The Beatitudes, Appendix · Sermon 5

The Beatitudes · Appendix · Sermon 5

p. 529PROV. 4.23.

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the iſſues of life.

The ſpiritual watch.

THIS Book of the Proverbs is full of many Divine Aphoriſmes; other parts of Scripture are like a golden chain, the Verſes are linked together by Coherence; this Book is like an heap of gold Rings; many precious ſentences lie ſcattered up and down in it, as ſo many jewels, or ſparkling Diamonds. That title which ſome have given to Peter Lombard, Solomon might juſtly challenge, to be Maſter of the Sentences. Solomon was the wiſeſt of Kings; as his Kingdom was a Map of the worlds glory, ſo his Head was an epitome of the worlds wiſdom. He was endued with a Divine Spirit; while he did write, the Holy Ghoſt did dictate; and ſurely among all his golden ſentences, none is more weighty and important than this, Keep thy heart with all keeping, for out of it are the iſsues of life. — Agitur de vitâ. — The Text is about matter of life and death; the words are mandatory; for all counſels in Scripture carry in them the force of a command: p. 530Keep thy heart. Here is Gods ſolemn charge to every man, like the Judges charge given upon the Bench. I ſhall firſt explain, then apply.

1. Keep;] the Hebrew word foreign to keep, hath various ſignifications.

1. Sometimes it ſignifies munire, to arm or fence; a ſtroak at the heart kills; fence thy heart.

2. Sometimes it ſignifies c…rare, to take care of a thing that it be not loſt; as one would take care of a piece of plate, that it be not taken away.

3. Sometimes it ſignifies cuſtodire, to keep in ſafe cuſtody; ſo keep thy heart, lock it up ſafe, that it may be forth-coming when God calls for it.

2. Thy heart;] foreign the heart is taken diverſly in Scripture; ſometimes it is taken for the vital part, Judg. 19.5. ſometimes for the ſoul, Deutr. 13.3. ſometimes for the mind, Prov. 10.8. ſometimes for the conſcience, 1 John 3.20. ſometimes for the will and affections, Pſal. 119.36. I ſhall take it in its full latitude, for the whole ſoul with all its noble faculties and endowments; this is the depoſitum, or charge every man is entruſted with, the heart.

3. With all diligence;] the original carries it foreign with all keeping; the Hebrew word foreign ſignifies to keep with watch and ward; a Chriſtian is to ſet a continual guard about his heart. Some read the words, Keep thy heart, ſupra omnem cuſtodiam, above all keeping **Junius.; nothing requires ſuch ſtrict cuſtody; a Chriſtians heart muſt ever be in his eye.

4. For out of it are the iſſues of life:] foreign as the heart is the fountain of life; if the heart lives, the body lives; if the heart be touched, death follows: So the ſoul is a ſpiritual fountain, out of it iſſues either ſin or p. 531grace; from this ſpring-head flow the ſtreams either of ſalvation or damnation.

In the words there is,

1. A duty, Keep thy heart.

2. The manner, with all diligence.

3. The reaſon, for out of it are the iſſues of life.

Doctr. Doctr. It muſt be a Chriſtians great care with all keeping to keep his heart; we are to keep our eyes, Job ſet a watch there. Job 31.1. I made a Covenant with mine eyes, &c. We are to keep our lips, David bridled his tongue. Pſal. 39.1. I will keep my mouth as with a bridle; but eſpecially we are to look to our hearts: Keep thy heart with all keeping. The heart like Dinah, will be gadding abroad, and it ſeldom returns home, but it is defiled: It was the ſaying of an Heathen, I never come home with ſuch good deſires as I went out with. Chriſtian, thy chief work lies with thy heart, Keep thy heart. The Serpent when any danger is near, keeps his head; and to preſerve his head, will expoſe his whole body to injury; ſo a wiſe Chriſtian ſhould eſpecially keep his heart; he ſhould adventure his skin to keep a wound from his heart. To amplifie this, I ſhall ſhew that the heart muſt be kept,

1. With all kind of keeping.

2. At all times.

3. The Reaſons enforcing.

1. The heart muſt be kept with all kinde of keeping.1. Keep the heart with all kind of keeping.

1. Keep thy heart, as thou wouldſt keep a Temple; the Temple was an hallowed place ſet apart for Gods worſhip; 1ſo the heart is Auguſtiſſimum Dei Templum, **Seneca., the Temple of God, 1 Cor. 3.16. This heart-temple muſt be kept pure and holy; no filth**2 Chron. 29.16.2 Chr 29:16 muſ… lie here; ſweep the duſt out of the p. 532Temple**Mundemus …oc Templum, quod non fumo, nec pulvere ſed mal… cogitatio nibus ſordidatur. Lactan.; the veſſels of the Temple were cleanſ'd, 2 Chr. 29.15. Thus the memory, affections, conſcience, theſe Temple-veſſels muſt be cleanſed, 2 Cor. 7.1. Chriſt whipped the buyers and ſellers out of the Temple, John 2. The cares of the world will be crowding into the heart; now you muſt get a whip made of the threatnings of the Law, and drive theſe money-changers out of the Temple of your heart; let not Gods Temple be made an Exchange; the Temple had a fire burning on the Altar; take heed of ſtrange fire; but keep the fire of zeal and devotion flaming upon the Altar of thy heart; do Temple-work, offer up the ſacrifice of a broken heart. When the heart is Dei ſacrarium, a conſecrated place, an Holy of holies, now God will walk there: Many a mans heart is a Peſt-houſe, a Bedlam, being polluted with ſin; this is to put Swine into Gods room; this is to let the Divel come into Gods Temple; Davids heart was a Temple dedicated, Pſal. 119.38.

22. Keep thy heart as thou wouldſt keep a treaſure: A man that hath a great treaſure of money and jewels, will keep it with lock and bolt, that it be not ſtollen. Chriſtian thou carrieſt a precious treaſure about thee, even all that thou art worth, an heart**Particula divinae aurae.; the Divel and the world would rob thee of this jewel; oh keep thy heart as thou wouldſt keep thy life; if thou art robbed, thou art ruined; few know the value of their hearts; an husbandman can ſet a price upon corn, but not on pearle; men know not the worth of that treaſure they carry about them, therefore prefer other things; keep thy heart as a treaſure.

33. Keep thy heart as thou wouldſt keep a Garden: Thy heart is a Garden **Ca…. 4.1…., weed ſin out of thy heart. Among the flowers of the Spirit weeds will be growing; the weeds of pride, malice, covetouſneſs; (theſe grow without ſetting) p. 533therefore every day be weeding thy heart by prayer, examination, repentance.

1. Weeds hinder the herbs and flowers from growing; the weeds of corruption hinder the growth of grace; where the weed of unbelief grows, it hinders the flower of faith from growing.

2. Weeds ſpoil the walks; Chriſt will not walk in an heart over-grown with weeds and bryars. Chriſt was ſometimes among the lillies, Cant. 6.3. never among the thiſtles. Poor ſinner, thou complaineſt thou haſt not communion with God; time was when God did make himſelf known to thee, but now he is grown ſtrange, and never comes near thee; this is the reaſon, ſin hath ſpoiled Chriſts walks; thy heart lies like the field of the ſluggard, Prov. 24.30. And will Chriſt walk there? Indeed we read Chriſt was once in the wilderneſs when he was tempted, Matth. 4.1. But he did not go thither for delight, but that he might duel and skirmiſh with Satan; 'tis the garden Chriſt delights in; oh weed thy heart daily, let not thy heart be a Thicket for Satan.

4. Keep thy heart as thou wouldſt keep a Garriſon: The 4heart of man is a Garriſon**Cor hominis tanquam caſtellum Bern. or Fort-royal; this Garriſon is beſieged, the Divel ſhoots his fiery darts of tentation; now keep thy heart as a Tower or Caſtle.

1. Keep cloſe ſentinel in thy heart. Hab. 2.1. I will ſtand upon my watch, and ſet me upon the Tower. Diſcover where Satan labours to make a breach, what grace he moſt ſhoots at, and there ſet a double guard, and fortifie.

2. Make uſe of all thy ſpiritual ammunition, meditation and prayer. Prayer is the great Ordnance; diſcharge this Cannon, and be ſure to put the bullet of faith in, Mat. 21.22. 1 Pet. 5.9. If the Divel take the Garriſon by ſtorme, it will be ſad, How did he rend and tear that man in whom he was! Mat. 9.18. it is eaſier letting Satan in, than getting him out. p. 534Turpius ejicitur quam non admittitur hoſtis. If the Divel get the Garriſon of thy heart, thou art his ſlave, and remember he gives no quarter.

55. Keep thy heart as thou wouldſt keep a Priſoner. The heart is guilty, and is ready ever and anon to break priſon; we had need lay bolts and fetters upon it. A priſoner in the Jayle may promiſe fair that he will not ſtir, but when he ſees an opportunity, if you do not watch him, he will file off his fetters, and be gone: So the heart promiſeth fair, that it will keep from ſuch ſins; but if you be not careful, it will ſteal out to vanity; therefore keep thy heart as a priſoner; when thou perceiveſt it breaking looſe, lay chains and fetters upon it, bind it faſt with the terrors of the Law, keep it with the flaming ſword of a reproof: Say to thy heart, as John Baptiſt to Herod, Mark 6.18. It is not lawful for thee to have thy brothers wife. So ſay to thy heart, 'tis not lawful for thee to meddle with the forbidden fruit, thou mayſt not be proud, vain, earthly; lay the commands of God upon thy heart; a man may be too jealous of his friend, he cannot be too jealous of his heart; let it be kept cloſe priſoner.

66. Keep thy heart as thou wouldſt keep a Watch. The heart will be unwinding to the earth, therefore wind it up every morning and evening by prayer; the motion of a Watch is not conſtant; ſometimes it goes faſter, ſometimes ſlower; ſo it is with the heart, ſometimes it goes faſter in vanity, and ſlower in duty; therefore ſet this ſpiritual Watch by the Sun-dyal of the Word.

2. Keep the heart at all times.2. The heart muſt be kept at all times.

1. Keep thy heart when thou art alone; it was Satans ſubtilty to ſet upon Eve when ſhe was alone, and leſs able to reſiſt; he is like a cunning Suitor, that woes the daughter p. 535when her Parents are from home; the Divel breaks over the hedge commonly where it is weakeſt. I confeſs privacy and retirement is good; had a Chriſtian a fruitful heart, what ſweet thoughts might he have of God when he is alone**Pſal. 139.17.Ps 139:17! but alas, by reaſon of innate corruption, how many vain, proud, impure thoughts will be ſtealing into our hearts when we are moſt ſecluded from the world! The Fowles will be coming at the Sacrifice; the Divel will be ſhooting in his Balls of wilde-fire, and when we leaſt ſuſpect him, will be treating with us to deliver up the Caſtle of our heart to him.

2. Keep thy heart when thou art in company. Vain company is the bait by which Satan is angling for the heart. In the Law, he who touched a dead body, was unclean, Num. 5.2. The heart is apt to be defiled by being among them who are dead in ſin; it is eaſie to catch a diſeaſe in company**foreign. Epictetus.: Indeed in innocency the heart might be compared to thoſe Plants of Paradiſe, which Athanaſius ſaith, do impart an Aromatical ſweet ſavour to the Trees adjoyning; but ſince the fall, our hearts are ready to pollute and infect one another, being like that withered Vine the Poet ſpeaks of, which took away the freſh colour and ſap from its neighbour Vine. A good eye by looking on a watry eye, many time falls a watring; ſo oft a good heart by beholding and converſing with the profane, gathers corruption. If you mingle bright and ruſty mettal together, the ruſty will not be made bright, but the bright will become ruſty. So an evil companion who is ruſted with ſin, rubbeth ever and anon ſome of his unholy ruſt upon a man that is brightned with grace**Rubiginoſus comes etiam candido ſuam affricuit rubiginem. Seneca.: Nay Chriſtians, look to your hearts in good company; thoſe who may like Abijah, have ſome good thing in them, 1 Kings 14.13. yet it is but foreign, very ſmall; like a pearl in a heap of ſtones, or like filings of gold among duſt; there may be much p. 536levity of diſcourſe among them who are good; and if no filth or ſcum, yet froth may boyle up; theſe are moſt dangerous, becauſe leſs ſuſpitious. Who would ſuſpect the plague in perfum'd linnen? though the lungs be ſound, the breath may not be ſavoury; ſuch as we hope have ſound hearts, yet want ſome grains of ſolidity, and are not ſo ſavoury and heavenly in their ſpeeches as they ſhould**Col. 4.6.Col 4:6. The Divel doth that hurt ſometimes by a good inſtrument, which he cannot do by a bad; he hands over a tentation by ſuch, he tempts Chriſt by an Apoſtle; the Divel once crept into the Serpent, here into the Dove; but Chriſt ſpied his cloven foot, Matth. 16.23. Get thee behind me Satan; how watchful had we need be in company!

3. Keep thy heart eſpecially after good duties; when Chriſt had been praying and faſting, then the Divel comes and tempts him, Mat. 4.2, 3. When we have been moſt enlarged in our ſervices, now will Satan tempt to pride and ſecurity. Many Chriſtians hearts like Bowes ſtand unbent after ſhootings, they are apt to grow more remiſs, as if duty were a ſufficient ſpell and antidote againſt tentation; do not we know Satan always lies at the catch! he is more mad againſt us after duty; thoſe prayers which appeaſe God, incenſe Satan; and if we lay down our weapons, he will fall on and wound us. After Davids victory over the Aſsyrians, he grew luſtful, and defiled Bathſheba, 2 Sam. 11.4. After we have gotten a victory over Satan in duty, now let us fear leſt our hearts give us the ſlip. When God had driven Adam out of the Garden, he plac't a flaming Sword at the Eaſt of it to keep the Tree of life, Gen. 3. ult. When we have caſt out the Divel by prayer and faſting, let us ſet a ſtrong guard about our hearts to keep them, that the enemy do not make a re-entry.

p. 5374 Keep thy heart in time of adverſity; the Divel makes uſe of all winds to toſs the ſoul, and make it ſuffer ſhipwrack. Adverſity hath its tentations; not more ſhips than ſouls have been caſt away in a ſtorm; in adverſity the Divel tempts to Atheiſme and Deſperation. Job 2.9. Doſt thou ſtill retain thy integrity? Satan uſed Jobs wife as a Ladder, by which he would have ſcaled the impregnable Tower of Jobs faith: Still retain thy integrity? a cutting kind of ſpeech; as if the Divel had ſaid, God hath pull'd down thy hedge, he hath ſmitten thee in thy children, and art thou ſo ſenſleſs as ſtill to ſerve and worſhip God? what haſt thou got by his ſervice? where are thy earnings? what haſt thou to ſhew but thy Boiles? Throw off Religion, Curſe God, and dye! Satans phyſick alwayes poyſons. Mal. 3.14 Ye have ſaid It is vain to ſerve God; and What profit is it that we have kept his Ordinance? We have mourn'd and faſted, and have almoſt faſted away all we have, we will faſt no longer. When a mans eſtate is low, and his ſpirit troubled, now Satan begins to throw in his Angle; and oftentimes Satan makes uſe of poverty, to put a man upon indirect courſes. Agur fear'd his heart in poverty, Prov. 30.8, 9. Oh keep thy heart in adverſity, beware of taking the forbidden fruit.

5. Keep thy heart in time of proſperity. The Moon, the fuller it is, the more remote it is from the Sun; and oftentimes the more full a man is of the world, the further his heart is from God. Deutr. 32.15. Jeſurun waxed fat, and kicked; 'tis hard to abound in proſperity, and not abound in ſin; a full cup is hardly carried without ſpilling; the Trees are never more in danger of the winde, than when they bloſſome; pride, idleneſs, luxury**Multos felicitas p…ratai…, pa… vict…s reddidi…., are the three daughters which are bred of plenty. Sampſon fell aſleep in Dalilahs lap; millions in the lap of proſperity have ſlept the ſleep of death. Agur prayed, Give me not p. 538riches, Prov. 30.8. He knew his heart would be ready to run wilde; the worlds golden apple bewitcheth. When God ſets an hedge of proſperity about us, we had need ſet an hedge of caution and circumſpection.

3. Reaſons enforcing heart-cuſtody.3. The next thing is, why we muſt be ſo careful about keeping of our hearts? the Reaſons are:

1. Becauſe the heart is a ſlippery piece, Jer. 17.9. The heart is deceitful above all things; in the Hebrew it is foreign the heart is a Jacob above all things, the heart is a ſupplanter; if we are not very cautious and watchful, our hearts will put a cheat upon us. There is deceit in coyne, in friends, in books; but the heart hath an art of deceiving beyond all, 'tis a deſperate impoſtor**Grande profundum eſt homo. Aug.; the way of the heart is like a Serpent upon a Rock. O the pleats and folds, the ſubtilties and labyrinths of a ſelf-deceiving heart! Let us a little trace the heart in its fallacies and ſtratagems, and ſee if there be not reaſon to lie ſentinel continually, and ſet a ſtrong guard about it. The heart will deceive us about things

ſinful.

lawful.

religious.

1. The heart will deceive us about things ſinful.

1. The heart will tell us ſin is but ſmall, and being ſmall, it is venial.

2. The heart will apologize for ſin, masking over bad tranſactions with golden pretences.

3. The heart will tell a man he may keep his ſin, and keep his Religion too. 2 Kings 17.33. They feared the Lord, and ſerved their own gods. The heart will ſecretly ſuggeſt to a man thus, as long as he goes to Church, and gives almes, he may ſecretly indulge corruption; as if duty gave a man a Pattent and Licenſe to ſin.

p. 5394. The heart will quote Scripture to juſtifie ſin. 1 Cor. 9.20, 22. To the Jewes I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jewes, I am made all things to all men, &c. This Text the heart will bring for ſinful compliance. O ſubtile heart that canſt finde out Scripture to damn thy ſelf! though Saint Paul in things indifferent would conform to others, that he might ſave their ſouls, yet he would not to gratifie them violate a Law, or deny an Article of his Greed; and if the heart is ſo treacherous, (being alwayes more ready to excuſe ſin than examine it) what care and circumſpection ſhould we uſe in keeping our hearts, that they do not decoy us into ſinne before we are aware.

2. The heart will deceive us about things lawful in two caſes.

1. It is lawful to endeavour to preſerve our credit. A good name is a precious oyntment; but under a pretence of preſerving the name, the heart is ready to tempt a man to ſelf-ſeeking, and make him do all to get a name. John 12.43. Thy loved the praiſe of men more than the praiſe of God.

2. It is lawful to take comfort in eſtate and relations, Deutr. 26.11. But the heart will be ready here to overſhoot▪ how oft is the wife and childe laid in Gods room▪ the full ſtream of the affection runs out to the creature, and ſcarce a drop of love to Chriſt; this is the deceit of the heart, it makes us offend moſt in lawful things; more are killed with wine, than poyſon; they are afraid of poyſon, but take wine in the exceſs. Groſs ſins affright, but how many ſurfeit upon lawful things, when we overdo we undo.

3. The heart will deceive us about things religious.

p. 5401. Our duties.

2. Our graces.

1. Our duties. The heart will tell us it is enough to come to Word and Sacrament, though the affections are not at all wrought upon; this is like the Salamander, which lives in the fire; but (as Naturaliſts ſay) it is never the hotter; Will this be any Plea at Gods bar to tell the Lord how many Sermons you have heard? ſurely it will be the bringing of Uriahs letter, it will be an evidence againſt you: How ſubtile is the heart to plot its own death, and bring a man to hell in the way of duty!

2. Our graces; the heart is like a flattering glaſs, that would make the hypocrite look fair; the fooliſh Virgins thought they had oyle; many ſtrongly conceit they have grace, but have none. The hypocrites knowledge is no better than ignorance. 1 John 2.4. He hath illumination, but not aſſimilation, he is not made like Chriſt. The hypocrites faith is fancy; he believes, but his heart is not purified **Acts 15.9.Acts 15:9; he pretends to truſt God in greater matters, but dares not truſt him in leſſer; he will truſt God with his ſoul, but not with his eſtate.

Well, if the heart be thus deceitful, what need have we with all keeping to keep the heart! do with the heart, as with a cheater; we will truſt a cheater no further than we can ſee him; the heart is a grand cheater, it will ſupplant and cozen; try it, but do not truſt it. Prov. 28.26. He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool.

2. We muſt excubias agere, keep the heart with watch and ward, becauſe it is not only falſe, but fickle. God complains of Iſrael, that their goodneſs was as the early dew, Hoſ. 6.4. The Sun ariſeth, and the dew vaniſheth; p. 541the heart ſometimes ſeems to be in a good frame, but it ſoon alters; ſet the water on the fire, it boyles; ſet it in the open Aire, it freezeth: Thoſe good affections which boyle in the Church, often freeze in the Shop; one day a Chriſtian is quick and lively in prayer, another day like the Diſciples, heavy and ſleeping, Luke 22.45. At one time a Chriſtian is like David, when he danced before the Ark with all his might, 2 Sam. 6.14: At another time like Sampſon, when his hair was ſhaved, and his ſtrength went from him, Judges 16.19. When the gold hath been made pure in the fire, it remains pure; but it is not ſo with the heart; when it hath been purified in an Ordinance, it doth not remain pure, it gathers new ſoile and droſs. The heart is one day humble, next day proud; one one day meek, the next day paſſionate; one day quick in its motion towards heaven, the next day the clock is ſet back; 'tis with the heart, as with a ſick mans pulſe, which alters almoſt every quarter of an houre. The heart being ſo full of variation and inconſtancy, it is needful to keep the heart with all keeping; the heart like a Viol, will ſoon be out of order, therefore we muſt often ſcrue up the ſtrings, and keep the inſtrument in tune, that we may make melody in our heart to the Lord **Epheſ. 5.19.Eph 5:19.

3. The heart muſt eſpecially be looked to and watched, becauſe the heart is the fountain of all our actions and purpoſes; the heart doth either ſweeten or poyſon all we do; the heart is the ſpring which makes the current of our life run either pure or muddy; the heart is the Throne either of ſin or grace. If the root be ſoure, no ſweet fruit can grow upon it; ſo if there be a root of bitterneſs ſpringing u…n the heart**Hebr. 12.15.Heb 12:15, it is impoſſible that our ſervices ſhould give a ſweet relliſh: As in the natural body the heart is the fountain of life; if the heart lives, the whole body lives; if the heart be tainted and poyſoned, the body p. 542dies: So it is in a ſpiritual ſenſe; if the inner man of the heart be holy, then the thoughts and actions are holy; if the ſoul be earthly and impure, the actions receive a bad tin…ture. In Religion the heart is all; we judge of mens heart by their actions; God judgeth of mens actions by their hearts; the heart differenceth actions. Amaziah did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart, 2 Chron. 25.2. But of Aſa it is ſaid, his heart was perfect all his dayes, 2 Chron. 15.17. It is the heart gives the denomination to a thing; now if the heart be the ſpring which makes our actions good or bad, then the heart is chiefly to be watched and tended; preſerve the ſpring pure, keep thy heart with all diligence.

Uſe 1 1. It ſhews a difference between the godly and the wicked;Inform. the hypocrite looks moſt to externals, he keeps his actions from blotting, he ſets a watch before his lips, the godly man ſets a watch before his heart; his main work lies within doors, he ſees the firſt ebullitions and riſings of ſin, and grieves for them, he labours to ſet his heart right; the heart is the Altar which ſanctifies the gift.

Uſe 2 Reproof. 2 If we are to keep our hearts with all keeping, then it reproves four ſorts of perſons.

1. Such as have no care at all about their hearts; they will have a care to keep their land that it be not morgaged, but no care to keep their hearts. Salvation and bleſſedneſs depend upon the keeping of the heart, yet how few mind their hearts, they let the Divel get into their hearts. The Shepherd keeps his Flock, the Phyſitian keeps his Receits, the Lawyer keeps his Evidences, the Merchant keep his Wares, the Covetous man keeps his gold; but few that keep their hearts.

Queſt. Queſt. Why do not men keep their hearts?

Anſw. 1 Anſw. 1. Becauſe they ſtudy not the preciouſneſs of them; what a treaſure is the heart? it is divinely ennobled, p. 543it is capable of glory, but few know the worth of this jewel.

2 Men keep not their hearts, becauſe they are taken up Anſw. 2 in keeping other things. Cant. 1.6. My own vineyard have I not kept. Many a man may ſay I have been cumbred about the world, I have been keeping my eſtate, tending my luſts, but my own heart hath been neglected, my own vineyard have I not kept. Judas was keeping the bag, when he ſhould have kept his heart.

3. Men keep not their hearts, becauſe they keep themſelves Anſw. 3 in ſloth; to keep the heart requires diligence, and few are willing to put themſelves to the trouble; but ſhould not a Merchant keep his books of account becauſe he finds ſome trouble in it?

4. Some think their hearts are ſo good, that they need Anſw. 4 not ſpend time about them to keep them. Many a bold ſinner is preſumptuouſly confident of heaven; he thinks he wants nothing but taking poſſeſſion; hence it is he never looks into his heart, or ſearcheth his evidences till it be too late.

2. It reproves them, who when they ſhould be keeping their hearts, fall aſleep. Mat. 13.25. While men ſlept, the enemy came and ſowed tares. When men are aſleep, and neglect their ſpiritual watch, the Divel comes and ſowes poyſonful ſeeds in their hearts, ſeeds of malice, pride, luſt; they ſay when the Dragon is aſleep, a jewel is taken out of his head; ſo the Divel takes away this jewel of the heart while men ſleep in ſecurity; 'tis death for a Souldier to fall aſleep upon his guard.

3. It reproves them, who inſtead of keeping their hearts, have ſuffered them to be ſtollen away. The love of the world hath ſtollen away mens hearts; we may make an hue and cry after hearts. Satan catcheth mens hearts with a golden bait; this, this is the reaſon why preaching the p. 544Word doth ſo little good: Miniſters preach to mens ears, but the world hath ſtollen away their hearts.

4. It reproves thoſe who keep half of their heart, but not all; they have affections to good things, but let out ſome rooms of their heart to ſin. H…rod did many things, but he let out one room of his heart to the Divel, he lived in inceſt **Ubi regnat peccatum, non poteſt regna…e Dei regnum Au…. The true mother would not have the childe divided; God will not endure to have the heart divided, he will have the whole heart kept for him.

Uſe 3 3. It exhorts Chriſtians to keep their hearts: Merchants complain of loſſes at Sea;Exhort. but whatever we loſe, if we can keep our hearts, we ſhall do well enough: Keep thy heart with all diligence. This is I confeſs an hard work; Eliah found it eaſier to ſhut heaven by prayer, than to ſhut his heart from evil thoughts**Facilius eſt coelum obſe…a…e quam animum.; but this is the work every good Chriſtian muſt ſet upon, the keeping of his heart.

Queſt. Quest. But if my heart be evil, muſt I keep it?

Anſw. Anſw. No, Caſt away the evil of it, and keep that which is good; as when we candy fruit, we pare off the skin, cut out the core and rotten, and preſerve that which is beſt; ſo do with thy heart; what is evil in it caſt away; what is good preſerve; if thy heart be hard, caſt away the ſtone, keep it ſoft; if hypocritical, cut out the rotten, keep that which is ſound; ſeparate between the precious and the vile. The ſin in thy heart throw away, the grace keep and cheriſh; in a word, do with thy heart, as they in the Parable did with the Fiſh, Mat. 13.43. They gathered the good into veſsels, but caſt the bad away.

This is the great Exhortation, Heart-cuſtody; ſinners look to your hearts; let not your hearts be bewitched, and ſtollen away with the pleaſures of the world. Hoſ. 4.11. Whoredom and wine take away the heart; many have drowned their hearts in wine. Clemens Alexandrinus reports p. 545of a certain Fiſh that hath not an heart diſtinguiſhed from the belly as other fiſhes, but hath the heart in the belly; an emblem of Epicures, their heart is in their belly.

Queſt. Queſt. What is the holy frame and poſture in which I ſhould keep my heart?

Anſw. Anſw. Keep thy heart awake. Cant. 5.2. My heart waketh. Pſal. 108.2. I my ſelf will awake early **Ut te ipſum ſerves non expergiſceris? Hor.; though we have been ſluggiſh, yet now it is high time to awake out of ſleep, Rom. 13.11. Take heed of ſleeping in ignorance, impenitency, ſecurity; the heart is naturally aſleep, ſin may be compared to ſleep.

1. A man that is aſleep, his ſenſes are tyed up**Somnus eſt ligatio ſenſuum.; ſo a ſinner whoſe heart is aſleep in ſin, his ſpiritual ſenſes are taken away, he is not ſenſible of ſin or wrath, Eph. 4.19. He is going to hell, but knows it not, he laughs in his ſleep.

2. Though in ſleep the ſenſes are bound, yet the fancy is let looſe, the man dreams he is at a Banquet, Iſa. 29.8, So when the heart of a ſinner is aſleep in ſin, yet his fancy is quick; he fancies that he is an heir of the promiſe, that God loves him, fancy is let looſe.

3. Sleep hinders from action; he that is aſleep, cannot work; ſo a ſinner fallen aſleep in ſin, cannot work out his ſalvation.

4. A man aſleep, is in danger to be robbed, his money or jewels may be taken away; ſo while the ſinner is aſleep, he may be robbed of his ſoul; oh therefore keep thy heart awake, let the judgement of God on ſinners be as an alarum to awaken thee, make that prayer of David, Pſal. 13.3. Lighten mine eyes, that I ſleep not the ſleep of death.

2. Keep thy heart jealous; towards others exerciſe charity, towards thy ſelf jealouſie; the better the heart is, p. 546the more ſuſpitious: Satan hath a party within us; the heart is not true to its ſelf, therefore it needs excubation and caution; little did Haſael think what was in his heart, 2 Kings 8.13. Had one come to Noah, and ſaid, Noah, Thou wilt be drunk ſhortly, he would have been ready to have defied him; there's all ſin ſeminally in the heart; whether will not the heart run, if we do not guard it? it will run to Idolatry, Atheiſme, Inceſt: Be ever jealous; jealouſie breeds vigilancy, and vigilancy ſafety; let thy heart be ever in thy eye, keep it in with the curben-bit of mortification.

3. Keep thy heart ſerious; take heed of a light heart. Zeph. 3.11. His Prophets are light. The heart of the wicked is vain, and in this ſenſe is ſaid to be little worth, Prov. 10.20. If you put a feather in the ſcale, it weighs nothing; ſo feathery is the heart of a ſinner; vanity ſwims on the top, and deceit lies at bottom: Chriſt ſaith of the Sparrows, Are not two of them ſold for a farthing? Matth. 10.29. Thouſands of the ſinners thoughts are not worth a farthing! a light heart is like a ſhip without a ballaſt, it ſoon overturns; a vain heart will be unſtable; light things are blown every way; a flaſhy Chriſtian is not broken for ſin, ſin ſeldome lies heavy on a light heart; keep the heart ſerious, fix it upon God. Pſal. 57.7. O God my heart is fixed. Grace conſolidates the heart, and keeps it from floting in levity; poize thy heart with the thoughts of hell and judgement.

4. Keep thy heart humble, 1 Pet. 5.5. That is the beſt frame of heart, which fits a man for Gods preſence; the humble heart is the Valley where God delights to walk; the houſe where he will take up his reſidence**In ſpirituali deficio, fundamen…i locus ponitur in imo. Hugo de Clauſtr. anim. l. 1., Iſa. 57. The humble heart doth ſibi ipſi vileſcere **Ba…n., it hath a low eſteem of it ſelf, and an high eſteem of others, Phil. 4.3. The more humble the heart is, the more fertil in grace; p. 547thoſe Meadows which lie low, are the richeſt grounds: Keep thy heart humble, view thy own wants, and others perfections; the impoſtume of pride kills. The Eagle lifts up the Tortoiſe into the Aire, and then throws her down upon a rock, and breaks her**Valer. Max.; ſo the Divel lifts the heart up in pride, and ſo deſtroys it.

5. Keep thy heart ſublime. Col. 3.1, 2. Seek thoſe things which are above. Keep down thy heart with the weight of humility, yet mount it up with the wing of heavenly-mindedneſs; when the heart is touched with the loadſtone of the Spirit, it aſcends. Thus you have ſeen the holy frame and poſture the heart is to be kept in.

Queſt. Queſt. What means is to be uſed for the keeping of the heart?

1. If you would keep your heart, keep the Word in Anſw. 1 your heart. Pſal. 119.11. Thy Word have I hid in my heart,Rules for keeping the heart. that I might not ſin againſt thee. The Word is a preſervative and antidote to keep the heart from ſpiritual infection. What are all the golden precepts in the Word of God, but ſeveral receits for the keeping of the heart? if a Mariner would keep his ſhip, he muſt have his eye to the Star and the Compaſs; the beſt way to keep our hearts, is to ſail by a Scripture-compaſs.

2. If you would keep your heart, have a care what Anſw. 2 company you keep, incorporate your ſelves into the ſociety of the Saints; when the people of God are together, they heat and quicken one another; their counſels are ſeaſonable, their prayers helpful. That ſhip is moſt likely to be preſerved from Pirates, which goes with a Convoy: Chriſtian, Wouldſt thou keep thy heart ſafe in thy voyage to heaven, let the communion of Saints be thy Convoy, take heed of coming near ſuch as are irreligious, they are infectious, and will poyſon thy heart; let thy delight be in them that excell in vertue, Pſal 16.3. The p. 548Saints carry the Lanthorn of the Word along with them, it is good to walk with them that carry the light.

Anſw. 3 3. If you would keep your heart, watch over your paſſions; the heart is ready to be deſtroyed by its own paſſion, as the Veſſel is to be overturned with the Sail; the heart doth ſometimes ſink in ſorrow, ſwell with anger, and abound exceſſively with carnal joy. Diagoras ſeeing his three ſons in one day crowned Conquerors, dyed for joy. Paſſion tranſports beyond the bounds of reaſon, 'tis a kind of phrenſie that poſſeſſeth. Lay the curben-bit of reſtraint upon your paſſions, or your hearts will run wilde in ſin; take heed of enflaming your ſpirits, as a man would avoid thoſe wines and ſtrong waters that may heat his blood; cut off all occaſions that may awaken this FURY, take away the fuel that feeds this fire. When this viper of paſſion begins to gather heat, pray it down: Prayer, ſaith Luther, takes down the ſwelling of the ſoul, and abates the heat of inordinate affections. How dangerous are theſe fiery exhalations! Moſes in a paſſion ſpake unadviſedly with his lips, Pſal. 106.33. A man in a rage is like a ſhip in a Tempeſt, that hath neither Pilot or Sails▪ or Oars to help it, but is expoſed to the Waves and Rocks; how many have loſt their hearts in a ſtorm!

Anſw. 4 4. If you would keep your heart, keep all the paſſages to your heart; he that would keep a City, keeps the Forts and Outworks; keep eſpecially the two Portals of the heart faſt, the eye and the ear.

1. Keep the eye; the eye oft ſets the heart on fire. Job did make a Covenant with his eyes, Job 31.1.**Voluit reducere ſpeciem ſenſus externi ad tandem ſpeciem cum inte…o. The Serpent ſometimes creeps in through the Window or Caſement into a Room; the old Serpent the Divel, creeps through the Caſement of the eye into the heart; the eye is taſter to the appetite. Firſt Eve ſaw the Tree was good for food, then ſhe took of the fruit, Gen. 3.6. Look to the p. 549eye; ſome of the Heathens have pulled out their eyes, becauſe they would not be enticed by impure objects. I ſay not pull out the eye, only keep the Portal ſhut; the Romans never did let their priſoners go abroad but their Keepers went with them; never ſend thine eyes abroad, but ſend their Keepers with them.

2. Keep the ear; much ſin is conveyed to the heart through the ear; the Apoſtle calls it foreign, corrupt communication, Eph. 4.29. Becauſe impure diſcourſe corrupts and poyſons the heart. Keep thy ear open to God, and ſhut to ſin; deafen thy ears to the lies of the ſlanderer and heretick, let not him have thy ear, who comes to rob thee of thy heart.

5. If you would keep your heart, get Chriſt into your Anſw. 5 heart. Eph. 3.17. That Chriſt may dwell in your heart: Nothing can hurt but ſin; if Chriſt be in the heart, he will purifie it, his Spirit is the refiners fire, Mal. 3.2. If Chriſt be in the heart, he will adorn it, he will bring in the rich furniture of his graces, and ſo beautifie the hidden man of the heart, 1 Pet 3.4. If Chriſt be in the heart, he will defend it; the Caſtle of the heart can never be taken, if Chriſt be in it! Let Satan dig his Mines, lay his Train of powder, ſhoot his Balls of wilde-fire; if the Lord of Hoſts pitch his Tent in the heart, it can never be taken by ſtorm.

6. If you would keep your hearts, have a care to keep Anſw. 6 your thoughts. Jer. 4.14. How long ſhall vain thoughts lodge within thee? What though you ſet a watch before the door of the lips, if you let your heart run out in vain impure thoughts? the heart is the preſence-chamber which is to be kept for God; vain thoughts defile the Room, and make it unfit for God to come into. The thoughts make way for ſin; while the mind is muſing, the heart burns. David let his heart rove into wanton thoughts, and that p. 550made way for the act of adultery, 2 Sam. 11.4. Thoughts are Purveyers for ſin; they do firſt ſtart ſin, and then the heart hunts it.

Anſw. 7 7. If you would keep your heart, keep your accounts well; bring thy heart often to trial, put queries to thy heart; O my heart what doſt thou? whether goeſt thou? ſee what work lies undone, what ſin thou haſt to bewail, what grace to ſtrengthen; ſearch thy evidences, examine thy title to Chriſt, 2 Cor. 13.5. Traverſe things narrowly in thy ſoul, ſee if there be no ſin countenanced; ſearch as Iſrael did for Leven, keep a Diary in thy heart, ſee how things go in thy ſoul, be not a ſtranger at home; for want of this p…lying with the heart, many are kept in the dark, and underſtand not the true ſtate of their ſouls; they live known to others, but dye unknown to themſelves.

O what wiſdom is it for a Chriſtian to be much with his own heart; he that would keep his Eſtate, muſt keep his Account-books well. Chriſtian, redeem time every day to turn over the book of conſcience; trade with thy own heart, it will be ſtealing out to ſin, call it often to account. Seneca would every night when his candle was out, ask himſelf what he had done that day? often reckonings keep God and the conſcience friends.

Anſw. 8 8. If you would keep your heat, ſet fences about your heart; thoſe who would keep fruit or flowers, fence them in. There are foure Fences we ſhould ſet about our hearts to keep them.

Fence. 1 1. The fear of God. Prov. 23.17. Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. As in natural fear the ſpirits recoil to the heart to keep it; ſo the fear of God preſerves the heart; fear puts an holy awe upon the ſoul, and keeps it from ſinful excurſions; fear bolts the door of the heart againſt vanity. Prov. 16.6. By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil. As a Noble-mans Porter ſtands at the gate p. 551to keep out every thing that is unſeemly from being brought into the houſe; ſo the fear of God ſtands as an armed man at the gate of the heart, to keep out tentations from entrings; fear lies ſentinel, it ſtands as a Watchman on the Tower, and looks every way to ſee what danger is approaching; fear will not admit any thing into the ſoul which is diſhonourable to God.

2. Love without fear, makes us preſume; and fear Fence. 2 without love, makes us deſpair; the love of God is the moſt forcible Argument to prevail with an ingenious ſpirit. Thus love argues, Hath God given me Chriſt? hath he joynted me in the promiſes? hath he ſetled a Reverſion of heaven upon me? and ſhall I walk unworthy of this love? ſhall I voluntarily ſin againſt this God? No, I will rather dye than ſin; this made Anſelm ſay, Let me rather fall into hell than ſin; wouldſt thou keep thy heart, environ it with love, death cannot break this fence.

3. Faith; this is call'd a ſhield, Epheſ. 6.16. The ſhield Fence. 3 fenceth the head, guards the vitals; this bleſſed ſhield of faith preſerves the heart from danger. The ſhield defends all the Armour, the Helmet and Breaſt-plate. The ſhield of faith defends the other graces▪ the Breaſt-plate of love, the Helmet of hope, the Girdle of truth. When Satan ſtrikes at a Chriſtians heart, faith beats back the blow, and wounds the head of the old Serpent. 1 Pet. 5.9. Whom reſiſt ſtedfaſt in faith; faith is the beſt ſafeguard, faith brings in peace. Rom. 15.13. Peace in believing. And peace fortifies the heart, Phil. 4.7. The peace of God ſhall keep your heart.

4. A good conſcience. The heart is placed in the midſt Fence. 4 of the body; and as it is ſtrongly ſecured with ribs about it, ſo it hath a film over it in which it is kept, call'd by the Greeks foreign. To the ribs about the heart which fence it, I may compare the graces; to the film in which p. 552the heart is kept, I may compare a good conſcience, this keeps the ſoul that nothing can annoy it. — Murus Aheneus eſto, &c. — Good conſcience is a brazeen wall about the Caſtle of the heart; theſe are the fences that keep the heart.

Anſw. 9 9. If you would have your hearts kept, beg of God that he would keep them for you; ſet not about this work in your own ſtrength, but look higher, go to God, he is the great Lord-Keeper. Pſal. 121.5. The Lord is thy Keeper **Utinam ut mihi ſemper à dexteris fis, bone Jeſu. Bern.; it is good to go alwayes with ſuch a Keeper; this is the reaſon none of the Saints are loſt, becauſe the Lord is their Keeper. 1 Pet. 1.5. Who are kept by the power of God. Every Ward hath a Guardian to keep him; chooſe God for thy Guardan, they are ſafe whom God keeps; lock up thy heart with God, and give him the Key.

Motives to heart-cuſtody.The Motives that may perſwade us to look after the keeping of our hearts, are theſe.

1. If we do not keep our hearts, the Divel will keep them; ſhall we let Satan have them? when a rude Army gets into a Town, what work do they make? what Rapines, Plunders, Maſſacres? when Satan poſſeſſeth hearts, he carries them at laſt violently (as he did the Swine) into the Sea, Satan is firſt crafty, then cruel.

1. He is crafty; his work is to fiſh for hearts, and he is very ſubtile; he hath his foreign, his policies and ſtratagems, 2 Cor. 2.11.

1. He obſerves the humours of the body, and layes ſutable baits; the Divel cannot know the heart, but he may obſerve the temper and conſtitution**Novit Diabolus cui illecebras carn… ingerat, cui virus invi diae inſundat, omnium diſcurit mores. Leo.; he tempts a ſanguine man with beauty, a covetous man wich gold; as the p. 553Husband-man knows what ground is fit for Barley, what for Wheat; Satan hath not been a Tempter ſo long, but by this time hath gained experience, having commenced Maſter of his black Art.

2. Satan baits his hook with Religion, he tempts to ſin under a pretext of piety, thus transforming himſelf into an Angel of light. He tempts ſome to make away themſelves, that they may not live any longer to ſin againſt God. Who would ſuſpect Satan, when he comes as a Divine, and quotes Scripture? Thus cunningly doth the Divel angle for hearts.

2. Having once gotten his prey, he is cruel; his cruelty exceeds the rage of all Tyrants; we read of Hannibal, Antiochus, Nero, who cauſed the Chriſtians to be put in Coats, laid over with pitch and brimſtone, burning all night, that they might be a living Torch to them that paſſed by; this is nothing to the unparallel'd barbariſme and cruelty of Satan; his name is Apollyon, Devourer; he rent and tore the man in whom he was, and threw him into the fire, Matth. 17.15. If he was ſo fierce when he was chained, what will he do when he hath full power? when he had taken away all Jobs Eſtate, ſmitten his body full of ſoars, and thrown the houſe upon his children, yet all this was in the Divels account but a touch of the finger, Job 1.11. If the touch of his finger be ſo heavy, what will the weight of his loyns be? Oh then if Satan be ſo ſubtile in fiſhing for hearts, and ſo ſavage when he gets mens hearts, let us have a care to keep our hearts; if we do not keep them, Satan will keep them for us, and then ſee what havock he will make.

2. He that keeps his heart, keeps his peace; whence are our perturbations and diſquiets, but from the neglect of our ſpiritual watch? he that keeps his heart all day, may lie down in peace at night, Pſal. 4.8. What a comfort p. 554will this be to a Chriſtian in every condition! in a low condition, when he thinks thus with himſelf, Though I have loſt my friends and eſtate, yet I have kept my heart; in a ſick condition; we ſhall ſhortly be chained to a ſick-bed; but when a Chriſtian ſhall keep his bed, it will be no ſmall comfort to him that he hath kept his heart; in a dying condition; death may take away the life, but not the heart; that jewel God layes claim to, and it is kept for him.