keeping keep your hearts Little Children keep your sâ—lves from idols Though these were Children 1 Jo. 5.21 yet they are called lâ—ttle Children and little Children may have Idols at least they are in danger of setting up Idols within Câ— 3 1. Set your affeâ—â—â—â—ns on things above not on things on the earth The Affection is a Faculty of the Soul and this may be set upon things below Love not the world 1 Jo. 21 nor the things that are in the world If any one love the world the love of the Father is not in him The World may bâ— sâ—â— bâ—t it must not be loved The World is a great Idol the Diana that have so many Worshippers and the heart is the Seat for this Idol for that 's the Seat of Love Covetousness is a great siâ— a grievous sin For the iniquity of his Covetousness was I wroth and smote him The love of money is called the Root of all evil Covetousness is called Idolatry Col. 3.5 And Covetousness which is Idolatry But how is a covetous man an idolatrous man yea an Idolater He that gives that to any creature which is due to God makes himself an Idolater Keep the World therefore out of thy heart for that 's often set up there as an Idol Now if ye would keep the world out of your hearts ye must of necessity then â—â—ep your hearts 4. Would ye fâ—llow the Footsteps of the Flock then above all keeping keep the heart The Câ—ristian may be followed so far and so fast as he follows Christ Thou mayst set thy Watch by his if he set his by the Sun Câ—r 11. â—e ye followers of me even as I a so am of Christ Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ Be ye followers that is be ye Imitators of me even as I am an Imitator of Christ Go thy way forth by the fâ—otsteps of the Flock By the footsteps or in the footstâ—ps of the Flock â—ant 1.8 that is go in those ways and do those works which the sheep or flock of Christ have gone in and done before thee 5. Would ye follow the foot steps of the Shepherd Then above all keeping keep the heart As Christ was the highest Principle so the highest Pattern and President an incomparable Copy to write after Path to walk after Exemplar to work after Now there was no Guile in his Mouth and there would be less in ours if we would be more carâ—ful conscious cordial and constant in kâ—eping our hearts above all keeping She hath left us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 6. Would ye have a conversation in heaven and for heaven then above all keeping keep the heart we are to drive a Trade with heaven and for heaven Oh soul what a â—â—ssâ—â— and lower heaven is it to have a clean and a chaste heart a holy and a heavenly heart For our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. Phil. 3.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word here for conversation though but one word in the Greek yet it cannot be expressed by one word in English but may be read thus Our conversation is in heaven that is we carry and behave our selves in this life as free Denizons in the City of heaven It is the Ambition of a Saint to live godly in Christ Jesus We should live upon earth according to the Laws of Heaven our Ambition should be to have all in Print Every Saint should be an earthly Angel and live upon earth after the rate of heaven An Evangelical life should be an Aagelical life 1. Would ye above all keeping keep the heart 2. Directions â—ngage Christ then in this work The heart is the strongest Castle the highest Turreâ— no Arrow will do execution but what the Lord takes out of his own Quiver and sheets out of his own Bow Let God be passive and the heart is impregnable notwithstanding all the Batteries that are made against it Rev. 6.2 'T is Christ that went forth conquering and to conquer And thorough Christ Christians are more then Conquerours Ro. 8.37 2. Would ye above all keeping keep the heart Make use then of the Spirit The flesh and the spirit are contraries and contraries have contrary consequences As one contrary discovers another so one contrary seeks the destruction of the other The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other Gal. 5.17 Now contrariety is the ground of all contestation and conflict If ye would mortifie the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8.13 ye must take the Spirit If ye by the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live 3. Would ye above all keeping keep the heart Let your hearts then be taken up with heaven When thou findest thy thoughts wandring and ready to breâ—â— their bounds endeavor to turn them into another Channel concern thy soul then with heaven and hâ—â—venly things All below heaven should be below the heart Mat. 6.21 Where the treasure 〈◊〉 will the heart be also A heart must be where its treasure is and its treasure where Christ is 'T is pity that a good head and a good heart should not ever be companions Your head is in heaven let your heart be there also the head and the heart may be together But to end as I did begin and there to end where I did begin As heart-keeping is the hardest keeping so the heart must be kept above all keeping Above all keeping keep thy heart for out of is the actions of life proceed Dilecti si cor nostrum nos non condemnet loquendi libertatem apud Deum habenius 1 Joh. 3.21 The Sufficiency of Grace 2 COR. Xâ—I 9. former part And he said unto me My Grace is sufficient for thee In the Text and Context ye have the Apostles Narrative concerning his Revelation his Temptation upon that Revelation his Supplication upon that Temptation and his Supportation upon that Supplication 1. His Revelation It is not expedient for me to glory 2 Cor. 2.1 I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. Some distinguish visions from Revelations thus A vision they say is when something is Supernatural represented to the sight the party not knowing the Signification thereof Such was the vision of Pharaoh concerning the Cattel and the Corn which were one and the same thing Gen 41 seven years Fulness and seven years Famine Such also was the vision of Nebuchadnezzar concerning the Tree Dan. 4. which was Interpreted of Himself A Revelation they say when something is Supernaturally represented to the sight and the Signification thereof is made known to the party such were the visions of the Prophets Others distinguish visions from Revelations thus A vision may be without an Extasie Thus the two Maries seeing the Angel at the Sepulcher
Armed man and like a Mighty Stream threatning to bear down all before it Oh what Generation is the next like to be if this be thus Vpon Pauls healing the impotent man the cry was Gods are come down to us in the likeness of men Act. 14 1â— But may not the cry now be Devils are come up to us in the likeness of men Are there not many men now like so many Incarnate Devils Do they not look upon Oaths as the greatest Rhetorick and upon Adultery as the greatest Pleasure Do they not look upon Murder as a just revenge and upon Polygamy as an Ornament to worldly Grandure If this Generation be thus what is the next Generation like to be I have read of one Father and 't was pity there should be that one to read of who liked his Children the better for resembling him in wickedness I have also read of others who hearing their Ancestors were gone to hell said that they would go thither too Do not many Parents now seem to be unwilling to go to hell without their Children indulging them in all manner of Impiety and Impurity Is it not enough for them to go to hell but must their Children follow them Certainly now these things considered it is incumbent upon Parents to look after the Education of their Children 2. To the Young Now these have Grace or have it not To these therefore distinctly 1. To the Young that have Grace I have two words to these 1. Art Green and yet hast Grace Admire then the Riches of Free-Grace Hath God plucked thee as a brand out of the Fire and left the rest of the Children to dwell with everlasting Burnings Oh infinite mercy Art not only born but born again born of water and of the Spirit Oh Matchless mercy Are not only many young ones but many old ones yet in their blood bleeding to death and 't is to be feared an Eternal death and hath Jehovah God said unto thee Live Oh Admire then the Riches of Free-Grace Oh let this be thy Holy and thy Heavenly boasting in all places 1 Cor. 15.10 and amongst all Persons By the grace of God I am that I am 2. Art Green and yet hast Grace Be joyous then thy Joy may be greatest when thou art Oldest Polycarpus could say when he was old Thus many years have I served my Master Christ and hitherto hath he dealt well with me Those are like to have most Peace when and while they are old that have Grace when and while they are young For thou art my hope Oh Lord God thou art my trust from my youth Psal 71.5 17 18. Oh God thou hast taught me from my youth Now also I am gray-headed for sake me not 2. To the young that have not grace Art young and hast not grace set then upon this work and Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth Oh now begin to concern thy soul with the concerns of thy soul Quest But what Directions may be given to young ones that are graceless ones Solut. 1. Look not upon death at a distance in the days of thy youth Many if not most young persons look upon death at a distance and 't is death to them to think upon death Oh how many young persons are there that greedily swallow down that of the Psalmist Psal 90.10 The days of our years are three score years and ten or according to the Margent As for the days of our years in them are seventy years Oh say not we have Calculated our Nativity and we finde our years to be three score years and ten Is there one of threescore and ten that lives to threescore and ten 2. Shun the Occasions of sin in the days of thy youth If thou wouldest not fall down of â—he Plague keep clear of the Pest house May not I say with that great Doctor of the Gentiles Flee youthful lusts 2 Tim. 23.22 3. Be very conversant with the holy Scriptures of truth in the days of thy youth Be much in reading the Scriptures Oh there 's no book like unto this Book Oh soul this Book is the Book of Books Other Books are called the books of men but the Bible is called the Book of God Oh turn over these leafes and converse these lines On soul in those lines thou mayst read the Love that Christ had to little ones Suffer children yea little children saith Christ to come unto me and forbid them not Mat. 19.14 for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven 4. Wait at Wisdomes Gates and in her Galleries in the days of thy youth Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word Preached Jam. 1.19 May not I say to thee as the Apostle did Be swift to hear slow to speak slow to wrath 5. Look upon thy self as lost in the days of thy youth Suppose Parents gracious yet they cannot entail grace upon their Posterity Oh Child believe me thou canst not go to Heaven by thy Fathers Copy thou must have a Christ of thine own Grace of thine own or dying thou wilt be damned and thaâ— for an eternity Mar. 16.16 He that believeth not shall 〈◊〉 damned not may but shall be daâ—ned Look unto Christ in the days of thy youth Thou art a Sinner Lastly but Christ is a Saviour thou art a great sinner but he is a great Saviour Oh Child Luk. 19.10 thou art lost but Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost Not only to save but also to seek in order to saving that which was lost But to close this Discourse If thou hast any love to thy self love to thy soul concern then thy soul with the concerns of thy soul in the days of thy youth Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 3.11 Heart Keeping the hardest Keeping PROV 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the Issues of life THAT Solomon is the Author of this Book in general is generally acknowledged but he is so the Author of this as David is of the Psalms for as the whole Book of Psalmes is not Davids so the whole Book of Proverbs is not Solomons A Proverb and a Parable differ more in sound then in sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are of very near Affinity for they are are the speeches of wise men yea they are the Extracts and spirits of wisdom I will open my Mouth in a Parable Psal 78.2 I will utter dark sayings of old These are called Aenigmata dark Sentences To understand a Proverb and the Interpretation Prov. 1.6 the words of the wise and their dark sayings So that a Proverb properly signifies a Parable and a Parable properly signifies a Proverb Sed quid moror istis Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life In these words you have a Duty imposed and
confirming of it the applying of it 1. The Explaining of it Now here I shall enquire after three things 1. What this Sin is that Fools make a mock at 2. What this Mocking is that Fools make at Sin 3. What these Fools are that make a mock at Sin 1. What this Sin is that Fools make a mock at Description Sin in the Nature and Notion of it is a transgression of the Law Sin supposeth a law in being for where there is no law there is no transgression But where there is sin Ro. 4 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is a law a transgression of that Law Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth the Law for sin is a transgression of the Law Or according to the Greek text And Sin is Lawlesness Yea Sin is not only the transgression of a Law but of a good Law Ro. 7.12 For the Law is holy and the Commandment holy just and good Yea the transgression Ps 89.30 31. not only of a good Law but also of Gods Law If his children forsake my Laws and walk not in my judgements If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandments So that Sin is the transgression of a Law of a good Law of Gods Law Now the Law forbids not onely the doing of evil whether in thought word or deed but also commands the doing of good So that to omit the good commanded as well as commit the evil forbidden is Sin As it is true against the Fruits of the spirit there is no Law no Law of Condemnation It is as true Gal. 5.23 Gal. 5.19 20 21. against the works of the flesh there is Law for they are all against the Law Whatever then doth transgress the Law of God in whole or in part for Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point Jam. 2.10 he is guilty of all Is therefore a sin and therein a sin whether it brake an Affirmative or a negative precept that is whether it be the Omission of Good or Commission of Evil. 2. What this mocking is that Fools make at sin To this Negatively and Positively 1. To mock Negativly is to beguile Thou hast mocked me these three times said Delilah to Sampson Judg. 16.15 But thus you are not to unstand it here 2. To mock is to deride Now this Derision is either inward or outward 1. Inward Then persons are said to mock when from their hearts they deride God in his Goodness VVord and Ordinances with hypocritical mockers in feasts Psa 35.16 2. Outward Now this is by Gesture and by Actions 1. By Gesture All that see me laugh me to scorn Psa 22.7 they open the lip they shake the head But thus you are not to understand it here 2. By Actions Others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings yea Heb. 11 3â— moreover of bonds and imprisonments But thus you are not to understand it here 2. Positivelâ— 2. To mock is to speak lightly and sparingly of sin A person then mocks at sin when he speaks of it as Lot of Zoar Is it not a little one Thus the wicked Papists Gen. 19.20 wickedly distinguish between sins Venial and Mortal a distinction not legible in the holy Scriptures of truth Paul who was of the highest stature in grace though not in Nature speak expresly The wages of sin is Death Not only the wages of this sin Ro. 6.23 and that sin but of any sin is death the second death Eternal death When persons speak of sin as many do of Ceremonies are not these little ones to wear this that to read and bow c. are not these little ones so to speak this and do that are not these little things To speak thus is to make a mock at sin and thus you are to understand it in the Text Fools make a mock at sin that is they speak lightly and sparingly of it 3. Who these Fools are 1. Negatively that make a mock at sin To this Negatively and positively But to this Generally and then particularly 1. Generally A Fool liberally is an Ideot one destitute of wit a Person of little or no Capacity or Discretion Thus the wise and the foolish are opposed Eccl. 2.1 Who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool 1. By Fools sometimes understand those that acknowledge themselves to be so 2 Particuâ—â—â—ly 1. Cor. 3.18 Let not a man deceive himself if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world let him become a fool that he may be wise That is saith Musculus let him be a Believer Christians formerly were called Credentes believing ones as if their Faith had been their Folly when 't is the greatest Folly to be without Faith But thus you are not to understand it here 2. By Fools sometimes understanding those that are accounted by others so â— Cor. 4. â—0 We are fools for Christs sake Accounted so by the World thus not to be understood here 3. By Fools sometimes understand those that have onely Oyle in their Lamps Five of them were wise Mat. 25.2 and five were foolish The wise were those that had Oyle in their Vessels as well as in their Lamps the foolish were those that had Oyle in their Lamps but not in their Vessels but thus you are not to understand it here Fools make a mock at sin 4. By Fools sometimes understand those that though they have knowledge and faith yet they have much Ignorance and unbeleif remaining in them Luke 24. â—5 Oh fools and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken But thus you are not to understand it in the Text Fools make a mock at sin 5. By fools sometimes understand worldly men Thou fool Lu. 12.20 this night shall thy soul be required of thee But thus you are not to understand it in the Text. 2. Positivly 2. By fools sometimes understand wicked men The fool hath said in his heart there is no God Thus you are to understand it in the Text. Fools make a mock at sin Psa 14.1 Wicked men that do not only work wickedness but make wickedness their work are the fools that make a mock at sin They that play with sin as the Fish with the bait and sport with the Devil they are the fools that make a mock at Sin Fools make a mock at Sin But if we look no farther then the Text and Context 't is legible for fools are opposed to the righteous Fools make a mock at sin but with the righteous there is favour These righteous ones are those that are spiritually and actually so that are concerned in an imputed and imparted righteousness 2. The confirming of it Now here I shall enquire after two things Whether fools make a mock at sin and why fools make a mock at sin 1. Whether fools make a mock at sin If to make a mock at sin