temporal reward given him by God for that service even that his Children to the fourth Generation should sit upon the Throne of Israel And yet in these words Iehu is censured for an hypocrite though God approved and rewarded the work yet he abhorted and rejected the person that did it as hypocritical and wherein lay his hypocrisie but in this that he took no heed to walk in the ways of the Lord with his heart i. e he did all insincerely and for self-ends and though the work he did were materially good yet he not purging his heart from those unworthy self-designs in doing it was an hypocrite And Simon of whom we spake before though he appeared such a person that the Apostle could not regularly refuse him yet his hypocrisie was quickly discovered and what discovered it but this that though he professed and associated himself with the Saints yet he was a stranger to the mortification of heart sins Thy heart is not right with God Acts 8. 21. 'T is true there is a great difference among Christians themselves in their diligence and dexterity about heart-work some are more conversant and succesful in it then others are but he that takes no heed to his heart he that is not careful to order it aright before God is but a hypocrite Ezek. 33. 31 32. And they come unto thee as the people cometh and sit before thee as my people and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goes after their covetousness Here were a company of formal hypocrits as is evident by that expression as my people like them but not of them and what made them so their out-side was fair here were reverent postures high professions much seeming joy and delight in Ordinances thou art to them as a lovely Song yea but for all that they kept not their hearts with God in those duties their hearts were commanded by their lusts they went after their covetousness had they kept their hearts with God all had been well but not regarding which way their heart went in duty there lay the coare of their hypocrisie Object If any upright Soul should hence infer then I am an hypocrite too for many times my heart departs from God in duty do what I can yet I cannot hold it close with God Sol. To this I answer the very Objection carries in it it s own Solution Thou sayest do what I can yet I cannot keep my heart with God Soul if thou dost what thou canst thou hast the blessing of an upright though God sees good to exercise thee under the affliction of a discomposed heart There remains still some wildness in the thoughts and fancies of the best to humble them but if you find a care before to prevent them and opposition against them when they come grief and sorrow afterwards you will find enough to clear you from raigning hypocrisie 1 This fore-care is seen partly in laying up the word in thine heart to prevent them Psal. 119. 11. Thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee partly in our indeavours to ingage our hearts to God Ier. 30. 21. and partly in begging preventing grace from God in our on-sets upon duty Psal. 119 36. 37. 't is a good sign where this care goes before a duty And 2 't is a sweet sign of uprightness to oppose them in their first rise Psal. 119. 113. I hate vain thoughts Gal. 5. 17. The spirit lusteth against the flesh And 3 Thy after-grief discovers thy upright heart if with Hezekiah thou art humbled for the evils of thy heart thou hast no reason from these disorders to question the integrity of it but to suffer sin to lodge quictly in the heart to let thy heart habitually and uncontrolledly wander from God is a sad and dangerous symptom indeed 3. The beauty of our Conversation arises from the heavenly frames and holy order of our spirits there is a spiritual lustre and beauty in the conversation of Saints The righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour they shine as the lights of the world but whatever lustre and beauty is in their lives comes from the excellency of their spirits as the Candle within puts a lustre upon the Lanthorn in which it shines It is impossible that a disordered and neglected heart should ever produce a well-ordered conversation and since as the Text observes the issues or streams of life flow out of the heart as their fountain it must needs follow that such as the heart is the life will be hence 1 Pet. 2. 11 12. Abstain from fleshly lusts having your conversation hoâ—est * or beautiful * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greek word imports So Isa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts His way notes the course of his life his thoughts the frame of his heart and therefore since the way and course of his life flows from his thoughts or the frame of his heart both or neither will be forsaken the heart is the womb of all actions these actions are virtually and seminally contained in our thoughts these thoughts being once made up into affections are quickly made out into suitable actions and practises If the heart be wicked then as Christ saith Matth. 15. 19. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts murders adulteries c. Mark the order first wanton or revengeful thoughts then unclean or murderous practises And if the heart be holy and spiritual then as David speaks from sweet experience in Psal. 45. 1. My heart is inditing a good matter I speak of the things which I have made my tongue is as the pen of a ready writer Here 's a life richly beautified with good works some ready made I will speak of the things which I have made Others upon the wheel making king my heart is inditing but both proceeding from the heavenly frame of his heart Put but the heart in frame and the life will quickly discover that it is so I think it is not very difficult to discern by the duties and converses of Christians what frames their spirits are under take a Christian in a good frame and how serious heavenly and profitable will his converses and duties be what a lovely companion is he during the continuance of it 't would do any ones heart good to be with him at such a time Psal. 37. 30. 31. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom and his tongue talketh of judgment the law of his God is in his heart When the heart is up with God and full of God how dexterously and ingeniously will he winde in spiritual discourse improving every occasion and advantage to some heavenly purpose few words run then at the wast Spout And what else can be the reason why the discourses and duties of many Christians are become so frothy and unprofitable their communion both with God and one another
is both a multiplying and a tormenting passion it represents troubles much greater than they are and so tortures and wracks the Soul much worse than when the suffering it self comes So it was with Israel at the red Sea they cryed out and were sore afraid till they put â—oot into the water and then a passage was opened through thoâ—e waters which they thought would have drowned them Thus it is with us we looking through the glass of carnal fear upon the waters of trouble the swellings of Iordan cry out Oh they are unfoordable we must needs perish in them but when we come into the midst of those Floods indeed we find the Promise made good God will make a way to escape I Câ—r 10. 13. Thus it was with blessed Bilâ—â—â— when he would make a tryal by putting his finger to the Candle and not able to endure that he cryed out What â—â—nnâ—t I bear the burning of a finger how tâ—en shall I be able to bear the burning of my whole body to morrow and yet when that morrow came he could go chearfully into the flames with that Scripture in his mouth Isa. 43. 1 2 3. Fear not for I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name thou art mine when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shall not be burnt 6. Rule Consult the many precious promises which are written for your support and comfort in all dangers These are your Refuges to which you may flye and be safe when the arrows of danger fly by night and destruction wasteth at noon day There are particular Promises suâ—ted to particular Cases and exigencies and there are general Promises reaching all Cases and Conditions such are these Rom. 8. 28. All things shall work together for good c. And Eccl. 8. 12. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times and his daâ—es be prolonged yet it shall be well with them that fear the Lord c. Could you but believe the Promises your hearts should be established 2 Chr. 20. 29. Could you but plead them with God as Iacob did Gen. 32. 12. Thou saidst I will surely do thee good c. they would relieve you in every distress Object But that proâ—ise was made personally and by name to him so are not these to me Answ. If Iacobs God be your God you have as good an interest in them as he had The Church a thousand years after that transaction betwixt God and Iacob applyed that which God spake to him as if it had been spoken to themselves Hos. 12. 1. He found him in Bethel and there he spake with us 7. Rule Quiet your trembling hearts by recording and consulting your past experiences of the care and faithfulness of God in former distresses These experiences are food for your Faith in a wilderness condition Psal. 74. 14. By this David kept his heaâ—t in time of danger I Sam. 17. 37. and Paul his 2. Cor. 1. 10. It was sweetly answered by Silentiarius when one told him that his enemies way-laid him to take away his life Si Deus mei curam non habet quid vivo if God take no care of me how have I escaped hitherto you may plead with God old experiences to procure new ones for it is in pleading with God for new deliverances as it is in pleading for new pardons Now mark how Moses pleads on that account with God Numb 14. 19. Pardon I beseech thee the Iniquity of this people as thou hast forgiven them from Egypt until now He doth not say as men do Lord this is the first fault thou hast not been troubled before to sign their pardon but Lord because thou hast pardoned them so often I beseech thee pardon them once again So in new straits Lord thou hast often heard helpt and saved in former fears therefore now help again for with thee there is plenteous redemption and thine arm is not shortned 8. Rule Be well satisfied that you are in the way of your duty and that will beget holy courage in times of danger Who wiâ—â— harm you if you be followers of that which is good 1 Pet. 3. 13. Or if any dare attempt it you may boldly commit your selves to God in well-doing 1 Pet. 4 19. ' I was this consideration that raised Luthers Spirit above all fear In the cause of God said he I ever am and ever shall be stout herein I assume this Title Cedo nulli 2 good cause will bear up a mans spirit bravely Hear the saying of a Heathen to the shame of cowardly Christians When the Emperour Vespasian had commanded Fluidius Priscus not to come to the Senate or if he did to speak nothing but what he would have him The Senator return'd this noble Answer That as he was a Senator it was fit he should be at the Senate and if being there he were required to give his advice he would speak freely that which his Conscience commanded him the Emperour threatning that then he should dye He answered Did I ever tell you that I was immortel Do you what you will and I will do what I ought it is in your power to put me to death unjustly and in me to dye constantly Righteousness is a Breast-plate the Cause of God will pay all your expences let them tremble whom danger finds out of the way of Duty 9. Rule Get your consciences sprinkled with the blood of Christ from all guilt and that will set your hearts above all fear 'T is guilt upon the conscience that softens and cowardizes our spirits The righteous is bold as a Lion Prov. 28. 1. 'T was guilt in Cains Conscience that made him cry every one that meets me will stay me Gen. 4. 14. A guilty Conscience is more terrified with conceited dangers than â— pure Conscience is with real ones A guilty sinner carries a witness against himself in his own bosom 'T was guilty Heâ—od cryed out Iohn Baptist is riseâ— from the dead Such a conscience is the Devils Anvil on which he fabricates all those Swords and Spears with which the guilty sinner pierces and wounds himself Guilt is to danger what fire is to Gun-powder a man â—eed not fear to walk among many barrels of Powder if he have no fire about him 10. Rule Exercise holy trust in times of great distress Make it your business to trust God with your lives and comforts and then your hearts will be at rest about them So did David Psal. 57. 3. At what time I am afraid I will trusâ—â—n thee q. d. Lord it at any time a storm rise I will make bold to shelter from it under the Covert of thy wings Go to God by acts of faith and trust and never doubt but he will secure you Isa. 62. 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteâ—h in thee God takes it well when thou comest to him thus Father my life my
you could say in your on-sets upon duty as an holy one once did when he came off from duty Claudimini oculi mei claudimini c. be shut O my eyes be shut for it is impossible you should ever see such beauty and glory in any Creature as I have now seen in God You had need avoid all occasions of distraction from without for be sure you will meet enough from within intention of spirit in the work of God locks up the eve and eare against vanity When Marcellus entred the gates of Syracuse Archimides was so intent about his Mathematical Scheame that he took no notice of the Souldiers when they entred his very study with drawn swords a fervent cannot be a vagrant heart 3. Help Beg of God a mortisied fancy a working fancy saith one how much soever it be extold among men is a great snare to the Soul except it work in fellowship with right reason and a sanctified heart the phantasie is a power of the Soul placed between the senses and the understanding 't is that which first stirrs it self in the Soul and by iâ—s motion the other powers are stirred 't is the common shop where thoughts are first forged and framed and as this is so are they if imaginations be not first cast down 't is impossible that every thought of the heart should be brought into obedience to Christ 2 Cor. 10. 5. this fancy is naturally the wildest and most untameable power in the Soul Some Christians especially such as are of hot and dry constitutions have much to doe with it And truly the more spiritual the heart is the more 't is troubled about the vanity and wildness of it O what a sad thing it is that thy nobler Soul must lackey up and down after a vain roving fancy that such a begger should ride on horseback and such a Prince run after it on foot that it should call off the Soul from attendance upon God when it is most sweetly ingaged in Communion with him to prosecute such vanities as it will start at such times before it beg earnestly of God that the power of sanctâ—fication may once come upon it Some Christians have attained such a degree of Sanctification of their fancies that they have had mâ—ch sweetness left upon their hearts by the spiritual workings of it in the night season when thy fancy is more mortified thy thoughts will be more orderly and fixed 4. Help If thou wouldst keep thy heart from those vain excursions realize to thy self by faith the holy and awful presence of God in duties If the presence of a grave man will compose us to seriousness how much more the presence of an holy God thinkst thou thy Soul durst be so garish and light if the fence of a divine eye were upon it remember the place where thou art is the place of his feet Isai. 60 13. act faith upon the Omnisciency of God All the Churches shall know that I am hee that searcheth the heart and tryeth the reins and will give to every one of you according to your works Rev. 2. 23. all things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to doe Heb. 4. 12. realize his infinite holiness into what a serious composed frame did the sight of God in his holiness put the spirit of the Prophet Isai 6. 5. labour to get also upthy heart due apprehensions of the greatness of God such as Abraham had Gen. 18. 27. I that am but dust and ashes have taken upon me to speak to God And lastly remember the jealousie of God how tender he is over his worship Lev. 10. 3. And Moses said unto Aaron this is that the Lord spake saying I will be sanctified in them that come high me and before all the people I will be glorified A man that is praying saith Bernard should behave himself as if he were entring into the Court of Heaven where he sees the Lord upon his throne surrounded with ten thousand of his Angels and Saints ministring unto him When thou comest from a duty in which thy heart hath been toying and wandring thou mayest say verily God was in this place and I knew it not Suppose all the impertinencies and vaâ—ities which have past through thine heart in a duty were written out and interlined with thy petitions couldst thou have the face to present it to God should thy tongue but utter all the thoughts of thy heart in prayer would not men abhor thee why thy thoughts are vocal to God Psal. 139. 2. If thou wert petitioning the King for thy life would it not provoke him to see thee playing with thy bâ—ndstrings or catching every fly that lights upon thy cloaths whilst thou art speaking to him about such serious matters O think sadly upon that Scripture Psal. 87. 7. God is greatly to be feared in the assemblies of his Saints and to be had in reverence of all that are round about him Why did God descend in thundrings and lightnings and dark clouds upon Sinai Exo. 19. 16 18. Why did the mountains smoke under him the people quake and tremble round about him yea Moses himself not exempted but to teach the people that great truth Heb. 12. 28. 29. Let us have grace whereby we may serve him acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire present God thus before thee and thy vain heart will quikly be reduced to a more serious frame 5. Help Maintain a praying frame of heart in the intervals of duty What is the reason our hearts are so dull careless and wandring when we come to hear or pray but because there have been such long intermissions in our communion with God by reason whereof the heart is out of a praying frame if that spiritual warmth those holy impressions we carry from God in one duty were but preserved to kindle another duty it would be of marvellous advantage to keep the heart intent and serious with God To this purpose those intermediate ejaculations betwixt stated and solemn duties are of most sweet and excellent use by these one duty is as it were linked to another and so the Soul as it were wraps up it self in a chain of duties That Christian seldome misses his mark in solemn duty that shoots up many of these darts in the intervals of duty 't is an excellent commendation Christ bestows upon the spouse Cant. 4. 11. Thy lips O my spouse drop as the hony combe upon which text one gives this sweet note the hony comb drops actually but sometimes but it always hangs full of sweet drops ready to fall if our ejaculations were more our lamentations upon this account would be fewer 6. Help Endeavour to ingage and raise thy affections to God in duty if thou wouldst have thy distractions cured A dropping eye and a melting heart are seldom troubled as others upon this account When the Soul is intent about any work it gathers in its strength and
Christian recover his first love how may the heart be preserved from unseasonable thoughts in duty how may a bosome sin be discovered and mortified c. Would not this have tended more to the credit of religion and comfort of your Souls O t is time to repent and be ashamed of this folly when I read what Suarez a Papist said who wrote many Tomes of disputations that he prised the time he set apart for the searching and examining of his heart in reference to God above all the time that ever he spent in other studies I am ashamed to find the professors of this age yet insensible of their folly shall the Conscience of a Suarez feel a relenting pang for strength and time so ill imployed and shall not yours this is it your Ministers long since warned you of your spiritual nurses were afraid of the rickets when they saw your heads only to grow and your hearts to wither O when will God beat oâ—r swords into plowshares I mean our disputes and contentions into practical godliness 2 Another cause of neglecting our heart hath been earthly incumbrances the heads and hearts of many have been filled with such a crowd and noise of worldly business that they have sadly and sensibly declined and withered in their zeal love and delight in God in their heavenly serious and profiâ—able way of conversing with man O how hath this wilderness intangled us our discourses and conferences nay our very prayers and duties have a tang of it we have had so much work without doors that we have been able to doe but little within It was the sad complaint of an holy one O saith he t is sad to think how many precious opportunities I have lost how many sweet motions and admonitions of the Spirit I have posted over unfruitfully and made the Lord to speak in vain in the secret illapses of his Spirit the Lord hath called upon me but my worldly thoughts did still lodge within me and there was no place in my heart for such calls of God surely there is a way of injoying God even in our worldly imployments Gâ—d would never have put us upon them to our loss Enoch walked with God and begat sons and daughters Gen. 5. 19. He walked with God but did not retire and seperate himself from the things of this life and the Angels that are imployed by Christ in the things of this world for the Spirit of the living creatures is in the wheels they are finite creatures and cannot be in a twoâ—old ubi at one time yet they lose nothing of the beatifical vision all the time of their administration for Matâ—h 18. 10. their Angels even whilest they are imployed for them Behold the face of their father which is in heaven We need not lose our visions by our imployments if the fault were not our own alas that ever Christians who stand at the doore of eternity and have more work upon their hands then this poor moment of interposing time is sufficient for should yet be filling both our heads and hearts with trifles 3. Hence also I infer for the awakening of all that if the keeping of the heart be the great work of a Christian then there are but few real Christians in the world Indeed if every one that hath learned the dialect of Christianity and can talke like a Saint if every one that hath giâ—ts and parts and by the common assisting presence of the Spirit can preach pray or discourse like a Christian in a word if such as associate themselves with the people of God and delight in ordinances might pass for Christians the number then is great But alas to what a small number will they shrink if you judge them by this rule how few are there that make Conscience of keeping their hearts watching their thoughts judging their ends c. O there be but few closet men among professors t is far easier for men to be reconciled to any duties in religion then to these the prophane part of the world will not so much as touch with the outside of religious duties much less to this and for the hypocrit though he be polite and curious about those externals yet you can never perswade him to this inward work this difficult work this work to which there is no inducement by humane applause this work that would quickly discover what the hypocrit cares not to know so that by a general consent this heart work is left to the hands of a few secret ones and I tremble to think in how few hands it is II. Vse for Exhortation IF the keeping of the heart be so important a business if such choice advantages â—ccrew to you thereby if so many dear and precious interests be wrapt up in it then let me call upon the people of God every where to fall close to this work O study your hearts watch your hearts keep your hearts away with fruitless controversies and idle questions away with empty names and vain shews away with unprofitable discourse bold censures of others turn in upon your selves get into your closets and now resolve to dwell there you have been strangers to this work too long you have kept others vineyards too long you have trifled about the borders of religion too long this world hath deteined you from your great work too long will you now resolve to look better to your hearts will you haste and come out of the crowds of business and clamours of the world and retire your selves more then you have done O that this day you would resolve upon it Reader methinks I should prevail with thee all that I beg for is but this that thou wouldst step aside a little oftner to talk with God and thine own heart that thou wouldst not suffer every trifle to divert thee that thou wouldest keep a more true and faithful account of thy thoughts and affections that thou wouldst but seriously demand of thine own heart at least every evening O my heart where hast thou been to day whether hast thou made a rode to day if all that hath been said by way of induccment be not enough I have yet more motives to offer you and the first is this 1. Motive The studying observing and diligent keeping of your own hearts will marvellously help your understanding in the deep mysteries of Religion An honest well experienced heart is a singular help to a weak head such a heart will serve you in stead of a Commentary upon a great part of the Scriptures by this means you shall far better understand the things of God than the learned Rabbies and profound Doctors if graceless and unexperienced ever did you shall not only have a more clear but a more sweet perception and gust of them a man may discourse orthodoxly and profoundly of the nature and effects of faith the troubles and comforts of Conscience the sweetness of Communion with God that never felt the efficacy and sweet
impressions of these things upon his own spirit but O how dark and dry are these notions compared with his upon whose heart they have been acted when such a man reads Davids Psalms or Pauls Epistles there he finds his own objections made and answered O saith he these holy men speak my very hearâ— their doubts were mine their trouble 's mine and their experiences mine I remember Chrysostome speaking to his people of Antioch about some choice experiences useth this expression Sciunt initiati quid dico those that are initiated know what I say experience is the best Schoolmaster O then study your hearts keep your hearts 2. Mot. The study and observation of your own hearts will antidote you against the dangerous and infecting errours of the times and places you live in For what think you is the reason that so many professors in England have departed from the faith giving heed to â—ables that so many thousands have been led away by the errour of the wicked that Jesuits and Quakers who have sown corrupt doctrine have had such plentiful harvests among us but because they have met with a company of empty notional proâ—essors that never knew what belongs to practical godliness and the study of their own hearts If professors did but give diligence to study search and watch their own hearts they would have that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that stedfastness of their own that Peter speaks of 2 Pet. 3. 17. and this would ballast and settle them Heb. 13. 9. Suppose a subtil Papist should talke to such of the dignity and meâ—it of good works could he ever work the perswasion of it into that heart that is conscious to it self of so much darkness deadness distraction and unbelief attending itâ— best duties t is a good rule non est disputandum de gustu there is no disputing against taste what a man hath felt and tasted one cannot beat him off from that by argument 3. Mot. Your care and diligence in keeping your hearts will prove one of the best evidences of your sincerity I know no external act of religion that differences the sound from the unsound professor t is wonderful to consider how far hypocrits go in all external duties how plausibly they can order the outward man hiding all their indecencies from the observation of the world But then they take no heed to their hearts they are not in secret what they appear to be in publick and before this tryal no hypocrit can stand t is confest they may in a fit under a pang upon a death-bed cry out of the wickedness of their hearts but alas there is no heed to be taken to these extorted complaints in our law no credit is to be given to the testimony of one upon the rack because it may be supposed that the extremity of the torture may make him say any thing to be eased but if self jealousie care and watchfulness be the daily workings and frames of thy heart it strongly argues the sincerity of it for what but the sence of a divine eye what but the real hatred of sin as sin could put thee upon those secret duties which lye out of the observation of all creatures If then it be a desirable thing in thine eyes to have a fair testimony of thine integâ—ity and to know of a truth that thou â—earest God then study thine heart watch thy heart keep thy heart 4. Mot. How fruitful sweet and comfortable would all Ordinances and Duties be to us if our hearts were better kept O what precious communion might you have with God every time you approach him if your hearts were but in frame you might then say with David Psal. 104. 34. My meditation of him shall be sweet That which loses all our comforts in ordinances and more secret duties is the indisposedness of the heart a Christian whose heart is in a good frame gets the start of all others that come with him in that duty they are tugging hard to get up their hearts to God now trying this argument upon them and then that to quicken and affect them and sometimes goe away as bad as they came Sometimes the duty is almost ended before their hearts begin to stirr to feel any warmth quickning or power from it but all this while the prepared heart is at its work this is he that ordinarily gets the first sight of Christ in a Sermon the first seal from Christ in a Sacrament the first kiss from Christ in secret prayer I tell you and I tell you but what I have felt that Prayers and Sermons would appear to you other manner of things then they doe did you but bring better ordered hearts unto them you would not goe away dejected and drooping O this hath been a lost day a lost duty to me if you had not lost your hearts it might not be so if then the comfort of ordinances be sweet look to your hearts keep your hearts 5. Mot. Acquaintance with your own hearts would be a Fountain of matter to you in Prayer A man that is diligent in heart work and knows the state of his own Soul will have a fountain fulness of matter to supply him richly in all his addresses to God his tongue shall not faulter and make pauses for want of matter Psal. 45. 1. my heart is enditing a good matter or as Montanus renders the original my heart is boyling up good matter like a living spring that is still bubling up fresh water and then my tongue is as the pen of a ready writer others must pump their memories rack their inventions and are often at a loss when they have done all but if thou have kept and faithfully studied thine own heart t will be with thee as Iob speaks in another case like bottles full of new wine that want vent which are ready to burst as holy matter flows plentifully so more feelingly and sweetly from such a heart when a heart experienced Christian is mourning before God over some special heart corruption wrastling with God for the supply of some special inward want he speaks not as other men doe that have learned to pray by rote their confessions and petitions are squeezed out his drop freely like pure honey from the combe t is a happiness then to be with or neer such a Christian. I remember Bernard having given rules to prepare the heart for prayer concludes them thus Et cum talis fueris memento mei and saith he when thy heart is in this frame then remember me 6. Mot. By this the decayed power of religion will be recovered again among professors which is the most desirable sight in this world O that I might live to see that day when professors shall not walk in a vain shew when they shall please themselves no more with a name to live being spiritually dead when they shall be no more as many of them now are a company of frothy vain and unserious persons but the
grace are planted in the heart and the deeper they are radicated there the more thriving and flâ—urishing grace is in Eph. 3. 17. we read of being rooted in Grace Grace in the heart is the root of every gracious word in the mouth and of every holy work in the hand Psal. 116. 10. 2 Cor. 4. 13. 't is true Christ is the root of a Christian but Christ is Origo originans the originating root and grace Origo originata a root originated planted and influenced by Christ according as this thrives under divine influences so the acts of grace are more or less fruitful and vigorous Now in a heart not kept with care and diligence these fructifyâ—ng influences are stopt and cut off multitudes of vanities break in upon it and devour its strength the heart is as it were the pasture in which multitudes of thoughts are fed every day a gracious heart diligently kept feeds many precious thoughts of God in a day Psal. â—39 17. How precious are thy thoughts to me O God! how great is the sum of them if I should count them they are more in number than the sand and when I awake I am still with thee And as the gracious heart seeds and nourishes them so they refresh and feast the heart Psal. 63. 5 6. My soul is filled as with marrow and fatness whilest I think upon thee c. But in the dis-regarded heart swarms of vain and foolish thoughts are perpetually working and justle out those spiritual Idea's and thoughts of God by which the Soul should be refreshed Besides the careless heart makes nothing out of any Duty or Ordinance it performs or attends on and yet these are the Conduits of Heaven from whence Grace is watred and made fruitful a man may go with an heedless spirit from Ordinance to Ordinance abide all his dayes under the choicest teachings and yet never be improved by them for heart neglect is a leak in the bottom no heavenly influences how rich soever abide in that Soul Matth. 13. 3 4. The heart that lies open and common like the high-way free for all passengers when the Seed fell on it the fowls came and devoured it Alas it is not enough to hear unless we take heed how we hear a man may pray and never the better unless he watch unto prayer In a word all Ordinances Means and Duties are blessed unto the improvement of Grace according to the care and strictness we use in keeping our hearts in them 6. Lastly The stability of our Souls in the hour of temptation will be much according to the care and Conscience we have of keeping our hearts the careless heart is an easy prey to Satan in the hour of temptation his main Batteries are raised against that Fort-royal the Heart if he win that he wins all for it commands the whole man and alas how easy a Conquest is a neglected heart 't is no more difficult to surprise it than for an enemy to enter that City whose Gates are open and unguarded 't is the watchful heart that discovers and suppresses the temptation before it come to its strength Divines observe this to be the method in which temptations are ripened and brought to their full strength there is 1 The irritation of the Object or that power it hath to work upon and provoke our corrupt nature which is either done by the real presence of the object or else by Speculation when the object though absent is held out by the phantasy before the Soul 2 Then follows the motion of the sensitive appetite which is stirred and provoked by the phantasy representing it as a sensual good as having profit or pleasure in it 3 Then there is a consultation in the mind about it deliberating about the likeliest means of accomplishing it 4 Next follows the election or choice of the Will 5 And lastly The desire or full engagement of the Will to it all this may be done in a few moments for the debates of the Soul are quick and soon ended when it comes thus far then the heart is won Satan hath entred victoriously and displayed his Colours upon the Walls of that Royal Fort but had the Heart been well guarded at first it had never come to this height the temptation had been stopt in the first or second act and indeed there it 's stopt easily for it is in the motions of a tempted Soul to sin as in the motion of a stone falling from the brow of an Hill it 's easily stopt at first but when once it 's set a going Vires acquirit eundo and therefore it 's the greatest wisdom in the world to observe the first motions of the heart to check and stop sin there the motions of sin are weakest at first a little care and watchfulness may prevent much mischief now which the careless heart not heeding is brought within the power of temptation as the Syrians were brought blindfold into the midst of Samaria before they knew where they were By this time Reader I hope thou art fully satisfied how consequential and necessary a work the keeping of thy heart is it being a duty that wraps up so many dear interests of the Soul in it 3. Next according to the method propounded I proceed to point out those special Seasons in the life of a Christian which require and call for our utmost diligence in keeping the heart for though as was observed before the Duty binds ad semper and there be no time or condition of life in which we may be excused from this work yet there are some signal seasons critical hours requiring more than a common vigilance over the heart And the first 1. Season Is the time of prosperity when Providence smiles upon us and dandles us upon her knee Now Christian keep thy heart with all diligence for now 't will be exceeding apt to grow secure proud and earthly Rara virtus est humilitas honorata saith Bernard to see a man humble under prosperity is one of the greatest rarities in the World Even a good Hezekiah could not hide a vain glorious temper under this temptation and hence that Caution to Israel Deut. 6. 10 11 12. and it shall be when the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware to thy fathers to Abraham Isaac and Jacob to give thee great and goodly Cities which thou buâ—ldest not and houses full of all good things which thou filledst not c. Then beware lest thou forget the Lord and indeed so it fell out for Iesurun waxed fat and kicked Deuâ— 32. 15. Now thâ—n the first case will be this viz. 1. Case How a Christian may keep his heart from pride and carnal security under the smiles of providence and confluence of Creature comforts There are seven choice helps to secure the heart from the dangerous snares of prosperity the first is this 1. To consider the dangerous insnaring temptations attending a
thou yet doubt Remember Hagar and the Childe 7. Conâ—id Your poverty is not your sin but your affliction only if by sinful means â— oâ— have not brought it upon your selves and if it be but an affliction it may be born the easier for that 'T is hard indeed to bear an affliction coming upon us as the fruit and punishment of sin when men are under trouble upon that account they use to say O! if it were but a single affliction coming from the hand of God by way of tryal I could bear it but I have brought it upon my self by sin it comes as the punishment of sin the marks of Gods displeasure are upon it 't is the guilt within that troubles and galls more than the want without But it is not so here and therefore you have no reason to be cast down under it Object But though there be no sting of guilt yet this condition wants not other stings as first the discredit of Religion I cannot comply with mine engagements in the world and thereby Religion is like to suffer Sol. 'T is well you have an heart to discharge every duty â—et if God disable you by Providence 't is no discredit to your profession because you do not that which you cannot do so long as it is your desire endeavour to do what you can and ought to do and in this case Gods will is that lenity and forbearance be exercised towards you Deâ—t 24. 12 13. 2 Object But it grieves me to behold the necessities of others whom I was want to relieve and refresh but now cannot Sol. If you cannot it ceases to be your duty and God accepts the drawing out of your soul to the hungry in compassion and desire to help them though you cannot draw forth a full purse to relieve and supply them 3. Obj. But I find such a condition full of temptations a sore clog in the way to Heaven Sol. Every condition in the World hath its clogs and attending temptations and were you in a prosperous condition you might there meet with more temptations and fewer advantages than you now have For though I confess poverty hath its temptations as well as prosperity yet I am confident prosperity hath not those excellent advantages that poverty hath for here you have an opportunity to discover the sincerity of your love to God when you can live upon him find enough in him and constantly follow him even when all external inducements and motives fail And thus I have shewed you how to keep your hearts from the temptations and dangers attending a poor and low condition in the World when want pinches and the heart begins to sink then improve and bless God for these helps to keep it 6. Season The sixth Season of expressing this diligence in keeping the heart is the Season of Duty when we draw nigh to God in publick private or secret Duties then 't is time to look to the heart for the vanity of the heart seldome discovers it self more than at such times How oft doth the poor soul cry out O Lord how fain would I serve thee but vain thoughts will not let me I came to open my heart to thee to delight my soul in communion with thee but my corruptions have set upon me Lord rare off these vain thoughts and suffer them not to prostitute the soul which is espoused to thee before thy face The sixth Case then is this 6. Case How the heart may be kept from distractions by vain thoughts in the time of Duty There is a two-fold distraction or wandring of the heart in Duty 1 voluntary and habitual Psalm 78. 8. They set not their hearts aright and their spirit was not stedfast with God This is the case of Formalists and it proceeds from the want of an holy bent and inclination of the heart to God their hearts are under the power of their lusts and therefore 't is no wonder they go after their lusts even when they are about holy things Ezek 33. 31. 2 Involuntary and lamented distractions Râ—m 7. 21 24. I finde then a law that when I would do good evil is present with me O wretched man that I am c. This proceeds not from the want of a holy bent and aim but from the weakness and imperfection of grace And in this case the soul may make the like câ—mplaint against its own corruptions that Abijah did against Ieroboam 2 Chro. 13. 6 7. Yet Ieroboam the son of Nebat is risen up against his Lord when Reâ—oboham was young and tender-hearted and could not withstand them and there are gathered unto him vain men the children of Belial Grace hath a dominion but lusts are mutinous and seditious during the infancy thereof But it is not my business to shew you how these distractions come into the heart but rather how to get and keep them out of the heart in order whereto take these ten following Helps 1. Help Sequester your selves from all earthly imployments and set apart some time for solemn preparation to meet God in duty you cannot come seeking hot out of the world into Gods presence but you will find a tang of it in your duties it is with the heart a few minutes since plunged in the world now at the feet of God just as with the sea after a storm which still continues working muddy and disquiet though the wind be laid and stâ—rm over thy heart must have some time to settle There are few Musicians that can take down a lure or viol and play presently upon it without some time to tune it there are few Christians can presently say as Psal. 57. 7. O God my heart is fixed it is fixed O when thou goest to God in any duty take thy heart aside and say O my Soul I am now addressing my self to the greatest work that ever a Creature was imployed about I am going into the awful presence of God about business of everlasting moment Oh my Soul leave trifling now be composed watchful serious this is no common work 't is God work Soul work Eternity work I am now going forth bearing seed which will bring forth fruit to life or death in the world to come pause a while upon thy sins wants troubles steep thy thoughts a while in these before thou address thy self to duty David first mused and then spake with his tongue Psal. 39. 3 4. So Psal. 45. 1 my heart is enditing c. 2. Help Having composed thy heart by previous meditation presently set a guard upon thy senses how often are poor Christians in danger of loosing the eyes of their mind by those of their body for this Iob covenanted with his senses Chap. 31. 1. for this David prayed Psal. 119. 37. turn away mine eies from beholding vanity and quickâ—n thou me in thy way this may serve to expâ—und that mystical Arabian proverb which advises to shut the windows that the house may be light 't were excellent if
bends all the thoughts about it and when it s deeply affected it will be intent the affections command the thoughts to goe after them deadness causes distâ—action and distraction increases deadness could you but look upon duties as the galleries of communion in which you walk with God where your Souls may be filled with those ravishing and matchless delights that are in his presence your Soul would not offer to stir from thence It is with the heart in duty as it is with those that dig for gold oare they try here and finding none try there and so go from place to place till at last they hit upon the rich vein and there they sit down If thy heart could but once hit the rich vein in duty it would dwell and abide there with delight and constancy O how I love thy law it is my meditation day and night Psal. 119. 97. The Soul could dwell day and night upon its knees when once its delights loves and desires are ingaged What 's the reason your hearts are so shufling especially in secret duties why are you ready to be gone almost as soon as you are come into the presence of God but because your affections are not ingaged 7. Help Mourn over the matter to God and call in assistance from Heaven when vain thoughts assault thy heart in duty When the messenger of Satan buffeted Paul by wicked injections as is supposed he goes to God and mourns over it before him 2 Cor. 12. 8. never slight wandring thoughts in duty as small matters follow every vain thought with a deep sigh turn thee to God with such words as these Lord I came hither to speak with thee and here a busie Devil and a vain heart conspiring together have set upon me O my God what an heart have I shall I never wait upon thee without distraction when shall I enjoy an hour of free communion with thee help me my God this once do but display thy glory before mine eyes and my heart shall quickly be recovered Thou knowest I came hither to enjoy thee and shall I goe away without thee See how the heart of thy poor child works towards thee strives to get near thee but cannot my heart is a ground come thou north wind blow south wind O for a fresh gale now â—rom thy Spirit to set my affections afloat couldst thou but thus affectionately bewail thy distractions to God thou mightest obtain help and deliverance from them He would say to Satan and thine imperious lusts as Ahashuerus said of Haman what will he force the Qâ—een before my face who are these that set upon my child in my work and presence 8. Help Look upon the success and sweetness of thy duties as very much depending upon the keeping of thy heart close with God in them These two things the success and sweetness of duty are as dear to a Christian as his two eyes and both of these must necessarily be lost if the heart be lost in duty Iob 35. 13. Surely God heareth not vanity neither doth the Almighty regard it the promise is made to an heart ingaged Ier. 29. 13. Then shall you seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart Well then when thou findest thy heart under the power of deadness and distraction say to thy Soul O what doe I lose by a careless heart now my praying times are the choicest parts the golden spots of all my time could I but get up this heart with God I might now obtain such mercies as would be matter for a song to all eternity 9. Help Look upon it as a great discovery of the sincerity or hypocrisie of your hearts according as you find them carefull or careless in this matter Nothing will starâ—le an upright hearâ— more than this What shall I give way to a customary wandring of heart from God shall the spot of the hypocrit appear upon my Soul they indeed can drudge on in the round of duty never regarding the frames of their hearts Ezek. 33. 31 32. but shall I doe so when men come into the presence chamber and the King is not there they bow to the empty chair O never let me be satisfied with empty duties never let me take my leave of a duty untill mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of hosts 10. Help Lastly 't will be of special use to keep thine heart with God in duties to consider what influence all thy duties havâ— into thine eternity These are your seed time and what you sow in your duties in this world you must look to reap the fruit of it in anâ—ther world Gal. 6. 7. 8. if you sow to the flesh of that you shall reap corruption but if to the spirit life everlasting O my Soul answer seriously wouldst thou be willing to reap the fruit of vanity in the world to come darest thou say when thy thoughts are roving to the ends of the earth in duty when thou scarce mindest what thou sayest or hearest now Lord I am sowing to the Spirit now I am providing and laying up for eternity now I am seeking for glory honour and immortaliy now I am striving to enter in at the strait gate now I am taking the kingdom of Heaven by an holy violence O such a consideration as this should makâ— the multitudes of vain thoughts that preâ—s in upon thy heart in duty to flie seven ways before it and thus I have shewn you how to keep your hearts in the times of duty 7. Season The seventh season calling for more than common diligence to keep the heart is when we receive injuries and abuses from men such is the depravedness and corruption of man in his collapsed state that homo homini lupus one man is become a wolf a Tyger to anoâ—her thâ—y are as the Prophet complains Hab. 1. 14. as the fishes of the sea and as the creepâ—ng things that have no ruler over them and as wicked men are cruel and oppressive one to another so they conspire together to abuse and wrong the people of God as the same Prophet complains v. 13. the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he Now when we are thus abused and wroâ—ged 't is hard to keep the heart from revengful motions to make it meekly and quietly to commit the cause to him that judgeth righteously to exercise no other affection but pity towards them that abuse us Surely the Spirit that is in us lusteth to revenge but it must not be so you have choice helps in the Gospel to keep down your hearts from such sinful motions against your enemies and to sweeten your imbitter'd Spirits the seventh case therefore shall be this 7. Case How a Christian may keep his heart from revengful motions under the greatest injuries and abuses from men The gospel indeed allows a liberty to vindicate our innocency and assert our rights but not to vent our corruptions and invade Gods right when
thou art troubled about their bodies and outward condition why should not that word satisfy thee Ier. 49. 11. Leave thy fatherless children to me I will keep them alive and let thy Widows trust in me Luther in his last Will and Testament hath this expression Lord thou hast given me wife and children I have nothing to leave them but I commit them unto thee O Father of the fatherless and judge of widows nutri serva doce nourish keep and teach them or art thou troubled for their Souls thou canst not convert them if thou shouldst live and God can make thy prayers and counsels to live and take place upon them when thou art dead 2. Obj. I would fain live to doe God more service in the world Sol. Well but if he have no more service for thee to doe here why shouldst thou not say with David if he have no delight to use me any farther here am I let him doe what seemeth him good in this world thou hast no more to doe but he is calling thee to an higher service and imployment in Heaven and what thou wouldest doe for him here he can doe that by other hands 3. Obj. I am not yet fully ready I am not as a bride compleatly adorned for the bridegroom Sol. 1. Thy justification is compleat already though thy sanctification be not so and the way to make it so is to dye for till then it will have its defects and wants 4. Obj. O but I want assurance if I had that I could dye presently Sol. 1. Yea there it sticks indeed but then consider that an hearty willingness to leave all the world to be freed from sin and be with God is the next way to that desired assurance no carnal person was ever willing to dye upon this ground And thus I have finished those cases which so nearly concern the people of God in the several conditions of their life and taught them how to keep their hearts in all I shall next apply the whole I. Vse of Information YOU have heard that the keeping of the heart is the great work of a Christian in which the very Soul and life of Religion consists and without which all other duties are of no value with God hence then I shall infer to the consternation of hypocrites and formal Professors 1. That the pains and labours which many persons have taken in religion is but lost labour and pains to no purpose such as will never turn to account Many great services have been performed many glorious works are wrought by men which yet are utterly rejected by God and shall never stand upon record in order to an eternal acceptation because they took no heed to keep their hearts with God in those duties this is that fatal rock upon which thousands of vain professors split themselves eternally they are curious about the externals of religion but regardless of their hearts O how many hours have some Professors spent in hearing praying reading conferring and yet as to the main end of religion as good they had sate still and done nothing for all this signifies nothing the great work I mean heart work being all the while neglected tell me thou vain professor when didst thou shed a teare for the deadness hardness unbelief or earthliness of thy heart thinkst thou such an easie religion can save thee if so we may invert Christs words and say wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to life and many there be that goe in thereat hear me thou self deluding hypocrit thou that hast put of God with hartless duties thou that hast acted in religion as if thou hadst been blessing an Idol that could not search and discover thy heart thou that hast offered to God but the skin of the sacrifice not the marrow fat and inwards of it how wilt thou abide the coming of the Lord how wilt thou hold up thy head before him when he shall say O thou dissembling false hearted man how couldst thou profess religion with what face couldst thou so often tell me thou lovedst me when thou knewest all the while in thine own conscience that thine heart was not with me O tremble to think what a fearful judgment it is to be given over to a heedless and careless heart and then to have religious duties in stead of a rattle to quiet and still the Conscience 2. Hence I also infer for the humiliation even of upright hearts that unless the people of God spend more time and pains about their hearts then generally and ordinarily they do they are never like to do God much service or be owners of much comfort in this World I may say of that Christian that is remiss and careless in keeping his heart as Iacob said of Reuben Thou shalt not excel It grieves me to see how many Christians there are that go up and down dejected and complaining that live at a poor low rate both of service and comfort and how can they expect it should be otherwise as long as they live at such a careless rate O how little of their time is spent in the closet in searching humbling and quickning their hearts You say your hearts are dead and doe you wonder they are so as long as you keep them not with the fountain of life if your bodies had been diated as your Souls have been they would have been dead too never expect better hearts till you take more pains with them qui â—ugit molam fugit farinam he that will not have the sweat must not expect the sweet of Religion O Christians I fear your zeal and strength hath run in the wrong chaâ—nel I fear most of us may take up the Churches complaint Cant. 1. 6. They have made me the keeper of the Vineyards but mine own Vineyard have I not kept Two things have eaten up the time and strength of the Professors of this Generation and sadly diverted them from heart work 1 Fruitless controversies started by Sathan I doubt not to this very purpose to take us off from practical godliness to make us puzzle our heads when we should be searching our hearts O how little have we minded that of the Apostle Heb. 13. 9. T is a good thing that the heart be established with Grace and not with meats i. e. with disputes and controversies about meats which have not profited them that have been occupied therein O how much better is it to see men live exactly then to hear them dispute subtilly these unfruitful questions how have they rendred the Churches wasted time and spirits and called Christians off from their main business from looking to their own vineyard what think you Sirs had it not been better if the questions ventilated among the people of God of late days had been such as these how shall a man discern the special from the common operations of the Spirit how may a Soul discern its first declineings from God how may a backsliding
I wish many Christians could truly say what a Heathen once did I doe not give but only lend my self to my business T is said Germanicus reigned in the Romans hearts Tyberius only in their Provinces though the world be in your hands let it not justle Christ out of your hearts Take heed Christian least thy shop steal away thy heart from thy closet God never intended earthly imployments for a stop but rather for a step to heavenly ones O let not Aristippus the Heathen arise in judgement against thee who said he would rather neglect his means then his mind his farm then his Soul 〈◊〉 thy ship be overladen thou must cast some over-bord more business then thou canst well mannage is like more meat then thou canst well digest which will quickly make a sickly Soul 4. Mea. He that means to keep his heart must carefully observe its first declinings from God and stop it there He that will keep his house in good repair must stop every chinke assoone as discovered and he that will keep his heart must not let a vain thought be long neglected the serpent of heart Apostasâ—e is best killed in the egge of a small remission O if many poor decayed Christians had lookt to their hearts in time they had never come to that sad pass they now are we may say of heart neglects as the Apostle doth of vain bablings that they increase to more and more ungodliness nemo repentè fit turpissimus little sins neglected will quickly become great and masterless the greatest Crocodile once lay in an egge the greatest oake was once but an acorn the firing of a small train of powder may blow up all by leading to a greater quantity men little think what a proud vain wanton or worldly thought may grow to behold how great a matter a little fire kindles 5. Mea. Take heed of loseing the liveliness and sweetness of your communion with God least thereby your hearts be loosed off from God The heart is an hungry and restless thing it will have something to feed upon if it enjoy nothing from God it will hunt for something among the creatures and there it often loses it self as well as its end there is nothing more engages the heart to a constancy and evenness in walking with God then the sweetness which it tasts therein as the Gauls when once they tasted the sweet wine of Italy could never be satisfied till they conquered the countrey where it grew T is true Conscience of duty may keep the heart from neglecting it but when there is no higher motive it drives on deadly and is filled with distractions that which we delâ—ght in we are never weary of as is evident in the motions of the heaâ—t to earthly things where the wheels being oyled with delight run nimbly and have often need of trigging the motions of the heart upward would be as free if its delight in heavenly things were as great 6. Mea. Habituate thy heart to spiritual meditations if thou wouldst have it freed from thosâ— burdensome diversions By this means you will get a facillity and dexterity in heart work t is pity those smaller portions of our time betwixt solemn duties should lye upon our hands and be rendred useless to us O learn to save and be good husbands upon your thoughts to this purpose a neat Authour speaks these Parentheses which happen to come between the more solemn passages whether business or recreations of humane life are wont to be lost by most men for want of a due value for them and even by good men for want of skill to preserve them for though they doe not properly despise them yet they neglect or lose them for want of knowing how to rescue them or what to doe with them but although grains of sand and ashes be a part but of a â—eâ—picable smalness and lyable to be scatâ—â—red and blown away yet the skilful artificer by a vehement fire brings numbers of these to afford him â—hat noble substance glass by whose help we may both see ourselves and our blemishes lively represented as in looking glasses and discern caelestial objects as with Tellescopes and with the sun beams kindle disposed materials as with burning glasses so when these little fragments or parcels of time which if not carefully lookt to would be dissipated and lost come to be managed by a skilful Contemplator and to be improved by the caelestial fire of devotion they may be so ordered as to afford us both looking glasses to dress our Souls by and prospectives to discover heavenly wonders and incentives to inflame our hearts with zeal thus far he Something of that nature I have under hand for a publick benefit if God give life to finish and opportunity to produce it certainly this is a great advantage for the keeping of the heart with God IV. Vse for Consolation I Shall now close the whole with a word or two of consolation to all dilligent and serious Christians that faithfully and closely ply heart work that are groaning and weeping in secret over the hardness pride earthliness and vanity of their hearts that are fearing and trembling over the experienced deceitfulness and falsness of them whilest other vain professors eyes are abroad their time and strength eaten up by fruitless disputes and earthly imployments or at best by a cold and formal performance of some heartless and empty duties poor Christian I have three things to offer thee in order to thy support and comfort and doubtless either of them alone mixed with faith is sufficient to comfort thee over all the trouble thou hast with thine own heart 1. Comfort This argues thy heart to be upright and honest what ever thy other gifts and abillities are T is uprightness of heart will comfort thee upon a death-bed 2 Kings 20. 2 3. Then he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord saying remember now O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart c. I am really of his mind who said si mihi daretur optio eligerim christiani rustici sordidissimum maxime agreste opus prae omnibus victoriis triumphis Alexandri auâ— Caesaris might I have my wish I would prefer the most despicable and sordid work of a rustick Christian before all the victories and triumphs of Alexander or Cesar. Yea let me adde before all the elaborated duties and excellent gifts of vain professors before the tongues of men and Angels it will signifie more to my comfort to spend one solitary hour in mourning before the Lord over heart corruption then many hours in a seeming zealous but really dead performance of common duties with the greatest inlargements and richest embellishments of parts and gifts By this very thing Christ distinguishes the formal and serious Christian Matth. 6. 5. The one is for the street and Synagogue for the observation and applause of men but the other is a closet