is ventrous it will hazard any thing for the thing beloved Christ gives an evidence of it he doth not only venture his life but lay down his life greater love then this hath no man that a man lay down his life for his friend Joh. 15. 13. Abishai out of his intire love to David when there came Ishbi-benob a gyant whose staff was like a Weavers beam and struck at David thinking to have killed him he interposes receives the blow and slew the Philistine 2 Sam. 21. 16. Love is ventrous it will put life in hazard for the thing beloved t is that which the people of God speak as a testimony of their love to God The reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me Psal 69. 9. and they do it to choose as it was a gracious speech of that Ancient Mallem in me sit murmur quam in Deum Bonum est quod dignetur Deus me uti pro clypeo If the Lord will be pleased to make use of me to keep off reproaches from himself truly I shall look upon it as a very great priviledge and honour Now pray tell me where your hazards are where is the man that for the truths of God and the interests of Christ wâ—ll hazard the loss of his estate the loss of friends the spoiling of his goods where be the men that be apt thus to hazard any thing The truth is love turns cowardize into Courage you may see it the Hen though a feeble creature how far out of love to her young will hazard her self against the most ravenous Bird the mother though a weak and fearfull creature yet how far and with how little consideration will put her self in hazard if her childe be in danger what is that for which you venture Take a man whose love is set upon a lust what will that man hazard he will lose his friends spend his estate blast his reputation nay he will venture his soul all this out of that cursed love and indeed what is it else that makes men despise the judgements of God and mock at fear what is it that men are so couragious for t is their love to sin makes them so Now pray tell me where are your ventures certainly there is your love Sixâ—hly Love is zealous I do not mean that of suspition a zeal of suspition that we commonly call jealousie suspicio est amicitiae venenum t is the poison of love that suspition of evil in the party beloved no the property of love is the contrary for love thinks no evil 1 Cor. 13. 4. But when I say love is zealous my meaning is it is full of sollicitude fearing least any injury or wrong should be offered to the person and thing beloved this love is zealous against any injury offered to the thing or person beloved Consider Moses was the meekest man upon earth yet Moses meekness is turned into anger when an injury is done to the God of his love as well as of his life Moses by and by breaks the Tables so likewise the Lord Jesus Christ out of love to his Father the Zeal of thy house hath eaten me up Joh. 2. 17. Zeal in the heart is like boyling water that wastes in the seething just so the Lord Jesus the Zeal of thine house hath eaten me up It makes a man overlook all interests concerning himself in the world and be intent only upon the interest of the person beloved so it is in Gods love I am zealous for my sanctuary with a very great jealousie Zach. 1 14. What is zeal It is a mixt affection it s nothing else but love provoked that is zeal Esther speaks the language of love Esth 6. 8. How can I indure to see the destruction that shall come upon my kindred the evil that shall come upon my people how can I indure this is the proper language of love Now pray tell me what are you zealous for Where is your zeal touch one man in his reputation and you arm his zeal against you touch another in point of goods and you will quickly see where his love is so on the contrary touch God in hâ—s Name Christ in his truth To whom I gave place no not for an hour saith Paul Gal. 2. 5. presently zeal is up and love is provoked I remember it is Bernards exhortation to Eugenius Ignescat Zelus when any thing came contrary to the interest of Christ he would have his zeal turn into fire and so it will be where love is examine therefore what makes you hot upon every occasion sure thats an injury done to the thing beloved this is that which provokes thy zeal therefore where thy zeal is there is thy love Seventhly Love is fearfull of separation from the thing beloved it desires nothing more then union it fears nothing more then separation the Spouse gives an instance of that in the Canticles I charge you awake not my love till he please Austin gives that as the difference between true and unclean love between the love of a wife and the love of an harlot so he puts it both fear the husband true Haec ne veniat illa ne discedat the one fears least the husband should come the other fears least he should depart this love wherever it is fears separation the intirest affection of the soul in this world is unto the body next to God and Christ and heavenly things there is the greatest indeerment between the body and the soul Now why is death called the King of terrors because death is the separation of the soul from the body which especially the soul fears because union it loves and as Neriemberg saith A mans moritur sibi vivit in amato he that loves dies in himself but lives in the thing beloved for if a man die in himself how loth were he to part with the thing beloved for that were a double death for this cause the great consolation of the Saints is let some men of our times talk what they will that the Doctrine of falling from Grace is a Doctrine of great Consolation but the Scripture and Experience tells us who shall separate us from the love of God Rom. 8. ult for in the absence of the thing beloved the heart languishes but in the separation from the thing beloved the heart dies for this cause as this is the greatest cordial to the Saints there is no separation they love that from which they shall never be separated so it s the greatest corrosive to wicked men they love that from which there shall be a separation and therefore the Lord continually tels us Riches betake themselves to their wings Prov. 23. 5. Thou fool this night I will take away thy soul and then whose shall these things be Luke 12. 20. I will take thy cup from thy mouth I will take you away with hooks and your posterity with fish-hooks Amos 4. 2 3. This I say the greatest corrosive to an ungodly man is
to be full of lust made up indeed of nothing else it is taken in a double sense both good and evil Luke 22. 15. With desire have I desired to eat this passeover with you It s the motion of the new man spoken there of Christ the motions of the new man all these are called lustings going out of the soul after an object and so in an evil sense too Eph. 4. 22. they are all called deceitfull lusts which I conceive is the meaning of Cant. 1. 4. Draw us and we will run after thee draw us how is that by discovering the glory sweetness and spiritual excellencies that there are in spiritual things and inclining the heart to follow them for this is but the object the attractive of the heart suitable to that of Austin Trahitur animus amore trahit sua quemque voluptas thus then the soul doth go out to the object and the heart is carried after it and drawn by it and t is thus suitable to a mans treasure and here there are four demonstrative Arguments that I shall give you of it and then shall lay before you the reasons how it comes to pass that the treasure should always thus carry the heart with it First every man in an unregenerate estate hath some predominant lust and this lust is said to be predominant because in the enjoyment enjoyed by that lust therein lies a mans treasure by that a mans treasure or chief good comes in now hence it comes to pass every man hath some predominant lust in the days of his unregeneracy called the stumbling block of a mans own iniquity Ezek. 7. 19. the Fathers use to stile it Peccatum in deliciis the sin of delight or a mans darling sin Job calls it a mans sweet morsel â—ob 20. 11. Now what is the reason that any lust is predominants for there be some servile lusts its true every sin rules over the man yet in respect of sin there be some servile lusts the more immediately any lust converses with a mans treasure the more immediate his treasure comes in by it according thereto is the predominancy of the sin though in an unregenerate man every sin is raigning the whole body of death yet there is one sin that is as it were the Vice-roy in whom the body of sin doth rest and that is grounded purely upon this consideration the sin that brings in a mans treasure that wherin the soul places its chief good and wherein it takes full delight and contentment to which he makes all other sins subservient This is the first demonstration because the sinne that converses immediately with a mans treasure and brings it in that is the predominant lust The second demonstrative Argument is Because that sin less then any other can the soul resist pray mark it what 's the reason the reason is this still the heart will go out to the treasure and this sin more immediately brings in the treasure and therefore of all sinnes the heart is most foiled by this t is true indeed every sinne draws away the soul James 1. 14. It is said a man is tempted by his own lust and enticed But remember it is that which I have â—ften spoken and I desire the Lord to speak it to my heart and yours there is no man doth perish that ever did make a profession of Religion but it is when he meets with this stumbling block of his own iniquity that I dare presume to say Never any made a profession of Religion and fell away and perisht but he did stumble at his darling sin there he brake his neck because where his treasure was his heart goes after it That 's the meaning of that place of our Saviour Luke 8. 13. It s spoken of the stony ground It received the seed and sprung up and bore fruit how came it to pass that these men fell away what undid them there was an opportunity of temptation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the opportunity of temptation they fell away every temptation doth not come in the opportunity when is it then truly the opportunity of temptation is then when a man is tried in his master lust in this is the predominant evil that he cannot withhold his heart from his treasure the heart is gone out to it and that 's the reason whenever he is tempted in that sin he can make least resistance and he is certainly at last foiled and overcome for ever That 's the second demonstrative Argument of the truth of this point Thirdly it will appear that the heart goeth out to the treasure because in the pursuit of it the heart is impatient of opposition and procrastination it can bear no denial it can bear no delay First it is impatient of opposition Prov. 17. 22. It is better to meet with a Bear rob'd of her whelps then a fool in folly What doth Solomon mean who is the fool according to the tenor of that book every unregenerate man but is the fool ever out of his folly then you can never meet him out of his folly I conceive the meaning of it is in his folly when the lust is up when the lust hath gotten the hill the advantage when it is active ruling and swaying in the man and this is according to the manner of the Scripture speech Matth. 12. 43. When the unclean spirit is in a man the meaning of that place as Cameron well observes 1 Joh. 5. 19. The world lies in the wicked one that is in his power to be under his power is to be in him to meet a fool in his folly is under the power of his folly when folly hath dominion over the man But what is it to meet a Bear rob'd of her whelps wherein lies the danger a Bear is a savage creature and a creature of prey and a she-Bear is the most ravenous but especially a she-Bear rob'd of her whelps so it is here because it stands between the heart and the treasure the heart goeth out to the treasure and can indure no opposition and bear no denial And as it can bear no opposition so it can indure no delay and procrastination and therefore you shall finde Balaams covetousness was his predominant lust he went after the wages of unrighteousness now Balaams lust is too swift for Balaams Ass the Ass cannot make so much hast as his lust he can indure no delay nay do but observe t is an excellent expression spoken of the Babylonians when the King and his Army came to invade their neighbor Nation Hab. 1. 18. They shall come as an Eagle doth hasten to eat the prey you know of all birds the Eagle flies swiftest and never so swift as when she goes to catch the prey so the heart goeth after the treasure as the Eagle goeth after the prey it can endure no delay That 's the third demonstration Fourthly and lastly it appears by this which is the clearest demonstration of it Let a man change
for light and light for darkness because the rule of their judgment is their chief good and a mistake there makes them to erre that is the second Thirdly if a man mis-place his chief good this will cause him to mis-place all the affections of his soul all his life long all the affections of his soul will be set wrong and run upon wrong objects the holy Ghost speaks of a perverse generation crooked and perverse when all the affections of the soul are set wrong and run cross to every thing they are so perverse now thus you shall find a man that hath his chief good here below his treasure on earth he loves vanity Psal 4. 6. He fears where no fear is he rejoyces in a thing of nought Amos 6. 13. all his affections are set upon wrong objects why they follow his judgement follow that which he looks upon as his chief good there be affections to that which is good in a way of prosecution and affections to that which is evil in a way of aversion and all these are set wrong and all these follow that which a man places his chief good in Other men fear man a godly man fears sin the other rejoyceth in a thing of nought but he rejoyceth in the hope of the glory of God to his chief good his affections are set and is not this a miserable thing to have all the faculties of the soul dis-joynted and set awry Fourthly this makes a man to lose his labour in every thing he doth all his life long if he err in his chief good all his labour is lost every mans labor in this life is in reference to his chief good Joh. 6. 27. Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for that meat which endures to everlasting life Now if a man mistake and mis-place his chief good then all his labour is lost for that is the rule of all his labour you will say it was a miserable curse that upon the Princes of Zoar they made Egypt to err in every work of their hands as will you but consider Prov. 11. 8. the wicked works a deceitfull work why a deceitfull work why because the man is deceived in his chief good and therefore their work never answers their labor they weave a spiders web but it never becomes a garment he that mis-places his chief good he is deceived in every work of his hands he spends his parts his time in vain he sows the wind and reaps the whirlwind Fifthly this only will destroy the man oh consider this error only is the damning sin a man may be deceived in a particular good thing or action and his soul be saved in the day of the Lord there is not the best man on earth but in many things Satan deceives him in many things he may err and miscarry but if he be not deceived in his chief good his soul shall certainly be saved for all this Now that which is your chief good here by way of election shall be your chief good hereafter in way of fruition as for example as t is in errors in matter of Doctrine the Apostle 1 Cor. 3. 11 12. speaks of such a man as holds the foundation and builds hay and stubble upon it that is is deceived in doctrines of lesser concernment he shall lose his labour but his soul shall be saved for all that so here in errors in matter of Practice good things to be obtained if a man err in a particular good thing his soul may be saved but if he err in his chief good he will be destroyed this is that which destroys the soul Lastly consider if there were nothing else but this it is the greatest delusion and the absurdest cheat that can be in the world for a man is deceived and makes that his happiness which is quite contrary a chief good must have a quite contrary ingredient It is observed by Austin that Blessedeness requires two things First a chief good is that which cannot be lost now you place your chief good in things below and Christ tels you The rust and moth corrupts and thieves break through and steal therefore to make them your chief good is a perfect cheat Secondly happiness requires impeccability the soul is put into a condition that it should not sin Now whoever he be that mis-places his chief good even in so doing he lives in a continual way of sinning for t is setting up another God he that places his chief good in any thing below God and heaven for to be your God and your chief good is all one In all these respects see what a miserable condition that man is in who mis-places his chief good when his heart should be on things above he sets it upon things below And thus much for the Use of conviction the Lord set it on upon our consciences Do not misplace your chief good do not be cheated and befooled in that for t is that deceit which is destruction Is this a truth that every man that lives in this world hath somewhat that he lays up as his treasure why then take Christs exhortation in the verse before the text lay up for your selves treasures in heaven that is the exhortation if every man hath a treasure then lay up for your selves treasure in heaven which before I can come to open there are three things that I thought necessary to premise before I come to press home the Exhortation upon you And pray mark for they are very profitable things First some do observe here praecepti suavitatem the sweetness of Christs commands see how he applies himself to the desires of a man the Lord Jesus notes this that as man in outward things is a prudent so he is a provident creature man is not content to have enough for the present he must lay up somewhat for time to come the Lord Jesus doth not forbid this here is sweetness of the Command if you will be laying up treasure I will tell you where you shall lay it up to purpose where you shall lay it up for time to come Indeed he tels you where is the true and the safe treasure you will be treasuring why then that you may not deceive your selves lay up treasure in heaven You have abundance of instances of this in Scripture as for example Luk. 10. The 72. Disciples are sent forth to preach the Gospel and they return with joy saith the Text that devils were subject to them Christ doth not forbid their joy but rectifies it set your selves to rejoyce in this that your names are written in heaven And so men are prone to fear evil he doth not reprove their fear Matth. 20. 18. but fear him that can cast body and soul into hell I say fear him he doth not forbid their fear altogether but sets their fear upon the right objects and so also men are apt to glory in some excellency Christ doth not altogether forbid their glorying but
should most of all take comfort from Now t is in reference to comfort as it is in reference to duty there are many commands and all of them are to be obeyed but yet there are great commands and these are to have the first place in our obedience This you ought to have done and not to have left the other undone So there is variety of comforts but there are some great grounds of comfort and these are to have the chief place in our hearts and from these in an especial manner should our comfort come in As there be some grand promises those three I have often mentioned I will be thy God That 's the bottom of all the promises I will give thee my Son I will send my Spirit The great Comfort should come in from the great Promises and so t is here and pray observe it If a man be much in the lesser duties of Religion and neglect the greater he hath just cause to suspect the truth of his obedience So if a man take much comfort from lesser grounds and neglect the greater he hath great cause to suspect the truth of his comforts and his right to them This is the great reason why I press it so earnestly that as I would have the people of God take their portion in comfort so I would have them take it in an orderly way But now let us come to particulars You will say Why is a godly man so happy in this that he hath not erred in his chief good There are seven grounds of the greatest comfort that I know in all the book of God arising from this consideration I have not mis-placed my treasure my treasure is in heaven I have not erred in my chief good And the first is this Hereby the soul may see the riches as well as the freeness of the love of God that in my chief good I have not miscarried This is the great error of the world they do mis-place their treasure and by this means they have their portion in this life only with Dives their good things here Now is this the great error of the world as it will be found to be at the last day is it a great mercy to be delivered from lesser sins and judgements how much more is it to be delivered from that which is the greatest judgement in the world Did Noah finde grace in the sight of God and was delivered from that deluge that swept away the world of the ungodly To misplace a mans chief good is the greatest sin and greatest judgement that can possibly fall upon a man This is delivering a man to Satan indeed delivering to Satan with a witness The Scripture speaks of a double delivering of a man to Satan There is Traditio Sathanae tanquam Domino tanquam lictori delivering a man to Satan as a Lord delivering a man to Satan as an Executioner as an Officer There is delivering a man to Satan as a Lord so the Lord Jesus delivered Judas to Satan by the sop After the sop the devil entred into him that is as a Lord to rule over him But there is another way of delivering to Satan 1 Cor. 5. 5. When you are met together in my Spirit deliver such a man to Satan How is that for the destruction of the flesh when the Lord shall be pleased in an Ordinance to give over a man so to the power of the devil that he shall afright his conscience and terrifie him for sin committed and for that end this means shall have its due work and power upon the man but in this Satan is but an executioner A man is never delivered up to Satan as a lord untill he be given up to him so as that he shall deceive him in his chief good then the devil is the lord of the man When the Lord delivers a man to Satan so as that the devil cheats him in his chief good then the man is delivered to Satan as a lord Now for a godly man to be able to look into his own condition and say when I look abroad in the world and see one man place his chief good in this another in that one in riches another in honors another in pleasures but in the midst of all these though in many things I miscarry and therein I was as a beast before God yet blessed be his name here is my comfort I have not miscarried in my chief good there is not any thing stays the soul like this when a godly man is in the greatest affliction when he comes to look death in the face nay when Satan shall triumph over the most of the world as he will do for as he is subtle so he is envious and therefore an insulting spirit when he shall insult over most in the world then that poor soul shall be able to triumph over all the powers of darkness It s true I am weak indeed and I am ignorant poor and mean and low in the world yet in this the devil can never deceive me through grace I have so far obtained mercy that the devil is never able to cheat me of my chief good herein will lie the wisdom at the last day herein will lie a mans glory for t is a mans chief good that will be his glory or his shame to eternity herein will be his wisdom or folly to eternity do you not remember that expression Luke 10. ult Mary hath chosen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the better part or the good part I shall not inquire what the meaning of that is the good part but the word there used signifies not only partem sed portionem part but portion Mary hath chosen that good portion and herein lay her wisdom in a mans election his wisdom lieth And above all choice in the world is that which he makes his chief good true saith the soul I have bin foolish in many things in many things I have erred but yet blessed be the name of my God the true treasure was not hid from me And when a man shall come to appear before men and Angels at the last day those that are now the fools of the world that are derided for their godliness that are mockt in their choice as men that are not able to set themselves in the face of the times so as to be some body in the present Age. But when they shall appear before the Lord Jesus to judge the quick and dead in his Kingdom then these will be esteemed of all others the only wise men this was the soul that was directed by wisdom from above that carried him still to the right chief good if this will not stand by you in your greatest troubles there is nothing in Religion will do it Secondly There is this ground of comfort I have chosen the true chief good the true treasure that shall never be taken from me You know the expression of Maries better part Luke 10. ult She hath
chosen the better part that shall never be taken from her there is no man miscarries in his treasure but he that lays it up below what ever a man lays up as treasure here below he will lose it will be taken from him for the Lord Jesus Christ tels us Here is rust and moth and here are thieves that break through and steal omnes damni causae significantur One upon that place sets down all the ways by which men may lose their treasure whether they be from causes within or causes without from thieves outward violence Nebuchadnezzar one of the great robbers of the world Isa 10. 13. he robd them of their treasure or otherwise there is a principle of decay in themselves there is a moth that will come out of the finest garment a Rust that will breed out of the purest gold from within he speaks it of all treasure men lay up in the Creature whatever is a mans treasure below For all the creatures came under mans Covenant and the Covenant with man being broken all the creatures fall under the curse Observe it t is a great truth and by this means curses the ground from whence all this perishing in a mans treasure below doth come they all perish with the using but here is the happiness of a man that hath his true treasure laid up where neither rust nor moth nor thieves can come t is an excellent observation that of Austin Summum bonum nec invitis confertur nec invitis aufertur A mans chief good it s given to no man against his will but by a mans own choice and taken from no man against his will the true chief good shall not your good things here below are taken away against mens wils men will lose their riches and their honors and their pleasures will vanish into smoke but now this chief good it is liable to no violence from without to no decay within and therefore it s an excellent observation of the same Father when he speaks of the assistings of saving grace what kinds of helps go with saving grace It is saith he they do close with good and do it so as no opposition shall overcome them No opposition And when they have closed with it no opposition shall take it from them I that is Almighty power indeed Why then comfort thy self in this T is true I have little in the world and I see other men abound in riches and honors and they wash their steps in butter and bathe in rivers of oyl But I can look beyond all these if their chief good be in this it will be taken away from them but blessed be the name of my God I have a chief good that cannot be taken from me these are the great stays of the souls of Gods people Thirdly hath a man chosen the true treasure from hence he hath alway something to guide his way from hence he hath alway something to reduce his wandrings Let me speak to them distinctly First from his chief good he hath the guide of his way t is the rule of the Schoolmen Summum bonum est omnis operationis origo It is a mans chief good that is the foundation of all the actions and motions of the soul from whence still it hath his spring this is to the soul as the center is to the stone you know the stone moves towards its center it will go the direct way if it be not hindred what guids its motion why the center so what guids the motions of all godly men the chief good that 's their center they move towards it continually so that if a man want a particular rule yet this general rule will be a mighty guide unto him The Scripture speaks of a mans cleaving to God Acts 11. 23. Following hard after God Why what is that truly Religion doth consist in the cleaving of the soul to God and a constant following after God in this Religion lies Now what is the great consultation in all the souls motions what will bring me nearest to my chief good and it s the chief good still that is the guide of all its motions You have an expression which here comes in fitly to be opened Matth. 6. 22. our Saviour saith if thy eye be single thy whole body is full of light if thy eye be single Austin expounds it Intentio animae est animae oculus It is the intention of the man in what he doth that is the eye of the man Why then a single intention is a single eye as a double eye is an eye that is carried after a double object that is carried partly after God and partly after the world a double eye and a double heart they one expound another but a single eye is that which looks purely upon God now what influence hath this upon a mans whole life the whole actions of thy life for that is meant by the body here as the light of the eye guids the body so the intentions of the soul guide the way now all a mans actions will be full of light holy acceptable to God well pleasing to him How comes it to pass Why a single eye guids him I pray consider it well this is a mighty comfort to the people of God that in many cases I want a particular rule and a godly man many times though he be well skilled in the Scripture may want a particular rule what carries him directly to his chief good will be a great guide to a godly mans way As in those great points of Socinianism and Arminianism wherein the depths of Satan are so much seen though a Christian be not able to answer many of their Arguments yet here 's one Rule will carry him through all That Doctrine which exalts God most and abases man most is true Doctrine Certainly that doctrine which exalts man puts al the determinations of God upon the will of man is false This general Rule will carry him through the whole controversie T is so in reference to a Christian way That which carries me directly to my chiefest good that is the guide of my way Secondly and so it hath a great influence to reduce a mans wandrings the truth is the best men that have chosen God for their chief good yet many times depart from him We all as sheep have gone astray Now what shall bring a man back again why he eyes the chief good just as it is with a Traveller that intends to go to such a place he looks in the Map which must be his way he looks first to hs journeys end and observing the passage he saith This is too much on the right hand and that is too much on the left just thus is the case of a godly man God is my chief good there is my aim Now I erre on the right hand and now on the left hand but where doth he take that which reduces him Still that 's his chief good observe Isa
the heart that by heart in Scripture is meant the whole soul Secondly that the soul of man the heart goeth out of it self for happiness for its chief good for here is treasure laid up either in heaven or earth the heart goeth out to the treasure the chief good of a man is without himself Thirdly it is a matter of very great concernment where a mans heart is placed that 's the Argument that Christ uses here Lay up treasure in heaven Why what matter is it where ones treasure is Why where your treasure is there your heart will be Lastly the heart doth always follow the treasure where-ever the treasure is it necessarily infallibly carries the heart and then we shall give the Reasons of this last Doctrine to which all the rest are but subordinate First what is meant by the heart or if you will take it in a Proposition The heart of man in Scripture is put for the whole soul The Hebrews generally place the Government of man in the heart and make the heart the seat of the reasonable soul so you shall finde the Scripture commonly speaks 1. If you look to the whole soul as corrupt Jer. 17. 9. The heart is deceitful above all things and desperatly evil who can know it And 2. If you look upon the soul as sanctified for as corruption goes through all the faculties so doth sanctification also Psal 24. 4. He that hath clean hands and a pure heart which is called The hidden man of the heart 1 Pet. 3. 4. And with the heart man believs Rom. 10. 10. I conceive that 's the whole soul and all the faculties collectively But by heart in Scripture also is sometimes meant those things quarum sedes est in Corde which are situated and have their habitation especially in the heart as wisdom is attributed to the heart wise in heart Ephraim is a silly dove without a heart without wisdom Hos 7. 11. He that trusts in his own heart is a fool Prov. 28. 26. His own heart that is he that leans to his own wisdom or as the Scripture elswhere he that is wise in his own eyes So likewise you finde the heart put sometimes for conscience and the actings thereof Davids heart smote him when he cut off the lap of Sauls garment it is spoken of the conviction of his conscience Sometimes it is put for the memory the treasury of the soul Mary laid up all these things in her heart But in this place I conceive there are three things especially intended by heart here by Christ First the thoughts the meditations the consultations of the heart where the treasure is there is the heart In this are all the meditations the thoughts the plottings the contrivances of the soul they are where a mans treasure is 2 Kin. 5. 25 26. The Prophet said to his servant Gehazi Went not my heart with thee when thou wentest out after the man How did the Prophets heart go with him that is his thoughts went for the thing was discovered unto him by a prophetical spirit and that is indeed a marvellous choice expression Job 17. 11. where the thoughts of the heart are in the Hebrew called the possessions of the heart Now whatever you possess here with your bodies t is true indeed the body can see the glory and tast the sweetness in many contents but what do your souls possess in all these nothing but the thoughts what the soul possesses it possesses by thoughts and therefore they are called the possessions of the heart Secondly by the heart here is meant I conceive the love desires the longings of the soul for in these the soul goeth out towards its objects so Sichem Gen. 34. 8. His soul clave to Dinah Jacobs daughter so Davids heart went out to Absolom therefore where your treasure is your love is your soul goeth out in all manner of longings and desires after it Lastly by the heart is meant a mans delight that wherein the great comfort of his life lieth wherein it is laid up It is said by Christ though a woman in travel hath anguish yet after she remembers no more the pain for joy that a manchild is born into the world and 1 Sam. 4. 20. There 's a woman delivered of a son and calls his name Ichabod She regarded him not for she did not set her heart that is took no comfort in him And Psal 62. 10. If riches increase set not your hearts upon them that is do not place all the comforts of your lives in these things Let not your hearts be swallowed up by these as if you had no better things thus then by heart is meant the whole soul but in this place especially the thoughts the love the joy and delight I shall afterwards take up these things again more particularly I now only endeavor to open it that 's the first Proposition Secondly that the soul of man goeth out of it self for happiness his treasure is without himself It is Gods honour only and his prerogative his blessedness is in himself his blessedness is himself he is unto himself the chief good he hath nothing without himself that makes him the blessed God neither is he moved by any thing out of himself When the Mediator speaks of all he did Psal 16. 3. he saith My goodness extended not to thee its true the L. Jesus as Mediator in all his obedience added nothing to the blessednes of God his blessedness is in himself And here note two things that I shall lay before you First man hath not a chief good in himself his happiness is not within his own power he is therefore in reference to all things a dependant Creature Hence the people of God who have made choice of the Lord for their treasure God in Christ they say Whom have I in heaven but thee My soul is athirst for God for the living God my soul pants after God as the thirsty-land thus then the soul is continually restless why because it seeks to joyn it self to its chief good which is without it self and as for that place Prov. 14. 14. where its said A good man is satisfied from himself the meaning there is not self as separated from God but self as united to God not self in opposition but self in subordination to God its true indeed a mans chief good may in that respect be said to be the most intimate part of himself that of the Schoolmen is true so indeed self united to God Deus est intimior nobis intimo nostro God is nearer to us then our selves So the man is satisfied that is goes not out to any thing besides God but otherways a mans treasure is without himself his chief good lies not within his own power Secondly it is the nature and constitution of the reasonable soul to make out to a chief good without it self its true indeed most of the world mistake this chief good and misplace it but yet this is the
this unto you The Lord in the Scripture hath given special direction for the setting of a mans heart therefore that a mans heart should be right set is a matter of great consequence Hag. 1. 5. Set your hearts upon your ways so t is in the Hebrew And if riches increase set not your hearts upon them and Deut. 32. 46. Set your hearts upon all the words of the Law But why is it so Truly there are very great reasons for it that every one may look down into himself and say where is my heart As First it is the heart mainly that God looks upon and observes where it is in a special manner the Lord eyes the heart you know in 1 Sam. 16. 7. God looks not as man looks man looks to the appearance God looks to the heart and 2 Chron. 16. 9. His eyes run to and fro through the world to set himself with those whose hearts are upright t is a matter of great consequence therefore because on your hearts God sets his eyes Secondly it is the heart mainly that God claims and cals for Pro. 23. 26. My son give me thy heart this is indeed the habitation of the great King and when the Lord hath taken the heart to himself he hath the man nothing is Corban a fit gift for God unless the heart be first given Thirdly where the heart is there is the man and therefore when the soul is gone the man is gone where the heart goeth the man goeth it is remarkable Psa 38. 10. he speaks it of a mans days and saith they are soon cut off and they flie away they leave the body behinde but the soul is gone so that where the heart goeth the man goeth Now do but look how the Lord observes the goings out of the heart There were men that came to hear the Prophet preach Ezek. 33. 31. Their heart goeth after their covetousness and the truth is my brethren wherever the body is yet the soul is with the object upon which it is set I remember Austin speaking of the happiness of the people of God in this world saith Anima frequenter ascendit currit per plateas coelestis Jerusalem Their souls be in heaven their bodies be upon earth The soul goes to heaven and visits the Prophets and salutes the Patriarchs and the Angels nay the soul closes with the Lord Jesus Christ in glory he saith There is an embracing that the heart hath even there where the body cannot come Therefore observe where the heart is there is the man its matter of great consequence then where you set your hearts Nay further yet God values every man according to his heart and every man is worth as much as the treasure is upon which the heart is set Prov. 10. 20 The heart of the wicked is little worth Why because his treasure is little worth because that upon which his heart is set is worth nothing Prov. 27. 27. A man of understanding is of an excellent Spirit and my servant Caleb had another spirit God values men according to their hearts and their hearts to what their treasure is There are two things that commend the heart to God that make it of value in Gods accompt their ornaments and the objects of the heart The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price let the inner man of the heart be so adorned 1 Pet. 3. 4. But especially the objects of the heart those things upon which the heart is set t is therefore of great consequence for a man is worth no more then his heart is worth and the heart is worth as much as the object upon which the heart is set besides Fifthly it is matter of great consequence where you set your hearts because from your hearts all your conversation flows Prov. 4. 23. Keep thy heart above all things take heed what that goeth out unto why from it are the issues of life whatever flows forth in a mans whole life flows from the constitution of the heart for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks out of the heart proceed murders adulteries fornications and the like Look to the ways of your hearts and such will certainly the ways of your lives be Then it is of great moment upon what a man sets his heart if the treasure did not carry the heart with it it would not be so dangerous Lastly and pray observe it for it is the special thing that I shall press in this point it is of great consequence where you set your hearts and upon what because the objects upon which the heart is set have a transforming power and do mightily fashion the heart unto themselves you know in the 115. Psalm what is said concerning Idols there they that made them be like unto them and so are all that put their trust in them because that on which the heart is set frames the heart like it self that look as where your treasure is there your hearts will be so like your treasure your hearts will be as I would a little instance in those men that have their treasure in this life let us see how it fashions their hearts It s said of Jeconiah from whom the Lord in disgrace took one syllable of his name away Jer. 22. 17. Thy eyes and thy heart are for thy covetousness and that 's the condition of many men they have nothing in their hearts but how they may either get or save and covetousness lies much in them both nay unjust keeping is many times an act of greater covetousness then unjust gain now what does God speak of that man look afterwards to the 29. ver Oh earth earth earth hear the word of the Lord write this man childless there are many interpretations given of it among the rest this is one the man was wholly earth he was fashioned to it and therefore the Lord calls him by the same name It s that which I intreat you to observe the loss of the soul and the gain of the world commonly go together therefore Christ puts them together Matt. 16. 26. What shall it profit a man to gain the world and lose his soul Why is there a necessary connexion between these two not necessary indeed but a very dangerous connexion it is a hard matter to gain the world and not to lose the soul but the soul is not only lost hereafter but even here in this life because it s framed and fashioned to the object upon which the heart is set as I shall give a few instances that you may the better understand me Take but those two glorious excellencies of the soul the light of it and the purity and holiness of it now let the heart be set on any worldly thing and the soul is lost in both these respects First in regard of the light of it that the heart can see nothing that is sinful-evil can see nothing that is spiritual-good
therefore of the change of a mans treasure that is of a work of regeneration otherwise there is a treasure within an evil man out of an evil heart and there is a treasure without oh pray therefore learn from hence that there is no living in an unregenerate estate change thy treasure or otherways all thy changes will do thee no good The last Use I especially aim at see from hence the blessed and happy condition of a godly man whose treasure is in heaven he is blessed every way but especially in this his heart is in heaven his body is on earth its true and there is a two fold blessedness upon this account First let this man at any time go astray as godly men are subject to wander Oh let me not wander from thy Commandments Psal 119. 10. We all as sheep have gone astray but when they do wander there is somewhat still to reduce them their hearts will to their treasure my treasure is not below therefore my heart is not below and this is the true reason why a godly man cannot fall from grace because it is impossible to separate the heart and the treasure where the treasure is there will the heart be I will return unto my former husband as it is the misery of an ungodly man let him profess what he will his treasure will bring him back again still so it s the happiness of a godly man though he wander from God his treasure will reduce him and his heart will bring him back Secondly he is a blessed man who hath his heart always in heaven certainly he must needs be a happy man for he is a heavenly man but now a godly man whose treasure is in heaven his heart is there but why is he so happy a man whose heart is in heaven I will give you a brief account truly there are four accounts why he is so happy a man whose treasure is in heaven because his heart is there First because he is hereby made and evidenced to be a heavenly man 1 Cor. 15 48. the first man is of the earth earthly the second man is of the Lord from heaven heavenly here is the difference between all the men in the world there are some earthly and some heavenly men now this is an evidence thou art an heavenly man because thy treasure is in heaven as that wisdom that is conversant about earth is said to be earthly wisdom so that wisdom which is conversant about heaven is said to be heavenly wisdom my brethren an earthly minde is a plague an heavenly mind is a blessednes Secondly he that hath his heart in heaven is not subject to those impressions of change as the men whose hearts are set upon earth Here every thing is subject to change and we have nothing but changes Changes and War are against me saith Job but if a mans estate and condition change so his heart do not change it is no great matter my heart is not subject to change as I remember Tertullian observes of the Christians of his time Nil crus sentit in nervo si animus in coelo true indeed they were under great afflictions of body but their souls were in heaven out of danger the heart is out of danger its true of a man whose heart is in heaven and his heart is out of Gun-shot afflictions may work on the body make a change in the estate and outward condition but his heart is above and out of danger and therefore the people of God are said to be those that dwell in heaven Rev. 13. 6. they blasphemed the tabernacle of God and their names who were written in heaven the heart changes not for any evil because it s bound up in an unchangeable good Thirdly he is a happy man whose heart is in heaven because where his heart is his life will be and his conversation Phil. 3. 20 21. Our conversation is in heaven now keep thy heart above all keepings for out of it are the issues of life Prov. 4. 23 24. Therefore if a mans heart be on the earth his conversation will be below but if his heart be in heaven there his life and conversation will be now when other men are making great ado here below his heart all the while is taken up about God as his Father about Christ as Mediator the Spirit as the Comforter the Angels as his fellow Subjects the souls of just men made perfect his fellow Citizens Oh what a happy condition doth this man live in his heart being in heaven his life is there * Note this last head as an eminent seal to this tract his life and Ministry they being the last words he ever spake in the Pulpit Lastly it is a clear evidence to aman that his heart being in heaven his body shall shortly be there as Christ when he went to heaven was our better part and went to heaven as our forerunner just so the heart being in heaven the better part is there It is gone to heaven as the forerunner of the body and as Christs Ascention is an argument of our ascention so the ascention of the heart is a clear argument that the whole man shall be there where the heart is that they may be taken up together with the Lord in the clouds of heaven Oh what a Comfort is this no man is a happy man but he who hath his heart in heaven and his treasure there So much shall serve for the Application of this point and for this Text. Consider I humbly pray you what hath been said It is of great concernment and such as should have an influence into your whole lives and know this for a Conclusion the Word of God will not return to him empty and in vain though it may be spent upon you in vain June 25. 1654. Elisha his Lamentation Upon the sudden Translation of ELIJAH Opened in a SERMON At the Funeral of Mr. William Strong That eminently Faithful Servant and Minister of CHRIST By Obadiah Sedgwick B. D. and Preacher of the Gospel in Covent Garden Zach. 1. 5. And the Prophets do they live for ever Heb. 3. 7. To day if ye will hear his Voice London Printed by R. W. for Francis Tyton at the Sign of the three Daggers in Fleet-street near the Inner-Temple Gate 1656. To the Right Worshipful Colonel Boswell Henry Scobel Esq Mr. Thomas Rushall and to all the rest of the Congregation lately pertaining unto the care of that Faithful Pastor Mr. William Strong Preacher of the Gospel at Westminster Abbey YOu were pleased to put me upon that sad service of Preaching at the Funeral of your worthy and dear Pastor And shortly after that upon another service of Printing what I then had publikely Preached I confess that I never Preached a Sermon in this kind with more grief of heart and never did I discern a Sermon heard and attended with more weeping eyes certainly God had given in unto him the affections of