the wheels one way such an oyl is upon the heart that it makes all nimble and current about it but without the heart all is mute and dumb As the tongue will not praise because the heart doth not love the ear doth not hear because the heart does not mind the hand does not give because the heart does not pitty the foot will not go because the heart hath no affection All stay upon the heart like the Captain that should give the onset Nor is any service we can do accepted without the heart and affections flowing thence Therefore Davids prayer is Create in me a new heart and renew a right spirit within me Psal. 51. 10. The Scribes and Pharisees did fast and watch and pray and hear and read and give and do all that we can do and yet Christ rewarded all their works with a wo because they wanted a good heart and true affections flowing thence They honoured God with their lips but their hearts were far away from him Whence he also calls them hypocrites Mark 7. 6. The Disciple that betrayed Christ heard as much as the Disciples that loved him CHAP. XIII But here least I should be mistaken let me joyn to what hath been said and what shall be further said by way of caution Expect not that this should be done by any power of thine own for except God give thee repentance and removes all impediments that may hinder thou canst no more turn thy self than thou couldst at first make thy self We are not sufficient of our selves to think much lesse to speak least of all to do that which is good 2 Cor. 3. 5. We are swift to all evil but to any good immoveable We can lend no more active power to our conversion than Adam did to his creation than the Child doth to his conception than the dead man to his raising from the grave It was the Lord that did open the heart of Lydia to conceive well Act. 16. 14. the ears of the Prophet to hear well Isa. 50. 4. the eyes of Elishaes servant to see well 2 Kings 6. 17. and the lips of David to speak well Bid a man by his own strength do the least good or bear the least trouble you may with as good successe stand in the street and bid a chained prisoner come out of his dungeon S t. Paul before his conversion could do as much as the best accomplished moralist of them all his words are If any man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh much more I Phil. 3. 4. Yet when he speaks of his doing or suffering he sheweth that it was because the love of God was shed abroad in his heart by the holy Ghost which was given him Rom. 5. 5. Of himself he could do nothing though he were able to do all things through Christ and by the Spirits assistance who strengthened him Phil. 4. 13. Man is like an Organ-pipe that speakes no longer then wind is blown into it Wherefore as when David came to fight with Goliah he cast away Sauls armour so let us in this case cast away all trust and confidence in our selves and only set forward in the Name of the Lord God of Israel If we trust to our own resistance we cannot stand we cannot miscarry if we trust to his Yet this is to be considered that God does not work upon us as upon blocks and stones in all and every respect passive but converts our wils to will our own conversion He that made thee without thy self will not justifie nor save thee without thy self Without thy merit indeed not without thine endeavour When those deadly waters were healed by the Prophet the outward act must be his the power Gods he cast the salt into the spring and said Thus saith the Lord I have healed these waters there shall not be from thence any more death or barrennesse Elisha was the Instrument but far was he from challenging ought to himself Wherefore be sure to use that power which Christ shall give thee and then my soul for thine he will not be wanting on his part And amongst other thine endeavour exercise Prayer Omit not to beg of God for the grace thou wantest and praise him for what thou obtainest Abhor to attribute or ascribe ought to thy doing trust only to Christs obedience in whom only what we do is accepted and for whom only it is rewarded Now you are to know that as no Sacrifice was without Incense so must no service be performed without Prayer And Prayer is like the Merchants Ship to fetch in heavenly commodities It is the Key of Heaven as S t Austin terms it and the Hand of a Christian which is able to reach from earth to Heaven and to take forth every manner of good gift out of the Lords Treasury Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name saies Christ believing he will give it you John 16. 23. Matth. 21. 22 Unto fervent Prayer God will deny nothing It is like Sauls Sâ—ord and Jonathans bow that never returned empty Like Ahimaaz that alwaies brought good tydings It is worth the obseâ—ving how Cornelius his serious exercies of this duty of Prayer brought unto him first an Angel then an Apostle and then the Holy Ghost himself Hast thou then a desire after that happinesse before spoken of seek first to have the asistance of Gods Spirit and his love shed abroad in thine heart by the Holy Ghost Wouldst thou have the love of God and the asistance of his Spirit ask it of him by Prayer who saith If any of you lack in this kind let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him James 1. 5. Wouldst thou pray that thou maist be heard Ask in faith and waver â—ot for he that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea test of the wind and carried away Vers. 6. Wouldst thou have saith be diligent to hear the Word preached which is the sword of the Spirit that killeth our corruptions and that unresistable Cannon-shot that battereth and beateth down all the strong holds of sinne and Satan Rom. 10 17. Unto him therefore that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think I commend thee CHAP. XIV Lastly For conclusion of this point Wouldst thou be a contented and Happy man then strive to be a Thankefull man and when God hath the fruit of his mercies he will not spare to sow much where he reapes much Wouldest thou become thankefull then bethink thy self what cause thou hast by calling to mind and considering what God and Christ hath done for thee As first That he is the Authour of thy natural life For in him we live and move and have our being Act. 17. 28. Secondly Of thy spiritual life Thus I live saies Paul yet not I now but Christ liveth in me Gal. 2. 20. Thirdly Of thy eternal life 1 Joh. 1. He is the way
celestial Brook the stone or Pible that would kill this Goliah then would I stick it into his temples with all my might For I thirst to pleasure these unworthy men with that which is more worth beyond compare than all their wealth multiplyed as many times as there are lands on the sea-shore For let me tell you you worshippers of the golden Calf that the cure which Erasistratus did upon Aâ—tiochus for which he had fourteen thousand three hundred and seventy five pounds was nothing to this cure of covetousnesse in him that is therewith infected or thereto inslaved as you will confesse if you but consider what the difficulty of this cure is of which I have largely spoken in Chapter 19 to Chapter 23. of the fore-going part CHAP. II. Now there is no way to remove this let or to rescue them from this Remora except I can insure them that they shall be gainers by the bargain and receive by way of exchange that which shall more than countervail what they part withall which I doubt not by the blessing of God to do if they will but vouchsafe or be willing to hear either reason or Divine Authority And 1. I will prescribe or give them some rare Receiâ—s acquaint them with some soveraign Remedies against this desperate evil and therein shew them how they shall or may of the most miserable men alive become the most Blessed and Happy And who knows whether God hath nor put me upon this work and will accordingly blesse the meanes that shall be used though by a most unworthy and insufficient Instrument Neither is the strength or weaknesse of meanes either spur or bridle to Gods choice who sometimes does greatest acts by weakest Agents and gives the greater successe to the weaker meanes However an Emperick or Quacksalver hath now and then had the hap to cure a Patient whom a learned Artist could not do Wherefore be at leasure you lovers of money to hearken to what I shall produce from the word to your ears and God shall speak to your hearts by his spirit touching your temporal civil spiritual and eternal state Now if you would relinquish this sinne and so be everlastingly happy If you prefer true content and the peace of God which passeth all understanding before your own misery and vexation And rather desire to go to Heaven with Lazarus than with Dives to those scâ—rching flames observe these few things in order In the first place lay to heart the things formerly delivered consider that a competency of earthly things with content is the best estate in the world Yea that a poor and mean condition in case God be pleased to give grace and his blessing with that little he bestowes is far better and happier than to swimmâ— in great wealth and aboundance Consider also and set before you the hainousnesse of this sinne and the manyfold evils and mischiefs which do accompany covetousnesse and how it is the cause of many heavy and grievous judgments here as well as depriving men of everlasting happinesse in Heaven and plunging them into eternal hellish torments hereafter Yea apply every word that hath been spoken to thy self and this will be a good meanes to make thee moderate thy greedy desire morâ—ifie thy carnal affections and curb thine unruly and insatiable appetite after gain And without this all is to no purpose Little would it have availed the Israelites that the Manna lay about their tents if they had not gone forth and gathered it beaten it baked and eaten it so let the meanes of salvation be never so plentifull if we bring it not home and make it ours by application and faith we are never a whit the better for the same Cloaths must be put on meat eaten a pâ—aster applyed or they will never warm nourish or heal CHAP. III. Secondly though I inverte the order in setting the cart before the horse dote not so upon the world for while our mindes are so scattered among these visible things we forget how the stare stands within us Besides I have shewn you that as nothing so alienaâ—es a mans love from his vertuous Consort as his inordinate affection to a filthy strumpet so nothing does so far separate and diminish a mans love to God and heavenly things as our inordinate affection to the world and earthly things The damps of the earth do not more quench fire than the love of the earth stifâ—les grace Neither trees nor grasse grow above where the golden Mines are below If the love of money be once entered into the heart no fruites of goodnesse can appear in the life Yea there is an absolute contrariety between the love of God and the love of money The Covetous man is like that Pompous Prelate who said he would not lose his part in Paris for his part in Paradice Or like Vlisses who so dearly loved his Countrey that he preâ—erred his native soyl Ithaca before immortality Or the Child that more esteemes of an Apple than of his Fathers Inheritance For thus stands the case with them Man hath a precious Jewel to dispose of viz. his soul God and the world come to buy it the world steps in first and tempts him as once Saul his servants saying Hear now ye Benjamites will the son of Ishay will the son of Mary give every one of you fields and vineyards will he make you all Captaines over thousands and Captaines over hundreds 1 Sam. 2â— 7. Yea if a man will needs have present possession Satan will instantly give him bags of money as he dealt with Gehazi Achan Judas Annanias and Saphira Balaam and in a thousand the like cases God comes and out-bids the world for he offers grace and peace and glory but withall he craves day for the greater part of it and gives nothing in hand but his promise his Word and some small earnest of the bargain Nay perhaps instead of bettering our condition he makes it worse for the incouragement that Christ gives is Whosoever will be my Disciple let him take up his cross daily and follow me Luk. 9. 23. Yea more than that in case a man hath got any part of what he injoyes unjustly he must restore the same to the right owners though it be to the impoverishiing of his estate As in case thou wouldst indeed and to purpose become rich happy and cheerfull If thou lovest not gold above thy salvation restore to every man thy evil-gotten goods For as humility is the repentance of pride abstinence of surfeit almes of covetousnesse love of malice so only restitution is the repentance of injustice This is the revenge that a Christian must take upon himself if he meanes to be saved 2 Cor. 7. 11. For as the best charm for the tooth-ake is to pull out the tooth Or as they who have meat in their stomachs undigested or store of ill humours are eased only by vometing them up so if ever thou lookest to find ease in thy soul and
to their babes Psal. 17. 14. But my teeth shall not water after their dainties Wo be to you that are rich saith our Saviour for ye have received your consolation Luke 6. 24. All here none hereafter and hereupon they covet riches and honours and pleasures so excessively and insatiably Nor can it be otherwise in reason for nothing but the assurance of heavenly things makes us willing to part with earthly things Neither can he contemn this life that knows not the other But this is the priviledge of Piety The rich man hath not so much advantage of the poor in injoying as the religious poor hath of the rich in leaving Neither is the poor man so many pounds behind the rich for this world as he may be talents before him for the world to come So that there is no learning this art without being religious For you will be covetous untill you be gracious And during the time of your greedinesse you shall never be satisfied because happinesse is tied to goodnesse by the chain of Providence CHAP. XII Now if thou wouldest become godly in good earnest if thou wouldst have this change wrought in thee and have thy affections so altered as to find more sweetnesse in spiritual things than ever thou hast done in thy worldly enjoyments be sure to begin at the spring head I mean thy heart This is Gods own counsel to the men of Jerusalem Jer. 4. O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickednesse that thou maist be saved How long shall thy wicked thoughts remain with thee vers 14. It is idle and to no purpose to purge the channell when the fountain is corrupt Had Elisha cast the salt into the brooks and ditches the remedy must have striven against the stream to reach up to the springs Now it was but one labour in curing the fountain Our heart is a well of bitter venomous water our actions are the streams in vain shall we cleanse our hands while our hearts are evil Whence the Apostle orderly bids us first be renewed in the spirit of our minds and then let him that stole steal no more Ephes. 4. 23 24 8. But alas how many are there that set the cart before the horse and begin to change their lives before their hearts but if we shall be advised so to do it is not advisedly It is most ridiculous to apply remedyes to the outer-parts when the distemper lies in the stomach He were an unskilfull Physician that when the head-ach is caused by the distemperature of the stomach would apply outward remedies to the head before he had purged the stomach where lies the matter that feeds the disease To what purpose is it to crop the top of the weeds or lop off the boughes of the tree when the root and stalk remain in the earth Cut off the sprig of a tree it grows still a bough an arm still it grows lop off the top yea saw it in the midst yet it will grow again stock it up by the root then and not till then it will grow no more Great Cities once expunged the Dorpes and Villages will soon come in of themselves Wherefore as the King of Syria said unto his Captains Fight neither against great nor small but against the King of Israel 1 Kings 22. 31. So especially we must set our selves against our mother and Master sinne the King being caught the rest will never stand out The heart is originally evil that is the treasure and storehouse of wickednesse As in generation so in regeneration Cor primum vivit life begins at the heart Yea the heart is the first in our Creation which is formed the first by reason of our fall by sinne which is deformed and the first in our regeneration that is reformed And whensoever God does savingly shine upon the understanding he giveth a soft and pliable heart For without a work upon the heart by the Spirit of God it will follow its own inclination to that which it affecteth whatsoever the judgment shall say to the contrary That must first be reformed which was first deformed Out of the abundance of the heart saith our Saviour the mouth speaketh Mat. 12. 34. Yea out of the abundance of the heart the head deviseth the eye seeth the ear heareth the hand worketh the foot walketh A man may apply his ears and his eyes as many blockheads do to his Book and yet never prove Scholar but from that day which a man begins to apply his heart unto wisdome he learneth more in a moneth after than he did in a year before nay than ever he did in all his life As you see the wicked because they apply their hearts to wickednesse how fast they proceed how easily and how quickly they become perfect Swearers perfect Drunkards cunning Deceivers c. The heart is like the fire which kindleth the sacrifice 1 Kings 18. 38. And indeed if the tongue or the hand or the ear think to serve God without the heart it is the irksomest occupation in the world But as the Sunne riseth first and then the beasts arise from their dens the fowles from their nests and men from their beds so when the heart sets forward to serve God all the members will follow after it the tongue will praise him the foot will follow him the ear will attend him the eye will watch him the hand will serve him nothing will stay after the heart but every one goes like Handmaids after their Mistresse Such as the heart is such are the actions of the body which proceed from the heart A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth evil things Matth. 12. 25. Therefore as Christ saith Make clean within and all will be clean Matth 35. 25 26. So see your hearts be sincere and single and then all your actions will be holy to the Lord. If we would be rid of noysome fowles the only way is to destroy their nests in every place A vain and lost labour it is to stop the current of a stream if you go not to the fountain Whence it is that God faith Give me thine heart Prov. 23. 26. As though he would teach us the pleasantest and easiest way to serve him without any grudging or toyl or wearisomenesse As let but the heart be changed and we shall attend the Ordinances and perform all duties with delighâ— cheerfulnesse and alacrity Whereas to a carnal heart holy duties as fasting praying hearing is so tedious and irksome that it thinks one Sabboth or Fast-day more tedious and burdensome than ten holy daies as their consciences will hear me witnesse Whereas the gracious soul is more delighted therewith than his body with a well relished meal Touch but the first linke of a chain and all the rest will follow so set but the heart a going and it is like the poyse of a clock which turns all
we should imploy them to his honor and best advantage that gave them us For that he may be honored by our wisdom riches graces is the onely end for which he gives us to be wise rich gracious Matth. 25. 27 30 1 Cor. 12. 7. 14. 26. Rom. 12. 6. Ephes. 4. 11 12. Yea it is the onely end for which we were created Isa. 43. v. 7. therefore it hath alwaies been the aim end mark which all the Saints have ever indeavoured to hit though with several shafts as the same beams are many but the light one For whereas the ignorant ascribe the effects and events of things to Fortune the Atheist to Nature the Superstitious to their Idols the Politician to his plots the Proud-man to his own power and parts too many to second causes in all these the Servants of God look higher resolving all such effects to their first principle Digitus Dei the finger of God ascribing to Him the praise as I might abundantly shew from the Word could I stand upon it Yea even Titus the Emperor when he was praised for a victory that he had got made answer That it proceeded from God who made his hands but the instruments to serve him as Josephus testifies The Godly as they do all by his power so they refer all to his glory CHAP. XLV BUt the Worldling hath neither heart nor brain so to do or once to cast an eye or have the least aim at God's glory even in their greatest undertakings or whatever they either receive or do but instead of giving glory to God they take it to themselves as Herod did Acts 12. 23. ascribing the increase of their corn wine and oyl their honors successes c. either to the goodness and sharpness of their Wit and skill or to the greatness of their industry or of their power and authority saying with proud Nebuchadnezar Is not this great Babel which I have built by the might of my power c. Dan. 4. 30. Have not I got all these goods victories preferments c. my self and by mine own wisdom and providence which the Prophet calls sacrificing to their own net and burning incense unto their drag Hab. 1. 16. Even as it fared with the children of Dan Judges 18. who ascribed the honor of their success to their Idols Or as it fared with Israel God gave them sheep and Oxen and they offered them up to Baal He gave them Ear-rings and Jewels for their own ornament and they turned them to an Idol Yea poor silly souls they are like Swine that feed upon Acorns without ever looking to the Oake from whence they fell Or the Horse that drinks of the Brook and never thinks of the Spring Christ rains down Mannah they gather it and eat it and scarce ever think from whence they had it at least the thought of his blessings is out of their minds as soon as the taste is out of their mouths As but one of those Ten that could lift up their voices for cure of their Leprosie return'd with thanks when they were cleansed so it is ten to one if any give glory to God Luck or wit or friend one thing or other still lies in their way and takes up Christ's glory and the thanks ere it can come at him Customary fruition hath made men scarce think themselves beholding to God But as he that having fed his body and asswaged his hunger and gives no thanks steals his meat so in all other things In visible benefits not to see the invisible givâ—r is great infidelity and blindness and indeed if any thing infallibly proves an hypocrite it is when base ends are the first movers of good duties Now what I have spoken of good men in this point I might shew of good Angels and glorified Saints in Heaven yea of Heathens and Idolaters yea I might add that not to be thankful nor to acknowledge what God our bountiful Benefactor bestows upon and does for us is to fall short of the very brute Beasts The Ox knows no Owner but man and him he does acknowledg and love according to his capacity Isa. 1. 3. And it 's well known what strange things are recorded of Lyons Dogs Eagles yea how oft shall we see a Dog welcome home his Master with all possible expressions of love and thankfulness when perhaps his Wife entertains him with frumps and frowns And certainly had beasts the like knowledge with us of their Maker they would worship and serve him better then do their Masters but for proof of this enough Though indeed if the very worst of men did but know and consider how they should pleasure themselves in being humble and thankful they would use all their possible endeavours to that end As most pleasant it is to God and most profitable to us both for the procuring the good we want and for the continuance of the good we have CHAP. XLVI INto the humble and thankful soul that giveth him abundance of glory his Spirit enters with abundance of Grace sowing there and there only plenty of Grace where he is assured to reap plenty of glory But who will sow those barren Sands where they are not only without all hope of a good Harvest but are sure to loose their Seed and Labour And in common Equity he that is unthankful for a little is worthy of nothing whereas thanks for one good turn is the best introduction to another Holy David was a man according to Gods own heart and therefore he continually mixeth with his Prayers Praises and being of a publike spirit he discovereth the secrets of this skill As when he saith Let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee then shall the earth bring forth her encrease and God even our God shall give us his blessing Psal. 67. 5 6 7. When Heaven and Earth are friends then Summer and Winter Seed-time and Harvest run on their race When God was displeased what was the effect Ye have sown much and have reaped little Again when God was pleased mark the very day For from that very day I will bless you Hag. 2. 15. to 20 Whensoever glory is given to God on high peace good will shall be bestowed on men below Luk. 2. 14 Psal. 84 11 12. Noah gave a Sacrifice of Praise for his deliverance from the Flood And God being praised for that one deliverance he perpetuateth his blessing and promiseth an everlasting deliverance to the World from any more Floods Again it is the only way to procure Gods Blessing upon our endeavours It happened that Bernard one day made a curious and learned Sermon for which he expected great applause but received none The next time he made a plain wholsom Sermon and it was wonderfully affected liked and commended A friend of his noting it askt him what might be the reason Who answered In the one I preached Bernard in the other Christ in the one I sought to win glory