Heaven Opened, Treatise · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. One Heart.
3. ONe Heart, Ezek. 11.19. I will give them one Heart; Wee read, Hoſ. 14.11. Ephraim is like a ſilly Dove; without an Heart, Hath no heart at all; none for his God, that's as good as none; and Pſal. 12.2. Wee read that Iſrael had a double Heart, an Heart, and an Heart; more hearts than one, but ſaies the Lord, I will give them an Heart, and it ſhall bee but one, and no more.
For the opening of this (to let paſſe the ſignification it hath, as it reſpects Chriſtians collectively) as it reſpects each particular Chriſtian: This one Heart may bee taken as oppoſed.
To
A wavering
A divided
A double
Heart.
1. As oppoſed to a wavering, unſtable Heart, Jam. 1.6.8. VVavering minded men have almoſt as many hearts as they live daies, or meet with caſes; An heart that changes with the weather, and tacks about with every winde; that reſolves and repents, that chuſes and changes; that like a wave of the Sea, is toſſed about with every VVinde: This you may call, either many hearts, or no heart, as you will; Thus this one heart is a fixed, eſtabliſhed, reſolved heart, Heb. 13.9. It is good that the heart bee [establiſhed] with grace. Grace fixes, and eſtabliſhes the heart, brings it to a conſiſtency in it ſelf, which before was any thing or nothing.
2. As oppoſed to a divided Heart, Hoſ. 10.2. An Heart cut in two as it were; ſome talk, that the Devil hath a cloven foot, but what-ever the Devils foot bee, to bee ſure, his Sons have a cloven heart, one half for God, the other for ſin; one half for Chriſt, the other for this preſent World; God hath a corner in it, and the reſt is for ſin and the Devil: Thus this one heart, is an entire heart; all the powers of it are united within it ſelf, and go the ſame way; God hath the whole heart. Pſal. 103.1. Bleſs the Lord, O my ſoul, and all that is within me, bleſs his holy name. All its ſprings are in him, and thither do all its ſtreams bend their courſe.
3. As oppoſed to a double heart, or an hypocritical heart, properly ſo called. Pſal. 12.2,3. that's it which is called an heart, and an heart; an heart in the breaſt, and another in the tongue. Our outſide is preſum'd to be an expreſſion of our inſide; what wee ſpeak, wee pretend to bee our very hearts. 'Tis the heart in the tongue that ſpeaks; the heart in the eye that weeps; the heart in the hand that works; the heart in the foot, that walks; no, 'tis not ſo with the Hypocrite, he ſhews another heart in his tongue, in his waies, than that which is within him. He hath an heart, and an heart, one in his tongue or life, and quite another in his breaſt. His courſe ſpeaks him another man, than hee is: and thus one heart ſignifies a ſingle or a plain heart.
To ſumme up all together; this one heart is ſuch as
1. Pitches on one end.
2. Has but one thing to do.
3. Does what it does.
1. Pitches on one end. God is its end. There it wholly beſtows it ſelf: I am thine. Pſal. 119. And there only it takes up its reſt. Pſal. 39.7. And now Lord what wait I for? my hope is in thee. God is both its work and its wages. To pleaſe God, this is its whole buſineſs, and to enjoy God, this is its happineſs. This is the mark it hath in its eye, this is the ſcope of all its motions, to honour and enjoy God. This it wills, this it loves, this it deſires, deſigns, hopes, labours for, that the Lord may poſſeſs, and be the poſſeſſion of it. Particularly, it gives God,
the place
the power
of the end.
1. The place of the end. God is its firſt and laſt. Hee's firſt in the eye, and it looks no farther. It makes him not onelyonly the chief, but in a ſenſe its onelyonly aim. It will have no other God, and therefore no other end, but the Lord. It makes all things elſe, not onelyonly to ſtoop and ſtand by, but to ſerve to him. Get you hence, ſtand off, is its language, to all that ſtands up in his room, or ſtands in his way. Evil men, what-ever honour they pretend to have for the Lord, they do but make him a ſervant to their other Gods. Religion they will take up, but 'tis onelyonly to ſerve their own turns; to bring about their carnal ends; they ſerve not the Lord, but their own bellies; ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 16.18. Phil. 3.19. Nay, they make the Lord their fellow-ſervant. They ſerve, and their Religion muſt ſerve their ſenſual appetites. Hee that will have ſo much religion onelyonly, as he may live upon, (which is the meaſure of the moſt) makes the Lord no longer his God, but his ſervant. A ſincere Chriſtian will ſet God upon the throne, and makes all things elſe, his ſervants, or his foot-ſtool. What-ever will not be ſerviceable muſt bee trodden in the dirt. Nothing will bee loved, and embraced, but what will ſet God higher, or bring God nearer to his heart.
2. The power of the end; the end hath a four-fold power; it
draws.
directs.
governs.
rewards.
1. It draws the heart to it; God who is a Chriſtians end, is alſo his beginning. Our firſt ſtep heaven-ward, wee owe to the influence of heaven upon us. Draw mee, wee will run after thee. Cant. 1. No man can come unto mee, unleſs the Father which hath ſent mee, draw him. Nothing but God will do it; as nothing will draw the ſoul another way; the pleaſures of ſin, the wages of unrighteouſneſs, are poor and low baits to entice a ſoul away from God; that is, ſo far as 'tis renewed; ſo 'tis nothing but God that draws the ſoul on its way, and he will do it. God draws the ſoul not by an act of power onelyonly, but by moral ſwaſion, that's the proper caſuality of the end. Not by efficiency onelyonly, but by ſympathy; as by the water, the thirſty ſoul is drawn to the water-brooks.
It is God that draws hearts after him; there are inſtruments, as his Word, and Miniſters; and and there are arguments by which God draws; but whatever the inſtruments or arguments are, 'tis God that does it. What is the work of either Word, or Miniſters, but to ſet God before them, and this draws. Inſtruments can do nothing, unleſs God bee the Preacher by them; arguments can do nothing, unleſs hee bee the medium of them; as 'twas ſaid concerning the peoples following Saul, ſo much more concerning thoſe that follow the Lord.
Thoſe onelyonly follow him, whoſe hearts God hath touched. 'Tis not mans teaching, but Gods touching the heart that draws it heaven-ward. The tongue of man may touch the ear, 'tis God onelyonly that touches the heart. And when he touches, then the heart will follow. As you know the needle, when its touched with a Loadſtone, then it turns after it. The Loadſtone is not more naturall attractive of the needle, than God is of that heart which he hath touched. Cant. 5.4. My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved in mee. He did but touch the door, and her heart felt him, and moved tovvards him.
O Chriſtians, when you have been waiting upon God, in prayer, hearing or any other ſpiritual duty, or ordinance; conſider, hath mine heart been touched this day? my tongue hath been touched, mine ear hath been touched, mine heart hath been treated with, but hath the Lord touched it? hath there vertue come forth from him, which hath enticed and drawn my ſoul after him? Sometimes by a meſſage, or viſit from heaven, the Lord hath drawn a good word from the lip, a tear from the eye; but O for touches upon ſouls, for turning of bowels, for the flowings out of hearts after the Lord; Hee is the only load-ſtone that prevails on gracious ſouls.
Others that have many hearts, have many attractives; every heart hath its peculiar god; twenty gods it may be, in one man; becauſe ſo many hearts. Their pleaſures are their Gods, their profits, their gods, their belly their god; their wives, or their children, their gods; and ſo many gods, ſo many ends. And every end is a loadſtone to draw them after them. Every heart will after its God. A Chriſtian, that hath but one heart, hath but one God, and this is he that draws it on its way. Thou ſayeſt, the Lord is thy God, thou acknowledgeſt, thou owneſt, thou haſt choſen him for thine; but what doth thy God whom thou haſt choſen do upon thine heart? what will the ſight of God, or thy love to God, or thy hope in God, do upon thee? how far will it carry thee? which way runs thy heart? which way doſt bend thy courſe? doſt feel thy God drawing thee? and is thy heart running after him? running, notes motion, and a ſwift or violent motion.
I ſhall lay before you theſe ſix or ſeven expreſsions, the Scripture uſes, to note the running of thoſe hearts after God, whom he hath drawn.
1. The deſiring of the ſoul after God. Iſa. 26.8.9. The deſire of our ſoul is to thy name—with my ſoul have I deſired thee in the night, yea with my ſpirit within me will I ſeek theee early. Deſire is the ſoul in motion God-wards. Towards him are their deſires, and they come deep, ab intimis, ab imo pectore, from their inwards, from the bottom of the heart. With my ſoul have I deſired thee, with my ſpirit within mee will I ſeek thee. Pſal. 38.9. Lord, all my deſire is before thee; 'tis not all my deſires, but my deſire; thou ſeeſt all, and 'tis all but one deſire. Hee deſires pardon, hee deſires peace, hee deſires help, and the heealing of his wounds; but all this is but one deſire. God is all. One thing have I deſired, Pſal. 27.4.
2. The thirſting of the ſout. Pſal. 42.2. My ſoul thirſteth for God, for the living God. Thirſting is the extremity of deſire; hunger and thirſt are the appetite or deſire heightened; violent and painful appetites; my ſoul thirſteth, and is in pain till it be ſatisfied.
3. The longing of the ſoul. Pſal. 63.1. O God, thou art my God, early will I ſeek thee, my ſoul thirſteth for thee, my fleſh longeth for thee, in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is. Longing cauſeth languiſhing, and abortions, if it be not ſatisfied. Pſal. 119.20. My ſoul breaketh for the longing deſire it hath to thy judgments. My heart panteth, my fleſh faileth, the light of mine eyes is gone from me, Pſal. 38.10.
4. Calling after God, Pſal. 4.1. Hear mee (when I call,) O God of my righteouſneſs. Calling upon God, is the voice of deſires. The deſiring ſoul will not keep ſilence; the tongue, the eye, the ears, the hands, the knees, muſt all be oratours, when the flame is once kindled within.
5▪ Crying after the Lord. This is an expreſſion anſwering the thirſting of the ſoul. Crying is a paſſionate, and importunate praying. I cryed unto the Lord with my whole heart, Pſal. 119.145.
6. Crying out after God. This is the manner of the longing ſoul. Crying out, notes more than bare crying; loud cryes, ſtrong cryes, forced out by a paroxiſme of love, or an agony the ſoul is in. Pſal. 84.2. My ſoul longeth, yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my fleſh [cryeth out] for the living Lord.
7. Following hard after the Lord, Pſal. 63.8. My ſoul followeth hard after thee. This expreſſion is more comprehenſive, it notes, both all the workings, and breakings, and breathings of the ſoul within, and its diligent purſuing in the uſe of all outward means, and preſſing on after the Lord. All thoſe labourings, and watchings, and runnings, all that holy violence, wherewith a Saint preſſes into the Kingdome of God.
Put all this together, and you will ſee the power and influence the Lord hath on holy Souls, to the drawing of them after him, they are in motion Heaven-vvard; deſiring, thirſting, longing, calling, crying, crying out, follovving hard after him. What aileth theſe ſouls? vvhat's the matter vvith them? vvhat vvould they have? Judg. 19.23. What aileth thee ſaid the Danites once to Micah, that thou comeſt thus after us? vvhat aileth thee? Why, you have taken avvay my Gods, and vvhat have I more? VVhat aileth theſe crying, longing, running Souls? vvhy, 'tis after their God they cry, 'tis after their God they run, 1 King. 19.20. Go back Eliſha, ſaid once the Prophet to him, vvhen hee had caſt his Mantle on him; Go back, for vvhat have I done unto thee? VVhat haſt thou done? enough to hold me from going back, there vvent vertue vvith the Mantle; the Mantle fell on his heart, as vvell as his back, and drevv it after the Prophet. Should you ſay thus to theſe, go back ſoul, go back from follovving thy God, for vvhat hath hee done unto thee? Oh hee hath gotten mine heart; no, no; I cannot go back, hee is my God, and vvhat have I more.
2. The end guides and directs to means: Whither ſhall I go from thee? thou hast the words of eternal life.
3. The end governs; I ſhall put theſe both together, what is it that Governs ſinners but their ends, this points them out their work, and their way, this holds them to their work, and keeps them in their way; what ever fetters, and chains, their luſts are to them 'tis their carnal ends, to which they are in bondage; theſe are they that Lord it over them, and hereupon it's impoſſible to perſwade a ſinner to make a through change of his way, till hee hath changed his ends; herein ſtands the converſion of a ſinner, in the changing of his ends; when hee ceaſes to bee any longer to himſelf, to his fleſh, to the world, and for a worldly happineſs, and is brought about to pitch on God as his portion, and happineſs, to whom hee devotes, and dedicates himſelf; there's converſion; Sin is our turning away, and converſion is turning back to our God. Beloved, conſider not barely how, but to what you live; not onelyonly what you do, but what you would have; and never count your ſelves truely Godly, what-ever of God bee in your way; till God bee in your heart, and eye; Hee that hath firſt choſen God, and therefore a Godly life; whoſe Godlineſs of life, ſprings forth as the fruit of his choice of the Lord, that's a Godly man.
God Governs as our King, and as our End, as our King by his Soveraignty, as our End by his Excellency; by his worthineſs and goodneſs, as our King by Laws, as our end by love; Love will find out our way, will tell all our wandrings, will check us for our ſins, ſweeten our labours, quicken us on our courſe, cut out our way through dangers and difficulties, and keep us in our way till wee come to the fruition of our end; Therefore 'tis ſaid by the Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 1.9. The Law is not for a Righteous man; Love will ſave the law a labour, the Law is not for a Righteous man, not ſo much at leaſt as for ſinners; not as to the coertion of it, though ſtill as to its obligation, the conſtraint of Love will much ſuperſede the coertion of Laws.
4. The end, Rewards, they have their Reward. Mat. 6. that is, they have their end, the reputation for devout and charitable men, was the end of their Devotion and Charity: They prayed, and faſted, and gave almes, for no other end; and the obtaining that reputation, was their reward. Verily, I ſay unto you, they have their reward.
God is the reward of his Saints, Gen. 15.1. I am thy exceeding great reward, Iſa. 46.4. My judgement is with the Lord, and my reward with my God. God is the reward they [ſhall] receive, and the reward they look to receive, Heb. 11.29. Moſes had [reſpect] to the recompence of reward.
And therefore the Argument is weighty, which Chriſt us'd to diſſwade his Diſciples from being in their Devotions, in their Alms-deeds, as the Phariſees and Hypocrites are; who disfigured their countenances in their faſts; who ſounded a Trumpet to proclaim their Alms, Bee yee not like them, for they have their reward. The Argument was ſtrong to the Diſciples, who being men of another Spirit, could not bee ſatisfied with ſuch a reward.
In theſe two things Saints greatly differ from the men of this world; 1. They are not willing to defer their Duties till hereafter, and
2. They dread it to have their reward here, they would diſpatch their work, and are willing to go upon truſt for their wages: Sinners would have their wages in hand, and bee truſted for their work till hereafter; they would bee happy here, and can bee content to ſtay for holineſs till hereafter; 'tis ſoon enough to bee Saints in Heaven. But Oh! it would bee a dreadful word to Saints, there are thy good things; take them, theſe are thy reward, theſe are not their end; and therefore they cannot take them for their reward.
Poor fooliſh worldlings, how are you diſ-joynted? how are your weary hearts ſcattered through the ends of the earth? how many maſters do you ſerve? how many matters have you to minde? you weary your ſelves in the greatneſs of your way, and what is your reward? What the fields can give, you have; what your ſheep, or your oxen can give you have; what your beds, or your tables, or your houſes, or your cloathes can give you have; here a little, and there a little, you get up, your beds give you eaſe, your houſes ſhelter, your ſports and companions pleaſure, your paraſites honour; and that little you can pick up here and there, this is your reward. Verily I ſay unto you, you have your revvard; unhappy ſouls▪ you are troubled and carefull about many things, for nothing; one thing is needful; and if yet yee will be wiſe, chuſe that good part, which ſhall not bee taken from you.
2. This one heart hath but one thing to do, Philip. 3.13. This one thing I do. There are all things in that one thing; all things needful. How many things ſoever his hand findeth to do, all is but one. Hee intends in all, God. A renewed heart deſigns God, and is making God-wards in all hee does. Whatever journy he goes, 'tis God is his home; whatever race he runs, 'tis God is his mark, and prize. Whatever battel hee fights, againſt fleſh and blood, againſt principalities and powers, 'tis that hee may cut his way through all to his God. What-ever he does, hee does it for God; what-ever hee ſuffers, hee ſuffers for God. When hee hears, or faſts, or prayes, 'tis all for God. When yee faſted, did yee at all faſt to me? Yes to thee, a Chriſtian is able to ſay; hee hath many things to pray for, and faſt for; hee hath bread, and cloaths, and friends, and health, and ſafety, and liberty, to pray for; but in all, hee prayes for God. Hee entitles God to all hee hath, and marks it up for him, and he ſees and enjoyes God in all hee has; hee will not own that for a mercy, that hath not God in it, and is not a foot or wing, to carry him on towards him. And therefore what-ever hee begs to himſelf, 'tis that he may have it for God. What hee gives, he gives to God; whom hee forgives, 'tis for the Lords ſake; whether hee eats, or drinks, or works, or buyes, or ſells, or what-ever elſe hee does, hee does it all to the glory of God. 1 Cor. 10.31. For him hee prayes, for him he waits, for him he labours, for him hee ſuffers, for him hee lives, to him hee dies. To me to live is Chriſt, Phil. 1.21. according to my earneſt expectation and my hope, that in nothing I ſhall bee aſhamed, but that with all boldneſs, as alwayes, ſo now alſo Chriſt may bee magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. This is the one thing hee intends, this is the one thing he ſeeks, in all, take his whole courſe together, hee can ſay with the Apoſtle. This one thing I do, forgetting thoſe things which are behinde, and reaching forth unto thoſe things that are before, I preſs toward the mark, for the price of the high calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus.
3. Hee does what hee does. And that
1. Not feignedly, but really.
2. Not faintly, but heartily.
1. Really. Hee purſues this end, in a plain and honeſt way. He that hath this one heart, hath but one way. Heart and life go hand in hand; he makes ſtrait ſteps to his heart, and his heart makes ſtrait ſteps to his feet, he doth …, and he doth alſo …. As hee looks ſtrait on, ſo hee walks ſtrait on to his mark. Hee doth not look one way, and row another. Hee is a Jacob; a plain man, a plain-dealing man; a Nathanael, in whom is no guile. Hee turns his inſide outwards; his life is not a Cloak, but a Commentary on his heart. The expoſitours of his inward man. His end is in his heart, and his heart is in his face, in his tongue, in his duties, and all his wayes. He is no Politician. 2 Cor. 1.12. Not in fleſhly wiſdom; his Religion is not a blind, or a device to delude the ſimple, hee is down-right, and in earneſt in all hee does. Hee does the ſame thing he ſeems to do; his praying is praying indeed; his faſting, and almes are ſuch indeed; his very profeſſion is practice; he would not believe, nor make others believe, but that hee is what hee is. Hee ſeeks not commendation from men, but approbation with God. His deſign is not inordinately to commend himſelf to the good opinion, though hee would bee made manifeſt in the conſciences of others. Hee would not bee a lye or a cheat. Hee abhorres all lying, but moſt of all a religious lye. He would not lye for God, much leſs againſt him; ſuch a lye is as blaſphemy to him. Hee loves not Images; hee would have a ſoul in all his practices. A prayer without a ſoul, a ſacrifice without an heart, a religious carkaſs is an abomination to him. Hee would not make ſuch a noble medium as Religion, to ſerve to ſo baſe an end, as the ſerving the fleſh.
Hee hath other work to do than to ſerve times or tables; then to pleaſe himſelf or men; than to ſerve wills, or humours, or luſts; hee hath a ſoul, a conſcience, a God to look after; he hath but one buſineſs to do, but one Maſter to ſerve; if hee be a Magiſtrate, he rules for God; if he bee a Miniſter, hee preaches for God; if he bee a Parent, he educates for God; if hee bee a Maſter hee governs for God; to him he dedicates himſelf and his houſe; hee writes on his doors, this is Bethel, this is none other but the houſe of God. If he be a childe or a ſervant, he obeyes in the Lord and for the Lord; he knows he hath to do with God in all hee does; when hee is dealing with men, with his friends, with his family, in his calling, in his recreations, in all hee hath to do with God: and hee can take comfort in nothing, but what God will take pleaſure in. Thou haſt no pleaſure in iniquity. Thou loveſt truth in the inward parts. And there's no truth in the inward parts, but when there's truth alſo in the outward parts: when the heart, and tongue, and wayes agree. 'Tis vain to ſay, mine heart is good, when the ways are naught. A falſe tongue, deceitful wayes: will give the lye to the heart. Hee cannot ſubſiſt, longer than hee hath ſmiles from heaven. Communion with God is his life, his all is in God. His heart dies, when that fountain is ſtopp'd. If hee cannot have clearneſs, and boldneſs in the preſence of God, hee can no longer look himſelf in the face, but bluſhes and hangs downs his head with ſhame. Hee values not either the applauſe, or the ſcorns of men, ſo hee may have a witneſs of his acceptance with God. O Lord, doſt thou regard? wilt thou accept of me? 'tis enough. Let all the world call me, Thou Fool, Thou Phariſee, Thou Hypocrite, ſo the Lord will ſay, my childe, 'tis well. 'Tis falſely ſpoken, 'tis fooliſhly, 'tis weakly done; 'tis pride, 'tis ſingularity, 'tis ſcrupuloſity; thus the world cry; let them alone oh my ſoul, I will hearken what the Lord God will ſay; if hee ſaies, Thou haſt been faithful; I will hearken what conſcience will ſay, if it ſays well done, let all elſe ſay what they pleaſe; this is my rejoycing, mine onelyonly rejoycing, the teſtimony of my conſcience, that in all ſimplicity and godly ſincerity, not in fleſhly wiſdom, but by the grace of God I had my converſation in the world.
2. Heartily. What-ever hee does for God, he does it with a good will. Hee hath caſt up all his buſineſs into one, and hee is intent upon it. Hee works righteouſneſs, as ſinners work wickedneſs; with both hands, earneſtly, Micah 7.3. Hee is religious in good earneſt, hee prayes in good earneſt, he hears in good earneſt, hee runs in good earneſt; the powers of his ſoul being all united in one chanel, run more ſtrongly, his many ſprings falling all into one ſtream, make a river, that bears down all bayes before it. The Pſalmiſt prays, Pſal. 86.11. Ʋnite mine heart to fear thy Name. Unite my heart to thee, and unite mine heart in it ſelf, that it may all run toward thee. Unite my heart to fear, and ſo unite my heart to love thy name, unite mine heart to ſerve, and follow, and live to thee. As if he ſhould have ſaid, O my God, mine heart is divided, and diſcompoſed, ſcattered up and down, I know not where; my pleaſures have a part, my eſtate hath a part, my friends have a part, my family hath a part, there's little or none left for God; I have too many things to fear, too many things to love, and care for, too many things to ſerve and follow, to follow the Lord with any ſtrength or intention of mind. Call in all Lord, all my parts, all my powers, command their joynt and united attendance upon thee. 1 Pet. 1.13,14,15. Gird up the loyns of your mind, and bee ſober, and hope to the end (in the original 'tis hope perfectly) for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jeſus Christ. As obedient children not faſhioning your ſelves according to the former luſts in your ignorance, but as hee which hath called you is holy, ſo bee yee holy in all manner of converſation. Gird up the loyns of your minds. Gird and bee ſober, gird and hope perfectly, gird and bee obedient, gird and bee holy. Here 'tis true ungirt and unbleſt, ungirt and unholy: the girding is the gathering in the ſtrength of the heart to its work. Epheſ. 6.14. Stand with your loyns girt. [Stand] do not gird and ungird, ſtand alwayes girt; call in your hearts, and hold them in; be alwaies in a readineſs to every duty, in a readineſs againſt every temptation. Oh how looſe are wee! what looſe praying, and looſe hearing, and looſe meditation, and looſe walkings, do wee ſatisfie our ſelves with! our hearts are to ſeek, our thoughts and affections are gadding abroad, we know not where to finde them, and our work is done thereafter. Wee excuſe our non-proficiency in Religion, by our many hindrances; by the difficulties of our work; but the great hindrance lies here, our loyns are ungirded, our hearts are not united in our work, nor intent upon it. When God and the things of eternity are gotten ſo deep into the heart, when there is ſuch a deep ſenſe, of the weight and importance, of the things that are eternal, abiding upon us, as over-powers; carnal objects, and looſens the heart from them; when wee feel the evidence, and the conſequence of theſe things commanding our whole ſoules after them, then there's Religion in earneſt; then wee go on and proſper. And thus 'tis with this one heart, there are not ſome light touches onelyonly upon it; God is gotten deep into it, eternity is gotten deep into it, this is all; this is all I have to minde or do. My hope, my comforts, my life, my ſoul, all hang upon this one thing; if I ſpeed well here, I am made for ever. What have I to do in the way of Egypt, or to drink of the waters of Sihor? what have I to do in the way of Aſſyria? what have I to do in the way of pleaſure? What have I to do in the way of the World? To build Tabernacles for my ſelf here below, or to drink the waters of mine own Ciſteron? How little am I concerned in the intereſt of this fleſh? VVhat matter's it, what becomes of it, or which way it goes? My God, my God, my ſoul, my ſoul, there lies my concernment; of theſe let my care onelyonly bee. Get thee behind me Satan, hold thy peace ſinful fleſh, keep ſilence worldly cares; hinder mee not, ſpeak no more to me of hearkening to you, away from mee ye evil-doers, I will keep the Commandements of my God; Let others do what they will, run whither they pleaſe, chuſe whom they will ſerve, what they will follow after; come my ſoul, follow thou the Lord, gird up thy loyns and come away; for the other world, for the other world; make haſte, linger not, let others loyter as they will, eſcape for thy life, look not behinde thee, get thee up to the Mountain and live.
Object. One Heart, why 'tis never more two; Two men, a new man and an old, two Nations, two ſelfs, there are twins in the womb of every Saint; the ungodly ſeem more one than they, all for ſin, and for Hell; all dark, all hard, all but one ſtone.
Sol. Yet 'tis true, the Saints, and they onelyonly have but this one heat; For,
1. The old heart is not an heart, the old ſelf is not the ſelf; this old man is not the man, this is not hee, that's the heart, that hath gotten the dominion, and the rule in the man. The new heart hath the dominion; though Sin as Eſau, bee the firſt born, yet the elder muſt now ſerve the younger; the old man is but a dead man, Col. 3.3. Yee are dead, that is, your old man is dead, your ſin is ſlain and Crucified with Chriſt, and when 'tis dead, you may ſay 'tis not.
2. The meaning plainly is, I will give them one heart; that is, a ſingle, ſincere upright heart; they ſhall bee no longer an Hypocritical people. If there bee ſomething of Hypocriſie in them, yet Hypocrites they ſhall no longer bee; their hearts ſhall bee upright before mee; ſincerity ſtands in pitching upon chuſing, and giving up our hearts to God, as our chief good, and laſt end. When God is our all, there is perfection, and when God is our chief, there is ſincerity. I ſay, when God is our all, when the world hath nothing left in us, to entice or draw out our ſouls after it, but God carries them wholly without any the leaſt liking, or luſting after ſinful objects, there's perfection; This is not attainable here; the heart cannot bee thus perfectly one, till corruption hath put on incorruption; But though it bee not perfectly, yet it may bee ſincerely one, and then 'tis ſo, when however, the fleſh hath too great an intereſt in it, and influence upon it, and often pulls it aſide, and puts it back; yet it ſtill bends its courſe Heaven wards, and that way the ſtream, and ſtrength of the ſoul is running, the fleſh will bee putting in for a part; it would have all, it would not take its turns with God; God will not take his turns with the fleſh, hee will have all or none; and the fleſh would not take its turnes with him; it is not contented with now and then, it would not bee ſerved in the fields, or in the ſhop, or at the Table, or in the bed onelyonly, but in the Church, in the Chamber, in the Cloſet; 'twould carry away all from God, but if it cannot have all, 'twill divide with God; where-ever God is ſerved, the fleſh will bee putting in for its ſhare. The beſt of Chriſtians feel too great a truth in this; their frequent humblings, and mournings, and breakings, and ſelf-ſhamings before the Lord, are moſtly upon this account; This is the voice of their deepeſt groanings, and bittereſt tears; the burthens of their mournful groans. I cannot do the things that I would; when I would do good evil is preſent with me; with my minde I ſerve the Law of God, but with my fleſh the Law of ſin; Woe is me my ſoul, how am I ſtraitned? how am I divided Whither am I hurried? wherewithall do I come before thee Lord? Oh! what halting, and heartleſs, and diſtracted duties, do I ſerve my God withal? This fleſh eats up the fat, and the beſt; and onelyonly the lame, and the lean, and the ſick, are left for a Sacrifice to the Lord. Woe is mee, my leanneſs, my leanneſs: my God, my God, how art thou ſerved? how art thou robbed of thy due? theſe ſtrangers are gotten into thy Sanctuary, and eat up all thy pleaſant things, and what have they left thee?
Such are their complaints, and their very complaints are their comfort, and the witneſs of their ſincerity, whilſt they can with openneſs of heart make their approach and appeal to God; yet thou art my Lord, thou art my God, and I will ſerve thee. I have choſen thee as mine heritage for ever, and I will wait for thy ſalvation. Hear the ſighing of thy priſoner, deliver thy captive; mine heart is with thee, let not this fleſh intrench upon thy light, let ſin no longer reign in my mortal body; let mee have no more to do with the Throne of iniquity, unty the cords, looſe the fetters, bring my ſoul out of priſon, ſearch mee, O Lord, and know mine heart, prove me, and know my thoughts; Is there any [way] of wickedneſs in mee? do I willingly go after the Commandments? Do I [regard] iniquity in mine heart? Here it lies, 'tis true, it warres, and raiſes tumults, and inſurrections againſt thee; but do I reſign up my ſelf to it? is it a pleaſure to mee? am I at peace with it? O Lord, thou knoweſt. I cannot get rid of it, I cannot doe the things that I would, I cannot pray as I would, nor hear as I would, nor think, nor ſpeak, nor live as I would; whither I goe, ſin goes with mee; where I lodge, it lodges; If I ſit ſtill, it abides with me; If I run from it, it follows me; I can neither reſt nor work, I can do nothing for it. I can do nothing for it, and yet bleſſed bee thy name, this one thing I do; what I cannot attain, I follow after; I cannot conquer, yet I fight againſt it; I wreſtle with it, though it ſo often give mee the fall. I truſt it not, though it flatter me; I love it not, though it feed mee; I proſtitute not my ſelf unto it, though it commits ſo many a rape upon mee; my heart is with thee Lord, my foot is making after thee; I groan, I travel in pain, waiting for thy redemption; till I die I vvill not give over. I will die fighting, I will die hoping, I vvill die praying, Save me, O Lord, make no long tarrying, O my God.
And thus you have the deſcription of this one heart. It pitches on one end, and God is that end. It gives him the place of the end, hee is its firſt and laſt. It gives him the power of the end; this one thing the obtaining of God to be theirs, draws them on, guides, governs them, in their whole courſe, and is accepted by them as their onelyonly and exceeding great reward. This inſtructs them, this rules, and encourages them, calls them off from ſin, calls them on to duty, carries them out in ſuffering; all their powers are united in this one buſineſs; all their arguments are reſolved into this one argument; all their rewards are ſumm'd up in this one reward. God ſhall bee glorified, and therein my ſoul ſhall bee ſatisfied; God ſhall bee mine, and glory ſhall bee his.
In all this wee ſee what this one heart means, but oh how little of this Grace have wee received? how many hearts have wee! how many gods have wee, to divide theſe hearts betwixt them? how ſmall a corner.
How low a place, muſt the Lord take up with us if hee will have any at all? how often is hee made to ſtand aſide, or to ſtoop to a luſt, God made to give place to the devil? Is God our All indeed, have wee none elſe to pleaſe, have wee none elſe to ſerve? have wee no portion, no inheritance, no other God but the Lord? Is hee out Alpha and Omega, our firſt and our laſt? our ſpring and our ocean, our ſumme and our ſcope? the riſe and the reſt of all our motions? what-ever our tongues ſpeak, do our hearts alſo and our lives ſay, To mee to live is Christ? none but God? none but Chriſt? nothing but heaven, and glory? when wee are driving ſo hard for our fleſh, for our pride, for our eaſe, for our gain, when wee are ſo buſie this vvay, and ſo hearty and ſo zealous this vvay; vvhen theſe muſt have ſo great a ſhare in our Religion, Is this ſtill the voice, To me to live is Chriſt? Oh how little power hath the Lord vvith us! hovv far is it that the ſingle intereſt of God vvill carry our ſouls? hovv little is done purely for God? wee have often many ſtrings to our bow: there are ſome ſervices, wherein there is ſomething coming to the fleſh, as well as to the name of God. Some credit, or honour, ſome outward advantage to bee gotten by Religion; but when all the other ſtrings crack, but this one; when there's nothing to move us but God, oh how weak do our motions grow? The fleſh often goes partner with God; there's a double trade driving in the ſame actions; a trade for heaven, and a trade earth together; there's ſomething to bee gotten by our religion, beſides what's coming to God; there are fields, and vineyards, and olive-yards, friends, and honours, and preferments; as it ſometimes falls out, when godlineſs is in the riſing ſide; and when 'tis thus, we go ſmoothly and vigorouſly on. Come ſee the zeal that I have for the Lord of Hoſts. But when the intereſt of God, and the fleſh divide, and part aſunder; when the fleſh is like to bee a loſer by our Religion; when God puts us on ſuch duty, as will ſpend upon the fleſh, and eat out, and devour its intereſt; when our hearts tell us as Deborah did Barak, Judg. 4. This will not bee for thine honour, or this will not bee for thine eaſe, or thy ſafety; then what becomes of our zeal? oh how heavily do we then drive on? how ſeldome is it that this word (yet God ſhall bee glorified) will ballance all the prejudices, and confute all the croſs reaſonings of the fleſh, and carry us on our way, without and againſt it.
How little hath the Lord of the government of us? if hee doth govern as a King, yet how little, as our end? how little doth goodneſs govern? how little will love do with us? wee muſt have rigour, and ſeverity; wee muſt have ſpurres, and goads, and rods, and ſtripes, and ſcorpions too, and all little enough, to drive us back from thoſe other gods which wee have choſen, and to bring us on after the Lord. If the Law be not made for the righteous; if they need not a Law, then what are we, whom a Law will not ſuffice? if commands, threatnings, terrours, penalties, judgments, can do no more upon us; if wee are yet ſo looſe, and ſo carnal, and ſo earthly, and ſo froward, and ſo falſe, and ſo formal, under ſevereſt diſcipline; if wee will not bee whip'd into more humility, ſpirituallity, ſelf-denial, watchfulneſs, care, activity, zeal; but are ſuch drones, and ſuch ſleepers, ſuch earth-worms, and ſuch ſenſualliſts ſtill, under all the corrections and compulſions of the law; oh what ſhould we be, did wee want a law? were there nothing but love, to reſtrain us from ſin, and conſtrain and quicken us to duty?
Chriſtians, have wee but one thing to do, in all wee do? ſometimes wee are buſie in doing nothing. Though there bee a Prayer in our mouths, the praiſes of God in our mouths; Chriſt, heaven, holineſs, glory, a new heart, a new life upon our tongues; there's nothing within; no prayer, no praiſe, no Chriſt, nor heaven; what have we been often doing, in the cloſet, in the family, in the congregation, when wee ſeemed to have been praying? nothing, nothing, but ſowing wind and good words. Sometimes we have too many things in our hearts; what a world of carnal devices, and fleſhly projects have wee wrapt up in the garment of our Religion? Peter's ſheet had not a more heterogeneous miſcellany of creatures; four-footed beaſts, wilde beaſts, creeping things, and fowls of the air; than our religious duties have of deſignes and ends. Wee have men to pleaſe, our pride, our bellies, to offer ſacrifice to; wee bring our farms, and our oxen, and our trades before the Lord; are not our hearts, which ſhould bee the houſes of prayer, the houſes of merchandiſe? are wee not talking, or purſuing, or in a journey, or a ſleep, or driving bargains? O Chriſtians, if wee were privy to one anothers hearts, as God is privy to them; what abominations ſhould wee ſee, brought into the holy places? What monſters would our moſt ſacred ſervices appear? VVhichWhich whilſt the out-ſide is onelyonly viewed, are applauded and admired. Is this our ſingleneſs of heart? Oh! for ſhame, and bluſhing, and confuſion of face; Oh! for a Vail to hide ſuch hearts from the jealous eyes of the holy God, a varniſh a fair out-ſide, hides all from men; but nothing but a dark Vail, of ſhame and ſorrow, and tears, and repentance; a Vail dipt in Blood, in the blood of Chriſt; will hide them from the eyes of the Lord.
Oh how little plainneſs and ſingleneſs of heart is there, in our ordinary courſe; in our dealings and converſings in the VVorld? how little faith, or truth is there in us? how little truſt is there to us? what doubling, what deceitful dealing, defrauding, over-reaching, undermining, are wee guilty of? how falſe are wee in our promiſes? how inſignificant are our words? what an uncertain ſound do they give? our yea may often ſtand for nay, and our nay for yea, Pſal. 12.2. They ſpeak vanity, every one with his neighbour, with flattering lips and a double heart do they ſpeak; truſt yee not in a friend, put not confidence in a guide.
Bleſſed bee God, the Lord hath a Generation, on whom this cannot bee charged. Children that will not lye, nor deceive; though Satan and this evil world, binde up all in a bundle; they are all naught, they are all falſe, vain boaſters, and deceitful workers, there's none up-right, no not one; but thanks bee to God, Satan is a lyer; the accuſer of the Brethren, is a falſe accuſer. God hath his children that will not lye. But woe bee to thoſe profeſſours by reaſon of whom the offence cometh.
Chriſtians, hath God promiſed to give you one heart? Let it bee once ſaid, this day is this Scripture fulfilled; O may you bee the accompliſhment of this good word. Hath God promiſed to give you one heart? Do not you ſay, but I will not take it; two are better than one: I have found ſo much the ſweet of deceit, that there's no life like it; Hath God ſaid, I will give one heart? let not any one among you ſay, But I fear he will not. Make not the promiſe of God of none effect, either by your impiety or unbelief: Doth God promiſe to give this one heart? hee that promiſed it, doth alſo require it. Bee thy ſelf Chriſtian: Let it bee ſaid thou art what thou art, bee true, bee but one; have but one heart, and let thy one heart have but one tongue, but one face; and but one thing to do. Beware of hypocriſie, beware of carnal policy; make not thy God to ſerve thy fleſh; call not the ſerving of thy fleſh, a ſerving of God, and make not thy ſerving of God to bee a ſerving of the fleſh. Bee not divided betwixt God and the World: O how eaſie would our lives bee, did we finde our whole ſouls running one way? taking up w th God as the adequate object of all our powers? the marke of all our motions, and the reward of all our labours? did all our ſtreams empty themſelves into this Ocean, and all our lines meet in this one center? Did God onelyonly draw and allure our hearts, and the ſincerity of our hearts, give motion to all our wheels? Guide our eyes, govern our tongues, order our ſteps, animate our duties, direct and quicken us in all our goings? Oh how ſweet, oh how beautiful, were ſuch a life? the Sympathy betwixt our hearts and end, there's ſweetneſs; the harmony of our hearts and waies, there's beauty. O how ſweet are the drawings of love, the free and full cloſure of our Spirits with God, diſſolving themſelves into his Will acquieſſing, reſting ſatisfyed in his goodneſs, is a ſweetneſs which no man knows, but hee that taſtes it; the harmony of the power of the ſoul within its ſelf of its motions and actions in the life, there's the beauty, which will eclipſe the glory of the world. Chriſtian bee it thus with thee, and thou haſt the bleſſing, that covenant bleſſing, which the Lord hath promiſed, in ſaying, I will give them one heart.