Heaven Opened, Treatise · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. All the means of ſalvation in the Covenant, both outward and inward, in ſpecial, [the bleſsing of a new heart.]
LAſtly, God hath put into the Covenant all the means of ſalvation. And all things on their parts neceſſary, to the obtaining the everlaſting kingdome.
1. All the outward means of ſalvation. Ordinances, Word, Sacraments, and Prayer; Officers; Prophets, Apoſtles, Evangeliſts, Paſtours, and Teachers, Epheſ. 4.11,12. 1 Cor. 3.22.
2. All the inward means of ſalvation. Every grace, every duty; their obtaining the one, and performing the other, and perſeverance in both. Theſe are all comprehended in the ſecond part of that great promiſe, They ſhall be my people. Which though it be properly, the matter of their own ſtipulation, yet for this alſo the Lord himſelf undertakes.
You ſhall be my people. Two things are hereby ſignified.
1. I will account you, and reckon you for mine. You ſhall have the priviledge and the bleſſing of my people. I will ſet you apart, and ſeparate you to my ſelf, out of all the tribes and kindreds of the earth; and will avouch you for my portion and peculiar poſſeſſion. I will ſet you as the apple of mine eye, as a ſeal upon mine heart, and upon mine arm.
I will mark you out for the people of my love; of you will I take care, for you will I provide, with you are my delights, over you will I rejoyce, with you will I dwell, and you ſhall dwell with me for ever.
2. I will not only reckon you for my people, but I will undertake for you, that you ſhall conſent to me, accept of me, own me, follow me, and cleave to me as my people. I will not only ſeparate you to my ſelf, but I will faſhion you for my ſelf. I will ſanctifie you, and guide you, and teach you, and help you. I will fulfill in you all the good pleaſure of my will. I will work all your works in you, I will avouch you for my people, and you ſhall avouch me for your God. You ſhall love me, fear me, obey me; I will keep you from falling, and preſerve you to my heavenly kingdome.
Particularly, the Lord hath promiſed to give them,
1. A new heart.
2. An heart to know the Lord.
3. One heart.
4. An heart of fleſh.
5. An heart to love the Lord.
6. An heart to fear the Lord.
7. An heart to obey the Lord.
8. An heart to perſevere to the end.
1. A new heart. Ezek. 36.26. A new heart will I give you, and a new ſpirit will I put within you.
This new heart (I take it) is the genus of all the following graces; and therefore the leſs ſhall ſuffice, to be ſpoken of it here. A new heart, that is, not phyſically new in regard of ſubſtance, but morally onelyonly, in regard of qualities.
This new heart ſignifies both another heart, and a more excellent heart. 'Tis ſaid of Caleb, Numb. 14.24. that he had another heart. And this other heart is declared to be a more excellent heart, than was in the reſt of the people. Whileſt they, either followed not the Lord, or but haltingly, hee followed the Lord fully, Prov. 17.27. A man of underſtanding is of an excellent ſpirit.
There is another heart, that is not a new heart; Nebuchadnezzer had another, but no new heart; the heart of a beaſt, for the heart of a man; an evil heart grown worſe, is not a new heart, but the old heart grown older.
We read 1 Sam. 10.9. that when Saul was anointed King, God gave [him] another heart; this was a more excellent heart, than he had before, and yet not the heart here promiſed. He gave to him another heart, that is, the ſpirit of government; the heart of a King, for the heart of a private perſon; a more publick, raiſed, heroick heart; the heart of a King, fitted to the ſtation and office of a King.
The excellencies of this new heart are not natural, but ſpiritual excellencies, as will appear more in the handling of the particular graces promiſed; and are ſuch as fit them for their new
ſtate
work
reward.
1. For their new ſtate; Chriſtians are made the children of God, veſſels of honour, a royal Prieſthood, an holy Nation, a peculiar people; and God gives them an heart, anſwering the dignity of their high calling.
2. For their new Work; a Chriſtian hath other work to do, than other men; whileſt their buſineſs lies all here below, in this earth; in their fields, and vineyards, &c. Chriſtians work lies above, with their God, and their Jeſus; and within, about their nobler, and immortal part; their work is ſpiritual, and ſuch is the heart that's given to them.
3. For their new reward. God intends better things to them; a better portion; a better hope, better comforts, joyes, delights here; and a better inheritance hereafter; and he prepares them better hearts, to receive theſe better things; he will not put his new wine into old bottles.
The excellencies of this new heart may be reduced to theſe three.
1. A new light; diſcovering the dignity of their ſtate, the ſpirituality of their work, the glorie of their reward.
2. A new law, or frame, or bent of ſpirit; inclining; diſpoſing, and fitting them to all that which they are made for. And this is the meaning of Gods writing his Law in the heart. The Law written in the heart, ſignifies, not only the Law made known in the heart, but the heart made ſuitable to the Law; and adapted to the obedience of it. There is a kind of connaturalneſs betwixt the new heart, and all that the Law requires.
3. A new power, enabling them for their new work. We have all theſe mentioned in one Scripture, 2 Tim. 1.7. God hath not given us a ſpirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a ſound mind. [A ſound mind] there's the new light; [a ſpirit of love] there's the new law, or frame; and with theſe, [a ſpirit of power.]
In ſumme, this new heart is the divine nature; the image of God renewed; the life of God begotten, Chriſt formed in them. An heart after Gods own heart, containing in it all thoſe graces of the Spirit, wherein ſtands their likeneſs to God, and their capacity of ſerving, and enjoying of him. This is the heart the Lord will give. A new heart will I give unto you.
Againſt all thoſe glorious things promiſed before, it would be objected; A kingdome promiſed? glory, and honour, and everlaſting bleſſedneſs, granted! Alas, what's all this to me? to whom is it promiſed? or upon what terms? when I conſider what is required, 'tis all one to me, as if there had been nothing promiſed. The way to this bleſſedneſs is too narrow, the gate is too ſtrait for me ever to hope to enter. What-ever the Price be, the ſtrictneſs, and ſeverities of a Chriſtian courſe, the very fore-ſight of them does amaze, and confound me. Live a new life? deny my ſelf? take up my croſs? follow Chriſt? ſpend my daies in faſting, and praying, and mourning? live by rule? look to every ſtep, to every word, to every thought? &c. all theſe things are againſt me. A new life? a new courſe? if this be it, I ſhall never bear it. No man having taſted of the old, will endure this new way; for he ſaith, the old is better. 'Tis all one to me, as if there had been no Chriſt, no Goſpel, no Kingdome promiſed, if it cannot be obtained upon other terms than theſe. I were even as good ſit down as I am, and run the venture of what follows, as to feed my ſelf with hopes, of that which I ſee, I can never obtain. If I do but move heaven-wards, the ſtream carries me down; If I do but take up a thought, make an eſſay, ſet a foot forwards towards this new courſe, I find mine old things hang in my heels. My old cuſtomes, my old companions, mine old pleaſures, and eaſe, and liberties, quickly pull mee back. Oh what ſhall I do? I muſt bee undone, I muſt bee a loſt and damned wretch. Fain I would be happy, but I cannot be holy. I dread, I often tremble to think of loſing Chriſt, and the bleſſings of his Goſpel; but this wretched heart is too hard for me, and will not come on towards it. I am aſhamed, I am plagued to think, what I am like to loſe, and for how little; but I cannot help it; the way is ſuch, that this fooliſh heart will never endure it.
Why hearken ſoul: The Lord that hath called thee to this new courſe, will give thee a new heart. And there is not any thing required in an holy life ſo irkſome, and ſo contrary to thee; but this new heart is ſo fitted, and ſuited to it, that it will become eaſie to thee. Its pain will bee pleaſant, its ſeverity will be liberty, its very drudgery (as thou counteſt it) will be a great delight. Pſal. 40.8. I delight to do thy will, O God, thy Law is within mine heart. And Pſal. 1,2. of the renewed ſoul its ſaid, his delight is in the Law of the Lord. In the original, his will, his heart, is in the law. The law is in his heart, and his heart is in the law. Gods will and his are the ſame. What-ever God bids him do, his heart bids him do; and his hand will never ſay his heart nay. He that delights in the law, and as 'tis a law, commanding ſuch things, will never grudge to do what it commands. Where tis a pleaſure to be commanded, tis no pain to obey. What-ever work the law cuts him out, 'tis work he loves. Bid him pray, bid him watch, bid him walk humbly with his God; 'tis work he loves; 'tis in his heart to do it. Bid a Saint draw nigh to God in any duty; 'tis as if you bid the hungry to eat, or the thirſty to drink, the naked to be cloathed, the beggar to come for an alms, or the poor labourer for a daies work. Bid a Chriſtian to deny himſelf, to crucifie his fleſh; 'tis the ſame as if you bid him, deny thine enemy, revenge thy ſelf on thine enemy; ſuch revenge is ſweet: but O how pleaſant is it to him, to be called to a life of praiſe? to live above in the light, in the love, in the joy of the Lord? to be ſearching, and ſtudying, and looking into, and admiring thoſe everlaſting treaſures of ſpiritual and heavenly delights laid up in God? to behold his face, to live in his preſence, and to dwell in the light of his countenance? 'tis true, there is ſome remaining difficulty, and irkſomneſs in the ſweeteſt works of religion, as far forth as the heart is unrenewed and is yet carnal; deny my ſelf? mortifie luſt? forſake my companions? withdraw from iniquity? Why what's this but to cut off my hand? to pluck out mine eyes? to tear my fleſh? walk with God? ſeek his face? dwell in his preſence? 'tis all one, as to bid me feed on the air, wander on the mountains, dwell in the wilderneſs; and as much pleaſure can I find, in the one as in the other. 'Tis ſo indeed, as far as thou remaineſt carnal; the Lord God and all his ways are a wilderneſs, a land of darkneſs to thee; but as much as thou haſt of this new heart, ſo much eaſe and pleaſure, thou wilt find herein.
Deſponding ſoul; thou ſaiſt, thou art yet ignorant, and haſt little knowledge of the way of the Lord; but behold a new light to lead thee. Thou art yet carnal, and thy heart is contrary, and ever quarrelling at it; but the new nature will end the old quarrel. Thou art weak and impotent, the work is too hard for thee, if thou lovedſt it never ſo well; but what will this be; when thou art endued with power from on high?
O Friend wouldſt thou indeed live this new life, get this new heart. But oh there lies the difficulty; how or where ſhall I get it? Why, have recourſe to the Covenant, there it lies for thee. But how ſhall I get it thence? why hath the Lord promiſed to give it thee? take the word from his mouth, and put it into thine own; turn the word of promiſe, into a prayer? Doth he ſay [I will give]? let thy ſoul anſwer, [give Lord] give me this new heart. I am weary Lord, and thou art weary alſo of this wicked heart, at once eaſe thy ſelf and me; Take away this, and give me a better heart. Turn the word of promiſe into a prayer, and then turn the word of Prayer, into a word of Faith. He ſays [I will give] let thy Faith ſay, [thou wilt give] I ſhall have it; ſince thou haſt ſaid, thy ſervant alſo may boldly ſay [Thou wilt do it.] Thou wilt give me a better heart. Farewell my old ſins, luſts, and companions; farewell mine old pleaſures, and ways; now for heaven in earneſt, now welcome the ſtrait gate, the new and living way. Old things are paſt away, all things ſhall become new. Turn the word of promiſe into a prayer, turn thy prayer into a word of Faith, and God will turn the word of Faith into a word of Command. Bee it according to thy word. Let there be a new light, let there bee a new law, let there bee a new power; let there no more bee a ſpirit of fear in this heart, but a ſpirit of power, of love, and of a ſound mind. And as when he ſaid in the creation of the great world, Let there bee light, let there bee a Firmament, let there bee a Sun and Moon, It was ſo: ſo when he ſhall ſay, in the new creation of this little world, let there bee light, let there bee love, let there bee power; let us again make man in our image, after our own likeneſs; It ſhall be ſo. The Lord hath ſaid [I will,] let thy Prayer ſay [Do it Lord] let thy Faith ſay [thou wilt do it] and God will ſay, Amen, ſo be it.