Heart Treasure, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. What experiences are to be treaſured up.
THe third ſort of precious uſeful goods, that the Chriſtian is to lay up, is thoſe various experiences, he hath in all paſſages of his life; certainly a Chriſtian may be a great gainer this way, this is a grand dutie, a Character of ſolid wiſdome, and a meanes of more: So ſaith the Pſalmiſt, concerning the various acts of divine providence, in Pſal. 107.43. Who ſo is wiſe, and will obſerve thoſe things, even they ſhall underſtand the loving-kindneſs of the Lord: q. d. Such as ſet their hearts to conſider of the Lords bleſſed and embroidered workmanſhip in the World, have wiſe and obſervant ſpirits, and ſhal grow ſtil wiſer, and ſee more of God in his diſpenſations than other men:Pſal. 25.14 Iſai. 5.12. God opens his ſecret Cabinet to obſervant Chriſtians, but he is much offended with thoſe that regard not his works, and threatens to deſtroy them, and not to build them up:Pſal. 92.5, 6, 7 Pſal. 28.5. But this is too high a work for brutiſh ſo…tiſh ſouls, it is the good ſoul that layes up experiences, the righteous man, ſaith Salamon, wiſelie conſidereth the houſe of the wicked. Prov. 21.12. i. e. He takes notice what becomes of it, how the Lord deales with wicked men, and their houſes: and ſo in all other affaires, both publick and private,Jer. 9.12, 13. Hoſ. 14.9. God's carriage to both good and bad, in mercy and judgment, as Scripture teſtifies.
But I ſhal rather keep cloſe to the Chriſtians perſonal experiments that relate to himſelf, and deſire every childe of God to treaſure up experiences of theſe four ſorts.—
VIZ.
1. Of the vanity of the World.
2. Of the treachery of his heart.
3. Of the bitterneſs of ſin.
4. Of Heavenlie diſcoveries.
1. Lay up experiments of the Worlds vanity, Solomon made ſuch a Collection all his life long, and recollects it in his Eccleſiaſtes, in his declining old age: he had great opportunities, and large faculties that did capacitate him for ſuch an experiment, he knew better than any man breathing, what the flattering World could do for her beloved minions, yet cries out at laſt, all is vanity, yea vexing vanity: Eccl. 2.12.and the whole book is an Induction of particulars, to prove this aſſertion: And what can the man do that cometh after the King? alas, ſirs, if you make the like diſquiſition, you muſt needs make the ſame concluſion; you cannot ſearch more into, nor make more, of the creature, than Solomon, yet he found vanity ingraven upon the choiceſt enjoyment: and have not you alſo found the like in your time and obſervation? Wel then Chriſtian, rub off the ruſt and duſt of old experiences, read the wiſe-mans laſt and ſoundeſt lectures on the whole Creation, and let your dear-bought experiments comment thereupon, and lay up both text and comment in your hearts for after-times; poor ſoul, conſider, didſt thou ever truſt the World, but it deceived thee? Hath it not failed thee at ſuch a time? and diſappointed thee in ſuch a caſe? O how didſt thou bleſſe thy ſelf in ſuch an expectation? but alas, thou didſt but graſp the ſand or ſmoak: haſt thou not found riches uncertain?1 Tim. 6.17 friends inconſtant, relations vaniſhing? have you not ſeen the World paſſing away, and the treble en'oyments of it, pleaſure, profit, and preferment,1 John 2.16, 17. (juſt like the ſliding ſtream of a ſwift River) haſtening towards their primitive Chaos of vanity and confuſion? However men may be bewitched with the Worlds bravery, yet the ſpirit of God judgeth of it,Act. 25.23. 1 Cor. 7.31. foreign but as a meer phantaſie, or Pageant-ſhew, or as a Mathematical figure, which is but a notion, an Idea in the fancy or imagination: at the beſt 'tis but an accidental figure without ſubſtance: what ſolid content have you ever found in it? when you have ſought to the Creature, hath it not anſwered, 'tis not in me to fil the ſoul, or do you good? or at beſt but like a dream of the night-viſion, when the hungry and thirſty think they eat and drink,Iſai. 29.7, 8. but are faint when they awake: have not your ſouls found this too true by ſad experience? why now, lay up theſe things, produce them out of your ſtore, and learn thereby to truſt the World no more: Oh what good may theſe do you upon a temptation to carnal confidence! tremble to pierce and prejudice thy ſoul again, never lean upon this broken reed, that wil run into thy hand and heart, and pierce thee with many ſorrows here, and be in danger to drown thee in eternal perdition, 1 Tim. 6.9, 10.Nihil aeque adeptis et concupiſcentibus gratum. Plin. The truth is, there's nothing anſwers our deſires and hopes in this World, nothing pleaſeth us ſo wel in the fruition, as in the expectation, we finde the World but a lie, and the ſweeteſt comforts, lying vanities, and (as one ſaith) our leaning-ſtaff becomes a knocking Cudgel: wel then, ſince you have found it ſo, look upon it as ſo, and lay up that experiment.
2. Lay up experiences of the treachery of the heart, read over Mr. Dykes Treatiſe of the deceitfulneſs of the heart, and compare your own experiences with that book: But eſpecially read and ſtudy wel this multifarious book of a baſe heart, conſider and remember thoſe wayes of guile and guilt, that have coſt thy ſoul ſo dear: as thus, in ſuch a duty my heart gave me the ſlip, in ſuch a temptation my heart led away my hand or foot, and cauſed my fleſh to ſin, in ſuch an enjoyment my perfidious heart was ſtollen away, in ſuch an affliction I had diſcontented riſings of heart, and my tumultuous quarrelſome ſpirit made me to ſpeak unadviſedly with my lips, I'le never truſt this deceitful heart again; who but a fool wil venture his whole eſtate with a known Thief? what wiſe man wil truſt a known Jugler?Pro. 28.26 Solomon ſaith, He that truſteth in his own heart is a fool: and I ſhal be the moſt errant fool that breatheth, if after ſo many cheating tricks, I ſhould confide in this perfidious Traitor. Ah Chriſtian, I appeal to thine own experience, how many a woful inſtance haſt thou had of the hearts deceitfulneſs? It is apt to deceive, and as eaſie to be deceived, and ſelf-deceit, is the moſt dangerous: the heart, ſince the fal, is naturally of a va…rous, ſubtile, and fickle temper, and is ſtil made worſe and worſe, by the deceitfulneſs of ſin, Heb. 3.13. which is as it were woven and twiſted in the frame and conſtitution thereof, and ſo thoſe two cheats conſpire to undo the poor ſoul: and were not God a more faſt friend to the Saint, than he is to himſelf, there were no ſalvation for a ſorry ſinner:Quiſ que ſibi Satan est. for every Man is a Sathan to himſelf, and the ſincere Saint wil pray moſt (with Divine Auſtin) to be delivered from that evil man himſelf;A ma…o homine meipſo libera me Domine and is more afraid of the folly that is bound up in his own heart, than of aſſaults from without: and indeed the reaſon of a ſouls ſelf-confidence, is ſelf-ignorance, or not laying up experiences of the hearts deceitfulneſs;…Ut nemo in ſeſe tentat deſcendere nemo. the truth is, a poor ſelf-deceiving ſinner dares not look into his heart, leſt he finde not things there as he fancieth, or would perſwade himſelf, but puts all to the venture, like a deſperate bankrupt; but a childe of God cannot but ſee this treachery that others hide or counterfeit, and willingly ſees it, and as ſadly laments it, and as watchfully avoids thoſe deceits: obſerve it, though deceivings by the heart be bad, yet obſerving and laying up ſuch ſad experiments is certainly good, and of ſingular uſe to the ſincere and ſerious ſoul: the Lord help us all ſo to note, and be afraid of our naughty ſpirits, that we may truſt them leſs, and God more, while we live.
3. Lay up experiences of ſin's bitterneſs: conſider what were the inſinuating waies of ſin and Satan to intangle you, and the ſad effects of ſin, what tears, and groans, and bitter bickerings it coſt your captivated ſouls, to extricate your ſelves, and regulate your ſtate: Oh the intricate windings of that crooked Serpent? what ſtrange and ſubtile methods and devices did Satan uſe, to trap and overtake you with his freſh and furious aſſaults! how often hath he preſented the bait and hid the hook, hath he not ſet before your credulous ſouls, the pleaſure or profit of a baſe luſt? hath he not extenuated ſin at firſt to bring you to commit it, and afterwards aggravated it to drive you to deſpaire? ſin doth cheat us with golden Mountains, as one ſaith, but leaves us in the ſuds at laſt:Jam. 1.14, 15. See the ſlights of ſin opened in Capel on Temp. pag. 21. to 36. the firſt act of delightful conception ends in painful or mortal travel under divine indignation: though ſin was delightful at the firſt, yet it alwaies proved bitterneſs in the end: ask your own hearts, what fruit had you of thoſe things whereof you are now aſhamed? the awakened conſcience wil anſwer the end of thoſe things is death, deadly pain, or eternal death,Rom. 6.21 Job 20.12 13, 14. Deut. 32.33. foreign Et caput, per metonym. Venenum, quod capiti aut dentibus ſerpentis vel aſpidis ineſt; venenum capitale et mortiferum repentance, or vengeance: your wilde Oates ſown in youth with delight, roſe up in bitter Hemlock and Wormwood; though wickedneſs was ſweet in the mouth, yet it is turned to be as the gall of Aſpes within: yea the cruel venome of Aſpes, as Moſes teſtifies, i.e. capital, deadly, biting poyſon, ſo it proves: Oh the dreadful ſtings and pangs that ſin left behind it! with what feares and teares, terrours and horrours did it fil the poor penitent ſoul! what broken bones and affrighting cares had the offending prodigal before he was admitted into his fathers ſweet embraces! how long did the humble ſuitor lie at the gates of mercy before he could get admiſſion! or ſee the Kings face, or obtain the joy of Gods ſalvation? not that God is ſo hard to be entreated, or delights in a poor Creatures malady or miſery, but that he may affect the heart with the evil of ſin, ſtir up more longings after grace, prize Chriſt and pardon, and learn to ſin no more; therefore he keeps the ſoul long in ſuſpence, even when his bowels yearn upon it, as Joſeph's did upon his brethren, upon the like ground, as he dealt with Miriam in healing her body of the Leproſie, if her father, ſaith he, had but ſpit in her face, ſhould ſhe not be aſhamed ſeven daies, Num. 12.14. Thus God would have us to know, the worth of his favour, by the want of it for a ſeaſon: ſurely, ſirs, if you would lay theſe ſad experiments in ſtore, it would prove a notable Antidote againſt the next aſſault: the burnt child wil dread the fire: Oh what ſin-abhoring reſolutions had the penitent ſoul in its deep humiliations? if you had come to David whilſt he was bathing himſelf in briny teares, and ſaid, what ſaiſt thou now to murder? how doſt thou like thy fleſhly luſts? wilt thou buy repentance at ſo dear a rate? and fall again into uncleanneſs? would he not have anſwered, O no, God forbid that I ſhould ſin again? I wil be rackt or torne in pieces, rather than diſhonour my God, grieve his Spirit, and fill my poor ſoul with ſuch tormenting troubles: Certainly, when poor David was roaring, Pſal. 38.3, 8.by reaſon of the diſquietneſs of his Spirit, when there was no reſt in his bones becauſe of his ſin, he had other thoughts of his ſin now, then when he was entring and adventuring upon the act, or engaged in it: there's no man ſo bruitiſh ſcarce, but will abſtain from that which experience tels him hath done him hurt: a wiſe man will forbear ſtale-drink when he knows infallibly it will caſt him into a fit of the ſtone: So the Chriſtian that hath laid up experiences how dear ſin hath coſt him, will thus argue, I remember what an ill condition ſin brought me into, I had need ſin no more leſt a worſe thing come unto me: Sin broke my bones, but now if I ſin again I fear it wil break my neck, ſin filled my ſoul with heart-ſhaking fears; but I may expect it wil now fill me with heart-deſolating deſpair: it brought a… hell into my Conſcience before, but now I fear it wil caſt my ſoul into hell: Lay up and make uſe of theſe ſad experiments, and I may then almoſt ſay, Sin if you dare:
4. Lay up divine Diſcoveries, which your ſoules have had ſweet and ſatisfying experiences of: if you be Chriſtians, ſuch you have had, I dare ſay, and you dare not deny: I find very many precious Saints that have kept a Diary of Gods dealings with their ſouls,Clarks Collect. page 21. as Reverend Mr. Carter, and many others: there are two ſorts of Experiences that I ſhal commend to you to treaſure up: 1. Special Providences; 2. Spiritual Influences:
1. You are to lay up Experiments of Gods gracious Providence about you; the Wiſe God hath ſo diſpoſed of affairs concerning his People, that one part of our lives may help us in another, the Van and former part of our daies may contribute to bring up the Rear and remainder of them: as thus, the ſoul argues, The Lord hath helped in ſuch a ſtrait, directed in ſuch a doubt prevented ſuch a fear, broken ſuch a ſnare, and he is the ſame God ſtill; and will help for the future: Let the Saints ſet up ſome [Eben…ezer] ſtone of help, as a memorial of former goodneſs: Let ſouls make uſe of the excellent Scripture-Logick, Hath, Doth and Will Deliver; Write down Signal Providences, or lock them up in the ſafe Cheſt of a ſanctified Memorie, and produce them when you are non-pluſt, and have your back to the wall: Sweet experiences of by-paſt deliverances are not the leaſt part of a Chriſtians treaſure: though I would not have you dote upon them, or imagine that God can go no further than he hath gone, which may more daunt you in new and greater troubles, yet withal,Iſa. 51.9, 10. chap. 64.1, 2, 3. do not deſpiſe them, and ſlight them, but lay them up and plead them with the Lord as the Church often doth: One part of Pſalm 74. is a ſad complaint of Gods anger, and the Churches affliction; the other part is an encouraging rehearſal of former Providences: Thus the aſſiſtance formerly vouchſafed proves an argument for the Saints future encouragement:
2. You muſt alſo lay up Experiences of ſoul-inlargement and refreſhing Comforts: as thus, In ſuch an Ordinance I met with God, and beheld his Reconciled Face: In ſuch a Duty my graces were quickened, exerciſed, encreaſed: In ſuch a Chamber or Cloſet my heart was warmed, melted, ſatisfied: In ſuch a Company, with ſuch a Society was my ſoul enlarged, reſolved, and ſweetly tranſported beyond my ſelf: Oh what a bleſſed day or night was that unto me, when I had the kiſſes of Gods mouth, the ſmiles of his Face, and had a clear acquittance ſealed to my conſcience of the remiſſion of my ſins! I well remember it, and my heart danceth within me to think of the ſweet daies of mutual intercourſe that God and I have had together! Theſe are not alwaies to be expected, ſuch Sweet-meats of divine Joy are not a Chriſtians conſtant common fare, a pining time may come, I'le make much of, and long ſtore up ſuch ſweet & ſecret hints of Love againſt a time of need. God forbid that I ſhould loſe this Token for good, this broken Ri…, this Pledge from Heaven: this may ſtand me in ſtead in a dark & gloomy day, when the Lord ſhal frown upon me as an Enemy, and put me from him as though he would forſake me, then will I ſay unto God, as Job, Thou knowest that I am not wicked, Lord,Job 10.7. doſt thou uſe to deal ſo with wicked men, or reveal thy ſelf thus to them that know thee not? Art thou wont to ſtir up in the careleſſe world, ſuch penitent bemoanings, ſuch ardent breathings, and ſuch vehement pantings after thy ſelf? And haſt thou ever given in ſuch familiar diſcoveries to unregenerate ſoules, as my heart hath had experience of many a time? and is this the manner of man, O Lord? Are theſe thy waies with unſanctified ſoules? Wilt thou hold communion with thoſe that never were united to thee? Doth not ſuch communion pre-ſuppoſe an union? either theſe Experiences are falſe and counterfeit, or I am thine, for whom thou loveſt once, thou loveſt to the end: though I be fickle and inconſtant yet thou art the ſame, and unchangeable in thy love; now I dare not ſay that all theſe ſweet Experiences are meer fictions, dreams and ſhadows, no, God forbid; I humbly hope they were genuine evidences of thy ſpecial Love, ariſing from and built upon the Word and Spirit, yea they carried their evidence along with them, and left ſuch ſtamps upon my ſoul as can never be forgotten or worn off: I can appeal to thy ſelf, O Lord, if ſuch paſſages were not betwixt thy ſelf and my heart, which no creature upon earth hath known off; and ſince thou canſt not deny thine own Name in-graven on my heart, and ſealed ſweetly to me, I commit the matter wholly to thee, though now thou ſeem to carry ſtrangely towards me, as though thou hadſt quite caſt me off, yet thou art my God ſtill, my loving Father, and only Friend, I cannot part from thee, I will not let thee go; there was once love betwixt us, and though now in wiſdome and faithfulneſſe thou ſeem to ſmother thy bowels of Mercy, and reſtrain the effects of thy Love, yet thou haſt the ſame heart now as thou waſt wont to have, I know it by the workings I feel in mine own breaſt towards thee; And therefore Lord I hang upon thee, and plead (with David) Where are thy former loving-kindneſſes which thou ſhewedſt to me?Pſalm 89.49.
Thus, Chriſtians, thus lay up, and thus draw forth your ſweet Experiences in ſuch a time of need, in this Night of deſertion, as Thamar once did produce Judahs Staffe,Gen. 38.25. Signet, and Bracelets, as her Pledge when ſhe was brought out to be burnt. O Sirs, when God deals graciouſly with you, caſt not theſe precious Love-tokens at your heels, as whoriſh ſpirits do, but lay up theſe teſtimonies of of Love, ſent from your Husband Chriſt, among your choiceſt treaſures, that you may produce them as occaſion ſerves.