The Dead Saint Speaking to Saints and Sinners Living, Treatise 5 · Application 3 – Character 2
3. Uſe
If it bee poſsible for a man to do thus much, and yet bee unſound; Then what care ought there to bee to clear the ſoundneſs of our ſpirits in our performances.
You pray, you hear, you do much; but ask the queſtion to your ſelves. Is my heart ſound in all theſe performances? is it ſound in prayer? in hearing? if not, all this ſomething is nothing.
If you break the ſtring that goes through a ſet of Beads, they all fall to the ground. Sincerity is the ſtring which goes through all our Prayers, our Duties and Graces; if that bee broken, all is broken.
Sincerity is the Evidence of all our Evidences taken from below.
It is that which makes every duty glorious, every breathing of the ſpirit ſweet, every groan weighty, every drop of tears a pearl, and precious in Gods eſteem.
Sincerity is all in all. It is all, in all our Prayers; all, in all our tears; all, in all our ſervices. It is all to God; that which God accounts all. Sincerity is Goſpel perfection. And perfection is all.
Let us then examine our hearts; you that abound moſt in all outward performances, clear the ſoundneſs and ſincerity of your hearts in them.
1. Clear the ſincerity of your hearts in your obedience in general.
2. Clear the ſincerity of your hearts, in your performances in particular.
Wee ſhall now inſiſt upon the laſt firſt, And that is, Clear the ſincerity of your hearts in your performances in particular.
Wee will inſtance in theſe three eſpecially which wee ſingle out.
Firſt in your Hearing.
Secondly in your Praying.
Thirdly in your Mourning for ſin.
1. Clear the ſincerity of your hearts in hearing the Word.
Wee will give you theſe characters of a ſincere heart in hearing the Word.
1. A ſincere heart deſires ſincere preaching. Such preaching wherein his heart is ripped up; his corruptions diſcovered; the moſt quickening and ſoul-ſearching miniſtry; ſuch a miniſtry as doth moſt unravel his heart, and rip up his ſoul.
You ſee this, 1 Pet. 2.2. As new born babes deſire the ſincere milk of the Word, the preaching of the Word, and the ſincere preaching of the Word, not the Word as it is ſophiſticated, poiſoned, adulterated by mans invention. As the Apoſtles phraſe is, but the Word as it comes ſincerely from the Fountain.
Such a man hee deſires killing, as well as comforting truths, ſearching, as well as healing truthes; breaking, as well as binding. And indeed, hee deſires no comforting, but in killing; no comforting of his ſoul, but in killing of his ſins; no healing, but in ſearching; no binding, but in breaking.
An unſound heart, if hee deſire to hear, yet it ſhould bee ſuch as would preach placentia, ſpeak peace, daube with untempered Morter.
And if a Miniſter do once preach to the quick. If hee once enter upon the diſcovery of them, their hearts riſe againſt the truth; they rebel againſt the Word; and ſuch are no Miniſters for them. They will finde out one that they can live in ſin, and yet live in peace under his Miniſtry.
We read in the 42. of Jer. read it throughout, (the Chapter is worth your taking notice of.) Let mee intreat you to read it when you come home, you ſhall ſee there the depth of a ſelf-deceiving ſpirit.
You ſhall read there, the Children of Iſrael deſired Jeremy to inquire of the Lord what they ſhould do, and they would aſſuredly do it; but their hearts deceived them. You ſee there that they thought Jeremy would have brought them an anſwer from God agreeable to their own ſpirits.
They did not think that their will muſt have come up to Gods will, but that Gods will would have come down to their will.
Well, Jeremy goes to God, and hee brings them a meſſage from God which was clean croſs to their luſts. And then the venome of their ſpirits which before lay hid, appeared, they brake out into open rebellion againſt the Word of the Lord, and ſpake plain. Wee will not hear the Word of the Lord which thou haſt told us.
So it is with many unſound ſpirits, ſelf-deceiving ſpirits; before a Miniſter come into a Pariſh. Oh then ſay they! let us have a good Miniſter, one that may do our ſouls good, one that may bring a meſſage to us from the Lord, diſcover to us Gods will. And few there are but do thus far agree; but if once a Miniſter rip up their ſins, ſearch their wounds, that they may bee healed of them: if once hee come to diſcover their corruptions, and indeavour to take them off their unſound bottomes; whereon if they live and dye, they will periſh. Then they flye out againſt the light, and him that holds it forth to them. Away with ſuch a man from the earth. Wee will not hear the Word of the Lord ſpoken.
Whereas a ſincere heart doth ſide with the Word, with light, to fight againſt and deſtroy his corruptions.
Theſe men they ſide with their corruptions and luſts, to fight againſt the truth, to blow out the light, and oppoſe the preaching of the Word.
A ſincere heart doth hold up the Law againſt his luſt. Let my luſts periſh, rather than thy Law bee deſtroyed. But a corrupt heart doth hold up his luſt againſt the Law. And ſaith in his heart, Let the Law rather than my luſt bee deſtroyed.
There is not one corruption which thou keepeſt with love and liking, but thou wiſheſt in thy heart, that there were no ſuch Law againſt it. The Drunkard wiſheth there were no ſuch Law againſt his Drunkenneſs. The unclean perſon would bee glad there were no Law againſt his uncleanneſs, rather part with ſo much of Gods Nature, which the Law is a beam of, than part with his luſt.
Hence it is truly ſaid, peccatum eſt Dei Cidium; ſin is Gods ſlaughter, becauſe ſin ſtrikes againſt the very being of God; the purity and holineſs of God.
Hee that would not bee as God is, would hee glad if God were as hee is. That is a certain rule, that hee that will favour himſelf in any corruption, would bee glad if God would favour him too. That there were no Law againſt it, or that there were a Law to countenance it, or no Law to puniſh it. That God were not againſt it, that God were of his mind, or that there were no God, or no God to puniſh it, &c.
2. A ſincere heart in hearing the Word▪
1. Is willing to receive the truth of God.
2. Is willing to receive every truth of God.
3. Is willing to receive it as the truth of God.
1. Hee receives the truth not into his head only, his underſtanding to know it, but into his heart, his affections to love it.
Hee doth not impriſon it in the head, but lets it go down into the heart. And the whole ſoul is made the reſidence and place of truth. Lord how I love thy Law contrary hereto is that, 2 Theſ. 2.10.
2. Hee is willing to receive every truth: Speak Lord, for thy Servant heareth. Hee looks upon every word of God as good, every truth of God, as comming in the image of God, and comming with the authority of God, and there is ready entertainment for all; as well thoſe which make againſt him, as thoſe which make for him; though a truth appear never ſo formidable that the receiving may coſt a man death.
2. Hee is willing to receive truth, as the truth; that is, in the Power, Majeſty and Authority of Truth, And ſets it up as King in his ſpirit. To which hee deſires to yeeld ſubjection and obedience in all.
Hee lets it come in, in its inlightening, in its convincing power; in its humbling and awakening power, as well as in its quickening and comforting power.
Every truth ſhall bee received as the truth of God.
But now an unſound ſpirit
Hee is not willing to receive the truth; ſome truth hee dare not own, leaſt they ſhould diſturb him in a way of ſin. As the Apoſtle, 2 Pet. 3.5. Of this they are willingly ignorant; they have no deſire to know this. They deſire to ſhut out the light, that their corruptions may not bee diſquieted, Mat. 13.15. They wink with their eyes, that they might not underſtand.
2. They receive not every Truth. It may bee ſuch as are notional they will, or ſuch as may ſtand with their luſts and preſent advantages; not ſuch as are practical, and croſs them in their corrupt ends and practiſes.
They look upon ſome truthes, as an ignis fatuus, that if they ſhould entertain them, and follow them, they would lead them into danger.
It was the ſpeech of a King of France, that hee would lanch no further into the deep, than hee might come ſafely to ſhore. That is, hee would follow Truth no further, than hee may preſerve himſelf and his own. If thoſe bee hazarded, hee will forſake the Truth.
3. They receive it not as Truth.
1. Not for it ſelf. 2. Not to bee King over them.
1. Not for it ſelf, but for other private and perſonal reſpects. Either for their gain, their advantage, or for fear and danger, or out of reſpects to the greatneſs, or quality of the perſons, who do entertain a Truth.
Whereas a godly man doth love the perſon for the Truths ſake. As St. John writing to the Elect Lady, whom hee ſaid hee loved for the Truths ſake, 2 Joh. 1.2.
They that love the Truth for the perſons ſake, may ſay they love the Truth for the Ladies ſake. The one the perſon for the Truths ſake, the other the truth for the perſons ſake.
So you ſee they receive it not as Truth for it ſelf.
2. They receive it not as Truth to bee Lord and King over them. To which they yeeld obedience and ſubjection in all things.
Many men would govern Truth, but they will not ſuffer Truth to govern them. They would keep Truth, though but in priſon, for all their keeping is but impriſoning, but they will not ſuffer Truth to keep them, though the Truth would make them free. Corrupt ſpirits they receive Truth as a Servant, not as a King. And before they receive it, they will ask what it can do for them; what ſervice, what advantage can it bring them? If none, Truth ſhall not bee entertained of them.
3. A ſincere heart in hearing the Word, is an honeſt heart: and there is the ſumme of all.
This Chriſt expreſſeth in the Parable of the Sower and the Seed, Luk. 8.15. the ſincere ſpirit received the Word with an honeſt and good heart.
Now the honeſty of a mans ſpirit in hearing, or an honeſt heart in hearing, is ſuch as
1. Hears the Word, as Gods Word, bee the inſtrument never ſo weak and deſpicable, yet it ſhall prevail with an honeſt heart, becauſe it is Gods Word. You have an expreſſion in Iſa. 11.6. A little Childe ſhall lead him.
Whoever comes with a meſſage from God, whoever brings a word, hee ſhall prevail and perſwade with him.
An honeſt ſervant will take notice of his Maſters mind, though a Child bee the meſſenger; hee looks not on the perſon that brings it, but on the meſſage brought. So though the perſon bee never ſo weak, if hee bring a word from God, an honeſt heart will vail to it.
2. An honeſt heart ſides with the Word of God againſt himſelf, hee takes part with a truth againſt himſelf.
Whereas an unſound heart ſides with his corruption againſt the Word, fights againſt that which fights againſt it; but an honeſt heart ſides with the Word againſt his corruption.
3. An honeſt heart deſires to profit by the Word, 1 Pet. 2.2. As new born Babes deſire the ſincere Milk of the Word, that they may grow thereby. Hee is a man that is reſolved to practiſe whatever God reveals. Hee hath no exceptions or reſervations to himſelf, but is bent to practiſe every Truth God reveals to him. Hee asketh the way to Sion with his face thitherward, as one reſolved to go the way that God ſhall reveal.
This was that which Paul ſaid, Lord, what wilt thou have mee to do? They were not verba expoſtulantis, but verba ſubmittentis. Hee was not only deſirous to know, but reſolved to do whatever God did reveale to him.
An honeſt heart deſires every Truth to bee made his own. And that there may bee Principles bred in the ſpirit ſutable to the Truthes revealed to him. Hee is deſirous that every degree of illumination may bee a further degree of ſanctification. That his heart may bee transformed into the nature of truthes revealed.
It doth not content him to have truthes in the head, and a lye in the heart: Truth in the head, and error in the ſpirit: Light in the head, and darkneſs in the heart, but hee deſires the whole man may bee digeſted into the nature of truthes. Truth formed in his ſoul.
4. An honeſt heart, hee hears the word with reflection. As in reading the word, hee reads himſelf with it. So in hearing the word, hee doth peruſe himſelf with it. Hee hears with reflection, hee hears with application, charging and clearing his heart, according to the evidence which conſcience gives in upon hearing of the Word.
2. Clear the ſincerity of your hearts in matter of praying. I told you in the beginning that it was poſſible for a man to pray, nay and make many prayers, to abound in praying; hee may pray in publick, pray in private, pray in the Church, and pray in his cloſet, hee may multiply to pray, as the word importeth, Iſa. 1.15. And yet his heart bee unſound. And therefore, you, who do abound much in prayer, labour to clear the ſincerity of your hearts in this duty.
Wee will give you theſe Characters of an heart ſincere in Prayer.
1. Character.
Where the heart is ſincere in Prayer, there is a doing of the duty with all our ſtrength. There will bee a laying out of all the ſtrength and powers within us. The ſtrength of our Judgement, the ſtrength of our will, and our affections; the ſtrength of the whole ſoul in the work. Prayer when ſincere, is a wreſtling work. Jacob wreſtled with God; that is, hee wept and prayed, Hoſ. 12.4. Prayer is the ſouls contention, the ſouls ſtrugling with God.
It is a ſweating work. It is the ſweat and blood of the ſoul. A ſincere heart layes out its ſtrength in prayer.
Though a mans ſtrength bee but weakneſs, yet if a mans ſtrength bee in the work, it is ſufficient to evidence a mans ſincerity. Indeed if a man had a Male in his flock, and ſhould offer to the Lord a female. If …ee had a better, and ſhould give God a worſe. If hee had ſtrength, and yet ſerved the Lord with weakneſs; this would declare the heart to bee unſound.
But when a mans ſtrength is in the work, though that ſtrength bee but weakneſs, yet it will evidence the ſincerity of the heart. And there is no reaſon that you ſhould look upon thoſe Prayers as caſt, as loſt Prayers, where your ſtrength is in them.
When thou haſt been with God, and performed a duty, although but weakly, many imperfections in it, much unbeleef, much hardneſs, much deadneſs and coldneſs; yet if your ſtrength have been in the duty, you may riſe up without confuſion and ſhame, upon this ground, your ſtrength hath been in it, your heart doth not condemn you, you are able to clear this to your ſpirit; your ſtrength hath been in the work.
But now ſuch are here condemned, and caſt, who have a Male in their flock, and offer to the Lord a Female. God curſeth ſuch. Curſed, &c. Mal. 1.14. When you have ſtrength, and ſerve God with weakneſs; when you will turn off God with your cold, your lazy, ſleepy, and formal devotions, and will not take any pains with your own hearts in theſe holy works. This diſcovers your ſpirits to bee unſound, and falſe to God.
2. Character.
Where the heart is ſincere in Prayer, there is no reſt or content to the ſoul, till the heart bee wrought into the work.
A ſincere heart in Prayer, is an heart-ſincerity in Prayer, not a tongue in Prayer, not an head in Prayer, but an heart in Prayer.
Prayer is not lip-work, or head work, but heart work. And where the heart is ſincere, hee is not content till the heart bee in the work. Hee is not content to bee down on his knees, if his heart bee not up. To have an hand in the work; if his heart bee not alſo in it.
A ſincere heart labours to get his heart into the work. Hee prayes in prayer, Jam. 5.17. There is an affective collation with the duty. If hee confeſſeth ſins, hee deſireth to get affections ſutable to the confeſſion of ſin. An heart wounded and broken under the ſight and ſenſe of ſin.
If hee prayes for pardon, hee labours to get an heart apprehenſive of the want, and alſo of the worth of mercy; and ſeeks a mercy, as a condemned man a pardon.
If hee pray for Grace, or the ſubduing of luſts, ſtill hee labours to get an heart ſutable to the things hee wants, and that which hee doth deſire.
It was the ſpeech of Bradford, that hee would never leave a duty till hee had brought his heart into the frame of the duty. Hee would not leave confeſſion of ſin, till his heart was broken for ſin. Hee would not leave petitioning for Grace, till his heart was quickened in deſire. He would not leave gratulation, till his heart was inlarged with the ſenſe of the mercies he enjoyed, and quickned in the return of praiſe.
But now an unſound heart, if hee can but poſt over a duty. If but ſay his prayers, though hee have never laboured to get his heart into them, yet he is well enough.
This is to draw neer with our lips, when yet our hearts are far from God, This is to offer God a bulk and carkaſs of duty, without the life and ſpirit of duty, and ſo it is abominable to God.
A body without a ſoul ſtinks; ſo here, your Confeſſions of ſins, are Commiſſions of ſins, Iterations of ſins, when your hearts are not ſenſible and affected with ſinnes you confeſſe. Hee that remembers ſinne with delight, doth commit the ſinne again.
He that remembers ſin without ſorrow, doth but revive his former guilt, hee removes it not; A man may diſpleaſe a man as much with the Confeſſion of a fault, as in the Commiſſion of the fault.
If a man had offended you, and ſhould come in a ſleight way to confeſs his fault, you would be more offended at him for his confeſsion, than for his fault.
So when you ſhall come before God and confeſs your ſins, without any compunction for your ſinnes, without any ſenſe of ſin, or ſorrow for it, you do aggravate your ſins, and increaſe guilt, inſtead of removing guilt from your ſouls.
An hard heart, and a dry eye in the confeſſion of ſin, is an aggravation of your ſins.