Heart Treasure, Chapter 20
CHAP. XX.
The fourth uſe, diſcovering the neceſſity, excellency, and commodity of having in the Heart the before-deſcribed Treaſure.
THe laſt uſe to be made of this point concerning this Heart-treaſure is partly of Conſolation, and partly of Exhortation, wherein I ſhall both encourage thoſe that have it, and provoke to emulation thoſe that have it not, that they may labour to attain to it, and obtain it. And for the better urging this, I ſhall further illuſtrate the uſefulneſſe of this Heart-treaſure in theſe ten Particulars.
1. A treaſured ſoul is of great worth: a gracious Chriſtian is the rareſt piece of all Gods workmanſhip, called [foreign] Eph. 2.10. It is a word that's no where elſe uſed, it ſignifieth an artificial facture, fabrick or ſtructure, that notable Artifice, wherein the God of Heaven ſhewed ſingular care and skil, as wel as love and grace: this new Creature in one ſoul is a greater work, and of more worth, than this goodly frame of the World: a renewed ſoul is the Epitome of the Creation, the cleareſt Image of Divinity upon earth, the true Portraiture of God in man, and a bleſſed treaſury of ſpiritual perfections; Animus cujuſ que …ſt quiſ que tantus quiſ que eſt, quantus eſt apud deum.the ſoul of the Man, is the man, and grace is the Ornament of the ſoul, every Man, is ſo far excellent, as he is religious, a Chriſtians greateſt glory, is, in what he is God-wards: gracious ſouls are truly precious. and ſuch as are precious in Gods ſight are honourable,Iſai. 43.3, 4 and of more worth than the richeſt Princes, and largeſt Kingdomes: wel may they be the Lords jewels, that have a treaſure of jewels lockt up in their breaſts: theſe precious Sons of Zion are comparable to fine gold,Lam. 4.2. though Men eſteem them as Earthen Pitchers: 'tis true, they ſeem to be of little worth to the outward view of a carnal eye, like their dear Redeemer, of whom 'tis ſaid by his deſpiſers, he hath no form nor comelineſs,Iſai.5 3.2. and when we ſhal ſee him, there is no beauty that we ſhould deſire him; ſo the Saints ſeem ſqualid and ſordid, but if you could ſee all, you would finde them all glorious within: the Servants of God are like unto the Tabernacle under the Law, whoſe out-ſide was Rams skins, Goats hair, and Badgers skins, courſe ſtuff, but the inſide was Gold, Silver, precious ſtones, and curious work-manſhip: Juſt ſo are the Saints, compared therefore to the Tents of Kedar, See Ainſworth in locum▪to the Curtains of Solomon, Song. 1.5. The word Kedar doth ſignify blackneſs, and Kedarens (Iſhmaels ſecond Sons poſterity) dwelt in Tents made of haircloath; thus the Church and particular ſouls are dwelling in Tents, and through afflictions, perſecutions, and many corruptions in this howling Wilderneſs, and weary Pilgrimage, are black and unlovely to look upon, but if you could open the Tent door, and ſee into the ſecret Cabinet of a believers heart, you would diſcover a treaſure of rareſt graces truths, experiences, and comforts, that ever mortal eyes beheld; you ſhould behold them as glorious as the beautiful hangings about Solomon's Bed, as comely, ſaith the Text, as the Curtains of Solomon: Take but another familiar reſemblance, ſuppoſe you ſee all Earthen Pot ful of Gold, let him that only ſees the out-ſide, and knows not what's within, be asked the price thereof, poſſibly he wil anſwer, not many pence, but the Pot with the treaſure in it, may be worth many thouſand pounds, a ſorry Canvas Purſe may contain a vaſt ſumme of money, nor muſt the whole be rated, according to the poor facing, but rich lining: A Chriſtian hath an excellent treaſure in an Earthen Veſſel, you muſt not cenſure him, before you ſee him fully anatomized at the great day: his life is hid at preſent, but when Chriſt who is his life,Col. 3.3, 4. appears, he ſhal appear with him in glorie: the Saints here are as Princes, walking in diſguiſe in a ſtrange Country, and it doth not yet appear, who or what they are, but God hath his time to unveile their glory, and reveal their excellency: the Pearl cannot be found, til the ſhel of the fiſh be broken, and when theſe vile bodies are turned to duſt, then this precious treaſure ſhal be made manifeſt: O the excellencie of a poor Childe of God, it would make him holily proud to conſider what he is, the honour God hath put upon him, and treaſures laid up in him, as a Man is a little World, ſo a Chriſtian is a commonwealth, a Church, and a Heaven (as it were) within himſelf: he hath a monopolie of the beſt commodities, a rich magazin of precious things for the delight of God, profit of Men, and comfort of his own ſoul: though wicked Men do account them not worthy to live in the World, (as though this Earth were too good for them) yet God ſaith of the Saints, of whom the World was not worthy, they are too good to breath in this dirty Air, and ſhal be tranſlated to Heaven: here I might far exceed bounds, for a cloſe take brave Luther's Character of a Saint, he is,Chriſtianus est filius Dei, haeres regni, frater Chriſti, Socius Angelorum, Dominus mundi, particeps divina naturae. Tom. 1. Lat. 106. ſaith he, a Childe of God, an Heir of Heaven, the brother of Chriſt, the Companion of Angels, the Lord of the World, and partaker of the divine nature: Be cheared therefore oh thou trembling Chriſtian, be provoked oh thou careleſs ſoul to look after a large treaſure, who would not be of this number? me thinks it ſhould excite all rational and intelligent Creatures to an holy covetouſneſs and ambition to be filled with theſe treaſures, and to be cloathed with all this glory.
2. The treaſured ſoul is fit for any condition: nothing can come amiſs to the Chriſtian thus furniſhed, he is prepared for all diſpenſations: nothing can make him miſerable; Let Paul and Sila… have their treaſure with them, and they can ſing in the ſtocks at midnight; Let David be in a Pilgrimage, his treaſure wil make him both company and melodie; a Chriſtian cannot be baniſht from his treaſure, he may ſay more truly than the Philoſopher (omnia mea, mecum porto) I carry all my eſtate with me; when the Proconſul told Cyprian he would baniſh him, he anſwered, he is no exile that hath God in his minde, ſeparate God from a Childe of God, and then you undo him, if you could rob him of his treaſure, you might make him miſerable; but not otherwiſe: he that is out of Hell, and hath an Heaven in his heart, hath no cauſe of ſhame or terrour; when he is under ſharp trials, and others condole him, he may ſay, as Chriſt to the Daughters of Jeruſalem, weep not for me, but weep for your ſelves; and of himſelf, he can ſay as Paul, I am readie, not to be bound only, but alſo to die at Jeruſalem, for the name of the Lord Jeſus: Act. 21.13. God hath laid in a treaſure in his heart, and he is willing to lay it out, which way ſoever the Lord ſhal call for it: by this way of laying out, the treaſure is not impaired, but increaſed, by afflictions, truths are improved, graces exerciſed, experiences added, and comforts wonderfullie inlarged, and theſe advantages countervaile the ſmart of the affliction,Mercatur… eſt quaedam amittere, ut majora lucr…ris. Tertul. this is an holie merchandize, ſaith an Ancient, to loſe ſome things, that we may gain the greater: the believing Hebrews took joyfully the ſpoiling of their goods, knowing in themſelves that they had in Heaven a better, and an enduring ſubſtance: Heb. 10.34. Obſerve it, they know in themſelves, i. e. They had experience thereof in their own hearts, and now by this loſs of their eſtates this experience was more cleared, increaſed, confirmed than ever before: Oh bleſſed exchange! to part with Earth, and get Heaven, to get riches off the heart, and to get better riches into the heart: I muſt tel you that one grain or degree of grace is more worth than heaps of worldly riche…, and happy is that ſoul that endures the loſs of theſe, to get a good ſhare of the former: Read the 11. of Hebrews, and follow that bleſſed Army of Martyrs, that fruitful Cloud of Witneſſes, and fear not Man, for you ſhal be gainers in the reſult of all: a treaſured ſoul is ſtil gathering more to himſelf in every diſpenſation, in word ſpoken, rod laid on, works done for him, the honeſt heart makes a good uſe of, and is qualified for all diſpoſals, and ſatisfied with, as wel as edified whatever the Lord doth with him: But more of this anon, only obſerve, that a treaſured ſoul can pick that out of a Sermon, or providence that another cannot, that's worth nothing, we read of Mr. Ignatius Jurdain (that zealous Magiſtrate in Exeter) that a formal Man having once preached a Sermon at the Cathedral, about Heaven,Mr. Clark's Collect. in the life of Mr. Ign. Jurd. page 481. the diſcourſe was for the moſt part frothy, and beneath the dignity of ſuch an Argument: after Sermon Mr. Manton having occaſion to viſit Mr. Jurdain, after many good inſtructions he asked Mr. Manton if he had heard the Sermon that morning, he anſwered, yes, and did you not, ſaid he, hear thoſe wonderful things which God hath provided for them that love him? and then readily pickt out all thoſe paſſages that were any way ſubſervient to uſe and profit: It was wonderful to me, ſaith Mr. Manton, to ſee an holy heart could, draw comfort out of any thing: the Sermon as Mr. Jurdain repeated to me, ſaith he, was another kinde of Sermon, and ſeemed to be ſavoury and ſpiritual: I remember with what warmth, and vigour he ſpake of it, even til this day, and hope that I ſhal never forget it: thus he, O ſirs, if you had a treaſure, you would hear Sermons with profit, endure troubles after another manner than you ordinarily do.
3. This divine treaſure enables the Sai… for noble enterprizes: the People that … know their God ſhal be ſtrong, and do exploits, Dan. 11.32. When as unſound perſons may be corrupted by flatteries; or ch… ſed away by threats: the greater treaſure yo… have, and the more ſingular things may y… do for God, the Lord wil own you to … much for him, and you ſhal glorifie God i… ſuffering much for him:Acts 9.15. foreign: Eſt Hebra iſmus. A Veſſel of choice. Paul's Veſſel w… wel fraught with this treaſure (and it may … for this cauſe he is called a choſen Veſſel and he only is ſo called, though doubtleſs … thers were ſo alſo) and what meer Man d… more for God than bleſſed Paul? who ev… travelled over ſo much of the World to prea… the Goſpel, as this unwearied Apoſtle?Rom. 15.19. hee preacht all along from Jeruſalem round about to Illyricum, which is, ſaith Par…us Sclavonia, in Europe, in a direct line 350 Germane miles:See Hen. Bunting, in the Travels of Paul. but he went [foreign] in a Circuit, viſiting circumjacent places to preach the Goſpel; yea, a good Author reckons up Pauls travels in the Lords work to be above ten thouſand miles, ſo that he may be called, as George Eagles, that good Martyr in Queen Maries daies Trudge-over-the World,1 Cor. 15.10. 2 Cor. 11.23. for he laboured more abundantly than all the reſt: and whence was it that Paul was in labours more abundant? it was, becauſe he had a large ſtock to ex-ſpend, a wellfurniſht head and heart, and the Lord made his labours very ſucceſsful: and obſerve it, treaſured ſouls are very inſtrumental for God: Such God calls out to be as Captains in the Warfare, and leaders in his Field to go before others in the ſharpeſt ſervice and moſt hazardous undertakings, theſe he puts to the tryal and brings them off victorious; It was a fine ſpeech of Queen Elizabeths, when ſhe was lockt up cloſe in the Tower,Mr. Thom, Heywoods Engl. Elizab. p. 10…. deſiring God not to ſuffer her to lay her foundation upon the ſands, but upon the Rock, whereby all blasts of bluſtring weather might not prevail againſt her: Whereunto ſhe added, The skil of a Pilot is unknown but in a Tempest, the valour of a Captain is unſeen but in a battail, and the worth of a Chriſtian is unknown but in a tryal and temptation: This earthly Globe, O Lord, is but a Theatre on which thou haſt placed us, to get ſome proof from hence of our ſufficiency: Thus proceeds that Peerleſs Princeſs: Oh the advantage of a well ſtored Chriſtian… ſuch a little David thus furniſhed with a ſcrip full of ſmooth ſtones of the Brook, I mean, an head and heart full of Scripture-truths and ſaving graces, will be able to vanquiſh the proud Goliah, or chiefeſt ſpiritual Adverſary: How did ſilly women encounter and conquer the Learned Doctors in the Marian dayes? the ſubtilleſt Jeſuits have been puzzled and non-pluſt with the ſolid anſwers of ſavoury Chriſtians: that precious Promiſe is ſweetly performed to Gods Children, Matth, 10.19, 20, dictating to them what they muſt ſpeak, the reaſon there given is, the Spirit of your Father ſpeaketh in you; yea, ſo full of matter have the treaſured Saints been, that when bodily Organs have ceaſed, their full hearts have found a miraculous vent. Read the Churches Hiſtories: Take a taſt of wonders, when Romanus (that noble Martyr) had by the Tormentors his tongue pluckt up by the Roots,Acts and Mon. fol. 90 91, 92. hee praiſed God, and ſaid, He that ſpeaketh of Chriſt ſhall never want a tongue; when his cheeks were ſore rent with Knives, he ſaid, I thank thee, O Captain, that thou haſt opened to me many mouths to preach my Lord Chriſt; So 'tis recorded of Barlaam a Martyr, that having Fire and Frankincenſe put into his right hand, wherein yet he had ſome ſtrength, laying him on the Altar, his enemies thinking that he by the heat of the fire would ſcatter ſome Incenſe on the Altar, yet the flame eat a…bout his hand, which kept faſt cloſed, he ſinging, bleſſed be the Lord my God, which teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to ſight, &c: Sirs, if you have a treaſure, fear not, it ſhall be produced, though you cannot expect ſuch Miracles, yet in ſuch a manner, and at ſuch times as may moſt glorifie God, ſilence the wicked, and comfort your hearts: I know 'tis the diſcouraging fear of trembling ſouls, if God call me to ſharp Encounters, I ſhal deny my Lord, betray his truths, bewray my weakneſſe: But poor Chriſtian, fear not, Gods grace ſhall be ſufficient for thee, See Revel. 3.8, 9, 10.thy little ſtrength ſhall do wonders, if thou haſt a right treaſure within, it will appear to others admiration, and beyond thine own expectation: Oh for ſuch a Treaſure as is before deſcribed!
4. A treaſured ſoul is Gods delight; a full treaſure in the heart, of the good things of Heaven is the pleaſure of the Almightie: God takes delight among the ſons of men, and amongſt men the Believers heart is the Lords higheſt Throne, next to that in the higheſt Heavens: and amongſt ſincere Chriſtians none can make God ſo welcome, or give him better entertainment, than he whoſe heart is beautified with theſe bleſſed Ornaments: ſuch a ſoul makes its Saviour a ſumptuous Feaſt, and gives him a chearful invitation: So in Solomons Song, ch. 4.16. ſaith ſhe, Let my Beloved come into his Garden and eat his pleaſant fruits, i. e. Let him enjoy content in the fruits of his own Free-grace; hee hath provided himſelf a Sacrifice, a Feaſt, let the graces of the Spirit delight and ſolace the heart of the Author, no ſooner doth ſhe invite him, but he comes, chap. 1. and gathers his myrrh with his Spices, and eats his Honey-comb with his Honey. i. e. Hee reaps the graces and duties of the ſincere ſoul, with as much delight as the Grape-gatherers or Husband-men reap their fruits in the Vineyard or Field: Oh with what pleaſure doth the Lord accept the holie actings of a treaſured Saint! but he contemneth the coſtly ſacrifices of a graceleſſe ſoul: hee cares not for their thouſands of Ram… or ten thouſands of Rivers of Oyl; No no, a ſoul ſtored with graces is better than an houſe full of ſacrifices; the Honey-comb of humane infirmities is diſpenſed with, where there's ſtore of. Honey in gracious acts, and heavenly diſpoſitions: a little Honey is better to God than the meer comb of Duties though artificially compoſed, and exactly performed: Happy is the ſoul whom the Lord delights thus to viſit, that is thus fitted to entertain the High and lofty One: O that Chriſtians could ſay as the Church in Song, 7.13.—At our gates are all manner of pleaſant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my Beloved; So the Soul ſhould ſay, this grace or that diſpoſition I will lay up for my deareſt Husband Jeſus Chriſt, and bring it forth to give him content, this ſmell of ſweet Perfume ſhall meet him at his entrance, I will entertain the beloved object of my deareſt affections at the doors at home, in the fields abroad, I'le bid him welcome upon all occaſions, I will walk cloſely in my Family ſighing out bleſſed Davids Option,Pſal. …01.2. O when wilt thou come unto me! I will get upon my knees in my Cloſet, and there I'le ſeek,Matth. 6.6. and ſhall find my Father that ſeeth in ſecret; I will go unto his Table and partake of his holy Supper, and while the King ſitteth at his Table,Cant. 1.12 my Spikenard ſendeth forth the ſmell thereof; my bruiſed Spices, my exerciſed Graces ſhal be as pleaſant Odours to him,Gen. 8.21. Pſal. 141.2. he will ſmell a ſweet ſavour unto my ſacrifices, and my prayers and praiſes ſhall be ſet before him as Incenſe, acceptable to God through Jeſus Christ; It is not every ones happineſſe thus to enjoy God, to be well-pleaſing to him; ſome may come near with Moſes, when others muſt worſhip afar off: None ſo capable of intimate communion with God as the well-furniſht Chriſtian: ordinarily, hee that hath the greateſt treaſure hath the ſweeteſt viſits: to ſuch as bring out of their treaſure the precious fruits of the Spirit, to ſuch will God open the precious treaſures of his Love: Obſerve it, there's much good laid up for them that have grace, but 'tis brought forth to them that uſe grace, ſee Pſalm 31.18. Well then, Chriſtians, lay up much grace and draw it out, ſend your Lamb to this Ruler of the Land: bring your Preſents to Jeſus Chriſt: the wiſe-men ſet us an Example in that welcome they brought to Jeſus in his Cradle, Mat. 2.11. they opened their Treaſures, and preſented to him gifts, gold, frankincenſe and myrrhe, anſwerable to his three Offices, of King, Prieſt and Prophet, no man was to come to the Lord emp…y-handed in the time of the Law: and if you come full-hearted with this treaſure, and full-handed in drawing it out, be ſure the Lord will be open-hearted to admit you, and open-handed to fill your hungry ſouls with raviſhing incomes: You ſhall have Jeſus Chriſt to lodge with you all the night of affliction in ſweet embraces: Who would not have this Treaſure that he may be welcome to Heaven?
5. A treaſured ſoul can live well in a time of ſpiritual dearth, in the da…s of Famine ſuch ſhall be ſatisfied: when others are hungry and thirſty,Pſal. 73.19. and their ſouls fainting; a treaſured Chriſtian hath good commons: for the Chriſtian thus ſt…cked hath laid up that which ſtands him in ſtead in an evil day:Amos 8.11, 12. 'tis true, a famine of the Word is an afflictive judgment to a childe of God; Ordinances are to the Saints their glory,Ezek. 14.21. and the excellency of their ſtrength, the deſire of their eys, and that which their ſouls do pity, the want of the Word for a ſeaſon doth more grieve them, than the total loſs doth affect wicked men: though it concern them more, for Gods Children have that to live upon that natural men have not, they have a ſtock of inward ſtrength that will carry them to the Rock of Ages, a ſtream of grace in their hearts that will lead them to the Fountain of grace: Real Saints are never famiſhed but alwaies furniſhed: they can make a better ſhift to live than others can, they have ſomething within doors: a treaſure of Truths, Graces, Comforts, and Experiences makes the Saint a rich Feaſt,Joh. ….38. for God is where theſe are: the flowing Rivers of living Water, that are in the true Believers belly, Rev. 2.17.and the hidden Manna will make a good meal, when God himſelf ſits at the Table; They that cannot go to publick Aſſemblies may find the Lords preſence a little Sanctuary, he is every where to be found, and can make amends in private for want of publick liberty: the Word opened and applyed was convincing, ſatisfying and edifying, well they have their Leſſon ſtill before them, the Bible in their hands, and a promiſe of the Spirit to bring things to their remembrance: and why may not the treaſured ſoul, whoſe ſenſes are well exerciſed by an habit of Scripture-Knowledge and ſelf-conference preach to himſelf in the want of other Preachers?A…b. 5.14. certainly an able Chriſtian, at full age may digeſt ſtrong meat though he carve for himſelf: one leaf of the Bible was in Luthers account worth a world; much more all a Chriſtians treaſure whereby hee is enabled to improve Scriptures: Hiſtories and Tradition tels us of ſome good Chriſtians, who in dark times having got a few leaves of the Bible, run with it into a corner, and either read it themſelves or hired others to read, whereby they received incredible comfort, profit, and arrived at a ſtrange degree of knowledge and courage: So likewiſe the ſouls of Gods children may ſeek and ſee Gods Face in private communion of Saints, in conference, prayer, and praiſe, God may make it an happy exchange to them; the private leſſer glaſs of ſecret duties may repreſent God as clearly to the eye of their ſouls, as the broad glaſſe of publick Ordinances. I ſpeak not this to derogate from publick, 'tis to be preferred where God grants liberty, and where God withdraws, the want of open Viſion is much to be lamented, wee are to be ſorrowful for breaking up of ſolemn Aſſemblies,Zeph. 3.1…. Lam. 1.4. and mourn ſore when the gate… of Zion mourn: But this I ſpeak, when by perſecution publick Teachers are driven into Corners; then the Lord may ſupply that want to his children ſome other way: But leſt this be condemned as Novelty, I ſhall expreſs i… in the words of a learned Author: Buchan… asks the queſtion,Institut. Theol. De Sacram. loc. 46. pag. 601. What ſhall they do that want the opportunity of frequenting the publick Ordinances? He Anſwers, Such muſt travel abroad, and ſeek far and near for them, But if they cannot finde them, they muſt exerciſe themſelves in religious duties at home, Becauſe, ſaith he, the Kingdome of God is within them, and becauſe the word without the Sacraments may be the power of God to ſalvation; Re Sacramenti nunquam deſtituuntur fideles, e…iamfi viſibilibus ſignis carere cogantur:—And he further adds, The the faithful can never be without the matter and marrow of a Sacrament, though they may be compelled to want the viſible Sign: Thus he. Oh what a bleſſed thing is it to have a principle of Grace, and this bleſſed Treaſure! 'Tis ſurely worth ſomething to have Light and plenty in a time of darkneſſe and ſcarcity.