conscience of his wrongs done was ready to restore where hee had wrongfully receiued the Lord Iesus said vnto him This day Saluation is come into thy house to shew that true conuersion is a certaine signe of Life and Saluation By this I know saith Dauid that thou louest mee O Lord because my enimies doe not triumph ouer mee to shew that euen enimies are for signes tokens of gods fauour By this shall all men know that yee are my Disciples saith our sauiour Christ â—f yee loue one another to shew that christian loue is for a signe of gods loue but not a cause thereof as Papists teach And by the heart a man may know whether his part be in the booke of life and whether his soule shall bee bound vp in the bundell of the righteous or no For where the treasure is there will thâ— heart bee also that is there will be the ioy and delight of the heart the loue and deâ—ire of the heart the care and longing of the heart for the heart in this place is put for the affections of the heart or soule If then thou wouldest know whether thy Treasure bee in heauen or hell see where thy heart doth most â—aunt and whereabout it is most employed If Christ be the man the matter whom thy soule loueth if his Gospell bee the ioy of thy soule his commandements thy harts delight if for loue of his name and zeale to his glory thou fearest more to offend him then all the world besides and art for his sake content to endure with patience all the Tribulations crosses that the hands of wicked men can loade vpon thy backe if thou canst finde thy heart resolued to drink of his cup and to bee baptised with his Baptisme if thou bee bent to stand more zealously for his glory then for thy own life and if thy heart bee refreshed when thou thinkest on his death and art hartely desirous of his comming to Iudgement then happy and blessed art thou the king of kings hath put forth his golden Scepter vnto thee thou art in his fauour the fruitfull Tree of Grace hath budded in thy hart the Summer time of thy refreshing is approching and the Lord delighteth in the fruit of thy faith thy treasure is in heauen thy prouision is gone before thou shalt follow after yea more if thy heart doth mourne and grieue for thy owne vntowardnesse and the sinnes of other men thou art marked by Gods owne Secretary his sauing Angell hath set thee apart that the destoyers â— may not meddle with thee if they meete thee in their way And as Christ said to Nathaniel Dost thou beleue because I said I saw thee vnder the figge Tree thou shalt see greater things then these Soe do you beleeue because I say by the hart you shal know whether your treasure be in heauen you shall see greater things then yet you doe for now wee see but in part and we know but in part but hereafter wee shall know as wee are knowne in the meane time take these things as the first fruites of the spirit which are but thâ— least part of the haruest or as an earnest penny in assurance of millions not to bee numbred for certainly where the hart is there is the treasure but how great a treasure no eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor tongue can expresse nor hart can conceiuâ— On the other side if thy hart hath no ioy in the gospell of Christ nor delight in the commandements of God if thou haue no zeale for the glory of God no desire to pray nor longing for the coming of Christ then feare for where thy treasure is there will thy heart be also If thou hast more felicitie in worldly vanities then in heauenly vertues if vaine company bee more welcome vnto thee then such as feare the Lord if thy study be onely how to liue heere thy cares and communications be altogether â—arthly and prophane then suspect thy estate not to bee good and know that thy hollow sound bewrayeth an emptie vessell thy figge tree hath nothing but leaues all thy Termes are but vacations and as for treasure in heauen thou hast none for they that are occupiers there haue their harts wholly employed there and as they looke for great aboundance when they come thether so they finde an earnest thereof in their harts heere alâ— is holy and heauenly comfortable and happie for righteousnesse and truth hath looked downe from heauen vpon them and mercy and peace haue embraced each other in their soules and heauen holding their treasure doth also hale and draw their harts thither likewise Now then let vs see how our harts stand affected for there is a sure witnesse and pledge eyther of Hell or of Heauen But how shall wee know whether our hearts be in heauen and Gods holy spirit be in our hearts Surely a needfull question for euery one wil say as the yong man in the Gospel all these things I haue obserued from my youth and that he loueth God aboue all yea hee would be sorry else but the Prophet Ieremie saith that the heart is deceiptfull wicked aboue all things who can know it and therefore to be suspected examined as Dauid aduised Examine your hearts vpon your beds euen secretly before God and free from all lets and encombrances Wouldest thou then know thy heart examine all her attendants and vnder officers wherabout they are chiefly employed as thy Tongue thy Eares thy Eyes thy hands and feet for out of the abundance of the hart the mouth speaketh that is the tongue will shew how the hart is affected my hart is enditing of a good matter saith the Psalmist and presently followeth my tongue is the pen of a ready writer Againe in another place My hart was hot within me and I spake with my tongue A good man saith our Sauiour Christ out of the good treasure of his hart bringeth forth good things If there be abundance of loue to God the tongue will still bee speaking in commendation of his praises and setting forth his greatnes his goodnes his iustice his holines his wisdome and mercy c. as the Church in the Canticles Oh let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth for thy loue is better then wine that is better then all pleasant and profitable things If there bee abundance of ioy and delight in the commandements of God thy lips will declare the Iudgements of his mouth If there be abundance of feare to offend against God or the Godly thou wilt set a watch before thy mouth and thy feet shall carry thee speedely from euill company If there be abundance of zeale in thy hart then will thy tongue be enflamed with a holy fire for the truth If thy hart doth abound with desire and longing for the presence of the Lord then thou wilt still be wishing
reason is because hee hath now goods inough for many yeers but as he was thus dreaming of many yeeres goods and rest a voice comes and awakes him and tels him plainly that he doth vtterly mistake the matter Thou foole saith hee this night shall they fetch away thy Soule and then whose goods shall those be that thou hast gathered So is it saith Christ with him that gathereth riches to himselfe and is not rich in God This vanitie is well set out by the holy Ghost when Salomon saith there is an euill sicknesse namely â—iches reserued to the hurt of their owners and these riches perish by euill trauaile And this is also an euill sicknesse saith the man of experience that in all points as hee came so shall hee goe and what profit hath hee that he hath trauailed for the winde I haue also seene a man saith he to whom God hath giuen riches and treasures and honour and he wanteth nothing for his soule of all that he desireth but God giueth not power to eate thereof this is vanitie and vexation of spiâ—it As this vanitie is a vexation to the spirit of man so is it no lesse grieuous to the spirit of God for that contrary to the minde of our heauenly father we bestow our loue so fondly vpon that which cannot help vs. The commandement saith wee must honour our parents now amongst other things tending to the honour of our earthly parents this is not the least for a child to require the consent of his parents in bestowing of himselfe in marriage and to marrie against their mindes especially when there is reason to the contrary cannot bee but a great dishonour offred to our parents But what earthly parents haue so great interest in their children as God hath in vs what childe oweth such dutie to his earthly parents as wee owe to God If I be your father saith the Lord where is my honour as if hee had said if you depend vpon me for your prouision and looke for my blessing how is it that you set your harts vpon my creatures not vpon mee knowing that my minde is so much against such foolish bestowing of your selues as though I could not or would not fill your harts with as much ioy and gladnesse as my creatures can doe and more too Therefore saith Paul to Timothy Charge them that are rich in this world that they bee not high minded and that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God How dangerous worldliness is to the Soule THere is no truer Nobilitie then to be a citizen of the heauenly Ierusalem sonne and heire to the most high all which is defaced and abolished if the hart lie buried in earthly things There is no sounder ioy then the ioy of the holy ghost which is a fruit of Faith is grounded on the loue of God but this cannot bee relished or tasted by him whose hart doth cleaue to this miserable bondage of worldly cares There are no such goods as the sanctifying graces of the holy ghost which onely make a man truely happy as to cleaue vnto God by faith to loue the Lord from the hart to worship him in spirit and truth and to bee wholly vnited vnto him But far is hee from these things whose hart is set vpon earthly goods At the Sermon his minde runneth after his couetousnesse and with his mouth hee maketh iests both of the doctrine and Doctor because hee liketh neither the one nor the other like the Pharises which mocked Christ when hee spake against couetousnesse because themselues were couetous When the Sermon is done they forget al because their harts wer choked with the thorny cares of the world if they fall to reporting of the Sermon it is with additions and detractions mistakings and falsify cations most strange to heare as if the Preacher had ben mad or drunke or in some dreame when he spake Thus the word of life and grace which is a sweet sauour of life vnto life eternall to the regenerate and spirituall minde yeeldeth a most fearefull sauour of death vnto death euerlasting to the carnall worldly minded man Seeing therefore to bestow the hart affection vpon earthly things is proued to be a match so base and vnbeseeming the dignitie of a Christian so wretched and miserable so vaine and deceiptfull so dishonourable to God and preiudiciall to our owne saluation let vs labour by earnest prayer and holy meditation to haue our mindes purged from this euill sicknesse of worldly loue and neuer giue the Lord any rest vntill by zealous prayer wee haue obtained of his diuine Maiestie the wings of a liuely Faith whereby our heauie harts and dull spirits may bee mounted vp aloft to seeke for our Treasure in heauen and then indeed shall wee bee heauenly minded for where the Treasure is there will the hart bee also How to iudge by the heart whether â— mans Treasure be in heauen or no. THere be certaine signes in the hart whereby a man may iudge of his estate to come as there be in the skie to know what weather shall happen when the skie is red in the Euening men say faire weather when it is red lowring in the morning it is a signe of foule weather when a cloud riseth out of the West they say a shower is comming when the South-winde bloweth a signe of heat By obseruing how Ionathan shot his arrows Dauid knew how Saul stood affected towards him by the holding out of the golden Scepter Hester knew shee was in the Kings fauour by the budding of the Trees wee know that Summer is come by the sound of the Vessell the emptinesse or fulnes thereof is perceiued by the beating of the pulses the distemperature of the body is discerned And by the affections of the heart which are the pulses of the soule the hearts Treasure is discouered and where it lyeth for God that hath giuen men signes to know the state of the body the alteration of weather and the mindes of other men hath also giuen certaine notes and signes to discerne the state of the Soule by Yea Christ doth condemne them for Hypocrites which will not iudge of themselues as well as of other things Hipocrites saith hee Yee can discerne the face of the Earth and of the Skie but why discerne yee not this time yea and why iudge yee not of your selues what is right But how may that be will some say or how may a man know by the affections of the heart where the hearts treasure is Then mark the way of wisdome and learne to bee wise when the Lord Iesus heard one answeare discreetely he said vnto him Thou art not farre from the kingdome of God to shew that discreet answeres in matters of religion are signes of grace When Zacheus did with heart obey Christ and with reuerence receiue Christ and in charitie releiue Christ in
THE Christians heauenly Treasure BY WILLIAM BVRTON of Reading in Barkeshire MATTHEW 16. 26. What shall it profit a man to winne the whole world and loose his owne soule PHILIP 3. 7. The things that were vantage vnto mee the same I counted losse for Christs sake 8 And doe iudge all things to be dunge that I might winne Christ. LONDON Printed by T. E. for Thomas Man senior and Ionas Man dwelling in Pater-noster-Row at the signe of the Talbot 1608. TO the right VVorshipfull and religious Knight Sir Drue Drurie encrease of Grace and Peace in this life and fulness of heauenly treasure in the life to come RIght VVorshipfull Maecenas in regard of the manifolde fauours and encouragements which I haue receiued from you euer since I first entred into the sacred worke of the Ministrie first in Norfolke at your house by Norwich where then you remayned and many times since I doe heere as dutie bindeth mee offer vnto your VVorshipfull Patronage this short Treatise of the Christians heauenly Treasure which sheweth in some sort the difference betweene false goods and true goods betweene Heauen and Earth the riches of the one and the riches or penurie rather of the other and the way how to enioy the one without losse of the other Which is not to teach you any thing that yet you know not for God bee praysed you knew these things long agoe but as S. Peter wrighteth to confirme strengthen your godly minde and to vphold your holy Faith which long since through the mercy of God shined in you accompanied with true loue the handmaid of Faith to the great glory of God the ioye of the godly and the comfort of the Saints hearts This Argument doth of right belong vnto your Worship because the Lord hath plentifully replenished your hart with the loue of heauenly things and true zeale vnto his glory for heauenly matters onely in heauenly minds and sanctified harts receiue kind entertainment like the Angels in Lots house reioysing each in others company conference like Mary and Elizabeth but they shun the companie of the wicked like the Wise men which balked Herods house returned another way when they vnderstood what a Fox he was The God of all Mercie and Consolation who hath made your old age glorious by crowning the same with a most constant loue and sincere profession of his blessed Truth so prosper your holy proceedings and religious endeuours that at the end of this your earthly pilgrimage you may with holy Simeon depart in peace and receiue with all Saints that crowne of immortall glory and endlesse rest which God hath prepared for you and for all those that loue and desire the glorious appearing of the Lord Iesus Christ. From my friends house in London this 21. of Ianuarie 1607. Your Worships in all Christian affection VVilliam Burton THE Christians Heauenly Treasure MATTHEVV 6. 19. Lay not vp Treasures for your selues in earth where the Moth and Canker corrupt and where Theeues digge through and steale 20 But lay vp for your selues Treasures in Heauen where neither the Moth nor Canker corrupteth and where Theeues neither dig through nor steale 21 For where your Treasure is there will your hart bee also OVr Sauiour Christ hath in the former part of this chapter condemned the fond affectation of Vaine-glory as the onely bane and poyson of all good actions wherof he giueth three instances The one in giuing of Almes The other in Fasting The last in Prayer He now for biddeth worldlinesse and greedy desire of earthly things as dangerous an enemie to our Saluation no lesse a staine vnto our Christian profession as the former Vaine-glory and Hypocrisie as a burning poyson that infecteth and inflameth the inward parts is to be auoyded yea as a Theefe that robbeth the Almightie of his glory is to be pursued Greedy Couetousnesse or worldlinesse as Thrones that choke the graces of Gods Spirit is to bee plucked vp by the rootes As a spirituall Feuer that relisheth no goodnesse but distasteth all Hâ—â—uenly and Spirituall things is to bee purged and taken heed of yea the desire of riches is to bee auoyded as a streame both deepe and swift that will both drowne mens soules carry them quite away from God To that ende Saint Paul saith they that will bee rich meaning whether God will or no or before the time that God hath appointed fall into many noysome and foolish lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction to shew in what a miserable case a worldling is for speak to a drowned man smite him teach him and cry out vnto him or sound a Trumpet in his Eare and he heareth not he feeleth not and so is it with a man whose hart is drowned in the cares of this World and loue of riches And yet those are in greatest admiration for the world doth not onely desire to be hauing more still but doth admire those that haue worldly Treasures Therefore our Sauiour Christ doth warne vs of that gnawing Worme and tels vs that if wee bee so greedy of the world as to set our harts vpon it we loose heauen for our laboâ—â— And therefore wee must take heed how wee vse this world for Christ would teach vs how to vse the world that wee bee not cousened by it A little thing certaine is better then much vncertaine as a poore man with a little Coppy-hold is better to passe in that respect than hee that hath much and no assurance in it The World is vncertaine for it is in danger of Theeues which will rob or of Mothes which will fâ—eâ— or of Rust which will consume or of Death which wil end all but Heauen is not subiect to any of these nor the like Againe hee that will bee saued must send Treasure before hand to Heauen and not driue of till death come for none shall finde Treasure there but they that lay it vp before they dye As a man that remooueth to another place to abide there sendeth his stuffe and prouision before him so they that meane to remoue hence and to abide in Heauen must send their Treasure thether before hand by relieuing the poor and helping forward other holy chaâ—â—table works And wheras some alledge for themselues that they haue had great losses c. and therefore cannot giue any thing to the poore or other holy and charitable vses they must know that they haue the more need to giue and to bee liberall and to doe good with that they haue and so to lay vp in Heauen when the World goeth from them or else they will bee poore both here and there too Now if any man bee desirous to know whether he hath any treasure in heauen or no let him take this course First let him see what it is that doth command his hart and next what doth most moue him and touch him and lastly what hee taketh most delight in and what he beateth his braine about most
of Christ which is the sword of the Spirit to hew and cut thy sinnes and bee content with patience to endure the sifting and fanning of the Gospell for except the dead and superfluous branches be cut off we can neuer bring forth fruit in Christ. Secondly wee must resolue to endure all outward crosses and losses for the euerlasting Truth of Christ for hee that will saise his life saith Christ shall loose it and he that will loose it for my sake and the Gospell shall saue it And if wee suffer with him saith S. Paul wee shall also raigne with him If wee belong to Christ wee must looke for tribulation and anguish and persecution and famine and nakednesse and perill and sword all which will try their force to see if they can seperate vs from the loue of Christ. Yea wee must looke for his sake to bee killed all the day long and to bee counted as sheepe for the slaughter But in all these things saith the holy Apostle wee are more then conquerours through him that loued us And therefore wee faint not but though our oâ—tward man perish yet th' inward man is renued daily For our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent waight of glory While wee looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene This point will bee scarce welcommed or well liked of nice and daintie professours of the Gospell which must neuer goe to Gods house but when the Sunne shineth the waies are faire and no Winde is stirring to blow vpon them and when they are there they must heare nothing but pleasing things their sinnes must not bee touched much lesse can they endure to haue the cutting knife of Gods law laid to the throat of their sinne And if all the world doth not applaud and commend their zeale and good deeds they soon are discouraged stand stone stil like the winde mill that goeth no longer then the winde bloweth no scoffe or reproach no persecution or trouble can they endure for the Truths sake what Treasure can these lay vp by their daintinesse in heauen The third way to lay vp Treasure in heauen is while thou liuest here vpon earth to grow in the powerfull and liuely knowledge of Christ crucified by a liuely apprehensiue faith to make thy selfe sure of all his benefits in comparison of whom thou oughtst with the blessed Apostle to esteeme all the world but drosse and dung Now to effect this we must consider the merite of Christ the vertue of Christ and the example of Christ and what benefit wee haue by euery one of them as that worthie man of God M. Perkins hath both learnedly heauenly declared the somme whereof I will breefly recall into thy minde Christ is to bee considered as the common Treasurie and store-house of Gods Church for God hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in Christ. Eph. 1. 4. And in him are all the Treasures of Knowledge Wisdome hidden Col. 2. 3. And of his fulnesseâ—wee all receiâ—e grace for grace Iohn 1. So that all the blessings of God without exception are conuayed vnto vs from the Father by Christ and so must they bee receiued and no otherwise But concerning the benefits of Christ wee are to learne further two things first what they are Secondly how or in what manner to vse them His benefits are three Merit Vertue and Example The Merit of Christ is the value of his death and passion whereby he hath obtained to vs Reconciliation And this Reconciliation hath two parts first Remission of sinnes Secondly acceptation to eternall life and both for the merit of Christ imputed This benefit must bee knowen not by conceipt nor carnal presumption but by the inward testimonie of gods Spirit To attaine to the infallible assurance of this benefite we must call to minde the promises of the Gospell touching remission of sins and the gift of eternall life to the Faithfull Secondly wee must endeuour by the assurance of Faith to apply them to our owne hearts And thirdly wee must vse often exercises of Inuocation and repentance for by our crying to God for reconciliation commeth the assuraunce thereof And if it so fall out that a man in temptation feele nothing but the furious wrath of God yet euen then against all reason and feeling hee must hold to the merit of Christ and know that God is a most louing father to them that haue a care to serue him euen at that instant when he sheweth himselfe a most fierce and terrible enimie which Iob knew right well when hee said If the Lord should kill mee yet I will trust in him From the benefite of Reconciliation proceede foure benefites First that excellent peace of God which passeth all Vnderstanding Phil. 4. And that hath sixe parts first peace with the Trinitie for being Iustified by Faith we haue peace with God Rom. 5. 1. Secondly Peace with Angles who do ascend and descend vpon the Sonne of man Iohn 1. 51. and all for the good of Gods Church For the Angels doe incampe about those that feare the Lord. Psal. 34. And like Nurses doe beare them in their armes Psal. 90. 12. that they hurt not their foot against a stone All this seruice which the Angels performe vnto the faithfull proceedes of this that the faithfull being in Christ are pertakers of his merit Thirdly peace with the Faithfull for the Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard shall lye with the Kid and the Calfe and the Lyon and the fat beasts together and a little child shall lead them Esay 11. 6. Fourthly peace with a mans selfe and that is first when the Conscience washed in the bloud of Christ ceaseth to accuse a man secondly when the will and affections are obedient to the minde enlightened by the Word and Spirit of God and this is that which the Apostle meaneth when hee saith Let the peace of God rule in your hearts Col. 3. 15. Fiftly Peace with our enimies and that two wayes first in seeking Peace with all hurting none but doing good to all secondly in that God restraineth their mallice inclineth their hearts to peace Sixtly Peace with the Creatures Psal. 91. 13. Thou shalt walk vpon the Lyon and the Dragon c. And in that day saith the Lord I will make a coâ—enant for them with the wild Beasts and with the foules of the heauen with that that creepeth vpon the earth c. Hos. 2. 18 If therefore wee see God against vs our owne Conscience against vs the Angels against vs the Faithfull against vs the wicked against vs the Creatures against vs let vs examine this point of Reconciliation and if all bee with vs let vs know that it is the benefit of Christs merit The second benefit of Christs merite is
such like whatsoeuer they say in word if we respect the tenor of their liues are flat enimies of the crosse of Christ and tread his precious bloud vnder their feete So farre Perkins But if thou wilt haue the Treasures of Christ in heauen thus thou must learne to know and feele Christ crucified and the benefits of his Merit Vertue and Example and thus must thou come to the knowledge of God of thy neighbour and of thy selfe in Christ crucified euen whiles thou art here vpon earth which feeling knowledge is a sauing knowledge euen an excellent portion of heauenly Treasure imparted to the true Christian in this life and is a pledge of endlesse and infinite treasure prouided for him in the life to come and so much for the wayes and meanes of laying vp treasute in heauen which are by giuing to the poore Members of Christ by suffering patiently for the truth of Christ and by growing in the sauing knowledge of Christ crucified In laying vp Treasure after this sort we shal prooue good Alcumists An Alcumist they say can turne lead into gold or out of Lead or other mettals extract Golde which many haue practised to their vtter vndoing The Pope is the cunningest Alcumist it is thought that the world hath for hee can of a pound of Lead make an hundred pound of Gold for all his Buls and Pardons are sealed with lead but what fooles are they that turne their Gold into Lead or what calues rather that buy his Buls so deare But lay vp Treasure as hath beene shewed thee before and thou shalt turne earth into heauen corruption into incorruption Gold into godlinesse which is great gaine labour into rest sorrow into ioy pouertie into riches and thy cottage into a kingdome euen the kingdome of heauen Now followeth the reasons of Christs Commandement For where your Treasure is there will your heart bee also A Reason of great force as if hee should say for this cause chiefly you ought to lay vp your treasure in heauen that God may haue your heart which cannot bee vnlesse you lay vp your Treasure in heauen for our hearts will bee where wholy their Treasure is Here wee are taught that no man can loue the Lord with his heart that seeketh and placeth his happinesse in earthly things but onely those whose ioy and felicitie is in heauen and the heauenly graces of the Lord Iesus Christ. Worldlings make no doubt but that they may and doe serue God and loue God with their heart yea and haue as good â— hart to God as any whatsoeuer though they follow the world heare not sermons although they keepe not the Sabboth so precisely as others do which will not worke or play then though they neuer meddle with the Scriptures but bee vtterly ignorant of the wayes and will of God But Christ here sheweth that they are al deceiued by a general principle that neuer faileth Wher the treasure is there will be the hart and wher the hart is there is the Treasure of the hart wherupon it followeth that they doe wholy renounce heauen that do seeke for happinesse here below and if they set their harts vpon heauenly things it cannot be that they should esteeme of them no better or frequent them no oftner then they doe The Philosophers haue most exactly so much as the Star-light of nature would giue them leaue disputed of the happines or chiefe wel-fare of man And no meruaile for who doth not desire to bee happy and to win that hold are all mens Sences and Wits mustred and marshalled because it is the onely true treasure For where the Treasure is there will the hart be but most men doe mistake the matter while they seeke for happinesse in the flesh which is not to be found but in the spirit while they confesse that it is in God yet runne after the Diuell for it When some seeke for it in Honour Ambition is made generall of the field and doth commaund the minde while others seeke it in worldly profite Couetousnesse doth inuade the soule taking vp euery roome for worldly desires and noysome lusts which doe eat out the heart with cares and drowne men in perdition others seeking for it in carnall pleasure and sensualitie cry one to another come let vs eate and drinck and bee merry for to morrow wee shall dye and in the meane time the brute beast in that regard is more happy then such Epicures for that more freely without any shame or feare hee enioyeth the pleasure of carnall sensualitie then they doe But if we were once soundly perswaded of our happines in heauen it would bee an easie matter to tread the World vnder foote and to haue our mindes mounted vp to heauen If the loue of God bee our Treasure and through the spectacles of a liuely faith wee can read our names regestred in the booke of life and descry our happinesse to be hidden in Christ if the spirit of Adoption doth certifie our spirits that God is our Father and wee are his children and with the same certificate shall deliuer vs a discharge against sinne death and hell then will our harts feede vpon heauenly meditations and our soules hunger and thirst after righteousnesse wee will then account all but dung that wee might winne the Lord Iesus Christ. And then as the Hart brayeth for the riuers of water so will our soules long for the presence of the Lord And then the Word of God will bee the ioy of our harts and wee will desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ for where the Treasure is there will the hart bee also And vntill then wee shall sauour nothing but earthly vanities Therefore when S. Paul would draw the faithfull to the studie of a heauenly life he doth propound Christ vnto them in whom onely all true felicitie is to bee sought If yee bee risen with Christ saith hee set your minds on things aboue and not on things which are below as if hee should haue said it is an absurd and base thing for christians to haue their mindes grubling on the earth whose Treasure is hid in heauen and that is his reason for yee are dead saith hee and your life is hid with Christ in God Hence we may further learne in what a miserable case they are whose harts are set vpon earthly things which are subiect to Mothes and Theeues Rust and other such manifold mischiefes A cousening match it is of the diuels owne making hee is subtill and sheweth men the world and the glory of it the Court and the brauery of it Honour and the fame of it iniquitie and the profit of it sinne and the pleasure of it as it were his daughters with their dowrie On the other side wee are simple and beleeue him presently our hart is a match for them and happy hee thincks himselfe that can get one of them and to breake it off is a hard matter Their
affections are fixed vpon a liking they haue taken and although God himselfe forbid the banes yet it is to no purpose for they haue made a vowe they haue spoken the word and their harts are setled and there is no remouing of them And thus men doe runne despeâ—ately vpon their owne ruine like the foolâ— that goeth laughing to the stocks and all for want of due consideration for if wee did but consider first the basenesse secondly the wretchednesse thirdly the vanitie and lastly the daunger of this foolish match wee would not set our harts vppon any thing that is in this world How base a Worldling is HOw base and vile a thing for a christian heart to be wedded to worldly things may appeare by this that man at the first was created in innocency holines and in Christ is restored to the same againe of all creatures hee is now the most noble crowned with glory and honour but a little inferiour to the Angels hauing all things subiect vnto him and all things are to doe him seruice as the Angels to guard him the Sonne of God to ransome him the word of God to instruct him the spirit of God to guid him the children of God to visite him the graces of God to adorne him and â—he Kingdome of God to enrich him And this is the estate of a Christian. Now for him that is so honourably descended so highly aduanced so dearely redeemed and so mightely enriched to haue his hart closed vp in some old wal or locked vp in an iron Chest or diging in the ground like a Swine or Mole or hunting after Vaine-glory as after a feather or wedded to vaine delights or bathing in filthy pleasure cannot bee iudged but for a very base thing and matter of great indignitie It is not for a Noble mans sonne to addict himselfe to the conditions of the vulgar sort nor for a heroicall spirit or man of great place to besot himselfe in Ale-house pastimes nor for honest persons to ioy in the company of filthy packs neither is it for a Christian mind who is truely noble and altogether heauenly to set his hart vpon earthly things which at the best are but vanitie and vexation of spirit Therefore let Christians say as the Apostle saith When I was â— childe I spake as a childe I vnderstood as a childe I thought as a childe but when I became a man I put away childish things so when I was an earthly worldling I spake as a worldling I vnderstood as a worldling I studied as a worldling worldly things onely but when I became a right Christian indeed I put away worldlinesse and set my heart vppon Treasure that is in heauen And therefore as Nehemiah when he considered the place of Magistracie and rule wherein hee was said Should should a man as I flye so thou wilt say that art a true Christian and considerest thy excellent calling and what thou are borne againe vnto by grace should such a man as I bee an earth-worme and thus wee see how the dignitie of a Christian sheweth how base a thing it is to set the heart vpon earthly vanities where Moths fret Rust eate Theeues dig through and steale How miserable a Worldling is AS nothing is more base and sordid so nothing is more miserable then to set the heart vpon earthly things for that is to subiect the Prince to the Subiect the Maister to the Seruant or a Tyrant rather who commaundeth both all the sences of the body and all the powers of the soule without any rest at all Salomon saith it is intollerable for a seruant to beare rule if intollerable then miserable and much to bee pittied Paul saith They that will bee rich fall into temptations and snares and into many noysome and foolish lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction Money is not vnfitly resembled in an Emblem by some to a Queene aduanced on a Chariot which is drawne by a couple that represent the golden fooles of the world Periculum Pauor Perill and Feare the first draweth the Chariot in a coller stickt full oâ— Daggers with the points inward and going bare footed vpon sharpe thornes the other draweth with a sad countenance and a gnawing conscience still casting his eye backward to see who is neare the attendants of this Golden Queene are bloudy Murther spoyling Theft frantick Folly and hart gnawing Enuy all couered with her vaile The speach that she is receiued with is this following Te bijugi inuectam curru exitiale periclum Sollicitusque pauor Regina pecunia ducunt At quia stultitiam furtum caedesque cruent as Velas cunctorum hinc in te spes firma recumbit In English thus Both danger deepe and gastly feare are yokt to draw thy Chariot O golden Queene For fooles theeues bloudy murdring mates thou with thy vaile dost hide from being seene For which sole cause the harts and hopes of all In thee reposde haue alwayes firmely beene This is true yet of greater authoritie is that of the Apostle to the same effect The desire of money is the root of all euill which while some haue lusted after they erred from the faith pearced themselues through with many sorrowes to shew that a man cannot set his heart vpon transitorie things except hee will bee a murtherer of his owne soule and liue in continuall sorrow for earthly treasures and pleasures are lined and stuffed with sorrowes not a few but many not easie but sharp and pearcing not a little way but quite through to the very hart Lo thus is the worldling tormented on euery side like one rolled in a barrell of nailes Sathan sheweth onely the glory of the world but Paul the sorrowes of the world Sathan the hony but Paul the sting Sathan the honor Paul the dishonour to teach vs what course wee must take to auoid or to make void this miserable match What greater misery then to haue and bee neuer satisfied Crescit amor nummi c. The desire of money encreaseth as the heape encreaseth Here is no end of gathering as in the Dropsie there is no end of drinking because by continuall drinking the thirst is more kindled but no whit quenchâ—d How vaine a worldling is AS the worldling is most base and miserable so nothing is more vaine for what greater vanitie then to bee addictâ—d or deuoted to those things which cannot performe that which is expected from them which are of so short continuance which are so little while possessed are no mans lesse then his that gathereth them such are all earthlie things and hee that lusteth after them to set his hart vpon them is like those vaine fooles that lust to eate of painted grapes or rather like the rich foole in the Gospell who hauing enlarged his Barnes cryeth out like one in a dreame and bids his soule now take rest for indeed hee had found but little rest before and his
and striuing to visit his house here and to meete him in the clouds In a word the whole course of a mans life his speach his countenance his company his exercises his watchfulnesse his habite his dyet his building his purchasing his children his seruants his buying â—elling his trading sporting all wil bewray of what country hee is and whither his hart is trauailing as Iehu was knowne by his marching Wel may he vse the world for necessities sake but it shall be as though he vsed it not like an In to bait in but not to abide in he may see therin and salute those that passe by but the hart still holdeth on his course to his heauenly country and saith as Christ said in the gospel when he knew that his enimies were not far off Arise let vs goe hence here is no abiding for vs On the contrary if couetousnes ambition vncleane lusts pride enâ—ie mallice profanenes or the like doe abound in thy hart thy tongue thy countenance thy company all will bewray it Out of the mouth will flie vnsauery Iests thy mind will run like a wilde horse vp and downe in the world When Christ is deuiding of heauenly doctrine then commeth the worldling and interrupteth him with Maister deuide the inheritance between me my brother And as Christ himselfe by scribling on the ground shewed that hee did not regard what the malicious Iewes said when they came to accuse the adultresse woman so at the table when grace is in saying or at the temple in the holy exercises of religion the worldlings minde being not on those things wil bewray the same euen by the very motions of their fingers or by their looking about vpon some other thing But hipocrits will make as great a shew as any and spin a very fine thred saying also as that yong bragger in the Gospell willing to iustifie himselfe all this haue we done And so they wil and may in pollicy but not in true pietie from the braine perhaps but not from the heart of the abundance of braine that is wittie and cunning inuention the tongue of the hipocrit speaketh good things and keepeth good company and frequenteth the word Sacraments not of loue nor zeale nor desire to glorifie God for that is the store of a good heart which hee wanteth but onely like a crafty Fox and cunning pollitician â—asteth in his braine which way to bring his purpose to passe so serueth the time that the time may serue his turne And therfore as occasion serueth hee is a right temporizer commending with his tongue that which hee condemneth in his heart like the diuell who confessed Iesus Christ to be the son of God whom he loued not but his heart in the meane time frameth mischiefe and deceipt a deâ—â— it is for infernall furies and a cage of vncleane birds it delighteth in vain exercises vaine company and is fraught like a ship with vile thoughts he is a man of Beliall that hath lewde things in his heart and when time company and occasion serue wil of this abundance both speak do lewdly Two notable examples of such ware doth the scripture afford vs the one is in the harloâ— pleading before king Salomon the other is in Herod The holy story saith two harâ—ots pleaded hard aswell to cleare themselues of the death of that childe that was ouerlaid as to iustifie the claim that was made by each of them to the suruiuing child wel to decide the controuersie about the liuing child the king calleth for a sword commandeth it to be cut in peeceâ— diuided betweene them knowing right well by the wisedome which God had giuen him how nature would worke in the true mother The dissembling monster thinking that the King had ment as he said said as hee said yet no otherwise then as she would haue had it the other from the aboundance of naturall affection was content raâ—her to loose her interest in her owne childe then that the poore infant should innocently be depriued of his life So hipocrites and true professours make both one shew and plead both for the truth as they would make the world beleeue but vpon occasions offered in time and place the difference will easily appeare The other example is of Herods dealing towards the Wise men which came from the East they came in simplicity of heart shewing plainly the end of their comming and confessing boldly that they had seene Christs star in the East but Herod like a Foxe very pollitiâ—ely beareth a part in their song but harbouring at the same instant a bloudy Tragedy in his hart which hee meant to haue acted so soone as hee should learn wher Christ was borne The like dissembling is to be found in another Herod Herodias in Mat. 14. 2. Iohn the Baptist was great with the multitude therfore Herod wil seeme to heare him gladly yea to reuâ—rence commend his doctrin this was in Herods head but let Iohn tell him of his perticular sinne as he did and then it will appeare what is in his hart not Iohn but Herodias not holines but whoredome that shall this busie controller as the world speaks of Preachers well know to for to prison he must goe were it not for feare of the multitude hee should dye too Herodias is as cunning as Herod for so long as the King doth reuerence Iohn Baptist she will not seeme to mislike him greatly especially before the King yet she hath a quarrell against him in her hart she wisheth his head off onely she watcheth a fit time which fell out iust vpon his birthday solemnized with all riot and excesse she sends in a wanton Damosell instructed prepared before with a harlots impudent face to daunce before the King and his company the profane hipocrite is so far pleased with her sport that he forgetting himself his honor the vnstinted appetite of a shameles woman whose hart is subtill her waies so moueable and intricate that they cannot bee knowen bids hir aske but what she wil it shal be giuen her as the manner of all hipocrites is for though Herod heard Iohn gladly shewed some kinde countenance to him for the time yet the wicked lasciuious works of the flesh do please him better then all the holy doctrines and Seâ—mons that Iohn taught as appeareth by his large offer For though he heard Iohn baptist yet was he neuer â—o fâ—ee haâ—ted towards him as hee was now to a tripping Minion but after the manner of courting gallants and Protestants at large who will perhaps sometime inuite the Preacher to a dinner and tell him that he is a good man doth wel to tell men of their faults and if we do not follow your sayings and the good counselâ— say they it is worse for vs so with a cap and a gentle congie they bid him farewel But Herodias his sweet
hart shall haue his hart and the golden Misers and pleasant companions shall please them so that nothing shal be thought too deere for them Well now is the time to know both their harts for these pleasing placeboes with their tripping trulles care not a straw for any preaching but in their harts wish all except their mealy mouthd Prophets which neuer goe without a slickstone in their pocket hangd out of the way And till sit time serueth they can daunce after times pipe but if time change his note they will also change their coppy and will make better Christians then euer Herod was to daunce after their pipe if Gods grace be not the more abounding euen to the bitter perfecuting and disgracing of Gods poore Ministers and seruants yea they haue the skill to watch the time at a feast at a dauncing reuell or a gossips meeting to winne their harts deâ—ire and make better then Herod to doe that they will be sorry for afterward Therefore let men take heed that they be not deceiued by such hipocrites and that they deceiue not themselues whiles they professe religion from the head and not from the hart But some will say a man may be religious in hart and yet fall away from grace and so come to no assurance of treasure in heauen because it is said in the Gospell that some receiued the word with ioy and yet fel away now ioy is an affection of the hart and ioy in the word is a fruite of the spirit Gal. 5. therfore it seemeth y â— though a man hath a religious heart yet hee may fall away consequently one cannot tell by his heart whether he hath any treasure in heauen or no. But that ioy that S. Matthew speakes of is rather a liking or wondring at the heauenly doctrine as at some strange and excellent thing then any sound or setled reioycing in God who speaketh in his word And ioy is to be distinguished for it is eyther carnall and temporary or spirituall and permanent A carnall man reioyceth many times at a Sermon for the preachers rare inuention or his varietie of phrases or the sharpnes of his wit or the artificiall conuaiance of the matter or his excellent gift of vtterance and boldnes or because hee heard some touched that hee was not friends withall but not for the simplicitie and euidence of the truth nor for any reformation that he felt wrought in himselfe nor for any hatred of sinne or loue of righteusnes that the word wrought in him for commonly such kinde of reioycers or admirers of men goe presently from the Sermon with the dog to eat vp their vomit and Swine-like to tumble in their mire again Such were many of Iohns auditours such were many of Christs auditors such were most of Ezechiels auditours and such are too many of our auditours which flock at the first to a man for nouelties sake to see whether they shall be clawed with a curry-combe or smoothed with a slik-stone Such are they that haue the word of God in respect of persons and such are those fantasticks that will buy a booke onely for the merry conceits that are in it and not for the matter like children which ioy in a booke with a faire couer and reioyce more at the gaies or gawdy letters then any thing else in the booke be it neuer so good The spirituall man reioyceth for that God hath found out his sinne and feeleth the hand of God reforming his heart he reioyceth for that he perceiueth Sathan dispossessed and his life amended his soule hee findeth humbled and his affections bridled himselfe won to God and his familie with him and for this hee reioyceth like the conuerted Iaylor who reioyced for that he and all his houshold beleeued in God But now the afflicted soule is to be satisfied who complaineth with the Spouse of Christ in the Canticles that shee hath sought him whom her soule loueth euen by night in her bed she hath sought him but she cannot finde him that is the conscience afflicted with the wounds of sin cannot find in her hart any assurance of Gods fauour in the remission of her sinnes But for answere we say that there is an earnest penny pawne of Gods loue in that hart though as it were sealed vp in a bag and in time it shall be opened and perceiued for first the very seeking after the loue of God is a speciall fauour of God and an euident token that the spirit of God is there for that proceedeth not of flesh and bloud Seeke yee my face saith the Lord my hart answered saith Dauid thy faâ—e will I seeke hee doth not say thy face will I finde but seeke to shew that seeking of gods fauour is a grace of God as well as finding of Godâ— fauour Seeke and yee shall find saith Christ to shew that finding comes after seeking Seek the Lord saith Esay while he may be fouud and call vpon him while he is nigh at hand to shew that God is sought for by inuocation or calling vpon his name long before hee is found or felt gracious vnto vs but euen then he is nigh at hand or else we could not call vpon him for it is euen his spirit that sends forth our prayers and helps them with sighes and grones and if hee did not help and heaue vp our dull and drowsie spirits we should neuer once flutter towards heauen but euen lye like dead blocks sencelessely groueling vpon the ground Again Christ is in the hart of the troubled spirit for asmuch as the loue of Christ is there for the saith whom my soule loueth which very loue that thou bearest to Christ is a note of the sanctifying spirit of God Againe thou desirest to feele the assurance of Gods loue which desire is also a pledge of the spirit of grace A man may feare God in some sort and ioy in the things of God for a time in some carnall respect desire with the sluggard Balamâ— like to dye the death of the righteous and yet not loue the Lord but the loue of God desire of his fauour makes all sure Fourthly if thou feele it not yet as thou wouldest then vse the meanes of Preaching Reading Prayer Conference Meditation and patiently waite the Lords leasure as Dauid saith to his Soule Waite on God and be not so cast downe for he is thy present help and thy God As a sicke man taketh meat drink and phisick though it goeth against the stomacke and his stomacke so weake that it casteth vp all againe yet hee hath a desire to brooke it and doth striue to keepe it and at last it worketh strength so is it with the sick distempred Soule There is a defect in the stomacke or in the pallat or in some other part of the body which hindreth the working of corporall phisick so in the inward man there