The New Covenant, Part 1 · Sermon 7

The New Covenant · Part 1 · Sermon 7

p. 209THE SEVENTH SERMON.

GENESIS 17. 1.

Walke before me, and be thou perfect.

WEE proceede to the second Vse which remaines;Vse 2. I told you the similitude lyes in these two things.No man to be iudged by some particular actions.

First, in the manner of the Iourney, there is a Terme to which we goe, there is another from which, there is a distance, there is a path, &c.

The second Similitude was in the constancie, and continuednesse. Now our second Consequence, or Corollarie, we must draw from the second Similitude; betweene a Christian life, and a Iourney from place to place: I say, it agrees with it in this, that they are constant, there is a continued tenor of actions in a Christian mans course: from whence, I …ay, we draw this: If it be p. 210so, if there be this Similitude betweene them; why, then let no man Iudge of himselfe, or of others, by a step, or two; let him not judge of himselfe, I say, by a few actions, but let a man consider, what his walke is; Walke before me, and be perfect: Let a man consider what the ordinary, and vsuall course of his life is: if you should doe otherwise, my Beloved, you shall finde it, it you judge a man by an action, or two, you shall see, the best of the Saints hauehave beene subject to divers fallings, you shall see, Noah drunke, and you shall see Lot committing incest, you shall see Moses speaking vnadvisedly with his lippes, you shall see David committing murther, and adulterie, and making Vriah drunke, many such faylings you shall see in all the Saints, you shall see Hezekiah boasting of his treasure, you shall see David numbring his people, &c. So that, if you judge of men by a few actions, and not by their constant course, you shall condemne the generation of the just.

Againe; It is as true on the other side, if you will judge a wicked man by a few steppes, and not by his ordinarie course, you shall be as readie to justifie the wicked; you shall finde Cain sacrificing, you shall finde Saul among the Prophets, you shall see Iudas among the Disciples, you shall see Herod entertaining Iohn Baptist, you shall see him heare him gladly, doing many things at his Preaching, and admonition, this you see frequent, and vsuall: Therefore, I say, were not to be judged by a few actions, and a few paces, but by the constant tenor of our life, by what we doe in ordinarie, p. 211and vsuall course: for there is no man so good, but he may hauehave some swarvings, though he hauehave chosen the way of Gods Commandements, yet oft he may misse that way, oft he may be drawne out of that way, oft he may be transported with some strong temptation. Againe, on the other side, there is scarce any man so bad, but sometimes he may come into the way. You hauehave men that hauehave no constant place to travaile to, yet, for a fit, they may goe into the high way, as a theefe, or a robber, you know. Therefore, let vsus learne hence, not to judge our owne estate, or other mens, or censure either our selues, or others by a few actions: for I hauehave this ground for it, that you may see the reason of the rule. A mans constant course proceeds from the inward roote, and frame of his disposition, from those principles, that are ingrafted in him, I say, his constant course proceeds from it. Those same by-scapings out, whether to good, or evill, they doe not proceede from the frame of the heart, but from the evill that is in the good, and from those good things that may be in the evill. You shall see it so in nature: Take a river, let it be dammed, and stopped vp, yet let the course of it be naturall, let the vent, and streame of it be to goe downeward, at the length, it will over-beare the damme, and will runne over it; or let water, that is sweete, be made brackish by the comming in of Salt water, yet, if naturally it be sweete, at the length, it will worke it our; so, I say, it is with every man, looke what the constant streame of his disposition is, looke what the frame p. 212of it is, that which is most naturall, and inward to a man, though it may be dammed vp, and stopped in such a course, for a time, yet it will breake through all impediments. Though there be some brackish, some evill, and sinfull dispositions, that may breake in vponupon them, yet they will weare them out; So it is as true, on the other side; let a wicked man step into a good course by some trouble, he is fallen into, or by some good familiaritie, or good education, or some good Minister, yet long he will not hold in it, he will breake through that impediment: because his naturall disposition, the streame of his heart runs another way.

Besides;2. Cause. As there is this ground of it, so there is another cause of it; Because the outward occasions both for good and evill, I say, they are both forcible, and yet transitory. Evill men, hauehave some outward things, some outward helpes, which put them on to a good course, they are so effectuall; and yet God suffers them not alwaies to hauehave them, but takes them away, they are but transitory, Therefore a man may walke in a good course, whose heart is not yet right, and yet long he shall not doe it: because those outward occasions shall be tooke from him: As, for example, Ioash walked in the wayes of God, all the while that Iehoiada lived, here was the outward occasion, he was drawne with another mans synewes, he was heated with another mans heate; and when that man was tooke away, you see, he fell to his owne course, and by as againe; the outward occasion p. 213was strong, but it was but for a time, and so he returned to his old course.

The like in the case of Vzziah, he was hemmed in for a time, with Zachariah the Prophet, but, sayth the text, after his dayes, his heart was lifted vp to destruction. And so Herod, he kept within compas…e, he was stirred vp to doe many things at the Preaching of Iohn Baptist, but he did not alwayes continue: for God so disposeth it, in his providence, he will not suffer evill men alwayes to hauehave these outward occasions of good; As it is as true, on the other side, good men may hauehave strong temptations, that may transport them for a fit, but God will not suffer them alwayes to lye vponupon the godly, he will not suffer a temptation of affliction, he will not suffer the rod of the wicked to lye alwayes vponupon him, it may for a time, and he may for a fit, put out his hand to wickednes, he may, vponupon some exigent, vponupon a sudden, when he is put to it, vponupon some outward trouble, or cros…e, when his heart is shaken, and distempered, when he is not himselfe, but God so disposeth of it in his providence, that they shall not alway lye vponupon him, but they shall be remooved in due season, as well as the helpes to good shall be taken from the wicked. So, you see, that may come to passe for a few steppes, for part of the Iourney, an evill man may goe right, and a good man may swarue from the straight way: Therefore, let vsus neither judge our selues, nor others by it: for, if we should, we should justifie the wicked, and condemne the generation of the just. So much shall serue for this, and for that point.

p. 214The next, and maine point, that we intended, was this, That whosoever hath interest in Gods All-sufficiencie,Doct. must be a perfect man.

That is; He must be sincere, he must hauehave integritie of heart; though he may be subject to many infirmities, yet God requires this of him. If I be All-sufficient, sayth he, to any (that is the scope of it) he must be perfect with me; I am All-sufficient, therefore be thou perfect; otherwise thou hast no interest in this All-sufficiencie of mine. The poynt is cleare, and it is a poynt well knowne to you, I shall not need to confirme it by any other places of Scripture, but rather spend the time in giving you the grounds of it: And secondly, in shewing to you what this intirenesse, and perfection, and sinceritie of heart is.

First, I will shew the grounds why no man shall be saved, he shall never hauehave part in this All-sufficiencie of God, except he be perfect, except he hauehave integritie of heart.

First;Reas. 1. Because the new Adam should otherwise not be so effectuall as the old; the new Adam should not be so powerfull to communicate grace and life, as the old Adam is to instill corruption and sinne; for the finne, that hath beene conveyed to vsus by the first Adam, hath an integritie in it, it hath gone over the whole soule, there is a whole bodie of death, that hath possessed vsus; Now should there not be in those redeeming actions by Christ a contrary integritie, and perfection, a throughout holines, as I may call it? The plaister then p. 215should be narrower then the sore, and the remedy should be inferior to the disease. Beloved, you know, a leprosie is gone all over, except the holinesse went all over too from top to toe, I say, there would not be an answerablenesse in the second Adam, he should not be able to doe as much good, as the first was able to doe hurt.

Secondly; the worke of Redemption should 2be done but by halues, if the Lord should dispense with imperfect holinesse. The workes of Creation, you know, were perfect, God looked vponupon all his workes, and he saw that they were very good. Beloved, doe you thinke the workes of Redemption should come short of the workes of Creation? Are not they likewise perfect? when the Lord shall looke on that worke, shall he not say likewise, it is very good? If you doe marke the parts of it, hath not Christ redeemed vsus from our vaine conversation? The holy Ghost, doth not he mortifie every sinfull lust? The bloud of Christ, doth it not wash every sinne? The Word, and meanes of grace, doe they not strike at every rebellion? It is certaine, they doe, and therefore, there is an integritie required in all: otherwise, I say, there should be an imperfection.

If you object,Ob. notwithstanding this, though Christ hath redeemed vsus, yet, you see, there are many imperfections left in men; and therefore, how can you say the workes of Redemption are perfect?

I answer;Answ. They are not perfect in degrees: for they must hauehave a time of ripening; but that which p. 216wants any part of perfectiō, though it be ripened, when it wants the roote, and principle, when the frame, and first disposition is not right, let it grow vp never so fast, it will never be perfect: So this is true of the workes of Redemption, of the works of God in a mans heart, of destroying the workes of Sathan, and setting vp a new building, which is the worke of Iesus Christ, and the end, for which he came; I say, this is true of it, it is perfect, it wants onelyonly growth: As, you may say, it is a perfect seed, when it is ripe, it will be a perfect flower; or it is a perfect plant, when it growes vp, it will be a perfect tree, it is perfect in all respects. Such a perfection is in the workes of Redemption, and, if the heart of man be not entire, if the worke of grace be not throughout, if there be a defect in the principle, and constitution of it, there should be a defect in the workes of Redemption, that cannot be.

3Thirdly; if there was not a perfectnesse of heart wrought in all those that should be saued, the commands of the Gospell should be commands of impossibilitie: for the Gospell requires at our hands, that we should hauehave respect to all the Commandements, that we should keepe the whole Law in an Evangelicall manner; that is; in a true indevour; the Gospell requires that we should louelove the Lord our God with all our hearts, for the truth of it; It requires, in a word, that we should keepe the whole Law, in that sence, so as to square our liues to it; to keepe it all in truth, and sinceritie, though we cannot reach the highest top, and degree p. 217of it; Now if the heart were not perfectly holy; that is; thoughout, there could be no proportion betweene the Commandement, and the facultie, and abilitie vponupon which the Commandement lyes: for it is certaine, except the heart were perfectly holy, it could not keepe the whole Law, there were an impossibilitie, we should not reach every Commandement. And therefore, there must be integritie and entyrenesse in the heart, that we may be able to keepe them, at the least in a Evangelicall sincere manner, though wee cannot perfectly keepe the whole Law of God.

Fourthly, it is required: because otherwise there 4should not be a correspondencie, and agreement betweene the Covenant on Gods part, and on ours: God hath said, he will be All-sufficient, but he requires this againe, on our part, that we be altogether his; My beloved is mine, and I am his; and Psal. 18. I will walke perfectly with them that walke perfectly with me; there are the termes of the Covenant, the Lord will hauehave it thus farre vponupon even termes, there shall be an integritie on both sides, and therefore, if a man be holy but by halues, that makes not the match, it makes not the agreement betweene the Lord and vsus: for all, and halfe is not a match, but all, and all is that which makes the match, the agreement, and sutablenesse betweene God, and vsus; and this is another reason why it is required.

Now last of all; this perfection, and integritie 5is required: because otherwise, all that we doe is p. 218nothing, it is to no purpose: for, except you seeke the Lord, and serue the Lord with a perfect heart, you serue him not at all, you cannot serue him as God, you cannot serue him as a Maister, you cannot serue him as a Lord, as a soveraigne commander, except your hearts be perfect with him. This reason I take out of Math. 6. a place well knowne, No man can serue two Maisters. That is; It is true, a woman may louelove many as friends, but shee can louelove but one as a husband: A man may looke to many subordinate ends, but he can hauehave but one vltimate end: A man may hauehave respects, he may affect many things in a remisse manner, but to affect many things in the highest degree, it is impossible, it can be bestowed but vponupon one: Therefore, I say, to serue him as God, it cannot be, except the heart be wholly bestowed on him; if you will take in any thing with him, either credit, or profit, or pleasure, now you make God an Idoll, and you make that as God; so that whatsoever a man loues, and respects or obeyes; I would aske him but this question; Eyther it commands the same thing with God, when it commands vnderunder him, and so, in yeelding to that, you obey God himselfe, or else, it commands somewhat different, and if you yeeld to that, and not to the Lord, you reject him, and take that for God. Therefore, I say, the heart must be perfect, or else the obedience is nothing at all. So much shall serue to shew you the grounds of this, why such a perfection, and sinceritie, and integritie of heart, is required in all those that shall be saved.

p. 219But the chiefest businesse will be here,What sinceritie and vprightnes is. to shew you what this integritie is: the best way to finde it out, is to open to you all those expressions in the Scriptures, by which it is presented to vsus, and you shall finde them to be these fiue: And in the opening of them, we shall sufficiently shew you, what this sinceritie, or perfection of heart is.

First, you shall finde it often expressed by puritie, 1and soundnesse,Puritie. blessed are the pure in heart; and, God is good to Israell, even to them that are of a pure heart. Now what is it to be pure? That is pure which is full of it selfe, and hath no other Heterogeneall thing mingled with it; So, that heart is pure, which hath no sinne in it, which is holy, which hath a renued qualitie of grace, which hath an inward regenerate man, that will mingle with no sinne, that is full of it selfe, and admits not the mixture of any sinne. My Beloved, I must be warily vnderstood here, I say, it admits not the mixture of any sinne. It is true, sinne may cleaue, and adhere to a man, as drosse doth to the silver, but it mingles not with the regenerate part, that mingles not with it; that is, it enters not into the frame, and constitution of a mans heart, it is not weaved into the texture of his heart; it is no ingredient into the very frame, and fabricke of it, but though sinne be there, yet the heart still casts it out of it selfe, it resists it, and rejects it, and purifieth, and clenseth it selfe from it, this properly is a pure heart: As in other things, you say, a thing is pure, when it is solid, and cleare, and vnmixed, though it may hauehave some drosse, and some mudd p. 220cleaving to it, you say, it is pure gold, when it is digged out of the minerall, though there be much drosse in it, and we say, it is pure ayre, though, for a time, there be many fogges, and mists, and adventitious vapours within it; So, we say, it is pure water, though there be many inundations of mud cast into it, or that come from the spring, or Channell, from which it runnes; So a man may be said to hauehave a pure heart; that is, a perfect heart, though there be an adhesion of much drosse, many evill thoughts, that cleaue to him, yet, I say, they mingle not with him; that is, Beloved, it is certaine, that the holiest men hauehave a fountaine of originall corruption in them, and from this fountaine sinnes arise continually, as the scumme in the pot, but yet, if the liquor be pure, and good, if it be right wine, or right honey, whatsoever the liquor is, though the scumme arise, still it purifies it selfe, and casts it out; this is the propertie of a pure heart: with the impure, it is quite contrary, the scumme ariseth as in the other, but it is sodden in, it is mingled, and confounded with it, there is not such a segregating, such a clensing disposition in it but there is a mixing of them together: this similitude you shall finde Ezek. 24. 12. whence I take it, she wearied her selfe with lyes, &c. And her great scumme went not out of her. There is a similitude going before of a boyling pot, into which much flesh was put, to which he compares the Children of Israell of that time, but this is the Conclusion that God makes, her great scumme went not out of her; As if he should say, it is very true, p. 221the holiest men hauehave their scumme rising in their hearts, as well as the wickedest men, but, sayth the Prophet, here is the difference, her great scum went not out of her: That is; though it arose, and might hauehave beene cast out, it was not so, but was sodden in, and mingled together. And therefore, sayth he, her scum shall be consumed with fire. That is; God will deale with her, as we doe with pottage, when the scum is sodden into them, we cast them in the fire, and the reason is given in the words following; for I would hauehave purged thee, but thou wouldest not be purged, therefore thou shalt not be purged from thy silthines, till I hauehave caused my wrath to light vponupon thee: That is; As if he should say, I put my Word to thee, which is as fire, I vsed such ordinances, & meanes, I withheld none of them, and with those I would hauehave purged thee; not, Beloved, by the inward purifying worke of the spirit: for that could not efficaciously be resisted, but I would hauehave purged thee; that is, my Word is as fire; It is a segregating thing, that differenceth, and puts a separation betweene the scum, and the liquor, as that indeede was the end of the Prophets, to separate the precious from the vile. Now, sayth the Lord, when these meanes were vsed, when thou haddest the Prophets that would hauehave separated the precious from the vile, in thy heart, as well as to doe it in the companies of men: Seeing this had no fruit, nor effect vponupon thee, but still thy scum, and filthines continued in thee, & thou wast not purged: therefore, I will destroy thee, thou shalt never be purged, but my wrath shall p. 222light on thee: So, my Beloved, it is not the having impurities in the heart, that makes the heart imperfect, (that is the Conclusion I grow to) but it is the suffering of them to be mingled, even with the inward frame of the heart.

Thus you shall finde, if you would know the true difference betweene a pure and perfect, and an impure and vnperfect heart, it stands onelyonly in this; he that hath a pure heart, there is in him a clensing, and purifying, a segregating disposition, that casts out whatsoever evill comes, though it be continually rising, yet still hee casts it out, though he be still falling into some finne, yet still he is repenting, though many times he be myred, yet still he washeth himselfe againe, he cannot endure it, he doth not, as the swyne, delight in it; but he hath another, a contrary disposition, he still clenseth himselfe from it: That I take to be the meaning of that, Math. 15. where it is said, That, which comes from within the man, as adultery, fornication, &c. they defile the man. The meaning is this, when sinne riseth in a man from day to day, if he cherish sinne, and entertaine it, and suffer sinnes to dwell, and abide in his heart quietly, without disturbance, if he suffer them to be sodden in, as it were, now they defile the heart, But if sins arise in the heart, and he continually resist them, he continually cast them forth, he continually clenseth, & purifieth himselfe from them, such a man is not defiled with them, not is his minde defiled, not his conscience defiled; but notwithstanding this continuall Ebullition of evils (that I may so p. 223call it) he is a man of a pure heart, and perfect with God, and that, I say, is one of the expressions of purenesse.

And so likewise soundnesse, Soundnesse.when a man is sound at heart, that is another expression of this perfectnesse. Now a thing is said to be sound (as an Apple, you know, is said to be sound, when it is not rotten at the core, though there be many specks in it; and a Ship is said to be sound, when there is no leake in it, though it may hauehave some other flawes, and defects; And a Vessell is said to be sound, when there is no clift in the bottom, though it may otherwise be brused, and battered, yet, you say, it is a sound vessell) I say, so it is in this case, when the bottom of the heart, and the inward frame of the heart is right and sound. Though a man be subject to many faylings, yet this is a perfect man, he hath a sound heart; whereas, on the other side, take a man, my Beloved, (that we may shew you what this rottennesse at heart is) take a man, I say, who doth admit a constant neglect of any duty, or an ordinary commission of any sinne, such a man may properly be said to hauehave a leake in the bottom of his heart, to be rotten hearted, to be vnfound at the bottom; But a man, that, though he be subject to infirmities, yet had rather dye then omit a knowne duty, or to be in a knowne sinne, I say, this man, though he hauehave many infirmities, yet he hath a sound heart: And the reason of it is this, because, such a man although he hauehave some weaknesse, some sicknesse, and infirmitie hanging vponupon him, yet he p. 224will grow it out, as one that is sound in his bowels will weare out his sicknesse, and distemper, as it is said, if the inside be cleane, the outside will follow: And that is as true, on the other side, let the inside be rotten, though there be a faire and a golden outside, as in an Apple oft times, that doth not continue long, but rottennesse will possesse the outside also; That we see often in experience, and you shall seldome see it otherwise; (I thinke there is scarce an example of it) but that an hypocrite, a man of an vnsound heart, though he may carry a faire shew long, yet, in the end, even the outside shall be tooke away, that shall vanish also, and rottennesse shall seize vponupon it: for that is the nature of things, that are vnsound, they stay not there, but they putrifie, and corrupt more and more; So that, you see throughout the Scriptures, still those that were of imperfect hearts; that is, that had vnfound hearts, they were discovered before their death; as Amaziah was, he held out long, and so was Ioash, and divers others; It is a rule, I thinke, that seldome fayles: because God hath said, I will curse the name of the wicked, and it shall rot. Now except their hypocrisie should be discovered in time, and that their outside were removed, and made as rotten as the inside, how should his name rot? So much shall serue for this first expression, that it is expressed by purenesse and soundnesse.

2Secondly; you shall hauehave it expressed by simplicitie, and singlenes of heart;Simplicitie. he, whose heart is perfect before God, he is said Mat. 6. to hauehave a single p. 225eye; and Iam. 1. he, that is imperfect is sayd to be a double minded man, contrary to which is foreign, a man that hath a simple heart, a heart without guile, a single heart. Now, if we can finde out what this singlenesse of heart is, this singlenesse of eye, and of heart, you will finde out this perfection, that is here spoken of; Walke before mee, and be thou perfect. Now a single heart is called so from the singlenesse of the object, that is a single eye, that lookes but vponupon one object, and that is a single heart, that lookes but vponupon one thing: likewise that is a double eye, and a double heart, that lookes vponupon two objects, and is divided betweene two, and knowes not which to choose; like a man that is in bivio, in a double way, he stands, and lookes on both, and knowes not which to take; so an imperfect hearted man, an vnsound hearted man, he stands, and lookes vponupon God, and vponupon the world, and he knowes not well which to choose, sometimes he is following the one, sometimes the other, this is his condition, he is distracted betweene both; such a man hath a double eye, and therefore, sayth the text, a wicked eye: for so it is called, if the eye be single, all the body is light, but if the eye be wicked: (for so it must be interpreted) if the eye be double, which is a wicked eye; So, my Beloved, an vnsound harted man is not described to you by any thing so plainely, and perspicuously, as by this, that his heart is not pitched vponupon God alone; but he hath an eye vponupon God, and an eye vponupon credit, he hath an eye vponupon God, and an eye vponupon his walth, vponupon his pleasures, or p. 226whatsoever it is, when there are two objects: for, in that regard a man is sayd to hauehave a heart and a heart, not as commonly it is taken to make a shew of one thing, and hauehave another within; But it is a heart and a heart, when there are two objects, vponupon which the heart is set, that the heart is divided betweene two, & so is cloven asunder, as it were: And so it is a double heart, by way of division, and not by having one thing in shew, and another within. Now then, if you will finde out what a perfect man is, I say, it is he that hath a fixed resolution to cleaue to God alone, that hath his eye vponupon him, and vponupon nothing besides. This is a single heart, when a man shall resolue (for instances will best make it cleare to you) when a man shall say, as Ioshuah did, Well, sayth he, I see you are readie to take divers wayes, but I am resolved for my part, for me and my house, we will serue the Lord, that I am resolved on. So David, I hauehave chosen the way of his commandements, I hauehave sworne to keepe them, and that I will doe: When a man is once resolved throughly, when he is grounded, and hath a setled resolution, an vnchanged resolution, that pitcheth him vponupon one, he is no longer in doubt betweene two, this is a perfect hearted man, So Moses takes that resolution, I will suffer affliction with the people of God, as if he should say, I hauehave chosen it, whatsoever become of mee, though I be a banished man, though I liue a poore life, though I turne from Pharaohs sonne-in-Law to keepe sheepe in the Wildernes, yet this is my resolution, here I hauehave fixed my staffe, this will I p. 227doe. Herein the perfection, and integritie of his heart was seene; So the three men, Sidrach, Mesech, and Abednego, This, say they, we are resolved vponupon, whether we be delivered, or not delivered, whether we dye, or liue, whatsoever come vponupon vsus, we will serue the Lord, we will not worship thine Idoll. And so I…b, (the place you know) though he kill me, yet will I trust in him; That is, though he multiplie miseries vpō me, even to the very death; yet I am resolved to serue him, my heart is there pitched, his, will I be. This is, Beloved, to hauehave a single eye, and a single heart; When the heart is divided, it is imperfect, such a man is vnconstant in all his wayes, sayth Iames: Such a one was Saul, and such a one was Amaziah: that indeede is the case of all hypocrites. And to this, I adde that which is said Math. 8. the fourth ground is said to hauehave an honest heart, (I put them together, a single heart, that I would explaine to you, they come much to one,) an honest heart stands in this, that a man resolues to serue the Lord with patience, and with abstinence, that is the definition, that I will giuegive of it, he that hath an honest heart, he resolues to serue God in all things with patience, and abstinence, one of them is exprest in the text, he brings forth fruit with patience, the other I adde, for a more full explication of it. The meaning is this, he hath an vpright, and honest heart, that so pitcheth vponupon God, that he will not be drawne aside for any thing: Now there are but two things that draw vsus aside; that is, eyther persecution affliction, and trouble. And for this the honest heart p. 228hath patience, he resolues to suffer them, whatsoever they be, and therefore he is able to goe on; or, on the other side, pleasures, and divers lusts, that drew away the third ground, as persecution did the second; here he hath a resolved abstinence, he is content to part with them, and to be without them: therefore he brings forth fruit when another doth not; that is, another may hauehave a faire blade, but either persecution, or else pleasures, and divers lusts come betweene, and intercept his maturitie, that he never comes to any bearing of fruit, to any purpose; This expression I put together with singlenes of heart, a heart without guile, and without mixture, because there is a similitude betweene them. So much fo that expression likewise.

3A third Expression there is in the Scripture, which you shall finde in these words,Integritie. Ier. 3. 10. They did not turne to me with their whole heart, but faignedly. And very oft, Thou shalt serue the Lord thy God with all thy heart. So that the wholnes of the heart, the integritie of the heart, he that hath this is a perfect man, he, that wants it is an vnsound hearted man.What it is. Now what is this Integritie, and wholnes of heart,In 3. things. you shall see in these three, the integritie of the subject, the integritie of the object, and the integritie of the meanes, whereby the subiect, and the object are joyned together.

1The Integritie of the subject, that is the heart of a man,The integritie of the subject. that I call the subject; The Integritie of the object I call the Commandements, when he hath respect to all of them; The Integritie of the p. 229meanes I call that, which brings the heart, and the Commandement together; that is, the vse of all holy ordinances, and the abstinence from all occasions, that may draw vsus another way. So now he is a perfect man with God that first hath a whole heart; that is, such a heart whereof every part, and facultie is sanctified; There is no part of it, but it is seasoned with grace, there is no wheele in all the soule, but it is turned the right way, according to that 1 Thes. 5. He is sanctified throughout, in body, soule, and spirit. I say, when a man shall finde every thing within him readie to prayse the Lord, and to looke toward the Lord, all that is within him. There is not any thing within him, of which he can say, the bent of it is another way. I say, such a man hath an integritie of heart: Another man, you shall finde it thus alway with him, that, though in many things he wish well, and hath a good meaning, and good purposes, yet there is something, or other, hath stollen away something in his heart, something within him is not right, it may be in his feare, he cannot say he feares God, and nothing else: for there are many things that he feares more then God, so he cannot say of his louelove to God, that that is right, it may be, it is misplaced, though many other things may be right in him, he loues riches, he loues credit, he loues reputation, he loues his ease, and conveniencie, his practise, and imployment; So that, if God and these should come in competition, he would be readie to violate his conscience towards him, rather then to part with p. 228duplicate page p. 229duplicate page p. 230these: And so his griefe, that is not principally for sinne, there is somewhat, or other, that you shall finde him fayling in, there is not an integritie in the subject.

2And secondly, there is as little in the object; he hath not an eye to all the commandements, Integritie in the object.whereas the perfect hearted man, there is no dutie but he giues vp his heart to it: And againe, there is nothing forbidden, no sinne, but his heart is averse from it, and he resists it to the vttermost. You shall see this expression, Iam. 3. He that can guide his tongue is a perfect man, in many things we sinne all, if any man sinne not in word, he is a perfect man: Iam. 3. 2. Compare this with Iam. 1. 26. If any man among you seeme to be religious, and refraineth not his tongue, but deceiues his owne heart, this mans religion is in vaire. I say, you may take but this one instance, that this is the judgement of the holy Ghost: Should a man hauehave an eye to every Commandement, and should he but fayle in this one thing, not bridling his tongue, but giuegive vp his tongue to evill speeches, to let it walke loose, vp and downe, whither it will, if he doe but neglect this one particular, yet, sayth the Text, all the rest of his Religion is but vaine; Why? because there is not an Integritie in the object, he hath not an eye to the whole Law, so that, if a man fayle in this, he is not a perfect man, if either it be in the subject, or in the object.

3Or thirdly; if it be in the meanes, that knits these together;Integritie of the meanes. that is, take a man that will not p. 231vse all Gods Ordinances conscionably, and in their season; that he doth not pray, and receiue the Sacrament, and vse the Communion of Saints, and fasting, and every one in their season: I say, if he doe not vse all the meanes: And againe, if he doe not abstaine from all the occasions, but if he venture vponupon evill occasions, and incentiues to lust, vponupon such objects, as are readie to worke vponupon him, I say, if there be a defect in these, he is an vnperfect, and vnsound hearted man; as you may say of a mans bodie, if you see those things that are essentially to a mans health, if he faile in any of them, he will not drinke, nor he will not eate, nor he doth not sleepe, he fayles in the meanes that should make him sound; or else, if he adventure vponupon the occasions that may corrupt him, he venters vponupon poysoning, and infecting dyet, infected, and pestilent ayre, &c. he cannot hauehave a sound bodie; no more can such a one hauehave a sound soule: So, I say, that the wholnesse, and integritie of the heart, it lies in these three put together. First, the heart must be all sanctified: If you say, how shall wee know that? Thus: he hath respect to every Commandement, he fayles not in any thing, not in looking to his thoughts, not in looking to his speeches, he doth not neglect any affection that riseth in him, at any time.

But how shall a man know that, whether he hauehave done this?

So they hang, one vponupon another, that you may know the first by the second, and the second by p. 232the third, you may know whether a man hauehave an eye to every Commandement, if he vse all the meanes, and abstaine from all occasions of sinne: for if thou doe not this, pretend what thou wilt, thy heart is false; So much for this third.

4The fourth Expression, that I finde in Scripture, is vprightnes, Vprightnesse.or straightnesse of heart: the word, in the originall answers (Rectitudo) and an vpright man, in the originall is as much as (vir rectus) a straight man: Marke the way of the vpright, and perfect man, his latter end is good, it is peace, Psal. 37. That is, of a straight man: So the straightnes of the heart, if we can finde what it is, we shall know what it is to hauehave a perfect heart with God. Now the straightnes of a man (for so I will rather expresse it) in the Concrete is seene in this, whether he hath straight & vpright ends: An vpright man you shall know by his aymes, he hath a right end; the ayme, and scope, and marke, that his eye is vponupon, is Gods glory, and his owne saluation, to doe, and suffer the will of God, whatsoever it is; that is, to be faithfull, and diligent in his Calling, to be serviceable an profitable to others, these are the things that are in his heart, these are the right ends, and he is sayd to hauehave a right heart, whose ends are right, that pitcheth vponupon right, and straight ends, and likewise, he that goes by a straight rule: for a right end never hath a crooked rule leading to it. But, if a man would know whether he hath a right end; thou shalt know it by this, there needs not any oblique way to lead to such an end, but thou wilt goe by a p. 233straight rule; that is, the way of Gods Commandements is the rule that thou wilt walke by: Therefore if thou finde this in thy heart, that there are devices, and plottings, and windings, and turning wayes, that thou projectest to thy selfe to bring any end to passe, now thou goest not by a straight rule, but by a leaden Lesbian rule, by a bended rule: whereas a right man, his eye is still vponupon the rule, he considers not this, and this I will bring to passe; but he considers with himselfe, what is the rule I ought to walke by; As indeede every man hath some certaine rule, and principle in his heart, and all the actions that hee doth, proceede from those secret rules, though himselfe take no notice of them. Now this is planted in the heart of an vpright man, that still he goes by a straight rule, though he could desire many things might be brought to passe, yet if the rule will not hold, he will not seeke it. This you shall finde Gal. 6. Peace on the Israel… of God, as many as walke by this rule. They are the true Israell, that keepe the right rule; so I will commend this to describe to you a right, and straight man, when his end is right, and his rule is right: That is; when his heart is not a crooked heart: for it hangs all vponupon a string, crooked ends, and crooked wayes, and a crooked heart. He that hath a right heart; that is, not a perverse, and froward heart; as we see Pro. 17. 18. A froward heart (as the translation is, that is, a crooked heart) it findes no good. A man is then sayd to hauehave a crooked heart, when if you will lay to p. 234him any straight rule; that is, giuegive him any right precepts, tell him this you ought to doe, this is the iust course▪ this is the way you ought to hold, you shall never bring a crooked heart, and a straight lyne together, his heart will still be starting aside from it, it will not cleaue to it, it will not accommodate it selfe to that: for his heart is crooked. Therefore, Beloved, when wee giuegive straight Counsels to them that hauehave …rooked hearts, we doe but loose our labour. If it were a straight heart, straight Counsell, and it would soone agree: such an expression you see Psal. 125. He that seekes himselfe in crooked wayes, I will leade him forth with the workers of iniquitie. That is, when the inward bent of a mans heart is crooked, when it will not entertaine straight, or right Counsels, but i… is still jarring, and disagreeing with them, such a man God rejects▪ There…ore (sayth he) he will leade him forth with the workers of Iniquitie; that is, he will reckon him as a worker of Iniquitie, and so will he deale with him.

5The last Expression,Approoving a mans selfe to Gods sight▪ that I finde in Scripture, to set forth this perfection of heart, is, to doe every thing in Gods sight: When thou hast an eye vponupon the Lord, as well as he hath an eye vponupon thee. So you shall finde, 1 Cor. 2. As of sinceritie in the …ight o… God, where the second is an explication o… the first, and so here, Walke before mee, and be perfect: That is, if a man walke before God, and approue himselfe to him, he is a perfect man, for that shewes the difference betweene perfection p. 235and soundnesse of heart, … the one is truely such as will … tryall, such as will endure even the eye of God himselfe, when that which is … to the vrmost tryall; that is able to say …o God; Lord thou knowest mine Innocency, as David did, and Lord, I beseech thee, search m… reynes, and my heart; when one … say, as Hezekiah, Lord, thou knowest, that I hauehave walked with an vpright heart.

Now, I say, when a man is so entire, that there is such truth in him, that bring him to what touch-stone you will, let him be brought to the light, he knowes his workes are right, he is not afraid, let God himselfe looke into his heart, that hath pure eyes, that can search every cra…nie of it, to whom every thing is naked, yet he shall finde him true; that is, he doth every thing, if God looke to the most inward retired thoughts, he doth all in Gods fight, he approues himselfe to him, such a one hath a perfect hea…t▪ So much shall serue now for the opening of this to you, what it is to be a perfect man; Beloved, I will apply it very briefly.

If this be perfection▪ Vse 1.now you hauehave seene the ground why God requires it,To examine our selues. and that no man can p. 236be saved without it, let vsus make this vse of it, to try our selues; let a man examine himselfe whether he be a perfect man, or no: you will say, how shall we doe it? Indeede, my Beloved, I confesse it is a hard thing to doe: for men are children in vnderstanding; and, as children are apt to be deceived with guilded things, they see the outside to be fayre, they see a fayre peece of gold, but they are not able to finde out the base mettall, that is hid within; So it is our case, for the most part, we are not able to finde out this truth, whether our hearts be imperfect, and vnsound, and rotten, or no: Therefore we had neede of helpe, I will name one or two.

And this is one rule (I take but such as I finde in Scripture) that is a rule that our Saviour giues,1. Tryall. by which you may try your selues; sayth he to the young man, when he comes to professe to him, that he had done thus and thus from his youth, saith he, if thou wilt be perfect, goe sell all that thou hast: As if he should say; wouldest thou know now if thou be perfect (those are the words) that is, whether thou hauehave a sound heart, or no, goe sell all that thou hast: That is, thou shalt know it by this, that is the meaning of rhe Rule, Goe sell, &c. Let a man looke round about him; if there be any thing in the world, any evill, any calamitie, that he is not willing to suffer; if againe, there be any blessing, any comfort, that he is not willing to part with, I dare boldly affirme it, that such a man is an vnsound hearted man: for example; put the case that such a thing befall him, as p. 237imprisonment, that a man sayth thus with himselfe, I will endure other things, but for that, I hauehave a crazie bodie, that will not beare it, I hauehave a wife, and children, that must be maintained, I hauehave debts to pay, &c. that is a thing that I cannot beare, and endure: let a man hauehave but such a resolution as this, I will not beare this, such a man will proue an vn…ound hearted man, if he be put to tryall. And whensoever the heart is not sound, God will bring one to it, at one time or other: or againe, put the case a man say thus, I will endure any thing else, but to be despised, but to be contemned, to be disgraced, to loose my reputation with my neighbours, to be a singular man, …o be an Owle for every body to wonder at, this is a thing I can never endure, let this man be put vponupon it at any time, to doe any strange thing; that is, a thing that seemes strange to worldly men, that shall bring the censure of them vponupon it, let him be put to passe through evill report, as sometimes he must be, let him be put to walke in the wayes of righteousnesse, it sometimes seemes strange to them that you doe not thus and thus, such a man will deale vnsoundly, he will discover himselfe to be rotten hearted.

So againe, a man that saith thus with himselfe, I will not loose my practise, I will not loose my imployments, I will not loose my trade, I will not loose my dealing with my Customers; this is my Plowe, this is it, that maintaines both mee and mine, though I suffer many things, ye this is that I cannot beare, it would breake me asunder, p. 238&c. I say, let any man say thus in his heart (I doe but giuegive you Instances, that you may vnderstand what I would say) such a man will deale vnsoundly, and imperfectly, when he is put to it, let it be any thing in the world, I will not stand to giuegive further instances. Let a man examine himselfe, and thinke what is neare, and deare vntounto him, except he be inwardly willing to part with it, that he can say, if any of the wayes of God fall crosse with this; If I be any whit hazarded in the keeping of a good conscience, by keeping this, I will part with it: I say, except thou canst say this, it is certaine thou hast a rotten heart; And the like I may say for suffering; If a man say, such a great mans favour I will not loose, my making, or my marring depends vponupon it, if there be any such case, be it what it will be, thou art an vnsound hearted man; and that is the meaning of that; If any man will be my Disciple, he must denie himselfe, and take vp his daily Crosse: As if he should say, if a man will not deny himselfe, in every thing, if he will not take vp every Crosse (he may take vp to himselfe a profession to be a Disciple, he may make as many pretences, and shewes, as he will, to be my Disciple, but a true and a genuine Disciple he cannot be) he cannot be my Disciple, except he deny himselfe in every thing, and take vp every Crosse, and therefore let a man examine himselfe in that, whether he be thus prepared to part with every thing, if thou wilt be perfect, sayth the Lord (that is the place I …ake it from) then sell all that thou hast, that was p. 239the tryall, he was put to, and it is a tryall by which you shall judge of your selues.

So likewi…e,2. Tryall. you shall finde another tryall of that, Math. 6. and the last; Be you therefore perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. There is another way of finding out this perfectnesse of heart, whether it be in vsus or no, you must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect: no lesse will serue the turne; if you be not so perfect, as he is perfect, you cannot be saved, you are vnsound hearted.

You will say to me, this is very hard,Ob. who is able to be perfect, as his heavenly Father is perfect?

Beloved; Answ.the meaning of this, is not that you should reach his perfection; for, who can ever doe it? but the meaning of it is this, there must be as great a length, as great a breadth, and latitude in your perfection as in his, your perfection must answer his. How shall we know that? Gods perfection is knowne by his Commandements▪ Looke how largely the perfection of God is set forth in the Scriptures, so large your obedience must be. If it come short in any thing, if it be not as long, and as broad, as it were, it is vnsound, and …, and imperfect obedience, that shall be cast away as evill, and counterfeit: for you must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect, sayth Christ, he giues this as a reason of all that he had delivered before, (you shall see in a word in particular) sayth he, you hauehave thought it enough to louelove your friends, but, sayth he, it is not enough, p. 240you must louelove your enemies, you must blesse those that curse you, and speake well of those that speake evill of you. And when a man shall object▪ but this is a hard thing? that is the Conclusion, sayth he, you must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect; he doth thus, he causeth his Sunne to shine vponupon the good, and the bad, he causeth his rayne to fall vponupon them, and your perfection must be as large as his: And so againe, perhaps thou art one that wilt abstaine from swearing greater oaths, but that is not enough, thou must not sweare by thy haires, thou art not able to make one white, or blacke, much lesse, my Brethren, must we sweare by our truth, and by our faith, which is more worth then haires. So againe, perhaps thou art one that wilt not commit Adultery, but if thou cherish sinfull lusts, contemplati…e fornication, and vncleannes in thy heart, thou fallest short, in that thy perfection is not so broad, as the Lords; that is, that his law requires, that sayth, thou shalt not lust: And so againe; perhaps thou sayest, he hath done me wrong, and I will doe him no iniustice, but an eye for an eye, thou requirest justice according to retaliation, and proportion: But that is not enough, but thou must forgiue perfectly: if hee hauehave done thee two or three or foure wrongs, thou must beare them, and leaue revenge perfectly to God: if you object, this is hard, who can doe it? He saith, be perfect, &c. so you see the meaning of it. If you would finde out now, whether your hearts be perfect or no, consider whether the latitude of them be such, whether it be thus p. 241broad, that is (that I may expresse it fully to you) whether you walke so exactly, that you hauehave not onelyonly an eye to the maine poynts of every Commandements, but you obserue the least particle of every Commandement, the least Iota, the least pricke, and poynt, that you finde in every Commandement.

Except you doe this, I say, your hearts are not perfect: the scope of the Chapter is to require the exact keeping of every Commandement, to the least, and to the smallest things. And there are these three reasons put together, to confirme it.

One is; for, sayth he, every Iot of the Law, is of so much worth, though you thinke it a small thing, That it were better that heaven and earth should perish, then that it should. It is of greater price then the whole world. Therefore the Lord will not hauehave the least jot of the Law to perish.

Againe; sayth he, the Pharisies would keepe the great Commandements, the principall poynt, and part of every Commandement; but the particles of it, the nicer poynts of it, they would not keepe. And, sayth he, except your righteousnesse goe beyond theirs, except you goe further then theirs, you shall never be saved.

Then the last is, that I named to you before, except you be perfect, &c. there must be such a latitude, for the extension of your perfection, though not for the intention, and degrees of it, as is in your heavenly Father, you cannot be saved p. 242else. Therefore, if you say, this is a hard condition; Beloved, you must know this, that Iesus Christ hath given to all those that shall be saved grace for grace, that looke as he requires perfection of obedience, in a latitude answerable to all the Commandements, to all the particles of them, even a perfection answerable to his owne perfection; so he hath given vsus grace for grace, that is, he hath given vsus an inward abilitie of graces which answer every Commandement; he hath given vsus grace for grace, as the Father giues lim for lim, part for part, there is not a little finger, not a toe, but the Father giues it the Sonne, and the Sonne hath given it to vsus, Moses brought the Law, but grace comes by him; and when he would shew what grace it is, it is grace of such a latitude, that it enables you to be holy, as he is holy in all manner of conversation, there is another expression like that to be perfect as &c. Therefore, my Beloved, if you would hauehave the testimony of sinceritie, and of perfection to your selues, take heed you neglect not the smallest things, I know how vsually it is found fault with, when men are so curious to looke to every m…ate (it is to be more nice then wise) it is too much straightnesse, and too much precisenesse, and exactnesse: I beseech you, consider the ground, I will be hold to say this; that man that neglects the smallest thing, say it be vaine speech vponupon the Sabbath day, say it be the neglect, or overly performance of prayer from day to day, though he will not omit the maine dutie; though it be … vaine speech; or p. 243vaine thoughts, though it be that which the best are continually subject vntounto, yet, if it be so that he hauehave not a continuall eye to them, so that he neglect not the smallest of these things, or if you can name any lesser Commandement, I say, let any mans heart be of this constitution, that he neglects them, that he hath not a speciall eye to the observance of them, a speciall care to keepe them, he is vnsound, and rotten at the heart, he shall never be saved contin…ing such; for the confirmation of it, I will name but that one place, Pro. 19. 16. He that keepes the Commandements, keepes his owne soule, but he that despi…eth his wa…, shall dye for it: That is, he that keepes the Commandements every way, that lookes to all the Commandements, and every particle of them, and sees how farre they reach, as they are particles of the Commandement.

The Commandement sayth, thou shalt not kill, to be angry with thy brother, to admit an inward distemper of malice and envie in thy hear… ▪ this small thing, though it be but a transient passion, yet thou must make a speciall conseience of it. And so, thou shalt not commit adultery; That is the maine of the Commandement, yet, if thou hauehave an adulterous eye, an adulterous tongue, or adulterous thoughts in thee, these are the touches of vncleannesse, the tinctures of it, I say, except thou makest conscience of these, and keepe the command thus farre in this extent, and thus exactly, thou dost not keepe thine owne soule, but he that thus keepes the Commandement▪ keeps his soule, p. 244for, sayth he, he that despiseth his way, that is the word I meane to vrge, he shall dye for it; that is, he that thinkes thus with himselfe; Alas, these are poore, and small things, they are things of little moment, and therefore he despiseth them; Well, sayth he, he that despiseth the least thing, he that despiseth any of his wayes; that is, the least particle of any Commandement, you see what he sayth, he doth not say, he shall be afflicted for it, but he shall dye for it. Therefore I pronounce this out of that place as well as the rest, that he that despiseth any of his wayes, any part of Gods Commandement, seeme the dutie to be of never so little moment, vnlesse he repent, and amend, he shall dye for it; for now thou despisest some of thy wayes: Beloved, a godly man, though he fayle much, yet this is an inseparable propertie of a perfect heart, still he hath an eye vponupon every thing, he doth not despise the least of his wayes, the least steppe, the least particle, the least tincture of the Commandement, but he hath respect to all.

So much for this time.

FINIS.