because he shall never be separated from the thing beloved his love shall continue for ever in heaven and he shall never be separated from it Then examine your selves that which you feare to be separated from is that which the love of your heart runs out unto 8. 8 Love is victorious Love is victorious Cant. 8.4 'T is strong as death there 's a kind of dominion in love looke over the love that men bear to the things of this life let them have but Riches and if Christ and the glory of heaven be tendered to them as the young man had in the Gospel and bid them sell all they will go away sorrowful why so the love of the world overcomes them On the other side offer a godly man all the comforts of this life whatsoever his heart could wish yet notwithstanding he doth not imbrace it why so his love to God out-bids them and overcomes them Love it is like Lime in that respect many waters cannot quench love Cant. 8.7 Nay the more you pouâ—e upon lime the hotter it burns It s not onely faith that overcomes the world but love overcomes the world for love is a victorious Grace as well as Faith If you be offered great things in this world greater things in another world doth overcome them therefore examine where your love is for where your love is ther 's your heart where your heart is there 's your Treasure where your Treasure is there 's your Heaven where your Heaven is there 's your God and where your God is there 's your happinesse There are onely three short uses I shall make and so shut up the point Use 1. 1. Use Shall be in generall in two things 1. To discover the fulnesse that is in every scripture sentence From hence see the fulnesse of Scripture every short sentence of it how full of matter is it the smallest things in Scripture there are great things depending on them therefore a Father cryes out in admiration of the fulnesse of the Scripture It s observed by Chrysostome he saith It s the greatest Blasphemy that can be to think that in the Booke of God there should be found one idle word hee that will judge you for idle words will not write one idle word There 's one place which Chrysostome himself insists upon its 1 Tim. 5.23 Drink no longer water but use a little wine for thy stomacks ake and he hath eight mighty truths out of that ordinary portion of Scripture 1. Godly men out of love to duty neglect the body 2. Godly men are very moderate in the use of the creatures left they should be brought under the power of them 3. Consider in his weakness hee did not cease from his charge he had infirmities and often infirmities but he did not neglect the affaires of the Gospel 4. Take a little wine That godly men may too far neglect their bodies even to offend therin 5. Every creature of God is good in it self yea those creatures of God that are most abused 6. Godly men may be subject to many bodily infirmities and that often 7. In the decay of nature the Creatures are to be used for its repair but according to the proportion of natures infirmities 8. There 's a moderation appointed in receiving the creature even when men take them for necessities sake for he that prescribes him the wine prescribes him the measure upon this accompt the Scripture becomes exceeding sweet to a man and 't is a great Argument of growth of grace in him and of profiting in spirituall knowledge when a man can take delight and sweetnesse in the word not onely in the substance but in every circumstance of it Do not study the substance of the word onely but the phrase of it they are not only words but such words as God himselfe hath chosen out phrased it to our minds and to our understandings 2. There are some sentences of scripture that we should especially treasure up Consider though all the Scripture be to be studied yet there are some sentences above all that a man should lay up in his heart such as these we are speaking on Where a mans Treasure is there will his heart be There are fix parts of Scripture that the Lord puts speciall marks upon which scriptures are sutable to especiall occasions and therefore wee should take especial notice of them 1. 1 Such as the Lord hath added anote of attention unto Those scriptures which the Lord hath added a note of attention and asseveration to those especially we should studie Io. 1.29 Behold the Lambe of God that takes away the sinnes of the world Where the Lord doth put special marks upon them there we should exercise a speciall study about them Isa 40.5 Behold the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it c. 2. 2 Such as are of ten repeated Such scriptures as the Lord hath often repeated such scriptures should bee diligently studied As Riches profit not in the day of wrath Pro. 11.4 Mark 8.36 And what shal it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul And if Riches increase set not your hearts upon them Psa 62.10 3. 3 Such as have bin most effectuall for your conversion Those scriptures that God hath made use of in a speciall manner to doe you or any other good these should bee mightily studied God requiers you should take notice of them in a speciall manner so did the Ancients Rom. 13.1 And Luther made use of Rom. 1.17 and Junius of Iob. 1.1 Those by which the Lord hath spoken Conviction and Consolation these he requires you should especially observe and diligently study 4. 4 Such are sutable to your condition Those scriptures that speak especially concerning thy condition the Lord requires a man should study that word that is sutable to his estate whether thou art in poverty or riches in health or sickness 5. 5 Such as speak to the controversies of the times Those Scriptures that speak to the present controversie of the Age that you live in that you may be established in the present truth and keep from falling into the present errors the Lord requires you to be much in the study of these Scriptures 6. 6 Such as are most comprehensive Those scriptures that are very comprehensive that carry in them the guidance of a mans life as in the Text Lay up for your selves treasures in heaven c. and that Heb. 13.5 Be convent with such things as you have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 12.14 And without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. Such comprehensive directions as these the Lord requires our hearts should be exercised in the study of them Use 2. Use 2. To difcover the necessity regeneration Is most proper in this point Is the heart inseparable from the
inexhaustibly 4. It is there communicatively the Fountaine naturally sends forth streames 5. The comfort that is in God is living comfort the water that goes forth is living water Third General Proposition It s a matter of great concernment where our hearts are placad That it is matter of great concernment in Christ's acount and it should be so in ours also where our hearts are placed Let me open this The Lord hath in Scripture given especial directions for the setting of a mans heart Hag. 1.5 Consider your waies in the Hebrew it is Set your heart upon your waies so Deut. 32.46 Set your hearts unto all the words which I testifie among you this day Now that it is a matter of great consequence where the heart is set there are these grounds for it 1. 1 God mainly looks at the heart It s the heart mainely that God looks upon and doth observe he looks not upon what man looks upon man looks upon the outside but God looks upon the inside 2 Chron. 16.9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himselfe strong in the behalse of them whose heart is perfect towards him and therefore because God looks upon the heart it is matter of great consequence where we place our hearts 2. 2 God claimes the heart It s the heart mainly that God laies claime unto and that he calls for My Sonne give me thy heart Prov. 23.26 3. 3 The man is where the heart is It s matter of great consequence because where the heart is there 's the man therfore where the soule is gone the man is gone where the heart goes the man follows 4. 4 God values man according to his heart God values every man according to his heart and the heart according to the Treasure upon which it is set a wicked man is worth nothing because his heart is worth nothing Prov. 10.20 The heart of the wicked is little worth God values men according to their hearts and their hearts according to their treasure or the object upon which his heart is set There are two things that make up the heart 1. The Ornaments of the heart a meek and a quiet spirit 2. The Objects of the heart and those things upon which the heart is set the mans heart is worth as much as the object is that it is set upon and if the object be worth nothing the mans heart is worth nothing 5. 5 As the heart is such is the life Ground because from the heart all the conversation flowes therefore 't is matter of great consequence upon what the heart is set Prov. 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life so out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks Mat. 12.34 As the heart is pure or impure so is the whole life on what a mans heart is set that 's his treasure or else it would not bee so dangerous to misplace our hearts 6. 6 Objects transform the heart It s matter of great consequence where and upon what you set your hearts because the objects upon which the heart is set they have a transforming power and they doe mightily frame and fashion the heart according to themselves and therefore as where your Treasure is there will your hearts be also so like to what your Treasure is that will your hearts be like also If a man mind nothing else in the world but Riches they have nothing in their hearts but Riches either how they may get or save them if a mans heart be set on Covetousnesse it transforms him and the man is said to be a Covetous man when a man either gets or saves or covets much for unjust keeping is as great an act of Covetousness as unjust getting Jesus Christ hath left one golden expression what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul Mat. 16.26 observe the soul is not onely lost here but it is lost hereafter also 'T is impossible to have the heart set wholly on Riches and set on Heaven because the soul is framed according to the object on which the heart is placed therefore take these two things wherein the soul is hereby injured In the light of it and in the holinesse and purity of it 1. In the light of it let a mans heart be set on any heavenly beauty it s changed into a Heavenly complexion let a mans heart be set on any earthly beauty it s changed into an Earthly complexion and so the soul is lost in the sight of it Secondly In the holinesse of it As the soul can see nothing that is sinfully evill or spiritually good when the heart is placed on wrong objects so it can do nothing that is spiritually good nor withstand any thing that is spiritually evill when 't is placed on Earthly objects the holinesse and purity of the soul is is wronged by Earthly objects Therefore Covetousnesse is called the not of all evill how comes it to be so I answer two waies First all evill comes from thence as the root Secondly all is nourished by it as the root there is no principle of evill that will not flow from this evill and there is no evill principle that it will not nourish there is no sin that this will not frame the heart to for it will make a man in love with every sinne it will make a man prove an Apostate from God Demas hath forsaken us having loved this present world 2 Tim. 4.10 It will make a man impudent and shameless in sin as Mat. 26.16 What will you give me and I will betray him faith Judas It will make a man forget the offers of grace Luke 16.14 and slight the word of God And the Pharisees who were covetous heard all these things and derided him It will make a man desire the pleasures of sin that are but for season it will make a man sin and desire to sin you little know what hideous wrong the setting of the heart upon the world brings you and what dolefull wrath it will lay you under The heart doth alwaies follow the treasure In the. Fourth Place for proof that the heart doth alwaies follow the Treasure 1. The heart of man hath its severall motions and out-goings its Processes and its Recesses and all this is according as the Treasure is Eccle. 6.9 The sight of the Eye is betthen the wandrings of the desire 'T is in the Hebrew the walkings of the soul then the soul of man is a walking thing the heart of a man hath its outgoings It 's true of the heart as it is said of the Angells Ezek. 1.13 they go forth with incredible swiftnesse like lightning so doth the heart Eccel 11.9 there you read of the way of the heart the heart is rendred by Montanus as a thing that is ever in motion most men do make choice of their chiefe
pride being his predominant principle and master sin this mans pride or prosperity vents it self in Exaltation Admiration and seeking glory from men he sets himselfe in the face and glory of the times despising of others exalting himself bring this man under trouble of conscience and then pride vents it self in humility and debases into poverty As faith is an humbling grace so despaire is the highest fruit of pride here 's the heart now shewing the same aime in different conditions and all this doth clearly argue where the bent of the heart is there 's the aime of a mans heart If a mans heart goe out to covetousnesse the love of money when he is in a low condition if he did but observe his soule his heart went after his covetousnesse let him be brought into a wealthy condition he is scussling after the world still Judas his heart went after his money when he was an Apostle though in a different condition take a man in what condition you will you hall find the aime and bent of his heart is still the same On the contrary take a godly man who makes God his treasure who hath another treasure and another aime put him into what condition you will still you shall find his aime is the same the bent of his soule is still towards God Psal 44.17 All this is come upon us yet have wee not forsaken thee nenher have we dealt falsely in thy Covenant He looks beyond them all for his aime is at his treasure Looke upon Job upon the dunghill the aime of his heart was the same fearing God and eschewing evill Now consider what you were when you were a private man and what you are now you are advanced to places of dignity and see by it where the aime of your heart is 2. 2 That 's the bent of the heart which it greedily catcheth at upon all occasions In all places in all companies if opportunity be affected consider what it is that the heart doth most greedily catch at upon all occasions and in all places If the aime of the soule be lust he went after her speedily as a soole to the correction of the Stocks Prov. 7.22 Suppose it be gain a mans heart aimes at It goes after it presently Josh 7.21 When I saw a goodly Babylonish Garment and two hundred shekles of silver and a wedge of Gold I coveted them and tooke them c. So let there be at any time a godly motion offered to a godly man his heart catcheth at the motion By this you may see what your souls are by the first motion you close with as according to the aime and bent of the heart so all temptations are suited what 's that then which your heart closeth withall with the greatest readinesse according to that is the bent of your heart 3. 3 According to the bent of the heart so â—t franâ—â— object tâ— i◠〈◊〉 According to the bent of heart so the heart gathers unto it selfe whether there bee occasions given or no Gen. 6.5 Every imagination of the heart is onely evill and that continually Imagination of the heart it should be read Every Creature of the heart the heart frames to it selfe something whether there be occasions or no according to the bent of it 1 Joh. 2.16 The lusts of the slosh lust there is put for the object of lust as faith is put for the object of faith and hope for the object of hope there is nothing thaâ— lust 〈…〉 not make some 〈…〉 ther of 2 Pet. 2.14 〈…〉 eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sinne though they have no occasion at all Psalm 41.6 David Complaines If he come to see me his heart gathers wickednesse to it selfe On the contrary take a godly man look on the aime of his heart here 's no occasion given at all yet he hath something the heart gathers up to it self therefore David cryes out in the middest of a crooked and perverse Generation Teach me O Lord to number my dayes that I may apply my heart unto wisdome Ps 90.1 as one gathers wickednesse the other gathers holinesse for the heart of man hath a selfe-sufficiency in it Jam. 1.15 when lust hath conceived it bring-eth forth sin lust is said to bee the Father and the Mother able to beget and able to bring forth therefore looke which way the aime goes there the heart goes there it centers according to the generall bent of the heart it gathers something to it selfe whether there be occasion given it or no. 4. 4 According to the bent so it will break through allopposition That 's the bent of the heart that breaks through all opposition to accomplish its designe the bent of the heart is such a thing that look what ever the thing be its set upon though never so costly it will spare no cost to obtaine it you that delight your selves in vanity of Apparell you will spare no cost to obtaine it Gen. 34.6 Shechem's heart clave to Dinah and what doth this bring forth Aske never so much dowry and it shall be given Thus in Isaiah they spare no cost to lavish away Gold for their Idoll Gods because the bent of their hearts was set upon it you that stick at all costs in Religion and at none in Rebellion you may easily see which way the bent of your hearts goes If the bent of a mans heart be revenge it will stick at no cost Haman will get the King abundance of Treasure for the destruction of the Jewes If the bent of the heart be for Ambition Absalom will not stick to murder his Father if it hinder his rising If it bee halting and dissembling in Religion Jehu will not stick at it to get a Kingdome if it bee the making Merchandize of the souls of men and the establishing of Artichrist in the Chaire of Christ if it be the change of Times and Laws if to change the fundamentall Laws of a Nation if the bent of the heart beset upon it no opposition will hinder So its true in reference to spiritual things if the bent of a mans heart be set on God no Creature opposition shall divert it That 's an excellent expression Psal 84.6 Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well They will digge Wells in the desart intimating that no opposition can hinder them that are fully bent to come to Christ The losse of a right hand the losse of a right eye the soule doth not stick at he will cut off the one and pull out the other and what 's the reason its all to attaine that which the bent of his soule is after 5. 5 The heart is restlesse untill it obtain that after which it aime Where the bent and aim of the heart is there it is continually restlesse untill it attain that which it tends to the aime of the heart is Pondus animi the weight of the soul my heart pants after the living
be a City Heb. 11.10 whose builder and maker is God this being the place of the Saints therefore they are exhorted to lay up their treasure in it the time will shortly come when the Saints shall be removed from earth to heaven for here they have no abiding City now their happinesse in heaven being to enjoy God to eternity for this cause they are exhorted to lay up a Treasure in heaven Well take it in both these sences in God or in heaven where the eternall enjoyment of God shall be In the second place What is that Treasure that a man should lay up in heaven We shall understand it by the opposite there is a treasure that man layes up on earth as his chief good as Riches Honor High-places Pleasure popular applause c. and where his Treasure is there his heart is So there is a treasure in heaven which is a mans chiefe good it is God that is his reward Christ as Mediator that brings him to God There are three things that demonstrate Nothing but God can be a mans treasure in heaven that none but God can be a mans treasure in heaven 1. 1 Because a man must love it best A Mans treasure is that which he loves best and a man must love nothing more then God nay a mans chiefe good is that which he loves with an infinite love that he doth never say I have enough The Hebrew word for Treasures signifies that which a man sets his heart most on where a mans love goes there a mans zeal goes that 's his treasure that carryes out his love 2. 2 Prize it most That which a man prizeth most which a man sets highest price on that 's a mans Treasure now a man should prize nothing more then God Kingdomes and Nations be not deare to God for the sake of the Saints therefore Kingdomes and Nations should not be deare to the Saints in respect of God they should prize nothing in comparison of him much lesse in competition with him 3. 3 Relieup on it Upon a mans Treasure he relies for supplies that which a man makes his Treasure in Calamities and Distresses he goes to it therefore David saith Psal 13.25 Whom have I in heaven but thee and there 's none upon earth that I desire besides thee my flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Thus you see every man must be supplyed out of his owne Treasure Thirdy You will say God is in heaven above the habitation of his holinesse and glory How can we be said to lay up God for a Treasure 'T is true God is in heaven he made the heavens and he dwels in heaven but he is not laid up there for thy treasure unlesse thou closest with him by faith and lay him up for thy God and in so doing he will be thy treasure for though he dwels in heaven yet he dwels also in humble and contrite Spirits Now there are six Rules to get the God of heaven to be our God and Treasure 1. 1 Chuse God so thy treasure He that will lay up Treasure in heaven he must chuse God for his treasure in heaven not onely the joyes and delights of heaven the happinesse of heaven but the God of heaven that which thou chusest is thy treasure If a man chuse Honour and Riches and Pleasure that is his treasure what you chuse first you prize most and you shall be sure to have God for your treasure if you chuse him 2. 2 Part with all for him Then part with all other treasures for him No man can have two Treasures no more then he can have two Masters Mat. 19.21 Look to your selves you have not God for your treasure except you part with all other treasures for him 3. 3 Let thy heart be after him The soul is to be carryed out after this treasure incessantly that man that layes up God for his treasure his heart is continually carryed after him and so must yours if you will have God to be your Treasure Psal 73.24 How doth the foul go out after God Psa 119.20 My soul pants for the longings it hath towards thee my soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Lord. Psal 84.2 so saith David If your souls do not go out after God and relish the sweetnesse of God certainly you have no part nor portion in this Treasure 4. 4 Live upon him If you would have God for your treasure live upon him men live upon their treasures so must you upon your God 5. 5 Glory in him Would you have the God of heaven for your treasure then glory in him what a man labours to get for his treasure that he glories in Every man values other men as he values his treasure take a man that makes Riches his treasure let the person be never so honourable he despiseth him because he hath not so great an estate as he so a godly man values every man according as his chiefest good is he is worth no more then he is worth in Gods account therefore he esteems no more of him 6. 6 Add to thy treasure What ever is your Treasure if you lay up your treasure in any thing you must use all means to add unto it and make a daily increase the increase of your treasure coms in by adding to it Isai 33.6 Why doth Hezekiab lay up treasure in God he gets a further interest in God therefore the man is bless'd with his treasure wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times and thought of Salvation and this is because the fear of the Lord is his treasure The fourth particular is to give you some grounds to enforce the Exhortation is there a treasure in Heaven then do not be such Enemies to your soules as not to lay up treasures there There are four Arguments to enforce the Exhortation 1. 1 No treasure below God will be lasting No treasure below God will be lasting Christ speakes therefore to you continually to lay up your treasure in Heaven because there will come a time when all treasures laid up below God will be expunged and gone and then what will you live upon 1. Cor. 7.29.31 the Apostle faith the time is short and the fashion of this world passeth away 't is a Metaphor taken from things folded up a great part of time is unfolded and unwoven it 's almost spent there 's abundance of life run out already and little left behind there is an eternity that will never be spent after all thy time here is spent lay up therefore treasures there 2. 2 Nor hopes of Heaven without this treasure Heaven is the place to which you hope to go now carry your treasures with you and send your treasures before you or else there can be no hopes of entering into Heaven This is the Exhortation of our Saviour when he faith