Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	believe_v	faith_n	lord_n	8,826	5	4.1689	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89196	The nationall covenant. Or, A discourse on the covenant. Wherein also the severall parts of the late protestation are proved to be grounded on religion and reason: with sundry motives and directions, tending to further our keeping covenant with God. Which may be of speciall use in these times. By Tho. Mocket, M. of Arts, and preacher of the word of God.	Mocket, Thomas, 1602-1670?	1642 (1642)	Wing M2307; Thomason E113_3; ESTC R23139	40,201	58

we must expect from God and what we must perform unto him which are propounded by Moses the Mediatour and assented to by the people Exod. 19. and a Copy of them fair Written delivered to the people Exod. 20. Secondly By Faith beleeving his Word resting on his promises For though Faith being an affiance or fiduciall resting on the promise of life be an act of the will and heart as well as of the minde yet I place it here because it hath its originall the assent in the minde understanding and giving assent to the promise as true and good 2. In the memory it consists by retaining in minde what the Lord requires of us and what we must perform unto him for we cannot keep our Covenant with God unlesse we both know remember and bear in minde the Articles and Conditions which we are to observe 3. In our wills by imbracing of his Covenant that is freely willingly and heartily making choice of God to be our God in Christ our Father and Soveraign Lord and imbracing these Conditions upon which he is pleased to accept of us to be his peculiar people and which we engage our selves to observe and to our power perform unto him as most holy just and good not only good and right in themselves but good to us also and all those that in conscience do observe them Rom. 7.12 4. In our affections we lay hold on the Covenant and keep it when we do not onely assent to the conditions of the Covenant embrace them and resolve to observe them to our power but do it out of love to the Commandment joying and rejoycing in this Covenant with the Prophet Jer. 15.16 delighting in it fearing to break it caring to observe it according to our promise and bounden duty Thus we must embrace and keep the Covenant in our inward man viz. In the mind by knowing and believing it in our memory by retaining it and meditating on it in our wills by embracing the conditions of it freely and willingly as just and good and in our affections by loving joying delighting in it c. Outwardly also By obeying his Commandments by a hearty endeavour in the whole course of our lives to observe and do them Nebem 10.29 They clave to their brethren their Nobles as if you should say The Parliament men to walk in Gods Law and to observe and do all the Commandments of the Lord and his Judgements and his Statutes This is the second Thirdly How we must keep Covenant with God for the manner and extent of our Obedience viz. 1. Willingly and heartily do every duty every service we do unto God from the heart with a ready mind as unto the Lord as Josiab did who made a Covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and to keep his Commandments and his Testimonies and his Statutes with all his bea rt and with all his soul 2 Chron. 34 31. It is certain That in every good action there is tantum bonitatis quantum voluntatis so much goodnesse as there is willingnesse and hearty affection therefore it is that in every service God calls for the heart Prov. 23.26 My sonne give me thine heart without which all our services are but hypocriticall and the most plentifull expressions of Obedience little regarded by the Almighty God is a spirit and therefore looks on the spirits of men and will be worshipped in spirit and truth Job 4.24 2. Vniversally In all things as well in one thing as in another we may not observe some things and omit others at our pleasure for any worldly profits preferment or other respect whatsoever Deut. 5.32 33. Ye shall observe to do as the Lord your God bath commanded you You shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left Ye shall walk in all the wayes which the Lord your God hath commanded you that ye may live c. 3. Constantly Alwayes To this we are exhorted encouraged commanded Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithfull to the death and I will give thee a Crown of life Gal. 6.9 Be not weary of well-deing to begin well and afterward to tall off again is fearfull what is it else but to return with the dog to his vomit and with the Swine to the wallowing in the mire better for such a man that he had never known the way of righteousnesse then after he hath known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto him 2 Pet. 2.21 22. Better it is that thou shouldst not vow he there speaks of things Arbitrary and not such as are commanded and necessary then that thou shouldst vow and not pay it This for the Manner Now Fourthly come we to the Grounds and Reasons why we must having once entred into Covenant with God be carefull constantly to observe and keep it And they are these and the like 1. The Command of God which is very clear and full in the Text See also Ier. 11.6 Hear ye the words of this Covenant and do them Deut. 4.23 Saith Moses to Israel from God Take heed to your selves lest ye forget the Covenant of the Lord your God which he bath made with you Psal 50.15 Pay thy vows unto the most high Eccles 5.4 When thou vowest a vow unto God defer not to pay it for be hath no pleasure in fools pay that which thou hast vowed In these two last places it is spoken chiefly if not onely of vows made of things voluntary and Arbitrary that was in the power of him that voweth before he vowed to vow or not vow them unto the Lord yet being once vowed the vow must be kept And if this binde in things Arbitrary how much more in things necessary and otherwise commanded Also full to this purpose is that Deut. 4.6.40 and 5.1 2.32 33 and 6.1 and in very many other places Now we all ought to make conscience of the command of God and carefully to observe and do it in respect of our relation unto him and dependance upon him both essendo oper ando in our being actions and well being which is wholly on him He gave us a Being when we had none continueth that being and the comforts of it we do enjoy and redeemed us when we were worse then nothing undone and lost for ever 2. We should keep Covenant with God because of that solemn * Quia jam vovisti jam te ad st●inxisti a iud tibi facere non licet Aug. in Ep. ad Armen bond and tye that lieth upon our souls whereby we have engaged our selves to God to be his and onely his for ever to fear him and serve him for ever Numb 30.2 If a man vow a vow unto the Lord or swear an oath to binde his soulwith abond every oath every vow bindes the soul layes a strong bond or engagement on it If it be but a mans Covenant no man may disannull it saith the Apostle Gal. 3.15 viz. By reason of the strong bond or tye it

should suffer any thing to discourage you or make you feare the perfecting of the long and much desired worke of Reformation in its due time only if Religion and the worship of God and the discipline of Jesus Christ be first setled then other evills how great soever will vanish away till then it cannot certainly be expected It is true it is not possible it should be done in a trice the greatnesse and exactnesse of the work the great deal of rubbish in the house of God both wretched persons and things and the great oppositions which great and good works meet with must of necessity make the work long Wherefore Noble Senators arme your selves with patience and resolution alwayes look as upon the work with one eye so at Gods glory and the publick good and upon Gods power wisdom goodnesse promise and faithfullnesse with the other and doubt not of a desired issue in due time which is the humble and hearty desire of him who is resolved to his utmost power and to the last breath God inabling by all means lawfull to maintain and defend the true reformed Protestant Religion against all Popery and Popish Innovations the Kings Majesties Person and Royall Posterity the power and Priviledges of Parliament together with their persons in all their just and good proceedings the lawfull Rights and Liberties of the Subject c. against the enemies of God the King and State and shall till death remain Your dayly Orator at the Throne of Grace THO MOCKET London August 3. 1642. THE Nationall Covenant DEUT. 29.9 Keep therefore the words of this Covenant and do them that ye may prosper in all that ye do THese words of Moses from God to the people of Israel contain a further reason of the exhortation delivered in the former Chapter of performing Obedience to Gods Commandments which Reason or Argument is two-fold First From the consideration of Gods great and wonderfull mercies and benefits vouchsafed unto them in their deliverance out of Aegypt ver 2.3.4 In their Journey in the Wild messe v. 5 6. and in the confines of the promised Land v. 7 8. Secondly from their Faith given or promise of Obedience made unto God intimated in the word Covenant in this verse Upon these two Grounds Gods goodnesse to them and their promise to him Moses doth in this Chapter presse them to Obedience in these words Keep therefore the words of this Covenant and do them The words of this Covenant is the Articles and Conditions which the people were by vertue of this Covenant bound to perform unto God This Covenant that is That Covenant which the people of Israel by Gods appointment made with God in the Land of Moab vers 1. which is there said to be another Covenant beside or differing from that which he made with them in Horeb on Mount Sinai where the Covenant was given Exod. 20. not in substance for so it is the same with that but in respect of the persons with whom even all those of Israel who were then unborn or unfit to enter into Covenant with God v. 14 15. And 2. In respect of the place this being neer the border of Canaan in the Country on the out-side of Jordan And thirdly In respect of the manner of revealing Christ who is in this more clearly revealed then on Mount Sinai The Propositions or Points of Doctrine naturally arising from these words are two viz. 1. That a Covenant Doctr. once made must be faithfully observed Or Covenanters must keep touch with God 2. That this is the way to prosper Or Obedience is the way to true Prosperity The former onely is that which here I intend to insist upon and shall include the other in the motives to this point In handling of which the Rules of Method do require that I do shew you before I come to Application 1. What a Covenant is and the kindes of it 2. What it is to keep Covenant with God 3. How it must be observed 4. The proof and grounds of this Duty For the first A Covenant to speak of it to the present purpose is a solemn promise whereby a man doth engage himself to God to perform all that Obedience unto God required in his Word by strength from Jesus Christ 1. I call it a promise Because the party Covenanting doth promise unto God Obedience 2. I call it a solemn promise Because it is ordinarily made with some outward solemnity Of this outward solemnity which is for the greater ratification of it we finde divers forms in the sacred Scripture Sometimes by Sacrifice as a Seal of the Covenant with God so Psal 50.5 Sometimes with subscribing of hands as Isai 44.5 Sometimes by sealing it also as Nehem. 9.38 Sometimes by an Oath as in this Chapter vers 12. and 2 Chron. 15.12.15 Sometimes with an Oath and a Curse so Nehem. 10.29 All formes binde firmly only some in a greater degree and lay a stronger tye upon the soul then some others do So that to break either must be dishonest and damnable 3. It was added whereby a man deth engage himself to God for it lays a strong band and engagement on the soul you have the phrase Jere. 30.21 Who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me saith the Lord. 4. To perform unto God viz. in respect of sincere endeavour all the obedience which God in his Word requireth of him for otherwise it is as good as nothing to binde our selves to obey God in somethings and in othersome to take liberty to our selves to transgresse at our pleasure It is universall obedience that God requireth Deut. 5.33 5. Lastly It was added in the description By strength from Christ or in the name of Christ c. All our ability is from him and without him we can do nothing that is truly good and acceptable unto God John 15.5 Now there is a double Covenant Personall and Nationall Personall is that which is presupposed and sealed in Baptism and renued in the Lords Supper The Articles whereof are these two 1. Faith in God through our Lord Jesus Christ And 2. Obedience to his Commandments the summe of which is contained in the Decalogue or ten Commandments as a fruit of that our Faith in God Nationall is when a whole Nation at least the generality do thus engage themselves to the Lord and such is the Protestation lately taken Thus much of the first thing propounded now of The second What it is to keep Covenant and wherein it consists To keep Covenant with God is to imbrace and observe his Commandments and that must be done inwardly and outwardly and so by the whole Man Inwardly the Covenant is laid hold on and observed 1. In the minde by knowing and beleeving them First By knowing the minde and will of God and what he requires of us in his Word which is the Book of the Covenant Exod. 24.7 containing the Articles or Conditions of the Covenant on both sides what

which he sware unto thy fathers Deut. 8.18 Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God what is it to remember God but to thinke of our Covenant of obedience to him and doe it and marke what followes That he may establish his Covenant which he sware unto thy fathers So psal 25.10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth i.e. all the passages of his providence are out of love for good and shall certainly be made good be performed but to whom to such as keep his Covenant and his Testimonies Brethren would you have God to keep Covenant with you then see that you keep Covenant with him 6. Know that whosoever doth keep Covenant with God them will God owne for his peculiar ones Exod. 19.5 6. Now therefore if you will obey my voice indeed and keep my Covenant then shall ye be a peculiar people to me above all people Beloved this is a great matter that God here promises That if we will indeed keep Covenant with him then we shall be his peculiar ones as much beloved as highly esteemed of God as a most choice treasure is of men that God the great God of Heaven and Earth should so love esteeme and account of a man a poore weake mortall sinfull man this is wonderfull yet this you see he promiseth to all that keep Covenant with him 7. And for the future God promises great matters and will certainly make them all good to all those that keep Covenant with him they shall have Heaven life eternall immediate communion with and a full fruition of himselfe who is the only alsufficient independent good We have his owne word for it Lev. 26.11 12. and he cannot deny himselfe Therefore a faithfull man that keeps Covenant with God is a happy man a rich man indeed not so much in re as in spe in a present possession as in future reversion and sure promises God himselfe Christ Heaven glory life eternall all is his If a man have a bond of a hundred or a thousand pounds from sure men we say and that truly he is so rich so a faithfull godly man is as rich as the promises Heaven and eternall life yea God and Christ and all is his and therefore he cannot but be most happy who doth now in part and shall fully enjoy him who is all in all If a man had all the creatures all the glory pleasure and comforts of them all yet that all were nothing in comparison of God all without him could not content the minde of man but God himselfe will fully satisfie it which results from all the former 8. It will also be a point of wisedome to keep Covenant with God Deut. 4.5 6 Behold I have taught you Statutes and Judgements the Articles of the Covenant betwixt God and us keep therfore and do them for this is your wisdome and your understanding in the sight of the Nations c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith a * Greg. Nazian Orat. ●3 Father Let a promise made by a vow or Covenant be perfected by performance for it is the part of fooles to faile Oh! my brethren how should the consideration of this so great and manifold good inflame our hearts to this duty That is the 4th motive the benefit Fifthly on the other side thinke of the great evils that will follow upon the wilfull breach of Covenant with God God is greatly dishonoured Religion the peace safety and welfare of the Land is extreamely endangered according to the greatnesse and generallity of this sinne for if one sinner destroyeth much good what will a multitude a million doe beside the privation of all that personall good fore-mentioned and the positive displeasure and evils which God inflicts on Covenant-breakers which oftentimes lights heavy on men in this world in their name estates bodies consciences See Lev. 26.15 c. and Deut. 28.15 to 68. there are 54. verses together of dreadfull plagues that God denounceth against Covenant-breakers one of which well set on by the hand of the Almighty is enough to breake the heart of the stoutest sinner Jerem. 11.2 3. saith God Heare ye the words of this Covenant Thus saith the Lord cursed bee the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant Neither doth breach of Covenant with God alwayes bring evill upon a mans selfe only but upon others also many times take one instance a Sam. 21. because Saul brake the Covenant which Joshuah and Israel made with the Gibeonites at their first comming into Canaan therefore God brought on all Israel a famine in the dayes of David for three yeares together There are divers things remarkeable here as 1. This Covenant was made not with Israel Gods owne people but with the Gibeonites who were otherwise designed to destruction with the rest of the Canaanites 2. It was not made in Sauls owne person but by his Predecessor and that 3. above three hundred and eighty yeares before Saul came to the Kingdome 4. It was with a good intention in Saul and out of his zeale for the children of Israel and Judah v. 2. Yet God plagued all Israel and Judah with a famine for that breach of Covenant no lesse then 3. yeares yeare after yeare The inference from hence is easie that every one may see what a grievous thing it is to breake Covenant with God Consider all these things weigh and ponder them well and seriously and the Lord worke them on your hearts and make them effectuall to quicken you and mee to this duty 2. Directions to further us in the duty Now if there be any soule that having entred into Covenant with God lately and all that have formerly done it in Baptisme who unfainedly desires and resolves to keep Covenant with God let him hearken to these directions following which may through the blessing of God not a little further him in the performance of this duty 1. Resolve upon it that it is a duty and it must be done Covenants must be kept and that you will set about it and are resolved to doe it Resolution will carry a man on far and help much as in all worldly undertakings so in spirituall and where a man is not resolved to goe on every little matter will take him off That is the first 2. Rid the heart of all it 's base lusts especially of it's bosome lusts labour to empty the soule of them Our lusts are like unto Sampsons lockes all the while Sampsons lockes were on no bonds would hold him but when they were cut off he could easily be bound so here while our strong lusts remaine in our hearts no bonds no promises or Covenants will hold us in obedience to God You may see this in the Jewes Jerem. 42.1 2 3. They came to the Prophet desired him to aske counsell of God for them what he will have them to doe and they promise very solemnely to doe it ver 5. and 6. They said to Ieremy The Lord be a true

and faithfull Witnesse betweene us if we doe not according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us whether it be good or whether it be evill we will obey the voice of the Lord our God to whom we send thee and they adde a strong reason also why they will doe so that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the Lord our God Yet there was a bosome lust in their hearts and therefore when the Prophet from the Lord told them what they should doe that it might be well with them they fall off all their former solemne protestation would not hold chap. 43.2 3. Therefore labour to rid the heart of all base lusts that like a false by as in a bowle will draw aside from Gods Commandements 3. Know where the power both to be rid of bosome lusts that hinder and to keep Covenant with God is and seeke it there where it is to be had and that is in Jesus Christ all our strength is in him there is no power in our selves not so much as to thinke a good thought of our selves as of our selves 2 Cor. 3.5 God is the strength of his people Psal 28.8 and 37.39 and he will give strength unto them Psal 29.11 and 68.35 All the grace we have is from Christ by his Spirit and all the obedience we doe is by vertue of his grace in us inabling us As at first all the strength we should have had had Adam and we stood in him was to be derived from him the first Adam so now all the strength a Christian hath to doe God any service is from Jesus Christ the second Adam by vertue of a new Covenant made with us in him It is not enough to binde a mans selfe in a bond of a hundred or a thousand pounds the bond will not pay the debt or inable the obliged to doe it there must be a stocke of mony a power and way to raise it or it will never be done so here now all our strength is in Christ and therefore as Josephs brethren in their want went to Joseph the Lord of Egypt so we must goe to Jesus the Lord of the Church This is his Office he is the Prophet and King of his Church a Prophet to teach us and a King to rule in our hearts by his Spirit to subdue sinne and inable to holinesse therefore he hath received gifts to give unto men Psal 68.18 and Ephes 4.8 Therefore if disordered lusts stirre in the soule goe to Christ the King as when there are disordered persons in a Kingdome we goe to the Magistrate to punish and curbe them so goe to Christ for power against them and for power to doe duty to keep Covenant And as you looke to Christs Office with an eye of faith so presse him with his promise he hath promised to subdue our enemies sinne and Satan and to inable his to doe valiantly and his promise is confirmed by an oath Heb. 6.17 18. and 7.20 therefore feare not to speed 4. Exercise the abilities you have received already and they will increase and grow greater as we use to say use leggs and have leggs use strength and have strength so use that little ability you have from him and God will give more To him that hath shall be given Mat. 25.29 Doe as well as you can actus intendit habitum si nervosè fit Aquinas the act increaseth the habit and faculty of doing if the power we have be put out in acting I say therefore to you as David to Solomon 1 Chron. 22.16 Arise and be doing and the Lord will be with you 5. Get strong reasons for God against sinne Satan c. for the true Religion against Popery and Popish Innovations c. for unlesse the judgement be clearly convinced the heart will never come fully off and much lesse goe on evenly and constantly in the duty and therefore get strong reasons why God must be beleeved loved feared obeyed above all so why sinne must be left and abhorred why this Religion must be embraced professed practised justified defended and not Papistry or any other Religion and so for all other things protested 6. Renew your graces as faith repentance and love often 1. Faith for ever the soule finds it true by experience that as faith increaseth or declineth so doth obedience 2. Renew Repentance or sorrow for sinne and former failings often To sinne once is too often but to repent sorrow for it many times is little enough The oftner we renew our repentance and sorrow for our failings and breaches of Covenant the greater will be our sorrow and the more our care to keep Covenant and feare to offend for the future 3. Renew also your love to God and Jesus Christ The more love to God and goodnesse the more strength and readinesse in the soule to obey God 7. Set up a spirituall watch in the soule over thine owne heart Jer. 17.9 42.3 4 6 7. with 43.2 3. especially against the lusts to which thou art most prone that the deceitfull heart and lusts draw it not aside out of the way of Gods Commandements Every man hath a deceitfull and dissembling heart that is ever ready to dissemble with God and deceive it selfe If any man hath a better thought of himselfe he is so much the worse for that thought and therefore have an eye to the Covenant and looke to thine owne heart also that it deceive thee not and cause thee to behave thy selfe falsly in thy Covenant 8. Keep under a powerfull Ministery and be frequent in the use of all Gods Ordinances and religious duties It is the means God hath appointed to keep men in the good way of obedience to Gods Commandements In 2 Chron. 15. we reade that every thing was out of order and there was no regard of the Law of God or man and the reason is ver 3. because Israel was without a teaching Priest dumbe S. Johns it may be they had enough but there was no teaching ministery to instruct direct and exhort them to duty and as Gods instrument to convey grace by his Ordinances to inable them to obey God for the teaching Minister is an instrument by whose labours in the word God is pleased to worke grace in the hearts of his people whereby they are inabled to duty The Ministery of the Word reading the Scriptures prayer c. are the food of the soule Now he that will labour or be able to worke must cate so he that will have strength to doe duties acceptably and keep Covenant with God must be frequent in the use of Gods Ordinances The soule must feed on this bread of life and therefore brethren that you may be inabled to doe the Lords worke and keep touch with God live under a powerfull Ministery and be constant and conscionable in the use of it and all other meanes of grace Let me exhort you as the Angell did Elias Vp and eat so doe you feed with savour and delight upon the Word Sacraments c. 9. Minde your selves often of the Covenant thinke seriously with your selves what you have done and how deeply you have engaged your selves to God and worke it on your hearts that it may take a deep impression on your spirits that it may never be forgotten for if it be forgotten though never so solemnely made it will be broken Therefore brethren minde your selves of your duty and often remember one another Heb 3.13 exhort one another This will be of good use also Men keep in minde their Rent-dayes dayes of payment and will sometimes put others in minde also least they misse and forfeit and so should we doe least we loose the benefit of our Covenant Lastly pray often and earnestly and get others to pray for you also and pray one for another So did David for himselfe Psal 86.11 Teach me thy way O Lord I will walke in thy truth unite my heart to feare thy Name And Psalme 119.36 Incline my heart unto thy Testimonies So verse 80. and 143. Also for others 1 Chron. 29. when he saw a great willingnesse in the peoples spirits hee prayes verse 18. O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and of Israel our Fathers keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people and prepare their hearts unto thee So pray I also for you even for every one that hath some good resolutions and is in his heart purposed to keep Covenant with God The Lord keepe this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of your hearts and prepare your hearts to him This God hath promised Jer. 32.39 40. Ezek. 36.27 there is great ground for prayer Now we know that faithfull prayer will availe much if it be fervent James 5.16 the promise is made to it and it is the worke of Gods owne Spirit and God cannot but heare the request of his owne Spirit put up according to his will I end all with that of King David to Salomon 1 Chron. 22.16 Arise and be doing and the Lord will be with you And that of the Apostle Be not weary of well-doing for in due time ye shall reape if ye faint not Amen * ⁎ * FINIS