Rev. 22.17 And let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Augustin Where there are sincere desires of grace there are the seeds of grace the conception of grace the buds of grace Sincere desires of grace are those holy seeds those divine beginnings of grace in the soul out of which grace springs and grows up to its measure and perfection O Sirs look as no man can sincerely seek God in vain so no man can sincerely desire grace in vain A man may love gold yet not have it but no man loveth God but is sure to have him Wealth a man may desire and yet be never the neerer for it but grace no man ever sincerely desired and missed it And why it is God that hath wrought this desire in the heart and he will never frustrate the desire that himself hath there wrought let no man say I have no faith no repentance no love no fear of God no sanctifying no saving grace in me Doth he see a want of those things in himself yes that is it which so grieves him that he cannot love God stand in awe of him trust in his mercy repent of sin as he should yea but doth he seriously and unfeignedly desire to do thus yes he desires it above all things in the world and would be willing as it were to buy even with a whole world the least measure or dram or drop only of such grace Now let me ask him who is it that hath wrought this desire in him Not the Devil for he would rather quench it than kindle it in him not his own corruption for that is naturally averse to every thing that is good it must needs then be the work of the Spirit of God who works in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure and who pronounceth all them blessed that thus desire after grace Kemnitius Ursini Catechis When I have a good desire saith one though it doth scarcely shew it self in some little slender sigh I must be assured that the Spirit of God is present and worketh his good work Wicked men do not desire the grace of the holy Spirit whereby they may resist sin and therefore they are justly deprived of it for he that earnestly desireth the holy Ghost hath it already because this desire of the spirit cannot be but from the Spirit Taffnies Book of the marks of Gods children Our faith saith another may be so small and weak as it doth not yet bring forth fruits that may be lively felt in us but if they which feel themselves in such an estate desire to have these feelings namely of God's favour and love if they ask them of God's hands by prayer this desire and prayer are testimonies that the Spirit of God is in them and that they have faith already for is such a desire a fruit of the flesh or of the Spirit it is of the holy Spirit who bringeth it forth only in such as he dwells in c. Then those holy desires and prayers being the motions of the holy Ghost in us are testimonies of our faith although they seem to us small and weak As the woman that feeleth the moving of a child in her body though very weak assureth her self that she hath conceived and that she goeth with a live child So if we have these motions these holy affections and desires before mentioned let us not doubt but that we have the holy Ghost who is the Author of them dwelling in us and consequently that we have also faith Again saith the same Author 1. If thou hast begun to hate and flie sin 2. If thou feelest that thou art displeased at thine infirmities and corruptions 3. If having offended God thou findest a grief and a sorrow for it 4. If thou desire to abstain from sin 5. If thou avoidest the occasions of sin 6. If thou doest thy endeavours against sin 7. If thou prayest to God to give thee grace all these holy affections proceeding from none other than from the Spirit of God Phil. 2.13 2 Cor. 8.10 12. ought to be as so many pledges and testimonies that he is in thee It is as impossible for us naturally to do the least good or to desire the least grace as 't is for a Toad to spit Cordials Sincere desires after God and Christ and Grace is sometimes the all that the people of God find in themselves This was all that Nehemiah could say of himself and the rest of his brethren Neh. 1.11 That they did desire to fear God's name And so the Church Isa 26.8 The desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thy holiness And vers 9. With my soul have I desired thee in the night So the Spouse Cant. 3.1 2 3. So David Psal 27.4 Psal 42.1 2. Psal 63.1 They must needs be sure of grace that have an unfeigned desire of it This is a Maxim that we must live and die with viz. That no man can truly desire grace but he that hath already grace certainly he that desireth grace hath grace to desire it It is an infallible sign that that man hath already some measure of grace that doth seriously desire to have it he would never seriously desire to fear God who stands not in some awe of him already nor he would never seriously desire to love God who has not in him some love to God already nor he would never seriously desire to believe who has not in him some faith already nor he would never seriously desire to repent that hath not repented already nor he would never seriously desire sanctifying grace whose heart in some measure is not already sanctified by the spirit of grace It is the very essence of righteousness saith one of the Ancients for a man to be willing to be righteous Angustine Pars magna bonitatis est vellâ— fieri boâ—um Sen. Ep. 34. And the poor Heathen could say It is a principal part of goodness for a man to be willing to be good It is natural for every one to desire his own natural good but to desire spiritual grace holiness sound sanctification faith unfeigned the true fear of God serious repentance c. is more than ever any natural man did or can do No man did ever desire to eat which had not eaten before nor no man did ever desire to believe that did not believe before all true desires after faith spring from faith as the root of them Certainly wicked men don't nor can't so much as desire saving grace Job 21.14 Isa 53.2 and that First Because grace is above the reach of nature 1 Cor. 2.14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned The water riseth no higher than the springs from whence it came so natural men can ascend no
Sabbaths of God he is a prophaner of the Sabbaths of God in the account of God c. Look as every wicked man is as bad in the account of God as his desires are bad so every godly man is as good in the account of God as his desires are good he that sincerely desires to believe he does believe in the account of God Mr. Perkins in his grain of mustard-seed The desire saith one to believe in the want of faith is faith though as yet there want firm and lively grace yet art thou not altogether void of grace if thou canst desire it thy desire is the seed conception or bud of what thou wantest Now is the Spring-time of the ingraffed Word or immortal seed cast into the furrows of thy heart wait but a while using the means and thou shalt see that leaves blossoms and fruits will shortly follow c. Another saith Ursin Faith in the most holy is not perfect nevertheless whosoever feels in his heart an earnest desire to believe and a striving against his doubts he both may and must assure himself that he is indued with true faith And he that sincerely desires to repent Mr. Fox he does repent in the account of God Holy Bradford writing to Mr. Jo. Careless saith Thy sins are undoubtedly pardoned c. for God hath given thee a penitent and believing heart that is a heart which desireth to repent and believe Let thy desires be before God and he which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly thy desire is thy prayer and if thy desire be continual thy prayer is continual c. for such a one is taken of him he accepting the will for the deed for a penitent and believing heart indeed And he that sincerely desires to mortifie sin he does mortifie sin in the account of God and he that sincerely desires to walk with God he does walk with God in the account of God and he that sincerely desires to honour God he does honour God in the account of God and he that sincerely desires to deny himself he does deny himself in the account of God and he that sincerely desires to be weaned from the world he is weaned from the world in the account of God and he that sincerely desires to be conformable to God he is comformabâ—e to God in the account of God and he that desires to grow in grace he does grow in grace in the account of God and he that sincerely desires to improve mercies he does improve mercies in the account of God and he that sincerely desires to glorifie God in the hour of his visitation he does glorifie God in the hour of his visitation in the account of God A gracious man may make a better judgment of his estate by his sincere desires than he can by his duties and so a wicked man may make a better judgment of his estate by his desires than he can by his words or works I have been the larger upon this evâ—dence because of its great usefulness to weak believers But Seventhly No man can sincerely desire grace for grace sake viz. faith for faiths sake and love for loves sake and humility for humilities sake and uprightness for uprightness sake and meekness for meekness sake and holy fear for holy fears sake and hope for hopes sake and holiness for holiness sake and self-denial for self-denials sake c. but he that has true grace Mark no man can sincerely and seriously desire grace for the inward beauty glory and excellency of grace Psal 45.13 2 Cor. 3.18 but he that has true grace The Kings daughter is all glorious within though within is not all her glory grace differs nothing from glory but in name grace is glory in the bud and glory is grace at the full grace is glory militant and glory is grace triumphant grace has an inward glory upon it which none can see and love but such as have grace in their own hearts Wicked men can see no beauty no glory no excellency in grace why they should desire it or be taken with it Isa 53.1 2 3 4. and no wonder for they could see no beauty nor excellency nor glory nor form nor comeliness in Christ the fountain of grace why they should desire him and be taken with him Though next to Christ grace is the most lovely and desirable thing in all the world yet none can desire it for its own loveliness and desirableness but such as have a seed of God in them though grace be a pearl of price though it be a jewel more worth than the gold of Ophir though it be a beam of God a spark of glory a branch of the divine nature yet carnal hearts can see no glory nor excellency in it that they should desire it If carnal eyes were but opened to see the excellency of grace Mirabiles sui excitaret amores it would ravish the soul in desires after it but graces beauty and glory is inward and so it is not discerned but with spiritual eyes Plato was wont to say if moral vertues could be seen with bodily eyes they would stir up in the heart extraordinary flames of admiration and love 1 Cor. 2.14 ult I might say much more of grace Grace 1. Puts an excellency it puts a lustre and beauty upon mens persons Prov. 12.26 1 Pet. 34 5 c. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour and pray what makes him so but grace Dan. 11 2â— Wisdom makes a mans face to shine riches and honours and dignities and royal ornaments and costly fare and noble attendants don't put an excellency and glory upon man witness Antiochus Saul Haman Herod Dives c. but saving grace does the graces of the Spirit are that chain of pearl that adorns Christ's Bride 2. Grace puts an excellency upon all a mans duties By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain faith put an excellency upon Abels sacrifice 3. Grace puts an excellency upon all a mans natural and acquired excellencies it puts an excellency upon beauty honour riches name arts parts gifts Now how excellent and glorious must that be that puts an excellency upon all our excellencies 4. Grace makes a man conformable to God and Christ 5. 1 John 4.17 1 John 1.1 2. 2 Cor. 13.14 Zech. 3.7 Mal. 2.2 Prov. 2.11 12. Grace fits a man for communion and fellowship with Father Son and Spirit 6. Grace fits a man for the choicest services 7. Grace turns all things into a blessing 8. Grace fills the soul with all spiritual excellencies 9. Grace preserves a Christian from the worst of evils viz. sin 10. Grace sweetens death it makes the King of terrors to be the King of desires 11. Grace renders a man acceptable to God and that 's the heighth of a Christians ambition in this world 2 Cor. 5.9 Wherefore we labour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are ambitious that whether
3.22 Return ye back-sliding children and I will heal your back-slidings behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Every gracious soul hath the duplicate of God's Law in his heart and is willingly cast into the mould of his Word Rom. 6.17 Ye have obeyed from the heart the form of doctrine that hath been delivered to you or whereto you were delivered as the words may be read They did not only obey but they obeyed from the heart their hearts were in their obedience Psal 40.8 I delight to do thy will O my God! yea thy Law is within my heart Col. 1.12 Phil. 1.8 Jer. 31.33 or in the midst of my bowels as the Hebrew runs these note the tenderest affections There is the counterpane of the Law written yea printed upon every gracious heart a godly man will live and dye with the Law of God stampt upon his heart O â—eata Apocalypsis said that Martyr catching up the Revelation that was cast into the same fire with him to be burnt O Blessed Revelation how happy am I to be burned with thee in my hands It was Christ's meat and drink to do his Father's will and the same mind is in all the Saints John 4. Phil 2.5 Rom. 7.22 as was in Christ Jesus They delight in the Law of God after the inward man True obedience flows from principles of heartiness and love within and not from by and base respects and ends that are carnal and worldly It is observable that John's obedience was as ample and as large as God's command 2 King 10.30 And the Lord said unto Jehu because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel And yet because his heart was not in his obedience and because he did not purely act for God but for himself that he might bring about his own designs he met with a revenge instead of a reward as you may see in that Hos 1.4 And the Lord said unto him call his name Jezreel for yet a little while and I will avenge the bloud of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu Jehu's heart was not in his obedience he had a dispensatory conscience for though he rooted out Baals worship yet the golden Calves must still continue He destroyed Idolaters but not Idolatry and this carnal policy brought down vengeance and misery upon him and his posterity Artaxerxes goes far Ezra 7.23 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven let it be diligently done To what a highth doth this Heathen Prince rise He will do anything for God he will do every thing for God that he requires But mark what is that which moves him to it Is it love to God is it delight in God O no! all his obedience proceeded from nothing but fear of wrath and vengeance as is evident in the latter part of the verse For why should there be wrath upon the Realm of the King and of his Sons Or as the Hebrew runs Why should there be boyling or foaming anger great indignation As it is rendred and made the utmost degree of divine displeasure in that Deut. 29.28 Some read these words Against the Realm of the King and his Sons as distinct one from another and not depending one upon another thus Against the Realm the King and his Sons and this reading the Original will bear And this reading shews That as the King feared God's wrath against himself so also against his Realm and Children and accordingly he was the more studious and careful to escape it blind nature was afraid of divine wrath â—zek 26.25 26 27. and therefore was the more sedulous to prevent it O but now a true child of God he has the Law of God written not only in his understanding but also in his heart and affections and this is that which makes his obedience to be pleasing and delightful to him so that if he might be free from the injunctions and directions of the Word with the servant in the Law he would not value such a liberty Exod. 21.4 5 6 c. he would not swear nor lye nor be drunk nor whore nor dissemble nor cheat nor run into all excess of riot if he might because in his soul he has a principle of grace and an inward contrariety and antipathy against it Eccl. 9.2 he would not cease to hear to read to pray to meditate if he might because his soul takes a delight sweet complacency in these things there is a principle within him agreeable to the precept without him which makes all religious performances to be easie and pleasurable to him Look as the eye delights in seeing and the ear in hearing so a gracious heart except when 't is under a cloud of dissertion or in the School of temptation or under some grievous tormenting afflictions or sadly worsted by some prevalent corruption delights in obeying Actions of nature you know are actions of delight and so are all those actions that spring from a new nature a divine nature c. Fifthly That obedience that springs from faith is a transforming obedience it mightily alters and changes a man from impurity to purity from sin to sanctity 2 Cor. 3.18 Rom. 12.1 2. from unrighteousness to righteousness from earthly-mindedness to heavenly-mindedness from pride to humility from hypocrisie to sincerity c. Such as please themselves with this That they are no changlings and that they are whatever they were Acts 8.13 these are still in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity That obedience of the Romans Rom. 16.19 which was said to have come abroad unto all men was an exemplary obedience and a transforming obedience Certainly Gospel-obedience is a grace of much worth and of great force upon the whole man for when it is once wrought in the heart it worketh a conformity to all God's holy will But having spoken more largely of this in my other writings let this touch here suffice c. Sixthly That obedience that springs from faith is a constant obedience 't is a fixed and resolved obedience not in respect of practise and continued acts for in many things we offend all Jaâ— 3.2 Eccl. 7.20 Prov. 20 9. 1 Kings 8.46 1 Joh. 1.8 Psal 17.3 There is not a just man upon the earth that doth good and sinneth not Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin There is no man that sinneth not If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us c. But in respect of a Christians sincere desires bent of will purpose of heart resolution of soul and faithful endeavours Psal 119.20 My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times Ver. 112. I have enclined my heart to keep thy
the face of all fears doubts disputes cavils and objections and though it cannot clear its title to Christ yet will stay and hang it self upon Christ for life and happiness that man is certainly a Believer and will be everlastingly saved Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Job 13.15 if I must die I will die at his feet and in the midst of death expect a better life Mat. 15.22 to 28 that man acts faith to purpose that can love a frowning God and hang upon an angry God and follow hard after a withdrawing God Psal 63.1 8. yea and trust in a killing God as here Job had his Feverish sits and his impatient slips and yet he kept up his heroical resolution to lean upon the Lord whilst he had but one minute to live and this speaks out not only the truth but also the strength of Job's faith in the midst of his extraordinary combats when the soul is peremptorily and habitually resolved to cleave to the person of Christ and to cleave to the merits of Christ Gen. 2.24 Ruth 1.14 15 16 17. Est 4.16 and to cleave to the transactions of Christ with the Father for the salvation of sinners as the wife cleaves to her husband or as the child cleaves to the father or as Ruth cleaved to Naomi or as the Ivy cleaves to the Oak with an If I perish I perish then 't is safe then 't is happy then 't is out of the danger of hell then 't is within the Suburbs of heaven God never did nor never will cast such a man to hell whose soul is drawn forth to a secret resting saying leaning and relying alone upon Christ for the obtaining of all that good and all that glory that he has purchased and his father has promised But Lastly That man that makes it his principle care his main business his work of works to look to his heart to watch his heart and to reform his heart that man doubtless has a saving work of God upon his heart There are two things which a gracious soul most looks at his God and his heart Though a gracious man looks to the cleansing of his hands yet his principle care is the reformation of his heart the cleansing of his heart according to that of the Apostle James Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double minded And that of the Prophet Jeremiah James 4.8 Jer. 4.14 O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved Man must labour after a clean inside as well as a clean outside the conversation must not be only unspotted before the world but the heart also must be unspotted before God the heart is as capable of inward defilements as the body is of outward defilements 2 Cor. 7.1 O Sirs though heart-defilement is least taken notice of yet heart-defilement is the worst defilement and the most dangerous defilement in the world heart-defilement is spiritual defilement Eph. 6.12 Vide â—â—za and spiritual defilement is the defilement of divels which of all defilement is the most hateful odious and pernicious defilement The hypocrites only care is to keep his life from defilement but the sincere Christians care is mainly to keep his heart from defilement for he very well knows that if he can but keep his heart clean he shall with more ease keep his life clean if the fountain be kept pure the streams will run pure The heart is the spring of all actions and therefore every action is as the spring is from whence it flows if the spring be good the action is good that flows from it if the spring be evil the action is evil that flows from it Mâ—â— 2.35 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 Certainly the great work of a Christian lieth with his heart the reformation of the heart is the highest and choicest part of reformation Prov 23.26 because it is the reformation of the noblest part of man and is that which God looks most after The reformation of the heart is indeed the heart of reformation there is nothing reformed to purpose till the heart be reformed if the heart be naught all is naught if that be very naught all is very naught if that be stark naught all is stark naught but if that be reformed all is reformed A gracious man's watch is mainly about his heart Create in me a clean heart Psal 51.10 Psal 86.11 Psal 119.36 Psal 119 80. Psal 27.8 See Psal 119.2 Acts 8 37. Heb. 8.10 Jer. 31 33. O God and renew a right spirit within me Unite my heart to fear thy name Incline my heart unto thy testimonies Let my heart be sound in thy statutes that I be not ashamed When thou saidest seek my face my heart answered Thy face Lord will I seek Psal 119.10 With my whole heart have I sought thee Ver. 11. Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee Incline my heart unto thy testimonies and not unto covetousness Rom. 1.9 The heart of man is the fountain of life or death and therefore sin in the heart in some respects is worse and more dangerous than sin in the life and hence 't is that the sincere Christian doubles his guard about his heart Luther hit it when he said I more fear what is within me than what comes from without the storms and winds without do never move the earth 't is only vapours within that causeth earth-quakes as Philosophers observe Mat. 23 25-30 Hypocrites as our Saviour testifies are all for the outside they wash the platters and the cups and beautifie the tombs like an adulteress whose care is to paint and set a fair face upon a foul matter but now a sincere Christian Psal 50.23 though he has a special respect to the well-ordering of his life yet his main business and work is about his heart O that this ignorant heart were but more enlightned O that this proud heart were but more humble O that this prophane heart were but more holy O that this earthly heart were but more heavenly O that this unbelieving heart were but more believing O that this passionate heart were but more meek O that this carnal heart were but more spiritual O that this luke-warm heart were but more zealous for God and Christ and the Gospel and the great concernments of eternity O that this slight heart were but more serious O that this dull heart were but more quickned O that this dead heart were but more enlivened c. The highest and hardest work of a Christian lieth with his heart Mark common light common conviction education enforcement of conscience principles of common honesty and morality the eye of man the fear of man the examples of man the laws of man and
and diligent guard about them that nothing may pass in or out that may be either displeasing provoking or grieving to them But Fourthly The word signifies to keep as a man keeps his life Job 10.12 Thy visitation hath preserved here is Shamar my life Now with what care with what diligence with what labour with what watchfulness do men labour to preserve their natural lives what a guard what a watch do men daily set about their lives the same they should set about their hearts But Fifthly Men should keep their hearts as they keep a rich treasure of money or jewels or plate Now to preserve a rich treasure what locks what bolts what bars All our spiritual riches are in our hearts A good man may say with Bias omnia mea mecum parto all my goods I carry about with me what chains are made use of Our hearts are jewels more worth than all the Kingdoms Crowns and Scepters of this world There are few men that know how to value a God a Christ a Gospel a Covenant of grace a Heaven or their own hearts as they should What are mountains of gold and rocks of pearl to the heart the soul of man The heart is that pearl of price for which a man should venture his all and lay down his all O then what a guard what a watch should a man continually keep upon his heart The heart is Camera omnipotentis Regis the presence chamber of the King of heaven and upon this account it becomes a Christian alwayes to keep a guard upon his heart he keeps his heart best who keeps it as his choisest treasure c. But Sixthly Men should keep their hearts as a fond father keeps his only child the fond father will still keep his child within doors he will still have him under his eye and in his presence that so no hurt no harm may befal him day or night Our eye should be still upon our hearts or else they will give us the slip and play the wantons with us But Seventhly Men should keep their hearts as Lovers keep the love-tokens that are mutually sent one to another they love to be often a looking upon them and a thinking of them and a talking of them and will be sure to keep the strictest and the strongest guard upon them So a Christian should still be a looking upon his heart and a thinking upon his heart and a speaking of his heart either of the badness of it or of the wants of it and a keeping of the strictest and strongest guard upon his heart But Eighthly A man should keep his heart as a man keeps his house when he is afraid and in danger of being robbed by thieves in the night O! how wakeful and watchful and active will a man now be but what 's a man's house to his heart A mans heart is in ten thousand times more danger than his house and accordingly his guard should be most about his heart But Ninthly A man should keep his heart as men keep their gardens that are full of choice rich rare ripe fruits and dowers Now what care cost and pains men are at to keep such gardens you well know And O that you did but every day more and more experimentally know what it is to spend your greatest care and pains about your hearts which are Christ's garden his bed of spices where all graces flourish Cant. 4. ult Tenthly and last A man should keep his heart as spruce men and women do their fine cloaths O they won't endure a speck a spot upon them 'T is your wisdom and O that you would more and more make it your work to keep your hearts from all sinful specks and spots Let not others be more careful to keep their outsides clean than you are to keep your insides clean for what are clean cloaths to a clean heart 'T is better to go to heaven in ragged cloaths with a clean heart than to go to hell in fine cloaths with an unclean heart Doubtless that man that makes it his business to keep his heart as men keep dangerous Fellons or Traitors or as soldiers keep their Garrisons or Castles when closly besieged or as the Priests and Levites kept the Sanctuary of God or as a man keeps his natural life or as a man keeps a rich treasure or as a fond father keeps an only child or as Lovers keep their love-tokens or as a man keeps his house when he is in danger to be robbed or as a man keeps his pleasant garden or as spruce men and women keep their fine cloaths that man is doubtless a true Nathaniel a man that has a work of God past in power upon his soul yea that man whose sincere desires and whose gracious purposes and fixed resolutions and faithful endeavours is to guard and watch his heart according to the particulars we have now hinted that man without a peradventure is a gracious man and one that has the root of the matter in him and shall be happy to all eternity Look as no man can hear as he would and should nor pray as he would and should nor believe as he would and should nor repent as he would and should nor walk as he would and should so no man can keep his heart as he would and should but if a man makes it his great business and work to keep his heart to watch his heart to reform his heart to better his heart he is accepted of God and shall be blessed for-ever 'T is one of the greatest and cleerest evidences of grace for a man to make it his greatest business work and concernment in this world to keep his heart alwayes in a gracious frame Cant. 5.2 2 Kings 22.19 2 Chron. 32.26 James 5.11 Eccles 5.1 2. Col. 3.1 2. 2 Cor. 7.11 to keep his heart alwayes in a wakeful frame in a watchful frame in a tender frame in a believing frame in a repenting frame in an humble frame in a patient frame in a serious frame in a heavenly frame and in a jealous frame for the more gracious the heart is the more suspicious it will be Satan has a strong party a numerous party an old party a subtil party in all our hearts and therefore it highly concerns us to watch our hearts with a holy jealousie O Sirs God hath never said Above all keepings keep your Shops or above all keepings keep your Estates or above all keepings keep your Flocks or above all keepings keep your Bags or above all keepings keep your Friends or above all keepings keep your Bodies or above all keepings keep your Names or above all keepings keep your Conversations but he hath said above all keepings keep your hearts Look Fron. lib. 2. as the heart is the fountain of natural life and if it fail life fails and therefore it is strongly secured with ribs about it it is guarded in a castle of flesh and bones so is the soul the fountain
in a way of sin but the gracious soul sayes with Job Job 34.32 If I have done iniquity I will do it no more He laments over sin and leaves it he confesses it and forsakes it and he is as willing to forgo it as he is willing that God should forgive it Seventhly All and if you please I shall give you many things in one godly sorrow is the fruit and effect of Evangelical faith it flows from faith as the stream from the fountain the branch from the root and the effect from the cause Zech. 12.10 They shall look upon him whom they have pierced and shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his first-born Look as all legal sorrow flows from a legal faith as you may see in Ahab's and the Ninevites so all Evangelical sorrow flows from an Evangelical faith They shall look upon him whom they have pierced and mourn All gracious mourning flows from looking from believing nothing breaks the heart of a sinner like a look of faith all tears of godly sorrow drop from the eye of faith godly sorrow rises and falls as faith rises and falls faith and godly sorrow are like the fountain and the floud which rise and fall together The more a man is able by faith to look upon a pierced Christ the more his heart will mourn over all the dishonours that he has done to Christ the more deep and wide the wounds are that faith shews me in the heart and sides of Christ the more my heart will be wounded for sining against Christ Again godly sorrow is not an enemy but a friend to holy joy I have read of a holy man who lying upon his sick bed and being askt which were his joyfullest dayes that ever he had cryed out O give me my mourning dayes give me my mourning dayes again for they were the joyfullest dayes that ever I had The higher the springs of godly sorrow rise the higher the tydes of holy joy rise his graces will flourish most who Evangelically mourns most Grace alwayes thrives best in that garden that heart that is watered most with the tears of godly sorrow He that grieves most for sin will rejoyce most in God and he that rejoyces most in God will grieve most for sin Again the more a man apprehends of the love of God and of the love of Christ and the more a man tastes and is assured of the love of the Father and of the love of the Son the more that person will grieve and mourn that he has offended provoked and grieved such a Father and such a Son Remember this as a man's assurance of peace and reconciliation with God rises so his grief for sin rises the more clear and certain evidences a man has of the love and favour of God to his soul the more that man will grieve and mourn for sinning against such a God There is nothing that thaws and melts the heart that softens and breaks the heart like the warm beams of divine love as you may see in the case of Mary Magdalen Luk. 7. she loved much and she wept much for much was forgiven her a sight of the free grace and love of Christ towards her in an act of forgiveness broke her heart all in pieces A man can't stand under the shinings of divine love with a frozen heart nor yet with dry eyes the more a man sees of the love of Christ and the more a man tastes and enjoys of the love of Christ the more that man will grieve and mourn for all the dishonours that he has done to Christ The more an ingenious child sees and tastes and enjoys of his fathers love the more he grieves and mourns that ever he should offend such a father or provoke such a father who has been so loving and indulgent towards him Injuries done to a friend cut deep and the more near and dear and beloved a man's friend is to him the more a man is afflicted and troubled for any wrongs or injuries that are done to him and just so 't is between God and a gracious soul The free love and favour of God and his unspeakable goodness and mercy manifested in Jesus Christ to poor sinners is the very spring and fountain of all Evangelical sorrow nothing breaks the heart of a poor sinner like the sight of God's free love in a Redeemer A man can't seriously look upon the firstness the freeness the greatness the unchangeableness the everlastingness and the matchlessness of God's free favour and love in Christ with a hard heart or with dry eyes Ezek. 36.31 compared with vers 25 26. O! who is there that has but one spark of ingenuity that can read over that heart-breaking Scripture with dry eyes Isa 43.22 23 24. See Isa 57.17 18 19. But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel thou hast not brought me the small cattel of thy burnt offerings neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices I have not caused thee to serve with an offering nor wearied thee with incense thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities Now a man would think after all this horrid abuse put upon God this would certainly follow Therefore I will plague and punish thee therefore my wrath shall smoak against thee therefore my soul shall abhor thee therefore I will shut up my loving kindness in displeasure against thee therefore I will shew no more mercy towards thee therefore I will hide my face for ever from thee therefore I will take vengeance on thee therefore I will rain hell out of heaven upon thee c. O! but read and wonder read and admire read and stand amazed and astonished read and refrain from tears if thou canst ver 25. I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins The Prophets expression in that Zech. 12.10 is very observable They shall look upon him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one that mourneth for his only son Now 't is observable in a fathers mourning for an only son there is nothing but pure love sincere love hearty love but in a sons mourning for his father there may be and often is a great deal of self-love self-respect because the child may run and read in his father's death his own loss his own ruin his own undoing but in the father's mourning for an only son a man may run and read the integrity purity and ingenuity of the father's love and 't is only such a love as this as sets the soul a mourning and a lamenting over a crucified Christ The thoughts and fears of wrath of hell and of
times of great afflictions temptations desertions fears and doubts a very great aptness and proneness in Christians to expect strange means rather than right means and new means rather than old means and invented means rather than appointed means to build their faith upon somthing beside the Word or that is without the compass of the Word rather than upon the plain and naked Word it self being in this very like to many weak crazy distempered and diseased Patients that are more ready to fancy every new Medicine and new Doctor they hear of and to be tampering with them than to expect a recovery by going through a course of Physick prescribed by the Physician that best understands their diseases and the most proper and effectual means for their recoveries You know when Naaman the Assyrian came to the Prophet Elisha to be cured of his Leprosie he only sent out a Messenger to him who bid him go and wash seven times in Jordan and his flesh should come again unto him and he should be clean 2 Kings 5.10 but Naamans bloud rises and his heart swells and he grows very wrath and all because he did not like the means prescribed by the Prophet and because he thought in his own heart that the Prophet would have used more likely means to have wrought the cure ver 11 12. So many Christians when they lye under great agonies and sore perplexities of soul and are encouraged to act faith upon the promises and to rest their weary souls upon the Word of grace they are ready to think and say that these things these means will never heal them nor comfort them nor be a relief or support unto them unless the Lord does from heaven by extraordinary Revelations Visions Signs and Miracles confirm his promises to them and hereupon they make light of the blessed Scriptures which are the springs of life and the only bottom upon which all our comforts peace and happiness is to be built yea they relinquish that more sure word of prophecy which shines as a light in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.19 Certainly the acting of faith on the precious promises and the cleaving of the soul unto those blessed truths declared in the Gospel of grace is the most sure ready and compendious way of obtaining a blessed assurance Eph. 1.13 and a full establishment of heart Com. on Gen. cap. 38. in all sound solid and abiding joy and peace and therefore Luther though as he confesseth he was often tempted to ask for Signs Apparitions and Revelations from heaven to confirm him in his way yet tells us how strongly he did withstand them Pactum feci cum Domino Deo meo c. I have saith he indented with the Lord my God that he would never send me Dreams Visions Angels for I am well contented with this gift that I have the holy Scripture which doth abundantly teach and supply all necessaries for this life and that also which is to come Certainly Austin hit the mark when he prayed Lord let thy holy Scriptures be my pure delights in which I can neither deceive or ever be deceived Certainly the ballance of the sanctuary should weigh all the Oracles of God decide all and the Rule of Gods Word be the square and judge of all O Sirs dare you venture your souls upon it that the blessed Scriptures are false that they are but a Fable dare you stand forth and say if the Scriptures be not a lye let us be damned for ever and ever dare you stand up and say we are freely contented that the everlasting worm shall gnaw on our hearts for ever and that our bodies and souls shall for ever and ever lye burning in infernal flames if the Scriptures prove not at last a cheat a deceit a meer forgery and imposture Now if you dare not thus to say and thus to venture then peremptorily resolve to be determined by Scripture in the great concernments of your precious souls They that would take their parts in promised comforts they must follow the voice of the Word and subscribe to the sentence of conscience following that Word If the Word approve of thee as sound and sincere with God assuredly thou art so for that rule cannot err If the Word saith that thy heart is right with God thou must maintain that Testimony against all disputes whatever Never enter into dispute with Satan or thine own self about thy estate but by taking and making the Scripture the judge of the controversie when fears rise high you say you shall never have mercy bâ—t dotâ— the Word say so The Lord never gave himself to me but doth the Word say so Never was any as I am but doth the Word say so I cannot see nor conceive nor think that the Lord hath any love for me but doth the Word say so yea doth not the Word say That his thoughts are not as your thoughts nor his wayes as your wayes Isa 55.8 9. But as the heavens are higher than the earth so are his wayes higher than your wayes and his thoughts than your thoughts I have not that peace and joy that others have therefore the Lord intends no good towards me but doth the Word say so Oh but if my inside were but turned outward good men would loath me and wicked men would laugh at me but doth the Word say so Oh but my heart was never right with God but doth the Word say so Oh but that which I have taken all this while for saving grace is but common grace but doth the Word say so Oh but the face of God is hid from me my Sun is set in a cloud and will never rise more but doth the Word say so Oh but Satan is let loose upon me and therefore God hates me but doth the Word say so yea doth not the Word tell you That those who have been most beloved of God have been most tempted by Satan Witness Christ David Job Joshua Peter Paul c. Oh but I am afflicted so as never was any before me but doth the Word say so Oh let the Word have the casting voice and not thine own frail distempered reason Oh don't only hear what sin and Satan and thine own heart can say against thee but hear also what the Word of the Lord Jesus can say for thee Let the Word of the Lord be judge on both sides and then all will be well I know that the impenitent and unbelieving person that lives and dies without grace in his heart and an interest in Christ shall as certainly be damned as if I saw him this very moment under everlasting burnings because God in the Scripture has said it Mark 16.16 John 3.18.36 Rev. 21.8 Rom. 2.4 5. 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Gal. 5.19 20 21. Heb. 12.14 And I know that the holy humble true penitent believing self-denying and sin-mortifying Christian shall be as certainly saved as if at this very time I saw him in an actual
vile and unworthy otherwise be saved Now mark answerable to the evidence that a man hath in his own soul that faith and repentance is wrote in him so will his hope and assurance be weaker or stronger more or less If a mans evidence for the truth of his faith and repentance be dark and weak and low and uncertain his hope and assurance that is born of these parents as I may say must needs partake of its parents weakness and infirmities and be it self weak and dark and low and wavering and uncertain as they are from which it results â—ope and assurance ebbs and flows as the evidence of a mans faith and repentance ebbs and flows Assurance can't be ordinarily had without a serious examination of our own hearts for assurance is the certain knowledge of the conclusion drawn from the premises one out of Scripture the other by a reflect act of the understanding or conscience thus He that believes and repents shall certainly be saved that is the voice of the Word of God then by the search of a mans own heart he must be able to say but I believe and repent and from these two doth result this assurance that he may safely conclude therefore I shall be saved And O that all Christians were so wise as seriously to ponder upon these things Thirdly a godly man may argue thus He that hath respect unto all Gods commands shall never be ashamed Psal 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto a l thy câ—mmandments Shame is both the temporaâ—â— deternal fruâ—â— sin Rom 6â—â— Dan. 12.2 He that is so honest and faithful with God as to do his best shall find that God will be so gracious as to pardon his worst And this Gospel indulgence David does more than hint at in those words Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy commandments Or as the Hebrew has it Then shall I not blush when my eye is to all thy commandments The Traveller you know hath his eye towards the place where he is going and though he be yet short of it yet he is putting on and pressing forward all he can to reach it so when the eye of a Saint is to all the commands of God and he is still a pressing forwards toward full obedience such a foul shall never be put to shame it shall never be put to the blush but it shall be able living and dying boldly to appear in the presence of the Lord. Mark the Psalmist doth not say when I obey all thy commandments but when I have respect to all thy commandments and that implies an inward aw and reverential eye towards every duty God requires You know to have respect unto a thing is this When that of all others swayes most with us as when a Master commands such a business the servant will do it because he respects him and at his command he will go and come though he will not at the command of any other But I have respect unto all his commandments therefore I shall never be ashamed Fourthly a godly man may argue thus He that loveth the brethren is past from death to life and consequently is in Christ 1 John 3.18 19. But I love the brethren therefore I am passed from death to life and so consequently am in Christ Fifthly a godly man may argue thus He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall certainly find mercy Prov. 28.13 But I confess and forsake my sins 1. In respect of my sincere desires 2. In respect of my gracious purposes 3. In respect of my fixed resolutions 4. In respect of my faithful and constant endeavours therefore I shall certainly find mercy Sixthly a godly man may argue thus He that hath the testimony of a good conscience he may rejoyce in that testimony 2 Cor. 1.12 Isa 38.3 But I have the testimony of a good conscience therefore I may rejoyce in that testimony Seventhly a godly man may argue thus He over whom presumptious sins has not dominion is upright Psal 19.13 keep back thy servant from presumptious sins let them not have dominion over me then shall I be upright But presumptious sins has not dominion over me therefore I am upright Mark unfeigned willingness to part with every sin and to mortifie every sin is a sure sign of uprightness a sure sign of saving grace when a man is sincerely willing to leave every sin and to indulge himself in none no not his darling sin it is a most certain sign of his integrity and sincerity as you may evidently see by comparing of these Scriptures together Psal 17.1 3 4. Psal 119.1 2 3 6. Job 1.8 and Chap. 2.3 Psal 18.23 I was upright before him Oh but how do you know that how do you prove that how are you assured of that Why by this that I have kept my self from mine iniquity Doubtless there is as much of the power of God required and as much strength of grace required and as much of the presence and assistance of the Spirit required to work a man off from his bosom sins from his darling sins from his beloved sins as there is required to work him off from all other sins a conquest here clearly speaks out uprightness of heart Eighthly a godly man may argue thus He whose heart doth not condemn him 1. Of giving himself over to a voluntary serving of sin Or 2. Of making a trade of sin Or 3. Of allowing of himself in any course or way of sin Or 4. Of sinning as wicked men sin who sin studiously resolutely affectionately delightfully customarily wilfully or with their whole will or with the full consent and sway of their souls Or 5. of indulging conniving or winking at any known sin Or 6. Of living in the daily neglect of any known positive duty against light and conscience or of an ordinary shifting off of any known service hat God requires of him in that place or station wherein God has set him may have confidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is boldness liberty of speech towards God 1 John 3.21 But my heart does not condemn me 1. Of giving my self over to a voluntary serving of sin Nor 2. Of making a trade of sin Nor 3. Of allowing my self in any course or way of sin Nor 4. Of sinning as wicked men sin viz. studiously resolutely affectionately delightfully customarily wilfully Nor 5. Of indulging conniving or winking at any known sin Nor 6. Of living in the daily neglect of any known duty against light and conscience therefore I may have confidence or boldness towards God I may use liberty of speech with God I may use the liberty and freedom of a favourite of heaven I may open my heart to God as favourites do to their Prince viz. freely familiarly boldly When Austin was converted and his heart sincere with God he could bless God that he could think of his former evil wayes which were very bad without
that Wine that is sharp and harsh A little grace will make a very glorious shew in such men and women whose very natural tempers are sweet soft gentle meek affable courteous when a great deal of Grace is hardly discernable in those men and women whose very natural tempers are cross crooked cholerick fierce passionate ruff and unhewen As a good man said of an eminent light now in Heaven That he had Grace enough for ten men but scarce enough for himself his natural temper was so bad which he would himself often lament and bewail saying to his friends That he had such a cross crooked nature that if God had not given him grace none would have been able to have lived one day quietly with him A sincere Christian may have more roughness of nature and more sturdiness of passions than is in many a moral man he that hath more Christianity may have less Morality as there is more perfection of animal and sensitive faculties in some bruits than in some men T is an old experienced truth that those sins are with the greatest pains labour travel and difficulty subdued and mortified which our natural tempers complexions and constitutions do most strongly incline and dispose us to and were but those lusts subdued and brought under it would be no difficult thing to bring all other sins to an under when Goliah was slain the Philistims fled when a General in an Army falls 1 Sam. 17.51 52. the common Souldiers are quickly routed So t is here get but the sins of your natural tempers complexions and constitutions under your feet and you will quickly ride in a holy triumph over the rest When Justice is effectually done upon your constitution sins 2 Sam. 18.14 ult other sins will not be long lived thrust but a dart through the heart of Absolom and a compleat conquest will follow Now before I close up this particular let me advise you frequently to consider that you can never make a true a right a serious judgment of your selves or of your spiritual estates and conditions without a prudent eye upon your natural tempers complexions and constitutions granting to your selves such indulgence and grains of allowance upon the account of your natural tempers as will stand with sincerity and the Covenant of Grace But The Sixteenth Maxim or Consideration SIxteenthly Consider If you cannot if you dare not say that you have grace Mark 4.26 27 28. yet do not say that you have no Grace for the being of Grace in the soul is one thing and the seeing of Grace in the Soul is another thing A man may have Grace and yet not know that he has Grace he may have a seed of God in him and yet not see it 1 Joh. 5.13 he may believe and yet not believe that he does believe the child lives before it knows that it lives If you cannot say that your Graces are true yet do not say they are counterfeit lest you bear false witness against the real work of the Spirit in you There are none so apt to question the truth of their Grace as those are that are truly gracious though Satan cannot hinder the holy Spirit from working true grace in the Soul 1 John 4.4 Psal 77. yet he will do all he can to fill the Soul with fears and doubts and jealousies about the truth of that grace that the holy Spirit has wrought in it When did you ever know the Devil to tempt an Hypocrite to believe that his Graces were not true and that certainly he had not the root of the matter in him if you cannot say that you have an interest in Christ yet do not say that you have no interest in Christ for a man may have an interest in Christ and yet not see his interest in Christ not know his interest in Christ there are many precious Christians that walk in darkness who yet have an interest in that Jesus that is all Light Life Isa 50.10 and love if you cannot say that your pardon is sealed in the Court of your own Conscience yet do not say that t is not sealed in the Court of Heaven for many a Christian has his pardon sealed in the Court of Heaven Psal 51. before t is sealed in the Court of his own Conscience A Pardon sealed in the Court of Conscience Rev. 2.17 is that new name and white stone which God does not give to every one at first Conversion God will take his own time to Seal up every Christians Pardon in his bosome If you cannot say that your name is written in the Book of life yet do not say that t is not written in the Book of life the Disciples names were first written in Heaven before Christ bid them rejoyce Luke 10.20 because their names were written in Heaven A man may have his name written in Heaven and yet it may be a long while before God may tell him that his name is written in Heaven I you cannot say that the precious Promises are yours yet do not say that they are childrens Bread and such dainties that your Soul shall never tast of t is not every precious Christian that has an interest in the Promises Psal 77. Psal 88. 1 Pet. 1.4 that can run and read his interest in the Promises If you cannot say that the heavenly inheritance is yours yet do not say that t is not yours do not say it shall never be yours A Christian may have a good title to the heavenly inheritance and yet not be able to make good his title to clear up his title as a child in the arms or in the Cradle may be heir to a Crown a Kingdom and yet he is not able to make good his title If you cannot say that you have Assurance yet do not say that you shall never have Assurance for a man may want Assurance one year and have it the next one Moneth and have it another Luke 19 1-10 Acts 16 29-35 Rom. 11.33 one week and have it another one day and have it another yea one hour and have it another If you cannot say that you shall certainly go to Heaven yet do not say that you shall undoubtedly go to Hell for who made you one of the Privy Counsellors of Heaven who acquainted you with the secret decrees of God c. Now were this Rule but throughly minded and conscientiously practised O how well would it go with many tempted troubled bewildered and clouded Christians O how would Satan be disappointed and poor souls quieted composed and refreshed But The seventeenth Maxim or Consideration SEventeenthly When ever you cast your eye upon your gracious evidences it highly concerns you seriously to remember that you have to deal with God in a Covenant of Grace and not in a Covenant of Works Every breach of peace with God is not a breach of Covenant with God Though the Wife hath many weaknesses and infirmities hanging upon
for all the duties that they have hindered Judg. 16.28 Sampson pleads hard with God that he might be avenged on the Philistines for his two eyes and so doth the gracious soul plead hard with God that he may be avenged on his bosom lusts on his complexion sins which have put out his two eyes which have so blinded him that he has not for a long time been able to see God or Christ or the things that belong to his external internal or eternal peace The next of kin in the Law was alwayes the avenger of bloud and to him it appertained to hunt after the murderer to bring upon his head the innocent bloud that he had shed if therefore we will shew our selves brethren or sisters of Christ or any thing of kin unto him we must even be the avengers of his bloud upon bosom sins upon complexion sins for for them as well as others was his bloud shed O Sirs what bosom sin is there so sweet or profitable that is worth a burning in hell for or worth a shutting out of heaven for surely none This a gracious soul seriously weighs and accordingly he sets himself against the Toad in his bosom against his darling sins against his complexion sins But now unsound hearts are very favourable to bosom sins to complexion sins they say of them as Lot of Zoar Gen. 19.20 Is it not a little one and my soul shall live And as David once said concerning Absalom 2 Sam. 18.5 Deal gently for my sake with the young man even with Absalom beware that none touch the young man Absalom Ver. 12. And the King said is the young man Absalom safe Ver. 29. An unsound heart is as fond of his bosom sins 2 King 5.18 of his complexion sins as Jacob was of his Benjamin or as Jeha was of his calves or as Naaman was of his Idol Rimmon or as Judas was of bearing the bag or as Herod was of his Herodias Acts 19. or as Demetrius was of his Diana or as the Pharisees were of devouring widows houses Mat. 23. and of having the uppermost seats in the Synagogues and of being saluted in the market places with those glorious titles Rabbi Rabbi The besotted sinner is most engaged to his bosom sins his complexion sins and therefore 't is as bitter a thing as death for him to part with them Mich. 6.6 7. he had rather part with burnt-offerings and calves of a year old he had rather part with thousands of Rams and with ten thousand Rivers of oyl yea he had rather part with his first-born than with his bosom sin Job 20.12 13. he is ready to give the fruit of his body for the sin of his soul Let God frown or smile stroke or strike lift up or cast down promise or threaten yet he will hide and hold fast his bosom sin let God set life and death heaven and hell glory and misery before him yet will he not part with his bosom sins let God wound his conscience blow upon his estate leave a blot upon his name crack his credit afflict his body Jer. 20.3 4. write death upon his relations and be a Magor-missabib a terror to his soul yet will he not let go his darling sins An unsound heart will rather let God go and Christ go and heaven go and all go than he will let his darling lusts go But now a sound Christian a throuhgout Christian he sets himself most against the Dalilah in his bosom against the Benjamin the son the sin of his right hand A sincere Christian looks upon bosom sins upon complexion sins as the most God-provoking sins there are no sins so provoking to Gods jealousies and justice as bosom sins he looks upon bosom sins complexion sins a the most dangerous sins he looks upon bosom sins complexion sins as the worst thing in all the world he looks upon bosom sins complexion sins as more ugly and horrid than the devil himself or than hell it self he looks upon bosom sins as the great make-bates between God and his soul and between his conscience and his comfort Isa 59.1 2. Lamen 3.8 44. he looks upon bosom sins as those enemies that have provoked God often to turn a deaf ear to all his prayers he looks upon his bosom sins as so many Judas's that have often betrayed him into the hands of the devil he looks upon his bosom sins as the waters of Marah that has imbittered all his mercies he looks upon his bosom sins as the only things that have often clouded the face of God he looks upon his bosom sins as dead flies in the box of precious ointment that spoyls all and accordingly with all his might he sets himself against them 1. He fights most against these 2. He weeps most over these 3. He watches and aâ—ms most against these 4. He prayes most against these 5. He resolves most against these And 6. He layes the axe of repentance most to these c. But pray Sir before you close up this Chapter lay down some sure and infallible evidences of the goodness graciousness and happiness of their estates and conditions who are but weak in grace who are but babes of grace that so they may have their portion satisfaction support and consolation as well as others Ans I shall endeavour to do it and therefore thus Sixthly True desires of grace is grace true desires after Christ and grace and holiness is grace he who does sincerely desire to believe he does really believe and he that does sincerely desire to repent he does really repent and he that does sincerely desire to obey the Lord 1 Pet. 2.3 4. 2 Chron. 30.18 19 Mat. 7.8 Psal 42.1 2. Psal 63.1 c. and to fear the Lord and to serve the Lord he does really obey the Lord and fear the Lord and serve the Lord. It is the first step to grace for a man to see his heart void of grace and it is the first degree of grace for a man to desire grace Mark all true desires of grace have the very nature and truth of grace in them As there is true fire in a spark as well as in a flame and true water in a drop as well as in a stream and true light in a beam as well as in the Sun and true gold in the very filings of gold as well as in the whole wedge of gold the least of any thing partakes of the nature of the whole Isa 55.1 2. 65. 1. John 7.37 True desires of grace argues a state of grace and salvation Psal 38.9 Lord thou knowest all my desire my groanings is not hid from thee Mat. 5.6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled or as the Greek runs after the participle of the present tense they that are hungering and thirsting intimating that where ever this is the present disposition of mens souls they are blessed
1.1 3 4 2.6 Mat. 11.29 30. No man can truly desire grace that he may enjoy communion and fellowship with the Father the Son and the Spirit and that he may be made comformable to Christ and that he may be serviceable and useful to the interest of Christ and that he may walk even as Christ walked Psal 119.32 1 Joh. 5.4 5. Rom. 14.7 8. Phil. 1.20 in the exercise of every grace and that he may be rid of his sins yea all his sins especially his special sins and that he may run the ways of God's commands more easily more readily more delightfully more resolutely more patiently more unweariedly and more zealously and that he may be made victorious over the world the flesh and the devil and that he may so live as to be a praise a name an honour and a glory to Christ and that after all and by all he may be prepared and fitted for an eternal fruition and enjoyment of Christ but he that has true grace in his soul Now every weak believer is able to appeal to God that he desires grace for gracious ends and purposes as for the ends last cited and others of the like nature with them Wicked men may in a fit desire grace Act. 8.18 19 20. as Simon Magus did desire the holy Ghost to get money by it or when they are under some pangs of conscience they may desire grace to be rid of their horrors and terrors or when they are upon a dying bed they may desire so much grace as may keep them out of hell and bring them to heaven but in all this they look no further than self they are far from desiring of grace for gracious ends and purposes There is nothing in all the world that the great God so much regards as man All these things have my hands made but to this man will I look Isa 66.2 Nothing in man so much as the heart My son give me thy heart That is the Mount Sion which God loveth above all the dwellings of Jacob and nothing in the heart so much as the aim and end of it Let a mans profession be never so glorious let him be never so abundant in the performance of duties let his desires after this and that good thing be never so strong yet if his ends be wrong all his pretentions and performances are but beautiful abominations Did David pray three times aday Mark 12.40 Luke 18.12 Mat. 6.2 Luke 11.42 Mat. 23. so did the Pharisees Did David and Daniel fast so did the Pharisees and that twice in the week Did Cornelius give alms so did the Pharisees Did Abraham pay tythes so did the Pharisees they tythed their very Mint and Rue but their ends being wrong their time was lost and their pains was lost and their duties was lost and their alms was lost and their souls was lost and that for ever God writes a nothing upon all those services wherein mens ends are not right Jer. 32.23 But Tenthly No man can sincerely desire earnestly endeavour after the highest pitches of grace but he that has true grace though the weak Christian has but a little grace in his heart Phil. 3.12 13 14 15 16 c. yet he has the top of grace the perfection of grace in his sincere aims in his sincere desires and in his earnest and constant endeavours and if the weakest Saint might have his desires his mind his wish his will his choice he would never sin more he would never dishonour Jesus Christ more he would never grieve the spirit of grace more he would yield unsinning obedience he would obey in this lower world as the Angels and as the spirits of just men made perfect do obey in that upper world Heb. 12.22 23. Luke 17.5 the weakest Christian has his eye to the highest round in Jacob's ladder and fain he would be at the top of it and Oh how sweet is every Providence and every Ordinance and every duty and every mercy and every opportunity that helps his soul more Christ-wards and heaven-wards and holiness-wards sincere desires and serious endeavours to grow in grace 2 Pet. 3.18 1 Pet. 2.2 1 Joh. 5.13 1 Joh. 3.9 is an infallible evidence of the truth of grace Look as a man may have grace and not know it so a man may grow in grace and yet not discern it As in the lopping of a Tree there seems to be a kind of diminution and destruction yet the end and issue of it is better growth and as the weakning of the body by Physick seems to tend to death yet it produceth better health and more strength and as the Ball by falling downward riseth upward and water in pipes descends that it may ascend so the Christians spiritual growth when seemingly dead and declining and to stand at a stay is still carried on by the hidden method of God to encrease for every true Christian is a member of a thriving body in which there is no Atrophy but a continual issuing of spirits from the head The righteous shall flourish like the Palm tree Psal 92.12 13 14. The Palm tree never loseth his leaf or fruit Pliny Grace grows not alike in all Saints in the parable some brought forth thirty some sixty and some a hundred fold so that life being wrought by the spirit of life never dyeth but is alwayes upon the growing hand except in the dark winter night of desertion and temptations ripening and encreasing even in the midst of all ordinary troubles and trials The Apostle tells us that the whole body of Christ whereof every true Christian is a limb is so compact together in it self and so firmly fastned with certain spiritual nerves and ligaments to the head that from it there is by them conveyed to each part a continual supply of spiritual grace both sufficient to furnish it and to further the growth of it Let me give a little further light into this particular by this similitude A man is bound for the East-Indies and shapeth his course thitherward but by the way is put often off by cross winds to the Westward he is by contrary winds compelled to put into divers Harbours and to make some stay by the way there either to shift off stormy weather or to take in fresh water or to stop a leak or to get some fresh provisions and yet all this while we truly say he is going on in his way in his voyage because his setled purpose and constant resolution is to make to his Port his Haven whither he is bound and all these seeming lets shall help forward his voyage It is so in spiritual things for our very growth in grace consists much in sincere desires in fixed resolutions and in faithful endeavours to grow in grace Aristot Rhet. l. 1. c. 11. Seneca l. 2. c. 27. Phil. 3.13 Aristotle makes it the mark of a good man that he studieth how he may grow better
of spiritual life 2 Cor. 7.1 1 Thes 5.13 c. and runs invisibly through all the body Fountains were to be kept pure by the Roman Laws of the twelve Tables and the heart that is the spring and fountain of all actions is to be kept pure by the Laws of the great God Men keep the heart principally from hurt because every wound there is mortal O that men were as wise for their souls God's eye is mainly upon the heart The heart well guarded and watcht keeps all in security Alexander was safe while Antipater kept the watch so all within that little world Man will be safe while the heart is strongly guarded The heart is the fountain the root the store-house the primum mobile the great wheel that sets all a going and therefore above all keepings keep your hearts 'T is a foolish thing to watch the out-works and leave the Fort-Royal without a guard so 't is a foolish thing to watch the out-works the eye the ear the tongue the hand the feet though these must all be watcht and to leave the heart which is a Christians Fort-Royal without a guard Omnia si perdas animam servare memento If all things else must needs be lost Yet save thy soul what e're it cost He that makes it his business to watch and weep and sigh and groan most over his own heart he doubtless is in a gracious estate he that makes it his work his daily work his greatest work 3 John 2. his work of works to keep a continual guard upon his heart he certainly is in a blessed estate he that lamentingly cryes out O that my soul did but prosper as my body O that my inward man were but in as good a frame as my outward man O that this proud heart were but more humble O that this hard heart were but more softned O that this carnal heart were but more spiritual O that this earthly heart were but more heavenly O that this unbelieving heart were but more believing O that this passionate heart were but more meek O that this slight heart were but more sericus O that this blind heart were but more enlightned O that this dull heart were but more quickned O my heart my heart when wilt thou be better O my God my God! when shall my heart be better O bring it into a gracious frame and for ever keep it in a gracious frame He that thus lamentingly cryes out of his heart he certainly has an honest heart and will be happy for ever O Lord my memory is weak and my utterance is bad and my understanding is dark and my gifts are low and my affections are flat and my temptations are strong Psa 39 22 23 24 and my corruptions are prevalent but thou who art the great heart searcher thou knowest that I would fain have my heart in a better temper I had rather have my heart brought into a gracious frame and kept in a gracious frame than to have all the riches of the Indies than to be an Emperor yea than to be King over all the earth If it be indeed thus with thee thou art blest and shalt be blest for ever 2 Cor. 8.12 For if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not I know the Apostle speaks this in point of alms but 't is applicable to the case in hand and to a hundred other cases God measures his people not by their works but by their wills if their wills be to be more holy humble heavenly and to have their hearts alwayes in a most gracious frame then they are accepted of God for every good man is as good in the eye of God in the judgment of God and in the account of God as he would be Not long before famous Mr. Banes died some friends that were with him in his Library which was an excellent one fell a commending of it I saith he there stand my books but the Lord knows that for many years lost past I have studied my heart more than Books O no Minister to him no Scholar to him who studies his heart more than his books nor no Christian to him who studies his heart more than his day-books or more than his Shop-books or that studies his heart more than his counting-house or that studies his heart more than a good bargain c. That man is for heaven and heaven is for that man who makes it his greatest business in this world to watch his heart to guard his heart the hypopocrite looks most to externals but the sincere Christian looks most to internals the hypocrites main watch is about his lips but a sincere Christians main watch is about his heart the hypocrites main work lyes without doors but the sincere Christians main work lyes within doors All know that know any thing that both nature and grace begin at the heart but art begins at the face A painter doth not begin a picture at the heart a picture hath but a face but an outside And as nature begins at the heart but art at the face so grace begins at the heart but hypocrisie at the face at the outside of Religion Every man is that really that he is inwardly Rom. 2.28 29. He is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Certainly that man that makes it his great business to watch his heart and to keep his heart alwayes in a gracious frame that man is a gracious man 'T is true our hearts are like our watches seldom got to go well and when they do go well how hard a work is it to keep them going well The motions of our watches are not constant sometimes they go faster and sometimes they go slower and often they stand in need of mending Though in these and many other respects our hearts are like our watches yet if we make it our grand work to keep a constant guard upon our hearts and our main design in this world to have our hearts brought and kept in a gracious frame our spiritual estate is good and we shall be happy for ever c. In my other Writings there are variety of special evidences which the Christian Reader if he please and if need require may make use of in order to the further clearing up of his gracious estate and therefore let these twenty suffice at this time And thus much for this Chapter c. CHAP. III. Now in this Chapter I shall treat of sound saving repentance of repentance unto Life yea of that Evangelical repentance that hath the precious Promises of remission of sin and salvation running out unto it My purpose at this time is not to handle
his pride his hardness his obdurateness his envy his malice his hatred c. but he cryes out take away the judgment take away the judgment take away the frogs take away the lice take away the caterpillars c. But under all these dreadful and amazing judgments that he was under such a word as this never fell from his lips take away my sin O Lord take away my sins thy judgments do terrifie me but my sins will damn me and therefore what ever becomes of my life kingdom and crown take away my sins and save my soul David saw sin to be a greater evil than flying before his enemies or than famine or pestilence was and therefore he desires rather to be rid of his sins than to be rid of the punishment that was due to his sin but Pharaoh saw no such evil in sin and therefore he cryes out take away the plague take away the plague And Job upon the dunghil cryes out I have sinned what shall I do unto thee O thou preserver of men Job Job 7.20 does not cry out O I have lost all my substance I am bereaved of all my children I am set as naked upon the dunghil as ever I was born my friends reproach me my wife tempts me to curse my God which is ten thousand times worse than to curse my self Satan persecutes me and God has not only forsaken me but is also become a severe enemy to me c. Job cryes out of his sin and not of his sufferings a deep sense of his sins swallows up as it were all sense of his sufferings And so that great Apostle Paul does not cry out O wretched man that I am that bonds attend me in every place and that I have neither house nor home to go to and that I am despised scorned reproached and persecuted and that I am accounted factious seditious rebellious erronious and that I am lookt upon as the off-scouring of the world c. O no but he cryes out of his sin O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Rom. 7.23 24. So the Prophet Micah I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned Micah 7.9 Though of all burdens the indignation of the Lord be the greatest burden yet divine indignation is but a light burden in comparison of sin A gracious soul can better stand under the burden of God's indignation for sin than it can stand under the burden of sin it self which hath kindled that indignation c. Thirdly Godly sorrow is a great sorrow 't is a superlative sorrow 't is a sad and serious sorrow a sincere mourning is a deep mourning it springs from serious and deep apprehensions of the great anger and deep displeasure of God and of the woful nature demerit burden bitterness vileness and filthiness of sin c. The blessed Scripture seems to make godly sorrow a superlative sorrow calling it a great mourning like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo and a bitterness as one is in for his first-born Zech. 12.10 11. And so the Church My bowels are troubled within me mine heart is turned within me for I have grievously reâ—elled Lamen 1.20 And David watered his couch with his tears Psal 6.6 And Mary Magdalen wept much as Well as she loved much Luke 7. And Peter went out and wept bitterly Mat. 26. ult Clement observes that all the time that Peter lived after this great fall he would every night when he heard the cock crow fall upon his knees and weep bitterly Hosea 7.14 Look as shallow brooks make the greatest noise so hypocrites and formalists may howl and roar and cry and make more noise than the true penitent but yet the sorrow of a true penitent is more inward secret solid still and deep As you know the deepest Rivers run most silently and make least noise so the deepest sorrow makes least noise The mourning of repenting souls Ezek. 7.16 Isa 51.20 Isa 59.11 under the apprehensions of their sins is like the mourning of Doves but the mourning of wicked men under the apprehension of their sins is like the bellowing of Bulls and roaring of Bears Fourthly A sincere mourning is an extensive mourning 't is an universal mourning Godly sorrow and grief extends it self not only to some sins but to all sins great and small Look as a holy heart hates all sin so a holy heart mourns over all sin that it sees and knows to be sin God hates one sin as well as another and he has forbid one sin as well as another and he has revealed his wrath from heaven against one sin as well as another and he is provoked by one sin as well as another and Christ is crucified by one sin as well as another and the Spirit is grieved as well by one sin as by another and the Gospel is reproached by one sin as well as another and the conscience is wounded by one sin as well as another and Satan is gratified by one sin as well as another and wicked mens mouths are opened by one sin as well as another and young comers on in Religion are stumbled grieved and offended by one sin as well as another and the soul is endangered by one sin as well as another An unsound heart may mourn for great sins that make great wounds in his conscience and credit and that leave a great blot upon his name or that waste or rot his body or destroy his estate or that expose him to publick scorn and shame c. Prov. 5 8-14 but for sins of omission for wandring thoughts idle words deadness coldness slightness in religious duties and services unbelief secret pride self-confidence and a thousand more such gnats as these he can swallow without any remorse But now godly sorrow is of a general extent it mourns as well for small sins as for great Davids heart smote him as well for cutting off the lap of Saul's garment as it did for killing of Uriah with the sword A gracious soul weeps over many sins that none can charge upon him but God and his own conscience Psal 19.12 O cleanse thou me from secret faults Yea let me say that godly sorrow and grief extends not only to a man 's own sins but also to the sins of others as well as his own Ezek. 9.4 5. And this you may see also in David Psal 119.53 136 158. And in Jeremiah Jer. 9.1 2 3. And in Paul Phil. 3.18 And in Lot 2 Pet. 2.7 8. And if you please to turn to my Treatise on Holiness you may see seven special arguments for this their practise Page 139 to pag. 145. and therefore a touch in this place may suffice Fifthly Godly sorrow is a lasting sorrow 't is a durable sorrow as long as a Christian continues sinning he can't but continue mourning David's sins were alwayes before him Psal 51.3 though his Absalom nor his Bathsheba were not
the net the fish is caught if he obtains not the mercy then he will grow weary of his duty Thou hast been weary of me O Israel Mal. 1.13 Isa 43.22 Prayer is too hard and too high a work for an unsound heart to hold on in prayer is heart-work and that proves heavy work to him The soul of prayer lyes in the pouring out of the soul before God and this is a work that an hypocrite has no skill in 1 Sam. 1.15 It was a prophane and blasphemous speech of that Atheistical wretch that told God he was no common beggar he never troubled him before with prayer Hil. Mic. p. 376. and if he would but hear him that time he would never trouble him again Even such a spirit and such principles lye lurking in every hypocrites breast Doubtless he hit it who said How canst thou expect that God should hear thee Cyprian de oratione Dominica Psal 116.1 2. Gen. 32.24 to ver 29. Hos 12.3 4. Mat. 15.22 to ver 28. when thou wilt not hear thy self or that God should give thee a return in prayer when thou art not mindful what thou askest in prayer But now a sincere Christian he will go on in prayer speed or not speed if he prevails he will love prayer the better all his dayes if he don't for the present prevail he will be so much the more importunate with God in prayer 'T is as natural for a bird to live without Air and for a fish to live without water and for a man to live without food as 't is for a sincere heart to live without prayer O saith Chrysostom it is more bitter than death to be spoyled of prayer Dan. 6. Prayer is porta coeli clavis paradisi the seat of heaven a key to let us into paradise And hereupon as he observes Daniel chose rather to run the hazard of his life than to lose or give over his private prayers Prayer is the key of heaven and a sincere Christian loves much to be a handling of that key though he should dye for it As that Emperor said Oportet Imperatorem stantem mori It behoves an Emperor to dye standing So may I say Oportet Christianum mori praecantem It behoves a Christian to dye praying An hypocrite will never hold out to the end let but outward incouragements fail him and his heart will quickly fail him in a way of duty Hypocrites are like blazing Stars which so long as they are fed with vapours shine as if they were fixed Stars but let the vapours dry up and presently they vanish and disappear let but the eye the ear the applause of men fail the hypocrite and he will be ready to throw up all 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. 2 Tim. 4.10 If an hypocrite can't make some gain of his godliness some profit of his profession some advantage of his Religion he will be ready with Demas to turn his back upon all religious duties and services Look as a lame horse when he is heated will go well enough but when he cools will halt down right even so an hypocrite though for a time he may go on fairly in his way yet in the end he will halt down right bid farewel if not defiance to all religious duties and services Profit and applause are usually the baits that hypocrites bite at and if they miss these baits then farewel profession farewel Religion farewel all John 6.66 From that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him Many hypocrites who had given up their names to Christ and who for a time had been followers of Christ at last deserted him and turned their backâ— for ever upon him Mat. 13.5 Some fall upon stony places where they had not much earth not much care to receive not much understanding to apprehend not much faith to believe not much will to obey or not much love to retain it and forthwith they sprung up because they had no deepness of earth Ver 6. And when the Sun was up they were scorched and because they had no root they withered away This second ground goes beyond the former For 1. It receives the seed 2. Incontinently 3. With joy 4. It brings up the seed sown it sprung up to sundry degrees 1. To external obedience and reformation in many things 2. To an outward profession 3. To a kind of faith but when the Sun of persecution beat hot upon them they withered and fell away not all at once but by little and little as a leaf loseth his greeness and flourish and withers by degrees In the Palatinate when the Sun of persecution began to scorch them scarce one Professor of twenty stood out but fell to Popery as fast as leaves in Autumn The Chrystal looks like pearl till it comes to the hammering so an hypocrite looks like a Christian and in many things acts like a Christian till he comes to be hammered by sufferings by persecutions and then he discovers himself in his colours and with Hymeneus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1.19 20. Hos 5.2 he makes shipwrack of faith and a good conscience In suffering times hypocrites labour mightily to put out that light which shines in their bosoms and when they have quencht that light then farewel faith farewel profession farewel a good conscience farewel all The wolf though he often dissembles and clossly hides his nature yet he can't alwayes do so for at one time or other he will shew himself to be a Wolf So though an hypocrite may carry it clossly for a time yet he will one time or other discover himself to be an hypocrite It is reported of the waters of Nilus that having run many hundred of miles a pure and clear water when it comes near the Mediterranean Sea it begins to grow brackish and salt and at last it falls into the Sea and loseth its name Sooner or later this will be the case of all hypocrites they won't retain their spiritual fairness clearness and sweetness long but by degrees will grow brackish and salt and lose their names and all that seeming goodness and sweetness that once seemed to be in them But now a sincere Christian he will hold on and hold out in the wayes of the Lord in the want of all outward incouragements and in the face of all multiplyed discouragements When the eye of men the favour of men the bounty of men and all other encouragement from men fails yet then a sincere Christian will hold up and hold on in his work and way Job 17.9 The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger The righteous man shall go on in a way of righteouss to the end no multiplyed calamities or miseries shall ever work him to decline the way of righteousness From this way a sincere Christian will never be withdrawn either by any hopes or advantages on the one hand or
of the heart Hypocrites are heartless in their cryes and therefore they cry and howl and howl and cry and all to no purpose they cry and murmur and they howl and repine they cry and blaspheme and they howl and rebel and therefore they meet with nothing from heaven but frowns and blows and disappointments Isa 29.13 Wherefore the Lord said for as much as this people draw neer me with their mouth and with their lips do honour me but have removed their heart far from me Ezek. 33.31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh and they 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 goeth after their covetousness Though this people flocked to the Prophet in troops as men and women do to places of pleasure and though they carried it before the Prophet as if they were Saints as if they were the people of God as if they were affected with what they heard as if they were resolved to live out what the Prophet should make out to them yet their hearts run after their covetousness Though these hypocrites profest much love and kindness to the Prophet and paid him home with smooth words seemed to be much affected delighted ravished and taken with his person voice and doctrine yet they made no conscience of bringing their hearts into their duties An hypocrite may look at some outward easie ordinary duties of Religion but he never makes conscience of bringing his heart into any duties of Religion When did you ever see an hypocrite a searching of his heart or sitting in judgment upon the corruptions of his soul or lamenting and mourning over the vileness and wickedness of his spirit 'T is only the sincere Christian that is affected afflicted and wounded with the corruptions of his heart When one told blessed Bradford that he did all out of hypocrisie because he would have the people applaud him He answered It is true the seeds of hypocrisie and vain glory are in thee and me too and will be in us as long as we live in this world but I thank God it is that I mourn under and strive against How seriously and deeply did good Hezekiah humble himself for the pride of his heart 2 Chron. 32.25 out of the eater came meat out of his pride he gat humility O Sirs A sincere Christian makes it his great business to get his heart into all his Religious duties and services to get his heart into every way and work of God 2 Chron. 17.6 Psal 86.12 Jehoshaphats heart was lifted up in the wayes of the Lord. So David I 'le praise thee 2 Chron. 22.9 Cant. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6. It is reported that when the Tyrant Trajane commanded Ignatius to be ript unbowelled they found Jesus Christ written upon his heart in characters of gold here was a heart worth gold That 's the golden Christian indeed whose heart is writ upon all his duties and services O Lord with all my heart And so Psal 119.7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart Ver. 10. With my whole heart have I sought thee So Jehoshaphat he sought the Lord with all his heart Isa 26.8 The desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee Vers 9. With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early Lamen 3.41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens Rom. 1.9 For God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son Pauls very spirit his very soul was in his service Phil. 3.3 For we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Rom. 7.22 I delight in the Law of God after the inward man Ver. 25. With the mind I my self serve the Law of God A sincere Christian is alwayes best when his heart is in his work and when he can't get his heart into his duties Oh how does he sigh and groan and complain and mourn at the foot of God Lord my tongue has been at work and my head has been at work and my parts have been at work and my eyes and hands have been at work but where has my heart been this day Oh it is and must be for a sore and sad lamentation that I have had so little of my heart in that service that I have tendered to thee This is the daily language of an upright heart But now all the work of an hypocrite is to get his golden parts into his duties and his silver tongue into his duties and his nimble head into his duties but he never makes conscience of getting his heart into his duties If any beasts sacrificed by Heathens who ever lookt narrowly into the intrails was found without heart this was held ominous and construed as very prodigious to the person for whom it was offered as it fell out in the case of Julian Hypocrites are alwayes heartless in all the sacrifices they offer to God and this will one day prove ominous and prodigious to them But Eleventhly An hypocrite never performes religious duties from spiritual principles nor in a spiritual manner An hypocrite is never inclined moved and carried to God to Christ to holy duties by the power of a new and inward principle of grace working a sutableness between his heart and the things of God An hypocrite rests himself satisfied in the meer external acts of Religion though he never feels any thing of the power of Religion in his own soul An hypocrite looks to his words in prayer and to his voice in prayer and to his gestures in prayer but he never looks to the frame of his heart in prayer An hypocrites heart is never toucht with the words his tongue utters an hypocrites soul is never divinely affected delighted or graciously warmed with any duty he performs An hypocrites spiritual performances never flow from spiritual principles nor from a heart universally sanctified though his works may be new yet his heart remains old his new practises alwayes spring from old principles and this will prove the hypocrites bane Vide Isa 1.10 to 16. as you may see in that Isa 1.15 When you spread forth your hands to heaven I will hide my eyes and when you make many prayers when you abound in duty adding prayer to prayer as the Hebrew runs I will not hear your hands are full of blood These were unsanctified ones their practises were new Mat. 6. chap. 23 Luke 18. but their hearts were old still The same you may see in the Scribes and Pharisees who fasted prayed and gave alms but their hearts were not changed renewed sanctified nor principled from above and this proved their eternal bane Nicodemus was a man of great note name John 3.4 No man can understand
delight in the Word but not as it was a holy Word a pure Word for then they would have rejoyced and delighted themselves in the whole Word of God every part of God's Word being pure and holy Hypocrites are sometimes affected and delighted with the Word as it is drest up with fine high notions which are but mysterious nothings they are taken with the Word as it is cloathed with arts parts and elegancy of phrase they are pleased with the Word as it is apparelled with a spruce wit or with silken expressions or with some delicate elocution Ezek. 33.32 So thou art to them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument or as the Hebrew may be read Thou art as one that breaks jests These hypocrites lookt upon the solemnity and Majesty of the Word but as a dry jest the Prophet being eloquent and having a pleasing delivery they were much taken with it and it was as sweet and delightful to them as a fit of musick but they were not at all taken or delighted with the spirituality purity and holiness of the Word as is evident in ver 31. And they come unto thee as the people cometh and they 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 goeth after their covetousness It was a very smart reproof of Chrysostom Chrysost to his Hearers This is that saith he which is like to undo your souls you hear your Ministers as so many minstrels to please the ear not to pierce the conscience Augustin confesseth that the delight which he took before his conversion in Saint Ambroses Sermons was more for the eloquence of the words than the substance of the matter Hypocrites are taken more with the wit eloquence of speech action quickness of fancy smoothness of stile neatness of expression and rareness of notion than they are with the spirituality purity and holiness of the Word which they either hear or read These hypocrites are like those children who are more taken with the fine flowers that are strewed about the dish than they are with the meat that is in the dish and that are more taken with the red weeds and blew bottles that grow in the field than they are with the good corn that grows there But now look as the prudent Farmer is taken more with a few handfuls of sound corn than he is with all the gay weeds that be in the field so a sincere Christian is more taken with a few sound truths in a Sermon than he is taken with all the strong lines and high strains and flourishes of wit or than he is taken with some new coyned phrases or some quaint expressions or some seraphical notions with which a Sermon may be deckt or drest up Some are taken with the Word as the profession of it brings in customers into their Shops and keeps up their credits in the world others are taken with the Word as it seems to tickle their ears and please their fancies Some are affected with Sermons because of the elegancy of the stile delicacy of the words smoothness of the language and gracefulness of the delivery And these deal by Sermons as many do by their Nosegays that are made up of many pickt sweet flowers who after they have smelt to them a while cast them into a corner and never mind them more so these after they have commended a Sermon after they have highly applauded a Sermon they cast away the Sermon they smell to the Sermon if I may so speak and say it is sweet it is sweet and presently they throw it by as a Nosegay that is withered and of no further use But now a sincere heart savours the Word and relishes the Word and is affected and taken with the Word as it is a holy Word a spiritual Word a pure Word which the most refined hypocrite under heaven never was affected or taken with nor can be whilst hypocrisie keeps the throne in his soul But Thirteenthly and lastly An hypocrite can't endure to be tryed and searcht and laid open an hypocrite hates the light and had rather go to hell in the dark than come to be weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary John 3.20 A soul-searching Ministry is to an hypocrite a tormenting Ministry that 's no man for his money that will never let his conscience alone he knows he is like a velvet saddle velvet without and straw within he knows he is like a whited supulcher Mat. 23.27 28. glorious without and dead bones within and therefore his heart rises and swells against such a man and such a Ministry that is all for the anatomizing and laying of him open to himself and to the world But now look as pure gold fears neither fire nor furnace neither test nor touchstone neither one ballance nor another so a sincere heart dares venture it self upon tryal yea upon the very tryal of God himself Psal 139.23 Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts A sincere Christian prayes his friends to search him and he prayes soul-searching Ministers to search him but above all he begs hard of God to search him See Job 31.5 6 Search me O God The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Imperat Kal he commands God to search him The original word signifies a strict curious diligent search A sincere Christian is very willing and desirous that God should throughly search him that God should search into every corner and cranny of his heart Psal 26.2 Examine me O Lord and prove me try my reins and my heart Every word here has its weight Examine me O Lord. The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifiâ—s to melt and so to try which makes the most intrinsecal and eâ—act discovery O Lord let my heart and reins be melted that it may be known what metal they are made of whether gold or tin Prove me The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to view as when a man gets upon some high Tower or Hill to see all from thence Mount aloft O Lord take the high Tower take the Hill that thou mayest see what is in me try me and know my thoughts The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nasah which properly signifies to take away and is applied to Abrahams taking away of his son Gen. 22.1 Lord saith the Prophet if upon searching and examining of me thou shalt find any sin any creature any comfort any enjoyment that lyes in thy room take it away that thou mayest be all in all to me A sincere Christian knows that God never brings a pair of scales to weigh his graces but only a touch-stone to try the truth of his graces he knows if his gold his grace be true Mat. 12.20 though it be never so
heart Ver. 23. Nevertheless I am continually with thee thou hast holden me by my right hand Ver. 24. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory Ver. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee Ver. 26. God is the strength or rock of my heart and my portion for ever Ver. 28. It is good for me to draw near to God So the Church in that Micah 7. When God had hid his face from her Ver. 7. When she sate in darkness Ver. 8. When she was under the indignation of the Lord. Ver. 9. When the righteous man was perished and there was none upright among men Ver. 2. And when her enemies rejoyced insulted and triumphed over her Ver. 8. ver 10. Yet now even now she keeps up in her soul very high precious and honourable thoughts of the Lord. Ver. 7. My God will hear me Ver. 8. When I fall I shall arise when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me Ver. 9. He will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousness I might give you twenty more instances but enough is as good as a feast Dear Christians when your graces are not transparent when your evidences for heaven are blotted and when the face of God is clouded O then keep up in your hearts high precious and honourable thoughts of God and Christ and of his Word and wayes Acts 27.20 c. When your Sun of righteousness is set in a cloud when great darkness is upon your spirits when all Moon-light and Star-light of your graces and gracious evidences fails you Psal 22.3 yet then say with David Thou art holy O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel and with Ezra Thou hast punished me less than mine iniquities deserve Ezra 9.13 Neh. 9.33 and with Nehemiah Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us for thou hast done right but we have done wickedly and with the Church The Lord is righteous Lam. 1.18 In the darkest night and under your deepest soul-distresses say Well if I perish if I should miscarry for ever yet I will maintain and keep up in my heart high and precious and honourable thoughts of God and Christ Say well though my graces are obscured and my evidences for heaven are blurred and soyled yet I shall to my last breath say the Lord is good and his Word is good and his wayes are good yea though he should slay me yet I will trust in him Job 13.15 and entertain noble and glorious thoughts of him This is the way of wayes to have your graces cleared and strengthned your evidences brightned your comforts restored and your assurance confirmed But The twelfth Proposition is this viz. That it is the great duty and concernment of Christians to keep the evidences of their gracious and happy condition alwayes bright and shining Christians should make conscience of blurring and disfiguring the golden characters of grace in their souls The least character of grace in the soul is more worth than all the gold of Ophir yea more worth than ten thousand thousand worlds Eph. 4.30 Psal 51.11 12 and therefore every gracious Christian should be marvellous careful that he does not by wilful omissions or sinful commissions cloud dim or darken the least character of grace such as blot or lose their evidences for heaven they lose the comfort of their lives in this world Satans master-piece is first to work Christians to blot and blur their evidences for glory by committing this or that hainous sin and then his next work is to rob them of their evidences for glory that so though at the long run they may get safe to heaven that yet Jacob like they may go halting and mourning to their graves Satan knows that whilst a Christians evidences are bright and shining a Christian is temptation-proof Satan may tempt him but he can't conquer him he may assault him but he can't vanquish him Satan knows that whilst a Christians evidences for heaven are bright and shining no afflictions can sink him nor no opposition shake him nor no persecution discourage him nor no outward wants perplex him and therefore he will use all his power and policy all his arts crafts and parts to draw poor Christians to blot and blur their evidences for glory Satan knows that a man may lose one friend and easily get another lose his Trade in one place and soon get a Trade in another place lose health and get it lose an estate and get an estate c. But if he loses his evidences for heaven he knows it will cost him many a prayer and many a sigh and many a groan and many a tear and many a sad complaint before he recovers his lost evidences and therefore his grand design is to plunder a Christian of his evidences for heaven O Sirs keep but your evidences for heaven alwayes bright and shining and then heavy afflictions will be light and long afflictions will be short 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. and bitter afflictions will be sweet and then every evidence fainly written in your hearts will be a living comfort to you in a dying hour When the tokens of death are upon your bodies and you shall see the lively characters of grace shining in your souls Luke 2.29 you will then cry out with old Simeon Lord now let thy servant depart in peace and with the Spouse Make hast my beloved Cant. 8. ult and be like to a Roe or to a young Hart upon the mountains of spices Rev. 22.20 Phil. 1.23 and with the Bride Come Lord Jesus come quickly and with Paul I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ When a man's evidences for heaven are either lost or blotted and blur'd then he will be ready to cry out wiâ—h David O spare me yet a little that I may recover strength before I go hence and be seen no more Isa 38.3 and with Hezekiah to turn his face to the wall and weep There are four things that above all others a Christian should labour to keep 1. Christ 2. His own heart 3. The Word 4. His evidences for heaven bright and shining But The thirteenth Proposition is this viz. It is the high concernment of every Christian either when he is in the dark or when his graces shine brightest and when his evidences for heaven are clearest and his springs of comfort rise highest then to have his heart and the eye of his faith most firmly fixt upon these three royal Forts or these five Cities or refuge It must be granted that though our graces are our best jewels yet they are imperfect and do not give out their full lustre they are like the Moon which when it shines brightest hath her dark spots and therefore a Christian had need have his eye his heart fixt upon the five following royal Forts