The Saints Only Way to True Blessedness, Sermon 1
MAT. 5.8.
Bleſſed are the pure in heart, for they ſhall ſee God.
HEre is a deſcription of happineſs, quite contrary to the expectation of Scribes and Phariſes, who being ſtrangers to the ſpiritual interpretation of the Law, did commonly teach their Diſciples, that they need not doubt of obtaining Salvation, if they did but lead civil lives; if they did but bring forth the fruits of moral honeſty, and were exactly conformable to the Tradition of their Elders. But ſays our Saviour, Do not ſatisfie your ſelves with ſuch an empty ſhadow of outward Traditional, and Ceremonial holineſs; Know, it is the inward frame and diſpoſition of heart, which you are principally engaged to regard, and look after; Bleſſed are the pure in heart, &c. though there are many perſons zealous in the obſervation of ſuperſtitious cuſtomes, which their own fancy hath made choice of though they ſtand much upon clean Garments, and clean Veſſels; Though they do much for the purifying of the fleſh, yet notwithſtanding this their outward purity, they may be objects of Gods reprobating anger, they may be condemned to periſh with the unbeleiving world, and fall ſhort of eternal happineſs; But bleſſed are the pure in heart, for they ſhall ſee God. By heart here is meant all the powers and faculties of the inward man; ſo purity of heart doth imply an underſtanding free from error, a conſcience void of offence towards God and towards man, a will freed from the Dominion of ſin and Satan, affections clarified and refined from the droſs of this preſent World. Bleſſed are they that are thus pure in heart, for they ſhall ſee God; that is, they ſhall enjoy him.
Viſion is commonly put for fruition in the Scripture, ſo in that place, Heb. 12.14. Follow Peace and holineſs, without which no man ſhall ſee the Lord; that is, none ſhall enjoy him; no man without holineſs, ſhall be admitted to taſt that fulneſs of joy, or bath in thoſe Rivers of pleaſures that are at the right hand of God; or elſe we may underſtand it according to the more plain and familiar ſignification, and thus the pure in heart ſhall ſee God, in his work of creation, they ſhall behold him in the beautiful frame of Heaven and earth; every thing which they ſee, will put them in mind of their creatours wiſdom, goodneſs, and power; they ſhall ſee him likewiſe in the works of providence, taking notice of his hand in every mercy, and in every judgement; and they ſhall ſee him preſent in all his Ordinances; but more eſpecially they ſhall ſee him in the life to come; they ſhall ſee the bleſſed perſon of Jeſus Chriſt, who is the glaſs of the Trinity, and in whom thoſe who are pure in heart ſhall one day behold the fullneſs of the God-head dwelling bodily; this glaſs is of a transforming nature; for they which ſee it, ſhall be changed into the ſame likeneſs, from glory to glory. Thus much for the meaning of the words, the pure in heart ſhall ſee God, while they continue in this World, by an eye of faith; they ſhall likewiſe have a more clear immediate raviſhing and refreſhing viſion of him, when they are perfectly glorified in the life to come.
The Text may be divided into a Propoſition, and a Demonſtration. The Propoſition aſſerts that the pure in heart are bleſſed; The Demonſtration or Argument which the Holy Ghoſt makes uſe of in this place, to prove their bleſſedneſs, is taken from their ſeeing of God; bleſſed are the pure in heart, for they ſhall ſee God.
The principal Doctrine, reſulting from the words, may be this, That the pure in heart, they, and onelyonly ſuch as they, are bleſſed; or, that true bleſſedneſs can never be obtained without purity of Heart.
In the Proſecution of it, I ſhall firſt ſhew, what precious ingredients are required to make up this purity of heart. Secondly, why we ſhould labour to get purity of heart. Thirdly, what means we ſhould uſe to have our hearts purified. Fourthly, in what particulars this purity of heart will eſpecially diſcover it ſelf.
I. There are many things implyed or comprehended in this purity of heart. Firſt, the juſtification of our perſons; civilizing morality doth onelyonly furniſh men with ſome ſweet ſented flowers, which may perfume their outward converſation, rendring it more acceptable to humane ſociety, though ſtill their hearts may continue as filthy and impure as ever they were before. Moral men commonly have a high conceit of themſelves, and yet they may be abominable in the ſight of God, as Solomon ſpeaks, Prov. 30.12. There is a Generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not waſhed from their filthineſs; but no true purity can be effectually produced in our inward parts, until we come to be ſprinckled in the blood of Chriſt, Rev. 1.5. Who hath loved us and waſhed us from our ſins in his own blood. We can never be clenſed from our ſinful abominations, until we be waſhed in the blood of that immaculate Lamb, which takes away the ſins of the World; when the ſoul is brought into a ſtate of juſtification, it is cloathed in the wedding Garment of Chriſts imputed righteouſneſs, which is large enough to cover all its natural deformities, and then though it were never ſo black and filthy before, it preſently appears full of amiable luſtre, and ſhining excellency, bright, and clear, beautiful as an Angel, without ſpot or blemiſh in the ſight of God.
Secondly, Purity of heart doth imply a renovation of our nature. We are all defiled in our very birth and conception; the poyſonous Leproſie of Original ſin hath ſpread it ſelf over every faculty of the ſoul, and member of the body; therefore if ever we obtain any acceptable purity, this corrupt depraved nature muſt be changed; hence is that Petition of the Prophet David, which you may read in Pſal. 51.10. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right ſpirit within me. Tit. 3.5. we are ſaid to be ſaved by the waſhing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghoſt. And the Apoſtle Paul likewiſe prays in the behalf of his Theſſalonians, that they may be ſanctified throughout, both in body, ſoul, and ſpirit, 1 Theſ. 5.23. The ſoul and the ſpirit are here to be diſtinguiſhed. The Spirit here ſignifies the moſt Noble ſublime and Angelical part of man, comprehending his will, conſcience and underſtanding; the ſoul, that ſignifies the inferiour faculties of ſenſitive deſires and affections, and the body that is the outward man, the inſtrument of the ſoul. In Ezek. 36.25, 26. you have an excellent Goſpel promiſe, I wil ſprinkle clean water upon you, and you ſhall be waſhed from all your filthineſs, and from all your Idols will I cleanſe you; a new heart alſo will I give you, and a new ſpirit will I put within you. Oh that men were generally more convinced about the excellency and neceſſity of this ſanctifying work!
Thirdly, purity of heart requires the caſting out of defiling ſins; all ſin is of a very defiling nature, therefore its ſhadowed forth in the book of Leviticus, under the notion of a ſpreading Leproſie; tis compared likewiſe to the vomit of a Dog, and to that filthy mire which Swine delight to wallow in. But more particularly, ſinful pleaſures muſt be caſt out of the heart. In the 47. of Ezek. there you read concerning the River of the Sanctuary, that is, the Doctrine of the Goſpel, which is diſperſed amidſt the wilderneſs of the Gentiles; and moſt places where it came, received a healing vertue from it, but in the 11 verſ. the Miry places, and the Mariſhes thereof ſhall not be healed. By the Mariſhes and Miry places, ſome fitly underſtand thoſe men & women that have given themſelves over to ſinful pleaſures; theſe kind of perſons are very unlikely to be healed by the waters of the Sanctuary; what groſs defilement do many contract, while they let looſe the raines to vile affections, and drown the maſculine activity of their ſpirit in a loathſome pudle of ſenſuality! Alſo earthly-mindedneſs is another ſin, which muſt be caſt out, if we deſire to have a pure heart. When a thing is mingled with that which is of a ſuperior nature, its thereby made more rich and precious, as when ſilver is mingled with gold; but if it be mingled with that which is of an inferiour nature, as ſilver mingled with lead, ſuch a heterogeneus mixture doth debaſe and impoveriſh it; thus when the ſoul of man is as I may ſo ſpeak, mingled with the graces of the ſpirit, this makes it more Noble, exalting it to a higher degree of perfection. But if it be mingled with the droſſy vanities of the world, this makes it baſe and vile. The Scripture tells us concerning the pollutions of the World, 2 Epiſt. of Peter, Cap. 2. verſ. 20. and in James 1.27. ſaith he, This is pure Religion and undefiled before God, and the father, to viſit the fatherleſs and the widows in their afflictions, and to keep himſelf unſpotted from the world; the things of the world, they are a dirty defiling nature; they are like Pitch, tis hard to touch them and not contract ſome defilement or other. How is it poſſible that that man ſhould have a pure heart that can be contented from morning to night, to entertain nothing but the world in his ſoul! John 17.15. (ſaith Chriſt,) I pray not that thou ſhouldeſt take them out of the world, but that thou ſhouldeſt keep them from the evil.
Fourthly, Purity of heart requireth that we ſhould adorn our ſelves with purifying Graces; Firſt, Hope, 1 Joh. 3.3. He that hath this hope, purifieth himſelf even as he is pure. Raiſed expectations of future happineſs, ſhould ſtir up in the ſoul ſtrong and vigorous endeavours after preſent holineſs; becauſe a defiled heart, and a undefiled inheritance, cannot ſtand together. Secondly, Faith, thats another purifying grace; as you have it, Acts 15.9. Purifying their hearts by faith. Thoſe which perſwade themſelves, that they doe believe in Chriſt; and yet their hearts are as carnal, and corrupt, as filthy, and impure as ever they were before, They may know that their faith is but a fantaſtick dream, or deluding ſhadow; there is nothing of truth nothing of reality in it: Faith having tied a marriage knot between Chriſt and the ſoul, layes a ſtrong engagement upon her, to keep her ſelf chaſt and pure till the approach of her glorious Bridegroom, when ſhe ſhall be taken into the everlaſting embraces of his love. Thirdly, Repentance, that is another purifying grace: Repentance pulls off the mask from the face of ſin, cauſing it to appear in its proper colours; ſo that it hath no alluring paint nor counterfeit dreſs, by which it ſhould enſnare, or delude the ſoul any longer. Repentance fills the ſoul of a ſinner with hatred and deteſtation againſt ſin; making him reſtleſs in his deſire, till he can procure an univerſal divorce, and perpetual ſeparation from it. Thoſe that continue impenitent, can lye ſoaking in the mire of bloody, raigning luſt, and yet not be ſenſible of the leaſt defilement; but the truly penitent ſoul is ſolicitous to waſh out every ſpot and ſtain. Fourthly, Love that has a notable purifying influence upon the heart; Love chiefly ſtands in a reciprocal ſimilitude of diſpoſition. They that love God, will ſtrive every day to have more and more of his likeneſs, of his picture they are ambitious to be beautified with the moſt plentiful participation of his image. They that love God, will endeavour for ſuch a meaſure of holineſs and purity as may diſpoſe and fit them to maintain a refreſhing fellowſhip and communion with God. You that can wallow in the fink of common profaneſs, without the leaſt check or remorſe of conſcience, Oh! it is a ſign you have not the leaſt dram of true love to God. Fiftly, Purity of heart requireth that we ſhould be conſecrated, devoted and given up to the ſervice of God. Men of droſſy impure ſpirits look after carnal ſelf in whatſoever they doe; they aim at nothing but the pleaſing and gratifying of their fleſh; thats the great end which they propoſe to themſelves in all their actions; but thoſe who have a pure heart endeavour to glorifye God by yeilding impartial obedience to his Commands. They act according to the ſimplicity of the Goſpel; walking in the plaineſs, candor and ingenuity of a gracious ſpirit. Phariſaical Hypocrites, how ever they may cleanſe the outſide, yet their hearts are rotten and impure; becauſe they onelyonly ſerve God for by-ends and ſelf reſpects. Sixthly, purity of heart requireth that we ſhould reſiſt vain thoughts, Jerem. 4.14. Oh Jeruſalem, waſh thy heart from wickedneſs, that thou mayſt be ſaved; what wickedneſs was this which muſt be waſhed away, leſt it did hinder ſalvation? the holy Ghoſt tells you in the following words, how long ſhall vain thoughts lodge within thee! Thoſe which indulge themſelves in the harbouring of vain thoughts, muſt never look to have their hearts clenſed; therefore when ever thoughts begin to riſe in thy ſoul, command them to ſtand and undergo a ſerious examination; if they can ſhew a paſs from the Scripture, let them go on, and be encouraged, but if they appear to be vain, idle, and impertinent, ſend them back to hell from whence they came, not giving them the leaſt countenance or approbation.
In the laſt place purity of heart requires that we ſhould bridle immoderate affections. You know, water though it be never ſo freſh and pure, while it runs in its proper Channel, yet if it overflow the banks, it will quickly grow mudy and defiled; thus thy affections if they be kept within due bounds, and proper limits, they may be pure; but when once they overflow the banks of ſobriety and moderation, they preſently are defiled. Take heed therefore leſt thy ſpirit be defiled by the irregular diſtempers and corrupt exceſs of joy, anger, carnal love, or other the like tranſporting violent paſſions.
In the next place I proceed to ſhew why we ſhould labour after this purity.
1. Becauſe without this we cannot hear the word; ſo as to profit by it; If the ſtomack be filled with corrupt matter, the moſt wholeſome food will prove diſtaſtful; thus when the heart abounds with impurity, the moſt ſpiritual and heavenly truths that can be delivered, will ſcarce find any acceptable or ſavoury reliſh; thoſe which cannot feed upon the word with ſuch ſweetneſs, delight, ſatisfaction, if they would ſeriouſly examine themſelves, they may poſſibly find that they have defiled their conſciences by ſome ſecret way of ſinning againſt God, and thats the reaſon why their hearts are ſo little affected under the Preaching of thoſe Goſpel truths, which were formerly entertained with higheſt eſteem, and were thought worthy of all acceptation.
2. Without this we cannot draw nigh to God in any other Religious duties. James 4.8. Draw nigh unto God, and he will draw nigh unto you; but how ſhall we be made partakers of this incomparable priviledge? the former words direct us, cleanſe your hands you ſinners, and purifie your hearts you double-minded. Iſaiah 1.16. waſh ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; come now let us reaſon together, ſaith the Lord; there is no coming unto God, except we be firſt waſh'd and made clean, Heb. 9.13. How much more ſhall the blood of Chriſt, who through the eternal ſpirit offered himſelf up without ſpot unto God, cleanſe your conſciences from dead works, that you ſerve the living God? you cannot ſerve the everliving God in an acceptable manner, unleſs your conſciences be clenſed from dead works, and this can onelyonly be done by the blood of Jeſus Chriſt, who through the eternal ſpirit offered himſelf up without ſpot unto God.
3. We ſhould therefore labour for purity of heart, becauſe without this we can have no true peace; peace and purity go together. When God appears in his Majeſty and Glory, when he ariſeth terribly to ſhake the earth, and magnifies his excellent power, working wonders amongſt the children of men, this is the priviledge of thoſe which are pure in heart, that they ſhall remain undaunted, becauſe conſcience will ſpeak peace to them. Job 11.14, 15. If iniquity be in thy hand, put it far away, and let not wickedneſs dwell in thy Tabernacles; for then ſhalt thou lift up thy face without ſpot; yea, thou ſhalt be ſtedfaſt, and ſhalt not fear. So Pſal. 51.7, 8. ſaith David, purge me with Hyſop, and I ſhall be clean; waſh me and I ſhall be whiter then snow; make me to hear joy and gladneſs, that the bones which thou haſt broken may rejoyce; as if he had ſaid, Lord, I have defiled my ſelf by this bloody ſin which I have committed, and becauſe of my defilement, joy and gladneſs hath been baniſhed from my ſpirit; but do thou waſh me, purge me clean, and then the joy of thy ſalvation will be reſtored, peace will return again. Many they complain for want of comfort, for want of peace; let them conſider whither there be not ſome ſin or other that they harbour with allowance; for beleive it, one ſin will fill the heart with bitterneſs, vexation, and galling perplexity. Sin is a Jonah that raiſeth ſtorms and tempeſts where ever it comes.
Fourthly, We ſhould labour for purity, becauſe without this there can be no ſcriptural wel grounded hope of getting to heaven. David ſaith, Pſal. 24.3, 4. Who ſhall aſcend into the Hill of the Lord? who ſhall ſtand in his holy place? hee that hath clean hands, and a pure heart, who hath not lift up his ſoul unto vanity. Thoſe that live after the fleſh, wallowing in all impurity, 'tis ſtrange, that they ſhould cheat themſelves with ſuch confident expectation of future bleſſedneſs; The new Jeruſalem is, Civitas Sancta, glorioſa, tota ex auro, tota gemmis et margaritis decorata, (as Zanchy ſpeaks) Conſider that magnificent deſcription of this City, which is laid down in the Revelation, and then judge whether Goats and Swine are fit to be admitted to be its Inhabitants: A bare profeſſion may give you admiſſion into the Church Militant; but it is nothing but Scriptural holineſs, and real purity that can give you admiſſion into the Church Triumphant; as for profane perſons, however they may flatter themſelves with vain hopes, yet while they continue in ſin, every leafe almoſt in the Bible, ſtands as a flaming ſword to keep them out of Paradiſe.
Fifthly, We ſhould labour after purity of heart, becauſe without this, there can be no perſeverance. Thoſe whoſe Religion ſtands only in a gliſtering ſhew of outward profeſſion, though they may ſeem ſtedfaſt and flouriſhing for a while, yet they will certainly fall away in an hour of temptation: What is the reaſon that ſo many have begun in the ſpirit, and ended in the fleſh; ſo many with the Church of Epheſus have forſaken their firſt love? It is becauſe their hearts were rotten, and corrupt from the beginning; perhaps their heads were enriched with choice notions, curious ſpeculations, and the like; but ſtill they were ſtrangers to purity of heart, they looked upon Religion as that which could only afford matter of diſcourſe, or did conſiſt in diſputing for opinions.
Sixthly, We ſhould labour for purity of heart, that ſo we may plentifully taſt the goodneſs of God in all conditions; that is a very remarkable place, in Pſal. 73.1. Truely God is good to Iſrael, even to them that are of a clean heart; Whatſoever Changes, Viciſſitudes, and Revolutions, there may be in the world, yet the pure in heart ſhall experience the mercy and goodneſs of God.
In the laſt place, We ſhould labour to get purity of heart, becauſe the very life of Chriſtianity doth conſiſt in this. In 1 Peter 3.21. Baptiſme alſo now ſaveth, (not the putting away the filth of the fleſh, but the anſwer of a good conſcience towards God.) We muſt conſider whether grace have enabled us to anſwer thoſe ſolemn engagements, which our baptiſmal Covenant laid upon us; it is inward waſhing which doth principally denominate a Chriſtian. Thus much for the reaſons and motives, ſtirring up to labour after purity of heart.
But in the third place, What muſt we do to get our hearts purified?
Firſt, Labour to be heavenly-minded; you may obſerve, the nearer things are to heaven, the more pure they are. Water is more pure than the earth, as being higher in its ſituation; Air is more pure then water, and the Fire is more pure than the Air, becauſe it is neareſt to the heavenly bodies. If thy heart were turned and taken off from the world, if it were more raiſed to converſe with heaven, and things of an heavenly nature, this would mightily encreaſe the purity of it.
Secondly, Attend upon the word, John 15.3. Now you are clean, ſaith Chriſt to his Diſciples, through the word that I have ſpoken unto you. So Pſal. 119.9. Wherewith ſhall a young man cleanſe his way? by taking heed according to thy word.
And then get the ſpirit of grace to dwell in thy heart; that is the moſt effectual way to have the heart purified; the ſpirit is ſometimes compared to water for its purifying nature, John 3.5. Except a man be born again; of water and the ſpirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God; by water here is not meant the Element of water made uſe of in baptiſme; none can conclude baptiſmal Regeneration from ſuch a place of Scripture as this; no, but except a man be born of water and the ſpirit, that is, of the ſpirit that reſembles water, compared to water for its cleanſing vertue and efficacy; ſo likewiſe the Spirit is compared to fire, Mat. 3.11. John ſpeaking concerning Chriſt, One cometh after me, greater then I, whoſe Shoe Latchets I am not worthy to unlooſe, he ſhall baptiſe you with the Holy Ghoſt, and with fire; that is, with the Holy Ghoſt, that doth reſemble fire, ſo called from its refining vertue.
In the fourth place I proceed to ſhew wherein this purity of heart doth diſcover it ſelf.
It diſcovers it ſelf chiefly in theſe four things, an underſtanding free from error, in purity of Works, in purity of Words, and in purity of Worſhip.
Firſt, An underſtanding free from error; thoſe that have a pure heart they will ſtrive againſt Errors in Doctrine, as well as Errors in Practice; for if the head be once poyſoned, the venemous influences of it will quickly diſtend to the heart, infecting the very vitals of Chriſtianity; corrupt opinions, and corrupt practices commonly go together; they that have purity of heart, will be filled with a love to truth.
Secondly, Purity of heart diſcovers it ſelf in purity of works; if there be a conformity to the Image of God in the heart, there will alſo be a conformity to the Law of God in the outward converſation; you may as well ſuppoſe the Sun to be without light, the fire without heat, and honey without ſweetneſs, as that ſaving grace ſhould be rooted in the heart, and not bring forth the fruits of holineſs in the life, Mat. 5.16. Let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven; therefore thoſe do miſerably cheat their own ſouls, which boaſt as if their hearts were good, though they live in the dayly practice of groſs and ſcandalous ſins; a pure fountain would never ſend forth muddy ſtreams, a good tree would never bring forth corrupt fruit; if filthineſs appear in the outward behaviour, you may certainly conclude that there is much more impurity in the inward parts.
Thirdly, Purity of heart ſheweth it ſelf in purity of words, James 1.26. If any man among you ſeem to be Religious, and bridle not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this mans Religion is vain. How can the heart be chaſt, when the words are looſe and immodeſt? how can the heart be humble, when the ſpeech is ſwelling and lofty? how can the heart be heavenly, when the diſcourſe conſtantly runs out, and ſpends it ſelf upon the things of the World? the words are ſtill ſutable to that treaſure which is laid up in the heart, Mat. 12.35. A good man out of the good treaſure of the heart, bringeth forth good things; and an evil man out of the evil treaſure, bringeth forth evil things.
Fourthly, They that are endued with purity of heart, labour for purity of worſhip; they are Enemies to Will-worſhip, they cannot endure to ſerve God in any way ſave that which he has appointed; they would not have the gold of the Sanctuary mingled with the droſs of humane invention; tis the coruption and uncleanneſs of mens ſpirits, which makes them ſo violently contend for, and obſtinately addicted to the obſervation of Idolatrous cuſtomes.