A Cabinet of Choice Jewels, Chapter 2 (3 of 3)
Secondly, Becauſe grace is contrary to nature. The wiſdom of the fleſh is enmity againſt God, Rom. 8.7. Fire cannot deſire water, nor water fire, becauſe they are contrary, one expelling the other; for either the water will quench the fire, or elſe the fire will lick up the water: So here, nature would have a man love himſelf, and ſeek himſelf, and exalt himſelf; but grace will have a man love God, and ſeek God, and exalt God, &c. Take nature when 'tis moſt adorned, enriched, raiſed, elevated, &c. yet then you ſhall find it at enmity with God and grace. Ergo, &c.
Thirdly, Becauſe grace is not only above nature, and contrary to nature, but it is even a hell to nature; grace and holineſs is a hell to a natural man.See my Treatiſe on holineſs, page 64, 65, 66. Look as a glorified eſtate would be a hell to every wicked perſon, (Coelum eſt altera gehenna damnatorum, ſaith one of the Ancients; Heaven is another hell to the damned) ſo would a gracious eſtate alſo. Grace puts a man to take up the Croſs of Chriſt, to deny his natural ſelf, his ſinful ſelf, his religious ſelf, his relative ſelf, and to give up a mans ſelf to the ſtricteſt and exacteſt wayes of God, and to crucifie his luſts, and to pull out his right eye, and to cut off his right hand, &c. And oh! what hard work is this, yea what a hell is this to nature? &c.
Fourthly, Wicked men don't, nor can't ſo much as truly and ſeriouſly deſire ſaving grace; witneſs their daily withſtanding and ſlighting the offers of grace. Compare theſe Scriptures, Prov. 1.20.—ult. Chap. 8.1.—12. Ezek. 24.13. Mat. 23.37. Luke 19.41, 42, &c.
Fifthly, Wicked men don't, nor can't, ſo much as truly and ſeriouſly deſire ſaving grace; witneſs their common, ordinary, habitual provoking, vexing, quenching, reſiſting and grieving of the ſpirit of grace. Turn to theſe Scriptures, Gen. 6.3. Iſa. 63.10. Act. 7.55. Eph. 4.30.
Sixthly, Wicked men don't, nor can't truly and ſeriouſly deſire ſaving grace; witneſs that enmity, hatred, rage and madneſs that is in them againſt the Saints, whoſe hearts and lives are enamel'd with grace, Gen. 3.15. Pſal. 34.21. Pſal. 44.10. Job 31.29. Amos 5.10, &c. I have read of a deſperate wretch, that when he came to die, he gave good portions to all his children but one, and to him he would give but twelve pence; and being asked the reaſon of it, he made anſwer, he was a Puritan; I have heard him ſay, ſaid his wretched father, That he had a promiſe to live on; let us now ſee whether a promiſe will maintain him or no. Certainly, wherever there are true ſerious deſires after grace, there is a dear love to thoſe upon whoſe hearts the work of grace is paſt. Now by theſe ſhort hints, 'tis evident enough, that wicked men don't, nor can't ſincerely, ſeriouſly deſire grace; certainly ſuch that are poor in ſpirit, and that mourn for their ſpiritual defects, and that hunger and thirſt after grace and holineſs, after a righteouſneſs imparted and a righteouſneſs imputed, muſt confeſs themſelves to be in a bleſſed eſtate, and conſequently in a ſtate of grace; (for what true happineſs is there out of it?) or elſe they muſt contradict our Saviour, and charge truth it ſelf with untruth, who hath pronounced them bleſſed that are ſo qualified, ſo affected. Were this well weighed and ſeriouſly conſidered of, how would it comfort, refreſh, ſupport and ſtay up many a troubled ſoul? and what a well-ſpring of life would this be to many a wounded ſpirit? Doubtleſs the greateſt part of a Saints perfection in this life (witneſs Pauls own ingenious confeſſion after fourteen years converſion,Rom. 7.15, 18, 19, 21, 22. ſay ſome; and who ever went beyond him? and how exceedingly do moſt fall ſhort of him?) conſiſteth rather in will than in work, and in deſire and endeavour more than in deed. There is ſo much good in good deſires, that it is the main that the godly have to ſpeak of, and to reckon of; make an inventory of a Chriſtians eſtate, and ſearch every room, if you find not theſe you find nothing; and if you ſet theſe down in the inventory, you ſet down even all he is worth for another world. Daniel is called a man of deſires, and ſo is every gracious man, a man wholly made up of gracious deſires.Dan. 10 11. Mark, God makes a judgment upon the ſons of men, according as their deſires ſtand; he that deſires to ſteal, he is a Thief in the account of God; and he that deſires to commit adultery, he is an adulterer in the account of God; and he that deſires to oppreſs, he is an oppreſſor in the account of God; and he that deſires to deceive, he is a deceiver in the account of God; and he that deſires to perſecute, he is a perſecutor in the account of God; and he that deſires to prophane the Sabbaths of God, he is a prophaner of the Sabbaths of God in the account of God, &c. Look, as every wicked man is as bad in the account of God, as his deſires are bad; ſo every godly man is as good in the account of God, as his deſires are good; he that ſincerely deſires to believe, he does believe in the account of God.Mr. Perkins in his grain of muſtard-ſeed. The deſire (ſaith one) to believe in the want of faith, is faith; though as yet there want firm and lively grace, yet art thou not altogether void of grace; if thou canſt deſire it, thy deſire is the ſeed, conception or bud of what thou wanteſt. Now is the Spring-time of the ingraffed Word or immortal ſeed caſt into the furrows of thy heart, wait but a while, uſing the means, and thou ſhalt ſee that leaves, bloſſoms and fruits will ſhortly follow, &c. Another ſaith,Urſin. Faith in the moſt holy is not perfect, nevertheleſs, whoſoever feels in his heart an earneſt deſire to believe, and a ſtriving againſt his doubts, he both may and muſt aſſure himſelf, that he is indued with true faith. And he that ſincerely deſires to repent,Mr. Fox. he does repent in the account of God. Holy Bradford writing to Mr. Jo. Careleſs, ſaith, Thy ſins are undoubtedly pardoned, &c. for God hath given thee a penitent and believing heart; that is, a heart which deſireth to repent and believe,Let thy deſires be before God, and he which ſeeth in ſecret, ſhall reward thee openly; thy deſire is thy prayer, and if thy deſire be continual, thy prayer is continual, &c. for ſuch a one is taken of him (he accepting the will for the deed) for a penitent and believing heart indeed. And he that ſincerely deſires to mortifie ſin, he does mortifie ſin in the account of God; and he that ſincerely deſires to walk with God, he does walk with God in the account of God; and he that ſincerely deſires to honour God, he does honour God in the account of God; and he that ſincerely deſires to deny himſelf, he does deny himſelf in the account of God; and he that ſincerely deſires to be weaned from the world, he is weaned from the world in the account of God; and he that ſincerely deſires to be conformable to God, he is comformab…e to God in the account of God; and he that deſires to grow in grace, he does grow in grace in the account of God; and he that ſincerely deſires to improve mercies, he does improve mercies in the account of God; and he that ſincerely deſires to glorifie God in the hour of his viſitation, he does glorifie God in the hour of his viſitation in the account of God. A gracious man may make a better judgment of his eſtate by his ſincere deſires, than he can by his duties; and ſo a wicked man may make a better judgment of his eſtate by his deſires, than he can by his words or works. I have been the larger upon this ev…dence, becauſe of its great uſefulneſs to weak believers. But,
Seventhly, No man can ſincerely deſire grace for grace ſake, viz. faith for faiths ſake, and love for loves ſake, and humility for humilities ſake, and uprightneſs for uprightneſs ſake, and meekneſs for meekneſs ſake, and holy fear for holy fears ſake, and hope for hopes ſake, and holineſs for holineſs ſake, and ſelf-denial for ſelf-denials ſake, &c. but he that has true grace. Mark, no man can ſincerely and ſeriouſly deſire grace, for the inward beauty, glory and excellency of grace,Pſal. 45.13. 2 Cor. 3.18. but he that has true grace. The Kings daughter is all glorious within, though within is not all her glory; grace differs nothing from glory but in name, grace is glory in the bud, and glory is grace at the full; grace is glory militant, and glory is grace triumphant; grace has an inward glory upon it, which none can ſee and love, but ſuch as have grace in their own hearts: Wicked men can ſee no beauty, no glory, no excellency in grace, why they ſhould deſire it, or be taken with it;Iſa. 53.1, 2, 3, 4. and no wonder, for they could ſee no beauty, nor excellency, nor glory, nor form, nor comelineſs in Chriſt the fountain of grace, why they ſhould deſire him, and be taken with him. Though next to Chriſt grace is the moſt lovely and deſirable thing in all the world, yet none can deſire it for its own lovelineſs and deſirableneſs, but ſuch as have a ſeed of God in them; though grace be a pearl of price, though it be a jewel more worth than the gold of Ophir, though it be a beam of God, a ſpark of glory, a branch of the divine nature; yet carnal hearts can ſee no glory nor excellency in it, that they ſhould deſire it. If carnal eyes were but opened to ſee the excellency of grace, Mirabiles ſui excitaret amores, it would raviſh the ſoul in deſires after it; but graces beauty and glory is inward, and ſo it is not diſcerned but with ſpiritual eyes. Plato was wont to ſay, if moral vertues could be ſeen with bodily eyes, they would ſtir up in the heart extraordinary flames of admiration and love.1 Cor. 2.14—ult. I might ſay much more of grace; Grace, 1. Puts an excellency, it puts a luſtre and beauty upon mens perſons.Prov. 12.26. 1 Pet. 34, 5, &c. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour; and pray what makes him ſo but grace?Dan. 11.2…. Wiſdom makes a mans face to ſhine; riches, and honours, and dignities, and royal ornaments, and coſtly fare, and noble attendants, don't put an excellency and glory upon man; witneſs Antiochus, Saul, Haman, Herod, Dives, &c. but ſaving grace does; the graces of the Spirit are that chain of pearl that adorns Chriſt's Bride. 2. Grace puts an excellency upon all a mans duties; By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent ſacrifice than Cain; faith put an excellency upon Abels ſacrifice. 3. Grace puts an excellency upon all a mans natural and acquired excellencies; it puts an excellency upon beauty, honour, riches, name, arts, parts, gifts. Now, how excellent and glorious muſt that be, that puts an excellency upon all our excellencies? 4. Grace makes a man conformable to God and Chriſt. 5.1 John 4.17. 1 John 1.1, 2. 2 Cor. 13.14. Zech. 3.7. Mal. 2.2. Prov. 2.11, 12. Grace fits a man for communion and fellowſhip with Father, Son and Spirit. 6. Grace fits a man for the choiceſt ſervices. 7. Grace turns all things into a bleſſing. 8. Grace fills the ſoul with all ſpiritual excellencies. 9. Grace preſerves a Chriſtian from the worſt of evils, viz. ſin. 10. Grace ſweetens death, it makes the King of terrors to be the King of deſires. 11. Grace renders a man acceptable to God, and that's the heighth of a Chriſtians ambition in this world, 2 Cor. 5.9. Wherefore we labour (foreign, we are ambitious) that whether preſent or abſent, we may be accepted of him. The Apoſtles made it their ambition to get acceptance in heaven: riches, and honours and gifts, and arts, and parts, &c. may commend us to men; but 'tis only grace that commends us to God, and that renders us lovely in his eyes. 12. Grace will eternalize your names, grace will perfume and embalm your names, Heb. 11.2. By faith the Elders obtained a good report. Ver. 39. And theſe all having obtained a good report through faith received not the promiſe. Nothing raiſes a mans name and fame in the wo…ld like grace. A man may obtain a great report without grace, nothing below grace will perpetuate a mans name.Acts 6 5, 3. The ſeven Deacons that the Church choſe were gracious men,Act. 10.1, 2, 3, 4, 22. and they were men of good report, they were men well witneſſed unto, well teſtified of, as the Greek word imports.Act. 9.10, 20. compared with Chap. 22.12. Cornelius was a gracious man, and he was a man of good report among all the Nation of the Jews. Ananias was a gracious man, and he was a man of a good report. Gaius and Demetrius, they were both gracious men, and they were men of good report, witneſs that third Epiſtle of John. How renowned was Abraham for his faith? and Moſes for his meekneſs? and Jacob for his plain-heartedneſs? and Job for his uprightneſs? and David for his zeal? and Joſhua for his courage?Heb. 11.4. Pſal. 112.6. Prov. 10.7. Holy Abel hath been dead above this five thouſand years, and yet his name is as freſh and fragrant as a Roſe, to this very day. Grace will make your names immortal; The righteous ſhall be in everlaſting remembrance: The memory of the juſt is bleſſed, but the name of the wicked ſhall rot. Wicked men many times out-live their names, but the names of juſt men out-live them; when a gracious man dies, he leaves his name as a ſweet and as a laſting ſcent behind him, his fame ſhall live when he is dead. According to the Hebrew the words may be read thus; The memory of the juſt ſhall be for a bleſſing; the very remembring of the juſt ſhall bring a bleſſing upon them that remember them. When a gracious man dies, as he carries a good conſcience with him, ſo he leaves a perfumed name behind him. Grace is the image of God, the delight of God, the honour of God, the glory of God; grace is the purchaſe of Chriſt, and the birth of the Spirit, and the pledge of glory; grace is the joy of Angels, the glory of man, and the wonder of the world; what's the body without the ſoul? what's the cabinet without the jewels? what's the Sun without light? what's the fountain without water? what's Paradiſe without the Tree of Life? what's Heaven without Chriſt? That's a ſoul without grace. Now every gracious ſoul ſees a real, internal excellency, beauty and glory in grace, and accordingly it is carried out in its deſires after it; it ſees ſuch an innate excellency, beauty and glory in that faith, wiſdom, humility, meekneſs, patience, zeal, ſelf-denial, heavenly-mindedneſs, uprightneſs, &c. that ſparkles and ſhines in ſuch and ſuch Saints, that it many times ſtrives with God in a corner, even to ſweat and tears, that it may be bedecked and inriched with thoſe ſingular graces that are ſo ſhining in others. O, that I had the wiſdom of ſuch a Chriſtian, and the faith of ſuch a Chriſtian, and the love of ſuch a Chriſtian, and the humility of ſuch a Chriſtian, and the meekneſs of ſuch a Chriſtian, and the zeal of ſuch a Chriſtian, and the integrity of ſuch a Chriſtian, &c. O, that my ſoul was but in their caſe! I don't covet their riches but their graces: Oh, that I had but thoſe graces! Oh, that I had much of thoſe graces, that ſparkles and ſhines in the hearts and lives of ſuch and ſuch Chriſtians! I ſee a beauty and glory upon Sun, Moon and Stars, yea upon the whole Creation, but what's that to that beauty and glory that I ſee ſtampt upon grace? And this fires his heart with deſires after grace. But,
Eighthly, No man can ſincerely deſire all grace, every grace, or the whole chain of graces, but he that has true grace.2 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Vain men, when they are under ſome outward or inward diſtreſſes, may to ſerve their preſent turns, deſire (in a cold, formal, cuſtomary way) patience, or contentation, or meekneſs, or hope, or faith, &c. but they don't, nor can't, whilſt they are wicked, whilſt they are in their natural eſtate,Act. 8.19. to 25. whilſt they are in the gall of bitterneſs and bond of iniquity, ſincerely deſire every grace, eſpecially thoſe particular graces that are moſt oppoſite to their maſter ſin, to their darling luſts, to their conſtitution ſins, to their complexion ſins, to thoſe particular luſts that are to them as dear as their right eyes or right hands. Auſtin before his converſion, he was much given to whoredom, and he would often pray, Lord, give me continency, but not yet; Lord, give me continency, but not yet; he was afraid leſt God ſhould have heard him to ſoon, as himſelf confeſſeth. Wicked men would be very ſorry if God ſhould take them at their words, and in good earneſt anſwer the cold and lazy deſires of their ſouls: If when the drunkard in a good mood ſhould deſire ſobriety, God ſhould take him at his word, he would be very angry; or if when the unclean perſon ſhould deſire chaſtity, continency, God ſhould anſwer his deſires, he would not be very well pleaſed; if when the covetous perſon, ſhould (under ſome pangs of conſcience) deſire a free, a charitable, a noble, generous ſpirit, God ſhould take him at his word, he would be ſorely diſpleaſed. The ſame may be ſaid of all other ſorts of ſinners; but now a real Chriſtian, though he be never ſo weak, yet he ſeriouſly deſires every grace, he is for every link of the golden chain of graces, he finds in his own heart, ſins that are contrary to every grace, and therefore he deſires every grace, that he may make head againſt every ſin; and he finds his heart and life ſo attended and ſurrounded with all ſorts and kinds of temptations, that he earneſtly, ſeriouſly, and frequently deſires the preſence and aſſiſtance of every grace, that ſo he may be temptation-proof, yea, victorious over every temptation; and he ſees and feels the need of every grace, to fill up every place, ſtation and condition wherein the Lord has ſet him, and therefore he begs hard for every grace; and he ſees a beauty, and a glory, and an excellency upon every grace, and therfore he deſires every grace as well as any one ſingle grace, which no hypocrite or prophane perſon in the world does. But,
Ninthly, No man can ſincerely and ſeriouſly deſire grace for gracious ends and purpoſes, but he that has true grace in his ſoul.Joh. 1.1, 3, 4 & 2.6. Mat. 11.29, 30. No man can truly deſire grace, that he may enjoy communion and fellowſhip with the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, and that he may be made comformable to Chriſt, and that he may be ſerviceable and uſeful to the intereſt of Chriſt, and that he may walk even as Chriſt walked,Pſal. 119.32. 1 Joh. 5.4, 5. Rom. 14.7, 8. Phil. 1.20. in the exerciſe of every grace, and that he may be rid of his ſins, yea all his ſins, eſpecially his ſpecial ſins; and that he may run the ways of God's commands more eaſily, more readily, more delightfully, more reſolutely, more patiently, more unweariedly, and more zealouſly; and that he may be made victorious over the world, the fleſh, and the devil; and that he may ſo live, as to be a praiſe, a name, an honour, and a glory to Chriſt; and that after all, and by all, he may be prepared and fitted for an eternal fruition and enjoyment of Chriſt, but he that has true grace in his ſoul. Now, every weak believer is able to appeal to God, that he deſires grace for gracious ends and purpoſes, as for the ends laſt cited, and others of the like nature with them. Wicked men may in a fit deſire grace,Act. 8.18, 19, 20. as Simon Magus did deſire the holy Ghoſt to get money by it, or when they are under ſome pangs of conſcience, they may deſire grace to be rid of their horrors and terrors, or when they are upon a dying bed they may deſire ſo much grace as may keep them out of hell, and bring them to heaven; but in all this they look no further than ſelf, they are far from deſiring of grace for gracious ends and purpoſes. There is nothing in all the world that the great God ſo much regards as man; All theſe things have my hands made, but to this man will I look, Iſa. 66.2. Nothing in man ſo much as the heart; My ſon, give me thy heart. That is the Mount Sion which God loveth above all the dwellings of Jacob, and nothing in the heart, ſo much as the aim and end of it. Let a mans profeſſion be never ſo glorious, let him be never ſo abundant in the performance of duties, let his deſires after this and that good thing be never ſo ſtrong, yet if his ends be wrong, all his pretentions and performances are but beautiful abominations. Did David pray three times aday?Mark 12.40. Luke 18.12. Mat. 6.2. Luke 11.42. Mat. 23. ſo did the Phariſees. Did David and Daniel faſt? ſo did the Phariſees, and that twice in the week. Did Cornelius give alms? ſo did the Phariſees. Did Abraham pay tythes? ſo did the Phariſees, they tythed their very Mint and Rue, but their ends being wrong, their time was loſt, and their pains was loſt, and their duties was loſt, and their alms was loſt, and their ſouls was loſt, and that for ever. God writes a nothing upon all thoſe ſervices wherein mens ends are not right, Jer. 32.23. But,
Tenthly, No man can ſincerely deſire & earneſtly endeavour after the higheſt pitches of grace, but he that has true grace; though the weak Chriſtian has but a little grace in his heart,Phil. 3.12, 13, 14, 15, 16, &c. yet he has the top of grace, the perfection of grace in his ſincere aims, in his ſincere deſires, and in his earneſt and conſtant endeavours; and if the weakeſt Saint might have his deſires, his mind, his wiſh, his will, his choice, he would never ſin more, he would never diſhonour Jeſus Chriſt more, he would never grieve the ſpirit of grace more, he would yield unſinning obedience, he would obey in this lower world, as the Angels, and as the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect do obey in that upper world;Heb. 12.22, 23. Luke 17.5. the weakeſt Chriſtian has his eye to the higheſt round in Jacob's ladder, and fain he would be at the top of it; and Oh, how ſweet is every Providence, and every Ordinance, and every duty, and every mercy, and every opportunity, that helps his ſoul more Chriſt-wards, and heaven-wards, and holineſs-wards! ſincere deſires, and ſerious endeavours to grow in grace,2 Pet. 3.18. 1 Pet. 2.2. 1 Joh. 5.13. 1 Joh. 3.9. is an infallible evidence of the truth of grace. Look, as a man may have grace and not know it, ſo a man may grow in grace and yet not diſcern it. As in the lopping of a Tree there ſeems to be a kind of diminution and deſtruction, yet the end and iſſue of it is better growth; and as the weakning of the body by Phyſick ſeems to tend to death, yet it produceth better health and more ſtrength; and as the Ball by falling downward riſeth upward, and water in pipes deſcends that it may aſcend, ſo the Chriſtians ſpiritual growth, when ſeemingly dead and declining, and to ſtand at a ſtay, is ſtill carried on by the hidden method of God to encreaſe; for every true Chriſtian is a member of a thriving body, in which there is no Atrophy, but a continual iſſuing of ſpirits from the head;The righteous ſhall flouriſh like the Palm tree, Pſal. 92.12, 13, 14. The Palm tree never loſeth his leaf or fruit, Pliny. Grace grows not alike in all Saints; in the parable, ſome brought forth thirty, ſome ſixty, and ſome a hundred fold. ſo that life being wrought by the ſpirit of life never dyeth, but is alwayes upon the growing hand (except in the dark winter night of deſertion and temptations) ripening and encreaſing even in the midſt of all ordinary troubles and trials. The Apoſtle tells us, that the whole body of Chriſt (whereof every true Chriſtian is a limb) is ſo compact together in it ſelf, and ſo firmly faſtned with certain ſpiritual nerves and ligaments to the head, that from it there is by them conveyed to each part a continual ſupply of ſpiritual grace, both ſufficient to furniſh it, and to further the growth of it. Let me give a little further light into this particular, by this ſimilitude: A man is bound for the Eaſt-Indies, and ſhapeth his courſe thitherward, but by the way is put often off by croſs winds to the Weſtward; he is by contrary winds compelled to put into divers Harbours, and to make ſome ſtay by the way there, either to ſhift off ſtormy weather, or to take in freſh water, or to ſtop a leak, or to get ſome freſh proviſions; and yet all this while we truly ſay, he is going on in his way in his voyage, becauſe his ſetled purpoſe and conſtant reſolution is to make to his Port, his Haven whither he is bound, and all theſe ſeeming lets ſhall help forward his voyage. It is ſo in ſpiritual things, for our very growth in grace conſiſts much in ſincere deſires, in fixed reſolutions, and in faithful endeavours to grow in grace.Ariſtot. Rhet. l. 1. c. 11. Seneca l. 2. c. 27. Phil. 3.13. Ariſtotle makes it the mark of a good man, that he ſtudieth how he may grow better than he is, not contenting himſelf with any degree or meaſure of goodneſs. And another Heathen obſerves, that the earneſt deſire of what men would have, maketh them forgetful of what they have. I forget what's paſt (ſaith the Apoſtle) and preſs on to what is before. Their eye is more upon what they want, than upon what they have. It is with good Chriſtians in this caſe, as it is with rich worldlings; that like men in a race, have their eye on thoſe that be before them, not on thoſe that come after them, they are ever eying thoſe that ſeem to out-ſtrip and out-go them in wealth, and think they have nothing, and that they are but poor men, ſo long as they come ſhort of ſuch and ſuch, who are rich and great in the world: And ſo it is with many precious Chriſtians, they have ſtill their eye fixt upon thoſe whoſe examples they either read of, or whoſe courſes and graces they are eyewitneſſes of; and hereupon they think that they have no grace, or elſe that they make no progreſs in grace, at leaſt worth ſpeaking of, ſo long as they come behind and fall ſhort of ſuch and ſuch, who are very eminent, or moſt eminent in grace and holineſs; and upon this account it is, that they make ſuch ſore complaints of their ſpiritual wants, and of their ſlow progreſs in grace and holineſs, and that they can hardly perceive but that they ſtand ſtill at a ſtay. Now mark, theſe ſad complaints of theirs, and their ſerious deſires to grow in grace, is a ſure and infallible evidence of the truth of grace in them; yea it is a ſure argument that they love grace as it is grace, that they love grace for grace ſake, which none can do but ſuch as have grace. 'Tis a ſure ſign that he was never truly good, that deſireth not to be better (ille non eſt bonus qui non vult eſſe melior) yea, he has very great cauſe to fear, that his heart is naught, very naught, if not ſtark naught, that deſireth not to be as good as the beſt, to be as gracious as he that is moſt gracious, and to be as holy as he that is moſt holy. Well Sirs, this will be found an everlaſting truth, viz. That no man can ſincerely deſire, and habitually endeavour after the higheſt pitches of grace, but he that hath true grace.
Eleventhly, No man can alwayes deſire grace, but he that has true grace, conſtant deſires after grace, argues the reality of grace;Iſa. 26.7, 8, 9. Cant. 2.1, 2, 3, 4. Pſal. 106.3. conſtant deſires after grace, ſpeaks out a ſtate of grace, Pſal. 119.20. My ſoul breaketh for the longeth that it hath unto thy judgments at all times. Pliny ſpeaks of a golden vine which never withereth. All gracious deſires are ſuch golden deſires as never wither: Take a Chriſtian when you will, and where you will, and among whom you will, and in what condition you will, and ſtill you ſhall find his heart full of gracious deſires.Num. 23.10. O, that I had grace! O, that I had much grace! &c. Balaam in a fit, in a good mood, deſires to die the death of the righteous, but his deſires were fleeting and flaſhy, they were tranſient, not permanent. Some poor ſinners,Dan. 5.6. when they are in a good mood, or under ſome diſtreſs of conſcience, or under ſome grievous trials, or when they ſee the hand-writing upon the wall; and when death, which is the King of terrors, and the terror of Kings knocks at their doors; O! then they cry out, O, that we had grace! O, what ſhall we do for grace! O, ſend to ſuch a Miniſter, and to ſuch a Chriſtian, whom we have hated, ſcorned, reproached and oppoſed, and deſire them to be earneſt with God,Hoſ. 6.4. Pſal. 78.37. Pſal. 5.9. that he would give us grace, for now we ſee, that without grace there is no eſcaping of hell, nor no coming to heaven. But all theſe deſires of theirs are but like the morning cloud, or the early dew that quickly paſſeth away: But now if you look upon the weak Chriſtian, as you ſhall commonly find a tear in his eye, a ſigh in his breaſt, and a complaint in his mouth; ſo you ſhall alwayes find deſires in his heart after grace, O, that I had grace! O, that I had much grace! O, that I did but excel in grace! O, that I had as much grace as ſuch a Chriſtian! O that I had a greater exerciſe of grace!Pſal. 42.1, 2, 3. Pſal. 63.1, 2, 3, 8. Whatever outward or inward changes may attend a Chriſtian in this world, yet you ſhall ſtill find him full of holy deſires, and breathings, and hankerings, and longings after God, and Chriſt, and grace, and holineſs; O, that I had more of theſe! O, when ſhall I have more of theſe! O, that God would cut me ſhort in any thing, yea in every thing, rather than cut me ſhort in theſe things, that the deſires of my ſoul are ſo much running after! Theſe deſires of theirs may further be ſet forth by a ſpring between a couple of hills; the ſpring will alwayes run through thoſe lets that ſtop it, or elſe it will run over thoſe lets, for it cannot ceaſe running if it be a living ſpring; ſo the deſires of a gracious ſoul will ſtill be running after God, and Chriſt, and grace, &c. The good deſires of bad men after God, and Chriſt, and grace, and holineſs, are like water in a Ciſtern, that quickly runs out; but the deſires of a godly man after God, Chriſt, grace, holineſs, are like water in a fountain that is ſtill a running. An unſound Chriſtian is never good at all times, he is only good by fits, and ſtarts, and turns ſometimes when he is Sermon-ſick, or under a ſmarting rod, or a gauled conſcience, or when he is under ſome heavy croſs, or ſad loſs; O, then he will be good! O, then he will have God, and he will have Chriſt, and he will have grace, and he will have heaven; but this good frame, this good temper of his is not laſting, 'tis not abiding, 'tis like a vapour that quickly vaniſhes, or like a wind-mill that goes as long as the wind fills the ſails, but no longer. Theſe are like Sigiſmund the Emperor, who when he was ſick, would be very godly; but when he was well, none more wicked. But,
Twelfthly, No man can ſincerely deſire to abound and excel moſt in thoſe particular graces which are moſt oppoſite and contrary to thoſe particular ſins which his natural temper, conſtitution, complexion, calling, or condition, does moſt expoſe him and incline him to, but he that has true grace, but he whoſe heart is ſincere with God, Pſal. 18.23. I was upright before him, and I kept my ſelf from mine iniquity. If paſſion be a ſincere Chriſtians head-luſt, then his deſires run moſt out for meekneſs; if pride, then his deſires are moſt for humility; if earthlineſs, then his deſires are moſt for heavenly-mindedneſs; if unbelief, then his deſire,Luke 17.5. are moſt for faith; you ſhall then find him with the Diſciples, crying out, Lord, increaſe our faith. But now, though a wicked mans heart riſe againſt every grace, yet it riſes moſt ſtrongly againſt thoſe particular graces which are moſt oppoſite and contrary to thoſe particular luſts which are a wicked mans boſom luſts,Mat. 26.8, 9. his darling ſins, &c. Hence the covetous heart riſes and ſwells moſt againſt liberality, as you ſee in Judas, Rev. 3.15, 16, 17. Luke 19.What need this waſte? Fleſh and bloud looks upon all as loſt that is laid out upon Chriſt, his ſervants and ſervices. And the luke-warm Chriſtians heart riſes and ſwells moſt againſt zeal and fervency; and the griping Uſerers heart riſes and ſwells moſt againſt reſtitution;Job 21.14, 15. and the adulterers heart riſes and ſwells moſt againſt purity, chaſtity, continency; and the ignorant mans heart riſes and ſwells moſt againſt light and knowledge;Eccleſ. 7.10. the ignorant man is willing to go to hell in the dark, and ready, and bold enough to conclude, that we never had ſuch ſad and bad times as we have had, ſince there hath been ſo much preaching, and ſo much hearing, and ſo much faſting, and ſo much praying, and ſo much light and knowledge in the world. But now it is quite otherwiſe with a true child of God,Rom. 7.22, 23. for his heart riſes and ſwells moſt againſt the Toad or Toads that are in his own boſom; and the daily and earneſt deſires of his ſoul are, that God would make him eminent in every grace, yea that God would make him moſt eminent in thoſe particular graces which are moſt oppoſite and contrary to thoſe particular luſts and corruptions which more peculiarly, more eſpecially he hath cauſe to call his iniquity,Pſal. 49.5. or the iniquities of his heart, and of his heels. Look, as we have ſome dirt, more or leſs, that will ſtill cleave to our heels whilſt we are in a dirty world; ſo there is ſome defilements and pollutions that will ſtill be cleaving to all our duties, ſervices, wayes and walkings in this world, which we may well call the iniquity of our heels. Now a gracious heart riſes moſt againſt theſe, &c.
Thirteenthly, No man can truly love grace in another, but he that has true grace in his own ſoul.1 John 3.10. No man can love a Saint as a Saint, but he that is a real Saint; no man can love holineſs in another, but he that has holineſs in his own ſoul; no man can love a good man for goodneſs ſake, but he that is really good; We know that we have paſſed from death to life, 1 John 3.14. This Text you have opened in the firſt Maxim of this Book.becauſe we love the brethren. Sincere love to the brethren is a moſt evident ſign of a Chriſtians being already paſſed or tranſlated from death to life; that is, from a ſtate of nature into a ſtate of grace; ſuch a poor ſoul that dares not ſay that he has grace in his own heart, yet dares ſay before the Lord, that he loves, delights, and takes pleaſure to ſee the holy graces of the Spirit ſparkling and ſhining in the hearts, lives and lips of other Saints, ſecretly wiſhing in himſelf that his ſoul were but in their caſe; and that dares ſay before the Lord,Pſal. 15.1, 4. Pſal. 16.3. He that loves his brother (ſaith Auguſtine) better knows his love wherewith he loves, than his▪ brother whom he loves. that there are no men in all the world that are ſo precious, ſo lovely, ſo comely, ſo excellent, and ſo honourable in his account, in his eye, as thoſe that have the Image of God, of Chriſt, of grace, of holineſs moſt clearly, moſt fairly, and moſt fully ſtampt upon them. When a poor Chriſtian can rejoyce in every light, in every Sun that out-ſhines his own; when he ſees wiſdom and knowledge ſhining in one Saint, and faith and love ſhining in another Saint, and humility and lowlineſs ſhining in another Saint, and meekneſs and uprightneſs ſhining in another Saint, and zeal and courage ſhining in another Saint, and patience and conſtancy ſhining in another, and then can make his retreat to his cloſet, admiring & bleſſing of the Lord for the various graces of his Spirit ſhining in his children, and be frequent and earneſt with God, that thoſe very graces might ſhine as ſo many Suns in his ſoul; doubtleſs ſuch a poor ſoul has true grace, and is happy, and will be happy to all eternity. In Tertullian's time, the Heathen would point out the Chriſtians by this mark, See how they love one another. Now to prevent miſtakes, I ſhall ſhew you the ſeveral properties of ſincere love to the Saints.
Firſt, True love to the Saints is ſpiritual, it is a love for the Image of God that is ſtampt upon the ſoul, 1 John 5.1. Every one that loveth him that begat, 1 John 4.7.loveth him alſo that is begotten of him. A ſoul that truly loves, loves the father for his own ſake, and the children for the fathers ſake. If the Image of God be the load-ſtone that drawes out our love to the Saints, then our love is real to them; he that does not love the Saints as Saints, he that does not love them under a ſpiritual notion he hath no true affection to them. Naturally we hate God,Gen. 3.15. 1 John 3.12. becauſe he is a holy God, and his Law becauſe it is an holy Law, and his people becauſe they are a holy people. 'Tis only the Spirit of God that can inable a man to love a Saint for the image of God that is in him; many there are which love Chriſtians for their goods, not for their good; they love them for the money that is in their purſes, but not for the grace that is in their hearts; many like the Bohemian Cur, fawn upon a good ſuit. Love to the Saints for the Image of God ſtampt upon them, is a flower that does not grow in natures garden. No man can love grace in another mans heart, but he that hath grace in his own; men do not more naturally love their parents,Prov. 29.10. Ezek. 25.15. and love their children, and love themſelves, than they do naturally hate the image of God upon his people and wayes. I have read of one who was ſo luſty and quarrelſom, that he was ready to fight with his own image ſo often as he ſaw it in a glaſs. O! how many are there in theſe dayes, that are ſtill a quarrelling and fighting with the image of God wherever they ſee it? True love is for what of the divine nature, for what of Chriſt and grace ſhines in a man; it is one thing to love a godly man, and anther thing to love him for godlineſs: Many love godly men as they are Politicians, or Potent, or Learned, or of a ſweet nature, or affable, or related, or as they have been kind to them; but all this is but natural love, but to love them becauſe they are ſpiritually lovely, becauſe of the ſeed of God in them, becauſe they are all glorious within,John 1.3.9. Pſal. 45.13. is to love them as becometh Saints, it is to love them at a higher and nobler rate, than any hypocrite in the world can reach too. The Waſps flie about the Tradeſman's ſhop, not out of love to him, but the honey and fruit that is there. But,
Secondly, True love to the Saints is appretiating; a gracious ſoul ſets the higheſt price, and the greateſt value and eſteem upon thoſe that are gracious, Pſal. 15.4. He honours them that fear the Lord;Pſal. 119.119. Pſal. 1.4. he looks upon the wicked as lumber, but upon the Saints as jewels; he looks upon the wicked as droſs, but upon the Saints as the gold of Ophir; he looks upon the wicked as chaff, but upon the Saints as wheat;1 John 12. he looks upon the Saints as ſons, but upon the wicked as ſlaves;Heb. 1. ult. he looks upon the Saints as heirs of ſalvation, but upon the wicked as heirs of damnation. Gracious ſouls do not value perſons by their great Places, Offices, Names, Profeſſions, Arts, Parts, Gifts, gay Cloaths, gold Chains, Honours, Riches, but by what they are worth for another world. As the great God, ſo gracious ſouls look not how rational men are, but how religious; not how great, but how gracious; not how high, but how holy,Pſal. 16.3. and accordingly they value them. My goodneſs extends not to thee, but to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent in whom is all my delight. Prov. 12.26.The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour. 'Tis grace that differences one man from another, & that exalts one man above another. A gracious man, though never ſo poor, and low, and contemptible in the world, is a better man than his wicked neighbour (though he be never ſo great or rich in the world) in the eye, account, and eſteem of God, Angels and Saints, there is no man to the gracious man: The Sun doth not more excel and out-ſhine the Stars, than a righteous man doth excel and out-ſhine his unrighteous neighbour.Prov. 28.6. Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightneſs, than he that is perverſe in his wayes, though he be rich. A gracious man prefers a holy Job upon the dunghil, before a wicked Ahab upon the Throne: he ſets a higher price upon a gracious Lazarus, though cloathed with rags and full of ſores,Luke 16. than upon a rich and wretched Dives, though he be cloathed gloriouſly, and fares ſumptiouſly every day. This is, and this muſt be for a lamentation,Pſal. 45.13. Wicked men may highly prize and admire a the common gifts of the Saints, as Pharaoh admired at the wiſdom of Joſeph, and Nebuchadnezzar admired at the wiſdom of Daniel; but they never prize nor admire at their graces. Every one that doth evil, hateth the light, Joh. 3.20. that this poor, blind, mad, beſotted world rates and values men according to their worldly intereſt, greatneſs, glory and grandure; but gracious ſouls, they rate and value men by their graces, by their inward excellencies, and by what they are worth for eternity; in the eye of a gracious man; there is no wife to a gracious wife, no child to a gracious child, no friend to a gracious friend, no neighbour to a gracious neighbour, no Magiſtrate to a gracious Magiſtrate, no Miniſter to a gracious Miniſter, no Maſter to a gracious Maſter, nor no ſervant to a gracious ſervant; internal excellencies carries it with a gracious man, before all external glories. The Jews ſay, that thoſe ſeventy ſouls that went with Jacob into Egypt, were as much worth as all the ſeventy Nations in the world: Doubtleſs, ſeventy gracious perſons in the eſteem and judgment of thoſe that are gracious, are more worth than a whole world, yea than ſeventy worlds of graceleſs perſons. Well Sirs, remember this; No man can truly prize, and highly value grace in another, but he that hath grace in his own heart. Some prize Chriſtians for their wit, others prize them for their wealth; ſome prize them for their birth and breeding, others prize them for their beauty and worldly glory; ſome prize them for the great things that have been done by them, others prize them for the good things that they have received from them; ſome prize them for their Eagles eyes, others prize them for their ſilver tongues, and others prize them for their golden parts; but he that is truly gracious, he prizes them for the grace of God that is in them, he ſets the higheſt value upon them for their holineſs,No unregenerate perſon hath a love to all the Saints; for though he ſeems to love ſome, yet he loaths others; he is guilty of ſinful partiality, having the faith of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt in reſpect of perſons. They ſeem to love the rich, and deſpiſe the poor, James 2. &c. But,
Thirdly, True love to the Saints is univerſal to one Chriſtian as well as another, to all as well as any, to poor Lazarus as well as to rich Alraham, to a deſpiſed Job as well as to an admired David, to an afflicted Joſeph as well as to a raiſed Iacob, to a deſpiſed Diſciple as well as to an exalted Apoſtle, Eph. 1.15. Wherefore I alſo, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Ieſus, and love unto all the Saints. Col. 1.4. Since we heard of your faith in Chriſt Ieſus, and of the love which ye have to all the Saints. Faith in Chriſt Jeſus maketh love to all the Saints; therefore they go commonly coupled in Pauls Epiſtles. It was the glory of the Epheſians and Coloſſians, that their faith and love reached to all the Saints; their love was not a narrow love, a love confined to ſome particular Saints, but it was univerſal to all Saints, Phil. 4.21. Salute every Saint in Chriſt Ieſus; the meaneſt as well as the …icheſt, the weakeſt as well as the ſtrongeſt, the loweſt as well as the higheſt, and thoſe that have many infirmities as well as thoſe that have fewer infirmities,Eph. 1.21, 22, 23 1 Pet. 2.17. and thoſe that have but mean parts and gifts, as well as thoſe that have the ſtrongeſt parts, and the moſt raiſed gifts. All Saints have the ſame Spirit, the ſame Jeſus, the ſame Faith, &c. they are all fellow-members, fellow-travellers, fellow-ſoldiers, fellow-Citizens, fellow-heirs, and therefore muſt they all be loved with a ſincere and cordial love: Love is ſet upon the brotherhood, upon the whole fraternity of Believers, and not here and there upon one. Divine love caſts an eye of favour upon grace in rags, upon a dunghil, in a dungeon, a den, a priſon, a fiery-furnace;Pſal. 16.3. grace is as lovely in the illiterate as in the greateſt Scholar, in the ſervant as in the Maſter, in the maid as in the Miſtris, in the child as in the Father, in the ſubject as in the Prince, in the buyer as in the ſeller, &c. Look, as all our delight muſt be in the Saints, ſo our delight muſt be in all the Saints. 'Tis ſad & ſinful to contemn our poor brethren; and yet this was the very caſe of the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 11.21, 22.for they in their love-feaſts carried it ſo unequally, that one was hungry, to wit, the poor; and another was drunken, to wit, the rich: And this made the Apoſtle put that queſtion to them; What? have ye not houſes to eat and drink in? or deſpiſe ye the Church of God, and ſhame them that have not? or put them to ſhame that have nothing? And the Apoſtle Iames doth very roundly reprove and condemn that partial love that was generally among the Jews in his dayes, Iam 2.1, 2, 3 4. My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, the Lord of glory, with reſpect of perſons; for if there come unto your aſſembly, a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in alſo a poor man in vile raiment, and ye have reſpect to him that weareth the gay cloathing, and ſay unto him, ſit thou here in a good place, and ſay to the poor, ſtand thou there, or ſit here under my footſtool; are ye not then partial in your ſelves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Not that the Apoſtle doth ſimply or abſolutely prohibit a civil differencing of men in place from others; for it cannot be denied but that there is a holy and warrantable reſpect of perſons, in reſpect of their age, callings, gifts, graces and greatneſs in the world; but when the rich mans wealth is more regarded than the poor mans godlineſs; and when men carry it ſo to the rich, as to caſt ſcorn, contempt, diſgrace and diſcouragement upon the godly poor. They that reſpect a rich man that has but a little grace, before a poor man that is rich in grace, are worthy of blame. All true born ſons love to ſee the image and picture of their father, though hung in never ſo poor a frame, and in never ſo mean a cottage: So the true born ſons of God, they love to ſee the image of God, the picture of God upon the pooreſt Saints. 'Tis ſad to prefer a worldly luſtre before heavenly grace, a gold ring before a rich faith, a chain of gold before a chain of grace.Non ex perſonis fidem, ſed ex fide perſonas. Tertul. Ver. 5. Hearken my beloved brethren, hath not God choſen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom? It is a vile thing, ſaith one of the Ancients, to have the faith of Chriſt in reſpect of perſons. We do not judge of faith by perſons, but of perſons by faith. 'Tis the great wiſdom of a Chriſtian, not to judge of men by their outwards, but by their inwards; not by their externals, but by their internals; not by what they are worth for this world, but by what they are worth for that other world. The pooreſt Saints are God's portion, Deut. 32.9. They are his pleaſant portion, Jer. 12.10. They are his peculiar treaſure, Exod. 19.5. They are his jewels, Mal. 3.17. They are the apple of his eye, Zech. 2.8. They are his glory, Iſa. 4.5. They are the crown of his glory and royal diadem, Iſa. 62.3. and therefore 'tis a dangerous thing to flight them, to diſown them, to look frowningly upon them, or to carry it unworthily towards them. Pompey told his Cornelia, It is no praiſe to thee to have loved (Pompeium Magnum) Pompey the Great, but if thou loveſt (Pompeium miſerum) Pompey the miſerable, thou ſhalt be a pattern for imitation to all poſterity: So I ſay, it is no great matter to love thoſe that are rich and pious, great and gracious, high and holy; but to love the poor Saints of God in their loweſt and moſt miſerable condition, when they have not a rag to cover them, nor a cruſt to refreſh them, nor a fire to warm them, nor a friend to ſtand by them, nor a penny to help them; this is praiſe-worthy, this ſpeaks our much of God, of Chriſt, of grace within. Romanus the Martyr, who was born of noble Parentage intreated his perſecutors, that they would not favour him for his Nobility; For it is not (ſaid he) the bloud of my Anceceſtors, but my Chriſtian faith that makes me Noble. 'Tis not race, nor place, but grace that makes a man truly noble; without a peradventure, he that loves one Saint for the image of God that is upon him, he cannot but fall in love with every Saint that bears the lovely image of the Father upon him; he cannot but love a Saint in rags as well as a Saint in robes, a Saint upon the dunghil as well as a Saint upon the throne; uſually thoſe Chriſtians that have leaſt of the world, have moſt of Chriſt; commonly thoſe Chriſtians that have leaſt of the world, have moſt of heaven in their hearts, houſes and lives. But,
Fourthly, True love to the Saints will extend to thoſe that are moſt remote in reſpect of place,Rom. 5.26. as well as to thoſe that are near. They of Macedonia and Achaia made a contribution for the poor Saints at Jeruſalem. 3 John 5.The Saints of Macedonia and Achaia did freely and cheerfully contribute to the poor Saints at Jeruſalem, whoſe faces probably they had never ſeen. And Gaius is commended for his love to ſtrangers. A gracious man that has an eſtate, a treaſury, an inheritance, he is like a common fountain that freely gives out to ſtrangers as well as to near neighbors. A great fire will warm thoſe that ſit far from it, as wel as thoſe that ſit neer unto it: So ſincere love will extend and ſtretch out it ſelf to thoſe Saints that are moſt remote; gracious ſouls do dearly love and highly value thoſe Saints whoſe faces they have never ſeen, nor are like to ſee in this world, and from whoſe hands they have not received the leaſt civility; and all upon the ſerious reports that they have had of the grace of God that has been ſparkling and ſhining in them,Rom. 12.9. 1 Pet. 1.22. 1 John 3.18. whoſe habitations are at a great diſtance from them. A ſincere love, an unfeigned love, a hearty love will be running out towards thoſe that live moſt remote from us, if we do but underſtand that God is in them and with them of truth. But,
Fifthly, Our love to the Saints is right, when we love them beſt, and moſt in whom the ſpiritual and ſupernatural cauſes of love are moſt ſparkling and ſhining; where grace draws the affections, there the more grace we ſee, the more we ſhall love, Pſal. 16.3. My goodneſs extendeth not to thee, but to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. Pſal. 45.19.There are Saints, and there are excellent Saints. The Hebrew word that is here rendred excellent, ſignifies magnificent ones, noble ones, glorious ones, wonderful ones. O Sirs! there are ſome Saints that are magnificent in grace, noble in grace, glorious in grace, wonderful in grace. Now this is certain, if grace be the true reaſon why we love any, then the more excellent, the more magnificent any are in grace,Pſal. 15.4. the more highly we ſhall prize them, and the more dearly we ſhall love them, and the more abundantly in our hearts we ſhall honour them. Look, as grace riſes higher and higher in the ſame perſon, ſo we ſhall riſe higher and higher in our love to the ſame perſon;Dan. 9.23. John 21.20. Daniel was greatly beloved, and Iohn was ſingularly beloved; and why? but becauſe they were more eminently gracious than others were. Where there is moſt grace, there God is moſt honoured, and there Chriſt is moſt exalted, and there the Spirit is beſt pleaſed, and there Religion is moſt adorned, and there Satan is moſt dethroned, and there the world is moſt conquered, and there ſin is moſt ſubdued, and there duties are moſt exactly performed; and therefore, there the gracious ſoul can't but love beſt and moſt. There are ſome that ſeem to love ſuch and ſuch godly men, whoſe judgments are weak and light, little, and parts low, and grace ſmall; who yet look with a ſquint eye, an envious eye upon every Sun that outſhines their own, upon every ones graces and excellencies that are more ſparkling than their own. Though pride and envy have received their deaths-wound at the ſouls firſt converſion, yet they are not quite ſlain in a believer; there is an aptneſs even in real Saints,Luk. 7.16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. to grudge and repine at thoſe gifts, graces and excellencies in others that outſhine their own. John's diſciples muttered and murmured, becauſe Chriſt had more followers and admirers than John; and that ſpirit that lived in John's diſciples, is ſtill alive to this very day. This is, and this muſt be for a lamentation. Well Sirs, look as the faireſt day hath its clouds, the fineſt linnen its ſpots, the richeſt jewels their flaws, the ſweeteſt fruits their worms; ſo when many precious Chriſtians are not themſelves, when they are in an hour of temptation, when their corruptions are up, and their graces down, they may and too often do,Num. 11.29. envy and repine at thoſe graces, excellencies and abilities that do over-caſt, cloud,Heb. 12.15. darken and outſhine their own. The beſt of men are but men at the beſt, and there is ſtill thoſe bitter roots of pride, vain-glory, ſelf-love, envy, &c. remaining in them, that occaſions their hearts to riſe and ſwell, yea ſometimes to caſt diſgrace upon thoſe excellencies in others that themſelves want: As that great man that could not write his own name,Euſebius ſpeaks of him, in his Eccleſiaſtical Hiſt… ry, &c. and yet called the liberal Arts, A publick Poyſon and Peſtilence. This ſpiritual diſeaſe is moſtly to be found among Chriſtians that are got into ſome of the higheſt forms in Chriſtianity; take your ordinary common Chriſtians, and they commonly rejoyce moſt where they ſee moſt grace: And ſo do your Chriſtians in a higher form too, when they come to themſelves, and to make up their accounts, and have wept over thoſe curſed roots of bitterneſs that are ſo apt to be ſprouting out. Now, there is no greater argument that our grace is true, and that we do love others for grace ſake, than our loving them beſt that have moſt grace, though they have but little of the world. A pearl is rich if found on a dunghil, though it may gliſter more when ſet in a ring of gold; ſo many a poor believer is rich in grace, and precious, and glorious in the eye of Chriſt, and ſhould be ſo in ours, though like Job he ſits upon a dunghil; though in the eyes of the world he may ſeem to gliſter moſt, when adorned with riches, honour and outward pomp. If grace be the true reaſon why we love any perſon, then the more grace that perſon hath, the more we ſhall love him. A godly man loves all that are godly, but he loves them moſt, that excel moſt in the power, purity and practiſe of godlineſs, &c. But,
Sixthly and laſtly, True love to the Saints is conſtant, 'tis permanent,John 13.1. & 15.12. &c. 1 Cor. 13.8. Love never faileth, Heb. 13.1. Let brotherly love continue. 'Tis a love like that of Chriſt's, who loved his to the end. 1 Joh. 4.16. He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Our love to our brother muſt not only lodge with us a night and away, but we muſt dwell in brotherly love. Look, as our love muſt be ſincere without hypocriſie, ſo it muſt be conſtant without deficiency; that love was never true that is not conſtant; true love like the pulſe, will ſtill be beating, it will ſtill be working and running out to the perſon beloved; true love will not fawn upon a Chriſtian when high, and frown upon him when low; it will not kiſs him upon the throne, and kick him upon the dunghil. The grounds and cauſes of their love are conſtant, viz. God's commands, their ſpiritual relations, and the truth of grace in their ſouls; and therefore their love can't but be conſtant.Prov. 17.17. Chriſtian friendſhip makes ſuch a knot, that great Alexander cannot cut, &c. A friend (ſaith Solomon) loves at all times, and a brother is born for adverſity. Euripides hit it, when he ſaid, That a faithful friend in adverſity, is better than a calm Sea to a weather-beaten Mariner. He that truly loves, will love in adverſity as well as in proſperity, in ſtorms as well as in calms, in winter nights as well as in Summer dayes; he that ſincerely loves the Saints, he will love them as well when men frown upon them, as when they ſmile upon them; as well when men ſtrike them, as when they ſtroke them; as well when men caſt them down, as when they lift them up; as well when men cry, Crucifie them, crucifie them, as when they cry Hoſanna, Hoſanna, to them. Conſalvus (a Spaniſh Biſhop and Inquiſitor) wondred how the Chriſtians had that Commandement, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelf, ſo indelibly printed in their hearts, that no torture could blot it out, and make them confeſs and betray one another, or ceaſe from loving one another.Hieron. I have read of one Urſinus a Chriſtian Phyſician, who being to ſuffer Martyrdom for the Goſpel of Chriſt, began to waver and faint; which when Vitalis a holy man ſaw, he ſtept to him, and though he knew it would coſt him his life, yet he thus comforted and encouraged him, ſaying, What, have ye been heretofore ſo induſtrious to preſerve mens bodies, and will you now ſhrink at the ſaving of your own ſoul? Be couragious, fear not, &c. For which faithful counſel, he alſo was condemned to death, and ſuffered accordingly.Ruth 1. A true friend is neither known in proſperity, nor hid in adverſity. True love is like that of Ruth's to Naomi, that of Jonathan's to David, permanent and conſtant.Job 6.15, 16. Many there be whoſe love to the Saints is like Job's brooks, which in the Winter, when men have no need of them, overflows with tenders of ſervice, and ſhews of love; but when the ſeaſon is hot and dry, & the poor thirſty traveller ſtands in moſt need of water to refreſh him, then the brooks are quite dried up. They are like the Swallow, that will ſtay by you in the Summer of proſperity, but flie from you in the Winter of adverſity. It is obſerved by Joſephus of the Samaritans, Joſeph Anti. lib. 11. p. 286.that when ever the Jews affairs proſpered, they would be their friends, and profeſs much love to them; yea, they would vaunt of their alliance, ſaying, That they were near akin, and of the race of Ephraim and Manaſſes the ſons of Joſeph: But when the Jews were in trouble and affliction, and brought to an under, then they would not own them,Lib. 11. p. 272. Lib. 12. p. 304. Lib. 13. p. 322, 323. &c. nor have any thing to do with them; yea, then they would ſet themſelves with all their …ight againſt them, as the ſame Hiſtorian tells us. This age is full of ſuch Samaritans; yet certainly, ſuch as truly love, they will alwayes love; ſuch as truly love the people of God, they will love them to the end. In the primitive times it was very much taken notice of by the very Heathen, that in the depth of miſery, when fathers and mothers forſook their children, Chriſtians (otherwiſe ſtrangers) ſtuck cloſs one to another, their love of Religion, and one of another, proved firmer than that of nature. They ſeem to take away the Sun out of the world (ſaid the Orator) who take away friendſhip from the life of man; for we do not more need fire and water, than conſtant friendſhip. Though wicked men may pretend great love to the Saints, yet their love is not conſtant;Gen. 31.24, 29. & 33 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Dan. 6. God ſometimes indeed over-rules their ſpirits with a very ſtrong hand, as he did Laban's and Eſau's, or as he over-ruled the ſpirits of the Lions to preſerve Daniel, and of the Ravens to feed Elijah; but ſo ſoon as that over-ruling providence is over, they are as they were befo…e. God for a time gave the Iſraelites favour in the eyes of the Egyptians, but before and after they were their utter enemies. But now a gracious ſoul, he loves the Saints at all times, his love to them is conſtant. But,
Fourteenthly, That ſoul that dares not ſay that he has grace, yet can truly ſay before the Lord, that he prizes the leaſt dram of grace above ten thouſand thouſand worlds, certainly that ſoul has true grace in him. Doubtleſs there are none that can prize grace in their underſtandings and judgments above all the world,Mic. 6.6, 7. Phil. 3.18, 19. Mat. 19.16. to 25. Pſal. 2.21. but ſuch as are firſt taken out of the world by grace. There is no man on earth whoſe heart is void and empty of grace, but ſets a higher value and price upon his luſts, or upon his relations, or upon his honours, or riches, or pleaſures, or upon this or that worldly enjoyment, than he does upon grace, or the fountain of grace; yea, how many thouſands are there that ſet a higher price or value upon a Hound, a Hawk, a Horſe, a Harlot, a good Trade, a fair Eſtate, a rich inheritance, yea upon the very toyes and trifles of this world, than they do upon God, or Chriſt, or grace? 'Twas never yet known in the world, that ever God ſent ſuch a man to hell, who prized grace above heaven it ſelf, who had rather have grace and holineſs without heaven, than heaven it ſelf without grace and holineſs.
Fifteenthly, That ſoul that dares not ſay that his condition is good, yet can ſay in truth of heart before the Lord, that he would not change his condition with the vain, carnal, formal and prophane men of the world, for ten thouſand worlds; that man is certainly for heaven, and heaven is certainly for that man: we may be very highly, and groundedly confident, that God will never caſt that man to hell among devils and damned ſpirits at the great day, who in his day of life would not chuſe to be in the condition of the men of the world, for as many worlds as there be men in the world. Look, as none meet in heaven, but ſuch as are like to like in their renewed natures, principles and practiſes; ſo none meet in hell but ſuch as are like to like in their old natures,Deut. 22.10. 2 Cor. 6.14, 15, 16, 17, 18. principles and practiſes. That God that would not ſuffer an Ox to be yoked with an Aſs in this world; nor a Believer with an Infidel; will never ſuffer ſuch to be yoked with devils and damned reprobates in that lower world, who would not to gain many worlds be willingly yoked with wicked men in this world; certainly they ſhall never be a Chriſtians companions in that other world, whoſe ſociety and company, and whoſe wickedneſs and baſeneſs have been a grief, a torment, a hell to him in this world, Pſal. 119.53, 136. Jer. 9.1, 2. Ezek. 9.4, 6. 2 Pet. 2.7, 8. When Mrs. Katherine Brettergh was upon her dying bed, and moſt grievouſly aſſaulted by temptations; in the midſt of her ſore conflicts, this was no ſmall ſupport and comfort to her, That ſurely God would not ſend her to hell to live for ever among ſuch wicked perſons, whoſe company and whoſe ſin was a burden to her in this world, &c. But,
Sixteenthly,James 3.2. Eccleſ. 7.20. Prov. 20.7. Joh. 1.1, 8. That ſoul that dares not ſay that he does not ſin, (For in many things we offend all; and there is not a juſt man upon the earth that doeth good and ſinneth not; and who can ſay, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my ſin? And if we ſay we have no ſin, we deceive our ſelves, and the truth is not in us) yet can ſay in uprightneſs before the Lord, that he would not willingly, reſolutely, maliciouſly, wilfully, wickedly and hab tually ſin againſt the Lord to gain a world; that ſoul that don't nor won't through grace aſſiſting,Pſal. 119.1, 3. 1 John 3.9. allow himſelf or indulge himſelf in a courſe of ſin, or in a trade of … in the common practiſe of any known ſin, that ſoul is certainly a gracious ſoul.Rom. 7.15. The evil that I do I allow not. 'Tis one thing for a man to ſin, 'tis an other thing for a man to allow himſelf in ſin; 'tis one thing for a godly man to ſtep into a ſin,Pſal. 139 24. and 'tis another thing to keep the road of ſin. Search me and try me, and ſee if there be any way of wickedneſs in me (or as the Hebrew runs, Any way of pain, or of grief, or of provocation) that is, any courſe of ſin that is grievous or provoking to the eyes of divine glory. A real Saint can neither allow of ſin, nor wallow in ſin, nor be transformed into the image of ſin, nor mix it ſelf with ſin. 'Tis poſſible for a ſincere Chriſtian to ſtep into a ſinful path, or to touch upon ſinful facts,Gal. 6.1. Prov. 16.17. and now and then in an hour of temptation, to ſlide, to trip, and to be overtaken unawares; but his main way, his principle work, is to depart from iniquity. As a true traveller may now and then ſtep a few ſteps out of his way, who yet for the main keeps his way, keeps the road; or as a Bee may now and then light upon a thiſtle, but her main work is to be gathering at the flowers; or as a Sheep may now and then ſlip into the dirt, or into a ſlow, but its main work is to be grazing upon the mountains. Certainly, O ſoul, if ſin be now thy greateſt burden, it ſhall never hereafter prove thy eternal bane. God never yet ſent any man to hell for ſin, to whom ſin has commonly been the greateſt hell in this world. God has but one hell, and that is for thoſe to whom ſin has been commonly a heaven in this world. That man that hates ſin, and that daily enters his proteſt againſt ſin, that man ſhall never be made miſerable by ſin. Sin in a wicked man is like poyſon in a ſerpent; it is in its natural place, it is delightful to a ſinner; but ſin in a Saint is like poyſon in a man's body, it is offenſive, and the heart riſes againſt it, and is carried forth to the uſe of all divine Antidotes whereby it may be expelled and deſtroyed; nothing will ſatisfie a gracious ſoul, but the heart bloud of his luſts. Now, he ſhall never be damned for his ſins, whoſe heart is ſet upon killing his ſins.
Seventeenthly, Such a poor ſoul that dares not ſay, that God is his God; or that Chriſt is his Redeemer, or that he has a work of grace upon his heart; yet can ſay with ſome integrity of heart before the Lord, that if God and Chriſt, grace and glory, holineſs and happineſs were offered to him on the one hand, and all the honours, pleaſures, profits, delights, and carnal contents of the world were offered him on the other hand, he had infinitely rather ten thouſand thouſand times chuſe God and Chriſt, grace and glory, holineſs and happineſs, than the contrary. Certainly ſuch a ſoul has true grace in him, and a ſaving work paſt upon him; for none can freely, ſeriouſly, habitually, reſolutely, chuſe God and Chriſt, grace and glory, holineſs and happineſs, as their (ſummum bonum) chiefeſt good, but ſuch who are really good.1 John 4.19. Deut. 7.6, 7, 8, 9. & 26.17, 18, 19. Look, as our love to God is but an effect of his love to us; We love him becauſe he firſt loved us; ſo our chuſing of God for our God, is but an effect of God's chuſing us for his people; we chuſe him becauſe he firſt choſe us: Such, who in their ſerious choice, ſet up God and Chriſt above all other perſons and things, ſuch God will certainly make happy and bleſſed for ever. God never did, nor never will, reject thoſe, or damn thoſe, who really chuſe him for their God, and for their great all. The greateſt part of the world chuſe their luſts rather than God, and the creatures rather than Chriſt;Luke 12.21. they chuſe rather to be great than gracious, to be rich in this world than to be rich towards God, to be outwardly happy than to be inwardly holy,Mat. 10.42. to have a heaven on earth than to have a heaven after death, and ſo they miſcarry for ever. That ſoul that with Mary has choſen the better part, that ſoul with Mary ſhall be happy for ever; every man muſt ſtand or fall for ever as his choice has been. But,
Eighteeenthly, Canſt thou truly ſay in the preſence of the great and glorious God, that is the ſearcher of all hearts,Pſal. 139.23, 24. that thou haſt given up thy heart and life to the rule, authority and government of Jeſus Chriſt? and that thou haſt choſen him to be thy Soveraign Lord and King, and art truly willing to ſubmit to his dominion, as the only precious and righteous government, and as the only holy and heavenly, ſwee… and pleaſant; profitable and comfortable, ſafe and beſt dominion in all the world, and to reſign up thy heart, thy will, thy affections, thy life, thy all, really to Chriſt, wholly to Chriſt,Iſa. 26.13. and only to Chriſt? Canſt thou, O poor ſoul! look up to heaven, and truly ſay, O dear Lord Jeſus! other Lords, viz. the world, the fleſh and the devil, have had dominion too long over me; but now theſe Lords I do heartily renounce,Iſa. 33.22. I do utterly renounce, I do for ever renounce, and do give up my ſelf to thee as my only Lord, beſeeching thee to rule and reign over me for ever and ever: O Lord! though ſin rages, and Satan roars, and the world ſometimes frowns, and ſometimes fawns; yet I am reſolved to own thee as my only Lord, and to ſerve thee as my only Lord; and my greateſt fear (by divine aſſiſtance) ſhall be of offending thee, and my chiefeſt care ſhall be to pleaſe thee, and my only joy ſhall be to be a praiſe, a name, and an honour to thee. O Lord, I can appeal to thee in the ſincerity of my heart,Pſal. 65.3. Rom. 7.23. that though I have many invincible ſins, weakneſſes and infirmities that hang upon me; and though I am often worſted by my ſins, and overcome in an hour of temptation, yet thou that knoweſt all thoughts and hearts, thou doſt know that I have given up my heart and life to the obedience of Jeſus Chriſt, and do daily give them up to his rule and government; and 'tis the earneſt deſire of my ſoul, above all things in this world, that Jeſus Chriſt may ſtill ſet up his Laws in my heart, and exerciſe his dominion over me. Now certainly, there is not the weakeſt Chriſtian in all the world, but can venture himſelf upon ſuch an appeal to God as this is; and without all peradventure, where ſuch a frame and temper of ſpirit is, there the dominion of Jeſus Chriſt is ſet up; and where the dominion of Chriſt is ſet up, there ſin has no dominion; for the dominion of ſin, and the dominion of Chriſt are inconſiſtent, and therefore ſuch a ſoul is happy, and will be happy to all eternity. But,
Cant. 8.5. Acts 11.21, 22, 23 Pſal. 71.16. Iſa. 61.10.Nineteenthly, That man that will venture his ſoul upon Chriſt, and that will lean upon Chriſt, and cleave to Chriſt with full purpoſe of heart, and that will cleave to his bloud, and cleave to his righteouſneſs, and cleave to his merits and ſatisfaction, in the face of all fears, doubts, diſputes, cavils and objections; and though it cannot clear its title to Chriſt, yet will ſtay and hang it ſelf upon Chriſt for life and happineſs; that man is certainly a Believer, and will be everlaſtingly ſaved. Though he ſlay me, yet will I truſt in him; Job 13.15.if I muſt die, I will die at his feet, and in the midſt of death expect a better life;Mat. 15.22 to 28 that man acts faith to purpoſe that can love a frowning God, and hang upon an angry God, and follow hard after a withdrawing God,Pſal. 63.1, 8. yea and truſt in a killing God, as here. Job had his Feveriſh ſits, and his impatient ſlips, and yet he kept up his heroical reſolution to lean upon the Lord, whilſt he had but one minute to live; and this ſpeaks out not only the truth, but alſo the ſtrength of Job's faith in the midſt of his extraordinary combats; when the ſoul is peremptorily and habitually reſolved to cleave to the perſon of Chriſt, and to cleave to the merits of Chriſt,Gen. 2.24. Ruth 1.14, 15, 16, 17. Eſt. 4.16. and to cleave to the tranſactions of Chriſt with the Father, for the ſalvation of ſinners (as the wife cleaves to her husband, or as the child cleaves to the father, or as Ruth cleaved to Naomi, or as the Ivy cleaves to the Oak) with an If I periſh, I periſh, then 'tis ſafe, then 'tis happy, then 'tis out of the danger of hell, then 'tis within the Suburbs of heaven. God never did, nor never will caſt ſuch a man to hell, whoſe ſoul is drawn forth to a ſecret reſting, ſaying, leaning and relying alone upon Chriſt, for the obtaining of all that good, and all that glory that he has purchaſed, and his father has promiſed. But,
Laſtly, That man that makes it his principle care, his main buſineſs, his work of works, to look to his heart, to watch his heart, and to reform his heart, that man doubtleſs has a ſaving work of God upon his heart. There are two things which a gracious ſoul moſt looks at; his God and his heart. Though a gracious man looks to the cleanſing of his hands, yet his principle care is the reformation of his heart, the cleanſing of his heart, according to that of the Apoſtle James; Cleanſe your hands ye ſinners, and purifie your hearts ye double minded. And that of the Prophet Jeremiah; James 4.8. Jer. 4.14.O Jeruſalem, waſh thine heart from wickedneſs, that thou mayeſt be ſaved. Man muſt labour after a clean inſide, as well as a clean outſide; the converſation muſt not be only unſpotted before the world, but the heart alſo muſt be unſpotted before God; the heart is as capable of inward defilements as the body is of outward defilements.2 Cor. 7.1. O Sirs! though heart-defilement is leaſt taken notice of, yet heart-defilement is the worſt defilement, and the moſt dangerous defilement in the world; heart-defilement is ſpiritual defilement,Eph. 6.12. Vide …za. and ſpiritual defilement is the defilement of divels, which of all defilement is the moſt hateful, odious and pernicious defilement. The hypocrites only care is to keep his life from defilement, but the ſincere Chriſtians care is mainly to keep his heart from defilement; for he very well knows, that if he can but keep his heart clean, he ſhall with more eaſe keep his life clean; if the fountain be kept pure, the ſtreams will run pure: The heart is the ſpring of all actions, and therefore every action is as the ſpring is from whence it flows; if the ſpring be good, the action is good that flows from it; if the ſpring be evil, the action is evil that flows from it.M…. 2.35. A good man out of the good treaſure of his heart, bringeth forth good things; and an evil man out of the evil treaſure of his heart, bringeth forth evil things. Certainly, the great work of a Chriſtian lieth with his heart; the reformation of the heart is the higheſt and choiceſt part of reformation,Prov 23.26. becauſe it is the reformation of the nobleſt part of man, and is that which God looks moſt after: The reformation of the heart, is indeed the heart of reformation; there is nothing reformed to purpoſe, till the heart be reformed; if the heart be naught, all is naught; if that be very naught, all is very naught; if that be ſtark naught, all is ſtark naught; but if that be reformed, all is reformed. A gracious man's watch is mainly about his heart; Create in me a clean heart, Pſal. 51.10. Pſal. 86.11. Pſal. 119.36. Pſal. 119 80. Pſal. 27.8. See Pſal. 119.2. Acts 8 37. Heb. 8.10. Jer. 31 33.O God, and renew a right ſpirit within me; Unite my heart to fear thy name. Incline my heart unto thy teſtimonies. Let my heart be ſound in thy ſtatutes, that I be not aſhamed. When thou ſaideſt, ſeek my face, my heart anſwered, Thy face Lord will I ſeek. Pſal. 119.10. With my whole heart have I ſought thee. Ver. 11. Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not ſin againſt thee. Incline my heart unto thy teſtimonies, and not unto covetouſneſs. Rom. 1.9.The heart of man is the fountain of life or death, and therefore ſin in the heart, in ſome reſpects, is worſe and more dangerous than ſin in the life; and hence 'tis that the ſincere Chriſtian doubles his guard about his heart. Luther hit it, when he ſaid, I more fear what is within me, than what comes from without; the ſtorms and winds without do never move the earth, 'tis only vapours within that cauſeth earth-quakes, as Philoſophers obſerve.Mat. 23.25-30. Hypocrites (as our Saviour teſtifies) are all for the outſide, they waſh the platters and the cups, and beautifie the tombs like an adultereſs, whoſe care is to paint and ſet a fair face upon a foul matter; but now a ſincere Chriſtian,Pſal. 50.23. though he has a ſpecial reſpect to the well-ordering of his life, yet his main buſineſs and work is about his heart; O, that this ignorant heart were but more enlightned! O, that this proud heart were but more humble! O that this prophane heart were but more holy! O, that this earthly heart were but more heavenly! O, that this unbelieving heart were but more believing! O, that this paſſionate heart were but more meek! O, that this carnal heart were but more ſpiritual! O that this lukewarm heart were but more zealous for God, and Chriſt, and the Goſpel, and the great concernments of eternity! O, that this ſlight heart were but more ſerious! O, that this dull heart were but more quickned! O, that this dead heart were but more enlivened! &c. The higheſt and hardeſt work of a Chriſtian lieth with his heart. Mark, common light, common conviction, education, enforcement of conſcience, principles of common honeſty and morality, the eye of man, the fear of man, the examples of man, the laws of man, and the rewards of man, with a hundred other things, may be very prevalent to reform the life, to regulate the outward converſation, and to keep that in ſome due decorum; and yet all theſe things will be found too weak, too low to change the heart, to reform the heart, to mend the heart, to purifie the heart.Acts 15.9. To this great work there are principles of a higher nature required, Purifying their hearts by faith. 'Tis not a guard of moral vertues, but a guard of ſaving graces that can keep the heart in order; to reform the heart, to keep the heart in a gracious frame, is one of the beſt and hardeſt works in the world, Prov. 4.23. Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the iſſues of life. The Text is about matter of life and death. The words are mandatory, for all counſels in Scripture carry in them the force of a command. In the words you have two things obſervable, 1. A duty enjoyned, Keep thy heart with all diligence. 2. The reaſon or motive inforcing it, For out of it are the iſſues of life. In the duty there are two things conſiderable, 1. Here is the ſubject matter, the thing that is to be done, and that is, Keep thy heart. This duty is charged upon all, in peremptory and undiſpenſable terms. 2. Here is the manner how it muſt be done, and that is, With all diligence.
Keep. The Hebrew word foreign Natſar to keep, hath various ſignifications, but the main is to keep in ſafe cuſtody; we ſhould keep our hearts as under lock and key, that they may be alwayes at hand when the Lord ſhall call for them, &c.
Thy heart. By the heart the we are not to underſtand that particular vital member of the body, that in common ſpeech we call the heart. Heart is not here taken properly for that noble part of the body, which Philoſophers call the primum vivens, &c. ultimum moriens, the firſt that lives, and the laſt that dies. But by heart in a metaphor, the Scripture ſometimes underſtands ſome particular noble faculty of the ſoul; ſometimes the heart is put for the underſtanding, Rom. 1.21. Their fooliſh heart was darkned, that is, their underſtanding was darkned; ſometimes 'tis put for the will and affections, Mat. 22.37.So Prov. 23.26. Deut. 10.12. Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoul, and with all thy mind; that is, with thy will, and with all thy affections. The will is the chiefeſt power of the ſoul, as the heart is the principal part of the body;Mat. 8. and it commands all the affections as the Centurion did his ſervants;Job 27.6. ſometimes 'tis put for the conſcience, 1 Joh. 3.20. If our heart condemn us, God is greater …han our heart, and knoweth all things; that is, if our conſcience condemn us juſtly, then our caſe muſt be aſſuredly ſad, becauſe God knows much more by us than we know by our ſelves, and can charge us with many ſins that conſcience is not privy to;Pſal. 19 12. ſometimes 'tis put for the memory, Pſal. 119.11. Thy word have I hid in my heart; that is, in my memory. So Luke 2.19. But here 'tis taken comprehenſively for the whole ſoul, with all its powers, noble faculties and endowments, together with their ſeveral operations; all which are to be watched over.
With all diligence; or as the Hebrew runs, With all keeping. The Hebrew word foreign Shamar ſignifies,Cato, Cicero, Seneca, Socrates, and others, have laid down excellent rules for the government of the outward man; but n one for the government of the heart. to keep with watch and ward. A Chriſtian is to keep a perpetual guard about his heart. A Lapide notes, that the Hebrew word is borrowed from military affairs. We ſhould keep our hearts as ſoldiers keep a Garriſon, with watch and ward. Lavater jumps with him, and tells us, that the word Shamar is taken from a beſieged Garriſon, begirt by many enemies without, and in danger of being betrayed by treacherous Citizens within; in which danger the ſoldiers upon pain of death are commanded to watch. Junius reads the word thus, Keep thy heart; Supra omnem cuſtodiam, above all keeping. So Hierom reads, Prae omni cuſtodia, above all keeping keep thy heart; that is, keep, keep, watch, watch, &c. So Rhodolphus reads it, Prae omni cuſtodia; and ſo we read it in the Margin of our Bibles. And the Syriack reads it in the ſame manner that our Engliſh doth. Cum omni cautione, with all caution and warineſs we are to keep our hearts. O, what guards and double guards! O, what watches, and double watches ſhould men put upon their hearts! Theſe words keeping, keep, import both a univerſal watchfulneſs over the heart, and a diligent watchfulneſs over the heart, and a conſtant watchfulneſs over the heart; and thrice happy are thoſe perſons who keep ſuch a watch upon their hearts. A man is to keep his eye, and keep his mouth, and keep his feet; but above all keeping, he is to keep his heart. 'Tis a duty incumbent upon every Chriſtian to keep his own heart; Keep thy heart, Thy ſelf; thou mayeſt make another thy Park-keeper, or thy Houſe-keeper, or thy Shop-keeper, or thy Caſh-keeper, or thy Horſe-keeper, or thy Nurſe-keeper; but thou muſt be thy own Heart-keeper. Keep thy heart with all diligence; ſome underſtand this of all kind of watchfulneſs. The Hebrew word is applyed to ſeveral ſorts of keeping. As,
Firſt, It is applyed to thoſe that are the keepers of a priſon,Gen. 39.21, 22, 23 So Job 7.12. where dangerous Fellons or Malefactors are to be looked to, that they don't break away, 1 King. 20.39. Keep this man; ſo Joſeph was made the Keeper of the priſon. The Hebrew word is the ſame with that, in Prov. 4.23. Now, O …ow diligent! how vigilant are men in looking after their priſoners? even ſo ſhould we be in looking after our hearts, &c.
Secondly, It ſignifies to keep, as men would keep a beſieged Garriſon,Hab. 2.1. or City, or Caſtle, in time of war. So 'tis uſed in that, Hab. 2.1. Now, what ſtrong guards, what watchful guards do men keep up at ſuch a time? A gracious heart is Chriſt's Fort-royal. Now, againſt this Fort Satan will imploy the utmoſt of his ſtrength, art & craft; and therefore how highly does it concern every Chriſtian to keep a ſtrong guard, a conſtant guard about his heart. But,
Thirdly, It ſignifies to keep, as the Prieſts and Levites kept the Sanctuary of God, the Temple of God, and all the holy things that were committed to their charge: So the word is often uſed by the Prophet, Ezek. 44.8, 15, 16, &c. The Temple, and all the veſſels of the Temple were to be kept pure, and clean, and ſweet. Our hearts are the Temples of God, the Temples of the holy Ghoſt; and therefore we ſhould alwayes keep a ſtrong and diligent guard about them, that nothing may paſs in or out, that may be either diſpleaſing, provoking or grieving to them. But,
Fourthly, The word ſignifies to keep, as a man keeps his life, Job 10.12. Thy viſitation hath preſerved (here is Shamar) my life. Now with what care, with what diligence, with what labour, with what watchfulneſs do men labour to preſerve their natural lives? what a guard, what a watch do men daily ſet about their lives; the ſame they ſhould ſet about their hearts. But,
Fifthly, Men ſhould keep their hearts, as they keep a rich treaſure of money, or jewels, or plate. Now, to preſerve a rich treaſure, what locks, what bolts, what bars,All our ſpiritual riches are in our hearts. A good man may ſay with Bias, omnia mea mecum parto, all my goods I carry about with me. what chains are made uſe of? Our hearts are jewels more worth than all the Kingdoms, Crowns and Scepters of this world. There are few men that know how to value a God, a Chriſt, a Goſpel, a Covenant of grace, a Heaven, or their own hearts, as they ſhould. What are mountains of gold, and rocks of pearl, to the heart, the ſoul of man? The heart is that pearl of price for which a man ſhould venture his all, and lay down his all. O then! what a guard, what a watch ſhould a man continually keep upon his heart? The heart is Camera omnipotentis Regis, the preſence chamber of the King of heaven; and upon this account it becomes a Chriſtian alwayes to keep a guard upon his heart; he keeps his heart beſt who keeps it as his choiſeſt treaſure, &c. But,
Sixthly, Men ſhould keep their hearts, as a fond father keeps his only child; the fond father will ſtill keep his child within doors, he will ſtill have him under his eye, and in his preſence, that ſo no hurt, no harm may befal him day or night. Our eye ſhould be ſtill upon our hearts, or elſe they will give us the ſlip, and play the wantons with us. But,
Seventhly, Men ſhould keep their hearts, as Lovers keep the love-tokens that are mutually ſent one to another; they love to be often a looking upon them, and a thinking of them, and a talking of them; and will be ſure to keep the ſtricteſt and the ſtrongeſt guard upon them: So a Chriſtian ſhould ſtill be a looking upon his heart, and a thinking upon his heart, and a ſpeaking of his heart (either of the badneſs of it, or of the wants of it) and a keeping of the ſtricteſt and ſtrongeſt guard upon his heart. But,
Eighthly, A man ſhould keep his heart as a man keeps his houſe, when he is afraid and in danger of being robbed by thieves in the night. O! how wakeful, and watchful, and active will a man now be? but what's a man's houſe to his heart? A mans heart is in ten thouſand times more danger than his houſe, and accordingly his guard ſhould be moſt about his heart. But,
Ninthly, A man ſhould keep his heart, as men keep their gardens that are full of choice, rich, rare, ripe fruits and dowers. Now, what care, coſt, and pains men are at to keep ſuch gardens, you well know: And O, that you did but every day more and more experimentally know what it is to ſpend your greateſt care and pains about your hearts, which are Chriſt's garden, his bed of ſpices, where all graces flouriſh! Cant. 4. ult.
Tenthly and laſt, A man ſhould keep his heart, as ſpruce men and women do their fine cloaths; O, they won't endure a ſpeck, a ſpot upon them! 'Tis your wiſdom, and O, that you would more and more make it your work to keep your hearts from all ſinful ſpecks and ſpots! Let not others be more careful to keep their outſides clean, than you are to keep your inſides clean; for what are clean cloaths to a clean heart? 'Tis better to go to heaven in ragged cloaths with a clean heart, than to go to hell in fine cloaths with an unclean heart. Doubtleſs that man that makes it his buſineſs to keep his heart as men keep dangerous Fellons or Traitors, or as ſoldiers keep their Garriſons or Caſtles when cloſly beſieged, or as the Prieſts and Levites kept the Sanctuary of God, or as a man keeps his natural life, or as a man keeps a rich treaſure, or as a fond father keeps an only child, or as Lovers keep their love-tokens, or as a man keeps his houſe when he is in danger to be robbed, or as a man keeps his pleaſant garden, or as ſpruce men and women keep their fine cloaths; that man is doubtleſs a true Nathaniel, a man that has a work of God paſt in power upon his ſoul; yea that man whoſe ſincere deſires, and whoſe gracious purpoſes, and fixed reſolutions, and faithful endeavours is to guard and watch his heart, according to the particulars we have now hinted; that man without a peradventure is a gracious man, and one that has the root of the matter in him, and ſhall be happy to all eternity. Look, as no man can hear as he would and ſhould, nor pray as he would and ſhould, nor believe as he would and ſhould, nor repent as he would and ſhould, nor walk as he would and ſhould; ſo no man can keep his heart as he would and ſhould: but if a man makes it his great buſineſs and work to keep his heart, to watch his heart, to reform his heart, to better his heart, he is accepted of God, and ſhall be bleſſed for-ever. 'Tis one of the greateſt and cleereſt evidences of grace, for a man to make it his greateſt buſineſs, work and concernment in this world, to keep his heart alwayes in a gracious frame,Cant. 5.2. 2 Kings 22.19. 2 Chron. 32.26. James 5.11. Eccleſ. 5.1, 2. Col. 3.1, 2. 2 Cor. 7.11. to keep his heart alwayes in a wakeful frame, in a watchful frame, in a tender frame, in a believing frame, in a repenting frame, in an humble frame, in a patient frame, in a ſerious frame, in a heavenly frame, and in a jealous frame; for the more gracious the heart is, the more ſuſpicious it will be. Satan has a ſtrong party, a numerous party, an old party, a ſubtil party in all our hearts; and therefore it highly concerns us to watch our hearts with a holy jealouſie: O Sirs! God hath never ſaid, Above all keepings keep your Shops, or above all keepings keep your Eſtates, or above all keepings keep your Flocks, or above all keepings keep your Bags, or above all keepings keep your Friends, or above all keepings keep your Bodies, or above all keepings keep your Names, or above all keepings keep your Converſations; but he hath ſaid, above all keepings keep your hearts. Look,Fron. lib. 2. as the heart is the fountain of natural life, and if it fail life fails; and therefore it is ſtrongly ſecured with ribs about it, it is guarded in a caſtle of fleſh and bones; ſo is the ſoul the fountain of ſpiritual life,2 Cor. 7.1. 1 Theſ. 5.13. &c. and runs inviſibly through all the body. Fountains were to be kept pure by the Roman Laws of the twelve Tables; and the heart that is the ſpring and fountain of all actions, is to be kept pure by the Laws of the great God. Men keep the heart principally from hurt, becauſe every wound there is mortal. O, that men were as wiſe for their ſouls! God's eye is mainly upon the heart. The heart well guarded and watcht, keeps all in ſecurity. Alexander was ſafe while Antipater kept the watch; ſo all within that little world Man, will be ſafe while the heart is ſtrongly guarded. The heart is the fountain, the root, the ſtore-houſe, the primum mobile, the great wheel that ſets all a going; and therefore above all keepings keep your hearts. 'Tis a fooliſh thing to watch the outworks, and leave the Fort-Royal without a guard; ſo 'tis a fooliſh thing to watch the out-works, the eye, the ear, the tongue, the hand, the feet (though theſe muſt all be watcht) and to leave the heart, which is a Chriſtians Fort-Royal, without a guard.
Omnia ſi perdas, animam ſervare memento.
If all things elſe muſt needs be loſt,
Yet ſave thy ſoul what e're it coſt.
He that makes it his buſineſs to watch, and weep, and ſigh, and groan moſt over his own heart, he doubtleſs is in a gracious eſtate; he that makes it his work, his daily work, his greateſt work,3 John 2. his work of works, to keep a continual guard upon his heart, he certainly is in a bleſſed eſtate; he that lamentingly cryes out, O, that my ſoul did but proſper as my body! O, that my inward man were but in as good a frame as my outward man! O, that this proud heart were but more humble! O, that this hard heart were but more ſoftned! O, that this carnal heart were but more ſpiritual! O, that this earthly heart were but more heavenly! O, that this unbelieving heart were but more believing! O, that this paſſionate heart were but more meek! O, that this ſlight heart were but more ſericus! O, that this blind heart were but more enlightned! O, that this dull heart were but more quickned! O, my heart, my heart! when wilt thou be better? O, my God, my God! when ſhall my heart be better? O, bring it into a gracious frame, and for ever keep it in a gracious frame! He that thus lamentingly cryes out of his heart, he certainly has an honeſt heart, and will be happy for ever. O Lord, my memory is weak, and my utterance is bad, and my underſtanding is dark, and my gifts are low, and my affections are flat, and my temptations are ſtrong,Pſa. 39 22, 23, 24 and my corruptions are prevalent; but thou who art the great heart ſearcher, thou knoweſt that I would fain have my heart in a better temper; I had rather have my heart brought into a gracious frame, and kept in a gracious frame, than to have all the riches of the Indies, than to be an Emperor, yea than to be King over all the earth. If it be indeed thus with thee, thou art bleſt, and ſhalt be bleſt for ever, 2 Cor. 8.12. For if there be firſt a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not (I know the Apoſtle ſpeaks this in point of alms, but 'tis applicable to the caſe in hand, and to a hundred other caſes.) God meaſures his people not by their works, but by their wills; if their wills be to be more holy, humble, heavenly, and to have their hearts alwayes in a moſt gracious frame, then they are accepted of God; for every good man is as good in the eye of God, in the judgment of God, and in the account of God, as he would be. Not long before famous Mr. Banes died, ſome friends that were with him in his Library (which was an excellent one) fell a commending of it; I, ſaith he, there ſtand my books, but the Lord knows that for many years loſt paſt, I have ſtudied my heart more than Books. O, no Miniſter to him, no Scholar to him who ſtudies his heart more than his books; nor no Chriſtian to him who ſtudies his heart more than his day-books, or more than his Shop-books, or that ſtudies his heart more than his counting-houſe, or that ſtudies his heart more than a good bargain, &c. That man is for heaven, and heaven is for that man, who makes it his greateſt buſineſs in this world to watch his heart, to guard his heart; the hypopocrite looks moſt to externals, but the ſincere Chriſtian looks moſt to internals; the hypocrites main watch is about his lips, but a ſincere Chriſtians main watch is about his heart; the hypocrites main work lyes without doors, but the ſincere Chriſtians main work lyes within doors. All know that know any thing, that both nature and grace begin at the heart, but art begins at the face. A painter doth not begin a picture at the heart; a picture hath but a face, but an outſide. And as nature begins at the heart, but art at the face; ſo grace begins at the heart, but hypocriſie at the face, at the outſide of Religion. Every man is that really that he is inwardly.Rom. 2.28, 29. He is not a Jew which is one outwardly, neither is that circumciſion which is outward in the fleſh; but he is a Jew which is one inwardly; and circumciſion is that of the heart, in the ſpirit, and not in the letter, whoſe praiſe is not of men but of God. Certainly, that man that makes it his great buſineſs to watch his heart, and to keep his heart alwayes in a gracious frame, that man is a gracious man. 'Tis true, our hearts are like our watches, ſeldom got to go well; and when they do go well, how hard a work is it to keep them going well? The motions of our watches are not conſtant; ſometimes they go faſter, and ſometimes they go ſlower, and often they ſtand in need of mending. Though in theſe and many other reſpects, our hearts are like our watches, yet if we make it our grand work to keep a conſtant guard upon our hearts, and our main deſign in this world to have our hearts brought and kept in a gracious frame, our ſpiritual eſtate is good, and we ſhall be happy for ever, &c.
In my other Writings there are variety of ſpecial evidences, which the Chriſtian Reader (if he pleaſe, and if need require) may make uſe of, in order to the further clearing up of his gracious eſtate; and therefore let theſe twenty ſuffice at this time. And thus much for this Chapter, &c.