Christs Alarm to Drowsy Saints, Sermon 16

Christs Alarm to Drowsy Saints · Sermon 16

p. 297REVEL. 3. 1.

And art Dead.

THe point we are in, is this; That a dead Chriſtian is as good as no Chriſtian at all. Firſt, we have opened the meaning of this point; and ſhewed you what is meant by a dead Chriſtian. Secondly, we have ſhewed you that this is ſo, by going over all the graces of Gods ſpirit; a man hath near a one of them all that is dead; againe by going over all the duties of Chriſtian Religion; ye heard, a man does neare a one of them all, as long as he does them onelyonly in a dead hearted manner. Thirdly, I ſhewed you the reaſons of this point, why a dead Chriſtian is even as no Chriſtian at all; there be many reaſons of it, it ſtands with good reaſon that it ſhould be ſo. Fourthly, we began to ſhew you the uſes of this point.

Firſt, how wide then are they that are profanely wickedVſe 1. if they that are Chriſtians, and do the things contained in the Goſpell are rejected, becauſe they doe them with a dead heart, where ſhall they appeare that will not doe them at all?

Secondly, another uſe was to condemne theſe timesVſe 2. of ours, wherein for the moſt part people are dead. There be not many that doe live like Chriſtians at all in outward appearance, and yet how many of that little number are even dead and without life? they draw neere unto God with their outward man, but their hearts are farre from him, Matth. 15. 8.

p. 298Thirdly, another uſe was to ſhew you the danger ofVſe 3. being a dead Chriſtian, I ſhewed it in ſeven things. But I will not name them againe.

In the fourth place we are come to ſhew you, what itVſe 4. is to be alive Chriſtian; a Chriſtian quickened up towards God; and here I ſhewed you, Firſt, who is the principall and prime cauſe of this life and quickening, and that is God, who quickeneth the dead; God the Father quickens whom he will; God the Son he quickens whom he will, and God the Holy Ghoſt, he is the ſpirit of life.

Secondly, I ſhewed you what is the Inſtrument of this life, and that is faith; this faith when it is a true and a lively faith, it makes a man adhere to the fountaine of life. That thou maiſt cleave unto him, for he is thy life, Deut. 30. 20. Faith is the having of God for our God, as the Apoſtle ſayes, He that hath the Sonne hath life. Thirdly, I ſhewed you the parts of this life; and the parts of it I ſhewed you were three. The firſt is, the life of juſtification, Rom. 5. 18. The ſecond is, the life of ſanctification. Eph. 2. 5. The third is, the life of conſolation or comfort, Pſal. 85. 6.

Now becauſe the life of ſanctification is here principally intended, when a man is quickened up towards God, and all his holy wayes; therefore I deſcended downe to the branches of this life, and quickening in all the powers of the ſoule. The laſt day we began to ſearch about the underſtanding, what is the life and quickening of that towards God.

And firſt, we ſhewed you that bare knowing is not it;1. a man may know God & all his ways contemplatively, & yet not be quickened up to them; as Iſrael ſaid, my God we knowledge thee, Hoſ. 8. 2. and yet as it followes, they p. 299were not quickened up for all that; the Gentiles knew God, Rom. 1. 21. I but they did not glorifie him as God; it was dead knowledge; nay, we ſhewed you that bare knowledge is not ſo much as the light of the underſtanding, much leſſe the life of it; as our Saviour Chriſt ſayes, if the light that is in thee be darkneſſe, how great is the darkneſſe, Matth. 6. 23. that is, a man may have that light, and yet be in darkneſſe, and therefore much more in deadneſſe.

Secondly, I ſhewed you that approving of God and his2 wayes is not the quickening of the underſtanding neither. Saint Paul ſhewes that a man may approve the beſt things and yet be dead, Rom. 2. 18. The Devill approved admirably of Jeſus Chriſt, I know thee who thou art, even the holy one of God, Mark. 1. 24. ſuppoſe thou proveſt and alloweſt of all goodneſſe; O ſayes the Apoſtle, Happy is the man that condemneth not himſelfe in that which he alloweth, Rom. 14. 22. ſo may I ſay, thou mayeſt allow of ſtrictneſſe, and of all the ſtricteſt orders of God, and yet have a dead minde, and condemne thy ſelfe. I but, I am not ſtrict though.

Thirdly, I ſhewed you that thinking of God and of heavenly3 things; this is not the life of the minde neither; a man may thinke of them all now and then, and yet be dead to them all notwithſtanding; nay, this may increaſe thy condemnation; therefore when a ſinner ſins, it may be he thinkes of Gods word at ſome time, Gods word forbids this, and yet he does it, though this increaſes his condemnation.

Fourthly, I ſhewed you that ſtudying of God, and of4 faith, and all the Doctrine of life; this is not the life of the minde neither; and this is that which deceives indeed; when a mans ſtudying is practicall; this is an argument of life; the heart of the righteous ſtudieth to anſwer, Prov. 15. 28. Schollers becauſe their minds are not of the world, may be all the day long, but from morning till night, their mindes p. 300are about God, and all Divinity. And they think it may be they are heavenly minded; alas, no, their mindes may be as dead towards God for all this, as the worldlings, that is muſing on his pelfe as long a time.

Then I came to ſhew you affirmatively what the life of the minde is; the life of the minde is, when it is ſtirred up towards God and all his gracious wayes; as Peter ſayes; I will ſtirre up your pure mindes, 2 Pet. 3. 1. that is, I would quicken up your mindes; when the minde is ſtirring towards God, it was ſtirring towards other things before, but now it is ſtirring towards heaven, towards repentance and amendment of life, and Chriſt, and how to pleaſe God and the like, now it is quickened up towards him. I ſhewed you there be ſix ſtirring acts of the minde.

The firſt is, the applying of the minde; when the minde1. does not onelyonly know a thing, but it applyes it to ones ſelfe; this is a ſtirring Act of the minde; looke where the minde of man is alive, if it be alive towards the world; if it▪ know any way unto profit, or preferment, or the having of what it likes, preſently it will apply it; ſo when a man is alive towards God, now his minde hath a applying diſpoſition, looke what he knowes about God, he applyes it to himſelfe, for his owne edification, inſtruction, humiliation, direction and guide; as Eliphaz ſayes; ſo this it is, heare it and know it for thy good, Job. 5. 27. that is, doe not onelyonly know it, but be quickened up to apply it to thy ſelfe; hath thy minde an applying diſpoſition, doeſt thou apply the word of God to thy ſelfe to make it thine owne. Thou knoweſt what God is, I but haſt thou a diſpoſition in thy minde, to apply him to thy ſelfe? this is a quickened minde, a man will not let his knowledge lye ſwimming in his minde, but he turnes it upon himſelfe, and makes it his owne.

2. The meditating of the mind; the minding of the minde2 p. 301a naturall man may thinke of God and his commandements as ye heard. I but doeſt thou minde them? if thou doeſt minde them from day to day, now thy minde is quickened indeed; carnall men think it may be of heavenly things, alas, that is nothing but frigus & ſocordia as Calvin ſpeakes, I ſayes as Saint Paul; but they minde earthly things; looke what a man is alive unto, his minde runnes on that, whether it be God or the creature; if thy minde be quickened up towards God, then thy minde runnes on him from day to day; how thou mayeſt approve thy ſelfe unto him, how thou mayeſt pertake of his favour, how thou mayeſt eſchew the temptations of Satan, how thou mayeſt follow after Chriſt, be ſenſible of thy ſinnes be affected towards holy duties, does thy minde runne on ſuch things? this is it.

Thirdly, The conſidering of the minde; when the3. minde lookes curſorily on things, what's this but the lookes and remiſſeneſſe of the minde, now when the minde comes to conſider ſeriouſly of them, now it quickens up it ſelfe, as Moſes ſayes; Know and conſider that God he is God, Deut. 4. 39. that is, doe not onelyonly know, that's but a dead thing, but ſtirre up thy ſelfe and conſider wiſhly of it; hath the Lord turned about thy minde that now thou haſt begun to have a conſidering frame in thy minde, to ponder thy wayes; to weigh the Sermons that thou heareſt, as it is ſaid of Mary, ſhe pondered Chriſts words in her heart; now thou conſidereſt how to pray, how to come to Gods ordinances, how to carry thy ſelfe in thy calling; now thou doeſt not goe haire-brainely on his before, but thou takeſt things into conſideration.

Fourthly, the remembring of the minde, when the mind4. knowes how to doe well, but the man does it not, he forgets himſelfe every day, what's this but the deadneſſe of the minde; if the minde be alive to a thing, it will be ſure p. 302to remember it ſelfe of that. Can a maid forget her Ornaments? but my people have forgotten me, Jer. 2. 32. therefore they are dead-hearted towards me; can a man forget to put on his clothes in the Morning? Can the worlding forget to plough his fields in time; to reape his Corne, when it's ripe; to milk his kine at night; nay, certainely hee'le be ſure to remember ſuch things, why? his minde is alive to them; if he ſhould chance to forget himſelfe for a fit, by and by he remembers himſelfe, ſo if the minde be alive towards God, it hath a remembring diſpoſition towards him. O ſayes David, I will not forget thy word, Pſal. 119. 16.

Fifthly the inventing and deviſing, and plotting and5 ploding, and contriving of the minde; if the minde be alive towards God, theſe Acts goe towards God too, as the Prophet ſayes, A liberall man will be deviſing liberall things, Iſa. 32. 8. Let a man be of weake parts, that's all one, yet when it is alive to the world, it's a ſtrange thing to ſee how witty ſome are for the world to gather pelfe, they have great reaches in theſe things; ſo when a man is alive toward God, though he be of weak parts, yet how witty he will be for good things; what pretty deviſes to do good, to underſtand evill, to ſhunne offences, to balke occaſions of ſinne; as Paul ſayes, I caught you with guile, 2 Cor. 12. 16. whence comes the blockiſhneſſe of our mindes towards the beſt things, but meerly of deadneſſe, if our minds were more alive, they would help us to preach, help us to pray, help us with matters for edifying, diſcourſe, they would help us from a 1000 ſnares, they would be the more active, they would ſooner ſmell a luſt, ſpy Satan, obſerve the dealings of God.

Sixthly, The judgement of the mind; when the minds luſt dictate is for God; when a man is judicious, this is it that leads men a days, their judgements not all their knowledge p. 303nay, learning; you ſhall have many a learned man will uſe to play the foole, and does every day very fooliſhly, becauſe his Judgement is fooliſh; the reaſon is a mannever takes any courſe, nor ſpeakes any word, nor thinkes any thought, but firſt his judgement tels him, it is beſt to doe ſo at that time; never does the drunkard turne in at the Ale-houſe, but his judgement ſayes to his will, chooſe to turne in; you will ſay, it may be he knowes he ought not to do ſo, I but it is not mens knowledge that leads men, but mens judgements; when mens judgement ſayes, this is not for me, this is moſt pleaſant, this is moſt profitable, this is moſt honourable, this is moſt delightfull; now when the judgement of the minde is in ſome meaſure ſet towards God, now the minde is quickened; as David ſayes, I eſteeme all thy precepts concerning all things to be right, and I hate every falſe way, Pſal. 119. 128. that is, by the mercy of God, I have good judgement, be the way what it will be, though never ſo pleaſing to the fleſh, ſtill my judgement ſayes chooſe Gods way, that's ever more beſt.

Thus farre we proceeded the laſt day namely to learne or ſee what is the quickening of the minde; that ye may know whether our underſtanding be dead or alive; now what remaines but this that we all labour for ſuch an underſtanding; many of us underſtand much, ſo much that if it were quickened up to us, it would doe us a world of good; if we did uſe to apply it and make it our owne, if we would give our mindes to it, if we would ponder it and ſeriouſly weigh it, and remember it for our uſe in all our wayes, if we had a deviſing minde for good a minde plotting for heaven, and continuing how we may beſt glorifie God, and ſecure our owne ſoules. A judicious minde, a practicall minde. This is a good underſtanding indeed; as the Prophet ſayes, a good underſtanding have they that doe thereafter, Pſal. 111. 10. when what we underſtand does p. 304not lye dead in our heads, but our mindes are quickened up to it, this is a good underſtanding my brethren, this underſtanding is not to be had in Books, God onelyonly can help us with it, as David ſayes, O Lord give me underſtanding and I ſhall live, Pſal. 119. 144 you will ſay what need he keep ſuch a ſtirre for underſtanding? had not he the Law before his eyes? could not he read there, and get underſtanding: O but it will be all dead, Lord unleſſe thou give me underſtanding from above, if thou wilt give me underſtanding, then I ſhall live.

Now I come to the heart, to ſearch what the life of the heart is, every Act of the heart, is not an argument of life.

Firſt, there be outſide Acts of the heart; people thinke1. if they doe not diſſemble before men; then they are no Hypocrites. O they are hearty they ſay; as there is an outſide of the outward man, ſo there is an outſide of the heart. Thou mayeſt be hearty in ſome ſort in good duties, and yet be ſtarke dead; namely if it be onelyonly the outſide of thy heart; my Sonne keepe my ſaying in the midſt of thy heart, Prov. 4. 21. not in the outſide of thy heart, no, no. I would have the inſide of thy heart too; a man that is alive to the world, the world hath not onelyonly the heart, but the very inſide of the heart, the word is deep in the heart; ſo if thou beeſt alive towards God, God is in the deep of thy heart, the word is deepe in thy heart, nor like the ſalt water in the Sea onelyonly, on the Top. Ye know what became of the Seed, that wanted depth of the earth, Matth. 13. 5. ſo it is with the heart, when the word does not get into the depth of it, it never quickens in it. The heart may be ſo farre towards goodneſſe, as to bring a man to good duties a dayes, it may bring one to Sermon or to Prayer, to others of the Ordinances of God, and other good courſes, but what's all this, as long as it is dead; the p. 305life lies in the bottome of the heart, look what the bottome of the heart ſtands unto, that's a man alive unto, then thou art alive towards God, when the bottom of thy heart is unto him; when thou laboureſt to obey him from the bottome of thy heart, when thou calleſt upon him from the bottome of thy heart, like Sugar at the bottome of the Cup, ſtirre up the bottome, the beſt is at bottome, ſo thou muſt ſtirre up the bottome of thy heart, the heart is a deep thing, Pſal. 64. 6. though religion be on the top, yet if the world be in the deepe, thy heart is dead towards God; as it is with a puddle, it may be cleare at the top, faire water at the top, but there's nothing but mudde at the bottome.

Secondly, there be flitting Acts of the heart, be they2 never ſo deep in the heart, yet if they doe not ſtay there, the heart is dead ſtill. Solomon ſayes of his Father; he ſaid unto me, let thy heart retaine my words, keep my Commandements and live, Prov. 4. 4. though the word does ſtirre neere ſo much for the preſent, this is not life, except thou retaine it, and hold it faſt, a man may have many flaſhes of life in him, but as long as the heart does not keep them, it remaines dead, they that ſeeke the Lord, the heart ſhall live, Pſal. 22. 26. that is, when it is not a flaſh, but it is an Act that abides by a man, the heart is ſtedfaſtly ſet towards God, now his heart lives; now when people are moved onelyonly by fits, they are humbled by fits, and ſtartled by fits, their righteouſneſſe is like a morning dew, ye know there the dew is every morning, but all the day it is gone, may be when morning comes, there it is againe, but all the day it is gone. It is true there may be horrible offs and ons in the Children of God, to the confounding of their faces before God. But I doe not ſpeake to diſcourage them. But let us take heed we may have admirable flaſhes of life, fits of humblings, fits of enlargements, fits p. 306of ſelfe-denyall, ſits of great eagerneſſe after God, the heart may be towards God for a ſit, a falſe heart; as the Land of Iſrael; their heart was firmely towards him for a ſit, they remembred that God was their rock and that the high God was their redeemer, but their heart was not right with him, they were not ſtedfaſt in his Covenant, Pſal. 78. 37. mark. it was but a fit; like Eſays crying for a fit. This is a poore argument of life then; no, no; the flitting acts of the heart, may be no acts of life.

Thirdly, there be wouldings and wiſhings in the heart;3. and theſe cozen the world more then any other; theſe they thinke verily are effects of true life.

Firſt, becauſe theſe are not in the outſide of the heart,1. but lye, or at leaſt ſeeme to lye very deepe in the heart; it is very certaine, that many naturall men would give the whole world if they had it, as they doe verily conceive, that they had true grace, that they were Saints, that they could leave their ſinnes, that they were in a childe of Gods caſe, they deeply wiſh it, it is a profound would in their hearts; and therefore now when they ſee ſuch yearnings in their hearts, they doe verily apprehend, this is life certainly. Hence it is that they will ſay they would from the bottome of their hearts ſerve God, they have nere a luſt but they would full faine have God deliver them from that; indeed they confeſſe in their conſciences, if they might have a 1000 worlds, they cannot give it over, I but they would faine they could, and thus they deceive themſelves; becauſe this act ſeemes to be from the depth of their heart; this fancy you may ſee to be in mens hearts out of Mich. 6. 6. 7. where ye ſee, though they could not finde in their hearts to walke humbly before God, to live juſtly and righteouſly, yet they would give thouſands they could. O ſay they what would not we give for the ſin of our ſoules? no queſtion but they thought they were alive, but God told them they were not.

p. 307Secondly, another reaſon why they thinke this is a token of life is, becauſe this is no flitting act neither; But they have theſe wouldings every day; nay, you can never come to them, but ſtill they have theſe, they would doe well; nay, they would doe as well as the beſt; thus they hope they have a fountaine of living water in them that ſpringeth up daily; thus it was with them in the Prophets, they ſeeke me daily ſayes God, Iſa. 58. 2. they thought it was their every dayes work to ſerve God, and where they did faile, they thought they could ſay, they would doe better, they ſought the Lord daily.

Thirdly, becauſe they finde that this is attributed to the3 Saints; as the Apoſtle ſayes, ye cannot doe the things that ye would, Gal. 5. 17. nay, the Apoſtle Paul himſelfe, ſpeakes it of himſelfe, the good that I would doe, that doe I not, and the evill which I would not doe, that doe I, Rom. 7. 19. So that thus they argue now, when they finde this ſame woulding in their hearts, and cannot doe as they would, O ſay they, I may ſay with the Apoſtle, the good which I would doe that doe I not; I cannot doe as I would. Thus they hoodwinke their owne ſoules. It is very true theſe be the Saints groanes, and a part of their ſighing towards God, that they cannot doe as they would, this makes them a burthen to themſelves; and ſo againe when they finde themſelves diſturbed and limited and ſtraightened by their fleſh, this is a comfort to their ſoules, and an argument of Gods infinite goodneſſe unto them, that they can unfeignedly ſay, they would doe better; they doe pleaſe him in ſome meaſure through his grace, and they would pleaſe him better; they doe ſome good by his heavenly ſpirit, and they would doe more; they doe reſiſt every ſinne, and they would reſiſt it more. This is very true. But yet how many a thouſands lul themſelves aſleep in ſecurity, by the fancy of this thing. The heart may put forth daily wouldings, and p. 308be as dead as a carcaſſe to all the workes of grace; as our Saviour Chriſt ſayes, Strive to enter in at the ſtraight Gate, for many ſhall ſeeke to enter in, and ſhall not be able, Luke 13. 24. q. d. O ſtirre up your ſelves, quicken up your hearts, doe not onelyonly ſeek to enter in; many ſeeke to enter in, O they would enter in, and they would feigne enter in, alas, alas, they are dead, they cannot therefore quicken up your hearts, and doe ye more then ſo; I acknowledge that woulding is an argument of life in the heart.

Firſt, when a man does beleeve God in ſome meaſure,1. and then would beleeve more, does oppoſe every knowne ſinne, and would oppoſe it more; does follow all manner of goodneſſe, and would follow it more, when a mans would is above the ſimple will, as when a man will reach as high as he can, and then ſtreins himſelf to reach higher, he takes all the Stooles and Ladders that he can, and ſtands on tip-toes and would reach higher; this is an act of the will with ſome life; and therefore the Apoſtle when he ſays that Chriſtians would more then they do, Gal. 5. 17. in the verſe going before, he tels them they muſt walke in the ſpirit though. q. d. if ye ſhould ſay, ye walke in the ſpirit and doe not, ye deceive your own ſelves; ſo that the woulding it ſelfe, is not a living act.

Secondly, a woulding is an act of a living heart, when2 it is a laborous woulding; ſo that there is another thing in the will, that is the living act and not woulding; namely, when the heart labours, and therefore the woulding is not it; I labour ſayes the Apoſtle, yea, I laboured more abundantly then they all, 1 Cor. 15. 10. marke though he ſaid in another place that he would; the good which I would doe; yet that was not all, that had been a dead act, if that had been all; therefore he laboured together with it. Well then; let us come to ſhew you, what the life of the will is. In a word, the life of the heart is, when the heart will doe a p. 309thing, it may be it is hindred a thouſand times, but in ſome meaſure it will do it, coſt it never ſo much, though fleſh and bloud, and world, and devill, and all be againſt it, yet it will doe it; now the heart is alive it will beleeve, it will repent, it will ſtrive againſt ſinne, it will ſet God before its eyes, it will love him above all, feare him above all, regard him above all. I ſay though it meet with never ſo many hindrances without and within, pull-backes, rebellions, yet it will doe it, now it's alive; when the ſpirit indeed is willing, Matth. 26. 41. as Paul ſayes, To will is preſent with me, Rom. 7. 18. when a man can ſay it from the bottome of his heart, that a will is preſent with him. I will be ruled by God, I will deny my ſelfe; though the fleſh be never ſo violent, and it may be many times, and often beares downe all before it, yet there is a will preſent, that will ſtand it out, and that can never be borne downe, the act may be borne downe, now affections may be borne downe. I but this ſtill is preſent, I will be for God, he is my beſt, his will is my rule, his Law is my line, and I will be at his diſpoſe; when it is thus in generall, through all the wayes of God, this is a living heart; when to will is preſent with it, as the author to the Hebrewes ſayes, his will was to live honeſtly, Heb. 13. 18. As ſoone as ever the prodigall Sonne was come to this paſſe, that he could unfeignedly ſpeake, I will ariſe, I will goe to my Father, Luk. 15. 18. you ſee his father preſently ſayes he was alive; this my Sonne was dead, but he is alive againe; you will ſay, what if one had bound him hand and foot? that is all one; he will goe, he will wraſtle, he will bite the cord a ſunder, if he cannot doe that, O how he will cry out. O how they binde me here. I will ariſe; he will ſtrive, he will not be quiet, he muſt goe, and he will goe; his will is abſolutely to goe, ſtopt or not ſtopt, his will is ſimply to goe, if he can but get away, and leave an arme behinde, p. 310nay, a foot behinde, nay both; he will crawle, but he will to his Father; ſo when a man will leave his ſinfull courſes, and he will have God for his God, he will have Chriſt, and there he will hang; come death, come feares, come temptations, there he will hang. This is that which God accepts, when the hearts will is to God, if there be firſt a willing minde it is accepted, 2 Cor. 8. 12.

Now that this is the life of the heart I prove it thus.

Firſt, becauſe this is the prefecteſt operation of the heart,1 when it abſolutely willeth a thing. There be many operations of the heart, but none of them is perfect but this as David ſaid to his Sonne; my Sonne know thou the God of thy Father; and ſerve him with a perfect heart, and with a wiling minde, 1 Chron. 28. 9. q. d. this is a perfect heart; when thy will is to ſerve him; how ever things goe, thou wilt ſerve him; then thy heart is abſolutely ſet towards God, this is the whole heart; I eryed with my whole heart, heare me O Lord, I will keepe thy Statutes, Pſal. 119. 145. what's all the deadneſſe of men, but becauſe either they have no heart to Gods wayes or but halfe hearts, as it is ſaid of Ephraim, their heart is divided, and God hath but a peece; but when a man hath an abſolute will hereunto, now he is alive, now his heart is perfect towards the Lord his God; as it is in ſinne, when a man does nos onelyonly goe on in ſinne, but he will doe it, his will is abſolute that way, this man hath a perfect heart towards Satan, ſo it is here.

Secondly, becauſe this is the might and ſtrength of the2 heart; while a mans heart puts forth inferior acts towards God, he is dead to every good word and work. If he have any heart at all, it is but ſo ſo, as God ſaid of Iudah, how weake is they heart? Ezek. 16. 30. ſuch a man the devill can eaſily take him off at any time for a need; ſuch a one can never ſtand it out to the end. But he is off and on, becauſe the might of his heart is not towards God; now p. 311when the will is abſolutely towards God, this man muſt needs be alive; for the might of his heart is towards God; as the Lord himſelfe ſayes, Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoule, and with all thy might, Deut. 6. 5.

Thirdly, becauſe this makes every thing poſſible; naturally3 a man cannot beleeve, he cannot reſiſt his owne fleſh, he cannot overcome the world, he cannot live godly in all his wayes, he cannot forgoe his beloved luſts. But now when the heart comes once to be willing towards God, now every thing is poſſible. I may ſay of him, as Chriſt ſaith of faith. All things are poſſible to him that beleeves, Mark. 9. 23. ſo all things are poſſible to him that willeth; as we uſe to ſay, there is nothing hard to a willing minde. And therefore godly men in Chriſt Jeſus the Apoſtle cals them, foreign, &c. 2 Tim. 3. 12.

Fourthly, becauſe this takes in the manner of good duties4 too. as well as the matter; it is more a thouſand times, then the bare doing of them; a dead heart will ſerve to doe them. Put when the heart is made willing, this is more then the bare naked deed; as Paul ſayes to the Corinthians about Almes, ye have begun not onelyonly to doe, but alſo foreign, to be willing a yeare agoe, 2 Cor. 8. 10. as he ſayes of his preaching; if I doe it willingly I have a reward; but if againſt my will, &c. 1 Cor. 9. 17. that is q. d. I may preach indeed, I may have ſo much heart to it, as to doe the deed alas that is nothing; becauſe if I doe it willingly this is it; this is it brethren, this is the right manner too.

Fifthly, this is an argument that the heart hath an inward5. principle; what is the life of the heart but an inward principle of acting? looke where the heart is alive, there it workes from within; there needs no compulſion to a covetous heart, to have regard of his profit; no; he regards it moſt willingly; he hath an inward principle to p. 312regard it; and therefore he is alive to it; now when the heart puts forth its will towards God, now it hath an inward principle of agency; it needs no conſtraint, as Peter ſayes to Miniſters; feed the flock of God, not by conſtraint but willingly, 1 Pet. 5. 2. that is, doe it very lively; doe it with an inward principle▪ not becauſe ye ſee others feed, not becauſe ye ſee the diſgrace, what will people thinke, if I ſhould not preach conſtantly; not becauſe ye dare not doe otherwiſe, conſcience will flye in your face; alas, ye may doe it, that's with a dead heart. But doe it willingly; where note this is the hearts life, this is an inward principle of the heart; now the heart will doe it, though no body elſe doe it, though he be hated for his labour, though he have no thanke for his paines among men. Thus ye ſee this is the life of the heart.

Now for your better underſtanding, we will open this more particularly this willingneſſe of the heart you ſee in the life of the heart, and it containeth ſeven things. Firſt, the inclinations of the heart. Secondly, the intentions of the heart. Thirdly, the Elections of the heart. Fourthly, the averſations of the heart. Fifthly, the appropiating of the heart. Sixthly, the ſavourings of the heart. Seventhly, the carings of the heart. Beloved, theſe are the living acts of the heart, if theſe be converted to God in you, now your hearts are alive towards him. Theſe make up the whole willingneſſe of the heart.

Firſt then, the inclinations of the heart; it may doe a1. thouſand thouſand good things; with a dead heart. But marke if your hearts be inclined towards God; then ye ſerve God with a live heart, if the Lord hath inclined your heart to him; I have inclined my heart to performe thy Statutes alwayes, even to the end Pſal. 119. 112. Hath God made you doe thus, hath he inclined your heart to his name? once ye were without heart, but now he hath inclined p. 313your heart to doe good, now ye finde ſweet inclinations to every good duty, ye doe not goe to them as a Beare to the Stake, but now ye have an inward diſpoſition to them, he hath given you a feeling of your ſinnes and your wants, and that caryes you to Prayer; a feeling of your Ignorance, and forget fulneſſe; and that carries you to Sermons, that ye may learne more of God, that ye may ſee more into your owne unworthyneſſe, that ye may be ſtirred up in all his wayes; ye doe not onelyonly ſhunn your owne iniquities, in ſome meaſure, but your heart is inclined unto it, inclined to thinke of God, inclined to holy talke, inclined towards them that are Godly-minded; ye had no diſpoſition to the works of God, heretofore, but now the Lord hath not onelyonly put you upon them, but inclined your heart towards them; ye …ele inward impreſſions, that bowes you; others may be have good talke, but you feele an unfeigned deſire to be ediſied, and that bowes you unto it. Others may be doe good things, but the Lord hath bent your heart to them; when you went to good duties heretofore, ye went againſt the hare, as a Stone does upwards; but now in ſome meaſure, the Lord hath put in a new nature, and ye feele an internall mover. This is life now.

Secondly, the intentions of the heart; we have a ſaying2 in Divinity voluntas ſua natura vult finem; the heart naturally wils the end; now if God were our end, if communion with him, and ſanctifying of God in our hearts and lives, were our end, our heart could not be dead towards his wayes, nay, we ſhould be very eager after them all; all our deadneſſe comes from this, that God is onelyonly a matter by the by, with us: But if he were our end, then we would be mainely for him, and how to approve our ſelves to him. Would we talke as we doe, if edification were our end? would we keep ſuch company as we doe, if mutuall p. 314helpe towards eternall life were our end? Looke what the heart does intend from day to day, the heart is very earneſt after it; therefore thoſe that intend to riſe if they can in the world, they are very earneſt in the purſuit after the ſame, flatter fawne, pleaſe, humor, they will doe any thing to the attaining of it; if it be to rid a 100 miles, it's nothing with them; if it coſt them never ſo much, O how greedy are they! if a man intend to gather an eſtate if he can, or to live in pleaſure if he can, all the world are eager in their intentions; the heart runnes naturally on after it's ends. Now when the heart is alive towards God, theſe intentions are towards him, now the heart ſtandeth thus, ſo I may obey God, ſo I may take heed of diſhonouring God, ſo I may keep my heart cloſe to him, this is that I doe deſire; now I goe to worke, ſo I may keep the world from carying away my heart, I ſhall be glad; now I am going to Prayer, ſo I may draw down a bleſſing, and get ſome farther help to walke before God, this is the thing I ayme at; now I goe to be in ſuch a company, ſo I may diſcharge a good conſcience, carry my ſelfe well, and not bring diſhonour to God, and the like; you may ſee this in Paul, what was the matter, he was ſo eager to deny himſelfe, I count all droſſe and dung? the intentions of his heart, were after Chriſt; O ſayes he, that I might know him, Phil. 3. 10.

Thirdly, the elections and chooſings of the heart; this3. is another part of the hearts life; no man is dead to that which he chooſes rather then any thing elſe; now if we did ſtill chooſe the wayes of God, we could not be dead to them; when we are dead to them at any time, it is becauſe we could even finde in our heart, to make another choyce; and therefore if we would know whether our heart is alive unto goodneſſe, whether doe we chooſe the way of goodneſſe every day before any other way? as David p. 315ſayes, I have choſen the way of truth, Pſal. 119. 30. as the Lord ſayes of the good eunuches; they chooſe the things that pleaſe me, Iſa. 56. 4. Beloved what ever we doe or thinke, or ſpeake, ſtill there be two wayes propounded to us one that is Gods way, another that is our owne way, now which doe we chooſe every day; what thoughts doe we chooſe rather of the two to thinke, what words doe we chooſe, what actions, what courſes, when we are together, what conference doe we chooſe, when alone, what doe we chooſe, there be two kinds of eating, and drinking; which chooſe we? when we are provoked, there be two wayes to take, either to be impatient, and ſuffer our paſſions to ariſe, or to quell them, and beat them down, which doe we chooſe; doe we ſay as that good man ſaid; Lord let thy han help me, for I have chooſen thy precepts, Pſal. 119. 173.

Fourthly, the averſions of the heart, ye know the4 heart it chooſes what it likes, ſo there is ſome thing that it ſhuns; now if thou wouldſt know whether thy heart be alive towards God, doe but thinke with thy ſelfe, what it uſes to ſhun when thou art angry, is it diſgrace or ſinne; it ever ſhuns ſome thing or other; either what God diſlikes, or what thou, every day and houre, ſomething it puts off; does it put off things that are offenſive to thy fleſh, or things that are offenſive to God; Here lies thy hearts life; if thy heart be alive towards God, it is of this temper, to put off thoſe things that are diſpleaſing to God; I hate vaine thoughts ſayes David, Pſal. 119. 113. marke his heart was of this temper, to put of all thoſe things that were contrary to God; it may be many of thoſe thoughts, his own heart would have rather kept. I but when his heart was alive towards God, he put them off though; I have refrained my feet from every evill way, that I may keep thy word, Pſal. 119. 101. now when good things ſhall be put to a p. 316man every day by the word, and by conſcience, and a man hath a refuſing heart to them, this is a dead heart; as God put to Iudah to returne, but they refuſed to returne, Jer. 5. 3. God put ſhame before them for their ſinnes, but they refuſed to be aſhamed, Jer. 3. 3. now my brethren, examine your boſonies, how ſtand the refuſals of your hearts, doe you refuſe good or evill every day? if thou canſt refuſe temporall evill and not ſpirituall, thou haſe a dead heart.

Fifthly, the ſavourings of the heart; this is another5 peece of the hearts will; ſomething there is that every heart ſavours moſt, and that it is which it is alive unto: now then if thy heart be alive unto God, it will ſavour the things of God moſt; it will not onelyonly doe good duties but ſavour them too; not onelyonly heare the word of God, but it will have an admirable ſavour with the heart, as the Apoſtle ſayes it will have the ſavour of life unto life, 2 Cor. 2. 16. as the Church ſayes to Chriſt, becauſe of the ſavour of thy good oyntments, therefore the Virgins love thee, Cant. 1. 3. Oh how it will ſavour a reproofe, how it will reliſh; but if holy things have no ſweet ſavour in thy heart; it may be thou canſt not for ſhame of the world not ſeeme to ſtand for them, thy conſcience will not let thee, but thou wilt give them a good word, and ſeeme to approve them, but there's no more ſavour in them, then in the white of an egge, nay, they are irkſome, and untoothſome, they doe not goe merrily down with thee, like ſweet conſerves; aſſure thy ſelfe, thy heart is a dead heart.

Sixthly, the cares of the heart, this is another ſhow of6. the hearts will; what the heart is alive to, it carketh and careth for it, and therefore if thy heart be alive towards God, how carefull will it be that it may not offend him? yea what care, 2 Cor. 7. 11. As the Apoſtle ſayes to Titus; I will have thee affirme conſtantly, that they which beleeve in p. 317God, muſt be carefull to maintaine good works, Tit. 8. 8. therefore if a Miniſter be alive towards God, he will be full of care for his people, how he may pull them from their ſins, how he may draw them to God, how he may moſt doe them good; as Paul ſayes of Timothy; he will naturally care for your Eſtute, Phil. 2. 20. True, a man hath many things to doe in the world, many cares how to live, how to pay rent at quarter day, what may become of his poore Children, &c. I but if the heart be alive towards God, it will labour to caſt theſe cares upon God; caſt all your care upon him, 1 Pet. 5. 7. But for heavenly things, for the having and keeping of a good conſcience, it will be full of cares about theſe things▪ yea it how may get to be more afraid of ſinne, how may I get a weaned heart from the earth? it will be caring how he may be provided for evill times, how he may ſtand in the wofull day.

Seventhly, the appropriating of the heart; the eſteeming7 of the heart; what's the hearts jewell, that's the heart moſt alive to; now thinke, what does thy heart prize moſt of all; if it be alive towards God, he is deareſt to thee; his will dearer then thine, his glory then thy credit, his word then thy life; as Paul ſayes, I doe not count my life deare, ſo that I may finiſh my courſe with joy, Act. 20. 24. this was the Jewell of his heart, how he might doe the worke that God ſet him to doe, that he might finiſh his courſe; ſo likewiſe if thy heart be alive, love will be like a precious oyntment, Pſal. 133. 2. heavenly wiſedome more precious then Rubies, Prov. 3. 15. a promiſe will be precious to the heart, 2 Pet. 1. 4. So alſo faith will be a precious thing; 1 Pet. 1. 7. But above all Chriſt will be precious to the heart, to you that beleeve he is precious, 1 Pet. 2. 7. theſe are heart Jewels; theſe it endeares moſt; it will rather …art with any thing then theſe; nay, it will morgage any thing to redeeme theſe againe. Theſe things are little p. 318eſteemed among men, in their conſciences; indeed they ſay they are better then the whole world, I but their heart does not greatly eſteeme them, nay, it ſlights them and ſeekes them accordingly; this is a dead heart.

Eighthly, thus ye ſee what is the life of the heart; it is the8. abſolute will of the heart, when the heart is inclined towards, God when it intends God, when it maks choice of his wayes, and puts off whatſoever is contrary to them, when it prizes and endeares every one of them all, when it ſavours them, and is full of care for them. I might adde another, the cleaving of the heart, when the heart cleaves to the Lord, as it is ſaid of Hezekiah, that he clave to the Lord, 2 King. 18. 6. when the heart cloſes in with God, and will not let him goe, no nor let his wayes goe, it ſticks to a Godly courſe, all the world cannot pull him away, not firenor faggot; though it be never ſo much hindred, and interrupted by the fleſh, yet now it hath a ſticking quality in it, as David ſayes, I have ſtuck to thy Teſtimonies, Pſal. 119. 31.

Now becauſe when the heart is made willing on this faſhion towards God, there is left ſtill an adverſe unwillingneſſe, by reaſon of the fleſh; ſo that the heart can never put forth theſe acts, without horrible clogges; therefore now in a live heart towards God, there be other acts, that are not in a heart that is alive to the world. And the reaſon is this. Becauſe when the heart is alive to the world, the hearts of it own nature is willing unto that, and there is no unwillingneſſe mixed together with it; never was it heard, that the heart ſhould be willing, and unwilling to the ſame thing, till ſaving grace came to divide aſunder the will in two; ye know the regenerate are two men apeice, and they have two wills, one towards God, and another towards ſinne and the world; nay, it's the ſame will; that hath both theſe branches in it, and this does p. 319much puzzle the hearts, when they finde ſuch a deale of unwillingneſſe in them towards God.

Therefore I ſay there be other acts of life in the heart towards God, aud they are five.

The firſt, is the preparing of the heart, whereby the heart prepareth it ſelfe towards God, 2 Chron. 30. 18. 19. 1 Sam. 7. 3.

The ſecond, is the Combating of the heart, Gal. 5. 17. 23. foreign I beate downe my body, 1 Cor. 9. 27.

The third, is the endeavouring of the heart, it reaches forth it ſelfe Phil. 3. 13. it ſtirres up it ſelfe; it awakens it ſelfe; why art thou ſo ſad, O my ſoule? Pſal. 42. 5.

The fourth is the binding of it ſelfe by determinations, and purpoſes; ſo Paul bound his owne heart, with a determination before he came unto Corinth, 1 Cor. 2. 2. Daniel knowing how unwilling his heart would be to abſtaine from the Kings meat, though by grace he was willing; therefore his heart, bound it ſelfe with a purpoſe; he purpoſed not to defile himſelfe with the Kings meat, Dan. 1. 8. So Act. 11. 23.

The fifth, is the groaning and ſighing of the heart, as5. David though he were willing, yet feeling the unwillingnes of the fleſh therewithall fetch a groane; O that my wayes were ſo direct, that I might keepe thy Statutes, Pſal. 119. 5. So Paul groaned earneſtly to be diſſolved, 2 Cor. 5. 2. This is the putting of the heart more forward. Theſe I have named you may; name more it may be. But thus if the heart be alive towards God, it will doe: becauſe it feeles a great deale of unwillingneſſe, it gets what advantage it can of it ſelfe, to make it ſelfe willing; as the Church, ere ever was aware, my ſoule made me like the Chariots of Aminadab. Cant. 6. 12. it ſets it ſelfe right; as the ſoule when it's dead, it neglecteth this act quite and cleane from day to day, as the Pſalmiſt ſayes of dull Iſrael, he calls p. 320them a generation, that ſet not their heart aright, Pſal. 78. 8.