our own Keepers and yet Solomon speaks properly enough when he saith keep thy Heart because the duty is ours though the power be Gods A Natural man hath no power a gracious man hath some though not sufficient and that power he hath depends upon the exciting and assisting strength of Christ Gratia gratiam postulat Grace within us is beholding to Grace without us Iohn 15. 5. Without me ve can do nothing So much of the matter of the Duty 2. The Minner of performing it is With all diligence the Hebrew is very Emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum omni custodia keep with all keeping q. d. keep keep set double Guards your hearts will be gone else And this vehemency of expression with which the duty is urged plainly implies how difficult it is to keep our Hearts and how dangerous to let them go 2. The Reason or Motive quickning to this Duty is very forcible and weighty For out of it are the issues of life That is it is the Source and Fountain of all vital actions and operations Hinc Fons boni peccandi or go saith Ierom it is the Spring and Original both of good and evil-as the spring in a Watch that sets all the Wheels in motion The Heart is the Treasury the Hand and Tongue but the Shops what is in these came from thense the hand and tongue alwaies begins where the heart ends The heart contrives and the members execute Luke 6. 46. A good man out of the good treasury of his heart bringeth forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasury of his heart bringeth forth evil things for out of the abundance of his heart his mouth speaketh So then if the heart erre in its work these must needs miscarry in theirs for heart-errors are like the errors of the first concoction which cannot be rectified afterwards Or like the mis-placing and inverting of the stamps and letters in the Press which must needs cause so many errata's in all the Copies that are printed off O then how important a Duty is that which is contained in the following Proposition Doct. That the keeping and right managing of the heart in every condition is the great business of a Christians life What the Philosopher saith of waters is as properly applicable to hearts suis terminis difficilé continentur 't is hard to keep them within any bounds God hath set bounds and limits to them yet how frequently do they transgress not only the bounds of Grace and Religion but even of Reason and common Honesty Hic labor hoc opus est this is that which affords the Christian matter of labour fear and trembling to his dying day 'T is not the cleansing of the hand that makes a Christian for many a Hypocrite can shew as fair a hand as he but the purifying watching and right ordering of the heart this is the thing that provokes so many sad complaints and costs so many deep groans and brinish tears 'T was the pride of Hizekiah's heart that made him â—ye in the dust mourning before the Lord 2 Chron. 32. 26. 'T was the fear of Hypocrisie invading the heart that made David cry Let my heart be sound in thy Statutes that I be not ashamed Psal. 119. 80. 'T was the sad experience he had of the Divisions and Distractions of his own heart in the Service of God that made him pour out that Prayer Psal. 86. 11. Unite my heart to fear thy Name The Method in which I shall improve the Point shall be this 1. First I shall inquire what the keeping of the heart supposes and imports 2. Secondly Assign divers Reasons why Christians must make this the great work and business of their lives 3. Thirdly Point at those special seasons which especially call for this diligence in keeping the heart 4. Fourthly and fastly apply the whole in several uses 1. What the keeping of the Heart supposes and imports To keep the heart necessarily supposes a previous work of Sanctification which hath set the heart right by giving it a new Spiritual bent and inclination for as long as the heart is not set right by Grace as to its habitual frame no Duties or Means can keep it right with God Self is the Poise of the unsanctified heart which By asses and moves it in all its designs and actions and as long as it is so it is impossible that any external means should keep it with God Man by Creation was of one constant uniform frame and tenour of Spirit held one straight and even course not one thought or faculty ravell'd or disorder'd his minde had a perfect illumination to understand and know the will of God his will a perfect compliance therewith his sensitive appetite and other inferiour powers stood in a most obedient subordination Man by degeneration is become a most disordered and rebellious Creature contesting with and opposing his Maker as the first cause by self dependance as the chiefest good by self-love as the highest Lord by self will and as the last end by self-seeking and so is quite disordered and all his acts irregular His illuminated understanding is clouded with ignorance his complying will full of rebellion and stubbornnesse his subordinate powers casting off the dominion and government of the superiour faculties But by Regeneration this disordered Soul is set right again Sanctification being the rectifying and due framing or as the Scripture phrases it the renovation of the Soul after the Image of God Eph. 4. 24. in which self dependance is removed by Faith self-love by the love of God self will by subjection and obedience to the Will of God and self-seeking by self-denyal The darkned understanding is again illuminated Eph. 1. 18. the refractory will sweetly subdued Psal. 110. 3. the rebellious appetite or concupiscence gradually conquered Rom. 6. 7. per tot And thus the Soul which sin had universally depraved is again by grace restored and rectified This being presupposed it will not be difficult to apprehend what it is to keep the heart which is nothing else but the constant care and diligence of such a renewed man to preserve his soul in that holy frame to which Grace hath reduced it and daily strives to hold it For though grace hath in great measure rectified the Soul and given it an habitual and heavenly temper yet Sin often actually discomposes it again so that even a gracious heart is like a musical Instrument which though it be never so exactly tuned a small matter brings it out of tune again yea hang it aside but a little and it will need setting again before you can play another Lesson on it even so stands the case with gracious hearts if they are in frame in one duty yet how dull dead and disordered when they come to another and therefore every duty needs a particular preparation of the heart Iob 11. 13. If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thy hands towards him Well
pains of soul to represse the outward acts of sin and compose the external part of thy life in a laudable and comely manner is no great matter even carnal persons by the force of common principles can do this but to kill the root of corruption within to set and keep up an holy Government over thy thoughts to have all things lye straight and orderly in the heart this is not easie 2. 'T is a Constant work the keeping of the heart is such a work as is never done till life be done this labour and our life end together It is with a Christian in this business as it is with Sea-men that have sprung a Leake at Sea if they tug not constantly at the Pump the water encreases upon them and will quickly sink them 't is in vain for them to say the work is hard and we are weary There is no time or condition in the life of a Christian which will suffer an intermâ—ssion of this work It is in the keeping watch over our hearts as it was in the keeping up of Moses his hands whilst Israel and Amalek were fighting below Exod. 17. 12. No sooner do Moses his hands grow heavy and sink down but Amalek prevails You know it cost David and Peter many a sad day and night for intermitting the watch over their own hearts but a few minutes 3. 'T is the most important business of a Christians life without this we are but Formalists in Religion all our Professions Gifts and Duties signifie nothing My Son give me thine Heart Pro. 23. 26. God is pleased to call that a gift which is indeed a debt he will put this honour upon the Creature to receive it from him in the way of a gift but if this be not given him he regards not what ever else you bring to him there is so much only of worth and value in what we do as there is of Heart in it Concerning the Heart God seems to say as Ioseph of Benjamin If you bring not Benjamin with you you shall not see my face Among the Heathens when the Beast was cut up for sacrifice the first thing the Priest lookt upon was the Heart and if that were unsound and naught the Sacrifice was rejected God rejects all duties how glorious soever in other respects offered him without a heart He that performs duty without a heart viz. heedlesly is no more accepted with God then he that performs it with a double heart viz. hypocritically Isa. 66. 3. And thus I have briefly opened the nature of the Duty what is imported in this phrase Keep thy heart 2. Next I shall give you some rational account why Christians should make this the great business of their lives to keep their hearts The importance and necessity of making this our great and main business will manifestly appear in that 1. The honour of God 2. The sincerity of our profession 3. The beauty of our conversation 4. The comfort of our Souls 5. The improvement of our graces and 6. Our stability in the hour of temptation are all wrapt up in and dependent on our sincerity and care in the management of this work 1. The Glory of God is much concerned therein heart-evils are very provoking evils to the Lord. The Schools do well observe that outward sins are majoris infamiae sins of greater infamy but heart-sins are majoris reatus sins of deeper guilt How severely hath the Great God declared his wrath from Heaven against heart-wickedness The great Crime for which the old World stands indicted Gen. 6. 5 6 7. is heart-wickedness God saw that every imagination or fiction of their heart was onely evil and that continualiy for which he sent the dreadfullest Judgment that was ever executed since the World began And the Lord said I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth both man and beast and the creeping things and the fowls of heaven for it repenteth me that I have made man v. 7. We find not their murders adulteries blasphemies though they were defiled with these particularly alledged against them but the evils of their hearts yea that which God was so provoked by as to give up his peculiar Inheritance into the enemies hand was the evil of their hearts Ier. 4. 14. O Ierusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou maist be saved how long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee The wickedness and vanity of their thoughts God took special notice of and because of this the Caldean must come upon them as a Lion from his thickets v. 7. and tear them to pieces For the very sin of thoughts it was that God threw down the faln Angels from Heaven and keeps them still in everlasting chains to the judgment of the great day by which expression is not obscurely intimated some extraordinary judgment to which they are reserved as prisoners that have most irons laid upon them may be supposed to be the greatest Malefactors and what was their sin Why onely spiritual wickedness for they having no bodily Organs could act nothing externally against God Yea meer heart-evils are so provoking that for them he râ—jects with indignation all the duties that some men perform unto him Isa. 66. 3. He that killeth an Oxe is as if he flew a man he that sacrificeth a lamb as if he cut off a dogs neck he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines blood he that burneth incense as if he blessed an Idol In what words could the abhorrence of a Creatures actions be more fully expressed by the holy God Murder and Idolatry are not more vile in his account than their Sacrifices though materially such as himself appointed and what made them so the following words inform us Their soul delighteth in their abominations To conclude such is the vileness of meer heart-sins that the Scriptures sometimes intimate the difficulty of pardon for them So in the case of Simon Magus Acts 8. 21. his heart was not right he had vile thoughts of God and the things of God the Apostle bids him repent and pray if perhaps the thoughts of his heart might he forgiven him O then never slight heart-evils for by these God is highly wronged and provoked and for this reason let every Christian make it his work to keep his heart with all diligence 2. The sincerity of our profession much depends upon the care and conscience we have in keeping our hearts for it 's most certain that a man is but an hypocrite in his profession how curious soever he be in the externals of Religion that is heedless and careless of the frame of his heart you have a pregnant instance of this in the case of Iehu 2 King 10. 31. But Jehu took no heed to walk in the ways of the Lord God of Israel with his heart That Context gives us an account of the great service perform'd by Iehu against the house of Ahab and Baal as also of a great
temporal reward given him by God for that service even that his Children to the fourth Generation should sit upon the Throne of Israel And yet in these words Iehu is censured for an hypocrite though God approved and rewarded the work yet he abhorted and rejected the person that did it as hypocritical and wherein lay his hypocrisie but in this that he took no heed to walk in the ways of the Lord with his heart i. e he did all insincerely and for self-ends and though the work he did were materially good yet he not purging his heart from those unworthy self-designs in doing it was an hypocrite And Simon of whom we spake before though he appeared such a person that the Apostle could not regularly refuse him yet his hypocrisie was quickly discovered and what discovered it but this that though he professed and associated himself with the Saints yet he was a stranger to the mortification of heart sins Thy heart is not right with God Acts 8. 21. 'T is true there is a great difference among Christians themselves in their diligence and dexterity about heart-work some are more conversant and succesful in it then others are but he that takes no heed to his heart he that is not careful to order it aright before God is but a hypocrite Ezek. 33. 31 32. And they come unto thee as the people cometh and sit before thee as my people and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goes after their covetousness Here were a company of formal hypocrits as is evident by that expression as my people like them but not of them and what made them so their out-side was fair here were reverent postures high professions much seeming joy and delight in Ordinances thou art to them as a lovely Song yea but for all that they kept not their hearts with God in those duties their hearts were commanded by their lusts they went after their covetousness had they kept their hearts with God all had been well but not regarding which way their heart went in duty there lay the coare of their hypocrisie Object If any upright Soul should hence infer then I am an hypocrite too for many times my heart departs from God in duty do what I can yet I cannot hold it close with God Sol. To this I answer the very Objection carries in it it s own Solution Thou sayest do what I can yet I cannot keep my heart with God Soul if thou dost what thou canst thou hast the blessing of an upright though God sees good to exercise thee under the affliction of a discomposed heart There remains still some wildness in the thoughts and fancies of the best to humble them but if you find a care before to prevent them and opposition against them when they come grief and sorrow afterwards you will find enough to clear you from raigning hypocrisie 1 This fore-care is seen partly in laying up the word in thine heart to prevent them Psal. 119. 11. Thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee partly in our indeavours to ingage our hearts to God Ier. 30. 21. and partly in begging preventing grace from God in our on-sets upon duty Psal. 119 36. 37. 't is a good sign where this care goes before a duty And 2 't is a sweet sign of uprightness to oppose them in their first rise Psal. 119. 113. I hate vain thoughts Gal. 5. 17. The spirit lusteth against the flesh And 3 Thy after-grief discovers thy upright heart if with Hezekiah thou art humbled for the evils of thy heart thou hast no reason from these disorders to question the integrity of it but to suffer sin to lodge quictly in the heart to let thy heart habitually and uncontrolledly wander from God is a sad and dangerous symptom indeed 3. The beauty of our Conversation arises from the heavenly frames and holy order of our spirits there is a spiritual lustre and beauty in the conversation of Saints The righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour they shine as the lights of the world but whatever lustre and beauty is in their lives comes from the excellency of their spirits as the Candle within puts a lustre upon the Lanthorn in which it shines It is impossible that a disordered and neglected heart should ever produce a well-ordered conversation and since as the Text observes the issues or streams of life flow out of the heart as their fountain it must needs follow that such as the heart is the life will be hence 1 Pet. 2. 11 12. Abstain from fleshly lusts having your conversation hoâ—est * or beautiful * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greek word imports So Isa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts His way notes the course of his life his thoughts the frame of his heart and therefore since the way and course of his life flows from his thoughts or the frame of his heart both or neither will be forsaken the heart is the womb of all actions these actions are virtually and seminally contained in our thoughts these thoughts being once made up into affections are quickly made out into suitable actions and practises If the heart be wicked then as Christ saith Matth. 15. 19. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts murders adulteries c. Mark the order first wanton or revengeful thoughts then unclean or murderous practises And if the heart be holy and spiritual then as David speaks from sweet experience in Psal. 45. 1. My heart is inditing a good matter I speak of the things which I have made my tongue is as the pen of a ready writer Here 's a life richly beautified with good works some ready made I will speak of the things which I have made Others upon the wheel making king my heart is inditing but both proceeding from the heavenly frame of his heart Put but the heart in frame and the life will quickly discover that it is so I think it is not very difficult to discern by the duties and converses of Christians what frames their spirits are under take a Christian in a good frame and how serious heavenly and profitable will his converses and duties be what a lovely companion is he during the continuance of it 't would do any ones heart good to be with him at such a time Psal. 37. 30. 31. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom and his tongue talketh of judgment the law of his God is in his heart When the heart is up with God and full of God how dexterously and ingeniously will he winde in spiritual discourse improving every occasion and advantage to some heavenly purpose few words run then at the wast Spout And what else can be the reason why the discourses and duties of many Christians are become so frothy and unprofitable their communion both with God and one another
pleasant and prosperous Condition few yea very few of those that live in the pleasures and prosperity of this world escape everlasting perdition Matth. 19. 24. 't is easier saith Christ for a Cameâ— to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and security in a prosperous state Heaven and 1 Cor. 1. 26. not many mighty not many noble are called It might justly make us tremble when the Scripture tells us in general that few shall be saved much more when it tells us that of that rank and sort of which we are but few shall be saved When Ioshuah called all the Tribes of Israel to lot upon them for the discovery of Achan doubtless Achan feared when the Tribe of Iudah was taken his fear increased but when the family of the Zarhites was taken it was time then to tremble So when the Scripture comes so near us as to tell us that of such a sort of men very few shall escape 't is time to look about miror sâ— potest servari ali quis rectorum saith Chrisostome I should wonder if any of the Rulers be saved Oh how many have been Coached to Hell in the Chariots of earthly pleasures whilest others have been whipt to Heaven by the rod of affliction How few like the daughter of Tyre come to Christ with a gift how few among the rich intreat his favour 2. It may yet keep us more humble and watchful in prosperity if we consider that among Christians many have been much the worsâ—for it How good had it been â—ot some of them if they had never known prosperity when they were in a low condition how humble spiritual and heavenly were they but when advanced what an apparent alteration hath been upon their spirits 't was so with Israel when they were in a low condition in the Wilderness then Israel was Holiness to the Lord Ier. 2. 23. but when they came into Canaan and were fed in a fat pasture then We are Lords we will come no more unto thee ver 31. outward gains are ordinarily attended with inward losses as in a low condition their civil imployments were wonâ— to have a tang and savour of their duties so in an exalted condition their Duties commonly have a tang of the World He indeed is rich in Grace whose Graces are not hindred by his Riches there are but few Iehosaphats in the World of whom it s said 2 Chron. 17. 5 6. He had silver and gold in abundance and his heart was lifted up in the way of Gods commands Will not this keep thy Heart humble in prosperity to think how dear many godly men have paid for their Riches that through them they have lost that which all the World cannot purchase Then in the next place 3. Kâ—ep down thy vain heart by this Consideration That God values no man a jot the more for these things God vaâ—ues no man by outward excellencies but by inward Graces they are the internal ornaments of the Spirit which are of great price in Gods eyes 1 Pet. 3. 4 he despises all worldly glory and accepts no mans person but in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him Acts 1O 35. Indeed if the Judgment of God went by the same rule that mans doth we might value our selves by these things and stand upon them but as one said when dying I shall not appear before God as a Doctor but as a man tantus quisquis est quantus est apud Deum So much every man is and no more as he is in the judgement of God Doth thy heart yet swell and will neither of the former considerations keep it humble 4. Then Fourthly Consider how bitterly many persons have bewailed their folly when they came to dye that ever they set their hearts upon these things and heartily wish that they had never known them What a sad story was that of Pius Quintus who dying cryed out despairingly when I was in a low condition I had some hopes of Salvation but when I was advanced to be a Cardinal I greatly doubted it but since I came to the Popedome I have no hope at all Mr. Spencer also tells us a real but sad story of a rich oppressour who had sâ—taped up a great estate for his only Son when he came to dye he called his Son to him and said Son do you indeed love me the Son answered That nature besides his paternal indulgence obliged him to that then said the Father express it by this hold thy finger in the Candle as long as I am saying a Pater noster the Son attempted but could not endure it upon that the Father brake out into these expressions Thou canst not suffer the burning of thy finger for me but to get this wealth I have hazarded my soul for thee and must burn body and soul in Hell for thy sake thy pains would have been but for a moment but mine will be unquenchable fire 5. The Heart may be kept humble by considering of what a clogging nature earthly things are to a soul heartily engaged in the way to Heaven they shut out much of Heaven from us at present though they may not shut us out of Heaven at last If thou consider thy self under the notion of a stranger in this world traveling for Heaven and seeking a better Country thou hast then as much reason to be taken and delighted with these things as a weary Horse hath with a heavy Cloakbag there was a serious truth in that Atheistical scoff of Iulian when he took away the Christians estates and told them it was to make them fitter for the Kingdome of Heaven 6. Is thy Spirit for all this flatulent and lofty then urge upon it the consideration of that awful day of reckoning wherein according to our receipts of Mercies shall be our accompts for them And methinks this should awe and humble the vainest heart that ever was in the breast of a Saint Know for certain that the Lord records all the mercies that ever he gave thee from the beginning to the end of thy life Micah 6. 5. Remember O my people from Shittim unto Gilgal c. Yea they are exactly numbred and recorded in order to an account and thy account will be suitable Luke 12. 48. To whomsoever much is given of him much shall be required You are but Stewards and your Lord will come to take an account of you and what a great account have you to make who have much of this world in your hands what swift witnesses will your mercies be against you if this be the best fruit of them 7. It is a very humbling consideration That the Mercies of God should work otherwise upon my Spirits than they use to do upon the Spirits of others to whom they come as sanctified Mercies from the love of God Ah Lord what a sad consideration is this enough to lay me in the dust
bitter cup yet 't is the cup which thy Father hath given thee to drink and canst thou suspect poison to be in that cup which he delivers thee foolish man put home the case to thine own heart consult with thine own bowels canst thou find in thy heart to give thy Child that which would hurt and undoe him no thou wouldst as soon hurt thy self as him If thou then being evil knowest how to give good gifts to thy children how much more doth God Math. 7. 11. the very consideration of his nature a God of love pity and tender mercies or of his relation to thee as a father husband friend might be security enough if he had not spoken a word to quiet thee in this case and yet you have his word too Ier. 25. 6. I will doe you no hurt You lye too near his heart to hurt you nothing grieves him more than your groundless and unworthy suspicions of his designs doe would it not grieve a faithful tender hearted Physician when he hath studied the case of his Patient prepared the most excellent receipts to save his life to hear him cry out Oh he hath undone me he hath poisoned me because it gripes and pains him in the operation O when will you be ingenious 4. Help God respects you as much in a low as in a high condition and therefore it need not so much trouble you to be made low nay to speak home he manifests more of his love grace and tenderness in the time of affliction than prosperity as God did not at first chuse you because you were high so he will not forsake you because you are low men may look shie upon you and alter their respects as your condition is altered when providence hath blasted your estates your summer friends may grow strange as fearing you may be troublesom to them but will God doe so No no I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. indeed if adversity and poverty could bar you from access to God it were a sad condition but you may go to God as freely as ever my God saith the Church will hear me Micah 7. poore David when stript out of all earthly comforts could yet incourage himself in the Lord his God and why cannot you Suppose your husband or child had lost all at Sea and should come to you in raggs could you deny the relation or refuse to entertain him if you would not much less will God Why then are you so troubled though your condition be changed your fathers love and respects are not changed 5. Help And what if by the loss of outward comforts God will preserve your souls from the ruining power of temptation sure then you have little cause to sink your hearts by such sad thoughts about them Are not these earthly injoyments the things that make men shrink and warp in times of tryal for the love of these many have forsaken Christ in such an hour Matth. 19. 22. he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions and if this be Gods design what have I done in qâ—arrelling with him about it We see Marriners in a storm can throw over board rich bayles of silk and precious things to preserve the vessel and their lives with it and every one saith they act prudently we know 't is usual for Souldiers in a Citty besieged to batter down or burn the fairest buildings without the walls in which the enemy may shelter in the siege and no man doubts but ' its wisely done such as have gangrened leggs or arms can willingly stretch them out to be cut off and not only thank but pay the Chirurgion for his pains and must God only be repined at for catting over what would sink you in a storm or pulling down that which would advantage your enemy in the siege of temâ—tation for cutting off what would endanger your everlasâ—â—ng life O inconsiderate ingrateful man are not these things for which thou grievest the very things that have ruined thousands of Souls well what Christ doth in this thou knowest not now but hereafter thou mayest 6. Help it would much stay the heart under adversity to consider that God by such humbling providences may be accomplishing that for which you have long prayed and waited and should you be troubled at that say Christian hast thou not many prayers depending before God upon such accounts as these that he would keep thee from sin discover to thee the emptiness and insufficiency of the Creature that he would kill and mortifie thy lusts that thy heart may never find rest in any injoyment but Christ why now by such humbling and impoverishing strokes God may be fulfilling thy desire wouldst thou be kept from sin lo he hath hedged up thy way with thorns Wouldst thou â—ee the creatures vanity thy affliction is a fair glass to discover it for the vanity of the creature is never so effâ—ctually and sensibly discovered as in our own experience of it wouldst thou have thy corruptions mortified this is the way Now God takes away the food and fewel that maintain'd them for as prosperity begat and fed them so adversity when sanctified is a means to kill them Wouldst thou have thy heart to rest no where but in the bosom of God what better way canst thou imagine providence should take to accomplish thy desire than by pulling from under thy head that soft pillow of creature delights on which thou restedst before and yet thou fret at this peevish child how dost thou exercise thy Fathers patience if he delay to answer thy prayers thou art ready to say he regards thee not if he doe that which really answers the scope and main end of them but not in the way thou expectâ—dst thou quarrellest with him for that as if instead of answering he were crossing all thy hopes and aimes is this ingenious is it not enough that God is so gracious to doe what thou desirest but thou must be so impudent to exspect he should doe it in the way which thou prescribest 7. Help Again it may stay thy heart if thou consider That in these troubles God is about that work which if thou didst see the design of thy Soul would rejoyce We poor creatures are bemisted with much ignorance and are not able to discern how particular providences work towards Gods end and therefore like Israel in the wilderness are often murmuring because providence leads us about in a howling desart where we are expâ—sed to straits though yet then he led them and is now leading us by the right way to a City of habitations if you could but see how God in his secret Counsel hath exactly laid the whole plot and design of thy salvation even to the smallest means and circumstances this way and by these means such a one shall be saved and by no other such a number of afflictions I appoint for this man at this time and in this order they shall befall him thus and
liberty or esâ—ate are hunâ—ed after and I cannot secure them O let me leave them in thy hand the poor leaveth himself with thee and doth his God fail him no Thou art the helper of the fatherless Psalm 10. 14. that is thou art the helper of the deâ—â—â—ute one that hath none to go to but God And that is a sweet Scripture Psalm 112. 7. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord he doth not say his ear shall be priviledged from the report of evil tidings he may hear as sad tidings as other men but his heart shall be priviledged from the terrour of those tidings his heart is fixed 11. Rule Consult the honour of Religion more and your personal safety lesse Is it for the honour of Religion think you that Christians should be as timerous as Hares to start at every sound will not this tempt the World to think that whatever you talk yet your principles are no better than other mens O what mischief may the discoveries of your â—ears bâ—fore them do 'T was a noble saying of Nehemiah Chap. 6. 11. Should such a man as I flee and who being as I am would flee Were it not better you shâ—uld dye than that the World should be prejudiced against Christ by your example for alas how apt is the World who judge more by what they see in your practises than by what they understand of your principles to conclude from your timâ—râ—usness that how much soever you commend Faith and talk of Assurance yet you dare trust to these things no more than they when it comes to the tryal O let not your fears lay such a stumbling-block before the blind World 12. Rule He that will secure his heart from fear must first secure the eternal interest of his soul in the hands of Iesus Christ. When this is done then you may say now World do thy worst You will not be very solâ—citous about a vile body when you are once assured it shall be well to all eternity with your precious souls Fear not them saith Christ that can kill the body and after that have no power that they can do The assured Christian may smile with contempt upon all his enemies and say is this the worst that you can do what say you Christians are you assured that your souls are safe that within a few moments of your dissolution they shall be received by Christ into everlasting habitatious Well if you be sure of that never trouble your selves about the instruments and means of your dissolution Object O but a violent death is terrible to Nature Answ. But what matter is it wâ—en thy soul is in Heaven whether it were let out at thy mouth or at thy throat whether thy familiar friends or barbarous enemies stand about thy dead body and close thine eyes alas it is not worth the making so much ado about nihil corpus sentit in nervo cum anima sit in coelo thy soul shall not be sensibâ—e in Heaven how thy body is used on earth no it shall be swallowed up in life 13. Rule Learn to quench all slavish Creature fears in the reverential fear of God This is a cure by diversion 't is a rare piece of Christian Wisdom to turn those passions of the soul which most predominate into spiritual Channels to turn natural anger into spiritual zeal natural mirth into holy chearfulness and natural fear into an holy dread and awe of God This method of Cure Christ prescribes in that fore-mentioned place Mat. 10. like to which is that in Isa. 8. 12 13. Fear not their fear But how shall we help it Why sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your fear and your dread Natural fear may be allayed for present by natural reason or the removal of the occasion but then 't is but like a Candle blown out with a puff of breath which is easily blown in again but it the fear of God extinguish it then 't is like a Candle quencht in water which cannot easily be re-kindled 14. Rule Lastly Pour out those fears to God in Prayer which the Devil and your own unbelief pour in upon you in times of danger Prayer is the best out-let to fear where is the Christian that cannot set his probatum est to this direction I will give you the greatest Example in the World to encourage you in the use of it even the example of Jesus Christ Mark 14. 32. when the hour of his danger and death drâ—w nigh he gets into the Garden separates from the Disciples and there wrestles mightily with God in Prayer even unto an Agony in reference to which the Apostle saith Heb. 5. 7. Who in the dayes of his flesh when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong cryes and tears to him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared he was heard as to strength and support to carry him through it though not as to deliverance or exemption from it Now Oh that these things might abide with you and be reduced to practise in these evil dayes that many trembling souls may be established by them 5. Seas The fifth Season to exert this diligence in keeping the heart is the time of straits and outward pinching wants although at such times we should complain to God and not of God the Throne of Gracâ— being erected for a time of need Hâ—b 4. 16. yet when the waters of relief run low and wants begin to pinch hard how prone are the best hearts to distrust the Fountain When the Meal in the Barrel and oylin the Cruse are almost spent our faith and patience are almost spent too Now 't is difficult to keep down the proud and unbelieving heart in an holy quietude and sweet submission at the foot of God 'T is an easie thing to talk of trusting God for daily bread while we have a full Barn or Purse but to say as the Propher Hab. 3. 17. Though the Fig-tree should not blossome neither fruit be in the Vine c. yet will I rejoyce in the Lord. Sure this is not easie The fifth Case therefore shall be this 5. Cafe How a Christian may keep his heart from distrusting God or repining against him when outward wants are eithâ—r felt or feared This Case deserves to be seriously pondred and especially to be studied now since it seems to be the design of Providence to empty the people of God of their creature-fulness and acquaint them with thâ—se straits which hiâ—herto they have been altogether strangers to Nâ—w to secure the heart from the fore-mentioned dangers attending this condition these follâ—wing Consiâ—erations through the blessing of the Spirit may prove effectual And the first is this 1. Consid. That if God reduce you to straits and necessities yet he deals no otherwise therein with you than he hath done with some of the choicest and holiest men that ever lived Your