Dr. MANNYNGHAM's SERMON Preach'd before Her Majesty AT WHITE-HALL February the 28th 1693 4. A SERMON ON THE Sincerity and Integrity of the Heart Preach'd before Her Majesty AT WHITE-HALL February the 28th 1693 4. By T. MANNYNGHAM D.D. Chaplain in Ordinary to Their Majesties and Rector of St. Andrew-Holborn Publish'd by Her Majesty's Special Command LONDON Printed for S. Smith and B. Walford at the Princes-Armes in St. Paul's Church-yard 1694. PSALM CXXXIX 23.24 Search me O God and know my Heart Try me and know my Thoughts And see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way Everlasting THis Psalm is supposed to have been made by David when he was under the Persecution of Saul when his Enemies accus'd him of Wicked Designs against the Government and laid many things to his charge of which he knew himself to be no ways guilty This put him upon the Justification of himself and the clearing of his Innocency betwixt God and his own Soul which he performed in a very solemn and deliberate manner by appealing to the Omniscience of God when he had with much exactness and a peculiar elegancy describ'd it in the former part of this Psalm For here he acknowledges the Spiritual Nature of God whereby he is present to all the Thoughts of our Minds to all the Desires of our Hearts to the most secret Designs and hidden Counsels of the Soul That there is no getting out of his Presence no concealing any thing from his Knowledge that there is no Night no Darkness with respect to Him but that all things are in a full Light and Manifestation to his All-seeing Eye Now when he had declar'd what just Apprehensions he had of the Divine Nature and how clearly he was convinc'd That there was no Thought of his Mind no Word of his Mouth no Inclination of his Heart but what was perfectly known to that Infinite Spirit who gave him his Soul and fram'd all the Parts of his Body who knew his down-sitting and his up-rising who was about his Paths and about his Bed and was acquainted with all his ways when he had wrought such a full Conviction and Awe in his Soul of the Infinite Knowledge and Presence of the Divine Power then he deliver'd himself up to the Trial and Examination of that All-knowing Spirit desiring that he would search to the very bottom of his Heart discover all the Foundations of his Soul and see if there were any wicked way in him any evil Purpose or Design any mischievous Imagination of which his Enemies accus'd him And if he found that he was innocent and clear that he would still protect and assist him under that Integrity of his Heart of which he was so greatly Conscious to himself that he would lead him in that Path of Vprightness and sincere Piety which would be sure to bring him at length to Everlasting Life Now tho' this solemn Appeal to God which David made in this Psalm may seem to concern his Innocence only in respect to those particular Crimes which were then objected against him as that he had enter'd into a Confederacy against the Crown and Life of Saul and in pursuance of that Design was a Favourer and Supporter of Wicked and Bloody Men the Thoughts of which he utterly detested and declar'd That he hated them with a perfect Hatred yet we cannot conceive but that when David vindicated himself from those particular Accusations he likewise at the same time appeal'd to God for the General Integrity of his Heart for so the Acknowledgment of the Omniscience of God did require him to do who was acquainted with all the Designs of his Heart and if he had indulg'd himself in any Evil way whatever he could not expect any Protection and Assistance from God The particular Crimes therefore which were objected against him were the Occasion of his appealing to God for the General Integrity of his Heart as far as his own Search and Examination could reach and if God by his severer Scrutiny by any further Trial of Afflictions should discover to him any Deceitfulness of his Heart or any way of Wickedness which he himself had not yet observed he was ready to forsake it upon Conviction and to be lead in the Upright Path the way Everlasting Search me O God and know my Heart Try me and know my Thoughts And see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way Everlasting Which Words may afford us these Three Considerations 1. What is that Sincerity and Integrity of Heart which God indispensably requires from all of us See if there be any wicked way in me II. How we may best judge of this Sincerity and Integrity of our Hearts viz. by searching and examining our own Consciences and especially by being willing to appeal to God's Omniscience in that Matter Search me O God and know my Heart Try me and know my Thoughts III. That it is only this Sincerity and Integrity of the Heart which can entitle us to the Protection and favourable Assistance of God Lead me in the way Everlasting 1. What is that Sincerity and Integrity of Heart indispensably required from all of us See if there be any wicked way in me Now according to the Psalmist's own Expression in another place God requires Truth in the inward Parts That the real Intention of our Minds should be to please him in all things or that our Obedience should be perform'd upon a True Principle the Authority of God or a Conformity to his Will which is that we mean by Sincerity There are many Ends which Men may propose to themselves in the same Action or Undertaking but that which makes an Action Religious is the performing of it with a principle regard to God and to His Commands A Man may be sober and temperate because it is agreeable to his Constitution and conducing to his Health because he would preserve a fair Reputation in the World or to keep himself in such a State of Mind and Body as may give him the truest Relish of sensual Pleasures and a long Enjoyment of Temporal Ease and Happiness Upon such Principles as these the more Refined Epicureans may be very temperate and sober Persons and look like men of great Moderation in the Eyes of the World and yet be high Sensualists still But whosoever governs his Appetites upon a true Principle of Religion does it upon the account of the Laws of God and in imitation of the Example of Christ that by withdrawing himself from the Pleasures of this World his Heart may be more fix'd upon Spiritual and Heavenly Enjoyments and that he may live in a Preparation to part with all his present Satisfactions when the Providence of God shall lay the Cross upon him or when Death shall summon him to depart out of this World All the outward things in Religion are capable of being Dissembled or at least of being acted upon Low and unworthy Designs Men
not a natural Averseness in Man to behold his own Deformity or at least to acknowledge it to be such Can a Man be easily brought to search and probe his own Wounds Will not he presently draw back his Hand and think he has done enough before he has gone half way or before he has reach'd to the Bottom and Core of his Disease When men knock at the Door of their own Hearts are not Self-love and Pride and Security ready to step out and to tell them all is well If they be so resolute as to make a further Entrance they discover perhaps a great many Sins but they are so Painted and Varnished over by Pretences and Excuses taken from the Customs and Examples of the World that they hardly know how to condemn themselves for entertaining such modish and fashionable Guests If they chance to be somewhat more inquisitive and to open another Scene in their Hearts they find perhaps a multitude of strong and confirmed Habits of Sin which have dwelt there a long time and now plead Possesion They think it almost impossible to get out these setled and rooted Inhabitants and now they are come to such Strength to such a twisted and multiply'd Interest they think they had better be let alone than disturb'd to no purpose If they still go on to make a deeper Search behold there appears a Fountain of Evil continually bubling up into impure Desires sensual Lusts worldly Designs and vile Imaginations then they presently conclude That this is that which men call Original Sin the bed of Corruption the brackish Fountain of Impure Streams which Poisons all our Nature And as to this they think it sufficient to acknowledge that there is such a Noisome Dungeon in every Man's Heart as well as in theirs that there is no Obligation to cleanse it but to lament and bewayle themselves for it is enough Thus we see how some who undertake a self-examination may be lead through all the Apartments of Sin and Wickedness without much concern and be impos'd upon by a train of cheats and delusions and think there is little for them to correct and amend because they have not yet discover'd the great cheat of all the Decitfulness of their own Hearts For if they had found out that and been well aware of it they would soon have confess'd that no fashionable Customs of the World no Growth no strength of Habits could be any excuse for Wilful Sin and that Original Corruption was no such Torrent of Evil but that it might be weakned and diverted and that they were mens actual and voluntary Sins which fed and heightned that Fountain and made it so often over-flow that Repentance and Prayer and Watchfulness and a constancy in good Duties might easily keep it within its Bounds and reduce it to that low State that tho' it might sometimes make attempts against a Life of Vertue yet it should seldom prevail in such Instances as could be interpreted to interrupt a Course of Goodness But now if People would examin their Hearts to some purpose they must allow themselves a considerable time to do it in especially those who have not accustom'd â—hemselves to this Duty already they must set about it with much thoughtfulness and concern they must make themselves very sensible of the horrid Nature of Sin and that there is no escaping the Wrath of God if they wilfully retain Iniquity in their Hearts they must be very careful that they be not impos'd upon in this so necessary a Work by the Wiles of Satan by the prevailing Vitiousness of the Age by the Treachery and Deceitfulness of their own Hearts They must recal as many particular Transgressions as they can and work into their Minds a more earnest and ready Watchfulness against those Sins which their Constitutions and their Callings and their way of Life and their frequent Falls have made them most liable to They must compare their Actions with the Rule of God's Word with the Vows and Engagements they have already made with the strictness of that profession they are under and with the Spiritual Nature of those Rewards they are preparing themselves to receive And if they would be further satisfy'd of the Sincerity and Integrity of their Hearts they cannot refuse the Appealing to God's Omniscience that they are serious and hearty in what they are doing that they really design to get a full Knowledge of themselves that they are not willing to conceal or cover any one Sin but that having made such Discovery of their Hearts as they are well able to attain to they are willing and desirous that God would try them further by that Word of his which is quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword that is able to divide asunder the Soul and Spirit the Joynts and Marrow and is a clear discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart That if it may be for their further good God would melt them down in the Furnace of Afflictions and then make them sensible what Dross there was adhering to them what mixture of Impurity which nothing but that Fire could have reveal'd These are Trials which cannot be propos'd and desir'd but by an Honest Heart which must needs give us a testimony and Comfortable assurance that we are Sincere and that it is our full purpose to serve God all our days and in all the Circumstances of our Lives with clear Sincerity and Integrity of Heart especially if we give our selves some leasure to consider what we do when we make this Solemn Appeal to God and with David in this Psalm imploy our Minds for some time on the Spiritual Nature and Omniscience of God before we desire to be Try'd and Prov'd and Examin'd by it He confesses that it was God that made him and that saw his Substance before it was fashion'd into the curious fabrick of an Humane Body That 't was his secret power that fram'd the wonderful structure that fitted all the innumerable parts with due proportion and Contexture and made it a suitable Habitation for an Immortal Soul He confesses how the same Spirit and power is present to all the thoughts of his Heart that there are no foldings no dark recesses that can conceal any thing from him that all the branchings of his Soul the imaginations of his Heart the compass of his conversation are register'd in his Book no night no retirement that can shut out God no hiding from his Spirit thô he should travel into the remotest Countries or remain in the uttermost parts of the Sea nay thô he should go down into Hades and make his abode in the Regions of departed Souls even there his Power and his Hand would find him out And when he had with such deliberation and exactness consider'd and acknowledg'd the Omniscience of God and view'd it in several Lights and imprinted it on his Mind by variety of Expressions then he offers his whole Heart to be taken in
pieces as an Anatomy before God then he offers all his Resolutions and Designs to be examined by that Spirit that searches all things And truly whoever shall refuse to undergo this Trial has reason to doubt that there is some Hypocrisie remaining in him some falsness of Heart some allowance of Sin some way of Wickedness that he cannot yet bring himself to part with We must not think that 't is the priviledge only of some few Saints to appeal to God in such a Case as this no Man can say his Prayers without doing that which amounts to the same thing he cannot ask forgiveness of God without a penitent Heart and no one can be said to repent without a sincere endeavour to avoid all Sin for the future of which Resolution he knows that God is the Judge The Integrity of the Heart does not oblige any one to say that he has never sinned or that he has no Inclinations to Evil or that he has already obtain'd a Victory over all his sensual and worldly Desires or that he can promise to himself never to fall into Sin again these are not the things that are necessarily requir'd to make good the Iutegrity of the Heart but if we have seriously considered our ways and do utterly abhor every thing that is Evil if our good Resolutions are fixed and our Prayers are wholly bent toward the pleasing of God in newness of Life then are we such true Penitents and such sincere Christians as God will approve of even when he himself has searched our Hearts and known our Thoughts then are we such as he will carry on to greater perfection as he will lead in the way Everlasting Which is the 3d. and Last thing to be considered viz. That 't is only this Sincerity and Integrity of the Heart that can entitle us to the favourable assistance of God whereby he will lead us in the way Everlasting Where there is not an honest Heart there can be expected no fruit of righteousness Sincerity is the only Soil wherein the word of God can be truly planted and where the Graces of the Gospel can spring and flourish When we see men lead unprofitable Lives under the influence of good Instruction under the outward Observances of Religion and under all the real Advantages of being very eminently vertuous if they were not wanting to themselves then we may be sure that they are not sound at Heart that all their Religious Actions are blasted by some secret Hypocrisie and that they cannot prosper in Holiness by reason of some reserved Sin There is some gainful Injustice that they will not yet lay aside there are some frauds and cheats that they will not yet seperate from their Imployments and Callings there is some lurking Revenge which they have not yet accomplished some Malice which they desire to execute or some Sensuality which they know not how to renounce and if there be any of these ways of Wickedness in many professed Christians no wonder that they do not thrive in Piety and that their Souls grow thin and meagre under the best Provisions in Religion and the greatest Plenty of the Gospel There is some accursed thing some secret consciousness of an unrepented Guilt that spoils those Duties which they cannot wholly neglect and yet from which they receive but little benefit whilst their Souls are in such a wretched condition divided between God and the World they do every thing deceitfully and with a double Heart instead of repenting they only prevaricate with God instead of confessing their Sins they try to palliate them when they should search their Corruptions they only cover it and when they should heal their wounded Souls they only skin them over That which we read in the Text if there be any wicked way in me the Margint of our Bibles has it if there be any way of Pain or Grief in me and it is most certain that where there is not an Integrity of Heart there men will find no comfort in Religion the Ways and Commandments of God are always grievous to such they walk in the Paths of Duty with a Leg that was broken and is not well set but has still some Splinters in it that put them to continual Pain They come to God with a trembling and a king Heart and can have no Confidence no filial Trust and Relyance when they appear before him there is some root of bitterness within that spoils the relish of all their Religious Duties They pray but without Faith and Devotion they do many things in Religion but without a true Principle of Obedience they sometimes receive the Sacrament but 't is with horror rather then gladness of Soul with fear of eating and drinking their own Damnation rather then with raised Affections and a Spiritual Appetite Believe it there is no Strength no Proficiency no Comfort to be found in Religion unless you can bring your Hearts to renounce all ungodliness and every wicked way Unless you cleanse your selves from all Maliciousness Injustice Hatred and Contentions Sensuality and Pride from all Filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit But if upon a serious Examination we find our selves to be sincere and that we are willing to please God in all things according to our Understandings and according to our Power then we may promise to our selves a gracious Acceptance of our honest and diligent Endeavours a protection and guidance of our Persons in our lawful Callings and Imployments and a favourable construction of our unvoluntary Slips and Infirmities Then God and his Holy Angels will be ready to asist us to preserve us from Dangers to arm us against Temptations to lead us in Truth and Righteousness in Piety and Vertue which is the sure the certain the everlasting way Where there is no design or purpose of Wickedness there the Heart is prepared for God to write all his Laws upon it and as it increases in purity it will be capable of receiving his Laws in a deeper Impression and a fairer Character Sincerity in the lowest degree is the true Image of God on the Soul thô drawn but in weak Colours a proficiency in Holiness will add a further perfection to it and quickly give it a stronger Life The honest Mind receives new Illumination from the Spirit that searches it and the Thoughts of that Conscience must needs be more awful where God has been more eminently present Goodness and Power and Wisdom and Mercy delight to encamp about all those who are fully resolved to serve God in the Integrity of their Hearts they have a disposition that fits them to receive the Influences of the Spirit whereby they shall be mightily strengthened in the inner Man they have a worthiness to be admitted to the highest Mysteries of the Christian Religion to the nearest Communion with God in Holy Duties where they shall find their good Resolutions confirmed their pious Purposes encouraged their honest Affections rais'd and their Sincerity advanc'd into further degrees of Established Virtue and whilst they keep on in the plain Path of Duty and an upright Conversation they shall be safely conducted thrô this Wilderness of Temptation and Misery to the Blessed Mansions of Everlasting Peace and Glory Now to God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory Praise and Thanksgiving now and for Ever more FINIS