Directions and Instigations to the Duty of Prayer, Sermons · Sermon 5
SERMON V.
Prov. 4. 23.
Keep thy heart with all di… gence, for out of it are the issues of li…
WE conceive if there were a windo… opened in each one of our bosome through which each one of us th… are here, might behold one anothers hearts, … would become monsters and wonders one of to another, and to our selves likewise, and mig… cry out, O! where is the God of judgement, t… takes not vengeance on such deceitfull hearts? our hearts were turned out of us (so to speak and if we saw the inside of our hearts, we wo… wonder at his patience. I think such is the d… perate deceitfulnesse of our hearts, that is… the Saints since Adams dayes, and shall be the end of the world, had but one heart guide, I think they would misguide it: I wo… only say this to Believers, that if your hea… were left one hour to your selves to keep, y… would commit more iniquity, than ye can i… gine or dream of. There is only these f… things that I would speak to before I come the words; and I would request you to … notice of them. And first, there is many os… that hath two hearts in our bosome, for so… an one is the hypocrite, James. 1. 8. A dou… minded man is unstable in all his wayes, th… a man that hath two hearts, a part of … heart goeth to God, and a part of his heart go…h to the devil: And I think, if we were all …ell searched, it is to be feared that many … us would be found two hearted men. …condly, that although ye would give Christ …l your members, yet if you would not give …m your hearts, it should be nothing thought …; if you would give him your eye, so that … should not look to your idols pleasantly, or yet look with delight upon any cursed or …ful object; and if you would give him your …rs, so that you could nor would not hearken … the voice of any of your temptations, but be deaf as an adder unto them; and if you would …ve him your tongue, so that you should not …eak any thing dishonourable to him; and if …u would give him your feet, so that you …ould not walk in any way, but in an appro… path of godliness: Now, I say, although you …uld give him all these members of your bo…, yet if ye give him not your hearts, it is all no purpose, Prov. 32. 26. My son, give me … heart, &c. Thirdly, there is many which …veth their hearts to their idols, and their …gues to Christ, but in one day they shall be and to be but deceivers. Lastly, it is a noble …ing for a Christian to be taken up in the keep…g of his heart: I may say this of the heart, …ich the Apostle James said of the tongue, It an-unruly evil full of deadly poyson, Jam. 3. 8. …e heart is taken up with whoring from God, …d with contriving the way how to satisfie its …ts, and continually forsaking the living God. …r hearts are doing nothing in all our life…e (many of us) but prophaning his holy …me, and blaspheming the God of Jacob.
Now to come to the words, there is fou… things therein. First, the duty imposed upo… a Christian, and that is to keep his heart. S… condly, that the heart of man hath many see… ers, which is imported in that word, ke… Thirdly, you have the qualification and w… how a Christian should keep his heart, whi… are rendered in these words, with all diligen… or as the words may be rendered, with all ke… ing. And lastly, the reasons why you sho… do so, for out of it are the issues of life, fo… you do so, you shall have life, but if not, fro… thence is the issues of death. Now from … first thing in the words, ye would consid… these two things.
First, that it is a duty encumbent to ev… Christian to keep his heart; this is clear, … only from our Text, but likewise in Deut. 4. … ▪ Only take heed to thy self, and keep thy soul dil… gently, &c. Prov. 23. 19. Guide thy heart in… way: Which is, study to keep it diligently the way of godlinesse; and it is clear likewi… that a Christian ought to keep his heart fr… the great advantages that are holden out Scripture for so doing; only take that plac… Prov. 16. 32. Better is he that ruleth his spi… then he that taketh a city.
The second thing that I would say, is, … point out the woful disadvantages that w… upon him that rules not his own heart, … gives it leave to rove here and there, Prov. … 28. He that hath not rule over his own spirit, like a city that is broken down, and without w… And there is these two disadvantages that w… upon not keeping of the heart. First, T… is no tentations that assaults a heart that is … …pt, but they become victorious; spiritual …rength hath forsaken them that keeps not …eir hearts. Secondly, There is no exercise …r duty a Christian is imployed in which …eps …ot his heart, but he is like a ruinous city which …th no walls, and in which there is no order.
Now, the next thing that I would speak to, … to show what it imports to keep the heart, …d what are the directions and wayes which Christian ought to have before him in the ex…cise and duty of keeping his heart.
And first, it imports this, that a Christian …ould observe the motions of his heart, and …ould not let his heart nor thoughts go astray, …t should have a register of all their motions, … is clear in Luke 21. 34. And take heed to your …ves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharg… with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of …is life, and so that day come upon you unawares. The second thing which keeping of the heart …cludes, is, You must keep all the things that …rtains to your hearts; and there is these five …ings which ye must keep. First, your …oughts, you must keep your thoughts so …tly, that you must not give them any sin…llatitude in the least manner. Secondly, a …ristian he must keep his eyes, which are the …ndows through which much wickedness is …veyed to the soul, Prov. 23. 26. My son …e me thy heart, &c. Prov. 4. 25. Let thine …s look right on, and let thine eye lids look …ight before thee: As if Solomon had said, It but foolishnesse to keep your hearts, if ye …p not your eyes. Thirdly, ye must …p your tongues, that they speak no … of the wayes of godlinesse, for so is the words following the Text. Put away fr… thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips … far from thee, which is, Order thy tong… Fourthly, you must keep your seet, that y… walk not in the pathes of wickedness, if on… you give a latitude to your feet to go in the … to hell, it shall be but in vain to keep yo… hearts, therefore keep your feet from runni… to the murther of your own souls. Las… you must keep your Ears, ye should deli… to speak good of Godlinesse, and ye sho… also delight to hear good spoken of it: y… should not be amongst these that savour of … thing but of sin. But ye should be amongst … that savour of good, therefore as ye would … be accessory to the murther of your own so… and as ye would not have the blood of … lying upon your heads, ye must needs keep… these parts that belongs to the keeping your heart aright.
The third thing which the keeping of y… hearts includes, is to eshew all unclean th… that may defile your hearts: Prov. 5. 8. … move thy way far from her, and come not nigh… door of hir house. When you see any evil … approaching, you must depart from it, … eshew it; Deut. 12. 30. Take heed to thy self… thou be not snared; there is many snares … may be accessory to destruction, and the… this that Moses marks as a chief evil, and … wise oftentimes forbids in this book to … false weights and ballances, Lev. 19. 36. … 25. 15. They are not sinfull of themselves, because they are an appearance of evil, should eshew them, therefore he forbids … And the Apostle bids us likewise abstain f… appearance of evil, 1 Thess. 5. 22.
The fourth thing which keeping of the heart …cludes, is to put restraints on your hearts …t so ye may not commit iniquity, ye ought …st to lay the bond of Christs love upon your …lves, ye should likewise lay the bond of judge…ent upon your selves, knowing that once God …all call you to a reckoning for all your wick…dness, which now most wickedly you commit: …d ye ought to lay the bonds of Gods Omnisci…cy upon your selves, to know and consider …t all things are known to him, and that he …eth all things, and ye ought likewise to con…der how grievous and how displeasant a thing … is to the Majesty of God, that man, who is …e workmanship of his hand, shall rise up … …inst him: We may say that of our selves which … in Lament. 3. 22. It is of the Lords mercies …at we are not consumed, because his compassions …il not, they are fresh every morning, &c. All …ese things a Christian ought to lay to heart, …d seriously to consider them.
The fifth thing which keeping of the heart …cludes, a Christian ought not to slight the op…ortunities given unto him for the strength…ng of his Grace for they which slight op…rtunities keeps not their hearts.
The last thing which it imports, is, that … …hristian would be much in the diligent exer…se of duties, that the heart may be kept and …lden in a noble frame, and there is two ex…ises which a Christian ought to be diligent … First, the exercise of prayer. Secondly, …he exercise of watching. There is a five-sold …me which a Christian should be in, which …ould rightly keep his heart: First, in a frame of praying; that he should not be slack … cold-rise to go about duties, the comm… thereof is holden o…t in that Word, watch a… pray, and also in that word, pray without … sing. The second frame should be a believ… frame, and it is to be feared that there are … many such here, but that there are many w… ing in such a way and frame, which alas (I … will lead them in the way to hell! If we w… sincere, we would hold Christ fast, and wo… not let him go, and if our hearts were in right frame, we would avoid any thing th… might make him to depart from us, but al… we have many clear evidences (now dayes) that we care not for Christ, we care… whether we have his presence or want it, … want of his presence is as lightsome and pl… sant to us, and as well taken with by many, (… will not say all) as the enjoying of his presen… and this is a sure evidence of grosse proph… nesse, ignorance, and enstrangement from G… If there were no more to prove it but this, y… stoutnesse of heart to meddle with sin, pr… that you are unsound Christians: We would sire you by all the torments of hell, and by the terrors of that everlasting lake which b… neth with fire and brimstone for ever and e… by all the joyes of Heaven, of that higher ho… that ye would carrie a circumspect walk be… God. The third frame that we would d… you to walk in, is in a tender frame; and if so… were walking, ye would be loath to com… sin wilfully, and wo shall be to them eter… which do so! we will not (many of us) … lieve this, although Angels would preach… unto us, for our hearts are hard like an A… …nt stone: I would only say this to you, this …ook, this glorious Book is sealed with seven …eals, and our hearts are sealed with 14. seals. … wo be to those hard hearts that many of us …ve, we will never know untill they run us …ernally into the bottomlesse pit! The fourth …ame that a Christian should walk in, is in a …ving frame, you ought to have your hearts …rning within you with love towards that …orious, infinite, and mysterious object, Je…s Christ. We shall never be able to compre…d, nor recompence that love which he hath … us; for the furthest we can go, is to be sick …f love for him. But O! he died with love for …, he had so great love to us, that he laid …wn his life for us. The fifth frame that a …hristian should walk in, is a fearing frame, to …alk under the fear of the hazard that you are … if you be left to your selves, and to your …wn strength, I may say, cursed be the per…n that never keeped his heart in none of …ese five things that we have spoken of.
Now, the third thing that we would speak from the words, is, to know the times when Christian should especially keep his heart, …d there is six times when (I conceive) he …ould watch over his heart carefully and keep
First after he hath met with some enjoy…t, then he should keep his heart, and not … it go wrong. The second time is in the …e of desertion, for that time is a wandering …e from the living God. Thirdly, a Christi… should keep his heart when he perceives his …ptations to be very subtile. And the fourth …e is to keep your hearts diligent in duties; … when you are negligent in duties, then the Devil is busie to get your hearts. The fif… time is under a secure frame, then you shou… keep your heares mightily. And the last ti… when temptations are like to grow very stro… you should then at that time keep your he… with a strong guard. Now, as for the first ti… to wit, to keep it under enjoyments, we sho… then study to keep our hearts, for then, and … that time the Devil condescends to …andle … upon his knees (if so we may speak) and … this we would give you some considerations.
The first Consideration is, the heart of … is never prouder and proner to commit iniq… ty, then after enjoyments of God, he is … more prone to security than after enjoyme… when was it that the spouse sleeped? But w… she was full of joy, Song. 5. 3. I have put of … coat, how shall I put it on again? &c. W… was it that the Disciples …aved? but when th… were on the Mount, when they said, L… make three Tabernacles, Matth. 17. 4. … when was it that John committed Idolatr… was it not when he saw these excellent vi… of Heaven.
The second Consideration is, that the st… which is given by the Devil after enjoyme… it is a very sad stroak, and hath caused many … say, who can stand before the children of A… And to to draw that conclusion, I shall once … by the hand of some of mine enemies.
The third Consideration is this, if a Chri… imbrace a temptation after enjoyments, it … be very hard for him to shake it off.
The fourth Consideration is, that the braceing of a temptation after enjoyments is a sin very hardly to be repented for, it oft him many tears for repenting of it; for it … a hardning thing which will harden his heart …ightily under all sorts of sins which we can …ommit.
Fifthly, Consider this, that the imbracing of temptation after enjoyments, it is very dis…leasing to Christ, when ye imbrace an idol, and refers it before an absent Christ, O that is a …ost dangerous sin! But when you imbrace an …ol after enjoyments, that is a damnable sin, … ye prefer it to a present Christ, O that is a …atful sin!
Now the second time when ye should keep …our hearts, is when ye are going about the …xercise of duties, and especially in the duty of …rayer, and ye should keep it in four or five …espects. First, in going about duties, and …amely in prayer, ye are letting in vain thoughts …f your hearts be not well keeped. Secondly, the …eart of a Christian is most ready to fall in the …n of formality, and therefore if ye keep not …our hearts well in duties, you cannot be but …rmall in the performance of them. Thirdly, …ur hearts many times have too low thoughts …nd uptakings of the incomprehensible Majesty …f God, the damnable ignorance which is a…ongst people, makes them get so little advan…ge in prayer, do you not speak to him as to …ne of your fellow-companions? Where is the …xercise of fear, and of trembling, which Chri…ians in old times used to have? as Moses when …e appeared and came before God. Fourthly, …ur hearts are prone to misbelief, and ready alwayes to misbelieve God and his promises, …astly, Except ye keep your hearts, it is im…ossible for you to take alongst with you your necessity; if one were standing by and hear… your prayers, they would say that you are … in earnest with God, for you seek such thing from a principle of light, and not from nece… sity. Now I would pose you with this, whether ever you have been observant in any … these duties or not. There are many who… prayers makes them to have more dista… with God, therefore I would request you … look to this, that ye be serious in prayer, … to know whether or not this be your frame for there is some that will come from praye… with far moe bonds on them than when the… began; and what is the reason of that? b… want of fervency: it is a great mystery of … love that he sends not fire from heaven to b… our sacrifice, and consume our selves likewise for what is many of our prayers, but as it w… the cutting off of a dogs neck, which is an ab… nation to the Lord.
The third time when a Christian should e… pecially keep his heart, is under desertion; … I shall give you three reasons why he shou… watch well at that time. First, The devil … busiest to seek our hearts under desertio… Secondly, The imbracing of an idol under d… sertion; it is for that why God lengthneth o… the time of our lying under desertion so lo… because we go to the bed of love with an id… when Christ is away. Thirdly, Because a Chr… stian hath least strength then, he loseth bo… much of his faith and of his love: Maketh … you then to look on the world as tastelesse the white of an egge; ye must take that … dispensation of Christs love, that he makes … things tastelesse to you under desertion: Th… is a noble dispensation, for by it he imposes a necessity upon you to keep your hearts till he return unto you again.
The fourth time when a Christian should keep his heart, is, In a secure frame: I think there are some sleeping in a sleep of conscience, which will never awake untill the screighings of the damned in hell awake them. I shall propose two considerations to keep your hearts in security. First, Because when ye are secure, ye have then least strength; and is there any amongst you that dare say but the devil then assaults you most bitterly? and when your heart is lying in security, it speaks that ye are in a carnal frame. Secondly, If ye keep not your hearts when ye are secure, then ye may bid faith, love and joy farewell untill some other time, as ye may see in the practice of Foelix, Go away, and I will hear thee at another time, Acts 24. 25. I would not desire a more sad case to an enemy then not to keep his heart when …he is under security, for he may bid the graces of the spirit farewel untill another time.
The last time when a Christian ought especially to keep his heart, is, when strong and subtile temptations appear plausible, honest-like …nd beautiful, then ye must be upon your watch. O doth not temptations winne in upon your hearts before ever ye be aware; and this speaks much security and unwatchfulnesse: I would …ay it is hard; yea, very hard to a Christian who …s not watchfull to take up the wayes of the …evil, whose wayes are more subtile than the way of an Eagle in the air, or the way of a Serpent …pon, a rock, or the way of a Ship upon the sea. Who can comprehend his wayes? he tempts us alwayes, both upon our right hand, and upo… our left hand, both behind and before, bot… awaking and sleeping; we are never free of hi… deceitful and unsearchable crafts. I would sa… this unto you, he is happy that fears alwaye… and hearkens to Christs voice of direction in … word, depending upon him for strength, b… many listneth more to the voice of temptation nor to Christs blessed voice.
Now, the next thing which I would spea… to, is, to propose some considerations to pre… you to keep your hearts; and, O that ye woul… consider of them, and lay them to heart.
The first consideration is this, I think many of us may be afraid that the devil dwels and keeps possession in many of our hearts, an… alace! He is like to be a possessor of some … them perpetually. I will give you five evidences of one (that by all appearance) the devil hath his heart. And, now I charge yo… (O Atheists!) in the Name of our Lord and Saviour precious Christ, that ye would exami… your selves by them. First, Was never one … you convinced to cry out that word, Psal. 25 11. For thy Names sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity for it is great: I say to such persons th… was never convinced to cry out this, and we… never convinced of the hard difficultie to w… to the right keeping of your hearts, by all appearance the devil hath-your hearts in keeping for these whose hearts are in the hands of th… devil, they are never sensible of their lost esta… Secondly, These who never wan to make us… of Christ, that is a token that the devil hath their hearts in keeping: There is many of … who is convinced of the vanity of our ido… but yet, alace, many of us drowneth our convictions with the sin of tippling, and buries them in the sepulchre of drunkennesse; but believe it, if ye go on so and continue therein, God will plead with you for the samin. The third evidence, one that hath a silent, hardned and deceiving conscience, and whose conscience is silent: By all appearance the devil hath that persons heart in his hand, for the devil intiseth many to sin with greedinesse, and will make their conscience not to reprove them, so that they delight in no better, for he hath taken away the tongue of their conscience, so that it cannot speak: But believe it, the day is coming when your conscience shall be the greatest foe and enemy that ye can or shall have: and believe it, there are many of you here who hath your hearts so hardened, as those that are mentioned, Ephes. 4. 17, 18. Who walk in the vanity of their own mind, having the understanding darkned, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindnesse of their hearts. Your conscience when it is cauterized, it will not speak to you, although ye would commit that damnable sin against the holy Ghost: And yee think your selves well enough when it doth not reprove you: But alace, yee sleep with a false witnesse in your bósome, it hath many alluring delusions, but one day the words of it will be as sharp as swords; it will cry, Peace, peace, when behold sudden destruction: It will make you sleep sound for all the danger that is hanging above you. You walk (many of you) adding drunkennesse to thirst. O atheists! What will ye do when that day shall come upon you, when these two books shall be opened? First, the book of your wanderings and backslidings, in which a hudge innumerable troup of sins are written; and secondly, the book of your consciences, and there shall be nothing read out of that first book, but thy conscience shall confirm it with Amen.
The second consideration is, that if ye were to live eighty years, and though ye would weep and mourn fourty of these years perpetually, if it could be possible, and pray other fourty of these years, yet all that would be for nought, if ye will not give him your hearts: Believe me, if ye give not him your hearts, that sentence shall be pronounced upon you, Depart: Oh! will ye not give him your hearts who ought to have them, both by Creation and Redemption.
The third consideration is, did ye ever finde any difficulty to believe, or to pray, or to love God? Ye may be perswaded of it, that ye are sleeping under a dangerous delusion, that ye think ye are going, and shall go to heaven, when ye shall be thrust down to hell. I would say this, There hath been much joy amongst the …evil and his angels, for the success which he …ath had in Glasgow: he hath purchased many …rpers to himself, to sing that cursed song, … … not far from victory: I think we may tu… …at word in another way, which Christ said to his Disciples, There is one of you twelve th… shall betray me: I think he may say other wise of us, eleven of each twelve that are here wil… betray me. O! it is sad, that the Son of God even precious Christ, should have so many betrayers amongst us. O therefore give Christ your hearts; Did ye never read that of Mat. …5. …, there was five wise virgins, and five foolish, and if there be of Professors that shall be rejected; alace, what shall come of you that never knew him? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, O what shall the ungodly, and sinners do?
The fourth consideration is, I would propose these three things unto you: First, What is the cause (O atheists) that ye cannot endure hypocrisie, why ye cannot look upon Christians? The cause is, You hate not onelyonly the Image and Picture of Christ, but the very substance of Christ: Why hate ye not the rest of sins as well as hypocrisie? It is because the rest of sins looks rather like the devil, and therefore ye love them, but hypocrites seem to have something of God in them, therefore ye hate them. Secondly, (O atheists) do ye believe that there is a heaven and a hell, and an eternity of pain, and a day of judgment? If ye believed those things, yee would not be so prophane. Thirdly, Did yee ever finde any delight in praising and commending of him? Your hearts saith, no, and your practice saith, no, O wo, wo to you eternally!
The fifth consideration is, the day is approaching, when the least iniquity shall be preached in the hearing of angels and men that ever ye committed, there shall not a jo… of sin be passed by, and of all sinners, the hypocrites shall have the saddest countenance, because they shall be disappointed of a joyful end, and lose the opinion of the Saints which will make them to look with a sad countenance, in that day: A hypocrite will be more moved for the lose of the approbation of the Saints, then for the lose of divine approbation. O! know and consider these three things, First, Know that all your iniquities shall be read in the hearing of angels and men: The very thoughts which you have had at midnight shall be known: What will be your thoughts then (O atheists) in that day? Secondly, Know that hypocrisie may win easily through the world under the name of grace; but in that day there shall be a clear distinction made. It is hard to rid marches betwixt hypocrisie and grace, but God shall take your visorn off your face, and let you be known, and ye shall get the name which ye deserve, O hypocrites! Thirdly know, That wo shall be to such which shall not be found in Christ at that day; O will you take him and give him your hearts: I take all the Angels in heaven, and all the Saints about the throne of God to witnesse; yea, I take the very stones of these walls, and the timber of this house, and this book in my hand to witnesse against you that ye were invited to give your hearts to Christ.
The last consideration is, he that will not give his heart to Christ, believe it, These four things are coming upon him: First, He shall be no more intreated to keep his heart, neither shall he be intreated to give his heart to Christ any more, for the devil shall have it. Secondly, O Atheists! These four things shall overcome you. First, Sin it shall have dominion over you, you once delighted mightily in sin, but alas, it shall be a heavy burden to you in that day. Secondly, The wrath of God shall overcome you, O that shall be a mighty Prince! Thirdly, The devil: And lastly, The lusts of your own hearts, all these shall tread you in the myre. Thirdly, There is this which is coming upon you (O atheists) there shall be a sentence of eternal excommunication pronounced against you which would not give your hearts to Christ: These blessed and gracious lips that alwayes did delight in speaking good to lost sinners, shall then pronounce that sad and woful sentence against you, Depart from me ye cursed, I know you not! The last thing which is approaching unto you is, the day is coming when you shall be sent away to that prison, out of which there is no redemption, ye shall be a number of miserable comforters one to another in that day: ye shall not have a grain weight of comfort for all the joy and pleasure which many of you hath had in a world: you shall be Physicians of no value, and gnash your tongues for pain! We would say this to you, O …et the torments of hell, or let the joyes of Heaven perswade you to give him your hearts, let the one constrain you, o… let the other terrifie you to this noble duty of giving him your hearts, and if ye give him not your hearts, ye shall curse the day that ever you were born, or that ever there was a Prophet amongst you. And ye shall lament that ever ye heard tell of Christ if you make not use of him: Now I would only read the Text over again, Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. But if you do not keep it with all diligence, out of it shall be the issues of death, ye shall get eternal torments for your reward! Now to him who can perswade you to give your hearts in keeping to him, and who can anoint your eyes with eyesalve to see your lost estate, to His blessed Name we desire to give praise.