Solitude Improved by Divine Meditation, Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. Meditation ſhould often be of the hearts great deceitfulneſs.
MEditation ſhould be very frequent of the hearts great deceitfulneſs. The right and beſt way of this Meditation, lieth in theſe four particular paths.
1. In pondering the infallible certainty of it, and particulars in it.
2. Pondering the ſad condition every one is under by it.
3. Weighing the ſad attendants and conſequences.
4. The way of deliverance and relief.
1. It is beſt here to begin with the Meditation of the infallible certainty, of this ſo ſuperabounding heart deceitfulneſs.
1. This firſt is to be minded, as that which is aſſerted ſo by a God, for whom it is impoſſible to lie, Heb. 6. being infinitely wiſe, holy, righteous, and good; he affirms it, and that before, and to the very faces of all perſons: He hath written, recorded it in his Scripture of truth; he hath commanded all perſons to read what he hath there recorded; he hath preſerved miraculouſly theſe Records againſt all haters and oppoſers, Men and Devils; and among other ends, that men may have a Glaſs, a perfect undeceiving Glaſs, to ſhew men that they never would or could ſee or believe, if God had not held this Glaſs to them, and made the true and lively repreſentation of the hearts deceitfulneſs above all things by it.
2. Theſe Scripture aſſertions of the hearts deceitfulneſs, are from that God, who is the only both heart-framer and heart-ſearcher and knower, Pſ. 33.15. having his Eye, omniſcient Eye alſo, every moment and leaſt particle of time upon it, and every where, in every Chamber and corner, every part of it; therefore he muſt needs know exactly all the hearts deceitfulneſs, and deſperate wickdneſs. As he made the whole frame of the Soul, and all the faculties, the Springs and Wheels of that exquiſite frame, ſo he knows all the foulneſs and ſoil of ſin which hath fallen in, and which it hath gathered, all its motions irregular, all its ſtops and ſtands, all its commiſſions and omiſſions, all its defects of principles, all its corrupt principles: Therefore knowing the both natural powers of the Soul, with all ſuperadded corrupt principles evilly inclining, aims and intereſts biaſſing and leading: he keeping alſo ſuch an Eye ever upon it; for of the things in the whole world, there's no one thing the Eye of God looks ſo upon as ſpirits and hearts: He muſt know the deceitfulneſs of it, by being the only Maker, and likewiſe the continual Obſerver of it; and therefore if he affirms it how deceitful the heart is, it muſt be ſo.
3. But beſides, there can be nothing in the heart to alter and change it, to reſtore and raiſe it from this bad ſtate, but he knows it; his Eye is ever upon the heart, he keeps alway an awakened Eye, that is ſtill watching it, narrowly viewing it; he is the heart continual ſearcher and tryer, Pſal. 7.9. He tries the heart and the reins.
4. He muſt alſo be Judge of the ſecrets of mens hearts, Rom. 2.16. God ſhall judge the ſecrets of mens hearts, &c. therefore all deceitfulneſs of it, therefore he muſt know it, and it muſt be true, Rom. 2.2. The Judgment of God is according to truth, and the Word of truth whereby he will judge.
5. Take in alſo the recorded demonſtrations of it, ſuch as God diſcovered, foretold, and after came to paſs, ſetting a ſeal to this infallible truth.
Hazael 2 King. 8.19. was by Revelation from God, told it by Eliſha, and with much ſeeming abhorrence diſclaim'd it, yet inſtantly is confuted, and had his mouth ſtopt. The Apoſtles were told of their forſaking Chriſt, and Peter of his denying of him, which he would not believe, Mar. 14.50. yet within a very little time appeared: Scripture Records of the hearts great deceitfulneſs are left us to conclude and confirm us herein. But O how hard is it to ſee, to believe againſt our ſelves! Our own great frequencies of Experiences, the very inſtances out of the Nurſeries of our own hearts; the evil Plants that put forth freſh continually of their fruits deceitfulneſs, prove it to our faces, if we make Obſervations of them as we ought to do. O there's not one day if we are watchful, but is full of ſad inſtances from Morning to Night: At all times we may find our hearts ready to commit cheats upon our ſelves, and in ſoul concerns, as to our ſpiritual Eſtates, O what grand deceits are we too apt to have therein!
As particularly, in reſpect of God, how ready to think erroneouſly of him; as to his omniſcience, truth, holineſs, righteouſneſs, mercy, free Grace, power, and providence, and ſuch like? As the ſelf condemned Drunkard, Deut. 29.19. ſays, I ſhall have peace though I adde drunkenneſs to thirſt: And he in the 50. Pſalm v. 21. Thou ſaidſt I was like to thee: ſo the beſt are out of predominant corruption, very ready to commit great miſtakes and deceits, in reſpect of their own ſins, graces, the things of God, and things of the world, there's no end of naming; excellent Treatiſes are written of this hearts deceitfulneſs.
2. Meditation ſhould proceed to the unſpeakable ſadneſs of this heart Temper, every one ſhould cry out with the holy Apoſtle, Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from this deceitful heart! out of the hands of this Deceiver ſo great and ſo near, gotten ſo far within me, and that will be a curſed inmate, ſo long as this Houſe of the Body ſtands, and will not out utterly whatſoever hard uſage it finds!
O how ſad is it to have ſuch a ſelf-betraying companion, ſo deeply rooted within me! To have in my own Boſom, ſuch a continual Forge and Fountain, acting and running in ſo violent Tydes, high Spring-Tydes, ever and anon, carrying me down to that I muſt ſo ſadly bewail, and ſmart under!
3. The attendants and conſequences of this heart deceitfulneſs ſhould greatly be pondered, as to be ſo fooled by my ſelf, by truſting my ſelf, Prov. 28.26. He that truſts his own heart is a Fool: May I not truſt my own heart, without having ſuch a Character and Brand upon me? O then what a Fool have I been, and that Millions of Millions of times? O how great a Fool exceeding often, in ſuffering ſo notorious Cheats to be put upon me? ſuch a Luſt or Corruption to clap a Biaſs on my Heart, and Fool lead me? lead me ſo far, ſo deep into the dirt, ſo far from home, from Heaven, from God, from peace, comfort, hope, and heart of returning! How many and many ways have I been a fool? yea and ſtill am daily moſt unwiſe; he that is ſo eaſily and ordinarily unwiſe, muſt be a fool to purpoſe. Whoſoever ſhall be but twice or thrice cheated by the ſame perſon, and not beware, will be accounted no wiſe man; but for a ſinner to be not twice, or thrice cheated, but thouſands of times by the ſame deceitful heart; cheated with the ſaddeſt, ſaddeſt imaginable deceits, muſt be unwiſe indeed. O how ſad is it that we cannot by all experiences take heed of this deceitful heart!
I can take heed of every one better than my ſelf; it may be I ſcarce will truſt any body in worldly affairs, but my ſelf that is worſe than any without me, that I will truſt, and ſo be deceived: O let me often think what truſting my own heart is, and needs muſt come unto.
I had need think well of the fooliſh Builder, Mat. 7.26. that built his houſe upon the ſand, grounded his hopes of ſalvation on a falſe bottom; and of the wiſe Builder, who built his houſe on a Rock, by real building, by precious Faith on Chriſt. And let me likewiſe meditate often on the ten Virgins, the fooliſh deceived with a Lamp of outward profeſſion only, and the wiſe that with their Lamps provided Oyl, of Grace, a heart right-renovation.
4. Meditate, firſt, on the heart-knower. Againſt heart deceitfulneſs, let me as the ſure way look up continually to the only perfect heart-knower, to beg moſt earneſtly his help, to ſhew me my hearts deceitfulneſs.
Secondly, on Chriſt my wiſdom. Let me mind this well, that Chriſt only muſt be my wiſdom, 1 Cor. 1.31. my teacher, whom I muſt apply, and reſt on peculiarly for his wiſdom and teachings daily, to extricate and carry me out of the Labyrinths, and many ſecret windings of my ſo deceitful ſpirit.
Thirdly, on the Spirit my helper. And muſt conſider the mighty helper, the Holy Spirit, to help me againſt my ſelf-deceivings, Rom. 8.26. He helps our infirmities, and he helps againſt this infirmity of being ſo ready to be cheated.
Chriſt by his Spirit, he can and will deliver me if I truſt upon him, he hath given me his Word.
Fourthly, the Word. I muſt meditate on the Word, there are the ſure Rules and ways revealed, to ſhew how to undeceive my ſelf: The Word, Heb, 4.12. is a diſcerner of the thoughts, and intents of the heart; if I make it my Exerciſe to meditate in the Word of Chriſt, he by his Spirit with the Word will teach and help me, if I obey it.
I have endeavoured a little, this being ſo important a concernment, to help our Meditation in it; and thoſe that believe and fear their hearts deceivings moſt, will ever ſpeed beſt; thoſe that truſt their hearts moſt, will ſmart moſt.