Heart Treasure, Chapter 3
CHAP. III. A particular account of the Treaſure meant in the Text, and of a Chriſtians Treaſure.
THe ſecond General head is, what is the Treaſure that our Saviour ſpeaks of here? I conceive it is principally intended of the thoughts of the heart, foreign Hareditarias poſeſsiones cordis mei, a foreign jure hareditario poſſedit.which are called the Poſſeſſions of the Heart, Job 17.11. becauſe theſe are the firſt-born of the Soul, and enjoy the inheritance of it. You cannot turn off the thoughts from their free-hold, you may ſuſpend the tongue from ſpeaking, the hand from acting, but you cannot ſuſpend the ſoul from thinking, while it is a rational Soul; for this is the eſſential property of it, whiles it is its ſelf. Good or bad thoughts are every mans treaſure, and poſſeſſion; and theſe centre and ſettle in the heart; theſe are the Spring and Source of Actions and expreſſions. Now 'tis ſaid of a Godly man, Prov. 12.5. The thoughts of the Righteous are right, foreign Lex, Statutū, Menſura, ſive enim Secundum normam & rationem, vel in judicio. Pagnin.i. e. Judgment, Law, Meaſure, as the word imports; the meaning is, a gracious perſon thinks as he is, according to the rules of rectified, ſanctified Reaſon; his thoughts run in a right channel, to right objects, for right ends, and are therefore very precious, and may well be called a Treaſure; Hence David's Exclamation, Pſal. 139.17. How precious alſo are thy thoughts unto me, O God? i. e. ſay ſome, how rare and dear are the thoughts I have of thee to my ſoul? This may be probable from what follows, in verſe 18. When I awake, I am ſtill with thee, in thoughts and Heavenly Meditations: Certainly a Godlymans holy thoughts are a precious Treaſure; if his tongue be as choice Silver, Prov. 10.20.what are his thoughts, that feed and furniſh the tongue with profitable diſcourſes?
Now as the thoughts feed the tongue, and hand, ſo there are four Springs that feed and furniſh the heart with holy thoughts; theſe are like the four ſtreams of the River of Paradiſe, Gen. 2.1…which water the Divine Garden of a Chriſtians Soul, and being followed to the head, wil certainly lead the believing ſoul to the Heavenly Paradiſe. Thoſe thought-nouriſhing ſtreams are,
1. Scripture-Truths.
2. Spiritual-Graces.
3. Large Experiences.
4. Lively Comforts.
The firſt of theſe; Scripture-Truths, is like the River Piſon, which compaſſeth the whole Land of Havilah, where there is Gold: So this taketh in the large Territories of the holy Scriptures, where there is ſuch choice Gold of Divine Truths, as are able to make the Soul both wiſe and rich, unto Salvation; It is a choice mercy to have the underſtanding furniſhed with a treaſure of ſaving Knowledge of Goſpel-Myſteries: Prov. 23.23. Joh. 5.39 Prov. 2.4.Hence the command is to buy the Truth, ſearch the Scriptures …o ſeek for Wiſdom as for Silver; to ſearch for Knowledge as for hid Treaſures: That's a notable paſſage, Leigh Crit. Sac.Col. 3.16. Lot the Word of God dwell richly in you, [Gre. foreign] copiouſly, abundantly, the word notes two things, 1. The Meaſure, and ſo 'tis rendred plenteouſly, ſaith one. 2. The worth of the knowledge of the Word, and ſo 'tis rendred richly by ſome. And ſurely a great ſtock of Scripture-Knowledge is a precious treaſure: Sacrae Scripturae ſunt Sanctae deliciae & divitiae animae, Pſal. 119.72. and 111.14.O what a bleſſed thing is it to have a mans breaſt the Library of Jeſus Chriſt? The ſacred Scriptures are the treaſures and pleaſures of a Gracious Soul: to David they were better than thouſands of Gold and Silver: A Mountain of tranſparent Pearls heapt as high as Heaven, is not ſo rich a treaſure as theſe; Hence that good man choſe theſe as his Heritage for ever, and rejoyced in them as in all riches. A covetous Miſer could not take ſuch delight in his bags, nor a young Heir in a large Inheritance, as holy David did in Gods Word. All the Saints are Prieſts unto God; Now of Levi 'tis ſaid, Mal. 2.6. that the Law of Truth was in his mouth, and his lips kept knowledge as a ſtorehouſe. So it is or ought to be with Gods Spiritual Prieſts; they have the Law of God grav…n on their hearts, Rad. foreign Explorare, Scrutari. hinc foreign Lex, Statutum & foreign G…mmae, Margaritae.and in their tongues is the Law of kindneſs and holineſs. The word Law, comes from a root that ſignifies to try as Merchants that ſearch and prove the Wares that they buy and lay up; hence alſo comes the word for Gemms and Jewels that are tryed, and found right: The ſound Chriſtian is the wiſe Merchant, ſeeking goodly Pearls, he trys what he reads, or hears, by the Standard and Touch-ſtone of Scripture, and having found genuine Truths, he lays them up to the great inriching of this ſupreme, and ſoveraign faculty of the underſtanding.
2. Another Spring that feeds holy thoughts is Spiritual-Graces, the fruits of the Spirit, which exceedingly help the fruits of the Lips; If the Wil and Affections be ſanctified with a Principle of true Holineſs, the Lips and the Life wil bring forth heavenly Expreſſions and Actions in the Converſation: Hence Prov. 14.27. The fear of the Lord is the Fountain of Life, i. e. a gracious habit ſtreams freely and fully into all acts of Spiritual Life, and at laſt is ſwallowed up in the Ocrean of Eternal Life. It is ſaid of Jeſus Chriſt, the Original of all Grace, Iſa. 33.6.that the fear of the Lord is his treaſure; and we may ſay alſo, it is a Chriſtians treaſure: the head full of Notions wil not make the ſoul rich, without the heart full of Grace; 'Tis Grace that innobles the ſoul with heavenly Excellencies, and inables the ſoul to bear burthens, and do duties: without a principle in the heart, there can be no holineſs in the Life; all works of Piety, Charity, Sobriety, muſt flow from a pure heart, 1 Tim. 1.5a good Conſcience, and Faith unfeigned; all which do contribute their influence to every good work. Manton on Jude, v. …Obedience (ſaith one) reſpects the command of a Superiour; Love, the kindneſs and merit of the Law-giver; Faith, his bounty and reward: The firſt ſwayeth the Conſcience, the ſecond inclineth the Heart, the third giveth incouragement: Sure I am, without theſe there can be no ſpiritual actings in an Evangelical manner. He only hath a Goſpel frame of ſpirit, that hath the Law written in his heart, and the works thereof in his hand; whoſe life is a continual tranſcript of this bleſſed copy; For he that doth Righteouſneſs, is Righteous; Yea, it is he that moveth Heaven-wards, from a living treaſure of gracious principles, and not from external compulſion, as Clocks and ſuch dead artificial, yet ſelfmoving engines do: Hence the Church (and a believing Soul) ſaith, foreign Populus & foreign Spoute moveriMy Soul made me like the Chariots of Amminadab, or of a willing people, Song. 6.12. Though ſome ſay they are the words of Chriſt, yet in this they are applicable to every gracious ſoul, that is acted by a new and living principle towards God, and Goodneſs: Chriſts People are voluntaries in the day of his power, in the way of duty, being acted by a free and Princely ſpirit, the renewed will being the great engine that moves the ſoul in a Chriſtian courſe; Exod. 25.2 & 35.21.29.their own ſpirits make them willing for God.
3. A third ſpring that feeds holy thoughts is wel-gathered experiences: the Chriſtians breaſt is to be a treaſury of experimental obſervations, which may be improved as good props to uphold a tottering Faith. 'Tis ſaid of them in Luke 1.66. that they laid up all thoſe ſtrange paſſages concerning John, in their bearts. And thus we finde ſeveral Saints carefully gathering, and ſeaſonably recollecting their former experiences; as Jacob, David, Paul, Samuel, Manoah and his Wife. Time would fail mee to recount all the inſtances of this nature: Recording the time, place, manner of Divine diſcoveries, hath been of ſingular advantage to believers. Experience begets hope; we loſe much through neglect hereof: Rom. 5.4.Signal memorials of received Mercies, help to preſent Duties, and quicken Faith in the greateſt future difficulties. All Artiſts gather knowledge, by laying up Experiments; and he is the wiſeſt Chriſtian, that in this reſpect with Salomon, hath his heart filled with experience of Wiſdome and Knowledge: Experience is the beſt Inſtructer, Eccle. 1.16.and helps a man beſt in inſtructing others; an experienced Phyſician and Lawyer, are ſeldome Non-pluſt; an experienced Souldier comes off with honour. O Chriſtians! lay up in your hearts, what you have ſeen with your eyes, and felt in your ſouls, of the vanity of worldly, and the excellency of Heavenly attainments, and enjoyments: You cannot be too young to collect experiences; you cannot be too old to recollect and improve them: If your green heads would uſe diligence, Seniores ſunt Saniores, incipientes inſipientes, quae labo ioſa fuere juventuti Studia, ea ſunt jucun. da ſenectu… otia.your grey hairs would arrive to large experiences; by which means, the works and loads of old age would bee eaſie, that were almoſt intollerable in your younger years. A young Carpenter is long with a little, and makes many chips, that an experienced work-man diſpatcheth, both more quickly, and more nearly: 'Tis ſo in Religion, experience facilitates every work of it. And how doth experience feed thoughts? Thus, when a ſoul is at a pinch, and the heart ſtruck dead with a ſudden ſurprizal, ſo that the thoughts are puzzelled, Experience comes in to their relief, and repreſents the ſtate as feaſible, ſince it calls to minde as arduous a caſe, which yet was not inſuperable; And why maiſt thou not get through as wel as formerly, ſaith Experience? And thus it Marſhals the ſouls faculties in their proper ranks, and brings it through the preſent attempt with order and victory, whether the undertaking be of doing Duty, or enduring difficulty.
4. Gen. 2.14 Euphrates ſie dict. ab foreign …. lastifi…andopropterea quod cireu…jacentem a. g…latum redilat, ut ſequente Anno ſponre …reſear.The laſt refreſhing ſtream that ſupplies the heart with Heavenly thoughts, is the wells of conſolation; this like the laſt, yet not the leaſt River of Paradiſe [Euphrates] doth (as the name of that imports) refreſh the heart with chearing incomes, and influences: This makes the ſoul both chearful and fruitful; in the midſt of terrifying thoughts, theſe comforts delights the ſoul, Pſal. 94.19. Oh the joy that theſe beget in the midſt of ſorrow! Nothing can make ſad, if Divine Comforts make glad: Theſe bright beams of Light chaſe away the foggy miſt of darkneſs, and diſconſolate horror; Theſe pure ſtreams of comfort waſh away the bitter effects of deſpairing thoughts: Theſe comforts infinitely exceed wine, which Phyloſophers have called the chief allayments of mens miſeries, Miſeriatum h…m tnatum foreign.but the ſenſe of this love is better than wine; one drop of theſe divine Joys would even mitigate Hell torments. This is a treaſure indeed, which, as it is of great efficacy, ſo it is the ſatisfying reſult of the forementioned proviſion; ſaving Truths, ſavory Graces, ſenſible Experiences, beget ſolid Peace. But beſides thoſe, there are two clear ſtreams that much promote the ſouls comfortable thoughts: Which are
1. Precious Promiſes,
2. A clear Conſcience.
1. Promiſes are the ſtore-houſe of comfort, the Charters of our priviledges, the conveyances of our Heavenly Inheritance: Promiſes are the breaſts of conſolation, the [evangelica mulctralia] the milk-Pails of the Goſpel; the great receptacles of that (foreign) ſincere milk of the Word, ſtored up for Babes in Chriſt. The Promiſes, ſaith a good Divine, Manton on Jude page 152.are Bills of Exchange given you, that you may draw your eſtate into another Country: Nothing can chear up the heart ſo much as a word of Promiſe. Hence David deſires to hear [the voice of] joy and gladneſs, Pſal. 51.8.i. e. in a promiſe: There's a probatum eſt upon this means of Spiritual comfort, whether it concern Life or Godlineſs, 1 Tim. 4.8preſent or future enjoyments. It is ſaid of the Duke of Guiſe, that he was the richeſt man in France, though not in Lands, yet in Bills and Bonds, and great Friends: So is a right Chriſtian; he is the richeſt man in the world, in poſſeſſion and reverſion, for he inherits all things, and he is Heir to a glorious Crown at death. 2 Pet. 1 4.The exceeding great and precious Promiſes may chear up the heart of a drooping Saint, if it were as low as Hell; for they were made and confirmed by an Oath, that the Heirs of Promiſe might have ſtrong conſolation: Heb. 6.17, 18.It is ſtrange if the Bucket of Faith do not alwaies draw up the water of conſolation, out of the Wells of Salvation. God hath ordered in Nature our feeding to be with delectation, ſo in Spirituals; our application and improvement of Promiſes is with ſweetneſs and delight: This is the firſt means to beget a Treaſure of comfortable Thoughts in the believing Soul-inriching Promiſes.
2. Clearneſs of Conſcience, This is an help to comfortable Thoughts. Yet obſerve, that Peace is not ſo much effected as preſerved by a good Conſcience, and Converſation, for though joy in the Holy Ghoſt, will-make its Neſt no where but in an holy Soul, yet the blood of Chriſt only can ſpeak peace, being juſtified by Faith, we have peace; Rom. 5.1. An exact life will not make, but keep Conſcience quiet; An eaſie ſhooe, heals not a ſore foot, but keeps a ſound one from cruſhing. Walking with God according to Goſpel-Rules, hath peace intailed upon it, and that peace is ſuch a treaſure, as thereby a Chriſtian may have his rejoycing from himſelf: Gal. 6.16-4. His own heart ſings him a merry tune, which the threats and reproaches of the World cannot ſilence: The treaſure of comfort is not expended in affliction; Death it ſelf doth not exhauſt, but encreaſe and advance it to an eternal triumph: O the excellency and neceſſity of it! Paul laid it up for a Death-Bed Cordial; 2 Cor. 1.12. Our Rejoycing is this, the teſtimony of our Conſcience, Iſa. 38.3.—And Hezekiah dares hold it up to God, as well as chear up himſelf with it at approaching Death. A Conſcience good in point of Integrity, will be good alſo in point of tranquility: Pſal. 119.165. 1 John 3.21.The Righteous is bold as a Lyon; They have great peace that love and keep Gods Commandements: And ſaith the Apoſtle, If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God, and I may add, alſo towards men. Oh! what comfort and ſolace hath a clear Conſcience? He hath ſomthing within, to anſwer accuſations without: He hath ſuch a rich treaſure as will not fail in greateſt ſtraits and hazards. I ſhal conclude this with a notable ſaying of an Ancient: Laetitiae bonae conſcientiae Paradiſus animarum, gaudium angelorum, hortus deliciarum, ager benedictionis, templum Solomonis, Aula Dei, habitaculum Spi. Sancti. Bern.The joyes of a good Conſcience are the Paradiſe of Souls, the Delight of Angels, the Garden of Delights, the Field of Bleſſing, the Temple of Salomon, the Court of God, the Habitation of the Spirit of God.