The Sound-Hearted Christian, Sermon 1 · Application

The Sound-Hearted Christian · Sermon 1 · Application

p. 24Application.

Firſt, this ſerves to reprove thoſe that are careleſs and negligent of their hearts and ſpirits, you ſhall have men to be careful of their houſes, careful of their Ships, careful of their Cloaths, careful of their Body, careful of their Beauty, careful of their Names, careful of their Relations; but are careleſs of their hearts and ſpirits: well, had'ſt thou grace, or wert thou ſo gracious as thou ſhouldeſt be; thy greateſt care would be of thy heart and of thy ſpirit; it may be ſaid of ſuch as of the Spouſe, my own Vinyard have I not kept: So theſe have not kept their Vinyards, have not kept their Hearts, have not kept their Souls, this is a great and a common evil, that men have care of this and p. 25that, but not of their own hearts, not of their own ſouls; hath God committed ſouls to you? are they precious? and will you neglect them? the ſin be upon your own heads.

Secondly, ſee here, that they are not many who are of this practice, to have a principal care of their hearts; where almoſt can you find a man or woman that makes it their principal care to look to their hearts? put but that queſtion to them, and they are ſilent, they are at a ſtand, what do you tell me of my heart and ſoul? I have ſomewhat elſe to look after; have you ſo? look after what you will you look after a ſhadow, and neglect the ſubſtance, you look after that which is of no moment, no weight; but you neglect that which is better than all the world: But I ſay, there's hardly a man or woman to be found in a great way, that makes it their principal buſineſs to look after their ſouls; ſaith Solomon in the 7. Eccleſ. latter end, One man of a Thouſand have I found; not a woman at all, and but One man of a Thouſand; God made man upright, and he hath ſought out many inventions; God made man to look to his ſoul, and to have Communion with himſelf, and to mind heaven and heavenly things; But I have not found among women one, and but one man of a thouſand: So may I ſay, it is very rare to find a man or woman that makes it their principal buſineſs to look after their ſouls, and yet that's one of the principaleſt errands you were ſent into the world about, that you ſhould mind your ſouls.

Thirdly, you that think you do look to your hearts and ſouls, pray examine, and make a little inquiry, whither it be ſo with you or no, whether p. 26you do make this your work, your principal care & buſineſs to mind your ſouls, to mind your hearts;

Well, how ſhall we know it?

1. Firſt, if you do look well to your hearts, you have a care what goes in, and what comes out; a man or woman that hath one choice Room in their houſe, they will be careful above all the reſt, to keep that lock'd; ſo if you have a care of your hearts according to what you ſhould, you will have a care what comes into the heart, and what goes out of the heart: a good man out of the good treaſury of his heart brings forth good things: he will not let evil things come into his heart; he will ſhut his eyes, ſhut his mouth, no corrupt words ſhall come out of his mouth; is it ſo now, that you have a conſtant care to ſee what goes into your hearts? you will be careful what goes into your mouths, and will you not be careful to ſee what goes into your hearts.

2. Secondly, if you have a care of your hearts, then your hearts are in good order; That which is principally look'd unto any where, is in good frame, in good order: if you have a principal care of a Watch, of a Room, of a Ship, it is in good order; what frames are your hearts in, are they in good order for God? are they in frame for his Ordinances? A Garden, if you take delight in it, if your care be there, how are things ordered therein? every thing is in its place; how are the weeds kept down? how are the vermin prevented? all is kept in good order: So it will be with your ſouls, if your care be there: I paſſed by the Vineyard of the Sluggard, and all was over grown with Nettles and Bryars; Prov. 24.31. why, he had not a care of his p. 27Vine yard; and ſo it is with the heart; but if your principal care were about your hearts, all would be in good order; they would be neat, comely, and delightful.

3. Thirdly, if your principal care be about your hearts and ſouls, then you will make ſuitable proviſion for them: That a man takes ſpecial care of, he will provide for, and make ſuitable proviſion: Now if your ſpecial care be for the good of your hearts and ſouls, you will make ſuitable proviſion for them, in Rom. 13. Make no proviſion for the fleſh to fulfil the luſts thereof…: But you will make proviſion for your ſouls to help the graces thereof, and the good of your ſouls; a gracious man will make ſuitable proviſion for a gracious heart: The world is not ſuitable proviſion, that's chaff to a gracious heart; a gracious ſoul cannot live upon the world, but it can live upon the Word and Promiſes, and the Ordinances, and the water of life: Therefore ſaith Chriſt, labour not for the meat that periſhes; that is, comparatively, not abſolutely; but labour for the meat which indures to everlaſting life, which the Son of man ſhall give unto you, &c. Well, here's the principal meat to be laboured for, the meat which indures to everlaſting ſife, which the Son of man ſhall give unto you: do you go to Chriſt in the morning for a Breakfaſt, at noon for a Dinner, at night for a Supper? This is an argument indeed that your principal care is for your ſouls; but O how lean ſouls have men and women, what hunger-ſtarv'd ſouls?

4. Fourthly, Laſtly, if your principal care be for your ſouls, then your ſouls are proſpering, thriving p. 28and fruitful: The piece of ground that the Husbandman takes moſt content in, and is moſt delighted in, ſhall be well dreſt and fruitful; ſo that man or woman that takes moſt care for the ſoul, will have a thriving ſoul, a flouriſhing ſoul, a proſperous Soul. See it in the 3d. Ep. of John 2d. v. Beloved, I wiſh above all things that thou mayeſt proſper and be in health, even as thy ſoul proſpereth; he writes to Gaius, this Gains minded the things of his ſoul, he minded the Truth, entertainment of Saints, was full of love, doing of good works, and his ſoul thriv'd and proſpered, and was fat and flouriſhing; ſo that man that doth mind his ſoul, will be fat and flouriſhing: The ſoul is God's Garden, and if you mind it, it will be as a watered Garden flouriſhing; Chriſt will come into his Garden, and gather his ſpices and flowers, and eat his pleaſant fruits, and take delight in it if it be ſo; but are not your Gardens full of weeds? now if your principal care be for your Souls, you may know it by theſe things.

Uſe. 4. The laſt uſe is an exhortation; that you would be pleaſed to beſtow a little more care upon your ſouls; a good man's care is upon his ſoul, ſaith Solomon in Prov. 4. Wiſdom is the principal thing, and above all gettings, get wiſdom; that's the principal thing to be got: but what's the principal thing to be kept? v. 24. keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the Iſſues of life, and out of it are the iſſues of death: Therefore if you be good men, if you be wiſe men, if you be both, ſhew it, get wiſdom, and above all keepings, keep your hearts, keep your eye that it wanders not, keep your ear that no evil enter, keep your hand, p. 29keep your foot, but above all keepings keep your hearts, for out of them are the iſſues of Death.

Obſ. 3. The third obſervation is this; that a gracious ſoul doth earneſtly deſire ſoundneſs of heart. Let my heart be ſound in thy Statutes; this was the deſire of David; ſo in Pſal. 51. v. 10. Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew in me a right Spirit: O Lord ſaith he, let me have a clean heart, let me have a right ſpirit, let my heart be ſound in me, whatſoever elſe I miſs of.

Two things I ſhall do at this time. Firſt ſhew you wherein this ſoundneſs of heart doth lye. Secondly, give you the reaſons, why a gracious heart doth deſire ſoundneſs of heart.

Firſt, this ſoundneſs of heart doth lye in having ſound and good principles, ſound Tenets, ſound Doctrines, ſound apprehenſions of Spiritual things; and ſo here ſoundneſs is oppoſed to errour: Let my heart be ſound in thy Statutes, O let me not be lead away with any errour, any windy doctrine, any falſe opinions, any corrupt tenets, any falſe principles: in 2. Tim. 3.8. he ſpeaks there of men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith; men of corrupt minds are not ſound, they are reprobate concerning the faith; that is, the Doctrine of faith, ſo in 2 Tit. 2. That the aged men be ſober, grave, temperate, ſound in the Faith; they muſt not be erronious, many men and women are full of error, full of corrupt opinions, full of damnable doctrines, full of dangerous tenets, full of ſeduction: now ſoundneſs of heart, ſoundneſs of mind, lyes in ſound principles, ſound apprehenſions of God, of Chriſt, of the Spirit, of Scriptures, and of the great points of Religion, of the p. 30Reſurrection, Juſtification, and Sanctification; many are unſound touching God, unſound in the things of God: They deny a Trinity of perſons, they deny Gods Omnipotency, they deny Gods Omnipreſence; theſe are unſound, they have not ſound hearts. So concerning Chriſt, how corrupt are many concerning Chriſt? that he is meer Man, and not God, that Chriſt did not dye to ſatisfie for ſin, but to be an example; and many other opinions one might tell you of that are rife in theſe dayes, and people have drunk in; now theſe are unſound hearted men and women. — So concerning the Spirit of God, that it is a quality and not a perſon; — concerning Juſtification many untoward opinions are abroad, as that we are juſtified by inhaerent righteouſneſs, and by works, that a juſtifyed man may be unjuſtified, &c.—So concerning Sanctification, that we are without ſin, perfect, that we can fulfil the Law, and do works without defect or defilement. —So for the Reſurrection, they ſay the Reſurrection is paſt, that Bodies never riſe, and the Soul ſleeps; theſe are corrupt opinions, and men are not ſound hearted that hold them. When therefore we have right apprehenſions, and ſound principles within touching the things mentioned, herein lyes ſoundneſs of heart, let my heart be ſound in thy Statutes, let me have nothing but what is according to thy Statutes, according to thy word.

Secondly, Soundneſs of heart lies in a healthineſs of heart, ſoul, and ſpirit; when a man hath any ſicklineſs or diſtempers in him, he is not ſound, we ſay he is a ſickly man, now ſoundneſs of heart lies in healthineſs of heart, in healthineſs p. 31of ſoul and ſpirit; and ſo ſoundneſs is oppoſed to ſicklineſs. Iſa. 1.6. From the ſole of the foot, even unto the head, there is no ſoundneſs in it, but wounds, and bruiſes, and putrifying ſores. You ſee hear; ſoundneſs is oppoſed to wounds, and bruiſes, and putrifyed ſores: A man that's ſound, hath no wounds nor bruiſes, nor putrified ſores; and here ſaith David in the 38 Pſal. v. 3. There is no ſoundneſs in my fleſh, &c. there were diſeaſes, diſtempers, and in the 41 Pſal. v. 4. I ſaid, Lord be merciful unto me, heal my ſoul, for I have ſinned againſt thee. Now when either guilt is upon the heart, or either luſt or paſſion predominate in the ſoul, the heart is not ſound. For the firſt, ſee the 33. Iſa. laſt, The Inhabitant ſhall not ſay I am ſick, the people that dwell therein ſhall be forgiven their Iniquity. Why they ſhall be forgiven their Iniquity, and then they are not ſick:—And ſo for diſtempers, or luſts, or any other ſin; Pſal. 66.18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my Prayer: why its the Prayer of an unſound heart; and in the 141 Pſal. 4. v. Incline not my heart to any evil thing: If there be any ſtrong inclination to any evil thing in the heart, that heart is not ſound, that's a luſt, and the heart is ſick; now ſaith David, Lord let not my heart be inclin'd to any evil thing: So that when a heart is purged from ſin, the guilt of ſin, the power and pollution of ſin, then the heart is ſound; for ſin is a ſickneſs in the ſoul, a diſeaſe in the ſoul, eſpecially when it riſes up to incline the heart to evil, now when it's purged from ſin, then it's ſound: when it's purged with the blood of Chriſt, and ſanctified by the Spirit of Chriſt, then a heart is ſound indeed, there's a p. 32heart ſound before God, ſound in the Statutes of God; that's a ſecond thing wherein ſoundneſs of heart doth lye.

Thirdly, Soundneſs of heart doth conſiſt and lye in the total carriage of the heart to God, and to his Statutes; when the heart is totally carried to the Lord and to his Statutes, and not to other things, and ſo ſoundneſs is oppoſed to dividedneſs; Let my heart be ſoond in thy Statutes, let it not be divided between thee, thy Statutes, and other things; the word here foreign doth note compleat and perfect; let my heart be perfect, compleat, and totally in thy Statutes, and with thee; when a heart is divided, you know it is not a ſound heart; ſo when mens and women hearts are divided between God and the creature, between the Word of God and the things of the world, their hearts are not ſound, Hoſ. 10.2. Their heart is divided, now ſhall they be found faulty: their heart is not ſound ſaith God, their heart is not perfect, nor compleatly with me, their heart is not carried wholly to me; but their hearts are divided, and now ſhall they be found faulty: it's a fault indeed, and a foul fault, to have the heart divided between God and any other thing whatſoever; when the heart is not perfect with God. 1. K. 18.21. Elijah came unto all the people, and ſaid, how long halt ye between two opinions, if the Lord be God, follow him, and if Baal, then follow him; and the people anſwered him not a word; they were all guilty; why halt ye between two opinions? why is your heart divided? they were for God and for Baal too: it's ſaid, they feared the Lord, and ſerved Idols; Many are: for God and the world too; but why are ye p. 33divided? If the Lord be God follow him, and if the World be God, follow it; the heart muſt not be divided; if it be, it is not ſound: 1. Cor. 10.21. ye cannot drink the Cup of the Lord, and the Cup of Devils; ye cannot be partakers of the Lords Table, and the Table of Devils; your hearts are not ſound, if you divide: ye cannot ſerve God and Mammon, ſaith Chriſt; becauſe there's a divided heart, and this is not a ſound heart. 2 Chron. 25.2. It's ſpoken of Antazia, he did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart: he did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord for the matter, but not with a perfect heart; his heart was divided, his heart was not perfect, his heart was not ſound; but now ſee what David ſaith this way, in the 119 Pſal. touching the ſoundneſs of his heart, v. 10. with my whole heart have I ſought thee: there was the whole heart, and the whole of the heart, there was no diviſion: here was a ſound heart, it was not divided, a piece here, and a piece there; half one way, and half another way; but with my whole heart have I ſought thee: and in the 69. v. ſaith he, I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart: here was a heart ſound in God's Statutes.

Fourthly, Soundneſs of heart doth lye in the truth and reallity of Grace in the heart: the heart is never ſound till it have true Grace; when there is truth of Grace, and truth of Comforts wrought by the Word and Spirit in the heart, then it's a ſound heart; there may be ſeeming Graces, and ſeeming Comforts; but theſe do not cauſe ſoundneſs: Take Braſs, Tin, Cooper, let it be Silver'd over by the Art of man; this is not ſound, it is p. 34not Currant money; ſo many have parts, and they may have ſeeming graces, and ſeeming comforts, and yet not be real, not be true; ſuch a heart is not ſound: you read in Scripture of a feigned faith, a dead faith; you read likewiſe of feigned love, and there are feigned comforts, flaſhy comforts, and groundleſs hopes: Now where the heart is ſound, theſe are graces & comforts wrought by the Word and Spirit; hence you read of faith unfeigned, 2 Tim. 1.5. and you read of Love, the fruit of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22. and ſo peace and joy: There's falſe peace, and falſe joy; but you read of theſe wrought by the Spirit, and love ſhed abroad in the heart by the Spirit; you read of a lively hope, of a hope that's grounded upon the promiſes, 2 Pet. 3.13. Nevertheleſs we according to his promiſe look for new Heavens, and a new Earth: now when graces are real in the heart, and comforts are real in the heart, and there's a real truth in them; Then the heart is ſound. And ſo ſoundneſs is oppoſed to the fancies, conceits, and dreams of men, and their miſtakes; but their hearts are rotten notwithſtanding all their dreams and fancies.

Fifthly, Soundneſs of heart doth lye in ſincerity; Let my heart be ſound in thy Statutes, let it be ſincere and upright; and ſo ſome read the words: And the word ſignifies upright, and ſincere, and ſo it's oppoſed to Hypocriſie: O let me not be an Hypocrite, let me not be a deceiver; a ſound heart is a ſincere heart; where there is Hypocriſie in men and women, there's an unſound heart, there's a rotten heart; the Apoſtle ſpeaks of love without diſſimulation, Rom. 12.9. So all muſt be without diſſimulation, where there is ſoundneſs; and here, p. 35both the end, and the means, and the manner are reſpected.

Firſt, where the heart is ſound, there will be ſound ends, ſincere ends; and among the reſt, there be three great ends; that a ſound heart aims at. Firſt, the Glory of God. Secondly, Publick good. Thirdly, the Spiritual and Eternal good of the Soul.

Firſt, the Glory of God, that's the great end of a ſound heart; ſuch ends will a ſound heart have, as Gods Statutes doth propound, and hold out; now this is one great and high end that God holds out in his word, the glorifying of himſelf, Prov. 16.4. God hath made all things for himſelf, for his own glory, for his own honour; God hath ſet up his own Glory, as his own end; and ſo a ſound heart hath that end that God hath propounded: So in the 11 Rom. laſt, ſaith the Apoſtle there, From him, and through him, and to him are all things, to whom be glory for ever: Glory is the end, 1. Cor. 10.31. Do all to the Glory of God; whether you eat, or drink, or whatever you do: that's the great end; 1. Cor. 6. you are not your own, you are bought with a price, Glorifie God in Soul and Body: That's the great end of a ſound heart.

Secondly, the end of a ſound heart is publick good; Do good to all, but eſpecially to the Houſhold of Faith; not a private and domeſtick end, but do good to all the world if poſſible, but eſpecially to Sion, to the Church of God, to the people of God; ſaith Heſter, if I periſh, I periſh; Sion is in danger, Gods people are in danger, I will not ſtand upon my ſelf, and my own ſafety, and upon the Kings Law, but Gods glory, the welfare and good of p. 36Sion lyes at the Stake, and I will venture; here was a ſound heart, that had a right end; if I periſh I periſh, I will venture my ſelf for God and for his cauſe and people.

Thirdly, It hath a right end in regard of it ſelf, viz. it's Spiritual and Eternal good: A Godly man will have a care of his body; but his great care is of his ſoul, and the ſpiritual and eternal good of his ſoul; Joh. 6.27. Labour not for the meat that periſheth, but for that which indureth to everlaſting life; that meat that periſhes concerns the body; but there is meat ſaith Chriſt which indures to everlaſting life; and that's the meat you muſt look at; and that's the meat a ſound heart doth aim at, and ſeek to find out and to feed upon; Firſt ſeek the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteouſneſs thereof; and ſaith the Apoſtle in 2 Cor. 4.18. our ſcope is not to look at the things that are ſeen, but at the things that are not ſeen, things that are eternal, and that concern the eternal good of our ſouls.

Secondly, It is ſincere likewiſe in regard of the means, a ſound heart will uſe all the means, Pſal. 119.6. Then ſhall I not be confounded, when I have reſpect to all thy Commands; there muſt be reſpect to all Gods Commands, to all his Threatnings, to all his Promiſes, to all Examples, to all Invitations, to all Admonitions, to all Counſels, to the whole will of God; a ſound heart hath reſpect to all that God hath revealed, to all the means whatſoever; they have unſound and rotten hearts who throw off the Law or the Goſpel, who throw of all Ordinances, who throw off the Scriptures; but then ſhall I not be confounded when I have reſpect to all thy Commands.

p. 37Thirdly, So likewiſe for the manner of uſing the means; many come and hear the word, but not with trembling, Iſa. 66.2. not as the word of God, 1 Theſſ. 2.13. they receive it not with love, 2 Theſſ. 2.13. they mingle it not with faith, Heb. 4.2. they hear it not as the word that ſhall judge them, John 12.48. ſo many pray, but not ſpiritually, Epheſ. 6.18. not feelingly and fervently, Rom. 12.11. Jam. 5.16. not believingly, Jam. 1.6. ſo many receive, but deſcern not the Lords Body, 1 Cor. 11.29. and many give, but not with ſimplicity, Rom. 12.8. and ſecreſie, Mat. 6.3. Now a ſound heart reſpects the manner in theſe and all other duties, as much as the duties themſelves, and is much humbled for failings in the manner of performing duties.

Sixthly, Laſtly, ſoundneſs of heart lyes in this; in the hearts putting forth to practice what is revealed to it, or received by it: when a man hath truth, and witholds truth in unrighteouſneſs, that man is not ſound at the heart; but where the heart is ſound, the ſoundneſs of it carries him to practice, what is revealed and given in unto it: you may ſee it in David, and in Hezekiah, 1 K. 15.15. David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aſide from any thing that he commanded him all the dayes of his life: whatſoever God commanded him, that he did, his heart was ſound in his Statutes. And ſo here, in Iſa. 38. v. 3. Remember now, O Lord, I beſeech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which was good in thy ſight, I have walked before thee with a perfect heart, a ſound heart, an upright heart, an undivided heart: And have done p. 38that which is good in thy ſight; that heart which is ſound, cannot ſit ſtill, cannot impriſon truth in unrighteouſneſs, cannot be negligent: Chriſt who had ſoundneſs of heart, went up and down doing good: So then you see wherein this ſoundneſs of heart lyes.

Q. Why is a good man ſo earneſt for ſoundneſs of heart?

An. Firſt, becauſe all he doth, be it never ſo much, comes to nothing if his heart be not ſound; ſaith a good man, I ſhall loſe all if my heart be not ſound. If my heart be not ſound and free from falſe principles, if my heart be not ſound, if it be not healthy and free from guilt and ſickneſs of ſin; if my heart be not free from dividedneſs, perfect with God, if my heart be not ſo and ſo, that I have ſoundneſs, if I be not ſincere but hypocritical and the like; all I do is nothing: Pray, Hear, Preach, give to the Poor, do what you will, all your ſervice falls to the ground, it never is accepted of God; in Heb. 11.6. ſaith the Apoſtle, Without faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God, for he that cometh unto God, muſt believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently ſeek him; without faith 'tis impoſſible to pleaſe God: why, if your faith be not real faith, if it be not true faith, but a faith of your own making; if it be not a faith wrought by the word and ſpirit; a faith of the operation of God, Coloſſ. 2. you will never pleaſe God whatever you do, you muſt have a faith will purifie your hearts, and unite your hearts to God, and not ſuffer them to be divided; a faith that will carry you to God with the whole heart, otherwiſe you pleaſe not God: and ſo your p. 39hope muſt be ſo, and your love muſt be ſo, they muſt be real; ſo alſo the obedience that pleaſes God, is the obedience of faith; Rom. 16. latter end; do what you will; if you be not right principled, if you have not truth of grace, if your hearts be not united to God, if you be not free from hypocriſie and ſincere, all falls to the ground, and is rejected of God; all you do is nothing, but is like what Simon Magus did, Acts 8.13. Then Simon himſelf believed alſo: Mark, he had a faith, ſuch as moſt people have: And when he was baptiſed, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and ſigns which were done: he continued with Philip, he was in a Church State, now ſee what he ſaith, becauſe his principles were not right, When Simon ſaw that through laying on of the Apoſtles hands, the holy Ghoſt was given, he offered them money; ſaying, give me alſo this power, that on whomſoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghoſt; but Peter ſaid unto him, thy money periſh with thee, becauſe thou haſt thought that the gift of God may be purchaſed with money: O thou haſt a wretched principle, thou haſt a rotten heart, it is not right in the ſight of God, what's thy believing now Simon? what's thy baptizing now? what's all thou haſt done? So ſay I, what's your faith, and your baptiſm, and your obedience, and ſerving of God, if your hearts are not right? Ananias and Saphira, ſell their eſtate, and bring it, and lay it down at the feet of the Apoſtles; I but their hearts were not right, and therefore you know how it went with them: all you do is but as a woman that brings forth a dead Child without a ſoul, which is not acceptable to Father, Mother, or any preſent. 'Tis like p. 40Chaff without Corn, Bones without Marrow, Bottels without Wine, Breaſts without Milk: God regards not any thing you do, it is not acceptable, it falls to the ground, it comes to nothing if your hearts are not ſound and upright; and that's the firſt reaſon why a Godly ſoul is ſo earneſt to have its heart ſound.

Secondly, Hereby you ſhall diſcourage and diſappoint the Devil, the Devil ſeldom prevails where there is ſoundneſs of heart: Job you know was a man that feared God, and eſchewed evil, a perfect man; The very word that is here in my Text, and could the Devil prevail with him? God lets looſe the Devil, and gives him more power over Job, than ever we read he had over any other man: and could the Devil prevail againſt Job? No, he was a ſound hearted man, and he could not prevail; Job wearied out the Devil, he did ſtrike him in his Servants, and Cattel, and Children, and in his body, and by his Friends, and by his Wife he tempts him, yet nothing could do; why here was a ſound hearted man, and when a man is ſound hearted, he will not ſtand parlying with the Devil, but he will reſiſt the Devil; he ſhuts the door preſently, and turns his back upon him; he brings forth the Shield of Faith, and quenches his fiery Darts; he brings forth the Scripture, It's written Satan, he reſiſts the Devil, and he flyes; but if thou be ſickly, or faint hearted, he will make thee flye or fall; but a ſound hearted man reſiſts the Devil, and makes him flye: and ſo the Devil is diſcouraged and diſappointed.

Thirdly, Becauſe ſuch a heart will be a ſupport to a man in any condition, in the worſt of conditions; p. 41if you look into the 14 Pro. 20. A ſound heart is the life of the fleſh: The Original is, foreign the lives of the fleſh, a man that hath a ſound heart, ſound in a ſpiritual ſence, that ſoundneſs of his heart, is the lives of his fleſh; his fleſh may have many deaths, many diſeaſes, many temptations and diſcouragements, many hard things to encounter with, yet the ſoundneſs of the heart is the lives of the fleſh; a ſound heart will keep up a man; & bear up his Spirits, notwithſtanding the fleſh be full of pain, yielding, drooping, and wearing away: ſaith Paul, the outward man decays day by day; I but the inward man is renewed: when a man hath a ſound heart, a ſound ſoul, ſoundneſs of grace in him, the inward man is renewed: So in Prov. 18.14. The Spirit of a man will ſuſtain his infirmity, when his ſpirit is ſound; but if a mans ſpirit be not ſound, it will not ſuſtain his infirmity; if there be guilt, if there be ſin, luſt and ſickneſs in the ſoul, it will not ſupport; therefore a Godly man deſires ſoundneſs of heart: he knows not what times he may meet with, he knows not what ſtorms he may meet with; a Godly man may meet with very ſhrow'd things in the world, but if his heart be ſound, it will bear him up; in the 38. of Iſa. ſaith Hezek. when the ſtorm came upon him, that he muſt dye and not live: here was the King of fears, the King of terrours; now ſaith he, Remember O Lord I beſeech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and done that which is good in thy ſight; foreign with a heart full of peace, a perfect heart, with a ſound heart, ſee how this now bears him up.

p. 42Fourthly, A Godly ſoul is deſirous of ſoundneſs of heart, becauſe ſuch a one hath Gods favour, and will be intruſted by God; it's ſomething to have God's favour, ſomething to be truſted by God that knows hearts; a ſincere heart God favours, and God will truſt; in the 11 Pſa. 7. v. for the righteous Lord loveth righteouſneſs; his countenance doth behold the upright: the upright, a man that's ſound, ſincere, and upright, and the upright dwells in his preſence; God he doth regard the righteous, he loves righteouſneſs, and who doth righteouſneſs but the ſound hearted man? And his countenance doth behold the upright, his favour is towards him, and God will truſt ſuch a man: call him forth to excellent ſervice, and employ him in great matters; in Pſal. 78. he choſe David alſo his Servant, and took him from the Sheepfold; why will God look to the Sheepfold, and mind a man tending of his Sheep? From following the Ews great with young, he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Iſrael his inheritance; ſo he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; he had a ſound and entire heart, a heart for God, a heart for good, a heart for his people, and ſo God looks upon him; he takes him and brings him from the Sheepfold, to feed his people, and he did it according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skilfulneſs of his hand. Gods favour was towards him, and God's favour is towards ſuch, and he doth intruſt them with great matters: 1 Tim. 1.11.12. according to the glorious Goſpel of the bleſſed God, which was committed to my truſt; why, who are you, that you ſhould have the Goſpel, and the glorious Goſpel of the bleſſed God committed to your truſt? p. 43I thank God through Jeſus Chriſt, our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me worthy, putting me into the Miniſtery. O the Lord made me ſound hearted! when I had rotten principles, he took them all away, he made my heart ſound, and imployed me in great things; ſo that where there is ſoundneſs of heart, God favours and will truſt ſuch; when men have deceitful and hypocritical hearts, God will not truſt them.

Fifthly, Soundneſs of heart is earneſtly deſired by thoſe that are good, becauſe otherwiſe the means of grace, whatſoever they be, will do little good, very little or no good; look into Mich. 2.7. O thou that art named the houſe of Jacob, is the Spirit of the Lord ſtreightned? are theſe his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly? ſaith he, you complain of judgments and afflictions that are upon you; but I tell you your hearts are not right; do not my words do good to him that walks uprightly? if your hearts were ſound, upright, and ſincere, you would walk according to my Statutes, according to my wayes, and your hearts would be with me, and not with your Idols, nor with the world; therefore my words do you no good, becauſe your lives and hearts are corrupt; do not my words do good to them that walk uprightly? every one can tell you, they do; to a corrupt Stomach, you know the meat doth little or no good; it feeds a corrupt humour, and kills at laſt; So now when men and women have unſound hearts, the means doth them little good, the means will be their death at laſt: there was Judas, what gracious words did he hear from Chriſt? how many miracles and examples did he ſee? but all did him p. 44no good; why? he was not ſound at the heart, he had a covetous heart; and ſo Simon Magus, was not ſound at heart; the word doth men no good when they have unſound hearts, Sacraments do them no good, they eat and drink their own damnation, afflictions doth them no good, Prayer doth them no good; therefore ſaith a Godly man, O Lord let my heart be ſound in thy Statutes.

Sixthly, Laſtly, ſoundneſs of heart is to be deſired, becauſe without this you will never be admitted into Heaven, never be preſented by Chriſt unto the Father: In a word, you will never be ſav'd, unleſs your hearts be ſound; look into the 15. Pſal. Lord who ſhall abide in thy Tabernacle, who ſhall dwell in thy holy hill? he that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteouſneſs, and ſpeaketh the truth in his heart; that is, he that hath a ſound heart free from hypocriſie, a ſound heart, he ſhall do it; and in the 24 Pſal. who ſhall aſcend into the hill of the Lord? who ſhall ſtand in his holy place? he that hath clean hands, and a pure heart, &c. Now if a mans heart be not ſound, 'tis impure; there is ſome guilt, ſome luſts, ſome diſtempers, ſome rotten and falſe tenets and opinions, ſome hypocriſie in it, ſome dividedneſs in it; there's ſome withholding of truth in unrighteouſneſs in it; now this man ſhall not aſcend into the holy hill, he ſhall not have the bleſſing; ſaith Chriſt in Math. 7.21. Not every one that ſaith unto me Lord, Lord, ſhall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven; many will ſay unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not Prophecyed in thy name, and in thy name caſt out Devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works, and then will I profeſs unto them I never knew you; depart from p. 45me ye that work iniquity: What, do all theſe things and yet be workers of iniquity, and not known of Chriſt? there was nothing but rottenneſs of heart: for mark what follows in the Chapter, whoſoever heareth theſe ſayings of mine, and doth them, I will liken him to a wiſe man, which built his houſe upon a Rock, and the rain deſcended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that houſe and it fell not, for it was founded upon a Rock. And every one that heareth theſe ſayings of mine, and doth them not, he is one that builds his houſe upon the Sand: So that if mens hearts be not ſound, they will never build upon the Rock, they will never be ſav'd: Doth not Chriſt tell them plainly, woe to Scribes, Phariſees, Hyppocrites? why they ſhall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, they are not ſound hearted; if men are not ſound in the things of God, ſound in the Goſpel and the myſteries of it, ſound in the faith, there's no coming to Heaven, no coming to Glory; Chriſt will never own a rotten hearted man or woman; never own a man that hath a form of Godlineſs, and not the power of it; therefore, if you would be ſav'd, if you would be preſented by Jeſus Chriſt unto the Father, you muſt labour to have a ſound heart. And here's the grounds and reaſons why a gracious heart looks after ſoundneſs.

I come now in the next place to ſhew you the priviledge, dignity or excellency of a ſound heart; Let my heart be ſound in thy Statutes.

Firſt, a ſound heart makes you like unto Chriſt, Chriſt had a ſound heart in him, John 14. The Devil comes and finds nothing of his in him; he found no erroneous principles in Chriſts heart, he p. 46found no dividedneſs in his heart between God and the creature; he found no ſicklineſs in his heart, or ſinful diſpoſitions, he found no ſeeming graces, but all real: the word dwelt among us, and was full of grace & truth, he found that Chriſt was ſincere and upright, he had no baſe ends, Gods glory and publick good were his ends; now when a man hath a ſound heart, he is like unto Chriſt, a heart like Chriſts heart: this is an excellency, a priviledge, to have a ſound heart, that when the Devil comes he may find nothing of his in you.

Secondly, the excellency of a ſound heart is, it's a heart fit for Gods uſe: a corrupt heart, a divided heart, an hypocritical heart, is not fit for Gods uſe: you know a man that hath ſound limbs is fit for mans uſe; and a man that hath a ſound heart is fit for Gods uſe; 2 Tim. 2.21. If a man therefore purge himſelf from theſe, he ſhall be a veſſel unto honour, ſanctifyed and meet for the Maſters uſe, and prepared for every good work: if a man purge his heart from falſe principles, from all baſe luſts and corrupt diſtempers, if a man purge his heart from dividedneſs between God and the Creature (and the like) then he ſhall be a veſſel of honour, and a veſſel meet for his Maſters uſe; Flee youthful luſts; but follow Righteouſneſs, Faith, Charity, Peace, &c. ſaith Paul to Timothy, 2 Tim. 2.22. when the heart is purged, cleanſed, and made ſound, it's a pure heart, and then it's fit for Gods uſe; and in Chap. 3. v. 8. It's ſaid of James and Jambres, that they were men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the Faith, they were not veſſels fit for Gods uſe: in the 1 Tit. laſt; They profeſs they know God, but in works they deny him; p. 47being abominable, and diſobedient, and unto every good work reprobate; when men profeſs they know God, but in works deny him, what are they? hypocrites, men that have but ſeeming grace, men that have ſick ſouls, and theſe are reprobate to every good work: there were in the Temple veſſels of Gold, veſſels of Silver, and veſſels of Braſs, & theſe were ſound and ſit for ſervice, Heb. 9.21. And all the Veſſels of the Miniſtry, if they were crack'd, if they were corrupt, they were not to be uſed in the Temple in the Lord's ſervice; if ruſty, if crack't, if corrupt any way they were to be lay'd aſide; but when they were Gold, and Silver, and Braſs, ſound and clean, then they were Veſſels of Miniſtry; ſo a man of a ſound heart, he is a Veſſel of Miniſtry, a Veſſel fit for the Lords uſe.

Secondly, a ſound heart is a precious heart; a corrupt heart, a deceitful heart, is baſe, it's worth nothing, Prov. 10.20. The tongue of the juſt is as choice Silver, the heart of the wicked is little worth; take a wicked man, and his heart is the principal part he hath; it's little worth, God doth not value or eſteem it at all; 'tis droſs, 'tis enmity to God, 'tis loathſome and abominable in the ſight of God; an unbelieving heart, a proud heart, a defiled heart, an hypocritical heart, a divided heart it's worth nothing; but the Tongue of the juſt is as choice Silver, what's his Heart then? that's like choice Gold; Prov. 12.26. The righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour; there's an excellency in a righteous man, an excellency in his words, an excellency in his tongue, an excellency in his heart: a Diamond that's crack'd is worth little or nothing, but if ſound it's worth much; ſo a ſound heart is of great eſteem with God.

p. 48Fourthly, A ſound heart doth diſcriminate you, and difference you from all others; it differences you from all hearts that are erroneous, that are divided, that are ſick, unſound, that are unhealthy, from all that are hypocritical, from all that are guilded over and have no ſubſtance in them: and ſoundneſs you know is a ſpecial thing; if the wine be corrupt, away with it, the Merchant cares not for it, people care not for drinking it; ſo ſound Corn, ſound Fruit, ſound meat & drink at your Tables, differences them from all others, ſo ſoundneſs in the heart doth difference a man or woman from all falſe hearted wretches, from all hypocrites, from all reprobates, from all that ſhall periſh.

Fifthly, 'Tis that which God himſelf doth take pleaſure and delight in: In Eccleſ. 7. it's ſaid that the Lord made man upright, no crookedneſs, no unſoundneſs in him, no rottenneſs in him; and in the 1 Gen. laſt, the Lord looked upon all his works, and loe they were good, very good; God took delight and content in beholding of them; ſo man was made upright, and God took pleaſure in him; and when man recovers his rectitude and ſoundneſs of heart again, then God takes pleaſure and delight in him; Prov. 11.20. Such as are upright in the way, are his delight: Thoſe that are ſincere, ſound at heart, and walk ſincerely and ſoundly in their Converſations are his delight: as if God had delight and pleaſure in nothing but a ſound heart; Enoch walked with God, and he was his delight; Noah, a perfect man and walk'd with God, he was his delight; Job, a perfect man, and he was Gods delight; dideſt thou ſee my Servant Job, ſaith God to the Devil: where there is a ſound and a perfect heart, that God delights in.

p. 49Sixthly, The excellency of ſuch a heart is, that it's a ſtedfaſt heart, a heart unmoveable, unſhakable, Pſal. 55.7. My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: David was a man after Gods own heart, he had a ſound heart, and his heart was fixed; nothing could ſhake, or move, or turn his heart another way, his heart was fixed, it was eſtabliſhed; a Godly man his heart is conſtant and perſeveres; Job, 17.9. The Righteous ſhall hold on his way; a righteous man is conſtant, he perſeveres, he holds on; why his heart is fixed, and nothing can remove the heart, and if they cannot remove the heart, they cannot remove the man; when the heart is faſt, the head will be faſt, the foot will he faſt, the whole man will ſtand faſt; Prov. 10.29. The way of the Lord is ſtrength to the upright; to the man that is ſound, the man that is perfect, the man that is compleat, to the man that is ſincere: Sound and upright, the very ſame Hebrew word is uſed for both, Now he grows ſtronger and ſtronger, ſo that here's his excellency, he is immoveable, he is fixed, he holds out to the end.

Seventhly, The excellency of a ſound heart is, that it hath a bleſſedneſs intail'd unto it; Pſal. 32.2. Bleſſed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whoſe Spirit there is no guile; if a mans heart be unſound there's guile in it, there's Hypocriſie in it, there are rotten principles in it; but Bleſſed is the man in whoſe Spirit there is no guile; when a mans heart is purged from guile, his heart is ſound, and he hath a bleſſedneſs entail'd upon it; Nathaniel, a man without guile, and Chriſt looks upon him, and ſaith he is a bleſſed and happy man; you know Hypocriſie hath a woe, p. 50woe to Scribes, Phariſees, Hypocrites; but ſincerity hath the bleſſing, ſoundneſs hath the bleſſing; bleſſed is the man in whoſe ſpirit there is no guile, bleſſed is the man whoſe heart is pure and free from ſin, there is a bleſſedneſs entail'd upon it; and thus you ſee wherein the excellency of a ſound heart lyes. Now to come to the uſe and application of the point.

I. Is ſoundneſs of heart a thing very deſirable? then in the firſt place take heed of all things may make your hearts unſound: Men and Women will take heed of any thing, will corrupt their Garments, will corrupt their Stomachs, will corrupt their Fleſh; you will not endure dirt in your Garments, why it will rot them; you will not endure poyſon in your broath, or wine, or meat, or bread, it will undo you: well, take heed of that then which may make your hearts unſound and rotten; take heed of carnal policy, take heed of errors that are abroad every where, erronious Doctrines and Opinions concerning God and Chriſt, and his natures, and death, and ſatisfaction; concerning the Scriptures, Ordinances, Sabbaths, take heed of theſe: An erroneous opinion may be the bane of your hearts, make it a ſick heart, and ſick unto death; if you can be careful for your Garments, for your meat and drink, for your Bodies, be careful for your Souls; Paul had a jealouſie for the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 11.2. I am jealous over you with a Godly jealouſie, and v. 3. I fear leaſt by any means as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his ſubtlety, ſo your minds ſhould be corrupted from the ſimplicity that is in Chriſt; you have itching ears, and you heap up Teachers according to your luſts, and p. 51the ſimplicity of the Goſpel is neglected; plain, honeſt and ſincere preaching to the Conſcience, which would do your ſouls good, you are weary of; many look for new and ſtrange things, Stories out of the Fathers, and Heathen Authors to pleaſe their itching ears; they look after learning and not after the Goſpel; but ſuch things will not ſave you, it's the Goſpel, and the ſimplicity of it will do your ſouls good; I am jealous of you ſaith Paul; So I am jealous over you leaſt you ſhould be led away by the deluſions of Satan, led away by this world, led away by the evils and errors of the times; well take heed of all may corrupt your minds, and make you unſound.

Secondly, Is a ſound mind ſo deſirable, then be adviſed, and take heed whom you do make your familiar friends, and converſe familiarly with all: If men have not ſound minds there's great danger, for their breath will be ſtinking, and they will infect you; if men breath out corrupt words, corrupt opinions, corrupt doctrines, corrupt principles, they will undo you; but as for them who are ſound hearted, make them your friends, 2 King. 10.15. Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart, ſaid Jehu to Jehonadab; yes, ſaith he, my heart is right, then he takes him up into the Chariot; So, queſtion whether mens hearts are ſound or no; if their hearts be ſound, then take them up into the Chariot of your hearts, otherwiſe no; a heart not right, will never be faithful, it's hard to find ſuch a man; who can find a man of a faithful heart, of ſound principles, of a healthy conſtitution, that is free from hyppocriſie, and ends, and reachings, and over-reachings? well, ſuch a one p. 52if thou canſt find him, make him thy familiar, make him thy friend; David makes Jonathan his friend, and ſuch thou mayeſt truſt who are ſound hearted; they dare not wrong the ſoundneſs of their hearts, but they labour to preſerve it, and in preſerving that, they preſerve friendſhip with thee.

Thirdly, Let us all examine what our hearts are, whether we have ſound hearts or no, whether our hearts be ſound in Gods Statutes yea or no; 'twas that David begged at the hand of God, 'twas that he knew was of great worth; 'tis that we ſhould all look after; well let us enquire, and for diſcovery hereof, I ſhall give you ſundry particulars.

Firſt, A ſound heart is very inquiſitive into the nature of perſons or things, what they are before it entertains them; a ſound heart will not be over credulous, but will try them; Try the Spirits ſaith John, a found heart will try the Spirits, Job 34.32. That which I ſee not, teach thou me: O Lord teach me, I am afraid leaſt I ſhould be deceived; O teach me, tell me the nature of this man, of this woman, of this and that opinion; Paul ſaith, Prove all things, hold faſt that which is good; prove them as Gold, bring them to the fire, to the light, to the hammer, and when you have tryed them, then hold faſt; you will not pocket up Braſs Money, but ſay away with it; ſo ſound hearted Chriſtians will try perſons and opinions, and will not give them entertainment in their hearts, unleſs they be ſound; to the Law and to the Teſtimonie, and if they ſpeak not according to this word, there is no light in them.

p. 53Secondly, A ſound heart doth find a great deal of ſweetneſs in the word of God, and digeſts it; it's like unto a healthy Stomach, a man that hath a healthy Stomach, he digeſts his meat, but a ſickly Stomach digeſts it not: Take a man now whoſe heart is ſound in Gods Statutes, he finds ſavour and ſweetneſs in Gods word, and doth reliſh and digeſt his word, and lives upon it; in Pſal. 19.10. ſaith David of the Statutes of the Lord, More are they to be deſired than Gold, yea, than much fine Gold; they are ſweeter than the Hony or the Hony Comb; how ſweet is Hony to you, and eſpecially when it drops from the Comb; ſaith David in Pſal. 119.103. How ſweet are thy words unto my taſt, yea, ſweeter than the Honey to my mouth: O Lord ſaith he, thy words they are ſweet words, they are ſweet to my mouth, they are ſweeter than Honey to my taſte; how ſweet are they? they are ſweeter than I can expreſs or conceive; how did he reliſh the truths of God? his meditation was in them night and day, And more do I eſteem them, ſaith Job, than my appointed food: The word of God is the food of the ſoul, and a man that hath a ſound heart, he muſt live upon the word, he cannot go a day and not read the word, nor meditate on the promiſes; that's a ſickly, if not a dead heart which doth ſo; but a ſound heart will be feeding upon ſound truths, reliſh and digeſt the ſame.

Thirdly, A heart that is ſound in the Statutes of God, doth look at the Statutes of God for themſelves, for their own ſakes; many you know do look at learning, they will learn at the Grammar School, and they will profit at the Univerſity; but they do not look at learning for learning, but p. 54for credit, and to get a living, and be ſome body in the world; this is baſe: So many look at the Statutes of God, but not for the Statutes ſake; but that they may be encreaſed in knowledge, and be ſav'd at laſt; but a ſound heart looks at Gods Statutes for themſelves, in Pſal. 119. I have choſen the way of truth; and v. 31. I have ſtuck unto thy Teſtimonies O God, and he ſaith, he doth prize them above thouſands of Gold and Silver, and above great ſpoils; and they are his Songs in the houſe of his Pilgrimage: why? he look'd at them for themſelves; O! Gods Statutes, they are ſuch precious truths, that let me have them, though I have nothing of the world: Some you know look at a Diamond, becauſe of the ſhining and ſparkling of it ſelf; not becauſe they ſhall Merchandize with it, and make themſelves rich: So that's ſound when a man looks at Gods divine truths, they are full of Glory, they are beams of Gods wiſdom, there's excellency in them, this argues ſoundneſs of heart; but many look at the truths of God as ſuitable to their humours, they have ſuch a luſt, and this will agree with their luſt; and ſo they will pick here and there, which argues unſoundneſs; as a ſickly Stomach will pick a bit here and there; but a ſound heart looks at Gods Statutes for themſelves, and that excellency and worth is in them.

Fourthly, A ſound heart labours to know the will of God, and ſeeing it to be the will of God, ſticks not at hard things, at reproachful things; let the things be never ſo hard, never ſo reproachful, it ſticks not at it: well, is this the will of God ſaith the ſound heart, I will embrace it: ſaith Chriſt, It is written in the volume of thy Book p. 55that I ſhould do thy will, and loe I come; but conſider what this will is, thou muſt be a ſervant, thou muſt be perſecuted into Egypt, thy life muſt be ſought among the little Children, thou muſt be accounted an enemy to Caeſar, a breaker of the Sabbath, thou muſt be reproach'd, and hanged upon a Croſs, and be Crucifyed between Thieves and Murderers, what wilt thou go now? I, it's written in the volume of thy Book, that I muſt do thy will, and loe I come, he ſticks not at any or all of theſe things; ſaith God to Abraham, Abraham, go and Sacrifice your onelyonly Son Iſaac unto me; O Lord might he ſay, this is a hard buſineſs; what, murder my Son? what will my Wife ſay? it will be her death; what will the Nations ſay? here was a bloody man to murther his Son, and ſo I may be put to death for it; I but it was the will of God, and ſo he ſtuck not at it.

Fifthly, a ſound heart may be known by this, that it is willing and ready to part with any thing for the Lords ſake; ſaith a ſound heart, what will this do me good, if I loſe my integrity, if I loſe my ſincerity, if I loſe now my fitneſs to do God ſervice by defiling my ſelf: what ſhall I get? you know the young man comes to Chriſt, and ſaith, Good Maſter what ſhall I do to inherit eternal life? ſaith he, keep the Commandements. Why all theſe things have I kept from my youth up; ſaith Chriſt, go and ſell all that thou haſt and give to the poor, and come and follow me, and thou ſhalt have treaſure in heaven. One would think, here had been promiſe enough for him, and treaſure enough for him; but he had rotten principles in him; he had the world in him, his heart was for the world, and p. 56the creature, and nothing of it for God. Simon Magus went further than this man did, he was a Profeſſor, and got into a Church Relation; he brings out his bags of Gold and Silver, and would give them to the Apoſtles, that he might have that power they had, to give the Holy Ghoſt; but ſaith Peter thy heart is not right, therefore pray if it be poſſible that the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee: But now a gracious heart indeed, will part with all; ſaith Paul, I account all leſs and dung, Phil. 3. All my priviledges, all my learning, all that ever I have I account it loſs and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt; and ſay the Diſciples, Maſter, we have left all to follow thee; and you know Galeatius left all for Chriſts ſake, and comes to Geneva that he might enjoy the Goſpel: And the Martyrs they left their lives; what dearer than a mans life? yet they were ready to let go their lives, rather then to let go their foundneſs.

Sixthly, A ſound heart is that which doth fill up all its relations, what relation ſoever it ſtands in towards God, towards man, towards the publick, towards its family; it will fill up its relations, Acts 24.16. ſaith Paul, herein do I exerciſe my ſelf, to have alwayes a Conſcience void of offence, towards God, and towards man; ſaith Paul, I ſtand in relation to God, and I do exerciſe my ſelf in this, that I may have my Conſcience cleer and free; I will do all my duties towards God that he calls for, otherwiſe I ſhall not have a Conſcience free; and towards men, in every relation I ſtand in towards men, I am careful to fill up thoſe relations. So that a ſound heart is wonderful cautious in doing any p. 57thing in any relation that may not fill up its relation; as Joſhua, Ch. 24.15. Let others do what they will, I and my houſe will ſerve the Lord: Others will ſerve their luſts, and ſerve the times, and ſerve men, and ſerve Devils; but I and my houſe will ſerve the Lord: I am Maſter of this Family, and I will ſee my Wife and Children, and Servants, and all under my roof, to ſerve the Lord; ſo ſaith God of Abraham, I know that he will inſtruct and teach his Family, Gen. 18.19. And ſo David, in Pſal. 101. I will walk in my houſe with a perfect heart, I will not ſuffer a wicked perſon to ſtay within my Family. No Drunkard, no Swearer, no Sabbath-Breaker, no prophane wretch ſhall ſtay in my Family: So that a ſound heart fills up its relations: ſome make no Conſcience at all of their places, they are unfaithful, they can hardly be truſted in any place they are in, but they have no ſound hearts; Husbands to Wives, Wives to Husbands, if not careful to pleaſe one another according to the word of God, their hearts are not ſound; if Children be not obedient to their Parents, Servants ſerving their Maſters, not with eye-ſervice, but with ſingleneſs of heart as unto the Lord, their hearts are not ſound; many will hear the word of God, and talk of good things, but care not for doing their duties in their places: how do they fill up their relations; but now, if you be ſound hearted you will fill up your relations you ſtand in.

Seventhly, a ſound heart can bear ſharp afflictions very quietly and meekly, a ſore Shoulder will bear no burthen, a Horſe with a gall'd back will winch, and kick, and fling; take a hand that p. 58the skin is off, and pour vinegar upon it, or lay Salt upon it, and how terrible is it? but if the hand be ſound it can bear it; if the Shoulder be ſound it can bear a burthen; if the Horſe be ſound, he can bear the Rider; ſo a ſound heart can bear any burthen; Moſes was a meek man, and he bore all the burthen; that was upon him: But now if the heart be not ſound, there's fretting, murmuring, and repining; when the heart is not ſound every little thing doth diſturb and diſquiet it but when its ſound, it's like Chriſt's heart, it can bear all burthens whatſoever.

Eighthly, A ſound heart is the ſame towards God in the darkeſt diſpenſations that can be, as it is to God in the ſweeteſt diſpenſations that may be: when God carries it moſt ſtrangely, and moſt enemy-like unto the ſoul, that ſoul is the ſame towards God ſtill, as it was towards God before in the moſt ſweet and pleaſing diſpenſations; ſaith Hab. in his 3. ch. Though the Fig-tree ſhould not bloſſem, neither ſhould fruit be in the Vine, the Labour of the Olive ſhould fail, the fields ſhould yield no meat, the flock ſhall be cut off from the ſoul, and there ſhall be no heard in the Stall; yet will I rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my Salvation: Though there be ſo great a famine as there is nothing left without or within, yet will I rejoyce in God; a man uſes to rejoyce in God when he hath abundance of the creature; but ſaith Hab. Though none of all theſe be, and there be nothing but famine, and I am ready to periſh, yet will I rejoyce in the Lord, his heart was ſound, and he was the ſame towards God in one diſpenſation as in another; So Job in the 13. ch. 15. v. Though he p. 59ſlay me, yet will I truſt in him: I truſted him when I had all things abounding about me, and I will truſt in him when all things are taken from me; a ſound heart is the ſame at all times; Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his Servant, which walketh in darkneſs and hath no light? Let him truſt in the name of the Lord, and ſtay himſelf upon his God: A ſound heart will truſt in God in Winter, as well as in Summer; in a Dark night, as well as in a Sun ſhine day; in Phil. 4. I have learned, ſaith Paul, in whatever eſtate I am, therewith to be content; I can want, and I can abound; God hath made my heart ſound, and I can rejoyce in all conditions: The Cananitiſh woman, Chriſt calls her Dog, here was a dark diſpenſation, but ſhe calls him Lord: Lord the Dogs eat the Crumbs that fall from their Maſters Table: So that if your hearts be ſound in the Statutes, and in the things of God, your hearts will be the ſame towards God in adverſity as in proſperity, in ſickneſs as in health, in poverty as in glory and honour.

Ninthly, a ſound heart will never turn aſide from God, or out of his way, upon any pretence, perſwaſion, or advantage whatſoever; but keeps on in Gods way, in the Kings road, in the way of holineſs, in the way of truth, in the way of righteouſneſs; it keeps on in this way, and will not be warp'd or turned aſide; it's ſaid in 1 K. 15.5. That David did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord, and turned not aſide from any thing that he commanded him all the dayes of his life, ſave onelyonly in the matter of Uriah the Hittie … through ſome violent temptations David turned p. 60aſide once; but now here was the integrity and ſoundneſs of his heart, that he did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord, and turned not aſide from the things that he commanded him all the dayes of his life; ſo that a ſound heart will not turn aſide; 'tis not flattery, 'tis not fear, 'tis not advantage will make him do it; but God is God, Truth is Truth; as Chriſt hated iniquity and loved righteouſneſs, ſo doth a ſound heart; this is the way of God, and I will go this way ſaith a ſound heart; in the 11. Acts, they cleave to God with purpoſe of heart; the Apoſtle would not take money to give unto Simon Magus the gift of the Holy Ghoſt; and a ſound heart it will not be brib'd, it will not be couzened, it will not turn to the left hand or to the right hand, but goes right forward to the end of the way.

Tenthly, A ſound heart hath a ſpiritual confidence and boldneſs in it, and can come unto the Lord in another manner than an unſound and corrupt heart can; I ſay it hath a ſpiritual boldneſs and conſidence in it, Heb. 10.19.22. having therefore Brethren boldneſs to enter into the holyeſt by the blood of Jeſus; how comes any to have a ſpiritual boldneſs? he muſt have his heart ſound if he have any boldneſs in him; if his heart be guilty, if his heart be corrupt and rotten, there can be no boldneſs nor confidence; but being ſound, a man hath boldneſs to enter into the holieſt by the blood of Jeſus. A man that hath intereſt in the blood of Jeſus, hath a ſound heart, and v. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full aſſurance of Faith, having our hearts ſprinkled from an evil Conſcience; here's that makes the heart good, and makes the p. 61heart bold; when the heart is ſprinkled with the blood of Chriſt, the Conſcience is made ſound and good: and being thus, now let us draw near with a true heart, in full aſſurance; ſuch a heart as is ſound, may come with aſſurance and confidence unto God, and beg of God what he ſtands in need of: this is the nature of a ſound heart.

11. A ſound heart depends upon God alone for all ſpiritual mercies, in 1 Cor. 1. ſaith the Apoſtle, But of him are ye in Chriſt Jeſus; that is, of God are we in Chriſt Jeſus; God hath drawn you to Chriſt, and ſtated you in Chriſt; ſo that of him are ye in Chriſt Jeſus, who of God is made unto us Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, Sanctification, and Redemption; who of God is made unto us. Thoſe that are in Chriſt Jeſus have ſoundneſs of heart, they have the very heart and mind of Chriſt: now ſaith he, who of God is made unto us, Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, Sanctification and Redemption: That ſoul depends upon God for Wiſdome from Chriſt, for Sanctification from Chriſt, for Righteouſneſs from Chriſt; for Redemption from Chriſt, it doth not depend upon its own Acts, its own Experiences, its own Graces, its own Comforts; it doth not depend upon the Law, it doth not depend upon the Goſpel, but upon God through Chriſt; ſo that a ſound heart ſees through all unto God, who is the root and fountain, and fetches all from thence; it takes up all from God, from God through a Covenant of Grace, from God through Chriſt; ſo that as it is in Iſa. 45.24. Verily ſhall one ſay, in the Lord have I righteouſneſs and ſtrength; I have it not from an Ordinance, I have it not in my ſelf, but from God through Chriſt, from God through an Ordinance, ſaith p. 62David, my ſoul wait thou onelyonly upon the Lord, for from him cometh thine expectation.

12. Laſtly, for diſcovery of a ſound heart; a ſound heart is that conforms to Gods word, not to the world, in Rom. 12. beginning; be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds, that ye may prove what is that good, that acceptable, and perfect will of God. When a man is transformed by the renewing of his mind, he is a ſound minded, a ſound hearted man; but till then he is a corrupt hearted man: Now if you be ſound hearted, you will not conform to the world; but to the word, which is the will of God revealed; That good, that acceptable, that perfect will of God you will conform to; ſaith Paul in 6. Gal. 14. I am Crucified to the world; he now conforms to the good and acceptable will of God; for God would have us to look at Chriſt Crucified, and to dye to ſin through the death of Chriſt, and Paul looks at Chriſt Crucified, and is dead to the world, and the world was dead to him, he would not conform to the world; a ſound heart conforms not to the world, worldly worſhip, worldly cuſtomes, worldly faſhions, worldly manners, but conforms to the word, therefore look to it; for few ſound hearted there are, ſo many conform to the world, and ſo few to the word; but a ſound heart will conform to ſound Doctrine, the ſound word, and not to the world that lyes in wickedneſs: and thus you ſee ſeveral diſcoveries of a ſound heart.

Uſe 4. The fourth Uſe is of conſolation, of comfort to all thoſe that find they have ſound hearts; have you ſound hearts? hearts well principled p. 63with divine truth? have you hearts undivided and carried wholly to God? have you hearts that are healthy and ſound? have you hearts that have truth of grace in them? hearts without hypocriſie and guile? hearts ſet for God, to do his will? you are then fit for Gods uſe and ſervice, you are then like to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, you are precious in the ſight of God, you are dear unto him, you have a bleſſedneſs then upon you; I, you are differenced, from all hypocrites, and ſuch as ſhall periſh; you are thoſe that ſhall hold out to the end, you will be the honour and glory of the Goſpel, you will be the honour and glory of the Miniſtry, 1 Theſſ. 3.8. For now we live if ye ſtand faſt in the Lord: O you Theſſalonians we live if you ſtand faſt; if you be ſound hearted, you will ſtand faſt, you will continue to the end, and this will be our life; I, it will be your honour, and your Crown and Glory, if you ſtand faſt; So that here's comfort, and great comfort to thoſe are ſound hearted.

Ʋſe 5. The fifth and laſt uſe of this point is to exhort men and women to labour to get ſoundneſs of heart, ſound minds, ſound ſpirits; ſee to it; for 'tis of concernment, that you have ſound hearts; Lord, ſaith David, let my heart be ſound in thy Statutes, O Lord let me have a heart ſound in thy Statutes, though I have no Kingdom, though I have no Army, though I have no outward Comforts; yet let me have a ſound heart.

I ſhall here firſt ſhew you how you may get a ſound heart. Secondly, how you may keep a ſound heart. Thirdly, ſome motives to preſs you on to it.

Firſt, how to come to have a ſound heart.

p. 64Firſt, If you would have ſoundneſs of heart, then labour to cleanſe out of your hearts all that may corrupt your hearts, or make your hearts unſound; you know a Garment, if it have Dirt in it, Moths in it, wet in it, it will corrupt the Garment; therefore you will take a courſe to get out the Moths, and to dry it, and to beat out the duſt, that ſo your Garments may be ſound; if there be worms in the timber, it will rot and conſume the timber; If there be ill humors in the body, you muſt out with them, or they will deſtroy the body; ſo if you would have ſound hearts, you muſt cleanſe out all that is of a corrupting nature; there are two things that make a corrupt heart principally. Firſt, Erroneous opinions and principles. Secondly, Mens luſts. Now as for errors, they are call'd the errors of the wicked; wicked men take in wicked errors, wicked opinions, corrupt opinions, and theſe make corrupt minds corrupt conſciences, corrupt hearts, and corrupt men and women: and ſo luſts, they are deceitful luſts; defiling luſts, Ephe. 4.22. That ye put off concerning the former Converſation, the old man which is corrupt according to deceitful luſts: if you have a luſt of envy, envy is rottenneſs to the bones, if a luſt of pride, uncleanneſs, of covetouſneſs, &c. you muſt put them off, you muſt cleanſe your ſelves from them, you muſt waſh and ſcower your hearts; ſo that if you would have ſound hearts, away with corrupt opinions, away with deceitful and corrupt luſts.

Secondly, if you would have ſound hearts, then labour to get ſound truths into them, 2. Tim. 1.13. Hold faſt the form of ſound words which thou haſt learned of me: Timothy, I have taught thee wholſom p. 65and ſound Doctrine, I have Preached unto thee the Goſpel of Chriſt, I have given thee Rules and Laws whereby to direct thee; hold faſt the pattern or form of ſound words, or of wholſom words; there are corrupt words which are not ſound; there are corrupting words, and ſuch words do a great deal of hurt, as in the 2 Ch. 17. v. and their words do eat as doth a Canker, &c. Theſe are corrupting words; gangreening words, words that eat out ſoundneſs, when men come with ſuch opinions, as there's no Chriſt, no God, no Heaven, no Hell; and theſe Scriptures are not the word of God; Oh what Gangreening words are theſe; therefore hold faſt the pattern of wholſom words, get ſound words into your hearts, and they will make your hearts found: Solomon tells you of ſound wiſdom, Prov. 3.21. keep ſound wiſdom and diſcretion, there is an unſound wiſdom, the wiſdome of the world, the wiſdom of the fleſh: The word for ſound wiſdom, is foreign which notes eſſence; the Law of God is ſubſtance, it is eſſence; get the truths of God into your hearts, and theſe will be eſſence, ſoundneſs and ſubſtance unto you: thy Law is within my heart ſaith David, and the Law was written in Chriſts heart, and they had ſoundneſs of heart; ſo that the way to have found hearts, is to get ſound truths into your hearts.

Thirdly, if you would have ſound hearts, be much in examination of your hearts. Many go from week to week, and year to year, and never examine what hearts they have; but you ſhould examine your hearts frequently, daily, and the more the better; you will look to your houſes, p. 66that they be wind tite and weather tite, you will look to your Ships whether they leak or no, and will you not look to your hearts, whether they be wind tite or weather tite? whether any wind of Doctrine have got into them? whether any corrupt luſts do ſtir in them? examine and ſay, what's my heart? is it ſound in the Faith? hath it ſound principles? is it healthy? is it undivided? hath it true grace? is it free from hypocriſie? if you examine your hearts, you will mind them and know what's in them; the Scripture puts you upon it, you have examples and Commands, 2 Cor. 13.5. Examine your ſelves whether you be in the faith or no, prove your own ſelves; try whether you be Gold or Silver, true Gold or counterfeit Gold; prove your ſelves, know ye not your own ſelves how that Jeſus Chriſt is in you, unleſs you be Reprobates; what, will you leave it at randome whether you be Reprobates or no? when a man comes to try himſelf, and finds he is ſick, mortally wounded, or hath a pluriſie, &c. he wil ſeek for remedy; ſo if you would take pains this way, you would come to ſoundneſs of heart quickly; in Pſal. 77.6. I commune with mine own heart, and my Spirit made diligent ſearch. Commune with your own hearts, let your Spirits make diligent ſearch if there be no worms, no weeds, no ill principles there, and that's the way to come to ſoundneſs of heart, therefore be much in examination.

4. If you would have ſoundneſs of heart, then be ſure not to bring your own ſence to the Scriptures, but learn to know the ſence of Scripture, and take up Scripture ſence; many have unſound hearts becauſe they put ſences upon the truths of God, p. 67which they never will bear: You erre ſaid Chriſt to the Sadduces, not knowing the Scriptures; therefore bring not your ſences to the Scriptures, but take the Scripture ſence, and lay by your own; and that you may have that, compare ſpiritual things with ſpiritual, as Paul ſaith, 1 Cor. 2.13. we compare one Scripture with another, and ſee whether it will hold currant; for one Scripture may be dark, yet another may be light, and ſo the Scripture may go hand in hand: therefore if you would have ſound hearts, take the ſence of God in Scripture, his mind in his word, and not the opinions of men of corrupt minds, or of your own fancies.

Fifthly, Would you have ſoundneſs of heart? then be willing to hearken to reproof, that's a thing that few can bear, but it ſhews they have unſound hearts; reproof is call'd, a reproof of life; and you ſhall find it's the way to have ſoundneſs of heart to hearken to reproof; for every man is ſubject to erre and may ſtep aſide; now reproof is a healing Medicine, and doth much good, Prov. 5.12. ſaith he, how have I hated Inſtruction, and my heart deſpiſed reproof; my heart deſpiſed reproof, and therefore I have had an unſound heart that hath gone out after women, and ſpent eſtate and ſtrength, and contracted guilt, the wrath and diſpleaſure of God, and what was the ground of it? why, I deſpiſed reproof; now look into the 15. ch. 31. v. The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wiſe; why, art thou dead, and haſt a rotten and unſound heart? a reproof is the reproof of life; and when life comes, ſoundneſs comes; now if thy ear hearken to the reproof of p. 68life, thou abideſt among the wiſe, and v. 32. he that refuſeth Inſtruction, deſpiſeth his own ſoul; but he that heareth reproof, getteth underſtanding: So that to hearken to reproof, reproof of Parents, reproof of Maſters, reproof of Miniſters, he that hearkens to theſe gets underſtanding, they prove the reproofs of life; and ſee in 1 Tit. 13. This witneſs is true, wherefore rebuke them ſharply, that they may be ſound in the faith; ſharp rebukes make ſoundneſs in the faith, this is out of practice in our dayes, were it more in practice, that one friend would deal impartially with another in a wiſe and humble way, this would make ſound hearts every where.

Sixthly, Laſtly, to get a ſound heart go unto God, who hath the hearts of all in his hand, and can turn them and change them as he pleaſe, and make them ſound though they be never ſo corrupt and rotten; Prov. 2.7. He layeth up ſound wiſdom for the Righteous; Parents lay up ſound wealth for their Children, and God layeth up ſound wiſdom for his, and Prov. 8.14. Counſel is mine, and ſound wiſdom; there's none hath true Counſel, and ſound wiſdom to give but God, wiſdom that hath eſſence and ſubſtance in it; therefore go to the Lord, and intreat him to give you of this ſound wiſdom. And you muſt go to him in good earneſt, go and cry to him for it; Prov. 2. If thou cryeſt after knowledge, and lifteſt up thy voice for underſtanding; if thou ſeekeſt her as Silver, and ſearcheſt for her as for hid Treaſures: Then ſhalt thou underſtand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. If you will cry for her, and uſe means to get ſound wiſdom, God will give it, for he hath lay'd it up on purpoſe for you; p. 69you are directed and ſhewed the way to get it: therefore cry to God, and put forth your utmoſt ſtrength and power to get ſound wiſdom, that you may have ſoundneſs of heart, and deſire God to give you his holy ſpirit, and that will make your hearts ſound indeed; for ſaith the Apoſtle, God hath not given us the Spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a ſound mind; Gods ſpirit is a ſpirit of truth, a ſpirit of wiſdom, a ſpirit of a ſound mind; and will make you have a ſound mind whenſoever it comes into you.

The ſecond thing is to know how to preſerve a ſound mind when you have gotten it.

Firſt, have nothing to do with thoſe that are unſound, neither unſound men, nor unſound books; have nothing to do with them; do you think ever to preſerve your ſelves in a ſound healthy condition if you will run where the Plague, the Pox, and the Leproſie are? 'tis impoſſible you ſhould; but if you will preſerve health, you will keep from theſe; ſo if you would preſerve your hearts ſound, have nothing to do with unſound men, or unſound books; Tit. 3.10. A man that is an Heretick after the firſt and ſecond admonition reject: have nothing to do with him, but to admoniſh him, and tell him of his corrupt opinions, and after the firſt and ſecond admonition reject him; his Hereſie may ſpread, his words may be a Gangrene and may eat up the ſoundneſs of thy heart, if thou wilt have to do with him; and ſo in the ſecond Epiſtle of John, Look to your ſelves, that we loſe not thoſe things which we have wrought; but that we receive a full reward, for whoſoever tranſgreſſeth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Chriſt, hath not God; p. 70he that abideth in the Doctrine of Chriſt, he hath both the Father and the Son; If there come any unto you, and bring not this Doctrine, receive him not into your houſe, neither bid him God ſpeed. If any one come unto you, and bring not the Doctrine of Chriſt, the Doctrine of Chriſt in the true ſence of Chriſt; but with their own fancies, ſences, gloſſes, and corrupt mixtures, receive him not into your houſe, and what will you receive him into your hearts? bid him not God ſpeed, but bid him be gone like a Deceiver, an Impoſter, a Jugler, an Enemy to God and Chriſt: and in Rom. 16.17. ſaith the Apoſtle, I beſeech you Brethren, mark them which cauſe diviſione and offences, contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them: If men come with Doctrines and opinions, contrary to the Doctrine you have received, foreign, which is foreign, 1. Tim. 6.3.1 Tim 6:3or beſides it, ſo is the Greek, and make diviſions and diſſentions, in Churches, in Families; avoid them, have nothing to do with them.

Secondly, if you would preſerve your hearts ſound, then take pains about your hearts to keep down all luſts that are ſtirring; for unleſs you keep under your luſts, you will never keep ſound hearts; you muſt do by your hearts as by your Gardens, would you have a neat garden? you are oft digging, oft cutting down the weeds; ſo you muſt do with your hearts; when any luſts ariſes you muſt be ſure to keep them under; do as by your Sh…ps, if there be a leak, you fall a pumping preſently: There are many that have an itching deſire or humour after ſome novelty, ſome new no…ions and opinion; and when they hear of a man p. 71hath ſome new doctrine, new notions, or new opinion, they muſt hear him; but mortifie this luſt, this humour, and then you ſhall live, live ſound in the faith, and dye comfortably, dye in the Faith, dye in the Lord; but if you will not, you are in hazard of miſcarrying ſoul and body to all Eternity: Therefore ſaith Solomon, keep thy heart with all diligence. Suffer not any luſt to get in; ſuffer not any truth to ſtart out; therefore keep your hearts with all diligence.

Thirdly, Would you preſerve your hearts ſound, then be much converſant in the word of God: that which makes a ſound heart, preſerves a ſound heart; the form or pattern of wholſom words is the word of God; ſo your minding and meditating on the word of God, & keeping to the word of God, will keep your hearts ſound, Pſal. 119. O how I love thy Law! it is my meditation all the day: I love thy Law for it ſelf, I love thy Law for its purity, I love thy Law for its ſoundneſs, and for the ſoundneſs it works in my heart; I love thy Law, and it is my meditation all the day, and all the night too, Pſal. 1.2. and Pſ. 119.104. Through thy precepts I get underſtanding, therefore I hate every falſe way: If there be a falſe way without, I hate that; if there be a falſe way within, I hate that; ſo that if you would have a ſound heart, meditate much upon the word of God; his words are wholſom words, and make the heart ſounder and ſounder every day.

Fourthly, if you would have your hearts ſound, then whatſoever the ſickneſs or diſeaſe be, put forth frequent acts of faith upon Chriſt Crucified; about Chriſt and his Death, Chriſt and his blood, p. 72Chriſt and his merits, Chriſt ſuffering for ſin and Sinners: the more faith is acted upon Chriſt Crucified, the more ſound will be your hearts, for the blood and death of Chriſt are of a cleanſing virtue, a ſin-killing virtue, a ſoul-healing virtue, and will make your hearts gracious and ſound indeed, 1 John 1.7. The blood of Chriſt cleanſeth us from all ſin: if we do believe in him, his blood cleanſes from all ſin, cleanſeth from all the guilt of ſin, and purges the dead works out of your Conſciences; it cleanſes from the power of ſin, and there will be a death upon your Corruptions: O look upon him whom you have pierced ſo often with your ſin, and put forth acts of faith, and you will find virtue from Chriſt, and will dye to ſin, and live to God.

Fifthly, If you would be ſound hearted men and women, and not led away with errors, nor with the evils of the times, then have God conſtantly in your eye; God is preſent every where, he is in you all, through you all, and over you all: And did you ſee God, and ſet God before you, and acknowledge Gods preſence and eye upon you, you would not meddle with weeds, you would not meddle with errors, you would not give way to luſts, Pſ. 16. ſaith David, I have ſet God at my right hand and therefore I ſhall not fall, I have ſet God alwayes before me, I look upon God, and I ſee God looking upon me, God is at my right hand, I can do nothing but what God would have me do, therefore I ſhall not be moved; the Corruptions of my heart ſhall not move me to go this way or that way; but I will keep them under, and not ſuffer them to riſe and p. 73appear in the ſight of God: did men and women more mind God, the preſence and authority of God over them, they would not be led away, nor entertain nor practice corrupt things, but they would approve themſelves to God, and then the heart is ſound when it is approv'd to God.

Sixthly, Laſtly, if you would keep your hearts ſound, regard oft your latter end, remember Death, remember Account, remember Judgment; ſaith the Lord, O that they were wiſe, that they underſtood this, that they would remember their latter end; they go out to other Gods, and falſe worſhip, and they practice baſe things, violence and blood is among them, but what's the reaſon of it? they are not wiſe, they dont underſtand this, they do not remember their latter end, that they muſt dye, that they muſt give account, that they muſt be judged and diſpoſed of to all Eternity. Did they remember this, they would never leave me nor my wayes, nor be ſeduced, therefore if you would keep your hearts ſound, remember your latter end; you muſt dye, you muſt give account to God, and be judged to all Eternity.

Now ſome Arguments, or motives, why men and women ſhould keep their hearts ſound.

Firſt, you ſhould do this, becauſe there's an hour of Temptation coming upon you; Rev. 3 10. Becauſe thou haſt kept the word of my patience, I alſo will keep thee from the hour of Temptation, which ſhall come upon all the world to try them: there is an hour of Temptation that muſt come upon the whole world to try them; what will become of you now if you have unſound hearts, when the time of p. 74Temptation comes: if you be ſtubble you will burn, if you be rotten you will be thrown by, if you be unſound, wo be to you; there is an hour a coming, and an hour of Temptation, and it will try men and women to the quick; well, if God will come and try you, then get ſound hearts, and keep ſound hearts; for there will be ſuch an hour e're long: Nay is there not ſuch an hour at this time, God is ſifting and trying the Nation by wayes and means that ſeem beſt in his wiſdom, to diſcover Men what they are: and it may come upon you and your Families very ſuddainly, a fiery Tryal may come upon you.

Secondly, We ſhould do it, becauſe there are very few men ad women in the world have ſound hearts; In Sodom there was one Lot had a ſound heart; but what had all the reſt? in the old world there was one Noah found favour and grace in the eyes of God, and had a ſound heart, he was ſound in the faith, and ſound hearted towards God and his worſhip; 'tis very rare and hard to find a ſound hearted man, a faithful man, ſaith Solomon who can find? one of a thouſand; he found but one man of a thouſand, and in Phil. 2. All ſeek their own and none ſeek the things of Chriſt: It's very rare, very hard to find out a ſound hearted man.

Thirdly, Conſider, that an unſound heart is very grievous and burthenſom; like a ſore leg or a ſore arm, O how burthenſom and grievous is it? but what if a broken leg or arm, that's more burthenſom; if you have unſound hearts, you will be full of guilt and full of fears, and this will be a burthen unto you, and a great burthen unto you to have guilt and fears upon your ſpirits, they may p. 75ſink you; ſee what the wiſe man ſaith, in Pro. 14.30. A ſound heart is the life of the fleſh, but envy the rottenneſs of the bones. A ſound heart is the life of the fleſh; if a man be ſound hearted, he will be lively and chearful; but if he be unſound hearted, he will be like a dead man; envy is the rottenneſs of the bones; every ſin tends to it: if a man have an unſound heart, he will have many luſts and ſins, and every one will be rottenneſs to his bones; Nabal, his heart was as a ſtone within him, the righteous is bold as a Lyon; he is full of courage and mettle; but a wicked man, he that hath an unſound heart, he flyes when none purſues him: his heart is his torment, his heart is his hell, it will be a burthen unto him.

Fourthly, A man ſhould labour to keep his heart ſound, otherwiſe he can never love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt in truth; an unſound hearted man, will love ſomewhat elſe more than Chriſt; but Eph. 6. laſt, grace be with all them that love our Lord Jeſus Chriſt in ſincerity; a man of an unſound heart, cannot love Chriſt in ſincerity, for ſincerity is one part of a ſound heart: if therefore you would love the Lord Jeſus in ſincerity, in truth, get ſoundneſs of heart, and keep your hearts ſound: let not your hearts be divided; let not your hearts be Hypocritical; they are unſound hearts, but let your hearts be ſincere, and then you will love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt in ſincerity; but if you do not, what ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 16.22. If any man love not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, let him be Anathema, Maranatha: If any man love not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that is, if he love him not in ſincerity, for if he ſeem to love him, and it be otherwiſe, ſo p. 76much the worſe, he will have Anathema and Maran…ha with advantage; if you have an unſound heart you cannot love Chriſt ſincerely; but now if you would have this teſtimony that you love the Lord Jeſus in ſincerity, get ſoundneſs of heart, keep ſoundneſs of heart.

Fifthly, you ſhould do this, becauſe the Lord himſelf is coming to Judgment, James 5.9. grudge not one againſt another Brethren, leaſt ye be condemned, behold the Judge ſtandeth before the door: The Judge is very near, he is knocking at your door, he is coming to Judge you, and it will not be long but you muſt be Judged, and the Lord (I ſay) ſtands at the door, therefore look to it that your hearts be ſound: what will become of you if the Lord find you Hypocrites, if the Lord find you unſound hearted men and women, if he find your hearts are divided between him and the world; that they are ſick with luſts, that you are under the dominion of ſin, that you have but ſeeming grace and not real grace, what will become of you? the Judge is at the door, and you may go this night for ought you know: Thou fool this night ſhall thy ſoul be taken from thee: look to it that your hearts be ſound, for God will ſearch you to the quick, he will diſcover men and women what they are to the full, and open every ſecret.

Sixthly, Laſtly, labour for ſoundneſs of heart upon the account of the Text, Let my heart be ſound in thy Statutes, that I be not aſhamed: you will be aſhamed one day if your hearts be not ſound: And ſo I come to the laſt point; and that is,

p. 77Obſ. 4. That thoſe that have not ſoundneſs of hearts, ſooner or later will be made aſhamed. In Prov. 26.26. whoſe hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedneſs ſhall be ſhewed before the whole Congregation; when men do cover up their wickedneſs and have unſound hearts, they hate their Neighbor and give them ſweet words and the like; but they hate them in their hearts: and the man whoſe hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedneſs ſhall be diſcovered before the whole Congregation: Laodicea was luke-warm, and had a rotten heart, and did not God ſay, I will ſpew thee out of my mouth? Judas had a rotten heart, and was he not diſcovered and aſhamed? Judas the Traytor: and the Scripture is full of ſuch inſtances every where, there is no need to ſtick upon it.

Now for the word Shame. (not to trouble you with many things) There be three things make a man aſhamed; all which will be found in an unſound heart.

Firſt, when a man ſhall be found that which others did not think him to be, and he thought not himſelf to be: as when a man is prov'd a Bankrupt; others thought him to be a man of credit and wealth, and it may be he did not think himſelf to be one; but when he comes to be prov'd to be one, he is diſcovered to be that he was not; ſo in Rev. 2. Thou haſt tryed them, and found them Lyars; they ſaid they were Apoſtles, but they were found by the Church to be no Apoſtles, but Lyars, and now they were aſhamed: ſo they that ſaid they were Jews and were not; but he's a Jew that is one inwardly, and not outwardly only, unſound hearted men will be found that which p. 78they are not in their own apprehenſion, and in the judgments of others; now this will bring ſhame, when men ſhall be found that which they are not at preſent; and which they were not in the judgment of others.

Secondly, that which brings ſhame is diſappointment: when men are diſappointed of their expectations, Jer. 14. And their Nobles ſent their little ones to the waters, they came to the pits and found no water, they returned with their veſſels empty, they were aſhamed, and confounded, and covered their heads. So that diſappointment cauſes ſhame, as in Iſa. 20.5. They ſhall be afraid and aſhamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their Glory; So that when men are diſappointed of their expectations, then they are aſhamed; now unfound hearted men they will be diſappointed of their expectations; they look for Comfort, Peace, Heaven, happineſs and Glory, but they ſhall be diſappointed, the five fooliſh Virgins, they thought to go in to Heaven, but they were diſappointed of their expectation, and ſo greatly aſhamed.

Thirdly, When great evils not look'd for come upon men and women, then they are aſhamed; 2 Sam. 10.5. The men were greatly aſhamed; there were Ambaſſadors ſent to Hanan, and he cuts off half their Beards, and half their Garments, and here was evil come upon them they look'd not for, and they were greatly aſhamed; ſo men that are unſound will have evils come upon them that they look'd not for; God will bring evil upon them that they look'd not for, evil upon their States, and evil upon their Names, and evils upon their Bodies and Souls, and this will make them aſhamed.

p. 79Now this ſhame frequently is in this Life, but alwayes at the day of Judgment.

In this life, how are men aſham'd? what a multitude of men in theſe dayes are diſcovered to be unſound hearted, full of rotten principles, Errors, Hereſies, and ſinful complyances? and this is their ſhame: what a multitude have divided hearts between God and Mammon? what a multitude are diſcovered to have but ſeeming grace, and no truth of grace in them? what a multitude of Hypocrites have we in the world, that have pretended fair and high, and yet now their Hypocriſie appears? they have left the ſweet Grapes of Canaan, for the ſtinking Garlick of Egypt, what a multitude have we whoſe hearts are not ſet to practice what they hear? theſe are all unſound hearted, and theſe are diſcovered, and more and more ſhall be diſcovered daily. But at laſt when the Goats ſhall be ſet at the left hand, and the Sheep at the right hand, and Chriſt ſhall ſay go ye Hereticks, go ye erroneous perſons, go you Apoſtates, go you prophane wretches, go you Perſecutors begon to hell, to the Devil and his Angels; now they ſhall be aſhamed and confounded for ever; So that God he hath his time ſooner or later to diſcover unſound hearted men and women.

Now that that I ſhall do here, ſhall be firſt to ſhew you who are like to prove unſound and corrupt hearted men and women. Secondly, to give you ſome Directions, or Arguments to prevent unſoundneſs of heart, ſhame and confuſion.

Firſt, who are like to prove rotten and unſound at the heart.

p. 80Firſt, thoſe who do receive truth into impure hearts, into divided hearts; truth is holy, truth is pure, and truth never dwells or abides long but in a pure heart; tis true, truth doth ſojourn ſometimes in a corrupt heart; Lot he ſojourns in Sedom a little while; Chriſt lay a while in the manger, but he ſtaid not there long: and ſo mens corrupt wills thruſt out truth out of the heart, it will not let it ſtay long unleſs the heart be pure and holy, 1 Tim. 3.9. holding the myſterie of the faith in a pure Conſcience: That is, holding the Doctrine of the Goſpel, and a pure Conſcience; unleſs mens hearts and Conſciences be pure, they will never hold the myſterie; they may have ſome part of the myſterie conveyed unto them, which may viſit them a little while, but their hearts and Conſciences cannot hold the fame, and then ſuch men and women will prove unfound at the latter end.

Secondly, They are like to prove unſound who do take upon them the profeſſion of Religion and Godlineſs, and do much, and go far, but not for right ends; many have their ends why they will profeſs Religion, why they will have a form of Godlineſs, and why they will do this and that; they have their ends why they will get into Church-fellowſhip; ſome will profeſs Religion and go far for credit, eſteem, and reſpect; when Religion is in faſhion, in credit and eſteem, they will be religious; ſo Scribes and Phariſes ſought honour of men; and ſo we have thoſe ſeek honour and credit of men, and becauſe of that they will enter upon Religion, but they will not be ſound; ſome do it for preferment and advantage; ſome p. 81again for livelyhood they are poor, mean and low in the world, and have heavy preſſures that way, and therefore they will get into a Church that they may be maintained, and ſo live by the ſweat of others, and think the Church is bound to maintain them and theirs; ſuch men as theſe will prove unſound at the laſt; but have you no better ends to move you then theſe to be Religious, and to look unto Gods Statutes? Let my heart be ſound in thy Statutes; the Glory of God muſt be your end, the good of Souls muſt be your end, the good of your own foul, and all other ends muſt be lay'd by; now if men have not ſuch ends as theſe, they will prove rotten at laſt, and will be diſcovered to their ſhame.

Thirdly, Thoſe are like to prove unſound at laſt and be aſhamed, who have not ſeriouſly conſidered what it may coſt them to profeſs the Goſpel, to be Chriſtians, to enter into Church ſtate, and are not reſolved to buy the Pearl, though it be at the deareſt rate, they will prove unſound; it may coſt you ſomething to be Chriſtians; ſo in Luke 14.26. and ſo forward; If any man come to me, ſaith Chriſt, and hate not his Father, and Mother, and Wife, and Children, and Brethren, and Siſters, yea, and his own life; Mark, he cannot be my Diſciple; and whoſoever doth not bear his Croſs and come after me, cannot be my Diſciple; for which of you intending to build a Tower, ſitteth not down firſt and counteth the coſt, whether he hath ſufficient to finiſh it; leaſt haply after he hath lay'd the Foundation, and is not able to finiſh it; all that behold him, begin to mock him; ſaying, this man began to build, and was not able to finiſh, &c. if a man have not ſeriouſly conſidered p. 82what it may coſt him to build up Chriſtianity, to build up his Soul, he will faint and not finiſh; why? it may coſt him the hatred of Father and Mother, of Wife and Children, of Brethren and Siſters, yea loſs of life, it may coſt him all theſe; if he have not conſidered this, and caſt up what it may coſt him, this man will never finiſh; but give over, and give back when it comes to the tryal, therefore in v. 53. its ſaid, So likewiſe whoſoever he be of you, that forſaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my Diſciple. If a man do not ſit down and ſeriouſly weigh, it may coſt me all that I have: the Jews would not forſake the honour of the people, Joh. 5. How can ye believe that ſeek honour one of another? it may coſt you a right hand, a right eye, it may coſt you all your wiſdom and all your parts, 1 Cor. 3. Let him that thinketh himſelf wiſe, become a fool that he may be wiſe; Chriſt tells you in Math. 13. of the good Merchant: The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Merchant-man ſeeking goodly Pearls, who when he had found one Pearl of great price, went and ſold all that he had, and bought it: he conſidered what a Pearl this was, a goodly Pearl, a rich Pearl, not ſuch a Pearl again in the world; well, is it ſuch a Pearl? I will part with all that I have for it: Now if men and women do not caſt aforehand what it may coſt them to be Chriſtians, a thouſand to one but they will let go Chriſt; the Gadarens let him go for their Swine, Judas let him go for thirty pieces of Silver: Buy the truth, and ſell it not: buy it whatſoever it coſt; when hard things come, and men have not conſidered how they are like to part with their livelyhoods, liberties and lives, they will bid farewel to Chriſt, p. 83and farewel to the Goſpel, and farewel to Profeſſion: and thus many have done in our dayes, and in former times: Such are like to prove unſound.

Fourthly, They are like to prove unſound who do not mind the love of the truth, as well as truth it ſelf, and receive the love of the truth, 2. Theſſ. 2.9.10. ſaith the Apoſtle there, becauſe they received not the love of the truth, that they might be ſaved. There are three things in every truth very conſiderable: there's the notion; there's the loving of truth, or love of truth; and there's the power. The notion reſpects the head, and that every man may have. The love reſpects the affections, and that few have. The Power reſpects the whole man, head, heart, and all, and that onelyonly the Godly have: Now though men receive the notion of truth, (as the Devils may, and ſo wicked men) yet they may have unſound hearts; and if you have not the love, you will never have the power; and unleſs you have the love and the power, your hearts will be rotten and unſound for ever: Therefore ſee what's ſaid here; And for this cauſe God ſhall ſend them ſtrong Deluſions that they ſhould believe a lye, that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleaſure in unrighteouſneſs.

Fifthly, That man or woman which doth receive truth, and withhold truth in unrighteouſneſs; ſo that he doth not glorifie the God of truth, nor walk anſwerable unto truth, that man will be found unſound at the laſt, he will be diſcovered and made aſhamed: many receive truth, and then they impriſon it, as they did John; they ſhut him up in Priſon; and ſo many have truth but they Impriſon it; and if it makes a buſtle in their p. 84hearts, they put a gag into the mouth of truth, that it ſhall not ſpeak any further, Rom. 1.21, 26. Becauſe that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful: When they knew God; they had notions and truths, and received the knowledge of God; They did not glorifie God as God, but impriſoned thoſe truths; therefore, For this Cauſe God gave them up to vile affections; God left them now to the corruption of their own hearts; they were unſound, and were aſhamed and confounded at laſt: Therefore if truth comes in from a God of truth, and you do not glorifie that God of truth, nor walk anſwerable to the truth, fear unſoundneſs there: it's ſaid in Luke, that he that knew his Maſters will, and prepared not himſelf, neither did according to his will, ſhall be beaten with many ſtripes; if thou knoweſt thy Lord and Maſters will, he hath reveal'd his mind unto thee, and now thou doeſt not walk anſwerable to that, thou haſt an ill heart, thou haſt a corrupt Spirit, and thou ſhalt be made aſhamed; yea, thou ſhalt be beaten, and that with many ſtripes: do not many know they ſhould not prophane the Lords day, and yet will do it; they will be Drunk, Whore, Game, idle it abroad in the Fields; theſe men ſhall be beaten with many ſtripes. Many know they ſhould not wrong their Neighbors, nor oppreſs the poor, and grind the faces of them, but they will do it, theſe men are ill Servants, and the Lord will appear one day, and diſcover them, and beat them, …nd grind them to powder; ſo that whereſoever truth comes and is impriſoned, and the God of truth is not glorified, nor men walk anſwerable, p. 85there's rottenneſs of heart, and men will be aſhamed at the laſt.

Sixthly, Thoſe who are forward to cenſure and judge others when themſelves are guilty either of the ſame ſins, or of ſins equivalent and proportionable for their nature to the ſins of others, that they condemn, this argues unſoundneſs of heart, and will prove a ſhame unto thoſe perſons at the laſt; in Math. 7. Judge not that ye be not, Judged, for with what Judgment ye Judge ye ſhall be Judged, and with what meaſure ye meet, it ſhall be meaſured to you again, and why beholdeſt thou the mote that is in thy Brothers eye, but conſidereſt not the beam that is in thine own eye? haſt thou no beam? no mote? thou ſhouldeſt caſt out that; but now when a man hath a beam in his own eye, and ſees a mote in anothers, that's evil: Or how wilt thou ſay to thy Brother, let me pull out the moat out of thine eye, and behold a beam is in thine own eye? Thou Hypocrite, mark here's unſoundneſs, art thou a greater ſinner and condemneſt leſſer ſinners? Thou Hypocrite; and woe to Scribes and to Hypocrites! in Rom. 2. beginning; Therefore thou art inexcuſeable, O man, whoſoever thou art that Judgeſt: For wherein thou Judgeſt another, thou condemneſt thy ſelf; for thou that Judgeſt doeſt the ſame things; But we are ſure that the Judgment of God is according to truth, againſt them that commit ſuch things: thou judgeſt and condemneſt another, and yet doeſt the ſame things; what if I condemn another for breaking Covenant with men, when I break Covenant with God my ſelf, am not I a greater ſinner? I do the ſame things, and the Judgment of God is according to truth, and God will Judge; take heed then of cenſuring p. 86others, of Judging and Condemning others leaſt you condemn your ſelves; you declare the rottenneſs of your hearts, and you will be found rotten at laſt.

Seventhly, If men profeſs Religion, and be zealous towards God, and yet be without mercy, and without Juſtice; theſe men will be found unſound and rotten, and be aſhamed at laſt: There are many in theſe dayes are zealous, and will hear the word, and that's to be commended; but withall, let them not reſt in the duties of the firſt Table, but let them do the duties of the ſecond: In James 1. ſaith the Apoſtle there, If any man among you ſeemeth to be Religious, and bridleth not his Tongue, he deceiveth his own heart, and this mans Religion is in vain; pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to viſit the Fatherleſs and Widdows in their diſtreſs, and to keep himſelf-unſpotted in the world. To ſhew mercy, here's Religion; if I ſeem Religious and not be merciful, merciful to the afflicted, to the Widdow, to the Orphan, to the Poor, to the Priſoner, my Religion is all vain: a dead Religion is like a dead Faith; and ſo for acts of Juſtice, 1 Joh. 3.10. In this the Children of God are manifeſted, and the Children of the Devil, whoſoever doth not righteouſneſs, is not of God. Who is he of then? he is of the Devil; 'tis not talking of Righteouſneſs, but doing Righteouſneſs, unleſs men and women will keep their promiſes, unleſs they will pay their Debts, unleſs they will pay their Servants wages, unleſs they will pay their Rents, unleſs they will pay what's borrowed, unleſs they will reſtore what they have defrauded; what Religion is here? Heathens will deal juſtly p. 87and Righteouſly: And therefore thoſe that ſay they are Chriſtians, and not Righteous, they are of the Devil, and not of God.

Eighthly, They have unſound hearts, and will be aſhamed, who take up Religion upon wrong grounds (I told you before upon baſe ends) and a multitude of people take up Religion upon wrong grounds; ſome take up Religion upon a State account, the countenance of a State; the State doth countenance Religion, and make Laws for Religion, and the like, and upon this account they take up Religion; thus was it in King Edward's dayes; when he came, then many turned Proteſtants, who were Papiſts before; but when Queen Mary came in, and there was another face of things, then they turned Papiſts again: and in Queen Elizabeth's dayes, then they turned Proteſtants again: And thus many in theſe dayes, becauſe there is a ſtate Religion and Worſhip, they deſert their former principles and profeſſions and fall in with what is preſent; ſuch men are unſound, and will be diſcovered one day to their ſhame: Many from the Cuſtomes of the places where they live, it's the Cuſtom of the Town, or of the place, it's the Cuſtom of the great ones to hear the word on the Lords day, or to Pray, and Read, and the like; and ſo upon this account they will become Religious; others upon the account of their forefathers, oru forefathers did ſo and ſo, and therefore they will do ſo; others upon the account of education, but theſe are unſound grounds, and at one time or other ſuch men and women will be diſcovered to be rotten-hearted, and will be made aſhamed of their Religion; p. 88and therefore men and women ſhould look to the ground; Is it the command of God? and becauſe you find it's written in the book of God? Is it out of love to God, and glorifying of God, and ſaving of your Souls according to the will of God? unleſs it be thus, all your grounds are falſe and vain.

Ninthly, They are like to prove unſound, and to be aſhamed who have their hearts ſoaked in the things of the world; who are ſtrongly carried out to them, and are taken up with theſe outward things, they are like to be aſhamed at one time or other; it's ſaid in James 4.4. Ye Adulterers and Adultereſſes, know ye not that the friendſhip of the world is enmity to God? whoſoever therefore will be a friend of the world is an enemy to God; tell me now whether any Adultereſſes, or Adulterers have a ſound heart; all thoſe that are friends to the world, and have their affections carried to the world, are they not enimies to God? are they not Adulterers? Men that are lovers of the pleaſures, proſits, honours and faſhions of this world, are unſound hearted, and will be diſcovered at one time or other, 1 Joh. 2.15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him: and if that be not in him he is an unſound hearted man, and will be diſcovered one day to be ſo: Demas, he profeſſes Chriſtianity, he goes along with Paul, but becauſe the world was in his heart, he leaves Paul, and embraces the world; and Dorotheus an Eccleſiaſt cal Writer, he tells us that he went to Theſſalonica, and there he turned an idolatrous Prieſt: Paul tells you plain enough, in the p. 891 Tim. 6.9, 10, They that will be rich; ſome men and women are reſolved to be rich: they will be rich in ſpight of all, they know it's but riſing early, and lying down late, and uſing their wits and their hands; But they that will be rich, fall into Temptations and a ſnare, and into many fooliſh and burtful luſts, which drown men in deſtruction and perdition; for the love of money is the root of all evil: is this heart ſound now? is that heart ſound that hath the root of all evil in it? look to it, thoſe that have their hearts ſoak'd in the world, and carried out to the things of the world, they are rotten; and ſo they will be diſcovered to be, one day to their ſhame t… therefore David ſaith, incline not my heart to covetouſneſs; O let not my heart go out to the world, leaſt I be aſhamed.

Tenthly, Their hearts are unſound who have a ſecret diſlike of the wayes and things of God, and the ſtrictneſs of Religion: many men though they will not openly and outwardly ſpeak againſt the wayes of God, againſt ſtrictneſs and holineſs, exact and circumſpect walking; yet they have a ſecret diſlike of them, a ſecret ſlighting of them, and they do not approve of them, and think men may be too ſtrict; ſuch men their hearts are unſound, and they will be diſcovered one day; ſaith he in Mal. 3. ye have ſaid it is in vain to ſerve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hoſts? They had ſlight thoughts of the wayes of God, and they were rotten and unſound (but there were others ſpake otherwiſe, & they were Gods Jewels) & they would not joyn with the wayes of God, but rather did withdraw p. 90from them, Heb. 10.25. Not forſaking the aſſembling of our ſelves, together as the manner of ſome is; we need not be ſo ſtrict, nor ſo oft in prayer, and hearing, and in ſpeaking of the things and wayes of God; the Commandements of God are grievous to them, 1 Joh. 5.3. when Gods Commandements are grievous to a mans heart or ſpirit, it's a ſign he hath a ſick heart, a ſore heart, a corrupt rotten heart; when the Commands of God that would make them ſound, are grievous to them: Many care not for examining their own ſouls, when as the Scripture ſaith, prove your ſelves, examine your ſelves, know ye not your own ſelves that Chriſt is in you except ye be Reprobates, walk circumſpectly, redeeming the time; ſuch men have unſound hearts, and one day they will be diſcovered to their ſhame.

11. Thoſe that can walk up and down in the world, without having their thoughts carried unto God, that can go all the day long and never think of God, or Heaven, or Eternity, or Chriſt; theſe men have unſound hearts, in Prov. 23.17. ſaith the wiſe man there, Let not thy heart envy ſinners, but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long: A man ſhould have God in his thoughts all the day long, and ſhould be fearing God from morning to evening, and ſanctifie God in his heart, and make him his dread and his fear: whereſoever he goes, a man ſhould be afraid to diſpleaſe God, in any place, in any Company, at any time; but now when a man goes up and down all the day long, and never thinks of God, nor fears God, this man is rotten at the heart, he hath an unſound heart, for he cares not for God, nor for his Company; p. 91depart from us, ſay they in Job, we care not for thy company: So though this man ſaith it not with his Tongue, yet he ſaith it with his heart; The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to depart from the ſnares of death: how can you depart from the ſnares of death, when you are not in the fear of God? Some fear God in time of Thunder, or in a common Plague; but to live in the fear of God all the day, all their lives, they know not what it means; theſe have unſound hearts and will be aſhamed.

12. Whoſoever doth preſume upon the merits of Chriſt, and the mercies of God, and walk looſely, they are unſound hearted, and ſhall one day be aſhamed; 'tis a common thing in theſe dayes for Chriſtians to preſume upon Chriſt's merits, why did not Chriſt dye for ſinners? is not God merciful? yes, but muſt you walk looſely now? Chriſt did not dye for ſinners that they might go and ſin, neither is God merciful to encourage you to ſin; but you will find Chriſt a Stone to grind you to powder, and Gods mercy to be fury and vengeance to you that do ſo; in Rom. 8.1. There is therefore now, no Condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, which walk not after the fleſh, (mark) but after the Spirit: If men do preſume upon Chriſts merits, and Gods mercies, and ſay they have a part in God and Chriſt, they muſt not walk after the fleſh; but if you walk looſely, you walk after the fleſh; what, Drink, Swear, Whore, Lye, Cheat, Rail, Slander, Backbite, Defraud, and Couzen in Bargaining and Selling? you walk after the fleſh, you have no intereſt in Chriſts merits, there's condemnation and nothing p. 92but condemnation to you; and mark what's ſaid in 1 Joh. 2.6. If any man ſay he abides in him, that is, in Chriſt, he muſt walk as he walked: what doſt thou ſay thou art a Chriſtian, thou haſt a part in the merits of Chriſt; and in the free grace and mercy of God? then muſt thou walk even as Chriſt walked in the world; what's thy walking? is it ſo? is it becoming the Goſpel? is it no otherwiſe than what Chriſt himſelf would do? then thou mayeſt have comfort; but if it be otherwiſe, deceive not thy ſelf, thou haſt an unſound heart, and thou wilt one day be aſhamed.

13. They are unſound hearted who do account themſelves rich, ſtrong, wiſe, knowing, and full, thoſe that are conceited of their own worth, of their own excellency, of their own ability; and as they have unſound hearts, ſo they will be diſcovered one day for rotten hearted men and women. It is incident to you all to have too high thoughts of your ſelves. Paul tells you in Gal. 6.2. If a man thinks himſelf ſome body when he is nothing, he deceives himſelf; why ſhould the Apoſtle lay down this Rule, but that it was the practice of the Chriſtians then? theſe Galatians thought themſelves wiſer than Paul, they muſt have another Goſpel, they muſt go another way to Heaven, we will not be tyed to theſe wayes; they thought themſelves ſome bodies, when they were nothing, and ſo deceived their own ſouls; O fooliſh Galatians! they were fools indeed: And the Church of Laodicea is a pregnant inſtance for you all to take notice of; ſhe ſaid ſhe was rich, full, and wanted nothing; here was a Church had Priviledges, Ordinances, Enjoyments, Apoſtolical p. 93men in her; yet what ſaith Chriſt? thou art blind, thou art naked, thou art poor, thou art miſerable, thou wanteſt all things; was not her ſhame diſcovered? that Chriſtian that is conceited of himſelf, his Parts, Gifts, Graces, Comforts, Priviledges, Enjoyments, or Relations, whatſoever they be, that Chriſtian is an unſound man, and his ſhame will appear one day.

14. Thoſe Chriſtians that do things in their own name, and in their own ſtrength, they are unſound, and they will be diſcovered, and their ſhame will be thrown in their faces in due time 2 where almoſt is there a Chriſtian, but doth all in his own name, and in his own ſtrength? I can do this and that ſaith one, I can do ſo and ſo, what canſt thou do poor creature? Chriſt tells thee, without me ye can do nothing, nothing to purpoſe, nothing to pleaſe God, nothing to afford you comfort or peace, nothing to further your ſalvation without Chriſt; the Apoſtle tells you, We are not ſufficient; I Paul am not ſufficient to think a good thought; well, ſee the Rule, Col. 3.17. Whatſoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jeſus; don't do it in your own name, you are unſound, if you do; your principles are not right, your knowledge is not right and ſound; but whatſoever ye do, do all in the name of Chriſt: what Chriſtians, and do any thing in any name but in the name of Chriſt? you are baſe Chriſtians, and you ſhould do all in the ſtrength of Chriſt, 2 Tim. 2.1. My Son, he ſpeaks to Timothy an Evangeliſt, a man full of grace and of the ſpirit; My Son be thou ſtrong through the grace that is in Chriſt; ſaith David, I will go forth in the p. 94name and ſtrength of the Lord, and make mention of his righteouſneſs, and of his onelyonly; and in Iſa. 44.25. Verily ſhall one ſay, in the Lord have I righteouſneſs and ſtrength; what made Peter fall but this, that he went out in his own ſtrength; I will dye e're I will deny thee? O poor Peter, he did then preſently deny him, once, twice, he denyed him with execrations.

15. Men prove unſound and are aſhamed that do either joyn any thing of their own to Chriſt, or fetch their comforts any where elſe then from Chriſt; moſt men and women joyn ſomething of their own with Chriſt; I will do what I can, and I hope Chriſt will do the reſt: Alas poor creature, doſt thou joyn thy ſelf with Chriſt, and make thy works and thy ſufferings equal to Chriſts, and give them the honour that Chriſt muſt have? thou art undone, Chriſt muſt ſave alone, or he will not ſave at all; Chriſt doth all alone without thee, he looks for nothing from thee, Rom. 9.32. wherefore, becauſe they ſought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the Law; we read ſaith the Jews, and we Pray, and we offer Sacrifice, and we burn Incenſe, we keep Sabbaths, Solemn Feaſts, and new Moons; and what muſt we not bring in our own Righteouſneſs with Chriſts? muſt all this be lay'd by; they would have it as it were by the works of the Law; and Ch. 10.3. they being ignorant of Gods righteouſneſs, they did not know that Chriſt's righteouſneſs alone muſt do it, and Chriſts obedience, and Chriſt's ſufferings muſt do it; but going about to eſtabliſh their own righteouſneſs; they have not ſubmitted themſelves to the righteouſneſs of God; and ſo they were unſound p. 95hearted, and undid themſelves; for when men or women bring any thing to Chriſt, they undo themſelves; you muſt come without money to Chriſt, without righteouſneſs, without your duties, without your own actions and the good of them; for what's all your goodneſs but as a morning cloud? therefore whoſoever will bring ought to Chriſt is unſound and will be aſhamed: and ſo are you if you fetch your comfort from any but Chriſt; there are many poor Chriſtians which are ſhaken very much, & are empty of all is good in their own eyes, yet they will fetch their Comfort from elſewhere than from Chriſt; they will fetch their comfort from the promiſes, from God immediately, or from the Ordinances, or the Miniſter, or ſome good Chriſtian, or Godly friend; but know that if you fetch your comfort any where but from Chriſt, it will never hold; is not Chriſt the conſolation of Iſrael? God hath given Chriſt to ſend the Comforter, and you muſt have your comfort in Chriſt; for all the promiſes of God in Chriſt are yea, and in him, Amen; the promiſes are made firſt to Chriſt, and you muſt take up the promiſe in Chriſt, and draw the comfort out of the promiſe through Chriſt, and you muſt go to God through Chriſt; what comfort to you from God out of Chriſt? it's nothing but diſcomfort; if we will take up comfort any way but by Chriſt, we go the wrong way to work, and undo our ſelves, and ſhall be aſhamed at laſt.

16. They are like to prove unſound, who do go on in a tract of duty, in a form of Godlineſs, and get nothing thereby; when men do not get, and gain, and grow by the Ordinances of God, p. 96it's a ſign their hearts are corrupt, they are unſound; do not many ſit under Ordinances year after year, and yet no luſts mortifyed, ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth; no luſt is mortified, no luſt ſubdued, no change made in their heads and hearts, no zeal be got in them, no encreaſe of faith, no more love to God, &c. theſe men now are unſound and will be aſhamed at laſt; the Jews were long under the means of grace, and yet they gain'd nothing; the Scribes and Phariſes had a form of Godlineſs, and I am not like this Publican, but no whit the better; now when it is ſo, it's a dangerous ſymptom, having a form of Godlineſs, but without power; yet many Families and Chriſtians have a form of Godlineſs; but no power at all.

17. Again, 'tis a dangerous ſymptom of an unfound heart, when as we are under troubles, ſhakings, convictions and terrors of Conſcience, and we look more at eaſe and comfort than we do at foundneſs: many when they are ſhaken and convinced of ſin, and ſee that they are loſt and undone creatures, they muſt have eaſe, comfort, and relief preſently; they muſt have Oyl, they muſt have Wine; it's a thouſand to one if this ſoul ever proves right; for if thy conviction be right, and God intend thee rich mercy to eternity; Thou wilt look after ſoundneſs and healing of thy ſoul, rather than eaſe and comfort. Heal my ſoul (ſaith David) for I have ſinned againſt thee, Create in me a clean heart, and renew in me a right Spirit, O God; let me be made clean, let me be made ſound and no matter for comfort, that will come in time if the cure be right; if therefore we look at eaſe, p. 97comfort and refreſhing, and look not at healing, we are not right; and there's no healing virtue but in Chriſt, the Lord Jeſus he is the Son of righteouſneſs that comes with healing in his wings; come Lord and heal my ſoul, come Lord and purge my conſcience, come and take away theſe luſts and corruptions, come and take away my enmity to God and to his wayes, the ſoul goes thus to God, that ſoul is ſound indeed.

18. That ſoul which loves any thing more than the Lord Chriſt himſelf, and God himſelf, cannot have a teſtimony of its foundneſs, but may be aſſured it is corrupt and rotten, unleſs we do love God and Chriſt ſuperlatively above all things in the world, yea, our ſelves, we are not ſound; Math. 12.30. Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy ſoul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy ſtrength; mark, here be four alls, and God muſt have all in every one; thou muſt love the Lord thy God with thy heart, and with all thy heart; it muſt not be a divided heart; it muſt be with all thy ſoul, the ſoul is larger than the heart; and with all thy mind, the mind runs here and there, and imagins ſtrange things; God muſt have all thy mind, all thy affections, and all thy underſtanding; and with all thy ſtrength; is there ſtrength in thy mind, in thy ſoul, in thy heart, in thy body, in thy hand, in thine eye? God muſt have thy ſtrength: Love the Lord thy God will all thy ſtrength, but if we love any thing more than God, where are we then? 2 Tim. 3. Lovers of pleaſure more than Lovers of God; men will ſpend night and day in Feaſting, in Drinking, in Gaming, in Rioting, one way or other, p. 98what are theſe now but corrupt men, unſound men, rotten hearted men, men that will be aſhamed one day? ſo then as Chriſt ſaith to Peter; Let me ſay to you, Peter, Loveſt thou me more then theſe? why Lord thou knoweſt, thou knouweſt I love thee more; ſo do you love God and Chriſt more than the world and things of it? can you ſay, Lord thou knoweſt I love thee more than them? Do you love Chriſt and God more than Wives and Children; he that don't hate Father and Mother, Wife and Children, in reſpect of God and Chriſt, is not worthy of God and Chriſt, though God don't require you to hate them, but when they come in competition; do you love God and Chriſt more than your luſts, or eſtate, or limbs or lives, they loved not their lives unto the death in the 12 Rev. if you love God and Chriſt more than theſe, happy are you; you are ſound hearted in truth, then God will ſay, here's a man or woman that loves me with all their heart, with all their ſoul, with all their mind, with all their ſtrength, and I will love them, and do for them anſwerably; Thus you may ſee there are a great many who think themſelves ſound hearted, who are like to prove unſound at the laſt, and ſo will be aſhamed. Now to the uſes of the point.

Firſt, here we are informed that men of unſound hearts ſhall not alwayes lye hid: They may cover up their unſoundneſs and keep it from the eyes of men a while, but not alwayes. They may do by their hearts, as by their bodies; many have unſound limbs, they have untoward diſeaſes, and they cover them up, and hide them from the world, but at laſt they come to be known, and to p. 99be diſcovered; Job tells you what the Lord will do in his 12 Chapter. Time diſcovers ſome; ſee what the times have done in our dayes, it hath diſcovered many, the rottenneſs of their hearts and principles: Afflictions are diſcovering things and diſcover ſome; when afflictions come, then unſound ones are diſcovered; when perſecution and temptation come, then the ſtony ground was diſcovered; Death diſcovers ſome, then they ſee their hearts and hopes are rotten, and that they have been deceived; and God will diſcover all; Job 12.21.22. he poureth Contempt upon Princes, and weakneth the ſtrength of the mighty; he diſcovereth deep things out of darkneſs, and bringeth forth to light the ſhaddow of death; there's deep rottenneſs lyes in darkneſs, in mens hearts, they have corrupt principles, they have divided hearts, they have baſe luſts, they are Hypocrites, they pretend one thing and intend another; men have the world in their hearts, hell in their hearts, blood in their hearts, revenge in their hearts, and all baſeneſs in their hearts, and yet have a form of Religion, God will diſcover them, and they ſhall not alwayes lye hid.

2. If unſound hearts ſhall at one time or other be made known, then don't envy men of unſound hearts, whatſoever their outward happineſs be; ſome are very envious when they ſee men to have great eſtates, honours, and great attendance upon them, and that their paths are buttered, and their feet dip'd in Oyl, they are troubled at it; but if they be men of unſound principles, that have a divided heart, men that have a form of Godlineſs and not the power, men that are rotten and p. 100do not walk with God in the world; do not envy them; what if a man have rich cloaths upon his body when he hath a rotten body; many have the Plague or the Pox, and what if they go in Silks, Sattins, & Velvets? do not envy them: what if a man have a bountiful body, & yet have ulcerated lungs? what if a man have Dives fare, Dives apparel, and Dives heart within? don't envy him: Their unſoundneſs will be diſcovered, and then you will ſay, you would not be in their condition for all the world.

3. If unſound hearted men and women ſhall be diſcovered, then let unſound hearted men expect their portion, look for ſhame; haſt thou an unſound heart? is thy heart divided between Heaven and Earth? art thou a man that haſt a ſick ſoul through luſt and ſin? haſt thou ſeeming graces, and not real graces? art thou an Hypocrite? doſt thou profeſs and not practice? look for thy portion; ſhame will be thy portion; time is coming thou wilt be found what thou art not: thou appeareſt a Saint, thou wilt be found an Hypocrite; thou appeareſt a Chriſtian, thou wilt be found to be an Enemy to Chriſt and God, thou wilt be found to be reprobate Silver; in Jer. 6. Reprobate Silver ſhall men call them, becauſe the Lord hath rejected them: you Jews, of all the Nations in the world, you went for Silver, you had the Oracles, the Prophets, the Services, the Temple, and the worſhip of God, but ſaith the Lord, I have found you reprobate Silver; I have found you to be droſs, and I have reprobated you; and you are reprobate Silver; and ſo in Ezek. 22.18. Son of man, the houſe of Iſrael is to me become droſs, all they are Braſs, and Tin, and Iron, and Lead in the middeſt of the Furnace, p. 101they are even the droſs of Silver, the houſe of Iſrael is become droſs unto me, I look'd they ſhould have been ſound hearted, but they are droſs, Iron, Tin, Lead, and Braſs; O that the houſe of Iſrael ſhould be droſs! is not the houſe of England ſo? and the people of this place ſo? if the Lord ſhould ſearch you, what ſoundneſs, what ſincerity is in you? what new creatures are you? are you regenerate? have you Chriſt in you, as well as the name of Chriſt upon you? I am afraid leaſt you ſhould prove Droſs, Tin, Braſs, Lead, and the droſs of Silver; even reprobate Silver: let all them that are unſound hearted look for their portion, even ſhame; you will be diſappointed of your expectations, you will meet with that you did not look for; ſee what the Lord ſaith of thoſe are right, in Luke 21. When theſe things begin to come to paſs, lift up your heads and rejoyce, for your Redemption draweth nigh; when terrors come, and when the world ſhall be even in a confuſion, and in a flame, then do you lift up your heads, you ſhall not be aſhamed; but all that are unſound hearted, will hang down their heads, and cry to mountains, O cover us, and fall upon us, becauſe of the wrath of the Lamb, O he is come and will diſcover us; Chriſt knows the heart and the reins, and ſearches them, as in Rev. 3. and will render to every man according to what he finds; are you rotten? you ſhall be aſhamed, and I will render to you according to what you are, but I will ſay to the ſheep that are ſound, come ye bleſſed; and I will ſay to others, go ye curſed, Math. 25. The wiſe Virgins they come, and they are called to come to enter to take the Kingdom; but the fooliſh Virgins p. 102are ſhut out; go ye curſed into everlaſting fire: they met with that they look'd not for; here's the condition of unſound hearted men and women; oh how ſad then is the condition of unſound hearted men?

4. Look to your hearts, look to your ſpirits, that you be ſound hearted, and ſo may not be aſhamed.

What ſhall we do? I have told you before how to get ſoundneſs of heart, and how to keep it, and preſs'd it with arguments; I ſhall add a little.

Firſt, if you would neither be unſound hearted, nor aſhamed at any time; labour to get God to be your Father, and to be in Gods houſe and in Gods way, Iſa. 54. And all thy Children ſhall be taught of the Lord, and great ſhall be the peace of thy Children: if God be your Father, and you be his Children, he will teach you, and he will teach you that which ſhall make your hearts ſound. All thy Children, whoſe Children? the Children of Sion; the Church is Gods houſe, all that get into Sion are in Gods houſe, are in Gods way, they ſhall be taught of God, and great ſhall be their peace; ſuch a Mother, and ſuch a Father, will Inſtill good Doctrine into you, make you ſound hearted, and train you up in the nurture of the Lord, and in Iſa. 48.17. Thus ſaith the Lord, the holy one of Iſrael, I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, and leadeth thee in the way that thou ſhouldeſt go; but now if it be not ſo, you muſt wander, you ſhall go in by wayes, you will have an unſound heart, and periſh for ever.

Secondly, if you would have hearts neither unſound, nor ſuch as ſhall make you aſhamed at the p. 103laſt day, keep your hearts humble and low in the ſight of God, be whoſe heart is lifted up in him, is not right, as Habbak. 2.4. his ſoul is not ſound; keep your hearts humble and low through the ſenſe of your own emptyneſs, nothingneſs, guilt, wretched deſerving, the account you muſt give to God, & danger of miſcarriage, and in the 25 Pſal. ſaith David, The meek will he guide in Judgment, and the meek will he teach his way; God loves humble, and low, and meek ſpirits; and v. 12. What man is he that feareth the Lord? him ſhall he teach in the way that he ſhall chooſe. No man fears God that is proud, and lifted up; no man that is humble and meek, but fears God, and God will teach that man, and keep him, that he ſhall never be aſhamed.

Thirdly, If you would not have unſound hearts, nor be aſhamed, then let me intreat you to receive the whole word of God into your hearts; receive the whole truth, and with love, and as the truth of God.

Firſt, receive the whole truth, for if you be partial, and will receive ſome truth and not all, you ſhew your hearts to be unſound, and you will be aſhamed, Pſal. 119.6. Then ſhall I not be aſhamed when I have reſpect unto all thy Commandements: what if David ſhould have reſpect to all but one? he would be aſhamed and confounded, if he ſhould not have reſpect unto all; he that breaks one Command, ſaith James, is guilty of all.

Secondly, receive all with love, and unleſs you do ſo, all is nothing; receive the truths of God becauſe they are holy truths, becauſe they have the ſtamp of God upon them, becauſe they will bring you to God and Glory.

p. 104Thirdly, receive them as the truths of God, 1 Theſſ. 2.13. For this cauſe alſo thank we God without ceaſing, becauſe when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of Men: Mark, many ſay the word of the Apoſtles and Miniſters is the word of men, and they will not receive it nor hear it; but mark, you received it as it is in truth the word of God, which effectually worketh in you that believe. The word is the word of God, let them ſay what they will, and it works, and works effectually in them that receive it ſo: Therefore receive the whole word, receive it with love, receive it as the word of God and not as the word of men.

Fourthly, Laſtly, if you would be neither unſound hearted, nor aſhamed in time of affliction, in an hour of Death, in the day of Judgment; make the Lord Jeſus Chriſt your friend: whoſoever hath Chriſt for a friend ſhall never be aſhamed; but if Chriſt be not your friend, let whoſe will plead for you, you will be aſhamed, you muſt be confounded, 1 Joh. 2.1. If any man ſin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jeſus Chriſt the Righteous; it is as if the Apoſtle had ſaid we do know Chriſt, and we have union with Chriſt, and intereſt in Chriſt, and Chriſt is our Friend, and our Advocate, and he will plead our cauſe; though Devils accuſe, and Conſcience accuſe, yet Chriſt will keep us from ſhame; ſee then that you get the Lord Chriſt to be your friend; how is that? how? give up your ſelves wholly to him: Let your underſtandings conceive of his worth and excellency, that he hath all fullneſs in him, that he is the Mediator, that he p. 105is the Prince of life, that he is the great reconciler of man to God the father, and that Chriſt invites men to come to himſelf, in Iſa. 55. Hoe every one that thirſteth, (it's Chriſts invitation) Come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat, yea, come, buy wine and milk, without money and without price: put forth an act of Faith in me, cloſe with me; chooſe me for your Husband, for your Portion, for your Righteouſneſs, for your ſatisfaction; chooſe me for your Advocate and ſurety; chooſe me to be your friend, ſaith Chriſt, and ſuch a friend is worth the having, Joh. 15.15. Henceforth I call you not Servants, for the Servant knoweth not what his Lord doth, but I have called you friends: If you chooſe Chriſt to be your friend, he will own you, and call you friends; therefore receive all that Chriſt hath given out, I have told you all that I have heard of my Father: Therefore whatſoever Chriſt hath made known from the father to you, receive it, embrace it, obey it, practice it; teſtifie love and friendſhip to Chriſt, and then he will teſtifie love and friendſhip to you; but if you will not do this, in Luk. 9.26. Whoſoever ſhall be aſhamed of me, and of my word, of him ſhall the Son of man be aſhamed, when he ſhall come in his own Glory, and in his Fathers, and of the holy Angels. And then confuſion ſhall be upon you to all Eternity.

The Lord teach you all to mind theſe things, and to remember the Text, and make uſe of that, and pray it over once a day at leaſt to the Lord, Lord let my heart be found in thy Statutes, that I be not aſhamed: If the heart be not ſound, you will be aſhamed to all eternity.