Saints Memorials, Part 4 – Part 5
Mr. Caryl ON GOSPEL-CHARITY.
THe pure Heart, is a gratious Heart.
The end doth denominate the Action.
It must have a good end, else though the matter be never so good, the work is not good.
The principle or spring of the work must be good: 'Tis possible for one to do a work that's good for the matter of it,Mat. 12.33 and to have some good ends in it, and yet not to do it out of a right principle. Unless the principle be good, the work's not good.
As the Fountain is, such are the Streams that come from it.
As the Tree is, such is the Fruit that grows upon it.
The Thorn hath not a principle in Nature to put forth a Grape: The Thistle hath not a principle in Nature to put forth a Figg: An illscented Vessel, whatsoever passes from it must be ill scented.
Bad men will often tip their tongues with good words, and appear golden-mouth'd speakers, when their Hearts are nothing but Brass and Dross.
Prov. 29.20.Evil men they spoil good speaking with their ill manner of speaking, or their ill meaning in speaking.
Good words do as it were lisp in the mouth of a bad man, and his Heart never keeps pace with his tongue.
Good things done by those who have not good principles, though their box of Ointment may have a fragrant smell among many men, yet there are many dead flies in it, especially one great one, call'd Unbelief, which makes their whole box of Ointment very unsavory in the Nostrils of God.
Gospel-Charity is of a nobler extract, than to be found in the whole Compass of Nature; and Godliness moves in a higher Sphere, than the best dress that the gayest Moralist ever reacht unto.
This is to be lamented, that Christian Acts should be done, and not from a principle spiritual.
It is very possible, and very ordinary to follow Christ,Luk. 22.60 yea to call upon Christ with Carnal affections.
'Tis very sad to see good men do according to the works of the wicked. David did so in the matter of Vriah; and thus did Solomon, when his Heart went after strange Gods, and he built high places to their abominations. Good King Asa imprisoned the Prophet, and in his disease sought to the Physitians, and not to God.
That Holy Apostle Peter he denied and forswore his Master.
This is to act the old Creatures part, in the new Creatures state.
There's another sight as bad, to see bad men plod on and do good things, but never mind to become good themselves.
Thus did Saul when he was amongst the Prophets; and thus did Ahab when he humbled himself; and thus did Iehu when he destroyed Idolatry; thus did Iudas when he preacht the Gospel; and thus did Demas when he professed the Gospel; a very good work, but he himself an Hypocrite, and a lover of the world.
And thus indeed do all Hypocrites, and meer formalists, in their performing of Gospel-worship.
I confess it is a sad sight to see a bad man do that which is bad, or a wicked man do that which is wicked; yet I say, it is a sadder sight to see a bad man continuing in his state, having no spiritual principles to go on doing good.
Mat. 12.33God often declares himself very highly against such as do good, themselves continuing evil.
The good that you do will not profit you, 'twill not advantage you, 'twill be no plea at the Great Day.
You may have Iehu's Penny, a deliverance from an outward Judgment: but there is no deliverance from Wrath and Eternal Judgment.
Thus those that are not far from Heaven shall never come there: yet I would exhort the worst of men to do good; though they please not God in doing it, yet they displease him in not doing it.
And thus faln man, if he neglect to do good, sins: If he doth good, he spoils it in the doing of it.
Hence we see the necessity of regeneration: we are not born with a pure Heart. A pure Heart, a good Conscience, Faith unfeigned, are the Issues of the new birth.
Education cannot make the Heart pure; it must be Revelation which makes the Heart pure.
Education may change a mans Course, but it cannot change his Nature; that's only done by Regeneration.
He must be good, before he can do good spiritually.
God works us, before we can work for him; he makes us good, before we can do good.
We by Union to Jesus Christ, come to have a spiritual Principle to carry us out in the doing of all good works.
Mat. 7.17.Here's your way, you must be Gods workmanship before you can do Gods works.
As we are grafted into Christ, he changes the Branch.
Then all your Fruits are sweet Fruits and pleasant Fruits, they are well-tasted.
Gen. 6.5Why? It is done, first, from a Principle of life in Christ.
And secondly, It is done from a Principle of love unto Christ.
The Heart of man is the greatest cheat in the world.
The Heart of man received such a crack in the fall, that there is no mending of it: It must be new made.
The Heart is made wholly new by the power of God.
Meritoriously by the Blood of Christ, that cleansing Blood: it is made pure by the Spirit of Christ; the Spirit is a purifier.
The Word of God is a purifier Instrumentally.
Applicatorily the Heart is made pure by Faith.
When the command of every sin,
When the custom and practice of every sin,
And when the love of every sin is gone, such a Heart is free from these powers; that Soul is Evangelically pure.
He that indeed hath this pure Heart, is really sensible that once his Heart was very impure.
And also is as sensible that to this day there remains much impurity in his Heart.
He also that hath a pure Heart, loves every thing that is pure; and the more pure it is, the more he loves it.
A pure Heart will be full of pure thoughts; a pure Heart converses with God in purity of thoughts.
Whereas the wicked they have not the Pure God, nor the Holy God in all their thoughts.
A pure Heart is full of pure desires; he desires to be more good, to be better; he desires to know more of God, and to honour God more; he desires to enjoy God more; he hungers and thirsts after God.
A pure Heart hath pure purposes and pure resolves; and by resolves the Heart is more settled and fixt.
Resolution is the establishment of the Soul.
He resolves, let the Winds blow high or low, to cleave to Christ.
There is a purpose in a pure Heart against all that's evil.
He will neither defile his Heart, nor his Life; and these purposes he carries quite thorough all, unto the end.
A pure Heart hath pure ends in all it doth; a holy aim, a single eye; not self-profit, not self-applause, not pleasure; but he purposes the profit of many, that they may be saved.
Weigh it well whether you have this pure Heart.
The hardest thing that we have to do, and the greatest kindness which God can do to us, is to cleanse our Hearts.
Our hearts are the filthiest part of us: If there be impurity in the hand, there's much more in the Heart.
Till the Heart be made pure, nothing can be pure.
God is a friend indeed to those who have a pure Heart.
Keep pure Hearts with all diligence, for the Devil comes a Heartstealing continually: unless you wash it, weed it, sweep it, Cobwebs will grow, Spiders will creep in, they will be weaving their Webs.
To the impure Heart, there is nothing pure. Holy Ordinances, honest Callings, great Possessions; all these to an impure Heart are not pure.
The pure in Heart, are onelyonly fit for Communion with God: they onelyonly are fit to call upon God, who have a pure Heart.
OnelyOnly the pure in Heart shall see and enjoy God.
Impure eyes cannot behold God, they cannot bear the Glory, the excellence of his Presence.
THE HEART ANATOMIZED.
Psal. 64.6.THe wicked search out Iniquities, they accomplish a diligent search; the inward thoughts of their Hearts are deep.
Heb. 3.8.The Heart is commonly hard. Harden not your Hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of Temptation in the Wilderness.
Psal. 101.2The heart of a godly man may be said to be perfect, for David saith of himself, I will behave my self wisely in a perfect way; Oh when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
Prov. 14.30.The heart is said to be sound: A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.
The heart is sometimes merry, sometimes melancholy. Prov. 15.13.A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
The heart hath many devices, Nevertheless the Counsel of the Lord that shall stand.Prov. 19.21.
The heart of an Holy man may be said to be pure. Prov. 22.11.He that loveth pureness of heart, or hath grace in his lips, the King shall be his friend.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked,Jer. 17.9. Who can know it?
The heart is said to be stony. I will give them one heart, saith the Lord, Ezek. 11.19.and I will put a new spirit within you, and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and I will give them an heart of flesh.
The heart is the chiefest Jewel which the Lord requires of a Christian. My Son, give me thine heart,Prov. 23.26. and let thine eyes … my Laws.
He that keepeth … of the Lord shall be … Law of his God is in his … none of his steps shall side.Psal. 39.31.
Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the Law of the Lord.
Psal. 119.1, 2.Blessed are they that keep his Testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.