Heart Treasure, Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI.
Five more advantages of having this treaſure in the heart.
6. COnſider this benefit of this heavenly Treaſure in the heart of a Chriſtian; that every thing turns to the encreaſe of this ſtock: 'tis the ſtrange attractive property of this Treaſure, that it will fetch in all things to fill it up, and make it greater: like fire, it wil turn every thing to its own nature: it is a divine Limbeck, that can extract pure Spirits out of all things, according to that Catholick Promiſe in Rom. 8.28.-We know that all things work together for good—proſperity, adverſity, riches, poverty, renown, and ignominy, thraldome and liberty, ſickneſſe and health, ſucceſs and diſappointment, ſatanical ſuggeſtions, violent temptations and victorious Conqueſts, all work for good: Yea, ſome extend this alſo to corruptions, yet theſe but accidentally, or being managed by the conſtant care of a wiſe, gracious and powerful Phiſician; as Poyſon may be turned into a Remedy,Venenum aliquand… pro remedis fuit: Sen. or (as they ſay) the drinking of that wine wherein a Viper hath been drowned cureth the Loproſie; even ſo, God can ſo husband even the breakings in of temptation, and breakings out of corruption as to make it turn to good, being an occaſion of deeper humiliation, and a Pin to prick the bladder of ſpiritual pride, and a Spur to promote a holy jealouſie and watchfulneſs, and a means to work in the ſoul charity and ſympathy towards others, to alienate our hearts from this ſinning weary world, and endear our hearts to God for pardoning grace, and make us long for a ſinleſs ſtate in glory: theſe and ſuch-like ends and uſes God hath and makes of ſin, or elſe hee would not ſuffer this dead body, or rather body of death to haunt the ſouls of living Saints: our wiſe God raiſed a ſtately ſtructure over the ruines of Adams fall, or he had never ſuffered it; God doth his ſervants good by their ſins, this uncou…h Experiment made good Mr. Fox to ſay, That his graces did him moſt hurt, and his ſins moſt good, a ſtrange Paradox, but a gracious ſoul knows what this means, that hath many a time by divine aſſiſtance fe…cht heaven out of hell… light out of darkneſſe, ſweet advantages from ſad miſcarriages: Sometimes the Chriſtian can ſay, I had ſinned except I had ſinned, the furtheſt way about hath proved the neareſt way home, God hath ſuffered me to break my bones by falling, that he might ſet them more ſtrongly:Mr. Capel, of Tempt. pag. 234. We cannot go to heaven (ſaith an experienced Divine) by Geometry, we muſt fetch a compaſſe by the gates of Hell, and ſee what news with Satan, ere we be duly humbled, or can reliſh the Promiſes aright: Yet miſtake not, no thanks to ſin or Satan for this, but to Freegrace, that orders all things to the beſt: not let any adventure upon ſin with ſuch a conceit, for this were to ſin that grace may abound, that's the Devils Logick and dangerous preſumption: But when the Chriſtian hath fallen thus, the Lord helps him to improve his falls for ſpiritual good; But much more all diſpenſations of Providence, ſweet and ſevere, if it go well with the treaſured ſoul, it is drawn nearer to God by theſe cords of Love: if ill, it is whipt further from ſin and the world by theſe ſcourges of anger; he can fetch a good crop of ſpiritual Fruit out of the barren Heath of a wilderneſſe-condition; if from outward poverty he get this advantage, to be poor in ſpirit, 'tis a rich gain, and worth a mine of Gold: and ſo of other afflictions: The North wind is ſharp and piercing, the South wind ſoft and cheriſhing, but both blow good to the Chriſtian, and make his Spices flow out, or Graces break forth into lively exerciſes, Cant. 4.16. Yet further, this Treaſure doth in a ſort conſecrate all ſtates, ſo that let a man have more or leſſe, he hath a ſufficient treaſure if he have this treaſure within, godlineſſe with contentment is not only enough, but gain, yea great gain: it ſeaſons all things: that man hath nothing that wants it, that man that hath this wants nothing:Habet omnia qui habet habentem omia: wicked men may have much, but godly men have all things; when Jacob and Eſau complemented about the Preſent, that Jacob ſent to pacifie his angry Brother, Eſan ſaid,Gen 33.9. foreign multum habeo, foreign ſu… mihi omnia… I have enough my Brother, Jacob alſo ſaid, I have enough, but in the Hebrew Eſau ſaid, I have much, and Jacob ſaith, I have all, or, all things are to me: intimating, that Jacobs treaſure was far beyond his Brothers, even as the whole is more than the part: There's a ſecret bleſſing attends this hidden Treaſure, which gives content with want or abundance, and if God ſee good he will encreaſe the ſtore: However, a Saints modicum or little, amounts to more than wicked mens multum or large Revenues, as the word of truth teſtifies, Pſalm 37.16.
7. This treaſure is ſafe, its wel lockt up, and cannot be loſt: Phil. 1.6. being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you, wil perform it until the day of Jeſus Chriſt: 'tis true, an external profeſſion, and mental accompliſhments may be loſt, but ſincere ſaving graces ſhall not be loſt, 'tis alſo true, a ſaving treaſure may be obſcured, but cannot be deſtroyed; yea it may be weakened, but is never totally waſted:Pſal. 16.5. the infinite Jehovah is the Keeper of Iſrael: he that is the portion of your cup, wil maintain your lot: 'tis not ſo much the truth, nor yet the ſtrength of grace that keeps you from falling, but it is God only who alone is able to keep you from falling, that ſupports the weak Chriſtian: received grace wil not preſerve without aſſiſting grace, faith as an habit, wil not carry on the ſoul to death, or through death, but we are kept by the power of God, through faith unto ſalvation: 1 Pet. 1.5. The power of God as the efficient cauſe, faith as the inſtrument, God keeps faith, and faith keeps the ſoul ſtedfaſt: they that have Mary's part and Mary's ſpirit, ſhal never be poor: God wil fulfil the deſires of them that fear him, and wil likewiſe fulfill the hearts of his Saints with a rich treaſure: my God, ſaith Paul, ſhal ſupplie all your need according to his riches in glorie by Chriſt Jeſus, Phil. 4.19. 'tis a mighty ful expreſſion, and refers to all wants, ſpiritual as wel as corporal: our heavenly father gives his travelling Children a ſufficient ſtock to bear their charges through the World, and diſcharge every debt of duty to God and man, in ſome meaſure of ſincerity: this is that two-pence with which the good Samaritane furniſhed the wounded Man, as ſome Allegorize:Luk. 10.3… 'tis true ſome Saints live at high rates, in great expence, in coſtly duties, but this very chargable living in high and hard exerciſes, and enterprizes of ſelf-denyal, do much increaſe the Chriſtians ſtore: a Chriſtian is no loſer, but a gainer by fleſh-diſpleaſing performances: the more ſtrength you lay out for God, the more you fetch in: this is one meanes to keep a ſpiritual treaſure from being loſt: neither Men nor Devils can deprive you of it, you may take up bleſſed Paul's bold and triumphant challenge, Rom. 8.35. Who ſhal ſeparate us from the love of Chriſt? All the powers of darkneſs cannot looſe this knot betwixt a precious Saviour and a gracious ſoul:2 Sam. 23.5 Iſaai. 55.3… the Covenant is ordered in all things and ſure, it contains the ſure mercies of David, 'tis a Covenant of Salt: Iſai. 54.10. The Mountains ſhal depart, and the Hils be removed, but my kindneſs ſhal not depart from thee, neither ſhal the Covenant of my peace be removed, ſaith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee: grace is the ſeed of God that abides for ever, God may repent of beſtowing common gifts, but theſe ſaving gifts and this holy calling are without repentance: All the motions and commotions in the World cannot rob the believing ſoul of its treaſure; thoſe flames that ſhal burn the World cannot diſſolve, but rather cement and ſoder the bleſſed union of a Saint to his Saviour; the treaſured Chriſtian may ſtand upon the worlds ruines,Domin…, non excrucier propter aurum & argentum, ubi enim ſint omnia mea tu ſcis: ibi enim habebat omnia ſua, ubi eum condere & the ſaurizare ille monuerat; qui haec mala mundo ventura praedixerat: Videſis plura in lib. 1. de …. Dei cap. 10. …i tit. Quot ſan. etis in amiſſione rerum tem… ralium nihil per…at. and ſay, I have nothing of all this huge heap to loſe, I ſhall not be a mite poorer for the ſtupendious conflagration of this goodly Fabrick; let bruitiſh worldlings weep and wail over their fair Houſes, large demaines, full bags, numerous Cattel, and gorgeous Attire, I am rich ſtil, as rich as ever I was, and ſome richer, for what I had in hope & expectation, I have now in full injoyment & poſſeſſion Augustine ſweetly diſcourſeth concerning one Paulinus Biſhop of Nola, who prayed thus, (having loſt a great eſtate by the invaſion of the Barbarians) Lord, I ſhall not be troubled for ſilver or gold, for where my all is, thou knoweſt: for ſaith Auſtin, there he had his all, where he had warned him to lay it, who had forewarned the World of theſe approaching evils: — a little after, he ſaith that ſome were tortured by the Barbarians to diſcover their riches, but ſaith he, nec prodere nec perdere potuerunt bonum quo…ipſi boni erant; they could neither betray nor loſe that good by which they themſelves were good; that was their graces and vertues: Oh ſirs, what would you give to have your eſtates ſecured in a loſing, plundering, deſolating day? here is an inſuring office, the God of Heaven wil ſecure the wel-laden Ship, that it ſhal come ſafe to ſhore: certainly this is a rich priviledge in a day when we can be ſure of nothing, that, that only that can make us happy, that and nothing elſe can be made ſure.
8. God knows and owns that treaſure which ſometimes is hid from the Poſſeſſor: this is a ſweet conſideration; Col. 3.3. our life is hid with Chriſt in God, that is, ſometimes it is hid from our own eyes, as wel as from the eyes of others, but ſtil 'tis hid with God, and he that hid, can finde; Saints are called Gods hidden ones, and their life is hidden, both in reſpect of ſafety, ſecrecy, and obſcurity: a Chriſtian may have more of God in him, than he knows of; it's one thing to have grace, another to know that we have grace, a Childe of God may have the ſeed and root of holineſs, yet want the bud and bloſſome of actual comfort: a ſincere ſoul hath alwaies the ſolid foundation for, yet may at ſometimes be without the actual poſſeſſion of divine conſolations; ſometimes God with draws the light of his countenance, and leaves the ſoul in darkneſs and deſertion, he often ſuſpends that act of the ſpirit, which may evidence the ſouls intereſt and ſincerity; ſometimes the Chriſtian is lazie, and uſeth not Gods appointed meanes to beget aſſurance: or by thinking of more comfort, than God is willing to impart, may deny what he hath: or by entertaining ſome beloved luſt, or by the prevalency of melancholy,See D. Sibs Souls conflict. Symonds deſer. ſouls Caſe.— Baxters Reſt. par. 3 p. 156. to 169. or impotency of natural parts, this treaſure may be hid from the eyes of the believer himſelf; theſe and other reaſons Divines have laid down as cauſes of Chriſtians want of comfort or aſſurance: Every Saint knows this by too ſad experience that he is often at a loſs, and cannot tel what to make of his condition, he hath his nights as wel as daies, a nipping Winter as wel as a flouriſhing Summer: the ſap of grace may retreat into the root, the Herbs and Flowers, and Plants may ſhrink and diſappear, and this goodly new Creation may droop and loſe its glorious verdure, yet life may be there, a Summer may come at the return of the year, when the glorious Sun of righteouſneſs ſhal reflect beauty upon theſe hidden graces, and draw them forth into lively fruits of Goſpel-Obedience, wherby the Saint ſhal live again, and know that he lives, believe, and know that he believes: In the mean time, while ſuch a ſoul doth walk in darkneſs and ſee no light,Iſai. 50.7. let him truſt in the name of the Lord, and ſtay himſelf upon his God, let him even caſt Anchor in the dark, and repoſe his troubled heart upon the Rock of Ages; faith is a venture, and you muſt venture your all in this bottom uſe Gods appointed means for obtaining comfort, improve free grace, ſtudy the promiſes, awake your graces, recollect experiences, renew your repentance, walk cloſe with God, be importunate at the throne of grace, and certainly joy and comfort wil ſpring forth ſpeedily; peace is the uſual reſult of the exerciſe of grace, and as the ſtriking of Flint and Steel together produceth Fire, ſo the lively acting of ſincere grace, upon its proper object, begetteth the light and heat of joy and warmth:Mr. Eurrough's on Hoſ. 2.19. pag. 606. yea 'tis the obſervation of a good Divine, that the comfort of letting out our hearts to God, is a greater comfort, than any comfort we can have in receiving any thing from God: But this is ſure, if you have a treaſure of graces, God wil in due time give you a treaſure of comforts; and if he do not fil you with joy and peace in believing, yet he wil maintain his intereſt in you, and keep you from fainting, if you have not ſpiritual ſuavities, you ſhal have ſecret ſuſtentation, if your ſtate be not ſweet, yet it ſhal be ſure, his grace ſhal be ſufficient for you, and that's equivalent to the mercy deſired, and the leſs comfort you have in the way, the more you ſhal have in the end; and it matters not much whether comfort come an hour before death, or an hour after, ſince it wil certainly come, as a Man of God once ſaid; In the mean time, approve your hearts to God, he ſearcheth the hearts, and knoweth what you are and have, though neither your ſelves nor others know it, he ſees how your principles lie within you, and knows,Pſal. 1.6. Pſal. 37.37 i. e. approves the way of the righteous, and though your way be troubleſome, yet your end ſhal be peace; and though you may be ready to miſ-judge your ſtate and acts, in a hurry of temptation, yet your happineſs doth not depend upon your account of your ſelves, but upon Gods account of you in Chriſt; a gracious foul may not know the acts of faith, yet may be ſatisfied of the object of faith; he cannot ſay ſometimes, I know that I do ſincerelie believe, but yet may ſay,2 Tim. i. 12. I know in whom I have believed, and deſire again to believe; the good ſoul may ſay, I know not how things are with me, I have loſt my ſelf in a thicket of cares and feares, yet I put my hand into his that knows the way, and can lead me out, and let him ſee to the ſafe landing of my ſoul in that Haven of reſt, and to the lodging of it in the boſome of Abraham, that in tender care of it, ſhed his precious blood for it; This is the next head, God wil own this hidden treaſure.
9. A treaſured ſoul hath a treaſure in heaven, and indeed his beſt treaſure is above: for this treaſure in the heart is the counterpane of a treaſure in the Heavens: theſe are alwaies conjoyned. never is any ſoul brought up to Heaven, but firſt God brings down Heaven into it; God furniſheth the ſoul by the operations of his grace, and then takes poſſeſſion of it by the earneſt of his ſpirit, before he fil it with glory; 2 Cor. 5.5. Haſt thou a treaſure laid up in thy heart? That's the firſt fruits of a larger vintage; light is ſown for the righteous, and (I may ſay) in the hearts of the righteous, if gracious treaſures be laid up in the temple of your ſouls, glorious things are laid up in the new Jeruſalem for you, ſuch things as eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, nor heart conceived: Happy art thou, Oh poor ſoul, or rather rich ſoul, poor in this world, rich in faith, and heir of a Kingdome, yea,Jam. ….…. of the Kingdome: thou mayſt both ſigh and ſmile at the mad and frantick World, that weary themſelves for very vanity, that torment themſelves in caring and toiling for an earthly Treaſure; which when obtained, doth rather beget torment than content, and leads at laſt to final deſperation: It is recorded of Stigandus Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury that he lived very poorly,Mr. Fox Acts and Monum, fol. 174. ſaying and ſwearing that he had nothing, no not a penny: yet by a Key faſtned about his neck, was found great treaſures after his death, which he had hid under the ground: But alas that Key would not open Heaven-gates, nor would that treaſure purchaſe Glory, but the believing ſoul hath his treaſure above, and by Faith he hath intereſt in the Lord Jeſus, who hath indeed the Key of David, and is already entred into the Holieſt, and hath ſet Heaven-gates wide open to his purchaſed and prepared ones, and he is gone to prepare a place for them. Oh Sirs, fear not, you that have grace ſhall not miſs of glory, as your fleſh is in Heaven, ſo Heaven is in your fleſh, as it were; he will open the gates of Glory to thoſe that opened their hearts to receive the King of Glory: the treaſure of grace raiſeth the heart to this treaſure above, and lays up proviſion for an eternal ſtate, this ſtream runs to that Ocean, and ſhal at laſt be ſwallowed up therewith,Pſalm 16.11. where there is fulneſſe of joy and pleaſures for evermore: And let this excite all perſons to hoard up a treaſure in their hearts and in Heaven, which neither moth nor ruſt can corrupt,Mat. 6.20. nor Thiefe break through and steal it: Alas, poor creatures, if you get a treaſure in the world, what will you do for a treaſure when you muſt be gone hence? your earthly treaſures will not purchaſe eternal happineſſe, you cannot alwayes live here▪ therefore lay up in ſtore for your ſelves a good foundation againſt the time to come, that you may lay hold of eternal life, 1 Tim. 6.19. Make Friends of the mammon of unrighteouſneſs, that when theſe fail, you may be received into everlaſting Habitations, Luke 16.9. Like that provident King of the Spartans, who obſerving the people to dethrone their Kings at the yeares end, and thruſt them into a forreign Iſle to live in mifery, did not ruffle it out in that prodigality wherein his Predeceſſors lived for one year, but ſent a great eſtate before him into that Countrey where he was to be baniſhed, that he might live comfortably when he was degraded: juſt thus muſt the wiſe and gracious Chriſtian do, provide in the enjoyment of all things for a day of darkneſſe in the want of all things: as Time is the ſeminary of Eternity, ſo the ſoul is to lay up here for an eternal ſtate hereafter; Bleſſed is that ſoul that is found with theſe treaſures in his heart, a Crown of Righteouſneſs is laid up for thoſe in whoſe hearts is found the work of Righteouſneſſe, and upon whoſe backs is found the Robes of Righteouſneſſe: let ſuch bleſſe God for grace, and long for glory.
10. Conſider yet further, treaſures of glory, are proportioned to treaſures of grace in the heart: 'tis true, they that have leaſt glory in Heaven ſhall want none, yet withal, 'tis very likely there ſhal be degrees of happineſs, and they that have had moſt grace ſhal have moſt glory; my reaſon is, becauſe grace doth widen and capacitate the ſoul for larger Revenues of glory: many Veſſels of great and ſmall quantity caſt into the Ocean are all full, but ſome hold more, and others leſſe, ſuch is the immenſe and inconceivable happineſſe of the Saints above, that all ſhal have all, and none ſhall want any thing to compleat their felicitie: as t'is impoſſible for a ſoul to be in Heaven and not be happy, ſo there ſhall be no nook nor corner of a glorified ſoul, but it ſhal be filled with happineſſe: theſe clean Veſſels ſhal be filled with this new wine of glory: God ſhall be all in all, all good to all ſouls, and in all ſouls, Yea, ſuch is the vaſt and infinite Ocean of glory that they ſhal enter into their Maſters joy, not it into them (though they ſhall be as full of it as their hearts can hold): Oh how ſhal they bathe themſelves in thoſe Rivers of pleaſures? the minde ſhal be full of Light, the will of Holineſſe, and the affections of Raviſhment and ſatisfaction, when we awake we ſhall be ſatisfied with his Image, Pſalm 17.15. nor ſhal there be any envying one anothers happines, (though one ſtar differ from another in glory) but every one ſhal bear his part in the lower or higher praiſes of God, (as one ſaith) with an harmonious variety in perfect ſymphonie: certainly that immarceſſible Crown of Glory ſhall be as weighty upon every Saints head, as hee is able to bear, though that weight ſhall bee their delight, nothing is heavy in its proper Element, and Heaven is the proper Element of the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect, Hence 'tis ſaid, the four beaſts (i.e.) the community of the faithful) reſt not day nor night, praiſing God, Rev. 4.8. yet their work is their reſt, only ſome have an Inſtrument of ſix, ſome of eight, others ſing praiſe to God upon an Inſtrument of ten ſtrings, having more enlarged faculties fitted to that Angelical duty:Marth. 20.15. Vid, Bez. quaeſt. & Reſp. p. 98. Caeterum meſſis tum, de ſpirituali mercede vitae a ternae, quam terrenis benedictionibue, quibus Deus proſequit… homines beneficos ex …oni debet: Calv. in l…. it may ſeem that as there is degrees of torments in hell (for it will be more tollerable for ſome than for others) ſo there wil be degrees of happineſs in Heaven, by the rule of contraries: for, ſaith Beza, that Scripture of ſowing and reaping ſparingly, and liberally, in 2 Cor. 9.6. refers not only to charity and temporal advantages, but piety and eternal incomes: Thus doth Calvin iterpret it alſo; and the Parable of the Talents, whoſe reward was proportionable to their improvement, Luke 19.16, 17, 18. 'Tis true, parabolical Divinity is not argumentative, yet the mainſcope of a Parable hath a demonſtration in it, and it may ſeem probable that thoſe whom God honors with moſt grace, and that honour God with moſt ſervice and ſuffering ſhould be moſt honoured with glory: But nothing of merit in all this, for giving Heaven as wages for work is an act of commutative juſtice, but what equality is there betwixt finite Services and infinite Glory? none at all, no, no, eternal Life is the gift of God: Let proud Papiſts ſay, they will not have Heaven gratìs, let the real Saint look upon Goſpel-bleſſings as fruits of Free-grace,See this Queſt. anſwer. in Buch. loc. 36. De vitâ aeterna, pa. 446. Determined that there ſhall be degrees of glory from, 1 Theſ. 2.19. Dan. 12.3. 1 Cor. 15.41. and the City above as built all of this Free-ſtone, and the way paved thither with the meritorious blood-ſhed of our dear Redeemer; And whether there be degrees of glory, or no, be ſure the treaſured ſoul ſhall have his ſhare, and we ſhal beſt be able to reſolve this queſtion by experience; Viſion and Fruition wil be the beſt determination. Now theſe great things are Riddles and Myſteries to us, becauſe we look but through a glaſſe darkly, we have but faint Emblems and poor glympſes of that glory which ſhal be revealed, but then we ſhal ſee God as hee is, and know all things fit for creatures to be acquainted with, a thouſand of theſe hard knots ſhal be untied, and our ſouls fully irradiated with the beams of divine Light.