Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	apostle_n	faith_n	spirit_n	3,326	5	5.1136	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78144	A Christian standing & moving upon the true foundation. Or, A word in season. Perswading to sticke close to God, act eminently for God. In his present design a- against [sic] all discouragements, oppositions, temptations. Expressed in a sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons upon the day of their monthly fast, Octob. 25, 1648. By Matthew Barker, M.A. late preacher of the Gospel at James Garlick-hith, London, and now at Morclacke in Surrey.	Barker, Matthew, 1619-1698.	1648 (1648)	Wing B772; Thomason E468_40; ESTC R10148	45,680	72

within from without or round about them and our Apostle might the better presse this upon others as having in so great measure attained it in his owne person as we read in Rom. 8. latter end Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation distresse nakednesse famine c. nay in all these things we are more than conquerers and then adds I am perswaded that neither life nor death principallities nor powers things present nor things to come shall ever be able to seperate us from the love of God c. He like a wise Commander espies out the utmost strength of his enemies and surveying them in their number in their nature in their severall kinds and he is not one whit moved or shaken but standing firm upon his foundation concludes against them all that they shall never be able to separate him from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ So in 1 Cor. 16. 3. Watch y●● stand fast in the Faith quit you like men He speakes in military language for Christianity is a fight lest your enemies surprize you watch if they approach to an encounter stand ●ast retreat not at all if it comes to an engagement quit your selves like men So in Ephes 6. 13. Therefore put on the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whole Armour of Go● that yee may bee able to stand in the evill day and having done all to stand or having abolished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the strength of all enemies to stand First as good Souldiers they are to put on their armour next stoutly to make resistance and not to cease the fight till they had quite scattered their enemies and like conquerours keeping the field having done all to stand So often doth our Saviour encourage his Disciples to stand fast Matth. 24. 6. When you heare of warres and rumours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of warres see that you be not troubled Some Criticks observe that the word implies such a trouble as when Souldiers receive some sudden alarm what strange disquietments distraction confusion may then be seene but saith Christ be not you thus troubled let not these things amaze you or draw you off from the foundation of your repose and rest One place more I shall adde John 16. last These things I have spoken to you that in me you might have peace In the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheere I have overcome the world It is true you are to encounter with the troubles of the world but the world and every thing in the world that fights against your life and peace is overcome in me therefore be not you moved be of good courage notwithstanding all 1. For the clearing of the point we shal first shew you wherein a Christian is to shew forth his stedfastnesse of spirit 2. Secondly the way whereby God brings up the soule to it Then we shall acquaint you with the grounds and lastly apply all to our selves For the First a Christian is to shew forth this stedfastnesse in oppsition to those severall things which are apt to shake him 1. The First is the guilt of sin this hath brought many a precious soule under sad disquietments conflicts and agonies Job felt them and expresseth them Job 6. 4. For the arrowes of the Almighty are within me the poyson whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrours of God set themselves in array against me David felt them and elegantly describes them by that dismall appearance of things upon Mount Sinai at the delivery of the Law God came downe upon it in his Majesty and glory and then the Earth shooke the foundation of the hills moved there was seen also fire smoake and burning coales darknesse darke waters thunder lightning and thick cloudes of the skie All this the Prophet did finde spiritually in his own soul so dreadful and disquieting is the presence of God to the guilty conscience But now a Christian is to stand stedfast here to live above the feares of hell and wrath and amidst all that unworthinesse weaknesse sinfulnesse he beholds in himself yet to esteem himselfe in Christ perfectly righteous in the sight of God and so to be at peace The Apostle exhorts to this Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw nigh with full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience c. Nothing more unfits the soule to draw nigh to God than an evil conscience a conscience under the workings of guilt and feare of wrath not that we exclude mourning for sin such mourning as flowes from faith and calls not the soule off from the true foundation 2. The Second thing which is apt to disquiet the soule is the temptations of Satan he is an unquiet turbulent spirit and is still seeking to draw the soule off from the Centre of her rest and peace and though he cannot rob her of her inheritance in God yet he makes her to posesse it with as much trouble as he can Disorder and ataxy are the very basis of his Kingdom when every thing is brought backe to its proper place then doth his Kingdome fall Christ told his Disciples that Satan desired to winnow them as wheat Luke 22. 31. wheat is not winnowed without much moving and shaking Now a Christian is to stand fast against Satan to resist him stedfast in the faith to 1 Pet. 5. 9. 1 John 5. 18. keep himself that the wicked one may not touch him And thus he doth when he stands upon his foundation when he lives above with God and in God he hath Satan under his feet though he cast his fiery darts at him yet they are all quenched and hurt him not But when hee comes from his foundation and parlies with him and consents to his suggestions then is he wounded by him The Devill could not touch Christ because hee abode stedfast in the Godhead and the will of the Father hee set the Lord alwayes before him and kept Satan behind him Psal 16. 8. Mat. 16. 23 and so conquered Had our first parents done thus they had not fallen but they turning their eyes from God and his will and fixing it upon the temptation were bewitched and fell 3. The third thing that is apt to disquiet the soul is the Law When it was delivered the Earth shook the people trembled and Moses himselfe said I exceedingly feare and quake This is the naturall effect of the Law to cause earthquakes and shakings in the Soule When a poore Christian lookes upon the purity and strictnesse of the Law pointed with wrath curse against the least transgression as also the holinesse justice and majesty of the law-giver and his own vilenesse and filthinesse he is then ready to quake and tremble and say with those men of Bethshemesh Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God 1 Sam. 6. 20. But yet looking up to that free estate to which he is advanced in Christ having the Law with all its

instead of rasing her hee shall suffer her to fall yet lower and lower in ste ad of makeing up her breaches they seem still to grow wider and wider and she is speaking as the Jewes Jer. 8. 15. Wee looked for peace but no good came and for a time of health but behold trouble And the whole course of Providence speakes as if God had quite cast her off Now all this while to stand fast to rest confident of Sions prosperity and glory and that all these strange administrations shall be made serviceable thereunto this is the worke and duty of Saints David though a man raised up on high yet professeth that when he viewed the strange methods of Providence His feet were almost gone his steps had welnigh ●lipt Psal 73. 2. It was a strange work that Abraham was called unto to offer up Isaac which was not alone his onely sonne his beloved sonne the sonne of his old age but the sonne of the promises in whose seed all the nations of the earth were to be blessed so that Abraham by such an act might seem to undoe the world yet he did it without staggering being strong in faith And so God brought his people out of Egypt into Canaan by a strange series of providence so that they were all shaken and offended but Joshua and Caleb who followed after God and stood stedfast The seventh and last thing that is apt to shake and remove the soule from her foundation is strange Doctrines these are said To tosse to and fro Ephes 4. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To carry about Heb. 13. 9. To shake as a ship upon the waves 2 Thess 2. 2. To turn aside 1 Tim. 1. 6. Now here a Christian is to shew his stedfastnesse to stand firm upon the Rock of truth whilst strange doctrines like so many impetuous waves are beating upon him and breaking themselves to pieces against it till at last they are turned into meere froth and foame A Christian indeed is alwayes to be in motion and advancing higher in the Spheare of Christianity but it must be still upon the Rocke and in the straight line of Truth Thus have we finished the first particular The next is to shew you the meanes whereby GOD brings up the Soule to this Heroick and Princely frame and he doth it by a double act of Illumination and Mortification 1. Of Illumination He enlightens the soule to see himselfe as he appeares in Christ to see the gracious designes of God upon her and the glory of the Godhead breaking forth into her through him doth thus establish her 1. It establisheth her against the guilt of sinne she beholds God himselfe become her righteousnesse and in that righteousnesse justifying accepting adopting yea embracing and kissing her And now the Chaines of her bondage are falling off the dark night of her feares passing away and the stormes of divine wrath and of her own troubles sweetly blown over yea she findes such a calmnesse and tranquillity such peace passing all understanding possessing and filling all her powers as none can comprehend but those that have felt it This is that white stone with the new name which none know but those that Rev. 2. 17. Gal. 4. 6. receive it This is the cry and witnesse of the Spirit these are the speakings of Christs blood in the soule and the sprinkling Heb. 12. 24 of the heart from an evill conscience Heb. 10. 22 2. This doth establish her also against Satan and his temptations for in this appearance of God in Christ to her she doth not onely in the letter and in the notion but truly and really in the Spirit behold her selfe a conquerour over Satan yea trampling him under her feet Yea she beholds herselfe so embraced in the arms of mercy so infolded in the bosome of Love and Grace so setled upon the Rock of eternity that Principalities and Powers the gates of Hell shall never bee able to pull her away or to prevaile against her Paul seeing this in that Rom. 8. makes his Challenge against all enemies who shall ever separate us from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ So that though Satan casts his fiery darts and followes her with his temptations yet upon this account she is fully established and at peace 3. This appearance of God in Christ doth establish her also against the Law For why She now seeth herselfe translated out of that old estate over which the law had dominion We know the law it was made with the first Adam and whiles we grow upon him as our root while we continue in union and marriage with the Old Man and the flesh we are under the law but now in this appearance the soule seeth her selfe married to a new Husband the old Man being crucified and the old match dissolved upon the Crosse of Christ and now she is no longer under the law of her former husband as the Apostle doth c●early speak this Rom. 7. 1 2 3. He first doth lay down the metaphor of the woman being under the law of her husband while her husband liveth and her freedome from that law when her husband is dead and then applies it v. 4. Wherefore my brethren ye also are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ that yee should be married to another even to him who is raised from the dead Upon the Crosse of Christ the old man the first husband to us all was crucified that we might be no longer under the law to him but be free to marry to and come under the law of another husband even him who is raised from the dead Now in this divine appearance of God in Christ the soule doth indeed see this mystery and so is established against the law so that now this law of Christ which is the law of love and the Spirit prevailing it swallowes up all other lawes into it selfe and the whole man is under the command of it In this appearance of God in Christ the soule is also established against the feare of death for hereby shee beholds the sting of death removed and her selfe made one with the Fountain of life and by death to be brought into the most intimate conjunction with it 5. In this appearance is the soule established also against the world And first against the frownes of it hereby she beholds God himselfe become her buckler and shield hiding her in his pavillion taking her into the secret of his tabernacle and standing on her side and therefore feares not the frownes and threats of the world This did so confirm David that hee saith His heart should not feare even though an host encamped against Psal 27. him Though they may touch his outward man yet that which is most properly himselfe as a Saint they cannot reach As Philo reports of Anaxarchus that being brought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo p. 682. under tortures to confesse a secret he spake thus You may beat

is he that lives most directly upon his foundation lives in greatest conquest over his lusts and so most at liberty The second place of reason is from the Honour of Reason 2 Christ we cast a deep stain upon his glory when wee stand not fast 1. We dishonour him in his Sufferings yea in all his great transactions for us in the flesh when we stand not fast He hath sweat bled died rose again that he might bring us into a state of Conquest over all our enemies and having conquered them for us he calls us as Joshua did Josh 10. 24. the men of Israel in the type to set our feet upon their necks and triumph over them Now what dishonour is this to Christ if we shal flie before these enemies that he hath thus conquered You know of whom it was said Hanniball that he knew how to conquer but not how to use his conquests We improve not our victory aright if we stand not fast if we keep not those enemies still under us that have been conquered for us 2. We dishonour him in his Spirit that Spirit which was in Christ and brought him off with conquest in all his agonies conflicts and sufferings he hath given to dwell in the heart of every Christian that it might bring them up into the same victory When therefore we suffer our selves to be overcome we grieve we dishonour that victorious that * So that word may bee read 51. p. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 princely Spirit which dwells within us doth not this speak that there is more power in Satan to destroy then in this Spirit to save that he that is in us is lesser then he that is in the world 3. We dishonour him in his truth how doth the Gospel suffer when those that professe it stand not fast how doe the enemies of the Gospel triumph over the truth Religion Gospel all when Christians fall Lactantius professeth that he saw in Bithynia a chiefe Ruler boasting tanquam barbarorum gentem aliquam subegisset as if he had overcome some great Nation when he had made but one poore Christian renounce his profession which Lact. lib. 5. cap. 11. he had for two yeares stoutly maintained against all his tormentours And I remember it is an argument that he much insists upon to prove the truth of the Christian religion by viz. the constancy and unmovablenesse of Christians Eadem ubique patientia idem contemptus mortis c. 4. We dishonor him in his alsufficency as if he could not protect us against all evil and supply us with all good as if we might finde some good in the creature which is not in himselfe for if that we finde all fulnesse here why then doe we not stedfastly abide in him From the end of the Gospel there are three things Reason 3 that will much establish the heart faith hope and joy and the Gospel is said to be written to worke all these in us First joy 1 Joh. 1. 4. These things we write unto you that your joy may be full Secondly faith 1 Joh. 5. 13. These things we write that you may beleeve on the name of the Son of God Thirdly hope Rom. 15. 4. That we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope But there are especially three things revealed in the Gospel which will establish the soule John 16. ult 1 Cor. 15. penult 1. In the Gospel is revealed our conquest in Christ over all our enemies and may not this be a strong bulwark to establish the soule against all their assaults that she hath to doe with conquered enemies By this the Roman Generall sought to put new courage into the ●cipi● hearts of his Soldiers telling them Cum iis est vobis hodie pugnandum quos priori bello terrâ marique vicistis you are to encounter with those to day whom in a former battle you conquered both by Land and Sea 2. In the Gospel is revealed that sweet fellowship wee 1 John 1. 3. have with the Father and the Son And what will more tend to establish the soule in all conditions than this that shee is made one with power wisdome life and happinesse it self and beholding the infinite God giving himself to be her shield reward and portion As God to quiet the heart of Abraham when he had left countrie kinred lands all to follow him tells him Gen. 15. 1. I am thy shield thy exceeding great rewara Emptinesse is as fulnesse losse as gaine poverty as riches death as life nothing as all things to that soule that hath heard such language from heaven 3. In the Gospel is revealed the hope of our caling that inheritance imortall incorruptible undefiled reserved for us in the heavens 1 Pet. 1. 4. and this being seen will carry on the soule with stedfastnesse and invincible resolutions to the possession of it It was Canaan that the Israelites had in their eye that encouraged them to walke through the midst of the Sea through a land of drought of desarts and pits and the shaddow of death The recompence of reward Moses had in his eye which made him neither to decline by the flatteries of the Court nor the afflictions of the Church The incorruptible crowne was in the eye of Paul which made him not to faint in his race and to keep his body under and in subjection 1 Cor. 9. latter end yea to glory in the crosse of Jesus Gal. 1. 4. The joy set before Christ made him to endure the crosse and to despise the shame Heb. 12. 2. Thus you have an account of the Reasons The main part of the Sermon is yet behinde which lies in the bringing of all these thruths home to our owne hearts and that we now are addressing to in the strength of Christ From what hath bin said may not every soul here present Use 1 weepe mourne and bleed afresh before the Lord this day Could I have insisted upon any Point that speakes out so much to our shame and debasement that may lay us lower in the dust than this I am now upon who is there that may not take up a sad lamentation over the instability of his owne heart and its cursed declinings from the true foundation every day When men take an account of their stature in Christianity by the performance of some externall duties and the avoiding of grosse and scandalous sins by the goodlinesse of their profession c. They are ready to say as the young man in the Gospel Master what lack I yet But if they lay themselves in this Ballance measure themselves by this rule try themselves by this touchstone Oh how exceeding light short and corrupt will they be found This is that which God so sadly complaines of in his owne people Psal 78. 7 8. They are a rebelious generation a generation that set not their hearts aright and whose spirit was not stedfast with God And ver 37. Their heart

may do God service The more self-denyall appears in any service the more true excellency shines forth in it To be stiffe and inexorable in matters concerning common good and to be flexible and yeelding in his own private is the temper of a gracious heart 4. In doing them with greater bent and intention of spirit when the heart is carried out strongly in the work of God that no difficulties and opposition do discourage or stop Hezekiahs heart was lifted up in the wayes of the Lord 2 Chron. 17. 6. not lift up with pride but resolution an heart soaring above dangers sufferings lowe and earthly interests Not slothfull in businesse but fervent in spirit serving the Lord saith the Apostle Rom. 12. 11. As the Angels called * Fervorem acumen ●ffer vescentiam inte●tae ac nunquam intermissae nunquamque decl●nantis motionis nomen Seraphim luculenter designat Dionys Areop de coelest hierarch cap. 7. Seraphims have their name from that burning heat of spirit wherewith they are carried forth to God and for God There are two words in Scripture most commonly used signifying a man Ish and Adam the latter comes from a word signifying earth and expresseth man in his dead corrupt and earthly state the former from a word signifying * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fire and expresseth man in his raised quickned state in Christ Christians then act not up to their renewed state in Christ when they are not carried forth Ignis Avenar with fervor of spirit in the work of God We shall onely make one Use of this and so conclude You see then Christians your duty before you Oh Vse then let you and I be daily advancing into an higher excellencie in the work of God In other things we are ambitious to excell as who shall have the greatest state who shall have the best repute among men who shall drive the greatest Trade who shall be best seen into his Art and Profession who shall be best skill'd in Mysteries and Sciences and shall we alone be sinfully modest and indifferent in the work of God are there any works so noble and attended with such plentifull incomes as these works are And doth not God deserve from you something that is excellent daily Or can you in the perfection of any works arrive at so much satisfaction peace and joy as in the perfection of spirituall works Or can your spirits ever be in their highest operation in any works save onely these Or are they ever imployed to the end for which they were created till they busie themselves in these works O that this might be all the strife contention among Christians not who shall get victory over each other and whose private opinion shall be most applauded but who shall most excell in the work of the Lord who shall put forth highest acts of faith and love and out-shine in a spirituall ●nd exemplary conversation And O that this was all the contention among Ministers not who shall get the greatest Livings who shall be most in favour with men or gain the greatest party but who shall be most laborious in the work of the Gospel who shall most deny themselves for God and win most souls to the Lord Jesus And O that this was all the contention among Magistrates not who shall most enrich themselves by the ruines of the State who shall carry on some private designe with greatest strength and successe but who shall shew himself most faithfull to his trust who shall be most sollicitous and sincere for the advancing the honour of God and the freedom and happinesse of the Nation such strife would reconcile us such contentions would make us all friends And you Right Honorable I shall addr●sse the residue of my discourse particularly to You have already done g●eat things we do acknowledge but if you sit down he●e England will be on this side that cure she needs and that happinesse she expects from You. Therefore still strive to excell not alone other Parliaments for so You have done already but your selves also daily Let your last works excell the first that it may never be said of you as the mother of Claudiu● Caesar said of him That Nature had begun him but not finisht him That you begun a good work and left it abortive and unfinisht Seneca speaks of some that they were semper victori alwayes about to live let it not be said of you that You were about to settle us and establish our Liberties but never did it And let there appear still more simplicity love self denyall and intention of spirit in all your actions that none may have occasion to say that you have any whit abared of your primitive integrity and zeal And to move you to this let me be bold to propound to You some serious Considerations 1. Consider how God hath excelled towards You he hath appeared for you and gone along with you after an excellent and extraordinary rate What Parl●ament or people before you can speak higher things and tell larger stories of the power and goodnesse of God then you may And hath he not exceeded of late do not the mercies and victories of a later birth bear a livelier image and clearer lileaments of God upon them then the former hath he thus excelled in his workings for you and will not you excell daily in your acting for him How often hath the Parliament of England been at the very brinks of the grave the proud waves have beset you round and you have been reacy severall times to be buried in a deluge of desolation ruine and yet God hath given you a new life from the dead and you stand upon your feet this day as rich monuments of the excelling mercy and providence of God to the joy and comfort of your friends and the terror and astonishment of your Enemies Now as it was with the Captain of our salvation after his resurrection he appeared in greater glory And as Herod said when he heard the fame of Christ John Baptist is risen from the dead and therefore mighty works shew forth themselves in him So Sirs you having been al●eady as crucified and buried and now as risen from the dead Oh that we might now see more of God breaking forth from you and more mighty works shewing forth themselves in you 2. Consider how the eyes of all the Saints have been upon you not onely in England but even in all parts of the world to see what will be the issue of that work which is now in you hands And never did God more raise up the hearts of his people to pray for any society of men as for you and they are now looking how prayers are answered in you And oh that we might daily see you rising up in your actions and resolutions answerable to the height of our hopes and expectations from you 3. Consider seriously what precious blood hath been spilt for the advancing of that work you