bends all the thoughts about it and when it s deeply affected it will be intent the affections command the thoughts to goe after them deadness causes distâ—action and distraction increases deadness could you but look upon duties as the galleries of communion in which you walk with God where your Souls may be filled with those ravishing and matchless delights that are in his presence your Soul would not offer to stir from thence It is with the heart in duty as it is with those that dig for gold oare they try here and finding none try there and so go from place to place till at last they hit upon the rich vein and there they sit down If thy heart could but once hit the rich vein in duty it would dwell and abide there with delight and constancy O how I love thy law it is my meditation day and night Psal. 119. 97. The Soul could dwell day and night upon its knees when once its delights loves and desires are ingaged What 's the reason your hearts are so shufling especially in secret duties why are you ready to be gone almost as soon as you are come into the presence of God but because your affections are not ingaged 7. Help Mourn over the matter to God and call in assistance from Heaven when vain thoughts assault thy heart in duty When the messenger of Satan buffeted Paul by wicked injections as is supposed he goes to God and mourns over it before him 2 Cor. 12. 8. never slight wandring thoughts in duty as small matters follow every vain thought with a deep sigh turn thee to God with such words as these Lord I came hither to speak with thee and here a busie Devil and a vain heart conspiring together have set upon me O my God what an heart have I shall I never wait upon thee without distraction when shall I enjoy an hour of free communion with thee help me my God this once do but display thy glory before mine eyes and my heart shall quickly be recovered Thou knowest I came hither to enjoy thee and shall I goe away without thee See how the heart of thy poor child works towards thee strives to get near thee but cannot my heart is a ground come thou north wind blow south wind O for a fresh gale now â—rom thy Spirit to set my affections afloat couldst thou but thus affectionately bewail thy distractions to God thou mightest obtain help and deliverance from them He would say to Satan and thine imperious lusts as Ahashuerus said of Haman what will he force the Qâ—een before my face who are these that set upon my child in my work and presence 8. Help Look upon the success and sweetness of thy duties as very much depending upon the keeping of thy heart close with God in them These two things the success and sweetness of duty are as dear to a Christian as his two eyes and both of these must necessarily be lost if the heart be lost in duty Iob 35. 13. Surely God heareth not vanity neither doth the Almighty regard it the promise is made to an heart ingaged Ier. 29. 13. Then shall you seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart Well then when thou findest thy heart under the power of deadness and distraction say to thy Soul O what doe I lose by a careless heart now my praying times are the choicest parts the golden spots of all my time could I but get up this heart with God I might now obtain such mercies as would be matter for a song to all eternity 9. Help Look upon it as a great discovery of the sincerity or hypocrisie of your hearts according as you find them carefull or careless in this matter Nothing will starâ—le an upright hearâ— more than this What shall I give way to a customary wandring of heart from God shall the spot of the hypocrit appear upon my Soul they indeed can drudge on in the round of duty never regarding the frames of their hearts Ezek. 33. 31 32. but shall I doe so when men come into the presence chamber and the King is not there they bow to the empty chair O never let me be satisfied with empty duties never let me take my leave of a duty untill mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of hosts 10. Help Lastly 't will be of special use to keep thine heart with God in duties to consider what influence all thy duties havâ— into thine eternity These are your seed time and what you sow in your duties in this world you must look to reap the fruit of it in anâ—ther world Gal. 6. 7. 8. if you sow to the flesh of that you shall reap corruption but if to the spirit life everlasting O my Soul answer seriously wouldst thou be willing to reap the fruit of vanity in the world to come darest thou say when thy thoughts are roving to the ends of the earth in duty when thou scarce mindest what thou sayest or hearest now Lord I am sowing to the Spirit now I am providing and laying up for eternity now I am seeking for glory honour and immortaliy now I am striving to enter in at the strait gate now I am taking the kingdom of Heaven by an holy violence O such a consideration as this should makâ— the multitudes of vain thoughts that preâ—s in upon thy heart in duty to flie seven ways before it and thus I have shewn you how to keep your hearts in the times of duty 7. Season The seventh season calling for more than common diligence to keep the heart is when we receive injuries and abuses from men such is the depravedness and corruption of man in his collapsed state that homo homini lupus one man is become a wolf a Tyger to anoâ—her thâ—y are as the Prophet complains Hab. 1. 14. as the fishes of the sea and as the creepâ—ng things that have no ruler over them and as wicked men are cruel and oppressive one to another so they conspire together to abuse and wrong the people of God as the same Prophet complains v. 13. the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he Now when we are thus abused and wroâ—ged 't is hard to keep the heart from revengful motions to make it meekly and quietly to commit the cause to him that judgeth righteously to exercise no other affection but pity towards them that abuse us Surely the Spirit that is in us lusteth to revenge but it must not be so you have choice helps in the Gospel to keep down your hearts from such sinful motions against your enemies and to sweeten your imbitter'd Spirits the seventh case therefore shall be this 7. Case How a Christian may keep his heart from revengful motions under the greatest injuries and abuses from men The gospel indeed allows a liberty to vindicate our innocency and assert our rights but not to vent our corruptions and invade Gods right when
towards his people will bear a favourable as well as an harsh and severe construction why should not his people interpret it in the best sense And is not this such may he not have a design of love as well as of hatred in this dispensation may he not depart for a season and not for ever yea that he might not depart for ever you are not the first that have mistaken Gods ends in desertion Isai. 49. 14. Sion said the Lord hath forsaken me my God hath forgotten me was it so indeed nothing less v. 15. can a mother forget c. 2. Qâ—er Do you find the marks of an absolute total and final desertion upon your own Spirits that you are so apt to conclude yours to be such Do you find your heart inclined to forsake God have you lost your conscientious tenderness in point of sin if so Sad characters appear upon you indeed but if in this dark hour you are as tender of sin as ever as much resolved to cleave to God as ever I cannot I will not forsake God let him do what he will with me oh no I cannot If your hearts work thus it can be but a partial limited and temporary desertion by this he still keeps his interest in your hearts a sure sign he will return and visit you again 3. Quer. Is sence and feeling a competent judge of Gods actions and designs Or may a man safely rely upon its testimony after so many discoveries of the fallibility of it is this a sound argument if God had any love for my Soul if it were not quite gone I should feel it now as well as in former times but I cannot feel it therefore it s quite gone Do not you know the Sun still keeps on his course in the Heavens even in full and closs weather when you cannot see it and may it not be so with the love of God read Isai. 50. 10. may I not as well conclude in winter when the flowers have hid their beautiful heads under ground they are quite dead and gone because I cannot find them in December where I saw them in May 4. Quer. Think you the Lord cares not to break his childrens hearts and his own promise too hath he no more regard to either if he return no more these must be the consequents Isai. 57. 16 17. Heb. 13. 5. Well then from Gods carriage towards you either in â—ffliction or desertion no such discouraging heart sinking conclusions can be inferr'd Next let us see whether they may not be inferr'd from our carriage towards God and here the principal grounds of doubting are such as these 1. I have fallen again into the same sin from which I have formerly risen with repentance and resolution therefore my sinning is customary sinning a spot that is not the spot of Gods children hence the upright Soul trembles upon this t is ready to affirm that all its former humiliations for and oppositions unto sin were but acts of hypocrisie But stay poor trembling heart 1. Quer. If this be so how comes it to pass that Christ put such a favourable construction upon the Disciples sleeping the third time when he had as often reproved them for it Maâ—â—h 26. 40 41. And how is it that we find in Scripture so many promises made not only to the first sins but also to the backslidings of Gods people Ier. 3. 22. Hose 14. 4. 2. Quer. Is not your repentance and care renued as often as your guilt is renued Yea the oftner you sin the more you are troubled it is not so in customary sinning the rise whereof Bernard excellently discovers Lib. de Consâ— 1 saith he when a man p. 1109. accustomed to good sinneth grieviously it seems importable yea he seems to descend alive into hell 2 In process of time it seems not importable but heavy and betwixt importable and heavy there is no small descent 3 Next it becomes light his conscience smites but faintly and he feels not the stripes of it 4 Then there is not only a total insensibleness of it but that which was bitter and displeasing is now become sweet and pleasing in some degree 5 Then t is turned into custom and not only pleases but daily pleases Lastly custom is turned into nature he cannot be pull'd away from it but defends and pleads for it this is customary sinning this is the way of the wicked but the quite contrary is our condition 3. Quer. Are you sure from Scripture grounds that a good man may not relapse again and again into the same sin 'T is true as for gross sins they do not use to relapse into them David committed adultery no more Paul persecuted the Church no more Peter denyed Christ no more but I speak of ordinary infirmities Iobs friends were good men yet saith he Chap. 19. 3. These ten times have ye reproached me So then no such conclusions follow from this first ground of doubting 2. The second ground is the declining and withering of our affections to spiritual things O saith the upright Soul if ever I had been planted a right seed I should have been as a green olive tree in the house of my God but my branches wither therefore my root is naught But stay 1. Qâ—er May you not be mistaken about the decay of grace and fading of your affections What if they be not so quick and ravishing as at first may not that be recompensed in the spirituality and solidity of them â—ow 1 Phil. 9. I pray God your love may abound more and more in all judgment it may be more solid though not so ferverous or do you not mistake by looking forward to what you would be rather then backward to what once you were 't is a good note of Ames we discern the growth of grace as the growth of plants which we perceive rather crevisse quam crescere to have grown then to grow 2. Quer. But grant it be so indeed as you affirm must it needs follow that the root of the matter is not in you Davids last waies are distinguished from his first 2 Chr. 17. 3. and yet both first and last a holy man The Church of Ephesus is charged by Christ for leaving her first love and yet a golden Candlestick many precious Saints in that Church Rev. 2. 2 3 4. 3. A third ground of these sad conclusions is the excess of our affections to some creature injoyments I fear I love the creature more than God and if so my love is but hypocritical I sometimes feel stronger and more sensible motions of my heart to some earthly comforts then I do to heavenly objects therefore my Soul is not upright in me But stay Soul 1. Quer. May not a man love God more solidly and strongly then the Creature and yet his affections to the creatures be sometimes moved more violently and sensibly then toward God as rooted malice argues a stronger hatred then a sudden though more violent passion so we
must measure our love not by a violent motion of it now and then but by the depth of the root and constancy of its actings because David was so passionately moved for Absalom â—oaâ— concludes that if he had lived and all the people dyed it would have pleased him well 2 Sam. 19. 7. but that was argued more like a Souldier then a Logician 2. Quer. If you indeed love the creature for its self if you make it your end and religion but a means then the conclusion is rightly drawn upon you But if you love the creature in reference to God and see nothing in it seperated from him though sometimes your affections offend in the excess this is consistent with sincere love to God To love the creature inordinately i. e. to put it in Gods room and make it a mans end this is the love of a carnal heart to love it immoderately that is to let out more affection to it then we ought is sometimes the sin of the best hearts 3. Quer. Have not many Souls feared as you do that when Christ and creatures should stand as competitors in some eminent tryal they should forsake Christ rather then the creature and yet when brought to that Dilemma have been able to cast all the world at their heels for Christ Many of the Martyrs had such fears and thus they were satisfied the prevalency of love is best seen at parting there may be more love to Christ in thy Soul then thou art now aware of and if God bring thee to such a pinch thou mayest see it 4. A fourth ground of these sad conclusions is from hence that we find our hearts sometimes more straitned in private then in publick duties Oh if my Soul were sincere its actings in duty would be uniform I fear I am but a Pharisee upon this ground 't is sad indeed we should at any time find our hearts straitned in private But 1. Quer. Do not all thine inlargements in duty whether publick or private depend upon the Spirit who is the Lord of influences and according as he gives out or holds back those influences so art thou inlarged or straitned And what if sometimes he please to give that in a publick which he with-holds in a private duty as long as thy Soul is satisfied in neither without Communion with God and the straitness of thy heart is indeed its burden doth that argue thee to be an hypocrite 2. Quer. Dost thou not make conscience of private duties and set thy self as before the Lord in them Indeed if thou live in the constant neglect or careless performance of them if thou art curious about publick and careless about private duties that would be a sad sign but when you have conscientiously performed and often met with God in them it will not follow you are insincere because that communion is sometimes interrupted Besides 3. Quer. May there not be something at sometimes in a publick which is wanting in a private duty to raise and advantage thine affections God mâ—y sometimes make use of the melting affections of them with whom thou hearest or prayest as petty instruments to move thy affections this advantage is wanting in private therefore from hence the case so standing no such inferrence can be drawn 5. Another ground is from those horrid injections of Satan with which the Soul is greatly perplexed by these I may see what an heart I have can grace be where these are Yes grace may be where such thoughts are though not where they are lodged and consented to dost thou cry out under the burden enter thy protest in Heaven against them strive to keep up holy and reverend thoughts of God then t is a rape not a voluntary prostitution 6. The last ground of these sad conclusions is the Lords long silence and seeming denyal of our long depending suits and prayers O if God had any regard to my Soul he would have heard my cryes before now but I have no answer from him therefore no interest in him But stay doubting Soul 1. Quer. Have not many Saints stumbled upon this stone before thee Psal. 31. 22. I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eyes nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplication So the Church Lam. 3. 44. Thou coverest thy self with a cloud that our prayers should not pass through Ionah 2. 4. Then said I I am cast out of thy sight and may not you be mistaken in this matâ—er as well as they 2. Quer. Though Gods abhorring and final rejecting prayer be an argument of his abhorring the person that prayes yet dare we conclude so from a meere suspension of the answer God may bear long with his own elect that cry unto him day and night Luk. 18. 7. 3. Quer. Can you deny but that there are some signs appearing in your Souls even whilest God suspends his answer that argue your prayers are not rejected by him as 1 Though no answer come yet you are still resolved to wait you dare not say as that prophane wretch did 2 Kings 6. 33. This evil is of the Lord why should I wait for him any longer 2 You can clear and justifie God still and lay the reason and cause of his silence upon your selves So did David Psal. 22. 2 3. O my God I cry in the day time and thou hearest not and in the night and am not silent but thou art holy c. 3 The suspension of Gods answer makes you inquisitive into your own hearts what evils are there that obstruct your prayers So the Church Lam. 3. 8. He shutteth out my prayer and how doth this work you may see v. 40. Let us search and try our ways well then neither from hence may you conclude that God hath no love for your Souls And thus I have shewn you how to keep your hearts in a dark and doubting season from those desperate conclusions of unbelief God forbid any false heart should incourage it self from these things t is our unhappiness that when we give Saints and sinners their proper portions that each of them are so prone to take up the others part 11. Season The eleventh special season calling for this diligence to keep our hearts is when sufferings for Religion come to an height then look to your hearts Matth. 24. 8 9 10. All these are the beginning of sorrows and they shall deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you and ye shall be hated of all nations for my names sake and THEN shall many be offended When sufferings for religion grow hot then blessed is he that is not offended in Christ troubles are then at an height 1 When a mans neerest friends and relations forsake and leave him Micah 7. 5 6. 2 Tim. 4. 16. When a man is ingaged alone 2 When it comes to resisting to blood Heb. 12. 4. 3 When temptations are presented to us in our sufferings Heb. 11. 37. 4 When eminent persons for
then to keep the hear is carefully to preserve it from sin which disorders it and maintain that spiritual and gracious frame which fits it for a life of communion with God and this includes these fix acts in it 1. First frequent observation of the frame of the heart turning in and examining how the case stands with it this is one part of the work Carnal and formal persons take no heed to this they cannot be brought to confer with their own hearts there are some men and women that have lived forty or fifty years in the world and have scarce had one hours discourse with their own hearts all that while 't is an hard thing to bring a man and himself together upon such an account but Saints know those Soliloquies and self-conferences to be of excellent use and advantage The Heathen could say anima sedendo quiescendo fit sapiens the Soul is made wise by fitting still in quietness though Bankrupts care not to look into their Books of accompt yet upright hearts will know whether they go backward or forward Psal. 77. 6. I commune with mine own heart The heart can never be kept until its case be examined and understood 2. It includes deep humiliations for heart evils and disorders thus Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart 2 Chron. 32. 26. Thus the people were ordered to spread forth their hands to God in Prayer in a sense of the Plague of their own hearts 1 Kings 8. 38. Upon this account many an upright heart hath been laid low before God O What an heart have I they have in their confessions pointed at the heart the pained place Lord here is the wounds here is the Plague-sore it is with the heart Well kept as it is with the eye which is a fit emblem of it if a small dust get into the eye it will never leave twinkling and watering till it have wept it out So the upright heart cannot be at rest till it have wept out its troubles and poured out its complaints before the Lord. 3. It includes earnest Supplications and instant Prayer for heart-purifying and rectifying Grace when sin hath defiled and disordered it so Psal. 19. 12. Cleanse thou me from secret faults and Psal. 86. 11. Unite my heart to fear thy Name Saints have always many such Petitions depending before the Throne of Grace this is the thing which is most pleaded by them with God when they are praying for outward mercies happily their spirits may be more remiss but when it comes to the heart-case then they intend their spirits to the utmost fill their mouths with Arguments weep and make supplication Oh for a better heart Oh for a heart to love God more To hate Sin more to walk more evenly with God Lord deny not to me such a heart what ever thou deny me Give me an heart to fear thee love and delight in thee if I beg my bread in desolate places 'T is observed of holy Mr. Bradford that when he was confessing sin he would never give over confessing until he had felt some brokeness of heart for that sin and when praying for any Spiritual mercy would never give over that suite till he had got some relish of that mercy that 's the third thing included in keeping the heart 4. It includes the imposing of strong ingagements and bonds upon our selves to walk more accurately with God and avoid the occasions whereby the heart may be induced to sin Well composed advised and deliberate Vows are in some cases of excellent use to guard the heart against some special sin So Iob 31. 1. I made a covenant with mine eyes by this means holy ones have over-awed their souls and preserved themselves from desilement by some special heart-corruptions 5. It includes a constant holy jealousie over our own hearts quick-sighted self-jealousie is an excellent preservative from sin he that will keep his heart must have the eyes of his soul awake and open upon all the disorderly and tumultuous stirrings of his affections if the affections break loose and the passions be stirred the Soul must discover and suppress them before they get to an height O my Soul dost thou well in this My tumultuous thoughts and passions where is your Commission State viri quae causa viae quive est is in armis Virg. Happy is the man that thus ieareth alwaies Prov. 28. 14. By this fear of the Lord it is that men depart from evil shake off security and preserve themselves from iniquity he that will keep his heart must feed with fear rejoyce with fear and pass the whole time of his sojourning here in fear and all little enough to keep the heart from Sin 6. And lastly To add no more it includes the realizing of Gods Presence with us and setting the Lord alwaies before us this the people of God have found a singular means O keep their hearts upright and awe them from sin when the eye of our Faith is fixed upon the eye of Gods Omniscience we dare not let out our thoughts and affections to vanity Holy Iob durst not suffer his heartto yeild to an impure vain thought and what was it that moved him to so great a Circumspection Why he tells you Iob 31. 4. Doth he not see my waies and count all my steps Walk before me saith God to Abraham and be thou perfect Gen. 17. 1. Even as Parents use to set their Children in the Congregation before them knowing that else they will be toying and playing so would the heart of the best man too were it not for the eye of God In these and such like particulars do gracious souâ—s express the care they have of their hearts they are as careful to prevent the breaking loose of their corruptions in times of temptation as Sea-men are to binde fast the Guns that they break not loose in a storm as careful to preserve the sweetness and comfort they have got from God in any duty as one that comes out of an hot Bath or great sweat is of taking cold by going forth into the chill aire this is the work and of all works in Religion it is the most difficult constaâ—t and important work 1. 'T is the hardest work Heart-work is hard work indeed To shuffle over Religious-Duties with a loose and heedless Spirit will cost no great pains but to set thy self before the Lord and tye up thy loose and vain thoughts to a constant and serious attendance upon him this will cost thee something to attain a facility and dexterity of language in Prayer and put thy meaning into apt and decent expressions is easie but to get thy heart broken for sin whilst thou art confessing it melted with free grace whilst thou art blessing God for it to be really ashamed and humbled through the apprehensions of Gods infinite holiness and to keep thy heart in this frame not onely in but after Duty will surely cost thee some groans and travelling
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
when I consider 1 that their mercies have greatly humbled them the higher God hath raised them the lower they have laid themselves before God Thus did Iacob when God had given him much substance Gen. 32. 5 10 And Iacob said I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies and all the truth which thou hast shewed thy servant for with my staff 〈◊〉 passed over this Iordan and now am become two Bands And thus it was with holy David 2 Sam. 7. 18. When God had confirmed the Promise to him to build him an house and not reject him as he did Saul he goes in before the Lord and saith who am I and what is my Fathers house that than hast brought me hitherto and so indeed God required Deut. 26. 5. when Israel was to bring to God the first fruits of Canaan they were to say A Syrian ready to perish was my father c. Do others raise God the higher for raising them and the more God raises me the more shall I abuse him and exalt my self Oh what a sad thing is this 2 others have freely ascribed the glory of all their injoyments to God and magnified not themselves but him for their mercies So David 2 Sam. 26. 26. Let thy name be magnified and the house of thy servant be established He doth not fly upon the mercy and suck out the sweetness of it looking no farther than his own comfort no he cares for no mercy except God be magnified in it So Psal. 18. 2. when God had delivered him from all his enemies the Lord saith he is my strength and my rock he is become my salvation They did not put the Crown upon their own heads as I do 3 The mercies of God have been melting mercies unto others melting their Souls in love to the God of their mercies So Hannah 1 Sam. 2. 1. when she received the mercy of a Son my soul saith she rejoyceth in the Lord not in the mercy but in the God of the mercy And so Mary Luke 1. 46. My soul doth magnify the Lord my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour the word signifies to make more room for God Their hearts were not contracted but the more inlarged to God 4 the mercies of God have been mighâ—y restraints to keep others from sin So Ezra 9. 13. Seeing thou our God hast given us such a deliverance as this should we again break thy Commandments ingenious Souls have felt the force of the obligations of love and mercy upon them 5 to conclude the mercies of God to others have been as oyle to the wheels of their obedience and made them fitter for service 2 Chro. 17. 5. Now if mercies work contrarily upon my heart what cause have I to be afraid that they come not to me in love I tell you this is enough to damp the Spirit of any Saint to see what sweet effects they have had on others and what sad effects on him 2. Season The second special Season in the life of a Christian requiring more than a common diligence to keep his heart is the time of adversity when providence frowns upon you and blasts your outward comforts then look to your hearts keep them with all diligence from repining against God or fainting under his hand for troubles though sanctified are troubles still even sweet bryar and holy thistle have their prickeles Ionah was a good man and yet how pettish was his heart under affliction Iob was the Mirrour of patience yet how was his heart discomposed by trouble you will find it as hard to get a composed spirit under great afflictions as it is to fix Quicksilver Oh the hurries and tumults which they occasion even in the best hearts well then the second Case will be this 2. Case How a Christian under great afflictions may keep his heart from repining or desponding under the hand of God Now there are nine special helps I shall here offer to keep thy heart in this condition and the first shall be this To work upon your hearts this great truth 1. That by these cross Providences God is faithfully pursuing the great design of electing love upon the Souls of his people and orders all these afflictions as means sanctified to that end Afflictions fall not out by Casualty but by Counsel Iob 5. 6. Eph. 1. 11. by this Counsel of God they are ordained as means of much spiritual good to Saints Isai. 27 9. By this shall the iniquity of Iacob be purged c. Heb. 12. 10. But he for our profit c. Rom. 8. 28. all things work together for good they are Gods workmen upon our hearts to pull down the pride and carnal security of them and being so their nature is changed they are turnâ—d into blessiâ—gs and benefits Psal. 119 71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted And sure then thou hast no reason to quarrel with but rather to admire that God should concern himself so much in thy good to use any means for the accomplishing of it Philip. 3. 11. Paul could bless God if by any means he might attain the resurrection of the dead my brethren saith Iames count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations 1 Iam. 2. 3. My father is about a design of love upon my soul and do I well to be angry with him all that he doth is in pursuance of and reference to some eternal glorious ends upon my Soul O 't is my ignorance of Gods design that makes me quarrel with him he saith to thee in this case as to Peter What I do thou knowest not now but hereafter thou shalt know it 2. Help Though God hath reserved to himself a liberty of afflicting his people yet he hath tyed up his own hands by promise never to take away his loving kindness from them Can I look that Scripture in the face with a repining diâ—contented spirit 2 Sam. 7. 14. I will be his father and he shall be my Son if he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men nevertheless my mercy shall not depart away from him O my heart my naughty heâ—rt dost thou well to be discontented when God hath given thee the whole tree with all the clusters of comfort growing on it because he suffers the wind to blow down a few leaves Christians have two sorts of goods the goods of the throne and the goods of the foot stoole moveables and immoveables if God have secured these never let my heart be troubled at the loss of those indeed iâ— he had cut off his love or discovenanted my Soul I had reason to be cast down but this he hath not he cannot do 3. Help It is of marvellous efficacy to keep the heart from sinking under affliction to call to mind that thine own father hath the ordering of them not a Creature moves hand or tongue against thee but by his permission Suppose the cup be a
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
to that will whence we proceeded and he that made us should dispose of us as he pleaseth he may doe what seemeth him good without our consent doth poor man stand upon equal ground that he should capitulate with his Creator or that God should render him an account of any of his matters it's every way as reasonable we be content however God dispose of us as that we be obedient to what ever he commands us But then if we persue this argument further by considering that Gods permissions do all meet at last in the real good of his people this will much more quiet our spirits Do the enemies carry away the good figgs even the best among the people into captivity this looks like a sad providence but yet God sends them thither for their good Ier. 24. 5. doth God take the Assyrian as a staffe in his hand to beat his people with those blows are smart and make them cry but the end of his so doing is that he may accomplish his whole work upon Mount Sion Isa. 10. 12. If God can bring much good out of the worst and greatest evil of sin much more out of temporal afflictions and it is as evident that he will as that he can do so For it is inconsistent with the wisdome of a common Agent to permit any thing which he might prevent if he pleased to cross his great design and end and can it be imagined that the most wise God should do so Well then as Luther told Melancthon desinat Philippus esse rector mundi so say I to you let infinite wisdom power and love alone for by these all Creatures are swayed and actions guided in reference to the Church It s none of our work to rule the World but to submit to him that doth non caeco impetu volvuntur rotae the motions of Providence are all judicious the Wheels are full of eyes it is enough that the affairs of Sion are in a good hand 2. Direct Ponder this heart-supporting truth in reference to Sions trouble That how many troubles soever are upon her yet her King is in her What Hath the Lord forsaken his Churches hath he sold them into the enemies hand Doth he not regard what evil befals them that our hearts sink at this rate Is it not too shameful an undervaluing of the great God and too much magnifying of poor impotent man to fear and tremble at Creatures whilest God is in the midst of us The Churches enemies are many and mighty let that be granted yet that Argument with which Caleb and Ioshua strove to raise their own hearts is of as much force now as it was then The Lord is with us fear them not Numb 14. 9. The Historian tels us that when Antigonus over-heard his souldiers reckoning how many their enemies were and so discouraging one another he suddenly steps in among them with this Question and how many said he do you reckon me for discouraged souls how many do you reckon the Lord for is he not an over-match for all his enemies is not one Almighty more than many mighties doth his presence stand for nothing with us If God be for us who can be against us Rom. 8. 31. What think you was the reason of that great Exploration Gideon made in Iudges 6. He questions vers 12. 13. he desires a sign v. 17. and after that another v. 36. and what was the end of all this but that he might be sure the Lord was with him and that he might but wriâ—e this Mâ—tâ—o upon his Ensign The sword of the Lord and of Gideon So then if you can be well assured the Lord is with his peoplâ— you will get thereby above all your discouragements and that he is so you need not with him desire a sign from Heaven lo you have a sign before you even their marvellous preservation amâ—dst all their enemies If God be not with his people how is it they are not swallowed up quick Do their enemies want malice power or opportunity no but there is an invisible hand upon them Well then as it is Exod. 33. 14. Let his presence gâ—ve us rest and though the Mountains be hurled into the Sea though Heaven and Earth mingle together fear not God is in the midst of her she shall not be moâ—ed 3. Direct Ponder the great advantages attending the people of God in an â—fflicted condition If a low and an â—fflicted stare in the World be really bâ—st for the Church then your dejections are not only irrational but ungrateful indeed if ye estimate the happiness of the Church by its worldly ease splendor and prosperity then such times will seem bad for it but if you reckon its glory to consist in its humility faith patience and heavenly mindedness no condition in the World abounds with advantages for these as an afflicted condition doth It was not persecutions and prisons but worldliness and wantonness that was the poyson of the Church neither was it the earthly glory of its Professors but the bloud of its Martyrs that was the seed of the Church The power of godliness did never thrive better than in affliction and never ran lower than in times of greatest prosperity when we are left a poor and an afflâ—cted people then we learn to trust in the Name of the Lord Zeph. 3. 12. What say ye Sirs Is it indeed for the Saints advantage to be weaned from the loves and delights of ensnaring worldly vanities to be quickned and prickt forward with more haste to Heaven to have clearer discoveries of their own hearts to be taught to pray more fervently frequently spiritually to look and long for the Rest to come mâ—â—e ardently if this be for their advanâ—â—ge experience teacheth us that no condition is ordinarily blest with such â—â—uits as these like an afflicted Condition And is it well done then to repine and droop because your father consuâ—ts more the advantage of your souls than the pleasing of your humours because he will bring you a nearer way to Heaven than you are willing to go Is this a due requital of his love who is pleased so much to concern himself in your welfare which is more than he will do for thousands in the World upon whom he will noâ— lay a Rod or spend an affliction for their good Hos. 4. 17. Matth. 15. 14. But alas We judge by sense and reckon things good or evil according to what we for the present can taste and feel in them 4. Direct Taâ—e heed that you overlook not the many precious mercies which the people of God enjoy amidst all their trouble 'T is pity that our tears upon the account of our troubles should so blear and blind our eyes that we should not see our mercies and grounds of comfort I will not insist upon the mercy of having your lives given you for a prey nor yet upon the many outward comforts temporal conveniences and accommodations which you enjoy even above
condition is not singular though you have hitherto been strangers to wants other Saints have daily conversed and been familiarly acquainted with them Hear what blessed Paul speaks not of himself only but in the names of other Saints reduced to like exigencies I Cor. 4. 11. Even to this present hour we both hunger and thirst and are naked and buffetted and have no certain dwelling place To see such a man as Paul going up and down the World with a naked back and empty belly and not a house to put his head in one that was so far above thee in Grace and Holiness one that did more service for God in a day than perhaps thou hast done him all thy dayes and yet thou repine as if hardly dealt with Have you forgot what necessities and straits even a David hath suffered how great were his straits and necessities I Sam. 25. 8. Give I pray thee saith he to Nabal whatsoever cometh to thy hand to thy Servants and to thy Son David Renowned Musculus was forced to dig in the Town-ditch for a maintenance Famous Ainsworth as I have been credibly informed forced to sell the bed he lay on to buy bread But what speak I of these behold a greater than any of them even the Son of God who is the heir of all things and by whom the worlds were made yet sometime would have been glad of any thing having nothing to eat Mark 11. 12. And on the morrow when they were come from Bethany he was hungry and seeing a Fig-tree a far off having leavs he came if happily he might find any thing thereon Well then Hereby God hath set no mark of hatred upon you neither can you infer the want of love from the want of bread When thy repining heart puts the question was there ever any sorrow like unto mine Ask these Woâ—thies and they will tell thee though they did not complain and fret as thou dost yet they were driven to as great straits as thou art 2. Consid. If God leave you not in this necessitous condition without a promise you have no reason to repine or despond under it That is a sad condition indeed to which no promise belongs I remember Mr. Calvin upon those words Isa. 9. 1. Nevertheless the dimnesse shall not be such as was in her vexation c. Salves the doubt in what sense the darkness of the Captivity was not so great as the lesser incursions made by Tiglath Pileser In the Captivity the City was destroyed and the Temple burnt with fire there was no comparison in the affliction but yet the darkness should not be such and the reason saith he is this huic certam promissionem esse additam cum in prioribus nulla esset â— e. there was a certain promise made to this but none to the other 'T is better be as low as Hell with a Promâ—se than in Paradise without one Even the darkness of Hell it self would be comparatively no darkness at all were there but a promise to enlighten it Now God hath left many sweet Promises for the faith of his poor people to feed on in this condition such are these Psalm 34. 9. 10. O fear the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them thaâ— fear him the Lions do lack and suffer hunger but they that fear the Lord shall want nothing that is good Psalm 33. 18 19. The eye of the Loâ—d is upon the righteous to keep them alive in famine Psalm 84. 11. Nâ— good â—hing will be with-hold fâ—om them that walk uprâ—ghtly Râ—m 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Isa. 41. 17. when the poor and the needy seek water and there is none and their tongue faileth for thirst I the Lord will hear them I the God of Israel will not forsake them Here you see first their extream wants water being put even for the necessaries of life 2 their certain relief I the Lord will hear them in which it is supposed that they cry unto him in their straits and he hears their cry Having therefore these Promises why should not your distrustful hearts conclude like Davids Psalm 23. 1. The Lord is my shephered I shall not want Object But these Promises imply conditions if they were absolute they would afford more satisfaction Sol. What are those tacite conditions you speak of but these 1 That either he will supply or sanctifie your wants 2 That you shall have so much as God sees fit for you and doth this trouble you would you have the mercy whether sanctified or no whether God sees it fit for you or no Methinks the appetites of Saints after earthly things should not be so ravenous to seize greedily upon any enjoyment not careing how they have it But Oh when wants pinch and we see not whence supplies should come then our faith in the promise shakes and we like murmuring Israel cry He gave bread can he give water also O unbelieving hearts when did his promise fail who ever trusted them and was ashamed may not God upbraid thee with thine unreasonable infidelity as Ier. 2. 31. Have I been a wilderness unto you c. or as Christ said to the Disciples Since I was with you lacked ye any thing Yea may you not upbraid your selves may you not say with good old Polycarp thus many years I have served Christ and found him a good Master indeed he may deny what your wantonness but not wâ—at your real wants call for he will not regard the cry of your lusts nor yet despise the cry of your faith though he will not indulge and humâ—ur your wanton appetites yet he will not violate his own faithful promises Tâ—ese Prâ—mises are your best security for eternal life and 't is strange it they should not satisfie you for daily bread remember ye the words of the Lord and solace your hearts with them amidst all your wanâ—s 'T is said of Epicurus that in the dreadful fiâ—s of the Collick he often refreshed himself oâ— memoriam inventorum by calling to mind his inventions in Philosophy and of Possidonius the Philosopher that in a great fit of the stone he sollaced himself with discourses of moral Vertue and when the pain twinged him he would say nihilagis dolor quamvis sis molestus nunquam confitâ—bor te esse malum O pain thou dost nothing though thou art a little troublâ—som I will never confess thâ—e to be evil If upon such grounds as these they could support themselves under such grinding and racking pains and even delude their diseases by them how much rather should the precious promiâ—es of God and the sweet Experiences which have gone along step by step with them make you to forget all your wants and comfort you over every strait 3. Consid. If it be bad now it might have been worse hath God denyed thee the comforts of this life he
thou yet doubt Remember Hagar and the Childe 7. Conâ—id Your poverty is not your sin but your affliction only if by sinful means â— oâ— have not brought it upon your selves and if it be but an affliction it may be born the easier for that 'T is hard indeed to bear an affliction coming upon us as the fruit and punishment of sin when men are under trouble upon that account they use to say O! if it were but a single affliction coming from the hand of God by way of tryal I could bear it but I have brought it upon my self by sin it comes as the punishment of sin the marks of Gods displeasure are upon it 't is the guilt within that troubles and galls more than the want without But it is not so here and therefore you have no reason to be cast down under it Object But though there be no sting of guilt yet this condition wants not other stings as first the discredit of Religion I cannot comply with mine engagements in the world and thereby Religion is like to suffer Sol. 'T is well you have an heart to discharge every duty â—et if God disable you by Providence 't is no discredit to your profession because you do not that which you cannot do so long as it is your desire endeavour to do what you can and ought to do and in this case Gods will is that lenity and forbearance be exercised towards you Deâ—t 24. 12 13. 2 Object But it grieves me to behold the necessities of others whom I was want to relieve and refresh but now cannot Sol. If you cannot it ceases to be your duty and God accepts the drawing out of your soul to the hungry in compassion and desire to help them though you cannot draw forth a full purse to relieve and supply them 3. Obj. But I find such a condition full of temptations a sore clog in the way to Heaven Sol. Every condition in the World hath its clogs and attending temptations and were you in a prosperous condition you might there meet with more temptations and fewer advantages than you now have For though I confess poverty hath its temptations as well as prosperity yet I am confident prosperity hath not those excellent advantages that poverty hath for here you have an opportunity to discover the sincerity of your love to God when you can live upon him find enough in him and constantly follow him even when all external inducements and motives fail And thus I have shewed you how to keep your hearts from the temptations and dangers attending a poor and low condition in the World when want pinches and the heart begins to sink then improve and bless God for these helps to keep it 6. Season The sixth Season of expressing this diligence in keeping the heart is the Season of Duty when we draw nigh to God in publick private or secret Duties then 't is time to look to the heart for the vanity of the heart seldome discovers it self more than at such times How oft doth the poor soul cry out O Lord how fain would I serve thee but vain thoughts will not let me I came to open my heart to thee to delight my soul in communion with thee but my corruptions have set upon me Lord rare off these vain thoughts and suffer them not to prostitute the soul which is espoused to thee before thy face The sixth Case then is this 6. Case How the heart may be kept from distractions by vain thoughts in the time of Duty There is a two-fold distraction or wandring of the heart in Duty 1 voluntary and habitual Psalm 78. 8. They set not their hearts aright and their spirit was not stedfast with God This is the case of Formalists and it proceeds from the want of an holy bent and inclination of the heart to God their hearts are under the power of their lusts and therefore 't is no wonder they go after their lusts even when they are about holy things Ezek 33. 31. 2 Involuntary and lamented distractions Râ—m 7. 21 24. I finde then a law that when I would do good evil is present with me O wretched man that I am c. This proceeds not from the want of a holy bent and aim but from the weakness and imperfection of grace And in this case the soul may make the like câ—mplaint against its own corruptions that Abijah did against Ieroboam 2 Chro. 13. 6 7. Yet Ieroboam the son of Nebat is risen up against his Lord when Reâ—oboham was young and tender-hearted and could not withstand them and there are gathered unto him vain men the children of Belial Grace hath a dominion but lusts are mutinous and seditious during the infancy thereof But it is not my business to shew you how these distractions come into the heart but rather how to get and keep them out of the heart in order whereto take these ten following Helps 1. Help Sequester your selves from all earthly imployments and set apart some time for solemn preparation to meet God in duty you cannot come seeking hot out of the world into Gods presence but you will find a tang of it in your duties it is with the heart a few minutes since plunged in the world now at the feet of God just as with the sea after a storm which still continues working muddy and disquiet though the wind be laid and stâ—rm over thy heart must have some time to settle There are few Musicians that can take down a lure or viol and play presently upon it without some time to tune it there are few Christians can presently say as Psal. 57. 7. O God my heart is fixed it is fixed O when thou goest to God in any duty take thy heart aside and say O my Soul I am now addressing my self to the greatest work that ever a Creature was imployed about I am going into the awful presence of God about business of everlasting moment Oh my Soul leave trifling now be composed watchful serious this is no common work 't is God work Soul work Eternity work I am now going forth bearing seed which will bring forth fruit to life or death in the world to come pause a while upon thy sins wants troubles steep thy thoughts a while in these before thou address thy self to duty David first mused and then spake with his tongue Psal. 39. 3 4. So Psal. 45. 1 my heart is enditing c. 2. Help Having composed thy heart by previous meditation presently set a guard upon thy senses how often are poor Christians in danger of loosing the eyes of their mind by those of their body for this Iob covenanted with his senses Chap. 31. 1. for this David prayed Psal. 119. 37. turn away mine eies from beholding vanity and quickâ—n thou me in thy way this may serve to expâ—und that mystical Arabian proverb which advises to shut the windows that the house may be light 't were excellent if
the God of love 4 To mention no more itâ— disparages the Christian Religion How would Plato and Pythagor as shame us if they were now living Christ was as a lamb for meekness and doth it become his followers to be like Lyons O keep your hearts or you will at once lose not only your own peace but the câ—edit of religion 4. Mea. Consider how sweet a thing it is to a Christian to conquer his corruâ—tions and carry away the spoils of them He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a City Prov. 16. 32. Is there any content inventing a passion how much more in mortifying it when thou comest in a calm mood or upon a death-bed to review thy life how comfortable then will it be to reflect upon the conquests thou hast got by the fear of God over the evil propensions of thine own heart 't was a memorable saying of Valentinian the Emperour when he came to dye among all my Conquests said he there is but one that now comforts me and being asked what that was he answered I have overcome my worst enemy mine own naughty heart 5. Mea. Shame your selves by setting before you those eminent patterns that have been most excellent for meekness Aboâ—â— all compare your spirits with the spâ—rit of Christ Learn of me saith he for I am meek and lowly Matth. 11. 29. Christ was meek and lowly but I am proud and passionate it was the high commendation of Moses Numb 12. 3. Now the man Moses was meek above all the men of the earth and this was the man that knew God face to face 'T is said of Calvin and Vrsin that they both were of cholerick natures but yet had so learned the meekness of Christ as not to utter one word under the greatest provocation unbeseeming Religion When I read the pretty stories of the very Heathens that never had the advantages we have how the Pythagorians what ever fewds had been among them in the day would hush all by sending to each other this message the Sun is almost set and that of Plato to his Scholar I would beat thee if I were not angry When I read what lenity and tenderness Lycurgus shewed to an insolent fellow that had struck out one of his eyes I am ashamed to see how much Christians are out shot by Heathens who by meer moral arguments and precepts had thus meekned their Spirits and conquered their passions the dim light of nature could teach saneca to say that anger will hurt a man more than the offence for there is a certain bound in the offence but I know not how far mine anger will carry me 'T is a shame that these men who come so far behind us in means and advantages should so far outstrip us in meekness and patience Means 6. Lastly Avoid all irritating occasions He that will not hear the Clapper must not pull the Rope grievous words stir up anger saith Solomon Prov. 15. 1. Do not only pray and resolve against it but get as far as you can out of the way of it 't is true Spiritual Valour to run as fast and as far as we can out of sins way if you can but avoid anger in its first rise there is no great fear of it afterwards for it is noâ— with this sin as it is with other sins other sins grow to their full strength by degrees their first motions are the weakest but this sin is born in its full strength 't is strongest at firâ—t withstand it then and it falls before you Thus learn to keep your hearâ—s when provocations arise Season 9. The ninth Season of exerting our greatest diligence is the Crittical hour of temptation wherein Satan layes close Siege to the Fort-Royal of a Christians heart and often surprizes it for want of watchfulness to keep thy heart now is no less a Mercy than a Duty few Christians are so well skilled in detecting the fallacies and retorting the arguments by which Satan uses to draw them to sin as to come off safe in those encounters Watch and Pray saith our Lord lest ye enter into temptation Mark 14. 38. Even an emineâ—t David and a wise Solomoâ— have smarted for their carelesness at such a time as this The ninth Case therefore shall be this Case 9. How a Christian when strongly sollicited by the Devil to sin may keep his heart from yielding to the temptation Now there are six special Arguments by which Satan subtilly insinuates and winds in the temptation in all which I shall offer thee some help for the keeping of thy heart and the first is this Arg. 1. The first Argument is drawn from the pleasure of sin O saith Satan here is pleasure to be enjoyed the temptation comes with a smiling countenance and charming Voice What art thou so flegmatick and dull a soul as not to feel the powerful charms of pleasure who can with-hold himself from such delights Now thine heart may be kept from the danger of this temptation by retorting this Argument of pleasure upon the Tempter which is done two waies 1. Thou tellest me Satan that sin is pleasant be it so but are the gripes of Conscience and the flames of Hell so too Is it pleasant to feel the wounds and throbs of Conscience if so Why did Peter weep so bitterly Matth. 26. 75. Why did David cry out of broken bones Psal. 51. I hear what thou sayest of the pleasure of sin and I have read what David hath said of the terrible effects of sin in his Psalm to bring to remembrance Psal. 38. verse 2. Thine Arrows stick fast in me and thy Hand presseth me sore ver 3. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin verse 4. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me verse 5. My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness verse 6. I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I go mourning all the day long verse 7. My loyns are filled with a loathsom Disease and there is no soundness in my flesh Verse 8. I am feeble and sore broken I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart Here I see the true face of sin if I yield to thy temptation I must either feel these pangs of Conscience or the flames of Hell 2. What talkest thou of the pleasure of sin when by experience I know there is more true pleasure in the mortification than can be in the commission of sin O how sweet is it to please God to obey Conscience to preserve inward Peace to be able to say in this tryal I have discâ—vered the sincerity of my heart now I know I fear the Lord now I see that I truly hate sin Hath â—in any such delight as this this will choak that temptation Arg. 2. The second Argument
thou art troubled about their bodies and outward condition why should not that word satisfy thee Ier. 49. 11. Leave thy fatherless children to me I will keep them alive and let thy Widows trust in me Luther in his last Will and Testament hath this expression Lord thou hast given me wife and children I have nothing to leave them but I commit them unto thee O Father of the fatherless and judge of widows nutri serva doce nourish keep and teach them or art thou troubled for their Souls thou canst not convert them if thou shouldst live and God can make thy prayers and counsels to live and take place upon them when thou art dead 2. Obj. I would fain live to doe God more service in the world Sol. Well but if he have no more service for thee to doe here why shouldst thou not say with David if he have no delight to use me any farther here am I let him doe what seemeth him good in this world thou hast no more to doe but he is calling thee to an higher service and imployment in Heaven and what thou wouldest doe for him here he can doe that by other hands 3. Obj. I am not yet fully ready I am not as a bride compleatly adorned for the bridegroom Sol. 1. Thy justification is compleat already though thy sanctification be not so and the way to make it so is to dye for till then it will have its defects and wants 4. Obj. O but I want assurance if I had that I could dye presently Sol. 1. Yea there it sticks indeed but then consider that an hearty willingness to leave all the world to be freed from sin and be with God is the next way to that desired assurance no carnal person was ever willing to dye upon this ground And thus I have finished those cases which so nearly concern the people of God in the several conditions of their life and taught them how to keep their hearts in all I shall next apply the whole I. Vse of Information YOU have heard that the keeping of the heart is the great work of a Christian in which the very Soul and life of Religion consists and without which all other duties are of no value with God hence then I shall infer to the consternation of hypocrites and formal Professors 1. That the pains and labours which many persons have taken in religion is but lost labour and pains to no purpose such as will never turn to account Many great services have been performed many glorious works are wrought by men which yet are utterly rejected by God and shall never stand upon record in order to an eternal acceptation because they took no heed to keep their hearts with God in those duties this is that fatal rock upon which thousands of vain professors split themselves eternally they are curious about the externals of religion but regardless of their hearts O how many hours have some Professors spent in hearing praying reading conferring and yet as to the main end of religion as good they had sate still and done nothing for all this signifies nothing the great work I mean heart work being all the while neglected tell me thou vain professor when didst thou shed a teare for the deadness hardness unbelief or earthliness of thy heart thinkst thou such an easie religion can save thee if so we may invert Christs words and say wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to life and many there be that goe in thereat hear me thou self deluding hypocrit thou that hast put of God with hartless duties thou that hast acted in religion as if thou hadst been blessing an Idol that could not search and discover thy heart thou that hast offered to God but the skin of the sacrifice not the marrow fat and inwards of it how wilt thou abide the coming of the Lord how wilt thou hold up thy head before him when he shall say O thou dissembling false hearted man how couldst thou profess religion with what face couldst thou so often tell me thou lovedst me when thou knewest all the while in thine own conscience that thine heart was not with me O tremble to think what a fearful judgment it is to be given over to a heedless and careless heart and then to have religious duties in stead of a rattle to quiet and still the Conscience 2. Hence I also infer for the humiliation even of upright hearts that unless the people of God spend more time and pains about their hearts then generally and ordinarily they do they are never like to do God much service or be owners of much comfort in this World I may say of that Christian that is remiss and careless in keeping his heart as Iacob said of Reuben Thou shalt not excel It grieves me to see how many Christians there are that go up and down dejected and complaining that live at a poor low rate both of service and comfort and how can they expect it should be otherwise as long as they live at such a careless rate O how little of their time is spent in the closet in searching humbling and quickning their hearts You say your hearts are dead and doe you wonder they are so as long as you keep them not with the fountain of life if your bodies had been diated as your Souls have been they would have been dead too never expect better hearts till you take more pains with them qui â—ugit molam fugit farinam he that will not have the sweat must not expect the sweet of Religion O Christians I fear your zeal and strength hath run in the wrong chaâ—nel I fear most of us may take up the Churches complaint Cant. 1. 6. They have made me the keeper of the Vineyards but mine own Vineyard have I not kept Two things have eaten up the time and strength of the Professors of this Generation and sadly diverted them from heart work 1 Fruitless controversies started by Sathan I doubt not to this very purpose to take us off from practical godliness to make us puzzle our heads when we should be searching our hearts O how little have we minded that of the Apostle Heb. 13. 9. T is a good thing that the heart be established with Grace and not with meats i. e. with disputes and controversies about meats which have not profited them that have been occupied therein O how much better is it to see men live exactly then to hear them dispute subtilly these unfruitful questions how have they rendred the Churches wasted time and spirits and called Christians off from their main business from looking to their own vineyard what think you Sirs had it not been better if the questions ventilated among the people of God of late days had been such as these how shall a man discern the special from the common operations of the Spirit how may a Soul discern its first declineings from God how may a backsliding
Christian recover his first love how may the heart be preserved from unseasonable thoughts in duty how may a bosome sin be discovered and mortified c. Would not this have tended more to the credit of religion and comfort of your Souls O t is time to repent and be ashamed of this folly when I read what Suarez a Papist said who wrote many Tomes of disputations that he prised the time he set apart for the searching and examining of his heart in reference to God above all the time that ever he spent in other studies I am ashamed to find the professors of this age yet insensible of their folly shall the Conscience of a Suarez feel a relenting pang for strength and time so ill imployed and shall not yours this is it your Ministers long since warned you of your spiritual nurses were afraid of the rickets when they saw your heads only to grow and your hearts to wither O when will God beat oâ—r swords into plowshares I mean our disputes and contentions into practical godliness 2 Another cause of neglecting our heart hath been earthly incumbrances the heads and hearts of many have been filled with such a crowd and noise of worldly business that they have sadly and sensibly declined and withered in their zeal love and delight in God in their heavenly serious and profiâ—able way of conversing with man O how hath this wilderness intangled us our discourses and conferences nay our very prayers and duties have a tang of it we have had so much work without doors that we have been able to doe but little within It was the sad complaint of an holy one O saith he t is sad to think how many precious opportunities I have lost how many sweet motions and admonitions of the Spirit I have posted over unfruitfully and made the Lord to speak in vain in the secret illapses of his Spirit the Lord hath called upon me but my worldly thoughts did still lodge within me and there was no place in my heart for such calls of God surely there is a way of injoying God even in our worldly imployments Gâ—d would never have put us upon them to our loss Enoch walked with God and begat sons and daughters Gen. 5. 19. He walked with God but did not retire and seperate himself from the things of this life and the Angels that are imployed by Christ in the things of this world for the Spirit of the living creatures is in the wheels they are finite creatures and cannot be in a twoâ—old ubi at one time yet they lose nothing of the beatifical vision all the time of their administration for Matâ—h 18. 10. their Angels even whilest they are imployed for them Behold the face of their father which is in heaven We need not lose our visions by our imployments if the fault were not our own alas that ever Christians who stand at the doore of eternity and have more work upon their hands then this poor moment of interposing time is sufficient for should yet be filling both our heads and hearts with trifles 3. Hence also I infer for the awakening of all that if the keeping of the heart be the great work of a Christian then there are but few real Christians in the world Indeed if every one that hath learned the dialect of Christianity and can talke like a Saint if every one that hath giâ—ts and parts and by the common assisting presence of the Spirit can preach pray or discourse like a Christian in a word if such as associate themselves with the people of God and delight in ordinances might pass for Christians the number then is great But alas to what a small number will they shrink if you judge them by this rule how few are there that make Conscience of keeping their hearts watching their thoughts judging their ends c. O there be but few closet men among professors t is far easier for men to be reconciled to any duties in religion then to these the prophane part of the world will not so much as touch with the outside of religious duties much less to this and for the hypocrit though he be polite and curious about those externals yet you can never perswade him to this inward work this difficult work this work to which there is no inducement by humane applause this work that would quickly discover what the hypocrit cares not to know so that by a general consent this heart work is left to the hands of a few secret ones and I tremble to think in how few hands it is II. Vse for Exhortation IF the keeping of the heart be so important a business if such choice advantages â—ccrew to you thereby if so many dear and precious interests be wrapt up in it then let me call upon the people of God every where to fall close to this work O study your hearts watch your hearts keep your hearts away with fruitless controversies and idle questions away with empty names and vain shews away with unprofitable discourse bold censures of others turn in upon your selves get into your closets and now resolve to dwell there you have been strangers to this work too long you have kept others vineyards too long you have trifled about the borders of religion too long this world hath deteined you from your great work too long will you now resolve to look better to your hearts will you haste and come out of the crowds of business and clamours of the world and retire your selves more then you have done O that this day you would resolve upon it Reader methinks I should prevail with thee all that I beg for is but this that thou wouldst step aside a little oftner to talk with God and thine own heart that thou wouldst not suffer every trifle to divert thee that thou wouldest keep a more true and faithful account of thy thoughts and affections that thou wouldst but seriously demand of thine own heart at least every evening O my heart where hast thou been to day whether hast thou made a rode to day if all that hath been said by way of induccment be not enough I have yet more motives to offer you and the first is this 1. Motive The studying observing and diligent keeping of your own hearts will marvellously help your understanding in the deep mysteries of Religion An honest well experienced heart is a singular help to a weak head such a heart will serve you in stead of a Commentary upon a great part of the Scriptures by this means you shall far better understand the things of God than the learned Rabbies and profound Doctors if graceless and unexperienced ever did you shall not only have a more clear but a more sweet perception and gust of them a man may discourse orthodoxly and profoundly of the nature and effects of faith the troubles and comforts of Conscience the sweetness of Communion with God that never felt the efficacy and sweet
majestick beams of holiness shining from their heavenly and serious conversations shall awe the world and command reverence from all that are about them when they shall warm the hearts of those that come nigh them so that men shall say God is in these men of a truth Well such a time may again be exspected according to that promise Isai. 60. 21. The people shall be all righteous But till we fall closer to this great work of keeping our hearts I am out of hopes to see those blessed daies I cannot exspect better times till God give better hearts doth it not grieve you to see what a scorn religion is made in the world what objects of contempt and scorn the professors of it are made in the world Professors would you recover your credit would you again obtain an honourable testimony in the Consciences of your very enemies then keep your hearts watch your hearts t is the loosness frothiness and earthliness of your hearts that â—ath made your lives so and this hath brought you under contempt of the world you first lost your sights of God and communion with him then your heavenly and serious deportment among men and by that your interest in their Consciences O then for the credit of religion for the honour of your profession keep your hearts 7. Mot. By diligence in keeping our hearts we should prevent and remove the fatal scandals and stumbling blocks out of the way of the world Wo to the world saith Christ because of offences Matth. 18. 7. doth not shame cover your faces doe not your hearts bleed within you to heare of the scandalous mâ—scarriages of many loose professors could you not like Shem and Iaphet goe backward with a garment to cover the shame of many professors how is that worthy name blasphemed 2 Iames 7. 2. Sam. 12. 13 14. the hearts of the righteous sadned Psal. 25. 3. Ezek. 36. 20. by this the world is fearfully prejudiced against Christ and religion the bonds of death made fast upon their Souls those that had a general love and likeing to the ways of God staâ—tled and quite driven back and thus Soul bloud is shed wo to the World Yea how are the Consciences of fallen professors plunged and even overwhelmed in the deeps of trouble God inwardly excommunicating their Souls from all comfortable fellowship with himself and the joys of his salvation infinite are the mischiefs that come by the scandalous lives of professors And what is the true cause and reason of all this but the neglecting of their hearts were our hearts better kept all this would be prevented had David kept his heart he had not broken his bones a neglected careless heart must of necessity produce a disorderly scandalous life I thanke God for the freedome and faithfulness of a reverend brother in shewing professors their manifold miscarriages and from my heart doe wish that when their wounds have been throughly searched by that probe God would be pleased to heal them by this Plaister O professors if ever you will keep religion sweet if ever you hope to recover the credit of it in the world keep your hearts either keep your hearts or lose your credit keep your hearts or lose your comforts keep your hearts least ye shed Soul bloud what words can express the deep concernments the wonderful consequences of this work every thing puts a necessity a solemnity a beauty upon it 8. Mot. An heart well kept will fit you for any condition God casts you into or any service he hath to use you in He that hath learnt how to keep his heart lowly is fit for prosperity and he that knows how to use and apply to it Scripture promises and supports is fit to pass through any adversity he that can deny the pride and selfishness of his heart is fit to be imployed in any service for God such a man was Paul he did not only spend his time in preaching to others in keeping others vineyards but he lookt to himself kept his own vineyard 1 Cor. 9. 27. Least when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast away and what an eminent instrument was he for God he could turn his hand to any work he could dexterously manage both an adverse and prosperous condition I know how to abound and how to suffer want let the people deifie him it moves him not unless to indignation Let them stone him he can bear it if a man purge himself from these saith he 2 Tim. 2. 21. He shall be a Vessel unto honour sanctified and meet for the masters use and prepared unto every good work First the heart must be purged and then t is prepared for any service of God when the heart of Isaiah was purified which was the thing signified by the touching of his lips with a coal from the Altar Isai. 6. 7. then he was fit for Gods work here am I send me v. 8. a man that hath not learned to keep his heart put him upon any service for God and if it be attended with honour it shall swell up and overtop his spirit if with suffering it will exanimate and sink him Jesus Christ had an instrumental fitness for his fathers work above all the servants that ever God imployed he was zealous in publick work for God so zealous that sometimes he forgat to eat bread yea that his friends thought he had been besides himself but yet he so carried on his publick work as not to forget his own private communion with God and therefore you read in Matth. 14. 23. that when he had been labouring all day yet after that he went up to a mountain apart to pray and was there alone O let the keepers of the vineyards look to their own vineyard we shall never be so instrumental to the good of others as when we are most diligent about our own Souls 9. Mot. If the people of God would more diligently keep their hearts how exceedingly would the communion of Saints be thereby sweetnedâ— How goodly then would be thy tents O Iacob and thy tabernacles O Israel then as t is prophesied of the Jews Zech. 8. 23. Men would say we will go with you for we have heard that God is among you T is the fellowship your Souls have with the Father and with the Son that draws out the desires of others after fellowship with you 1 Ioh. 1. 3. I tell you if Saints would be perswaded to take more pains and spend more time about their hearts there would quickly be such a divine lustre upon the face of their coversations that men would account it no small priviledge to be with or near them T is the pride passion and earthliness of our hearts that hath spoiled Christian fellowship whence is it that when Christians meet they are often jarring and contending but only their unmortified passions whence are their uncharitable censures of their brethren but only from self ignorance why are they so rigid
man he drives on a home trade a heart trade never be troubled then for the want of those things that a man may have and be eternally damned but rather bless God for that which none but the favorites and darlings of heaven have many a one is now in hell that had a better head then thine and many a one now in Heaven that complained of as bad an heart as thine 2. Com. Know farther for thy comfort that God would never leave thee under so many heart troubles and burdens if he intended not thy real benefit thereby Thou art often crying out Lord why is it thus why goe I mourning all the day having sorrow in my heart thus long I have been exercised with hardness of heart and to this day have not obtained a broken heart many years have I been praying and striving against vain thoughts yet am still infested and perplexed with them O when shall I get a better heart I have been in travel and brought forth but wind I have obtained no deliverance neither have the corruptions of my heart fallen I have brought this heart many times to prayers sermons Sacraments expecting and hoping for a cure from them and still my sore runneth and ceaseth not Pensive Soul let this comfort thee thy God designs thy benefit even by these occasions of thy sad complaints For 1. Hereby he would let thee see what thy heart by Nature is and was and therein take notice how much thou art beholding to free-Grace He leaves thee under these exercises of Spirit that thou mayest lye as with thy face upon the ground admiring that ever the Lord of Glory should take such a Toad so vile a Creature into his bosome thy base heart if it be good for nothing else yet serves to commend and set off the unsearchable riches of Free-Grace 2. This serves to beat thee off continually from resting yea or but glancing upon thine own righteousness or excellency the corruption of thy heart working in all thy duties makes thee sensible to feel that the bed is too short and the covering too narrow Were it not for those reflections thou hast after duties upon the dulness and distractions of thine heart in them how apt wouldst thou be to fall in love with and admire thy own Performances and Inlargements For if notwithstanding these thou hast much to do with the pride of thy heart how much more if such humbling and self-abasing considerations were wanting And lastly this tends to make thee the more compassionate and tender towards others Perhaps thou wouldst have little pity for the distresses and soul troubles of others if thou hadst less experience of thine own Com. 3. To conclude God will shortly put a blessed end to all these troubles cares and watchings The time is coming when thy heart shall be as thou wouldst have it when thou shalt be discharged of these cares fears and sorrows and never cry out Oh my hard my proud my vain my earthly heart any more when all darkness shall be banished from thine understanding and thou shalt clearly discover all truths in God that chrystal Ocean of truth when all vanity shall be purged perfectly out of thy thoughts and they be everlastingly ravishingly and delightfully entertained and exercised upon that supream Goodness and infinite excellency of God from whom they shall never start any more like a broken Bâ—w And as for thy pride passion earthliness and all other the matters of thy complaint and trouble it shall be said of them as of the Egyptians to Israel Stand still and see the salvation of God these corruptions thou seest to day henceforth thou shalt see them no morâ— for ever when thou shalt lay down thy weapons of prayers tears and groans and put on the Armour of light not to fight but to triumph in Lord when shall this blessed day come How long How long Holy and True My soul waiteth for thee Come my Beloved and be thou like a Roe or a young Hart upon the Mountains of Bether Amen FINIS Courteous Reader these books following are printed for and sold by Robert Boulter at the Turks head in Bishâ—psgate Street near the Great James AN exposition with practical notes and observations on the five last Chapters of the Book of Iob By Ioseph Caryl in quarto An expoâ—ition upon the first eighteen verses of the first Chapter of the Gospel of S. Iohn by Iohn Arrowsmith D. D. in quarto Schola Wintoniâ—nsiâ— phrases Latinae the Latine phrases of Winchester School corrected and much augmented in this fifth edition by H. Robinson D. D. A Cloud of Witnessâ—s or the Sufferers Mirrour made up of the Swan like songs and other choice passages of several Martyrs and Confessors to the end of the sixteenth Cenâ—uâ—y in their Treatises Speeches Letters Prayers by T. M. M. A. in Octavo Judicious and select essays and observations upon â—he first invention of Shipping Invasive War the Navy Royal and sea service by Sir Walter Rawleigh Sips of Sweetness or Consolation for weak believers A Treatise discoursing of the sweetness of Christs carriage toward all his weak members by Iohn Durant A Treatise of death the lâ—st enemy to be destroyed shewing wherein its enmity consisteth and how it is destroyed by Râ—â—hard Baxter See Gospel Glasse Fuligattus in vita Bellarm. Caput regulatum illi defuit cor bonum non defuit * I say constant for the reason added in the Text extends the duty to all the states and conditions of a Christians life and makes it bind ad semper If the heart must be kept because out of it are the issues of life then as long as these issues of life do flow out of it we are obliged to keep it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Great Exemp p. 310. Char. of Wisdom p. 358. Bez. in Vit. Cal. p. 109. Icon. Cameronis Gospel Glass p. 3. Caution Mr. Strong Gospel glass Seneca Boyles occasional reflect pag. 9. 10.