Instructions About Heart-Work, Title page – To the reader
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT Heart-work. What is to be done on Gods part, and ours, for the cure and keeping of the HEART, that we may live in the Exerciſe and Growth of Grace here, and have a comfortable Aſſurance of Glory to Eternity.
By that eminent Goſpel-Miniſter Mr. RICHARD ALLEIN Author of Vindicioe Pietatis.
ZEC. 1.5, 6.
—The Prophets, do they live for ever? but my words— did they not take hold of your fathers? &c.
LONDON, Printed for Jonathan Greenwood at the Crown in the Poultry, near Grocers Alley. 1681.
TO THE READER.
THis was the laſt Work of this bleſſed Author, and I wiſh the improvement of the ſcope of it, may be the firſt and laſt work of every Reader. That his Works have done good, very few have ſo many Heart-epiſtles of Commendation. O let nothing be wanting on your part, but that this may do more good. Were all our Swords of Contention beaten into Plough-ſhares and Pruning-hooks, for ploughing up the fallow ground of the Heart, for pulling up the weeds, and cutting off the luxuriances of the Heart; were this the only Contention, who ſhould moſt promote gracious heart-work both in themſelves and others: this work would afford comfort both living and dying. We are every one readier to find fault with others than to mend our ſelves; but were heart-work more minded, we ſhould have no time to ſpare for ſuch excurſions. This Treatiſe will inſtruct you in downright Chriſtianity, which, would all thoſe heartily mind that wear the name of Chriſtian, we need not fear what Men or Devils could do againſt us. Let me aſſure you, it is more than a probable opinion, that unleſs we heartily mind plain practical godlineſs, it is preſumption, not faith, to expect Deliverance. God holds us hovering upon our good behaviour; our moſt infallible Prognoſticks, what God will do with us, are within us. It is not what we ſeem, but what we are; God looks at the heart: When the bent and frame of the heart is right, this cannot but influence the life; and when heart and life pleaſe God, nothing can come amiſs to us; Gods ſevereſt ſtrokes will be bleſſings to us, but where the heart is neglected thoſe Providences that are moſt grateful to fleſh and bloud will be curſes to us. Chriſtians, you know it is granted on all hands, that God looks moſt at the heart; therefore brutiſh Sinners, when they would evade conviction, boaſt of their hearts to excuſe their ignorance and ſottiſh profaneneſs, they will tell you their hearts are good; and thus the Father of Lies flatters them, and ruines them, with a good conceit of their hearts. On the other hand, the moſt ſerious Chriſtians are always complaining of their hearts, that they are dead, fickle, falſe, unſpiritual; and thus the Father of Lies diſcomforts them, by ſouring their very graces, their mortification, humility, holy jealouſie, their hatred of ſin, and ſenſe of its encroachments, are warped by Satan to their diſcouragement. But now a clear and practical underſtanding of the way of Grace, the way of Temptation, and the way of Duty about the Heart, will ſteer us right through all the difficulties and dangers we ſhall meet with on this ſide Glory. That this Book may be bleſſed to this end, is the hearty deſire of a willing Servant of Chriſt and Chriſtians,
SAMUEL ANNESLEY.