Directions and Instigations to the Duty of Prayer, Sermons · Sermon 7
SERMON VII.
…ov. 4. 23.
Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.
THere is a great and vaste difference betwixt the heart of a Christian while he is on earth, here below, travelling in …ese Tents of mortality; and the heart of a …hristian when he shall be above taking up his Eternal possession in those blessed and everla… ing Tents of immortality: And O! is it … mystery for you to beleive that such a day is … proaching when those hearts of yours wh… have been so unstedfast in the wayes of go… ness, that they shall once be made as pill ar… the house of your God, no more to go out? We … compare the heart of a Christian (while … here below) unto Reuben, it is unstable, as … ter which doth marre its excellencie; For a C… stian (while he is here below) he is like … moon, changeable, and subject to many vici… tudes, but when he shall be above, he shall as the Sun, Having the light of seven day… And is not this a mystery for you to belie… that such a day is approaching, when th… hearts of yours that have wearied so much the service of God to whom prayer hath … a cross, to whom the worshipping of God the publick ordinances hath been a burden … say, is it not a mystery for you to believe … such a day is approaching, when ye shall s… God night and day without any wearying: Th… is not such a voice heard in heaven as this, … is a hard saying, who can hear it? If it … possible that ye could ask that question at … if he desire to change his estate, or is wea… to do God service (he who of all the lost p… rity of Adam was the first inhabitant in he… he would disdain to return an answer to s… a question, it being without all ground or … son: And is not this a mystery for you to … lieve that such a day is approaching, w… these hearts of yours, that are now unde… much darknesse, such misconstructions of G… such misconceptions of the holy Majest… God, and of the great mysteries of the king…om of heaven, I say, Is it not a mystery for …ou to believe that such a day is approaching …hen your hearts shall be fully taught to com…rehend those depths, and profound secrets of the kingdom of God, when the most brutish and …kest understanding shall be made to resolve …t question and mystery, how three can be in …, and how one can be in three? They shall …n be able to resolve that profound mystery …f the two natures in the person of our blessed …ord Jesus Christ; and in that day your hearts …ll be able to comprehend that blessed uni… that is amongst the Persons of the blessed …rinity; and likewise in that day ye shall be …ble to take up that blessed knot of union which … betwixt Christ and believers: And is not …is a mystery for you to believe that such a … is approaching, when your hearts that …ath been under such exercise of sorrow, that …hey shall be cloathed with the garments of …y and praise? And I would ask at you, O …hat a robe must that be, to be cloathed with … garment of praise? It is a more excellent …d glorious robe than all the robes of the great …ings and Emperors of the world. Did your …es ever see such an excellent garment as the …rment of praise? There is a three-fold cloath…g which a Christian shall put on when first …is heart shall enter into heaven, in that blessed …y of the resurrection. First, He shall be cloath… with the robe of the righteousness of Christ, …d O what must such a robe as this be? Secondly, He shall be cloathed with the robe and …rment of immortality; and O what a robe …d resplendant garment shall this be! And thirdly, in that day when first a Christian sh… enter into heaven, he shall be cloathed with … garment of praise; and O what an excell… and glorious robe shall all these be! When … shall be brought to the King in rayment of need… work and shall be made all glorious within …
At the last occasion when we spoke up… these words, we told you that there was … things contained in them; and the first was … duty imposed upon Christians, that they sho… keep their hearts, the second thing was, … there is many spiritual enemies who studies … gain and conquer our hearts, which is pres… posed in these words, Keep thy heart. … third thing is the qualifications which sho… be annexed to this precious and soul-concer… ing duty, holden forth in these words, K… thy heart with all diligence, or as the wo… may be rendered, with all keeping, or abov… all keeping. The last thing which was conta… ed in the words, was, the spiritual advantage which attends the exercises of that duty, … the reasons enforcing the duty, for out of it … the issues of life, that is the ground on which Christian should walk in perswading himse… the doing of this duty. Now, as for the … thing, viz. the duty commanded, that … should keep our hearts: Wee have spoken … veral things from it, now there are only … things which we would speak to.
First, A Christian should study to keep … heart from these predominant lusts which d… in it; it is of the concernment of a Christian keep himself from all iniquities, but it is of … special concernment of a Christian to keep … heart from his predominant sins; this was practice of David, Psal. 18. 23. I have kept my …lf from mine iniquitie, which we conceive to …e understood of his predominant lusts: There … not an idol or lust which a Christian hath in … heart, but he ought to offer it up to God, …nd to put a knife to the throat of his most plea…nt Isaac. I will tell you of five great idols …hich a Christian hath no will to quite, and … is impossible for him to keep his heart till …e quite them. First, A Christian hath no will … quite his religious idols, that is, those idols, the loving of which is a commanded duty; but …he immoderate love of which, is an idol, as for …stance, it is a great difficulty for a tender Abraham to put a knife to the throat of his on…y son Isaac, or for parents to be denied to their …hildren, and for a husband to be denied to …is wife, the loving of which is their duty, but …he immoderate love of them is sin. Secondly, A Christian hath ill will to quite his advanta…ious idol, that idol in pursuit of which, he …onceives there is outward advantage to be …aiting upon it, as for instance, it is a great …ifficulty to perswade a covetous man to be …enied to his riches. O but that divinity which … in Prov. 23. 4. It is the divinity which the …ost part (or at least many) of the Christians, …ow adayes, doth not study to close with or …bey: Labour not to be rich, &c. There is a …reater easiness and facility for one to quite his pleasant idols, then to quite advantagious idols, …s for example, a covetous person will sooner …orsake his lusts nor his riches. Thirdly, A Christian, hath ill will to quite his invisible …dols, these idols that doth lodge within his …eart, there is a greater easinesse for a Christian to quite his visible, than to quite his i… sible idols: Sometimes a person will for s… his drunkenesse and cursing, which will … forsake his pride and lust; but it is of yo… concernmens, to be as much taken up in … mortification of invisible idols, as in the … tification of visible idols. Fourthly, A C… stian hath difficulty to quite these idols wh… he hath a natural inclination unto, besides … love which we have contracted to some pre… minant idols, by the reason of the constituti… of mans body: there is some that hath a na… ral, inclination to one idol more than to a… ther; and to clear this, I would say this … you, I presuppose some under these three p… dominant lusts: First, That there is some o… der the predominant idol of love to the worl… Secondly, That there is some under the pred… minant idol of pride. Thirdly, That there … some under the predominant idol of lust, … is the idol that you have most natural incli… tion unto; assuredly you have greatest un… lingness to mortifie that idol. Fifthly, A C… stian hath much difficulty to mortifie that … the forsaking of which hath great outward … advantage waiting upon the forsaking there… as that young man in the Gospel, he could … endure that doctrine, Go and sell all that … hast, and give it to the poor, &c. That was … idol which had much disadvantage (as he co… ceived) attending upon the forsaking of it, that he could not imbrace such a doctrine, … it is said, He went away sorrowfull, &c. Cu… be that person which goeth away sorrowf… when Christ and an idol is put in the ball… together, and whose hearts consents rather take the idol than Christ: I would only say this by the way to you, Are there not many here, that if they would tell that which is their practice, they might condemn themselves, for this, that absence and distance with Christ was never so great a burden to their spirits as the want of the actual enjoyments and fruition of an idol, and doth not this speak that ye prefer your idols before Christ? not this man, but Barrab as, is the cursed divinity of many of your hearts.
The second thing which I would speak to you, is this, a Christian should not delay to give obedience to this precious and soul-concerning command of keeping his heart: I know there are some that doth not simply deny obedience to this command, but they postpone the giving obedience unto it untill another time. I would only say this to such, Boast not of to morrow, for ye know not what a day will bring forth; if ye keep not your hearts to day, it will be a great difficulty for you to keep them to morrow: therefore follow the practice of David, I made haste and delayed not to keep thy commandements, Psal. 119, 60. Amongst which wee conceive he made haste to keep this commandment of keeping his heart.
Thirdly, We would say this unto you of the duty of keeping your hearts, if ye would keep your hearts aright, ye must entertain these four noble and excellent guests within your hearts, otherwise there will be a great difficulty for you; yea, an impossibility for you to keep them. The first guest that must be dwelling in your hearts, is our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, he must dwell in your hearts by faith. Secondly, The word of God must dwell in your hearts b… love; and if once yee hide his word in yo… hearts, then ye would be helped to keep yo… hearts, and that with much advantage and gai… Thirdly, If ye would keep your hearts, the lo… of God must dwell in them, and if these were indeed, your attainments, then we might pronounce that sentence upon you, The peace … God that passeth all understanding, shall keep (… in a garison) your hearts and minds in Jes… Christ. Fourthly, Ye should keep the fear a… dread of God within your hearts. Study … live under the divine apprehensions of the Omnipotent Majesty of God: Wee conceive the little taking up of the Omniscience of God, o… the Omnipotency of God, and of the terrors o… God, hath a great & especial influence upon you… neglect of the duty of keeping your hearts.
Fourthly, There is this which wee would speak from this duty of keeping the heart, and it is this, We shall propose several things th… yee would endeavour, by all means, to keep your hearts from them. First, A Christi… would study to keep his heart from the deceits thereof, and from these strong delusio… that it speaks: This is the great mystery of iniquity, that even our hearts will deceive o… own hearts, and studies to bring, them to ruine … Take heed yee deceive not your selves, &c. sai… Jeremiah, or as the words may be rendered take heed ye deceive not your souls, 1 Cor. 3 … Let no man deceive himself, &c. and Gal. 6. … Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for what … man soweth, that shall he also reap. It is certai… there are many soul-destroyers, and self-decei… … amongst us, their hearts speaks peace … them, when there is no peace to them from God; and in speaking to this, that a Christian should keep his heart from the deceivings of his own heart. I shall speak a little to two things, First, what are these deceits that lodges in the heart of man.
And there is this first deceit of the heart of man, the most sinfull thing that can be; wee can put a favourable title and name upon it, there are few sins which any are lying under, but they can put a favourable title upon them. Do not many call their presumption faith? Are there not many that call security peace? Are there not many that call passion zeal? Are there not many that call their lukewarmnesse, and indifferency in things of godlinesse, their spiritual wisdom? Are there not many that call their misbelief humility? And are there not many which call their vain prodigality mortification to the things of a world? And likewise, are there not many which call their worldly mindedness fraugality? This was the deceit of Jehu, that called his proud loving of a kingdom zeal: Come see, saith he, and behold my zeal for the Lord, whereas if he had spoken the language of his own heart, he might have said, Behold my zeal for my self.
Secondly, There is this deceit of the heart of man, that the most excellent & choise things of God, our hearts can put an unpleasant name and construction upon them; as for instance, Are there not many who call tendernesse hypocrisie? And are there not many who call humility of spirit stupidity? And are there not many who call zeal for God rashnesse? This was the cause that caused Ahaz fall, he called believing in God, tempting of God: I will not tem… God, saith he, while in the mean time he w… pressed to faith in God; it is a cursed practi… in the hearts of many, they put a false rob up… godlinesse, and studies then to flee from it: J… like the practice of the Jews, they put a scarlet rob upon Christ, and then mocked him.
There is this third deceit of the heart of many, that it doth present as impediments and diversions to hinder us from the exercise of duty. I would pose you, O Christians! Whe… went ye to duty, but there was something th… your hearts proposed a diversion from the exercise of that duty? This is clear, Prov. 26. 13. The sloathful man saith, There is a Lion in the way, a Lion is in the streets: He presents to himself an imaginary impediment to divert him from his duty, which words points out the solly of the excuse, seeing there uses not to be Lions in the streets nor in the high-wayes; they frequenting more in solitary and desart places; this is also clear in Song 5. 3. where the carnal and secure heart of the Spouse, when she … called to open to Christ, she presents this impediment, I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them? I shall only in speaking of these impediments, which our cursed hearts doth propose to divert us from duty, instance them … the exercise of prayer, that our heart doth propose several impediments to divert us from that precious and soul-concerning duty o… prayer, and I shall name five impediment which our cursed and carnal hearts doth present to hinder us from that duty, after God hath presented to us a golden opportunity for doing of the duty.
First, Our carnal heart doth propose this impediment, O say ye, I am not in a praying frame, and so I must desist from this duty of prayer at this time: I would say to such that desist from prayer, because they are not in a praying frame, these two words: First, Do ye suppose the way to attain to a praying frame, is to desist from prayer; should ye not go to prayer, that ye may be helped to win to a praying frame. Secondly, Do ye never go to prayer but when ye are in a praying frame? I suppose ye pray not once in a week then, and it is much if ye pray once in a month, if ye pray not but when ye are in a praying frame.
The second impediment is, our hearts tells us, it will be more advantage not to pray, than to pray: Sometimes a Christian will be under that conviction that he doth more offend God in prayer, than in desisting from prayer, and upon that accompt we do fold our hands, and neglects this duty. First, I would say this to such, It is indeed a sad and afflicting thing, the offending of God so much in prayer, but it is far sadder to give over prayer. Secondly, I would say this to such, I can hardly believe that ever ye can offend God so much in prayer, as by the total neglect of that duty.
There is this hard impediment which our hearts doth propose to divert us from duties, and especially from the exercise and duty of prayer: we argue thus with our selves, we are not under the sensible necessity of what we need; and so we say, we will not go to God at this time, for if we pray under such a case, we will turn but complementers with God, we will but flatter him with our mouth, and lie to him with our tongue. I would say this to such, the best way to bring up your hearts to the sensible conviction of your necessity, is to … much in the exercise of prayer; a Christian must pray for sorrow of sin, if he want it, a Christian must pray for sense of necessity, if he want it, and a Christian must pray for tendernesse when he wants it: Prayer is the universall messenger which we must constantly send to God for the supply of all our necessities: There is not a case which a Christian can be in, but prayer may go to God as a messenger for a remedy to such a case, when he stands in need.
The fourth impediment which our carnal hearts proposeth to divert us from prayer, is, our hearts are not under an right majestick apprehension of God, and so ye say, if we go to prayer at this time, we will be guilty of the third command, in taking his holy Name in vain: If we go to prayer at this time, saith our deceiving hearts, we will but run our selves into that sin, To speak to God as to our companion: I confesse it is a sad thing to go to God without some divine impression of his Soveraignty and Majesty; and I would say this to you, I think it is one of the most sad and undeniable evidences of the little grace of God which is in the hearts of many; that constantly in their prayers they speak to God as to their companion; but I would ask this question at you, When went ye to prayer but ye might find your hearts short-coming in the due apprehension of the Majesty of God?
The last impediment which our carnal hearts doth propose to divert us from the exercise of prayer, is this, We say (many of us) that it is an inconvenient time for the exercise of that duty, therefore our hearts saith, that we should delay the time of praying til a more convenient season, according to that practice in Hag. 1. 2. The time is not come, the time that the Lords house should be built. It is the cursed practice of our hearts, that when God presents an occasion to pray, we delay praying at that time under the expectation of a more convenient season for going about that duty; just like that word which Felix spoke to Paul, we speak that to our occasions. O occasion that is presented to me to pray in, Go away at this time, and at a more convenient occasion I will call for thee again: I would say this to these which doth so much slight the opportunities presented to them to pray: I would only say these three words unto you who doth so; First, What know ye, even ye which slights the call of God to go about prayer? What know ye, I say, but that may be the last call from heaven that ever ye shall get to pray? I would have Christians, and all of you that is here, meditating upon this, that when occasions are presented to you, ye may argue thus, with your selves, I must imbrace this occasion, for I know not but this may be the last occasion. Secondly, I would say this to you which slights your occasions to pray, when the next occasion is presented to you, ye will be more unfit for the exercise of prayer; and when the convenient time that ye did propose to your selves is come, ye will then defer it till another time. Thirdly, I would say this unto you who slights these golden opportunities that are presented to you to pray, know this for a certainty, the slighting of occasions i… disobedience to the commandement of Go… would ye know what occasions to prayes They are even Gods call, inviting you to … about that duty, and if ye slight that occa… the call of God is slighted by you.
There is this fourth deceit of the heart … man which wee would presse you to study … eschew, and it is the heart of man studies by all means to extenuate sin, and make it se… little when it is so, this is one of the great deceits of the heart, according to that of S… mons, So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour and he will add that as an excuse, was I not … sport? I will tell you three great faults which are incident to Christians, First, there are some that look upon their perfections through … multiplying glasse, their perfections appear to be more than they are, the Church of La… was guilty of this fault, supposing her self to have attained to much perfection, and to a grea… length in duties, when indeed she had attained to nothing. Secondly, There is some, they look upon their sins through an extenuating glasse, they are like the unjust Steward, wh… they owe an hundreth Talents, they go and write down fifty. Thirdly, These iniquities which they are convinced of, and are forced to charge upon themselves, they study to extenuate them, and saith, Is it not a little one? and so they desire it may be spared.
The last deceit of the heart is, the heart doth oftentimes preach peace, when there is no peace from God, I am perswaded of this, let all the persons that are within these doors be asked o… that question, whether or not they have faith in God, or peace with God? I suppose there are not many, but their hearts would say, they have peace with God: O that is a damnable deceit of the heart, that oftentimes it preaches peace to a man or a woman, when there is no peace to them from God. I shall only to make this deceit appear more lively in its native colours, say this of it. 1. That is a most mysterious and strong deceit of the heart that will so speak peace to a man, sometimes the word will speak war to a man, and yet his heart will speak peace to him: And O is not that a mysterious deceit, that I suppose if an Angel from Heaven, would preach that doctrine to you, that there is no peace betwixt God and you, many of your hearts would (for all that) preach and speak peace to your selves. And, 2. This makes it a most mysterious deceit, that sometimes your consciences doth declare and preach to you, that you are not at peace with God, yet over the belly of that assertion, your hearts will preach peace to you. 3. This makes it a most mysterious deceit, that notwithstanding your lives and conversations that they testifie to your selves and others that you are at enmity with God, yet your hearts will preach peace to you.
Now the second thing that we would say to you from this, viz. That a Christian should keep his heart from the deceivings of his own heart, and it is this, ye would mainly guard this, ye would mainly guard against discouragments, this our blessed Lord Jesus presses, John 14 1. Let not your hearts be troubled, &c. And it is clear: this is dehorted Phil. 4. 6. Be carefull for nothing, &c. and in Psal. 42. 5. David doth (as it were) expostulat with his own so… for being discouraged and cast down. Now … speaking to this, that a Christian should gu… against discouragement, I shall speak unto … things, and the first shall be to the rise of discouragement, and from whence it doth spring And secondly, I shall speak to some considerations to presse this upon you that yee woul… keep your selves from discouragement.
And first, we conceive that discourageme… it arises from this, when a Christian hath … visible victory over his idols, then his discouragement comes apace upon him: A Christian after long wrestling with his idols, lusts and corruptions, and hath little victory over them, he is prone and ready to draw that sad conclusion there is no hope, but that once he shall fall … the hand of some of his idols.
The second Rise of discouragement, is, fro… Christs withdrawing of the sensible manifestations of his love, and of his presence, Psal. 30. … Thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. And it is clear in the practice of the Disciples, the withdrawing of Christs bodily presence, it male sorrow to fill their hearts. I confesse there are not many which are sick of the disease of discouragement under absence with Christ; but however, it hath been the reason of his ow… discouragement, when Christ for many dayes had absented himself from them.
Thirdly, This is the rise of discouragement, when a Christian hath no return of his prayers Lam. 3. 8. compared with vers. 18. wherein vers. 8. he cryes out, When I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer, and vers. 18. he drawe… that sad conclusion, My hope and my strength is perished from the Lord. The not getting returns …f prayer hath been an occasion of much dispu…ng the good will of God, and a foundation of …uch discouragement to his own people.
Fourthly, This is the rise of discouragment, when a Christian doth interpret the sad and af…cting dispensations of God, and he conceives …at there is nothing but wrath speaking to …im therein; then he falleth into a great sit of discouragement, as in Lam. 3. 17. compared with vers. 18. where the rise of his discouragment, was the mis-interpreting of the sad dispensations of God.
Fifthly, This is the rise of a Christians discouragement, When he is made to possesse the …iquities of his youth, and all the terrors of God …emeth to be called as in a solemn Assembly round about him. O then he taketh on a great sit of discouragement!
Now to that which secondly we shall speak …o, is, to propose some considerations unto you …o guard against discouragement.
The first shall be this, These that have a heare …hat is under the spirit of bondage and discouragement, they cannot pray as they ought, discouragement makes prayer a most unpleasant duty, as is clear, Psal. 77. I am so troubled, that I cannot speak. Discouragement (as it were) hinders and obstructs the exercise of prayer. Secondly, Discouragement doth exceedingly interrupt the exercise of faith, as in Psal. 42. 5. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art …ou discouraged within me? trust in God, for I shall yet praise him for the health of his countenance. The Psalmist (as it were) speaks a difference (if not an opposition) betwixt disquiering and faith. If you would not interrupt the lively acting of Faith, ye would study to guard against discouragement, that ye do not sit down and draw desperate conclusions against your selves, I know ye may call a Christian Marah, now; because he is indeed under bitternesse; but the day is approaching when we may call a Christian Noami, when he shall be comforted with the consolations of God.
The third Consideration to press you to guard against discouragment, is, there is no duty that a Christian is called to when he is under discouragement but it makes it a burthen to him, according to that word Jer. 20. 9. discouragement brought forth that resolution, then I said I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his Name &c. A soul that is under the exercise of Faith moves swiftly as the Chariots of Aminadab; but a soul that is under the exercise of discouragement, moves as the Chariots of Pharaoh heavily.
Lastly, there is this Consideration to presse you to guard against discouragement, and it is this, misbelief and discouragement is the mother of Apostacie, as is clear in Lam. 1. 8. she sigheth, and what followeth upon? and turneth backward. And it is no wonder discouragement grow big with child of Apostacy, because it makes duties become tastelesse.
Now the rest of the things which we would have a Christian keeping his heart from, we shall onelyonly but name them briefly unto you.
The third frame that a Christian should keep his heart from, is from an impatient frame, he should study to make his heart keep silence to any crosse that comes to him from the hand of God. Fourthly, he should keep his heart from …sting frame, not to be taken up in an immo…ate pursuite after the things of the world. …ly, he should keep his heart from an un…der frame, he should study alwayes to keep … heart tender, that he may have that Divine …ness that his heart may melt: likewise, he … to keep his heart from an unpraying frame, … be at every occasion in a sit temper of spi… for the duty of prayer. Lastly, he is to …p his heart from a secure frame, alwayes to …pon the watch tower, and wait for the mo… of Christ: and there are three things, the …tions of which a Christian should take up; …st. He should take up the motions of Christ, … hear if he can take up the motions of the …d of Christs feet coming over the moun…ns of Bether. Secondly, He should take up …e motions of his conscience, that he may not … sleeping when sin awakes. Thirdly, He …ould take up the motions of the heart, to see …at frame it is in; A Christian should be able … write a diurnall of his own heart, that in … an hour of such a day I was in a believing …e, and in such an hour of such a day I was … discouraged frame; and in such an hour of …h a day, I sought him whom my soul …eth, and at such an hour of such a day he …ought me to the banqueting house and his …er over me was love. The summe of all is, … ye would keep your hearts, ye must give …ist them to keep, for that is the best way to …p them well, it is only to Christ ye must … the keeping of them: Ye know man … but his heart a short time in keeping, and … lost it; and I shall, before I close, because it is the great design of the preaching of the Gospel, give you five considerations that may provoke you to give your hearts to Christ.
The first Consideration is, will ye consider t… matchless and transcendant excellency which in precious Christ: O! doth not that transcendant beauty preach, My son, give me t… heart, Psal, 24. 7. The Psalmist presseth opening to Christ upon this accompt, Lift up y… heads, O ye everlasting doors and gates! A… what is the argument wherewith he presse… it, and the King of glory shall come in. I woul… only ask this at you (O ye hard hearted) is … not marvelous presumption for you to refus… the precious offers of such a glorious King?
The second Consideration to press you to giv… your hearts in keeping to Christ, Take a vie… and a comprehensive look of the precious act… of the infinite condescentions of Christ: Do… not his coming down from heaven preach th… doctrine, My son, give me thy heart? Doth no… his being born under the Law, preach that doctrine, My son, give me thy heart? And do… not his being born in so low a condition, pre… that doctrine, My son, give me thy heart? A… if nothing will perswade you to give yo… hearts to Christ, ye would take a look of tho… five wounds which he received in his bless… body. First, Doth not the wound that he r… ceived in his right hand, preach this, My s… give me thy heart? Secondly, Doth not t… wound that he got in his left hand, preach th… doctrine, My son, give me thy heart? Thirdly Doth not the wound that he received in his pr… cious side, preach this soul-concerning doctrine My son, give me thy heart? And likewise, do… not the wounds which he receiv'd in his blessed …ggs, preach this doctrine, My son, give me thy …eart? O! were ye never constrained to wish …r ten thousand hearts, to ware and bestow …em upon him? Oh? what hearts have yee, which refuses the offers of so noble and conde…ending a Prince?
The third Consideration is, If ye will look up…n these things which intreats you to give …hrist your hearts, ye cannot but give them …nto him. Christ cryes, O come and give me …our hearts. Necessity cryes, O go and give …hrist your hearts: and we say likewise, O give …hrist your hearts to keep.
The fourth Consideration is, Will ye look up…n these unspeakable disadvantages which at…nds those that will not give their hearts to …hrist. I would say this by the way, there are …o ballances upon which we weigh our hearts. …irst, some weighs their hearts in the ballance …f the Sanctuary, and they are found light. Se…ndly, some weighs their hearts in the bal…nce of deceit, and they are found without …lt: but now I say this to the persons which …ill not give their hearts to Christ, I defy all …e Angels in heaven to speak forth their un…eakable disadvantages; yea, sense shall be the …st preacher of it in that day: and I shall name …ese three inexpressable disadvantages to you. …rst, if ye give not Christ your hearts, Christ …all be your eternal enemy: and in the con… to that precious doctrine which he once …eached, Come unto me, hee shall pronounce …at sad sentence against you, Depart from me; …d therefore as ye would not engage Christ to your eternal enemy, yee would give him your hearts. O the Gospel-vengeance of a crucified Saviour, will be more terrible, sad an… fearfull, then the vengeance of the Law! Chr… is the best friend, and the most terrible fo… The second disadvantage is, yee shall be eternally shut out from the enjoyment of the ble… sed company of Angels, and from the souls … just men made perfect: and, O therefore meditate and consider upon this, what it is to b… separated from the Father, the first person … the blessed Trinity; and from the Son, the second person of the blessed Trinity; and fro… the holy Ghost, the third person of the bless… Trinity, and from all the blessed society whi… are in heaven. And the last disadvantage is, … shall be kept under these everlasting chain even all of you which will not give your hea… to Christ. If ye be not under this everlasti… chain of love, ye shall be under these everla… ing chains of wrath. I suppose if the most sto… hearted sinner here, if he could but a mo… hear the screighings of the damned (if it we… granted to him) he would not delay to give h… heart to Christ.
The last Consideration is, O consider these i… finit, eternal, and unchangeable advantages th… those have which gives their hearts to Christ… we conceive if all the Angels in heaven wou… preach together upon the unspeakable blesse… nesse of the Saints in heaven, they would a wayes close their sentence with this, It is u… speakable joy which attends those that are a… mitted to that blessed life. There are five thin… which are unchangeable to Christians, and … things which are unchangeable to reprobate… There is this first, which is unchangeable … the Saints: (I mean not here) their communi… with God shall be unchangeable; for after …hey shall win to heaven, they shall be under a …ontinual and blessed emanation of Christs pre…ce. Secondly, They shall have an unchange…le love. A Christians love while he is here, is …e unto the Moon, subject to many vicissitudes …d alterations; but afterward when they …ll be in heaven, their love shall be unchange…le. Thirdly, His holinesse shall then be un…ngeable when once he shall put on the robe … Christs righteousness: he shall then sing that …g, O Death! where is thy sting? And, O …ve! where is thy victory? Fourthly, praise … God shall be unchangeable: O what a plea…t sight shall it be to see the souls of just men …de perfect, with harps in their hands, sing…g these pleasant songs unto God most sweet…! Alelujah to him that sits on the throne, and to …e Lamb which lives for ever; their tongues is …de like the pen of a ready writer, there is not …h a complaint uttered by Moses in heaven, …am a man of slow speech, neither doth Jeremiah …w complain, I am a childe and cannot speak. …fthly, desires after God shall be unchangeable; Christian while he is here below, will desire …od now, and within a little while he will de…e his idols, but then when he shall be above, …s desires after God shall be unchangeable.
And upon the contrary there are five things …changeable in the lot of a reprobate, and of …se that will not give Christ their hearts. …st, their separation from God shall be un…ngeable, when once they shall go down in… the pit, there shall be no hope of coming up …in: Ah! ye would think upon this, what a life shal it be to be under eternal excommun… cation from Christs presence: O but if ye kne… Christ, and believed what a One he were, … would close with him! Secondly, the repr… bate shall have an unchangeable sorrow, O … may be sad when the vengeance of God shall … squizing the marrow out of his bones, an… when he is eternally shut up in these horrib… flames, and out of them to have no redemp… on! Thirdly, reprobates they shall have an … changeable hatred against God; and God sh… have an unchangeable against them, and I ca… not wish a greater misery to any, then … Christ to have an unchangeable hatred agai… them. Fourthly, Ye that are alients fro… God, ye shall sin unchangeably, ye shall ne… cease to sin, and ye shall never cease to be to… mented; on these two eternity shall be spe… Lastly, Your inward anxiety and tortering consciences shall be unchangeable, that wo… shall never dy, but shall eternally gnaw yo… consciences.
Now what shall we say more? we have … life and death before you, and whither of th… will ye imbrace? O that you would imbr… Christ, even precious Christ, and give o… your hearts to that blessed Lord! It is like … these dayes, that the devil hath purchased … ny Harpers to himself to sing that song, I … not far from victory: the curse of a cruci… Saviour shall eternally come down upon … heads of these that will not give their hearts Christ, and to you that will give, or hath g… your hearts to Christ, the eternal blessing Christ shall come upon your heads. Behold day is coming (O Atheists) when ye wo… …ive ten thousand worlds for one invitation of …he Gospel again; and ye would be content to …ide ten thousand years in hell for one preaching, and it shall be denied to you! O! there…ore do not withstand Christs offers; take him, …e will get him for a look: and know that if ye …ill not love him now; his heart shall burn …ith hatred against you; and one day ye shall …rse your cursed hearts for that hatred ye bare … him. Now to him who intreats you to im…ce his offer, be praise.