Seven Treatises, Treatise 2 · Chapter 12
CHAP. 12. Of the keeping of the heart once purged, in it good plight afterward.
The heart purged, muſt ſo be kept.NOw I hauing ſhewed how God maketh the heart new, and changeth it, before it be fit to be imployed in well doing, and in bringing forth fruites of amendment; and alſo how it being changed, renounceth euill both inward and outward: we muſt know how to keepe it in good plight afterward; that ſo we may be able from time to time, to continue that courſe which by the firſt change was begun, and ſo to doe any ſuch duties as we are bound to performe: which otherwiſe cannot be. For as veſſels, which hauehave been vnſauourie, are not only once ſeaſoned, but kept ſweete afterwards, that they may be fit for vſe; and as men vſe to purge their ſprings from that which might ſtoppe them: ſo are our hearts to be preſerued in the ſame ſort, that they become not bitter and corrupt, as of themſelues naturallie they are prone to be. For the beſt hauehave neede of this helpe whiles they carrie fleſh about them, therefore much more young beginners. It is the Lords commaundement,Prouerb. 4.23. How the heart is kept. that when our hearts are once clenſed, we ſhould keepe them ſo with all diligence, that is, watch, trie, and purge them from all defilements, whereby they are wont to be tainted, and poyſoned. We muſt watch them, leaſt we ſhould, for want thereof, be deceiued with the baites of ſinne: we muſt examine and trie them, ſeeing no man can watch ſo carefully, but that much euill will creepe in: and we muſt purge out that filthie droſſe of concupiſcence which we find by examining, that it ſet not our will on fire to ſatisfie, and performe the deſires thereof.
And the man of God,Pſal 119.9. who was beſt acquainted with the heart among many thouſands, both how euill it is, and how it is in the beſt manner to be looked vntounto and preſerued, he hath taught the ſame: that the ſeruant of God, who hath by his merciemercy his former life purged by the forgiuenes of his ſinnes, muſt keepe it from new infections hereafter, by taking heede, and looking to the ſame, according to Gods word.
This is plaine to them that hauehave experience in the Chriſtian life, that men walking among ſo many ſnares of the diuell, baites of the world, and meeting with ſo infinite rebellions, and luſts of their owne hearts, as cannot be expreſſed, but as we finde them out by obſeruing them, are not without continuall danger and hurt, if they be not acquainted with this holie watch and ward, that their knowledge may be as a light to them in this dark world, and their prouident care as a preſeruatiue from the infection of ſinne, which in all their dealings will meete with them: yea and (that I ſay nothing of them, who are without Chriſt in it) euen the beleeuers themſelues (I meane) doe find much annoyance, and diſcomfort in their liues,Luk. 12.35. which neither they needed to feare, neither ſhould finde, if this counſell of the Prophet were pretious to them.
And to this end, that they who hauehave their hearts thus clenſed, as I hauehave ſaid, may continue them ſo ſtill,Great labour thus to keepe the heart. they muſt know that it is no idle occupation thus to doe: but they muſt be content and glad to weane their hearts from many vnprofitable, and wandring thoughts and deſires, which hold them here below, and with the which others are caried away, as with a whirlewinde: and to ſeaſon them with holie and heauenly meditations, as namely, of Gods goodnes, of their own frailties, and of their duties; that by the helpe of theſe, they may the better containe themſelues within their bounds, and breake not foorth into dangerous euils. Theſe are eſpeciall helpes for the well ordering of their hearts ſtill, who hauehave at any time brought them in order alreadie: this being added, that their reading priuately, their hearing publikely, with their oft and earneſt prayers, and Chriſtian conferences bee wiſely, and at due times adioyned hereunto: of the which here is no fit place to giuegive any rules more particularly, becauſe I hauehave appointed to direct men how to vſe theſe, when I ſhall come to ſpeake of the helpes and meanes which are to be vſed for the well gouerning of their hearts and liues, in the next treatiſe.
And thus the heart being renued and kept, it is eaſie to renounce euill, which otherwiſe is impoſſible: for eueryevery one that liſteth may ſee,VVith this heart eaſie to renounce euill. both by Scripture, Pſalm. 32.4, 5, 6. Hebr. 10.38. and by experience (notwithſtanding our affections are ſtrong, vnruly, and moſt hardly ſubdued) with what eaſe we may renounce and forſake them, and hauehave power ouer our will and appetites, when our hearts bee thus renued and kept maſtered: That is to ſay, when firſt they are purged, and our corrupt nature changed into a better by beleeuing the forgiuenes of our ſins, and a partaking of the graces of Chriſt, and after, watched ouer and obſerued that they continue ſo: who doth not ſee that the ſtubbornneſt & wilfulleſt heart which hath moſt rebelled againſt good inſtruction and reformation, yet when it is thus looked vntounto, will be tamed? And to ſpeake more particularly (for the weake chriſtians ſake) when a man hath once felt damnation, the iuſt reward of ſuch a courſe; and on the other ſide full deliuerance from the ſame to be freely giuen him of God: and thus hath his heart humblie turned towards God againe to louelove, and delight in him: who doth not ſee (I ſay) that ſuch a man daily hauing in remembrance this vnſpeakable kindnes of God towards him, and the wofull eſtate that he was in otherwiſe; that he will be loath to diſpleaſe this his ſo gracious God? Who doth not ſee, but that his heart alſo hauing ſuſtained ſo many checkes from God, for the diſorders of it, and accuſations, for the manifold euils of it, and that he weaning it daily from the old luſts thereof, and ſeaſoning it with grace by faith receiued daily, which vanquiſheth them, and inuring it with the helpes that may nouriſh it from time to time; but that it ſhall with great eaſe ſerue God in this life, and hauehave nothing the toyle and labour that others hauehave, in the going about any good dutie, or reſiſting any ſinne? Let men ſay what they will,An ill gouerned hart cauſe of all diſorder. it is the euill gouerning of the heart, and letting it looſe to follie, wandrings, and needleſſe phantaſies, that cauſeth it to be ſurfeited with all manner of iniquitie; and the moſt know not their hearts how deceitfull, corrupt, and vnholie they be: I ſpeake not onelyonly of the wicked of the world, as the reader may ſee, I am faine often to put him in minde, but euen of thoſe whom God hath ſeparated from the prophane ſort to ſerue him. And although, according to that which they know of the will of God, they hauehave ſome care to auoide offences; yet doe not many of them ſeeke, nor ſet themſelues to know that which they might, of God, nor of their owne duties: neither to grow forward in many good things, as they might doe, beleeuing aſſuredly that God will ſupplie their wants, and helpe their infirmities, as he would they ſhould; but rather doe many things to the great offence of others,Little acquaintance with our hearts brings great bondage. and al for that they are ſo little acquainted with their hearts (which (in many) are tuchie, froward, wilfull, worldly in a daungerous manner) nor with Gods minde and will: by meanes whereof, ſome maintaine dangerous opinions: As that the law, in no wiſe, is to be preached; that Papiſts and Proteſtants diſagreeing in fundamentall points of religion, may yet agree together, and be ſaued, and ſuch like. Many alſo waxe ſecure and ſlouthfull, and that in no common ſort, and otherwiſe blemiſhed daungerouſly more then with common frailties: and are not, for the moſt part, rouſed vp, but by ſome of Gods ſharpe chaſtiſements, as in taking away their deare friends from them: afflicting their owne bodies with ſome ſore ſicknes, dieaſe, and feare of death, their minds with darknes and ignorance, feare of Gods wrath and heauines, which they thought ſometime ſhould neuer hauehave taken hold of them. The vſe of the which being learned by the word, they are much checked and humbled to remember their boldnes, pride, and other faults: and ſomewhat quickened by a liuely hope, that God will againe bee intreated: alſo their hearts bee brought to ſtoope and bow to the will of God, more meekly and readily, and not ſo ſtifly to ſtand in their owne conceit, as before they did. After this manner, God is forced to call backe many of his: but had it not been better for them, without theſe ſharpe corrections, to hauehave made it their meate and drinke before, to pleaſe him in all things? But thus, their hearts being inlarged and inlightened, they ſee themſelues readilie to withſtand ſundrie temptations, which before they did ſo hardly reſiſt and gainſay, that they found it a continuall irkeſomnes and toyle to goe about it: or (that which was worſe) through hardning of their hearts, they would not ſee them at all, which was a ſore blemiſh vntounto them.
Now theſe and ſuch like, will any ſay, outſtrayings in them, till God by chaſtiſements call them backe againe, that they be not the fruites of an ill ordered heart? euen as I ſaid before, it is the ill gouerning of the heart, that cauſeth ſuch excrements to come from it, and ſuch diſguiſing of the perſon, in whom it breaketh out ſo offenſiuely; the which therefore had need to bee looked vntounto with all holie and religious care: which is the point now in hand. And although it bee the exceeding fauour of God,An high grace to liue well, without the whip. to correct ſuch faults in his children, and to purge them out and amend them by ſome fatherly afflictions, rather then they ſhould remaine to the vtter ruine of the perſons: yet had it not been much better, that they ſhould neuer hauehave giuen occaſion thereof? and that they had been carefull to keepe themſelues within compaſſe, as ſome other of their brethren doe? Who though they be not (no not the beſt of others) exempt from the common frailties of Gods elect, yet doe they ſo labour to eſpie, hinder, and hold their corruptions vnderunder, in ſecret ſifting them, and ſuing vntounto God with groanes and requeſts; that they breake not foorth openly to the iuſt offence of others, at leaſt rarely: ſo that it may bee ſeene, they keepe their hearts with all obſeruation and diligence, more then the other doe.
And yet for all that hath been ſaid, I denie not, but that the deareſt children of God may poſſiblie, nay eaſilie, as we hauehave ſeene, and are at ſometime holden vnderunder this bondage by Sathans ſubtiltie, ſome more then others:The faithfull in part thus kept downe. ſo that for a time they ſhall be more drowned in the louelove of earthly things, or be caried away by thoſe which are ſinfull, then obtaine a delight in heauenly. But by the ſpirituall armour of Chriſtians, if they be once well exerciſed in it, they may and doe thus farre preuaile, that they recouer themſelues againe, and get ſuperioritie ouer their hearts, and finde and feele that God is chiefe, and all in all with them, to delight and ioy in him (as I doe not ſee why it ſhould bee otherwiſe with any ſuch as hauehave truly taſted how good the Lord is) and then they ſhall cut off numbers of ſuch earthly and noyſome pleaſures, as they were wont to ſolace themſelues with amiſſe, before they conſidered more aduiſedly of it. But will any gather, that I doe make ſo light a matter of ſinne (whiles I thus ſpeake) as though I thought, it might be ſhaken off as a burre hanging on our garment; which the holie Ghoſt ſaith,Sinne is not ſhaken off as a burre. Heb. 12.1. cleaueth faſt to vsus, and is euer about vsus? For I know ſinne is raging, and the diuell is ſtrong as a lion in his ſuggeſtions and aſſaults, and hardly gainſaid, ſhewing himſelfe as an Angell of light, and wee ſeelie to diſcerne, and weake to reſiſt: yet this I muſt ſay, that the mightie Lion of the tribe of Iuda is ſtronger, and Chriſt giueth wiſedome to finde out his ſubtilties:2. Cor. 2.11. and greater is the ſpirit of God which is in vsus, if wee confidently beleeue and truſt thereto, then the ſin which deceiueth and inticeth vsus to the ſame.
But we hauehave not this grace (ye will ſay) and therefore what is it to vsus?Grace to vanquiſh ſinne. This may be obtained, and more and more from day to day. we hauehave had it (I ſay againe, ſo many as I ſpeake of) and hauehave been taught, and hauehave a promiſe to ouercome by faith: and therefore we may doe ſo ſtill: and that better and better eueryevery day, the more experience wee hauehave. And although, I graunt that theſe things are hard to ſuch as are not throughly ſeaſoned with the knowledge of this doctrine, nor inſtructed oft, and made familiarly acquainted with the wil and louing kindnes of God (whoſe caſe is much to be pitied, and their growings cannot be great) yet it is moſt certaine, that where theſe things are often taught, and vnderſtood, it ſhall goe farre better with them then with others. And they ſhall with eaſe get victorie ouer their ſpeciall corruptions, as ſlouth, diſtruſt, and ſuch like: where as they, who are not acquainted and ſeaſoned with them, ſhall not hauehave experience of Gods power in helping them to ouercome the ſame; but be ſeruants vntounto them, which they might otherwiſe hauehave maiſtered. Examples hereof, as we hauehave many; ſo that of Dauid doth declare it, when he was conſtrained to cry out of it,Pſal. 51.5. ſaying: Againſt thee (O Lord) I offended, and did this great euill: as if he ſhoull hauehave ſaid; my ſinne had neuer broke out openly in the ſight of men, if I had not let looſe my heart firſt, in the ſight of God.
Such gouernment therefore, as eueryevery of Gods ſeruants according to the meaſure of their knowledge, may hauehave ouer their hearts, I wiſh might be kept and continued: which doubtles, although it ouercome not all temptations; yet ſhould it weaken them very much, and diminiſh their ſtrength, ſo that the curſed fruites of them ſhould not ſo eaſily, nor ſo often breake fourth to annoy them.Luk. 6.45. The good treaſurie of the heart if it were carefully kept, would bring foorth better things. If ye aske what; my meaning is, not, that onelyonly in the exerciſes of religion, as prayer, reading and hearing, we ſhould hauehave helpe and furtherance thereby, to worſhip God feruently (which commodity were not ſmall) but in our common actions, affaires, and buſines, we ſhould reape the benefit thereof. For though it be no common thing to be found in the world; yet if men had a continuall care ouer their hearts, to keepe them well ordered, they ſhould ſhew it in their talke and dealings: at the market, in their buyings and ſellings, in their families, and among their neighbours, as well as among ſtrangers, and in all things about which they may lawfully be occupied. In all theſe, I ſay, men ſhould behaue themſelues plainely and ſimply;Gal. 5.22. iuſtly, peaceably, patiently, meekely, kindly, gently, faithfully, temperatly, and humbly, (of what ſtate and degree ſo euer they be, and yet without any diſgrace to them; nay the greateſt honour and credit) yea and mercifully alſo, as occaſion ſhould be offered: which (I thinke) if they were found in chriſtians (as, where elſe are they to be looked for?) they would no leſſe ioy the hearts of them who ſhould behold them, then adorne and beautifie them,A peece of heauen to liue with ſuch as keepe their hearts well. Pſal. 120.5.6. who ſhould be paterns of them. And who can ſay otherwiſe, but that it were a little heauen, to deale with, and liue among ſuch? Euen as we ſee it is a peece of hell, to dwell with them that are of the contrarie diſpoſition: As Iacob muſt hauehave been conſtrained to abide with Eſau, and as Gods people in their captiuitie, did with the Edomits. God of his ſingular louelove (I confeſſe) reſtraineth many from the exceſſe of euill, that they would otherwiſe doe: ſeeing otherwiſe, none could be able to liue by them: But whereas ſome are thus bridled by good lawes, and ſome for ſhame and vaine glory, doe depart from much iniquitie; and thus patch vp a kinde of life among men: yet know they, that without religion (that is, a feare of breaking out of chriſtian bounds) which onelyonly is to be found in an heart well gouerned) they ſhall neuer pleaſe God,VVithout it nothing ſauory. nor hauehave fauour nor approbation, no not euen of common men. But of this we may complaine and cry out, till we hauehave worne our tongues to the ſtump, without redreſſe. For the fowle ſtaines, and ſhamefull blots which are contrary to the forementioned vertues, are ſtill vſuall (as they hauehave been) almoſt eueryevery where, both in many of the miniſtery and people, and ſo will bee; as though godlineſſe were tied to the Church walles, and to the pulpit. And for a further illuſtration and proofe of the benefit of the well guiding of the heart, this I hauehave ſaid.
Thus we may ſee that the heart being well ordered,Fruite of a well ordered heart. will neither ſuffer the affections to ſtray farre, nor willingly harbour euill luſts: and though they may creepe in by ſtealth; yet by examination, we ſhall finde out many of them, and ſhall be readie, when they are found, to purge them out, and expell them alſo, before they ſhall (being ſo neſtled in vsus) be able to poiſon our liues. Oh gaine vnualuable! for who can ſay leſſe of it? that by the benefit of a well ordered heart, we may conquer many daungerous ſinnes, which others (for want of it) doe vſually commit, with ſhame and much ſorrow accompanying them. Now when we ſee the fruite of this well ſeaſoning and keeping of our hearts, in frame, what ſhould be in more account with vsus? yea, what ſhould hinder it from being ſo? or what ſhould we thinke more needefull to be done, then the labouring for it, when we ſee it ſo great a treaſure; and ſuch fearefull bondage for want of it, to come vponupon vsus? But, alas,Good moode. this looking to our hearts by fittes, now and then, when the good moode taketh vsus, as it is too common, ſo it is moſt daungerous; and ſuffereth not chriſtians to ſee, much leſſe to inioy one halfe of the ſweetenes, which God bequeatheth to them: I meane, if we gouerne and looke to them, but as men in the world commonly looke to their outward ſeruing of God: that is, to pray when night commeth, goe to the Church when the Sabboth commeth, to faſt when Lent commeth, and repent when death commeth. And ſo the wiſedome of the fleſh counſelleth vsus to looke to our hearts ſometime: but that we reſolue and arme our ſelues that the heart bee thus looked to in all that we doe (as frailty will permit) and care had ouer it, that it follow the light of knowledge going before it, oh that is thought too heauie a burthen, and an eſtate too vncomfortable! To reioyce alwayes, to pray continually, in all things to be thankefull: as the Apoſtle commaundeth, 1. Epheſ. 5.16. Day and night to be meditating on the word of God, Pſalm. 1.2.and the varietie of the infinit good things contained in it, and aiming at it, as at a marke, how we may walke after it: Pſal. 119.15. Heart may alwayes be looke to.oh that is counted tediouſnes, and bondage intolerable! And yet none of all theſe precepts can be vnderſtoode of the outward actions of our life, the eare, and tongue cannot doe theſe things alwayes: but the heart may meditate, reioyce, praiſe, and pray at all ſeaſons, and vponupon all occaſions, if once it hath gotten a pleaſure in them, for it ſhall neuer want occaſion. And if we can obtaine to hauehave God in our remembrance more vſually then we were wont, or then others deſire to doe, and ſpend our thoughts and ſet our delight on him: ſhall we thinke any thing too good for him? ſhould we not conſtantly take vp our hearts in heauenly cogitations, as we are willed, Col. 3.2. when we ſee, that all other are but vanitie and vexation of ſpirit? If it pleaſeth him to aske our hearts, as he doth, when he ſaith, My ſonne giuegive me thine heart: Pro. 23.26.ſhould we not thinke our ſelues happie that he will take any thing at our hands,Pſalm. 116.12. when Dauid being a King, wiſhed that he had any thing that would pleaſe him?Another cauſe why the heart ſhould be lookt to, other wiſe it will not be readie to any duty. This taking vp of our delight in the looking to our hearts, as we are able, ſhould the more be ſought after of vsus, if it were but for this cauſe, that if wee hauehave not rule ouer them in our common actions thorough our life, we cannot hauehave them at commaundement in the chiefe ſeruices of God. And from hence it is, that chriſtians of good hope, doe complaine,Note. and that oftentimes with bitternes, that their hearts are ſo ſwarming vſually with vaine thoughts, euen whiles they are in hearing and praying: the reaſon is, becauſe at other times they are vſually ſo occupied throughout the day, feeding vponupon their delights, that God is almoſt wholy out of their remembrance, eſpecially to direct and leade their hearts: and therefore alſo their actions, and ſpeeches are much offenſiue in lightnes, raſhnes, and vnreuerence: The which being common with them in the daily courſe of their life, they cannot poſſibly hauehave them otherwiſe at hearing or praying. All which yet are contrarily done, when the ſtrength of concupiſence, I meane, the corruption of the heart (which is without meaſure euill) is mortified and aſſwaged firſt;How we may be fit to pray and meditate. and then ſtill ſubdued after and reſtrained, and daily ſeaſoned with good meditations, and watched ouer, that it may be kept cleane, and fit to dutie.
The onelyonly way to curbe our luſts, is to looke to our hearts.And thus I conclude; that the onelyonly way to curbe vp, and hold in our intemperate luſts, and euill deſires, that they breake not out into further vngodlines, is, that our hearts be firſt purified through beleeuing that our ſinnes are forgiuen vsus, and wee made partakers of Chriſt his grace; and ſo our conſciences appeaſed: and that they bee continued in the ſame good order afterwards.
Without this ſmall fruite or comfort.And they, who wil not ſee and follow after this, but thinke to abſtaine from ſinfull temptations, and ſerue God in an honeſt and godly life, howſoeuer the heart be little looked after, ſhall reape a ſleight fruite of their trauaile; neither leade the life which is approued of God (as hath been ſaid) nor finde the comfort which they imagine they ſhall hauehave, at leaſtwiſe which they heare, to be graunted by the Lord.Matth. 19.29. But it commeth to paſſe, as it is written, that as they ſerue him, ſo he ſerueth them: for as they ſerue not God in heart, and deed,Matth. 6.6. & 15.7. but in word; ſo their peace is not in heart and deed, but in word: their ioy,Note. not in ſoule, but in countenance: a falſe comfort (and that appeareth in time of neede) as they gaue to him a falſe worſhip. It is profitable for vsus to weigh this: for ſuch as crie out of vsus, as of Preciſians, for teaching and vrging this, doe proue, to their coſt and ſhame oftentimes, that they had been happy if they could hauehave receiued this our doctrine, howſoeuer they reproch and ſpeake ill of our liuing. Who ſhould not hauehave branded themſelues with ſinnes, that they could neuer after weare out the ſtaine of them any more; if they had been as the ſtricteſt Preciſians before.
It hath been ſhewed, how the heart being kept pure and cleane, the vnruly deſires and appetites which ariſe from thence, ſhall be kept vnderunder in vsus, and the power of them ſhaken and weakened: this is thus to be vnderſtoode: that euen as, if our hearts were altogether pure, all our thoughts and deſires ſhould be altogether holy, and none of them vncleane:This clenſing of the heart is not perfect. ſo our hearts being purified and clenſed, but vnperfectlie, and in part, our deſires therefore cannot be (in the perfecteſt and beſt Chriſtians) altogether good and pleaſing to God, but vnperfit: that is to ſay, many of them euill, and many which are holy, yet mixed with euill and corruption. Whereby it commeth to paſſe, that the holieſt ſeruants of God, both carrie about them the noiſome remnants of ſinne whileſt they liue,Hebr. 12.1. as loathſome ragges (for they cleaue fast vntounto them) and alſo they complaine and grone vnderunder them as heauie burthens,Rom. 7. ſaying, Oh wretched men that we are, who ſhall deliuer vsus? And againe, If thou, O Lord, ſhouldest looke ſtreightlie what is done amiſſe, who ſhould be able to abide it? Pſalm. 130.3.This (I ſay) is the perfection of the beſt: that they, who charge vsus to challenge a puritie to our ſelues, may be aſhamed.This clenſing though weake, is a great priuiledge. But yet leaſt wicked and vngodly men ſhould thinke this a ſmall gift and priuiledge, that Gods ſeruants hauehave in this, that they be in part renued, and ſo be brought to thinke, that there is no great difference betwixt the godlie and themſelues, they are to knowe, that to hauehave our hearts changed but in meaſure, ſo as it be in truth, is a benefit of greater value, then the whole world: and what meruaile if the ouercomming of malice, and reuenge (but one affection) be of greater value, then the winning of a Citie? Prouerb. 16.32. And whereas they thinke there is no difference betwixt the one, and the other, they may vnderſtand, that the meaneſt perſon hauing a cleane heart, though not perfect, is by infinite degrees happier then the moſt gloſing profeſſor which wanteth it, the one ſaued, the other damned: as we reade of the poore Publicane, Luk. 18.9.10.and the vaine glorious Phariſie.