Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	bear_v	holy_a	spirit_n	3,056	5	5.1485	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35149	Two sermons preach'd before the condemn'd criminals at Newgate, 1695 by B. Crooke.	Crooke, B. (Banks), b. 1658.	1695 (1695)	Wing C7229; ESTC R24803	18,708	62

it speak Comfortably to them that is Administer a little Divinity Stupefaction which like the intoxicating Potion given to the Jewish Malefactors will render them insensible of their approaching Execution and of the Wrath that is to come Whereas there is not the least ground for this fancy in Holy Scripture but the direct contrary is there asserted to us The Query here is not Whether on a sudden or at the last hour God can convert or turn a Sinner from the evil of his ways no doubt he can do that as easily as Create him at first as we may see in the Quick Conversion of St. Paul and Speedy Repentance of St. Peter whose Sin was Unpremeditated and of little continuance and therefore was the sooner aton'd for But the main Question is Whether this is the ordinary method of God in bringing us to Heaven and that it is not the whole stream and intrinsick design of the Gospel sufficiently declares And methinks nothing can more plainly demonstrate this than the consideration of what our Saviour lays down in the Fourth of St. Mark at the 26th 27th and 28th Verses as a manifest description of the usual Operation of the Blessed Spirit of God on the Souls of men And he said So is the Kingdom of God as if a man should cast seed into the ground and should sleep and rise night and day and the seed should spring and grow up he knows not how for the earth bringeth forth fruit of her self first the blade then the ear after that the full corn in the ear and then cometh the harvest Where evident it is That our Conversion from Sin to Holiness our progress from Vice to Vertue is no hasty headlong course but a deliberate regular journey passing from one stage to another till we become perfect men in Christ Jesus The growth of our Mind in Goodness is like that of the Body in Stature imperceptible at first to those that daily look on but in a little time apparent to all Our Saviour gives us the Knowledge of his ways and Grace to walk in them he sowes the seed of his Word in our Hearts the proper Soil for it and then leaves it to our management as the Husbandman does his Seed to the Ground and if there be no defect in the Soil if we permit the good Word to fix in our Hearts and add our Care and Industry to the Dews and Showers of the Holy Spirit and the Warmth and Influences of Heaven it will then take root downward and bear fruit upward it will proceed from one degree to another till the Crop kindly comes to full ripeness and perfection And therefore Christianity is often compared to a Walk to denote Steadiness and a constant gradual Progress and sometimes to Running Fighting and Striving to urge our Zeal and Fervour in the Christian Course but it never supposes unnatural Starts a violent Transition or a precipitate Turn from one thing to another but Conviction always goes before Conversion and is followed by a regular proceedure from strength to strength from grace to grace till in due time we come to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ And we have no instance I think in the whole Scripture to the contrary unless you imagine that of St. Paul to be one who as himself affirms found mercy because he sinn'd through ignorance Or the Thief on the Cross who is supposed by all to close with Christ at his first Call and own him for his Saviour when he saw him under the same Condemnation with himself and derided or deserted by every one beside even by his own Apostles Neither of which is any thing near but very sadly different from your Case who have resisted a Thousand of his Calls and known and own'd him in Words but in your works denied him And now upon a short review of what has been said we must First assert That Repentance is not in our own Power but is a Gift from God which may be forfeited by an ungrateful rejecting or refusal of it And how often has he offer'd this Gift to every one of you And how unkindly have you refused it How then can you expect it again Or should he out of his unwearied pity once more in this needful time of trouble vouchsafe to stretch it out to you How should you with wonder and astonishment at his Mercy lay hold on it And therefore whatever goood Motions of Restitution Confession of giving God the Glory or taking Shame on your selves whatever Motions of this kind descend into your Hearts stifle them not as you have too long perniciously done but receive them with gratitude follow their guidance exactly and look upon them as the last trial the utmost effort of the Blessed Spirit for your Repentance and Salvation Secondly We must affirm That Repentance is more than a bare Sorrow for Sin for 't is often a meer natural effect of Misery to make men let go every false hold lay down their Pride drop their Security and with Fear and Trembling come to a knowledge of themselves and there may be little or no Religion in all this and therefore if any of you are without this least this lowest mark of Penitence 't is the height of Stupidity and let me with sorrow tell you That a careless deportment in your Condition argues a stiff Neck an hard Heart a sear'd Conscience insensible of Wrath and incapable of Mercy Thirdly We must be forc'd to aver That even Vows and Resolutions are only the beginnings of Repentance and if not sincere are not so much as that for our Saviour came not to fright us into good Resolutions but to convince us of the happiness safety and necessity of Goodness the necessity of beginning it soon lest we have not time to perfect it and here therefore I must once more remind you of the Injury you have done your selves you have cut off all possibility of knowing whether your Resolutions are sincere or no nothing but time ordinarily speaking can shew that to any one but God and your own time the thread of your life you have abruptly broke asunder by the weight and violent course of your Sins and therefore not only resolve but faithfully do every thing to unweave the web of your Iniquities to appease and reconcile your selves to your Offended Maker ingenuously inquire What you shall do to be sav'd and carefully follow Instruction and think nothing to hard that is maturely advis'd you to approve the sincerity of your Resolutions Fourthly and Lastly We must conclude that Repentance the Condition of Eternal Salvation is properly speaking the solid change of our Life not a Recantation in Words or Tears or Wishes only but a practical retracting our former Evil Ways and living righteously soberly and godly in this present world and if so as without all peradventure so it is to what a miserable uncertainty of Salvation are you then reduc'd for how can you be said