123 Chap. 8. Of the Hearts Treachery in Adversity Of the Malady wherein it consists and the Remedy whereby it may be cured 136 Chap. 9. Of the Hearts Treachery as to the Spiritual State both in falsly conceiving what we are in Gods thoughts and what we are in our own 1. In Gods thoughts that we are elected c. 2. In our own thoughts where the grand Objection is largely answered to wit whether a man may be an Hypocrite and not know it 159 Chap. 10. Of the false grounds of Self-deceiving to wit 1. Outward Peace and Plenty 2. A good Nature or Disposition 3. Morality or Civility of Life 4. Restraining Grace 5. External Profession And 6. a resting in Notional Knowledge Helps for undeceiving which do demonstrate the difference 1. Betwixt Nature and Grace 2. Betwixt Civility and Sanctity 3. Betwixt Restraining and Renewing Grace 172 Chap. 11. Of the Hearts Treachery as to our Actions especially those that are Religious The Hearts Treachery 1. as to performance of Duties in our undervaluing or overvaluing of them c. and what fit Remedies may be against those Maladies 196 Chap. 12. Of the Hearts Treachery in the exercise of Graces especially in mistaking 1. Gifts for Graces 2. False and seeming Grace for true and saving Grace And 3. That which is but common Grace for that which is special even the Grace of Gods Elect Lastly How all those differ one from another 217 THE Christians Mirrour OR Looking-glass that flatters not CHAP. I. Of the Heart in general 1. THere be two great concerns of faln Man most necessary to be known though much neglected to wit Hearts Treasure and Hearts Treason or Treachery the former of these to wit the inestimable Riches of Christ Eph. 3. 8. cannot be prized or pressed after without some true and due knowledge of the latter which is called the Plague of the Heart 1 Kings 8. 38. and which every one ought to have a sensible and an experimental knowledge of even the Plague of that fretting Leprosie which is as Physitians do call it Corruptio totius substantiae universally spread over the whole Man that dryes up and draws out the very Vital Blood and life of the Soul the spots whereof are deeper than the skin like the spots of Leopards which no Art can cure no water can wash off they are not onely seated in the hands and in other outward parts but they are sunk down into the Heart and ingrained or ingraffed into the very spirit Levit. 13. 2 3. Jerem. 13. 23. The spots are not onely in the flesh and bones but also in the very sinews and inner parts where then is Mans free-will to good c. so that all the scraping in the world will not fetch it off Levit. 14. 41 43 44 45. Mans heart cannot be mended but by making it new and by renewing it Moses putting his hand into his bosome found Leprosie there and there he left it also Exod. 4. 6 7. there he found it and there he left it putting his hand into his bosome again 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was a golden Sentence given to Mankind by one of the seven wise men of Greece That every Man might know himself and that this might be better done Mans gracious Creator hath left him a Looking-glass to wit the Holy Scriptures wherein Man may behold his Maker and himself also 1. This Looking-glass represents God to Man 2 Cor. 3. 18. and though that Representation be but through a Glass darkly 1. in opposition to Mans seeing God face to face in another World 1 Cor. 13. 12. yet holds it out the clearest discovery of God that Man is capable of in this lower World 2. In opposition to the Law of Moses which was but a dark dispensation in shadows and ceremonies compared with the Law of the Messias the Gospel that blessed Looking-glass of the Law of Liberty Jam. 1. 23 24 25. Alas poor mortal man cannot behold the face of God otherwise than in his Word and Works Rom. 1. 20. or the brightness of his glorious Presence the Majesty whereof would swallow up mere Mortality Exod. 33. 20 22 23. 1 Tim. 6. 16. Vehemens sensibile destruit sensum The object is over-violent for the faculty Man cannot see the Sun in Rotâ in the Circle but onely in the Beams Moses saw Mercaboh velo harocheb the Chariot in which God rode but not the Rider in it as the Rabbin saith he saw his back-parts onely but his Face and Essence could not be seen 3. And 2ly this Looking-glass of the Word of God represents Man to himself and gives him a distinct and impartial character of himself if rightly improved History makes mention of Momus the carping Heathen that found fault with mans Maker for not setting a Glass in mans Breast that so his Heart might be seen But assuredly God hath set such a Glass in his Word that Man thereby may see his own heart when Christ opens his blinde eyes to improve it and this is a Mirrour that flatters not a Looking-glass that makes a real discovery not like that famous Glass we read of at Athens which would represent the most deformed and discolour'd person to appear very beautiful nor like any of those Artificial Glasses that have all Impostures in them as the Magnifying-Glass that makes a thing look bigger than it is in quantity or the Multiplying-Glass that makes a thing more than it is in number or as other fallacious Glasses that represent things under our feet to seem above our heads contra things afar off to seem near hand contra yea to seem of another Colour and Figure of another Posture and Scituation than indeed they are of in themselves In all these there is deceptio Visus a deceiving of the sight but no such thing is in this divine Looking-glass 4. Augustine writing to Nebridius wondered at this strange Secret in plain and common Looking-glasses inasmuch as the lesser they are according to their Module or Size they do represent any thing lesser than it is in it self yet let these same Glasses be made never so large they never make the thing bigger than it is indeed Upon this observation that antient Father cryeth out saying In hoc aliquid occultum latere putandum est Some marvelous Mystery lyes hid herein Thus you see there are many deceitful and false Glasses that make false Representations but the Looking-glass of the Word of God is no false or flattering glass But as it is the Word of Truth Dan. 10. 21. Joh. 17. 17. and replenish'd with the Spirit of Truth Joh. 14.17 so it gives no other than a true representation of the complexion of your Heart all its defects and deformities are discovered thereby Hebr. 4. 12 13. Mark 4. 22. As the Word is a curious Critick judging exactly so 't is a faithful Friend representing impartially Never say you as ignorant ones usually do that you have a good heart God-ward when
Cheats are but petty-cheats to this Jacob beguiled his Brother Esau of earthly blessings but this Jagnacob heart will beguile of Heavenly Tamar beguiles Judah of external things his signet bracelets and staff but this would cheat you of the white-stone wherein is written the new name that sealing and assuring Spirit of God Rev. 2. 17. and of that blessed bracelet of divine graces fastned all together with the knot of Humility as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 5. 5. signifies yea and of the staff of supporting grace which upholds you in your walking in Gods ways Rachel cheated Laban of his false gods but this you of the true one Dalilah betrays Sampson into the hands of his Temporal Enemies that put out his eyes made him work in a Mill c. these were all bodily evils onely but this betrays you into the hands of your Spiritual Enemies would put out the eyes of your understanding and would clap you up close prisoner to sin and Satan the slavery whereof is abundantly worse than Sampsons grinding in the prison-house The Gibeonites deceived Joshuah for their own preservation but the tendency of this deceit is for your own destruction And thus it may be said of the other deceitful persons and things your heart will cheat you in both natural things as in feeding sleeping c. and in civil things as in buying and bargaining but the worst cheat of all is in Religious things in the matters of life and Salvation with a bastard peace when not Marryed to Christ 3. A Woman that is not Marryed may indeed have children but she cannot have credit or comfort of them because they are bastards so the Soul not Married to Christ may have false joy which is not of Christs begetting nor the fruit of his Spirit there be parelii or mock-Suns that appear in the cloud for a while but continue not omnia verisimilia non sunt vera every like is not truly the same there be mock-graces also Satan Gods Ape wraps himself in Samuels Mantle 4. As this cheat is in the best things so it is a cheat for the longest time even for Eternity time can never be recalled or redeemed if once you be lanched out into that endless Ocean that bottomless and boundless deep of Eternity therefore must you fear and tremble to put an everlasting cheat upon an immortal Soul and that in a matter of eternal life and Salvation A man may weather out the point of other temporal cheats and in a little time recover himself and redeem his loss again but this Spiritual cheat is well-nigh irrecoverable 4. 5ly 'T is a cheating of our selves which is a compound of many bad Ingredients a cheat made up of many aggravations as 1. 't is contrary to the Laws of God even his positive Law Let no man deceive himself 1 Cor. 3. 18. Gal. 6. 3. 7. 1 Joh. 1. 8. Jam. 1. 22. 26. 1 Cor. 6. 9. 15. 33. Deut. 11. 16. Job 15. 31. Revel 3. 17. 2ly 't is contrary to the very law of Nature which is always sui conservativa a self-preserver and charitas est semper à seipso charity should always begin at home though it should not at any time end at home man needs not any positive Law or command to love himself and therefore God hath left none upon Record in Scripture saying Man love thy self for 't is supplyed by the Law of nature yet this deceiving our selves cancels out that very Law 3ly When a man flatters himself in his own eyes Psal 36.2 saying they shall find no iniquity in me Hos 12. 8. in so saying and in deceiving himself 1 Joh. 1. 8. Obad. 3. ver Isa 44. 20. thereby that which should be the self-preserver becomes the self-destroyer if the Sentinel that is betrusted with the watch become himself treacherous no wonder if the City or Castle be taken and ransacked by the enemy 4ly There is an odd kind of tameness in this self-delusion wherein the heart deceives our own Souls 't is heinous enough and we can well enough be vexed at it to be cheated by others but oh how tame and patient we can be in this cheating of our selves 't is a self-pleasing evil and a man may sink with much complacency in himself into the bottomless pit herein 5ly To be cheated in Commodities that a man is not much conversant in is not much marvelled at as in strange forraign drugs we may easily be deceived and none can wonder at it but to be cheated in things familiarly known to us oh this is odious and abominable insomuch that we can readily reflect upon our selves herein and cry out oh what a fool am I to suffer my self to be thus easily befooled Yet this is done in self-deception for what is a Man more familiar with than himself and what ought he to be more conversant withal than with his own bosome 6ly To be deceived in trifles is nothing a man can bear it well enough but in matters of moment as Inheritances the whole livelihood c. this is unbearable yet nothing is so weighty as Salvation that eternal Inheritance which men commonly bear too well to be cheated out of 7ly Such as cheat themselves are pittyed of none all men say they should have been wiser so self-deceit in matters of Salvation is a pittiless evil neither God Men nor Devils will pitty us for cheating our own Souls 5. 8ly This self-deceit makes a man worse than the Devil in one respect to wit in being for torment at the last and not expecting it but blessing himself with vain hopes and expectations of better things all which idle dreams shall certainly perish Job 8. 13 14. whereas the Devil is for torment and expects it Matth. 8. 29. Art thou come to torment us before the time this is indeed no free confession of his Will but 't is extorted from him by compulsion and unavoidable necessity the Devil might know that the Son of Man was to be the Judge of the world both of Men and of Devils out of Dan. 7. 13 14. and that himself with his whole Kingdom of Devils were reserved in chains until that dreadful day and that now he is onely respited and as it were reprieved in respect of full torment 2 Pet. 2. 4. Jud. v. 6. and that now he is onely suffered as a prisoner Non in arctâ sed liberâ custodiâ at large to flutter abroad in the air as a Prince of the power of the air Eph. 2. 2. and to course about the earth Job 1. 7. until that great day cometh which he trembleth to think on Jam. 2. 19. therefore such as scoff at this day and make light of it 2 Pet. 3. 3. 5. with their golden dreams of a fools-paradise makes themselves worse than the very Devils 6. 9. This same self-flatterer falls in that day under the greatest judgment and doubtless his own misery for his groundless hope and vain expectation of better
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
of Soul after Christ and after grace and strength to serve him with our spirits in the Gospel of Christ Rom. 1. 9. 'T was alas but a tast they had as a Cook may tast of his Masters sawce but he lets none go down their tast neither refreshed nor ravished them as a right tast of Christ doth Psal 34. 8. a little makes us long for more it makes us long for larger Communion with Christ in his graces as well as in his comforts 8. Common Grace is distinguishable from special Grace 1. As it comes from a common Original as from Illumination Conviction c. Common things to the bad as well as the good if sitting alike under the droppings of the Sanctuary where the Hammer of the Word is always battering Though some there be which as the Anvile grow harder by beating yet others there be that cannot bear off the blow but as Herod Mark 6. 20. are wrought on and brought up to do many things This is found in Servants as well as in Sons You must labour for that Grace which never was nor ever can be given to a Reprobate The Original Cause of Grace is threefold 1. Primary 2. Meritorious 3. Immediate As to the Primary Cause first Special Grace flows from Election from the Electing Love of God Ephes 1. 3 4 5. But common Grace comes not from God as he gives out Elective Love to some but as he is the Authour of common Gifts to many Secondly The Meritorious Cause Special Grace is from Christ as a Redeemer of those that receive it Common Grace is from Christ as a Benefactor to them that receive it and though as a Redeemer yet not as their Redeemer 3ly The Immediate and next efficient Cause of special Grace is the indwelling Spirit called the Seed of God 1 Joh. 3. 9. and The Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. A living principle from the life of God Ephes 4. 18. But the next efficient Cause of common Grace is the Spirit only assisting but not indwelling casting some supernatural light upon the Soul of man The second difference 'twixt Common and Special Grace is Common Grace is seated in a common spirit so called because it cannot do more than others Mat. 5. 47. Such a Spirit cannot do any singular things for God and such as are above a common and ordinary Attainment Hence it is that when Special Grace loseth its lustre and an overly Indifferency seiseth upon the Soul 't is hard to distinguish it from common Grace save only That special Grace is sensible of it and bewails it but common Grace is too too-well contented with it But Caleb was of another and better Spirit Numb 14. 24. The third Difference Common Grace hath only common effects their profession of Godliness and performance of Duties are but common things flowing rather from a work on them than in them 't is rather a forced than a natural work from a new Nature 't is rather a flash than a fire of divine affection a transient motion but no abiding principle The truths of the Word which they sit under passes through them as water through a Conduit-pipe leaves only a dew but sinks not in as rain-water into the earth to make it fruitful a bare taste of any dish though never so good nourishes not into strength and stature Therefore hath it 4. Common defects as 1. It mindes not the intrinsecal wickedness of the heart Nor 2. The spiritual exactness of the Law 3. Common Grace mindes mostly Negative Precepts 4. If positive not in their full extent as to occasions and circumstances 5. 'T is a stranger to the mystery of the new birth 6. 'T is without fear of being deceived being more exercised in Self-flattery than in Self-reflection using rather the false glasses of Satan than the Spectacles of the Spirit 7. 'T is always barren If Grace be not right in respect of its root it must always be defective in respect of the fruit so comes to nothing at last Heb. 6.6 7. 2 Pet. 2.20 This is the Grace that may finally be fallen from Time and Temptation wears off the gilt and turns seeming Sanctity into real Sensuality many young Saints Seraphick in their Knowledge and seeming to have their eyes fixed to the Stars prove but old Devils and fall at last into the pit of Sensuality Oh keep your hearts c. FINIS
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.
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
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
beginning Joh. 8. 44. for Ahab-like he first kills and then takes possession he first Murders Gods Image in Man and then possessing himself he stamps his own fowl Image in the place of Gods glorious Image but particularly he takes possession 1. By original propagation faln Adam begets a Son in his own Image Gen. 5. 3. not onely like him as a Man but also like him as a sinful Man Job 14. 4. all elect as well as reprobate are born Children of wrath Eph. 2. 3. the Apostles we there includes all yea both Jew and Gentile all are lost in Adam till found in Christ Phil. 3. 9. 2. By actual transgression which lets down indeed the draw-bridge to let Satan enter Joh. 13. 27. getting a fuller possession of him than before Satan hath something in us though he had nothing in Christ Joh. 14. 30. that gives him possession of us The manner 3ly of Satans keeping possession of us as his own is by Conquest or rather by Cozenage he pleads prescription for it if it be asked him How long hath thy tenure been he answers Even of a Child Mark 9. 23. hence is he Lord Paramount and plays Rex in the Heart till Christ serve a Writ of Ejectment on him CHAP. IV. Of the Hearts Treachery 1. AFter 1. the Matter and 2. the Manner follows 3. the Measure how much the Heart is corrupted with Treachery and Deceitfulness the Prophet Jeremy tells you gnacob ha leb mi col 't is deceitful above all whether persons or things 1. Let me shew you how the Heart of Man is more deceitful than any deceitful person in Scripture-Record and 2. how 't is more deceitful than any deceitful thing that the Holy Scripture doth mention First of persons and they are two fold 1. Male 2. Female first of the Males and the first instance to exemplifie it by way of Allusion is Jacob and the rather because the Prophet useth the same word gnacob from whence Jacob call'd in Hebrew Jagnacob had his name Jer. 17. 9. whereby is most graphically and aptly deciphered and described that the fleshly Heart doth the same thing to the Spirit in doing of good which Jacob did to his Brother to wit catch it by the heel and supplant it as the word gnacob signifies while it is running the race of Christianity set before us Hebr. 12. 1. 1 Cor. 9. 24. Though David was as wise as an Angel of God 2 Sam. 14. 20. yet it deceived him and tripped up his heels as the word imports Psal 39. 1 2 3. and so it did Peter Joh. 13. 37 38. though he were a pillar of the Church Gal. 2. 9. yet this supplanting heart supplanted and over-turned this very pillar Oh little did those two great and good Men imagine that their own hearts had been so treacherous and deceitful 2. Therefore Jacob or Hebr. Jagnacob is the first and most fit Scriptural Allusion to demonstrate the Hearts deceitfulness as you have the name Jacob many times in Scripture so sometimes the Etymology of the name especially upon three occasions 1. From his strugling with his Brother in his Mothers Womb 2. From his beguiling him of the birth-right and then 3ly of the Blessing First of the first of thos◠The word gnacab signifies Calcaneariu◠or an Heel-Catcher and because he not onely strugled with his Brother in Rebecca's Womb for priority but also catch'd his Brother by the heel or foot-sole there as if he would have turned up his Brothers heels or at least have pull'd him back and so got to the goale of the birth before him Gen. 25. 22 26. Hosea 12. 3. therefore did his Father call him Jacob a strange presage of what he should do in supplanting Esau which signifies perfect because born with a Beard as some say or however with hair so grown as if he had been a Man already rather then a Child he was factus perfectus pilis and yet encountred by this supplanter at his Birth Thus both of them brought their own Names along with them into the World Conveniunt rebus nomina saepe suis Oftimes Names and Natures answer each other 2. Though he could not bring down his Brothers head by tripping up his heels in the Womb yet he supplants him in the World gaining the birth-right by subtilty when he was grown up which he got not by striving and strugling with him before he was born Gen. 25. 29 33. Hebr. 12. 16. 3. And then thirdly in beguiling him of the blessing as well as of the birth-right whereupon Esau himself gives the Interpretation of Jacobs Name Hache Karah Shemo Jagnacob Vajegnekebéni Zeh pagnamaiim is he not rightly called Jacob for he hath Jacobd me these two times he first supplanted me of the birth-right and now of the blessing Gen. 27. 36. yea and the good old Man his Father saith in v. 35. Thy Brother came in subtilty and hath taken away thy Blessing Esau's Gloss or Allusion may be read word for word thus My Brother may well be called an Heeler for he hath heeled me these two times that is he hath come behind me set his foot before me as runners in a race play fowl play to each others and tripped up my heels twice just so and much more than so dealeth your Gnacob or deceitful heart as the Prophet calls it with you As there was a strugling in Rebeckahs Womb so there is a Conflict in the Soul of the Elect what can you see in the Shulamite or one brought into Gods peace by Christ as the word Shulamite signifies but as it were the company of two Armies Cant. 6. 13. the Army of the flesh and the Army of the spirit both strugling for the birth-right and how doth the fleshly Heart take hold of the heel of the Spirit its Brother they are ut fratres simul jacentes in eodem utero as twinns lying both together in the same Soul This Holy David complained of and groaned under Psal 49. 5. gnaven gnakebi the same words with the Prophets Jer. 17. 9. Jesubeni The iniquity of my Heels or Supplanters do surround me with their snares alas the best of Men have some dirt of iniquity cleaving to their heels some deceitfulness of sin Hebr. 3. 13. he that is already washed needeth not save to wash his feet Joh. 13. 10. or his heel of the unrenewed part which will be playing fowl play trip up his heels and cast him down too Psal 18. 23. 4. And that not onely Zeh pagnamaiim two times as Jacob did his elder Brother who was the Priest of the Family by his birth-right but even ten times yea times without number oh how oft hath the iniquity of your heels or this Heeler your supplanting heart catched hold of your heel and pulled you back from duty not onely from the new-birth but also to hinder your growth in Grace and in your passage and progress towards Heaven nay how oft hath it tripped up your heels and brought down
and the Hammer at the upshot of all 15. The fifth Allusion is Dalilah who dealt deceitfully with Sampson and betrayed him into the hands of the Uncircumcised Judg. 16. 4 6. to 21. no doubt but she allured him with all seeming signs of her love that thereby she might hide from him all suspition of treachery she might magnifie his Heroick exploits and admire the prodigious and extraordinary strength whereby he atchieved them and then desire for her own private satisfaction onely to know wherein his great strength did lie and probably she added many fair promises and possibly not a few fowl Oaths Harlots abound with such Hellish Rhetorick that she would keep his counsel secret to her self then she prevailed 1. To bind him with three green withes v. 7 8. which he yielded to not onely as a put-off but also in a way of sport and wanton dalliance with her but this availed not hereupon 2. after her blaming him for mocking her he yields to be bound with new Ropes this proves unsuccesful also then 3. she continuing her importunate allurements brings him nearer to the mark and mystery than before and yields to have the seven locks of his head weaved with the Web and winded about the beam of the loom v. 13 14. This likewise took not as the other before it he having feigned a false cause of his strength three times to her all along forgetting that Gods children will not lye Isa 63. 8. as their Father is a God that cannot lye Tit. 1. 2. but at the fourth Assault she carries it and conquers him the great Conqueror of Men was at last Conquered by a Woman he was so bewitched with her flatteries that she at last exhausted as the Hebrew word Dalal from whence her Name Dalilah comes signifyeth his very heart v. 16 18. which whoredom had indeed taken away before Hos 4. 11. Thus this strong man discovers great weakness in yielding further and further even till it came to Neck-break and life it self Prov. 6. 26. 7. 21 23. to a treacherous Strumpet that had given just grounds of suspecting her treachery against him both in putting all those three former experiments upon proof and in having so many cut-throat Philistims ready by her yet so besotted was he with his sensual sins that he reveals that secret to her which cost him the loss of his strength of his eyes of his liberty of his life yea of his God too All this will your treacherous heart do to you if God leave you in the hand of your own counsel 't will make you sleep upon the knee of presumption as she did him v. 19. 't will cut off your Locks or seeming graces those seven locks or seven spirits Revel 1. 4. and you may not know that your God is gone from you as he v. 20. and you may stand out for a while as he did against the sollicitations of your fleshly heart which hunts for your life and wars against your Soul 1 Pet. 2. 11. but woe to you if left of God Hos 9. 12. to the lusts thereof you fall you fall and may never rise any more as Dalilah was not alone in the room but had her company of Philistims with her so your treacherous heart will not be alone but will have its company of deceitful lusts Eph. 4. 22. to be with it 16. The sixth Allusion among Scripture-Females is the Witch of Endor that cheated Saul 1 Sam. 28. 11 12. with indeed Satan for Samuel That Spectrum Samuelis or apparition of Samuel whereby she beguiled Saul was no other than Satan the Devil who first personates Samuels form and then his speech Samuel while alive had told Saul that rebellion is as Witchcraft 1 Sam. 15. 23. Now he falls from the like to the same and trades with Witches indeed which he had turned out of his Kingdome 1 Sam. 28. 3. but not out of his heart and bids this Witch to bring him up Samuel This is more than the Devil himself can do for it could not be 1. the Soul of the true Samuel that is here brought to Saul 't is not in the Devils power to degrade a glorified Saint and to bring him from glory Satan fell from Heaven and can fetch none out of Heaven neither was it 2. the body of the true Samuel for the Devil hath not the key of the Grave but that key hangs at Christs girdle Revel 1. 18. Neither 3. would the true Samuel have said as v. 15. Why hast thou disquieted me It can therefore be no other but Satan representing Samuel who can transform himself into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11. 14. and Samuel himself could not have preach'd more gravely severely divinely then this foul fiend of Hell did v. 16. c. But above all 4. this Apparition appears to be a meer cheat in his appearing in a Mantle for the true Samuel could not well have a Mantle to bring with him from the grave and place of the dead it could be nothing else but onely a garment in shew of Satans making and by him put upon himself that he might the more speciously act the part of Samuel both his person and his habit as well as his words and speeches in his conference with Saul Thus as the Witch of Endor cheated Saul with a representative shew instead of a real and true presence even so your heart may cheat you with seeming instead of saving grace yea the Devil is Gods Ape thus far in mans heart that he beguiles him so far by false representations as to make him believe those to be glorious truths which indeed are no better than Doctrines of Devils 1 Tim. 4. 1. and damnable errours 2 Pet. 2. 1. CHAP. V. Of the Hearts Treachery 1. FRom deceitful persons the first pass we on to deceitful things the second and the Sequel will evidence in the Issue that the heart of man is not onely as deceitful as both but more than so 't is deceitful above all persons and above all things 1. The Serpent was more subtle than all the beasts of the field Gen. 3. 1. and beguiled Eve v. 13. making her to eat forbidden fruit Hanachash Hisheani Vaokel The serpent beguiled me and I did eat Oh how oft have you cause to cry out to Jehovah as she did that your heart hath beguiled you and you did eat the forbidden fruit of Sin The Hebrew word Nasha signifies to surprise one by laying Ambushments as Josh 8. 7 19. Alas every Creature-comfort in the fallen state hath an Ambushment a Serpent lying in ambush in it latet Anguis in Herbâ there is a Snake in the Grass a Snare in every dish You may cry out with the Sons of the Prophets Mors in ollâ there is death in the pot 2 King 4. 40. Had Eve thought there had been death in the Apple she would never have swallowed such a gilded bole or morsel 'T was pleasant to the eyes and fruit to be desired
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
is In Prosperity the Soul of man is more prone to be corrupted and to contract the scum of filthiness like the standing pool that will in process of time stink of it self when running waters do retain their own native sweetness 'T was Fulness that bred filthiness in Israel as well as forgetfulness Jen. 5.7 It breeds this latter in good men but the former always in bad men Cores and Bacchus are great friends to Venus c. Those worshippers of Baal-peor first eat and drank and then rose up to play to wit with their Midianitish Mistresses 1 Cor. 10.7 Num. 25. 3. 18. If Moab be not powred from vessel to vessel he will settle upon his lees his taste remaineth in him and his scent is not changed Jerem. 48. 11 12. he hath had no changes therefore he feareth not God Psal 55. 19. and the prosperity of fools destroys them Proverb 1. 32. the Sun-shine thereof doth but ripen them for destruction Bernard calls Prosperity Misericordiam omni indignatione crudellorem Mercy given in wrath hath abundance of wrath in it and he had no minde to any such Mercy David carried it better when he watered his bed with tears in the time of his persecution Psal 6. 6. than he did when he wash'd his steps with butter as Job 29. 6. in the day of his prosperity Israel had strong Espousal-loves to God while they followed him in a land that was not sown Jerem. 2.2 'T was not so well with them when they came to rest in a Land that flowed with Milk and Honey Deut. 32. 15. Prosperity is too strong Wine for some weak Brains and therefore 't is supposed that Elishah must have a double portion to that of Elijah for he must be in favour with Kings and great at Court c. which things are very hard to bear with an holy frame of heart 2 Kin. 2.9 4. The fourth Discovery is The Soul of man is soon overcharged in Prosperity Luke 21. 34. Christ himself gives this caution to his own dear Disciples well knowing that the standing of the best of fallen Mankinde is but a slippery standing and a very little thing will over-charge and overturn them If this might befall those green trees what can dry trees such as we are expect Small Vessels cannot carry great Sails but be in danger of over-whelming neither is every little boat fit to launch out into the wide Ocean of worldly Felicity There is truely danger to be without danger and Christs Lambs mostly thrive best upon short not over-grown Pastures The intoxicating Cup of Pomp and Prosperity did hurt even holy David 2 Sam. 11. 1. 11. and godly Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32. 31. when over-charged with it Alas what are the best when left to themselves and in the counsel of their own hands and hearts good David did that bad act at that time which he would not have done in Sauls time and which Vriah one of his worthyes would not do in his time the best are too apt to furfeit of too much of the world abundance of the things of this life is like fish that is full of bones which while Children eat too greedily they are in danger of choaking with it 5. The fifth Discovery is The Soul of man is more exposed to the temptations of Satan in Prosperity than in Adversity 't is said that Neptune kills more by Calms upon Sands than by Storms upon Rocks And yet Sea-room here is your danger unless with blessed Paul you have learnt to abound as well as to be in want Phil. 4. 12 13. for then is the Soul most secure and least stands upon its watch as at other times yea and is the greatest object of Satan's malice Oh how maliciously did the devil say to God Doth Job serve God for nought hast thou not blest him with all Prosperity Job 1. 9 10. God delighteth in the prosperity of his servants Psal 35. 27. But Satan stomachs it exceedingly and therefore speaks angrily to God that Joh might serve God well enough for such price and pay and that he himself could finde never a gap in the hedge of Divine Protection that was round about him and his he could make never a breach which he would gladly have done But if you neglect your watch never so little in your Prosperity as you will be very prone to do then breaks in your Adversary and comes over the gap to spoil you Ambrose elegantly illustrates this truth by the Oister which while she is tossed and turmoiled by her Enemy the Crab in the salt-waters keeps her shells so close together that she secures her self from all danger of being then devoured but when she lies securely upon the shore without fear of her foe she opens her self then to the warm Sun which while she is in doing then cometh the Crab and puts a stone between the lips of her shells thrusts in her Claws and easily as well as safely draws out the fish even so the Soul that is tossed to and fro by the crabbed adversary upon the brinish waters of affliction shuts up the heart and mouth close for fear of offending Psal 39. 1 2. but in the sun-shine of peace and prosperity the heart opens and is without a covering then the Spiritual adversary finds free passage entrance and entertainment 6. The sixth discovery is the Soul of man is prone in prosperity to grow lazy in its devotion The warmest Prayers are ever in the winter of adversity Hos 5. 15. Isa 26. 16. Summer-prayers are but yawning perfunctory and superficial devotion not powred out with connatural violence The Kingdom of Heaven is not stormed The Jews in their Ceiled houses were regardless of the House of prayer Hagg. 1. 4. as their beds were too soft so their hearts were too hard for any due devotion but Prayer is mostly the Daughter of Calamity as it is the Mother of Comfort Affliction exciteth Devotion as a pair of bellows blows up the fire Christ in his Agony prayed more earnestly Luk. 22. 44. And Martha with her Sister Mary sent Messengers to Jesus when their Brother Lazarus was visited with sickness Joh. 11. 3. Thus also under Gods Visitations we do mostly visit God in sending our Messengers of continued groans and earnest Prayers to him whom we much neglect in our prosperity and therefore how justly may God say to us as Jephthah said to his Countrymen Do ye now come to me in your distress when in your prosperity ye said to me Depart from us Judg. 11. 2. 7. God may say as much to most of us who seldome seek to him before plain need drives us 7. Having first discovered the Malady the second work is a word of the Remedy in some following Rules and Directions as special helps against the hearts treachery in a time of prosperity 1. Direction is in prosperity you must with holy Job greatly fear adversity Job 3. 25. for God saith Solomon hath set the one over against the other
to us should Salvation depend upon her actings Therefore Austin saith well Sub laudibus Naturae latent inimiâ—i Gratiae Cryers up of Nature are always enemies to Grace 11. The third grand Question in order to your undeceiving to be answered is How doth Moral Civility differ from true Gospel-Sanctity To this I answer You may know that your Civility and Moral Honesty and a well-ordered Conversation towards men doth only grow upon and flow from the stock of Nature and not of Grace or from some supernatural Principles infused into your â—eart not from any New-birth or Spirit of â—anctification that sanctifies and renews the whole Man Body Soul and Spirit 1 Thes 5. â—3 and so is no better than a wild Olive Rom. 11. 17. 24. by these following Characters First If you be civil only and not thus sanctified you will be top-ful of spiritual â—lindness Ignorance and vain Imaginations â—bout the things of God and the good of your Soul You will then look upon Faith as an â—asiâ— work 't is only believe and on Salvation â—s a work of no such difficulty as is pretended seeing that God is as you will then think All Mercy and the tender of this Mercy is to â—ll and 't is but crying at the last gasp Lord â—ave mercy upon me and this will be enough to vast you over into Heaven These and such-like â—otten Reasonings will abound in your ignoâ—ant Soul whereas none can read the new Name â—ave only they that receive it Revel 2. 17. And â—hese receivers do read no otherwise than that â—oth Faith and Salvation are matters of very great difficulty their own Experience and â—he truth of Gods Word doth meet exactly â—ogether and they do smartingly finde 1. That it requires as much Almighty Power â—o work Faith in their hearts as to raise Christ from the dead Ephes 1. 19 20. And 2. that the righteous themselves are scarcely faâ—â—â— 1 Pet. 4. 18. that is they have much ado to â—et to Heaven 12. The second Character is Civility wanders in general Duties only but mindes not special Duties such as Self-examination Self-abhorrency c. And it consists more in the Negative than in the Positive part of the Law yea and is more conversant in the Duties of the second Table than of the first Whereas true Sanctity is of a more extensive property and observes special Duties such as Self-trial Self-denial c. as well as general yea and doth make Conscience of both Tables and parts of the Law to wit 't is for the Positive part as well as for the Negative and is as much for Holiness to God as for Righteousness to Man The third Character briefly is Civility or Moral Honesty takes cognizance of those sins only that make a great noise both in the Courts of the world and in the Court of Conscience yet while it scruples at Murder Adultery Drunkenness c. called the Filthiness of the flesh 2 Cor. 7. 1. all along overlooks the filthiness of spirit such as privy Pride secret Hypocrisie Security in an evil state Formality in Duty c. which make but little noise in the world and less noise in the Conscience Small and secret sins which lye not in view upon the borders of the Isle of man but lye up in the heart of the Countrey undiscerned undiscovered those Civility overlooks but true Sanctity in the man whose eyes are opened Numb 24. 3. may not will not cannot do so The fourth Character is Civility will venture no further for its piety than may consist with its peace it likes neither foul way nor foul weather in its passage and progress to its long home 'T is exactly of the Duke of Bourbon's minde who told Beza he would adventure no further into the Sea of Religion than to get safe home to shore at night The fifth Character is Civility can never count all its own Duties 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Dogs-meat as Phil. 3. 6. 8. For this is a piece of natural Popery born with us to be Saviours to our selves and to be saved by our own Righteousness and not by the Righteousness of another to wit of Christ 13. The sixth Character is Where Civility is alone without Sanctity there is always retained an Enmity in them against all those that over-run them in the practick part of Godliness and that spend more time for God and the good of their Souls than they do such persons will proclaim war against those zealous ones for being too precise and for being Righteous and Religious over-much Eccles 7. 16. Those Civilians would fain finde a more compendious way of worshipping God saying with wicked Jeroboam 'T is too much for you to do so and so 1 Kin. 12. 28. Religiosum oportet esse non religatum you need not be so very strict and strait-laced in matters of Religion you may provide more for your owâ— ease and better accommodation Thus theâ— do plainly slander the sweet Laws of Christ'â— Kingdom and the pleasant ways of heavenlâ— wisdome Prov. 3. 17. as if too heavy bondâ— and too sharp cords Psal 2. 3. not knowinâ— that Christ's yoke is easie and his burden lighâ— Matth. 11. 29 30. and therefore not to bâ— cast away no more than their own Garterâ— or Girdles Thus also those Devout persons were Opposers of Paul for his out-runninâ— them in his Devotion Acts 17. 17 18. Anâ— 't is very observable that no Church could bâ— founded by the Apostle at Athens the moâ—â— famous City for Wisdome in all Greece foâ— they were too wise to be saved by the foolishnesâ— of Preaching 1 Cor. 1. 23. those wise Greeâ— foolishly jeared at Jesus and the Resurrection 〈◊〉 at a couple of strange gods Acts 17. 18. 2â— their Philosophy and Enmity to the Power 〈◊〉 Godliness consisted together The seventâ— and last Character is Civility can never maâ— Gods Glory its ultimate End as true Sanctiâ— doth but its utmost Aim alas is onely foâ— pacifying but not at all for purifying the Conscience And the very height of its Ambitioâ— is to be pleasing and acceptable to men morâ— than to God Hence Augustine calls mere Civility splendidum Peccatum a shining Sin 14. The fourth great Question to be answered in order to your undeceiving is How may Restraining Grace be distinguished from Renewing Grace Answer 1. Restraining Grace is no more than an awful fear that God puts upon the Conscience of Man which constrains him to forbear that Sin which he doth not yet hate and to leave what he doth not yet loath Such a man is only chained up by his own fears the dread of God is upon him he is not yet changed from his sin As the Dog forbears the Carrion because his chain is too short or his Masters Cudgel is over him Whereas the grand Evangelical Motive is not formidine poenae sed virtutis amore fear of punishment but love to Christ Joh. 14. 15. If â—ye love me keep my Commandments and this Love
into his Wine-cellar Gant 2. 4. So besides him there is no Saviour Isai 43. 11. And though Christ must sit upon the Throne himself alone yet then will he have his Train to wit Holy Duties to fill the Temple Isai 6. 1. So that you must distinguish them and know the one from the other as your Father Abraham knew his Lord Christ from the two created Angels Gen. 18. 2 3. You must give to duty the things that are duty 's and to Christ the things that are Christs The three Wise-men when they saw the Star that was their guide to Christ did not fall down to worship it but Christ himself to whom it led them They did not offer their Gold Myrrhe and Frankincense to the Star but to Christ who is called The bright and Morning Star Revel 22. 16. 5. As the Dyal cannot tell you what is the hour of the day unless the Sun do shine upon it so your best Duties cannot show you any hour or time of Joy any further than while The Sun of Righteousness the Lord Christ Mal. 4. 2. doth shine upon them Alas what doth Elijah's Mantle signifie to Elisha unless he have also the Lord God of that Mantle 2 Kin. 2. 14. Therefore take heed you rest not in bare Duty you must not live upon duty but upon Christ in duty for your life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3. You must let go your Duties in point of Justification and yet hold them as your life in point of Sanctification for Duty should not dye while you live you must do them but you may not glory in them Let him that gloryeth glory in the Lord 1 Cor. 1. 31. Thus blessed Paul suffered the loss of all his duties Non quoad substantiam sea quoad qualitatem officium justificandi Phil. 3. 7 8. He did not depend upon his Duties for his Justification as before he had done in his Pharisaical state nor laid he now the stress of his Salvation upon them but he cast the great burden of both upon the Lord Psal 55. 22. Alas as your goodness in Duty extends not to God Psal 16. 2. and you cannot be profitale to him Job 22. 2 3. God receives nothing at your hand by all Job 35. 7. So when you have done all you can you are still but an unprofitable Servant Luke 17. 10. Your best Duties are but filthy rags Isa 64. 6. though they be pure in the fountain as flowing from the Holy Spirit yet are they muddy in the stream as they run through the dirty channel of your corrupted heart and therefore those Popish Doctrines of Merit de Congruo and de Condigno and of Supererogation are no better than lying Doctrines 6. The third Deceit of the Heart is After you have been an overvaluer of Duty some time Satan and your own heart may beguile you 2 Cor. 2. 11. to become an undervaluer of Duty again in the days of your Knowledge as before you had been in the days of your Ignorance Thus the Adversary of your Soul will toss you into extremes backward and forward yea and backward again making you to sleight and contemn Duties again but upon another bottom now to wit under a pretence of making Christ your All As if Christ had given you now a license to be lazy But surely you never so learned Christ Ephes 4. 20. As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord so should you walk in him Col. 2. 6. and being delivered by him therefore must you serve him in Holiness and Righteousness all your days Luk. 1. 74 75. And seeing you are bought with the price of his blood therefore must you Glorifie him with your body and spirit 1 Cor. 6. 20. for you are not yet come to your rest Deut. 12. 9. and until you be come to your eternal Rest or Sabbath you must not cease from your spiritual work labour or duty Hebr. 4. 10. So that Duties must not dye while you live and as long as you are on this side Heaven so long must you be doing Duty on Earth This is the place of our performing work and that of our receiving wages You may not transfer all your work from your self upon Christ as if nothing were due from you and to be done by you 'T was a good Saying of Austin's Acti agimus servati sumus ut serviamus We are acted by the Spirit of Christ that we our selves may act for Christ and we are saved by our Saviour that we may serve our Saviour Though God made us without our selves he will not saith that Father save us without our selves There is a triple-Homage to wit of Reverence of Obedience and of Thankfulness which is your poor Pepper-corn you must carefully pay to the Lord and Landlord of all your Mercies They that would have healing there is something required to be done by them they must step into the opened Fountain Zech. 13. 1. as the diseased did into the Pool of Bethesda Joh. 5 4. 7. If you compare Revel 1. 6. with 7. 14. together these two Scriptures will shew you that not only Christ doth wash you but that you must also wash your self in the blood of the Lamb and hence is it that the Lord calls upon you to this washing work Isai 1. 15. God will give you Grace just as Boaz gave Ruth corn Ruth 2. 15. He could have given her an Ephah of Barley ready winnowed to her hand without more ado but mark she must gather it up into gleanings and beat it out of the ears c. Though the corn was Boaz's gift yet all this was Ruths duty which was all the price she should pay for it Thus the very Heathen could say Dii laboribus omnia vendunt God sells all his blessings for mans labour 't is all one charge to him yet thus he gives both Grace and Knowledge and God's promise of Mercy is no exemption to man from Duty He promis'd deliverance from the Babylonish Captivity yet for that will he be enquired after Ezek. 36. 12. 37. Ora labora admotâ manu invocanda est Minerva were good Sayings of wise Heathens Duty is the way to Mercy Oh then take heed of being weary of duty which is near of kin to a reprobate minde A Child of God may be weary in it but never of it for he is a serving Son Mal. 3. 17. If once you become too good for duty you 'l assuredly prove too weak for holiness A little Child gathers strength by its due and daily sucking the breast but if it be Tongue-tyed or hindred from sucking by any other impediment 't will sensibly as well as insensibly soon pine away Our Spiritual life is as our Natural life both which Lives are within us yet neither of them do arise and are nourished from our selves but from something that is without us Hence is it that you stand in as much need of daily bread for your Soul as you do
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.
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
which we are commanded to covet earnestly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 zealously affect as 't is the best Ambition 1 Cor. 12. 31. Yet is there a more excellent way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graces are better than Gifts 1 Cor. 13. 1. c. Gifts are indeed excellent things as they are Spiritual things flowing from the Spirit assisting if not indwelling in this respect they are better than all the Gold of Ophir which is but a natural thing and hath only a natural excellency but spiritual Gifts are not only spiritual things but be a part of the purchase of Christs Blood and a blessed fruit of his Ascension into Heaven Ephes 4. 8. And it must needs be an excellent thing to become a Saviour of Souls by Ministerial gifts to save souls and to pluck them out of the fire Jude 23. This is an excellency denied to Angels who are but ministring spirits and the Word of Reconciliation is not committed to them The Office of preaching the Gospel is taken from the Angels who first preached it to the Shepherds Luke 2.10 to 15. and given to the Ministers Though an Angel certified Cornelius that his Prayers were accepted yet doth not the Angel preach the Doctrine of Redemption to him but refers him for that unto Peter Act. 10. 3. 5. Notwithstanding all this a man may save others and not save himself but be a cast away 1 Cor. 9. 29. at last Hence the Apostle exhorts Timothy that he be careful to save himself as well as others 1 Tim. 4. 16. Those Hypocrites Preachers that in Christ's Name had cast out Devils were as unknown to Christ at length cast out to Devils Matth. 7. 22. 3. The second Answer is more particular for distinguishing Gifts from Graces They differ 1. In their original though both come from one and the same Holy Spirit yet 't is in a different respect for Gifts do flow from the Spirit as he is an assisting Spirit only and not an indwelling Spirit also But Grace always flows from the Spirit as both Assisting and Indwelling too 't is thus illustrated As a Carpenter may both build an House and beget a Childe yet one and the same individual man is the original of both these but with this difference the house that he builds partakes of his Art only and the Child he begets doth partake of his very Nature So Gifts though they do come from the same Holy Spirit that works saving Grace yet are they but Opera ad extra external Operations and not the proper and genuine fruits of an Indwelling as well as of an Assisting Spirit A Pilot is said to be in Philosophy the forma assistens to guide the Ship in its Navigation but 't is the Soul that is the forma informans to guide the Body in all its Motions and Operations Oh see that the Spirit be your Soul in Grace as well as your Pilot in Gifts 2. In their Object Gifts are more for Honour than for Holiness but Grace is more for Holiness than for Honour 'T was Saul's cry who had got the Gift of Prophecy when he was among the Prophets 1 Sam. 10. 10. Yet honour me now among the people 1 Sam. 15. 30. Let gifted men have but the Honour and let who will for all them take the Holiness Gifts are all for a Glory that is without but Grace is all for that Glory which is within Psal 45. 13 Reverend Mr. Bridges saith excellently Thaâ— as Gifts are the fruit of Christ's Ascension Eâ—phes 4. 8. so they are all for Ascensions and Glories for the fine-spun Notions for the quaint and quirking Speculations of sounding brass and tinckling Cymbals But true Grace falls in with a crucified Christ saying with the Apostle I determined to know nothing to profess no other skill among you than Chriâ—â— and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. 'T is not aâ— Children are for the gawdy flowers among the Corn but as the Husbandman for the Corn it self 4. Gifts and Grace differ 3ly in their subject Gifts may be given to a wicked man iâ—ordine ad aliud for the good of others as a Nurse may meet with bountiful gifts and good keeping in her Masters house not so much out of respect to her self but for the sake of her Masters Child which she hath in her Nursery But Grace is special favour the Receiving subject whereof is onely those that are Elected and Accepted in Christ 't is a Favour which God shewes only to his people Psal 106. 4. He useth to do so only to those that love his Name Psal 119. 132. Whereas a wicked Judas a Devil may be the subject of receiving Gifts he undoubtedly had as shining Gifts as any of the Disciples insomuch that they were so far from suspecting him for betraying of Christ that each of them rather suspected himself saying Master is it I Yet all his Gifts though shining were but as those Torches and Lanterns which he abused to betray his Master So that a man may perish with Gifts but never any man can perish with Grace Noah's Carpenters were gifted to build an Ark for saving Noah and his Family yet had they not Grace to save themselves from the universal Deluge 4ly They differ in the Effects 1. Gifts are Ministrantia but they are not Sanctificantia They do administer ad lucrum Ecclesiae to the advantage of the Church yet do they neither sanctifie nor save every gifted Administrator such an one may cast out Devils yet at last be cast out to Devils Matthew 7. 22. 2. Gifts fit a man only for a common Profession effecting a form of knowledge Rom. 2. 20. and a form of Godliness 2 Tim. 3. 5. yet cannot renew the heart nor raise it up beyond a common frame 3. Gifts and Sin may consist together for though they be divers yet they are not contrary There is as much room for the Devil as ever yea possibly more For the Gift of Knowledge may make room for the Devil of Pride 1 Cor. 8. 1. 4. As Gifts cannot break off Vnion with Sin so neither can they bring into Vnion with Christ 5. Gifts are only good at doing they are very bad at suffering-work Lastly In Duration Gifts continue not 1 Cor. 13. 8. they dwindle into nothing Heb. 6. 6 7. but Grace is contrary in all these respects 5. The second Deceit which is the second enquiry is your taking and mis-taking seeming Grace for saving grace or false for true grace that you may be undeceived herein learn to distinguish them by these following Characters 1. False grace in an unsound and hypocritical heart hath evermore its actings and exercise from forreign and extrinsick motives as carnal respects by and base ends the applause of men c. Just like Puppits in a daunce that have no principle of life in them but are acted by an external force but true saving grace hath not onely an inward principle but also a propensity to