Heavenly Treasure, Text (2 of 3)

Heavenly Treasure · Text (2 of 3)

p. 134Secondly, What treaſures may a man have in heaven? I have ſpoken a little of that already, but give me leave to explain it a little more unto you. There are great variety of interpretations, what a mans treaſure in heaven is, and truly almoſt every Interpreter differs; p. 135ſome ſpeak of the word, ſome of the promiſes, ſome of graces, ſome of duties, ſome of alms: but we ſhall eaſily underſtand what muſt needs be meant, if you obſerve but the oppoſition; there is a treaſure in earth, and a treaſure in heaven; what is a mans treaſure on earth? that which ſtands in oppoſition to treaſure any where elſe: The man hath nothing elſe but what he hath on earth, then a mans treaſure on earth is his chief good on earth, be it what it will: riches, honors, pleaſures, or whatever elſe: where his heart is, and his chief good, that is his treaſure: then what is a mans treaſure in heaven, with a mans chief good in heaven, thats his treaſure. Now what is a godly mans chief good in heaven? p. 136why, tis God, God is his portion, God is his reward, and Chriſt only as Mediator, as he brings him to God. Now there are three things that I ſhould point you to. Why none but God can be a mans treaſure in heaven.

Firſt, a mans treaſure is that which he loveth moſt, and a man muſt love nothing more then God; nay a mans treaſure and chief good is that which he loves with an infinite love, that he can never have enough of, that he can never be ſatisfied with, that he never ſays I have enough. The Hebrews they have two words, that we uſe for treaſure; one is that which a man doth moſt ſet his heart upon; that which is unto him above all a peculiar. You ſee the word uſed, p. 137Exod. 19. 5. Iſrael is my peculiar treaſure, ſaith God, that is, a people that God ſet his love upon above all the people in the world beſides; that is treaſure, where a man ſtays moſt; tis very true, where a mans love goes, there truly the man dwels, thats his treaſure, that carries out his heart. Now there being none in heaven the ſoul is to love above God, or equal with God; therefore he alone in heaven muſt be his treaſure.

Secondly, a mans treaſure is that, Quod maxime habetur in pretio: which he prizes moſt: and ſome obſerve upon this place, that is a mans treaſure that he ſets the higheſt price upon. Now a man ſhould prize nothing more then God: ſo you ſee when God ſaith of p. 138his people, they are his peculiar treaſure: all people in the world are undervalued for them, Iſa. 43. 4. I will give men for thee, and princes for thy life: Kings and Nations are nothing in compariſon of Gods people to God: In this reſpect, God is the treaſure of his people, becauſe they are to prize nothing in compariſon of him.

Thirdly, God only is their treaſure, becauſe upon a mans treaſure he doth rely for ſupply; and therefore thats the other word in the Hebrew which is put for treaſure, Gen. 20. 5. It ſignifies that which a man makes his refuge in all calamities and diſtreſſes: now when a Godly man is in diſtreſs, whither doth he go? Prov. 8. 10. The name of the p. 139Lord is a ſtrong tower, the righteous flie thither, and are ſafe: And in Davids diſtreſs, Pſal. 73. Whom have I in heaven but thee only? God is his treaſure. Now theſe three things are in a treaſure, that which a man loves moſt, and ſets the higheſt price upon, and that to which his heart doth retire, and ſeek ſupply from in all his wants, and every man muſt be ſupplied out of his treaſure, that I will tell you: Take a rich man when he comes to die, Riches avail not in the day of wrath; therefore God only is the Saints treaſure, and chief good: he lays up treaſure in heaven, and this treaſure is God.

Thirdly, you will ſay unto me, God is in heaven already, it is the habitation of his holineſs p. 140and glory. How can I be ſaid to lay up God in heaven, I that was never in heaven? the Lord he ever was there: how can I be ſaid to lay up God as a treaſure there? Tis very true, God was in heaven from the very Creation of heaven, that it hath been the throne of his glory; but he is not laid up there as thy treaſure, until thou cloſe with him. And no man, but he that hath the Lord for his God, can ſay, I have God for my treaſure: What ſhall I do then to lay up God for my treaſure?

There are ſix Rules that I ſhall give wherein this duty lies; and obſerve them, for they are the great duties of your lives, for we live in a ſcraping age: labour then to get the God of heaven for your treaſure: Why, how ſo?

p. 141Firſt, he that will lay up treaſure in heaven, muſt chooſe God for his treaſure: no man hath a treaſure either in heaven or earth, but by choice. If a man chooſe riches, that is his treaſure; honors, that is his treaſure; if he chooſe God, that is his treaſure: therefore chooſe the Lord, as that which you prize above all things: this is the way to lay up God in heaven for your treaſure, Joſh. 24. 22. You have choſen the Lord this day for your God: chooſe the Lord for your God, and you ſhall have God for your treaſure.

Secondly, If you would lay up God for your treaſure in heaven, then you muſt part with all other things for him. All other treaſure (remember that Matth. 19. 21.) See the p. 142terms, there was a rich young man that came to Chriſt, Chriſt bids him, go ſell all he had, and give to the poor, and he ſhould have treaſures in heaven. No man can have two treaſures, no more then he can be ſervant to two maſters; its impoſſible that a man ſhould have two chief goods: you can never have God for your treaſure, leſt you part with all other treaſure for him. You that have other treaſures, do not tell me that God is your treaſure.

Thirdly, the ſoul is to be carried out after this treaſure inceſſantly: that a man lays up for his treaſure, which his heart is carried out abundantly after. Tell me you have a treaſure in God, and never groan and long after him, you have nothing to p. 143do with him; and therefore David, Pſal. 73. 22. There is none in earth I deſire but thee: Now how doth his ſoul go out after God? My ſoul pants after God as the thirſty land. Conſider with your ſelves, may be you can be content; I have a great eſtate, and I am raiſed from a mean man and a Prentice boy, and God hath given me a large eſtate, and I can bleſs his name for this, thanks be to God, for I am rich: But do you taſte no more ſavour in theſe things in compariſon of God then in the white of an egg? Can you deſire to part with all, that you may be with him? This is to lay up treaſure in God, to have the ſoul go out after him, and to him inceſſantly.

Fourthly, if you lay up treaſure in God, live upon your treaſure, live upon him. You p. 144ſay often you live by faith; what is it to live by faith? To live by faith is to live upon God, who is the object of faith; therefore in all the neceſſities of your lives have recourſe to God ſtill; my Refuge is in God ſtill: what is your chief good? to that your ſouls will retire.

Fifthly, what a man lays up for his treaſure, that he doth glory in, every man gloryeth in it: every man values all other men according to that he makes his treaſure; and he that fails of that, he looks upon him with an eye of ſcorn and contempt, be it what it will. I inſtanced before, a man that makes riches his treaſure: let a perſon be never ſo honorable, wiſe and learned, he will deſpiſe him: and ſo a godly p. 145man values himſelf according to his intereſt in God, and all other men according unto it: Tantus quiſque eſt, quantus eſt apud Deum, every man is no more worth then he is of value in Gods account; Chriſt doth ſo Pſal. 16. 3, 4. The Lord is my portion, the lines are fallen to me in a goodly place, I have a goodly heritage; the Lord is my portion: the Saints glory in God, and make their boaſt of him all the day long.

Laſtly, whatſoever is your treaſure, you muſt uſe all means that you may add unto it, or your intereſt in it: a treaſure is increaſed by continual addition: whatever therefore may give a man a further intereſt in God, that is the way a man is to take, and ſell all to buy it: p. 146for he is to ſell all that buys the pearl, that which is treaſure: as now it is the worſhip of God: the fear of the Lord is his treaſure, Iſa. 33. 6. by the fear of the Lord is meant the worſhip of God; why doth he lay up treaſure in the fear of the Lord? yes, he gets a further intereſt in God: why, are good works a mans treaſure? becauſe God rewards a man according to his works, and he ſhall have a further intereſt in God; and therefore the worſhip of God, and all the works of obedience, and the exerciſe of all grace, a man is buſied in all theſe, becauſe it adds to his treaſure, gives him a further intereſt in him. Who is his God, and his al-ſufficient reward.

p. 147Fourthly, and laſtly, to give ſome Arguments to inforce the Exhortation. Is there a treaſure to be had in Heaven? and is it to be had in God? do not be ſuch enemies to your ſouls, as to neglect it: and that I may inforce this Exhortation, take with you theſe few Arguments, and pray mark them well. Remember,

Firſt, no treaſure below God will be laſting; there will come a time when all treaſure laid up below God, will be expended; and what will you live upon then? the Apoſtle tells us, the world paſſes away, and the faſhion thereof, 1 Cor. 7. 29. He uſes the expreſſion, the time is ſhort: whats the meaning of it, tis a Metaphor taken from things folded up; p. 148there is very little part of it left; it is come almoſt to the laſt fold: which may help a little to explain that expreſſion, Pſal. 36. 10. Continue or draw out thy loving kindneſs to them that love thee: The Metaphor may ſeem to be the ſame; that is, there is abundance of love folded up: and but little winded off: there is an eternity to ſpend; but now for all theſe outward comforts, there is a great deal worn out, and but a little more behinde: how many men have you ſeen already out-live them, but to be ſure they will out-live the lives of the beſt men: therefore remember no Treaſure below God will laſt.

Secondly, conſider this, heaven is the place where you p. 149hope to go: carry your treaſures with you, or ſend them thither before you; there is no man will remove from a place and leave his treaſure behinde him; and poor ſoul, thou leaveſt a great eſtate and a fine houſe behinde thee, and thou hopeſt to go to heaven, and thou haſt no treaſure there: its the obſervation of one upon this place, Lay up treaſures in heaven, carry your proviſion, carry your treaſure with you, you hope to go to heaven, and if that be a true and lively hope, you would endeavor to lay up treaſure there.

Thirdly, conſider with your ſelves, if you lay up treaſure in heaven, as God is a true Treaſure, ſo God is a faithful treaſurer; what thou p. 150doſt commit to him, he will keep ſafe: and he is a treaſurie able to ſupply all your wants, and to make you happy for ever; he is ſelf-ſufficient in himſelf; much more will he be al-ſufficient to thee; do not reſt in any thing that is below God, but lay up treaſure in him.

Nay, let me tell you further, and pray mark it, any treaſure here that is below God, if it be thy treaſure in this life, it will be thy tormentor in the life to come, Jam. 5. 3. ye have heaped treaſure together for the laſt day: he ſpeaks it of rich men, and he tells them, that they have laid up treaſure againſt the laſt day: there is a double interpretation given of it; ſome expound it of the laſt day of the world, the day of judgement, p. 151ſome of the laſt day, the end and period of the Jewiſh ſtate, which the Apoſtle ſpeaks of, and St. John ſpeaks of, this is the laſt hour: I conceive it ſpoken of the Judgement coming upon the Jewiſh State: take it which way you will, the thing leaves us a clear argument; if you take it for the laſt day of the State, when judgements come upon perſons, or people: then, when judgements come, your riches ſhall be the greateſt plagues you have; but refer it to the laſt day of the world, riches then take their leave of a man, they ceaſe then to be treaſures, but they will be tormentors: the Apoſtle tels them, the ruſt of them ſhall be a witneſs againſt them; they have heaped up riches againſt p. 152the laſt day; take heed therefore; Take this for a rule; That which a godly man hath wrought upon him at his converſion, that a wicked man is ſure to meet with at his deſtruction; that which was his treaſure before, he then looks upon as his greateſt plague and torment: as Ephraim, What have I to do any more with idols? and ſaith to his idols, Get ye hence. Look upon Iudas, his money was his treaſure before: when he comes to hang himſelf he caſts that away: and the word carries a great deal of diſpleaſure with it; this is the money that hath undone my ſoul, and ſo many a one will ſay, when he comes to die: the love of an eſtate, the things of this life, the love of pleaſure, or honor, this hath undone me for ever: when it p. 153ceaſes to be your treaſure, then it becomes your tormentor.

I have one word more; It is one of the great ſtudies of the times, what they may do now to keep what they have got, Non minor eſt virtus quam quaerere partatueri. What ſhall we do to preſerve what we have got? Truly let me ſpeak plain unto you, the only way to preſerve our treaſures on earth, is to make ſure of this treaſure in heaven; thats the only way: pray look into Prov. 15. 6. but in the houſe of the righteous is much treaſure; in the horn of the wicked is trouble: moſt commonly, the poor receiv the goſpel, moſt commonly, godly men are the pooreſt men: why, in the houſe of the righteous is much treaſure: truly the riches they have are precious, becauſe p. 154they are the fruit of the promiſe, and come in by vertue of the ſecond Covenant; and by this means they have a propriety in them that other men have not: but Mr. Cartwright tranſlates the word, and it will fitly bear it: In the righteous mans houſe there is much ſtrength, as if he had ſaid, all the care of men is to keep what they have; and therefore provide to have it under locks & bolts, and uſe all ways and means to preſerve it: but take a godly man that hath an intereſt in God, and is truly righteous, and can ſay, The eſtate that I have, I have juſtly gotten; This is a better way to preſerve it then all other means in the world; therefore would you preſerve treaſure on earth? labour to get an intereſt in treaſures p. 155in heaven: And to this end make you friends of the unrighteous Mammon; that you may have a greater intereſt in God the true treaſure.

And for a concluſion, remember this, you that have not God for your treaſure here, you ſhall never have him, if you have no intereſt in God for your treaſure in this life; for after this life a mans chief good doth never change: What was thy treaſure ſhall ever be ſo: thou haſt a treaſure; but if it be below God, it ſhall be thy tormentor: A mans eternal eſtate is caſt here; and being ſo, that which was a mans chief good, muſt continue ſo to him; and therefore fear before God: if thou haſt not thy treaſure laid up in God in this life, he will never be p. 156thy treaſure and reward: and yet in the life to come, God will be all in all, and that God thou haſt then no intereſt in; for as a man ſows here, ſo ſhall he reap hereafter. I know not what to preach to you that ought more to affect you. And ſo much for this Exhortation. Lay up treaſure in Heaven.

There is one Uſe remaining of this Doctrine, and tis of Conſolation to all the Saints of God. You have ſeen the miſery of thoſe that erre in their chief good; Give me leave now for the comfort and ſupport of the hearts of Gods people, to ſhew them their happineſs in this, that whatever they are in this world, yet in regard of their chief good p. 157they have not miſcarried.

Oh bleſſed ſoul, that haſt not miſ-placed thy treaſure, that doſt not err in that which is thy chief good! I confeſs a godly man is every way a bleſſed man; he is bleſſed in regard of the pardon of his ſin. Bleſſed is the man whoſe tranſgreſſion is forgiven, and whoſe ſin is covered. Bleſſed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not ſin, Pſal. 32. 1. He is bleſſed in regard of the diſpoſition of his ſoul; Bleſſed are the pure in heart, bleſſed are the meek, bleſſed are thoſe that hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſs; He is bleſſed in all the ordinances: Bleſſed are they that dwell in thy houſe, Matth. 5. 8. Pſalm 84. 4. He is bleſſed in his obedience; bleſſed are they that are undefiled in the way, and p. 158walk in the Law of the Lord, Pſal. 119. 1. Nay he is bleſſed in his expectations, Iſa. 30. 8. Bleſſed are they that wait for him; He is bleſſed even in affliction: Bleſſed is the man whom thou chaſteneſt, and teacheſt out of thy Law, Pſal. 94. 12. A godly man is therefore every way bleſſed: But wherein lies the top of his bleſſedneſs? the height of it lies in this, he is bleſſed in his chief good, there is the top of all his bleſſedneſs unto which all theſe things are but inferior and ſubordinate.

Conſider I beſeech you, look to the Angels of glory in heaven, the elect Angels they are bleſſed in their inward qualifications and indowments, their wiſdom, their holineſs, their power, their zeal; they are bleſſed likewiſe in regard p. 159of their office and imployment, they are principalities and powers imployed by Chriſt in ordering things below; miniſtring ſpirits; the ſpirit of the living Creatures is in the wheels: they are bleſſed in their activity in thoſe offices, they go and come like lightning, its the prophets expreſſion, Ezek 1. 19. but wherein lies the top of their bleſſedneſs: truly in this, they have pitcht aright upon their chief good, they have not erred in their treaſure.

Nay the Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelf as Mediator, he was every way bleſſed: he is the heir of all things: he is one appointed to glory, and a glory ſuitable to the ſervice that he did perform, which neither man nor angel was able to do: p. 160but wherein lies the top of the bleſſedneſs of the Mediator? Pſal. 16. 4. The Lord is my portion, ſaith my ſoul: Its the Mediators ſpeech, his bleſſedneſs lay in his chief good: the ſame thing is true of the glorified Saints in heaven; the ſouls of juſt men are made perfect. Reckon up what you will of the glory of the ſoul, or the glory of the body that remains after the reſurrection, when they ſhall ſhine as the Sun in the kingdom of the father: yet this is the top of all; they have pitcht upon the right chief good.

On the contrary what is the miſerie of the Devil and thoſe damned ſpirits in hell? Pray conſider what I ſay to you; tis very true, there is nothing wanting to make them miſerable: p. 161if you look upon their ſinfulneſs, you muſt conſider, in Hell (peccatum etiam habet rationem poenae) and ſin there is a puniſhment: why if you conſider likewiſe the bottomleſs pit, the burning Lake, in which they are ſhut up, held in chains under darkneſs: all this I ſay makes them miſerable; add to all theſe the worm of conſcience, that is ever gnawing: for ſo tis in all thoſe damned ſpirits: why, all this you will ſay muſt needs make them very miſerable: but what is the top of their miſerie? wherein doth that lie? It lies in this, I have erred in my chief good: tis Chryſoſtoms expreſſion concerning it: put ten thouſand hells together, here is the worſt, there is none like this, that I have forſaken God, and p. 162God hath forſaken me; I have hated God, and now the Lord hates me: put ten thouſand hels together, there is moſt in this: here indeed doth lie the top of their miſerie: as this was the height of their folly.

But what needs ſo long dilating upon this, you will ſay? Why,

Truly becauſe as I would ſpeak comfort to Gods people: ſo I would have them conſider rightly of the comforts propoſed; for there are many grounds of comfort to the Saints, and they may make uſe of them all, and they are to do it in their ſeaſon, according to their order: yet notwithſtanding that which is the great comfort ſhould be in the firſt place, even in reſpect of p. 163taking comfort: that which is the great ground of comfort, that the ſoul ſhould moſt of all take comfort from. Now tis in reference to comfort, as it is in reference to duty; there are many commands, and all of them are to be obeyed: but yet there are great commands, and theſe are to have the firſt place in our obedience; This you ought to have done, and not to have left the other undone.

So there is variety of comforts, but there are ſome great grounds of comfort, and theſe are to have the chief place in our hearts, and from theſe in an eſpecial manner ſhould our comfort come in. As there be ſome grand promiſes; thoſe three I have often mentioned,

p. 164I will be thy God:

Thats the bottom of all the promiſes.

I will give thee my Son:

I will ſend my Spirit:

The great Comfort ſhould come in from the great Promiſes: and ſo tis here: and pray obſerve it. If a man be much in the leſſer duties of Religion, and neglect the greater, he hath juſt cauſe to ſuſpect the truth of his obedience. So if a man take much comfort from leſſer grounds, and neglect the greater, he hath great cauſe to ſuſpect the truth of his comforts, and his right to them: This is the great reaſon why I preſs it ſo earneſtly, that as I would have the people of God take their portion in comfort, ſo I would have them take it in an orderly way.

p. 165But now let us come to particulars:

You will ſay, Why is a godly man ſo happy in this, that he hath not erred in his chief good? There are ſeven grounds of the greateſt comfort that I know in all the book of God, ariſing from this conſideration, I have not miſ-placed my treaſure, my treaſure is in heaven, I have not erred in my chief good: And the firſt is this.

Hereby the ſoul may ſee the riches, as well as the freeneſs of the love of God, that in my chief good I have not miſcarried: This is the great error of the world, they do miſ-place their treaſure, and by this means, they have their portion in this life only; & with Dives their good things here: Now is p. 166this the great error of the world, as it will be found to be at the laſt day: is it a great mercy to be delivered from leſſer ſins and judgements? how much more is it to be delivered from that which is the greateſt judgement in the world? Did Noah finde grace in the ſight of God, and was delivered from that deluge that ſwept away the world of the ungodly? To miſplace a mans chief good is the greateſt ſin and greateſt judgement that can poſſibly fall upon a man. This is delivering a man to Satan indeed: delivering to Satan with a witneſs: The Scripture ſpeaks of a double delivering of a man to Satan: There is, Traditio Sathanae tanquam Domino, & tanquam lictori: delivering p. 167a man to Satan as a Lord, delivering a man to Satan as an Executioner, as an Officer.

There is delivering a man to Satan as a Lord, ſo the Lord Jeſus delivered Judas to Satan by the ſop: After the ſop the devil entred into him, that is, as a Lord to rule over him.

But there is another way of delivering to Satan, 1 Cor. 5. 5. When you are met together in my Spirit, deliver ſuch a man to Satan: How is that? for the deſtruction of the fleſh: when the Lord ſhall be pleaſed in an Ordinance to give over a man ſo to the power of the devil, that he ſhall afright his conſcience, and terrifie him for ſin committed; and for that end this means ſhall have its due work and power upon the man: but in this Satan is but p. 168an executioner: A man is never delivered up to Satan, as a lord, untill he be given up to him, ſo as that he ſhall deceive him in his chief good, then the devil is the lord of the man. When the Lord delivers a man to Satan, ſo as that the devil cheats him in his chief good; then the man is delivered to Satan as a lord. Now for a godly man to be able to look into his own condition, and ſay, when I look abroad in the world, and ſee one man place his chief good in this, another in that; one in riches, another in honors, another in pleaſures; but in the midſt of all theſe, though in many things I miſcarry: and therein I was as a beaſt before God; yet bleſſed be his name, here is my comfort, I have not miſcarried in my p. 169chief good: there is not any thing ſtays the ſoul like this: when a godly man is in the greateſt affliction: when he comes to look death in the face; nay, when Satan ſhall triumph over the moſt of the world, as he will do; for as he is ſubtle, ſo he is envious, and therefore an inſulting ſpirit: when he ſhall inſult over moſt in the world, then that poor ſoul ſhall be able to triumph over all the powers of darkneſs: Its true I am weak indeed, and I am ignorant, poor and mean, and low in the world, yet in this the devil can never deceive me: through grace I have ſo far obtained mercy, that the devil is never able to cheat me of my chief good: herein will lie the wiſdom at the laſt day, herein will p. 170lie a mans glory; for tis a mans chief good that will be his glory, or his ſhame to eternity; herein will be his wiſdom or folly to eternity: do you not remember that expreſſion, Luke 10. ult. Mary hath choſen foreign, the better part, or the good part. I ſhall not inquire what the meaning of that is the good part; but the word there uſed, ſignifies not only partem ſed portionem, part but portion: Mary hath choſen that good portion: and herein lay her wiſdom; in a mans election his wiſdom lieth: And above all choice in the world, is that which he makes his chief good: true ſaith the ſoul, I have bin fooliſh in many things, & in many things I have erred; but yet bleſſed be the name of my p. 171God, the true treaſure was not hid from me.

And when a man ſhall come to appear before men and Angels at the laſt day, thoſe that are now the fools of the world; that are derided for their godlineſs, that are mockt in their choice, as men that are not able to ſet themſelves in the face of the times, ſo as to be ſome body in the preſent Age. But when they ſhall appear before the Lord Jeſus to judge the quick and dead in his Kingdom, then theſe will be eſteemed of all others the only wiſe men: this was the ſoul that was directed by wiſdom from above, that carried him ſtill to the right chief good: if this will not ſtand by you in your greateſt troubles, there is nothing in Religion will do it.

p. 172Secondly, There is this ground of comfort, I have choſen the true chief good, the true treaſure, that ſhall never be taken from me. You know the expreſſion of Maries better part, Luke 10. ult. She hath choſen the better part, that ſhall never be taken from her: there is no man miſcarries in his treaſure, but he that lays it up below: what ever a man lays up as treaſure here below, he will loſe; it will be taken from him: for the Lord Jeſus Chriſt tels us, Here is ruſt and moth, and here are thieves that break through and ſteal; omnes damni cauſae ſignificantur. One upon that place ſets down all the ways by which men may loſe their treaſure; whether they be from cauſes within, or cauſes without, from thieves outward p. 173violence. Nebuchadnezzar one of the great robbers of the world, Iſa. 10. 13. he robd them of their treaſure; or otherwiſe there is a principle of decay in themſelves; there is a moth that will come out of the fineſt garment, a Ruſt that will breed out of the pureſt gold; from within he ſpeaks it of all treaſure men lay up in the Creature, whatever is a mans treaſure below. For all the creatures came under mans Covenant, and the Covenant with man being broken; all the creatures fall under the curſe. Obſerve it, tis a great truth, and by this means curſes the ground from whence all this periſhing in a mans treaſure below doth come, they all periſh with the uſing; but here is the happineſs of a man that hath his p. 174true treaſure laid up where neither ruſt nor moth, nor thieves can come: tis an excellent obſervation that of Auſtin. Summum bonum nec invitis confertur, nec invitis aufertur. A mans chief good, its given to no man againſt his will, but by a mans own choice, and taken from no man againſt his will; the true chief good ſhall not: your good things here below are taken away againſt mens wils: men will loſe their riches, and their honors, and their pleaſures will vaniſh into ſmoke: but now this chief good it is liable to no violence from without, to no decay within, and therefore its an excellent obſervation of the ſame Father, when he ſpeaks of the aſſiſtings of ſaving grace, what kinds of helps p. 175go with ſaving grace.

It is, ſaith he, they do cloſe with good, and do it ſo as no oppoſition ſhall overcome them. No oppoſition. And when they have cloſed with it, no oppoſition ſhall take it from them; I, that is Almighty power indeed.

Why then comfort thy ſelf in this, Tis true I have little in the world, and I ſee other men abound in riches and honors, and they waſh their ſteps in butter, and bathe in rivers of oyl. But I can look beyond all theſe: if their chief good be in this, it will be taken away from them: but bleſſed be the name of my God, I have a chief good that cannot be taken from me; theſe are the great ſtays of the ſouls of Gods people.

p. 176Thirdly, hath a man choſen the true treaſure? from hence he hath alway ſomething to guide his way: from hence he hath alway ſomething to reduce his wandrings. Let me ſpeak to them diſtinctly.

Firſt, from his chief good he hath the guide of his way; tis the rule of the Schoolmen, Summum bonum eſt omnis operationis origo. It is a mans chief good that is the foundation of all the actions and motions of the ſoul, from whence ſtill it hath his ſpring; this is to the ſoul as the center is to the ſtone: you know the ſtone moves towards its center, & it will go the direct way if it be not hindred: what guids its motion? why the center: ſo what guids the motions of all godly p. 177men? the chief good, thats their center, & they move towards it continually: ſo that if a man want a particular rule, yet this general rule will be a mighty guide unto him. The Scripture ſpeaks of a mans cleaving to God, Acts 11. 23. Following hard after God: Why, what is that? truly Religion doth conſiſt in the cleaving of the ſoul to God, and a conſtant following after God: in this Religion lies: Now what is the great conſultation in all the ſouls motions? what will bring me neareſt to my chief good? and its the chief good ſtill that is the guide of all its motions. You have an expreſſion which here comes in fitly to be opened, Matth. 6. 22. our Saviour ſaith, if thy eye be ſingle, thy whole body is full of light: p. 178if thy eye be ſingle, Auſtin expounds it, Intentio animae eſt animae oculus.

It is the intention of the man in what he doth, that is the eye of the man: Why then, a ſingle intention is a ſingle eye; as a double eye is an eye that is carried after a double object, that is carried partly after God, and partly after the world: a double eye and a double heart, they one expound another; but a ſingle eye is that which looks purely upon God: now what influence hath this upon a mans whole life, the whole actions of thy life? for that is meant by the body here: as the light of the eye guids the body, ſo the intentions of the ſoul guide the way: now all a mans actions will be full of light: holy, p. 179acceptable to God, well pleaſing to him. How comes it to paſs? Why a ſingle eye guids him. I pray conſider it well: this is a mighty comfort to the people of God, that in many caſes I want a particular rule; and a godly man many times, though he be well skilled in the Scripture, may want a particular rule: what carries him directly to his chief good, will be a great guide to a godly mans way. As in thoſe great points of Socinianiſm and Arminianiſm, wherein the depths of Satan are ſo much ſeen, though a Chriſtian be not able to anſwer many of their Arguments: yet here's one Rule will carry him through all: That Doctrine which exalts God moſt, and abaſes man moſt, is true Doctrine: Certainly that doctrine which exalts p. 180man, & puts al the determinations of God upon the will of man, is falſe. This general Rule will carry him through the whole controverſie. Tis ſo in reference to a Chriſtian way; That which carries me directly to my chiefeſt good, that is the guide of my way.

Secondly, and ſo it hath a great influence to reduce a mans wandrings: the truth is, the beſt men that have choſen God for their chief good, yet many times depart from him. We all as ſheep have gone aſtray: Now what ſhall bring a man back again? why he eyes the chief good; juſt as it is with a Traveller that intends to go to ſuch a place; he looks in the Map which muſt be his way; he looks firſt to hs journeys end, and obſerving the paſſage p. 181he ſaith, This is too much on the right hand, and that is too much on the left: juſt thus is the caſe of a godly man: God is my chief good, there is my aim: Now I erre on the right hand, and now on the left hand; but where doth he take that which reduces him? Still thats his chief good; obſerve Iſa. 30. 21. They ſhall hear a voice behinde them, ſaying This is the way, walk in it. Here is the voice of the Spirit, that is truth: by the Spirit this reduces the man. Now you go from your chief good, this is not the way to heaven, this ſhall never bring you to God; they are wonderfull comforts to a godly man; and there is not any thing can be ſpoken that is a more glorious guide, and a more effectual way to p. 182reduce a man, then this conſideration, I depart not from that which is my chief good: That is the third particular.

Fourthly, Unto a mans chief good his ſoul retires, and from it he fetches comfort upon all occaſions; for he that hath made choice of the true chief good, is able to ſay, I am ſure here is ſolid comfort, which other men now cannot, Prov. 18. 10, 11. The rich mans wealth is his ſtrong tower: the name of the Lord is a ſtrong tower: they are put in oppoſition: now whether do men retire in danger? to their chief good: the rich man to his wealth, a godly man to the name of the Lord; ſo that in every trouble every man goes out for comfort to his chief good: Now a p. 183godly man is able to ſay in his diſtreſs, Tis true, I have no riches to comfort me, and very few friends to ſtand by me: yet notwithſtanding for all that I can retreat to my God my chief good: there is comfort enough in him. I have a God, a Chriſt, a Heaven, a new Covenant, and a new Image; theſe I can retire to upon all occaſions, where I am ſure there is ſolid comfort. In this caſe that ſoul dares compare his chief good with all the men in the world, at ſuch a time no man knows but he that feels it, how a ſoul triumphs in his chief good: juſt as the Spouſe, Cant. 5. 10. My beloved is the chief among ten thouſand: I, let all the men in the world bring out their treaſure, I dare compare with them: for, There is no rock like our rock; who is a p. 184God like our God? The Lord is his treaſure: its a ſtrange place, Pſal. 44 8. 22. compare them together. ver. 22. For thy ſake are we killed all the day long: all the day long nothing but killing: now what is their condition under this? ver. 8. We make our boaſt of God all the day long: kill'd all day long, and yet brag of God all the day long; and yet this is the condition of all the Saints of God. See the vanity of all other treaſures; when men retire to them, their ſouls are empty; but in my chief good there is ſolid comfort to be had whenever I retire to it.

Fifthly, this is a very great comfort to a godly man, even in the midſt of all his failings. Pray take notice of it, and the Lord ſet it on upon the ſpirits p. 185of thoſe to whom it belongs; yet I have attained to chooſe God for my chief good: true, the beſt men may and muſt ſay, Who hath made his heart clean? and when they look back upon their ways, they muſt acknowledge, My heart hath run out inordinately, ſometimes to this and that creature: and I have neglected to ſeek after him who is my chief good, my treaſure, and for this I deſire to be aſhamed before him all my days: yet notwithſtanding, my happineſs is laid up in him alone; there is my treaſure: David comforted himſelf thus, Pſal. 18. 21. I have not wickedly departed from my God: departed he had, departed weakly, nay many times departed wittingly, bur wickedly p. 186I have not departed. What is it now for a man to depart from God wickedly? the meaning is this, tis for a man to place his chief good ſomewhere elſe; to go after another God, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks, Pſalm 16. I thank God I have never done ſo; I have choſen the Lord for my chief good, and to that choice I ſtand: though many times weakly and willingly I have departed from God, yet wickedly I never did: tis a great ground of comfort in the midſt of all the failings of Gods people. And truly there are no things in this world ſo great troubles to the people of God, as their departings from God are; they be their great troubles: as I remember Chryſoſtom ſpeaks of ſin in reference to his accompt, p. 187and he profeſſes, foreign: my ſin, ſaith he, this is death, and this is Hell: I, ſin is; and therefore departing from God is their great affliction; yet here is their ſtay, and their comfort, I never wickedly departed from God; and I have never choſen any but thee.

Sixthly, That which a man doth chooſe as his chief good here, and lay up in heaven by election, that he ſhall certainly enjoy hereafter by fruition: what is here thy choſen good in election, that ſhall be thy chief good by fruition hereafter: for as Auſtin ſaith, Beatitudo electione inchoatur, adeptione impletur: A mans bleſſedneſs begins in election here; what a man chooſes for his chief good, ſhall be finiſhed p. 188and perfected in fruition hereafter; and therefore what a man chooſes for his treaſure in heaven, that which he hath choſen, he ſhall enjoy; do you not remember the promiſe, Gen. 15. 2. I will be thy exceeding great reward? doſt thou chooſe God for thy chief good here? he will be thy rewarding God hereafter: what is thy Good here byſtipulation, ſhall be thy chief good hereafter, by viſion, fruition by union: there is a mans happineſs; I have a chief good in heaven, I am ſure I ſhall enjoy him hereafter.

Laſtly, which is the top of bleſſedneſs, he that hath laid up his chief good in heaven, is happy with the ſame happineſs that God is: he is called the bleſſed God: why? wherein doth Gods p. 189bleſſedneſs conſiſt? Truly it lies in this, in the enjoyment of himſelf; his chief good lies in himſelf, he is his own chief good, for the enjoyment of himſelf as chief good: herein lies the happineſs of God: then for a creature to enjoy God as his chief good, ſo far as a creature is capable, he is bleſſed even with the happineſs of God; thou doſt here live the life of God, and art made conformable to the Image of God: thou art bleſſed with the happineſs of God, and hereafter ſhalt enter into the joy of thy Lord: theſe are the particulars that are great grounds of comfort to all thoſe that have laid up their treaſure in heaven, the true Treaſury. And ſo much for the firſt Doctrine.

I ſhall now proceed to the p. 190ſecond general obſervation, which is this:

The treaſure is attractive of the heart; and whereſoever a mans treaſure is, it will carry his heart with it.

For wherever the treaſure is, there the heart will be.

Four things there are which I muſt ſpeak unto by way of Explication, which are indeed as ſo many ſubordinate Doctrines in the Text: they will all tend to the opening of this great point.

Firſt, to ſhew what is meant by the heart: that, by heart in Scripture is meant the whole ſoul.

Secondly, that the ſoul of man, the heart goeth out of it ſelf for happineſs, for its chief good; for here is treaſure laid up either in heaven or earth; p. 191the heart goeth out to the treaſure: the chief good of a man is without himſelf.

Thirdly, it is a matter of very great concernment, where a mans heart is placed: thats the Argument that Chriſt uſes here, Lay up treaſure in heaven: Why, what matter is it where ones treaſure is? Why, where your treaſure is there your heart will be.

Laſtly, the heart doth always follow the treaſure: whereever the treaſure is, it neceſſarily infallibly carries the heart; and then we ſhall give the Reaſons of this laſt Doctrine, to which all the reſt are but ſubordinate.

Firſt, what is meant by the heart; or if you will, take it in a Propoſition: The heart of man in Scripture is put p. 192for the whole ſoul.

The Hebrews generally place the Government of man in the heart, and make the heart the ſeat of the reaſonable ſoul: ſo you ſhall finde the Scripture commonly ſpeaks.

1. If you look to the whole ſoul as corrupt, Jer. 17. 9. The heart is deceitful above all things, and deſperatly evil: who can know it? And,

2. If you look upon the ſoul as ſanctified; for as corruption goes through all the faculties, ſo doth ſanctification alſo, Pſal. 24. 4. He that hath clean hands and a pure heart, which is called The hidden man of the heart, 1 Pet. 3. 4. And with the heart man believs, Rom. 10. 10. I conceive thats the whole ſoul, and all the p. 193faculties collectively. But by heart in Scripture alſo is ſometimes meant thoſe things, quarum ſedes eſt in Corde, which are ſituated, and have their habitation eſpecially in the heart: as wiſdom is attributed to the heart, wiſe in heart: Ephraim is a ſilly dove without a heart, without wiſdom, Hoſ. 7. 11. He that truſts in his own heart is a fool, Prov. 28. 26. His own heart, that is, he that leans to his own wiſdom, or as the Scripture elſwhere, he that is wiſe in his own eyes. So likewiſe you finde the heart put ſometimes for conſcience, and the actings thereof; Davids heart ſmote him when he cut off the lap of Sauls garment; it is ſpoken of the conviction of his conſcience. Sometimes it is put for the memory, the p. 194treaſury of the ſoul; Mary laid up all theſe things in her heart. But in this place I conceive there are three things eſpecially intended by heart here by Chriſt.

Firſt, the thoughts, the meditations, the conſultations of the heart; where the treaſure is, there is the heart. In this are all the meditations, the thoughts, the plottings, the contrivances of the ſoul, they are where a mans treaſure is, 2 Kin. 5. 25, 26. The Prophet ſaid to his ſervant Gehazi, Went not my heart with thee, when thou wenteſt out after the man? How did the Prophets heart go with him? that is, his thoughts went; for the thing was diſcovered unto him by a prophetical ſpirit; and that is indeed a marvellous p. 195choice expreſſion, Job 17. 11. where the thoughts of the heart are, in the Hebrew, called the poſſeſsions of the heart. Now whatever you poſſeſs here with your bodies, tis true indeed the body can ſee the glory, and taſt the ſweetneſs in many contents: but what do your ſouls poſſeſs in all theſe? nothing but the thoughts; what the ſoul poſſeſſes, it poſſeſſes by thoughts, and therefore they are called the poſſeſſions of the heart.

Secondly, by the heart here is meant, I conceive, the love, deſires, the longings of the ſoul: for in theſe the ſoul goeth out towards its objects: ſo Sichem, Gen. 34. 8. His ſoul clave to Dinah, Jacobs daughter: ſo Davids heart went out to Abſolom: therefore p. 196where your treaſure is, your love is, your ſoul goeth out in all manner of longings and deſires after it.

Laſtly, by the heart is meant a mans delight, that wherein the great comfort of his life lieth, wherein it is laid up: It is ſaid by Chriſt, though a woman in travel hath anguiſh, yet after ſhe remembers no more the pain, for joy that a manchild is born into the world: and 1 Sam. 4. 20. Theres a woman delivered of a ſon, and calls his name Ichabod: She regarded him not; for ſhe did not ſet her heart, that is, took no comfort in him. And Pſal. 62. 10. If riches increaſe, ſet not your hearts upon them, that is, do not place all the comforts of your lives in theſe things. Let not your hearts be ſwallowed p. 197up by theſe, as if you had no better things: thus then by heart is meant the whole ſoul, but in this place eſpecially, the thoughts, the love, the joy and delight: I ſhall afterwards take up theſe things again more particularly. I now only endeavor to open it, thats the firſt Propoſition.

Secondly, that the ſoul of man goeth out of it ſelf for happineſs; his treaſure is without himſelf: It is Gods honour only, and his prerogative; his bleſſedneſs is in himſelf; his bleſſedneſs is himſelf: he is unto himſelf the chief good: he hath nothing without himſelf, that makes him the bleſſed God: neither is he moved by any thing out of himſelf. When the Mediator ſpeaks of all he did, Pſal. 16. 3. he ſaith, p. 198My goodneſs extended not to thee: its true the L. Jeſus as Mediator in all his obedience, added nothing to the bleſſednes of God, his bleſſedneſs is in himſelf: And here note two things that I ſhall lay before you.

Firſt, man hath not a chief good in himſelf, his happineſs is not within his own power: he is therefore in reference to all things, a dependant Creature: Hence the people of God, who have made choice of the Lord for their treaſure, God in Chriſt, they ſay, Whom have I in heaven but thee? My ſoul is athirſt for God, for the living God: my ſoul pants after God, as the thirſty-land: thus then the ſoul is continually reſtleſs: why? becauſe it ſeeks to joyn it ſelf to its chief good which is without it ſelf: p. 199and as for that place, Prov. 14. 14. where its ſaid, A good man is ſatisfied from himſelf: the meaning there is not ſelf as ſeparated from God, but ſelf as united to God; not ſelf in oppoſition, but ſelf in ſubordination to God: its true indeed a mans chief good may in that reſpect be ſaid to be the moſt intimate part of himſelf; that of the Schoolmen is true ſo indeed, ſelf united to God: Deus eſt intimior nobis intimo noſtro, God is nearer to us then our ſelves. So the man is ſatisfied, that is, goes not out to any thing beſides God: but otherways a mans treaſure is without himſelf, his chief good lies not within his own power.

Secondly, it is the nature and conſtitution of the reaſonable ſoul to make out to a chief p. 200good without it ſelf: its true indeed moſt of the world miſtake this chief good, and miſplace it; but yet this is the very nature of the reaſonable ſoul, to go out for ſomewhat as treaſure out of it ſelf; this was the very nature of it in the Creation: it hath this common with every creature, not only to ſeek its own preſervation, but its own perfection: this is the condition of every creature, but much more of the reaſonable creature, becauſe it hath not a fountain in it ſelf, therefore it muſt go out to draw: becauſe it hath not food at home, therefore it muſt go out to buy: the greateſt part of the world indeed miſtake it, and place their chief good in hell, when they ſhould place it in heaven: but yet p. 201every one goeth out to ſomewhat, and ſaith, Who will ſhew us any good? It is the obſervation of Auſtin, Anima quae vivit ad infimum vivit miſere: ad ſummum beate. Man is a middle creature, and hath ſomething above him, and ſomething below him: that ſoul that hath its chief good below it ſelf, is a miſerable ſoul, whatever it is. But here is the happineſs now of the Saints, their chief good is above themſelves, but it goeth out of themſelves ſtill: Chriſt ſpeaks of the food of the ſoul, Iohn 6. 27. Labour not for the meat that periſheth, but for that which endureth to everlaſting life: the ſoul goeth out of it ſelf for ſomewhat to eat and drink; there are hungrings and thirſtings; for its proviſion is p. 202not in himſelf: therefore the ſoul that lives upon ſome what above it ſelf, that lives bleſſedly: but Iſa. 44. 24. he feedeth upon aſhes, &c. the man was ſeduced by the Serpent, and the Serpents curſe is upon him. All the comforts to which his ſoul goeth out, all is feeding upon aſhes, as the Prodigal is ſaid, in his abſence from his father, to feed upon Husks. Let me point at that place before named, Pſal. 62. 10. If riches increaſe, ſet not your hearts upon them: as it is with inſenſitive creatures, herbs and plants, they put their mouths into the ea…th, as the Philoſopher ſaith, ſo do they here, apponere Cor: that as they ſuck the ſap and juyce, the nouriſhment that is proper to their natures: ſo take a man whoſe p. 203heart goeth out to the creatures, he ſets his heart upon them, that from thence he may ſuck ſomewhat for his preſervation and perfection. And this brings me to conſider of that place, Iſa. 32. 11. they ſhall lament for the teats, the fruitfull fields, and the pleaſant vineyards: lament for the teats, what is the meaning of that? Forelius indeed, and ſome others expound it, pro lactantibus, for the children that ſuckt the dug. But Mr. Calvin, and ſome other Interpreters do underſtand theſe teats figuratively: The teats were the fields and the vineyards, and at theſe they ſuckt, and by theſe the happineſs and the comfort of their lives came in. Now ſaith God, I will cut off, and dry up the teats: you read p. 204the ſame Metaphor, Iſa. 66. 11. They ſhall ſuck, and be ſatisfied with the breaſts of conſolation: This then is a truth, that the happineſs of man his treaſure is not in himſelf: but he doth naturally go out to ſomewhat without himſelf: only I ſay indeed the greateſt part of the world they do miſtake therein. Now give me leave before I paſs this ſecond particular, to ſhew you the folly of ſucking dry teats: to let you ſee the miſerie of thoſe men that ſeek happineſs, and go out of themſelves for any treaſure below God: Doth the heart of man go out for treaſure naturally? Oh the miſery of thoſe men that go out of themſelves for any treaſure below God! Conſider but theſe three things.

p. 205Firſt, conſider you draw where there is no water: the creature is but vanity, all things below God are: you ſuck where there is no milk, all theſe things are empty: and thats one great miſery.

But there is another which heightens this wonderfully: and that is, the more your ſoul goeth out to theſe things for its treaſure, the more the appetite is increaſed, but never ſatisfied: For I told you, its true, all the creatures below came under mans Covenant in the Creation, and by that means came under mans curſe in the Tranſgreſſion. Now there is this curſe come upon all the creatures ever ſince the Fall, they enlarge the appetite but never ſatisfie them. Now p. 206you would ſay this were a ſad curſe upon any man in the world: ſuppoſe it ſo ſtill in natural things: that the more he eats and drinks, the more hungry and thirſty he is: therefore luſt in the Scripture is compared to drunkenneſs.

Nay, conſider further yet, hereby you become ſubject to your own ſervants; he places his chief good in that which God hath given to ſerve him. The height of iniquity lieth in this, when a man commits adultery with his own ſervant: God gave him the Creature to ſerve and uſe, and he will have them to enjoy: tis the height of a mans miſery.

Beſides, conſider in the laſt place, what is there to be had in theſe, when your ſouls are gone out to them? Look to p. 207Jer. 2. 13. a known place: My people have forſaken me, the fountain of living water, and have dig'd to themſelves broken ciſterns that will hold no water: Me thinks that very Scripture ſhould wonderfully keep off the heart from going out to creatures for happineſs, for his treaſure; pray conſider there be two things in it to be opened.

Firſt, all the good in the Creature is but water in a Ciſtern; what doth that imply? why firſt,

It implyes this, it hath no good in themſelves, they have no more then is put into them: Ciſterns have no more water then is put into them. God can put a great deal of good into a creature, that is true, but ſtill remember, it is but a Ciſtern.

p. 208Secondly, a Ciſtern is of ſmall compaſs, it will hold but a little: a man may ſee the end of the perfection of the creatures: we cannot ſay ſo of the Fountain: Beſides,

Thirdly, it is water that will die, in reference to that expreſſion ſo commonly uſed of living water; they will not be lively refreſhing comforts.

Laſtly, they will all leave you: for they be broken ciſterns; the world paſſes away, and the faſhion of it. But now,

What is water in the fountain? treaſure laid up in God: Why? it is in a Fountain.

1. It is originally in him.

2. It is a continual Fountain, it is always running.

3. It is in him inexhauſtibly, p. 209never drawn dry.

4. It is in him communicatively; a fountain gives out water, and doth it naturally.

Laſtly, comfort in God is living comfort; the water in the Fountain is living water: in theſe reſpects you may ſee the miſerie of that man, whoſe ſoul goeth out for treaſure to any thing without God: thats the ſecond general propoſition, Every mans treaſure is without himſelf.

Thirdly, it is a matter of great concernment in Chriſts accompt, and ſhould be in ours where our hearts are: why, Where your treaſure is, there your hearts will be. Give me leave to open this unto you.

p. 210The Lord in the Scripture hath given ſpecial direction for the ſetting of a mans heart; therefore that a mans heart ſhould be right ſet, is a matter of great conſequence, Hag. 1. 5. Set your hearts upon your ways: ſo tis in the Hebrew; And if riches increaſe, ſet not your hearts upon them: and Deut. 32. 46. Set your hearts upon all the words of the Law: But why is it ſo? Truly there are very great reaſons for it: that every one may look down into himſelf, and ſay, where is my heart? As,

Firſt, it is the heart mainly that God looks upon and obſerves where it is: in a ſpecial manner the Lord eyes the heart; you know in 1 Sam. 16. 7. God looks not as man looks: man looks to the appearance, God looks to the heart, and 2 Chron. p. 21116. 9. His eyes run to and fro through the world to ſet himſelf with thoſe whoſe hearts are upright: tis a matter of great conſequence therefore, becauſe on your hearts God ſets his eyes.

Secondly, it is the heart mainly that God claims and cals for, Pro. 23. 26. My ſon, give me thy heart: this is indeed the habitation of the great King: and when the Lord hath taken the heart to himſelf, he hath the man: nothing is Corban, a fit gift for God, unleſs the heart be firſt given.

Thirdly, where the heart is, there is the man; and therefore when the ſoul is gone, the man is gone; where the heart goeth the man goeth: it is remarkable, Pſa. 38. 10. he ſpeaks it of a mans days, and ſaith, p. 212they are ſoon cut off, and they flie away: they leave the body behinde, but the ſoul is gone: ſo that where the heart goeth the man goeth. Now do but look how the Lord obſerves the goings out of the heart. There were men that came to hear the Prophet preach, Ezek. 33. 31. Their heart goeth after their covetouſneſs; and the truth is, my brethren, wherever the body is, yet the ſoul is with the object upon which it is ſet. I remember Auſtin, ſpeaking of the happineſs of the people of God in this world, ſaith, Anima frequenter aſcendit, & currit per plateas coeleſtis Jeruſalem. Their ſouls be in heaven, their bodies be upon earth: The ſoul goes to heaven, and viſits the Prophets, and ſalutes the Patriarchs and the p. 213Angels, nay the ſoul cloſes with the Lord Jeſus Chriſt in glory; he ſaith, There is an embracing that the heart hath, even there where the body cannot come: Therefore obſerve, where the heart is, there is the man: its matter of great conſequence then, where you ſet your hearts: Nay further yet,

God values every man according to his heart, and every man is worth as much as the treaſure is upon which the heart is ſet, Prov. 10. 20 The heart of the wicked is little worth: Why? becauſe his treaſure is little worth: becauſe that upon which his heart is ſet is worth nothing, Prov. 27. 27. A man of underſtanding is of an excellent Spirit; and my ſervant Caleb had another p. 214ſpirit: God values men according to their hearts, and their hearts to what their treaſure is: There are two things that commend the heart to God, that make it of value in Gods accompt; their ornaments, and the objects of the heart: The ornament of a meek and quiet ſpirit, which is in the ſight of God of great price: let the inner man of the heart be ſo adorned, 1 Pet. 3. 4.

But eſpecially the objects of the heart, thoſe things upon which the heart is ſet: tis therefore of great conſequence; for a man is worth no more then his heart is worth, and the heart is worth as much as the object upon which the heart is ſet; beſides,

Fifthly, it is matter of great p. 215conſequence where you ſet your hearts, becauſe from your hearts all your converſation flows, Prov. 4. 23. Keep thy heart above all things: take heed what that goeth out unto: why? from it are the iſſues of life: whatever flows forth in a mans whole life, flows from the conſtitution of the heart; for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth ſpeaks; out of the heart proceed murders, adulteries, fornications, and the like. Look to the ways of your hearts, and ſuch will certainly the ways of your lives be. Then it is of great moment upon what a man ſets his heart; if the treaſure did not carry the heart with it, it would not be ſo dangerous.

Laſtly, and pray obſerve it, p. 216for it is the ſpecial thing that I ſhall preſs in this point: it is of great conſequence where you ſet your hearts, and upon what: becauſe the objects upon which the heart is ſet have a transforming power, and do mightily faſhion the heart unto themſelves: you know in the 115. Pſalm, what is ſaid concerning Idols there; they that made them be like unto them, and ſo are all that put their truſt in them: becauſe that on which the heart is ſet, frames the heart like it ſelf; that look as where your treaſure is, there your hearts will be: ſo like your treaſure your hearts will be: as I would a little inſtance in thoſe men that have their treaſure in this life; let us ſee how it faſhions their hearts. Its ſaid of Jeconiah, from whom p. 217the Lord in diſgrace took one ſyllable of his name away, Jer. 22. 17. Thy eyes and thy heart are for thy covetouſneſs: and thats the condition of many men, they have nothing in their hearts, but how they may either get or ſave, and covetouſneſs lies much in them both: nay unjuſt keeping is many times an act of greater covetouſneſs then unjuſt gain: now what does God ſpeak of that man? look afterwards to the 29. ver. Oh earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord; write this man childleſs: there are many interpretations given of it; among the reſt, this is one: the man was wholly earth, he was faſhioned to it, and therefore the Lord calls him by the ſame name. Its that which I intreat you to obſerve: p. 218the loſs of the ſoul, and the gain of the world commonly go together: therefore Chriſt puts them together Matt. 16. 26. What ſhall it profit a man to gain the world, and loſe his ſoul? Why is there a neceſſary connexion between theſe two? not neceſſary indeed, but a very dangerous connexion: it is a hard matter to gain the world, and not to loſe the ſoul: but the ſoul is not only loſt hereafter, but even here in this life; becauſe its framed and faſhioned to the object upon which the heart is ſet; as I ſhall give a few inſtances, that you may the better underſtand me.

Take but thoſe two glorious excellencies of the ſoul, the light of it, and the purity and holineſs of it; now let p. 219the heart be ſet on any worldly thing, and the ſoul is loſt in both theſe reſpects.

Firſt, in regard of the light of it, that the heart can ſee nothing that is ſinful-evil: can ſee nothing that is ſpiritual-good; for the ſoul in the light of it is loſt, being ſet on worldly things, they cloſe the eye of the ſoul: and therefore David ſpeaks ſo, Pſal. 119. 37. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity: he ſpeaks of the vanity of the creature: and ſo long as mine eyes are ſet upon theſe, ſo long I ſhall never ſee the Spiritual excellencies of God; I ſhall ſee the excellency of ſpiritual things when my eyes are turned away from theſe worldly things, it ſpoils the ſoul and p. 220robs it of all its light: but in regard of the purity and holineſs of it, ſee how theſe things defile the heart: why is covetouſneſs ſaid to be the root of all evil, 1 Tim. 6. 9. It is ſaid to be ſo upon a double ground, ab origine, all evil comes from thence as the root: all evil is nouriſht by it as the root; there is no ſin that wil not flow from this principle; there is no ſin that this principle will not nouriſh: as give me leave to inſtance in 2. or 3. things, that if the Lord pleaſe, it may be an engagement to you to take heed, where you ſet your hearts

Firſt, There is no ſin that this will not frame the heart to: It will make a man lye with Gehazi; commit Sacriledge with Ananias and Saphira; rob God with them, Malachi 3. 8. Curſe the p. 221people of God with Balaam; make merchandize of mens ſouls with Rome: make a man prove an Apoſtate from Religion with Demas: tis a dangerous thing then to ſet your hearts upon your covetouſneſs: for objects have upon the ſoul a transforming power.

Secondly, it will make a man ſhameleſs in ſin; I wiſh divers of our covetous men had not attained to this pi…ch of ſinning, to be impudent in ſinning, that dare out-face the word of God, and the Miniſtry of the word, and regard it not: as Judas, Matt. 26. 15. came to the High Prieſt, and ſaid, What will you give me, and I will betray him? He demands a reward for his treaſon, and doth it by compact; and ſo thoſe, Micah 7. 3. The Judge asketh for a reward: why to p. 222take a bribe; in a great man is an abominable thing; but to ask for it much more; and yet ſo will the creature do when the heart is ſet upon it.

Nay further, it will make a man reject the offers of grace out of knowledge, and the good things of the Goſpel out of contempt: take heed of it. In Luke 16. 14. the Lord Jeſus had preached there a very ſoul-ſearching Sermon againſt covetouſneſs, and the Phariſees that were covetous men derided him: take the diſtinctions to your ſelves, you who ſet your hearts upon Creaturecomforts: and then,

Laſtly, it will make a man take pleaſure in the ſins of men, and deſire them: It will make a man to deſire the damnation of men, Hoſ. 4. 8. conſider p. 223it: tis ſaid of the Prieſts there, they eat up the ſins of the people, and ſet their hearts upon their iniquities, or lifted up their hearts to their iniquities: eat up the ſins of the people, that is, the Sacrifices that the people brought: and becauſe they gained by it, they deſired that the people might commit a multitude of ſins, that by this means they might have a multitude of Sacrifices: you do not know to what hideous ſhapes ſuch hearts will be framed: nay, they will deſire the damnation of men to be a gainer by it: the falſe Prophets are ſaid to ſow pillows under mens arm holes, that they might not turn from their imquities: and this the Lord cals hunting of ſouls to deſtruction; what is the reaſon of it? p. 224why they hunt ſouls to get diſhoneſt gain: and was it any great matter that they got by it? no, but for a handfull of barley, and a piece of bread: what is the cauſe of all this? their hearts are faſhioned according to things below; nay look to the 19. of the Acts, there was a poor creature poſſeſt with the Devil: it may be ſuch kind of the ſpirit of Divination as now ſome among us pretend unto: this evil ſpirit is caſt out: her maſters ſeeing their hope of gain gone, they raiſe up preſently a perſecution; Yea, let the maid be poſſeſt by the devil, and go to the devil, ſo long as we gain by it, it is well enough. I pray conſider of theſe few particulars, that you may ſee what transforming p. 225power the objects of the heart have when once tis ſet upon any thing below God: I might inſtance on the contrary, he that hath his treaſure in God, what a transforming power ſpiritual objects have: and this is the third Doctrine, It is of great moment where a man ſets his heart: therefore take heed; where your treaſure is, there your hearts will be: All theſe are but previous Doctrines to the laſt, which is this:

The Treaſure carries the heart with it: the Treaſure whereſoever it is, is attractive of the heart.

This I ſhall firſt open and prove in the general; and ſpeak ſome generals, yet I hope they will be to every p. 224duplicate page p. 225duplicate page p. 226underſtanding Hearer of greater uſe.

The heart of man hath its ſeveral motions and outgoings, its proceſſes and receſſes, and all this according as the treaſure is: you ſhall finde, Eccleſ. 6. 9. The ſight of the eye is better then the wandrings of the deſire: thus you tranſlate it, it is rendred in your Margents, the walk of the ſoul: why then certainly the ſoul of man hath its walk, the heart hath its out-goings; and indeed it is true of the ſoul of man, that which is ſaid of the Angels in all their ſervices, They go forth and return like lightning, Ezek. 1. 19 The ſame thing is true of the ſoul of man, it goes forth and returns with incredible ſwiftneſs, it goeth forth upon the p. 227object upon which it is ſet: and therefore, Eccleſ. 11. 6. you read of the way of the heart, Rejoyce, O young man, in thy youth, and walk in the wayes of thy heart; ſo you read the word: the word is rendred by Montanus fitly, In …diebus electionum tuarum: in the days of thy elections; for moſt men make choice of their chief good in their youth, that is, the day and time of a mans election. Now walk in the ways of thy heart, the heart hath its out-going, according to the object upon which it is ſet, and ſo much the Scripture clears, Ezek. 33. 31. The…r heart goeth after their covetouſneſs: tis a walking heart, their heart walketh after their covetouſneſs: after their covetouſneſs you will ſay! covetouſneſs is a p. 228ſin in the heart; how doth the heart go after it? either it is ſpoken of covetouſneſs here as the predominant luſt, and ſo it carries the whole ſoul with it: or elſe it is put for the object of covetouſneſs on which it is ſet, and ſo the heart goeth out after it; the heart of man goeth out to ſome treaſure, ſome chief good, as the object upon which it is ſet: and hence in the Scripture, the ſoul of man is ſaid to be full of luſt, made up indeed of nothing elſe; it is taken in a double ſenſe, both good and evil, Luke 22. 15. With deſire have I deſired to eat this paſſeover with you. Its the motion of the new man, ſpoken there of Chriſt, the motions of the new man: all theſe are called luſtings, going p. 229out of the ſoul after an object; and ſo in an evil ſenſe too, Eph. 4. 22. they are all called deceitfull luſts: which I conceive is the meaning of Cant. 1. 4. Draw us and we will run after thee: draw us; how is that? by diſcovering the glory, ſweetneſs and ſpiritual excellencies that there are in ſpiritual things; and inclining the heart to follow them; for this is but the object; the attractive of the heart, ſuitable to that of Auſtin, Trahitur animus amore: trahit ſua quemque voluptas: thus then the ſoul doth go out to the object, and the heart is carried after it, and drawn by it: and tis thus ſuitable to a mans treaſure; and here there are four demonſtrative Arguments that I ſhall give you of it, and p. 230then ſhall lay before you the reaſons, how it comes to paſs that the treaſure ſhould always thus carry the heart with it.

Firſt, every man in an unregenerate eſtate hath ſome predominant luſt, and this luſt is ſaid to be predominant, becauſe in the enjoyment, enjoyed by that luſt, therein lies a mans treaſure: by that a mans treaſure or chief good comes in: now hence it comes to paſs, every man hath ſome predominant luſt in the days of his unregeneracy, called the ſtumbling block of a mans own iniquity, Ezek. 7. 19. the Fathers uſe to ſtile it Peccatum in deliciis, the ſin of delight, or a mans darling ſin: Job calls it a mans ſweet morſel, …ob 20. 11. Now what is the reaſon p. 231that any luſt is predominants? for there be ſome ſervile luſts: its true every ſin rules over the man, yet in reſpect of ſin there be ſome ſervile luſts; the more immediately any luſt converſes with a mans treaſure, the more immediate his treaſure comes in by it; according thereto is the predominancy of the ſin, though in an unregenerate man every ſin is raigning, the whole body of death: yet there is one ſin that is as it were the Vice-roy, in whom the body of ſin doth reſt, and that is grounded purely upon this conſideration: the ſin that brings in a mans treaſure; that wherin the ſoul places its chief good, and wherein it takes full delight and contentment, to which he makes all other p. 232ſins ſubſervient; This is the firſt demonſtration, becauſe the ſinne that converſes immediately with a mans treaſure, and brings it in, that is the predominant luſt.

The ſecond demonſtrative Argument is,

Becauſe that ſin, leſs then any other can the ſoul reſiſt: pray mark it; whats the reaſon? the reaſon is this; ſtill the heart will go out to the treaſure; and this ſin more immediately brings in the treaſure, and therefore of all ſinnes the heart is moſt foiled by this: tis true indeed every ſinne draws away the ſoul, James 1. 14. It is ſaid a man is tempted by his own luſt and enticed. But remember it is that which I have …ften p. 233ſpoken, and I deſire the Lord to ſpeak it to my heart and yours: there is no man doth periſh that ever did make a profeſsion of Religion, but it is when he meets with this ſtumbling block of his own iniquity, that I dare preſume to ſay: Never any made a profeſſion of Religion, and fell away and periſht, but he did ſtumble at his darling ſin, there he brake his neck, becauſe where his treaſure was, his heart goes after it: Thats the meaning of that place of our Saviour, Luke 8. 13. Its ſpoken of the ſtony ground, It received the ſeed and ſprung up, and bore fruit: how came it to paſs that theſe men fell away? what undid them? there was an opportunity of temptation, foreign: In the opportunity of temptation they fell away: every temptation p. 234doth not come in the opportunity: when is it then? truly, the opportunity of temptation is then, when a man is tried in his maſter luſt; in this is the predominant evil, that he cannot withhold his heart from his treaſure; the heart is gone out to it; and thats the reaſon whenever he is tempted in that ſin, he can make leaſt reſiſtance, and he is certainly at laſt foiled, and overcome for ever. Thats the ſecond demonſtrative Argument of the truth of this point.

Thirdly, it will appear that the heart goeth out to the treaſure, becauſe in the purſuit of it the heart is impatient of oppoſition and procraſtination; it can bear no denial, it can bear no delay. Firſt it is impatient of oppoſition, Prov. p. 23517. 22. It is better to meet with a Bear rob'd of her whelps, then a fool in folly: What doth Solomon mean? who is the fool according to the tenor of that book? every unregenerate man: but is the fool ever out of his folly then? you can never meet him out of his folly: I conceive the meaning of it is; in his folly when the luſt is up, when the luſt hath gotten the hill, the advantage: when it is active, ruling, and ſwaying in the man; and this is according to the manner of the Scripture ſpeech, Matth. 12. 43. When the unclean ſpirit is in a man: the meaning of that place, as Cameron well obſerves, 1 Joh. 5. 19. The world lies in the wicked one, that is, in his power: to be under his power, is to be in him; to p. 236meet a fool in his folly, is, under the power of his folly, when folly hath dominion over the man. But what is it to meet a Bear rob'd of her whelps? wherein lies the danger? a Bear is a ſavage creature and a creature of prey; and a ſhe-Bear is the moſt ravenous, but eſpecially a ſhe-Bear rob'd of her whelps: ſo it is here, becauſe it ſtands between the heart and the treaſure; the heart goeth out to the treaſure, and can indure no oppoſition, and bear no denial. And as it can bear no oppoſition, ſo it can indure no delay and procraſtination: and therefore you ſhall finde Balaams covetouſneſs was his predominant luſt; he went after the wages of unrighteouſneſs: now Balaams luſt is too p. 237ſwift for Balaams Aſs: the Aſs cannot make ſo much haſt as his luſt, he can indure no delay; nay do but obſerve, tis an excellent expreſſion, ſpoken of the Babylonians, when the King and his Army came to invade their neighbor Nation, Hab. 1. 18. They ſhall come as an Eagle doth haſten to eat the prey: you know of all birds the Eagle flies ſwifteſt, and never ſo ſwift as when ſhe goes to catch the prey: ſo the heart goeth after the treaſure as the Eagle goeth after the prey, it can endure no delay; Thats the third demonſtration.

Fourthly, and laſtly it appears by this which is the cleareſt demonſtration of it; Let a man change his treaſure, and preſently h…s heart is p. 238changed and retires from that which before it went out unto with the greateſt earneſtneſs in the world: there is the happineſs of Gods people, they have changed their treaſure their chief good, and therein lies the great change of converſion. This is the firſt and great change, when a man changes his chief good; but when that is done once, the ſoul that went out after it before, now turns from that which was his chief good, and perſecutes that with the greateſt earneſtneſs that before he did cleave unto: there be two things in converſion.

A verſion and Converſion. The man turns from all treaſures below; take a proof for that, Pſal. 63. 8. My heart follows p. 239hard after God, ſaid David; the word is, my ſoul cleaves after him, that though I have many things that would turn me off from God: yet notwithſtanding my ſoul cleaves to him: in a conſtant purſuit of him my ſoul cleaves after him. There are two expreſſions ſomewhat alike, one is to fulfil after God, and the other is to cleave after God, Numb. 14. 24. Caleb had another ſpirit, he followed God fully, he fulfilled after God, ſo tis in the Hebrew: this points out the ſincerity of a mans heart: and to cleave after God, tis ſpoken of the conſtancy of a mans purſuit, the heart goes out, the bent of the ſoul always tends that way; yea, he that before followed after vanity, now cleaves after God: p. 240what is the reaſon? the chief good is changed.

And as there is converſion; ſo there is averſion. Take a man that now looks on ſin as a cheat, and all the comforts of the creatures to be but counterfeit, and that he hath taken copper for gold all that while: what then? his heart turns from them with the greateſt averſion that is poſſible: you know thoſe places, I need not repeat them, What have I to do any more with Idols, Hoſ. 11. 8. Say to the Idols, get you hence: therefore the heart is with the treaſure: where the treaſure is, there is the heart; but now change the treaſure, and the purſuit of the heatt is changed. Thus much for the demonſtrations of it: I hope all theſe things may be uſefull to p. 241every underſtanding hearer.

But why is it that the heart always goeth out to the treaſure? that where the treaſure is, there the heart is: why, what is the cauſe?

There are ſix great grounds of it.

Firſt, becauſe the treaſure, which I expound the chief good, is animae pabalum, the food upon which the ſoul feeds; and if it be ſo, no wonder the ſoul goeth out after it; the heart cannot live without it; take an unregenerate man, and it is his treaſure his heart feeds upon; he eats the bread of wickedneſs, and drinks the wine of violence: take a godly man, and he doth not labour for the meat that periſheth, but for that which endures to eternal life, Joh. 6. 27. This is the p. 242food his ſoul feeds upon; and for this cauſe in the Scripture you have ſo often expreſſions of hungring and thirſting; and you know what violent impreſſions thoſe make upon the ſpirits of men: what is all this but to let you ſee that the chief good is the food of the ſoul, and therefore the heart makes after it, for it cannot live without it.

Secondly, the chief good is not only the food, but animae ſuſtentaoulum, the ſupport of the ſoul, the ſoul of man without it is not able to uphold it ſelf, Pſal. 112. 8. David ſaith, my heart is underpropt: ſo Montanus renders the word, ſuffultum eſt cor meum: then truly the heart of man muſt be propt, it is not able to ſtand of it ſelf, it p. 243muſt have a ſupport: and whence is that ſupport? pray look, Job 8. 15. there is a man that leans upon his houſe: what is that? his hope, the object of his hope; he cannot ſtand without it ſupport; that which is his comfort in reference to eternity, upon this his ſoul leans; and ſo the godly, Pſal. 73. 26. My fleſh and my heart fails me, but God is the ſtrength of my heart: he goes to his chief good, becauſe he cannot ſtand alone: he muſt have ſomewhat to reſt upon; and thats the reaſon that a rich mans wealth is ſaid to be his ſtrong tower: it is that which defends him: the heart muſt needs go to the treaſure: tis the hearts food, and tis the hearts ſupport: it cannot be ſupported one moment without it.

p. 244Thirdly, it is the ſouls delight, the delight of the heart: oblectamentum animae: the heart of man cannot live without it long; and all the delight the ſoul hath, comes in from its chief good; the chief good is the object of the higheſt love, and of the greateſt truſt, and tis the object of the fulleſt delight; and therefore the ſoul of man muſt go out to its treaſure, becauſe all its joy comes in by it: and without delight the ſoul cannot live. Why is Hell ſaid to be death? becauſe there is no joy, no delight; why is Heaven ſaid to be life? becauſe in thy preſence is fulneſs of joy, and at thy right hand are pleaſures for evermore; without delight the ſoul cannot live.

p. 245Saith Auſtin, Take away all delight, and the ſoul dies: let there be but pure darkneſs once, and the ſoul cannot live.

Fourthly, It is a mans chief good, that is animae ornamentum, the beauty of the ſoul, that wherein the beauty of the ſoul doth lie; and indeed take the ſoul off from this, and it is naked: the heart of man is naked, taken off from his chief good: will you but obſerve, and ſee both put together? Jer. 2. 33. Can amaid forget her ornaments, and a bride her attire? Take a poor creature, all the beauty ſhe hath lies in cloaths; as I ſometime told you, that is like the Cinnamon Tree, that hath nothing good but the Bark; indeed tis true, you dare not go without your p. 246ornaments; to be ſure whatever you forget, you will not forget to make your ſelvs fine, to deck your ſelves: I am afraid divers of you forget moſt other things except that: but can ſhe? why, can ſhe not? there is not a natural impoſſibility indeed, but a moral: that is it wherein ſhe glories, and ſhe cannot forget it; but ſaith God, I am your ornament, your glory: you ought to make me your chief good, and you forget me days without number: the ſoul goeth out to its treaſure, and cannot forget it: for this is that wherein all its ornament and beauty lies; and the truth is, all the adorning of the ſoul comes from a mans treaſure, and chief good.

Fifthly, the heart muſt go p. 247out to to the treaſure: for tis animae ſpiraculum: this is that in which the ſoul breaths; pray conſider it; we rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God, ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 5. 2. Deſpair is that which ſtrangles the ſoul; the ſoul lives in hope: what is that hope carried after? why, after its chief good; therefore the ſoul breaths no other breath: My ſoul pants after God, gaſps after God, breaths after God, ſaith David, Pſal. 42. 1. In this the ſoul lives, this is the breathing place of the ſoul.

Laſtly, here only is animae requies, the reſt of the ſoul: Return unto thy reſt, oh my ſoul, Pſal. 116. 7. Now it is only the chief good that the ſoul reſts in, this is only the object of fruition; the ſoul is reſtleſs p. 248until it come to this, but it is ever moving towards it: theſe be the reaſons why the heart of man muſt of neceſſity be where the treaſure is.

But now the next thing is, how is the heart of man carried after its treaſure? doth it always go after it, that the heart is where the chief good is continually: how is it carried after it?

Here give me leave to lay down ſix Concluſions, which are of marvellous great uſe, and great truths every one of them. I ſhall but name them, though they need a great deal of explication.

Firſt, the heart goeth after the treaſure continually; the ſoul of man is always active, never idle: and whats the reaſon of all its motions: truly p. 249tis well obſerved by the Schools, that Summum bonnum eſt omnium operationum origo: The chief good is the reaſon of all the motions of the ſoul, the ſoul moves continually after it: now from thence all motions do ariſe, Eccleſ. 2. 23. he ſpeaks there of a covetous rich man, whoſe chief good is his wealth, there is his treaſure: his heart takes no reſt at night, ſaith he: his bo…i…, that is neceſſitated to take reſt, but his heart is reſtleſs, becauſe ſtill it is carried after its treaſure: and therefore day and night is never at reſt, always moving: what is the reaſon? becauſe ſtill it is carried after the treaſure continually.

Secondly, The heart goes after the treaſure infinitely p. 250unſatiably, that where a mans treaſure and chief good is, there the heart is never ſatisfied, but it is going out after it without meaſure; thoſe that place it here below, you know the expreſſion, Habbak. 1. 15. they imarge their defires as hell, and can never be ſatisfied: true the chief good indeed gives meaſure to all ſubordinate things; but it is without meaſure it ſelf; ſo that he that hath a treaſure, his heart is infinitely carried after it: whether it be below or above, he is never ſatisfied; oh the infi…i…e diſ-ſatisfaction in the ſoul, that hath once ſet the Lord, and choſen him for his chief good! he is always growing, gaſping, crying, mourning, walking after God.

Thirdly, a mans treaſure p. 251or chief good, the heart takes faſt hold of, and poſſeſſes it for his own: pray obſerve it: there be other things indeed that the heart looks upon as other mens goods; but his chief good he poſſeſſes as his own; tis his own, tis his treaſure: ſo obſerve, Iob 8. 15. the place I cited before; he ſhall not only lean upon his houſe, but hold faſt his houſe: the Text ſaith, take …ow a poor covetous wretch, whoſe money is his treaſure; an ambitious man, his honor is his treaſure; take a poor proud woman, and vanity in apparel is her treaſure: Let the judgements of God be denounced, and the Miniſters of God ſtrive to take off the men, they hold it faſt and will not let it go, they will contend for it, p. 252and look upon them as the worſt enemies in the world that labour to pull it from them: pray obſerve it, for in this way the heart goes out to the treaſure, he holds it faſt; and this is the true cauſe why converſion is a work of Almighty power: becauſe as Proſper well obſerves, Summum bonum nemo perdit niſi volens: no man loſes his chief good, but by his will: therefore he that ſhall change a mans chief good, muſt change his will, which all the Angels in Heaven cannot do; till God change his will, he never lets go his chief good, and this is the marriage of the ſoul; that which is a mans treaſure, it is his marriage, tis an Almighty power muſt break that band: men are ſaid to be married to p. 253ſin upon that account, Rom. 7. 5. purely becauſe it is a mans treaſure; thus the heart goeth out to it, the heart holds it faſt: take another man that makes God his Treaſure and ſpiritual things, God in Chriſt; and what then? why come temptation, the man holds his treaſure; come deſertion, the man holds his treaſure: look to Heman, Pſal. 88. I am free among the dead, like thoſe that lie in the grave, whom thou remembreſt no more: yet ſaith he, My God, I cry day and night: …is God is his treaſure; if he loſe that, he is undone; take God from me, and I am undone, or elſe you can never undo me; the ſoul holds it faſt; he ſtays upon his God and leans upon his beloved; this is another way how the heart p. 254goeth out to the treaſure, it holds it faſt.

Fourthly, if at any time the heart be ſhaken, to its treaſure and chief good it returns again; ſhake it while you will, thither it will return again: take an unregenerate man, and his beloved ſin ſhakes him; many times his knees ſhake and his bowels tremble within him: yet after this the man returns to his vomit again, ſtill he returns to his treaſure; as the unclean ſpirit that goes out of the man, returns: ſo a man returns to his treaſure again: and ſo a godly man let him be by temptations ſhaken off from God, yet notwithſtanding for all that the ſoul returns to God again: that as when you throw a bowl, it may ſeem to run ſtrait for a time; but after p. 255the force that was put upon it is ſpent, the biaſs takes it and carries it another way: ſo it is here; whiles the violence of temptation laſts, the ſoul ſeems to be carried away from God: but the biaſs of the ſoul takes it and carries it to the chief good again: ſo that a godly man, though his ſoul be ſhaken from God never ſo much, hath a principle within him that reduces him again: I will return to my former Husband, Hoſ. 2. 17. Somewhat will bring about the ſoul again, as by that ordinary ſimilitude, As the needle toucht with the loadſtane will come about again to its own poſture: ſo its with the ſoul that hath the true touch from heaven.

Fifthly, the change of a mans chief good is a godly p. 256mans firſt change, tis his great change, it is his chief change; the great change to deſtruction, what is that? they have forſaken me as the chief good; Jer. 2. 13. and digged to themſelves broken Ciſterns: Now to return to God again, is the firſt and chief change; and thats another reaſon, why converſion is a work of Almighty power: Who is able to exalt God in the ſoul as the chief good? none but himſelf; the Sctipture ſpeaks frequently of exalting God, and of the Lords exalting himſelf; exalt thy ſelf in thy own ſtrength; and exalt God in his name jah, and rejoyce before him: then you exalt the moſt High when you lift up God in yout ſouls as the chief good; then the Lord exalts himſelf when he ſets up himſelf p. 257in the ſoul as a treaſure; and then with the change of a mans chief good there is a change of all the motions in the ſoul; and do not talk of a change of thy motions, and of thy actions: it will never do thee good, unleſs it be founded in this, the change of thy chief good, and thy utmoſt end.

Laſtly, to cloſe theſe general conſiderations, in the chief good the liberty or bondage of the heart lies; the heart goes after it, and therein lies either liberty or bondage: the liberty of the heart is in the chief good: If the Son ſhall make you free, then are you free indeed, Joh. 8. 21. Now wherein lies the liberty that the ſoul hath with the Son? In adhaeſione animae ad Deum: p. 258that it is faſtned on God, as the chief good, cleaving to God as the chief good, and looking on all other things no otherways then as they are in ſubordination to him: there is the liberty: the ſoul cleaves to God, and to God alone, and looks upon all other things barely as in ſubordination to God; and this is the liberty that Chriſt purchaſt, when he is ſaid to bring you to God: that is, to bring you to God as the chief good: and the more the ſoul is taken up with this chief good, the freer it is, and therefore conſider in heaven there is perfect liberty: what is the reaſon? becauſe there the ſoul is wholly taken up with God, and taken off from all things elſe: and therefore in hell, ſervitus conſummatur; there is p. 259perfect bondage: what is the reaſon? becauſe the ſoul there is wholly taken off from God, wholly ſet againſt God: therefore now all men that have their treaſure below, their ſouls are in bondage: and my brethren, the Doctrine of the liberty and bondage of the will, will never be rightly opened, unleſs this bottomtruth in it be rightly limited; for it is from the hearts cleaving to this or that chief good, that the liberty or bondage of a man doth ariſe: and ſo much for the general opening of this great truth. The Treaſure is attractive of the heart.

I come now to ſpeak unto it more particularly; for ſurely theſe are the great things p. 260in which your ſouls ſhould be always imployed; the heart you ſee, and the treaſure is in ſeparable: the heart will be where the treaſure is: therefore ſuch as the treaſure is, ſuch is the heart: as well as where the treaſure is, there is the heart: if the treaſure be laid upon earth, then men are ſaid to be earthly minded, or to mind earthly things, Phil. 3. 19. that is, though their ſouls go up and down among many creatures (for the heart of man doth cheapen here and there, before it buys) yet notwithſtanding all is included in the things below: he minds earthly things, and only earth: his heart never goes beyond the treaſure: ſo if his treaſure be in heaven, then his minde is there, Col. 3. 1. tis true he doth p. 261uſe the things below, as his fleſh and his own exigences doth require, but yet notwithſtanding his heart is not ſhut up in theſe as another mans is: but he goeth out to his treaſure which is above, that as his converſation is his in heaven, ſo likewiſe his meditation is there alſo: all thoſe things that are ſeated in his heart, they are all there, as we ſhall hereafter ſhew: hence it comes to paſs, that a godly man is ſaid to be a ſtranger here; I am a ſtranger here, and a ſojourner as all my fathers were, Pſa. 39. latter end: why what is the reaſon? becauſe he doth not converſe here as if it were his Countrey: no, he doth ſeek a Countrey, becauſe his treaſure is not here; therefore he is a ſtranger here: tis an excellent obſervation, p. 262that of Bernard, Anima juſti coelum eſt, & in coelo. A godly mans heart is heaven, becauſe God dwels there, and tis in heaven, becauſe there he dwells with God; and for this cauſe, grace is called glory in the Scriptures, not only becauſe it is of the ſame nature with that grace whereof a man ſhall in glory receive the perfection; nor only becauſe it is a pledge and earneſt of it, and will certainly end in glory: but becauſe indeed the ſoul immediatly enters into glory after a ſort: for his treaſure being in heaven, his heart is there alſo: this we are to conſider, that a godly man is by this means in heaven whiles he is here. Yea, more in heaven then he is in earth before his tranſlation: p. 263for his treaſure is in heaven, and his heart is there.

Let us ſee in particular, what is here intended by the heart: more eſpecially there is by the heart in Scripture then meant all thoſe things that are ſeated in the heart. I gave many inſtances of it before, Let us begin with the firſt of them.

The heart in Scripture is put for the aim, the tendency, the bent of the heart, animi propoſitus, the propenſity of the heart: this is called the heart in Scripture, Deut. 24, 25. The Lord there gives a direction concerning the hireling, that his wages muſt not be detained beyond the day of his labour: At his day thou ſhalt give him his hire: neither ſhall the ſun go down upon it; for he p. 264is poor, and ſetteth his heart upon it: whats that? he is a hireling, and therefore neither love to his maſter, nor love to his work, but the aim and bent of his ſoul in all the labour he takes is the hire he receives for it; he ſets his heart upon i…: therefore the Scripture ſpeaks of a double heart, 1 Chron. 12. 33. and Pſal. 12. 2. Now what makes the heart a double heart? ſome do apply it to inſtability in opinion, that which is called halting between two opinions, when the minde is in a ſuſpence, and hangs like a Meteor: thats the Metaphor that Chriſt uſes, be ye not of doubtfull minds, Luke 12. 20. ſo you read it.