Devills were subject to them Now he doth not forbid their joy but hee doth augment their joy Rejoyce rather that your names are written in the book of life so when he faith Matth. 20.18 Feare not him that can kill the body he forbids you not altogether to fear but see if your feare be plac'd on the right object that is himselfe more then them so when men are apt to glory in some excellency they have obtained saith the Holy Ghost Jer. 9.23 Let not the wife man glory in his wisdom neither let the mighty man glory in his might let not the rich man glory in his riches but let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord. Set a right object for your glorying in so here hee doth not forbid you to labour for riches but to be rich towards God he doth not forbid you to bee adorned but let it bee with beauties of holinesse 2. It 's observed that there are diverse waies of treasuring 3. Sort of treasure there are three forts of treasures that are laid up three severall waies 1. 1 Treasures on Earth There are treasures on Earth some place their hapinesse on the things below our Saviour faith lock not to the things that are seen but have an eye to the things that are not seen It was well observed by one that that whieh a man loves and aimes at as his end that 's his treasure A man that hath no end beyond this life hath no treasure beyond this life let me be rich let me be honourable and brave in this world that 's all he looks at He looks not up to the treasure above this man placeth his affections on the Earth and makes that his portion 2. There are Treasures in Hell 3. Treasures in Hell some lay up their treasures in Hell Rom. 2.5 they treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath There are two treasures one of sin and the other of wrath and the one sits for the other as the man adds to the one so God adds to the other for you must know as sinne ripens so doth judgement as sin encreaseth so doth wrath Ezek. 7.10 The Rod hath blossomed as Pride hath budded It 's spoken of Gods bringing of wrath upon Nebuchadnezzar now mind the gradation the Rod first blossoms then it buds judgement first ripens and then ruins you read in scripture of an Ephah of wickednesse that is that which notes the full measure of wickednesse and you read of a Talent which is judgement proportioned to the sin As you fill up the treasures of your sins so God fills up the treasures of his wrath you think you onely carry on your own treasure but God is carrying on his treasury of wrath also The 3. 2 Treasures in Heaven Sort are those that lay up treasure in Heaven that place their happinesse in the chief good in nothing but Heaven that have aimes beyond this life the things present are but for their way not for the end of their Journey Every man is as his chiefe good and as his utmost end is if thy end be Earthly thou art a man of the Earth if Heavenly thou art a man of Heaven It is said Psal 17.14 Men of the world that have their portion in this life They are called men of this world because their end and aime is not beyond this world But the Saints and Citizens of Heaven are so called because their end and aime is beyond this life and their chief good lies there 3. You are to observe the manner and nature of this command lay up treasures in Heaven his meaning is not that they should lay up nothing on Earth To lay up on Earth is a duty as to provide things necessary for the body but in especiall manner bee sure to lay up in Heaven have your hearts in Heaven though your bodies be on the Earth we ought to lay up something in summer against the time of Winter Parents ought to lay up for their Children Lay not up treasure on Earth that is to say as it is contrary to a treasure in Heaven but so as it may be helpfull to thy treasure in Heaven Again lay not up treasure on earth so as if there were an absolute necessity of it or as if a man could not live without it â—â—ke 12.15 a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things that he possesseth Lastly lay not up treasure on Earth so as to neglect Heaven let not this be a means to take off your hearts from higher things if so your treasure will be your curse and God gives you a great estate in great Judgement Let us now come to set home this Exhortation seeing some lay up treasures in Earth some lay up treasures in Heaven do you be exhorted to lay up your treasures in Heaven Four things I will speak to in proscuting of it 1. What is meant by Heaven 2. What are the treasures of Heaven 3. What is it to lay up treasures in Heaven 4. Some arguments to enforce the Exhortation First what is meant by Heaven What is meant by Heaven There is a twofold Exposition of it and we may make an improvement of both of them 1. 1 God himself By Heaven some expound it of God himselfe as if hee should say lay up your treasures in God with God so that they take Heaven for God that is the God of Heaven the pleasures of Heaven Now this will help you to understand other Scriptures Mat. 21.25 The Baptism of John was it from Heaven that is from the God of Heaven Heaven is there put for God so Luke 15.18 Father I have sinned against Heaven that is against the God of Heaven the God that dwells in Heaven there 's your happinesse alone let your chief good be laid up in him let him who hath promised to be our portion and exceeding great reward be our treasure in Heaven yet you are to consider that the Scripture speakes of other treasures in Heaven Luke 12.33 Provide your selves a treasure in Heaven that faileth not that is of good works but they are onely as they aim at God God is himself the great reward and the rich treasure of Heaven this is the excellency of every gratious performance of duty 't is a treasure of heaven because it is recorded in heaven by God himselfe lay up therefore your treasures with God that he may be your eternall reward The 2. 2 The third Heaven Exposition of this place is this They take Heaven for the third Heaven the highest Heaven the habitation of Gods majestie and glory the place where the Saints shall be with God where the Angels have Communion with God Ier. 23.23 He is said to fill heaven and earth 't is called the place where his honour dwels there you have two things 1. The Vision of him 2. The Fruition of him so 't is said to
treasure Then this shews to every unregenerate man that there is an absolute necessity of Regeneration Many a carnall man will complain and fay I cannot bow my thoughts God-ward what commands my thoughts Thy treasure commands them If thy treasure be in God the meditation of thy heart will be towards God What is Conversion 'T is a change of a mans chief good Thy treasure and thy heart will be changed together change thy treasure and thy heart will change The misery of that man whose treasure is on earth The misery of that man whose heart is on earth is unspeakable because then his treasure is on earth Consider these things 1. Let thy Actions be what they will if thy treasure be below thy heart will be below A temporary man may and will goe forth in temporary actions more then a spirituall man can do But in a Temporary man there 's no change of heart Act 8.21 Simon Magus he washed his hands but kept his heart in the same blacknesse of covetousness that it was before Till thou change thy treasure thy heart will never change The misery of an ungodly man is in this he may change his love when he will but his heart is not changed unlesse his treasure be changed 2. This is the ground of the greatest bondage to an ungodly man in the world because his treasure is below therefore his heart cannot be above for where his Treasure is there will the heart be This is that which keeps all unregenerate men in bondage there is therfore an absolute necessity for the change of a mans treasure or otherwise thou canst not be assured that thy heart is changed Use 3. Use 3. Learn then the blessed condition of a godly man To discover the blessed condition of a godly man whose treasure is in heaven he is every where blessed his body is on earth but his heart is in heaven There 's a twofold blessing upon this account First Let this man at any time go astray for a godly man is apt to wander this will reduce and bring him home againe the heart will be to the Treasure A godly man can never fall from God why because the heart and the treasure are inseparable As the misery of an ungodly man is let him professe what he will yet his treasure will bring him back so a godly man let him wander whither he will yet his treasure will reduce him Secondly He is a happy man that hath his treasure alwaies in Heaven he is a happy man because he is a heavenly man his heart is in heaven There are four Reasons why he that hath his Treasure alwaies in Heaven is a happie man 1. 1 Here by he is evidenced to be an heavenly man Because hereby he is evidenced to be a heavenly man 1 Cor. 15.48 As is the earthly such are they that are earthly and as is the heavenly such are they also that are heavenly Because thy heart is in heaven therefore thou art a heavenly man As that wisdome that is conversant about earth is said to be earthly so that wisdome that is conversant about heaven is said to be heavenly An earthly mind is a plague an heavenly mind is a glory 2. 2 His heart doth not change with his condition He that hath his treasure in heaven is a blessed man in this that his heart is not subject to those impressions of changes that other means are It a mans condition doth change yet if his heart doth not change it s no great matter as Tertullian observes though he was under great afflictions on earth yet his heart was out of danger because it was in heaven therefore Rev. 13.6 Saints are said to dwell in heaven the heart changes not for any evil because it s bound up in an unchangeable good 3. 3 His conversation will be in heaven He is a happy man who hath his Treasure alwaies in Heaven because where his treasure is there will his heart and conversation bee Phil. 3.20 Our conversation is in Heaven from whence also wee looke for our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. Saith the wise man Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life Prov. 4.23 The way of his life comes out of his heart Now this man taking up of his heart with God must have his life taken up with God also he is taken up with God as his Father with Christ as his husband with the Saints and blessed Spirits as his companions 4. 4 His soul shall shortly be there A mans heart being in heaven his soule shall shortly be there too And this also is an argument that bodies shall be there shortly for though body and soule be parted by death yet it will not be long before they are united again and what a comfortable thing is this then for a man to lay up his Treasure in Heaven seeing it is such an argument that he himselfe shall be taken up into Heaven FINIS
mans treasure be in heaven in the enjoyment of God and Christ what ever his esteem is in the world it doth not trouble him so he can but go on to the obtaining of more of his treasure Now where your treasure is there is your heart that is there is your wisdome your plottings and contrivings for the getting keeping and improvement of it 3. 3 The heart is put for the thoughts and meditation of the heart The heart is used for the thoughts and meditations of the heart Psal 139.23 Trye me O Lord and know my thoughts there 's nothing carryes the heart with it more then the thoughts thoughts are the first born of the soule the immediate issuings forth of the heart The way to tast water and not be deceived is to cast it at the Spring and Wine if you would not bee deceived by the Vintner you must tast it at the Wine-presse so if you would judge aright of your hearts you must look to your thoughts Solomon speaks of one that invites to dinners Now saith he Eat not the bread of him that hath an evill eye neither desire thou his dainty meats for as he thinketh in his heart so is he eat and drinke saith he to thee but his heart is not with thee Prov. 23.6 7. what way your hearts goe Three Rules for discovery where your thoughts hearts are that way your thoughts go There are three Rules that will much discover which way your thoughts goe and by these you will know where your hearts are and by that where your treasure is 1. 1 Whither doe your thoughts retyre when you ar alone When you are alone sequestred from company out of worldly imployment whither then do your thoughts usually retyre for the man iâ— as he is alone such as thâ— thought is such is the man Take a godly man would you know where his thoughts are when he is in his Closet in his bed when I awake saith David I am still with thee early in morning will I direct my prayer to thee and will look up Psal 5.3 2. 2 What are these thoughts in which you finde the greatest sweetness Rule by which your thoughts may be discovered and you may judge where your hearts are is this what are those thoughts that you use to find the greatest sweetnesse and delight in Psa 12â— 17 How precious are thy 〈…〉 unto me O God! 〈◊〉 great is the summe of them To one man the thought of his lefts are sweet and he acts over his wickednesse in a contemplative way with delight and the thoughts of God are bitter unto him and trouble him there 's no sweetnesse in thinking upon God to a wicked man and there 's nothing but sweetnesse in the thoughts of God to a godly man 3. 3 What thoughts are of longest continuance with you Rule What thoughts are they that are of longest continuance with you that your soules doe most abide upon the thoughts that abide in your soules most discover where your hearts are Jer. 4.19 How long shall vaine thoughts abide in you Psal 10.4 God is not in all his thoughts nay God is not in his thoughts at at all what do your thoughts stay on Take a naturall man and cast in some thoughts of his treasure his thoughts will abide there but cast in any thought of heaven and those dye presently as a fish out of its element Then examine your thoughts when you are alone what thoughts come into your mind and abide up on your spirits for your treasure is as the meditation of your thoughts and hearts are 4. 4 The heart is put for the love and affections of the heart The heart is put for the love and affections of the heart Iudg. 5.9 My heart is towards the Governours of Israel that offered themselves willingly among the people It s Deborah's speech The people of God love all that are imployed for God and the more men are imployed for God the more their hearts are drawn out after them The heart of man is said to be where it loves rather then where it lives now the heart is here taken properly for the loves of the heart so where the heart is there 's the Treasure Now how should a man know where his love is set 'T is a thing of marvellous great consequence to consider where a man sets his love It s a thing of great concernment where a man sets his love and upon what his love is fixed And this is the maine of this Text and there are 4 grounds why 't is a thing of so great Concernment where a man sets the loves of his heart 1. 1 Because a mans love is his greatest gift Because a mans love is his greatest gift there is nothing else a gift indeed without love but love is a gift of it selfe though there be nothing else It 's so if you consider the love of God though the Lord have not given you any thing if he doth but set his love upon you it s a greater gift then Heaven or Earth could be so likewise the Lord Jesus Christ if he had not given us interest in his victories in his sonship in his priviledges so hee had given us but his love it was a greater gift then heaven or earth saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 13.1 If I had all things and had not Charity it profiteth nothing Hypocrits many times give God great gifts but they reserve their love so God gives many of them great gifts but he reserves his love for the saints so that love is the greatest gift that a man hath from God and 't is the great est gift a man can give to God 2. 2 He that gives his love gives himself Because he that gives his love he gives himself he gives all things else whatsoever hee hath That 's pure and free love indeed that gives all things to the person beloved the Lord sets his love upon his people from all eternity and when hee purposeth to give all things hee gave himself love first gives it self and then all things else Revel 21.7 he that overcommeth shall inherit all things how so I will be his God and be shâ—ll be my Son So t is with men he that gives his love gives all things and hee that withholds his love withholds all things for a mans love Commands all that he hath Therefore 't is a mighty thing to consider where a man sets his love 3. 3 A mans love maks the 〈◊〉 loved his own A mans love is that which makes the thing beloved his own A learned man saith God is our owne above all things we call ours Estate is ours and friends are ours but God is more ours then they because he loves us more then they 'T is by the love of God that we come to be his by our love to God that he comes to be ours It s our love that makes the thing beloved ours