum apprehensum 4. As in Conjugal Contracts amongst us the Husband doth first make known his Love and express his absolute consent so doth Christ when he doth betroth the Church of his Elect unto himself in their effectual Call I will say unto them that were not my People Thou art my People and they shall say thou art my God Hos 2.23 5. If our Faith be not founded upon an absolute Promise then is not the Covenant of Grace established upon better Promises for form than the Covenant of Works contrary to that which is affirmed by the Apostle Heb. 8.6 7 8 9 10 11 12. The New Covenant Promises are better than the Old in this respect amongst the rest That they are absolute or upon conditions absolutely promised 6. The absolute Promises are either only to be propounded to Beleevers antecedently or else also to Unbeleevers for the begetting of Faith But they are not only to be propounded to Beleevers antecedently They were no Beleevers to whom the Lord by the Prophet Hosea applies the absolute Promises Hos 2.19 20. being such as were unmarried and not betrothed to what end did he propound them if not to build faith upon 7. There is no conditional Promise or Grant in all the Word of God wherein Christ doth convey himself over to us for the beginning of Salvation Christ doth absolutely promise to give us a new heart inhabit in us his Spirit Ezek. 36.26 27. What ever the Remonstrants say to put in any condition is against Scripture and Reason Wherefore we must beleeve on Christ and receive him as given in an absolute Promise of Grace This very Doctrine which teacheth us to ground our faith whereby we are perswaded of Gods Love to us in Christ upon an absolute Promise is maintained by Zanchy in his Miscellanies against Marbuchius who objects against it as one of Zanchy's Errors and new Revelations but he doth earnestly contend for the truth hereof affirming of it to be the Judgment of Bucer and that conformable to the Scriptures Which he could not but imbrace proving it by Four Arguments and Answers three Objections The Definition of Justifying Faith given by Dr. Zanchy and Mr. Calvin declares them to be of this mind Faith say they is a stedfast and assured knowledg of Gods kindness towards us which being grounded upon the truth of the free Promise in Christ is both revealed to our minds and sealed in our hearts by the Holy Ghost They make two Essential parts of Faith 1. An apprehension of Gods Love to us in Christ which is an act of the Intellect 2. A receiving and imbracing of Christ which is