Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A70044
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Peace, the end of the perfect and upright demonstrated and usefully improved in a sermon preached upon the occasion of the death and decease of that piously affected and truely religious matron, Mrs. Anne Mason ... / by Mr. James Fitch ...
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Fitch, James, 1622-1702.
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1672
(1672)
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Wing F1066; ESTC R35676
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13,029
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16
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of the actings of the upright towards God in the second follows his actings towards man First in Words Secondly in Works 1. In Words whose endeavour is so to speak that he may not offend with his Tongue and therefore keeps a Watch before the door of his lips Psal 141.3 But that which the upright strives after in so he measure attain is better then this to administer Grace to the heareââ that his words may be seasoned Ephâs 4.29 Col. 46. and may become to others a tree of life bearing precious fruit Prov. 15.4 and the words of the upright proceeding from the uprightness of their hearts are very observable things 2. In Works Mark and behold the upright how in his works he lives without offence Phil. 2.15 blamel of and harmless and not only so but shining as a Light in the World as in works of Holiness God ward so in works of Justice Love and mercy towards others full of mercy and good fruit without Hypocrisie Jam. 3.17 He that sâes not observable thing in the works of the Upright is strangely blinced Hitherto of the life of the Upright nextly follows the remarkable things respecting their Death The Text sayes For the end of that man iâpâace is the end of the Upright peace how doth this appear do not some who have been upright suffer much trouble of minde in their death and do express none or very little of peace at their latter end I Anâwer First leâs usual with the Lord to shine in upon their Souls of his upright oneâ before or at their Death that before their departure out of the World it 's manifest to them to discerning Spectators that while they are yeas in their Enemies Land they are more then Conquerors and that ãâã death it self Rom. 8.37 Hence the peace that passeth understanding and the unspeakable joy which some upright ones feel in their dying hour which makes them very willing to depart Simeon like they can depart in such peace Luk. 2.29 Secondly When it 's the pleasure of the Lord to withhold such a measure of this peace yet it 's usual that he affords them so much of this peace as shall rule in their hearts and meekly dispose their spirits to divine providence and behold in this is often seen a marvellous thing that if an upright person hath not much of the sense of the sweetness of that unspeakable peace in his dying hour and though he is now aware of the misery of falling short for none can be so sensible of that as those who know experimentally the preciousness of Christ and heavenly things and though also many times the very thought what if deceived what if fall short at last that thought would make the flesh tremble the heart feeling the intollerable weight of a supposed separation from Christ and yet for such without any clear evidence of the love of God to have peace ruling in the heart as in Col. 3.15 and to say I am content now to be at the Lords dispose I commit the cause of my soul to him this is very observable Eli sentenced to death both he and his two Sons and many other things which shall make the cars of every one who heareth it to tingle 1 Sam. 3.11 17 18. and yet Eli enabled to say It 's the Lord let him do what seemeth him good there is a peace which is the inseparable companion of meekness a meek and a quiet spirit is of great price 1 Pet 3.4 Christs Soulness a meek and a quiet spirit is of great price 1 Pet 3.4 Christs Soul-trouble was extream in his dying hour but yet he had the peace and quietness of a meek spirit which did rule in his heart and compose his spirit to submission to his Fathers Will and to commit his Spirit into his Fatherly hand Luk. 23.46 and what if it should be the pleasure of the Lord that some of his Children shall have a fellowship with Christ in his suffering Soul-trouble in their dying hour yet if the Lamb of God doth by his Lamb-like spirit compose the heart to a childe-like committing of the Soul into his fatherly hands here is peace the peace and quietness of a meek spirit but it 's a marve lous thing to have peace ruling in the heart in the midst of many-troublesome thoughts in the minde Thirdly to conclude this if the marks of uprightness appear in their life there is no reason for us to doubt but that the Lord will make the end of such to be peace whatever troubles they suffer before their ând if I behold a Christian walking in integrity making it his integrity making it his dally exercise to keep a Conscience void of offence âowards God and towards man whatever trouble he may suffer in time of sickness and nigh his latter end yet the Lord sayes Mark this upright one and have I seen the mark of uprightness stamped upon his life and walk surely the Lord who sayes His end shall be peace doth say to me that I ought to believe it and ought as certainly to believe it as it I see âensibly the Angels taking the Soul and Heavens opening to receive it and heard a now Song tuned in Heaven for the triumph of this Soul over death He that walks in integrity what ever his labour may be in his journey and when nigh to his journies end yet as soon as his labour ends his âest is eternal rest his peace the peace which passeth understanding begins He shall enter into pâaâe they shall rest in their bâââ each one walking in âis uprightness Isaâ 572. The Second Particular âollows what ouâ duty is in observing these observable things The Lord calls us to mark and behold Quest What is the marking and beholding Ans It 's an affectionate Attention of the minde It 's as when the eye affects the heart and the heart being affected keeps the eye looking upon the Object you have the like expression in another place used by âobs friends to lob Job 33 31. Mark wel Oh Ioh anâ hearken to me hold tây peaâe and I vvill speak Oh mark well the lite and latter end of the upright Oh hearken to what the Lord sayes concerning their life and death the same Expression the Lord improves to the Prophet when he would prepare him for the Visions of the Ordinances of his House Ezâk 44.5 The Lord said Son of Man mark well and behold with thine Eyes ââhâar with thine Ears all that I say to thee concerning the Ordinances of mine House and mark well the entring into it But in my Text the Lord saith Mark the perfect and behold the upright it 's as if the Lord had said us I would have you mark well and behold mine Ordinances so I do requiâe you to mark well and behold the life and latter end of those who have loved my Habitation and seen my beauty in my Houâe have walked with me in the faithful improvement of all my holy
spirit in a Believer which breathes and reacheth after and is restless for perfection and which is called A heart perfect towards God 2 Chron 1â 11 and you know the usual distinction which Divines make use of a perfection of parts though not of degrees Every part and power of Soul and Body being Sanctisfied 1 Thess 5.23 and fitted in some degree and measure to every good work 2 Tim. 2.21 Oh mark how the Godly will be doing and trading in every good work to which God calls him according to the Relation towards God or Man in works of Holiness and Righteousness Love and Mercy shewing himself to be a childe of his Heavenly Father and will be imitating his Divine and absolutely perfect Example Mat. 5 ult be you perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect and he is a perfect Childe of God though not grown up to be a perfect man in Christ 2 It 's likewise to be observed that sincerity and uprightness in Gospel sense is called perfection and the God of Grace calls his upright ones perfect ones accept their upright service as pecfect service you know Davids charge to his Son the charge of a Godly and dying Parent to his surviving and succeeding childe My Son serve God with a perfect heart 2 Chron. 28.9 and Hezechiah served God with a perfect heart 2 King 20 3. and in this sense the next words may be expositive to the former mark the perfect Question is Who is perfect the Answer Behold the upright as Hezechiah under a sentence of death turned his face towards the wall and prayed to the Lord and said Remember how O Lord I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart have done that which is good in thy sight and wept sore Isai 38.2 3. How I have walked in Truth that is in uprightness and sincerity doing that which is good in thy sight not wandering after the sight of mââe eyes not pleasing carnal and sinful affections and therefore that I have walked with a perfect heart that which the God of Grace will accept perfect and calls it perfect and therefore the question yââ remains uâanswered Quest What are the remarkable things resâââ¦cting the life of the upright I Answer First In respect of actings towards God Secondly Actings towards man First The observable things in the life of the upright in his actings nextly towards God The first Character is a holding forth the highest esteem of Communion with God in his Ordinances and therefore a faithful improvement of all good opportunities for that purpose For that purpose Oh mark how the upright soul prizeth Communion with God his prizing Communion with God is like the price the thirsty sets upon drink an only good none such at that time the voice of the upright especially in time of privation is exprest experimentally by David Psal 42.1 2 As the Hart panteth after the Water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appear before God ver 3. My tears have been my meat day and night while they continually say unto me where is thy God ver 4. when I remember these things I pour out my soul in me Oh! what pantings thirstings weepings and soul-pourings out for the enjoyment of Communion with the Living God which do most feelingly argue the highest esteem of Communion with God in the hearts of his upright attendants Hence these longings for a Sabbath for a Fast day for a Sermon while others long for an end of the Sabbath that they may be again into their worldly occasions and vanities and hence follows that âaithful improvement of all good oportunities for the sake of Communion with God I say all seasons both set and solemn seasons and occasional seasons taking the oportunity when given and redeeming time as it 's called Eplus 5. and when it cannot be gained without it costs him something yet an upright Soul will and must have seasons for Communion with God what ever they cost him though he makes the World pay for it and sleep pay for it and hazards his health for it and all yet Mark the upright how faithful he is in taking and improving seasons of Communion with God while the Hypocrite the Deceiver is willing to take an excuse and make an excuse and occasion that he may not come into the presence of God but his deceit is manifest The Second Remarkable thing in respect of the life of the Upright in his Communion with God appears in his secret Communion with God in secret Prayer and self examination these are contained in former generals as they are means of Communion with God but yet because these have very spiritual specialties in them we mâââ especially mark and behold them and how the Upright behaves himself in them First In secret Communion with God in secret Prayer an upright Soul cannot content himself with publick Prayer and humily but he must come in secret into the presence of his Heavenly Father and Pray in secret that he may see him in secret and reward him openly Mat. 6. and if there were no positive command to require this and that Conscience upon this account could not ãâã him for a neglect of a Command of God yet if the Lord will only grant him liberty to appear in where before him he could not but come und could no more refrain then you can refrain from going to and porning out your heart in secret to an intimate friend in whom you love is your own Soul ãâã 62.8 Pour out your âentâ fore him can a Lover refrain from secret meetings with his Beloved the Upright who love the Lord must have their secret meetings with Christ wherein they may pour out that which they cannot before and with others for they haâe to dâ wiâh him whom their Souts love Cant. 1.7 Second place in self examinatioâ the Application of the Dectrine is the life of the Sermon and Self exâmââation is the life ãâã Application of the Sermon the upright cannot content themselves without frequent and solemn practice of this duty no more then you can content your self when you are a hungry to have food let you only to look upon or speak of it and not take it into your mouth to chew it therefore mark and behold how he eats Sermons and they are the joy of his heart Jer. 15.16 and how doth he eat them but by examining his estate and actions his Spirit and Life by them and not in a slighty and overly manner but by most serious Communings with the Lord and his own heart upon his Bed Psal 4.4 or in some other secret place and not only once in a long time but this is his work every Lords day yea every day in the Week in some measure he is upright in this matter thus working out his Salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12.13 We can but hint at some observabâe things Thus