Heart Treasure, Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. What truths a Chriſtian is to treaſure up.
THe ſecond head of Directions, is to Deſcend more particularlie to give ſome inſtructions, what the Chriſtian is to treaſure up. In opening the Doctrine I told you, he is to treaſure up theſe four rich commodities, wherewith he may furniſh his inward-man: Viz.
1. Truths.
2. Graces.
3. Experiences.
4. Comforts.
I ſhall reſume a diſcourſe of theſe, and give you a particular account of ſomething in all theſe, wherewith the boſome of a Chriſtian is to be filled and furniſhed.
1. For the firſt, A Chriſtian is to ſtore up all truths, the filings of gold are precious, the leaſt ſtar in the Firmament hath ſome influence, ſo all truths have their peculiar preciouſneſs and efficacie: Truth is a ſacred Depoſitum which God hath committed into the hands of Miniſters and People,foreign 2 Tim. 1.14. 1 Tim. 6.20. Mat. 5.19. which muſt not be loſt at any hand, for all the world cannot give a price proportionable to the leaſt truth: for to this end was Chriſt born, yea, and ſhed his deareſt blood, even to bear witneſs to the truth, and to purchaſe the publication of it: 'Tis very dangerous to be careleſſe of leſſer truths, for there's nothing ſuperfluous in the ſacred Canon,Jam. 2.10. and things comparativelie little may be great in their ſphear, ſeaſon, and conſequences, and 'tis ſad to break the golden chain of truths: yet we are eſpecially to treaſure up fundamental and ſeaſonable truths; Doctrines that we are to venture our ſoules upon, and ſuch as we may have a peculiar uſe of, truths ſuitable to the day we live in: hence it is that the Apoſtle would have Believers eſtabliſhed in the preſent truth, 2 Pet. 1.12. i.e. Say ſome, the Doctrine of the Goſpel which was at this time newly revealed: Or elſe (as others interpret it) ſuch truths as are moſt oppoſed, and contradicted: For we finde that every Church, and Age hath its preſent errours, whereby falſe Teachers ſeek to undermine the Truth, and ſeduce the profeſſors of it, therefore ſhould every ſoul be well ſtored with ſuch truths as may antidote him againſt preſent prevailing corruptions in Principle or Practice,
There are four ſorts of divine Truths that I would councel all Chriſtians to get their heads and hearts well ſtockt with, which are theſe: Viz.
1. Doctrinal Truths.
2. Diſciplinary Truths.
3. Practical Truths.
4. Experimental Truths.
1. Doctrinal Truths, 2 Tim. 1.13. Hold faſt the form of ſound words. This word [foreign] ſignifies a Model or Plat-form, a mould or frame of words, or things, methodically diſpoſed, as Printers ſet and compoſe their Characters or Letters in a Table: thus Goſpel-doctrine is the Mould, and Hearers are as the mettal which takes the Idea & impreſſion that into which it is caſt:Rom. 6.17. A Chriſtian is to get the body of Divinite incorporated within him: 'tis not below the moſt able, knowing, and judicious perſon to read, yea and commit to memoric Catechiſms, and Syſtems of Divinitie. I beſeech you lay this good Doctrinal foundation, and you'l finde infinite advantage by it, through-the whole courſe of life; this will teach you to diſcourſe diſtinctly, hear profitablie, and read Scriptures, and good books with judgment, being able to try all things, and reduce every thing to its proper place: Take a taſte and touch of this ſort of truths in theſe general Heads,
1. That the holy Scriptures are of divine Authority.
2. That Gods word is the only compleat Supreme Judge of all controverſies:
3. That God is an infinite, ſimple, and immutable Spirit.
4. That there are three glorious Perſons in the unity of the God-head.
5. That all things depends upon Gods eternal Decrees:
6. That man was created in perfect holineſſe and happineſs.
7. That all mankind is polluted and ruined by Adams Apoſtacy.
8. That Chriſt, God-man is the only Mediator betwixt God and man:
9. That Christ by doing, enduring, dying, hath ſatisfied Juſtice, and juſtified ſinners:
10. That ſuch as ſincerely repent and believe, are juſtified and accepted:
11. That Baptiſme and the Lords Supper, are ſeals of the Covenant of Grace:
12. That there ſhall be a general Reſurrection and Day of Judgment.
2. Diſciplinary truths, theſe in their kind and ſphear are to be ſtored up, and contended for: 'tis true, theſe are not ſo fully laid down in Scripture, nor is there ſo much ſtreſs laid thereupon, as on Doctrinal truths, at leaſt as to every Punctilio relating to circumſtantials, which hath occaſioned many hot diſputes among the ſtricteſt Chriſtians: yet withal, the eſſentials of Diſcipline are of great uſe and in a ſort neceſſarie, if not to the being, yet to the well-being of the Church;*Quamvis enim non ſit nota ſimpliciter eſſentialis & reciproca, ſcil. eccleſiae (ſicut neque reliquae duae, i.e. verbum & Sacramenta) ad completum tamen eccleſiae statum neceſſario debet edeſſe: Ames Medul. lib. 1. cap. 37. our Lord Jeſus is faithful in his Houſe, and hath not left every thing to humane prudence, though poſſibly ſomething may be ſaid for a prudential application of general Rules to particular Caſes: 'tis loſt labour to enter into Controverſies here, much precious time and pains have been waſted herein, yet Mr. Hooker acknowledgeth, that although there be no neceſſity it ſhould preſcribe any one particular form of Church government, yet touching the manner of governing in general, the Precepts which the Scripture ſetteth down are not few: and the examples many which it propoſeth, for all Church-governours, even in particularities to follow: yea, that thoſe things, Hookers Eccl. polit. Book 3d. part 4. fol. 69.finally, which are of principal weight in the very particular form of Church polity, are in the ſelf-ſame Scriptures contained: So he… Neither are theſe truths to be ſlighted, but we are to be attentive to them, and obſervant and retentive of them: hence when the Goſpel-Church is deſcribed. God ſaith, Ezek. 40.4. Behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine eares, and ſet thine heart upon all that I ſhall ſhew thee: Under correction, I conceive ſuch diſciplinary truths as theſe are not obſcurely delivered by God; As,
1. That upon Chriſts ſhoulders lyes the government of his Church.
2. That Scripture-Precepts and Preſidents, are are the rule of Church-adminiſtrations:
3. That Church-Officers are to be duely qualified and called to their work:
4. That Chriſts own Officers have power to diſpenſe Word and Cenſures:
5. That holy things are for holy men, Ordinances muſt be kept from pollution:
6. That viſible, credible Profeſſion is the ground of Church-communion:
7. That Admonition muſt precede Rejection and Excommunication:
8. That Heretical Perſons, and diſorderly walkers are to be cenſured:
9. That evidence of Repentance pleads for re-admittance:
10. That Magiſtrates duty is to cheriſh, defend, and propogate the Church, Miniſters to overſee, and Members to watch over, and admoniſh one another:
11. That at leaſt there may be Aſſociations of Churches by their Officers, for mutual communion and conſultation:
12. That Synods and Councels conſulting about Church-affaires, are but companies of men ſubject to error, are not to have dominion over mens faith, or Lord it over conſciences, &c.
3. A third ſort of truths to be ſtored up are practical truths, fundamental truths of practical concernment, are in a ſort the life of Religion. Our Religion is not a Notion, Chriſtianity lies much in the Heart and Life: the young Candidate's queſtion in the Goſpel,Mark 10.17. had mainly reference to practice; Good Maſter, ſaith he, what ſhall I do that I may inherit eternal life? Socrates is accounted the wiſeſt man, becauſe he applied his ſtudies and knowledge to the moral part, the ſquaring and ordering of mens Lives: Saith Dr. Hammond, and quotes an ancient ſaying,Practical Cat…ch. p. 2. The end of Chriſtian Philoſophy is to make them better, not more learned, to edifie, not to inſtruct: The truth is, conſcientious Practice is both the end of Knowledge, and the means of further knowledge; If we live up to his Will known, wee ſhall know more of his Will that's to be done: if we give up our ſelves to truth, we ſhal be made free by truth. Truths of a practical import,Joh. 7.17. to deliver the ſoul from the bondage of ſin, and deliver up the ſoul into the liberty of the Sons God, and makes him account Gods ſervice perfect freedome: Some truths are to be believed, others to be lived upon, others to be lived up to, and ſo are more practical: ſuch as theſe;
1. That all creatures are made for the glory of God.
2. That the covenant of Works cannot be kept by any meer man ſince the fall.
3. That true faith cloſeth wholly with a whole Christ.
4. That none can expect pardon without a ſincere Goſpel-repentance.
5. That good works are the fruits, and evidences of a lively faith.
6. That thoſe are only good works that have a right root, rule and end.
7. That mans beſt duties are imperfect, and merit no good at Gods hands.
8. That the moral Law is a Chriſtians rule of obedience.
9. That God alone is to be worſhipt, and that according to his Will.
10. That the obſervation of a Sabbath is a moral and perpetual Duty.
11. That Magiſtrates are to be honoured, and their lawfull commands obeyed.
12. That every man is to attend upon and act, by vertue of his general or particular Calling.
4. Sort of truths to be hoarded up, are experimental truths, which are vital, and vivifical, that beget and maintain good blood (as it were) in the ſoul: theſe are the ſweeteſt ſolace to a ſound Believer, theſe reach and teach the very heart, bow the will, raviſh the Affections, awaken the Conſcience, and influence the whole converſation, the delightful rowling of theſe divine truths in the minde, help the ſoul to walk in the ſweeteſt Paradiſe of Contemplation; theſe myſterious marrowie truths are like that Song that none could learn but the hundred and forty and four thouſand that are redeemed from the earth. Rev. 14.4. Or like that new Name which no man knoweth, ſaving he that receiveth it, Rev. 2.17. Such truths are better felt then ſpoken ſooner experienced then expreſt, indeed like thoſe [foreign] unutterable words that Paul heard in Paradiſe, 2 Cor. 12.4. Such truths as are hid from the wiſe and prudent, but revealed them unto babes, Matth. 11.25. This is a right knowing of the truth as it is in Jeſus, a lying under the power and impreſſion of divine Revelations, without this Experience, Knowledge is a cold,Theologia est ſcientia affectiva, non ſpeculativa. Gerſon. dull, Moon-light Speculation, without the clear quickening heat of the Sun of Righteouſneſſe; nay, the choiceſt truths of the Goſpel cannot be diſcerned but by Experience. Divinitie is not a ſpeculative, but affective knowledge: Treaſure up ſuch truths as theſe.
1. That by nature we are averſe to good, and prone to evil.
2. That we have no free-will to ſaving good, but are paſſives in converſion.
3. That regeneration is a through change of the whole man, in heart and life.
4. That faith and repentance are the gifts of Gods free-grace.
5. That a ſinner is juſtified only by Chriſts merits imputed, not by works.
6. That conformity to God is an inſeparable companion of communion with God.
7. That every childe of God hath the ſpirit of adoption, to help to pray.
8. That the best Saints in this life are ſanctified but in part.
9. That a Chriſtians beſt and braveſt life is a life of faith.
10. That ſincere Saints may be aſſured of the truth of grace, and title to glory.
11. That a juſtified perſon cannot totally and finally fall away.
12. That ſome ſpiritual good is exhibited in, and conveyed through the ſeales of the covenant.
Such precious truths as theſe, Chriſtians, you are to gather, and ſeal them up among your treaſures, and you wil finde that ſuch a treaſure wil furniſh your mindes with ſaving knowledge, fortifie your hearts againſt errours and oppoſitions, ſatisfie your ſpirits in all doubts, and objections; teach you to profit by Gods verbal and real diſpenſations, and prepare you for fiery trials, and hotteſt perſecutions: you cannot ſtand for truths you know not, and you wil not ſtand for thoſe truths that you are not for, and look not upon as your treaſure: you muſt hold faſt what you have received, and therefore muſt you receive that you may retain, and lay up that you may live up to, and live upon them in an evil day: as a Miniſter, ſo a member of the Church muſt hold faſt the faithful word, as he hath been taught—Titus 1.9. He muſt maintain truth with all his might, ſtruggle and contend for it, fight and die in the defence of it, truth and our ſouls muſt be married, and never divorced, there are truths that we may venture our ſouls upon, and muſt venture our lives for: that's an Atheiſtical ſpeech of ſome, that the Martyrs in Queen Mary's daies died o'th pet, and were too prodigal of their blood, and that God requires no man to be cruel to himſelf for his ſake: but the Saints have otherwiſe learned Chriſt, than to denie him, or his truths before men, leſt they be denied by him another day:Aliter amare non didici. they have not otherwiſe learned to love him than to lay down their lives for him, if he call them to it: and thus by being overcome they do overcome, as their Saviour before them: and as 'tis on record, Rev. 12.11. They overcame by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their teſtimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death; it is the dutie of every Chriſtian to lay up ſuch truths in the cloſe Cabinet of his heart, as he may live and die by and adhere cloſelie and conſtantlie unto: we muſt do by truths, as Caeſar by his books, who being to ſwim through a River to eſcape the furie of his enemies,Major fuit cura libellorum, quam purpura, carried his books above water with his hand, but loſt his robe, ſo though we ſhould be put to ſwim through a Sea of trouble in following the Lamb, yet muſt we keep the Lords Depoſitum, though we ſhould loſe our Garments of earthlie emjoyments, yea our lives themſelves, rather than part with the ſacred and ſaving truths of God contained in this bleſſed book of books, the holie Scriptures, which are to be our treaſures: hence ſaith the wiſe man,P…o. 4.13. take faſt hold of inſtruction; let her not go, keep her, for ſhe is thy life: hence ſome good ſouls have been willing to be burnt themſelves, rather than willinglie to burn their Bibles, and have been rackt in pieces, rather than ſuffer themſelves to be rent from truth: it is our great dutie to hold faſt, and hold forth the word of truth, to be witneſſes to the truth activelie, and for the truth paſſivelie, and if we maintain it, it ſhal maintain us, Revel. 3.10. Becauſe thou haſt kept the word of my patience, I alſo will keep thee from the hour of temptation—The word of his patience may be taken either effectivelie, for ſuch a word as works a quiet, compoſed, ſubmiſſive frame of ſpirit, or eventuallie, for that word that may put a man upon the exerciſe of patience, ſo that he may ſuffer great hardſhips for it, and lay down his life, as a ſacrifice on the behalf of it, yet muſt not a Chriſtian flinch back, but in the ſtrength of God run the greateſt hazard for approved experienced truths of God: I know there is a difference in truths, and the value we are to ſet upon them, as in coines, ſaith a reverend Divine,See D. Halls Peace-maker, ſect 1. P. 1. read it thorough. whereof one piece is a farthing another no leſs than a pound; onlie take this rule in general, deſpiſe not the meaneſt truth, prove all things by Scripture-rules, lay up and hold faſt what is conſonant thereunto, but above all lay the greateſt ſtreſs upon fundamental points of Religion, and be not beat from your hold, through fear or favour.
So much for treaſuring up Scripture-truths.