the spouse of Christ the Temple of the Holie Ghost and the image of God so changed and formed and refined that God cals it a newe heart Ezek. 36.26 Some haue a double hearte as it is in the 12. Psalme but God acknovvledgeth but one heart saying geue me thy heart not geue mee thy hearts declaring that a single heart is pleasing vnto him and that they vvhich haue a double hearte a heart a heart haue neuer a good heart God doeth not require the heart as though hee required no more then the heart like the Pope vvhich saith geue me thy hart it sufficeth To maintaine his Papistes pendant and crouchant vvhich liue amongst Christians hee requireth nothing of such but their hearte they may worship god vvith theire lippes and dissemble their religion and forsvveare their opinions and come to sermons and subscribe to other lavves and seem protestants as the deuill licenceth vvitches to seeme christians so they geue him their heart he dispenseth vvith theÌ„ to dissemble giue the rest as they list but God requireth the heart because vve should not dissemble for in the 12. to the Rom. hee commaunds the body too Offer vp your bodies a liuely sacrifice Which vve cannot doe vnles we giue heart hand tongue eies eares and all for the body is all but the heart is chiefe in request because if there be any goodnes it lies in the hearte because he vvhich giues the hart geues al for out of the aboundance of the hart the mouth speaketh the hand vvorketh the eye looketh the eare listneth the foote vvalketh to good or euill therefore there is such strife for the hearte as there vvas for Mâ—ses bodie geue it me saith the Lord geue it me saith the tempter geue it me saith the Pope geue it me saith riches geue it mee saith pleasure as though thou muste needes geue it novve here is thy choice vvhether thou vvilt geue it to God or the deuill Gods hearte or the deuils heart whose vvilt thou be Man hangs in a ballance like a young virgin vvhich hath many suters some she fauoures for parentage some for personage some for friends some for vvealth some for vvit some for vertue and after all chuseth the vvorst of all so the heart hath so many suiters besides God that sometime shee marrieth vvith one sometimes vvith another the vvorld keepes her the flesh keepes her the deuill keepes her vvhich haue no more interest in her theÌ„ Herod to his sister but seeke her spoile like them vvhich marry for riches are glad vvhen one dies that another may come These suters are like Absolom vvhich did not seek the harts of the people like Dauid but steale them vvith slatterie and lies but god vvoulde haue thee giue thy heart As a man considers what he doeth vvhen he geues so god licenceth vs to consider of that vvhich vve doe for him vvhether he deserueth it vvhether vvee ovve it vvhether he can require it â—â—â—st it shoulde come againste our vvil therfore geue me saith God as though he vvould not straine vpon vs or take from vs but if thou vvilt giue him thy heart then he accepts it it muste come freely like a gifte as his blessings come to vs then his demaund â—s graunted Here is no respect of time hovv long thou mayest stâ—y it or hovv long he vvill keepe it but geue it is the present time as though hee vvould haue it out of hand while hee askes before ye goe out of the church for vvhat can vve aske of him vvhile vve denie him but one thinge vvhich hee askes of vs therfore consider vvho is a suiter to you Novv I am a collector for God to gather hearts either you must graunt him or denie him thinke vvho shall lose by it if thou vvilt not pay thy landlord his rent Hovv many subiectes vvould reioyce if they had any thing to geue to the Prince and pray her to accept it that they might but say I haue giueÌ„ a present to the Queene So Mary reioiced that she had a litle oyle to sprinkle vppon Christe that shee vvould take no mony for it yea the vviddovv of Zarephath was so ioyfull that shee had a little foode for the Prophet that shee spared it from her children and her selfe to serue him first so they vvhich loue the Lord like his Disciples vvhich left al to follow him had rather that he shuld haue their riches their honours their heartes their liues then they themselues Why is Dauid called a manne after gods own hart but because wheÌ„ god said geue me thy hart his spirite ansvvered like to an Eccho I geue thee my heart is God so desirous of my heart vvhat good can my heart do to God It is not vvorthy to come vnder his roofe I would I had a better gift to send vnto my Lorde goe my hearte to thy maker the Bridegroome hath sent for thee put on thy Wedding garment for the Kinge him selfe vvill marrie thee Who is not sorry novv that he did not geue his heart before Is hee not vvorthie to die that vvill take his hearte from him that made it from him vvhich redeemed it from him which preserues it from him vvhich vvil glorifie it to geue it vnto him vvhich vvil infect it torment it coÌ„demne it Will a seruant reach the cup to a stranger when his maister cals for it Or vvill a man sell his coat if he haue no mo What hast thou reserued for God vvhen thou hast giuen Sathan thy heart Christ hath promised to come and dvvel vvith thee vvhere shal hee stay vvhere shal hee dine if the chamber bee taken vp and thy heart let foorth to another Thou art but a tenaunt and yet thou takest his house ouer his head and placest in it vvhom thou wilt as if thou were Land-lord Canst thou possesse another mans goodes but hee wil molest thee and trouble thee vntil hee haue his owne And doost thou thinke to keepe that which is Gods and hold it in peace No hee vvil neuer suffer thee to rest but crie vppon thee day and night as Moses vexed Pharaoh vntil hee let the people goe so thou shalt be distracted vvith feares and thoughts as one plague followed an other vntill thou let thy heart goe that it may serue God as if a man shoulde pull out thy heart and take it from thee so grieuous it is vnto God to keepe thy heart from him Therefore let all suiters haue their aunsvvere that thy heart is married alreadie as Isaac answered Esau Iacob haue I blessed and he shal be blessed So thou mayst say God hath my heart and he shall haue it and them that craue it hereafter sende them to Christ for it for it is not thine to geue if thou haue geuen it to God alreadie But take heede thy hearte doe not lie to thy selfe and saie it is Gods vvhen it
THE CHRIstians Sacrifice Scene and allowed LONDON Printed by Thomas Orwin for Thomas Man 1589. TO MY LATE AVDItors the congregatioÌ„ of Clement Danes al the good wil which I can shevve BEloued in Iesus Christ my first fruites I haue nothing but this myte to leaue with you which is the summe of al my sermons ye haue heard it already as th'apostle cals the Corinthians his epistle so ye should be my sermon that is my sermon should be printed in your hearts as this is printed in paper If ye haue not giuen your hâ—râ—s yet to him which sent for them nowe thinke that god hath sent for them againe and heare me writing whom ye cannot heare speaking Take not custome for religion shun occasion aswel as sinne seâ—k the vse of euery thing desire not to haue your Kingdome here And so I leaue you all with Christ whom I haue preached to bring forth the fruit of that seede which is sowen beseeching you for al the loue that you haue of heuen that ye would not count any thing in this world worthy to keep your harts from God but think of the day when you shal giue account of euery lesson which ye haue heard and hee which hath called you in this prison wil glorifie you in his pallace where ye shall see him to whom yee haue geuen your hearts and enioy that blessing of blessings which makes all the worlde to worship him The father of our lord Iesus Christ which hath begunne to draw you to his Kingdom neuer leaue you vntil you come vnto it Amen Your late vnworthy seruant for the Lord Henry Smith THE CHRISTIANS SACRIFICE My sonne geue me thy heart TO binde all the Lessons togeather vvhich yee haue learned since I came this Setence did come to my mind My sonne geue me thy heart vvhich is the summe of all that ye haue heard and shews in vvhat chest you shoulde lay vp these treasures in your heart then geue that heart vnto God and hee vvil keep all safe A supplication is come as it were from God to man that man woulde sende God his hearte penned by Salomon vnder the name of Wisedome directed to her sons vvisdome entreateth her sons that they would giue her their harts this wisdome is god vve by adoptioÌ„ are his sons our hart is that which christ cals spirit trueth vvithout hypocrisie Geue me that heart saith God Hee vvhich geues any thing to another coÌ„siders before what he loues giues that which he thinks wil be accepted that he may be loued for his gift therfore Dauid as though he vvere at a staÌ„d sorrowed that hee could not doe inough for God breakâ— forth to himself What shall I giue vnto the Lord for al that he hath giuen me The Lorde hearing as it vvere these sighes of his seruaunts which care study what they may doe to please him comes in their suspence like a friend vvhich desires nothing but good wil answers froÌ„ heauen My son giue me thy hart Vnder vvhich suite he taxeth them beside vvhich are suiters alvvaies to him and looke still to receiue like the Publicanes but neuer caste in their minds what they should giue threfore their tribute is set dovvne by equall measure vnder the kings seale euery man must homage his hart He vvhich alvvaies gaue novv craues and hee vvhich craued alvvaies novv geues Christ standes at the doore like a poore man asks not bread nor clothes nor lodging vvhich vve should geue to his meÌ„bers but our heart that is euen the continent of all and gouerner of mans house vvhich sittes on the bench like the Iudge to geue the charge and teach the tongue to speake the hande to vvorke the foote to vvalke the eare to attend the eye to obserue the minde to chuse and the flesh to obey That vvee must present to GOD like a burnt sacrifice vvherein all is offered together a vvise tongue a diligente hande a vvarie foote a vvatchefull eye an attentiue eare an humble minde an obediente fleshe put all together and it is but the heart My sonne saith God geue me this heart Here thou arte the geuer God the petitioner thy heart the gifte vvhich he claymeth by the name of a sonne Shoulde GOD bee a suppliaunt vnto thee and mee but that our vnthankefulnesse condemnes vs that for all the thinges vvhich hee hath geuen vs we neuer considered as yet what wee should giue vnto him before hee asketh hee is faine to put in his petition like a suter and saie giue me thy heart Marke what God hath chosen for himselfe not that vvhich any other shall loose by like the demaundes of them vvhich care for none but themselues but that vvhich being geuen to God mooues vs to geue vnto euery man his due as Zacheus vvhen hee gaue his hearte to Christ parted his goods to the poore restored to al that which hee had got by vvrong Once God required offeringes and sacrifices vvhich men vvere vnvvilling to geue because it vvas a deer seruice of God but novv he saith that the hearte is more then all burnte offerings and sacrifices Iacob loued Ioseph more then al his bretheren so God loueth the heart more then all her follovves this myte God vvill haue for all his benefits vvhich vve may best affoorde him thy almes to the poor thy counsel to the simple thine inheritaÌ„ce to thy childreÌ„ thy tribute to Caesar but thy hearte to God hee vvhich is a spirite requires the spirite and delightes to dvvel in the heartes of men Here God plantes himselfe as in a castle vvhich is alvvaies besieged vvith the vvorlde the flesh and the deuil If the enemie get a thought or a vvord or a vvorke yet he hath but rased the vvalles but if hee take the hart then the fortresse is lost From that time al our thoghts vvords and vvorks are captiue vnto him he bids them goe they goe doe and they doe it That man is like Esau vvhich had an inheritaunce vvhich had a hart but now he hath not possession of his ovvne therefore geue God thy heart that he may keep it not a peece of thy heart not a rovvme in thy heart but thy heart The heart deuided dieth God is not like the mother vvhich vvould haue the child deuided but like the naturall Mother vvhich said rather then it should be deuided Let her take all Let the deuill haue all if he vvhich gaue it be not vvorthie of it God hath no copesmate therefore he vvil haue no parting offtakes but all or none and therefore he vvhich askes here thy heart in the 6. of Deut. the 5. asks all thy hearte all thy soule all thy strength thrice hee requireth all least vvee shoulde keepe a thought behinde yet it is thy heart that is a vaine heart a barren heart a sinfull heart vntill thou geue it vnto GOD and then it is
Geue mee thy hearte thou vvouldest saye vnto him as Peter did vvhen Christe vvoulde vvashe his feet Lorde not my feete onely but my hands and my head not my heart onely but all my bodie and my thoughtes and my vvords and my vvoorkes and my goods and my life take all that thou haste geuen For vvhy should not vve geue him our heartes as vvell as our lippes vnlesse vvee meane to deceiue him vvith vvoordes for deedes If Abram gaue Lot leaue to choose vvhat parte hee did like shall not vvee geue God leaue to choose that vvhich hee loueth I hee did not loue thee hee vvou'de not require thy hearte for they vvhich loue require the heart Th◠master requires labour the lande lorde requires seruice the captain requires fight but hee that require◠the heart requires it for loue fo◠the heart is loue Wee vvill geue him little if vvee vvil not geue him that vvhich hee askes for loue tovvardes our selues though hee say giue it yet indeede hee hath bought it and that dearely with the deerest bloud that euer was shedde Hee gaue thee his heart before hee desired thy heart but heart for heart a liuing heart for a hart which died thou doest not lose thy life as he did for thee but thou bestowest thy life to glorifie him thou doest not part from thy heart when thou giuest it but hee doth keepe it for thee least the serpent should steal it from thee as he stole paradice from Adam when it was in his own custodie he cā keep it better than vve and he wil keepe it if we commit it to him and lay it in a bed of peace and lap it vith ioy and none shal take it out of his handes Therefore if ye aske mee why you should giue your heartes to god I doo not answere like the Disciples which went for the asse and the colte The Lorde hath neede but wee haue neede For vnlesse wee geue our soules hovv can hee haue them And vnlesse hee haue them hovve can hee saue them Therefore vvee haue neede if euer the saying vvere true It is more blessed to geue than take more blessed are they vvhich geue their heartes to GOD than they vvhich take possession of the vvorld Abigail did not gaine so much by her gifte to Dauid as vve for our gifte to God for shee vvas married vnto Dauid but vve are married vnto Christ of vvhom the Church doth sing in the 5. of Canticles that no wel beloued is like her beloved what hart would not be loued of him though it doe not loue him Who can assoyle this riddle vve vvoulde haue Christ our bridegrome and yet we vvil not be his spouse I would haue him take my heart yet I wil not geue it Hovv should he keep it or saue it or glorifi it if I hide it away like the seruant that buried his talent in the earth So much as I keep from God so much I keepe from heauen and vvill not suffer him to glorifie it as I did vvishe one part to be saued and another damned He vvhich vvould haue his hart sanctified and comforted and enlightened and vvil not geue it to God is like a woman which would haue her dough leauened and layeth her dough in one placee the leauen in another vvhere one cannot touche the other then commeth the tempter and takes them asunder and seaseth vpon the heart because he findes her alone This is his seede time novv hee enters into it and filles it vvith his poyson till the temple of God be the sinke of sin and the hearr vvhich shoulde bee the seate of holinesse grace and vvisedome a heart of pride a hearte of enuie a hearte of luste more like a bellie than a hearte hovv many things lodge in the hart vvhen God is not there It is a vvorlde to think hovv the diuine soule vvhich descended from heauen to bring forth fruit is become afit soyle for euery vveed vvherby vve may see vvhat hearts vve haue before vvee geue them to GOD Therefore novv aske your heartes vvhose they are and hovv they are mooued vvith these vvordes hovve many here vvill geue to this collection vvhose heart is gone vp vnto him since I beeganne to speake Here one and there one runs vp the ladder like the angels that Iacob savve in his dreame and sing vvith Dauid My heart is prepared my heart is prepared and why not thou as vvell as hee Doeth not he sende for all alike vvilt thou be the thorne or the stone or the high vvay vvhere the seede doeth lose his fruite vvhy hadst thou rather be cōpelled then inuited since thou art called to a banquet Howe manie heartes moe might we draw to God if all that be heere woulde goe to him this day But thus it standes God hath sent vnto vs for our heartes and wee answere him as the husbandes of the vineyard when he sent for fruites or as Nabal aunswered Dauid when hee sent for foode who is Dauid or who is the Lord That I shoulde take my heart from pleasure and sinne and giue it vnto him Thus we demurre vpon the cause when we should giue whether we should giue or no and aske the fleshe and our lusts and our pleasures and if the deuill will not giue his assent thē we return to an excuse it is not mine to giue or if thou cāst get the diuels good will I vvill not stand or let sinne and pleasure haue it for a while and when they haue done with it thē God shal haue it Thus euery thing which should be throwen out hath a place in our heart and hee vvhich shoulde bee receiued in can haue no roome there though hee would open the dores of heauen if vvee would open the doores of our hearts that the king of glorie might come in What shal become of those hearers vvhen he which craues them novv shal iudge them hereafter Then they shal stande like Esau and see them blessed like Iacob which gaue their heartes and crie themselues as hee did to his father Isaac haste thou not reserued a blessing for vs What a heauie heart will it bee then vvhen it may not ioye any longer heere and the ioyes of heauen are shutte against it and he vvhich desired it vvil not haue it because it comes like the foolish virgines when the dores of mercie are shut Thus ye haue heard vvhat God requires for al that hee hath geuen you and hovv all your seruices are lost vntill you bring it What shal I vvish you novv before my departure I vvish you vvould geue al your heartes to God vvhile I speake that yee might haue a kingdome for them sende for your hearts vvhere they are vvandering one from the banke another from the Tauerne another from the Shoppe an other from the Theaters Call them home and geue them all vnto God and see how he vvil
vvelcome them as the father embraceth his Sonne If your hearts vvere with God durst the deuill fetche them durste these sinnes come at them Euen as Dina vvas defloured when shee strayed from home so is the hearte vvhen it strayeth from GOD Therefore call the members togeather and let them faste like a Queste of 12. men vntill they consent vpon lavv before any moe termes passe to geue God his right and let him take the heart which he woeth which hee would marrie which hee would endow vvith all his goods and make it the heire of the crowne When you pray let your heart pray when you heare let your heart heare when yee giue let your heart giue whatsoeuer yee doe set the heart to doe it and if it be not so perfect as it should be yet it shalbe accepted for the friend that giues it Nowe if you cannot command your hearts to turne vnto God because the diuel pleades custome the flesh will not agree to leaue her possession then remember what Christ saith When ye giue your almes the left hand must not knowe what the right hand doth so the fleshe must not knowe what the spirite doeth Thou must not make thy lustes of counsel but as Abraham vvhen he was bid to offer his sonne rose vp betime and left his wife at home and neuer made Sara priuie leaste she should stop him being more teÌ„der ouer her children like vvomen thaÌ„ the father is so thou must geue the heart to God before the fleshe heare of it for if Abigail had consulted vvith Naball that churle vvhether she should haue supplied Dauid vvith victuals or no vvhen hee sent that miser vvoulde neuer haue giuen his consent vvhich scolded so soone as he heard of it therfore she vvent alone and gaue that which he asked and neuer told her husband what she would doe least he should hinder her which sought her welfare his too so we should steale our hearts from the vvorlde as the world stole them from vs. I haue but one day more to teach you al that you must learne of mee therefore I vvoulde holde you here vntill you assent to geeue all your hearts to God If ye geue them not novv where haue I cast the seed hovv haue ye heard al this yeare If ye vvil geue them novv ye shall be adopted this day the soÌ„nes of God and I shal leaue you in the bosome of Christ which vvil geue you heauen for your hearts The Lord Iesu graunt that my vvords be not the sauour of death vnto any soul here but that you may goe in strength thereof through prosperitie and aduersitie til you heare that coÌ„fort from heauen Come yee blessed and receiue the inheritance Amen FINIS 2 Cor. â—â— Pro 23 2â— Iob 22 22. Luk. 2 19 Psal. 17 3â— Dan 7 28 Pro. 9 1. Rom 8.15 Gal 4 24. Iohn 4.14 Leu 1 9. 13 Luk. 19 8. Mal 1.13 and 3 18. Mar. 12 Gen. 23. Iohn 4 24. gen 25 33 1 Kings 3 26 Esai 47 1â— Eccle. â— 9 1. Cor â— â—6 11 Cor 6 19 Eze 36 26 Psal 12 2 Rom 12 i Luc 6.45 Iud 9 Mat 14 â— â— Sam 5. Mar 14 3 1 King 17 13 â—uc 5 11 Sam 13 14 Reue 3 2â— 1 Sam 38 Exod. 8 13 and 9 28 Actes 16 14 Exo 8 9 â— Gen 27 1 King 24 6 Psal 123 2 Mat 23.26 Rom 8 32 Iohn 4 34 2 Sam 6 14 1 Chro 29 9 Psalme 45 1 Mar 26 39 â—at 2 3 â—cts 19 23 â—â—h 11 48 â—ar 23 7 â—ar 10 21. Eccle 1.13 14 Psal 44 â— Iob 22 22 Mat 28 19 Mat 4 20 â—ohn 9 26 1 Thess 5 16 1. Chron. 15 16 Luke 1.46 Mat 15.8 Leuit 22 21 22 42 mar 12 42 mat 19 20 Gal. 6 7 Act 5.3 Psalme 73 1 Mat 27 24 2. Kin 5 14 Ge 34 22 〈◊〉 4 2 Leuiticus 10 7 Mat 23 1 Kin 18 24 Mat 5.20 Micâ— 7 â—8 1. Cor 9 7 Mat 23 Mat 15 8 Mal. 1 6 1 Cor 1 16 Rom. 8 3â— Iohn 4 1â— Iohn 13.9 Gen. 13 89. Psal. 31.5 1. Pet. 1 18.1â— Gen. 3.8 Psal. 31.5 Iohn 10 2â— Mat. 28. â— Acts 20.45 1. Sam. 25.42 Cant 5 Mat. 26.24 Gen. 28.12 Psal. 47 47 Mat. 13 Maâ— 22 Mat. â—â— 33 1 Sam 25 Psal. 24.7 Gen. 27.36 Mat. 25.11 Luke 15.22 Gen. 34.1 Pro 3 1 Dan 10 12 Mat 6 2 Gen 22 6 1 Sam 25 18 1. Cor. 2.16 Mat. 25.34