Instructions About Heart-Work, Text (8 of 8)

Instructions About Heart-Work · Text (8 of 8)

p. 280Brethren beloved, whoever among you that fear the Lord, I would fain do what I can, to prepare you an holy habitation for the holy one; that whereas he hath ſaid 2 Cor. 6.16. I will dwell with them and walk in them, you may be ſuch in whom his Soul may delight to dwell, that he may ſay of you all, as Pſal. 132.14. This is my reſt for ever here will I dwell for I have deſired it. It is a ſtrange expreſſion; the holy God ſpeaks this to all his holy ones; to thee in particular, to thine heart if it be but a clean heart; the Almighty God ſays to thee, there is my reſt, in that heart of thine will I dwell, for I have deſired it; the Lord God hath a deſire to be thy Gueſt, hath a deſire to that poor Soul of thine, to take it up for his own dwelling. I would that you may be preſented at laſt unſpotted and unreproveable in his ſight, and to this end p. 281that you may be preſented holy at laſt, I would that you may be preſerved holy and without blame at preſent; O look to thoſe hearts, keep you pure, let there be written upon you, holineſs to the Lord; they ſhould be a little heaven into which nothing that defileth ſhould enter. O purge your ſelves of whatever may offend and then guard your ſelves againſt it. This is my warning to you; and this is my prayer for you, that the very God of Peace, will ſanctifie you wholly, and I pray God that your whole Spirit, Soul and Body may be preſerved blameleſs againſt the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. And to him I commend you, who is able to keep you from falling, and to preſent you faultleſs before the preſence of his Glory, with exceeding joy, to him be Gloro for ever, Amen.

3. Againſt Diſtempers. A good temper of heart, will be an advantage to us, in any thing we have to do. An heart out of temper is like a bone out of joint, or like a Tempeſtuous Sea, there's no good ſailing in it. We cannot keep our way, but ſhall be driven about, this way and that way, with every wind and wave. An heart out of temper, is like a door off the hinges, or a Chariot off the Wheels; it draggs and goes untowardly and heavily on.

O how often are our Souls unhinged, our Chariots off the wheels, or our wheels without oyl, and then what pitiful work do we make, at any thing we have to do! when we have been in a crowd of worldly buſineſs, or been fooliſhly merry and vain, what a diſcompoſure do we find upon our Souls, and how unfit are we then for duty? when we come to pray or to hear, what labour doth it coſt us, to reconcile our hearts to our Duties, or to get us into a praying or hearing frame. We come to pray, as a Muſitian comes to play, when his Inſtrument is out of Tune; he muſt ſpend a good deal of his time in tuneing, before one ſtroke can be ſtrook. How much work have we, to tune our hearts at ſuch times, and it may be at laſt, 'tis more then we can do; and ſo we muſt either let the duty alone, or make ſuch ſad melody in the Ears of the Lord, as a Muſitian would do in ours, who ſhould play on his Inſtrument, when every ſtring is out of tune.

Get your hearts in temper, and keep them ſo. Be able to ſay with the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 57.7. O God mine heart is fixed mine heart is fixed; The good temper of the p. 282heart notes, freedom and towardlineſs and diſpoſedneſs, for any thing God calls to, and firmneſs and ſtability in that towardlineſs. Let your hearts be eſtabliſhed in Good. Let there be an abiding holy temper upon your Spirits, ſome of the diſtempers that we ſhould guard our hearts againſt, are

1. Slightneſs and vanity of Spirit. A well tempered heart is a ſerious heart. Seriouſneſs of heart, is as ballaſt to a Ship, we ſhall go ſteadily whilſt our hearts are ſerious. 1 Pet. 1.13. Gird up the loyns of your minds, and be ſober. Soberneſs here, is the ſame with ſeriouſneſs. Chriſtians are always engaged about ſerious and weighty things, their Eternity is concern'd in every day they live, and in every thing they do. Every action of our Lives, is a ſtroke at that work, which muſt have an influence upon our Eternal State. We have weighty work lying upon our hands every day, and hour, and how unſuitable is a ſlight and trifling Spirit, to important affairs? a ſlight heart is an empty and ſhallow heart, and a ſhallow heart is unfit to meddle in the deep things of God.

Watch againſt ſlightneſs of Spirit. Frothineſs and Vanity becomes not a Chriſtian at any time; we may ſay of the frolicks and light and jovial lives, of the carnal world, as Solomon ſays of laughter, Eccl. 2.2. I ſaid of laughter it it is mad. A Chriſtian is beſides himſelf, when he indulgeth to a vain and frothy Spirit. Friends, 'tis not for us to live in jeſt; Eternal Life and Death are no jeſting matters; learn to live in good earneſt; thoſe that are light and vain, that are little elſe but froth and vapour, in their ordinary Courſe, do uſe to be but little better in their moſt ſerious Duties. O what ſlight praying is there amonſt us, what ſhallow and empty Duties do our ſlight and trifling hearts ſatisfie themſelves withal? it may be, ſome of us, when we have ſpent a whole Sabbath with the Lord, if we do reflect upon the temper we have been in, may ſometimes find, that we have hardly had a ſerious hour, in a whole day If they ſhould be asked, as Chriſt asked his Diſciples, Mat. 26.40. What could ye not watch with me one hour? what could ye not be ſerious with me, one hour? what could we anſwer? what returns do you think, ſlight and triflling duties are like to have? Look to it, God will give you but a ſlight anſwer, if you be but ſlight in ſeeking. O be ſober, be ſerious; and if you p. 283would be ſerious in your moſt ſolemn duties, get this holy ſeriouſneſs to be your temper. Beware of a vain and frothy habit, habituate your ſelves to Godly ſeriouſneſs; not but that there muſt be at times, ſome little Relaxation, the bow would grow weak, if it ſhould ſtand always bent. But then,

1. Relaxation or remitting the intention of our Spirits, muſt be but ſhort, and no more than neceſſary.

2. Never ſuch as to be an hindrance to ſeriouſneſs afterward, though I muſt ſometimes unbend, yet I would never unhinge my Soul, or disjoint or diſcompoſe it, for its return to its work. We muſt not be of thoſe, whoſe lives be in jeſt, and only now and then a fit of ſeriouſneſs; 'tis thy life, thine ordinary courſe, thine ordinary frame, and only ſome little intervals for Recreation.

To ſeecure your ſelves againſt the diſtemper of a ſlight and vain Spirit, get a deep and ſtanding ſenſe upon your hearts, of the weight and importance of thoſe great concerns, that are dayly upon you: look more into Eternity. Remember, you have an immortal God, whoſe eye is always upon you. You have an immortal Soul, that muſt live or die for ever. Your buſineſs in this World, is not to pleaſe your humours, and gratifie your fleſh, and your fancies, but to ſerve the living God; to ſecure this God to your ſelves, to be [your] God; to ſeek your peace and reconciliation with God; and to that end, to make Chriſt the reconciler, ſure to you; to ſerve the Lord Chriſt and hereby to ſecure the Salvation of your Soul.

Remember that you have this great work lying upon you, and this is not the work of ſome ſhort inches of your time, of an hour in a day, or one day in a week; but that this muſt be your every days work, and your all days work. Think often, what if I ſhould miſcarry in this great work, if I ſhould loyter out, or laugh out, or trifle out ſo much of my time, that when I ſhall come to die, and away for the other world, I ſhould find that work I liv'd for here, were not done or but half done, or but ſlightly done? if I ſhould then find, that I had been light and vain in my Converſation, and but ſlight and ſhallow in my Religion? and whilſt I was allowing my fleſh, what it would have, I cut my Soul ſhort of what it ſhould have had. Death will p. 284make every one of you ſerious, the Grave, when you are ſtepping into it, will make you all in good earneſt. And how would your living in jeſt, or in pleaſant idleneſs, then look upon you? remember theſe things daily; let deep thoughts of them, come daily upon you; and this would put you out of your ſlight and merry tune; the ſenſe of theſe ſerious things would hold you in a ſerious temper.

2. Looſeneſs. There's a double looſeneſs.

1. Such as is oppoſite to fixedneſs, that's the ſame, with lightneſs and vanity of heart; a whiffling in and out unſtable Soul, a ſlippery heart, that we never know where to have it.

2. Such as is oppoſite to ſtrictneſs; that is the ſame with licentiouſneſs, and that is it, which I am now to ſpeak to. A Licentious heart is a diſtempered heart. The contrary to this Diſtemper, is the compliance or cloſing of the heart with the Rule, and keeping to it The new heart is made after the pattern of Chriſt its new Lord; there's the ſame Spirit in a Chriſtian, which was in Chriſt; as he was, ſo are we in this world, 1 Joh. 4.17. His very Spirit and Image is formed upon our hearts. And it is conformed to the new Law or Rule, which Chriſt hath preſcribed to it, and it ſtands determined for ſtrictneſs or exactneſs of walking, according to this rule; whereof the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, Gal. 6.16. As many as walk according to this Rule, peace be unto them. That is a ſtrict heart, which is determined and diſpoſed to live by Rule. Licentiouſneſs of heart is the hearts allowing and indulging its Liberty, and Latitude in its Courſe. Chriſtianity in general, is that which it takes up, but it will not be held within the limits of it. The ſtrait Gate and the narrow way, is too ſtrait and too narrow for it. That way it pretends to have choſen, but it will be breaking over the hedge, as the Inclinations and Intereſt of the Fleſh lead it. In ſome things a Chriſtian, in other things a Libertine.

O how much of this Licentiouſneſs of heart, is to be found amonſt Chriſtians! amonſt all the Chriſtians amongſt us, how few exact and ſtrict Chriſtians are there? whoſe hearts determine for exactneſs and ſtrictneſs of life, who impoſe and charge upon themſelves, the whole Rule and the diligent obſerving of every point and tittle of it? ſuch exactneſs in point of Practiſe, we cannot in this imperfect ſtate reach unto; in many things we offend p. 285all. Jam. 3.2. Our feet ſlip, and our ſteps are turning aſide every day; but it is the indulging our ſelves a liberty for this turning aſide, or the hearts not charging ſtrictneſs upon it, that is this Licentiouſneſs of heart.

There is a gradual Licentiouſneſs of heart, and there is a total Licentiouſneſs. A total Licentiouſneſs is of ſuch, who utterly reject the Yoke of Chriſt, and will not come under his Government, but will reſign up themſelves to Luſt and carnal Inclinations, to command in Chief over them. As thoſe Epheſ. 2.3. Who walked in the lusts of their fleſh, fulfilling the deſires of the fleſh and of the mind. Such Licentious ones are no Chriſtians; if they have the name, yet the heart of a Chriſtian is not found in them. Gradual Licentiouſneſs is, when the heart, though it hath put it ſelf under the Yoke of Chriſt, and reſigned up its ſelf to be governed by him, in oppoſition to the luſts of the fleſh and the World, yet often falls a luſting after that liberty, from the exactneſs and ſeverities of Chriſtianity, which in the general it hath profeſſed to conſent and yeild its ſelf unto. And though the decree of the Soul, for following Chriſt in every thing, be not made void, and utterly broken, yet it is ſo remiſs and weak, that it will not hold it cloſely in; but there is a frequent breaking looſe from the rule, and the heart too often indulgeth its ſelf that liberty: How far forth a Chriſtian may break looſe from the Rule, and how far forth he may indulge and allow himſelf at times, and yet be a Chriſtian ſtill, is not eaſie to determine; but this is certain that every degree of this heart looſneſs, is a pernicious diſtemper, that muſt be watched againſt; eſpecially if it riſe ſo high, as that there be a diſlike of ſtrictneſs, and ſuch a groaning under the ſeverities of Religion, as maketh it ſeem a bondage to it, to be tied up ſo ſhort. The more of this, the higher the Diſeaſe is, and the more to be doubted whether ſuch mens Chriſtianity be ſound. The ſtricteſt Chriſtian is the moſt healthful, and the moſt evidently a Chriſtian indeed; and the greater latitude the heart indulges its ſelf to, the more ſickly the Soul is; if it be not quite dead, and no Chriſtian at all.

Friends, You that are Chriſtians indeed, if you know what you have done, you have vowed the greatneſs ſtrictneſs poſſible. That is, to preſs on towards it, and to reach out after it▪ You did not Covenant to follow Chriſt p. 286to ſuch a degree, and no higher; to advance in Religion to ſuch a pitch, and no more; you did not Covenant for thus much Obedience; thus much duty, thus much diligence, thus much Zeal, and no more; if ye be Chriſtians indeed, you have covenanted to follow the Lord fully; to watch to every Duty, to watch againſt every ſin; to preſs on to the higheſt pitch of holineſs, to do to the utmoſt to pleaſe the Lord. If there were any reſerve, in your vow to Chriſt, of any little liberty to the Fleſh, of any limit of your zeal and care; if there were any ſuch reſerve, you are falſe in your Covenant, and but falſe Chriſtians.

O friends, have you vowed the greateſt ſtrictneſs? then watch againſt the leaſt degrees of looſeneſs. Get a ſettled Judgment, of the excellency and neceſſity of ſtrictneſs; get an hearty love and good liking of it; let your Souls be bent upon it, let it be your deſire, and your aim, and your hope, and your labour, to hold you cloſe by Chriſt; and if you would not have licentious practiſes abound in your life, let no licentious Principles, no licentious affections neſt themſelves in your hearts; ſee that there be no luſt after any other liberty, then Chriſt hath allowed you. Get to be heartily well pleaſed with all the Laws of Chriſt; with his narroweſt ways; let that latitude of Religion, which is the meaſure of carnal diſciples, be your fear and not your deſire. And if you feel any itch after it, look upon it as a diſeaſe, and diſtemper of your heart. Count thy ſelf but a weakly and ſickly Chriſtian, whilſt is is thus with thee.

Know that it is your greateſt Excellency; if Holineſs be an Excellency, then the more ſtrictly holy the more Excellent. Yea and you will find it your greateſt Liberty; the more holineſs the more enlargement of your hearts, to all the holy ways of God. Pſal. 119.44, 45. I will keep thy law continually, &c. And I will walk at liberty; his meaning was not, I will walk licentiouſly, at liberty from thy Laws, at liberty from Rule; but I will walk freely in thy ways, when thou ſhalt knock off my fetters that hinder me. The more we can hold in, and inure our ſelves, to be punctual in our Religion, the more freedom ſhall we find, and with the more eaſe and delight ſhall we run the way of Gods Commands.

p. 287And know this, that by how much the more looſe you are from the ways of God, by ſo much the more looſe from God; and what will you have to comfort you, what will you have to ſweeten Religion to you, whilſt God is at a diſtance from you? Keep you faſt to him, and you ſhall live the more under his reviving, and refreſhing influences. Religion hath its troubles and its harſhneſs, and you will have little elſe then the harſhneſs of it, longer then you keep you cloſe to the Lord. The Waters of the Sanctuary will taſt but brackiſh to you, longer then the Sun ſhines upon them; a little Sun-ſhine from above, a ſmile from the Face of God, this is the ſweetneſs, this is the Bleſſedneſs. Keep cloſe to God, and you ſhall keep the paſſage clear between Heaven and your Hearts. Religion will be like Ephraims Idolatry. Hoſ. 8.7. It will be but a dry ſtalk, the Bud will yield no Meat. There will be the Labours of it, and the Troubles of it, but no Meat for your Souls to feed upon, longer then you meet with God in your Duties. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you, Jam. 4.8. Keep cloſe by God, and he will keep cloſe to you: May be, ſome of you have never yet taſted how Gracious the Lord is, nor will you ever be like to do, if you ſet not in cloſer in his ways. Looſe Religion will keep you ſtill in the dark, and in a weary and uncomfortable State. There's no ſuch way to make Chriſt's ways pleaſant, as by keeping conſtantly in them; no ſuch way to make Chriſts Yoke eaſie, as by holding it cloſe to your Necks; it never ſo galls and wrings, as when it hangs looſely on; reſolve upon ſtrictneſs, and you ſhall taſte the ſweetneſs. Hold you in from running out after the Pleaſures of the Fleſh, and the Face of God will be a pleaſure to you, which the Diſtemper of a looſe and carnal Heart will certainly deprive you of; and hinder you from the reliſh, or finding delight therein.

3. Liſtleſneſs. A dull untoward, ſluggiſh, unactive, lifeleſs temper, where the Edge of our Spirits is blunted, inſomuch that whatever opportunities we have, or whatever calls we have to be doing for God, or our Souls, we have no liſt to them, but through the way-wardneſs and and untowardneſs of our hearts, we let them ſlip, and either do nothing, or nothing to purpoſe. Opportunities are a price put into our hands, but by reaſon of this ſluggiſh, liſtleſs, untoward temper, we have no heart to p. 288them; but became like the Fool, Prov. 17.16. In vain is there a price put into the hands of a Fool, which hath no heart to it. This is a wretched and pernicious Diſtemper.

2. It proceeds from an evil cauſe, From the carnality of our hearts, and our unſuitableneſs to the work of God. It is ungrateful and unpleaſing work to us; our hearts are ſo contrary to it, we had rather be any where then with God, we had rather be about any work, then the work of our Souls. We can be brisk and ſprightful about our carnal and earthly employments, but for any thing of Religion, there we dragg and go heavily on; we are all Soul and Life, in what we have to do for our Fleſh, but our hearts hang backward, and come but heavily and untowardly on, to do any thing for God. This is from the little intereſt that God hath in our Souls, and the little affection we bear to him. We are yet carnal, and that's the reaſon we have ſo little Edge or ſo little liſt to ſpiritual things.

2. It is an ill ſign. What ill ſign is it? 'Tis a ſign of want of Grace; either that we have no Grace at all, or at leaſt are but very low in the Grace of God; that our day is yet but a day of ſmall things. Where is our Faith in Chriſt, when we are ſo backward in the work of Faith; As Chriſt ſayd, Mat. 14.31. Wherefore doſt thou doubt ſo, wherefore doſt thou drag ſo, O thou of little Faith? Where's our Love to Chriſt, when our work for Chriſt goes ſo ſlowly on? 2 Cor. 5.14. The Love of Chriſt conſtrains us. The Love of Chriſt will quicken us, the Love of Chriſt will put Life into us; we ſhould find our Tongues, and find our Hands, and find time to be more abundant in ſervice, could we feel more of the Love of Chriſt in us. Thou makeſt nothing of it, that thou art ſuch a dull, untoward, unactive Souls; but is it nothing to want Faith? Is it nothing to want love to Chriſt? Is it nothing to be without Grace in thy heart? Or if thou haſt any to have ſo very little, as thou canſt not tell, whither 'tis any or no? It is an ill ſign, that thy Soul is in a very doubtful caſe, at leaſt 'tis to be doubted; Whether thou haſt any Grace in thee, Where in ordinary thou art ſo untoward and liſtleſs to the matters of God, and the buſineſſes of Religion.

p. 2893. 'Tis of ill conſequence. 'Tis a ſign our caſe is bad, and it is an hindrance from our growing better. It is the vivacious active ſtirring ſoul, that's like to be the thriving Soul. Sluggards and Sleepers are never like to come to any thing. We may preach to you while our hearts ake, we may inſtruct you, and tell you what is your duty, while we will, and you may hear us while you will, but in vain ſhall we preach, and in vain will you hear, till we can fire you out of this deadneſs, and whet and ſet an edge upon thoſe blunted Souls what will it be, to be told of your Duty, whilſt you remain to have ſo little heart to it? what becomes of all the Sermons you hear, of all the teaching you, what you ſhould do, and how you ſhould live? what becomes of all the convincing, awakening, quickning words, that are in your ears from day to day? what doth all our Preaching, and all your hearing bring forth upon you? truly friends, the little ſucceſs that is to be perceived, of our Preaching among you, either to the converting of ſinners, or improving of profeſſors; the ſmall ſucceſs that does appear, (what there is within God knows) does even make us out of heart. But as little ſucceſs as we have, we are never like to have it much better, unleſs we may ſtir your hearts, and awaken you to more diligence and activity. When we have done all we can, we are, I doubt, like at laſt, to leave the moſt of you, either quite dead in ſin, or but very Dwarfes in Religion. Sinners, is it nothing to you, that the enlivening word ſhould leave you ſtill among the dead? Chriſtians, is it nothing to you, that the nouriſhing and quickning Word ſhould leave you but babes and infants? Is it not a trouble to you, and a diſcomfort to you, that you get no more, that you grow no faſter, much more that any of you ſhould conſume and languiſh, under the hands of your Phyſicians? I muſt tell you, it is a diſcomfort to us, but is it not more a diſcomfort to you? can you continue at this paſs, and not be troubled at it. O what a comfort is it to be a thriving lively Chriſtian? Methinks, when you ſee any ſuch before your eyes, you ſhould at leaſt ſigh out ſuch a wiſh, O that it were ſo with me; and breath out ſuch a groan, wo is me that 'tis not ſo; methinks it ſhould be an heavineſs of heart to you, to feel your own ſoul in Cloggs, when you ſee others upon the wing; O that I could make you ſenſible of your diſeaſes! that I could preach you heart ſick, that p. 290I could but make your hearts ake, under your diſtempers; that you might no longer be able to go up and down, without trouble in this unthriving caſe. Sure friends, you whoſe caſe this is, had need to be troubled; and 'twould be well for you, if your Souls were in pain, and refuſed to be comforted till you be cured.

To make you yet more ſenſible, of the perniciouſneſs of this untoward dull and liſtleſs temper, look a little more upon the excellency of the contrary; a chearful lively temper. 'Tis call'd 2 Cor. 8.17. A forward mind. 1 Pet. 5.2. A ready mind that need not be ſpurred, and whip'd, but goes chearfully and freely on its way. What is a ſprightful horſe, to a dull and heavy jade? what is a blunted ruſty knife, to that which is bright, and keen? what is a conſumptive languiſhing body, to one that's lively, and healthful? what is a dark and lowring to a Sunſhine day? what is Winter to Summer? yea what are the living to the dead? what a pitiful thing is that dead and ſpiritleſs heart of thine, when thou lookeſt on them in whom is the life of God.

Hear O ye ſleepy and liſtleſs Souls, awaken, ſtir up your ſelves, ſhake off this ſloth and ſleep, work out this untoward ſpirit. What, do you mean to hang thus betwixt alive and dead? will you hold you at this paſs, till you come to your Graves? Is this all the care and the pains, you ever mean to beſtow on God, and your Souls? muſt the Lord ever find you ſo unready and untoward, to what he calls you to? ſhall the world find a forward mind in you? ſhall your fleſh find ſuch a ready mind, to whatever it hath for you to do, and will you only be unready and unactive for God? Wherefore have you Reaſon and Underſtandings? wherefore have you the Scriptures before you? what are Sabbaths and Ordinances and Miniſters for? muſt we come hither only to ſing you aſleep, or to rock von in your Cradles? Where is that Grace that is in you? where is your Faith? where is your love to Chriſt? where is your hope? if you have any Grace, where is it? what muſt all theſe precious talents be eaten up with ruſt▪ or laid up in a napkin? Remember the ſlothful Servants doom. Mat. 25.30. What are your immortal Souls? what is the holy God? what is Jeſus Chriſt? what are the glorious treaſures of Eternity? are all theſe worth no more of your care and induſtry? will none of theſe things move you? will not theſe great things quicken you? Hear them all calling upon you, God calls upon you, oh my p. 291children, if you have any reſpect for me, come along, come faſter after me. Chriſt calls, oh my Diſciples, if you have any love to me, if all that I have done for you, if all that I will do for you, will move you, ariſe and mend your pace. Heaven calls upon you, if ever you mean to come here, gird up your loyns and come on. Yea Hell calls, look ye down hither, what a place is here prepared for Sleepers and Loyterers? Your poor Souls call, have ye any pity for me? muſt I periſh and die for the pleaſing this lazy fleſh? Your poor Families call, your poor Children call, your poor Neighbours call (which all need the utmoſt you can do for them). Where are your Bowels to usward? for our ſakes awaken, for our ſakes ariſe and be doing; we die if you will not give us a better example, we die if you ſleep on, who ſhould awaken and ſave us. The whole Intereſt of God in the World, calls upon you; for his names ſake, for the Goſpels ſake, for the Churches ſake, for Religions ſake, which ſinks, which decays, for the ſake of all theſe, recover your Souls, and your Life.

O friends, what ſhall all theſe loud cryes do upon you? ſhall all leave you ſuch lumps and loyterers?

Chriſtians be yet awakened, call up all the Grace you have, whet thoſe dull and blunted Spirits, get you a better edge upon them. Why may not this word give a whet to you? If you come hither ſleepy Souls, what a Mercy would it be, if you might return home awakened? if you came hither dead, and dull, and liſtleſs Souls, what a comfort would it be, if you might return home quickned and enlivened? what if you ſhould feel, that this word had kindled a fire in you, had made your hearts burn within you, burn with holy Love, and Life; what a mercy would this be to you! what if you might be ſent hence, with ready minds, forward minds, bent upon a more active and uſeful, and heavenly life? And what if after all this, you ſhould go away juſt as you came hither? though the Bellows have been blowing, yet your aſhes are not purged away; though the fire hath been kindled, yet it will not burn? would you like it, if all this ſhould be loſt, and do nothing upon you? if this untoward and dull temper of Soul ſhould be too hard for the Word, and you ſhould return from the Phyſician of Souls, with your diſeaſes uncured? Do what you can friends, every one of you to p. 292help to your own recovery, to get up to this lively active frame; and if you can obtain it, then look to your hearts as long as you live, that if it be poſſible, this wretched diſtemper of a leaden, unuſeful, lifeleſs, liſtleſs, unactive heart, may never return upon you.

2. How the heart must be guarded. This I ſhall anſwer in theſe 5 particulars.

1. Set a constant watch upon it.

2. Keep all your Powers up in Armes.

3. Keep cloſe by your Captain and Phyſician.

4. Carry up your Hearts where your Enemies can't come.

5. Commit the keeping of them to the keeper of Iſrael.

1. Set a conſtant Watch upon it. That's a word, that is given to every Chriſtian; Mark. 13.37. What I ſay unto you, I ſay unto all, Watch. And of all things we have to watch, the heart is it, that muſt chiefly be watched. Our eyes muſt be chiefly there; whether ever elſe we have to look, we muſt eſpecially look upwards, and look inwards. We muſt look upwards; our eye muſt be upon Gods eye; that all ſeeing eye that ſeeth in ſecret. Whether our eye be or no, Gods eye is ever upon our hearts. I the Lord ſearch the heart, and try the reins, Jer. 10 18. The eye of rhe Lord is a ſearching eye; there is no ſecret of the heart, but he eſpieth and ſearcheth it out; and 'tis a jealous eye, that will not wink at, nor allow, nor indulge to the leaſt heart evils. The ſenſe of that jealous eye, would awe us into more watchfulneſs over our ſelves. The reaſon of our neglect of ſelf inſpection is, that we forget that the Lord looks upon us. We cannot look upwards, but we ſhall behold the very eye of God upon us. If an hundred men ſtand looking upon us, and we do not look upon them, we cannot tell whether they look upon us or no; but if we look ſtedfaſtly upon them, we may ſee in their very eye, that they are looking upon us. Look up to God, and you will plainly ſee that his eye is upon you. And the obſerving of Gods eye upon you, will turn your own eyes upon your ſelves. What is it that the Lord looks thus upon me for? what is it that he ſees in me? Is it any thing he likes, that he looks upon? Is it his approving eye that is upon me? Is it a look of love or of kindneſs? or is it that which he is offended at, or diſliketh? Is there Jealouſie, is there Diſpleaſure, or Anger in that holy eye, that is upon me? is it a ſmiling look, or a p. 293frowning and angry look that he caſteth upon me? Look on me, I ſee he doth, His Eye is never off me; let me look upwards when I will, I ſee that God looks downwards; and his Eye is directly upon me; and his Eye is a piercing Eye, it pierceth to my very entrailes, he beholds the very bottom of my heart; I had need look carefully to mine own Soul, when there is ſuch an Eye upon it Night and Day. Thus look upwards, and ſet the Lord before your ſight, as the Pſalmiſt did, Pſa. 16.8.

And then look inwards, and ſet your hearts before your ſelves. There is an Expreſſion, 2 Kings 8.47. If they ſhall bethink themſelves, which may be interpreted, if they ſhall return into themſelves, the Eye of the Body can't ſee it ſelf, but the eye of the Soul may, and muſt be chiefly upon its ſelf. You that are looking about, this way and that way, you had more need look homewards. There are men that are of great acquaintance in the world, but yet have no acquaintance with their own hearts. VVhither their Souls be in ſafety, or among Thieves; VVhither their Hearts be clean, or all beſpotted and defiled; whether they be healthful or ſickly Souls; whether they be alive or dead; 'tis more then they can tell where they be, or in what caſe they are. How is it with your Souls Friends? How fares it with you, in your inner Man? VVho is there within with you? Are there none but Friends? Is Chriſt there? Is the Spirit of Grace there? Is there a good Conſcience? or are there not Robbers within? Is not thine heart an houſeful of Thieves? Is not the world gotten in? are not the pleaſures of the Fleſh within? Is not the Devil within? that unclean Spirit, hath he not defiled and defaced the Image of God? Is he not ſowing his Tares in thee? Is not thine heart a defiled, diſeaſed, diſtemper'd heart? Is it not a ſlight, and frothy, and vain heart? Is it not a looſe and licentious heart? Is it not an untoward, wayward, liſtleſs heart? Look inward Chriſtians, and look often inward, and ſee what hearts you have, and how 'tis with them, Pſal. 4.4. Commune with your own hearts. Look into them, and talk with them, and take an Account how it fares with them. If I ſhould ask you, how is it with your hearts, are they alive or dead? Are they clean Hearts, holy Hearts, tender Hearts, heavenly Hearts, lively and ſtrong and working upwards? Or are they hard Hearts, polluted defiled p. 294hearts, dull and ſlow, and liſtleſs Hearts. If I ſhould ask you thus, what account could you give? I doubt this is the account the moſt of you would give, I cannot tell. God knows how 'tis with me; for my part I know not how 'tis. That Heart hath been well look't to mean while; haſt thou carried it like a wiſe man the while? Thou haſt great acquaintance in the world; thou takeſt upon thee to know other mens hearts, and wilt judge, and cenſure them as thou liſteſt; what man? and yet haſt ſo little acquaintance with thy ſelf? Be thou thine own judge; haſt thou been a wiſe man the while, to be ſuch a ſtranger to thy ſelf, that thou doſt not know thine own heart? Thou wilt ſay, the word tells me, Jer. 17.9. The Heart is deceitful, and who can know it? how then ſhould I know it? I anſwer,

1. The more deceitful the Heart is, and the harder 'tis to know it, the more it had need be looked into.

2. Though it cannot be perfectly known, yet there may be much of it known; the heart of man is a great deep, 'tis true, and though thou canſt not eaſily ſee to the bottom of it, yet if thou wilt but look down into the deep, thou muſt ſee a great way.

3. If thou canſt not ſee thorow thine heart with thine own Eyes, yet with Gods eyes thou mayeſt. Take the help of the Eyes of the Lord, and thou mayeſt underſtand, even all that is in thine heart. God that ſees the Heart, reveals the heart; and he hath given thee ſuch diſcoveries of thy very heart in his word, he hath made the Scriptures ſuch a Looking-glaſs for thee, that if thou wouldſt look into that more, there thou mighteſt ſee thy ſelf, and all that is in thee, Heb. 4.12. The word of God is a diſcerner of the thoughts, and intents of the Heart.

Chriſtians, if you would ſecure your hearts from danger, know them, and be acquainted more throughly with them, if you would know your hearts better, look oftner inward commune with your hearts; go down dayly into your own Boſoms, take an account of your ſelves, queſtion with your ſelves, how fares it with my Soul? is there any real ſaving Grace in me? If there be, how fares it with that Grace I have? Does it thrive, doth it flouriſh, is it kept up in Life and Activity? Doth my light ſhine, doth my Love flame, do my thoughts and my affections climb, and are they working upwards? how is p. 295it with my Conſcience? Is it kept pure? Doth it ſpeak peace? Doth it deal faithfully? Doth it check me, doth it ſmite me for the leaſt Evils? Doth it comfort me when 'tis better? Have I a good Conſcience? Have I the Teſtimony of a good Conſcience? Doth my Conſcience witneſs for me, that I have been faithful? that my Deſire, and my care, and endeavour is, and hath been in all things to approve my ſelf to the Eye of God, and to be ſincere, and upright before him!

O Beloved, What a Mercy to us would it be, if we would be perſwaded to be much in ſuch heart inſpection, and much in ſuch heart communing? The Devil would find the harder work to get in; there's no Diſeaſe, or Diſtemper would then grow upon your hearts, but it would be eſpyed in the beginning; and ſo the more eaſily removed. Friends, let me prevail with you in this thing, I beſeech you in the name of the Lord, ſet more upon this Heart-ſtudy. Of all the buſineſs you have to do in the world; there's nothing more neceſſary, nothing more advantageous; and yet I doubt nothing more neglected. Friends if you have been ſtrangers at home, be no longer ſtrangers; never ſay again, I cannot tell how it is with my Soul, ſtudy it til you can tell; and ſtudy it diligently, and you ſhall be able to tell. The Lord will help you to underſtand your ſelves, if you will but more diligently commune with your own Hearts; will you be perſwaded to it? will you reſolve upon it, to make this a great piece of your every days work? Never look for Soul proſperity, never look for Soul ſecurity, without a ſerious and frequent diſcharge of this great Duty. You may hear all your days, and pray for a better heart as long as you live, and all in vain, if you will not Watch as well as Pray. O that the Lord would ſo ſtrike home this word upon your hearts, that you might feel this charge of the Lord, ſenſibly abiding upon you, to keep your Hearts by Heart-Acquaintance, and Heart-watchfulneſs.

My Soul is exceedingly concern'd about the bringing you upon this Duty; and I am in great doubt, that the moſt of us are very deficient herein, either neglecting it, or but ſlightly or ſeldom being converſant in it. Sure Friends our Tongues would be better employed, our Speech would be with Grace, ſeaſoned with Salt, we ſhould have more ſavoury words coming from us, we p. 296ſhould commune one with another more about the concerns of our ſouls; were there more faithful communing with our Hearts, our whole converſations would ſavour more of it. We ſhould be more Spiritual and Heavenly, more active for God, more fruitful, and abounding in every good work; our work for our Souls would be carried on with more Life, and with more Power; we ſhould live a more ſelf-denying, a more circumſpect, a more heedful, and a more watchful Life, were there a due watchfulneſs over our Hearts. What ſhall I ſay more in this thing? Be diligent, be careful; be diligent to know the ſtate of your hearts. If I ſhould ſay with Solomon, Prov. 27.23. Be diligent to know the ſtate of thy Flocks, and look well to thine Herds, would you not hearken to me? If I ſhould ſay, be diligent to look well to your Trades, and to your Money, would you not hearken to me in this? if I ſhould ſay, be diligent to take care for your Healths; and look well to your Bodies, would not this Counſel be accepted by you? How much more then ſhould you hearken to me in this. Be diligent to know the ſtate of your Souls. O Friends, be diligent to know, and be diligent to get your Souls into a good ſtate, and to ſecure them in it; be diligent to know what 'tis that hurts you, and what 'tis that hinders you, and what it is that endangers your Souls, and take heed of it; and then be diligent to know what 'tis that will help you, and further you, and advance you, and ſtabliſh your Souls in peace, and build them up in holineſs, that you may take thoſe advantages, and improve thoſe helps that are before you? Such watchfulneſs as this, what an heart reviving, what an heart flouriſhing, what an heart rejoycing would follow upon it to your ſelves? And what abundant Praiſe, Glory and Honour would grow up to the Name of God, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt? Then ſhould thoſe Hearts of yours, which are now too much Dens of Thieves, Shops of Vanity, Fountains of folly, Neſts of Luſts, and Houſes of Merchandize become the ſacrifices of the Lord, and the Temples of the Living God, and he would dwell in them, and walk in them, and ſay of them, theſe are my reſt, here will I abide for ever.

2. Keep all your powers up in armes. Our Enemies will fight for our Hea…ts. Sin, the World and the Devil are like Abſalom, 2 Sam. 15.6. at firſt he uſed fair and flattering p. 297Speeches, and complemented, and kiſſed them that came nigh him, ſaying, O that I were made Judge in the Land, his meaning was, O that I were King, what a King would I be to you! So he ſtole the hearts of the Men of Iſrael. Afterwards he takes up Armes, and fights againſt thoſe, whoſe hearts he could not ſteal from David. Our Spiritual Enemies deal a like by us; at firſt they attempt to ſteal away our Hearts from God; Sin ſmiles upon us, and fawns upon us, and promiſeth what it will do for us; O that you would hearken to me, how happy ſhould ye be if you will follow me? It doth not pretend to be King, but to be our Servant; if you will love this world, all that is in the world, will be your Servants; but if this will not do, our Enemies will fight for us; our Fleſhly Luſts will war againſt our Souls, to take them Captives, 1 Pet. 2.11. and the World and the Devil will ſide with Luſt. The Devil will buffet, the world will rage and bluſter againſt thoſe that will ſtill continue the Servants of Chriſt. Hereupon Chriſtians are ſaid to be Souldiers; 2 Tim. 2.3. their ſtate here is a warring and warfaring ſtate; they are to fight, 1 Tim. 6.12. fight the good fight of Faith, they are to wrestle, Eph. 6.12. againſt fleſh and bloud, against principalities and powers, againſt the Rulers of the darkneſs of this world, against ſpiritual wickedneſſes, or wicked Spirits in high places. Gal. 5.17. The Fleſh luſteth, that is, fighteth against the Spirit; and the Spirit muſt luſt or fight againſt the Fleſh, and all this fighting, what is it for? 'tis for our hearts. The Devil and the World are fighting, and our Souls lie at ſtake. He that overcometh, there's a Soul gained, a Soul ſaved; he that is overcome, there's a Soul loſt. When Men fight for their lives, when this muſt be the iſſue, kill or be killed, how deſperately do they fight? we mannage our warfare againſt ſin and the Devil, as if there were no great matter lying upon it; Men count not themſelves any great looſers if they be overcome; and hereupon 'tis that we leave our ſelves ſo open to Temptations, and ſtand as ſo many naked men againſt our Adverſaries, and entertain ſuch Truces and Treaties with them, and make ſuch weak reſiſtance againſt them; as if our contention were about a Flea, or a dead Dog; Men do not conſider, that it is for their precious life, the Devil and the World is fighting, but that's it that ſin and this world would have of you, they would p. 298have your hearts, they fight for your Souls.

Now hereupon Chriſtians muſt be alwayes up in Armes, and ſtand to their Armes. As the Devil rallies up Armies againſt us, ſo the Lord provides us of Armour, and requires us, Eph. 6.13. to put on our Armour, and to ſtand to our Armes. Take unto you the whole Armour of God, that ye may be able to withſtand in the evil day, and having done all to stand. We may neither ſtand unarmed, nor put on our Armour to ſleep in, put on your Armour and ſtand in your Armour; eſpecially we muſt keep cloſe about us theſe 6 pieces of Armour.

1. The Shield of Faith. v. 16. wherewith ye ſhall be able to quench all the fiery Darts of the Devil. The Devil is ſhooting his Darts at us, and every Dart is levelled at the heart; The Devils Darts are fiery Darts, burn when they hit, that will burn up all the good in the Soul. Darts will ſtick, and fiery Darts will burn. When you ſee one Man burn in Luſt, there's a Dart of the Devil that burns in his Heart; when you ſee others flame in anger and fury, there's a fiery Dart of the Devils in his Heart; his Tongue is ſet on fire of Hell. Jam. 3.6. Think on this, you that are apt to be thus ſet on fire; the next time you are in ſuch an heat, that your hearts burn with fury, and your Tongue ſpits fire, in venting furious Language, then think with your ſelves, I feel my Soul in a flame, the fire comes out at my Mouth, Lord whence comes all this? O I had need look to my ſelf, ſure there is a fiery Dart from the Devil in mine Heart; theſe angry, hot, and haſty words are no other but the ſmoak of that Fire, which the Devil hath kindled within me. Such a Thought as this might be as water to quench that Fire. But if ſuch a thought won't do it, then take the Shield of Faith, by which you may quench theſe Fires. We are therefore exhorted 1. Pet. 5.9. to reſiſt the Devil, ſtedfast in the Faith. Truſt upon Chriſt for your help, ſtand againſt the Devil, as David againſt the Philistine, 1 Sam. 17.45. thou comeſt against me with ſword and Spear, ſaies David, but I come to thee in the Name of the Lord of Hoſts; that is, I come truſting in the Lord of Hoſts; This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand. There's his Faith, and that's his beſt Weapon. Reſiſt the Devil, and truſt in God; fight againſt ſin, and truſt in Chriſt for the victory. Iſa. 26.4. Truſt ye in the Lord Jehovah, for in him is Everlaſting ſtrength.

p. 2992. The helmet of hope, which is called, the helmet of Salvation, ver. 17. Rom. 8.24. Ye are ſaved by hope. Hope will ſtrengthen the heart, and hold up the head. Chriſtians ſhould withſtand Temptations and aſſaults, as men of hope; whatever your Tempations are, whatever buffetings of Satan you may be encountred with, how furiouſly ſoever the world falls on, threatning you, thundring againſt you, perſecuting you for your faithfulneſs to Chriſt; or fawning upon you, or flattering you away from your integrity; how thick ſoever the ſuggeſtions of your hearts luſts come upon you, enticing you, urging and preſſing you. Do not undo thy ſelf by thy Religion, do not ruine thy ſelf by thy Conſcience, come about after this World, ſave thy ſelf from its rage, and accept of its kindneſſes; how hard ſoever you may be thus tempted and ſet upon, and how apt ſoever thy faint heart may be, to fear and doubt, thou ſhalt never be able to ſtand; hold faſt thine helmet; hope in God, who will be thy helper and deliverer. Pſal. 43. ult. Why art thou caſt down O my Soul—, Hope in God. Strive againſt ſin, but ſtrive in hope; reſiſt Temptations, but reſiſt in hope; withſtand this evil world, withſtand its flatteries, withſtand its furies, and withſtand in hope. Do not ſay, as once David did, 1 Sam. 27.1. I ſhall one day or other periſh by the hand of Saul. I ſhall one day or other fall by Temptation, I ſhall never hold out, and ſo ſhift for thy ſelf; hope for the Victory, hope in God for his help, hope in Chriſt for his ſtrength, and in that hope, ſtand againſt Temptations.

3. The girdle of Truth, ver. 14. Having your loyns girt about with truth. Look eſpecially to this, that you be armed with truth and uprightneſs of heart. Whatever other Armour you ſeem to have, what ever faith you have, whatever hope you have, whatever word you have to ſupport you, whatever Prayer you make to help you, there's no armour will hide an hypocritical heart, from God or the Devil. God ſtrikes his dart into the falſe heart, through the joints of thine armour. And for the Devil, he is gotten in already; the Devil is already in thine heart, if it be a falſe and hypocritical heart; O get ſincerity, and uprightneſs before the Lord; ſee that there be truth in your inward parts. A ſound heart will be the beſt ſhelter, both againſt the Accuſations and Temptations of all your adverſaries; whereas if there were no enemies p. 300from without, a rotten heart will be its own ruine. That ruſt and that moth which is bred within, will eat thee out, though there ſhould be no Theif to aſſault thee from abroad.

4. The breaſtplate of Righteouſneſs. Put them both together, Truth and Uprightneſs of heart, and righteouſneſs of Life, will be a mighty ſecurity againſt the Devil and all his whole Party. The Pſalmiſt would truſt to no other Armour, without that; Pſal. 25.21. and that he will truſt to. Let integrity and uprightneſs preſerve me, for I wait on thee. Faith without Truth, Hope without Righteouſneſs, or Uprightneſs, will never ſecure us. Sincerity and Uprightneſs of heart, is our beſt heart Armour; the Hypocrites Faith will not ſave him, the Hypocrites hope will periſh with him, 'tis ſincerity that will carry the day. Be honeſt and plain hearted towards God. Let there not be Guile and Unrighteouſneſs found in you. Prov. 10.4. He that walketh uprightly, walketh ſurely. Hic murus ahaeneus eſto. A good Conſcience is a wall of braſs, againſt all the darts that are caſt againſt us.

5. The Sword of the Spirit. Ver. 17. which is the word of God. This was the weapon, by which Chriſt conquered the Devil, when he fought him hand to hand, Mat. 4.3. It is written, man ſhall not live by bread onelyonly—. It is written, thou ſhalt not tempt the Lord thy God. It is written, thou ſhalt Worſhip the Lord thy God —. Be well verſed in the Scripture, and you have a ſword by you, to reſiſt every Temptation. Art thou tempted to Pride? Remember, it is written, God reſiſteth the proud. Art thou tempted to a Covetous worldly Life? it is written, take heed and beware of Covetouſneſs. Art thou tempted to Anger, and the bitter expreſſions of it? it is written, if ye bite, and devour one another, ye ſhall be conſumed one of another. Art thou tempted to a carnal vain ſenſual Life? it is written, if ye live after the fleſh ye ſhall die. Art thou tempted to a cold Lukewarm indifferent temper or way? it is written, becauſe thou art neither hot nor cold, I will ſpue thee out of my mouth; And ſo whatever the Temptation be, have a particular word ready at hand, which may be a ſword to ſtrike through it

6. The ſpirit of prayer. Ver. 18. Praying always with all prayer and ſupplication in the Spirit: Meet every Temptation p. 301with the Sword in your mouth, and with a Prayer in your heart. Believe and Pray; Hope and Pray; be True, be Upright and pray; the Lord rebuke thee, The Lord ſtrengthen and uphold me; pray to him, be true to him, hope in him, who was tempted himſelf, and is able to ſuccour them that are tempted.

Put on all this Armour, and ſtand to your Armes; be always up in Armes, be alwayes ready to receive the Alarm. Let that word be for an alarm to you, and be ever in your ears, Riſe Sampſon the Philiſtines are upon thee; Riſe Soul, Sin is upon thee; the World is upon thee, thy Company are upon thee; or that Word of Chriſt, Mat. 26.46. Ariſe, he is at hand that betrays me; that eaſe that thou loveſt, thoſe Pleaſures that thou loveſt, that Money thou loveſt, that carnal Acquaintance that thou loveſt, whom thou never ſuſpecteſt to be Enemies, they have a deſign to betray thee of thy life, to take away thine heart from God; and they are ever at hand to betray thee; however thou thinkeſt thou art armed, take heed of being ſecure; of what uſe is Armour to him that is aſleep? Remember Saul and his whole Army, when they were aſleep, David came upon them, and had them at his mercy, for all their Arms; and if he had hearkned to Abiſhai, had ſmitten him dead in the place: be never ſecure, ſtand upon your Watch, or you never ſtand to your Armes. Never think you are out of danger, you are in jeopardy every hour; your Enemy the Devil, is ever walking up and down, and watcheth to devour you. Therefore that Counſel is needful, 1 Pet. 5.8. Be vigilant, be ſober, for your adverſary &c. Be alwayes as the beſieged in a Town, that have their Enemy cloſe at the Gates and the Walls; they are upon their Guard night and day; eſpecially let the main fort the heart be ſtill well watched and guarded. Set fear for your Sentinel; live in conſtant fear of a ſurprize; fear will keep the Soul waking; be converſant in the World in fear; be amongſt your carnal friends and acquaintance, in fear; eat and drink in fear; paſs the time of your whole warfare here in fear. O this fearleſs ſecure heart, how often hath it betray'd us into Miſchief. How often have our hearts been even choked up of the World, and ſurfeited of carnal Pleaſures, and rob'd of its peace, and ſpoil'd of its Treaſuries, and we have exchanged a ſprightful, lively, chearful, p. 302healthful Soul, for a flat, leaden, earthly, ſenſeleſs frame, before we were aware; and all becauſe we were ſecure and without fear? Live in fear daily, and in conſtant jealouſie; be jealous of your friends, be jealous of your enemies, be jealous of this world, be jealous of every ſin, be jealous of your ſelves. Let an holy jealouſie dwell in your eye, and let it keep you waking and watching. After all your profeſſing, and praying, and believing, and hoping, would you not looſe your hearts at laſt? and looſe all you have hoped and laboured for? then beware of Security; if you would be in ſafety, then be never ſecure; but always ſtand, with your loins girded, and your lights burning. Stand upon your watch Tower; keep your doors ſhut but your windows open. Let your eye obſerve the approaches, and be ready and prepared for the aſſaults, that your enemies are making daily upon you. I never look you ſhould be flouriſhing or conquering Chriſtians, till you will be perſwaded to be jealous Chriſtians, fearing and watchful Chriſtians, and therefore what I ſaid to you before, I ſay to you again and again, ſtand upon your guard and watch.

3. Keep cloſe by your Captain and Phyſician.

1. Keep by the ſide of Chriſt. You know what a ſtream there once ran down from that precious ſide; a ſtream of Blood and Water; this ſtream (as to the vertue and influence of it) is running down daily; and it is for the healing of diſeaſed, and for the waſhing of ſpotted Souls. There's no balm will heal our diſeaſes, this Bloud is it, Chriſt muſt do it. There's no Sope will ſcowre off our ſpots, this water muſt cleanſe us; this Phyſick will heal every diſeaſe, this water will cleanſe us from every ſpot, and will preſent us at laſt, without ſpot or wrinkle; Eph. 5.27. but what will diſeaſed polluted Souls do, when their Phyſician is out of the way? Many ſick perſons die of thoſe diſeaſes, which had they been near the Phyſician, might have been cured. Keep you ever near to Chriſt, his Preſence will be either preventing Phyſick, and keep off your Soul Diſeaſes, that they ſieze not upon you, or elſe 'twill be curing Phyſick, that no diſeaſe ſhall be mortal to you. We never wander from Chriſt, but we catch that, which we cannot eaſily claw off; if the Devil can but catch a Chriſtian wandring, what ſad work doth he make with him? we may all ſay of our wandrings, from p. 303Chriſt, as Naomi; Ruth 1.21. I went out full but I return empty, I went out whole but I return wounded, I went out fat and full, but I return lean and naked. What a ſad plight do we ſee looſe and wandring Souls to be in? keep you home: When Dinah, Jacobs Daughter, would be gadding abroad, what a blot got ſhe; Gen. 34.1. She went out a Virgin, and came home a Whore. Our very departings from Chriſt, are our playing the Harlots againſt him; our other lovers, to whom we turn aſide, do deflour us. What harlots do many of our hearts often become? We cannot ſtay by our Lord; out we muſt be running after other lovers, and ſo we are defiled. O prevent your Soul Pollutions, by keeping home. Art thou gotten near to Chriſt? know when thou art well, and keep thee there. As Naomi ſaid to Ruth, Ruth 2.22. Let not the man find thee in another field. Gleaning after other Reapers, gadding after other Lovers; he will take that unkindly if he do, and thou maiſt ſmart for it. Hath Chriſt done by thee, as Boaz by Ruth, ſpread his Skirt over thee, and charged thee, keep faſt by me and by my Servants, dare not to be gadding after others? you will ſmart for it if you do, and if ever you return, it will be by weeping Croſs. Whatever wounds you receive, you will not ſay as Zach. 13.6. Theſe are the wounds which I received in the houſe of my friend, but theſe wounds I have gotten in my abſence from my Friend. If I had kept me in, I had ſaved all this hurt. O prevent your miſeries, that you ſuſtain by departing from Chriſt, by keeping you by him. And if you have been wandring and catch'd any hurt, O return to your Phyſician; and when thou art made whole, then ſay to thine heart, as Chriſt to the Man, Joh. 5.14. Sin no more, wander no more leſt a worſe thing come unte thee.

Chriſtians, In our firſt coming to Chriſt, and our union with him, our deadly diſeaſe is cured; we that were dead are made alive, we that were ſick are made ſound. But the ſame Jeſus that gave us this Life and Health, is he that muſt maintain our Souls in Life; and that life and ſpiritual health which we received from Chriſt by our Union, muſt be preſerved by our Communion with him. See that you be in Union with Chriſt, that you be by Faith joyned to the Lord, and then live in conſtant Communion with him; take heed of Ruptures, and p. 304breaches, take heed of diſtances, and eſtrangements from Chriſt. Have you gotten Chriſt within you? O keep him within you. Let your beloved lodge between your breaſts, and keep his dwelling in your Souls; and let there not be in you, an heart of unbelief, let there not be in you, an heart of vanity or iniquity, an heart of Pride or Guile, a Carnal, or Worldly heart to depart from the living God. Keep your hearts true to Chriſt, keep your hearts chaſt, keep you pure in his ſight. In your Union or Eſpouſals to Chriſt you Covenanted againſt forſaking him; Hoſ. 2.19. I will betroth you unto me for ever. So you have ſaid the ſame to him, Lord I betroth [thee] unto me for ever. Betrothing, or eſpouſing is both the neareſt Union, and the firmeſt Union.

1. 'Tis the neareſt Union. Our becoming Chriſtians is our Union of hearts with the Lord. Chriſt hath therein given you his heart, and you have therein given him your hearts, and your heart and his become as one heart. You that are Chriſtians are near unto Chriſt, as his own Soul; 1 Cor. 6.17. He that is joyned to Christ is one ſpirit. He loveth you, he careth for you, he tendereth you as his own Soul.

2. It is the firmeſt union. I will betroth thee forever. It is written concerning Chriſt and his Saints, as concerning Husband and Wife; whom God hath joyned together let no man, no nor Devil neither put aſunder.

Now when there is ſuch a nearneſs of Relation, and ſuch a dearneſs of Affection, there muſt be alſo Cohabitation. You muſt live together, and dwell together with Chriſt. This is not only your duty as Chriſtians, but your ſafety depends upon it. He who is your Husband is your refuge, where you may dwell ſafely; your only rock in whom you may hide your ſelves from danger; if you forſake your Rock, take heed you be not forſaken of your Rock. Take heed you neither prove runaways from Chriſt, and forſake him utterly; no nor ſlink away, and skulk out, or turn aſide from him. Keep conſtant to Chriſt and keep cloſe to him. Let there be intimacy and dearneſs maintained betwixt Chriſt and your Souls; keep you in the memory of Chriſt, let your beloved be ever before your eye, b… looking dayly towards him; keep you ever in the … of Ch…i… … much in ſolacing your ſelves in the Contemplation of his love, and keep your hearts in a p. 305flame of love to him. Be render how you provoke him to jealouſie againſt you. Keep you cloſe to Chriſt, by making all your carnal things, keep their diſtance from your hearts. Keep you in the diligent exerciſe of all the acts of Chriſtianity, whereby your Communion with Chriſt is maintained; let there be nearneſs to Chriſt in point of Converſation, walk with Chriſt, yea walk in Chriſt, as the Expreſſion is, Col. 2.6. as ye have received Chriſt Jeſus the Lord, ſo walk in him. Whilſt others walk in the Fleſh, let Chriſtians walk in the Spirit. Walk in Chriſt, both in Union with Chriſt, living in the ſtrength of Chriſt; and in Conformity to Chriſt, in all wel-pleaſing before him. Let no place be a place for you, let no way be a way for you, let no company be company for you, where Chriſt would not be pleaſed to find you. Let no temper or frame of Spirit grow upon you, but what Chriſt would be pleaſed to find you in. Would Chriſt be pleaſed to find you among the vain company or vile ones of the Earth? would Chriſt be pleaſed to find you in a careleſs, ſenſeleſs, untoward, jolly, frothy, or in a ſower, angry, envious, impatient temper? keep you from ſuch ways, keep you from ſuch company, keep you out of ſuch temptations, have as little to do as poſſible with them. Keep you out of vain and evil ways, company, and temptations, and keep you on with life and vigour and power, in the ways of Chriſt. Let not your ways only pleaſe Chriſt, but your walking in them; do not be ſluggs and drones and triflers in Chriſtianity; follow the Lord, and follow him fully; follow the Lord, and let your Soul follow hard after him. Be doing the Will of Chriſt, and let your hearts ſtand compleat in all the Wills of Chriſt. The moſt watchful, diligent, painful, lively Chriſtians, theſe are they, that keep neareſt to the Lord.

Friends, be warned to keep you thus near to the Lord. The Lord calls you ſuch, Pſal. 148.14 A people near unto him. Approve your ſelves to be ſuch, ſince the Lord hath made you near, keep you near to him. Live in Union and Communion with Chriſt, in intimacy of Acquaintance with Chriſt, and with all poſſible care that your whole courſe may be ſuch, as may be a walking worthy his great name, and be well pleaſing to him. This is the way to keep you out of danger; and whatever befalls you, whilſt you are thus walking in Chriſt, you will p. 306be ſtill near your remedy; whilſt you are near Chriſt, he will not be far from you, but will be ready to help, and ready to comfort you. You complain, it may be, every one of you, that your hearts are out of order. One cries, O my heart, what a proud heart it is? another complains, O mine heart, it is a fretful, peeviſh heart. Another cries out, O mine heart is an earthly worldly heart, another, O my heart is a ſluggiſh, ſlothful heart; another, O what ſhall I do? mine heart is a dead and an hard heart? why bring them all to the Phyſician. Where be the diſeaſed or diſtreſſed Souls among you? what, be you all well? Is there no Soul diſeaſe upon you? O there is never a one of you but have your Soul Diſtempers, and ſad ones too, why come to your Phyſician for your cure. If you were any of you ſick of the Palſie, or Dropſie, Fever, or Conſumption, and Chriſt ſtood here, as of old, every ſuch diſeaſed body would be thronging upon him: come ye poor blind, hardned Souls, come lay your ſelves before the Lord, and cry unto him, Lord that mine eyes might be opened: Lord that mine hard heart might be broken, that my dead heart might be quickned. Who ever of you hath a complaint to make, hath a wound, hath a diſeaſe, or hath a weakneſs, or diſcomfort, come every one of you, whatever ailes you; come bring in all the lame, and the blind, and the diſeaſed, defiled, and diſtreſſed hearts, bring them in to the Phyſician, come and lay them all at the feet of Chriſt. Lord help me, Lord heal me, Lord waſh me. But be ſure you come with a purpoſe to keep you by him; when you come to him, come unto Chriſt and he will heal you, and then keep you by him and he will preſerve you from Relapſes into the ſame, or a worſe diſeaſe; which if you wander from him again, is like to come upon you.

2. Keep under Chriſts Banner. Keep to your Colours. The Banner of Chriſt, hath engraven upon it, or his Colours bears upon it, as his Coat of Arms, the Covenant, the Croſs, and the Crown; with this Motto, Pugnanti victoria, vincenti Corona. Victory to him that fights, the Crown to the Conquerer. The Covenant is for our union with Chriſt, the Croſs for our Trial, the Crown for our Encouragement. And here I ſhall give you three Directions,

1. Let the Covenant be upon your hearts. The Covenant is,

p. 3071. For the ſtrength of our hearts; it notes our liſting our ſelves under Chriſt as his Servants, and Chriſts undertaking the conduct of us. When we underſtand what we are engaged in, what hard ſervice we have bound our ſelves to, what a painful active life as Chriſtians, we muſt count upon; our hearts will be apt to fail us, and cry out of the life of a Chriſtian, as the Apoſtle of the work of the Miniſtry, 2 Cor. 2.16. Who is ſufficient for theſe things? I ſhall never be able to bear through ſuch a life? but then remember your Covenant; your Baptiſmal Covenant I mean, which doth not only engage you to the Lord, but engageth the Lord to you. Look to the Captain of your Salvation, who hath bound himſelf to help you through, who hath ſaid, Heb. 13.5. I will never fail you nor forſake you. And then you ſhall be able to ſay with the Apoſtle; Phil. 4.13. I can do all things through Chriſt that ſtrengthens me. Venture not on any thing in your own ſtrength, fear not nor be diſmay'd at any thing whilſt you have the Lord Jeſus to be your ſtrength. Chriſtians, be not diſheartned, fear not to engage in the ſtricteſt, and ſevereſt courſe of Chriſtianity; lean upon the Lord and he will help you through. Set your hearts to the work, and leave the care of Succeſs to him, that careth for you. Remember this, let your truſt in Chriſt, your hold on the Covenant be your ſtrength on which you lean, for the carrying you through the whole of your Chriſtian courſe.

2. This Covenant will be the guide of your hearts. What is it that I have to do? how is it that I muſt live? why look into your Covenant; what is it that you have engaged to do? how is it that you have covenanted to live? you have covenanted Holineſs and Righteouſneſs; you have covenanted againſt an idle Life, or doing nothing; againſt a trifling life, or doing your work by halfes; againſt a worldly, or fleſhly, or wicked life; the World, Fleſh, and Devil, theſe you have all covenanted againſt. You have covenanted the crucifying the Fleſh, and the World, the reſiſting the Devil, and to follow Chriſt againſt them all. You have covenanted to fight againſt the Fleſh, and the World, and to fight to the Victory; not to be leſs fleſhly than oth r men, to be leſs worldly than other men, but you have covenanted againſt a fleſhly and worldly life. Think not of carrying it fair with both; of cutting out a middle way betwixt Chriſt and the World, p. 308betwixt a fleſhly and an heavenly life; 'tis a total victory over this fleſh, and this world, over a fleſhly, and a worldly life, which you have covenanted to purſue. When ever you are at a ſtand and are in doubt, as to any particular actions, or way of life, that you have before you; and are queſtioning whether you ſhould go on, or forbear, why then examine, would this be a ſerving my fleſh, or a ſerving the Lord? determine that well, and then your covenant would guide you, whether to do or forbear. Once let your hearts ſtand reſolved to purſue the ends of your covenant, to live ſuch an holy, ſuch an heavenly, ſuch a mortified, ſuch a ſelf-denying, ſuch a diligent life, as you have covenanted to live; and then your very hearts, which are the records of your covenant, your very hearts will teach you what you ſhould do.

When your fleſh at any time pleads with you, for any abatement of the ſtrictneſs of Chriſtianity; for any Liberty of compliance with the more remiſs, and looſe amongſt Chriſtians; and ſuggeſts to you, not too far, not too faſt not too high in Religion, drive on ſoftly, deal gently with thy fleſh, be not over rigid or ſevere to it; be not over buſie, do not tire thy ſelf at thy work; take time, take thine eaſe, drive on as thy carnal intereſt, and thy carnal inclinations can bear; then read over your covenant, and conſider. Is ſuch a life according to the writeing that hath been agreed upon betwixt my Lord and me? Is this cold, and indifferent, and eaſie way of Religion, all that I have covenanted for? well, this is one thing, if you would keep to your Colours, keep to your Covenant.

2. Take up your Croſs upon your back. This is your Lords word, Mat. 16.24. Whoſoever will come after me, let him take up his Croſs. This will be the proof of what there is of Chriſt or Chriſtianity in your hearts; a ſound heart will make a ſtrong back. He that loves much, will bear any thing; he whoſe heart is not croſs-proof is an unſound Chriſtian. Your ſinful ſhunning the Croſs is your running from your Colours.

Chriſtians, ſome little Trials we have had, ſome croſſes we have met with; but for ought I know, the Lord may be preparing heavier croſſes, greater ſufferings for you, then ever you have been proved withal. O be ſo buſie a fortifying your hearts, that you may never baulk your Chriſtian courſe, whatever croſs may ſtand in the way. I p. 309would not that we ſhould needleſly run upon the croſs, when we may avoid it. Sufferings may come faſt enough, without our pulling them upon our ſelves. But this I would, we might every one ſtand to, reſolve in the ſtrength of the Lord, to be never the leſs hearty Chriſtians, never the leſs holy, never the leſs preciſe, never the leſs zealous in the purſuit and practiſe of a ſincere and exemplary Godly Life, for any thing you may ſuffer for it from Men or Devils. I do not barely ſay, take up your croſs rather then lay down your Chriſtianity; but take up your croſs rather than lay down your bold Profeſſion of Chriſtianity; take up your croſs rather than lay down your zeal for Chriſt, or turn aſide from the cloſeſt, and moſt reſolved following of Chriſt. Let the Croſs neither make us of Chriſtians to become no Chriſtians, no nor to be leſs Chriſtians than we have ſeemed to be. It hath been ſo in former ages, that Chriſtianity hath never improved, nor thrived ſo much, as under the ſharpeſt, and ſevereſt perſecutions, and why ſhould it not be ſo ſtill? Look to your ſelves friends, there is hazard that your Souls may ſuffer, that you may be inward looſers by your over ſolicitouſneſs to eſcape outward loſſes; the Souls of many Profeſſors may be loſers, and the Souls of ſome may be quite loſt, by the fears of the croſs. Look to your ſelves, that this be none of your Caſes, that you be not looſers by perſecutions, eſpecially take heed that you be not loſt, your Souls loſt by them. Be not perſecuted from Chriſt, be not perſecuted to Hell; let not the croſs drive you ba k under the curſe, from which you hoped that you had eſcaped.

And that you may not be looſers, do what you can to be gainers, as other Chriſtians have been before you. If it grow to be winter without, get you to be warmer within; if the winds riſe, keep your garments the Cloſer about you; Think not to make your peace with evil men, by ſtriking ſail and following Chriſt more aloof; but make your Peace with God more ſure, that you may be the more able to bear the reproaches of the World. Be as the Stars, that are never ſo bright, as when the night is darkeſt. Love one another, help one another, quicken and comfort, and encourage one another, ſo much the more, for that the world hateth, and goes about to hinder you; and never p. 310think, after all that hath been ſaid, about the governing and guarding, the ſanctifying and keeping your hearts, that yet your hearts are right, till you can hold faſt your integrity, and hold on your way in all changes of weather.

3. Keep the Crown in your eye, and let that word be ever in your ear. Rev. 3.11. Hold faſt what thou haſt, that no man take thy Crown. Run from your Colours and you looſe the Crown. He that hath heaven in his eyes, will not fear to have holineſs in his life. The hope of the victory will encourage in the fight; the hope of the Crown will make the croſs to be eaſie, and make us faithful in the covenant. Therefore Remember that word, Rev. 2.10. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a Crown of life. Chriſtians, if you would not looſe the Crown, then be faithful; be faithful to the death in the covenant of your Lord. Whatever difficulties or diſcouragements you may meet with in your way, what ever hardſhips or tribulations may befal you, if you can yet ſay with the Church, Pſal. 44.17, 18. Though all this be come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falſely in thy Covenant, our heart is not turned back, neither have our ſteps declined from thy way. If you can but ſay this, your Lord will ſay alſo to you, whatever I have done, or brought upon you, yet I have not forgotten thee; the Covenant of my peace ſhall never be removed. Fight the good fight, keep the faith, till you have fini…hed your courſe, and then know, there is laid up for thee a Crown of Righteouſneſs, which I will ſurely give thee at that day.

4. Carry up your hearts thither, where your enemies can't come. Carry them up to heaven; whatever treaſure you lay up there, neither moth nor ruſt can corrupt, nor theives break thorow and ſteal. There's no ſafety below, the Theif will be every where upon you; whilſt you are converſant in the world, walking after the fleſh, theſe are your enemies quarters; your hearts are in the midſt of them, in the midſt of thoſe Thieves, that ſeek your life, whilſt they are converſant about theſe fleſhly things. Yea, whilſt you are where God is; in your Duties, in Ordinances, if your hearts be not above at ſuch times, if you feed only on what comes down, if you aſcend not in your Duties, if you aſcend not by Ordinances, if you get not up to have Communion with God in them, this fleſh, and this world will be thruſting in upon you, and ſteal your hearts away. p. 311Chriſt hath been riding down to you this day, as the chariots and horſes of fire, once were ſent down for Elijah; 2 Kin. 2.11. The Chariots came down to fetch up the Prophet in them; the Ordinances of God, that you have been at this day, was the Chariot of God, that was ſent down on purpoſe, that thoſe hearts of yours might ride up in it into Glory. I hope ſome of your hearts got up into the Chariot, and are aſcended with your Lord, who came down to fetch them up. What, Chriſtian, is thine heart yet below? where was it, when the Chariot came down? what are your Souls yet among the Sheep and the Oxen? among the graſs of the Field, and the duſt of the Earth? what yet among the wormes? what yet creeping upon this Earth, and feeding upon Aſhes? do your Soules ſtill dwell in theſe Tombs and Sepulchres? I hope there may be ſome among you can ſay, I thank the Lord, mine heart is no longer here, it is riſen, it is aſcended, with my Lord, who came down for it, and hath carried it up with him. But man, how is it with thee, whoſe heart is left behind? Chriſt hath been here, and thoſe that were wiſe took the Seaſon, and got up with him into the Chariot. But is [thine] heart ſtill upon this Earth? and muſt it away again, to its old trading, to its old feeding on this dirt, and traſh? haſt thou been taſting of that Angels Food, that hidden Manna, the bread of God that came down from heaven, and canſt thou now return to thy Quailes, or thy Husks? ſure thou hadſt not a taſte of that heavenly food, if thou doſt not yet diſguſt and diſreliſh thine old carnal Delights.

But are your hearts, any of you, yet left below? behold yet a Chariot from God is before you; this Ordinance of Preaching; behold the ſame Jeſus in this Chariot is come down again for thoſe hearts, that are not yet gotten up. Thy Lord is loth to leave thee here; wilt thou yet aſcend with him? Why is there not a cry among you, Lord help me up into thy Chariot, Lord take my Soul up with thee, Lord let not me be left behind? Let Chriſt hear that voice from you, Lord take me up with thee; here this poor wretched heart of mine lies at thy feet, I can't lift it up; 'tis too heavy for me, it hath weights but no wings; yet it groans after thee it would not that thou ſhouldſt go up without it. Lord lift me up, Lord carry up this poor and wretched heart from Earth to p. 312Heaven. What muſt I yet dwell in Meſe… … mine heart amongſt the tents of Kedar? M… … amongſt theſe Theives and Robbers? O where … that hath brought thee down again for me … thou me O Lord? and wilt thou yet leave me at … …ſtance from thee? O take pity, O take me up, that I may from henceforth be with thee where thou art. Chriſtians O that I could ſet you, even every one of you, a crying thus after the Lord, and a bemoaning theſe earthly and too carnal hearts, that they are not yet aſcended! Let Chriſt yet hear that voice, and let it come deep even from the bottom of thy Soul; Let Chriſt hear, not that mouth crying, nor thoſe eyes crying, but that Soul crying, Lord take me up alſo with thee, and he will take thee up. O get you into the Pſalmiſts Poſture and Spirit. Pſal. 42.1. Pſal. 84.2. As the hart panteth after the water brooks, ſo panteth my ſoul after thee O God. My ſoul thirſteth for God, for the living God, when ſhall I come and appear before God? My Soul longeth, yea even fainteth for thee; my heart and my fleſh cryeth out for the living God When Lord? O let this be the day, take me this very hour, and carry me up to the mountains of ſpices. Chriſtians, be but unfeignedly willing, that Chriſt ſhould carry away thoſe hearts from this Earth, be but in good earneſt with him, when you ſay, Lord take me up, and he will not leave you behind.

Get theſe hearts to heaven, and keep them there. Get you up from Earth to Heaven, and come not down again from Heaven to Earth. Let that bleſſedneſs be antedated, which is promiſed to be after the Reſurrection. 1 Theſ. 4.17. Then ſhall we ever be with the Lord. Say to the Lord, even from henceforth, as he ſayes to his Church. Pſal. 132.14. Thou ſhalt be my reſt, here will I dwell for ever. Let it not be a Viſit to Heaven, that will ſatisfie you, but a Converſation in heaven. Phil. 3.20. Our Converſation is in heaven. Let it not be a few heavenly hours, or a ſhort heavenly repaſt, but an heavenly life, that you deſign and follow after. When you get you once thus near unto the Lord, live as much as poſſible, in the conſtant viewes of his Glory; ſo continually beholding and feeding upon the foretaſtes and forethoughts of his Goodneſs and Grace, that you may be [changed] daily, from Glory to Glory, into the ſame image.

Know friends, that if there be any ſecurity in the world, p. 313from the Robbers and the Spoilers; from your Luſts, and Temptations, from ſuffering ſuch loſſes again in your peace, the only ſecurity you have is to keep your hearts ſtill above. Haſt thou gotten thine heart to heaven? keep thee where thou art; keep you out of harmes way. If the Devil can but catch thoſe hearts again below, catch you a roving, catch you a wandring after your carnal things; if he can but meet you declining from an heavenly to an earthly Converſation, from a ſpiritual to a carnal Converſation, O what ſad ſpoiles of whatever good days you have had, of whatever delights, and ſatisfactions, and joyes, and comforts you have had; what ſpoiles will he make of them all? Chriſtians, when ever you can get, or do feel your hearts in a better frame, moſt full of the love, and life, and joy of the Lord, O think, what pity 'tis, what a ſad fall it will be, to make an exchange of this bleſſed ſtate, for the barren and brackiſh Pleaſures of this world? think with your ſelves, ſhall I forſake the ſweetneſs of the Fig-tree, and the fulneſs of the Olive, and go and browze upon brambles?

The deſign friends of all this is, to perſwade and invite you to live in conſtant Communion with God. You have been received and entertained this day, into ſpecial communion with God, and the intent and meaning of this ſolemne communion is, that by the ſweetneſs and refreſhing you find in it, you may be ſet into a way of ordinary communion with him. That your life may be a life of Communion with God; a life of faith, a life of love, a life of Holineſs and Joy, that ſo you might propheſie to your ſelves with the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 23.6. Surely goodneſs and mercy ſhall follow me all the days of my life, and I ſhall dwell in the houſe of the Lord for ever.

Brethren, do you in good earneſt deſire, to get you up to ſuch a life as this? do you heartily wiſh it might be thus with you? have you any hope that you ſhall obtain, and will you follow after it? will you go hence, as men and women deſigning any ſuch thing? ſhall we that have been with the Lord together this day, now agree together, in the Name of the Lord, to be reaching forward, with one heart and with one ſoul, towards ſuch an heavenly life? ſhall we help one another, and quicken one another, and ſet examples one to another, of ſuch ſpirituality and heavenlineſs? what do ye think, would be the fruit of our p. 314appearance before the Lord this day, might we return to our houſes, with our hearts full of ſuch holy Reſolutions, with our hearts flaming in ſuch holy deſires? Oh be impatient of thinking to return again to your old carnal, and ſenſual and worldly frames; to your cold, and indifferent, and lukewarm, and lifeleſs way of Religion. Let not the Devil catch you again wandring, or careleſly jogging on at your wonted rate; if he do, look for it, that whatſoever of the Divine Life or Love, of the Divine Hope or joy, hath been kindled in you this day, you will be quickly ſpoiled and robbed of it all; and thoſe poor and weakly hearts, will fall into a worſe condition then before. If you would keep any thing about you that might comfort you, if you would ſecure your Souls, from being rifled of all that you have received, if you would not return to be dark and dead and barren Souls, then remember this Counſel you have received from the Lord, to whom my Prayer is for you; which was Davids for Iſrael, 1 Chron. 29.18. O Lord God of Abraham, Iſaac and Iſrael our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of this people and prepare their heart unto thee. Keep theſe thoughts freſh upon your hearts, and you ſhall thereby keep your hearts, after the Lord hath ſpoken Grace unto you, from returning again to folly.

Laſtly, Commit the keeping of your hearts to the keeper of Iſrael. Commit them to God, Pſal. 127.1. Except the Lord keep the City, the watchmen waketh but in vain. The keeping of the heart is a greater truſt, than the keeping of a City, and therefore had need be put into ſafe hands. G d is able to keep it, 2 Tim. 1.12. I know whom I have believed, that he is able to keep, that which I have committed to him, unto that day. God is able, and God is faithful; faithful is he that hath called you, and will do it. But it may be you will ſay,

O I ſhall never be able to keep mine heart in heaven; keep up the love and life and joy of God in my Soul! keep my ſelf pure, keep me cloſe to God, that the Devil never catch me wandring abroad? Why I ſee he may catch me every hour; mine heart is given to wandring, and I cannot hold it in. It would be an eaſe, and a joy, and a great delight to me, could I get to be raiſed to ſuch a pitch, to be all ſpiritual and heavenly; and there to fix, and be ever with the Lord. O what a joy it would be to me, had I but hope I might get to ſuch a pitch! but wo is me, I ſhall never be able. Why, do your duty, and for p. 315ſuch a comfortable ſucceſs, let that care lie on the Lord. Commit it to him, both to help you into ſuch a frame, and to keep you in it; he hath ſaid, he will not fail you, He hath ſealed to you this day, that he will help you, that he will keep you; truſt upon him and he will do it.

But what is it to commit the keeping of our hearts to the Lord?

1. To give them to the Lord. God will keep nothing, but what is his own. Wilt thou give thine heart to the Devil, and then commit it to God to keep it for him? give your hearts to the Lord, give them to him for his Servants, and then commit them to his Cuſtody.

2. To truſt him with the keeping of them, Pſal. 143.9. Deliver me O God from mine enemies, for I flee unto thee to hide me. I have many enemies, that lie in wait for my Soul, I dare not truſt to my ſelf for ſecurity. God is my truſt and my refuge; I flee unto thee to hide me; I will truſt under the ſhadow of thy wings: Pſal. 36.7.

Therefore brethren, my Exhortation to you ſhall be the ſame with Peters Exhortation, to ſuffering Chriſtians; 1 Pet. 4.19. Commit the keeping of your Souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful creatour. Obſerve it, commit, but in well doing. Do not neglect your duty, and think to make it up with this, I have committed the care of my ſelf to God; I ſay, do not neglect your hearts, be not idle and careleſs of your own duty, do not leave your ſelves open to the Uſurpation of luſt or the invaſion of the Devil, do not ſuffer your hearts to lead you on in your carnal ways; leave not that heart of thine to be a blind houſe, a dark hole, and filthy Dungeon, full of Abominations, and then think to make up the matter, with this to ſay, I have committed it to the Lord to waſh it, and cleanſe it, and keep it; I truſt God with my Soul, he I hope will preſerve it; commit the keeping of your Souls, in well doing; do your duty, keep your hearts under Government, keep them under Guard, be waſhing your hearts daily, be watching your hearts daily; though God be alſo, yet you are every one, your own keepers; do your part, to keep that which God hath committed to you and then fear not, but God will do his part, he will keep whatever you have committed to him.

And thus I have at length run through this great duty of keeping the heart. The Lord knows how great need there is of every word that hath been ſpoken: O that none of it p. 316might be loſt. Our poor hearts, God knows, have hitherto found us but poor heart-keepers. The caſe they are in, is Evidence ſufficient to prove, how ſadly they have been look'd to. Some of them continuing in a loſt ſtate to this day, others of them, but half recovered others relapſed, and fallen back from what they were once hopefully recovered to; none of our hearts, but have often been among Thieves, where we have ſuffered great loſs; and how many have been the heart diſtempers and diſeaſes we have fallen into? O what ſlight, what licentious, what liſtleſs, dull, and lazy Souls have we been? ſure theſe hearts have found us but bad keepers. O what ſhall be the ſucceſs of theſe many words that have been ſpoken? what ſay you Chriſtians? is there any hope that your hearts ſhall be better look'd to for the future? what ſay you? will you now be faithful? will you keep this charge of the Lord? keep this heart with all diligence? who is there among you, that will ſay, I confeſs my faults, and my great neglects this day? I confeſs I have been careleſs, the ſad frame mine heart is in, is a witneſs againſt me; but through the Grace of God, I will look better to my ſelf, and hope I ſhall not forget this word, as long as I live; I hope I ſhall leave medling with other mens matters, and leave cenſuring of other mens ways, and from henceforth keep mine eye more cloſe and conſtant upon mine own Soul. This do, be more faithful in keeping your ſelves, and then you may be bold, to commit your ſelves to the Lord, as unto a faithful Creator.

What hath been my deſign and deſire in this whole work? But, 1. To prepare your hearts for the Lord, that he may accept them. 2. To bring them over to the Lord, that they may become his own. 3. To keep them for the Lord, to keep them pure, that he may take pleaſure in them. O let this be done, and then you may commit them to the Lord to keep them ſafe.

Will you be perſwaded, will you be prevail'd upon, thus to prepare and bring over your hearts to the Lord? thus to preſerve and keep them pure and faithful to him? and ſo truſt to his faithfulneſs? Might I prevail with you in this, I had done my work; and having put you thus into ſafe cuſtody, ſhould there be bold to leave you, in this Confidence, that you ſhould be thenceforth all kept, by the mighty power of God, through faith unto Salvation.

FINIS.

End of the text · Richard Alleine, Instructions About Heart-Work (1681)