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
this blessed Looking-glass plainly discovers to you that your Heart is a very naughty Heart evil only evil and continually evil Gen. 6. 5. your inward parts are very filthiness Psal 5. 9. and as full of falshood as of filthiness Jer. 17. 9. c. Infra 5. There be various Representations indeed both of mans Malady and mans Remedy in this blessed Looking-glass of the Word of God The Looking-glass of the Law doth discover all the spots of fallen Mankinde Rom. 7. 9. both those spots that are the spots of God's Children to wit Infirmities and those that be the spots or rather deep stains or Leopards-spots of the wicked to wit Enormities Deut. 32. 5. But the Looking-glass of the Gospel discovers the Water of the Spirit of Grace and the Blood of the Lamb of God wherewith those spots are to be washed away John 1. 29. 1 Joh. 1. 7. Tit. 3. 5. Until the Law in the hand of a Mediator fall upon mans spirit with full Conviction Man is a jolly jovial Creature with Paul Rom. 7. 9. But when the Commandment comes with a piercing penetrating Power letting blood in the heart-vein as Acts 2.37 Christ speaking to the heart with a strong hand as Isai 8. 11. and the Spots and Freckles of a sinful Soul are discovered to him and discerned by him then and not till then doth he repair to that Fountain that is opened in the sides of a bleeding and blessed Saviour to wash in and to be cleansed from all those spots of Sin and of Vncleanness Zech. 13. 1. to be washed white in the Blood of the Lamb Rev. 7.14 and to be cloathed with the Robe of his Righteousness Phil. 3. 9. 6. The first Duty as to this Looking-glass Be sure you take a view of your self and of the estate and complexion of your heart in this blessed Looking-glass Motives to stir you up hereunto are these 1. This is a Looking-glass of Gods own making and therefore excellent All those Glasses fore-mentioned that give their false Representations are glasses of Mans making and that for Curiosity and Ostentation but this is of Gods making and that for Sanctity and Salvation As 't is said of the two Tables of the Law the Tables were the Workmanship of God and the Writing was the Writing of God Exod. 32. 16. so it may be said of this blessed Looking-glass of the Gospel 't is the Workmanship and Writing of God 'T is the Hebrew Idiome to put the Name of God to many things to shew the superlative excellency of those things as the Hill of God the City of God the House of God and the Sanctuary of God for the most excellent Hill House City and Sanctuary So this Looking-glass may accordingly be called the Looking-glass of God to set off its excellency and its excellency calls loud upon you for the using of it The second Motive is 'T is a Glass that hath been of singular use and in sublime estimation in all fore-going Ages and Generations The Holy Patriarchs dressed themselves both as to Faith and Manners by this Glass in their due and daily walking with God and so have the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs of God dressed themselves all by it ever since God made it Insomuch that all their Godly Examples are become as so many Looking-glasses unto us to dress our selves by and to be followers of them who through Faith and Patience do now inherit the promises Hebr. 6. 12. You must be a follower of them so far as they were followers of God in his Word and Will and of Christ in a Scripture-like Faith and a Scripture-like life and conversation 1 Cor. 11. 1. the frailties of all those Holy Saints are Recorded in the Holy Scriptures as exempla Cavendi non Cadendi fâ—â— your caution as dangerous Rocks and Sands at Sea are marked not for your imitation These Servants of God dressed themselves up in this Glass into Scripture-hearts and into Scripture-lives and so are all safely landed in Mansions of glory they are all got well home to their Fathers house out of this present evil world so called Gal. 1. 4. And if you do as they did in dressing your self by this Glass you shall in time be where they are 8. The third Motive is from the three excellent properties of this Looking-glass to wit 1. It s Truth 2. It s Largeness 3. It s Lastingness 1. 'T is a true Looking-glass and gives no false Representations of persons or things as those fallacious and sophistical Glasses aforementioned do but discovers all truely and in every part neither more or less than it is neither better nor worse than it is neither fairer nor fouler than it is in it self 2. This is a large Looking-glass that discovers the whole complexion of the Heart from top to toe the hidden Man of the heart may be viewed in it both intirely in the whole and truely in every part 3. 'T is a lasting Looking-glass it waxes not old dull and crazy as common Looking-glasses do 't is so Divinely steeled that it will never wear off nor contract any dust or obscurity though the smoak of the bottomless pit hath endeavoured to darken the Sun and the Air of the Holy Scriptures Revel 9. 2. and many a false Gloss hath been cast upon this true Glass yet hath it as much light and transparency in it self as ever To all which may be added a fourth excellent property of this blessed Glass wherein it transcends all other Glasses which discover onely the face and surface barely of the body or outward things but this discovers the inside as well as the outside and the hidden things of the heart as well as that which is bare and open 9. The fourth Motive is from the preciousness of the Soul which is far more precious than the body The Lord Jesus did assuredly best know the worth of Souls because he onely went to the price of Souls and he tells you that it is but a bad bargain to gain the World though 't is impossible for any one to get all and lose the Soul Matth. 16. 26. the Soul of one single person is of more worth than is the whole World then 't is of much more worth than the body of that person It follows hence that seeing you do use the common Glass to trim and dress the body which is the worser part that you may not be unacceptable and uncomely to Men how much more should you use this special and Spiritual Looking-glass for trimming and dressing your Soul the better part that you may not be uncomely and unacceptable to God This latter is of far more consequence and importance than the former How ought you then to look into this Looking-glass of the Word duely and daily yea as often at least as you look into the common Looking-glass 'T was grave and godly counsel that Tertullian gave to young Women Vestite vos Serico pietatis Byssino sanctitatis Purpurâ pudicitiae
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-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
heart they had not one heart in the mouth and another in the breast but were plain-hearted and down-right dealers true Israelites in whom was no guile Joh. 1. 47. 8. The sixth Allusion The Midianites Numb 25. 18. as they beguiled Israel by the Counsel of Balaam who taught Balak to lay a stumbling block before them Revel 2. 14. with their cut-throat kindness and counterfeit courtesies they gulled Israel into those two Sister-sins of Idolatry which God so severely punished Numb 24. 14. 25. 3 4 5 17 18. even so your heart will vex you with its Wiles wherewith it begulles you first plunging you into sin and then into punishment for sin Gods commands stands good to you vex your heart that vexes you mortifie and cross the corruptions of it Master spare thy self is one of its Wiles and is a cut-throat kindness inasmuch as Christ had said He that saveth his life shall lose it smarting experience tells you how your heart hath cunningly plotted to ensnare you in sin and to bring you to ruine therefore you may not walk in the way of your own heart Eccles 11.9 as Israel did in Midians way but use it as well as take it for your enemy yea for your worst as Satan is your greatest Adversary 9. This seventh Scripture-story whereby the treachery of the heart may be illustrated by way of Allusion to wit the Gibeonites beguiling Joshuah Jos 9. 22. as is said before add hereunto that they did work wilily with Israel v. 4. begnarmah the same word with gnarum Gen. 3. 1. the Serpent was more subtle c. Those Gibeonites exercised the subtlety of the Serpent without the simplicity of the Dove they tell Joshuah how they had heard the fame of Gods Miracles in Egypt but not a word of dividing Jordan nor of the overthrow of Jericho these things were too new to be known to a people that dwelt afar off as they pretended but subtlely relate those things that were done long ago and were far and near talked of v. 9 10. Hereupon Israel was gulled into a compliance with them not asking counsel of the Lord by the Urim and Thummim v. 14. through precipitancy and credulity which are seldome successful thus also your heart will work Wilily with you and strain hard to save it self from Mortification and to bring you into a sinful compliance with it oh take heed of precipitancy and credulity in this case he that trusts his own heart is a fool Prov. 28. 26. he was no fool that said so but a wise man yea the wisest of men and so able enough to judge who are fools indeed oh do not neglect to ask counsel at the mouth of the Lord consult with the wonderful Counsellour Isa 9. 6. and not with flesh and blood Gal. 1. 16. do not confer with your own fleshly heart at the end of three days you will see your folly as Israel did v. 16. Truth is the Daughter of time and deceit will out at length oh that the seed of God in you may murmure at the League and Complyance with your treacherous heart as they did v. 18. you may well say as they said v. 23. thou art a cursed heart for thus beguiling me and God may turn it into a blessing as he did to those cursed Canaanites who after this became Nethinims i. e. given to Gods Worship 1 Chro. 9. 2. Ezr. 2. 43. 10. The word Nethinim signifies Deodati men given to God devoted to the service of Gods House those were the posterity of the fraudulent Gibeonites whose punishment for their fraudulency was that servile employment of ministring to the Levites hewing of wood and drawing of water for them as the Levites ministred to the Priests and hereby not only the Israelites a Royal Nation were exempted from such slavish drudgery but also those same Gibeonites had their very punishment converted into a priviledge and their misery into a mercy for by this Sanctuary-service they were brought nearer the Church and so nearer God both to partake of the things of God and to behold his face in Righteousness yea and coming under subjection to Joshuah they became under his protection also against those mighty Kings Josh 10. at large Thus likewise when your heart is indeed brought into subjection to your blessed Joshuah or Jesus 't is both your priviledge to be but a door-keeper Psal 84. 10. even a mighty King as David accounted it so and your protection too when you are beleaguered with Troops of Temptations and a great body of corruptions after your professed subjection to Christ oh then send your winged Messengers of Prayers and Tears to the Captain of your Salvation Hebr. 2. 10. saying Lord Jesus come to me quickly and slack not thy hand as they did Josh 10. 6. if so your Joshuah will come upon your enemies suddenly as v. 9. and he will discomfit them as v. 10. yea he will brain them with hail-stones as v. 11. and rather than want time for the pursuit of the Victory the Sun shall stand still to lend light and time c. otherwise as those Gibeonites being of the posterity of cursed Cham beguiled Israel with pretence of Antiquity into a League with them even so your heart will beguile you into a truce with it though it be of the cursed off-spring and should be mortifyed 't will cheat you with seeming Antiquity telling you it hath been a good heart God-ward ever since you were born and that 't will be your servant but a treacherous one oh make it an hewer of wood and a drawer of water to Jesus your Joshuah 11. Thus much of the Male-persons that were deceitful in Scripture-story upon the last of which I have been larger than I intended being a little warm'd with the Allusion yet abhorring to destroy the litteral sence of the Holy Scriptures by wanton Allegories as some have done from the frothy exuberances of their own addle brains now take a short survey of the Female-persons such as 1. Rachel 2. Tamar 3. Josephs Mistriss 4. Jael 5. Dalilah 6. the Witch of Endor yet none of these asunder nor all these together puts a comparable cheat on others to that which your own heart will put upon you if you watch it not 1. Of Rachel she deceived her own Father of his gods goodly gods they were that could not secure themselves from stealing Gen. 31. 30 34 35. c. She puts them into the Camels furniture and sat upon them saying The custome of women is upon me 'T was a subtle and yet a sinful shift whereby to hide her shame from her earthly Father even so and much more than so will your heart become wittily wicked 't is a wickedness with a witness to steal from ones own Father especially Plate Jewels the best of Goods yet your heart will steal from you its own owner and that the unsearchable riches Eph. 3. 8. yea the best of Goods and the best of Gods 1 Cor. 8. 5