Thus if you be not a forgetful Hearer as James 1. 23 25. to let slip these sacred Truths which the Looking-glass of the Word represents to you Hebr. 2. 1. not feeling the power and efficacy of them but on the other hand if the Word of God sinketh down into your heart as well as ears Luk. 9. 44. And if also it findeth place or room as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in your heart John 8. 37. and so put you into anguish of Soul and bitterness of Spirit for the naughtiness of your heart God-ward having Gods arrows of Conviction sticking fast in you then are you one that with the Angels do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1. 12. pry into this Looking-Glass with the body bowed down as the word signifies to discover and discern all your spiritual Deformity not only with a Reflect act which Philosophy saith is soon forgotten but also with a Direct Beam which Divinity saith takes deep Impression this holy gaze transforms you into Glory as Moses in the Mount 2 Cor. 3. 18. and brings you to Repentance unto Life never to be repented of 2 Cor. 7. 10. Go on and prosper 1 Chron. 22. 11 13. in the Name of the Lord. CHAP. II. Of the Hearts Treason 1. NO sooner have you got a saving look through Grace into this blessed Looking-glass of the Law of Liberty and viewed the hidden man of the Heart from top to toe therein with the spectacles of the Spirit of God but then you will make a discovery that your heart is top-full both of filthiness and falshood both of Treason and Treachery as full of the one as of the other and this is that evil treasure which your Lord tells you of is in every Heart of fallen Mankinde and 't is not an empty or almost so but an abounding treasure there is abundance of this evil treasure in it Matth. 12. 34 35. and Matth. 15.19 The Heart is filled with all unrighteousness Rom. 1. 29. 't is so full that there is no room for more and though it may be indeed fuller of evil practices yet it cannot be fuller of evil principles yea 't is so exceedingly filled with them and there is such abundance of them that the heart of man is ready to break with them and there plainly is a superfluity or overflowing of naughtiness Jam. 1. 21. and an over-spreading abomination Dan. 9. 27. All persons have the running issue of sin in them as that Woman which came to touch Christ Matth. 9. 20. Luk. 8. 45 46. Those evil Principles run out otherwise the Heart would break with them 't is so full of them into many evil Practices as the fore-quoted Scriptures do demonstrate 2. First the Heart is filled with all filthiness and Treason against God the great King of Kings and Lord of Lords Revel 19. 16. there is crimen laesae Majestatis High Treason in it not only intended but abetted and executed in many overt-Acts we are all born with War and Treason in our Hearts against the King of Heaven and this breaks out upon all occasions as soon as we come into the World no sooner do we learn to do any thing but we first learn to rebel against our Maker in our pride and vanity so that we are all of us transgressours from the Womb Isa 48. 8. and we are estranged from the Womb Psal 58. 3. we are old sinners hardned and habituated in evil even from our Mothers bellies it hath daily grown up with us and quite turned away our hearts from God and all goodness This is the birth-blot we bring into the World with us the first Man defiled Nature and ever since Nature hath defiled every Man making him not onely averse from God but also adverse to God both a stranger to him and straying from him yea a Rebel against him standing utterly across with an inâ—ate antipathy waxing worse and worse every day 3. Thus the Looking-glass of the Word represents to you first your Malady and secondly your Remedy the issues of Death come out of the Heart while 't is an evil treasure as well as issues of life when it becomes a good treasure 't is the former by Nature and the latter by Grace and therefore it must be kept above all keepings as well as with all keepings Kol-mismor netzar Prov. 4. 23. In order and tendency unto your more distinct knowledge first of your Malady this Spiritual Mortal and Fatal issue of sin take these following Soul-awakening Considerations First this That every one naturally high and low rich and poor one and other hath an issue of sin a flux of Spiritual filthiness running out of the Mouth Eyes and Hands c. as that Woman in the Gospel Matth. 9. 20. Mark 5. 25 to 35. had this is the epidemical evil the universal disease of all faln Mankind Secondly This Spiritual issue begins betimes in every person you bring it into the World with you so that if it be asked you as once Christ asked How long is it ago since this came to him Mark 9. 21. your answer must be as 't is there answered Even of a child 't is even from the Womb as before young Nettles begin to sting betimes and young Crab-fishes begin to go backwards betimes and young Hedge-hogs begin to be rough betimes so our naughty nature soon appeareth in little ones Vaiezatha the youngest of Hamans Sons Esth 9. 9. hath one Letter in the Hebrew name bigger than all the rest the Rabbins reason is because he that was youngest in years was yet strongest in malice against Mordecai and the Jews and Augustine proves Original Sin with his Vidi Zelantem puerum I saw a little Child rise up in such indignation as if it would have torn in pieces another strange Child that was sucking its Mothers Breast 4. Then thirdly This issue of sin may remain running many years unstaunched The Woman in the Gospel had her running issue twelve years but Man may have this issue unstopped and undryed up twenty thirty forty fifty sixty yea an hundred years That 's a sad word Isa 65. 20. but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed and the more accursed because so long-lived and yet dyeth in his sin going down to the Grave with his bones full of the sins of his youth Job 20. 11. A sinner may do evil an hundred times and have this running issue an hundred years through the long sufferance of God Eccles 8. 12 13. yet it shall not be always well with him Isa 3. 12. for his sin will be sure to find him out at last Numb 32. 23. he that hath guilt in his bosome hath always vengeance at his back where Iniquity breaks its fast there Calamity will be sure to dine and to sup where it dines yea and to lodge where it sups Fourthly consider you may spend your all upon Physicians of no value when you come to a sense of this issue and seek out
to wrong healers and be nothing the better but rather the worse for them you may not onely take much pains but also suffer much pain to no purpose as the Woman did and yet go to everlasting pains if you hit not of the right healer and helper Mark 5. 26. 5. The fifth Soul-awakening Consideration is you are naturally afar off from this right healer and helper Eph. 2. 13. as all Unregenerate proud ones are Psal 138. 6. God the mighty healer Jehovah Rophekah the Almighty Physician Exod. 15. 26. knoweth the proud afar off as loathing to come near such loathsome Lepers having the botch of pride putrifying breaking and running with loathsome matter Hence God stands off from such as odious and abominable he cannot endure the sight of them The Chaldee Paraphrase is Superbos à Coelo longè propellit he thrusteth the proud far enough off from Heaven yea he driveth them down to Hell to their Father Lucifer that King of all the Children of Pride as Leviathan is called Job 31. 34. every one in the faln natural unrenewed estate is a proud Creature and would through the instigation of the Devil Gen. 35. be a God to himself and would lick his own deadly wound whole as the beast did Revel 13. 3. and so not be beholden to Christ for any Cure You must therefore be called by Grace to come near to your right healer Psal 148. 14. and be cloathed with humility 1 Pet. 5. 5. as the Woman with the issue in the Gospel was who came trembling behind her Saviour as if ashamed both of her Disease the effect and of her sin the cause of her misery and as if she would have stoln a Cure which would have been but pium latrocinium an holy stealth not wronging the owner although relieving the taker The filling of a Vessel lessens not the Fountain 6. The sixth heart-rouzing Consideration is that Christ the Christians true All-heal hath many followers and but few touchers when the Multitude throng'd him and press'd upon him there was but one to wit this Woman with her running issue that touch'd him this brings you to the remedy of the Malady which is twofold First you must get a believing touch of Christ and secondly you must keep your heart with all diligence otherwise your treasonable and treachorous heart can never be cured your issues of sin will continue running without check and controlment till your dying day and so undo you to all Eternity the first of those Remedies respects the treasonableness of your heart more especially as the second doth its treachery first of the first of them in general the Woman in the Gospel had both a long and a loathsome disease she had lavished Money out of the bag as Isa 46.6 to purchase some cure but had procured none nay she had suffered many things of the Physicians who had well-nigh officiously killed her and had utterly and altogether exhausted her she had spent all she had upon them for their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doses which signifies gifts for which she had notwithstanding paid dear even her all for them when her own means and all other means and help fail her she repairs to Christ and not before and there by a touch of faith was healed for nothing she had nothing left her to give Christ for her cure A full Christ and a nothing-creature corresponds best together 7. As the Malady of this Hemeroisse or Woman with the Bloody Flux is proportionably and mystically yours so her Remedy must be yours also if you do the like that she did you may have the same help that she had her practice must be your pattern first she is sensible of her sore sickness so must you be of the plague and filthiness of your heart 1 Kin. 8. 38. secondly she seeks and sues to the Physician so must you do the whole need not the Physician but the sick Matth. 9. 12 13. onely sensible sinners for none are truely whole though Justiciaries proudly conceit themselves to be so are capable of Cure and Comfort such as see themselves Christless Creatures cry Lord save me I perish Matth. 8. 25. and Lord be merciful unto me heal my Soul for I have sinned against thee Psal 41. 4. The Physician hath onely the face of a Man when he comes to visit you while in health but if he do so when you are sick he hath then the face of an Angel Oh welcome welcome is Christ to a sin-sick Soul till then you need not the Physician and the Physician hath as little need of you Thirdly she came humbly to him even behind him as unworthy to come before him having a legal uncleanness upon her Levit. 15. 25. so neither fit was she to touch any or to be touched by any without pollution Thus must you come in all self-abhorrency to Christ who hath respect to the lowly Psal 138. 6. but resists the lofty Jam. 4. 6. This made Augustine cry out saying Ecce magnum Miraculum c. behold a great Miracle God is on high Man lifts himself up in pride and God flyeth from him Man bows himself down in Humility then God descendeth to him the lowly he raiseth higher the lofty he thrusteth lower 8. And fourthly she came believingly to him saying If I may but touch I shall be whole This is a coming rightly to Christ to believe you shall be better by him for he proportions his performing unto your believing Mat. 8.13 As you believe so shall it be done unto you Faith hath evermore an happy hand and always speeds in one kind or other it ever hath what it would have either in Money or in Money-worth either in kind or in equivalency always ad salutem according to your weal though not always ad voluntatem according to your Will He that believeth shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2. 6. no nor so much as ashamed Rom. 9. 33. through any disappointment this good Woman doth not onely touch Christs Garment with her bodily hand but himself also with an hand of Faith and her Faith was a very glorious Faith not much inferiour to that of the Centurion Matth. 8. 10. Go and do you likewise When you are made sensible of sin and feel the bloody flux of natural filth issuing out at your eyes mouth hands and other parts run to Christ and touch him by Faith then shall you find that Vertue comes out from him to heal your Soul but stay not afar off out of reach and touch of our Blessed Saviour 9. Having your eyes through Grace in some measure opened to behold the filthiness and treason of the hidden Man of your Heart for what signifies a Looking-glass to those that are blind in the Looking-glass of the Word then take these following Encouragements that you may come more believingly for a saving-touch to the Lord Jesus The first is That Christ was given as a Covenant or as the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.
this blessed Looking-glass plainly discovers to you that your Heart is a very naughty Heart evil only evil and continually evil Gen. 6. 5. your inward parts are very filthiness Psal 5. 9. and as full of falshood as of filthiness Jer. 17. 9. c. Infra 5. There be various Representations indeed both of mans Malady and mans Remedy in this blessed Looking-glass of the Word of God The Looking-glass of the Law doth discover all the spots of fallen Mankinde Rom. 7. 9. both those spots that are the spots of God's Children to wit Infirmities and those that be the spots or rather deep stains or Leopards-spots of the wicked to wit Enormities Deut. 32. 5. But the Looking-glass of the Gospel discovers the Water of the Spirit of Grace and the Blood of the Lamb of God wherewith those spots are to be washed away John 1. 29. 1 Joh. 1. 7. Tit. 3. 5. Until the Law in the hand of a Mediator fall upon mans spirit with full Conviction Man is a jolly jovial Creature with Paul Rom. 7. 9. But when the Commandment comes with a piercing penetrating Power letting blood in the heart-vein as Acts 2.37 Christ speaking to the heart with a strong hand as Isai 8. 11. and the Spots and Freckles of a sinful Soul are discovered to him and discerned by him then and not till then doth he repair to that Fountain that is opened in the sides of a bleeding and blessed Saviour to wash in and to be cleansed from all those spots of Sin and of Vncleanness Zech. 13. 1. to be washed white in the Blood of the Lamb Rev. 7.14 and to be cloathed with the Robe of his Righteousness Phil. 3. 9. 6. The first Duty as to this Looking-glass Be sure you take a view of your self and of the estate and complexion of your heart in this blessed Looking-glass Motives to stir you up hereunto are these 1. This is a Looking-glass of Gods own making and therefore excellent All those Glasses fore-mentioned that give their false Representations are glasses of Mans making and that for Curiosity and Ostentation but this is of Gods making and that for Sanctity and Salvation As 't is said of the two Tables of the Law the Tables were the Workmanship of God and the Writing was the Writing of God Exod. 32. 16. so it may be said of this blessed Looking-glass of the Gospel 't is the Workmanship and Writing of God 'T is the Hebrew Idiome to put the Name of God to many things to shew the superlative excellency of those things as the Hill of God the City of God the House of God and the Sanctuary of God for the most excellent Hill House City and Sanctuary So this Looking-glass may accordingly be called the Looking-glass of God to set off its excellency and its excellency calls loud upon you for the using of it The second Motive is 'T is a Glass that hath been of singular use and in sublime estimation in all fore-going Ages and Generations The Holy Patriarchs dressed themselves both as to Faith and Manners by this Glass in their due and daily walking with God and so have the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs of God dressed themselves all by it ever since God made it Insomuch that all their Godly Examples are become as so many Looking-glasses unto us to dress our selves by and to be followers of them who through Faith and Patience do now inherit the promises Hebr. 6. 12. You must be a follower of them so far as they were followers of God in his Word and Will and of Christ in a Scripture-like Faith and a Scripture-like life and conversation 1 Cor. 11. 1. the frailties of all those Holy Saints are Recorded in the Holy Scriptures as exempla Cavendi non Cadendi fâ—â— your caution as dangerous Rocks and Sands at Sea are marked not for your imitation These Servants of God dressed themselves up in this Glass into Scripture-hearts and into Scripture-lives and so are all safely landed in Mansions of glory they are all got well home to their Fathers house out of this present evil world so called Gal. 1. 4. And if you do as they did in dressing your self by this Glass you shall in time be where they are 8. The third Motive is from the three excellent properties of this Looking-glass to wit 1. It s Truth 2. It s Largeness 3. It s Lastingness 1. 'T is a true Looking-glass and gives no false Representations of persons or things as those fallacious and sophistical Glasses aforementioned do but discovers all truely and in every part neither more or less than it is neither better nor worse than it is neither fairer nor fouler than it is in it self 2. This is a large Looking-glass that discovers the whole complexion of the Heart from top to toe the hidden Man of the heart may be viewed in it both intirely in the whole and truely in every part 3. 'T is a lasting Looking-glass it waxes not old dull and crazy as common Looking-glasses do 't is so Divinely steeled that it will never wear off nor contract any dust or obscurity though the smoak of the bottomless pit hath endeavoured to darken the Sun and the Air of the Holy Scriptures Revel 9. 2. and many a false Gloss hath been cast upon this true Glass yet hath it as much light and transparency in it self as ever To all which may be added a fourth excellent property of this blessed Glass wherein it transcends all other Glasses which discover onely the face and surface barely of the body or outward things but this discovers the inside as well as the outside and the hidden things of the heart as well as that which is bare and open 9. The fourth Motive is from the preciousness of the Soul which is far more precious than the body The Lord Jesus did assuredly best know the worth of Souls because he onely went to the price of Souls and he tells you that it is but a bad bargain to gain the World though 't is impossible for any one to get all and lose the Soul Matth. 16. 26. the Soul of one single person is of more worth than is the whole World then 't is of much more worth than the body of that person It follows hence that seeing you do use the common Glass to trim and dress the body which is the worser part that you may not be unacceptable and uncomely to Men how much more should you use this special and Spiritual Looking-glass for trimming and dressing your Soul the better part that you may not be uncomely and unacceptable to God This latter is of far more consequence and importance than the former How ought you then to look into this Looking-glass of the Word duely and daily yea as often at least as you look into the common Looking-glass 'T was grave and godly counsel that Tertullian gave to young Women Vestite vos Serico pietatis Byssino sanctitatis Purpurâ pudicitiae
silent never examining comers in or goers out of the heart 't is become naughty and self-deceiving this Candle of the Lord in you as your Spirit is called Prov. 20. 27. should examine as the Sentinel upon the Watch all comers and goers crying ever and anon Who comes there and Who goes there And as Joshuah did to the man Josh 5. 13. Who art thou for Art thou for us or for our Adversaries If your heart be silent herein and say nothing in such Christian Examinations then such a Traveller as came to David's heart 2 Sam. 12. 4. may be welcome to your heart Mariners do say there be more Ships cast away in Calms upon Quick-sands c. than in Storms upon Splitting Rocks If Despair with Saul hath slain its thousands sure I am Presumption with David hath killed its ten thousands If a Spiritual Calm or slumber be upon you then you cannot cry out Who comes there c. The Philistims may be upon you and you know it not 2. A brawny heart that hath lost its Tenderness is a Self-deceiving Heart Josiah 's heart was tender 2 King 22. 19. this pleased God well and so was David's when it smote him for cutting off Saul's lap 1 Sam. 24. 5. But how had he lost his Tenderness when his heart did not smite him for cutting off Uriah 's life c. One of a tender Constitution cannot endure the least cold wind to blow upon him but must have all Windows and Doors close shut to secure his tender body Oh that you were as wise for your Soul as he is for his Body in shutting all close that not the least cold Air of sin may come unto it If your heart be not ever suggesting duty or humbling for neglect it deceives you 15. 3. An untractable heart such as will not be handled nor come to hand in a parley is a self-deceiving heart David bids you commune with your own heart Psal 4. 4. and you should call your faithless heart to a faithful account duely and daily and you should view your works every-day as the Lord your God did his all the six days of the Creation Gen. 1. and happy is that Soul that finds them good though not very good as God did his works in a serious Self-Reflection but if your heart fly from you and will not commune with you saying Oh what have I done Jerem. 8. 6. 't is a self-deceiving heart David pray'd Lord incline and unite my untractable heart your windows should be as those of the Temple 1 Kin. 6. 4. broad inward to give more light inwardly 4. An unstable heart is a self-deceiving heart if it will not stand at the mark till your parley with it be brought to some blessed issue Jam. 1. 8. halting betwixt two and is as much for Baal as for God as much for sin as for Christ so is but with Agrippa almost a Christian this half-parlying in self-tryal undoes thousands whose hearts are unstable in it 't is the work of the Spirit to binde the heart as Psal 118. 27. and to convince throughly of the state either of sin or grace without this your heart will slip you in self-examination which is as the rubbing of your eyes to see better where you are and what you are doing CHAP. VII Of the Hearts Treachery in prosperity 1. NOw come we to a more particular discovery of the hearts treachery and that in two grand respects 1. In respect of your state and condition in this lower World and 2. in respect of your various actions in order both to this and to a better world First of the first to wit your state and condition in this world which is twofold 1. a Temporal 2ly a Spiritual state in both which your heart may deceive you if you do not take heed to it to keep it with all keepings Prov. 4. 23. Now 1. of the Temporal state which is twofold 1. the state of prosperity 2. the state of adversity first of the first of these to wit the state of Prosperity 1. Of the Malady 2. Of the Remedy 1. The Malady wherein the deceit of the heart is discovered in sundry particulars as the first Discovery is Your deceitful heart may carry your soul at some times further off from God thereby just as the Moon which the more Light she receives from the Sun of the firmament goes the further off from him and sometimes when she is in the full the shadow of the Earth doth interpose itself and so eclipses and darkens her even so man is as the Moon in the full having fulness of all things this oftentimes sets his Soul further off from Christ the sun of righteousness Mal. 4. 2. for Fulness and Pride or Haughtiness are coupled together as the Cause and the Effect Ezek. 16. 49 50. Fulness brings forth Haughtiness which is both the hate of Heaven and the gate to Hell yea the very first fire-brand that set Sodome on fire That Pride is the product of Prosperity appeareth from Psal 73. 5 6. Job 15. 25 26 27. and 1 Tim. 6. 17. And proud man made so by Prosperity God beholdeth afar off Psal 138. 6. They are got a great way from God he drives them as the Chaldee Paraphrase there signifies afar off from Heaven as disdaining to come near such loathsome Lepers and thrusts them down as low as to Hell at last How oft also doth the interposition of earthly enjoyments which is but a shadow eclipse and darken the Soul of man God-ward 2. The second Discovery is In Prosperity the Soul of man is very prone to forget both his Mercies and the God of his mercies for Fulness breeds Forgetfulness Deut. 32. 15. and Saturity brings forth Security Luxuriant animi rebus plerunque seoundis Nec facilè est aequâ commoda mente pati Mercy is many times but a nine days wonder and 't is hard for even the choicest Soul to keep the sense of a mercy for any considerable time warm upon the heart whereas we should keep the loving-kindness of God in everlasting remembrance but alas it is with us as it is with children eaten bread is soon forgotten our luxuriant and wanton minds soon forget Divine favours as Psal 106. 13. they hasted they forgot Hebr. which is a great aggravation forgetfulness should indeed be a grave wherein we ought to bury the Injuries done to us by Man but not any of the loving kindnesses done to us by God Psal 103. 2. The best use of a bad Memory is to forget Injuries from man but to forget the Benefits of God is gross Ingratitude David felt some dulness and drowziness in this respect and he therefore rowzeth up his own Soul to this Remembring-work Oh where is the man the woman that hath their hearts as much affected with Mercies and that praises God as fervently for them when they are stale and old Mercies as while they are fresh and new and but lately received 3. The third Discovery
5. 6-9 unto chance 1 Sam. 6. 9. For Chance is a Scripture-word Eccles 9. 11. Luke 10. 31. And 't is said Ruth 2. 3. that her hap hapned Hebr. to light in Boaz's field this was a mere chance in respect of Ruth who being a stranger knew not whose field it was yet was it ordered by a sweet and secret Providence of God in order to her Marriage to Boaz afterwards That which is to us but casual and contingent is yet by God Almighty both fore-appointed and effected That which is Casualty to man is no other than Counsel to God and what is Chance to the ignorant man is no less than the Lord to religious Job chap. 1. 21. The Lord giveth and taketh All Chances and Changes are as much in God's hand as is Time it self Psal 31. 15. Psal 91. 10. No evil shall chance unto thee So this Chance may be understood in a way of subservieney and subordination to Gods Providence Yet to ascribe evil to Fortune is far worse as if she were a Goddess and ordered all things both good and evil We do not finde that the very Philistims in the place before-quoted while they dreamed of a Chance did worship this Fortune as a Goddess Neither was she ever held to be so Hesiod mentions her not in his Theogonia till Homer made her so giving her a Soveraignty over all humane Affairs and the succeeding Poets that are said to lick up his Spewings say Sed te Nos facimus Fortuna Deam coelóque locamus Juvenal Satyr 10. 5. The third Discovery is Your heart will deceive you in making you to look more at the stroak that is given you than at God who strikes it Not much unlike the Dog that runs at the stone which is thrown at him but mindes not the hand that throwes it Oh! how prone is poor man to snarl at and quarrel with that tryal and trouble that is sent to afflict him saying to it Art thou come to torment me before the time as Matth. 8. 29. and many times may curse it whereas he should chiefly curse his Sin which is the procuring cause of his Misery You may pore too much upon the matter of your Affliction and too little upon both the Procuring and the Efficient Cause thereof your own sin is the former that sends for it and God's Justice against your sin is the latter that sends it Hence it is that we cannot say to our affliction as Laban said to Abraham's servant Come in thou blessed of the Lord thou art welcome Gen. 24. 31. Thou art Gods Angel or Messenger wherefore standest thou without I know that when thou hast delivered thy Message and done thy Errand thou wilt be gone and stay no longer and though thou be like a froward Guest at an Inne that is displeasing enough while he stays there yet pays nobly for all at parting may you be but able to do thus then you Accept of the punishment of your Iniquity as God saith Levit. 26. 41. then do you kiss the Rod yea and the Hand too that lays it on As the Scholar on his Death-bed did his Masters hand crying Istae manus me ad Paradisum portant Those very hands that have given me blest correction helps me to Heaven Your heart will deceive you if you look not beyond your Affliction at Gods faithfulness in your Affliction saying with David I know that out of thy very faithfulness O Lord thou hast afflicted me Psal 119.75 as if he had said Lord thou hadst not been faithful to my Soul without afflicting my Body 6. To ascribe any thing whether good or evil to fortune is the grand overthrow of all true Piety as it is an Atheistical debasing of Divine Providence Cicero himself acknowledges that it was ignorance of the Causes of things that brought in the names of Nature Chance and Fortune as if all things were either from themselves which is called Nature or Chance or only so disposed by Fortune this fictitious goddess and not by the true God that orders all from the highest Angels to the lowest worms Augustine argues excellently How can this goddess Fortune be sometimes good and sometimes evil Is it saith he because when she is evil she is no more a Goddess but is turned suddenly into a malignant Devil De Civitat Dei lib. 4. cap. 18. Sir Walter Rawleigh calleth Fortune the God of Fools a Goddess which is most reverenced when good but most reviled when bad of all other Poetical Gods or Goddesses though Hesiod who told the birth and beginning of all those counterfeit Deities hath not a word of Fortune yet after Homer had made her the Daughter of Oceanus or of the Sea as if she had her Ebbings and Flowings like it she grew so great with the blind world as to be accounted Omnipotent insomuch as all the concerns of Men even from the highest Prince down to the lowest Peasant were but Fortunae ludus ludibria the very sport and pastime of Fortune tossing them like a Tennis-ball up and down hither and thither at her pleasure abasing Wisdome by making the possessors of it miserable and advancing Folly for Fortuna favet fatuis Fortune favours fools by making the owners of it prosperous and successful This made the great but ignorant Demetrius cry out Oh Fortune thou hast exalted me and thou the same now goest about to destroy me Aâ—rel Vict. de Pertinace Yet among all the Philosophers I finde Plato most Divine in this point saying Nothing ever came to pass under the Sun whereof there was not a just preceding Cause 7. But Philip Mâ—lancton saith more plainly Quod Poetae Fortunam id nos Deum appellamus that which the Heathen Poets call Fortune we know 't is no other than God and his Providence as Exod. 21. 13. God hath delivered him into his hands that is Divine Providence gives up some men to be slain for some secret sin neither repented of nor punished by the Magistrate by some extraordinary casualty the Hebrews therefore use the name of God where others use Fortune because what men think to be done by Fortune is indeed done by the Providence of God though a man be killed at unawares as Deut. 19. 5. or by an errour or mistake Numb 35. 11. yet it is Gods Providence that it should be so for he is the Lord of our lives and we are guilty of death by sin Rom. 6. 23. whereby we make frequent forfeitures of our lives and 't is therefore the Lords great mercy that we are not ever and anon destroyed Lam. 3.22 Homo proponit Deus disponit man purposeth to knock down a tree but God disposeth of his stroke so that he knocks down a man the very slipping of the Axes head from the helve or handle is the work of God disponit Deus membra pulicis culicis God orders the very bitings of gnats and flyes saith Austin even Lottery is guided by Providence Prov. 16.
taliter pigmentatae Deum ipsum habebitis Amatorem God himself will become a Suitor to such as do according to the Apostles direction 1 Pet. 3. 3 4. The Prophet doth so distinctly and punctually declaim against the Womens varnishing vanities as if he had indeed fully viewed the Ladies Wardrobe in Jerusalem Isa 3. 18 23. and had taken a particular Inventory of them with their turrified heads and stretched-out necks 10. Such persons as spend too much time in dressing their Bodies by the common Looking-glass it may justly be feared they spend too little time in trimming their Souls by this blessed Looking-glass Bernard excellently expresseth this saying Vestium curiositas deformitatis mentium morum indicium est Over-much curiosity in outward adorning is a shrewd sign of the deformity both of Mindes and of Manners or more plainly excessive neatness in outward ornaments is a palpable evidence of too much inward nastiness Mark what the wisdom of God himself saith 1 Pet. 3. 3. Whose adorning let it not be outward c. but let it be the hidden man of the heart Women are not simply or absolutely forbidden there to adorn themselves so it be without Pride and Excess and suitable to their States and Estates in the World otherwise good Rebeccah that immediate Daughter of Sarah would have been blamed for wearing those Bracelets and Ear-rings which the Holy Patriarchs Abraham and Isaac sent unto her for her adorning Gen. 24. 30. and Godly Lydia whose Heart the Lord opened would not have been a Seller of Purple Act. 16. 14. If it were lawful for her to sell it assuredly it was lawful for some to wear it 11. It follows then that what is spoken by the Holy Ghost in 1 Pet. 3. 3. is onely spoken comparatively and not simply or absolutely that they make not their outward adorning their chief Ornament as the Daughters of Jerusalem did Isa 3. 18. onely for pride and wantonness in the mean while altogether neglecting the adorning their Souls but surely those Daughters of Israel in Exod. 38. 8. were better minded who did willingly give up their Looking-glasses which were then made of Brass and whereby they trimm'd themselves to the service of the Lords Sanctuary by which free-will-offering of theirs they did most plainly and openly testifie that they preferred the Worship and Glory of God before their own gracefulness Those were undoubtedly religiously disposed women that assembled by Troops to fast and pray Pethachohel at the door of the Tabernacle and these instruments of the worlds Vanity whereby they had formerly dress'd their Bodies but which now they despised they dedicate to God to make the Laver of Brass an instrument whereby through Faith they might trim and sanctifie their Souls Oh that we had many such Women in this great City and such as Esthers Maidens Esth 4. 16. Zech. 12. 14. 12. The second Duty in order to this Looking-glass is You must not only â—ook into it but love to do so God looks not so much at what you do as at what you love to do God indeed looks that you should look into the Looking-glass that he himself hath made for you to that very end Yet to do so is not enough unless also you love to do so Let it be far from you to do with this Spiritual Looking-glass as History makes mention one Praxyllis did with her common one which when it but truely discovered to her eyes her own real Deformity she quarrels with the Glass and in a rage against it throws it down and breaks it all to pieces You may easily conjecture whether the true Representation of the Glass or the womans own Deformity were more in fault or to be quarrell'd withal Oh do not you quarrel with this blessed Looking-glass of the Word which God hath most graciously given you and hath not suffered it to be muffled up from you in an unknown Tongue as in Popish Times to give no true and due prospect of your sinful self but look into it and love to look into it yea look into it with a God-blessing Spirit saying with the Holy Apostle I had not known sin but by the Law that precious Looking-Glass Rom. 7. 7-9-18 As you were bred and born in sin and have all along lived in sin so you may dye in sin if you discern not by looking into this divine Looking-glass your Souls Deformity 13. The third Duty is You must not only look into it and love to do so but likewise to look wishtly and intently into it not taking a sleight and glancing prospect onely but viewing all the defects and deformities of your Heart with utmost intention of Soul until there be some deep Impression wrought kindly thereby upon your Affections This is the very scope of the Apostle James in Chap. 1. 23-25 He that beholds saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the face of his Nativity that which Nature gave him or that which he was born with into the world straightway he forgetteth what manner of man he was to wit the fashion of his Countenance and the spots represented in the Glass Whereby he most fitly noteth out those weak impressions which the discoveries of the Word leaveth upon a careless hearer of it who is not so deeply touched with those Discoveries as to be duely truely and throughly humbled for them so as to be brought out of self unto Christ 14. The fourth Rule is Labour for such a discovery of your Heart in this Looking-Glass of the Word that it may have an abiding Work upon you that the Word may be planted and engrafted in you Until this be the root of the Matter or of the Word as the word dabar signifies cannot be in you Job 19. 28. Nor the seed of God can be said to remain in you 1 John 3. 9. The seed of the Word must be hid in your heart Psalm 119. 11. Luke 2. 19. And the Law of the Word must be writ in as well as put into your Heart Jerem. 31. 33. Then doth the graft or root draw all your thoughts cares purposes and affections do nourish it and suck the sap of all to it All the motions of your Soul and Spirit will be cast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the Mold of Religion Rom. 6. 17. like melted Metal takes the form of that mold which it is cast or poured into then will it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fruit-bearing Word Col. 1. 6. and then will it drive you into your Closet or some by-corner the secret places of the stairs Cant. 2. 14. to bewail the plague of your own heart 1 King 8. 38. A due and true sense whereof is the best Prayer-Book in the world When you are sensible of Sickness you need no Book to teach you what to say to your Physician and when you finde your self defrauded of your Inheritance what to say to your Counsellor at Law though you do your self consult Books about both those Cases 15.
2. to open blind eyes Isa 42. 6 7. by the Preaching of the Gospel Act. 26. 18. 2 Cor. 4. 4 5 6. Revel 3. 18. accordingly Christ in faithfulness to his Commission from the Father healed the blind-man whom they brought to him and besought to touch him Mark 8. 22. Christ himself became a leader of the blind he himself took the blind Man by the hand v. 23. which he might have commanded to be done by some other but he did it himself as holding it an honour yea a pleasure to do a Man in misery any office of courtesie and Christ leads him out of the Town as unworthy of the favor of being witness of so great a work of Mercy v. 23. 26. There he touches his blind eyes the first time and made him see Men as Trees v. 24. then he touches him the second time and made him see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 procul dilucidè longè latéque all things clearly v. 25. All which shews that you may expect the same kindness from Christ according to his Commission for your Spiritual Illumination and this he doth for you gradually and not all at once when you can but darkly discern the Plague and Leprosie of your heart in the Looking-glass of God at the first you must come believingly to him again till you see all clearly 10. The second Encouragement The poor and rich are alike welcome to Christ for while he was going along with the Ruler to heal his dying Daughter he neglected not the poor afflicted Woman that had not one half-penny left her wherewith to help her self Mark 5. 22. 26. no doubt but Jairus the Ruler of the Synagogue could have wished the poor Woman farther off at this time than to be within reach and touch of Christ because she hindred his Saviour from hasting to his Daughter that was hasting to the very point of death but this sweet Providence to the poor Woman must come in as a Parenthesis for the exercise of the Rulers Faith and Patience his Daughter must be dead outright the poor Woman must be healed and he confirmed thereby ere his desire be accomplished that God may be glorified in all and that it might be made manifest that Christ was no respecter of Persons Act. 10. 34. not regarding either Wealth or Wisdom Sex or Countrey c. which outward things neither help nor hurt neither please nor displease him but as they are found in a good or in a bad person otherwise they are insignificant Cyphers without a Numerical figure Grace in Rags is as acceptable to Christ as Grace in Robes 11. The third Encouragement is That which separateth from the Congregation of God and from Communion with Men doth not separate from Christ but rather driveth to him as the filthy issue did this poor Woman she had a legal Uncleanness upon her and therefore was to be separated both from touching and from being touched by any Levit. 15.7 11 19 25. neither of those could be done without Levitical pollution yet adventures she to draw near to Christ that she might touch him she touches Christ and had a blessed success Thus must you do though your way hath been before the Lord as the uncleanness of a removed Woman Ezek. 36. 17. yet will he have pitty for his Holy Name v. 21 22. He will pitty you for his own Names sake when he cannot do so for your sake and in that very Month of your filthiness find you Jer. 2. 23 24. though he find you in your Blood he will not leave you so but makes that time your time of love and biddeth you live when in rigour of Justice he might bid you dye even to all eternity Ezek. 16. 4 5 6 8. Oh be of good comfort the Master calleth you Mark 10. 49. Draw nigh to him in duty and he will draw nigh to you in mercy Jam 4. 8. Sanctifie him in your Approaches Levit. 10. 3. and he will satisfie you with his Salvation Psal 91. 16. The Lepers that were separated from the City for their Leprosie could say one to another Why sit we here until we dye 2 Kin. 7. 3 4. and Esther said I will go unto the King and if I perish I perish Esth 4. 16. though it was not according to the Law for her to do so yet found she favour and sweet success Esth 5. 2. But sure I am 't is according to the Gospel that you should draw nigh to Christ who holdeth out his Golden Scepter for you to touch it 12. The fourth Encouragement is Though all other means and men fail you yet Christ will not fail you Thus the Woman had spent all that she had upon Physicians which had all failed her Mark 5. 26. and had proved Jobs miserable comforters to her who instead of lightening her burden had loaden'd her more they were Physicians of no value that mistaking her disease had applyed Corrosives instead of Cordials and through want of skill it may be though there might be a good intent they had almost killed her and not cured her Job 13. 4. 16. 2. Then when all failed Christs holy hand is reserved for a dead lift and faileth not when the Psalmists flesh and heart both failed yet his God never failed Psal 73.25 26. When he was ready to swoon away in himself having a death upon his helps and a damp upon his hopes then the joy of the Lord was his strength Neh. 8. 10. God was the Rock of his Heart whence flowed his Spiritual joy that same precious commodity which no good can match and no evil can over-match you shall never find failing in him that yet forgives your failings Psal 89. 33. Isa 54. 7 8 9 10. Deut. 31. 6. Josh 1. ◠Hebr. 13.5 'T is five times over in Scripture 13. The fifth Encouragement is Though your issue of sin be an old issue and that flux of filthy matter hath been long upon you eve◠from a Child as before though you had i◠twelve years as the Woman had hers or twenty thirty yea forty years yet may you come with hope of Cure to Jesus Christ his Name Jesus ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sano signifies an healer and he is a none-such Saviour yea for None-such Sinners even a Manasseh in the old Testament found healing mercy with and from him whose issue had run long and the filthiest matter imaginable below that sin unto death for he had been first a defyer of God secondly he had been a Murderer of Men and thirdly he had been a Worshipper of Devils 2 Chro. 33. 1. 12. When the Rod spake he heard it as Mic. 6. 9. who would not hear the word v. 10. Adversity whips many a Soul to Heaven which otherwise prosperity had coached to Hell and a Mary Magdalen in the New Testament found healing mercy from Christ out of whom he had cast seven Devils Mark 16.9 As a Woman had first brought in death to wit Eve so this Woman
noble Vines and his house or heart is furnished with graces as the Temple of the Holy Ghost Christ stands at the door of the heart and knocks Revel 3.20 as well as Satan both of them woes and wins it sometimes Satan avails and wins the heart by his insinuating temptations and sometimes our Saviour doth it by his exceeding great and pretious promises let in by his Spirit 5. Having shown the first particular the subject or matter the Heart of Man that it is corrupted by sin and Satan the second thing to be spoke to is the Praedicate or Manner how it is corrupted and the manner of the corruption of this matter the heart is manifold in Scripture As first 't is now a weak heart in the faln estate Ezek. 16. 30. strong enough it is for sin but exceeding weak for duty Oh how weak is thy heart Secondly 't is a wilful heart that is rebellious and obstinate against the will of God Deut. 2. 30. not onely the heart of Sihon King of Heshbon was an obstinate heart but also the heart of Gods own Israel was a rebellious heart Jer. 5. 23. as soft as wax in Satans hand plyable enough and yet as hard as a stone altogether unplyable in Gods hand 3. 't is a stony heart Ezek. 11. 19. 36. 26. 't is a flinty not a fleshy heart by nature 't is refractory untractable and impenetrable resisting the Divine touches of the Word and Spirit the natural heart is wholly a stony heart which none can draw or pull out as the word in the Septuagint signifies or change but the hand of Heaven onely the free-will of Man cannot do it but 't is the free grace of God alone that of these stones raiseth up Children unto Abraham Matth. 3. 9. Garriant illi nos credamus saith Augustin Let Men prate what they please of the free-will of Man to good there is no such thing believe it the heart is naturally insensible of the Word inflexible to the Spirit and impenetrable to the grace of God in it self 't is to every good work Reprobate 't is as hard fourthly as the Adamant Zech. 7. 12. which word signifies Untameable that hardest of stones harder than the flint Ezek. 3. 9. yea than the nether mill-stone Job 41. 24. Pliny saith the hardness of this stone is unspeakable the Hammer cannot break it neither can the fire burn it no nor so much as heat it Hircino tamen rumpitur sanguine yet if it be soaked in Goats-blood 't will then dissolve into pieces and so may the hardest Heart by the blood of Christ the true scape-goat Levit. 16. 21 22. if applyed and improved by Faith 6. Fifthly 'T is a stiff-necked and uncircumcised heart Jer. 9.23 Act. 7. 51. even in their very Circumcision there was an uncircumcision unregenerate Israel was to God as the Ethiopians those black Pagans that could not change their colour Jer. 13. 23. Amos 9. 7. that never did bleed for sin by Divine compunction but the foreskin of filthiness was still remaining and that with so much stiff-neckedness as rendred them incapable of Divine impressions insomuch as neither Ministry nor Misery nor Miracle nor Mercy could Mollifie until the Lord give a new Spirit the same heart in substance but renewed in its qualities the strings or heart-strings are the same but the Tune is changed Psal 51. 12. Eph. 4. 23. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Sixthly 'T is a whorish heart Ezek. 6. 9. that goes a whoring from God and runs after false lovers that lie in wait for the very Soul Psal 73. 27. Hos 4. 12. 9. 1. The Heart of Man is full of Harlotry and the Spirit of Whoredom causeth it to wander not onely from God but also from under God from under the precincts of the Divine Will and so from under the protection of the Divine Power as the Wife that forsaketh her Husband and plays the Whore with strangers is therefore worthily cast off by him for both dissolving the Marriage-knot and for destroying true Humane Society as Matth. 19. 9. This Revolting Heart Jer. 5. 23. Satanico impetu driven by the devil gaddeth after strangers Jer. 2. 25. 36. and casts God away as into a corner 7. Seventhly 'T is a divided Heart Hos 10. 2. a double heart Psal 12. 2. an Heart and an Heart Hebrew one Heart in the Mouth and another in the Body being one thing in profession and another in practice halting between two 'twixt God and Baal 1 King 18. 21. 'twixt Christ and sin being one while for this and another while for that unconstant to both and uncertain of either and constant in nothing but in inconstancy The divided or double-hearted man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the double-souled one is not for Gods service for he will be served truly that there be no halting and totally that there be no halving Hence the Apostle James adviseth the double-minded or cloven-hearted to cleanse their hearts from that corruption that cleaveth to them that their minds mouths and manners might correspond all together Jam. 1. 8. 4. 8. and hence the Prophet David prays that God would unite his heart that was so apt to be double and divided betwixt the things of God and the things of the World Psal 86. 11. that it might be fixed upon God And hence also God hath promised to give oneness of heart Ezek. 11. 19. I will give them one heart opposed to this double and divided Heart being partly for God and partly for the world as Ezek. 33. 31. This boon you should heartily beg with David that you may entirely cleave to God alone Deut. 10. 20. 30. 20. Act. 11. 23. and serve him without distraction in all simplicity and godly sincerity 1 Cor. 7. 35. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Anima dispersa fit minor the heart divided is thereby disabled for duty Therefore the Prophet prays Lord thou art God alone unite my heart so that it may be fixed as Quicksilver is by Pyrotechny on God alone 8. The time would fail me to insist upon all the cursed Characters that the Looking-glass of the Word of God represents to you concerning the Heart of Man as eighthly 'T is a froward and fretting heart Prov. 17. 20. 19. 3. never pleased whether full or fasting Ninthly 'T is an Hypocritical Heart Job 36. 13. hollow-hearted ones heap up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2. 5. turning Repentance into a form and converting conversion it self into sin such foul sinners shall be cast into the hottest place of Hell whereof Hypocrites are as the Free-holders and all other sinners but as Tenants to them Matth. 23. 14 15. 33. 24. 51. Tenthly 'T is an haughty heart Prov. 18. 12. the pride of the heart deceives Man Obad. v. 3. So bladder-like is Man that bag of dust that being filled but with the wind of earthly vanities he grows great and swelleth in his own conceit strutting it all along in his goings as if
he would knock out a star out of the Heavens at every step and stride but if once it comes to be prick'd with the least pin of Divine Justice this poor bladder shrinks in and shrivels away into nothing swelling is as dangerous in the Soul as in the body and a bulging wall is neer its downfal 11ly 'T is not only a proud and haughty but also a very naughty heart 1 Sam. 17. 28. as 't is an evil heart Hebr. 3. 12. an impenitent Heart Rom. 2.5 and a beastly Heart Dan. 4.16 yea seven abominations are in it Prov. 26.25 't is an evil treasure filled withall evil Mat. 12.25 12ly To return to the Prophets character Jer. 17. 9. he puts three together in that one Verse as first 'T is so deceitful it cannot be trusted seccondly 'T is so desperately wicked it cannot be governed and thirdly 'T is so dark and deep that it cannot be discerned and discovered The third thing is the measure as before the matter and manner 't is superlatively so in all these 't is deceitful desperate and deep or dark above all other things if so then never say you henceforward that you have a good Heart Godward when God tells you the contrary in all the aforesaid 9. This brings in the third particular in the Logical Position or Proposition to wit The Copula that couples together the Subject and Predicate the word is the Heart is deceitful desperate and deep or dark 't is not said by the Prophet Jeremy that it hath been so for time past or it may be so for time to come but that it ever is so in all Ages and Generations As the Hearts of our fore-fathers were deceitful desperate and deep Hearts so they are now such Hearts in our present day and there will be such Hearts in following Ages to the end of the World There be two great Mysteries in the World and both are lasting Mysteries that lasteth so long as the World lasteth and they are these first The Mystery of Christ in the flesh and secondly The Mystery of sin in the Spirit The first is the Mystery of Godliness 1 Tim. 3. 16. first The nature of it 't is a Mystery secondly The quantity 't is a great Mystery there be many other Mysteries but this is the great one that hath the cryer crying Ab-rech or bow the knee before it as Gen. 41.43 Thirdly The quality of it 't is a sacred and holy Mystery not like the Mystery of iniquity Fourthly The certainty of it without controversie Mysteries may meet with contradiction this great Mystery much more in all its three parts the Doctrinal Practical and Providential parts of it tell Reason of a Crucifyed God of the Incarnation and of the Resurrection and 't will laugh at them as Sarah did at the promise Gen. 18. 12. but Faith looking with better eyes than those of Reason as Ahraham did holds its hold of that which is confirmed beyond controversie If carnal Reason onely teach you herein you have a fool for your Schoolmaster that can never comprehend how God was manifested in the flesh first out of the bosome of his Father secondly out of the womb of his Mother and thirdly out of the Types of the Law c. 10. The second is the Mystery of Iniquity or Vngodliness which is not onely personal and outward 2 Thes 2. 7. Revel 17. 5 7. but 't is also mystical and inward and this is quite contrary to the former for as the other is the manifestation of God in the flesh so this latter is the manifestation of the Devil in the Spirit or Heart and yet there is some correspondency as well as contrariety betwixt those two great Mysteries as both have the Apostles four Dimensions Height Depth Breadth and Length the Apostle thus measures out the unmeasurable Mystery of Godliness Eph. 3. 18 19. and 't is not difficult to discern the like Dimensions in the Mystery of Ungodliness for first there is height in it it doth reach up to Heaven as did the cry of Cains Murder and of Sodoms Uncleanness secondly there is depth in it thus the steps of an Harlot not onely goeth down to death but also taketh hold as low as of Hell Prov. 5. 5. thirdly there is breadth in it it hath spread it self over all the World the Serpents seed hath dispersed it self as far as either Adams or Noahs seed ever went alas the whole World lyeth in this Mystery of wickedness 1 Joh. 5. 19. and fourthly there is the length of it also beyond for this Mystery of Iniquity will continue so long as the World continueth wicked hearts there have been wicked hearts there are and wicked hearts there will be to the end yea and beyond the end of the World even to all Eternity inasmuch as Hell is a place of sinning as well as of suffering as Revel 16. 9 11 21. 11. Now this Mystery of Ungodliness as it lyeth within doors consisteth mostly in the Treachery and falshood of the Heart of Man which the Prophet Jeremy tells you is 1. deceitful above all things Jer. 17. 9. the words in the Hebrew are gnacob ha léb mi-col which signifies strictly The Heart is deceitful above all the word things is not in the Hebrew Text but 't is implyed onely and it may as well imply persons as things so the Text may be supplyed with the former as well as with the latter and be read thus The Heart is deceitful above all persons as well as above all things according as that Text Christ is Lord of all Acts 10. 36. is understood of all persons as well as of all things the sence then of the Prophets words must be that there is no deceitful person in the world and no deceitful thing in the world so deceitful as the Heart of Man Adeò varium est Cor adeò versutum versipelle adeò tortuosum anfractuosum fallax 't is so full of windings and turnings of crooks and corners of crafty wiles and cunning sleights that no person in his cheats no thing in its Deceits can be a comparable parallel to the Heart of Man that hath deceived the innocentest strongest and wisest Men that ever were in the world to wit Adam Samson and Solomon this is here plainly and plentifully described and oh that it were as duely and deeply considered to wit the Hearts Treachery 12. More particularly of the Matter of the Manner and of the Measure of this corruption of the Heart as it is in the faln Nature 1. The matter that is corrupted is the Heart that principal part of Man that primum vivens ultimum moriens first living and last dying part in a Spiritual respect as well as in a natural 't is the Privy-Councel and Throne Royal from whence all Edicts and Commands come for all humane thoughts words and deeds in the Isle of Man 't is the fountain or spring of all humane Actions into which the envious one hath
your head and given you many a desperate fall to the very breaking of the bones of your Soul as it did Davids Psal 51. 8. and had your falls been backward as that of Eli was 1 Sam. 4. 18. which through Grace were rather like Abrahams Gen. 18. 2. a falling forward onely Psal 37. 24. Cant. 2. 6. you might have got the fall of an Elephant thar riseth no more and had not the covenant of Grace which indeed permits a fall also ensured Repentance after the fall this heel-catcher your own treacherous heart would not onely have catched your heel but also your very birth-right and blessing and bereaved you of both for ever Jacob beguiled his Father Isaac as well as his Brother Esau and though your Gnacob Heart may not beguile you of the birth-right at one time yet will it at another time either by force or fraud as Jacob did take heed of it 1 Cor. 10. 12. 5. The second Scriptural Allusion is Laban beguiled Jacob who had beguiled his Father and Brother Gen. 29. 25. God frequently retaliates and pays men with their own coyn he had beguiling for beguiling crying out Why hast thou beguiled me with Leah for Rachel Jacob in a cunning disguise deceives Isaac into a mistake of the younger for the elder and that by uttering three lyes with one breath I am Esau thy first-born I have done as my Father commanded me and calling his Meat Venison which the Lord had brought to his hands Gen. 27. 11 12 19 20. and here Laban beguiles the beguiler as if fallere fallentem had been no fraus with the elder for the younger in the morning behold it was Leah Thus the Heart beguiles Man who thinks he is embracing the beautiful Rachel of a blessed estate all the long night-time of Ignorance but in the morning of Regeneration when God saith Let there be light or however in the morning of the Resurrection it then appears to be but a blear-eyed Leah of a vain presumption or profession and how easily is a blind Soul beguiled by a beguiling Heart as blind Isaac by a beguiling Son perswading man to believe 1. That he is of the first-born of God while he is of the Children of wrath 2. That he hath done as God the Father had commanded him when possibly it never came into his Fathers heart Jerem. 7. 31. and 3. That he hath provided Venison for God and fine flour when indeed it is but coarse bran and corrupt things yea 4. entituling God to all as if the Lord did help him to his Provision and Worship whereas 't is all but the cry of the Creature and the earnestness of a natural Spirit unsavory to the Lord Hos 7. 14. Prov. 15. 8. Ezek. 14. 3 4. 6. The time would fail me as the Apostle saith Hebr. 11. 32. to speak largely of every Scripture-History that by way of Allusion may evidence the Mystery of the Hearts deceitfulness The 3d. Allusion is more briefly of others As the Sons of Jacob beguiled the Shechemites Gen. 34. 13. the Sons had something of the supplanting Image of their Father and under a pretence of Religion v. 14. We cannot do this thing and it would be a reproach to us c. this treachery made Jacob stink v. 30. so the Heart of Man deceives Man and that under as specious pretences betraying him into the hands of cruelty as they did when they had cozened them into a Covenant basely butchering them while unable to help themselves into Satans hands oh how will the deceitful Heart say I cannot do this and I cannot do that 't will be a reproach c. yet will it run into greater sins than those it pretends to shun as they did notwithstanding all this the Heart with this plague-sore of treachery on it is not made to stink and be abhorred but like fools as we are Prov. 28. 26. we trust it still and think there is sence in sinning and reason enough to be mad after Idols and to be evil The fourth Allusion is Hushai 2 Sam. 16. 16 17 18 19. As he offered Absalom his service that he might dive into his secrets and defeat his Counsels yea that he might overthrow his person and power Ambiguo sermone ludisicando by mocking Absalom with Ambiguities and Arguments accommodated to his ambitious humour 2 Sam. 17. 11 12. whereby he brought him into the sublime dotage of a fools paradise even so deals your deceitful heart with you how oft doth the flesh baffle and defeat the good counsel of the Spirit quenching its motions and admonitions 1 Thes 5. 19. as this Archite did the good counsel of Achitophel so the Scripture calls it 2 Sam. 17.14 as it was politick for attaining the end that Absalom did aim at and the most probable way to win all how oft doth the fleshly Heart give crafty counsel fitted to your humour and betrays you into Satans hands 7. The fifth Scriptural Allusion to illustrate the Hearts treachery and falshood is Jehu 2 Kin. 10. 19. Vajehu gnasha begnakebah but Jehu did it in subtilty he played the gnacob and being homo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ambidexter having the use of both hands pelle vulpinâ aequè ac leonina uti potuit he could be as crafty as a Fox as well as cruel as a Lion Jehu subtilly said v. 18. Ahab served Baal a little though he had served him more than any had done before him 1 Kin. 16. 31 32. but Jehu shall serve him much intending one thing and pretending another thing he pretendeth that Ahabs incomparable zeal for Baal should not be comparable to what he intendeth and therefore he chargeth that if any of the Priests of Baal were wanting at his Sacrifice they should not live by this Wile he caught them all into his snare and slew them but alas all the pretences of Jehu could never be so fraudulent for the worshipping of Baal as those of the deceitful heart are for the worshipping of God this desperately wicked Heart will sometimes pretend with Herod to come and worship Christ when indeed it intends to worry him and to kill Christ in the Cradle Matth. 2. 8 16. This is the double heart Psal 12. 2. leb-ve-leb an heart and an heart Hebr. one heart pretending in the Mouth and another heart intending in the Belly as a stone and a stone Hebr. signifies deceitful weights Deut. 25. 13 14. so an heart and an heart imports a deceitful heart such as those had in Jerem. 41. 17. 42. 3 5 6. 20. who promised obedience to whatever God would command them whether pleasing or displeasing where in so saying they did but dissemble in their hearts being resolved before-hand what to do which was deep dissimulation thus in a pretence of Piety to seek for Gods Approbation to their own taken up before-hand resolution The men of Zebulun 1 Chron. 12. 33. were better men they were not of a double heart or Hebr. they were without an heart and an
heart they had not one heart in the mouth and another in the breast but were plain-hearted and down-right dealers true Israelites in whom was no guile Joh. 1. 47. 8. The sixth Allusion The Midianites Numb 25. 18. as they beguiled Israel by the Counsel of Balaam who taught Balak to lay a stumbling block before them Revel 2. 14. with their cut-throat kindness and counterfeit courtesies they gulled Israel into those two Sister-sins of Idolatry which God so severely punished Numb 24. 14. 25. 3 4 5 17 18. even so your heart will vex you with its Wiles wherewith it begulles you first plunging you into sin and then into punishment for sin Gods commands stands good to you vex your heart that vexes you mortifie and cross the corruptions of it Master spare thy self is one of its Wiles and is a cut-throat kindness inasmuch as Christ had said He that saveth his life shall lose it smarting experience tells you how your heart hath cunningly plotted to ensnare you in sin and to bring you to ruine therefore you may not walk in the way of your own heart Eccles 11.9 as Israel did in Midians way but use it as well as take it for your enemy yea for your worst as Satan is your greatest Adversary 9. This seventh Scripture-story whereby the treachery of the heart may be illustrated by way of Allusion to wit the Gibeonites beguiling Joshuah Jos 9. 22. as is said before add hereunto that they did work wilily with Israel v. 4. begnarmah the same word with gnarum Gen. 3. 1. the Serpent was more subtle c. Those Gibeonites exercised the subtlety of the Serpent without the simplicity of the Dove they tell Joshuah how they had heard the fame of Gods Miracles in Egypt but not a word of dividing Jordan nor of the overthrow of Jericho these things were too new to be known to a people that dwelt afar off as they pretended but subtlely relate those things that were done long ago and were far and near talked of v. 9 10. Hereupon Israel was gulled into a compliance with them not asking counsel of the Lord by the Urim and Thummim v. 14. through precipitancy and credulity which are seldome successful thus also your heart will work Wilily with you and strain hard to save it self from Mortification and to bring you into a sinful compliance with it oh take heed of precipitancy and credulity in this case he that trusts his own heart is a fool Prov. 28. 26. he was no fool that said so but a wise man yea the wisest of men and so able enough to judge who are fools indeed oh do not neglect to ask counsel at the mouth of the Lord consult with the wonderful Counsellour Isa 9. 6. and not with flesh and blood Gal. 1. 16. do not confer with your own fleshly heart at the end of three days you will see your folly as Israel did v. 16. Truth is the Daughter of time and deceit will out at length oh that the seed of God in you may murmure at the League and Complyance with your treacherous heart as they did v. 18. you may well say as they said v. 23. thou art a cursed heart for thus beguiling me and God may turn it into a blessing as he did to those cursed Canaanites who after this became Nethinims i. e. given to Gods Worship 1 Chro. 9. 2. Ezr. 2. 43. 10. The word Nethinim signifies Deodati men given to God devoted to the service of Gods House those were the posterity of the fraudulent Gibeonites whose punishment for their fraudulency was that servile employment of ministring to the Levites hewing of wood and drawing of water for them as the Levites ministred to the Priests and hereby not only the Israelites a Royal Nation were exempted from such slavish drudgery but also those same Gibeonites had their very punishment converted into a priviledge and their misery into a mercy for by this Sanctuary-service they were brought nearer the Church and so nearer God both to partake of the things of God and to behold his face in Righteousness yea and coming under subjection to Joshuah they became under his protection also against those mighty Kings Josh 10. at large Thus likewise when your heart is indeed brought into subjection to your blessed Joshuah or Jesus 't is both your priviledge to be but a door-keeper Psal 84. 10. even a mighty King as David accounted it so and your protection too when you are beleaguered with Troops of Temptations and a great body of corruptions after your professed subjection to Christ oh then send your winged Messengers of Prayers and Tears to the Captain of your Salvation Hebr. 2. 10. saying Lord Jesus come to me quickly and slack not thy hand as they did Josh 10. 6. if so your Joshuah will come upon your enemies suddenly as v. 9. and he will discomfit them as v. 10. yea he will brain them with hail-stones as v. 11. and rather than want time for the pursuit of the Victory the Sun shall stand still to lend light and time c. otherwise as those Gibeonites being of the posterity of cursed Cham beguiled Israel with pretence of Antiquity into a League with them even so your heart will beguile you into a truce with it though it be of the cursed off-spring and should be mortifyed 't will cheat you with seeming Antiquity telling you it hath been a good heart God-ward ever since you were born and that 't will be your servant but a treacherous one oh make it an hewer of wood and a drawer of water to Jesus your Joshuah 11. Thus much of the Male-persons that were deceitful in Scripture-story upon the last of which I have been larger than I intended being a little warm'd with the Allusion yet abhorring to destroy the litteral sence of the Holy Scriptures by wanton Allegories as some have done from the frothy exuberances of their own addle brains now take a short survey of the Female-persons such as 1. Rachel 2. Tamar 3. Josephs Mistriss 4. Jael 5. Dalilah 6. the Witch of Endor yet none of these asunder nor all these together puts a comparable cheat on others to that which your own heart will put upon you if you watch it not 1. Of Rachel she deceived her own Father of his gods goodly gods they were that could not secure themselves from stealing Gen. 31. 30 34 35. c. She puts them into the Camels furniture and sat upon them saying The custome of women is upon me 'T was a subtle and yet a sinful shift whereby to hide her shame from her earthly Father even so and much more than so will your heart become wittily wicked 't is a wickedness with a witness to steal from ones own Father especially Plate Jewels the best of Goods yet your heart will steal from you its own owner and that the unsearchable riches Eph. 3. 8. yea the best of Goods and the best of Gods 1 Cor. 8. 5
6. your heart will take away your Lord and you will not know where it hath laid him as Joh. 20. 15. And you may be justly jealous that your heart is tainted with a love of Imagery Ezek. 8. 12. as you have chambers of imagery in you for there be many Idols set up in your heart Ezek. 14. 3. 1. Joh. 5. 21. as Rachel was with her Mawmets And you may surely say in sadness of Spirit to your Heavenly Father Let it not displease my Lord that I cannot rise up for the custom of sinning which is both the custom of Men and the custom of Women too is upon me how oft also is your heart wittily wicked in sitting upon your sins to hide them by sinful shifts from the eye of your Heavenly Father which yet is an all-seeing eye and nothing can be hid from the sight of it Hebr. 4. 13. without any due and true sense of the evil of sin when consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati that custom of sinning which is upon you taketh away all sense of sin 12. The second Allusion is Tamar who deceived her Father in-law Judah by putting upon her the attire of an Harlot and sitting in the way-side to tempt him upon a feasting day Gen. 38. 12 13 14. c. mark this by the way that Harlots in those times were nothing so shameless for she covered her self with a Vail as they are in our times with their naked breasts c. to enflame a Judah the Father Hierome severely saith that all such shall be damn'd for proffering poison though there be none to drink it mark also how Judahs lust besots him he gives her whatever she demanded v. 17 18. whereby to prove him afterwards a Partner in the Crime she seals up her charge against him with his own Signet entangles him with his own Bracelets and beats him with his own staff c. v. 25. just so and more than so will your heart that is full of harlotry deceive you and cause you to commit uncleanness with it in sinful thoughts which like Lots daughters Gen. 19.32 to 35. are busie to contrive and compass some sin or other while you are fast asleep and your heart as Tamar will first tempt you to sin and then accuse you for sin 1 Joh. 3. 20. 2 Sam. 18. 12 13. writing down time and place and bringing forth undeniable evidences saying Discern whose are these I pray thee oh sublime treachery you must acknowledge all condemn your self for having been unrighteous and know your sin again no more as Gen. 38. 26. 13. The third Allusion is Josephs Mistress which was a Blackmoore a Gypsy or Egyptian and a very compound of impudence fraudulency and maliciousness Gen. 39. 7. to 14. 1. Her impudence that she who should be shame-fac'd by her Sex as a woman and grave by her condition and quality as a wife and that of a governour so a Mistress yet her lawless lust transports her beyond all bonds and bounds both of Piety and Modesty so as to make an impudent offer of committing a Rape not onely upon a man but upon her own man-servant oh prodigious propudium and a frontless fore-head not unlike the strange impudency in the strange woman Prov. 7. 13 18. both of them barely and basely sollicite associates whose beauty had captivated their wanton eyes and wicked hearts 2 Her fraudulency when her uncessant sollicitations day by day violently renewed and as valiantly vanquished prov'd all unsuccessful as Josephus saith she feigned her self sick as Amnon did after 2 Sam. 13. 6. not going with Potiphar to the Feast that her solitariness might give a more effectual opportunity for her solicitation v. 11 12. This became a strong snare to Joseph so that he must part either with his chastity or with his garment not daring to stay and parley with her this second time is Joseph stripped of his garment before by the violence of envy in his brethren Gen. 37. 31. now by the vehemence of concupiscence in his Mistress before out of constraint now out of choice before that his Father now that his Master might be deceived by it however he being good before the Lord escapeth from her snares as Eccles 7. 26. 3. Her maliciousness and treacherous cruelty she cloaks her own villany under Josephs garment and as his coat had caused his Fathers sorrow before Gen. 37. 32 33 34. now it causeth his own misery she incenseth her Husband accusing first him of foolishness for bringing in such an Hebrew and then his servant of filthiness which she both affirmeth by words and confirmeth by deeds to wit producing the Garment left in her hands no doubt but the accuser of the brethren had set her on to charge that upon the innocent whereof she herself was onely most guilty all this and much more will your heart do to you 't will first intice you to sin and then accuse you of sin as before 't will shift off sin from it self and lay the fault upon company occasion c. and not upon it self as Apollodorus his heart did when he dreamed that he was taken by the Scythians who flead off his skin and lifting him into the Caldron to boil him his heart cryed out within him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am the cause of all this evil 14. The fourth Allusion is Jael who beguiled Sisera Judg. 4. 18. 19. c. with her turn in my Lord turn in to me Fair words make fools fain saith the Proverb she saith unto him fear not and promises him protection from his pursuers she covers him with a rug or cover-lid Stragulâ Villosa pretending both to hide him from his enemies and to secure him from catching cold but indeed intending to get him asleep that she might the easier destroy him yea as a shew of greater respect when he asked but Water to cool him in his great heat by his hasty flight on his feet she gave him Milk v. 19. Judg. 5.25 which was safer drink than water yet more procuring sleep which was her design yea she brought him Butter also in a Lordly dish to eat as well as Milk to drink and all this kindness she shewed him to make him sleep more securely under her protection and to prepare him the better for her Nail and Hammer wherewith she fastned his head when fast asleep to the ground as if it had been listning there what was become of his Soul he that boasted before of his Iron-chariots lies now slain by a Woman with a Nail of Iron a Nail of the Tent both long and strong enough both to pierce his skull and to fasten this proud worms-meat to the ground and all this carried on with shews of great kindness such are all the Murthering morsels of your sinful heart oh the flatteries thereof the Milk and the Butter wherewith it will lull you asleep in a false peace as the Syrens Songs Deut. 29. 19. but beware of the Tent-nail
things makes worse things ten-fold worse when they come upon him Alas how will such an one be all woe begone when he meets with the hottest Hell whereas he blessed himself all along that he was fairly going on towards a delightful Heaven 't is better for a King to dream that himself is become a beggar for though that dream while it lasteth doth trouble and torment him yet no sooner is he awakened than his grief and conceited misery is all at an end he findeth himself but deluded with a false dream he is a King still and this doth comfort him 't is otherwise when a miserable beggar dreams that himself is become some happy King for though those self-pleasing thoughts do tickle his fancy for a while yet as soon as he awaketh his sorrow after his false joy returns stronger upon him than it was before the foolish hope and groundless confidence of the Hypocrite shall be cut off Job 8. 14. and that cut is a cutting a killing cut 't is the worst greatest cut in the world every wicked man is this Hypocrite inasmuch as he grounds his vain hope upon the general mercy of his maker without any particular promise brought home and wrought in upon the heart Isa 27. 11. presumendo sperat sperando perit saith the Father he presumptuously hopeth and by hoping perisheth though he cannot tell of one tear he hath shed for his sins nor of one hour he hath spent in the mortification of his sins yet doth he in effect but lay his own shadow for a bridge and so must needs under horrible disappointments fall into the bottomless pit God will reject his confidences and he shall not prosper in them Jer. 2. 37. false delights are always true dangers and brings after real torments In the sixth and last place this is the cheat of cheats the very fountain and original of all other cheats for nothing could deceive us if our own hearts did not first deceive us 't was a good saying of Father Latimer when he was cheated by his Chapman in buying a commodity and was told thereof Alas saith the good old Doctor my cheating chapman hath far the worse of it meaning thus that if his own heart had deceived him in his fond credulity this amounted onely to an outward loss but his chapmans heart had worse deceived him into acts of fraudulency and cozenage which amounted to inward guilt and would prove a sting to his Soul 7. Before we come from the general to a particular discovery of the hearts deceitfulness some general Objections against this great truth doth lie in our way just as Amasa's body did lie in the way of the Armies march 2 Sam. 20. 12 13. which therefore must be removed out of the way as his body was there that we may march forward without any Remora or obstruction 1. Object The first Objection is Methinks I hear some poor ignorant Soul say I know no such thing by my heart that it is such an evil treasure or that it is so full of both treason and treachery 1. Ans Answer the first Come Soul why do you say thus may it not be because you have not beheld the hidden man of the heart in the looking-glass of the law of liberty you know a man may have his face sadly smutched and besmear'd with soot and he not know it without the help of a look-ing-glass or of the eyes of others Alas the spots of Gods children at the least are upon you Deut. 32. 5. 2. Ans Answer the second If at any time you have through grace beheld your self in the glass of Gods word or have been told of it by the Ministers of the Gospel Alas your speech bewrays you that you have forgotten the complexion of your heart so discovered Jam. 1. 23. 25. 3. Ans Answer the third I beseech you take heed you be not of the number of those that yet know not the plague of their own hearts 1 Kin. 8. 38. The Apostle tells you that there be some in the world who are past feeling Eph. 4. 19. in some consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati custom in sinning takes away all sense of sin whereby the heart contracts a kâ—nd of hoof and hardness upon it and the same Apostle tells you of some that have cauterized Consciences 1 Tim. 4.2 that like those Devils Matt. 8. 29. will have nothing to do with Christ and their own hearts as loth to be tormented before the time this is non pax sed stupor not any true peace but a sottish stupefaction a man that is sick unto death yet if insensible of his sickness 't is a sure indication of death's approaching 4. Ans Answer the fourth Take heed likewise that you be not one of Solomons credulous fools to trust too much in the goodness of your own heart Prov. 28. 26. This is not onely to be a fool but also to be a proud fool not unlike Homers Ajax that acknowledged no other God but his own Sword Alas this trusting in your own heart is no better than Autotheism which is as bad as Atheism or Polytheism a becoming no less than a God to your self according to Satans early insinuation Gen. 3. 5. a falling down to worship your self which is no better than if you worshipped many gods or no God at all oh do not thus sacrifice to your own net Hab. 1. 16. Prov. 3. 5. 5. Ans Answer the fifth You must remember that the heart is both a dark and a deep place so not easily discovered in all the disorders of it 't is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1. 19. an obscure squalid and filthy place for filthiness is mostly found in dark places and 't is call'd a deep heart Psal 64. 6. and therefore not easily sounded as the deep sea by many fathoms look as in your house or chamber though all the furniture thereof be mis-placed and out of order yet during the darkness of the night none of this is discerned but the morning-light springing into the room manifests all even so while you are darkness it self Eph. 5. 8. Act. 26. 18. you know not what is out of order in you but when the blessed day-star Christ Jesus Revel 22. 16. arises in your hearts then the disorders of your heart are discovered 9. The second Objection to be answered and removed thereby out of the way is this Another ignorant Soul may say although it be true that some other mens hearts be thus treacherous and deceitful yet mine is not so but I find by experience that 't is an honest heart that is willing to pay every one their due and is not so bad as is here declared 1. Ans Answer the first You must know that it favours too much of the proud Pharisee Luke 18. 11. to say I am not as other men do not you know that God hath fashioned all mens hearts alike Psal 33. 15. and that as in water
face answereth to face so the heart of man to man Prov. 27. 19. whole evil is in man and whole man is in evil and by nature there is never a better in whole mankind oh consider was it Davids experience and exercise who cryed Lord incline my heart and unite my heart and quicken my heart c. to bewail a naughty heart was it Solomons and Jeremyes and Pauls and whose not to cry out of a wicked and of a wretched heart And shall you plead exemption from such an epidemical evil the pride of your heart deceives you Obad. v. 3. 10. 2. Ans Answer the second It may be you were never yet led into such temptation as to draw out your corruption when those two meet together then is your danger of a fall Hazael had as good an opinion of himself as you can have of your self when he said to the Prophet Am I a dag that I should do so and so 2 King 8. 13. He had a reverend respect to the Lords Prophet and thought also that no Rational creature could possibly commit such barbarous brutish and inhumane Cruelties such as he judged far fitter to be done by some savage and ravenous beast rather than by any reasonable creature much less by himself but what is thy servant a dog so curst and so cruel as to tear out mens entrails and devour them like a dog Hazael could not imagine himself so notoriously bad and base as he after proved to be He professes himself here a Servant to Gods Prophet crying out as it were Oh be it far from me to commit such Villany as the tearing in pieces young Children like a dog and yet in his practice afterwards he became a bloody Butcher to Gods people Alas no man knows the depths of Satan that lurks in the corners of their own deep hearts Little did Bishop Bonner imagine while he was the Lord Cromwel's Favourite in Henry the 8th's time and promised to further the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures as much as his Predecessor had hinder'd it that ever he should prove such a common Cut-throat and General Slaughter-slave as one in a Letter to him stiled him to all the Bishops of England And as little did this Hazael think it of himself until Honours chang'd his Manners which rarely happens for the better and until Satans temptation and his own unthought-of corruption met together to engender all these unparallell'd Villanies when he came to be King 11. There is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a common Seed-plot of sin in every man there wants nothing but the warmth and watering of the Devil's Temptations to make it bud Ezek. 7.10 Who would ever have suspected such monsters to lurk in such holy bosomes as Surfeiting and Drunkenness c. which Christ cautions his own Disciples of Luke 21. 34. Corruption in the best will have some out-bursts Hence blessed Paul saw cause enough undoubtedly to admonish such a pure soul and mortified a man as young Timothy was being under many Infirmities 1 Tim. 5. 23. That he might flee youthful Lusts 2 Tim. 2. 22. and Exhort the younger women with chastity 1 Tim. 5. 2. Intimating thereby that while he was exhorting them to Chastity some unchast motion might steal upon his own heart at unawares well knowing that the naughty nature in the best of fallen Mankinde will have its flurts and flings out at some time or other through the Devils instigations yea and though there were no Devil to tempt man yet a base heart would supply the place of a busie Devil and act the Tempters part against it self It would have a supply of wickedness as a Serpent hath of poison from it self 12. Answ the third It may be likewise that your corruption is in chains and under restraint as it was with Abimelech Gen. 20. 6. It was not the King there that restrained himself from offering wrong to beautiful Sarah but 't is expresly said that it was God who restrained him vers 3. 17. either by Sickness whereof he should have died as God threatned him had he not restored her to her husband without injuring her or by the restraint of a natural Conscience which is a gift that God gives to men yea to the rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell among them to wit in his Worship and Ordinances Psal 68. 18. without which Restraining Grace Religion would never be suffered by wicked men to be in the world neither could there be upholden any Commonwealth or Society among men without it hence it appears that the corruption of your heart is but like a Wolf in chains your naughty nature may be chained up from evil when it is not changed yet into good notwithstanding this you may be but as a tame Devil or at least but as an unclean Hog onely in a clean place where you cannot with the Swine wallow in the mire of wickedness but if ever God let you loose by giving you the reins of your own unruly corruptions and by yielding you up to your own vile affections as Rom. 1. 24 26. you will not stick at any sin but run into all excess of riot with others in the world as 1 Pet. 4.4 and be as vile as the vilest David felt the transgressions of the wicked working and speaking even in his own heart Psal 36. 1. 13. Answer The 4th Answ And whereas you say that you have an honest heart paying each their own you must know that you may be a good Second-Table-man in Righteousness while you are but a bad First-Table-man in Holiness You may give man his due yet rob God of his due Mal. 3. 8. As you must not break the Commandments against your Creed by professing an holy Faith yet practising an unholy Life so neither may you break one of the Tables of the Decalogue against the other by your resting in a Righteousness to man only and the mean while rejecting all true and due Holiness to God this is not dividing aright for God which is supposed to be Cain's sin in his unrespected Sacrifice An honest and a good heart will give God his due as well as Man his 14. The Third Objection is A third poor ignorant Soul may say thus or one and the same Soul may make all these three Objections I know not the Characters of a self-deceiving heart and therefore do I think mine own heart to be an honest heart that cheats me not In Answer thereunto you must know there be four principal Characters though many more might be named of a self-deceiving heart As 1. a Silent 2. A Brawny 3. An Untractble And 4. an Unstable or Unconstant Heart 1. A Silent Heart is always to be suspected for a self-deceiving Heart the Spirit of Man is an active lively thing and therefore it is called in the Hebrew Ruach which signifies the Wind a thing that is always in motion yea Audible though not Visible Now if this Spirit grow senseless stupid and
the Earth and the Sun is by the Interposition of the body of the Moon 'twixt us and him in the first God's goodness only draws you but in the second your own Necessity drives you to God 12. The sixth and last Direction is Look upon all your Plenty and Prosperity that you do enjoy with no other than a Pilgrims eye and use all with no other than with a Pilgrims heart This David did acknowledging himself but a Stranger and a Sojourner even in the best and most flourishing estate that ever he was in 1 Chron. 29.15 looking through all his Riches and Honours at God the giver of them ver 12. Who giveth all things richly to enjoy 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. Prov. 10. 22. Psal 75. 6 7. and therefore hath a Right and Soveraignty to take from you at pleasure as well as to give to you Job 1. 21. You must both use and loose all with a God-blessing heart knowing that Pilgrims are subject to many miseries and molestations both Satanical and secular and that the property of all is God's even while the possession is yours This the Patriarchs acknowledged Gen. 47. 9. Hebr. 11. 13. and the Apostles Hebr. 13. 14. and Prophets Psal 39. 12. CHAP. VIII Of the Hearts Treachery in Adversity 1. THe second Temporal state wherein the Treachery of the Heart is discovered also is The state of Adversity which is a state that knocks at every mans door less or more for man bears misery in his very name There be four Hebrew names for Man usually mentioned in the holy Scriptures and these are Ish Enosh Gheber and Adam and of these four there be three of them that do carry Misery in their very sence and signification So that 't is three to one against every man but he shall have his Adversity or as the word imports something to be against him in one kinde or another if yet he say not with old Jacob All these things are against me Gen. 42. 36. The first name of Man in Hebrew is Ish so named à sonitu from sound or noise for Man comes into the world crying and goes out of the world groaning and all the time betwixt those two extremes or Termini à quo ad quem the first term of birth and the last term of death Man is no more than a sound or noise while he is acting his part upon the stage of the world whether it be a publick or private part all that time of his appearing upon that stage he indeed may make some noise less or more in his place or station but when the time of his disappearing cometh to wit the day of his dying as 1 Sam. 26. 10. then all his noise is at an end 2. The second name in Hebrew for Man is Enosh which hath two significations first it signifies Misery or Calamity as if Man in the fallen estate were made up of nothing else but of Sin and Misery Secondly it signifies as some render it Oblivion as if Man because of his misery were scarce worthy to be taken notice of or remembred Deut. 25.19 and 32.26 Job 18. 17. Psal 34. 16. Eccles 9. 15. The third Hebrew name for Man is Gheber Lamen 3. 1. I am the Gheber or man that hath seen affliction though the word indeed doth signifie great or a great man yet not so great as to be beyond or above the touch yea the churlish touch of trouble No man was ever yet found in the world either so good or so great as to be raised either by his goodness or greatness above the reach of Adversity The fourth Hebrew name for Man is Adam which signifies earthly which plainly intimates that suppose a Man a son of Adam do grow great in the world yet cannot he continue long in that greatness because he is earth He is of the earth earthly Joh. 3. 31. and he is of the earth earthy 1 Cor. 15. 47. Dust he is and unto dust he must return Eccles 12. 7. And possibly his return may be like that Return in the term of Law called Returna brevi a very short return God knows how soon how suddenly All Adam is all Abel as the Original runs elegantly Psal 39.5 in his best estate is all over vanity or Adam is Abel's mate Psal 144. 3 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soul and Soil a puff of winde is his breath and but a bag of dust is his body Jam. 4.14 a mere flash and a curious well-drawn Picture of Nothing 1. Of the Malady 2. Of the Remedy First the Malady 3. The Deceitfulness of the Heart in this state of Adversity is discovered in the many branches thereof as first 't is discovered by mans dulness to understand the minde of God in his Afflictions or the spring and original of them from whence they come whether from chance or from God God commands man to hear the rod and who hath appointed it Micah 6. 8. But alas man is exceeding dull and deaf to hear the voice of the rod or the voice of God in the rod God speaks once and twice and man perceives it not Job 33. 14. Herein Job himself was puzzled and at a non-plus when he cryed to God Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me Job 10. 2. Those reflect acts of the inner man come hardly off with the heart of man blind and dumb crosses such as we know not what they point at and speak to us nor from whence they come are never good as in ascribing them to chance as if things were of themselves and fall out well or ill of themselves and the hand of the great God were in none of them The Pagan Philistims consult with their Diviners about the causes of their Afflictions 1 Sam. 6. 2. When the hand of the Lord was heavy upon them 1 Sam. 5. 6. 9. not knowing whether to ascribe them to Chance or to divine Providence vers 9. If you at any time harp upon this string of Hap and Chance in the mean while if not denying yet at least doubting of Gods all-ordering Providence your heart doth deceive you The Rabbins say when Jeroboam's hand was withered up 1 Kin. 13.4 that his lying Prophets told the King It was but a chance that had hapned to him and thereby they withheld him from thinking upon God who had smitten him and from reflecting upon himself and his sin which was the procuring cause of that Judgment of God Still Satan and your own subtle heart will be suggesting to you that crosses are but common events and such as had a time to come in and must have a time to go in whereas nothing comes to pass in all the world but by Gods appointment Amos 3. 6. Matth. 10. 30 c. 4. The second Discovery of the Hearts deceitfulness in Adversity is in ascribing your Afflictions to Fortune which is worse than that of the Philistims aforesaid of ascribing that which is called The hand of the Lord 1 Sam.
than to be polluted Oh that you may imitate that little creature so devoted unto cleanness as to part with her liberty yea life rather than with her purity 11. The second thing is the Remedy against the treachery of your heart in Adversity Solomon bids you In a day of affliction consider Eccles 7. 14. that is you must when you are alone sit down pawse and ponder those things The first thing for you to consider as a good Help and Remedy is Who is the Authour of your Adversity It springs not out of the dust Job 5. 6. There is no evil in the City which the Lord hath not done Amos 3. 6. Now could you but make a believing use of the Soveraignty Justice and Graciousness of this Lord of yours from whence your Affliction cometh as his Messenger this would wonderfully hedge in your treacherous Heart from deceiving you As you must believe that your Lord is too kinde to do you harm and too just to do you wrong So likewise that he hath a Soveraign Power and Authority over you and is not bound to give an account of any of his matters unto you Job 33. 13. Oh consider that while the rod lies on your back yet 't is still in a Fathers hand He is called Pater Misericordiae a Father of Mercy but never Pater Vindictae a Father though he be called a God of Vengeance For although those whom God loves he chastens yet God doth not love to chasten He afflicts not willingly or from his heart Hebr. Lam. 3. 33. It goes as much against the heart with Him as against the hair with you hence Acts of Justice are called strange Acts with God Isai 28. 21. therefore cample not against God whose Will alone is the supreme Reason of all and 't is not only Right but 't is also the Rule of all Right Rom. 9. 20. Jer. 12. 1. 12. The second helpful Consideration is What is the End as well as Who is the Authour This Father of Spirits never chastens his Children for his own pleasure as fathers of the flesh often do â—venting their choler and disburthning themselves of that displeasure which perhaps without cause they have conceived against their children Hebr. 12. 10. But the Lord never doth so for Fury is not in him Isai 27. 4. He is a God and not man Hos 11. 8 9. Man is an angry vindictive Creature but God is full of Compassion abundant in Goodness and slow to Anger Exod. 34. 6. Nahum 1. 3. Yea a None-such God for a none-such sinner Mic. 7. 18. Though God may do with his own what he pleaseth yet doth he never over-do with them 't is a pain to him to be punishing of them In all their Afflictions he is afflicted Isa 63.9 He therefore never corrects for his own pleasure but for our profit the ground always is displeased Love and the end is always fuller embracements You may not pore upon the matter of your Adversity more than upon the end of Gods inflicting Affliction his end is always a gracious end unto a gracious Soul 't is to do you good in the latter end Deut. 8. 16. and to make you more a partaker of his Holiness Hebr. 12. 10. and of the peaceable fruits of Righteousness vers 11. to wit increase of Grace an heart left in a better frame than 't was found in which is call'd a coming out as Gold Job 23. 10. A Physician gives his Patient physick that makes him sick purges him even unto a leanness and bleeds him usque ad deliquium animi until he swoon away yet these are not the end of his undertaking but 't is to recover a more healthful state with better blood and nobler spirits accordingly may God deal with you when he findes you under a surfet of prosperity The cup your Father gives you drink it John 18. 11. that bitter potion brings sweet health 13. Consider thirdly the Measure of it as well as its End and Authour Your God will certainly correct you in measure Jerem. 30. 11. you shall not have one lash more than needs yea he will suit your burden to your back and your stroke to your strength The Jews with their Whip of three cords would rather give the Offender one lash too few than one too many that they might not exceed the number of forty stripes which were limited them by the Law Deut. 25. 3. as appears in Paul's case 2 Cor. 11. 24. They are Bastards and not Sons that have not any stripes Hebr. 12. 7 8. But there was never any son that had too many of them God had one Son only to wit Christ sine flagitio without the guilt of sinning but he never had any Son no not Christ himself sine flagello without the whip of suffering The Jews also fitted their whip to the strength or weakness of the person corrected even so doth God 2 Sam. 7. 14. beshebet Anashim Hebr. Virgâ senum aut hominum debilium I will â—hasten him with the rod of men the word signifies of old and weak men or such as are sickly who cannot strike hard and God will not do so though he can though he will be faithful to your soul yet will he not be cruel to your body for 't is but chastizing with rods not scourging with Scorpions 't is to break your sin but not your soul therefore he doth it in measure 1 Cor. 10. 13. and only by peck-peck as the Hebrew signifies Isai 27. 8. not whole bushels at once he will stay the rough wind that his tender plant may not be blown down you shall not have the whole weight of his mighty hand upon you either to crush you to pieces or to grinde you to powder 14. The fourth helpful Consideration is What is the cause or occasion of your Affliction This was it that puzzell'd Job as before Job 10. 2. You must labour to spell out Gods minde in every trouble that by his Providence befals you and hear the voice of his rod Micah 6. 9. never being satisfied with dumb crosses they have always a voice if you have but an ear they are not dumb if you be not deaf God many times points out to Man his very sin by the rod and writes his sin upon his very punishment Judg. 1. 7. that Lord of Bezek had learnt so much ingenuity as to acknowledge Gods art of Justicing in a most exact way of Retaliation his punishment did to an hair correspond with his sin The Apostle tells you that unworthy communicating was the sin which was the procuring cause of the great Mortality at Corinth 1 Cor. 11. 30. for God will be sanctified of all that draw nigh to him Levit. 10. 3. Sin is ever the occasion of Sickness and Suffering when possibly it may not be the immediate and particular cause and Sin is the cause in general when this or that particular sin is but the occasion Job's Affliction was not for a punishment of this
from being deceived herein I must refer you for brevities sake here to my Crown and Glory of a Christian pag. 78. to 121. which I may enlarge upon if the Lord lengthen out my tranquillity in due time that this Treatise Of the Treachery of the Heart may not swell into a too bulky and above a pocket book touching your Religious Actions which I therefore shall handle here only in the general referring you to every particular Religious Action or Ordinance in my Walk and Work of a Christian upon Earth till he come to Heaven And these Religious Actions are principally two The first is your performing of Duties and the second is your exercise of Graces 1. Of the first of these to wit Take heed your treacherous heart deceive you not in your performance of Duties In order hereunto you must know That DVTY is your Homage and Fealty which the creature Man owes to his great Creator 't is your poor Pepper-corn you must pay to the Landlord of the world 't is the Souls reciprocation unto God shewing forth the praises of him as your first-fruits to him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2. 9. The love of God constrains you 2 Cor. 5. 14. to say What shall I do unto thee O thou Preserver of men Job 7.20 A gracious heart is of a rendering Disposition Psal 116. 12. and can never do enough for God that hath done so much for it you must be ever Praising the glory of his Grace Ephes 1. 6. in due and daily Duty which you may neither neglect nor carelesly perform 1. The Malady 2. The Remedy First Of the Malady 2. The first Deceit of the Heart in respect of performance of Duty to God which Mercy from God always requires is your Heart may be remiss and negligent therein not only before but even after sincere Conversion 1. Before Conversion Your heart will then love a lazy Religion although some Conviction to Duty be upon you and such as costs you nothing or very little whereas holy David would not offer to the Lord his God that which did not cost him something 2 Sam. 24. 24. He would honour God with his substance Prov. 3. 9. and lay out some cost for him as the good Woman did in her Spikenard of great price John 12. 3. Whereas the Duty which the unconverted perform is either none or as good as none there is small difference 'twixt Nequam and Nequicquam as good never a whit as never the better Though the carnal Jews undoubtedly in their seventy years Captivity prayed often as well as fasted often Zech. 7. 5. Yet Daniel excellently accounts for them as if they had performed no duty at all Yet made we not at all our prayer to God Dan. 9. 13. because they did it lazily and more for breaking off their chains than their sins Thus likewise Paul in his carnal and unconverted estate while he was educated in the strictest Order of the Pharisaical Religion Acts 26. 5. and no doubt said his Prayers often yet all that time never made his Prayer as 't is phrased Job 22. 27. unto God at all and therefore he was never reckon'd to pray indeed until after his Conversion Acts 9. 11. Yea and 2ly after Conversion Oh what a secrèt willingness will you finde in your treacherous heart either altogether to omit duty or to be sleight and perfunctory in the performance of it Smarting Experience will suggest to you something of an over-satisfying content sometimes to be disappointed of duty Ask your Heart Hath Morning-occasions and company never hinder'd you of your Morning-duty or at least made you to post it cursorily over But you must know that though God upon some occasional hindering Occurrences may give you a Dispensation for this or that particular hour of Duty yet that Dispensation may not be construed by you as a plenal discharge from Duty 3. Indeed many persons plead their multitude of business to be their hinderance from performing of Duty but I say not only that multitude of works wants not sin no more than multitude of words Prov. 10. 19. Eccles 5. 3. but also the more business and occasions you have in the world the more need you have to perform Duty more strictly for sanctifying those your many Occasions for your Employments as well as your Enjoyments should all be sanctified by Prayer 1 Tim. 4. 5. House-occasions and Field-occasions yea all occasions stand in need to be sanctified Levit. 27. 14. 16. 18. Reverend Mr. Pemble saith excellently that there is no outward Calling so very full of various Employments but that in the space of twenty four hours some time might be spared and redeemed for Religious Duties 'T is true God doth not expect so much Duty from you that live in an outward Calling as he doth from those whose Calling is the Ministry who should dedicate their whole times and their whole talents unto God yet know that God gives to none a license to be lazy and if you neglect your Duty to God you will be in danger of Judgments from God Let us go and sacrifice to our God lest he fall upon us with his plagues Exod. 5. 3. As omission of Diet breeds Diseases in the Body and makes work for Death or for the bodily Physician So omission of Duty breeds Distempers in the Soul and I makes work for Hell or for the Soul-Physicians Alas it was Omission of Duty a Sin of Omission that banished Moab from the Church to the tenth Geveration Deut. 23. 3 4 5. and that Dâ—muld many to the pit of Hell Matth. 25. 42. And if you be lukewarm only in Duty though you omit it not God will spue you out of his mouth Revel 3. 16. into some base place any the worst place is good enough to receive God's spewings 4. The second Deceit is When you are brought from Sin to Duty and from the Omission to the Observation of it then may your heart deceive you in overvaluing Duty in living upon it and resting in it We are not ignorant of Satans devices 2 Cor. 2. 11. that envious one If he cannot keep you too much on the left hand he will throw you too far on the right and make you set up duty in Christs stead and cause you to give it that honour which is due to Christ Just as Darius his Mother did obeisance to Ephestion mistaking him for Alexander himself saluting the Favourite for the Prince When the Devil in conjunction with your own heart can no longer prevail to make you undervalue Duty in neglecting of it then alas he will strongly tempt you to overvalue Duty and to set it up as a Saviour to you well knowing how offensive it is to Christ to justle in any Competitors or Corrivals with him in the matter of Salvation who will be one and all or he will be none at all As Christ trode the Wine-press alone Isa 63. 3. to bring you
for your Body And this Bread of Life comes dish'd up to you in divine Duties Therefore by these things you live and herein is the life of your spirit Isa 38. 16. 8. The fourth Deceit of the Heart herein is 'T will wander from God in duty it cannot watch with Christ one hour Matth. 26. 40. nor attend the Lord without distraction 1 Cor. 7.35 much less can you abide with Christ one whole day as those Disciples did Joh. 1. 41 c. your spirit will not be stedfast with God Psal 78. 8. 37. but your heart will deal unâ—â—ithfully with him and start aside from him â—â—ke a deceitful bow as above vers 57. 't will bâ— like Reuben as Vnstable as water Gen. 49. 4. This is for Lamentation and should be for Lamentation to you that you should bring such a slippery heart before the Lord in Duty that will not serve God so entirely as it has served sin Alas you have served sin with your whole Heart Soul and strength but you could never serve God so your heart hath been divided in his service Hos 10. 2. We are all of us too much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 double-soul'd or double-hearted as James phraseth it Jam. 1. 8. hence cometh our unstableness in Duty and our halting and halving 'twixt God and the world and 'twixt Christ and sin This is that corruption which that Apostle calls upon us to cleanse away cleaving so fast to us Jam 4. 8. and then there would be more Constancy and Evenness more Stability and Entireness in our Minds Mouths and Manners before the Lord This is absolutely necessary in all those that draw nigh to God Levit. 10. 3. and the contrary is abominable Isai 29. 13. We may all of us say in this case as Joseph's brethren said in another case We are verily guilty Gen. 42. 11. Therefore you have need to watcâ— your heart Prov. 4. 23. like a thief that will either steal away from you by fraud or â—eak away from you by force ere ever you be aware And to pray with David Lord fix â—nd unite my heart that as thou art God alone so my heart may be to thee alone Psal 86. 10 11. Lord bend it and binde it fast with cords as a Sacrifice or untamed Heifer to the horns of the Altar Psal 118. 27. that you may serve God with singleness 2 Cor. 1. 12. cleaving to him with full purpose of heart Act. 11. 23. Deut. 30. 20. and sitting close to him as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 7. 35. signifies as close as Mary did to Christ Luke 10. 40. while Martha was distracted with many things 9. The fifth Deceit of the Heart is 'T will be weary of Duty as well as wander in and from Duty this usâ—ers in that If your heart be divided disjointed and thereby disenabled for Duty for Aninia dispersa fit minor a stream divided into several channels runs the weaker Vis unita fortior if contracted into one the same becomes the stronger 't will soon also grow weary of Duty and cry Oh what a weariness is it Mal. 1. 13. where the Jews come puffing and blowing into the Temple as if they had lost their pant with carrying some Carrion-sheep upon their shoulders for Sacrifice as if God had called them to no other service but servile drudgery but God knowing the language of their hearts detects their Hypocrisie telling them he presseth upon no man neither liketh he that service that is pressed out of people as Verjuice is pressed out of Crabs All his Saints Subjects and Soldiers are Volunteers a willing people that bring their Free-will-offering to him Psal 110. 3. They dare not cry out of weariness as those did nor account the Sabbath a burden as they did in Amos 8.5 who were as it were in the stocks or little-ease all the Sabbath-service though they do themselves perform no better works than dead works all the time either for fashions sake or for fear of the Law Oh let it not be so with you let the Sabbath be a day both of desires and of delights to you Isa 58. 13. and take as much pleasure therein as one walking in the Spring-garden of Spiritual Duties arm in arm and heart in heart with your dear Lord Jesus you must not only Deo servire sed adulari be unsatisfiable unwearied in his service as one that never does enough for him that hath done and suffer'd so much for you 10. The sixth Deceit is You may look more at the Acceptation of the Action performed than at the person performing 'T is true in the Covenant of Works the first Covenant God first accepted of the Action and then of the Person for the tenure of that Covenant runs in those terms Do this and live Ambrose the Father hath an excellent descant upon it to wit Homo priùs probandus quà m approbandus Man must first be proved in this Covenant of Works before he be approved When God the Creator called all his created things good and very good at the end of every days Creation yet when he had created Man he speaks not one word of the goodness of his creature Man and why so 'T was because Man must first be tryed and then if he deserved it commended but alas Man bal Jalin non pernoctavit abode not one night as the Hebrew word signifies in his honourable estate wherein he was created Psal 49. 12. He failed in his action so God accepted not of his person But 't is otherwise in the second Covenant the Covenant of Grace for herein the person is accepted first and then the action from that person As in the case of Abel Gen. 4. 4. and Hebr. 11. 4. his Sacrifice was respected and accepted because by Faith his person was justified The Lord had respect to Abel and to his offering God's respect there was first to his person and then to his Action or Offering Whereas the first Covenant was made betwixt an holy man and an Holy God Man then stood upon his own legs and by his own strength and he had then no back-door no surety But this second Covenant is made with us in Christ and 't is now Live and do as the first was Do and live because we live in Christ that therefore we do our actions acceptably in him Ephes 1. 6. 11. The seventh Deceit is You may look that your person may be accepted in Duty more for the Actions sake than for Christs sake If your heart be not lifted up and raised to a due height in Duty 't will be a low creeping heart and then will it pore too much on self and the Duty done and too little on Christ Whereas no Israelite was to offer up his own Offering but he must put it into the hand of the Priest who was a type of Christ our High-Priest and he must both bring it and burn it before the Lord for the Israelite Levit. 1. 15. You should
16. and praying Lord quicken me in thy way Psal 119. 37. As endeavours withou God cannot so God without endeavours will not quicken that spiritual principle the flint must be struck upon the steel or there is no fetching of fire out of it You should stir up your self for and interest Christ in all your Duties that the sword of the Lord and of Gideon may go hand in hand together Jud. 7. 18. 20. The 4. Rule is Do Duties for right Ends as well as from a right Principle by a right Strength and with a right Supply Right ends of Duty are 1. That God may be honoured by it 2. That your thankfulness to the God of your Mercy may be expressed 3. That those Duties may be profitable to others Tit. 3. 8. And lastly That your Soul may meet with Christ in them You should cry in every Duty have over Lord for Heaven getting a full tide of Affections and cry with David Oh that I had wings Psal 55. 6. and winde in my wings Zech. 5. 9. Revel 12. 14. even the wings of a dove wherewithal you may flye to the Ark of Mercy as Noah's dove did 15. The fifth Rule is See that your heart rest not short of Christ in any Duty Let go your hold of no Duty until you finde something of Christ in it and until you get not only an handful but an armful with old Simeon Luke 2.28 yea an heartful of the blessed and beautiful Babe of Bethlehem therein Indeed you should have commerce with Heaven and communion with Christ in duty which is therefore called the presence of God or your appearing before him Exod. 23. 17. and Psal 42. 2. Your Duties then must be as a Bridge to give you passage or as a Boat to carry you over into the bosom of Christ Holy Mr. Bradford Martyr said He could not leave Confession till he found his heart touch'd and broken for sin nor Supplication till his Heart was affected with the beauty of the Blessings desired nor Thanksgiving till his Soul was quickned in return of Praises nor any Duty until his heart was brought into a duty-frame and something of Christ was found therein Accordingly Bernard speaks Nunquam abs â—e absque te recedam Domine I will never depart in duty from thee without thee O Lord. Augustine said hâ— loved not Tully's elegant Orations as formerly because he could not finde his Christ in them nor doth a gracious Soul empty Duties Rhetorical flowers and flourishes expressions without impressions in praying or preaching are not true bread but a tinkling Cymbal to it and cannot be put off with the empty spoon of aery Notions or lovely that are not also lively Songs If Christ talk with you in the way of duty your heart will burn within you Luke 24. 16. 32. 6. The sixth Rule is Neglect not the Magnalia or great Duties of Christianity while you do observe it may be oversolicitously even to Superstition the Minutula or lesser Duties as the Pharisees in their straining at gnats and swallowing camels Matth. 23. 23 24. As Saul that scrupled eating flesh with the blood 1 Sam. 14. 33. yet not at all the shedding of the blood of the Lords innocent Priests 1 Samuel 22. 16 17 18. And as those wicked Priests seemed to make Conscience of putting the price of Blood in the Treasury but none at all of imbrewing their hands in the innocent Blood of the Lamb of God Matth. 27. 6 c. the price of that Blood may not lye in their chest yet the Blood it self may lye on their Consciences v. 25. 7. The seventh Rule is You must persevere in Duty all your days as before You may not be a young Saint and an old Devil like the New-moon that gives light for a while in the former part of the night but goes down into darkness long before the Night is gone You may not be a lightsome Professor in your Youth and have your light wrap'd up in darkness in your old Age but your Grace like good liquor should run fresh to the bottom and your last days should be your best CHAP. XII Of the Hearts Treachery in exercising of Graces 1. THe Deceits of the Heart concerning Grace are manifold to be here discovered as 1. You may mistake Gifts for Graces 2. False and seeming Grace for true and saving Grace 3. Common Grace for special Grace which accompanies Salvation and is peculiar to the Elect of God All these are over and above those Deceits aforementioned in mistaking Nature for Grace Civility for Sanctity and Restraining for Renewing Grace You may think that you are exercising the very right and real Grace of God when 't is only some Mock-grace that is exerted and exercised in you In order to the undeceiving of your Soul herein you must 1. know what this Grace of God's Elect is which Spirit of truth the world cannot receive Joh. 14. 17. And 2ly how to distinguish it from those other falsly supposed Graces which the Non-elect world may and do receive First of the 1. to wit What right Grace which the Apostle calls true Holiness is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 4. 24. the Holiness of Truth Gr. or true Holiness in opposition to that which is falsly and feignedly supposed only to be so This right and real Grace or Holiness is called in Scripture The Riches of his Glory Rom. 9. 23. The Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. and the very life of God himself Ephes 4.17 yea the very Image of the heavenly Adam 1 Cor. 15. 49. wherein we resemble Christ not only as a picture doth a man in outward Lineaments but as a Childe doth his Father in Countenance and Conditions This resemblance consists not in Corporeal Substance so much as in Divine Qualities Grace in truth is the choicest frame and excellency that flesh and blood is capable of 'T is as Reverend Mr. Robert Bolton defines it the most glorious Creature of the Father of Lights flowing immediately from his blessed face As in the hand of Moses the Serpent was turned into a rod Exod. 4. 4. so in the hand of the Messiah our crooked Natures are made streight by Grace the Lion is changed into a Lamb c. Isa 11. 6 7 8. and our rough spirits are made plain thereby Isa 40. 4. 'T is the work of this blessed Carpenter so Christ is called Mark 6. 3. to hew and square many a knotty piece of Timber that it may become fit materials for his holy Temple 2. The second thing you are to know is how to distinguish the right from the wrong and first how Grace is distinguishable from Gifts which may be your first enquiry To which I answer 1. in the general 'T is possible a man that hath Grace may think he has nothing but Gifts and 't is as possible that a man which hath nothing but Gifts may think that his Gifts are Graces He that hath Gifts hath indeed an excellent thing and that
of Christ should constrain us both to forbear evil and to perform good 2 Cor. 5. 14. Hence the Apostle doth beseech us by the Mercies of God Rom. 12. 1. 'T is true indeed this slavish fear hath little of Grace in it yet 't is better to have this servile fear than none at all Psal 4.4 and 36. 1. Gen. 20. 11. Where no fear is there is no bridle to restrain from any kinde of extravagancy Answer 2. Restraining Grace doth not mortifie Sin nor destroy the Root of it but only puts a band of iron and brass upon it for a time as Dan. 4. 14 15. so that the budding forth and the outward Exercise of sin is only for the presen◠hindred Thus Abimelech's Lust was not a◠all mortified although God withheld him from doing violence to Sarah nor was Laban's heart changed when God chained him 〈◊〉 from harming Jacob Gen. 31. 24. 29. 42. Neither was Saul's in his deepest melting over David the old heart remains when 't is hedged in from outward acts with a thorn-hedg◠of Affliction Hos 2. 6. 15. The 3. Answer is Such as have Restraining Grace only and not Renewing Grace also 't is their great trouble that they are held in so much and so long in the stocks of Conscience Alas they would gladly be enlarged and set at liberty again as gladly as a man that is set fast in the stocks would be set out of them at liberty that they may finde out their own old paths again Hos 2. 6. They do grudge at the hedge and wall that God hath set 'twixt them and their sin Whereas we finde David with his new heart blesses God for hindering him from doing evil 1 Sam. 25. 33 34. But those men murmur that they are hindered by this Restraining Grace and not any real Diminution of the inward substance and quality of it The 4. Answer is This Restraining Grace is always ab extra proceeding from an external cause or original as the burning Bush Exodus 3. 2. had the light of fire continued upon it but the heat thereof was restrained by an outward over-ruling Power And so it was with the fiery furnace Dan. 3. 27. which had heat as well as light only it was chained up and restrained at that time the great God of Nature can chain up any particular nature In both these Instances God restrained the combustible matter so that the green leaves of the Bush and the living bodies of the Men were not so much as singed by it Thus also God restrained the hungry Lions from devouring holy Daniel Dan. 6. 22. and thus likewise God restrains the rage of mon Psal 76. 10. 'T was not any inward Principle that restrained prophane Esau from harming his Brother Jacob but it was an outward awe of his aged Father Gen. 27. 41. The days of mourning for my Father are a◠hand and their will I slay my brother Jacob. Thus it appears that Restraining Grace differs from Renewing Grace quoad fontem the fountain and original from whence they flow the latter is from an inward Principle the former from an external Cause or Motive as is exemplified in Scripture 1. 'T was Pharaoh's knowing Joseph that made him courteous to the Israelites and that restrained him and his people from exercising cruelty to them Exod. 1. 8 9 10. 2. 'T was a Reverence that the Israelites had to Joshuah and the Elders c. that restrained them from their Idolatry from their worshipping of Baalim and Ashtaroth Josh 24. 31. and Judg. 2. 7. 10 11-13 3. 'T was an awful respect that Joash had to Jehoiada which moved him to do right in the sight of the Lord all the days he lived with him to instruct him 2 King 12. 2. whereas after Jehoiada's death King Joash hearkened to his flattering Courtiers and left God's Temple to worship Idols in the Groves 2 Chron. 24. 24. 17 18. And thus it is with all those that carry well for the sake of a godly Father or Mother or Master or Minister while they live to awe and instruct them but as if akin to profane Esau after the death of those then they run into excess of Riot and exorbitancy The 5. Answer is And as they differ each from other quoad fontem so likewise fifthly quoad finem according to the End to which they have a tendency Restraining Grace is principally for this end to uphold Societies in the World especially that Society of the Church as above It s End is for the good of others more than of a mans self that receives it but renewing Grace is primarily for the benefit of the Receiver and secondarily for others 17. The 6 and last Answer is They do differ in their Extent and Latitude in respect of those four Circumstances 1. Person 2. Time 3. Subject and 4. Object 1. In respect of the Person Restraining Grace is given to the good and bad promiscuously but Renewing Grace is given to the good only Thus the former was conferr'd upon the Heathen King Abimelech upon wicked Saul and the like as before and the reason is because the End of it is for the good of others as is aforesaid 'T is possible that the receiver of restraining Grace may receive no benefit at all to himself by it especially no benefit that accompanies Salvation Hebr. 6. 9. 2. In respect of Time Restraining Grace may binde up a man from evil for a time only and the man afterwards may have the reins of the bridle laid upon his neck and he left loose to run riot in the hands of his own counsel as Israel Joash c. aforementioned and as Saul Herod and many others 3. In respect of the Subject Restraining Grace may binde the hand when not the tongue or the heart it may leave both them at liberty Thus Saul's hands were sometimes tyed up by David's Innocency and Jonathan's Intercession while his tongue and heart were at liberty to do David a mischief 4. In respect of the Object Restraining Grace may lay fetters upon a man in his way to this or that notorious sin and yet the man may have elbow-room enough in his way to other sins Thus Herod was restrained by his reverence to the Baptist from doing many evils in his doing much good Mark 6. 20. yet was he at liberty for his sinning with Herodias Whereas renewing Grace as it differs both as to its fountain and as to its end so 't is distinguishable in all those four Circumstances 1. 'T is not so Common 2. 'T is more Durable 3. More Extensive to all parts and faculties of body and soul And 4. More Vniversal against all sin CHAP. XI Of the Hearts Treachery touching Actions 1. HAving discovered the Treachery of your Heart touching your state both Temporal and spiritual I come now to discover what it is touching Actions which are threefold Natural Civil and Religious Actions Concerning your natural and civil Actions how you ought to watch your Heart
therefore eye your self less and your High-Priest more in all your Duties especially considering that 't is he who carries the names of all the Tribes of Israel upon his Breast-plate into the Holy of Holies Exod. 28. 29. 'T is he who must present your person with acceptance to his Father saying Lo here am I and the children which thou hast given me Hebr. 2. 13. Yea and 't is He that must present your actions too or they will never come with acceptance upon Gods Altar Isa 60. 7. 'T is Christs work to pick out the Weeds from the Flowers in all our Duties he takes away the Iniquity of our holy things and what Flowers and Fragrancies of his own Spirit he finds in our Duties Cant. 4. 16. those he binds up in Nosegays and so presents them to the Father for us He Eekes out all our defects with his own fulness of sweet odours Revel 5. 8. and 8. 3 presenting nothing to God but what is pleasing to him as perfumed by his Merit 12. The eighth Deceit is You may be puffed up with Pride after enlargement of Duty When Spiritual Fire is at any time vouchsafed to be sent down from Heaven upon your Heart in Duty then is Satan's time in tempting you unto Self-admiration whereby you may forfeiâ— the heart-warming presence of God at anotheâ— time This is Satan's Chymistry to bring evil out of good to wit Spiritual Pride ouâ— of a divine enlarging presence which iâ— quite contrary to God's Chymistry in bringing good out of evil to wit a sanctified Use of temporal trouble Indeed God would never suffeâ— any sort of evil Natural or Moral to be in thâ— world if he knew not how to extract somâ— good out of all evil The spirit of or spiritual Pride is the worst sort of Pride as thâ— spirit of poison is the worst sort of poyson Corruptio optimi est pessima As this sort oâ— pride is the corruption of the best thing to wiâ—â— divine Duty so it becomes to be of the worâ—â— nature Morbus Satanicus the Devils Disease 'T is the worst kinde of Theft as it is a stealing from God his declarative Glory 't was Bernard's Descant Vxor gloria viri gloria uxor Dei as the Wife is the glory of man 1 Cor. 11.7 so Glory is the wife of God and therefore God is as jealous of his Glory as a man is of his wife His Glory he will not give to annother Isa 42. 8. 12. Will a man rob God Mal. 3.8 't is as sublime an Impudence as to rob the King of his Queen and yet this you may do in robbing God of his Glory the chiefest Flower and Jewel of his Crown when you exalt your self after enlargement more than your God which is a grosser and greater Crime than that which proud Haman was charged withal Will he force the Queen before my face Esth 7. 8. Hence arose that harsh-sounding Sentence of Austin Duty damus more than Sin and Duty damus more than it saves the sound sense whereof must be this When men are found priding for duty and resting in duty the Devil deceives them and so far their duties have accidentally a damning nature especially when they are deceived with seeming for saving Duty As the Witches in Lorain which Dr. Preston speaks of were deceived by some seeming broad pieces of Gold which proved at last no better than an heap of yellow dryed leaves of the Aspin-tree thus when we write up service and God writes it up sin Satan cheats us with seeming Service and in this sence Duty accidentally madamn Duty indeed saves none that â—â— Christs work to save and not the work oâ— Duty Duties be good Evidences as Grace be but both be bad Saviours 13. Thus far of the first thing to wit the Malady The second particular is the Remedâ— briefly Would you have relief against those deceits aforesaid then take these following Rules Rule the 1. Minde the Principle youâ— act from in Duty God looks more at the principle of Duty than at the performance or Duty it self he looks not so much at what you do as with what spirit you do your duty Alas a Cain may offer sacrifice as well as an Abel Gen. 4. 3 4. and a Doeg may step as far into the Sanctuary as a David I Sam. 21. 7. yea a proud Pharisee may step far further into the Temple than a penitent Publican Luke 11. 10 11. 13. yet with differing spirits and principles All your Deeds and Duties should be made manifest that they are wrought in God Joh. 3. 21. that is from a good principle as well as from a good End Jehu did excellent things for God 2 King 10. 16. yet that which spoiled all was that all his high and noble exploits did spring from a low and ignoble spirit and principle in not pursuing Gods praise so much as his own promotion The 2. Rule is Go forth in the strength of the Lord into every Duty Psal 71. 16 Take heed of fetching Materials of Duty from your self making Duty a matter of Wit of Memory and of natural Abilities Alas this is but a lifting up your own tool upon Gods Altar which will not polish but pollute it Exo. 20. 25. Duties that are made up of parts words and wit as Abanah and Parphar rivers of Damascus may indeed scour but 't is Duty done in Gods strength as Israel's Jordan can cure the Leprosie 2 Kin. 5.12 14. As Elisha's staff in the hand of Gehazi cannot cure 2 Kin. 4. 29 31. so Duties performed never so gloriously by our own abilities cannot help what cares Satan for all their Adjurations Act. 19. 13 14 15. where he sees not feels not the evidence and demonstration of God 14. The third Rule is Never sit down satisfied in Duty without the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ Phil. 1. 19. who must help your infirmities Rom. 8. 26. Gre. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lift with you as at a log and bearing up the heavier end of Duty for you God said betimes 'T is not good for man to be alone Gen. 2. 18. 'T is not good that man should be alone at any time but especially in Duty he stands in as much need of an helper for his Soul as he doth for his Body Martha would not serve Christ alone but she would have Christ to bid her Sister Mary help her Luke 10. 40. So do not you serve Christ alone in Duty but desire him to bid his Spirit help you therein Christ tells you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seorsim a me without me and my Spirit you can do nothing Joh. 15. 5. you cannot pray as you ought Rom. 8. 26. As you must do Duty from a principle of Life habitual Grace or a renewed frame of heart in Faith and Love so you must call in the help of the Spirit to excite that spring and principle crying Awake O North-wind come thou South blow upon my Garden c. Cant. 4.