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
the view of the world 2. Why I direct it particularly to you First for the publication of it take this sincere and brief account that as I was led to this subject by a special providence so to the publication of it by a kind of necessity the providence at first leading me to it was this A dear and choyce friend of my intimate acquaintance being under much inward trouble upon the account of some special heart disorder opened the case to me and earnestly requested some rules and helps in that particular whilst I was bending my thoughts to that special case divers other cases of like importance some of which were dependent upon that under consideration occurred to my thoughts and this scripture which I have insisted upon presented it self asa fit foundation for the whole discourse which being lengthned out to what you see divers friends requested me to transcribe for their use divers of the cases here handled and some others begd me to publish the whole to which I was in a manner necessitated to save the pains of transcribing which to me is a very tedious and tiresome work and just as I had almost finished the copy an opportunity presented and that somewhat strangely to make it publick So that from first to last I have been carried beyond my first intentions in this thing Ob. If any say the world is even cloyed with books and therefore though the discourse be necessary yet the publication is needless Sol. 1. I answer there are multitudes of books indeed and of them many concern not themselves about root truths and practical godliness but spend their strength upon impracticable notions and frivolous controversies many also strike at root truths and endeavour to undermine the power of godliness and some there are that nourish the root and tend to clear and confirm to prepare and apply the geart truths of the gospel that they may be bread for souls to live and feed on now though I could wish that those that have handled the pen of the scribe had better imployed their time and pains then to obtrude such useless discourses upon the world yet for books of the latter rank I say that when husbandmen complain of too much corn let Christians complain of too many such books 2. And if you be so highly conceited of your own furniture and ability that such books are needless to you if you let them alone they will doe you no hurt and other poor hungry souls will be glad of them and bless God for what you despise and leave Ob. If it be said that several of the cases here handled touch not your condition I answer Sol. 1. That which is not your condition may be anothers condition If you be placed in an easie full and prosperous state and so have no need of the helps here offered to support your heart under pinching wants others are forced to live by faith for every daies provision If you be dandled upon the knee of providence some of your Brethren are under its feat If you have inward peace and tranquility of Spirit and so need not the Councels here given to ward off those desperate conclusions that poor afflicted souls are ready to draw upon themselves at such a time yet it may be a word in season to them and they may say as David to Abigail blessed be thou of the Lord and blessed be thy advice 2. That may be your condition shortly which is not your condition for present say not thy Mountain stands strong thou shalt never be moved there are changes in the right hand of the most High and then those truths which are little more esteemed than Hedge fruits will be as Aples of Gold in Pictures of Silver In Jer. 10. 11. The Prophet there teaches the Jews who then divelt in their own Houses how to defend their Religion in Babylon and what they should say to the Caldeans there and therefore that verse is written in Caldee So much for the reasons of its Publication Next for the Dedication of it to you I was induced thereto by the Consideration 1. Of the relation I have to you above all the people in the world I look upon my gifts as yours my time as yours and all the Talents I am entrusted with as yours It is not with you as with a woman whose Husband is dead and so is freed from the Law of her Husband the relation still continues and so do all the mutual duties of it 2. By the consideration of my necessitated absence from you I would not that personal absence should by insensible degrees untwist as usually it doth the cord of friendship and therefore have endeavoured as absent friends use to do to preserve and strengthen it by this small remembrance It was Vespatian's answer to Apollonius when be desired access for two Philosophers My Doors said Vespatian are alwaies open to Philosophers but my very Breast is open to thee I cannot say with him my Doors are open for the free access of friends being by a sad Providence shut against my self But this I can say my very breast is still open to you you are as dear to me as ever 3. Another inducement and indeed the main was the perpetual usefulness and necessity of these truths for you which you will have continual need of and I know few of you have such happy memories to retain and I cannot be alwaies with you to inculcate these things but litera scripta manet I was willing to leave this with you as a Legacy as a testimony of sincere love for and care over you This may councel and direct you when I cannot I may be rendred useless to you by a civil or natural Death but this will out live me and Oh that it may serve your souls when I am silent in the Dust To hasten now to a conclusion I have only these three requests to you which I carnestly beseech you not to deny me Yea I charge you as ever you hope to appear with comfort before the great Shepherd do not dare to slight these requests 1. Above all other studies in the world study your own hearts waste not a minute more of your precious time about frivolous and sapless controversies it is repoted even of Bellarmine how truely I examine not quod à studiis scholasticae theologiae averteretur ferè nauseabundus quoniam succo carebant liquidae pietatis i. e. â—e turned with loathing from the study of School Divinity because it wanted the sweet juice of piety I had rather it should be said of you as one said of Swinckfeedius He wanted a regular head but not an honest heart then that you should have regular heads and irregular hearts My dear Flock I have according to the grace given me laboured in the course of my ministry among you to feed you with the heart strengthening bread of practical doctrine and I do assure you it is far better you should
thus they shall work for him could you I say but diâ—cern the admirable harmony of divine dispensations their mutual relations to each other together with the general respect and influence they all have into the last end of all the conditions in the world you would chuse that you are now in had you liberty to make your own choice Providence is like a curious piece of Arras made up of a thousand shreds which single we know not what to make of but put together and sticht up orderly they represent a beautiful history to the eye as God works all things according to the counsel of his own will So that counsel of God hath ordained this as the best way to bring about thy salvation such a one hath a proud heart so many humbling providences I appoint for him such a one an earthly heart so many impoverishing providences fâ—r him Did you but see this I need say no more to support the most dâ—â—â—cted 〈◊〉 8. Help Fâ—rther it would much conduce to the seâ—â—lement of your hearts to consider that by fretting and disconteâ—t you do your selves more injury than all the afflictions you lye under could doe Your own discontent is that which arms your troubles with a sting 't is you that make your burthen heavy by strugling under it could you but lye quâ—et under the hand of God your condition would be much easier and sweeter than it is impatiens aegrotus crudelem facit Medicum This makes God lay on more strokes as a Father will upon a stubborn child that receives not correctioâ— Besides it unfiâ—s the Soul to pray over its troubles or take in the sence of that good which God intends by them â—ffliction is a pill which being wrapt up in patience and quiet submission may be easily swallowed but discontent chews the pill and so imbitters the Soul God throws away some comfort which he saw would hurt you and you will throw away your peace alter it he shoots an arrow which sticks in your cloaths and was never intended to hurt but only to fright you from sin and you will thrust it onward â—o the piercing of your very hearts by despondency and discontent 9. Help Lastly it all this will not do but thy heart like Rachel still refuses to be comforted or quieâ—ed then consider one thing mâ—re which if seriously pondered will doubtless do the work and that is this compare the condition thou art now in and art so much dissatisfied with with that condition others are and thy self deservest to be in Othâ—rs are roaring in flames howling under the scourge of vengeance and amongst them I deserve to be O my Soul is this hell is my condition as bad as the damned O what would thousands now in Hell give to change conditions with me It is a famous instance which Doctor Tayler gives us of the Duke of Condey I have read saith he that when the Duke of Condey had entred voluntarily into the incâ—mmoditiâ—s of a religious poverty he was one day espied and pityed by a Lord of Italy who out of tenderness wished him to be more careful and nutritive of his person the good Duke answered Sir be not troubled and think not that I am ill provided of conveniences for I send an harbinger before me who makes ready my lodgings and takes care that I be royally entertained The Lord asked him who was his harbinger he answered the knowledge of my self and the consideration of what I deserve for my sins which is eternal torments and when with this knowledge I arrive at my lodging how unprovided soever I find it me thinks it is ever better then I deserve Why doth the living man complain and thus thâ— heart may be kept from desponding or repining under adversity 3. Season The third Season calling for more than ordinary dilligence to keep the heart is the time of Sions trouble when the Church like the ship in which Christ and his disciples were is oppressed and ready to perish in the waves of persecution then good Souls are ready to sink and be shipwrackt too upon the billows of their own fear I confess most men rather need the spur than the reyns in this case and yet some sit down as overweighed with the sence of the Churches troubles the loss of the Ark cost old Eli his liâ—e the sad posture Ierusalem lay in made good Nehemiahs countenance chang in the midst of all the pleasures and accommodations of the Court Neh. 2. 2. ah this goes close to honest hearts But though God allow yea command the most awakened apprehensions of these calamities and in such a day call to mourning weeping and girding with sackloth Isa. 22. 12. and severely threatens the insensible Amos 6. 1. yet it will not please him to see you sit like pensive Elijah under the Juniper trâ—e 1 Kiâ—g 19. 4. Ah Lord God! it is enough take away my life also no mourners in Sion you may and ought to be but self tormentors you must not be complain to God you may but to complain of God though but by an unsuitable carriage and the language of your actions you must not 3. Case The third Case that comes next to be spoken to is this How publick and tender hearts may be relieved and supported when they are even overweighed with the burdensom sence of Sions troubles I grant it is hard for him that preferreth Sion to his chief joy to keep his heart that it sink not below the due sence of its troubles and yet this ought and may be done by the use of such heart establishing directions as these 1. Direct Settle this great truth in your hearts that no trouble befalls Sion but by the permission of Sions God and he permits nothing out of which he will not bring much good at last to his people There is as truly a principle of quietness in the permitting as in the commanding will of God See it in David 2 Sam. 16. 10. let him alone it may be God hath bidden him and in Christ John 19. 11. thou couldst have no power against me except it were given thee from above it should much calm our spirits that it is the will of God to suffer it and had not he suffered it it could never have been as it is This very consideration quieted Iob Eli David Hezekiah that the Lord did it was enough to them and why should it not be so to us if the Lord will have Sion plowed as a field and her goodly stones lye in the dust if it be his pleasure that Antichrist shall rage yet longer and wear out the Saints of the most high if it be his will that a day of trouble and of treading down and of perplexity by the Lord God of hosts shall be upon the valley of vision that the wicked shall devour the man that is more righteous than he what are we that we should contest with God fit it is that we should be resigned up
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
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
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